Research Mentor Information
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Primary Research Mentor Name: Youneng Tang
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns: He/him/his
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: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
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Additional Research Mentor(s)
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Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above): Mojtaba Nouri Goukeh
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns: He/him/his
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?: Mr.
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): mn20f@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}
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Overall Project Details
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Title of the Project: Which consumer products contain PFAS – contaminants of emerging concern?
Project Keywords: Environmental Engineering, PFAS, Instrumentation, Analytical Chemistry
Are you currently looking for research assistants?: Yes
Number of Research Assistants Needed : 1
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s):
1) Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2) Chemistry, 3) 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 hours/week
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:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of approximately 5,000 human-derived chemicals that have attracted significant public attention due to their toxicity at even very low concentrations, widespread use in many commercial and consumer products, and recalcitrance to degradation in the environment.  While there is a wealth of knowledge in the literature regarding which consumer products containing which water-soluble PFAS, it is understudied regarding which consumer products containing which volatile PFAS.  The objective of this project is to fill in the knowledge gap in this understudied area.  We welcome one 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.  After the UROP project is completed, there may be an opportunity for the UROP scholar to further develop and optimize the method for measuring more types of PFAS through undergraduate or graduate research assistantship.  

      


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 which consumer products contain this type of PFAS.
6)	Summarize and discuss the research results in a poster and a white paper. 

Skills that research assistant(s) may need::
None.

Mentoring Philosophy:
Three themes of mentoring philosophies:
1) Believing quality is more important than quantity regarding productivity of the mentors and mentees,
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)::
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UROP Program Elements
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Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication: Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation: Yes
Materials Grant: Yes
UROP Poster Presentation: Yes

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Year: 2023
update url: https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=-l7Ye9stHbowO4KIA0YBtQKuowDMabHbQN_k6ClFhnQ