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Photography by Ahammad Abdullah, College of Engineering and Computer Science

In Lake Erie - Microcystis aeruginosa, a type of freshwater cyanobacteria, is notorious for forming harmful algal blooms with significant ecological and economic impacts. These blooms are the most common toxic cyanobacterial events in freshwater systems, producing microcystins, potent toxins that can severely damage water quality. Microcystis colonies, which range in size from 40 micrometers (μm) to several millimeters (mm) depending on species and morphology, pose serious risks. The microcystins they produce can cause severe liver damage in animals, including humans, if ingested, potentially leading to serious health issues or even death. Additionally, large blooms deplete oxygen levels in the water, threatening aquatic life and disrupting the ecosystem's balance. The original image was captured using the instrument AUTOHOLO, developed by the Â鶹¾«Æ·ÊÓƵ research team. Post-processing techniques were applied to produce a focused image. This image intricately showcases cyanobacterial colonies, enabling us to better characterize their undisturbed colony morphology in the natural habitat.

Photography by Muhammad Zaka Asif, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

Dopamine Neurons and Copper (I) Granules in C. elegans - The Blakely lab was the first to identify and clone a gene in the nematode C. elegans termed swip-10. Studies indicate that the human version of swip-10 is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, though a mechanism has not been established. Recently accepted work (Rodriguez et al, PNAS 2024 in press) demonstrates the basis for neurodegeneration with loss of swip-10 is the ability of the swip-10 gene produce to maintain normal levels of cuprous copper, Cu(I). Dopamine neurons (green) were found to be very sensitive to loss of Cu(I), normally stored in granules (cyan) in the worm intestine. In a swip-10 mutant, Rodriguez at al show that the insensitivity of Cu(I) storage granules is greatly diminished accompanying the death of dopamine neurons. Dietary or pharmacological elevation of Cu(I) in swip-10 mutants prevented dopamine neurodegeneration. The early death of dopamine neurons is a diagnostic feature of Parkinson's disease, suggesting that a MBLAC1 reduction may impact risk for neurodenerative disorders beyond Alzheimer's disease. Mentor: Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

Photography by Chantae Bennett, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

The picture shows the spinal cord (ventral nerve cord) of the fruit fly. Simultaneous expression of cytosolic green fluorescent protein (GFP) and mCherry-tagged Distracted protein under the control of the Distracted gene regulatory sequences shows its gene [removed] green) and protein localization (magenta). The labeling reveals that the protein is most abundant in somas and the absence of co-labeling with GFP in some somas implies that the protein negatively regulates its own gene expression. Image was taken with a 20x objective using a Nikon AR1 confocal microscope.

Photography by Chantae Bennett, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

This image shows the renal tubes, the hindgut, and the midgut of the Drosophila fly. Nuclei of all cells were labeled with DAPI dye (blue). Antibody labeling against the human Attractin protein homolog (green) shows that the protein is expressed in the renal tubes and midgut but not in the hindgut. Image was taken with a 20x objective using a Nikon AR1 confocal microscope.

Photography by Chantae Bennett, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

The picture shows the spinal cord (ventral nerve cord) of the fruit fly. Simultaneous expression of cytosolic green fluorescent protein (GFP) and mCherry-tagged Distracted protein under the control of the Distracted gene regulatory sequences shows its gene [removed] green) and protein localization (purple). The labeling reveals that the protein is most abundant in somas and the absence of co-labeling with GFP in some somas implies that the protein negatively regulates its own gene expression. Image was taken with a 20x objective using a Nikon AR1 confocal microscope.

Photography by Yash Bhagwanji, Ph.D., College of Education

In a remote rainforest of southeast Thailand, several colorful shield bugs were photographed in July 2024. After showing this picture, local guides reported not seeing it before and indicated great astonishment upon seeing the colorful insect. The function of colors in shield bugs may serve several different functions including mimicry of other organism and warning to predators. Recent research indicate shield bugs may change colors as they (a) grow from nymphs to adulthoods and (b) protect themselves from predators.

Photography by Yash Bhagwanji, Ph.D., College of Education

Madagascar is home to many faunas found nowhere else in the world. Many new endemic species are still being discovered to date. Documented in June 2024, while searching for undiscovered and rarely seen geckos, this gecko demonstrates an extreme camouflage adaptation, looking like dead leaves. Being small and nocturnal as well, it was challenging to make it out at first. By carefully traipsing around the vegetation, I finally got a clear glimpse and took this photo on my phone camera.

Photography by Yash Bhagwanji, Ph.D., College of Education

Due to violence and religious uprisings in the area, a large tract of lowland rainforest in southeast Thailand has survived incursions, conversions and development to palm oil and rubber plantations. Nine species of rarely seen hornbills, all endangered or vulnerable, have been reported in the forest. Among these include the very rare Wrinkled and Wreathed species. The photograph shows a male Rhinoceros Hornbill, the only species spotted during a week-long exploration in the forest (late July 2024). When compared to its female partner (also captured on photo), sexual dimorphism was evident in two ways (a) eye color, with males having red eyes and females having blue eyes and (b) absence of black strip on casques of females while males have the black strip on its casques.

Photography by Yash Bhagwanji, Ph.D., College of Education

Following years of trade and violent conflict related to illegal drugs in Colombia, the new progressive government has brought on hope of peace, greater environmental protection, and safer travel in the country. Typically, very challenging to document for many reasons, the early life cycles of different species of stick insects remain a mystery to date. Chanced upon at a secluded natural area surrounded by large scale mining activities, this very unusual looking stick insect nymph was photographed by a river protected by high limestones cliffs in between Bogota and Medellin. Consultations with both Colombian and Florida Atlantic biologists have not yielded any definitive species type. Consultations with global experts on stick insects, too, are unconclusive and divided at Genus level (libethroidea, oreophoetes or phanocles).

Photography by Ajay Bommareddy, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Actin filaments, cytoskeletal structures play an important role in cancer cell survival and migration. Human melanoma cells (SKMEL-2) were treated with a naturally occurring compound, alpha-santalol, derived from sandalwood oil to assess the effect on disruption of F-actin filaments. Representative confocal microscopic images (40x oil objective magnification) showing Rhodamine phalloidin-labeled F-actin filaments (red color) and nuclear staining with DAPI (blue color) in SK-MEL2 cells after 24 h treatment with DMSO or indicated concentrations of alpha-santalol. As shown in the image, the control-treated cells (DMSO, identified by green arrows) expressed healthy looking and elongated F-actin filaments while alpha-santalol treated cells (20 and 40 uM, identified by yellow arrows) expressed collapsed F-actin filaments. Disruption of F-actin network by alpha-santalol may be responsible for inhibition of melanoma cell migration.

Photography by Hanna Bridgham, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Sediment sample in four parts - This photograph shows a sediment sample under a microscope and a dissecting scope at two different magnifications. These particles are looked at for characteristics like organic material, small plankton shells, and large transparent sand particles. Also, the particles are measured to get an idea of the size of the particles in the sample. Extra images are taken of biological specimens or other unnatural finds like microplastics. Also, extra images are taken by students for screensavers and desktop backgrounds.

Photography by Tiffany Briggs, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

This photograph is part of study to assess damage from Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that hit Florida's Estero Island in September 2022. The study identified 2,427 affected buildings, with 170 experiencing severe damage, totaling more than $200 million. The hardest-hit areas were primarily single-family and multi-family residences in the central and northern parts of the island. By employing advanced technology of aerial imagery and airborne LiDAR, enabled us to collect extensive data from Hurricane Ian's aftermath and analyze large-scale datasets rather quickly.

Photography by Tiffany Briggs, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

This photograph is part of study to assess damage from Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that hit Florida's Estero Island in September 2022. The study identified 2,427 affected buildings, with 170 experiencing severe damage, totaling more than $200 million. The hardest-hit areas were primarily single-family and multi-family residences in the central and northern parts of the island. By employing advanced technology of aerial imagery and airborne LiDAR, enabled us to collect extensive data from Hurricane Ian's aftermath and analyze large-scale datasets rather quickly.

Photography by Tiffany Briggs, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

This photograph is part of study to assess damage from Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that hit Florida's Estero Island in September 2022. The study identified 2,427 affected buildings, with 170 experiencing severe damage, totaling more than $200 million. The hardest-hit areas were primarily single-family and multi-family residences in the central and northern parts of the island. By employing advanced technology of aerial imagery and airborne LiDAR, enabled us to collect extensive data from Hurricane Ian’s aftermath and analyze large-scale datasets rather quickly.

Photography by Tiffany Briggs, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

This photograph is part of study to assess damage from Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that hit Florida's Estero Island in September 2022. The study identified 2,427 affected buildings, with 170 experiencing severe damage, totaling more than $200 million. The hardest-hit areas were primarily single-family and multi-family residences in the central and northern parts of the island. By employing advanced technology of aerial imagery and airborne LiDAR, enabled us to collect extensive data from Hurricane Ian's aftermath and analyze large-scale datasets rather quickly.

Photography by Susannah Brown, Ph.D., College of Education

This photograph captures the final learning experience with a third-grade class that involved the artwork of a star created by the student and coding the Dash robot. (Researchers) visited The Foundations School in West Palm Beach, Fla., to implement STEAM lessons with third grade students. This mixed methods research project was in collaboration with (researchers from the) Center for Creative Education, and a doctoral research assistant that focused on the knowledge, identity and attitudes of at-risk third grade students before and after STEAM lessons.

Photography by Li Sun Chin, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Three-week-old sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus, spawned and grown at the Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute's Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture facility.

Photography by Li Sun Chin, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

An astronaut-like larval sea urchin that was grown at the Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, floating across a petri dish.

Photography by Li Sun Chin, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Rows of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) eggs, spawned at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, are shown as part of a project supporting the development of the U.S. aquaculture industry. This species is gaining attention for its potential as a viable food fish. The image, captured using a Leica stereo microscope approximately 15 hours after fertilization, displays the notochord, yolk sac, and oil droplet in each egg prominently. The scattered yellow droplets within the eggs are the early stages of chromatophore formation. This picture represents a delicate beginning for these fish before they develop specialized cells and organs, symbolizing the remarkable process of life unfolding before our eyes.

Photography by Li Sun Chin, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Larval sea urchin grown in the Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute's Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture facility.

Photography by Li Sun Chin, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Four space-like larval sea urchins from an unexpected spawning event at Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute's Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture facility.

Photography by Sarah Cohen, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Fluorophore-conjugated muscimol (red), a GABA-A agonist, infused directly into the dorsal CA1 region of a mouse hippocampus (green).

Photography by Xavier Comas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Arctic fox at Sassendalen, Svalbard (Norway), one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas. Image taken during FAU's geophysical campaign in the Arctic in August 2019, to characterize carbon accumulation using geophysical methods. Project in collaboration with University of Exeter (UK), University of Leeds (UK), and University of Hawaii, and partially funded by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

Photography by Xavier Comas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Arctic fox at Sassendalen, Svalbard (Norway), one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas. Image taken during FAU's geophysical campaign in the Arctic in August 2019, to characterize carbon accumulation using geophysical methods. Project in collaboration with University of Exeter (UK), University of Leeds (UK), and University of Hawaii, and partially funded by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

Photography by Xavier Comas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Increasing Carbon Accumulation in Arctic Peatlands arctic team (Florida Atlantic University (FAU), University of Exeter, University of Leeds and University of Hawaii) being deployed in the field, in Sassendalen, Svalbard. August 2019. Project partially supported by FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

Photography by Xavier Comas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Matt Sirianni, doctoral candidate, Geosciences Department, collecting data in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida, to investigate the effect of sea level rise in the peat soils of the Everglades. Project funded by the National Park Service.

Photography by Xavier Comas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Graduate students from the Geosciences Department walking in el Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico, at the end of the day after collecting geophysical data. Project funded by the National Science Foundation under the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory.

Photography by Xavier Comas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Professor Xavier Comas, Geosciences Department, collecting a ground-penetrating radar dataset in el Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico, and passing by a large size core stone, massive boulder generated by chemical weathering. Project funded by the National Science Foundation under the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory.

Photography by Xavier Comas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Graduate students Mackenzie Vecchio, Matt Sirianni and Joe Becker from the Geosciences Department collecting a ground-penetrating radar profile across a Tabonuco tree to understand moisture content distribution in different tree species across topographic gradients in the rainforest of the Luquillo Mountains in Puerto Rico. Project funded by the National Science Foundation under the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory.

Photography by Andrew Crider, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Aged 5xFAD Alzheimer's Mouse Hippocampus - Hippocampal brain sections of a transgenic Alzheimer's mouse model of a 6-month-old mouse were investigated through IHC antibody staining such that the final antibody added will reflect a colored wavelength: Amyloid Beta Plaques (blue: Amylo Glo), Astrocytes (green: GFAP), IL1R1 (red: tdTom), Microglia (far red/gray: IBA1). At this stage in the mouse's lifespan Alzheimer's Disease pathology has progressed to the point of causing behavioral changes and cognitive deficits.

Microglia and Astrocytes, the amyloid beta response team, are recruited and activated to engulf and dispose of the amyloid beta plaques. Both of these cell types begin to wrap and surround the plaques with their cell processes as amyloid beta is accumulated during Alzheimer's pathology progression. Images were captured on a confocal microscope by creating a z-stack image (multiple layers pressed together) and edited on Biorender.

Photography by Andrew Crider, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Aged 5xFAD Alzheimer's Mouse Hippocampus - Hippocampal brain sections of a transgenic Alzheimer's mouse model of a 6-month-old mouse were investigated through IHC antibody staining such that the final antibody added will reflect a colored wavelength: Amyloid Beta Plaques (blue: Amylo Glo), IL1R1 (red: tdTom), Microglia (far red/gray: IBA1). At this stage in the mouse's lifespan Alzheimer's Disease pathology has progressed to the point of causing behavioral changes and cognitive deficits. Microglia, the brain's resident immune cell, form structures around the plaques with their cell processes as amyloid beta is accumulated during Alzheimer's pathology progression. Images captured on a confocal microscope by creating a z-stack image (multiple layers pressed together).

Photography by Andrew Crider, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Aged 5xFAD Alzheimer's Mouse Hippocampus - Hippocampal brain sections of a transgenic Alzheimer’s mouse model of a 6-month-old mouse were investigated through IHC antibody staining such that the final antibody added will reflect a colored wavelength: Amyloid Beta Plaques (blue: Amylo Glo), IL1R1 (red: tdTom), Microglia (far red/gray: IBA1). At this stage in the mouse's lifespan Alzheimer's Disease pathology has progressed to the point of causing behavioral changes and cognitive deficits. Microglia, the brain's resident immune cell, form structures around the plaques with their cell processes as amyloid beta is accumulated during Alzheimer's pathology progression. The zoomed-in box shows a line of microglia (in gray); this formation is referred to as rod-like microglia and is a previously reported response to neuron cell death. Images were captured on a confocal microscope by creating a z-stack image (multiple layers pressed together) and edited on Biorender.

Photography by Shelly Cruz, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

GMS vs LBA plates E. Coli colonies - In a microbiology lab, the researcher compared which medium had better growth conditions for E. Coli. GMS stands Glucose minimal salt agar and Luria Broth agar, which both have different ingredients. From the results, the Luria broth agar had a better outcome as the isolated colonies are bigger than the GMS plate.

Photography by Sharon Darling, Ph.D., College of Education

This research project examines the intersection of Developmentally Appropriate Practice and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in Jamaican preschools. This photo demonstrates and adds to the research evidence for the practice of direct instruction, otherwise known as one-on-one instruction in preschool classes. This photo demonstrates that even in a play-based learning environment, direct instruction is used and is an effective teaching methodology with young children.

Photography by Sharon Darling, Ph.D., College of Education

The researcher undertook a research project to examine the Intersection of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in Jamaican Preschools. This photo demonstrates the use of play-based instruction, a principle in DAP. Though it appears that this child is "simply playing," he is in the process of learning colors, numbers, counting, symmetry and a host of other concepts. This photo demonstrates that play-based learning is an effective teaching methodology with young children, a DAP principle.

Photography by Megan Davis, Ph.D., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

In The Bahamas and other Caribbean islands, the queen conch has an important role for food and livelihoods. In many places, whole communities are formed because of the conch, which is the case pictured here in West End, Grand Bahama. These piles of discarded shells from the harvests are called conch middens. The conch is considered a cultural icon and has been harvested for thousands of years. Since these prehistoric times the conch meat has been eaten and the shells have been used for utensils, tools, jewelry, building materials, and ceremonial items. Today the conch is listed by NOAA Fisheries as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. At the Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Queen Conch Lab, the mission is to grow the queen conch for the sake of the species, seagrass ecosystem and for the people that depend on the fishery.

Photography by Megan Davis, Ph.D., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

This image portrays a queen conch coming partially out of his shell onto my hand. It is a male adult conch, and, in the foreground, you can see the conch's eyes on the end of its eye stalks and the snout between the two eyes. The large part of the conch is the foot, a powerful muscle that helps the conch leap across the seagrass beds with its heavy shell. The conch grazes on the small algae that are on the seagrass blades. The conch help to keep the seagrass beds healthy. At the Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Queen Conch Lab, the mission is to grow the queen conch for the sake of the species, seagrass ecosystem and for the people that depend on the fishery.

Photography by Megan Davis, Ph.D., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

In The Bahamas and other Caribbean islands, the queen conch has an important role for food and livelihoods. In many places, whole communities are formed because of the conch, which is the case pictured here in West End, Grand Bahama. These piles of discarded shells from the harvests are called conch middens. The conch is considered a cultural icon and has been harvested for thousands of years. Since these prehistoric times the conch meat has been eaten and the shells have been used for utensils, tools, jewelry, building materials, and ceremonial items. Today the conch is listed by NOAA Fisheries as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. At the Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Queen Conch Lab, the mission is to grow the queen conch for the sake of the species, seagrass ecosystem and for the people that depend on the fishery.

Photography by Megan Davis, Ph.D., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

In The Bahamas and other Caribbean islands, the queen conch has an important role for food and livelihoods. In many places, whole communities are formed because of the conch, which is the case pictured here in West End, Grand Bahama. These piles of discarded shells from the harvests are called conch middens. The conch is considered a cultural icon and has been harvested for thousands of years. Since these prehistoric times the conch meat has been eaten and the shells have been used for utensils, tools, jewelry, building materials, and ceremonial items. Today the conch is listed by NOAA Fisheries as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. At the Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Queen Conch Lab, the mission is to grow the queen conch for the sake of the species, seagrass ecosystem and for the people that depend on the fishery.

Photography by Adam Dobrin, Ph.D., College of Social Work and Criminal Justice

A researcher is currently exploring various issues relating to volunteer policing. In both academic and professional settings, he has published numerous articles and presented at conferences on volunteer policing topics. He is a volunteer deputy with his local sheriff's office, a certified volunteer policing leader and serves as the second vice president for the preeminent international organization in volunteer policing, the Volunteer Law Enforcement Officers Alliance. As such, (the researcher) was invited to give presentations in the British Home Office, New Scotland Yard, and the International Volunteer Policing Summit in the Walkie-Talkie building in London, where (the researchers) was introduced as "the world's leading expert in volunteer policing." This photograph (shows) volunteer-police leaders from three continents overlooking the Thames river 34 stories up on the garden balcony of the Walkie-Talkie building.

Photography by Bob Duersch, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

A network of Microcystis aeruginosa cells imaged by a scanning electron microscope. These toxic cyanobacteria cells are the principal reason for the formation of harmful algal blooms that occur in Lake Okeechobee, Fla. and many other freshwater bodies around the world each year.

Photography by Shane Eason, MFA, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Super 8, 1080P, Color, Sound, 1920 x 1080 - In the three-minute film Mangroves, the tranquil and serene imagery transforms as the landscape comes to life in a vivid, schizophrenic display of color and sound.

Photography by Erik Engeberg, Ph.D., College of Engineering and Computer Science

The robo-jellyfish encounters its real-life counterpart.

Photography by Erik Engeberg, Ph.D., College of Engineering and Computer Science

The jellyfish robot assists the dive team harvesting coral to restore the reef in Key Largo.

Photography by Erik Engeberg, Ph.D., College of Engineering and Computer Science

The jellyfish robot swims through the reef.

Photography by Laura Fontenas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Glia are essential cells that partner with neurons to ensure the proper function of the nervous system. This picture represents pseudo-colored glia in and out of the spinal cord of a zebrafish embryo.

Photography by Laura Fontenas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

This image acquired using a confocal microscope showcases the intricate layers of the cellular diversity of the developing nervous system. This tapestry illustrates a variety of pigment cells, neurons, and glial cells scaffolding both sensory and motor systems. Pigment cells, arranged in the top and bottom layers, are glowing in gold and create a contrast between the tissues, giving depth to the image. Every cell in this image expresses the photoconvertible protein Eos, named after the Greek goddess of the dawn, that changes color after being exposed to UV light, allowing us to track individual or groups of cells. This snapshot illustrates the complexity of cellular interaction and organization in the developing zebrafish embryo, providing a glimpse into the beauty of developmental neurobiology.

Photography by Laura Fontenas, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Neurons cannot function without their intimate partners named glia. Here, glia extend radial fibers that create a scaffold throughout the spinal cord and provide neurons with spatial cues and support as they develop.

Photography by Barbara Ganson, Ph.D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

A Marvel of an Art Deco Aviation Terminal, New Orleans Lakefront Airport - This airport terminal at New Orleans Lakefront Airport is an example of the popular art deco style of the 1930s. It is a living museum for its visitors and demonstrates the importance of historical preservation. This airport terminal still serves the needs of contemporary air travelers. Dedicated in 1934, the original cost of the building was $4.5 million, the equivalent of $83 million today. It was the first major airport in the region. Students at Florida Atlantic can learn about aerospace history in the Department of History.

Photography by Barbara Ganson, Ph.D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

In the early 15th century, Portugal looked seaward for expansion. New ships and innovations in navigational techniques helped to overcome the many challenges presented by each of the voyages. These were among the first European steps towards globalization to establish new trade routes and engage in the African slave trade. The first European discovery of Brazil occurred in 1500. History students at Florida Atlantic learn about the colonial history of the Americas through the study of maps, artifacts and primary sources.

Photography by Adriana Garriga-López, Ph.D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Beach loss and sea-level rise have led to the deterioration of coastal areas in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico and all over the archipelago. This photograph shows how the decay creates new coastal landscapes that are dominated by rubble and generates hazardous conditions for beachgoers, swimmers, fishers and coastal foragers. More needs to be done to encourage site expansion and relocation away from dangerous, flood-prone coastal areas and to protect the population, as well as Puerto Rico's important natural and cultural resources.

Photography by Adriana Garriga-López, Ph.D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

The researcher took this photograph in the office of a medical doctor in a small town in the central mountains of Puerto Rico. The doctor is one of the few physicians who still has an independent office in the area. Puerto Rico is experiencing a severe shortage of doctors, driven by unfair and unequal funding for public health and low insurance reimbursement rates for providers. This has led to increasingly poor health outcomes in the population. The doctor is a descendant of sugar cane cutters.

Photography by Adriana Garriga-López, Ph.D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

This photo shows the empty triage area of a rural clinic in the central mountain highlands of Puerto Rico, where there is a severe shortage of doctors. The clinic, although well stocked and administered, was lacking the stable presence of a full time physician. On the day we went to interview staff about their experiences since Hurricane Maria in 2017 and throughout subsequent disasters, there was no doctor at the clinic.

Photography by Milad Gholamifard, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

This photograph captures a stunning close-up of a spider in its natural habitat, showcasing the delicate intricacy of its web. The spider, with its vibrant red and yellow body, is at the center of the image, demonstrating the beauty and precision of nature's design. The web itself is nearly invisible, highlighted only by the subtle play of light, which accentuates the fine threads against the lush green leaves in the background. Capturing this image likely required patience and a steady hand, as the photographer needed to get close enough to reveal the spider's vivid colors and the web's complex pattern without disturbing the scene.

Photography by Rob Gross, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

M31 - Andromeda - M31 or the Andromeda galaxy is the closest galaxy to our Milky Way at 2.5 million light years away. This image was comprised of taking 1342, 30 second photos over the course of several nights in Delray Beach, Fla.

Photography by Ashley Grunbichler, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

This image is portraying how a bee pollinates a flower to then creating honey. It is so interesting how these creatures can do this and the researcher said they are interested in researching to find out more about this.

Photography by Ines Haberle, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

The photograph captures a moment of artistic creativity amidst long sessions of programming, highlighting our research on developing a population model for freshwater mussels, one of the most imperiled animal groups in the United States. As we simulate the impacts of various stressors, it is easy to lose touch with the real organisms hidden behind the numbers. Simple hand-drawn pencil sketches help bring these species to life, making our modeling efforts more tangible and meaningful in the context of conservation. Through this blend of art and science, we strive to reconnect with the living beings our work aims to protect.

Photography by Jason Hedetniemi, Ph.D., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

After teaching students the unit circle, the researcher was inspired to create this image. It features 100 circles, randomly colored either red or blue. In each of the 100 circles, two different sets of 10 parallel chords are drawn. The chords are generated using a random number generator, a bit of linear algebra and a bit of trigonometry.

Photography by Ceylan Isgor, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Brainstem nucleus pontis oralis neuron obtained from a strain of mouse that possess with green fluorescence marker against Thy-1. Thy-1 is expressed in all compartments of the cell and therefore can be used as a neuroanatomical tool to visualize entire neurons for assessment. Synaptapodin immunoreactivity (red) marks the excitatory synaptic contact points.

Photography by Erik Johanson, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Investigating long-term climate and environmental change in the tropics from lake mud in Costa Rica.

Photography by Ceylan Isgor, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

3D network of brainstem gigantocellular neurons responsible for arousal. Neurons with their entirety (soma, dendrites, axons) are marked by a fluorescent marker.

Photography by Erik Johanson, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Fieldwork at Pozo Verde in Juan Castro Blaco National Park, Costa Rica. A Florida Atlantic research team studied the high elevation lake, which was likely formed by landslides in the volcanic region. Modern landslide activity is visible through the dense vegetation. (Department of Geosciences, Environmental Change Lab)

Photography by Erik Johanson, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

The construction of a floating coring platform at a Costa Rican lake. From the platform, Florida Atlantic's Environmental Change Lab members collect meter-long sediment cores from the lake bottom to understand how patterns of plants and fire have changed in response to regional droughts.

Photography by Erik Johanson, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Navigating through vegetation (Tiliaceae) in the Ayampe Estuary in coastal Ecuador to retrieve sediment cores that will allow the researchers to reconstruct El Niño driven flood frequency over the last several hundred years. (Department of Geosciences, Environmental Change Lab)

Photography by Amirkhosro Kazemi, Ph.D., College of Engineering and Computer Science

Signature wake of mangrove roots models. Soap film experiment flow visualization snapshot of von Kármán vortex street behind arrays of nine cylinders for an impermeable and a porous patch, representing mangrove roots. We observed two regions behind the patch associated with small-scale turbulence (as shown in fames) of individual cylinders and formation of 2S mode wake. λ is the wavelength of the vortex street and gets smaller by increasing the porosity. 

Photography by Abdul Nasir Khan, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

This traditional Tibetan-style pendant called a "ser kau" was handcrafted by a Himalayan goldsmith over several weeks. The photograph was taken during fieldwork in India as part of a research project documenting labor practices in the Ladakh region. During this time I observed traditional metallurgy and metal working techniques in the high altitude Himalayas. The goldwork is embellished with precious stones from the region that have been traded for centuries. This jewelry piece is representative of social status and plays an important role in local marriages.

Photography by Marguerite Koch-Rose, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Microsensors measuring internal gas dynamics of seagrass in Florida Bay - Seagrasses are the only flowering plants that live in the oceans. This photograph shows us measuring internal plant gas dynamics using 100 micron glass microsensors in Florida Bay. Seagrasses produce oxygen via photosynthesis but rely on dissolved oxygen from the water at night to prevent hypoxia and toxic gas intrusion. This state-of-the-art method of examining seagrass gas dynamics is providing a mechanistic understanding of large-scale seagrass die-offs globally.

Photography by Paula Kurdziel, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

Serotonin is an important chemical in the brain responsible for regulating many things including mood, sleep, and social behavior. The red color indicates fibers that release serotonin and the green color indicates portions of these cells that respond to immune signals. Our research focuses on understanding the connection between mood and inflammation. The link between the two may be due to inflammation's ability to regulate serotonin signaling in the brain.

Photography by Ivana Lezcano, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Ever wondered why slow-paced turtles inspired action-fighting super heroes? A closer look at turtle shells may give you a clue! The shell is made up of modified vertebrae and wide ribs. The many bones you see in this micro-CT image of the top of a Kemp's ridley sea turtle shell are fused together by flexible zig-zag sutures. This boney arrangement is unique to turtles, and we're interested in how these complex shield-like bone structures respond to forces.

Photography by Qianxin Liang, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Visualizing the Flow of Fraud Detection - This image captures the invisible currents that flow within a complex system, blending art and science to reveal the hidden information related to the Medicare fraud detection. Like a river winding over unseen landscapes, the vibrant reds and calming blues represent the interaction of different factors, each ripple and swirl symbolizing the movement of data. The harmonious symmetry offers a sense of balance, transforming abstract, technical concepts into a visually engaging piece. Each dot in this visual story stands for a feature's influence on the machine learning model, with colors indicating feature values‚ red for high, blue for low.

Technically, this image is a SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) summary plot, which decodes the fraud detection model. Features like "time" and "amount" are shown as rows of dots, with their horizontal spread revealing how much each feature impacts the model's predictions. Larger spreads signify stronger influences, either pushing the model towards detecting fraud or away from it. This fusion of form and function allows us to appreciate the complexity behind detecting fraudulent activity, while also recognizing the hidden beauty within data-driven decision-making.

Photography by Elle Linetsky, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

The Thrush Cowrie (Naria turdus) is a marine snail native to the Indian Ocean which has recently been spreading throughout the Caribbean. It was first discovered in Florida just two years ago in 2022. Since then, this non-native species has rapidly multiplied in South Florida's waters and little is known about the potential consequences. I have been observing the Thrush Cowrie population in the Southern Indian River Lagoon to understand its ecology and potential impacts on native species. They are especially abundant in the mangrove habitats. This was photographed while crawling on a mangrove root.

Photography by Rachel Luria, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

The researcher is currently writing a novel that is a work of eco fiction/eco fairytale. That is, it is a narrative that takes inspiration from our natural environment and explores threats to that environment as well as attempting to capture the natural magic and beauty that are often ignored or in peril. This work began when the researcher was the Artist in Residence in Everglades but is ongoing. The researcher was contracted to write an essay on the park published in 2022. This image was captured during an airboat tour of Everglades National Park while the researcher was in residence.

Photography by Marianne Charlene Monet, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Neurons and Microglia Living in Peace - This image captures two key players in the brain: neurons, shown in green, and microglia, shown in red. Neurons are the brain's communication experts, responsible for transmitting signals that control everything from thoughts and emotions to movement. Microglia, the brain's immune cells, express a molecule called IL-1b, which plays a role in shaping the developing brain. This picture beautifully captures neurons and microglia coexisting, working together in perfect harmony. It's a glimpse of the peaceful and complex world within the brain.

Photography by Marianne Charlene Monet, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Neural Signatures of Social Memory Under Stress - This image captures a fascinating look into the developing brain of a 14-day-old mouse, highlighting two critical proteins. The red label marks neuronal IL-1R1, a receptor found in the dentate gyrus, a region crucial for memory formation, including social memory. This receptor plays a key role in how we process and remember social experiences. The green label shows d-FosB, a protein essential for synaptic plasticity‚ the brain's ability to adapt and strengthen connections. In this study, d-FosB expression was triggered by repeated maternal separation, mimicking early-life stress in a mouse model. By examining how these two proteins interact, we aim to understand how early life adversity can shape brain development and influence who we become as adults.

Photography by Jon Moore, Ph.D., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

Grumpy Gertrude (T159) is a conspicuous and defiant gopher tortoise at our main study site at the Abacoa Greenway in Jupiter, Fla. She can be very defensive about her burrow and is the only gopher tortoise that has tried to bite me. We have been following Gertrude's movements and burrow use for the last five years.

Photography by Jon Moore, Ph.D., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

Gertrude (T159) got up close and personal when we were checking her burrow to see if she was home. We have been following Gertrude's movements and burrow use for the last 5 years in the Abacoa Greenway in Jupiter, Fla.

Photography by Clark Morgan, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Itajara Inception - You are looking at the Atlantic Ocean's largest reef-dwelling bony fish, the goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara), from the perspective of another goliath grouper. Talk about a fisheye view - orient yourself to the right eyeball. Both fish are wearing biologger "backpacks," which are tags attached to the dorsal spines that collect ultra-high resolution body movement data, audio, and video on programmed cycles. The pink part of the tag are floats with satellite/radio transmitters, which are used for recovering the tag when it detaches from the fish once a metal link holding it on corrodes in a few days. The green spot closer to the tail is another external electronic transmitter that will continue to monitor the fish's depth use for many months. During a research expedition studying reproductive behaviors, this image was captured before sunset a few days ahead of the August new moon, when goliath grouper spawning activity begins its seasonal peak in local Treasure Coast waters. These interactions have never been recorded before and provides groundbreaking insights into spawning dynamics and habitat use, generating new knowledge to contribute to fisheries management.

Photography by Adib Mahmoodi Nasrabadi, College of Engineering and Computer Science

In this picture, a 1 mm by 1 mm fin is illustrated with a single bubble on the fin. This phenomenon is called nucleated boiling, which dissipates a considerable amount of heat from a heated surface. The process of capturing the bubble is quite complicated, and a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) thermometry technique with high-speed cameras was used to measure temperature distribution around the bubble to understand the process. The color map on the right-hand side of the figure shows the temperature of liquid around the bubble measured using LIF and image processing techniques. The final goal of this project is to understand heat transfer mechanisms involved in nucleate boiling to manage better heat transfer for cooling purposes in electronic industries.

Photography by Aleksandra Nedovic, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

The photo shows the inside of the very sensitive instrument used in our laboratory daily when determining the purity of our compounds. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) allows quantitative and qualitative measures of compounds and how much of the compound is present. Auto-sampler vials shown in the picture carry samples of interest. Samples tested are in liquid form and volumes are in μL. It can run with small sample volumes lower than 2 μL and as high as 200 μL. The picture also shows a multi-well plate that can carry 96 or 384 samples and test them individually. You can test organic and aqueous solvents that contain the sample for HPLC. Mentor: Predrag Cudic, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Photography by Daniel Nemeth, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

The architecture of the hippocampus is revealed through Golgi staining, a technique that revolutionized our understanding of the cells that comprise the brain by allowing the visualization of individual neurons in detail, laying the foundation for modern neuroscience.

Ramon y Cajal, the grandfather of modern neuroscience, used this exact technique in the 1800s to describe the intricate and elaborate cells of the brain, called neurons.

Photography by Daniel Nemeth, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

This is an image of an entire cleared mouse brain which shows Interleukin-1 Receptor 1 [removed] IL-1R1, green) throughout the vasculature of the brain. IL-1R1 is a receptor that detects proinflammatory molecules during health and inflammation. Through blood vessels, it is well known to induce the classical behaviors associated with sickness such as fever, lethargy, anhedonia and social isolation. Understanding how IL-1R1 on blood vessels is distributed tells us about how IL-1R1 signaling changes brain activity and behavior.

Photography by Daniel Nemeth, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

Inflammation changes the activity of many immune cells in the brain; however, astrocytes, which are typically known to be neuron support cells, respond just as fast. Astrocytes are known to produce anti-inflammatory molecules to prevent hyper-inflammation and cell damage. Understanding how astrocytes respond to inflammation is crucial to maintaining a healthy brain. In this image you will see DNA (DAPI, blue), Astrocytes (GFAP, green), and cell activation marker (cFOS, red).

Photography by Daniel Nemeth, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

Interleukin-1 is an inflammatory molecule, called a cytokine, which is highly important for all infection, neurodegenerative disease, and its elevated levels are associated with cognitive decline and mood disorders. Understanding where and what cell expresses IL-1 in the brain allows us to detail where it is influencing neural circuits. FAU researchers generated a novel mouse model where all IL-1 expression is tracked by a red fluorescent molecule and we gain genetic access to each of these cells. In this image, cell nuclei (blue), the immune cell of the central nervous system called microglia (green), and IL-1 expressing cells (red) are shown. Notice how the red and green are overlapping making a yellow color. This means that IL-1 is primarily expressed by microglia. By tracking where IL-1 is expressed in the brain using this method, we can see which cells emit this immune signal during any adverse challenge to the brain such as infection, disease, and stress to understand which neural circuits and behaviors can be influenced by IL-1.

Photography by Angela Nichols, Ph.D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

El Mono de La Paz or peace monkey is a photo of a young a curious monkey that took a short break from eating fruit in the trees to say hello. This photo shows how a newly found community of peace signatories in the Amazon coexist with nature. Wild animals are often found in and around the small, rural community where former rebels work to fully reincorporate into society. After years in the jungle, many people in this community have a deep understanding of how to coexist with wild animals. In the early morning you can usually see several of these curious monkeys searching for fruit or raiding the chicken coop for an easy meal. They swing through the trees making sweet little sounds.

Photography by Angela Nichols, Ph.D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Hijo de La Paz or child of peace is an image captured in Southern Colombia in a community of peace signatories working to fully reincorporate into society. This young boy is known as Hijo de La Paz in the community as he was the first in their group born after the signing of the peace agreement. The young boy ripples the water with a long stick while the adults prepare lunch.

Photography by Angela Nichols, Ph.D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

La Jefa, Sancocho by the River - La Jefa or the boss serves sancocho by the river on a hot day in Southern Colombia. A truly Colombian experience, preparing and sharing sancocho by the river is an important way to learn about the community.

Photography by Ugoma Onubogu, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Image of the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse captured with a high magnification solar telescope in Dallas, Texas. Solar flare also incidentally captured, seen in magenta.

Photography by Annie Page, Ph.D., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Photomicrograph of a cutaneous fibropapilloma tumor in a juvenile green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas, 40X magnification. Fibropapillomatosis is a herpesvirus-linked tumor syndrome that was first described in the 1930's in Florida's green sea turtles, has been associated with poor water quality, and continues to affect Florida's sea turtles today at relatively high rates. Shown here are histopathological hallmarks of this disease, including varying ratios of epidermal to dermal proliferation, papillary epidermal hyperplasia, ballooning degeneration of epithelial cells, and occasional intranuclear viral inclusions. 

Photography by Jay Paredes, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

A male black-throated blue warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) is looking for insects in an oak tree canopy at a parking lot on Florida Atlantic’s Boca Raton campus. The campuses serve as an important stop over for migratory songbirds. In the fall and spring, it’s not just students that flock onto campus, sometimes hundreds of songbirds stop for food and shelter on their way to wintering or breeding grounds. This photo is part of the FAU Biosphere Project, an initiative to help document plants and animals that use the small habitats found throughout the campuses. The Â鶹¾«Æ·ÊÓƵBiosphere Project is led by Dianne Owen, Jasmine Coyle and Evelyn Frazier. More information can be found at: http://science.fau.edu/envirosci/biosphere/

Photography by Matthew Patterson, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

This picture is part of a photovoice study on students attending college while homeless. Five students took photographs they felt represented their lived experiences attending college while homeless and explained them to each other in a group. This student stated, "Getting a dorm room is tricky. It's like Russian Roulette. You're good for four or five months, but after that, it's like, who do we have to get with to get housing? It's a horrible perspective, but it's true." Together, the group developed the following alternative shared meaning: On-campus housing is not determined by need. Instead, priority housing is given to athletes and scholarship students, leaving some students who count on on-campus housing to meet their basic needs unaccounted for and struggling. As a call to action, the students suggest universities develop a more comprehensive way to determine housing priority.

Photography by Matthew Patterson, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

This picture is part of a photovoice study on students attending college while homeless. Five students took photographs they felt represented their lived experiences attending college while homeless and explained them to each other in a group. This student stated: "I took this photo while walking my dog. I was running late, but I took time to look up at the light. I usually use this time to pray or contemplate things in my life." Students discussed the photo and developed the following shared alternative meaning: "Similar to this man-made light, many students have to create their own opportunities in life." Their "call to action" or proposed solution is that universities hire mentors to help show them the way, especially mentors who have experienced homelessness and been successful in college.

Photography by Matthew Patterson, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

This picture is part of a photovoice study on students attending college while homeless. Five students took photographs they felt represented their lived experiences attending college while homeless and explained them to each other in a group. This student stated: "When I got my dog, he wasn't really for me. He was for someone else, but I ended up getting him because they weren't able to take care of him. I can say that taking care of someone else actually helps you take care of yourself. When you know someone depends on you, it makes it less likely that you will give up on yourself." Together, the students developed the following shared meaning: "A lot of students who struggle with housing feel like they are on their own. There are few places that can provide an escape. Students like us don't always have family support, and we benefit from building peer networks." To address this need, the students indicated that universities should support organizations on campus for students who have experienced homelessness to build networks. They referred to one organization in particular Champions Empowering Champions‚ a nonprofit organization that has supported Florida Atlantic students who have experienced foster care or homelessness for over five years.

Photography by Carina Poulin, Ph.D., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Cultures of Pyrodinium bahamense, a species of bioluminescent microscopic algae, are kept in the laboratory at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute from individuals collected in the Indian River Lagoon. Here, a sample is placed inside a petri dish over a speaker and photographed over a long exposure of 20 seconds to observe how vibrations from sound trigger their bioluminescence response. This is part of a research project that will allow us to learn more about the sparkling phenomenon.

Photography by Katie Poquette, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

In this picture, you can see tiny worms called C. elegans. These worms are used to investigate the long-term effects of embryonic amphetamine exposure. The study found that high doses of amphetamines during embryogenesis altered the expression of key dopaminergic proteins, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), in adult worms, leading to increased sensitivity to the drug. Since C. elegans embryos develop outside the uterus, the research isolated direct effects on the embryo, without maternal influence. The findings highlight C. elegans as an effective model for studying the long-lasting neurological impacts of prenatal amphetamine exposure.

Photography by Jillian Powers, Ph.D., College of Education

This photograph captures the initial learning experience with a third grade class that involved a demonstration of a solar system map and coding the Dash robot. (Researchers) visited The Foundations School in West Palm Beach, Fla., to implement STEAM lessons with third grade students. This mixed methods research project was in collaboration with (researchers from the) Center for Creative Education and a doctoral research assistant that focused on the knowledge, identity and attitudes of at-risk third grade students before and after STEAM lessons.

Photography by Christopher Robinson, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

These eggs were spawned from our resident Sciaenops ocellatus, red drum, broodstock at Harbor Branch. The ripe female fish with ovulate or release the eggs into the water column. And the running males will pass over the eggs, fertilizing them with their milt/sperm. It takes about 24-36 hours for the fertilized eggs to develop and hatch. The hatched larvae were raised in our hatchery to a post larval fish. Moved to our nursery grow out systems and raised to a size of approximately 200 grams. And finally stocked into our Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture System (IMTA) for grow out experiments.

Photography by Lucas Rozenman, Â鶹¾«Æ·ÊÓƵHigh School, College of Engineering and Computer Science

National Arch Park in Utah. There was a deer next to the walk path just eating grass. It was not bothering anyone, and no one was bothering it. It just stopped eating to stare at all the people that were there present.

Photography by Fernanda Salomão Del Bianco, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

Picture depicts the brain of the fruit fly. Expression of cytosolic green fluorescent protein (GFP) and mCherry-tagged Distracted protein happening simultaneously under the control of the Distracted gene (Dsd). The regulatory sequences show its gene [removed]in green) and protein localization (purple), with the purple coloring representing flowers, and gene expression the leaves of a bouquet. The labeling reveals that the protein is most abundant in somas and the lack of co-labeling (showing together of) GFP in some somas implies that the protein negatively regulates its own gene expression. This image was taken with a 20x objective lens using a Nikon AR1 confocal microscope.

Photography by Fernanda Salomão Del Bianco, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

Picture depicts the brain of the fruit fly. Expression of cytosolic green fluorescent protein (GFP) and mCherry-tagged Distracted protein happening simultaneously under the control of the Distracted gene (Dsd). The regulatory sequences show its gene [removed]in green) and protein localization (magenta), with the pink coloring representing flowers, and gene expression the leaves of a bouquet. The labeling reveals that the protein is most abundant in somas and the lack of co-labeling (showing together of) GFP in some somas implies that the protein negatively regulates its own gene expression. This image was taken with a 20x objective lens using a Nikon AR1 confocal microscope.

Photography by Jason Talabert, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Blazing sun in the middle of the day lighting natures features.

Photography by Jeanette Wyneken, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Each night during sea turtle nesting season, researchers walk the nesting beaches looking for tracks of nesting turtles that go up but have not yet returned. The goal is to find turtles in the right stage of nesting so that we can safely install a temperature data-logger in the nest for a long-term project on natural incubation temperatures. Sometimes, researchers have to wait until the turtles is laying eggs, the safe time to do the work. This was our view of a loggerhead turtle's incoming track while we waited. The contrast of the low moonlight on the deep flipper and footprints made for a dramatic view of the track, while low waves lapped at the water's edge some 12 meters away. Since artificial lighting can distract nesting turtles, this image was a time-exposure.

Photography by Priscilla Xu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Topical application of gold to freeze-drier hydrogel samples to view structural morphology under scanning electron microscope.

Photography by Veronika Zaloginova, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

During an excursion to Japan for anthropologic research on their culture, this researcher met up with this little guy in Yokohama. The researcher said they were taken aback by the fact he stood up for himself as they passed by, raising his arms at the researcher, almost taunting the researcher to come at him. The researcher said they really liked how courageous he was and decided to snap a picture of him on the researcher's way to Hase Dera shrine, using an iPhone camera to capture the greatness. No crabs were harmed in the process, of course.

Photography by Veronika Zaloginova, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

In a morphology laboratory, the researcher took images of stained epithelial layers of skin that reminded them of distant planets floating in space. The beauty of these slides lies not only in their unique and mysterious patterns but also in the intricate functions they represent. Each cell, which looks like an abstract painting under the microscope, plays a crucial role in protecting our bodies and absorbing nutrients, vital to our survival. The researcher wanted to juxtapose these microscopic structures with the vast immensity of space. This was a series of three images that were captured with a light microscope and used pre-made epithelial slides, then edited using Picsart.

Videography by Tiffany Briggs, Ph.D., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

This is part of study to assess damage from Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that hit Florida's Estero Island in September 2022. The study identified 2,427 affected buildings, with 170 experiencing severe damage, totaling more $200 million. The hardest-hit areas were primarily single-family and multi-family residences in the central and northern parts of the island. By employing advanced technology of aerial imagery and airborne LiDAR, enabled us to collect extensive data from Hurricane Ian's aftermath and analyze large-scale datasets rather quickly.

Videography by Abhishek Ratanpara, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Experience the delicate dance of coral polyps during their bailout process. This captivating video, captured using advanced microscopic imaging, shows polyps gracefully opening and moving in seawater. The footage was taken during a stress response triggered by increased salinity, causing the polyps to leave the coral branch in pursuit of a more suitable environment. Watch as these tiny marine creatures react to their changing surroundings, highlighting their resilience and the dynamic nature of underwater life.

Videography by Andre Rajoo, Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute

This video shows the rotation of a C. elegan that was made by me in my lab crossing two types of worm lines to make a single wormd line that has both red fluorescence and green fluorescence as seen in the video. The red seen in the video represents Red Fluorescent Protein tagged to the dopamine transporter-1 promoter region, allowing us to see the morphology of dopamine neurons. The green represents Green Fluorescent Protein tagged to superoxide dismutase-3 promoter region as well. This allows researchers to evaluate the expression of SOD-3 expression as a result of experimental treatments. Researchers use this line of worms to study oxidative stress in the dopaminergic neurons of C. elegans.

Videography by Parker Peterson, College of Engineering and Computer Science

In the video one can see the critically endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle displaying defensive behavior. The turtle is in its adolescence as it was approximately 18-inches long. While the video was being filmed there was a significant amount of people around which caused the turtle to recognize the possibility of being in danger. In order to get away from the possibility of danger the turtle goes under the rocks to get away as the turtle rightly assumes that the possible danger would not follow through the formation. The turtle also seeks relief from the current and waves by going under the rock formation. On the rock formation is the start of coral formations, which can provide the turtle with a possible food source.

Videography by Katie Poquette, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

In this video, you can see tiny worms called C. elegans. These worms are used to investigate the long-term effects of embryonic amphetamine exposure. The study found that high doses of amphetamines during embryogenesis altered the expression of key dopaminergic proteins, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), in adult worms, leading to increased sensitivity to the drug. Since C. elegans embryos develop outside the uterus, the research isolated direct effects on the embryo, without maternal influence. The findings highlight C. elegans as an effective model for studying the long-lasting neurological impacts of prenatal amphetamine exposure.