MAKO M A G A Z I N E FALL 2022 THE FLAGSH I P PUBL I CAT I ON OF NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UN I VERS I TY
Our economic impact in the state is currently $4.1 b grow to $5 billion by 2025. And with more than 5,0 is also one of the largest private employers in South about NSU’s impact at nsuflorida.com. + OUR REACH EXTENDS WAY BEYOND OUR CAMPUS $5BFLORIDA ECONOMIC IMPACT BY 2025 Our economic impact in the state is currently $4.1 billion and is projected to grow to $5 billion by 2025. And with more than 5,000 employees, NSU Florida is also one of the largest private employers in South Florida. Find out more about NSU’s impact at nsuflorida.com. OUR REACH EXTENDS WAY BEYOND OUR CAMPUS $5B + Our economic impact in th state is currently $4.1 billion and is projected to grow to $5 billion by 2025. And with more than 5,000 employees, NSU Florida is also one of the largest private employers in South Florida. Find out more about NSU’s impact at nsuflorida.com. FLORIDA ECONOMIC IMPACT BY 2025
billion and is projected to 000 employees, NSU Florida h Florida. Find out more PREPARE TODOMINATE S
II Editors in Chief Welcome to the inaugural issue of MAKO Magazine—the flagship publication of Nova Southeastern University (NSU). This publication not only celebrates our fulfillment of Vision 2020, but welcomes you to future issues on our journey to fulfill Vision 2025. As you enter these waters, MAKO Magazine will introduce you to faculty researchers, staff members, students, alumni, as well as NSU health care workers, curators, and educators. You’ll explore the depths of our investigations and discover interesting things you may never have known about NSU. Produced biannually, MAKO Magazine will cumulatively provide insight into NSU’s 14 colleges, NSU University School and other early childhood programs, the NSU Health system, NSU Art Museum | Fort Lauderdale, the Lifelong Learning Institute, and many more facets that distinguish our doctoral-research university. In this issue, you’ll witness how the nature of research and entrepreneurism suits the nature of our mascot, the mako shark. To be a difference maker, you must be dogged in your pursuit of data-driven pathways and determined to dominate in your chosen field or focus, and that includes higher education. Like the mako shark, our athletic mascot, you must swim faster, jump higher, and match agile thinking with precision execution. Here at NSU, we take our roles as apex contributors seriously. We are driven to find the edge for our students to realize their potential and advance graduates’ careers, professions, lives, and the communities where they reside. NSU’s mako sharks are also prepared to go to the distance when it comes to accelerating compassionate health care, healing, therapies, and cures. And all the while, we swim with the currents of our NSU Core Values, following courses charted with integrity. In closing, we hope you enjoy the premiere issue of MAKO Magazine and all future editions of NSU’s flagship publication. We trust your encounters with our 1 NSU Shark family will prove to be positive ones. Together, we are making yours a healthier world. Fins Up! INAUGURAL ISSUE HARRY K. MOON, M.D. Executive Vice President and COO, Nova Southeastern University, and COO, NSU Health RONALD J. CHENAIL, PH.D. Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Nova Southeastern University “Through the people and purpose of a university, we touch many lives. Moreover, the ripple effect spans boundaries of states, countries, continents, and even individual lifetimes.” —GEORGE L. HANBURY II, PH.D., NSU PRESIDENT AND CEO GEORGE L. HANBURY II, PH.D. President and CEO, Nova Southeastern University George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D. Harry K. Moon, M.D. Ronald J. Chenail, Ph.D.
III WE PUT ON OUR FINS TO SAVE THEIRS Shark Tagging Keeps Them Swimming NSU researchers have tagged 10 different shark species from the Atlantic Ocean to the Galápagos Islands to track migration patterns and help protect these essential members of our marine ecosystems. hcas.nova.edu/marine
Table of Contents CONTENTS FALL 2022 DEEP DIVES 02 Down in the Tropics 11 Eyes on Training 21 A Place People Feel at Home SHARK BITES 15 Grant Strikes 18 Currents: Workforce Demands 27 Currents: Serving Youth 40 Golden Jubilee 41 50 for 50 SHARK ENCOUNTERS 29 Meet Our Researcher of the Year 30 Meet an Inventor 34 Meet a TV Series Fellow 36 Meet a Grateful Patient 36 MEET A GRATEFUL PATIENT After suffering personal tragedies and complex illness symptoms caused by contaminated water, one marine found answers and advocacy with the researchers of NSU’s Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine.
1 FIN FAVS II Editors in Chief 38 Shark Bait 44 Gift Guide 52 Last Look SHARKS ON THE SCENE 47 O rlando Alumni and Friends Reception 48 USS Fort Lauderdale Commissioning 48 Ambassadors Board Turtle Release We’re Fast-Moving. Makos are among the fastest, most nimble fish in the ocean. Similarly, NSU leaders, faculty members, and students are quick to see and seize opportunities, accelerating their path to success. They are agile thinkers who relentlessly pursue their goals, regardless of the twists and turns in the world. We Have a Desire to Succeed. Like makos, we are not afraid to chase after what we want. It’s not unusual for the mako to leap 20 feet out of the ocean to catch its prey, and it’s not unusual to hear about people in the NSU family reaching extraordinary heights in their careers, community, or life. We Swim Forward. Because it’s warm-blooded, the mako is free to roam the oceans in a way most other sharks can’t. Mako sharks are known to travel 30 to 60 miles a day, and they always move forward. Likewise, NSU students, alumni, and faculty and staff members are continually exploring new territories. They are raising the bar, breaking new ground, pushing the limits, and changing the game. We’re Across the Globe. The mako can be found worldwide. NSU’s students, faculty and staff members, and alumni represent more than 75 nations. The university has a wide geographic scope, serving students worldwide from one of its many campuses or online. And NSU alumni are spread far and wide, serving, supporting, and creating in communities and countries around the world. We Overcome Obstacles and Adapt. Finally, mako sharks are one of the oldest groups of sharks, having evolved over 400 million years, not only surviving, but thriving. This is exactly the attitude that is found in NSU students. They don’t just swim through life; they are constantly growing their skill sets and learning to dominate in their fields. The NSU community doesn’t just exemplify mako sharks; we dive deep into the conservation of all sharks and other marine fish populations—always looking out for our kind. NSU’s Guy Harvey Research Institute, for instance, works to conserve and manage the marine ecosystem through scientific research, as you’ll read about in “Down in the Tropics,” one of our feature stories in this inaugural issue. Fins Up! —George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D. Why MAKO? Consider NSU’s Mako Mantra.
2 400 Exclusive Economic and Fishing Zones Marine-Protected Areas Our world can feel small and crowded. Remarkably, isolated, unspoiled regions still exist. The Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape still has some of these places—for now. The Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape spans the waters off the shores of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador and pools around the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Cocos Islands and Galápagos Islands. In between, some protected but mostly vast areas of unprotected waters ebb and flow, creating danger zones for wondrous giants of the sea. High levels of unregulated fishing and pollution extend the risk posed to all marine life. How does one protect two- million-square kilometers of underwater habitats, bounded by numerous countries—each with their own governing bodies and interests? Saving the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape from threats like overfishing, illegal fishing, and pollution is beyond the scope of any single group. And scientific research is critical to understanding this ecosystem, providing the information needed for credible conservation management. That is why Nova Southeastern University (NSU) and its Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) and Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center have joined the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) and the owners of Tropic Star Lodge, a world-renowned resort in Panama, to conduct research in this special and envi- ronmentally important region. DOWNIN THE TROPICS MAHMOOD SHIVJI, PH.D. Professor, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center; Director, Guy Harvey Research Institute; Director, Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center BERNADETTE BRUCE, M.B.A. Executive Director, NSU Printing and Publications HOLLY LYNN BAUMGARTNER, PH.D. Dean, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center
3 Galápagos Marine Reserve Cocos Island National Park Gorgona National Park Malpelo National Park Coiba National Park Machalilla National Park Las Baulas National Park PANAMA C O S TA R I C A C O L OM B I A E C UA D O R P E RU Tropic Star Lodge Pinas Bay, Panama ~ Panama Canal CARIBBEAN SEA GULF OF PANAMA
DOWNIN THE TROPICS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 The escalating fear is that the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape of today is still seen as a region of abundance. However, it is in dire need of improved, science-based management and conservation measures so proper ecosystem function can be maintained. Rapid environmental change and unregulated resource extraction render these measures essential. So, NSU researchers are conducting a five-year study of the ecology, migration patterns, and genetics and genomics of major game fish and sharks in the waters surrounding Tropic Star Lodge and across the broader Eastern Tropical Pacific. One goal is to share the scientific findings with policymakers of the bordering countries, so informed decisions about fisheries management and conservation are made. NSU also has a large shark research program in the Galápagos Islands and is currently engaged with various regional collaborators to broaden fish conservation research across this highly biodiverse region. The combined studies advance all efforts to expand knowledge in this iconic area. New collabo- rators include the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Parque Nacional Galápagos authority. 4 PHOTO © ANASTASIOS | SHUTTERSTOCK
5 The combined studies advance all efforts to expand knowledge in this iconic area. NSU doctoral student Ryan Logan steadies a Pacific sailfish for release after deploying a sophisticated electronic tag to determine the behavior and recovery times of popular game fish. RYAN LOGAN/COURTESY PHOTOS
6 Roosterfish (Nematistius pectoralis) Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) Shortfin Mako Shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) Scalloped Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna lewini) SPECIES BEING STUDIED BY NSU FLORIDA While logging hundreds, if not thousands, of hours at sea, four graduate students have been working on their respective theses/ dissertations. Two recently completed master’s degree programs, while the third just started. The fourth is earning his Ph.D. Fast Fact: As part of his undergraduate thesis, Ryan Logan, M.Sc., researched whether or not strong magnets could help deter sharks from being caught by fisheries’ longlines. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 GUY HARVEY, PH.D./COURTESY ILLUSTRATIONS
7 Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) Scalloped Bonnethead Shark (sphyrna corona) DOWNIN THE TROPICS The silky shark research includes monitoring how much time they spend inside vs. outside marine-protected areas, where they are exposed to international fishing. Fast Fact: You can see the journeys of NSU-tagged silky sharks and other species at ghritracking.org. (Select Project 22.) The smallest species of hammerhead shark, the scalloped bonnethead, is now part of the team’s research. The scalloped bonnethead grows to 3-feet long. In contrast, the scalloped hammerhead can measure up to 14-feet long. Both shark species are critically endangered. Fast Fact: Scalloped hammerhead sharks are recognizable by the curved notches at the end of their expanded heads. Bonus Fast Fact: So far, the research has generated three published journal articles, and two papers are currently in journal review. Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) Bonus Fast Fact: So far, the research has generated three published journal articles, and two papers are currently in journal review. You can view published articles like this one for free using your Alvin Sherman Library card. MARIANA RIVERA/COURTESY PHOTOS Black Marlin (Istiompax indica)
We Welcome Your Support. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A RESEARCHER TO BECOME PART OF AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE FOR NATURE Email guardians@nova.edu to find out how you can direct your support and become one of NSU’s Guardians of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape. Become a Guard•i•an Gärdeən/ noun 1. a defender, protector, or keeper 8 SATELLITE TELEMETRY Studying the movements and migration of various fish species form the backbone of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape project. Scientists track animals to gain a detailed understanding of the timing of their movements, where they go, and why they often move enormous distances. The invention of small satellite communicating tracking instruments, essentially waterproof computers that can be attached to fish—including large migratory species such as marlins, sailfish, and sharks—is allowing an unprecedented look into their previously hidden lives. These rapidly declining species don’t belong to any one country— they move across national boundaries. Illuminating their movements and seasonal migratory patterns is essential for developing collaborative, international efforts to help their populations recover. FITNESS TRACKING FOR FISH Speaking of recovery, the team most recently studied how long it takes for blue marlin and sailfish DOWNIN THE TROPICS to recover after being caught and released by sport fishermen. As Ryan Logan, an NSU research associate and the lead author of the study, noted for Outdoor Life, “For the angler, a billfish fight consists of a fast-paced, high-energy battle of wills that hopefully culminates with a leader grab and a safe release of the fish, some high fives, rehydration, and resetting the spread for the next one. For the fish, on the other hand, this is a fight for its life using a tremendous amount of energy. It was those high-speed runs and aerial acrobatics that made me wonder: How long does it take them to physically recover from that fight after being released?” Newly designed tags equipped with an acceleration data logger provided an answer. The sailfish that were caught, tagged, and released recovered in about five hours, while the larger blue marlins required about nine hours. You can read the entire Outdoor Life article here. o CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 Satellite tag tracking of 40 silky sharks shows long-distance migrations well outside protected zones; two sharks captured as of August 2022.
9 For more information, please contact Alissa Hechter by emailing guardians@nova.edu or calling (954) 262-2408. HELP US TURN THE TIDE Get the NSU Edge | nova.edu There are seven keys to scientific study success. We appreciate gifts directed to one or more of the following areas: • scientists • student scholarships • satellite tags • research equipment • travel • publications and public affairs • outreach and education NSU GUY HARVEY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (NSU-GHRI)
10 H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Joe McDonnell CEO/Chairman Great Innovations LLC Mario Murgado President and CEO Murgado Automotive Group William M. Murphy President Douglas Management & Realty, Inc. Founded in 1990, the Hall of Fame celebrates the lifetime achievements of a distinguished cadre of influential leaders, all of whose business efforts benefit and leave a lasting imprint on South Florida’s entrepreneurship community. Our outstanding honorees have exhibited leadership by giving of their time and resources, with the aim of enhancing the quality of life for others. In short, these exceptional entrepreneurs embody the very qualities our college’s namesake, H. Wayne Huizenga, exemplifies and envisioned fostering in each and every one of our students to become a difference maker. VIEW OUR INDUCTEES VIDEOS
11 EYES ON TRAINING We have two overarching goals. One is to make business students prime candidates for future employers. The second is to help support the rest of the university. Branded virtual-reality applications can advance both. When exposing students in a meaningful way to experiential learning, traditional intern- ships are an option. Class projects are another. In the one-year M.B.A. program we launched last year, for example, students worked with key leaders at CITY Furniture to help the company solve real-world problems. But there’s always some time-lapse between students’ first exposure to a setting and starting the work. Group projects for class also typically occur in an unobservable vacuum. So, we asked, “How can we expose students to settings and scenarios so they are experienced before they even embark on an experiential learning assignment? And how do we empower the trainer and learner in unprecedented ways?” Prelearning appli- cations became an answer, because virtual reality can offer a wealth of data and the opportunity to experience things without being there. Linda Kidwell, Ph.D., associate professor, led the creation of an inventory observation task application. Accounting students put on a headset and conduct an inventory observation in a warehouse setting, like one they would encounter working for any public accounting firm that has clients who are manu- facturers or retailers with inventory. When NSU graduates become employed by a big-four firm, for example, they’re going to have an edge because they will have performed inventory observa- tions in as close a setting as you can get while standing in a classroom or your own home. Additionally, a transcript is one output that helps facilitate unbiased participation evaluations. There are additional benefits as well. We plan to build a suite of virtual-reality applications that not only help NSU students, but through licensing, can also help companies and organizations train employees or even broaden the horizons of students at other colleges and high schools. ANDREW ROSMAN, PH.D. Dean, H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship
12 We currently have two other apps that could evolve into a branded product line. The second one is a financial literacy game. It’s like the Game of Life where you must make decisions. Imagine you are a 22-year-old who gets married, gets a first job, and then loses that job. Is addi- tional education a next step? If so, how must the household budget evolve? Inquiring minds want to know. A broad range of age groups could benefit. A 16-year-old can learn about car costs and college loans. Anyone can learn about credit card debt and the advantage of an employer matching the investment in a retirement plan. The virtual-reality simu- lation can also help teach about the financial implications of having a child, purchasing a house, or dealing with an unforeseen expense. The third application is a 360-video capture with dynamic sound prompts. In this case, Steven Kramer, Ph.D., associate professor, uses technology to capture video vignettes of what’s happening in the field. As a result, you can put on a headset and find yourself in a warehouse where furniture is being assembled. It’s not a visual tour. The student or trainee is immersed in the environment. Somebody yells their name. The headset wearer turns, because the sound comes from behind thanks to technology. The same approach could facilitate process improvement for a hospital with advance ability to look at what’s happening in the ER waiting room. Sanitation and hazardous waste disposal assessments and checkout efficiency analysis are all possible. Within the simulation, you can easily see a three- or four-way interaction among the data. We’re talking multi- dimensional modeling of data, regression analysis with 5 or 10 data points, not 2. There are more dynamic data mining and feedback capabilities, as noted in our sidebar samples. Ultimately, virtual-reality training will make organizations want to hire our students first, and licensed training product revenue will support the university. o AUDITOR How do you fare when talking to a senior management officer about internal control weakness? Do you get intimidated or taken advantage of as you go through your checklist of questions? CHILD ADVOCATE How do you deal with a five-year-old who needs to be removed from a home? How do you conduct an interview if that child has no language skills because the child has been so severely mistreated? ARENA MANAGER How do you improve concessions? How do you improve operations and the fan experience? PERSONAL GROWTH How do you become adept at adaptive decision-making? How do you reinvent yourself? How do you proceed as an introvert, or an extrovert, and when dealing with various personalities? How do you strategize to avoid bias? HR MANAGER When you talk to different genders, does the amount of eye contact change? Does your tone become more condescending if a person is younger? SCENARIO LEARNING AND CONSULTATION POTENTIAL APPLICATION LEAD NOTES LINDA KIDWELL, PH.D. Associate Professor of Accounting Over the last two years, we created a computergenerated imagery (CGI) simulation of an inventory audit. After designing the warehouse and selecting product, we worked on a task of checking the inventory on the shelves against a digital report. In our beta test the first year, the task was simple and completed on an individual basis using randomized inventory lists. In the second round, a multiuser function permitted students to work in groups and complete a two-way test—list to floor and floor to list for the accountants out there. The trainer could also now track group dynamics through captured eye movement, sound, and entry activity. Students have enjoyed the experience, and it has helped me be creative in other ways in the classroom. In the future, I hope to add audit interviewing activities in the virtual boardroom within the app. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 EYES ON TRAINING
13 APPLICATION LEAD NOTES STEVEN KRAMER, PH.D. Associate Professor of Decision Sciences Andrew Koenig, CEO at CITY Furniture, accepted a request to film areas in the company’s Tamarac, Florida, headquarters. About a dozen scenes in a variety of operations were recorded, including chair assembly in the distribution center, weekly quality meetings, and strategic planning processes. This fall, members of NSU’s Quality Management class will meet me in the virtual-reality space for a fraction of each session. As we explore the 360-video environment, I can pause to point out elements of interest in their surroundings, allow them to take notes, and even participate in breakout rooms—all in virtual-reality spaces. I look forward to developing a library of vignettes that appeal to the diverse student vocational mix and provide comparative scenes to challenge new groups of students each semester. Combining this initial work with NSU’s President’s Faculty Research and Development Grant (2020) will allow me to capture and share the impact of virtual reality in the class- room with faculty colleagues for their consideration. Two Business Innovation Academy students prepare for a virtual-reality simulation.
14 GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND MEANS DIVING DEEP We’re Saving the World One Turtle Hatchling at a Time hcas.nova.edu/marine For more than 30 years, NSU and Broward County have worked together to monitor 24 miles of Florida’s coastline to help protect endangered leatherback, loggerhead, and green sea turtles.
15 Grant Strikes Grantmakers, like fish, strike at a research proposal for one primary reason—to satisfy their hunger to solve a problem. MELANIE BAUER, M.A. Grant Writing Manager and Project Director, NSU Division of Research and Economic Development LEAD INVESTIGATOR ALICIA FERNANDEZFERNANDEZ, PT, D.P.T., PH.D., CNA Professor of Physical Therapy, Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences LEAD INVESTIGATOR Related Specialty | Team- based solutions Collaborators | Roxana Ross, Ed.D., M.B.A., GPC, NSU assistant vice president for research; Joshua Roney, Ph.D. and Stephen Fiore, Ph.D., University of Central Florida; Beth Hodges, M.S.W., Florida State University; Jeanne Vivani, M.P.A., Florida Atlantic University; and Leigh Stephens, CRA, University of West Florida Grant | $300k Grantmaker | National Science Foundation Hope | Help Florida respond more quickly to state crises. Hook | Address pervasive problems with statewide research collaborations. Line | Play matchmaker to create inter- disciplinary faculty teams who will devise solution proposals for assigned challenges. Sinker | Florida faces pressing issues such as hurricane and flood mitigation, an aging population, and harmful algal blooms, to name a few. Related Specialty | Leveraging dual background as a physical therapist and an engineer Collaborator | Walter Murfee, University of Florida Grant | $4,125 Grantmaker | National Science Foundation Hope | Prepare students to collaboratively design high-impact biomedical products. Hook | Provide interuniversity connections and highlight key design considerations. Line | Mentors guide exploration of (1) marketing, (2) regulatory strategy, (3) intellectual property protection, and (4) end-user impact. Sinker | These are essential skills for designing clinically translatable solutions to medical problems.
16 ROGER WINGHONG LI, PH.D. Associate Professor, NSU College of Optometry LEAD RESEARCHER LISA ROBISON, PH.D. Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, NSU College of Psychology LEAD RESEARCHER Related Specialty | Amblyopia and spatial vision Grant | $100k Grantmaker | Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) Walt and Lilly Disney Award for Amblyopia Research Hope | Find ways to treat the develop- mental visual disorder known as amblyopia. Hook | For 200 years, “lazy eye” treatment involved patching, but the deficiency is not in the eye itself, but the brain’s visual cortex. Line | Establishing a novel stereoscopic treatment for childhood amblyopia using 3D video games may improve stereo vision that was generally thought not to be reversible after the critical periods of visual development. Sinker | This developmental problem in the nerve connecting the eye to the brain is a common cause of vision problems in children, but also impacts adults. Related Specialty | Identifying novel pharmacological interventions Collaborators | Robert Speth, Ph.D., NSU College of Pharmacy; Natalia Noto, pharmacy Ph.D. student (’25); and seven NSU undergraduate students majoring in neuroscience or biology Grant | $154k Grantmaker | American Heart Association Hope | Help patients with early- and later- stage dementia. Hook | Test new strategies for the prevention/treatment of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA)—a condition in which toxic proteins accumulate and damage blood vessels in the brain. Line | Several drugs being tested are already approved and commonly used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Repurposing medications means fewer unknowns and could reduce risks. Sinker | CAA contributes to the risk of stroke, cognitive decline, and several forms of dementia. NSU DIVISION OF RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 Grant Strikes Structural imaging of the brain can show effects of CAA and dementia.
17 ROBERT P. SMITH, PH.D. Associate Professor of Biology, Farquhar Honors College and Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine LEAD RESEARCHER Related Specialty | Systems biology to understand antibiotic resistance Collaborators | Allison Lopatkin, University of Rochester, and two students who started as NSU undergrads and are now both pursuing Master of Biological Sciences degrees. Grant | $462k Grantmaker | National Institutes of Health Hope | Help tackle one of the greatest threats to public health. Hook | Disrupting bacteria could help us treat infections better. Line | Understanding the mechanisms that increase resistance could help enhance the efficacy of existing antibiotics or spur development of new drugs. Sinker | The ongoing evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria continually renders treatments ineffective. NSU students Gabriela Diaz Tang and Estefania Marin prepare to study interactions between growth efficiency and metabolism in opportunistic pathogens. Recent Coauthored Article Results Top Three Molecular Systems Biology Journal most-downloaded list (within one week of publication) Editor’s Choice Science magazine for microbiology ALEXANDER SOLOVIEV, PH.D. Professor, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center LEAD RESEARCHER Related Specialty | Physical Oceanography Grant | $1.2M Grantmaker | U.S. Department of Defense—Office of Naval Research Hope | Help protect marine life, mitigate hurricane destruction, and predict the impact of oil spills. Hook | Understanding currents can propel myriad interventions, but they are surprisingly complex to study. Line | Developing a 3D model to predict water circulation is key. Sinker | The three-dimensional forces that redistribute water properties are hard to observe and analyze. (Currents shift buoyancy, momentum, temperature, salinity, density, pressure, connectivity, and electromagnetic fields.)
18 Currents Workforce Demands CYBERSECURITY For two decades, NSU’s College of Computing and Engineering has earned and re-earned recognition by the National Security Agency (NSA) as a leader in cybersecurity defense. The designation is awarded only to universities that meet rigorous curriculum standards. The goal? Help increase the talent pipeline for cybersecurity professionals and researchers. Keys to NSU’s approach? • K–12 outreach • strong educational programming • industry partnerships • high research activity • higher education partnerships Read more in the Fortune | Education article featuring GERIATRICS “Given the vulnerabilities of older adults living alone with limited access, social distancing, and increased fear, it is impera- tive to reach out to patients, caregivers, and families to provide appropriate education.” Abstract excerpt for a program that will leverage partnerships to train and educate a workforce of geriatric specialists to improve telehealth interactions and health outcomes. START-UP ENTERPRISES Funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration is helping the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation provide support leading to job creation, new company formation, and scaling of early-stage/start-up companies in the South Florida region. COMPUTER SCIENCE BEST ONLINE MASTER’S 2022 FORTUNE CYBERSECURITY DEGREES BEST ONLINE MASTER’S 2022 FORTUNE MPUTER CIENCE LINE MASTER’S 2022 ORTUNE CYBERSECURITY DEGREES BEST ONLINE MASTER’S 2022 FORTUNE MELINE KEVORKIAN, ED.D. Dean, College of Computing and Engineering GREG SIMCO, PH.D. Chair and Professor of Computer Science and Engineering NAUSHIRA PANDYA, M.D., CMD, FACP Chair and Professor of Geriatrics, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine and U.S. HHS— Health Resources and Services Administration grant recipient for “Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program COVID” Fortune magazine article
19 Powering the Innovation Ecosystem in Florida CENTER OF INNOVATION ALAN B. LEVAN | NSU BROWARD Get the NSU Edge | nova.edu Research Is in Our DNA Florida’s largest private research university is working on groundbreaking ideas for conservation and climate change. Anything but Business as Usual Innovative, industry-ready degrees. At NSU, we make it our business to create Difference Makers. NSU’s Levan Center of Innovation A 54,000-sq.-ft. “theme park” for entrepreneurs focused on innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. Largest Educator of Physicians and Nurses in Florida NSU Health provides comprehensive care patients can count on. WE’RE IN THE BUSINESS OF INNOVATION nova.edu/innovation
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21 One day in 2002, this gentleman walks into the Alvin Sherman Library wearing a long trench coat. I approach and ask him what he’s looking for. He says he’s looking for Jim Hutchens. I said, “Wow, okay, that’s me. How can I help you?” And he pulls out this bottle of scotch. Now, I’m not a scotch drinker, but I knew it was good scotch. Turns out he’s a Scotsman fresh off the plane who stopped by to thank me for helping him with some research when he was in Italy. It is always gratifying to walk through the Alvin Sherman Library, because our library is the “home library” not only to Nova Southeastern University (NSU) students, but people across Broward County, of all ages, and even overseas. We didn’t miss a beat during the pandemic, because we already were no longer distinguishing between distance library students or residential students. In fact, the Distance Library Services Department no longer existed. What we did learn, however, was to add a hybrid component to all our live programming and exhibitions. We also listen and respond to our students. We recently moved all our journals from the second to the fourth floor, so they could be put on movable stacks. That allowed us to add 300 seats here and another 100 seats at the NSU Health Professions Division Martin and Gail Press Library with tabletops wired with multiple plug-in spots. It’s a direct result of listening to the students tell us what they need. JAMES HUTCHENS, M.L.S. Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian, University Libraries A PLACE PEOPLE FEEL AT HOME SCOTT COLTON, B.A., APR Senior Editorial Director, NSU Printing and Publications
22 It’s not unusual to see students wearing scrubs or shirts from other schools. The president of a local chamber of commerce comes here, as do so many others. Broward County has a great system, but it didn’t have a true research facility 20 years ago. NSU was/is in the business of conferring doctoral degrees that require high-level research. So, all the materials we buy for our students are—through our unique partnership—used by folks from the county, surrounding colleges, and beyond. NSU President Dr. George Hanbury envisioned a research library and conducted his dissertation research here, just as many do. We’ve also had entrepreneurs, like the founders of Banana Wave, incubate their businesses here. Our downstairs children’s area may function like a public branch, but there are differences. It’s not unusual to see three generations enjoying Storytime together. We are creating a family study room with furniture suitable for adults and young children and accessorized with manipulatives so both the child and parent can have the space needed to study and learn. Anyone who’d like a taste of academia can also sit in on a lecture. NSU’s Farquhar Honors College hosts an Open Classroom series where our professors teach NSU students and welcome others to sit in and see what a higher education class is like. The Alvin Sherman Library also boasts larger study rooms with as many as 14 seats. Dynamic interactions and collaborations are constants. The excitement over an actual book is always there, but this isn’t a place where you get “shushed,” except in designated silent areas. This is everybody’s library, and it is different for everybody. It’s a social experiment that I think has proven how well a center like this can work for the community, and for communities of learners. We are proof that libraries are not irrelevant. Libraries must continually adapt, sure, but people need our services. I can’t tell you how many people— even my own colleagues who are parents—thanked us for conducting Storytime through Facebook Live, saying things like, “I’m trying to do work with my kids in the background, and they’re not bouncing off the walls because they’re watching our Storytime.” A PLACE PEOPLE FEEL AT HOME CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
23 We have students making a chess board using the 3D printer, doctors studying for board exams, and the student-run NSU Writing and Communication Center available to help students advance their writing skills and to provide Broward County residents with similar assistance through frequently scheduled seminars. Year-round early childhood and family learning programs include age-appropriate short-story reading, specially trained therapy dogs, English/Spanish song-and-dance activities, and puppetry performances. Summer programs for teens range from hands-on technology and literacy-rich writing activities to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and art experiential learning. At the other end of the spectrum, adult educational advancement programs offer residents myriad opportunities to participate in financial literacy and consumer purchasing workshops, as well as computer camps, music festivals, and genealogy education. Additional community benefits include the Alvin Sherman Library’s
24 on-site venues. For example, the Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center houses a host of computers, with wireless headphones, to research and watch survivor testimonies and explore images and films linked to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial. Similarly, the Holocaust Visual History Archive features exhaustive research resources related to the holocaust collection derived from the Steven Spielberg-founded USC Shoah Foundation. There’s also the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center—a 500-seat stage facility that is available to countless NSU academic departments and community organizations for theater productions, assemblies, and other types of performances. Finally, there’s the Cotilla Gallery— a 150-seat exhibition area and connecting Terry Atrium, which provides additional opportunities for NSU and Broward County community groups to sponsor various events. o A PLACE PEOPLE FEEL AT HOME CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23
25 UNIQUE QUERIES Alvin Sherman’s librarians are prepared to answer a broad and distinctive range of questions. Below are some of the more unique questions NSU librarians have been asked (and answered!) over the years. • “I’m afraid of being flushed down the toilet. What can I do?” (question from a child, who received compassionate reassurances and information about the sewage system to allay his fears) • “What’s a good hotel I can stay at?” (query from a woman by phone walking down Federal Highway in Hollywood, Florida) • “Can I have your shoe?” (request from a child, who proceeded to grab and run off with the librarian’s shoe before his mother caught up with him and returned it) • “What are the rules to play Duck, Duck, Goose?” (query from an elderly gentleman, who wasn’t aware it was a children’s game) 1,045,591 number of books (electronic and print) available for checkout 1,000,000+ annual number of visits to the library’s online databases 250,000 average number of items circulated per year 147,356 number of library cards issued since opening day 2 number of visits to the library by the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet (2004, 2010) To learn more about NSU’s Alvin Sherman Library, visit sherman.library.nova.edu. BY THE NUMBERS
26 HOLOCAUST REFLECTION AD The Craig and Barbara Weiner HOLOCAUST REFLECTION AND RESOURCE ROOM Nova Southeastern University Alvin Sherman Library 2nd Floor, Room 2005
27 Currents Serving Youth CLIMBING S.T.E.P.S. I have responded to invitations to present on suicide prevention more than 1,000 times across every state and many foreign countries. Millions of Americans have lost a loved one to suicide. Across the globe, sources say that one life is lost to suicide every 40 seconds. I am a survivor of my father’s suicide and can attest that over the years, I have found that suicide prevention is most often driven by survivors. Closing every presentation with a success story—and providing an example of a suicide that was prevented because someone identified the warning signs and took action to save a life— reminds us that we can all feel empowered to prevent a suicide. School personnel across Florida often request training, and I have always provided consultation to schools after the loss of a student to suicide. The data provided by the state about the percentage of middle and high school students in Florida who have thoughts about suicide, made a plan to die by suicide, or even have made a suicide attempt is alarming. I saw the need for increased training and guidance for the Florida K–12 public and private schools, so I created the Florida School Toolkit for Educators to Prevent Suicide, also known as Florida S.T.E.P.S. A contributing author was NSU College of Psychology doctoral student Catherine Ivy. TOOLS AND TOPICS • leadership checklist and plans • initial all-staff meeting agenda • policy development prompts • training documentation form • training surveys • suicide prevention plan • suicide intervention plan • suicide postvention plan • at-risk response procedures • myths, facts, and risk factors • social media notes • parental involvement • suicide assessments/screening • role-play: suicide assessment • role-play: parent notification • suicide risk report • safety plan • form for emergency steps, parent notification, and aid referral(s) • reentry checklist and monitoring • postvention checklist • frequently asked questions (FAQs) SCOTT POLAND, ED.D. Professor, NSU College of Psychology, and Director, NSU Suicide and Violence Prevention Office Recipient of a $335k grant awarded by Florida Blue Foundation to produce and more widely distribute Florida S.T.E.P.S. • Suicide is the second leading cause of death among middle and high school age youth. • Suicide rates have increased for elementary school age youth. • Florida S.T.E.P.S. has now been shared with every Florida K–12 district and is available online. (View the book by scanning the QR code on this page.) • Reprints and distribution of the 186-page resource have helped increase training and guidance for 1,500 Florida K–12 public and private schools. DID YOU KNOW?
28 STUDENT OUTREACH NSU MD students hope to prevent opioid and substance abuse in youth (ages 11–18 years) by addressing high school students through podcasts, as well as in-person and virtual presentations. Youth who attend receive gift cards and community service hours. Every session ends with required survey completion. Community partners include the Boys & Girls Club, Pace Center for Girls, SunServe, Take Stock in Children, and the Urban League. Funding is provided by the Florida Blue Foundation. LISTEN IN! Podcast on simplecast A local high school student joins NSU MD representatives for peer-to-peer outreach. Currents Serving Youth Our true legacy is our children and our grandchildren. So, how do we protect them from diseases like cancer? The simple fact is that we’re only designed to live about 30 years, and we’re living about 90 years. There is an exponential rise in cancer in the fifth decade of life. To avoid it, we need to live more mindfully than our parents did. Our kids need to live more mindfully than we have. Think of it like this. DNA repair in your cells is typing away at your genetic code during cell division and is functioning well—with enough sleep and food. But what happens over time when DNA repair starts to feel like it’s pulling all- nighters with no coffee? Mistypings or mutations occur. Mutations occur over time in your genetic code when you live in a polluted environment. If you’ve inherited a mutation in a cancer-prone gene, then you must be even more careful. What is shocking is the number of carcinogens that steal your ability to tread care- fully. Formaldehyde is a big one. It’s in carpeting. It’s in clothes you buy before washing them. It’s in hair-straightening treatments. There are classic, environmentally driven cancers, such as breast, colon, prostate, and bladder cancer, that rise in probability based on what you put into your mouth or on your skin. Here are a few things you can do for yourself and as a parent, grandparent, or loved one. • Only use BPA-free water bottles/containers. Don’t leave any plastic bottles in a hot car. • If you want to use a microwave, use only microwaveable glass containers. • Avoid nail polish that contains formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl phthalate. • Wash your fruits and vegetables well to remove trace amounts of pesticides. • Be sure your child’s dentist applies only BPA-free coatings on your child’s teeth. • Avoid lawn chemicals with glyphosate. JEAN J. LATIMER, PH.D. Director, NSU AutoNation Institute for Breast Cancer Research and Care, and Associate Professor, NSU College of Pharmacy ATTACK CANCER LIKE A SHARK Additional tips, including foods to watch
29 have developed a new parameterization for the air-sea drag coefficient under hurricane conditions, which has been implemented in the Princeton-based Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) operational model. The laboratory is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Ocean and Atmospheric Research (NOAA)—a bureau of the Department of Commerce. Computational fluid dynamics: I am pioneering the application of computational fluid dynamics tools for modeling structure and dynamics of the near- surface layer of the ocean, including spatially coherent organized motions, oil spills, surfactant and dispersant effects, diurnal warming, and 3D dynamics of freshwater lenses. Remote sensing: I am involved in studying electromagnetic signatures of oceanographic processes, synthetic aperture satellite oceanography, and projects related to U.S. national security. Coastal ocean circulation: I am conducting a study of rear upwelling events on the Southeast Florida Shelf as part of a NOAA coral reef study. Ocean and environmental engineering: In the 1980s, I was a part of a team that developed the artificial upwelling system using an inertial wave pump. I am interested in further development and application of this system for fishery and fish farming, coral reef protection, as well as in studying its potential for regional climate modifi- cation and hurricane mitigation, in combination with other climate engineering approaches. The U.S. Federal Government, state of Florida, and private industries have funded NSU’s Physical Oceanography Lab. Over the last five years, total research funding has exceeded $12 million. The lab researches ocean electromagnetics for the U.S. Navy, rapid intensification of hurricanes and tropical cyclones, biophysical interactions in the ocean, ocean circulation, and oil-spill propagation. We are also implementing new ocean technologies and computational methods in collaboration with the University of Miami (UM), German Aerospace Center, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Columbia University, University of Rhode Island (URI), and University of Hawaii (UH). A planned new direction is ocean and environmental geoengineering. Providing advanced scientific training to students is another aspect of our lab. Currently, we have two Ph.D. students, three master’s students, one under- graduate student over the summers, and sometimes, we have high school students from NSU University School. Student papers are presented at major national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. I am one of the pioneers in studying the near-surface layer of the ocean microstructure and turbulence. This experience appears in the book The Near-Surface Layer of the Ocean, published in two editions by Springer. Hurricane physics: In collaboration with a group of scientists from UM, URI, and UH working on National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) projects, I Meet Our Researcher of the Year ALEXANDER SOLOVIEV, PH.D. Professor, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center HALMOS COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES AND GUY HARVEY OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH CENTER * Editor’s Note: Starting this year, NSU is presenting four awards that will recognize an early-career and an established-career researcher within two disciplinary categories. Shark Encounters A member of the NSU Shark family for 25 years, Soloviev was the 2021–2022 Provost’s Research and Scholarship Award winner.* The award recognizes demonstrated achievement in research, scholarship, and creative pursuits by NSU faculty members.
30 Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, as I was building the company, I reflected on my strengths and weaknesses. Despite a history in engineering and technology, my business acumen was not as strong. A good entrepreneur is on a contin- uous journey of education and training. I completed several business accelerator programs based on the pitch that they are better and faster than traditional education. My first semester of graduate school at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) debunked this assertion. The NSU M.B.A. program does not gloss over critical areas such as accounting, organizational culture, and business strategy. Perhaps I was fortunate both Drs. Leslie and Tom Towroger were my first graduate program professors at NSU. Their style of instruction was more collaborative, and I felt more like a professional colleague being mentored instead of just a student. We remain in contact. As I ascended the ranks of a Fortune 100 software company, my role changed to research and development. Most would think this would catapult a career. That was not the case for me. I was exposed to corporate politics. Many times, mediocracy was rewarded and innovation was ignored. An executive vice president noticed my growing frustration and handed me a copy of The Innovator’s Dilemma. The author described why the classic corporate organization fails, especially in technology companies. I then read the follow-up book The Innovator’s Solution, which detailed how a smaller tech company outperforms large companies and is the driving force behind acquisitions. I determined that the only way to make the best use of my talents was to take a leap of faith and build a company of my own— Culper Technologies. We are innovating energy conservation, improving comfort, and designing solutions with the notion that“technology works for you; you do not work for technology.” Meet an Inventor PEDRO “PETER” LLAGUNO, M.B.A. M.B.A. (’22), B.S., CSIS (’18) CEO and President, Culper Technologies, Inc. Cuban-American born Peter Llaguno is a former U.S. Navy nuclear propulsion engineer, self-taught programmer, and two-time NSU graduate who started his own company to become a serial inventor on the premise, “Why settle on smart when you can have intelligence?” Shark Encounters H. WAYNE HUIZENGA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP n COLLEGE OF COMPUTING AND ENGINEERING
nova.eduRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDE4MDg=