CAS Chronicles
2023 Stories
![Mario Garcia (left) and actors Justina Machado (middle) and Will Sasso (right), on the set of “The Throwback”. (Photo courtesy of Mario Garcia)](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-17/mario-garcia-490x328.jpg)
USF alumnus writes and directs an independent film “The Throwback” using inspiration from life's gained perspective
Reflecting on his years at USF, Mario Garcia recounts how his lifelong aspiration to become a writer came to fruition in the form of a movie, inspired by his personal life lessons.
August 28, 2023Alumni, Community Engagement
![Students taking the Terrestrial Lidar Field Methods course, led by College of Arts and Sciences Professor Steve Fernandez from the USF School of Public Affairs and Dr. Laura Harrison from the USF Access 3D Lab, this past summer were trained in methods of 3D architectural documentation with professional-grade lidar technology while also providing real-world experience in the field in Ybor. (Photo by Alessandra Casanova)](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-17/esri-lidar-story-490x328.jpg)
USF highlighted by leading GIS software company for lidar education
Steven Fernandez, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs, has served as a source of knowledge and information for ESRI (ArcGIS)—a GIS software company specializing in interactive mapping tools—for the past two years, meeting with the company every few months to assist in improving their 3D products and provide knowledge on what he’s teaching in his lidar courses. Now, they are using his work as examples of their company’s newest capabilities.
August 28, 2023Accomplishments, Community Engagement, Research
![Team photo of Homegrown Hillsborough core staff and CAFSHC researchers. (Photo by UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County office)](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-17/homegrown-hills-490x328.jpg)
USF researchers inform decisions for Homegrown Hillsborough food system program
In early 2023, Hillsborough County awarded a grant to the USF College of Arts and Sciences Center for the Advancement of Food Security and Healthy Communities (CAFSHC) to serve as the research training and evaluation arm of an innovative endeavor to promote the local food system, called Homegrown Hillsborough.
August 28, 2023Community Engagement, Research
![exterior side view of airliner sitting on a tarmac](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-17/listing-plane.jpg)
USF geoscientist creates oceanic tracking model to urge investigators to revive search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight
The new method can reconstruct the drift path and origin of debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which went missing over the Indian Ocean with 239 passengers onboard.
August 23, 2023Research
![Marcus S. Cooke, PhD, FRCPath, (right) serves as chair of the department. (Photo by Alessandra Casanova)](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-17/mbs-new-490x328.jpg)
Department of Molecular Biosciences starts anew
The Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology at the USF College of Arts and Sciences welcomes a more succinct and up-to-date name this academic year. It has officially been renamed the Department of Molecular Biosciences.
August 22, 2023Accomplishments, Community Engagement, Research
![Silvia Moreno-Garcia](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-17/moreno-garcia-490x328.png)
USF Humanities Institute to host New York Times best-selling author Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Humanities Institute will welcome author Silvia Moreno-Garcia for a discussion and book signing on Tuesday, October 10. The event promises to be an evening of unique opportunities, from an open Q&A session to a book signing.
August 18, 2023Community Engagement, Events
![Five CAS faculty members who were recognized with outstanding research achievement awards](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-17/cas-research-awardees-490x328.jpg)
Five CAS faculty members recognized with Outstanding Research Achievement Awards
Five USF College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) faculty members are being recognized next month with Faculty Outstanding Research Achievement Awards. “The faculty being recognized with these awards have demonstrated extraordinary success in their research and scholarly endeavors," said USF Research & Innovation Interim Vice President Sylvia Thomas.
August 17, 2023Accomplishments, Community Engagement, Featured, Research
![Communication doctoral student Rana Elhendi earned the Top Student Award from the International Communication Association’s Organizational Communication division. (Photo courtesy of Rana Elhendi)](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-17/rana-elhendi-490x328.jpg)
USF doctoral student earns ‘Top Student Award’ from the International Communication Association
Communication doctoral student Rana Elhendi’s paper, “‘The rubber band is already broken: An extended case study of UNDP transformative resilience framework in the context of Palestine,” has earned the Top Student Award from the International Communication Association’s Organizational Communication division.
August 17, 2023Accomplishments, Community Engagement, Research
![flood waters cover Florida street during hurricane](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-16/cris-flooding-490-327.jpg)
USF receives $1.5 million national grant to develop app that identifies climate risks in vulnerable coastal communities
A $1.5 million National Science Foundation grant will allow researchers to develop a web-based application that gathers crowdsourced data in coastal communities to identify flooding risks and inform policy. Led by USF St. Petersburg GIS and Remote Sensing Professor Barnali Dixon, the research team will create the CRIS-HAZARD app.
August 15, 2023Community Engagement, Research
![students gathered around large boulder engraved](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-16/singapore-listing.jpg)
USF launches study abroad experience in Singapore
This summer, Ryan McCleary, an associate professor of instruction in the College of Arts and Sciences, and 23 of his students traveled over 10,000 miles to Singapore to explore the local history and culture through the lens of urban ecology.
August 14, 2023Community Engagement, Events
![Atala butterfly alit on a leaf](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-17/atala_1_listing.jpg)
Rare tropical butterflies make a home at USF Sarasota-Manatee campus
A rare tropical butterfly more commonly found in southeast Florida and the Caribbean is flourishing among the landscaping on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus.
August 8, 2023Community Engagement
![students standing on a beach boardwalk](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/edition-16/listing-image-beach.jpg)
Hurricane hunting to beach erosion: USF prepares next generation for weather-related expertise
Students traveled throughout the Tampa Bay region to gather an interdisciplinary perspective on the social and physical impacts of severe weather and climate-related disasters.
August 3, 2023Research