CAS Chronicles

Ajibola Tolase (center left) and Aracelis Gonzalez Asendorf (center right) attend the Florida Book Awards ceremony

USF poets bring home gold, silver and bronze book awards

Ajibola Tolase, an assistant professor in the Department of English, won a gold medal from the Florida Book for his poetry collection “2000 Blacks.” He joins colleagues Heather Sellers, who received a bronze medal in the poetry category in 2022 for her collection, “Field Notes from the Flood Zone,” and Julia Koets, who received a silver award in the poetry category in 2021 for her collection, “Pine.”

April 22, 2025Accomplishments, Events

Field collection of invasive knotweed in the U.S. (Photo courtesy of Christina Richards)

Study reveals how invasive plants thrive in new environments

Christina Richards, associate professor of integrative biology, co-led an international study exploring how the highly invasive Japanese knotweed has adapted across continents, uncovering evolutionary insights into the plant’s success in new environments.

April 29, 2025Research

Abby Vidmar in Port St. Joe, Fla., where her research takes place. (Photo courtesy of Abby Vidmar)

Anthropology in action: PhD candidate Abby Vidmar helps a town tell its story

Abby Vidmar, an applied environmental anthropology PhD candidate, is documenting the powerful grassroots movement in Port St. Joe, Fla., as residents unite to protect their hometown. Through her work, Vidmar blends research with advocacy, capturing stories of resilience and inspiring efforts to protect communities and ecosystems for generations to come.

April 29, 2025Community Engagement, Research

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Alumni Spotlight

Each year the USF Alumni Association chooses grads from across the university to honor at the Outstanding Young Alumni Awards, most of whom come from the College of Arts and Sciences.

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About CAS Chronicles

CAS Chronicles is the monthly newsletter for the University of South Florida's College of Arts and Sciences, your source for the latest news, research, and events at CAS.