CAS Chronicles
2025 Stories
When anthropology meets engineering: A fresh solution to wastewater
Nancy Romero-Daza and David Himmelgreen completed an interdisciplinary project that trains anthropology and engineering students in anthropological and environmental engineering methods in Costa Rica.
September 29, 2025Community Engagement, Research
Society of Wetland Scientists Professional Certification Program streamlines certification for USF grads
The new agreement serves as a guarantee from the Society for Wetland Scientists Professional Certification Program that the suite of classes commonly taken by environmental science and policy majors at USF meets industry standards.
From Classrooms to Coastlines: CAS undergraduates apply learning as NOAA Hollings Scholars
Three USF College of Arts and Sciences undergraduates were named NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholars, a prestigious national recognition earning paid internships at NOAA facilities where they applied classroom learning to research and policy projects with NOAA scientists.
September 26, 2025Accomplishments, Research
USF urban planning professor uses 3D scanning to assess hurricane flood risk in Tampa
Youjung Kim, an assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs, is collaborating with the Access 3D Lab to investigate flood risk disparities on Davis Islands and explore solutions to reduce future vulnerability.
September 26, 2025Research
Crafting the past: USF’s Archaeology + Art camp empowers the future generation of storytellers
This summer, Laura Harrison, Director of USF’s Access 3D Lab, collaborated with the USF Office of Youth Services and Project CLAY to inspire a new form of creativity in middle school students from across Tampa Bay. At the annual USF Archaeology + Art Camp, Harrison led hands-on activities that demonstrated how artifacts, digital tools and a creative lens can uncover compelling stories from the past.
September 24, 2025Community Engagement
Two College of Arts and Sciences alumni earn ‘Distinguished Alumni’ status
Of this year’s three Distinguished Alumni recipients, two of them hail from the College of Arts and Sciences.
September 24, 2025Accomplishments, Alumni
A year after Helene and Milton, USF app is leading the way in flood tracking technology
One year after hurricanes Helene and Milton brought historic flooding to the Tampa Bay region, the CRIS-HAZARD app has become a critical tool in helping local communities monitor and respond to extreme storms.
September 23, 2025Community Engagement, Research
USF climbs to its highest position ever in U.S. News rankings
The University of South Florida has reached an all-time high in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of the best colleges. USF is No. 88 overall among all public or private universities in America, up from No. 91 last year. USF also rose to No. 43 among public universities, up two spots from last year, and inside the top 50 for the seventh year in a row.
September 23, 2025Accomplishments
USF researcher’s ancient pottery discovery unlocks earliest proof of horses in Bronze Age Sicily
Davide Tanasi, a professor at the University of South Florida, has new evidence not only that were horses present on the Mediterranean island earlier than previously thought, but that they also played an important role in the diets of early Bronze Age communities.
September 22, 2025Research
USF Alum Yarah Elshaer Receives Fulbright Grant to Teach English in Bosnia and Herzegovina
USF alum Yarah Elshaer has been named a Fulbright U.S. Student Program English Teaching Assistant to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Guided by her passion for using education to uplift communities and strengthen national identity, she continues to pursue ambitious goals that create lasting impact.
September 11, 2025Accomplishments, Alumni
USF Achieves Record Cohort of 15 United Nations Millennium Fellows
The University of South Florida reached a new milestone with 15 students selected for the 2025 United Nations Millennium Fellowship, where they will receive leadership training and carry out social impact projects addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals.
September 10, 2025Accomplishments
How the high-speed tongues of salamanders and chameleons are helping USF unlock engineering breakthroughs
While studying salamanders and chameleons, USF researchers discovered the animals use the same biological mechanism to fire their tongues at extreme speeds. The research has opened the door to potential innovative engineering applications inspired by nature.
September 8, 2025Research