President's Showcase
Jaylin Green
Supervising Professor: David Montez
Jaylin Green is a senior studying Jazz Performance, specifically playing saxophone. He is passionate about social entrepreneurship and its potential to help the environment, with a focus on sustainable agriculture. Jaylin has used many opportunities outside the classroom to further his passion for the environment. Previously, he participated in the Global Scholars program where he interned with Marine Conservation Philippines, an NGO in Zamboanguita, as a scientific diver. He also became a Sustainability Fellow with FSU's Sustainable Campus office where he worked with Citizens for a Sustainable Future, a Tallahassee-based organization that raises awareness within African American communities about cultural, economic and environmental sustainability.
Abstract
This research project is a qualitative analysis on the ethical consideration of ecotourism businesses, their impacts, and their outcomes from the lens of entrepreneurs and their customer base’s interactions with their environment. Ecotourism is being defined as tourism and outdoor activities with a focus of immersion and observation of natural environments. It is important to be accurate with the use of this description as not all outdoor activities qualify. Using this definition, qualitative research, and literature review, the purpose of this analysis is to determine how entrepreneurs have influenced environmental change, and when this change is appropriate.
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FSU iGEM
Supervising Professor: Dr. Cesar Rodriguez and David Montez
Leadership Team:
Elizabeth Moore (Team Lead)
Saiabhinav Devulapalli (Associate Team Lead)
Jolene Jones (Entrepreneurship Co-lead)
John Amos (Entrepreneurship Co-lead)
Prerna Ravinder (Digital Media Lead)
Human Practices Sub-team:
Colton Keib
Christian Suastegui
Design Sub-team:
Eva Lobaton (Design Lead)
Vicenzo Devito
Talia Valentine
Build Sub-team:
Graeme Pugsley (Build Lead)
Hanna Yilmaz-Rodriguez
Sonali Shakya
Abstract
Trimethylaminuria (TMAU), otherwise known as fishy odor syndrome, is classified as Autosomal Recessive. The specific gene associated with TMAU is the FMO3 gene, which encodes the FMO3 enzyme. Individuals with TMAU, have a mutation in both copies of the FMO3 gene, leading to a deficiency or malfunction of the FMO3 enzyme. As a result, they are unable to properly metabolize TMA, leading to its buildup in the body and the characteristic foul odor associated with the condition. The detection of the foul odor is due to the body excreting excess TMA through bodily fluids such as urine and sweat.
E. Esperance, as mentioned, serves as a Probiotic that will express an enzyme that oxidizes Trimethylamine (TMA) to Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). How this works is very simple. All the patient has to do is take the probiotic pill orally roughly 2 hours before a meal, and the science will do its job. The pill is coated with Alginate, which resists the strong, & low pH of the stomach. Once it enters the Small intestine, the pill will begin to dissolve. We are also exploring the possibility of a liquid probiotic supplement similar to the company ZBiotics. Once dissolved, E. Esperance will then begin to express TMM, which can oxidize TMA into TMAO. Now, the patient can consume a meal, and TMA accumulation levels should decrease as the TMM enzyme binds to TMA, causing a conformational change that results in TMAO.
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Amoy Robinson
Supervising Professor: David Montez
Amoy Robinson is a senior from Sunrise, FL majoring in Retail Entrepreneurship. As an aspiring entrepreneur, she focuses her time on understanding the nuances of retail business ownership. She is currently the President of the student organization BRAG, the Black Retail Action Group. Amoy spent her summer interning with Tallahassee's North Florida Innovation Labs (NFIL). Beyond her research project, she focused her time over the summer developing NFIL's intern handbook and event coordination. Amoy has also given her time as the Historian of the Women Student Union and has worked as a Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship ambassador assisting with events and giving tours for prospective students.
Abstract
Social media marketing has become the forefront of marketing for business owners who don’t have a large enough budget. This form of marketing allows business owners to potentially have a direct impact on how they market to potential clients. According to business strategist, Hannah Macready, "social media has leveled the playing field, giving small businesses a way to compete with larger companies for attention". By using social media platforms to share content that is interesting and engaging, businesses can reach a wider audience and encourage them to purchase from their brand. Social media platforms such as Tik Tok, Facebook, and Instagram have been driving factors for how business owners to grow revenue. For this project, retail entrepreneurs were interviewed to better understand how they have strategically used social media and how the platforms maybe affecting revenue.
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Cary Wall she/her
Supervising Professor: David Montez
Show-stopping, heart-throbbing, captivating, dazzling. None of these words have been used to describe Cary Wall, but her delusions of grandeur persist nevertheless.
Abstract
Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study (2009) from the National Center for Education Statistics, I performed a quantitative analysis of factors affecting program presence and student enrollment in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in the US--primarily focusing on the demographic factors of race, SES, parental education attainment, school category (public vs private) and school urbanicity (rural vs urban). My analysis showed that, although IB has a strong presence in public and Title I schools across the US, there is still a level of inequity in the exclusion of minority students and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds within the programs.
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Robert Rice he/they
Supervising Professor: Thomas E. Joiner
Robert Rice is currently a junior, working towards a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a double minor in sociology and religion – they are set to graduate Fall 2025. He has been involved in the Thomas Joiner Laboratory for the Study and Prevention of Suicide Related Conditions and Behaviors as an Undergraduate Research Assistant since January 2023. Their primary research interests include escapism in relation to suicidality (the focus of their honors project), transpersonal psychology, and the psychotherapeutic applications of psychedelics/entheogens. After graduating, they plan on serving in the Peace Corps in South America for 2 years. Following this, they will pursue a Master of Social Work Program to become a therapist!
Abstract
Limited preliminary data exists regarding the relationship between escapism and suicidal ideation (see Baumeister, 1990). There is indirect research regarding this relationship – the integrated motivational volitional model of suicide emphasizes entrapment’s role in the formation of suicidal ideations (O’Connor, 2018) – feelings of entrapment precede the desire to escape. The current study investigates the relationship between escapism and suicidal ideations through a correlational qualitative design, with externalizing behaviors examined as a potential moderator. The objectives are to examine the nature of escapism experienced by marginalized young adults, evaluate existing conceptualizations of the relationship between escapism and suicide, and understand how the relationship fits within the minority stress model. The study aims to develop a taxonomy of escapism, based on empirical work, through the collection of qualitative data using focus groups. The study is expected to have approximately 50 participants; the target population is members of the Tallahassee community. Recruitment will be through word-of-mouth and posters hung throughout FSU’s campus. The focus groups are expected to take approximately an hour; participants will be asked to discuss experiences pertaining to the desire to escape, alongside their thoughts on the perspective of suicide as a form of escapism. Data collection is currently ongoing. The results of this study will contribute to research pertaining to novel underlying processes in the development of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in minority populations, and will go on to inform future clinical interventions.
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Kieran Stenson he/him
Supervising Professor: Dr. Jonathan Grant
Kieran Stenson is a senior majoring in History with a minor in Russian & Eastern European Studies. His research interests lie in Eastern and Central Europe, specifically the history of Poland and Europe during the Enlightenment. Kieran has pursued these interests through a semester studying Polish and conducting research in Kraków, Poland. He is currently completing an Honors in the Major thesis, supported by his Tyler Center for Global Studies IDEA Grant, focusing on the rhetoric of the Polish Constitution of 1791, the second modern written constitution in the world.
Abstract
The 3 May 1791 Polish Constitution, the quintessential achievement of the Polish Enlightenment and Revolution, was the first modern written constitution in Europe until its overthrow following the Polish–Russian War of 1792. Drawing on various Polish, English, French, and American influences, the Constitution was a radical document in its time, with an emphasis on effective government and liberty. Often overlooked, the Constitution stands out not only for its reforms but also for its explicit rhetorical style, unusual in a legal document like a Constitution. Large portions of the Constitution are dedicated to justifying its provisions and vision for Polish society. In many ways, it resembles a political manifesto or journalistic piece, reflecting the ambitions and challenges of the Polish-Lithuanian state. Analysis of the Constitution reveals much about the Polish-Lithuanian state, the authors of the Constitution, and why certain ideas were implemented in the Constitution while others were not. Ultimately, the 1791 Constitution is a crucial document in the history of Poland and Enlightenment Europe, with continued relevance to the history of Poland, the Enlightenment and Europe at large.
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Sequoia Ernst He/Him
Supervising Professor: Dr. Robert Hickner
Sequoia Ernst is a junior majoring in Exercise Physiology. He got started in research through the UROP program. He did UROP in Dr. Hickner’s laboratory under one of Dr. Hickner's PhD students and conducted this IDEA Grant work in the very same laboratory! Once he finishes at FSU he plans to pursue graduate school to continue doing research, with the hope of completing a PhD someday. His research interests are redox biology, blood-flow restriction exercise training, cardiovascular physiology, and plant-based nutrition research.
Abstract
Impaired blood flow and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations, generated primarily from NADPH oxidase (NOX), indicate elevated risk for cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death in the U.S. Emerging work suggests a link between lactate and NOX-produced ROS concentrations. However, it is unknown to what degree NOX-produced ROS concentrations impair skeletal muscle blood flow (SMBF) and affect lactate concentrations.
Purpose: To determine if NOX-derived ROS impairs SMBF and affects lactate concentrations in older adults with overweight/obesity.
Methods: Nine older individuals (50-75 yrs old) with overweight/stage 1 obesity (BMI: 25.0-34.9 kg/m2) had two microdialysis probes – control and apocynin (a NOX inhibitor) – placed in skeletal muscle to measure in vivo ROS (Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)) concentrations, SMBF (measured by ethanol outflow/inflow ratio), and dialysate lactate concentrations under both fasted basal conditions and up to four hours postprandially.
Results: SMBF was not significantly different between the APO perfused and CON probe under fasted basal conditions, nor during the post-prandial time period. However, NOX-produced H2O2 was positively associated with lactate at two hours, three hours, and four hours postprandially.
Conclusions: While NOX-produced H2O2 concentrations displayed a trend towards decreased SMBF under fasted basal conditions, it did not ultimately significantly affect SMBF. Following the meal consumption, there was a strong association between NOX-produced H2O2 concentrations and dialysate lactate. Together, these findings suggest that NOX may not be as detrimental for SMBF as previously thought, although a link between NOX and lactate may exist in the vascular system of the skeletal muscle.
