UROP Project

Half the Sky

global; women; music

Research Mentor: mwrightc@fsu.edu Margaret WrightCleveland, She/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Office of Faculty Development and Advancement, N/A
Contact Email: mwrightc@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. McKenna Stenson She/her
Faculty Collaborators Email: mstenson@fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 4
Relevant Majors: Community music; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Social Work; Criminology; Creative Writing; Film.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Monday, August 31
  Start Time: 6:00
  End Time: 6:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/mwrightc
• Day: Thursday, September 3
  Start Time: 12:30
  End Time: 1:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/mwrightc

Project Description

This fall, Dr. Stenson is programming concert repertoire around Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. The book—and its accompanying PBS documentary—explores global issues affecting women, including sex trafficking, maternal mortality, and gender-based violence, while highlighting pathways for change through women’s economic empowerment. Throughout the semester, the FSU ensemble will engage with selected readings and documentary excerpts alongside the musical repertoire.
Dr. Wright-Cleveland will direct this research project to augment that performance. Undergraduate researchers may work toward one of three outcomes:
1. research and write an essay about one of the global issues affecting women that is explored in this composition;
2. research local agencies engaged in supporting women and build a resource fair to be held in conjunction with the concert on November 3;
3. research and prepare a poster to be published in conjunction with a panel discussion about this performance during FSU's Festival of the Creative Arts in February 2027.

Research Tasks: Literature review of Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn; data collection on global issues affecting women; survey construction about impact of Half the Sky Project; conducting interviews; writing analysis of data and literature; writing a documentary.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: There are no specialized skills required for this project. Curiosity about connecting ideas across disciplines - what we call a cultural studies approach - is of great benefit.