NSU Horizons Spring/Summer 2009

academic notes E very spring, Bernhard Riegl, Ph.D., National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) associate director, and Sam Purkis, Ph.D., NCRI assistant professor, travel to Saudi Arabia to map coral reefs in the Red Sea. This ongoing project is funded by the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KBSLOF) and highlights the international scientific collaboration of the NSU Oceanographic Center and NCRI scientists. The principal objective of this project is to assess the health of the major coral reef ecosystems along the coast of Saudi Arabia and to create habitat maps using multispectral satellite imagery and an airborne hyperspectral sensor. The researchers also conduct scuba surveys of fish, coral, marine mammals, and coral reef habitats. The expeditions take place onboard the research and logistics ship, M/Y Golden Shadow , which gives researchers the opportunity to reach coral reefs that are not easily accessible because they are far from shore and in regions rarely visited by scientists. Phase I of the expedition was conducted in September 2007 in the far northern corner of the Red Sea near the Strait of Tiran. Phase II covered the coast of Saudi Arabia from the Strait of Tiran to the city of Jeddah. Riegl and Purkis will con- tinue this project in the Red Sea in spring 2009. Both say that they are excited to have the opportunity for world-class research in a very important area of the world. n Mapping Coral Reefs in the Red Sea U nderserved children in South Florida now have a new facility for access to high-quality, low-cost dental services at the recently opened NSU pediatric dental clinic at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood. NSU’s College of Dental Medicine is working to meet the needs of this population by providing dental care to ensure their teeth are healthy and their smiles are bright. In January, the college received a grant from the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration to open the pediatric dental clinic at the Hollywood hospital. Known as the NSU-JDCH Center for Craniofacial Pediatric and Special Needs Dental Care, the facility treats children with cleft palate and lip issues, as well as craniofacial, HIV, and other physical and mental challenges. During its first year, the clinic expects to treat roughly 1,500 children, many of whom are Medicaid recipients. “This clinic is bringing quality dental care closer to children who do not have a place to go,” said Robert Uchin, D.D.S., dean of the College of Dental Medicine. “That puts a smile on all faces.” Nova Southeastern University has dental clinics throughout Broward County that provide pediatric dental services for all chil- dren, including those who suffer from physical, developmental, mental, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional impairment. The challenges facing these children include autism, cerebral palsy, and craniofacial disorders. Visit www.nova.edu/healthcare/dental/index.html for more infor- mation about NSU’s College of Dental Medicine. ■ NSU’s New Dental Clinic Gives Special-Needs Children Reason to Smile 4 horizons Jose Larumbe, D.D.S., assistant professor of pediatric dentistry, NSU College of Dental Medicine Sam Purkis, Ph.D. Bernhard Riegl, Ph.D.