UROP Project
Freight Mobility as a Service
freight transportation, digital platforms, mobility as a service, service matching, sustainable transportation, logistics, economics
Research Mentor: Dr. Ziyue (Jelly) Li, he/his/him
Department, College, Affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: zl23n@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: zl23n@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: Open to all majors.
Project Location: Fully Remote
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:
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors.
Project Location: Fully Remote
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:
- Day: Friday, September 4
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 12:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/zl23n_fsu_edu/IQBgGY-UFaGrS7fWLa6nY099AZdlkfC0J6LIdNNKWojeYIc - Day: Friday, September 4
Start Time: 12:30
End Time: 1:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/zl23n_fsu_edu/IQBgGY-UFaGrS7fWLa6nY099AZdlkfC0J6LIdNNKWojeYIc
Project Description
The goal of this project is to conceive an effective and sustainable digital matching platform for composite services, defined as Freight Mobility as a Service (FMaaS), combining offerings from multiple, independent service providers, analyse its consequences, and understand the conditions under which such platforms are accepted and used, and provide environmental and societal benefits.The project will initially focus on the Netherlands, which provides a particularly interesting setting because of its well-developed multimodal freight transportation network, including road, rail, and inland waterways. Students may investigate how different transportation services can be integrated through a digital matching platform and how such integration could improve the efficiency and sustainability of freight transportation. The research may also explore how the proposed concept could be adapted to the U.S. context, with the potential to reduce reliance on road freight, alleviate congestion, and lower environmental impacts.
This project is intended for students who are genuinely interested in multimodal transportation, Mobility as a Service, and sustainable freight transportation, as well as students interested in transportation systems in the Netherlands, the U.S., and other international cities. Students will also have the opportunity to collaborate with international scholars and gain experience working on an international research project. Due to the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the project, students who are highly motivated to take initiative in their research are particularly encouraged to apply.
Research Tasks: Flexible, depending on the student's interests and background. Potential research tasks include literature review, data analysis, surveys and interviews, and other research activities related to Freight Mobility as a Service.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Literature search and review, basic data analysis, and good communication and writing skills.
Mentoring Philosophy
I believe self-motivation and genuine interest are the best drivers of learning. I provide students with research direction, resources, and guidance while encouraging them to take ownership of their work. Students are expected to develop their research skills through active exploration, with flexibility to pursue topics that interest them and progress at a pace that suits their background and goals. I encourage students to ask questions, take initiative, and learn from both successes and mistakes.Additional Information
Roundtable recording: https://fsu-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/zl23n_fsu_edu/IQBgGY-UFaGrS7fWLa6nY099AZdlkfC0J6LIdNNKWojeYIcYou may find information about my previous UROP mentees and their research projects here, including their research posters:
https://liziyue17.github.io/mentorship/
Link to Publications
https://www.tudelft.nl/en/tpm/research/projects/fmaas-projectAutomatic Detection of Vortex Events using Hybrid Machine Learning Models
Machine Learning, AI, Image Processing, Fluid Dynamics, Experiment
Research Mentor: Dr. Rafsan Rabbi, He/Him
Department, College, Affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: rr26f@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: rr26f@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: 1
Relevant Majors: Engineering
Project Location: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, 1800 E Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL-32308
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Seminole Express 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:
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Engineering
Project Location: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, 1800 E Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL-32308
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Seminole Express 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:
- Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 2:00
End Time: 2:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92880897622 - Day: Wednesday, September 2
Start Time: 2:00
End Time: 2:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92880897622
Project Description
One of the many interesting things about superfluid Helium (temperature below 2.17 Kelvin, very, very close to absolute zero!) is its ability to generate vortices. A vortex (plural: vortices) is a spinning mass of fluid, where the fluid mass rotates about a single axis. This axis of rotation can be a dangling straight or curved line, or a connected curvature like a circle, giving rise to the famous ring vortex shapes. The existence of vortices is a fascinating aspect of superfluid Helium. At this very low temperature, Helium has no viscosity (no internal resistance to flow), and these vortices are the only way to create rotational motion in a superfluid Helium bath.As part of our work at the Cryolab here at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, we have generated a lot (terabytes!!) of image data of these vortex events in superfluid Helium. We intend to understand the governing fluid dynamics behind these vortices, but to do so, we first need to identify them in the continuous video data we captured with our high-speed cameras. A human can find roughly 2-5 of these events from one frame (if they exist, of course!) in roughly a minute. Hypothetically, that means that to analyze, for example, 1 million frames, to identify and categorize these events, we will need 1 million minutes (694 days, or approximately 2 years) of continuous human work.
This is where this research project comes in. We will use state-of-the-art machine learning models to automate this work, so that instead of spending years identifying these events manually, we will have a library of vortex event data, properly detected and categorized within days. That will involve training many different deep learning-based computer vision models and deploying the best-performing model to detect vortex events from terabytes of image data.
Research Tasks: - Image data analysis
- Learning to script programs in Python
- Data annotation for training
- Building custom deep-learning models
- Writing reports and presenting findings
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
- Comfortable with computers.
- Preliminary knowledge of linear algebra.
Recommended:
- Some Preliminary knowledge of Python scripting.
- Willingness to learn.
Mentoring Philosophy
My mentoring philosophy is to enable a mentee to learn critical thinking. I like to identify a mentee's strengths and weaknesses around a subject, then enable them through discussions and working sessions to improve their weaknesses so that they feel comfortable over time. I encourage them to think for themselves and take initiatives, and impart to them the idea that failure is okay, as that provides them with the opportunity to learn something new. I also believe in open and clear communication, setting the goals and milestones upfront so that the mentee has a clear idea about what is expected of them and how to achieve that.Additional Information
Link to Publications
The role of skill and cognitive differences in pronunciation development
second language acquisition; language development; individual differences; phonetics; phonology
Research Mentor: Matthew Patience,
Department, College, Affiliation: Modern Languages and Linguistics, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: mpatience@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Modern Languages and Linguistics, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: mpatience@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: 3
Relevant Majors: This is open to all majors. Spanish, Linguistics, and Education majors are preferred, but definitely not required.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Number of Research Assistants: 3
Relevant Majors: This is open to all majors. Spanish, Linguistics, and Education majors are preferred, but definitely not required.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
- Day: Tuesday, September 1
Start Time: 1:00
End Time: 1:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/5634041279 - Day: Wednesday, September 2
Start Time: 3:30
End Time: 4:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/5634041279
Project Description
Have you ever wondered why people acquire pronunciation very differently when learning a foreign language? In this project, we aim to address this question. The goal is to track how the pronunciation of the students in our Spanish courses develops over the course of their studies, and what factors play a role in their development. We will examine whether their speech motor skill and perceptual acuity, as well as working memory and inhibitory control play important roles.Research Tasks: Data collection (by testing participants in the lab); data analysis; potentially some academic writing.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
- people skills (you will be testing participants in the lab, and working in a larger team)
- organization skills
- communication skills (for communicating with participants, other RAs, and the project leader)
Mentoring Philosophy
My mentoring philosophy begins with a central question: how can we advance the goals of the research project while also ensuring that the experience meaningfully contributes to the student’s intellectual and professional development? I view mentoring as a deliberate process of aligning my research project objectives with each student's individual growth. My approach is guided by three interrelated principles: the development of technical and transferable skills, the deepening of intellectual curiosity, and the provision of structured support that leads to increasing independence.A primary objective of my mentoring is to help students acquire both discipline-specific expertise and transferable professional skills. In addition to providing training in research methods, analytical techniques, and research procedures, I explicitly teach and model professional practices that support long-term academic and career development. By modeling and teaching students these skills, they develop habits that position them for success in future collaborative and professional settings.
It is important to me that students experience research as both meaningful and intellectually engaging. At the start of each mentoring relationship, I meet with students to discuss their personal interests and long-term goals, and I make a deliberate effort to structure their responsibilities in ways that connect project objectives with their individual aspirations. Aligning research tasks with students’ individual interests and strengths helps foster intellectual engagement.
Finally, I view effective mentoring as a balance between providing guidance and promoting independence. I offer consistent feedback, particularly in the early stages of a project, while progressively increasing the complexity of students’ responsibilities.
Additional Information
- You will be using English when testing participants, so no Spanish is necessary.- Most of the data analysis is on English speech.
- If you speak Spanish, or are interested in analyzing some Spanish speech, that might also be an option.
If you are unable to make one of the times of my UROP roundtable, you can view my UROP project video here: https://fsu.zoom.us/clips/share/x82qHCzLT-mO53VAGAU_Kg
Link to Publications
https://mattpatience.com/AI-Driven Data Recovery and Reconstruction for Scientific Discovery
Artificial Intelligence; Machine Learning; Model Inversion; Materials Discovery
Research Mentor: zp23e@fsu.edu ZHIXIN Pan, Dr.
Department, College, Affiliation: Electrical and Computer Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: zp23e@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Amberbir Alemayoh Mr.
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: ama25d@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Electrical and Computer Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: zp23e@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Amberbir Alemayoh Mr.
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: ama25d@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Maybe one more
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Data Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related STEM majors. Students with strong programming or machine learning interests from other majors are also welcome.
Project Location: CAPS
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
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Data Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related STEM majors. Students with strong programming or machine learning interests from other majors are also welcome.
Project Location: CAPS
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
Modern artificial intelligence models can learn complex patterns from large datasets, but an intriguing question remains: how much information about the original training data is retained inside a trained model? This project will explore this question through model inversion and data reconstruction, a growing area of AI research that aims to recover or approximate information learned during model training.The student will investigate machine learning techniques for reconstructing data from trained prediction models. We will begin with controlled experiments in which models are trained on known datasets and part of the original training information is hidden. The student will then implement and evaluate model inversion methods to determine what information can be recovered from model outputs, internal representations, or other accessible model information.
The project will examine factors that affect recovery performance, including model architecture, data representation, available model access, and reconstruction algorithms. Recovered samples will be evaluated for accuracy, similarity, diversity, and usefulness in downstream machine learning tasks.
As a scientific application, the developed methods will be evaluated using datasets and prediction models for polymer and materials research. The long-term goal is to understand whether trained scientific AI models can serve as an additional source of recoverable data for AI-enabled scientific discovery.
Research Tasks: The research assistant will:
• Review introductory literature on model inversion, data reconstruction, and related machine learning techniques.
• Learn to train and evaluate baseline machine learning models using Python and modern ML frameworks.
• Reproduce selected model inversion or data reconstruction methods from existing research.
• Design controlled experiments to study how much training information can be recovered from trained AI models.
• Investigate how factors such as model architecture, data representation, and level of model access affect reconstruction performance.
• Evaluate recovered data using reconstruction accuracy, similarity, diversity, and downstream machine learning performance.
• Apply the developed methods to scientific datasets and prediction models, with polymer and materials data serving as an initial application domain.
• Analyze results, prepare figures and tables, document findings, and contribute to a research poster.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
• Basic programming experience and willingness to learn Python.
• Interest in artificial intelligence, machine learning, or data science.
• Ability to work independently, document experimental results, and communicate progress regularly.
Recommended but not required:
• Experience with Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, or other machine learning tools.
• Coursework in machine learning, data science, algorithms, statistics, or related areas.
• Familiarity with neural networks, optimization, or scientific computing.
Prior research experience and prior knowledge of the scientific application domain are not required. Training and guidance will be provided.
Mentoring Philosophy
My mentoring approach emphasizes learning through hands-on research, regular communication, and increasing student independence. At the beginning of the project, I will work with the student to define clear research goals and provide the technical background and resources needed to get started. The student will also receive day-to-day guidance from members of my research group.As the project progresses, I encourage students to take increasing ownership of experiments, analyze unexpected results, and propose their own solutions rather than simply following predefined instructions. Regular research meetings will be used to review progress, discuss challenges, and identify concrete next steps.
I view unsuccessful experiments as a normal and valuable part of research. My goal is for the student to develop practical technical skills while also learning how to formulate research questions, evaluate evidence, communicate results, and work independently as a researcher.
Additional Information
Students do not need prior experience in polymer science or model inversion. Strong motivation to learn machine learning research and the ability to commit consistently throughout both Fall and Spring semesters are more important than prior research experience.Link to Publications
Descriptive database for Research on Collegiate Recovery Programs
collegiate recovery programs, literature review, college student health
Research Mentor: Dr. Dr. Chelsea Shore-Miller, she/her/hers
Department, College, Affiliation: Association of Recovery in Higher Education, N/A
Contact Email: chelsea.shore06@gmail.com
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Association of Recovery in Higher Education, N/A
Contact Email: chelsea.shore06@gmail.com
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: All majors welcome to apply with interest in recovery populations, especially Higher Ed, Med students, Sociology, Interdisiplinary studies, Social Work, Public Health, and Psychology
Project Location: Virtual/Remote
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote Remote or In-person: Fully 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:
Number of Research Assistants: 4
Relevant Majors: All majors welcome to apply with interest in recovery populations, especially Higher Ed, Med students, Sociology, Interdisiplinary studies, Social Work, Public Health, and Psychology
Project Location: Virtual/Remote
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote Remote or In-person: Fully 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:
- Day: Tuesday, September 1
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 1:30
Zoom Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/23896896565424?p=CPV5QdoktRcGSKDAnP
Project Description
This will be the sixth cohort supporting the Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE). Student research assistants will contribute to the development of an online descriptive database for research on CRPs. CRPs are university sponsored programs that supports students in recovery from substance misuse or other addictions; they are still in their infancy as a field of study resulting in dispersed peer reviewed research articles. ARHE is the professional organization who supports the faculty/staff overseeing these programs. The CRP Research Lab is a group of emerging and early career scholars who are shaping the research agenda of CRPs, students who use them, and college student recovery. Work for this project contributes to establishing the research database monitored by a national organization, that is utilized by scholars for large grantmaking efforts including the NIH and SAMHSA.Research Tasks: Fall Semester
-Foundational CRP readings
-Orientation to the Airtable database
-Literature review development (focus on the past 18 months)
-Reading, outlining, and coding selected included works
Spring Semester
-Completion of reading, summarizing, and coding selected works
-Identification of a topic of interest to synthesize into a research brief (2-3 brief minimums)
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: ability to time manage and work in a fully remote enviornment with primary communication occuring over teams meetings, GroupMe, and email.
Mentoring Philosophy
I learned how to build and develop research projects-and how to fund and disseminate that work-in collaborative research teams of undergraduate, masters, doctoral, and postdoctoral students. My mentoring philosophy promotes transactional mentorship where I view myself as a life-long mentee seeking to learn from everyone I interact with, including my students. Too often I find students are oppressed when their imagination and creativity can breathe life into old projects. As a mentor, I seek to empower students in pushing their intellectual limits to manifest even their most complex projects. This work is difficult, time consuming, and can drain the excitement out of "producing knowledge." I believe participating in professional working groups provides valuable insight and experience to the rewarding process of being a researcher.Additional Information
Round table (Tues, 9/1 from 12p-130p ET)Microsoft Teams meeting
Join:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/23896896565424?p=CPV5QdoktRcGSKDAnP
Meeting ID:
238 968 965 654 24
Passcode:
LA3Lq3tQ
Link to Publications
https://collegiaterecovery.org/research-database/Asymptotically preserving numerical method for incompressible or compressible multiphase flows
fluid mechanics, deforming boundary problems, high performance computing
Research Mentor: Mark Sussman,
Department, College, Affiliation: Mathematics, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: msussman@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Mathematics, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: msussman@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: 1
Relevant Majors: engineering, department of scientific computing, math, physics, or computer science
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: Partially 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:
Not participating in the roundtable
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: engineering, department of scientific computing, math, physics, or computer science
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: Partially 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:
Not participating in the roundtable
Project Description
An "asymptotically preserving" numerical method for fluid mechanics is a method that works for both incompressible flows and compressible flows with the "relaxed" requirement that max|u|\Delta t <= \Delta x. I say "relaxed" because the standard requirement is max (|u|+c)\Delta t<=\Delta x. "c" is the sound speed of the fluid.We have recently developed an improved "asymptotically preserving" method that, so far, works well. But the method needs to be tested more! Ideally, if a student can prove analytically that the method works for all cases, and then that student will win the millenial prize!
The student' role will be to test the new "asymptotically preserving" method on a class of "Riemann" problems. Also, it might be illuminating if the student codes up his/her own version of the algorithm.
Research Tasks: Literature review: what has been proved regarding convergence of numerical methods for fluid mechanics?
data collection: as stated above "The student' role will be to test the new "asymptotically preserving" method on a class of "Riemann" problems. Also, it might be illuminating if the student codes up his/her own version of the algorithm. "
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: student needs to know how to computer program or is seriously interested in learning. Also, student should have knowledge of partial differential equations (or is concurrently taking the class).
Mentoring Philosophy
Learning occurs by doing. Practice makes better.from the web:
AI Overview
"Learning occurs by doing" is an educational philosophy famously championed by philosopher John Dewey, asserting that hands-on, active experience and real-world problem-solving build deeper, more permanent understanding than passive listening or reading alone
Additional Information
Link to Publications
More Than a Mispronunciation: African American English and Oral Language Assessment
Language, psychology, children, literacy, speech
Research Mentor: Jordyn Thomas-Velazquez, M.Ed., She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Teacher Education, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: jlt25@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Teacher Education, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: jlt25@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: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: 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:
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: 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:
- Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 12:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 1:00
End Time: 1:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 1:30
End Time: 2:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 2:00
End Time: 2:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 2:30
End Time: 3:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Tuesday, September 1
Start Time: 1:00
End Time: 1:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Tuesday, September 1
Start Time: 1:30
End Time: 2:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Wednesday, September 2
Start Time: 1:00
End Time: 1:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Wednesday, September 2
Start Time: 1:30
End Time: 2:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Friday, September 4
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 12:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Friday, September 4
Start Time: 12:30
End Time: 1:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Friday, September 4
Start Time: 1:00
End Time: 1:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475 - Day: Friday, September 4
Start Time: 1:30
End Time: 2:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6707587475
Project Description
Children bring diverse language backgrounds to the classroom, but the assessments used to measure their language and literacy skills do not always account for this variation. For children who speak African American English (AAE), features of their home language may differ from Mainstream American English (MAE), the language variety on which many educational assessments are based. Understanding how these differences interact with assessment is important for accurately interpreting what children know and can do.This project uses existing data from an oral language task administered to children who speak African American English as well as a matched sample of peers who speak the mainstream dialect (N = 500). In the task, participants provide a corrected form of a mispronounced word, where the words are strategically mispronounced as the result of mis-applying the decoding rules of English (e.g., "Wed-ness-day" for Wednesday). We will examine variation in child responses on the task in terms of pronunciation discrepancies between the expected pronunciation based on the mainstream dialect and responses by children who speak AAE. By examining language variation on performance on this task, this project aims to contribute to a better understanding of how children's linguistic backgrounds intersect with the ways language and literacy skills develop and are measured. A better understanding of these differences is important for ensuring that educational treatments, including assessments, are sensitive to the language background of developing children.
Research Tasks: Data processing, data coding, data analysis
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
-Basic computer skills and comfort working with digital files
-Strong attention to detail
-Ability to follow detailed coding and data-management procedures
-Willingness to learn new research and data-processing skills
Recommended:
-Experience with Microsoft Excel
-Experience with OneDrive or other cloud-based file management systems
-Comfort working with digital files and learning new software
Mentoring Philosophy
I view mentorship as a collaborative, evolving relationship built on mutual respect, intellectual curiosity, and shared growth. I believe students thrive when they are supported in developing new skills, challenged to think independently, and given opportunities to take ownership of their work. In my mentoring relationships, I want undergraduate research assistants to see themselves as emerging scholars and meaningful contributors to the research process.My approach is to meet mentees where they are and provide the support they need to become increasingly independent. This may mean modeling a new research skill, practicing it together, and providing feedback before gradually stepping back. Beyond mastering research skills, I encourage mentees to ask questions, consider different perspectives, and think critically about the decisions we make and the implications of our research.
Open communication is essential to this relationship. I aim to provide clear expectations and specific, constructive feedback while encouraging mentees to communicate their needs and offer feedback in return. I recognize that mentoring is not one-size-fits-all. I will regularly seek feedback, reflect on my own mentoring practices, and adjust my approach when needed.
I want to understand what each mentee hopes to gain from research and help them work toward those goals. I strive to create an inclusive environment where mentees feel supported while also developing the independence, accountability, and confidence to take ownership of their growth as researchers.
Additional Information
This project includes many tasks that can be completed remotely, so work will take place both in person and remotely throughout the year. Much of the work at the beginning of the project will be completed in person so that I can provide adequate support, guidance, and hands-on training. Once RAs feel comfortable and confident with the project tasks, we can discuss their preferences and determine a work arrangement that best supports both their needs and the project.Link to Publications
Roundtable Session Recording: https://fsu.zoom.us/rec/share/oJ3JWy-YN9Y89KT7IHM0KK5UGM5-GL0irKR_ZQVV6-hN_alk92JRKsKiNo93F8jN.wlKwNAdExjLJjqR1Using Radon as a Geochemical Tracer to Quantify Discrete Flows in Karst Conduits
Geology, Groundwater, Chemistry
Research Mentor: Dr. Ming Ye, he/him
Department, College, Affiliation: Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: mye@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Gavin Wills he/him
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: gjw24@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: mye@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Gavin Wills he/him
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: gjw24@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Geology, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes Remote or In-person: Partially 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:
Not participating in the roundtable
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Geology, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes Remote or In-person: Partially 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:
Not participating in the roundtable
Project Description
The goal of this project will be to develop an executable method for estimating groundwater input from karst (meaning characteristic of dissolution) aquifer rock (matrix) into submerged caves (conduits). To accomplish this goal, radon concentration, measured at karst windows, will be assessed for the ability to accurately quantify matrix discharge into a conduit. By nature, karst aquifers can be heterogenous regarding both structure and water transport. Due to their heterogeneity, researchers have had limited success accurately quantifying how the flow of groundwater changes across the matrix/conduit boundary. Current estimation methods of matrix discharge rates use differences between measured flow volumes at different locations. These estimations can contain large sources of error which require large distances to mitigate. Previous studies have shown success with using radon to quantify diffuse flows through sediments. This study will aim to adapt riverine theory to karst conduits.This project will consist of two major parts. First, we will review literature to formulate a justifiable, executable plan which then allows us to transition into data collection. Following field data collection, we will interpret our results into a scientifically proven report.
Research Tasks: Literature review
Data collection/analysis
Field work
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Algebra(required)
Basic calculus(recommended)
Basic knowledge of hydrogeology(recommended)
Ability to operate in the field (recommended)
Mentoring Philosophy
My primary goal is making the learning environment a comfortable place to make mistakes. Mistakes are expected and will ultimately lead to greater success as each mistake fosters further learning. I believe that meeting frequently is key to facilitating learning and inquiry. Additionally, a mentoring relationship should be based in mutual respect where both people are willing to learn from the other. I aim to promote critical thinking, inquiry, and accountability by granting the mentee independence and ownership of their work.Additional Information
Link to Publications
Scrolling Into Belief: Processing Fluency as a Mechanism Linking Online Exposure to Stereotype Endorsement[1
Online engagement; social media; stereotyping
Research Mentor: Bayla K Thompson, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology (Social), Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: bkthompson@psy.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology (Social), Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: bkthompson@psy.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: Psychology; Sociology; Communications
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours, 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
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Psychology; Sociology; Communications
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours, 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
How can social media shape what we believe about other people? We are examining how extensive exposure to social media may lead people to believe the content of stereotypes about different social groups (e.g., women, Black people). Decades of research show that statements that are easy to process feel true. Repeat a claim, sharpen its contrast, make it familiar, and people rate it as more accurate, regardless of whether it is. We are testing whether the same progression operates for exposure to stereotypes via social media. If a stereotype-congruent portrayal is repeated often enough in a feed, does the resulting sense of cognitive ease get misread as true evidence about a group?Our prior studies established the correlational relationship that chronic online engagement is associated with endorsement of both positive and negative stereotypes about social groups. The current project will experimentally test our theory. Research assistants will help build and validate a set of curated, naturalistic social media feeds that hold format, valence, arousal, and production quality constant while varying only stereotype content and repetition. After pilot testing these social media feeds, we will run research studies that test whether fluency and repetition lead people to believe the content that they see repeatedly on social media. This is a project where research assistants will get to see the entire arc of experimental social psychology from conception to testing. This full-cycle view will facilitate learning about research methods and provide an invaluable lens on the process.
Research Tasks: ● Building the study: (a) conduct targeted literature searches and contribute annotated summaries on fluency, illusory truth, cultivation theory, and stereotype measurement; (b) source and standardize social-media feed stimuli for the experimental feed conditions; (c) assist with coding stimuli by preparing and administering pre-rating surveys for stereotypicality and valence, (d) assist with testing Qualtrics protocols including timing and survey clarity; (e) present a short reading and stimulus-set update at small group meeting.
● Running and interpreting the study: (a) recruit, schedule, and run participants, deliver standardized scripts and debriefings; (b) serve as experimenter during pilot sessions and assist with stimulus revisions; (c) clean, code, and organize data, maintain codebook and documentation (d) assist with reliability coding of open-ended and content-exposure responses (if any); (e) run descriptive and manipulation-check analyses under supervision (R or SPSS); (f) contribute to conference abstracts, poster construction, and presentation at the university research symposium
● Other tasks include: (a) bi-weekly lab meeting attendance and participation; (b) maintain accurate participant and data records; (c) uphold confidentiality and professional neutrality when handling sensitive stereotype content.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: ● Required: (a) completion of introductory psychology and ideally, research methods or statistics; (b) careful, detail-oriented work habits (this project relies heavily on stimulus consistency and clean data); (c) reliability with effective and timely communication as well as consistent attendance at scheduled sessions and lab meetings; (d) clear verbal/written communication which includes reading/summarizing empirical journal articles; (e) professionalism and discretion with sensitive material regarding race and gender with an ability to remain neutral and script-faithful while running participants; (f) willingness to ask questions and say “I don’t know yet”
● Preferred (I anticipate that many of these will be learned during work on the project): (a) familiarity with Qualtrics survey construction; (b) basic R/SPSS/Excel (R preferred) data-management experience; (c) design/media skills like Canva or video editing for stimulus creation; (d) running participants; (e) interest in social cognition, stereotype psychology, media psychology, or intergroup relations
● Dispositional fit: (a) report your mistakes honestly and promptly; (b) ask before you improvise; (c) can tolerate tedium without losing precision (for coding stimuli); (d) curious behind the why; (e) accept feedback as information (not a verdict!); (e) communicative when something slips; (f) handles sensitive material with professionalism
Mentoring Philosophy
No matter the discipline, acquiring new knowledge carries discomfort, and academics understand this challenge all too well. However, with experience, we forget what enduring it felt like for the first time. I hold two core values that embody my drive to mentor; cultivate (1) a passion for research and (2) a growth-oriented environment.First, I want my research assistants to cultivate genuine passion and to not be dissuaded by the potential feelings of rejection and mental load it carries. I model this by sparking interest through personal applicability and creativity, letting mentees engage in a way that most inspirits them. Diverse modes of engagement cultivate intrinsic passion-- the foundation for their future work and a resilient zeal that transcends research’s inevitable failures.
Second, I nurture a growth-oriented environment by empathizing with students new to research. As a graduate researcher still in training, I experience that same discomfort, so I can acknowledge theirs and prioritize transparency about expectations. I demand that my assistants be agentic adults in charge of their own training, while strategizing ways for them to grow at their own pace. This lets me treat mentees as active researchers rather than passive recipients of a new CV line.
Ultimately, my mentees shape both why and how I mentor. I hope to model genuine passion for research and to show that rigor is not compromised by empathy but strengthened by it. My mentorship supports research assistants wholly but does not spare the work or discomfort that growth requires.
Additional Information
Link to Publications
Isometric Handgrip Training as a Novel Strategy to Improve Cerebrovascular Function in Humans
human subjects research, vascular, health, exercise, clinical trial
Research Mentor: Joe Vondrasek,
Department, College, Affiliation: Health, Nutrition, and Food Sciences, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: jdv22e@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Health, Nutrition, and Food Sciences, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: jdv22e@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: Students of any major can be a research assistant for this project. However, students majoring in health science with interests in health, exercise, and medicine are preferred.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: Up to 10 hours per week, 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
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Students of any major can be a research assistant for this project. However, students majoring in health science with interests in health, exercise, and medicine are preferred.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: Up to 10 hours per week, 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
Isometric handgrip training is an effective method for lowering blood pressure. Also, isometric handgrip training has been used to improve peripheral (arm) vascular function. Because of this effect, isometric handgrip training and isometric exercise training are generally recommended by national organizations like the American Heart Association. However, no previous work has determined the effect of isometric handgrip training on cerebrovascular function. Cerebrovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death in the United States. Early life vascular function sets the stage for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health outcomes. Thus, there is a need to optimize cerebrovascular health early in life. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the effect of isometric handgrip training on young, physically inactive adults. Participants in the study will complete eight weeks of isometric handgrip training and complete three training sessions per week.Research Tasks: Tasks will be related to conducting human subjects research. Tasks may include welcoming participants to the laboratory and helping them prepare for the study visit, helping schedule visits, helping maintain accurate data collection forms during participant visits, and helping organize and analyze data. Tasks will not be limited to one of these areas during this project. Students can expect to be involved in hands-on research and may help with new tasks as they gain confidence and experience in the laboratory setting.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required
- Effective communication and bedside manner – students will likely interact with human participants on a regular basis, so it will be expected that students are able to communicate and help participants feel welcomed in a professional laboratory environment.
- Organization - students will significantly contribute to data analysis, so it is imperative to be organized
Recommended
- Experience with Microsoft Office suite (Word, PowerPoint, etc.)