Programmed to succeed
When UNF master’s student Conrad Testagrose accepted a graduate research assistantship at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, he wasn’t sure what to expect. Now several months in, the computer science major finds the work captivating and enjoys applying the theory he’s learned in the classroom to help solve practical problems in the real world.
As a bonus, he’s also found a possible career path.
“It’s been phenomenal at Mayo,” Testagrose said. “What I’ve realized here is that in the future if I can find work in data science or Artificial Intelligence in a clinical setting, I think it would be right up my alley. I really enjoy it and find it’s just fascinating to be learning from the clinicians and data scientists here.”
Testagrose didn’t take a direct path into computer science. In his senior year as an undergrad, he realized that his choice of biology and pre-med just wasn’t the right fit. At the suggestion of a friend, he enrolled in a bioinformatics course, which uses computation and analysis to interpret biological data. That choice changed everything. “I came out of that class understanding the value of programming and realizing that computer science is applicable to so many other disciplines that I wanted to explore,” he said.
He now believes a clinical setting may be the perfect blend of his academics in biology and computing. Working in Mayo’s radiology area, Testagrose has been using his programming knowledge, yet also has some understanding of the underlying biological concepts. He’s working on a team that is trying to find ways to use artificial intelligence to assist radiologists, who review mammography images and then must assign a breast density value to each patient. If AI can help make those classifications more precise, there could be important health implications, as the risk of breast cancer increases with higher density values.
Looking back at the road he’s traveled, Testagrose is happy with the choices he’s made and feels that everything has now fallen into place. “It’s been an incredible experience here at Mayo, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Testagrose said. “You just learn so much when you’re learning from experts in the field.”
Rosenblatt won the award for his leadership of the Jacksonville Heat Mapping Project, the largest urban heat mapping study ever conducted in the United States.
This year's GivingTuesday at UNF, part of a worldwide celebration of generosity, proved to be a great success benefiting UNF students and the Jacksonville community. The event, held Nov. 29, raised more than $9,000 for various campus projects.
Join fellow employees for next month's Faculty & Staff Mixer on Thursday, Jan. 12 from 4-6 p.m. in the Talon Room lounge in Osprey Commons, Building 16.
President Limayem recently announced members of the Strategic Plan Renewal Task Force, charged with reviewing and reviving the current strategic plan that was developed three years ago. The Task Force will be providing input and findings from the review, and making adjustments as needed.
The Dr. James Sorce Inaugural Golf Classic was held Nov. 28 to honor the memory of Dr. James Sorce, assistant professor of Construction Management, who passed in 2020. The UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction and Dr. Sorce’s family partnered with nonprofit construction contractor Builders Care for the charity event to raise funds for scholarships for students in the Construction Management program. Festivities included a breakfast, silent auction and awards luncheon.
The SHPE UNF chapter celebrated its first win for the Student Chapter of the Region, defeating other prestigious schools in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. For the third year in a row, SHPE UNF received the award for Best Spirit in Region and at least one UNF student placed first in a nationwide competition.
Dr. Misha Bogomaz is the new director of the UNF Counseling Center. He is a licensed psychologist and certified group psychotherapist. He's also board certified in group psychology and a fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. He has experience and interest in group psychotherapy, group dynamics, leadership, followership, group unconscious and group decision making.
Urban Spaces/Public Places
Project Atrium: Milagros
Milestones 
The date, time, details and registration information for the annual Blue and Gray Bash have been announced for February 2023. This year's event is sponsored by Stellar and will be held Friday, Feb. 3 from 7-10 p.m. at The Brumos Collection. A special VIP reception will also be hosted with UNF President Moez Limayem between 6 and 7 p.m. for those that register with the VIP package.