Category: Academics

Halmos Faculty and Students Co-Publish New Journal Article

Robert Smith

This summer, Halmos faculty members Louis Nemzer, Ph.D. and Robert Smith, Ph.D. with Halmos undergraduate and graduate students published a journal article entitled, “The public and private benefit of an impure public good determines the sensitivity of bacteria to population collapse in a snowdrift game.”

Published in Environmental Microbiology, the paper identifies the conditions that facilitate the survival of cooperative microbial populations and has implications in understanding the stability of both beneficial (soils, sediments, gut microbiome) and detrimental (infectious) microbial communities.

Louis_Nemzer

“One goal of this research is to better understand the conditions that are most likely to lead to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria” said Dr. Nemzer. “This work helps shed light on when mixed populations of resistant and normal bacteria are most sensitive to treatment with antibiotic medications.”

The Halmos students, who are also co-authors, are from both the undergraduate and graduate programs. The biology undergraduate student authors are Aimee Doiron, Rodrigo Muzquiz, Marla C. Fortoul,

Aimee Doiron Student

Meghan Haas, Tom Abraham, and Khadija Chowdhury.  The biology graduate student authors are Rebecca Quinn and Ivana Barraza.

For more information: doi:10.1111/1462‐2920.14796

CAHSS Faculty Participates in Communicating Sciences Module in College of Pharmacy

Eric Mason, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Writing and Communication in NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS), presented to graduate students as part of the Communicating Sciences module in the course, “Bioethics: Principles of Life Science Research,” in NSU’s College of Pharmacy, taught by Robert Speth, Ph.D. His presentation covered the connection between rhetoric, science, and ethics, challenging students to become better communicators and advocates for public literacy about science.

Mason’s presentation was an extension of his work as Faculty Coordinator with the NSU Writing and Communication Center, where he works with NSU faculty to design and implement pedagogies that help students improve their writing and communication skills. Mason’s areas of academic interest include critical theory and pedagogy, visual rhetoric, computers and composition, cultural studies, and service learning. His scholarly work focuses on how the various modalities of composition—textual, visual, aural, and digital—intersect with cultural practices.

NSU University School Students Visit and Explore NSU’s Office of Student Media

NSU University School 1st grade students got a hands-on look at NSU’s student-run media operations when they took an on-campus field trip to NSU’s Office of Student Media as a part of their unit on community. The students learned more about the entire NSU Shark community and how Student Media plays an important role in the educational and cultural life of students at NSU. The Lower School students had the opportunity to visit the Sharks United Television studio, Radio X, and The Current where they interacted with and learned from NSU students about hosting a radio show, creating a newspaper (and reading one), and producing a television show. The USchool students also visited the Alvin Sherman Library where they participated in a storytelling session and located their own library books.

Halmos Biophysicist Makes Cover of Physics World Journal

This September, Halmos faculty member Louis Nemzer, Ph.D. had his research project make the cover of the journal Physics World. The article that led to the cover was “Treating Epilepsy with Physics”. Millions of people with epilepsy live in dread of unpredictable seizures from this medical condition. Nemzer’s article describes how novel approaches to predicting and treating these events are being developed thanks to advances in our understanding of the physics of the brain. This research was done in collaboration with Gary Cravens, M.D., an associate professor at NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Halmos Faculty Publish Galapagos Article in Nature Scientific Reports

Halmos faculty Bernhard Riegl, Ph.D., Matthew Johnston, Ph.D., and Joshua Feingold, Ph.D. are part of a group of researchers who published their findings on environmental and biological determinants of coral richness in the Galapagos (Ecuador).

Their research shows that throughout the Galapagos, differences in coral reef development and coral population dynamics were evaluated by monitoring populations from 2000–2019, and environmental parameters (sea temperatures, pH, NO3−, PO43−) from 2015–19. The chief goal was to explain apparent coral community differences between the northern (Darwin and Wolf) and southern (Sta. Cruz, Fernandina, San Cristóbal, Española, Isabela) islands. Site coral species richness was highest at Darwin and Wolf. In the three most common coral taxa, a declining North (N)-South (S) trend in colony sizes existed for Porites lobata and Pocillopora spp., but not for Pavona  spp. Frequent coral recruitment was observed in all areas. Algal competition was highest at Darwin, but competition by bioeroding sea urchins and burrowing fauna (polychaete worms, bivalve mollusks) increased from N to S with declining coral skeletal density. A single environmental factor could not explain the variability in observed coral community characteristics, with minimum temperature, pH and nutrient levels the strongest determinants. Thus, complex environmental determinants combined with larval connectivity patterns may explain why the northern Galápagos Islands (Darwin, Wolf) have higher coral richness and cover and also recover more rapidly than central/southern islands after region-wide disturbances.

For more information:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-46607-9

Fall 2019 NSU Write from the Start Writing & Communication Center Graduate & Professional Student Writing Group

Working on your thesis, dissertation, article, or grant? Take advantage of the Writing & Communication Center’s Weekly Write-Ins : a dedicated time each week where faculty, graduate, and professional students come together (in person and online) to write and work on independent projects.

When: Monday evenings starting Monday, October 7 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. EST

Where: Alvin Sherman Library (room 430) or Online via GoToMeeting 

For more information, email wcc@nova.edu

Want one-on-one writing help and feedback? Visit https://nova.mywconline.com/ to schedule your appointment with a writing consultant today!

NSU University School Students Named National Merit Semifinalists

NSU University School is proud to congratulate the 12th grade students who were named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program! These are high school seniors who scored in the top percentile in the nation on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

  • Sofia Echeverry
  • Kaiana Kibler
  • Max Pinkiert
  • Ronnie Shashoua

Out of approximately 1.6 million entrants across the nation, only about 16,000 students qualified as Semifinalists! These NSU University School Semifinalists will have the opportunity to advance to the Finalist level and qualify for winner recognition as well as university scholarships.

CAHSS Graduate Conducts Workshop in Guinea on Conflict, Negotiation, and Mediation

Onur Yuksel Ph.D.

Onur Yuksel, Ph.D., doctoral graduate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution in NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS), conducted a four-day workshop in Guinea on Conflict, Negotiation, and Mediation. Participants were government officials, including Mohamed Said Fofana, former president of Guinea and currently the head of the Mediation Institute of Guinea.

Yuksel is the Project Development Coordinator at TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Conflict Resolution Center in Ankara, Turkey. In addition to his doctoral degree from NSU, he holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Northeastern University.

CAHSS hosts the first of three El Cafecito Spanish Conversation Table of the Fall Term

The Department of Literature and Modern Languages (DLML) in NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) hosted the first of three El Cafecito Spanish Conversation Table of the semester on September 9, 2019. Over forty students, most of whom are enrolled in Spanish courses, participated in the event. Three Spanish faculty members, Yvette Fuentes, Ph.D., Grace Helguero-Balcells, Ph.D., and Carolina Zarate, Ph.D., served as moderators. During the hour, students had the opportunity to chat in Spanish about various topics of interest in a relaxed atmosphere. Participants enjoyed Cuban pastries and Colombian coffee. The department will host two more El Cafecito events this semester, on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and again on Friday, November 15, 2019 from 12-1 p.m. Both events will be held on the second floor of the U.C.  El Cafecito is open to all members of our community who wish to practice their Spanish. All levels are welcome.

CAHSS’ Department of Literature and Modern Languages Hosted Welcome Luncheon

The Department of Literature and Modern Languages (DLML) in NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) hosted the “Hi, You” Haiku: Welcome Luncheon to greet all returning and incoming students in English, Spanish, Medical Humanities, Humanities, Gender Studies, Film, and Folklore & Mythology. To get things started, students and professors crafted personal haikus to introduce themselves and shared a little about books they found most influential. DLML backpacks and books from professors were given away as raffle prizes. This event brought DLML majors and minors together to appreciate literature and the languages. Look out for our next Literature and Language Luncheon. On November 1, the Department will host “The Mad Tea Party” from 12:00 pm- 1:00 pm at Mailman Hollywood room 332, for all those majoring, minoring, or interested in literature and the languages. We look forward to you joining us for games, giveaways, and food!

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