Undergraduate TLO Awards Round 8

Summer 2013- Summer 2014
 | Expand All
Faculty/Staff Leader Nature of the Experience
Butler, Joseph Tortoise Studies at UNF

904-620-2831 

jbutler@unf.edu  

3/2248 
 2013-2014

This TLO provides an opportunity for UNF students to actively study a threatened species in the wild, and by so doing involved students will gain insights into conservation needs of this and other species.  My continuing studies on this population seek to determine and monitor the population sex/age structures and population densities.  To do so requires discovering and mapping all tortoise burrows, plus capturing, measuring and marking tortoises.  Some tortoises will be captured by hand while out of their burrows, but most will be actively trapped.  This data will allow us to evaluate how habitat resources are being used by the populations and what the potential is for successful reproduction and population growth.  Further, we will evaluate nesting and hatching success. Also, students are encouraged to select other projects they might like to pursue involving this population.  In the past, students have studied tortoise diets, plant growth in response to fire, diseases carried by tortoise ticks, internal burrow assessment with a robotic camera, and others. 

Student Criteria:

This TLO is open to all students.

The most important qualification is a sincere interest in doing field work.  It is hot and dirty, long hours, and is not for everyone. 

Another critical requirement is reliability. 

Categories:

Undergraduate Research
Ellis, Terri Student Lab Research into How Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Trigger Inflammation

904-620-5766 

terri.ellis@unf.edu  

3/2226 
2013-2014

This TLO is designed to give students hands-on experience with biomedical research. The specific project TLO students will be working on focuses on how the outer surface of bacteria changes as a result of acquiring antibiotic resistance.  In this project students will be characterizing the immune responses to different strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria. As part of this project, students will test the hypothesis that acquisition of drug resistance to a single antibiotic will cause significant changes to the outer surface composition, and that these changes can impact the effectiveness of the host immune response.  In addition to learning the process of lab research, students will meet with medical professionals at Mayo Clinic and tour the clinical microbiology lab at Mayo Clinic hospital. The culminating event for this TLO will be for the students to present a poster of their research at the American Society for Microbiology General Meeting in Boston, MA. At this meeting, students will attend oral and poster session on the latest microbiological research and actively interact with the scientific community during their poster presentation.

Student Criteria:

This TLO will be open to students who have successfully completed either BSC2012 (General Biology III) or MCB2010 (Microbiology).

A background in Biology (i.e. Biology major) is preferred, but not required.

Factors that will be considered include success in relevant coursework, career interest in the biomedical sciences, and willingness and ability to commit large segments of time in their schedule to the TLO experience.

I generally require a commitment of 6- 9 hours a week in blocks of at least 3 hour increments.

 

Categories:

Undergraduate Research
Gelsleichter, James Advanced Shark Ecology, Year 3

904-620-1575 

jim.gelsleichter@unf.edu  

3/2210 

 
Summer 2013

This proposal requests support for the third year of funding for a 3-credit undergraduate course focused on the ecology of sharks.  The course will provide experiential training in coastal biology to UNF undergraduates by involving them in a federally-supported research project focused on identifying regions in northeast Florida that provide critical habitat to juvenile sharks.  The field-based training that students receive will be augmented by classroom-based activities, such as group discussions, hands-on laboratory assignments, and research seminars presented by visiting scientists. The students will select one day per week (Tues, Wed, or Th) during which they will participate in a day-long sampling trip to any of the UNF Shark Biology's main sampling sites.  There will also be a weekend-long, class-wide culminating event, in which all students will travel to the Caloosahatchee River near Ft. Myers, FL, to conduct field-sampling of juvenile bull sharks as part of a high-profile study on exposure of these animals to human pharmaceuticals. 

Student Criteria:

Although we will show preference for students who have completed General Biology I, II, and III, we will also be willing to accept a small number of highly motivated freshmen to provide "gateway" experiences in science.

A preference will also be given to students who enroll in Dr. Gelsleichter's Spring 2013 course in Shark Biology.

 

Categories:

Undergraduate Research
Kaplan, Leslie It's All Greek to Me: Summer in Athens

904-620-3993 

leslie.kaplan@unf.edu  

1/1606 
Summer 2014

Students will live and study for five weeks at the American College of Greece, a NEASC accredited college in suburban Athens. The students will take six credits of courses, a course taught by UNF faculty and a course at ACG. The class at ACG will be a course of their choice at either the upper or lower division. By individually choosing their own ACG class, most if not all of the other students will be Greek students, pushing them out of their “American bubble” and into closer contact with Greek students, providing a deeper level immersion.  The UNF course will add context to those immersive experiences by focusing on Greek culture.  In addition to historical background, the anthropological readings will look at attitudes, expectations, and behaviors typical of Greek culture, all of which are markedly different than in American culture.  The classwork will include some experiences and field trips designed to broaden their experience further.  Students will attend a series of workshops offered by the ACG on topics like Greek dance and cooking, and again students will be asked to compare them to American culture. 

Student Criteria:

The target audience for this program is students in the Honors Program.  Space permitting, the TLO leaders will also admit non-Honors students.  
Students can be of any academic level and any major. 

Students must have a 3.0 GPA or above, maturity, openness to new cultures, and interest in the subject.

To fully participate in the trips, students will need to be able to walk extensive distances on uneven ground as many of the archaeological sites are not handicap-accessible.   
Students wishing to apply will fill out an application and will be interviewed. 

Categories:

International
Kemppainen, John International Teaching Internship in a Belizean Lab School

904-620-2530 

jkemppai@und.edu  

57/1085 
Fall 2013

This TLO proposal requests funding for ten COEHS students, to complete a portion of their internship at an international Lab School in the Central American country of Belize. Students will travel to the Kuxlinha Government Primary School in Belmopan, Belize where they will spend three weeks working in the Lab School affiliated with the University of Belize. Unique about this experience is that UNF Interns will be paired with a Belizean Elementary Grade Teacher and will collaborate with the teacher on instructional strategies in some of the most trying and challenging situations. This international internship will serve as the culminating experience for UNF students’ required semester-long internship in the greater Jacksonville area schools. Student will be required to participate in all aspects of the school's regular instructional and after school activities. UNF COEHS students will have an excellent opportunity to contribute to this program by sharing with their Belizean counterparts, techniques and strategies they have learned in their course work at UNF as well as well as learning how the educational system functions in Belize and the strategies and instructional techniques used in their schools. It will also promote the opportunity for creativity in the classroom and new ways to impart knowledge and skills as is part of the mission of Lab Schools. They will be afforded the opportunity to think outside the box as they develop new strategies to work with this special and unique population. This is an extremely diverse school with at least 2 different indigenous languages, Mayan and Garifuna, being spoken along with English, Spanish, and English Kreol.

Student Criteria:

This short-term internship is available to all qualified education majors at the PreK, Elementary, Middle-grade, Special Education K-12, Art Education K-12, Physical Education K-12 and Music Education K-12 levels. 

 

Students must be seniors in their final semester at UNF.

They must have received grades of B or better in both Field Lab I & II. 

Students must be in good standing with the university and the College of Education and Human Services.

Students must have a Grade Point Average of 3.0 or better,

Students must have passed all parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam

Categories:

International, Service Learning
Malek, Mag & Sorce, James Maritime Construction in Malaga Spain

Dr. Malek 

904-620-1123 

mmalek@unf.edu  

50/2404 

  

Mr. Sorce 

904-620-2759 

sorj0003@unf.edu  

50/2304 

 
Summer 2013

This six-week study abroad program in Malaga, Spain will be associated with the Construction Management Honors class: Ship and Maritime Construction. Students will travel to Spain in summer 2013 to participate in the construction of a replica of the Galveztown ( a boat that played an important role in changing Florida from British to Spanish control during the Revolutionary War). We will also visit construction sites and sites of historical/architectural significance in and around Malaga and other nearby cities in Spain. Students will attend lectures provided by professors from UNF, MIT, and the University of Madrid while in Malaga. Students will also conduct library research in Malaga to enhance their understanding of the project.  

 

Student Criteria:

Students must be in good standing with Honors, Construction Management, or Engineering.

Students will be interviewed before they are accepted.

Categories:

Field Experience, International
Merten, Julie Our Campus, Our Health: A Student-led Health Assessment

904-620-4017 

jmerten@unf.edu  

39/4014 
Fall 2013, Fall 2014

This project involves funding to continue the implementation of a student-led campus health assessment and to take a group of students to the Society of Public Health Education Annual Meeting to present their research. In 2010, a group of students put together a campus health assessment to gather data about the health behaviors of the UNF student body. The students selected the health behaviors (physical activity, illicit drug use, nutrition, mental health, nutrition, etc) to include on their survey instrument, designed the instrument, applied for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, disseminated the survey and analyzed the results. The findings provided enlightening information about student health risk behaviors at UNF. I Last year, students continued the research and the project was even more successful. It is important to continue to collect data each year to monitor student health trends. This year we will also develop a short informational video of findings to share with current students, community members, potential students (and their parents) to reach a larger audience. 

Student Criteria:

The students have already identified themselves because they volunteered to conduct the campus health assessment.  

We anticipate adding two more researchers after they have completed the appropriate coursework. 

Categories:

Leadership, Field Experience
Meyer, Whitney Model United Nations

904-620-2132 

whitney.meyer@unf.edu  

Office of Alumni Services 
Fall 2013, Spring 2014

This TLO will support the UNF Model UN team to attend three conferences/competitions throughout 2011-2012: Atlanta, GA (Southern Regional Conference), Washington, D.C. (national- and international-level competition), and New York, NY (major, culminating national-level competition).  Model UN is an intercollegiate simulation of the United Nations, intended to educate students about the operations and goals of the UN.  In conferences, students study different perspectives of international politics and worldwide problems such as ethnic conflict, hunger, disease, and climate change.  The national conference in New York will host nearly 5,000 students, with more than half of the attendees coming from outside of the United States.  Attendance at this conference will also allow the UNF team to take an in-depth tour of the United Nations, meet with distinguished diplomats, meet with representatives of their assigned countries’ embassies, and meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

Student Criteria:

The Model UN Club at UNF is open to any interested students who maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

The Model United Nations organization requires all delegates to attend mandatory meetings and have 90% participation in club activities (as outlined by the Club charter filed with Student Government).

The number participating as delegates on competition teams will be limited to Club members who are active and dedicated.

All potential delegates will be required to complete MUN research projects and to present to the Club academic position papers regarding their countries' policies on the competition topics.

Students are expected to act in a manner that best represents the UNF student body.

Categories:

Leadership
Michelman, Jeff Study Abroad to Peru: Service, Culture and Business

904- 620-1541 

jeff.michelman@unf.edu 

10/2101 

 
Spring Break 2013

This study abroad course involves 18 hours of pre-trip meetings to understand the social and economic fabric of Peru. During the preparation students will be engaged in research by talking with local community leaders (Rotary and water associations working in Peru) as well as resources in Peru that have been developed over time (e.g. Peace Corps, Rotary and local Incan contacts).  In Peru we will see a broad spectrum of activities which will include visiting Machu Picchu to understand the importance of Incan history and culture; meeting with experts on economic development from Government, Rotary, other NGOs, the Peace Corps and several local water agencies including Water for People. Students will work with school children and villagers to both help with education (reading to students and singing) and work on several water projects. Most importantly the students will be involved in needs assessment to better understand the issues and develop a clear strategy for raising money upon return to Jacksonville. One of the unique aspects of this study abroad is that students will have an opportunity to meet with a number of NGOs in order to determine where to invest the results of their fundraising. Upon return students will complete their strategy for raising funds ($300/student or $6,000 in total that they may choose to work with UNF Rotaract and Oceanside Rotary to apply for matching funds); complete fundraisers; work in teams to develop several proposals to use the money raised in Peru and complete the reflective portion of the journal.

Student Criteria:

This TLO is targeted to freshmen students.

Categories:

International, Service Learning
Murphy , Debra 2014 Italy Program: Comparative Studies in Art, Art History and Italian Culture

904-620-1766 

dmurphy@und.edu  

45/2024 

 
Summer 2014

For the study of art and art history, the museums and archeological sites of Rome, Florence and Pompeii are incomparable.  The 2014 program will be scheduled for approximately six weeks  and will include an introduction to Italian language and culture in Massa before traveling to Rome. Students will have the rich experience of living in Rome where the majority of the program is centered. The living arrangements are in the St. John’s University Rome campus with dormitory facilities and kitchenettes so students have to learn how to shop with Italians, thus being exposed to an added dimension of Italian life.  St.John’s is located near the Lepanto metro stop and students learn to utilize the transportation system. They will also have many opportunities to study and present oral reports in some of the most important museums in the world including the Naples Archeological Museum (where the majority of the finds from the Vesuvian sites buried in 79 are housed), the Vatican Museums (home not only to the Sistine Chapel but works from antiquity to the modern) to the Coliseum, the Pantheon, the Uffizi and the Accademia in Florence. UNF students can earn between 6-9 hours in art history, photography and painting/drawing. Classes are offered on site from Mondays through Thursdays with weekends being available for additional exploration in Rome or travel within Italy. Field trips will be scheduled to Pisa, Siena, Florence and Naples where comparisons and contrasts will be emphasized.

Student Criteria:

Students must have at least a 2.75 GPA and must be of at least sophomore standing.

Students will be interviewed by the Academic Director of the program.

Students are encouraged to take either  ARH 2000, ARH 2050 or ARH 2051.

Students are thoroughly briefed about the physical rigors of the program with its demands of walking, climbing stairs and maneuvering cobblestones and archeological sites and the intensive nature of the lecture and class schedules.

Categories:

International
Ochrietor, Judy Transformational Learning for Undergraduate Students in Biomedical Sciences

904-620-2827 

jochriet@unf.edu  

3/2220 
2013-2014

This Transformational Learning Opportunity is designed to provide research training for students with biomedical interests.  Modern biochemical, molecular, and cell biology techniques will be employed in the study of the neural retina. Students will explore the roles played by proteins within the mouse neural retina to determine their contributions to cellular nutrition in both healthy and diseased states.  Not only will students gain valuable research training, including hypothesis-driven experimental design, data collection, and data analysis; but will also be mentored as they communicate their findings to the Department, University, and the international community of Cell Biologists.

Student Criteria:

A background in Biology (i.e. Biology major) is preferred, but not required.     

Students must have successfully completed the Molecular and Cell Biology course offered by the Department of Biology prior to joining this TLO program.

Categories:

Undergraduate Research
Ross, Cliff Ross & Gilg, Matt Are Coral Reefs Capable of Adaptive Evolution to Climate Change?

 Dr. Cliff Ross 

904-620-1853 

cliff.ross@unf.edu 

50/2216 

  

 Dr. Matt Gilg 

904-620-1853 

mgilg@unf.edu 

59/3316 
Summer 2014

This TLO is a 2-credit, directed independent study engaging undergraduate students by offering the unique opportunity to gain hands on experience working with coral reef biology, physiology and evolution. The basis for this research opportunity is to offer selected undergraduates a challenging experience where they can work with the extremely important larval phase of Porites astreoides as a model system for coral response to climate change. UNF students will be involved in all aspects of this project including adult collection, maintenance of larvae, experimental setup, and data collection and analysis. Each student will be in charge of an independent project that will test whether elevated seawater temperatures cause lethal or sub lethal stress in coral larvae and negatively impact their settlement and survival.  Genetic analyses, along with measurement of variation in stress responses will be conducted to determine whether sufficient variation exists to allow adaptation.  The first 10 days in the latter half of May will be designated for sample collection and experimental set up. The rest of the summer will be used for laboratory analysis of the specimens at UNF. The field component of this research will take place at Mote Marine Tropical Laboratory), a fully equipped marine science facility dedicated to marine research, education and conservation.  

Student Criteria:

Students may be of sophomore through senior standing. 

No prerequisites are needed for this TLO. 

Preference will be given to students that have an inherent interest in marine biology and associated sciences.  

All candidates will be interviewed in person by the TLO leader.  

Categories:

Undergraduate Research
Salmon, Otilia & Kemppainen, John Student Teaching in Honduras

Dr. Salmon 

904- 620-1842 

osalmon@unf.edu 

57/2318 

 

Dr. John Kemppainen 

904-620-2530 

jkemppai@und.edu  

57/1085 
Spring 2013

This TLO project is for six COEHS students, in their final semester of study, to gain valuable experience in their student teaching by living and learning in Tegucigalpa, Honduras for a period of three weeks.  Students will engage in their student teaching assignments on a daily basis in one of five different bilingual schools. This international internship will serve as the culminating activity to the students’ required semester long internship in the greater Jacksonville area. Student will be required to participate in all aspects of the schools’ regular instructional and after school activities while assigned to the school. By living with host families, UNF students will gain an even greater appreciation for the lifestyle of the Honduran people.  Our UNF students will have an excellent opportunity to share techniques and strategies they have learned in the course work at UNF with their Honduran counterparts. Students will learn how the educational system functions in another country along with the strategies and instructional techniques used in those schools.

Student Criteria:

This TLO is available for qualified education majors at the elementary, middle-grades, secondary, K-12, and special education levels. 

Students selected for this three week experience in Honduras must be seniors in their final semester of study at UNF and be enrolled in their culminating experience course, that being student teaching. 

Students must be in good standing with the university as well as with the COEHS, have a Grade Point Average or 3.0 or above

Students must pass  all Florida Teachers Certification Exams

Categories:

Leadership, International, Undergraduate Research
Schwam-Baird, Shira French Language Study Abroad in Strasbourg, France

904-620-1248 

sschwam@unf.edu  

10/2151 
Summer 2014

The Strasbourg French language and culture study abroad program consists of five weeks in France during which the UNF students have French classes 15 hours a week (total 60 contact hours) where native speaker instructors teach entirely in French and their classmates come from all over the world. They live with French families with whom they take two meals a day, so their immersion experience continues outside the classroom, and real cultural contact fills the greater part of most days as they navigate the city independently on foot and on public transportation (and most travel outside the city is by train). Three to four afternoons a week, Dr. Schwam-Baird teaches the culture class (Faces of France), which examines social, political, and cultural issues in contemporary France with insight into their historical context, and which includes the perspective of France as part of the construction of Europe. Students also participate in many excursions, afternoon visits to places of interest in the city, full-day Saturday excursions in the region around Strasbourg, and a long weekend in Paris.

Student Criteria:

The program is open to all majors and minors, but in order to participate, students must have the equivalent of a year of college French study.

Students must be in good academic standing, but there is no specific GPA minimum.

Categories:

International
Smith, Kelly Ecological Restoration of Coastal Habitats

 904-620-1954 

ksmith@unf.edu 

59/1314 

 
Fall 2013

The proposed TLO will address current research in coastal restoration ecology, using an ongoing restoration project at the Guana Tolomato Matazanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) as a focal site.  The project at the GTMNERR proposes to restore and enhance fish habitat by preventing shoreline erosion and promoting shoreline accretion using a combination of mussel and oyster-based living shorelines.  The TLO will be presented as a credit-earning opportunity (upper level biology majors elective).  Students will meet once a week in a classroom on UNF campus to discuss the general objectives of restoration, expected restoration outcomes, and methods of assessing restoration success.  On Saturdays, students will typically travel to the focal field site at GTMNERR.  Saturday activities will initially focus on learning how restorations are established, and general monitoring and field measurement protocols.  Students will then form research teams overseen by Dr. Smith, with assistance from Dr. Kimball.  The research teams will carry out their field based projects for at least 1 month.  Students will present their results in a student-led workshop at the GTMNERR for members of the public as well as staff of the GTMNERR.

Student Criteria:

This TLO is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have been accepted into the Biology program

Students will need to have completed General Biology III.

Students will be interviewed prior to registering for the course. 

The ideal student will be one with a strong interest in applied ecology and marine science, and with a willingness to engage in rigorous work, both physical and mental, carrying out restoration related work and assessing preliminary outcomes.

Categories:

Undergraduate Research
Taylor, James St. Johns River Transformational Learning Opportunity

904-620-5804 

tayj0016@unf.edu 

1/2202 
Spring Break 2014

This TLO is a nine-day immersion experience during Spring Break 2014 aboard a houseboat in the Middle Basin of the St. Johns River. Students will prepare for the experience beginning the first weeks of January 2014 by attending weekly meetings and one field day (to learn canoe safety, knot tying, and initial plein air sketching).  Additionally, pre-trip work will be conducted with staff and faculty mentors in their respective major disciplines during the spring semester.  Each student will design a project to be executed on the river. This project may be conducted for academic credit if desired by the student. Projects conducted for academic credit will be guided by the faculty mentor, who will hold the student mentee accountable for completion of the project and award the final credit.  A final “deliverable” will be required as appropriate for the discipline, for example a scientific report, a completed series of paintings, a term paper, etc.

Student Criteria:

This TLO is open to all students, but preference is given to undergraduate students who have demonstrated an advanced level of academic achievement (junior or senior, or junior-, senior-equivalent), ability to work and live well with group of people in constrained living conditions, past field or group experiences, two academic and one personal reference (due to the lodging arrangements), and ability to swim (due to predominantly being river and water related experiences).

Categories:

Field Experience
Umapathy, Karthikeyan & Chuan, Ching-Hua Web Technology Development for Community Organizations

Dr. Umapathy 

904-620-1329 

k.umapathy@unf.edu  

15/3214

  

Dr. Chuan 

904-620-1378 

c.chuan2unf.edu  

15/3224 

 
Spring 2014

This project is a community-based learning opportunity for students in School of Computing in the form of faculty-directed internship course offered during Spring 2014 semester. Students will apply the knowledge and techniques they have learned in the classroom to help local community partners (for example: non-profit and startup business organizations) develop Web application products. The effectiveness of Web application development depends on good interactions and communications between clients and Web designers. Therefore, it is important for students to gain first-hand experiences of interacting with real-world clients. By working on the proposed community-based internship, students will be empowered to see the real-world application of the knowledge and skills they have learned in the classroom, and to give back to the society in a meaningful and tangible way. More importantly, students will be transformed by learning how to explain their design and concept using non-technical terms to communicate with their community partner.

Student Criteria:

Students must have completed the Web Access & System Design or the Internet Programming course before the start of the TLO course and should have obtained grade B or higher in the course.

Students must have an overall GPA of 2.75 and a GPA of 3.00 for School of Computing majors.

Students must be able to work 10 hours per week.Students accepted for the TLO program would be expected to register for a special topic course.

Categories:

Service Learning
Waddell, David Unraveling the Role of TGF-β in Skeletal Muscle Atrophy, Fibrosis, and Aging

904-620-1958 

d.s.waddell@unf.edu  

3/2234 

 
2013-2014

This TLO will provide undergraduates the opportunity to learn cellular and molecular genetic techniques they would not ordinarily learn in a classroom. Furthermore, students will use these skills to address important questions in muscle gene regulation. Ultimately, students will have the opportunity to conduct independent projects that will include cloning and characterizing the control regions of genes that become activated in muscle tissue in response to increased levels of TGF-β expression. The initial work for this project will occur at UNF during the 2013-2014 academic year. Then during the summer of 2014, the final phase of the project will be conducted during a two week trip to U.C. Davis.

Student Criteria:

Students who are majors in Biology and have an interest in the biomedical field will be given preference, however any student who is able to effectively demonstrate and articulate their reasons for wanting to participate in this program will also be given an opportunity.

Students who are freshman or sophomores will have to successfully complete General Biology I in order to participate.

Students who are juniors will be required to have successfully completed General Biology I and at least one of the other upper division courses listed above.

Categories:

Undergraduate Research
Wu, Yongan UNF Intensive Chinese in China, 2014

904-620-2887 

yongan.wu@unf.edu  

10/2131 
Summer 2014

The UNF Intensive Chinese in China (ICIC) continues the advanced level Chinese language course sequence in a target-language speaking environment. ICIC is an intensive language program featuring total language immersion and time-honored training strategies to produce fluent speakers of Mandarin Chinese. ICIC follows the established model used by Ivy League schools’ summer programs including those of Harvard Beijing Academy and Princeton in Beijing. The language training is embedded in a Chinese setting, with speakers from many sectors of Chinese society joining the participants to discuss their lives. On a typical weekday, students will start their day as a class by attending a one-hour lecture for the day's lesson. The class will then break into groups of four to drill the sentence patterns and vocabulary of the lesson for two hours. In the afternoon, students will have one-hour long 1-on-1 conversation sessions. The rest of the afternoon is left open for study and extracurricular activities in Chinese. In addition, students are encouraged to take lessons in Chinese arts, such as martial arts, calligraphy, cooking, or music. On the weekends, there are performances (e.g. Chinese Opera) and excursions (e.g. museums and galleries). Students may also spend time on weekends with host families to experience the daily lives and customs of Chinese families.

Student Criteria:

Students who have completed two years of Chinese at UNF will be the primary target group.

Students must be in good academic standing and have finished two years of Chinese or equivalent, with a grade of C or better for all Chinese language courses.

Categories:

International
   
Leadership
Faculty/Staff Leader Nature of the Experience
Merten, Julie Our Campus, Our Health: A Student-led Health Assessment

904-620-4017 

jmerten@unf.edu  

39/4014 
Fall 2013, Fall 2014

This project involves funding to continue the implementation of a student-led campus health assessment and to take a group of students to the Society of Public Health Education Annual Meeting to present their research. In 2010, a group of students put together a campus health assessment to gather data about the health behaviors of the UNF student body. The students selected the health behaviors (physical activity, illicit drug use, nutrition, mental health, nutrition, etc) to include on their survey instrument, designed the instrument, applied for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, disseminated the survey and analyzed the results. The findings provided enlightening information about student health risk behaviors at UNF. I Last year, students continued the research and the project was even more successful. It is important to continue to collect data each year to monitor student health trends. This year we will also develop a short informational video of findings to share with current students, community members, potential students (and their parents) to reach a larger audience. 

Criteria:

The students have already identified themselves because they volunteered to conduct the campus health assessment.  

We anticipate adding two more researchers after they have completed the appropriate coursework. 
Meyer, Whitney Model United Nations

904-620-2132 

whitney.meyer@unf.edu  

Office of Alumni Services 
Fall 2013, Spring 2014

This TLO will support the UNF Model UN team to attend three conferences/competitions throughout 2011-2012: Atlanta, GA (Southern Regional Conference), Washington, D.C. (national- and international-level competition), and New York, NY (major, culminating national-level competition).  Model UN is an intercollegiate simulation of the United Nations, intended to educate students about the operations and goals of the UN.  In conferences, students study different perspectives of international politics and worldwide problems such as ethnic conflict, hunger, disease, and climate change.  The national conference in New York will host nearly 5,000 students, with more than half of the attendees coming from outside of the United States.  Attendance at this conference will also allow the UNF team to take an in-depth tour of the United Nations, meet with distinguished diplomats, meet with representatives of their assigned countries’ embassies, and meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

Criteria:

The Model UN Club at UNF is open to any interested students who maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

The Model United Nations organization requires all delegates to attend mandatory meetings and have 90% participation in club activities (as outlined by the Club charter filed with Student Government).

The number participating as delegates on competition teams will be limited to Club members who are active and dedicated.

All potential delegates will be required to complete MUN research projects and to present to the Club academic position papers regarding their countries' policies on the competition topics.

Students are expected to act in a manner that best represents the UNF student body.
Salmon, Otilia & Kemppainen, John Student Teaching in Honduras

Dr. Salmon 

904- 620-1842 

osalmon@unf.edu 

57/2318 

 

Dr. John Kemppainen 

904-620-2530 

jkemppai@und.edu  

57/1085 
Spring 2013

This TLO project is for six COEHS students, in their final semester of study, to gain valuable experience in their student teaching by living and learning in Tegucigalpa, Honduras for a period of three weeks.  Students will engage in their student teaching assignments on a daily basis in one of five different bilingual schools. This international internship will serve as the culminating activity to the students’ required semester long internship in the greater Jacksonville area. Student will be required to participate in all aspects of the schools’ regular instructional and after school activities while assigned to the school. By living with host families, UNF students will gain an even greater appreciation for the lifestyle of the Honduran people.  Our UNF students will have an excellent opportunity to share techniques and strategies they have learned in the course work at UNF with their Honduran counterparts. Students will learn how the educational system functions in another country along with the strategies and instructional techniques used in those schools.

Criteria:

This TLO is available for qualified education majors at the elementary, middle-grades, secondary, K-12, and special education levels. 

Students selected for this three week experience in Honduras must be seniors in their final semester of study at UNF and be enrolled in their culminating experience course, that being student teaching. 

Students must be in good standing with the university as well as with the COEHS, have a Grade Point Average or 3.0 or above

Students must pass  all Florida Teachers Certification Exams

Field Experience
Faculty/Staff Leader Nature of the Experience
Malek, Mag & Sorce, James Maritime Construction in Malaga Spain

Dr. Malek 

904-620-1123 

mmalek@unf.edu  

50/2404 

  

Mr. Sorce 

904-620-2759 

sorj0003@unf.edu  

50/2304 

 
Summer 2013

This six-week study abroad program in Malaga, Spain will be associated with the Construction Management Honors class: Ship and Maritime Construction. Students will travel to Spain in summer 2013 to participate in the construction of a replica of the Galveztown ( a boat that played an important role in changing Florida from British to Spanish control during the Revolutionary War). We will also visit construction sites and sites of historical/architectural significance in and around Malaga and other nearby cities in Spain. Students will attend lectures provided by professors from UNF, MIT, and the University of Madrid while in Malaga. Students will also conduct library research in Malaga to enhance their understanding of the project.  

 

Criteria:

Students must be in good standing with Honors, Construction Management, or Engineering.

Students will be interviewed before they are accepted.
Merten, Julie Our Campus, Our Health: A Student-led Health Assessment

904-620-4017 

jmerten@unf.edu  

39/4014 
Fall 2013, Fall 2014

This project involves funding to continue the implementation of a student-led campus health assessment and to take a group of students to the Society of Public Health Education Annual Meeting to present their research. In 2010, a group of students put together a campus health assessment to gather data about the health behaviors of the UNF student body. The students selected the health behaviors (physical activity, illicit drug use, nutrition, mental health, nutrition, etc) to include on their survey instrument, designed the instrument, applied for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, disseminated the survey and analyzed the results. The findings provided enlightening information about student health risk behaviors at UNF. I Last year, students continued the research and the project was even more successful. It is important to continue to collect data each year to monitor student health trends. This year we will also develop a short informational video of findings to share with current students, community members, potential students (and their parents) to reach a larger audience. 

Criteria:

The students have already identified themselves because they volunteered to conduct the campus health assessment.  

We anticipate adding two more researchers after they have completed the appropriate coursework. 
Taylor, James St. Johns River Transformational Learning Opportunity

904-620-5804 

tayj0016@unf.edu 

1/2202 
Spring Break 2014

This TLO is a nine-day immersion experience during Spring Break 2014 aboard a houseboat in the Middle Basin of the St. Johns River. Students will prepare for the experience beginning the first weeks of January 2014 by attending weekly meetings and one field day (to learn canoe safety, knot tying, and initial plein air sketching).  Additionally, pre-trip work will be conducted with staff and faculty mentors in their respective major disciplines during the spring semester.  Each student will design a project to be executed on the river. This project may be conducted for academic credit if desired by the student. Projects conducted for academic credit will be guided by the faculty mentor, who will hold the student mentee accountable for completion of the project and award the final credit.  A final “deliverable” will be required as appropriate for the discipline, for example a scientific report, a completed series of paintings, a term paper, etc.

Criteria:

This TLO is open to all students, but preference is given to undergraduate students who have demonstrated an advanced level of academic achievement (junior or senior, or junior-, senior-equivalent), ability to work and live well with group of people in constrained living conditions, past field or group experiences, two academic and one personal reference (due to the lodging arrangements), and ability to swim (due to predominantly being river and water related experiences).
International
Faculty/Staff Leader Nature of the Experience
Kaplan, Leslie It's All Greek to Me: Summer in Athens

904-620-3993 

leslie.kaplan@unf.edu  

1/1606 
Summer 2014

Students will live and study for five weeks at the American College of Greece, a NEASC accredited college in suburban Athens. The students will take six credits of courses, a course taught by UNF faculty and a course at ACG. The class at ACG will be a course of their choice at either the upper or lower division. By individually choosing their own ACG class, most if not all of the other students will be Greek students, pushing them out of their “American bubble” and into closer contact with Greek students, providing a deeper level immersion.  The UNF course will add context to those immersive experiences by focusing on Greek culture.  In addition to historical background, the anthropological readings will look at attitudes, expectations, and behaviors typical of Greek culture, all of which are markedly different than in American culture.  The classwork will include some experiences and field trips designed to broaden their experience further.  Students will attend a series of workshops offered by the ACG on topics like Greek dance and cooking, and again students will be asked to compare them to American culture. 

Criteria:

The target audience for this program is students in the Honors Program.  Space permitting, the TLO leaders will also admit non-Honors students.  
Students can be of any academic level and any major. 

Students must have a 3.0 GPA or above, maturity, openness to new cultures, and interest in the subject.

To fully participate in the trips, students will need to be able to walk extensive distances on uneven ground as many of the archaeological sites are not handicap-accessible.   
Students wishing to apply will fill out an application and will be interviewed. 

Kemppainen, John International Teaching Internship in a Belizean Lab School

904-620-2530 

jkemppai@und.edu  

57/1085 
Fall 2013

This TLO proposal requests funding for ten COEHS students, to complete a portion of their internship at an international Lab School in the Central American country of Belize. Students will travel to the Kuxlinha Government Primary School in Belmopan, Belize where they will spend three weeks working in the Lab School affiliated with the University of Belize. Unique about this experience is that UNF Interns will be paired with a Belizean Elementary Grade Teacher and will collaborate with the teacher on instructional strategies in some of the most trying and challenging situations. This international internship will serve as the culminating experience for UNF students’ required semester-long internship in the greater Jacksonville area schools. Student will be required to participate in all aspects of the school's regular instructional and after school activities. UNF COEHS students will have an excellent opportunity to contribute to this program by sharing with their Belizean counterparts, techniques and strategies they have learned in their course work at UNF as well as well as learning how the educational system functions in Belize and the strategies and instructional techniques used in their schools. It will also promote the opportunity for creativity in the classroom and new ways to impart knowledge and skills as is part of the mission of Lab Schools. They will be afforded the opportunity to think outside the box as they develop new strategies to work with this special and unique population. This is an extremely diverse school with at least 2 different indigenous languages, Mayan and Garifuna, being spoken along with English, Spanish, and English Kreol.

Criteria:

This short-term internship is available to all qualified education majors at the PreK, Elementary, Middle-grade, Special Education K-12, Art Education K-12, Physical Education K-12 and Music Education K-12 levels. 

 

Students must be seniors in their final semester at UNF.

They must have received grades of B or better in both Field Lab I & II. 

Students must be in good standing with the university and the College of Education and Human Services.

Students must have a Grade Point Average of 3.0 or better,

Students must have passed all parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam
Malek, Mag & Sorce, James Maritime Construction in Malaga Spain

Dr. Malek 

904-620-1123 

mmalek@unf.edu  

50/2404 

  

Mr. Sorce 

904-620-2759 

sorj0003@unf.edu  

50/2304 

 
Summer 2013

This six-week study abroad program in Malaga, Spain will be associated with the Construction Management Honors class: Ship and Maritime Construction. Students will travel to Spain in summer 2013 to participate in the construction of a replica of the Galveztown ( a boat that played an important role in changing Florida from British to Spanish control during the Revolutionary War). We will also visit construction sites and sites of historical/architectural significance in and around Malaga and other nearby cities in Spain. Students will attend lectures provided by professors from UNF, MIT, and the University of Madrid while in Malaga. Students will also conduct library research in Malaga to enhance their understanding of the project.  

 

Criteria:

Students must be in good standing with Honors, Construction Management, or Engineering.

Students will be interviewed before they are accepted.
Michelman, Jeff Study Abroad to Peru: Service, Culture and Business

904- 620-1541 

jeff.michelman@unf.edu 

10/2101 

 
Spring Break 2013

This study abroad course involves 18 hours of pre-trip meetings to understand the social and economic fabric of Peru. During the preparation students will be engaged in research by talking with local community leaders (Rotary and water associations working in Peru) as well as resources in Peru that have been developed over time (e.g. Peace Corps, Rotary and local Incan contacts).  In Peru we will see a broad spectrum of activities which will include visiting Machu Picchu to understand the importance of Incan history and culture; meeting with experts on economic development from Government, Rotary, other NGOs, the Peace Corps and several local water agencies including Water for People. Students will work with school children and villagers to both help with education (reading to students and singing) and work on several water projects. Most importantly the students will be involved in needs assessment to better understand the issues and develop a clear strategy for raising money upon return to Jacksonville. One of the unique aspects of this study abroad is that students will have an opportunity to meet with a number of NGOs in order to determine where to invest the results of their fundraising. Upon return students will complete their strategy for raising funds ($300/student or $6,000 in total that they may choose to work with UNF Rotaract and Oceanside Rotary to apply for matching funds); complete fundraisers; work in teams to develop several proposals to use the money raised in Peru and complete the reflective portion of the journal.

Criteria:

This TLO is targeted to freshmen students.
Murphy , Debra 2014 Italy Program: Comparative Studies in Art, Art History and Italian Culture

904-620-1766 

dmurphy@und.edu  

45/2024 

 
Summer 2014

For the study of art and art history, the museums and archeological sites of Rome, Florence and Pompeii are incomparable.  The 2014 program will be scheduled for approximately six weeks  and will include an introduction to Italian language and culture in Massa before traveling to Rome. Students will have the rich experience of living in Rome where the majority of the program is centered. The living arrangements are in the St. John’s University Rome campus with dormitory facilities and kitchenettes so students have to learn how to shop with Italians, thus being exposed to an added dimension of Italian life.  St.John’s is located near the Lepanto metro stop and students learn to utilize the transportation system. They will also have many opportunities to study and present oral reports in some of the most important museums in the world including the Naples Archeological Museum (where the majority of the finds from the Vesuvian sites buried in 79 are housed), the Vatican Museums (home not only to the Sistine Chapel but works from antiquity to the modern) to the Coliseum, the Pantheon, the Uffizi and the Accademia in Florence. UNF students can earn between 6-9 hours in art history, photography and painting/drawing. Classes are offered on site from Mondays through Thursdays with weekends being available for additional exploration in Rome or travel within Italy. Field trips will be scheduled to Pisa, Siena, Florence and Naples where comparisons and contrasts will be emphasized.

Criteria:

Students must have at least a 2.75 GPA and must be of at least sophomore standing.

Students will be interviewed by the Academic Director of the program.

Students are encouraged to take either  ARH 2000, ARH 2050 or ARH 2051.

Students are thoroughly briefed about the physical rigors of the program with its demands of walking, climbing stairs and maneuvering cobblestones and archeological sites and the intensive nature of the lecture and class schedules.
Salmon, Otilia & Kemppainen, John Student Teaching in Honduras

Dr. Salmon 

904- 620-1842 

osalmon@unf.edu 

57/2318 

 

Dr. John Kemppainen 

904-620-2530 

jkemppai@und.edu  

57/1085 
Spring 2013

This TLO project is for six COEHS students, in their final semester of study, to gain valuable experience in their student teaching by living and learning in Tegucigalpa, Honduras for a period of three weeks.  Students will engage in their student teaching assignments on a daily basis in one of five different bilingual schools. This international internship will serve as the culminating activity to the students’ required semester long internship in the greater Jacksonville area. Student will be required to participate in all aspects of the schools’ regular instructional and after school activities while assigned to the school. By living with host families, UNF students will gain an even greater appreciation for the lifestyle of the Honduran people.  Our UNF students will have an excellent opportunity to share techniques and strategies they have learned in the course work at UNF with their Honduran counterparts. Students will learn how the educational system functions in another country along with the strategies and instructional techniques used in those schools.

Criteria:

This TLO is available for qualified education majors at the elementary, middle-grades, secondary, K-12, and special education levels. 

Students selected for this three week experience in Honduras must be seniors in their final semester of study at UNF and be enrolled in their culminating experience course, that being student teaching. 

Students must be in good standing with the university as well as with the COEHS, have a Grade Point Average or 3.0 or above

Students must pass  all Florida Teachers Certification Exams

Schwam-Baird, Shira French Language Study Abroad in Strasbourg, France

904-620-1248 

sschwam@unf.edu  

10/2151 
Summer 2014

The Strasbourg French language and culture study abroad program consists of five weeks in France during which the UNF students have French classes 15 hours a week (total 60 contact hours) where native speaker instructors teach entirely in French and their classmates come from all over the world. They live with French families with whom they take two meals a day, so their immersion experience continues outside the classroom, and real cultural contact fills the greater part of most days as they navigate the city independently on foot and on public transportation (and most travel outside the city is by train). Three to four afternoons a week, Dr. Schwam-Baird teaches the culture class (Faces of France), which examines social, political, and cultural issues in contemporary France with insight into their historical context, and which includes the perspective of France as part of the construction of Europe. Students also participate in many excursions, afternoon visits to places of interest in the city, full-day Saturday excursions in the region around Strasbourg, and a long weekend in Paris.

Criteria:

The program is open to all majors and minors, but in order to participate, students must have the equivalent of a year of college French study.

Students must be in good academic standing, but there is no specific GPA minimum.

Wu, Yongan UNF Intensive Chinese in China, 2014

904-620-2887 

yongan.wu@unf.edu  

10/2131 
Summer 2014

The UNF Intensive Chinese in China (ICIC) continues the advanced level Chinese language course sequence in a target-language speaking environment. ICIC is an intensive language program featuring total language immersion and time-honored training strategies to produce fluent speakers of Mandarin Chinese. ICIC follows the established model used by Ivy League schools’ summer programs including those of Harvard Beijing Academy and Princeton in Beijing. The language training is embedded in a Chinese setting, with speakers from many sectors of Chinese society joining the participants to discuss their lives. On a typical weekday, students will start their day as a class by attending a one-hour lecture for the day's lesson. The class will then break into groups of four to drill the sentence patterns and vocabulary of the lesson for two hours. In the afternoon, students will have one-hour long 1-on-1 conversation sessions. The rest of the afternoon is left open for study and extracurricular activities in Chinese. In addition, students are encouraged to take lessons in Chinese arts, such as martial arts, calligraphy, cooking, or music. On the weekends, there are performances (e.g. Chinese Opera) and excursions (e.g. museums and galleries). Students may also spend time on weekends with host families to experience the daily lives and customs of Chinese families.

Criteria:

Students who have completed two years of Chinese at UNF will be the primary target group.

Students must be in good academic standing and have finished two years of Chinese or equivalent, with a grade of C or better for all Chinese language courses.
Service Learning
Faculty/Staff Leader Nature of the Experience
Kemppainen, John International Teaching Internship in a Belizean Lab School

904-620-2530 

jkemppai@und.edu  

57/1085 
Fall 2013

This TLO proposal requests funding for ten COEHS students, to complete a portion of their internship at an international Lab School in the Central American country of Belize. Students will travel to the Kuxlinha Government Primary School in Belmopan, Belize where they will spend three weeks working in the Lab School affiliated with the University of Belize. Unique about this experience is that UNF Interns will be paired with a Belizean Elementary Grade Teacher and will collaborate with the teacher on instructional strategies in some of the most trying and challenging situations. This international internship will serve as the culminating experience for UNF students’ required semester-long internship in the greater Jacksonville area schools. Student will be required to participate in all aspects of the school's regular instructional and after school activities. UNF COEHS students will have an excellent opportunity to contribute to this program by sharing with their Belizean counterparts, techniques and strategies they have learned in their course work at UNF as well as well as learning how the educational system functions in Belize and the strategies and instructional techniques used in their schools. It will also promote the opportunity for creativity in the classroom and new ways to impart knowledge and skills as is part of the mission of Lab Schools. They will be afforded the opportunity to think outside the box as they develop new strategies to work with this special and unique population. This is an extremely diverse school with at least 2 different indigenous languages, Mayan and Garifuna, being spoken along with English, Spanish, and English Kreol.

Criteria:

This short-term internship is available to all qualified education majors at the PreK, Elementary, Middle-grade, Special Education K-12, Art Education K-12, Physical Education K-12 and Music Education K-12 levels. 

 

Students must be seniors in their final semester at UNF.

They must have received grades of B or better in both Field Lab I & II. 

Students must be in good standing with the university and the College of Education and Human Services.

Students must have a Grade Point Average of 3.0 or better,

Students must have passed all parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam
Michelman, Jeff Study Abroad to Peru: Service, Culture and Business

904- 620-1541 

jeff.michelman@unf.edu 

10/2101 

 
Spring Break 2013

This study abroad course involves 18 hours of pre-trip meetings to understand the social and economic fabric of Peru. During the preparation students will be engaged in research by talking with local community leaders (Rotary and water associations working in Peru) as well as resources in Peru that have been developed over time (e.g. Peace Corps, Rotary and local Incan contacts).  In Peru we will see a broad spectrum of activities which will include visiting Machu Picchu to understand the importance of Incan history and culture; meeting with experts on economic development from Government, Rotary, other NGOs, the Peace Corps and several local water agencies including Water for People. Students will work with school children and villagers to both help with education (reading to students and singing) and work on several water projects. Most importantly the students will be involved in needs assessment to better understand the issues and develop a clear strategy for raising money upon return to Jacksonville. One of the unique aspects of this study abroad is that students will have an opportunity to meet with a number of NGOs in order to determine where to invest the results of their fundraising. Upon return students will complete their strategy for raising funds ($300/student or $6,000 in total that they may choose to work with UNF Rotaract and Oceanside Rotary to apply for matching funds); complete fundraisers; work in teams to develop several proposals to use the money raised in Peru and complete the reflective portion of the journal.

Criteria:

This TLO is targeted to freshmen students.
Umapathy, Karthikeyan & Chuan, Ching-Hua Web Technology Development for Community Organizations

Dr. Umapathy 

904-620-1329 

k.umapathy@unf.edu  

15/3214

  

Dr. Chuan 

904-620-1378 

c.chuan2unf.edu  

15/3224 

 
Spring 2014

This project is a community-based learning opportunity for students in School of Computing in the form of faculty-directed internship course offered during Spring 2014 semester. Students will apply the knowledge and techniques they have learned in the classroom to help local community partners (for example: non-profit and startup business organizations) develop Web application products. The effectiveness of Web application development depends on good interactions and communications between clients and Web designers. Therefore, it is important for students to gain first-hand experiences of interacting with real-world clients. By working on the proposed community-based internship, students will be empowered to see the real-world application of the knowledge and skills they have learned in the classroom, and to give back to the society in a meaningful and tangible way. More importantly, students will be transformed by learning how to explain their design and concept using non-technical terms to communicate with their community partner.

Criteria:

Students must have completed the Web Access & System Design or the Internet Programming course before the start of the TLO course and should have obtained grade B or higher in the course.

Students must have an overall GPA of 2.75 and a GPA of 3.00 for School of Computing majors.

Students must be able to work 10 hours per week.Students accepted for the TLO program would be expected to register for a special topic course.
Undergraduate Research
Faculty/Staff Leader Nature of the Experience
Butler, Joseph Tortoise Studies at UNF

904-620-2831 

jbutler@unf.edu  

3/2248 
 2013-2014

This TLO provides an opportunity for UNF students to actively study a threatened species in the wild, and by so doing involved students will gain insights into conservation needs of this and other species.  My continuing studies on this population seek to determine and monitor the population sex/age structures and population densities.  To do so requires discovering and mapping all tortoise burrows, plus capturing, measuring and marking tortoises.  Some tortoises will be captured by hand while out of their burrows, but most will be actively trapped.  This data will allow us to evaluate how habitat resources are being used by the populations and what the potential is for successful reproduction and population growth.  Further, we will evaluate nesting and hatching success. Also, students are encouraged to select other projects they might like to pursue involving this population.  In the past, students have studied tortoise diets, plant growth in response to fire, diseases carried by tortoise ticks, internal burrow assessment with a robotic camera, and others. 

Criteria:

This TLO is open to all students.

The most important qualification is a sincere interest in doing field work.  It is hot and dirty, long hours, and is not for everyone. 

Another critical requirement is reliability. 
Ellis, Terri Student Lab Research into How Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Trigger Inflammation

904-620-5766 

terri.ellis@unf.edu  

3/2226 
2013-2014

This TLO is designed to give students hands-on experience with biomedical research. The specific project TLO students will be working on focuses on how the outer surface of bacteria changes as a result of acquiring antibiotic resistance.  In this project students will be characterizing the immune responses to different strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria. As part of this project, students will test the hypothesis that acquisition of drug resistance to a single antibiotic will cause significant changes to the outer surface composition, and that these changes can impact the effectiveness of the host immune response.  In addition to learning the process of lab research, students will meet with medical professionals at Mayo Clinic and tour the clinical microbiology lab at Mayo Clinic hospital. The culminating event for this TLO will be for the students to present a poster of their research at the American Society for Microbiology General Meeting in Boston, MA. At this meeting, students will attend oral and poster session on the latest microbiological research and actively interact with the scientific community during their poster presentation.

Criteria:

This TLO will be open to students who have successfully completed either BSC2012 (General Biology III) or MCB2010 (Microbiology).

A background in Biology (i.e. Biology major) is preferred, but not required.

Factors that will be considered include success in relevant coursework, career interest in the biomedical sciences, and willingness and ability to commit large segments of time in their schedule to the TLO experience.

I generally require a commitment of 6- 9 hours a week in blocks of at least 3 hour increments.

 
Gelsleichter, James Advanced Shark Ecology, Year 3

904-620-1575 

jim.gelsleichter@unf.edu  

3/2210 

 
Summer 2013

This proposal requests support for the third year of funding for a 3-credit undergraduate course focused on the ecology of sharks.  The course will provide experiential training in coastal biology to UNF undergraduates by involving them in a federally-supported research project focused on identifying regions in northeast Florida that provide critical habitat to juvenile sharks.  The field-based training that students receive will be augmented by classroom-based activities, such as group discussions, hands-on laboratory assignments, and research seminars presented by visiting scientists. The students will select one day per week (Tues, Wed, or Th) during which they will participate in a day-long sampling trip to any of the UNF Shark Biology's main sampling sites.  There will also be a weekend-long, class-wide culminating event, in which all students will travel to the Caloosahatchee River near Ft. Myers, FL, to conduct field-sampling of juvenile bull sharks as part of a high-profile study on exposure of these animals to human pharmaceuticals. 

Criteria:

Although we will show preference for students who have completed General Biology I, II, and III, we will also be willing to accept a small number of highly motivated freshmen to provide "gateway" experiences in science.

A preference will also be given to students who enroll in Dr. Gelsleichter's Spring 2013 course in Shark Biology.

 
Ochrietor, Judy Transformational Learning for Undergraduate Students in Biomedical Sciences

904-620-2827 

jochriet@unf.edu  

3/2220 
2013-2014

This Transformational Learning Opportunity is designed to provide research training for students with biomedical interests.  Modern biochemical, molecular, and cell biology techniques will be employed in the study of the neural retina. Students will explore the roles played by proteins within the mouse neural retina to determine their contributions to cellular nutrition in both healthy and diseased states.  Not only will students gain valuable research training, including hypothesis-driven experimental design, data collection, and data analysis; but will also be mentored as they communicate their findings to the Department, University, and the international community of Cell Biologists.

Criteria:

A background in Biology (i.e. Biology major) is preferred, but not required.     

Students must have successfully completed the Molecular and Cell Biology course offered by the Department of Biology prior to joining this TLO program.
Ross, Cliff Ross & Gilg, Matt Are Coral Reefs Capable of Adaptive Evolution to Climate Change?

 Dr. Cliff Ross 

904-620-1853 

cliff.ross@unf.edu 

50/2216 

  

 Dr. Matt Gilg 

904-620-1853 

mgilg@unf.edu 

59/3316 
Summer 2014

This TLO is a 2-credit, directed independent study engaging undergraduate students by offering the unique opportunity to gain hands on experience working with coral reef biology, physiology and evolution. The basis for this research opportunity is to offer selected undergraduates a challenging experience where they can work with the extremely important larval phase of Porites astreoides as a model system for coral response to climate change. UNF students will be involved in all aspects of this project including adult collection, maintenance of larvae, experimental setup, and data collection and analysis. Each student will be in charge of an independent project that will test whether elevated seawater temperatures cause lethal or sub lethal stress in coral larvae and negatively impact their settlement and survival.  Genetic analyses, along with measurement of variation in stress responses will be conducted to determine whether sufficient variation exists to allow adaptation.  The first 10 days in the latter half of May will be designated for sample collection and experimental set up. The rest of the summer will be used for laboratory analysis of the specimens at UNF. The field component of this research will take place at Mote Marine Tropical Laboratory), a fully equipped marine science facility dedicated to marine research, education and conservation.  

Criteria:

Students may be of sophomore through senior standing. 

No prerequisites are needed for this TLO. 

Preference will be given to students that have an inherent interest in marine biology and associated sciences.  

All candidates will be interviewed in person by the TLO leader.  
Salmon, Otilia & Kemppainen, John Student Teaching in Honduras

Dr. Salmon 

904- 620-1842 

osalmon@unf.edu 

57/2318 

 

Dr. John Kemppainen 

904-620-2530 

jkemppai@und.edu  

57/1085 
Spring 2013

This TLO project is for six COEHS students, in their final semester of study, to gain valuable experience in their student teaching by living and learning in Tegucigalpa, Honduras for a period of three weeks.  Students will engage in their student teaching assignments on a daily basis in one of five different bilingual schools. This international internship will serve as the culminating activity to the students’ required semester long internship in the greater Jacksonville area. Student will be required to participate in all aspects of the schools’ regular instructional and after school activities while assigned to the school. By living with host families, UNF students will gain an even greater appreciation for the lifestyle of the Honduran people.  Our UNF students will have an excellent opportunity to share techniques and strategies they have learned in the course work at UNF with their Honduran counterparts. Students will learn how the educational system functions in another country along with the strategies and instructional techniques used in those schools.

Criteria:

This TLO is available for qualified education majors at the elementary, middle-grades, secondary, K-12, and special education levels. 

Students selected for this three week experience in Honduras must be seniors in their final semester of study at UNF and be enrolled in their culminating experience course, that being student teaching. 

Students must be in good standing with the university as well as with the COEHS, have a Grade Point Average or 3.0 or above

Students must pass  all Florida Teachers Certification Exams

Smith, Kelly Ecological Restoration of Coastal Habitats

 904-620-1954 

ksmith@unf.edu 

59/1314 

 
Fall 2013

The proposed TLO will address current research in coastal restoration ecology, using an ongoing restoration project at the Guana Tolomato Matazanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) as a focal site.  The project at the GTMNERR proposes to restore and enhance fish habitat by preventing shoreline erosion and promoting shoreline accretion using a combination of mussel and oyster-based living shorelines.  The TLO will be presented as a credit-earning opportunity (upper level biology majors elective).  Students will meet once a week in a classroom on UNF campus to discuss the general objectives of restoration, expected restoration outcomes, and methods of assessing restoration success.  On Saturdays, students will typically travel to the focal field site at GTMNERR.  Saturday activities will initially focus on learning how restorations are established, and general monitoring and field measurement protocols.  Students will then form research teams overseen by Dr. Smith, with assistance from Dr. Kimball.  The research teams will carry out their field based projects for at least 1 month.  Students will present their results in a student-led workshop at the GTMNERR for members of the public as well as staff of the GTMNERR.

Criteria:

This TLO is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have been accepted into the Biology program

Students will need to have completed General Biology III.

Students will be interviewed prior to registering for the course. 

The ideal student will be one with a strong interest in applied ecology and marine science, and with a willingness to engage in rigorous work, both physical and mental, carrying out restoration related work and assessing preliminary outcomes.
Waddell, David Unraveling the Role of TGF-β in Skeletal Muscle Atrophy, Fibrosis, and Aging

904-620-1958 

d.s.waddell@unf.edu  

3/2234 

 
2013-2014

This TLO will provide undergraduates the opportunity to learn cellular and molecular genetic techniques they would not ordinarily learn in a classroom. Furthermore, students will use these skills to address important questions in muscle gene regulation. Ultimately, students will have the opportunity to conduct independent projects that will include cloning and characterizing the control regions of genes that become activated in muscle tissue in response to increased levels of TGF-β expression. The initial work for this project will occur at UNF during the 2013-2014 academic year. Then during the summer of 2014, the final phase of the project will be conducted during a two week trip to U.C. Davis.

Criteria:

Students who are majors in Biology and have an interest in the biomedical field will be given preference, however any student who is able to effectively demonstrate and articulate their reasons for wanting to participate in this program will also be given an opportunity.

Students who are freshman or sophomores will have to successfully complete General Biology I in order to participate.

Students who are juniors will be required to have successfully completed General Biology I and at least one of the other upper division courses listed above.