Florida Institute of Technology

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Climate change, warming the waters of Antarctica, is creating an environment for predatory crabs to return to an area they inhabited millions of years ago. Their return would disrupt Antarctica’s primeval marine communities.

MELBOURNE, FLA.—How likely are computer users to ignore security warnings and open the pop-up messages they encounter when browsing a Web site? How much cognitive energy and deliberation do they go through before they open one or decide not to? On the Web, pop-ups are often safe sales and marketing tools.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Four Florida Institute of Technology students have received $2,000 scholarships from the Marine Technology Society (MTS). The students were selected based on their academic excellence and their experience with and interest in marine technology.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — The July 2009 issue of BoatU.S. Magazine names Florida Institute of Technology in its story, “The Boat Lovers’ Guide to American Colleges.” The university is listed among “The 25 ‘Boatiest’ Schools in America,” in company with such institutions as the University of California, Old Dominion University, The U.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Jonathan Shenker, associate professor of Biological Sciences and director of the Sportfish Research Institute at Florida Institute of Technology, has received $23,000 from the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust to continue his studies on the biology and ecology of juvenile tarpon in the Everglades.

MELBOURNE, FLA.—At Florida Institute of Technology’s annual Honors Convocation, Bianca Prohaska of Grosse Pointe, Mich., was named Outstanding Junior and Kevin Shah of Kolkata, India, was named Outstanding Senior. They were chosen by a faculty committee from among the Outstanding Junior and Senior awardees within each academic area.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Ciguatera poisoning, the food-borne disease that can come from eating large, carnivorous reef fish, causes vomiting, headaches, and a burning sensation upon contact with cold surfaces. An early morning walk on cool beach sand can become a painful stroll on fiery coals to a ciguatera victim.

 MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida Institute of Technology student Jennifer Marie Jackman received the Dr. Kerry Bruce Clark Endowed Scholarship in Marine Biology. She earned the award for her strong academic record, and her involvement in research at Bodega Marine Laboratory and in laboratories run by Florida Tech professors.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida Institute of Technology will hold an InSTEP Ocean Science Bowl competition Saturday, May 16, at 8:30 a.m. InSTEP (Integrated Science Teaching Enhancement Partnership) is a partnership between Florida Tech and Brevard Public Schools, funded by the National Science Foundation.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — As part of Florida Institute of Technology’s Spring Humanities Lecture Series, Michael MacDonald, President’s Malaria Initiative representative, will speak at the university. The presentation, on April 7 at 7 p.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Climate change is about to cause a major upheaval in the shallow marine waters of Antarctica. Predatory crabs are poised to return to warming Antarctic waters and disrupt the primeval marine communities. “Nowhere else than in these ecosystems do giant sea spiders and marine pillbugs share the ocean bottom with fish that have antifreeze proteins in their blood,” says Rich Aronson, professor of biological sciences at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla.

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Gordon L. Nelson, Ph.D., dean of the Florida Institute of Technology College of Science, announces the appointment of Richard B. Aronson, Ph.D., as head of the Department of Biological Sciences. Aronson replaces Mark Bush, Ph.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Keeping attention on the critical issue of global climate change in the first 100 days of the new administration, Florida Institute of Technology will hold a National Teach-in on Global Warming on Feb. 5, from 7 to 8:30 p.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida Institute of Technology will address smart growth and environmental sustainability in an era of rapid climate change at its sixth international, interdisciplinary forum, “Sustainability 2009: The Next Horizon,” on March 3-4 on campus.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida is recognized as the number one destination for saltwater sportfishing enthusiasts, producing an estimated $5 billion in annual revenue for the state’s economy. State Wildlife authorities and sport fishing groups agree these state resources must be protected to maintain Florida’s prominence as well as its natural environmental balance.