USF Sarasota-Manatee Regional Chancellor Karen Holbrook knows the Association of American Universities well. Very well.
Five members of the prestigious AAU, whose members include the top 3 percent of research universities in the U.S. and Canada, hold prominent spots on her curriculum vitae: the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Washington School of Medicine, the University of Florida, The Ohio State University, and, as of June 2023, the University of South Florida.
“We are in incredible company, and USF joining the AAU made our university even more impressive,” Holbrook said. “These are outstanding universities with faculty doing groundbreaking research in various fields with commitments to serving the local, national and global communities, and graduates who have gone on to make a real difference in the world.”
“USF belongs in the AAU,” Holbrook said. “We have arrived.”
Throughout the past year and a half, USF’s membership in the Association of American Universities has become a springboard to an array of benefits for the USF community, Tampa Bay region and state of Florida.
From the successful recruitment and retention of world-class faculty and students to more corporations and community organizations inquiring and establishing new partnerships with the university — AAU membership is fueling USF’s momentum in significant ways.
AAU membership affirms our hard work and USF’s commitment to research. It is a powerful validation.
Karen Holbrook, Regional Chancellor
“Receiving an invitation to join the AAU is one of the most significant milestones in the University of South Florida’s history. It signals that our peers recognize that USF has established itself as one of the nation’s leading research universities by achieving benchmarks focused on the success of our students and faculty and the continued growth of our robust research enterprise,” USF President Rhea Law said. “Just one year after joining the AAU, our community is already seeing the impact of this achievement as it is helping to further elevate the outstanding work of our world-class students, faculty and staff. At USF, we continue to be bold in our pursuit of excellence and we are focusing on maximizing the impact of our university for generations to come.”
One of the AAU’s primary missions is to advocate for federal resources and policy issues pertaining to higher education, science and innovation. As a member, USF leaders have a voice in the conversation as AAU seeks support for investments in student financial aid, faculty scholarship and research that is vital to the nation’s economic competitiveness.
“As one of America’s leading research universities, the University of South Florida in its first year in AAU has proven to be a strong partner in our efforts to promote the government-university research partnership, which produces discoveries that improve the lives and health of Americans, expand our economy and make us safer and stronger,” AAU President Barbara Snyder said. “President Law and USF have jumped in with both feet, continuing to make scientific advances while advocating for science and the importance of research. We are thrilled to have them on our AAU team.”
Holbrook, who is retiring as regional chancellor at the end of 2024 after a total of 14 years at the university, said AAU recognition is not just USF's honor.
“It also belongs to the communities we serve, including here in Sarasota-Manatee where
we are the only higher education institution with the resources and ability to bring
from all three campuses so much knowledge and experience in myriad fields to address
the most pressing challenges, like economic and workforce development, cybersecurity,
childhood literacy, health care, risk management and insurance and teacher shortages
in
the public schools,” Holbrook said.
AAU boosts faculty recruitment at Sarasota-Manatee campus
At USF Sarasota-Manatee, Holbrook said AAU membership is helping recruit new faculty who appreciate what being at a recognized academic and research powerhouse like USF could mean for their careers.
Tingting Zhang said USF being invited to the AAU was a “significant factor” in her decision to join the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at USF Sarasota-Manatee as a tenured associate professor.
“As a faculty member, this affiliation means that research and grant efforts are significantly valued and supported,” said Zhang, who previously worked for eight years at the University of Central Florida. “It aligns perfectly with my career goals, allowing me to further develop my skills and focus on innovative research.”
Dane Minnick, who holds the Evelyn Duvall Endowed Chair for Family Development in
the School of Social Work at the Sarasota-Manatee campus, said AAU membership “made
USF a priority university to explore during my
job search.”
“Membership in the AAU demonstrates that USF has a high-achieving academic community where innovative research and teaching are strongly valued,” said Minnick who came to USF this fall from Ball State University in Indiana, where he was director of the Center for Substance Use Research and Community Initiatives. “This environment aligns perfectly with my professional aspirations and my commitment to making meaningful contributions to the fields of social work and substance use research.”
Laura Curran moved to the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy at the Sarasota-Manatee campus this fall, after studying as a postdoctoral fellow at Tulane University. Curran, who earned her master’s degree in counselor education at USF and her Ph.D. in social work at New York University, said she was impressed by the faculty’s pride in USF becoming part of the AAU.
“Since I knew that such a passionate and visionary research community is not something you see every day, I wanted to be a part of it,” Curran said.
Holbrook said AAU’s imprimatur did not make USF a better place to teach or conduct research than it was before it joined the organization. Rather, it is best viewed as recognition for all USF and its leadership accomplished during a relentless 20-year pursuit of academic and excellence and innovation through investments, hard work and bold risk-taking
Having “AAU since 2023” on its resume does, among other things, highlight the school’s position as a top-tier higher education institution and the advantages the community and the region have over other communities that don’t include a renowned research university like USF.
“AAU membership affirms our hard work and USF’s commitment to research,” Holbrook said. “It is a powerful validation.”