Student conference highlights the power of research at USF

With the opening of the new USF Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing this fall, the possibilities of making scientific and other breakthroughs in the emerging fields – and maybe preparing for lucrative, in-demand jobs helping governments and other organizations protect themselves from cyberthreats – already have captured the imaginations of students. 

That was clear during the 2025 USF Student Research Conference on the Sarasota-Manatee campus on April 25. 

Many of the more than 60 presentations and posters at the day-long conference detailed how different aspects of AI and cybersecurity can shape research and developments in health care, information management, law enforcement and myriad other areas. That focus highlighted the work already being done by students and their faculty mentors and dovetailed with the Bellini College’s goal of making USF a leader and economic engine in AI, cybersecurity, and computing education and research, fostering interdisciplinary innovation and ethical technology development through strong industry and government partnerships.  

Research projects related to AI and cybersecurity at the conference included how electronic noses and other analytical tools can be used for early disease detection; a study of cyberhackers’ motives and what might persuade them to quit their illicit activities; and “Enhancing Cloud Security Assessment Frameworks for the Generative AI Era,” graduate student Tre Le’s research on how organizations can use AI to improve protections of their computer networks, which was judged the most outstanding oral presentation of the conference. 

These and other computing-related topics reflected the impact the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing promises to make in Tampa Bay and beyond. 

In welcoming the students from across USF to the Sarasota-Manatee campus for the conference, Brett Kemker, interim regional chancellor, and Saundra Johnson Austin, director of the Office of Student Engagement in Research and Innovation, said students play key roles in USF’s research efforts, which were pivotal to the university’s admission to the prestigious Association of American Universities in 2023.  

By building on the work of others — whether exploring hearing loss solutions, studying how mental health affects the performance of first-generation college students or analyzing lyrics in songs, topics highlighted on some of the posters — conference participants are paving the way for future discoveries. “You are future change makers,” Johnson Austin said. 

“We are charged at this institution with the creation of knowledge. That is very noble, and you all are creating that knowledge." Kemker said. “The conference provides an important platform for students to share their discoveries, disseminate knowledge and discuss their ideas.” 

The scientific work on display is impressive, but my favorite part of the conference is seeing the students engage with their peers and mentors. You can almost see the new ideas being generated in the air above these conversations. Presenting scientific work in this way is a unique learning experience. It takes a great deal of courage to open your work to public critique, and even more humility to take the feedback into account and improve your work.

Ross Dubose, Assistant Director of the Office of Research

The conference displayed an eclectic mix of student research drawn from their academic interests and, in some instances, their preparation for future careers in health care, education and other fields. For example, several students from the College of Education, fresh from their experience as intern teachers, presented their studies on ways to engage elementary school students and drive better performance. 

College of Education fourth-year student Madelyn Rickles, who was judged to have the conference’s most outstanding poster, examined what she hypothesized was a link between students’ self-confidence and their attitude toward writing. 

“As a new teacher who once struggled with writing but eventually grew to love it, I began to question where the disconnect lay. I noticed my students wrote only when required and often expressed frustration, saying it was simply too hard,” Rickles wrote on her poster. “I wanted to explore the relationship between students and writing to better understand their struggles and find meaningful ways to foster a genuine love for writing in the classroom, helping students see it as an opportunity rather than as a challenge.” 

Other students’ research projects were inspired by film, television and other popular culture, and what they reflect in the wider society. Alison Frate, a student in the Judy Genshaft Honors College, studied how a “Gilmore Girls” episode’s depiction of American and Korean wedding traditions “can impact large viewer perceptions.”  

The 2025 Student Research Conference at USF Sarasota-Manatee made one thing clear: the next generation of scholars, innovators and changemakers is already hard at work. Their projects — spanning artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, education, literature, history, and more — weren’t just academic exercises. They were bold, often deeply personal, and grounded in the real world, reflecting a university where curiosity is encouraged, ideas are tested, and research is a tool for impact. It was a glimpse into the future USF is helping shape—one discovery, one student at a time.