BIO

I'm Lily Jones from Spring Lake, NJ! I'm A first-year psychology at Florida State University. Currently, at FSU, I am involved in UROP, The Body Project, and am a member of Alpha Phi's Gamma Phi Chapter. Although I am an aspiring Clinical Psychologist, right now, I love to enjoy spending time with family and friends and studying here at FSU.

Cookie Cutter Girls: A Content Analytic Investigation of the "Clean Girl Aesthetic" on TikTok​

Abstract

It is well-known that social media includes highly idealized content that contributes to the spread of the thin ideal. Many researchers have utilized content analytic procedures to examine specific social media content areas, including thinspiration, fitspiration, and body positivity. However, no Content analysis have focused on a popular micro trend known as the ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’. The present study involved a content analytic examination of the themes and characteristics of the ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’ on TikTok. TikTok videos included in the current content analysis were identified by entering the keywords ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’ into the search bar on TikTok. Preliminary results suggest that most of these TikTok videos include women who appear to be in their 20s and are thin, white, and blonde. It was rare for these women to embody characteristics that were not consistent with the beautyideal, such as acne, wrinkles, or cellulite. Furthermore, the vast majority of women were seen wearing neutral colors, minimal makeup, and gold jewelry. Themes of motivation, commercialism, productivity, and minimalism were common. However, themes commonly associated with the thin ideal, including thin praise and diet culture, were rare. These results suggest that the ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’ trend promotes the thin ideal and commercialism to achieve this ideal but may not include as deleterious of messages as other types of thin-idealized content, such as thinspiration. Future research should utilize experimental methods to examine the effects of viewing ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’ content, especially in those who may not embody the thin ideal themselves.

Keywords: Psychology, Social Media, TikTok, Clean Girl Aesthetic, Body Image

BIO

I'm a sophomore here at FSU double-majoring in economics and computer science, and minoring in business analytics. I grew up in Miami, FL and I'm a big Florida Panthers fan. I find mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets very interesting and want to work with them in my career. This summer I'll be joining Goldman Sachs as a Global Markets Summer Analyst, and I hope to use my research experience to help develop my skillset in finance. Outside of school, you can find me boxing at the gym or mountain biking.

SPACs, IPOs, and Social Media: A Comparative Study of Public Listing Options

Abstract

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) are gaining popularity as a way for companies to access public listings on global equity markets and increase their capital base for business expansion. However, little research has been conducted on the management decisions that lead to SPAC mergers, the impact of social media on these transactions, and the short and long-term benefits and drawbacks.

This study aims to address this research gap by comparing SPAC mergers and Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) as public listing options and identifying the conditions under which each option is more likely to benefit the parent company. The study identifies five public listing goals and variables that affect the most beneficial mechanism for corporate public listing, such as time-efficient access to capital, maximizing capital fundraising, sizable business valuation, sustained market volume, and positive long-term market performance.

Moreover, the study examines how the volume of social media discussions surrounding SPAC transactions may affect price fluctuations pre- and post-deSPAC. The findings of this research will provide valuable insights into the management decisions that lead to SPAC mergers, the regulatory expectations of SPACs versus IPOs, and the implications of social media on these transactions. The study will be of interest to companies, investors, and regulators seeking to navigate the complex landscape of public listing options in a rapidly changing market. Additionally, the study highlights areas for future research, including the impact of retail interest on the pricing of SPACs with high volume.

Keywords: Stock Market, SPAC, IPO, Equity Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions

BIO

I am a nursing major who was drawn to this project due to its immersion into parts of my ancestry and for its awareness for civil courage. In this project, I get to honor courageous women who stood strong in Nazi Regime.

The Rosenstrasse Protest: Identifying The Aryan Woman Who Showed Civil Courage

Abstract

In order to promote familial connections while simultaneously commemorating the civil courage of these Aryan wives, the Rosenstrasse Foundation has created a database. This repository is composed of information on the protestors such as marriage licenses, birth certificates, and/or overall family history. The completed database is intended to aid in the contribution of research, as it provides the further context of civil courage in the Nazi regime, and serves as a digital resource for descendants to connect with both their familial lineage and other descendants. Furthermore, the completed archive also serves as an educational tool. This tool provides a comprehensive and detailed guide to the available information on the protestors. This guide contains information on marriages, birth certificates, and other available information. Through this information, we can gain a greater knowledge of the Nazi Regime. It is also indicative of the impact that civil courage, specifically Intermarriages, severely threatened the Nazi regime.

Keywords: Nazi Germany, Civil Courage

BIO

My name is Brandon Beckett, I am from Ocala, Florida. My goal is to go to grad school for Statistics, learning real world economic applications of statistics while in my undergraduate years. Using my graduate degree in statistics, I want to become a data scientist.

Critical Factors affecting Local Government Social Media Use

Abstract

Social media has long been recognized as an effective way for governments to connect and engage their constituents. However, the success of local government social media accounts in engaging citizens varies. Existing research has explored successful social media use at the local government level through interviews and case studies, but quantitative and cross-context studies are scarce. This study aims to fill this gap by empirically investigating what critical factors influence local governments’ social media use and its reception by citizens. Relying on a novel city-level dataset that includes features from over 1,100 verified city Twitter accounts, as well as the institutional and demographic information, we apply a multivariate regression model to examine how population size, education level, and economic development can play an important role. Our preliminary results show that cities with larger population size and higher educated citizens tend to have more followers and publish more tweets. These relationships are statistically significant and consistent with our expectations. However, we also found that median household income has a significant but negative effect on the number of city Twitter followers, indicating that low-income citizens are more likely to follow city social media accounts. This might suggest that social media has provided a new and convenient channel for low-income groups who lack the economic or political capital to connect with governments in traditional ways. Our findings help local governments make better use of social media platforms in this digital era to connect, engage, and encourage collaboration with their constituents.

Keywords: Local Government Social Media

BIO

Hello! I am a freshman majoring in biochemistry here at FSU and loving it! I am from Orlando and grew up with my parents and older sister, who just became a teacher. I am currently hoping to attend medical school and eventually become a research doctor. I have always been interested in medicine and would love to help develop new cancer treatments. I am involved on campus with FSU Presidential Scholars, Alpha Chi Sigma, and Phi Sigma Pi.

Resistance Training Modulation of Fat Metabolism in Postmenopausal Women with Obesity

Abstract

Participants will undergo 12 weeks of either resistance or endurance training and both their
regional lipolytic activity and whole body fat metabolism will be assessed before and after the
exercise training.

Our study hopes to yield results that will have implications on improving health guidelines to
prevent diabetes and other metabolism related disorders in postmenopausal women.

Our hypothesis is that both resistance and endurance training will have positive impacts on fat
metabolism by increasing lipolytic flexibility.

Keywords: Exercise science, metabolism, human participants

BIO

My name is Carolina Dominguez, and I am a second year undergraduate student from Miami, FL.

Examining Animal Behavior During a Two-Response Taste Detection Task Using a Machine Learning Methodology

Abstract

DeepLabCut (DLC) is a marker less pose-estimation software package that allows high-throughput animal tracking utilizing a machine learning methodology. In this software, a model is iteratively trained with multiple video recordings of the animal and a series of user defined and labeled points. The goal of this project was to investigate the movement trajectories associated with specific behavioral responses during a two-response taste detection investigating how temperature modulates NaCl sensitivity. From 12 video recordings of experimental mice, 800 frames were extracted and expertly labeled with the following points of interest: nose, head, rear, and two stimulus presentation LEDs. The resultant dataset was then used to train a model on the HiPerGator compute cluster at the University of Florida. Experimental videos were then processed with our model to extract positional and temporal data for the points of interest. The model has 90 percent accuracy in identifying the correct positions of the points of interest despite the novelty of the videos. The positional data will soon be introduced into downstream processing pipelines to extract movement trajectories associated with either the stimulus or behavioral response. These experiments will help increase our understanding of the integration of thermal and chemosensory stimuli present in foods and beverages important for meal preferences and nutrition.

Keywords: Machine Learning, Deeplabcut, Pose estimation

BIO

Marie Chmara '24 grew up in Tampa, Florida, and graduated from the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Palm Harbor University High School. She is currently in her fourth year at Florida State University as a Biomedical Engineering major with minors in Biomedical Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Music. She currently works as an undergraduate researcher in the Ricarte Laboratory, headed by Dr. Ralm G. Ricarte. Her research interests are in drug delivery and drug delivery systems but she plans to venture into cell and tissue engineering research as well. After graduation, Marie plans to take a gap year before beginning medical school.

Encapsulation of drugs during polymerization induced self-assembly

Abstract

Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) is a method used to produce amphiphilic block copolymer nanoparticles, which can be used to sequester and deliver biomedical cargo to the human body. Nanoparticles are formed in an aqueous solution containing a hydrophobic drug that is encapsulated via physical entrapment. Varying the degree of polymerization, drug concentration, or both is found to change the nanoparticle shape and size, which can be altered to make drug delivery more effective. Drug encapsulation mechanisms are not well understood, and can possibly vary as the morphologies change. These mechanisms need to be better understood to aid in the development of nanoparticle systems that can be used for drug delivery within tumor vasculature, as tumor microenvironments are irregular and require specific nanoparticle geometries for successful delivery. Here, the encapsulation of phenylacetic acid (PA) is investigated in polyethylene oxide-block-poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) (PEO-PHPMA) nanoparticles during PISA. Nanoparticle morphology is characterized by electron microscopy and light scattering, while encapsulation efficiency is found using nuclear magnetic resonance diffusion ordered spectroscopy.

Keywords: polymers, drugs, drug delivery

BIO

Elena is a third-year student majoring in public health and minoring in anthropology and statistics. She is passionate about perinatal health and changing the birth culture in the U.S. to be a more empowering, holistic, and safer experience for women. Her passion led her to become a doula over the gap year she took through FSU's Gap Year program. She is also interested in the anthropological side of birth, which inspired her global exchange semester in New Zealand, where she learned more about Māori birthing traditions. After earning her Bachelor's degree, Elena plans to pursue a Master's in midwifery.

The Impact of Postpartum Employment on Maternal and Infant Outcomes

Abstract

Most mothers in the United States face a hard decision after giving birth, whether to leave their babies before they are 2 months old or leave their job. The United States is one of the less infant-friendly nations with no nationally required paid maternity leave. The impact employment has on the mother-infant dyad is a top priority for research efforts. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine reasons mothers return to work and the impact on the mother-infant dyad wellbeing. Mothers in Florida between the ages of 18-40 years who had given birth in the past 6 months were included in this study. Mothers were asked questions about their overall postpartum experience, how soon they returned to work after birth, and if they wanted to return. Preliminary qualitative data analysis (N=5) showed the main motivations for mothers returning to work to be financial, social, and personal fulfillment. Analyses also suggest that returning to work negatively impacts the mother's emotional well-being, breastfeeding length, and ability to access postpartum care. Data collection and analyses will continue until data saturation is achieved. Conclusions thus far emphasize the need for change in legislation on maternity leave in the United States, allowing mothers to stay with their babies for longer and have financial security. It can also be used to show how we need better social and support networks for mothers.

Keywords: pregnancy, mothers, employment

BIO

I am a graduating senior that was born in southwest Michigan. I have a particular interest in understanding the underpinning and neurobiological functions associated within a neurodiverse population, specifically those labeled as "special needs." I want to further look into how cognitive/executive functioning and development is affected in these individuals and in what ways can treatment become most beneficial for them on a case-by-case basis. When I graduate, I would like to find a career in medicine as either an MD, specifically psychiatry, or neuroscience research for the clinical neurodiverse adolescent community.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND COGNTIVE FUNCTIONING: EVIDENCE FROM STIMULUS- AND RESPONSE-LOCKED EVENT RELATED POTENTIALS

Abstract

There is extensive research linking physical activity to better cognitive outcomes such as improved executive functioning and memory related to increases in exercise. Alternatively, there is less consistent evidence demonstrating that higher levels of sedentary behaviors are associated to worse cognitive functioning. Furthermore, our understanding of the exact neural mechanisms underlying these modulations in cognitive functioning related to exercise or sedentary activity remains quite elusive. Therefore, the current study examined the association between average daily exercise time and daily sedentary time with neural measures of attention allocation. More specifically, a total of 145 undergraduate students (age = 19.01, SD = 1.25, 63% female) completed self-report measures of time spent completing exercise and sedentary activities in the past week. These participants then completed a computerized speeded response task (i.e., flanker task) while EEG recorded to elicit the stimulus-locked P300 component and the response-locked error positivity (Pe) component. At the zero-order, individuals exhibiting higher P300, and higher Pe amplitude reported exercising more daily. There were no significant associations between these neural components and amount of sedentary behavior. Furthermore, when placed into a model as simultaneous predictors of daily exercise, neither P300 nor Pe amplitude emerged as a unique predictor suggesting that both of these neural components are explaining overlapping variance in regard to time spent exercising. In sum, these results suggest that daily exercise is more distinctly associated to cognitive processes related to attention.

Keywords: Exercise, cognitive functioning, event-related potentials

BIO

I am a third year meteorology major from Tallahassee. My research interests include tropical cyclone modeling and machine learning applications to tropical cyclone and severe weather forecasting.

Statistical Optimization of Tropical Cyclone Model Parameters

Abstract

RMS HWind snapshots are objective analyses of tropical cyclones (TCs). These instantaneous snapshots of TC wind fields are composed of standardized wind observations from many data platforms. Such platforms include but are not limited to aerial reconnaissance, remote sensing networks, coastal/oceanic platforms, and inland surface stations. However, when quality or coverage of these observations is insufficient, a parametric wind field model may be employed to produce a TC analysis. A typical parametric wind field model includes a decay length (X1) that determines how fast wind speeds decay from the radius of maximum winds (RMAX). For Hurricane Patricia in 2015, X1 may be small, as winds decayed rapidly with radial distance from RMAX. For other TCs such as Hurricane Irma in 2017, X1 may be higher, because winds decreased gradually from RMAX. Finding an appropriate X1 value for a TC is often a challenging and time-consuming process. Statistical optimization can be utilized to find a suitable X1 objectively that captures the appropriate wind radii. This methodology can improve the objectivity of RMS HWind Snapshots that utilize a wind field model. Public data on the TC’s wind radii are provided through the Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecasting System (ATCF). These radii were optimized with Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) as an error metric. Initial findings are promising, as the methodology can find an X1 with similar skill to that of an HWind Meteorological Analyst. The methodology is currently for internal use but may be employed in operational HWind product generation in the future.

Keywords: statistical meteorology, tropical cyclones, hurricanes, tropical meteorology

BIO

Chris is a senior studying Behavioral Neuroscience from Clearwater, Florida. He is a pre-med who is involved with the Presidential Scholars program, Nu Rho Psi honor society, Garnet and Gold Key Society, and WVFS Tallahassee. Summer 2022 he participated in Boston University's School of Medicine's Summer Program in Neuroscience working as a student intern in the Neurosurgery Department and as a research assistant in Dr. Kevin Thomas's Human Neurobiology Lab. His Senior year, his focus has been on working as the Executive Director of FSU's Medical Response Unit and participating in a Directed Individual Study in Dr. Adam Dewan's olfactory lab. After graduation he will be staying in Tallahassee working at Dermatology Associates before applying to medical school.

Mapping the Connectivity of an Olfactory Brain Region, the Dorsal Tenia Tecta, with ABBA

Abstract

The dorsal tenia tecta (DTT) is a brain region that has reciprocal connections with the main olfactory bulb, therefore is considered part of the primary olfactory cortex. However, cytoarchitectural and connectivity analyses indicate that this region shares more similarities with the hippocampus than other primary olfactory cortical regions. The goal of this project was to provide the first connectivity analysis of this enigmatic brain region in mice. Mice were stereotaxically injected with either an anterograde or retrograde tracer into the DTT. After the incubation period, mice were transcardially perfused, the brain was removed and serially sectioned on a cryostat. The resulting slides were counterstained with a fluorescent nissl stain (Neurotrace) and imaged using an epifluorescent microscope. The resulting images were registered to the Allen Brain Atlas using ABBA (Aligning Big Brains and Atlases) software. The registered brain sections are imported into QuPath, where they were analyzed for the presence and density of fibers / cell bodies in each brain region. Our preliminary data indicate that the DTT is interconnected with regions involved in stress, memory, and olfactory processing. These experiments will eventually provide a complete anatomical map of the inputs and outputs of the murine DTT – a critical step in developing hypotheses regarding its function.

Keywords: Neuroscience, Olfaction, ABBA, Dorsal Tenia Tecta

BIO

Sam Stella is a second-year student majoring in political science and statistics from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His research interests center on electoral politics and voting behavior. He also competes on the FSU Quiz Bowl team, is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Student Union, and worked on a political campaign in the 2022 election cycle.

Evaluating the Denominations of Senders of Letters to the FBI About Communist Infiltration of Religion in the 1950s and 1960s

Abstract

This study, based on the FBI file number 100-403529 (Communism and Religion), which has been declassified, examines numerous letters sent to the FBI by private individuals & religious organizations regarding the possibility of Communist Party infiltration in American churches during the 1950s and 1960s. The focus of this study is on the Christian denomination of the letter writers. The study shows that a plurality of letters came from members of Methodist churches, even though Methodists were not the most common protestant denomination in the United States in the 1960. Additionally, the study also found that there were very few letters from Catholics or Catholic organizations in spite of Catholicism being the largest denomination in 1960, as well as relatively few letters from Baptists. The pattern observed in the data may be attributed to several factors such as political shift, internal migration, concerns over desegregation, attitudes towards religious leadership, and the actions of significant individuals.

Keywords: Religion, FBI, Communism, Protestantism, 1950s-1960s

BIO

I am Samantha Rivera and currently I am a 2nd year at Florida State University studying computer science and general music from Celebration, Florida.

Design and Evaluation of Operando Magneto-Assisted Direct Writing Processing and Effects of Fiber Alignment in Printed Composite

Abstract

The use of Direct Writing (DW) and Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology has expanded a realm of complex tools and polymers in manufacturing extrusion-based composites. Incorporating an external magnetic field and specialized curing process widens the extent of controlling a functional microstructure by specification of the fiber alignment. The dominant shear flow directs the fibers, in this case nickel nanowires, to align in the flow direction for this particular method. This work is focused on development of a printhead customized for these methods to create desired fiber orientation by overcoming shear force and fixating fibers in the desired orientation through curing. This printhead will reduce lead time and evaluates the printed composite to observe the increased strength of the mechanical and electrical properties of the composite due to the fiber alignment. The final printhead will be a summation of this process that consolidates these processes of extrusion, curing, and printing modified to the parameters of the nickel nanowire microstructure.

Keywords: Magneto, Nickel Nanowires, additive Manufacturing, Direct Writing, dymax

BIO

Hello! My name is Joseph Mollica, I am an undergraduate studying exercise physiology and doing research in the field of electrical engineering. I aspire to perform research at a doctoral level in the field of exercise physiology, I specifically want to go into research regarding supplements and performance-enhancing drugs to create a safer space for people wanting to improve their life.

Energy Harvesting for Underwater Gliders

Abstract

Seagliders are autonomous underwater vehicles that collect data about the ocean. This includes information about temperature, conductivity, currents, and depth. They function by traveling in sine-like wave patterns, traveling deep into the ocean while collecting water, and then using energy to release the water as they travel back to the surface, where they transmit information back to the mainland. These gliders can go for missions that last up to months at a time. In order for these missions to endure, sea gliders must use a relatively low amount of energy to operate their mechanical and computing devices. Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are materials that can absorb and release energy by changing their states (e.g., transitioning from solid to liquid). Some common examples of PCMs include coconut oil, paraffin, and even ice packs. This research project tests different PCMs in controlled experiments to gauge their energy harvesting capabilities and real-world applications in the field of underwater surveying.

Keywords: Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Underwater Gliders

BIO

Danielle Thompson is a sophomore student-athlete and research assistant from Madison, Wisconsin. She is majoring in behavioral neuroscience and has multidisciplinary research interests in the relationship between early life adversity, behavior, health outcomes, and health equity. Currently, she assists with public health policy and pediatric clinical psychology research while competing for the women’s cross country and track teams at FSU. Danielle is committed to excellence, servant leadership, and a process-oriented approach to problem-solving. She plans to pursue a career at the intersection of research, medicine, and society as a physician-scientist. In her spare time, Danielle enjoys volunteering, drinking cold brew, and solving the daily Wordle.

The Dominant Narrative Surrounding Heat-Related Illness Among Agricultural Workers in Print Media

Abstract

Agricultural workers, the vast majority of whom are immigrants from Mexico and Central America, are 20 times more likely to die from heat-related illness than those in all other occupations combined. Therefore, there is a strong public policy interest on the part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to implement occupational heat-related protections, especially for agricultural workers. Collective opinions or “dominant narratives” about heat-related illness can significantly influence policy decisions; Our research aims to determine and understand the dominant narrative surrounding heat-related illness among agricultural workers in print media. To accomplish this, we are performing a systematic content analysis of all public messages (news reports, articles, etc.) about heat-related illnesses in the agricultural industry between 2017 and 2022. Public messages were harvested from several different databases—such as ProQuest, Factiva, and Nexis Uni—utilizing Zotero. The harvested messages were then transferred to Covidence, in which we eliminated duplicate messages and screened messages in order to ensure they met our criteria: reporting on a specific incidence of heat-related illness. The forthcoming steps include coding the retained articles and analyzing those codes to derive a dominant narrative or collection of dominant narratives. Ultimately, we hope our research can be applied to help inform OSHA policies that protect and advocate for agricultural workers.

Keywords: Health; Health policy; Climate; Farmworker

BIO

Hi, my name is Taylor and I am a sophomore here at FSU. I am originally from Sarasota, Florida. The past two years I have been a biological science major but I just recently changed to psychology. I am still very interested in biology research and hope to continue on during my undergraduate years. I am particularly interested in behavior and genetics.

Exploring the relationship between melanic coloration and aggression in Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract

Adaptive constraints, limitations that influence the outcome of genes, have important connections with the evolution of organisms as well as inheritance of complex traits. Pleiotropic effects are a classic example of an adaptive constraint. Pleiotropy occurs when one gene affects two or more unrelated traits. Here, we looked at melanic coloration and aggressive behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Melanin production is thought to have an inhibitory effect on the neurotransmitter, dopamine, which can influence aggressiveness. Therefore, we hypothesized that pleiotropic effects cause a correlation between these two traits. Specifically, we predicted darker pigmentation would be positively associated with a higher degree of aggression. To test this, we quantified aggressive behaviors (fencing, boxing, and lunging) and artificially selected for high aggression, low aggression, and no selection (control) for 14 generations. We then measured the pigment of the dorsal thorax (trident) using ImageJ. Thus far, we found that generation 14, which was a more aggressive generation, was significantly darker than generation 3 when using an ANOVA. These results demonstrate a clear relationship between the level of aggression and melanin in D. melanogaster and provides some support for our hypothesis that pleiotropic effects are working on the two traits. However, more research is necessary to substantiate this, tests for the reverse effects, and to discover the genes that are behind this pleiotropic relationship. This research will further our understanding of adaptive constraints and how they affect the evolution of an organism’s traits.

Keywords: Drosophila, aggression, melanin, pleiotropy

BIO

I am a freshman at Florida State University majoring in International Affairs. I am originally from Columbia, Missouri and am in the Presidential Scholars program here at FSU. Since arriving on campus I have become involved with UROP, Student Government Association, ForwardFSU, Honors, Presidential Scholar's Service Board, Delta Sigma Phi, and Honors Legal Scholars. I plan on attending law school after finishing my undergraduate degree

Florida’s Forgotten Founder: The Life and Impact of Antonio Proctor

Abstract

Throughout the course of my research, I discovered the richly diverse history of Tallahassee's early founders. From princes, to the descendants of George Washington, to American presidents, to Florida’s Free Black citizens, Tallahassee was a hotspot for unique perspectives. In my research I initially discovered the surface level history of Florida’s founding that many Floridians are quite familiar with. The dashing tale of William Simmons meeting John Lee Williams at a beautiful Cascade about halfway between St. Augustine and Pensacola and the romantic legacy of Achille Murat meeting his love Catherine Gray helped to illustratively set the story in my head and gave me inspiration for where to focus my efforts. As I focused my research into Tallahassee’s most prominent Free Black, I discovered an impact from this precedent breaking figure that I would have never predicted. Antonio Proctor worked as a guide and translator on many important expeditions organized by William P. DuVal, in order to establish, legitimize, and protect the Territory of Florida. This included several critical treaty signings as well as more informal meetings such as the confrontation between DuVal and the great Seminole chief Neamathla. Every week I discover more about this historical legend, but one thing is clear: Proctor’s little-studied presence in Territorial Tallahassee made a direct impact on our history.

Keywords: History, Diversity, African-American Studies

BIO

Hello there! My name is Astrid Daugherty and I am a 3rd year Biomedical Engineering student at FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. I grew up in the Republic of Panama and lived there all my life until I transferred to FSU in the Summer of 2021. I started doing research in the Fall of 2021 as a UROP student, and so I have been involved in research ever since. My current research interests are in the field of biomedical engineering, more specifically, in tissue engineering. My goal after graduation is to go to graduate school and continue my engineering career!

Towards Multi-Domain Cellular Models: Bio-fabrication and Rheological Characterization of Extremophile Hydrogels

Abstract

Engineered tissues are becoming increasingly important to treat diseases and restore the function of physiological systems. However, current tissue models lack the inclusion of two other domains of life, archaea and bacteria, which can contribute to the accuracy of specific tissue models. Archaea are prokaryotic cells which are known to inhabit the human oral and gut cavities. To develop models that more accurately mimic physiological conditions, it is critical to first understand the behavior of a 3D culture environment with a single domain. In this project, Halobacterium salinarum is incorporated into saline alginate-based hydrogels and printed using an extrusion-based technique to evaluate rheological properties and cell viability within the 3D structured environment. The viscoelastic characteristics of the hydrogel are analyzed using shear rheology. Results show that the cell-laden hydrogel displays shear-thinning behavior. A higher cell density is correlated with a decreased stiffness of the hydrogels. Examination of printability showed that cell-laden hydrogels had lower line spreading than hydrogels with no cells. Finally, a Live/Dead cytotoxicity assay revealed high cell viability (>96%), which is critical for the long-term use of these printed models. This work will aid in the further understanding of archaea in 3D environments and will enable the development of printable materials that incorporate all three domains of life for more clinically relevant tissue models.

Keywords: Tissue engineering, 3D Bio-printing, Biomedical engineering

BIO

I am Charlie Tyson, born and raised in Florida. Criminology, specifically pertaining to the U.S. prison system, has always been a strong interest of mine. As I continue in both my personal and professional lives, I wish to make a positive impact on the criminal justice system: promoting a higher quality system that inspires rehabilitation and denies recidivism.

Incarceration Difficulties of Prisoners With Substance Abuse

Abstract

The incarceration of those who have been criminalized offers challenges that are within the realm of ignorance for the average citizen. There is a good amount of literature that delves into the realm of the U.S. prison system but there is difficulty in understanding these experiences from only statistical research. The purpose of this investigation is to examine difficulties via incarceration that prisoners dealing with substance abuse may experience and to find which difficulties are most common among this group; furthermore, these difficulties/experiences are coded using a program named NVIVO, which uses parent nodes and sub-nodes to properly showcase commonalities between prisoners. Through interviews organized with a model focusing on experiences of pre-incarceration, current incarceration, and plans of re-entry into civilian life, we assessed the described experiences of 88 prisoners incarcerated due to drug-related crimes who participated in the research. Overall, this study aims to identify relevant difficulties faced by prisoners dealing with substance abuse and find correlations between said experiences and the prison system.

Keywords: Prison, Criminology, Prisoners, Incarceration

BIO

My name is Avery Vargason and I am from Pensacola Florida. I hope to become a veterinarian later in life, but as of right now I want to conduct research. I am specifically interested in ecology and animal sciences.

Won’t you be my neighbor? Ecological associations between Acropora cervicornis and other organisms and substrates in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Abstract

Acropora cervicornis (staghorn coral) used to be a dominant coral species, but in the last few decades has suffered a devastating population decline. Currently, the species is listed as endangered; because of this, several organizations have undertaken efforts to restore this coral. Staghorn is a fast-growing coral that primarily reproduces via fragmentation, making it ideal for restoration. Research has been done on how to restore this coral, but much less has focused on where to restore this coral. Little is understood about how staghorn coral interacts with the benthic community, and whether certain substrates or organisms facilitate or hinder the growth of this species. We collected thousands of benthic photographs in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean using novel AI technology to cover large spatial areas that included staghorn patches and its surrounding community. Using machine learning technology, we classified the organisms in these photos, calculated the percent cover of different organisms and substrates, and correlated them to the percent cover of staghorn coral. We found no significant relationship between the presence of any other benthic organism (e.g., gorgonians) or substrates (e.g., sand, rubble) and the presence of staghorn coral. This could be attributed to the study including both wild and restored staghorn patches. Dynamics could be different in these two types of patches, so further studies should focus on examining these differences. By acquiring a better understanding of the community structure and substrates that best facilitate (or inhibit) staghorn growth, organizations could maximize the success of their restoration efforts.

Keywords: Acropora cervicornis, endangered species, Caribbean, benthic community, machine learning