Nearly $700,000 Grant Will Tag N.J. Harbor Seals for First Time

Everyone has seen bottlenose dolphins swimming near beaches in the summer. You might also catch a humpback whale or two off the coast.

But did you know that harbor seals also have a regular seasonal home in South Jersey?

“A lot of people aren’t aware that harbor seals occur in New Jersey,” said marine mammal biologist Jackie Toth Sullivan, who’s also an adjunct faculty member at Stockton. “This is likely because seals are here in large numbers during the winter months. There aren’t that many people on the beach or on the water in January, February or March.”

Sullivan said for years as many as 360 seals have gathered to rest and forage in Great Bay — the largest haul-out site in New Jersey. Two other known haul-out sites include Sandy Hook – Gateway National Recreation Area (about 100 seals) and Barnegat Light on Long Beach Island (about 30 seals). The seals begin to gather in October and November and usually stay through March or April in large numbers, she said.

Beginning in December 2023, a nearly $700,000 grant will give Stockton faculty members, staff and students a unique opportunity to examine this animal population through a first-ever satellite tagging operation in New Jersey.

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Student Presents, Discusses Waterborne Diseases at National Conference

Environmental Science major Jayden Hamlet presented original research at a national conference in Salt Lake City in June 2023.

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Annual Conference gathers more than 2,500 public health epidemiologists and researchers for a conference that includes workshops, roundtable discussions, poster presentations and more. Attendees meet and share their research on timely and important public health topics, such as infectious diseases, immunizations and environmental health.

Hamlet’s research centered on waterborne diseases, like E. coli, and the areas where it is concentrated. He took samples from urban, rural and forested areas and tested the samples to see if the E. coli bacteria was resistant or susceptible to antibiotics. After conducting his research, Hamlet concluded that urban areas had a higher E. coli concentration than others, demonstrating that cities are where water contamination happens the most.

“What inspired me to conduct this research was my curiosity to (conduct) something different other than forest or animal research,” Hamlet said. “This research is linked to epidemiology, which is a field of study I was not familiar with but am now learning a lot about because of this conference.”

Being one of the youngest attendees at the conference was an experience that Hamlet considers “joyful” and “surreal.”

“To have my research that my mentor (Marion) and I worked on for 10 weeks be presented was a joyful experience because it was presented alongside research that was also conducted by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and other research that had involved bacteria and diseases,” Hamlet said.

“My research may not have taken months to get as nearly complete as the other researchers, but many people came up to me and my mentor to ask us questions about the work and how we completed it in such a short time.”

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Two Professors Receive Lifetime Awards at Black Faculty and Staff Dinner

Two Stockton professors with a combined 64 years of teaching were among the honorees at the Stockton Council of Black Faculty and Staff 39th annual Scholarship Awards Dinner and Dance at the Carriage House on Nov. 2, 2023.

The council celebrated 51 years of service to Stockton and, to date, has awarded $273,500 in scholarships to both undergraduate and graduate students.

“The dinner was our first, post-COVID-19,” said Trish Collins, the president of the Council of Black Faculty and Staff.

“The event was filled with excitement as we celebrated our honorees and their successes, commitment to CBFS, Stockton University, students, community and the state of New Jersey. These scholarships are also key in helping support the academic success of our students.”

President Joe Bertolino acknowledged the significant contributions of the school’s Black faculty and staff and the group’s recognition as the longest established organization at the university.

“They are dedicated teachers, researchers, mentors and leaders, and they play a vital role in creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for our campus community,” he said.

Janice Joseph, distinguished professor of Criminal Justice, and Beverly Vaughn, professor of Music and Stockton’s vocal/choral program coordinator, received lifetime achievement awards.

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Stockton Model UN Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Wins Top Award in D.C.

A lot can happen in 10 years, as evidenced by the Stockton University Model United Nations (UN) team growing from six students to over 30 under the guidance of Political Science faculty member Tina Zappile. 

Part of the team traveled to Washington, D.C., for a National Model UN (NMUN) conference in November 2023, where they gained real-world experience debating and negotiating social issues.

 

According to Political Science students Sean Lopez and Camille Benoit, the conference was unforgettable, especially after winning the Outstanding Delegation Award while representing Colombia.

“It is an amazing achievement to win the Outstanding Delegation Award, as it is the highest award you can win in Model UN. It is the first award I have won with the club and the first Outstanding Delegation Award we have won since 2014. Our team included eight new members who were participating in their first conference, which makes this achievement even more amazing,” Lopez said.

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Future Educators of Color Find Inspiration at National Conference

Ian Bouie was inspired by what he saw at the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) annual conference in Chicago last year. He decided to pay it forward and encourage future educators of color by taking seven Stockton students to the same conference – this time in Philadelphia from April 11-14, 2024.

According to Bouie, director of Academic Achievement Programs, this renowned conference boasts of having thousands of attendees and presentations over the course of four days. Exposure to research and scholarly environments like this is a whole other world for some students, making it the perfect place for them to feel both represented and inspired.

“Not only would students be exposed to research, but we hoped that this would get their minds to consider graduate school if they have not already. If they were already considering graduate school, the thought was that those dreams of a master's could transform into dreams of a doctorate,” Bouie said.

“It was also important that these students of color, some who were first-generation, were able to see faculty and researchers who looked like them, so they could see the infinite amount of career trajectories that lay before them.”

This is evidenced by the students who attended. Ivanna Taveras, who is majoring in Historical Studies with a concentration in K-12 Education, said her favorite session was a symposium on ethnic studies that emphasized how self-affirming these kinds of courses are for undergraduate students in predominantly white institutions.

“I listened to different discussions over the study of racism and its intersection with other forms of white supremacy as it is affected - and is resisted by - Black, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latinx, Arab and other racially minoritized people. It was my favorite session because I am interested in teaching ethnic studies myself (either Latinx or Black) when I become an educator in the near future,” Taveras said.

Nana-Akosua Oduro, a Psychology major with a concentration in Elementary Education, appreciated learning more about the Waldorf method of teaching and how Black female educators at the conference incorporated Afrocentric principles in their lessons. The most impactful lesson for Oduro, however, was learning about the school-to-prison pipeline’s effect on students.

Both Taveras and Oduro believe that the conference will benefit their trajectories as future educators. Taveras takes it a step further and says that it could impact students of all majors and disciplines.

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Physical Therapy Students, Faculty Shine at Boston Conference

Stockton's Physical Therapy Program excelled at the annual American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting (CSM), Feb. 14-17, 2024, in Boston, with eight faculty members and 37 students attending.

Notably, Mary Lou Galantino, Distinguished Professor of Physical Therapy, was presented with the Susan J. Mellette Award for Excellence in Leadership in Cancer Rehabilitation by the Academy of Oncology Physical Therapy, the most prestigious award given by the Academy. This honor has only been awarded six times in the last 20 years.

"This award symbolizes the steadfast commitment and growth of our Academy leadership. While I am the 2024 recipient, I must give credit to my dedicated colleagues before me. I am grateful for all my mentors who shine the light on possibilities in cancer rehabilitation clinical practice and research," Galantino reflected.

"I am riveted by this honor, especially in light of this amazing woman, physician and compassionate caregiver to many. I am deeply touched by the Oncology Academy's consideration of me, especially since it is in her honor, a woman I aspire to be every day."

Galantino's work in cancer rehabilitation through the Fulbright Scholar program is a testament to her commitment to global health.

In addition to Galantino's award, Stockton Physical Therapy graduates Cat Wunder '19, neurology specialist, and Jake Grootenboer '21 and Sarah Citro '20, orthopedic specialists, were honored at a ceremony for new certified specialists.

Rania Almajid, assistant professor of Physical Therapy, presented a research poster on "Fear of Falling in Stroke Survivors: Clinical Characteristics and Predictions," and Thomas Nolan, professor of Physical Therapy, presented a research poster on "A Comparison of Quadriceps Contraction Force Generation during Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation With and Without Volitional Contraction" with Physical Therapy student North Runk.