Barbara E. Kahn launched new global initiatives and academic programs during her tenure as dean of the School of Business Administration.

Barbara E. Kahn, who launched new global initiatives and academic programs during her tenure as dean of the University of Miami’s School of Business Administration, will step down from that role on January 15, 2011, UM has announced.

“I have been honored to serve as dean of the School of Business Administration since 2007,” Kahn said. “The school has seen tremendous growth over the last few years and is currently in a very strong position. I am proud of what the faculty, students, and staff have accomplished.”

Kahn is returning to The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania to be with her husband, who is also a professor there.

A noted scholar on consumer choice, variety seeking, and brand loyalty, and widely published in the top journals in her field, Kahn quickly put her stamp on UM’s School of Business Administration, launching a new Ph.D. program and establishing a new emphasis in health sector management and policy.

Some of the new programs and initiatives that were started under her leadership include a new Center in Health Sector Management and Policy as well as a new undergraduate major and minor in the area. The school also launched an M.D./M.B.A. joint program with UM’s Miller School of Medicine.

She also recruited top faculty members from some of the world’s leading business schools, such as Duke, MIT, and Harvard.

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The debate will focus on the first five issues to be addressed by The Children's Movement: Access to health insurance and quality health care, screening and treatment for special needs, quality pre-kindergarten opportunities, high-quality mentoring programs, and support and information for parents.

The Children’s Movement of Florida, in association with the University of Miami, will host the first-ever gubernatorial debate devoted exclusively to the needs of Florida’s children.

The historic October 16 debate between major candidates vying to become Florida’s next governor will be held on the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus and will be broadcast statewide by television stations and via the Internet.

“Nothing can be more important to the people and future of Florida than the well-being and education of our children,” said David Lawrence Jr., co-chair of The Children’s Movement of Florida, founding chair of The Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade, and retired publisher of The Miami Herald. “Never before have candidates for Florida’s highest office engaged in a debate focused solely on the needs of our youngest, most vulnerable citizens.”

Three thousand parents, children’s advocates, and other supporters of the Children’s Movement of Florida  – along with University of Miami students – will be in the audience during the debate at UM.

“I am delighted the University of Miami will host this vitally important debate,” said UM President Donna E. Shalala. “The welfare and education of children in this state should be one of the highest concerns of our gubernatorial candidates. The citizens of Florida deserve to hear how they plan to address critical issues affecting our most precious resource—children.”

Led by a 27-member committee of influential Floridians, the non-partisan Children’s Movement of Florida also is launching a statewide, citizen-led series of “Milk Parties” on behalf of Florida’s children. The sweeping series of 15 rallies will be conducted throughout Florida, beginning in Pensacola on September 6 and ending in Key West on September 30.

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Some of the world’s top scientists will discuss their work during a free public forum on the University of Miami campus on Saturday, September 25, when National Geographic hosts an evening discussion on field research and exploration.

The presentation, which will take place in UM’s Storer Auditorium at 7:30 p.m., will feature John Francis, National Geographic Society (NGS) vice president of research, conservation, and exploration; NGS Emerging Explorer and UM Professor Kenny Broad; and renowned alpinist and North Face athlete Peter Athans. The trio will describe their adventures both underwater and in exotic locations around the globe.

Francis will discuss his role at NGS as well as his work on the ‘Crittercam,’ a research tool that can be placed on wild animals to obtain video and audio recordings and environmental data. Francis pioneered the use of Crittercam to study marine mammals.

Broad participated in a challenging expedition to study underwater caves and blue holes in the Bahamas, as stunningly depicted in the cover story of the August 2010 National Geographic magazine. He is an associate professor of Marine Affairs and Policy at UM’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and director of the Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy.

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Physical therapy students discuss a painting at the Lowe during last year's workshop on visual thinking strategies.

This fall, the University of Miami’s Lowe Art Museum will present a series of three workshops for students in health care-related graduate programs. Through the Fine Art of Healthcare workshop, participants will learn visual thinking strategies and have the opportunity to collaboratively look at works of art in detail to hone their observation, listening, and communication skills.

The workshops are based on the success of last year’s program. Under the tutelage of Sherrill Hayes, professor and chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, doctoral students spent an afternoon at the Lowe Art Museum in 2009, learning about the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) program that has been adopted at several medical schools across the country and testing the program’s methodology to improve their observational and diagnostic skills by looking at art.

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Sebastian the Ibis leads the UM football team onto the field at Sun Life Stadium.

Twisting and turning his body to spell out C-A-N-E-S, University of Miami mascot Sebastian the Ibis is a familiar fixture at Hurricane sporting events, helping UM’s athletic teams on to victory whether it be on the gridiron or hardwood.

Now, Sebastian needs your help to win one of the fiercest competitions of the college football season: the 2010 Capital One Mascot Challenge.

Sebastian is one of 16 mascots competing in the challenge. For the next 12 weeks, he will go head to head with a different mascot. At the conclusion of the 12 weeklong voting periods, the mascots will be ranked in descending order of wins versus losses, and the eight mascots with the highest number of wins will advance to the playoff phase, which will be conducted in three rounds over a three-week period beginning November 22.

The winning mascot will be announced during the Capital One Bowl on January 1, 2011, earning the title Capital One National Mascot of the Year.

The competition is determined by both Internet voting and text voting. Vote for Sebastian at www.capitalonebowl.com/vote/main or by texting “Sebastian” to 69866. There is no voting limit.