MARCH 2024

FAU Day at Roger Dean Stadium

On March 1, Florida Atlantic University partnered with Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium for the annual FAU Day during Major League Baseball Spring Training. Florida Atlantic’s Alumni Association represented the University, and Justine Avila, chair of the association, threw out the first pitch before the St. Louis Cardinals faced off against the New York Mets.

This year, the festivities expanded beyond the stadium onto the John D. MacArthur Campus, where baseball fans who parked on campus were greeted with music, dancing, popcorn and giveaways. 

*First pitch and FAU Spirit Team photos courtesy of Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Severe Hurricanes and Coral Reef Sponges

A recently published study in the journal Molecular Ecology analyzed the effects of the back-to-back catastrophic hurricanes Maria and Irma on a species of coral reef sponge in the Virgin Islands. The sponge, Aplysina cauliformis, can reproduce sexually by producing larvae and asexually through fragmentation. To maintain a healthy population, both types of reproduction should be present. Results of the study, which was led by Andia Chaves Fonnegra, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, showed the resilience of some coral reef species in the face of extreme weather.

Read more.

FAU-Max Planck Honors Program

The application period is now open for the FAU-Max Planck Honors Program. This prestigious program is available to all Florida Atlantic undergraduate students, regardless of their home campus. Work with world-class faculty researchers and participate in cutting-edge neuroscience technology training on a renowned life sciences research campus. Free transportation to Jupiter is available.  

In-vehicle Sensors Study

Nursing, engineering and neuropsychology researchers at Florida Atlantic are testing and evaluating an unobtrusive in-vehicle sensing system they have developed to detect early warnings of cognitive change in older drivers. The study is currently recruiting 460 study participants from Broward and Palm Beach counties to participate. 

Read more.

Around Campus

Wilkes Honors College Admitted Students Day

March 15 was the annual Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College Admitted Students Day. Approximately 117 prospects and their families were hosted on the John D. MacArthur Campus where they participated in information sessions, campus tours, icebreaker activities, and a campus resources expo. The event concluded with a luncheon and the opportunity to meet with Florida Atlantic Admissions staff to commit to joining the Owl family for the Fall 2024 semester.

Forum Club

Students from the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College participated in a recent Forum Club of the Palm Beaches luncheon. They were able to ask questions and share experiences about their educational journey to the group. They also heard from guest speaker Mark McKinnon who is an influential political advisor, reform advocate, columnist and television producer. The program was moderated by WPTV news anchor Hollani Davis. 

Imaging Workshop

FAU Jupiter Academic Affairs partnered with ZEISS to host the "Imaging Workflows for Model Systems End-to-End Workshop." Through a series of lectures and hands-on activities, ZEISS staff members learned from Florida Atlantic researchers about model systems commonly embraced in research and gained insights into imaging-related challenges during the scientific process. The Jupiter campus is home to a Zeiss Microscopy Solutions Center.

Graduate Student Poster Session

The Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute and the Association of Integrative Biology Students hosted the annual Graduate Student Poster Session where students from the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine shared their ongoing research projects. The session offered students the opportunity to practice presenting their research in a similar format to a national meeting.

International Women's Day

Shailaja Allani, Ph.D., associate scientist in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and director of Florida Atlantic's Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, participated as a guest speaker during an International Women's Day roundtable discussion. The event was hosted by Women in Science and the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology as an opportunity for trainees to receive career-related insight and advice from successful women scientists in their local community. The small-group setting fostered open discussion and the opportunity to share experiences and insights.

Announcements

Biology Continuing Education Courses

DNA Forensics and Assisted Reproductive Technology

March 26 through April 25

6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Meets in-person Tuesdays and Thursdays

Boca Raton campus

This five-week certificate course in DNA Forensics is intended for current professionals and non-professional students contemplating a career in biotech, forensic science, criminal justice and other allied life science programs.

Assisted Reproductive Technology Certificate Course

March 26 through April 25

6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Meets in-person Tuesdays and Thursdays

Boca Raton campus

This five-week certificate course in Assisted Reproductive Technology is intended for current professionals and non-professional students contemplating a career in human reproductive medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing, biomedical science and other allied life science programs.

Community

Featured Events

Annual Research Symposium

The Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College will host its 22nd annual Symposium for Scholarly and Creative Research on Friday, April 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event includes students' oral presentations of their current research projects, student art and research poster sessions, and a keynote address by Julio J. Ramirez, Ph.D., the R. Stuart Dickson Professor and director of the Neuroscience Program at Davidson College. Ramirez's talk, "Are Broken Brains Doomed to Dysfunction? Lessons from Hippocampal Formation," will explore his research in the recovery of function after central system injury, with an emphasis on determining the functional significance of hippocampal neuroplasticity.

Learn more.

Jupiter Campus Mural Painting

Make history at the Jupiter campus as part of Jupiter Campus Life's first mural painting event on Monday, April 8 from 1 to 5 p.m. outside the Wilkes Honors College. Participants are encouraged to flex their artistic skills and forever leave their mark on Florida Atlantic by being part of the painting process. All supplies will be provided.

Learn more.

Events

Resources

The latest issue of Florida Atlantic University Magazine is now available.

NEW! Masterminds

The new issue of Masterminds is here. Read all the latest news from

FAU Stiles-Nicholson

Brain Institute.

Read more.

Campus Virtual Tour 

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

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

Tour now.

Research Rising

FAU's Division of Research’s 2023 Annual Momentum Report underscores the university's meteoric growth in research over the last five years, driven by faculty expertise, best-in-class facilities and innovative collaborations with premier partners.

Read more.