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November 2022

The Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and the Schmidt College of Science, along with the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI), recently celebrated an expansion of the FAU-MPFI education and research continuum, signing the new M.D./Ph.D. joint neuroscience program into effect.

The new accelerated academic dual-degree program is the latest addition to the innovative partnerships between FAU and MPFI, expanding student opportunities in South Florida and nationwide. Key leaders from the collaborative institutions took part in a ceremonious Memorandum of Understanding signing, marking the official launch of the joint program while elevating the academic programming and collaborative research opportunities provided by the partnership. … Learn more. 

FAU at Jupiter is welcoming an era of unmatched opportunities with the newest campus expansion. Please join us for the official opening of the FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 at 10 a.m. ... Learn more.

Questions? Let's connect!

Florida Atlantic University recently hosted its annual Talon Leadership Awards ceremony as part of Homecoming 2022. The awards recognize outstanding faculty, student, alumni and community leadership. Co-sponsored by the FAU Alumni Association and the Homecoming Committee, the Talon Awards have been presented during Homecoming week since 1997.

“Our 2022 Talon Award honorees have demonstrated a sincere commitment to the university in truly meaningful ways,” said FAU President John Kelly. “Their leadership is at the very heart of FAU’s upward trajectory, and I am thankful for their tremendous dedication to improve our Owl community.” ... Read more.

Nicole Baganz, Ph.D., director of community engagement and programming, FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, and research assistant professor, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, was a featured speaker for the “NeuroArts” educational panel presentation, hosted in part of Palm Health Foundation’s “Train the Brain 2022” campaign series.

The event featured a discussion among local scientists, artists and community leaders and was focused on the effect the arts have on health and well-being.

Missed the panel discussion? Tune in today.
Baganz was also featured in the latest issue of The Well of PBC.

"Over the past two decades, the technology in neuroscience that allows us to visualize and study the brain has exploded," Baganz said. "It's exciting to see how quickly the field is growing in academia and what we are learning about where the arts can be tapped as a modality for diseases of the brain.” 

To read the magazine story (pp. 6-7), click here.
Campus Updates
Department of Biological Sciences Welcomes New Faculty Member

Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Science's Department of Biological Sciences recently onboarded Laura Fontenas, Ph.D., assistant professor in neuroscience. Her lab is located at FAU Jupiter in MC-19.

Fontenas earned her doctorate at Université Paris-Sud (Paris XI) in 2015 and has just completed her postdoctoral fellowship with Sarah Kucenas, Ph.D., at the University of Virginia. Fontenas' research focus is on neural development and glial biology using Zebrafish as a model system.
First Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute Partner–Funded Faculty Hire

The FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute welcomed Cristina Fenollar-Ferrer, Ph.D., the first faculty hire from the Palm Health Foundation-funded program in computational brain science and health. Fenollar-Ferrer is a computational structural biologist. Her research focuses on membrane proteins that regulate neuronal viability and signaling.

A native of Majorca, Spain, Fenollar-Ferrer received her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of the Ballaeric Islands before pursuing postdoctoral training in protein molecular modeling and dynamics at the International School of Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy, as well as at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics in Frankfurt, Germany. Most recently, she has pursued research at the National Institutes of Health, contributing her molecular modeling expertise in protein conformational dynamics and protein-protein interactions to the study of a range of disease and drug targets.

Monday - Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Thursday: 8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday: 12:30 - 9 p.m.

Online services and resources are available 24/7 via Lib2Go.

Get more info about library services at library.FAU.edu/Jupiter
Research

FAU Tech Runway® is now accepting applications for the Venture Program, which helps turn game-changing business ideas into thriving companies.

The deadline to apply is Sunday, Nov. 20. For more information, visit fau.edu/techrunway.

Faculty across Florida Atlantic University are rising to meet some of society’s biggest challenges, engaging in a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary and collaborative research.

FAU’s Division of Research continues its fall “Research in Action” virtual talk series on Zoom on select Thursdays at 1 p.m., through Dec.1. Participants can listen to experts in their fields as they present the latest research and take part in Q&A sessions. 

For more information and the Zoom link, click here or email fau.research@fau.edu.

Join us at FAU Tech Runway where innovation thrives, where entrepreneurship is built and where you're invited to celebrate the legacy of President John Kelly and the graduates of Tech Runway's Venture Program. ... Learn more.
Student Spotlight

Although not what you expected, you’re always where you’re supposed to be. 

This was how Génesis Omaña Suarez felt after entering the Wilkes Honors College as a transfer student in 2020. She was an ambitious community college student, just years after moving from Venezuela to Florida, when she realized she needed a change. With an acute interest in health science, Omaña reckoned that the Honors College’s coveted Pre-Med track would give her the education and platform she needed.
OLLI Updates

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in collaboration with the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College (WHC) at Florida Atlantic University present, “The Art and Craft of Her Writing: A Conversation with Joyce Carol Oates,” on Friday, Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. in the OLLI complex at FAU’s John D. MacArthur Campus.     

Moderated by Rachel Luria, associate dean of student affairs and associate professor of rhetoric and composition, WHC, this one-time discussion will explore the life and writings of Oates. A book signing will follow the lecture. ... Learn more.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Winter 2023 course registration will open on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 8 a.m. for OLLI members. Non-member registration will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 8 a.m.

For more information on registering for classes online, please visit OLLI Jupiter Online Tutorials. 
FAU on the Move

FAU and the City of West Palm Beach (WPB) recently hosted a joint press conference to announce the Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Smart Streetscapes project, an innovative science and engineering initiative to enhance livability, safety and inclusivity in downtown WPB.

During the event, Mayor Keith James presented FAU President John Kelly with a key to the city as a token of appreciation for this momentous partnership. 

FAU received a $26 million National Science Foundation grant to establish the ERC in WPB and is in partnership with Columbia University, Rutgers University, the University of Central Florida and Lehman College. … Learn more. 
Events

FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Science is hosting a virtual lecture on Nov. 29 at noon, featuring special guest speaker Temple Grandin, Ph.D., professor of animal science at Colorado State University.

Grandin, a prominent author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior, has been instrumental in implementing animal welfare auditing programs that are used by McDonalds, Wendy's, Whole Foods, and other corporations. She has designed facilities for handling livestock that are used by many companies around the world. ... Learn more.

The FAU Jupiter community is invited to participate alongside the "Neurosquad" in the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Walk on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at John Prince Park in Lake Worth, FL. The 5K walk begins at 9:30 a.m.
 
NAMI is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to providing education, support, and advocacy with the goal to empower individuals living with mental illnesses and their families, and to eliminate the stigma associated with brain illnesses. For more information on NAMIWalks or to join the "Neurosquad" team, please visit here. 

MobileMinds, a branch of the FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute’s ASCEND (Advancing STEM Community Engagement through Neuroscience Discovery) program, will be at Cox Science Center and Aquarium's Teacher STEM Appreciation Day on Saturday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.

Click here to register or to learn more.

Take a look at the fall 2022 line-up for FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute’s Neuroscience Seminar Series. ... View Schedule.

Fall 2022 Neuroscience Seminar Series events are held Tuesdays from 4 to 5 p.m., at FAU Boca Campus (COM, BC71 Room 126); FAU Jupiter (MC17 Room 119); FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (LE 247); or FAU Davie (LA 455).

For more information, contact Jan Holmes at holmesj@fau.edu.
Resources

FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute reflects on the institute's transformative 2021 year in the newly published 2022 edition of MasterMinds. This publication provides updates on research and educational activities of more than 100 faculty-level neuroscience investigators who seek to unlock the secrets of brain development and the mind, as well as devastating brain disorders. Click here to read.

"Division of Research’s 2021-22 Annual Momentum Report underscores Florida Atlantic’s meteoric growth in total research expenditures over the last five years, which is driven by extraordinary faculty expertise, best-in-class facilities, and innovative collaborations with premier partners ... join us as we build a robust culture of nationally respected research and scholarship."
Florida State University will host a virtual workshop for faculty interested in learning more about the National Science Foundation (NSF) Mid-Career Advancement Program. This workshop will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 8 from noon until 1:30 p.m. 

Guest speakers include six NSF program directors and one American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow. Virtual space will be limited. Learn more.

Educational Leadership: Intern to Excellence is a 22-month state approved master’s degree program in educational leadership. The accelerated program includes district specific professional development for aspiring school leaders. ... Learn more.

Did you know the Parking and Transportation Services provide a free intercampus shuttle service?

Students, faculty and staff can enjoy hassle-free, convenient transportation between the Boca Raton and Jupiter campuses.

Explore key Jupiter campus locations and learn about life as a Wilkes Honors College student without leaving your home.

The new virtual tour takes visitors through the John D. MacArthur Campus, world-class research facilities, and the beautiful Jupiter community with nearby beaches.