Author: iharrell

MEEC Will Open Environmental Art Gallery on July 15

On Saturday, July 15, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Marine Environmental Education Center (MEEC) will be hosting the opening of its new Environmental Art Gallery. The MEEC Environmental Art Gallery is curated by NSU students and features both NSU Halmos College of Arts and Sciences students and alumni art. All art on display will be for sale, with a portion of the proceeds funding the MEEC. The reception will be part of a beach clean up featuring food trucks, the artists, environmental educational vendors, and more! Everyone is welcome.

The Marine Environmental Education Center at the Carpenter House was fostered from a partnership between Broward County Parks and Recreation and Nova Southeastern University. Overseen by the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, the Marine Environmental Education Center now serves as a public education facility while preserving the historic charm of the home. Come visit and see the original rooms, fixtures, hard wood floors, cabana house and beach views as well as all the educational displays and live animals!

RSVP for the opening at https://tinyurl.com/MEECartgallery

Posted 07/03/23

NSU Research Continues to Break New, Expanding Ground

Ken Dawson-Scully, Ph.D., associate provost and senior vice president for the Division of Research and Economic Development

$145 million in active grants. 170 grants. 100 different funding agencies.

“All of those numbers are record highs for the university,” said Ken Dawson-Scully, Ph.D., associate provost and senior vice president for the Division of Research and Economic Development (DoR). “We expose our students to genuine research, where they’re developing knowledge rather than just learning knowledge.”

NSU is recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 Doctoral University with high research activity. In 2022, the National Science Foundation ranked the university 70th out of all private universities in the United States for its research efforts. And, for the first time in the school’s history, NSU received a U-Rise grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a division of the National Institutes of Health. This $1.5-million grant funds opportunities for undergraduates to work in research labs and get paid for doing so.

In addition, research from NSU faculty and staff members and students was published 750 times during the last year—a 35 percent increase in publications from the previous year.

“The colleges, the faculty and their students, and the staff are the engines of research for the university,” said Dawson-Scully. “I’m just the person who gets to brag about all these wonderful things and gets to serve these individuals through research administration while bringing researchers together, internally or with other companies and institutions looking for collaborators.”

Dawson-Scully joined NSU in 2021. Prior to his current role, he was a professor and administrator at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). In his FAU lab, he conducted research on fruit flies to explore how to protect the brain from different types of neurodegenerations and stress. He also served as the head of institutional partnerships at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, where he developed programs partnering the world-class researchers at the institute with student trainees from FAU.

“I got to the point where, instead of developing those programs, I was managing them,” he said. “An opportunity came along at NSU to be in a leadership position and start building again. When I moved to Florida in 2008 from Canada, I didn’t know about the research profile of NSU. But, when I applied for the position in 2020, NSU had grown so rapidly, and put such an enormous investment into research, that my mind was blown, and I was excited to be a part of its exponential growth.”

The DoR administers research for the university. This includes—but is not limited to—handling patents and copyrights, assisting faculty members in finding and applying for grants, ensuring that projects are compliant, conducting clinical research, and bolstering the university’s research infrastructure at the Center for Collaborative Research.

“Our core facilities are available to every faculty and staff member within the university, and we even offer our services to the community,” Dawson-Scully said. “When research comes into the university, it helps build a better environment for teaching for our faculty and a better environment for learning for students.”

In the Campaign for Preeminence, NSU has a goal of raising $500 million in cumulative research funds by 2025. As of early March, more than $418 million—84 percent of the university’s goal—has been raised. The university continues to be on an upward trajectory for growth in research, and Dawson-Scully and his team are looking for ways to continue accelerating that growth.

NSU Health is one of the university’s research accelerators. The initiative brings the university’s clinical practices under one umbrella to enable NSU to better serve the community, give students better experiences, and increase the university’s research infrastructure.

One example of how NSU Health is accelerating research in in the work of Eduardo Locatelli, M.D., M.P.H. He sees patients who suffer from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He also runs clinical trials on new drugs that have the potential to stave off this horrible disease, and one of the drugs he was working with recently received FDA approval. The medication has the potential to double the life span of patients diagnosed with ALS.

“Locatelli’s research not only increases our clinical research profile, but also brings students at the undergraduate and graduate levels who are working with this cutting edge, clinical research,” Dawson-Scully said.

The Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation is another entity that increases the university’s research capabilities. Faculty and staff members and students interact and innovate with everything from phone apps to interacting with NASA and the space foundation. The Levan Center is attracting large grants from federal agencies, as well as local, state, and county sources.

Dawson-Scully established a Changing Lives scholarship for undergraduate students who want to pursue research. Donors can also create a scholarship fund or programming endowment.

“It’s always a positive thing to be able to donate, because it’s used toward creating knowledge and giving our students that edge,” Dawson-Scully said.

For more information on research at NSU, please contact Alissa Hechter, Assistant Vice President of Development & Alumni Engagement, at (855) 792-2230 or ah833@nova.edu

Posted 07/02/23

Criminal Justice Grad Student Receives Changing Lives Scholarship

Graduate student Travis Brooks

The Carl Cecil Eagle Changing Lives Scholarship recipient Travis Brooks is a graduate student in the criminal justice program at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. He is a member of Alpha Phi Sigma, the Criminal Justice Honor Society. In addition to working toward his master’s degree, Brooks serves as a commissioner’s aide in the City of Lauderhill, Florida.

“I would like to personally thank Dr. Massey for making it possible for me to be awarded the Carl Cecil Eagle Changing Lives Scholarship,” Brooks said. “It has made a huge impact on my self-confidence and provided me with funds to not only continue my education, but has also help me out in a time of need.”

The scholarship was created by Larry Massey, Ph.D., in honor of Eagle, a Native American, Bronze Star recipient for valor, and WWII veteran. After WWII, Eagle used his GI Bill to attend college, majored in history, and then became a high school teacher. His family legacy involves respecting cultural traditions within context of historic events. The award contributes to the education of future teachers and studies relating to understanding the history of marginalized groups.

Brooks is a first-generation graduate student who hails from Maxton, a small rural town in North Carolina. Raised on a farm of produce and livestock, he is a member of a Lumbee tribe in southeastern North Carolina. The people of the Lumbee tribe are known for their entrepreneurial spirit and focus on education. The criminal justice program, professors, and offered courses at NSU drew Brooks to Florida, where he has found success due in part to the networking he has been able to do at the university.

Future plans for Brooks include pursuing a career with the Department of Homeland Security and possibly returning to school to earn his law degree. He also hopes to follow Dr. Massey’s lead and establish a scholarship fund for students in need at NSU and at the University of North Carolina Pembroke, where he earned his bachelor’s degree.

“Thank you to Dr. Massey for honoring me with this scholarship and for everything he and his family have done for Native American students in need who are on the path to continuing their education,” Brooks said. “For someone to notice my hard work and dedication to my studies has given me the confidence and strength I have been missing. I am not always the one to boast about my studies, but when someone else notices, it truly means I am doing something right or I’m on the right path to success.”

For more information on scholarships at NSU, contact Andria Cunningham, Executive Director of Development & Alumni Engagement, at (833) 910-0372 or acunningham@nova.edu

Posted 07/02/23

Halmos Faculty Member Participates in Trinidad Conference

Cheryl Duckworth, Ph.D.

Cheryl Duckworth, Ph.D., faculty and director of the M.S. program and Graduate Certificates in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies (DCRS), in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS), participated in the International Peace Research Association Conference held in Trinidad. As Editor in Chief of the Peace and Conflict Studies Journal, she participated in an Editor’s Panel that worked to improve access, equity and inclusion in academic publishing.  She also presented her research on the role of youth leadership in creating school cultures of peace.

Duckworth is the faculty facilitator for the Peace and Conflict Education Working Group in DCRS. She teaches qualitative research methods, peace education, foundations of conflict resolution, and History, Memory and Conflict Resolution.

Posted 07/02/23

Davie Police, Fire Perform Emergency Drill at USchool

Sgt. Kelvin Urbaez, the Public Information Officer with the Community Policing Unit & NSU Campus Policing Unit for the Davie Police Department

On Friday, June 23, 2023, regional emergency responders performed a special mass casualty training exercise from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Nova Southeastern University’s University School.

Participants in the exercise were NSU Public Safety and staff, Davie Police Department, Davie Fire Rescue, the Town of Davie Emergency Management, and the Davie Community Emergency Response Team.

“This training aims to update officers on immediate action/rapid intervention techniques and integration with fire personnel. This training will concentrate on response tactics specific to an active killer incident,” said Sgt. Kelvin Urbaez, the Public Information Officer with the Community Policing Unit & NSU Campus Policing Unit for the Davie Police Department. “Officers will be evaluated on their ability to coordinate a response, neutralize the threat, and work with fire rescue personnel to treat and evacuate the wounded. Officers will also be evaluated on their communications with Police Dispatch, NSU Public Safety, and the Command Post.”

The training drills take place year-round, but the main drill at NSU is performed annually. There were more than 35 participants in this year’s training exercise, Sgt. Urbaez said, adding that Davie Police and Fire greatly appreciate their public safety partnership with NSU.

Several of the actors in the drill were NSU faculty and staff.

Posted 07/02/23

Halmos Faculty Member Presents at Crustacean Congress

Tamara Frank, Ph.D.

Tamara Frank, Ph.D., faculty in the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center presented at the 10th International Crustacean Congress, May 22-26, in Wellington, New Zealand. The title of her presentation was “The Micronektonic Crustacean Assemblage in the Gulf of Mexico:  Temporal Changes Since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.”

Frank was interviewed for the Armatus Oceanic Deep-Sea Podcast:  036 – Crustacean Congress special — Armatus Oceanic

College of Dental Medicine Holds Inaugural Research Day

NSU College of Dental Medicine’s inaugural Research Day took place on June 6 and 7, 2023, An annual event that showcased the outstanding research conducted by our graduate/postgraduate students and faculty. The objective of this event was to increase awareness of the exciting and diverse research and development activities taking place by many members of our community. 

There were 43 presenters who made this event a success by way of sharing their creative and scholarly activities.

Special thanks to the Organization Committee members Dr. Sibel Antonson, Mark Cayabyab, Alireza Heideri, and Dr. William Parker. We thank Dean Steven Kaltman for his vision and support to make this event a success.

There were nine sessions composed of oral and poster presentations, and eight CE credits were also provided at the conclusion of this two half-day event.

The keynote speaker was Professor Frederick Rueggeberg, DDS, MS, retired professor emeritus from the Department of Restorative Sciences at the Dental College of Georgia At Augusta University. His presentation title was “From Poster to Publication – Pathway Guidelines.”

The event concluded with the awards ceremony.  The recipients of the 2023 awards will also receive $1,500 travel grant to present their projects at a scientific meetings.

Below were the award recipients.

  • Outstanding Faculty Research Presentation: Alireza Heidari, Ph.D. (Oral Science & Translational Research Department)
  • Outstanding Post Doctoral Research Presentation: Satoru Shindo, DDS, PhD – (Oral Science & Translational Research Department)
  • Outstanding Post Graduate Research Presentation: Nicole Etcheverry, DMD (Pediatric Dentistry Resident)

Posted 07/02/23

Arreva, NSU to Host Special Philanthropic Summit July 12

The “Driven By Cause Philanthropic Summit – presented by Arreva and Nova Southeastern University – will be held on July 12, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation on the NSU Davie Campus. This premier philanthropic summit, designed for nonprofit leaders, is an unparalleled opportunity to network, engage, and learn from renowned national and local speakers, executive directors, and educators, addressing some of the most profound topics in the nonprofit industry. Your participation in the summit will also allow you to receive 7 CFRE credits.

Register today.

Halmos Student Explores Sea Turtle Hatchling Success

Once numbering in the millions, sea turtle populations have dwindled to the thousands with six of seven extant sea turtle species currently listed as endangered or threatened globally. The decrease in their once abundant populations are primarily attributed to human actions and lifestyles such as fishing practices, illegal poaching, habitat loss, climate change, and pollution. Because humans are the greatest threat to sea turtle populations, sea turtles have become a key species for conservation efforts. Conservation efforts have included monitoring sea turtle nesting beaches to help keep track of populations, introducing legislation to protect nesting females and hatchlings (such as light ordinances), studying the diseases and injuries affecting juvenile and adult populations, and employing satellite tags to track their movement to understand their behaviors.

Colleen McMaken

For more than 30 years, NSU has been contracted by Broward County to implement and manage the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program (BCSTCP), which monitors sea turtle nesting activity on over 24 miles of Broward County beaches. More research is constantly being done to gain a better understanding of these imperiled species. One area that is starting to gain more speed is understanding the microbiome of sea turtles to determine what microbes are negatively affecting healthy individuals and egg hatching success. In 2021, a Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences master’s student, Colleen McMaken, studied with Jose Lopez, Ph.D. at the Molecular Microbiology and Genomics (MMG) laboratory at the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center (GHOC) and the BCSTCP to create the most comprehensive study of bacterial impacts on sea turtle eggs to date within the continental US. The department is part of the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS).

“Having the association between NSU and the BCSTCP provided a unique opportunity where I could be involved with the daily sea turtle monitoring and collect samples from nesting females and nests myself, while also being able to take those samples and sequence the bacterial DNA in house within the MMG,” says McMaken.

The environment is already known for impacting sea turtle nests, most notability temperature which determines the gender of the turtles. However, their research found that the environment, rather than the mother, may be playing a stronger role in influencing the microbiome of sea turtle eggs. Additionally, their research found that the abundance of certain bacteria (Pseudomonas) may influence the hatching success of the eggs themselves.  Being able to identify pathogens influencing the success of sea turtle eggs and understand their transmission can help reduce threats to the conservation of these threatened and endangered species. This research is now available through MicrobiologyOpen.

McMaken graduated with her M.S. in Marine Sciences in 2022 and presented this research in a talk entitled, “Microbial impacts on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) & green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtle hatching success” at the Florida Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (FLASM) meeting the same year. The funding for the research, along with her attendance to the FLASM meeting, were generously sponsored by NSU’s President’s Faculty Research and Development Grant (PFRDG) with McMaken as principal author.

Currently McMaken works as a research technician at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA and is still doing research.

Posted 06/19/23

Summer 2023 Dollar$ and $ense Newsletter Now Available

Financial Aid and Academic Records (FAAR) has published the Summer 2023 issue of the Dollar$ and $ense student newsletter. This newsletter provides information on upcoming financial aid, payment, and registration dates and deadlines; a listing of frequently used financial aid terms, resources for  payment, and more. The newsletter is published quarterly and available on the NSU financial aid website. NSU faculty and staff members with questions or suggestions for future topics are welcome to email  dollarsandsense@nova.edu.

Posted 06/18/23

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