July 2021

In 1998, when archaeologist Keith Ashley and a team of UNF students arrived at Big Talbot Island State Park, they faced a sizable challenge. Guided to that location by Spanish documents dating back to the 1560s, which mentioned a native settlement in the area, the team began the adventure of trying to find the yet undiscovered Mocama Indian village known as Sarabay.

What they found initially, however, were trees, shrubs and other vegetation, with no markings or standing ruins to direct them. “It’s kind of like finding a needle in a haystack,” Ashley said. “So we started doing small shovel tests every 25 meters over a very large area. Based on those results, we’d go back and excavate larger areas.” Overall, they dug 550 painstaking shovel tests in the hopes of finding signs of the ancient community. Though they found artifacts, the work was halted in 1999 and was not restarted until 2020. This summer, the fieldwork continued with a team of 27 students, enrolled in the assistant professor’s course, who spent six weeks with Ashley on site.

Now, with an excavation area half the size of a football field, he believes they have found Sarabay. The most impressive find happened in late June, when the team discovered what Ashley believes are eight posts from a building within the village. Prior to that, they had unearthed more than 5,000 artifacts and between 60 − 70 pieces of Spanish pottery, which would indicate that the area dates to probably 1580 to 1620.

Before any celebration begins, however, Ashley said more verification is needed. “Archaeology is always a work in progress,” he said. “Once we get somewhere, we still have to find more. We have to verify things; we need to reinforce our interpretations, so we want to have that empirical evidence to feel really confident. But we do feel confident that we do have this community.”

If the team had been able to unearth the actual physical wooden posts, the champagne might already be flowing. What they found instead are a series of evenly spaced dark stains in the light yellow soil that form a curve. The original wooden posts would have decomposed long ago. Yet the alignment and the regular intervals indicate the stains are not rotted trees or other natural decay. “When we began to excavate them, we started to really see that they had nice profiles that look like old posts,” Ashley said. “It was exciting. Right now it looks like something fairly substantial.”

With this latest discovery, the odds have improved that the team will gain a glimpse into how these early people ― Mocama-speaking Timucua Indians ― lived prior to the 1562 arrival of the Europeans, who forced changes in their lifestyle. Moving forward, work on the site will begin again in May 2022, and Ashley will work with another team of students to expand the excavation area. He hopes to find the center of the community, where their council house would have been located and where the chiefs probably would have lived. From there, they will start looking for the outlying areas of the community.

For Ashley, learning about the past is always an important motivation. Yet, an equally enjoyable part of the work is seeing how students move from the thrill of finding something old to realizing that it actually means so much more.

“They begin to realize that it’s not just an artifact. It served a purpose and belonged to a group of people,” he said. “So the artifacts become a kind of avenue for us to get to the people, their practices and their way of life. And when students start to make that connection, that’s pretty exciting for me.”

The University has updated its COVID-19 guidelines, which were developed with the health and wellness of students, faculty, staff, vendors and visitors as UNF’s top priority.

For more detailed information, please refer to the full list of guidelines and Q&A online.

It’s summertime in Florida, which for many means time spent at the beach or pool while slathering on sunscreen for skin protection. Yet, many of us don’t know what’s in our sunscreen and even how it works.

Dr. Julie Merten, associate professor in Public Health, can tell you a lot about the topic. Two years ago, headlines claimed that harmful chemicals in sunscreen caused problems for people and coral reefs. This kicked off a homemade sunscreen trend that inspired Merten to conduct research on the recipes being shared on social media. She found more problems than benefits in the do-it-yourself products, which offered little to no sun protection.

“There’s a lot of risk of the ingredients not being effective, and even when people add zinc oxide to the formula, it’s difficult to evenly distribute the active ingredients when mixed at home,” she said. “There are better alternatives sold at the store.” To help you make an informed decision, here are a few facts about the two types of sunscreens: chemical-based and mineral blockers.

These sunscreens use a mix of chemicals that absorb the sun and dissipate the rays to prevent sunburn. In 2019, the FDA published a list of 16 approved active ingredients for sunscreens, which included 14 chemicals and two mineral blockers. Research studies have not shown chemical levels from sunscreen to be high enough to cause harm once absorbed into the body, according to Merten, yet she understands people’s concerns. “Many of us in Florida wear sunscreen every day,” Merten said. “That’s why for me at this juncture, when we really don’t know, my choice is to use a mineral blocker.”

There are two types: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Both stay on the top of the skin and act as a barrier or reflector of the sun. Consumers should look at the ingredients and select products that contain the minerals without added ingredients. For those who remember the white, heavy zinc oxide cream of 20 years ago, Merten said that technology has changed. Today the manufacturers use nano-particles, which are much smaller and easier to apply, so you feel less like you’re wearing a facemask. How much do you need? The rule of thumb is a teaspoon for the face and enough to fill a shot glass for the body.

Of course, seeking shade and staying out of the sun are the best options, though not always practical in Florida. Merten also suggested that people try new SPF clothing, which uses improved technology that makes them cool to wear while providing protection up to a Sun Protection Factor of 50.

To add to the concern about sunscreens, in May an independent lab reported that it detected high levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen, in several brands and batches of sunscreen. Since benzene is not an ingredient manufacturers use, the source is unknown, yet the lab is petitioning the FDA to recall the products. For consumers who would like to check their brand of sunscreen, the Valisure lab produced a list of brands and batch numbers in which benzene was detected, which can be found by scrolling to the end of the document.

This latest report is sure to send many people back to their home brews, Merten said. “All people hear is that sunscreens have bad chemicals, so we’re working on a study right now that will allow us to hear directly from the people making homemade lotions. The last study we did just looked at recipes. Now we want to talk to the people directly and understand their motivations.”

At this time, the best advice may be to simply check the ingredients of the brand you want to purchase. “It may say mineral blocker on the label, but it could have other chemicals mixed in,” Merten said. “If you’re concerned about chemicals or coral reef destruction, you want to look for zinc oxide or titanium dioxide with no other additives.”

Dr. Keith Ashley is an assistant professor of anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences. A recent Faculty Association Award winner for 2020-21, Ashley was recognized with the Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award. He teaches various archaeology and Native American Indian courses and is currently involved in a series of interrelated archaeological projects that aim to highlight and better understand the past cultures and deep Indigenous history of northeastern Florida. Ashley believes that Jacksonville has a rich and dynamic Native American history, but one that is underpublicized and underappreciated.

What brought you to UNF? The simple answer is Florida archaeology. In 2007, I received an opportunity to help build the UNF Archaeology Lab as research coordinator. I also taught as an adjunct and became assistant professor in 2017.

What’s one thing in your field of study that people might not know? Archaeology takes place everywhere, even in suburban yards. People are typically surprised when I tell them I’m an archaeologist and my research is here in Jacksonville.

Do you have a favorite spot on campus? I would have to say the Archaeology Lab. It affords me the opportunity to work directly with students and engage with them in the analysis process. From what I hear, it’s my second home. On weekends, my wife Angela and I enjoy riding our bikes and walking the trails on campus.

What’s the most rewarding academic experience you’ve had at UNF in or out of the classroom? Summer archaeological field school classes are great. I never tire of moments when students discover an ancient artifact and move beyond the initial feeling of awe to consider the lives of the past people who used it.

If you weren’t teaching, what else would you be doing? I cannot image doing anything other than archaeology, but it definitely would be something outside. Probably something having to do with the study and stewardship of the natural environment.

What is your personal philosophy? To borrow a line from Tom Petty … “You never slow down, you never grow old.”

What do you like most about UNF? The students, my colleagues in the SASW Department, and the University’s support of archaeology in the Jacksonville area.

Describe your teaching style. Do you like to integrate tech, or are you more comfortable with a lecture-style classroom? I am passionate about learning and try to instill this enthusiasm in students. I try to create an active learning environment that draws students into the subject matter and engages them in the learning process. While I tend to be more lecture based, I continuously reflect on my teaching methods and experiment with new ones to better assist students. Thus, I would characterize my teaching style as constantly evolving and adapting to the changing nature of undergraduate students.

If you could witness any historical event, what would it be? I would love to witness a day in the life of the Indigenous people who once lived on the archaeological sites we excavate.

What is your favorite memory from your undergraduate days? Probably Saturday game days at Auburn University. War Eagle!

Who is your favorite fictional character? I would have to say Calvin of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. He was a precocious 6-year-old with a vivid imagination and penchant for archaeology, who would carry on hilarious conversations with his “stuffed” tiger sidekick Hobbes.

Where is the best place you’ve visited? National Parks. From the local Timucuan Preserve to Chaco Canyon to Grand Canyon to Badlands and beyond.

How do you recharge? I really enjoy running. Also sitting on the beach, watching and listening to the waves come in, is very calming.

What do you like most about Jacksonville? Besides its archaeology (of course), we have family here. Its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean is a major plus.

What would you most regret not having done by the end of your life? Travel abroad to more places like Italy, Spain and France.

Kishia Hill, Persistence Advocate, Student Academic Success Services, and Fall 2020 Presidential Spot Award winner

What do you do at UNF? I have the unique opportunity to help students who are at risk of poor academic performance by meeting, discussing and creating an academic action plan, which includes providing resources for academic support and knowledge of additional resources outside of academics if needed.

What do you enjoy about working here? I enjoy helping students the most here at UNF because as a first-generation student, I wasn’t always privy to academic support resources. So I get to pay it forward and help students who don’t know about SASS resources or may need different resources in our community that I can connect them to.

I have lived in Jacksonville for almost three years this coming December. I moved to Jacksonville from Nashville, Tennessee, where I resided for the majority of my life, but I’m originally from South Jersey. I have lived in a total of four states: New Jersey, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida.

What one memory do you most treasure? The one memory I treasure the most is my wedding day. Being surrounded by my family and friends was the best feeling in the world, plus we had the time of our lives.

If you could have a dinner party and invite any four people, from the past or present, who would be on your guest list? My guest list would include Michelle Obama, Jay-Z, Richard Pryor and Zora Neal Hurston. I chose these guests because they are from different walks of life with vastly different perspectives. I’d want to know their experiences with politics, what life was like in their time period as well as collect little gems of knowledge and encouragement.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? If I could have another job for one day, I would be one of Beyonce’s background dancers during a tour performance. I love to dance and to be a part of something so phenomenal would be the chance of a lifetime.

What superpower would you like to have? How would you use it? I would want the ability to time travel. Not to change anything, but to relive some of my best experiences, or visit family and friends that are no longer with me.

If you ruled the world, what would you change on Day 1? On day one of ruling the world I’d want the less fortunate to have easier access to things that are basic human needs, especially housing and food. People want to feel safe and protected, and you constantly see people seeking shelter and food. I believe this is such a simple solution for a huge issue people deal with all over the world.

What would be the title for the movie version of your life? “Kishia and the Wonderful, Exciting, Not bad, Very Spontaneous Day.” I’m a naturally bubbly, happy and fun person. I love to laugh, I love meeting people, and I’m not obnoxious about it, even though it may sound like it.

What’s at the top of your bucket list? Zip lining on an exotic vacation is at the top of my bucket list, because I’ve never done it, and though I’m scared to do it, I wouldn’t mind trying to conquer that fear.

What one food do you wish had zero calories? Ice Cream

Tell us something that might surprise us about you. I grew up wanting to be a cosmetologist, but I don’t know how to actually do hair. I only know how to do my own hair. My family encouraged me to go to school to learn how to manage a hair salon, so I studied business. I wasn’t that great in that major and found my passion in African American history. My minor was dance. Very different from being a cosmetologist and owning a hair salon. This is where my life experience and helping students understand academic success is a passion for me. You may come in thinking you want to do one thing or being pressed to do one thing and college allows you the opportunity to explore your likes and dislikes, and you may find your passion in something you had no idea you like.

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation? My dream vacation involves just about any island with amazing beaches, history, food and views. I love the serenity of the water, the local cuisine, the rich history, the local culture and their experiences as well as being able to decompress and recharge.

Color: Purple

Ice cream flavor: Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked

Magazine: Essence Magazine

Physical activity: Dancing or Zumba

Quote: “Jump at the sun. You might not land on the sun, but at least you’ll get off the ground.” Zora Neal Hurston

The University of North Florida is among 15 winners of the first Research Accelerator grants funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as announced by the COVID-19 Research Consortium, the Health Care Cost Institute and Datavant. UNF will receive funding towards a project on “Telehealth Disparity: Investigating the Predictors for Low Utilization among Minority Populations.” UNF researchers include Dr. Cynthia Williams, health administration associate professor in the Brooks College of Health, and Dr. Richard Shang, management assistant professor in the Coggin College of Business. Learn more about Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation the grant.

The University of North Florida successfully flew ozone sensors into space on the Neptune One spaceship test vehicle that launched from the Space Shuttle Landing Facility of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in June. The ozone sensor instrument, developed by Dr. Nirmal Patel, UNF physics associate lecturer, and UNF physics students including Miguel Bolante and Karli Dattilo, was built to test innovative atmospheric science technology. Learn more about the ozone sensor project.

Dr. W. Brian Lane, visiting physics instructor, has received a grant from the Partnership for Integration of Computation into Undergraduate Physics (PICUP) to support his project on computation-based physics curriculum changes. He is creating teaching models for physics educators that focus on teaching students about computation at the initial phase of their physics education. Learn more about the physics grant.

A team of UNF researchers within the Brooks College of Health have published results of a study that looked at how COVID-19 impacted healthcare professionals in Florida. The survey of over 3,000 medical workers was conducted in June 2020 to understand impacts to employment, telehealth usage and interprofessional collaboration. The study sheds light on how COVID-19 impacted an array of healthcare professionals, all in different capacities. Learn more about the COVID-19 study and find the link to the full article.

Coggin Graduate and Executive Programs, in conjunction with JAXUSA Partnership and UNF’s College of Computing, Engineering and Construction, recently hosted a breakfast for leading local Jacksonville companies to discuss the most needed employee skills in the field of business analytics and to outline UNF’s newest business analytics program offerings. Learn more about the business analytics discussion.

In connection with the University of North Florida’s Department of Art, Art History and Design's summer course Art and Feminism, the UNF Gallery of Art presents “Kaleidoscope Projections: Women Artists from the UNF Collection.” Artwork includes painting, photography and printmaking within abstraction and figurative works including pieces from notable artists Frida Kahlo and Louise Nevelson. Learn more about the Kaleidoscop Projections exhibition.

This spring, MOCA Jacksonville partnered with the North Florida School for Special Education to deliver a virtual edition of the Art Aviators program to hundreds of students through a contract with The Kennedy Center. For over a decade, MOCA has served over a thousand families with their Art Aviators program, an educational initiative designed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other exceptionalities. Learn more about the virtual Art Aviators program.

The University of North Florida has named Dr. Miriam Griffin as program director and assistant professor for UNF MedNexus in Palm Coast. Griffin lives in the Palm Coast area and will lead the efforts in establishing and leading the UNF MedNexus nursing cohort program beginning fall 2021. Learn more about Dr. Miriam Griffin.

Congratulations to the following employees with a milestone anniversary in June:

Juliette Blaylock, Office Manager, Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Alice DeLeon, Marketing Publications Coordinator, Florida Institute of Education

Annie Gomez, IT Full Stack Software Engineer, Enterprise Systems

John Hale, Associate VP, Administration and Finance, Physical Facilities

Luisa Martinez, Assistant Director, Student Affairs, Center for International Education

Michelle Rancharan, Coordinator, Treasury

Robert Richardson, Director, Research Technology Services, College of Computing, Engineering and Construction

Jennifer Spaulding-Givens, Associate Professor, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work

Pamela Cousart, Assistant Director, Physical Facilities

Nicholas Eastham, Coordinator, Academic Support Services, College of Education and Human Services

James Lanier, Senior Recycle Refuse Worker, Physical Facilities

Nick Morrow, Director of Athletics, UNF Athletics 

Donald Resio, Professor, Taylor Engineering Research Institute

Loc Tran, Custodial Worker, Custodial Services

Dona Yazbec, Office Manager, Brooks College of Health

Maris Brien, Technical Support Specialist, Financial Aid Office

Eric Cardenas, Recycle Refuse Worker, Recycle

Thomas Caswell, Associate Dean for Public Services, University Library

Jeff Conrad, Associate Athletic Coach, Softball

Jeffrey Dennis, Assistant Director, Development, UNF Athletics

Bruce Evans, Assistant Athletic Coach, Men's Basketball

Adam Harpstrite, Events Planning Associate, IPTM

Gunner Lake, Assistant Director, IT Security

Elizabeth McCarthy, Professor, Nursing

Paul Parkison, Professor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum

Leslie Rosenberg, Nurse Practitioner, Counseling Center

Lauri Wright, Associate Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics

Andrea Wylie, Administrative Specialist, Continuing Education

Diane Yendol-Hoppey, Dean and Professor, College of Education and Human Services

The following employees were either hired by UNF or were promoted from OPS positions recently:

Mary Ankenbauer, Accounts Payable Receivable Associate, IPTM

Wendy Baker, Clinical Program Manager, College of Education and Human Services

Sierra Calhoun Pollard, Coordinator, Marketing Publications, Continuing Education

David Harkins, Maintenance Mechanic, Housing and Residence Life

Westin Huettner, Applications Systems Analyst, Enterprise Systems

Alexandra Lackard, Academic Advisor, COAS Advising

Casey Leslie, Coordinator, Online Student Services, UNF Online

Richard Paul, Small Business Consulting Coordinator, Small Business Development Center

Yuracy Salazar, Senior Registered Nurse, Student Health Services

Robert Shoals, Maintenance Mechanic, Student Union-Maintenance and Energy Management

Lauren Viar, Admissions Coordinator, Admissions

Rickie Williams, Groundskeeper, Grounds

Jazmyn Wimberly, Assistant Child Development Teacher, UNF Preschool

The following employees were promoted recently:

Jamie Chaires, Senior Instructional Designer, Center for Instruction and Research Technology 

Ashley Chivalette, Assistant Director, Annual Giving

Vanitti Gilley, Human Resources Specialist, Human Resources

Jann Sutton, Senior Instructional Designer, Center for Instruction and Research Technology

Heartfelt wishes in their new endeavors for the following employees who left UNF recently:

Tyler Adams, Groundskeeper, Housing and Residence Life

Mitchell Arthur, Maintenance Mechanic, Shared Cost

Diane Engelhardt, Administrative Assistant, Student Affairs

Kyle Greene, Academic Support Services Coordinator, One-Stop Center

Ronald Hall, Groundskeeper, Housing and Residence Life

Jaylyn Jones, Assistant Director, Residence Life, Housing and Residence Life

Gregory Krupa, Associate Athletic Coach, Cross Country

Judy Lee, Custodial Worker, Custodial Services

Sheila Mastriana, Child Development Teacher, UNF Preschool

Lawrence Robles, Senior Accountant, Controller

Daniel Ross, Academic Advisor, COEHS Advising

Christopher Shugart, Groundskeeper, Grounds

Elijah Soto, Groundskeeper, Housing and Residence Life

Brooks College of Health
Clinical and Applied Movement Sciences
Dr. James Churilla, professor and graduate program director Kinesiology and Lifestyle Medicine, served as the thesis chair for recent master’s graduate Daniela Charry, who was nominated as one of the five finalists for the very prestigious Jeremiah and Rose Stamler Research Award for New Investigators at the American Heart Association Epidemiology and Lifestyle Conference.

School of Nursing
Dr. Helene Vossos, assistant professor and program director for PMHNP-DNP, has been invited to write a chapter on bipolar disorder for “Advanced practice nursing in the care of Older Adults,” Springer Publishing.

Nutrition and Dietetics
Dr. Andrea Arikawa, associate professor, discussed her gut bacteria study with WJCT. Arikawa also shared fermented food recipes for good gut health on First Coast Living.
Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof, assistant professor, discussed caffeine with Florida Newsline.
Also, Hicks-Roof, with J. Xu, R.J. Zeglin, C.E. Bailey, H.Y. Hamadi, and R. Osborne, published the article “Covid-19 Impacts on Florida’s Healthcare Professionals,” Hops Top. 2021 May 24: 1-12. See the online article. In addition, Hicks-Roof, with M.P. Franklin, C.V. Sealey-Potts, R.J. Zeglin, published the article “Dietary and behavior changes following RDN-led corporate wellness counseling: A secondary analysis.” Work. 2021;68(4):1019-1025. Read more online. 

Dr. Lauri Wright, associate professor, discussed fruit and Type 2 diabetes with Healthline.

Dr Julie Merten, associate professor, discussed her research on sunscreen with Consumer Reports.

Dr. Tes Tuason, with colleague C. Dominik Güss, authored “Individualism and Egalitarianism Can Kill: How Values Predict Coronavirus Deaths across the Globe,” published in Frontiers in Psychology, Cultural Psychology.

Coggin College of Business
Caleb Garrett, assistant director of development, shared the many exciting new Coggin College of Business initiatives and offerings on Buzz TV.

Dr. Nathan Kunz, associate professor of operations management, published the article titled “A multi‐method approach to prioritize locations of labor exploitation for ground‐based interventions” in the Production and Operations Management Journal. Read Dr Kunz article online.

Dr. Madeline Zavodny, professor, had her new study from the National Foundation for American Policy study featured in Forbes.

Dr. Di Shang, assistant professor of management and co-principle investigator, with Dr. Cynthia White-Williams, associate professor in Brooks and co-principle investigator, have been awarded a COVID-19 research accelerator grant for their project, “Telehealth Disparity: Investigating the Predictors for Low Utilization among Minority Populations.” Read the press report online. 

College of Arts and Sciences
Art, Art History & Design
Stephen Heywood, professor of ceramics, exhibited his artwork in the following National Juried Exhibitions:

• Westmoreland Art National ― National Juried Exhibition, Youngwood, Pennsylvania
• Form and Function ― National Juried Exhibition, Applied Contemporary Crafts Gallery, Oakland, California
• 4th National Juried Cup Shop ― National Juried Exhibition and was awarded the Juror’s Choice Award, The Hudgens Center for Art and Learning, Duluth, Georgia

Jason John, associate professor of painting, exhibited his paintings, “Up Close and Personal” and “Home Sick,” in Poughkeepsie, New York at the exhibition “The Art Effect,” juried by Anna Conlan. His paintings, “Up Close and Personal” received an Honorable Mention and “Circle Foundations of the Arts” received an Award of Excellence in an exhibition in Lydon, France.

Biology
Dr. Dale Casamatta, professor, with co-authors P. Dvořák, P. Hašler, D.A. Casamatta and A. Poulíčková, published a paper titled “Underestimated cyanobacterial diversity: trends and perspectives of research in tropical environments,” 2021, Fottea

Dr. Quincy Gibson, associate professor, talked with First Coast News about her team’s discovery of an entangled dolphin calf in the St. Johns River.

School of Communication
Dr. Nataliya Roman, assistant professor of multimedia journalism and production, with Dr. Berrin Beasley, professor of Multimedia Journalism, and Dr. John Parmelee, professor of communication, published a paper titled “From fiction to reality: Presidential framing in the Ukrainian comedy “Servant of the People” in the European Journal of Communication. Online publication May 12. 

Dr. Siho Nam, associate professor of multimedia journalism, presented his paper titled “Scratching the surface: The discursive construction of Facebook scandals in defense of the economic status quo” at the virtual conference of International Communication Association May 27-31.

Criminology and Criminal Justice
Dr. Michael Hallett, professor, discussed his prison research with the Clarion Ledger.

Dr. Kristina Lopez, assistant professor, and Dr. Holly Miller, professor, had their article, “Social Bonds and Latino/a/x Victimization,” highlighted in the “Hot Off the Press” feature of Latina/o/x Criminology. 

English
Dr. Tru Leverette, associate professor of English, published the edited collection "With Fists Raised: Radical Art, Contemporary Activism, and the Iconoclasm of the Black Arts Movement," May.

Dr. Maureen McCluskey, visiting English instructor, presented "The Substantial Role of the Performing Arts and the Adaptive Possibilities for Creative Female Leaders during the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic" at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, May.

Dr. Betsy Nies, associate professor of English, published "Mer-beings Among Us: Three Contemporary Novels" in “Wasifiri: International Contemporary Writing,” May.

History
Dr. Felicia Bevel, assistant professor, discussed Jacksonville's history of race relations on First Coast News.

Dr. Alison J. Bruey, professor of history, presented "El movimiento de pobladores y la UP a 50 años" at the Latin American Studies Association annual congress on May 28.

Mathematics and Statistics
Dr. Beyza Aslan, associate professor of mathematics, published a paper titled “Modeling the change in electric potential due to lightning in one-dimensional space” in Applicable Analysis.

Dr. Fei Heng, assistant professor, received a grant from the Salem Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Roanoke, Virginia, to develop statistical models to improve the care of veterans with chronic kidney disease.

Dr. Mahbubur Rahman, associate professor of mathematics, gave a plenary talk titled “Stochastic differential equations and its application to Mathematical Neurosciences", International E-Conference on Mathematics and its Applications, University of Dhaka, April 10-11.

School of Music
Dr. Gary Smart, professor, composed “Sonata No. 1” that was featured on the album “Modern Music for Piano” (RMN Music, 2021). The sonata was performed on the album by UNF grad Yukino Miyake, ’16.

Philosophy and Religion Studies
Dr. Andrew Buchwalter, Presidential Professor, presented “Human Dignity, Human Rights, and Interculturality” at the Prague Philosophy and Social Science Colloquium, Virtual Conference, May 19-22.

Dr. Julie Ingersoll, professor of religious studies, published her work titled “Martyrs and Demons: the Making of a Christian Martyr,” in Religion, Conflict and Global Society – A Festschrift Celebrating Mark Juergensmeyer,” Mona Kanwal Sheikh and Isak Svennson eds., The Danish Institute for International Studies and Uppsala University, May 19.

Psychology
Dr. Lisa Byrge, assistant professor, co-authored “High-Amplitude Cofluctuations in Cortical Activity Drive Functional Connectivity” that was published in the Proceedings of the National Academic of Sciences. Along with the Nature and Science, PNAS is often considered one of three most prestigious journals in the natural sciences.

Dr. Lori Lange, associate professor and chair of psychology, published a research manuscript titled "Validating a Short Conners CPT 3 as a Screener: Predicting Self-reported CDC Concussion Symptoms in Children, Adolescents, and Adults" in the Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology. Read Dr. Lange's article online. 

Political Science and Public Administration
Dr. Michael Binder, professor and Public Opinion Research Lab director, was awarded a $134,000 grant from the Institute of Police Technology and Management to study pedestrian and bicycle safety. Binder also spoke to the Palm Beach Post about U.S. Rep. Val Demings’ campaign for Senate. 

Dr. Joshua C. Gellers, associate professor of political science, gave a talk titled, “Rights-Based Approaches to Environmental Protection: Towards Environmental Democracy?” to the Fernandina Beach-based environmental group Wild Amelia. Gellers also discussed his book, “Rights for Robots: Artificial Intelligence, Animal and Environmental Law.” In addition, Gellers chaired a session on “Environmental Law and Sustainable Development in South Asia” at the Law and Society Association Annual Meeting, May.

Dr. Emily Maiden, assistant professor, discussed critical race theory on WJCT.

Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work
Dr. Keith Ashley, assistant professor of anthropology, received a grant from The Friends of Talbot Islands State Park to support the excavations that he is doing with his students at a Timucua village on Big Talbot Island. Ashley also published the chapter “Moving to Where the River Meets the Sea: Origins of the Mill Cove Complex” in a book titled “Reconsidering Mississippian Households and Communities” (University of Alabama Press). Ashley and UNF Associate Professor Emeritus Robert Thunen co-authored the chapter “Before the Churches: Pre-Contact Mocama History, Culture, and Religion in “Facing Florida: Essays on Culture and Religion in Early Modern Southeastern North America” (The Academy of American Franciscan History). In addition, Ashley published “Indigenous Northeast Florida: Searching for a Mocama Indian Community” in the popular magazine “Adventures in Florida Archaeology.”

Dr. Jacqueline Meier, assistant professor of anthropology, has been awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipend Grant for her project “Animals of a Late Bronze Age Household at Mycenae, Greece.” The endowment grant is a prestigious award that will support Meier’s research and writing of two articles on the use and treatment of animals in Late Bronze Age Mycenae in Greece.

College of Education and Human Services
Dr. Rebecca West Burns, director of clinical practice and educational partnerships, and Bill Herrold, Endowed Professor, co-authored the recently released National Association for Professional Development Schools’ second edition of the “Nine Essentials,” the national guidelines that set the standard for high quality school-university partnerships. Learn more about the publication.

The Center for Urban Education and Policy’s community collaboration project, the 2018 Hope and History Mural, was voted “best public art” by the viewers of News4Jax. Learn more about the "best public art" honor.  

Dr. Luke Cornelius, associate professor, was interviewed by Zenger news for his prospective on the Supreme Court ruling about student athlete compensation.

Dr. Suzanne Ehrlich, assistant professor created and is managing the new Universal Design for Inclusion in Training and Education Design Lab. Known as UNITE, the lab is not a physical space, but will serve as a hub to drive inclusive practice across training and development to support ALL learners. Learn more about the UNITE project online. 

Dr. Liz Gregg, associate professor, Dr. Amanda Blakewood Pascale, assistant professor, Dr. Jessie Stapleton, Ana Roman-Dominguez, assistant coach of the UNF women’s tennis team and doctoral student, and Dr. Matt Ohlson, associate professor and director of the Taylor Leadership Institute, will be presenting “The Female University Athlete: How Leadership Development Transformed Women’s Sport Teams Both in the Classroom and on the Playing Field: A Preliminary Study” at the International Leadership Association’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Virtual Summit.

Dr. David Hoppey, associate professor, discussed Critical Race Theory with The Florida Times-Union.

Dr. Chris Janson, Center for Urban Education and Policy director, discussed the COEHS Summer Bridges Camp with The Florida Times-Union.

Dr. Jennifer Renée Kilpatrick, assistant professor, presented her research “Written Language Inventory for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students: Identification and expansion of students' writing repertoires at the 23rd International Congress on the Education of the Deaf. Her paper presentation summarized the work she and her colleagues have done to develop a Written Language Inventory (WLI) and supplemental materials for teachers of the deaf throughout the past eight years. These materials include the WLI Ladders, a simplified visual version of the assessment, and the WLI Guidebook which contains information, lessons and mentor texts that teachers of the deaf can use for explicit instruction of language (grammar) structures.

Dr. Amanda Kulp, director of assessment, Dr. Amanda Blakewood Pascale, assistant professor, and Dr. Lisa Wolf-Wendel, University of Kansas, will have their article “Clear as mud: Promotion clarity by gender and BIPOC status across the associate professor lifespan,” published in the forthcoming volume of Innovative Higher Education.

Dr. Matt Ohlson, associate professor and director of the Taylor Leadership Institute, with UNF doctoral program graduate Nehaya Alhamed, published in the Journal for Interactive Learning Research. 

Dr. Nile Stanley, associate professor of literacy education, has been invited as expert reviewer for submissions for The 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) to be held in San Diego.

Center for Instruction and Research Technology
Kevin Hulen, assistant director for quality and assessment for UNF Online, authored a chapter “Quality Assurance Drives Continuous Improvements to Online Programs” published in Quality in Online Programs: Approaches and Practices in Higher Education, edited by S. Kumar and P. Arnold. The Netherlands: Brill, in press.

MOCA Jacksonville

Director Caitlín Doherty celebrates The Many Sides of Pride Film Festival with the Jacksonville Business Journal.

Thomas G. Carpenter Library
Lauren Newton, head of instruction, contributed to the “Online Biographical Dictionary of the Woman Suffrage Movement in the United States” with a biographical sketch of May Mann Jennings, civic leader and woman suffragist with ties to Jacksonville. 

Apryl Price, head of acquisitions and collection development, and Chelsea Gentry, coordinator of acquisitions presented a virtual poster titled “It’s the End of the World as We Know It: How COVID-19 Affected Collection Development Practices” at the American Library Association Virtual Annual Conference.

The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) announced that University of North Florida swimming has earned Scholar All-America honors for their efforts in the classroom last semester after posting a 3.61 team GPA. "Our program continues to excel in the classroom year in and year out," said head coach Ian Coffey. "This academic year was tough for everyone and we continued to improve. Our student-athletes take pride in the academic success." Learn more about the All-American honors.

After nearly two months of voting from Division I baseball coaches, media and fans, UNF baseball's Alex Kachler was named to the 2021 Senior CLASS Award Baseball First Team All-American squad as announced Friday, June 18. Kachler became the first student-athlete in ASUN Baseball history to be named ASUN Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the same season. Learn more about the award.

The Voice of the Ospreys, Richard Miller, sat down with UNF Director of Athletics, Nick Morrow, who assumed the position of Athletic Director July 1 following AD Lee Moon's retirement. Listen to the interview with Nick Morrow.

With minor league, independent ball and major league ball in full swing, we'll check on our former Ospreys now in the professional ranks. Check on the former Ospreys in pro ball.

Division I PING First-Team All-American honors were announced by the Golf Coaches Association of American (GCAA) with North Florida's Nick Gabrelcik included on the list of 12 honorees. The ASUN Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, Gabrelcik becomes the first player in UNF program history to garner First-Team All-American distinction. Learn more about the First-Team All-American honor.

The opportunity to learn from and play in front of the UNF volleyball coaching staff is available as the program announces a number of summer camps in July. Camps will be held on campus at the UNF Arena. All of the camps are open to any and all entrants, limited only by number, age, grade level and/or gender. Learn more about the camps online.

   

Is your diet aging you? Turns out that what you put on your plate might actually affect what you see in the mirror. But a few tweaks to what you eat can help keep you young, both inside and out!

      

We know that trans fats and sugar cause inflammation. Inflammation, in turn, speeds up the aging process. A diet containing foods like doughnuts, pastries, bacon, hot dogs and fatty meats can actually make you look older.

A recent national ranking placed the University of North Florida as the No. 7 most affordable LGBTQ-friendly institution in the country for 2021, as published by Student Loan Hero, an online student debt platform. Choosing from schools that have earned a high Campus Pride Index rating, Student Loan Hero then analysed the latest tuition and fee data from schools around the nation. Learn more about the ranking.

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