Tag: Halmos College of Arts and Sciences

Faculty, Students Win Awards at Microbiology Conference

There was a good contingent of NSU students and faculty attending the annual meeting of the Florida Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (FLASM) at the Guy Harvey Resort in St. Augustine, Florida, which was held Oct. 13-15.

Julie Torruellas Garcia, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research  Center (HCAS) serves as a Regional Planning Coordinator for the American Society for Microbiology and was one of the organizers and moderators of the event. Other faculty in attendance included Jose V. Lopez, Ph.D. and Andrew Ozga, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, and Robert Smith, Ph.D. and Bo-Young Hong, Ph.D., NSU MD faculty.

Trent Moulder, a student in the Masters in Biological Sciences program in HCAS mentored by Dr. Robert Smith from NSU MD, won 3rd place for “Outstanding Graduate Poster Presentation.” Ashley Janke, undergraduate biology major conducting research in Dr. Julie Torruellas Garcia’s lab, presented her honors thesis research and won 2nd place for “Outstanding Undergraduate Oral Presentation.” In addition, several students received travel awards from FLASM, PanSGA or the Biology Student Award to attend the conference.

NSU faculty presenters included:

  • Andrew Ozga, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, in collaborative work with the NSU College of Dental Medicine, gave an oral presentation on “Dental plaque microbiome diversity in healthy South Florida residents.”
  • Bo-Young Hong, Ph.D., NSU MD Faculty, presented a poster on “Chamomile tea decreases Porphyromonas gingivalis ”

NSU graduate student presenters included:

  • Jacqueline Chavez, MSBS student in Dr. Garcia’s lab, presented a poster on “The Search for a Phage that Targets the pCD1-Encoded Type Three Secretion System of Yersinia pestis.”
  • Trent Moulder, MSBS student in Dr. Smith’s lab presented a poster on “Carbon source preference alters inter-species interactions and modulates antibiotic efficacy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.”
  • Ariane Kalifa, MSBS student in Dr. Smith’s lab, presented a poster on “Growth productivity modulates inoculum effect in β lactamase-producing bacteria.”
  • Estefania Marin Meneses. MSBS student in Dr. Smith’s lab presented a poster on “Growth Productivity affects the Severity of Inoculum Effect in Staphylococcus aureus.”
  • Daniella Hernandez, a research assistant in NSU MD, presented her work entitled “Reducing Inoculum Effect by Modulating Growth Productivity through the Superpathway of Purine, Pyrimidine and Histidine Synthesis in Escherichia coli”

NSU undergraduate student presenters included:

  • Jose C. Padron and Kunal Poddar, biology majors in Dr. Garcia’s lab, presented a poster on “Determining the Burst Size and Optimal Infection Temperature of Four Gordonia rubripertincta ”
  • Ashley Janke, a biology major in Dr. Garcia’s lab, gave an oral presentation on “MunkgeeRoachy: A Gordonia rubripertincta Bacteriophage Isolated from Soil.”
  • Varsha Chigurupati, Adam Sadik, and Paul Paronich, biology majors conducting research with DoBS Faculty Dr. Raja and Dr. Ozga and DoMES faculty Dr. Shivji and Dr. Burkholder gave an oral presentation entitled: “Unraveling the Elasmobranch: A Look at Shark Oral Microbiomes in South Florida.”
  • Shanay Patel, a biology major working with Dr. Ozga, presented a poster on the “Impacts of pre- and pro- biotic supplements on microbial composition related to colorectal cancers.”
  • Megha Kurian, Jewel Mousa, Lewis Reid and Ritika Vonguru, research students in Dr. Garcia’s Practicum in Biology I course, presented a poster on “Comparative Analysis of Yersinia pestis Bacteriophages Using Restriction Digest.”
  • David Giordano, a biology major in the labs of Dr. Ozga and Dr. Chris Blanar, presented a poster on “Exploring the gut microbiome of invasive iguanas: Implications for ecosystems conservation.”
  • Bianca A. Gonzalez, biology major in the Introduction to Biology Research I/II courses taught by Dr. Garcia and Dr. Katie Crump, presented a poster of her class research on “Decoding Phages: Complete Genome Sequence Analysis of Two Novel Bacteriophages, Alyssamiracle and Fribs8.”
  • Kaya Olszewski, a biology major in Dr. Garcia’s lab, attended the meeting with the intention to present a poster on, “Computer Model of Yersinia pestis Type III Secretion Needle Regulation.”, but had to withdraw her presentation due to unforeseen circumstances.

Posted 11/05/23

WCC Faculty Coordinator Presents at International Conference

Janine Morris, Ph.D.

Janine Morris, Ph.D., NSU Writing and Communication Center (WCC) Faculty Coordinator, presented at the 2023 Global Society of Online Literature Educators (GSOLE) conference on February 3, 2023. Morris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts (DCMA) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences.

Morris’s presentation, “Listening to Graduate Student Consultants: Fostering Community through Online Writing Center Training,” focused on the different ways the WCC trains and engages graduate consultants working asynchronously. The presentation emphasized how a multi-layered approach to training can promote engagement and foster a stronger sense of community.

GSOLE is an organization that supports educators, faculty, and writing center practitioners who teach writing, reading, and digital literacy in online settings. To learn more about GSOLE’s annual conference, visit https://gsole.org/GSOLE-annual-conference.

To learn more about the NSU Writing and Communication Center, visit, nova.edu/wcc

Posted 11/05/23

Community Resolution Services Hosts Panel on Africa

Community Resolution Services (CRS), housed in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies (DCRS) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS), hosted a panel via Zoom entitled, Africa: Current Challenges.  The panelists included: Abdulkarim Musa, Jassim Al-Sharshani, and Murad Abuzekri, all pursuing a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution in DCRS. The moderator was Leneiya Boose, who subsequently graduated with her M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution.

CRS is a practicum and volunteer site providing workshops, training, and other events to the NSU and local community. For more information about CRS, please contact Judith McKay, J.D., Ph.D., faculty in DCRS at mckayj@nova.edu.

Posted 11/05/23

Halmos Hosts Waterbird Society Meeting Workshop

On October 11, the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center (HCAS) hosted a special participant workshop on bird necropsy techniques as part of the annual meeting of the Waterbird Society, an international scientific organization for seabird and waterbird research and conservation.  The 2023 annual meeting was held in Fort Lauderdale and chaired by Ricardo Zambrano, a Regional Biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The workshop was organized by Assistant Professor Kate Sheehan, Ph.D., from Frostburg State University in Maryland and wildlife veterinarian Renata Schneider, D.V.M., from the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station in North Miami.  More than 25 participants from local to international locations were taught hands-on techniques, including general bird dissections and specific procedures for parasite recovery.  Halmos Associate Professor David Kerstetter, Ph.D., Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, coordinated the NSU logistical arrangements and assisted with participant dissections.  Additional assistance was provided by Halmos College associate professor Christopher Blanar, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, and former Halmos College undergraduate students Alexia Hilber and Briana Zaffiro.

Posted 11/05/23

Halmos Professor Coauthors Study with Canadian Scientists

Louis Nemzer, Ph.D.

NSU Professor Louis R. Nemzer, Ph.D., of the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences recently coauthored a research study with scientists from the University of Ottawa about the effect of network connectivity on the probability that a novel trait will evolve in a spatially separated population.

This collaboration started when Prof. Nemzer was visiting Canada as a Fulbright distinguished research chair on a Sabbatical during the 2019-2020 academic year. Evolutionary graph theory (EGT) is a field of study that attempts to describe organisms that live on separate patches connected by possible migration paths. The researchers felt that the previously used EGT models did not capture the nuances of real life, so Nemzer wrote a new agent-based model that kept track of each simulated bacterium individually.

The in silico results were compared with in vitro experiments with real bacteria, which helped support the conclusion that network connectivity can, in some situations, increase the chance a favorable mutation will eventually become widespread in a population. This work can help explain the ways antibiotic resistance can emerge, especially in settings that contain disparate locations, such as a hospital or neighborhood.

“I want to thank my amazing colleagues at the University of Ottawa, as well as the Fulbright program for promoting international cooperation on projects that impact all of humanity, such as the challenge of antibiotic resistance,” Prof. Nemzer said.

The research was just published in Evolution Letters, which is ranked among the top 15 journals in the field of Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics.

Posted 10/22/23

Halmos Department of Humanities & Politics Awarded Grant

From left, Jeremy Weissman, Kathleen Doll, Amanda Furiasse, Teng Li, Yair Solan, and Yvette Fuentes.

Florida Humanities, the statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded the Department of Humanities & Politics with a Broadcasting Hope Media Grant to support Florida 2100: Tales of Tomorrow, a public podcast series.

Florida 2100 uses the power of storytelling to shed light on the challenges and opportunities the state of Florida faces in the 21st century. This podcast series aims to bring together scholarly experts, community voices, and artists to examine topics such as environmental sustainability, linguistic diversity, technological innovation, and cultural resilience, all while envisioning Florida’s potential in the year 2100.

According to Professor Furiasse “The grant offers a unique opportunity to develop innovative, humanities programming that can reach a broad audience and foster a more informed and proactive citizenry invested in Florida’s long-term well-being and sustainability, ultimately contributing to a brighter, more resilient future.”

Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Posted 10/22/23

Former Dean and Professor Emeritus Co-edits Book

Honggang Yang, Ph.D., Dean and Professor Emeritus from the former NSU College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS), is co-editor of the upcoming book, “The Rise of Chinese American Leaders in U.S. Higher Education: Stories and Roadmaps.” The other co-editor is Wenying Xu, Ph.D., professor of English and former Provost at Jacksonville University.

The book presents the roads traveled by Chinese American university leaders using stories and reflections. The book will be published later this fall. For more information, please see https://link.springer.com/book/9783031423789.

Yang designed and implemented the Residential Institute (RI) in 1999, still used by the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies (DCRS) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS).  RI brings distance learning students to campus to engage in on-campus learning, attend keynote lectures, and participate in working groups and social activities. DCRS recently held the 48th RI on September 29-October 2. In addition, he implemented other programs such as the Campus Diversity Dialogues.

Posted 10/08/23

Halmos Alum Returns for Fourth Artistic Collaboration at NSU

Annie Nugget

Since graduating in 2016, Annie Nugget has collaborated with NSU several times, bringing her unique art to campus. She has most recently finished a mural, Hopeful Horizons, on the second floor of the Alvin Sherman library, inspired by Luisa Aimee Sanchez’s journey from Cuba to South Florida and her passion for educating young people. Hopeful Horizons was Annie’s first memorial piece, which she says was “exceptionally challenging – but equally exciting”.

“NSU’s program offered me the educational provisions to challenge myself and explore my particular interests. Leveraging their flexibility in project scopes and connections with art enriching experiences, I had the pleasure to curate a lifestyle unique to me,” Annie says.

The mural in the Don Taft University Center, by the north stairs, is also Annie’s work from seven years ago, when she was still an undergrad. Realizing Potential was her first spray painted piece and one of her four collaborations with NSU.

After graduating from NSU with a concentration in Studio Art from the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts, Annie has ventured beyond the walls of the university. Annie’s art can be found in restaurants, shops and other local business in South Florida. To learn more about Annie’s work, visit her website.

Posted 09/24/23

Halmos College Professor Publishes Article in Journal

Amanda Furiasse, Ph.D.

Amanda Furiasse, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Humanities & Politics published “Digital Spectres: The Intersection of Technology and Emotion in Medicine” in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Therapies.

The article explores the potential of the medical humanities to transform healthcare by fostering a deeper understanding of the human experience and facilitating critical reflections on the ethical, cultural, and social aspects of medical practice, particularly when it comes to the impacts of digital technologies on the emotional well-being of patients and healthcare providers.

sse “Writing the article provided me with the opportunity to introduce healthcare professionals to the medical humanities, a new area of study that brings together insights from the humanities and medical research to enrich the practice of medicine and foster a holistic approach to patient care while addressing broader social challenges,” Furiasse said.

Posted 09/24/23

LaSirène’s Mirror: Reflections of Sustained Resistance through Art and Vodou, Sept. 30

Since its inception, Haiti, the second free republic in the Americas, has grappled with enduring misconceptions about its people and the role of Vodou. Haitian artists have been pivotal in visually capturing the cultural interpretations of Vodou, using artistic imagery to document the essence and significance of the tradition’s resistance to colonization. Rooted in Vodou, Haitian inhabitants have preserved an epistemology of liberation through visual depictions—a legacy continued by artists today. LaSirène, the cosmic embodiment of the goddess spirit, and Lwa of the sea serve as a symbol of water, beauty, and fierce sacred healing, having witnessed the middle passage.

This presentation – on Sept. 30 at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale from 3 to 4 p.m. –explores LaSirène, particularly within the context of the water Lwa spirits featured in NSU Art Museum’s Cosmic Mirrors exhibition. The presentation will be made by Professor Charlene Désir, Ed.D., with NSU’s Fischler College of Education & School of Criminal Justice, and Andrea Nevins, Ph.D., M.F.A., Dean of NSU’s Farquhar Honors College. It also will investigate Western depictions of Haiti, revealing distortions that have obscured the nation’s rich cultural fabric. With a focus on Haitian culture’s preservation, the presentation underscores Vodou’s enduring role as a bastion of spiritual expression and resistance against attempts to undermine its importance. Through this exploration, the presentation highlights the intertwined narratives of LaSirène and the water Lwa spirits, unveiling their profound ties to Haiti’s ongoing struggle for identity, autonomy, and cultural preservation. By delving into the role of art in preserving tradition and conveying resistance, the narrative of Haiti’s history is recontextualized, empowering its people to reclaim their stories from misrepresentation.

Posted 09/19/23

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