Student Newsletter - April 2, 2007

From the Dean,

Each year our distinguished speakers and other guests bring their expertise and vision to campus. Later this month, Oliver Sacks will join us to share insights from his career of neurological research and exploration. I hope you will join the College of Arts and Sciences for an evening of insight into the mysteries and restorative powers of the human mind on Thursday, April 19, from 7:00–8:30 p.m. in the Miniaci Performing Arts Center.

Sacks is the author of numerous bestselling books, including Awakenings, The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat, and An Anthropologist on Mars. His memoir, Uncle Tungsten: Memories of A Chemical Boyhood, was named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times Book Review. Through his storytelling, he has transformed our understanding of the human mind and restored narrative to a central place in the practice of medicine.

To accompany Sacks' visit, the college has planned related discussion groups that enhance understanding of the issues his work raises. The Division of Humanities will present a complementary panel discussion, "Embodied Identities in Literature," and the Division of Math, Science and Technology will present "Virtual Identity and Bioethics.”

We welcome the richness of intelligent discussion that always accompanies visits by our Distinguished Speakers. I look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

Don Rosenblum, Ph.D.
Dean, Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences

Important Dates to Remember

Upcoming Events

Now–April 12

“Expressions of Identity: Faculty, Family, and Art”

Art exhibit featuring original artwork, photography, and sculptures created by college faculty, staff, and their family members is showing in the second floor Library Galley of the Alvin Sherman Library. More

April 9

Reading and Reception to Launch 2007 Digressions Student Literary Magazine

Come celebrate the 2007 issue of Digressions. Join the magazine's student contributors and staff on Monday, April 9, from 4:00–5:00 p.m. as they read excerpts of poetry and short fiction in the University Arts Center’s Black Box Theatre. You can also view the artwork from Digressions on display in the lobby gallery. A reception, with live music from the Sharkestra, will follow on the patio. More

April 10

Faculty Lecture Series: "Effects of Genetics on Identity"

You are invited to join Joshua Loomis, Ph.D., assistant professor in the college’s Division of Math, Science, and Technology, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. in Parker Room 240. Loomis will explore the extent to which our genes affect who we are. How do we identify genes that affect our identity? Will it be possible in the future to pre-select the identity of our children using genetic means? Questions such as these will be addressed as Loomis discusses how recent advances in genetic technology affect our understanding and control of personal identity. More

April 16

In conjunction with the visit of Oliver Sacks - Panel Discussion on Virtual Identity and Bioethics

Join Sergio Cobo, Ph.D., Ben Mulvey, Ph.D., Robert Burns, and moderator Saeed Rajput, Ph.D., for a discussion of issues that arise from medical and technological means to alter identities. From 7:00–8:30 p.m. in the Miniaci Performing Arts Center, the panel will explore how our increasing dependency on technology affects the ownership of personal information, the risks of identity theft, and the growing use of biometrics. More

April 18

In conjunction with the visit of Oliver Sacks - English Professors to Explore Embodied Identity in Literature

Join Suzanne Ferriss, Ph.D., and Andrea Shaw, Ph.D., from the Division of Humanities, for an engaging discussion on embodied identity in literature at 4:00 p.m. in the Alvin Sherman Library, Room 2053. They will analyze the connection between mind and body—the psychological and the physical—and focus on ways that identity is shaped by this connection, using examples from various literary works. More

April 19

Distinguished Speaker Series: Oliver Sacks

You are invited to join the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences in welcoming Oliver Sacks, M.D., to Nova Southeastern University as part of the college's Distinguished Speaker Series. The event will take place 7:00–8:30 p.m. in the Miniaci Performing Arts Center. More

April 26-29

NSU Theatre: Director’s Festival of One-Acts
The final theatre offering of the year will be a festival of student-directed works. Performances will held at the University Arts Center’s Black Box Theatre on April 26-28, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. and April 29, 2007, at 2:00 p.m. More

Get Involved on Campus

April 21

Florida Geriatric Society Presents Lectures on Geriatric Care

The Florida Geriatrics Society will sponsor a morning of lectures, titled "Promoting Excellence in the Clinical Care of the Older Adult,” from 7:00 a.m.–12:50 p.m. in Room 1417 of the Health Professions Division. Students are invited to learn about key geriatric care developments and spend time with experts in the field. Registration is free for students. Student volunteers are also needed to help facilitate the event; if interested, contact Mark Jaffe, D.P.M., at mjaffe@nova.edu.

Office of Admissions News and Events

April 21

Campus Visit Day

Do you know someone interested in NSU? Tell them to come to the Campus Visit Day. The best way to get a feel for a college is to see and experience it in person. They will get all the information they need about academic majors, the application process, and financial aid. They can tour campus and have a one-on-one interview with an admissions counselor. More