Uncovering Voices of the Dead: Wills and Deeds in Colonial Jamaica

Caribbean, British Imperialism, Early Modern History, Society and Culture

Research Mentor: Ms. Chelsi Arellano, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: History, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: carellano@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: History, Anthropology, Gender Studies, Humanities, African American Studies, Caribbean Studies, English
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

From the beginning of the British conquest of Jamaica in 1655, the island served as a central point of contention to the British Empire. Jamaica has been a battleground against the Spanish, a settlement for white colonists, a hub for pirates, and a plantation colony reliant on slave labor. When, in 1692, an earthquake struck Port Royal, some saw it as an act of God against the island. Those living in Jamaica each had a different experience of these events and a different perspective of the identity of the island. This project seeks to explore the lived experience of people in Jamaica during the late seventeenth century by examining wills and deeds uncovered by an archeological investigation in the sunken city of Port Royal. These materials can provide insight into what people considered their prized possessions, their relationships with others, and how colonial life in Jamaica differed from life in England. By analyzing these records, we can gain a better understanding of the daily lives and social dynamics of people in Jamaica during this time.

Research Tasks: Research assistants will read through archival materials and transcribe them. This may involve working with handwritten documents and developing paleographic skills to read early modern handwriting. Research assistants will also use online databases and other resources to locate historical individuals and other relevant information, work with large amounts of data and use quantitative analysis techniques to help identify patterns and trends, and write short summaries of their findings, highlighting key insights and observations. By performing these tasks, assistants will contribute to the ongoing efforts to better understand the history and context of the materials being studied. They will also develop valuable research skills and gain experience working with archival materials and databases.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: There are no required skills for this position, but it is recommended that assistants have a rudimentary understanding of Microsoft Office applications. Other training will be provided through the mentorship as needed.

Investigating the effects of salinity regime and predation risk on feeding rate of juvenile oysters

biology, ecology, marine, predator-prey, abiotic, climate change, environmental

Research Mentor: Donaven Donaven Baughman, He/Him/His
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Sciences - Ecology & Evolution, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: dbaughman@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Biology/Ecology/Environmental science
Project Location: 3618 US-98, St Teresa, FL, 32358 (FSU Coastal & Marine Laboratory)
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project involves testing the effects of different water salinity levels and the presence or absence or chemical cues of predators on the effect of juvenile oysters' (Crassostrea virginica) ability to filter feed (obtain energy), which has impacts on the growth and survival of the oysters.

Research Tasks: Data collection, using lab equipment to conduct feeding trials of juvenile oysters, data analysis (with assistance)

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: familiarity with basic lab equipment (calipers, scales, glassware, micropipettes, stir plates), data collection, computer software such as excel, word, and powerpoint, reliability, consistency

Recommended: familiarity with basic experimental design, ecology, experience caring for aquatic animals

Loremipsum

Oratione

Research Mentor: Oratione CRE Research Mentor, Dixisset
Department, College, Affiliation: Oratione, Music
Contact Email: random@random.com
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Loremipsum Loremipsum Oratione
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: example@example.com
Faculty Collaborators: Dixisset Dixisset Loremipsum
Faculty Collaborators Email: example@example.com

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 8
Relevant Majors: Quae cum dixisset, finem ille. Quamquam non negatis nos intellegere quid sit voluptas, sed quid ille dicat. Progredientibus autem aetatibus sensim tardeve potius quasi nosmet ipsos cognoscimus. Gloriosa ostentatio in constituendo summo bono. Qui-vere falsone, quaerere mittimus-dicitur oculis se privasse; Duarum enim vitarum nobis erunt instituta capienda. Comprehensum, quod cognitum non habet? Qui enim existimabit posse se miserum esse beatus non erit. Causa autem fuit huc veniendi ut quosdam hinc libros promerem. Nunc omni virtuti vitium contrario nomine opponitur.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: Dixisset, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday, Sept. 5: 3:30-4:00 PM https://cre.fsu.edu/

Project Description

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Negat esse eam, inquit, propter se expetendam. Primum Theophrasti, Strato, physicum se voluit; Id mihi magnum videtur. Itaque mihi non satis videmini considerare quod iter sit naturae quaeque progressio. Quare hoc videndum est, possitne nobis hoc ratio philosophorum dare. Est enim tanti philosophi tamque nobilis audacter sua decreta defendere.

Research Tasks: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Negat esse eam, inquit, propter se expetendam. Primum Theophrasti, Strato, physicum se voluit; Id mihi magnum videtur. Itaque mihi non satis videmini considerare quod iter sit naturae quaeque progressio. Quare hoc videndum est, possitne nobis hoc ratio philosophorum dare. Est enim tanti philosophi tamque nobilis audacter sua decreta defendere.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Negat esse eam, inquit, propter se expetendam. Primum Theophrasti, Strato, physicum se voluit; Id mihi magnum videtur. Itaque mihi non satis videmini considerare quod iter sit naturae quaeque progressio. Quare hoc videndum est, possitne nobis hoc ratio philosophorum dare. Est enim tanti philosophi tamque nobilis audacter sua decreta defendere.

Developing Elementary Teachers' Self-efficacy to Teach About Climate Change Teaching Using Community-based Practices

climate change; elementary teachers; climate action; community-based phenomena; learning technologies

Research Mentor: aibourk@fsu.edu Amal Ibourk, She/her/hers
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, Education
Contact Email: aibourk@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 4
Relevant Majors: Environmental Science; Life Science; Meteorology; Oceanography; Education;

but also open to other majors too.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday, Sept. 5th from 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm.; https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85489343732?pwd=bmRCUlJjWEhrUUN6N1l0NGJWMW9ldz09
Wednesday, Sept. 6th from 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm.; https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86471266738?pwd=cDJNakdsekZoTnAvWnhMRFZDVHE0dz09
Friday, Sept. 8th from 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm ;https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89711004655?pwd=QmtVaFRIL1JNdmlSR1AwL3B3TFZvZz09

Project Description

This project will support pre-service and in-service teachers in professional development that will prepare them to teach about climate change in community-specific ways. This project aims to advance elementary teachers’ development in three high-impact areas: (a) their self-efficacy toward teaching climate change science or beliefs and attitudes about teaching climate change science; (b) their science content knowledge around climate change; and (c) their climate change identity, or how they view their agency and role in climate change.

Full Description
Climate change is a critical 21st-century issue. This project will support pre-service and in-service teachers in professional development that will prepare them to teach about climate change in community-specific ways. This project aims to advance elementary teachers’ development in three high-impact areas: (a) their self-efficacy toward teaching climate change science or beliefs and attitudes about teaching climate change science; (b) their science content knowledge around climate change; and (c) their climate change identity, or how they view their agency and role in climate change. Participating in-service teachers will co-design a justice-centered climate change instructional model by adding activities to the Global Climate Change and Urban Heat Island WISE unit. The newly designed lessons will focus on issues related to the local context, such as how climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable communities in Florida. Further, the lessons will address local and state policies that impact climate change.

This project will implement a community-based science instructional model using the web-based inquiry science environment (WISE) as a tool to support pre-service and in-service teachers’ self-efficacy, climate change identity, and science content knowledge and examine the effect of participation across the three high-impact areas. Data collected include pre- and post-test of teachers’ climate change knowledge, interview data, and survey data from a survey to be developed that measures teachers’ climate change identity. Results from this project will contribute developmentally appropriate foundational knowledge around climate change education in elementary science education programs by introducing pre-service teachers to climate change education and building their self-efficacy for teaching it. It will also provide in-service elementary teachers with professional activities to increase their climate change self-efficacy. Key contributions include the development, refinement, and dissemination of climate change instructional models (e.g., instructional materials, website materials, teacher workshops) to understand and enhance pre-service and in-service elementary teachers’ self-efficacy toward climate change education as a part of the project’s educational activities.

Research Tasks: Tasks:
1) Data collection in the field with elementary teachers
2) Data analysis of survey data
3) Reading articles to conduct a literature review
4) Co-writing a literature review
5) Being part of conference proposals
6) Being part of publication journals
7) Developing and cultivating community gardens in elementary schools
8) Validating surveys and instruments to use to investigate climate change identity


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Experience reading research articles and writing research papers; organizational skills; time-management skills; communication skills

Recommended: Experience with educational settings in the capacity of tutoring, mentoring, or volunteering. (preferably experience with elementary schools)

Concede or Resist? Experimental Evidence of U.S. Local Officials

local government, preemption, federalism, survey research

Research Mentor: Alexandra Alexandra Artiles,
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: aartiles@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Social Sciences and Public Policy
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully 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: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project explores state preemption, or situations in which laws passed by state governments takes precedence over a law passed by local governments. Increasingly, we see that U.S. states deploy the power of preemption to forcibly usurp the policies of their local governments, ensuring that state laws take precedence over local laws.
While state preemption of local governments is not new, it has become more prevalent and aggressive over the last decade. Moreover, state preemption has become increasingly concerning to local officials, who fear their autonomy is under attack. State-local conflicts due to preemption threaten intergovernmental harmony, so it is crucial to understand what drives them.
To that end, I seek to answer two questions. First, under what political and institutional conditions do local officials oppose preemption by their state? Second, what actions do local officials take to resist preemption by their state? To answer these questions, I conduct an original survey experiment of local officials across the U.S., in which respondents read a prompt explaining a hypothetical scenario about them being preempted by their state government.
The main task of my interns will be to help me with data collection of local officials’ contact and demographic information. This project will help interns acquire data collection skills and coding skills in software like Excel, which are great ways to stand out on graduate school and job applications.


Research Tasks: Data collection

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Excel

Investigation of perovskite-sensitized upconversion

perovskite, spectroscopy, upconversion

Research Mentor: Dr. Lea Nienhaus,
Department, College, Affiliation: Chemistry, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: lnienhaus@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics
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: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

Our research group is interested in the optoelectronic properties of bulk perovskite semiconductor materials, specifically focusing on their use as sensitizers in thin film upconversion devices. Our particular interest lies in understanding the fundamentals of this sensitization process across numerous annihilator molecules. We investigate these properties through a combination of optical spectroscopy and scanning probe techniques. The student(s) will work closely with a graduate research student and the faculty member to ensure a safe working environment.

Research Tasks: - Perovskite thin film synthesis in air free environments
- Deposition of organic molecules in thin films
- Operate optical spectroscopy instruments and conduct measurements
- Process, analyze, and present spectroscopic data


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: No advance knowledge is required.
Recommended: general knowledge of Word, Powerpoint and Excel and an interest in lab based research.

Designing and characterizing nanocrystal thin film upconversion devices

Nanocrystals, Optical Spectroscopy, Devices, Upconversion

Research Mentor: Lea Nienhaus,
Department, College, Affiliation: Chemistry, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: lnienhaus@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics
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: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

Our research group seeks to investigate the optoelectronic properties and energy transfer behavior of semiconductor materials. We are specifically interested in semiconductor nanocrystals for use as sensitizers for photon upconversion when paired with organic dyes. This goal of this project is to achieve nanocrystal-sensitized photon upconversion in a solid-state thin film rather than the established solution-based approach.
Student(s) will work closely with a faculty member and graduate student researcher to gain experience in solution-based nanocrystal synthesis, thin film deposition techniques, optical spectroscopy, data processing, and scientific presentation.


Research Tasks: Research tasks:
- Air-free synthesis of nanocrystal solutions; air-free preparation of thin films
- Operate optical spectroscopy instruments and conduct measurements
- Process, analyze, and present spectroscopic data


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: No previous skills are required, recommended is a basic understanding of Microsoft Office and an interest in lab-based research.

Testing a Causal Model of Cognitive Control Deficits in PTSD: a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Study

clinical psychology, mental health, treatment, ptsd, tms

Research Mentor: Ms. Carter Bedford, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: bedford@psy.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Brad Schmidt he/him
Faculty Collaborators Email: schmidt@psy.fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Psychology, neuroscience, biology, nursing
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 9, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

The goal of this research project is to use an innovative brain stimulation technique--transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)--to study the nature of cognitive control deficits in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants will attend one study session where they complete a clinical interview and self-report measures before receiving TMS to two areas of the brain and completing a cognitive task on a computer two times.

Research Tasks: Participant recruitment, assisting with participant study visits, conducting data analysis, assembling literature reviews.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: CITI Human Subjects Research certification (required if accepted as a UROP student)
Previous experience interacting with research participants or clinical populations (recommended)
Previous coursework in neuroscience or cognitive psychology (recommended)

The Effect of a Sibling Shared Reading Summer Program

reading, shared reading, language intervention, migrant families

Research Mentor: Miguel Garcia-Salas, He/Him
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Communication Science and Disorders / Florida Center for Reading Research, Communication and Information
Contact Email: mgarciasalas@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Dr. Carla Wood
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: carla.wood@cci.fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: 201 W Bloxham St., Tallahassee, FL 32301
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Thursday, September 7th from 9:00 - 9:30 AM (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/97100814766)
Thursday, September 7th from 2:00 - 2:30 PM (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/97101293307)

Project Description

Reading at home is a powerful way to promote language and literacy development. However, it's important to consider the various approaches to reading at home, as some methods are more effective in promoting language and literacy skills than others. Among these approaches, dialogic reading stands out as an effective strategy supported by extensive evidence, mostly focusing on its implementation by teachers and parents. Nevertheless, in certain families such as migrant families, older siblings take on the role of primary readers for their younger siblings who are of preschool age. Hence, the objective of this project is to assess the feasibility of teaching dialogic reading techniques to older siblings and examine whether their younger siblings exhibit improved communication skills as a result.

Research Tasks: Researchers will review shared reading videos and transcribe them according to Systematic Analysis of Language Transcription (SALT) conventions.
Researchers will analyze shared reading transcriptions using SALT to compute the child's mean length of utterance (MLU), the child's number of different words (NDW), and the number of child utterances.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Prior experience in data analysis and SALT is not necessary for this project. However, it is essential to possess keen attention to detail while undergoing coding training and adhering to research protocols. Additionally, strong organizational skills are required to efficiently handle research materials, data, and meet deadlines while working collaboratively within the research team. Effective communication skills are also vital for effective collaboration with team members and expressing ideas. Lastly, successful participation in this project demands excellent teamwork and collaboration skills to actively contribute to group discussions and foster a positive working relationship with the rest of the research team.

CCI Machine Learning Lab

Machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer vision, research

Research Mentor: Dr. Jonathan Adams, Dr.
Department, College, Affiliation: Information, Communication and Information
Contact Email: jladams@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Mr. Ben Ravuri (doctoral candidate)
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: bravuri@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators: Lucas von Hollen, Keith Roberson
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: We prefer STEM majors. Working with AI requires some experience with a software language.
We use Python, Jupyter Notebooks.

Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: The CCI MLab is on campus, located in WJB 2021
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: All Zoom meetings use the following: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/97124948078
Please contact me jladams@fsu.edu to make an appointment at any of the listed times.

Tuesday (9/3) 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:00
Wednesday (9/4) 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:00
Thursday (9/5) 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:00
Friday (9/6) 13:00; 13:30; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 15:30; 16:00

Project Description

The CCI MLab hosts 12 ‘continuing’ students. They are former UROP students, or others who have participated on different projects.
Currently, we are working with various Large Language Models (LLM), Yolo8 for computer vision projects, and some work with Visual Transformers.
We have open source algorithms installed lab computers, (2080ti, 3090 [x2], 4090 [x2]) for example, Stable Diffusion, Llama2 7b, and YOLOv8 are installed, and other AI agents are available through Monica for research projects. There are several project ideas around these technologies;
a) Exploring the use of AI as a research assistant [fine time the model using articles on a specific topic].
b) Exploring the use of Langchain, a technology that allows several AI models to be strung together.
c) OSRAI (Ocean Search and Rescue), a system to spot people and water craft from an autonomous fixed-wing high endurance drone, using Synthetic training data.
d) Exploring text to 3-D model technologies that will lead to a complete synthetic image pipeline. This project will allow the lab to generate datasets for computer vision training.
e) FSU Create! This is the MLab website, we are looking to make a team for this.
f) University and Higher Ed use of AI report - a survey research project that will survey university leaders, asking to describe their effort to integrate AI into university programs, curriculum, etc.
Other potential areas of research
Music generation, music transcription, segmentation
Autonomous vehicles using computer vision


Research Tasks: UROP students continue to work on one of the projects or devise new ideas. Oftentimes, this leads to an undergraduate thesis. There is a combination of individual and teamwork in the lab, but it's mostly teamwork.
MLabbers work in teams to set up an AI agent, learn how to train the agent, and use the resulting work to address or explore a solution to a real problem. Specifically, working knowledge of the Python programming language is essential. Prior experience with another programming language such as Java or C++ are equally acceptable. We use Anaconda Navigator in the lab, students receive instruction on how to work in a lab, using Conda environments, how to set up a work environment, use GitHub and copilot. If you are a noob with these -- no worries, we will get you up to speed.
Each year, UROP students have an opportunity to publish an article in a conference. The MLab has a steady output of articles published in respected IEEE and education conferences. UROP students, then learn how to conduct a literature review, establish a research agenda, work through the research project to completion. Coaching is provided to turn the resulting work into a publication.


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required
Programming experience
Recommended
Python