Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences Welcomes New Faculty Members

This fall, the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences welcomes eight new faculty members, joining the college’s more than 140 full-time faculty members. Each brings to NSU noteworthy academic experience, both inside and outside of the classroom, in a variety of fields and interests. Last week, the names and biographies of four of these new faculty members were shared in SharkBytes.

This week, the college introduces (in alphabetical order):

Omar Eldakar, Ph.D., assistant professor

Omar Eldakar earned his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Binghamton University in 2008 and continued his post-doctoral research at the University of Arizona. He served as a visiting assistant professor at Oberlin College in Ohio from 2012 to 2013. Eldakar’s graduate thesis explored the evolution of self-limiting behavioral strategies. His research interests include multilevel selection, sexual conflict, evolution of altruism and evolution of social control in human and non-human animals, evolution of toxicity in algae, and yawning as a thermoregulatory mechanism. Eldakar has published a number of research papers covering biological sciences.

Kendra Gentry, M.S., visiting instructor

Kendra Gentry earned her M.S. in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008. She expects to complete her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at CUNY Graduate Center in December 2013. Prior to attending graduate school, Gentry served as a crime reporter for a local newspaper in Pennsylvania. During her graduate career, she has worked as an adjunct professor at John Jay College and Bronx Community College, and as a research assistant, project manager, and director on various criminal justice research projects. Her primary research interests include environmental criminology, crime and public transportation, technology and crime, and crime and the media.

Michelle Larrea, Ph.D., assistant professor

Michelle Larrea earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Miami in 2008. From 2009 to 2011, she completed post-doctoral training in the Department of Pharmacology at Duke University. Larrea’s research focused on the roles played by two protein kinases, PKB and RSK1, in regulating the function of a key cell-cycle mediator, p27. She has published a number of research papers in the areas of biochemistry and molecular biology. Larrea also served as an adjunct faculty in chemistry at Miami Dade College and a visiting professor at NSU.

Shahla Nasserasr, Ph.D., assistant professor

Shahla Nasserasr earned her M.S. in Mathematics from the University of Victoria in 2007 and her Ph.D. in Applied Science–Mathematics from the College of William and Mary in 2010. She has taught many undergraduate level mathematics courses, including calculus and linear algebra. Nasserasr has published a number of research papers in peer-reviewed journals and has presented research at conferences and workshops. She has been engaged with undergraduate research programs and has conducted numerous community outreach activities.

About the College

The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences at Nova Southeastern University provides outstanding programs of study in the humanities, social and behavioral sciences, performing and visual arts, information technology, and biological, environmental, and physical sciences that enhance critical thinking, effective communication, and lifelong learning. New faculty members play a vital role in advancing the college’s mission to prepare students for graduate and professional study, career development, and responsible citizenship.