UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1036 | Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement

Submission information

Submission Number: 1036

Submission ID: 19776

Submission UUID: 7f23b36b-bb36-4eaa-a6fe-e1fcd9ff8c43

Submission URI: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal

Submission Update: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=KlxIXaub9dMwuA5ODlkjUJRMBYddR2KQE4sSruqjplg

Created: Tue, 07/08/2025 - 10:58 AM

Completed: Tue, 07/08/2025 - 10:58 AM

Changed: Mon, 09/29/2025 - 06:25 PM

Remote IP address: 68.35.220.114

Submitted by: Anonymous

Language: English

Is draft: No

Webform: UROP Project Proposal Portal

Submitted to: UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal

Research Mentor Information

Primary Research Mentor Name Youneng Tang

Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns He/him

When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific? Dr.

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) ytang@eng.famu.fsu.edu

Position Title Faculty

FSU College (if applicable) FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Civil and Environmental Engineering

Headshot (optional) {Empty}

Additional Research Mentor(s)

Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above) Dennis Ssekimpi

Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns He/him

Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific? {Empty}

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) ds21k@fsu.edu

Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable) {Empty}

Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns {Empty}

Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific? {Empty}

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) {Empty}

Overall Project Details

Title of the Project PFAS Contamination and Transport

Project Keywords Environment, Experiment, PFAS, Measurement, Pollution

Are you currently looking for research assistants? No

Number of Research Assistants Needed 2

Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Environmental Engineering; Civil Engineering; Chemical Engineering

Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation? Yes

Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): In-person

Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 7

Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? During business hours

Overall Research Project Description Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that have attracted significant public attention due to their toxicity, widespread use in commercial and consumer products, and recalcitrance to degradation in the environment. PFAS is ubiquitous in solid waste. To prevent solid waste in landfills contaminating groundwater and air, landfills are usually contained by bottom liners and covers. The objective of this project is to determine the PFAS transport characteristics through the bottom liners and covers such as the breakthrough time. We welcome one or two UROP scholar to participate in this research project. Professor Tang and his graduate student will supervise the UROP scholar. The graduate student will provide most of the direct supervision.

Research Tasks The UROP scholar is expected to:
1) Complete a few lab safety training sessions.
2) Shadow the graduate student.
3) Review the literature to understand PFAS and their contamination.
4) Learn the method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for measuring one type of PFAS.
5) Use the measurement method to determine the PFAS transport characteristics in diffusion cells.
6) Summarize and discuss the research results in a poster and a white paper.

After the UROP project is completed, there may be an opportunity for the UROP scholar to further study PFAS through undergraduate or graduate research assistantship.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Lab safety training
Recommended: Strong interest in experiments

Mentoring Philosophy Three themes of mentoring philosophies:
1) Believing quality is more important than quantity
2) Encouraging growth through challenges
3) Developing a relationship founded on mutual respect

Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): https://eng.famu.fsu.edu/cee/people/tang

Please add any additional information here (if applicable): {Empty}

Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? No

Roundtable times and Zoom links Not participating in the Roundtable

UROP Program Elements

Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes

UROP Performance Evaluation Yes

Materials Grant Yes

UROP Poster Presentation Yes

{Empty}

Year 2025

update url https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=KlxIXaub9dMwuA5ODlkjUJRMBYddR2KQE4sSruqjplg