CAS Chronicles
Stories
In the Parkinson Lab at USF, saving Florida's Coral Reef is a top priority
John Parkinson, an assistant professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, has long advocated for the need to test and implement new approaches to retain ecosystem function among coral reefs and prevent species loss.
August 28, 2025Research
USF will host free, multinational film festival
The Tampa Bay community will have an opportunity to screen Spanish and Portuguese-language films from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Spain, Brazil and Mexico during a month-long film festival coming to USF.
August 28, 2025Events
Around the world in one summer: CAS students reflect on new skills and connections gained abroad
From Curaçao to Kyoto, students from USF’s College of Arts and Sciences spent the summer expanding their horizons through immersive study abroad programs that blended academic learning with cultural exploration.
August 28, 2025Community Engagement, Featured, Research
Expanding excellence: 31 new faculty members join the College of Arts and Sciences
The USF College of Arts and Sciences welcomes 31 new faculty members with a unique breadth of research and expertise in highly evolving specializations, reflecting the college’s continued commitment to comprehensive excellence.
August 27, 2025Accomplishments, Featured, Research
CAS alumna’s experiences fuel passion for mentorship
Gabriella Boykin, a first-generation college student and recent graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences, is dedicated to working with students and supporting their academic journeys.
August 27, 2025Alumni
Mist netting for malaria: professor uses birds to track transmission
Diego Santiago-Alarcon, an assistant professor in the Department of Integrative Biology and expert in disease ecology, studies patterns in the mosquito-borne pathogens carried by birds that can be used to understand changes in parasite transmission due to human activities.
August 27, 2025Research
Elevating Educators: USF celebrates next generation of STEM teacher leaders
Leadership from USF, the Coalition for Science Literacy and HCPS welcomed the recipients of the 2025 Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship and celebrated the accomplishments of the 2024 cohort, who earned their master of education in curriculum and instruction from USF this summer and completed a professional development series in mechatronic principles.
August 21, 2025Accomplishments, Alumni, Community Engagement, Events, Research
![Cuban sandwiches being prepared in a Tampa restaurant in the 1960s [Photo courtesy of Florida Memory Program]](/arts-sciences/chronicles/images/2025/august/cuban-sandwich.jpg)
The Cuban sandwich story: How USF played a surprising role in its rise to fame
The University of South Florida has played a major role in shaping the Cuban sandwich's legacy — from researching its history and refining Cuban bread baking methods to inspiring the creation of National Cuban Sandwich Day, now celebrated worldwide every August 23.
August 20, 2025Community Engagement
Meet the new faculty helping power USF’s future
From AI-driven discovery to cutting-edge medical research, USF’s newest faculty are advancing bold ideas and preparing students for the future. Their arrival reflects the university’s continued momentum as a hub for world-changing innovation and academic excellence.
August 13, 2025Research
Inaugural ‘Gael Scoil USF’ event shares Irish traditions with the Tampa Bay community
This summer, the University of South Florida introduced Tampa Bay youth to Irish heritage through its inaugural ‘Gael Scoil USF’ event, inviting grade schoolers to engage with Irish culture firsthand through baking, dancing, sports, storytelling, and other immersive experiences.
August 13, 2025Community Engagement
A decade in the making: USF Geosciences Field Station celebrates grand opening with alumni reunion
After a decade of collaboration between USF faculty, staff, and alumni, the Geosciences Field Station in Mackay, Idaho officially opened this summer. The launch was marked by a reunion of more than 30 alumni, representing four decades of shared experience and support for Geosciences students and their capstone work.
August 11, 2025Alumni, Community Engagement
Aiden Jaskolka-Brown
Like most future doctors, Aiden Jaskolka-Brown chose his career path out of a desire to save lives. But Jaskolka-Brown didn’t wait until he became a doctor to save lives. In 2023, he donated a segment of his left liver to a 5-month-old baby.
August 4, 2025Community Engagement