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December 2021/January 2022

Students Capture Beauty and Physics in Photos
Study Strives to Give Epilepsy Patients the Gift of Time
Virtual Learning Options Await Faculty and Students
UNF Invites Campus Community to 50th Anniversary Kickoff Event
Free Things to Do at UNF in December and January
Get to Know
Osprey Profile
Inside News Roundup
Dateline
Faculty and Staff
Swoop Summary
De-Stress in December
Spread the Word

Students Capture Beauty and Physics in Photos

By Marsha Blasco

Tonic water with water reflections For physics major Anne Evans, everything just fell into place when she decided to submit a photo to the UNF 2021 Physics Photo Contest.

From finding a black light flashlight at her parent’s home to learning about light absorption in class to having an elegant glass to show off the tonic water, Evans had what she needed to create a first-place winner — “Ultraviolet Fluorescence.” Her glowing drink was chosen by the faculty of the Department of Physics based on the explanation of physics concepts behind the image as well as the aesthetics of the photo. Facebook followers voted it a third-place win.

“I had just learned the physics behind; it was like an application that I had just learned in my classes, so I totally understood it and knew I could easily write about, so that’s why I chose it,” Evans said. What she discovered in her research was that the molecule quinine in tonic water, when exposed to ultraviolet radiation, or black light, absorbs photons causing it to “jump up” several energy levels. It then immediately drops back. This repeats continuously making the tonic water appear to glow.

ponce inlet lighthouse Evans' photo was one of 55 submitted to Dr. Jason Haraldsen, associate professor of physics, who has been hosting this annual contest since 2016. In addition to having the largest number of submissions this year, Haraldsen said the quality of photos was also impressive. After the physics faculty selected the Top 10 and their choice for No. 1, the rest of the voting was done on Facebook.

Gaining the most votes from Facebook followers was the image submitted by physics major Ethan Smith, who was on a casual outing when he discovered a photo worthy subject at the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum. In the museum was the original Fresnel (fray-nel) lens used when the lighthouse was activated in 1887. Though not in use, the lens was actively reflecting the natural light of the room through its many angles.

“When I first saw this thing, I was fascinated by how unique it was,” Smith said. “The photo doesn’t do it justice. Walking around it and seeing the light reflected was so cool.” In his description, Smith explained that the “strange shape and configuration of these annular lenses allowed for a very thin Fresnel lens to be nearly as effective as a much larger, traditional optical lens.”

The second-place winner was an area high school student who captured reddish lights produced from the electrical arc used by a welder to fuse metal. This is the second year that an entry from a high school student has made it into the Top three and the first year that a middle school student made it into the Top 10, Haraldsen said. In all, there were nine entries from area high schools and middle schools.

While Haraldsen hopes to see UNF students from across campus collaborate with physics majors to submit photos in the future, he is happy to see the increasing number submitted each year from area schools. “One of the points of this contest is to have area school students participate,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to inspire students to come to UNF. The second-place winner emailed me and said how excited he was to win second place, and in a few years, he’s hoping that he’ll get accepted to UNF. That’s the goal, to get students excited about the University.”

Read more about the contest on the UNF physics website and see all the .

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Study Strives to Give Epilepsy Patients the Gift of Time

head with brain illustration and world map

For people living with epilepsy, not knowing when they will have their next seizure significantly limits their ability to work and participate in activities. Yet research now underway could change all that by providing a warning when a seizure is imminent.

Dr. Mona Nasseri, assistant professor of electrical engineering, is collaborating with Mayo Clinic on a study that found patterns when researchers compared physiological data – collected by a monitoring device worn on the wrist -- with the actual time of a seizure. Through analysis of data, such as heart rate, body temperature and movement, researchers discovered that they would have been able to forecast most of the seizures about 30 minutes before they occurred. As a result, they recently published their findings showing that it is possible to provide reliable seizure forecasts without directly measuring brain activity.

That gift of time would offer hope for a better life, allowing patients to take fast-acting medications or alter their activities. “We just hope to help these people,” Nasseri said. “I have seen these patients, and I know that they need something like this … when they have a lot of seizures that are resistant to medications, they have to avoid so many activities. We hope to be able to help them with this project.”

The study is part of the Epilepsy Foundation of America’s Epilepsy Innovation Institute, and the My Seizure Gauge project, which includes international collaboration. The project is based at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Nasseri worked for three years at that location with Dr. Benjamin Brinkmann, an epilepsy scientist and lead researcher for the study, before joining the faculty at UNF in the fall of 2020. Involved from the project’s inception, Nasseri will continue to analyze data and collaborate with Brinkmann.

This is the first study that followed people during their daily activities for six to 12 months, rather than previous work that was based on in-hospital data recording of patients, according to Nasseri. They tracked six people with drug-resistant epilepsy and an implanted neurostimulation device that monitors electrical brain activity. Because of the device in the brain, the researchers were able to receive data that indicated exactly when the seizure occurred, rather than having to rely on participants noting the time in personal diaries, which is less reliable.

Nasseri is contributing to the study by implementing machine learning and signal processing techniques to develop these detection algorithms and seizure predictions. “We collected the data from the wrist-worn devices and designed a machine-learning algorithm,” she said. “Based on the actual times of the seizures, we selected data prior to the seizure to train the machine learning classifier and were able to develop the algorithm to recognize the pre-seizure data.”

Though the data collection is nearly complete, the analysis will continue and may take close to a year to accomplish. The next steps will include perfecting the algorithm and developing the hardware that can apply the algorithm in a real-time application, something a few years in the future.

Nasseri is pleased to be able to continue working with Mayo on this research. “Before I worked at Mayo, I was working on telecommunication systems, but then when I started working at Mayo, I found this project very interesting. It gives meaning to your work. You see that you probably are going to help some people. That’s different and what I truly enjoy.”

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Virtual Learning Options Await Faculty and Students

What used to be just numbers on paper have come to life for UNF senior Trevor Rogers. Using a special headset and software at the Thomas G. Carpenter Library’s Virtual Learning Center, Rogers can interact with these computational modeling concepts in a whole new way — as “touchable” molecules in three-dimension.

In this virtual world, molecules are life-size, allowing Rogers to reach out, grab them and manipulate them. “I did my whole degree without ever getting to do this, this is magical,” Rogers said. “To me, this is an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ moment, as corny as that sounds, but I can’t emphasize how important it is that I can build and rotate molecules in my hand and examine them … I can see myself becoming an advocate for this type of learning application.”

Rogers has been part of a team of student researchers working with Dr. Kenneth Laali, UNF Presidential Professor of Chemistry. Earlier this year, Laali was awarded a second U.S. patent for his research on the synthesis and bioactivity of a new class of compounds, known as curcuminoids, to fight cancer tumors, work that has spanned more than five years and produced over 120 new compounds. His lab has provided prominent research opportunities for UNF students over the years, several of whom became co-authors on peer-reviewed publications and went on to pursue doctoral degrees at R1 Institutions. To date, seven peer-reviewed publications and two patents have resulted from this line of work, and one made the cover of the journal ChemMedChem.

Stepping out of the lab and into the virtual lab, Laali investigated a virtual reality software called Nanome, that enables visualization and docking of his curcuminoids into specific proteins known to be important in various types of cancer. He sees it as a powerful learning tool for chemistry and biology students. “This software allows us to look in three-dimension into the actual interaction of a potential drug with a particular protein,” Laali said. Though the use of the software is not part of his extensive experimental work, it provides a complimentary tool. Laali said that he and Rogers are currently importing some of his “optimized curcuminoid structures to perform docking into the pocket of proteins to compare his computational docking work with the data that Nanome can produce.”

“I examined Nanome myself and was waiting for a student to come along who would be interested in this type of research, so Trevor is the first,” Laali said. “Maybe once the word gets out, other faculty will become interested to try it out and develop ideas to utilize this software.”

Kelly Hovinga, Virtual Learning Librarian, joined the campus community this year and serves as a resource to faculty and students wanting to work in the VR Lab. She said that Laali is the only faculty member using Nanome at this time.

“Nanome is currently being used by a number of R1 institutions for teaching basic chemistry principles. Interacting with the molecules in a 3D space facilitates students’ understanding of spatial chemistry concepts,” Hovinga said. “What’s cool about the software is you can teach in a virtual classroom, with multiple students viewing the same molecule in VR. Thus, if you wanted to talk about a specific chemistry concept, you could do so while manipulating the molecule ‘on screen.’ We hope to have 16 licensed seats to match our 16 VR headsets.”

For Rogers, using Nanome has been a tremendous learning experience, one that he is eager to share with his lab partners. He was not surprised to learn that the software was used for some of the original COVID research. “The tutorial has you working with the COVID spike protein,” Rogers said.

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UNF Invites Campus Community to 50th Anniversary Kickoff Event

50th anniversary logo Mark Your Calendar!

Join fellow faculty, staff and students as we kickoff UNF’s 50th anniversary on Thursday, January 13 at 3:30 p.m. in the UNF Arena. There will be great prizes, fun games, lots of giveaways, and highlights about our year-long celebration! There will also be a Basketball Free Throw Contest, where one student and one staff/faculty member from each college or division will compete against the others for prizes. Sign up for a chance to be selected.

And be sure to check out the newly launched 50th website for more information about other upcoming events during 2022.

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Free Things to Do at UNF in December and January

UNF Night at Deck the Chairs

unf display at deck the chairs Friday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m. 1st Ave N. & 1st Street N., Jacksonville Beach
'Tis the season to SWOOP! We're back at Deck the Chairs this year with our very own night. Show your Osprey pride in your blue and gray gear, enjoy perusing more than 40 decorated chairs, and be sure to vote for UNF's chair tonight! The UNF Bookstore will also be on hand with UNF items for purchase. If you can't make the event, you can see UNF's display and others any time from Nov. 20 through Jan. 1.

The Justice Sessions: ‘Preserving Zora’s Eatonville’
Wednesday, Dec. 8, Noon – 1 p.m. Online
In this presentation, N.Y. Nathiri will discuss her extensive work spearheading efforts to preserve the historic town of Eatonville, Florida, including her establishment of the annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities. Register online.

MOCA: Freestyle Cypher with Mal Jones
man using his phone to text someone Saturday, Dec. 11, Noon – 2 p.m., MOCA Jacksonville
For December’s Studio Practice, local lyricist Mal Jones will teach you how to freestyle on the mic and improvise on the fly. Join him for a discussion about the creative process of improvisation. Free, but registration required.

COAS Scholars Lecture featuring Dr. Josh Gellers
Wednesday, Jan. 19, 5 – 6 p.m. Online
China has recently become the world’s largest lender to developing countries. But to what extent are China’s activities indicative of a new approach to South-South cooperation and does the country offer an alternative to Western aid? This talk examines the drivers and impacts of Chinese foreign assistance with a specific emphasis on Africa. The presentation closes with some tentative conclusions about the effects of the changing global landscape of development finance. Free, but registration required.

The Cummer Family Foundation Chamber Music Series
Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Recital Hall of the Fine Arts Center
This first Cummer Family Foundation concert of the new year presents Richard Cox, tenor, with Denise Wright, piano. Dr. James Hall is the artistic director. Please register to confirm your attendance.

The Chamber Music of Gary Smart
piano with sheet music Wednesday, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m., Recital Hall of the Fine Arts Center
Featuring the Bold City Contemporary Music Ensemble with Erin Bodnar, conductor.
Free, but registration requested.

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Get to Know

Meet Stephen Fagan, assistant director of Physical Facilities

What do you do at UNF?
Manage minor construction projects, major infrastructure projects and utility locates.

What do you enjoy about working here? Being behind the scenes. Taking a forensic approach to uncovering and problem-solving issues on campus. Knowing the action I took will have a positive impact on the campus environment.

How long have you lived in Jacksonville?
My wife of 25 years and I have made Jacksonville and the surrounding community our home for 23 years. As our roots deepened, the family expanded from two to three with the birth of daughter LaRyn in 2000, now a senior at UCF, followed by our second daughter, Madison in 2004, a senior in high school. We are blessed.

Tell us about your painting on the wall in Physical Facilities.
As a military veteran, units display patches and adopt symbols of who and what they are to promote a sense of esprit de corps. Physical Facilities is essentially a unit of the University. The caricatures depict our operations symbolizing (the different shops) how and what we do affects our students, faculty and staffing senses without hesitation: touch, smell, sight, sound and the psychologically to ensure the environment is conducive for learning.

What other painting have you done? There are four Physical Facilities Ozzies I’ve painted around campus: Bldg. 5 lobby and conference room; Bldg. 6 lobby, and the Campus Maintenance Facility Bldg. 64. I am well versed in all types of mediums: pencil, pen and ink, pastels, charcoal, acrylic, oils, watercolor, etc. I’ve painted murals both residential and commercially across the states. I have been drawing, painting and sketching since I was about four or five years old. I am the 14th of 16 children. I grew up in a household of nine sisters and six brothers and a large extended family of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and where money was a luxury. I turned to drawing to keep busy and express myself. It also kept me out of trouble.

What one memory do you most treasure?
This memory sticks out — April 12, 2000 was the birth of my first daughter. Sitting with my wife in the delivery room and witnessing the awesome power of God. I witnessed a person coming forth from another person so pure in mind, body, and spirit, being a part of that will last me to the end of days.

If you could have a dinner party and invite any four people, from the past or present, who would be on your guest list?
I wish to invite my heroes to dinner for an evening: both sets of my grandparents. I was blessed to meet my grandmother on my mother’s side who made her transition when I was in college. Both sets of grandparents were born in the 1880s, 20-plus years after 1865, the end of slavery. You don’t fully understand the importance of those jewels until you’ve become an adult and bare your own burdens. I would want to thank them for the trials, tribulations and hardships they endured and the sacrifices they made so that their offspring’s tomorrow was a little better than their yesterday. I would like to converse with them about their parents and growing up and my parents as children. And thank them so much for whom I become because it is a direct result of who they were.

What would be the title for the movie version of your life?
My three girls, a guy? There is nothing more important for me than to play the leading role in the movie for my three ladies, Comolita, LaRyn and Madison. My existence is all about them.

What’s at the top of your bucket list?
My bucket list items include visiting many of mankind’s accomplishments to name a few: The Churches of Lalibela, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Puma Punka, Teotihuacan, the Nazca Lines and the list goes on and on, any one of these sites would suffice.

What one food do you wish had zero calories?
I’ve heard this from my wife for years, “I wish I had your metabolism, if I look at a cookie, I’ll gain five pounds.” I have been fortunate for nearly 40 years never gaining more than five pounds since my high school days, so I really am not affected by my calorie intake. So, bring on the pie!

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I am always accompanied with my backpack, it’s my source of power and protections. It contains my bible I’ve had since high school, my wedding invitation, both my daughter’s crown caps, artifacts from my mother and even though we have not fully lived up to the nation’s creed, the American Flag, the symbolism of ideals of who we are and supposed to be.

Tell us a few of your favorite things.
Board game: Risk and chess, these games require some thought, cunning and strategy
Childhood memory: growing up in large close-knit family, anytime we are together, from the oldest to the youngest, we enjoy being with one another making new memories
Color: favorite color is anything purple
Physical activity: in-line skating for miles, working-out, jogging, yard work … love it
Season: summertime; July, August timeframe are my favorite — the hotter, the better

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Osprey Profile

Meet Dakota Green

What is your major and why did you choose it? Behavioral neuroscience. I chose this because neuroscience is my favorite science. I am a premedical student so the major has all of the premed requirements, so it is a win-win!

Why did you decide to attend the University of North Florida? I decided to attend UNF because of the amazing opportunities in many different major paths. There are so many opportunities at UNF and in Jacksonville for premedical students to gain meaningful experiences from, and a lot of space for creativity and leadership.

Where are you from? Jacksonville

What do you like most about UNF? I love the amount of encouragement there is for students to explore their passions.

What has been your coolest UNF experience so far? It has been establishing a chapter on UNF’s campus of the pediatric volunteering organization Footprints: Buddy & Support Program for children undergoing illness journeys.

Who is your favorite professor? Do you have a favorite class? There are too many professors to choose from, but Dr. Katherine Hooper stands out, as she helped me find the path that best fits me. My favorite class has been biochemistry, cellular and molecular neuroscience, and behavioral neuroscience.

What does being an Osprey mean to you? It means to chase your dreams!

When you’re looking to de-stress and relax a bit, where do you go on campus? The fourth floor in the library where I can relax in silence.

If you could meet one historical figure for coffee, who would it be? W.E.B. DuBois. To me, he was one of the greatest thinkers in American history!

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see? A Jimi Hendrix performance!

What three traits define you? Determined, passionate and resilient.

Do you have any advice for high school students? Your story matters, and it is beautiful in a way that only exists for you. With that, pursue what you are most interested in as energetically as possible and never forget where you came from.

When will you graduate? What do you want to do after graduation? I graduate this spring. After, I will be taking the MCAT, applying for medical school, and taking a gap year to do research.

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Inside News Roundup

Meals on Wings program brings Thanksgiving meals to local seniors
someone prepping meals Students in UNF's Meals on Wings program prepared and delivered over 200 healthful meals to homebound seniors in need. The nutrition and dietetics students who volunteer their spare time to take part in Meals on Wings insist they get as much out of the program as the seniors. They are able to put classroom lessons into practice to prepare nutritional meals as well as build relationships with the elders they are serving. Learn more about the program.

Faculty work to stabilize coastlines with geomicrobe soil
A group of University of North Florida engineering and biology faculty are working on an innovative project to help stabilize eroding Northeast Florida coastlines using geomicrobes. UNF is one of only a few research groups around the globe looking at this solution to strength stabilization for coastal erosion. Read more about the research.

Brooks School of Nursing Holds Successful Sock Drive
Deirdre Shoemake, assistant professor, led the fifth Annual Brooks College of Health School of Nursing Sock Drive, which brought in 2,293 pairs of socks, more than 1,200 more than collected in 2019. No drive was held in 2020 due to the pandemic. Employees from several departments conducted “mini sock drives” and added additional boxes to the total collection, including UNF On-Line and CIRT, and Administration and Finance. The sock drive also received a large donation of team socks from Mandarin High School.

UNF instructor presents first annual Jacksonville Electroacoustic Music Festival
The first annual Jacksonville Electroacoustic Music Festival, aka jemFEST, made its debut on the University of North Florida’s campus on Saturday, Nov. 20. Founded by Dr. Joshua Tomlinson, instructor and area coordinator for the UNF School of Music, jemFEST was planned to highlight the field of “electro acoustic music,” which uses technology innovations to create unique auditory environments. Learn more about the festival.

UNF professor and alum win 2021 Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board awards
Dr. Josh Gellers, UNF political science and public administration associate professor, and UNF alum Sean Lahav, resiliency coordinator at the Northeast Florida Regional Council, will be awarded individual 2021 Environmental Achievement Awards by the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board. Learn more about the awards.

UNF’s Ambassador Soderberg talks on Resolution on Women, Peace and Security
UNF political science and public administration professor Ambassador Nancy Soderberg sat down this week with the U.S. State Department’s Office of Global Women's Issues to discuss the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, on the 21st anniversary of the historic resolution on women, peace, and security. Learn more about the resolution and Soderberg’s role in its adoption.

teacher passing something to a student Jacksonville Teacher Residency program focuses on preparing Black male educators
The UNF College of Education and Human Services (COEHS)’s Jacksonville Teacher Residency (JTR) program is working on two new initiatives to prepare diverse male educators for the workforce: the Black Educators Initiative and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund Partnership. Learn more about the JTR program and the new initiatives.

UNF and Ascension St. Vincent’s Announce New Name for Accelerated Nursing Program
The University of North Florida and Ascension St. Vincent’s today announced a renaming of the UNF’s Brooks College of Health accelerated nursing program to the Ascension St. Vincent’s Accelerated Nursing Program at the Brooks College of Health in recognition of their most recent commitment to the University. Learn more about the program and its new scholarships.

UNF professor collaborating on Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center
Dr. Gokan May, University of North Florida assistant professor of advanced manufacturing, has partnered with Microsoft, Purdue University and West Virginia University, to create a Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center (SMIC) under the auspices of CESMII - The Smart Manufacturing Institute. CESMII is the United States’ national institute on smart manufacturing and was founded in 2016 in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Learn more about the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center.

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Dateline

Milestones
Congratulations to the following employees with a milestone anniversary in December and January:

25 Years
Owen Wilson, Maintenance Superintendent, Physical Facilities

15 Years
Michelle Drinks, Director of Development, College of Education and Human Services
Jennifer Hager, Professor, Art, Art History and Design
Jonathan Pabalate, Instructor, Nursing

10 Years
Jonathan Antal, Associate Instructor, Exceptional Deaf and Interpreter Ed
Garry Bates, Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance and Energy Management
Deborah Owen, Associate Instructor, Public Health

5 Years
Carolyn Carley-Richart, Buyer, Procurement Services
Amanda Ennis, Manager, Media Relations, Marketing and Communications
Korie Hilliard, Assistant Director, Co-Curricular Engagement, Taylor Leadership Institute
Kaitlyn Saavedra, Assistant Director, Small Business Development Center
Kenneth Thomas, Instructor, Communication
Abby Willcox, Director, Institutional Research, Institutional Research

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

Austin Adams, Administrative Specialist, Human Resources
Marissa Bogue, Office Assistant, Undergraduate Studies
Lauren Cardenas, Assistant Child Development Teacher, UNF Preschool
Leon Davidson, Groundskeeper, Osprey Landing
Kira Fellows, Coordinator, Outreach and Recruitment, Graduate School
Delmark Gibbs, Groundskeeper, Apartments
Phenessa Gray, Coordinator, Employment, Human Resources
Felicia Janosik-Sawyer, Coordinator, Events Catering, MOCA Jacksonville
Reid Labenz, Assistant Athletic Coach, Strength and Conditioning
Veronica Marquez-Kisic, Coordinator JTR, Education and Human Services
Brent Morente, IT Security Analyst, IT Security
Chandre Pryor, Coordinator, Career Development Services, Career Discoveries
Marcus Richardson, Assistant Athletic Coach, Strength and Conditioning

Great Job
The following employees were promoted recently:

James Connolly, Senior Groundskeeper, Grounds
Adianez Garcia Campos, Director, International Student Scholars, Center for International Education
Charles Kennedy, Senior Small Business Consulting Coordinator, Small Business Development Center
Stephen Marmash, Landscape Grounds Supervisor, Grounds
Luisa Martinez, Director, Study Abroad, Center for International Education
Nancy Miller, Associate Athletics Director, NCAA Compliance
Julia Mitchell, Coordinator, Administrative Services, Brooks College of Health
Courtney Monts, Records Registration Coordinator, Registrar's Office
Robert Parnell, Coordinator, Payroll, Controller
Isabel Pease, Interim VP, Marketing and Communications
Alexander Perez, Coordinator, Computer Systems Technology, College of Computing, Engineering and Construction
Jessica Phillips, Technology Support Specialist, Financial Aid Office
Noah Sterling, Coordinator, IT Support, UNF MedNexus
Alex Tran, Finance and Information Specialist, Florida Institute of Education
Monique Villamor, Coordinator, PACT Recruit Retention, Psychology
Ricky Watson, Maintenance Supervisor, Housing/Residence Life
Richmond Wynn, Interim VP, Chief Diversity Officer

Goodbye
The following employees have left UNF recently:

Renee Baker, Custodial Worker, Student Union-Physical Facilities
Ekaterina Baranova, Coordinator, International Student Affairs, Center for International Education
Nyieta Charlot, Coordinator, Academic Support Services, International Business Curriculum
Tamia Craig, Parking Services Associate, Parking and Transportation Services
Marcelino Cruz, IT Software Engineer, Enterprise Systems
Lea Fernandes, Coordinator Student Affairs, Center for International Education
Higinio Ferreira, Custodial Worker, Custodial Services
Josh Lowy, IT Security Analyst, IT Security
Susan Massey, University Librarian, Library
Tarsha Matthews, Custodial Worker, Custodial Services
Angel McWilliams, Office Assistant, Quality Control and Work Management
Sara Menendez, Coordinator, Prospect Research, Constituent Programs
Ceteria Mosley, Office Assistant, Maintenance and Energy Management
Joseph Namey, IT Full Stack Software Engineer, Enterprise Systems
Jared Price, Accounts Payable Receivable Associate, University Housing
Johnny Raines, Senior Custodial Worker, Physical Facilities
Meily Abreu Subit, Assistant Child Development Teacher, UNF Preschool
Ashley Washington, Academic Advisor, COAS Advising
Christine Jane Young, Child Development Teacher, UNF Preschool

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Faculty and Staff

Brooks College of Health

Dr. Jessica Stapleton, assistant professor in the Brooks College of Health, along with Drs. Matt Ohlson, Elizabeth Gregg and Amanda Pascale from the College of Education and Human Services, received the Distinguished Research Award at the Institute for Global Business Research Conference for the work examining the impact of leadership development on female student athlete academic and athletic outcomes.

Coggin College of Business
Dr. Dong-Young Kim, professor of Operations Management and Quantitative Methods, and Dr. Bruce Fortado, professor of Human Resource Management, Negotiation and Labor Relations, recently published a paper “Supplier Centrality, Innovation Value and Supplier Acquisition: Evidence from U.S. High-Tech Manufacturing Firms” in the Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management (Impact Factor in 2021: 7.547). Read the abstract online.

College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Dr. Candice Tahimic, assistant professor of biology, was honored with the Thora Halstead Young Investigator Award in this year's meeting of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR).

Dr. Marie Mooney, assistant professor of bioinformatics, served as moderator for the American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting, Platform Session — “Advances toward therapeutics for Mendelian disorders” in October.

English
Dr. Ash Faulkner, English instructor, presented “The Victoria Light: 1850s London through the Lens of a 21st-Century Lighthouse” at the Victorians Institute Conference (October).

Mr. Will Pewitt, English instructor, published translations of five poems by Ḥafṣa bint al-Ḥājj ar-Rukūniyya in ANMLY in October.

Dr. Michael Wiley, professor of English, published "The Best of Times" in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine in October.

Philosophy/Religion Studies
Dr. Andrew Buchwalter, Presidential Professor, published “Corradetti, Hegel, and the Postmetaphysical Theory of Universal Human Rights,” in the Symposium Appendix to the 2nd edition of Claudio Corradetti, "Relativism and Human Rights: A Theory of Pluralist Universalism" (Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, 2021), 197-210.

Dr. Sarah Mattice, associate professor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, published a single-author book, "Exploring the Heart Sutra," October 2021.

Dr. Hans-Herbert Koegler, professor of philosophy, published “Dialogue on Dialogue - Gadamer and Habermas” in The Gadamerian Mind, London/New York, Routledge, Fall 2020.

Physics
Dr. William B. Lane, visiting lecturer, published two articles in the Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings with four UNF undergraduate co-authors: (1) Lane & Headley, “Comparison of student and instructor reasons for using computation,” Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings (2021); and (2) with Paulger, McEnroe, Shaw, Crawford-Goss, “Themes in student self-assessments of attitudinal development in the CLASS,” Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings (2021).

Dr. L. Barry Albright, associate lecturer, with Jaelyn L. Ebeerle, published the paper titled "Magnetostratigraphy of lower Paleocene strata in the Ferris Formation, Hanna Basin Wyoming, with refined resolution of the Pu1-Pu2 interval-zone boundary of the Puercan North American Land Mammal Age," in Rocky Mountain Geology, v. 56:69-85, 2021.

Dr. Chris Kelso, associate professor of physics, and his collaborators published “Inelastic dark matter scattering off Thallium cannot save DAMA” and “DAMA annual modulation is not due to electron recoils from plasma/mirror dark matter with kinetic mixing”; both papers in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.

Political Science and Public Administration
Dr. Heather Truelove, associate professor of psychology, along with Dr. Enrijeta Shino, assistant professor of political science, and Dr. Joshua C. Gellers, associate professor of political science, presented their paper, “Weather Experiences Reduce Political Ideology’s Effect on Climate Policy Support,” at the Society of Southeastern Social Psychologists Annual Conference (October).

Psychology
Dr. Jody Nicholson, associate professor of developmental psychology, in collaboration with a nutrition faculty member Dr. Lauri Wright, published a student’s thesis (Monique Villamor) titled “A developmental lens on food insecurity: The role of children in the household and age groups on food insecurity impacting mental health” in Aging & Mental Health, October.

Dr. Heather Truelove, associate professor of psychology, in collaboration with Dr. J. Gellers and Dr. E. Shino from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration presented a talk titled “Weather experiences reduce political ideology’s effect on climate policy support.” The Society of Southeastern Social Psychologists annual conference in October 2021.

Dr. Paul Fuglestad, associate professor of psychology, published a paper titled “A Multisite Preregistered Paradigmatic Test of the Ego-Depletion Effect” in October issue of Psychological Science. In addition, Fuglestad published a journal article titled “Self-monitoring, Status, and Balance of Power in Romantic Relationships” in November issue of Self and Identity.

Sociology/Anthropology and Social Work
Dr. Mandi N. Barringer, assistant professor of sociology, was invited as a panelist for the "Mentoring Round Table” and presented “The Struggle for Space: The Response of LGBTQ Students and their Allies to Campus Preachers” with recent sociology graduates at the Mid-South Sociological Annual Conference in October. In addition, Barringer, along with a sociology undergraduate student presented, “Better Together: Program Evaluation of the UNF Interfaith Center” at the Association for Applied & Clinical Sociology Annual Conference in October.

Dr. Ronald Lukens-Bull, professor of anthropology and religious studies, presented via zoom “Research in Indonesia during the Time of Covid: Challenges and Opportunities” during the International Seminar on Social, Humanities and Malay Islamic Civilization at Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fateh, Palembang, Indonesia. 10 November 2021.

College of Education and Human Services
Dr. Terry Cavanaugh, professor, Dr. Nicholas Eastham, faculty administrator, and Dr. Chris Baynard, Coggin associate professor, presented an “Aerial Surveillance with Raspberry Pis: landscape Mapping and Monitoring” class at the Florida Association of Science Teachers Conference in October. In this GeoSTEM class, participants learned to assemble, create and program microcomputer cameras for aerial imagery acquisition and processing, build and employ lifting platforms (kites, balloons and poles) and print 3D structures to carry their Raspberry Pi cameras. Cavanaugh also presented the session “The Use, Accommodations and Adaptations of Ebooks for ESL,” showing how the use of digital text formats including ebooks and audiobooks can be adapted for the use of ESL students. There are benefits in using digital content over print such as capturing greater student engagement, varying the delivery method of instruction, and empowering students.

Dr. Nicholas Eastham, faculty administrator, Dr. Terry Cavanaugh, professor, and Xavier Rozas, coordinator, professional learning, NEFSTEM, presented a “DIY MacroScale Breadboard” workshop at the Florida Association of Science Teachers Conference in October, providing participants with plans and materials to build their own macro-scale accessible breadboards to make a variety of circuits to use in various applications.

Dr. Mark Halley, assistant professor in the Department of Exceptional, Deaf, and Interpreter Education, had the article “Personal Outcomes of Activist Interpreting: A Case Study” accepted for publication in Interface: A Journal For and About Social Movements. In this paper, Halley explores how social movement participation may impact the personal and professional lives of interpreters. To do so, he studied the American Sign Language/English interpreters who worked in the 1988 Deaf President Now protest at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. Halley conducted semi-structured oral history interviews with 21 interpreters who worked during the protest and employed narrative inquiry to identify critical events and analyze the personal outcomes interpreters experienced as a result of their participation.

Megan Lynch, instructor, co-authored an article titled “STEM Education Needs STEM Talk: Lessons learned from an after-school enrichment program with multilingual children” which appears in the November/December issue of Science and Children, NSTA's peer-reviewed practitioner journal for elementary-level science teachers.

Dr. Matthew Ohlson, director of the Taylor Leadership Institute and associate professor in the Department of Leadership, School Counseling & Sport Management, will be collaborating with Dr. Lakshmi Goel from the Coggin College of Business in the development of the new leadership textbook “Leadership Strategies for the Hybrid Workforce: Best Practices for Fostering Employee Safety and Significance.” Ohlson also presented findings from the CAMP Osprey leadership mentoring program at the National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE) National Conference.

Dr. Matthew Ohlson, associate professor; Dr. Elizabeth Gregg, professor; Dr. Amanda Pascale, associate professor; and Dr. Jessica Stapleton, assistant professor in Brooks College of Health, received the Distinguished Research Award at the Institute for Global Business Research Conference for the work examining the impact of leadership development on female student athlete academic and athletic outcomes.

Dr. Sherry Shaw, professor of ASL/English Interpreting, was recently elected Vice President/President Elect of the Mid-South Educational Research Association last week in New Orleans.

Dr. Brian Zoellner, associate professor, reviewed the book “Inquiry in Tandem: Student and Teacher Learning in Secondary Schools” by Christine D. Clayton and James F. Kilbane, Jr.

Thomas G. Carpenter Library
Maria Atilano, student outreach librarian, presented a session titled “Social Media Contests During COVID-19: A Halloween Horror Story” at the online conference “Library Fails: A Trick or Treat?” hosted by Metrolina Library Association on Oct. 28.

Adam Chalmers, systems and digital technologies librarian, published the article “Getting up and Running with VR: Space and Technology Considerations” in College & Research Libraries News.

Kelly Hovinga, virtual learning librarian, has been accepted into the 2022 Northeast Florida Library Information Network (NEFLIN) Management Training Institute, as one of only 18 librarians selected from a 24-county region representing 550 libraries.

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Swoop Summary

Hot Shooting, Stifling Defense Leads Men's Basketball to 103-43 Home Opening Win
Making their home season debut, North Florida men's basketball dominated on both ends of the floor en route to a 103-43 victory over Webber International. The Ospreys matched a program record with 21 three-pointers and shot 56 percent from the field in the victory. Learn more about the win.

Women's Basketball Pulls Off Overtime Win Against FAU
Jazz Bond dropped 31 points, including 12 in the overtime period, to put the Ospreys (4-1) past FAU, 85-79, for their fourth straight win on Sunday morning, Nov. 21. UNF is 4-0 at home, giving the Ospreys their best start through five games in the program's Division I-era with a 4-1 overall record. It's also their first victory against the Owls (2-2) since 2016. Learn more about the win over FAU.

Fast Times at Eagle Invitational for Osprey Swimming
North Florida swimming closed out competition at the Eagle Invitational and capped its fall meet schedule with several strong swims on Saturday evening Nov. 20 at the FGCU Aquatic Center. Learn more about the Eagle Invitational.

Women’s Tennis Continues to Impress at Home Invite
North Florida women's tennis continues their success in their first home fall invite since 2016. Kit Gulihur led the charge with a three-set win over No. 45 Carolyn Ansari from Auburn. Learn more about the home fall invite.

Men's Cross Country Places Fifth at Regionals, Jubran Sets Program Record
Nathan Jubran lead the North Florida men's cross country team to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA South Regional meet, while also setting the new program D-I record for the fastest 10k time at 29:51.73. Learn more about regionals.

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De-Stress in December

footsteps in the sand While we all strive to relax and enjoy the holiday season, sometimes to-do lists, deadlines, travels and high expectations can get in the way. So, what’s the answer? How can we de-stress and make our holidays the “most wonderful time of the year”?

Though many things are out of our control, we can make choices that will help us to be our very best selves and manage our stress. Topping the list are diet, exercise and sleep. It’s no surprise that added sugar and caffeine can affect your mood. Nutritionists would agree that eating healthy snacks, fruits and vegetables, high-fiber foods and regular meals is a good idea no matter what the season, but certainly will have an impact on mood during the holidays.

Regular exercise is one of the best stress relievers. In addition to helping to release mood-elevating endorphins into your brain, exercise also improves the quality of sleep.

Here are some added stress-reducing activities to consider:

Walking on the beach
Meditation
Yoga
Painting
Reading
Listening to soothing music
Journaling
Laughing with a funny TV show or movie
Organizing your living space
Making lists of what needs to be done
Trying new recipes
Making some time for yourself – taking a breather

Have a happy — and healthy — stress-free holiday season!

Content contributed from a UNF Dining Services blog by Maggie Cain and Su-Nui Escobar

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Spread the Word

UNF's graduation numbers are on the rise! student holding up a thumbs up at graduation

The University's four-year graduation rate is more than 22 percentage points higher than it was six years ago! That’s an 84% improvement over that time.

For more interesting facts, join the Strategic Analytics Canvas Group.

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