Student Resources
Sustainability Speaker Series
The University of South Florida Patel College Of Global Sustainability (PCGS) presents the Sustainability Speaker Series.
PCGS is pleased to continue their Speaker Series Program into the 2021 - 2022 academic year. The speaker series was established to create increased knowledge and awareness among our students about innovative sustainability practices in private and public organizations. The goal of the series is to host local, national, and international leaders to present on sustainability policies and practices.
Recognizing the importance of our students obtaining this valuable professional knowledge, PCGS is focused on the success of this program. This series does not only benefit PCGS students but the university as a whole by bringing in diverse speakers from across the world. Your support in the way of sponsoring our speaker series will have a profound impact on the success of our graduate students as they work to find solutions to current and future global sustainability challenges. Thank you for your support and investment in our students' education.
If you are interested in sponsoring the series, please contact Kelly Gaskell at kgaskell@usf.edu.
Please see the schedule below for the speakers. (RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/usf-patel-college-of-global-sustainability-7994871072)
Sustainability Speaker Series Schedule:
SPRING 2022
Laura Stargel
Sustainability Cordinator, ORISE Research Fellow, Super Bowl LV Host Committe, US Environmental Protection Agency
"Sutainable Tourism and Sport Sustainability: Paving the way for your career"
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Ilissa Ocko
Senior Climate Scientist, Environmental Defence Fund
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Sonia Joshi
Associate Director of U.S. Programs, Institute for Sustainable Communities.
"Centering Equity in Community-Led Climate Resiliency"
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Robert Bunting
Chief Executive Officer, The Climate Adaptation Center, Inc.
"How Climate Warming Will Impact SW FL in 2030, 2040, 2050 and What To Do About It"
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Angela Persaud-Reddy, PhD
Co-Founder of PBLM (Plant Based Lifestyle Movement)
"Food, Health, and Disease"
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Fall 2021
Cynthia Heil, PhD
Director, MOTE Red Tide Institute, Mitigation Research Program Manager
"Red Tide Mitigation in Florida: Just How Close Are We?"
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Video link - Click here
Lauren Fernandez
Zero Waste Policy Analyst, Conservation Law Foundation
"Zero Waste Communities"
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Video link - Click here
Suzy Torriente
Global Technology Leader, City Resilience, Jacobs Engineering
"Building Resilience through the Public/Private Sector Relationship"
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Video link - Click here
Saige Middleton
Programs & Development Associate, Global Warming Mitigation Project
"The Constellations Internship Program"
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Video link - Click here
Charlie Houder
Director, Office of Land Conservation & Management, Alachua County, FL
"Land Conservation, Alachua County and Beyond"
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Video link - Click here
spring 2021
Kelsey Frenkiel
Program Manger, Center for Responsible Travel
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021
Video link - Click here
Alvaro Cabal Lachman
Chief Executive Officer, Ecoterium
"Incentivizing Sustainability Efforts that Elevate Humanity”
Wednesday, February 17th, 2021
Video link - Click here
Randy Penn
Waste Reduction,UF/IFAS Sarasota Extension
Wednesday, February 24th , 2021
Video link - Click here
Sara Kane
Program Manager Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability PCGS Alumni
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021
Video link - Click here
Austin Marie Sipiora
PCGS Alumni, Co-Coordinator, Tampa Bay Clean Cities Coalition
Wednesday, March 24th , 2021
Video link - Click here
Mark Sharpe
Executive Director, Tampa Innovative Partnership
Wednesday, March 31st, 2021
Video link - Click here
FALL 2020
Spencer Jourdain
Harvard AB cum laude, Consultant, Sustainable Development Education
Danielle Strasburger
Harvard magna cum laude, Co-Founder Harvard Forward
Wednesday, September 9th, 2020
Spencer Jourdain-CV/Vita
Danielle Strasburger-CV/Vita
Video link - Click here
Maria Watson
Director, Global Facilities and Sustainability, Pall Corporation
Wednesday, September 16th, 2020
Video link - Click here
CJ Reynolds
Director of Resiliency & Engagement,Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020
Video link - Click here
Rob Keefe
Global Hygiene Ambassador, Clean the World
Wednesday, October 14th, 2020
Video link - Click here
Dr. Michael Fountain
Former Director, Entrepreneurship Center, Muma College of Business
Wednesday, October 28th, 2020
Video link: Click here
SPRING 2020
Debbie Caneen
Founder, Circle Pond Tiny Home Community
Wednesday, February 19th, 2020
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
CV/Vita - Debbie Caneen
Dario Rodriguez
Presentation
Video Links - Part 1 | Part 2
Michael Kuras, PCGS Alum
Principal, Kuras Design
Tuesday, February 25th, 2020
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
Tessa Schreiner, PCGS Alum
Sustainability Manager, Leon County Florida
Wednesday, March 11th, 2020
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
Presentation
Video
Video Access Password - PCGSspeaker2020
Dr. John Swanson
The Greening of the Grid
Wednesday, April 28th, 2020
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
CV/Vita
Presentation
Video
Video Access Password - PCGSspeaker2020
Susan Glickman
Florida Director,Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Wednesday, April 8th, 2020
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
Presentation
Video
Video Access Password - PCGSspeaker2020
FALL 2019
Jared Meyers
Co-Founder, Florida For Good
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
Video Links - Part1
CJ Davila
Executive Director, Florida Green Building Coalition
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
Video Links - Click Here
US Rep. Kathy Castor
Climate Change Initiatives
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | Patel Center Auditorium
Note: Attendees must RSVP by Sep 25th
David Townsend
Class of 2016, Senior Consultant, Renewable Energy
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
Video Link - Click Here
David Mesa
Founder, Environmental Origins Colombia (PCGS Class of 2014)
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
Presentation Audio - Click Here Presentation - Click Here
TJ King
First Vice- President , Raymond James Financial
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136/138
Video Link - Click Here
SPRING 2019
Ioannis Dogaris, Ph.D.Researcher
School of engineering sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health
KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Stockholm, Sweden
Thursday, April 04 , 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136
CV/Vita Presentation
Professor Hong-Wei Yen
Dept. of Chemical & Materials Engineering, THU
"Sustainability Research at Tunghai University in Taiwan"
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136
Taryn Hipwell , Ericka Leigh , Rachel
Founder of Beyond the Label
Thursday, April 18 , 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS AUDITORIUM
Taryn Hipwell CV/Vita Ericka Leigh CV/Vita Rachel Karioki CV/VITA
Dr Jose A. Puppim de Oliveira
Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV/EAESP and FGV/EBAPE), Brazil .
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 140
Video Links - Part1 || Part2 || Part3
Andrew Reich, MS, MSPH, RRT
Bureau of Environmental Health, Florida Department of Health
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 136
Lindsey Geiger, PE, ENV SP, LEED AP BD+C
Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
4:45 pm to 5:45pm | CGS Auditorium
FALL 2018
Dr. John Mogge
Jacobs Engineering
Financial Performance of Industry Leaders
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 140
| CV/Vita | Presentation |
Dr. Martin Schonfeld
USF's College of Arts and Sciences
Sustainability: Four Global Roots, One Future Outlook
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 140
| CV/Vita | Presentation |
Dr. T.H. Culhane
National Geographic Explorer; CEO Solar Cities
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 140
| Presentation | Video Log |
Erin M. Black
Coca-Cola Beverages Florida
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 140
Dr. Karin Braunsberger
Professor of Entrepreneurship
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | CGS 140
Spring 2018
"Sustainability in Marine Resources Management" by Roy Crabtree
Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries Service
Wednesday, January 24th | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 140
Watch live presentation here | PowerPoint Presentation
"Building Sustainability" by Michelle Jenkins and Sheila McNamara
Sustainability Coordinator, EPC; Sustainability and Security Manager, Hillsborough County
Monday, February 5th | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 140
Watch live presentation here | PowerPoint Presentation
by Tom Lawery
Monday, February 19th | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 140
Watch live presentation here | PowerPoint Presentation
by David Taylor
Wednesday, February 28th | 4:30 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 140
Watch live presentation here | PowerPoint Presentation
by Tirusew Asefa
Monday, March 19th | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 140
by Rebecca Hooper
Monday, April 9th | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 140
Rebecca Hooper's CV
PowerPoint Presentation
by Michael Hewett
Wednesday, April 11th | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 140
Fall 2017
"Sustainable Development of Smart Villages" by Dr. Ashok K. Das
Founder and CEO
Wednesday, September 6th | 4:30 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 136/138
"Careers with USAID and Its Partners" by Caryle Cammisa
USAID Foreign Service Officer
Monday, October 16th | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 136/138
Caryle Cammisa's CV
Watch live presentation here | PowerPoint presentation
"Leadership and Change Management in Business" by Jeff Chernoff
Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay
Wednesday, October 25th | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 136/138
Jeff Chernoff's biography
Watch live presentation here | PowerPoint Presentation
"Using Traditional and Non-Traditional Methods for Water Sustainability" by Jason Mickel
Manager of Water Supply Section
Wednesday, November 1st | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 140
Jason Mickel's biography
PowerPoint Presentation
"Sustainability Initiatives and Challenges" by Melissa Solberg
Sustainability Manager
Monday, November 6th | 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm | CGS 140
Melissa Solberg's biography
Watch live presentation here | PowerPoint Presentation
"Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation" by Prof. Juergen Kropp
Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Impact Research
Friday, December 1st | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm | CGS 136/138