Category: SharkBytes

Fischler Distinguished Alumnus Remembers a Life of Service to Americans who have been Struck by Tragedy

Lt. Colonel Robert C. Anderson, Ed.D., USAF (ret.), served thousands of individuals and organizations around the world in managing combat stress, supporting terminal individuals, and teaching physicians how to manage such situations with their patients.

Dr. Anderson, who earned his doctorate in health care education from NSU in 2000, responded to countless terrorist attacks and natural disasters around the world as a U.S. Air Force behavioral scientist for more than 20 years.

Dr. Anderson was one of the original behavioral scientists chosen to establish the behavioral medicine and bioethics components of Air Force Family Medicine Residency Programs. He assisted in the establishment and creation of numerous medical residency programs around the country, including NSU’s.

“As a child, I heard of the death of a girl who was my classmate at the time, who had died on a plane crash – and it hurt me so much. That is when I decided that I wanted to dedicate my time to helping people, dying folks, and training physicians on how to deal with them,” he said.

Lt. Col. Anderson has worked disasters and terrorist attacks during numerous deployments, including to Homestead Air Force Base in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, to Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and to Egypt, Somalia, and Kenya as a part of Operation Restore Hope. He responded to the terrorist bombing of the Marine compound in Beirut, the bombing of the Frankfurt Airport, and the fatal crash of a med-evac helicopter from the University of Utah Medical Center. He provided training in hostage recovery for personnel at the USAF Medical Center in Germany, who were tasked to bring hostages from Middle East captivity.

Dr. Anderson accomplished all of this and more, while working to earn one bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees, and two doctorate degrees throughout his life.

“I decided to attend NSU after years of service in the Air Force because I knew the doctorate program was very practical,” he mentioned. “Most dissertations are like moving old bones from one graveyard to another, but Nova was far from that. I wanted to meet some interesting people, and I sure did. I’m still in touch with my classmates,” he continued.

In his biography, Dr. Anderson remembers when President George H.W. Bush, recognized his work with victims of international terrorism, referring to him as a “quiet hero” and noted: “You’ve done wonderful work with terrorist victims, and your positive attitude is truly encouraging. I’m deeply grateful for your efforts to help Americans who have been struck by tragedy.”

“When in a high-stress situation, I try to stay in touch with my inner voice, my inner teacher. I try to relax and trust that I am not alone, and I’ll get help,” Dr. Anderson expressed.

He shared a rather valuable thought, or prayer, that helps him, and that he hopes helps others in challenging situations: “I’m here only to be truly helpful, to represent you who sent me. I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do, because you who sent me will direct me. I will go anywhere you wish knowing that you go there with me. I will be healed as I let you teach me to heal.”

He has shared his expertise and experiences in several media venues including Armed Forces Radio and Television, the NBC Today Show, in interviews in Stars and Stripes, and the Air Force Times.

“What my students have done with their lives is my proudest accomplishment. One of them is a U.S. Space Command surgeon and another an Air Force Surgeon General – really fine physicians,” he said.

Despite a lifetime of impacting numerous lives and organizations, Dr. Anderson shares that his greatest accomplishment is wife and family.

“Above all, I’m very proud of my kids and I’m proud to be introduced as Bonnie Anderson’s husband,” he concluded.

 

HCAS Alumna Publishes Book -Surviving Domestic Abuse

Michelle A, Finneran, Ph.D., graduate of the doctoral program in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies (DCRS) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS), has written a book on domestic abuse. Her book, published by Routledge, is titled, Surviving Domestic Abuse: Formal and Informal Supports and Services.

In addition to her doctoral degree from NSU, Finneran received her master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from NSU, and her bachelor’s degree in psychology  from Stetson University. She is a licensed therapist and owner of Vecc & Associates in Coral Springs, providing mental health services. She also teaches online for Ashford University.

For more information about her book, please go to https://www.routledge.com/Surviving-Domestic-Abuse-Formal-and-Informal-Supports-and-Services/Finneran/p/book/9780367859589

2020 Robert A. Uchin Award

Recently, two of the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) past presidents had the opportunity to present an achievement in excellence award for the best postgraduate resident during his time at NSU College of Dental Medicine. Ironically, the award named the “Robert A. Uchin Award” was given to Alex Mehler, DMD by Robert Uchin, DDS himself (right), former dean at the college, joined by James L. Gutmann, DDS (left), present chair and postgraduate program director of endodontics at the college — both being past presidents of the AAE. Over the years, multiple past presidents have been involved with or are teaching at NSU, including the late Dr. Philip W. Cohen, and Drs. Samuel O. Dorn, Harmon R. Katz and Shep Goldstein, in addition to Drs. Uchin and Gutmann.

Education Professor Presents at the United States Distance Learning Association Virtual National Conference

Hui Fang Huang “Angie” Su, Ed.D.

 

Hui Fang Huang “Angie” Su, Ed.D., Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice presented, Using Collaborative Tools in Distance Learning, on Wednesday July 22 at the United States Distance Learning Association Virtual Conference. Dr. Susan Stephan, Associate Dean, Shepard Broad College of Law and Jamie Manburg Ed.D.,, Associate Dean, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice were co-presenters at the session.

Su is President of the Florida Distance Learning Association. For many years, one of her teaching strategies is mentoring students through cooperative learning and student collaboration.  The work that the students accomplished in the course likely results in a publication or further research projects.  The strategy encourages students to meet outside class time. Students become highly motivated to research the topics, and bounce ideas off each other and help each other with the areas of mathematics in which they might need a refresher.  The result is that the students felt highly accomplished, and all work done in the classroom becomes a work in progress and can lead to classroom usage or researchable projects.

NSU’s Vice President for Office of Research and Technology Transfer Appointed to Palm Beach County’s Life Science Advisory Council 

Gary Margules, Sc.D.

Recently, Gary Margules, Sc.D., vice president for the Office of Research and Technology Transfer, joined NSU president, George Hanbury, Ph.D., to serve on Palm Beach County’s Life Science Advisory Council. Margules is also a member on the executive board of Life Sciences South Florida.

Both the Palm Beach and South Florida life sciences clusters serve to bring together universities, industry partners, and other organizations in order to drive economic growth through education, research, and technology. These clusters allow for collaboration and innovation to take place. NSU is well-positioned for inclusion in these clusters, due to its high research activity; advanced academic programs in health care, business, and computing; and connections to industry partners.

To learn more about Palm Beach County’s Life Sciences Cluster visit lifehelix.org. You can also find information on Life Sciences South Florida at lifesciencessf.org.

Education Professor Published in the World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology Journal

Hui Fang Huang “Angie” Su, Ed.D.

 

Hui Fang Huang “Angie” Su, Ed.D.,  Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, co-published a study which was part of the funded project entitled, “Systemic interventions of Project MIND (Math Is Not Difficult) and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families.” It was generously funded by the Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

This study aimed to provide a practical, systematic, and comprehensive intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and found that the systemic interventions of Project MIND significantly improved the mathematical and cognitive abilities in children with autism. The results of this study may lead to a major change in effective and adequate health care services for children with ASD and their families.  Dr. Su created Project MIND – Math Is Not Difficult in 1988.  The unique program utilizes innovative strategies and instructional models designed to get all students, including children with special needs, along with teachers of all abilities and grade levels excited about mathematics through games, stories, poems, songs, art, puzzles, mental math activities, and competitions for all children.

Dr. Su published the study with Dr. Leanne Lai, Professor of Biostatistics and Research Design at  NSU’s College of Pharmacy, Dr. Pei-Fen Li,  Assistant Professor at NSU’s Department of Family Therapy, Dr. Mei-Hwei Ho, Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at National University of Tainan, and Mrs. Yu-Wen Chiu, who serves as a clinical psychologist and teaching assistant at the Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taiwan specializing in children and adolescent mental illness consultation.

The paper can be found in the World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology Journal [Educational and Pedagogical Sciences] Online ISSN: 1307-6892. You may access the article at https://publications.waset.org/educational-and-pedagogical-sciences.

 

Conflict Resolution Studies Alumnus Interviewed by the Venezuelan Iberoamerican Maritime Law Institute

Eugenio Moreno, M.S.

Eugenio Moreno, M.S., graduate of the master’s program in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies (DCRS) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS), was interviewed by the Venezuelan Iberoamerican Maritime Law Institute. The vice president of the institute, Maria Grazia Blanco, conducted the interview. Moreno’s topic was on the art of mediation and its use in maritime business.

Moreno is a Venezuelan maritime attorney and consultant. He is also a Florida Supreme Court certified mediator, certified in Circuit Civil, Family, and County mediation. He is a current doctoral student in DCRS. Moreno’s interview may be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-zidxEae3Q&feature=youtu.be

NSU’s Vice President for Advancement Recertified as a Certified Fund Raising Executive

Terry Mularkey, M.S., CFRE,

Last month, Terry Mularkey, M.S., CFRE, Vice President for Advancement and Chief of Staff, was recertified as a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE).

The CFRE credential is granted by CFRE International and certifies that individuals have met a series of standards that demonstrate fundraising achievement. This voluntary achievement also requires that individuals pass a written exam and agree to upholding Accountability Standards and the Donor Bill of Rights.

“The CFRE certification signifies a confident, ethical fundraising professional,” according to the official press release from CFRE International. Mularkey joins more than 6,900 professionals around the world who hold this designation.

Read the full press release: CFREPressRelease

Halmos Faculty Organize Tiny Earth Conference

This June, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences faculty member Aarti Raja, Ph.D., chaired the annual Tiny Earth symposium. 221 instructors, students, and collaborators registered to attend, representing 88 academic institutions from 8 countries, 25 US states, and Washington DC. Faculty members Aarti Raja, Ph.D. and Julie Torruellas Garcia, Ph.D., attended the virtual Tiny Earth International Conference, which was run from the Wisconsin Institute of Discovery, Madison, WI. Raja moderated several sessions at the conference. Her student Varun Rachakonda presented a poster and talk titled “Investigating the Microbiota from Unique Wetland Ecosystems, Torruellas Garcia’s student Jessica Hallet presented a poster and talk titled “The Race to Find Novel Antibiotics Produced by Soil Bacteria from Horse Stalls.” Torruellas Garcia’s talk was titled “A safer alternative method for detecting Type II secretion system inhibitors produced by soil bacteria”.

Tiny Earth was launched in 2018, however it began six years earlier when Jo Handelsman (former scientific advisor to Barack Obama) founded a course—then called “Microbes to Molecules”—at Yale University with the goal of addressing both the antibiotic crisis and the shortage of science trainees. In short order, the course grew and became a part of a larger initiative until Handelsman returned to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and launched Tiny Earth in collaboration with its hundreds of partners worldwide.

Assistant Dean of Huizenga’s College of Business Appointed to the South Broward District Board of Commissioners

Steven Harvey, M.B.A.

 

Earlier this month, Steven Harvey, M.B.A., assistant dean of NSU’s H. Huizenga’s College of Business, was appointed to the South Broward Hospital District’s Board of Commissioners. Harvey was appointed by Governor Ron De Santis and will be serving a four-year term.

Harvey’s appointment is great news for NSU, particularly as the university continues to build upon its M.B.A. concentration in Complex Health Systems. This concentration offers an opportunity for students to study the “business of health care,” by using technology, research, and innovation to implement business solutions in health care settings.

Source: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/346051-gov-desantis-appoints-two-to-south-broward-hospital-district

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