UROP Leader Information Submission: Submission #247

First Name: Rachael
Last Name: Moynihan
Full name as you would like it to appear on the website: Rachael Moynihan
Preferred Pronouns: She/her
Hometown, State, and Country (ex: Tallahassee, FL, USA): Saint Cloud, FL
FSU email : rlm22l@fsu.edu
Please check this box if you are willing to be contacted by students interested in UROP: Yes
LinkedIn URL (optional): {Empty}
Major(s): Biological Science
Minor(s): {Empty}
Graduation Semester and Year (ex: Fall, 2022): Spring, 2027
What is your current research focus?:
My current research explores how pre-mating behaviors, like physical contact, influence mating decisions in Doto chica, a simultaneous hermaphroditic sea slug. I’m particularly interested in how these early interactions impact both mating initiation and copulation duration, and what that can tell us about sexual selection in hermaphroditic species.

Are there any other research related activities you participate(d) in?:
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Answer one of the following two questions about being a UROP Leader or your UROP background. : How do you hope to impact your students as a UROP Leader?
Please answer the question you selected above in the area provided.:
I hope to create an encouraging, welcoming space where students feel excited about research and confident in their abilities. My goal is to make the research process feel more approachable and meaningful, help students see that their questions and ideas matter, and support them as they grow into independent thinkers. I want them to leave UROP feeling more curious, more empowered, and more connected to the academic community.

Please list any other hobbies or interests you would like to share:
Outside of research, I love reading, spending time outdoors, and hanging out with friends and family.

Headshot: https://cre.fsu.edu/system/files/webform/urop_leaders_information/19476/ACM00841.jpg
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2025Year2025: 2025
Approved: No
Update URL UROP Leaders: https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-leader-information-submission?element_parents=elements/headshot&ajax_form=1&_wrapper_format=drupal_ajax&token=7GsB1eHaEtgodT5A2KrWlKsWw97P_dhZaDqNSAJO0b4
Years as a UROP Leader: 2025-2026