Good Monday Afternoon FMU Family!
As always, great things are happening on the campus of Florida Memorial University…
Congratulations to Dr. Dimitri Tamalis and Dr. Ayivi Huisso on being awarded a grant from the The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC-HQ-84-16-FOA-0001)! The grant titled N.U.C.L.E.A.R. (Nuclear Underrepresented Collegiate Lions In Education and Research) will be funded for $200,000 of which $120,000 will go directly to students as scholarship awards! The grant will run from 9/1/2016 to 8/31/2018. Students with U.S. citizenship, a minimum GPA of 3.0, and a declared major in Radiochemistry or Radiobiology are eligible to receive this scholarship. Additional grant activities include student involvement in nuclear-related research at FMU, presentations at conferences, and pursuing summer internships at institutions where FMU radiochemistry graduates are pursuing doctoral degrees or have themselves gone for internships. You have set the bar – thank you for your hard work and commitment to our students!
I’d like to take a moment to recognize the Department of Health and Natural Sciences faculty for the excellent work they are doing with their students. Below are several examples of the phenomenal work being done on the campus of Florida Memorial University:
- Aissata Dia, a senior in the Division of Health and Natural Sciences and first place winner of RELPAD in orals for Science has synthesized several compounds under the guidance of Dr. Rose Mary Stiffin. These compounds were tested by the National Cancer Institute and some were shown to be up to 50 – 93% effective in killing a variety of cancer cell types, including a line of breast cancer, colon cancer, and malignant melanoma. Ms. Dia is also the recipient of the ACS award for Senior of the Year.
- Ms. Diarra Dia has synthesized a similar small library of compounds as M.s Aissata Dia (called, for now, indenone derivatives) that have yet to be tested by the NCI, although they are in receipt of the compounds. We are hoping for more success in this area of exciting research!
- Josymar Travieso, a graduating senior, also in HNS, will serve the South Florida community for a year as a full time science teacher before attending medical school in 2017. Ms. Travieso has taken a mock MCAT and scored very high! She is expected to perform even better when she takes the actual exam. Currently, Ms. Travieso is our unpaid teaching and lab assistant.
- Two rising sophomores, Neugenia Joseph and Ahmed Calvo, were chosen to join a group of 14 students from across the country to participate in FIU’s F-STAR program as paid interns doing research and preparing for a career in the health field.
- Miss Hohebeth Scobino and Miss Camila Vega obtained internships at UC Davis where they will be sponsored to conduct research in the area of pathology. Both Miss Vega and Miss Scobino attended an all-expenses paid workshop at UC Davis this past week (04/20 – 04/22)that covered the preparation for both the MCAT and the GRE, as well as the interviewing process.
- Ms. Alessandra Manzon, Dr. Marilyn Sherman, and Dr. Rose Stiffin, have started what will be called the Florida Memorial University Health and Natural Sciences Organic Garden. The garden will consist of herbs and vegetables. Additionally, due to the plethora of research on ethnobotany, some of the plants will be used in ongoing research.
- Dr. Rose Stiffin has been in conversation with an herpetologist/molecular biologist to discuss research on the iguanas that populate the lagoon and the surrounding areas. Mr. Brian Cooney thinks that this small ecosystem will shed light on the overall habitats of certain riparian species.
WE ARE LION PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR SCHOLARSHIP! Thank you for your commitment to excellence in STEM at FMU!
Speaking of scholarship… A paper titled “Disequilibrium in the Uranium and Actinide Series from an Oil Scale Sample” by Dr. Dimitri Tamalis et al. has been accepted for publication by the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. Congratulations Dr. Tamalis!
Department of Health and Natural Sciences chair Dr. Rose Mary Stiffin, Dr. Dimitri Tamalis, and Radiochemistry graduating senior Aissata Dia attended the Awards Banquet and 25th Anniversary Celebration of the South Florida American Chemical Society on Saturday April 30th. Pictured here are Miss Dia who was presented with the outstanding graduating senior award along with several of the society’s past chairs including the two FMU faculty members.
On Thursday, April 28 the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) FMU Chapter and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) conducted an informational event on our campus regarding the dangers of Aggressive Driving. A total of 100 FMU students signed the FDOT pledge. Thanks to Professor Mary Angie Salva-Ramirez for leading this effort! For more information, please visit: fdotmiamidade.com/drivesafe-md
FMU PRSSA members with Carlos Sarmiento, the District 6 CTST Program Coordinator for the FDOT
Special thanks to Dr. Carla Miller and Professor Tatiana Parker for the successful chartering of both the Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. This is a big step forward in the way of preparing our Criminal Justice majors for successful careers in the field!
Chairman Charles George (BOT) and Executive Vice President Cynthia W. Curry were joined by J. Walter Hale (FMU Student Advisor), Karen Taylor (land planner) and Michael Saylor (land planner) on April 13, 2016 in St. Augustine, Florida (St. Johns County) to meet with officials from the County, City, CRA and Community at large about the Updated Master Plan for FMU owned property (real estate) in the West St. Augustine community. Below are photos from the phenomenal presentation. Thanks to all who participated and represented FMU.
Thanks and Congratulations to William Jong-Ebot, whose student mentees won 3rd place in their category during Research and Performing Arts day for their presentation titled: “FMU Consumer Power Project” which shed light on the racial wealth gap.
Radio/TV Production Students Present Projects:
Students enrolled in the Fundamentals of Radio and Television Production course presented their projects on April 26, 2016 to a panel of judges. The students were assigned to groups and asked to produce a radio commercial or a public service announcement. The winners were as follows: Lance Mansfield and Jervon Bennett, first place; Jayna Baldwin, Ronekqia Williams, Martin Lozano, second place; Nekisha Murrell, Shieda Castillo, Camry Brown, third place.
The judges were Athena Jackson, director, Career Development Center; and Sharhonda Ford, coordinator, Student Publications.
I would like to reiterate my thanks to the Florida Memorial Athletic Department for hosting the Sun Conference Track and Field Championships. I know putting together a meet of this magnitude is a huge endeavor and Damian Alexander, Coach Richardson, Coach Townsend, Coach Smith and everyone involved certainly pushed the bar to a truly high level. I continue to receive calls and correspondence from the Commissioner and members of the Track and Field community offering high praise, in particular for Damien Alexander’s efforts. We appreciate you!
Florida Memorial University Track and Field Finishes 5th at The Sun Conference Championship
Florida Memorial University men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at The Sun Conference Track and Field Championship. The men finished in fifth place with 76 points and the women’s team came in fifth with 99 points. Florida Memorial picked up five conference champion honors and 26 all-conference honors at The Sun Conference Championship.
Florida Memorial’s Corion Knight took down a meet record with a mark of 2.19 meters in the high jump, surpassing the mark of 2.14 meters set by Embry-Riddle’s Rico Saldana last year. Knight was the only individual to win two events Saturday, also claiming the long jump with a mark of 7.60 meters. Knight came back and placed 3rd in the 100 meter and 200 meter dash respectively.
Brittany Starling had a dominating performance in the women’s 100-meter and 200-meter dash respectively. Starling, the reigning conference Champion, ran an impressive performance in the 100m dash in a season-best time of 12.01 to claim the 100 meter and Starling also won the 200 meter dash in 25.02. In the women’s Long Jump, Starling placed third with a leap of 16.02.
Florida Memorial women’s 4×100 relay team consisting of Wilsandley Jacques, Neugenia Joseph, Kimberly Nesmith, and Brittany Starling placed fifth overall with a time of 49.46.
Performing well for the Lions was Eunique Byrd, who placed third in the women’s Discus throw, 2nd in the women’s Shot Put and 2nd in the women’s Hammer Throw, while teammate Sarah Robinson won the 100 meter Hurdles in 16.15.
Florida Memorial men’s 4×100 relay team consisting of Jean Charles, Corion Knight, Rufus Wiggins and Willi Anstral placed third overall with a time of 43.92, while Neugenia Joseph placed second in the Women’s 400 Meter Hurdles.
Student Fun!
The Office of Intramural Sports hosted a trip to Rapids Water Park on Saturday, March 23, 2016. The trip was attended by 28 FMU students, each of whom had an enjoyable time at the water park. Special thanks to Mr. Rodney Carter!
On behalf of the Delta Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, we would like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to the judges that participated in the pageant and interview. Thank you so much!
The winner of Miss Black & Gold 2016-2017:
Miss Azure Quant
The winner of Miss Delta Psi 2016-2017:
Miss Aissatou Balde
The winner of Miss Black 2016-2017:
Miss Netsy Delva
Click on the following MP4 file to see the SGA 2015-16 year in review! Thank you to our student leaders for all you do to make FMU great!
(Click the Play button below to view the video.)
Have a Blessed Week!