FIU News - 2022

Students celebrate World Cup win with locals in Argentina

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 13:37:00 -0500

Students on a Chaplin School hospitality at sea study abroad program get to celebrate Argentina's World Cup win in Buenos Aires

Students, is financial wellness on your mind for 2023? Start the new year off right with these tips

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 13:20:00 -0500

Improving your financial literacy or learning to control your spending habits on your list of New Year’s resolutions? Visit FIU’s Financial Wellness Program.

Engineering alumna Dani Rojas receives national honor for her work

Contributing Author — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 11:45:00 -0500

Dani Rojas '18 recently received the Outstanding Achievement Award in the Technology Rising Star category at the annual Women of Color STEM conference.

China’s lucrative orchid industry is a test for the nation’s commitment to conservation

Contributing Author — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 09:57:00 -0500

Hong Liu, professor of Earth and environment at FIU writes about conservation and China's orchid industry in The Conversation.

Bon voyage: the return of Hospitality at Sea sets sail

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 09:30:00 -0500

Study abroad opportunities return to the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management with Hospitality at Sea

Making a fitness resolution for the new year? Keep these tips in mind

Contributing Author — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 11:42:00 -0500

If you’re thinking of starting an exercise program in 2023, you’ll want to create a long-term plan, which is essential to sticking to your goal.

Professor Frank O. Mora confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Organization of American States

Amy Ellis — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 16:01:00 -0500

A professor of politics and international relations and senior researcher at the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy, Mora led FIU’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center.

Community leader Norman S. Edelcup makes endowed gift to support Golden Gift First Generation Student Scholarships

Contributing Author — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:38:00 -0500

The endowment will support first-generation students who live within a five-mile radius of FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus.

Delia Garcia honored by Miami-Dade school board

JoAnn Adkins — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 09:15:00 -0500

The School Board of Miami-Dade County honored Delia Garcia for fostering more than four decades of community engagement between FIU and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

5 easy ways to boost your career search over winter break

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 15:33:00 -0500

These five simple actions can help strengthen students' job or internship searches in the coming months.

The Wolfsonian–FIU receives $2M from Knight Foundation to strengthen digital initiatives

Contributing Author — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 11:45:00 -0500

With a new gift of $2 million from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Wolfsonian–Florida International University opens an exciting chapter in its ongoing digital evolution.

Alumna gives back to U.S. at highest levels of government

Contributing Author — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 13:00:00 -0500

Alumna Marjorie Ucros '10 is currently working at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, helping put together the daily presidential brief.

Digital technologies for biodiversity protection and climate action: Solution or COP out?

Contributing Author — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 10:44:00 -0500

Lee Mcloughlin PhD student Global Sociocultural Studies at FIU writes about technology and climate action in The Conversation.

School’s out! Now it’s time to focus on rest and recovery over winter break

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 13:25:00 -0500

These tips and resources will help you take advantage of your winter break to rest, recover and mentally prepare for a successful Spring semester.

Alumnus works on the future of video gaming

Contributing Author — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 11:43:00 -0500

Jose Maldonado is living a life most gamers can only dream of — working for tech giant Microsoft with the xCloud Team.

FIU graduates break new ground, pave the way for others

Madeline Baro — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 12:05:00 -0500

FIU will celebrate its more than 5,900 graduates this fall during 10 ceremonies Dec. 11–15 at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

Creativity takes center stage at College of Engineering and Computing Senior Design Showcase

David Drucker — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 11:16:00 -0500

Rising stars in engineering used their creativity, technical skills and ambition to solve society’s great challenges.

Reducing wind damage is the focus of the partnership between top U.S. companies, FIU, Texas Tech and Florida Tech

David Drucker — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 14:50:00 -0500

Through the partnership, companies gain access to state-of-the-art facilities and expertise in the wind engineering field.

Amid coup, counter-coup claims – what really went down in Peru and why?

Contributing Author — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 12:27:00 -0500

Eduardo Gamarra, professor of politics and international relations, explained the wider context of Peru's political crisis. This piece is republished from The Conversation.

New grant will establish Blackstone LaunchPad for FIU student entrepreneurs

Cynthia Corzo — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 12:07:00 -0500

The program will provide students with skills, knowledge and guidance to transform ideas into companies.

FIU receives $3.2M from Army Corps of Engineers for high-tech, climate-resilient concrete

David Drucker — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 14:44:00 -0500

The university will generate advancements in building construction and logistics.

Gender justice fashion show highlights belonging, acceptance

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 09:03:00 -0500

GenderChill: Gender Justice Fashion Show is a community-building event that raises awareness for gender and body diversity through the lens of social justice.

FIU researchers patent synthetic antibiotic

Contributing Author — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 16:47:00 -0500

FIU researchers have been awarded a patent for a synthetic arsenic-based antibiotic.

Learn about the largest ecosystem restoration project in the world — the Florida Everglades

Contributing Author — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 09:06:00 -0500

Today marks the 75th anniversary of Everglades National Park.

Everglades Foundation names 2022 scholars

JoAnn Adkins — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0500

The Everglades Foundation recently announced the 2022 winners of the ForEverglades Scholarships and Fellowships, including three Florida International University students.

5 key takeaways from the university’s first Belonging Survey

Contributing Author — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 13:21:00 -0500

The findings from the FIU's first-ever Belonging Survey are available for review.

Art student wins Florida Biennial’s top award

Gisela Maria Valencia — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:40:00 -0500

Sophia Lacroix earned the top award at the 2022 Florida Biennial. She will receive a solo exhibition in 2023 at the Art and Culture Center/Hollywood, along with an honorarium.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary of Administration Cheryl Campbell visits FIU

Contributing Author — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 13:48:00 -0500

Campbell met with university leadership, researchers and students.

FIU shares update about recent events related to book presentation

Contributing Author — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 12:32:00 -0500

Additional voice will enhance discussions; event to be presented at 7 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the Wertheim Performing Arts Center.

FIU researcher discusses how DDT exposure contributes to Alzheimer’s disease risk on Academic Minute

Contributing Author — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 09:55:00 -0500

Professor and associate dean for research at FIU's Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work discusses how an environmental exposure contributes to Alzheimer’s.

Alumnus improves systems and inventory as non-stop building in Florida has many manufacturers depleted of capacity

Monica Smith — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 14:00:00 -0500

Ruben Terrazas, vice president of Integrated Supply Chain at Titan America, shares trends for engineering management students.

National Institute of Justice awards FIU $1M to improve investigation and prosecution of hate crimes

Amy Ellis — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 15:01:00 -0500

FIU has received nearly $9 million in grant funding for its prosecution research, including several significant awards from the MacArthur Foundation.

Global Learning hosts conversation with students at Chernivtsi National University in western Ukraine

Contributing Author — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:51:00 -0500

FIU senior, and soon-to-be Global Learning Medallion graduate, Aya Hachimi shares her thoughts and perspective from the conversation.

FIU Adam Smith Center and Atlas Network’s Center for Latin America explore the relationship between business and bureaucracy in new study

Contributing Author — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:46:00 -0500

The Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom at Florida International University and Atlas Network’s Center for Latin America announce the publication of an important study on the impact of administrative bureaucracies on small businesses and micro-enterprises in Latin America: The Index of Bureaucracy in Latin America 2022. The project quantifies the time that small businesses must devote to comply with a complex and growing network of rules, procedures, and permits to be allowed to work.

"When bureaucracies become excessive, they inhibit the flourishing of commercial activities, discourage investment and creative efforts, and take up material and human resources that would otherwise be allocated to production and innovation," said Carlos Díaz-Rosillo, Ph.D., founding director of the Adam Smith Center. The purpose of the index is to measure the “time-tax” that is involved in complying with all rules and regulations imposed by government bureaucracies on small and micro businesses across a sample of eleven different countries in the region. This study was conducted with the participation of the following partners:

· Fundación Libertad (Argentina)
· Instituto Liberal (Brazil)
· Instituto de Ciencia Política Hernán Echavarría Olózaga (Colombia)
· IDEAS LAB (Costa Rica)
· Instituto Libertad y Desarrollo (Chile)
· Instituto OMG (Dominican Republic)
· Instituto Ecuatoriano de Economía Política (Ecuador)
· México Evalúa (México)
· Asociación de Contribuyentes del Perú (Peru)
· Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo (Uruguay)
· Centro de Divulgación y Conocimiento Económico, Cedice-Libertad (Venezuela)

The study found that the weighted average of hours that small businesses and micro enterprises (in the countries surveyed) must allocate to bureaucratic compliance was 548 hours per year (with more than 1,000 hours in one case!). That means that these small businesses and micro enterprises, which account for more than 3/4 of the total employment in these countries, need to dedicate between 25% and 40% of the annual working time of their employees to cope with a complex structure of bureaucratic procedures—simply to get the job done. This “time-tax” represents an exceedingly high opportunity cost, which also helps to explain why so many people in these countries continue to operate in the informal economy, outside the legal framework.

"While the index highlights the regulatory and bureaucratic areas that are not working well in the region —and the steps necessary to improve their regulatory frameworks— it also showcases successful public policies that remove barriers to productive commercial activity and allow citizens to prosper," added Díaz-Rosillo.

The formal launch of the Index of Bureaucracy in Latin America 2022 will take place at the MARC Pavillion at Florida International University on December 1st, 2022, at 4 PM EST. This is both an in-person and live-streamed event, featuring the collaborators of the study and special remarks by H.E. Iván Duque Márquez, President of Colombia (2018-2022).

Please visit freedom.fiu.edu/events for the event registration.

Festival of the Trees raises more than $500,000 for interior architecture students

Zion Sealy — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:12:00 -0500

At the 34th installment of the gala — held earlier this month — more than 400 people attended and nearly $100,000 was raised this year alone.

Driving away with top honors: FIU’s transportation engineers

Contributing Author — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 15:00:00 -0500

FIU’s student chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers recently received the Best Student Chapter award at the 2022 Florida Puerto Rico District ITE annual meeting.

FIU students sweep USAID Innovation & Inclusion Case Competition

Contributing Author — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:42:00 -0500

Five teams were selected as finalists – four from FIU and one from Georgetown.

Immersion by water: Chance encounter led Arturo Leon to engineering career in hydraulics

Contributing Author — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 12:27:00 -0500

An authority in smart stormwater systems, urban hydraulics and resilient flood control, Arturo Leon is associate professor of water resources engineering.

For Native American Heritage Month, I was welcomed on the Seminole Reservation and visited the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum

Contributing Author — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 09:01:00 -0500

A student shares illuminating visit to Native American museum.

President Kenneth A. Jessell: 'Happy Thanksgiving!'

Contributing Author — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 15:00:00 -0500

"I wish you much peace and joy," said the president in a message to the university community.

Food safety tips to keep the holiday fun from going downhill fast

Contributing Author — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 13:23:00 -0500

Food safety experts weigh in on kitchen contamination, leftovers safety and the great debate: Should you wash your poultry?

Lee Caplin makes $10 million naming gift to Journalism & Media at FIU

Heather Radi-Bermudez — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 10:00:00 -0500

FIU CARTA, today announced a $10 million naming gift from philanthropists Mr. and Mrs. Lee Caplin establishing the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media.

Alumnus gift benefits College of Medicine and Ferré Institute

Contributing Author — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 09:25:00 -0500

Paul Carl Velez's gift creates a scholarship for medical students and advances the Ferré Institute’s research, educational programming, events and staffing.

Engineering student uses data to solve big-picture problems

David Drucker — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0500

College of Engineering and Computing senior Lara Garcia has a passion for using data to solve problems. She is applying her computer science and engineering skills to prompt social change.

Emerging leaders in community resilience descend on D.C.

Contributing Author — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 11:52:00 -0500

20 students with a shared passion for the resilience of people, buildings and the economy visited FIU’s brand-new facility in D.C. for the Fall Fly-In Seminar, The Future of Resilient Communities.

Ferré Institute unveils video on legacy of Miami Mayor Maurice A. Ferré

Amy Ellis — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 11:51:00 -0500

Ferré Institute unveils video on legacy of Miami Mayor Maurice A. Ferré.

Men’s soccer advances to battle Duke in NCAA Tourney

Contributing Author — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 09:03:00 -0500

Panthers will face Duke on Sunday, Nov. 27, at 1 p.m. ET at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

FIU experts available to discuss holidays, supply chain and related issues

Elizabeth Ferrer-Alfonso — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Welcome to the new FIU in DC: the newest platform for national impact

Contributing Author — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 16:56:00 -0500

The university inaugurated the expanded FIU in Washington, D.C. hub, which is setting a new standard for engaged research universities in the nation's capital.

Green family tours soon-to-be-completed west wing of Green School

Amy Ellis — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 15:13:00 -0500

Green family tours soon-to-be-completed west wing of Green School at FIU

4 ways to balance mental health, career goals

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 15:12:00 -0500

The transition to your career can bring uncertainty, stress and upheaval, making it a crucial time to prioritize your mental wellness – and seek help if you notice your mental health is declining.

Solutions to keep your Thanksgiving meal from gobbling up your money

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 14:29:00 -0500

FIU professor and chef suggests cost cutting tips and ways to save on your Thanksgiving meal

Environmental impact of “fast fashion” raises concerns globally and on campus

Maya Washburn — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 11:18:00 -0500

Cheap duds are likewise a dud for the planet.

Sharks win pivotal victory, thanks in part to FIU scientists

JoAnn Adkins — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 02:40:00 -0500

In a groundbreaking decision, world governments have awarded increased protections to 54 species of sharks as part of major CITES proposal.

Professor knows equity in the classroom and equity in the country are intertwined — that’s why he’s changing education

Angela Nicoletti — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0500

The first class Bryan Dewsbury ever taught informed his teaching practice and changed the entire trajectory of his career.

Meet the winners of North Miami Brewfest's best beer and bites

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:20:00 -0500

FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management celebrated North Miami Brewfest's 10th anniversary.

Traffic update: Closure of East Campus Circle, Portions of Lot 3 at MMC

Contributing Author — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:39:00 -0500

As part of the Trish and Dan Bell Chapel and East Campus Circle Relocation project, some roads and parking areas will be temporarily closed beginning Wednesday, Nov. 16.

Patients suffering with hard-to-treat depression may get relief from noninvasive magnetic brain stimulation

Contributing Author — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:36:00 -0500

Patricia Junquera, associate professor and vice chair of clinical services at FIU writes in The Conversation.

FIU and Island TV network establish Creole-language journalism program

Heather Radi-Bermudez — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 16:37:00 -0500

Florida International University and its Department of Journalism + Media, within the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA), today announced its partnership to develop the first ever Creole-language journalism program in the U.S.

Tied to CARTA’s mission, the Island TV partnership underscores the college’s commitment to preparing career-ready graduates for success in an ever-changing world, through hands-on learning, incorporating emerging and immersive technologies in its curriculum, and partnering with industry. As part of the partnership, FIU students will have the opportunity to produce content and intern for Island TV.

“We are proud to partner with Island TV in support of our content producing curriculum and experiential ‘learn by doing’ teaching philosophy. This partnership advances our mission to prepare career-ready journalists and media professionals who are critical and reflective thinkers and communicators, ethical, socially responsible, well rounded, and fair minded," said Brian Schriner, dean of the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts.

Initiated and established by Schriner, the partnership signals a long-term relationship in support of developing the nation’s premier Creole-language journalism program to provide FIU students with real-world, experiential learning opportunities leading to meaningful employment upon graduation, and to better serve the Caribbean communities of South Florida and beyond.

The South Florida-based network is the only television network in the United States offering 24-hour programming in English, French, and Haitian Creole. The Island TV and FIU partnership amplifies the vibrant and growing Caribbean community surrounding North Miami and the Biscayne Bay Campus, particularly the Haitian community.

“I am pleased to join forces with FIU to create a first of its kind curriculum within its Department of Journalism + Media,” said said Island TV’s CEO, Fred Beliard. “Dean Schriner and I have a shared commitment and passion for educating the future leaders of our generation and this collaboration will provide an opportunity for a unique experience to create impactful content and create a path towards success.”

At Madden, former FIU UPE leader puts computer skills to action

David Drucker — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 11:40:00 -0500

May Márquez is a two-time computer science alumna from the College of Engineering and Computing who catches glitches in Madden.

A med student's perspective: the power of holding someone’s hand

Ileana Varela — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 11:28:00 -0500

A medical student encounters a scared cancer patient who refuses to engage with her. It all changes when she decides to hold the patient's hand.

A Sea of Expertise: FIU Conservation Experts for World Oceans Day

Angela Nicoletti — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 10:37:00 -0500

FIU has a team of conservation scientists, protecting some of the world’s most endangered and threatened species.

Conservation experts

Angela Nicoletti — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 10:37:00 -0500

Watch a video about Cardeñosa's research.

Fast-paced evolution in Miami’s real estate landscape continues, FIU conference reveals

Cynthia Corzo — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 09:45:00 -0500

Earlier this month, the Hollo School of Real Estate at FIU Business brought together 200+ attendees at “REact 2022 - Miami: A Real Estate and Technology Powerhouse,” its annual real estate conference.

FIU wins $19.4M NIH grant to fight health disparities

Contributing Author — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0500

The research funding will target HIV and COVID-19, Alzheimer's disease and childhood cancer among minority populations.

FIU receives $1.69 million to support STEM research and education

David Drucker — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 14:47:00 -0500

The FIU College of Engineering and Computing has received three awards totaling $1.69 million from the Department of Defense (DoD) to support research, education and DoD objectives.

Hey, FIU: What's international education?

Birgitta Rausch-Montoto — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 12:08:00 -0500

Discover the many dimensions of international education at FIU.

Alejandra Parra recognized by NAFSA with International Excellence Award

Birgitta Rausch-Montoto — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 10:00:00 -0500

Parra leads FIU's Office of International Student & Scholar Services and the Office of Education Abroad and is instrumental in advancing the university's campus internationalization.

FIU Theatre's latest play is a wild comedy with classic roots

Contributing Author — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 16:51:00 -0500

"The Green Bird" by Hillary DePiano runs from Nov. 11-20 at The Wertheim.

How can academia help diversify the intelligence community?

Eddy Madero — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 14:09:00 -0500

Stephanie La Rue, chief of DEI at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), visited FIU to discuss.

Who Were the Montford Point Marines? Alumna on a mission to spotlight first Black men in the Corps

Contributing Author — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0500

In 2012, President Obama signed a bill into law awarding the 20,000 Black Marines who served at Montford Point a Congressional Gold Medal.

From hospitality student to beer entrepreneur

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 08:53:00 -0500

Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism alumnus turns class project into beer business

FIU offensive lineman talks Shula Bowl, coaches who care and his biggest fan

Contributing Author — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 15:34:00 -0500

The Panthers go head to head with the rival FAU Owls on Saturday at home.

Tropical Storm Nicole update: FIU operations remain normal

Contributing Author — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 15:33:00 -0500

University operations will remain normal today and Thursday. We ask that professors and supervisors exercise flexibility.

Salute to alumni JAGs: Grads land top-notch jobs as military lawyers

Gisela Maria Valencia — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 14:42:00 -0500

FIU has become a leading producer of lawyers who serve in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, the military justice branch of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy.

President Kenneth A. Jessell: 'Focused and energized: Together, let us usher FIU to new heights'

Contributing Author — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 13:11:00 -0500

Today’s decision by the Florida Board of Governors to confirm me as the sixth President of FIU is, in many ways, a dream come true.

Message from FIU Board of Trustees Chair Dean C. Colson

Contributing Author — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 12:26:00 -0500

"It is a celebratory day for the Panther family!"

Fellowship helps veteran transition to civilian work

Contributing Author — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 11:17:00 -0500

The Care Coalition connected Philip Motto with a fellowship at FIU's Global Forensic and Justice Center to prepare him to transition back to civilian life.

FIU holds 5 national distinctions for veteran, military educational support

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 09:50:00 -0500

FIU has proved it's committed to veterans' success through educational support services; partnerships that increase career readiness and employment opportunities; and financial assistance.

Tropical Storm Nicole update: FIU operations remain normal

Contributing Author — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:48:00 -0500

Any changes to university operations will be communicated to the university community immediately. Please continue to monitor your emails.

FIU continues to monitor Tropical Storm Nicole

Contributing Author — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:05:00 -0500

University operations remain normal at this time. FIU officials will meet later today with local leaders and community partners to discuss any potential closures if needed.

FIU Theatre alumnus in Call of Duty Modern Warfare II

Eduardo Merille — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 13:21:00 -0500

Col. Alejandro Vargas in Call of Duty Modern Warfare is an FIU Alumnus

Soon-to-be graduates reflect on their college experience on national First-Generation College Celebration Day

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 10:37:00 -0500

One in five FIU undergraduates is among the first generation in the family to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Going a short distance from campus? Ride in style with free service featuring the latest Tesla

Maya Washburn — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 14:29:00 -0500

Freebee provides Panthers with no-cost trips around MMC and to nearby locales so getting to your destination is a snap.

FIU is monitoring Subtropical Storm Nicole

Contributing Author — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 11:43:00 -0500

FIU is closely monitoring Subtropical Storm Nicole. University operations are normal. Any changes will be communicated to the university community in a timely manner.

Researcher isn't in the Upside Down. But she is studying 'Stranger Things'

Angela Nicoletti — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 15:00:00 -0400

FIU's Emily Messina is a leisure researcher who looks at how our overall wellbeing and identity is tied to what we do for fun.

What a finale: Drake drops by FIU Hospitality class just hours before release of new album

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:07:00 -0400

FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality welcomes Drake, Victoria Beckham, DJ Khaled to the David Grutman Experience: The Class

Architecture team breaks record at annual Walk on Water

Zion Sealy — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 13:59:00 -0400

Under their Looney Tunes-inspired team name, “Road Runners," sophomore architecture students Andre Morgan and Jorge Tabla were the 2022 champions of FIU's Walk on Water competition.

World maps as agents of manipulation: Wolfsonian-FIU exhibit looks at geography as “weapon”

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 16:00:00 -0400

The Miami Beach museum explores maps as political propaganda, now through April 16.

Rest days are essential to your fitness journey. Here’s why.

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 14:03:00 -0400

Rest is a fundamental element of a successful fitness journey because it is essential for performance.

Two South Florida philanthropists, one an alumnus, present gifts to support Ferré Institute

Amy Ellis — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Maurice A. Ferré Institute for Civic Leadership receives gifts from the Anthony R. Abraham Foundation and CEO of the Borinquen Health Care Center in Miami.

FIU Law adds scholars in addiction and mental health policy, environmental law

Karen Cochrane — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 15:31:00 -0400

FIU’s College of Law has hired three assistant professors who are expanding FIU Law’s scholarship and teaching in these areas of national importance.

Café Bustelo & Pilon announce $1.25 million gift to FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and FIU CasaCuba

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 11:42:00 -0400

Café Bustelo & Pilon, coffee brands in The J.M. Smucker Co. portfolio, have announced a $1.25 million gift to Florida International University benefiting student scholarships, the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the construction of FIU CasaCuba.

The gift marks a deepening of the relationship between FIU and the brands. Café Bustelo venues on two campuses have served as gathering places for the FIU community for years; in fact, the Café Bustelo location in the Graham Center at MMC is Café Bustelo’s largest retail store in the United States.

Through this new initiative and partnership between the university and Café Bustelo & Pilon, the success of FIU students — and the university’s continuing endeavor to provide innovative programming to meet the demands of the 21st-century workplace — will be the main focus.

A portion of the gift will create the Café Bustelo® El Café Del Futuro Scholarship for students studying hospitality management. Additional support will fund the development of new curricula and master classes at the Chaplin School that examine the coffee industry. Café Bustelo will be recognized as a founding partner of the Chaplin School’s new coffee initiatives and a partner in the school’s ongoing effort to expand food and beverage education that is focused on consumer experience and education, research and sustainability.

“Our curriculum emphasizes giving students real-world experiences that will prepare them for success in diverse areas of the food and beverage industries. We are excited to work with Café Bustelo & Pilon – brands with worldwide recognition that are loved by Miamians – to create new and engaging academic programming centered on the coffee industry,” said Michael Cheng, dean of the Chaplin School.

The gift will support the mission and construction of FIU CasaCuba, the university’s proposed 57,000-square-foot facility to be located on the university’s west Miami-Dade campus, as the center for the celebration and preservation of Cuban culture and the study of Cuban affairs.

“FIU CasaCuba will be a true home for our heritage. Just as Café Bustelo has become a staple in the homes of many Cuban Americans and other South Floridians, it will be a staple at FIU CasaCuba, too. We are grateful Café Bustelo & Pilon have joined our mission as a pillar of FIU CasaCuba,” said María Carla Chicuén, founding executive director of FIU CasaCuba.

In recognition of this gift, FIU has named Café Bustelo a founding sponsor and corporate pillar of FIU CasaCuba in perpetuity.

“We are very excited about this partnership with FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the future FIU CasaCuba, which gives us the opportunity to deepen the connection with the FIU family and the local community,” said Eduardo Merino, senior brand manager, The J.M. Smucker Co. “Giving back to the communities we serve through our support of education initiatives while bringing people together through every cafecito is at the core of our Café Bustelo and Pilon brand identities.”

Café Bustelo & Pilon’s gift benefits FIU’s Next Horizon campaign, which is advancing student success and research excellence at the university.

The future of creative freedom is on the line, starring Andy Warhol, Prince and 2 Live Crew

Contributing Author — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 09:18:00 -0400

Hannibal Travis, professor of law at FIU writes about the future of creative freedom in The Conversation.

FIU is 1st in the nation to launch solar energy technician apprenticeship

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 09:08:00 -0400

FIU’s Construction Trades Program offered by the Moss Department of Construction Management at the College of Engineering and Computing is the first in the nation to launch a Solar Energy Technician Apprenticeship program, which provides graduates with national credentialing in solar power construction and installation. The Construction Trades Program is a community workforce development program that trains workers to fill the demand for construction jobs in South Florida.

Made possible by a grant from the Florida Department of Education’s Pathway to Career Opportunities initiative, the FIU Solar Energy Technician Apprenticeship program is the result of a series of industry partnerships with companies like Goldin Solar, PayOli Solar, and Solar Champs Florida.

The program focuses on providing technical and hands-on instruction for apprentices seeking careers in the high-demand field of solar panel installation.

“We are thrilled to be the first to launch this unique apprenticeship, which will serve to formally train members of our community in a growing and profitable trade that also promises to promote a sustainable environment for future generations,” said Jose Faria, endowed chair of the Moss Department of Construction Management.

The Solar Energy Technician Apprenticeship program is a two-year program that prepares apprentices to become successful in the competitive industry of solar construction. All apprentices will obtain nationally recognized certifications in trades that include National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) in Solar Photovoltaic Installation, Electrical, Roofing and Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) 30-Hour Safety in Construction.  

“Consumer demand is high for both commercial and residential solar energy,” said Juan David Payares, CEO and founder of PayOli Solar. “The use of solar energy is on the rise, which is why we also want to take part in building a well-trained workforce that will deliver us to the future and help us all elevate the meaning of energy.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of solar photovoltaic installers, also known as PV installers, is growing in demand with a projected growth of 27 percent expected in the next 10 years - much faster than the average for all construction related occupations. With a median national wage of $22.92 per hour, these highly trained installers assemble, set up and maintain rooftop and other systems that convert sunlight into energy.

“FIU’s Moss Department of Construction Management is a leading construction management program, so it is natural that our expertise will be leveraged to support members of the south Florida community secure the skills necessary for a great profession,” said John L. Volakis, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. “FIU is proud to both offer exceptional engineering talent to supply Florida’s demand, and programs like this vital to workforce development for members of our community. Together we are building a stronger state economy through job creation and sustainable natural environment for generations to come.”

The apprenticeship program kicked off on Aug. 29, 2022. Enrollment is still open, but space is limited. Those interested in signing up for the program may call Cecilia Trainer at 305-299-7248 or email ctrainer@fiu.edu.

An ancient holiday hits home with Panthers

Maya Washburn — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 07:00:00 -0400

Worldwide Diwali festivities conclude today.

Students rediscover former dreams and learn new skills at ballet class

Contributing Author — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:30:00 -0400

The fitness class at MMC is open to everyone looking to harness the power of dance for health, wellbeing and fun.

President Biden receives poor marks from Cuban American voters, many of whom want Trump on the ballot in 2024

Amy Ellis — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 10:32:00 -0400

Most Cuban Americans in South Florida give President Biden poor marks for his handling of key issues facing the country, while a majority of Republican voters surveyed say they want to see former President Donald Trump on the ballot in 2024.

Although Biden’s national approval rating of 42% places him in the company of most previous presidents going into the midterm elections, only 32% of Cuban Americans give President Biden a positive job approval rating. Additionally, 37% of Cuban Americans surveyed would like to see former President Donald Trump back on the ballot, with most registered Republicans (59%) saying they support Trump.

The 2022 FIU Cuba Poll, the longest running survey of Cuban American voters in the country, shows the Republican Party remains the party of preference among voters of Cuban descent in South Florida, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio expected to receive about 64% of the Cuban American vote in the midterm election in November.

“It seems the train of the Republican Party is still picking up passengers on Calle Ocho,” said Guillermo Grenier, lead investigator on the Cuba Poll and a professor of sociology in the Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies at the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs, which sponsors the poll along with FIU’s Cuban Research Institute. “They remain loyal to the Republican Party and the Trump version of it.”

Republicans continue to maintain a slight majority among registered Cuban American voters (52%) and are generating new support from the island’s more recent arrivals. Fifty-four percent of registered voters who arrived since 2015 say they are registered Republicans.

Republican Congressional candidates on the ballot in November are also expected to receive strong support from Cuban Americans, with 52% of voters reporting they will cast a vote for the Republican candidate in their district.

The economy, health care and immigration are the issues of most concern to Cuban Americans, with immigration appearing in the top three for the first time since the poll began in 1991.

On the issue of the U.S. embargo of Cuba, 63% of Cuban Americans in South Florida support its continuation, although they also show relatively high support for some Biden-era engagement policies such as the selling of food (64% support) and medicine (72% support) to the island, as well as resumption of airline travel to all regions of the island (71% support).

“The findings of this year’s FIU Cuba Poll suggest the need for the Biden administration to chart a clear, calibrated course between Obama-era engagement policies and Trump-era isolationist policies toward Cuba,’’ said Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Research Institute at FIU. “The status quo in U.S.-Cuba relations pleases neither advocates of ‘normalizing’ bilateral ties nor of applying ‘maximum pressure’ to promote the island’s democratization. How to actively support the Cuban people (without ‘oxygenating’ the current regime) within the existing legal and political framework of the United States is the Gordian knot of U.S. policy toward Cuba.”

Cuban Americans also overwhelmingly support the resumption of consular services and the issuance of visas at the U.S. Embassy in Havana (82%), as well as resumption of the Family Reunification Parole Program (92%) that allows certain eligible U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to apply for expedited immigration visas for their family members in Cuba. “In the absence of a significant shift in the narrative on Cuba policy coming from Washington, the Cuban American community remains ambivalent about its policy preferences,” added Grenier. “On the one hand, the traditional isolationist line remains strong while there is support for policies that support the Cuban people during this difficult time.”

Students find new 'homes away from home' through National Student Exchange

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 15:00:00 -0400

Through the National Student Exchange, undergraduate students can spend up to one academic year studying at other universities in cities across the U.S. and Canada.

FIU receives $1M to promote STEM graduate studies for minority students

Contributing Author — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 14:20:00 -0400

National Science Foundation award will assist selected fellows from underrepresented communities as they work toward their doctorates.

The Wolfsonian–Florida International University Spins to the Rhythms of Turn the Beat Around

Contributing Author — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 14:05:00 -0400

The Wolfsonian¬–FIU presents Turn the Beat Around, on view October 28, 2022 through April 30, 2023.

From Turkey to the space shuttle: Berrin Tansel is a leader in coastal hazards and water conservation

Contributing Author — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0400

Berrin Tansel, Ph.D., is a professor of environmental engineering and undergraduate program director of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Top scholars recognized for impact, teaching and excellence

Gisela Maria Valencia — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 11:32:00 -0400

This year, 34 outstanding faculty members were recognized for their outstanding work and valuable contributions to the Panther community.

Biscayne Bay Experts

Angela Nicoletti — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 11:20:00 -0400

FIU experts are available to discuss the health of Biscayne Bay.

Chemistry star named Rhodes scholar finalist

Gisela Maria Valencia — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 10:09:00 -0400

A chemistry and math major who currently boasts a 4.0 GPA, Spencer was recently named a Rhodes Scholarship finalist.

Institute of Environment deploys teams after latest fish kill in Biscayne Bay

JoAnn Adkins — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 09:25:00 -0400

FIU Institute of Environment researchers are investigating the cause of a fish kill reported this week in Biscayne Bay.

$1.5 million grant funds scholarships in STEM

Ayleen Barbel Fattal — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 12:14:00 -0400

The National Science Foundation has awarded FIU $1.5 million in scholarships to help mathematics and statistics students complete their degrees.

The Joint Applied Math and Statistics Scholarship program (JAMS at FIU) is directed by Mathematics and Statistics Professor Svetlana Roudenko, who is working with the FIU Office of Financial Aid to recruit eligible undergraduate and graduate students based on financial need and academic merit.

The program is designed to impact students, especially those from groups historically underrepresented in math and statistics, at all levels of their collegiate careers through what is called a vertical integration approach — providing support for students to make progress toward graduation. It leverages existing institutional efforts including research experiences for undergraduates, directed reading program and math student club to support the cohorts.

“This approach will promote camaraderie and cohesiveness that will make the students’ own successes a team endeavor,” Roudenko said.

The program is led by FIU mathematicians and statisticians who have extensive teaching, mentoring and research experience.

Alumna broadcaster survived breast cancer, spreads awareness and is living her dream

Monica Smith — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 09:06:00 -0400

FIU alumna Priscilla Ferreyra, breast cancer survivor and Telemundo journalist, uses her experiences to spread awareness and offer support.  

FIU Law trial team achieves national ranking

Contributing Author — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 14:27:00 -0400

On the strength of its state and national regional championships last spring, FIU Law is now ranked among the nation’s Top 20 law school trial teams, tied for 19th.

3 decades in the Arctic affirm need for long-term monitoring

JoAnn Adkins — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 10:22:00 -0400

The journal Arctic Science is commemorating three decades of research findings from the International Tundra Experiment with a special issue this fall.

Alumnus, founder of top-notch tech company shares journey, tips

Monica Smith — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 11:05:00 -0400

Jason Dettbarn says he leveraged the knowledge gained from his FIU undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science to create his company, Addigy.

FIU, MDCPS partner to create pathway for more school counselors

Chrystian Tejedor — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 10:19:00 -0400

School districts across the nation are in need of school counselors, and FIU has partnered with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to help meet its demand.

Personalized success plans assist students struggling academically

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 09:07:00 -0400

Students who are struggling academically can receive a personalized Academic Success Plan created by an academic coach.

Message from the President-Designate: The start of a new chapter at FIU

Contributing Author — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:52:00 -0400

President-Designate Kenneth A. Jessell shared the following message with the Panther community after being selected FIU's sixth president.

Kenneth A. Jessell selected as FIU's sixth president

Contributing Author — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:24:00 -0400

Today the Florida International University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name Kenneth A. Jessell the university’s sixth president.

Message from the Chair: Board of Trustees names Dr. Kenneth A. Jessell FIU's sixth president

Contributing Author — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:24:00 -0400

FIU Board of Trustees Chair Dean C. Colson shared this message with the university community today.

Calling all students! USAID conference hosted at FIU Oct. 18-20

Contributing Author — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:31:00 -0400

The free, open-to-the-public conference focuses on what USAID does and how students and alumni can start careers with the agency.

Longtime university supporter gives back to help save the bay

Contributing Author — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 09:57:00 -0400

Longtime FIU supporter Elliot Stone donated funds for FIU to add a buoy, crucial to the university's efforts to protect and preserve the Biscayne Bay and Florida Bay.

Professor Jose Faria named winner of 2022 Real Triumphs Faculty Award

Contributing Author — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 09:08:00 -0400

The school of construction management professor has impacted students and community members, among them the underprivileged seeking a livelihood.

FIU football standout talks juggling academics and athletics

Contributing Author — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 09:41:00 -0400

Demetrius Hill has impressed fans on the field, but what he does in class counts too.

FIU presidential candidate meetings draw university-wide interest

Alexandra Pecharich — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 18:00:00 -0400

Hundreds of students, administrators, faculty and staff took time to formally meet Interim President Kenneth A. Jessell as he discussed his possible future as FIU’s permanent leader.

Students use real-world data to create business solutions

Monica Smith — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:57:00 -0400

Professor Hossein “Zane” Tavana sheds light on his forecasting and demand management course.

$1.3 million federal grant helps FIU beef up high school biology classes with big data, hands-on research

Chrystian Tejedor — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 10:31:00 -0400

The five-year Science Education Partnership Award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the NIH will launch the Authentic Bioinformatics in the Classroom project.

FIU named 2022 HSI leader by Fulbright Program

Contributing Author — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 14:49:00 -0400

FIU has been named a Fulbright HSI Leader for the second year in a row by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

College of Medicine’s annual art show helps fight breast cancer

Ileana Varela — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 10:15:00 -0400

The Wertheim College of Medicine is holding its annual art show/auction to raise funds to cover mammograms for underserved women.

Nation’s largest Hispanic Serving Institution FIU joins tech training initiative

Contributing Author — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 10:14:00 -0400

Florida International University (FIU) has joined an initiative designed to help students access the skills and credentials necessary to succeed in high-demand technology careers. Through a partnership with the tech talent platform SkillStorm, FIU students can now participate in courses that lead to credentials from the country’s leading tech companies, including AWS, Salesforce, CompTIA and Pega.

“As one of Florida’s largest institutions, we have a responsibility to prepare our students to navigate a rapidly evolving and increasingly digital labor market,” said Bridgette Cram, Interim Vice President, Innovative Education & Student Success at Florida International University. “Partnerships like this one, which will draw on SkillStorm’s unique training model and deep relationships with major tech employers, are helping us realize that mission — and fulfill our role as an engine of economic mobility throughout the state.”

Though Hispanics make up nearly one-fifth of the U.S. workforce, they are just 7 percent of the tech workforce, according to recent research from the Aspen Institute and the Kapor Center. As the country’s largest Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with more than 32,000 students who identify as Hispanic or Latino, FIU is uniquely positioned to help close this persistent gap by expanding access to the credentials that are most in-demand among technology employers today.

FIU’s partnership with SkillStorm includes the Accelerator Program . SkillStorm’s Accelerator Program provides online, asynchronous and traditional training courses to help students gain certification in AWS, Salesforce, CompTIA and Pega.

“Our work is rooted in the belief that closing skill gaps and creating pathways to economic mobility are, in many ways, two sides of the same coin,” said Joe Mitchell, COO at SkillStorm. “Together with FIU, we’re enabling more students to learn the skills that lead to success in today’s world of work, and expanding access to economic opportunity for those who stand to gain the most from the promise of higher education.”

The certifications provided through these partnership tracks are designed for students and professionals at any stage of their educational or career journey. Many of FIU’s certification courses will offer students the flexibility to attend when convenient, while providing access to one-on-one training from industry-certified instructors.

FIU experts available to discuss 2022 elections

Lourdes Perez — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0400

FIU experts are available to discuss a wide range of topics including foreign relations, the economy and reproductive rights.

'You gotta love what you do': FIU students get real-life advice from Miami hospitality entrepreneur David Grutman, DJ Khaled

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 17:03:00 -0400

Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management's return of The David Grutman Experience: The Class

All you need to know for Homecoming game tomorrow

Contributing Author — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 15:12:00 -0400

Homecoming Week culminates tomorrow Saturday, Oct. 8, with the Homecoming game. The Panthers will play the University of Connecticut Huskies at 7 p.m.

FIU recertified with Seal of Excelencia for its success in serving Hispanic and Latino student

Contributing Author — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 15:00:00 -0400

"FIU wants to be deeply embedded with partners in Washington, D.C., at the federal level, state level and certainly at our local level. We’re really excited about the opportunities that this brings the deeper engagement and recognition that FIU is receiving,” said Bejar. “Receiving the Seal of Excelencia provides… opportunity for agencies and program officers to get to know the strong work that is emblematic of the FIU Panther Nation,”

While in Washington, Béjar convened national educational leaders such as Assistant Secretary of Education for Policy Roberto Rodriguez and Frances Colon, member of the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, for an intimate dialogue at FIU in D.C. on the current challenges in higher education.

“I was proud to be a part of the discussion that explored the challenges many students face in pursuit of their post-secondary education. This round-table not only adequately recognized the challenges students, like myself face, but also addressed the solutions for challenges like affordability and pipeline pathways to solid careers for students,” said Imani Davis, a graduate student in the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs who is interning this semester at the Blockchain Association and was at the roundtable. Davis also participated in the Congressional Black Caucus’ annual leadership conference.

Presidential Search Update: salary, applicant pool and community sessions

Contributing Author — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 11:25:00 -0400

The Presidential Search Committee has unanimously approved a range of compensation for FIU’s next president.

Ready to bring it home!

Contributing Author — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Fresh off a road win that reversed its fortunes, the FIU football team aims to continue the momentum on Saturday.

The land we are on

Laura Lopez Ramos — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 15:40:00 -0400

Miami is on land that has been respected and cherished by Native peoples for over 10,000 years and they continue to cherish it today

Bon appétit: Student-run restaurant open with new items on the menu

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 12:45:00 -0400

FIU Bistro is serving lunch, dinner and coffee this semester.

5 tips to prioritize fitness in a busy schedule

Contributing Author — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 10:15:00 -0400

A certified personal trainer shares advice to help students incorporate fitness into their busy lives.

The big reason Florida insurance companies are failing isn’t just hurricane risk – it’s fraud and lawsuits

Contributing Author — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 10:15:00 -0400

Shahid S. Hamid, professor of finance at FIU writes about Florida insurance companies in The Conversation.

Join us for community sessions regarding the FIU presidential search

Contributing Author — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 17:04:00 -0400

The university is hosting a series of community sessions next week to give all stakeholders an opportunity to interact directly with Dr. Kenneth A. Jessell.

Professor helps pass legislation to get butts off Florida beaches

Angela Nicoletti — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 15:48:00 -0400

Dr. Beach has always had the prescription for a perfect beach day — zero butts on the beach. Cigarette butts, of course.

Entrepreneurial alumni upgrade ride-share experience with startup Alto

Contributing Author — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:25:00 -0400

A new startup in Miami assembles an all-FIU alumni management team.

Beta Alpha Psi scores Gold — again

Cynthia Corzo — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 13:32:00 -0400

The FIU chapter was awarded Gold status at the society’s annual conference.

Hurricanes are producing more rain, FIU study finds

Angela Nicoletti — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 13:05:00 -0400

FIU researchers found hurricanes have steadily been producing more rain over the last 20 years — a sign that storms can generate far more severe impacts in hurricane-prone areas like Florida.

Student who played baseball on the U.S. women's national team now shifts to softball at FIU

Contributing Author — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 15:20:00 -0400

Sophomore transfer goes into her first season as a softball player on the heels of a baseball career that started when she was the only girl on the otherwise all-boys team

Message from the interim president: FIU ready to assist those impacted by Hurricane Ian

Contributing Author — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 17:41:00 -0400

FIU is working with government leaders to understand needs and provide help in the wake of Hurricane Ian. FIU Strong has been activated to support Panthers who have been impacted.

Normal FIU operations will resume on Thursday, Sept. 29

Contributing Author — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 17:24:00 -0400

Initial assessments have determined that FIU facilities and grounds sustained very little damage, and this provides us the ability to resume normal operations tomorrow.

Mental health emergency? Call 988

Contributing Author — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 13:13:00 -0400

New hotline immediately connects callers with counselors.

Hurricane Ian update: FIU campuses will close at 5 p.m. today and on Wednesday, Sept. 28, due to tropical storm watch

Contributing Author — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 12:37:00 -0400

FIU campuses will close starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, and will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, September 28. All classes are canceled, including online classes.

First female grad of Master’s in IoT pays it forward

David Drucker — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 10:41:00 -0400

A software developer at GM, Fantaysia Polanco is helping hundreds of children learn about engineering and computer science.

Meet global changemakers: FIU’s 2022 Millennium Fellows

Contributing Author — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 15:19:00 -0400

This semester, 24 Panthers will demonstrate their commitment to enacting social change on a global scale as Millennium Fellows.

FIU Stempel College researchers awarded NIH supplement grant to explore the role of a neuroinflammation protein in Alzheimer’s disease

Stephanie Rendon — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 12:05:00 -0400

Researchers are working to identify risk factors and treatments to help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

FIU Theatre opens fall season with provocative play

Contributing Author — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 14:10:00 -0400

"Passage" by Christopher Chen explores how power imbalances between countries affect personal relationships.

FIU is monitoring Tropical Depression 9

Contributing Author — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 13:04:00 -0400

The following message was shared with the FIU community on Sep. 23.

Important presidential search update

Contributing Author — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 16:08:00 -0400

The search committee voted to recommend to the Board of Trustees Dr. Kenneth A. Jessell as the finalist to become the 6th president of FIU.

FIU rides the tide of the nation's most relevant rankings

Alexandra Pecharich — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 16:00:00 -0400

Days before its 50th anniversary, the university learned it had won the triple crown: high standing in three distinctive, respected national rankings.

A former Latin American president, vice president and U.S. undersecretary of state to serve as fall 2022 Senior Leadership Fellows

Madeline Baro — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:49:00 -0400

FIU’s Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom fall 2022 senior leadership fellows will include distinguished national and international public servants.

4 students earn Gilman Scholarships to study abroad

Gisela Maria Valencia — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:29:00 -0400

Thanks to a prestigious U.S. Department of State program, top-achieving FIU students are expanding their horizons abroad.

Mid-semester blues got you down? Here are five tips to get you through

Contributing Author — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 14:34:00 -0400

FIU life coaches share how to stay motivated and meet your goals.

Summer at MIT Media Lab yields 'community of purpose'

Contributing Author — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 14:27:00 -0400

Panther network helped Lina Henriquez obtain and thrive at MIT summer research program.

Building a sense of community for doctoral students: DEI launches its inaugural Fellowship Cohort with 15 students

Garrett Horne — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 09:55:00 -0400

Building a sense of community for doctoral students: DEI launches its inaugural Fellowship Cohort with 15 students

Don't lose your data! Migrate to OneDrive by Oct. 6

Gisela Maria Valencia — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 16:27:00 -0400

The deadline to move files currently in your FIU Google Drive to OneDrive is Thursday, Oct. 6.

50th anniversary exhibition: a look back

Contributing Author — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 13:39:00 -0400

The exhibition takes the campus community back to the university’s early years.

FIU Law earns highest scores on Florida bar exam — again

Greg Miller — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 13:17:00 -0400

For the eighth consecutive July administration, FIU College of Law graduates earned the highest passage rate of any of Florida’s 11 law schools on the Florida bar exam. With a first-time passage rate of 81.2%, FIU Law surpassed the statewide average passage rate of 64.4% by 16.8 percentage points.

“This year’s graduates overcame many unusual challenges during their law school experience, and they should all be commended for their resilience,” said FIU Law Dean Antony Page. “They did so with a poise that served them well for the remainder of their studies and will continue to serve them well in their professional endeavors.”

The July 2022 exam marked the first time in two years that the summer administration of the Florida bar exam was offered in person. The exam was administered remotely in July 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 2015, more than 88% of FIU Law graduates have passed the bar exam on their first attempt - the highest passage rate of any Florida law school.

Special Education program receives $1.25 million to support master’s students

Christine Calvo — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 09:19:00 -0400

Two cohorts – made up of 20 students each – will receive full tuition from the five-year grant.

What would YOU put in an FIU time capsule? The Student Government Association wants to know

Contributing Author — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 14:18:00 -0400

Make your suggestions at the “Pantherversary” event on Monday evening in the Green Library.

Power Up Women’s Leadership Conference set for Sept. 30

Cynthia Corzo — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 12:42:00 -0400

Connect with other like-minded women, foster powerful collaborations, and harness your drive to accelerate success at Power Up Women’s Leadership Conference

NSF funds research to uncover secrets of shrimp that call the deep ocean’s underwater volcanos home

Angela Nicoletti — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 11:20:00 -0400

Different species of deep-sea shrimp have evolved to have different sized eyes to best see one another, according to new research.

FIU marine scientists Heather Bracken-Grissom and Lorian Schweikert — a former FIU distinguished postdoctoral scientist and current assistant professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington — found that in the case of deep-sea sergestid shrimps, the eyes are windows to the secret of life in the deep sea.

More than other ecological factors, like habitat, migration patterns, depth and even sunlight level, bioluminescence was the strongest indicator for how big the shrimp’s eyes are — a finding that emphasizes the connection between vision and bioluminescence, and provides more evidence that making light is, in fact, a deep-sea form of communication.

Schweikert collaborated with co-lead author University of Texas postdoctoral scientist Kate Thomas and a team of researchers to examine 454 sergestid shrimps from 16 species. Eye size directly correlated to specific types of light organs.

“I think I expected depth to have the strongest effect on eye size, because sunlight can be such a powerful entity in marine environments,” Schweikert, the study’s lead author, said. “That’s what is so incredible about our findings. They suggest these shrimps evolved to have different eye sizes to better see the bioluminescence of their own species.”

In a place as huge and expansive as the ocean, some animals in the deep sea evolved to produce light. Bright blue bioluminescence is a way to communicate. Like all communication, this language of light is about transmitting and receiving signals. Vision and bioluminescence are intertwined.

“Such a simple and elegant part of nature, like eye size, can tell you how an animal might behave and survive in its environment,” Schweikert said. “Vision is so important to understanding the lives of many animals, especially those in the deep sea. I wanted to know what it was about their lives underwater that caused these shrimps to have different eyes and sensitivities in vision.”

Deep-sea sergestid shrimp each have a sort of unique pattern of bioluminescence, almost like a fingerprint. That’s because the light organs, called photophores, vary. Deep-sea shrimp in this study have three different variations — lensed, non-lensed and internal light organs called organs of Pesta. However, even across this species, the light organs are an array of different sizes, structures and arranged in different ways.

More than a dozen events slated for Hispanic Heritage Month

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 08:51:00 -0400

FIU will commemorate the month, celebrated Sept. 15-Oct. 15, with panel discussions, hora locas, student spotlights on social media, and more.

FIU timeline: Evolution of a university

Contributing Author — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 15:41:00 -0400

Fifty years ago, FIU rose up at the edge of the Florida Everglades to become one of the largest research universities in the country. From its very start, FIU has stepped up to meet the moment, to give wings to the ambitions of individuals while serving the goals and ideals of a region and state intent on greatness. Today, FIU stands as an example of how dedication, determination and dreams together conquer all.

Click through the slideshow journey to celebrate FIU's history.

Check out Miami's largest F-I-U at iconic South Pointe Park

Contributing Author — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 07:08:00 -0400

Panthers gathered at South Pointe Beach Saturday to create the largest F-I-U in the city, in honor of the university's 50th anniversary.

Happy 50th, FIU!

Contributing Author — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 07:07:00 -0400

Dear FIU family,

Happy 50th, FIU!

Today marks 50 years since Charles Perry, FIU’s founding president, stood at the steps of Primera Casa and officially opened this university – at the time a one-building institution – with great hopes for the future.

Fifty years later, FIU has met and far exceeded expectations and is now among the top research universities in the nation. This university is highly ranked for its contribution to the public good and to the success and prosperity of our students and nearly 300,000 alumni, many of whom live and work in South Florida.

Today, FIU is the model for the 21st-century university. We are diverse, dynamic, and excellent. We have so much to be proud of!

As we celebrate today, I invite you to take a moment to reach out to your favorite Panthers and congratulate them on being part of this great institution that changes lives every single day through education and the ground-breaking research of our faculty.

As you drive around town this evening, be sure to look for rays of blue and gold, as our community celebrates with us. Buildings on our campuses and throughout our county are lighting up in recognition of FIU’s 50th anniversary. We are thankful to our partners for joining in the celebration of what we have built together. Some of the landmarks donning blue and gold include:

In addition, be on the lookout for billboards throughout Miami-Dade County as well as printed and digital commemorative coverage in several local publications.

The future of geopolitics

Contributing Author — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 16:08:00 -0400

Students share their perspectives on the global landscape.

UPE at FIU hosts largest hackathon in Florida with top tech companies in attendance

David Drucker — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 15:34:00 -0400

More than 1,300 students were coding applications at FIU as Google, Microsoft and other top tech firms sponsored the action.

AUDIO CLIP: Founding President Charles Perry delivers remarks on FIU's opening day, Sept. 14, 1972

Contributing Author — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 11:43:00 -0400

To celebrate the university’s 50th anniversary, FIU News will share 50 moments in FIU’s history.

Got an FIU alert? Let us know your feedback

Contributing Author — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 10:06:00 -0400

Take a short survey to provide feedback.

Meet the new dean of business

Contributing Author — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 09:59:00 -0400

One of the world’s top researchers in the field of real estate is now also on top of the College of Business.

First-of-its-kind guidebook created to help teens overcome suicidal thoughts

Contributing Author — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 09:48:00 -0400

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and suicide continues to be the second leading cause of death among teens in the United States

Summer research programs provide experience for next generation of engineers and scientists

Contributing Author — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 09:35:00 -0400

Undergraduate and graduate students, high school students and a few high school science and engineering teachers presented their work at the 2nd Annual Summer Research Symposium.

Letter from the editor: In praise of our founders

Alexandra Pecharich — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:43:00 -0400

A jurist breaking barriers

Contributing Author — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Barbara Lagoa ’89 is a circuit Judge of the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

An imagination on fire

Contributing Author — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Dennis Lehane MFA ’01 is the author of more than a dozen novels, several of which have been made into films.

The ultimate champion for global prosperity

Contributing Author — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Carmen M. Reinhart ’75 is chief economist of the World Bank.

An unexpected voice heard loud and clear

Contributing Author — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Desmond Meade JD ’14 is executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.

A luminary of the screen

Contributing Author — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Danny Pino ’96 is starring on TV and in the movie theater.

World Center Colombia: Taking global health to the next level

Stephanie Rendon — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 16:57:00 -0400

The hub brings together faculty and students at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work and universities in South America.

Legacy in female athletics: Panther standouts of the past five decades

Alexandra Pecharich — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 14:10:00 -0400

Follow the stories of Panthers who either had a hand in championing women’s sports or who themselves attained distinction in competition.

6 tips to land the perfect internship

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 12:04:00 -0400

Why participate in internships? Internships provide real-world work experience in your chosen field of study.

Impact around the world: FIU research aligns with global ambitions to improve life on the planet

Contributing Author — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:54:00 -0400

FIU research is advancing the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Biomedical advance targets a major contributor to cardiovascular disease

Contributing Author — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:33:00 -0400

FIU researchers have earned a patent that could potentially revolutionize how heart disease is treated.

Coffee, cocktails and creativity: Panther hospitality student's perseverance results in ticket to U.S. Open

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 08:09:00 -0400

Michael Eboka won the FIU competition with the “Tropical Kiss” cocktail and “Butler’s Breeze” mocktail.

Fastest-rising university in U.S. News & World Report public rankings

Alexandra Pecharich — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:01:00 -0400

FIU has earned near-simultaneous recognition from three national rankings organizations.

FIU a top patent producer

Contributing Author — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 22:01:00 -0400

Patent production is an important indicator of a university’s impact

Forbes recognizes FIU as a top employer in the state

Gisela Maria Valencia — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 22:00:00 -0400

The university ranked No. 30 in Florida.

5 under 35

Contributing Author — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 18:05:00 -0400

A new generation of Panthers captures attention.

FIU launches new student social media ambassador program

Contributing Author — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 15:41:00 -0400

The university has launched its first ambassador social media program for content creators. FIU Creators are student ambassadors who are passionate about being Panthers.

Fall 2022 Class Notes

Contributing Author — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 11:15:00 -0400

Check out what Panther alumni have been up to.

Meet the new dean of medicine

Contributing Author — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 10:11:00 -0400

Dr. Juan C. Cendan shares more about his vision, the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine's approach to education and the role of technology in teaching aspiring doctors.

Students learn, engage with D.C. like never before

Contributing Author — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 17:05:00 -0400

A group of talented students are currently in the nation’s capital engaging in for-credit academic experiences from FIU's expanded headquarters in D.C.

Big data, big insights: FIU prepares students to lead in business analytics

Contributing Author — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 10:47:00 -0400

FIU is leading the way in training the next generation of data sleuths through its booming undergraduate business analytics program.

Ethnic identity tied to disparities in school suspensions among Florida youth

Amy Ellis — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 15:33:00 -0400

Research has established that racial disparities exist in suspensions at school, with Black and Hispanic students more likely to be suspended than white, non-Hispanic students. A new study found that focusing only on broad categories like Black or Hispanic masks important differences in the likelihood of suspension.

“When looking across the more than a dozen unique subgroups of youth in the study, it's the youth from racial/ethnic groups that tend to have the darkest skin tone that also have the greatest likelihood of suspension, even after accounting for all the other personal, social, attitudinal, and behavioral background factors of each of the more than 50,000 study participants,’’ said Ryan Meldrum, co-author of the study and professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice in the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs at FIU.

Making use of one-of-a-kind information collected by the state of Florida from more than 54,000 youth as part of the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, researchers from Florida International University and Sam Houston State University, examined differences in self-reported suspension from schools across 13 separate categories of race/ethnicity.

These included: Mexican, Central American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, other Hispanic groups, Haitian, West Indian/Caribbean, Dominican, Black/non-Hispanic, Asian, Native American, White/non-Hispanic and other race/ethnicity. The study took into account other factors that might explain the disparities in suspensions and still the disparities remained.

“Most studies investigating racial and ethnic disparities in school suspension are limited to just a few discrete categories of race/ethnicity — for example, white, Black, Hispanic, and ‘other race,’” Meldrum added. “Given the increasing racial and ethnic diversity of the United States, particularly within the state of Florida, examining potential differences in school suspensions when capturing a student’s ethnic identity in a manner that more accurately reflects who they are is something we knew was important for advancing this line of research.’’

The study revealed that among separate samples of male and female students in Florida middle and high schools, Black/non-Hispanic, Haitian, West Indian/Caribbean, Dominican and Puerto Rican students are most likely to be suspended from school.

After accounting for a wide range of other factors, the findings showed that the probability of school suspension meets or exceeds 10% for some minority groups, which is significantly greater than the likelihood of suspension among white students, particularly for females.

Moreover, even though male students are, on average, more likely to receive a school suspension than female students, the study found that racial/ethnic disparities in suspension were greater among females. For example, Haitian or Black/non-Hispanic female students were nearly three times as likely to be suspended as white female students.

The analysis accounted for several factors that might otherwise explain racial/ethnic and gender disparities in school suspension, including each student’s family background, neighborhood environment, delinquent attitudes, levels of self-control, bullying behavior and delinquency.

“It remains unclear exactly why the disparities identified persist after taking into account all of these varied factors,” said Peter Lehmann, lead author of the study and assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Sam Houston State University. “Past theory and research points to unequal treatment of racial and ethnic minority students, driven in part by stereotypes and discrimination. Our findings are consistent with that pattern.”

Previous studies have shown direct evidence that students with darker skin tones are more likely to be suspended from school.

“Unfortunately, it remains a challenge for researchers to capture the attitudes of school personnel who make decisions about suspensions in a study that also collects detailed information from students,” Meldrum said. “Until this can be done, a complete understanding of the forces behind these persistent disparities in suspension from school across race, ethnicity and gender will remain elusive.”

The complete study entitled, “Racial and Ethnic Identity, Gender, and School Suspension: Heterogeneous Effects Across Hispanic and Caribbean Subgroups,” will appear in a special issue of the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency focused on centering race in the study of crime and criminal justice.

The art of resilience: Designing for the future of the built environment

Gisela Maria Valencia — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 14:27:00 -0400

FIU is tackling the world’s most pressing architectural concern head-on by training the next generation of skilled architects who understand the importance of sustainable designs.

Sleeping fish? From sharks to salmon, guppies to groupers, here’s how they grab a snooze

Contributing Author — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:33:00 -0400

Michael Heithaus, executive dean of CASE and professor of biological sciences at FIU writes to Curious Kids in The Conversation.

FIU names new director of Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center

Amy Ellis — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 10:35:00 -0400

Anthony W. Pereira, founder and former director of the Brazilian Studies Institute at King’s College of London, has been named director of the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center at FIU.

Recognized as one of the leading centers of Latin American and Caribbean studies in the world, LACC is a part of the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs. LACC is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Resource Center on Latin America.

Pereira takes over leadership of the center from former Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis, who served as interim director since 2021, when longtime director Frank O. Mora was nominated as Ambassador to the Organization for American States.

“FIU has incredible strength in the region, with leading scholars on Cuba, Central America and the Andean Region,” said Pereira. “I thank my predecessors for their leaderships and look forward to joining my colleagues as we continue to ensure LACC’s contributions are among the most significant and responsive to emerging trends and challenges in Latin America.”

At King’s College, Pereira is credited with founding the Brazil Institute, hiring its team of academics and creating the institute’s master’s and Ph.D. programs. He assisted in the construction of a new master’s program in global affairs, with the cooperation of the China, India, Russia, Middle East and Africa institutes and centers. He also helped create a joint Ph.D. in international relations with the Institute of International Relations at the University of São Paulo.

“Dr. Pereira has extensive teaching and research experience at universities across the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean, and the U.K.,” said Shlomi Dinar, interim dean of the Green School. “His extensive partnerships with universities and research organizations will be a tremendous asset for LACC and the Green School.”

Pereira has been a Fulbright and Fulbright-Hays fellow and received grants from, among others, the British Academy, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Organization of American States.

Before joining King’s in 2010, where he was also a professor of international development, Pereira held positions at the New School for Social Research in New York City, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, Tulane University in New Orleans and the University of East Anglia in the UK.

Pereira graduated from the University of Sussex in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in politics and in 1986 obtained a master’s degree in government from Harvard University. He earned his Ph.D. in government from Harvard in 1991, focusing on comparative politics with a concentration in Latin America. Pereira lives in Kendall with his wife and has two adult children who live in London.

FIU Football rallies for 38-37 overtime victory in season opener over Bryant

Contributing Author — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 08:37:00 -0400

Panther head coach Mike MacIntyre makes the decision to go for two trailing by one in overtime.

FIU partners with data science training provider Metis to offer bootcamp for high-in-demand tech skills

Lourdes Perez — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 16:48:00 -0400

Transforming Coral Gables into model smart city

Monica Smith — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 16:05:00 -0400

As the director of innovation and technology and chief innovation officer for Coral Gables, alumnus Raimundo Rodulfo runs the city's smart city infrastructure. Read more.

Wildfire experts provide guidance for new research directions

Chrystian Tejedor — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:55:00 -0400

As wildfires cause increasing devastation worldwide, dozens of fire experts across the nation are calling for a more strategic and interdisciplinary approach to pursuing wildfire research.

Cheers to that: Tickets are on sale for FIU-produced North Miami BrewFest

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 13:22:00 -0400

Tickets are on sale Sept.1 for the North Miami BrewFest produced by FIU Hospitality, scheduled to take place Nov. 12.

FIU starter goes up against his much-loved former coach at Thursday football home opener

Contributing Author — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 15:30:00 -0400

Panthers defensive tackle Jeramy Passmore is looking for a win on the field followed by a quick reunion with his Columbus High coach, who now leads the Bryant University Bulldogs.

Wearable devices could help predict seizures

Contributing Author — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 11:10:00 -0400

For the more than three million Americans who suffer from epilepsy, seizures can be life or death events. FIU researchers are developing algorithms and wearable devices that help predict a seizure.

Real impact: FIU earns two top national rankings alongside America’s most prestigious institutions

Karen Cochrane — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 16:48:00 -0400

The latest rankings underscore FIU’s unique ability to excel in research and innovation while contributing to new graduates’ financial success

The Black Pepper Food & Wine Festival returned to spice up Black businesses

Garrett Horne — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0400

More than 3,000 community members attended the BPF&WF at the Biscayne Bay Campus earlier this month,

New discovery means dolphins form largest social network outside of humans

JoAnn Adkins — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 15:05:00 -0400

Researchers say some dolphins form multiple levels of alliances among their societies.

Alumnus completes prestigious pre-law program at Harvard

Gisela Maria Valencia — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 13:17:00 -0400

Just a few months after graduating from FIU, Daniel Simon ’22 packed his bags and headed for Harvard to complete a top-notch program that will prepare him for his future: law school.

Photo, video highlights: semester kicks off with exciting week of welcome

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:15:00 -0400

Panthers celebrated a new academic year this week with Convocation, F1RST NIGHT and other welcome events.

With gratitude: Newest Panthers pay it forward in honor of their families

Gisela Maria Valencia — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 11:10:00 -0400

A couple of our newest Panthers share how the tenacity and passion of their parents have fueled their success and led them to FIU.

At-home test could pick up the 'sound' of heart disease

David Drucker — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 10:32:00 -0400

Josh Hutcheson, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Florida International University’s College of Engineering & Computing, has been awarded a five-year, $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to support his research into a common and often-lethal condition in people with chronic kidney disease.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among the 37 million people in the U.S. who have chronic kidney disease (CKD). The NIH grant will support Hutcheson’s research into calcification in the blood vessels that can lead to heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems for those with CKD. Hutcheson’s research focuses on decreasing the build-up of calcification, which may have a significant health impact.

“An imbalance of calcium and phosphate, and a decrease in kidney function in patients with CKD, can lead to hard plaque in the blood vessels,” Hutcheson said. “We are still trying to understand the mechanism that causes the formation of this bone-like mineral. The fact that we have identified commercially available drugs that seem to stop the process, however, is very encouraging.”

The drugs, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors, are commonly used in the treatment of cancer patients. Because they are already approved by the FDA for that purpose, it is possible for Hutcheson and his research team to move forward more quickly than if they were working with drugs still in development.

Research in the Hutcheson Cardiovascular Matrix Remodeling Lab at FIU taps into the cellular process and how cells sense and respond to each other and to changes in their environment.

“We had a real breakthrough when my first Ph.D. student, Amirala Bakhshiannik (now a postdoctoral fellow at the Medical College of Wisconsin), had the idea of targeting a particular protein that is associated with calcifications elsewhere in the body,” Hutcheson said. “We began experimenting in cells in culture, and when we added the EGFR inhibitor, the calcification was gone.”

The NIH grant, titled “Targeting the Caveolae-Dependent Mechanism of Calcifying Extracellular Vesicle Formation,” will allow Hutcheson and collaborator Jin He, associate professor from the Department of Physics, to continue advancing their novel cardiovascular research. Earlier research in the lab has been supported by the Florida Heart Research Foundation, the American Heart Association and the National Science Foundation.

Home at FIU: Out-of-state freshmen discuss the ‘it’ factor that led them to become Panthers

Gisela Maria Valencia — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 10:03:00 -0400

Meet two of our newest students who felt FIU was made just for them.

Smart locker brings organization to growing food delivery demands

Cynthia Corzo — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 09:35:00 -0400

Boxie, co-founded by Lemay Sanchez ’08, is projected to be available at more than 235 restaurants in the next four months.

FIU launches new program in veterinary forensics

Contributing Author — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 16:16:00 -0400

FIU is launching a Professional Science Master’s (PSM) in Forensic Science track in Veterinary Forensic Science starting Fall 2023. In partnership with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the curriculum provides those working in animal services a comprehensive skillset to oversee animal cruelty cases.

The Global Forensic and Justice Center (GFJC) will offer a 16-month online program, allowing professionals the flexibility to engage with subject matter experts from anywhere in the world.

“The PSM ties together the practical knowledge forensic veterinarians need with the business and public administration skills to effectively and efficiently identify and support cases of suspected animal cruelty and neglect,” said Max Houck, graduate program director at GFJC.

Forensic veterinarians are tasked with responding to animal cruelty cases, providing examinations, evidence, and analysis to assist law enforcement. To date, the ASPCA’s veterinary forensic sciences team has assisted with more than 2,500 cases of suspected animal cruelty or neglect, impacting more than 10,000 animals across the country.

“The ASPCA strives to advance the application of veterinary medicine and forensic sciences in the investigation, prosecution, and prevention of cruelty to animals as part of our ongoing effort to expand capacities to protect animals from cruelty and neglect,” said Rachel Touroo, senior director of Veterinary Forensic Sciences at the ASPCA. “Our partnership with FIU will allow us to reach current and future animal welfare professionals who can support the field of veterinary forensic sciences, ultimately saving more animal lives and bringing their abusers to justice.”

Applications are now being accepted for the inaugural Fall 2023 cohort. Prospective students can learn more at the virtual open houses on Sep. 21, 2022 and Oct. 26, 2022 by registering here.

Behind the motivation: Future generation of health care workers

Gisela Maria Valencia — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 12:15:00 -0400

Among the Class of 2026, are those who will one day be doctors, nurses, caregivers and health care providers. Meet two of these Panthers.

Communication faculty member receives international awards for book on media and the climate crisis

Contributing Author — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 12:00:00 -0400

Associate professor David J. Park's award-winning book details the ongoing climate crisis, and its exacerbation by mass media and widespread consumerism.

Women can do what with computing? Students learn different ways computing is intertwined with everyday fields at Break Through Tech Miami’s Summer Guild Workshop

Contributing Author — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 11:47:00 -0400

Stay tuned for the invigorating upcoming programs and workshops Break Through Tech Miami will offer. More information will be available at miami.breakthroughtech.org or you can email breakthroughtech@fiu.edu.

FIU awarded over $2M to prepare students for careers in cybersecurity

Eddy Madero — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 10:52:00 -0400

Cyber Florida has awarded FIU more than $2 million to fund projects focused on educating and preparing students for careers in cybersecurity and information technology.

30 years later: Hurricane Andrew’s legacy

Maydel Santana — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 09:29:00 -0400

A great deal has changed since August 24, 1992 – from how hurricane insurance works to Florida building codes – and FIU has been at the forefront of that change.

FIU technology heads to International Space Station

David Drucker — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 14:00:00 -0400

An FIU lab has developed a new coating to protect machinery for use on the lunar surface – think rovers and excavators – against radiation levels up to 1,000 times greater than on Earth.

Class of 2026: Rising stars ready to make a difference

Gisela Maria Valencia — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 09:50:00 -0400

To celebrate our freshmen, FIU News is introducing the Panther community to some of the students who've begun their journey at the university this semester.

High levels of toxic mercury in some species of shark meat, fins pose dangers to human health

Angela Nicoletti — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 09:35:00 -0400

Shark fins and meat from hammerhead sharks pose a health risk to consumers — especially women of childbearing age — and should not be sold because of their dangerously high levels of toxic mercury, according to a new study.

Laura García Barcia, an FIU Ph.D. candidate in the Predator Ecology and Conversation lab, collaborated with a team of scientists from the United States and Hong Kong to assess the health risks of eating shark-derived products. They focused on one of the biggest safety concerns associated with consuming shark derived products — mercury. Most of the meat and fin samples tested had mercury levels surpassing local legal safety limits, while the greatest risk to consumers is from hammerhead shark products. The findings were recently published in Exposure & Health.

“For many communities around the world, shark-derived products are an important source of protein — and that’s why we need to get a better idea what health risks might be facing those communities,” García Barcia said. “After the first study we did in 2020, the next question we wanted to answer was how many bowls of shark fin soup — or how much shark meat — you can have without consuming too much mercury.”

First, the team needed some fins sold for human consumption. Luckily, they had fin trimmings on hand, previously collected from markets in China and Hong Kong as part of a larger, ongoing project to understand the species composition of the global shark fin trade. For this study, the team tested mercury levels in the nine most common shark species in the fin trade — since these would most likely end up in a bowl of shark fin soup. Out of the 267 fin trimmings, 75% exceeded the Hong Kong Center for Food safety’s maximum legal limit of 0.5 parts per million (ppm) of methylmercury, the organic and highly toxic form of mercury.

Hammerhead species had the most staggeringly high amounts of mercury. Great hammerhead fins had the highest methylmercury levels, ranging from between 0.28 and 26.24 ppm. Scalloped hammerhead fins had 0.26 to 10.20 ppm, and smooth hammerhead fins between 0.17 and 25.53 ppm. Some hammerhead samples were over 20 times the limit of 1 ppm.

Coincidentally, these sharks are also the most sought after and valuable in the global fin trade, as Demian Chapman — director of the Sharks & Rays Conservation Program at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and adjunct professor at FIU — points out.

"Hammerheads are one of the premium species in the fin trade, yet the high-end consumers who buy them probably don't realize that by purchasing the most expensive fins they actually are putting themselves and their guests at the greatest health risk,” said Chapman, who is also one of the study’s authors. "The fin trade has contributed to the high extinction risk faced by the hammerhead sharks, yet trading these species in particular also puts consumers at risk. It’s a lose-lose scenario for people and wildlife."

To answer the rather complicated question of how many bowls of shark fin soup could be potentially dangerous, many factors must be considered. García Barcia consulted reports on local consumption rates, then factored in other variables, like the average body weight of consumers, to calculate potential health risks from consuming the soup.

Typically, shark fin soup is reserved for special occasions, so people only have anywhere between one to six bowls a year. However, researchers warn, hammerhead fins have such high levels of mercury that it’s advised to limit these species, in general.

While the global shark fin trade has contributed to a rise in shark fishing — including illegal shark fishing and trade — recent reports show demand for shark meat across the world is also growing. In fact, the meat trade is beginning to surpass the fin trade in volume and value. This change poses questions into how shark meat could also introduce mercury into a person’s diet.

The team analyzed 33 meat samples sold in Trinidad and Tobago, where shark meat is frequently consumed. Scalloped hammerhead and Atlantic sharpnose shark meat had the highest levels of mercury, surpassing local safety consumption limits of 1 part per million — and should be avoided, particularly by anyone who relies on a lot of shark meat in their diet. Some hammerhead samples were two to three times the 1 ppm limit.

High levels of mercury have well-known impacts on humans. Prolonged exposure to mercury can lead to brain and central nervous system damage. It can also interfere with fetal cognitive development. While mercury is common in most seafood, sharks are close to the top of the food chain and can also grow to be quite large, so they tend to accumulate more, in the form of methylmercury.

Most health advisories focused on the risk of mercury toxicity in shark products are treated with a broad brushstroke, listing all shark species. But as this study shows, certain species — like hammerheads — pose a greater risk than others. This study aims to better inform consumers of the species-specific risks of consuming shark-derived products. The hope is these findings can encourage the creation of more species-specific advisories for meat and fin products.

“The differences in health risk between species is striking and we encourage both governments and consumers to start questioning what species end up on a plate,” García Barcia said.

The research was supported by Betsy and Peter Snow, the Pew Charitable Trusts and The Pew Fellowship Program.

Brilliant & tenacious: One of the largest freshman classes in FIU’s history roars into fall

Gisela Maria Valencia — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 13:30:00 -0400

To celebrate the beginning of the semester, we're introducing some of our newest Panthers.

Interim President Kenneth A. Jessell: 'Welcome to Fall 2022 at FIU!'

Contributing Author — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 09:21:00 -0400

Interim President Kenneth A. Jessell sent a welcome message to the university community earlier today.

The cutting edge: Making tourism sustainable

Gisela Maria Valencia — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 13:53:00 -0400

FIU has taken a lead in addressing the hospitality industry's impact on the environment with a new online bachelor’s degree in global sustainable tourism.

Researcher earns global recognition for combating illegal wildlife trade

Contributing Author — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:48:00 -0400

Diego Cardeñosa has earned a Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol medal from the global agency.

Flies evade your swatting thanks to sophisticated vision and neural shortcuts

Contributing Author — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 10:40:00 -0400

This article was co-authored by FIU Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Jamie Theobald and FIU Postdoctoral Research Associate Ravindra Palavalli-Nettimi, republished from The Conversation.

FIU researchers discover how DDT exposure contributes to Alzheimer’s disease risk

Stephanie Rendon — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0400

A new study led by researchers from Florida International University reveals a mechanism linking the pesticide DDT to Alzheimer's disease.

Published in Environmental Health Perspectives, the study shows how the persistent environmental pollutant DDT causes increased amounts of toxic amyloid beta, which form the characteristic amyloid plaques found in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s disease.According to Jason Richardson, professor at FIU’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work and corresponding author, the study further demonstrates that DDT is an environmental risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. In 2014, he led a team of scientists at Rutgers University, Emory University, and UT Southwestern Medical School who presented evidence linking DDT to the disease. Now, they have data demonstrating a mechanism that may explain the association.

"The vast majority of research on the disease has been on genetics—and genetics are very important—but the genes that actually cause the disease are very rare," Richardson says. “Environmental risk factors like exposure to DDT are modifiable. So, if we understand how DDT affects the brain, then perhaps we could target those mechanisms and help the people who have been highly exposed.”

DDT was extensively used between the 1940s and 1970s to combat insect-borne diseases like malaria and treat crop and livestock production. People highly exposed to DDT back then are now beginning or already in the range of ages with a higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Although banned in the U.S., DDT exposure is likely possible today from legacy contamination or imported foods.

The study focused on sodium channels, which the nervous system uses to communicate between brain cells (neurons), as the potential mechanism. DDT causes these channels to remain open, leading to increased firing of neurons and increased release of amyloid-beta peptides. In the study, researchers demonstrate that if neurons are treated with tetrodotoxin, a compound that blocks sodium channels in the brain, the increased production of the amyloid precursor protein and toxic amyloid-beta species is prevented.

“This finding could potentially provide a roadmap to future therapies for people highly exposed to DDT,” Richardson says.

The study was done in collaboration with Rutgers University.

Researchers used cultured cells, transgenic flies, and mice models to demonstrate DDT's effect on the amyloid pathway, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

By exposing all the models to DDT—in the range of what people were exposed to decades ago—researchers observed an increase in the production of the amyloid precursor protein, as well as elevated levels of toxic amyloid species, such as amyloid-beta peptides, and plaques.

"We found that if we block sodium channels with the compound tetrodotoxin and then dose neurons with DDT, then they don't increase the amyloid precursor protein and don't secrete excess amyloid-beta," Richardson says.

The next step for the researchers will be to test therapeutic drugs using the information they now know. Richardson shares that there already are several drugs that target sodium channels.

“We are in the process of doing those studies to see if we can take an already FDA-approved drug and see if it reduces toxic amyloid accumulation,” he adds.

Read the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives

A medical student's Rx for success: scholarships, planning and smart choices

Ileana Varela — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 14:19:00 -0400

Medical student Brenda Abreu Molnar is taking a gap year as part of her strategy to become a dermatologist.

Blockchain.com partners with FIU to enhance cryptocurrency and Web3 education

Krysten Brenlla — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Florida International University (FIU) has partnered with Blockchain.com, one of the world's most trusted and popular platforms to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrency, to expand Web3 and cryptocurrency education at the university.

Through FIU’s Innovative Education and Student Success initiatives, the partnership will help identify new opportunities for learners interested in tech and Web3 through intentional curricular, co-curricular, and continuing education programming and courses, showcasing Blockchain.com’s commitment to education and accessibility.

Within the next two years, Blockchain.com projects a local workforce with hundreds of employees. With FIU enrolling approximately 56,000 students across the university’s 190 programs, the university serves as a key pipeline and significant partner for talent development and student success.

“FIU prides itself on student impact and excellence, graduating more than 5,000 computer science and information technology professionals in recent years and being recognized as the country’s top producer of minority graduates in STEM,” said Elizabeth Béjar, FIU’s interim provost, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “We look forward to developing the next generation of tech talent in partnership with Blockchain.com.”

Growing demand from students and graduates seeking careers in tech has doubled FIU’s enrollment numbers in computing and information technology majors in the last five years. Nationally, experts predict jobs in computing and information technology will grow to 13 percent by 2030, resulting in more than 650,000 jobs. Since moving its headquarters to Miami, Blockchain.com alone has doubled its workforce and has hired locals across South Florida’s top universities, including FIU.

“In order for crypto to hit mainstream adoption, education is key,” said Lane Kasselman, Blockchain.com chief business officer. “As part of our commitment to investing in our local communities where we live and work, we’re honored to partner with FIU to bring crypto education to the next level and arm the next generation of talent with tools they need for careers in Web3 and beyond.”

During the 2022-2023 school year, students, alumni, and community members will have the chance to connect with and explore opportunities including internships, workshops, and guest lectures through this partnership.

More details about these opportunities and the partnership between Blockchain.com and FIU will be shared this fall.

Next level: Fulbright scholarships help students take their academic pursuits across the globe

Gisela Maria Valencia — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 13:22:00 -0400

Panthers interested in Fulbright student scholarships must submit their application by September 1.

D.C. intern supports women judges globally while working to become one

Contributing Author — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 15:19:00 -0400

Criminal justice student Sophia Estupinan interned at the International Association of Women Judges in Washington, D.C., this summer.

Time to eat: Black-owned businesses and food from the African Diaspora are centerpiece of unique festival

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 14:27:00 -0400

FIU Hospitality welcomes Black Pepper Food & Wine Festival focused on food from the African Diaspora and Black-owned businesses

National Geographic intern brings D.C. journalism skills to science storytelling

Contributing Author — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 13:26:00 -0400

Digital communication and media student Taylor Gutierrez is spending her second semester in Washington, D.C., working for her dream employer, National Geographic, as a global communications intern.  

Dolphins form rare alliance near Bimini, scientists say

JoAnn Adkins — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 10:10:00 -0400

Two communities of spotted dolphins form rare alliance, establishing their own complex society, according to FIU researcher Nicole Danaher-Garcia.

Director of the Center for Children and Families discusses groundbreaking ADHD study on Academic Minute

Lourdes Perez — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 10:00:00 -0400

A new approach may help companies retain consumers

Christine Calvo — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 10:00:00 -0400

FIU research reveals that brand experience influences golfers' uncertainty toward other brands.

Computer engineers crucial to network security

Monica Smith — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 15:02:00 -0400

Associate Professor Alexander Perez-Pons explains how today’s exponential growth in technology and devices is fueling the need for network security specialists who have computer engineering degrees.

Frost Art Museum FIU debuts Rafael Soldi photographs in solo exhibit on feelings about immigration and identity

Contributing Author — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 10:10:00 -0400

Global Forensic and Justice Center internship provides ROTC cadets real CSI experiences

Contributing Author — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 13:54:00 -0400

For two weeks each year, an elite cadre of ROTC cadets participate in the selective Biometrics and Forensics Internship.

Proving war crimes isn’t simple – a forensics expert explains what’s involved with documenting human rights violations during conflicts, from Afghanistan to Ukraine

Contributing Author — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 10:30:00 -0400

Stefan Schmitt, FIU Project Lead for International Technical Forensic Services breaks down the process when investigating war crimes.

FIU leads alliance to build hospitality pipeline for underrepresented minority students and diverse leadership in hospitality

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 11:30:00 -0400

A bold, new initiative is under way across the U.S. to create a pathway for Black and Hispanic students to become future leaders in hospitality, one of the world’s largest industries.

The Alliance for Hospitality Equity and Diversity (AHED), led by the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University (FIU), is on a mission to create a nationwide recruitment infrastructure to increase diversity among students at member universities. Targeting university recruitment is the first of many initiatives that will address the diversity pipeline that leads to hospitality C-suite opportunities. The Alliance brings together higher learning institutions and top hospitality brands and associations.

Black and Hispanic students represent less than one percent of all industry CEOs and presidents, and diverse student enrollments are down at almost all hospitality four-year colleges and universities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, only 5.8 percent of U.S. hospitality students identified as Black or African American. Additionally, women comprise less than 12 percent of hospitality leadership positions.

AHED serves as an immediate call for leading hospitality companies to diversify at the highest levels of leadership. The Alliance, through its council, will offer strategies and implement concrete solutions to enhance pathways for Black and Hispanic hospitality management students to become leaders.

"Our alliance is focused specifically on bridging the diversity gap confronting our industry, we plan to create social equity by channeling directed resources to lower socio-economic Black and Hispanic students. We plan to form equitable and broad access to higher education that leads to executive leadership positions,” said Brian Barker, FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Endowed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion professor and director of the Alliance.

As the leading minority-serving institution in the country and a Top 10 hospitality school, FIU Chaplin School is initiating the establishment of the Alliance and will oversee the group's national efforts. The Alliance is made up of universities designated as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI), and other four-year hospitality universities. Organizations represented in the DE&I Alliance Council include: Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, Hilton, Marriott International, Bacardi North America, Bloomin’ Brands, JLL, CBRE, Castell Project, NABHOOD, AHLA Foundation, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and The Advanced Leadership Institute. These organizations have pledged their support and commitment to the Alliance.

Barker, the nation’s first endowed DE&I professor of hospitality, is building the groundwork to support and encourage Black and Hispanic students towards executive leadership and professorships in hospitality, which is part of the school's ongoing commitment to addressing inequalities in the hospitality industry.

“In order to effect positive change and create a level playing field for our future hospitality leaders, it is crucial that we address this ongoing challenge to leadership potential in the hospitality industry with intentionality and purpose by reaching out to those students with less access to financial, educational and social resources,” said Michael Cheng, dean of FIU’s Chaplin School.

The Alliance announcement comes as the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) will meet Aug. 3 – 6 in Washington D.C. One of the areas the conference will focus on is the enrollment decline in four-year hospitality programs, which have been trending down over the last five years, with Black and Hispanic enrollments at disproportionately lower rates. Income disparities, lack of upward mobility, and lack of promotions are contributing factors leading to Black and Hispanic students electing not to pursue a hospitality education and careers. These factors further compound existing challenges these students face, such as lack of institutional commitment, academic preparedness, role models, and financial aid.

The Alliance and its council members will invite ICHRIE members, other higher-learning institution academics, industry professionals, and hospitality association leaders to join.

To learn more about the Alliance, please visit the AHED alliance website for more details.

Alumna awarded prestigious scholarship to the University of Cambridge

Contributing Author — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 10:37:00 -0400

Edurne Sosa El Fakih '22 was recently awarded a nearly $40,000 scholarship to attend a prestigious postgraduate research program at the University of Cambridge.

Researchers embark on mission to find all the world’s ants

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 15:45:00 -0400

With the help of cutting-edge technology, the researchers created a first-of-its-kind global biodiversity map to begin answering a long unanswered question about where ants can be found worldwide.

FIU’s Frost Art Museum announces forthcoming exhibition, "In the Mind's Eye: Landscapes of Cuba"

Contributing Author — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 10:05:00 -0400

“In the Mind’s Eye: Landscapes of Cuba” will open Sept. 24 at the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University (FIU). The groundbreaking exhibition assembles 19th- and 20th-century works by U.S. and Cuban artists to explore race, colonialism, nationalism, and the intertwined dynamics of the two nations. Key works by contemporary artists such as Juana Valdés and Emilio Perez will be featured to encourage reflection on the past and shed light on present-day approaches to the Cuban landscape.

“In the Mind’s Eye” will feature more than 50 works from distinguished institutions and private collections throughout the United States. An opening reception will take place Sept. 24 from 4-6 p.m. at the Frost Art Museum. A suite of education programming will take place during the exhibition.

“In the Mind’s Eye” examines how historic painters active in Cuba projected and injected ideas about their country into landscape painting to reflect political, social, and ideological changes in Cuba and the United States. While some artists depicted a pastoral, serene Cuba, others acknowledged the history of race and slavery through works that equate landscape to nationalism.

The exhibition reveals many stories about Cuba that reflect the island’s significance among U.S.-born artists such as William Glackens, Childe Hassam, Winslow Homer, Willard Metcalf, and Frederic Remington. “In the Mind’s Eye” opens new avenues of inquiry about the Caribbean island which has played an outsized role in global politics, economics, and culture. Historic paintings and drawings are enhanced through contemporary works of Juan Carlos Alom and María Magdalena Campos-Pons, among others.

The exhibition features work by Esteban Chartrand, Edmund Darch Lewis, Winslow Homer, Elihu Vedder, Miguel Melero Rodríguez, Valentín Sanz Carta, Eduardo Laplante, Federico Mialhe, Leopoldo Romañach, Tomás Sanchez, Carrie Mae Weems, Yoan Capote, Enrique Martinez Celaya, Diana Fonseca Quiñones, Alejandro Campins, and Glexis Novoa.

“With ‘In the Mind’s Eye,’ the Frost Art Museum demonstrates its commitment to investigate the arc of history through thematic exhibitions that connect ideas and concepts that engage diverse audiences,” said Frost Art Museum Director Jordana Pomeroy. “The exhibition presents beautiful images and explores how context changes meaning. Embedded in these works we find exchanges of ideas about the arts, politics, and cultural identity.”

Amy Galpin, chief curator at the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum-FIU, in consultation with curatorial advisors, organized the exhibition. Giles, Ltd. Published an accompanying catalogue that features essays by Galpin, Jorge Duany and Katherine Manthorne, plus new interviews with artists Carlos Martiel and Juana Valdés conducted by Elvia Rosa Castro and Donette Francis. The exhibition will close Jan. 15, 2023.

This exhibition and catalogue are made possible by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Additional generous support for the exhibition is provided by Ramón and Nercys Cernuda and the Gazitua family.

New clinical trial underway for Alzheimer's patients

Ileana Varela — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 09:45:00 -0400

Panther Camp facilitators share pearls of wisdom for new students

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:31:00 -0400

Each year, a dedicated group of juniors and seniors comes together to ignite new students’ Panther pride and help them feel at ease at FIU through an extended orientation “staycation”: Panther Camp.

Professor gives back to support first-generation scholarships, Fostering Panther Pride

Contributing Author — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:12:00 -0400

Rosa Chang's motivation to give back stems from her time as an undergraduate student at FIU.

College of Medicine welcomes new class at White Coat Ceremony

Ileana Varela — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 09:15:00 -0400

Incoming class of medical students receive their first white coats at White Coat Ceremony.

Florida Small Business Development Center at FIU named 2022 Center of the Year

Cynthia Corzo — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 14:06:00 -0400

FSBDC helped launch 114 small businesses and secure $117 million in investment.

Fulbright sends FIU scholars to Canada, Portugal, Trinidad & Tobago and Spain in 2022-2023

Birgitta Rausch-Montoto — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 17:04:00 -0400

Get to Know FIU's 2022-2023 cohort of Fulbright U.S. Scholars

Coalition of Florida university students mark historic occasion in U.S. Capitol

Contributing Author — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 16:33:00 -0400

FIU in DC hosted a Statewide Summit on Equity in Education on the same day Mary McLeod Bethune became the first Black American to be featured in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall.

Excellence and determination take center stage at FIU’s summer commencement

Lourdes Perez — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 14:35:00 -0400

Summer Commencement is returning to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center for the first time since December 2019 to celebrate the graduation of nearly 5,000 new Panther alumni.

FIU students get a crash course in disaster response

Stephanie Rendon — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 12:56:00 -0400

Three-day disaster field operations exercise tests students’ abilities to respond to a large-scale international disaster.

App whiz Michael Sayman shares tech career insights with new students

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 10:20:00 -0400

Michael Sayman, a Miami native and one of Silicon Valley’s youngest entrepreneurs, visited FIU to discuss his memoir, App Kid: How a Child of Immigrants Grabbed a Piece of the American Dream.

FIU helps local high school teachers build cybersecurity lessons for classrooms

David Drucker — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 14:33:00 -0400

Teachers are bringing digital forensics into their schools with the help of FIU experts.

FIU and Jain community launch $3 million campaign to fund new institute

Amy Ellis — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 15:17:00 -0400

Jain Education and Research Foundation joins kickoff of nationwide campaign to fund Institute for Advanced Jain Studies at FIU

Mysterious Arctic shark spotted in the Caribbean thousands of miles from home

Angela Nicoletti — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 08:33:00 -0400

A half-blind shark that is typically thought to live in freezing Arctic waters, scavenge on polar bear carcasses and survive for hundreds of years, recently turned up in Belize.

Public health doctoral students head to Chile for minority health and health disparities research training

Stephanie Rendon — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 15:20:00 -0400

Osmari Beatriz Novoa and Gemma Galvez are conducting research out of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology at the University of Chile.

From homelessness to Stanford Law – first generation student joins law school pipeline program

Amy Ellis — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 13:25:00 -0400

FIU student Luis Moros goes from homelessness to Stanford Law, named one of only 20 students in the US for Stanford Law pipeline program

Underrepresented math students get early access to research at FIU summer program

Ayleen Barbel Fattal — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 11:28:00 -0400

Students from around the country participated in a unique, immersive program at FIU designed to improve access to research for undergraduates of diverse backgrounds.

As USAID interns, students provide humanitarian aid around the world

Contributing Author — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 11:05:00 -0400

Andres Velasco is one of three FIU students interning at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Summer Fest EDM concert returns to a crowd of nearly 4,000

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 14:28:00 -0400

Adventure Club, Wüki back-to-back with JSTJR and Ship Wrek took the stage at FIU's first EDM concert since 2019.

Student builds plastic materials to protect technology in space from radiation

David Drucker — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 13:30:00 -0400

Ph.D. student Kazue Orikasa '21 is researching polymer nanocomposites with funding from NASA.

Two-thirds of species in global shark fin trade at risk of extinction

Angela Nicoletti — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 08:58:00 -0400

Scientists track and monitor the global shark fin trade to protect living sharks.

FIU trains students to fight global crime with real-world experience

Monica Smith — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 14:59:00 -0400

FIU’s M.A. in Global Affairs: International Crime and Justice track offers students a unique, cross-disciplinary program and capstone project, 100% online.

Student diversity advocate wins national award using using global learning tenants

Garrett Horne — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 14:25:00 -0400

Taylor Saenz won the 2022 Pi Theta Epsilon President’s Award for being a culturally responsive occupational therapist.

Professor researches destructive thunderstorms by simulating winds at FIU

David Drucker — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 10:38:00 -0400

Downbursts, often confused with tornadoes, can produce winds exceeding 100 miles per hour that flow in a unique pattern.

Pour me another cold one: date for North Miami Brewfest announced

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 14:10:00 -0400

Save the date for the 10th annual North Miami Brewfest on Nov. 12, featuring more than 150 breweries and bites.

Witnessing history: Student shares perspective on trailblazing educator and civil rights activist Mary Bethune statue unveiled in U.S. Capitol

Contributing Author — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 10:41:00 -0400

Students visited the nation's capital to witness the unveiling and participate in the Florida Statewide Summit on Equity In Education hosted by FIU in DC.

At annual conference, FDA-Center for Drug Evaluation and Research communications director shares advice on public service careers

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 15:17:00 -0400

Nearly 30 federal agencies participated in FIU's 17th Annual Federal Government Statewide Conference.

FIU Business in spotlight as host institution for one of the world’s most important conferences on international business

Cynthia Corzo — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 14:46:00 -0400

The conference showcased the latest in international business research amidst scholarly discussions of key issues impacting global networks.

Grove Bay Hospitality Group, led by two FIU alumni, collaborate to provide scholarships for hospitality students

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 10:16:00 -0400

In collaboration with the Chaplin School of Hospitality & tourism Management, the Grove Bay Foundation will provide scholarships to hospitality students

FIU awarded more than $77M in new state funding

Gisela Maria Valencia — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 14:01:00 -0400

$4.8 million recurring funds will allow FIU to lead the way in addressing the state-wide nursing shortage and $2 million will launch the university’s center for advancing cancer treatments.

5 tips to stay safe and healthy at Summer Fest and beyond

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Bass Drop University returns on Thursday, July 14, with FIU’s annual Summer Fest concert!

Improving science literacy means changing science education

Contributing Author — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 08:46:00 -0400

Introductory science classes typically require students to memorize facts, rather than teaching them the basis of scientific thinking.

Sara DuCuennois named FIU Chief Alumni Officer, will lead new era of alumni engagement

Contributing Author — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 16:16:00 -0400

Sara DuCuennois, who has more than 20 years of experience in higher education and has been with FIU since 2013.

Alumnus establishes scholarship to help law students forge their own paths

Contributing Author — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 09:17:00 -0400

Abraham “Abe” Ovadia founded his law firm out of a spare bedroom and now has offices all over South Florida.

Dr. Juan C. Cendan appointed senior vice president for health affairs and dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Ileana Varela — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 15:27:00 -0400

Dr. Cendan is a board-certified surgeon.

BankUnited partners with FIU to build talent pipelines and break barriers in STEM

Krysten Brenlla — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 13:39:00 -0400

BankUnited partners with FIU to build programs and career pathways for students in banking, business, and finance.

NSF director closes out the 2022 NICE Conference and Expo

Eddy Madero — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 11:37:00 -0400

FIU will once again host the NICE conference in 2023 in Seattle, Washington. More information will be available on the NICE Conference and Expo website.

Florida oysters found to have toxic “forever chemicals”

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 09:30:00 -0400

Some say, the world is your oyster, but the world — especially human impacts on the environment — can actually be found inside an oyster, according to a new study.

When FIU Institute of Environment scientists sampled 156 oysters from Biscayne Bay, Marco Island and Tampa Bay, they detected contaminants — perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) and phthalate esters (PAEs) — in every single one. These contaminants pose serious health risks to people and wildlife, and the oysters prove they are in the water and have crept into the food chain. The findings were recently published in Science of the Total Environment.

“I wanted to look into what we’re eating and if it might be contaminating us,” said Leila Lemos, the study’s lead author and an FIU distinguished postdoctoral scholar. “These findings are definitely a red flag, especially for areas like Biscayne Bay.”

As filter-feeders, oysters are among the best sentinels and can reveal a lot about the overall health of an ecosystem including levels of contamination.

Biscayne Bay oysters had the highest concentrations of contaminants compared to the other study sites. Lemos says this was somewhat surprising since they were among the smallest oysters sampled. The more time an oyster has to grow, the more time it also has to accumulate toxic chemicals. Tampa Bay oysters were among the largest in the study, but they didn’t have nearly the amount of PFAS or PAEs as the tinier Biscayne Bay oysters. This means Biscayne Bay could be so contaminated, the oysters are bombarded with such high concentrations they accumulate contaminants more quickly, Lemos said.

Meet Darlene Fernandez '06, new executive director of Miami-Dade Expressway Authority

David Drucker — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 13:41:00 -0400

A year after the unprecedented collapse of the 12-story oceanfront condominium that killed 98 people in Surfside, Florida, a complex investigation continues in search of answers and lessons from that tragedy.

To learn more about how women are making an impact at CEC, check out cec.fiu.edu.

$95K Microsoft grant to provide opportunity to increase retention and holistic success of minority doctoral students

Garrett Horne — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 10:15:00 -0400

Awarded to the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the grant will help the recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented students across FIU’s 33 doctoral programs.

FIU Police alert community to phishing scam

Contributing Author — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 17:52:00 -0400

The following message was sent to the FIU community today.

Chemistry as a building block for scientific literacy?

Christine Calvo — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 14:10:00 -0400

Taking chemistry before biology can actually better prepare students for their biology courses, according to a new research study.

FIU again among the top performers in State University System

Contributing Author — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 16:35:00 -0400

For the second year in a row, FIU ranks among the top three public universities in the state, according to the Florida Board of Governors' performance metric scores. This marks the third time in the last five years that FIU ranks in the top three of Florida’s public universities in a state that has the No.1-ranked public university system in the country for higher education.

FIU’s score of 91 points out of a possible 100 was the third-highest among Florida’s 12 State University System institutions. The scores are based on 11 metrics that measure graduation rates, graduates’ wages, cost of attendance to students and other key indicators.

“Our performance metric score is an indication that FIU has succeeded in helping our students excel in college and kick off successful careers,” said FIU Interim President Kenneth A. Jessell. “Our success is also leading to national recognition for the innovative work we are doing to ensure students graduate on time with the skills they need to excel in the 21st-century global economy.”

Today’s news comes one year after FIU earned a historic score of 99 points and on the heels of a 17-spot improvement in U.S. News and World Report rankings among public universities in the nation.

The latest BOG performance metric score is one more factor in the university’s five-year upward trajectory.

“At FIU, we have used the Board of Governors’ performance metrics as a roadmap for innovation in areas such as timely graduation and enhancing the student experience while remaining focused on student success and research excellence," said FIU Interim Provost Elizabeth M. Bejar.

This year, FIU showed advances in several key areas: four-year graduation rate (10.1% improvement), students graduating with bachelor’s degrees in high-demand areas (7% improvement) and graduation rate for transfer students who came to FIU with an associate degree (4.4% improvement).

FIU’s success serves as a case study for a recently launched open-access online course aimed at guiding higher education faculty, staff and leaders through vital elements of institutional transformation. The course was created by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and Coalition of Urban Serving Universities.

FIU’s achievements are good news for students and Florida taxpayers.

Since 2014, FIU has received $31.9 million in special performance funding from the Florida Legislature out of the $265 million allocated to the State University System. The university will receive an additional $946,365 in non-recurring funds for being in the Top 3. These funds have been reinvested to improve student recruitment, retention and graduation, the enhancement of STEM success, faculty/staff support and development, academic and career advisors, internship programs, scholarships, comprehensive business intelligence and analytics solutions and support research faculty cluster hires.

Public Health alumna turned CEO of Jackson North Medical Center shares leadership insights

Stephanie Rendon — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 10:53:00 -0400

Marie Sandra Severe '15 is the senior vice president and CEO of Jackson North Medical Center in North Miami Beach.

FIU launches open-access Forensic Research Library

Contributing Author — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 10:50:00 -0400

Florida International University (FIU) has launched a first-of-its-kind resource for forensic science practitioners, students, researchers, and the general public. The Research Forensic Library provides access to thousands of articles and reports in the scientific literature, a critical step in the forward momentum required of forensic science and its varied applications.

From daily digest emails to curated search results, the Research Forensic Library provides easy, online accessibility to material covering all disciplines of the forensic sciences. The library is part of Global Forensic and Justice Center (GFJC), an FIU program with a focus on innovation from the crime scene to the courtroom.

A cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) awarded FIU $300,000 for three years to assist in the creation and curation of the Research Forensic Library. NIJ is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice seeking to improve the quality and efficiency of forensic practice in the U.S., particularly at the state and local levels. The Research Forensic Library’s public accessibility exemplifies a key pillar of NIJ’s mission.

“Research is how we move forensic sciences forward,” said Jeff Teitelbaum, FIU forensic librarian. “The more we can share this information, the more innovation we can help cultivate on a global scale.”

The library is supported by Teitelbaum, a forensic librarian and researcher for 16 years, and the program is managed by Gerald LaPorte, GFJC’s Director of Research Innovation.

The Research Forensic Library can be found at https://www.forensiclibrary.org.

FIU scientists featured in SharkFest 2022 shows on National Geographic

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 09:38:00 -0400

Watch a video about Cardeñosa's research.

New FIU Foundation initiative to generate novel, philanthropy-supported solutions to advance university priorities

Contributing Author — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 09:11:00 -0400

The world of philanthropy is shifting as more and more donors at every level of giving are interested in getting involved directly in the programs they’re supporting.

FIU Business to host world’s premier international business conference

Cynthia Corzo — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 13:09:00 -0400

The Academy of International Business annual meeting will be held July 5-9 at the InterContinental Miami hotel, with FIU Business as the host institution.

Meet SGA President Cris Lugo, an international student

Contributing Author — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 11:45:00 -0400

Cris Lugo hopes to improve access to technology in underserved communities.

LGBTQA Mentorship Program marks 20 years of support for FIU students

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 11:30:00 -0400

June is Pride Month, and this year, a program that has guided hundreds of Panthers on their journey to a college degree celebrates 20 years at FIU: the LGBTQA Mentorship Program.

Sports officials are just as susceptible to emotions as everyone else, FIU study finds

Nathalie Medina — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:14:00 -0400

FIU research shows sports officials are just as susceptible to emotions as everyone else, no matter their training or level of experience.

Dean's legacy lives on through the students he mentored over five decades

Amy Ellis — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 13:25:00 -0400

Dean’s legacy lives on through the students he mentored over five decades

Partnership brings hands-on, at-sea marine science research to middle and high school students

Angela Nicoletti — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 09:51:00 -0400

A unique partnership between FIU’s College of Arts, Sciences & Education and the ANGARI Foundation is giving students real-world experience in marine science research.

FIU talent on the scene at the Summit of The Americas

Contributing Author — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 16:57:00 -0400

FIU alumni played key roles throughout the summit, such as Mowla and Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian ‘05.

Munoz-Pogossian, director of the Department of Social Inclusion at the Organization of American States (OAS), participated in the three-day summit and focused on a wide range of issues such as post-COVID economic recovery, technology, health resiliency and democratic challenges in the region.

For her, the summit is just “the beginning of these conversations” on key issues highlighted by the participating countries. The OAS plays the important role of ensuring the implementation of the agreements.

“FIU is in a unique position based in D.C. and Miami… with professors and students who are connected to the region. They can contribute to the implementation of the agreements and shape policy via research and advocacy,” Munoz-Pogossian said.

For his part, Mowla organized many of the Atlantic Council’s convenings before and throughout the summit and spearheaded a Caribbean initiative for the summit.

He said the Atlantic Council’s role for the past eight months was to make the summit process as inclusive as possible, such as discussions that included indigenous voices and women's advocacy groups, as well as broadening the summit’s agendas to include Caribbean priorities and agendas.

Following the Summit, Mowla’s biggest takeaway is the importance of convening power and inclusivity.

Mowla highlighted FIU’s role in leveraging convening power for effective policymaking and sees an important leadership role to be played for the next decades to come.

Additionally, five FIU students participated in the OAS' Model Summit, in which students represented countries and discussed policy solutions to pertinent issues in the region.

The major themes discussed in the model summit were global health, economy, democracy and the environment.

Rita Kanazeh, a senior studying for a dual degree in biology and international relations, said her experience at the model summit cemented her desire to work in the field of international relations and in global health policy.

She added that her experience during FIU in DC’s “Future of Latin America Fly-In” prepared her for the discussions surrounding health resiliency policies that took place during the OAS model summit.

She hopes that participating in the model summit will be a stepping stone for her future as she hopes to continue fighting for the right to quality health care and global health equity.

“What makes FIU different is that we are truly international. FIU has been investing in partnerships in the region and so many students come from that region.”

FIU research and development aims to answer global challenges, such as sea-level rise, natural disasters, defense systems and infrastructure, including in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The university hosts the largest cluster of students, faculty and research either from or focused on the region. It boasts a long history of leadership and collaboration with the United States government and key partners across the Western Hemisphere to deliver solutions that advance a more sustainable, resilient and equitable future for the Americas.

Now that the summit has concluded, the university expects to work with its U.S. government partners and organizations like the OAS to help support the goals that were discussed in Los Angeles.

Learn more about agreements reached at the summit.

5 tips for parents of new kindergartners who are younger than their classmates

Contributing Author — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 10:21:00 -0400

Evidence shows that children who are relatively young for their kindergarten class are at increased risk for doing worse in school, being held back a grade and having lower social-emotional skills.

FIU experts available to discuss the Supreme Court's possible Roe v. Wade decision and similar topics

Lourdes Perez — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 10:02:00 -0400

FIU experts are available to discuss various aspects of the Supreme Court’s pending decision on Roe v. Wade.

FIU names Rich Witten as fifth baseball coach in program history

Contributing Author — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 20:30:00 -0400

One of the top recruiters and assistant coaches in collegiate baseball, Rich Witten has been selected by FIU Athletics as the fifth head coach in program history, following an exhaustive national search.

"We conducted a thorough national search and it became evident that Rich Witten was the right person to lead the FIU baseball program," FIU Director of Athletics Scott Carr said. "Rich is a proven winner who has a history of leading numerous programs to conference championships and NCAA Regionals as both a player and coach. He is a players' coach who cares deeply about student-athletes and building relationships with them. He's a phenomenal recruiter with ties to both South Florida and the entire state of Florida. I couldn't be more excited to welcome Rich to the Panther Family!"

Witten arrives at FIU following five seasons on the staff at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he served as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator since 2018. His primary responsibilities included overseeing the offense and infield defense.

This past season, Witten helped guide the Rams to a 42-20 overall record and their second straight Atlantic 10 Conference Championship. VCU also advanced to the championship game of the 2022 NCAA North Carolina Regional, where it defeated Georgia and No. 10 ranked North Carolina.

During his time at VCU, Witten also assisted in leading the Rams to the 2021 Atlantic 10 Championship and A-10 regular-season titles in 2019 and 2021. Under his direction, VCU posted a 162-86 overall record and a 65-23 mark in conference play.

"I am beyond humbled and honored to be named the next head coach of FIU Baseball," Witten said. "This is a dream opportunity that I feel I have prepared my entire life for. South Florida has a special place in my heart and I cannot wait to help lead this storied program back to a championship culture. I am thankful to Scott Carr and the administration for the opportunity and can't wait to get to work!"

In addition, Witten boasts strong South Florida ties, having previously served as a volunteer assistant on the baseball staff at the University of Miami in 2014. Considered an excellent recruiter with numerous connections across the state of Florida, Witten was part of the Hurricanes' program that captured the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season crown in 2014 and was ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation.

Furthering his connection to the state of Florida, Witten also held the position of Director of Baseball Operations at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in 2013.

Prior to his stint at VCU, Witten held the title of assistant coach at Winthrop University (2015, 2016, 2017) for three seasons, working primarily with the hitters, as well as the catchers and first basemen on the defensive side.

Witten aided in leading the Eagles to 102 total wins during his three-year tenure, including a No. 1 seed in the Big South tournament in 2017 and a 40-win season in 2015.

He led the Eagles to one of the best offenses in the Big South, taking them from ranking last in 2014 prior to his arrival, to the top of the conference in 2015, with a team batting average of .299.

Each year under Witten's watch, Winthrop had a Johnny Bench Award nominee, given to the best catcher in college baseball.

Witten boasts a solid playing career at Coastal Carolina University which saw him post a .316 career batting average. He recorded 50 doubles, which stands seventh among the program's career leaders. He also drove home 158 runs, which ranks as the sixth-best total in program annals.

He earned first-team All-Big South honors as a senior in 2012 and made three Big South All-Tournament teams from 2010 through 2012. Witten played in five NCAA Regionals and two Super Regionals. He was a part of 230 wins in his career, which ties him for the top spot all-time in Coastal Carolina history.

Witten graduated from Coastal Carolina with a bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science and a minor in psychology.

Witten is a native of Danville, Ky., where he was a five-year letter winner, two-year captain and a Louisville Slugger All-America choice at Danville High School.

PRESS CONFERENCE INFO
A press conference will be held on Monday, June 27 at 11:30 a.m. ET to officially introduce FIU baseball head coach Rich Witten.

The press conference will take place at FIU Baseball Stadium in the press box on the third floor.

The address for FIU Baseball Stadium is: 11491 SW 17th St, Miami, FL 33199

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIU_Baseball), Twitter(@FIUBaseball), and Facebook (facebook.com/FIUBaseball) for all the latest FIU Baseball news.

Best in class: FIU's only student-run restaurant receives top honors

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 17:55:00 -0400

FIU Bistro recognized as best inexpensive restaurant in Miami New Times Best of Miami edition

John F. Stack Jr., founding dean of FIU's Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, has passed away

Contributing Author — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 17:12:00 -0400

Interim President Kenneth A. Jessell and Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Elizabeth M. Bejar sent the following message to the FIU community.

FIU civil engineering expert discusses key lessons from Surfside

Contributing Author — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 16:24:00 -0400

FIU scholarship to honor Gustavo Godoy and support next generation of broadcast journalists

Heather Radi-Bermudez — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 15:45:00 -0400

FIU's Department of Journalism + Media announced today the establishment of the Gustavo Godoy Scholarship for Excellence in Journalism in honor of the award-winning and legendary newsman.

Gustavo Godoy, who passed away in 2021 after a long and storied career, was among the first high-profile Hispanics to work in U.S. news media. He is widely regarded as the pioneer of Spanish language television news and largely considered the architect of what today is Univision Network News and Telemundo Network News.

“We are honored to celebrate Gustavo Godoy’s legacy by creating a scholarship that supports our talented students who are majoring in broadcast journalism," said Brian Schriner, dean of the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts. "The scholarship established by Godoy’s family, friends and colleagues will provide critical, much-needed support to future journalists and help us in our mission of ensuring the future talent pipeline in broadcast journalism."

Godoy was a mentor to many of today’s high-profile Hispanic broadcast journalists.

“Gustavo Godoy is the founding father of Spanish language television news in the United States. He gave many of us the opportunity to have a career in television journalism based on a profound respect for our community and reverence to truth and impartiality,” said José Díaz-Balart, anchor of MSNBC Reports, NBC Nightly News Saturday and Special Reports for Noticias Telemundo.

The continued increase of Hispanic Americans – who according to the 2019 U.S. census are the largest racial or ethnic minority group in the country - highlights the important of Spanish-language news that Godoy helped nurture.

“A pioneer and a visionary, Godoy started what many believed to be impossible: a Spanish-language newscast that would compete with the best in the country,” said Jorge Ramos, senior news anchor of Univision Network News. “I’ll always remember his energy, his commitment to real news and his belief that Latinos, always, had to be part of the national conversation.”

Currently, there are 570 students enrolled in the FIU Department of Journalism + Media, of which 35 are graduate students, 271 are Pell Grant eligible and 396 identify as Hispanic.

“As we look forward, especially at this critical time in history when good journalists are needed most, we can’t think of a better way to honor our father’s vision for promoting solid journalism than by establishing this gift and deepening our relationship with FIU,” said the Godoy family. “Continuing support from our community will make a difference in the lives of these young students pursuing this field with the same kind of passion and conviction that Godoy demonstrated throughout his career.”

FIU celebrates its Panthers on International Women in Engineering Day

David Drucker — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0400

To learn more about how women are making an impact at CEC, check out cec.fiu.edu.

Even hurricanes that hit far away impact local housing markets, FIU Business research finds

Cynthia Corzo — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 10:30:00 -0400

Even when a hurricane hits far away, it raises homeowners’ perception of risk, yet the financial impact and homeowners' attention to flooding are short-lived, research from FIU Business sh

Frost Art Museum debuts art from Puerto Rico and the Diaspora

Contributing Author — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 10:25:00 -0400

Seeking Knowledge: Art from Puerto Rico and the Diaspora features a wide range of contemporary Puerto Rican artists.

Mangroves need Everglades restoration now more than ever

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 09:29:00 -0400

Sea level rise is outpacing South Florida’s coastal wetlands, according to a new FIU study.

Student trip to Genoa will inform future FIU partnerships, study abroad opportunities in Italy

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 13:45:00 -0400

How can FIU inspire its students to broaden their perspectives by experiencing the world outside Miami – say, in Italy?

Millions of years ago, the megalodon ruled the oceans – why did it disappear?

Contributing Author — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 12:05:00 -0400

Dean Heithaus: As a scientist who studies sharks and other ocean species, I am fascinated by the awesome marine predators that have appeared and disappeared through the eons.

FIU team wins national EPA Campus RainWorks Challenge

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 15:40:00 -0400

The Campus RainWorks Challenge is a green infrastructure design competition for American colleges and universities.

FIU strengthens international business education with grant renewal from U.S. Department of Education

Cynthia Corzo — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 09:35:00 -0400

Increased to $1.33 million, the CIBER grant will have a total impact of nearly $2.7 million with matching funds.

Stephen M. Black appointed associate dean of research at College of Medicine

Ileana Varela — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 13:12:00 -0400

Stephen M. Black, Ph.D., has been named head of research at the FIU College of Medicine.

FIU launches world’s first master’s track in cruise line operations

Monica Smith — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:38:00 -0400

FIU’s new online M.S. in Hospitality Management: Cruise Line Operations track leverages ties within the cruise line industry to teach students.

StartUP FIU’s Crash Kitchen team among finalists at national Hult Prize startup competition

Contributing Author — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:00:00 -0400

Four friends take their post-pandemic idea for a Vietnamese-style cloud kitchen to the next level.

Veterans gain cybersecurity skills with all-expenses-paid program

David Drucker — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 10:48:00 -0400

FIU’s College of Engineering and Computing researchers have received a $2 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to help develop technology to prevent, detect, analyze and mitigate cyberattacks against U.S. energy systems.

“Our FIU team is very experienced in cybersecurity and smart energy grids. We are proud to lead the project to advance state-of-the-art methods in cyberattack detection and to harden our power grids,” said Mohammad Ashiqur Rahman, the lead principal investigator and assistant professor and the director of the Analytics for Cyber Defense (ACyD) Lab. “Protecting the security of America’s power is crucial as we face increasing cyber threats.”

The project, entitled “Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Tools (ArtIT) for Cyber Hardening of Power Grids,” involves developing artificial intelligence techniques and analytics that identify attacks in real-time and creating intelligent controllers to enhance the bulk power system’s attack resiliency. The team will then validate and test the tools in collaboration with utility and industry partners.

“Each element of the project tackles a specific problem,” Rahman said. “For example, an important piece is enhancing the moving target defense, a strategy used to confuse cyber attackers. They think they know who they are attacking, but in reality, we have changed the measures so that the attack applies to a different set of targets ― a set not susceptible to their tactics. This deception makes it easier to detect and mitigate an attack in real-time.”

The project is one of six new research, development and demonstration projects funded by the DOE for a total of $12 million. In addition to FIU, these awards are going to university teams at Iowa State University, New York University, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

“This funding will bolster our commitment to a secure and resilient clean energy future by fortifying American electricity systems and building a stronger grid,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

Rahman is joined by FIU’s Sumit Paudyal, associate professor; Kemal Akkaya, professor; and Selcuk Uluagac, associate professor ― all from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. They have partnered with researchers at North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Raytheon Technologies Research Center and Duke Energy Corporation.

“That FIU is leading the way on research vital to our country is a testament to our faculty’s expertise in cybersecurity and power grid security,” said John L. Volakis, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. “I’d like to congratulate and thank all team members. They are innovators who are making a difference in our community and far beyond.”

20 largest Hispanic serving research universities form alliance to increase Hispanic opportunity

Contributing Author — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 11:00:00 -0400

FIU among 20 of the nation’s top research universities that have formed an alliance to increase opportunity for those historically underserved by higher education.

Watch FIU Cheer behind the scenes as they win the NCA national championship

Contributing Author — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 13:30:00 -0400

After two years without a national competition in the sport, FIU Cheer brought home the National Cheerleaders Association national championship for the first time since 1998. In the video above, go behind the scenes and see the moments in and out of training that made all the difference.

Lunch is served: FIU's only student-run restaurant is open for business

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:44:00 -0400

The first summer semester lunch kicked off on Wednesday, June 8.

FIU awarded $1 million to develop 5G/6G cybersecurity solutions

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 12:59:00 -0400

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a team of researchers, including researchers from FIU’s College of Engineering and Computing, $1 million to continue their work to help thwart cyberattacks ― from computers and mobile devices to large-scale networks.

The research aims to create security solutions for 5G/6G networks. While these Next Generation Networks (NextG) provide faster, high-bandwidth and high-quality services ― and have the capability of connecting millions of IoT (Internet of Things) devices ― they also increase the possibility of compromised security.

Transportation, energy systems, manufacturing, healthcare and agriculture are among the many sectors that may use wireless devices on NextG Networks. Drones, autonomous vehicles, smart city sensors and power grid devices communicate through wireless connections ― some of them unattended or not regularly updated.

“The new technology doesn’t just add bandwidth,” said Professor Kemal Akkaya, head of the Advanced Wireless and Security Lab (ADWISE) in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, who is FIU’s co-principal investigator on the project, along with Professor Ahmed Ibrahim. “It’s a matter of significantly increasing the number and types of devices. While your phone is something you own and carry with you, which makes it possible for you to manage and protect to some degree, some IoT devices can be accessed by outsiders physically or through cyberattacks. An attack like that could go unnoticed for some time.”

The team of scientists is specifically studying methods to reduce the odds of attack by the quantum computers of the future that will target 5G/6G systems. Quantum computers are extremely powerful and fast and can process huge amounts of data in different ways than today’s standard computers. If quantum-safe cryptography algorithms are not developed and adapted to 5G/6G systems, quantum computers will be able to quickly crack most of the existing cryptographic algorithms in current cellular systems, driving data breaches that could cause long-lasting damage to government, commercial entities, and businesses, as well as individuals.

“We are always working five to 10 years in the future, developing ways to safeguard our information as breakthroughs that impact telecommunications are made,” Ibrahim said. “Our devices are very vulnerable, particularly as 5G, and then 6G, technologies are being deployed.”

The three-year project, entitled “RINGS: Bringing Post-Quantum Cryptography to Large-Scale NextG Systems,” is a collaboration with Florida Atlantic University and its principal investigator Reza Azarderakhsh, and Marquette University, whose principal investigator Mumin Cebe, is Akkaya’s former student at FIU.

“Whatever we do here will probably be translated into standards and adopted by telecom operators. This is crucial technology for our nation,” Akkaya said.

FIU’s expertise in wireless network security contributed to the university’s NSF award.
Akkaya has spent the last 15 years focusing on the integrity, confidentiality, and authentication of wireless communications and IoT.

The NSF RINGS (Resilient & Intelligent NextG Systems) program is the agency’s most extensive effort to bring the public and private sectors together to support research that protects and helps grow the use of next-generation networks.

Migration to the US is on the rise again – but it’s unlikely to be fully addressed during the Summit of the Americas, or anytime soon

Contributing Author — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 10:01:00 -0400

Written by Jack Maguire, Ph. D candidate at FIU, republished from The Conversation.

ADHD: Medication alone doesn’t improve classroom learning for children – new research

Contributing Author — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 09:44:00 -0400

FIU Model UN recognized as one of the best high school conferences in the world

Amy Ellis — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 14:42:00 -0400

FIU Model UN recognized as one of the best high school conferences in the world

Facing death: A medical student experiences the first death of a patient

Ileana Varela — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 10:54:00 -0400

An FIU med student reflects on his anxiety about death and witnessing the first death of a patient.

Bob Dylan gates “beckon” at Patricia & Philip Frost Art Museum

Contributing Author — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 10:03:00 -0400

Energy Department funds FIU research that could make nuclear fuel easier to reuse, safer to store

Chrystian Tejedor — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 13:20:00 -0400

FIU researchers and their federal collaborators are working on some of the biggest challenges facing the nuclear power industry.

FIU's 2022 Juneteenth celebration a week of activities for the entire community

Garrett Horne — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 15:23:00 -0400

Observed this year as a federal holiday for only the second time, “Freedom Day” commemorates the emancipation of slaves and highlights Black culture.

FIU awarded $2 million to develop artificial intelligence cybersecurity tools

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 11:07:00 -0400

University operations back to normal on Sunday

Contributing Author — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 18:43:00 -0400

The tropical storm warning has been discontinued for all of South Florida.

FIU continues to monitor weather conditions

Contributing Author — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 09:03:00 -0400

Operations at MMC, the Engineering Center and the I-75 campus will proceed as scheduled. At BBC, the library, Wolfe University Center and Wellness and Recreation Center will be closed.

South Florida is under a tropical storm warning and flood watch

Contributing Author — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:27:00 -0400

At FIU, we continue to monitor a storm system that has the potential to develop into Tropical Storm Alex.

Biology alumna assists with Zoo Miami's first patient at new sea turtle hospital

JoAnn Adkins — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 12:35:00 -0400

FIU, Zoo Miami and the Zoo Miami Foundation are teaming up to expand conservation research opportunities for undergraduate college students.

The joint effort has been awarded a three-year, $378,000 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site grant from the National Science Foundation. It will provide fully funded opportunities for FIU students and others from colleges throughout the United States to gain experience conducting independent research in conservation biology at Zoo Miami. Students will be mentored by conservation biologists and conservation education researchers at FIU’s College of Arts, Sciences & Education and the Zoo’s conservation scientists and wildlife veterinarians.

Ten students will be accepted into the program each year during the summers of 2020, 2021 and 2022. The program organizers hope to recruit students from minority groups underrepresented in science careers and students from universities with limited exposure to research.

The program is being modeled on an existing internship collaboration between FIU and Zoo Miami, said Elizabeth Anderson, project co-lead and an FIU assistant professor of Earth and Environment.

“Our program is different from a traditional REU program because students will have the opportunity to design and answer research questions in a new setting at Zoo Miami,” Anderson said. “Miami is an ideal lab for learning about conservation science, while surrounded by iconic locations like the Everglades and coastal reefs.”

The National Science Foundation funds dozens of REU sites across the US and internationally, but most are at research universities, field stations, or museums. As the only zoo-based REU program within the U.S., this grant could enhance the national capacity to train a new generation of conservation biologists for research careers working in and alongside zoos.

“Science guides the way we save wildlife – whether in human care or in the natural environment,” said Steven Whitfield, an FIU alumnus and conservation and research specialist at Zoo Miami who is a project co-lead. “This grant will allow the Zoo and FIU to train research students in a unique and fascinating environment for conservation biology, while presenting them to the real-world opportunities and challenges of doing conservation research at a zoo.”

Zoo Miami is the first zoo in the U.S. to receive such an award and only the second institution accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to host an REU Site.

Head of NSF’s Directorate of Engineering discusses diversity and research at FIU

David Drucker — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 10:00:00 -0400

“You have something very special here,” Margulies said, speaking to FIU's diversity and excellence in research.

Potential heavy rain, flooding and gusty winds expected Friday and Saturday

Contributing Author — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 16:20:00 -0400

The following message was sent to the university community Thursday afternoon.

Calling young space explorers: FIU NASA CRE2DO program expands

Contributing Author — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 13:12:00 -0400

Through the NASA CRE2DO program, FIU has worked with high school, middle school and elementary school students.

FIU leader Bridget A. Pelaez awarded Health Care Hero Award by Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce

Stephanie Rendon — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 11:37:00 -0400

Pelaez was honored for her selfless contributions and commitment to the safety of FIU faculty, staff, students, and the South Florida community.

Home DNA test results can be challenging for consumers and physicians

Ileana Varela — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 10:19:00 -0400

FIU geneticist Tracey Weiler, Ph.D., has recommendations for consumers and primary care physicians about direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

Teachers often struggle to address mass traumatic events in class

Contributing Author — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 09:49:00 -0400

This article was co-authored by FIU professor of psychology and psychiatry Jonathan S. Comer, republished from The Conversation.

FEMA to utilize FIU technology to establish climate-sensitive building codes

Lourdes Perez — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 17:01:00 -0400

Since 2012, Wall of Wind research has fueled life-saving innovations.

Professor recognized for two decades of agriculture research

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Krish Jayachandran's more than two decades of contributions to the field of agriculture recently received international recognition.

FIU Theatre wins two Kennedy Center National Awards

Ivan Lopez — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 10:00:00 -0400

FIU Theatre's production of Fahrenheit 451 wins National Awards from Kennedy Center

Real estate scholar William G. Hardin to lead FIU’s College of Business

Cynthia Corzo — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0400

William G. Hardin has been named dean of Florida International University’s College of Business (FIU Business). He has served as interim dean since May 2021 and is Ryder Eminent Scholar Chair and Research Fellow in the Tibor and Sheila Hollo School of Real Estate.

Hardin joined the FIU Business faculty in 2006 as director of real estate programs and the Jerome Bain Real Estate Institute. He was founding director of the Hollo School of Real Estate, created in 2012, and most recently served as associate dean, Chapman Graduate School of Business.

“Dr. Hardin is the ideal leader for this moment in the trajectory of FIU Business,” said Elizabeth M. Béjar, interim provost, executive vice president, and chief operating officer. “He understands the needs of industry and has a vision for ensuring our students and graduates continue to excel, and FIU remains a national leader in business education.”

U.S. News & World Report currently ranks the FIU Business undergraduate international business program No. 2 in the U.S., its international MBA program No. 5, its online undergraduate business program No. 13 among public universities and its online specialized master’s programs No. 13 among public universities. Additionally, FIU Business was ranked No.1 globally for real estate research productivity by the Journal of Real Estate Literature.

Hardin is a recognized expert on real estate markets, commercial and residential properties, financial markets, and securitized real estate.

Over the course of a 20-year academic career, Hardin has authored or co-authored 70 papers on topics including commercial real estate investment, foreclosures, corporate governance, residential real estate, and REIT financial structure. He is co-editor of Journal of Real Estate Research.

“It is an extraordinary honor to be chosen as dean of FIU Business at this pivotal time for the global business community, Miami and our students,” Hardin said. “We will marshal the remarkable talent and dedication of our faculty and staff and FIU Business alumni -- nearly 65,000 strong -- to address challenges and drive success.”

In 2018, Hardin received the Ricardo Medal by the American Real Estate Society, its highest recognition of scholarship, which recognizes important research in real estate over at least two decades. That year, he was selected by the International Real Estate Society for its Achievement Award, based on achievement and leadership in the real estate discipline over an extended period in a global context.

Hardin was ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the world for real estate research productivity from 2015 – 2021 by the Real Estate Academic Leadership (REAL) Author Rankings.

Before joining FIU Business, Hardin held the Robert W. Warren Chair of Real Estate at Mississippi State University, where he directed both the real estate and construction management programs. He also served on the faculty of Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Hardin received his doctorate from Georgia State University. He also has a Master of Science in Real Estate from Georgia State University, and a Master of International Business Studies from the University of South Carolina. His undergraduate degree is from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month: From American dream to dean of the largest hospitality school in the U.S.

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Tue, 31 May 2022 13:42:00 -0400

FIU Hospitality dean Michael Cheng reflects on his American journey and the resilience of hospitality.

Panthers gather to give back, celebrate more than $250,000 raised to support students

Gisela Maria Valencia — Tue, 31 May 2022 10:29:00 -0400

The President’s Council brought the university community together during a networking event that raised more than $50,000 and capped off a stellar year of gift-giving.

Engineering students’ seawater battery project wins first at Go Green North America

David Drucker — Tue, 31 May 2022 10:05:00 -0400

Their battery, now in prototyping, uses sodium from the ocean to store energy.

The ultimate climate resilience tech: an even more powerful Wall of Wind

Contributing Author — Tue, 31 May 2022 09:32:00 -0400

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $12.8 million four-year cooperative agreement to Florida International University’s Extreme Events Institute to support the design of a national full-scale testing facility capable of wind speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, combined with a water basin to simulate storm surge and wave action.

This Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 (MsRI-1 DP) project is formally titled “Mid-scale RI-1 (M1:DP): National Full-Scale Testing Infrastructure for Community Hardening in Extreme Wind, Surge, and Wave Events (NICHE).” The NICHE is intended to become part of NSF’s Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) – a distributed, multi-user national facility that provides the natural hazards engineering research community with access to research infrastructure that includes earthquake and wind engineering experimental facilities, cyberinfrastructure (CI), computational modeling and simulation tools, high performance computing resources, and research data, as well as education and community outreach activities.

Joy Pauschke, NSF program director in the division of civil, mechanical, and manufacturing innovation (CMMI) stated that “NSF invests in facilities like NICHE and NHERI to provide important research and educational opportunities for natural hazards engineering needed to ultimately protect life and property.”

“The envisioned NICHE responds to a pressing need for more resilient communities by reducing losses and disruptions due to climate-driven hazards, helping the U.S. and the world become more sustainable while enhancing the quality of life,” said Arindam Gan Chowdhury, principal investigator of the award and professor at FIU.

“Climate change is fueling more intense and more dangerous storms, and cutting-edge research and testing capabilities are clearly needed to meet the nation’s evolving risks,” said Richard S. Olson, director of FIU’s Extreme Events Institute. “In fact, and because the famous Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale only goes to Category 5, internally we call this our ‘Cat 6 project.’”

FIU is already home to the Wall of Wind (WOW), a large-scale hurricane simulator capable of generating 157 mph wind speeds with rain intrusion. WOW has a 12-fan 8,400 horsepower system that allows researchers from across the country to refine designs and retrofit existing and new buildings, systems, and components. The WOW became part of the NHERI network in 2015.

Faculty from FIU’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, including many involved with the WOW, will lead a multidisciplinary team of researchers and practitioners from eight other universities and the private sector to design the “Cat 6” prototype facility. The longer-term goal is to create an even larger scale NICHE facility capable of simulating the combined effects of extreme winds, storm surge, waves, and overland water flows on buildings, water and energy systems, roads, bridges, and other key infrastructure.

FIU’s academic partners for the NICHE project include the University of Florida, Oregon State University, Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Colorado State University, and Wayne State University. The principal industry partner is Aerolab.

No one wants to teach in the era of school shootings

Contributing Author — Fri, 27 May 2022 16:50:00 -0400

Laura Dinehart, Dean of FIU's School of Education and Human Development, wrote the following op-ed published in the Miami Herald.

FIU researcher awarded NIDA grant to develop novel program that connects women with opioid use disorder to care

Stephanie Rendon — Fri, 27 May 2022 12:40:00 -0400

Assistant professor of epidemiology Melissa Ward will work to improve women-centered systems that connect women with opioid use disorder to medications, mental health care and social services.

GRAMMY winner and Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer Sam Moore named 2022 CARTA Medallion honoree

Heather Radi-Bermudez — Thu, 26 May 2022 16:30:00 -0400

GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Sam Moore was recognized as the inaugural recipient of the CARTA Medallion, given by Florida International University’s College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA).

Presented by the Tonkinson Foundation, the CARTA Medallion recognizes outstanding professionals who have demonstrated excellence in their represented fields through international recognition of their work and who have made an immediate and lasting impact to the local, national, and international community in positive ways. The inaugural ceremony took place on May 19 at the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts.

Moore is widely known for his distinctive, unmistakable tenor voice as part of the historic soul duo Sam and Dave. Moore’s cultural impact and success as an entertainer span nearly seven decades, beginning in Miami’s Overtown and Liberty City neighborhoods in the late 1950s. Moore, who has earned global recognition as “The Legendary Soul Man,” is the only South Floridian inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee in 1999 and recognized by The Library of Congress’s National Registry for his hit “Soul Man,” Moore has performed for luminaries and dignitaries around the world, including Queen Elizabeth II, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and six of the seven past U.S. presidents.

Among other career accolades, Sam was awarded a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, a British MOBO Lifetime Achievement Award, a Musical Note on Memphis’s famed Beale Street and a Nashville’s Country Music Walk of Fame star. Moore is also a longtime supporter of the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts at FIU. In recent years, Moore teamed up with his wife, Joyce Moore, to merge arts and business by providing master classes and educational sessions on the music industry at FIU.

“Sam Moore is an inspiration to FIU students, faculty, and the South Florida community. As a native Miamian, he is a living treasure, and we are indeed fortunate to benefit from his talents. His musical contributions have been recognized nationally and internationally. It is our honor and privilege to have Sam Moore as the inaugural recipient of the FIU CARTA Medallion,” said Rick Tonkinson, who was joined by his wife Margarita in presenting the medallion.

The CARTA Medallion will be awarded annually and will recognize contributions by honorees in one or more CARTA disciplines, which include communication, journalism, architecture, music, theatre, and the visual arts.

“Sam’s music and impact have been a universal and driving force throughout his critically acclaimed career,” said CARTA Dean Brian Schriner. “His achievements, work ethic, and advocacy for our community make him an exemplary model for our college.”

Visit our website for more information on the CARTA Medallion.

FIU experts are available to discuss the 2022 hurricane season

Gabriela Aguirrechu — Thu, 26 May 2022 11:12:00 -0400

FIU experts on various topics surrounding hurricanes and their aftermath are available for media interviews.

Message from Interim President Jessell: Our hearts are with the Uvalde community

Contributing Author — Thu, 26 May 2022 10:38:00 -0400

Interim President Kenneth A. Jessell shared the following message with the university community on May 26.

FIU experts available to discuss school shooting in Uvalde, Texas

Lourdes Perez — Wed, 25 May 2022 15:44:00 -0400

FIU experts available to discuss school shooting in Uvalde, Texas

FIU Health now offers noninvasive procedure to treat depression

Ileana Varela — Wed, 25 May 2022 12:10:00 -0400

FIU Health is now offering TMS therapy for patients with treatment resistant depression.

What the Voyager space probes can teach humanity about immortality and legacy as they sail through space for trillions of years

Contributing Author — Wed, 25 May 2022 12:07:00 -0400

James Edward Huchingson, FIU professor emeritus and lecturer in Religion and Science wrote this article, republished from The Conversation.

2 Panthers earn Fulbright Awards

Gisela Maria Valencia — Wed, 25 May 2022 11:50:00 -0400

Two Panthers will travel abroad to study and teach as Fulbright participants and a third was named an alternate for the award.

Arg! FIU professor teaches American literature class on pirates

Monica Smith — Wed, 25 May 2022 10:50:00 -0400

FIU Professor Mark Kelley brings the fascinating life of pirates to life while teaching online students about early American literature.

Helping children survive the aftermath

Ayleen Barbel Fattal — Tue, 24 May 2022 17:47:00 -0400

FIU Associate Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry Jonathan Comer shares ways to help children cope when tragedy strikes.

SIPA II building slated for completion in Fall ’22

Amy Ellis — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:25:00 -0400

SIPA II building slated for completion in Fall ’22

Scott Carr brings passion and his own brand of servant leadership to FIU Athletics

Karen Cochrane — Tue, 24 May 2022 12:27:00 -0400

The university’s new athletic director is on a mission to make FIU Athletics a force to be reckoned with

FIU strengthens international business education with grant renewal from U.S. Department of Education

Cynthia Corzo — Tue, 24 May 2022 09:37:00 -0400

3 FIU Model UN students named to prestigious all-star team

Amy Ellis — Mon, 23 May 2022 13:39:00 -0400

All-Stars are considered the "most respected leaders" in the collegiate Model UN circuit.

Medication alone doesn’t help kids with ADHD learn

Rosanna Castro — Mon, 23 May 2022 09:07:00 -0400

For decades, most physicians, parents and teachers have believed that stimulant medications help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) learn. However, in the first study of its kind, researchers at the Center for Children and Families at FIU found medication has no detectable impact on how much children with ADHD learn in the classroom.

Commercial real estate landscape remains in flux, experts say

Cynthia Corzo — Fri, 20 May 2022 13:44:00 -0400

An unstable economy and its impact on commercial real estate makes institutional investors nervous, South Florida innovator Stephen Bittel recently shared with FIU Business real estate students.

“Inflation is a big problem,” said Bittel, chairman of commercial real estate developer Terranova Corp. “We’re set for a repricing on all of our asset classes.”

FIU's Real Estate Student Association (RESA) hosted the presentation, which was sponsored by the Hollo School of Real Estate. Clay Dickinson, an adjunct lecturer at the Hollo School, led the conversation.

After initial silence, the Biden administration is making moves to free WNBA star Brittney Griner from Russian detention

Contributing Author — Fri, 20 May 2022 09:52:00 -0400

This piece was written by Rokeshia Renné Ashley, assistant professor of communication at FIU, republished from The Conversation.

FIU Model UN team named No. 3 in North America

Amy Ellis — Thu, 19 May 2022 14:28:00 -0400

FIU Model UN team named No. 3 in North America

FIU training program for health care workers is yielding results

Krysten Brenlla — Thu, 19 May 2022 11:00:00 -0400

Meet Diamond Lind, the first registered nurse to graduate from FIU's Urban Potential Laboratories program

FIU CAPS partners with Togetherall to give students more mental health support

Monica Smith — Wed, 18 May 2022 11:15:00 -0400

Current FIU students receive mental health support any day or time from fellow students and licensed clinicians through Togetherall.

Scientists tap into moth brains hoping to improve human flight

Angela Nicoletti — Tue, 17 May 2022 08:51:00 -0400

FIU's Jamie Theobald is part of a team that received a $7 million Department of Defense grant to study the flight of moths.

Alumnus wins prestigious Carnegie Endowment fellowship to research cybersecurity

David Drucker — Mon, 16 May 2022 15:56:00 -0400

Gerald Torres ‘21, winner of a prestigious Carnegie Endowment fellowship, is at the forefront of cybersecurity and international relations.

5 life hacks to save money as a college student

Contributing Author — Mon, 16 May 2022 14:40:00 -0400

Learn some valuable tips and tricks to help relieve some of the financial stress of pursuing a degree.

Florida Small Business Development Center at FIU Business partners with City of North Miami Beach to offer no-cost consulting for local businesses

Ellen Forman — Mon, 16 May 2022 11:18:00 -0400

A dedicated FSBDC consultant with deep knowledge of the North Miami Beach community will work directly with area businesses, guiding them in areas of business strategy and development.

Saving our bay through art

Christine Calvo — Fri, 13 May 2022 14:01:00 -0400

Palette Knife Artists of Miami’s largest exhibition to date is on display at FIU’s Glenn Hubert Library at the Biscayne Bay Campus.

Closing the gender gap in STEM fields: ATOM Pink Tank

Ellen Forman — Fri, 13 May 2022 09:52:00 -0400

The winning team, Loud N Cloud (Anais Dardinier, Laura Borrero, Victoria Chomorro and Tatiana Summerall), also represented FIU in the Association of Information Sciences national competition and placed third. The challenge’s second place team, the Data Girls (Laure-Elise Guis and Mariana Santos), went on to win the ATOM AIS Analytics Challenge later in the month.

FIU Hospitality celebrates 50th anniversary with a party at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, and you're all invited!

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 12 May 2022 09:48:00 -0400

A celebration at iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach is scheduled for same location as school's first commencement ceremony.

U.S. patent awarded to FIU researchers could be key to treating and preventing cardiovascular disease

Contributing Author — Wed, 11 May 2022 11:35:00 -0400

FIU medical and engineering researchers have been awarded patent for a compound to treat and prevent cardiac calcifications.

Meet John Huddy '21, foreign correspondent reporting from Russia-Ukraine war

Zion Sealy — Wed, 11 May 2022 09:25:00 -0400

Global Strategic Communications alumnus shares his experience in Ukraine covering the war.

FIU is the country’s future: Preparing public servants for the highest levels in foreign affairs

Gisela Maria Valencia — Tue, 10 May 2022 15:35:00 -0400

FIU alumni have forged careers at all levels of the federal government in Washington, D.C. and students are increasingly capturing the attention of recruiters and agencies.

Med school grad (and stand-up comic) establishes student scholarship to honor teacher

Ileana Varela — Tue, 10 May 2022 13:19:00 -0400

Recent med school grad Sara Sherman established a scholarship to help students in a medicine pipeline program at FIU and honor a special professor.

Panthers earn prestigious 2022 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Chrystian Tejedor — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:26:00 -0400

Three College of Arts, Sciences & Education doctoral students have received National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.

FIU researcher part of team that has developed new miniature heart

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Tue, 10 May 2022 08:00:00 -0400

Getting a close-up view of the heart as it works ― vital to better understanding and treating cardiovascular problems ― has been the focus of scientists worldwide. Arvind Agarwal, chair of FIU’s Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and director of the Advanced Materials Engineering Research Institute, is part of an interdisciplinary research team that has made a significant breakthrough with the development of a miniature heart chamber, created from nanoengineered parts and human heart tissue.

Heart disease remains the number one killer of men and women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The researchers believe the living heart replica will enable them to closely study the heart muscle and changes that occur due to disease or high blood pressure. The replica also will test the effectiveness and safety of new treatments and drugs in development ― without putting humans at risk. The researchers expect it to spur the development of other lab-based organs, including kidneys and lungs. Their findings have been published in Science Advances.

The project is part of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center in Cellular Metamaterials (CELL-MET), a multi-institutional center that is aimed at transforming cardiovascular care. Agarwal, whose research has centered on nanomechanics and nanomaterials, joined other engineers, biologists and geneticists from Harvard Medical School, Columbia University, the University of Michigan and other institutions in the Boston University-led CELL-MET study.

“The complexities of the heart muscle have made previous methods of study difficult,” Agarwal said. “But the miniaturized heart chamber, using sophisticated printing techniques and stem-cell technology to create heart tissue, has resulted in something that mechanically responds like the human heart does while pumping blood through the body.”

The tiny components of the miniPUMP are printed using two-photon direct laser writing, which uses light to turn liquid resin into a solid. Even more precise than 3D printing, two-photon direct laser writing allows the team to work with components as small as sub-microns, which are tinier than a dust particle. The miniPUMP uses similar technology to the scaffolding in artificial implantable patches that Agarwal and the team are working on to repair hearts damaged by heart attacks or disease.

“It’s very exciting to see the impact that FIU is having on the future of medicine and wellness, and we are proud to be part of the CELL-MET project. Our involvement reflects our faculty excellence in research,” said John L. Volakis, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing.

The research team is working on refining and manufacturing the miniPUMP.

Cooke Foundation awards FIU $2.5 million scholarship gift to benefit nontraditional and veteran/military students

Contributing Author — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:12:00 -0400

Florida International University has received a $2.5 million gift from the George and Bernice Cooke Scholarship Foundation for Women to establish an endowment to provide scholarships to nontraditional and veteran/military FIU students.

More than $1.87 million of the gift is for The George and Bernice Cooke Scholarship Endowment, which will award scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate financial need (based on the FAFSA application) and have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

While any student may be eligible for the scholarship, preference will be given to nontraditional students (students with delayed enrollment into higher education; part-time students; students that work full-time; students with dependents other than a spouse; students who are single parents, etc.) and students with a demonstrated interest in women’s issues.

“Due to the pandemic, there has been a record number of students in need, with non-traditional students especially at risk, which can deter them from focusing on their studies,” said Laura Castillo, senior director of Enrollment Planning and Scholarship Operations. “This scholarship ensures FIU can support them on their journeys to graduation.”

In addition, $625,000 will establish The George and Bernice Cooke Scholarship Endowment for Military and Veteran Students, which will assist veterans and military-affiliated students.

“We are excited that this scholarship will alleviate economic challenges for our military and veteran students and ultimately increase their retention and graduation rates,” said Anthony DeSantis, assistant vice president for student affairs, who leads the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs.

Joanne and Douglas Heydon, the trustees of the Cooke Foundation, directed the gift to FIU.

“We are honored and humbled to carry out the Cooke’s legacy to help women who have not completed their college education,” Joanne Heydon said. “Bernice Cooke was a longtime advocate of advancing the status of women, and it’s long been proven that higher education is the most effective means to achieve that.”

“The foundation has worked with other higher education institutions, and we know that FIU is an ideal home for this gift,” said Douglas Heydon. “We are pleased to also assist those who have selflessly given so much to our nation by serving in the military.”

The first round of Cooke scholarships was awarded to students in the Spring 2022 semester. The Cooke Foundation gift benefits FIU’s Next Horizon campaign, which is advancing student success and research excellence at the university.

“We are honored that Joanne and Douglas Heydon decided FIU would be an appropriate institution to perpetuate the Cookes’ legacy of helping students achieve their dreams,” said Howard R. Lipman, CEO of the FIU Foundation. “This transformational gift will provide access to an FIU education to scores of outstanding students.”

What does an octopus eat? For a creature with a brain in each arm, whatever’s within reach

Contributing Author — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:17:00 -0400

Hilary Landorf wins NAFSA award for international education

Yenisleidy Simon Mengana — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:33:00 -0400

Founding executive director of FIU's Office of Global Learning Initiative, Landorf was recognized for her leadership in internationalization.

FIU hosts national security and defense leaders at the 7th Annual Hemispheric Security Conference

Katherine Dagand — Wed, 04 May 2022 14:33:00 -0400

The conference will bring together international experts for a series of discussions on issues crucial to the security landscape of the Western Hemisphere on May 17-20.

FIU awarded National Endowment for the Humanities grant to highlight contributions of Miami’s Black residents

Adriana Harris — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:53:00 -0400

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded the FIU Libraries a grant to create best practices for working with data and documents from marginalized communities, with the goal of providing access to the history of Black Miami.

The planning grant, Enhancing Access and Research Possibilities through Critical Engagement with Historical Data, is part of the Humanities Collections and Reference Resources Program of the NEH.

The grant will help provide enhanced access to the papers of Dana A. Dorsey, a successful businessman known as Miami’s first Black millionaire. At the project’s conclusion, implemented data collection methodologies and access strategies will be analyzed and shared through a white paper to help establish best practices in the field. The paper will include plans for potential partnerships and will identify additional resources, collections, organizations, and individuals to help expand the work.

"This is the most important research in Miami Black history in decades and is our first deep dive into the building of Black wealth in Miami," said Marvin Dunn, professor emeritus and author.

Dunn donated the Dana A. Dorsey Papers to the Special Collections and University Archives at FIU in 1999. They consist of warranty deeds, mortgages, legal documents and correspondence, which detail the properties and locations of what were newly created Miami subdivisions from around 1900 through 1940. These documents hold significant research and educational value as they frame the growth of the then-highly segregated Miami metropolitan region.

“This grant from NEH recognizes the commitment of FIU Libraries to build and enhance our collections in an inclusive manner,” said Anne Prestamo, dean of FIU Libraries. “By creating resources that fully tell the stories of those who faced racism, legal restrictions, and other barriers to success, we hope to empower others to engage in new data-driven research.”

The FIU Libraries, in partnership with FIU’s Department of History, will produce data resources derived from the Dorsey papers to help with historical analysis and mapping of marginalized communities. The collection will include searchable transcripts, tabular historical data derived from the papers and maps that will be available online through FIU’s digital library.

World’s largest computing society honors FIU engineering professor with top education award

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Wed, 04 May 2022 13:12:00 -0400

Mark Allen Weiss, an associate dean of the College of Engineering and Computing and distinguished professor of computer science at FIU, is being honored with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award for advancing the art and science of computer science education. ACM is the world’s largest computing society.

The award is presented annually to an outstanding educator who is appointed to a recognized educational baccalaureate institution; recognized for advancing new teaching methodologies or effecting new curriculum development or expansion in computer science and engineering; or for making a significant contribution to the educational mission of the ACM. The recognition comes with a prize of $10,000, supplied by Pearson Education.

Weiss’s most significant contributions to the evolution of the data structures and programming curriculum have been through his textbooks, which have been used in numerous countries and published in multiple editions over three decades (from the 1990s to the 2010s). Per opensyllabus.org, he is one of the most widely adopted textbook authors in computer science.

“This is a tremendous honor, and I am very excited to be recognized for the work that I’ve been doing at FIU,” said Weiss. “Computers impact all aspects of our lives, so ensuring we continue to educate highly-skilled computer scientists is in turn ultimately ensuring a productive and prosperous future.”

Weiss has also led and contributed to important education projects. Beginning in the late 1990s, he was part of the Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Development Committee, which designed the AP curriculum and wrote the AP exams taken by U.S. high school students. He chaired the committee for four years during the early 2000s, during the period in which the exam design was changing from C++ to Java, and the underlying curriculum was putting greater emphasis on object-oriented design and abstraction principles. He is also co-leading a project to help the US National Science Foundation set priorities for CS education research.

“Dr. Weiss exemplifies what it means to be a computer scientist and educator,” said John L. Volakis, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. “From his textbooks to his research and curriculum design, Weiss has positively impacted thousands of instructors and students around the world.”

Notably, he has also been a champion for increasing diversity in the computing field, especially through partnership programs with other universities in the state of Florida. These programs include pooling courses to improve access to relevant subject matter, providing support for especially challenging courses early in the computing curriculum, and increasing financial support for high-ability students with economic needs. As Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education at Florida International University, Weiss’s leadership in these kinds of programs has significantly increased the four and six-year graduation rates in his college.

Among his many honors, Weiss has received the ACM SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contributions to Computer Science Education, the IEEE-CS Taylor Booth Education Award, and the IEEE Sayle Education Achievement Award.

Camillus House unveils cooking program from FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management kitchen featuring Miami's top chefs

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Wed, 04 May 2022 11:51:00 -0400

Exceptional young alumni recognized for service, professional contributions with inaugural FIU Alumni 5 Under 35 award

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Tue, 03 May 2022 13:36:00 -0400

These FIU alumni, ages 35 and younger, have made exceptional achievements in and contributions to their professions. They exemplify FIU's core values.

FIU receives $1.8 million National Institutes of Health grant to further research in kidney-related cardiovascular disease

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Mon, 02 May 2022 11:51:00 -0400

Hospitality student risks life to erect Wall of Hope in Ukraine and Poland

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 14:06:00 -0400

FIU student Leo Soto is on a mission to give families experiencing tragedy in Ukraine a place of peace.

Students get behind-the-scenes look at the business of luxury branding

Contributing Author — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:50:00 -0400

18 FIU MBA students took part in the inaugural Luxury Incubator MBA Project and its seven-day field trip to New York and California.

Real estate students triumph in prestigious 2022 ARGUS University Challenge

Ellen Forman — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:39:00 -0400

FIU students placed first in the U.S., and third out of a worldwide field of 33, in the 2022 ARGUS University Challenge, a business case competition drawing the brightest young minds in the field.

Program trains undergrads for careers in research

Gisela Maria Valencia — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 10:20:00 -0400

The MARC U*STAR program is equipping students with the skills to thrive in grad school and land competitive jobs as researchers .

Master’s degree is redefining the future of education through curriculum and instruction

Monica Smith — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 09:34:00 -0400

The M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction: Elementary Education track addresses current trends in K-6 for diverse, equity and inclusion.

StartUP FIU fosters and supports innovation and entrepreneurship at FIU and beyond

Contributing Author — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 13:23:00 -0400

FIU News interviewed Emily Gresham, co-founder of StartUP FIU, to learn more about how StartUP FIU supports students, faculty and local community entrepreneurs.

Meet Allie Raffa '14, NBC Capitol Hill correspondent

David Drucker — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 13:15:00 -0400

The College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts and Honors College graduate shares her journalism journey.

FIU hosts meeting of nation’s top glycobiology researchers

Ileana Varela — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 11:04:00 -0400

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine’s Translational Glycobiology Institute at FIU (TGIF) hosted a meeting of some of the nation’s top glycobiologists—scientists seeking to discover and develop mo

FIU graduates leverage their education to find solutions and make a real difference

Lourdes Perez — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 16:40:00 -0400

FIU Board of Trustees approves criteria for FIU's next president

Contributing Author — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 16:09:00 -0400

The criteria, developed by the Presidential Search Committee on Monday and approved by Trustees this afternoon, will serve as a framework during the candidate vetting process.

FIU researcher Heidi M. Mansour elected to the 2022 Class of the AIMBE College of Fellows

Stephanie Rendon — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 11:00:00 -0400

FIU researcher elected to AIMBE's 2022 Class of the College of Fellows for her outstanding progress and creative approaches to drug discovery and delivery.

HCA Florida Healthcare, FIU announce partnership and plan to combat national nursing shortage with more educators

Contributing Author — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:38:00 -0400

Health system to donate $1.5 million to the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences to expand teaching program and scholarships to preserve a critical nursing pipeline .

FIU Foundation now accepting donations of Bitcoin, Litecoin and other cryptocurrency

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 13:15:00 -0400

Through the online platform Engiven, the Foundation can accept 29 forms of virtual currency, including many popular coins such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Dogecoin.

FIU takeover week on Academic Minute

Madeline Baro — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 08:08:00 -0400

FIU professors will be highlighted during the week of April 25-29 on Academic Minute.

Student recognized for DEI efforts at FIU

Contributing Author — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 14:57:00 -0400

Senior Vanessa Rolle was awarded both the MLK Peace Award and the Student Life Award for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging.

FIU receives NSF grant to develop high-frequency communications technologies, train critical workforce

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 12:33:00 -0400

Florida International University’s College of Engineering and Computing has received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for Phase 1 development of the Center for High-Frequency Electronics and Circuits for Communication Systems (CHECCS). The center’s research focuses on innovative circuits and electronic devices for high-frequency communications applications in a wide range of fields, from national security and defense systems to 5G/6G wireless communications, autonomous cars, personalized medicine and more.

The creation of CHECCS acknowledges that high-frequency communications systems are a vital, multibillion-dollar industry. CHECCS will collaborate with industry to accelerate the development of prototypes into commercially viable products. The technology explored has multiple applications that range from cell phones and 5G+ communications, to autonomous cars, personalized medicine and monitored healthcare, agricultural sensing and merchandise inventory. The CHECCS group anticipates these products will give way to spin-offs and start-up businesses.

Two other universities ― the University of Arkansas and University of Tennessee Knoxville ― have joined FIU in the endeavor. CHECCS includes an outreach component to recruit and mentor high school students.

“The rapid and continuing evolution of the field requires experienced workers capable of very technically challenging careers,” said John L. Volakis, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing and CHECCS principal investigator. “Our diverse student body is a major plus in preparing our nation’s future workforce.”

The FIU CHECCS team, with both academic and industry research experience, is led by Volakis and co-principal investigators Markondeya Raj Pulugurtha, associate professor; Dimitris Pavlidis, director of emerging research programs; and Habarakada Madanayake, associate professor.

“This group is at the forefront of multidisciplinary research in high-frequency communications devices, circuits and systems, electromagnetics and antennas,” said Andres Gil, senior vice president for research and economic development. “The advances this team makes in this important technology and in critical workforce training will have a longstanding positive impact in a myriad of areas involving everyday life - homeland security, transportation infrastructures, medicine and more.”

Panther entrepreneurs co-found startup, help restaurants survive pandemic's impact on hospitality sector

Gisela Maria Valencia — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 15:41:00 -0400

Panthers teamed up to create a data analytics and marketing company to help restaurants survive the pandemic and thrive in today's complex hospitality industry landscape.

Popularity of remote work prompts 'hospitalitization' of real estate

Ellen Forman — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 14:24:00 -0400

As employers attempt to lure workers back to the office, some returnees may find that rows of cubicles have been replaced by comfy couches and private meeting spaces.

5 growing trends in curriculum and instruction for K-6

Monica Smith — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 14:58:00 -0400

From big data to funding, several developments are growing to create better ways to teach children in elementary school.

FIU leads the way for Miami’s tech hub ambitions at eMerge Americas

Lourdes Perez — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 09:00:00 -0400

From technology-focused collaborations, startups and some of the world’s most unique research projects, FIU has continued to pump out talent to help lead South Florida’s booming tech sector.

Virtual bilingual sales competition brings real triumphs

Contributing Author — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 16:49:00 -0400

Participants gave a 15-minute sales pitch in either Spanish or English, and some in both, with sponsors like Salesforce and Northwestern Mutual serving as judges.

Professor developing new tool for plant parents

JoAnn Adkins — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 14:59:00 -0400

Professor is developing an iOS app to help people keep track of their houseplants’ fertilization needs by simply taking a picture. It would work for commercial nurseries too.

Kaseya partners with FIU to launch tech workforce pipeline

Contributing Author — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 09:46:00 -0400

Kaseya®, a premier provider of unified IT management and security software for managed service providers (MSPs) and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), announced today that it has teamed up with Florida International University to create a workforce pipeline that trains students for jobs in technology and helps Kaseya fill multiple positions across the company.

Miami’s technology sector has grown exponentially over the last two years, leading to a massive demand for talent to fill vacant roles. Kaseya, a global company with its U.S. headquarters in Miami since 2004, hopes to hire for 400 roles in sales, R&D, customer and product support and finance.

“There is a national shortage of tech talent. We are working hard to counter South Florida’s brain drain and ensure Miami students are prepared for roles in the city’s fast-growing tech ecosystem,” said Kaseya CEO Fred Voccola. “Kaseya is committed to its hometown and looks forward to continuing its collaboration with FIU and government leaders to prepare the workforce coming online for tomorrow’s tech opportunities.”

As part of the partnership, Kaseya will advise on curriculum through active participation on college advisory boards to ensure both technological and soft skills are being incorporated. It also will provide mentorship on various senior capstone projects and offer insights from its leadership team to create co-branded credentialing programs with the university. Additionally, the Cyber Apprenticeship Program will prepare computer science students for jobs in customer support via hands-on training. As part of the collaboration, Kaseya also is actively supporting the FIU Sales Society and recruiting graduates for account management roles.

“This partnership with Kaseya demonstrates FIU's commitment to understanding the needs of industry and implementing programs that will ensure our students are prepared for meaningful careers,” said FIU Interim Provost, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth Béjar. “We look forward to working with Kaseya and integrating what we have learned across the curriculum and within our career and talent development programs.”

To address the worker shortage, Kaseya also introduced the Grow Your Own program. The initiative cultivates talent by supporting new hires on their professional journeys with the company. Regardless of the career pathway – sales, customer support, research & development, finance or administrative – Kaseyans receive training and consistent guidance through educational programs, mentorship and leadership development. The company offers multiple opportunities for growth and promotes from within.

Every month, Kaseya hosts Hire-Palooza, an open house hiring event held at its Miami headquarters in Brickell. The next one is scheduled for April 19 and those interested can register here. To view Kaseya’s open jobs globally, click here.

Let's get hired: What you should know to prepare for job fairs in Miami

Krysten Brenlla — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 12:46:00 -0400

#MiamiTechMonth is booming with open positions and local talent. Here's what you need to know to get hired.

The search for one of Florida’s most rare, endangered orchids

Angela Nicoletti — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 10:00:00 -0400

The U.S. National Park Service awarded FIU conservation ecologist Hong Liu a grant to lead the first study to discover how many cigar orchids are in Big Cypress.

A look into the culture that's powering Swimming and Diving's championship spree

David Drucker — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 03:20:00 -0400

The Panthers have won the most consecutive championships of any athletic program in Conference USA history.

Great white sharks occasionally hunt in pairs - new research sheds light on social behavior of these mysterious predators

Contributing Author — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

This article was written by Yannis Papastamatiou, FIU professor of Biological Sciences, republished from The Conversation.

FIU Cheer brings home national championship

Karen Cochrane — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 16:51:00 -0400

After two years without a national competition in the sport, FIU came ready to show its stuff.

Game-changer: FIU class project leads to engineering career at Texas Instruments

Contributing Author — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 13:25:00 -0400

Diaz-Cruz and his classmates shrank a Texas Instrument (TI) system from the size of an older PC to that of a home phone. His work caught the attention of TI recruiters.

APLU and USU highlight FIU student success best practices as part of six-year collaboration with urban-located universities

Lourdes Perez — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 15:25:00 -0400

12 FIU programs ranked in the top 50 among public universities in the U.S. by QS World University Rankings

Lourdes Perez — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 14:00:00 -0400

The Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management ranked top 10.

7 tips on starting a career in public health

Stephanie Rendon — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:30:00 -0400

Public health professionals from the Stempel College share their best advice during National Public Health Week.

SigEp alumni leaders reflect on fraternity’s 35 years at FIU

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity celebrated its 35th anniversary at FIU this month.

FIU Hospitality marks Food Waste Prevention Week with activities and tips to end food waste

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Americans lose more than $218 billion in wasted food every year.

Post-doc and Ph.D. students win Society of Toxicology awards for Alzheimer's research

Stephanie Rendon — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 13:51:00 -0400

A post-doc and two Ph.D. students from FIU Stempel College won awards for research on Alzheimer's disease.

7 degrees that transform existing cultural and social institutions

Contributing Author — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 13:30:00 -0400

FIU offers many degree options that can prepare students for careers with impact.

FIU and UAlbany researchers team up to launch $1.5 million virtual cybersecurity institute

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 09:00:00 -0400

An interdisciplinary group of Florida International University and University at Albany researchers are teaming up to co-lead a new $1.5 million virtual institute that will help train the next generation of cybersecurity professionals for future military and civilian leadership positions.

The Virtual Institute of Cyber Operation and Research (VICOR) aims to advance a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) VICEROY initiative to establish cyber institutes through higher education partners across the country. It is supported by the Griffiss Institute, a nonprofit talent and technology accelerator for DoD and an international network of academic, government and industry partners.

“The United States needs a series of robust STEM programs to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s cyber jobs,” said Heather Hage, president and CEO of the Griffiss Institute. “The Griffiss Institute is extraordinarily proud to bring VICEROY to life in partnership with the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense and the outstanding academic institutions selected to lead this critical initiative.”

Funding for the institute will be used over the next two years to equip students with applied cyber operational skills through hands-on learning and research opportunities. It will also provide scholarships for 60 students selected for the program.

“We are extremely pleased in achieving this award and recognition, as it enhances FIU’s leadership and commitment to cybersecurity research and education,” said Alexander Perez-Pons, principal investigator and an associate professor at FIU’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and a member of the Cybersecurity@FIU program. “We hope to develop a highly skilled cybersecurity workforce while embracing the opportunities offered through the virtual institute’s capacity and alliance with UAlbany."

Diversity in Cybersecurity

VICOR forms a new alliance between FIU and UAlbany, both Carnegie-classified R1 institutions with well-established cybersecurity programs.

FIU is a designated Minority Serving Institution that was recently voted No.1 by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine for awarding Hispanics Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services Degrees. The same organization voted FIU No. 2 for awarding engineering degrees to Hispanics.

UAlbany stands out for its equitable enrollment of Black and Latino students. Most notably, UAlbany has been recognized by the Education Trust as a leader in advancing racial equity among the nation’s most selective public higher education institutions and is regularly ranked as a top institution in advancing social mobility.

Through VICOR, project leaders will recruit a diverse group of students at each institution. This will include ROTC cadets and veteran undergraduate students who have an interest in a wide variety of topics such as cyber defense techniques, digital forensics, security of the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and data analytics for cybersecurity, electromagnetic spectrum operations, and strategic cybersecurity.

Pipeline for Future Cyber Leaders

To supplement coursework, the institute will organize an annual undergraduate research conference, career fairs and cybersecurity seminars. It will also offer networking and mentorship opportunities with industry partners and access to state-of-the-art labs at both FIU and inside UAlbany’s new $180 million ETEC building.

The approach of the institute is to provide a unique experiential learning environment that is tailored to match the workforce demands of the DoD, armed services, and Defense Industrial Base partners.

“We are very excited to be selected for this award and have an opportunity to continue our contributions to the cyber defense of the U.S. through creating the next generation of cybersecurity experts,” said Unal Tatar, the project’s lead principal investigator and an assistant professor at UAlbany’s College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC). “This award is a remarkable indicator of UAlbany’s excellence in cybersecurity research and education.”

Tatar is joined at the institute by UAlbany faculty at CEHC and the School of Business. Co-principal investigators include Sanjay Goel, professor at the School of Business, Benjamin Yankson, assistant professor at CEHC, and Kemal Akkaya, professor, FIU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences.

The institute is set to officially launch in June 2022.

Industry leaders discuss being a woman in communications

Contributing Author — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 14:08:00 -0400

Moderated by School of Communication + Journalism alumna Nathalia Ortiz, the virtual event offered a space to discuss the current and future state of communications.

FIU Board of Trustees Chair Dean Colson shares update on presidential search

Contributing Author — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:35:00 -0400

"In an important step on our path to selecting FIU’s next president, I am pleased to announce the members of the FIU Presidential Search Committee."

How Ukraine has defended itself against cyberattacks – lessons for the US

Contributing Author — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400

This article was written by Robert Peacock, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, republished from The Conversation.

Emails and texts in lieu of conversation could negatively affect performance on higher-level job tasks, study finds

Cynthia Corzo — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 13:15:00 -0400

New research from FIU Business shows that if you’re looking to stay sharp throughout the day, you might want to take your fingers off the keyboard and talk instead.

JEDI Ambassadors in the College of Engineering & Computing conduct research, work within the community to diversify the field

Contributing Author — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 12:00:00 -0400

JEDI stands for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and FIU students are looking to interest a broad swath of youngsters in STEM education while creating a welcoming atmosphere in general

‘It’s a big difference:' Football players discuss the hype behind the new era

David Drucker — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 11:30:00 -0400

On April 9, FIU Football will host the Spring Showcase featuring free activities for fans and a look at the new team.

Hospitality students help make one of the world's most recognized music festivals more sustainable

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 10:30:00 -0400

FIU Hospitality students help make one of the world's most recognized music festivals more eco-friendly

Researcher sheds new light on the diversity of minoritized groups

Christine Calvo — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Minoritized groups are often studied as monolithic entities, but the reality can be much more diverse, according to higher education researcher Antonio Duran.

NSF taps Teutonico to lead Coastlines and People Program

JoAnn Adkins — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 09:55:00 -0400

Rita Teutonico, associate dean of research for FIU’s College of Arts, Sciences & Education, has been appointed the program officer for the National Science Foundation’s Coastlines and People program.

Deputy Secretary of State tells students: no one path to a career in foreign policy

Amy Ellis — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 13:23:00 -0400

Deputy Secretary of State Brian McKeon visits FIU and urges students to consider a career in foreign and civil service.

A discussion with U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau: what women need to know about the gender wage gap

Celene Torres — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0400

Understanding the intersection of gender and pay inequality can help address women's known and unknown obstacles in getting paid fairly for equal work.

U.S. News and World Report ranked FIU graduate programs in the top 50 among U.S. public universities in 19 categories

Lourdes Perez — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:15:00 -0400

Specialized master’s degree prepares students for transformation of mega-events

Monica Smith — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

FIU’s online master’s degree in Hospitality Management: Mega Events addresses the many ways mega-events are transforming.

Ph.D. student's first book helps kids explore life on coral reefs

Angela Nicoletti — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 10:02:00 -0400

Erin Spencer has pulled off something very few people have — the Ph.D. candidate wrote a science-focused children’s book.

From Colombia to FIU to NASA: Sara Rengifo’s journey to becoming an aerospace engineer

Contributing Author — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 12:20:00 -0400

In 2019, Alumna Sara Rengifo received NASA’s prestigious Trailblazer Award.

Dolphins can bond from a distance, and that means more dolphin babies

JoAnn Adkins — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 09:25:00 -0400

Scientists have released two new studies that show male friends are pretty important for dolphins.

FIU to receive $5.5M in federal funds for strategic research projects with community impact

Gisela Maria Valencia — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0400

The university received the highest number of Congressionally-directed community funding projects in Florida in the latest omnibus appropriations bill, signed into law by President Biden.

Eye size of deep-sea shrimp reveal secrets of the deep

Angela Nicoletti — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 09:25:00 -0400

How one film and one professor are inspiring and influencing deaf representation

Contributing Author — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 18:00:00 -0400

Deaf representation in film has increased in the past few years, as well as demand for ASL classes and support for FIU's Deaf community.

FIU hospitality management students land scholarships for their creative dishes, coming soon to a seafood festival near you

Contributing Author — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 16:00:00 -0400

Not quite fish out of water, students in the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management briefly put their studies aside to participate in a culinary competition featuring salmon.

Scientists get inventive to reveal secret social lives of great white sharks

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 09:01:00 -0400

Great white sharks around Mexico’s Guadalupe Island sometimes hang out with each other — and while it’s not a popularity contest, some might just be a little more social than others.

FIU and USAID sign historic agreement to increase jobs, internships and research opportunities for students

Amy Ellis — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0400

In a visit to the Modesto A. Maidique Campus, USAID Administrator Samantha Power said the agency plans to “be more intentional” about recruitment and hiring at FIU.

FIU medical students rejoice in learning where they’ll train as resident doctors

Ileana Varela — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:01:00 -0400

Emotions ran high as the soon-to-be-physicians – graduation is next month – secured coveted, competitive positions around the country as part of the annual Match Day reveal.

Global implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: FIU experts answer your questions

Amy Ellis — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0400

FIU experts answer questions on global implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine celebrates 10th Match Day

Ileana Varela — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 16:05:00 -0400

Visit FIU Flickr for more photos of the momentous day.

Update on FIU presidential search

Contributing Author — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 16:00:00 -0400

FIU selects R. William Funk and Associates to aid in search for the university's sixth president

New online bachelor’s degree feeds the food industry with well-steeped graduates

Monica Smith — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 14:25:00 -0400

The bachelor's in Hospitality Management: Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship prepares FIU graduates with the skills, knowledge and abilities to help make what we eat safer, better and more fun.

Stempel College alumna helps build healthier communities at USDA

Stephanie Rendon — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Pascale C. Jean shares what it took to land a job with the United States Department of Agriculture.

Students' 3D-printed heart toys teach children about their congenital heart defects

Zion Sealy — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0400

Architecture students 3D printed “Heart House” — a toy set for patients at Nicklaus Children's Hospital to teach them and their families about congenital heart defects.

FIU researcher wants to keep your online group safe and private

Angela Nicoletti — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 09:32:00 -0400

Asia Eaton is leading a study to explore how to best protect members of identity-based groups, like those for Black women in STEM, LGBTQ+ college students and more.

NSF awards grant to College of Engineering to help improve disaster management and pandemic recovery

Contributing Author — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 15:04:00 -0400

Working closely with counterparts at the University of Tokyo, FIU scientists hope to develop the critical tools and technologies necessary for effective disaster management and pandemic recovery.

FIU unveils bridge memorial, statue of Alexa Duran

David Drucker — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 17:49:00 -0400

The university honored the memory of student Alexa Duran and five other victims who were killed when a pedestrian bridge that was still under construction collapsed on March 15, 2018.

Postdoctoral researcher is a shark DNA detective

Angela Nicoletti — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 13:34:00 -0400

FIU postdoctoral scientist Diego Cardeñosa is on a mission to stop illegal wildlife trafficking — from the global shark fin trade to the exotic pet trade.

Business panel discusses innovative entrepreneurial solution to big energy demands

Cynthia Corzo — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 12:55:00 -0400

Incorporating some of the technologies used in supercomputers can help solve problems generated by large-scale data centers.

FIU Hospitality celebrates women with inaugural membership into global network — Women of the Vine & Spirits

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Chaplin School is the first university and college member of Women of the Vine & Spirits.

Frost Art Museum FIU presents pioneering activist artist Mel Chin during Green Critics’ Lecture Series

Contributing Author — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0400

The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum FIU will host Mel Chin as part of the Steven & Dorothea Green Critics’ Lecture Series.

Third annual FIU 305 Give Day breaks participation, fundraising records

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 12:28:00 -0500

FIU 305 Give Day shines a spotlight on the generosity of FIU alumni and encourages grads to give back to their alma mater.

Putin’s not the only one to blame for Russia’s murderous war in Ukraine | Opinion

Contributing Author — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 11:50:00 -0500

"It is easy to blame this terrible deadly tragedy on the killer in the Kremlin." | Opinion by Professor Allan Rosenbaum

FIU Business online MBA program ranked No. 10 in the world

Contributing Author — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 11:00:00 -0500

The online degree comes in at No. 4 among all U.S. public school online MBA programs ranked this year.

Where’s the seagrass? Manatees resort to eating more algae

Christine Calvo — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 09:34:00 -0500

Manatees resorted to eating a staggering amount of algae after seagrasses died-off in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon.

Long before shots were fired, a linguistic power struggle was playing out in Ukraine

Contributing Author — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 08:53:00 -0500

Republished from The Conversation, this piece was written by FIU Associate Professor of Linguistics Phillip M. Carter.

Deidra Hodges appointed chair of electrical and computer engineering

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 14:00:00 -0500

She is the first Black department chair in the College of Engineering & Computing.

Meet Ashley Floyd Kuntz — the person who's going to help you land a prestigious scholarship

Gisela Maria Valencia — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 15:08:00 -0500

Ashley Floyd Kuntz is supporting FIU students on their journey to land some of the world's most competitive scholarships, which often provide funding for grad school or international study.

Honors student Daniel Boaretto is bound for medical school at 20 years old

David Drucker — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 15:06:00 -0500

As demand increases for empathetic doctors, Boaretto seeks to become the kind of physician that patients can trust.

Town halls help build COVID-19 vaccine confidence among minority communities, study finds

Stephanie Rendon — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 14:04:00 -0500

After a town hall, unvaccinated participants indicating they were likely to get vaccinated rose from 58% to 72.5%.

Cheers all around: 21st annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival® is a wrap!

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 15:36:00 -0500

The 21st SOBEWFF® is a wrap. 1,200 FIU students help run the South Beach Wine & Food Festival®

Your chances of getting rid of student loan debt depend on who you are

Contributing Author — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 09:27:00 -0500

Republished from The Conversation, this was written by Kelsey Lynne Hess, Deborah Goldfarb and Jacqueline R. Evans.

Live from Westchester: Alumni's play about the first five years of 'SNL' opens the new Westchester Cultural Arts Center

Ivan Lopez — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 15:58:00 -0500

Alumni Erik J. Rodriguez and Charles Sothers' play "Not Ready for Primetime" explores the tumultuous first five years of "Saturday Night Live."

5 FIU professors receive NSF CAREER Awards to conduct innovative research, promote diversity in engineering

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 13:30:00 -0500

The latest class brings the college’s total number of NSF CAREER awardees to 24.

FIU garners more top rankings from Intelligent.com for online learning

Monica Smith — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 11:45:00 -0500

FIU landed at No. 47 for best overall online bachelor’s program among public universities in U.S. News & World Report's 2022 rankings released today. Seven bachelor's and master's programs were also in the Top 50.

The U.S. News rankings highlight the university’s commitment to quality and underscore the university's dedication to excellence in online learning.

Miami’s public R1 research university, FIU offers more than 190 degrees, many available online. The university is ranked No. 1 in the nation for Quality Matters (QM) certification of hundreds of its online courses.

Ph.D. student explores new link between insecticide and Alzheimer’s disease

Stephanie Rendon — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Ferass Sammoura's research aims to help scientists better understand the effects of synthetic insecticides on people.

Is resistance futile? Resilience may best help nature prevail

Chrystian Tejedor — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 14:01:00 -0500

When nature faces intense storms, it may be better to adapt and recover than try to resist.

According to a new study comparing the impacts of hurricanes, resilience is a more realistic management strategy for coastal areas. If disturbance events were not increasing in frequency and magnitude, resistance might be the best strategy, said study co-author John Kominoski, an ecologist in the Institute of Environment and lead principal investigator for the Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research program at FIU. That’s because disturbances would be infrequent and the probability of being impacted would be relatively low. But in times of greater storm frequency and intensity from accelerated climate change, there simply might not be enough time for resistance to take hold for some species.

“Our understanding of resilience — how can we expect nature to return to prior conditions is changing,” Kominoski said. “The ability to go with the flow confers more resilience but things that are anchored like trees, they are more resistant and can exhibit that resistance at a cost. In a general sense, resilience would allow organisms to adapt to changing conditions and bounce back but some organisms don’t.”

That’s why the idea of trying to enhance both resistance and resilience in coastal ecosystems may be an impossible task, according to Christopher Patrick, lead author of the study and researcher at William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

“If it takes 25 years for one tree species to grow large enough to resist the average hurricane, but hurricanes now start impacting an area every 20 years, it’s probably a waste of effort to try to cultivate it,” Patrick said. “The best restoration strategy depends on the frequency and intensity of disturbance events both now and in the future.”

All told, the researchers used pre- and post-storm monitoring surveys to analyze patterns of ecosystem resistance and resilience from 26 Northern Hemisphere storms. These made landfall between 1985 and 2018 in states from Texas to North Carolina, as well as in Puerto Rico and Taiwan. They gauged storm characteristics and impacts via total rainfall, maximum rainfall rate, and wind speed; then grouped their study areas into four ecosystems (freshwater, saltwater, wetland, and terrestrial) and five “response categories,” for a grand total of 4,138 time series datasets. The response categories documented post-storm changes not only in the distribution and abundance of living things — populations of mobile animals such as fishes, sedentary animals such as oysters, and vascular plants such as mangroves — but also in the ecosystem’s biogeochemistry (e.g., salinity, nutrients) and hydrography (e.g., depth and shoreline position).

“In the face of a changing climate and shifts in extreme weather events like hurricanes, it’s critical that we make good decisions about how to protect and restore ecosystems,” said Mike Heithaus, executive dean of FIU’s College of Arts, Sciences & Education and a marine scientist who contributed data to the study on predator movements during the storms. “The insights we were able to gain from working across so many locations with so many collaborators and leveraging multiple long-term studies are critical for helping ensure the long-term health of coastal systems.”

Kominoski said data from long-term ecological research enables researchers to detect how the impacts of catastrophic events can leave an indelible mark on sensitive ecosystems, such as Florida’s Everglades.

The study, published in Science Advances, revealed a repeated pattern of trade-offs between resistance and resilience across ecological categories. The authors note these patterns are likely the outcomes of evolutionary adaptation and conform to ecological-disturbance theories, suggesting consistent rules govern ecosystem susceptibility to tropical cyclones.

The research team comprises 23 scientists from 11 states, Puerto Rico, and Taiwan. FIU contributors included Heithaus, Kominoski, FIU Institute of Environment Director Todd Crowl, Assistant Professors Jeremy Kiszka and Rolando Santos, as well as technician Sara Wilson and Assistant Teaching Professor Elizabeth Whitman. FIU alumni Bradley Strickland, now a postdoctoral researcher at Virginia Institute of Marine Science, J. Aaron Hogan, now a postdoctoral researcher at University of Florida, and David Lagomasino, an assistant professor at East Carolina University, were also among the contributors.

Their study is linked to a Research Coordination Network formally known as the Hurricane Ecosystem Response Synthesis Network funded by the National Science Foundation to synthesize knowledge concerning ecosystem responses to hurricanes. Joining Kominoski and Patrick as co-authors and members of the network’s leadership team are Bill McDowell, professor at the University of New Hampshire, and Beth Stauffer, associate professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Why the Ukrainian invasion was predictable: 'It’s time the world finally learns a lesson on Russia'

Contributing Author — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 11:15:00 -0500

Besiki Luka Kutateladze, associate professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice and a native of the Republic of Georgia, examines how many experts saw the attack on Ukraine coming.

Nanogel patented by FIU researchers has potential to change future of medicine

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 15:30:00 -0500

FIU's nanogel shows great promise in its ability to precisely deliver drugs to prevent HIV/AIDS.

Green School professor joins federal team investigating Surfside collapse

Amy Ellis — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 10:30:00 -0500

Green School professor joins federal team investigating Surfside collapse

FIU goes bolder in Washington

Gisela Maria Valencia — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

The university for years has brought faculty researchers to the table with government officials and agency funders while enhancing the education of undergraduates. Now that effort is heating up.

FIU lights a fire on the new Miami Tech ecosystem

Gisela Maria Valencia — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

With local and industry leaders calling to make Miami the next Silicon Valley, FIU is leading on the computing front.

FIU takes a lead in building environmental resilience

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Researchers are helping Earth bounce back in the face of unrelenting climate change.

Spring 2022 Class Notes

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Check out what our alumni have been up to since graduating from FIU.

FIU athletics ready to crush it

David Drucker — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

A new AD and football coach, combined with with several teams’ strong histories, prime Panther nation for the spotlight

Pushing the pace of new drug development

Alexandra Pecharich — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

The Center for Translational Science is accelerating FIU's medical research with a collaborative approach that breaks down silos.

Physician to 9/11 heroes

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Dr. Roberto Lucchini worked directly with first responders as the director of a World Trade Center health program in New York. Today he continues to prioritize their health as a professor at FIU.

Ten ways FIU sets the bar

Alexandra Pecharich — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

FIU has met and exceeded benchmarks set by much older universities as well as established new standards now chased by others.

A renewed spirit ready to take on the world

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

She questioned whether she could earn a university degree. Now, soon-to-graduate Amelia Raudales looks back upon an academic career packed with high-level activities to launch a promising future.

Global scholar on a heartfelt mission

Alexandra Pecharich — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Originally from Jamaica, Rhodes Scholar finalist Bentley Walker has plans to help the people of the Caribbean prosper.

Inspiring inventor

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

With more than a dozen patents issued or pending for her innovations, Professor Anuradha Godavarty has developed powerful tech to help doctors reverse devastating medical conditions.

Poet with a platform

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Ashley M. Jones MFA ’17 is the first person of color and youngest individual to be named poet laureate of Alabama. Listen to her recite a poem.

Generous donors find hundreds of millions of reasons to give to FIU

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Beyond the eye-popping numbers, contributions to the university's $750 million campaign stand out for their intentions.

Collaborative brain cancer research contributes to hopes for new treatments, cure

Alexandra Pecharich — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

An FIU-led study has revealed a correlation between the presence of a protein variant and poor survival in males suffering from the deadliest form of brain cancer.

FIU's winning formula: Research prowess, student success and service

Alexandra Pecharich — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

How does a public research university with the largest minority enrollment in the country annually graduate thousands of diverse students while maintaining excellence? Learn FIU's recipe for success.

Excellence elevated: Green School earns membership into elite network of schools of international and public affairs

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

The Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs has been named a full member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs.

Humanity's lawyer

Contributing Author — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Professor Charles Jalloh represents Africa at the United Nations International Law Commission, where he makes sure his students have a front row seat.

2022 Salute to Women in FIU History

Alexandra Pecharich — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 08:00:00 -0500

It’s Women’s History Month, and FIU has plenty of remarkable ladies to credit for its success. The individuals featured here join an impressive list of trailblazers who embraced great challenges, led by example and established legacies that still impact us today.

Know of another FIU legend who deserves a shout-out? Mention her in a comment below. (But first check out a list of those we’ve featured in the past.)

Celebrating Black female faculty at FIU

Contributing Author — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 13:00:00 -0500

Four Black female faculty members making an impact at FIU

Hooked: Love for fish leads to research, social media partnership

Christine Calvo — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Two researchers became hooked on the idea of sharing their love of fish with the social media world. But unlike most scientists who take on the job solo, these two teamed up.

Professor Arvind Agarwal elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500

Florida International University (FIU) has received a five-year, $22.9 million grant from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory to advance additive manufacturing technologies that aid in the repair, design and durability of high-performance materials that will be used to manufacture next-generation vehicles and munitions.

"There is much potential for advancing this highly innovative technique,” said Arvind Agarwal, chair of FIU’s Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, director of the Advanced Materials Engineering Research Institute and PI on the grant. “The research at FIU will primarily focus on the development of high-performance metallic materials, which are lightweight and of ultra-great strength, using Rapid Advanced Deposition (RAD) techniques including wire arc, solid-state cold spray and friction-stir additive manufacturing."

The development of high deposition structural alloys and novel additive manufacturing processing techniques from computational models is essential toward the prediction of material properties and the implementation of new structural alloys into Army weapons systems.

Using state-of-the-art automation, solid 3D parts could be printed in minutes and last significantly longer once RAD techniques are applied. The process can be reduced to a portable handheld applicator, which makes it particularly useful in military field operations. The new research seeks to advance the scientific understanding of this process while developing enhanced tools and techniques that allow production and repair of materials to be quick and cost-effective.

During Phase I and II of the grant, FIU researchers collaborated with researchers from other academic institutions and industries to develop solid-state AM and polymer coatings. This also included collaborations with private manufacturing companies across the country, including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).

“We are thrilled to once again participate in a substantial collaboration with the federal government, other leading research institutions and commercial entities,” said John L. Volakis, dean of FIU’s College of Engineering and Computing. “This research not only addresses the U.S. Army’s needs but it also allows public universities to contribute toward significant initiatives of national interest.”

This collaboration will establish the fundamental research necessary to enable next-generation materials and manufacturing processes in support of the Army’s modernization strategy.

The Florida Congressional delegation has been a strong proponent of critical defense research funding which allows FIU researchers to advance the country’s defense readiness.

“FIU is providing solutions to help maintain our force’s defense readiness, while further advancing innovation and creating dignified jobs for our workforce in Florida," said U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives, added: “This important investment by the Army in Miami's public research university will bolster America’s defense readiness, create good jobs, and help grow South Florida’s burgeoning technology sector.”

Football alumnus D'Vonte Price to represent FIU at NFL Scouting Combine

David Drucker — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 09:45:00 -0500

Price, a Green School graduate, will be the first FIU running back selected in the NFL Draft if he is chosen in April.

The 21st South Beach Wine & Food Festival® is officially underway

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:07:00 -0500

1,200 FIU students are helping run the South Beach Wine & Food Festival®

What’s behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? What does this mean for the market? FIU experts answer your questions.

Sissi Garland — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 10:22:00 -0500

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, FIU News reached out to FIU experts to help the university community understand the crisis and what may come.

Stempel College ranks among Top 16 schools of public health at public universities for NIH research funding

Stephanie Rendon — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500

“In the six years I’ve been at Stempel College, the growth we’ve seen in research funding is unprecedented,” Dean Guilarte said.

FIU celebrates anniversary of Muhammad Ali's historic 1964 World Heavyweight Championship

Contributing Author — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 13:03:00 -0500

The founding director of the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab shares how the Historic Hampton House—where Ali spent the night after his win—is important to local, national and global conversations.

Alumna turned USDA scientist inspires Black students to pursue their dreams

Stephanie Rendon — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 11:45:00 -0500

Inspired by her own experiences, Stempel College alumna Deirdra Chester mentors students and inspires them to dream bigger.

South Beach Wine & Food Festival® gets a new associate director

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0500

An FIU alumna is making her mark as the new interim associate director of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival®

Alumna pays it forward with scholarships to students pursuing globally focused research, practice sustainable development

Charles Crespo — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Three-time alumna Jill Farrell reflects on her notable ties to FIU and why she chose to give back to the university.

FIU student develops portable sensor-packed tool for insect tracking

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 08:38:00 -0500

With some home security software and a little ingenuity, FIU biology Ph.D. student Yash Sondhi has developed a new tracking tool for hard-to-track insects.

Majority of American voters say politics do not belong on social media

Amy Ellis — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 16:59:00 -0500

Majority of American voters say politics do not belong on social media

FIU twin grads win industry’s Most Promising Engineer award

Contributing Author — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 13:14:00 -0500

Four FIU College of Engineering and Computing professors are among 83 academic inventors named to the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) 2022 class of Senior Members. Bilal El-Zahab, Vadym Drozd, Stavros Georgakopoulos and Chunlei Wang are now considered among the world’s best emerging academic inventors, according to the NAI.

NAI Senior Members are active faculty, scientists, and administrators from NAI Member Institutions who have demonstrated remarkable innovation, producing technologies that have brought or aspire to bring real impact on the welfare of society. They also have growing success in patents, licensing, and commercialization.

“Every one of these researchers has significantly nurtured FIU’s innovative culture, inspiring hundreds of engineering students who will be the leaders of tomorrow,” said FIU Interim President Kenneth A. Jessell. “Their pioneering research and inventions are having an impact well beyond our university in communities, governments and the private sector.”

Professor Stavros Georgakopoulos, director of the Transforming Antennas Center and the RF Communications, mm-Waves and Terahertz Lab at FIU, is responsible for remarkable innovations in the development of a variety of antennas, including origami electromagnetic systems that are more compact and easier to deploy.

Assistant professor Vadym Drozd is a material scientist whose innovations are in the areas of carbon dioxide capture and sequestration, low-dimensional and nanomaterials for biomedical and energy storage applications.
“Today, these Senior Members, on their path of prolific discovery, join the NAI innovation community,” said Paul R. Sanberg president of the NAI. “With the NAI Senior Member award distinction, we recognize and honor these innovators who are rising stars in their fields.”

In addition to individual discoveries, NAI Senior Members are also recognized for fostering a spirit of innovation, while educating and mentoring the next generation of inventors.

The latest class of NAI Senior Members hails from 41 research universities. They are named inventors on over 1,093 issued U.S. patents.

“These four FIU researchers exemplify what it means to be an inventor,” said John L. Volakis, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. “From developing breakthrough designs in antenna communication for the U.S. military and producing high-density lithium battery models for greater energy storage to making significant advances in the areas of biosensing and optical materials, all represent some of the finest engineering innovators in the world.”

This year’s class also reflects NAI’s dedicated efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in its membership, with the addition of 40 outstanding academic female and/or minority inventors. The 2022 new Senior Members will be inducted at the Senior Member Induction Ceremony at the 11th Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Inventors on June 14-15 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Following a nomination for NAI Senior Member submitted by their respective institutions, nominees undergo a rigorous selection process by the NAI Advisory Committee, which is composed of elected NAI members and other professionals considered pioneers in their respective fields.

Senior Members are elected annually on National Inventors Day (February 11). A full list of NAI Senior Members is available on the NAI website.

FIU has three other researchers who are Senior Members, all from the College of Engineering and Computing: Arvind Agarwal, Anuradha Godavarty and Shuliang Jiao. Ten members of the FIU community also have been elected NAI Fellows over the years. Their innovations have helped rank FIU among the top 20 public universities in the world for the number of U.S. patents produced.View all photos from the event on FIU's Flickr.

A voice for Black Miami, FIU professor embarks on his final tour

Angela Nicoletti — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 10:46:00 -0500

"I would tell someone who has never gone on this tour to take advantage of the opportunity to attend the next one. Even if someone thinks this tour might not be relevant to them, the history of Black Miami is part of the overall history of Miami. It informs the current housing crisis, educational inequities and more."

FIU Social work assistant professor to students: “If I can make it, so can you”

Stephanie Rendon — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 14:20:00 -0500

Courtney Wilson believes that his own rocky start in life allows him to better help struggling teens.

FIU and City of Miami partner to propel women of color to entrepreneurial success

Gisela Maria Valencia — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 11:51:00 -0500

FIU and the city of Miami have partnered to help businesswomen of color get the attention of venture capitalists.

Strengthening global partnerships: FIU establishes World Centers to advance collaboration abroad

David Drucker — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 11:30:00 -0500

With a center located in Italy and another in Colombia, these hubs are designed to facilitate collaborative learning, teaching, research and engagement opportunities abroad.

Why do humans have bones instead of cartilage like sharks?

Contributing Author — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 07:00:00 -0500

Michael Heithaus, executive dean of CASE and professor of biological sciences at FIU writes to Curious Kids in The Conversation.

Computer honor society a national standout

Gisela Maria Valencia — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 15:31:00 -0500

The university’s chapter of the national Upsilon Pi Epsilon honor society has 800+ members and hosts the largest hackathon in Florida.

AI could optimize hydroelectric dams in the Amazon

Angela Nicoletti — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 14:06:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence can help reduce adverse and devastating effects on the environment, according to new research published in Science.

COVID-19 at the 2-year mark: taking stock of the pandemic’s economic influence

Contributing Author — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 11:38:00 -0500

Director of FIU’s Jorge M. Pérez Metropolitan Center and professor of public policy and administration shares his perspective on how the economy has changed.

FIU Theatre's newest production dives deep into the complex mind of a neurodivergent boy

Contributing Author — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" is playing now through Feb. 27 on the Main Stage Theatre at The Wertheim.

The art of medicine: How FIU is training future doctors to appreciate the arts

Noel Gonzalez — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

FIU's Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine uses arts and humanities education in its curriculum.

FIU launches hospitality course to elevate diversity in the C-suite

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 12:00:00 -0500

FIU collaborates with Casa Pueblo and University of Puerto Rico on NIH grant to explore the impact of energy independence on health in Puerto Rico

Lourdes Perez — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 09:15:00 -0500

From Ph.D. student to director of epidemiology of a health department overnight

Stephanie Rendon — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0500

Abir Rahman Ph.D. ’21 was a graduate assistant at Stempel College when he received the offer to work for two counties in West Virginia.

FIU Day in Tallahassee takes place on Wednesday

Contributing Author — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 13:00:00 -0500

Panthers everywhere can help promote the university – here’s how.

$10 million gift by Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim continues transforming school of music, expanding student workforce readiness

Gisela Maria Valencia — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 16:30:00 -0500

The renamed Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts is on the cusp of greatness thanks to continued support from a historic gift by the school's new namesakes.

7 questions with alumna theatre director Victoria Collado

Ivan Lopez — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 15:10:00 -0500

Since graduating FIU Theatre with a BFA in acting 10 years ago, Victoria Collado has found her calling as a director.

Hospitality students learn on the job at Super Bowl LVI

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 14:57:00 -0500

The students are tackling a new challenge: working Superbowl Sunday

FIU College of Engineering and Computing faculty are among the National Academy of Inventors 2022 class of Senior Members

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Building boss ladies: Meet the FIU-Venture Miami Opportunity Program's inaugural cohort

Krysten Brenlla — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 13:38:00 -0500

FIU officially kicked off the FIU-Venture Miami Opportunity Program with 10 female founders of color.

The world’s most unwanted plants help trees make more fruit

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 12:37:00 -0500

Love your mangos? FIU research shows mango trees produce more fruit when they have the help of weeds.

Dogs can be trained to sniff out COVID-19 – a team of forensic researchers explain the science

Contributing Author — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Republished from The Conversation, this piece was written by Kenneth G. Furton, Julian Mendel and Kelvin J. Frank Jr.

Join us this Thursday for an FIU community dialogue

Contributing Author — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0500

Interim President Jessell invites FIU community to a dialogue at MMC Thursday, Feb. 10.

Professor Galaska awarded Kennedy Center's Gold Medallion

Ivan Lopez — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:14:00 -0500

The Gold Medallion is given to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to teaching and the production of theatre.

Master’s degree prepares grads for new face of higher ed administration

Monica Smith — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:00:00 -0500

What would switching to a popular vote for U.S. president really mean?

Contributing Author — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 13:35:00 -0500

In a survey, a majority of respondents agree that switching from the Electoral College to a popular vote would dramatically change the outcome of elections.

FIU selects Thornton Construction Company Inc. to launch CasaCuba’s construction phase

Contributing Author — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 07:00:00 -0500

FIU has selected Thornton Construction Company Inc. to provide construction services for FIU CasaCuba’s facility on the university’s main campus.

CasaCuba is FIU’s emerging cultural center and think tank focused on the preservation and celebration of Cuban heritage and the study of Cuban affairs.

FIU CasaCuba has received significant philanthropic support from major foundations, corporations, prominent Cuban-American families and community leaders. Early major grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) financed the project’s design phase, led by René González Architects.

“We are very excited to launch the construction phase of CasaCuba,” said Agustín Arellano, Sr., chairman of FIU CasaCuba’s Board of Advisors. “This is an important event that brings us much closer to the inauguration of our iconic facility, and that was made possible thanks to the support the project has received in our community.”

FIU CasaCuba aspires to be the preeminent institution devoted to Cuban culture. Its 57,000-square-foot facility will feature a state-of-the-art venue for events and performances, exhibition galleries, classrooms, co-working spaces, a café and a plaza. The center will integrate the latest technologies to enable interactive and digital experiences across the space, bringing to life Cuban heritage and history. FIU CasaCuba also will house the university’s Cuban Research Institute (CRI) and promote engaging discussions that will bring together top scholars, policymakers, business executives, artists, and civic leaders from around the globe.

Established in 1998, Thornton Construction Company Inc. is an industry leader in South Florida. Thornton and its team have completed numerous civic projects for iconic landmarks such as the Freedom Tower, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, and the Young At Art Museum. Thornton’s portfolio also includes significant projects for higher education institutions, including the FIU Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs II.

“The construction of CasaCuba is more than just another project for Thornton Construction. This partnership means we can help our children understand the struggles of so many Cubans as they fled from their native land,” said the company’s executive vice president, Dagoberto Diaz. “The facility will display Cuba’s culture, giving our community and younger generations an accessible way to learn about the roots of so many of us in South Florida.”

New summer research training program seeks to increase physician diversity in dermatology

Ileana Varela — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 12:18:00 -0500

FIU and Harvard teaching hospital are collaborating on a research training program aimed at increasing diversity in the field of dermatology.

Professor and renowned wind researcher Amal Elawady receives NSF CAREER Award

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500

FIU's 20th NSF CAREER Award recipient, Elawady will receive more than $700K to advance research into the impact of downburst winds, caused by thunderstorms, on building structures worldwide.

Disaster news on TV and social media can trigger post-traumatic stress in kids thousands of miles away – here’s why some are more vulnerable

Contributing Author — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Jonathan S. Comer, FIU professor of psychology and psychiatry wrote this piece, republished from The Conversation.

FIU algorithm harnesses power of supercomputers

Contributing Author — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:00:00 -0500

Researchers could potentially shave weeks, or even months, off the time necessary to crunch large amounts of complicated data that scientists use to create new vaccines, medications and treatments.

‘Ready. Confident. Fearless’: First recruiting class of new era has Panther faithful ready to roar

Karen Cochrane — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 15:48:00 -0500

Football head coach Mike MacIntyre officially kicked off a new era of FIU football and FIU athletics Wednesday night at an event celebrating the 2022 signing class.

Panthers awarded prestigious Charles B. Rangel Graduate and Presidential Management fellowships

Contributing Author — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:24:00 -0500

The fellowships will help Panthers further their careers in U.S. foreign policy, government leadership and service.

Did you receive the FIU Alert? Provide feedback in this short survey

Contributing Author — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 10:01:00 -0500

Please take a moment to fill out this short survey.

Belize extends protection for sharks after FIU research documents population decline

Angela Nicoletti — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 09:11:00 -0500

The work of FIU researchers and fellow scientists has led to stronger shark protection laws in Belize.

Taking action: An important message from Interim President Jessell

Contributing Author — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:51:00 -0500

"If you have a concern about discrimination, abuse or harassment in the FIU community, I strongly encourage you to visit our new reporting site at report.fiu.edu."

FIU's top ranked hospitality school addresses labor issues with world's first bartender powered by artificial intelligence

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:00:00 -0500

Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management continues to address pandemic-imposed challenges like labor shortages by introducing its latest teaching tool – Cecilia.ai, the world's first robotic, interactive bartender that offers the potential of round-the-clock service.

Cecilia was created in Israel and comes straight from its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to FIU's Bacardi Center of Excellence. Cecilia’s 3D animated avatar technology is powered by artificial intelligence and voice recognition technologies. Cecilia is automatic and completely contactless. At the Chaplin School, she will be a teaching tool for students.

“As an educational partner, Cecilia encourages our students and future trade leaders to think out of the box in terms of added value service scenarios,” said Brian Connors, director of FIU's Bacardi Center of Excellence, a one-of-a-kind educational partnership between the FIU hospitality school and Bacardi USA. “A machine can never replace human interaction, but this groundbreaking technology can offer a customizable and interactive solution when a human bartender is either not practical or possible. It also provides a critical teaching moment on customer preferences, branding possibilities, and contactless service alternatives.”

Cecilia can make a delicious cocktail crafted by the school's award-winning student club, Bartender's Guild at FIU, but she also can gather and analyze critical marketing data, and create unique, interactive experiences. Cecilia is seven feet tall, about the size of an arcade machine. Cecilia can tell jokes, guide customers through a menu and recommend the best drinks for them. In addition, customers can tell her which cocktail they like or can order it themselves by pressing a touchscreen. The cocktail is either pre-mixed or mixed in the machine and dispensed into a glass. She can serve 120 cocktails per hour and doesn't need to take breaks.

"We're facing a worker shortage like never before, which is why, as educators of the world's future hospitality leaders, we must be innovative, imaginative, and open to new and sustainable ways of teaching our students and interacting with customers," said Michael Cheng, dean of the Chaplin School.

Cecilia's rollout is part of FIU’s Bacardi Center of Excellence, which offers the only spirits management curriculum of its kind in the country. It was established in February 2020 after a $5 million gift from Bacardi USA to create a unique educational program tailored for the spirits industry. Cecilia is the latest in a long list of the center's innovative ideas, including its online and on demand teaching module Bacardi Teach, student competition Bar Project 2021, guest speaker series Bacardi Talks, and podcast, "2 Barstools and a Knife".

Pharmaceutical contaminants discovered in South Florida bonefish

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500

A three-year study by FIU and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) has discovered pharmaceutical contaminants in the blood and other tissues of bonefish in Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys.

“Coastal fisheries face increasing threats associated with human-based contaminants,” said Jim McDuffie, BTT President and CEO. “Pharmaceuticals are an often overlooked dimension of water quality and their presence in South Florida bonefish is cause for concern. These contaminants pose a significant threat to the flats fishery, an important part of Florida’s recreational saltwater fishery, which has an annual economic impact of $9.2 billion and directly support over 88,500 jobs.”

Since the study began in 2018, FIU scientists and BTT research associates, in partnership with Sweden’s Umeå Unversity and the University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), have sampled 93 fish in South Florida, finding an average of seven pharmaceuticals per bonefish, and a whopping 17 pharmaceuticals in a single fish. The list includes blood pressure medications, antidepressants, prostate treatment medications, antibiotics, and pain relievers. Researchers also found pharmaceuticals in bonefish prey — crabs, shrimp and fish — suggesting that many of Florida’s valuable fisheries are exposed, and not only the bonefish fishery.

NSF grant to support FIU antenna design that will deliver complex data faster

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 10:00:00 -0500

The work will impact numerous industries, from space missions to telecommunications to medicine.

CDR Maguire Inc. CEO and CDR Health Care Inc. CEO, both alumni, give $1.2 million to FIU for scholarships

Clara-Meretan Kiah — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 00:05:00 -0500

The gift establishes two student scholarship endowments.

More than 10 percent of all tree species on Earth have not been discovered

JoAnn Adkins — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:00:00 -0500

Scientists now estimate the Earth has more than 73,000 species of trees, with more than 9,200 yet to be discovered.

FIU receives $12.8M NSF grant to design ultimate climate tech: extreme wind, surge and wave testing facility

Lourdes Perez — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 13:05:00 -0500

A former Latin American president, attorney general, ambassador and U.S. congresswoman to serve as Spring 2022 Senior Leadership Fellows

Lourdes Perez — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 09:45:00 -0500

FIU’s Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom announced its Spring 2022 senior leadership fellows, which include distinguished national and international public servants.

This prestigious semester-long program brings prominent public servants to FIU to lead, along with invited guests, not-for-credit off-the-record student seminars, participate in talks and panel discussions, be available to meet with and mentor students, and serve as a resource for the entire university community.

“The Senior Leadership Fellowship is our Center’s signature mentoring program. Our goal is to offer students meaningful mentoring opportunities from leaders who have served at the highest levels of government and promoted, during their time in office, creative and innovative public policies that strengthened the free enterprise system and enhanced individual freedom and human prosperity,” said Dr. Carlos Díaz-Rosillo, founding director of the Adam Smith Center. “The program, now in its second semester, has been a tremendous success. It is part of our commitment to providing students with access to senior policymakers who can share with them their diverse experiences: experiences that inevitably involve both policy hits and misses, but can nonetheless be incredibly instructive.”

The first public event with the Senior Leadership Fellows will be online on Monday, Jan. 31 at 5 p.m. (EDT). The Spring 2022 Senior Leadership Fellows will participate in a conversation with Díaz-Rosillo about the fellows’ vision for their stay at the university and their views on the intersection of democracy, leadership, and the free market. Registration for the event is open.

The Spring 2022 Senior Leadership Fellows include:

Mauricio Macri, President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He was also twice the mayor of the City of Buenos Aires and served as the city’s national deputy, as well as president of the Boca Juniors Soccer Club. He was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people twice, in 2016 and in 2018. He will teach on “How to lead change: 8 lessons from business, sports & politics.”

“I am very grateful to the Adam Smith Center for giving me a space to share my experiences with students and faculty, as well as to learn from them. This is a critical time for the region and I look forward to our many discussions and meetings,” Macri said.

Raúl Melara, attorney general of El Salvador from 2019 to 2021. Prior to that, he served as alternate magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice - one of the highest judicial positions in the country- and executive director of the National Association of Private Enterprise, the largest and most prestigious business association in El Salvador. He will teach on “The rule of law in Latin America and its relevance for a free society.”

“I am looking forward to my time as a Senior Leadership Fellow at the Adam Smith Center because I am excited to work with FIU students and deepen their study of the current state of the rule of law in the Northern Triangle, which impacts our entire hemisphere. The next generations must be aware of our current reality, so that they can generate strategic proposals that improve the future for all,” Melara said.

Nicolás Monckeberg, ambassador of Chile in Argentina from 2019 to 2022. He began his political career at the age of 22 when he was elected councilor and deputy mayor of the City of Santiago. He later served as congressman for sixteen years in the Chilean National Congress and became president of the Chamber of Deputies. He then served as minister of labor and social security (2018 - 2019). He will teach on: “Democracy and the free market system cannot defend themselves: A call for action.”

“The defense of democracy and freedom in Latin America and the world needs - today more than ever - committed and courageous young people. I started very young in public service, and for the same reason, I am thrilled to share my experience and motivate FIU students,” Monckeberg said.

Loretta Sanchez, member of the United States Congress from 1997 to 2017, representing Orange County, CA. She was a member of several key Congressional Committees, including Armed Services, Homeland Security, Education and Labor, and the Joint Economic Committee of the Senate and House. She also served as chairwoman of several subcommittees, including Border and Maritime Security, Land and Air Tactical, Strategic Forces, and Emerging Threats and Capabilities. She will teach on “Leadership in a dynamic economy.”

“Now more than ever, we need leaders in all sectors who understand the value of market-driven economies and how to impact public policy to ensure democracies stand strong in volatile times. That’s why I’m so excited to be a Senior Leadership Fellow to interact with current and future leaders at the Adam Smith Center,” Sanchez said.

Bad managers, burnout and health fears: Why record numbers of hospitality workers are quitting the industry for good

Contributing Author — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Republished from The Conversation, this piece was written in part by FIU associate professor Lisa Cain and FIU assistant professor Andrew Moreo.

VP for Engagement ends tenure after successful run

Contributing Author — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 19:10:00 -0500

The following message was shared with FIU News today.

Interim President Jessell: 'Our Path Forward Together'

Contributing Author — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 18:20:00 -0500

"Today, I am announcing the appointment of two leaders, alumnae of FIU, who I am confident will keep us moving forward together."

South Beach Wine & Food Festival® embraces diversity

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 13:30:00 -0500

South Beach Wine & Food Festival® embraces DEI

Gender bias may impact student loan bankruptcy decisions, study finds

Angela Nicoletti — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Researchers examined nearly 900 student loan discharge decisions handled in U.S. bankruptcy courts between 1985 to 2020.

FIU Law trial team wins coveted state championship, takes best advocate award

Contributing Author — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 11:40:00 -0500

Trying the wrongful death case of Billie Eyewish, FIU went undefeated in all five rounds of the competition.

How Miami Coin works and why people should keep an eye on it

David Drucker — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 11:30:00 -0500

More than a cryptocurrency named after the Magic City, Miami Coin might transform the financial relationships between citizens and their government.

FIU chemist, institute director joins Florida academy

Angela Nicoletti — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 10:13:00 -0500

An FIU researcher was awarded nearly $1.6 million to investigate new ways to battle deadly diseases including COVID-19 and future pandemics.

Yuk-Ching Tse-Dinh, director of FIU’s Biomolecular Sciences Institute, will use the support from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of NIH to unravel how certain proteins —topoisomerases — are used to untangle DNA and RNA while they replicate.

Stopping the replication process can keep viruses from converting cells into virus factories and it can keep harmful bacteria from spreading.

Even the earliest and smallest forms of life on Earth — archaea and bacteria — rely on topoisomerase protein TOP1A to spread. Some bacteria have become immune to today’s antibiotic drugs so finding a new drug against a target such as TOP1A to protect people from these superbugs is crucial.

“It’s not only to advance our understanding of how life starts and is maintained,” Tse-Dinh said. “It also has implications for the discovery of important therapeutics for treatment of multi-drug-resistant bacteria and viral pathogens that may come up in future pandemics.”

The problem of drug resistance is particularly vexing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted in a 2019 report that 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. annually resulting in 35,000 deaths.

Of particular interest for Tse-Dinh with this renewal is the opportunity to further explore a human protein, TOP3B, that belongs to the same topoisomerase family as bacterial TOP1A. This protein is used by flaviviruses and coronaviruses including Dengue, Zika and COVID-19 to turn infected human cells into virus factories.

The hope for Tse-Dinh is to help develop a drug that blocks a coronavirus’ ability to hijack host TOP3B to aid in its replication. Such drug can potentially be used in a cocktail in tandem with other drugs that block the viral proteins or modulate the human immune response.

Funding from this project also will cover collaborator’s work at the Argonne National Lab to use X-ray crystallography to provide a map for the potential drug binding sites on topoisomerase proteins in the drug discovery process.

This MIRA grant, awarded for five years, provides researchers with greater stability and flexibility, enhancing scientific productivity and the chances for important breakthroughs. This marks the ninth time Tse-Dinh has received a grant award from NIH to conduct her research on topoisomerases.

In addition to leading the Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Tse-Dinh also directs the university’s Translational Molecular Discoveries initiative, an emerging pre-eminent program.

Alumnus earns national award for work in blockchain, game theory in cybersecurity

Elizabeth Calzadilla — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 15:01:00 -0500

FIU College of Engineering and Computing alumnus Charles Kamhoua recently won the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE-USA) Harry Diamond Memorial Award.

FIU online programs continue to achieve top rankings in U.S. News & World Report

Contributing Author — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Interim President Kenneth A. Jessell shared a video message on Monday

Contributing Author — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 19:20:00 -0500

"Our university is a special place, where opportunity paves the way for great achievements."

Support and resources for the FIU community

Contributing Author — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 15:40:00 -0500

"We understand that recent developments may be impacting you. We want you to know that resources are available to help you."

FIU shares statement from Board of Trustees Chair Dean Colson

Contributing Author — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500

Dr. Rosenberg's statement provides insight into his resignation as well as to why the Board did not believe Friday was the appropriate time to celebrate FIU's accomplishments over the past 13 years.

A message from Interim FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell

Contributing Author — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 18:15:00 -0500

Interim FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell shared this video message with the university community today.

Letter from Mark B. Rosenberg

Contributing Author — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 15:45:00 -0500

"I am stepping back so that I may give full attention to recurring personal health issues and to the deteriorating health of my wife, Rosalie."

Important message from Chair Colson

Contributing Author — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 15:15:00 -0500

"I am writing to share with you that I have accepted the resignation of President Mark B. Rosenberg."

FIU Psychology ranked No. 3 by National Science Foundation

JoAnn Adkins — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 11:00:00 -0500

FIU is ranked No. 3 in the nation by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for research funding in psychology.

Radar satellites allow researchers to pinpoint where sinkholes are happening

Angela Nicoletti — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 09:55:00 -0500

FIU research shows that with the help of special radar technology it is possible to pinpoint exact locations where sinkhole activity is happening, which could protect people and their property.

Helping build a lifeline to a better future, FIU Business professor works with Afghan refugees in Greece

Cynthia Corzo — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Seema Pissaris wants to bring her experience to the classroom, integrating it into the curriculum of her entrepreneurship, strategic management and leadership in a global environment courses.

FIU names former head of U.S. Southern Command as senior fellow

Amy Ellis — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:40:00 -0500

Retired U.S. Navy Admiral Craig S. Faller to join FIU’s Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs.

Epidemiology professor offers tips on how to protect yourself from Omicron

Stephanie Rendon — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0500

The highly contagious Omicron variant has led to a significant rise in infections across the country. Mary Jo Trepka answers questions on how to best protect yourself and loved ones..

Czech Torah to be dedicated at the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU

Erica Corsano — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:00:00 -0500

The Czech Torah originated from Prague's oldest synagogue in 1850 will become a part of JMOF collection.

FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and Factory 360 partner on event incubator

Ivonne Yee-Amor — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 11:00:00 -0500

Florida International University's (FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and Factory 360 today announced a partnership to create an events incubator. The collaboration will help create new and unique experiences and engagement activities for students studying mega and large-scale event management.

As part of the initiative, the incubator will work to bring awareness to underrepresented communities in South Florida by developing new events. The Chaplin School, a top 10 ranked U.S. public hospitality program, and more than 1,200 FIU students already help run the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF®), a four-day destination event showcasing the talents of the world's most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities. Factory360 is an award-winning agency known for experiential exhibits.

"Our hospitality program is a leader in producing top talent in the events industry through our existing partnerships and location in Miami, a destination for mega and large-scale events," said Michael Cheng, dean of the Chaplin School. "This incubator will help expand our expertise and give students seeking additional experience in experiential marketing and events another tool toward becoming innovators and leaders in this field."

As part of the partnership, Factory360 will have a presence on the FIU Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami, Florida, offering mentorship and internship opportunities to students, as well as workshops and a speaker series.

“We are offering FIU students a real hands-on experience in event design and production while working with them to create an engaging and fun experience that the entire South Florida community will enjoy,” said Factory 360’s Gabriela Neves.

In collaboration with FIU Chaplin School, Factory 360 will work with students to plan and design activations for some of the participants in an event focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. Students will be assigned a restaurant or another exhibitor to create an installation that matches the design to the client objectives and needs.

After completion, projects will be reviewed and judged based on most creativity and best interpretation of the client’s requests. Monetary awards and internship opportunities will be awarded.

"This partnership is a game changer for students who want to bring their studies to life by learning and working alongside professionals producing some of the world's most dynamic events while still in school," said Dan Cormany, assistant professor and mega and large-scale events program lead. "We're excited to partner with Factory 360 on this new adventure."

Gordon Institute provides free cybersecurity training to veterans and first responders

Katherine Dagand — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 10:00:00 -0500

The course is part of the Gordon Institute’s Veterans and First Responders Training Initiative meant to recruit and prepare professionals to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure sectors.

DEI celebrates first year of accomplishments, gets ready for 2022

Contributing Author — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:17:00 -0500

DEI celebrates first year of accomplishments and gets ready for 2022

Dean of Stempel College awarded 2022 Society of Toxicology Translational Impact Award

Stephanie Rendon — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500

The SOT Translational Impact Award recognizes a scientist whose recent outstanding environmental health and translational research has improved public health in an area of toxicological concern.

A conversation with Eddie Glaude Jr., keynote speaker at MLK Commemorative Breakfast

Contributing Author — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 00:34:00 -0500

Glaude is the James S. McDonnell distinguished university professor and chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton.

FIU’s 31st annual MLK celebration to include keynote speaker, parade, art exhibition, and more

Gabriela Aguirrechu — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 14:20:00 -0500

State University System of Florida launches MyFloridaFuture

Contributing Author — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 12:00:00 -0500

MyFloridaFuture is a new interactive tool designed to assist students and families in making better-informed decisions about postsecondary education options.

FIU’s Fulbright portfolio continues to grow

Birgitta Rausch-Montoto — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 13:45:00 -0500

Meet the 2021-2022 cohort of FIU Fulbrighters.

Mystery of glowing shrimp deepens

Angela Nicoletti — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 11:00:00 -0500

FIU researchers found light organs in deep-sea shrimp may have evolved depending on depth and habitat.

Superstar first-year students share their 2022 goals

David Drucker — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 17:00:00 -0500

In honor of the start of spring, FIU News shares stories of how first-year students are excelling into 2022.

President Rosenberg: 'Welcome to Spring semester 2022 at FIU'

Contributing Author — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500

This new year – and new semester – is the perfect time to set new goals, get our Panther pride in motion and celebrate all that our FIU has to offer.

There’s an enormous, eye-popping FIU Panther mural in Wynwood. Meet the alumnus who created it

David Drucker — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500

If you’re strolling the streets of Wynwood any time soon, prepare to see an FIU Panther bursting with color from blocks away.

FIU Center for Children and Families: Supporting youngsters’ mental health in a pandemic

Rosanna Castro — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Child mental health has taken a serious hit throughout the pandemic, and FIU has risen to the challenge of continuing its services to this vulnerable population

Diversity in leadership: 8 business faculty members are paving the way

Celene Torres — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In a push to diversify leadership at FIU, the university has charged eight business faculty members with learning how institutions of higher education operate outside the classroom.

How do we maximize Hispanic philanthropy?

Charles Crespo — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 15:30:00 -0500

The FIU Foundation Office of Inclusive Philanthropy held a panel discussion with local leaders on the culture of philanthropy in the Hispanic community.

Alumna to serve as director of Venture Miami Opportunity Program

Krysten Brenlla — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Alumna and founder of Black Professionals Network Kenasha Paul '10 will serve as director of the Venture Miami Opportunity Program.

FIU awarded grant to advance 21st century skills development through university-community partnerships

Lourdes Perez — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In preparation for the Spring semester, President Rosenberg addresses university community

Contributing Author — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500

To discuss the upcoming semester, FIU will be holding a virtual town hall Tuesday, Jan. 4, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.