Palm Health Foundation and FAU's Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute will make an exciting announcement during a special virtual event entitled, "The Frontier: The Science Behind Better Brain Health," hosted by Palm Health Foundation on Oct. 5. In addition to the reveal of exclusive news, FAU Distinguished Alumni, Arthur C. Evans, Jr., Ph.D., CEO of American Psychological Association, will be sharing advancements underway in the local brain science field and talk neuroscience tools and strategies promoting mental wellness. Learn more about the event here.

FAU and St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) are entering the third year of partnership on the U.S. Department of Education, Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant designed to increase school counselors in SLPS high-needs schools. The Social, Wellness and Emotional Learning Leaders (SWELL) program, directed by Jupiter campus-based Elizabeth Villares, Ph.D., professor of school counseling, FAU College of Education, has admitted three cohorts of school counseling candidates. The SWELL program is an accelerated, 60-credit graduate degree customized to train 75 pre-k through grade 12 school counselors. The degree includes fast-track, online and hybrid coursework in conjunction with 750 hours of field experience. The first SWELL cohort will graduate in Spring 2022.

Students at the FAU John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter will now have access to Pre-Health Professions Office services and programming! In partnership with Jupiter Academic Advising Services, the Pre-Health Professions Office is offering advising services at FAU Jupiter on select Thursdays this fall, beginning Sept. 2! Students can utilize this new service opportunity to explore pre-health, services offered, application instructions and more! To learn more or book an advising appointment, visit here.

Henriette van Praag, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical sciences at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and FAU's Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, is among four faculty members recently selected for induction into FAU Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors.

Each inventor will be publicly recognized by Daniel Flynn, Ph.D., vice president for research, and Dana Vouglitois, J.D., assistant director, Office of Technology Development, at a future Division of Research event... Read more

FAU’s Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College professor Nicholas Baima, Ph.D., has been named FAU’s 2021 Assistant Professor Scholar of the Year.

“This University-wide award recognizes the most distinguished scholars at FAU in terms of research, publications and scholarship,” said Christopher Strain, Ph.D., professor of American studies, Wilkes Honors College. “He has an impressive publishing record, up to and including the publication this year of his first book ‘Plato's Pragmatism: Rethinking the Relationship between Ethics and Epistemology,’ co-written with another Plato scholar.”... Read more

Wayne Robinson is a junior with FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Jupiter and majoring in neuroscience and behavior. Since joining the laboratory of Tanja Godenschwege, Ph.D., Robinson has mastered skills in molecular biology and imaging to investigate the cellular causes of neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. His research is currently under review and will be published soon. Robinson says he aspires to attend graduate school and ultimately have a lab of his own that encourages young scientists while making discoveries that enhance our world.

Learn more about Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Jupiter here.

FAU High School – Jupiter Campus in Partnership with Max Planck Academy student, Victoria Karalutz, has excelled in her opportunities to be involved in premier STEM research. During her time at FAU High School – Jupiter campus, Karalutz has taken part in environmental education programs offered at FAU's Pine Jog Environmental Education Center; presented a team research proposal to NASA through the NASA In-Flight Education Opportunity; studied infant infant brain development in FAU's WAVES Emotion Lab where she was awarded a grant through FAU’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry to further her study; made presentations at the 2021 FAU Undergraduate Research Symposium and the Florida Life Sciences Symposium; enrolled in one of the Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) courses offered at FAU on the Jupiter campus.

Additionally, Karalutz began working at Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience over the summer of 2021 studying the hippocampus and its connection to episodic memory, the memories we have of our experiences, and is currently working on a project essential to understanding the processing of episodic memories.

FAU High School – Jupiter Campus in Partnership with Max Planck Academy student, Kate Maier, served as the lead author on a recently published research letter entitled, Image Quality Issues in Teledermatology: A Comparative Analysis of AI Solutions," in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Maier, with assistance from her mentor, Oge Marques, Ph.D., professor, College of Engineering & Computer Sciences, and doctoral degree student with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Luiz Zaniolo, collaborated on this piece that investigates the behavior of artificial intelligence models and the capabilities of classifying imperfect images of skin lesions, with accuracy, as benign or malignant.

Maier is currently set to graduate in 2022 from FAU High School's dual enrollment program – a program that allows her to earn credit toward high school graduation and future college degree programs simultaneously. Her current focus is neuroscience and behavior with career aspirations of becoming a computational neuroscientist.

Researchers from FAU in collaboration with the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, conducted a first-of-its-kind study over a span of three years and 371 SCUBA dive hours in a South Florida lagoon on two species of octopus. The aim of the study was to explore how Octopus vulgaris (common octopus) and Macrotritopus defilippi (Atlantic longarm octopus) coexist by examining their foraging habits and tactics, diet, behaviors and activity.

“Incorporating species-specific behavioral habits is a key tool for understanding octopus ecology and coexistence,” said Chelsea O. Bennice, Ph.D., (aka “Octo Girl”) first author, an affiliate assistant scientist, Department of Biological Sciences, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Science; and assistant director, FAU’s ASCEND programs to Advance STEM-Community Engagement through Neuroscience Discovery, within the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute at FAU Jupiter... Read more

A study by FAU's Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and collaborators explored what drives older adults from diverse backgrounds to start or sustain physical activity and what prevents them from doing so. Results of the study, published in Geriatrics, showed that overall, 55 percent reported that they were less physically active than they had been two to three years ago; 37 percent reported the same activity level; and a very small number, (8 percent) reported an increase in physical activity. In those that reported a decline in physical activity, the main reasons were related to health issues, lack of time, interest or motivation.

The bottom line: knowledge and old clichés alone aren't enough... Read more

Ashley Graham Kennedy, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy, Wilkes Honors College, John D. MacArthur Campus at Jupiter, is the author of recently published Diagnosis. In this publication, Graham combines rigorous conceptual analysis with actionable strategies for navigating uncertainty, making effective use of diagnostic tests and understanding the economic, interpersonal and ethical considerations that influence the process of clinical diagnosis.

You can tune into Graham Kennedy's recent interview with Cambridge University to hear more about her recent publication here.

Jessica A. Eagan, Esq. recently joined the Advisory Council of the Wilkes Honors College at FAU Jupiter. Eagan is the managing partner of Rezzonico & Eagan, PLLC, a boutique trusts and estates law firm located in Boynton Beach, FL, with roots extending back to 1989. Eagan, a Palm Beach native and proud alumna of Florida Atlantic University, has dedicated her career and philanthropic endeavors to bettering the local community... Read more

Christopher Strain, Ph.D., professor of history and American studies at FAU's Wilkes Honors College has been invited to participate in an Accelerator Workshop at the Radcliff Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.

This invitation-only event, entitled, "Racio-Religious Violence and Religious Racism: Examining Contemporary Attacks on Religious Practitioners and Their Places of Worship," will provide Strain and other hate crime experts the chance to further discuss the study of religious violence and an opportunity to propose policy recommendation to combat these problems.

The event will be held Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, 2021 at the Radcliff Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. You can learn more about the Accelerator Workshop series here.

Robert Kozol, Ph.D.,

Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences,

Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College and Research Assistant,

Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Osama Refai, Ph.D.,

Research Assistant Professor, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and FAU's Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

Read more on Research in Action Series events...

The ASCEND (Advancing STEM-Community Engagement through Neuroscience Discovery) "NeuroExplorers" program will now start virtually on Sept. 22. Due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, students in grades 6-8 can now join professional neuroscientists, and their trainees, in an interactive, online program that will bring neuroscience lessons to your home!

Participants will receive monthly Brain Boxes filled with hands-on activities geared towards that month's neuroscience topics. NeuroExplorers will have access to virtual classrooms to share their hands-on activities and ask the neuroscientists questions! During weeks between virtual classroom experiences, students will be sent engaging podcasts, Brain Bites, and videos.

All Fall 2021 sessions are held on Wednesdays from 4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

To register, visit us here.

FAU is celebrating Hispanic/Latina/o/x Heritage Month with a series of events now through Friday, Oct. 15 at the Boca Raton, Jupiter and Broward campuses. The 2021 National Hispanic Heritage Month theme is “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope.”

View the full list of events.

The FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute’s Neuroscience Seminar Series is underway! Take look at the Fall 2021 schedule.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter will host a free concert with Rod MacDonald and the Humdingers to celebrate the beginning of a new academic year on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 5:30 p.m. at 5353 Parkside Dr., John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter. The concert is free, but registration is required.

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. Current building progress includes continued window installation on the second and third floors; air conditioning and ventilation system fixture placement; fitting of in-wall mechanical, engineering and plumbing systems; framing and drywall installation on the first floor; and other masonry work.

Construction photos, updated daily, can be viewed here.

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

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