The Big Collaborate: Coral reefs, bike sharing, standing desks and more on tap as JU students present projects Thursday

Students taking part in Collaborate JU projects through the University’s EPIC (Entrepreneurism, Policy, Innovation and Commerce) Program will present their unique projects before a panel of community business leaders Thursday, allowing them to hone their presentation and team skills.

“Community leaders will provide their insight into the students’ work and inspire them to continue doing more toward their excellent education and our community,” said Brigadier General (Ret) Valeria Gonzalez-Kerr, Director of Strategic Initiatives at JU. “The students will also get experience presenting before a panel of likely employers.”

The presentations are from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in Davis College of Business Rooms 165, 171, 175, with a reception after for students to continue collaboration and networking within the teams and all those present.

Nine teams are presenting, three in each classroom. A full schedule is below. The projects are:

J Bike: A community Bike Share Program

Lifestyle Intervention Study

Mobile Water Quality Monitoring

Oyster Reef Assessment

Biomechanical Assessment of Athletes

Coral Reef Restoration: Florida Keys

Jacksonville Self-Guided Tour Application

Law Enforcement Recruitment Strategy

Thinking on your feet: The Mental, Physical and Behavioral health effects of standing desks

Each group has an average of 3-5 students and professors. Each of the Collaborate JU teams are at various stages in their project development. Some have been ongoing for a year, while others are beginning their work this semester.

The purpose of the Big Collaborate is to allow the team members to practice presenting their projects before business leaders and to continue to evolve as a team. The business leaders will evaluate the teams on the quality of their presentations, their ability to respond to questions, and to think on their feet. Because each project is at a different stage in its development, the event is not a competition to determine the “best” project.

Panelists for the event are:

Ann Burt, Old Arlington Inc.

Jennifer Klich, President, Florida Engineering Society

David Sillick, Publisher, JBJ

James Orth, Executive Director, St. Johns Riverkeeper

Rochelle Kinsey, Program Director, PACE

Tony Foisy, CISP, CSX Technology

Lindsey Marion, RS&H

Ryan Fryman, TLC Engineering

Patrick Murphy, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce

Vickie Cavey, Director of Strategy Development and Execution, JEA

Michael P. Whelan, Assistant Director, Waterfront Engineering

Matt Kane, owner, Green Shades

For additional information on Collaborate JU, visit http://www.ju.edu/collaborate.

Reception following in DCOB 174

DCOB 171

3:00-3:30 pm J Bike: A community Bike Share Program

Students from multiple disciplines are working to devise and market an eco-friendly, health conscious, and budget-minded bike share program.

3:30-4:00 pm Mobile Water Quality Monitoring

Students are developing a waterproof mobile water quality monitor to provide data needed to advocate for the health of Northeast Florida’s natural aquatic resources.

4:00-4:30 pm Oyster Reef Assessment

The growing interest in reopening Northeast Florida’s oyster beds to commercial and recreational harvesting sparked a cross-campus team, using drones, to develop a cost-effective method of assessing changes to the oyster reefs over time.

4:30-5:00 pm Reception

DCOB 165

3:00-3:30 pm Biomechanical Assessment of Athletes

Students are analyzing the biomechanics of JU student athletes to maximize their performance and minimize the risk of injury.

3:30-4:00 pm Coral Reef Restoration: FL Keys

A JU team is studying the impact coral-eating fish and algae have upon the health of different coral reef types in the Florida Keys.

4:00-4:30 pm Jacksonville Self-Guided Tour Application

To promote awareness and bring the city’s story to life, an interdisciplinary team is preparing a series of narrated and graphically depicted themed tours.

4:30-5:00 pm Reception

DCOB 174

3:00-3:30 pm Law Enforcement Recruitment Strategy

A JU team is developing and implement a multi-pronged strategy to increase women and minorities in the JSO workforce.

3:30-4:00pm Lifestyle Intervention Study

Students are researching the impact that sleep, diet, exercise, and skincare habits have on the body’s ability to rid itself of dysfunctional cellular components.

4:00-4:30pm Thinking On Your Feet: The Mental, Physical, and Behavioral Health Effects of Standing Desks.

A team of students is assessing whether standing at desks has a positive impact on students’ physical, mental, and neurocognitive health as well as on their academic performance and classroom behavior.