Tag: Diversity

Halmos Faculty Featured on Al Rojo Vivo on Telemundo

Julie Torruellas Garcia, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biological Sciences in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS) was featured in the “Amenazas Escondidas” (Hidden threats) segments that aired over the summer on Al Rojo Vivo on Telemundo.  The producer of the show brought samples from swimming pools, bathing suits, reusable water bottles, and refrigerators to her lab so she could test for the bacteria E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus.  The results were revealed on the show with tips on how to avoid infection.

She teaches a variety of courses including Microbiology/Lab, Microbial Pathogenesis, Immunology, Genetics, and Cellular and Molecular Biology.

The “Amenazas Escondidas” (Hidden threats) segments may be accessed at:

7/28/2022     Descubren cientos de bacterias en las botellas de agua reusables

7/21/2022     Alertan sobre los peligros de probarse trajes de baño en las tiendas

7/15/2022     Expertos revelan cómo evitar las bacterias en las albercas

7/8/2022       ¿Cómo evitar bacterias en el refrigerador?

Posted 09/25/22

Check Out Hispanic Heritage Month Events Sept. 15-Oct. 15

We welcome you to join the NSU community in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15. Hispanic Heritage Month highlights the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

Visit https://www.nova.edu/hispanicheritage for more information about Hispanic Heritage Month and a listing of events. Check back regularly as additional events will be added as they are provided.

Posted 09/15/22

Military Times Puts NSU on its ‘Best for Vets’ College List

Nova Southeastern University has been named to the Military Times’ Best for Vets: Colleges list for 2022.

“We’ve made a concerted effort to make veterans feel welcomed and at home here at Nova Southeastern University,” said Dr. George Hanbury, NSU’s President and CEO. “Helping them transition back to civilian life and providing them with the necessary resources so they can further their education is a point of pride for us. We cannot do enough for our nation’s heroes, and our efforts will only continue to get stronger in the years to come.”

According to Military Times, theirs is the largest and most comprehensive ranking of schools for military service members and veterans. The group focuses on services and programs specific to military students — whether active-duty, veteran or families and dependents of service members. Student success metrics (completion, retention, persistence, GPA) are the most important factors in determining the relative ranking of schools on this year’s list, followed closely by the range of military-specific resources and the level of financial assistance offered. Admissions and registration policies, human resources, and other factors are considered when ranking colleges and universities.

When looking at the methodology, officials said that it was important to note that schools are scored not by the sheer number of “points” earned, but by the percentage of points earned out of the potential number of points achievable by that type of school. (For example, matters of in-state tuition are moot for private schools; therefore, points related to in-state tuition were only counted for public institutions.)

Dr. Hanbury pointed to several resources that NSU has in place designed specifically for student veterans, which include:

Veterans Resource Center. This center is a centralized location for services specifically designed for our veterans and military affiliated students. Its mission is multifaceted and includes the facilitation of academic success, transitional assistance, supporting university and community engagement, providing professional development opportunities, and ultimately graduation and career attainment.

Veterans Access Clinic. NSU is bringing the full weight of its well-established clinical services to serve those who served our country. Veterans – those who are NSU students as well as veterans in the South Florida community – and their immediate family (spouse, children) will be able to visit or call this new clinic where NSU staff will help coordinate all the appointments they may need. This includes, but is not limited to NSU’s medical, dental, optometry or psychology clinics. If NSU doesn’t have the expertise in-house, staff helps the patient identify a provider through a network of community partners and facilitates the referral so the necessary services can be provided.

Posted 09/13/22

Graduate Peer Consultant Completes 500th Session

Imani Gibbs consults with Amber Gulau.

Imani Gibbs, graduate peer consultant at the NSU Writing and Communication Center, completed her 500th consultation on August 30, 2022. Gibbs is a graduate student in the Psy.D. program in the College of Psychology.

NSU’s Writing and Communication Center offers one-on-one consultations to all NSU undergraduate, graduate, and professional students across all NSU campuses and disciplines. Students meet with consultants in person on the 4th floor of Alvin Sherman library and online via Zoom. NSU undergraduate, graduate, and professional students can make one-on-one consultations by visiting https://nova.mywconline.com/.

To learn more about the WCC, visit https://www.nova.edu/wcc/ or follow the WCC on Instagram and Twitter(@nsuwcc) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/nsuwcc).

Posted 9/11/22

NSU MD 5K Dash For Diversity Set for Sept. 24

The 3rd NSU MD 5K Dash for Diversity will be taking place in person on Saturday, September 24th, 2022.

Meet us at the NSU Gold Circle Lake at 7:30 a.m. (3300 S. University Drive, Fort-Lauderdale-Davie, Florida 33314) to Dash for Diversity. Everyone is welcome to participate!!!!!

Awards will be given to the top three female, male, and non-binary finishers in the student and non-student categories. Amazon gift cards will be awarded in the amount of $100 for first place, $50 for second place, and $30 for third place. Refreshments will be provided.

Register today!

Posted 9/07/22

Dietician Draws Educational Inspiration From Grandma

Nadine Mikati, Ph.D., RDN, LDN

Often immigration stories paint the picture of people who leave unrest in foreign lands, find sanctuary in the United States, and pursue the American dream. But for Nadine Mikati, Ph.D., RDN, LDN, an associate professor in nutrition at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, things went a bit in reverse at first.

Mikati’s family is from Beirut, Lebanon. As a civil war raged there in the mid-1970s to 1990, her grandmother emigrated to the Michigan – followed by her parents – before Mikati was born. When she was 7, her parents decided to return to Beirut with her and her two sisters.

“It was a tough transition since I was used to parks, my friends, my school, communicating in English and then I went to live in a city that, at that time, had no parks for children,” she said. “I did not have any friends and I could barely speak the language then.”

It was one of those early moments in Mikati’s life that reinforced the importance of family and education.

“Little by little, with the help of my family and my school, I was speaking Arabic very well and got used to the system there,” she said. “And we would always go to Michigan and visit my grandma.”

Although her older sister Mira moved back to the U.S. after high school to attend college, Mikati stayed behind and earn her bachelor’s degree at American University in Beirut. It was there that she got her first taste of a possible career in promoting, teaching, and researching health eating habits.

“When I started my education journey back in 2003 in Lebanon, barely anyone had heard of a dietitian,” she said. “I was doing a college tour when I was exposed to nutrition as a major and immediately it resonated with me.”

Mikati obtained her B.S. degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the American University of Beirut with distinction. She then left Lebanon and earned an M.S. degree in Nutrition and Food Science from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

Her passion for learning led her to complete a Ph.D. degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Florida International University where her research primarily focused on obesity prevention.

Mikati designed and implemented an after-school intervention for children aged 6-11 to promote healthy eating habits and physical activity. As a Registered Dietitian, she has various experience in food service, clinical and community nutrition and was named Registered Young Dietitian of the Year in 2009 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Mikati has been teaching for more than a decade and September will mark three years with NSU. She says teaching has been something that has been ingrained in her since she was young.

“It all started as a kid,” she said. “I had a blackboard at home, and I would put all my stuffed toys as if they were sitting in a classroom and I would lecture them about the topic of the day. Flash forward to grad school, in 2007, I was offered the opportunity to become an instructor. It felt very natural to teach. Fifteen years later, here I am still teaching but now as a professor.”

On the research front, Mikati focuses on chronic disease prevention/management, food security and nutrition interventions for overall well-being. She says one of her shining moments has been a recent project she conducted at NSU.

“I received a quality-of-life grant from NSU,” she said. “We partnered up with two community organizations for this project and had students involved. The aim was to help individuals with chronic disease learn how to cook and eat better to lead a healthier lifestyle.”

Results of the project will be presented in a poster at a national conference in October.

“The satisfaction that I got from the participants at the end of the study, thanking us for this opportunity, reminded me of why I do what I do,” she said.

Nadine Mikati and her grandmother on Belle Isle in Detroit.

When Mikati reflects on her life, her career, and her educational ambitions, she fondly recalls her late grandmother’s inspiration and how grateful she is that her grandmother (who she calls “Teta”) decided to move to the U.S. many years ago.

“Teta was my role model. She learned English as an adult and became an unofficial translator for her neighbors in Michigan,” she said. “She also birthed nine children and so you can imagine how many cousins I have. I think all of us at some point lived with her. She would always push us all to get the best education.”

Posted 08/28/22

Danielle Robinson Elected to Conference Hall of Fame

Danielle Robinson from NSU’s women’s basketball will be inducted in the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame. The league will usher in the nine newest members on Saturday, Oct. 8, during the 2022 SSC Hall of Fame brunch and celebration. The event will take place in Fort Lauderdale on the campus of Nova Southeastern University.
Joining Robinson as inductees of the SSC’s 24th Hall of Fame class are Joan Davison (Rollins, Faculty Athletics Representative), Doug Gordin (Florida Southern, men’s golf), Katie (Heintz) Stowers (Saint Leo, softball), Bill Livesey (Eckerd, baseball/men’s soccer), George Samuel (Barry, tennis), Jarrett Slaven (Tampa, cross country), James Taylor (Lynn, men’s basketball), and Frank Webbe (Florida Tech, Faculty Athletics Representative).

Read the full release.

Posted 08/22/22

Faculty Member Receives National Service Award

Pradeep R. Vanguri, Ph.D

Pradeep R. Vanguri, Ph.D., LAT, ATC, an associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance in the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences, recently attended the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Annual Clinical Symposia in Philadelphia, Pa., where he received the Athletic Trainer Service Award to honor his contributions within the State of Florida.

As a member of the Athletic Trainers’ Association of Florida (ATAF) since 2005, Vanguri has served in multiple roles including education committee chair, secretary, and currently as the vice-president.

In his time with ATAF, Vanguri has coordinated and planned the educational content for the annual meeting, managed the board infrastructure and finances, and supported legislative efforts.

Posted 07/31/22

National Pediatric Cancer Foundation Gives Researcher Grant

Rathinavelu

Dr. Appu Rathinavelu of Nova Southeastern University’s Rumbaugh Goodwin Institute for Cancer Research Center recently received the 2022 award for research from the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Rathinavelu and his team were given a $25,000 grant toward their research titled “Pre-clinical testing of NSU’s patented F16 drug molecule for treating neuroblastoma.”

Posted 07/31/22

Business Spotlight: Professor Stays Knee-Deep in Research

Rebecca Abraham, D.B.A., has been with Nova Southeastern University for more than 30 years.

If you happen by the office of Professor Rebecca Abraham on the fifth floor of the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship and her door is cracked, you’ll likely find her behind a desk immersed in papers. At first glance, she might seem a bit overwhelmed, but don’t mistake her paperwork for clutter – Abraham is in her element.

Abraham moved from India to the U.S. in 1986.

You see, Abraham, D.B.A., a finance professor at Nova Southeastern University, prides herself in research and publishing, and she does so extensively.

Besides authoring some book chapters, Abraham’s research publications have appeared in the Review of Accounting and Finance, Journal of Economic Studies, Journal of Business and Leadership, International Journal of Finance, Applied Economics Letter, and the Journal of Risk and Financial Management.

“Research is the creation of knowledge,” she said, adding that her work has appeared in the fields of international economics, mathematical finance, and international finance. “Our economy can only advance over time if we find new ways of doing things, evaluate and retain the best of existing products and procedures.”

The daughter of a dean, Abraham attended a boarding school in southern India that was run by British missionaries. It was there that she took her initial interest in math, which would later become the basis of her research in financial mathematics. She also took an interested in teaching and researching economic and financial issues. Among the courses she teaches at NSU are Banking and Financial Institutions and Advanced Financial Management.

Abraham moved from Kerala, India, to California in 1986, where she attended Alliant International University in San Diego, Calif. There she received her Doctorate and Master’s in Business Administration. Soon after she settled in South Florida, where Abraham has lived in Fort Lauderdale for the past 33 years.

“I’ve always admired the level of freedom enjoyed by Americans, and the high degree of openness to new ideas here,” she said.

Abraham joined the Farquhar Center at NSU in the Fall of 1989, where she began teaching undergraduates and graduates such courses as corporate finance, investments, portfolio theory, financial management, business strategy and policy, and quantitative methods. When NSU’s undergraduate business program merged with its graduate business program in 2001, Abraham transitioned to the College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

In recognition of her exemplary work, she earned the first Farquhar Center Award for Teaching Excellence in 2000, and the Teacher of the Year Award from the business college in 2006.

During her years in higher education, Abraham says NSU has been a good fit because of its “emphasis on practice.” Abraham says her students and the lifelong friendships she has established with many who have gone on to graduate have helped solidify NSU as her home.

NSU’s “innovative delivery of instruction” also has been important, Abraham says.

“Education is offered days, evenings, weekends, and in clusters, where the faculty travel to corporate sites to deliver instruction,” she said. “Such flexibility is more common now, but wasn’t in the past.”

Abraham says the university’s overall approach to education has helped her balance her passion for teaching with her passion for research collaborations. which extend as far as India, Bangladesh, Alaska, Wisconsin, and South Africa.

And when she not immersed in teaching and research?

“I enjoy reading classics,” Abraham said.

Posted 07/18/22

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