Not only is the club qualifying for national tournaments, but the young men have come together to create a tight-knit support system that shines for its teamwork on and off the court.  

Whether studying for classes or playing volleyball, these students have built lifelong friendships that are shaping the way they experience college.

“We’ve bettered each other as people,” says civil engineering major Roberto Henao, an executive board member of the club who previously served as its president. “We spend a lot of time together outside of practice, and I think that's a big part of what makes this club special. We’re a volleyball club, but we’re also a family.”

Henao, who is taking a full course load and completing an engineering internship, says the club has made all the difference. “I found my people through the club,” he says. 

The family

The young men in the volleyball club come from a variety of hometowns ranging from Miami to New Jersey and represent home countries like Spain, Brazil, Germany, Peru and Chile, among others. 

The club houses two competitive teams that practice twice a week and travel locally and nationally for tournaments. The club also houses a recreational team of about 150 members, for those mostly interested in the fun of volleyball but who can’t commit to the time demands of competition. Many of the young men in the club played volleyball throughout high school, and some are currently working as assistant or head coaches for their high school alma maters or at local volleyball clubs.

“It’s an amazing group of guys,” says Henry Masson, a mechanical engineering major and the captain of the club’s B Team. “It’s a very fun environment. It’s very competitive. We’re all on the same page. We want to win when we go to a tournament. But we’re also having fun. They’re all good people.”

One highlight? Working together for good. “We do things for the community,” Masson says. “We did a food drive and a shoe drive.”

He adds that the club provides a much-appreciated respite from the daily demands of college. “I spend a lot of time studying,” he says. “But volleyball gives me an outlet. I’m getting my stress out, being active, having a social community with the club, traveling for tournaments…it’s great.”

'Setting' up for success

This year, the young men qualified for the second time to compete at the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation’s National Championships, which welcomes volleyball clubs from universities across the country. The club’s B team earned a top finish in the copper bracket, and the A team earned third place in the bronze bracket. Both teams went on to earn respectable finishes in the final overall standings for their divisions.

"Everybody's work ethic has been incredible," Henao says. "The way we communicate on the court and work together has been amazing. When you're playing with people you have a real connection with, you can compete with anybody. We have that connection, and it's not just about volleyball." 

In fact, Henao says, the team spends more time studying together in the library than on the court practicing.

Nicolas Gonzalez, a business administration major, is one of the members who regularly attends the study groups.

“The guys have helped me a lot by encouraging me to stay on top of my work and keep focused on my classes,” says Gonzalez, who is the club’s current president. The young men come together to do their homework, and regardless of majors, actively encourage each other as they work together. “Even when we go to tournaments, we make sure that we each get our assignments done. We’re just rooting for each other. It’s a little bit of tutoring and a lot of moral support.”

He adds that the young men in the club are ready to provide support outside of academics, too. For example, Gonzalez has helped some of the guys embrace exercise at the Wellness and Recreation Center. Gonzalez, who enjoys exercising, was paired with several club members as part of a club initiative to bring guys together as workout buddies. “I love the club,” Gonzalez adds. “I want more people to experience it. I want to expand it and grow the family.”

"The Campus Recreation team is extremely proud of our men's volleyball club for its outstanding commitment to student development both on and off the court," says Marcus St. Phard, associate director of student development and assessment at Campus Recreation. "Club members continually demonstrate collaboration, effective communication, leadership, discipline and time management."

St. Phard explains that the club exemplifies sportsmanship and respect for each other, opponents, coaches and others. He says that's exactly why sports clubs add volumes to the student experience and hone leadership skills. "These experiences build confidence, strengthen meaningful relationships and equip students with transferable life skills that contribute to their success both academically and in their future careers."

Now on view at FIU School of Architecture's Miami Beach Urban Studios through August 15, Holding the Line brings together works by FIU alumnae Gianna DiBartolomeo '07, MFA '19, MaryCarmen Leiva '20 and Elyssa Llanso '20, curator Colette Mello MFA '17 and Miami-based artists Tufty and Alissa Alfonso. Drawing from the global culture of soccer, the exhibition examines themes of community, resistance and play while demonstrating how the sport continues to inspire artistic expression.

Holding the Line transforms the Washington Avenue gallery into a space where the energy of the game is translated through painting, animation, sculpture and mixed media, inviting visitors to consider soccer as more than a competition, but as a shared cultural language.

For alumna Gianna DiBartolomeo, that language begins with the field itself. Her mixed-media painting, Touch from Above (Field), layers rich shades of green across a wood panel to evoke the familiar landscape of a soccer pitch while exploring the idea of shared ground.

"My piece, Field, is part of my ongoing Touch from Above series, which explores how small acts can collectively create meaningful change," DiBartolomeo said. "Football (soccer) is one of the few things that transcend language, culture and geography."

Rather than depicting the sport literally, DiBartolomeo uses the field as a metaphor for connection, illustrating how individual contributions come together to create something much larger.

"A match is built from countless individual passes, movements and decisions, just as communities are built through everyday acts of kindness, support and participation," she said. "The work reflects the idea that connection is created collectively, one small action at a time."

Her process mirrors that philosophy. Built through thousands of repetitive, hand-crafted marks, the painting embraces labor-intensive techniques that reinforce its central concept.

"I wanted to evoke the feeling of standing on a field before a game begins, a place filled with anticipation, possibility and shared purpose," she said.

Returning to exhibit at FIU carries added significance for the artist, who earned both her BFA and MFA through CARTA.

"My time at FIU's College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts gave me the framework to develop a practice rooted in experimentation, material exploration and conceptual thinking," DiBartolomeo said. "In many ways, Field celebrates what both FIU and the World Cup represent, people from different backgrounds coming together around a shared experience."

Movement is central in MaryCarmen Leiva's digital animation, Where We Meet. Through fluid, gestural animation, the piece follows the rhythm of play as one action seamlessly transitions into the next. The animation builds toward a celebration that honors the many teams and cultures represented on the world's biggest soccer stage. Using continuous motion and personal symbolism, Leiva explores themes of identity, connection and belonging, emphasizing soccer's ability to unite people across languages and borders.

FIU alumna Elyssa Llanso turns the spotlight toward three of the sport's influential athletes in her painting series, Momentum. Featuring portraits of Sophia Smith Wilson, a 2024 Olympic gold medalist; Naomi Girma, a U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year honoree and one of the youngest players to captain the U.S. Women's National Team; and Briana Scurry, a pioneering goalkeeper and two-time Olympic gold medalist; the work celebrates athletes whose achievements have helped shape the landscape of women's soccer. Each portrait captures a moment of intensity and determination, presenting the athletes as figures of resilience and excellence.

"The portraits celebrate athletes whose performances have challenged expectations and expanded the possibilities of representation and leadership within the game." Llanso said.

Miami-based artist Alissa Alfonso explores the restorative power of the natural world through her Nature's Medicine soft sculpture collection. Crafted from delicately detailed, hand-dyed textile waste, the sculptural works are modeled after traditional medicinal plants, fungi and botanicals. By transforming reclaimed materials into organic forms, Alfonso's work speaks to themes of resilience, renewal and healing, offering a thoughtful counterpoint to the exhibition's exploration of community and collective care. Like the sport itself, her work reflects the interconnected relationships that sustain and strengthen people over time.

Miami-based artist Tufty celebrates the growing visibility and impact of women in sports through Peace, Love, Pitch. Inspired by the passion, determination and unity that define the beautiful game, the work honors the athletes who continue to reshape soccer while challenging long-standing barriers in sport.

As South Florida welcomes the global spotlight of the FIFA World Cup, Holding the Line reminds viewers that soccer's greatest impact extends beyond the final score. Through the vision of FIU alumni and Miami artists, the exhibition celebrates the communities, stories and shared experiences that continue to shape the sport, and the people connected by it. Gallery visits can be scheduled by contacting curator Colette Mello at cmello@fiu.edu

When treating anxiety, therapists often teach young people how to shift their attention away from spiraling worries and back to the present moment. It might involve focusing on what they can see, hear or feel around them rather than becoming stuck in anxious thoughts.

Researchers at FIU’s Center for Children and Families are testing whether a therapeutic video game called Eco-Rescue can help teens practice that skill and reduce anxiety by strengthening attention control, helping the brain focus better, filter out distractions and recover more quickly from stressful moments.

The project is a collaboration with researchers at the University of Geneva, and FIU is the first site in the U.S. to test the game in a clinical trial.

"The University of Geneva team brings expertise in cognitive training and game design, while FIU contributes its experience running clinical trials and studying anxiety in young people,” said Jeremy Pettit, psychology professor and executive director of FIU’s Center for Children and Families. “Together, this partnership combines the science behind the game with the clinical rigor to test how well it works."

The study builds on years of research showing that anxiety is closely connected to how the brain manages attention. When young people struggle to shift their focus away from worry or recover after stressful experiences, anxious thoughts can become harder to interrupt.

Pettit’s research has previously found that strengthening attention-related skills can reduce anxiety symptoms, including in some teens who did not improve with traditional therapy alone.

While some video game-based programs have previously been studied for conditions like ADHD, Eco-Rescue was specifically designed around mental processes linked to anxiety rather than general brain training.

"Adolescents are already spending a lot of time engaging with digital media," said Pettit. "This project allows us to meet them where they are while delivering an intervention grounded in science."

In the game, players take on the role of a pilot working to restore damaged environments. As they play, they track moving objects, respond to unexpected changes and manage multiple tasks at once. The challenges become more difficult as players improve, keeping the game engaging while targeting skills connected to attention and emotional regulation.

Pettit and his team are currently recruiting 50 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 15 at the FIU site, with 150 participants expected across all study locations. That age range is especially important because anxiety disorders often emerge before age 15, during a period when the adolescent brain is still developing and may be more responsive to this kind of intervention.

Participants will be placed into one of three groups: one will play Eco-Rescue at home, another will play a different video game that does not target attention skills and a third will not play a game at all during the six-week study. Teens in the Eco-Rescue group will play about 30 minutes a day, four days a week, for a total of roughly 12 hours.

At the end of the trial, researchers will examine whether the game led to measurable improvements in attention control, emotion regulation and anxiety symptoms.

"This study is testing a new generation of attention-based treatment," Pettit said. "If it proves effective, it could offer adolescents another option for managing anxiety in their daily lives."

If the game proves successful, Pettit and his team hope it could eventually become a more accessible mental health tool for adolescents, particularly for families who face barriers to traditional care.

The study is part of a broader international effort that also includes collaborators at the University of Haifa and Yale University.

Families interested in participating can contact the Child Anxiety and Phobia Program (CAPP) at FIU's Center for Children and Families by calling 305-348-1937 or clicking here to fill out an interest form.

During roasting-hot summer days, more and more people make their way to swimming pools, lakes, rivers and other spots where they can access water to stay cool.

But while water activities provide a refreshing escape from the heat, they can also be a source of danger. In the U.S., drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children. More than 900 children die from accidental drownings each year.

For autistic children, the danger is more acute: Their risk of drowning is up to 160 times higher than that of their peers without autism.

That may be because autistic children are often strongly drawn to water – whether for play or to seek out the sound, feel, sight of water shimmering in the sunlight or the sense of calm experienced in the water. And they can sometimes have greater difficulty finding swimming lessons than their peers.

We are an occupational and recreational therapist team that studies effective approaches for teaching swimming and water safety to autistic children. We also train future therapists on these methods.

Our goal is to equip families, caregivers and therapists with some practical steps to keep autistic children safe around water.

Drowning dangers for autistic children

Many autistic children tend to wander, which can lead them away from safe, supervised areas into unprotected, unsupervised settings – and potentially toward hazards like open water. This puts these children at increased risk for drowning, particularly if they do not know how to swim.

Swimming lessons can help reduce drowning risk, but changes to traditional classes may be required in order to meet the unique needs of autistic learners.

Autistic children communicate in a wide variety of ways, ranging from nonspeaking to highly talkative. The environment of a busy pool may trigger sensory overload and distress, causing children to cry or want to leave. Overload can also lead to difficulty following instructors’ directions. They may need extra time and assistance for emotional regulation, or need encouragement and motivation to stay engaged. Some may not want to be touched and prefer visual examples for learning new skills in the water.

For the average swim instructor, who may be teaching up to 10 children at a time and may not have training in supporting autistic children, figuring out how to meet individual needs can be a challenge.

Adaptive swim lessons, which are provided by instructors experienced at meeting autistic children’s unique learning and behavior needs, may better set them up for success. These lessons tend to have fewer participants, or even offer one-on-one instruction, allowing for plenty of individual attention. The instructor may use tools and strategies such as play-based approaches, visual schedules, sensory strategies or a consistent routine to help the child feel comfortable and successful.

Swim lessons that meets a child’s needs

Perhaps the most important step you can take is to enroll your child in aquatic instruction that meets their specific learning and sensory needs. This can be anything from traditional group lessons at a community pool to individual lessons with a therapist – and many variations in between.

Research shows that swim lessons that are designed to meet the individual needs of autistic children and offer one-on-one support in a group setting successfully improve their swimming skills.

Many community-based aquatic programs – for example, the YMCA, the local parks and recreation department, private swim schools or therapy centers – offer adaptive swim instruction with options for one-on-one support.

If you don’t see options that work for your child, or if your child’s swim instructor needs further assistance, consider asking your child’s occupational, behavioral, physical, speech or recreational therapist to join the lesson to help support their needs so they can learn successfully. For example, if communication presents a challenge during swimming lessons, a speech therapist can share effective alternative communication strategies with the swim instructor.

To prepare for swimming lessons, make a list of your child’s strengths and areas of concern to share with the instructors. Consider how your child’s specific interests might help them overcome aspects of water safety that they might find challenging. For example, if the child loves learning about dinosaurs, think about how dinosaur toys can be included in swimming lessons.

Water safety basics

Families and caregivers can take several additional steps to keep autistic kids safe around water.

A good starting point is learning about the 5 Layers of Protection, described by the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. These action items can help everyone improve safety in or near the water.

The five layers are:

• Setting up barriers, such as fences and alarms
• Actively supervising children while they are in the water
• Encouraging children to use personal flotation devices, such as life jackets
• Helping kids gain basic swimming skills
• Being prepared for emergencies – for example, being ready to call 911 and perform first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

No single precaution provides enough of a safeguard on its own, so it’s best to combine multiple strategies within each of the five layers – for example, using door alarms, plus pool alarms and fencing around pools, to prevent a child from entering a pool unattended.

It’s also important to think through your child’s specific strengths and areas of concern when it comes to water safety. For example, they might be comfortable in the water or be physically strong – but they might not know how to swim, or might struggle with following instructions or have trouble identifying dangerous situations like rip currents or water too deep for them to stand in.

Other behaviors that put autistic children at risk of drowning include drinking water while swimming, which puts them at risk for accidentally inhaling water; and holding their breath for prolonged periods, which can lead to fainting underwater.

Wider learning opportunities

About 1 in 31 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with autism. Given the prevalence of the condition, there are undoubtedly autistic children in your community and among your friends and family members.

Friends, family members and community members who want to learn more about how to keep autistic children in their community safe around the water can find a range of free courses and resources available online.

The American Red Cross offers an online course on water safety for parents and caregivers.

Resources specific to autism include the Safety on the Spectrum Water & Wandering Program, developed by the Autism Society, and Swim and Water Safety, part of the Autism Safety Guide developed by Autism Speaks.

Tana Carson, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, Florida International University and Tania Santiago Perez, Associate Teaching Professor of Rehabilitation and Recreational Therapy, Florida International University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Wasserman teaches civil procedure, evidence, federal courts, civil rights, and First Amendment; he writes about the freedom of speech, the role of procedure and jurisdiction in public-law and civil-rights litigation.

At the recent conference, he spoke on the panel Civil Discourse and the Supreme Court. Panelists included Jonathan Adler (William & Mary School of Law), Catherine Mims Crocker (Cornell Law School), Greg Garre (former Solicitor General of the United States and partner at Latham & Watkins). Julie Silverbrook of the National Constitution Center moderated the discussion.

The panel focused on the loss of civil discourse between the Justices and in the broader political and academic discussion about the Court. Professor Wasserman made four key points: 1) the discourse within the Court has arguably not changed over the years; 2) pointed discourse tends to focus on whether the Court is adhering to consistent procedure; 3) the fairly consistent 6-3 divide in politically salient cases has created “dissent fatigue,” in which the same justices are dissenting in major cases; and 4) criticisms that question the Court’s legitimacy are not an inappropriate form of discourse.

Joining former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who chairs the group, and other officials for follow-up discussion were FIU engineering faculty with expertise in the technology. Much of the conversation centered around the potential impact of such devices much closer to home.

UANI CEO Mark Wallace and Congressman Carlos Gimenez referred to the possible “Cuban drone crisis” threat emerging from public reports. 

“We feel that there are approximately at least 300 of these in Cuba,” said Gimenez, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee. 

Gimenez, who recently helped secure $2.1 million in federal funding for FIU for national security innovation, emphasized that the U.S. is working on effective, cost-efficient defenses to knock down the drones. 

As a research and workforce development hub, FIU is increasingly stepping up to partner on emerging national security issues. Following the public press conference, FIU experts and students met privately with the leaders to discuss research and trends in national security and drone defense. 

FIU faculty and staff presenters included: 

• Mike Asencio, the director of the Cyber Policy Program at the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy
• Professor John Volakis, an expert on wireless communication technology at the College of Engineering & Computing
• Professor Mohammad Ashiq Rahman, a cybersecurity researcher and associate director of FIU’s Center for Integrated Security, Privacy, and Trustworthy AI
• Mariya Shevchenko, a master's student studying public administration and a member of the Gordon Institute National Security Student Fellow 2025-2026 Cohort

FIU currently conducts research and programming with funding from the Department of Energy, Department of War and the National Security Agency, and has built trusted relationships with federal policymakers, national security practitioners and leading organizations like UANI. FIU faculty and researchers have unique knowledge, hardware and software technologies to track, guide and navigate drones securely. 

After last week's event, FIU News caught up with two of the university’s presenters for their analyses on what drones close to home might mean.

Exploring how drones can be compromised

Downing drones can be difficult, especially when they are launched in groups. Rahman, who researches drones at FIU’s College of Engineering & Computing, explores how these weapons can be compromised through cyber-attacks and unconventional means.

One security aspect of drones he looks at is supply chain vulnerability. In a multi-national drone production process, a rogue actor can slip in a faulty part or program that causes a drone to malfunction when operating, which often bypasses a drone’s typical defenses at the network or sensor level. However, that vulnerability might not apply to Iranian-made weapons, he says.

“The odds are that this level of drone can be built entirely within their country," Rahman said, examining the Shahed-136 up close. "They probably don't need to bring components from other places." 

Looking for a ‘Strait of Hormuz’ in the Western Hemisphere

Given that Cuba is positioned in between the Gulf of America, the Straits of Florida and the Caribbean Sea, is the country in a position to disrupt the global economy by firing drones on shipping routes?

Shevchenko, who studies Iran’s proxy groups as part of her research as a graduate of JGI's Undergraduate National Security Studies Certificate, sees a threat that should be taken seriously.

“Drones could potentially threaten specific ships, ports, or nearby military targets. However, drawing from the disruptions observed in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year, Cuba can potentially try seizing the Panama Canal, which could significantly disrupt global shipping lanes and produce wider economic and geopolitical instability.”

The comparison isn’t perfect, though, she says. For one, she and other FIU analysts see a Cuban regime and society under a different kind of strain than what Iran is experiencing.

“Iran has built up resistance to U.S. pressure over time, and their regime was built to survive sanctions, conflict, and political isolation.” Shevchenko says.

Providing leadership on the crisis in Cuba

Recognizing the growing potential for change in Cuba, FIU recently launched an initiative to support a democratic transition on the island.

Located just 90 miles from the island and anchor to one of the nation's largest Cuban and Cuban American communities, FIU serves as an unparalleled hub of regional expertise, providing longstanding academic, cultural, and professional ties to Cuba and the broader region.

FIU’s transition initiative leverages decades of research, policy engagement and partnerships throughout the hemisphere to help support the U.S. government’s efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, rebuild civil society and promote effective governance during a post-authoritarian transition.

Stepping up as a strategic partner for national security

At the conclusion of the discussion, FIU experts agreed on the importance of preparing for future threats through research, innovation and collaboration.

"Whether these threats materialize tomorrow or years from now, preparation begins today," Asencio said. 

"South Florida's strategic location, combined with FIU's expertise in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, engineering, and public policy, positions our region to make meaningful contributions to the nation's defense against emerging threats. Our role is not only to study these challenges, but to help develop the people, technologies and policies that will address them." 

As Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey arrives in theaters this summer, audiences will undoubtedly marvel at the legendary encounters with the Cyclops, the Sirens, and Scylla and Charybdis. Yet Homer's greatest innovation may not be the adventures themselves but the surprisingly modern way he tells the story.

As someone who teaches both literature and film, I'm especially interested in how students respond not only to the story itself but also to the way it is told. Nolan's filmography suggests that Homer was already experimenting with the nonlinear storytelling techniques that are a hallmark of some of cinema's greatest films. Citizen Kane (1941), Rashomon (1950), Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959), and film noirs such as Mildred Pierce (1945) and Pulp Fiction (1994) show that the order in which a story is told often matters as much as the events themselves. Nolan's adaptation traces his signature nonlinear style back to one of storytelling's oldest sources.

Readers of The Odyssey will remember that the story famously begins in medias res—Latin for "in the middle of things." Rather than opening with the fall of Troy or even with the beginning of Odysseus's voyage home, the epic begins nearly 20 years after Odysseus departed for the Trojan War. Odysseus remains stranded on Calypso's island while, back in Ithaca, Penelope is besieged by suitors convinced her husband will never return. Long before Odysseus enters the narrative, readers experience the disorder of his absence. That absence becomes the engine of the whole poem, setting up its central concern: nostos, the Greek word for homecoming.

One reason the epic still feels surprisingly modern is that Homer transforms a series of adventures into a single story about coming home. Aristotle later explained why this works. In the Poetics, he argues that a story is unified not because it concerns one person but because its events form a meaningful whole. The Odyssey became one of Aristotle's clearest examples of narrative unity. Equally important to this unity are the poem's many scenes of recognition, or anagnorisis—from the dog Argos recognizing his long-lost master to Odysseus ultimately recognizing his own life as a story.

The poem also reflects on storytelling itself. After escaping Calypso, Odysseus reaches the court of the Phaeacians, where the blind bard Demodocus sings about the Trojan War. Odysseus, hearing his own life transformed into song, breaks down in tears. Only then does he reveal his identity and recount the famous adventures of the Cyclops, Circe, the Sirens, and the Underworld—not as events unfolding before us, but as memories reconstructed through his own narration.

The philosopher Hannah Arendt regarded this scene as paradigmatic for both history and storytelling. In Between Past and Future (1961), she turns to Odysseus listening to Demodocus's song to argue that experience becomes meaningful only when it can be narrated and shared. Only by telling his story does Odysseus come to understand his own life. His experiences become a coherent narrative through which he recognizes himself. Perhaps that is why the epic still resonates today. Whether we are returning from war, leaving home for college, changing careers, or rebuilding after personal loss, we often understand our own lives by learning to tell their stories.

So what should audiences watch for in Nolan's adaptation? Not simply the legendary adventures, but the remarkable way Homer arranges them into a story. Homer's greatest innovation may prove harder to visualize: his discovery that we often understand our lives only after we have learned to tell them as stories—and that those stories are rarely told in chronological order.

Michael Grafals is an associate teaching professor in the Department of English and the director of the film studies certificate program.

The findings, published in the Nature Portfolio journal Scientific Reports, provide one of the most comprehensive looks to date at how different sleep disorders affect the brain and could help pave the way for earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatments. 

Sleep disorders affect an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans. To better understand what happens in the brain across a range of sleep disorders, researchers at FIU's Center for Children and Families conducted a meta-analysis of 57 imaging studies of adult brains. The study is among the first to examine multiple types of sleep disorders side by side, looking for both shared and distinct patterns in brain structure. 

Researchers analyzed two major categories: dyssomnias, including insomnia and sleep apnea, which make it difficult to fall or stay asleep; and parasomnias, including sleepwalking, nightmare disorder and sleep terrors, which disrupt the sleep cycle itself. 

 

“As more people recognize how important sleep is, there’s growing urgency to understand what’s happening in the brain,” said Matthew Sutherland, a cognitive neuroscientist at FIU and senior author of the study. “By bringing together results from many studies, this research gives us a clearer picture of how sleep disorders affect brain structure and function and where we need to focus next.” 

Across both categories, researchers identified decreases in the thalamus, a brain region critical for filtering information, maintaining focus and supporting higher-level thinking. They specifically found structural changes in the pulvinar, part of the thalamus that helps direct attention and regulate cognitive control. 

These changes were also linked to broader brain networks involved in focus and task performance, helping explain why disrupted sleep can contribute to slower responses, impaired decision-making and an increased risk of mistakes and accidents. 

“Most research looks at sleep disorders one at a time,” said Katharine Crooks, a recent FIU cognitive neuroscience doctoral graduate and lead author of the study. “By looking across many studies, we found shared patterns in the brain that help explain why sleep problems can impact focus, decision-making and everyday functioning. With so many people struggling with sleep, understanding what is happening in the brain is key to finding better interventions, diagnostic tools and personalized treatments.” 

The study also uncovered patterns unique to parasomnias. Researchers found structural changes in the posterior cingulate cortex, a region involved in motivation, decision-making and emotional regulation. These findings may help explain why people with parasomnias sometimes experience changes in mood, behavior and emotional control. 

Researchers did not find consistent structural changes unique to dyssomnias, suggesting different sleep disorders may affect the brain in distinct ways depending on how sleep is disrupted. 

The team hopes the findings will help inform future interventions designed not only to improve sleep but also to protect the brain systems that support attention, decision-making and emotional regulation. 

Next, researchers plan to investigate specific parasomnias, such as sleepwalking and REM sleep behavior disorder, and explore whether the observed brain changes are a cause of sleep disorders, a consequence of them or both.  

Dr. David Kalfa, professor and researcher at FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (FIU Medicine) and chief of cardiovascular surgery and co-director of the Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute, recently led a surgical team that performed Florida’s first staged cardiac septation procedure on a 1-year-old patient.

Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defects, affecting nearly 40,000 infants each year. This innovative procedure is designed for children born with a single functioning ventricle, a condition in which only one of the heart’s two pumping chambers develops properly, making it difficult for the heart to efficiently pump blood through the body and lungs.

Rather than relying on a traditional one-time reconstruction, the staged approach gradually rebuilds the heart over time, allowing it to develop two-ventricle circulation as the child grows.

“The staged cardiac septation represents an important advancement in the treatment of children born with a single pumping chamber because it allows us to rebuild and adapt the heart in a more gradual and individualized way,” said Kalfa. “For children born with this complex congenital heart disorder, this approach can reduce the strain of traditional single-stage surgeries while creating new opportunities for improved heart function, recovery and long-term quality of life.”

The milestone reflects Kalfa’s leadership in pediatric heart surgery and his expertise in treating some of the most challenging cardiac conditions.

Beyond the operating room, he directs an NIH-funded research lab at FIU that explores innovative surgical and bioengineering approaches to improve outcomes for young patients. The procedure also highlights the impact of the FIU Medicine and Nicklaus Children’s collaboration in advancing new treatment options for children.

After several minutes, it happened: bioluminescence. The underwater world enveloped them in a bright array of neon blues and greens as algae began to glow through a natural chemical reaction. “It was so incredible,” Herrero de la Cruz recalls, and a literal highlight of her trip.

For one week in May, nine members traveled to Tom Owen’s Caye, a small island off the coast of Placencia, Belize, where they collaborated with Reef Conservation International (ReefCI), an organization dedicated to marine conservation and environmental education. Club president Amit Arbili, who had traveled to the island twice before, led the others on this self-directed, hands-on conservation enterprise. A mix of undergraduate and graduate students, they served as eco-volunteers and spent their days diving with purpose (their motto) as they practiced impactful environmental management and sustainability.

One huge issue facing the Belizean ecosystem is the overabundance of invasive lionfish, which can reproduce at a rate of about two million per year. Armed with three-prong spears, club members learned how to hunt and remove the lionfish without harming the corals and marine life around them, explains Arbili. They were also shown how to filet the lionfish for consumption, carefully cutting away the venomous spines along their fins. Herrero de la Cruz describes how club members would toss their scraps to nearby nurse sharks, hoping to introduce the troublesome fish as potential prey into the diets of these local predators, thereby encouraging population control.

In addition to spearfishing, club members devoted time to assisting propagation-efforts of a beloved local species: sea turtles. The island is home to a large population of these endangered creatures. Still, the rocky, limestone-based terrain can prove challenging for sea turtles to lay their eggs. Directed by ReefCI staff, club members assisted with nest preparation by replacing stone with sand in designated areas.

Through beach clean-ups to biodiversity identification dives, club members increased their knowledge, restored habitats and helped preserve the integrity of the world’s second largest reef system. “Everyone came with the same mindset – Leave no trace, only bubbles,” Arbili explains. For the double major in finance and international business, scuba diving is a hobby. And yet, organizing this trip, meeting new people and working to preserve the environment “made me fall in love with doing something with a purpose. [This trip] is part of my journey. You get to develop yourself and your skills and do something that’s outside of your comfort zone.”

Likewise, Herrero de la Cruz, an electrical engineering major interested in eco-friendly construction, discovered self-knowledge and community among fellow conservationists. “You can make friends in unlikely places. You don’t need to be working in the same field or have the same ideas about things to bond, find connection.” She adds, “I’m a huge advocate of people traveling. I think you learn so much about yourself when you’re outside of your regular environment.”

In this spirit, club members dove in and enjoyed exploring unfamiliar waters, rife with octopi, squid, nurse and lemon sharks, starfish and stingrays. While Herrero de la Cruz celebrates spotting a seahorse for the first time, Arbili smiles at the recollection of swimming with some of the more familiar marine mammals encountered on the trip. “It’s always nice to see dolphins. They’re spectacular,” he says.

The Department of Campus Recreation worked with club members to provide support and resources and ensure a positive experience. As the first student-led international trip by an FIU sports club, the enterprise was primarily self-funded, although Campus Recreation helped cover the cost of accommodations.

Praising the initiative of the members in shaping their college experience and seeking out opportunities for learning, service and growth, Marcus St. Phard, the associate director of programs, student development and assessments, says, “They were extremely organized and focused on the right things: student success and development.

“Scuba Club is a really great group to be in because they care, love each other, support one another and provide great experiences. They are all great human beings.”

• Life Below Water 
• Life on Land (tie)
• Clean Water and Sanitation
• No Poverty 
• Quality Education

Rather than tracking actual alcohol consumption, FIU Ph.D. student Ella Diab and the research team focused on adolescents' attitudes and perceptions toward drinking. The study, published in the Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, followed a group of middle school students for multiple years, ages 10 – 15, from various geographical areas. The research focused on structured activities, which were defined as supervised and organized activities with rules and adults in charge. This included sports, organized groups or clubs.

The study reveals teens who continuously showed up and stayed engaged in a structured activity were less inclined to want to drink. Diab notes that these activities positively shaped the teens’ reasons against drinking.

Because peer groups begin to be more important than family influence during these formative years, she notes that early adolescence is a critical developmental period for intervention.

“They're going through a lot of growth biologically in their brains, but also socially,” Diab says. “Their peer groups are changing. The influence starts to become stronger from their peers than their family.”

She suggests instead of just dropping kids off at practice or a meeting, parents need to assess the quality of their child’s engagement and maintain open communication about their activities. They should talk to kids about how they’re doing in their activity, what they’re experiencing, and if they’re enjoying it.

In order to get a comprehensive look at these developmental changes over time, researchers tracked the same group of students across multiple intervals rather than taking a one-time snapshot. They measured descriptive drinking norms by asking about the frequency and quantity of alcohol use they observed among their same-age peers. They also examined specific reasons for abstaining, such as seeing negative effects of alcohol on others or worrying about its interference with schoolwork.

Diab suggests that further studies could dive deeper into peer environments within specific sports and clubs, explore the exact number of extracurriculars that are optimal for development, and evaluate the benefits of deep engagement in a single activity versus balancing a broad spectrum of interests. 

Diab conducted the study while working at Brown University, under the guidance of Samuel Meisel, before beginning her Ph.D. at FIU. She is currently part of the clinical science program at FIU, working in the Research on Adolescent and Child Health (ReACH) Lab where she is focusing on adolescent substance use. Her research primarily centers around how social media use influences substance use in teens.

Children entering puberty may be experiencing more anxiety than their parents realize, according to a new study.

Starting middle school brings big changes – new schools, heavier workloads, shifting friendships. These changes are easy for parents to see. But alongside them, something less visible may be happening: a rise in anxiety linked to puberty.  In a new study led by FIU psychology postdoctoral associate Amanda Baker and published in Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, researchers found that as children move through puberty, they report increasing anxiety while parents’ perceptions of their child’s anxiety remain relatively unchanged.

As children enter puberty, hormonal changes reshape how their brains work. These changes make them more emotional, more sensitive to what others think and more reactive to social situations and feedback. At the same time kids are becoming more aware of their anxiety, they are spending more time away from parents at sports practices, sleepovers and other activities. This can make it harder for parents to see how much their child is struggling.

“Understanding this is important. These emotional shifts don’t happen for no reason,” said Baker, a researcher in FIU’s Center for Children and Families. “When a child seems to be ‘in a mood’ it may actually be a sign that something deeper is going on internally, and they could be struggling.”

Researchers found that children ages 10 to 13 consistently rated their anxiety higher than their parents did, and the gap widened as they progressed through puberty. The difference was especially pronounced in children with diagnosed anxiety, highlighting the challenge of relying on a single perspective to understand a child’s anxiety.

To get a clearer picture, the researchers combined reports from kids, parents and clinicians into a single overall score using a statistical method called Principal Component Analysis.  

“Although each of these perspectives brings valuable information, we sometimes want one single metric for anxiety when we want to track it over time or understand anxiety generally, not from any one perspective,” said Dana McMakin, co-author of the study and chair of FIU’s Department of Psychology. “A PCA score helps us to have this unified metric as an option.”

The study highlights the need for multi-informant assessment approaches in both research and practice. The differences in anxiety reports can be crucial for understanding a child’s internal distress and guiding treatment. McMakin emphasizes identifying anxiety early in children provides an important opportunity for intervention, especially at the cusp of adolescence when mental health risk increases and dynamic development creates opportunities for change.

Working across guest experiences, brand executions, and competitive brand research, the students beat massive odds to get there. FIFA officials said total number of applicants for the 16 host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico eclipsed previous World Cup events and totaled more than any other event in sporting history — 1.1 million applicants for only 65,000 available positions.

FIU student Thomas Arias Mechoulam’s FIFA journey began in August 2025 when he applied to be a volunteer. Following an in-person interview, he was selected for his top-choice role in Event Transport — a dream gig for the student who hopes to build a career in the soccer industry.

“It is imperative that our FIU students get that experiential learning,” said Nicholas Smith, associate teaching professor. “There are so many mega sport events that come to town, that allow FIU students to have an advantage over others.”

Mechoulam’s first shift was during the Brazil versus Scotland match on June 24. Since then, he has worked every game hosted in Miami.

“I get to see things that an attending fan does not have access to, which as a lifelong football fan, is a dream for me,” Mechoulam said.

Mechoulam directs fans, media, and VIP guests, handling any questions they have. His most memorable moment occurred 15 minutes before kickoff at the Colombia versus Portugal match when he crossed paths with popular YouTuber and live streamer IShowSpeed, who stopped to take photos with volunteers.

Alejandro Mella, sports management major with a minor in international relations, landed an internship with Octagon, the sports marketing agency managing The Home Depot’s FIFA fan activation events. He supported Home Depot’s Beckham’s Bucket sponsorship activation, ensuring smooth operations for thousands of fans each day.

“Being in the middle of a World Cup activation in my own city was surreal — watching a sponsorship deal I'd only read about in class come to life in front of fans from every corner of the world,” Mella said.

Operating in Miami brought challenges, like humidity and sudden rainstorms. Mella also had to navigate technical glitches that sometimes stalled the experience. Troubleshooting these real-time hurdles forced him to adapt quickly, revealing a stark contrast between neat classroom case studies and actual field execution. Bridging that gap, while learning how the agency-client relationships function on a global scale, became his most valuable takeaway.

“I learned I genuinely thrive in fast-paced, people facing environments,” Mella said. “I didn't just tolerate the chaos of a live activation, I liked it.

“I interacted with fans and staff from all over the world, which sharpened how I communicate across cultures, a skill that matters in global sports marketing,” he said.

Jefferey Florvil also secured a role for Home Depot’s activation as a brand ambassador. Florvil engaged with fans during the events and conducted market research on competing brands.

“The coolest thing that happened during my internship was seeing fans from different nations interact with each other and swap jerseys,” Florvil said. “Meeting different individuals from countries like Norway, Scotland, Australia and seeing them interact with the vast Latin population we have in South Florida was amazing.”

Florvil worked 21 consecutive days. The lively match-day atmosphere and a supportive crew made the grind worth it, he said.

As a newcomer to LinkedIn, Florvil, who is studying sport and recreation management, set a goal to expand his professional network with connections including managers and vendors across multiple brands.

“Socially, I have always struggled, but I bonded quickly with my team and worked well with them,” he said.

Smith, who teaches many of the classes that prepared these students for their FIFA adventures, said 2026 has been a banner year in sports in Miami.

“My colleagues around the country fly or bus students to work these events,” he said. “My sport management students have been very lucky this year to get to work these world class events.”

As the final whistles blow and crowds disperse, these students will return to their studies not only with enhanced resumes, but Smith also hopes with the confidence to launch careers in the global sports industry.

This year’s FIFA World Cup is the largest in history.

Featuring 104 matches taking place in 16 different cities across three different countries, this tournament is one of epic proportions. It is also historic for South Florida: Miami is hosting matches for the World Cup for the first time.

At the heart of FIFA World Cup are a number of FIU alumni who are working to organize, advertise and host the tournament in Miami and across the world. These alumni are leaders in a variety of fields, ranging from hospitality to communications — and they are using their talents to bring the tournament to life.

Meet just three of these outstanding alumni.  

Daniel Marin ’05, MBA ‘11

Two-time alumnus Daniel Marin’s love for international communications — a love that was fostered by FIU — led him to one of the biggest jobs of his career: he is currently the executive director of public relations for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“It’s very exciting,” he says. “This is a global event. I feel like I’m representing FIU, I feel like I’m representing Miami. It’s an honor. I lead the global communications around the FIFA World Cup, basically trying to put out all proactive information for fans [and] for stakeholders to know what the tournament is, where it’s going to be, how it’s going to be played and how people can participate. I’m really putting the tournament face-forward for the world to learn more about it.”

The seasoned PR executive is no stranger to big-name brands. He’s worked at Netflix and Amazon, leading international communications initiatives. 

For example, Marin inaugurated a role in which he served as the head of communications for Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios across Latin America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and U.S. Hispanic markets. He is particularly proud of starting Prime Video’s first U.S. Hispanic focused PR division to support Spanish-language content in the United States. 

His role at FIFA World Cup, though, is unlike anything he’s ever done before.

“We deal in the business of passion,” he says. “That’s not something that’s measurable per se. It’s not something that gives you quantitative data that you are always able to go back to... We can sense when something is really being accepted by fans. That is gut, not data. That’s very different.”

 

Marin says FIU opened his eyes to the power of international business.

“My FIU years were formative for me,” he says. “[They] put me on a path to really appreciate international business, international communications. I love being a bridge between entities in the United States and different parts of the world. That is what brought me to the doorstep of FIFA.”

Marin holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and an MBA from FIU. He says his journey shows that dreaming big and being open to opportunities makes all the difference. He also credits his wife — an FIU alumna herself — as being the "best support in the world, my biggest cheerleader” and a key reason behind his success.   

Besides being a PR executive, Marin is also an artist who runs his own art business. His work, which is mostly focused on mixed media pieces, sits in private collections in the U.S., Latin America and Europe, including the official collection of the city of Seattle and Europe’s LUMAS Gallery’s portfolio. His work has also been featured in gallery shows and multiple times at Spectrum, which is one of the major art fairs during Art Basel and Miami Art week. 

Christine Archilla ‘13

Fútbol runs in Christine Archilla’s blood. “My family is from Argentina,” she says. “Watching or playing fútbol is like a rite of passage. I’ve been a big fan for years.”

When she heard the FIFA World Cup was coming to Miami, Archilla, an event management maven, told herself she would find a way to be involved.

Today, she is the hospitality infrastructure manager for the FIFA World Cup. She is responsible for ensuring the infrastructure for all hospitality spaces across the stadiums will meet the needs of fans, guests and more.

“We’re mostly using American football fields and converting them to meet the needs of fútbol games,” Archilla says.

The viewing patterns, seating preferences and even kitchen requirements vary widely from American football to international fútbol. For instance, most football stadiums are equipped to allow for the sale of hotdogs and soda. But soccer fans come from all over the world, and food must cater to their needs and cultures.

“For example, we have Middle Eastern countries playing during the tournament,” Archilla says. “We need to accommodate for different allergens or restrictions. If guests are eating Halal, it needs to be available for anyone that is attending. We need to make sure the infrastructure provides for those needs. If we need an additional temporary kitchen or if we need another lounge area, we have to build it out and work with our suppliers to do that.”

 

Come game day, Archilla will be stepping into yet another role: she will be the hospitality venue manager at the Hard Rock Stadium. “My favorite thing about working an event is being on site,” Archilla says. “That’s what motivates me and excites me. I can’t wait to be there when the games start.”

As a hospitality and tourism management student at FIU, Archilla volunteered at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival® and interned at Viacom International Media Network with brands like MTV and VH1.

She went on to build an impressive career. She has worked at the Miami Film Festival, Live Arts Miami, the Museum of Art and Design and, most recently, at the Miami Book Fair, where she planned marketing campaigns and was involved in managing various of the fair’s events.

She has also worked at film festivals in New York and Los Angeles. She spent several months planning brand events — like a launch for Audi — in Panama and working for Dior in Mexico. She has been working at FIFA since last year.

“I’m very fortunate with how my trajectory has progressed,” Archilla says. “FIU has been a very big part of where I am today. Working at SOBEWFF blew my mind. I had a blast. From there, my experience in events kept going, and I’m here today.”

Karla Fortuny ‘17

Armed with a star-studded resume and key experiences in local government affairs, Karla Fortuny is combining her love of sports with her passion for service.

She is the vice president of government affairs for the FIFA World Cup Miami host committee, which is made up of top community leaders in a variety of fields. Committee members work together to help organize events and lead all of FIFA’s local needs for the tournament. Fortuny is on loan to the committee from Capital City Consulting, a lobbying firm where she is currently a partner.

In her role at the FIFA World Cup Miami committee, Fortuny oversees local relations with mayors, commissioners, counties and other partners. She also participates in state and federal relations with committee members. 

“I work making connections between FIFA, local government and community entities,” Fortuny says. “We partner with them on ways to bring the game to Miami and to create opportunities for the local community.”

For example, the committee is hosting a soccer clinic program for children. Kids receive uniforms, gear and top-notch coaching. The Miami committee is also hosting a 23-day fan festival at Bayfront Park from June 13 to July 5. The festival will feature a wide array of soccer activities, concerts and fun for the whole family. Fortuny is part of it all, working with committee leaders, commissioners and local partners to help organize the events. 

 

Being involved with FIFA is a dream come true for Fortuny. “I never thought I’d be able to work at a World Cup,” she says.

Fortuny, who majored in public relations, fell in love with the sports industry at an early age. Years ago, she interned for the Florida Panthers hockey team. She also held full-time positions in media relations for the Super Bowl Miami host committee in 2020 and in business development for Inter Miami CF.

She then switched gears and worked in local government, where she quickly climbed the ranks and became the chief of staff for a commissioner in the City of Miami. She also served as director of local government and community affairs at FIU before starting her job at Capital City.

To top off her already impressive list of accomplishments, Fortuny recently returned to the university for a law degree, and she is currently in her second year at FIU Law.

Fortuny is a proud Panther.

“FIU gave me the foundation I needed to work in public relations and to translate those skills to the government sector and community relations,” she says. “I’m so proud to be back earning my highest degree here and representing FIU at such a big stage as the World Cup.”

Michelle Lopez contributed to the reporting of this story (Daniel Marin’s section).

When the U.S. lost to Belgium during the round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup match in Atlanta this week, an FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism alumna was there.

When Pitbull took the stage at Bayfront Park for the Miami FIFA Fan Festival opening ceremony, hospitality student Jake Aylward was there.

And when the Tartan Army of Scottish fans stormed Miami, more than a dozen hospitality students and alumni helped welcome them to the Magic City.

FIU Hospitality students Sendy Reimers (left) and Sigourney Kame working at MIiami FIFA Fan Fest

For the past month, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has taken over the world stage and put the U.S., Mexico and Canada in the spotlight as host countries. But also on full display was local host city Miami, which showed off a hospitable and welcoming environment to which students and alumni of FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management contributed as they work on the the front lines of the global soccer tournament.

“Feeling grateful for the incredible people I’ve met, the memories made and the opportunity to be part of something so special,” said Samatha Wagner MS '25 BS '23, a double hospitality alumna, who served as a senior workforce coordinator. She has been based in Atlanta and on site working all seven games there so far. With one game left there, she says the experience has been “a dream come true.”

FIU hospitality double alumnas Samantha Wagner (left) and Fabiola Quereguan working at the FIFA World Cup 2026

Through its closing earlier this week, more than a dozen FIU alumni and students, including hospitality student Sendy Reimers, had been clocking into the Miami FIFA Fan Fest in downtown. As a venue manager, Reimers was in charge of one of five fan zones and oversaw more than 2,000 volunteers. The volunteers had the task of keeping football fans informed and ensuring their safety, which included enforcing hydration breaks among the crowd cheering the action on huge outdoors screens beneath an often-blazing sun and ushering out festivalgoers on the occasions when lighting sirens went off to alert of danger.

“I loved the experience,” said Reimers. “Everything that you learn in class, you see right there in front of you. Everything has to be fast. It’s an event, people are excited that you are excited along with them,” she added.

More than a dozen FIU hospitality students, alumni and faculty have worked at the World Cup this summer.

From Miami to Seattle to Toronto and beyond, FIU Panthers represented in a variety of roles all over the Americas.

Miranda Ghirimoldi MS '23, who graduated from FIU Chaplin School with her master's degree specialization in Mega Event Management, served on the FIFA guest operations team as the VIP guest relations senior coordinator.

For students like Jake Aylward, who interned with event company Event Logistics, Inc., being part of one of the world’s largest sporting events was an incredible addition to his résumé. Aylward, who graduates this year, says he got the opportunity to be a part of it after working the South Beach Wine & Food Festival®.

"I’m part of the operations team at FIFA World Cup. To be a part of FIFA World Cup is just huge. I feel like I’m making a difference,” he said. 

Paws up from hospitality students Ethan Amor (left) and Jake Aylward (right) at Miami FIFA Fan Fest

For mega events management program lead professor Sharifa Wilkinson, being able to work for FIFA and be part of one of the biggest events in the world is a lifelong dream come true.

“If you had told 10-year-old me, standing on a soccer field in Toronto, that one day I’d help deliver a FIFA World Cup in the city I call home, I couldn’t have imagined it,” she said. Wilkinson is a FIFA Fan Festival venue manager in her home country of Canada. She’ll be back in the classroom in August to bring her real-world experience into the curriculum.

Professor Sharifa Wilkinson living a chlidhood dream by working for FIFA World Cup

For students, that’s the biggest lesson learned: that education doesn't just happen on campus but is also about experiences and making connections.

“When we said we were from FIU, people were happy because they know we have a good reputation,” said Reimers. “I learned a lot about the hospitality industry. I met so many people. Made a lot of connections.” 

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is taking place in North America, and two FIU alumni are supporting one of the world’s largest sporting events from behind the scenes.

Gabriel Gabor ’88 and Marisabel Muñoz ’02, graduates of FIU’s School of Communication within the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA), have spent decades helping tell the story of Major League Soccer’s growth. Now, as the global spotlight turns to the United States, Mexico and Canada, both are preparing to play important roles in a tournament that reflects the remarkable evolution of soccer across the region.

Gabor is an international communication executive at MLS. He says accepting his current role with FIFA represents a full-circle moment.

“This is my first FIFA World Cup, but I have worked two FIFA Club World Cups (Japan 2025 and USA 2025),” he said. “To be a FIFA World Cup Media Officer, you have to be selected by the FIFA media operations team. It’s an honor to get selected.”

Assigned to the Monterrey venue in Mexico, Gabor is helping oversee media operations throughout the tournament.

“So I went from a fan in 1994 to having a key role in 2026,” he said. “I moderate team news conferences, liaison with the teams’ media officers and support the overall media operations of the stadium, among other things.”

Muñoz is the senior vice president for communications at Major League Soccer and its commercial marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing. She has worked for MLS for nearly 25 years and views the current tournament as both a milestone and an opportunity.

“I’ve had the privilege of working on every FIFA World Cup cycle since 2002, and each tournament has represented an opportunity to learn, evolve and help accelerate the growth of our league and the sport across North America,” she said.

“What makes the 2026 World Cup especially significant is the opportunity to showcase how MLS has delivered on the promise of the 1994 World Cup, while ensuring that the momentum and global attention generated by the World Cup strengthens MLS for years to come.”

Muñoz also highlighted the cooperation between FIFA and MLS communications professionals leading up to the tournament.

“In addition to my role with MLS, I’m excited by the unprecedented level of collaboration between MLS and FIFA communications teams, built on long-term relationships and mutual respect,” she said. “I’m extremely proud of our team of professional communicators and media operations experts who have been called in as media officers, venue media managers and other key roles to deliver a world-class experience for media, teams and stakeholders.”

The pair's involvement in FIFA World Cup 2026 represents the latest chapter in careers shaped by FIU and built alongside the rise of professional soccer in North America.

CARTA foundation builds versatile communicators

For Gabor, the breadth of his CARTA education provided the foundation for a career in sports communications that has spanned nearly three decades.

“My journalism track was well-rounded as I got to learn about different disciplines, like video production, magazine editing, law and ethics and other elements of the communications spectrum that came in handy even at my very first job,” Gabor said. “These are skills I continue to use in my day-to-day work.”

Muñoz said her experience at FIU prepared her to thrive in a constantly evolving, high-pressure environment.

“My time at FIU laid the foundation for working in a fast-paced environment like Major League Soccer,” she said. “It taught me how to think creatively but also strategically, how to communicate clearly and adapt quickly, which is essential in sports where the news cycle never stops.”

Witnessing the evolution of Major League Soccer

Both alumni have seen MLS grow from its early days into a globally recognized league featuring international stars and expanding audiences.

Gabor began his MLS career in 1998 as head of communications for the former Miami Fusion, during a period when the league was still establishing its identity in North America.

“Strong storytelling and branding was not optional, it was a necessity,” Gabor said. “We had to share our narrative with media, fans, commercial partners and local authorities on a daily basis. At first, all we had was a story and a dream.”

In those early years, building interest in the sport required creativity. Gabor recalled experimenting with unconventional promotions designed to attract attention and fill stadiums, including postgame concerts featuring acts such as The Village People and Ziggy Marley.

One of his most memorable campaigns was “KC Dollar Night,” a midweek promotion tied to a match against the Kansas City Wizards. Fans who brought a one-dollar bill containing the letters “K” and “C” anywhere in its serial number could use it as admission.

“Back then, MLS was still finding its footing, so we had to be creative to earn media coverage and get fans into the stadium,” Gabor said.

The promotion drew hundreds of fans and even caught the attention of Lamar Hunt, the legendary sports entrepreneur and owner of the Kansas City Wizards.

“For a young communications executive, it felt like the godfather of sports marketing had personally given me his seal of approval,” Gabor said.

He also reflected on how dramatically the sport has evolved since the early days of MLS.

“Who would have thought that almost three decades later we would grow to be one of the top soccer leagues in the world, home of its greatest player, Leo Messi?” he said.

Gabor further noted the contrast between today’s landscape and the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

“The biggest difference is that in 1994 there was no first-division professional soccer league in the United States,” he said. “Soccer was still viewed as a foreign sport. In fact, Major League Soccer was created as part of FIFA’s requirement for the U.S. to host the 1994 World Cup.”

Today, MLS includes 30 clubs across the United States and Canada and has become one of the world’s leading soccer leagues.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would go on to spend more than 25 years working in MLS and eventually serve as a FIFA Media Officer at the next World Cup in the United States,” Gabor said. “It’s been quite a ride.”

Muñoz described the league’s evolution as “incomparable,” particularly in how it approaches storytelling and fan engagement.

“Today, MLS is a global property with world-class players, clubs, and infrastructure,” she said. “That growth has completely transformed how we approach storytelling, branding and fan engagement. We are building culture, connecting authentically with diverse audiences, and telling stories that resonate locally and globally.”

Fast-paced roles in a global sports organization

In their current roles, both alumni operate in dynamic environments that span domestic and international soccer properties.

“The best part of my job is that I don’t have a daily routine,” Gabor said. “In the international communications group at the league we work on both MLS and our international projects. On any given day, I might spend the morning working on the MLS All-Star Game and in the afternoon getting ready for a Mexico game at Chicago’s 60,000-seat Soldier Field.”

Throughout his career, Gabor has also worked on U.S. tours for some of the world’s most recognizable teams and national programs, including Argentina, Brazil, FC Barcelona and Manchester United.

Muñoz described her role as centered on strategy, collaboration and content development across the league’s clubs and partners.

“No two days are ever the same, which is part of what makes being a part of MLS so exciting while also being a big responsibility,” she said. “My role sits at the intersection of strategy, content and collaboration, working with our clubs, partners, and internal teams to help shape how the league shows up to media and fans.”

She also highlighted the significance of the 2026 World Cup 2026 being hosted across multiple MLS markets.

“Especially right now, as we gear up for the FIFA World Cup 2026 to be played across 13 MLS cities, there’s a real sense of momentum across the league,” she said.

Miami roots, global perspectives

Both alumni emphasized the importance of FIU’s the community and Miami’s global identity in shaping their professional perspectives.

Gabor said FIU’s multicultural environment provided a natural advantage for working in international sports communications.

“Attending a culturally diverse university like FIU provided me with a great base for my career path,” he said. “I can’t think of a job where my multicultural background and education was not a major asset.”

Muñoz also highlighted the connection between South Florida and the global game, noting the region’s increasing influence within MLS, saying, “South Florida has always been a gateway to the global game, and you see that reflected in the league today more than ever.”

She pointed to the rise of Inter Miami as “a perfect example of how that cultural connection can elevate a club and the league as a whole.”

Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver, executive director of the Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women, and a professor of journalism, remembers the alumni. “Marisabel Muñoz and Gabriel Gabor are consummate communications professionals,” she said. “I have watched their amazing careers and am so very proud of both of them for what they have achieved. Seeing them mentor the next generation of storytellers, they are indeed exceptional role models and represent us exceedingly well.”

Advice for FIU students

Both alumni encouraged current CARTA students interested in sports careers to focus on experience, adaptability and relationship-building.

Gabor advised students to pursue hands-on opportunities early.

“Intern and volunteer,” he said. “Just about every entry-level colleague at MLS Communications interned or volunteered with a professional or college sports team. And make sure you can write well.”

Muñoz emphasized curiosity and professional networking as key to long-term success.

“Stay curious and be adaptable,” she said. “The industry is constantly changing, so being open to learning and evolving is key. Also, don’t underestimate the value of relationships. Your network and your reputation matter. And finally, be willing to say ‘yes’ to opportunities.”

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Tucker is uncovering the genetic secrets of the Sabal miamiensis to give conservationists new tools to protect it. His research is supported by the Catherine H. Beattie Fellowship in Conservation Horticulture, which promotes the preservation of endangered plants in the southeastern United States and is funded by the Garden Club of America and the Center for Plant Conservation. This palm species is considered critically endangered in its native habitat due to habitat destruction.

Tucker began by following the evidence alongside Larry Noblick, palm biologist emeritus with Montgomery Botanical Center, and Tim Joyner, preserve manager with Miami-Dade County’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources. The evidence led them to a small preserve in Miami-Dade surrounded by urban development. There, they discovered about 40 individual wild plants that looked like they could be the lost palm. The team examined the surrounding habitat and soil conditions and consulted scientific literature to confirm their findings, and a year later discovered another 60 of the palms nearby.

“It was an incredible moment because it's a lot of emotions all at once,” Tucker said. “You know that now there's hope. You have something in front of you that you know you can work with.”

With support from the fellowship, Tucker is now building a reference genome that will provide a genetic baseline template for scientists. By mapping this DNA, Tucker can identify the most optimal breeding pairs, allowing the team to clone and cryopreserve individuals for the future.

“If we didn't have genomic resources, we'd be flying blind for a lot of these things,” he said. “Everything that we do is moving towards conservation.”

The Miami palmetto, which once existed in Miami-Dade County’s pine rocklands and along the Atlantic Coastal Ridge up to about Boca Raton, lost most of its habitat to rapid urbanization and development.

The rescued palms, along with mature plants collected in the '80s and '90s, are currently being cared for at Montgomery Botanical Center to help conserve the lineage. The team has identified a few suitable locations for reintroduction in partnership with Miami-Dade County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program. They expect to reintroduce about 50 individual plants in the wild by early next year.

As a safeguard, seeds and young plants have also been donated to other botanical gardens for conservation.

“No one garden can do everything,” Tucker said. “By joining together, we can do a decent job of conserving that biodiversity.”

A species once thought to be extinct in the wild now has a fighting chance in its original Miami home due to a mix of instinct and modern genomics. Tucker plans to continue the conservation program while studying the evolution of the Sabal species.

Tucker is a Ph.D. candidate in Earth Systems Science at FIU in the Conservation & Sustainable Horticulture Lab and a Montgomery Botanical Graduate Fellow at Montgomery Botanical Center.

As rising seas and saltier soils threaten one of Florida’s most iconic symbols, scientists are racing to protect Florida’s state tree.

The cabbage palm — or Sabal palmetto — officially the Florida state tree since 1953, is a defining feature of the state’s coastal landscapes. Even in all its glory, this quintessential giant is not spared from the growing threats of sea-level rise and salt exposure, according to Amir Khoddamzadeh of FIU's Institute of Environment, an associate professor of environmental horticulture in the Department of Earth and Environment. In a new study in HortScience, he takes a closer look at how these challenges affect young seedlings of cabbage palms and proposes a simple solution that could help stave off catastrophic damage — silicon.       

Khoddamzadeh’s curiosity about the cabbage palms’ salt tolerance began on a typical humid, rain-soaked day at the Montgomery Botanical Center in Coral Gables. Wandering the grounds, he noticed entire swaths of palmettos standing in water — a sight that stopped him in his tracks. One pressing question followed: what will become of Florida’s Sabal palmettos in 20 or 30 years if young palms can’t survive rising salinity?

To find answers, Khoddamzadeh teamed up with Patrick Griffith, executive director of Montgomery Botanical Center, and Madhugiri Nageswara-Rao, a geneticist at the USDA ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station in Miami. They set their sights on silicon, a powerful ally known for its resilience-boosting properties. With its sponge-like ability to retain water, silicon offers a lifeline for vulnerable young palms by improving physiological processes. Already widely used — even by NASA to grow plants in space — it’s both commercially accessible and affordable, making it a perfect candidate for helping palms survive salinity.

“We wanted to work on something that ornamental plant nursery producers and landscapers can use,”  Khoddamzadeh said.

It’s also simple to apply. Just few grams mixed with water can help young plants survive all kinds of stressors.

To test the approach, the team grew 96 one-year-old seedlings in a greenhouse for 12 months, watering them with varying salt levels, adding silicon to the soil in different amounts and tracking everything from soil nutrients, plant growth and development to survival rates. Silicon not only improved the palms’ tolerance to salt but also boosted chlorophyll content — giving them a deeper green hue — and increased leaf production.

The study also established the ecological threshold for seedling survival — a critical finding for future restoration efforts.

“Bringing together the unmatched palms at Montgomery and the fantastic student enthusiasm at FIU is what made it all work,” said Griffith. “I am thrilled to see all the ways that our garden and the university bring these findings to the community. And the fact that this project was student-led is a real bonus — we love seeing the next generation of plant people succeed.”

It’s easier to invest in healthy soils by using sustainable materials like silicon, according to Khoddamzadeh. The alternative is an increasing amount of fertilizer, which becomes problematic when rainfall carries excess nutrients into waterways and Biscayne Bay. Planting adult trees, which are more stress-tolerant, is another option for greater resilience. He also suggests communities plant more native species that can absorb or slow salinity intrusion before it reaches cabbage palms.

Griffith said resilience can be as simple as paying attention to palms, taking action when they show signs of stress and being mindful of the best spots for new plantings.

Cabbage palms play a major role in Florida’s ornamental trade, a multi-billion-dollar industry. They also support the state’s nursery and landscaping industries, which together generate more than $30 billion and more than 260,000 jobs annually, according to the research. They also provide habitat, food and nesting material for countless native species. A threat to their survival could be a threat to the stability of entire ecosystems.

The study is part of a broader effort to understand how specialty crops resist salinity — because if the palm’s growth is negatively affected, the impact could be even harsher on other landscaping, ornamental plants and food crops.

Ongoing collaborations among FIU, the Montgomery Botanical Center and the USDA include testing crops like tomatoes, jalapeños, peppers, cabbage, snap beans and sweet corn — all with the goal of helping Florida’s agriculture and landscapes adapt to rising sea levels.

That journey took a major step forward during the spring semester when Professor Chuck Strouse encouraged me to enroll in an elective course called "Road to the World Cup." Taught by Luis Gonzalez Perez and Pro Football Hall of Fame journalist Lesley Visser, the class challenged students to examine the impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup through the lenses of finance, security, infrastructure and culture. Fifteen students were divided into four groups and tasked with producing both a podcast and a mini documentary, with the winning project earning World Cup tickets.

My team benefitted from a shared commitment to excellence as we pushed one another to produce our best work.

One of my responsibilities was securing a guest for our podcast. Through my longtime relationship with legendary soccer broadcaster Jose "Don Gol" Hernandez, I was able to bring in someone whose career has included calling some of the biggest matches in the sport, including El Clásico between Barcelona and Real Madrid. I have known Jose for years through youth soccer, having played alongside his son.

Throughout my journey, he has been an important mentor and role model. Being able to sit down with him and hear his perspective was an incredible experience and reinforced the significance of maintaining meaningful relationships in sports media. For our documentary, "The PayOff," I had to find someone who had purchased World Cup tickets and explore whether the experience justified the cost. I immediately thought of the father of one of my closest friends, whom I also met through youth soccer. Rather than focusing solely on numbers and rising ticket prices, I wanted to humanize the story by giving it a face and a personality.

Ernesto Escobar shared memories of attending the 1994 World Cup in the United States and explained how he is now carrying on a family tradition. Just as his father once gifted him tickets to experience the tournament, he is now doing the same for his children. Despite the high cost, he explained, the memories and experiences are priceless. His story gave our documentary emotional depth and reminded me that the most powerful stories are often centered around people rather than statistics.

Throughout the semester, our professor provided invaluable feedback on interviewing techniques and storytelling. Their guidance taught me how to mold different perspectives into one cohesive narrative and challenged me to think beyond surface-level reporting.

Our documentary, "The PayOff," earned first place among the four projects and reinforced my confidence as a storyteller. More importantly, the class showed me what I am capable of accomplishing when I combine preparation, collaboration and strong relationships.

As I continue pursuing a career in sports journalism, I plan to maintain the connections I have built with my teammates and professors. I would encourage other FIU students to seek out opportunities that push them beyond their comfort zones. For me, "Road to the World Cup" was far more than a class. It was a reminder that great stories are everywhere, and that the relationships we build often become our greatest assets.

As for our team’s other payoff – the World Cup tickets – we had a blast.

Graduate students Jenny Pei and Amanda Sanchez are advancing to the Global Accelerator in England of the prestigious Hult Prize. The yearlong challenge – often dubbed the “Nobel Prize for students” – invites participants to build, scale and pitch innovations that tackle global issues.

Out of 90 incubator teams, the PolarDoc team of Pei and Sanchez won the final pitch competition – the most difficult and competitive route for advancing to the accelerator – of the Digital Incubator. PolarDoc and 20 others will now continue refining their ideas at Ashridge House outside of London.

“We are very proud to represent FIU, and we now have our sights on winning the global finals!” says the PolarDoc team.

Hoping to win $1 million in seed funding, Pei and Sanchez have worked on a project that addresses spontaneous preterm birth.

Preterm birth occurs when a woman goes into labor before 37 weeks and affects between 10% and 15% of all pregnancies. It is the number one cause of infant death.

Furthering the work of their mentor, Jessica Ramella-Roman, a biomedical engineer in the College of Engineering & Computing, PolarDoc is competing to commercialize a patented, handheld imaging device called PPRIM (Portable Preterm Imaging). PPRIM works by taking rapid polarized images of the cervix – capturing how light interacts with human tissue – then relaying them through software for analysis. During pregnancy, collagen fibers naturally loosen and become disorganized to facilitate birth. The device visualizes this process of collagen realignment and structural changes in the cervix and acts as a diagnostic tool to assess the risk of preterm birth.

In addition to Ramella-Roman's encouragement, the PolarDoc team's journey has also been supported by FIU's Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center, which hosted the campus Hult Prize competition and continues to provide mentorship and travel assistance as the team advances.

At the end of the monthlong global accelerator, the final eight teams will be announced and will pitch in the grand finale for the $1 million prize.

This story has been updated from the original, first published in April, to reflect the students' continuing success in competition.

A trio of engineering students is a national finalist of the prestigious Hult Prize after winning FIU’s campus competition. The yearlong challenge – often dubbed the “Nobel Prize for students” – invites participants to build, scale and pitch innovations that tackle global issues.

Hoping to win $1 million in seed funding, graduate students Jenny Pei and Amanda Sanchez and undergraduate student Abiel Vasallo Veliz have worked on a project that addresses spontaneous preterm birth.

Preterm birth occurs when a woman goes into labor before 37 weeks and affects between 10% and 15% of all pregnancies. It is the number one cause of infant death. Even when not fatal, preterm delivery often results in severe consequences for the child due largely to underdeveloped organs. 

Pei explains that little is known or understood about the cause of preterm births. Yet every two seconds, a child is born early, landing baby in a neonatal intensive care unit – an often emotionally and financially taxing experience for parents.

With the goal of improving preventive care, Pei, Sanchez and Vasallo are furthering the work of their mentor, Jessica Ramella-Roman. A biomedical engineer in the College of Engineering & Computing, Ramella-Roman runs the Medical Photonics Laboratory, where she and previous graduate students developed a patented, handheld imaging device called PPRIM (Portable Preterm Imaging).

The device works by taking rapid polarized images of the cervix – capturing how light interacts with human tissue – then relaying them through software for analysis. During pregnancy, collagen fibers naturally loosen and become disorganized to facilitate birth. The device visualizes this process of collagen realignment and structural changes in the cervix and acts as a diagnostic tool to assess the risk of preterm birth. (When high risk of preterm birth is identified, physicians can act to prolong the pregnancy through various interventions as well as prepare the fetus for early delivery by administering medication to accelerate lung maturation.)

Pei, Sanchez and Vasallo are actively contributing to the research and development of the device, says Ramella-Roman. She explains, “The Hult Prize is really their idea. They took the initiative to push [the innovation] further.”

Each team member brings their own expertise to the table. Pei and Sanchez’s work forms a core aspect of their dissertations. Both are committed to optimizing the device, enhancing it to perform better.

Pei is primarily concerned with detecting “specific optical markers” or signs of premature remodeling, she explains, that typically signal when a woman is at risk of preterm labor. Meanwhile, Sanchez handles optical design and simulation, which, according to Ramella-Roman, includes algorithm-work and computer-modeling that ultimately can help predict early labor.

Senior Vasallo began working at the lab while enrolled in high school. His current research projects now focus on maternal health. A mechanical engineering major, Vasallo is responsible for improving upon the existing design with an eye toward future mass production of the device’s hardware.

Expressing a strong desire to work in industry, the team hopes to win Hult in efforts to take the steps needed to one day bring the device to market – beginning with physicians at hospitals, followed by clinics in underserved rural areas, eventually placing the device directly into the hands of women, thus enhancing access to medical care.

Winning this competition would lay a path toward such commercialization. “I think [the Hult Prize] will help us take our product to the next level,” Pei states.

Given advances in telehealth and the potential global reach of the device, Vasallo says, “I truly do believe that it is something that could revolutionize neonatal health.” The sentiment is shared by his teammates.

“If we do win, it’d be such a big move in the women’s health industry,” Sanchez says. “It would open everyone’s eyes to [the need to] invest in women and their future.”

In April, the PolarDoc team also won the startup pitch competition at Startup Olé in Miami. “Just days after being named Hult Prize Nationals finalists, this win is a reminder that the problem we’re solving, preterm birth, demands urgency, and that our team and our technology are ready to meet it,” the PolarDoc team said on LinkedIn.

There are a couple more steps to the Hult competition before a grand prize winner is named. As a national finalist team moving forward with Pei and Sanchez, PolarDoc advances to the digital incubator stage in June and July, followed by the accelerator stage in August. From those, the finalists selected to pitch in the grand finale for the $1 million will do so in September.

As for Ramella-Roman, she feels her innovation is in good hands with the team. “They’re very good at what they do. I hope that they get out there and become an independent entity. They are creating their own jobs for the future.”

Facilitated by the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media and held at FIU's Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center through the support of FIU's College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA), the event brought together some of South Florida's most respected journalists and media professionals. For Caplin students in attendance, the evening provided an opportunity to connect with industry leaders, hear from award-winning journalists and see FIU alumni recognized for their work.

Founded by the Esserman family and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards recognize outstanding investigative and public service reporting throughout South Florida.

"The Esserman-Knight Awards recognizes the best investigative reporting in South Florida at this crucial moment when dogged watchdog reporting is more important than ever," said Manny García, inaugural Knight Foundation executive director of the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media. "The Esserman family has long championed South Florida, and their support for the investigative craft reinforces their commitment to recognizing journalism that serves the public good."

García said bringing the event to FIU gave students the opportunity to engage with accomplished journalists while witnessing firsthand the impact investigative reporting has on communities across South Florida.

Several FIU alumni were recognized during the awards ceremony, highlighting the school's continued presence in South Florida newsrooms.

Daniel Rivero, an FIU graduate and investigative reporter at WLRN, was part of the reporting team that received the evening's top honor for "Killer Train: A Hidden Death Toll and Unchecked Risks on Brightline's Tracks." The yearlong investigation, produced in collaboration with the Miami Herald, examined safety concerns surrounding Brightline and earned first place for its investigative reporting.

Amelia Orjuela Da Silva, an FIU digital journalism graduate and staff writer at The Miami Times, received an honorable mention for "Four Years Later, Has Miami Gardens' $5M F1 Deal Delivered for Residents?" The story examined the spending and community impact of Miami Gardens' Formula One Community Benefits Package.

Natalie La Roche Pietri, an FIU journalism graduate and education reporter at WLRN, was named a finalist for "Lost in the System: Disabled Students Undermined by Florida's Voucher Expansion," which investigated how Florida's school voucher expansion affected students with disabilities.

"One of the things I value most about my time at FIU is having mentors who saw my strengths even when I didn't always see them myself," La Roche Pietri said. "They pushed me to grow as both a reporter, and a writer and that gave me the confidence to keep going through one of the hardest stories I've worked on. They reminded me that if you have a gut feeling there's a story, you just have to find the facts to back it up."

The evening also honored Miami Herald investigative reporter Julie K. Brown with the 2026 Alberto Ibargüen Excellence in Journalism Award. Brown's work was recognized this spring with a special Pulitzer citation.

The event drew an influential audience from across South Florida's journalism community, including Alberto Ibargüen, former publisher of the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald and former president and CEO of the Knight Foundation; Amalie Nash, vice president of journalism at Knight Foundation; Natalia Gonzalez, journalism officer at Knight Foundation; Tere Negrete, senior director of Press Forward South Florida at The Miami Foundation and an FIU graduate; Amy Driscoll, Miami Herald editorial page editor and Pulitzer Prize winner; Mirta Ojito, head of standards and ethics at Telemundo; Sergio Bustos, vice president of content at WLRN; and Lianna Saldaña, executive producer of planning and politics for NBC6 and Telemundo 51, who helped bring Caplin students' affordable housing reporting project to audiences across South Florida through a collaboration with NBC6, Telemundo 51, WLRN and the Miami Herald.

Beyond celebrating investigative reporting, the event reinforced the value of exposing students to journalism at its highest level.

"The Knight Esserman Awards celebrate the highest ideals of journalism—truth, accountability and service to the public," said Brian Schriner, dean of FIU's College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts. "Hosting this event at FIU in conjunction with our Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media provided our students with a unique opportunity to engage directly with some of the profession's most accomplished journalists and to see firsthand the impact that quality local journalism has on our communities. These experiences reinforce the values we teach every day and inspire the next generation of journalists to pursue excellence, integrity and public service."

For Johane Saintil, a digital journalism student at the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media, seeing accomplished journalists and FIU alumni recognized on the same stage made the evening especially meaningful.

"The event was important to me because it showed how much journalism is valued and how the work of journalists does not go unnoticed," Saintil said. "It was inspiring to watch everyone walk across the stage to accept their awards and to hear them speak about the importance of collaboration and opening doors for others in the community."

Saintil said the event reinforced what is possible for aspiring journalists entering the profession.

"The event was especially impactful for students like me because it showed that, as aspiring journalists, we can one day be on that stage as well," Saintil said. "It reminded me that our work has the power to make a difference by telling the stories of people who need to be heard. It also reinforced how important it is to listen to members of our community, understand their concerns and use journalism to help bring attention to issues that matter."

The evening showcased the strength of FIU's journalism community from classroom to newsroom. As current students connected with industry leaders and celebrated the accomplishments of Caplin alumni, the event underscored the school's commitment to preparing the next generation of journalists to serve their communities through impactful reporting.

For Marcos Kerbel, an FIU Business faculty member and longtime international banking executive, the answer depends on whether Cuba can establish something investors, entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens all need: trust.

“The legal system has to change, and people have to have assurances that their investments are going to be protected,” Kerbel said.

Cuba is facing one of its most severe economic crises in decades, marked by widespread power outages, fuel shortages, food insecurity, water problems and a collapsing currency. In June, Cuban officials approved a package of market-oriented reforms that would allow private banks to enter the country’s state-dominated financial sector, permit private participation in some state enterprises and expand space for private business.

The measures suggest a significant shift, but Kerbel said opportunity will depend on implementation, rule of law and respect for private enterprise.

Banking, trust and the rule of law

Kerbel brings a personal and professional lens to the issue. Born in Cuba, he left the island as a teenager in 1961 through Operation Pedro Pan as conditions deteriorated after the revolution. He was sent to foster homes in Los Angeles before reuniting with family and later settling in Atlanta, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in international business from Georgia State University.

He began his banking career in Miami in 1969 and rose to senior vice president in the international division of Pan American Bank, now part of Bank of America. In 1977, after Florida changed its laws to allow international banks to operate in the state, Kerbel helped open the first international bank licensed in Florida, Israel Discount Bank, where he spent 22 years as senior vice president and manager.

His view of Cuba’s future is clear: Legal protections, banking reform and private enterprise would have to come first.

Kerbel described the current situation in Cuba as “dire,” with many residents struggling to afford food and basic necessities. He pointed to the deterioration of the Cuban peso, which he said has fallen from parity with the U.S. dollar before the revolution to an estimated 600 pesos per dollar in the parallel market, as a sign of the island’s economic decline.

“The situation is intolerable for most of the people in Cuba,” he said.

Before Cuba can become a realistic opportunity for investors, Kerbel said, the government would need to assure them that property would not be confiscated or expropriated without compensation. That concern is rooted in the nationalizations that followed the 1959 revolution.

“You have to have private enterprise,” he said.

Banking reform would be central to any transition, Kerbel said, because banks help drive activity across an economy. Opening and operating a bank requires lawyers, accountants, employees, investors and customers. International customers also generate demand for travel, hotels, transportation, medical services and other industries.

“Banking affects the entire economy of a city or state or country,” Kerbel said.

Kerbel is a member of the Cuban Banking Study Group, which studies Cuba’s banking history and possible financial models for the future. The group supports a banking system that includes Cuban-owned private banks, complimented by government-owned institutions, multinational agencies and foreign banks.

Before 1959, Kerbel said, Cuba had a sophisticated financial sector and strong banking ties to the United States. He noted that the Federal Reserve had two offices connected to Cuba through Boston and Atlanta because of the volume of business between the United States and the island. Had the revolution not occurred, he believes Cuba could have become one of the strongest offshore banking centers in Latin America.

Looking ahead, Kerbel said the Cuban diaspora could play a major role in rebuilding the economy, but only if there is confidence that change would benefit Cuba and its people.

“It’s going to take reassurances and a strong government that really is pro-democratic and pro-private enterprise,” he said.

A healthier Cuban economy, Kerbel said, would include exports, tourism, manufacturing, skilled professionals, private businesses and opportunities for Cubans on the island and abroad to contribute capital, knowledge and expertise.

“Most people are optimistic that change is going to happen,” Kerbel said. “But Cuba has lost its reputation in international financial markets.”

Beyond banking: an export-led recovery

If banking reform would help establish the foundation for economic activity, the next question is what kind of economy Cuba could build.

Jerry Haar, a professor of international business at FIU Business recently argues that a future Cuban recovery would need to be driven by exports.

Haar said that Cuba will need major financial resources to address the needs of its population, but outside aid alone is unlikely to be enough. He noted that while the United States, Canada and the European Union may be willing to contribute to a future recovery, Cuba should not expect the equivalent of a Marshall Plan.

Foreign investment, including investment from the Cuban diaspora, could play an important role. But Haar cautioned that cultural and family ties alone will not be enough to attract capital if investors can find more stable opportunities elsewhere in the region.

“Cuba would need a radically improved investment, tax and regulatory environment to compete for that capital,” said Haar. “Investors would also need confidence in commercial rules, property rights, contract enforcement and the ability to operate without excessive political or bureaucratic interference.”

Haar identified four sectors as among the most promising for an export-led recovery: agriculture and agribusiness, tourism, health technology and pharmaceuticals, and information technology.

“Agriculture and agribusiness could help address both domestic needs and export potential, particularly if Cuba can modernize production, improve supply chains and attract investment in equipment, logistics and processing,” said Haar. “Tourism, long one of the island’s best-known economic assets, could remain a major source of hard currency, though it would require infrastructure, service quality and investment conditions that allow the sector to compete with other Caribbean destinations.”

Health technology and pharmaceuticals present another opportunity. Cuba has long promoted its medical and scientific capacity, but Haar noted that the sector remains constrained by limited capital, imported inputs and access to advanced equipment. With investment, public-private partnerships and better integration into international markets, he said, health technology could become part of a more dynamic Cuban economy.

Information technology also holds potential, particularly given the island’s educated workforce. But that sector would depend heavily on infrastructure, reliable connectivity, regulatory openness and access to global customers.

Together, those sectors point to a broader lesson: Cuba’s recovery cannot rely solely on remittances, tourism or nostalgia from the diaspora. It would need industries capable of producing goods and services for external markets and generating the hard currency needed to stabilize and grow the economy.

For that to happen, financial reform and sector development would have to move together. Banks can provide credit, process transactions, support trade finance and connect entrepreneurs to capital. But exporters also need reliable courts, enforceable contracts, logistics networks, modern infrastructure, transparent regulation and confidence that profits can be reinvested or repatriated.

When Pitbull took the stage at Bayfront Park for the Miami FIFA Fan Festival opening ceremony, hospitality student Jake Aylward was there.

And when the Tartan Army of Scottish fans stormed Miami, more than a dozen hospitality students and alumni helped welcome them to the Magic City.

FIU Hospitality students Sendy Reimers (left) and Sigourney Kame working at MIiami FIFA Fan Fest

For the past month, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has taken over the world stage and put the U.S., Mexico and Canada in the spotlight as host countries. But also on full display was local host city Miami, which showed off a hospitable and welcoming environment to which students and alumni of FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management contributed as they work on the the front lines of the global soccer tournament.

“Feeling grateful for the incredible people I’ve met, the memories made and the opportunity to be part of something so special,” said Samatha Wagner MS '25 BS '23, a double hospitality alumna, who served as a senior workforce coordinator. She has been based in Atlanta and on site working all seven games there so far. With one game left there, she says the experience has been “a dream come true.”

FIU hospitality double alumnas Samantha Wagner (left) and Fabiola Quereguan working at the FIFA World Cup 2026

Through its closing earlier this week, more than a dozen FIU alumni and students, including hospitality student Sendy Reimers, had been clocking into the Miami FIFA Fan Fest in downtown. As a venue manager, Reimers was in charge of one of five fan zones and oversaw more than 2,000 volunteers. The volunteers had the task of keeping football fans informed and ensuring their safety, which included enforcing hydration breaks among the crowd cheering the action on huge outdoors screens beneath an often-blazing sun and ushering out festivalgoers on the occasions when lighting sirens went off to alert of danger.

“I loved the experience,” said Reimers. “Everything that you learn in class, you see right there in front of you. Everything has to be fast. It’s an event, people are excited that you are excited along with them,” she added.

More than a dozen FIU hospitality students, alumni and faculty have worked at the World Cup this summer.

From Miami to Seattle to Toronto and beyond, FIU Panthers represented in a variety of roles all over the Americas.

Miranda Ghirimoldi MS '23, who graduated from FIU Chaplin School with her master's degree specialization in Mega Event Management, served on the FIFA guest operations team as the VIP guest relations senior coordinator.

For students like Jake Aylward, who interned with event company Event Logistics, Inc., being part of one of the world’s largest sporting events was an incredible addition to his résumé. Aylward, who graduates this year, says he got the opportunity to be a part of it after working the South Beach Wine & Food Festival®.

"I’m part of the operations team at FIFA World Cup. To be a part of FIFA World Cup is just huge. I feel like I’m making a difference,” he said. 

Paws up from hospitality students Ethan Amor (left) and Jake Aylward (right) at Miami FIFA Fan Fest

For mega events management program lead professor Sharifa Wilkinson, being able to work for FIFA and be part of one of the biggest events in the world is a lifelong dream come true.

“If you had told 10-year-old me, standing on a soccer field in Toronto, that one day I’d help deliver a FIFA World Cup in the city I call home, I couldn’t have imagined it,” she said. Wilkinson is a FIFA Fan Festival venue manager in her home country of Canada. She’ll be back in the classroom in August to bring her real-world experience into the curriculum.

Professor Sharifa Wilkinson living a chlidhood dream by working for FIFA World Cup

For students, that’s the biggest lesson learned: that education doesn't just happen on campus but is also about experiences and making connections.

“When we said we were from FIU, people were happy because they know we have a good reputation,” said Reimers. “I learned a lot about the hospitality industry. I met so many people. Made a lot of connections.” 

Scientists have long known that both algae and decaying plant material help sustain the Everglades. But by tracking the sources of energy supporting fish and other aquatic organisms across the ecosystem, researchers found that algae often contributed more than expected. The findings offer a clearer picture of how one of the world's largest wetlands functions and may help scientists predict how it responds to restoration and environmental change. The study was led by James Sturges, Ph.D. candidate in Department of Earth and Environment, and a team of researchers from FIU’s Institute of Environment. It was published recently in PLOS One.

Green energy sources include algae, epiphytes, and phytoplankton and other similar organisms. They are generally more nutritious and lead to faster energy turnover. Brown energy sources consist of dead organic matter, decaying plant material.

“You need both,” Sturges said. “The brown pathways play a big role in stabilizing the base of the food web. In a post-disturbance setting, like following a hurricane, the green pathway consumers would be less abundant, or they wouldn’t be there at all and start to come back as production increases again.”

Researchers studied food webs across a range of Everglades habitats, from freshwater marshes to mangrove forests and coastal waters.

This included nine locations during the wet and dry seasons. While some locations relied on brown energy sources as the primary energy source, the majority relied on green energy sources. Only two locations switched between green to brown during the two seasons.

A variety of factors can influence energy sources in marine environments including natural seasonal changes, extreme weather events like hurricanes or droughts, sea level rise, fish migrations and more.

These pathways are not static on a daily or annual scale,” Sturges said, “but having that baseline and understanding where the system is will help us understand how our restoration efforts are changing the energy moving through the systems.”

According to Sturges his research is now focusing on refining food web studies. By using fewer but more representative species, he aims to better understand the driving changes across different habitats.

Sturges conducted this research as part of the NSF-supported CREST Center for Aquatic Chemistry and Environment and the Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research Program.

Everglades restoration is doing more than saving the Everglades — it’s also helping make South Florida more resilient.

Wetlands in southern Florida are playing a growing role in climate resilience and contributing to net greenhouse gas reduction, but the benefits are conditional and uneven across landscapes. The benefits are also vulnerable to hurricanes, sea level rise and other environmental pressures, according to a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by a collaborative team of scientists including several from FIU.

The research shows that restored wetlands across South Florida remove about 14 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, which is equivalent to around 10 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted by Florida’s transportation sector. During the same time, methane emissions —  a greenhouse gas produced by microbes in oxygen-poor soils — increased in some areas, offsetting some of the climate gains. However, the study shows carbon dioxide removal increased at roughly twice the rate of methane emissions, resulting in an 18 percent net increase in total greenhouse gas removal across the region. The study provides the most comprehensive picture to date of how freshwater marshes and coastal mangroves respond to restoration, water management and climate stressors along a gradient from inland wetlands to the coast.

“Everglades wetlands are globally important sinks of carbon, and the regional network of Ameriflux towers used in this study represents a rare and vital infrastructure that made this study, and the knowledge gained from it, possible”, said John Kominoski, FIU professor, researcher in the Institute of Environment and principal investigator of the federally supported Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research program.

Ameriflux is a network of monitoring sites measuring carbon dioxide, water and energy fluxes throughout the Americas. Scientists set out to quantify how southern Florida’s wetlands are responding to restoration efforts and intensifying environmental pressures, including hurricanes and sea-level rise. They started with 2004 Ameriflux tower data and employed machine learning techniques to merge aircraft observations of greenhouse gas fluxes with 23 years of satellite data. This allowed them to reconstruct daily changes in carbon uptake across the region.

The study also reveals how geography and disturbance shape wetland performance. Increases in carbon dioxide uptake were strongest in water management units closer to the coast, while inland areas showed larger increases in methane emissions. Mangrove forests, while highly effective at storing carbon, proved particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. Following major storm events, mangroves experienced sharp declines in carbon uptake and required four to five years to recover to pre-hurricane levels.

By combining long-term observations with cutting-edge measurement techniques, the research offers a rare historical and geographic perspective on the role of wetlands in climate mitigation. The findings can help guide future restoration and water management strategies as communities seek nature-based solutions for more resilient communities.

The study was conducted by an interdisciplinary team of scientists from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, FIU, the University of Maryland, Yale University, East Carolina University and the University of Alabama.

Chemistry researcher Abuzar Kabir, who has spent his career detecting chemicals that are hard to detect, recently set his sights on unregulated teas that have become readily accessible thanks to the Internet. Many, he said, are from natural and sometimes spiked with undeclared, addictive and potentially dangerous drugs. To detect if the teas had harmful chemicals, Kabir and his team turned to their go-to method: Fabric Phase Sorptive Extraction (FPSE). It relies on what appears to be a simple, small square of regular fabric. This unassuming little fabric is actually a powerhouse of analytical chemistry.

Unlike traditional lab methods that are slow and require large amounts of toxic solvents, the FPSE fabric is covered with specialized coatings. When dropped into a liquid — like a cup of brewed slimming tea — the fabric acts like a chemical magnet, selectively pulling out specific toxins, pesticides or hidden drugs.

Kabir’s research has revealed that some herbal manufacturers add minuscule amounts of pharmaceutical drugs — like sibutramine or fluoxetine — to their products to ensure they produce a weight-loss effect.

“Many parts of the world are not regulated,” said Kabir, noting that there could be hundreds of clandestine manufacturing units globally. Even in the U.S., he points out, the nutraceutical industry operates under much looser regulatory standards.

Though his research mainly focused on weight-loss teas, Kabir said the test can be used to analyze other liquids to detect for traces of harmfiul additives.

The potential for this fabric is nearly limitless. The technology is so efficient that it can detect even a few micrograms of a substance, Kabir said. He explains that this “selectivity” works in a similar way to how people like to mingle with other people who have similar interests. In a similar way, chemicals have an affinity to something that is similar in nature. If you dip the fabric membrane into a solution, all organic compounds that are close in their affinity chain will come in contact with the membrane and get attached by different intermolecular interactions. It's not simply a physical adhesion like an ointment; they form strong intermolecular interactions. Then, they’re exposed to a very tiny amount of organic solvent to get the results.

Scientists from all across the world have found uses for these methods. Kabir jokes that when he sleeps, his technology doesn’t because somebody in India or Europe is using it.

“I wake up at 3:00 a.m. to respond to their questions every day,” he adds.

Kabir continues to explore new applications for the FPSE, building on a research career that has earned him a spot on the Stanford-Elsevier list, which identifies the top two percent of most-cited scholars globally. So far, the fabric has been used to monitor radiation exposure, detect an individual’s exposure to different compounds, manage laboratory air and water quality, use molecularly imprinting polymers to detect cancer biomarkers in blood, and detect environmental pollution.

Researchers at the Institute of Environment recently installed a series of 3D-printed seawall tiles designed and developed at FIU's Robotics and Digital Fabrication Lab. Led by Shahin Vassigh, principal investigator on the project, this collaborative effort explores how coastal infrastructure can protect communities while supporting marine life.

Seawalls are a familiar part of South Florida’s coastline. They help protect homes, roads and public spaces from flooding, erosion and storm surge, but traditional seawalls are usually flat, hard surfaces that leave little room for the organisms that once lived along natural shorelines.

BioCAP, short for Biodiversity Improvement by Optimizing Coastal Adaptation and Performance, takes a different approach. The system uses modular, interlocking tiles that can be attached to existing seawalls. Each tile is robotically printed and designed with grooves, ridges, crevices and small pools that create more complex surfaces for marine organisms to attach, shelter and grow.

“Our goal is to rethink what shoreline protection can look like in urban coastal areas,” Vassigh said. “Instead of treating seawalls only as barriers, these tiles allow us to transform them into living surfaces that support marine life, improve habitat complexity and enhance coastal resilience.”

The design responds to the different conditions found along a seawall. Near the upper tidal zone, the tiles can provide space for organisms such as crabs and limpets. In the middle zone, oysters and barnacles can attach to the textured surfaces. Below the waterline, the tiles can offer habitat for organisms such as sponges.

The installation also allows researchers to study how the tiles perform over time. Before being placed in the bay, the tiles were tested in a lab to evaluate how they interact with wave energy. According to the project team, the textured surfaces reduced wave energy reflection compared to bare concrete.

At Morningside Park, the tiles will now be monitored in real-world conditions. Researchers will study how marine life colonizes the surfaces and whether the added habitat can contribute to improved water quality and shoreline performance. Two of the installed tiles include sensors that will track conditions such as temperature, salinity and water quality.

For Miami and other coastal cities, the project offers a practical way to rethink infrastructure that is already part of the landscape. Instead of replacing seawalls, BioCAP explores how existing walls can be adapted to better work with the ecosystems around them.

The work combines robotic fabrication, biomimetic design, environmental monitoring and coastal science. It also reflects a larger shift in how researchers are approaching resilience, not only as protection from water, but as a chance to restore some of the ecological functions that help shorelines remain healthy.

As monitoring begins at Morningside Park, the project team will collect data on how the tiles perform and how marine organisms respond. The results could help inform future shoreline projects in South Florida and other coastal communities facing similar challenges.

BioCAP is an EPA-funded project led by Vassigh, Pezeshk, Bogosian and Ozer at FIU’s Robotics and Digital Fabrication Lab, the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts and the FIU’s Institute of Environment, with additional NOAA funding led by Todd Crowl and support from a dedicated group of interdisciplinary faculty field scientist Ben Binder and Nicholas Evans and many students.

Morningside Park, a beloved neighborhood park in Miami with sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, will soon pilot an innovative approach to coastal resilience.

BIOCAP tiles, a 3D-printed modular system designed to support marine life and reduce wave impact along urban seawalls, will be installed on the existing seawall there. BIOCAP stands for Biodiversity Improvement by Optimizing Coastal Adaptation and Performance.

Developed by our team of architects and marine biologists at Florida International University, the uniquely textured prototype tiles are designed to test a new approach for helping cities such as Miami adapt to rising sea levels while simultaneously restoring ecological balance along their shorelines.

The project receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Ecological costs of traditional seawalls

Seawalls have long served as a primary defense against coastal erosion and storm surges. Typically constructed of concrete and ranging from 6 to 10 feet in height, they are built along shorelines to block waves from eroding the land and flooding nearby urban areas.

However, they often come at an ecological cost. Seawalls disrupt natural shoreline dynamics and can [wipe out the complex habitat zones] that marine life relies on.

Marine organisms are crucial in maintaining coastal water quality by filtering excess nutrients, pollutants and suspended particles. A single adult oyster can filter 20-50 gallons of water daily, removing nitrogen, phosphorus and solids that would otherwise fuel harmful algal blooms. These blooms deplete oxygen levels and damage marine ecosystems.

Filter-feeding organisms also reduce turbidity, which is the cloudiness of water caused by suspended sediment and particles. Less water turbidity means more light can penetrate, which benefits seagrasses that require sunlight for photosynthesis. These seagrasses convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and energy-rich sugars while providing essential food and habitat for diverse marine species.

Swirling shapes, shaded grooves

Unlike the flat, lifeless surfaces of typical concrete seawalls, each BIOCAP tile is designed with shaded grooves, crevices and small, water-holding pockets. These textured features mimic natural shoreline conditions and create tiny homes for barnacles, oysters, sponges and other marine organisms that filter and improve water quality.

The tile’s swirling surface patterns increase the overall surface area, offering more space for colonization. The shaded recesses are intended to help regulate temperature by providing cooler, more stable microenvironments. This thermal buffering can support marine life in the face of rising water temperatures and more frequent heat events driven by climate change.

Another potential benefit of the tiles is reducing the impact of waves.

When waves hit a natural shoreline, their energy is gradually absorbed by irregular surfaces, tide pools and vegetation. In contrast, when waves strike vertical concrete seawalls, the energy is reflected back into the water rather than absorbed. This wave reflection – the bouncing back of wave energy – can amplify wave action, increase erosion at the base of the wall and create more hazardous conditions during storms.

The textured surfaces of the BIOCAP tiles are designed to help diffuse wave energy by mimicking the natural dissipation found on undisturbed shorelines.

The design of BIOCAP takes cues from nature. The tile shapes are based on how water interacts with different surfaces at high tide and low tide. Concave tiles, which curve inward, and convex tiles, which curve outward, are installed at different levels along the seawall. The goal is to deflect waves away from the seawall, reduce direct impact and help minimize erosion and turbulence around the wall’s foundation.

How we will measure success

After the BIOCAP tiles are installed, we plan to assess how the seawall redesign enhances biodiversity, improves water quality and reduces wave energy. This two-year pilot phase will help assess the long-term value of ecologically designed infrastructure.

To evaluate biodiversity, we will use underwater cameras to capture time-lapse imagery of the marine life that colonizes the tile surfaces. These observations will aid in documenting species diversity and habitat use over time.

To assess water quality, we have developed a specialized prototype tile with sensors that can measure pH, dissolved oxygen levels, salinity, turbidity and temperature in real time. This data will provide insight into how the tiles affect local water conditions.

Finally, to measure wave attenuation and the reduction of wave force, we will mount pressure sensors on both the BIOCAP tiles and the adjacent traditional seawall sections. This comparison will allow us to quantify differences in wave energy across varying tidal conditions and storm events.

As coastal cities confront the dual challenges of increasing threats from climate change and environmental degradation, the BIOCAP project offers what we hope will be an example of a resilient, nature-based solution that benefits both humans and the environment.

In the coming year, we’ll be watching with hope as the new BIOCAP tiles begin to welcome marine life, offering a glimpse into how nature might reclaim and thrive along our urban shorelines.

Read more of our stories about South Florida.

Sara Pezeshk, Postdoctoral Fellow in Architecture, Florida International University and Shahin Vassigh, Professor of Architecture, Florida International University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The dietetics and nutrition major spent the last two years completing six Ironman triathlons on six continents. He was aiming to become the youngest person ever to do so, but halfway through his pursuit, another competitor beat him to the title.

Garotti considered quitting then and there. Instead, he decided to look inward. That’s when he remembered his purpose, his real rationale for embarking on this arduous journey.

“I wanted to show young people that it’s worth challenging yourself and going after big goals,” he explains.

So Garotti kept going. Each triathlon had him swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles (a full marathon). He endured extreme humidity in Malaysia, bitter cold in South Africa, a hamstring injury, long flights and multiple time zone changes (16 hours in New Zealand) in his quest to achieve his goal. When he crossed the final finish line in his native Brazil, his family and friends awaited him to celebrate this incredible feat.

And then, an unexpected twist: After reviewing the Ironman category of Guinness records, he discovered that he completed the six-continent challenge with the fastest aggregate time – 65 hours – thereby shattering a different Guinness World Record. Garotti looks forward to receiving his official certificate, and he attributes this personal milestone to his education at FIU.

“Studying dietetics, I applied everything I learned to the sport – the carb loading before the race, the diets during training, the intra-race carbohydrates that I need. All that I based off scientific literature, and I honed how to read this literature at FIU.”

Garotti acted as his own nutritionist, testing different approaches on himself, observing how his body reacted to certain nutritional plans, then adjusting as necessary. He often sought input from his professors to ensure a healthy everyday diet. His pre-race strategy, in particular, prioritized pasta, chicken, and electrolyte drinks. Within the world of Ironman, Garotti explains, “Nutrition is the fourth discipline. Swim, bike, run, nutrition. Because if you get it wrong, you’re not finishing the race.”

Through a scholarship, Garotti received financial support from FIU that helped him pay for his triathlon suit. Likewise, his professors assisted him to ensure timely completion of coursework between competitions and his classmates offered words of encouragement and cheered him on before each race. “I’m really grateful for everybody,” he says.

Dietetics and Nutrition Department Chair Cristina Palacios lauds Garotti’s accomplishment for several reasons. “Not only is he doing [the Ironman competitions], but he has the highest GPA of graduating undergrads in our department, and he’s also getting the dean’s excellence award.” Garotti’s ability to balance life goals with schoolwork and social life is admirable – he hangs with his girlfriend and friends when he’s not training – but his happy disposition to boot makes him exceptional. “He’s an incredible guy to be around. When you see someone that is so proactive, committed, good hearted and good spirited, it’s striking,” Palacios remarks.

Garotti has always been highly motivated. Born and raised in Brazil, he came to the U.S. as a freshman to play American football at a midwestern community college. After one semester, however, he worried about the lifelong impact of this contact sport on his body. Prioritizing his health, he eventually decided to transfer and moved down south.

“I wanted to study dietetics,” Garotti says, “and FIU is one of the best schools for this.”

Meanwhile, a friend introduced him to triathlons. While he had trained competitively to run, Garotti had not swum or cycled since childhood.

“I always like to do things that I’m terrible at,” Garotti explains, “because I love the learning process.” Embracing a beginner’s mindset, he has stayed open and curious throughout this process, something Garotti credits for his success and encapsulated by his personal motto: The body achieves what the mind believes.

Palacios praises Garotti for living the life he preaches. “He’s practicing everything that he’s been learning to be a better athlete.” Following graduation next month, Garotti will begin his master’s in dietetics and nutrition at FIU, hoping to one day guide future athletes as a sports dietician. “I’ll have not only the science behind everything I say but also the experience.”

Impressed by Garotti’s charisma and drive, Palacios concludes, “This guy has so much purpose, so much life, it’s contagious. If I could l have adopted him, I would have!”

Sargassum season is underway, and FIU experts are available to provide insight into this growing coastal challenge. FIU researchers are studying sargassum from multiple angles, including its ecological role, the economic toll on beach communities, and efforts to manage and find new uses for sargassum. Experts are available to discuss topics including sargassum's impact on beaches, tourism and marine life and the environmental factors driving record blooms. A list of experts can be found on this page.

For help contacting any of our experts, please contact the Office of Media Relations:

Stephen Leatherman

Professor
Earth and Environment
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Stephen Leatherman is a professor in FIU's Department of Earth and Environment, widely known as "Dr. Beach" for his annual Top 10 U.S. beach rankings, which he has issued since 1991. In recent years, sargassum has become a major factor in his beach evaluations, with Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park excluded from his 2026 Top 10 list because of excessive seaweed buildup. Leatherman has written about how sargassum blooms, once rare before 2011, now regularly inundate the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Florida coastlines each summer, driving away tourists, harming fishing industries, and requiring costly cleanups. Leatherman can speak to the ecological role sargassum plays at sea; its damaging effects on beaches, sea turtles, manatees, and coral reefs; and the economic toll it takes on Florida's coastal communities.

Office: 305-348-8364
Email: leatherm@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Imran Ahmad

Research Assistant Professor
Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Imran Ahmad is a research associate professor and food scientist at FIU's top-ranked Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. He has 16 years of experience in food industry research and academia, with expertise in quality management, agri-food supply chains, and predictive modeling. Ahmad is part of a multi-institutional research team exploring how sargassum could be turned from an environmental nuisance into a valuable food ingredient used to stabilize and thicken foods like ice cream, soups, and sports nutrition products. Ahmad can speak to the environmental and economic impact of sargassum blooms in South Florida, as well as the science behind transforming this seasonal nuisance into a sustainable food resource.

Office: 305-919-4533
Email: iahmad@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Ivonne Yee-Amor
305-919-4500
iamor@fiu.edu

Robert Tomasetti

Postdoctoral Associate
FIU Institute of Environment

Robert Tomasetti is a postdoctoral associate at FIU's Institute of Environment. His research examines why certain seaweeds in Biscayne Bay and South Florida form blooms while others do not, even under similar nutrient and temperature conditions. By tracking carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus ratios in local seaweeds over time, he studies the environmental factors that drive bloom formation. Tomasetti can discuss the record-breaking Sargassum season, the science behind seasonal blooms, and Florida’s capacity to manage and remove the seaweed from its beaches. 

Email: retti002@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Alain Duran

Assistant Teaching Professor
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Alain Duran is director of FIU’s Coastal Conservation and Restoration Laboratory. His research focuses on coral reef ecology, macroalgae and the ecological processes that shape reef health and resilience. As sargassum blooms continue to increase across South Florida and the Caribbean, Duran can provide insight into how excessive algae affect coral reefs and other coastal ecosystems. Duran can speak to the ecological impacts of sargassum, its interactions with coral reefs and marine life, and what these blooms mean for the long-term health of Florida’s coastal ecosystems. 

Office:  305-348-2201
Email:  alduran@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Contact us

For help contacting any of our experts, please contact the Office of Media Relations:

Media Relations
Madeline Baró
Senior Director of Media Relations
305-310-9665
mbaro@fiu.edu 

Brian Zimmerman
Senior Media Relations Specialist
305-348-8448
bzimmerm@fiu.edu

College of Arts, Sciences & Education
Christine Fernandez
Senior Account Manager, Communications
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu 

Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Ivonne Yee-Amor
Communications, PR & Marketing Director
305-919-4500
iamor@fiu.edu

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak to an incredible group of over 100 educators taking part in a civics professional development course about what made our Founders successful in launching the American Experiment. They did not invent the concepts of a republic, democracy, constitution, federalism or the separation of powers, but they were the first to take real steps toward political freedom and eventually to actualize those ideas in the Declaration of Independence. Eventually this momentum would lead to the authoring and adoption of the U.S. Constitution, the world’s oldest written charter of government still in force, which has been amended 27 times in our long journey toward “a more perfect union.”

What the Founders set in motion has been tested and endured in ways they could never have foreseen. In two and a half centuries, we have grown from 13 colonies along the Atlantic into a continental nation of more than 330 million people. We won our independence at Yorktown, preserved the Union at Gettysburg, and helped liberate Europe at Normandy. We fought battles of conscience every bit as decisive as those waged with muskets, ending slavery, extending suffrage, and lowering the voting age, each one a hard step toward the promise that all are created equal. The achievements are staggering, and so was their cost.

During our discussions, I shared that it is on us to help young people understand our system of government, and that our American experiment still requires active citizenship. We must do whatever it takes to ensure that every American is not only civically literate but civically engaged. If a college student can explain the rules of Love Island USA, they must be able to explain the Electoral College.

As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, I thought it fitting to share some of the many lessons that stand out about our founding, our Founders, the importance of education, and how they navigated profound political differences.

1. The Declaration of Independence’s last paragraph matters as much as the first

The Declaration is most often quoted for its soaring opening preamble: “We hold these truths to be self-evident..”. However, the Declaration’s real force is in its final paragraph, where the signers stop philosophizing and actually commit to a shared vision of the future. There they dissolve all allegiance to the Crown and claim, in plain legal language, the sovereign powers of a free state: "to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, and establish commerce." The signers "pledged to one another their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor."

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown … and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

That closing is what turned a statement of principle into a statement of union: a charge sheet against the king and an invitation for other nations to recognize, support, and ally with a new country. And the world answered. The signers had, without quite realizing it, invented a genre. In 1789, the French produced their Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, with Marquis de Lafayette drafting and Jefferson nearby. Jean-Jacques Dessalines and François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture proclaimed Haiti’s independence in 1804. Simón Bolívar and the liberators of Latin America borrowed its logic. Historians count more than a hundred declarations of independence issued worldwide since 1776, most echoing a form first cut in Philadelphia. The genius was not only the ideals at the beginning; it was the operative act at the end.

2. Knowing the world around us, through education both formal and informal, was the Founders’ real inheritance

When representatives from the British American colonies assembled in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776, their work was nearly impossible. They had to coalesce around a single path forward: petition the king (again), rebel, or wait. Benjamin Franklin is said to have given his immortal line: “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” They risked everything to assert the rights they believed they held as English citizens.

Nearly half of the 56 signers had attended college, and many of the others had apprenticed into the medical and legal professions. They knew the great ideas of Enlightenment thinkers (Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau), and they used their learning to argue precisely what had been done to them. In 27 grievances, they laid out how the king (and Parliament) had betrayed them. Locke’s language is the one you can almost hear behind the parchment: life, liberty, and property became life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

An exception was George Washington, who was never given the opportunity of higher education but proved to be an impassioned, self-taught, lifelong learner. Our FIU in DC students visit Mount Vernon each semester and can still see parts of his personal library, highlighting how knowledge is a lifelong requirement.

Gina Clementi and Sophia Hemsi have been awarded 2026 Guy Harvey and Florida Sea Grant Fellowships to support their studies. Clementi is studying how recreational fishing may influence interactions between sharks and fish spawning aggregations in the Florida Keys, while Hemsi is investigating shark social behavior, focusing on how juvenile sharks interact with one another as they mature into adulthood.

The Guy Harvey Foundation and Florida Sea Grant offer fellowships to university students in Florida studying marine science and preparing to become future leaders in ocean conservation. Each recipient receives a $5,000 award to support their research and academic pursuits.

Clementi's research tracks shark movements and analyzes their diets to determine whether sharks are naturally targeting spawning fish or whether fishing activity contributes to those encounters. Fish caught during recreational fishing are often hooked and stressed, making them more vulnerable to predation. Her research will help determine whether sharks are taking advantage of these easier feeding opportunities compared to periods when anglers are not present.

Fish gathering to spawn — the process in which they release eggs and sperm into the water to reproduce — are critical to the survival of many reef fish species. Clementi said she hopes her findings will help fisheries managers better understand whether seasonal fishing closures are protecting these important habitats and reducing shark depredation.

“People are going out and angling them and releasing them,” she said. “If 50 percent of your catch is getting depredated by sharks, then you are inducing some level of mortality to the fishery.”

If too many are caught before they have a chance to reproduce, fewer baby fish are produced and the population can decline, Clementi said.

The fellowship funding will support the collection and analysis of shark fecal samples so Clementi can better understand shark diets during fish spawning events.

Hemsi's research focuses on the social behavior of juvenile sicklefin lemon sharks and blacktip sharks in Tetiaroa Atoll, a remote nursery habitat in French Polynesia. She is studying how young sharks interact with one another, how their behavior changes as they grow and how those behaviors differ between species. Because Tetiaroa is a relatively undisturbed ecosystem, researchers can observe shark behavior in its natural state rather than in environments heavily influenced by human activity.

"It's a rare opportunity to study shark behavior and group dynamics in a minimally impacted system, and to better understand how they change with age and differ between species," Hemsi said.

Her work could help researchers understand how sharks use nursery habitats throughout different stages of life and establish a scientific baseline for future conservation efforts.

The Guy Harvey and Florida Sea Grant Fellowship will help support the fieldwork and data collection needed to launch and sustain her dissertation research.

Since 2010, the Guy Harvey Foundation and Florida Sea Grant have provided more than $500,000 in scholarship funding to support marine science students across Florida and help develop future marine researchers and conservationists.

Two FIU students have been named 2025 Guy Harvey and Florida Sea Grant Fellows. 

Among the eight individuals in Florida recognized with awards are biology Ph.D. candidate Morgan Jarrett and biology Ph.D. student Rainer Moy-Huwyler. 

The fellows program promotes the work of graduate students in the marine conservation field. Each fellow receives a combined $5,000 award from the Guy Harvey Foundation and the Florida Sea Grant to support their research and academic work.

Jarrett studies how the morphology of the gills and body of the Caribbean spiny lobster and Caribbean king crab influence their physiology and behavior, particularly how the size of their respiratory organs affects oxygen extraction efficiency. This research focuses on how behaviors may change under environmental stressors such as high temperature and reduced oxygen availability.

“This information is vital, especially for the lobsters, which are an important fisheries species in Florida, as behavioral changes could result in negative outcomes for the fisheries,” Jarrett said.

Jarrett plans to use the award on research travel expenses, to purchase lab materials and to defry the cost of publishing her dissertation.

Moy-Huwyler’s research focuses on analyzing the metabolic processes of predatory fish in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. By understanding how these species utilize energy, his work supports efforts to conserve marine ecosystems and enhance the management of protected habitats.

"All animals expend energy," Moy-Huwyler said. "By studying their energetics, we open doors to understanding why animals behave the way they do. We can apply this information further to explain how they interact with their ecosystems, other species and humans."

Moy-Huwyler plans to use the award to purchase video camera equipment needed to complete the final stage of his dissertation. He hopes to provide data on how rising temperatures and management decisions affect fish and coral reefs from a metabolic perspective. 

"As environments change around the world, we might even use energetics to examine the effects of these changes on populations and predict if and how they might adapt," Moy-Huwyler said.

Jarrett and Moy-Huwyler join previous Guy Harvey and Florida Sea Grant awardee William Sample, an FIU Ph.D. student who received the fellowship in 2024. 

As parents cope with their own worry and uncertainty, they may also be trying to help their children make sense of what has happened. Previous FIU research shows children don't have to experience a disaster firsthand to be affected by it. Even from thousands of miles away, repeated exposure to news coverage, social media and conversations about a tragedy can take an emotional toll.

"Earthquakes can be especially difficult because the uncertainty doesn't necessarily end when the ground stops shaking," said Jonathan Comer, FIU psychology professor and director of the Network for Enhancing Wellness in Disaster-Affected Youth (NEW DAY) program at FIU’s Center for Children and Families. "Aftershocks can leave both adults and children wondering when it's truly over, and that uncertainty can make it harder to regain a sense of safety."

"Children don't always have the words to explain what they're feeling after a disaster," Comer said. "Sometimes those emotions show up through changes in behavior, sleep or even physical complaints. The good news is that supportive adults can make an enormous difference in helping children recover."

Parents shouldn't feel like they have to have all the answers, Comer said. What matters most is creating a safe space where children feel comfortable asking questions, expressing their emotions and knowing they are loved and supported.

Whether a child experienced the earthquake firsthand, has loved ones in the affected area or is trying to make sense of what they're seeing online, Comer offers several ways parents and caregivers can help.

Project confidence.

Children often look to the adults around them to understand how worried they should be. It's okay for children to know you're saddened by what's happening, but try to remain calm and reassuring. The way adults respond can help children feel more secure during uncertain times.

Find out what they know.

Before explaining what happened, ask your child what they've heard and what questions they have. This gives you the opportunity to correct misunderstandings without overwhelming them with information they may not be ready to process. Keep your answers honest, simple and appropriate for their age, and avoid graphic details.

Watch smart & avoid overexposure.

Children don't have to witness a disaster firsthand to be affected by it. Repeated exposure to distressing images and videos can increase fear and anxiety, particularly in younger children. Help them understand the difference between events happening elsewhere and their own immediate safety. Limit repeated exposure to disaster coverage when possible, and encourage older children to take breaks from social media if they're becoming overwhelmed.

Let them know their feelings are normal.

Fear, sadness, anger, confusion and frustration are all common reactions after a tragedy. Reassure children that there is no "right" way to feel. Some children express their emotions through changes in behavior rather than words, so pay attention to changes in sleep, appetite, mood or behavior.

Praise positive thoughts.

When your child offers positive or hopeful thoughts, be sure to praise them. Acknowledge those hopeful moments and encourage them to keep looking for signs of kindness and resilience.

Help them challenge anxious thoughts.

It's common for children to worry that the same thing could happen to them or to someone they love. Rather than dismissing those fears, help them put those thoughts into perspective by asking gentle questions and talking through what's realistic. Replacing catastrophic thoughts with more balanced ones can help reduce anxiety.

Remind them they are safe.

Children want to know that the adults in their lives are doing everything possible to keep them safe. Reassure them by talking about the many people helping communities recover, including emergency responders, healthcare workers, volunteers and neighbors. Focusing on the helpers can provide reassurance and hope.

Stick to your daily routine as much as possible.

As much as possible, maintain regular routines for meals, bedtime, school and family activities. Predictability helps restore a child's sense of security and reminds them that caring adults are there to support them.

Encourage them to take action.

If children ask how they can help, encourage them to get involved in age-appropriate ways. They might write thank-you notes to first responders, draw pictures for affected families, participate in a fundraiser or donate to a relief organization. Even small acts of kindness can help children feel less helpless and remind them that they can make a positive difference.

"Children are remarkably resilient," Comer said. "When adults respond with calm, honesty and compassion, they help children feel safe enough to begin healing, even after difficult events."

For children who experienced the earthquake firsthand, healing may take longer. "Most children recover emotionally with time, stability and the support of caring adults," he added. "But some will need more intensive support to cope with grief, fear and traumatic stress as they begin to rebuild a sense of safety and normalcy."

 FIU Business supported the students’ participation in the Las Vegas conference, helping make it possible for members of FIU’s FBLA chapter to compete on a national stage. The conference brought together student competitors from across the country for business, technology, marketing and leadership events.

The chapter delivered a standout performance in its first year competing nationally since 2022.

Roberto Luna-Garcia, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in information technology, won first place in Foundation of Computer Science, earning a national championship in a category with about 300 participants. Business students Melanie Garcia, Daniella Padron and Helen Peña placed third in Marketing, Sales and Communication Case Competition, competing against 100 teams. Antoni Salanski, FIU FBLA’s 2026-2027 president, placed sixth in Emerging Business Issues.

“These are remarkable results, especially considering this is only our first year back since 2022,” Salanski said. “The future looks very bright.”

Luna-Garcia competed in both the Foundations of Computer Science objective test and the Foundations of Computer Science Case Competition, studying extensively for the objective test. The case competition, he says, pushed him in a different way.

Working with two other FIU FBLA members, Luna-Garcia helped develop and present a solution before judges.

“This was a good way to socialize and to flex our academic and creative muscles,” he said. “It helped develop our teamwork and collaboration skills. It also helped our presentation skills and our ability to think on the fly.”

Garcia, Padron and Peña faced a similar test in the Marketing, Sales and Communication Case Competition, where they had to analyze a business scenario and craft a strategic solution before presenting to the judges.

“FBLA taught me that confidence comes from preparation, and this organization allows me to showcase this,” Garcia said.

They credit Professor Rafael Soltero and Professor Cristina Arias as preparing them, noting the knowledge they gained in class directly applied to the competition.

Salanski’s experience added another layer: leadership. As incoming chapter president, he helped coordinate the trip while also preparing for his own event. In Emerging Business Issues, he presented on differences in business practices and conduct between the United States and BRICS countries, a bloc of major emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and several newer members.

“This year’s FBLA National Competition in Las Vegas was my first experience in an official leadership position with this organization,” Salanski said. “I had never anticipated the level of responsibility, patience and coordination it would take to prepare everyone for the trip, get there and back, as winners.”

 Dawid Hunicz, who competed in the Technology and Computer Science Case Competition, said the experience helped him practice public speaking, professional presentations and staying calm under pressure.

 Salanski said interest in FIU FBLA is already growing, with students and advisors from other local universities expressing interest in transferring to FIU. His goal is to build a stronger chapter that competes consistently at the state level and makes an impact nationally.

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It’s a mantra among business executives that slashing their workforce will streamline operations and increase productivity – a strategic boost to the bottom line. And recent downsizing announcements have been no different, especially at tech companies citing massive disruptions caused by artificial intelligence.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, for example, stated in May 2026 that “this is the most dynamic I have seen our industry” as the company was starting its announced cull of 8,000 workers. He added: “I’m optimistic about everything we’re building. But success is not a given.”

For affected workers, of course, downsizing is brutal. And growing fears over diminishing job security in white-collar fields once thought of as safe are a key driver behind Americans’ growing pessimism about the economy.

But for two other groups – the workers still employed at downsizing companies, as well as investors – there’s a source of clarity amid the chaos. To see whether job cuts will actually help turn a business around, they can find a valuable signal in the buying and selling of the company’s stock by its own employees, especially in its senior ranks.

This type of insider trading, which is perfectly legal, was the focus of our research as finance professors. We found that it’s possible to predict the outcomes of corporate downsizing by looking at whether these insiders show their confidence, or lack thereof, in turnaround plans by selling or buying company stock.

This knowledge is also easier and quicker to come by than it used to be. Following the 2002 enactment of a sweeping accounting reform law, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, these trades have to be disclosed within two days.

A different type of insider trading

Media attention typically focuses on illegal insider trading, which happens when someone makes money off information that the public doesn’t have. Lifestyle icon Martha Stewart and Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling are just two of the more famous examples, with both having to serve time in prison for their crimes.

But researchers have been asking another question for years: What can we learn from the legal trading of a company’s stock by employees? This practice is in fact quite common. Publicly listed companies often compensate their workers with equity, which they can sell if they choose, and sometimes employees can also buy their company’s stock.

This type of insider trading is permitted as long as those buying and selling shares don’t have material and nonpublic information, such as unreleased earnings numbers. It can also be quite profitable, especially at large multinational companies, research shows. This finding holds even when the windows for trading are restricted at specific times, like after quarterly earnings are announced.

The reason these insiders have an edge is not secret information. They’re just much better in general at processing public information and forecasting their company’s performance than investors on the outside.

Of course, a company’s future is highly uncertain when it’s laying off employees. So the next question is whether trades around such pivotal downsizing events signal how its employees, especially those who are most in the know, assess the turnaround plan touted by leadership, and if they believe it will actually work.

While these are valuable clues for investors, this information is also accessible to workers still at the company – presumably those who are most eager to know whether their employer will succeed. Thanks to Sarbanes-Oxley, senior staff are required to file a form with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the regulator that helps protect capital markets, on their purchases and sales of company stock. The SEC then makes these available to the public.

Finding signal in the noise

Whether downsizing actually helps a company turn things around remains an open debate. Some researchers argue that it can have value, especially if it’s done proactively. Others have concluded that workforce cuts alone won’t fix an ailing business, and can in fact damage profitability.

But we argue that there’s another way to find clarity on whether cuts will turn a business around. We analyzed nearly 9,000 firms from 1987 to 2022, covering more than 70,000 transactions. And we made several surprising findings. First, insiders are more likely to purchase their company’s stock when it’s downsizing. And if a company slashes staff by at least 5%, there’s a significant jump in share purchasing by insiders and significantly less selling – which suggests they’re optimistic about their company.

In cases when insiders’ purchasing of shares jumped, the company’s stock performance improved as well. In fact, insider purchases at downsizing firms were more profitable than trades by insiders at stable firms. This link is even stronger when we just look at traded shares held by senior executives.

To take two examples: Corning Inc. and Ball Corp. both laid off employees in 2022. However, insiders at Ball showed their optimism by purchasing shares of the firm, while those at Corning did not. During the following year, Ball’s stock performance rose over 9%, while Corning was down more than 6%. Those results reflected the fact that Ball had a successful turnaround strategy, in contrast to Corning.

In short, trading signals by senior corporate executives were a useful predictor of future stock performance when the company faced headwinds and had to trim staff.

What happened to these firms in the years after the job cuts? Over the longer term, the companies that had insiders purchasing their stock posted higher profits and share prices than at downsizing companies that did not. The former were also more likely to avoid bankruptcy or financial distress.

This suggests that the insiders put their money where their mouth is – and tell the market that they know the company is going to succeed.

What do investors and employees need to know?

For investors, these signals are valuable when they need to assess the future prospects of the companies they invest in. Executives may say the business is forging a new strategic direction by cutting costs, but if they’re also buying their company’s stock, they’re making a more robust commitment.

More broadly, though, these lessons aren’t just important for investors or the business elites. Rank-and-file workers can apply them as well. And in these uncertain times of rapid change, this type of clarity can make all the difference.

D. Brian Blank, Associate Professor of Finance, Mississippi State University; Dallin Alldredge, Assistant Professor of Finance, Florida International University, and Lee Biggerstaff, Assistant Professor of Finance, Miami University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

How do engineers design buildings capable of withstanding earthquakes? 

It depends on the height of the buildings. It's not the just the strength. You have to make sure that the building is able to sway because during the earthquake, basically the ground is shaking. It has to have enough ductility [the physical property that allows it to survive stress such as stretching or pulling without fracturing]. In order to make that happen, you have to design the columns, beams, joints a little bit differently. You have to put more steel reinforcement in it, and all that is spelled out in the seismic design.

There are many older buildings that were not designed this way. There are a couple of different ways to make them earthquake proof. One way is that you can provide additional confinement [structural reinforcement]. Or if you have an old building that really cannot do much, you can isolate it from the ground. So you can basically, pick the building up, put it under devices that will isolate the ground. The ground can move, but the building is not going to move. 

Can you explain some ways that buildings collapse during earthquakes?

If a column is not designed adequately when one floor collapses...for example, in the 1989 earthquake in San Francisco, we saw examples of the cases where the first floor didn't have enough walls around it. It was like a parking garage and so on. So that floor will collapse and then the second floor will fall right on top of it. So that's a phenomenon that's called the soft story in the earthquake engineering terms. It's called the soft story phenomenon that happens.

Now, in the case of the Kobe earthquake [in 1995 Japan], I saw police stations and several other buildings, not the first floor, but the floors like fifth floor or seventh floor had collapsed. And the reason for that is a dynamic behavior of the building and the ground motion that happens. The ground motion can create, based on the dynamic characteristics of the building, a situation where the critical columns are in the third, fourth or fifth floor, and that's why the floors above the first floor collapse sometimes, and then pancakes on the floor below.

Why is protecting hospitals, essential facilities and roads so important after an earthquake?

Some of the important buildings, such as hospitals, have to remain functional. You have to make sure that the electricity, the water, all that is not interrupted. You have to make sure that the roads leading to the hospital are functional. You have to make sure that the contents of the equipment in the hospital continue to be functional.

So in order to do that, you have to make sure that the roads and the bridges there are earthquake proof. You have to make sure that the emergency vehicles, the ambulances and so on can get the people, for example, the injured from a collapsed building, to the hospital. So there are multiple things that you have to worry about in order to, to say that I have done everything possible in order for my society to survive the earthquake. 

Once an earthquake is over, what concerns engineers the most?

The major concern is that when the earthquake comes, it is possible that it inflicted damage to the building, but it doesn't collapse. After the major earthquakes, usually you have aftershocks. Those aftershocks for a building that is already damaged could cause a collapse.

One of the challenges that, for example, structural engineers usually have after the earthquake is that they go inspect the buildings. It's just visual. The number of the buildings and structures that you have to inspect is very large and you cannot really assess completely what happened. The concern is that you take a look at it... usually, if you look at it visually, if you see the major elements of the building are really badly damaged, you abandon it right away. But if there is just a cracking around the corners of the windows or in the columns, usually you say, 'Okay, there is a damage, but it's not [too much].'

But if you see one story, of course, is leaning, you just have to leave it. So usually the visual inspection should be in general able to say, 'Okay, should I abandon this building or should I not abandon this building?' 

Inspired by the memories created during their college days, the entrepreneurs, who own a total of six Crema Gourmet franchises, are returning to their roots in hopes their latest venture will recreate for others some of the magic they experienced as undergrads.

Danny Mugnai ’02, who hails from Italy, fondly recalls hanging with his friends at GC: “It created a camaraderie and helped us build a network of people that could grow together. It’s a family at FIU.”

Mugnai met Sigma Phi Epsilon brothers Angel Sanchez ’99, Manny Vadillo ’98, and Julio Almeyda ’99 through mutual friends. Sanchez, a special education major who transitioned into the hospitality industry after graduation, became a Crema franchisee in 2021. When an opportunity for expansion presented itself, he says, “I invited my college best friends.”

The group brings a diversity of experience to the table (along with an Italian coffee machine).

Having studied international business marketing and management, Mugnai explains how his skillset helps the team understand the melting pot of people and cultures that coexist in Miami. Meanwhile, Sanchez credits FIU for providing him with the foundation for success, including “preparation, how to structure a good business plan, raise capital and network. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the network of people that I met at FIU.”

Likewise, Vadillo, who was a finance major, attributes the success of their ventures to FIU’s rigorous curriculum and supportive professors. In particular, the grand overview that he took away from a business operations course is “something that’s always been with me,” he reflects.

When it came time to decide where to open their latest location, the decision was easy. “We went to FIU. We didn’t have a choice,” Mugnai jokes. “Hopefully, this will create another place for [current students] to come study and to eat and to build the same camaraderie that we had when we were students.”

Mugnai’s wishes are beginning to materialize.

Attending the grand opening with her friend, nursing student Lissette Martinez is already planning future visits: “I’m on campus for so many hours, so it’s nice to have a little escape that’s very cozy.” Martinez and fellow nursing student Adriana Jimenez admire their surroundings, complete with white brick walls, earthy wood finishings and green foliage. “It’s very aesthetically pleasing. Very nice ambiance,” Jimenez comments.

Graduate student Anthony DeSimone looks forward to the “sense of community” the café will contribute to, in addition to the tasty coffee.

This business milestone marks a special moment for the four friends.

For Sanchez who grew up in Sweetwater, FIU’s transformation—its ongoing physical expansion and rise in rankings—has not gone unnoticed. “We think it’s absolutely amazing what FIU and its leadership have done over the last two decades. We are so proud to be alumni.”

Vadillo expands, “To be able to come back and build something across from FIU, for FIU—there’s nothing better. Golden Panther for life.”

The newest Crema Gourmet is located at 795 SW 110th Avenue in Sweetwater on the ground floor of an off-campus housing tower that caters to FIU students.

To fight back, FIU's College of Engineering & Computing has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Cyber Crimes Bureau, pairing the region's leading public research university with one of the largest cybercrime task forces in the country.

Leading the effort on FIU’s side is Professor Selcuk Uluagac, director of the FIU Center for Integrated Security, Privacy, and Trustworthy AI. He and the Sheriff’s Office Chief Technology Officer and Chief Information Security Officer George Perera sat down with FIU News to explain what is at stake.

How big of a problem is cybercrime today?

Chief Perera: We have entered an era where computing power has made the capabilities available to bad actors exponentially more dangerous.

What makes it especially alarming is how accessible it has become. With the rise of tools like AI, people with little to no computer skills are now able to start their own operations. We have even seen middle schoolers launch cybercrime campaigns.

In 2025, losses reported to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center surpassed $20 billion for the first time in the center's history.

What does it take to actually fight back?

Chief Perera: We created the Cyber Crimes Bureau about four years ago in direct response to what we saw coming.

Historically, it fell upon the federal government solely to fight cybercrime in the U.S. But with the incredible volume of such crime in our country – last year, over one million complaints were filed with the FBI's IC3 site — we recognized that they should not do this alone.

Today, our unit has roughly 50 to 55 deputies who specialize in cybercrime, and we have built a specific task force to protect our region that includes municipal, state, and federal partners, swelling to over 125 people. It’s one of the largest of its kind in the United States.

What makes Miami's cybercrime environment unique?

Chief Perera: The size of our cybercrime unit is not a coincidence.

A significant amount of wealth flows through this city from South America and other parts of the world. As a popular destination for international business and tourism, this city creates a unique threat environment.

People arrive with their devices and connect to networks and infrastructure that is not theirs, which opens vulnerabilities that bad actors know how to exploit.

What benefits can FIU bring to the Cyber Crimes Bureau?

Dr. Uluagac: Investigations are not easy. They require deep technical expertise, and the threat evolves faster than any one organization can keep up with alone.

At CIERTA, we look at emerging trends in cybersecurity that can help fight advanced forms of cybercrime. These techniques range from ways to prevent ransomware attacks through internet browsers to technology that prevents drones from being hacked mid-flight to securing unpatched mobile devices.

With over 30+ affiliated faculty in CIERTA, we are at the forefront of cybersecurity research here at FIU, and the sheriff's office can take direct advantage of the latest techniques coming out of our work.

How might this collaboration benefit students?

Dr. Uluagac: What is lacking in most cybersecurity education is real-world experience. Collaborations like this give students hands-on exposure with a government law enforcement environment, and indeed, they could one day become part of that specialized workforce.

Think of it this way: you can teach cybersecurity concepts in a classroom, but that is different from working alongside an investigator trying to crack an encrypted phone tied to an active criminal case. And it works both ways. Officers from the sheriff's office can come to FIU to receive training, learning from the same experts who mentor alumni now working at companies like Apple and Google.

What is the long-term vision here?

Dr. Uluagac: We want to create something that benefits not just our community and our students, but law enforcement around the country and the world. Countries in Central and South America are already starting to face these threats, but do not yet fully understand what is coming. They need to send people somewhere to learn.

Miami is an international city, and FIU is an international university. Our vision in our unique collaboration with Chief Perera’s office is to offer a world-class training destination for how to fight international cybercrime.

Professor Dean Whitman, of the Department of Earth and Environment, studies earthquakes. He answered questions about the geophysics of the destructive event.

Q: What caused these earthquakes?

Most earthquakes occur on or near a plate boundary between two tectonic plates. This did occur very near the plate boundary between the Caribbean Plate to the north and the South American Plate to the south. The Caribbean Plate is moving to the east relative to the South American Plate at about two centimeters, or about an inch per year.

Over time, the stress caused by that motion along the plate boundary builds up in the Earth’s crust. Eventually, that stress becomes so great that it overcomes friction holding the two sides of the fault together, and it slips. That rapid slip is what an earthquake is.

Q: Why were these earthquakes considered unusual?

These earthquakes are somewhat unusual because they’re what is being called a doublet. In some cases, earthquakes will occur in clusters where you will have two or more large earthquakes occurring in a short period of time. But this was a little bit unusual in that the period of time between the shocks was very short, less than a minute. Perhaps we are going to need to look at this as just one very complex event.

One feature of this pair of earthquakes is that it’s likely that the first event damaged some buildings, which then, when the second shock came in, completely collapsed. The first event often will create damage to the building, but the building will not fail. Then the second set of shaking will come through, which will cause a complete collapse.

Q: Are earthquakes happening around the world connected?

People often ask about the linkage between earthquakes. Both yes and no. If the earthquakes are near each other, certainly one earthquake can trigger another, and that certainly appears to be the case here, where we had a smaller magnitude 7.2 earthquake triggering a larger magnitude 7.5 earthquake about a minute later.

When earthquakes are very far away from each other, this usually isn’t the case. For example, there was an almost magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Japan and a magnitude 5.5 earthquake in Northern California. These are so far away that the influence of those earthquakes is largely not going to affect something halfway across the globe. It just physically can’t really happen.

Q: Are earthquakes becoming more frequent?

A lot of times people ask, “Are the numbers of earthquakes increasing because we hear about them all the time?” There’s really no evidence for that. What has changed is that we now have so many means of communication where people are informed of things instantly.

Earthquakes are occurring at the same rate globally as they always have. In fact, small earthquakes are occurring all the time—hundreds, thousands every day across the world. It’s just when you get to the larger events, they occur less frequently.

Q: Why was this earthquake so destructive?

This earthquake was especially destructive for a few reasons. For one thing, its size—over magnitude 7—was certainly capable of creating damage. The other thing was that it occurred on land and at a relatively shallow depth in the Earth’s crust, so it was close to the Earth’s surface.

In many parts of the Americas, much of the construction is masonry construction. In some places, that masonry is unreinforced by steel. This type of construction is particularly susceptible to earthquakes because these structures will break rather than bend. Much better types of structures are those built out of steel frame or wood frame, which can bend but not break.

Q: Can scientists predict when the next big earthquake will strike?

While we cannot predict exactly when earthquakes will occur, there is ongoing research. At this time, we can’t predict when earthquakes will occur like we can for predicting hurricane landfalls.

There’s some very interesting research going on here at FIU led by Shimon Wdowinski, who’s using techniques known as space geodesy to measure how the Earth’s crust is deforming over time. They utilize data taken from satellites in orbit that beam radar waves down to the Earth’s surface, and they can measure how the Earth’s crust moves over time. By analyzing this, they can determine whether or not a particular section of fault is ready or susceptible to slipping. We just can’t tell when exactly it will break.

Q: Will there be more earthquakes in Venezuela?

There is an aftershock sequence occurring from these events. Just yesterday there were two magnitude 4-plus earthquakes near Caracas. These aftershocks will continue over the next several months. In general, they will become smaller over time, and they will also occur less frequently. But the sequence will continue for a year or so.

In the aftermath of the earthquakes that hit Venezuela earlier this week, FIU disaster preparedness expert Dulce Suarez answers some key questions about humanitarian aid to Venezuela and how we can help. Suarez is the assistant director of the Academy for International Disaster Preparedness at FIU.

What is the most effective way to support relief efforts in Venezuela?

Here in South Florida, with such a large community coming from Venezuela, having family members, we're seeing a lot of different efforts. We're seeing people who are partnering with organizations like Global Empowerment Mission and going and packaging themselves.

We also see people who are sharing information about organizations on the ground. You can donate directly to them. We also see GoFundMe page. So there [are] different ways. It is where your heart wants to go. But the most effective way is providing monetary support to these organizations that are working in Venezuela right now. We do see that search and rescues, those with specific traits like Doctors Without Borders, they will be arriving in Venezuela in the next 48 hours and you could support them as well. But right now, our focus should be on those organizations on the ground by providing funds for them directly.

Which organizations can you trust to help earthquake victims in Venezuela?

As a humanitarian responders, there are certain protocols on where I encourage individuals to donate. One is to organizations that were already working in that country. For example, Save the Children, who are working with the displaced; Unicef; the United Nations World Food Program; or even organizations that you know that might have a GoFundMe, but that you know where the source is going. We want to make sure that you're making the most out of the impact that you can provide to those victims in, in currently in Venezuela.

What makes delivering aid to Venezuela so challenging?

The challenges in providing humanitarian aid in Venezuela are complex, but to begin with, it's a country that has been having some embargoes from the United States, which means that logistically, a container cannot be sent directly from Port Everglades to Venezuelan borders. Instead, we have to go through the channels making sure that the aid is given to the right hands and also with the blessing of the existing structure. So what that means is that us, as humanitarian responders, it takes us longer to procure the necessary ways and methods to get that item.

Another concern is security. When a disaster occurs, security [and] structure, the common ways you get a container in, are no longer present. So we are managing in a disaster zone. How do we get the aid with airports that are not working, with ports that are destroyed? How do you get through it? And that's what's being evaluating currently in Venezuela. Once you know the map, you could send the help, that's how we're going to get that aid directly. Until then, the heroes right now are those organizations working in Venezuela who are grassroots, meaning these are communities that are opening their homes, the kitchens, giving that sandwich, giving that actual food directly to the search and rescue who are trying to save lives.

How are communication outages affecting families trying to reach loved ones in Venezuela?

Venezuela, their structure was already failing, meaning you had communication towers that needed to be replaced. You had a satellites that were not effective, you had power outages and now you have an earthquake that has devastated the entire country, which means that if you want to reach that family, they might not have the charge for their cell phones. WhatsApp might not be working. The satellites might not be effective. So they're trying to make the best out of 'hearing no news means good news.' And that is heartbreaking, to know that you can't get that communication out as you can. So there's a lot of grassroots, meaning communities, who are supporting each other, providing messages to those families, trying to be the avenue that bridges the unknown with good news.

What is the most effective way to support relief efforts in Venezuela?

Here in South Florida, with such a large community coming from Venezuela, having family members, we're seeing a lot of different efforts. We're seeing people who are partnering with organizations like Global Empowerment Mission and going and packaging themselves.

We also see people who are sharing information about organizations on the ground. You can donate directly to them. We also see GoFundMe page. So there [are] different ways. It is where your heart wants to go. But the most effective way is providing monetary support to these organizations that are working in Venezuela right now. We do see that search and rescues, those with specific traits like Doctors Without Borders, they will be arriving in Venezuela in the next 48 hours and you could support them as well. But right now, our focus should be on those organizations on the ground by providing funds for them directly.

Which organizations can you trust to help earthquake victims in Venezuela?

As a humanitarian responders, there are certain protocols on where I encourage individuals to donate. One is to organizations that were already working in that country. For example, Save the Children, who are working with the displaced; Unicef; the United Nations World Food Program; or even organizations that you know that might have a GoFundMe, but that you know where the source is going. We want to make sure that you're making the most out of the impact that you can provide to those victims in, in currently in Venezuela.

What makes delivering aid to Venezuela so challenging?

The challenges in providing humanitarian aid in Venezuela are complex, but to begin with, it's a country that has been having some embargoes from the United States, which means that logistically, a container cannot be sent directly from Port Everglades to Venezuelan borders. Instead, we have to go through the channels making sure that the aid is given to the right hands and also with the blessing of the existing structure. So what that means is that us, as humanitarian responders, it takes us longer to procure the necessary ways and methods to get that item.

Another concern is security. When a disaster occurs, security [and] structure, the common ways you get a container in, are no longer present. So we are managing in a disaster zone. How do we get the aid with airports that are not working, with ports that are destroyed? How do you get through it? And that's what's being evaluating currently in Venezuela. Once you know the map, you could send the help, that's how we're going to get that aid directly. Until then, the heroes right now are those organizations working in Venezuela who are grassroots, meaning these are communities that are opening their homes, the kitchens, giving that sandwich, giving that actual food directly to the search and rescue who are trying to save lives.

How are communication outages affecting families trying to reach loved ones in Venezuela?

Venezuela, their structure was already failing, meaning you had communication towers that needed to be replaced. You had a satellites that were not effective, you had power outages and now you have an earthquake that has devastated the entire country, which means that if you want to reach that family, they might not have the charge for their cell phones. WhatsApp might not be working. The satellites might not be effective. So they're trying to make the best out of 'hearing no news means good news.' And that is heartbreaking, to know that you can't get that communication out as you can. So there's a lot of grassroots, meaning communities, who are supporting each other, providing messages to those families, trying to be the avenue that bridges the unknown with good news.

A Miami native who grew up playing soccer and other sports, Gonzalez works as a full-stack software engineer for the club, building the digital infrastructure that helps players perform at peak levels. His work also assists coaches and scouts in the development of the next generation of talent.

“I develop sports apps and platforms to help them build the team,” he says.

One of the tools is a performance application that tracks real-time biometric and athletic data for players at every level of the organization, from the first team down to the academy squads, which range from the U-14 to U-20 age groups.

Tracking every step

Players wear GPS trackers during training sessions and matches. The app then captures a variety of metrics, including high-speed running data, meters per second information and calories burned. “Nutrition data is used by our nutritionists to create meal plans for the athletes,” Gonzalez says.

One finding from the data has genuinely surprised him. “You would think with the amount of energy that the players put out in training that they would be super fatigued. But it is the complete opposite. They are so conditioned and take care of their bodies so well, that even running thousands of meters during a practice or match hardly affects them.”

Scouting the future

Beyond player performance, Gonzalez has built an application that allows Inter Miami’s scouting department to search a massive talent directory and identify prospective players. It’s a tool that is sure to shape who wears the club’s iconic pink jersey in the years to come.

Inter Miami CF, co-founded by David Beckham, has rapidly grown into one of Major League Soccer’s marquee franchises. The club’s new Nu Stadium at Miami Freedom Park, which opened in April 2026, is a state-of-the-art facility that has Gonzalez marveling at its technology and scope.

“There are drone detectors and facial recognition systems integrated into stadium security for everyone’s safety,” he explains.

“I wanted to find somewhere that I could grow and be significant and Inter Miami is allowing me to combine my lifelong passion for computers and sports. This job is really a dream come true.”

Gonzalez has felt at home since his first day on the job. “The team is full of great people who are very kind and welcoming. They greet everyone who steps in the facility, no matter who it is, with kindness and respect.” He also loves that they are curious about how the applications work, often asking him questions about their metrics and how they might improve.

From kinesiology to coding

After graduating from high school, Gonzalez pursued an associate’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science. His plan was to transfer to FIU to become a physical therapist. But after graduating in 2022, a friend who attended FIU encouraged him to try coding. Quickly, Gonzalez was hooked.

His first FIU programming class was taught by Richard Whittaker, associate teaching professor in the Knight Foundation School of Computing & Information Sciences. “That really sparked my interest in computer science,” Gonzalez says. “He wanted students to strive to do better and always had great conversations before and after class, making sure everyone was learning.”

In addition to what he was absorbing in the classroom, Gonzalez became active in FIU clubs like INIT, which offers workshops, hackathons and interview prep. He also received certifications in software engineering and cyber security through CodePath, an FIU partner, and eventually became a CodePath teaching assistant.

Shortly after graduating from FIU with a BA in computer science, Gonzalez became a data science intern with Miami-Dade County’s IT Department and a part-time software engineering fellow with Headstarter AI, roles that translated his skills to real-world work-life scenarios. He joined Inter Miami CF in August of 2025.

Always learning

“I’m still studying. I believe you should never stop learning,” he says. “In computer science, things are constantly changing. You have to adapt. Learning new technologies that come out can only help me grow in my field.”

Away from the office, Gonzalez never strays too far from the sports that shaped him. He still plays soccer recreationally twice a week with friends and hits the gym every day.

Looking ahead, Gonzalez envisions using machine learning to take Inter Miami’s analytics even further, training AI models on years of match data to help predict outcomes and inform strategy.

When Franklin Filho walked into the Miami HEAT’s offices at Kaseya Center for what he thought would be a three week internship, he felt the pressure immediately.

“It was my first internship,” he recalls. “I kept thinking, What can I do to prove myself?”

Three weeks turned into a second internship. That led to a full-time offer. Today, Filho ’25 is a junior software engineer at the Miami HEAT and 601 Analytics — the HEAT’s data and analytics arm — working across front-end and back-end systems and mentoring two interns on a new internal tool to be deployed soon.

Filho’s rapid rise is not an outlier, but a reflection of how a growing collaboration between FIU and one of professional sports’ most forward-thinking teams is reshaping how talent is developed and deployed.

Building talent as fast as technology moves 

Slow and steady no longer cuts it in the age of artificial intelligence. Organizations looking to scale products need talent that can contribute immediately, adapt quickly, and think beyond traditional playbooks.

For the Miami HEAT, that need has become important as its data analytics team expands its reach. In 2025 alone, the group served five leagues, 16 teams, and 23 venues—far beyond its origins as an internal HEAT operation.

The HEAT found a solution close to home: FIU and its partnership with the Break Through Tech Sprinternship™ program, a no-interview, paid, micro-internship model where students are placed in teams and matched with employers to complete challenging projects.

“Given the short duration of the internship, students need to hit the ground running on Day 1 of Sprinternship. At FIU, we prepare them by providing seven weeks of intensive technical and professional training so they’re ready to make an immediate impact,” says Nimmi Arunachalam, Director of FIU’s Sprinternship Program.

For the HEAT, the model aligned perfectly with how the team already works.

“We have an ambitious product roadmap,” says Edson Crevecoeur, Senior Vice President for Strategy and Data Analytics at the Miami HEAT and Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of 601 Analytics.

“When you pair strong students with real business needs, the results speak for themselves.”

A business within a business 

601 Analytics began in 2019 as an internal effort to make sense of the growing volumes of data flowing through HEAT operations, from ticket scans to merchandise purchases.

A few years in, the HEAT realized they had built something other organizations needed, too. Today, their analytics team serves roughly 20% of the NBA, along with the league’s central offices. The team is focused not on “Moneyball”-style player analytics, but on business operations: ticketing, sales, sponsorships, guest experience, marketing and finance.

“The industry runs on data-driven insights now, and AI has exponentially accelerated what's possible,” Crevecoeur says. “To keep pace, we need a pipeline of talent that's ready to leverage these tools.”

Tech talent rising in Miami 

Just a few miles west, FIU’s College of Engineering and Computing was strengthening its programs in computer science, data science and artificial intelligence — preparing students for exactly this kind of work.

The connection between FIU and 601 Analytics didn’t start with a formal pitch. It began in 2023 when Enio Maiale, Senior Director of Software Engineering for the HEAT, attended FIU’s Knight Foundation School of Computing & Information Sciences for a master’s degree.

“At this point in the AI era, I needed an update,” he says. “I wanted to make better decisions with these technologies.”

A chance conversation with Arunachalam about FIU’s commitment to an innovative experiential learning model was the spark that impressed Maiale.

Having seen firsthand the skills FIU students brought to the table, he began advocating internally for the university as a talent source. The Sprinternship model, fast-paced and production-oriented, mirrored the team’s own development lifecycle.

That pipeline has delivered talent from unexpected places.

From classroom to production

Just a few years ago, Gabriela Rodriguez ’25 would never have imagined where she’d be today.

She was neither a computer science major nor a basketball fan; she was a math major working in healthcare. But one summer program with Break Through Tech at FIU got her hooked on computing and changed her career permanently. She switched her major to computer science and seized a chance to participate in a Miami HEAT Sprinternship cohort.

Working alongside teammates, Rodriguez helped build predictive models using transaction data from the HEAT’s online store, analyzing which targeted promotions were most likely to resonate with specific customers.

As Venezuela reels from the devastating back-to-back earthquakes that struck near Caracas, FIU researchers are available to offer expert insight into the disaster and its wider implications. Experts across politics, environmental hazards and tectonic plate motion are available to discuss topics including the causes behind the earthquakes, regional disaster risk, and the political fallout in Venezuela and the broader region. Experts are available for interviews in English and Spanish found on this page.

For help contacting any of our experts, please contact the Office of Media Relations:

• • • Politics and Government
    • Security and Military
    • Earthquakes
    • Oil and Energy
    • Disaster Management
    • Public Health
    • Law, Rights, & Economics

Politics and Government

Sebastián Arcos

Interim Director
Institute for Cuban Studies
Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs

Sebastián A. Arcos, M.A., is interim director of the Institute for Cuban Studies in the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs at Florida International University. Born in Havana, Cuba, he joined in 1987 the Cuban Committee for Human Rights (CCPDH), the first independent Cuban human rights organization, and was part of the CCPDH team that met with the Special Group from the U.N. Commission on Human Rights that visited the island in 1988. For three consecutive years (1995, 1996, 1997), Mr. Arcos was part of the Freedom House delegation to the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland. He advised the U.S. Department of State on issues concerning human rights in Cuba between 1998 and 2000. Arcos is available for interviews in English and Spanish.

Office: 305-348-7250
Email: arcoss@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Daniel Zayas
305-348-5360
dzayas@fiu.edu

Carlos Díaz-Rosillo

Research Professor, Founding Director 
Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom 

Carlos Díaz-Rosillo is a recognized expert in U.S. foreign policy and Latin American affairs, with deep insight into the political and security dynamics shaping Venezuela and the broader Western Hemisphere. As founding director of the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, Díaz-Rosillo guides programs, research, and public discourse on U.S.-Latin America relations, democratic governance, and regional policy responses to political and economic crises. He previously served at senior levels of the U.S. government, including as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Interagency Coordination at the White House and as Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. His work bridges academic analysis and high-level policymaking, offering nuanced perspectives on Venezuela’s challenges, U.S. policy options, and pathways to internal political change. Díaz-Rosillo is available for interviews in English and Spanish.

Email: freedom@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Megan Rocher
786-879-9796
megnunez@fiu.edu

Eduardo Gamarra

Professor
Politics & International Relations
Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs

Gamarra’s research, teaching, and consulting focus has been on the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. He has conducted research and served as a consultant in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago. The focus of his work includes security, democratization, drug trafficking and related illicit industries, political parties, campaigns/elections, public opinion, among other topics. Gamarra is available for interviews in English and Spanish.

Office:  305-348-1718
Email:  gamarrae@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Daniel Zayas
305-348-5360
dzayas@fiu.edu

Frank Mora 

Senior Research Scientist, Professor
Politics & International Relations
Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs

Frank Mora is a former U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States. From 2013 to 2020, Mora served as director of the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center at FIU. Prior to arriving at FIU, he served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Western Hemisphere from 2009–2013. Mora is the author or editor of five books and over thirty academic and policy articles, book chapters, and monographs on hemispheric security, U.S.-Latin American relations, civil-military relations, Cuban politics and the military, and Latin American political economy and integration. 

Office: 305-348-2899
Email:  moraf@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Daniel Zayas
305-348-5360
dzayas@fiu.edu

Edgardo Pappacena

Adjunct Professor
International Business

Edgardo Pappacena brings direct expertise on Venezuela, having advised Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) in the early 1990s during its pre-Chávez modernization efforts, giving him firsthand insight into the company’s long-term decline and the country’s evolving economic and investment risks. Pappacena is a global business and geopolitical strategist with more than 40 years of executive experience advising multinational companies across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He served as Chief Global Strategist at PricewaterhouseCoopers PwC, leading worldwide strategy, geopolitical risk management, and large-scale business model transformation across more than 150 countries. 

Office: 305-348-2791
Email:  epappace@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Michelle Lopez
305-348-7422
mplopez@fiu.edu

Security and Military

Brian Fonseca 

Vice Provost
Defense and National Security Research
Director
Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy
Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs

Brian Fonseca specializes in Venezuela’s military and security apparatus, examining its role in regime stability, internal repression, and regional power dynamics. He analyzes Venezuela’s political and security challenges through the lens of U.S. foreign policy, regional governance, and international influence. His technical expertise and publications center on U.S. and Latin American governance, national security, and foreign policy, with particular emphasis on Venezuela’s security forces and their relationships with China and Russia.

Email:  fonsecab@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Irene D. Ferradez
305-348-5364
iferrada@fiu.edu

José Miguel Cruz 

Interim Director
Kimberly Green Latin American & Caribbean Center
Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs

Cruz is an expert in the areas of criminal violence, gangs, police, and public opinion in Central America. He has published over one hundred scholarly articles and four books on several topics, including criminal violence, policing, street gangs, and criminal governance in Latin America. He is considered one of the pioneers in the study of criminal violence in Central America and Latin America, and the first to study Central American transnational gangs comparatively. 

Office: 305-348-5952
Email: jomcruz@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Daniel Zayas
305-348-5360
dzayas@fiu.edu

Earthquakes

Dean Whitman

Professor
Earth and Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Dean Whitman received a bachelor’s degree in geophysics from the University of California Berkeley. After graduation, he worked as a seismic observer and staff geophysicist at the U.S. Geological Survey. Whitman continued on to earn a Ph.D. in geophysics from Cornell University. While at Cornell, his work focused on understanding the structure and evolution to the lithosphere beneath the Central Andean Plateau of Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. Whitman has been a professor at FIU since 1993. At FIU, he has pursued a wide array of research interests including Andean tectonics, remote sensing using imagery and LIDAR, and hydrogeophysics. Whitman's current research applies geophysical methods to study saltwater intrusion in the southern Everglades.

Whitman has broadcast-quality interview clips available here.

Office: 305-348-3089
Email:  whitmand@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Atorod Azizinamini

Director, Infrastructure Research and Innovation
Director, Preeminent Institute for Resilient and Sustainable Coastal Infrastructure (InteRaCt)
Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering and Computing

One of the nation's leading bridge and infrastructure experts, Azizinamini specializes in resilient infrastructure, structural engineering and the performance of bridges under extreme events. His research includes seismic design, high-performance concrete and steel, structural resilience, accelerated bridge construction and infrastructure durability. He can discuss how earthquakes affect bridges and transportation systems, infrastructure resilience, post-disaster recovery and engineering strategies that reduce seismic risk.

Azizinamini has broadcast-quality interview clips available here.

Office: 305-348-2802
Email:  aazizina@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Andres Tremante

CDSSEC and ENGINE Senior Director
Engineering and Computing

Tremante is a mechanical engineer whose expertise spans engineering systems, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and engineering innovation. A Venezuelan native, he can discuss the engineering challenges associated with earthquake recovery, infrastructure resilience, rebuilding efforts and the role of engineering education in preparing the next generation of disaster-response professionals. His experience in both academia and the oil and gas industry provides additional perspective on industrial infrastructure and workforce recovery following major natural disasters. Tremante has broadcast-quality interview clips available in English and Spanish here.

Office: 305-348-0149
Email: tremante@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Joseph P. Colaco

Distinguished Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering and Computing

An internationally recognized structural engineer known for designing some of the world's tallest buildings, Colaco is an expert in structural systems, high-rise engineering and resilient design. He can discuss how skyscrapers and modern buildings are engineered to withstand seismic forces and what determines structural performance during major earthquakes. Colaco is available for interviews in English and Spanish.

Email:  jcolaco@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Jose Faria

Moss Endowed Chair, Moss School of Construction
Professor
College of Engineering and Computing

Faria specializes in construction management, infrastructure planning, optimization and land development. As a Venezuelan native, he can provide insight into the engineering, construction and infrastructure recovery challenges following earthquakes in Venezuela, including rebuilding strategies, risk mitigation and resilient construction practices. Faria is available for interviews in English and Spanish.

Office: 305-348-3541
Email:  fariaj@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Mohammed Hadi

Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering and Computing

Hadi is an expert in transportation engineering and infrastructure systems. He can discuss how earthquakes affect highways, bridges, traffic operations and transportation networks, as well as engineering approaches for restoring critical transportation systems following major disasters.

Office: 305-348-0092
Email:  hadim@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Leonel Lagos

Director of Research, Applied Research Center
Associate Professor, Moss School of Construction
College of Engineering and Computing

Lagos leads multidisciplinary engineering research supporting critical infrastructure, advanced technologies and disaster resilience. His expertise includes infrastructure systems, robotics, engineering project management and technologies that improve emergency response, recovery and resilience following natural disasters. Lagos is available for interview in English and Spanish.

Office: 305-348-1810
Email:  lagosl@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Arif Sarwat

Professor
Chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
College of Engineering and Computing

Sarwat is an expert in smart grids, electric power systems, electric vehicles and critical infrastructure resilience. He can discuss how earthquakes and other natural disasters affect electrical grids, power restoration, grid modernization and technologies that strengthen energy resilience. 

Office: 305-348-2935
Email:  asarwat@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Osama Mohammed

Professor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
College of Engineering and Computing

Mohammed specializes in electric power systems, smart grids, microgrids and energy infrastructure. He can discuss protecting electrical systems during natural disasters, restoring power following major seismic events and improving grid reliability and resilience. 

Office: 305-348-3040
Email:  mohammed@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Arturo Leon

Associate Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering and Computing

Leon specializes in hydraulic engineering, water infrastructure and flood modeling. He can discuss how earthquakes affect dams, levees, canals, pipelines and water distribution systems, as well as engineering solutions that strengthen critical water infrastructure. Leon is available for interviews in English and Spanish.

Office: 305-348-1370
Email:  arleon@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Hooman Vatankhah

Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering and Computing

Hooman Vatankhah is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Florida International University. His research group focuses on the characterization, occurrence, and monitoring of emerging contaminants, with an emphasis on advancing their removal and destruction through enhanced physico-chemical treatment processes. These efforts aim to improve water quality, protect ecosystems, and ultimately safeguard public health. Applications of his research span water and wastewater treatment, potable reuse, and the treatment of unconventional water resources.

Office: 305-348-2824
Email:  hvatankh@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Berrin Tansel

Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering and Computing

Tansel is an expert in environmental engineering, water quality and contaminant transport. She can discuss earthquake-related impacts on drinking water systems, wastewater infrastructure, environmental contamination and protecting public health following natural disasters. 

Office: 305-348-2928
Email:  tanselb@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Ali Ebrahimian

Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering and Computing

Ebrahimian specializes in water resources engineering, urban stormwater hydrology and water quality, and sustainable water management. He can discuss the impacts of earthquakes on water supply systems, the vulnerability of water infrastructure and urban communities, strategies for improving water infrastructure resilience and sustainability, and risk-informed planning to protect critical water resources and infrastructure. 

Office: 305-348-4883
Email:  alebrahi@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Oil and Energy

Edward Glab 

Lead for Global Energy Security Forum, Professor
Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy
Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs

Edward Glab is the co-director of the Global Energy Security Forum at FIU’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy. He joined FIU in 2004 after retiring from ExxonMobil, where for over 25 years he held a variety of positions in public affairs. Glab is available for interviews in English and Spanish.

Office: 305-919-5972
Email:  glabe@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Daniel Zayas
305-348-5360
dzayas@fiu.edu

Andres Tremante

CDSSEC and ENGINE Senior Director
Engineering and Computing

Tremante is a mechanical engineer whose expertise spans engineering systems, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and engineering innovation. A Venezuelan native, he can discuss the engineering challenges associated with earthquake recovery, infrastructure resilience, rebuilding efforts and the role of engineering education in preparing the next generation of disaster-response professionals. His experience in both academia and the oil and gas industry provides additional perspective on industrial infrastructure and workforce recovery following major natural disasters. Tremante has broadcast-quality interview clips available in English and Spanish here.

Office: 305-348-0149
Email: tremante@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
305-348-7511
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Disaster Management

Dulce Suarez

Assistant Director, AIDP Graduate Program
Academy for International Disaster Preparedness
Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work

Suarez is an expert in crisis and disaster management with more than 10 years of experience in disaster response, recovery and resilience. In light of the earthquakes in Venezuela, she can discuss the role the Venezuelan diaspora can realistically play in supporting relief and recovery efforts, as well as the challenges of getting aid to those who need it most given the country’s existing infrastructure and communications constraints. She can also speak to why well-intentioned drives to collect and ship food, clothing and supplies can sometimes create additional logistical challenges, and why cash donations to experienced humanitarian organizations are often more effective. Her work has focused on hurricane mitigation research, disaster preparedness, resiliency and humanitarian response. Suarez is available for interviews in English and Spanish.

Suarez has broadcast-quality interview clips available in English and Spanish here.

Office: 305-348-0451
Email: dboza@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Jonathan Ruadez
305-348-4670
jruadezn@fiu.edu

Public Health

Alejandro Arrieta

Associate Professor
Global Health
Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work

Alejandro Arrieta is a health economist whose work focuses on health care utilization, quality of care, health financing, primary care, disaster risk reduction and health system organization in Latin America and the Caribbean. He can speak to the public health and health system implications of crises in the region, including how medicine shortages, economic instability, migration, infrastructure challenges and institutional uncertainty may affect access to care, hospital capacity, primary care delivery and the quality of essential health services in Venezuela.

Office: 305-348-7525
Email: alejarri@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Jonathan Ruadez
305-348-4670
jruadezn@fiu.edu

Law, Rights, & Economics

Gilberto Guerrero-Rocca 

LL.M. Program Director, Adjunct Professor 
College of Law 

Guerrero-Rocca has been involved in many arbitrations and litigations against expropriations conducted by the governments of Chavez and Maduro, and has published several books and articles on arbitration, international litigation, constitutional, business and administrative law. He has researched intensively on Venezuela in the oil, gas and mining sectors. A Florida Bar Certified Foreign Legal Consultant, he earned a JSM degree from Stanford Law School where he conducted extensive research on investment arbitration. He is a frequent speaker in universities and chambers of commerce and frequent interviewee by major media outlets regarding investment and treaty-based arbitration claims in Latin America and Europe.

Office: 305-348-7595
Email: giguerre@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Gregory Miller
305-348-1118
grmiller@fiu.edu

Ofelia Riquezes Curiel 

Associate Director
Václav Havel Program for Human Rights & Democracy
Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs

Originally from Venezuela, Ofelia Riquezes Curiel is a lawyer with a master's degree in human rights, rule of law and democracy in Latin America (Universidad de Alcalá, Spain) and holds a Ph.D in ppolitical sscience from Universidad Simón Bolívar in Venezuela. Her research focuses on transitional justice processes in Latin America and international human rights law. 

Office: 305-348-7266
Email:  oriqueze@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Daniel Zayas
305-348-5360
dzayas@fiu.edu

Jerry Haar

Clinical Professor
International Business

Jerry Haar is a researcher and consultant specializing in economic and political risk analysis, strategic planning, and international management. He has advised multinational firms including ExxonMobil, IBM, Microsoft, KPMG, and Heineken, and has held senior policy and management roles with the federal government, including service as Special Assistant to two cabinet secretaries. Haar closely follows political and economic developments in Latin America, with particular expertise in Venezuela, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina.

Office: 305-348-2157
Email: haarj@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Michelle Lopez
305-348-7422
mplopez@fiu.edu

Tobias Pfutze 

Associate Professor, Graduate Director
Department of Economics
Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs

Tobias Pfutze is an applied microeconomist specializing in development economics, with a regional focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. His research examines international migration, social protection programs, and land rights, and has been published in leading journals in the field. Outside academia, he has worked as a senior economist and consultant at the World Bank, as well as in research and policy roles at the United Nations Development Programme and NORC at the University of Chicago. 

Office: 305-348-2381
Email:  tpfutze@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Daniel Zayas
305-348-5360
dzayas@fiu.edu

Contact us

For help contacting any of our experts, please contact the Office of Media Relations:

Media Relations
Madeline Baró
Senior Director of Media Relations
305-310-9665
mbaro@fiu.edu 

Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs
Daniel Zayas
Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing
305-348-5360
dzayas@fiu.edu

Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom
Megan Rocher
Communications Marketing and Event Manager
786-879-9796
megnunez@fiu.edu

Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs
Irene D. Ferradaz
Director, Marketing and Communications
305-348-5364
iferrada@fiu.edu 

College of Law
Gregory Miller
Director, Marketing and Communications
305-348-1118
grmiller@fiu.edu

College of Business 
Michelle Lopez
Assistant Director, Media Relations and Communications
305-348-7422
mplopez@fiu.edu

College of Engineering & Computing
Elizabeth Calzadilla
Director of Marketing and Communications
786-338-3346
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work
Jonathan Ruadez
Director of Marketing and Communications
305-348-4670
jruadezn@fiu.edu

College of Arts, Sciences, & Education
Michelle Arean
Communications Manager
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

The study focuses on 6PPD-Quinone (6PPD-Q), a toxic chemical formed when the tire additive 6PPD reacts with ozone in the atmosphere. The compound has been linked to fish deaths in other parts of the country and is drawing increasing concern among environmental scientists. 

In the study, published in Environmental Pollution, Kassidy Troxell, research assistant professor at FIU's Institute of Environment, and collaborators from FIU, Ocean Conservancy and the University of Florida created a highly sensitive analytical method capable of detecting 6PPD-Q at concentrations that may have previously gone unnoticed. Using the new approach, researchers documented the chemical in Florida waters for the first time and found that concentrations increased following rainfall events. 

"When we have the first big rain event, we get these big pulses of stormwater into our rivers and canals," Troxell said. "This can bring higher amounts of these chemicals into our waterways." 

Researchers collected water samples from the Hillsborough River over a 10-month period and detected 6PPD-Q in every sample analyzed. The highest concentrations were consistently found near urban stormwater outfalls in downtown Tampa. 

The findings also revealed a pattern known as "first flush," in which pollutant concentrations spike after rainfall following extended dry periods. The results suggest stormwater runoff from roads and highways may be an important pathway carrying tire-derived chemicals into Florida waterways. 

While scientists have previously been able to detect 6PPD-Q, existing methods often require extensive sample preparation and analysis. The FIU team's new approach reduces manual sample handling, lowers the risk of contamination and improves consistency, making routine environmental monitoring faster and more reliable. 

Researchers compared the concentrations found in the river to an EPA freshwater screening benchmark of 11 nanograms per liter for short-term exposure in aquatic species. During some storm events, concentrations approached or slightly exceeded that benchmark. 

Separate studies in the Pacific Northwest have linked 6PPD-Q to mass die-offs of coho salmon. Scientists are now working to better understand how the chemical behaves in Florida waterways and whether repeated stormwater runoff could pose risks to local aquatic species and broader ecosystem health. 

The study was published in Environmental Pollution. 

That risk is the focus of new research from Hadi Amini, associate professor at Florida International University's Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences. Together with graduate assistant Md Jueal Mia, he is studying how manipulated images can “jailbreak” certain AI systems, pushing them beyond their built-in safeguards.  

“AI models don't see images the same way humans do,” Amini said. “They see patterns of numbers and pixels. By carefully manipulating those pixels, we can influence how the AI interprets the image and responds.” 

The team's research demonstrated how small-language AI models – the kind frequently employed by small businesses to execute routine tasks like accounting or customer service – have become particularly susceptible to image-based hacks. As shown in research presented at the 2025 International Conference on Machine Learning and Applications (ICMLA), the team found that by introducing microscopic pixel-level changes called “perturbations” into an image, they could trick these AI systems into generating responses that they would normally block.  

“The manipulated image is like the face of a stranger,” Amini said. “The AI has to learn when a request should be treated with caution before it answers. In order to protect AI systems from attacks, we try to break them ourselves, identify potential vulnerabilities and design defense mechanisms.” 

The researchers then set out to probe the system’s defenses. The more successfully they penetrated the models’ guardrails, the more the systems could be trained to resist future threats. To do this, Amini and his team developed a method called JaiLIP (Jailbreaking with Loss-guided Image Perturbation), which uses an algorithm to determine the optimal degree of pixel-level manipulation.

In tests using BLIP-2, a multimodal AI model used by researchers and developers, Amini and his team found that images modified with JaiLIP significantly increased the likelihood that the system would generate harmful or unsafe responses. In one example, a JaiLIP-altered version of a stoplight tricked the AI model into  divulging detailed instructions on how to run the light while avoiding a traffic ticket. Overall, the use of JaiLIP images nearly doubled the number of harmful responses generated by AI models. 

The risk extends beyond users simply prompting AI systems for instructions on illegal activity. As businesses increasingly adopt AI-powered customer service agents, chatbots and automated workflows, vulnerabilities in open-source or lightly protected systems could negatively impact users’ trust or create new avenues for cyberattacks.

“Small businesses and companies can benefit from AI to enhance their efficiency, but they have to be aware of the potential vulnerabilities,” Amini said. “They must make sure they're deploying sufficient guardrails to maintain the safety and integrity of their AI tools.” 

Amini said there are some basic precautions that everyone should use before integrating AI into their business or workplace, including limiting the sensitive information they provide to AI systems (especially images), restricting who can access those systems and carefully evaluating the security measures built into AI tools before deployment.  

Because safety is paramount, Amini and his team are working to stay one step ahead of potential bad actors in the AI sphere. The more vulnerabilities he and his team can find, the quicker the AI will learn to repair them. The challenge, he said, is ensuring that AI can recognize threats hidden in plain sight — even when humans cannot. 

A board-certified pediatrician at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Kantor brings more than two decades of clinical, academic and community leadership to the role—continuing a longstanding commitment to serving the community that shaped her career.

"Miami is where I was born and raised and the community that shaped my values, inspired my career, and gave me every opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a physician,” said Kantor. “Serving as president of the Miami-Dade County Medical Association is my way of giving back to the city that invested in me."

Kantor’s connection to FIU spans from student to faculty. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1995 and now is part of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (FIU Medicine), where she teaches and serves as associate director of the pediatrics clerkship. Since joining the faculty in 2016, she has mentored more than 1,200 FIU medical students.

"Teaching and mentoring future physicians is one of the greatest privileges of my career because every student I help today will go on to care for thousands of patients tomorrow,” said Kantor. “If we want to improve the future of health care, we must invest in developing compassionate, knowledgeable physicians who will lead with excellence, integrity and a commitment to serving their communities."

Kantor earned her medical degree from the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, where she has cared for children and families for more than 20 years.

The MDCMA supports physicians across the community, helping them navigate the complexities of medical practice while promoting high standards in ethics, education and patient care. It also advocates for physicians and their patients, ensuring the doctor-patient relationship remains central to health care.

In addition to her role with MDCMA, Kantor serves on the MDCMA delegation to the Florida Medical Association (FMA) House of Delegates, the organization’s primary legislative and policy-making body representing physicians across the state.

As AI continues to reshape industries and spark critical conversations around innovation, access, and technology, FIU researchers are available to offer expert insight into what these changes mean for society. Experts across law, public health, hospitality, and tech are available to discuss topics including cybersecurity, AI-powered health tools, machine learning in industry, and the ethical and social implications of these rapidly evolving technologies. 

For help contacting any of our experts, please contact the Office of Media Relations:

• • AI Technology
  • Cybersecurity
  • Health
  • Law
  • Business
  • Hospitality

AI Technology

S.S. Iyengar

Director, FIU's U.S. Army-funded Center of Excellence in Digital Forensics
Distinguished University Professor, Ryder Professor of Computer Science
Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences
Engineering and Computing

S.S. Iyengar's work fuses intelligent systems, AI and high-performance algorithms to confront emerging computer science challenges and cybersecurity threats, including a recent quantum-safe encryption method his team developed to protect sensitive video from both conventional and quantum-era attacks. He was named a 2026 inductee into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame for his groundbreaking contributions to distributed sensor networks, artificial intelligence and intelligent systems. He is the co-inventor of the world-renowned Brooks-Iyengar Algorithm, now embedded in defense, telecommunications and computing systems. A Life Fellow of IEEE and Fellow of ACM, AAAS, the National Academy of Inventors, AIMBE and the Washington Academy of Sciences, he has published more than 600 peer-reviewed papers and 32 books, with an h-index of 68 placing him among the world's top 2% most-cited scientists. Iyengar can speak to how AI and intelligent systems are reshaping cybersecurity, the risks quantum computing poses to digital infrastructure and why organizations should prepare now.

Office:  305-348-3497
Email:  iyengar@cis.fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
David Drucker
954-401-3352
ddrucker@fiu.edu

Mark Finlayson

Associate Director, Research & Academic Affairs
Associate Professor
Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences
Engineering and Computing

Mark Finlayson is an associate professor of computer science at the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences at FIU, where he directs the Cognition, Language, and Culture Lab. His research sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, computational linguistics, and cognitive science, with a focus on how AI can detect disinformation campaigns that use narrative and storytelling to manipulate public opinion. He can speak to how AI tools are being trained to trace personas, decode cultural context, and identify coordinated influence campaigns on social media, as well as the broader capabilities and limitations of large language models like ChatGPT.

Office:  305-348-7988
Email:  markaf@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
David Drucker
954-401-3352
ddrucker@fiu.edu

Mustafa Ocal

Assistant Teaching Professor
Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences
Engineering and Computing

Mustafa Ocal is an assistant teaching professor in the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences and holds a doctorate and master's degree from Florida International University, with a focus on artificial intelligence and natural language processing. Throughout his doctoral studies, Ocal's research has centered on addressing core challenges in these domains, particularly in the realm of data science. His contributions have been recognized through the publication of numerous scientific articles at prestigious conferences and publishers, reflecting his expertise and impact. Notably, he also holds a U.S. patent for an artificial intelligence model of his own creation, demonstrating his innovative approach to problem-solving in the field. 

Office:  305-348-7940
Email:  mocal@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
David Drucker
954-401-3352
ddrucker@fiu.edu

Pouyan Esmaeil Zadeh

Director, MBA Business Analytics Program
Associate Professor
Information Systems and Business Analytics
College of Business

Pouyan Esmaeil Zadeh is an associate professor of information systems and business analytics at FIU Business and director of the MBA Business Analytics program. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, large language models, and digital health transformation, with particular expertise in how AI can improve healthcare delivery, patient safety, clinical workflows, health information exchange, patient engagement, and health data privacy. He also studies the adoption and impact of emerging technologies, including robotics, blockchain, virtual reality, AI-powered applications, NFTs, and the metaverse.

Office:  305-348-3302
Email:  pesmaeil@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Michelle Lopez
305-348-7422
mplopez@fiu.edu

Cybersecurity

M. Hadi Amini 

Associate Professor
Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences
Engineering and Computing

M. Hadi Amini is an associate professor at the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences at FIU and the founding director of the Sustainability, Optimization, and Learning for InterDependent networks laboratory (SOLIDLab). He earned his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and has secured more than $3.6 million in federal and state funding for his research on machine learning, optimization, and AI security. His work includes protecting AI systems against data poisoning, a type of cyberattack that secretly corrupts the data AI relies on to learn, tricking technologies like self-driving cars into making potentially deadly mistakes. He also studies how AI models can be jailbroken through manipulated images, making pixel-level changes invisible to humans but capable of pushing AI systems past their built-in safeguards to generate harmful responses.

Office:  305-348-9936
Email:  amini@cs.fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
David Drucker
954-401-3352
ddrucker@fiu.edu

Health

Christian Poellabauer

Associate Dean, Research & Graduate Studies
Professor
Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences
Engineering and Computing

Christian Poellabauer is an associate dean of the College of Engineering & Computing and a professor at the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences, where he directs the MOSAIC (Mobile Sensing and Analytics) Lab. His research uses AI and machine learning to analyze data from mobile devices and wearables to diagnose and monitor neurological and psychological conditions, including traumatic brain injuries, neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and mental health problems such as depression and PTSD. His lab also develops AI-driven solutions to monitor side and late effects of cancer treatment and tools to assist with treatment recommendations for cancer patients. Research in his lab has focused specifically on digital biomarkers that detect neurological and other health conditions through analysis of subtle changes in a person's voice that are imperceptible to the human ear but detectable by AI. He can speak to how AI is transforming the diagnosis and monitoring of brain injuries and neurological or psychological conditions.

Email: cpoellab@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
David Drucker
954-401-3352
ddrucker@fiu.edu

Fahad Saeed

Professor & Graduate Program Director
Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences
Engineering and Computing

Fahad Saeed is a professor and director of Graduate Studies at the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences at FIU, where he leads the Precision Computational Health and Biomedical Data Science Lab. His research combines advanced machine learning and domain knowledge to analyze massive brain datasets to uncover patterns that transform how doctors predict, diagnose, and treat complex brain conditions. Saeed’s work focuses on moving healthcare from reactive treatment to proactive prediction. By applying cutting-edge data science to neuroscience, he can speak to how AI is pushing the boundaries of how we study the human brain across a wide spectrum of disorders. 

Office:  305-348-3131
Email:  fsaeed@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
David Drucker
954-401-3352
ddrucker@fiu.edu

Pia Henfridsson

Assistant Director
Dietetics and Nutrition
Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work

Pia Henfridsson is an assistant professor in the Department of Dietetics & Nutrition at Florida International University's Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work. Her current research examines how artificial intelligence and digital health tools can deliver personalized, guideline-concordant nutrition support, with a focus on Type 2 diabetes, obesity and communities that have limited access to dietetic care. She leads studies comparing AI-generated nutrition advice with guidance authored by registered dietitians, including how both experts and everyday consumers judge that advice, and she is developing AI-powered nutrition assistants to help manage Type 2 diabetes and obesity among lower-income populations.  

Office:  305-348-3788
Email: pia.henfridsson@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Jonathan Ruadez
305-348-4670
jruadezn@fiu.edu

Law

Hannibal Travis

Professor
College of Law

Hannibal Travis is a professor of law and earned his J.D., after extensive study of intellectual property and Internet law, from Harvard Law School. Travis has published several books and articles on generative AI and copyright law, algorithmic censorship and curation of social media feeds, government targeting of online communication and dissent, the history of technological innovation and international intellectual property regimes, and human rights law as it affects participation in technological progress and online discourse.  

Office:  305-348-8371
Email: travish@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Gregory Miller
305-348-0577
grmiller@fiu.edu

Business

Joel Carnevale

Assistant Professor
Global Leadership and Management
College of Business

Joel Carnevale is an assistant professor of management in FIU Business’ department of Global Leadership and Management whose research examines the interpersonal dynamics that shape how people think, feel and behave at work. His work focuses on leadership, behavioral ethics and reputation, including how creative reputations are built, perceived and managed inside organizations. Carnevale’s recent research also explores how artificial intelligence may influence creative reputation — including how people evaluate, trust and respond to creative work when AI is involved. His research has been published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, the Journal of Management, the Journal of Business Ethics and the Journal of Organizational Behavior, and has drawn media attention from Bloomberg News, Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, Entrepreneur and TIME.

Office:  305-348-3635
Email: jcarneva@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Michelle Lopez
305-348-7422
mplopez@fiu.edu

Hospitality

Dale Gomez

Director of Information & Instructional Technology
Associate Teaching Professor, McKibbon ’75 Professorship in Hospitality Technology
Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Dale Gomez is a recognized leader in AI and hospitality technology, bringing together decades of experience in hospitality education, technology strategy, and industry collaboration. As an associate teaching professor and McKibbon ’75 Professor in Hospitality Technology at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, he develops and teaches courses focused on hospitality technology, analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Through his leadership with initiatives such as TIED @ The Bay and his work with industry partners, Gomez helps bridge the gap between emerging AI tools and practical hospitality applications, preparing professionals and students to use technology strategically, responsibly, and effectively.

Office:  305-919-4500
Email: gomezd@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Ivonne Yee-Amor
305-299-2091
iamor@fiu.edu

Contact us

For help contacting any of our experts, please contact the Office of Media Relations:

Media Relations
Madeline Baró
Senior Director of Media Relations
305-310-9665
mbaro@fiu.edu 

Brian Zimmerman 
Senior Media Relations Specialist
305-348-8448 
bzimmerm@fiu.edu

College of Engineering & Computing
David Drucker
Senior Account Manager, Marketing and Communications
305-348-2923
ddrucker@fiu.edu

College of Law
Gregory Miller
Director of Marketing and Communications
305-348-0577
grmiller@fiu.edu

College of Business 
Michelle Lopez
Assistant Director, Media Relations and Communications, Marketing and Communications
305-348-7422
mplopez@fiu.edu 

Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work 
Jonathan Ruadez
Director of Marketing and Communications
305-348-4903
jruadezn@fiu.edu 

Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Ivonne Yee-Amor
Director of Marketing and Communications
305-299-2091
iamor@fiu.edu

Researchers at FIU’s Center for Children and Families say the issue isn't a lack of interest.

"We keep hearing the same thing: moms and kids wanting fathers more involved," says Ali Giusto, assistant professor of psychology. "When we talk to the dads, they want the same thing. They just don't know where to start, and the systems that exist weren't built with them in mind."

Melissa Baralt, professor of applied psycholinguistics, studies how fathers influence children's language development, particularly in bilingual families. Working with collaborators Naja Ferjan Ramirez at the University of Washington and Ashley Darcy Mahoney of George Washington University and Baptist Health, Baralt helped conduct one of the first studies examining how Hispanic fathers communicate with their infants in everyday life.

The team found that fathers make unique contributions to their children's language environments and that those contributions are linked to infant language development.

"Children learn language through relationships," Baralt says. "While mothers have traditionally been the focus of early language research and intervention, fathers provide essential opportunities for conversation, play, storytelling and interaction."

Her research suggests fathers contribute in ways that complement mothers, rather than simply reinforcing what mothers are already doing.

One of the study's most interesting findings involved infant-directed speech, often called "parentese," the warm, engaging speaking style adults naturally use with babies. Researchers found that fathers who used more parentese had babies who vocalized more and engaged in more back-and-forth interactions.

"When fathers used the warm, engaging speaking style that naturally captures babies' attention, children responded with more communication of their own," Baralt says.

The team also found that fathers who knew more about language development were more likely to engage in language-rich interactions with their children.

While Baralt's work focuses on infancy, Gregory Fabiano, professor of psychology, studies how fathers influence children's development later in childhood.

To help engage fathers, Fabiano and his colleagues developed COACHES, a parenting intervention that uses father-child sports activities to teach positive parenting skills.

The program combines parenting instruction with soccer training. Fathers learn strategies such as how to recognize positive behavior and give effective instructions, then practice those skills during games with their children.

Studies have shown that fathers in COACHES use more positive praise, fewer critical comments and are more likely to stay engaged in treatment than participants in traditional parenting programs. Fabiano and his team have seen similar results in clinical, preschool and elementary school settings.

"Dads make unique contributions to child development, including in the development of speech and language, social skills and peer relationship skills, and academic achievement," Fabiano says. "Their positive role can also improve overall family functioning and reduce stress for other caregivers."

"Fathers are still under-emphasized and under-engaged in clinical work," he adds. "They are potentially a key, untapped resource."

Years after participating in the program, one father stopped Fabiano to share an update about his son.

"He said, 'Remember when you said we should focus on saying all those positive things to my son? It changed my life, it changed his life, it changed my whole family's life,'" Fabiano recalls.

Giusto's work focuses on another often-overlooked factor: fathers' own mental health.

In Kenya, her team developed LEAD, a five-session intervention delivered by peer fathers rather than clinicians. The program targets depression and alcohol use, both of which are linked to family conflict and children's mental health outcomes.

Fathers who completed the program were more than five times as likely not to drink on a given day in the month after treatment. Researchers also saw improvements in depression, family relationships and mental health outcomes for fathers, partners and children.

"What was especially encouraging was that 97% of fathers completed all five sessions," Giusto says. "In a setting where men rarely seek help at all, that kind of engagement matters."

Giusto and her team recently launched the South Florida Fathers Network Project, which will begin by simply listening to fathers and identifying where they already seek support before working with community partners to design programs that meet their needs.

"The core problem we keep coming back to is that fathers are largely absent from mental health and family support systems, even though their well-being has a direct impact on their kids," Giusto says.

The researchers approach fatherhood from different angles—language development, parenting and mental health—but they arrive at a similar conclusion: fathers want to be involved, and children benefit when they are.

Baralt hopes the research helps more fathers recognize that everyday interactions matter.

"We want every father to know that something as simple as talking, singing, telling stories and having conversations with their child can have a lasting impact on that child's development," she says.

"We need more father-friendly programming that acknowledges fathers' schedules, strengths and experiences," Baralt says. "We also need more research that recognizes fathers as central contributors to children's development rather than secondary participants."

Gabriel Gabor ’88 and Marisabel Muñoz ’02, graduates of FIU’s School of Communication within the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA), have spent decades helping tell the story of Major League Soccer’s growth. Now, as the global spotlight turns to the United States, Mexico and Canada, both are preparing to play important roles in a tournament that reflects the remarkable evolution of soccer across the region.

Gabor is an international communication executive at MLS. He says accepting his current role with FIFA represents a full-circle moment.

“This is my first FIFA World Cup, but I have worked two FIFA Club World Cups (Japan 2025 and USA 2025),” he said. “To be a FIFA World Cup Media Officer, you have to be selected by the FIFA media operations team. It’s an honor to get selected.”

Assigned to the Monterrey venue in Mexico, Gabor is helping oversee media operations throughout the tournament.

“So I went from a fan in 1994 to having a key role in 2026,” he said. “I moderate team news conferences, liaison with the teams’ media officers and support the overall media operations of the stadium, among other things.”

Muñoz is the senior vice president for communications at Major League Soccer and its commercial marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing. She has worked for MLS for nearly 25 years and views the current tournament as both a milestone and an opportunity.

“I’ve had the privilege of working on every FIFA World Cup cycle since 2002, and each tournament has represented an opportunity to learn, evolve and help accelerate the growth of our league and the sport across North America,” she said.

“What makes the 2026 World Cup especially significant is the opportunity to showcase how MLS has delivered on the promise of the 1994 World Cup, while ensuring that the momentum and global attention generated by the World Cup strengthens MLS for years to come.”

Muñoz also highlighted the cooperation between FIFA and MLS communications professionals leading up to the tournament.

“In addition to my role with MLS, I’m excited by the unprecedented level of collaboration between MLS and FIFA communications teams, built on long-term relationships and mutual respect,” she said. “I’m extremely proud of our team of professional communicators and media operations experts who have been called in as media officers, venue media managers and other key roles to deliver a world-class experience for media, teams and stakeholders.”

The pair's involvement in FIFA World Cup 2026 represents the latest chapter in careers shaped by FIU and built alongside the rise of professional soccer in North America.

CARTA foundation builds versatile communicators

For Gabor, the breadth of his CARTA education provided the foundation for a career in sports communications that has spanned nearly three decades.

“My journalism track was well-rounded as I got to learn about different disciplines, like video production, magazine editing, law and ethics and other elements of the communications spectrum that came in handy even at my very first job,” Gabor said. “These are skills I continue to use in my day-to-day work.”

Muñoz said her experience at FIU prepared her to thrive in a constantly evolving, high-pressure environment.

“My time at FIU laid the foundation for working in a fast-paced environment like Major League Soccer,” she said. “It taught me how to think creatively but also strategically, how to communicate clearly and adapt quickly, which is essential in sports where the news cycle never stops.”

Witnessing the evolution of Major League Soccer

Both alumni have seen MLS grow from its early days into a globally recognized league featuring international stars and expanding audiences.

Gabor began his MLS career in 1998 as head of communications for the former Miami Fusion, during a period when the league was still establishing its identity in North America.

“Strong storytelling and branding was not optional, it was a necessity,” Gabor said. “We had to share our narrative with media, fans, commercial partners and local authorities on a daily basis. At first, all we had was a story and a dream.”

In those early years, building interest in the sport required creativity. Gabor recalled experimenting with unconventional promotions designed to attract attention and fill stadiums, including postgame concerts featuring acts such as The Village People and Ziggy Marley.

One of his most memorable campaigns was “KC Dollar Night,” a midweek promotion tied to a match against the Kansas City Wizards. Fans who brought a one-dollar bill containing the letters “K” and “C” anywhere in its serial number could use it as admission.

“Back then, MLS was still finding its footing, so we had to be creative to earn media coverage and get fans into the stadium,” Gabor said.

The promotion drew hundreds of fans and even caught the attention of Lamar Hunt, the legendary sports entrepreneur and owner of the Kansas City Wizards.

“For a young communications executive, it felt like the godfather of sports marketing had personally given me his seal of approval,” Gabor said.

He also reflected on how dramatically the sport has evolved since the early days of MLS.

“Who would have thought that almost three decades later we would grow to be one of the top soccer leagues in the world, home of its greatest player, Leo Messi?” he said.

Gabor further noted the contrast between today’s landscape and the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

“The biggest difference is that in 1994 there was no first-division professional soccer league in the United States,” he said. “Soccer was still viewed as a foreign sport. In fact, Major League Soccer was created as part of FIFA’s requirement for the U.S. to host the 1994 World Cup.”

Today, MLS includes 30 clubs across the United States and Canada and has become one of the world’s leading soccer leagues.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would go on to spend more than 25 years working in MLS and eventually serve as a FIFA Media Officer at the next World Cup in the United States,” Gabor said. “It’s been quite a ride.”

Muñoz described the league’s evolution as “incomparable,” particularly in how it approaches storytelling and fan engagement.

“Today, MLS is a global property with world-class players, clubs, and infrastructure,” she said. “That growth has completely transformed how we approach storytelling, branding and fan engagement. We are building culture, connecting authentically with diverse audiences, and telling stories that resonate locally and globally.”

Fast-paced roles in a global sports organization

In their current roles, both alumni operate in dynamic environments that span domestic and international soccer properties.

“The best part of my job is that I don’t have a daily routine,” Gabor said. “In the international communications group at the league we work on both MLS and our international projects. On any given day, I might spend the morning working on the MLS All-Star Game and in the afternoon getting ready for a Mexico game at Chicago’s 60,000-seat Soldier Field.”

Throughout his career, Gabor has also worked on U.S. tours for some of the world’s most recognizable teams and national programs, including Argentina, Brazil, FC Barcelona and Manchester United.

Muñoz described her role as centered on strategy, collaboration and content development across the league’s clubs and partners.

“No two days are ever the same, which is part of what makes being a part of MLS so exciting while also being a big responsibility,” she said. “My role sits at the intersection of strategy, content and collaboration, working with our clubs, partners, and internal teams to help shape how the league shows up to media and fans.”

She also highlighted the significance of the 2026 World Cup 2026 being hosted across multiple MLS markets.

“Especially right now, as we gear up for the FIFA World Cup 2026 to be played across 13 MLS cities, there’s a real sense of momentum across the league,” she said.

Miami roots, global perspectives

Both alumni emphasized the importance of FIU’s the community and Miami’s global identity in shaping their professional perspectives.

Gabor said FIU’s multicultural environment provided a natural advantage for working in international sports communications.

“Attending a culturally diverse university like FIU provided me with a great base for my career path,” he said. “I can’t think of a job where my multicultural background and education was not a major asset.”

Muñoz also highlighted the connection between South Florida and the global game, noting the region’s increasing influence within MLS, saying, “South Florida has always been a gateway to the global game, and you see that reflected in the league today more than ever.”

She pointed to the rise of Inter Miami as “a perfect example of how that cultural connection can elevate a club and the league as a whole.”

Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver, executive director of the Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women, and a professor of journalism, remembers the alumni. “Marisabel Muñoz and Gabriel Gabor are consummate communications professionals,” she said. “I have watched their amazing careers and am so very proud of both of them for what they have achieved. Seeing them mentor the next generation of storytellers, they are indeed exceptional role models and represent us exceedingly well.”

Advice for FIU students

Both alumni encouraged current CARTA students interested in sports careers to focus on experience, adaptability and relationship-building.

Gabor advised students to pursue hands-on opportunities early.

“Intern and volunteer,” he said. “Just about every entry-level colleague at MLS Communications interned or volunteered with a professional or college sports team. And make sure you can write well.”

Muñoz emphasized curiosity and professional networking as key to long-term success.

“Stay curious and be adaptable,” she said. “The industry is constantly changing, so being open to learning and evolving is key. Also, don’t underestimate the value of relationships. Your network and your reputation matter. And finally, be willing to say ‘yes’ to opportunities.”

Dr. Roberto Lucchini is an occupational medicine specialist at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work who served as the director of the World Trade Center Data Center at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City from 2012 to 2020. He tracked the health of 60,000 first responders exposed to toxic dust and traumatic events. At FIU, he leads the World Trade Center Research Program, which focuses on the long-term health consequences experienced by the rescue and recovery workers who have relocated to Florida.

Lucchini answered questions about the health risks associated with the current fires.

Should people in the local area be concerned for their health?

Yes. We should not underestimate the potential health impact.

We’ve learned a lot from California and other places about wildfires, and the concern is about particles that travel through the air. The very small, ultrafine particles can go miles and miles with the wind. You don’t have to smell the fire or see it to be affected.

Somebody with asthma, COPD, anything like that, of course, can feel effects immediately.

There's also the concern about the long-term health impacts. For example, the nanoparticles are dangerous because not only can they penetrate lungs, but they can go through the nose directly into the brain, which can affect cognition years later.

Who should be most concerned?

Pregnant women, children, the elderly and those with chronic disease, especially respiratory conditions.

Then there are the workers, among them firefighters. As part of our program’s outreach to first responders, we have ongoing conversations with them about the value of protective gear. They have excellent respirators, and they wear them even in the heat. But apart from firefighters, you have all the construction workers, agricultural workers, people who work outside. They are exposed to these particles.

What kind of airborne chemicals are you most concerned about?

I don't know the exact source of this fire. If it is just the Everglades themselves burning, so a ‘natural’ fire [of burning wood, leaves and peat], the particles are combustion products such as gases and volatile organic compounds and ash, basically.

But if there is something else burning, like plastic, that’s really terrible as it would release a highly toxic mix of hazardous chemicals, heavy metals and particles whose fumes pose severe immediate and long-term health risks. But I don't think that is the case.

The heat index in South Florida is approaching 110 degrees. How might that affect the dangers associated with inhaling smoke and particulate matter?

High temperatures can enhance their toxicity and also increase their absorption by the body.

What does this mean for spectators and players in the stadium for World Cup matches, especially the game this weekend on Sunday?

I don't see them especially threatened. Of course, organizers absolutely are aware of what the problems can be, such as a higher-than-average incidence of asthma attacks [among fans]. Players cannot wear masks, of course, but the people in the stands can.

What suggestions do you have for folks throughout the region?

I would tell them to avoid going outside, especially if they have respiratory problems. Of course, if you must leave the home, you can get yourself a proper mask, the type that was suggested during Covid [N95]. Those are simple things one can do immediately.

I emphasize that awareness means we know about the risks, but we don't get crazy or anxious. That, I think, is right in terms of communicating what is happening right now.

So, to be clear, you're telling us to not throw away World Cup tickets but, in fact, do go to the games?

Yeah, absolutely.

It’s an energy-intensive strategy, but one that pays off for this critically endangered species, according to Institute of Environment research. As part of her Ph.D. research, Erin Spencer — working alongside world-renowned FIU shark ecologist Yannis Papastamatiou — tagged great hammerheads off Florida’s coast with special trackers equipped with video cameras, as well as speed and sonar sensors.

The data helped build computer models comparing the energetic costs and rewards of different prey. The findings, published in Oecologia, were striking: When food is scarce, catching a single 55-pound blacktip shark about every three weeks can sustain a 250-pound hammerhead for up to two months.

Mosquitoes are best known for transmitting viruses like dengue, malaria and yellow fever. In a global study of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, scientists uncovered dozens of viruses actively infecting mosquitoes across the Americas, Africa and Asia. Together, these viruses form a kind of internal ecosystem where they coexist and interact. In some cases, the viruses are competing, according to study coauthor Matthew DeGennaro, a neurogeneticist in FIU’s Department of Biological Sciences and director of the Biomolecular Sciences Institute. This hidden world of viruses can trigger a process known as RNA interference where the mosquito’s natural immunity kicks in to reduce virus replication.

“I was happy to contribute mosquito samples from our field collections,” DeGennaro said. “Miami is a gateway for vector-borne disease, and understanding how Aedes aegypti mosquitoes manage viral infections is crucial.”

Some viruses appear to persist quietly across generations, passed from one mosquito to the next. Others vary by region, creating distinct viral signatures in mosquito populations around the world. These differences could help explain why outbreaks are difficult to predict and why the same disease does not spread the same way everywhere.

“We have been working to understand mosquito infestation seasonal dynamics and disease risk in Miami-Dade County, and it is exciting that our samples also contributed to the discovery of viruses that persist within mosquito populations,” said Andre Costa-da-Silva, FIU research assistant professor and co-author of the study.

The findings are changing how scientists understand mosquito-borne disease. Rather than viewing mosquitoes as simple carriers, the study suggests their internal viral ecosystems play an active role in shaping disease dynamics. That insight could open the door to new strategies for controlling outbreaks not just by targeting mosquitoes themselves, but by better understanding the RNA landscape inside them. As warmer temperatures expand mosquito habitats into new regions, this knowledge is increasingly important. 

To prevent the next outbreak, it may be more important to track the mosquito’s own immune responses rather than the immune responses of people.

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animals on the planet, killing hundreds of thousands of people every year through the spread of disease. Neurogeneticist Matthew DeGennaro is on the hunt for a lifesaving perfume. 

He’s the first scientist to make a mutant mosquito — a game-changing tool in researching mosquito behavior. Secured in his Tropical Genetics Lab, DeGennaro relies on his mutants to help answer globally critical questions like how mosquitoes find people. Because he can’t ask a mosquito, he removes a single gene to create a mutant and then observes its behavior. In 2019, DeGennaro unleashed a new era in mosquito prevention research when he, with the help of his students, identified the olfactory receptor mosquitoes rely on to detect people. His focus has now shifted to finding a scent to disrupt that receptor.

DeGennaro’s research has provided other key insights including what goes into a mosquito’s decision of where to lay eggs and natural odors that could keep mosquitoes at bay. The research has been supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and U.S. Department of Defense. DeGennaro has been an investigator of the CDC-sponsored Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-borne Disease since its inception. His growing understanding of mosquito behavior could someday help end the global scourge of mosquito-borne diseases.

Female mosquitoes want every night to be girls night, but not everyone is invited.

When female mosquitoes feed, they don’t seem to mind a crowd because lots of carbon dioxide usually means there’s food. They were thought to be more solitary, however, when laying eggs. New research has revealed quite the opposite for the deadly Aedes aegypti. While they do avoid large crowds, the female mosquitoes appear to follow other females and congregate in smaller groups when laying eggs. This new finding, published recently in Communications Biology, has scientists rethinking the possibilities for mosquito control.

“What we’ve found is mosquitoes are working together to control their density,” said FIU biologist Matthew DeGennaro, co-author of the study and director of the FIU Biomolecular Sciences Institute. “If there’s too many, there could be a resource issue. But having some clustering likely provides benefits for the survival of their young.”

The researchers say female mosquitoes use a balance of smells to decide where to lay eggs. Some smells attract them to lay eggs, while others make them want to avoid laying eggs. Through a series of lab tests, DeGennaro and his team observed female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes avoiding areas with high amounts of carbon dioxide, likely because lots of CO₂ means a large crowd. When the egg-laying females detected smaller clusters of females with eggs or young mosquitoes, again relying on their sense of smell, they moved in. 

“It’s like female mosquitoes are going to an exclusive pool party,” said FIU biologist Andre Luis Costa-da-Silva, lead author of the study. “They don’t want too many or too few guests.”

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes love urban habitats and can lay in tiny containers that litter our neighborhoods. This makes finding breeding sites difficult. This new understanding of how mosquitoes decide where to lay eggs could also lead to entirely new ways of controlling mosquito populations to reduce the spread of diseases they carry.

“We’ve discovered a new behavior. Now we are exploring how we can use this to control the choices mosquitoes’ make,” DeGennaro said. “We don’t want mosquitoes throwing their baby showers just anywhere.”

The secret of the world’s deadliest animal’s reproductive success could lead to fewer baby mosquitoes. That could mean improved pest control.

FIU Biomolecular Sciences Institute researchers collaborated with an international team to study juvenile hormone, a molecule that regulates development, reproduction and behavior in insects. They produced genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes — carriers of deadly diseases including yellow fever, dengue and zika — that cannot make juvenile hormone. The mutants could still mate and have babies. Just not as many as their juvenile hormone-producing counterparts. The researchers say greater understanding of hormone action could unleash a new generation of mosquito control tools.

“It’s essential to understand why juvenile hormone is so important, so we can use this information to control insects and pests in a better way,” said FIU biological sciences Professor Fernando G. Noriega, the study’s corresponding author.

All insects — from bees and butterflies to mosquitoes — produce the hormone in question. It plays a critical role in their development, controls different functions and dictates certain behaviors. It helps mosquito larvae to complete metamorphosis into an adult when they’re ready. It functions similar to the hormones people rely on for puberty and to reach sexual maturity. 

Mosquitoes and their distant relatives — crabs and lobsters — both have methyl farnesoate (MF). In crustaceans, MF regulates reproduction. Insects have the ability to turn MF into juvenile hormone, giving them an evolutionary reproductive advantage in producing more and more offspring. 

The team of biologists and chemists —  including FIU’s Noriega, Marcela Nouzova, Francisco Fernandez Lima and Matthew DeGennaro — worked together to take the mosquitos back in time, where it was as if they never evolved to produce juvenile hormone at all. 

Nouzova is the lead author of the study and the mastermind behind this project. She designed the experiments and led the genome editing process, creating the mutant mosquitoes for the experiments.

“In order to explore the evolutionary significance of the two hormones, we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis to generate Aedes aegypti mosquitoes lacking the enzymes needed to catalyze the synthesis of either juvenile hormone or both methyl farnesoate and juvenile hormone,” Nouzova said.

While the mutants that only had MF successfully reached adulthood, they were lacking in reproductive competence. They couldn’t keep up with the stronger, non-mutant males. The mutant females also were affected. Normally, a female can lay up to 100 eggs after mating. In their short lifespan, they can lay three different sets, amounting to hundreds of eggs. The mutants, though, laid 50 percent fewer eggs. 

The other mutants lost the ability to make MF completely. They died as a larva and never reached adulthood_. This means juvenile hormone is a master regulator of mosquito reproduction, DeGennaro said.

This information about mosquito reproduction biology can help control populations of insects we want less of, like mosquitoes. It can also help us improve reproduction success and boost the populations of insects we need more of. 

The findings were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

Ayleen Barbel Fattal and Chrystian Tejedor contributed to this story. 

Now, AI models like ChatGPT and Claude use it as a common connector, standing in the place of commas and semicolons to string together phrases of all kinds.

Grammatically, it's fine. Aesthetically, it's nice. But audiences are becoming wary of its association with artificial intelligence, so much so that in May, social media users swarmed Nike with accusations of using AI when the company deployed the dash in a post celebrating tennis star Jannik Sinner. 

Jannik Sinner can do it all. 6 consecutive titles, a career Golden Masters, and a new record set on home soil. This isn't just history — it's his story in the making. pic.twitter.com/ccPdjJbbjL

— Nike (@Nike) May 17, 2026

With all this hostility, why does AI continue to use the em dash prolifically?

FIU News sat down with AI researcher Mustafa Ocal to better understand why AI loves the em dash in 2026.

Ocal is an assistant teaching professor at the university's Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences. With a master's degree and Ph.D. in computer science from FIU, he is an expert in detecting language that was generated by AI, with a focus on screening resumes for AI-written text.

Why does AI use so many em dashes?

So how does that lead to the proliferation of em dashes?

AI models are trying to give you the highest quality responses, and they think phrases with em dashes in them are high quality.

During the training of a model, engineers assign scores to different sources of data. That way, the AI can learn what kind of data it should value most.

For example, a celebrated novelist's work might get graded a 10 out of 10. A college student's blog post could get a 3, while a professor's writing gets an 8.

We see the em dash in AI writing today because the great authors and journalists whose work receives 10 out of 10s use em dashes constantly. It's their style.

That's why actual writers are frustrated right now. They're saying, "I've always used em dashes. AI copied me, not the other way around." And they're right.

But great writers use em dashes sparingly, as a dramatic break or for emphasis. Why does AI go overboard?

Remember, AI doesn't think. It's not writing the way humans do. Instead, it's predicting which nugget of text should go next, one at a time. We call these words and pieces of text "tokens."

As AI writes something token-by-token, it references its training data. Many of the highest-quality tokens from this training data contain the em dash. And so, piece by piece, AI creates a paragraph full of em dashes.

Aren't models trained to respond with some variety though?

Of course. Models follow a process called sampling, where they pick their next words by choosing from a set of likely options. ChatGPT won't give 50 people in the same room the same answer to a question as long as it's not a one-word answer or something."

But sampling doesn't stop AI from using em dashes. As AI responds token-by-token, it chooses randomly from those high-scoring options. Regardless of which path the model takes, it keeps ending up at em dashes because so many of the 10-out-of-10 options have them. There are just too many em dashes in the pool of high-quality tokens for them to be avoided.

Have the companies tried to tone it down?

They've started to. OpenAI recently made its models better at obeying 'no em dash' instructions. But the default behavior hasn't changed much because the underlying training data hasn't.

When you forbid the em dash, you're pushing the model away from the phrasings it considers most probable to go next, the most polished ones. You don't lock the model out of all its best material, but the writing can come out a bit flatter.

Consider this, too. This is just my theory: In today's age, might the em dash be a kind of watermark for the AI companies? When you and I see it, we wonder if what we're reading was written by AI. What I wonder is: Why wouldn't they want it known that their products are popular?

If someone wants to use AI for writing, but doesn't want the "AI-isms," what's the simplest fix?

You could tell it to write like a human. I see a lot of people doing that.

What else screams "AI writing" to you?

When someone writes "delve into." I have never heard a person say that they were going to "delve into something" in normal conversation. But it's in the high-quality source material, so AI uses it constantly.

The models lean on a whole family of sophisticated-sounding words and openers: "in the realm of," "a myriad of," "nuanced," "intricate," "robust." These appear constantly in the high-scoring source material, so the models reproduce them at rates that almost no human writer would.

Final take on the em dash: Do you like it or not?

I don't use it. But I have a colleague who does. He tells me, "I'm not going to stop my writing style just because AI exists."

What I hate is that there's now a very thin line between a good writer and the AI. And this em dash thing is one of the things ruining that line. 

From communications and media relations to marketing and fan engagement, Panthers are contributing their talents to top organizations connected to the tournament and playing a pivotal role in covering the World Cup. Their work reflects not only the growing influence of Miami on the global soccer stage, but also FIU's role in preparing professionals to thrive in fast-paced, international industries — and particularly at the juncture of communications, journalism, sports and entertainment.

For many of these Panthers, the journey to the World Cup began in classrooms, studios and internships at FIU's College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA). Learn about a few CARTA students and alumni who are telling the story of the World Cup. 

Following the story and building connections

Storytelling plays a critical role in connecting fans to the tournament. Through communications, content creation and brand development, alumni are on the story. 

Alumnus Jesus Arreaza is an associate producer at Telemundo. He contributes to the ecosystem surrounding the tournament. As the World Cup approaches, many top networks are looking towards continuous coverage to help ensure that fans, stakeholders and media audiences remain informed and engaged. Telemundo will be offering Siguiendo, a special programming meant for FIFA World Cup fans that don’t want to miss a second of the excitement.

Arreaza will be spearheading the graphics and content for this program. "It’s important to know that you’re working when the matches are on, but the action never stops. So my job never stops, but it’s exciting.”

Mariangel Flores, Abraham Mendoza and Isabel Brime are also among the alumni helping connect fans with the World Cup through their respective roles in sports, marketing and event-related organizations.

Whether supporting campaigns, cultivating relationships or developing strategies that bring fans closer to the action, their work contributes to the broader experience surrounding the tournament.

Flores, a digital web producer at Telemundo Deportes, says, "having the opportunity to contribute to coverage of one of the world's biggest sporting events is especially meaningful as someone who grew up passionate about sports and storytelling.”

Also at Telemundo, Mendoza is working his second FIFA World Cup as a livestream producer. "Being able to say that I have now worked through two FIFA World Cups at 27 years old makes me feel incredibly proud and grateful," Mendoza says. 

Brime, who is serving as a starting lineup volunteer with FIFA World Cup, said her experience in the FIU BOLD Agency as a student helped her stand out from the crowd.

"Due to my communications experience and passion, I was able to be assigned to the highly coveted media relations role, where I will get to assist with media access control, crowd management and event logistics, ensuring a seamless and professional experience for journalists, photographers and tournament stakeholders,” explains Brime.

For alumna Daniela Rios, being a part of this global soccer movement is not only hard to believe, but a testament that hard work pays off. "I’ll soon be serving as a production manager for a major international broadcast company that I can’t publicly name just yet, and receiving my FIFA accreditation email was one of those surreal moments that reminded me to trust the process," she says. "You never know who’s watching your work ethic.”

The next generation of sports professionals

Current students are also gaining valuable communications experiences.

School of Communication student Isabella Frias is among those contributing to World Cup-related initiatives while working as a digital web producer for Telemundo Deportes, supporting digital operations and content production.

A sneak peak into a day in her life? “No two days are exactly the same, which is one the most exciting aspects of working in sports media,” she states. Instead, she proudly shares that most of the consumer-facing content available on the Telemundo app is a product of her doing.

"When you open the Telemundo app and see the "EN VIVO" label next to a match or show, there’s a good chance I helped make that happen,” she says. “Throughout the day, I help publish game highlights, goals, breaking news and clips across the Telemundo Deportes YouTube, the website and the app.”

The work of these Panthers serves as a reminder that while the world's attention may be fixed on the pitch, the communicators who help share the stories, content and news about the FIFA World Cup are a crucial aspect of the experience.

For these alumni and student communicators, working the World Cup makes them feel like they already reached "the goal."

The scale is unlike anything FIFA has ever attempted before: more teams (48), more matches (104), more days (39), more host cities (16) and more host countries (3): United States, Mexico and Canada.

To understand what it takes to pull that off, both broadly and specifically in the Miami area, FIU News spoke with two logistics engineering experts at the College of Engineering & Computing: Hossein “Zane” Tavana and Oscar Saenz. 

In addition to research, the two teach students courses as part of master's in logistics engineering program, which covers how to design, optimize and manage supply chain networks using advanced engineering principles, data analytics and artificial intelligence.

Q: What makes the logistics of the 2026 World Cup unique?

Tavana: There really has never been anything like this before. Even the Olympics are held basically in one city, although there could be different sites. With this World Cup, you have teams and fans moving not only between cities but between countries. This is the most geographically dispersed sporting event in history.

Miami is a hub that attracts people from all over the world, especially Latin America. Our airports and roads are already near capacity, and we have limited public transportation. Fans could have immigration or visa issues. There are numerous concerns.

Q: How do planners use data to prepare for something this unpredictable?

Tavana: The World Cup is not a repeating event, like daily traffic, a firm’s sales or demand for a product, which can be observed continuously. The World Cup is a special event held every four years and for that reason, traditional forecasting methods cannot be used.

However, a planner should use similar events and make adjustments that consider the special characteristics of the event in question. Because of all the unknown factors, forecasting for an event like the World Cup has high variability. Therefore, planners usually try to be prepared for the worst-case scenarios to reduce the likelihood of system breakdown.

Q: Given that Miami’s transportation infrastructure is already under pressure on a normal day, how can the county manage the added strain?

Tavana: The event stadium is not in downtown, which has its negatives and positives. On the positive side, we won't see the congestion typical of a downtown area. On the negative, there is limited public transportation to the stadium, as it is further from the city center. The county will offer a shuttle feeder system to reduce the number of vehicles on roadways and to alleviate parking issues that can occur. Fans will have the option of getting to the games using feeder systems by taking, for instance, the Brightline, ride shares or taxis, or by parking in designated parking lots off site and boarding a free shuttle to the venue. Many will also opt for the ride-share services from their origin. In addition to the law enforcement personnel on the ground, there are  city, county and state traffic management centers that work together to handle everything from controlling traffic signals to utilizing variable message signs, communicating live traffic conditions and guiding travelers on the roads.

Q: Beyond transportation, what does the full scope of coordination look like for an event like this?

Saenz: You are looking at lodging, rental cars, restaurants and entertainment. Because of the demand, there have been some unique partnerships, including between FIFA and Airbnb, which worked together months in advance to add more Miami-area hosts. This type of planning for extra capacity is called aggregate planning, which is about increasing capacity in the short term. A few well-known aggregate planning strategies include scheduling extra shifts, hiring temporary workers and subcontracting or outsourcing work.

There’s also the need for additional emergency and medical-related services. Fire-rescue and EMS are working with other agencies around the stadiums to ensure safety. That requires a level of planning and integration management that takes into account time management, costs, quality, resources, communications and procurement and stakeholder management.

Q: What data sources do planners practically have to work with ahead of the tournament?

Saenz: There is some data available to help with forecasting such as advance ticket sales, stadium capacity and hotel reservations. Planners can also review historical data such as food and beverage stocked at previous World Cup games.

Q: How does the master's in logistics engineering in the College of Engineering & Computing prepare students to manage projects of this scale?

Saenz: It emphasizes the complexity of managing thousands of activities with hundreds of stakeholders and tens of thousands of customers. We talk about what it takes to run ports, airports, large-scale events, government infrastructure. Our students can see the big picture and are equipped to analyze the data and apply data-driven decision making using advanced statistical models, even down to the study of queues and waiting times. It’s not only about preventing or detecting problems, but also making improvements. We teach analytical methods for inventory management, scheduling, project planning, supply chain, predictive analysis and forecasting.

Helping to ensure all that comes true: 33-year-old Tomas Alcala, who has ridden a bachelor’s degree from FIU, formative experiences during his undergraduate career and innate talent and affability to serve as a right hand for the mayor of Miami-Dade County.  

And by all accounts, he’s crushing it.

“Tomas has done an outstanding job helping lead our preparations for the FIFA World Cup,” says Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of her deputy chief of staff. “An event of this scale demands constant coordination across agencies, partners and stakeholders. Through it all, he has been a steady presence, helping keep the work on track and focused on delivering a successful tournament for our community.

“What I appreciate most about Tomas is that he is thoughtful, hardworking and deeply committed to this community. He doesn't seek recognition or attention, but he has earned the respect of colleagues and partners across Miami-Dade because of the way he approaches his work and treats people. I'm grateful to have him on our team.”

24/7 responsibilities

The 2015 alumnus, who has spent time on election campaigns and as a legislative aide in Tallahassee, describes himself as something of a homebody. When not playing the rare game of golf or pickup basketball, he prefers evenings with his fiancée, family and friends over the privileges that come with working for the most powerful woman in South Florida.

One shocking example makes that crystal clear.  

In April, Alcala opted not to join his boss on a Sunday night to meet soccer superstar Lionel Messi before an InterMiami match at which she presented a proclamation in honor of the club’s brand-new stadium.

“I had the opportunity to go with her,” he recalls of a vaunted invitation that he turned down after a full schedule of work activities, “but I had such a long day that I said, ‘I just can’t.’”

Alcala’s “regular” job has him “dealing with 34 municipalities, the state government and even the federal government on issues of mutual concern and interest” on behalf of the county.

He also takes on special projects, the largest of which has him managing public services and infrastructure aspects around the biggest event ever hosted by Miami-Dade: seven planned international FIFA soccer matches that many have likened to putting on seven NFL Super Bowls in the span of just over a month.

Choosing a football metaphor over a fútbol one, Alcala calls himself “kind of the quarterback.”

He leads biweekly meetings that gather the heads of every department as well as collaborating organizations with a role in the massive undertaking – among them the sheriff’s office, fire rescue, transportation, management and budget, the local host committee and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau – to confirm that all is moving at pace and identify challenges as they arise. The group discusses potential solutions and next steps, but the big issues, particularly ones involving funding, are routed to the top.

“It is my charge to present the mayor with information and offer recommendations,” he says. “And more often than not, I find myself grateful that she tends to agree with the recommendations that I set forth.”

A solid foundation 

Alcala arrived in the mayor’s office well-equipped by the university. 

“I have such a big place in my heart for FIU,” he says. “It shaped who I am today.” 

In addition to a strong group of friends, he remembers “the faculty who just poured so much into their students” and the mentors who opened his eyes to possibilities that proved transformational. 

The one-time communications major who minored in political science thanks now-retired Vice President of Student Affairs Larry Lunsford for encouraging his involvement in student government, where Alcala rose to president of the senate. 

And he credits an internship-turned-full-time job at FIU’s office in Washington, D.C., for preparing him for his current role. In the nation’s capital, he advocated for the university’s research priorities to elected officials and agency heads and learned to “communicate very complex information before our federal government and basically being able to communicate that in layman’s terms.” 

Michelle Palacio, FIU’s senior vice president for marketing and strategic communications and the university’s chief marketing and communication officer, remembers Alcala well from her days overseeing government relations.

“Tommy was one of the best interns we ever had,” she recalls of someone who likewise remains highly regarded by several other FIU administrators. “Hard working, smart, curious, a problem solver. He has a very high EQ.”

Alcala now brings the same energy and dedication to championing the interests of 2.8 million residents. 

As yet unsure if he will attend any of the local World Cup matches, he explains that such a benefit would pale in comparison to what he values most. 

“For me, the biggest thing is the caliber of people that you get exposed to by virtue of being side by side with our Madam Mayor,” he says of a leader he calls “as principled and diligent as they come.”  

“The biggest perk for me is the rooms that you're able to enter.”  

Which has everyone else asking: If Argentina makes it to the knockout round and ends up playing in Miami, would you then be willing to get yourself to the stadium to finally meet Messi?

"It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance for my team's work," says Sarwat, a distinguished university professor and chair of the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at FIU's College of Engineering & Computing.

"The two things that play so importantly in decision-making for major companies are a continuous, reliable supply of electricity and a highly trained young generation. I'm proud to say that FIU is making major contributions to both."

Sarwat and his Energy, Power & Sustainability-Intelligence (EPSi) lab have spent years turning FIU's Engineering Center into a living laboratory for the grid technologies powering South Florida's future. Leveraging a large solar array and smart microgrid on campus, his team develops AI-based control systems under real operational conditions, advancing grid reliability, resilience and efficiency. The lab's core research areas includes federated learning, agentic AI, wireless power transfer (WPT) and advanced applications for microgrids and distributed energy resources.

More than 80 documented EPSi graduates have gone on to careers at Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) alone, trained on the same industrial-grade systems they would operate in the field.

The study, published in Science Advances, reveals that the physical remains of foundation species — plants and animals that shape entire ecosystems — continue to influence the environment long after death. This includes the iconic mangroves that help shape the Florida Everglades. The research is especially important as extreme events like hurricanes, heatwaves, wildfires, and droughts often leave substantial amounts of dead material in their wake.

“We found that the material that remains from dead plants and animals can assist in the resilience and adaptations of individuals from the same and similar species,” said FIU biologist John Kominoski, principal investigator of the Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research Program in the FIU Institute of Environment and co-author of the study.

Researchers analyzed long-term data from 10 ecosystems across the United States and French Polynesia, ranging from mangrove forests in South Florida to grasslands out west, oyster reefs on the east coast and the coral reefs of Moorea. In nearly every case, the remains of dead organisms played a significant role in how well new life grew, survived or recovered from environmental challenges.

Sometimes, those remains acted as a boost. For example, dead oyster shells provided a surface for new oysters to grow. Fallen trees helped young plants establish. In the case of the Everglades, dead and damaged mangroves helped living mangroves grow more roots following hurricanes. The scientists suggest this may be a result of the dead plant material adding nutrients back into the ground.

The findings highlight a concept scientists call “ecological memory.” This is the idea that ecosystems are shaped not just by what is alive today but also by what came before. Until now, the role of dead material in that process has been largely overlooked, Kominoski said. Only one of the 10 ecosystems studied — the kelp forests off the coast of California — exhibited no significant impact from dead material.

The research team, led by ecologist Kai L. Kopecky from the University of Colorado Boulder, found the post-death effects for the other nine sites were not subtle. In some cases, dead material increased growth 12-fold.

“The most striking takeaway is not the effect of any particular dead organism within its respective ecosystem, but how commonly and strongly the dead influence the living,” Kopecky said. “This demonstrates that dead organisms are not necessarily passive debris within their environments, but can be active components that shape how and whether ecosystems recover.”

The effects were not all positive. In some cases, dead materials hindered growth or recovery — blocking sunlight, damaging new growth or giving an advantage to competing species.

Just like the loss of species can have enduring effects on how ecosystems function and recover, so too can the loss of a species’ decomposing remains, the researchers said. With increasing frequency and intensity of extreme events, the scientists say it is likely that species will experience higher rates of mortality. Because of this, they say it is critically important to improve understanding of how their decomposition impacts different ecosystems.

“As disturbances become more frequent and severe, we’re going to see more of these legacy effects,” Kominoski said. “Understanding them could help us better manage and restore ecosystems.”

All the U.S. sites in the study are part of the U.S. Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER) — an investment by the U.S. National Science Foundation to understand the long-term dynamics of ecosystems. FIU is home to the Florida Coastal Everglades LTER and is a partnering university with the Luquillo LTER in Puerto Rico. 

Florida International University (FIU) has secured a $6.375 million renewal from the National Science Foundation for the Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research (FCE LTER) program.

The six-year renewal is the fifth in the program’s history, which has been conducted in lock-step with the congressionally authorized Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan since that was first initiated 25 years ago. In addition to the long-term research that will continue, the program will expand its focus to integrate more community voices into the research, including the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, farmers, economists, business leaders and policymakers, according to John Kominoski, principal investigator of the FCE-LTER and researcher in the FIU Institute of Environment.

The goal is to better understand how Everglades restoration impacts the livelihoods of local communities and to use long-term data to help people and nature adapt and thrive together. The program seeks to connect South Floridians to the ecosystem they depend on, from real estate values tied to water quality to the protection of food systems.

“We will bring people together to figure out how we can all grow together in South Florida,” said Kominoski, who is also an FIU professor of biological sciences. “Our past work has focused on how Everglades ecosystems stay above the fresh and marine water they receive. We want to bring that concept to the public and policy-makers so we can all thrive.”

The FCE-LTER is part of the National Science Foundation’s Long Term Ecological Research program which provides much-needed insight for complex ecological systems through observations and experiments — insight that can’t be obtained from short-term research. Housed at FIU, more than 245 scientists from 78 different institutions have contributed to the research including 147 researchers and staff from FIU.

“At FIU, our researchers are focused on providing the science needed to keep ecosystems healthy along with economies and communities thriving,” said Mike Heithaus, FIU vice provost of environmental resilience and executive dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education. “The Everglades provides South Florida with clean drinking water and remains one of the world’s most amazing natural places.  While our faculty, staff and students are working to understand how the Everglades and all its species function, they are also working with the public, government and all interested parties to provide the information needed to manage this incredible resource.”

In addition to the expanded community collaboration, the scientists will also conduct research on legacy impacts from disturbances that remain in the environment for long periods of time.

“Because the system is ever-changing, the need for data to best manage and adapt to coastal changes is very critical to sustaining coastal communities,” Kominoski said.

The Everglades is a unique, interconnected ecosystem vital for biodiversity, a habitat for rare species and offers important functions including water filtration and flood control. It’s also a popular destination, supporting Florida’s tourism industry. However, the Everglades has been heavily impacted by human development and water management, leading to habitat loss, reduced water quality and reduced water flows.

“The continued renewal of FCE funding is an attestation to FIU's role, along with our collaborators, in providing the underlying Everglades ecosystem restoration science,” said Todd Crowl, director of FIU’s Institute of Environment. “This science is necessary to fully recover and ultimately conserve this globally recognized, iconic coastal wetland.”

Everglades restoration – the world’s largest such effort – largely focuses on improving the quality, quantity, timing and distribution of water from Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee flowing south to Florida Bay. For decades, FIU scientists in collaboration with scientists from other universities, as well as local, state and federal agencies and organizations, have provided much-needed data to inform restoration and support the long-term health of this iconic yet imperiled ecosystem.

Everglades restoration is doing more than saving the Everglades — it’s also helping make South Florida more resilient.

Wetlands in southern Florida are playing a growing role in climate resilience and contributing to net greenhouse gas reduction, but the benefits are conditional and uneven across landscapes. The benefits are also vulnerable to hurricanes, sea level rise and other environmental pressures, according to a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by a collaborative team of scientists including several from FIU.

The research shows that restored wetlands across South Florida remove about 14 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, which is equivalent to around 10 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted by Florida’s transportation sector. During the same time, methane emissions —  a greenhouse gas produced by microbes in oxygen-poor soils — increased in some areas, offsetting some of the climate gains. However, the study shows carbon dioxide removal increased at roughly twice the rate of methane emissions, resulting in an 18 percent net increase in total greenhouse gas removal across the region. The study provides the most comprehensive picture to date of how freshwater marshes and coastal mangroves respond to restoration, water management and climate stressors along a gradient from inland wetlands to the coast.

“Everglades wetlands are globally important sinks of carbon, and the regional network of Ameriflux towers used in this study represents a rare and vital infrastructure that made this study, and the knowledge gained from it, possible”, said John Kominoski, FIU professor, researcher in the Institute of Environment and principal investigator of the federally supported Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research program.

Ameriflux is a network of monitoring sites measuring carbon dioxide, water and energy fluxes throughout the Americas. Scientists set out to quantify how southern Florida’s wetlands are responding to restoration efforts and intensifying environmental pressures, including hurricanes and sea-level rise. They started with 2004 Ameriflux tower data and employed machine learning techniques to merge aircraft observations of greenhouse gas fluxes with 23 years of satellite data. This allowed them to reconstruct daily changes in carbon uptake across the region.

The study also reveals how geography and disturbance shape wetland performance. Increases in carbon dioxide uptake were strongest in water management units closer to the coast, while inland areas showed larger increases in methane emissions. Mangrove forests, while highly effective at storing carbon, proved particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. Following major storm events, mangroves experienced sharp declines in carbon uptake and required four to five years to recover to pre-hurricane levels.

By combining long-term observations with cutting-edge measurement techniques, the research offers a rare historical and geographic perspective on the role of wetlands in climate mitigation. The findings can help guide future restoration and water management strategies as communities seek nature-based solutions for more resilient communities.

The study was conducted by an interdisciplinary team of scientists from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, FIU, the University of Maryland, Yale University, East Carolina University and the University of Alabama.

Do you know where your drinking water comes from?

In South Florida, drinking water comes from the Everglades, a vast landscape of wetlands that has long filtered the water relied on by millions of people.

But as the Everglades has shrunk over the past century, the region’s water supply and water quality have become increasingly threatened, including by harmful algal blooms fueled by agriculture runoff. Now, the water supply faces another rising challenge: saltwater intrusion.

Protecting South Florida’s water hinges on restoring the Everglades. That’s why, 25 years ago, the federal government and universities launched the world’s largest ecosystem restoration effort ever attempted.

I’m involved in this work as an ecosystem ecologist. The risks I see suggest continuing to restore the Everglades is more crucial today than ever.

What happened to the Everglades?

The Florida Everglades is a broad mosaic of fresh water, sawgrass marshes, cypress domes and tree islands, mangrove forests and seagrass meadows all connected by water.

But it is half its original size. In the early 1900s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began installing canals and levees to control flooding in the Everglades, which allowed people to build farms and communities along its edges. The Tamiami Trail became the first road across the Everglades in 1928. It connected Tampa to Miami, but the road and canals cut off or diverted some of the natural water flow in South Florida.

Since then, Florida’s economy, agriculture and population have exploded – and with them has come a nutrient pollution problem in the Everglades.

The major crop, sugarcane, is grown in a region south of Lake Okeechobee covering 1,100 square miles that’s known as the Everglades Agricultural Area. Nearly 80 tons of phosphorus fertilizer from federally subsidized farm fields runs off into the Everglades wetlands each year. And that has become a water quality concern. Drinking water with elevated nitrogen is linked to human health problems, and elevated phosphorus and associated algal blooms can cause microbes to accumulate toxins such as mercury.

Healthy wetlands can filter out those nutrients and other pollutants, cleaning the water.

Rain falling in the Everglades percolates through the porous limestone and recharges the Biscayne Aquifer, which supplies drinking water for 1 in 3 Floridians.

But wetlands need time and space to function properly, and the damage from farm pollution has harmed that natural filtering system.

By the 1990s, Everglades wetlands and the wildlife they support hit a critical stress level from elevated concentrations of phosphorus, a nutrient in fertilizer that washes off farm fields and fuels the growth of toxic algal blooms and invasive species that can choke out native plant populations.

The changes led to seagrass die-offs and widespread invasion of sawgrass marshes by cattail and harmful algal blooms. Degraded wetlands can themselves become pollution sources that can contaminate surface water and groundwater quality by decreasing oxygen in the water, which can harm aquatic life, and releasing chemicals and nutrients as they decay.

A vast restoration campaign

Congress approved the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan in 2000 to support reducing phosphorus concentrations by recreating large wetlands areas to remove excess nutrients and reestablishing more of the natural water depth to bolster native populations.

That restoration effort is making progress in reconnecting wetlands to natural water flows by rehydrating large areas that were cut off. Phosphorus levels are lower in many wetlands that now remain hydrated longer, and in these wetlands fresh water is recharging the aquifer, helping sustain the drinking water supply.

However, delays in critically important components of that work have left some wetlands in degraded conditions for longer than expected, especially in regions near and downstream of the Everglades Agricultural Area, where phosphorus concentrations remain stubbornly high.

South Florida continues to experience harmful algal blooms from phosphorus reaching rivers and the coast, resulting in fish kills and the deaths of manatees. Red tide can shut down fishing and keep beach-going tourists away, harming local economies. This pollution is estimated to have cost Florida’s economy US$2.7 billion in 2018.

The unexpected risk: Saltwater

An unforeseen threat has also started to creep into the Everglades: saltwater.

As sea level rises, saltwater reaches further inland, both in rivers and underground through the porous limestone beneath South Florida. Saltwater intrusion also occurs when wells draw down aquifers to provide water for drinking or irrigation. That saltwater is causing parts of the Everglades marshes, often referred to as a river of grass, to collapse into open water.

The loss of these freshwater marshes reduces the capacity of the Everglades to remove phosphorus from the water. And that means more nutrients flowing downstream, contaminating aquifers and causing harmful algal blooms to form in coastal waters.

Scientists have learned that marsh plants need freshwater pulses during the wet season, from April to November, to avoid saltwater intrusion.

For example, saltwater intruded about one mile inland between 2009 and 2019 in parts of the Fort Lauderdale area. More fresh water is needed to push the saltwater back out to sea.

However, the restoration effort was never intended to combat saltwater intrusion.

Reasons for optimism

Despite the continuing challenges, I am optimistic because of how scientists, policymakers and communities are working together to protect the Everglades and drinking water.

I lead part of that restoration work through the Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research program. The effort started at Florida International University on May 1, 2000, the same year the Everglades restoration plan was authorized by Congress.

Our research was used to set the levels of nutrients allowable to still protect the region’s water supplies, and we have been working for 25 years to reduce saltwater intrusion and phosphorus pollution to ensure drinking water for South Florida remains both fresh and clean. We continually use our research to inform water managers and policymakers of the best practices to reduce saltwater intrusion and pollution.

As saltwater intrusion continues to threaten South Florida’s freshwater aquifer, Everglades restoration and protection will be increasingly important.

Everyone in the region can help.

By rehabilitating degraded wetlands, allowing for more fresh water to flow throughout the Everglades ecosystems, reducing the use of fresh water on lawns and crops, and reusing municipal water for outdoor needs, South Florida can keep its drinking water safe for generations of future residents and visitors. This is something that everyone can contribute to.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Miami’s renowned conservationist who helped establish the Everglades National Park, often said, “The Everglades is a test. If we pass it, we may get to keep the planet.”

John Kominoski, Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

People’s knee-jerk reaction to seeing death in nature is often not positive. The burn scar left by wildfire on a once-forested hillside, or a ghostly white coral reef, may evoke tragedy and despair. But in nature, most plants and animals are recycled back into new life.

The fallen branches and leaves that crunch under your boots as you step on the forest floor are providing nutrients for new growth as they decompose. Empty shells can become the foundations for new sea life to grow. Dead organic matter left over after a harvest supports soils and the production of food that feeds people worldwide.

These remnants of life can set both the pace and outcome of ecosystem recovery, enabling life to persist and thrive, or preventing it from doing so.

Ecologists, like us, refer to this as ecological memory, where remnants of the past influence how ecosystems look and behave in the present. Similar to human memories, traumatic events can have the strongest influences in nature: Fires, storms, heat waves and outbreaks of pests or disease can cause widespread death of plants and animals, leaving behind abundant and lasting physical remains.

In a new paper published in Science Advances, working with colleagues around the country, we show how death plays nuanced and powerful roles in nature’s afterlife.

In some cases, dead organisms prevent life from returning after an extreme event. In other cases, they make ecosystems more resilient by fueling regeneration of new life and hastening recovery. Understanding this afterlife and its influence on ecosystems will be increasingly valuable for helping ecosystems recover in a changing climate.

Foundation species – nature’s architects

Our study focused on a set of ecologically important organisms, known as foundation species. These are abundant and iconic organisms, such as trees, grasses, oysters and corals, that create the natural infrastructure on which entire communities of organisms exist.

Foundation species can be found everywhere, from the depths of the oceans to the summits of mountains. Because they are so abundant while alive, they can remain abundant after they die. And their influence can carry on in an afterlife that shapes the trajectories of ecosystems, either supporting recovery to the ecosystem’s original structure or transforming it into a new one.

To investigate how the dead remains of foundation species affect the ability of their living counterparts to establish, grow and survive, we tapped into a U.S. National Science Foundation network of Long Term Ecological Research. Scientists at these sites track populations of foundation species across a diversity of ecosystems that have experienced different extreme events.

We looked at coral reefs, mangrove forests, salt marshes, kelp forests, oyster reefs, tropical rainforests, temperate rainforests, hemlock forests, tallgrass prairies and boreal forests, ranging from the tropics to just shy of the Arctic Circle.

We found that, following extreme events, the dead affect the living more commonly than we expected. The dead foundation species either significantly increased or decreased living foundation species in nine out of the 10 ecosystems we studied – the kelp forest was the only exception.

In roughly half of the cases, dead foundation species hampered the ability of their living counterparts to reestablish, grow and survive after extreme events.

Take the tropical montane rainforest of Puerto Rico. This ecosystem is periodically walloped by hurricanes that strip its canopy and blanket the forest floor with tree branches and leaves. This layer of debris chokes off sunlight needed by the seedlings below and reduces the number that emerge to replace the trees lost during the storm, ultimately slowing the forest’s recovery.

The South Pacific coral reefs of Moorea present a more extreme example. Marine heat waves that cause coral bleaching can transform these reefs into something fundamentally different: ghost towns of dead skeletons overgrown by seaweeds. The nooks and crannies of the standing coral skeletons provide an opportunity for the seaweeds, which compete with coral for reef space, to proliferate and take over the reef, preventing the return of corals.

But in the other cases we studied, we found that dead organisms actually promote the regeneration of their living counterparts.

For example, the mangrove forests of the Florida Everglades actually benefit from storm-generated debris. During a hurricane, leaf litter blown or washed out of the canopy ended up in the complex network of roots below, providing a pulse of nutrients that enhanced the production of new roots and hastened mangrove recovery.

In the Eastern hemlock forests of New England, an outbreak of a tree-killing pest – the woolly adelgid – left behind wide swaths of standing dead trees. But unlike the dead skeletons on a bleached reef, these dead trees often help new hemlock saplings grow by maintaining a favorable climate on the ground below.

The question now is, how can humanity use this information to fortify the resilience of ecosystems after extreme events?

How humans can help

As humans, many of us rely on therapy to help manage how traumatic memories affect our lives. We can also help ecosystems manage the remnants of dead organisms after disasters in several ways.

On land, standing dead trees are sometimes felled to create “nurse logs,” which release nutrients that nourish living trees. Dead grass litter is removed using prescribed burning to create better conditions for new grass to grow. On the coasts, dead oyster shells are deposited onto mud flats, and the rubble of coral skeletons is either stabilized or removed to create more solid substrates where new oysters and corals can settle, grow and thrive.

As rising temperatures create more frequent extreme events and trigger more die-offs, dead foundation species will be useful to help guide ecosystem recoveries afterward.

Where there is life, there is death

When you’re in nature, whether hiking in a forest or snorkeling on a tropical reef, your attention is typically drawn to the life that exists in these places. But if you take a closer look, you may notice that death is all around, too.

Death is an integral part of life. The quicker we all learn to embrace its capacity to be a transformative force, and find ways to use the remnants left in its wake, the better we will be able to help nature and ourselves thrive into the future.

Kai Kopecky, Postdoctoral Researcher in Community Ecology, University of Colorado Boulder and John Kominoski, Professor of Ecology, Florida International University

To deepen her research skills and bolster her already successful career, Zumkeller decided to pursue an advanced degree at FIU. She is currently a student in the Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) program, which is designed for working senior-level professionals looking to gain practical research skills that will help them fulfill their leadership and strategic roles. 

As the FIFA World Cup spotlight turns toward Miami, Zumkeller shared reflections on her role at FIFA and her experience balancing leadership at one of the world’s most recognized organizations with life as a doctoral student.

When people think of FIFA, they usually think of what happens on the pitch. However, managing an international organization requires incredibly robust structures. What does your world there actually look like?

My world is about creating stability behind the scenes so the magic can happen on the pitch. When you are dealing with global sports governance, you are operating in an incredibly high-stakes, politically complex and multicultural environment. It’s about building independent, transparent structures, optimizing intricate business processes and managing immense reputational risks across international borders.

In daily practice, leading these teams means safeguarding FIFA and its global operations. My compliance team drives proactive prevention and transparency through extensive third-party due diligence, conflict-of-interest management and integrity initiatives. Our risk management team equips senior leadership with objective data to make informed, high-stakes decisions, while the internal audit function provides independent, evidence-based assessments that help protect FIFA’s assets and reputation.

Right now, a key operational focus is supporting the preparation for the FIFA World Cup. We are embedding local compliance officers directly into the tournament subsidiaries across Canada, Mexico and the United States, ensuring smooth operations on the ground long before the first whistle blows.

Separately, to support our mandate on a global scale, FIFA made the strategic decision to relocate the team from our headquarters in Zurich to Miami. This move allows us to be structurally closer to our member associations, serving as a permanent strategic hub to drive good governance and professionalization throughout the Americas.

Working at FIFA is a dream job for a lot of people. What does it mean to you personally?

It has been an incredible privilege and a constant learning experience in how to lead through highly complex environments. Football is unique because it brings together people from different cultures, languages and backgrounds around a shared passion. Few organizations offer the opportunity to engage with such a diverse global community on a daily basis.

What I enjoy most is working at the intersection of governance and cultural diversity. Effective governance is not about imposing rules, rather, it is about building trust, accountability and integrity in ways that resonate across different cultures and environments. FIFA provides a unique platform for that. In my role, I bring together governance professionals, including colleagues from compliance, internal audit and risk management, from FIFA’s 211 member associations through initiatives such as the FIFA Compliance Summit. This forum enables participants to exchange experiences, share best practices and promote a shared commitment to integrity and good governance across football. Being part of that effort is something I find both professionally and personally fulfilling.

And it has also been the bridge that brought me to Miami, allowing me to expand my European professional background into a truly global perspective.

What made you go back to school, and why FIU?

I have been working in audit, risk management, compliance and advisory for over 20 years. It’s a great career, but at some point, you realize you are always looking at businesses through a very specific lens. I didn’t go back to school because I had to; I did it because I was genuinely curious. I wanted the time to sit down, look at everything I have seen in the real world over the last two decades, and understand the deeper “why” behind it. The DBA is just my way of putting those pieces together.

As for why FIU? I had actually been thinking about pursuing a DBA for quite some time. When my job relocated me from Zurich to Miami, it became the perfect opportunity to undertake this program at an internationally renowned institution like FIU. One of the university's greatest strengths is its deep integration into global business networks. True to that reputation, I am meeting peers here who are actively leading in the global corporate world, which keeps our discussions highly practical and grounded rather than purely academic. Being in such a diverse, top-tier environment is exactly what I was looking for.

What’s been the most unexpected part of the DBA experience so far?

What has been most unexpected is how refreshing it is to look at organizational challenges through a completely different lens. When you have spent 20 years in senior roles, your mindset naturally gravitates toward immediate, operational problem-solving. The DBA forces you out of that comfort zone by asking you to validate what you think you know with evidence, not just experience. It takes a career spent in business and governance, and forces you to defend your practical instincts against arduous scientific standards. The day-to-day value is immense because it sharpens your thinking, makes it more objective and keeps it completely independent of corporate bias.

How do you think the DBA changes the way you see your future?

The DBA equips me with the empirical weight and academic gravitas to prove that corporate integrity, purpose and sustainability are not just ethical ideals but measurable assets that directly drive organizational performance and market capital. It changes my role from someone who evaluates past processes to someone who architects future-proof organizations.

What advice would you give to someone considering going back to school while working full-time?

First, a DBA is an intellectual marathon, not a sprint; you need a topic and a purpose that genuinely excites you every single day. Second, treat your research not as an extra chore, but as an active laboratory for your career. And finally, if you have the situational freedom to invest in your own intellectual capital, do it without hesitation. It is the most empowering investment you can make.

Bailey Grossenbacher '23, MS '25 recently made her Miami Swim Week debut with her very own brand, Dubs Swim. A concept born from a class taught by FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism professor and entrepreneur David Grutman, where lessons of passion and authenticity resonated so deeply with this student, she took the plunge and became an entrepreneur herself. 

“It was really cool to see all the successful people he brought and how they started their journeys, and I thought ‘why not do my own,’” the Dubs Swim owner said. 

The David Grutman Experience launched in 2022 at the Chaplin School, and it was far from traditional. What other class can say it featured celebrity guests from Bad Bunny to Drake and Serena Williams? It’s the perfect format for hospitality students wanting a direct “in” to the industry, learning from some of the greatest success stories. 

Grutman (left), and guest speaker Bad Bunny at FIU.

For Grossenbacher it didn’t just inspire her; it catapulted her into a new business venture. 

“All of them had their own stories of how they became successful, each of their stories were very unique but the one common thing about all of them is that they were very themselves, and passionate about what they do and authentic in what they do, and he [David Grutman] would preach that in all his classes,” she said.

Originally from Englewood, Florida, Grossenbacher was always drawn to the beach, artwork and larger-than-life events. “I realized that I loved all the cool events that Miami has and I asked myself, ‘how can I be a part of this?’”  

That question and a spot on the softball team led her to FIU. Juggling her hospitality management degree and being a student-athlete was a challenge. Grossenbacher recounts the time where she was working at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival® and had a softball game the very next day. But as the young entrepreneur puts it, “busy people get things done.”

Bailey Grossenbacher

When she graduated from FIU, her dream was to work for a well-known surf and lifestyle apparel brand, but when she never heard back, she stopped switched gears. 

From the alumna’s own hands, Dubs Swim was born, a team of one doing all the clothing design, marketing, brand orders and website design. 

But one constant was the role her classes played along the way. “I did my master's in marketing at FIU, and every single assignment went towards building my brand,” she said. 

That hard work seemed to pay off because a year after graduating with her master’s, her swimsuits walked a global stage at Miami Swim Week, which welcomed more than 50,000 guests throughout the week. 

Bailey Grossenbacher (left), and one of the models featured at her show

“It felt like I was putting on a Broadway show. I’ve been working on it since last November, so finally seeing it be successful and seeing all the models having fun, it was really awesome to be a part of that,” she said. 

To make the moment even more full circle, a video posted by @fiuhospitality on Instagram, which got over 40k views, received the attention of Grossenbacher’s former professor, David Grutman. 

Grutman saw the video and reached out to the alumna requesting Dubs Swim gear. “That was so cool for me because he was always preaching in his classes about going the extra mile and remembering to do the little things and he did that with me,” she said. 

This is just the beginning for Bailey Grossenbacher and Dubs Swim. She plans to make next year’s Swim Week splash even bigger. And who knows, perhaps a potential collaboration with her inspiration could be looming near... 

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Fresh off her win at the Miami Open, the number one tennis player in the world took the stage at FIU.

Instead of a sound check for music mega-festival Coachella in California, rapper Young Thug ditched his rehearsal to join his friend and renowned hospitality entrepreneur at FIU to share inspiring life lessons with students.

It was an evening full of surprises all around when hospitality icon and occasional professor of hospitality David Grutman returned to campus for one night to recreate a popular course that he has taught over the years at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. This time, however, the gathering was also a celebration of the launch of his new book, “Take It Personal.” Introduced on stage by FIU President Jeanette Nuñez, Grutman gave thanks to the university for inviting him to teach in the first place - a huge move for the No. 1 hospitality school in the state of Florida as Grutman's class became the single largest enrollment in the university's history, with several hundred students taking the star-studded, three-credit hospitality business course that has featured guests such Bad Bunny, Jason Momoa, Victoria and David Beckham, among others.

“Thank you so much, FIU. I’m sure you may have heard I have a book and this book is all because of FIU,” Grutman said to an auditorium of more than 500 excited students, alumni, faculty, staff and fans at the Student Academic Success Center on its main campus. “So, after five years of teaching a course at FIU, it inspired me to put it down on paper. The classes that I taught here have inspired me so much,” he added as he continued to share how the book came about.

The 204-page, 11-chapter book chronicles Grutman’s hospitality origin story, the importance of building an ecosystem, lessons learned while building his hospitality empire, and even includes a forward by reality TV star and celebrity businesswoman Kim Kardashian, who describes her close friend as “energetic, visionary and loyal.”

“He created an ecosystem – a flywheel where a VIP experience at LIV drives traffic to Komodo, which drives buzz for his hotels, and so on,” wrote Kardashian. “That’s not just hospitality, that’s strategic scaling. He engineers a self-sustaining culture, and that’s a billion-dollar lesson in business. That balance of being ambitious without losing authenticity - is something I really admire,” she said.

The star power continued when Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s top female tennis player, joined Grutman on stage to discuss the hard work it takes to become number one.

“When I saw you coming, my whole body started shaking,” said a student on the FIU tennis team who got a chance to ask Sabalenka a question. “What’s the difference between you now and your younger self?”

The tennis player recounted the years where she struggled to reach the top and also how she came to Grutman to ask for endorsement advice.

Minutes later, students cheered in excitement when Grutman introduced and asked rapper Young Thug to join him on stage. The rapper spoke to the class for about 30 minutes in an appearance that went viral on social media.

“You gotta be smart,” Thug said. “You need talent, you need to be better than people like me, you’ve got to be very detail oriented, you’ve got to be smart,” he shared in response to a student’s question about how an artist can take back their career from labels and tough contracts.

The first 100 students who signed up for the event received a signed copy of the book and got to take a picture with Grutman, who received an honorary doctorate from FIU last year.

"We are so grateful to David Grutman for deciding to come back to FIU to launch his book and for sharing his entrepreneurial spirit and business lessons that bring to life academics in a special way," said Michael Cheng, Chaplin School dean and professor. 

For students, the key takeaways from the book included the importance of building an ecosystem and relationships that last, getting out of their comfort zone and meeting new people, and learning that there's no such thing as overnight fame - playing instead "the long game," in Grutman's words. He also advised students to check their egos and shared that he's a big fan of betting on people who work hard and could become future success stories.

The bottom line for Grutman: “'Taking it personal' is about caring so deeply.” 

"Take It Personal" is on sale now at takeitpersonalbook.com and at the FIU bookstore.

Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.

Title of course:

“The David Grutman Experience”

What prompted the idea for the course?

The first time David Grutman, a Miami businessman who runs a growing hospitality empire, told me he wanted to teach a class, I thought he meant he wanted to do a single guest lecture.

He had already been guest-speaking in the nightclub management class for several semesters, so turning one session over to David didn’t seem like such a huge leap.

When David clarified that he wanted to teach an entire course on entrepreneurship – drawing from his own experiences – I thought it would be a great opportunity.

Naively, I started sharing tips on how to run the class, based on Florida International University’s academic framework. David did not follow a single thing I said. His unique approach ended up paying off.

The course he teaches – which features celebrities such as DJ Khaled, Pharrell, Drake, Bad Bunny, David Beckham, Jason Momoa, Rick Ross, Serena Williams, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber – consistently gets the highest positive feedback among all of our courses. Students pay attention intently for almost three hours per class. Faculty members co-teach the course, as I did initially.

David’s guest speakers always bring a sense of practicality and realism to his classes. For instance, when he talked about being 100% committed to his business and taking risks, his guest speaker Rick Ross echoed that sentiment and said he makes strategic decisions when he invests in something he likes, such as his investment in Wing Stop.

Similarly, Bad Bunny told students he cannot work on a project without feeling the passion and identifying with it. Actor Jason Momoa said “hospitality is giving of my heart. I’m self-made, and I had to do it all on my own,” which is similar to David’s own journey as an entrepreneur who started as a bartender.

When David promoted the class on his Instagram, we got over 100 registrations within the first two hours. At that time, most of our in-person classes had no more than 50 students. His last class in spring of 2024 had 400-plus students – so many that we had to use a ballroom as his classroom.

What does the course explore?

David focuses on the cornerstones of success in hospitality: authenticity, relationships, taking it personally, the pros and cons of first-generation versus second-generation establishments, picking a niche, work-life balance and much more. He also goes in depth and shares his business successes as well as failures.

What’s a critical lesson from the course?

The strongest and most lasting lesson is probably about tenacity and not giving up.

For instance, David shared stories of his successes as much as he shared stories of his failures. He recounted how he was convinced that a trio of restaurants he opened in the iconic Firestone tire shop and garage on Miami Beach failed, and he had to make the tough decision to close them shortly after they opened. But it did not deter him from opening his next restaurant in Coconut Grove, The Key Club, followed by his successful venture with rapper Bad Bunny, Gekko.

In each of those cases, David shared what he learned from the failures and how he avoided the same mistakes going forward. He also talked about knowing when the right partner at the right time will lead to success, such as his longtime friend Noah Tepperberg, founder of Tao Group, when he opened their first joint venture, Casadonna.

Despite his own humble start as a bartender, he never allowed anyone to tell him he couldn’t make it. He has shared the story about how his first employer, Jeffrey Soffer, turned him down when he wanted to open his first restaurant, Komodo Miami, because Soffer said, “You are not a restaurant guy, you are a nightclub guy.” Today, Komodo is one of the highest-grossing restaurants in the nation, and both Komodo and Papi Steak are primary dining attractions at the new Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

What will the course prepare students to do?

David emphasizes the importance of humility and learning from others, showcasing the need to prioritize the organization’s well-being over personal ego, even at the cost of facing negative publicity, such as when he had to close the three restaurants at Firestone. This lesson underlined the importance of collaboration and constructive feedback in entrepreneurship.

Developing an ecosystem is another major point, with David stressing the value of building his businesses so that guests will want to party with him in his nightclubs, eat at his restaurants and sleep in his hotels. He emphasized aligning with personal values to establish credibility and attract partnerships, which fosters community engagement and ecosystem growth.

Finally, the course emphasizes the importance of embedding the brand’s purpose in every aspect of the operation, from hiring to partnerships and authentically embodying the mission and values of the business.

Michael Cheng, Dean of hospitality management, Florida International University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

One such approach — CAR-T therapy— takes a patient’s own T-cells (a type of white blood cell) and genetically modifies them outside the body before they are returned to the patient. And it has been revolutionary for treating even the most aggressive types of lymphoma and leukemia. But some major challenges remain.

Before even reaching a tumor, CAR-T cells must survive the area that surrounds the tumor — packed with different molecules that can weaken or shutdown any sort of immune attacks.

Sometimes CAR-T cells simply cannot hold on long enough to completely eradicate cancer.

Now, researchers have found a way to help CAR-T cells circumvent these defenses.

“With our approach, we were able to roughly double the number of CAR-T cells that were still thriving and continued attacking the cancer in our lab experiments,” said Charles Dimitroff, study author and professor in FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.

Using an innovative technique known as glycoengineering, the team designed a surface ‘shield’ for the CAR-T cells, making them more resilient to the hostile tumor environment.

According to a preclinical study published in Frontiers in Immunology, these next-generation CAR-T cells outperformed standard CAR-T therapy — a promising pathway to more effective immunotherapies.

As the head of sports and entertainment tourism for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), it’s his job to help elevate the city’s status as a global destination by bringing the most recognized sports and entertainment events to Miami-Dade County.

“I want Miami to shine,” says Ratner, who graduated with his master’s in recreation and sports management from FIU in 2013. “That’s what my team and I do. We make sure that Miami is the main character in everything.” 

That’s why when FIFA reached out the Miami-Dade County mayor’s office asking if local leaders were interested in hosting the World Cup, the GMCVB took hold of the opportunity to work with the mayor’s office and bring FIFA to the ‘305’.

Ratner was part of the team (at the time headed by Ratner’s then-boss, fellow FIU alumnus Jose Sotolongo) that gathered information about the city, airport, transportation, venues, hotels, logistics and more to create a competitive bid to host the World Cup.

Almost 10 years later, Ratner — now in his current role at the GMCVB — has continued working on the project and is happy to see the World Cup come to fruition.

“Miami has a great opportunity to showcase itself to the world,” he says. “We are a worldwide, world-renowned destination, and we want to continue to be on people’s minds.”

The World Cup is the tip of the iceberg. Over the years, Ratner has helped Miami host hundreds of events such as the Miami Open, F1 Miami Grand Prix, PGA Tour, World Baseball Classic, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship and the Discover NHL Winter Classic.

“We work closely with the Marlins, the Miami Heat, the Homestead-Miami Speedway, Miami Marathon and more,” he says. “These are great sports organizations that are fixtures in our community. We make sure they are successful.”

The organizations, Ratner explains, are not just enthralling fans with sports but also actively giving back to the community.

“For example, the Orange Bowl hosts football clinics every year for local children and Major League Baseball renovates fields in Miami-Dade for kids to play on,” Ratner says. “There is a lot of work being done by these organizations behind the scenes to make sure the community is coming together. We help them.”

Ratner also regularly works with producers of major motion pictures (such as the action film Bad Boys: Ride or Die), reality TV shows and others who film in Miami-Dade County.

The power of sports

Ratner, who played baseball in high school, says he’s been a sports guy all his life. He decided to bring together his love of sports with his talent in communications.

He took a role in media relations for the Miami Dolphins, through which he even worked the 2009 Super Bowl in Tampa.

He later worked at FIU in sports communications.“I was with football, baseball, soccer and other sports,” he says. “I was here when we won our first Bowl Game in 2010.”

Ratner worked at FIU at the same time that some of the greatest athletes in FIU’s recent history, including football players T.Y. Hilton and Johnathan Cyprien and baseball player Aramis Garcia, who continues in the MLB with the Arizona Diamondbacks, were at the university.

While at FIU, Ratner decided to fulfill a promise he made to his grandfather: to earn a master’s degree. He developed a strong Panther network as a student and staff member, and it was through this network that he learned of the opportunity to join the GMCVB.

“I’ll always be grateful for the opportunities that everyone at FIU gave me for my career and my education,” Ratner says. “No one can ever take your education away from you. It’s so important.”

Today, he is a member of the FIU Alumni Board and proud to help advance his alma mater. “I still have a lot of great friends and work very closely with folks at FIU,” he says. “It really helped me in my career today to have those relationships. If there’s something we can do to boost both the brands of Miami as a great destination and FIU as a great university, that’s amazing.”

The urbanized part of Miami-Dade County is home to an estimated 36 million trees, and city planners want even more in the years to come. About 20% of Miami-Dade County is covered by the branches and leaves of trees, known collectively as the urban tree canopy. For homeowners, the canopy can provide shade and protection, but during hurricanes trees can also become hazards.

So, what exactly are all these trees doing during storms? Which trees are more likely to become hazards, and which help shield homes from wind?

To answer these questions, Amal Elawady, an associate professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Haitham Ibrahim, a postdoctoral associate, and Fouad Elazaka, a Ph.D. candidate, gathered data on more than 40,000 trees across Florida. They then tested how a set of the most common trees in Florida interact with extreme wind and nearby homes at FIU’s Wall of Wind, a world-leading facility capable of simulating a Category 5 hurricane and conducting full-scale testing.

The research grew out of questions asked by insurance and construction partners working with FIU’s Wind Hazard and Infrastructure Performance Center (WHIP-C). They wanted to understand how trees influence damage risk to homes during extreme wind events.

WHIP-C is a partnership among FIU, Texas Tech University, the National Science Foundation and insurance and construction industry partners focused on improving infrastructure resilience to extreme wind.

“This is what I really love about this collaborative research. We all value fundamental science, of course, but when our work can be applied to help communities right now, that feels especially rewarding.” - Elawady

With data on 40,000 trees, the research team was able to develop more precise risk models. As Ibrahim explained, “this means that with just two readily available data inputs, like tree species and crown diameter, we can estimate the other characteristics, like trunk diameter and crown height, that we need to predict tree failure from extreme wind.”

“By capturing these changes in drag behavior, we can better predict the conditions under which a tree’s natural change in shape fails and estimate the resulting risk to nearby homes,” said Fouad Elazaka, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The team then designed a wind-tunnel experiment testing how trees impact the wind force on nearby low-rise buildings, like single-story family homes. They selected species that represented the most common trees in the sample, and according to Elawady, are among the most common trees found across Florida—think pines, oaks and palms.

Figures representing the different models of tree placement tested.

The wind tunnel results showed that the placement of trees around a low-rise building can have large shielding effects, reducing the wind pressure on segments of the structure by as much as 50%, particularly when trees are directly in the path of wind.

Surprisingly, the study authors also learn ed that trees could increase the wind pressure on parts of the building. When wind struck the structure at 45° and 210° angles, the pressure being applied to parts of the roof and walls increased. The researchers suspect that the specific placement of the trees in this experiment may be acting as a wind tunnel, but further testing is needed to corroborate their suspicions.

These results could help homeowners not only pick better tree species to plant but also help them better determine how and where trees should be planted around a home. Insurance companies could also use these models to predict the potential risk posed by trees near homes and other buildings. In some cases, Elawady notes, “such risk-based assessments could influence insurance premiums, coverage conditions or even decisions about insurability.”

Elawady predicts that the research will be beneficial to a wider community than just homeowners and insurance companies. She notes how emergency management agencies, utility companies and local governments could use the models to estimate potential tree debris following wind events, identifying areas at higher risk of road closures. “The models could also help officials anticipate possible disruptions to power lines and transportation networks,” she said.

Elazaka is working with Elawady on the next steps of the research, which would examine how tree failures damage homes during extreme wind. They would then expand their model to include these results.

The researchers can then use these estimates to measure the risk that trees will break, fall over or become uprooted entirely. The findings could eventually help inform recommendations for homeowners and help them select trees that are more likely to resist hurricane-force winds.

Such information could support more effective disaster preparedness, resource allocation, debris-removal planning and post-storm recovery efforts. Overall, the research could help communities become more resilient by improving their ability to prepare for and respond to severe wind events.

A recent study in Animal Conservation of Caribbean reef sharks in the Bahamas, where shark fishing has been banned for years, shows the sharks don’t seem to like places where prey are hard to find. Instead, they prefer to live where prey is most abundant, but just having a lot of prey is not enough, according to Alastair Harborne, associate professor of biological sciences and lead author of the study. The sharks appear to like a lot of prey that are densely populated in small reef areas — maybe meaning less work for a tasty meal. In addition to making mealtimes more efficient, hunting in these more strategic spots could help sharks access other habitats and from not becoming food themselves, the researchers said. Bigger shark species may tend to hang out in larger reef areas with abundant prey and Caribbean reef sharks likely want to avoid those bigger sharks.

With these findings, the researchers say food abundance should be a consideration for conservation in conjunction with fishing bans.

“We know that large predators, like sharks, are threatened by hunting and fishing, but know less about whether we should also be thinking about protecting their prey for effective conservation” says Harborne. “This study shows that prey abundance is an important factor linked to the presence of Caribbean reef sharks and that we need to take a more holistic approach to shark conservation — overfishing can affect shark populations both directly and indirectly. This work further underscores how reef health, particularly maintaining a complex structure that prey fish love to hide in, is important both for sustainable fisheries and providing sharks with enough food.”

With the use of 631 underwater cameras, researchers tracked where the sharks showed up and measured how much prey fish was available in different areas. The researchers then built statistical models to see if sharks would show up more often in places that had more prey or if other factors were more important. The findings also indicated that sharks are creatures of habit and were found most often near steep reef walls and on deeper reefs, which matches their known behavior.

This finding is important because although the banning of shark fishing is vital to their survival, it is not enough on its own. Having enough prey for the sharks to feast on is also essential. If the sole focus is stopping the capture of sharks, populations can still remain low if the protected sharks don’t have an accessible buffet of prey. So, when it comes to sharks, prey conservation helps advance shark conservation.

FIU cybersecurity researcher Weidong Zhu has discovered a way to transform a computer's storage chip into an additional tool for cyber defense. Working with collaborators at the University of Florida, Zhu created a system that makes data on these chips last longer — extending the lifespan of your files in the critical window after your computer is compromised.

“Our system extends recoverable data history up to 126 days,” said Zhu, an assistant professor at FIU’s Knight Foundation School of Computing & Information Sciences whose work is part of the Center for Integrated Security, Privacy, and Trustworthy AI (CIERTA). “Even if your computer is infected, your data can survive on your drive.”

Storage chips, known as solid-state drives (SSDs), have intrigued cybersecurity researchers for years. As hardware — not software — they offer unique safety benefits during an attack.

“Think of it like a vault inside a bank,” Zhu said. “The bank [operating system] might get robbed, but if the vault [SSD controller] has its own independent lock and its own security guard, the robbers can't crack it just because they got past the front door.”

However, turning that security potential into real-world value has proven difficult.

Repurposing a solid-state drive to do both defense and storage is tricky. Defense improvements can burden the SSDs, slowing them down and reducing performance. Without solving that problem, the chips aren't practical for cybersecurity.

“This is the problem we have solved, helping to clear the way for storage devices to become a major asset in the fight against hackers,” Zhu said.

The Innovation

Current SSDs perform what engineers call “garbage collection” blindly: they have no awareness of when data was deleted, making them poor custodians of the files most likely to have been targeted in an attack.

To understand why that matters, think of the data on your computer as living across different worlds.

In the first world lives everything you use: your documents, your photos, your apps. Then, there’s a world of oblivion: data there is gone forever, overwritten at the hardware level, irrecoverable by anyone.

But there is a second world in between the two. Call it the In-Between (Stranger Things fans, this one’s for you): a kind of purgatory where files go after you delete them, but before the chip permanently erases them to free up space. Here, your deleted files aren’t quite gone. They’ve lost their names and file types to conserve room on the chip, but they still exist in fragments.

This is the world that Zhu is fascinated by. If an attacker deletes or encrypts your files, you can reach into the In-Between and pull your data back out before it disappears forever.

The problem is today’s SSDs manage the In-Between carelessly.

When the chip fills up past a certain threshold, it clears out deleted data to make room for new files. But it makes that decision based on efficiency alone: which data looks the most fragmented, and which takes up the most space. It has no awareness of how recently files were deleted.

That is a serious problem if your computer just suffered a ransomware attack. The files you most urgently need to recover — the ones deleted yesterday, or an hour ago — could be swept away first, while unimportant files that have been sitting untouched for weeks survive.

Zhu’s system fixes this. By sequencing deleted data chronologically as it enters the chip so its position reflects its age, the SSD gains the ability to identify which files have been sitting in the In-Between the longest. The new rule for garbage collection becomes simple: oldest deleted data goes first. More recently deleted files that are the most likely to matter stay protected as long as possible.

The research shows the approach improves the data protection window by at least 60% while introducing minimal performance overhead. In other words, the system makes SSDs practical for both defense and storage.

Today, Zhu’s is in talks with industry leaders on how to implement the system at scale.

"Hackers are powerful. But the storage device itself can be the last line of defense for your data. This is a new area, and we are just beginning,” Zhu says.

What is El Niño, and what makes it “super”?
El Niño is a weather phenomenon that occurs not anywhere near Florida but in the Pacific Ocean near the lower latitudes. It’s an area of water that begins to warm up above what is an average temperature. When that happens, that’s what’s called an El Niño.”

A “super” El Niño is when it the temperature goes even higher, over 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s been very rare that we’ve seen the waters get that warm, but that’s what current computer models are predicting. El Niño may occur every three to five years or so. But super El Niño has occurred only about five times in the last 75 years

What kind of impact can it have globally?
El Niño affects weather around the world. It could lead to some parts of the world seeing excessively dry weather patterns and droughts. But in the United States, it can also mean very different impacts, like exceptionally stormy conditions in California with flooding and more severe weather across the southern part of the country.”

What does it mean for hurricane season?
El Niño does affect our hurricane season, and that’s a positive. It can create stronger upper-level winds, what we call wind shear, and hurricanes don’t like that. Wind shear is a change of wind speed and direction with height, and that can inhibit development.

The numbers of storms being predicted is down just a little bit because of the predicted El Niño. There’s a chance we could see a slightly below-average season.

Does that mean less danger for South Florida?
It should not change how we prepare. We’re still expecting storms. In South Florida, we need to prepare the exact same way every single hurricane season, regardless of the numbers. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

How could it affect South Florida beyond hurricane season?
In South Florida, El Niño winters mean more clouds, more rain, more storms and the possibility of severe weather.

There is the possibility that the state of Florida could see a more active tornado season with larger and more damaging tornadoes. Some of that severe weather could even come down to South Florida.

They stock up on water, batteries and canned food. They board windows, charge phones and track forecasts.

What many families are less prepared for is what happens emotionally after the storm passes, especially for children.

Fear, disrupted routines, displacement and constant exposure to disaster coverage can leave lasting psychological effects long after the floodwaters recede or the power comes back on.

At FIU, a team of psychologists and disaster mental health experts are working to prepare the professionals who are often first to support children and families in those moments.

The Network for Enhancing Wellness in Disaster-Affected Youth (NEW DAY) at FIU’s Center for Children and Families provides free training to teachers, counselors, first responders, pediatric providers and other youth-serving professionals across the country on how to help children cope after traumatic events like hurricanes, floods, mass violence and public health emergencies.

Directed by Distinguished Psychology Professor Jonathan Comer, the program has delivered more than 110 trainings to over 7,900 professionals across 41 states, helping communities strengthen their mental health response before and after disasters strike.

“People often focus on the physical destruction after a disaster, but for many children, the emotional impact can last much longer,” said Jami Furr, clinical associate professor at FIU's Center for Children and Families and NEW DAY trainer. “Adults want to help, but they do not always know what to say or how to respond when a child is scared, overwhelmed or showing signs of distress. That is where this training can make a difference.”

The work feels especially urgent this hurricane season. Forecasters are predicting another active Atlantic season while many communities across the country are still recovering from increasingly destructive storms and climate-related disasters.

From 2016 to 2021, weather-related disasters displaced an estimated 43 million children worldwide, according to UNICEF. Mental health experts say the effects often extend far beyond the immediate crisis, increasing the risk for anxiety, depression, sleep problems and post-traumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents.

Research from FIU has also found that repeated exposure to disaster coverage on television and social media can trigger post-traumatic stress symptoms in children living thousands of miles away from the actual event.

“If simply watching repeated disaster coverage can affect children emotionally, imagine the impact on kids who are actually living through the crisis, displacement and uncertainty,” Furr said.

The trainings focus on practical, evidence-informed strategies professionals can use in real time, recognizing signs of stress in children, helping kids feel safe and supported, strengthening communication under pressure and building coping skills that can carry families through long recoveries.

The program recently partnered with Stronger Than The Storm to lead a full-day Psychological First Aid training at the 40th Annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference, one of the nation’s largest emergency management conferences. The team is also presenting at the upcoming Florida’s Training for Emergency Management Symposium this summer as part of a broader effort to expand disaster mental health preparedness statewide.

The trainings are offered virtually and in person and can be adapted to the needs of individual communities, whether that means supporting a school district preparing for hurricane season or helping professionals respond after a major crisis.

For the NEW DAY team, the goal is simple: make emotional recovery part of disaster preparedness, not an afterthought.

Furr added, "When the next storm hits, we want effective mental health support to be as standard as any first aid kit."

NEW DAY is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and operates in partnership with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

The United States is prepared to provide US$100 million in humanitarian assistance to Cuba, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on May 13, 2026.

But there’s a catch.

Neither the Cuban government nor its military would be allowed to manage its distribution. Instead, only humanitarian and faith-based partners, such as Caritas – the Catholic Church’s humanitarian aid network – and other nonprofits would deliver the aid. That is, the U.S. is willing to provide assistance that will help the Cuban people, but it does not trust the Cuban government to distribute it.

A week later, on May 20, Rubio reinforced the caveats that came with the Trump administration’s announcement during a 5-minute video address directed at the Cuban people. In his remarks, which coincided with Cuban Independence Day, he blamed Cuba’s economic problems and chronic energy shortages on its own government.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said Cuba would accept the U.S. offer of aid “without ingratitude,” while also criticizing the new approach and urging the U.S. to lift or ease the decades-old embargo. The timing of the offer was particularly challenging because it coincided with the U.S. indictment of Raúl Castro, a former Cuban president who helped lead the revolution that brought his brother, Fidel Castro, to power in 1959.

The Trump administration’s aid restriction may sound unusual. But as a scholar of Cuban studies and a former humanitarian aid worker, I have seen firsthand how faith-based organizations have long played a critical role in reaching Cuban families when formal systems there fall short.

There are precedents

You may wonder whether religious groups and other kinds of nonprofits are prepared to distribute $100 million in humanitarian aid inside Cuba.

But there’s evidence that this arrangement would probably work. The Catholic Church has one of the strongest national networks in Cuba outside the government, and this would not be the first time it has coordinated the distribution of humanitarian aid.

For several months after Hurricane Melissa hammered the island’s eastern provinces in 2025, Washington supported smaller humanitarian shipments to Cuba. And it sent that assistance through the church.

From 2011 to 2017 I saw church networks become lifelines for the most vulnerable, delivering aid from governments, humanitarian organizations and faith-based groups directly into communities and opening pathways beyond Havana into rural areas where need is often greatest.

Cuba’s other faiths

Not all of these faith-based groups are tied to the Catholic Church.

Protestant and evangelical churches, including Baptist and Assemblies of God communities, maintain extensive networks across Cuba.

I observed that foreign aid that arrived in Havana did not automatically reach rural provinces such as, Holguín or Santiago de Cuba. Getting it there required trucks, fuel, warehouses, local partners and logistical assets that Cuba lacked even then and has in much shorter supply now.

I worked directly with vulnerable communities in the aftermath of hurricanes and other disasters in Cuba to help deliver lifesaving aid, including food and clean water, to those most in need.

That experience makes me certain that other faith-based networks could potentially also play a critical role in delivering U.S. humanitarian aid as they have done in years past and in the spring of 2026.

Many of Cuba’s faith-based groups operate through house churches – small congregations that meet inside private homes instead of formal church buildings. They emerged because the Cuban government didn’t allow anyone to build new churches after a constitutional change in 1992 led to somewhat more freedom for worshippers. New local congregations could form, but they had to be based in houses. House churches are now deeply connected to their communities.

Together, these networks often reach rural areas and vulnerable families that more formal systems struggle to serve.

Pivot from Russia to Venezuela

After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Cubans endured years of severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and basic supplies, hobbling transportation and many basic services. Daily life changed dramatically, and families had to find new ways to survive with very little.

Until then, the Soviet Union had met Cuba’s demand for oil in exchange for shipments of Cuban sugar. The Cuban government euphemistically called that era of economic collapse a “Special Period in a Time of Peace.”

Starting in the late 1990s, Venezuela began to supply Cuba with deeply discounted oil, an arrangement that lasted until January 2026, when the U.S. ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. subsequently imposed an oil blockade on Cuba.

Losing access to oil has created a major crisis. Without fuel, Cuba’s government is unable to operate power plants, buses, water pumping systems, food refrigeration, hospitals, schools and agriculture at full capacity.

Many Cubans are enduring frequent, long blackouts and are unable to get to work or travel almost anywhere. They’re losing access to healthcare, and food insecurity is growing.

In short, Cuba is facing a major human-made disaster today without having been hit by a hurricane, earthquake or other kind of common disaster. Instead, it’s the result of politics and foreign policy.

Potential appeal to Cuban Americans

Many Cuban Americans support sending U.S. humanitarian aid to Cuba if it reaches ordinary Cubans and does not strengthen the Cuban government. Bypassing the Cuban authorities by distributing assistance via faith-based groups would be appealing to Cuban Americans who have long accused Havana of using foreign assistance from foreign sources to maintain their grip on power.

Based on my own experience on the ground after disasters in Cuba, I believe that if aid is delivered through trusted and transparent channels, it could save lives and reduce suffering.

And if the aid is never delivered, I would expect that the people who need help most would once again pay the highest price.

Dulce Suarez, Assistant Director of the Academy for International Disaster Preparedness, Florida International University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

PFOS, a notorious member of the PFAS family of chemicals, is known for its ability to bioaccumulate, binding specifically to proteins in the blood and livers. While it’s long been recognized as a pollutant, scientists are only beginning to understand how it changes an organism from the inside out.  

A new study of yellowtail snapper embryos, conducted by recent FIU Ph.D. graduate, and current Institute of Environment postdoctoral associate, Ariel Lawson, in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has identified 18 key metabolites that signal a trio of shifts including liver and neural dysfunction, altered energy metabolism, and associated oxidative stress. 

“The goal was to be able to see if we could translate what we did in the zebrafish into other ecological receptors of different species,” Lawson says. “We use fish to try to understand the overview of how a chemical or toxic toxin would affect the species.” 

From Lab to Environment 
In the lab, the team exposed embryos to large concentrations of PFOS within 24 hours of spawning. While these lab concentrations are higher than those found in the open ocean, they allow researchers to account for the way PFOS builds up in fish tissues over time. 

By maintaining the embryos for 48-72 hours, researchers observed metabolic changes that may serve as either a survival mechanism or warning sign of future harm.  While it's difficult to predict long-term effects without growing the embryos to adulthood, Lawson can already identify developmental issues at the larval stage by analyzing the fish’s morphology — its size, shape, and structure — as well as its swimming speed. 

The research suggests that PFOS infiltrates metabolic pathways, altering the activity of key enzymes involved in energy metabolism. These disruptions are evident in energy production and liver function. Interestingly, while the liver is highly sensitive due to the chemical’s affinity for fatty tissues, the study indicates a body-wide effect rather than damage to one specific organ.  

“You can use these metabolites as biomarkers for disease situations,” Lawson says. “The epigenetic effect can affect the genes, which could translate to the later issues.” 

These later issues may extend beyond a single generation. While Lawson’s work focuses on the immediate biological shifts, John Berry, associate professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and researcher at FIU's Institute of Environment and Biomedical Sciences Institute, said the environment plays a critical role in how those genetic blueprints unfold over time. 

“Offspring inherit their genome from their parents, but the metabolic expression of the genome would depend on the stressors, such as pollutants like PFAS, to which they are exposed during their lifetime,” Berry says.  “In clean water, these metabolic changes may not manifest.” 

He also explains that over generations, it is possible offspring could adapt to effectively deal with stressors. In these cases, the metabolic machinery in their genes can be passed down between generations.  

Expanding the Scope 
This work is part of a broader study by Lawson, and Berry’s lab, to translate findings to more environmentally relevant species. By studying a variety of species, the team hopes to identify exactly how these contaminants move through the marine ecosystem, and affect a diverse range of species, as ecological receptors, of these contaminants. 

“You never know where these compounds could end up,” Lawson said. “The more species we can study, the more we could see how far into the environment these compounds go. So, environmental monitoring would be an important thing to take away from our research.” 

While current data suggests these fish are likely still safe to eat, the biochemical and molecular damage reveals a hidden environmental toll — one that highlights the lasting impact of forever chemicals.  

FIU conducts fundamental research for the next generation of infrastructure technology to develop more resilient public systems that support economic growth and improve sustainability and public safety. Engineering faculty joined peers and policymakers from around the nation to share ideas and innovations.

Dean of the College of Engineering & Computing Jack Puleo was in town to promote several projects, including shining a spotlight on surface-level infrastructure and resilience research that focuses on coastal adaptation, structural reinforcement and extreme-weather mitigation.

Another that received attention: FIU’s pioneering work in 3D-printed Ultra-High Performance Concrete. The university’s engineering teams focus on developing non-proprietary, cost-effective UHPC mixtures and robotic spray technologies to build and rapidly repair climate-resilient civilian and military infrastructure.

“I’m proud that FIU is working in the bridge area and developing technologies that address many challenges we have across the nation in bridge engineering,” said Atorod Azizinamini, a professor of civil engineering and director of a U.S. Department of Transportation-funded research center at FIU. 

Mayor of Miami Eileen Higgins, in the nation’s capital for the week’s event, appreciated learning more about work taking place at Miami's public research university, much of which will have a positive impact on South Florida and beyond. “It’s always great to be here with the team from FIU engineering,” she said. “They do amazing research, not just on mobility, but also on resilience.”

Noteworthy in recent weeks was the test of a manufactured home at FIU's Engineering Center, which pitted the building against the university’s renowned Wall of Wind, which generates hurricane stormwinds. The experimental facility seeks to improve construction standards and otherwise help improve the resilience of the built environment.

Her native Denmark features only gentle, rolling plains and cultivated fields. And South Florida – where she moved as an undergraduate and today lives as a doctoral student – lies low to the sea.

“Both places are extremely flat,” she says, Denmark being among the top 10 flattest countries in the world, and Florida the single flattest state in the union.

Christiansen thinks a lot about topography these days. Conducting research in the field of criminology, she examines how hills and steep streets impact burglary and theft.

Her theory: Elevation, or its lack, has an influence on crime.

Put another way: If the bad guys face an escape that involves a tough incline, they likely won’t try in the first place.

The premise appears to hold in her study comparing bicycle theft in San Francisco, with its vertically winding roads, and Copenhagen. The incidence of such larceny in the U.S. city is tiny in proportion to the Danish capital, although other factors are also in play.

The technique of “crime mapping” – analysis that utilizes geographic information system (GIS) to plot the distribution of crimes – has become a specialty for Christiansen, who slid into it by happenstance and is drawn to the visual storytelling aspect.

She arrived in Miami in the fall of 2020 with an undergraduate degree in law from her homeland that did not fulfill all requirements for a degree at FIU. So, the cross-country coach who recruited her decided that criminal justice would be a fit.

“I didn’t actually really pay attention,” she says of how the major got assigned to her, “and I just fell in love with it.”

Stolen bikes notwithstanding, Denmark has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. The promise of studying criminal activity never figured into her decision to attend FIU.

Outrunning a false narrative

Instead, she came to campus to escape an identity she says did not reflect her true self.

As a teen, Christiansen had experienced serious illness that was not immediately diagnosed. She eventually spent two months in the hospital as doctors determined she suffered from celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that damages the small intestine following ingestion of gluten.

“And even though I recovered, I was doing well, I was running, I was doing my bachelor’s,” she says, “I kind of felt like everyone was still looking at me as that ‘sick girl.’”

She was having none of it.

“I was like, I’ve got to try to do something to get out of this, because I felt like I was taking on that identity. I needed a fresh start.”

Already running competitively at home – an activity that often elicited concern from family and friends worried about her health – she investigated how to connect with team coaches overseas and landed at FIU.

Christiansen went on to earn a BS in 2022 and won the academic excellence award presented to the undergraduate who achieves the highest GPA among graduating student-athletes in any sport at the university. She followed up with an MS in 2023 in the same discipline, all the while running 60-70 miles per week as part of physical training. (Women’s collegiate cross-country competitions typically cover six kilometers, or 3.73 miles.)

Going the distance

The race to earn a doctoral degree began when Stephen Pires, an associate professor of criminology and an expert on crime mapping, approached her.

Christiansen had enrolled in his Ph.D.-level course on geospatial crime analysis and, as one of just a few master’s students in the class, quickly lapped the competition.

“She outperformed everybody,” Pires says. “GIS is a tricky software that no one really had experience with coming into the class, but she did really, really well. She was getting the best grade every week. But I also saw that she was very ambitious and willing to go the extra mile and did way more than what was expected. And that's where I saw her drive.”

He invited her to work on two projects, one examining illegal fishing on a global scale, as he mentored her and taught her advanced spatial techniques that will serve her in the field. She has since published a research article on her own, and the two together have published one with still others under editorial review.

Planning to cross the finish line next spring, she hopes to secure an academic position that will allow her to continue both her research and teaching in the classroom, which she has also been doing at FIU. By then she will have acquired all the high-level education and credentials to succeed in whatever position comes her way, and she will have firmly established something else: a reputation that matches the capable, confident individual she always recognized in herself.

“I’m so happy I’ve become the person that I’ve become,” she says. “This has all been transformative.” 

FIU experts with Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work say the risk of Ebola to the general U.S. public remains low, but the outbreak highlights the importance of global health preparedness and surveillance.

Dr. Mary Jo Trepka, a professor and the chair of the Department of Epidemiology, and Rajiv Chowdhury, a professor and the chair of the Department of Global Health, answer pressing questions and explain what South Florida residents should understand about the Ebola outbreak in the DRC.

What is Ebola and how does it spread?

Trepka: Ebola is a very severe infectious disease caused by a group of viruses called orthoebolaviruses. The current outbreak, which is primarily affecting the DRC and Uganda, is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which is rare.

The natural hosts for Ebola are most likely fruit bats, and now and again there is what is called a spillover event, when the virus crosses into humans. This can happen if people have close contact with infected animals, for example through hunting, handling or eating. Once a human is infected, they can infect other humans.

Human-to-human Ebola transmission happens if a person has direct contact with the bodily fluids of people who have been sick or died from Ebola disease. The people who are at highest risk of infection are health care providers and family members who care for a person with Ebola. 

What are its symptoms?

Trepka: The time between when people are infected until they have symptoms is on average 8-10 days. The initial symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pains, headache and sore throat. These first symptoms are not unique and can be confused with other infections that are common in the areas where Ebola occurs. As the disease progresses a person can develop vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, problems with their kidneys and liver and unexplained bleeding. Ebola also affects the brain and can result in confusion and seizures.

We also don’t have a specific treatment for the current strain. It has a case fatality rate of 30-50%, meaning potentially two of four people who become ill with it have died although that information comes from outbreak settings where intensive medical care is not always readily available. Supportive intensive medical care does improve the prognosis. If people survive, they start to get better six days after the symptoms start.

Why are global health experts especially concerned about this outbreak right now?

Chowdhury: The current outbreak in DRC and Uganda is particularly concerning. It involves a rare strain that is spreading rapidly into urban and cross-border areas and, as mentioned, there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment for it. Additionally, there are severe medical supply shortages, including basic pain medication, face masks, protective gloves and motorbikes needed for contact tracing in the remote and conflict-affected areas in DRC. 

Moreover, there is concern that the outbreak has already spread geographically to eastern DRC and Uganda, and that, given the scale and speed of the epidemic, suspected cases are rising quickly. The crisis has been further complicated by delayed detection.

What does it mean that the outbreak has been declard a “public health emergency of international concern” by the World Health Organization?

Chowdhury: This is the WHO’s highest global alert level for a disease outbreak that may spread internationally and requires coordinated international action. It is intended to mobilize surveillance, funding, preparedness, healthcare coordination and public communication. However, it is not the same as declaring a pandemic. It also doesn’t automatically mean borders are closed or that international travel stops.

During past Ebola outbreaks, the WHO generally advised against broad border closures because they can disrupt the delivery of medical supplies and humanitarian aid as well as the arrival of healthcare workers while often providing limited public health benefit. The goal is to mobilize surveillance, funding, laboratory support, case isolation and cross-border coordination.

South Florida is one of the most internationally connected regions in the U.S. Is it currently safe to travel internationally through major transportation hubs like Miami International Airport?

Trepka: As I mentioned before, this is not a virus that is transmitted casually and Ebola is not contagious until people have symptoms. And to my knowledge, there are no direct flights to Miami from any of the affected countries. So, I would say that the risk related to Miami International Airport is very low.

It should be noted that while we have not had a problem with Ebola in the United States, over the years the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided technical expertise and support to countries where Ebola outbreaks have occurred before. Thus, the CDC has a lot of expertise related to managing Ebola outbreaks. For the U.S., that is an important advantage of the CDC having been engaged in and working collaboratively with the global public health community

Chowdhury: The CDC currently considers the risk of Ebola transmission to the United States low, though enhanced travel measures are in place for affected countries. Therefore, I would say that, for the public, international travel through major U.S. airports remains low risk. However, travelers should consult and follow CDC guidance before traveling to the DRC, Uganda or nearby areas.

Modern systems can help identify high-risk travelers, detect symptoms and quickly connect people to public health monitoring. However, screening is imperfect because Ebola can incubate for up to 21 days before symptoms appear. Therefore, stronger local health systems, rapid testing and contact tracing remain essential for limiting global spread.

What role do universities like FIU play in global health preparedness and infectious disease research?

Trepka: A key goal is that we have a trained workforce that has developed the competencies needed to investigate infectious disease outbreaks and control them. The Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work has trained many of the disease control specialists in our community as well as professionals at the state and federal level. We cannot predict all the infectious diseases that may threaten our community, but if our students know how to go about investigating outbreaks and containing them, our community is safer.

Chowdhury: At FIU, we support that preparedness and health protection through global health research, training, surveillance, data analysis, community education and partnerships with local and regional health departments. So, FIU can contribute through our global health expertise, student training, and work with different communities closely connected to international travel.

So when ABC News looked for an authentic voice for a documentary about the 2006 Heisman Trophy recipient and national championship-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, they called upon Cure.

The Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media graduate was featured in the IMPACT x Nightline: There’s Something About Fernando, offering insight into Mendoza’s rise from a young athlete to this year’s No. 1 NFL Draft pick. Cure’s role in the documentary was rooted in both personal history and professional experience.

Producers reached out after a clip of an old interview between Cure and Mendoza, then both students at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, resurfaced and gained traction online. That early conversation, recorded when both were 13 years old, became a compelling entry point into Mendoza’s story. “I was brought in to help tell Fernando’s story by providing context on his journey, his rise as a Cuban American star, and my perspective as someone who has known him personally,” Cure said.

Cure participated in an in-depth interview and offered analysis on Mendoza’s development as both an athlete and a leader. He also shared how the student-athlete’s personality, work ethic and growth over time contributed to his success.

Cure credits his time at FIU with elevating a talent he began honing years earlier. “Caplin helped sharpen my skills as a broadcaster, storyteller and interviewer,” he said. “Those experiences gave me the confidence and preparation necessary to contribute to a major documentary project.”

Through his work as a contributor to Caplin News and involvement in student projects, Cure developed a strong foundation in on-camera presence, storytelling and interviewing. Rather than pursuing traditional internships, he focused on building his own platform, launching The Benjamin Cure Show in 2022 while still in high school. The show began as a sports-focused online series and has since evolved into a long-form interview platform centered on conversations with individuals shaping Miami across business, public policy, media and community leadership.

Through the platform, Cure has interviewed a range of figures including sports media personality Pat McAfee, entrepreneur Roberto Linck, Miami Commissioners Ralph Rosado ’96 and Damian Pardo, prominent Miami lobbyist Bert Hernandez and other leaders across business, media, law and public affairs, with conversations centered on leadership, decision-making and the future of Miami. “The show has taught me the value of preparation, communication, curiosity and relationship building,” he said.

His experience in media began well before college. At 14, he worked as a Kidcaster for the Miami Heat, participating in play-by-play commentary and conducting interviews with players and coaches. At 16, he became the youngest digital host in Major League Soccer history with Inter Miami CF, where he spent more than three years contributing to digital content, broadcasts and social media coverage. These early opportunities, combined with his time at FIU, helped shape his ability to navigate professional media environments and tell stories credibly.

Following his graduation last month, Cure plans to attend FIU College of Law while continuing to build experience in media, communications, public affairs and strategic advisory work, His long-term goals are to pursue corporate litigation and leadership roles that bridge law, business and public policy, while continuing to grow The Benjamin Cure Show as a platform focused on conversations shaping the future of Miami.

“Miami is home,” Cure said. “It’s the city that shaped me, gave me opportunities at a young age and helped me become the person I am today.”

Featuring 104 matches taking place in 16 different cities across three different countries, this tournament is one of epic proportions. It is also historic for South Florida: Miami is hosting matches for the World Cup for the first time.

At the heart of FIFA World Cup are a number of FIU alumni who are working to organize, advertise and host the tournament in Miami and across the world. These alumni are leaders in a variety of fields, ranging from hospitality to communications — and they are using their talents to bring the tournament to life.

Meet just three of these outstanding alumni.  

Daniel Marin ’05, MBA ‘11

Two-time alumnus Daniel Marin’s love for international communications — a love that was fostered by FIU — led him to one of the biggest jobs of his career: he is currently the executive director of public relations for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“It’s very exciting,” he says. “This is a global event. I feel like I’m representing FIU, I feel like I’m representing Miami. It’s an honor. I lead the global communications around the FIFA World Cup, basically trying to put out all proactive information for fans [and] for stakeholders to know what the tournament is, where it’s going to be, how it’s going to be played and how people can participate. I’m really putting the tournament face-forward for the world to learn more about it.”

The seasoned PR executive is no stranger to big-name brands. He’s worked at Netflix and Amazon, leading international communications initiatives. 

For example, Marin inaugurated a role in which he served as the head of communications for Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios across Latin America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and U.S. Hispanic markets. He is particularly proud of starting Prime Video’s first U.S. Hispanic focused PR division to support Spanish-language content in the United States. 

His role at FIFA World Cup, though, is unlike anything he’s ever done before.

“We deal in the business of passion,” he says. “That’s not something that’s measurable per se. It’s not something that gives you quantitative data that you are always able to go back to... We can sense when something is really being accepted by fans. That is gut, not data. That’s very different.”

Marin says FIU opened his eyes to the power of international business.

“My FIU years were formative for me,” he says. “[They] put me on a path to really appreciate international business, international communications. I love being a bridge between entities in the United States and different parts of the world. That is what brought me to the doorstep of FIFA.”

Marin holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and an MBA from FIU. He says his journey shows that dreaming big and being open to opportunities makes all the difference. He also credits his wife — an FIU alumna herself — as being the "best support in the world, my biggest cheerleader” and a key reason behind his success.   

Besides being a PR executive, Marin is also an artist who runs his own art business. His work, which is mostly focused on mixed media pieces, sits in private collections in the U.S., Latin America and Europe, including the official collection of the city of Seattle and Europe’s LUMAS Gallery’s portfolio. His work has also been featured in gallery shows and multiple times at Spectrum, which is one of the major art fairs during Art Basel and Miami Art week. 

Christine Archilla ‘13

Fútbol runs in Christine Archilla’s blood. “My family is from Argentina,” she says. “Watching or playing fútbol is like a rite of passage. I’ve been a big fan for years.”

When she heard the FIFA World Cup was coming to Miami, Archilla, an event management maven, told herself she would find a way to be involved.

Today, she is the hospitality infrastructure manager for the FIFA World Cup. She is responsible for ensuring the infrastructure for all hospitality spaces across the stadiums will meet the needs of fans, guests and more.

“We’re mostly using American football fields and converting them to meet the needs of fútbol games,” Archilla says.

The viewing patterns, seating preferences and even kitchen requirements vary widely from American football to international fútbol. For instance, most football stadiums are equipped to allow for the sale of hotdogs and soda. But soccer fans come from all over the world, and food must cater to their needs and cultures.

“For example, we have Middle Eastern countries playing during the tournament,” Archilla says. “We need to accommodate for different allergens or restrictions. If guests are eating Halal, it needs to be available for anyone that is attending. We need to make sure the infrastructure provides for those needs. If we need an additional temporary kitchen or if we need another lounge area, we have to build it out and work with our suppliers to do that.”

 

Come game day, Archilla will be stepping into yet another role: she will be the hospitality venue manager at the Hard Rock Stadium. “My favorite thing about working an event is being on site,” Archilla says. “That’s what motivates me and excites me. I can’t wait to be there when the games start.”

As a hospitality and tourism management student at FIU, Archilla volunteered at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival® and interned at Viacom International Media Network with brands like MTV and VH1.

She went on to build an impressive career. She has worked at the Miami Film Festival, Live Arts Miami, the Museum of Art and Design and, most recently, at the Miami Book Fair, where she planned marketing campaigns and was involved in managing various of the fair’s events.

She has also worked at film festivals in New York and Los Angeles. She spent several months planning brand events — like a launch for Audi — in Panama and working for Dior in Mexico. She has been working at FIFA since last year.

“I’m very fortunate with how my trajectory has progressed,” Archilla says. “FIU has been a very big part of where I am today. Working at SOBEWFF blew my mind. I had a blast. From there, my experience in events kept going, and I’m here today.”

Karla Fortuny ‘17

Armed with a star-studded resume and key experiences in local government affairs, Karla Fortuny is combining her love of sports with her passion for service.

She is the vice president of government affairs for the FIFA World Cup Miami host committee, which is made up of top community leaders in a variety of fields. Committee members work together to help organize events and lead all of FIFA’s local needs for the tournament. Fortuny is on loan to the committee from Capital City Consulting, a lobbying firm where she is currently a partner.

In her role at the FIFA World Cup Miami committee, Fortuny oversees local relations with mayors, commissioners, counties and other partners. She also participates in state and federal relations with committee members. 

“I work making connections between FIFA, local government and community entities,” Fortuny says. “We partner with them on ways to bring the game to Miami and to create opportunities for the local community.”

For example, the committee is hosting a soccer clinic program for children. Kids receive uniforms, gear and top-notch coaching. The Miami committee is also hosting a 23-day fan festival at Bayfront Park from June 13 to July 5. The festival will feature a wide array of soccer activities, concerts and fun for the whole family. Fortuny is part of it all, working with committee leaders, commissioners and local partners to help organize the events. 

 

Being involved with FIFA is a dream come true for Fortuny. “I never thought I’d be able to work at a World Cup,” she says.

Fortuny, who majored in public relations, fell in love with the sports industry at an early age. Years ago, she interned for the Florida Panthers hockey team. She also held full-time positions in media relations for the Super Bowl Miami host committee in 2020 and in business development for Inter Miami CF.

She then switched gears and worked in local government, where she quickly climbed the ranks and became the chief of staff for a commissioner in the City of Miami. She also served as director of local government and community affairs at FIU before starting her job at Capital City.

To top off her already impressive list of accomplishments, Fortuny recently returned to the university for a law degree, and she is currently in her second year at FIU Law.

Fortuny is a proud Panther.

“FIU gave me the foundation I needed to work in public relations and to translate those skills to the government sector and community relations,” she says. “I’m so proud to be back earning my highest degree here and representing FIU at such a big stage as the World Cup.”

Michelle Lopez contributed to the reporting of this story (Daniel Marin’s section).]]>

The initiative, centered on a bilingual affordable housing series, brought together Caplin students and leading media organizations including Telemundo 51, NBC 6 South Florida, WLRN, and Miami Herald. The collaboration resulted in nine original student-produced stories that became the core of “No puedo vivir aquí /I Can’t Afford to Live Here,” a bilingual series examining the housing challenges facing South Floridians ages 20–29.

The project began last September following a visit to campus by Telemundo 51 and NBC 6 General Manager Jorge Carballo, who observed Caplin’s Spanish-language Newsbreak broadcast. What followed was a months-long collaboration that placed students inside a professional newsroom environment, working under real deadlines while balancing coursework, jobs and, for some, graduation.

Five Caplin students, Adrian Diazl-Alejo, Patricia Varas, Alejandro Marquina, José Carlos Rodriguez and Johane Sainti, reported, edited and produced the story packages, often working late nights and weekends to meet production timelines. Their work ultimately contributed to a dedicated streaming program produced by NBC 6 South Florida and Telemundo 51, which aired Saturday, May 16, across both platforms.

“What also made the project special is that several of the journalists guiding our students, Kathy Fernandez, Lianna Saldana and Patricia Perez-Hidalgo, are FIU graduates themselves,” said Manny García, who initiated the partnership and helped lead the project alongside professors Chuck Strouse and Alejandro Alvarado.

“When I arrived at FIU, my early goal was to partner with top-tier newsrooms, especially bilingual operations, where our students could produce original reporting and also learn from professional journalists,” García said. “The partnership with Telemundo 51 and NBC 6 is a win-win. Our goal is to provide original stories to local news partners that serve our community at the same time our students are learning from experienced journalists, and this is exactly the outcome that we hoped for.”

The collaboration extended beyond broadcast. WLRN published multiple stories and featured student reporting on air, while both English- and Spanish-language newsrooms at the Miami Herald published coverage produced by Caplin students. Additional contributors included Brianna Mantaras, Camila Bretas, Alvaro Acosta, Norma Huembes, and Lucas Bogardus.

The partnership itself was built on long-standing industry relationships, with guidance from Liza Gross of Montclair State University’s Collaborative Journalism Resource Hub and collaboration with Sergio Bustos of WLRN. Together, the initiative created a multi-platform reporting effort that expanded both the reach and impact of student journalism.

For the students involved, the experience marked a defining moment in their academic and professional journeys.

“I’m extremely grateful to Telemundo, my professors, and everyone who made this opportunity possible,” said Alejandro Marquina. “It’s something that will definitely help me and my career.”

The project speaks to the kind of opportunities the Caplin School prioritizes, ones where students are trusted to take on real stories, work alongside industry professionals, and see their reporting move beyond the classroom and into active news coverage.

By the time the streaming special aired on May 16, the work had taken on a different weight. What began as a student assignment became part of a broader conversation around housing affordability in South Florida, carried by outlets reaching communities directly impacted by the issue.

It does not judge. It does not interrupt. It answers immediately.

For people who are lonely, overwhelmed or afraid of being misunderstood, that can feel comforting. But mental health experts caution that while artificial intelligence may offer convenience or a place to organize thoughts, it is not a substitute for trained, ethical and accountable care.

The World Health Organization recently identified the growing use of generative AI tools for emotional support, particularly among young people as an emerging public health concern.

“In a world where people are increasingly isolated and overwhelmed, it makes sense that some would turn to AI as a companion, as a confidant,” said Natalia Giordano, assistant teaching professor in FIU’s School of Social Work. “There are major concerns, however, about what information is being shared by AI. It’s not trained, regulated or monitored in the ways that mental health professionals are.”

Why people open up to AI

As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, Giordano says the growing use of AI for emotional support raises an important question: What are people really looking for when they turn to a chatbot?

“People don’t want to be judged, and AI is seen as a safe, neutral place to share their deepest thoughts and feelings,” Giordano said. “It’s right at our fingertips and won’t judge or make assumptions about us.”

For some, AI may be a low-risk place to organize thoughts or seek general information. Giordano said it can be useful in limited ways, but people should approach AI-generated responses like any online search: with critical thinking and caution.

When support becomes risky

The line between support and risk becomes clearer when someone begins to rely on AI as their primary source of emotional care.

A 2025 Brown University study found that AI chatbots used for mental health support can violate core ethics standards, including by mishandling crisis situations, reinforcing negative beliefs and creating a false sense of empathy. Recent research has also found that AI chatbots can be overly agreeable when people seek personal advice, sometimes reinforcing a user’s beliefs or behavior rather than challenging them. In mental health conversations, that tendency can be risky, especially when someone needs careful assessment, grounding or immediate support.

Giordano said those risks become especially concerning when someone is already vulnerable.

“My top concern is that AI will share inaccurate information and encourage an adolescent or young adult to harm themselves or others,” Giordano said. “I also worry about the potential disconnection or isolation from human beings.”

That does not mean every use of AI is dangerous. For someone preparing for a difficult conversation, sorting through their thoughts and emotions, or identifying resources, AI may serve as a tool. But Giordano cautions against allowing it to replace self-reflection.

“It can be a useful tool for fine-tuning,” she said, “but it can be harmful to rely on it to create a sense of self.”

When it’s time to seek human help

When parents or caregivers learn that a young person is talking to AI about anxiety, sadness, loneliness or self-harm, Giordano said the first response should not be judgment. It should be curiosity, concern and connection.

“I would encourage them not to judge,” she said. “Be concerned and express those concerns. Ask open-ended questions with genuine curiosity.”

A person may need professional help when emotional struggles begin to affect daily functioning. Digital reassurance may be enough for someone processing a temporary feeling. But if someone stops talking to friends or family, has difficulty sleeping or eating, withdraws from activities they enjoy or feels unable to function, it may be time to seek support.

What social workers bring

Many people do not realize that social workers are the largest group of mental health professionals in the United States, Giordano said. Their training allows them to support individuals while also understanding the environments that shape mental health, including family systems, communities, access to care and social support.

“The beauty of social work is that we understand that a person is inextricably connected to and impacted by their environment,” Giordano said. “Symptoms like emotional fatigue are seen as the result of various struggles, not just as something wrong with the person.”

A therapist or clinical social worker can do what AI cannot: listen for changes in tone and language, observe nonverbal communication, protect confidentiality, assess risk, apply evidence-based interventions and build a therapeutic relationship grounded in human connection.

“I may be old school or traditional in this thinking,” Giordano said, “but there is the potential for something special to happen when human beings connect and share.”

The case for human connection

For anyone who feels safer talking to a chatbot than asking another person for help, Giordano’s advice is gentle but direct: Try talking to another person.

“Many of us have been hurt, betrayed or felt silenced by others,” she said. “That can be heartbreaking and damage our ability to trust. Sometimes we don’t talk to other people because we’re worried they’ll judge us, even though we might find out they’re going through the same thing.”

A negative experience with therapy can make that hesitation even stronger. But Giordano says one difficult experience does not mean therapy cannot help.

“Connecting with a mental health professional is about chemistry, and sometimes it takes a few tries to find the right person,” Giordano said. “The same applies to friendships and other supportive relationships. Don’t give up on finding people who make you feel safe, understood and supported.”

AI may be able to answer quickly. But healing, Giordano suggests, often requires something slower, braver and more human: connection with another person.

Funded through a $158 million State of Florida appropriation, the seven-story, 163,000-square-foot facility is the first significant investment in health care delivery located directly on FIU’s main campus. The center was developed and will be operated in collaboration with Baptist Health.

“This groundbreaking represents a bold step forward for FIU and for the future of health care in our community,” said FIU President Jeanette M. Nuñez. “By building a full academic medical center on our campus, we’re creating a place where learning, discovery and patient care happen side by side. It opens new opportunities for our students, fuels innovation and delivers meaningful, lasting benefits for families across South Florida.”

Located near Southwest 107th Avenue and Southwest 10th Street, the facility will bring education and patient care together in a powerful way, enabling medical students, residents and clinical faculty to learn and work together in the same environment where patients receive care every day. The center also will support interprofessional training for students across FIU’s health care disciplines, including nursing, physician assistant, occupational therapy and other allied health professions.

The facility will include dedicated learning spaces for medical students and residents, along with a range of outpatient services. These will include multi-specialty care, diagnostic imaging, same-day surgery and infusion services. It also will feature an outpatient retail pharmacy, supporting coordinated, convenient care for patients in one location.

By bringing clinical care into an academic setting, patients gain access to expert physicians, evidence-based treatments, emerging therapies and coordinated care. These academic medical environments also play a vital role in training the next generation of physicians amid a growing national shortage.

“Today’s groundbreaking reflects a shared commitment to expanding access to high-quality, academic-based care in one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions,” said Bo Boulenger, president and CEO of Baptist Health. “This new center will allow patients to receive advanced outpatient services in a setting designed to foster collaboration among physicians, educators and future health care professionals. Together with FIU, we are building a model that strengthens the future of care in South Florida.”

The academic medical center is a major expansion in the collaboration announced in 2023 between Baptist Health – South Florida’s largest not-for-profit healthcare system – and FIU, South Florida’s public research university. Under the enhanced affiliation, FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (FIU Medicine) and Baptist Health now partner on 14 graduate medical education (GME) programs – residencies and fellowships – a key step toward training more doctors to serve the South Florida community. Over the next five years, the GME partnership plans to grow to more than 350 residents and fellows and expand programs focused on specialties facing significant physician shortages.

“Our students already receive outstanding clinical training across Baptist Health and our other clinical affiliates,” said Dr. Juan C. Cendan, FIU Medicine dean and senior vice president for health affairs at FIU. “What’s different here is location and integration. With an academic medical center on campus, education, research and patient care are woven directly into the daily life of the university. That closeness sparks more collaboration, more discovery and a richer learning environment than we’ve ever had before.

The new academic medical center is scheduled to open in 2028.

Radioactive waste and contamination, like that created during the Manhattan Project’s launch of the world’s first nuclear weapons program in 1942, is scattered across dozens of production and research facilities across the U.S. and requires complex and safe remediation.

“As these facilities age and are dismantled or prepared for future use, there is a risk that radioactive contamination can be accidentally released,” Komninakis says.

“Continued research in this field makes the clean-up efforts safer and more efficient, with lasting impacts. We are working to ensure that workers, surrounding communities and the environment are protected.”

Komninakis is making a mark in nuclear waste remediation, an area of growing recognition for FIU. As a junior engineer at FIU’s Applied Research Center (ARC) at the College of Engineering & Computing, she is studying coatings and foams that can be applied to equipment before clean-up begins. Her work on a project funded by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Environmental Management helps reduce the release of tiny, but dangerous, radioactive particles.

Her path to nuclear remediation wasn’t a straight line. Before joining FIU’s ARC in 2018, Komninakis built her laboratory foundation as a senior technician operating accelerator mass spectrometers in a radiocarbon dating lab — work that sharpened the experimental rigor she would carry into nuclear cleanup.

Once at ARC, she knew she’d found her field.

“The projects evolved constantly, and the problems demanded creative solutions,” she said. “I realized this was the right fit for me. Being able to contribute to projects that address real environmental and engineering challenges made the work meaningful and purposeful.”

Studying nuclear remediation at the highest level

Stepping into the nuclear remediation lab reignited her passion for formal study, and she went on to earn her doctorate at FIU in 2025.

Today, she is the first author of a study testing how well fixative coatings — protective surface treatments — perform when subjected to fire, mechanical stress or seismic activity.

“Quantifying the effectiveness of fixative coatings in reducing airborne release fractions under impact stress” was published in Nuclear Engineering and Technology, a leading peer-reviewed international journal.

The research is the first to provide empirical data on Airborne Release Fractions (ARFs), quantifying how much radioactive material can become airborne during cleanup operations.

“No one has really tested these materials to any certain degree until this kind of work at FIU,” Komninakis explains.

“The support doesn’t stop with the individual student,” said Sabir, the first FIU Medicine graduate to have participated in the Dotson program. Instead, he says, what is generously given to a predmedical student by experienced physicians and caring administrators lays the groundwork for important impact down the road, eventually touching even the patients who will one day be served by a young doctor.

The Dotson program offers mentorship and structured guidance — including MCAT preparation, faculty advising and medical school application support — to promising premed FIU undergraduate students, particularly those who may be the first in their families to navigate this path. Each year, up to 10 students are selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants.

Sabir grew up in New York in a single-parent household with two siblings, an upbringing he credits for shaping his independence, resilience and work ethic. His mother, a nurse, introduced him to the health care field early and planted the seed of pursuing a career as a physician.

“Her encouragement turned into internal motivation,” he said. “Especially as I began to understand the impact physicians can have on patients and their communities.”

Because his mother worked long hours, Sabir did not always have consistent academic or emotional support, an experience that pushed him to become self-reliant while also underscoring the value of mentorship.

“It’s one of the reasons programs like Dotson are so impactful,” he said. “They provide the kind of guidance and support many students, including myself, may not always have at home.”

The program is supported by Dr. Albert and Debbie Taño and honors the legacy of Albert E. Dotson Sr., a civic leader and philanthropist whose journey from humble beginnings to public service shaped his commitment to education and access.

Dotson was a founding member of the FIU Board of Trustees and chaired the board from 2009 to 2011, playing a key role in establishing FIU Medicine and the FIU College of Law. The Taños are longtime supporters of the university: Dr. Taño serves on the FIU Board of Trustees, and Debbie Taño is a member of the FIU Foundation Board.

Accepted into the program’s inaugural cohort during his senior year, while completing a biology major and studying in the FIU Honors College, Sabir received critical guidance at a pivotal moment in his journey. Through the program, he gained direct access to FIU Medicine physicians who provided practical advice, perspective and reassurance as he navigated the medical school application process. That support helped Sabir earn acceptance to FIU Medicine’s M.D. Class of 2026. It was the kind of “insider knowledge,” as Sabir described it, that many premedical students never receive.

“For many students, the challenge isn’t just working hard. It’s not knowing what matters most,” he said. “The program helped clarify that and gave me the confidence to move forward with direction.”

The experience instilled in Sabir a strong sense of responsibility to pay it forward. During his time at FIU Medicine, he mentored other premed students.

“I’m most proud of being able to help others in the same way that I was helped,” said Sabir, who noted that growing into a role where he can guide and support others was one of the reasons he pursued medicine.

Dr. Maria Stevens, associate dean of academic community programs and partnerships, oversees the Dotson program and has observed Sabir’s journey from program participant to FIU Medicine graduate. 

“He embodies the mission of the program through his resilience, leadership and commitment to uplifting others,” said Stevens.

Sabir’s acceptance to FIU Medicine was paired with a full‑tuition scholarship as a Wertheim Scholar — a merit‑based honor awarded to top students — easing financial strain while reinforcing the importance of investing in others.

“I’m incredibly grateful,” he said. “I hope to carry that same spirit of generosity forward in my own career.”

In July, Sabir will begin his emergency medicine residency at HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, drawn to the specialty’s fast pace, broad scope and the opportunity to care for patients in critical moments. He plans to remain in South Florida, serving the community that shaped his journey and continuing to mentor premed and medical students, ensuring the ripples continue to expand well beyond their starting point.

FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management students found out firsthand.  

FIU’s Academy for International Disaster Preparedness within the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work annually hosts a disaster field operations exercise at the Biscayne Bay Campus to teach graduate students to lead in times of emergency. The drill brought them together with emergency responders and community partners for a full-scale simulation focused on disaster response in domestic and international environments. Representatives from 25 agencies and organizations participated, including the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Southern Command joined university officials for a fictional scenario around a major hurricane landfall in Cuba.

At the same time, the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism management teamed up with the Guy Fieri Foundation to invite students to work alongside emergency food responders. The idea is help future hospitality professionals understand the logistics of preparing meals for survivors and the first responders serving them.

This marks the second year the Guy Fieri Foundation has been involved.

“The great thing about the foundation and working with the college is that it's a win-win for both of us,” said Brian Daly, Guy Fieri Foundation CEO. “The students are getting real-life experience and participating not only in preparation of the food we are serving today to all the emergency response teams, but it prepares them volunteer should those emergencies happen in the community.”

Ten students took the opportunity to learn about food prep, safety and distribution under the worst of circumstances. Business major Gina Escanaverino was one of the few non-hospitalty students who participated in last year's disaster response drill, and she returned this year as a leader. She coordinated communication and managed volunteers.  

Soon to begin a master's program at Chaplin, Escanaverino believes the exercise gives students a broad understanding of disaster relief services in addition to reminding them of the value of “serving those who serve us every day,” such as the police and firefighters often pressed into emergency roles in the aftermath of life-threatening events such as storms and earthquakes.

“Teaching students with the support of the Guy Fieri Foundation has been a great experience,” said John Noble Masi, assistant teaching professor and culinary lead at Chaplin. 

One of the other goals of the partnership with the foundation: providing hands-on experience for individuals who signed up for a new executive education certificate in Emergency Feeding Logistics: Field Kitchens and Crisis Food Operations, a nine-week online course combines best practices in hospitality and emergency management with insights from experienced disaster-feeding professionals.

“The partnership with the Guy Fieri Foundation reinforced something we already believed, that there is a critical need for trained professionals who understand how to execute large-scale feeding operations during times of crisis,” said Suzanne Bagnera, assistant professor and director of executive education at Chaplin.

“Watching repeat participants like Gina step into leadership roles this year demonstrated the long-term impact and momentum this work can create. We are excited to continue building this initiative and identifying opportunities to develop specialized certification programs focused on disaster feeding, emergency kitchen operations and crisis response leadership.”

Florida International University kicked off its annual Disaster Field Operations Exercise today at the Biscayne Bay Campus, bringing together graduate students, emergency responders and community partners for a full-scale simulation focused on disaster response in domestic and international environments. 

Led by FIU’s Academy for International Disaster Preparedness, part of the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, the two-day exercise gives approximately 50 students the opportunity to move from classroom theory to field operations. They were joined by 50 volunteers and representatives from over 25 participating agencies and organizations. 

“Disasters are unpredictable, and emergency managers must be ready to respond wherever their expertise is needed,” said Javier I. Marques, senior vice president, chief of staff and executive director for FIU’s Academy for International Disaster Preparedness. 

Students are being tested on their ability to assess needs, coordinate resources, manage logistics and support response and recovery efforts. On Thursday, students responded to a simulated disaster in the United States. On Friday, the exercise shifts to an international scenario involving a major hurricane striking Cuba, a situation that could have implications for disaster response teams supporting the island during a theoretical period of government transition.

Vitamin D does more than build strong bones. It also plays a key role in gut health. 

When vitamin D levels are low, the intestinal barrier — the wall that blocks harmful bacteria from entering the bloodstream — begins to break down. A study led by researchers in FIU's Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work found that children and teens with suboptimal vitamin D levels faced a significantly higher risk of this kind of damage, even when they showed no digestive symptoms. Left unchecked, a compromised gut barrier raises the risk of serious conditions including Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, and colon cancer.

Good thing alumna Carmen Molina ’89 brings decades of experience to her new position as principal of the all-girls Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, a top-tier college preparatory high school that annually sends dozens of its graduates to FIU.

Guided by faith and molded by 37 years of service within Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Molina is “elated to come home,” she says. “The Holy Spirit has absolutely brought this into my path, and I know it’s the right journey for me.”

As Molina tells it, Lourdes offers a winning combination of spiritual edification, academic rigor and supportive community. She explains how the school challenges its students intellectually, while providing them with the moral compass, strength of character and iron bonds of friendship necessary to withstand life’s trials with grace.

Molina herself is an embodiment of this holistic approach, and her closest confidants are still the women she befriended at Lourdes. Molina steps into this leadership role in July equipped with the skills and strategies that she acquired at FIU.

She arrived on campus during a pivotal moment in time. FIU had recently added lower-division courses – previously, the state had allowed the university permission to offer only upper-division courses – and Molina received the true freshman experience. Additionally, the 1983 release of A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform – a national report that warned of declining academic standards and a “rising tide of mediocrity” – prompted U.S. officials to adopt higher standards across the board, including teaching requirements and preparation.

Then a special education major, Molina remembers FIU going all in to offer robust class and practical instruction.

For her practicum, Molina was assigned to a specialized developmental center that served as a last resort for youngsters before institutionalization. There she worked with “severely emotionally disturbed and mentally handicapped students,” recalls Molina, who was hired full-time after graduation. “My first job,” she says with pride.

Along with intensive coursework, FIU’s faculty helped prepare Molina for a life dedicated to education. She recollects how one professor sharpened her analytical skills, asking thought-provoking follow-up questions for every student response she received. “She always taught us to dissect the problem…look at it from different angles,” Molina explains.

Today, Molina’s leadership style incorporates this lesson: “I will never jump to a conclusion. I have to consider different perspectives so that I can make the best decision.”

Likewise, Molina’s practicum mentor inspired and encouraged her when it mattered most. Throughout the semester, her professor conducted formal observations of students and provided pointed feedback. “She validated what I was doing. For a young woman, this was empowering.”

Reflecting on her Panther days when she served as the president of the Future Teachers of America chapter, Molina attests, “I became an educator, but I also became a leader at FIU. And I knew that I was committed to serving kids and empowering students.” Beyond serving as a special ed teacher, Molina went on to hold positions as a public school principal and a district director.

Ready to return to her beloved Lourdes community, Molina hopes to continue cultivating a spirit of acceptance and inclusion. “We all have to find our niche,” she says. “It’s a matter of making sure that all the girls feel valued and that they fit in.”

“This celebration is a reminder that the ideas we champion are not abstract. They are alive in every entrepreneur who takes a risk, in every student who dares to think freely and in every leader who chooses principle over personal gain,” said Carlos Díaz-Rosillo, founding director of the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom. “The seven individuals we are honoring embody the enduring power of freedom through a commitment to shape nations, markets and lives.”

The evening brought together current and former heads of state from Latin America, senior government officials, business trailblazers, philanthropists and community leaders to celebrate shared values, vision and an unwavering commitment to liberty.

“Freedom, opportunity and prosperity do not happen by accident," said Jeanette M. Nuñez, president of FIU. “They are built through leadership, innovation, courage and a steadfast commitment to the principles that sustain free societies.”

Poipu Beach in Kauai, Hawaii, topped this year’s Best Beaches in America List, released by the FIU coastal scientist whose real name is Stephen Leatherman. Poipu Beach is located on Kauai’s sunny south shore and features a submerged sand pit called a tombolo. This geographic feature separates two pocket beaches — one with calmer, shallow water and the other exposed to open-ocean waves.

“This family beach is known for its golden coral sand and crystal-clear water,” Leatherman said.

The eastern end of this double beach is protected by an offshore island, making it a great snorkeling destination. Monk seals and sea turtles frequently come ashore in the afternoon to rest. Leatherman is quick to remind beachgoers to observe but never disturb. Another highlight of this beach — smoking is not allowed, a fact that earns the beach bonus points in Leatherman’s scientific evaluation.

The highly anticipated list, released every year ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, shines a spotlight on America’s most picturesque and environmentally thriving beaches across the United States. A professor in Earth and Environment, Leatherman’s methodology uses 50 criteria to evaluate beaches, including water quality, sand softness, wave action, safety, management and environmental conditions. 

While the U.S. has plenty of postcard-worthy beaches to evaluate, Leatherman said some beloved shorelines are increasingly vulnerable to pollution, storms and coastal erosion. Two beaches that have historically been among the top 10 have been noticeably absent for the past couple of years. North Carolina’s Lighthouse Beach in Cape Hatteras National Seashore has been left out of the top 10 after severe erosion from coastal storms revealed the remains of an old U.S. Navy submarine spy station that, along with its concrete remains, has been leaking oily substances. Another beach dropped from the rankings was Coronado Beach near San Diego, where beaches are increasingly impacted by sewage-contaminated wastewater flowing north from Mexico’s Tijuana River.

One beach that was left off last year — Caladesi Island State Park — has returned to the top 10 after recovering from damage caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024. The storm’s powerful surge heavily damaged park facilities, but restoration efforts have largely been completed and the beach is once again open to the public.

This year’s rankings feature beaches from Hawaii, New York, Florida, South Carolina and Massachusetts. 

Each spring, Dr. Beach does what he’s done for the past 30 years. He pores over data and photographs to produce his much-anticipated America’s Top 10 Best Beaches list.

Stephen Leatherman didn’t set out to refashion tourism or become a hit with the media or even land himself on the Oprah Winfrey Show. His only goal was to promote and protect healthy, safe, good quality, family-friendly beaches. The FIU coastal scientist and professor in the Department of Earth and Environment and the Institute of Environment actually became Dr. Beach long before his annual rankings of beaches.

It all started in 1989. Leatherman was a professor at the University of Maryland, teaching a popular course on waves and beaches — even though the closest beach was hundreds of miles away. His students, who tended to come from non-scientific disciplines, called him “Dr. Beach.” Like sand, the name stuck to him.

When one of Leatherman’s students started working at a national travel magazine, he told the editor Leatherman was the beach guru and could identify the nation’s top beaches for an upcoming story.

Having served on a special team commissioned by President Jimmy Carter to study the nation's beaches, Leatherman knew America’s beaches better than anyone.

The editor called him. Leatherman rattled off a few suggestions of very good beaches. Then, he forgot all about it.

Later a magazine appeared in his office mailbox. The cover mentioned a top beaches list. Intrigued, Leatherman flipped through it. He found the list — and his name with the beaches he’d mentioned.

Calls started pouring in. Counties with beaches on the list wanted to understand how to move up the list next year.

“I thought, ‘well, gosh, everyone is so interested in this,’” Leatherman said. “People love lists and beaches, and I had all of these notes about beaches, so I knew I could continue to do this.”

So, he did.

But first, he wanted to find a better, more scientific way to compare the beaches. For two years, Leatherman consulted his thousands of photographs and  maps — and developed 50 criteria scored on a five-point scale. Everything from clean water and sand to beach safety is taken into consideration.

A “perfect” beach would earn a 250. Leatherman’s never given a perfect score. The beach to take the top spot in 2018, Kapalua Bay Beach in Maui, Hawaii, came close at 241.

The lineup always changes. That’s partly because the national winners are retired, and partly because hurricanes, red tide or too much seaweed can disqualify an otherwise worthy contender.

“Every beach can have a bad day,” Leatherman says.  

Leatherman tries to also help turn those bad days into good ones. He’s given guidance on how to make beaches better and even helped transform a few, including Mission Beach in San Diego, California.

He’s also witnessed how those bad days can cause long-term trouble. Sandspur Beach at Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys is one example where major hurricanes — including Hurricane Irma in 2017 — have led to severe beach erosion.

Normally, Leatherman makes incognito missions with his clipboard and tools to check up on the beaches. This year was different. Unable to travel, Leatherman relied on his network of coastal managers across the country to provide up-to-date data.

He’s looking forward to getting back out there. A beach vacation is still his favorite vacation. And, as more people get vaccinated, Leatherman hopes the list becomes a source of inspiration for others to plan summer getaways.  

Leatherman never expected the list would become the “biggest thing” he’d end up doing. An expert on coastal erosion and rising seas, he’s written 20 books and more than 200 articles for top journals including Science and Nature. He’s also provided expert testimony for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on 11 separate occasions.

“I like to make difference. I feel like with this list I can make a difference to help push important issues especially improving beach safety and health,” Leatherman said. “I still got a full tank of gas. I’m not ready to stop. I’m enjoying what I’m doing, so why not keep doing it?”

New York’s Coopers Beach named America’s best as environmental concerns knock three U.S. beaches off Dr. Beach’s annual top 10 list. 

California’s Coronado Beach has suffered elevated bacteria levels as Mexico grapples with its deteriorating wastewater treatment infrastructure. Mexico has been diverting millions of gallons of untreated wastewater into the Tijuana River, which flows north. The sewage is carried by the river into southern California and eventually finds its way into the Pacific Ocean, resulting in a deterioration of water quality, air quality and public health.  

“Coronado is one of my favorite beaches of all time, and this all seems so unreal. It’s very frustrating,” said FIU Earth & Environment Professor Stephen Leatherman who is known to many as Dr. Beach. 

Florida’s Caladesi Island State Park was dropped from this year’s list as local officials work to repair damages caused by Hurricane Helene. The Category 4 storm struck the Tampa area in September 2024. For a second year in a row, North Carolina’s Lighthouse Beach in Cape Hatteras National Seashore has been left out of the top 10 after severe erosion from coastal storms revealed the remains of an old U.S. Navy submarine spy station that, along with its concrete remains, has been leaking oily substances.  

Leatherman’s highly anticipated list is released annually ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Coopers Beach is located on the south shore of Long Island in New York’s Southampton village. The beach is wide, backed by large sand dunes and interspersed with extravagant mansions, which gives it the edge on this year's top 10, Leatherman said. Smoking is not allowed, which earns it extra points in Leatherman's evaluation. Parking here can be expensive ($50 daily), so Leatherman recommends taking advantage of Hamptons Free Ride, which shuttles visitors from the village parking lots to the beach in electric bubble carts.  

Known to many simply as Dr. Beach, Leatherman has selected the annual Top 10 Beaches since 1991. Previous national winners are retired and listed on his web site. Fifty criteria are used to evaluate beaches, which include water and sand quality as well as safety and management. Dr. Leatherman is an internationally known coastal scientist who has published 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles and reports about storm impacts, coastal erosion and ways to improve beach health and safety. 

Leatherman is also a scientific advocate for America’s beaches, focusing on conserving the environmental integrity of the United States’ coastal areas. For the three beaches that are notedly absent from this year’s list, he said he remains hopeful they will return to his top 10 in the coming years. 

“I think Caladesi and Lighthouse Beach can come back fairly quickly, though it’s going to take some work,” Leatherman said. “To solve the Coronado problem, it’s going to be expensive and a longer timeline. But this is an amazing beach with what is probably the most historic beachfront hotel in the United States. I have hope.” 

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

Now, this will be a reality for more Florida beachgoers, in part because of his efforts to pass new legislation that will protect Florida beaches and maintain their top spots as major tourist destinations.

Stephen Leatherman, an FIU coastal scientist and professor in the Department of Earth and Environment — best known as Dr. Beach — has spent four decades researching and protecting the health of beaches. This summer, he amped up those efforts by traveling across the state, giving presentations and meeting with different government officials on the importance of passing House Bill 105 — to amend the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act to allow cities and counties to restrict smoking at public beaches. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed the bill into law.

“I have been saying it for years that we need to get butts off our beaches,” Leatherman said. “I am so pleased that this new law as proposed and promoted by State Senator Joe Gruters was signed by Governor DeSantis. Hopefully, beach communities statewide will pass regulations to make their beaches cleaner and healthier.”

Those regulations are happening — and close to home. The Miami Beach City Commission recently voted to ban cigarette smoking and other tobacco products on public beaches and parks — a move Leatherman says is a great sign and “big step forward.”

One of the largest sources of pollution on beaches, cigarettes spoil a relaxing day by the sea. They are also harmful to coastal environments. The tightly packed plastic fibers of cigarettes eventually erode into smaller and smaller pieces and, over time, end up in the mouths of fish, sea turtles, birds and other marine life. Chemicals and toxic heavy metals found in those butts also degrade very slowly.

Most cities do their best to get rid of the litter. But cigarettes can evade even the beach sweepers. Worse, clean-up can get expensive — and taxpayers tend to foot the bill. Eliminating smoking on beaches saves money, while also protecting the environment.

Leatherman has always been passionate about prohibiting smoking on beaches for these reasons. While his much-anticipated, infamous Top 10 Best Beaches list has completely transformed tourism and determined countless family vacations for more than 30 years, he’s most proud of the fact it has become a way for him to advocate for improving the environmental health of the country's beaches.

Clean water and sand are the most important factors when he’s rating beaches on a five-point scale. Since that’s what beachgoers and tourists want. Only the cleanest beaches get top billing. And Leatherman is a tough grader. But he does give extra credit — only to beaches that don’t allow smoking. This has prompted different cities and communities to get serious about taking good care of their beaches to even be considered in the running.

“I am pleased to hear [he] is giving extra credit to beaches that prohibit smoking when ranking your “Top 10 Beaches.” This list brings in millions of visitors, dollars and media impressions each year,” said State Senator Joe Gruters in a letter. “It is rare for an academic to have such a public persona that can provide institutional knowledge [of Florida] and education related to this important legislation.”

Now that the legislation has been passed, Leatherman is gearing up to tackle the next thing — promoting a no-smoking ban for all the Florida State Parks. 

FIU experts are available to discuss El Niño and its environmental and community impacts across South Florida and beyond. Experts can provide insight across a variety of areas including hurricane activity, rainfall and flooding, water quality, fisheries and mosquito activity.

Members of FIU's communications teams are available to assist members of the media in contacting experts:

• • JoAnn Adkins, 305-348-0398, jadkins@fiu.edu
  • Christine Fernandez, 305-348-9987, chcalvo@fiu.edu
  • Michelle Arean, 305-348-4492, marean@fiu.edu

John Berry

Associate Professor
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Berry can speak to how events like El Niño influence harmful algal blooms and the production of toxins in marine and freshwater systems, and what that means for ecosystem, wildlife and human health. Berry leads research on chemistry and toxicology of bioactive compounds produced by algae and microbes, including those responsible for Florida red tide. His work focuses on identifying and characterizing these toxins and understanding their impacts on environmental and public health.

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Henry Briceño

Research Professor
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Briceño can speak to how climate patterns like El Niño and hurricane activity impact water quality in coastal and estuarine systems. For over 20 years, Briceño has been leading water quality monitoring efforts at FIU. He focuses on how our changing climate is impacting our waterways and the impacts that people and nature have on our ecological systems. Briceño leads the institute’s Water Quality Monitoring Network. Briceño is available for interviews in English and Spanish.

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Robert Burgman

Associate Professor
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Robert Burgman can speak to climate variability, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and how El Niño influences rainfall, drought and flooding. Burgman’s research focuses climate variability and the predictability of weather and climate patterns. His work examines large-scale ocean-atmosphere interactions, including El Niño and La Niña, and their influence on regional hydroclimate conditions. 

For help, contact:
JoAnn Adkins
305-348-0398
jadkins@fiu.edu

Matthew DeGennaro

Director, Biomolecular Sciences Institute
Associate Professor
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

DeGennaro can speak to how climate patterns like El Niño may influence mosquito populations and behavior, and what that could mean for the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. A neurogeneticist, DeGennaro leads research on how mosquitos detect and track humans using smell and other sensory cues, and how those behaviors can be disrupted to prevent disease transmission.

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Tom Frankovich

Research Associate Professor
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Dr. Frankovich is a broadly trained environmental scientist/ecologist who studies microalgal communities, how they are distributed across the globe, how they change through time, and how they are affected by the changing environment. He conducts field sampling from the freshwater Everglades and into the coastal oceans, and even from the backs of whales and sea turtles. He is a first responder to marine animal mortality events and when algae blooms occur and has identified the causal organisms. He is also on the editorial boards of algae research journals.

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Evelyn Gaiser

Endowed George Barley Eminent Scholars Chair, Distinguished Professor
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Gaiser can speak to how events like El Niño influence freshwater ecosystems, including water quality, nutrient cycling and frequency of algal blooms in South Florida wetlands. She is an aquatic ecologist whose work focuses on how environmental change and water management shape ecosystem health, particularly in the Everglades. Her research uses algae and other biological indicators to track the effects of climate variability, sea level rise and human activity on wetland systems over time. Her research helps inform Everglades restoration and broader efforts to understand how variations in weather and hydrology affect ecosystem function.

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Haiyan Jiang

Professor
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Jiang can speak to how El Niño and related weather patterns influence hurricane behavior, including storm intensity, rainfall and rapid intensification. Jiang is a meteorologist with research interests in hurricane intensity, intensity change and structures of inner-core convection and precipitation. Jiang’s expertise is in satellite remote sensing techniques that can detect various characteristics of weather systems. She successfully applied these technologies to study hurricane rainfall, convection, winds, and warm-core structures. A coherent theme of her research is to advance our understanding of hurricane intensity and intensity change. She developed long-term satellite-based tropical cyclone databases and used these tools to study the climatology of hurricanes and to develop algorithms for estimating current intensity and predicting rapid intensification of tropical cyclones. Her research on hurricane intensity estimation, rapid intensification prediction, and climatology of hurricane inner-core structures has been funded by federal agencies including NSF, NOAA and NASA.

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Jeremy Kiszka

Associate Professor
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Kiszka is one of the world’s leading marine mammal scientists and has published over 180 research articles and book chapters. Over the past 25 years, he has investigated the ecology, behavior, and conservation of whales, dolphins, manatees, and otters across the globe, including the Indian Ocean, European waters, the Arctic, and North America. He works on some of the most iconic marine mammal species, from manatees in Florida to killer whales (or orcas) in the Arctic. His research focuses on the effects of changing ocean conditions on marine mammals, or on the roles and importance of these animals in marine ecosystems. Kiszka has studied over 60 species of marine mammals across 30 countries and currently serves on international scientific committees, including those of the International Whaling Commission and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Originally from France, he earned his PhD in Oceanography from the University of La Rochelle. He spent six years living in East Africa conducting research on dolphins and whales before joining Florida International University nearly 14 years ago. Kiszka is also the President of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, the largest professional society dedicated to marine mammal science.

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Schonna Manning

Assistant Professor
Director of Water-Omics, Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Manning investigates the dynamics of harmful algae working at the intersection of molecular biology and analytical chemistry. Her research focuses on understanding why microalgae, including cyanobacteria, form blooms and proliferations often accompanied by potent neurotoxins. She uses comprehensive omics techniques, including environmental DNA analysis coupled with whole-genome sequencing, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Manning is the director of Water-Omics for FIU's Institute of Environment, and she has several monitoring projects in Biscayne Bay (NOAA), Wakulla Springs (Florida State), the Everglades (CERP-S), and central Texas (LCRA, City of Austin).  She is currently the past-president of the Phycological Society of America (president 2025), has published over 55 articles, and serves on the editorial boards for the Journal of Phycology and Toxins.

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Assefa M. Melesse

Professor
Department of Earth and Environment
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Assefa M. Melesse is recognized internationally for his pioneering research on hydrology, water resources, and climate-driven hydrologic extremes across Africa and the Americas. He currently conducts research to unravel the complex dynamics of river systems from the Nile Basin in East Africa to the Everglades and Florida Bay in South Florida. His work on El Niño-driven hydrologic extremes including large-scale droughts and catastrophic floods has advanced scientific understanding of how climate variability shapes water availability and disaster risk across vulnerable regions. His research on the Nile Basin stands as one of the most comprehensive hydro-climatic studies of that transboundary system in the world, informing water-sharing policy discussions among riparian nations and contributing to cooperative water governance frameworks. He also served in high-level science-policy roles, including as a Jefferson Science Fellow at the National Academies and Senior Climate and Environment Fellow, U.S. Department of State and where his expertise was directly relevant to the international water diplomacy and climate resilience strategies. A distinguished University Professor at Florida International University, he has secured competitive research funding and authored more than 360 peer-reviewed publications.

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Pallab Mozumder

Professor
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Mozumder can speak to how climate patterns like El Niño influence hurricane risk, evacuation behavior and disaster impacts. Mozumder is an environmental economist with expertise in socio-economic aspects of natural hazards. His research on hurricane risk mitigation and evacuation behavior has been funded by federal and state agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Florida Department of Community Affairs and Florida Sea Grant.

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Andre Naranjo

Research Assistant Professor
Curator of the Wertheim Conservatory
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Naranjo's research focuses on the phylogenetics, biogeography, and conservation of plants in the North American Coastal Plain and Caribbean biodiversity hotspots. His work integrates evolutionary biology, ecological modeling, and botanical collections to better understand the origins and preservation of tropical and subtropical plant diversity. He is also dedicated to science outreach and mentorship, engaging primary, secondary, and undergraduate students to increase awareness of endangered ecosystems and species throughout South Florida and the broader Caribbean region.

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Jayanatha Obeysekera

Director, Sea Levels Solutions
Research Professor
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Obeysekera can speak to how El Niño influences hurricane activity, rainfall patterns, flooding risk and water management. He previously served as chief modeler at the South Florida Water Management District, where he had a leading role in modeling of the Everglades and Kissimmee River and Everglades restoration projects. He was co-author of the sea level rise projections report published by NOAA for the National Climate Assessment. He also co-authored a report on regional sea level projections for Department of Defense facilities across the globe. He has extensive media experience, including print and broadcast.

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Jennifer Rehage

Professor
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Jennifer Rehage is a coastal ecologist whose research focuses on fish, fisheries and disturbance ecology and incorporates human dimensions. Her work integrates fish behavior, movement, trophic ecology, ecotoxicology, and local ecological knowledge to examine how hydroclimatic stressors and human activities influence coastal fisheries, with a particular emphasis on Florida’s recreational fisheries. Using interdisciplinary and solutions‑oriented approaches, Rehage collaborates closely with fishers to coproduce knowledge that informs management, conservation, and restoration. Recent work focuses on the presence of pharmaceuticals in recreational fisheries and the implications for wastewater management, the health of Floridians and Florida’s valuable estuaries. Rehage has published over 100 peer‑reviewed articles, her research has been widely featured in national and international media and has contributed directly to policy and management actions related to water quality and fisheries conservation.

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Erik Salna

Meteorologist and Associate Director for Education and Outreach
Extreme Events Institute (EEI) & International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC)

Salna works with the Wall of Wind research team and coordinates education and outreach activities. He has experience as a broadcast meteorologist and within both non-profit and for-profit environments in meteorology, mitigation, preparedness, education, media and EOC activations. Before EEI & IHRC, he worked at America’s Emergency Network, which focused on live video streaming technology. He also served as project coordinator for the non-profit Hurricane Warning at the Disaster Survival House, located in Deerfield Beach. He also served as hazard mitigation manager for the City of Deerfield Beach, was on the city’s crisis activation team and participated in all activations of the emergency operations center.

For help, contact:
JoAnn Adkins
305-348-0398
jadkins@fiu.edu

Tiffany Troxler

Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Environment
Director of Science, Sea Level Solutions Center, Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Tiffany Troxleer is an ecosystem ecologist and sustainability scientist whose work cuts across science, policy and management of natural and urban environments. She and her students examine how Everglades ecosystems respond to sea-level rise and water management and develop new research and tools to enhance their resilience to climate change. Her research group also advances interdisciplinary collaborative research that supports local to regional strategies and actions for climate change mitigation and adaptation. She has also served as a Program Officer with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories based in Japan supporting the implementation of nature-based carbon mitigation in national and international policy frameworks. She currently serves as Chair of the International Long-Term Ecological Research Network.

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Hugh Willoughby

Distinguished Research Professor, Retired
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Willoughby can speak to how El Niño and related atmospheric patterns influence tropical cyclone structure, intensity and impacts. He has flown more than 400 missions into the eyes of hurricanes and typhoons as a meteorologist for the federal government. Willoughby was a Research Meteorologist at the Hurricane Research Division of NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, where he worked since 1975 and served as director from 1995 until 2002. Willoughby also served on the Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology and has extensive knowledge of hurricane impacts and insurance.

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Ping Zhu

Professor
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Zhu can speak to how El Niño influences hurricane activity and storm development. Zhu is a meteorologist whose research interests are in hurricanes, atmospheric convection, boundary layer, and numerical modeling. Using innovative numerical and observational methods, he characterizes the turbulence structure and quantifies turbulent transport in the hurricane boundary layer critical to the storm evolution. His research funded by NSF and NOAA addresses key issues on the representation of sub-grid-scale physical processes in numerical models and the improvement of forecasting skill by NOAA's operational models used for predicting hurricanes.

For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu

Today, we stand at the precipice of justice and accountability.  

The indictment of Raul Castro and five codefendants for the murder of four members of our community is long overdue.   

 At FIU, this hits close to home, as we have longstanding relationships with the families of the four men killed, while flying humanitarian missions with Brothers to the Rescue. Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales were shot down on February 24, 1996, in international airspace. The precious lives lost on that fateful day were fathers, sons, brothers, nephews, but more than that, they were defenders of freedom.  

These men represented the courage, conviction and sacrifice that have defined generations of Cubans who refused to surrender the dream of freedom.  

Our College of Law is home to the Carlos A. Costa Immigration and Human Rights Clinic.  And fittingly, the U.S. Attorney who secured the indictment is Jason Reding Quiñones, the son of a Cuban exile and a proud graduate of the FIU College of Law. 

The legacy of the four civilians murdered by the Cuban regime continues, and freedom for the island feels closer than at any time since 1959. At FIU, we are ready to support in the transition to a free and democratic Cuba. We are uniquely positioned to lead through a wide and deep bench of experts in every facet of the immense challenges ahead.  

 Through our Democratic Transition Initiative, announced earlier this year, we are bringing together scholars and experts in economics, medicine, public health, the environment, education, technology, infrastructure, security, engineering, art, law, governance and civil society – among other areas – to help steer Cuba toward freedom. 

 We will leverage and scale all internal resources across our colleges, schools, and centers, including the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy, the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, the Institute for Cuban Studies, FIU in Washington, D.C., our College of Business, and CasaCuba, as well as countless assets throughout the state and nation that we can bring to bear. 

This work will not be easy. The rebuilding of democratic institutions never is. 

But history reminds us that even after six decades of authoritarian rule, repression, and economic hardship, freedom can emerge when truth endures, justice advances, and people refuse to abandon hope. 

At FIU, a university deeply connected to the Cuban American community, we remain committed to pursuing truth and promoting freedom. We applaud the actions of the U.S. Department of Justice, and we honor the memories of those lost. We firmly believe the Cuban people deserve a future filled with optimism and opportunity — and we stand ready to help build it. 

Story reported by Adrienne Sylver

By Adrienne Sylver

A unique nanogel developed by researchers at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine shows great promise in its ability to precisely deliver drugs that inhibit the growth of HIV cells and prevent diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

The nanogel compound, for which FIU has received a patent in the United States, could have a worldwide impact. Because it is non-toxic, organic and inexpensive to produce, it could offer a safe and affordable solution for developing nations that do not have access to or resources for cutting-edge treatments.

“It seems that the nanogel will have many applications,” said Distinguished University Professor Madhavan Nair, founding chair of the college’s Department of Immunology and NanoMedicine. An internationally renowned expert in nanotechnology and HIV research, Nair is also associate dean of biomedical research, associate vice president of nanomedicine and director of FIU’s Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology. The nanogel is one of 15 patents issued to Nair as an inventor.

The growth of nanotechnology, particularly in medicine, has exploded in recent years. With 25.4 million nanometers in an inch, nanogel particles are so tiny that they can only be seen with high-powered microscopes. Medical applications range from expanding imaging and diagnostic techniques, to bone and neural tissue engineering, to the highly targeted delivery of drugs. This area of research involves attaching nanoparticles onto drugs or liposomes to increase specific localization. Since different cell types have unique properties, nanotechnology can be used to “recognize” cells of interest.

As investigators in FIU’s Department of Immunology & NanoMedicine explored the molecular mechanism of viruses and diseases, they knew they needed new materials and approaches to combat illnesses. The synthesized nanogel is one of the products of their research.

“We are very optimistic and hopeful that this not only leads to better treatments but that it also can be used prophylactically to prevent diseases altogether,” said Nair, who leads the project’s investigative team that includes lead researchers Arti Vashist and virologist Andrea Raymond.

Like their bigger cousin, hydrogel (think diapers, contact lenses, and wound-healing patches), nanogels can absorb large amounts of fluid without dissolving. In addition, they can be manipulated into different sizes and shapes, making it possible for them to carry medications throughout the body and deliver them precisely to a tumor or diseased cells. Because the nanogel releases the drug where it is most needed, nearby healthy tissues are spared, and patients experience fewer side effects.

FIU’s soft, polymer-based nanogel counts the readily available and organic linseed oil among its ingredients. In small animal studies, it has proved to have fluorescent properties, which is very useful in medicine. “It was very exciting to discover that in addition to its anti-viral properties, the nanogel could be tracked in imaging,” Vashist said. “That’s important because it enables you to see where it goes and that it travels to the precise location where it is needed.”

In addition, the ability to use an organic and natural fluorescent material in medical imaging could revolutionize the field, Nair said. “We might be able to eliminate the toxic chemical dyes that are used today in some imaging studies,” he said.

For Raymond, the nanogel’s anti-viral properties are exciting and deserving of more study. “We need to understand where and how the nanogel is interacting and why there is a viral-inhibiting effect.”

The scientists’ work is partly funded by the National Institutes of Health, and Vashist recently received a Young Investigator Pilot Award from the National Cancer Institute’s AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource for continued work on the nanogel.

Early research shows that in some instances, the nanogel also has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. If so, it could eliminate HIV-infected cells that hide in the brain and change the way a host of neurological diseases are treated. The blood-brain barrier protects the brain from bad actors like germs or toxic substances. But in doing so, it also prevents most drugs from entering.

Promising inventions such as the nanogel have helped push FIU into the innovation spotlight. In 2020, FIU was awarded 60 patents and was ranked in the top 20 U.S. public universities for U.S. utility patent production and is in the top 50 (No. 42) among all universities in the world. U.S. News & World Report ranks FIU No. 17 in the category of most innovative public universities. In addition, Nair and 13 other members of the FIU community are Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, the highest distinction awarded by the organization.

“These patents span the fields of engineering, computer information sciences, public health, chemistry, medicine, genetics, biology, psychology and physics,” said Pedro Hernandez, director, FIU Technology Management and Commercialization. “Over time, we have developed a culture that emphasizes innovation at FIU. Collaborating with experts such as Dr. Nair, and seeing novel ideas come to fruition, is what drives the advancement of FIU as a research university.” 

She recently helped organize the campus visit of globally renowned, Miami-based “eco artist” Xavier Cortada. Known for artwork that generates awareness about climate challenges and social issues, he spoke with students and shared two projects designed to get South Floridians thinking about sea-level rise and related topics. Bolivar writes about Cortada’s motivating message that everyone can participate in solving our most-pressing environmental concerns.

“Make the problem impossible to ignore and make the problem part of the Miami vocabulary.”

That was the guidance of eco artist and climate activist Xavier Cortada during a recent campus visit. As a former faculty member and artist-in-residence at FIU, he has underscored the importance of the intersection of art and science and the urgent need for stronger science communication.

In a presentation, Cortada emphasized to graduate and undergraduate students in the environmental studies program the important role that FIU plays in the Miami community, highlighting how the university serves not only as a leader in higher education but also as a driving force for environmental research and public awareness in South Florida. As a public institution, FIU has contributed significantly to environmental research and advocacy in the community. The Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the dozen universities in the state, has even designated FIU a university of distinction in environmental resilience for the work it conducts.

Cortada states that it is up to FIU students to continue carrying that momentum forward. He encouraged graduate students involved in research to share science with the public by harnessing creativity. He urged them to step out of their labs and into the Miami-Dade community with stories to tell and art to share. Research, he explained, becomes more impactful when it is framed through narrative and human connection. In this way, environmental challenges such as sea-level rise and the climate crisis become the antagonists and community members emerge as the protagonists who work toward solutions.

During the lecture, Cortada shared a quote he internalized from Tiffany Troxler, director of science at the Sea Level Solutions Center within FIU’s Institute of Environment: “Human-made problems have human-made solutions.”

Sparking conversations

Cortada discussed two projects designed to get people talking. One, called The Underwater,  involves raising awareness about sea-level rise within the community in a unique way. With yard signs.

He believes that, one day, just as Miami-Dade County residents each know the zip code in which they live, they will also know another number: how many feet above sea level their homes stand.

To get that information across, he is inviting thousands across the county to place signs in their yards. Participants are encouraged to discover the elevation of their home by entering their address online. They can then share that numeral on a sign they make by repurposing one they already have. Alternatively, they can pick up a sign that features a background design by Cortada. Either way, the intent is the same: to get curious neighbors asking about it.

Cortada’s Tree Flag Project invites people to plant a native tree in their front yard and then stake nearby a colorful, Cortada-designed flag featuring a question mark. Like The Underwater initiative, this is likewise meant to stir conversation, this time about native plants and their importance to the South Florida ecosystem.

During his visit, Cortada made clear why he wanted to meet with graduate students and faculty.

“As the scientists who are going to help me understand this world, as scientists who are going to create new discoveries, new ways of thinking, new ways of viewing, I need you to tap into that creativity,” he said. “You can do this right here, right now.”

Each received a tree flag to take back to their own neighborhood so that they might engage with others in talking about native plants’ importance.

By combining research with creativity, Cortada challenged FIU’s academic community to rethink how science is communicated beyond campus. The future of environmental advocacy depends on the ability to make people see themselves within the story.

As Cortada’s presentation ended, I left with a renewed confidence in my creative side, realizing that communicating the value and vitality of one’s research does not have to be limited to statistics and data. It can also embrace an artistic approach that initiates discussion and more importantly sparks curiosity about science in others within my community.

“Over several days, we brought together hundreds of practitioners, diplomats, military leaders, scholars and private sector partners from across the hemisphere and beyond to tackle some of the most pressing security challenges of our time,” said Dr. Brian Fonseca, vice provost for defense and national security research and director of the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at FIU. “HSC has become Miami’s premier security convening, akin to the Aspen Defense Forum or the Munich Security Conference, and its success reflects the professionalism, dedication and excellence of our team in making these critical conversations possible.”

The event opened with remarks from President Jeanette Nuñez and Tadea Foundation President Mario Montoto, followed by a dynamic panel featuring Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency and candidate for UN secretary general; John Mearshemier, distinguished service professor of political science at the University of Chicago; and Fonseca that addressed geopolitical competition in the 21st century. The discussion was moderated by Andrew Sollinger, CEO of Foreign Policy magazine.

Throughout the conference, speakers discussed how the United States is increasing its focus on Latin America and the Caribbean through security partnerships, investments in critical minerals and initiatives designed to counter China’s expanding economic and political influence in the hemisphere.

FIU students majoring in international affairs, public policy and similar topics had the unique opportunity to introduce HSC panelists and share their research with the audience. Students had chance to hear directly from global leaders and network with those making critical decisions.

Senior officials such as National Security Council Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs Michael Jensen and Acting Assistant Secretary of War Joseph Humire highlighted U.S. strategy prioritizing the Western Hemisphere as part of the country’s security posture. U.S. Ambassador to the OAS Leandro Rizzuto and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz examined how the United States-China rivalry has extended into major international institutions like the OAS and the UN.

Perspectives were also shared by leading U.S. diplomats such as United States Ambassador to Mexico Ronald “Ron” D. Johnson, United States ambassador to Panama Kevin Cabrera, United States Ambassador to Peru Bernie Navarro and Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince Henry T. Wooster

Discussions on Haiti explored the country’s worsening instability and the rise of organized crime, while sessions on Venezuela and Cuba examined democratic transitions, human rights and the role of the international community.

Defense and security cooperation remained a major theme throughout the event, with participation from senior officials from across the region. Guatemalan Minister of Defense General Henry David Sáenz Ramos discussed his country’s role in countering transnational criminal organizations and combating drug flow into the United States. Argentine Minister of Defense Lt. General Carlos Presti centered his remarks on reforms aimed at securing Argentina’s critical infrastructure.

By the conference’s conclusion, one message was clear: the Americas are entering a period of major geopolitical change. As competition between the United States and China intensifies, countries across Latin America are increasingly being forced to navigate complex decisions about security, trade, infrastructure,and political alliances.

More importantly, the Hemispheric Security Conference demonstrated the critical role FIU plays in bringing together world leaders, policymakers, academics, and private sector experts to openly discuss the challenges shaping the future of the Western Hemisphere.

They prepare FIU students to become leaders in their fields, mentoring them and often working closely with them on research and creative projects. Faculty produce globally recognized research, and they are at the center of many of the university’s leading community engagement and service initiatives.

To honor the outstanding contributions of faculty, FIU hosted its second annual “Celebrating Impact: Faculty Excellence” event. The ceremony recognized more than 120 faculty members from all across the university, ranging from engineering and public health to medicine, English, theater and more.

Among those honored were faculty who have earned acclaimed awards, including Conference USA Professor of the Year; Miami-Dade County's National Association of Social Work's Educator of the Year; an NSF Career award and more. Honorees also included inductees of the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida; a Fulbright Scholar and a Charles Babbage Institute Research Fellow.

With the FIFA World Cup approaching and global excitement building, FIU experts are available to discuss athletic performance, brain health, sports medicine and the science behind high-stakes competition and live events, along with other related topics. From how athletes and performers prepare mentally and physically under pressure to concussion detection, injury prevention, nutrition, major event planning and the evolving sports media landscape, these faculty members offer research-driven insights and real-world expertise. The experts available to speak with local, national and international media can be found on this page.

For help contacting any of our experts, please contact the Office of Media Relations:

• Athletics Performance - Physical and Mental
• Concussions and Brain Health
• Sports Medicine and Nutrition
• Events Management
• Economic Impact
• Sports Journalism
• Marching Band/Musical Performance 

Athletics Performance - Physical and Mental

Marcelo Bigliassi

Assistant Professor; Director, Kinesiology Graduate Program
Teaching and Learning
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Marcelo Bigliassi can discuss how the brain and body respond to exercise - including what motivates people to push harder, how music and mental strategies affect performance, and how stress, fatigue and resilience shape physical output. His research uses tools such as EEG, fMRI, and heart-rate variability to understand how the mind influences movement and overall health. 

Phone: 786-863-6478
Email: marcelo.bigliassi@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Jason R. Kostrna 

Associate Professor
Teaching and Learning
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Jason Kostrna is a sports psychology expert who can discuss how mental strategies and interventions influence physical performance, motivation, and emotional resilience in athletes. His research focuses on the cognitive and emotional factors that shape physical activity and success in sports. He can speak on topics such as mental performance training, applied psychology in competitive settings, and methods for improving focus, motivation, and emotional regulation. 

Office: 305-919-4074
Email:  jkostrna@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Trey Watson 

Director, Bachelor's Program in PE/Exercise Science and Sports Fitness
Teaching and Learning
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Trey Watson is a sports and exercise science expert who can discuss sprint and game-speed performance, load management, and injury prevention in team sports. His work focuses on high-intensity energy systems, fatigue analysis, and practical strategies for nutrition and recovery. He can speak on topics such as velocity-based training, GPS and force-plate monitoring, pre-habilitation protocols, and reducing the risk of hamstring and knee injuries, including ACL tears.

Office: 305-919-4172
Email: lawatson@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Alfred Simpson Jr.

Clinical Assistant Professor
Teaching and Learning
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Alfred Simpson’s work centers on the complex relationship between bioenergetics and human physical output. His research and teaching focus specifically on anaerobic capacity and the development of precise performance metrics to evaluate athletic potential. He specializes in comprehensive performance assessment and the design of targeted exercise prescriptions to optimize physiological health and efficiency.

Office: 305-919-5972
Email: alsimpso@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Michelle Arean
305-348-4492
marean@fiu.edu

Concussions and Brain Health

Christian Poellabauer

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences
College of Engineering and Computing

Christian Poellabauer is a leading expert in mobile sensing, smart health technologies, and AI-driven analytics with direct applications in athletics, concussion detection, and athlete wellness. His research on concussions at Notre Dame was funded by the NFL, and his Ph.D. students continue to advance related work today. He directs FIU’s MOSAIC Lab, which develops cutting-edge solutions using smartphones, wearables, and virtual assistants to diagnose concussions, track recovery, and monitor neurological and mental health conditions in real time.

Office: 305-348-1545
Email: cpoellab@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Elizabeth Calzadilla
786-338-3346
ecalzadi@fiu.edu

Sports Medicine and Nutrition

Dr. Keith Hechtman 

Professor
Orthopedics
Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Dr. Keith Hechtman is a dual board-certified orthopedic surgeon with Baptist Health Orthopedic Care specializing in both sports medicine and arthroscopy of the shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle. He is the head team physician for Florida International University and assistant team physician for the Florida Panthers hockey team providing care for athletes while advancing clinical education in the field.

Office: 305-348-9280
Email: khechtma@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Ileana Varela
 305-348-0570
 ilvarela@fiu.edu

Lauren Butler 

Clinical Assistant Professor
Physical Therapy
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences

Lauren Butler’s work centers on the youth athlete, with a primary focus on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rehabilitation and return-to-sport decision-making. Her expertise emphasizes evidence-based approaches to injury prevention and safe sports participation in pediatric and adolescent populations. She also investigates movement quality, physical literacy, and sports specialization, with the goal of improving long-term athletic development. She is well positioned to speak on ACL rehabilitation, return-to-sport decision making, injury  prevention, and broader topics in youth athlete development. 

Email: lbutler@fiu.edu

For help, contact:
Michelle Caldera
305-348-4413
mcaldera@fiu.edu

Nadine Mikati 

Assistant Teaching Professor; Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics
Dietetics & Nutrition
Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work

Nadine Mikati is a registered dietitian who can discuss how athletes can fuel smarter to enhance performance, boost recovery, and reduce injury risk. Her expertise includes optimizing game-day performance, endurance, and recovery through strategic nutrition and hydration; understanding how diet influences strength, injury prevention, sleep, and overall readiness; and guiding athletes on how to stay properly fueled during travel with practical, science-backed approaches they can apply both on and off the field. 

Office: 305-348-7303
Email: nmikati@fiu.edu 

For help, contact:
Jonathan Ruadez
305-348-4670
jruadezn@fiu.edu