Research Symposium

BIO

Hi my name is Isabella Eaton. I am a freshman from Orlando, FL, apart of the FSU Presidential Scholars Class of '25. I have an ultimate career goal of becoming a Pediatric Doctor Without Borders.

Literature Review – Vascular and Metabolic Function

Abstract

Endothelial function is the description how endothelial cells, lining the inside of vessels and arteries, function to create dilation or contraction with blood flow. A study to test this will specifically try and find relation between endothelial function due to exercise performance. Using ultrasounds to perform experiments, as well as other laboratory equipment are the main ways to collect data from the sounds waves and thus analyze it in terms of endothelial and vascular function. This could ultimately allow furthering into conclusions about why exercise can aid the human body’s overall health. Overall, in this poster, we will be highlighting different literary sources in order to further explain the testing and research done on these topics.

Keywords: Nox Protein, lipolysis, micro-dialysis

BIO

My name is Zoe Dupler and I'm a sophomore from Gainesville, Florida majoring in psychology and international affairs.

Women Representation in Bollywood Films

Abstract

Cinema and other cultural artifacts inhabit a special place in a cultural landscape because they both influence and are influenced by the societies in which they originate. For this reason, our research project has focused on the portrayal of women in Bollywood, the film industry of India, where women have traditionally been characterized according to misogynist interpretation of a woman’s role in society. The intention is to collect quantitative data that may provide more information to determine if cultural expectations are portrayed more divergently, specifically for female characters when there is a female director. Following the methodology of several US-based studies on gender in Hollywood, this project uses film coding to determine the types and frequency of women's representation. Each female character within the films is examined in clothing, religion, relationships, education, and taboo behavior and is coded accordingly into the system. This project is still at its initial stages; therefore, we cannot have conclusive data/results. However, we can see trends across the films we have finished coding.

Keywords: Film, Bollywood, Representation

BIO

Charlie Campbell is a first-year geography major from Orlando, Florida. He is interested in spatial urban research, particularly gentrification and urban renewal. Charlie hopes to pursue a career in either geography or urban planning as he has a passion for understanding how humans interact with the world around them.

Smokey Hollow: Urban Renewal and the Historic Displacement of a Black Community in Tallahassee

Abstract

Beginning in the 1940s and continuing through the 1960s, urban renewal efforts across the United States displaced some of the country’s poorest communities for the purpose of municipal construction and redevelopment. These communities, dubbed “slums”, were appropriated for public use, often becoming urban road or park infrastructure, or resold to private developers. However, an effect of urban redevelopment efforts that went largely unaddressed by the government during this time was the relocation of Black citizens who comprised the majority of these communities.

This project examines the slum clearance of Smokey Hollow, a historically black community in Tallahassee, Florida that was repossessed for the construction of the Apalachee Parkway and Capitol Center in the 1960s. While the purchased properties were cleared for this urban renewal project, a large portion of them were left undeveloped. Thus, it is clear that slum clearance of Smokey Hollow, like many urban renewal projects at the time, was a thinly veiled attempt to rid rapidly developing parts of the city of Black citizens.

Keywords: Geography, Urban Renewal, Gentrification

BIO

My name is Mali Weingarten and I am a sophomore pursuing a bachelor’s in Nursing. Throughout my short time at FSU, I have been involved in Best Buddies, Garnet and Gold Key, and my sorority! Since getting involved in research this past year, I have enjoyed learning the research process. Participating in undergraduate research has allowed me to gain hands-on knowledge that has positively enriched my learning experience! My future goals involve receiving my DNP, working as a family nurse practitioner, and pursuing nursing-related research!

Understanding the Role of Professional Development on Educators' Science Teaching

Abstract

Every person in our society has been part of a science class and therefore engaged with a science teacher. This teacher can be the foundation for how that student views the world of STEM. Teachers engage in professional development to hone their craft and develop STEM skills in their students. However, not all professional development programs have the same influence. In order to better understand the influence of professional development programs on science teachers, we chose to conduct a literature review of current programs and their influences on participating teachers and their students if applicable. For this study, we define professional development programs as Undergraduate Research Experiences (URE), Teacher Professional Development(PD), and/or Research Experience for Teachers(RET).
Our research questions that drove our choice of articles were:
What is our current understanding of science professional development for science teachers
and their students?
Are there differences in the impact for elementary, middle, and/or high school teachers?
Are there differences in impact by the teacher and student demographics?
Are there differences in the impact based on the type of professional development (RETs,
UREs)?
To address these questions, we analyzed peer-reviewed literature by breaking them into categories that included: research question(s), type of research method (qualitative, quantitative, mixed), program type (RET, URE, etc.), description of sample/participants, results in summary, conclusion, and further questions. We are in the process of analyzing the data summarized from reviewing 20 articles. We look forward to presenting it in the final abstract.

Keywords: professional development, teachers, teaching, RET

BIO

My name is Sydney Cornett and I am from Brandon, Florida. My love of animals at an early age enriched by my experience as an animal shelter volunteer has inspired me to declare biology as my major with the hopes of attending veterinary school after graduation and earning a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Although my career aspirations are centered around the biological processes of animals, my research interest spans far beyond that. Besides being interested in biological research, I am also interested in research involving social sciences.

Investigating Flaws in Female Firefighter Personal Protective Clothing

Abstract

This research is ongoing, but has begun to expose the weaknesses in the design of both structural and wildland personal protective clothing (PPC) as it pertains to female firefighters specifically. Female firefighters are at a greater risk for injury on the job because the PPC they wear was not designed for the female form, and therefore female firefighters are limited in functionality and comfort due to ill-fitting PPC. So far, this research has exposed the design flaws of female PPPC by conducting focus groups to discuss the aspects of the design of PPC that limit functionality and comfort with the goal of increasing awareness of this issue and educating manufacturers. 

Keywords: female, firefighter, firefighters, textiles, turnout coat

BIO

Hello, my name is Megan Arteaga and I was born and raised in Naples, Florida. I have always enjoyed learning and researching about our environment. My career goal for as long as I can remember is to make a difference in helping the planet, which is why I am an ISS major Contrentrating in Public Policy and Geography. As for future goals, I plan to get my master's degree in Environmental Policy and be at the forefront of making positive environmental changes.

Post-Hurricane Michael Recovery: Examining the Glenwood Neighborhood Plan, Panama City

Abstract

We have now recognized that disasters are never natural and are usually caused by a combination of hazards exposure (eg. hurricane-hitting communities) and vulnerability (including social and ecosystem). In 2018, Hurricane Michael hit the City of Panama City resulting in the destruction of property and the environment. As part of the recovery process, the city of Panama City conducted a series of recovery planning activities which includes Neighborhood Planning. Neighborhood planning aims to address disaster recovery and resilience-building efforts done at a community and neighborhood level. This research analyzes the Panama City Recovery Plans of Post-Hurricane Michael. It aims to find if it is an effective way to address the community vulnerability and contribute to the city's resilience building. In this research, we looked into the neighborhood of Glenwood, which is historically and demographically an African American prominent community. The results showed that neighborhood planning helped address community problems that are caused by historical development decisions and showed different levels of priority within each neighborhood of Panama City. It provided a venue for community members to voice their concerns and engaged with the local government. Although questions about the effectiveness of engagements are notable as the process prioritized technical and expert knowledge. There is also limited examination and strategies that look at the cause of social vulnerability. It is therefore important to examine this further through interviews with different stakeholders.

Keywords: Hurricane, Vulnerability, Glenwood, Panama City

BIO

I am form West Palm Beach, Florida, and am extremely passionate about learning new things and love putting myself in situations where I can grow. I am a first generation college student who plans on studying medicine in the future to become a doctor. Research is one of many opportunities I am grateful to take part of on this long and beautiful journey to success.

The Effects of 4-Week Creatine Supplementation on Lipid Profiles in Older Adults

Abstract

The natural consequence of aging can lead to the deterioration of a variety of physiological systems. Older adults are at a higher risk of both hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia, both of which can be further augmented by a poor diet and inactivity. There is some evidence suggesting that creatine may potentially serve as a therapeutic aid, eliciting positive effects upon blood glucose and lipid levels. Therefore, creatine has been termed a potential nutraceutical, capable of exerting promising effects upon common pathologies the US faces today. The purpose of this research was to determine the effects of four weeks of creatine supplementation on lipids and blood glucose in healthy, older adults. Twelve adults consumed creatine monohydrate (CM) and placebo for 4 weeks. Pre- and post-supplementation, participants underwent a fasted venous blood draw. Plasma levels of cholesterol (CHOL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TG), non-HDL cholesterol (nHDLc), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very LDL (vLDL), and blood glucose (GLU) were then analyzed using a Piccolo Xpress clinical chemistry analyzer. Results were analyzed by 2x2 Repeated Measures ANOVA, with significance accepted as p < 0.05. vLDL decreased in both groups on average – 2.46 mg/dL showing significant improvement in TG and GLU however there were no significant changes following CM in LDL, HDL, nHDLc, or CHOL. Due to the strong relationship between triglycerides and glucose with CVD, the ability of creatine to reduce these suggests that creatine may have the possibility to serve as an adjuvant therapy for the control of TGs and glucose.

Keywords: Creatine and Lipid Profile in Adults

BIO

Gabriella Sanchez is a sophomore at Florida State University where she is double majoring in Economics and Finance. She is from from Miami, FL. Gabriella aspires to pursue a career in law and hopes to inspire other students to become involved with research.

Communicating STEM To Diverse Stakeholders

Abstract

The Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response (RIDER) Center is a branch of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering that specializes in research regarding minimizing the effects of both natural and man made disasters. The RIDER Center's goal is to increase communication with stakeholders in which the idea of a development of a 3-D virtual tour of the facility stemmed. The method used to create the 3-D virtual tour was through the use of a 360 degree camera and several programs to code the footage together. Once the footage was compiled it was posted on the RIDER Center website. Through the communication of STEM research conducted by the RIDER Center and its facility, stakeholders will be more informed and likely to contribute in meaningful ways that help facilitate further research.

Keywords: technology, engineering, computer science

BIO

Ayyan Hussain '24 comes from Sanford, Florida. He graduated from Seminole High School with an IB diploma. At Florida State University, Ayyan plans to pursue a major in Biology and Accounting. He works at Mathnasium as tutor for students K-12 and has volunteered at hospitals in Orlando. After graduation, Ayyan plans attend medical school and pursue a career as a cardiologist.

USE OF VERY HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGERY FOR SAMPLING CARNEGIEA GIGANTEA (MAGNOLIOPSIDA: CACTACEAE)

Abstract

Saguaro is a species of cacti specific to southwest Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. Population studies on the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) have been limited to small plots of land, due to the harsh climate of the area, therefore large areas of saguaro have not been studied. We used high-resolution satellite images and a Geographic Information System (e.g. QGIS) to identify saguaro and their shadows in a large area. We used a grid to systematize the search and facilitate the replication of sampling in subsequent years. In order to mark the individuals, we obtained several geo-referenced polygon layers where different rectangles allow us to identify the shadows and the individuals. These layers will be used to train a deep-learning algorithm which is useful to automatically identify saguaros from satellite image data. The automatic identification of biodiversity will be essential to keep public online databases up to date.

Keywords: Saguaro, Sattelite Image, grid

BIO

I am a junior at Florida State University, currently studying mechanical engineering. In my spare time, I enjoy star gazing, kayaking, fishing, building things, botany, and cooking gourmet food. I am from Crawfordville, Florida and have been employed with Publix Supermarkets for six years. My career goal is to secure a mechanical engineering job at Lockheed Martin. Once I obtain my career in mechanical engineering, I would like to design and create new types of aircraft for the future of aviation. Currently, I have been carrying out an internship for a year at the Aero-propulsion lab working with nanocomposite polymers. One of my greatest achievements to date at the lab was creating a humidity box from scratch that houses a mini tribometer. I hope that the hands-on experience that I have gained in the research program will help me become a better candidate for Lockheed and other aviation focused corporations.

Nanocomposite Polymers: The Future of Materials Used for Extreme Environments of Space

Abstract

Nanocomposite Polymers: The Future of Materials Used for Extreme Environments of Space
In this study, tribology experiments using industrial nanocomposite polymers as well as, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and (PTFE) were examined yielding ultra-low wear rates. The industrial polymers Rulon Gold and Rulon Maroon have been observed having elevated compressive abilities, low friction coefficients, and excellent wear rate characteristics, while PEEK is a Semi-Crystalline Thermoplastic used as a solid lubricant, showing above average wear rates, and PTFE, is an adaptable fluoropolymer. When these fillers are mixed, they can reduce the wear rate of PTFE by over 4 orders of magnitude (K~ 10-8 mm3/Nm). This reduction in wear can result in significant lifetime improvements of sliding joints in mechanical systems.
Sliding tests were the main component in this experiment; using tribometers holding polymer pens in a set position that removes a certain amount of material each time the polymer makes a pass on a small moving plate that is cycled back and forth in the horizontal direction. This amount of material was then calculated to determine the wear rate of the polymer. We compare the wear rate of the composites in two different configurations: 1) self-mated, where the polymer slides against another polymer of the same composition and 2) polymer sliding against steel. The best wear rates were generally in the self-mated configuration. This observation can completely change how mechanical systems can be designed in the future.

Keywords: polymers, space, lubricant

BIO

My name is Tomas Vasquez and I'm from the beautiful city of Tampa Bay. I was gifted with the opportunity to be apart of a research team that has exposed myself to the possibility of making changes in our society. My research interests are along the medical sciences subjects of creating cures, coming up with new ideas, expanding the knowledge of myself and society, and so many other opportunities that contribute to the change of the modern science.

Effects of Sleep Fragmentation on Alcohol Response in Drosophila Melanogaster

Abstract

It is estimated that 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disturbances and circadian disorders, affecting everyday functioning and increasing the risk for drug abuse, cancers, metabolic disorders, and other diseases. Previous research has found an association between increased incidents of alcohol abuse and individuals who experience regular circadian rhythm or sleep disturbance, such as shift workers. Gaining a deeper understanding of the effect of circadian rhythm disruption on drug tolerance and recovery is a crucial first step in tackling the issue of increased alcohol toxicity and abuse in sleep fragmented populations. In this study, we investigated how sleep fragmentation affected alcohol neurobiology using Drosophila Melanogaster as a model. The high degree of molecular conservation across species and the stereotypical alcohol behaviors from drosophila to humans make drosophila an ideal model organism for studying sleep and alcohol response. We studied two sleep fragmentation paradigms over four days of fragmentation in young adult flies (3-7 days old) to investigate alcohol sedation responses, alcohol toxicity, and the alcohol tolerance. Preliminary results suggest an association between increased sleep fragmentation and faster sedation responses, as well as increased mortality rates. Studies are ongoing, and the anticipated results will provide a foundation for future studies investigating the molecular pathways through which sleep disturbances affect alcohol responses.

Keywords: Sleep fragmentation, Drosophila, Alcohol consumption, circadian clock.

BIO

I'm AJ, I'm currently a Junior trying to get a major in Computer Science. Although I have little experience, I am interested in researching responsible artificial intelligence. In the same way, I want to dedicate myself to expanding the teaching of programming and coding to vulnerable communities and developing countries.

Fish Identifier Trained Using Synthetic Datasets

Abstract

Object detection models such as You Only Look Once (YOLO) can be trained using synthetic data. Based on previous research, other machine learning models have been successfully trained with synthetically generated data, in the case of object detection models, synthetic imagery. To train Machine learning models it is necessary to have datasets with tens of thousands of images. The generation of synthetic data allows multiplying a smaller number of real images until obtaining the amount of data necessary to train the models. In this research project, the use of the graphic software Blender is implemented, with which a dataset of synthetic images of fish is generated. After the creation of the fish dataset through Blender, YOLO will be trained in order to create a fish identifier. The expected results are that this synthetic set will provide an efficient training for the identifier. (Project in progress)

Keywords: artificial intelligence, fish, detection, identifyier, programming

BIO

Julia Johansen comes from Jacksonville, Florida and is a second year Marketing and International Affairs student. Long-term, Julia is interested in combining her two majors to pursue a career in international business and marketing. She is currently involved in the Brazilian Student Association as Project Manager and has previous experience in being staff of a non-profit, in an organization called CISV for many years. In her free time, she enjoys being with her friends and spending time outdoors.

Students and Social Media: Teen Social Media Use in Relation to Happiness

Abstract

As teenagers continue to participate in social media, researchers believe that there are significant effects to their mental well-being, more than anticipated. To observe this, our study transcribed interviews and video diaries as well as transferred qualtrics survey responses into a spreadsheet to further analyze the data. This process was done in a case study fashion focusing on 30 subjects to understand the details surrounding their mental states, habits, and their relationship with social media. Three different correlation tests were performed; reported Average Life Happiness versus reported Average Social Media (SM) Happiness, reported Time Spent on SM versus reported Average Life Happiness, and reported Time Spent on SM versus reported SM Happiness. The correlation between Average Life Happiness and Average SM Happiness found a moderately strong correlation with an R² = 0.50. The other 2 correlation tests found weak correlations between the variables with R² values of 0.13 and 0.04. We believe that these results, while not being significantly strong, will highly contribute to the ongoing research of new findings on the relationship between mental health and social media as it allows future researchers to approach this inquiry through different means.

Keywords: mental health, social media, teenagers

BIO

Sandy Escalante grew up in Pompano Beach, Florida. She is a second-year student and a Nursing major. She plans to specialize in Public Health since she wants to work in community settings. Her careers goals are to become a Registered Nurse and to continue in research.

Influence of Contractors on Immigrant Latino Construction Workers’ Safety Behaviors in Small-Scale Residential Construction

Abstract

Immigrant Latino workers are disproportionately at greater risk of accident and injury in the construction industry in the United States. The purpose of this study is to observe the contractor’s impact on workers’ safety behaviors. Previous evidence and statistics showed that Latino immigrant construction workers have a higher injury at work than non-Latino construction workers. The Ponte Listo project is to reduce the number of health disparities experienced by Latino workers and to encourage safe behavior on the job through safety education.
Participants who have been working at residential constructions are invited to participate in a qualitative in-depth interview. Through the interviews, it is determined by their assumption and reasoning that immigrant Latino workers have the highest rate of injury and insight into strategies to promote worker safety on the job. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through codes for recognizable patterns.
Though findings suggest, small-scale contractors may be utilized for promoting safety behavior in the construction workplace. The contractors contribute to the changes in training the workers when first employed and the ones with responsibility for their wellbeing at times of an accident. They are the ones who employ the workers and themselves are experienced working along with the workers. Understanding the perspectives of contractors can provide a safety environment for their workers.

Keywords: Immigrant Latino, Construction, Health Disparities

BIO

Hi there! I am Joshua Liebman, a second-year at Florida State. I grew up in Singapore and Malaysia and moved to Daytona Beach when I was eleven. I love history and Asian studies so working with Dr. Buhrman has been such a pleasure and joy. My hobbies include rock climbing, strategy games, soccer, and horseback riding.

The Ethics of Dark Tourism

Abstract

Tourism has been and continues to be a major economic factor for communities.

Through research on historical memorials and disasters, the question of visitor movement and motivation emerged. A fledgling concept, Dark Tourism, has been proposed to explain the reasoning behind tourist movement to sites famous because of tragedy and disaster.

Tourism to sites such as the Catacombs of Paris and Auschwitz is notorious for the “dark” motivations of their visitors. To understand whether Dark Tourism is ethical, this investigation will cross-examine literature on Dark Tourism. Data collected and the conclusion from this research will not only help with optimization of tourist sites, but also to allow the audience to answer a subjective question, is Dark Tourism ethical?

Keywords: Tourism, Ethics, Travel

BIO

Hello! My name is Riley Hart. I am a second-year student from Pensacola, Florida studying exercise physiology. I also am completing minors in child development, psychology, and biology. After I finish my undergraduate degree, I intend to continue my education into PA school. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a UROP student and getting to connect hands-on with research correlating with my field of study.

Literature Review- Vascular and Metabolic Dysfunction

Abstract

Vascular and metabolic dysfunction both occur in obesity and increased NADPH oxidative (Nox) activity has emerged as a key event in the development of cardiometabolic diseases. Data from the Hickner laboratory has identified that Nox is a major determinant of vascular complications in people with obesity. There is, however, limited research in humans that integrates the effects of Nox in vascular and metabolic tissues. Cell culture studies have identified Nox as a stimulus of lipolysis, which is the process of breaking down stored triglycerides and releasing them into the bloodstream. The overall goal of this study is to understand if Nox in adipose tissue and the adipose vasculature contribute to elevated blood glucose profiles through heightened rates of lipolysis and subsequently increased gluconeogenesis and hepatic glucose output.

Keywords: exercise physiology, vascular health, biology

BIO

My name is Sophie Pineau, I am an Environmental Engineering student from St. Augustine, Florida. I am interested in numerous fields of research, including environmental protection, sustainability, engineering, renewable energy, and clean water. Upon completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to either continue my education by obtaining a Masters in engineering, or practice engineering in the field.

Evaluating Knowledge Products for Sustainability, Resilience, and Climate Change Response Efforts

Abstract

This research evaluates decision-support tools that are built for decision-making towards sustainability in the context of climate change. We seek to understand how these tools are applied in different contexts by analyzing six decision-support tools built for ecosystem-based management processes. We collected data, reviewed research studies, and analyzed their methods using the KnoPE (Knowledge Product Evaluation) Framework, a four-dimensional analytical system that organizes elements, assesses scales, assesses alignment to a theory of change, and analyzes the use of a decision-support tool. We surveyed each decision-support tool from the perspective of decision-makers unrelated to the development of the tool to gather information on how they are and might be used in secondary circumstances. Our results help identify opportunities and challenges to creating tools that are easily accessed and understood to make decision-making in the context of climate change easier to achieve.
We hope that our insights help bring science to decision-makers while also elevating the community voice. Policymakers need guidance to plan for the impacts of climate change in a time when unprecedented natural disasters and environmental hazards are rising. Combined best practices for the adoption and diffusion of such tools include the creation or transformation of web-based databases to include knowledge products that have been evaluated by the KnoPE Framework and increased involvement of stakeholders alongside public participation. Further evaluation of decision-support tools will provide vital, organized information that will support their translation into decision-making processes to make these processes more action-oriented, science-informed, and considerate of a changing climate.

Keywords: Resilience, Management, Environment, Sustainability

BIO

Hi, my name is Allison Coppola and I am from Sarasota, Florida. I am majoring in Communications and minoring in Classics. Before this research project, I was already very involved in social media and had thought a little about what other people do on social media that may differ from myself. Because of this, my research project was a perfect topic to mix my interests in the world around us!

Networked Knowledge Activities on Social Media

Abstract

In this research study, interviews were conducted throughout the student and faculty body of Florida State University. Participants were tested through a card sort that focused on how they as individuals receive and send information they are exposed to on social media, in order to answer the research question: How informative can social media be? The purpose of this study is to identify the benefits of social media specifically as an academic outlet, in hope that the result of this study will help eliminate the stigma social media currently has. Participants were interviewed in three sections, the first being how they use social media in an academic environment whether it be through professors and apps or their own online textbooks. The second part was the card sort that was broken up into three parts all focusing on the techniques and likelihood they see educational information on social media how often they choose to send it. Lastly, the last part focused on areas participants struggled in to allow researchers to have a better understanding of the limitations of their study and where they can improve for future research. Though data is still being gathered, from what is known through the interview process the majority of participants, though find useful and informational ideas from social media, are not as open to sharing the information with others they do not know well, compared to many communicating and sharing ideas with people close to them.

Keywords: apps behavior social media interview

BIO

My name is Gavin Pinto, I am a third year Public Health major from Gainesville, FL. I plan on graduating this December and going on to attend school for an Accelerated BSN. This research project with Dr, Born has shown me another side of the medical field.

Instability in Florida Medicaid Program

Abstract

Medicaid is a healthcare plan that has been established in Florida to help cover healthcare expenses for low-income residents and retirees for more than fifty years. This study examined the Medicaid claims from 2014-2019 to better understand the system’s shortcomings. Specifically, the relationship between the Medicaid population’s demographics and stability was explored. This was accomplished through the use of Stata to analyze the Medicaid database with a focus on the variables of zip3, age, race, and their interaction with stability. The yearly data gathered from this analysis was then compiled and examined.

Keywords: Medicaid, Unstable Coverage

BIO

Hello, my name is Alex Hanrahan. I am currently a sophomore pursuing a degree in Finance. I grew up in East Lake, a city near Tampa. My interests include playing guitar, exercising, and the outdoors.

Instability in the Florida Medicaid Program

Abstract

Medicaid is a healthcare plan that has been established in Florida to help cover healthcare expenses for low-income residents and retirees for more than fifty years. This study examined the Medicaid claims from 2014-2019 to better understand the system’s shortcomings. Specifically, the relationship between the Medicaid population’s demographics and stability was explored. This was accomplished through the use of Stata to analyze the Medicaid database with a focus on the variables of zip3, age, race, and their interaction with stability. The yearly data gathered from this analysis was then compiled and examined.

Keywords: Medicaid, Instability, Insurance, Coverage