FAU Wilkes Honors College hosted the first event in the Starry Nights author series on Jan. 26, welcoming nearly 80 attendees. Guest speaker Leslie Gray Streeter offered guests insight on her literary inspirations, read from recent publications and graciously participated in a meet-and-greet opportunity following the event where she signed copies of her book, "Black Widow: A Sad-Funny Journey Through Grief for People Who Normally Avoid Books with Words Like "Journey" in the Title." 

FAU Wilkes Honors College continues to celebrate today's brightest literary start with the Starry Nights exclusive author series of presentations and readings. This month, we welcome you to join us for: 

Colombian-American writer, Patricia Engel, is the author of "Infinite Country," a New York Times bestseller, Reese’s Book Club pick, Esquire Book Club, Amazon Best Book of the Month, and more. She currently is an associate professor in the creative writing program at the University of Miami.

The series will be held on FAU's John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter. Click here to register or to learn more. 

Join us for “Over the Moon for Starry Nights Reading Group: an exclusive chat about works from today’s brightest literary stars,” hosted by the Flagler Museum in partnership with FAU’s Wilkes Honors College! The reading group will meet in The Lake Room at the Flagler Museum on select dates during the author series to enjoy morning refreshments and engaging conversations celebrating some of today’s most distinguished authors and their works.

The Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover is collecting samples in search of signs of ancient microbial life, which would advance NASA’s quest to explore the past habitability of Mars. Gregg Fields, Ph.D., executive director of FAU’s Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention (I-HEALTH) and a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, is working in collaboration with a team of scientists to ensure a “microbe-free” return of Mars samples in a vessel with multiple layers of protection. The sample container would be launched into Mars orbit, collected by a spacecraft that would package it inside a sealed container, sterilize the seal, and then package that container inside another sealed vessel.

“Our plan is to ensure that when the samples return to Earth, potentially hazardous material from the Mars rover is either fully contained or sterilized,” said Fields... Read more

FAU's Erik Engeberg, Ph.D., senior author of the study, and researchers from the College of Engineering and Computer Science, in collaboration with Frank Vrionis, M.D., senior author of the study and director of the Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health, have created a novel robotic replica of a human spine to enable surgeons to preview the effects of surgical interventions prior to the operation.

Results of the study, published in the journal Sensors, showed that the soft magnetic sensor array system had the high capability to classify the five different postures of the spine with 100 percent accuracy, which can be a predictor of different problems of the spine that people experience. These results indicate that the integration of the soft magnetic sensor array within the artificial disc ‘implanted,’ robotically actuated spine replica has the potential to generate physiologically relevant data before invasive surgeries, which could be used preoperatively to assess the suitability of a particular intervention for specific patients... Read more

A study by researchers at FAU and the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, and others, is the first to evaluate the utility of drug use forums as an early indicator of impending NPS intoxications with potentially harmful or lethal outcomes before they happen.

“Results from our study confirm that activity on drug use forums in the virtual world can help predict changes in exposures associated with new or re-emerging novel psychoactive substances in the real world, which has the potential to be used as a strategy for inclusion in early warning systems,” said Elan Barenholtz, Ph.D., senior author, an associate professor of psychology and member of the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, and a member of the FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute... Read more

“Our program offers our students technologically- opportunities that will prepare them to solve some of mankind’s long-standing and complex puzzles –how sensation, emotions and memory rely on, and dynamically alter brain cells; how our successes, failures and social experiences impact the brain; and how prevalent, devastating brain disorders, ranging from depression to Alzheimer’s disease, can be understood and treated,” said Randy Blakely, Ph.D., executive director at FAU's Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute and director of the NGP... Learn more

Construction continues to progress on the 58,000-square-foot, cutting-edge, FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute on the Jupiter campus. Once completed, this building will provide faculty and students a state-of-the-art facility and increase access to innovative STEM programs and for future generations of scientists. Learn more about FAU’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute and the new, innovative research and education facility, opening Fall 2022, at fau.edu/ibrain.

FAU’s Kelly Kearney, Ed.D., FAU Academy for Community Inclusion (ACI), won the 2021 Eastern Educational Research Association (EERA) Emerging Scholar Award. Kearney received recognition for outstanding research contributing to the national professional body of knowledge about education, and demonstrating excellence in teaching and mentoring. Kearney’s accomplishment will be recognized at the 2022 EERA Annual Conference in February at Clearwater Beach, Florida... Read more 

Two manuscripts penned by researchers from the lab of Gregory Macleod, Ph.D., associate professor of biological sciences with FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, were recently published in peer-reviewed science journals.

The first publication, spearheaded by FAU College of Science doctoral candidate Touhid Feghhi and co-authored by Macleod, describes a computational model designed to further investigate the pH environment of the synaptic cleft during neurotransmission. The article was awarded the cover feature in the December issue of Biophysical Journal... Read more  

The second publication, authored by Karlis Justs, Ph.D., FAU College of Science alumnus, and co-authored by Macleod, investigates the power demand between the six motor neurons to further explore whether nerve terminals optimize mitochondrial volume and density to meet power demand. This article was published in The Journal of Neuroscience... Read more

Vivek Sreejithkumar, a senior at FAU High School – Jupiter Campus in Partnership with Max Planck Academy, was recognized as a top 300 finalist in the 81 Regeneron Science Talent Search – a nation-wide science and mathematics competition focusing on high school seniors’ research in critically important fields of study. 

Sreejithkumar’s research project for the competition focused on using a mathematical model to analyze the spread of COVID-19 in Florida and quantify the effectiveness of social distancing using incidence and disease-induced death data from the Florida Department of Health (FDOH).

“After witnessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world, I was inspired to apply my passion for the intersection between biology and mathematics to study how COVID-19 was being spread in Florida and how effective social distancing is as a control measure for COVID-19,” said Vivek... Read more 

Charleese Williams, current neuroscientist student at Georgia State University and participant in the 2021 FAU National Science Foundation (NFS) Summer Integrative Neuroscience Experience (SINE) at the John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter, has recently been awarded the CellPress 2021 Rising Black Scientists Award as an undergraduate scholar for her winning essay, "We Like Neurons." 

"I think that science has a way of reaching people from all over, yet it tends to only get its hands on a privileged few ... being able to help highlight the voices of people of color and create a platform for underrepresented students to share their experiences anonymously with our institute has been extremely rewarding," Williams said... Read more

David J.S. Nicholson, chairman and founder of the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation and transformative donor to FAU's Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, and FAU President John Kelly, Ph.D., were named in "The Palm Beach 100," Palm Beach Illustrated's third annual issue recognizing the areas most influential and inspiring business leaders. This year, Mr. Nicholson was recognized in the magazine's "Community Builder" category for his work with the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation and enthusiastic support for local and national education initiatives. President Kelly claimed a spot on the list as one of Palm Beach's "Visionary Voices" and was recognized for his efforts in transforming FAU into one of the fastest improving universities in the nation. You can view Mr. Nicholson's feature on page 51, and President Kelly's feature on page 39... Learn more

FAU Jupiter's Bethany Stanhope, Ph.D., executive director of academic operations, was a recent guest speaker for the Palm Beach North Chamber's Healthcare and Life Sciences Committee meeting. During her presentation, Stanhope gave an overview of the academic opportunities available at FAU Jupiter, highlighted the research taking place on campus, and the partnerships and programs with the local neuroscience community – specifically highlighting CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), the latest in gene-editing technology. Learn more about FAU Jupiter's distinctive campus programs.  

The Northern Campuses Awards is held annually in collaboration with FAU Jupiter and FAU Harbor Branch. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Jupiter provides scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students who have exhibited academic or leadership excellence. The Northern Campuses Awards also provides recognition of outstanding work and accomplishments for students, staff, and faculty on the northern campuses who have been outstanding members of the campus community... Learn more

The Provost’s Office and FAU Thrive are offering Mental Health First Aid Training to FAU. Mental Health First Aid teaches about recovery and resiliency – the belief that individuals experiencing these challenges can and do get better, and use their strengths to stay well.

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend one of two free online sessions, offered on Wednesday, Feb. 2 from 1-5:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 6 from 12:30 - 5:00 p.m. Learn about mental health risk factors and warning signs, helping strategies for crisis and non-crisis situations, and referral sources. If interested, find out more and RSVP here. 

Explore London and the historical trends relating to education and leadership this Summer (June 11-20, 2022). Participants in the Learning in London program will have the opportunity to critically reflect on topics relating to the European education systems, leadership practices and evaluate resources relating to England (Europe). The program is open to all FAU graduate students, as well as juniors and seniors with permissions. The deadline to apply for Summer 2022 is Feb. 4! Learn more

Join us at the 2022 virtual FAU Frontiers in Science lecture series. This season will be fully virtual, yet just as interactive as past years, with live talks and question and answer sessions. We have experts this season from a range of scientific disciplines who are speaking about: conservation photojournalism, artificial intelligence, white holes: how a black hole dies, survival of the "friendliest," the social science of disasters and community resilience, and more! We’ve brought them to you from across the globe and from right here in our own community.

We invite you to explore the sciences with us... Learn more

The ASCEND “NeuroExplorers” program is back for the Spring 2022 semester! Students in grades 6-8 can join professional neuroscientists, and their trainees, in an interactive, after-school program at STEM Studio in Abacoa. Attendees will use cutting-edge educational tools and engage in lessons and activities made possible by FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute.

Registration is coming soon! Learn more

The FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute’s Neuroscience Seminar Series is underway! Take look at the schedule.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at FAU Jupiter has opened registration for the Spring 2022 semester. For more information or to view the course catalog online, visit our webpage.  

NEW DATE: The Professor’s Professor: “Back to the Future” 

Join Jeffrey Morton, Ph.D., FAU professor of political science, and his professor, Harry Chernotsky, Ph.D., professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, as they contemplate America’s place in today’s rapidly changing world. Is the United States still the unquestioned global leader? Is this a role that serves our security interests? Is China a legitimate contender for Leading State status? Should we work more cooperatively with other global actors or focus exclusively on advancing our own agenda? Are we right to disengage from regional conflicts or is there a tinderbox out there that could cause a global conflict? In assessing America’s proper role in world affairs, the Professor and his Professor will turn to the past for guidance and parallels. They will look at how 2022 compares to previous watershed periods in modern history that threatened world peace.

Register Early! There is a $5 charge for registering on the day of a one-time lecture or event.

Place: Auditorium, Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus

Date: Wednesday, March 30, 2022

FAU Jupiter's library hours have been extended! Please see the new hours of operations below: 

Monday - Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. 

The Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute launched its latest edition of Masterminds magazine. Read about any array of stories from the latest research in neuroscience to the updates on the new state-of-the-art neuroscience research building on the Jupiter Campus... Read more

Learn about the innovative research and initiatives taking place at FAU Jupiter in the Fall 2021 issue of Owl Research and Innovation... Read more

FAU's College of Education launched its latest edition of the Education Connection newsletter. Learn about current program information, student and faculty spotlights and upcoming events in the January/February 2022 newsletter... Read more

Educational Leadership: Intern to Excellence (ELITE) is a 22-month state approved Master’s Degree Program in Educational Leadership. ELITE is an accelerated program that includes district specific professional development for aspiring school leaders and completion of the masters... Learn more

The Parking and Transportation Services provides a free intercampus shuttle service. Students, faculty, and staff can enjoy hassle-free, convenient transportation between the Boca Raton and Jupiter campuses. View Schedule

Explore key Jupiter campus locations and learn about life as a Wilkes Honors College student without leaving your home! Our new virtual tour takes visitors throughout the John D. MacArthur Campus, our world-class research facilities and the beautiful Jupiter community with nearby beaches. Tour