Author: Christie Williams

22nd Annual Student Life Achievement Awards: Virtual Ceremony, April 23

The Student Life Achievement Awards, affectionately known as the “STUEY’s,” is an annual celebration of NSU’s best in Academic Excellence, Student Centered, Integrity, Innovation, Opportunity, Scholarship/Research, Diversity, and Community.

In light of our “new normal”, the STUEYs ceremony will transition to a virtual platform.

Join us on Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. EST in congratulating this year’s award winners by watching our virtual awards ceremony on nova.edu/campuslife/stueys.

 This Year’s Finalists are: 

 Administrator of the Year

  • Rhonda Ritchie – Advancement and Community Relations
  • Angela Waguespack, Ph.D. – College of Psychology
  • Jeannie Jaworski, M. Ed. – Division of Student Affairs
  • Stefanie Carter, Ed.D. – Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine
  • Matthew De Bruin, M.B.A. – Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing

 

Alumni of the Year

  • Michelle Cromwell, Ph.D. – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
  • Michelle Levin, OD – College of Optometry
  • Dorinda Segovia, Pharm.D. – College of Pharmacy
  • Carisa Champion, DO – Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Alison F. Smith – Shepard Broad College of Law

 

Athletic Team of the Year

  • 2018–2019 NSU Men’s Basketball Team
  • 2018–2019 NSU Women’s Basketball Team
  • 2018–2019 NSU Women’s Swimming Team
  • 2018–2019 NSU Women’s Tennis Team
  • 2019 NSU Women’s Soccer Team

 

Co–Curricular Adviser of the Year

  • David Ross, Ed.D. – Abraham S. Fischler College of Education & School of Criminal Justice
  • Ismael Muvingi, Ph.D. – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
  • Stephen Campbell, Ph.D. – College of Psychology
  • Megan F. Chaney, Esq. – Shepard Broad College of Law

 

Corporate Partner of the Year

  • Memorial Regional Hospital – College of Psychology
  • Werner Kahn Studios – Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Zimmerman Advertising – Public Relations and Marketing Communications
  • Legal Aid of Broward County– Shepard Broad College of Law

 

Executive of the Year

  • Honggang Yang, Ph.D. – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
  • Hilda De Gaetano, DO – Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Daniel Alfonso, M.S. – Facilities Management
  • Kyle Fisher – Public Relations and Marketing Communications

 

Graduate Organization of the Year

  • CAHSS African Working Group – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social   Sciences
  • College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists – College of Pharmacy
  • Humanitarian Global Outreach – College of Psychology
  • American Medical Women’s Association – Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Shark Motion Committee – Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences

 

Professor of the Year

  • Charlene Desir, Ed.D. – Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice
  • Janine Morris, Ph.D. – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
  • Michelle Demory Beckler, Ph.D. – College of Medical Sciences
  • Bindu S. Mayi, Ph.D. – Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Elizabeth Swann, Ph.D. – Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences

 

Regional Campus Student of the Year

  • Karla Moreno, R.N. – NSU Fort Myers Campus
  • Naw-am Daniels – NSU Jacksonville Campus
  • Monica Morales – NSU Miami Campus
  • Jaime L. Rodriquez, M.S. – NSU Orlando Campus
  • Kristin Golshani – NSU Palm Beach Campus
  • Ana Hernandez Diaz – NSU Puerto Rico Campus
  • Khadesha Quammie – NSU Tampa Campus

 

Staff Person of the Year

  • Isabella Soublette – Advancement and Community Relations
  • Carey Courson – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
  • Nick Escalante, M.A. – College of Undergraduate Studies
  • John LaSota – Enrollment and Student Services
  • Kandee Griffith, M.S. – NSU Jacksonville Campus

 

Student Government of the Year

  • College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Student Government Association – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
  • College of Pharmacy Student Government Association – College of Pharmacy
  • College of Psychology Student Government Association – College of Psychology
  • Undergraduate Student Government Association – Division of Student Affairs
  • College of Allopathic Medicine Student Government Association – Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine

 

Student of the Year

  • Ariadna Brecheisen – Abraham S. Fischler College of Education & School of Criminal Justice
  • Nicole Chavannes – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
  • Katrina Fins, B.S. – College of Dental Medicine
  • Nicole Staley – College of Engineering and Computing
  • Kyra Dorvall – College of Optometry
  • William E. Rodriguez – College of Pharmacy
  • Kayla Shires, M.S. – College of Psychology
  • Nasir Siddique – Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine
  • Regina Zambrano – Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Joy Oni – Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences
  • Michelle Bauer – Farquhar Honors College
  • Juan “JC” Gonzalez – H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship
  • Deepesh Tourani, M.S. – Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography
  • Chloe Hollands – Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing
  • Alexsandra Litowsky – Shepard Broad College of Law
  • Ronnie Shashoua – NSU University School

 

Undergraduate Organization of the Year

  • Psychology Club – Division of Student Affairs
  • Delta Phi Epsilon – Division of Student Affairs
  • Freedom Sharks – Division of Student Affairs
  • NSU Sociodrama Club: Stage for Change – Division of Student Affairs
  • Alpha Phi Omega – Division of Student Affairs

 

MEEC Celebrates Earth Day With Sustainability Live-Stream Event, April 22

On Wednesday, April 22 at 1:00 p.m. the Marine Environmental Education Center (MEEC) will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with a live stream broadcast on Facebook. Created on April 22, 1970, the purpose of Earth Day is to celebrate the planet’s environment and raise public awareness about pollution. Join us for a webinar about sustainability and how we can become better stewards for our planet!

The MEEC was fostered from a partnership between Broward County Parks and Recreation and Nova Southeastern University. The facility is located on the historic grounds of the Carpenter House at Hollywood North Beach Park in Hollywood, Florida.

The site features our very own green turtle, as well as an interactive Interpretive Center with displays on topics from sea turtle conservation to marine debris. As well as offering live-streaming events on Facebook during this CONVID-19 period, they have a YouTube channel where children of all ages can learn about the marine environment of South Florida.

2020 Match Day Celebrations Go Virtual

While the principle of Match Day remains the same, as anxious fourth-year medical students across the country hold sealed envelopes awaiting the verdict of their next medical journey, the NSU Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine class of 2020 did things a bit differently this year.

Due to social distancing precautions Match Day celebrations were canceled, leaving graduate students to host their own remote ceremonies. While it may not have the same feel, social media efforts led by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and the NSU-KPCOM Student Government Association kept everyone in the loop with their interactive Match Day social media campaign.

By using the #MatchDay2020 and #NSUMatch hashtags on their Instagram stories and posts, along with a variety of templates, images of proud students were shared holding their phones, signs, and loved ones as they stated the residency and location they will be going to. Likes and congratulations poured from classmates and students throughout the KPCOM, making the event filled with the same joyful energy—with a twist.

The KPCOM is proud of its D.O. graduates, as 231 expected spring graduates matched with residencies out of 237 for nearly a 98 percent match rate—exceeding the national average. More than 100 graduates will remain in Florida for residencies, with the rest spread out in more than 20 states and the Washington, D.C., area.

 

Halmos Faculty Brings Marine Genomics to the Public

This spring, Halmos Biology faculty member Jose Lopez, Ph.D. conducted two outreach programs on marine genomics. Entitled, “Applying Genomics to Better Understand Marine Symbiosis: From Anglerfish to Sponges”, these lectures included a discussion of DEEPEND  consortium and symbiology results.  Essentially, a comparison and contrast was made between the two very different types of symbioses (the living together of >1 organism, typically a host and microbe). Through DEEPEND, our results characterized bioluminescent bacteria which provide light to anglerfish in the continually dark zones of the meso- and bathypelagic depths of the Gulf of Mexico. For more shallow regions such as endangered coral reefs, resident sponges filter bacteriaplankton in their habitat which can become mixed with their co-adapted microbial symbionts. The first talk took place as part of the Smithsonian Lecture Series. The talk was given at the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit at the St. Lucie County Aquarium in Ft Pierce.

The second lecture took place at New River Middle School in Fort Lauderdale. There he presented to 50 middle schoolers. His host was a former mentee, and now teacher – Ms. Reneice Robinson.  Robinson worked as an intern in an NSF sponsored Research Training for Pre-teachers (before they get their degrees), which allowed her to gain practical experience that she could bring to the classroom.

NSU University School Students Receive 15 South Florida Cappie Award Nominations

NSU University School is proud to congratulate our Upper School students who have been nominated for Cappie Awards. The cast, crew, and pit of our Upper School production, Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure, received 15 South Florida Cappie Nominations for their outstanding performance and work in the musical. The Cappies is a prestigious critics and awards program that recognizes excellence in high school theatre. We are so proud of our talented students.

Educating Today’s Youth in a Career in Respiratory Therapy

The Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences hosted two Palm Beach County public schools to NSU’s Palm Beach campus. Both of these events were focused on educating middle and high school students about a career in respiratory therapy. Approximately 50 students from L.C. Swain Middle School and Inlet Grove High School, enrolled in Pre-Medical Sciences program through Palm Beach Public Schools who attended this year’s career event.

At the event the students developed experience performing CPR on a high-fidelity simulator, intubate mannequins with an artificial airway, listen to breath sounds, and check oxygen saturations. For the students it was a great opportunity to interact with NSU current Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy students who assisted at various stations. They all were extremely engaged, and everyone seemed to enjoy the overall experience.

The teachers from both programs stated how grateful they were for this opportunity, and how they would like to schedule this again as a potential annual event. The need for respiratory therapists amplified in the present-day Covid-19 crisis to engage and manage ventilators, which made this event more important and captivating for future career events to all who attended.

Biology Faculty Publishes Article on Fruit Fly Signaling and Developmental Proteins

This spring, Halmos Biology faculty member Santanu De, Ph.D. published an article titled “The 14-3-3 (YWHA) Proteins in Signalling and Development of the Fruit Fly, Drosophila melanogaster” in the International Annals of Science. This journal publishes original research in all areas of science and technology which include Computer, Mathematics, Physical, Chemical, Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences.

The 14-3-3 are a family of proteins critical to diverse cellular events and are conserved from plants to animals, including humans.  Drosophila is one of the most universally accepted model systems to study complex cellular mechanisms of signalling and development.  However, regulation of these processes in fruit flies by the 14-3-3 proteins have not been entirely understood.  This paper, for the first time, reviews the expression, distribution, interactions and regulatory roles of the 14-3-3 proteins in Drosophila.  The analysis would help elucidate some of the molecular bases of key cell-signaling mechanisms and development.

Woods Hole Report Recognizes Halmos College as a World Leader in Deep-Sea Research

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has embarked on a large-scale, comprehensive research project designed to transform our understanding of the “twilight zone” of the open ocean (dimly light pelagic waters between 200-1000 m deep), lay the groundwork for informed decision-making by regulatory organizations responsible for the high seas (areas beyond national jurisdiction), and capture the public’s imagination to enhance ocean stewardship. The project comprises scientific discovery, technological innovation, and enhanced engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including scientific collaborators, the general public, and policy-makers worldwide.

In their 2020 report, they listed Halmos College’s Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences as one of the world’s leading contributors toward better understanding of the twilight zone worldwide. The Halmos faculty involved in NSU’s twilight zone research are Drs. Tracey Sutton, Tamara Frank, Joe Lopez and Mahmood Shivji. Dr. Sutton is currently leading two collaborative deep-sea research projects comprising research scientists from NSU, NOAA, the Naval Research Lab, Florida Atlantic University, the University of South Florida, Florida International University, Texas A&M, Cornell University, and the San Antonio Zoo Department of Conservation.

“Though the deep-pelagic environment (open waters greater than 700 feet deep) in the Gulf of Mexico is by far its largest habitat, (about 91% of the Gulf’s volume), but we have only recently come to understand its inhabitants and the astounding biodiversity there,” said Sutton. “The marine life in this habitat is vital for the overall health of the Gulf, so it is imperative we understand its dynamics in order to protect this fauna for decades to come.”

Funding for Halmos’ twilight zone research has been provided by the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative,  and most recently,  the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies (RESTORE) Act, which authorized NOAA to establish and administer a Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science, Observation, Monitoring, and Technology Program. The mission of the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program is to increase understanding of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, including its fisheries, and to support its restoration and sustainability through research, observation, monitoring, and technology development. Halmos scientists were one of only five research groups funded nationally by RESTORE to study long-term ecosystem trends in the Gulf.

Sea Turtles Able To Nest In Peace As COVID-19 Empties Broward Beaches

Orders to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic mean people aren’t allowed on the beaches in Broward County. Derek Burkholder, Ph.D., Halmos College Research Scientist and director of the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program, explains there’s an upside to that for marine life:

“One of the things that we’re experiencing with having our beaches closed to the public, is that it does kind of open up opportunities for our sea turtles,” Burkholder said.

Three different types of sea turtles come to lay their eggs on Broward beaches: leatherbacks come first. There are about a dozen nests so far, Burkholder said. Any day now the loggerheads should start laying their eggs — they make up the most nests in Broward. Later in the season, green sea turtles will make some nest, too. Loggerheads that come ashore in Broward County usually leave about 50 percent of the time, Burkholder said.

“For whatever reason, maybe they don’t like the conditions, maybe there’s not enough sand or maybe there’s too bright a light, or somebody running down the beach with a camera taking their picture … something might spook them back into the water without laying a nest. That’s what we call a ‘false crawl,’ he said. “For me it’ll be interesting to see what the loggerheads do and if we get a higher nest ratio to the false crawls, without a lot of people out there … If you don’t have quite as much trash on the beach, if you don’t have as many beach chairs on the beach and things like that they’re running into, then we might see more favorable conditions for these animals.”

Even though the beaches are closed to the public, the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program will continue to monitor the 24 miles of beach every day.

Education Alumna Recipient of the 2020 Texas Association of School Business Officials Rise Award

Julie J. Guillory, Ed.D, has been honored as a recipient of the 2020 Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) Rise Award. The Rise Award is given to members who have participated in TASBO for 10-years or less and are becoming recognized leaders both at their district, community and within TASBO.

Guillory has served in education for 34 years. She joined the Fort Bend Independent School District in 2016 and is currently the Director of Student Attendance/PEIMS (State Reporting). She oversees the attendance for over 80,000 students spread across 81 campuses.

She was honored on March 5, during the 2020 TASBO Awards Luncheon at the 2020 TASBO Annual Conference hosted by the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.

She earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2005. When she is not serving her district and the great State of Texas, Dr. Guillory is extremely busy in her church community as a faithful servant, state leader and volunteer.

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