BIO

I'm Jaelyn Rex, and I'm from St. Cloud, Florida. As an Editing, Writing, and Media major, I am on the pre-law track, and I plan to attend law school upon graduation. As far as my personal interests go, I am very interested in health and fitness.

Visual Representations of Women

Abstract

My study is a descriptive analysis of negative visual representations of women in postcards. I specifically focused on cards with cartoon drawings because, in them, artists made specific choices about how to visually represent women to exaggerate features that lead to objectification and body shaming. I began by identifying a range of cards in which women's bodies were represented by an artist. Through an inductive coding scheme, I developed categories around the themes of objectification and body shaming. The cards could be coded as one of these, as both, or as neither. Overall, I coded 18 cards. I conclude that through humor and exaggeration, postcard artists engaged in these sexist practices in a way that was socially acceptable despite the negative social consequences of these visual representations.

Keywords: digital archive, postcard, sexism, objectification, body shaming

BIO

I am a first-generation college student from Miami, FL, currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry with hopes of graduating in 2024 and going on to attend an MD-PhD program. My research interest includes understanding the biochemical mechanisms that underlie human physiological processes. My curiosity in this topic arose after being diagnosed with a chronic auto-immune disease which led me to explore and appreciate all aspects of the human body. Research has given me the opportunity to understand more about my condition and help others do the same. I've always enjoyed challenges that push me beyond surface-level thinking when reaching a conclusion, and clinical research has provided me with the opportunity to do just that.

Comparing Heart Rate Variability Metrics Between Nasal and Oral Breathing

Abstract

It is known that the cardiovascular system can be affected by different breathing patterns. However, the effects of oral breathing versus nose breathing on heart rate variability (HRV) at rest and during exercise are not completely understood. HRV is the variation in time between each heartbeat and is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. We hypothesized that nasal versus oral breathing would have a superior HRV profile (e.g., less sympathetic dominance). The measures included in this investigation included Low-Frequency Power (LF%) (<0.04 – 0.15Hz), High-Frequency Power (HF%) (0.15 – 0.40 Hz), and our time domain measure included standard deviation of the R-R intervals (SDRR). In this investigation, eleven healthy participants (18.27 ± 0.47 years; males N=5, females N=6) were asked to change their breathing from free breathing to only mouth or nose breathing (randomized order) while at rest or performing a submaximal exercise on a stationary semi-recumbent cycle (75 watts). Breathing rate was maintained using a metronome calibrated to breaths per minute during rest and submaximal exercise during free breathing “run-in” periods. Our preliminary results included a significant increase in LF% during mouth-breathing submaximal exercise (p=0.024), but not at rest (p=0.577). However, no discernable differences for HF% (p>0.05) or SDRR (p>0.05) were observed between breathing methods during rest or exercise. The increase during nose breathing in LF% indicates that there is greater cardiac stress and activation of the sympathetic nervous system during mouth breathing.

Keywords: HRV, Mouth Breathing, Nose Breathing, Mouth Breathing

BIO

Hi, my name is Emma Feigin. I am a sophomore majoring in Finance. I moved from New York to Tallahassee for college and joined the Research Opportunity Program during Fall 2022. I then joined Professor Born to study the Affordable Care Act and it's impact on state level marketplaces.

Enrollment under the ACA's effect on food insecurity

Abstract

The Affordable Care Act was passed to reduce out-of-pocket costs for health insurance and to increase the number of citizens with healthcare coverage in the US. These cost reductions have not only made healthcare more affordable, but have provided families across the US with the ability to pay for other basic needs. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program is a metric that can be used to quantify the number of families experiencing food insecurity on a state-to-state level. Limited access to food has emerged as a key indicator of health problems such as a higher BMI and behavioral issues. The purpose of this analysis is to assess the correlation between the passage of the ACA and the number of Adults and Children experiencing food insecurity on a state-level basis. This study uses TANF data from the years 2015-2022 and compares these figures to the data of the number of citizens insured on a state level basis from 2015-2022.

Keywords: ACA Exchange

BIO

Hi! My name is Isabella and I'm currently a psychology major here at FSU, though I am thinking about changing it to behavioral neurscience. I live in south florida and enjoy going to the beach and reading during my free time. My reserach interests revolve around mental health and trying to find solutions to various questions regarding mental health in students. Some of my hobbies consist of playing the piano, sports, going out with friends and baking. My plans for the future are to go to medical school to either pursue psychiatry, anethesiology, or neurosurgery.

The Slow Regard of Silent Things: Building Mental and Emotional Resilience in Dancers

Abstract

This study evaluated an educational intervention targeted at building mental and emotional resilience in dancers and documents the prevalence of mental health stress in a university dance environment.  Five BFA dance majors completed the intervention: six modules in an application developed by a clinician who works with dancers and one-hour weekly meetings. This study observed the influence of mental resilience training on behaviors relevant to dance performance. Training was evaluated using a multiple-baseline-across-dancers experimental design with secondary measures of the RAND Mental Health Inventory, a Mental Health Knowledge Base Questionnaire, and Social Validity ratings. Results show targeted behaviors improved for every dancer who completed training with mean improvement of 50%. Scores on the RAND and Knowledge Base questionnaire improved by averages of six and thirteen points respectively. Results support previous research, corroborating that dancers are facing mental stress. Findings also suggest that completing six application-based, individually coached, weekly mental resilience training sessions improved the quality of pre-professional dancers' interactions with their training environments and self-reported mental health levels. This study was run as a systematic replication of the study done in the 2021-2022 school year with similar results expected. 

Keywords: dance, mental health, well-being

BIO

Michael is a junior at Florida State University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Child Development. He is currently a research assistant on Chelsea Shore’s dissertation project; Substance Using, Misusing, and Recovery Identity Formation of College Students. Through this research project, he plans on learning how to become a better ally to the recovery community and aid in the de-stigmatization of people in the recovery community. He also plans on learning how to conduct qualitative research and understand the field of recovery research. He also plans to pursue a graduate education in counseling psychology in order to help people in need of mental health care and resources.

Substance Use, Misuse and Recovery Through Collaborative Autoethnography 

Abstract

4 undergraduate research assistants (UGRAs) reflect on their participation on a dissertation study, Substance Use, Misusing, Recovery Identity Formation Among College Students.Baseline concept maps and interviews between the primary investigator (PI) and UGRAs were transcribed then coded. The UGRAs participated in a collaborative autoethnography (CAE) to reflect on their own experiences with substance misuse and recovery. Insights contribute towards understanding how community shapes students understanding of complex concepts such as substance misuse and recovery. We aim to provide meaningful insight into how substance use, and misuse can be internalized amongst college students and how an acquisition of a recovery identity can help redefine previous notions of substance use.

Keywords: Autoethnography, Collegiate Recovery Program, Health & Wellness

BIO

I’m a first year Cell and Molecular Neuroscience major on a pre-medical track. The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program has provided me with my first experience in research and has helped further my passion for neuroscience and interest in research within the field. I hope to continue research in neuroscience throughout my undergraduate career.

Examining Neural Networks for Allocentric and Egocentric Coordination for Spatial Navigation

Abstract

Spatial orientation is the process by which living things perceive and navigate through their environment, which is necessary to the functioning of all organisms. This process can be allocentric, which is based on landmarks and cardinal directions [1], or egocentric in which body orientation is referenced instead (left, right as opposed to east, west) [2]. Both forms of spatial orientation interact [3], for example allocentric information can be decoded to determine a subject’s egocentric orientation and vice versa. In this study, we hope to analyze elements of both the parietal cortex, which has previously been known to include both allocentric and egocentric encoding [4], and the allocentric-based hippocampus [1] in determining when and where these forms of reference are transformed.

Keywords: Neuroscience, Psychology, Spatial Navigation, Neural Networks

BIO

I am a sophomore originally from Navarre, FL with interests in embedded systems, cyber security, and neural networks. My desired careers after are as a security engineer or a software systems engineer. My hobbies include mountain biking, fencing, and playing the piano.

Nanoimaging of Superconductors

Abstract

In this lab, we will be using various nanoimaging, cryogenics, absorption, and photo conducting instruments to test three samples. The samples are bismuth bromide, bismuth Iodide, and tellurium oxide to test the superconductivity at very low, near 1 Kelvin temperatures. We know the bismuth bromide is a superconductor under high pressure Bi4Br4 which stabilizes the bond structure (Xiang Li, et al.). In our project we will try to see if electrons from our FIR laser will stabilize the bond structure instead of the high pressure. To continue on to their experiments we will see if bismuth iodide will work as well by studying the resistivity in the STM under cryogenic and low pressure conditions with the high current as well as bismuth bromide. We also decided to test the oxide of tellurium to see how it relates to aluminums’ oxidized state which acts as a buffer protecting the aluminum structure. Meanwhile in iron, the oxidation will erode the structure. The instruments we will be using are STM, TEM, FIR laser, and FTIR. This will allow us to view the structure, conductivity, and absorbance of light of our samples. By finding these more practical ways to create superconductors we can then get closer to a broader use for more efficient energy transfer.

Keywords: Nanoimaging, Superconductors, Physics

BIO

I am an economics major graduating this spring. On campus I am involved in Alpha Phi Sorority. I am also a research intern with the DMC.

Where Do Floridians Fall on the Gender Wage Gap?

Abstract

Narrowing the Gender Pay Gap in Florida
Though the gender pay gap has narrowed in the United States over the last 60 years, the persistence today keeps the gender pay gap a topic of interest. It is essential to understand the gender pay gap to create policies promoting more efficient labor markets by equalizing the pay of men and women. This study asks, “Does the gender pay gap varies across counties in Florida?” and “Is gender is significant in predicting wages in Florida?” This study analyzes data from the U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey and 2022 Annual Social and Economic (ASEC) Supplement. Ordinary least squares regression is used to predict the relationship between gender and earnings in Florida. Preliminary results reveal that gender is significant in predicting the income of Florida residents at the one-percent level. ANOVA tests for regional differences in men's and women's average earnings. ANOVA results show that the average earnings by gender are not the same across all counties at the one-percent level. In terms of policy recommendations, counties with a heavy presence in male-dominated industries can make reforms promoting the entry of women into the fields, future research can analyzing and identifying which industries should be prioritized.

Keywords: Gender pay gap

BIO

My name is Ariana Looz, a first-generation college student currently finalizing a B.S. in Psychology at Florida State University with a minor in Child Development. My research interests include childhood learning and development in underserved, socially disadvantaged communities as well as diverse family environments in socio-cultural contexts.

Addressing the Needs of First-Generation College Students

Abstract

Limited research has been done to evaluate the first-generation college student population in support of building a more inclusive society for these students. There are also limited disclosures from these students on overcoming adversity. For this purpose, first-generation students as part of the CARE (Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement) Program at Florida State University will be surveyed to pinpoint their perceived noticeable gaps in education and these results will be compared. The topics that will be evaluated include college admissions, racial disparity, financial hardship, and family support. This survey will also delve into the quality of learning environments and the interactions first-generation college students have with faculty and traditional students. The culture shock associated with being the first in a family to attend college can be a major contributing factor to academic success and social development. The findings and purpose of this project imply a need for additional resources and research on this population.

Keywords: first-generation, education, development

BIO

Hi everyone!
My name is Mikaila and I am a second-year Psychology major student who has spent the 2022-2023 academic year aiding the Plant lab in their research which examines intergroup motivations and their relationship with social issues like prejudice, White privilege, and racial inequality (to name a few).
From personal experience to what is seen on news channels, inequality, and prejudice are issues that affect a large amount of the population around the world. As someone who is passionate about helping others and change, I was drawn to join the Plant lab because I believe that these studies are extremely relevant.
In the future, I hope to continue to build on our findings and construct experiments whose results can lead to monumental, lasting changes in our society.

Views On Racial Inequality And Privilege Depend On Motivation To Respond Without Prejudice

Abstract

White individuals differ in what motivates them to be non-prejudiced towards Black people: external and internal. Internal Motivation to be non-prejudiced (IMS) is when people are motivated to be non-prejudiced due to personal values. Conversely, external motivation to be non-prejudiced (EMS) is when people feel compelled to be non-prejudiced due to egalitarian societal norms. In the current study, we examined the relationship between IMS and EMS,
explicit prejudice, preference for ambiguity, justice sensitivity, and perceptions of inequality. We found that IMS was related to a higher likelihood to select non-ambiguous statements when acknowledging White privilege, more distancing from their White-identity, higher willingness to dismantle inequality, and increased Other-Focused Justice Sensitivity. In contrast, we found that External Motivation to be nonprejudiced was related to a higher likelihood to choose ambiguous statements when denying White privilege, and more defending, denying, and distancing from racial inequality. These findings suggest that people’s understanding and perception of racial issues are dependent on their levels of internal and external motivations.

Keywords: external motivation, internal motivation, racial inequality, prejudice

BIO

My name is Salieu Jalloh and I'm a Philosphy major. I'm 19 years old and live in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Currently I have no minor, but I plan to minor in Religion. After graduating I want to attend law school.

Representation of Women in Female-Directed Bollywood Films

Abstract

Movies are a form of cultural production that not only represent the environments they come from, but also influence cultural conceptions and understandings themselves. Therefore, the way in which female characters are represented reflects on both Indian society at large as well as the changing dynamics of the film industry. Compared to their male peers, female directors are underrepresented in Bollywood, and as a result, there may be differences in how female directors portray gender on screen. This study explores whether women directors influence how female characters are portrayed in film by analyzing the representation, presentation, and presence of female characters in Bollywood films directed by women. However, investigating a subject of such scope needs to be broken down in order to draw more concrete quantitative data. Using a method known as “coding”, this project went through each speaking female character in selected Bollywood films, noting things such as their demographic makeup, clothing, gendered behavior, and the way they interact with other women. The coding process was done multiple times per character to ensure the reliability of the data. Although the study is still ongoing, the investigation of films completed so far has resulted in notable preliminary results. 

Keywords: Bollywood, women, gender, film, movie

BIO

I grew up in Orlando, FL, but moved to Ft. Lauderdale after my sophomore year of highschool. I came to FSU as a pre-law student, but through a lot of my general education classes, I picked up an interest in archaeology. I'm now training to be a scientific diver and hope to pursue a career in underwater archaeology.

The Bryan Site: Uncovering Clues to its Spanish Past through Wattle & Daub Analysis

Abstract

San Antonio de Bacuqua was a Spanish mission site that was the grounds for the Apalachee Revolt of 1647. The site’s exact location was lost after its abandonment leaving only documentary sources to estimate its location. Spanish artifacts were found at the Bryan Site (8LE6256) in Tallahassee, FL, and FSU began excavations of this site to determine if it was San Antonio de Bacuqua. Among these artifacts were the remnants of a Spanish structure, mostly in the form of daub. Some of this daub was found with wattle impressions, signifying an architectural technique common amongst Contact Period Spanish structures. By studying the morphology and location of daub with wattle impressions, I discuss the implications of the Bryan Site as a potential Spanish mission site.

Keywords: archaeology, spanish, apalachee, wattle, daub

BIO

I am a first-year political science student from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. My research interests are domestic and international human rights, including freedom of expression, suppression of the media, and voting rights. I am also interested in activism and the suppression of activist groups, which relates to my current research project. In the future, I would like to continue research on human rights worldwide and work in policy formulation.

How Protests Affect Policy Change: Determinants of Anti-Protest Legislation

Abstract

In the last few years, states across the United States have seen an uptick in legislation restricting the right to assemble, including protests blocking traffic, protests near critical infrastructure, easing penalties for actions against protesters, and other ways that restrict protests. For this project, our research team has analyzed the different factors that contribute to these laws, including the motives and reasonings for why these bills are sponsored and voted on. We will have a better understanding on how an individual legislator’s background, constituency, and party affects their way of voting. We first collected and organized roll call votes on Microsoft Excel regarding all anti-protest bills passed in all state legislatures since 2017; the team then collected information on each state legislator, including political affiliation, demographic background, and other components that allow us to find patterns in voting. Although results are preliminary, factors indicate heavy partisan influence. Exploring these aspects is crucial for understanding how partisan politics can influence constitutionally divisive issues.

Keywords: Protests, partisan, reactive, legislation, lawmaker

BIO

I am a Junior here at Florida State University, part of the UROP program. I am majoring in Finance with a deep passion for the law. After graduating with my finance degree, I plan on getting my MBA as well as going to law school. I plan on shifting my research focus in the future into the world of patents and intellectual property.

A Comprehensive Evaluation of the ACA Exchanges, Racial-Ethnic Considerations

Abstract

The Affordable Care Act established state-level marketplaces in which individuals could obtain health insurance coverage. This project evaluated the performance of these state marketplaces - aka health insurance exchanges - after 10 years of operation. We compared differences across state in various characteristics, such as enrollment and health plan competition, and developed a repository for research literature that addresses various outcomes of these mechanisms. Our main objective was to identify features associated with the success of the marketplaces in providing health insurance and, consequently, necessary health care services, to the population. Tasks included literature reviews, data collection, preparing data visualizations (graphs), and some analysis of the data. Data was analyzed with the applications Excel and Stata. From the data we have collected from the Office of Health Policy analyzing the makeup of enrollees in the federal healthcare.gov marketplace, an overall increase at the national level has been observed in the number of minorities joining the healthcare.gov marketplace. The percentages of racial-ethnic makeup appears to have differences compared to national levels, particularly among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander and Multiracial. Through the preliminary data we have collected, we have been able to observe changes from state to state and county to county, but further research must be conducted on possible explanations for these differences such as unemployment rate, income rates, and age makeup

Keywords: ACA, Insurance, Exchanges, Obamacare

BIO

My name is Alexa Esquenazi and I am a from Hollywood, FL. I am second year student studying Behavioral Neuroscience and plan to attend medical school after my 4 years at Florida State University, where I then hope to become a Pediatric Neurologist.

Parent Daily Emotion Study: A Look on Parental Depression and its Outcomes

Abstract

Parental Depression is a recurring problem that many mothers and fathers exhibit in the first months of their newborns life. Our present study aims to gain a better understanding of parents’ daily emotions with newborns ages four to seven months old. Participants completed a daily survey on Qualtrics for 36 days expressing their current emotions and experiences with their newborn. While this current experiment is not complete, and we do not have well-rounded results, from past literature we expect to see parents with newborns experiencing higher levels of depression that can be caused by postnatal depression specifically in mothers. Parents who report higher levels of depression have an association with their children's emotional problems (Pietikainen et al., 2019). Parents who do exhibit depression have a higher chance of utilizing neglectful parenting tactics. Understanding parental depression and what it stems from allows researchers and psychologists to come up with better intervention strategies for these parents.

Keywords: depression, daily, parents

BIO

My name is Josefina Yezzi and I am from Fort Myers, FL. I am studying cell and molecular neuroscience on a pre-medical track with hopes of eventually specializing in neurology/neurosurgery. Aside from my research with PTSD in my UROP lab, I also work in the Tallahassee Neurological Clinic as a neurosurgical research intern to continue to expand my knowledge on the area.

Relationships Between Childhood Experiences, Threat Responding, and Posttraumatic Stress

Abstract

Early childhood encompasses critical stages of cognitive development, and a child’s attachment to their caregivers plays a vital role. Traumatic, stressful, and unpredictable experiences with caregivers in childhood can shape how an individual responds to threats and potentially lead to mental health difficulties. There are three key elements of threat responding: fight, flight, and freeze. It is common for individuals to freeze when they first detect a threat and then prepare to deal with it by either fighting or fleeing the situation. However, in some threatening situations, freezing may persist. We refer to this prolonged freeze response as “tonic immobility”. Individual differences in threat responding, and tonic immobility specifically, have been linked to increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, the current study sought to examine the relationships between childhood experiences, threat responding, and PTSD. Female participants (N = 35) were recruited from the FSU SONA subject pool and the local community. As part of a larger experimental study,
participants provided informed consent and completed questionnaires assessing demographic information, adverse childhood experiences, childhood unpredictability and harshness, fight flight freeze tendencies, experiences of tonic immobility, and PTSD symptoms. Correlations suggest that adverse childhood experiences, unpredictability, and harshness are associated with experiences of tonic immobility and PTSD symptoms. However, only childhood unpredictability was uniquely related to tonic immobility. Meanwhile, childhood harshness uniquely predicted flight tendencies. Experiences of tonic immobility and freeze tendencies predicted higher PTSD symptoms. These findings provide evidence for the impact of childhood experiences on threat
responding and PTSD.

Keywords: Posttraumatic stress, Childhood trauma, Tonic immobility

BIO

Hi! My name is Grace Hickey. I am a freshman from Destin, Florida, and I'm majoring in cell and molecular neuroscience. In the future, I hope to pursue a PhD in neuroscience and have a career in research. Some of my research interests include social neuroscience, computational neuroscience, and molecular biology.

Techniques in Primary Microglia Cell Culture and Analysis

Abstract

As the immune cells of the central nervous system, microglia are heavily involved in pro-inflammatory responses in the brain. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide which plays many roles in social behavior, has also been found to have anti-inflammatory effects. This experiment was conducted to investigate the ability of oxytocin pretreatment to reduce the pro-inflammatory response of microglia to a pathogen. To test this, primary microglia of OXTR-EGFP transgenic mice were cultured for one week, then pre-treated with Dulbecco’s Phosphate Buffered Saline (dPBS), as a control, or oxytocin for 2 hours. They were then treated with dPBS or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an endotoxin for 20 hours. The expression of oxytocin, oxytocin receptor, and interleukin-6 was measured using quantitative PCR. Immunocytochemistry was used to qualitatively analyze the expression of OXTR and Iba-1, a microglia-specific marker. Preliminary results suggest that oxytocin pretreatment does not have any effect on the anti-inflammatory response of cultured microglial cells. There does not appear to be a change in oxytocin receptor or IL-6 expression between oxytocin pretreatment and non-pretreatment groups. However, we are in the process of increasing the sample size of this experiment as well as troubleshooting the methods involved. Because of results obtained in previous studies, we expect that our findings may change with more replication.

Keywords: neuroscience, microglia, oxytocin,

BIO

Sarah Foy is a first-year student from Atlanta, Georgia who is pursuing a degree in Social Science Education. Growing up with a younger sister who has Down Syndrome, Sarah's research interest of investigating methods to effectively educate students with an intellectual disability stems from her first-hand experience with her sister. Sarah eventually hopes to teach social studies at the high school level to help create the next generation of educated change-makers.

Modified Schema Based Instruction Targeting Ratio and Proportion Problem Solving of Secondary Students with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

There is not a one size fits all solution to providing all students an effective education. For example, students with intellectual disabilities (ID) often struggle with academic instruction, especially academic skill areas such as mathematics, thus needing individualized education to achieve academic achievement. It is essential to adapt the general education curriculum to provide access to their grade-aligned academic standards. The General Curriculum Access (GCA) Lab implements Modified Schema Based Instruction to provide access to math problems pertaining to an understanding of ratios and proportions. Through one on one individualized instruction, the GCA Lab seeks to determine if MSBI is a sizable intervention in the retention of mathematical concepts for students with ID.

Keywords: special education, mathematics education, modified curriculum

BIO

Precious Clarke is a second year junior pursing a degree in political science with a concentration in pre-law and human rights*social justice. From Broward County, Florida, Precious wants to work with policies and legislations in the near future, in hopes of one day becoming a senator. Mental health and racial discrimination are important topics which are motivating factors that contribute to the goals that she wants achieve at Florida State University and beyond.

What is Out There? A Practical Review of Race/Ethnicity Coding System Beyond IPEDS

Abstract

​

Post-secondary institutions record data on race and ethnicity to enhance the diversity, equity, and inclusion of students, faculty, and staff. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is the current system used for coding race and ethnicity for the majority of United States postsecondary schools. IPEDS was last changed to include alternative racial and ethnic categories in 2010 and has yet to be altered. Prior scholars and practitioners have identified that the current IPEDS coding system skews the percentages of individuals from certain racial and ethnic populations. This is due to there being a lack of specific categories provided for these individuals during the data collection process. The goal of this project is to contribute to the current literature and work of the Florida State University (FSU) Office of Institutional Research to compare different race/ethnicity coding systems. Concurrently, this proposal intends to posit changes that could be implemented in internal university assessments.​

Keywords: IPEDS, race/ethnicity, coding system

BIO

McKenna is a sophomore from Tampa, Florida pursuing a double major in political science and history along with a certificate in emergency management. She is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta and a University Ambassador. She hopes to attend law school after graduation.

Rebuilding Community After Disaster: Learning from Hurricane Michael and Panama City

Abstract

Hurricane Michael made landfall on Florida’s panhandle as a category 5 hurricane on October 10, 2018. Nearly four years after the Hurricane, the coastal communities of Panama City are still working to rebuild and recover from the destruction of the storm. This research seeks to understand the factors that contribute to vulnerability and resilience of different communities to hurricane impact but also to recovery and rebuilding efforts. Specifically, the research looks at how different communities respond to disasters but also how disasters re/shape communities. Focusing on historically disadvantaged communities commonly referred to as “vulnerable communities” which are often perceived as passive recipients of help during disaster-recovery and how they came together in exercise of agency through acts of community care. We conducted interviews with different community members and leaders in Panama City, Florida as well as reviewed plans and activities conducted by the local government and community-based organizations. Results showed that although traditionally disadvantaged communities are usually worst off during disasters, the sense of community or community coming together is fairly common immediately after a disaster. Recovery and resilience building after a disaster is also a site of contestation to either return to the uneven development or move towards a more just City where the local government as well as organizing of “vulnerable” communities have an important role to play.

Keywords: Hurricane, Panama City, Disaster, Recovery