Editors’ Picks: Our 14 favorite stories of 2014

Posted by Sissi Garland × 12/30/2014 at 1:05 pm

Fighting Ebola. A historic mission 63 feet beneath the sea with Fabien Cousteau. A resounding ‘yes’ from the community. FIU and its Panthers had an amazing 2014. Before we begin another year, we want to take one last look back and share our 14 favorite stories of 2014. We’ve compiled them below and hope you enjoy.

Happy New Year!

1. Real-life RoboCop to be tested

Researchers and students in FIU’s Discovery Lab developed the initial prototype of a TeleBot — which combines telepresence and robotics — to allow disabled police and military personnel to serve as patrol officers. Read More >>

2. BBC takes kayaking into the dark

So you think you have done everything under the sun in Miami? Maybe you have. Maybe it’s time to experience something new under the light of the moon. Night kayaking at Biscayne Bay Campus takes you on a surreal, hour-long journey through a lesser known part of the Magic City – Biscayne Bay at night. Read More >>

3. Coley finishes fifth all-time in NCAA career scoring

In her final season as a Panther, FIU women’s basketball star point guard Jerica Coley finished her career as the program’s all-time leading scorer and fifth on the NCAA’s Division I women’s career scoring list with 3,107 career points.

4. Beer pairing with brewmaster Garrett Oliver celebrates opening of Brewing Science Lab at BBC

To celebrate the opening of FIU’s Brewing Science Laboratory, the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management hosted a dinner and beer pairing in April alongside Brooklyn Brewery’s American brewmaster and best-selling author Garrett Oliver. Read More >>

5. Building boom at FIU

In the past two years FIU has erected or renovated more than 10 buildings on our Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay campuses to create much-needed laboratories and classroom spaces. Take a tour of the latest additions to FIU, including a few buildings that opened in 2014. Read More >>

6. Radiate FM welcomes first female general manager

For the first time in its 26-year history, Radiate FM welcomed a female general manager to the student-run station. Sheyla Marimon, a junior philosophy and political science major, had been a fan of the station since she was 15 years old.

7. 8 of the best moments from Mission 31

In June, Fabien Cousteau and a team of FIU researchers conducted underwater tests and research inside FIU’s Aquarius Reef Base for Mission 31, the longest mission in the history of the world’s only undersea research lab. It made national headlines and got the attention of a lot of influential figures. Read more >>

8. How well do you know FIU?

Pop quiz: Can you can identify these FIU landmarks? Find out if you are a true Panther here >>

9. FIU alumnus composes film score for Liam Neeson film

Alumnus and award-winning music composer Carlos Rafael Rivera ’96 composed his first musical score for a movie – “A Walk Among the Tombstones,” starring Liam Neeson and written and directed by Scott Frank. Read more >>

10. Professor helps lead effort to contain Ebola in Nigeria

Dr. Marty dons her protectieve gear at the Lagos International Airport where she worked with Nigerian officials to contain the outbreak of Ebola within the country.

FIU College of Medicine Professor Dr. Aileen Marty crisscrossed Southern Nigeria for 31 days this past fall leading an international team under the auspices of the Nigerian government to rapidly contain and extinguish the Ebola outbreak within the country’s borders. Read more >>

11. FIU scientists to use tiny particles to fight big diseases

FIU researchers are crafting a new weapon to win the war on ovarian cancer. A group of scientists have combined medicine and advanced nanotechnological engineering to create a smarter, more targeted therapy that could overcome the most lethal gynecologic cancer. Read more >>

12. Florida Campus Compact recognizes FIU for community engagement

FIU was recognized with five awards for community engagement and service by Florida Campus Compact.

In recognition of the university’s commitment to community engagement and public service, FIU received five Florida Campus Compact awards, including one for the university’s partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Read more >>

13. Miami-Dade voters say ‘yes’ to FIU’s expansion plans

On Nov. 4, voters approved a referendum that will allow FIU to expand onto 64 acres in Tamiami Park that are currently occupied by the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition. Read more >>

14. FIU in Space: Electrical engineering students build satellite in historic collaboration

A team of students from FIU’s College of Engineering, David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center, and Alonzo and Tracy Mourning High School designed and built a satellite to be launched in mid-2015. The satellite, which looks like a coffee can and sports retractable measuring tapes from either side, will make an entire revolution around Earth every 90 minutes and will send back pictures, speed and temperature readings. Read more >>