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Who We Are Sylvia Thomas, Ph.D
Sylvia Thomas, Ph.D
Professor of Electrical Engineering and former Vice President of Research & Innovation, University of South Florida (USF)
Profile
Officer Role: Treasurer
Description of technical expertise, past leadership experience, and goals for ASEMFL position:
Dr. Sylvia Thomas is a Professor of Electrical Engineering and former Vice President of Research & Innovation at the University of South Florida (USF), where she directed and provided strategic vision for the university’s $750M+ research and innovation enterprise. Through USF’s AAU membership, she served as AAU Senior Research Officer and a member of the AAU SRO Steering Committee, APLU Council on Research Executive Committee, and Council on Competitiveness.
Dr. Thomas is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). She is also an inductee of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. She serves on the boards of ASEMFL, Florida Space Research Consortium, Florida Semiconductor Institute, and Museum of Science & Industry. She is a member of the Pan American Academy of Engineering and Senior Member of IEEE.
She leads USF’s Advanced Membrane and Materials Bio and Integration Research (AMBIR) Laboratory, focused on biomedical, biological, and nano-electronic device integration using advanced membrane materials. She has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and book chapters and holds several patents. Her work has supported innovation and technology development involving organizations including Bell Labs, Agere Systems, Lucent, Kimberly-Clark, IBM, and Procter & Gamble.
A strong advocate for STEM education, Dr. Thomas has championed K–12 engagement through teacher collaborations, high-school research experiences, and partnerships with school districts. She has also advanced international engineering education and research collaborations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Description of technical expertise, past leadership experience, and goals for ASEMFL position:
Dr. Sylvia Thomas is a Professor of Electrical Engineering and former Vice President of Research & Innovation at the University of South Florida (USF), where she directed and provided strategic vision for the university’s $750M+ research and innovation enterprise. Through USF’s AAU membership, she served as AAU Senior Research Officer and a member of the AAU SRO Steering Committee, APLU Council on Research Executive Committee, and Council on Competitiveness.
Dr. Thomas is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). She is also an inductee of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. She serves on the boards of ASEMFL, Florida Space Research Consortium, Florida Semiconductor Institute, and Museum of Science & Industry. She is a member of the Pan American Academy of Engineering and Senior Member of IEEE.
She leads USF’s Advanced Membrane and Materials Bio and Integration Research (AMBIR) Laboratory, focused on biomedical, biological, and nano-electronic device integration using advanced membrane materials. She has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and book chapters and holds several patents. Her work has supported innovation and technology development involving organizations including Bell Labs, Agere Systems, Lucent, Kimberly-Clark, IBM, and Procter & Gamble.
A strong advocate for STEM education, Dr. Thomas has championed K–12 engagement through teacher collaborations, high-school research experiences, and partnerships with school districts. She has also advanced international engineering education and research collaborations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.