Research Re-wired

By Isabella Tobon

Peter Fasano

Florida State University student Peter Fasano is transforming the way we experience musical harmony. During his Expressive Session, he played an instrumental that he had composed on his keyboard exemplifying his exploration of the relationship between traditional tuning systems and modern music production, developing an algorithm that brings the beauty of Just Intonation—a natural tuning method favored by singers—into the digital age. 

Unlike fixed-pitch instruments that rely on the standard 12-tone equal temperament, Fasano’s algorithm dynamically adjusts pitches to reduce dissonance between notes, creating smoother, more resonant harmonies. Designed with accessibility in mind, the system integrates into existing autotune engines, allowing producers to achieve richer soundscapes without advanced tuning theory knowledge. 

Supported by an IDEA Grant, Fasano’s work also extends into xenharmonic composition, using microtonal instruments like his Lumatone keyboard to push creative boundaries. His innovative blend of research, technology, and artistry not only redefines musical expression but also highlights the power of undergraduate research at FSU to reshape how we hear—and feel—music. 

Audrey Lendvey 

 At the 2025 President’s Showcase for Undergraduate Research Excellence, Florida State University student Audrey Lendvay presented a thought-provoking creative project examining humanity’s evolving relationship with technology and the natural world. 

Lendvay’s work, To Be Human in 2025, explores how modern society’s dependence on digital systems and spectacle has distanced people from the very environment that sustains them. Through sculptural assemblages inspired by software glitches, video game environments, and computer bugs, Lendvay draws parallels between ecological systems and coded programs—each bound by parameters, limited outcomes, and vulnerability to disruption. 

By translating the language of digital errors into physical form, Lendvay’s art visualizes the environmental “glitches” caused by human interference. Her work invites viewers to reflect on how technology both defines and distorts our connection to nature, urging a reexamination of what it truly means to be human in a world increasingly shaped by code. 

Aiden Leslie

 Aiden Leslie uses film to expose the unseen realities of urban labor found during his trip to Brazil in his investigative documentary Lane Splitting. Presented during the Expression Session at the President’s Showcase for Undergraduate Research Excellence, Leslie’s project captures the voices of motoboys—motorcycle couriers in São Paulo, Brazil, who deliver food, documents, and essential goods across one of the world’s most congested cities. 

Despite being the backbone of the city’s fast-paced delivery economy, motoboys often face stigma, low wages, and life-threatening traffic conditions. Lane Splitting draws on their own testimonies to uncover how multinational corporations like Uber and iFood profit from this workforce while providing minimal protection. Through interviews with couriers, union leaders, and policy experts, Leslie’s work examines how corporate systems and government inaction combine to endanger lives. 

By bringing their stories to light, Leslie’s film challenges audiences to look beyond convenience and consider the human cost of modern efficiency—spotlighting the resilience and dignity of workers who keep cities running. 

Feyikemi Poitier 

Florida State Dance student Feyikemi Porter brought movement to meaning in her expressive session performance, transforming research into a living art form. Her project explores the fusion of Black social and ancestral dance traditions within contemporary performance—specifically focusing on vogue, jazz, and krump in Paris, a long-standing hub for African diasporic creativity. 

Through immersive fieldwork that included attending performances, taking classes, and interviewing Parisian choreographers, Porter examined how artists draw from their diasporic roots to shape modern Black contemporary dance. Her research culminated in a powerful performance that merges choreography, music, and film—integrating voiceovers and footage from her time abroad to center the voices of the dancers themselves. 

By blending scholarship and artistry, Porter’s work highlights the resilience, innovation, and cultural continuity of Black dance traditions, showcasing how movement can serve as both research and storytelling. 

Raven Watkins 

Using art to uncover the emotional truths buried beneath decades of silence, Raven Watkins explores the lingering grief and loss that followed Spain’s Civil War and Francisco Franco’s dictatorship. During her expression session, Watkins walked her audience through the revealing tragedies she uncovered while conducting research in Spain. 

While working with the Center for Field Science’s Forensics Program in Spain, Watkins assisted in cataloging the remains of a soldier from the war and visited historical sites connected to the conflict. Inspired by her research and firsthand experiences, she is creating a short stop-motion animation featuring hand-modeled elements that capture the emotional weight of this history. 

Her project seeks to spread awareness of the unmarked mass graves that remain across Spain while honoring the deep humanity of those lost to the violence of Franco’s regime. Through creativity and compassion, Watkins transforms remembrance into art—ensuring the voices of the past are not forgotten.