Author: brittany400@ufl.edu

View the Diverse Scholarship on Africa Showcased at ASA

Phumelele Ndlela is a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) for IsiZulu in the Program in African Languages (PAL) at the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida.

As we approach the holiday season, we’re taking a moment to look back at our Fall Party 2025. It turned out to be one of our most memorable yet. This year’s venue, the Florida Gym, brought an unexpected but welcome change of scenery, quickly becoming a vibrant backdrop once the room filled with the energy of our CAS community.

The strength and quality of UF African Studies was on full display at the 68th annual meeting of the African Studies Association, held in Atlanta from November 20th-22nd, 2025.

During this year’s International Education Week, the Center for African Studies (CAS) partnered with the UF International Center (UFIC) and other campus organizations to celebrate the richness of global learning and cultural exchange.

If you’ve ever participated in one of the center’s events, chances are you’ve met Janet Beilstein and Stephen Burgess. The longtime Africanists and dedicated supporters of our center have forged a deep connection over the years through their involvement at barazas, events and collaboration with faculty and students. In fact, Burgess cites their interest in engaging with the center as one of the driving forces behind their relocation to Gainesville.

Dr. Muchira recently published two open Access textbooks, Hujambo! A Standards-Based Approach to Introductory Kiswahili, Volume 1 (June 2025) and Hujambo! Volume 2 (July 2025). The textbooks are part of an evidence-based, open-access curriculum that seeks to fill a gap in the literature on Open Educational Resources (OER) for teaching Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs)

The University of Florida’s Center for African Studies hosted its annual African Student eXperience (ASX) 25 Home Away from Home Welcome Reception on September 13th in Pugh Hall Ocora, drawing over 90 African graduate students from different colleges across campus. This year’s theme, “From the Savannah to the Swamp: We Thrive Together,” emphasized the importance of maintaining cultural roots while building academic success at UF.

Selome Medemaku is a Nigerian writer and currently a master’s student in French and Francophone Studies in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. His academic and creative journey are shaped by a passion for storytelling.

Greg Kiker, a UF alum and faculty member for over 20 years, has carried out research on southern Africa’s savanna ecosystems as well as a range of other environmental and engineering challenges. A long-time CAS Affiliate and member of the CAS Natural Resource Management Working Group, Kiker was recently named chair of the University of Florida’s Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) Department after serving as interim chair.

Congratulations to Dr. Renata Serra, instructional professor at the Center for African Studies, as she celebrates 20 years with the University of Florida! Dr. Serra is an economist with more than 25 years of experience in research, teaching, and consultancy on African development, with a focus on the Sahel region. At the Global Food Systems Institute, she leads the Sub-Saharan Africa Working Group and advances high-level collaborations and research projects.

Delve into the continent’s diverse cultures, histories, development, and contemporary issues.

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The Center for African Studies congratulates Nduka Mbadugha on his latest achievements as he graduates from the UF’s College of Communications and Journalism with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and a minor in History and fall internship with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

On a lively Saturday afternoon at Flavet Field, the Center for African Studies, the Center for Latin American Studies, and the Center for European Studies joined forces for a spirited Inter-Center Football Tournament: Kick It for the Culture. Despite the heightened campus energy from UF’s Orange and Blue spring football game, students, faculty, and families […]

John Muchira, the new African Languages Program Coordinator at UF’s Center for African Studies, brings passion and expertise to language teaching and program development, signaling renewed investment in language instruction.

The University of Florida’s Center for African Studies (CAS) hosted its 40th Gwendolen M. Carter Conference, bringing together the perspectives of Africanist scholars on issues of pressing importance to peoples and societies of Africa. The annual conference is considered the flagship event for the center.

The 2025 Southeast Regional Seminar in African Studies (SERSAS) brought together scholars and students for an interdisciplinary exploration of Africa’s evolving research landscape, highlighting collaboration, innovation, and new voices across the field.

Rebekkah Hudson is a third-year UF undergraduate double majoring in History and Linguistics with minors in African Studies and English, whose research—rooted in Gikuyu perspectives—reexamines the role of African agency in colonial-era forestry scouting in Kenya, with aspirations to pursue a Ph.D. in African History.

Echoes of Africa: Africa Expo was a day of celebration focused on the rich traditions of African cultures and languages. Organized in collaboration with the Center for African Studies and African Student Union.

Kevin Kelsey, an ESOL teacher at Gainesville High School and the current chair of the ESOL department. He participated in the K-12 Teach Africa Summer Institute, and his article is featured in the latest Teach Africa publication.

This webinar focused on the importance of learning African languages for career opportunities and engaging with African populations, with participants sharing their experiences and plans related to language learning and experiential learning.

The Harn Museum of Art came alive on the evening of February 13 with the vibrant sights and sounds of Museum Nights: Arts Across Africa—an annual celebration honoring African creativity through music, dance, fashion, and scholarship.

Baba Adou was born and raised in Mauritania. He earned a BA (Maîtrise) in English from the University of Nouakchott and an MA in Global and International Studies from the University of Kansas, which he attended as a Fulbright Scholar.  He is a 4th-year Ph.D. student in the UF Department of Political Science. His research […]

Gainesville is set to transform into a vibrant center of Black creativity and imagination as the University of Florida Center for Arts, Migration and Entrepreneurship, known as CAME, hosts the second annual Afrofuturism Week from Jan. 16-30.

Museum Nights: Arts Across Africa  On February 13, the Harn Museum will host its annual Museum Nights: Arts Across Africa event. Museum Nights is a free public program with a large attendance from 6 to 9 pm. The Museum Night celebrates African culture with art, music, dance, and most importantly…you.   We are looking for students […]

Africa’s health landscape is shaped by a complex interplay of physical, mental, social, environmental, and systemic factors. Effectively addressing these challenges requires interdisciplinary research drawing from public health, medicine, social sciences, environmental sciences, arts, humanities, and other fields. This panel will showcase graduate student research addressing diverse health issues in African contexts. Presentations will explore […]

Sponsored by: Center for African Studies, University of Florida African Studies Center, University of North Carolina   March 1st Gainesville, FL   Call for Papers African Studies faces profound challenges and unprecedented opportunities. Africa-based scholars question the value of external study of the continent, but African studies in Africa remains under-resourced. Conventional approaches, rooted in […]

On November 16th, the African Student Union (ASU) hosted its 52nd Annual Pageant, African Riches: Finding the Next Diamond. This celebration of Africa and the African diaspora provided a platform for students to showcase their creativity and deep connection to African traditions through cultural expressions. The Mr. and Ms. ASU pageant had six talented contestants […]

The Center for African Studies recently hosted its first interdisciplinary graduate workshop “The Environment in Africa,” that invited graduate researchers, faculty, and attendees to explore critical environmental issues across the continent. The event featured student presentations on diverse topics, including climate change, conservation, public health, and gender dynamics in fisheries. Joshua Benjamin explored macroinvertebrate shifts […]

The 30th Annual International Student Achievement Awards recognized the outstanding contributions of our international student community. The event started with an opening and welcome by Dr. Marta L. Wayne, the Dean of the International Center and Associate Provost, and a keynote by Elias G. Eldayrie, Vice President & Chief Information Officer for the University of […]

Each Summer, the Center for African Studies offers a virtual summer institute for K-12 teachers. The articles in this 2024 publication were produced by K-12 teachers who participated in the Center’s summer institutes of 2022 and 2023.

This webinar aimed to empower students by highlighting the critical value of learning African languages in today’s workforce, discussing funding opportunities, and sharing the testimonies of students who have studied African languages.

Fallon Jiménez was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, where she did an MS and BS in Animal Production Sciences at the National University of Colombia.

Thirty years since the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, the Center for African Studies commemorated this terrible landmark event in African history.

The recent African Student Experience (ASx) Home Away from Home event proved to be a vibrant celebration of culture, academic excellence, and community spirit.

The School Board of Alachua County, in conjunction with the University of Florida Center for African Studies and the African American Studies Program, hosted its first African and African American Studies Summer Camp.

Week of Nov 18-22, 2024 (exact date and time to be confirmed) Location: Grinter Hall Room 404 Africa’s environment, central to the lives and livelihoods of its peoples, is changing at an unprecedented pace. The continent’s water, land and air are affected by climate change, pollution and population growth in ways that threaten basic needs […]

Raphael Osarense Iyamu, a computational linguist from Benin City, Nigeria, has recently earned his Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Florida. With a foundational education in Linguistics from the University of Benin, where he completed both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, Raphael has developed a robust skill set that includes linguistic fieldwork, language data […]

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CAS recently welcomed Ghana’s Minister for National Security, Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah, for a two-day visit aimed at addressing urgent security concerns in West Africa. Minister Kan-Dapaah engaged with faculty, students, and experts to discuss the deteriorating security situation in the region and explore avenues for regional and international cooperation.

For over 30 years the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida has organized annual lectures or a conference in honor of the late distinguished Africanist scholar, Gwendolen M. Carter. Gwendolen Carter devoted her career to scholarship and advocacy concerning the politics of inequality and injustice, especially in southern Africa.

On Thursday, February 8, 2024, the Harn Museum of Art, became a buzzing hub of creativity and cultural exchange. 

Center for African Studies Summer Pre-dissertation Research Awards The Center for African Studies is pleased to announce that it will again offer a limited number of pre-dissertation research awards to UF doctoral students for summer 2025. Grants of up to $1,000 per individual from the Jeanne & Hunt Davis fund, the Madelyn M. Lockhart fund, and the CAS Alumni & Faculty fund will […]

In a week-long celebration of International Education, CAS collaborated with the International Center and the College of Education to host a series of engaging events. CAS ambassadors took the lead in organizing various activities. Monday started with the World Flag Display and International Programs Tables at the Reitz Union Breezeway, where multiple departments and programs […]

The Center for African Studies jointly with the Institute for Global Food Systems at IFAS hosted the visit of Dr. Alioune Touré, who is the Head of Livestock and Technology Sciences Department at the University of Sine-Saloum El Hadji Ibrahima NIASS (USSEIN) in Kaffrine, Senegal. Dr Toure is a veterinarian by training and served as […]

In the month of October, Dr. Agness Leslie, fulfilling her role as the CAS Outreach Director, collaborated with UF students and professors to coordinate community engagement presentations at Eastside High School. Noteworthy among these presentations was the enlightening discourse delivered by Nicole Senuku Khumo, a graduate student specializing in Sustainable Development Practice, expounding on Botswana’s […]

The 2023 Annual CAS Fall Party, held at the IFAS Straughn Center on October 11th, was a joyous celebration of the Center’s academic and cultural community. Over a hundred guests, including CAS faculty, students, staff, and valued community partners, came together for an unforgettable evening. The festivities commenced with a captivating performance by the Pazeni […]

Belay Alem is an international student who was born and raised in the Northern part of Ethiopia. He is a Ph. D candidate in the Department of Anthropology.   Before starting Ph.D. study at UF, he received his LL. B in Law and LL.M in Business and Corporate Law from Bahir Dar University School of Law. […]

Are you interested in language immersion while researching or studying abroad? Consider applying for the Boren Awards! Join us for this one-time presentation on Tuesday, October 10 at 5:30pm, followed by Q&A with Boren Awards Manager, Michael Saffle. RSVP for the info session. The Boren Awards fund long-term study abroad for undergraduate and graduate students from […]

Khumo Nicole Senuku is a graduating student from UF’s Master of Sustainable Development Practice program. Born and raised in Gaborone, Botswana, Khumo has always been deeply committed to community development, social transformation, and civic participation. With eight years of experience in Corporate Communications, Khumo aspires to become an experienced Development Practitioner with a focus on […]

Chioma Iyamu is from Nigeria and pursued her undergraduate degree in Accounting at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. She recently completed a master’s degree in Sustainable Development Practice, with a minor in Soil Science and certification in Environmental Education and Communication. Chioma’s interest in the MDP program stems from its interdisciplinary approach, allowing […]

  The Master of Sustainable Development Practice (MDP) program celebrated its 12th anniversary on April 10th, 2023, at Bryan Hall. Professor Jon Dain served as the event’s host. Dr. Glenn Galloway, Director of the MDP program and Dr. Renata Serra, MDP Graduate Coordinator provided a brief overview of the program and how it has evolved since its inception, highlighting the fact that […]

Next Scheduled Session: April 29th at 11:00 am-12:00 pm

Macodou Fall is a PhD Candidate and Teaching Assistant in the Department of Religion at the University of Florida. He holds a BA and a Master’s degree in English from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar and a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Ohio University. Macodou’s research includes, among others, Islam in Africa, Sufism, Islamic […]

Walter Tapondjou was born in Douala, Cameroon, in Central Africa. He describes himself as a proud Bamiléké from Dschang, a small city in the highland of the west region where his parents originated. He is a herpetologist with several years of experience in Africa. Walter has completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University […]

Center for African Studies Outreach Director Dr. Agness Leslie has received the 2023 University of Florida Superior Accomplishment Award for Community Service. Dr. Leslie, a Master Lecturer at the CAS, also teaches courses in political science, including “Women and Politics in Africa” and “China and Africa Relations.” As the Outreach Director, Dr. Leslie collaborates with […]

Kayan Clarke was born and raised in Jamaica. She is a fourth year PhD Public Health student in the Environmental and Global Health Department. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of South Florida (Go Bulls!) and received her MPH from the University of the West Indies, Mona (Go Pelicans!). Her research is centered […]

Baraza: March 3, 2023 Dr. Straussberger is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science & Public Administration. His publications include: “Storming the Citadel: Decolonization and Political Contestation in Guinea’s Futa Jallon, 1945-1961.” Journal of African History (2016) and “Fractures and Fragments: Finding Postcolonial Histories on Guinea in Local Archives.” History in Africa (2015). Dr. John (Trey) Straussberger, Assistant Professor […]

Grace Tovkach is a fourth-year undergraduate student, majoring in International Studies and Dual Languages (French and Russian). Although born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, her work and studies have taken her to Kyrgyzstan, France, Armenia, and a lot of places in between. Grace is affiliated with the Center for African Studies and most recently took […]

Lory is a 5th-year Ph.D. candidate in Agricultural and Biological Engineering. She obtained a B.S. and M.S. from Virginia Tech in Biological Systems Engineering. She traveled to Uganda several times as the lead of an Engineers Without Borders project and gained a deeper understanding of water issues prevalent outside of the United States. After several […]

      The Center of African Studies relies on the support of alumni and friends to provide the best possible learning and research environment for students and faculty. Donate to the Center for African Studies now through Thursday, February 16 Center for African Studies Fund   Alumni & Faculty Pre-dissertation Travel Award Fund Donate […]

The Center of African Studies relies on the support of alumni and friends to provide the best possible learning and research environment for students and faculty. Donate to the Center for African Studies now through Thursday, February 16

Baraza: February 3, 2023 Dr. Khalidi is CR1 researcher at CNRS and alumnus of the UF in Dar es Salaam study abroad program. Her publications include: “Survival kit for the afterlife or instruction manual for prehistorians? Staging artefact production in middle Neolithic cemetery Kadruka 23, Upper Nubia, Sudan.” Antiquity (co-author, 2021); “9000 years of human lakeside adaptation […]

Matthew is originally from Florida, though he spent significant time outside the state (and the country). He is a graduate student in the geography department, and he is closely connected to CAS (through events, research, and academic groups like ASQ). He greatly appreciates the resources, faculty, and opportunities provided by the center! He greatly appreciates […]

Baraza: January 20, 2023 Dr. Mwaba is assistant professor in the department of government and earned her PhD at UF. Her recent writings have largely focused on public engagement: “Addressing a pandemic on a continental level.” Africa Is A Country (2020); “The African Union called on Congo to suspend its election’s results. That’s unprecedented.” The […]

Mosúnmọ́lá O. Adéòjó was born and raised in Nigeria before traveling in 2017 for a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship (FLTA) Program at Yale University. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the English department at the University of Florida. Her research examines resistance to cultural imperialism and colonialism in religious and political spaces in […]

Click the links below for more information: CIDCM_Ghana_PM (1) CIDCM_Benin_PM CIDCM_Benin_Postdoc

Visiting Lecturer: Stephen Davis

Khumo Senuku’s research examines systems thinking in addressing structural poverty among the formerly incarcerated– creating equitable and inclusive prosperity for all. She is conducting her study locally in Gainesville, working with a community development non-profit, Community Spring focusing on their project, Just Income. The objective was to investigate challenges and barriers – as well as […]

Dr. Renata Serra (CAS Associate Instructional Professor and core MDP Faculty) has published a new article, “Promoting Gender Equity in Livelihoods Projects: Practitioners’ Perspectives Through the Lens of a Socio-ecological Model.” Written with Michelle Kendall, Alexandra Towns, and James Hummer, who are with the international humanitarian organization Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the article is based […]

Amanda Ojeda was born and raised in Miami, Florida, with a heritage from Cuba and Venezuela. She is a microbiologist with five years of lab experience, including working in the food safety industry (Merieux NutriSciences) and academia as the Microbiology and Cell Science Teaching Lab Manager. During her MPH, she sought research experience, specifically working […]

Cristovão Nwachukwu is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in English at the University of Florida. He obtained his B.A. in Portuguese and English language and literature in 2017 from the Federal University of Bahia, in Brazil. His doctoral research explores the representations of Black African immigrants in contemporary African novels that take place in the U.S. […]

CAME hosted the “Women Entrepreneurship, AI + Emerging Tech in Africa” event on September 27, 2022. Kishau Rogers shared in-depth insights into the processes for the success of her business, Time Study, and how she continues to triple the company’s revenue each year. Saidah Nash Carter shared her work focused on “Healing and Human Connection,” […]

Amie Edwards is a second-year Ph.D. Candidate in the College of Design Construction and Planning, School of Architecture. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Jacksonville, FL, in 2016 and a Master of Architecture from the University of Florida in 2020. Her Ph.D. research is on African […]

Faith Aiya is a second-year master’s student in the food and resource economics department. She hails from Edo, Nigeria, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics in 2017. Faith’s current research is aimed at helping Florida citrus growers manage the economic costs and risks associated with Citrus greening, an incurable disease that is currently […]

Faith Aiya is a second-year master’s student in the food and resource economics department. She hails from Edo, Nigeria, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics in 2017. Faith’s current research is aimed at helping Florida citrus growers manage the economic costs and risks associated with Citrus greening, an incurable disease that is currently […]

Fall 2022 Arts | Africa Working Group October 12 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Recorded Zoom Link:      

A team of University of Florida researchers has been awarded a $660,000 grant to detect and monitor risks of artisanal mining and charcoal production in Ghana, NASA announced last week. Entitled “Integrating Socio-Economic and Remotely Sensed Information to Characterize Conflict Precursors and Land Degradation Dynamics in Ghana”, the three-year project will combine images collected by […]