Faculty

Below are the faculty and staff members of Nova Southeastern University, Nova Blanche Elementary School, and the Alving 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.

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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. 

Shashank Nutalapati
​Biology & Neuroscience Major

​Hey there! My name is Shashank and I’m currently a senior at NSU majoring in Biology and Neuroscience. Since science can be a tough subject to get into due to its abstract nature, Science Alive serves to expose these younger students to a more interesting and fun side of science that they may not be familiar with. It’s always a pleasure to perform experiments with the kids and see their faces light up, and it’s just as fulfilling when they tell us that they didn’t know science could be so fun.  
When I was introduced to Science Alive, I was blown away by the sense of community and camaraderie among everyone involved in the program. I’m very humbled to be in a position to contribute to an initiative like Science Alive in a large way, and I hope to work with Dr. Schmitt, the Nova Blanche students, the teachers, and my peers to continue to grow the Science Alive community.   

Alina Poothurail
Biology Major

Hello, my name is Alina! I am pursing a major in biology and minors in Psychology for Health Sciences, Business, and 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!

Neha Joshi
Biology Major

Hi, my name is Neha! I am currently pursuing a major in Biology. I have always been interested in learning about how living systems work, and I am happy that Science Alive gives me the amazing opportunity to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with younger students. I think bringing a sense of fun, discovery, and perseverance is the key to engaging kids and opening STEM as a potential path for them. It is easy for kids to become discouraged by the sciences since the subject matter can be quite dense and difficult. However, I hope Science Alive can help them overcome these feelings by showing them how cool science can be. I definitely wish I had been involved in something like this when I was younger, so I want this to be a rewarding experience for everyone involved. I’m very excited to be a part of this fantastic program!

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