May 2022

Four candidates have been selected as finalists in the search for UNF's next president: David Blackwell, David Brennen, Moez Limayem and Marc Miller.

Over the past week, members of the Osprey community have had opportunities to meet and hear from the finalists, and another staff session will be held on May 12.

For information about the four finalists, the search timeline and more, visit the presidential search website.

By Marsha Blasco

Last month, the campus participated in Research Week, a celebration of research, creativity and innovation across all disciplines at UNF. On the final day, after hosting showcases, webinars, awards and workshops, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs announced the faculty winners of the STARS (Scholars Transforming Academic Research) awards, marking the 13th year of the ceremony.

Speaking prior to the announcements, Interim President Pam Chally expressed her pride in the work being done and emphasized the importance of the research to the University. “There’s no question that we are increasingly inventing and innovating and doing creative arts … Quite simply put, these efforts from University of North Florida faculty, students, administrators and staff ― they’re changing our world, and there’s no question that we’re changing it for the better,” Chally said. “So, thank you for all the work that you’ve done.”

Here are the 2022 award categories and winners:

• Five years of continuous funding: James Fletcher, Eric Johnson
• Department with highest number of principal investigators in research: Department of Engineering 
• Department with most funding in sponsored projects: Small Business Development Center
• Faculty awarded patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Stephen Stagon
• Researchers who submitted proposal for the first time and received funding: Mary Beal, Fei Heng, David Hoppey, Indika Kahanda, Vamsi Kalasapudi, Jong Hoon Kim, Shane (Tru) Leverette, Mona Nasseri, Amanda Pascale, Ryan Shamet, David Sheffler, Susan Swiatosz
• Researchers who obtained funding of $250,000 or more: Michael Binder, Stacy Boote, Sherif Elfayoumy, Terrie Galanti, Wanda Lastrapes, Kim Meghan Parkinson, Carolyn Stone, Diane Yendol-Hoppey
• Platinum STARS, for accruing $1 million of external funding during one’s career at UNF: Huston Pullen, Jody Nicholson-Bell
• Millionaire STARS, for receiving $1 million of external funding in the previous fiscal year: Huston Pullen, Jody Nicholson-Bell
• Best Scholarly Monograph: Laura Heffernan, Jenny Stuber
• High Impact Journal Article: Zhiping Yu, Natalie Indelicato, Paul Fuglestad, Michelle Boling, David Swanson, Jonathan Matheson, Heather Truelove, Chris Kelso, Adel ElSafty, Pamela Williamson, David Hoppey
• Poster winners: Erin Bodnar, Faculty Choice for Junior Tenure-Track Faculty; Jenny Hager was Faculty Choice for Tenured Faculty; Erin Bodnar, Student Choice award

By Marsha Blasco

Sharing and research collaboration are at the heart of a new grant program at UNF. In April, the University awarded more than $850,000 for the purchase of new or replacement instrumentation and equipment that will be shared by multiple faculty members across campus.

Administered through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, these Shared RSCA Instrumentation Grants are intended to boost faculty research, scholarship and creative activities (RSCA). By pooling funds for multiple users, the University will have access to state-of-the-art equipment. Dr. John Kantner, associate provost of Faculty and Research and interim dean of the Graduate School, said the program gave priority to projects that serve the greatest number of faculty. He expects that as other faculty learn more about this purchased equipment, they may find uses for their own research.

“Typically research universities have core facilities,” Kantner said. “Essentially, it’s shared instrumentation that becomes key for developing research collaboration and inspiring cutting-edge research. Instead of providing small amounts of funding to many, awarding larger grants allows for a higher level of investment in shared equipment that is needed for a vibrant research university. And there’s hope that we’ll be able to do this on a regular basis. That’s the goal.”

As an example of shared use, one of the top awards was made to a team of faculty led by Dr. AmirHossein MajidiRad, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. The funding will be used to purchase a motion capture system for multidisciplinary motion analysis applications. In the submitted proposal, nine faculty from three colleges participated in the request and plan to use the equipment.

“We really need this, not just for me but for a lot of faculty who are working with motion study,” MajidiRad said. “Before submitting the request, I did my homework to make sure we honestly don’t have this, and that we really needed it.” What he discovered was that faculty were using their affiliations with outside organizations to borrow the use of their equipment.

After much networking, MajidiRad partnered with nine faculty from Brooks College of Health, the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction, and the Coggin College of Business. Collaborating across academic areas is not new to MajidiRad, who joined UNF in August of 2020 for a new program called Advanced Manufacturing. “My work is highly interdisciplinary in a sense that I do human-robot interaction in different applications,” he said. “One of those applications in manufacturing is where I study ergonomics of workers, which is basically looking at the types of motions. The other side of my research is studying movement in rehabilitation or physical therapy.”

The main part of the equipment is a motion capture system, MajidiRad said. In addition to 12 cameras, there’s a data acquisition unit that handles the processing. The system also can integrate with a number of peripherals or sensors, which will accommodate a variety of research uses. As a bonus, the group will also purchase an emerging technology that will allow tracking movement with calibration rather than attaching markers to the human study subjects, something that MajidiRad said can make people feel uncomfortable.

“I’m very excited,” MajidiRad said. “I have two undergraduate students working under my supervision, and they will get to work with this advanced technology, which I believe will benefit them in their career, whether they choose to go to industry or for their master’s.”

Here is the list of funding awards for 2022:

• Lisa Byrge, psychology: Equipment for stress biomarker assays and thermal imaging
• Szymon Ciesielski, chemistry: iBright imaging system for Western Blotting analysis
• William Dally, engineering: Aerial drone and camera technology
• Trevor Dunn, art and design: Fuel efficient computer-controlled gas kiln
• Sheila Goloborotko, art and design: Papermaking equipment
• John Hatle, biology: Carbon-13 carbon dioxide analyzer for metabolic measurements
• Michael Lufaso, chemistry: UV-Vis Spectrometer with integrating sphere
• Amir MajidiRad, engineering: Motion Capture System for multidisciplinary motion analysis
• Tom Pekarek, physics: Maintenance of the UNF’s Helium Liquefier Facility
• Dan Santavicca, physics: Reactive Ion Etching system for materials research
• Stephen Stagon, Engineering: Polyjet 3D Printer

By Byron E. Jones

We are highlighting four UNF milestones from each decade in celebration of the 50th anniversary. Here are our picks from the 2000s with events also happening in Jacksonville, the United States and the world.

2000s

At UNF
FINE ARTS CENTER OPENS, July 29, 2001
UNF's new Fine Arts Center opens with seating for 1,300 in the Lazzara Performance Hall.

In Jacksonville
Jacksonville native Ander Crenshaw becomes U.S. representative for Florida's 4th congressional district. (Jan. 3, 2001)

In the United States
The September 11 terrorist attacks take place resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths. (Sept. 11, 2001)

In the World
The Netherlands becomes the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. (April 1, 2001)

At UNF
DESMOND TUTU TEACHES AT UNF, Spring Semester 2003
Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu arrives on campus to teach for one semester.

In Jacksonville
John Peyton becomes the sixth mayor of Jacksonville. (July 1, 2003)

In the United States
Tesla Inc., the American electric car company, is founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in San Carlos, California. (July 1, 2003)

In the World
Prometea, the world's first cloned horse, is born. (May 28, 2003)

At UNF
LGBT RESOURCE CENTER OPENS, July 17, 2006
UNF’s LGBTQ Center (formerly LGBT Resource Center) is established thanks to student activism and following a campus climate survey.

In Jacksonville
Heckscher Drive is widened from a two-lane road to a four-lane divided highway.

In the United States
Nintendo releases the Wii gaming console in the United States. (Nov. 19, 2006)

In the World
Italy wins the 2006 FIFA world cup in Germany defeating France. (July 9, 2006)

At UNF
UNF 35^th ANNIVERSARY, October 2007
UNF celebrates its 35th anniversary. Highlights of 2007 include: UNF named Best Southeastern College and a Best Value College by the Princeton Review.

In Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Jaguars finish the season with a 11-5 record leading to a wild card playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers before losing in the divisional playoff round against the New England Patriots. (Dec. 30, 2007)

In the United States
Democrat Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. (Jan. 4, 2007)

In the World
A total lunar eclipse occurs and is visible in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. It is the 52nd lunar eclipse of Lunar Saros series 123 occurring at the moon's descending node. (March 3, 2007)

Additional timeline information available online from the Thomas G. Carpenter Library.

Read more about UNF's 50th anniversary.

By Byron E. Jones

It’s a great time to be a supporter of UNF’s sports teams. UNF Athletics has experienced many achievements in the 2021-22 season. In the month of April alone, the men's and women’s golf teams both won ASUN Championships while basketball standout Jazz Bond became the first UNF women’s basketball player drafted to the WNBA where she will suit up for the Dallas Wings.

On Wednesday, April 20, student-athletes, UNF staff, coaches and supporters of North Florida Athletics gathered at the Andrew A. Robinson Jr. Theater for the 4th annual end-of-season awards ceremony, known as the Ozzies, to celebrate the accomplishments of student-athletes during the 2021-22 season.

Highlights of the evening for individual athletes included Gabby O’Connell, volleyball, winning Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year; and Nathan Jubran, men's cross country/track and field, winning both Best Individual Male Performance and Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Regarding team awards, the softball team shined brightest winning two awards — Most Improved Team and Best Team Performance.

“To me, winning an Ozzie is a huge deal because I was selected to win an award over many other student-athletes who are exceptionally talented in both the classroom and in their sport,” said Jubran. “It also represents that I have reached the pinnacle of UNF athletics.”

During the ceremony, Athletic Director Nick Morrow spoke about the accomplishments of the current athletic season, which includes 38 ASUN conference player of the week honors held among UNF’s athletes and 66 single-game and career records being broken thus far during the season. Morrow stated that he’s always excited for The Ozzies as it’s a great way to highlight why UNF has one of the best athletic programs in the ASUN Conference.

“The UNF student-athletes are a very impressive group who have accomplished a lot in the classroom and in competition,” said Morrow. “Whether it’s achieving a department-wide GPA of 3.41 last fall or winning four more ASUN Championships (and counting) this year, they positively represent our great University.”

A total of 17 athletes across nine sports teams received highest individual GPA honors with a perfect 4.0 average. Men’s tennis and beach volleyball won for Top Male Team GPA (3.6 average) and Top Female Team GPA (3.73 average).

Morrow emphasized that the Ozzies is one of his favorite days each year as it highlights why UNF is one of the best athletic programs in the ASUN Conference.

Learn more about the 2022 Ozzies.

Did you know that MOCA Jacksonville provides a 15% discount on camp for all UNF staff and their families? Summer Camp @ MOCA offers weekly sessions from June 6 through Aug. 5 for ages 4-14, with before and after care available. Learn more about our Camp and contact Kiersten Barnes at (904) 620-4204 or by email to register today!

Join MOCA Jacksonville for a summer camp for kids full of creativity. Children make new friends and learn art techniques in a variety of media through hands-on learning in a fun and engaging environment. Time is spent exploring exhibitions in the galleries, creating in the studios, and learning through practice. With the guidance of skilled museum educators, learners are empowered to problem solve through critical thinking, observation, and creative self-expression.

Submitted by Amber Sesnick, Director of Communications and Marketing, MOCA Jacksonville

Meet Andrew Sullivan
Andrew Sullivan works as an accessibility services specialist – assistive technology in Student Accessibility Services. He was named a Fall 2021 Presidential SPOT Award winner. Employees are nominated for the award for work performance that ultimately will have lasting positive effects on either students, faculty, staff, visitors or safety in the workplace.

What does your job involve?
Assisting the SAS office in its mission to remove barriers to academic achievement for individuals with disabilities at UNF through the use of accommodative supports. Specifically, my primary focus is working with UNF students with disabilities to ensure they have access to and understand how to use specialized assistive and adaptive technologies geared for their unique needs, allowing them the ability to fully engage within their academic environment.

One example is providing assistive hardware such as an assistive listening device and then training a student with a hearing disability in its use, so they can follow the auditory portions of a course lecture as well as audio cues presented during group interactions. Another is training a student with visual disabilities in how to use computer screen reading software, so they can listen to course textbooks and materials that have been converted into an accessible auditory format.

Additionally, I maintain and customize AT software and hardware for SAS’s student testing computers and assistive technology lab to ensure they are configured optimally to meet the diverse needs of our registered student population. It is truly amazing how fast the field of Assistive Technology has progressed in just the last decade! It is vital that students with disabilities are made aware of technology options that can have a far-reaching positive impact on their academic journey!

How long have you worked at UNF?
I began at UNF in May of 2005 working as an educational aide and later program assistant for the Student Accessibility Services office while pursuing a B.A. in Political Science. I then went on to receive a Master’s in Public Administration from UNF in 2009. I also obtained a certification in Assistive Technology Applications during that period from California State University, Northridge. I have been in my current role as Accessibility Services Specialist, Assistive Technology since then.

What do you enjoy most about working here?
I really enjoy the sense of community and camaraderie that is experienced on campus here at UNF. It is a great feeling to know that no matter the obstacles and challenges we come up against, we can rely on each other’s support and encouragement in achieving the goals we set for ourselves and as a campus community. It has been a pleasure to be able to assist UNF students with disabilities in achieving their academic aspirations during my tenure at UNF.

How do you like to spend your time when you aren’t working?
I have been an active musician for over 25 years, learning several instruments such as guitar, bass, drums, piano, banjo and mandolin in my free time. I have played in many musical groups over the years and music is a passion I continue to explore and pursue. I love watching movies of all types of genres as well as science and history documentaries. I also enjoy participating in community service and outreach events though my church and other local organizations.

Where did you grow up?
I’ve lived in Florida all of my life in the Middleburg area, but I additionally spent a significant amount of time in my youth in City of Tallahassee visiting my grandparents on the weekends.

Where did you go to school?
I attended Middleburg High School and the majority of my postsecondary course work was taken at UNF.

What’s the greatest bit of advice you’ve ever been given?
“It's only those who are persistent, and willing to study things deeply, who achieve the Master Work.”

Who inspires you and why?
One person I consider when reflecting on the pursuit of excellence is the life of the 14th Dalai Lama and his attitude of service to the Tibetan people and the world in general. His steadfast adherence to core values and principles of compassion and tolerance, forgiveness and nonviolent action, despite great personal cost to himself, have always stood as example of resiliency and hope to my mind.

What is a fun fact about you many people may not know?
I am a third generation Eagle Scout. I earned this achievement at 13 years of age.

Meet Gabriella Nathalie Marquez

Marquez is a senior at UNF. She is majoring in criminal justice and hopes to work in a federal agency providing language services. She is president of UNF's Latin American Student Organization and an Army reservist. Recently, the MVRC cohosted a successful event with Marquez for Hispanic Heritage Month called "Hispanic Ospreys in Uniform," which was her brainchild.

What brought you to UNF?
I joined the military after my first semester in college, and my unit was located in Jacksonville. After taking a tour and learning about the amazing opportunities and the beautiful campus features, I decided to transfer to UNF.

What have you enjoyed most about the University?
Finding my home away from home and further developing my leadership skills with the Latin American Student Organization (LASO).

Do you have a favorite place on campus?
I love the bamboo garden and the Starbucks lounge.

Do you have a favorite club or sports team at UNF?
The Latin American Student Organization (LASO), and the Student in Alliance for Inclusion and Diversity (SAID) as a whole. I’ve been able to connect with many people who became my family.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the Dominican Republic.

What’s the greatest bit of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Live your life the way you want to be remembered.”

Who inspires you?
My family inspires me. Many of the things I do are to serve as a model for my siblings and to make my parents proud. They are the reason why I strive to be the best at everything that I do.

What is a fun fact about you many people may not know?
I have pet turtles back home, and I also have a pen collection. 

By Byron E. Jones

Innovation Day at UNF is an annual event for UNF engineering students and the local engineering community to network. Each year, seniors in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering present their final capstone design projects. This year’s Innovation Day, held on April 21 at the Adam W. Herbert University Center, featured 30 presentations for 26 different organizations.

Engineering students are assigned to work in teams on various projects proposed by local businesses and organizations to develop solutions for business operations. The teams are formed in the fall semester by department leaders based on each student’s top choices from a list of projects and compatibility determined by participation in the Myers-Briggs personality assessment.

Among the local businesses that partnered with the UNF School of Engineering this year is Apellix, a Jacksonville-based engineering company that has developed software-controlled aerial robotic systems (drones) that perform building maintenance tasks autonomously such as painting and cleaning. The Apellix senior design group, consisting of six senior mechanical and electrical engineering students, was tasked by Apellix to improve how a robotics system collects data to navigate within a large unknown environment.

The Apellix senior design group’s project, titled Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) for a Semi-Autonomous Drone, was completed using a Robot Operating System (ROS) and an Electric Test Vehicle (ETV). SLAM is defined as a method for creating a map of a previously unknown environment while also tracking an object’s location.

Through partnering with the School of Engineering, Apellix hopes to one day use drone-mounted sensors that conduct SLAM while a drone is in operation instead of the ground-based system they currently use, which is less effective in collecting accurate readings when a drone must travel behind a structure.

While there is still a considerable amount of research needed for this emerging technology, Apellix founder/CEO Robert Dahlstroum and engineer Jeremy Countryman expressed their satisfaction with the findings of the research project and their gratitude toward the senior design team.

“This team coming together and learning everything they did to push this technology forward is very critical and important to our business,” Countryman said.

The senior design team also appreciated the opportunity, as it not only allowed them to apply the knowledge they’ve learned from their studies, but taught them a lot about robotics — a field many of them had little experience with before this project.

Team member Austin Daniels spoke of the team’s journey through this process. “This experience was an eye-opener into robotics and where robotics fits into the world,” Daniels said.

The Apellix Senior Design Team included:
Mechanical Engineering Students: Austin Daniels, Benjamin Dobrow, Sree Vellanki
Electrical Engineering Students: Ryan Crump, Levi Nowicki, Zachary Taylor

Learn more about the engineering projects presented at Innovation Day. 

UNF School of Computing unveils new RF-SMART Intelligent Systems Lab renovations
The School of Computing celebrated the opening of its new computer lab Tuesday as part of the institution’s ongoing partnership with local software company RF-SMART. The RF-SMART Intelligent Systems Lab, housed on the second floor of the John E. Mathews Jr. Computer Science Building, will provide 30 desktop computers and seat 49 students, an increase from the 22 seats previously available. Learn more about the lab.

UNF THRIVE students’ art displayed at MOSH during Autism Acceptance Month
To celebrate Autism Acceptance Month, artwork created by students in the UNF THRIVE program is on display through May 20 as part of the Arts Infusion ImagiNclusion exhibit in the main lobby of the Museum of Science & History in Jacksonville. Read more about the art display. 

UNF Botanical Garden hosted a planting and education event in preparation for Earth Day
The UNF Botanical Garden hosted a community planting event at the on-campus riparian garden in honor of Earth Day celebrations. Read more about the event. 

New UNF Executive Briefcase program offers competitive executive training skills
The University's Coggin Graduate and Executive Programs has launched a new Executive Briefcase program to help senior executives and executive team members gain a unique competitive edge by building a versatile toolkit of technical and interpersonal skills.

UNF researcher receives National Institute of Health minority health research award
Dr. Bridgett Rahim Williams, assistant director of research integrity in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, will receive the “Outstanding Contributions to the Network of Minority Health Research Investigators Award” from the National Institutes of Health. Read more about the research award. 

Local heroes honored at OneJax’s 2022 Humanitarian Awards
OneJax, an institute of UNF, proudly honored the recipients of its 2022 Humanitarian Awards in April at Daily’s Place Plaza & Amphitheater. The OneJax Humanitarian Awards honor those who have demonstrated the highest level of personal and professional integrity, have given generously and extensively to the community and have been dedicated to the improvement of human relations among diverse groups in the community. Read more about the awards.

OspreyPERCH receives Excellence Award
UNF’s Prevention, Early Intervention and Resiliency through Counseling & Holistic Health, an Integrative Behavioral Health Clinical Training Program (OspreyPERCH), has received the 2022 Excellence in Interprofessional Education Collaboration National Award. This award was presented by the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health and the Interprofessional Education Collaborative. Read more about the award.

UNF public health publishes study on skin cancer screening portrayals on Pinterest
Dr. Julie Merten, associate professor of public health, has recently published a research paper on how skin cancer screenings are portrayed on the social media platform, Pinterest. The study takes a closer look at the quality and accuracy of the information available on the social media platform. Read more about the study. 

UNF Surf Team is best on the east coast for eight consecutive years
The UNF Surf Team won the eighth consecutive National Scholastic Surfing Association East Coast Championship this weekend in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. In addition to the team proudly taking first place overall, the UNF surfers took four of the six top positions in individual events as well. Read more about the surf team’s performance. 

UNF launches new Women in Business initiative
UNF recently developed a new Women in Business initiative within its Coggin College of Business designed to encourage confidence, capability and connections for women and provide students with mentorship and career advancement opportunities within the local community. Four leading Jacksonville companies have provided initial funding as founding supporters, recognizing the key need for this type of initiative to further advance women in business. Learn more about the program.

UNF names Dr. Kaveri Subrahmanyam as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
The University has named Dr. Kaveri Subrahmanyam as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Subrahmanyam will begin her role on July 25. As dean, Subrahmanyam will oversee the University’s largest academic college, comprised of 15 departments and schools, several programs and centers, more than 300 faculty members and an enrollment of over 6,000 students annually. Read more about the appointment. 

The winners of this year's third annual Haiku Contest sponsored by the Thomas G. Carpenter Library were announced on Monday, April 18. Each of the winners received a gift card. There were 85 entries received from students, faculty and staff.

The winners were as follows:

First place:
Ashley Helmick – Staff Member, Alumni Services

Second place:
Christopher Hughart – Undergraduate Student, Information Technology

Third place:
Euboea Brown – Staff Member, Enrollment Services Processing

Read the winning haiku poems.

Milestones
Congratulations to the following employees with a milestone anniversary in May:

40 Years
Shawn Brayton, Director, Academic Support Services, Assessment Activities

30 Years
Nancy Boyle, Assistant Director, Small Business Development Center

25 Years
Angela Lee, Coordinator, Center for Professional Development and Training

15 Years
Tracey Luke, Office Assistant, Enrollment Services
Lauren Newton, University Librarian, Thomas G. Carpenter Library
Nina Smith, Instructor, Nursing
Cherisse Sumner, Specialist, Human Resources

5 Years
Amber-Jul Camaya, Operations Specialist, Student Union
Timothy Faughn, Senior Groundskeeper, Housing/Residence Life
Jariss George, IT Software Engineer, Enterprise Systems
Curt Lox, Dean, Brooks College of Health
April Mattedi, Financial Specialist, Business Services
Melody Nauta, Coordinator, Administrative Services, Computing, Engineering and Construction
Nida Rogers, Office Manager, Computing, Engineering and Construction
Ashley Smith, Coordinator, Human Resources
Maria Steadman, Coordinator, Student Affairs

Welcome
The following employees were either hired by UNF or were promoted from OPS positions recently:
Lou Broder, IT Support Specialist, SG Business and Accounting Office
Sakura Elizondo, Admissions Coordinator, Welcome Center
Marilyn Heth, Administrative Assistant, President's Office
Leslie Hicks, Investigator, Equal Opportunity and Inclusion
Tamara Kaiwa, Coordinator, Career Services
Jared Legons, Coordinator, Community Alliance Student Success
Jessica Mattia, Academic Advisor, CCEC Advising
Matthew Noland, Assistant Athletic Coach, Volleyball
Glori Peters, Project Coordinator, Leadership SC and SM
Madison Smith, Student Affairs Specialist, SG Business and Accounting Office
Jose Vazquez, Maintenance Mechanic, Housing/Residence Life
Darrell Washington, Recycle Refuse Worker, Recycle
Angel Williams, Coordinator Highway Safety Program, IPTM

Great Job
The following employees were promoted recently:
Mary Ankenbauer, Senior Accounts Payable Receivable Associate, IPTM
Preston Bennett, Associate Director, Institutional Research
Lamonte Birden, Senior Telecom Tech, ITS
Maria Castro, Director Student Government, SG Business and Accounting Office
Ann Fishman, Director, Board of Trustees
Caleb Garrett, Associate Director of Development, College of Computing, Engineering and Construction
Jariss George, IT Software Engineer, Enterprise Systems
Ray Hannah, Course Media Developer, IPTM
Logan Judd, Coordinator, Administrative Services, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Chadwick Lockley, Director, Academic Support Services, Assessment Activities
Emily Schroder, Senior Academic Advisor, Nursing
Williams Toledo, Senior Fire Alarm Technician, Maintenance and Energy Management

Goodbye
The following employees have left UNF recently:
Lindsay Anderson, Coordinator, Marketing and Publications, Alumni Engagement
Diana Bednarik, Coordinator, Publishing and Product, IPTM
Michele Boyette, Coordinator, Instruction Support, Writing Center
Emily DaBruzzi, Coordinator, Outreach and Recruitment, Military Veterans Resource Center
Rachel Decker, Academic Advisor, COAS Advising
Whitney Edwards, Admissions Processing Specialist, Enrollment Services
Rosa Gonzalez, Custodial Worker, Custodial Services
Phenessa Gray, Coordinator, Employment, Human Resources
Theresa Hammock, Program Services Coordinator, Military Veterans Resource Center
Aidan Harnett, Junior ITS Engineer, ITS
Andrea Holcombe, Director, Board of Trustees
Kalilah Jamall, Student Affairs Specialist, Department of Diversity Initiatives
Dee Dee Jones, Accounts Payable Receivable Associate, Controller
Rabena Leonzon, Coordinator Budgets, Coggin College of Business
Victoria Magiera, Assistant Child Development Teacher, UNF Preschool
Chonticha Martinez, Admissions Processing Specialist, Enrollment Services
Trenten Oliver, Desktop Support Engineer, User Services
Michelle Parker-McGriff, Director, Alumni Engagement
Mark Power, Assistant Athletic Trainer, Athletics
Emily Putnam, Coordinator, Alumni Engagement
Scott Shoemaker, Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance and Energy Management
Barbara Sperbeck, IT Project Manager, Project Management Office
Willie Stocker, Academic Advisor, COEHS Advising
Gregory Suki, Maintenance Mechanic, Osprey Landing
David Thomas, Stores Rec Supervisor, Physical Facilities
Julia Velezon, Academic Advisor, CCEC Advising
Michael Weglicki, Assistant Director Sports Facilities, Special Events
Bobby Williams, Floor Care Worker, Custodial Services
Brett Woodle, Academic Advisor, COAS Advising

In Memoriam
The UNF community was saddened to learn of the passing of faculty member Dr. Chiu Choi on Saturday, April 16. He was employed as an electrical engineering professor in the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction since August 1995. His area of expertise was Engineering Control Systems and his research interests included computational algorithms for control systems and engineering education. 

Read his obituary online.

Brooks College of Health
Dr. Chaka Brittain, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, was selected as a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s HEAL (Health Equity Achieved through Lifestyle Medicine) Scholarship Program’s 2022 HEAL Scholar cohort. This includes $3,670 to cover all expenses associated with becoming certified in lifestyle medicine as well as membership dues, annual conference registration in November, Lifestyle Medicine Board Review course and board registration and a $550 travel stipend for the annual conference.

Dr. Jane McCarthy, professor of nursing, has been invited to speak during a Memorial Day ceremony to be held at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. May 30. McCarthy has been asked to share a message that will bring recognition to our country’s Vietnam veterans. During the Vietnam War, McCarthy served as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.

Dr. Doreen Perez, adjunct in public health, will present "Best Practices and Lessons Learned" from COVID-19 at the American College Health Association Annual Meeting June 2. The presentation will include information on identifying guidelines, policies and operational planning to address COVID-19 on the college campus; discussing the impact of the pandemic on mental health and resilience; and explaining communication and collaboration practices.

Dr. Kristen Hicks-Roof, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, with Leila Ninya, published “The Role Nutrition and Dietetics Faculty Play in Providing Experiential learning Opportunities Amid the Pandemic” in the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 2022 114(1), 44-47. Hicks-Roof, with Dr. Jenifer Ross, Meghan Cosby and Dr. Andrea Arikawa, also published “Instructor and Student Perceptions of Teacher Empathy in Higher Education” in College Teaching, 2022. In addition, Hicks-Roof, with Karen Beathard, published “A Mentoring Program Builds the Bridge with Nutrition Students and Healthcare Professionals” in J Allied Health, 2022 Spring;51(1):31-37. With Caroline Sluyter and Kelly LeBlanc, Hicks-Roof published “Boosting Whole Grain Utilization in the Consumer Market: A Case Study of the Oldways Whole Grains Council’s Stamped Product Database,” in Nutrients 2022; 14(3), 713.

Coggin College of Business
Dr. Gregory Gundlach, professor of marketing, and Riley T. Krotz, had the article “Insights From Marketing and Supply Chain Management: Implications for Competition Policy and Antitrust Law” accepted for publication with Competition Policy International.

College of Arts and Sciences
Art, Art History and Design
Dr. Debra Murphy, professor of art history, presented a paper titled “Revisiting the Holy Family with John the Baptist attributed to Giorgio Vasari at the Cummer Museum,” March 5 at the New College Conference on Medieval and Renaissance Studies in Sarasota, Florida. She also chaired the session “Baroque Rome: Designing Villas, Collecting Pictures” March 4.

Mr. Jason John, associate professor of painting/drawing, participated in the following exhibitions: “About Face,” Webster Arts, Juror: Mia Bergeron, Webster Groves, Missouri, Reclamation, Florida School of the Arts, Palatka, Florida, February; and “My Association with a Temporal Identity,” 33 Collective Gallery, Solo Exhibition, January, Chicago, March; John was also awarded Best in Show, “About Face”, Webster Arts, Webster Groves, Missouri, March; and was a winner in the Fine Art: Professionals Category, Creative Quarterly Magazine, Issue 66, New York City, March. In addition, John was featured in the following: (1) February 2022 publication of the Amplified Art Network: “My Association With Temporal Identity: Interview with Jason John,” Amplified Art Network; (2) January 2022 issue of the American Art Collector Magazine: Concealment and Discovery, pgs. 72-75, Santa Fe, NM, January; and (3) Artist Showcase of the Creative Quarterly Magazine, New York City.

Vanessa Cruz, professor of graphic design and digital media, received Third Fulbright Award as Specialist working with the nonprofit GerHub in Mongolia developing creative curriculum in March 2022.

Stephen Heywood, professor of ceramics, participated in the SIP - National Juried Exhibition. Sulfur Studios in Savannah, Georgia, and the Last Call VII - National Juried Exhibition at the Companion Gallery in Humboldt, Tennessee, in March/April.

Sheila Goloborotko, associate professor in printmaking, participated in the group exhibition “Calculating Chaos” at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The exhibition included a diverse, international group of artists and was also showcased at the Southern Graphic Council International at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. During the conference, Goloborotko participated in three additional group exhibitions: “Queer Printmaking & Futurity,” an exhibition of fine art prints by contemporary queer artists at the Backspace Gallery at UW Madison Art Lofts; “The Devil’s Dictionary,” inspired by the satirical dictionary written by American journalist Ambrose Bierce; and “This is a Gift,” a portfolio celebrating and carrying forward the threads of generosity that brought us here and from which we will weave our shared future.

Communications
Ken Thomas, instructor of multimedia journalism and production, supervised the School’s internship program for two events. First, the School of Communication Internship Program "Inside Swoop in 90" were live on location for the School of Communication Internship Fair March 1. Students were live on Facebook promoting the fair every 30-minutes from 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. New technologies installed into the School of Communication TV Studio in 2020 allowed students to broadcast from across campus for the first time. Watch the work online. For the second event, Thomas supervised the School of Communication coverage of The Players Championship on "Inside Swoop in 90." The internship team were live on location for March 8-10 during the annual professional golf tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach. Using what they learned about off-site live production, the interns provided news, sports and weather reports from the golf course broadcasting live on Facebook. Watch the coverage online. 

Criminology and Criminal Justice
Dr. Michael Cherbonneau, associate professor, with his colleagues Bruce A. Jacobs and Justin T. Pickett, published a paper titled “Greed Restraint: Ambiguity Aversion, Reference Dependence, and Self-Centeredness as Sources of Self-Regulation in Instrumental Crime.” Crime & Delinquency. Pp.1-38, April.

History
Dr. Denise Bossy, associate professor of history: The Special Issue of the Florida Historical Quarterly, “Indigenous Florida,” has earned the Arthur W. Thompson Award from the Florida Historical Society, April.

Dr. Alison J. Bruey, professor of history, presented the paper “The Opposition Within: Political Violence and Transition Politics in Chile” at the American Historical Association 135th Annual Meeting, February.

Dr. Charles Closmann, associate professor of history, presented a paper “Greening the Academy: From Activism to Institutionalization at the University of North Florida, 1972-2022,” at the Florida Conference of Historians Annual Conference, St. Leo, Florida; February 27.

Dr. Chris Rominger, assistant professor of history, was awarded a NEH Summer Stipend, in April. In addition, Rominger had his book chapter manuscript “Testing Boundaries: Tunisia and the Italian Conquest of Ottoman Tripolitania, 1911-12“ featured for discussion and critique at the New York French History Group’s seminar on Feb. 26.

Mathematic and Statistics
Dr. Michelle DeDeo, with colleagues J. Butler, D. Lambert and D. Murphy, published “Population and Nest Site Evidence for Diamondback Terrapins, Malaclemys terrapin, in Northeast Florida” in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, March. DeDeo also presented a special session talk titled "State-space Smoothing Models and the Opioid Epidemic: A Case Study" at the Joint Mathematics Meeting, April.

Philosophy and Religious Studies
Dr. Sarah LaChance Adams, Florida Blue Distinguished Professor and director of the Florida Blue Center for Ethics, published an article titled “Simone de Beauvoir & the Ethics of Seduction” in the Institute of Arts & Ideas in London, March.

Physics
Dr. Jason Haraldsen, associate professor of physics, and students Alexandria Alcantara, Joseph Prescott and Drew Duncan, attended and presented at the American Physical Society March Meeting in Chicago. This conference was a hybrid conference with Haraldsen and Drew attending in-person, while Alexandria and Joseph attended virtually, March.

Dr. Devki N. Talwar, physics research associate, and his colleague Dr. Hao-Hsiung Lin, published a paper titled “Assessing thermodynamical properties of Al1−x GaxSb alloys and optical modes for Al1−x GaxSb/GaAs epifilms and (AlSb)m/(GaSb)n superlattices.” Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology, A40, 032801 (2022), March.

Political Science and Public Administration
Dr. G. George Candler, professor of public administration, and his colleagues presented the following conference papers at the annual American Society for Public Administration Conference, March 18-22, Jacksonville, Florida: (1) Candler and Nicholas Cole, “Beyond the Anglosphere: Global perspectives on the government v. market debate”; and (2) Candler and Daniel Pinheiro, “A Mixed Method Analysis of Covid Response in 200 States and Provinces.”

Dr. Joshua C. Gellers, associate professor of political science, and his colleagues Walter Leal Filho, Peter Yang, João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio, Anabela Marisa Azul, Agata Gielczyk, Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis and Valerija Kozlova, published an article titled “Deploying digitalisation and artificial intelligence in sustainable development research” in the journal Environment, Development and Sustainability, February. Gellers also published an essay, “Is 2022 the year that AI ethics takes sustainability seriously?” in the Global Trends in AI 2022 report of the Global AI Ethics Institute. In addition, Gellers delivered a guest lecture on “Political Economy of Chinese Development Assistance” in an environmental economics course at Villanova University, March.

Psychology
Dr. Elizabeth R. Brown, associate professor in psychology, published an article alongside her collaborators Jessi Smith and Doralyn Rossmann, titled “ ‘Broad’ Impact: Perceptions of Sex/Gender-Related Psychology Journals’ ” in the Frontiers in Psychology journal, March. Madisen Reasonover and Hollie Minichiello, graduate teaching assistants, presented “Relations between mothers’ emotional regulation, stress, and depression during COVID-19” at the 68th Southeastern Psychological Association annual conference using data from a Jody Nicholson and University of Texas collaboration project. Awarded in the top 9 of 174 project submissions for the Graduate Student Research Award, March.

Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work
Dr. Paul Clark, associate professor and MSW Program Director, published a book chapter, “The well-being of older adults in prison” in L. Rapp-McCall & S. Hardy-Chandler (Eds.), Social workers’ desk reference (4th ed.). Oxford University Press, March.

Dr. Jelena Brezjanovic-Shogren, visiting instructor of anthropology, participated in “Cultural Anthropologist,” as a panelist, March 24, Cambridge University, UK, and in "Peoples Movement in Serbia: Mining consequences and the power of a united ecological front," March.

College of Education and Human Services
Dr. Terrie M. Galanti, assistant professor, secondary mathematics and STEM integration/computational thinking, in collaboration with Dr. Nancy Holincheck and Dr. James Trefil, both from George Mason University, published “Assessing the Development of Digital Scientific Literacy With a Computational Evidence-Based Reasoning Tool” in the Journal of Educational Computing Education Research.

Dr. Tara Rowe has been named the 2022 Debra Husted Memorial Dreams Come True Award recipient by the Florida Division on Career Development and Transition. The award is presented in honor of Debra Husted, who devoted her time and expertise on behalf of individuals of all ages with disabilities. In her memory, the award “recognizes individuals who exemplify Husted’s values and show involvement beyond the circle of their lives.”

Dr. Nile Stanley, associate professor of literacy education, and Steffanie Fletcher, executive director of Hope at Hand, Inc. presented a session, “Promoting Resilience in Youth through a Group Poetry and Art Making Program” at the annual National Youth Advocacy and Resilience (NYAR) conference, sponsored by Georgia Southern University, Savannah, Georgia.

Dr. Christine Weber and Rui Wang (GRA) presented a session titled “Supporting Content Knowledge Pedagogy: Designing Professional Learning for Educators Working with Gifted Learners” at the virtual Florida Association for the Gifted (FLAG) Conference in March.

On April 14, the NEFSTEM hosted 10 students from Alden Road Exceptional Student Center to engage in robotics activities using Beebots in the UNF STEP Lab. Students took on the roles of designers, program debuggers, robot drivers, and navigators. Additionally, students created “fuzzy heads” as a grass growing experiment to take back to their school to observe. This visit provided an excellent example of distributed expertise and incorporated multiple teachers, staff, and students from Alden road and COEHS by providing expertise to create a really great experience for the students. Special thanks to Logan Silverman from Alden Road, and COEHS personnel including Shaqwana Freeman-Green, Meghan Parkinson, David Hoppey, Pam Wiliamson, Nick Eastham and Terry Cavanaugh for their support. Christy Davis, an EDIE student, volunteered her time to work with the students and staff. To plan or participate in future STEP Lab activities, please reach out to Xavier Rozas and/or Brian Zoellner.

UNF Online
Kevin Hulen, assistant director for quality and assessment, presented a session titled “The Never Ending Story ... Continuous Improvements to Online Programs” at the Quality Matters 2022 Higher Ed Quality in Action virtual conference.

Thomas G. Carpenter Library
Maria Atilano, student outreach librarian, co-published a program model dedicated to the Carpenter Library’s “Finals Week Pet Grams” on Programming Librarian, a website hosted by the American Library Association Public Programs Office, on April 19.

Courtenay McLeland, head of Digital Projects and Preservation, and Amy Beecham, art professor, presented “Exhibiting Students’ Bound Sketchbooks” to the Book-Arts Special Interest Group of the Art Libraries Society of North America on March 29.

Susan Swiatosz, head of Special Collections and University Archives, will be presenting a paper titled “Sparking Joy in the UNF Rare Books Collection” at the Society of Florida Archivists annual meeting on May 12.

Men’s Golf Wins Seventh ASUN Championship, Gabrelcik Takes Individual Title
No. 39 North Florida men's golf added a seventh ASUN Championship to its trophy case after finishing a massive 11 strokes ahead of the next closest team to card a 4-under mark for the 2022 ASUN Championship. Learn more about men's golf winning the 2022 ASUN Championship.

Women's Golf Wins Third ASUN Championship in Program History
No. 48 North Florida women's golf edged out Kennesaw State by four strokes to become champions of the 2022 ASUN Tournament at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club on Tuesday, April 19. Learn more about the women's golf team's championship victory.

Trio of Ospreys Receive ASUN All-Conference Honors, Berglund Awarded Coach of the Year
A trio of UNF women's golfers brought in five total honors from the ASUN, as Christin Eisenbeiss, Mindy Herrick and Sara McKevitt made the ASUN Women's Golf All-Conference Team, along with head coach Joanne Berglund earning ASUN Women's Golf Coach of the Year. Herrick and McKevitt were also awarded all-academic honors this season for their outstanding performance on the course and in the classroom. Learn more about the women's golf all-conference honorees.

Jazz Bond Goes to the Dallas Wings in WNBA Draft
North Florida women's basketball great Jazz Bond added a life-changing chapter to her journey with the sport of basketball as she was picked up by the Dallas Wings of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) in round three of the 2022 WNBA Draft. The Wings received Bond via the Chicago Sky after she was selected as the 31st pick, becoming the first North Florida women's basketball player to be drafted in the WNBA. Learn more about the first Osprey drafted to the WNBA.

Who is on your healthcare team?
For many people, it can be a team of one. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 80 percent of adults in the United States visited with a physician or other healthcare professional within the past year. Typically, most individuals will visit a primary care provider who can help with common medical problems.

Beyond that, individuals may expand their visits to specialists, based on their specific medical needs, history, concerns and availability. While the ideal or “gold standard” of care is integrated care, with multiple healthcare disciplines working together to address a patient’s needs, it doesn’t always happen for many of us.

So, how do you ensure that your healthcare goals are being met? 
Consider adding a Registered Dietitian to your personal healthcare team. Specifically, the role of the dietitian is to provide medical nutrition therapy, to prevent, manage and treat diet and lifestyle-related comorbidities. You may not realize that Registered Dietitians have extensive evidence-based training, which includes an undergraduate degree in nutrition and a 1,000-hour clinical internship, in addition to passing a national credentialing exam. This training differs greatly from workers referred to as health coaches or nutritionists.

Did you know?

1. Registered Dietitians can help prevent, manage, and treat many medical conditions, both acute and chronic. Most healthcare plans cover medical nutrition therapy delivered by a dietitian for both Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease. For any other medical condition, speak with your insurance plan and/or healthcare professionals to seek care. You can look for experts near you online at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website. 
2. You have the option of meeting with a Registered Dietitian in person or via telehealth. Your first appointment would include a review of eating habits and preferences, physical activity and lifestyle factors as well as questions related to what you eat and why you eat it. A dietitian would also conduct a thorough nutrition assessment and provide a personalized nutrition treatment plan that can help you to be successful in your health goals.
3. Nutrition and lifestyle play a role in nearly seven of the 10 leading causes of death. Rather than a “magic pill” or a “quick fix” using a diet approach, working with a dietitian can help make sustainable, healthy lifestyle modifications that you can live with!

Submitted by Kristen Hicks-Roof PhD, RDN, LDN, CLC, FAND, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics