UROP Project

Sibling Intervention for Better Support-Coping and Resilience Enhancement (SIBS-CARE): Addressing the Psychosocial Wellbeing of the Siblings of Children with Special Healthcare Needs

pediatric healthcare, social science, mhealth, digital health

Research Mentor: Sonnie Mayewski, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: College of Social Work, Social Work
Contact Email: SMayewski@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: Social Work, Nursing, Psychology, Human Development and Family Science, Sociology

Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
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:

• Day: Monday, August 31
  Start Time: 4:30
  End Time: 5:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/91690435515
• Day: Thursday, September 3
  Start Time: 6:00
  End Time: 6:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/91854518085

Project Description

SIBS-CARE is a digital health intervention designed to support siblings of children with special healthcare needs, a population that often experiences elevated stress, anxiety, and unmet emotional needs due to the demands placed on their families. Delivered through a custom-built R Shiny app, the program adapts trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) principles into an accessible, technology-based format that fits into busy family schedules.
This dissertation project aims to develop, refine, and evaluate SIBS-CARE as a scalable tool for improving coping skills, emotional well-being, and family functioning among siblings navigating the challenges of having a brother or sister with a chronic illness or disability. The research combines intervention design, iterative app testing, and outcome evaluation to build evidence for digital mental health tools tailored to an underserved group within pediatric family systems.

Research Tasks: Beta testing: using the SIBS-CARE app and documenting bugs, usability issues, or feedback for iterative development.
Participant check-in calls: conducting brief structured calls with study participants to monitor engagement, answer questions, and collect feedback.
Literature review: searching, screening, and summarizing academic articles relevant to sibling mental health, TF-CBT, and digital health interventions
Data entry and management: inputting check-in call notes or survey responses into REDCap
Recruitment support: assisting with participant outreach, screening for eligibility, and tracking enrollment status.
Qualitative coding assistance: helping apply codes to check-in call notes or open-ended survey responses
Attending research team meetings: participating in weekly meetings to report on progress and receive task guidance.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Strong communication skills (required)
Reliability and time management (required)
Basic computer literacy (required)
Attention to detail (required)
Ability to maintain confidentiality (required)

Prior coursework in psychology, social work, nursing, or a related field (recommended)
Experience with literature databases (recommended
Familiarity with reference management software (e.g., Zotero, EndNote) (recommended)
Interest or coursework in child/family development or pediatric health (recommended)
Basic data entry or spreadsheet experience (e.g., Excel/Google Sheets) (recommended)

Prayers in the Panhandle: The Homelessness Crisis in Tallahassee (1970-2000)

homelessness, social welfare, religious aid organizations, role of government, housing, mental health, alcoholism, perceptions of homelessness,

Research Mentor: Liam Philbin ,
Department, College, Affiliation: History, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: lmp22m@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email: lmp22m@fsu.edu

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: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5 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

Focused on causes, responses, and political/social dynamics to homelessness in Tallahassee, Florida from 1970-2000. Focus of the project, for sake of feasibility, is on social aid responses to homelessness (private, religious, governmental, non-profit, etc.). The project is a work of history and follows the methods of the field in its arrangement. Other major themes include the role of public/private resources in social welfare, perceptions of homelessness, and the role of national politics in regional/local history regarding the topic.

Research Tasks: I need assistance in reviewing a 12 year period in Leon County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes as well as some other assorted documents such as state and national reports on the unhoused. Most of the work will be done in either Strozier Library (Special Collections, or Basement Archives) or in the Florida State Archives.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Reading/Analytical Skills, Note-Taking under certain parameters and topics.

Weather influencer and severe weather

This project focuses on the study of weather influencer during severe weather events (flooding, tornado, hurricanes etc...)

Research Mentor: Patrick Merle,
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Communication, Communication and Information
Contact Email: pmerle@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: open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
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

The idea is to study weather influencer and understand which platforms they use, who they are, what they do specifically, how do they communicate their reports, and do people actually follow their advice and recommendations.

Research Tasks: literature review, data collection, data analysis.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: strongly recommended: punctuality, accuracy, precision, seriousness, motivation.

Supporting People with Disabilities to Communicate Using Technology in the AACtion Lab

Artificial Intelligence, Disability, Communication, speech-language pathology

Research Mentor: Dr Dawn Sowers,
Department, College, Affiliation: SCSD, Communication and Information
Contact Email: dsowers@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: Open to all majors; projects focus on people with multiple disabilities and the use of technology to support their communication.
Project Location: 201 W. Bloxham Street, Tallahassee - Warren Building, near campus/downtown
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
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: Thursday, September 3
  Start Time: 2:00
  End Time: 2:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/dsowers
• Day: Monday, August 31
  Start Time: 1:00
  End Time: 1:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/dsowers

Project Description

There are several projects happening in the AACtion Lab for the 26-27 Academic Year that you could support. My research focuses around individuals with multiple disabilities who rely on technology as their primary mode of communication. Current projects include understanding how upright mobility helps children with disabilities increase their language skills and social interactions, teaching literacy skills to students with motor and speech impairments, understanding what continuing education speech therapists need to help these individuals, using AI (machine learning) to support more efficient technology and communication. Perhaps one of these are a match for you!

Research Tasks: Depending on what project, a student in my lab may be:
1. Performing a literature review and/or helping to finalize manuscripts for publication
2. Collecting different types of data from individuals with or without disabilities
3. Analyzing data - including qualitative data such as interview responses, organizing findings, etc, providing reliability checks on already analyzed data

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: I will teach you the skills that you need to complete the tasks associated with your project. Skills that may be useful include:
1. Willingness to ask questions
2. Curious nature
3. Understanding that people with communication and other disabilities deserve to have a voice and wanting to participate in efforts to support them
4. Organization and time management

DexKit: Low-cost Educational Platform for Dexterous Manipulation of a Robotic Arm

Haptics, Robotics, Robot-Human Interfaces

Research Mentor: John Marcial-Manjarres, He/Him
Department, College, Affiliation: Mechanical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: john1.marcial@famu.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: Engineering
Computer Science
Project Location: College of Engineering: AME
Research Assistant Transportation Required: FAMU and FSU buses go from on campus to engineering center
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10-20, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Friday, September 4
  Start Time: 1:00
  End Time: 2:00
  Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/7696970324?pwd=3G39GIQElBWZjtwEmMC5OK09vOxnbV.1

Project Description

This project seeks to establish a low-cost educational platform to teach robotic dexterity. Current state-of-the-art for robotic hands can mimic the likeness of an actual human hand in both fine movements and force, however not without financial setbacks making these largely inaccessible to students. For this project, the following research questions will drive this study:
1) How can we reach the same performance as state-of-the-art with off-the-shelf components?
2) How do we design a control system with these reduced parameters?
3) How many different human-input methods can we implement into one platform?
This study utilizes resources from collaborators, such as haptic devices, that we can modify for a more robust educational platform and expand what we can teach. We currently have a platform running with a control interface, but we are looking to expand!

Research Tasks: data collection, data analysis, 3D modeling, literature review, programming

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required - Mechatronics Embedded Systems (Arduino, Raspberry Pis, etc), CAD (SolidWorks or Fusion 360)
Recommended - Programming (Python or C/C++)

Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Machine Learning in Educational Data Mining for Early Identification of Academic Risk and Instructional Support in Undergraduate Mathematics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Undergraduate Mathematics Performance, AI-informed predictive machine learning models, Mathematics-specific academic risk, Educational data mining, Instructional support

Research Mentor: Ms. Zhen Zhang, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Teacher Education (STE), Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: zz23i@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Maybe one more
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Preferred: Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, or other STEM majors.
Open to all majors with strong quantitative skills and proficiency in R and/or Python. Experience with statistical analysis, meta-analysis, data visualization, or machine learning is especially desirable.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
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:

• Day: Wednesday, September 2
  Start Time: 1:00
  End Time: 2:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/95264900501
• Day: Friday, September 4
  Start Time: 1:00
  End Time: 2:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/95264900501

Project Description

This research project investigates the use of artificial intelligence (AI), predictive machine learning models, and educational data mining to support the early identification of mathematics-specific academic risk and instructional decision-making in undergraduate mathematics education. The project includes a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing research on predictive models, student success indicators, model performance, and instructional applications.
The study is IRB-approved, and faculty interviews from FSU Mathematics/ Statistics department have already been conducted as part of the broader research project. Undergraduate RA will support the next phases of the study, which include literature searching and screening, organizing and coding research articles, extracting quantitative data, preparing datasets, assisting with statistical and meta-analytic analyses, and summarizing research findings. Depending on their background and interests, students may also have opportunities to work with R and/or Python, data visualization, and machine-learning-related performance measures.
Through participation in the project, RA will gain hands-on research experience in educational research, quantitative analysis, systematic review methodology, and interdisciplinary applications of AI and data science in undergraduate mathematics education.

Research Tasks: Literature review and article screening; data extraction and coding; organization and cleaning of research datasets; quantitative data analysis; support for systematic review and meta-analysis; analysis of machine-learning performance metrics; preparation of tables, figures, and data visualizations; and synthesis of research findings.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Ability to read and summarize academic research articles; basic quantitative/statistical literacy; reliability in following research protocols
Recommended: Experience withPython and/or R ; coursework in statistics, mathematics, data science, computer science, or a related STEM field; familiarity with literature reviews, systematic reviews, data coding/extraction, Excel, or data visualization; and interest in AI, machine learning, educational data mining, or undergraduates' mathematics learning behaviors.

Following Plastic Pollution Across the Global Ocean: Linking plastic distribution, ocean dynamics, and marine life exposure

Plastic pollution, global ocean, marine life

Research Mentor: Abdul Mobin Ibna Hafiz, He/Him
Department, College, Affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: ai22h@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: Open to all majors
Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Research Assistant Transportation Required: FAMU-FSU Bus Service
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
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

Plastic particles have become ubiquitous in global ocean, covering from coastal estuaries to the open sea and the poles. These particles are transported in a connected path from land and rivers, through estuaries, and into the open ocean, and once they enter the water, ocean physics govern the transport. Currents, winds, waves, and surface drift carry particles over long distances and concentrate them in accumulation zones such as subtropical gyres and coastal convergence zones. Additionally, human activities also shape where plastics enter and build up, with shipping lanes, fishing grounds, and river mouths acting as major sources. The species most exposed to this pollution are often the ones least able to avoid it, including filter feeders such as oysters that pump large volumes of water and benthic organisms such as crayfish that live in the sediments where these particles settle. My research focuses on how plastic particles move through stormwater and marine systems and how they can be detected and mapped using field, satellite, and modeling approaches. However, research gap remains regarding the global spatial link between where plastics accumulate, the oceanographic and anthropogenic activities that drive that accumulation, and how vulnerable species get affected by this. This project will combine a large global plastic dataset with oceanographic and ship-activity data to map that overlap and to explore how pollution and ocean dynamics together shape habitat exposure for marine life. The aim is to move from knowing that plastics are everywhere toward understanding where the risk to marine habitats is highest and why, which supports better monitoring, restoration, and pollution-reduction decisions.

Research Tasks: 1. Collect and process the data. Compile and clean the NOAA NCEI Marine Microplastics dataset (the provided global dataset of ocean plastic measurements) along with matching oceanographic data from the Copernicus Marine Service (CMEMS), such as surface currents, Stokes drift, wind speed, and sea surface temperature, and global ship-traffic data from Automatic Identification System (AIS) sources. Standardize these datasets to common units, time periods, and a shared map grid so they can be compared directly.
2. Map and characterize global plastic distribution and its drivers. Create maps of plastic concentration by ocean and region, then use straightforward statistics and visualization in to test how concentrations relate to currents, wind, drift, and ship activity. This step identifies accumulation zones and the likely pathways along which plastics travel.
3. Interpret and communicate the findings. Prepare clear figures and a short summary or poster describing where and why marine habitats are most exposed to plastic pollution, and what the results suggest for future monitoring and mitigation.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: 1. Literature review (required)
2. Exploratory Data Analyses (required)
3. Data and result interpretation (required)
4. Map generation (recommended)

Measuring Sediment Accumulation of Apalachicola Bay Marshes

wetlands, marshes, sediment

Research Mentor: Dr. Josh Breithaupt,
Department, College, Affiliation: FSU Coastal & Marine Laboratory, N/A
Contact Email: jbreithaupt@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: Environmental Science, Ecology, Geography, Marine Science
Project Location: FSU Coastal & Marine Lab, 3618 US-98, St Teresa, FL 32358
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8-10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable

Project Description

Coastal marshes adjust to rising sea level by increasing their elevation through the accumulation of surface sediments and increased root production. For this project you will assist ongoing work by Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the US Geological Survey measuring change in rates and processes occurring in marshes surrounding Apalachicola Bay. Your specific role will be focused on deploying and retrieving Net Sedimentation Tiles at field sites following by analyzing the sediment in the lab. The research question you will be investigating is whether surface sediment composition and accumulation rates vary by location around the Bay.

Research Tasks: Your research tasks will consist of three phases. In the First Phase, field work will be done in October 2026. Field work will consist of travel with our state and federal research partners to the marsh sites, either by truck or boat. At each site you will collect previously deployed tiles and deploy new ones. The Second Phase of your research will focus on analyzing the sediments at the FSU Coastal & Marine Lab. Lab analyses will consist of measurements for dry bulk density, organic matter content, and Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus content. The Third Phase will consist of data analysis.



Skills that research assistant(s) may need: The research assistant should have a general knowledge of environmental science, marine science, ecology, or physical geography as demonstrated by completion of such coursework in high school or college. Applicants should have strong attention to detail, a positive attitude, a strong work ethic, and enthusiasm for contributing to a supportive and productive lab environment. The student will need reliable transportation to the FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory (1 hour drive south of Tallahassee).

Causes, Effects, and Mitigation Strategies of Smartphone Distraction Among FSU Undergraduates

Digital distraction, Undergraduate Students, Smartphone Use

Research Mentor: ln25k@fsu.edu Lizoon Nahar, She/Her/Hers
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, Undergraduate Studies
Contact Email: lnahar@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: 5
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5 hours, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Friday, September 4
  Start Time: 1:30
  End Time: 2:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/2476043412

Project Description

This study will explore smartphone distraction among undergraduate students at Florida State University (FSU), looking at what causes it, how it affects students, and the strategies they use to manage it. Participants will be recruited through snowball sampling, with an online Qualtrics survey link shared among FSU undergraduates. The survey will collect basic demographic information and include open-ended questions asking students to describe what tends to trigger their phone use, how it affects their focus, mood, or academic work, and the strategies they rely on to cope with or reduce it.

Quantitative responses will be summarized using descriptive statistics to help identify patterns in the causes, effects, and mitigation strategies students report. Open-ended responses will be analyzed thematically using NVivo, with the goal of identifying recurring themes in why students get distracted by their phones, how that distraction shows up in their daily lives, and what they do to manage it.

The findings will be shared through a research poster presentation.



Research Tasks: 1. Literature Review
2. Data Collection
3. Data Analysis
4. Presentation on Scholarly Forum
These tasks will help students to practice
APA 7th edition academic writing
Finding and evaluating reliable, peer-reviewed scholarly articles
Conducting effective literature searches using academic databases
Data cleaning and preparation
Quantitative data analysis
Qualitative data analysis
Data management and secure data storage
Thematic analysis using NVivo
Interpretation of research findings
Empirical research writing
Research poster development and presentation
Presenting empirical research in peer-reviewed scholarly platforms

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required skills:
1. Ability to read and understand scholarly, peer-reviewed articles
2. Basic computer and digital literacy
3. Attention to detail and ability to work accurately with data
4. Ability to maintain confidentiality and ethical handling of research data
5. Willingness to learn Qualtrics, NVivo, and statistical analysis tools
6. Effective communication and teamwork skills
7. Interest in learning how to interpret and communicate research findings

Why Sexual Violence? Understanding Gendered Violence in Armed Conflict

Political Violence; Armed Conflict; Human Rights Sexual Violence; Gender

Research Mentor: Rachel Marriott, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Political Science, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: rsmarriott@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: Political Science; International Affairs; Criminology; Sociology; Open to related majors
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

Why do some armed conflicts experience widespread sexual violence while others do not? This project examines variation in conflict-related sexual violence across civil wars, focusing on how armed-group characteristics, gender norms, organizational practices, and conflict dynamics may shape the use or restraint of sexual violence. The broader goal is to better understand why violence becomes sexualized in some conflicts but not in others.

Research Tasks: The research assistant will assist with literature review, document collection, and data collection on armed groups and civil conflicts. Tasks will include reviewing academic and policy sources, identifying relevant case materials, coding armed-group and conflict characteristics, organizing sources, and assisting with the construction and validation of a cross-national dataset.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Strong reading, writing, organization, and attention to detail; ability to work independently and engage professionally with research on sensitive topics.

Recommended: Interest or coursework in political science, international affairs, conflict studies, human rights, or gender; familiarity with Excel/Google Sheets, literature reviews, or basic data analysis. No prior research or coding experience is required.