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MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Stotz
(561) 297-1168, cstotz1@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series to Present ‘Microtonality: The New Frontier of Music’

BOCA RATON, Fla. (March 5, 2013) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will present a lecture by Elaine Walker, electronic music composer and performer, as part of the 2013 Frontiers in Science public lecture series, titled “Microtonality: The New Frontier of Music.” The lecture will take place on Friday, March 8 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

“Musicians have been experimenting with wildly different musical styles, the endless sounds of synthesizer technologies, rhythms that would have been unheard of in previous years, new instrument designs and performance and acoustical techniques,” said Walker. “Rarely does any musician think to experiment with different divisions of the octave.”

Walker earned her degree in music synthesis production from Berklee College of Music in 1991, and earned her master’s degree in music technology from NYU in 2001. She founded the all-electronic band ZIA, using homemade alternate MIDI controllers and microtonal scales, and has done extensive freelance work including performances, sound design, music editing, mixing and producing with various bands and music studios. Walker currently teaches courses on electronic music and computer-based sound synthesis at Scottsdale Community College and Collins College.

The lecture is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship in Science. Printing and mailing of lecture series materials are made possible by a Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component fund of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tsmith@fau.edu, or visit www.science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2013.pdf

-FAU-

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of three signature themes – marine and coastal issues, biotechnology and contemporary societal challenges – which provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU’s existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Megaan Fleming
(561) 297-3020, mediarelations@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series to Present ‘Emotion for Improving General Life’

BOCA RATON, Fla. (February 26, 2013) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and College of Education will present a lecture by Paul Ekman, Ph.D., as part of the 2013 Frontiers in Science public lecture series, titled “Emotion for Improving General Life.” The lecture will take place on Friday, March 1 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

“This lecture is about the four skills we need to acquire in order to have choice about when and how we become emotional,” said Ekman, of his planned lecture.

Ekman’s expertise on facial expression and deception can be found in 13 books, and he was named one of the most interesting people of 2009 by Time. He has also been named one of the most 100 influential psychologists of the 20th century by the American Psychological Association.

In his lecture, Ekman will describe how to develop skills that allow people to choose when and what they become emotional about. He will discuss the ability to control behavior in the grip of emotion, increase sensitivity for another person’s feelings, and identifying triggers that can lead people to act in regrettable ways.

The lecture is co-sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and the College of Education, and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship in Science. Printing and mailing of lecture series materials are made possible by a Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component fund of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, visit www.science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2013.pdf or contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tsmith@fau.edu

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Megaan Fleming
(561) 297-3020, mediarelations@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series to Present ‘Sea Level Rise in South Florida: What Does It Mean for You and Your Community?’

BOCA RATON, Fla. (February 14, 2013) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will present a lecture by Leonard Berry, Ph.D., as part of the 2013 Frontiers in Science public lecture series, titled “Sea Level Rise in South Florida: What Does It Mean for You and Your Community?” The lecture will take place on Friday, Feb. 15 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

“The sea level has already risen enough in Florida to cause problems for low lying areas, especially in Miami-Dade County,” said Berry. “This lecture will explore what changes science predicts for the next few decades and the potential impacts for people as well as our natural and man-made systems in the region.”

Berry is a distinguished professor of geosciences and director for the Climate Change Initiative at FAU, and founder and director of the Florida Center for Environmental Studies. He has more than 30 years of expertise studying global climate change, with the past 12 years of study focused on Florida. Berry has developed environmental research and development training programs for organizations including the United Nations and World Bank. He recently testified before a full committee of the United States Senate on Natural Resources and Energy regarding the impact of sea level rise in Florida.

For more information, visit www.science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2013.pdf or contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tsmith@fau.edu

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Megaan Schraeder
(561) 297-3020, mediarelations@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series to Present ‘NASA’s Hunt for Earth2: Kepler’s Shower of Planets!’

BOCA RATON, Fla. (February 7, 2013) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will present a lecture by Gibor Basri, Ph.D., as part of the 2013 Frontiers in Science public lecture series, titled “NASA’s Hunt for Earth2: Kepler’s Shower of Planets!” The lecture will take place on Friday, Feb. 8 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

“The space telescope, ‘Kepler,’ launched in March 2009 to search for terrestrial planets around other stars,” said Basri. “Since then, the Kepler mission is rapidly leading us to the conclusion that most stars have planets going around them, and the number of planets like Earth could easily be in the billions, just in our own galaxy.”

In his lecture, Basri will describe how the Kepler mission works, highlighting some of the amazing discoveries of the first four years and sharing examples of potential earth-like planets. He is an astronomy professor at the University of California-Berkeley with degrees in physics and astrophysics, and his research focuses on star formation and stellar activity. Basri earned his bachelor's degree in physics from Stanford University and his doctorate in astrophysics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

For more information, visit www.science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2013.pdf or contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tsmith@fau.edu

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Garrett Astler
(561) 297-3029, gastler@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Presents ‘The Chemistry of New Materials for Computer Chips’

BOCA RATON, Fla. (January 17, 2013) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will present Lisa McElwee-White, Ph.D. as part of the 2013 Frontiers in Science public lecture series. “The Chemistry of New Materials for Computer Chips” will take place on Friday, January 25 at 3:30 p.m. the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

McElwee-White is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Center for Nanostructured Electronic Materials at the University of Florida. McElwee-White earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Kansas and completed her Ph.D. at the California Institute of Technology. Having taught at the University of Florida since 1993, she served a term as Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences before returning to full time research and teaching as the Colonel Allan R. and Margaret G. Crow Term Professor and the Director of the NSF-CCI Center for Nanostructured Electronic Materials. Her research interests include the application of organometallic chemistry in catalysis and materials science. She has authored 119 publications, and has presented 150 invited lectures.

“As feature sizes on computer chips become smaller and smaller, new material and manufacturing techniques become necessary,” said McElwee-White. “Several interesting methods involve synthesizing material in place by running chemical reactions on the wafer during chip processing. I will discuss the changing materials requirements, strategies for placement of the materials on the chip and the development of chemical reactions for chip manufacture.”

The lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship in Science. Printing and mailing of lecture series materials are made possible by a Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component fund of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, visit www.science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2013.pdf or contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tsmith@fau.edu

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Garrett Astler
(561) 297-3029, gastler@fau.edu

FAU Launches 2013 Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series with Professor Edward Petuch

BOCA RATON, Fla. (January 9, 2013) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will launch its Frontiers in Science 2013 public lecture series with a presentation by Edward Petuch, Ph.D., titled “Mollusks of the Tropical Western Atlantic: New Perspectives on Biogeography and Biodiversity.” The lecture will take place on Friday, Jan. 11 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Petuch, a geosciences professor at FAU, will focus his lecture on the vast array of new species of mollusks that have been discovered by FAU researchers.

“Mollusks are the most diverse and species-rich group of marine animals and, because of this, are among the most important indicators of marine environmental changes and oceanographic conditions,” said Petuch. “Of the world’s oceans, the tropical western Atlantic is still one of the most unstudied areas and recent field studies by FAU researchers, from North Carolina to southern Brazil, have yielded hundreds of important new species and genera.”

Petuch earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology from the University of Wisconsin, and a doctorate in geology from the University of Miami. He specializes in invertebrate paleontology of the Floridian peninsula and the Atlantic coastal plain. Over his academic career, Petuch has discovered and named more than 1,200 species of fossil shells, written 17 books and traveled to 47 countries.

“Dr. Petuch is an excellent scientist and educator to kick off this year’s Frontiers in Science public lecture series,” said Gary W. Perry, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science. “This lecture series has been an annual event for over a decade, and is well attended by an eclectic group of community members, from retired CEOs and faculty to business owners, teachers and physicians. This year’s lectures makes for a very interesting program.”

For more information, visit www.science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2013.pdf or contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tsmith@fau.edu

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Paige Garrido
(561) 297-3911, pgarrido@fau.edu

FAU to Host International Math Conference

BOCA RATON, FL (September 26, 2012) – Florida Atlantic University will host an international group of mathematicians at the Group Theory, Combinatorics and Computing Conference at the Holiday Inn Highland Beach, 2809 S. Ocean Boulevard, Wednesday, October 3 through Monday, October 8. The registration fee for attendees is $200, and students may attend for $100.

“The first event I organized ten years ago was dedicated to my 50th birthday. Now, I am happy to dedicate this conference to my 60th birthday, where I will be surrounded by researchers I have been working with all my life,” said Daniela Nikolova-Popova, Ph.D., an instructor of mathematical sciences at FAU. “Young researchers will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to listen to so many distinguished scientists’ lectures.” Popova organized similar successful events in 2000 and 2002 in Bulgaria, her native country.

Popova has been working in collaboration with the American Mathematical Society (AMS), the Association of Women in Mathematics (AWM) and the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications (ICA) and the Davimos Family Foundation to organize the event. The group expects to host scientists from around the world including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Germany, Russia, Italy, South Africa, Poland, Greece and Bulgaria. The conference will feature one-hour invited lectures and a special session will focus on women’s careers in mathematics, and another session will be dedicated to young researchers.

Brenda Claiborne, Ph.D., FAU provost, is scheduled to discuss women scientists and issues related to including women in research studies at the conference in her presentation, “Gender Issues in Research” on Friday, October 5 at 10:30 a.m.

For more information please visit www.math.fau.edu/gtcc or contact Daniela Nikolova-Popova at 561-297-1342 or dpopova@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu
Allison Garrett
(727) 330-0309, Allison.Garrett@noaa.gov
Evelyn Perez
(305) 348-4493, esuperez@fiu.edu

FAU, FIU and NOAA Biologists Develop New Method to Track Young Sea Turtles
Expanded Data May Offer New Insight into Early Migration Patterns, Threats

BOCA RATON, FL (June 22, 2012) — Jeanette Wyneken, Ph.D., associate professor of biological sciences in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University, along with Kate Mansfield, Ph.D., affiliate assistant research professor in the College of Science and a sea turtle biologist and visiting assistant research professor with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Southeast Fisheries Science Center and Florida International University’s College of Arts & Sciences, along with a team of researchers, have developed a safe and reliable method of attaching a satellite tracking tag to sea turtles at a younger age. Otherwise known as the “lost years,” very little is known about the behavior, movement patterns and habitat use of sea turtles from the time they leave the beaches as hatchlings until they show up again years later in coastal waters as larger juveniles or adults.

“Turtles may spend months or years in an oceanic environment far from land,” said Wyneken, who uniquely merges her expertise in sea turtle anatomy, marine biology and conservation to understand the lives of turtles. “Tracking is the first step toward saving endangered sea turtles because not much is known about how small turtles spend their first weeks at sea. Technology was a real limitation, until now. With this new technique for tagging new turtles, we may increase our knowledge about the threats endangered turtles face and the habitats they need to maintain healthy populations.”

Wyneken and Mansfield sought to develop a minimally-invasive way to adhere a satellite tag to very small sea turtles that could survive the turtles’ rapid growth and the harsh saltwater environment. Using solar-powered bird tags that are small and light enough not to impair turtles’ movement, Mansfield and Wyneken tested different attachment methods on laboratory-reared sea turtles to ensure minimal impact to the turtles. The team began by testing marine epoxies and other adhesives typically used to track older, larger sea turtles for one to two years in the open ocean. None of these methods worked on the small, fast-growing loggerhead turtles. The turtles shed the tag attachments within one to two weeks.

Loggerhead sea turtle shells are made of keratin, which is the same substance as human fingernails. The team discovered that by applying an acrylic base coat — the same product used in nail salons — to the shell, they could seal the keratin on the shells and slow the peeling of the shells during the turtles’ growth. Using small, solar-powered satellite tags originally used to track birds and a combination of manicure acrylic, hair extension glue, old wetsuits, and aquarium silicone, initial tests revealed that the device remained in place for 60 days without altering the shell underneath.

The tags have been successful in tracking the movements of neonate loggerheads, and researchers obtained the first assessments of the routes and habitats used by young loggerheads leaving Florida’s east coast. Researchers will now be able to assess where little sea turtles go when they leave the beaches and how those paths differ from among the species.

“The methods we developed will revolutionize our ability to study the in-water movements and habitat use of very young, very small, oceanic stage sea turtles, a life stage known as the ‘lost years’ due to the lack of information on these young turtles,” said Mansfield, lead author on the publication. “This work allows us to track a whole new size- and age-class of sea turtle. Population models rely heavily on data derived from older turtles or hatchlings that are more accessible to researchers within coastal and beach habitats. Tracking sea turtles during their first year at sea will allow us to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge of early sea turtle life history. By identifying the movement patterns and behavior of oceanic stage turtles, we will ultimately be able to identify areas for targeted species management.”

The study results are published in yesterday’s issue of Marine Ecology Progress Series. For a copy of the study, visit http://www.int-res.com/articles/theme/m457p181.pdf. The study was funded by several sources, including the Ashwanden Family Fund, Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, the Sea Turtle Grants Program funded by the sale of Florida’s ”Helping Sea Turtles Survive” specialty license plate, Large Pelagics Research Center grants program, National Academies Research Associateship Program, Nelligan Sea Turtle Fund, NOAA Fisheries, Save Our Seas Foundation and The Philanthropic Collaborative.

-FAU-

About NOAA:
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. On the web: NOAA Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/ Like us on Facebook US NOAA FISHERIES GOV Follow us on Twitter @NOAASERfish.

About FIU:
Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is Worlds Ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. It has 160,000 alumni and enrolls 48,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU is a member of the Sun Belt Conference and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 29,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Presents ‘The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars’ with Renowned Climate Scientist

BOCA RATON, FL (June 14, 2012) — Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Environmental Studies within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will host the lecture, “The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars” with renowned climate scientist, Michael E. Mann, Ph.D., on Friday, June 22 at 7 p.m. in the Live Oak Pavilion of FAU’s Student Union, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Based on his book “The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines,” (Columbia University Press, 2012) Mann will share the science and politics behind the controversial Hockey Stick graph, a visual presentation of scientific data that he co-developed. The graph demonstrated that global temperatures rose in conjunction with the increase in industrialization and the use of fossil fuels. After being highlighted in a United Nations report on climate change, the Hockey Stick graph quickly became the central icon in the “climate wars.”

“Dr. Mann has been a key player in climate change research, advocacy and debate for more than a decade,” Dr. Leonard Berry, director of FAU’s Center for Environmental Studies. “His findings and perspective are of interest to the scientific and non-scientific community alike, and we look forward to hosting him at FAU.”

Mann is a professor and director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University. He is author of more than 150 peer-reviewed and edited publications and has published two books, including “Dire Predictions: Understanding Global Warming” in 2008. He is a co-founder and avid contributor to the award-winning science website RealClimate.org. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Third Scientific Assessment Report co-authors in 2007. In 2012, he was inducted as a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and was awarded the Hans Oeschger Medal of the European Geosciences Union.

There will be a book signing following the lecture, and books will be available for purchase. The lecture, which is supported by the Flora Family Foundation and Coastal Areas Climate Change Education Partnership, is free and open to the public. Space is limited, and registration is appreciated. For more information or to register, visit www.ces.fau.edu/mann.

Mann will be the closing speaker at FAU’s Florida Center for Environmental Studies "Risk and Response: Sea Level Rise Summit" scheduled for Wednesday, June 20 through Friday, June 22 at the Boca Raton Marriott, 5150 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton. For more information or to register for the Summit, visit www.ces.fau.edu/SLR2012.

-FAU-

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 29,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Receives National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research Designation

BOCA RATON, FL (May 22, 2012) – Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Cryptology and Information Security (CCIS) has been designated as a National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research (CAE-R) for academic years 2012-17 by The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.

“With this designation, FAU is further recognized as a leader in information assurance and cybersecurity,” said Spyros Magliveras, Ph.D., professor of mathematical sciences within FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and CCIS director. “After graduating from FAU, our students take on important roles in government, industry and academia, meeting the increasing and urgent need for protection of secure and critical information infrastructure.”

The CAE-R program was started in 2007 to encourage universities and students to pursue research, development and innovation in information assurance and cybersecurity. The program addresses the shortage of professionals with these skills and highlights the importance of higher education as a solution to defending America’s cyberspace.

FAU’s CCIS was established in 2003 with funding provided by a federal earmark and today is founded on the unique strengths of information assurance specialists in four different FAU colleges: the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the College of Business and the College for Design and Social Inquiry. The FAU CCIS is dedicated to original, cutting-edge research in information assurance and education and training of research students and information technology professionals.

For more information, contact Spyros Magliveras, Ph.D., at 561-297-0274 or spyros@fau.edu, or visit http://math.fau.edu/ccis.

-FAU-

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 29,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Glenn Singer
(561) 297-2347, gsinger@fau.edu

FAU Presents 2012 Nobel Laureate Lecture with Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi
Pasteur Institute Virologist Shared the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Discovering HIV

BOCA RATON, FL (APRIL 23, 2012) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute (VGTI) of Florida will present the 2012 Nobel Laureate Lecture on Friday, April 27 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Libby and Harry Dodson Auditorium, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus. The featured speaker, Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Ph.D., shared the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Professor Luc Montagnier for their discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the 1980s.

Currently the director of the Unit of Regulation of Retroviral Infections at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, Barré-Sinoussi will speak on “HIV, A Discovery Highlighting the Global Benefit of Translational Research.” Translational research means taking scientific discoveries that arise from laboratory, clinical or population studies and turning them into clinical applications to reduce the incidence and mortality from a specific disease or condition.

Since her discovery with Montagnier of HIV three decades ago, Barré-Sinoussi has toured the world, calling for stronger efforts to find a cure for AIDS and initiating collaborations with developing countries.

“A cure will require funding commitments, strong community engagement, rigorous and innovative scientific endeavor and, above all, further collaborative multidisciplinary science with a better connection between basic and clinical research,” Barré-Sinoussi wrote last year in the International Herald Tribune.

In awarding the Nobel Prize to Sinoussi and Montagnier, the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden, noted that the discovery of HIV made rapid cloning of the HIV-1 genome possible, allowing identification of important details in its replication cycle and how the virus interacts with its host. It also led to development of methods to diagnose infected patients and screen blood products, which has limited the spread of the pandemic. Knowing details about how the virus reproduces also allowed development of several new antiviral drugs.

“The annual Nobel Lecture has become a signature event for our College and the University,” said Gary Perry, Ph.D., dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. “The Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute faculty have affiliate appointments in the College of Science and participate in seminars and joint student training programs.”

Added professor Ramaswamy Narayanan, chair of the 2012 Nobel committee in the College of Science, “Working together with a world-class institution such as VGTI of Florida will further enhance our ability to attract topnotch faculty and graduate students.”

VGTI of Florida has assembled a research team of scientists from more than 20 nations who are now working at the VGTI facility in Port St. Lucie to find novel cures and treatments for devastating diseases, including the eradication of the HIV virus. The scientists have collaborations with research and clinical partners throughout the state, including FAU, as well as with organizations around the world.

“Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi’s visit puts the battle against debilitating diseases in sharp focus,” said Dr. Rafick Sékaly, co-director and chief scientific officer for VGTI of Florida. “She has taken on the challenge of assembling a worldwide effort to find a cure for AIDS.”

Other sponsors of the 2012 Nobel Laureate Lecture include Envoy Therapeutics, Bank of America, Leuven Research & Development, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Novak Druce + Quigg LLP and the Davimos Family Endowment for Excellence in Science.

The lecture is free and open to the public. Space is limited, and reservations are required. For more information or to RSVP, email nobel2012@science.fau.edu or visit www.science.fau.edu/nobel.

-FAU-

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 29,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Physicist Receives $675K Grant from the U.S. Air Force to Develop Advanced Mathematics for Complex Information Systems

BOCA RATON, FL (April 18, 2012) – Warner A. Miller, Ph.D., professor and chair of the department of physics in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, has received a $675,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense for a three-year project titled “Discrete Ricci Flow in Higher Dimensions.” Miller will lead a team of researchers from FAU, Stony Brook University and Harvard University to apply the Hamilton’s Ricci Flow method, a form of geometric mapping and analysis, to characterize and possibly control information-based cyber applications.

The primary purpose of this research is to develop the mathematics of diffusive curvature flow in lattice geometries that are higher than two dimensions. Much work has been done in two dimensions using Ricci Flow already, including facial recognition and medical applications, such as virtual colonoscopy. Miller and his team are conducting this basic research to determine if they can extend Ricci Flow to three and higher dimensions, and to see if it can find exciting applications to three-dimensional objects such as the structure of the brain or heart, for example.

Ricci Flow was first developed in the 1980s by Richard Hamilton, a Columbia University math professor. In addition to its applications to fundamental problems in mathematics such as Perelman’s recent proof of Poincare’s Conjecture, Ricci Flow has many practical applications, including communications, facial recognition, homeland security, medicine, movie animation and resilient routing for computer networks.

“Ricci Flow yields a wealth of information about structure-function relationships, enabling us to transform complex irregular spaces, or systems, into uniform ones so that we can more easily solve problems,” said Miller. “I am proud to be working alongside with my three graduate students here at FAU as well as professor David Gu from Stony Brook and Field Medalist professor S-T Yau at Harvard on this project. Such sharpening of our understanding of geometry and topology is a pathway to future breakthroughs in science.”

The project work will be conducted in three phases, including the development of the first high-dimension discrete Ricci Flow algorithm; testing the algorithm with three-dimensional problems; and finally applying the findings to specific information-based cyber systems.

“Our hope is that the three and higher dimensional Ricci Flow will help give an automated way to achieve a better load balance in a complex communication network, or be used to detect unusual behavior,” said Miller.

Miller is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who holds an emeritus position at the Air Force Research Laboratory. He worked in Los Alamos National Laboratory as a J. Robert Oppenheimer Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow, technical staff member and group leader of T-6. Miller received a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Texas at Austin supervised by John Archibald Wheeler.

-FAU-

About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 29,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Presents ‘Big Bang and the Quantum: Einstein and Beyond’

BOCA RATON, FL (March 23, 2012) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will present Abhay Ashtekar, Ph.D. as part of the 2012 Frontiers in Science public lecture series. “Big Bang and the Quantum: Einstein and Beyond” will take place on Friday, April 6 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, Room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Ashtekar, a theoretical physicist, is the Eberly Professor of Physics and the director of the Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos at The Pennsylvania State University. In his lecture, he will address the notions of space and time. According to Einstein’s general relativity, which is the geometric theory of gravitation, space-time ends at singularities, and classical physics just stops. General relativity theory is incomplete, however, because it ignores quantum effects.

“We need to dramatically revise our notions of space and time. It turns out that the quantum properties of space-time geometry create a brand new repulsive force, halting the Big Bang theory that explained the early development of the universe, and replacing it with a theory called ‘Big Bounce,’” said Ashtekar. “Space-time becomes much larger than what Einstein had us believe. The new Planck energy scale physics near the Big Bounce provides a quantum gravity completion of the standard cosmological model with interesting interplay between theory and observations.”

Ashtekar's research focuses on classical general relativity and quantum gravity. He has also contributed to quantum field theory, gauge theories and, more generally, to the interface of geometry and physics. His reformulation of general relativity as a gauge theory has led to loop quantum gravity, an approach to the unification of general relativity and quantum physics that is now being pursued in dozens of research groups worldwide. He has continued to play a seminal role in the development of this field as well as its sub-field called loop quantum cosmology.

Ashtekar received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He was awarded Doctor Rerum Naturalium Honoris Causa by the Friedrich-Schiller Universität, Jena, Germany in 2005, and by Université de la Mediterranee, Aix-Marseille, France in 2010. He served as president of the International Society for General Relativity and Gravitation from 2007 to 2010.

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship in Science. Printing and mailing of lecture series materials are made possible by a Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component fund of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, visit http://science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2012.pdf or contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tismith@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU to Offer ‘Summer Science Institute’ and Continuing Science Education Opportunities for Teens and Adults

BOCA RATON, FL (March 14, 2012) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science has opened registration for the inaugural “Summer Science Institute” and continuing education courses in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and pre-professional health care subjects.

The “Summer Science Institute” for youth ages 11 through 17 will be offered in two, four-week sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on June 19 through July 12 and July 17 through August 9 on FAU’s Boca Raton campus, 777 Glades Road. The Institute is a non-credit academic program specifically designed to meet the intellectual and cognitive needs of high-performing middle and high school students interested in discovering the world of science. The program uses a problem-based learning model to develop students’ critical thinking skills and draws from a broad range of disciplines within the sciences to maximize the potential of interdisciplinary science studies.

Class sizes are small, and students will participate in hands-on research projects and will have exposure to laboratories and expert scientists. Cost for the “Summer Science Institute” is $800 per session, which includes lunch and a T-shirt, plus a $50 application fee. The selection process for the “Summer Science Institute” is competitive, and space is limited. Upon registration for the “Summer Science Institute,” students ages 14 through 17 will have an option to register for afternoon courses as well.

Continuing education courses will take place from March through April and will cover topics such as CPR, EKG, “Interview Boot Camp,” forensic science, “Medical School 101,” introduction to medical skills and dentistry, the history of science, “The Science and Motion of Tennis Workshop,” and wildlife photography. The courses are open FAU faculty, staff and students and to the public. Costs for each class vary.

The College of Science recently formed a continuing education office to address the needs of a diverse society through science and health care awareness. The office’s mission is to promote lifelong learning opportunities that will enhance the individual, the university and the community.

For more information or to register, call the College of Science department of continuing education at 561-297-3700 or visit www.science.fau.edu/oce.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Presents ‘Wealth Creation: University-Community Interface’

BOCA RATON, FL (March 12, 2012) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will present George R. Newkome, Ph.D. as part of the 2012 Frontiers in Science public lecture series. “Wealth Creation: University-Community Interface” will take place on Friday, March 16 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, Room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Newkome is dean of the Graduate School; the James and Vanita Oelschlager Professor of Science and Technology; professor of polymer science and chemistry; and vice president for research at The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. He is also president of University of Akron Research Foundation. According to Newkome, economic development was, for the most part, unknown when universities such as FAU were established, and it today the University produces a growing research agenda, as well as a robust science and engineering environment. In his lecture, Newkome will discuss how research and outreach efforts have fueled the growth of most state universities from offering only undergraduate studies to offering a wide assortment of diverse graduate and professional programs.

“Much has changed over the past 50 years, including the communities in which we live, the university educational systems, industrial manufacturing, the workforce and our roles within this setting,” said Newkome. “How we contribute to our community is based, in part, on our expertise, past history, and most important — what makes us happy or satisfied. A better understanding of the university-community interface is an interesting starting point to see if how, when or where one would like to get involved.”

Newkome received his B.S. and Ph.D. in chemistry from Kent State University. He joined Louisiana State University in 1968, becoming a full professor in 1978 and Distinguished Research Master in 1982. In 1986, he moved to the University of South Florida as vice president for research and professor of chemistry, becoming a Distinguished Research Professor in 1992. He has 20 edited and authored books, more than 460 journal publications, and more than 50 patents resulting from research in chemistry and polymer science. He and his colleagues have helped to start more than 100 companies in Florida and Ohio. Newkome is a member of the ARCHAngels of Akron, an organization that brings together investors with entrepreneurs. The network has assisted companies in raising more than $160 million in the past seven years.

For more information, visit http://science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2012.pdf or contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tismith@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU and Max Planck Florida Institute Initiate Program in Integrative Biology and Neuroscience
First Graduate Course Underway at FAU’s McArthur Campus in Jupiter

BOCA RATON, FL (March 9, 2012) – To further establish their strong research and academic partnership, neuroscience faculty from Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Max Planck Florida Institute recently initiated the joint graduate program in Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBAN) with the inaugural graduate-level advanced neurophysiology course on FAU’s John D. McArthur Campus in Jupiter.

This new teaching laboratory houses high-tech equipment, purchased by a $300,000 Clustering Grant from the New Florida Initiative, as well as equipment loaned by FAU Provost and internationally recognized neuroscientist, Brenda Claiborne, Ph.D. from her personal laboratory. The New Florida Initiative is a collaborative effort involving the State University System, business and government to deliver the economic talents and innovations to keep Florida globally competitive.

The inaugural course involves faculty and students tackling many of the cutting-edge questions in neuroscience through the integration of multiple disciplines, different model systems and a broad spectrum of technologies. The class includes eight graduate students who are pursuing doctorate degrees in neuroscience from FAU’s IBAN program, integrative biology, as well as the behavioral neuroscience program in psychology.

“We are training a new generation of neuroscientists,” said Rodney Murphey, Ph.D., professor and chair of FAU’s department of biological sciences. “And the students in this course not only get exposure to the new teaching facilities FAU has established, but can also tap into the special resources that Max Planck has to offer while also having the opportunity to meet and learn from top-notch scientists. This was illustrated with the visit this week to the teaching lab by two Nobel laureates from the Max Planck Society — Bert Sakmann of the Max Planck Florida Institute, and Erwin Neher of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry — who shared the Prize in 1991 for developing methods for studying single ion channels in living cells.”

Murphey teaches the course along with other College of Science faculty, including Ken Dawson-Scully, Ph.D. of biological sciences, Robert Stackman, Ph.D. of psychology and teaching assistants Brian Orr and Gongliang Zhang, Ph.D. from FAU, as well as Samuel Young, Ph.D. from Max Planck Florida Institute. The team traveled to Max Planck Institute in Göttingen, Germany in the winter of 2011 to benchmark the intensive, research-oriented graduate programs offered there and have modeled the advanced neurophysiology course after that curriculum. The Max Planck Florida Institute, led by David Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., scientific director and chief executive officer, is the only Max Planck Institute located in the U.S.

“This program is a strong example of our commitment to expand and enrich science education programs in our community,” said Fitzpatrick. “These graduate students have the unique experience of working alongside some of the best researchers in the world, and that’s very exciting for South Florida.”

For more information on FAU’s Integrative Biology and Neuroscience graduate program, contact Rod Murphey, Ph.D., at 561-297-3331 or rmurphey@fau.edu, or visit www.science.fau.edu/neuroscience/iban.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Presents ‘The Dark Side of the Universe’

BOCA RATON, FL (February 20, 2012) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will present Sukanya Chakrabarti, Ph.D. as part of the 2012 Frontiers in Science public lecture series. “The Dark Side of the Universe” will take place on Friday, March 2 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, Room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Chakrabarti, an assistant professor of physics in the Schmidt College of Science at FAU, specializes in the study of astrophysics, black holes and galaxies, and will discuss the progress astronomers have made in understanding dark matter, which manifests itself through its gravitational influence on other bodies.

“Much of the universe is dark,” said Chakrabarti. “The hunt for dark matter has much in common with the hunt for planets in the 1800s. The location of Neptune was predicted correctly by Le Verrier from an analysis of perturbations on the orbit of Uranus. This work is in a similar spirit to a new method that I and my collaborators have developed to study dark matter-dominated dwarf galaxies from analysis of their dynamical imprints on the larger spiral galaxy.”

This mathematical method is called “tidal analysis” and was developed by Chakrabarti and her colleagues to find satellite, or dwarf, galaxies by analyzing the ripples in the hydrogen gas distribution in large spiral galaxies in outer space. Chakrabarti will review the basics of this method and her prediction for a new, nearly dark satellite of the Milky Way. She will also discuss future prospects for understanding the evolution of galaxies by studying the interplay of the visible components of galaxies (gas and stars) and their massive dark halos.

Chakrabarti joined FAU in 2011 from the University of California Berkeley, where she was a President’s Fellow and theoretical astronomer. Prior to her time at UC Berkeley, she was a National Science Foundation Fellow at Harvard University.

For more information, visit http://science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2012.pdf, or contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tismith@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Presents ‘Cryptography in the Presence of Leakage’

BOCA RATON, FL (February 10, 2012) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will present Thomas Eisenbarth, Ph.D. as part of the 2012 Frontiers in Science public lecture series. “Cryptography in the Presence of Leakage” will take place on Friday, February 17 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, Room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Eisenbarth, an assistant professor in cryptology within the department of mathematical sciences in the College of Science, will discuss the science behind cryptography, which protects electronic information by transforming, or encrypting it, into an unreadable format.

“Increasingly many devices such as phones, cars and pacemakers process and communicate possibly sensitive personal data — as a result, electronic security is critical,” said Eisenbarth. “Only security solutions that are leakage resilient, withstand practical evaluation and match economic expectations guarantee a widespread use, and hence, more secure digital systems.”

Physical attacks exploiting information leakage are a major threat to embedded cryptographic engines. Practical countermeasures against physical attacks are not completely fail-safe and are overly expensive for most applications. The security of digital devices relies on cryptographic engines, which are usually considered the most trusted part of the system. Eisenbarth will demonstrate how cryptographic solutions protect digital systems; how the protection can sometimes be broken; and how novel methods may make future attacks impossible.

Prior to joining FAU in 2010, Eisenbarth worked as a researcher at the Horst Goertz Institute for IT Security at University of Bochum, Germany, where he also received his Ph.D. Eisenbarth’s research interests include the design of embedded security solutions as well as efficient implementation of cryptographic algorithms in hardware and software. He is also interested in methods for analyzing and improving physical security and practical attacks on cryptographic implementations such as side channel cryptanalysis.

For more information, visit http://science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2012.pdf, or contact Tarra Smith at 561-297-3035 or tismith@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Presents ‘Our Changing Oceans’

BOCA RATON, FL (January 31, 2012) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will present Margaret Leinen, Ph.D., from Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at FAU, as part of the 2012 Frontiers in Science public lecture series. “Our Changing Oceans” will take place on Friday, February 3 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, Room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Leinen will discuss some of the changes that oceanographers are seeing in the coastal oceans and open oceans and will talk about their implications for Florida. She will also talk about the ways in which research at Harbor Branch may contribute to understanding these changes and the ability to adapt to them.

“This is an exciting time for oceanography,” said Leinen. “Technology has increased our ability to observe and measure the ocean. The internet, connectivity and autonomous vehicles enable us to explore and coordinate areas that have been difficult or impossible to reach until now. These tools have revolutionized the way we look at the ocean.”

Leinen is the executive director of Harbor Branch and associate provost for FAU’s marine and environmental initiatives. She is an ocean biogeochemist and paleoceanographer whose research includes study of ocean carbon cycles. Leinen was professor and dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and served as assistant dean for geosciences, U.S. National Science Foundation from 2000 to 2007. She spent time in the private sector as chief science officer of Climos, Inc. and was founder and chief executive officer of the Climate Response Fund, a nonprofit organization promoting responsible discussion of issues associated with climate engineering research.

Leinen was the chair of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, president of The Oceanography Society, chair of the AAAS Section on Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Science. She served as vice chair of the research board of the Gulf Research Initiative, an organization formed to manage $500 million in funding from BP for study of the recent Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

For more information, visit http://science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2012.pdf or contact Lauren Millan at 561-297-2954 or lmillan@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 29,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Physicist presents at American Astronomical Society Conference Austin, Texas

Sukanya Chakrabarti, Ph.D., an assistant professor of physics for the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University, has developed a way to discover and map dark matter in galaxies. Chakrabarti's paper, "A New Probe of the Distribution of Dark Matter in Galaxies," analyzes observed ripples in the outskirts of galaxies to infer the density profile of the dark matter halo.

"Most of the mass in the universe is dark," said Chakrabarti, who specializes in the study of galaxies. "We have known for a long time that galaxies have massive dark halos. But there are very few probes that can be used to figure out how the dark matter is distributed in specific spiral galaxies."

The extended gas disks of galaxies are very fragile and respond easily to gravitational interactions with passing satellites. Chakrabarti discovered that if the density profile of dark matter is varied in the spiral galaxy, it is reflected in the disturbances that form in the outer gas disk when the larger spiral galaxy interacts with a satellite galaxy. The ripples in outer gas disks of spiral galaxies act like a mirror of the potential depth of the dark matter halo in the primary galaxy. Even though the dark matter halo cannot be seen directly, scientists may infer the density profile of dark matter using this method.

Chakrabarti previously developed a mathematical method called "tidal analysis" to find satellite, or dwarf, galaxies by analyzing the ripples in the hydrogen gas distribution in large spiral galaxies in outer space. This method, called "tidal analysis," allows us to infer the mass and relative position of satellites from analysis of ripples in outer gas disks without requiring knowledge of their optical light. Many dwarf galaxies are very dim, so it is useful to have a way of finding them that does not rely on their optical light. Earlier, she applied the method to the nearby Whirlpool Galaxy, which has an optically visible satellite to infer the mass and location of its companion and found these values to be observationally corroborated.

Building on her earlier results where she found that the mass and relative position of the Whirlpool Galaxy's satellite could be derived using "tidal analysis," she shows here that we can map the dark matter in Whirlpool Galaxy itself.

"The idea is that the ripples in outer gas disks are like a gravitational mirror that let us to see how the dark matter is distributed," said Chakrabarti.

To view the report, visit http://arxiv.org/abs/1112.1416. For more information, contact Sukanya Chakrabarti, Ph.D. at 561-297-3380 or schakra1@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. In commemoration of its origin, FAU is celebrating its 50th anniversary throughout 2011. Today, the University serves more than 29,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Launches 2012 Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series with Lecture by Max Planck Scientific Director and CEO

BOCA RATON, FL (December 21, 2011) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will launch its Frontiers in Science 2012 public lecture series with a presentation by David Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., scientific director and chief executive officer of the Max Planck Florida Institute. “Illuminating Brain Circuits” will take place on Friday, January 6 at 3:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, Room 126, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Fitzpatrick’s lecture will focus on the use of light to explore the structure, function and development of neural circuits in the living brain.

“Neural circuits, the complex synaptic networks of the brain, hold the key to understanding who we are, why we behave the way we do, and how we can develop more effective treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders,” said Fitzpatrick. “Recent advances made possible by bringing together the talents of scientists skilled in a broad range of disciplines — physics, chemistry, genetics, molecular biology, physiology and anatomy — are revolutionizing our ability to investigate how neural circuits are organized, how they function and how they are altered by disease. Many of these advances involve the use of light in combination with molecular probes to visualize and manipulate the cellular and synaptic events that lie at the heart of neural circuit function.”

Fitzpatrick’s scientific contributions have earned him international recognition as a leader in systems neuroscience, with a focus on the functional organization and development of neural circuits in the cerebral cortex – the largest and most complex area of the brain. Prior to joining Max Planck, Fitzpatrick was the James B. Duke Professor of Neurobiology at the Duke University School of Medicine and founding director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. He has received a number of awards for his research accomplishments, including an Alfred P. Sloan Research Award, The Cajal Club Cortical Discoverer Award and The McKnight Neuroscience Investigator Award.

“We are honored to host David Fitzpatrick for our Frontiers in Science public lecture series,” said Gary W. Perry, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science. “Now in its 10th year, the lectures are very well attended by members of our community, ranging from retired CEOs and faculty to business owners, teachers and physicians. We look forward to again presenting a series of interesting programs to our audience.”

For more information, visit http://science.fau.edu/frontiers/brochure_2012.pdf or contact Lauren Millan at 561-297-2954 or lmillan@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science Program Develops Traditionally Underrepresented Scientists

BOCA RATON, FL (November 1, 2011) – Undergraduate students of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University are currently participating in an opportunity to undertake significant scientific research through the Undergraduate Research Mentoring (URM) Program.

The URM Program, funded by the National Science Foundation since 2009, aims to increase the diversity of individuals in biological research in preparation for a graduate and academic career. Throughout the two-year program, students receive financial support and are matched with a mentor from FAU’s department of biological sciences.

“The URM program has served to enhance not only the lives of the students but has also established a role model for honors programs at both the department and institutional level,” said Rodney Murphey, Ph.D., professor and chair of FAU’s department of biological sciences. “In addition to working in FAU’s laboratories, several students have already collaborated on their research projects with Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and nearby state and federal laboratories. Students graduate fully prepared to undertake a successful career in science.”

The program is modeled on the integrative biology Ph.D. program, and the areas of research range from environmental science to molecular biology. The URM students are involved in all steps of research, including learning how to dissect a scientific paper, presenting their work to their peers, writing manuscripts, producing posters, applying for grants and graduate school, and defending their honors theses.

Student highlights within the program include:

Jessene Aquino-Thomas is a senior biology major with an emphasis on marine ecology. Aquino-Thomas works with Edward Proffitt, Ph.D. on the factors affecting red mangrove prop roots as a habitat for oysters. She plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in ecological conservation.

Houda Boucekkine, 18, is a senior who is pursuing an undergraduate degree in biochemistry with a minor in anthropology. Boucekkine works in the lab of John Nambu, Ph.D., where they employ a multidisciplinary approach using cell biology, genetics and molecular biology to study a variety of biological processes such as aging and neuro-development and neurological diseases. She plans to attend medical school in the fall.

Adam Chen, 22, is a senior chemistry major on the biochemistry track. He has worked in the biology lab of Ken Dawson-Scully, Ph.D. studying the neurobiology of cellular stress and neuroprotection and the lab of Erik Noonburg, Ph.D. using a statistical programming language for ecological modeling. He plans to pursue a graduate degree in ecological modeling.

Timothy Foo, 25, earned a bachelor’s degree from FAU in chemistry, magna cum laude, and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. degree in chemistry from FAU. Foo works in the chemistry lab of Andrew Terentis, Ph.D., on a research project involving enzyme kinetics, its interactions with various inhibitors, and its link in cancer and other diseases.

Brandon Lloyd, 26, received a bachelor’s degree from FAU in biology and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. degree in integrative biology with an emphasis on neuroscience from FAU. For his undergraduate research, Lloyd studied immunology related to lupus, asthma and antibodies with Joseph Caruso, Ph.D. and James Harmann, Ph.D.

Alena Rodriguez, 21 is a senior biology major with an emphasis on biochemistry. Rodriguez’s research involves the screening of peptides from the venom of cone snail and its effect on neurons in the lab of Frank Marí, Ph.D. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in biology from FAU.

Pedro Sanchez, 22, is a senior biology major who has studied molecular genetics in the integrated biology laboratory of John Nambu, Ph.D. Sanchez plans to attend medical school in the fall.

Joshua Scholl, 23, is a senior biology major. Scholl has studied the preservation of gopher tortoises with Evelyn Frazier, Ph.D. He plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in ecological conservation.

For information on the URM program, contact Evelyn Frazier, Ph.D., at 561-297-4472 or efrazier@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Jupiter's 2011 Opposition to the Sun -- October 28th - 29th

On the evening of Friday the 28th of October, the FAU Astronomical Observatory will be celebrating Jupiter's Opposition to the Sun. Jupiter passed the perihelion point in its orbit back in February, so the Earth and Jupiter will not be this close again for another decade.

Date: Friday October 28th - Saturday October 29th 2011.

Time: 8:00 pm until 2:00 am.

Activities: Presentations about and Observations of the 2011 Jupiter's Opposition to the Sun!

Details: A planet in opposition means that the Earth will be as close as we can be to the planet for this orbital pass. On October 28th, the planet Jupiter will be at opposition to the Sun. Through out the night we'll get to observe a variety of events that will also occur. Jupiter's moon Io will be occulted and eclipsed at 9:44 pm, while this will not be visible to us, it will be discussed why it is unique to the night. Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) will emerge from its far side at 10:30 pm. Io will appear from behind Jupiter at 10:47 pm. The GRS will reach mid-transit at 12 midnight and finally return to Jupiter's far side by 1:30 am.

While lately "Rose" might be a better descriptive color for it, the Great Red Spot is Jupiter's famous "hurricane" storm that is three times the size of the Earth! The timing of its transit on this particular night will provide an excellent opportunity to see it as well!

Presentations: The presentation that will be provided will provide information about Jupiter and its moons and lead into a discussion about the formation of the solar system, how some of our information about Jupiter conflicts with this formation theory, present newer interesting theories about how it could have occurred and finally a bit about the recently launched Juno spacecraft, which may help answer some of these questions.

Come celebrate and observe the planet at opposition, while pondering some of the astronomical mysteries that are connected with it. This invitation is open to anyone from FAU, the community, their friends and family to come and enjoy.

After all, it is their universe, too!

MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Study Finds Climate Change Impacts will Require Huge New Investments in Southeast Florida’s Water Infrastructure
Sea Level Rise Could Cause Coastal Inundation of Saltwater Contamination

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (October 19, 2011) – Florida Atlantic University science and engineering researchers within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and College of Engineering and Computer Science today released a study indicating that climate change will cause significant impacts on Southeast Florida’s water infrastructure, attributable to sea level rise and growing variation in seasonal rainfall patterns with more intense periods of drought alternating with increased torrential rainfall events.

The research report, “Southeast Florida’s Resilient Water Resources,” and the case study titled “Improving the Resilience of a Municipal Water Utility” exemplified that — as a consequence of climate change impacts — Southeast Florida water utilities will face a number of challenges, including inundation of low-lying coastal areas; saltwater contamination of well fields; malfunction of septic tanks and drainage systems; reduction in soil capacity to store rainfall; and reduced efficiency of stormwater drainage canals and flood gates, among others. Strategies to manage these challenges would require substantial economic investments in the order of $500 million to $1 billion over the next 70 to 100 years. To support these improvements, household utility bills could increase by as much as $100 per month.

“Significant challenges to the water systems in Southeast Florida due to climate change are expected to begin within the next two decades. Water managers will have to contend with increasing saltwater intrusion and more intense drought. Furthermore, risk of flooding will increase as a result of more intense rain storms coupled with sea level rise that will cause reduced capacity of flood control systems,” said Barry Heimlich, research affiliate with the FAU’s Florida Center for Environmental Studies, who led the study. “Early notice of this study’s findings helped raise awareness of these issues and encouraged regional water managers to incorporate climate change in water resource planning and begin development of flexible adaptation strategies to be implemented over the coming decades.”

According to the study, the water infrastructure in Florida is complex and capital intensive. Much of it was designed and installed more than 50 years ago, long before climate change was considered a threat. Sea level rise of approximately six inches since then is already stressing the system today. A regional science work group, including Heimlich and other regional experts, established planning guidelines for sea level rise of three to seven inches above 2010 levels by 2030 and nine to 24 inches by 2060.

“We developed an adaptation planning toolkit of advanced engineering and conservation alternatives for offsetting projected sea level rise and other climate change impacts on southeast Florida’s water resources,” said Frederick Bloetscher, Ph.D., associate professor in FAU’s department of civil, environmental and geomatics engineering within the College of Engineering and Computer Science, who led a case study looking at the water infrastructure in the City of Pompano Beach that typifies the challenges faced by utilities throughout the region. “This report reveals the tangible economic implications. Adaptation strategies for municipal water utilities could require substantial capital expenditures and operating cost increases to counter the effects of sea level rise.”

“Climate change is not just some far away phenomenon, as we already see the effects of rising sea level on low-lying coastal areas,” said Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs, who played a lead role in the formation of a Regional Climate Change Compact with neighboring Southeast Florida counties. “The FAU study reveals the impacts that future increases can pose for our wellfields, stormwater drainage and sewer systems. Substantial investments will be needed to deal with these issues across the region.”

Recommendations of this study are in the process of being adopted, including reevaluation of current policies and incorporating climate change into water resource planning; exchange of information among scientists, engineers, water managers and decision-makers; quantitative evaluation and modeling of the vulnerability of flood control structures and stormwater drainage systems, and development of plans for their enhancement; assessment and modeling of the impacts of climate change on freshwater supplies; planning for protection of freshwater supplies and alternative water sources, as well as the development and implementation of increased freshwater storage and conservation programs to protect against water shortages.

“Southeast Florida’s Resilient Water Resources” and “Improving the Resilience of a Municipal Water Utility” are available online at http://www.ces.fau.edu/projects/climate_change in the publications section.

WPTV News Channel 5 Coverage

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MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Microbiologist Named a Jefferson Science Fellow Nwadiuto Esiobu, Ph.D., One of 13 Scientists Selected from U.S. Universities

BOCA RATON, FL (October 17, 2011) – Nwadiuto Esiobu, Ph.D., an associate professor and applied microbiologist in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science’s department of biological sciences at Florida Atlantic University, has been named a Jefferson Science Fellow. Esiobu is one of 13 scientists from U.S. universities selected to participate in the prestigious program, which was introduced by the U.S. State Department in 2003 to develop and advance the fields of science, technology and engineering in international arenas, and guide the design and implementation of U.S. government policy.

Esiobu will spend the 2011-12 academic year in Washington, D.C. as a lead science advisor in the Secretary of State’s Global Food Security Initiative. In this role, she will focus on sustainable agricultural output in Africa using proven technologies; advocate the creation of adaptable food production practices with changing climatic conditions; enhance outreach for adding value to raw material; and bridge gender inequity gaps in Feed the Future countries.

“I am delighted at this rare opportunity to learn and serve, and look forward to my year in Washington with great expectations and eagerness,” said Esiobu. “Most of my research and outreach are aimed at sustainable development and biosecurity. This award allows me to learn firsthand how science and technology intersect with economics and politics to influence policy. I see the fellowship as a platform to grow, and to use my expertise and experiences to fortify partnerships that may play important roles in the rapid globalization of world systems.”

In addition, Esiobu will lend her expertise to the Office of International Health and Biodefense, where she will focus on public health policy to address the use of counterfeit and substandard medicines such as antibiotics and antivirals. By highlighting the health risks associated with use of counterfeit medicines, she will promote multilateral and regional policy efforts to deter the manufacturing and marketing of fake drugs, which infringe on the U.S. Intellectual Property Rights and account for huge economic losses.

“Scientists who are selected for this fellowship are truly unique, as they must not only demonstrate scientific achievements but must show interest in diplomacy and the ability to describe complex scientific issues to non-expert audiences,” said Gary W. Perry, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science at FAU. “We are proud of Diuto for being selected and for representing Florida Atlantic University at this level.”

The Jefferson Science Fellows program is administered by the National Academies and supported through a partnership between the scientific academic community, professional scientific societies and the Department of State. For more information, visit http://www.state.gov/g/stas/fi/c28280.htm.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Physicist Develops Mathematical Method to Find Satellite Galaxies

BOCA RATON, FL (September 21, 2011) – Sukanya Chakrabarti, Ph.D., an assistant professor of physics for the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University, has developed a mathematical method called “tidal analysis” to find satellite, or dwarf, galaxies by analyzing the ripples in the hydrogen gas distribution in large spiral galaxies in outer space.

Chakrabarti, who specializes in the study of astrophysics, black holes and galaxies, used this method to predict that a dwarf galaxy sat on the opposite side of the Milky Way from Earth earlier this year. This dwarf galaxy has been unseen to date because it is “dark” and obscured by the intervening gas and dust in the galaxy’s disc.

“The tidal analysis approach has broad implications for many fields of physics and astronomy,” said Chakrabarti. “Current cosmological theories predict a far higher number of dwarf galaxies that have actually been observed so far. Tidal analysis may help solve this mystery, bringing us one step closer to the indirect detection of dark matter and understanding galaxy evolution driven by satellite impacts.”

Chakrabarti brought her expertise to a research group for a study titled, “The Sagittarius Dwarf Impact as an Architect of Spirality and Outer Rings in the Milky Way Galaxy,” which was recently published in the renowned British research journal Nature. The study was conducted along with principal investigator Chris W. Purcell, from the department of physics at the University of Pittsburgh; and James S. Bullock, Erik J. Tollerud and Miguel Rocha, from the Center for Cosmology within the department of physics at the University of California, Irvine.

According to the study, it has been known that the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, which is dominated by dark matter and has an invisible, massive dark halo, has collided with the Milky Way. Until now, most astronomical research has focused on the effects the collision had on the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy itself.

In the study, Chakrabarti and her colleagues explored what effects, if any, the repeated collisions of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy had on the larger Milky Way. Through analysis of data from telescopes and detailed simulations, the team found that the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy has collided with the Milky Way twice over the past 1.8 billion years. These impacts sent streams of stars bulging out one side, which were then gradually tugged inward by the Milky Way’s gravity to form its spiral arms. The study indicates that Sagittarius will rotate around once again for a third impact, but not for another 10 million years or so.

To read “The Sagittarius Dwarf Impact as an Architect of Spirality and Outer Rings in the Milky Way Galaxy,” visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature10417. Chakrabarti joined FAU in 2011 from the University of California Berkeley, where she was a President’s Fellow and theoretical astronomer. Prior to her time at UC Berkeley, she was a National Science Foundation Fellow at Harvard.

“Sukanya is a wonderful example of the truly brilliant young faculty we are attracting to our university,” said Gary W. Perry, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science at FAU. “We are very excited about the research she is doing in our physics department.”

For more information, contact Sukanya Chakrabarti, Ph.D., at 561-297-3380 or schakra1@fau.edu.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Christine Dardet
(561) 297-3029, cdardet@fau.edu

FAU Student Receives Award from NASA to Study Factors Leading to Florida’s Coastal Hazards

BOCA RATON, FL (September 19, 2011) – Janie Forbes, a doctoral student in the department of geosciences within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University, has received a grant from the Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC), an affiliate of NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. Forbes is FAU’s first-ever FSGC grant recipient.

The grant supports Forbes’ three-year doctoral dissertation, a geographic information science project studying the social and physical science factors that lead to an increase in Florida’s coastal hazards. These hazards are defined as natural events that affect people, places, and other living things, such as hurricanes.

“By taking a systems science approach to examining what is changing and why, our ultimate goal is to turn these findings into knowledge and, hopefully, wisdom,” said Forbes, who recently received a master’s degree in geography from FAU. “This knowledge will help inform environmental managers and the people of Florida as to how best to mitigate or reduce the consequences associated with these coastal hazards.”

Using her expertise in computer programming, geography and mathematics, Forbes is developing spatial statistics and spatial database techniques to combine and analyze data about Florida’s land surface and coastal waters. NASA sensors and satellites provide the data, which allows Forbes to examine patterns and processes occurring in the natural world across multiple scales and time periods.

Forbes has assembled an interdisciplinary dissertation committee of FAU scientists with expertise in geographic information science, geology and marine biology to assist in the investigation. “This is precisely the type of interdisciplinary training we need to provide to our students so that they graduate from FAU with the necessary skills to help find solutions and guide policy decisions based on scientific facts regarding societal issues, such as preparing for hazards posed by hurricanes” commented Dr. Gary W. Perry, dean of the Charles E Schmidt College of Science.

The FSGC awards three fellowships each year and is a voluntary association of 17 public and private Florida universities and colleges led by the University of Central Florida. In addition to fellowships, the consortium supports the expansion and diversification of Florida’s space industry through providing grants and scholarships to students and educators from Florida’s public and private institutes of higher education. For more information, visit www.floridaspacegrant.org.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Kristine Gobbo
(561) 297-1168, kgobbo@fau.edu

FAU's Language Development Lab Receives Five-Year Grant to Continue Studies of Bilingual Children

DAVIE, FL (May 17, 2011) – Florida Atlantic University's language development lab, located on the Davie campus, has received a five-year, $3.2 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to study language development in English monolingual and Spanish-English bilingual children from the age of 2-and-a-half to 5 years.

Erika Hoff, Ph.D., the principal investigator for the grant and an FAU psychology professor, has been studying language development in the two groups of children for the last five years, but her previous work studied the language development of younger children. With this study, she hopes to establish what constitutes normal development in the two groups to inform educators and educational policy makers.

"We're looking at two questions," said Hoff. "First, what kinds of experiences will equip the children to do well in school and have good school readiness? Secondly, how can children from Spanish-speaking homes retain their heritage language and acquire skills in English to be successful in school?"

Some factors that influence bilingual children's development are how much English is spoken in the home, how much a child is read to in Spanish and English, who is in the household, as well as if there are older siblings in the home. Part of the study will focus on which aspects of the environment are most useful for supporting language. In Hoff's previous study, she discovered that it takes children longer to acquire two languages than one, but it does not take twice as long.

Hoff said that researchers do know that children learn a language best from having conversations with others and reading books, but not from watching television. Although bilingual children take a bit longer to learn the second language, the cognitive and economic benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Bilingual children learn to inhibit one response and produce another and are therefore adept at multitasking as adults. "Children don't possess a "magical ability" to learn language," said Hoff.

FAU graduate and doctoral students will assist Hoff with the research, as well as undergraduate students who will participate in data collection and scoring, speech transcription and preparing conference presentations.

A member of the psychology faculty in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Science since 1996, Hoff is the recipient of many professional and academic honors. During a recent sabbatical leave from FAU, Hoff was a visiting scholar at Bangor University in Wales, England. She taught at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan. Hoff has served as principal investigator for a number of external and internal research grants and awards. The author of five books, numerous book chapters and journal articles, Hoff is a frequent and highly respected presenter at conferences. Hoff earned a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Michigan, a master's degree in science from Rutgers â€“ The State University of New Jersey, and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.

For more information, contact FAU's language development lab at 954-236-1142 or langdevlab@fau.edu, or visit http://psy.fau.edu/~hoff/LangDevLab/index.htm.

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Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Metcalf
(561) 297-3022, lmetcalf@fau.edu

FAU Astronomical Observatory Open for Star Gazing

BOCA RATON, FL (January 27, 2011) – Florida Atlantic University’s Astronomical Observatory is now open to the public for viewing of the night sky on the first Friday and third Tuesday of each month, beginning at 7 p.m. The observatory is located on the fourth floor of FAU’s Science and Engineering building, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Eric Vandernoot, FAU’s astronomy and physics lab coordinator, will highlight various points of interest in the sky at the public viewings and will show video presentations that match some of the night’s targeted celestial objects. He also will study nebulae, the Moon, planets, stars, galaxies, comets and asteroids. Using spectroscopy, or the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy, Vandernoot can also examine the composition of a star and its atmosphere.

“Technology not only allows us to see more stars, but we are becoming increasingly aware of more sun-like stars which have planets, including terrestrial or Earth-like planets,” said Vandernoot. “Being able to analyze the color of a star with the telescope is the key to astronomy of today. I want guests to appreciate the science, enjoy what the observatory has to offer and see what’s out there.”

Visitors can partake in various significant celestial events at the observatory this year, including Saturn at opposition on Friday, April 1; Asteroid Vesta at opposition as the space probe DAWN orbits the asteroid on Friday, August 5; and Jupiter at opposition on Friday, October 28. Planets viewed at opposition are closer to Earth than at any other time in orbit and can appear bigger. Viewing them as they cross the local meridian at midnight decreases the chance for atmospheric distortion that would interfere with its view, offering the best observations for the year.

The viewings and educational presentations are free. For more information, contact Eric Vandernoot at 561-297-STAR (7827) or vandernoot@physics.fau.edu. For the public viewing schedule, visit www.physics.fau.edu/observatory/about_ob.html.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU Professor Receives ‘South Florida Business Leader Award’ from Seafarers’ House

BOCA RATON, FL (January 11, 2011) — Florida Atlantic University’s Leonard Berry, Ph.D., distinguished professor and director of the Center for Environmental Studies within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, recently received the “South Florida Business Leader of the Year” award from the Seafarers’ House at its 15th annual luncheon. The award honors individual community leaders who have made significant contributions to support and sustain our communities and oceans.

“Community-based universities are essential to the current and future economy of Florida,” said Berry. “Current synergies between Florida Atlantic University and businesses include the development of ocean energy technology, ocean monitoring and assessment in response to the Gulf oil spill, and working jointly with business and the community to understand and adapt to the impacts of climate change in our uniquely vulnerable region. Our united efforts produce benefits and change for our region and our future which are simply not obtainable by independent work.”

Berry spearheads the Center which brings together the full resources of the Florida State University System to collect, analyze and promote the use of scientifically sound information concerning tropical and sub-tropical, freshwater and estuary ecosystems. The Center is focused on critical environmental management issues of the state, and of tropical and subtropical ecosystems worldwide. Berry’s expertise areas include geomorphology, wetland ecosystems, and adaptation and mitigation of anthropogenic impacts on the environment. He has authored/edited 27 books, more than 250 professional papers and reports, and has been a consultant for many environmental development agencies.

Seafarers' House at Port Everglades is a multi-faith cooperation among Christians, Muslims and Jews, as well as labor, business and civic leaders with a mission "to offer refuge, resources, renewal and respect to the maritime community through multi-faith service." It is open throughout the year as a safe, friendly place where mariners can connect with their families, relax or get emergency assistance if needed. With the help of its supporters and volunteers, Seafarers' House offers many services including low cost international phone calls, free transportation, Internet access, counseling services, liaison with authorities, as well as recreational facilities. Seafarers' House annually hosts more than 100,000 visits by cruise and cargo ship crewmembers.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences Adds Middle School Event to Annual Math Day Series

BOCA RATON, FL (November 20, 2010) – Florida Atlantic University’s department of mathematical sciences within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science has added the American Mathematics Competition for middle school students (AMC-8) to its annual series of FAU Math Days. More than 80 middle school students from the community participated in this event on November 16.

FAU is the only Florida university to offer the AMC-8, which provides an opportunity to apply the mathematical concepts taught at the junior high level and to promote enthusiasm and excitement toward future study of mathematics.

"Adding the AMC-8 event to our math day series broadens our outreach in the community and encourages a positive attitude and an interest in the field of the mathematical sciences,” said Tomas Schonbek, Ph.D, professor of mathematics and chair of the math day series organizing committee.

The FAU Math Day series also includes FAU Mini-Math Day; Internet Competition; American Mathematics Competition for senior high students (AMC 10/12) and the FAU Math Day Extravaganza. All of these events will be held in spring 2011.

“This series would not be possible without the generous support of Wachovia, NCCI Holdings, Publix, Marlins Community Foundation, Pearson Education, Texas Instruments and McGraw Hill,” said Schonbek.

Find more information at http://www.math.fau.edu/faumathdays.html.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

Improvements and Upgrades to Department of Physics Observatory

Observatory Telescope

BOCA RATON, FLA (September 21, 2010) - FAU’s Department of Physics in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, through a FAU Tech Fee Grant, has recently made significant improvements to the observatory located on the fourth floor in Room 434 in the Science and Engineering building on the Boca campus.

A new and higher quality telescope and equatorial gear system are now operational. In addition, there is a new internalized vibration dampening design which was made by Mark Royer and Jeff Webb, machinists in the college and Eric Vandernoot, Astronomy and Physics Lab Coordinator.

An Open-Dome event to celebrate the improvements to the Observatory will be held Friday, September 24 beginning at 10:00 PM and extending to 3:00 AM. At this time, viewers will be able to see the Opposition of Jupiter and Uranus. The significance of this event is that Jupiter will not be this visible again until the year 2022.

For more information, please contact Eric Vandernoot at vandeernoot@physics.fau.edu or 297-STAR (7827).

Observatory website http://www.physics.fau.edu/observatory/observatory.html

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Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts 10 colleges: College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate College, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

Dr. Charles E. Carraher Elected Fellow of American Chemical Society

Dr. Charles E. Carraher

BOCA RATON, FL (July 12, 2010) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science congratulates Dr. Charles E. Carraher, Professor of Chemistry who has been elected to the 2010 class of Fellows of the American Chemical Society. The American Chemical Society (ACS) was founded in 1876 as learned professional association that supports scientific inquiry in the field of Chemistry.

“It is an honor to be elected a fellow of the ACS and to be a member of the FAU family. FAU has allowed me to contribute to society and the community,” Carraher said.

Carraher’s research interests are synthesis and characterization of metal and organometallic polymers bioactive polymeric materials. His work has contributed to materials employed in the production of polyvinyl chloride which is more commonly known as PVC pipes and is used in water lines therefore directly affecting each of us when we drink water.

He holds several patents that deal with inhibitors responsible for most yeast infections. Carraher is co-founder and chair of the PolyEd National Education Committee that works with K through post graduate education and oversees the national Outstanding Award in Organic Chemistry along with a number of other awards.

Carraher will be honored at a special ceremony during the ACS National Meeting in Boston on Monday, August 23.

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Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts 10 colleges: College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate College, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Freed
(561) 297-3022, lfreed@fau.edu

FAU Experts on the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

BOCA RATON, FL (May 19, 2010) – With the latest news on the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Atlantic University faculty members are available to discuss the state of the Gulf and the effects of the oil spill in regards to biology, ecology, its marine organisms, as well as in the areas of the geosciences, and civil, environmental and geomatics engineering:

FAU Representative of State of Florida Oil Spill Task Force:

Dr. Leonard Berry is the director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Florida Atlantic University. His expertise areas include geomorphology, wetland ecosystems, and adaptation and mitigation of anthropogenic impacts on the environment. He can be reached at 561-799-8554 (office) or berry@fau.edu.

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute:

Dr. Ed Proffitt is an associate professor in the department of biological sciences in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, and is located at Harbor Branch. His areas of expertise lies in oil spill and restoration research in coastal (saline and brackish) marshes in Louisiana, as well as studies on how the Tampa Bay oil spill affected mangroves in the early 1990s. He can be reached at 772-462-0874 (office) or cproffit@fau.edu.
Steve McCulloch is the program manager and rescue supervisor of the Marine Mammal Research and Conservation program at Harbor Branch. He helped create and continues to conduct ongoing photo-ID field research surveys that cover 40 percent of Florida’s east coast, and also developed a stranding response and rehabilitation capability to care for sick and injured marine mammals. McCulloch has responded to more than 200 stranding events in Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and South Carolina. His research interests are in population ecology, marine mammal health, rehabilitation, release and telemetry, and advancement of research technologies and education. He can be reached 772-462-0950 (office), 772-201-1535 (cell) or smccull5@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. Megan Davis is the director of aquaculture and stock enhancement at Harbor Branch. Her expertise along with the aquaculture faculty members that work at Harbor Branch includes the aquaculture of tropical and subtropical species of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks for food and stock enhancement. She can be reached at 772-242-2298 (office) or mdavi105@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. M. Dennis Hanisak is a research professor and director of education at Harbor Branch, as well as director of its Center for Marine Ecosystem Health. His expertise areas include marine biology and ecology, with emphasis on marine plants, particularly macroalgae (seaweeds) and seagrasses, and coral reefs. He can be reached at 772-242-2306 (office) or dhanisak@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. Greg O’Corry-Crowe is an associate research professor at Harbor Branch. He is a molecular biologist who has worked on oil spills in the arctic and Alaska. His main interests are in investigating interactions between marine mammals, apex predators and their environment, and the application of research findings to the conservation and management of these species. He can be reached at 772-465-2400 (office) or gocorryc@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. Shirley Pomponi is the executive director of Harbor Branch. Her research areas include sponge ecology and ocean exploration. She can be reached at 772-465-2400, ext. 449 (office) or pomponi@hboi.edu.
Dr. Tamara Frank is an associate research professor at Harbor Branch. Her research is on zooplankton ecology, visual ecology and deep-sea ecosystems, including those in the Gulf of Mexico. She can be reached at 772-242-2311 (office), 772-359-0011 (cell) or tfrank3@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. Brian Lapointe is a research professor at Harbor Branch. His expertise includes the areas of nutrient pollution and coral reef ecology. He can be reached at 772-465-2400, ext. 276 (office) or blapoin1@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. Sara Edge is an assistant research faculty member at Harbor Branch. Her area of expertise is in the field of ecological genomics of Scleractinian corals, and focuses on the development and implementation of tools from the field of molecular biology to address coral health and diagnostics. Her research focuses on how molecular processes govern the interactions between different species and guide an organism’s response to its environment. Edge is currently in the process of setting up an Ecological Genomics lab as part of the ecosystem health program, and has identified several genes indicative of coral health and developed the first stress-focused microarray used in coral diagnostic studies. She can be reached at 772-465-2400, ext. 261 (office) or sedge4@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. Joshua Voss is an assistant research professor in the Marine Ecosystem Health program at Harbor Branch. His research focuses on coral reef ecology and coral health, including emerging disease, natural and anthropogenic stressors, and integration of molecular and field techniques. He can be reached at 772-242-2538 (office) or jvoss2@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. John Reed is a research professor at Harbor Branch. His areas of study are on coral reef ecology, both deep and shallow. He can be reached at jreed12@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. Juli Goldstein, DVM, is an assistant research professor at Harbor Branch, as well as a marine mammal veterinarian. She can be reached at 772-465-2400, ext. 434 (office) or jgolds31@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. Paul Wills is an associate research professor at Harbor Branch. His area of expertise is aquaculture of finfish for food and stock enhancement. He can be reached at 772-465-2400, ext. 454 (office) or pwills2@hboi.fau.edu.
Dr. John Scarpa is a research professor at Harbor Branch. His area of research is primarily invertebrate culture, especially bivalves (e.g., oysters, clams) for food and restoration purposes. He can be reached at 772-465-2400, ext. 404 (office) or jscarpa1@hboi.fau.edu.

Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters:

Dr. Patricia Widener is an assistant professor of sociology. Her primary research is on environmental justice and how communities, environmental organizations and/or transnational advocates respond to petroleum projects and oil spills. She can be reached at 954-236-1079 (office) or pwidener@fau.edu.

College of Engineering and Computer Science:

Dr. Fred Bloetscher is an assistant professor in FAU’s department of civil, environmental, and geomatics engineering. His research areas include water quality changes in coastal marine waters, groundwater injection programs and occurrence and treatment of pharmaceutically active chemicals in water. Bloetscher can be reached at 561-297-0744 (office) or fbloetsc@fau.edu.
Dr. Daniel Meeroff is an assistant professor in FAU’s department of civil, environmental, and geomatics engineering. His research areas include water/waste-water treatment processes, water chemistry, environmental microbiology, natural detoxification mechanisms and hazardous waste treatment. Meeroff can be reached at 561-297-3099 (office) or dmeeroff@fau.edu.
Dr. Panagiotis (Pete) D. Scarlatos is a professor and chair of the department of civil, environmental and geomatics engineering. His expertise includes ocean waves and currents, coastal processes, sediment transport, density currents, sediment quality and contamination, pollutant dispersion and diffusion, simulation and modeling. He can be reached at 561-297-0466 (office), 561-699-2579 (cell) or pscarlat@fau.edu.
Dr. Manhar Dhanak is a professor in FAU’s department of ocean and mechanical engineering and director of the Institute for Ocean and Systems Engineering. He has research interests in hydrodynamics and physical oceanography and has been involved in field experiments using autonomous underwater vehicles. Dhanak serves on the board of the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) and is the chair of the Florida COOS Consortium. He can be reached at 954-924-7242 (office) or dhanak@fau.edu.
Dr. Chaouki Ghenai is an assistant professor in FAU’s department of ocean and mechanical engineering. His expertise includes simulation and modeling of oil spill fate and transport (advection, turbulent diffusion, surface spreading, evaporation, emulsification and dissolution); combustion of oil spills (effects of ocean waves and wind on the burning behavior of oil spills - flame structure, burning rate, amount of oil converted to smoke); and environmental effects from combustion of oil spills (source emissions characterization – carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter and air pollution dispersion modeling, or dispersion of particulate matter from the combustion of oil spills in ambient atmosphere). He can be reached at 561-297-3943 (office) or cghenai@fau.edu.
Dr. Stewart Glegg is a professor in FAU’s department of ocean and mechanical engineering. He is an expert on fluid structure interactions and ocean engineering. Glegg has been a member of the board of directors of the South Florida Ocean Measurement Center and the board of governors of the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education based in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at 561-297-2633 (office) or sglegg@fau.edu.

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science:

Dr. Jeanette Wyneken is an associate professor in FAU’s department of biological sciences. Research interests include morphological, behavioral and physiological analyses of swimming behavior in hatchlings of three sea turtle species as they undergo offshore migration, and how sea turtle visual systems differ among species. Other ongoing studies include empirical assessments of predation on sea turtle hatchlings in urban settings and studies of egg and hatchling energetics. She can be reached at 561-297-0146 (office), 561-312-4581 (cell) or jwyneken@fau.edu.
Dr. Sarah Milton is an associate professor in FAU’s department of biological sciences. Her recent research includes investigations into the molecular adaptations of neuronal anoxia tolerance in freshwater turtles, an examination of stress adaptations at the molecular and physiological level in Everglades fish, and several different aspects of sea turtle biology including hatchling energetics, immunology, and molecular responses to disease. She can be reached at 561-297-3327 (office) or smilton@fau.edu.
Dr. Dale E. Gawlik is an associate professor and director of the Environmental Science Program in the department of biological sciences. His research is on avian ecology, wetland ecosystems, and restoration ecology, and includes the study of habitats of wading birds in South Florida. He can be reached at 561-297-3333 (office) or dgawlik@fau.edu.
Dr. Marguerite Koch-Rose is a professor in the department of biological sciences. Her research interests include nutrient cycling and primary production in tropical marine ecosystems, as well as marine plant ecology and ecophysiology. Her current research focuses on biogeochemical changes in tropical marine ecosystems in response to climate change and their affects on marine plant communities. She can be reached at 561-297-3325 (office) or mkoch@fau.edu.
James Gammack-Clark M.A., is an instructor in FAU’s department of geosciences. His interests include GIS mapping. He can be reached at 561-297-0314 (office) or jgammack@fau.edu.
Dr. Tobin Hindle is an assistant scientist in FAU’s department of geosciences. His research interests include ecological regeneration, geographical information science, as well as web-based learning and strategies to integrate society and nature. He can be reached at 561-297-2846 (office) or thindle@fau.edu.
Dr. Zhixiao Xie is an assistant professor in FAU’s department of geosciences. His research interests include geographic image retrieval, high resolution images, spatial temporal GIS analysis, environmental health and invasive species. He can be reached at 561-297-2852 (office) or xie@fau.edu.
Dr. Scott Markwith is an assistant professor in FAU’s department of geosciences. His research interests include biogeography, biogeomorphology, population and conservation genetics, vegetation dynamics and disturbance, aquatic systems, dispersal/migration process and environmental restoration. He can be reached at 561-297-2102 (office) or smarkwit@fau.edu.

For FAU experts, contact Lisa Freed, assistant director of media relations at FAU, at (561) 297-3022 or lfreed@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts 10 colleges: College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate College, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

Governor Crist Reappoints FAU Distinguished Research Professor to the Biomedical Research Advisory Council

Professor Herbert Weissbach

BOCA RATON, FL (April 23, 2010) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science’s Distinguished Research Professor Herbert Weissbach has been reappointed by Governor Crist to the Biomedical Research Advisory Council (BRAC) for a term beginning April 19, 2010 and ending on January 1, 2012.

Weissbach is a member of the National Science Academy and director of the Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at FAU’s Jupiter campus.

“I am honored by this reappointment and look forward to continuing with the council to help support research on tobacco related diseases and cancer funded by the James and Esther King and the Bankhead-Coley Biomedical Research Programs,” said Weissbach.

The 11 member BRAC advises the state surgeon general on the direction and scope of biomedical research programs and is also charged with developing the strategic objectives and priorities of the programs. Four of the BRAC members are appointed by the Governor.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts 10 colleges: College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate College, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

CONTACT:Gabe Margasak
South Florida Water Management District
Office: (561) 682-2800 or Cellular: (561) 670-1245

Scientists Fish for Facts About Wading Bird Foraging in the Everglades
SFWMD supports continuing Florida Atlantic University research vital to restoring wading bird nesting colonies

Great Egret

West Palm Beach, FL (April 19, 2010) – The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board recently approved continuing support for a unique study that is helping scientists protect and restore wading bird colonies in the Everglades. The ongoing study is being conducted by biologists at Florida Atlantic University.

“Wading birds are the iconic image of the Everglades, and they tell us a great deal about the overall health of the ecosystem,” said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Eric Buermann. ”This study will help provide the science necessary to make sound ecosystem management and restoration decisions as we move forward.”

The Governing Board’s investment of $978,500 allows the study to continue for another five years and helps the District meet an objective of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), which calls for restoring nesting colonies of wading birds in the Everglades.

Conducted by the university’s Dr. Dale Gawlik, the goal of the study is to gain an understanding of how dry season hydrologic patterns across the landscape affect fish concentrations and corresponding bird foraging. By determining optimal water depth to increase the availability of fish, water managers may be able to make operational changes to water levels that better support and increase the success of wading bird populations, while continuing to meet water supply, flood control and other environmental needs.

The study involves sampling fish and invertebrates throughout freshwater marshes located within Everglades National Park boundaries, the eastern portion of the Big Cypress National Preserve, the littoral zone of Lake Okeechobee, the Pal-Mar and J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area and the Water Conservation Areas.

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan is a framework for restoring, protecting and preserving the water resources of central and southern Florida. CERP is a 50-50 partnership between the State of Florida and the federal government. The State of Florida and the South Florida Water Management District have invested approximately $2.4 billion toward this effort, including approximately $600 million in construction. Through December 31, 2009, 60 percent — or approximately 233,277 acres — of the estimated lands needed to implement CERP have been acquired.

About the South Florida Water Management District

The South Florida Water Management District is a regional, governmental agency that oversees the water resources in the southern half of the state — 16 counties from Orlando to the Keys. It is the oldest and largest of the state's five water management districts. The agency mission is to manage and protect water resources of the region by balancing and improving water quality, flood control, natural systems and water supply. A key initiative is cleanup and restoration of the Everglades.

The Circular Logic of the Universe

By Natalie Angier
Sometimes roundness is purely a matter of physics. “The shape of any object represents the balance of two opposing forces,” explained Larry S. Liebovitch of the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences at Florida Atlantic University. “You get things that are round when those forces are isotropic, that is, felt equally in all directions.” Read more in the New York Times Article.

FAU shark research from Dr. Kajiura highlighted

The research on hammerhead shark vision conducted by Dr. Mikki McComb with Dr. Stephen Kajiura, Department of Biological Sciences at Charles E. Schmidt College of Science was published Friday, November 27, 2009 in the Journal of Experimental Biology. There were several media stories that followed up on this research.

Hammerhead shark mystery solved - BBC Earth News
Why the hammerhead shark got its hammer - NewScientist
Sight tests reveal advantage of hammerheads' extraordinary heads - Guardian.co.uk
Hammerhead Sharks Have "Human" Vision - National Geographic
'All seeing' hammerhead sharks could have the best vision in animal kingdom - Telegraph.co.uk
Hammerhead sharks see 360 degrees in stereo - Tehran Times

Sounds During Sleep Aid Memory, Study Finds

By Pam Belluck
People who heard specific sounds while sleeping had enhanced memories upon awakening, researchers said. Read more in the New York Times Article.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU to Host Mini-Math Day

BOCA RATON, FL (May 1, 2009) – Florida Atlantic University’s department of mathematical sciences, a part of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, will host a Mini-Math Day on Monday, May 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Barry Kaye College of Business, Room BU 120, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Approximately 100 exceptional fifth grade mathematics students from Del Prado Elementary School in Boca Raton are expected to attend. The program will begin with a short quiz followed by an education demonstration presented by former science teacher Glen Govertsen. The demonstrations, part of the “Mr. G Science Show,” combines the dynamics of music, lasers, raw eggs, fiber optics and other materials with clear explanations to motivate students in science.

Govertsen taught high school physics in Missoula, Montana for 31 years. During that time, he received many awards including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. In addition to Govertsen’s experience in classroom teaching, he became best known for his exciting physics demonstrations and gradually developed a composite show for presentations to both student and adult audiences.

Dr. Tomas Schonbek, professor of mathematical sciences at FAU, will continue the day’s program as host of individual and team competitions. Dr. Gary W. Perry, dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, will award educational mathematics game prizes to both individual and team competition winners.

For more information, contact Karen Katonah at kkatonah@fau.edu

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts ten colleges: College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Barry Kaye College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate College, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

Spring 2009 Future Doctors Reception Photographs

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Photo by Jay Paredes

Photographs from the Spring 2009 Future Doctors Reception can now be seen in the gallery. If you'd like copies of a photo, please e-mail Jay Paredes (jparede1@fau.edu).

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Astronomical Observatory Celebrates the International Year of Astronomy with ‘100 Hours of Astronomy’ Event

BOCA RATON, FL (March 31, 2009) – Florida Atlantic University’s department of physics in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will host “100 Hours of Astronomy,” as part of a worldwide astronomical event to promote appreciation and discovery of the universe. The FAU event will take place on Thursday, April 2 beginning at 8 a.m. through Monday April 6 at noon in FAU’s Science and Engineering Building, fourth floor, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

FAU will provide an opportunity for members of FAU and the local community to look through a telescope at any time during the 100 hour event. Faculty and students will be present throughout the event to answer questions and address comments from those attending.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the first recorded astronomical observations with a telescope by Galileo and is referred to as the “birth of modern science.” Because of this, the 62nd General Assembly of the United Nations adopted an Italian resolution to declare 2009 as the “International Year of Astronomy.” The UN, together with the International Astronomical Union, is promoting “100 Hours of Astronomy” as a worldwide event to encourage people to look through a telescope and personally experience the message of the slogan, “The Universe, Yours to Discover.”

For more information, contact Eric Vandernoot at 561-297-3378 or visit www.100hoursofastronomy.org/component/eventlist/details/1070.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Frontiers in Science Spring Lecture Series Begins with
‘Models of Conflict: What Equations Can Tell Us About People’

BOCA RATON, FL (January 9, 2009) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will begin its 2009 Spring Frontiers in Science public lecture series with a presentation by Dr. Larry Liebovitch, associate dean of graduate studies and programs for the college. Liebovitch will discuss “Models of Conflict: What Equations Can Tell Us About People,” on Friday, January 16 at 3:30 p.m. in FAU’s General Classroom North building, Room 101, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

In his presentation, Liebovitch will review mathematical models that describe how two “actors” behave in a conflict. These actors could be anything from two individual people, two groups of people or even two nations. In the model, the emotional state of each “actor” depends on its own state in isolation, its previous state, its inertia to change and how it responds to the other “actor.”

“Mathematics, which have been used in physics to describe nature for 350 years, is now being used in biology to understand the chemical interactions between genes and proteins,” said Liebovitch. “This may be used in the future in psychology to help us understand the subtle and complex interactions between people.”

Liebovitch also will discuss the studies of situations where each person does the same or the opposite of the other person. Additionally, this specific model also predicts how people will behave under certain circumstances and how the mathematics of this model is strikingly similar to the mathematics of how genes in DNA activate and repress each other.

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship.

The reception that follows the program is made possible by the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Patsy Jones at 561-297-1307 or patsyj@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Frontiers in Science Fall Lecture Series Presents
‘The Future of Spacetime: The Uncertain Role of Einstein’s Deepest Insight in 21st Century Physics’

BOCA RATON, FL (November 14, 2008) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will conclude its 2008 Fall Frontiers in Science public lecture series with a presentation by Dr. Christopher Beetle, assistant professor of physics in the College’s department of physics. Beetle will discuss “The Future of Spacetime: The Uncertain Role of Einstein’s Deepest Insight in 21st Century Physics.” The lecture will take place on Friday, November 21 at 3:30 p.m. in FAU’s General Classroom North building, Room 101, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

In his presentation, Beetle will focus on the question about concerns of the proper role of time in fundamental theories of physics. He will try to clarify why there is a deep-rooted tension between quantum theory and general relativity and why it matters in the different roles of time in the two theories.

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship.

The reception that follows the program is made possible by the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Patsy Jones at 561-297-1307 or patsyj@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Frontiers in Science Fall Lecture Series Presents
’Stayin’ Alive: Mechanisms of Survival in the Brain without Oxygen’

BOCA RATON, FL (November 3, 2008) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will continue its 2008 Fall Frontiers in Science public lecture series with a presentation by Dr. Sarah Milton, a research assistant professor in the College’s department of biological sciences. Milton will discuss “Stayin’ Alive: Mechanisms of Survival in the Brain without Oxygen.” The lecture will take place on Friday, November 7 at 3:30 p.m. in FAU’s General Classroom North Building, Room 101, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

In her presentation, Milton will discuss how discovering the mechanisms behind living without oxygen may provide new therapeutic targets for diseases such as stroke and age-related disorders. She also will explain how turtles are able to greatly decrease their metabolism, entering a deep reversible coma by suppressing energy.

“Brains of most animals die within minutes if deprived of oxygen or blood flow,” said Milton. “But some species of turtles can live for days or even weeks in the complete absence of oxygen.”

Milton received her Ph.D. in marine physiology from the University of Miami and completed her post-doctorate studies at FAU in neurobiology. She joined the faculty at FAU as an assistant professor in 2006. Milton’s current research is supported by a grant from the American Federation of Aging Research.

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship.

The reception that follows the program is made possible by the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Patsy Jones at 561-297-1307 or patsyj@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts 10 colleges: College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Barry Kaye College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate College, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Eminent Scholar Receives French Honor

BOCA RATON, FL (September 8, 2008) — Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science is pleased to announce that FAU’s Eminent Scholar in Science and Founding Director of the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Scott Kelso, has been named a Pierre de Fermat Laureate, a prestigious French honor conferred by an international panel of scientists.

The internationally renowned foreign university scholars who are de Fermat Laureates are given a “chair of excellence” that provides financial support to develop international, collaborative research programs with French scholars. Kelso is one of the pioneers in the field of Coordination Dynamics, the science of coordination, which has led to many applications and developments in the neural, cognitive, behavioral and social sciences.

Kelso came to FAU in 1985 as the Glenwood and Martha Creech Eminent Scholar in Science. He is a professor of psychology, biological sciences and biomedical science.

Kelso will use the chair funding to develop a collaborative program between complex systems and brain science at FAU and the institute of neuroscience in Toulouse. A particular focus will be on the mechanisms and principles of human learning.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU Assistant Professor Danielle Popp Wins a Spring Grants-in Aid

BOCA RATON, FL (July 21,2008) The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues has announced that Florida Atlantic University Assistant Professor of Psychology Danielle Popp, Davie Campus was among the winners of a of a Spring Grants-in Aid. Popp, a graduate student in the department of psychology in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science won for her project entitled “What do “they” expect of me: An empirical test of the EMME model in interracial interactions.”

The Grants-in-Aid Program supports scientific research in social problem areas related to the basic interests and goals of SPSSI and particularly those that are not likely to receive support from traditional sources. Proposals involving unique and timely research opportunities, underrepresented institutions, graduate students, and junior scholars, volunteer research teams, and actual, not pilot, projects were especially encouraged.

The Spring 2008 Committee consisted of Cindy M. Frantz (Chair), Oberlin College; Michael Gill, Lehigh University, Eden King, George Mason University, Elizabeth Mullen, Stanford University, and Catherine Borshuk, Indiana University, South Bend.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science Honors Future Doctors

More than 30 students accepted to medical schools

BOCA RATON, FL (June 17, 2008) — Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science recently honored 31 students who have been accepted into medical, dental and veterinarian schools throughout the United States and abroad.

The FAU pre-professions committee, which included medical and academic faculty, a physician from the community, and was chaired by Dr. Ingrid Johanson, senior associate dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, interviewed the pre-med students prior to acceptance to medical school. The interview was comprised of questions the students most likely would be asked when they were interviewed at the medical school to which they applied. Members of the pre-professions committee include both medical and academic faculty and a physician from the community whose goal is to better prepare the students for their admission interviews.

“The majority of the students interviewed by the pre-professions committee were accepted into the schools of their choice,” said Johanson.

Among the students interviewed by the pre-professions committee were Alireza and Farid Hamidzadeh, each of whom have chosen to study dentistry. Born in Iran, the brothers have had an interesting journey in reaching their dream.

When the family immigrated to the United States in 1995, Ali planned to pursue a career in dentistry following in the footsteps of his father who was a dentist in Iran. At the age of 19, with no knowledge of English initially, Ali assumed the support of his family. He worked more than 50 hours a week and attended a community college. Ali then made what he calls a “realistic decision” and pursued a bachelor’s degree in engineering at FAU where he graduated magna cum laude. Although he now owns two successful businesses, he is pursuing his original goal to be a dentist. Ali will be attending the New York University School of Dentistry.

Farid earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from FAU in 2006 and began working in a start-up biomedical company. When the company was acquired by a Fortune 500 company, Farid began to reassess his career goals. He then returned to FAU to complete a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences in order to prepare for dental school., Farid will attend the University of Florida College of Dentistry.

FAU’s pre-professions committee members are Ana Maria Azzarolo, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical science; Douglas Broadfield, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical science; Ira J. Gelb, M.D., assistant dean of pre-baccalaureate programs; Shari Goldstein, M.S., assistant director of academic support of student services; Gordon Hahn, M.D., volunteer physician; Vijaya Iragavarapu, Ph.D., associate professor biomedical sciences; Andy Lau, Ph.D., assistant professor physics; Stephen Locke, Ph.D., professor mathematical sciences and James Nichols, D.V.M., director of veterinarian services.

A reception, sponsored by the United States Armed Forces, was recently held in honor of these 31 students. For more information, contact Dr. Ingrid Johanson at 561-297-3303 or johanson@fau.edu.

-FAU-

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science announces 2009 Nobel Laureate Lecture

Professor Bert Sakmann

Director, Max-Planck-Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany.

Dr. Sakmann, together with German physicist Erwin Neher, won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1991.

Date: February 6, 2009.

Title: “Decision making in a rodent brain – Contribution of cortical columns”.

RSVP: Kris Barr, kbarr@fau.edu, 561-297-0777.

FAU Professor Receives Honorary Doctorate from Örebro Universitet

BOCA RATON, FL (April 4, 2008) — Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science recently received the following notice about the Honorary Doctorate bestowed on Professor Brett Laursen:

“Brett Laursen, Professor and Director of Graduate Training in the Department of Psychology in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science received his honorary doctorate from Örebro Universitet in a ceremony held in the Örebro Concert Hall on February 9, 2008. Professor Laursen was recognized by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences for excellence in research and graduate student training. In addition to his own longitudinal studies of youth in South Florida, Professor Laursen has collaborated with scholars across North American and Scandinavia to examine developmental processes across childhood and adolescence. His work has documented how properties of relationships with parents and close peers increase the risk of maladjustment for some youth and buffer against adverse outcomes for others. In addition to this honorary doctorate, Professor Laursen has been named a Fellow in both the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science, and a Docent Professor of Social Developmental Psychology at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Örebro Universitet, located midway between Stockholm and Göteborg in Central Sweden, is one of the youngest and fastest growing universities in Europe.”

2008 Distinguished Alumnus

Dean Gary W. Perry has announced that Caula A. Beyl, PhD has been named the 2008 distinguished alumnus of the year for the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

Dr. Beyl earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Florida Atlantic University in 1973. Her areas of concentration were in botany and zoology. She received her Master of Science from Purdue University in 1977 and a Doctor of Philosophy from Purdue University in 1979.

Currently, Dr. Caula A. Beyl is dean of the University of Tennessee College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Beyl is the first female dean of UT’s nearly century old college of agriculture. She is among a handful of female leaders of such land-grant colleges across the nation. Her appointment recognizes a shift from traditionally male-dominated programs to studies that are attracting nearly equal numbers of male and female students.

Dr. Beyl will join other distinguished alumni in FAU Alumni Hall of Fame and will be honored at a reception at the Eleanor Baldwin House on Thursday, May 1.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Hosts ‘How Sensory Integration Produces Adaptive Behavior’

BOCA RATON, FL (April 9, 2008) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will host its final program of the 2008 Spring Frontiers in Science public lecture series with “How Sensory Integration Produces Adaptive Behavior.” The presentation will be given by Dr. Barry Stein, chair of neurobiology and anatomy at Wake Forest School of Medicine. The lecture will take place on Thursday, April 10 at 3:30 p.m. in Room 126 in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, 777 Glades Road, FAU’s Boca Raton campus.

“Decoding and interpreting incoming sensory information are among the brain’s most important tasks,” said Stein. “These are ongoing processes that make it possible for us not only to know the world in which we live, but to plan and initiate behaviors that are appropriate for a particular circumstance.”

Stein will discuss his latest research on determining how information from different senses is pooled in making decisions, and how the brain develops this remarkable capacity.

“Dr. Stein’s much anticipated lecture will bring us to the final program in our 2008 Spring Series of Frontiers in Science,” said Gary W. Perry, dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. “We have enjoyed remarkable growth in this series since it began seven years ago and look forward to continuing these public lectures.”

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship.

The reception that follows the program is made possible by the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Patsy Jones at 561-297-1307 or patsyj@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU Hosts 4th Annual Mathematics Competition
23 Area High Schools Represented

BOCA RATON, FL (April 8, 2008) - Florida Atlantic University’s department of mathematical sciences in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science hosted its’ 4th annual mathematics competition on Saturday, March 1, 2008 on the Boca Raton campus.

Over 150 students from 23 area high schools participated in the competition. “This is twice the number of students who participated in last year’s event,” said Spryos Magliveras, chairman of the department of mathematical sciences as he welcomed the students to the FAU campus. “We look forward to the continued growth of this competition,” he added.

A series of individual and team competitions followed by a “Who Wants to be a Mathematician?” contest was the program for the day. FAU mathematical science faculty prepared the exams for the individual and team competitions and the American Mathematical Society prepared the questions for the contest.

33 teams participated in the team competition. The top twelve individuals from the team competition were selected to play the ‘Who Wants to be a Mathematician?’ game. After several rounds of play, the four top finalists, Mason Bogue, Suncoast High School; Michael Cho, Cypress Bay High School; Michael Greenberg, University School of NSU and Marcel Nunez, Stoneman Douglas High School competed for an Ipod . The winner was Mason Bogue who was then asked a final question on combinatorics which he answered correctly and received a check for $2000.00. These prizes were given by the American Mathematical Society.

President Frank T. Brogan congratulated all of the participants and Gary W. Perry, dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science announced and presented awards to the winners of the individual and team competitions. Among the winners in the individual competition were 1st place, Marcel Nunez, Stoneman Douglas High School ($1000); 2nd place, Yimin Chen, Atlantic High School ($500); 3rd place, Eugene Milshtein, Stoneman Douglas High School ($300).

1st place in team competition was awarded to Stoneman Douglas High School ($1000). Certificates were awarded to FAU High School for 2nd place and Suncoast High School for 3rd place. Individual and team competition prizes were sponsored by Wachovia Bank, NCCI, Florida Marlins Community Foundation, ExxonMobil Foundation, Publix Super Market Charities, Bedford, and the publishing companies of Freeman & Worth; Pearson ; and Prentice Hall.

Plans are already underway for next year’s competition.

-FAU-

Congratulations Employee Award Winners

Melissa Troshinsky received the Jeffrey Gabor Exemplary Employee Award
Susan McDonough for 26 years of service
Yetta Weiser for 20 years of service
Gina Fourreau for 10 years of service
Geri Meyer for 10 years of service
Wendy Stephens for 10 years of service

In celebration of the lives of Gareth Akerman, Philip Heidemann, and Damion Marx a teaching fellowship and scholarship fund has been established. Contributions can be made via the FAU Foundation Airplane Crash Victims Memorial Scholarships.

There is also an opportunity for contributions to the fund established for Austin Marx, son of Damion and Luli Marx. Contributions should be made to:

The Baby Marx Fund
Check is payable to Lourdes Marx, c/o Provost
Boca Raton Campus, Palm Beach Community College
3000 Saint Lucie Avenue, Boca Raton, FL 33431

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Hosts “Digital Dinosaurs: Unlocking the Riddles of Dinosaur Skulls Using Advanced Medical Imaging”

BOCA RATON, FL (March 25, 2008) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will continue its 2008 Spring Frontiers in Science public lecture series with “Digital Dinosaurs: Unlocking the Riddles of Dinosaur Skulls Using Advanced Medical Imaging”. This presentation will be given by Lawrence M. Witmer, PhD, professor of Anatomy at Ohio University in Athens. The lecture will take place on Thursday, March 27 at 3:30 p.m. in Room 126 in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

“The skulls of dinosaurs are museum showpieces” says Witmer. “What can these skulls tell us about what dinosaurs were really like and how do we know?” he asks.

Witmer will discuss the latest research that sets aside pick and shovel to use the latest advances in high-tech imaging and 3D computer modeling to peer inside the heads of dinosaurs. He will show how careful comparison with a wide range of modern animals allows new insights into the sensory capabilities, brains, and behaviors of dinosaurs.

Witmer has received degrees from Cornell University, the University of Kansas and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He has received a number of grants from the National Science Foundation and was awarded the Ohio University Presidential Research Scholar Award for 2004-2009 and he is the Chang Ying-Chien Professor of Paleontology.

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship.

The reception that follows the program is made possible by the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Patsy Jones at 561-297-1307 or patsyj@fau.edu.

-FAU-

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Hosts ‘Acute Heart Attack: 101’

BOCA RATON, FL (March 7, 2008) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will continue its 2008 Spring Frontiers in Science public lecture series with ”Acute Heart Attack:101.” This presentation will be given by Dr. Ira J Gelb, M.D., clinical professor and director of clinical programs in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science at FAU. The lecture will take place on Thursday, March 13 at 3:30 p.m. in Room 126 in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

“Patient care is a dual responsibility of both the doctor and patient,” said Gelb. “Compliance is a must. There are still 700,000 deaths a year from cardiovascular events and 50 percent of heart attack patients die before reaching the hospital.”

Gelb will focus on early recognition of the signs of an impending coronary event and will present education on preventive measures to avoid such an event.

Gelb, whose specialty is cardiovascular disease, holds professorship appointments at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship.

The reception that follows the program is made possible by the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Patsy Jones at 561-297-1307 or patsyj@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Total Lunar Eclipse

BOCA RATON, FL (February 21, 2008) - Despite the cloud cover, patient observers watched the total lunar eclipse on the evening of February 20, 2008. The next total lunar eclipse visible from the Florida skies will be on December 21, 2010. Here’s what you might have seen between the passing clouds.

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February 20, 2008. Total Lunar Eclipse. Photo by Jay Paredes
(Click image for larger version.)

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Frontiers in Science Public Lecture Series Hosts ‘It’s Election Season, But Will We Elect Whom the Voters Really Want?’

BOCA RATON, FL (February 13, 2008) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will continue its 2008 Spring Frontiers in Science public lecture series with ‘It’s Election Season, but Will We Elect Whom the Voters Really Want?’ This presentation will be given by Dr. Donald Saari, a distinguished professor in mathematics and economics from the University of California at Irvine. The lecture will take place on Thursday, February 21 at 3:30 p.m. in Room 126 in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

Saari will show how different voting rules allow different candidates to win elections. Rather than discuss theory, he will cite examples from actual elections, while inspiring a “thinking person’s approach” to problem solving.

“The ‘choice of voting’ rule is one of the rules I will discuss,” said Saari. “After this lecture, one might wonder whether the correct person won in the last election that was important to you.”

Saari is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and is a highly regarded lecturer, researcher and professor. Among the books he has written is Chaotic Elections! A Mathematician Looks at Voting.

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship.

The reception that follows the program is made possible by the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Patsy Jones at 561-297-1307 or patsyj@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Distinguished Nobel Laureate Lecture "Nucleo-cytopasmic Traffic"

Distinguished Nobel Laureate, Gunter Blobel, M.D., Ph.D. recently gave a lecture on "Nucleo-cytopasmic Traffic" at Florida Atlantic University. A video stream of the lecture is now available in the link below.

"Nucleo-cytopasmic Traffic". (Windows Media Stream)

Science Olympiad South Florida Regional Competitions

Charles E. Schmidt hosted the first Regional Competitions in South Florida for Science Olympiad on Saturday, February 2. A team competition requiring knowledge of science and engineering brought students from Archimediean Academy, Miami; Benjamin School, North Palm Beach and Dunbar High School, Fort Myers.

Events for the middle school teams included Anatomy, Reach for the Stars, Ecology, Amphibians and Reptiles, Disease Detectives, Food Science, Metric Mastery, Oceanography, Simple Machines and Tower Building. The high school teams competed in Astronomy, Ecology, Herpetology, Disease Detectives, Food Science, Oceanography, Fermi Questions, Sounds of Music, and Boomilever.

Members of the faculty served as judges in the competition. This will become an annual event for the college.

Pictures from the event. (Adobe PDF)

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Frontiers in Science Lecture Series Presents ‘Turning Venom into Drugs: Using Killer Marine Snails to Kill Pain’

BOCA RATON, FL (October 25, 2007) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will continue its 2007 Frontiers in Science public lecture series with a presentation by Dr. Frank Marí, associate professor in FAU’s department of chemistry and biochemistry. "Turning Venom into Drugs: Using Killer Marine Snails to Kill Pain" will take place on Thursday, November 8 at 3:30 p.m. in Room 126 in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

In his Frontiers presentation, Marí will discuss the discovery and development of components of the venom of deadly marine snails into therapeutics for the treatment of chronic pain and other conditions such as stroke and multiple sclerosis.

Marí works extensively with amino acid-based compounds found in the sea, especially those from the venom of cone snails, which are carnivorous mollusks which prey upon fish, mollusks or worms. His most recent development is in the area known as “Conopeptidomics,” where he seeks to intensify the discovery process of the importance of how these marine compounds affect central and peripheral nervous systems, and evaluate their potential for drug development.

Marí, an internationally-recognized researcher in the area of marine natural products, came to FAU in 1993. He and his colleagues have specialized in the discovery of new microprotein domains that interact with the central nervous system. Mari was awarded Florida Atlantic University's Researcher of the Year for 1996–1997.

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship.

The reception that follows the program is made possible by the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Patsy Jones at 561-297-1307 or patsyj@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Barry Kaye College of Business and the Colleges of Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU’s Frontiers in Science Fall Lecture Series Presents
‘Music, Neuroscience and Evolution’

BOCA RATON, FL (October 10, 2007) - Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science will begin its 2007 Fall Frontiers in Science public lecture series with a presentation by Dr. Edward Large, associate professor of complex systems and brain sciences in FAU’s department of psychology. “Music, Neuroscience and Evolution” will take place on Thursday, October 25 at 3:30 p.m. in Room 126 in the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

In his Frontiers presentation, Large will explain what can be learned about music from studying the brain and what can be learned about the brain by studying music. Large also will discuss how understanding the neuroscience of music will help unlock fundamental mysteries surrounding the evolution of human mental capacities.

“Understanding brain function and its role in behavior are among the most puzzling of challenges that science has undertaken for the 21st century,” said Large. “Music holds the promise of addressing each piece of the puzzle in a particularly effective way, making it an ideal domain for research.”

Large, a nationally recognized researcher in the area of auditory perception, attention and music cognition, came to FAU in 1999. He and his colleagues have pioneered the idea that attention is a dynamic and inherently rhythmic process, and have applied these ideas to explain the rhythmic structure of music and its interaction with the dynamics of the brain. Large also was a Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in the Department of Music at McGill University in 2006.

“This lecture begins the seventh year of our Frontiers in Science public lecture series,” said Dr. Gary W. Perry, dean of the College of Science. “We are pleased with the interest and attendance at the lectures, and look forward to the coming year’s schedule.”

This lecture is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and supported by FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society Endowed Professorship.

The reception that follows the program is made possible by the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Seed Grant, a component of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley.

For more information, contact Patsy Jones at 561-297-1307 or patsyj@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Barry Kaye College of Business and the Colleges of Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU Announces 12TH Annual Internet High School Mathematics Competition

BOCA RATON, FL (October 10, 2007) - Florida Atlantic University and the department of mathematical sciences of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science announces its 12th annual Internet Mathematics Competition for the academic year 2007-2008. All high school students in Florida are eligible to participate in the competition.

The purpose of this competition is to encourage students’ interest in solving mathematical problems of varying difficulty, to challenge their mathematics skills and ingenuity, and to prepare them for the more formal competitions which will be conducted in Spring 2008 by the Mathematical Association of America.

The competition consists of six challenging problems, which can be viewed at http://www.math.fau.edu/MathematicsCompetition/. Interested students also may request a paper copy of the competition by sending in their mailing address. Neatly written entries to the problems should be sent by mail to: Dr. Xiao-Dong Zhang, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991.

Solutions will not be accepted by e-mail. To qualify as contest entries, submissions must be postmarked on or before Monday, November 12. Cash prizes and certificates will be awarded at a ceremony which is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 1, 2008.

The winners from last year’s competition were first place – Shelly Jin, Lake Worth; second place – Siraj Iqbal, Miami; and third place – Jonathan Farina, Royal Palm Beach.

For more information, contact Dr. Paul Yiu or Dr. Xiao-Dong Zhang at fausty@math.fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Barry Kaye College of Business and the Colleges of Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.

We Have a Mission for You: Student Poster Contest

Create a poster for FAU's Mission Green campaign and win an HP PhotoSmart E427 digital camera.

Students are invited to create a poster that best illustrates FAU's Mission Green campaign. The campaign is geared toward creating an FAU community that is aware of, involved with and committed to advancing sustainability through education, community engagement and operations. Recently, President Brogan signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. As a charter signatory, FAU has pledged to address global climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and integrating sustainability into its curriculum.

Selected submissions will be displayed at Campus Sustainability Day on Wednesday, Oct. 24. The winning selection may be used as the basis for future Mission Green campaign materials.

RULES

Submissions will be judged on creativity and incorporation of the Mission Green theme. Entries must include the words Mission Green. Entries should be no larger than 24" by 36". Please include the following information on the back of the poster:

Name of artist (art submitted by more than one person must identify one person as the artist): Name should appear on back of the poster only.
Contact phone number and e-mail
Title of submission

TO SUBMIT

Submissions will be accepted until the close of business (5 p.m.) on Monday, Oct. 22. Submissions received after this date will not be considered. Entries must dropped off during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., M-F) at the following locations:

Boca Raton Campus: ADM 265 (Admin. Building) Attn: Gregg Sekscienski
Davie Campus: LA 212 (Liberal Arts Building) Attn: MaryBeth Burton
Fort Lauderdale Campus: AT 709 (Askew Tower) Attn: MaryBeth Burton
Jupiter Campus: AD 227 (Jupiter Admin. Building) Attn: Christopher Ott
Treasure Coast Campus: JU 328 (JU Building) Attn: Lorraine Straughn

The contest is open to all full- or part-time students at FAU (including the A.D. Henderson University School and FAU High) as of Oct. 22, 2007. The contest will employ a blind review and the judges' decision will be final. The artist of the winning entry will receive the digital camera. We reserve the right to not display any poster that is in poor taste or inappropriate.

For additional information or if you have questions, please contact Shannon Clounts at sclounts@fau.edu.

Fall 2007 Frontiers in Science Schedule

The schedule and information regarding the Frontiers in Science Fall 2007 Public Lecture Series is now available here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU Researchers Investigate the Use of Over the Counter Supplements in Severe Asthma

BOCA RATON, FL (September 18, 2007) - Researchers in the department of biological sciences in Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science are currently conducting research on steroid resistant asthma patients who suffer from the long-term side effects of systemic steroids. The goal of this research study is to find a simple way, using over-the-counter oral supplement therapies, to modify the management regime of severe asthma. The research team is currently seeking participants from the age of 12 to 70 who suffer from severe asthma for this research study. The proper type and amount of supplements may decrease the need for immuno-suppressive systemic steroids.

James Hartmann, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences, Amjad Munim, M.D., pulmonologist and former chief of medicine at Holy Cross Hospital, and doctoral students in the College of Science are the principle researchers for the project.

“Currently, there are more than 320 million people worldwide who have asthma,” said Munim. “The prevalence of this disease increases by 50 percent every decade. The severity of their condition results in poor quality of life that is reflected by missed days at school or work, and often shunning physical, social and outdoor activities. This condition also places significant burden on the caregivers and often leads to economic hardship for all Involved”.

Holy Cross Hospital, one of the premier hospitals in South Florida and rated among the top 50 in the nation, is a participant in this study. The study will provide all aspects of clinical support, as well as emotional and physio-social support to the patients and their families for this project.

To participate in the research study or for more information, contact Dr. James Hartmann at 561-297-3334 or jhartman@fau.edu, or Dr. Amjad Munim at 954-771-7900.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Barry Kaye College of Business and the Colleges of Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.

FAU researcher takes bite out of shark-related myths

Read the complete article by the Palm Beach Post at PalmBeachPost.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU Offers Course in Digital Photography

BOCA RATON, FL. (September 11, 2007) - Florida Atlantic University will offer a professional training program, “Introduction to Digital Photography,” beginning Wednesday, September 19 at FAU’s Boca Raton campus, 777 Glades Road. A session will follow each week for eight weeks on Wednesdays from 6:45 to 9:15 p.m.

The course, is taught by FAU adjunct faculty member Jim Wilson, and offers both entry and intermediate level classes. It is designed to improve the technical skills of still-image users, with an emphasis to “digitally enhance” students’ existing film-based skills toward modern, high quality digital processes, equipment, methods and techniques. Current technology will be demonstrated but only basic computer shills utilizing Windows-based operating system are necessary. No academic class prerequisites are necessary.

Wilson, is known in South Florida for his proficiency in digital imaging, and has more than 25 years of professional imaging experience, including coverage of several presidential inaugurations, engagements at the United States Congress and the United States Supreme Court. In addition, he has been actively recording events with digital equipment for the NCAA and many FAU athletic and campus events.

The cost of the course is $299 plus the textbook, which Wilson authored. For registration and more information, contact Kimberly Russo at 561-297-2901, or krusso@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Barry Kaye College of Business and the Colleges of Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

A Short Career in Baseball and a Long Career in Vitamin B₁₂: the Work of Herbert Weissbach

August 27, 2007 - This paper has recently been reprinted to celebrate the centenary of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. You can read an PDF version here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU GRADUATE STUDENT’S RESEARCH ON SHARKS FEATURED ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL

BOCA RATON, FL (July 30, 2007) - Mikki McComb, graduate student in the department of biological sciences at Florida Atlantic University whose research centers on the visual fields of sharks will be featured in the documentary “Perfect Predators” on the Discovery Channel. The program will air Wednesday, August 1, 2007.

McComb came to FAU as a graduate student 21/2 years ago to work with Dr. Stephen Kajiura in his Elasmobranch Research Lab. Her primary research is with hammerhead and bonnethead sharks. Her work with the bonnetheads will be seen in the documentary.

Kajiura, assistant professor of biological science is recognized as one of the leading international experts on sharks, skates and stingrays. Kajiura says, “the program has been built from scratch in the few years since I first arrived at FAU and the international exposure illustrates that not only is S. Florida an excellent place to conduct world class research but that FAU provides the resources that I could not get at another Florida university. Being able to house large marine organisms at Gumbo Limbo is a huge advantage” Kajiura will also be featured in the documentary working with captive lemon sharks in the Bimini Biological Field Station in Biminy.

The work of Kajiura and his students have been featured previously in documentaries on BBC, National Geographic and Discovery Channel.

For more information, please contact Dr. Stephen Kajiura via email kajiura@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Barry Kaye College of Business and the Colleges of Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU Geosciences Professors Author Everglades Book

BOCA RATON, FL (July 11, 2007) – Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science geoscience professors Edward J. Petuch, Ph.D. and Charles Roberts, Ph.D., recently have written “Geology of the Everglades and Adjacent Areas,” a comprehensive book that contains the first complete overview of the historical geology of the Everglades, from the effects of the Chesapeake Bay asteroid impact to the modern Everglades marshlands.

The book explores the overwhelming amount of geological data that has been gathered from previously unexplored, inaccessible peripheral areas of where an explosion of housing, commercial, agricultural and municipal development has rapidly encroached on the edges of the Everglades.

“Utilizing Dr. Petuch’s many years of field work in the quarries and canals of South Florida, we have reconstructed simulated space shuttle scenes of the Everglades and South Florida at various times in the past,” said Roberts. “From that, we created an animated map of sea level transgressions and regressions over 30 million years.”

Petuch and Roberts were able to conduct their field research from drainage canal digs, land and road fill quarries, and lake excavations for housing developments. Viewing the significance and frequency of the changes continuing in the Everglades, both Petuch and Roberts consider themselves extremely fortunate that they were able to gather as much data as quickly as possible.

Petuch has taught at FAU since 1987. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology from the University of Wisconsin and his Ph.D. from the University of Miami. Roberts has taught at FAU since 1990. He received his bachelor’s degree in geography-anthropology from Vassar College, and his master’s and Ph.D. in geography from Pennsylvania State University.

For more information, contact Edward Petuch at 561-297-2398 or epetuch@fau.edu, or Charles Roberts at 561-297-3254 or croberts@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Barry Kaye College of Business and the Colleges of Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.

Lisa Freed

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU Partners With Earth System Science Education Alliance Project

BOCA RATON, FL (July 3, 2007) – The Department of Geosciences in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University has been selected as a partner institution in the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA), an innovative professional development program for pre-service and in-service middle and high school teachers. As part of this program, FAU will join other colleges, universities and science research and education organizations spread among 22 states and the District of Columbia.

“We are excited about the opportunity to contribute to earth science and environmental education in South Florida,” said Dr. Russell Ivy, chair of the Department of Geosciences at FAU. “Dr. Tara Root, Dr. Tobin Hindle and leaders from the Center for Environmental Education at FAU will develop online teaching modules in the earth sciences that will be delivered in courses provided by FAU.”

As an ESSEA partner, FAU will receive funding and training to offer a series of online Earth system science courses geared toward teachers of specific grade levels and aligned to national education standards. Working in collaborative groups, teachers who enroll in ESSEA courses at FAU can earn credits while learning to teach Earth system science using inquiry-based classroom methods.

“I believe the cohort of partners we have selected are an excellent mix that will bring varied and innovative approaches to implementing the ESSEA courses,” said Theresa Schwerin, IGES’s associate director of education.

ESSEA is funded through a cooperative agreement awarded to IGES by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under its Geoscience Teacher Training (GEO-Teach) program, which supports projects designed to improve the quality of geoscience education, primarily at the middle and high school levels. GEO-Teach projects provide pre-service teacher training, in-service professional development and access to high-quality curricular materials.

“I’m thrilled with the selections that were made,” said Jill Karsten, program director for diversity and education in NSF’s Geosciences Directorate. “It is a diverse set, both geographically and institutionally, and I am excited about the impact ESSEA will be having.”

Located in Arlington, Va., IGES was established in 1994 and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supported by public and private entities. IGES is a trusted leader in Earth and space science education, communication and outreach, and in fostering national and international cooperation in observing the Earth.

For more information on this project, visit: http://essea.strategies.org or contact Dr. Tobin Hindle at thindle@fau.edu.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Barry Kaye College of Business and the Colleges of Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.

MEDIA CONTACT: Patsy Jones
(561) 297-1307, patsyj@fau.edu

FAU Language Development Laboratory Conducting Linguistic Study on Children

DAVIE, FL (June 26, 2007) – Researchers in the language development laboratory at Florida Atlantic University’s Davie campus are currently conducting a new study focusing on the process of early word learning in monolingual and bilingual children.

With a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Erika Hoff, PhD., director of the laboratory and a professor of psychology in FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, is exploring how children’s early mastery of the sounds of their language is related to their vocabulary development.

“Even before children learn words, they are learning sound patterns that help them when they are exposed to new words,” said Hoff. “The goal of the research is to understand this better.”

To help with this study, Hoff is looking for families who speak English or English and Spanish at home, and have a child who will be 22 months old within the next six months. The research consists of a short game that researchers will play with each child and a parent interview. The research may be conducted at either the laboratory on FAU’s Davie campus, 2912 College Ave., or at the parents’ home.

“The study of bilingual children is important because so many children are acquiring two languages and also because bilingual children provide a unique opportunity to study the young mind at work,” said Hoff. “Most bilingual children hear one language more than they hear the other, which allows researchers to pull apart the effects of children’s experience from the effects of maturation on the course of language development.”

For more information or to participate in the study, contact Dr. Erika Hoff at 954-236-1142 or ehoff@fau.edu, or visit http://psy.fau.edu/~hoff/LangDevLab/index.htm.

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Barry Kaye College of Business and the Colleges of Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.