UROP Project
Evaluation of clothing comfort physiology of high-performance fabrics and ergonomic comfort of full garment ensembles used in protective clothing.
Comfort, human physiology, ergonomic, protective clothing
Research Mentor: Dr. Josephine Bolaji,
Department, College, Affiliation: ThermaNOLE Lab., Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
Contact Email: jtb24@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Dr. Dr. Meredith McQuerry
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: mmquerry@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators: Caroline Symons
Faculty Collaborators Email: crs22i@fsu.edu
Department, College, Affiliation: ThermaNOLE Lab., Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
Contact Email: jtb24@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Dr. Dr. Meredith McQuerry
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: mmquerry@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators: Caroline Symons
Faculty Collaborators Email: crs22i@fsu.edu
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 3
Relevant Majors: Science and Applied Sciences
Engineering
Health and Human Sciences
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Number of Research Assistants: 3
Relevant Majors: Science and Applied Sciences
Engineering
Health and Human Sciences
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
- Day: Thursday, September 3
Start Time: 2:30
End Time: 3:30
Zoom Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_M2E4NmU5YTMtNjY3NC00MTk2LTgyZGQtODI3OTZiMTI5ZDg4%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22a36450eb-db06-42a7-8d1b-026719f701e3%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22d1059a76-1692-484e-972c-6c1f830076f1%22%7d
Project Description
Protective clothing (PC) provides a protective barrier for occupational workers by minimizing exposures to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. However, uncomfortable PC can act as a deterrent to wearing protective clothing, the duration of wear, and most importantly counter the protection provided by the protective clothing. Physiological clothing comfort is influenced by moisture. During physically demanding activities, the body perspires leading to retained moisture between the human body and the surrounding environment. The entrapped moisture within the clothing system results in increased skin temperature and humidity which contributes to discomfort, fatigue, and heat or cold stress. Therefore, moisture is a significant component of protective clothing efficiency. Ergonomic clothing discomfort is often induced by material bulk, stiffness, poor sizing and fit. Poor ergonomic protective clothing can limit the body’s normal physical abilities to move precisely, quickly, or with needed force leading to trips, falls, and musculoskeletal injuries. For example, protective gear worn by firefighters is proven to limit range of movement and, therefore, inhibit dynamic task performance. Hence, despite its benefits, protective clothing can induce physiological and ergonomic discomfort which are detrimental for performance optimization in occupational settings.This project focuses on the evaluation of moisture management of PC fabrics including air permeability, porosity, and water vapor of high-performance protective clothing fabrics and examines their relationship with clothing comfort and physiological responses. In addition, the project will evaluate the ergonomic comfort of PC through surveys and wear trials to improve the wearer’s mobility. The study is particularly relevant to functional and occupational protective clothing where the wearer may undertake physically demanding activities while exposed to challenging environmental conditions
Research Tasks: • Conduct background literature review on the moisture management of high-performance fabrics,
• Develop questionnaire and conduct surveys,
• Source and prepare lab-scale samples for experimentations,
• Conduct experiments on the air permeability, porosity, water vapor, and microscopic properties of high-performance fabrics,
• Conduct thermal analysis using the hot plate,
• Conduct wear and ergonomic assessment of full PC garments,
• Analyze data, and
• Contribute to preparing reports, presentations, and articles on findings.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
• Willingness to learn
• Commitment to in-person meetings and lab. time
• Adequate use of Microsoft package
• Organization
• Attention to details
• Critical thinking
Recommended:
• Data Collection and Entry
• Knowledge of statistical analysis
Mentoring Philosophy
My mentoring philosophy is grounded in the belief that effective mentoring is a collaborative process that empowers mentees to recognize their potential, take ownership of their development, and become confident, independent learners. I view my role as a mentor not simply as a provider of knowledge, but as a guide, facilitator, and supportive partner in the mentee’s personal, academic, and professional growth. By identifying their existing knowledge and understanding, as well as their goals, needs, and aspirations, I establish their unique talents, strengths, and abilities. Then, collaboratively we establish a plan to grow areas of strength and improve upon areas of weakness based on individual mentees.I strive to create an interactive environment founded on mutual respect, trust, openness, and communication in which mentees feel comfortable asking questions, expressing their ideas, challenging assumptions, and engaging actively in the learning process. I believe that mentoring should be a two-way relationship in which both mentor and mentee learn from one another. Sharing my own experiences, including both successes and challenges, allows mentees to connect theoretical knowledge with practical experience while understanding that professional growth is an ongoing journey.