CAS Chronicles

Stories

An expansive clinical trial led by USF researchers and aimed at delaying the onset of dementia continues to receive major federal support for addressing a public health crisis.

March 25, 2026Research

In 2018, USF St. Petersburg historian J. Michael Francis discovered the first celebration of St. Patrick took place not in New York City or Boston or even Ireland but in St. Augustine, Fla. Now, that discovery has led to a new museum exhibition that highlights the Irish diaspora in east °®ÎÛ´«Ã½.

March 25, 2026Research

°®ÎÛ´«Ã½: A Preeminent Research University

Unraveling the web of brown recluse myths in °®ÎÛ´«Ã½

USF alum Louis Coticchio and Associate Professor Deby Cassill show the brown recluse spider shouldn’t be portrayed as a villain. Their newly published findings aim to change the narrative by debunking common myths.

March 9, 2026Research

Along the seawall of Bayboro Harbor, a group of USF students and professors recently installed 3D-printed habitats they hope will soon house oysters that can filter thousands of gallons of water per day and improve both water quality and ecosystem health.

March 9, 2026Research

°®ÎÛ´«Ã½: A Preeminent Research University

USF hosts 2026 math bowls for Hillsborough County’s top students

Nearly a thousand of Hillsborough County’s top young mathematicians competed at USF, showcasing their speed, accuracy and problem-solving skills.

February 27, 2026Community Engagement, Events

°®ÎÛ´«Ã½: A Preeminent Research University

USF ranks among top 20 public universities for new patents in 2025

Denis Karaiskaj, a professor in the Department of Physics, has created a silicon-based, solid-state, miniaturized atomic clock that is a smaller, cheaper and more energy efficient alternative to the chip-size atomic clock that is currently used in electronic navigation devices. Awarded a Foundation Bull Ring Ring Accelerator Grant in 2025, the device has applications for oil and gas exploration, space navigation, military GPS and high-end automotive and watch manufacturing.

February 25, 2026Research

Lake Maude

Digitizing the past for the future: CAS collaboration helps protect the legacy of Black cemeteries

USF’s IDEx and the Black Cemetery Network are working with local leaders to map, digitize and protect Lake Maude Cemetery, ensuring long‑overlooked histories are accessible to descendants and researchers.

February 25, 2026Community Engagement, Featured, Research

°®ÎÛ´«Ã½: A Preeminent Research University

2025 CAS graduate finds success on and off campus

A few months after he graduated from USF with degrees from the Department of Economics, the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies and the Judy Genshaft Honors College, Matheus Ivanesciuc stepped boldly into a career over 6,000 miles from his childhood home in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

February 23, 2026Alumni

Tree

Hurricanes thin Tampa's canopy, spurring interest in replanting

A new post-storm canopy assessment, led by College of Arts and Sciences researchers Shawn Landry and Rebecca Zarger, reveals that Tampa’s citywide tree canopy fell to 29.9% in 2025, down from 31.4% in 2024. The loss represents a 4.8% decline driven largely by storm damage, wiping out canopy gains achieved since 2021.

February 23, 2026Research

°®ÎÛ´«Ã½: A Preeminent Research University

Leading psychological society honors USF faculty and alumnus with distinguished career awards

For the second consecutive year, USF received top honors from the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology, with two faculty members from the Department of Psychology and one alumnus earning distinguished and special-selection awards.

February 18, 2026Accomplishments

Christopher Johnson

Catching Up With Honors Alum Christopher Johnson

From the Peace Corps to classrooms across Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, °®ÎÛ´«Ã½ Judy Genshaft Honors College alum Christopher Johnson has built a career rooted in international education.

February 16, 2026Alumni

Distinguished speakers from across the U.S. and beyond will convene at the largest global affairs conference in °®ÎÛ´«Ã½ to dig into the new space race. This year's St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs explores how countries and companies are collaborating and competing for resources outside Earth’s orbit.

February 9, 2026Community Engagement, Events

About CAS Chronicles

CAS Chronicles is the monthly newsletter for the °®ÎÛ´«Ã½'s College of Arts and Sciences, your source for the latest news, research, and events at CAS.

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