UROP Project | Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement

Research on adolescent sexual health, mental health, and technology use.

Program Development, Sexual Health, Mental Health, Adolescents, Digital Technology

Research Mentor: Dr. Jordyn McCrimmon, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Institute on Digital Health and Innovation, Nursing
Contact Email: jm26bq@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Dr. Laura Widman She/Her
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: lwidman@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 3
Relevant Majors: Nursing, Psychology, Communication Theory and Research, Social Work preferred, but open to all majors with relevant skills.
Project Location: Remote
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 6, 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

We are seeking undergraduate students to join the Teen Health Lab at FSU. Students will contribute to several research projects focused on promoting adolescent sexual health, mental health, and the healthy use of digital technology. The Teen Health Lab is run by Dr. Laura Widman (Psychologist and Professor of Nursing) and Dr. Jordyn McCrimmon (Postdoc). Our lab is located within the Institute on Digital Health and Innovation (IDHI), an institute that advances individual and public health through collaborative partnerships focused on the development, evaluation, and dissemination of digital health tools, technologies, and innovations.

Students will have the opportunity to work on two ongoing research projects, and others that may start throughout the year. The two ongoing projects are:

1) Let's Talk, a family-based digital intervention designed to help parents and early adolescents (ages 10–13) have important conversations about sexual health in a way that is easy, evidence-based, and approachable. Students will help develop new content for this program and assist with a pilot evaluation project. Learn more about the program at www.lets-talk-families.com.

2) LIFT (Longitudinal Investigation of Families and Technology). This study is launching in the fall. We will recruit 500 parents and teens (age 12-15) to examine how adolescents' use of AI chatbots and social media relates to their relationships with parents, friends, and romantic partners. We will also explore family conversations around digital media, mental health, and sexual health.

In addition to these projects, students will participate in an IDHI institute-wide research cohort with UROP students working with other faculty and staff in the institute. We imagine the cohort might include about 10-15 students total. All IDHI students will have opportunities to contribute to additional projects that align with their interests and career goals. Students will also attend a weekly virtual IDHI meeting on Fridays at 1:00 p.m. via Zoom, which focuses on professional development, research skills, and collaboration across the institute. While the meeting time may offer some flexibility, preference will be given to applicants who can regularly attend the Friday 1:00 p.m. meeting.

In addition to the IDHI institute-wide meetings, students will meet weekly with Dr. Widman and Dr. McCrimmon, to discuss project progress, receive training, and review individual research tasks. Meeting times will be determined based on student availability.

Research Tasks: Offer feedback on current Let’s Talk content; create new program content as needed (e.g., infographics, short video clips, family communication activities); create social media posts related to adolescent sexual health and parent-child communication; assist with recruitment and data collection for Let’s Talk and LIFT; conduct literature reviews when needed; prepare study materials; present findings of this project; attend research team meetings

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required skills in Microsoft Office (e.g., Word, PowerPoint), clear and responsive written and verbal communication, collaboration; highly reliable; detail oriented

Recommended skills: creativity; familiarity with Canva and/or Vyond animation software (instruction will be provided if you're not familiar); interest in pursuing a graduate degree in nursing, psychology, or other health sciences.

Mentoring Philosophy

We view mentorship as an opportunity to create a supportive environment where students feel encouraged to ask questions, think critically, and take an active role in their own development. We believe that learning extends far beyond the classroom, and we strive to help mentees recognize how the skills they develop through research, scholarship, and professional experiences can be applied throughout their academic and career journeys. Our goal is to foster curiosity, build confidence, and encourage students to continue asking questions as they grow into independent researchers and practitioners.
Mentoring is also a collaborative process in which students should have agency to explore their interests while receiving the guidance and support needed to achieve their goals. We aim to create a space where mentees feel safe to share ideas, ask for help, and learn from challenges. By maintaining open communication, encouraging thoughtful reflection, and adapting my mentorship to each student's interests and needs, we hope to empower students to develop the confidence, critical thinking skills, and independence necessary for long-term success.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://idhi.fsu.edu/ https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RH2SPdgAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

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Anomaly Detection Research and Development for Real-World Datasets

anomaly detection, python, programming, data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning

Research Mentor: Amanda Lovett,
Department, College, Affiliation: Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: alovett@coaps.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: David Moroni
Faculty Collaborators Email: dmoroni@fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Computer science, data science, scientific computing, computer engineering, or other related disciplines.
Project Location: 2000 Levy Avenue, Building A, Suite 292
Research Assistant Transportation Required: FSU bus system provides transport between main campus and Innovation Park
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

f you are looking for a research-centric project that will teach you how to work with real-world data, identifying different kinds of anomalies, and implementing machine learning models, this is the project for you. The Marine Data Center (MDC) at FSU is looking for a student who is willing and eager to engage in a research project that requires investigating existing data and developing code, specifically implementing machine learning frameworks, for working with this data.

The MDC receives weather and ocean data from numerous research vessels on a daily basis, which results in an extensive dataset spanning back 20 years. There are several circumstances in which data is considered anomalous, such as instrument malfunction or an extreme weather event. These anomalies are reflected in the data itself, which data analysts often have to manually identify and record. Considering the sheer quantity of data the MDC works with, this can be an extremely time consuming affair.

The goal of the project is to lay down the foundation for future anomaly detection work at the MDC. The student should have an interest in machine learning, programming, and experimenting via trial and error. The student is expected to actively try different pre-existing machine learning frameworks to determine what systems may be effective for our datasets.

Research Tasks: The student will be responsible for researching, investigating, and developing machine learning systems for use on real-world datasets. The student will work with both data analysts and software developers to obtain a better understanding of both data and programming concepts. The student will need to study current anomaly detection frameworks and apply them to in-house data to determine which systems are effective, which includes setting up training/testing sets. The student will be expected to report on their progress to superiors on a weekly basis and communicate should any issues arise.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: The ability to learn new programming languages and/or frameworks, basic understanding of data analysis, paying attention to detail, and communicating effectively with team members will be essential. Any level of experience with past programming projects, specifically those involving Python will be beneficial, but not necessary. Experience with Linux or using a command line interface is desired, but not required.

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy centers on fostering a student’s growth through practical skill development. I aim to guide students through projects that not only deepen their academic understanding but also equip them with real-world skills essential for their future careers. I believe in treating students with respect, maintaining an open-door policy for any questions or concerns, and providing consistent, constructive feedback. I strive to inspire confidence and independence in my students by creating a supportive and engaging environment.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Developing an Autonomous Platform for Ammonia Synthesis

Robotics; Automation; Artificial Intelligence; Machine Learning; Materials Science; Clean Energy;

Research Mentor: Prof. Ali Abdelhafiz,
Department, College, Affiliation: Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: am26cg@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Ms. Aya Kamel
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: ak26bg@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Mechanical Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Computer Science; Robotics/Mechatronics; Chemical Engineering; Materials Science and Engineering; Chemistry;
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: located in FSU campus innovation hub (Materials Research Building)
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

Day: Wednesday, September 2
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 8:00
Zoom Link: 519 787 8254

Project Description

Ammonia is an important chemical for fertilizer production and is increasingly being investigated as a potential energy carrier. Developing more sustainable ways to produce ammonia requires new materials and improved catalysts, but discovering these materials can be slow because researchers must synthesize and test materials one experiment at a time.

This project will develop an autonomous experimental platform for materials research related to ammonia production. The research assistant will help build and integrate a robotic experimental station capable of preparing, testing, and collecting data from materials. The project will combine robotics, programming, laboratory experimentation, and data-driven analysis.

The long-term goal is to create an experimental system that can perform experiments with minimal manual intervention and use the resulting data to help determine which materials or experimental conditions should be investigated next. The student will contribute to a prototype of this system and gain experience at the intersection of engineering, materials science, robotics, and AI.

Research Tasks: * Assist with assembling and integrating robotic components, sensors, and laboratory equipment.
* Develop or modify software, preferably in Python, for experimental control and automated data collection.
* Develop and test automated workflows for materials synthesis and performance evaluation.
* Organize, visualize, and analyze data generated by automated experiments.
* Apply existing AI/ML approaches to identify trends and promising materials or experimental conditions.
* Document the system and present the research findings at the UROP symposium.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
* Prior programming experience, preferably Python.
* Basic understanding of experimental or engineering problem-solving.
* Willingness to work hands-on with laboratory equipment and troubleshoot problems.
* Ability to work independently while communicating regularly with the research team.

Recommended:
* Experience with robotics, automation, electronics, sensors, or microcontrollers.
* Experience with machine learning or data science.
* Experience with CAD or mechanical design.

Mentoring Philosophy

Mentoring Philosophy

I genuinely enjoy working with students as a team. My mentoring approach comes from both teaching and research experiences: at Georgia Tech, I mentored undergraduate researchers through the SURE program, and at MIT I have helped lead a diverse research team of more than 25 experimentalists. These experiences taught me that students develop fastest when they are engaged, respected, and given meaningful responsibility.

I like to work closely with students, discussing ideas, troubleshooting experiments, and sharing my own research experience, but my goal is always to teach them to become independent while allowing them to lead. I begin by understanding their interests and strengths, provide the guidance they need, and gradually give them more ownership of the research question and decisions.

I also want students to feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes. Research rarely goes exactly as planned, and I encourage students to treat unexpected results as opportunities to learn and think differently. Ultimately, I want them to feel that they are members of the research team, not simply assistants, and to leave with confidence, independence, and genuine ownership of their accomplishments.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Engineering Materials to Solve the Clean Water Challenge

Water Treatment; Environmental Sustainability; Materials Discovery; Resource Recovery; Industrial Production

Looking for Research Assistants: Maybe one more
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Environmental Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Materials Science and Engineering; Physics; related science and engineering majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
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: Wednesday, September 2
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 8:00
Zoom Link: 519 787 8254

Project Description

Clean water is essential for human health, economic development, and environmental sustainability. At the same time, seawater, industrial wastewater, and brines contain contaminants that must be removed as well as valuable resources such as organic pollutants, lithium and other metals that could potentially be recovered.

This project will investigate new materials for water treatment and resource recovery. The research assistant will prepare and test materials and study how their composition and surface properties influence their ability to remove contaminants or selectively capture dissolved species from water.

The project combines hands-on laboratory experimentation with materials characterization and data analysis. Rather than simply following a predetermined procedure, the student will help interpret experimental results and determine which materials and conditions should be investigated next. The ultimate goal is to identify materials with improved performance and understand the material characteristics responsible for that performance.

Research Tasks: * Prepare and process selected materials using laboratory synthesis methods.
* Conduct controlled experiments to evaluate material performance in water-treatment applications.
* Collect, organize, and analyze experimental data.
* Compare materials and investigate relationships between composition, surface properties, and performance.
* Assist with characterization of promising materials and improvement of experimental procedures.
* Prepare figures and present research findings at the UROP symposium.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
* Interest in hands-on scientific experimentation.
* Basic understanding of science or engineering principles.
* Careful and organized approach to laboratory work.
* Willingness to learn new experimental techniques and work safely in a laboratory.

Recommended:
* Coursework or experience in chemistry, materials science, environmental science, or engineering.
* Basic data analysis or programming experience.
* Familiarity with materials characterization or analytical techniques.

Mentoring Philosophy

I genuinely enjoy working with students as a team. My mentoring approach comes from both teaching and research experiences: at Georgia Tech, I mentored undergraduate researchers through the SURE program, and at MIT I have helped lead a diverse research team of more than 25 experimentalists. These experiences taught me that students develop fastest when they are engaged, respected, and given meaningful responsibility.

I like to work closely with students, discussing ideas, troubleshooting experiments, and sharing my own research experience, but my goal is always to teach them to become independent while allowing them to lead. I begin by understanding their interests and strengths, provide the guidance they need, and gradually give them more ownership of the research question and decisions.

I also want students to feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes. Research rarely goes exactly as planned, and I encourage students to treat unexpected results as opportunities to learn and think differently. Ultimately, I want them to feel that they are members of the research team, not simply assistants, and to leave with confidence, independence, and genuine ownership of their accomplishments.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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What’s Active Learning Got to Do With It?: The Contributing Factors to Black Women's Sense of Belonging in Calculus

Black women, education, active learning, belonging, mathematics

Research Mentor: Ms. Martyna Fay Smart, M.S Biomathematics , she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Teacher Education; Mathematics Education, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: mfsmart@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, but Mathematics and Education majors will find this to be helpful
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 6-8 hours, 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: 1:00
End Time: 2:30
Zoom Link: link

Project Description

Black women are disproportionately represented in undergraduate mathematics, affecting their feelings of belonging. While research has acknowledged mathematics as a white, patriarchal space and that mathematical spaces can can Black women and underrepresented minority (URM) students to exhibit labor, both of which affect belonging, it still remains unclear if active learning has anything to do with their feelings of belonging. As active learning has been seen as a useful pedagogical tool, it is important for educators to know the effect it has on the feelings of belonging for URM students because it could be the difference in success, career decisions, and representation. By looking at the specific URM group of Black women in Calculus I, I aim to determine if active learning aids in Black women's belonging or if it can be attributed to other factors.

Research Tasks: Over the course of the year, we will:
1. Review, summarize, and critique the literature on active learning, belonging, and other factors that attribute to feelings of belonging, especially for Black women in mathematics.
2. Create a form of interest, informed by literature, that collects data from all students currently enrolled in Calculus I, or those who took Calculus I within the last academic calendar year
3. Assist with conducting one focus group interview

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: A research assistant is required to be:
- Ambitious
- Attentive
- Analytical
- Willing to learn new techniques

A research assistant is recommended to be able to:
- Read, analyze, and summarize literature/peer-reviewed articles
- Communicate and present data effectively
- Notion

But most importantly, a research assistant should be willing to learn and believe they have the capacity to learn new things. Needed skills will be taught.

Mentoring Philosophy

I operate on a foundational belief: every student belongs in my lab, and every student has the capacity to master complex ideas, including mathematics. Excellence in research is not an innate trait reserved for a few, but a discipline built through curiosity, practice, and effective guidance.

My primary goal as a mentor is to demystify the research process and help students build unwavering confidence in their analytical abilities. I cultivate an environment rooted in mutual respect, care, and high expectations. I commit to supporting my students’ growth wholeheartedly, and in turn, I expect them to bring integrity, effort, and respect for their peers to our collective work.

Additional Information

I'm excited to have you apart of the Smart Lab! Please don't feel that you need to have a lot of experience for this opportunity. I want it to be accessible to everyone! Look at the Google Drive Video of the Round Table, and let me know if you have any questions.

Link to Publications

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bdbQ32cVRY43OyNcZA5tfuB34lj9i20q/view?usp=sharing

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Bioinspired Bouligand Composites from Electrospun Nanofiber Networks

Bouligand structure; electrospinning; nanofiber composites; bioinspired materials; hierarchical composites; damage resistance; mechanical properties

Research Mentor: Jizhe Cai,
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida A&M University, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: jcai@eng.famu.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: Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

Day: Friday, September 4
Start Time: 1:00
End Time: 2:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93190064189

Project Description

This project aims to develop bioinspired Bouligand composites using electrospun nanofiber mats as reinforcing layers. Aligned nanofiber mats will be fabricated and stacked with controlled rotation angles between adjacent layers to create helicoidal architectures inspired by natural impact-resistant materials. The student will investigate how nanofiber alignment and interlayer rotation affect the mechanical properties and damage resistance of the composites. Mechanical testing and microscopy will be used to evaluate stiffness, strength, toughness, and failure mechanisms. The project will provide hands-on experience in electrospinning, composite fabrication, mechanical characterization, and bioinspired materials design.

Research Tasks: Conduct a literature review on Bouligand structures, bioinspired composites, and electrospun nanofiber reinforcement.
Fabricate aligned electrospun nanofiber mats with controlled fiber orientation.
Assemble nanofiber layers at different rotation angles to create Bouligand/helicoidal architectures.
Fabricate nanofiber-reinforced polymer composites through stacking and matrix infiltration.
Perform mechanical testing to evaluate stiffness, strength, toughness, and damage resistance.
Characterize fiber alignment, composite microstructure, and failure mechanisms using optical microscopy and/or SEM.
Analyze experimental data to determine the relationship between Bouligand architecture and mechanical performance.
Prepare research presentations and a final report summarizing the results.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Basic laboratory skills — Required
Ability to follow experimental procedures and laboratory safety guidelines — Required
Prior experience with materials testing or mechanical testing — Recommended
Familiarity with polymers, composites, or materials science — Recommended
Good communication, documentation, and teamwork skills — Required

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy is to create a supportive and interactive environment where students can develop confidence, independence, and research skills. I work with students to identify their goals and strengths, provide clear guidance and constructive feedback, and gradually give them greater ownership of their projects. I encourage students to ask questions, learn from challenges and mistakes, and develop accountability while building the technical and professional skills needed for future success.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pG99z7gAAAAJ&hl=en

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The Impact of the Exploration & Discovery Living-Learning Community on Belongingness in College Students

qualitative, belonging, college, survey, focus groups

Research Mentor: Dr. Courtney Barry, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Undergraduate Studies, Undergraduate Studies
Contact Email: cbarry@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Ms. Justina Harsche she/her/hers
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: jmh24f@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Ladanya Ramirez Surmeier
Faculty Collaborators Email: lramirez2@fsu.edu

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: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 5:00
End Time: 6:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/8292185665
Day: Wednesday, September 2
Start Time: 2:30
End Time: 3:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/8292185665
Day: Thursday, September 3
Start Time: 3:00
End Time: 4:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/8292185665

Project Description

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of participating in the Exploration and Discovery Living Learning Community (ED-LLC) on the sense of belongingness. Data will be collected via surveys, interviews and focus groups to determine if and how belongingness changes over time, and if the ED-LLC environment impacts their sense of belongingness (e.g., structural elements, student artwork, faculty presence).

The secondary goal is to analyze whether participating in the ED-LLC has an impact on retention.

We hypothesize that students who joined the ED-LLC will experience high levels of belongingness and will register and return to FSU after their first year.

Research Tasks: The student will assist with data collection, data analysis, scheduling focus groups, assisting with focus groups, scheduling interviews and assisting with interviews.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: As a research student working on this project, the student will:
• Collaborate with faculty and staff in designing and conducting research
• Use Excel
• Learn about Qualtrics especially features such as skip/display logic
• Learn qualitative and quantitative best practices

Mentoring Philosophy

I will mentor an undergraduate student by guiding him/her/them through academic inquiry. I will foster a relationship that allows for open communication and encourages exploration. I believe an undergraduate student should have a mentor that fosters intellectual growth, increases personal empowerment, provides educational opportunities, removes barriers, and creates a supportive learning environment where failures may occur and learning persists.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Language learning strategies in the Spanish classroom: Student performance and perceptions

language; education; classroom; Spanish; qualitative

Research Mentor: Dr. Carlo Cinaglia, he/him/his
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Teacher Education; Second Language Education Program, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: ccinaglia@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: Open to all majors
Project Location: remote
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 (flexible), Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 6:00
End Time: 6:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/ccinaglia
Day: Tuesday, September 1
Start Time: 1:00
End Time: 1:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/ccinaglia
Day: Wednesday, September 2
Start Time: 4:00
End Time: 4:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/ccinaglia

Project Description

Are you learning another language? Do you have experience using or learning Spanish? Are you interested in language learning and teaching, or learning and teaching in general? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this project might be for you!

We know that classroom activities are intended to support language learning, but activities like oral performance assessment can be challenging for students. This teacher-research project from a beginner-level Spanish course involved using language learning strategies and reflection activities to support students during in-class oral performance assessments (speaking tasks). Specifically, the goals of the project are to understand students’ performance (what they do and how they interact in language class) and perceptions (what they think about language learning strategies, performance assessment, and reflection).

Research Tasks: All research tasks can be performed remotely.

Research tasks would involve organizing and analyzing data to help answer the research questions. Specific research tasks may include: transcribing short audio recordings of students interacting in class (Spanish and English); using a simple rubric to rate student performance based on the recordings; annotating or coding transcripts of speaking tasks to identify interactional patterns; and annotating or coding students’ written reflections (English) about their in-class experience to identify student perceptions.

How might these research tasks benefit you? If you’re interested in language learning and teaching (or just learning and teaching in general), you would gain familiarity with classroom interaction in (language) educational contexts, alternative forms of performance assessment, language learning strategies and reflection activities for students, and teacher-research as a form of teacher professional development. If you’re interested in research, you would gain familiarity with qualitative data types (transcripts, questionnaire responses) and approaches to qualitative data analysis (discourse analysis of spoken interaction and written reflection).

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Since some of the data involve the use of English and Spanish, some prior knowledge of Spanish or experience studying basic Spanish is recommended.

Mentoring Philosophy

My approach to mentoring students and research assistants prioritizes meeting each individual where they are and supporting their learning and development of new skills, regardless of how much progress we make on the project. This means that if you have 0 prior research training and are brand new to data analysis, we can start slow and go step-by-step. This also means that I’m going to be mindful of your overall schedule and other commitments and try to be flexible with the project tasks. My mentoring style also aims to be responsive to individual student/research assistant needs and preferences. If you like to meet frequently to check in and get feedback, we can do that. If you’d like a more hands-off approach to supervision, we can also do that. Supervising and mentoring new researchers is one of my favorite parts of my job, and I look forward to being able to do that with this project.

Additional Information

Please get in touch if you have questions or are interested in this project.

Link to Publications

https://sites.google.com/view/cinaglia

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MicroRobotic 3D-Printed Swimmers for Biological & Biomedical Applications

biological materials, nanomaterials, microfabrication, 3D Printing

Research Mentor: Dr. Dr. Jamel Ali,
Department, College, Affiliation: Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: jali@eng.famu.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: FSU Bus
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 4-5, 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: 6:00
End Time: 8:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93896277840

Project Description

There is growing interest in developing tiny wireless swimming devices capable of preforming a variety of tasks, ranging from environmental and industrial to agricultural and biomedical, in low Reynolds number fluids. Over the past two decades these devices have been fabricated though a number of methods, but often involve some form of traditional micromachining, which is costly in terms of time, materials, and fabrication steps. Alternatively, additive manufacturing holds the potential to produce similarly small structured devices at higher scale and lower cost. However, so far there are few reports that focus on additive manufacturing for producing small-scale robotic swimmers. In this proposed work, we will utilize additive manufacturing methods and magnetic wireless control methods to explore the production of swimmers of various geometry for propulsion in viscous biological media.

Research Tasks: Student(s) will: (1) conduct a brief literature review of additive manufacturing of micromachines, (2) use CAD software (e.g. solidworks) along with a mulit-nozzle 3D printers to produce chiral and achiral swimmers (3) assist with wet-lab experiments including (a) magnetic control experiments (b) high-resolution high-speed optical imaging, and (c) rheological characterization of viscous media. The student is expected to document all laboratory activities and write up a report which outlines specific printing parameters for effective robotic swimmers fabrication and control, in addition to their required research poster.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Passion for science and engineering along with willingness to learn and ability to balance time to work on the project while taking classes and managing other responsibilities and social activities.

Mentoring Philosophy

Research today is largely a team effort. My undergraduate mentoring approach embraces a group mentoring approach where undergraduates are not only mentored by me, but also postdoctoral fellows, Ph.D. students, and senior undergraduates.

Additional Information

Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Thursday, Sept. 3 from 6 – 8 PM : https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93896277840
Drop-in style
-or-
You are welcome to email me to schedule a time to meet in the MagLab, IRCB, or in B373F on the Engineering Campus, Building B.

Link to Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=h6DdFPcAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

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Microscopic BioArt

Photography, Microscopy, Art, Microbiology, Digital time-lapse photography

Day: Thursday, September 3
Start Time: 6:00
End Time: 8:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93896277840

Project Description

Assistants will learn basic and advanced light microscopy methods and use these techniques to create artistic photography of microscopic life.

Research Tasks: Assistants will be asked to use Image and Video Processing software such as Adobe Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve, and NIS Elements. They will also assist with microbiological sample preparation.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Passion for imaging along with willingness to learn and ability to balance time to work on the project while taking classes and managing other responsibilities and social activities.