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2018

2017

Sustainable Organization Spotlight: Sea Turtle Conservancy
^{December 7th, 2017}
The Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) is a nonprofit organization based in Gainesville, Florida. Since its founding in 1959, STC has become the most recognized and accomplished sea turtle organization in the world. The organization, having over 50 years of experience in sea turtle conservation, research, and education, raises awareness and advocates for the protection of sea turtles.

USF Partners with City of Dunedin
^{December 7th, 2017}
Starting in Spring of 2018, the USF Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships and the USF Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) will begin a partnership with the City of Dunedin.

USF Federal Credit Union Tree Planting
^{December 7th, 2017}
On November 7, the Patel College of Global Sustainability took part in a tree planting on the University of South Florida Tampa Campus. This tree planting was made possible by a donation from the USF Federal Credit Union to the PCGS Green Initiatives fund. PCGS was pleased to have the opportunity to continue our efforts to green the campus as a part of the Tree Campus USA program.

Alumni Network Event
^{December 7th, 2017}
On November 16th, 2017 the Patel College of Global Sustainability hosted its first Alumni Network Event at the Gibbons Alumni Center at USF. The evening began with networking opportunities and appetizers. Alumni, faculty, and current students shared experiences, gave advice, and built their networks.

Sustainability Factors in Dynamical Systems Modeling: Simulating the Non-linear Aspects of Multiple Equilibria
^{November 7th, 2017}What is sustainability? Sustainability is a concept that can be defined in many ways depending upon a society's perception of current material needs and the actual material needs of future generations. Much of our ability to achieve sustainability entails developing indicators and measurements that will guide us to this goal. This paper suggests that we can strengthen the prediction of sustainability indicators by adopting a "multiple equilibria" approach for a more effective decision-making process in various sectors of the economy, in ecosystem protection, or in political arenas.

The Future of Sustainable Tourism
^{November 2nd, 2017}On October 20th Dr. David Randle, Director of the Sustainable Tourism concentration, and Louis Zunguze, Director of the Coastal Sustainability concentration, attended a Mayors Summit at Tampa Bay Watch to discuss the upcoming United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) conference.

Looking for a Scholarship?
^{November 2nd, 2017}The USF Foundation Scholarship Office is a resource for currently enrolled USF Students to search and apply for scholarships and grants. These scholarships and grants are both need and merit based to accommodate all students. Scholarships and grants are updated often, so make sure to check the website regularly for new opportunities.

Feeding America in Puerto Rico
^{November 2nd, 2017}The aftermath of Hurricane Maria is still affecting our friends and family in Puerto Rico, leaving many citizens without electricity and water. Communication challenges remain as many are impacted by power, phone and internet outages. There is also limited access to food, as fuel shortages and road closures make travel around the island nearly impossible.

PCGS Alumna's NGOs Helping the World
^{October 30th, 2017}Aja Estro, PCGS class of 2014 alumna, has dedicated her post graduate life to ground up movements that focus on specific needs of villages to improve quality of life and protect the environment.

Water for People: "We're Working to Reach Everyone Forever"
^{October 11th, 2017}Here in America, we constantly have access to clean water. This is unfortunately not the case for the 2.1 billion people around the world who don't have access to safe water and the 4.5 billion who lack access to adequate sanitation.

Imagine a Day Without Water
^{October 5th, 2017}Imagine waking up in the morning, walking into the bathroom to take a shower, turning the faucet and nothing happens...no water comes out of your pipes. How would you brush your teeth?

Solar CITIES Biodigester Research Project at Rosebud Continuum Sustainability Education Center with Patel College of Global Sustainability
^{October 3rd, 2017}Hurricane Irma, coming on the heels of Hurricane Harvey, showed the southern US and southern Florida that the era of climate uncertainty and intensified storms has the potential to wreck economies and disrupt lives.

University of South Florida Patel College of Global Sustainability is a Member of a Consortium Awarded $15M by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to Advance the US Bioeconomy
^{September 28th, 2017}The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) just announced a $15 million award to a consortium of universities and companies, a member of which is USF's Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) with Dr. George Philippidis as co-Principal Investigator.

Sierra Club's Fight for Environmental Justice
^{September 21st, 2017}Founded by conservationist John Muir in 1892, the Sierra Club is the nation's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.

PM4SD Certification Offered in the USA for the First Time at Patel College of Global Sustainability
^{September 20th, 2017}After being offered around the world for the last several years, the Project Management for Sustainable Development (PM4SD) certification was offered at the University of South Florida (USF) Patel College of Global Sustainability from August 19th - 22nd.

Patel College of Global Sustainability Partners with Peace Corps to Promote Sustainability
^{September 20th, 2017}
The Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) has partnered with Peace Corps to offer The Paul D. Coverdell Fellowship for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV).

PCGS Alumni Bring Sustainability to Apollo Beach
^{September 20th, 2017}
After a year of selling handmade soy candles at local farmer's markets throughout the Tampa Bay area, PCGS Alumni Trinity Miller and Tyler Demonde identified the need for a monthly market in the South Shore area.

PCGS Parters With the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to Further Algae Research
^{July 28th, 2017}
In July 2017 the Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) and the School of Chemical Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) in Greece partnered to conduct an algae project. The project will take place over the course of the following 12 months.

PCGS Students Recap on Prestigious UNWTO Internship
^{July 24th, 2017}
At PCGS, we pride ourselves on our global internship program, an experience which allows our students to experience first hand, how policy and practice come together. Every semester, our students begin new internships and projects that take what they learn in the classroom to the outside world. This year, PCGS is engaged with the United Nations World Tourism to recognize 2017 as the "Year of Sustainable Tourism".

Villages Nature: A Potential Game Changer for Sustainable Tourism
^{July 5th, 2017}
I had just flown into to Charles de Gaulle airport after spending time at the UNWTO Gastronomy Conference in San Sebastian, Spain and was headed to visit the new Villages Nature project just outside Paris.

Tampa's Indie Flea Aims to Become Florida's First Zero Waste Market
^{June 28th, 2017}
This year, the Indie Flea partnered with the Suncoast Surfrider organization, who are dedicated to protecting the world's oceans, to bring their green initiatives to life.

Coors Light Shows That Summer Fun and Sustainability Go Hand in Hand
^{June 28th, 2017}
Summer: a season dedicated to backyard bbq's and cold beer. While this activity is a favorite pastime among many, it is not the most environmentally friendly way we could spend our summer.

Patel College of Global Sustainability Alumni work with Professor TH Culhane to Develop New Sustainability Center—The Rosebud Continuum Education Center
^{June 28th, 2017}
The Rosebud Continuum, located in Land O'Lakes, FL opened to the public this summer. The education center, whose mission is to teach at all levels about sustainable living and technologies in a practical, hands on environment will be open to Hillsborough County K-12 students and will also serve as an internship experience for graduate students.

Package-Free Shop Reduces Waste In NYC
June 15th, 2017
If one was asked to fit a day's worth of waste into a container, how big of a container would it be? Now, picture four years worth of waste, except it can all fit comfortably inside of one jar.

Kellogg Company's Dedication To Sustainable Practices
^{June 15th, 2017}
Upon first glance at the Corporate Responsibility Page, one could tell immediately that the Kellogg Company is dedicated to the betterment of the planet. "Every day, Kellogg employees work together to fulfill our vision of enriching and delighting the world through foods and brands that matter," reads the company's website.

Blue Community Sustainable Observatory visits NASA
^{June 23rd, 2017}
Professors Dr. David Randle, PCGS Director of Sustainable Tourism, Louis Zunguze, Coastal Sustainability, and Rebecca Tobias representing the UNWTO Affiliate the Blue Community Consortium traveled to the NASA Kennedy Space Center this week to share the work of the USF PCGS led Blue Community Sustainable Tourism Observatory.

Package-Free Shop Reduces Waste In NYC
^{June 15th, 2017}
If one was asked to fit a day's worth of waste into a container, how big of a container would it be? Now, picture four years worth of waste, except it can all fit comfortably inside of one jar.

PCGS Intern Spotlight - Joshua Calero, Sustainable Tourism & Coastal Sustainability
^{June 5th,} ²⁰¹⁷
Not many get the opportunity to experience the beauty of the Virgin Islands, let alone have the chance to intern in a field they're passionate about while doing so. For USF Patel College of Global Sustainability graduate student Joshua Calero, this became his reality as he set out on a Spring internship with the Nature Conservancy in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

PCGS Intern Spotlight - Katie Murray, Sustainable Tourism
^{June 5th, 2017}
"I didn't realize how quickly I could make connections and put my Sustainable Tourism degree to use in different ways," Katie Murray, a graduate student currently enrolled in the USF Patel College of Global Sustainability, wrote on the PCGS intern blog.

Dr. Culhane's Solar CITIES Biodigester Projects
^{April 25th 2017}
Dr. Culhane from The Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) is the co-founder of Solar CITIES. The organization has a collective goal of the emergence of true Solar Cities, places where human and non-human beings can co-evolve without the threats posed by fossil carbon and radioactive materials.

IKEA Announces DIY Garden Sphere
^{April 10th, 2017}
IKEA launched an open source design plan for a spherical garden. This Do-It-Yourself structure was developed by IKEA's innovation lab, Space10, to enable people to gain access to locally grown sustainable food by giving them the power to do it themselves.

Alumna Trista Brophy Presents Her Research
^{April 10th, 2017}
PCGS Class of 2013 Alumna, Trista Brophy, presented her research at the 2017 Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting on April 8th! Her research is titled "Environmental and Community Health in South San Diego County: A Behavior Analysis of Recreational Ocean Users Along Imperial Beach, California."

33rd Space Symposium
^{April 10th, 2017}
The Space Symposium, held at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, has brought together space leaders from around the world to discuss, address and plan for the future of space since the inaugural event in 1984. It has become widely known as the premier U.S. space policy and program forum and as the "must attend" opportunity for information on and interaction among all sectors of space.

Student Spotlight: Charles Grisafi
^{April 7th, 2017}
Charles Grisafi is a Master of Global Sustainability student with a concentration in Coastal Sustainability. He has acquired a new position as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Regional Coordinator for Florida and the Caribbean.

PCGS Announces Summer 2017 Courses
^{March 9th, 2017}
The Patel College of Global Sustainability is excited to announce that it will be offering all core courses for the Summer 2017 semester. PCGS will also be offering summer courses for the Climate Change, Energy, Water, Tourism, and Coastal Sustainability concentrations.

Transportation's Green Revolution
^{March 9th, 2017}
The next green revolution is public transportation. Technologies are advancing the movement with self-driving taxis, wifi-enabled traffic control, eco-conscious freeways, and electric light rail trains.

Sustainability Certification Programs
^{March 6th, 2017}
The Patel College of Global Sustainability will be hosting several spring workshops for sustainability certification programs. The first workshop will be for the LEED Green Associate exam preparation in PCGS Room 136 on March 24th and March 31st . The LEED Green Associate credential denotes basic knowledge of green design, construction, and operations.

Student Spotlight: Jihye Jeong
^{March 6th, 2017}
Jihye Jeong will be graduating this spring with an MA in Global Sustainability from the Patel College. Her undergraduate degree was in business administration which lead to her declaring the Entrepreneurship concentration. Jihye plans on working in management and marketing fields and is currently a marketing intern at Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.

Student Spotlight: Morgan Eastman
^{March 6th, 2017}
Morgan Eastman is a Master of Global Sustainability student in the Entrepreneurship concentration, who is currently interning at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. As part of her role on the Scuba Dive Operation Team, she is responsible for maintaining the dive locker room, equipment, and assisting the supervisor with safety protocols.

Student Spotlight: Steffanie Agerkop
^{February 21st, 2017}
Master of Global Sustainability student Steffanie Agerkop is pursuing four concentrations offered by PCGS, Energy, Water, Sustainable Tourism, and Building Sustainable Enterprise. Steffanie understands that most businesses are making efforts toward becoming more sustainable to save money, reduce negative environmental impacts, satisfy stakeholders as well as shareholders, and create social equity within their business.

PCGS Spring 2017 Open House
^{February 21st, 2017}
The Patel College of Global Sustainability Spring Open House is around the corner! Join us on March 31st, 2017 from 9 am to 12 pm at the Patel Center for Global Solutions. PCGS works to foster sustainable living in harmony with the environment and currently offers a Master's of Arts in Global Sustainability with nine different concentrations as well as eleven graduate certificates. Join us to learn more about our programs, global internships, scholarships, and jobs in sustainability.

Student Development Series: LinkedIn or Left Out
^{February 21st, 2017}
Are you graduating soon? Become more competitive in the job market utilizing LinkedIn. This Mandatory Career Workshop for all incoming students is the next event for the Student Development Series.

Faculty News: Dr. Dorsey's Cuba at the Crossroads Presentation
^{February 21st, 2017}
Patel College of Global Sustainability Professor Joseph Dorsey gave a presentation on February 10th, 2017 for Cuba: At The Crossroads, a symposium organized by the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program at Rollins College. Dr. Dorsey's panel discussion was on The Rise of Urban Agriculture in Cuba: Sustainabilitism in an Emergent Caribbean Nation.

Student Spotlight: Andrew Glazier
^{February 21st, 2017}
Andrew Glazier is preparing for graduation this May with a Masters in Global Sustainability from PCGS. He is currently working with Hillsborough Community College on the Beyond Sustainability Conference. Andrew collaborates with the project manager, Sheila McNamara, to organize and host the EXPO this April.

Patel College of Global Sustainability is the Newest Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Partner
^{February 21st, 2017}
The University of South Florida is now officially a Coverdell Fellows Partner University. The Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS), is one of four USF Colleges selected to offer the program and will begin accepting students in March for the Fellowship starting Fall 2017!

Alumni Highlight: Trista Brophy
^{February 10th, 2017}
Trista Brophy graduated from PCGS in 2013 with a concentration in Water Sustainability. Since graduating from PCGS, she has completed an MS in Environmental Science in Policy (Water Resource Management concentration) and graduated August 2016. Trista spent almost a year in San Diego researching perceptions of environmental health and water quality issues for her thesis research.

Student Spotlight: Margaret Rodriguez Vasquez
^{February 10th, 2017}
Margaret Rodriguez Vasquez is a PCGS student in the Food Security & Sustainability concentration. Margaret joined Dr. Theresa Gilbertson on her return trip to the Uros Islands in Peru.

Student Spotlight: Angela El-Fayez
^{February 10th, 2017}
Angela El-Fayez is a PCGS student in the entrepreneurship concentration. We would like to highlight her recent sustainability efforts that combine entrepreneurship with food waste.

Hospitality Industry Workshop
^{February 10th, 2017}
As part of the 2017 Leon County Sustainable Communities Summit, Leon County hosted a Hospitality Industry Workshop on Wednesday, February 8th, to engage local tourism partners in a discussion about sustainable tourism.

PCGS Expands Its Global Partners
^{February 10th, 2017}
As part of the United Nations' International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the Patel College kicked off a series of guest lectures on this topic.

Rosebud Continuum Science Education Center
^{February 10th, 2017}
We are excited to share one of TH Culhane's sustainability projects. As a Patel College instructor, Dr. Culhane is always seeking to apply what he learns in the real world to set an example for his students.

College Football Playoff Green Team
^{January 25th, 2017}
Earlier this month, the National Football Championship came to Tampa Bay. Sports games are known for creating waste and this year, our students and others in the community wanted to help combat that.

Urban Oasis Farm Tour
^{January 25th, 2017}
Our fellow alumn and ambassador Trista Brophy recently hosted the Urban Oasis Farm Patel College Field Trip. This is an urban hydroponic farm located in the heart of Tampa Bay that offers locally grown, fresh and organic vegetables that are high in nutrition and value.

Student Spotlight: Katie Murray Internships in Sustainable Tourism
^{January 25th, 2017}
Katie is currently working to earn her Master's degree in Global Sustainability with a concentration in Sustainable Tourism. Participating in two separate internship programs gives her the opportunity to gain experience and learn about different aspects of the tourism industry.

Welcome Class of Spring 2017!
^{January 12th, 2017}
It's the start of a new semester once again. We have over 60 new students in the program this spring, making it our largest class yet! The Patel College of Global Sustainability has come a long way since we were first established back in 2009, we have more than doubled in size.

Student Spotlight: Arnel Joins Yara North America
^{January 11th, 2017}
M.A. student, Arnel Garcesa, recently joined Yara North America as a Commercial Sales and Marketing Intern!
Through this position he will work within the Industrial segment and assist with developing programs/policies which supply nutrients for agricultural animals Arnel's goal is to help develop programs which allow livestock or poultry to be properly dieted while using less overall feed materials.

Patel Faculty Getting Active
^{January 6th, 2017}
Surely you've heard us talking about the Active City Conference for a while now. This conference is happening here in Tampa, FL. It will be a two day conference that will start on January 26th at 12pm and go through the 27th until 7pm.

Student Spotlight: Travis has a Seat at the Department of State
^{January 6th, 2017}
A congratulations is in order for Travis Malott, who just accepted an internship at the Department of State in Washington DC! Travis is studying to earn his Master's of Arts in Global Sustainability; with his concentration in Sustainable Energy. Travis has been working closely with Dr.Philippidis and he often stops by the office to do work and say hello.