Author: iharrell

NSU Recognized Nationally for Excellence in Cyber Research

Thanks to the efforts of Nova Southeastern University’s College of Computing and Engineering, NSU has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (CAE-R) for the approved doctoral programs through academic year 2028.

The program’s criteria validate that NSU will serve the nation well in contributing to the protection of the national information infrastructure and addressing the critical shortage of professionals with cybersecurity skills.

This new designation complements NSU’s re-designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) – Cyber Defense in 2021 – but NSU now has the additional higher classification – “R” for research.  NSU is the only private not-for-profit university in Florida to hold both Cyber Research (CAE-R) and Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designations under the NSA’s National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program.

Posted 11/08/23

Stefanie La Manna Named Dean of NSU’s College of Nursing

Dean Stefanie La Manna

Nova Southeastern University has appointed Stefanie La Manna, Ph.D., MPH, APRN, FNP-C, AGACNP-BC, as the permanent dean of the Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing. La Manna, also an associate professor in the college, was named interim dean in March 2023.

As interim dean, La Manna has worked to boost student enrollment and engagement by refreshing curriculum, refining degree requirements, and expanding clinical experiences in both physical and virtual settings. La Manna joined the college in 2012 and has held multiple leadership positions over the years, including department chair, assistant dean and senior program director for the PhD/DNP and Adult Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP) Program, and executive associate dean.

Dean La Manna earned her undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate at Barry University. She has 23 years of experience as an advanced practice registered nurse, specializing in internal medicine and infectious diseases. La Manna is a member of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty and chairs the faculty and preceptor resource committee. She is also a member of the South Florida Council of Advanced Practice Nurses, serving on its nominating committee, and acts as treasurer for the Nurse Practitioner Council of Palm Beach.

Dean La Manna’s research interests include infectious diseases, antibiotic resistance, sepsis, and immunization. Her published work includes chapters in the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Q&A Review 1st and 2nd editions. She was also involved in developing the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ COVID-19 Pulmonary and Ventilator Care Micro-Credential. La Manna represented Florida on behalf of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, meeting with members of Congress in Washington, D.C. La Manna’s work has been recognized multiple times through awards at the local, regional, and national level. In 2022, she was recognized as a South Florida Sun-Sentinel 2022 Nurse Honoree.

Posted 11/08/23

Sharks Women’s and Men’s Basketball Are Back!

The Women’s Basketball team will kick off their 2023-2024 campaign at home on November 10 at noon against Auburn Montgomery which will be followed by the annual Homecoming Game Saturday, November 11 at noon as the Women’s basketball team takes on the University of Montevallo. Fans are encouraged to White out the Tank and students will receive a limited belt bag giveaway.

The reigning 2022-23 National Championship Men’s Basketball team will have their home opener against Southeastern University on Wednesday, November 15 at 7 p.m. Join various Sharks Partners for a pregame tailgate starting at 5 p.m. followed by a pregame ring ceremony and a Banner Unveiling to commemorate the 2022-23 Men’s Basketball National Championship. Continue the Championship Celebration at halftime as we honor the 2022-23 Women’s Swimming and 2022-23 Men’s Golf National Championships. Fans are encouraged to White out the Tank and students will receive a limited Hungry For More Rally Towel.

All NSU Students, Faculty, Staff and Kids 12 and under receive free entry into all Regular Season NSU Athletic Events. Stop at the Box Office to claim your ticket.

Go Sharks!

To keep up with all Sharks Basketball Promotions, see link below!

View the 2023-2024 Sharks Basketball Schedules below!

2023-24 Men’s Basketball Schedule – Nova Southeastern University Athletics (nsusharks.com)

2023-24 Women’s Basketball Schedule – Nova Southeastern University Athletics (nsusharks.com)

Posted 11/07/23

Professor Presents Dementia-Related Research in England

Adithya Chandregowda, Ph.D.

Adithya Chandregowda, Ph.D., from the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at NSU presented a research poster titled “Assessment and Management of Dynamic Aphasia in the Context of Frontotemporal Dementia” at the 61st annual meeting of the Academy of Aphasia (AoA) hosted by the University of Reading, England, UK.

His research sheds light on a lesser-known manifestation of frontotemporal dementia referred to as “dynamic aphasia.” Unlike other variations of aphasia, individuals with dynamic aphasia perform well on clinical tests of naming, verbal repetition, auditory-verbal comprehension and reading, but they have substantial difficulty during conversations. They struggle to answer open-ended questions/requests (e.g., “Tell me about your hobbies”) and it is proposed that they have a breakdown at the stage where thoughts are converted into verbal messages (i.e., the thought-verbal interface).

Through his research, Chandregowda hopes to increase awareness about this clinical condition and contribute to the development of appropriate assessment and management strategies for clinical practice. His presentation at the AoA meeting was well received.

Posted 11/05/23

Faculty, Students Win Awards at Microbiology Conference

There was a good contingent of NSU students and faculty attending the annual meeting of the Florida Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (FLASM) at the Guy Harvey Resort in St. Augustine, Florida, which was held Oct. 13-15.

Julie Torruellas Garcia, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research  Center (HCAS) serves as a Regional Planning Coordinator for the American Society for Microbiology and was one of the organizers and moderators of the event. Other faculty in attendance included Jose V. Lopez, Ph.D. and Andrew Ozga, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, and Robert Smith, Ph.D. and Bo-Young Hong, Ph.D., NSU MD faculty.

Trent Moulder, a student in the Masters in Biological Sciences program in HCAS mentored by Dr. Robert Smith from NSU MD, won 3rd place for “Outstanding Graduate Poster Presentation.” Ashley Janke, undergraduate biology major conducting research in Dr. Julie Torruellas Garcia’s lab, presented her honors thesis research and won 2nd place for “Outstanding Undergraduate Oral Presentation.” In addition, several students received travel awards from FLASM, PanSGA or the Biology Student Award to attend the conference.

NSU faculty presenters included:

  • Andrew Ozga, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, in collaborative work with the NSU College of Dental Medicine, gave an oral presentation on “Dental plaque microbiome diversity in healthy South Florida residents.”
  • Bo-Young Hong, Ph.D., NSU MD Faculty, presented a poster on “Chamomile tea decreases Porphyromonas gingivalis ”

NSU graduate student presenters included:

  • Jacqueline Chavez, MSBS student in Dr. Garcia’s lab, presented a poster on “The Search for a Phage that Targets the pCD1-Encoded Type Three Secretion System of Yersinia pestis.”
  • Trent Moulder, MSBS student in Dr. Smith’s lab presented a poster on “Carbon source preference alters inter-species interactions and modulates antibiotic efficacy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.”
  • Ariane Kalifa, MSBS student in Dr. Smith’s lab, presented a poster on “Growth productivity modulates inoculum effect in β lactamase-producing bacteria.”
  • Estefania Marin Meneses. MSBS student in Dr. Smith’s lab presented a poster on “Growth Productivity affects the Severity of Inoculum Effect in Staphylococcus aureus.”
  • Daniella Hernandez, a research assistant in NSU MD, presented her work entitled “Reducing Inoculum Effect by Modulating Growth Productivity through the Superpathway of Purine, Pyrimidine and Histidine Synthesis in Escherichia coli”

NSU undergraduate student presenters included:

  • Jose C. Padron and Kunal Poddar, biology majors in Dr. Garcia’s lab, presented a poster on “Determining the Burst Size and Optimal Infection Temperature of Four Gordonia rubripertincta ”
  • Ashley Janke, a biology major in Dr. Garcia’s lab, gave an oral presentation on “MunkgeeRoachy: A Gordonia rubripertincta Bacteriophage Isolated from Soil.”
  • Varsha Chigurupati, Adam Sadik, and Paul Paronich, biology majors conducting research with DoBS Faculty Dr. Raja and Dr. Ozga and DoMES faculty Dr. Shivji and Dr. Burkholder gave an oral presentation entitled: “Unraveling the Elasmobranch: A Look at Shark Oral Microbiomes in South Florida.”
  • Shanay Patel, a biology major working with Dr. Ozga, presented a poster on the “Impacts of pre- and pro- biotic supplements on microbial composition related to colorectal cancers.”
  • Megha Kurian, Jewel Mousa, Lewis Reid and Ritika Vonguru, research students in Dr. Garcia’s Practicum in Biology I course, presented a poster on “Comparative Analysis of Yersinia pestis Bacteriophages Using Restriction Digest.”
  • David Giordano, a biology major in the labs of Dr. Ozga and Dr. Chris Blanar, presented a poster on “Exploring the gut microbiome of invasive iguanas: Implications for ecosystems conservation.”
  • Bianca A. Gonzalez, biology major in the Introduction to Biology Research I/II courses taught by Dr. Garcia and Dr. Katie Crump, presented a poster of her class research on “Decoding Phages: Complete Genome Sequence Analysis of Two Novel Bacteriophages, Alyssamiracle and Fribs8.”
  • Kaya Olszewski, a biology major in Dr. Garcia’s lab, attended the meeting with the intention to present a poster on, “Computer Model of Yersinia pestis Type III Secretion Needle Regulation.”, but had to withdraw her presentation due to unforeseen circumstances.

Posted 11/05/23

Sonography Department Faculty Awarded SDMS Fellow Status

Catherine Rienzo, Ed.D., RT(R) (ARRT), RDMS, FSDMS, SDMS and SDMS foundation immediate past president, congratulates Cathie Scholl after Kevin Evans, Ph.D., awards her the Fellow medal.

Cathie Scholl

Cathie Scholl, faculty member of the Bachelor of Science in Cardiovascular Sonography program, was awarded the title of Fellow of the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) at their recent annual conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

The SDMS Fellow membership category recognizes the lifetime achievement of individual members who have made outstanding contributions to the field of sonography and to the SDMS.

This is a prestigious and much sought-after honor in the profession. SDMS has approximately 28,000 members and elevates only two members per year to Fellow, with only 80 SDMS Fellows in total.

Posted 11/05/23

Speech-Language Pathology Welcomes Former NBA Player

When Michael Kidd-Gilchrist recently sat in front of Nova Southeastern University speech-language pathology faculty and students, he made one thing clear: “I don’t like talking, and I never will.”

He told the crowd about times he spent in the principal’s office after his teacher asked him to read aloud in class and he refused.

His actions were not a product of disobedience, he says, but a part of what would be a lifetime of dealing with a stutter.

“It’s lonely,” said the National Basketball Association veteran and University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball Champion to a crowded room of students, faculty, and members of the stuttering community on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at NSU.

Kidd-Gilchrist calls himself lucky, though, despite his stutter. His towering height and athletic abilities have not only brought him success, but often provided a way to mask his condition. When his family was looking at colleges, he said, they sought out campuses with clinics. UK was a perfect fit, allowing Kidd-Gilchrist to play basketball for legendary Wildcats Coach John Calipari, and also have an opportunity to work with his first speech-language pathologist.

“I remember a time when I didn’t want anyone to know about my stutter,” he said. “When I entered speech therapy at the University of Kentucky, I told my therapist that I didn’t want anyone to know.”

As his connection with his therapist grew, Kidd-Gilchrist learned how to use a metronome to time his speech and also developed ways of overcoming adversity both physical and mental.

“My speech-language pathologist helped me start to understand that I wasn’t broken,” he said. “She was always there for me.”

Yet there still were struggles. Being good at basketball meant being in the spotlight. And being in the spotlight meant the dreaded microphones and interviews.

“I felt like I was teased in the media and couldn’t say anything back,” Kidd-Gilchrist said.

After being drafted in 2012 by the NBA as the second overall pick of the first round, Kidd-Gilchrist played in the NBA for nine years, mostly with Charlotte. While spending time in the NBA “bubble” in 2020, Kidd-Gilchrist began reflecting on his journey as a person who stutters. He wanted to turn his knowledge and experience into something that would help others who stutter.

“I have a responsibility to speak out for others,” he said. “Not because I have to do it, but because I want to do it.”

In 2021, he founded Change & Impact, Inc., a stuttering initiative with a mission to improve access to health care and expand services and resources for those who stutter.

NSU speech-language pathology Professor Rachel Williams, the facilitator of Kidd-Gilchrist’s university visit, explained that often stuttering sessions are not covered by insurance, because stuttering is a condition that has no definitive end point.

Since Change & Impact’s inception, Kidd-Gilchrist has been on a national speaking circuit visiting universities, hospitals, stuttering camps, and support groups. His goal is to raise awareness about gaps in the health care system for those who stutter, and the medical need to improve speech therapy insurance coverage for stuttering.

Kidd-Gilchrist shared his life as an SLP patient, student, father, husband, and basketball player during his visit to NSU. Besides his speaking engagement, he met with top administrators with the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences, received a tour of the Davie Campus, and also toured NSU’s speech-language pathology clinic. He closed his visit at NSU by thanking the students and faculty who have pursued the speech-language pathology field.

“I appreciate that you wanted to get into this field,” he said. “In doing so, you have an opportunity to help someone.”

To learn more about Change & Impact, visit www.changeandimpactinc.org

Posted 11/05/23

Faculty Elected State President of Athletic Trainers Association

Pradeep R. Vanguri, Ph.D.

Pradeep R. Vanguri, Ph.D., LAT, ATC, professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance (HHP) in the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences, was elected president of the Athletic Trainers’ Association of Florida (ATAF). Having previously served as the education committee chair, secretary, and vice-president, Vanguri is currently serving a one-year term as president-elect before officially entering the role of President in January 2024.

ATAF is the fourth-largest state association, by membership, in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and the largest state association within the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association (SEATA). The president of ATAF serves as the leader of the state association and a member of the district (SEATA) board of directors. Through these leadership roles, the ATAF president directly supports the practice of over 2000 athletic trainers in Florida and influences policy at the district level.

Pattie Tripp, Ph.D., LAT, ATC, current ATAF president, states, “I started serving within ATAF as a member of the Education Committee, chaired at the time by Dr. Vanguri. During the past 15 years our organization has expanded membership support, recruited diverse individuals, and provided evidence-based information through our symposium educational sessions and committee resources.”  During his time on the ATAF Board, Vanguri also contributed to the revision and update of the rules and regulations for the Florida Board of Athletic Training which affected the practice for athletic trainers working with lobbyists, lawyers, and state government officials.

NATA Hall of Fame member Frank Walters, Ph.D., LAT, ATC states, “The role of the incoming ATAF president carries great significance, and Dr. Vanguri past service, leadership, and experience serves as a testament to his commitment and dedication to advancing our profession. He is an individual with a strong track-record of clinical, administrative, and professional organization knowledge.” As president, Vanguri can pave the way for innovation, professional growth, and improved professional standards in Florida for athletic trainers.

Posted 11/05/23

USchool Student-Run Company Among National Finalists

The NSU University School Junior Achievement student-run company, ProFin Technologies, achieved great success at the Junior Achievement Nationals in Washington D.C. They secured a place among the top 10 National Finalists, and also received the first place award for ICE (Intercontinental Exchange) Best Financial Performance. The team recently presented their charitable giving, from net sales of more than $25,000, to their corporate partner, United Way of Broward County.

Learn more about NSU University School’s college preparatory program for students in Preschool – Grade 12 at www.uschool.nova.edu.

Posted 11/05/23

WCC Faculty Coordinator Presents at International Conference

Janine Morris, Ph.D.

Janine Morris, Ph.D., NSU Writing and Communication Center (WCC) Faculty Coordinator, presented at the 2023 Global Society of Online Literature Educators (GSOLE) conference on February 3, 2023. Morris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts (DCMA) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences.

Morris’s presentation, “Listening to Graduate Student Consultants: Fostering Community through Online Writing Center Training,” focused on the different ways the WCC trains and engages graduate consultants working asynchronously. The presentation emphasized how a multi-layered approach to training can promote engagement and foster a stronger sense of community.

GSOLE is an organization that supports educators, faculty, and writing center practitioners who teach writing, reading, and digital literacy in online settings. To learn more about GSOLE’s annual conference, visit https://gsole.org/GSOLE-annual-conference.

To learn more about the NSU Writing and Communication Center, visit, nova.edu/wcc

Posted 11/05/23

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