Hyesook Yoon and Dr. Jihun Lee
College of Medicine

Two researchers, from Seoul, Korea at the FSU College of Medicine have been researching under Dr. Michael Blaber, Professor of Biomedical Studies, protein engineering of human acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-1) and the characterization of kallikrein, an enzyme that since its discovery has been quite mysterious.

Hyesook Yoon's research as a graduate student has pertained primarily to the characterization of the psychological functions of kallikrein. Kallikrein is involved in most bodily functions such as digestion, blood clotting, and immunity to name a few. The characterization of this particular enzyme has been increasing significant over the past few years because something in its make-up may directly apply to the detection of cancer, thus acting as a biomarker. Yoon relays that her interest in this particular field of research came about by reading articles on the severity of cancer, and the numerous amounts of people struck with it yearly. "I just wanted, in some way, to contribute to this cause because it is such a grave one and because with enough people on board, we could really see a positive change come about."

Dr. Jihun Lee, Postdoctoral Research Associate, focuses on the study FGF-1. By using FGF-1 as a model, Lee and her cohorts hope to understand protein folding, stability and structure. The modification of this particular protein has produced "remarkable functional consequences, including dramatically enhanced functional properties," according to Dr. Blaber. Lee uses the example of a patient suffering from heart disease. The injection of the enhanced protein into the heart can help re-grow blood vessels there more rapidly, thereby assisting the healing process.

"The ability to alter a human protein is a miraculous thing," notes Lee on the reason why she chose this particular field of research, "considering that the change could possibly be used to help a terminally ill patient and because it's right there in the human body!"

Lee and Yoon plan on continuing their research in medical studies.

Khen Shalem
The Florida State University Film School

Khen Shalem first discovered his attraction to film when he was a young boy living in Israel. A French film crew shot a film near the river of his kibbutz, the small village he grew up in; this is when the wonders of film caught his attention. Later, while in the army, Khen was able to manipulate the camera for the first time. “As a lieutenant, I independently shot with my unit about fifty hours of film depicting the soldiers’ routine, from training to actual battles and operational activity.” However, Khen received an injury which put an abrupt stop to his time in the army and, subsequently, his filming.

Later, Khen would put his cinematic ambitions on hold, as he received a B.S. in Extended Physics at Bar-Ilan University, and a M.S. in Applied Physics at the Weizmann Institute of Science. “The choice of studying physics was not intended as a future occupation, but as a profound need to better understand the laws of nature. Notwithstanding the intellectual assets gained by my studying and practicing science, I gradually came to the awareness that I wanted to further develop my interest in human feelings and artistic creation.” Ultimately Khen knew it was time to return to film. His creative desire, unlocked long ago in his kibbutz, would eventually reveal itself as his ultimate aspiration.

When Khen began the process of applying to Film Schools, he found the odds were with him. With his recent first place award for a one-shot film competition with the International Jerusalem Film Festival, he received many acceptance letters from some of the top schools in the country. However, Khen decided to take FSU’s offer and became the first Israeli to join the highly competitive two-year program here at Florida State’s Film School.

At Florida State, Khen has received recognition for his outstanding work with the Film School. In 2006, Khen received a student Emmy for his film, Abe, which is “a short drama that tells the story of a dog who struggles to survive after his owner past away.” He also serves as Graduate Assistant, and is a recipient of various scholarships and grants, such as the Florida-Israel Institute Scholarship. Here, at FSU, Khen has been able to fully realize his dream of becoming a film maker. “As an Israeli, I believe that only by exploring these most personal experiences can a real change be made in this difficult reality that I come from. I thus hope to see my future cinematic work as a true instrument in shaping the society to which I belong.”

Alessandra Feris
College of Music

Alessandra Feris, originally from Rio Grande, Brazil grew up listening to her mother play the piano and began learning how to play herself at the age of eight. Since then, her passion for music has not waned. Currently attending school for her doctorate in Piano Performance, she says that Florida State University “provided the best program, faculty and reputation to continue my music education.”

After receiving her undergraduate degree in Piano from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in south Brazil, Alessandra was awarded a fellowship from KAAD to study in the Hochschule für Musik “Franz Liszt” in Weimar, Germany. She spent four years in Weimar studying piano performance, chamber music and Lied accompanying. Her largest influences have been her piano instructors, because they not only encouraged her to pursue a career in music, but demanded that she artistically master the necessary technique.

In addition to studying music performance, she also has a particular interest in languages. Alessandra takes great pride in teaching Portuguese. She has been an instructor in the Modern Languages Department at FSU for approximately 2 ½ years. “I see music and languages as collaborative. I enjoy teaching my students and whenever I can, I find an opportunity to incorporate music.” This relation between languages and music perhaps comes from Alessandra’s own experience working with teachers and the effect they have on their students -- academically and personally. After receiving her doctorate, she plans to teach piano in a college. “My experiences working with my professors at FSU - Read Gainsford and Carolyn Bridger - have been both intense as well as pleasant. I can definitely see myself continuing to teach and perform.”

Alessandra has received several prizes in competitions, among them the First Place in the South American Piano Competition 'Guiomar Novaes'. She also performs in Azucar, an FSU-based multicultural dance troupe.

Shantanu Joshi
Alumnus, College of Engineering

Joshi Shantanu, who for his academic achievements in engineering has been awarded the 2006-07 Graduate Research and Creativity Award, prepares for his graduation this December but not without leaving his mark here at FSU.

Joshi is originally from Pune, India, where he completed his Bachelor’s in Electronics & Telecommunications. Afterwards, working as a software developer for Mahindra British Telecom, he helped design software in accordance with the company’s billing and order process for which he was awarded the Outstanding Performance Award.

Joshi’s interest in the study of engineering was somewhat inherent, he jokes, following in the footsteps of his father. And so, after a mere two years of working at Mahindra, he left India to pursue his Masters of Science at FSU.

Currently, Joshi is working on a project entitled “Shape Analysis for Computer Vision”, or photo object recognition, which in layman’s terms is computer software that is able to recognize and interpret images. The application of such a device into the areas of medical technology and security surveillance are significant because it lessens the time it takes for a person to sort and identify images on their own. Whether it’s a doctor peering over the irregularities of the shape of the heart or a security officer detecting a criminal, they would both benefit tremendously from this software. Joshi uses the example of a heart and how in order to denote the causes of an ailment a doctor may need to analyze scans and even create his own drawings before detecting the problem. However, with the implement of the software recognition tool, the doctor will take less time securitizing images, thereby making diagnosis much faster!

Joshi, in an interview, spoke of his happiness in the acceptance of his work by the public. "This award signifies tremendous encouragement for my research…Professionally, it means recognition of my research not only by my peers but also by faculty outside of my technical area."

Joshi has also been awarded the “TRW Best Teaching Assistant of the Year” for his instruction in the area of electromagnetics.

James Arinaitwe
Alumnus, College of Medicine

After graduating from medical school in the U.S., James Arinaitwe, a Biomedical Mathematics major and a Business Administration minor, plans on returning to his home country of Uganda and utilizing his knowledge and passion for education for the greater good of his people. As a youth, death wove itself throughout his family: his mother passing away due to cancer, his father succumbing to AIDS, and all four of his biological siblings also laid to rest before he even became a teenager.

James nevertheless sees beyond his dismal beginnings and seeks to wring each opportunity afforded to him, not only for himself but also for the people of Uganda. One of his most fervent insistences is the need for proper healthcare for Africans. “I know that most people in Africa lack good healthcare. Therefore when I graduate from medical school, I am returning home to open up a hospital which will be able to assure good and affordable healthcare to the citizens, but more importantly, health care for those in dire need,” claims James, “Furthermore, the hospital will create jobs for other potential nurses, doctors, and staff. It will do its part to alleviate unemployment.”

James is currently president of the African Student Association, a position which he employs to spread awareness about the conditions of Africa and its people. He thus has become more prolific in voicing Africa’s educational paucity. For James, it has become clear that education is the most powerful defense the continent has against poverty and disease. As the campus Chairperson for One Here…One There, an organization which seeks to fund the education of children in Africa through raising donations on college campuses, he further demonstrates his fervor for educating young Africans. So far his efforts being apart of this organization has led him to petition Florida State to allow students the option of donating a portion of their tuition each semester ($20 or so at the minimum) to fund educational endeavors in Africa.

James also understands his aim to ultimately become a physician has a distinct relation to public policy. “I would like to impact some changes in the policy sector so that policies made will benefit people with little or no benefits”. He claims that often the benefits which governments allocate are denied to the ones most in need of it. Through his current platforms, he hopes to teach policy makers to consider the “people of the grassroots” when allocating resources and benefits. Truly his concern resonates in his speech and motives.

James was named 2006 Valedictorian for Tallahassee Community College. Presently, he has a full scholarship to attend FSU, a tuition waiver granted to him from the FSU International Center, and a Housing Scholarship from the Southern Scholarship Foundation & Rotary Club of Tallahassee. In addition, he is a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society of the Two Year College, and a member of the TCC Honors Club Alumni.

Cathrine Sandal
NASA Fellowship, Physical Oceanography

Because of a rapid warming trend over the past 30 years, the Earth is now reaching the warmest levels seen in the last 12,000 years. A study led by scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies concludes, "We are getting close to dangerous levels of human-made pollution."

That's why the research performed by Cathrine Sandal, a doctoral candidate in Physical Oceanography, is so important. Physical Oceanographers study, among other things, ocean properties and the ocean-atmosphere relationship that influences weather and climate. Dr. William Dewar, chair of FSU's Oceanography department, says Cathrine has performed the first laboratory experiments relevant to paleoclimate studies. The study of past climates helps scientists understand the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans, and it helps them quantify the properties of the Earth's climate, including the forces that drive climate change and the sensitivity of the Earth's climate to such force.

Cathrine's research focuses on the influence of the Bering Strait (the narrow and shallow strait that connects the Pacific ocean to the Arctic ocean) on the climate of the North Atlantic. She explains, "Approximately 10,000 years before present, sea level rise opened the Bering Strait for through flow of water. At the same time, oceanic and atmospheric temperatures rose abruptly on Greenland, as seen in the paleo record. Our theory is that these two occurrences are connected, such that the opening of the Bering Strait initiated the rise in temperature."

Using an analytical model, she is recreating "the transition from the Last Glacial Maximum to the beginning of the Holocene, which includes the dramatic increase in temperature. With a laboratory model, she is "looking at the temporary damming effect of ice as it flows through a narrow and shallow strait." For instance, the Bering Strait.

A native of Norway, Cathrine chose Florida State's Department of Oceanography for her graduate studies because of its "outstanding" reputation. For the past four years, her graduate studies have been supported through a NASA Fellowship. Last year, she was the first to receive the Jim and Sheila O'Brien Graduate Fellowship.

With her doctorate in hand, she'll go on to Norway's Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, to investigate the influence of the North Atlantic on the climate of the Northern Hemisphere.