Marbin Pazos Revilla believes that education opens doors and unlocks opportunities for those with a curiosity and a willingness to learn.
Because it did for him.
That’s why he teaches a foundational course in the University of South Florida’s Pathway to Computing Graduate Certificate, helping students build the skills they need to improve their careers prospects. “The program is fast-paced and can be challenging,” he says. “But if you commit, it is certainly rewarding and opens the doors to exciting opportunities.”
From Cuba to Tennessee to Tampa
Pazos Revilla moved to the United States at the age of 24, with his sight set on to get a better future for himself and other family members. He had studied automation engineering in Cuba, but he had little professional experience to seek an engineering job in the US.
“When I came to U.S., IT was very popular, and I had some basic knowledge through my prior education. I used that to get a job and that love for the field and the desire to learn new technologies and advance stayed with me.”
He knew he needed to keep learning. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Barry University. He had a small family of his own by then and they relocated to Tennessee where he landed an IT role at Tennessee Technological University. The job allowed him to learn and work in IT infrastructure and cybersecurity, and support his family. And with a big perk: he could go to school there. He earned a master’s degree in computer science.
“It was hard as a working parent with a very demanding full-time job, but it was also motivating and inspiring to see people of all backgrounds striving to grow, learn, support their families, and make their life better.”
So he didn’t stop. He earned a PhD there and eventually moved to Tampa to accept a position at what is now the USF Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. He says that earning a doctorate while working helps make him a better teacher for the PTC program, which is mostly filled with students who are looking to pivot into the computing field or broaden their career prospects.
“It was a struggle to work full time, with a family to support, and a tough job – I lived through that, too. That experience helps me understand how to help Pathway to Computing students, their desire to advance and study while dealing with elements like family, work, and other factors. I know where they are coming from – and want to help them reach their goals.”
Building Strong Foundations with Object-Oriented Programming
Several decades before he joined the faculty, Pazos Revilla’s mother visited USF as part of her own professional development. He remembers hearing about the university but never imagined it would one day be his workplace – or the place where his daughter, now grown, would begin college.
Now a full-time faculty member, he brings his background in embedded systems, networks, and cybersecurity to the classroom. He teaches one of the most essential and intense courses in the Pathway to Computing graduate certificate: Object-Oriented Programming.
“For many, it’s their first real experience with structured programming,” he says. “It’s the foundation of how we think in computer science.” Students learn how to encapsulate separate functionalities, solve problems, break down systems, and build reusable components. They discover that logical, object-oriented thinking enables engineers to build and secure devices or services that make up parts of a larger system. It is rigorous and technical, he says, but it is also empowering. “You can see their confidence grow.”
Pazos Revilla, whose research interest includes the Internet of Things, says that shift happens mostly during the second half of the course. Since it is fast paced and students must first grasp the core of object-oriented programming, he waits until the second part to use examples of IoT and its use in different settings: healthcare, electric vehicles that communicate with infrastructure services, cybersecurity, manufacturing, and many others.
“That is a big part of what the Pathway to Computing program is about: preparing students to work with technologies that are shaping the future, regardless of industry.
Tools for Today — and for What’s Next
In addition to teaching, Pazos Revilla also helps students practice and advance their skills through competitive teams like the USF CyberHerd, a competitive team that represents USF in cybersecurity competitions. In this context, he has witnessed how even in competitions new technologies like AI are making an impact and changing the way we work and interact with services and complex systems.
“AI is changing how we work, and although certainly there are elements of inappropriate use, ethical issues, and legalities, that are still evolving” he says. “we should not be fearful, it’s a tool, just like the calculator. like the computer; these tools transformed the work we work and study. They can cause some disruption, but we must learn how to adopt them and use them well, understanding the fundamental principles behind them.”
There will be more tools and disruptions like this ahead, he says.
“We don’t know what they are yet, but if students understand the fundamentals, they’ll be ready.”
Learning That Leads Somewhere
“Our students in the PTC program primarily come from non-technical backgrounds. They come from healthcare, business, education. They are smart, capable people, but few have ever taken a computer science course,” he says. “This program gives them a chance to catch up, build skills, and prepare for graduate-level work.”
It is literally a pathway, he says. “You come in from one side, whatever your background, and if you do the work, you leave ready for the next step coupling your expertise with the computing field.” His mantra: education doesn’t stop the day you get a certificate or degree.
“I’ve always been someone who wants to understand how things work,” he says. “I came to the U.S. with curiosity and a willingness to learn. I try to pass that on to my students.”
“Education opened doors for me,” he says. “Now I strive to help open them for others.”