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August 2020

Florida Atlantic University has named Justin Perry, Ph.D., as the new dean of the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College. Perry will begin his new role on July 1. Perry brings with him broad experience in academic leadership, applied research, grant funding, development, PK-12 education, and mental health practice… Read More

Florida Atlantic University recently announced that the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, in collaboration with FAU’s Brain Institute, hired Susan Schneider, Ph.D., to the position of William F. Dietrich Chair in Philosophy. Schneider will bring her experience in analyzing the moral and ethical issues related to artificial intelligence and machine consciousness to FAU’s research in AI, brain and mind... Read More 

FAU Jupiter researchers are investigating the evolution of eye loss in Mexican cavefish. Itzel Sifuentes-Romero, Ph.D, a postdoctoral fellow working in the lab of Johanna Kowalko, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at FAU’s Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College led the study published in the July issue of Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B. Michael Solomon, a 2020 Wilkes Honors College graduate and Alex Keene, Ph.D., an associate professor of biological sciences in FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science collaborated on the study... Read More
NIH Award

Johanna Kowalko, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biology in the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College received a $437,000 award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to study the impacts of eye development on the developing brain.
Alumni and Student Spotlights

Some National Science Foundation (NSF) Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) were cancelled, but FAU Faculty Alex Keene, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Johanna Kowalko, Ph.D., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College elected to run the federally funded FAU REU Summer Integrated Neuroscience Experience (SINE) virtually. Students from ten different universities spanning the country met virtually to conduct studies with FAU Jupiter and Scripps Research researchers, and will present the culmination of their work online Friday, July 31.

The FAU Brain Institute Summer Neuroscience Scholars (SUNS) 8-week program is currently underway. Meet the students participating in directed, remote learning in preparation for research in the laboratory… Read More

FAU Jupiter is a proud sponsor of the 2020 Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce Foundation Education Awards. Ten incredible Palm Beach North seniors received a total of $14.500 in scholarship funds through the Palm Beach North Chamber Foundation's John C. Giba & Cary Stamp Scholars Leadership Awards. In usual circumstances, FAU Northern Campuses Assistant Vice President of Communication, Cara Perry, helped honor the incredible scholarship recipients through a virtual Education Awards ceremony.
Wilkes Honors College Alumna Christine Sylvain, ’06 recently received the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce’s annual “Non-Profit Leadership Award.” Sylvain is the founder and executive director of the Path to College Fellowship, a non-profit organization whose mission is to secure the acceptance of as many high-achieving, low-income students into top-tier universities as possible. Her vision is to answer and address one of society’s most urgent educational inequities: access to higher education. In recognition of her community work and social endeavors, Sylvain was also the 2019 recipient of FAU’s Outstanding Young Owl Award, which recognizes exceptional alumni for their personal and professional accomplishments. “Truly, I am still reaping the benefits from my time at Wilkes Honors College,” said Sylvain.
Virtual Resources

The FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science is launching “Hot Topics in 10 Hours,” a series of continuing education courses to help you learn fundamental skills in a new area in a relatively short amount of time. We are currently offering two courses: Introduction to Programming and Artificial Intelligence, with plans to expand to other subjects including cybersecurity, data science, Python, and more. The week-long sessions will be held in August from Monday-Friday, for two hours each day, and are open to the general public... Learn More
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter has announced its course offerings for the fall semester, which begins Thursday, Oct. 8... Read More
Ralph Nurnberger, Ph.D. #SUF5
July 31, 2020
2–3:30 p.m.
$30/members; $35/non-members

This is a Live Zoom Class and will be available for OLLI On Demand. This class is limited to 100 participants.

Control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate will be determined by the outcome of the upcoming elections. All 435 seats in the House and 35 Senate seats will be contested in November. What is the likely composition of the next Congress? There are currently 232 Democrats and 198 Republicans in the House. Which Party is more likely to control the House after the November elections? Republicans now hold 53 of the 100 Senate seats. Which races are the most competitive? Will Republicans or Democrats have a majority in the next Senate? Dr. Ralph Nurnberger will provide a national update on House and Senate races to provide a preview of the next Congress.

When you purchase an official FAU face mask, part of the proceeds will go toward the FAU Cares Emergency Fund... Read More