Mellon Foundation grants address inequities of vulnerable, marginalized communities

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Vulnerable communities are often disproportionately impacted by disasters such as hurricanes, floods and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Often, these same communities’ voices have been silenced or marginalized when history is preserved.   Now, thanks to major grants from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Florida International University is addressing these inequities through two innovative programs that draw upon the talent and expertise of multiple academic areas […]

Forging the future: Developing personalized treatments for cancer patients

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The leading-edge research of FIU faculty member Diana Azzam is advancing the field of personalized cancer treatment. But were it not for a project when she was an undergraduate chemistry student in her native Lebanon, she may not have pursued her current work.  “I got involved in an observational study of incidences of cancer in a mountain area versus the city,” she recounted. “We found there was a higher incidence of […]

Jorge Mas and family make $5 million lead gift to CasaCuba at FIU

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On behalf of the Mas family, Jorge Mas, one of the most prominent Cuban American business leaders in the United States, has made a $5 million lead gift to CasaCuba at Florida International University. A founding member of the CasaCuba Board of Advisors and chairman of the Board and co-founder of MasTec, his gift will support the mission and […]

FIU is training dogs to detect COVID-19

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Trained canines will add to COVID prevention efforts on campus this spring and at the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee –By Lourdes Perez for FIU News A team of FIU researchers have trained detector dogs to accurately identify the COVID-19 virus.   FIU’s International Forensic Research Institute (IFRI) is using its decades of experience researching and […]

New apprenticeship program at FIU is addressing cybersecurity workforce shortages

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–By Cristina Jaramillo for FIU News The Florida Department of Education has approved Florida International University’s Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program (Cyber-CAP). The program combines technical skills, industry credentials, and on-the-job training to prepare learners to work in cybersecurity.    Funded by a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, FIU’s Cyber-CAP program is aimed […]

Program fosters change, embraces people with developmental disabilities

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FIU Embrace provides research-based holistic care, a wealth of resources and a strong support system for people with developmental disabilities and their families. –By Gisela Valencia for FIU Magazine Dr. Yolangel Hernandez Suarez was not able to see her son for months after the pandemic began.   A 28-year-old man who is on the autism […]

FIU think tank provides research, resources during pandemic

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Dr. Maria Ilcheva, Assistant Director of Planning and Operations
–By Maria Rojas FIU’s Jorge M. Pérez Metropolitan Center is leveraging its expertise as South Florida’s leading, urban think tank to help local governments and organizations understand the scope of the pandemic’s effect on at-risk communities. The center’s work is advancing the conversation about who is lacking resources, what can be done about it and […]

Training the next generation of physicians: Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

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The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at FIU is empowering those who have heard the call of duty to become the next generation of community-minded doctors through state-of-the-art training and an education that emphasizes diversity and compassion. 

Medical enterprise responds to help community during pandemic

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Florida International University’s academic medical enterprise, with its many health care disciplines and strong community orientation, swiftly responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, furnishing a variety of frontline medical services. Through a partnership with Miami-Dade County, the Florida Department of Health and the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition, FIU has staffed and operated a COVID-19 test […]

Cancer does not take a break

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As part of an op-ed series, FIU News shares the perspectives of members of the university community. In this piece, Dr. Julia Bisschops urges women to not put breast cancer screening on hold because of the pandemic. Bisschops is an assistant professor at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and the lead physician for […]