UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1211
Submission information
Submission Number: 1211
Submission ID: 20651
Submission UUID: 566fc39f-b48b-49cf-b200-c13c5b91cca8
Submission URI: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal
Submission Update: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=bNbwaNlaU6J12nwSQuoEYQm6pQh-89H1StZFXmP7kSE
Created: Sun, 08/17/2025 - 08:44 PM
Completed: Sun, 08/17/2025 - 09:04 PM
Changed: Mon, 08/25/2025 - 12:45 PM
Remote IP address: 108.77.174.224
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Webform: UROP Project Proposal Portal
Submitted to: UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal
Research Mentor Information
Danielle Wirsansky
She/Her
Ms.
Graduate Student
Nathan Stoltzfus
Arts and Sciences
History
Additional Research Mentor(s)
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Overall Project Details
Ungentlemanly Warfare: Women Spies of the Special Operations Executive During WWII
intelligence history, women, history, espionage
Yes
2
Open to all majors, but I have had many assistants who majored in history, political science, international affairs, and English.
On FSU Main Campus
No, the project is remote
Fully Remote
5-10
Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
What was it like to be a secret agent in WWII? This project uncovers the remarkable stories of women in the British Special Operations Executive (SOE)—a clandestine organization that trained agents to parachute into Nazi-occupied Europe, gather intelligence, and organize resistance. Many of these women were captured, interrogated, and in some cases executed, leaving behind a powerful legacy of courage and sacrifice.
As a UROP research assistant, you’ll help bring these hidden histories to light by working directly with primary sources. Tasks include transcribing handwritten archival documents and audio interviews, and—if you know French or German—translating original wartime documents. No prior language skills are required; students from all majors are welcome! Along the way, you’ll gain valuable experience in archival research, transcription, and historical analysis, while contributing to a larger dissertation project on gender, war, and resistance.
As a UROP research assistant, you’ll help bring these hidden histories to light by working directly with primary sources. Tasks include transcribing handwritten archival documents and audio interviews, and—if you know French or German—translating original wartime documents. No prior language skills are required; students from all majors are welcome! Along the way, you’ll gain valuable experience in archival research, transcription, and historical analysis, while contributing to a larger dissertation project on gender, war, and resistance.
Data collection, translation, transcription, literature review
French or German language and translation would be a great asset to me, but I am of course open to other students without these skills also. Transcription skills would also be recommended.
I view mentoring as a collaborative and reciprocal process. My goal is to create an environment where students feel supported, challenged, and empowered to grow as researchers and as individuals. I encourage curiosity and independence, while also providing clear guidance and structure so students never feel lost in the process.
I believe that research is most meaningful when it is shared, so I work alongside my students, treating them as partners in the discovery process rather than as assistants completing tasks. I encourage students to ask questions, contribute their own ideas, and develop ownership of the work they are doing. At the same time, I help them gain practical skills—whether in transcription, translation, or historical analysis—that will serve them well beyond this particular project.
I also recognize that each student comes with unique backgrounds, strengths, and goals. My role as a mentor is to meet students where they are and support them in reaching the next stage of their academic and personal journey. I want students to leave this project not only with new skills but also with increased confidence, a sense of accomplishment, and an appreciation for the power of research to uncover hidden stories and amplify marginalized voices.
I believe that research is most meaningful when it is shared, so I work alongside my students, treating them as partners in the discovery process rather than as assistants completing tasks. I encourage students to ask questions, contribute their own ideas, and develop ownership of the work they are doing. At the same time, I help them gain practical skills—whether in transcription, translation, or historical analysis—that will serve them well beyond this particular project.
I also recognize that each student comes with unique backgrounds, strengths, and goals. My role as a mentor is to meet students where they are and support them in reaching the next stage of their academic and personal journey. I want students to leave this project not only with new skills but also with increased confidence, a sense of accomplishment, and an appreciation for the power of research to uncover hidden stories and amplify marginalized voices.
https://news.fsu.edu/news/fsuglobal/2025/07/29/fulbright-fellowship-enriches-academic-and-creative-endeavors-for-fsu-student-pursuing-a-doctorate-in-history/
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UROP Program Elements
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No
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2025
https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?element_parents=elements/research_mentor_information/headshot_optional_&ajax_form=1&_wrapper_format=drupal_ajax&token=bNbwaNlaU6J12nwSQuoEYQm6pQh-89H1StZFXmP7kSE