InsideJuly 2014

A pair of progressive new degree programs for master’s-level Ospreys looking to launch their professional careers to new heights will be rolled out during the course of the next two years.

Both degrees are designed to satisfy regional, national and global employment needs and anticipate business trends and developments. They were recently approved during a University of North Florida Board of Trustees meeting.

The Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Coastal and Port Engineering degree program, housed within the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction, is already seeking students for the fall. The other new program, the Master of Arts in International Affairs degree, will start in fall 2015. Both programs offer innovative academic niches for masters-level students who want to graduate with valuable specializations.

Coastal and Port Engineering

With rising sea levels, storm damage and widespread port expansions, there’s an increasing demand for port and coastal engineers across the country. Dr. Mark Tumeo, dean of the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction, said the new Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Coastal and Port Engineering, fills a major need for the region — as well as the country as a whole. It’ll be one of only a handful of coastal or port engineering degrees in the country, he said.

The degree will focus on the study, design, development and construction necessary to grow the economy while maintaining the high quality of life afforded by living on the coast. The proposed expansion of port facilities in the Jacksonville area to deep-water ships makes this topic particularly significant to Northeast Florida. Students will benefit from CCEC’s existing partnerships with JAXPORT, Crowley Maritime Corporation and universities in Argentina and Spain to hone their skills and gain valuable hands-on learning experiences. Graduates from the program will be prepared to work on the dredging of channels, building and expanding ports, building levees to protect against hurricanes, working on replenishment projects or nearly any engineering job that interfaces with the ocean.


“A large demand for port and coastal engineers is coming, and we’re one of the few institutions to have a program in place,” Tumeo said. “This is a program that will not only serve the students but maximize the state’s resources. We’re ahead of the curve, and that’s a nice niche.”

A survey conducted last year among existing engineering students indicated that a vast majority approved of bringing a port and coastal engineering degree to UNF, and Tumeo said he expects that momentum to build with about seven or eight civil engineering students comprising the first class for the new degree program in the fall. Since the program is built on the existing undergraduate program in Civil Engineering, he said students will have a smooth transition into their specialized master’s curriculum.


International Affairs

Multiple perspectives are needed to be a skilled operator in the increasingly globalized workforce. Dr. Matthew Corrigan, chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, said the Master of Arts in International Affairs degree is unique due to the interdisciplinary nature of the degree. Students will take courses across seven different academic departments — Political Science and Public Administration, Economics and Geography, History, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, English, Languages, Literatures and Cultures and Philosophy and Religious studies. This program-hopping curriculum offers students a taste of a true international-oriented graduate degree in the social sciences, Corrigan said. Additionally, students will be required to submit an internationally focused thesis or travel abroad for an internship before graduating.

“A master’s in international studies should give our students a real broad-based background in the culture of politics and the culture of different places in the world,” he said. “This multi-faceted program does just that and gives students the tools to engage in a globalized economy.”

Corrigan anticipates the first class will have about 15 to 20 students, as the program has already received a tremendous amount of interest from current UNF undergrads. Dr. Pamela Zeiser wrote the proposal for the degree program and will serve as graduate director. The Department of Political Science and Public Administration will also reach out to the community to secure candidates who are already in the workforce, particularly at the entry- or mid-career-levels. The program’s wide-ranging focus makes it perfect for students from nearly any degree path.

“This program is truly unique to the region,” Corrigan said. “It’s also adaptable to the world in which we live. A strong understanding of political and global relationships is important in every facet of life.”

A recent University of North Florida study found that a little fresh air and some Florida sunshine might foster better learning outcomes for kindergarten students.

Two graduate student researchers, led by Erin Largo-Wight, UNF associate professor of public health, collected six weeks of observational data from March 24 to May 16 on two kindergarten classes from the Seaside Community Charter School in Jacksonville Beach. The graduate research assistants were part of an interdisciplinary research team that also included Drs. Caroline Guardino and Katrina Hall. One researcher observed student behavior in the traditional classroom setting, while another took notes as students completed assignments in a specially designed outdoor classroom created by Chuck Hubbuch, UNF’s assistant director of Physical Facilities. Tree stump seats, potted plants and a shaded overhang make up the natural teaching space, which was created with a $4,000 grant from the UNF Environmental Center.

The grant also funded the research and paid a small stipend to Largo-Wight’s graduate research duo — Evita Thomas and Corri Ottensetein. In addition to observing students at work, researchers also compiled self-reported surveys from students about their classroom experiences and analyzed their writing coursework for signs of improvements. While their research data is preliminary, the study has shown that student learning improved markedly in the outdoor space.

“We spend 90 percent of our time indoors,” Largo-Wight said. “That’s not biologically sound. Being outside eliminates cognitive fatigue, and we’ve found that these students really respond to the time outdoors. There’s less teacher intervention needed and more focus put forth by the students.”

Thomas said the six-week study was a great jumpstart for her professional career. She plans to seek positions specializing in data collection once she graduates in August, and the outdoor classroom study helped hone her skills.

“It was very hands-on, and it allowed me to learn a lot about data collection in the field,” Thomas said. “Every 15 seconds, I had a buzzer in my ear that would go off, which meant that I had to check for students who were off-task. It kept me on my toes and made me very observant of the testing environment.”

The Seaside Community Charter School students seemed to enjoy working on their spelling assignments in the great outdoors. Many of them took seats on the natural stump seats, while others lounged on a blanket, pencils and paper in front of them and their eyes locked on their teacher’s portable chalkboard.

“I like it better outside,” a boisterous young male student exclaimed in his outside voice. “It’s fun!”

Drs. Caroline Guardino and Katrina Hall, both from the College of Education and Human Services, also assisted with the project. Largo-Wight said the research will be applicable not just to elementary-age students, but to office workers as well.

“This makes it pretty clear that sitting behind a desk all day under fluorescent lights isn’t how we’re meant to operate,” she said. “Everyone can use a change of scenery, and taking some time outside can be good for your mind and your body.”

He’s been a spokesman, model and man-about-town for the past year. Now, one of the most noticeable faces from the University of North Florida can add college graduate and duck-rector of marketing for a local business to his list of accomplishments.

Sgt. Quackers is moving on up.

The 10-foot-tall fiberglass and Styrofoam duck sculpture was created by students Mark Ewing, Erica Mendoza, Nick Dunlop, Katrina Hess and Maggie Bevis for the art and design department’s Enlivened Spaces class in 2013. He can now be found floating in a retention pond by Ducky’s Car Wash on Jacksonville’s Southside, drawing customers into the business. It’s a change of pace compared to his carefree days floating in the pond near the Thomas G. Carpenter Library on UNF’s campus. But Mike Baxter, regional manager for Ducky’s, said he’s pleased with his newest employee’s initiative and work ethic.

“He goes perfectly with our motif and the theme we have,” Baxter said. “When we heard the art student [Mark Ewing] who graduated from UNF was selling him, we knew we had to get him. He looks just like our logo. People drive by, notice him then notice us. He’s not just a fixture, he's a salesperson.”

This isn’t the first time Sgt. Quackers has been the center of attention. He got decked out in holiday attire for ZOOLights at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, an interactive light show that featured exhibits and performances from UNF art students and faculty. He also stole the show during last year’s One Spark crowdfunding festival in downtown Jacksonville, popping up in the background of many an Instagram picture or Twitter post. While the pace might have slowed down for Sgt. Quackers since he entered the workforce, his legacy lives on. He even inspired a protégé.

Col. Crackers made his debut at this year’s One Spark festival. Thousands of spectators who visited Hemming Plaza during the event were treated to a gigantic, floating Goldfish cracker crafted by students from the same UNF Enlivened Spaces class. Course instructor Jenny Hager-Vickery said Wayne Wood, a retired optometrist and community arts advocate, commissioned Col. Crackers for the most recent festival. The floating snack food remains stationed in Hemming Plaza’s fountain, and it’s undetermined if he’ll travel to campus like his predecessor.

Sgt. Quackers, on the other hand, is thriving in his new setting. Baxter said the fine fowl was recently treated to a new coat of paint and received some fiberglass repairs. The sergeant has truly settled in to his new professional home, and UNF can count him as a distinguished graduate, boosting the University’s graduation and job placement rates at the same time.

A seemingly small change has made a big impact on the occurrence of parking hang-tag theft on campus.

The move by Parking Services to affixed stickers instead of hang-tags for students — which were easy to snatch from unlocked cars — has led to a drastic reduction in the overall theft of parking decals from automobiles on campus.

Bill Strudel, interim chief of the University Police Department, said that his department’s records management system wasn’t designed to track stolen property in different theft categories, such as auto thefts, skateboard thefts or thefts from residence hall rooms. So there isn’t an accurate count available for the number of decal thefts in the two years since sticker decals were introduced. However, Strudel said that anecdotal evidence indicates the sticker decals have deterred theft due to the difficulty of removing them from vehicles.

“A member of Parking Services did a demo for UPD of removing those stickers to show how hard it is to scrape them off,” he said. “It leaves lot of residue and is practically impossible to get off without tearing up. It’s 10-times more difficult than taking a hanging tag. Most thefts — especially thefts from vehicles — are crimes of opportunity, and stickers just aren’t worth the effort. I think criminals agree because there hasn’t been a decal theft since I took over in August.”

Even though decal theft has gotten more difficult for sticky-fingered thieves, Strudel cautioned students, faculty and staff not to get complacent. Any large, public campus is occasionally prone to a run of thefts. He said the best way to prevent auto thefts is simple — lock car doors. Forcible break-ins on campus are extremely rare, as most criminals chose unlocked doors for easier targets.

Beyond serving as a crime deterrent, the new decal process has also made registering multiple vehicles on campus much easier, said Neal Fisher, assistant director of Parking and Transportation Services. The previous system was tied to drivers having a hanging tag visible from the rearview mirror, making it necessary to transport the tag from car to car if a different vehicle was used. The new sticker-driven system allows registrants access to temporary permits for secondary vehicles. Fisher said he considers the sticker-decal transition a success and said students, faculty and staff have been supportive of the change.

A few additional changes are also on the horizon for campus commuting, said George Androuin, the director of Business and Parking Services. New Blue and Gray colored lots will be introduced in the fall, replacing the spots previously listed as premium with the color blue, as well as the spaces in lots 14, 18 and 53, previously marked as discount with the color gray. Androuin said the change was inspired by other universities across the country that have adopted color-coded lots. He said it streamlines the parking process and makes it more accessible to campus guests. Additionally, daily parking permit fees have been broken into two separate categories to coincide with the rebranding of the lots. Blue daily permits corresponding to the previously labeled premium spots will increase to $5 from $3, while gray daily permits for lots 14, 18 and 53 will cost $2, down from $3. The hope is that students without parking passes will migrate to these discounted lots, Androuin said.

“Efficiency is the major factor behind the changes,” he said. “We want parking to be as easy and smooth as we can make it for everyone who comes to campus.”

Albert Colom is going on tour.

The University of North Florida’s new associate vice president of Enrollment Services has been shaking hands, taking calls and meeting various administrative leaders and campus stakeholders as a part of what he called a listening tour of the University — a process designed to give him a better understanding of the unique challenges that he will experience with his new position. Although he officially starts in July, Colom said the tour idea was a way to acquaint himself with the culture and mission of the University so he is prepared to hit the ground running once he assumes his new post.

“My early impressions of the University is that it is made up of passionate, dedicated people who care about the mission and provide a high-level of service to its students,” Colom said. “It’s been refreshing to see everyone on the same page. I’m ready to start and get more involved in the process.”

Colom, a nearly 30-year higher education veteran, comes from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he served as vice president for Enrollment Management. He’s led the enrollment efforts of a number of different institutions across the country, including Florida Atlantic University, Oklahoma State University and Bowling Green. Given the wealth of enrollment knowledge he’s gained over the years at these different universities, Colom said UNF is well on its way to becoming a preeminent college of choice — not just in the region, but throughout the country.

“The growth of the campus in the past 10 years and the institutional markers the University has reached in that span of time show that UNF is on the rise,” he said. “Also, the community is very supportive of the University. When I first flew to Jacksonville to interview at UNF, I asked the attendant at the car rental kiosk about his perception of UNF. He said he attended UNF, loved it and has recommended it highly. That’s the norm, not the exception, when it comes to interactions I’ve had with Jacksonville residents about UNF.”

Colom, however, acknowledges that his job will have its trials, namely appealing to Generation Z, or the cohort of students directly following those in the Millennial bracket. He said that an honest and direct approach through multiple “channels of choice” — social media platforms, websites, mobile platforms, traditional media, etc. — is the key to cutting through the clamor surrounding a constantly plugged-in demographic. Establishing a consistent dialogue that communicates the value of a UNF education and thoroughly elaborates on the University’s strengths will be a key focus for Enrollment Services going forward.

“There are so many different stories that we can tell to prospective students — the great student life on campus, the tremendous access to study abroad opportunities, the benefit of joining the Honors Program and all of the other leadership opportunities present at UNF,” Colom said. “Establishing that dialogue is more important than sending a letter or a view book.”

Broadening UNF’s reach and making the University into a dedicated university of choice is the overarching goal for Colom, and he said the pieces are in place to make that a reality. He acknowledges that it will be an ongoing process, but he’s ready to help UNF reach another level of institutional excellence through the introduction of scores of bright, young scholars to campus. He invites members of the University community to reach out to him at colom@unf.edu when he begins work in July to provide their input and observations for ways to improve Enrollment Services.

One of the University of North Florida’s hidden gems is ready for its time in the spotlight. After a number of years under outside operation, UNF’s Golf Complex at the Hayt Golf Learning Center is now being run by UNF staff and is doing brisk business thanks to a number of grounds improvements and different promotions.

Nestled in the southeast corner of campus — offset from the core of the University — the Golf Complex is a state-of-the-art, 38-acre, four-hole practice facility that accommodates golfers of all skill levels.

A new irrigation pump system was recently installed that has given us the capability to control the water throughout the Complex, making for better greens, and overall facility conditions said General Manager Ken Arsenault, who was hired after UNF took over operation from McCumber Golf in August. Other changes from the previous management cycle include the addition of new artificial surfacing near the tees and regrassing of the hitting surface will soon be completed.

Arsenault said these additions have helped boost the number of golfers who’ve passed through their doors in the past few months. However, his team is working on boosting its social media presence to reach out to UNF students who might be interested in a few rounds.

“There are a lot of students who didn’t know we were here if they hadn’t explored campus,” he said. “We’re working on our marketing to get the word out. That’s why we’re seeing a lot of first timers. But we want to generate even more new interest.”

The facility boasts lighted chipping and putting greens, lighted driving range with grass tee and automatic Power Tee mats. The UNF Golf Complex also houses the University of North Florida’s men’s and women’s golf teams, with in-house locker rooms as well as their own private practice and training facility. The UNF Golf Complex is open to students, faculty and staff and the general public from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Dr. Greg Domber doesn’t fancy himself a gardener. But the University of North Florida associate professor of history said he takes much of his inspiration from the work of George P. Schultz, the former Secretary of State, and a particularly earthy reference located in one of his articles on cultural diplomacy.

Schultz’s idea to “plant seeds” — his metaphor for ideas and ideals that could flourish on foreign soil — is the basis for Domber’s research. This research has placed the UNF faculty member among rare company as the only professor in Florida to recently receive a Strategy and Policy Fellowship from the Smith Richardson Foundation. The $60,000 fellowship is a prominent junior faculty research grant presented each year to only five individuals through a national competition. It supports the research and writing of a book by young scholars and policy thinkers on American foreign policy, international relations, international security or military policy.

“This is the first time that a UNF faculty member has been awarded this prestigious fellowship,” said Dr. John Kantner, UNF assistant vice president for research. “Dr. Domber’s research, which draws on recent history to inform today’s policy decisions, was clearly seen by the reviewers as exceptionally innovative and meritorious of this honor.”

Domber is currently in Washington, D.C. at the National Archives using the fellowship to further his research on his new book “Cultivating Moderates: American Exchange Programs, Social Networks and the Negotiated Revolutions of 1989/1990.” The immersive research will lay the foundation for his manuscript. Once he has the initial groundwork done, he’ll take a sabbatical year and head to Poland, where he’ll plunge into archives and accounts of daily life to complete the book.

Domber seeks to test the hypothesis that American exchange programs promoted the creation of a force of moderate intellectuals, bureaucrats and politicians in Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia from the ’50s to the ’80s. These leaders are thought to have shaped the peaceful settlements that led the democratic transformations in these countries in 1989-90.

Domber has been a faculty member at UNF since 2008. He teaches “Craft of the Historian” and courses on American foreign policy, the international history of the Cold War and post-World War II domestic American social and political history. His scholarship focuses on American democracy promotion at the end of the Cold War, and he is the author of “Empowering Revolution: America, Poland and the End of the Cold War,” available for pre-order now through Amazon and UNC Press. He has also published articles and chapters in the Journal of Cold War Studies, The Polish Review and numerous edited volumes. He is a member of the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies and the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations. He earned his doctorate from The George Washington University and his bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College.

Department: Purchasing

 

Job title: Senior Buyer

 

What do you do?

I spend other people’s millions, so I guess you could say I am a professional shopper. I help the University acquire construction services, furniture, vehicles, appliances, carpet, window coverings, etc. An average week entails assembling solicitation documents, coordinating meetings, answering specification questions, performing research and, in the end, generating purchase orders. All these processes must be accomplished in a manner that meets the legal requirements of government procurement. No two days are the same, and there are never-ending opportunities to learn more about a wide variety of products and services that help University employees do their jobs. It is never boring!

 

Years at UNF: 6 1/2 years.

 

Tell us something about you that even your friends don’t know: I have a purple belt in Taekwondo.

 

Tell us something that would surprise people to know about you:

I windsurf, and I used to play a mean game of basketball!

 

What person had the greatest impact on your life?

I’d have to say my mom. She has always been a strong, intelligent and independent person, which paved the way for me to get the most from the life I have led. Thanks, Mom — you rock!

 

Tell us about your family. I have one awesome son. He’s 14 and growing up to be a fine young man. He rows crew, plays soccer and manages to stay on the honor roll. I am his biggest fan, and he is my life’s most wonderful accomplishment.

 

If you could choose any other career, what would it be and why?

I guess being a billionaire is probably out of the question, so I would most likely be doing the same thing I do now at another government agency or in the private sector. If I had the economic freedom to do anything I wanted, then it would probably be epigenetic research. I have always found the medical field fascinating, and the current breakthroughs in decoding DNA would present endless possibilities for discovery. I like the idea that we can impact our genome by changes we make in the way we live our lives.

 

What would you like to do when you retire?

Wow, do I really get to retire? If that were to ever occur, I hope to be able to spend more time traveling. I would like to visit Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Central America. I really enjoy reading, watching movies and maybe I could take up some kind of creative hobby. I hope to also have the time to volunteer working with kids in ways that could make a difference in their lives. No pressure on my teenager, but I do expect grandchildren at some point in my lifetime!

 

What is your favorite thing about working at UNF?

Helping others find solutions to meet their needs and saving them money. I enjoy researching and learning about the different products and services then finding the best overall source. The time off we are fortunate enough to have is really great too!

 

What is the best thing you ever won?

The privilege of being a mom.

 

What band(s)/musician(s) would perform the soundtrack to your life?

The first 30 years or so would be Madonna or Pink, and the last decade would be Pacifika. Life has definitely mellowed.

 

Who is your favorite fictional character? What makes them your favorite?

Vince Flynn’s character Mitch Rapp. His character has skills and makes a difference in the world.

 

If you won the lottery, what would do with the money?

I would share it with my family and friends and then just enjoy life a little more without financial concerns or constraints. It would be nice to spoil the people I love and get to shop for them endlessly.

 

What is your favorite way to blow an hour?

Taking a long hot bath with a book or Netflix movie, or just goofing off with my son.

 

If you were asked to paint a picture about anything you wanted, what would you paint?

Either a brilliant sunset over the Gulf or a Monet-style image of a wildflower garden. But, unfortunately, anything I painted would be rejected on the wall of your average kindergarten classroom.

 

What was the best money you ever spent?

Anything I spend on my son. He is an investment with infinite returns.

 

Is there a piece of technology that you just couldn’t live without?

I could live without any of it, but I would really miss my iPad.

 

What is the proudest/happiest moment of your life?

The birth of my son and everything after with him. I am proud of him every day of my life.

 

What was the first concert you ever attended, and what was the most recent concert you attended?

Santana was the first concert and Heart/Shawn Colvin at the St. Augustine Amphitheater was the most recent.

   

What are you most passionate about?

Enjoying time with my son and anything I can do to improve the quality of the life he leads.

 

What do you hope to accomplish that you have not done yet?

See my son become an adult with a family of his own. It is amazing how your priorities change when you become a parent.

 

Last book read: I just started “Dust” by Patricia Cornwell and just finished “Inheritance” by Sharon Moalem.

Brooks College of Health

 

Clinical and Applied Movement Sciences: Dr. James Churilla and five of his graduate students (three from UNF; one from the University of Tennessee; and one from A.T Still University, Arizona) presented six papers relating to various aspects of physical activity, sedentary behavior, physiological stress and metabolic health at the 61st annual American College of Sports Medicine meeting in May in Orlando. Churilla also led a research session on Enhancing Performance through Training Interventions.

 

Nursing: Drs. Cynthia L. Cummings and Linda Connelly, presented a poster on “Utilizing Priority Setting and Delegation with Clinical Simulation” at the International Nursing Simulation and Learning Resource conference in Orlando. 

 

Nutrition and Dietetics: Jenna Braddock was recently quoted in Time Magazine online in the Health and Nutrition section regarding “19 Foods You Should Always Have In Your Kitchen.”

 

Public Health: Drs. Michelle J. Moore, Elissa M. Barr and Tammie Johnson gave presentations in May on “Middle School Youth Sexual Behaviors and Team Sports” and “Documenting the Need for Earlier Prevention: Sexual Behavior in Grades 6 through 12” at the Society for Prevention 22nd annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

 

College of Arts and Sciences

 

Art and Design: Vanessa Cruz received the Fulbright Specialist Award in Austria hosted by the Fachhochschule St. Polten, where she participated in lectures, undergraduate workshops and interviewed with campus radio and television.

 

Jenny Hager has an exhibition, “Savienosanas: Coalescence,” at the Talsi Regional Museum, Latvia, and “Ugus Zimedams: Drawing Fire, Sabile,” at the Jewish Synagogue Contemporary Art and Heritage Site, Latvia.

 

Stephen Heywood exhibited his work in the National Juried Cup exhibition at the Victor Keen Gallery in Las Vegas, Nev.; in the International Juried, 5th Biennial Concordia Continental Ceramics Competition at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minn.; and in the Twentieth San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, National Juried Exhibition at San Angelo, Tex.

 

Chemistry: Dr. Amy Lane presented the poster “Molecular basis for biosynthesis of natural products by Nocardiopsis sp. CMB-M0232” at the Gordon Research Conference for Marine Natural Products in March. 

 

Dr. Thomas J. Mullen presented a poster, “Extending Scanning Probe Lithography Through Self- and Directed Assembly Strategies,” at the 5th Annual Scholars Transform Academic Research Symposium (STARS) at UNF in April. The poster was voted best faculty poster. Mullen also presented the lecture, “Nanografting Labile 1-Adamantanethiolate Self-Assembled Monolayers,” at the 2014 Florida Annual Meeting and Exposition in May.

 

Communication: Dr. Peter Casella published “Rethinking Failure: A New Perspective of The Ten O’Clock News Reported by Carol Marin” in the Florida Communication Journal.

 

English: Dr. James Beasley presented his paper, “Object-Oriented Ontology and the Material Borders of Invisible Red Ink” at the conference of the Rhetoric Society of America in May in San Antonio, Tex.

 

Emily K. Michael published “Answering Blindness: A Poet Makes Amends” in Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and “Cello” in Artemis Journal.

 

History: Dr. Alison J. Bruey presented the paper “Archeology of Discontent: Popular Sectors and Opposition to Neoliberalism in Chile” at the XXXII International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, Chicago, Ill. in May.

 

Dr. Chau Kelly published “Asha binti Awadh’s Awqaf: Muslim Endurance Despite Colonial Law in Mikindani, Tanzania” in the International Journal of African Historical Studies. She also published a book review of Eric Allina’s Slavery by Any Other Name on H-Empire.

 

Languages, Literatures and Cultures: Dr. Constanza Lopez was awarded the Monserrat Ordóñez Prize for her book Trauma memoria y cuerpo: El Testimonio feminine en Colombia (1985-2000) given by the Colombia Section of the Latin American Studies Association.

 

Dr. Yongan Wu published “The Effect of Mixed-Sensory Presentation on Retaining Graphic Features of Chinese Characters” in Studies in Second Language Acquisition of Chinese in June, edited by Zhao Hong Han.

 

Philosophy and Religion: Dr. Andrew Buchwalter presented “The Dialectic of Human Rights and Democracy under Conditions of Globality” at the International Conference on the Grounding and Implementation of Human Rights, Institute of Human Rights, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, Ind.; “Human Rights, Democracy, and Global Interculturality,” at the Conference on Philosophy and the Social Sciences in Prague, Czech Republic; and the invited lecture “La pobreza y la concepcion hegeliana del derecho como eticidad reflexive” in the Philosophy Department, Autonomous University of Madrid in Spain.

 

Dr. Paul Carelli presented the paper, “Power in the Lesser Hippias,” at the West Coast Plato Workshop 2014 at the University of California at Berkeley.

 

Dr. Hans-Herbert Koegler published the invited essay “A Critique of Dialogue in Philosophical Hermeneutics” in the Journal of Dialogue Studies, London, England.

 

Sociology and Anthropology: Dr. Suzanne Simon published her book “Sustaining the Borderlands in the Age of NAFTA: Development, Politics and Participation on the U.S.-Mexico Border.”

 

College of Computing, Engineering and Construction

 

Computing: Dr. Swapnoneel Roy, Atri Rudra and Akshat Verma had their paper titled “Energy Aware Algorithmic Engineering” accepted for publication in the proceedings of the IEEE 22nd International Symposium on Modeling, Analysis and Simulation of Computer and Telecommunication Systems in Paris, France in September.

 

Roy, along with his student, Priyanka Harish, also had a paper titled “Towards Designing Greener Secured Hash Functions” accepted for publication in the proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Green Computing and Communications in Taipei, Taiwan in September.

 

Engineering: Dr. Peter Bacopoulos and S. C. Hagen had their paper titled “Dynamic considerations of sea-level rise with respect to water levels and flooding in Apalachicola Bay” accepted for publication in the Journal of Coastal Research — Special Issue on Climate Change Impacts on Surface Water Systems.

 

Construction Management: Dr. Maged Malik presented his paper titled “A Case Study of Green Technology at the University of North Florida” at the IAMOT conference in Washington, D.C., in May. Malek also chaired a session at the conference.

 

Dean’s Office: Dean Mark Tumeo was recently elected as an American Society of Civil Engineering Fellow. The nationally recognized designation requires bearers to have had responsible charge for a minimum of 10 years of important industrial, business, construction, educational, editorial, research or engineering society activity, requiring the knowledge and background gained from engineering training and experience. Additionally, Fellows must be nominated by leadership within the ASCE.

 

College of Education and Human Services

 

Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management: Dr. Francis Godwyll will have a book published this summer. The book is titled “Perspectives on Empowering Education” by Nova Publishers and co-authored with Peter Chrisanthus Otiato Ojiambo and Paul Kobina Annan Bedu-Addo.

 

Department of Childhood Education, Literacy and TESOL: Lena Shaqareq, Dr. Jin-Suk Byun and Catherine McMurria presented at the SSTESOL conference in St. Petersburg this past May. Their session was titled “Vocabularius,” and it focused on incorporating fun and funny activities into teaching and building up vocabulary for ESL students.    

Milestone anniversaries  

Congratulations to the following employees who will celebrate a milestone anniversary at UNF in July:

 

25 years

Robert McCracken, Manager of Land Grounds Recycling, Physical Facilities

Judith Rodriguez, Chair/Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics

 

20 years

Valtina Kearse, Work Management Specialist, Physical Facilities

 

15 years

Wallace Harris, Associate Director, Physical Facilities

Scott Bennett, Associate Vice President, Administration and Finance

 

10 years

Cheryl Campbell, Director of Academic Advising Services, Coggin College of Business

Dmitriy Bond, Director of IT, Enterprise Systems

Elaine Poppell, Senior Broadcast Engineer Technician, CCEC Video Production Facility

 

Five years

Fred Burnett, Head Athletic Trainer, Intercollegiate Athletics

Judy Chacinski, Office Manager, Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management

Valerie Murphy, Associate Director, Continuing Education

Keunta Miles, Assistant Athletic Coach, Basketball

Ralph Felix, Control Systems Technician, Physical Facilities

Tommy Richardson, Groundskeeper, Physical Facilities

Aaron Small, Application Systems Analyst, Enterprise Systems

 

Welcome

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

 

Samuel Epps, Custodial Supervisor, Custodial Services

Sidney Halfhill, Maintenance Mechanic, Maintenance and Energy Management

Lynn Weatherford, Accounting Associate, Advancement Services

Lucy Tison, Administrative Secretary, Student Government Business and Accounting Office

Warren King, Maintenance Mechanic, MOCA Building Maintenance

Katrina Willis, Accounting Associate, Student Government Business and Accounting Office

Cheri Harris, Custodial Worker, Custodial Services

Catherine Silvers, Assistant University Librarian, Library

Christie Hall, Office Assistant, Educational Field Experiences

Caitlin Bernatt, Laboratory Technician, Chemistry

Lisa Taylor, Assistant Women's Soccer Coach, Women's Soccer

 

Great job

The following employees were promoted recently:

Corey Williams, Senior Academic Adviser, Academic Center for Excellence

Patricia Kapcio, Administrative Services Coordinator, Graduate School

Kempton Jackson, Refuse Recycle Moving Supervisor, Physical Facilities

Reginal Smith, Senior Recycle Refuse Worker, Physical Facilities

Miwa Nguyen, Assistant Director of Academic Support Services, Brooks College of Health

Gordon Rakita, Director, Academic Technology

Trudy Cochrane, Administrative Assistant, Undergraduate Studies

Kevin Hulen, Assistant Director of Distance Learning Course Development, Center For Instruction and Research Technology

Dianne Dawood, Student Affairs Coordinator, Taylor Leadership Institute

Padre Beachem, Senior Recycle Refuse Worker, Physical Facilities

Jamie Spruell, Interim Coordinator of Academic Support Services, Office of Academic Testing

 

Goodbye

 

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

 

Andrew Davis, Senior Store/Receiving Clerk, Purchasing

Henry Robertson, Recycle Refuse Worker, Recycling

James Alderman, University Librarian, Library

Betty Carter, Custodial Worker, Physical Facilities

Tiffany Winemiller, Associate Director of Development, Coggin College of Business

Jane Harrell, Head Athletic Coach, Women’s Swimming

John Smith, Recycle Refuse Worker, Recycling

Brian Sherwood, Maintenance Mechanic, Physical Facilities

Erin Soles, Assistant Director, Distance Learning

Henry Robertson, Recycle Refuse Worker, Recycling

Denise Hyatt, Child Development Teacher, Child Development Center

Julia Brumfield, Administrative Secretary, Counseling Center

Julie Milich, Director of Advancement Systems, Development and Alumni Affairs

Corinne Connally, Program Assistant, Office of Academic Testing

Peter Ercey, Parking Services Technician, Parking Services

For those who love Italian food and the Mediterranean diet, one of the staples are beans, particularly cannellini beans. The regions of Tuscany and Umbria eat beans frequently and often mix them with pasta, create bean soups with seasonal vegetables and greens or serve them with onions, olive oil and basil as a side to roasted meats. Tuscans are sometimes referred to as “bean eaters” or “mangiafagioli” in Italian. Catherine Christie, associate dean and a professor in the Nutrition and Dietetics Flagship Program at the University of North Florida, shares more about this Tuscan delight. In order to include cannellini beans in your diet, a recipe is included.

 

Myth: The healthy Mediterranean diet consists of mostly tomato sauce, pasta, cheese and wine.

 

Fact: The Mediterranean diet is primarily plant foods with moderate amounts of fish and poultry, small amounts of red meat, high consumption of beans, nuts and grains, particularly pasta, Arborio rice, cheese and yogurt, no more than four eggs a week, fresh fruit as dessert and low to moderate amounts of wine. It’s 25 to 35 percent of calories from fat, predominantly extra virgin olive oil, and saturated fat is no more than 8 to 10 percent of calories. Fiber sources include fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds. Although fat consumption is higher in the Mediterranean diet than some diets, the health effects in terms of prevalence of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes have been significantly lower in Mediterranean countries compared to other European countries and the U.S.

 

Myth: Legumes and beans have no special nutritional value in the Mediterranean diet.

 

Fact: The Mediterranean diet includes lots of legumes. Legumes are plants in the pea family that produce pods, which slit open naturally along a seam, revealing a row of seeds. Examples of legumes in the Mediterranean diet include peas, chickpeas, lentils and beans. Cannellini beans are large white Italian kidney beans, which are available both dried and canned. A serving of cannellini beans provides more than 20 percent of the recommended daily values of iron, magnesium and folate. They are also a good source of protein, providing more than 15 grams per serving. Other nutritional benefits include their low fat content and calorie count. Each serving contains only 225 calories and less than one gram of fat.

 

Myth: Cannellini beans are native to the U.S.

 

Fact: Cannellini beans are a variety of white beans native to and popular in Central and Southern Italy, particularly in Tuscany. Other names for the bean include white kidney bean and fazolia bean. They are similar to white navy beans and are often mistaken for great northern beans. They have a firm texture and skin, are mild in flavor and hold their shape well after cooking. In Tuscany, the beans are often eaten cooked and mashed, seasoned with olive oil, salt, fresh basil and pepperoncini pepper and spread on toasted bread as a popular variety of bruschetta.

 

Myth: Cannellini beans don’t need to be soaked before cooking.

 

Fact: To prepare cannellini beans, they need to be rinsed and soaked overnight. They also should be boiled for at least 10 minutes and then simmered for two to three hours over reduced heat or cooked in a pressure cooker for 15 to 20 minutes. One cup of dried beans yields approximately three cups of cooked beans. After initial preparation, they can be added to soups, salads, pasta dishes and stews and also can be seasoned with a little extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, salt and pepper and served as a side dish to meat or fish. Cooked cannellini beans can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days or frozen for later use.

 

Myth: Because they are imported from Italy, cannellini beans are expensive to purchase.

 

Fact: Dried beans, such as cannellini, are some of the cheapest and most nutritious foods you can purchase. The canned variety is also very affordable. They are staple ingredients in such Italian specialties as minestrone soup, pasta e fagioli, greens with cannellini beans and pancetta, ribollita soup and penne pasta with beans and greens, like escarole or kale.

 

Cannellini Bean Salad

2 cans or 2 cups cooked from dry cannellini beans

1 sweet onion, chopped or sliced for slivers or you may use green onions, chopped

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Pepper to taste, either black or pepperoncini

Chopped fresh basil

Balsamic vinegar to taste

 

Directions

Mix beans with remaining ingredients in a serving bowl. They are best prepared two to three hours before serving and refrigerated. This dish is also good over fresh salad greens, such as arugula, romaine or mixed greens, with some grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

 

Serves: 4

Calories: 233

Fiber: 7 g

Sodium: 10 mg

Carbohydrates: 33 g

Protein: 10 g

Fat: 7 g

 

The Goods is a monthly column about food myths and facts by faculty members in the University of North Florida’s Nutrition and Dietetics Flagship Program. Have a question about cannellini beans? Contact Catherine Christie at c.christie@unf.edu .

  The Boathouse, UNF’s iconic campus eatery and bar, has seen its share of facelifts. The first structure was built in 1973 on a prime lakefront location. However, a fire during Christmas break in 1978 ravaged the building. A new, much larger restaurant was built on the same spot and opened for business in 1980. That building survived renovations, expansions and a name change to Wackadoo’s Grub and Brew before being razed in 2008 to make way for the new Student Union. The latest iteration of the Boathouse, which opened in 2009 on the second floor of the Student Union and boasts beautiful campus views and satisfying food, is a testament to how far the University has come.

 

Bright Birds Know is a monthly feature highlighting interesting facts, figures and stories about the University of North Florida. Do you have a thought-provoking entry that you want to share with the campus community? Get involved by submitting your own Bright Birds Know item to Matt Coleman at matthew.coleman@unf.edu .