InsideAugust 2020

The grass must be cut, lighting checked and work areas cleaned. It’s all part of the normal duties that 140-plus UNF Physical Facilities staff members must complete before the start of every semester. Yet COVID-19 has created a new normal for this fall reopening, and certainly additional challenges.

According to Wallace Harris, director of Physical Facilities Operations, new safety protocols are in place and campus buildings and classrooms will have a new look. “We had to create a social-distancing layout for each classroom that will be used and label what the actual seating would be,” said Harris, explaining that his staff worked on 300 classrooms. “We’ve been delivering and installing plexiglass partitions for the offices and desks, and we have put sanitizer stations in all the classrooms that will be used.”

New signs also have been put in place on building entrances, in lobbies, on elevators, bathrooms, stairwells and outside across campus. The signs serve as reminders: Maintain social distancing. Wear a mask in all indoor and outdoor areas on campus. Wash hands frequently or use hand sanitizer. Screen yourself daily and stay home if you’re sick.

Classrooms and offices are typically cleaned every night, so that schedule will continue, but additional staff will be added to the midday shift to do twice-a-day cleaning of some common areas such as bathrooms, Harris said. As an added precaution, staff also looked at the number of air exchanges in a classroom and, for some, increased the amount of airflow in order to provide faster circulation. Filters for the air conditioning and heating systems did not have to be upgraded because they already exceed the standards recommended by the CDC.

The new normal has certainly added to the list of jobs needed in order to bring the campus back to life. Yet Harris is confident that all will be in place when faculty and staff return Aug. 5. “We’ll be ready,” he said. “We know what the tasks are. We’ll be ready.”

Provost Simon Rhodes hosted the University's first virtual Faculty and Staff Town Hall meeting over Zoom July 17 to discuss the return to campus and answer questions. Filling all the available Zoom logins, about 300 employees listened to the leaders of the four UNF teams working to reopen campus as they presented their progress and answered questions from employees.

After the Q&A, Rhodes thanked the faculty, staff and student members of each team who have handled what he called “almost impossible tasks” in a short timeframe. “This is a constantly moving target in everything that we do,” Rhodes said. “So there will be a lot of communication in the next weeks as we approach the start of the semester. Some of the things we’ve said today may change. We’re going to have to adapt.”

Several days after the Town Hall, UNF made its Self-Screening Tool available. The University asks that all faculty, staff and students use the self-assessment tool daily to determine if they should report campus. The self-screening tool can be accessed through the Safe Ospreys app. For more information on the process, please visit the Self-Screening Guidance webpage.

If you were unable to join the meeting, a recording of the Town Hall is available online. For the most up-to-date COVID-19 information and resources, please visit UNF's coronavirus website featuring recent communications and frequently asked questions that are updated often.

In early July, President Szymanski asked Bob Greenlaw to serve as the lead point person in coordinating the University’s fall reopening. His official title is COVID-19 Taskforce Coordinator. For the past four years, Greenlaw has been working as UNF’s emergency manager on the UNF Crisis Management Team.

We talked with Greenlaw to learn more about his experience and the job ahead.

Q. If you could tell the campus community one important message, what would that be?
“The biggest thing that I care about is masks and social distancing on and off campus. If you look at the numbers in Jacksonville and the percentages, Jacksonville has become a hotspot. We can’t afford to have UNF become a hotspot. So we’ve been asking people to get tested before they come to campus and then be very careful about what you do. We are all charged with a mission: to keep UNF safe. I can’t do that alone. We all have to do it. Everybody has to be on this program. If you don’t wear a mask and social distance, you are endangering your colleagues, your friends and your family. You are definitely NOT cool if you are not wearing a mask, because that hurts other people.”

Q. What is your role in working with the COVID-19 Taskforce and the four working groups?
“My job basically is to make sure everything we’re promising, we’re delivering. Everything we expect to happen is going to happen. Being the coordinator simply means that I don’t tell people what to do, but I ask them: Have you accomplished this task? Are the signs out? Is the policy talking about things we need to reinforce with people ready to go? Have we done everything we planned on doing? So, I’m coordinating this effort to keep people safe. That’s the president’s absolute mandate: Keep people safe on the campus. And if someone does get sick, and we’re all wearing masks and we’re all social distancing, then we’ve greatly reduced the chance of the virus spreading wildly around campus.”

Q. How is UNF preparing to handle new developments once campus reopens?
“I put together a COVID-19 Strike Team with about 15 members because I worry that we needed a smaller group that could “steer the ship” once the campus reopens. Those are key leaders who would make quick determinations based on what is happening. For example, if we get a report that we’ve had a number of positive cases, that team would meet very quickly and make a recommendation to the president if needed. It’s a smaller team that can react quickly and represents all the key areas that would be involved.”

Q. Is the University going to provide on-campus testing?
“Yes, but I don’t have specifics on the timeframe. It is all being planned. There are many variables: how many tests we can do, what medical professionals can do them? The president is emphatic that we make testing available and do as much as possible.”

Q. What previous experience do you feel best prepared you for this role?
“I’ve worked in public safety for over 40 years. I was in command of a unit after the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 as well as the 9/11 World Trade Center disaster in 2001. I was at a wildfire in Idaho that was the No. 1 fire priority in the nation. I was working on command functions at the flooding in Missouri when the Mississippi took out towns. So I’ve been in situations when you’re under a lot of pressure. I’ve seen a lot of things happen, and I’m used to working with people and finding common ground between different groups. And I care about people very much. It’s a big job, but I’m happy to do it.”

More about Greenlaw’s background:
Prior to his move to Jacksonville, Greenlaw served as the program coordinator, Compliance and Professional Standards at the University of South Carolina in the Division of Law Enforcement and Safety. Greenlaw also served as a 911 center director, where he consolidated 911 services in New Jersey, Idaho and Ohio. Prior to that, he served as the chief of emergency services in Ridgewood, New Jersey, for more than 25 years.

Being a part of the Osprey community means that each of us must take extraordinary steps to stay well and protect one another. It is a shared responsibility. 

View and take the Osprey Pledge to protect your own health and wellness, protect others and help keep the UNF community safe from the spread of COVID-19.

The University of North Florida celebrated the Summer Class of 2020 virtually on Friday, July 31 — the day previously scheduled for Summer Commencement. Though students and the Osprey community were not able to gather in the UNF Arena at this time due to social distancing guidelines, UNF launched a celebratory website on Friday recognizing the special milestone. The website features messages from leadership, special videos, links to department recognitions, graduate listings and more.

UNF’s official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts were also active throughout the week honoring the Class of 2020.

Two new initiatives ― a Sport Data Analytics Lab and an Executive in Residence program ― just might be a game changer for students in UNF’s sport management program, according to Jennifer Kane. Both programs have been designed with input from industry professionals to add skills that will better prepare graduates for the workforce.

“We felt we could do more to help our students stand out when they were applying for positions and to help them get better paying jobs,” said Kane, a professor in sport management and associate dean of the College of Education and Human Services. To do that, she invited a small group of industry professionals to discuss options. One of the first things the group did was to create a workforce needs survey to better understand what skills and strengths companies are seeking in entry-level candidates.

Sport Data Analytics Lab
The survey results highlighted two areas – data analytics and finance – and created an opportunity for UNF, Kane said. The faculty team already included Assistant Professor Dr. Wanyong Choi, with expertise is sport performance analytics. Before his graduate work at Indiana University Bloomington, Choi worked for six years as a Sport Data Analyst for several broadcasting systems in Korea, developing programs for sport analysis and working with media, coaches and players. Kane said that Choi has been suggesting that the College consider creating a Sport Data Analytics Lab.

“I feel the data lab will create a better situation for our students after they graduate,” Choi said. “Nowadays, about 6 out of 10 jobs are analytics jobs. Many advertisements for jobs ask for this type of experience. So by educating students on new software used by sports teams around the country and new systems of analytics, I strongly believe that our students will have an advantage getting jobs.”

The lab is located on the third floor of the College and will open this fall with the equipment and faculty in place, Kane said. The department also has hired Dr. Tae Ho Kim, with expertise in sport business data analytics, who will begin at UNF this fall.

Executive in Residence
The idea for the Executive in Residence initiative came from the chair of the industry group, Brian Carroll, who taught for eight years as an adjunct with UNF’s sport management program while he worked at the PGA Tour. Carroll now works at the LPGA in Daytona as senior vice president of Global Media Distribution and serves on the Dean’s Education Advisory Council at UNF. At the University of Central Florida, he serves on the board of the Devos Sport Business Management Program.

“They have a specific program with ESPN, where different executives fill that role,” Carroll said. “When I heard about that, the light bulbs went on. The university benefits from someone’s expertise, and the person from the outside doesn’t have to commit to a lifetime of work. So it was a fairly easy decision for the College to move forward and establish an Executive in Residence program at UNF.”

Once everyone approved the idea, Kane said everything seemed to fall into place with perfect timing, almost as if “all the stars had aligned.” Carroll heard from his longtime colleague Ken Lovell, senior vice president of ShotLink Business Operations at the PGA Tour, who was interested in an adjunct teaching position at UNF. Instead, Carroll suggested he serve as the first Executive in Residence, a volunteer position he will hold for one year. Lovell will also teach a class this fall in sport communication. Another PGA staff member, Mike Vitti, vice president of Data Science and Technology Solutions at the PGA Tour, also will be teaching a course in sport business analytics this fall at UNF.

“The timing was perfect,” Kane said. “We now have two UNF faculty members with the needed data analytics experience for the lab, and we had evidence that the industry is really looking for students with data analysis skills.” In addition, Kane said the Executive in Residence program brings real-world relevancy to the classroom and information on recent developments in the industry. “It’s also brought a lot of industry attention to the program, which will help our students,” Kane said. “We believe it will really be a game changer for them.”

Here’s a recap of UNF news that you might have missed:

UNF employee recognized as an Osprey Hero for his dedicated service
Mike Trotter, shipping receiving supervisor in Procurement Services and a 26+ year employee of UNF, is honored and profiled as a recent Osprey Hero as one who has gone the extra mile to create a positive change for the greater Osprey community. Read the full story about Trotter online.

Professor and students create a UNF first
This summer’s Brand Management in Sport class was the first to participate in author and brand consultant Jeremy Darlow’s “The Darlow Rules Challenge.” Dr. Jason Lee’s students were divided into teams of two and three who identified the next 30 for 30 college sports story and were tasked with developing a launch plan for the story. Congrats to the winning team of UNF students: Michael Ayer, graduating summer 2020 with a degree in sport management and a leadership minor; Denise Hester, graduating fall 2020 with a degree in sport management; and Jade King, graduating summer 2020 with a degree in sport management and a business management minor.

UNF Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Accepting Applications for Healthcare Entrepreneurs
The University of North Florida Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) is now accepting applications for its next cohort of aspiring entrepreneurs. This cohort will focus on the healthcare sector and anyone with a business idea in the health and medical field should consider applying. Applications are due by Friday, Aug. 14, and applicants will be notified of acceptance by Friday, Aug. 28. Find more information, including a schedule of the programs and an application, on CEI's website. 

Wednesdays are for Wellness at UNF
UNF’s Department of Recreation and Wellness has implemented the “Wellness Wednesday” initiative. Every Wednesday on the UNF RecWell Instagram, departments including Healthy Osprey, Eco Adventure, Ogier Gardens, Nutrition Services and more gather to share content that will help the Osprey community get active and live well. Wellness Wednesdays will continue into the fall semester and will include exciting content such as a live cooking demonstration with a Healthy Osprey ambassador, weekly at-home workouts hosted by UNF trainers, healthy eating tips, and general wellness resources that can be enjoyed from the safety of home. To keep up with the weekly activities and view all past Wellness Wednesday content, visit the UNF RecWell Instagram. 

Drink coffee for pleasure, not disease prevention, researchers say
Dr. Lauri Wright, chair of nutrition and dietetics at UNF and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, agreed with the report's conclusion that people should not rely on coffee to prevent any diseases. Read more about the research online.

Hurricane Isaias became the ninth named storm of 2020, after brushing the coast of Florida this past weekend. Though its impact was less than anticipated, the months ahead are expected to be active, so it's not too late to gather supplies and make preparations.

There are many lists available to help you build your basic emergency kit. The City of Jacksonville has a Preparedness and Response Guide on its website available for download, which includes lists of emergency supply kit items, additional emergency supplies as well as COVID-19 specific supply items. You also can download the city’s JaxReady app, to help you monitor current weather reports and news feeds for emergency preparedness and evacuation. Additional information for University of North Florida employees is available on the Hurricane and Tropical Storm Preparedness webpage.

At UNF, routine hurricane preparation work has already been completed, such as making sure drainage systems are clear, identifying and removing dead limbs and trees of concern, fueling generators, and confirming vendor support is in place for recovery. Additionally, the administration has updated the campus emergency plans in the context of COVID-19 to ensure UNF can safely support sheltering needs if required.

Hurricane season is well underway. This year’s forecast for the number of storms and hurricanes is far above the past 30-year average, so we should plan to be more prepared than ever. This year, preparing for hurricane season also means staying safe from COVID-19.

Though there are many things to add to a hurricane shopping list, water and non-perishable foods are essential. Food tips are provided below.

Water: Make sure you have enough drinking water at home to last for four to five days. The recommended amount is one gallon per person per day. For example, for a family of four, you would need 20 gallons of drinking water for five days. You can also save water in a bathtub for dishwashing and sanitation. 

 
Food: You should have at least a five-day food supply, especially nonperishable foods that do not require refrigeration and need a little preparation.

Here are several healthy choices for nonperishable foods:

• Canned vegetables with no added salt
• Dried or canned fruit in 100% fruit juice
• Canned soups, meats and pasta
• Pouches or cans of fish and chicken
• Dried or canned beans, peas and lentils
• Nuts, seeds and nuts butters
• Olive, canola or other vegetable oils
• Crackers
• Cereal (dry)
• Granola and energy bars
• Unrefrigerated fruit: bananas, apples and oranges
• Baby food and bottles
• Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats, millet and whole-wheat pasta)
• Bread (whole wheat)
• Do not forget the pet food

Having a large stock of nonperishable foods at home also helps to minimize the amount of grocery shopping trips, which is advisable in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Frozen foods such as vegetable foods, fruits, seafood and poultry can be helpful as well.

Tips for Food Preparation: Make sure you have the following items at home:
Grill, whether with charcoal, lighter fluid and lighter, or fueled by propane, manual can opener, dish soap, garbage bags and hand sanitizer.

Tips for Serving the Food: You should have enough disposable plates, cups and utensils at home.

Tips for Food Safety: It is important to wash your hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Hand sanitizer with at least 60-percent alcohol is another option if handwashing is not an option. Although there is no evidence that COVID-19 is transmittable through foods, sharing foods and beverages is discouraged. 

 
Tips for Grocery Shopping:

1. Decide meals and snacks and review the recipes of the meals you want to make before shopping; then make a grocery list accordingly.
2. Organize your list based on different sections of the store that the items are located in. It will help you to reduce the time spent inside the store.
3. Pick the perishable items, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and frozen foods, toward the end of the shopping trip to reduce the amount of their exposure time to room temperature.
4. Use disinfectant wipes offered by stores to clean your hands and wipe down the cart and basket handles before shopping or use your own hand sanitizer.
5. Wash your hands when you return from shopping and put the perishable foods in the refrigerator or freezer right away.
6. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water and dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Do not use bleach or soap to wash fruits and vegetables. 

Stay Safe! 

Submitted by Alireza Jahan-Mihan, associate professor, Nutrition and Dietetics

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

35 Years
Patricia Holley, Training Specialist, Training and Services Institute

30 Years
Jeffrey Michelman, Professor, Accounting and Finance

25 Years
Dawn Saracino, Associate Instructor, Clinical and Applied Movement Science
David Schwam-Baird, Associate Professor, Political Science and Public Administration
Carolyn Stone, Professor, Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management
Mei-Qin Zhan, Professor, Mathematics and Statistics

20 Years
Andrew Beall, Associate Lecturer, Biology
Berrin Beasley, Associate Professor, Communication
Terence Cavanaugh, Associate Professor, Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management
Sherif Elfayoumy, Director/Professor, School of Computing
Donald Haley, Professor, Health Administration
Michael Hallett, Professor, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Jennifer Kane, Professor, Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management
William Klostermeyer, Dean/Professor, College of Computing, Engineering and Construction
Luminita Razaila, Associate Instructor, Mathematics and Statistics
Paul Rowe, Associate Instructor, Mathematics and Statistics
Christine Weber, Professor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum

15 Years
Andrea Altice, Instructor, Nutrition
Catherine Chadeayne, Instructor, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Blake Coglianese, Associate Professor, Art, Art History, and Design
Vanessa Cruz, Associate Professor, Art, Art History, and Design
Reham Eltantawy, Professor, Marketing and Logistics
Daniel Gottlieb, Professor, Music
Sami Hamid, Associate Professor, Mathematics and Statistics
Mitchell Haney, Associate Professor, Philosophy and Religious Studies
Shane Leverette, Associate Professor, English
Natalie Mack, Document Scanning Associate, Registrar's Office
Julie Merten, Associate Professor, Public Health
James Montgomery, Lecturer, Physics
Jamie Moon, Associate Lecturer, Biology
Siho Nam, Associate Professor, Communication
Judith Ochrietor, Associate Professor, Biology
Marcus Pactor, Associate Instructor, English
Tiffiny Poole, Senior Payroll Representative, Controller
Mohammad Rahman, Associate Professor, Mathematics and Statistics
Connie Roush, Associate Professor, Nursing
David Sheffler, Associate Professor, History

10 Years
Christa Arnold, Associate Professor, Communication
Devrim Bilgili, Associate Professor, Mathematics and Statistics
Gaylord Candler, Professor, Political Science and Public Administration
Corey Causey, Associate Professor, Chemistry
Georgette Dumont, Associate Professor, Political Science and Public Administration
William Dunn, Senior Landscape Grounds Supervisor, Physical Facilities
Terri Ellis, Associate Professor, Biology
Debran Harmon-O'Connor, Assistant Professor, Nursing
Leslie Kaplan, Instructor, Honors
Tia Kimball, Instructor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum
Amy Lane, Associate Professor, Chemistry
Clayton McCarl, Associate Professor, Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Dawn Russell, Associate Professor, Marketing and Logistics
Nicholas Seabrook, Associate Professor, Political Science and Public Administration
Christopher Trice, Associate Professor, Art, Art History, and Design
David Waddell, Associate Professor, Biology
Qiang Zhen, Associate Professor, Mathematics and Statistics
Brian Zoellner, Associate Professor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum

5 Years
Faith Adams, Instructor, Nursing
Grace Bosse, Instructor, Physics
David Bryan, Associate Professor, Accounting and Finance
John Dean, Instructor, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Jason Edgar, Assistant Director, SG Business and Accounting Office
Suzanne Ehrlich, Assistant Professor, Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management
Ashley Faulkner, Instructor, English
Sheila Goloborotko, Associate Professor, Art, Art History, and Design
Felicia Griffin, Accounts Payable Receivable Associate, Controller
Jason Haraldsen, Associate Professor, Physics
John Hewitt, Assistant Professor, Physics
Andrew Hopkins, Assistant Director, Research Prog Services, Political Science and Public Administration
DeAnna Irvin, Director, Enrollment Services Processing Office
Richa Jethwani, Instructor, College of Computing, Engineering and Construction
Dilek Kayaalp, Assistant Professor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum
Charles Kennedy, Coordinator, Research Progress Services, Small Business Development Center
Jennifer Kilpatrick, Assistant Professor, Exceptional Deaf and Interpreter Education
Soonhyang Kim, Assistant Professor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum
Nathan Kunz, Assistant Professor, Management
Kristina Lopez-Smith, Assistant Professor, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Hannah Malcolm, Assistant Professor, Chemistry
Bridgette McQuaig, Assistant Professor, Nursing
LaRee Moody, Instructor, Health Administration
Richard Morris, Instructor, Accounting and Finance
Sarah Morris, Assistant Director, ELP, English Language Program
Matthew Ohlson, Associate Professor, Taylor Leadership Institute
Anne Pfister, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work
Fatima Rehman, Lecturer, Biology
Nataliya Roman, Assistant Professor, Communication
Tara Rowe, Director, Thrive Program, Disability Resource Center
Scott Shoemaker, Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance and Energy Management
Sericea Smith, Assistant Professor, Public Health
Anne Swanson, Assistant Professor, Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management
Luciann Tappin, Office Manager, UNF Preschool
Brittney Van Deventer, Coordinator, Web Services, Marketing and Communications
Todd Vatter, Assistant Director, Communications, Administration and Finance
Christian Winterbottom, Associate Professor, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum
Gregory Wurtz, Associate Professor, Physics

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

Richard Buttimer, Dean/Professor, Coggin College of Business
Catherine McCulloch, Director Development, College Development Officers
Inger McGee, Director Assessment and Accreditation, College of Education and Human Services
Elaine Mitchum, Coordinator, Data Management, Advancement Services
Valerie Morrison, Director, Student Health Services
Latonio Nichols, Admissions Coordinator, Admissions
Daniel Stark, Event Planning Associate, Student Union
Thomas Stewart, IT Systems Engineer, Systems Engineering
Alethia Wilkerson, Office Manager, Civil Engineering

Great Job
The following employees were promoted recently:

Ellie Denison, Administrative Assistant, Undergraduate Studies
Jodi Henson, Assistant Director, Research Programs and Services, Small Business Development Center
Olga Igolnikov, Assistant VP, Advancement/Annual Giving, University Development and Alumni Engagement
Teresa Nichols, Associate VP, University Development and Alumni Engagement
Kyle Reese, Executive Director, OneJax - OneYouth

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

Kathaleen Bloom, Professor, Nursing
Shinwoo Choi, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work
Wanda Garcia, VPK Regional Facilitator, Florida Institute of Education
Jason Joseph, IT Security Analyst, IT Security
Paul Karabinis, Associate Professor, Art, Art History, and Design
Paige Lyman, Senior Library Services Associate, Library
Charles Pelton, Groundskeeper, University Housing
Jennifer Perkins, Director, Alumni Engagement
Angela Redd, Executive Secretary, Stewardship and Donor Relations
Jennifer Reid, Program Assistant, University Housing
Patrick Stanley, IT Full Stack Software Engineer, Enterprise Systems

Vittoria Wakefield, Academic Support Services Coordinator, One-Stop Center

In Memoriam:
The Osprey community lost a beloved member of its family last month, Dr. James Sorce, construction management assistant professor. A scholarship fund has been set up in his honor. Memorial gifts may be made to the Dr. James Sorce Construction Management Scholarship at UNF at https://give.unf.edu/JamesSorce or via check to: Sorce Scholarship, University of North Florida Foundation, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, 32224.

From the obituary for Dr. James Sorce:
James attended the University of North Florida where he became an active member in the Sigma Chi Fraternity and graduated in 1998. He later attained his Ph.D. in Building Construction Management from the University of Florida. James spent the last 15 years advising and teaching for the Construction Management Department in the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction at the University of North Florida. He had a passion for his students and his work. He was chosen as Construction Management faculty of the year for 2006, 2007, 2008 and had been nominated as UNF advisor of the year three times. He was an avid UNF sports fan and a loyal supporter of UNF men's basketball. Read the full memorial online.

Brooks College of Health
The College hosted 21 students from the Northeast Florida Area Health Education Center July 21 for its annual EXPLORE program. The goal of the program is to provide high school students from disadvantaged and/or underrepresented ethnic or cultural backgrounds in Northeast Florida the opportunity to learn about careers in healthcare as well as to promote student health and wellness and emphasize the importance of mental health. Even though the students were not physically on campus, they were able to learn about campus resources and various programs within the College and engage in a stress-buster activity. Thank you to all faculty and students who helped make this program a success.

College of Arts and Sciences
Biology
Charles Coughlin, associate lecturer in biology, and Arthur Omran published “Bial’s Test, A Simple Method for Formaldehyde Detection” in the online journal Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research. Read the journal article online. 

Dr. Quincy Gibson, associate professor, was featured in a Florida Times-Union article, Tracking Our Urban Dolphins, that discussed the dolphin population in the St. Johns River.

Dr. Candice Tahimic, assistant professor, was awarded $200,000 by NASA to support her project, "Cardiovascular Responses to Simulated Spaceflight."

History
Dr. Harry Rothschild, professor, was featured on What's Her Name, a women's history podcast. The podcast focused on Wu Zhao, China's only female emperor.

School of Communication
Dr. John Parmelee, professor and director of the School of Communication, and Dr. Nataliya Roman, assistant professor of communication, published “Insta-Echoes: Selective Exposure and Selective Avoidance on Instagram” in the journal Telematics & Informatics in May. Parmelee also co-authored a paper, titled “Grassroots tweeting: How local government public information officers engage with their publics,” which was presented to the International Communication Association virtual conference in May.

Dr. Siho Nam, associate professor of communication, presented the paper “Korean Wave under Park in the Dark: How the discourse of creativity became an enemy of cultural diversity and democracy?" at the annual International Communication Association conference presented virtually, May 21-26, Gold Coast, Australia. Nam also presented the poster "A race to Amazon HQ2: The discourse of economic growth, neoliberal public policy, and the reign of Amazonopoly.”

School of Music
Dr. Cara Tasher, professor of music and director of choral studies, participated in June in an international collaboration with 21 choirs, including the UNF Chamber Singers, from all around the world. Listen to the performance video online. 

Psychology
Dr. Jody Nicholson, associate professor of psychology, published a book: “Community-Based Transformational Learning: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry into its Benefits and Challenges,” which was co-edited by Dr. Dan Richard, associate professor of psychology and Dr. Christian Winterbottom, associate professor of early childhood education. The book is a compilation of chapters presenting the varied community-based transformational experiences being provided by over 20 different UNF faculty, including Drs. Heather Truelove, Angela Mann, and Rebecca Marcon from the Department of Psychology. Bloomsbury Press, London, June.

Dr. Angela Mann, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Dawn Witherspoon, assistant professor of psychology, took part in a television interview with First Coast News conducted by E. Powell titled: “Why is 2020 like this: How to talk with your children about race, protest, police brutality.” June 9. Watch the television interview online. 

Political Science and Public Administration
Cahrlene Stainfield, senior research associate in the Public Opinion Research Lab and 2017 UNF graduate with a BA in political science, has been awarded a 2020-21 Tarnai Scholarship by the Association of Academic Survey Research Organizations. The award recognizes an outstanding early-career Survey Center employee with great promise for long-term involvement and contributions to the field of survey research.

Sociology/Anthropology and Social Work
Ross McDonough, instructor in social work, with his student Lori Ferguson presented “Intrapsychic Exploration: Implications for Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy,” at the National Association of Social Workers Florida Conference, June 19.

College of Education and Human Services
Dr. Hope E. Wilson, associate professor in Teaching, Learning and Curriculum, and Dr. Jill L. Adelson, a research scientist at Duke TIP, are writing a second edition of their book, “Letting Go of Perfect: Overcoming Perfectionism in Kids and Teens,” published by Prufrock Press. The authors will host an open house conversation about perfectionism on Zoom, Aug. 4 from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. (ET) Registration is required. More information about the authors, their new book and the five types of perfectionism outlined in the book can be found online. 

Dr. Caroline Guardino, associate professor and director of the Deaf Education Program, and Dr. Katrina Hall, associate professor in Teaching Learning and Curriculum, along with Dr. Erin Largo-Wight, professor in Public Health, published “Cultivating healthy schools: The feasibility of an outdoor classroom in a public elementary school,” in Florida Public Health Review: Vol. 17, Article 7, 2020. The article is available online. 

Thomas G. Carpenter Library
Maria Atilano, student outreach librarian, presented a lightning round presentation titled "#SWOOPTogether: Fostering Community Resilience on Social Media During COVID-19” at the American Library Association Virtual Conference June 25.

ASUN Announces Delay to the Start of Fall Sports Season
With the health of student-athletes, coaches and staff in mind during the current pandemic, the ASUN Conference has announced that it will not conduct regular-season competition prior to Sept. 18. Read more about the decision online. 

Basketball Foursome Named to ASUN All-Decade Team
A quartet of former North Florida hoop stars including Beau Beech, Demarcus Daniels, Dallas Moore and Garrett Sams, were among the 20 student-athletes included in the ASUN Conference's Men's Basketball 2011-20 All-Decade Team. Honorees spanned eight programs, with North Florida, FGCU and Lipscomb leading the way with four student-athletes each named to the All-Decade Team followed by two from both Liberty and USC Upstate. Learn more online about the student-athletes selected.

The ASUN names student-athletes from a dozen UNF teams to the ASUN All-Decade Team
Student-athletes from basketball, tennis, track & field, golf, soccer, softball, volleyball, beach volleyball and cross country have been named to the ASUN All-Decade Team. Learn more about the athletes chosen on the Athletics sports news page. 

ASUN Names Shrader NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee
North Florida golfer Sydney Shrader was one of two student-athletes selected as the ASUN Conference's representatives for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year award. The duo, Shrader along with FGCU's Amanda Carroll, was selected through a vote among the ASUN's Senior Women Administrators. Learn more about Sydney Shrader online.

Baker Tabbed to Blue Jays 60-Man Summer Club Player Pool
Former UNF baseball hurler and 2016 MLB Draft selection Bryan Baker was named to the Toronto Blue Jays 60-Man Summer Club Player Pool as announced by the professional organization Thursday, July 2. Baker went 14-10 with a 3.67 ERA and 144 strikeouts in three seasons at UNF. Learn more about Bryan Baker online. 

UNF With 211 Student-Athletes on ASUN Honor Roll
UNF Athletics boasted strong success in the classroom during the 2019-20 year, landing 211 student-athletes on the 2019-20 ASUN Honor Roll. All told, ASUN Conference schools had 1,964 student-athletes on the list. To be named to the Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes need to earn at least a 3.00 GPA on a 4.00 scale during the academic year. Learn more about student-athletes' classroom success.

Creating a link between education and healthcare

In June, the state legislature approved $6 million in funding for UNF's proposed MedNexus project, envisioned as a critical new link between University learning and area healthcare providers. In an effort to meet the future demand for healthcare professionals in the region, MedNexus is expected to give students the education and experience they need to enter the workforce.

 
The project will be based on UNF’s campus, where simulation and medical technology labs will be built, with a second location planned for Palm Coast. To learn more about what is planned, visit the UNF website. 

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Inside UNF is a monthly publication produced by UNF Marketing and Communications
Marsha Blasco, Editor
August issue contributing writers: Alireza Jahan-Mihan, Isabel Pease