Tag: University

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University of Iowa professor creates flu-education game after death of her son

University of Iowa professor creates flu-education game after death of her son

JJ Neiman-Brown, of Iowa City, died on Feb. 2, 2020, in his sleep. He was almost 3 years old. Doctors after his death determined he was positive for influenza A. His mom, a University of Iowa biology professor, is behind a new educational game teaching kids about how flu spreads and how vaccines work. (Maurine Neiman)

IOWA CITY — On a Sunday in early February 2020 — a day before the country would declare COVID-19 a public health emergency and just weeks before it would join much of the world in moving toward widespread lockdown — 2-year-old JJ Neiman-Brown started acting more tired and worn out than usual.

The Iowa City toddler with a broad smile and curly brown hair — and love for animals, dancing, baking, berries, and music, especially Prince — told his mom his mouth hurt. By 4:30 p.m., JJ had a temperature of 101.5, which his parents treated with Tylenol.

“It was nothing serious or scary,” his mom, University of Iowa biology professor Maurine Neiman, told The Gazette.

JJ had been sick before, and he perked up on the medication. His temperature returned to normal, and he fell asleep that evening in his mom’s arms as they watched Moana. His parents put him to bed but kept an eye on him via the baby monitor. He appeared to be sleeping peacefully.

“I actually went to check on him because he was so quiet,” Neiman said.

And she discovered he wasn’t breathing. They called 911, and JJ was rushed to the emergency room, where doctors were unable to save him. After JJ’s death, officials determined he was positive for influenza A, H1N1 — even though he’d gotten his flu vaccine months earlier.

An autopsy revealed JJ had several invisible vulnerabilities — like asymptomatic and undiagnosed asthma, putting him at higher risk for flu complications.

“As a parent, we sort of have a sense of control,” Neiman said. “I really was paying attention to when flu outbreaks were emerging, when the best time to vaccinate would be — in terms of maximizing protection.

“Of course, it turns out that when only half the community is vaccinated, it doesn’t really matter,” she said. “We’re far below where we need to be with influenza for herd immunity.”

‘Flu’s Clues’

For JJ, nothing more could have been done. Neiman and her husband took all the precautions. They vaccinated him. Watched his symptoms. Gave him rest and nourishment and cuddles.

“I certainly don’t believe that everything happens for a reason,” Neiman told The Gazette. “This is just horrible.”

But it did happen. And with the 2020-21 flu vaccination rate among children 6 months to 17 years at 59 percent — a 5 percentage point drop from the year prior — Neiman said more can be done for many kids.

“It’s making meaning out of something that feels really senseless,” she said.

So nearly a year ago — in collaboration with the national nonprofit Families Fighting Flu and with support from local entities like Integrated DNA Technologies — Neiman and her students began creating an online interactive kids game tasking players to identify and tamp down flu outbreaks globally.

Flu’s Clues game screenshot

“Flu’s Clues” — in a “Where in the World is Carmen San Diego” mission-centered style — takes kids into laboratories and communities from California to Nigeria to Taiwan and the United Kingdom to track influenza spread and create effective vaccines to halt it.

“Congratulations,” one of the game’s researchers tells players after they complete their mission. “Because we made an effective vaccine, we were able to save the lives of 1.8 million people. We were able to decrease hospitalizations by 8 million people.”

The game, which officially launched last month, is meant to be educational and accessible in the midst of a non-flu-related pandemic that’s heightened children’s awareness of viruses, how they spread, and how vaccines can help prevent them.

Play the game at https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/flus-clues/

It incorporates facts — like how to identify symptoms and determine differences between the flu and other viruses. It imparts information on how vaccines are made — through “actors” clad in lab coats and glasses.

“These are all my students,” Neiman said. “These are undergraduates and graduate students, for the most part, donating their time. And it’s substantial.

“I think some of them are fantastic actors.”

Acknowledging COVID has pushed the discussion of viruses into the homes of many children, Neiman said the flu — statistically speaking — is more of a threat to them.

“We don’t want to scare kids, but influenza is more dangerous to them than COVID, from the perspective of yearly mortality,” she said. “And the influenza season this year looks like it might be bad.”

The game is debuting in time for National Influenza Vaccination week, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiative.

“We were really interested in thinking about something that would help teach young kids about the importance of infectious disease, vaccination, and then we wanted to do something that was connected to JJ,” Neiman said.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; [email protected]

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University partnership works to create affordable housing in South Bend // The Observer

University partnership works to create affordable housing in South Bend // The Observer

Four students participated in an internship through Notre Dame’s Center for Civic Innovation (CCI) this past summer to create affordable housing in the local community. 

According to its mission statement, the primary goal of the CCI is “to promote the common good by building partnerships between Notre Dame faculty, staff and community organizations that foster innovative research and educational programs.”

While the CCI focuses on a wide variety of community investment initiatives, the primary focus of this specific program was working with South Bend to create more affordable housing in five areas of the city: the Near Northwest side, the Near West Side, Kennedy Park, the Southeast Side and Rum Village. 

CCI internship program manager Lauren Lounsbury noted collaboration between the City of South Bend, numerous mentors and the interns was vital to the success of the initiative.

“Liz Meredith and Tim Corcoran from [the city’s] planning [office] had this project with this specific Sears catalog of houses and pre-approved building plans,” Lounsbury said. “They were working with consultants who wanted student involvement so they thought [working with Notre Dame’s CCI] was a good partnership.”

Lounsbury said that she “helped the students on a regular basis” but the project was “very student driven.” Managing director for the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate Jason Arnold also served as a mentor to students. Various private consultants and city planners met with students to offer insights as well.

While the city has been working on the project for several years, interns collaborated with the planners and consultants to share their insights for eight weeks during this past summer. 

Lounsbury noted the primary goal of interns was to “test the consultants’ designs to see if they would work on lots in South Bend.”

While the consultants were making the site designs, Lounsbury said they “wanted the interns to really test their work.”

In addition to testing feasibility of the plans, interns sought to increase the energy efficiency of the plans. The goal of testing of these plans was to reduce soft costs and augment sustainability for homebuyers in the long-run, Lounsbury said.

Isabella Botello, a third year architecture student with a real estate minor, discovered the internship opportunity when she was emailed by Arnold. The project opened Botello’s mind to “the affordable housing realm of architecture” which she hadn’t thought about before the internship, she said.

Botello said her favorite part was seeing the final project and being able to present it together with her teammates. She also noted she was shocked by what the group delivered in a good way.

Sophomore Angelique Mbabazi a civil engineering major from Rwanda, learned about the internship from her first year advisor. She liked that the project would help a lot of people.

“The fact that this project was impact-based is something that resonates with me the most,” Mbabzi said.

Mbabazi knows her experience on this impact-based project will help her when she returns to her community in Rwanda.

“My country is a developing country,” she said. “This is something I can actually go back and apply … The main goal [of my career as a civil engineer] is to have an impact in my community.”

Lounsbury believes this project was vital because students “learned a lot about the community of South Bend, interacted with professionals who care deeply about South Bend and got to see more of the local community outside of what they may be experiencing at the University.”

Lounsbury hopes the interns view South Bend as “more than just a place where their university is located or where they even grew up their whole lives but didn’t get to really experience it.”

The program did change the Botello’s perspective of the South Bend community, she said.

“As we always say Notre Dame is a little bubble sometimes,” Botello said. “I guess I never thought about other people outside of Notre Dame in the surrounding neighborhoods … It was a realization moment for me. And there’s so much work to be done.”

Botello and Mbabazi both agreed that communication between the interns and their supervisors was their main challenge. They both believed that the internship improved their abilities to clearly express their thoughts to professionals.

Lounsbury believes that the interns should walk away with a sense of confidence because they were willing to “think critically, work hard and stick with something to solve a problem.”

Mbabazi noted that she now has the skills to solve problems wherever she lives. 

“If I’m living in a place where there is a problem, I should actually try to fix the problem,” Mbabazi said.

Lounsbury knows her main takeaway was relationship building.

“There’s a lot of value in taking time to really build relationships and to get to know the people that live in the community,” she said.

Botello encouraged students to reach out to the Center for Civic Innovation.

“They’re wonderful and it was really an amazing experience.”

Tags: affordable housing, City of South Bend, internship, Notre Dame architecture, Notre Dame Center for Civic Innovation

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Parents home schooled all 10 of their children into university by 13

Parents home schooled all 10 of their children into university by 13

The Harding family,
Monalisa and Kit Harding’s little ones have long gone on to be lawyers, medical doctors, architects and spacecraft designers (Shots: SWNS)

A ‘brainy bunch’ loved ones in the US has mastered dwelling education, with all 10 kids starting up university the exact year they grew to become young people.

High university sweethearts Monalisa and Kit Harding, both 53, have made a title for themselves as property education experts right after having their 10 young children through large school and college all before 18.

Their oldest Hannah, now 34, turned a youngster prodigy in maths when she acquired her bachelor’s degree from Auburn University, in Montgomery, at the age of 17.

Monalisa and Package also raised the youngest-ever law firm – their sixth boy or girl Seth Harding, now 20, who competent by college and experienced tests at just 19.

The family from San Jose in California have lately celebrated their youngest, 11-calendar year-previous Thunder, passing his entrance exams for college.

When he starts off he will sign up for his older sister Lorennah, 13, who is in her next 12 months at Bellevue College.

Reaching these spectacular milestones so early has come to be commonplace in the Harding relatives – as each and every solitary one particular of the small children has begun university by the time they switch 13.

The Harding family. A family in San Jose, California, who wrote 'The Brainy Bunch', have homeschooled their children into university by the age of 13.

Monalisa stated she and her partner had to make sacrifices to home university their youngsters so effectively (Picture: SWNS)

Seth with Serennah. A family in San Jose, California, who wrote 'The Brainy Bunch', have homeschooled their children into university by the age of 13.
Seth earned his law qualifications at 19 – starting to be the youngest lawyer at any time (Image: SWNS)

The Harding children have all absent on to grow to be medical doctors, architects and even spacecraft designers.

But Monalisa insists her young ones are not ‘geniuses’, crediting the efficiency of dwelling education and her children’s really hard perform for their good results.

The mum explained: ‘The character of household schooling is so efficient – everyone can do it.

‘It’s just about moms and dads dedicating the time to get it done and prioritising their children’s education and learning above all else.

‘We’re not a rich spouse and children. We experienced to make sacrifices so that I experienced the time to educate each individual of them independently.

‘When you raise kids in an atmosphere in which house schooling and tough work is the norm, then, as they grow, they’ll the natural way adapt to it and take it in their stride.


Lorennah. A family in San Jose, California, who wrote 'The Brainy Bunch', have homeschooled their children into university by the age of 13.
Lorennah is in her 2nd yr of studying at Bellevue College at the age of 13 (Image: SWNS)

Thunder James at the beach. A family in San Jose, California, who wrote 'The Brainy Bunch', have homeschooled their children into university by the age of 13.
Thunder James is about to start his very first year of college at the age of 11 (Photo: SWNS)

‘They all worked and continue to operate extremely difficult, which is why they are breaking new ground each and every day – I couldn’t be much more proud of them.’

Monalisa and Kit, a armed forces guy who now operates in government, also help other dad and mom who want to commence property education their individual small children.

They have spoken at quite a few conferences all more than the US and have travelled as significantly as Japan to share their expertise.

‘It’s definitely satisfying since we put our hearts and souls into our children, and figuring out men and women admire that and want to do the exact is a actually wonderful feeling,’ Monalisa claimed.

The couple even produced a e-book about their instructional procedures in 2014 – humorously named The Brainy Bunch.

Monalisa explained: ‘It’s vital to find that balance concerning not putting also substantially tension on your children and generating sure they are achieving they’re entire likely.

‘We just have Thunder and Lorennah to get by college now, and then we can lastly think about producing some time for ourselves.

‘It’s been a hell of a journey but we would not adjust it for the earth!’



The brainy bunch’s milestones

  • Hannah, 34, received a bachelor of science from Auburn College at 17
  • Rosannah, 32, received a bacher of art in architecture from California College of the Arts at 18
  • Serennah, 30, received a bachelor of artwork in mobile biology from  Huntington School at 17
  • Heath, 26, received a bachelor of artwork in English from Huntington School at 15 in advance of he attained his master’s in laptop science at 17
  • Keith, 23, got a bachelor of arts in new music from Faulkner College at 15 prior to he attained his master’s in counselling at 17
  • Seth, 21, acquired a bachelor of arts in political science from Huntington Faculty at 16
  • Katrinnah, 18, got her bachelor of artwork in political science from Huntington School at 16
  • Mariannah, 16, acquired her bachelor of artwork in overall health science from Bellevue College at 16
  • Lorennah, 13, is now in her 2nd calendar year of university studies
  • Thunder James, 11, is about to begin his very first calendar year at Bellevue College

Get in contact with our information crew by emailing us at [email protected] kingdom.

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Homeschooling is ‘so efficient’ say parents of 10 kids who all started university before 13

Homeschooling is ‘so efficient’ say parents of 10 kids who all started university before 13

The parents of 10 children who all started college before the age of 13 insist their precocious sons and daughters are ‘not geniuses’ – instead crediting their ‘efficient’ homeschooling regimen for their family’s academic success.   

Monalisa Harding, 53, and her husband Kip, 53, who are high school sweethearts from San Jose, California, homeschooled all their children from the same syllabus instead of sending the kids to traditional schools. 

They knew they were on the right track after getting each of their first three children through high school by the time they all turned 11, and their younger kids went on to achieve similar success. 

Their oldest child, Hannah, went on to earn a bachelors degree in mathematics at the age of 17 from Auburn University, Montgomery in 2004 – making her the first child prodigy.

Last year, their youngest child Thunder, 11, passed his entrance exams to college, joining Lorennah, 13, who is already in her second year.

Those of the Harding siblings who have already graduated from college have gone on to become doctors, architects, spacecraft designers and lawyers. 

Homeschooling is ‘so efficient’ say parents of 10 kids who all started university before 13

Monalisa Harding and her husband Kip, both 53, homeschooled all 10 of their children using the same methods and techniques

The sixth Harding child - Seth (pictured with sister with Serennah) became Alabama's youngest lawyer at 19, after passing his degree and professional exams during the pandemic

The sixth Harding child – Seth (pictured with sister with Serennah) became Alabama’s youngest lawyer at 19, after passing his degree and professional exams during the pandemic

Monalisa says her children 'aren't geniuses'. She says that the efficient nature of homeschooling (and her children's hard work) guaranteed their academic success

Monalisa says her children ‘aren’t geniuses’. She says that the efficient nature of homeschooling (and her children’s hard work) guaranteed their academic success

Eight of the brothers and sisters have already graduated by either 15 or 16 – and all went to university before they were 13.

The most recent family graduate Mariannah, 16, is now applying to do her masters in horticulture in January.

Seth Harding, 20, child six of 10, became Alabama’s youngest lawyer at the age of 19 after getting his law degree and passing his professional exams during the pandemic.

But humble Monalisa insists her kids ‘aren’t geniuses’ – and said their success is down to homeschooling which is more ‘efficient’ than going to school. 

Lorennah (left), 13, is a sophomore at Bellevue University. Katrinnah (right), 18, earned a BA in political science from Huntington college at age 15 and is now in law school

Lorennah (left), 13, is a sophomore at Bellevue University. Katrinnah (right), 18, earned a BA in political science from Huntington college at age 15 and is now in law school

Lorennah and Katrinnah are seen posing with sister Mariannah, 16, who earned a BA in health science from Bellevue University in Nebraska at the age of 16 and is planning to study further

Lorennah and Katrinnah are seen posing with sister Mariannah, 16, who earned a BA in health science from Bellevue University in Nebraska at the age of 16 and is planning to study further

Lorennah is the ninth of the Harding family's 10 children - all of whom started university by the age of 13

Lorennah is the ninth of the Harding family’s 10 children – all of whom started university by the age of 13

Monalisa, said: ‘The nature of homeschooling is so efficient – anyone can do it. 

‘It’s just about parents dedicating the time to get it done and prioritizing their children’s education above all else.

‘We’re not a wealthy family. We had to make sacrifices so that I had the time to teach each of them individually.

‘When you raise kids in an environment where homeschooling and hard work is the norm, then, as they grow, they’ll naturally adapt to it and take it in their stride.

‘They all worked and continue to work extremely hard, which is why they’re breaking new ground every day – I couldn’t be more proud of them.’

In 2014, the couple released their own book titled ‘The Brainy Bunch’, detailing their methods and techniques which has brought their children so much success.

The book goes into detail about the intricacy of homeschool study and offers advice and support for parents wishing to do the same.

Monalisa and husband Kip, who used to be in the military before working in government, also offer private consultations for families about home schooling. 

Mariannah, who received her BA in Health Science from Bellevue University at the age of 16, is currently waiting for a response to an application from Auburn University for further studies

Mariannah, who received her BA in Health Science from Bellevue University at the age of 16, is currently waiting for a response to an application from Auburn University for further studies

Son Heath (left), now 26, earned his BA in English, aged 15, and a master's degree in computer science at the age of 17

Son Heath (left), now 26, earned his BA in English, aged 15, and a master’s degree in computer science at the age of 17

Thunder James, the youngest of the brood aged just 11, is currently a freshman at Bellevue University

Thunder James, the youngest of the brood aged just 11, is currently a freshman at Bellevue University

Mother Monalisa with her lawyer son Seth. She described homeschooling her children as 'a hell of a journey', but said they 'wouldn't change it for the world'

Mother Monalisa with her lawyer son Seth. She described homeschooling her children as ‘a hell of a journey’, but said they ‘wouldn’t change it for the world’

They’ve spoken at conferences across the U.S., and have even travelled to Japan to share their experiences. 

‘We’ve had the best time travelling around and helping other families who want to homeschool their kids,’ Monalisa added.

‘It’s really fulfilling because we put our hearts and souls into our children, and knowing people admire that and want to do the same is a really great feeling.

‘It’s important to find that balance between not putting too much pressure on your kids and making sure they’re reaching their full potential.

‘We just have Thunder and Lorennah to get through college now, and then we can finally think about making some time for ourselves.

‘It’s been a hell of a journey but we wouldn’t change it for the world!’ 

Homeschool success: The Harding children’s academic achievements

  • Hannah, now 34, earned her BS in mathematics at the age of 17 from Auburn University in Montgomery.
  • Rosannah, now 32, earned her BA in architecture from California College of the Arts located in San Francisco, aged 18.
  • Serennah, now 30, got a BA in cell biology from Huntington College in Montgomery, Alabama at the age of 17.
  • Heath, 26, has a BA in English, which he got aged 15, from Huntington College and then earned a master’s degree in computer science at the age of 17 from Troy University in Montgomery.
  • Keith, 23, earned a BA in music from Faulkner University in Montgomery Alabama at the age of 15 and then earned his master’s degree at the age of 17 in counselling at the same institution.
  • Seth, 21, got a BA degree in political science from Huntington College at the age of 16.
  • Katrinnah, 18, earned her BA in political science at the age of 15 from Huntington college and is now in law school.
  • Mariannah, 16, earned her BA degree in health science from Bellevue University in Nebraska at the age of 16. She is currently waiting for a response to an application from Auburn University for further studies.
  • Lorennah, 13, is a second year college student at Bellevue University.
  • Thunder James, 11, is a college freshman also at Bellevue University. 

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CODL Is Code for Productive, Engaging Online Learning at Syracuse University

CODL Is Code for Productive, Engaging Online Learning at Syracuse University

Say “university,” and what normally arrives to brain are sprawling campuses, huge libraries and jam-packed athletics stadiums. Still in modern periods, a swiftly growing variety of submit-secondary students have been going to a new landscape of online discovering.

The School of Specialist Reports, previously known as University Higher education, has been committed since its founding in 1946 to the exclusive desires of pupils, typically referred to as “commuters.” Again then—and right now still—they attended courses at the University but resided somewhere else in Central New York.

In assistance of the University’s strategic reaction to make access and postsecondary educational alternatives (mostly as a result of online programming) for populations that fall outside the standard household undergraduate and graduate learner, Dean Michael Frasciello, quickly soon after his appointment in 2017, formed a specialized device within the university to satisfy the demands of pupils trying to find a Syracuse College education from everywhere in the earth.

CODL Video

The Centre for On-line and Electronic Studying has generated more than 4,500 movies for classes, which include this video for the Conflict and Collaboration Certificate of Sophisticated Review from the Maxwell School.

In excess of the earlier 4 yrs, the Heart for On line and Digital Learning (CODL) has been quietly and persistently addressing the mission-crucial have to have for a formalized response to the issues and possibilities of on the internet schooling.

“The need for a middle has developed progressively appropriate over the earlier 20 decades as on-line training has moved into a more considerable position inside the University’s tutorial portfolio,” Frasciello states. “With the latest pattern in larger instruction to extend on-line courses while outsourcing, it turned strategically beneficial and important for Syracuse College to construct out inside capability to standardize establishing, delivering, supporting and assessing high good quality, demanding and differentiated on line systems.”

Major the CODL workforce in this mission has been Eileen Julian, bringing a lot more than 24 many years of practical experience at Syracuse University with positions in curriculum, instruction and software administration. She understands the desires of adult, component-time learners well, obtaining gained a master’s diploma in better instruction from the Faculty of Education and learning and a bachelor’s in liberal scientific studies, both of those though utilized entire-time with the College alongside with boosting a household.

Julian has developed team from just three in 2017 to 30 in 2021 to fulfill elevated demand from customers. Since its inception, CODL has produced 157 on the web courses, with a further 74 presently in progress for nine faculties in just the College process. More than 4,500 video clips for programs have been created and the graphics created tops 10,000. The crew also absolutely created the on line J.D. application now remaining provided by the College of Legislation.

Past the huge productiveness, Julian is most proud of the good quality of perform attained for Syracuse College on-line learners.

“The dean’s demand to us was slicing-edge on the net instruction,” says Julian. “To understand this aim, we have hired not just specialists with on line instruction expertise, but also artists and cinematographers to increase the total digital finding out knowledge we present.”

Embracing technological developments has also been a substantial precedence, in accordance to Julian. The workforce is at the moment making use of virtual truth techniques to build courses in partnership with school members in the artwork remedy master’s system in the School of Visible and Performing Arts. The CODL group even further served the College group by helping to transfer 3,000 programs on the web in just 5 times all through the spring 2020 semester, as the COVID-19 pandemic affected in-person, on-campus instruction.

The groundwork and achievements of the Middle for On line and Electronic Understanding in 4 short years bode properly for the College as strategies for a much more well-outlined worldwide initiative unfold.

“The Higher education of Professional Studies has 75 years of a stable commitment to continuous learners,” says Dean Frasciello. “We are now also poised to provide superior quality on the web instructional ordeals to those in search of entry to the Syracuse College Orange community, where ever they may possibly be.”