UROP Leader Information Submission: Submission #248
Submission information
Submission Number: 248
Submission ID: 19486
Submission UUID: 719fb8f7-e249-431d-8c54-af27b05c2b2f
Submission URI: /urop-leader-information-submission
Submission Update: /urop-leader-information-submission?token=D2P-RFYBr-dqtSF3PRYfjtJ0HePAbpLRUW0wH_fT38Y
Created: Wed, 04/23/2025 - 07:27 PM
Completed: Wed, 04/23/2025 - 07:28 PM
Changed: Wed, 04/23/2025 - 07:28 PM
Remote IP address: 73.42.40.154
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Webform: UROP Leaders Information
Submitted to: UROP Leader Information Submission
| First Name | Matthew |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Cabrera |
| Full name as you would like it to appear on the website | Matthew Cabrera |
| Preferred Pronouns | |
| Hometown, State, and Country (ex: Tallahassee, FL, USA) | Ocala, FL, USA |
| FSU email | mc22dz@fsu.edu |
| Please check this box if you are willing to be contacted by students interested in UROP | Yes |
| LinkedIn URL (optional) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/mc2027/ |
| Major(s) | Mechanical Engineering |
| Minor(s) | Computer Science, Physics, Astrophysics |
| Graduation Semester and Year (ex: Fall, 2022) | Spring, 2027 |
| What is your current research focus? | I am a research assistant for Dr. Rebekah Downes at the High Performance Materials Institute (HPMI), working with Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and PEEK reinforced carbon fiber. PEEK is a high-performance thermoplastic that is used in aerospace and defense industries, which can withstand high temperatures and substantial mechanical stress. I am testing PEEK and PEEK reinforced carbon fiber under different environmental conditions, analyzing how their material properties change. This project is my main focus right now, but I also assist in other material science research throughout HPMI. |
| Are there any other research related activities you participate(d) in? | |
| Answer one of the following two questions about being a UROP Leader or your UROP background. | How has UROP impacted your time at FSU? |
| Please answer the question you selected above in the area provided. | Being in UROP started a domino chain in my life that I never would have expected. Thanks to UROP, I met my closest friend in college, I spent a year working on a NASA-related research project, and then I was able to move to HPMI. At HPMI, I have met some amazing people and countless opportunities have presented themselves, which I am extremely fortunate for. Without UROP, I have no idea what I would be doing right now in my undergraduate career. If taken advantage of correctly, UROP is an extremely beneficial program and one I am glad to be a part of. Being a UROP Leader lets me continue to spread the advantages of UROP to others, so maybe they too can receive the amazing benefits I have been lucky enough to receive. |
| Please list any other hobbies or interests you would like to share | I have a passion for music, specifically Latin music, food, and video games. You get me started on any of those, and I might never stop talking. |
| Headshot |
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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=D2P-RFYBr-dqtSF3PRYfjtJ0HePAbpLRUW0wH_fT38Y |
| Years as a UROP Leader | 2025-2026 |