UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1075

Submission information
Submission Number: 1075
Submission ID: 19971
Submission UUID: 0eece7c8-ce53-46a8-8494-bfe98643e2d9

Created: Mon, 08/04/2025 - 03:35 PM
Completed: Tue, 08/05/2025 - 05:18 PM
Changed: Thu, 10/16/2025 - 01:06 PM

Remote IP address: 128.186.137.62
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Dinara Ibrayeva
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns she/her
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) di22@fsu.edu
Position Title Graduate Student
Faculty Advisor Name Dr. Patrice Iatarola
Faculty Advisor's FSU Email piatarola@fsu.edu
FSU College (if applicable) Education, Health, and Human Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation ELPS
Headshot (optional) headshot.png
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above)
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
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 ***Understanding the Impact of Losing Merit-Based Financial Aid on College Students: A Multi-Method Study
Project Keywords Higher Education, Education Policy, Literature Review, AI tools for Research.
Are you currently looking for research assistants? No
Number of Research Assistants Needed 2
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Ideal for students interested in education policy, economics, sociology, social work, political science, psychology, creative writing, or those with an interest in using research for access and success in higher education.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): Partially Remote
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 5
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description This project supports a dissertation investigating the consequences of losing financial aid among undergraduate students. The project consists of three interconnected essays, each using a different methodological lens:
Descriptive and Regression-Based Quantitative Essay – This essay analyzes data to describe who loses financial aid and estimate the correlates of continued enrollment and academic success after aid loss.
Quasi-Experimental Essay – This essay applies causal inference methods (e.g., difference-in-differences or regression discontinuity) to estimate the effect of financial aid loss on students’ academic momentum, retention, and graduation outcomes.
Qualitative Case Study – This essay explores how students make sense of losing aid, drawing on in-depth interviews and institutional context to understand their strategies and challenges.
Undergraduate researchers will assist in building the literature review foundation for all three essays, focusing on: 1) Financial aid policies and merit-based funding; 2) Academic momentum and persistence; 3) Equity and access in higher education; 4) Student coping mechanisms and institutional support.
The project integrates FSU-approved and funded Generative AI (GenAI) and literature organizer tools, including Co-Pilot, Zotero, Grammarly, and Scite, to streamline and enhance the literature review and synthesis process. Students will use these tools to annotate, tag, summarize, and organize key findings from academic and policy sources. The training will be provided on the ethical use of those tools.
Research Tasks Mentees will:
Conduct guided literature searches on topics related to financial aid loss, college student outcomes, and higher education policy.
Use Zotero to organize citations, tag themes, and attach annotations.
Use Scite_ to evaluate article influence and categorize citation contexts (supporting, contrasting, or mentioning), as well as critically assess the output generated by this tool.
Use GenAI tools (like Co-Pilot) to produce annotations and check their accuracy.
Assist in formulating research questions.
Assist in coding and categorizing themes across the three essays, mapping out conceptual frameworks, and identifying research gaps
Participate in brief skill-building sessions on AI tools for Research.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: No prior research experience is necessary.
A foundation in academic writing is recommended.
A curiosity for AI tools in research is a huge plus!
Some initial guidance on what I already know about AI-supported literature reviews will be provided at the beginning; however, please note that this will be a joint journey of mentor and mentees discovering the advancements in the field as we progress.
Mentoring Philosophy I believe undergraduate research is an opportunity not just to build technical skills, but to help students grow as independent thinkers and contributors to meaningful and ethical scholarship in the era of AI. In working with UROP students, I will focus on creating a respectful and inclusive environment where curiosity is encouraged, questions are welcomed, and learning is a collaborative process.
I meet students where they are, regardless of prior research experience. Early in the project, I provide structured guidance to help them engage with key tools and concepts. As their confidence grows, I encourage them to take greater ownership of their learning, diving deeper into literature, experimenting with generative AI, and making connections between the three parts of the project.
I prioritize open communication, meeting regularly to offer feedback, troubleshoot challenges, and reflect on progress. Mentorship, to me, is a two-way relationship. While I share knowledge and provide direction, I also learn from students’ questions, insights, and the unique perspectives they bring to the work.
I want this experience to feel empowering and valuable beyond the scope of the project. Whether students go on to pursue honors theses, graduate school, or careers in education and policy, I hope they leave with stronger research skills, greater confidence in their voice, and a clearer sense of their ability to contribute to academic and public conversations. My goal is for students to see themselves not just as learners, but as knowledge builders who can shape the future of their fields.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable):
Please add any additional information here (if applicable):
Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? Yes
Roundtable times and Zoom links
Roundtable Info
  • Day: Thursday, September 4
    Start Time: 2:00
    End Time: 2:30
    Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93249671969
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Faculty Advisor Confirmation Yes
Are you interested in attending in a UROP Research Mentor Workshop Series?
Year 2025
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