Faculty

Below are the faculty and staff members of Nova Southeastern University, Nova Blanche Elementary School, and the Alvin Sherman Library that make Science Alive possible. 

Emily Schmitt Lavin, Ph.D.
NSU Department of Biological Sciences Department Chair, Professor

​My Name is Dr. Emily Schmitt Lavin (or Dr. Emily when I lead young students) in the joy of scientific discovery through our Science Alive programs. Science Alive is exciting for both the younger students and the more advanced college students. Being able to explain complex science topics in an easy to understand way to younger students really helps college students enjoy their studies even more. Since a young age, I dreamed of becoming a college professor. I earned my Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Miami in 1997 and joined the faculty at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in 2001.  I now hold the rank of Professor and serve as the Department Chair for the Department of Biological Sciences in the Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography.

Aarti Raja, Ph.D.
​NSU Department of Biological Sciences Associate Professor 

Hi! I am Aarti Raja and I am excited to be part of Science Alive. Joining Science Alive and Dr. Emily’s team has been a rewarding experience for me. I enjoy interacting with college students and young children alike as we try to explain scientific concepts together. It is a wonderful learning experience for me as young students ask brilliant questions and keep me on my toes. I come from a family of educators and am proud to have become one myself. I obtained my Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Maryland in 2000 and joined the faculty at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in 2012.  I now hold the rank of Associate Professor for the Department of Biological Sciences in the Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography.

Michele Parsons
Nova Blanche Forman Elementary School, Before and After Care Supervisor 

Hello, my name is Michele Parsons and I am teach and organize the aftercare program at Nova Blanche Forman Elementary School. I have been teaching in Broward County for over 20 years. I have assisted in fostering the relationship between Nova Blanche and the Science Alive program, and believe Science Alive brings a wonderful variety of positive experiences to the students at Nova Blanche.

Interns

Here are our amazing Interns! All these students have dedicated all their time and effort to create an amazing program. Below, they detail why they love science, as well as why they love Science Alive. 

Pranav Madadi
President
​Chemistry Major

​Hello! My name is Pranav Madadi and I am a Chemistry major on the pre-med track. I love being apart of Science Alive! because I am able to show others how fun science can be especially to the younger kids. Through Science Alive, I hope to inspire the next generation to see science everywhere they go and hopefully gain something meaningful from us! 

Sara Kaldas
​Treasurer
​Biology Major

Hello, my name is Sara and I am currently pursuing a major in Biology, a minor in Studio Art and Pre-Health, and on the pre-dental track! Outside of being a Student Leader for Science Alive, I am a member of the Razor's Edge Shark Talent Program, a Lab Assistant for Physics I and II, and a mentor in the NSU Mentorship Program. I love how I can be a vital part of students' careers both at NSU and at Nova Blanche Forman, helping shape their futures in STEM education. I always strive to combine my love for science and art with my passion for the healthcare field to inspire and educate others. I believe that STEM education is crucial for developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and I am excited about sharing my knowledge with young learners. I am thrilled to be a part of the Science Alive team and can't wait to make a positive impact on the Fort Lauderdale community.

Reeba George 
IOC Chair
​​​Behavioral Neuroscience Major

Hello, my name is Reeba George and I am a Neuroscience student on the Pre-Medicine track! Outside of being a Student Leader for Science Alive, I am also a Research Assistant in Psychology with a faculty member at NSU and a Scribe at Memorial Regional Hospital. Furthermore, I am the Fundraising Chair for the Education for Refugees Association (ERA) and a member of Delta Epsilon Mu. I love how I am able to give back to the community and become involved in impacting the students’ lives both at Nova Blanche Forman and for less fortunate refugees in the South Florida community. I hope to potentially spark an interest in science for their future! I am very ecstatic to be a part of the Science Alive program and to continue to inspire young minds to be excited to learn science!

Senior Group Leaders

Here are a few of our outstanding Group Leaders! All of these students are looking to pursue careers in science. Below, they detail why they love science, as well as why they love to participate in Science Alive. 

Alina Poothurail
Biology Major

Hello, my name is Alina! I am pursuing a major in Biology and minor in Pre-Health. Science Alive has given me the wonderful opportunity to combine my love for working with children/students, teaching, and science. I believe STEM education is extremely important because it pushes us to explore the world around us and ask questions about how or why something works. It provides children with opportunities to develop and practice many skills such as communication, team work, problem-solving, perseverance, reasoning, etc. Although STEM topics may be challenging, through Science Alive, I have seen children of various grades get excited about the field of science, learn new concepts and ideas, and see the power of science firsthand and how it is used to explain our world. I am so excited to be working with this program and to continue inspiring young learners!

Philopatier Ibrahim
Neuroscience Major​

Hello, my name is Philopatier Ibrahim. I am a Neuroscience major. Science Alive has given me the opportunity to make science fun and interesting for elementary students while allowing me to teach complex topics and lead my own team. I am very excited to be apart of this wonderful program and am very excited for the years to come!​

Aleessa Celestin
Biology Major

Hi, my name is Aleessa! I am a senior Biology Major with a minor in Pre-Health. To me, Science Alive is exactly what it means: making science feel alive! To engage students/children in such a personal level and make awesome and crucial memories for future scientists! STEM is not hard inherently; it only takes patience, motivation... and fun, of course! Children being able to connect topics to their daily life and are ecstatic when they have something new to know, it only makes the world a better place!  I am so grateful to have the privilege to be at Science Alive! 

Ashley Abad
​Biology Major

Hi! My name is Ashley, and I'm a Junior at Nova Southeastern University majoring in Biology and minoring in Human Nutrition and Honors Transdisciplinary Studies. Science Alive has given me an incredible outlet to share my love of science while also fulfilling my passion of working with children. My favorite part of working with Science Alive is seeing the kids' faces light up with excitement and curiosity when engaging in our science activities. It is truly so rewarding to be part of that experience with them, knowing that every new experiment may forever change how they view science - as exhilarating, adventuresome, and fun!

Rajin Persaud
​Biology Major​​

Hi, my name is Rajin! I am a senior Biology major with minors in Public Health, Human Nutrition, and Pre-Health. Through Science Alive I have been able to continue my long standing passion of mentoring and working with children and students. I was fortunate enough to be exposed to STEM at a young age and am grateful to be a part of a program that allows me to introduce it to the next generation. STEM carries a stigma of being difficult and boring but for me that can’t be further from the truth. Anything challenging is gratifying and learning about the world around us is exhilarating. I am proud to be in Science Alive and I hope the kids have a lot of fun doing experiments with us.

Trisha Sudhakar
​Biology Major

Hello, my name is Trisha Sudhakar and I am excited to be joining the Science Alive team! I am majoring in Biology and minoring in Business, with an overall goal of becoming a physician. I believe my aspirations have been shaped by past experiences and, for that reason, understand the importance of exposing children to science-related activities starting at a young age. I view Science Alive as an opportunity to give back to the children in the community just as STEM programs have given so much to me. I am proud to be a part of an organization full of members that share a similar passion of encouraging children to embrace their curiosity relating to scientific topics.

Annabella Cano
​Behavioral Neuroscience Major

Hi, my name is Annabella! I am currently a junior majoring in behavioral neuroscience and minoring in psychology. It is such a privilege to be able to be a part of Science Alive as a group leader and as a fellow science buddy among the children! I absolutely adore being able to share my passion for STEM to inspire our younger generation of students to grow a genuine love for science as well! The most heartwarming feeling about this program is seeing the gradual growth and development in the education of these children, all while having so much fun! In having the opportunity to serve the community at Nova Blanche Forman Elementary school, the Science Alive program will create such beneficial impacts that will last a lifetime within these students and it is truly an honor to be a part of it.

David Habib
​​Behavioral Neuroscience Major

Hi, my name is David Habib, and I am a 4th-year Behavioral Neuroscience student on the Pre-Medicine track. Outside of being a Student Leader for Science Alive, I am also a Senior Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader for Organic Chemistry. I love how I can be a vital part of both students’ careers at NSU as well as students at Nova Blanche Forman. Furthermore, I am also the Event Coordinator for the Middle Eastern and North African Student Association (MENA) and Campus Outreach Coordinator for the Orthodox Christian Campus Ministry at NSU. My favorite activities to do on the weekend are watching Marvel movies, playing basketball, and focusing on my musical talents . I am immensely excited to be a part of the Science Alive team and am looking forward to educating children in our Fort Lauderdale community. 

                                                  Alexander Lavin
                                                                            Marine Biology Major

Hi, my name is alexander Lavin and I am a first year student on the marine biology track. Working with science alive is an amazing experience and helps me shape how I lead others and what I do both in and outside of the classroom. Learning science with students is an amazing experience that benefits everyone involved and has long lasting impacts on us throughout our lives. Learning about science topics expands our horizons and makes us more interesting people! Working with the Hydroculture Project at Nova Blanche Forman has been an incredible way to connect engineering and the sciences through physical projects that students learn and grow with together. The students love participating in the Hydroculture Project, and it has so far been one of the greatest successes of Science Alive. Aside from science education, I enjoy athletics like Scuba diving and running as well as fishing with friends. You can frequently find me studying biology and having fun teaching complex biology topics to others!