UF news for week of July 21 listed

July 18, 2014

[UPDATED: 1:15 PM, 7/21/14]

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Here are the releases the University of Florida’s media relations office expects to send next week, subject to change:

Monday, July 21

TECHCONNECTREPORT -- In its first dozen years of operation, the UF Tech Connect program has helped launch 157 technology-based startup companies that in turn generated more than $1 billion in private funding, $530 million in public funding and 2,000 new jobs, according to a report released today.

STAUGUSTINEPROJECTS -- The nation’s oldest city has a big birthday coming up, and the University of Florida is helping to prepare St. Augustine for the party. UF has completed more work toward improving historical structures and providing amenities for tourists as the town celebrates its 450^th anniversary next year.

EVENTS 0721 – events for upcoming weeks of possible media interest.

Tuesday, July 22

NURSERY RHYMES – w/video and audio -- UF researcher Charlene Krueger used a fetal monitor similar to those used in traditional labor and delivery units to record a fetus’s heart rate in response to a recording of a nursery rhyme by the mother. They found that the fetus' heart rate began to respond by 34 weeks gestational age – or once the mother had spoken the rhyme out loud for six weeks, and they remembered it 4 weeks later even after the readings had stopped.

Wednesday, July 23

BIODIVERSITY – UF has added another preeminence initiative: biodiversity – the delicate balance of plants, animals and insects in a given area. The university will add five new faculty positions to augment its already strong presence in that growing field.

Thursday, July 24

Open

Friday, July 25

BUDGET 0725 -- advisory for next week’s releases.