2021 News Articles / Press Releases

USF professor inducted into Florida Inventors Hall of Fame for her work with cacti
June 14, 2021
USF College of Engineering professor Norma Alcantar has 12 patents for cactus mucilage, the gummy stuff inside the plant, used for everything from water purification to using it in the fight against Parkinson’s disease.

USF Distinguished University Professor Yogi Goswami Honored by American Society of Mechanical Engineers
June 11, 2021
USF College of Engineering Distinguished Professor Yogi Goswami has been named the 2021 recipient of the ASME Safety Codes and Standards Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for leading the development of new safety standards for thermal energy systems.

The cactus, the ally of purification
June 7, 2021
A member of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, Norma Alcantar is a chemical engineer who has made amazing discoveries with natural products to solve complex problems such as ocean decontamination. The correspondent of the Voice of America in Miami Alonso Castillo takes us into his world of traditions and innovation.

The wisdom of a Mexican grandmother made her inventive granddaughter successful in the US
May 21, 2021
The Mexican chemical engineer Norma Alcántar, with 12 patents in the United States based on the use of nopal, from cleaning the water to stopping the formation of the brain plaques that cause Alzheimer’s disease, assures that she owes her scientific interest in this cactus to her grandmother Balbina Zamora.

The knowledge of a Mexican grandmother gave success to her inventive granddaughter in the US
May 19, 2021
The chemical engineer from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has developed 12 inventions from the gummy substance that nopal contains.

The knowledge of a Mexican grandmother gave success to her inventive granddaughter in the US
May 19, 2021
Of a total of 22 patents that this chemical engineer from the National Autonomous University of Mexico has in the United States, she has developed 12 inventions based on the gummy substance that nopal contains.

Professor Norma Alcantar created 12 patents in the US with nopal, thanks to a Mexican grandmother
May 19, 2021
This chemical engineer from the National Autonomous University of Mexico developed 12 inventions from the gummy substance that nopal contains.

SCIENCE: Norma Alcantar, 12 patents in the US, thanks to the gummy substance from nopal
May 19, 2021
Mexican chemical engineer Norma Alcantar, with 12 US patents based on the use of nopal, from cleaning the water to stopping the formation of brain plaques that cause Alzheimer’s disease, says that her scientific interest in this cactus is due to her grandmother Balbina Zamora.

Florida professor who harnessed power of cactuses is a top inventor
May 9, 2021
When Norma Alcantar got a call last month from Judy Genshaft, the former University of South Florida president, she wondered what had happened. She was pleasantly surprised to hear that she would be inducted into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. Genshaft had nominated her for the honor.

USF professor who harnessed the power of cactuses is a top Florida inventor
May 5, 2021
Norma Alcantar has more than 22 patents based on a natural substance she found out about from her grandmother.

IBM exec, Segway founder among the latest inventors added to USF-based Hall of Fame
May 5, 2021
The seven inventors chosen collectively hold more than 675 patents.

Meet seven inventors who have made Florida a ‘powerhouse of innovation’
May 1, 2021
The inventor of the Segway and a co-inventor of technology that revolutionized modern day computing are among the seven newest inductees in the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame.

USF Engineering Professor Norma Alcantar to be Inducted into Florida Inventors Hall of Fame
April 29, 2021
USF Professor Norma Alcantar—who engineered an ancient practice of cleaning water with cactus mucilage to create modern technologies—is among seven new inductees to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame announced today.

Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Announces 2021 Inductees
April 29, 2021
Florida Inventors Hall of Fame 2021 Inductees prove that the creative spark can light a fire of innovation to change the world. Seven Florida Inventors whose discoveries are saving lives, transforming the environment, and creating new technologies will be inducted as the 2021 Class of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. Among them are Dean Kamen, often referred to as the modern Thomas Edison due to the breadth and scope of his trailblazing inventions, including the Segway®; and Mark Dean, who holds three patents for the original IBM PC and is co-inventor of the ISA bus which revolutionized modern computing.

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