Tag: Halmos College of Arts and Sciences

Halmos Faculty Presents at Conference in Nashville

Cheryl Duckworth, Ph.D.

Cheryl Duckworth, Ph.D., faculty in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS), presented at the 2022 Annual Conference of the International Studies Association (ISA) held in Nashville, TN, on March 29-April 2.

The conference theme was “A Wider Discipline for a Smaller World.” ISA has more than 6,500 members representing 100 countries. Duckworth’s presented on the contributions of famed educational theorist Dr. Maria Montessori.  In her presentation called, “Why IR scholars need Dr. Maria Montessori”, Duckworth made the case that Montessori’s contributions go far beyond early childhood education.  Rather, she is best understood as a global peace and security thinker.

Duckworth is the faculty facilitator for the Peace and Conflict Education Working Group in DCRS. The group seeks to equip and empower schools worldwide to be examples and builders of peace, and to promote activities and curriculum that can help extend peace into the local communities. She teaches qualitative research methods, foundations of conflict resolution, History, Memory and Conflict Resolution, and peace education.

Posted 05/11/22

Halmos Alumnus Publishes in Journal of International Students

Zhiwei Wang, Ph.D., graduate of the doctoral program in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies at Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center

Zhiwei Wang, 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 published an article in the Journal of International Students. The article is titled, “Conflict Resolution Skills of Chinese Students in the U.S.: An Interpretative Phenomenological Research Study.” His co-authors include Qijun Zhu, St. Thomas University, and Dong Ke, University College London.

Wang is an assistant professor at Shenzhen Polytechnic University, China. His major research interests include Cross-culture Studies, Mediation, International Student Management, Media and Conflict, and Student Services. In addition to his NSU degree, Wang has an M.S. in International Relations from Northeastern University and an M.A. in Mass Communications from Murray State University.

Of his time at NSU, Wang expressed his appreciation for the education he received:

I firmly believe that my most crucial growth took place at NSU, under the help and guidance of Professor McKay, Professor Cooper, Professor Katz, and Professor Zanko. In 2017, Professor Katz offered me a chance to work in his research team, in which my understanding of research skills had greatly enhanced. In 2018, Professor McKay taught me an important lesson about teaching students. She said one of the keys to being a good teacher is not to teach students but ask your students questions and raise their interests. They will find answers by themselves if you can trigger their interests and talents. In the same year, I won the Art of Peace scholarships, which enabled me to study peace through the lens of arts. In that research project, Professor Cooper inspired me a lot, encouraging me to proceed with my target. Professor Zanko was on my dissertation committee, illuminating my thoughts and sharpening my ideas in many ways throughout my dissertation writing process. For me, the impact of education at the Department of Conflict Resolution is a lifetime long.

Thus, I feel like I am fortunate to get into this program with many knowledgeable, student-centered, and world-class professors. If I could choose my doctoral program in conflict resolution again, I would still choose here, Department of Conflict Resolution at Nova Southeastern University.

For more information about Wang’s article, please see Conflict Resolution Skills of Chinese Students in the U.S. | Journal of International Students (ojed.org)

Published 05/11/22

Communication Students Collaborate with Hoffman’s

On Thursday, April 21, Communication students in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts in the Halmos College pitched packaging design and promotion strategies for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day products at Hoffman’s Chocolates. During the pitch, students showcased a documentary film capturing the eight-week experiential learning collaboration with Hoffman’s Chocolates and BBX Capital Foundation and shared their creative process leading up to their final design proposals. 

“The experience I have gained in this course will follow me into all of my future endeavors, and I can’t thank Hoffman’s Chocolates and the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts enough for this opportunity,” said Samantha Langmaack, one of nine communication majors enrolled in the special topics course.

Following the students’ presentation, Hoffman’s leadership announced the selected packaging designs that will be produced and sold at Hoffman’s stores leading up to Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

“We’ve been doing this program for four years,” said Lois Marino, executive director of BBX Capital Foundation. “And every year, I say this is the best; these students are the best. And every year, the students outdo themselves.”

The special topics communications course kicked off with a site visit to the Hoffman’s Chocolates Plantation location, where students met with the Hoffman’s corporate and store leadership, learned about the chocolate business, sampled chocolates, and discussed project goals.

Following the site visit, students worked in teams to conduct market research and complete in-store observations, surveys and focus groups to curate a selection of specific chocolates, create customer-focused packaging, and develop marketing strategies for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day products. Hoffman’s leadership provided students with feedback that was incorporated into their final design pitches.

“Our students delivered wonderfully innovative packaging ideas that won over the room and showed they are well-poised to enter the corporate communication environment,” said Miriam Ahmed, Ph.D., assistant professor of graphic design for the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts. “I can’t wait to walk into a Hoffman’s store and see our NSU students’ work!”

In 2021, the special topics course partnered with Hoffman’s Chocolates, BBX Capital and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.

“Hoffman’s Chocolates and BBX Capital are outstanding partners,” said Shanti Bruce, Ph.D., professor and chair for the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts. “Their support has allowed participating students to work with industry professionals and strive to have their work featured at Hoffman’s stores, and I am so proud that each year the students have come through with designs worthy of store shelves. That says so much about the quality of our students, academic program, and this experiential learning opportunity.”

For more information about the B.A. in Communication program, click here.

Posted 05/08/22

Interdisciplinary NSU Team Presents Research in Philadelphia

Group photo in front of the Love Statue in Center City Philadelphia. Bottom Row (left to right): Akshata Sastry, Alina Poothurail, Emily Schmitt Lavin, Luzcarime Saco Vertiz, Caroline Roy, Sanjana Vadlamudi, and Isadora Rocha De Abreu. Top Row (left to right): Varun Andrews, Ryan Luib, Espélancia Bell, Pujita Julakanti, Carol Manikkuttiyil, Rajin Persaud, Alexander Lavin.

A team of 23 NSU delegates representing the College of Psychology neuroscience major, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine public health major, Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences (HCAS) biology and chemistry majors, Farquhar Honors College and the Nova (K-12) Public Schools traveled together to present their research as part of the NSU Chapter of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).

They joined thousands of presenters including coauthors from Grandview University, Xavier University, Ursinus College, Rochester Institute of Technology, and University of Florida. The conference brought together five national scientific societies at the 2022 Experimental Biology conference held in Philadelphia, Pa. (April 2-5) https://www.experimentalbiology.org/. Research was presented at a variety of poster sessions and at a Spotlight Session on Teaching Strategies and Lessons Learned During COVID-19 chaired by HCAS Assistant Professor Arthur Sikora.

HCAS biology major Rachel Keating received the ASBMB Society Travel Award. Projects were funded by the National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative and the Sigma Xi Science, Math, and Engineering Education Grant. HCAS Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions, Megan Troy, presented the Master of Science in Biological Sciences Health Studies and Research Concentrations at graduate program fairs held by the ASBMB and the American Physiology Society (APS).

The projects presented by the team were the following:

  • Arthur Sikora, Bonnie Hall, Steven Mills, Rebecca Roberts, and Paul Craig. You gotta work, BASIL! Reimagining an established CURE to provide high-quality digital learning experiences that are intentionally equitable, inclusion and accessible for all students.
  • Emily Schmitt Lavin, Varun Andrews, Espélancia Bell, Kenneth Bui, Vincent Do, Neha Joshi, Alexander Lavin, Carol Manikkuttiyil, Shashank Nutalapati, Alina Poothurail, Caroline Roy, Sanjana Vadlamudi, Shawn McQuaid , Michele Parsons, Aarti Raja . The Nova Hydroculture Project: Bringing a community of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) learners together to grow a unique garden.
  • Isadora Rocha De Abreu, Allison Barkdull, Travis Craddock. A computational analysis of colchicine structural analogs as potential microtubule destabilizing agents.
  • Rachel Keating , Luzcarime Saco Vertiz, Victor Manly, Akshata Sastry, Santanu De , Arthur Sikora. Quantification of Learning Gains in a Science CURE: Leveraging learning objectives to substantiate and validate the benefits of experiential education.
  • Emily Schmitt Lavin, Lyla Abbas, Aisha Abdool, Jordan Nichole Carreras, Jose Diaz, Seethal Doki, Rachel Harris, Heidi Hellenbrand, Pujita Julakanti, Brianna Lacasse, Sanjana Likki, Ryan Luib, Rathika Manikandan, Carol Manikkuttiyil, Saimi Reyes, Isadora Rocha De Abreu, Vibha Sankavaram, Tassnime Sebaei, Chino Villanueva, Arthur Sikora. Creating a learning model where students practice the scientific process through protein modeling.

NSU had additional research presented by groups from the College of Pharmacy (Abstract 532.8) and the Rumbaugh-Goodwin Institute for Cancer Research (Abstract 576.6) at the Conference.

Posted 04/24/22

Halmos Alumna Lands Prestigious Job at Arizona College

Michelle Cromwell, Ph.D.

Michelle Cromwell, Ph.D., graduate of the master’s and doctoral programs in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies (DCRS) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS), has been named the inaugural Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging at the Southwest College for Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) in Tempe, Arizona.

Prior to SCNM, Michelle served as Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the State University of NY-Plattsburgh, the Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, and as the Chief Diversity Officer at The School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont.

In 2018, Cromwell was named as one of NSU’s Distinguished Alumni. In addition to Cromwell’s NSU graduate degrees, she received a B.Sc. in Social Work from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad where she was born.

According to Cromwell, “The work of inclusive excellence is about getting institutions to shift their status quo and engage in intentional actions that position the needs of community members in particular the needs of marginalized and minoritized community members at the core of the institution’s existence.”

Cromwell is a yoga master and teacher and enjoys creating whole-food plant-based recipes inspired by favorite foods from a West Indian childhood. She has been a featured presenter for The Social Justice Roundtable housed in DCRS.

Posted 04/24/22

Halmos Biology Major, Faculty Co-author Article in Journal

Jessica Hallett

Jessica Hallett, B.S., biology graduate in 2021 in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS) wrote an article while an undergraduate entitled, “Global Education in STEM and Healthcare: Implications of COVID-19” in the Advanced Journal of Social Science. Santanu De, M.Sc., Ph.D., faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences in HCAS was Hallett’s mentor and co-authored the article.

Since graduation, Hallett has taken the time to explore various options of graduate and professional programs.  She shadowed nurses, doctors, and physician assistants in a hospital over the summer and was able to take a class with Homeland Security and the National Guard. While she is exploring graduate and professional school options, she has been working on her self-run art business where she has completed several projects this year from t-shirts to bucket designs to painted statues, and more.  Hallett is a professional track photographer at Pompano Park Racetrack, and is working professionally as a writer. She is writing for an international harness racing magazine titled Hoof Beats.

De’s research interests include, STEM education, pedagogy, reproductive physiology, developmental biology, cell biology, and protein biology.

For more information about the article, please see https://journals.aijr.org/index.php/ajss/article/view/4731

 

Posted 04/24/22

Halmos Alumna Named Finalist for Teacher of the Year

Elizabeth Fahy

Broward County Public Schools annually recognizes teachers for outstanding service in education, and this year, Halmos alumna Elizabeth Fahy was selected as a finalist for the prestigious Teach of the Year award. Fahy has been employed at New River Middle School for the past 17 years and is the head of the school’s marine science department.

While at NSU, Fahy worked as a graduate research assistant at the National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) on the Oceanographic Campus.  Her research with the NCRI took her to Belize and the Galapagos as well as numerous places in between.  Fahy uses experiences gained in these research opportunities to help foster and develop the next generation of ocean conservationists.

Posted 04/27/22

Honors Student Presents Research on Lung Chemistry

Valentina Guidi at the American Chemical Society Annual Meeting

On March 21, Farquhar Honors College student Valentina Guidi presented research at the American Chemical Society Annual Meeting. Her research, completed as part of her Honors thesis titled “Investigating the specific phosphorylation sites of the human mineralocorticoid receptor using phospho-mapping,” explores the occurrence and location of a chemical process that could help protect the lungs from the adverse effects of e-cigarette vapors.

“It feels incredibly rewarding to have my research recognized in this capacity,” said Guidi, a senior chemistry major. “We have been working on this project since August 2020, but have faced many challenges due to COVID restrictions. However, we managed to push through the hardships. Now it feels surreal to be finalizing the project and presenting my results in various ways.“

Guidi remarks that she has gained valuable experience through the research process including using chemical techniques, applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and being patient—all of which will be helpful when she pursues a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry. She will begin her Ph.D. program this fall at Vanderbilt University, where she plans to further pursue her research interests in the hope of becoming an organic synthetic chemist.

“I am grateful to the Honors College for providing me with the opportunity to complete my Honors thesis and preparing me for my future,” said Guidi. “I now understand the process of writing and defending a thesis. I believe this will give me confidence in writing my Ph.D. thesis.”

She completed the research with the help of her thesis adviser Beatrix Aukszi, Ph.D., associate professor in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, who inspired her to pursue chemistry.

“Valentina stood out from many of my prior research students in her level of self-motivation and independence in carrying out all aspects of the project from reading and researching methods, to running the experiments and analyzing the results,” said Aukszi. “Presenting our results at the prestigious annual meeting of the American Chemical Society showed her that this is the community where she belongs. There was an excellent turnout of peers from the field showing interest in our project, and she truly shined while presenting the results and explaining all the details. I couldn’t be more proud of her!”

Posted 04/27/22

Professor Discusses Mysterious Migration of Great White Sharks

Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D.

Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D., director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute and the Save Our Seas Shark Research Center, was featured recently in a story about the migratory patterns of great white sharks and their rare sightings in South Florida.

The focus of Professor Shivji’s lab research is developing and using integrative approaches to investigate various aspects of the ecology, conservation, evolution and management of marine organisms, with an emphasis on elasmobranchs (sharks and rays), billfishes and coral reef biota.

Posted 04/21/22

Humanities Hosts Crossroads Student Humanities Conference

On Saturday, March 26, 2022, the NSU Center for the Humanities hosted the 4th annual Crossroads Student Humanities Conference.  Housed in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences the Center for the Humanities showcases undergraduate and graduate student research in the humanities through this conference.  This year’s Crossroads theme, “Rebirth, Renewal, Reboot,” explored how the humanities helps navigate trauma, tragedy, and loss.  Paper topics ranged from the cultural renewal of Germany after World War II to Civil War poetry reflecting mass death trauma.  Research was presented by students from NSU, University of Miami, University of Central Florida, and University of Florida. The conference also offered panels on humanities-based skillsets in the workplace and digital humanities strategies for textual analysis.

The conference’s opening plenary speaker was Janet Roseman, Ph.D., from NSU’s Kirin C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine; Roseman’s talk, which derived from her recent book, “If Joan of Arc Had Cancer,” focused on applications of historical inspiration for female patient therapy.  The event’s keynote speaker, made possible by the Stolzenberg-Doan fund in the Department of Humanities and Politics, was internationally acclaimed author, scholar, and activist Azar Nafisi, who shared a powerful message regarding the role of literature in times of social and political repression.   See a video of Nafisi’s talk and a photo gallery of the event.

The NSU Center for the Humanities champions core academic disciplines in the humanities, such as history, literature and languages, philosophy, religion, politics, and film, particularly the way in which these disciplines may be applied to engage and promote positive action involving local and global human issues and concerns.  The Center aims to demonstrate the relevance of the humanities as a complement to the core STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) and the social sciences, with a view toward encouraging students and scholars in those disciplines to explore these connections.

Posted 04/10/22

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