Category: Pride Bites

NSU University School Students Qualify for Robotics State Championship

University School2

NSU University School congratulates our Upper School Robotics teams who have qualified to compete in the VEX State Championship. The teams won four major awards at the 3rd Annual VEX Robotics Orange Bowl Tournament including:

  • the Design Award, best designed robot
  • the Think Award, best autonomous robot
  • the Robot Skills Champion, the highest driver and autonomous points
  • the Excellence Award, overall winner of the entire tournament.

These awards advanced our teams to compete in the State Championship that will take place in March. We look forward to watching our Robotics students continue to succeed and make us proud!

NSU Gives Back to the Community

NSU Gives Back to the Community Photo for Sharkbytes

With the holidays quickly approaching, 49 volunteers from OIIT, the Huizenga College of Business, the Alvin Sherman Library, Facilities, Physical Plant, Public Safety, and Fischler College of Education joined forces to give back to our community. On Tuesday, October 30, these teams collaborated to prepare 300 bagged lunches for the homeless.  Volunteers met in the Carl DeSantis building to join forces for this epic event.

“Bagged Lunches for the Homeless” will hopefully be the first of numerous interdepartmental community service projects. The initial plan, devised by Jaime Gentile, Director of Employee Services for the Office of Innovation and Information Technology, was to make 100 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. However, due to the overwhelming response from other departments, the goal was raised to 300!

The event proved successful as all 300 bagged lunches were completed in under one hour!  Employees worked diligently preparing the bagged lunches as multiple assembly lines ran simultaneously.  Once completed, the lunches were boxed and loaded into an NSU vehicle and then taken to the Broward Outreach Center located in Hollywood. Once there, the NSU employees were thanked graciously as personnel helped to haul the load into their dining area. An employee of the Broward Outreach Center shared that the center typically serves 200 homeless people an evening and, therefore, was quite appreciative of the group’s efforts. The center’s employee also stated this number does not even include the members of the community that are fed breakfast and lunch at the center daily.

Employees from the variety of NSU departments shared their excitement and interest to participate in future volunteering efforts. With the large number of charitable organizations in our area, it is hoped that this interdepartmental event will lead to a series of future occasions illustrating NSU’s devotion to give back!

NSU Ranked 2019 Best Online Colleges & Degrees

SR Education Group, a leading education research publisher, ranked Nova Southeastern University (NSU) within their 2019 lists of best online colleges. The group recognized NSU’s College of Engineering and Computing for its Master of Science in Computer Science and Engineering program, ranking it 13 out of 19 in “Best Online Master’s in Computer Science Programs.” The college was also ranked 6 out of 8 for “Best Online Master’s in Information Technology (IT) Degrees.”

The rankings, published on www.GuidetoOnlineSchools.com, are based on mid-career salary data from recent alumni surveys, as well as manually researched tuition rates. According to the website, the group researched 723 schools in order to publish more than 250 degree-level and program-specific rankings.

“It’s great to have the recognition that supports how well our programs translate to the world today,” said Meline Kevorkian, Ed.D., interim dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. “Companies seeking new sources of talent are looking at our college because of our commitment to our students. Our programs support discipline experts and foster strong communication, teamwork, and life-long learning skills.”

You can view the full list of SR Education Groups rankings for Best Online Colleges HERE.

Phi Kappa Phi Installs New Chapter at NSU

President of NSU Dr. George L. Hanbury, Board of Trustees Chairman Ron Assaf, Vice Chair Dr. Barry Silverman, Provost Ralph Rogers as well as college deans and faculty members were recently initiated into a new chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi at Nova Southeastern University (NSU).

Founding members signed the charter creating Chapter 345 at NSU during a ceremony on January 9, 2018, at the Alvin Sherman Library. Many of the chapter’s charter members and all new members were initiated into the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline honor society. (Some charter members had been previously initiated into the honor society at other institutions).

“The values of Phi Kappa Phi are very much aligned with NSU’s core values–including academic excellence and research,” Dr. Hanbury said.

Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi inducts about 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff, and alumni each year from select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines–NSU is the 345th chapter.

Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of college seniors and graduate students and the top 7.5 percent of juniors. The new chapter will enhance NSU recognition and help to attract outstanding students and faculty who contribute to distinctive research. Chapter 345 will begin initiating NSU student members in February 2018.

A university seeking a chapter is evaluated on its educational philosophy and institution purposes and the quality of instruction and research, personnel, and facilities.

“One great advantage for NSU student [members] is represented by the large numbers of grants and fellowships,” said Maria Petrescu, Ph.D., associate professor at NSU’s H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the new chapter president. “Students also gain access to an extended interdisciplinary professional network and career resources. These will be of great help to our students’ academic and professional development.”

Besides Petrescu, other faculty serving as chapter officers and charter members include Patricia Rose, Sonia Kay, and Rachelle Dorne.

Charter members also include President Hanbury, Provost Rogers, Chairman Assaf, Vice Chairman Silverman, Health Professions Division Chancellor Fred Lippman, Farquhar Honors College Dean Don Rosenblum, assistant dean Saul Sztam, professor emeritus Susan Davis, and faculty members Bryan Armentrout, Max Ito, Judith McKay, Timothy Miller, and Glenn Scheyd.

Other members include college deans Kimberly Durham, Jon Garon, John Preston Jones, Harold Laubach, Roni Beth Leiderman, David Loshin, Linda Niessen, Marcella Rutherford, Yong Tao, Johannes Vieweg, Elaine Wallace, Brad Williams, Honggang Yang, and University School Upper School Director William Kopas.

For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit https://honors.nova.edu/phi-kappa-phi.html.
Click here to view photo gallery.
https://nsunews.nova.edu/phi-kappa-phi-installs-new-chapter-at-nsu/

Pride Bite: NSU Leads College of Law Alumni to Supreme Court

From I. to r. ) Bruce Rogow, NSU Law Professor Emeritus; Martin Press, NSU Trustee;NSU President Dr. George L. Hanbury, and (far right) Jon Garon,dean of the ShepardBroad College of Law, with newly admitted to Supreme Court lawyers Lisa Goldberg, Joseph Natiello, Nathaniel Flinchbaugh, Tara Campion, Steven Farbman, Jane West,Michael Pascucci, Michael Ehren, Adam Schloss, Benjamin Lopatin and Joshua Eggnatz. Emmanuela Charles, was also admitted but is not pictured.
Twelve alumni from NSU’s Shepard Broad College of Law Center recently went to the U.S. Supreme Court to be sworn in as lawyers who can practice before the highest court in the land.

Leading the group were NSU President Dr. George L. Hanbury; Jon Garon, dean of the Shepard Broad College of Law; Martin Press, member, NSU Board of Trustees; Susan Stephan, director of development, College of Law; Sharon Sullivan, executive director, advancement and alumni relations; Elena Minicucci, director alumni relations, College of Law, and Bruce Rogow, professor of law emeritus.

The alumni, along with their guests and NSU representatives, were escorted into the Supreme Court and seated before the eight justices. Rogow created the motion for admission into the Court, and Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath.

Alumni admitted to practice and argue before the Supreme Court included:

Tara Campion ’11—Fort Lauderdale, FL
Emmanuela Charles ’10—Jacksonville, FL
Joshua Eggnatz ’09—Davie, FL
Michael Ehren ’07—Weston, FL
Steven S. Farbman ’85—Hollywood, FL
Nathaniel Flinchbaugh ’11—Cordova, TN
Lisa Goldberg ’84—Fort Lauderdale, FL
Benjamin Lopatin ’09—San Francisco, CA
Joseph Natiello ’12—Fort Lauderdale, FL
Michael Pascucci ’08—Davie, FL
Adam Schloss ’07—Estero, FL (Fort Myers area)
Jane G. West ’98—St. Augustine, FL

To be accepted and permitted to practice before the Supreme Court, applicants must have obtained at least three years of active experience within a state bar and must be in good standing with that state’s bar. Along with submitting a certificate of good standing from a clerk or officer of the candidate’s respective state’s highest court, a candidate must also have certified sponsorship from at least two members of the bar of the Supreme Court. While it is required the sponsors have a personal relationship with the candidate, they are not allowed to be blood- or marriage-related. Candidates are inducted bi-annually.
https://nsunews.nova.edu/pride-bite-nsu-leads-college-of-law-alumni-to-supreme-court/

Romer Ocanto, Chair of the CDM’s Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Honored at International Conference


Romer Ocanto, D.D.S., M.S., CAGS, chair of the CDM’s Department of Pediatric Dentistry, was presented with a Certificate of Recognition for the best poster at the International Conference on Dentistry and Oral Health held in September in Valencia, Spain.

Ocanto also received $500 Euros toward expenses at the 2018 meeting to be held in Rome. In addition, Ocanto has been invited to speak about the CDM grant at the University of Malta (L-Università ta’ Malta) for the Dental Medicine faculty, Department of Oral Rehabilitation and Community Dental Care in Valetta, Malta, during 2018.

Ocanto has secured $8,058,231 since 2007 toward improving access to dental care to children with Special Health Care Needs (SHCN). In June of 2015, Ocanto secured a $3,391,788 grant from the Health Resource and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HRSA) to provide this training to pediatric dentistry and advanced education in general dentistry residents over a five-year period. To date Ocanto has received four grants from HRSA.

This project is 100% financed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number D88HP20126 and Postdoctoral Training in General, Pediatric and Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene for $3,391,788. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
https://nsunews.nova.edu/romer-ocanto-chair-of-the-cdms-department-of-pediatric-dentistry-honored-at-international-conference/

NEHEP Welcomes College of Optometry Associate Professor to Planning Committee


The National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) announced Janet Leasher, O.D., M.P.H, F.A.A.O., associate professor of optometry at NSU’s College of Optometry, as its new Planning Committee member for 2015‒2018. The Planning Committee, which advises the National Eye Institute on the overall development, implementation, and evaluation of NEHEP activities, comprises experts in eye care and public health education.

Leasher has served as the director of community outreach for NSU’s College of Optometry since June 2003. She spearheads community health education and promotion projects in visual health. Her current teaching assignments in the Doctor of Optometry program include public health didactic courses and primary care, pediatric, and binocular vision clinics. She is also a member of the faculty in the Master of Science Clinical Vision Research program and holds a faculty appointment within the Public Health program at NSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her research interests include program evaluation and global access to quality vision care.
https://nsunews.nova.edu/nehep-welcomes-college-of-optometry-associate-professor-to-planning-committee/

NSU College of Dental Medicine Dean Named Fellow by National Science Organization


Linda Niessen, D.M.D., M.P.H., M.P.P., dean and professor of the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) College of Dental Medicine, was recently named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She was elected to receive this honor by her AAAS peers.

Niessen is one of 396 AAAS members who were chosen by their peers for “scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.” Specifically, she was lauded for her distinguished contributions to the field of dental public health, particularly geriatric oral medicine, dental services and health policy as well as access to oral health care. Niessen will be inducted as a Fellow at the AAAS Annual Meeting on Saturday, February 17, 2018 in Austin, Texas.

“It is truly an honor to be named a Fellow by this prestigious group of peers,” said Niessen. “The AAAS promotes scientific discovery, translational research and science education throughout the world. The interdisciplinary nature of the members of AAAS advances and strengthens the field of dentistry by supporting research and discoveries that will ultimately benefit patients around the globe.”

Niessen joined NSU in October 2013. She previously served as a clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry at Texas A&M University’s Baylor College of Dentistry. Niessen’s research interests include geriatric oral research and education, epidemiology of oral diseases in older adults, and oral health public policy.

Niessen received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry (Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of New Mexico and her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), Master’s in Public Health (MPH) and Master’s in Public Policy (MPP), all from Harvard University.
https://nsunews.nova.edu/nsu-college-of-dental-medicine-dean-named-fellow-by-national-science-organization-2/

Nova Southeastern University Optometry Student Ties for Highest Score in Country on National Exam


The National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) has announced that third-year NSU College of Optometry student Emily M. Korszen tied one other student for the highest score in the nation on the Part I Applied Basic Science (ABS) Examination in 2015.

As a result, Korszen will be presented with the 2015 Dr. Norman E. Wallis Award for Excellence by Melvin D. Shipp, O.D., Dr.Ph., M.P.H., president of NBEO, at the Annual Meeting of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) in Seattle on June 26. The award was established to honor Dr. Wallis’ 25 years of outstanding service as executive director of NBEO. Korszen will receive a personalized plaque and a full refund of the Part I ABS registration fee.

“When I got the news, I was surprised, but I felt that my classmates and I prepared as much as we could for the exam,” said Korszen. “The faculty at NSU have been instrumental, not just in our preparation for the exam, but for our future as optometrists. This is a credit to their hard work as well.”

Korszen is on track to graduate from NSU’s College of Optometry in 2016. A native of Englewood, Florida, she earned her bachelor of science in neurobiological sciences with a minor in East-Central European Studies from the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Korszen previously received the J. Pat Cummings Scholarship from the American Optometric Foundation and was named to the NSU Health Professions Division’s Chancellor’s List for six consecutive semesters for maintaining a GPA in the top 5 percent.

“Ms. Korszen is an exceptional student and we are proud that the knowledge she has gained at NSU will someday translate to caring for her patients and help further the optometry profession,” said David Loshin, O.D., Ph.D., FAAO, dean of NSU’s College of Optometry. “Emily and her fellow optometry students at NSU are among the best and brightest in the nation, and we are very proud of them.”

Korszen is active in extracurricular activities, serving as secretary of NSU’s College of Optometry’s Student Government Association, vice president of the Gold Key Optometric Honor Society, class representative of the American Optometric Student Association, and as a member of Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric Honor Society, where she tutors fellow students.

Established in 1951, the National Board of Examiners in Optometry is a private, nonprofit organization that develops, administers, and scores examinations, and reports the results, that state regulatory boards utilize in licensing optometrists to practice eye care. Licensure is a public interest, public protection regulatory function of many professions, particularly in the health professions, due to the importance of receiving competent care. In serving the public and the profession for 64 years, the National Board has compiled a distinguished record of accomplishments that include being the first national board among the doctoral level health professions to eliminate grading-on-a-curve, and one of the few national boards in any profession with a repertoire of examinations that includes conventional multiple-choice tests (single- and multiple-response items), computer-based examinations, and a clinical skills test with standardized patients at the National Center of Clinical Testing in Optometry.
Emily Korszen video
https://nsunews.nova.edu/nova-southeastern-university-optometry-student-ties-for-highest-score-in-country-on-national-exam-2/

NSU Research Spotlight: Rachel A. “Stacey” Coulter, O.D., M.S.Ed.


Rachel A. “Stacey” Coulter, O.D., M.S.Ed., F.A.A.O., F.C.O.V.D., associate professor in NSU’s College of Optometry is the principal investigator for a multi-year, clinical trial grant from the National Eye Institute titled “Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial – Attention and Reading Trial (CITT-ART).” As one of eight clinical centers, Coulter and the NSU CITT-ART study team will investigate if treatment of an eye teaming condition called convergence insufficiency impacts reading performance and attention in school-aged children. Children, who have this condition often experience headaches, fatigue when reading, blurry vision, double vision or print that appears to move while reading. While the association of symptoms with convergence insufficiency is well documented and in-office vision therapy reduces symptoms, it is established if the reduction of symptoms is linked to changes in reading or attention.

“Children who have convergence insufficiency sometimes suffer from poor reading performance and attention problems,” said Coulter. “As the first large-scale randomized clinical trial to study this problem, outcomes of this study could lead to new therapies for some children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and reading problems. This grant is a continuation of our work in the investigation of convergence insufficiency and treatment outcomes.”

Other members of the study team at NSU include Annette Bade, O.D., F.A.A.O.; Gregory Fecho, O.D.; Erin Jenewein, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O.; Deborah Amster, O.D., F.A.A.O., F.C.O.V.D.; Yin C. Tea, O.D., F.A.A.O.; Jacqueline Rodena, O.D., F.A.A.O.; Nicole Patterson, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O.; and Pamela Oliver, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O.
https://nsunews.nova.edu/nsu-research-spotlight-rachel-a-stacey-coulter-o-d-m-s-ed/

1 … 46 47 48 49