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Inside USF: The Newsletter email header

Week of January 18, 2022

From the President

Greetings from Tallahassee! I’m coming to you today directly from the Florida Capitol Complex, where I have an important date with the state legislature – as well as with dozens of our students as part of our annual USF Day at the Capitol.


For students, this is a wonderful opportunity to meet with legislators, take tours, observe debates, and see the workings of government firsthand. I’m inspired by the high level of passion and interest of the students who have traveled to be here today. And I’m confident this will be a rewarding experience for them all.


Meanwhile, I’m here on important work of my own: Meeting with legislators to, among other things, advocate for important funding to support an innovative and groundbreaking endeavor: the Environmental & Oceanographic Sciences Research & Teaching Facility on the USF St. Petersburg campus. The state-of-the-art, four-story building will house an interdisciplinary center of excellence that will benefit our students, faculty and community, and make an impact both nationally and internationally.


This is truly a game-changing project – for USF, the region and beyond. The $80-million facility, covering some 80,000 square feet, will address challenges posed by climate change, including sea level rise, high-tide flooding events, and other coastal hazards. The center of excellence will open new opportunities for the broad range of environmental expertise that we have at USF across numerous disciplines and colleges. You can take a deep dive to learn more in our latest podcast linked below.


And now, time to get to work!

Inside USF: The Podcast

Daniel Yeh

AUDIO PREVIEW: Interdisciplinary Center of Excellence in Environmental and Oceanographic Sciences


USF St. Petersburg campus Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock and College of Marine Science Dean Tom Frazer discuss how the state of Florida and coastal communities nationwide will benefit from USF’s new multidisciplinary center in Environmental and Oceanographic Sciences. Click here to listen to the full episode.

 

Updates

Though the national holiday commemorating his memory fell on Monday, I hope we all take time to pause and reflect this week on the enormous contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. and the non-violent fight he led for civil rights in America. There are still several events you can participate in during our MLK Commemorative Week, such as the Stampede of Service. And I hope you take a moment to read about the MLK Day of Service on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, where students and Darren Gambrell, assistant director of the campus’ Office of Multicultural Affairs (above right), assembled personal hygiene kits and distributed them to a homeless assistance agency. In addition, I'm proud to report that Hiram Green, director of Community Engagement at USF Health, was awarded the 2022 Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) Unsung Hero Award on Monday at its 42nd Annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Breakfast.

• Let's all give a loud cheer to the USF Co-ed Cheer team and head coach Gillian Guadagnino. They won their second consecutive national title at the Universal Cheerleading Association College Nationals Sunday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando. That is an extraordinary feat – coming one year after winning the program's first-ever national championship. In fact, all four USF cheer units reached the national finals, among only a small group to do so. Give me an A – for amazing!

Congratulations to USF Information Technology on winning the prestigious national Innovation Excellence Award for its response to COVID-19. Our standout team quickly found new solutions to help reduce the spread of the virus and created an array of applications to support students and keep them on a path to success.

• I was inspired by an excellent op-ed by Kevin Sneed, dean of the Taneja College of Pharmacy, in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, titled "Restoring trust in public health among under-represented populations." His boots-on-the-ground approach is making a significant impact and reflects USF's commitment to community engagement.

Around One USF

Reverse recycling debuts at USF


As students return from winter break, they’ll notice six new machines on USF’s campuses. They may resemble vending machines, but instead of money, they accept plastic bottles and aluminum cans.

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida (Coke Florida) and The Coca-Cola Company partnered to launch the reverse vending machines (RVM) at USF as part of its “World Without Waste” environmental program, which includes an ambitious goal of collecting and recycling every bottle or can it sells by 2030. Money collected from the program will be donated to support the USF Feed-A-Bull Food Pantry.

Learn more
Boundless Bulls

Study finds Rwandan genocide chemically modified the DNA of victims and victims' offspring


Scientists with the USF Genomics program and the Center for Global Health and Infectious Disease Research have taken a significant step in providing the people of Rwanda the scientific tools they need to help address mental health issues that stemmed from the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi ethnic group.

Learn more
Boundless Bulls

Boundless Bulls: Ruthmae Sears

As a mathematics educator, Ruthmae Sears has a true flair for problem solving. Her work extends far beyond using formulas and finding solutions to abstract mathematical problems. Using mathematical reasoning to examine social disparities such as poverty, literacy and structural racism, Sears develops community-centric solutions. Her work emphasizes inclusivity in all spaces, stemming from her belief that schools are microcosms of a community.

Learn more

Additional University News Sources

USF in the News

ABC News National featured USF epidemiologist Jason Salemi from the College of Public Health, discussing omicron's severity and when it might peak.


Tampa Bay Business Journal wrote about USF and TGH officially launching a medical group with a focus on recruitment and expanding care.


The Chronicle of Higher Education quoted College of Public Health Dean Donna Peterson in a story about why some colleges are starting the semester online or late – and why some are not.

More USF In the News

Did you Know?

• The MLK monument on the Tampa campus is the first monument erected in King’s honor at a Florida public university.


• Founded in 1982, the plaza was renovated in 1996 to evoke the imagery of the National Mall where King gave his “I Have A Dream” speech.


• The centerpiece of the plaza is a bust of King that overlooks a reflecting pool, which includes an inclined plane inscribed with a major segment of the "I Have a Dream" speech. 


• Five granite bands emanate from the base of the bust, pointing toward five cities where important events occurred in Dr. King’s life. The city names are inscribed at the edge of each granite band.

Upcoming Events


  • MLK Commemorative Week Jan. 17-22
  • Excellence in Innovation Awards – Jan. 24
  • Florida Board of Governors Meetings – Jan. 26

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Inside USF: The Newsletter is published every other Monday. This message has been approved under USF’s Mass E-mail Policy. This email address is used for distribution only and is not monitored for responses.


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