UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1036

Submission information
Submission Number: 1036
Submission ID: 19776
Submission UUID: 7f23b36b-bb36-4eaa-a6fe-e1fcd9ff8c43

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
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)
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above) Dennis Ssekimpi
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns He/him
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) ds21k@fsu.edu
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable)
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
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):
Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? No
Roundtable times and Zoom links Not participating in the Roundtable
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Year 2025
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