UROP Project | Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement

RNA, NMR, LARPs

Research Mentor: Shibu Adhikari,
Department, College, Affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: sa20ep@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Victoria Ogunkunle
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: vogunkunle2@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Chemistry
Biochemistry
Biology
** Anyone with basic knowledge of general chemistry and biochemistry.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hrs,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

Our lab is focused in understanding the interaction between La-Related Proteins (LARPs) with RNA. LARPs proteins are found to have implication in different sort of diseases like cancer and so on. We, primarily, focus on the biophysical techniques to decipher the underlying the biochemistry of these RNA binding proteins. Eventually, we aim to structurally characterize these interactions using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance experiments.
Specifically, in this project, we would study LARP1 (La-Related Protein 1) which is an RNA-binding protein that is primarily involved in the translation and stability of mRNAs. Human LARP1(Hs LARP1) is found to play a role in post-translation regulation of 5’ terminal oligopyrimidine motif (5’ TOP), a cis-regulatory RNA component of the 7-methylguanosine cap of TOP mRNAs. The La-module of HsLARP1 has been shown to bind with 5’TOP and 3’ poly(A) motifs of mRNA compared to other LARPs. As LARP1 has been found to repress TOP mRNA translation via the C-terminal DM15 region, the role of the N-terminal La-Module in the regulation of TOP mRNAs is still ambiguous. Since it has been known that LaMOD in HsLARP1 has a folded LaM domain followed by an intrinsically unstructured region (IUR). Here, we investigate the dynamics of the unstructured region of human LARP1 along with its effects on the activity of La-module. We devised the constructs to express and purify IUR regions of humans LARP1 using a self-cleaving peptide N-pro EDDIE to study the RNA-binding mechanism followed by structure characterization using NMR experiments.

Research Tasks: Literature Review
Setting Up Experiments
Data Collection
Scientific Writing

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended:
Pipetting Techniques

** As a wet lab biochemistry research lab, skills will be trained along the way. One should be motivated to learn new techniques along with some background information on the particular experiment.

Mentoring Philosophy

As a PhD student, I want to mentor an undergraduate research assistant because I believe in the value of collaborative learning and the profound impact it can have on both the mentor and mentee. Guiding an undergraduate student through the research process allows me to share the knowledge and skills I've gained over the years, fostering their growth, confidence, and passion for the field. Mentoring also challenges me to refine my leadership and communication abilities, as I translate complex concepts into accessible ideas and adapt my teaching style to suit the needs of the student. Moreover, working with an enthusiastic undergraduate brings fresh perspectives and new energy to my research, potentially leading to innovative ideas and approaches. I see this experience as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the academic community by nurturing the next generation of scholars, helping them build a strong foundation for their future academic and professional endeavors.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, industry

Research Mentor: Dr. Abdulrahman Takiddin, PhD,
Department, College, Affiliation: Electrical andd Computer Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: a.takiddin@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: Electrical Engineering
Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Center for Advanced Power Systems
Research Assistant Transportation Required: FSU transportation options (e.g., Seminole Express)
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday, September 3 from 12:30 - 1:00 PM (Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/98835455378)
Thursday, September 5 from 2:00 - 2:30 PM (Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/97952412908)
Friday, September 6 from 4:30 - 5:00 PM (Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92505507137)

Project Description

Artificial intelligence is now being adopted in almost all fields to automate, expedite, and improve processes especially with the advancement of ChatGPT. This project involves building machine learning-based solutions to solve problems in modern businesses and industries including expediting processes and enhancing the security aspects. Such industries include smart power grids, transportation systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (e.g., drones).

Research Tasks: Data collection
Data analysis
Building machine learning models
Literature review
Documenting and reporting research outcomes

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended skills:
Basic programming skills in Python/Matlab
Basic data Analysis skills
Basic experience in MS Excel
Basic research skills

Mentoring Philosophy

My goal is to prepare engineering and computer science students for the future as artificial intelligence is advancing in nearly all fields. As a new faculty member, I plan to work closely with students to conduct research in emerging topics including machine learning, cybersecurity, and IoT in cyber-physical systems fields including smart power grids, transportation systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). I plan to achieve these goals by creating an interactive environment that allows students to collaborate in my research lab that is equipped with state-of-the-art high-performance computing that facilitates running real-time extensive simulations. These simulations will be conducted to mimc real-world cases, allowing students to witness how machine learning tools can improve the processes and enhance systems' robustness in case of cybersecurity threats. As part of my commitment to fostering a collaborative and inclusive research environment, I make it a priority to recognize the contributions of my students by including them as co-authors on publications resulting from our joint work. This approach not only acknowledges their valuable input, but also helps to build their academic and professional profiles, empowering them for future career success and preparing them for graduate studies.

Additional Information

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4zR2Up4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Link to Publications

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Sustainability, Water Quality, Rural Planning, Public Health, Environmental Justice

Research Mentor: Elio Fernandez, He/Him
Department, College, Affiliation: Urban and Regional Planning, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: efernandez3@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Wednesday Sept. 4 from 12-12:30 https://fsu.zoom.us/j/97772390722
RECORDING: https://fsu.zoom.us/rec/share/pbhokdKloKNBaGF8vbcm9gp8ldBvhiGHMi8GjqYn5EvfnVbZspA0mKzd2BxhCdhf.exH-VCFM2Wz9aUWU?startTime=1725465224000

Wednesday Sept. 4 from 12:30-1 https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99020416971
RECORDING: https://fsu.zoom.us/rec/share/YC60NM5qbu9s7NXpqvYTvXeKNNyEnMBANoYlWV5mx5cecfs0Trak3rvGV9hpex1q.GOGUuIIvHXD-BDpM?startTime=1725467485000

Thursday Sept. 5 from 12-12:30 https://fsu.zoom.us/j/94637931318
RECORDING: https://fsu.zoom.us/rec/share/V9BozTq2ZIX0dvqwoAnXk2PKwlRPqczCcr8HzX6qs-RpH35HDk_z5qbnyKVkQo8T.HvOAf7UqWBHJBy-f?startTime=1725551790000

Before reaching out for an interview, please send a copy of your resume, CV, and/or a letter explaining your research interests (couple of sentences).

Project Description

The purpose of this research project is to broaden our understanding of Sustainability as the world's population grows and becomes more developed. Sustainability research continues to emphasize the value of recycling waste in conserving the earth's natural resources and promoting a healthy and functioning environment. The literature on planning and development has expanded on this concept to provide insight on various approaches to achieve environmental sustainability for future generations and to ensure that diverse needs are being met when multiple actors are involved. Several case studies, however, have highlighted negative environmental and social impacts associated with the improper management of biosolids and limitations in regional planning between urban and rural areas.

Biosolids, another term for human waste that is treated and returned to the environment for beneficial purposes (mainly agricultural), are considered a sustainable resource due to their high nutrient content which contributes to soil health and plant growth. Several cases, however, have described negative environmental and social impacts resulting from the improper treatment of contaminants that are released into the environment and make their way back into the food chain. These studies have also identified environmental justice concerns in rural communities associated with a lack of participation in regional planning and an inequitable distribution of pollution and public nuisances.

To address these concerns, this research will review trends and gaps in the literature on sustainability and regional planning between urban and rural areas. The results of this research will contribute to a more holistic understanding of sustainability and regional planning that considers broader interactions and more long-term implications of waste management in a world that continues to grow and is increasingly interconnected.

Research Tasks: This research will require a literature review based on annotated bibliographies and structured content analysis to identify main themes, trends, and gaps in research presented in environmental, sociological, and planning literature. Main themes, trends, and gaps will be organized and synthesized to present a general summary of the literature.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: It is recommended that the research assistant is familiar with scholarly databases such as FSU Libraries and Google Scholar. The research assistant should also be comfortable with reviewing and documenting information from multiple articles and books.

Mentoring Philosophy

As part of my mentoring philosophy, I strive to create a productive learning environment where both the mentees and myself have the freedom to learn as much as possible in a way that is comfortable to all involved. I understand that everyone has a different way of learning and I must be flexible to accommodate various approaches. Communication based on transparency and accountability is key to maintaining a productive working relationship, and understanding that individuals also have and prefer different ways of communicating will help to ensure a smooth transfer of knowledge and inquiry. There is no right answer when it comes to evaluating complex social and environmental problems, so all input is extremely valuable. I constantly encourage the mentee to ask any questions that may pop up and I aim to provide as much feedback as possible to facilitate growth. From the beginning, I aim to have all of our goals and due dates laid out so the are no surprises down the road, and I always make myself available to answer any questions or discuss project related material.

Additional Information

This research will build on my recent work with 1000 Friends of Florida in evaluating recent biosolids management practices throughout Florida and the associated environmental and social impacts. There may be opportunities to expand on the UROP project in the future as we continue to raise awareness on the issue and increase our understanding of planning for sustainability. For now, this research project will be contributing to my dissertation work.

Link to Publications

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNuymLP9IA8

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Geoscience, Science Education, summer camp, place-based learning

Research Mentor: Dr. Amanda Tazaz, She/her/hers
Department, College, Affiliation: Learning Systems Institute, N/A
Contact Email: atazaz@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: Open to all majors.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Roundtable Information Time:
Wednesday, September 4th, 2024 at 4pm
Thursday, September 5th, 2024 at 4pm
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/91834844475
Zoom Meeting ID: 918 3484 4475

Project Description

I am looking for assistance in one of the following two areas for the project.

Activity Development:
In this project, we will create a geoscience summer camp program focused on local environmental challenges that will be implemented with middle and high school students in the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Bend. The aim of this project is to provide exposure and hands-on-research opportunities in geoscience to historically underrepresented students. The project will develop summer camp activities focused on the following 4 topics: rising sea level and coastal management, ground water and the karst aquifer, river management, and natural hazards (such as storms). This project is flexible and I am open to allowing my UROP mentee to select which topic they would like to focus on.

Social Media and Video Development:
For this project we would like to develop a webpage and a couple of short video footage/ video content that we could use to promote the project. We have the raw footage available to be edited and curated into final content.

Research Tasks: Activity Development: Literature review, summer camp activity development, piloting activities developed for the program.
Social media/video development: video data review, editing, curation of final product.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Ability to work independently and in groups.
Time management skills.
Strong communication skills.

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy is to provide an inclusive environment where all members of the team are encouraged and supported on their academic journey. I believe that everyone has valuable thoughts and suggestions that can enhance academic research.

Additional Information

I indicated partially-remote, however, I am open to discussing fully remote opportunities as needed.

Link to Publications

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arts-based research, community-based research, theatre, performance, environmental science, climate, feminism, entomology, interdisciplinary art-science

Research Mentor: Dr. Sarah Fahmy, she, hers
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Theatre, Fine Arts
Contact Email: sfahmy@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 4
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-7,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Wednesday September 4th from 2-2:30pm ET: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/8826419924

Project Description

The Butterfly Affect is an internationally acclaimed performance-based experience that supports participants to envision themselves as agents of change through experiencing a butterfly’s metamorphosis stages. This research is driven by the core belief that “if a dove is the symbol for peace, a butterfly is the symbol for change. Change is inevitable; making it beautiful is a choice.” It centers “affect” as a verb that recognizes continuous action and change. The Butterfly Affect invites individualized self-reflection on personal growth and transformation; wherein participants may recognize themselves as civic agents with the potential for social, political, and cultural impact, capable of co-creating an equitable, survivable, and thrive-able world for all.
The Butterfly Affect has three prongs: (1) The immersive performance: a site-specific, guided experience that offers participants a contemplative invitation to reflect, dream, and imagine by wearing large-scale puppets to co-metamorphosize alongside a butterfly. (2) The Care Deck: an open-access digital self-guided resource featuring creative prompts to ignite our imaginations and inspire our bodies to rest, move, and emerge transformed. (3) Paper Doll Puppets: an interactive guided chance to play and experience transformation through hand-held puppets as conduits for their transformation, offering a nature-based, ecofeminist approach to systems of care towards women.
This is a joint research initiative by the University of Colorado Boulder and Florida State University and is lead by Dr. Beth Osnes and Dr. Sarah Fahmy. It has been featured at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women Parallel Event; has toured internationally around the US, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, and Jordan; as well as being presented on at several academic conferences.

Research Tasks: • Write a literature review about ecofeminist practice, puppetry, and performance in public spaces to support the writing of a peer-reviewed journal publication.
• Design materials that advance the research’s scope to support different marginalized populations. You may self-select groups based on your research interests (for example: designing specific modules for first gen university students, or low income communities, or women in STEM, etc.).
• Participate in facilitating and practice leading performance-based community-based research.
• Take the lead on identifying and communicating with community partners in Tallahassee, and across Florida to facilitate performances of The Butterfly Affect.
• Advance existing assessment measures and contribute to designing new evaluation metrics of the projects.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
• Be excited about exploratory research and open to learning about new forms of ecofeminist and performance work
• Be self-guided, trustworthy, reliable, and eager to share/ take ownership of your ideas to advance the research.
• Be passionate about any or all of the following topics: environmental sciences, climate action, feminism, community-based research, puppetry, performance.

Recommended:
• Have conducted or are interested in community-based research and arts/performance-based methods.
• Have experience in theatre, the performing arts, and/or puppetry.
• Have an environmental science or entomology background.

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy arises from my experience being a woman of color scholar and applied theatre facilitator who was raised as a Third-Culture-Kid. Whether I’m working with undergraduate or graduate students, my central focus is to celebrate students’ autonomous voices in a dynamic learning environment. My research is on ecofeminist decolonial artvism in the Global South, specifically focusing on Middle Eastern North African performance and identities. As such, I am invested in cultivating intergenerational knowledge exchange circles where I can co-learn and un-learn alongside my mentees. I develop individualized mentorship plans with my mentees, to best serve their self-identified needs and goals and prepare them for a future as researchers. My aim is to cultivate responsive spaces where mentees bring their full selves into the research, and feel capable of intellectual risk-taking without fearing making mistakes. Above all, I firmly believe that education and research should be fun and soul-nourishing; and that everyone no matter of their educational background is a worthy scholar.

Additional Information

Please don’t be deterred by any of the research tasks, or the required/recommended skills. If you are curious about this work in any capacity, let’s chat! The research tasks will be allocated first and foremost based on your interest, engagement level, and capacity.

Link to Publications

https://www.thebutterflyaffect.org/

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Police; Violence; Crime; Crowdsourced Data

Research Mentor: Keller Sheppard,
Department, College, Affiliation: Criminology and Criminal Justice, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Contact Email: ksheppard@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 3
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: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Wednesday, Sept. 4 12:30 pm (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/95793964728)
Thursday, Sept. 5 2:00 pm (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93255187177)

Project Description

Police violence represents a pressing public policy issue, yet national data on this topic has been lacking. While recent advancements have been made in tracking police use of fatal force through media-driven and crowdsourced databases, comparable efforts to track assaults on police officers have been insufficient. The Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) program, a longstanding national dataset, has been the only significant source of such data. However, LEOKA has been plagued by issues of underreporting and reliability, raising concerns about its effectiveness in accurately capturing the scope of the problem. Fortunately, two new reporting systems have emerged to potentially address the shortcomings of LEOKA and shed light on national trends in assaults on the police.

The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is a detailed crime data collection system managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States. Unlike the traditional Summary Reporting System (SRS), which provides aggregate crime data, NIBRS offers a more granular and comprehensive dataset by collecting detailed information on individual crime incidents and arrests. This includes the circumstances and context of each crime, the characteristics of the victims and offenders, and specific information about the location, time, and nature of the offense. Most importantly for police violence research, victim information now enables research to identify offenses in which a law enforcement officer was reported as a victim.

The National Gun Violence Archive (GVA) is an independent research and data collection initiative that tracks gun-related violence across the United States. Founded in 2013, the project aims to provide accurate and comprehensive data on incidents of gun violence, including fatal and non-fatal shootings, mass shootings, accidents, and defensive use of firearms. The GVA's data is widely used by policymakers, researchers, media outlets, and advocacy groups to understand the scope and impact of gun violence in the U.S. Recent studies have utilized the GVA to identify violent incidents in which law enforcement officers are victims of gun violence.

The research project aims to conduct a comparative analysis of these NIBRS, GVAs, and LEOKA and their suitability for research on violence against the police. The study will focus on evaluating the accuracy, consistency, and comprehensiveness of each data source, providing a nuanced understanding of how violence against law enforcement is recorded and reported. To this end, we will better understand potential biases or gaps in the data, such as underreporting or overrepresentation of specific incidents. Through quantitative analysis and qualitative assessment, the research aims to offer recommendations for improving data collection practices and enhancing the reliability of information used in research and policymaking. Research assistants would assist in conducting literature reviews, cleaning data, and assisting with quantitative and qualitative comparisons.

Research Tasks: Research tasks
All the required research can be completed using College of Criminology and Criminal Justice computers or student personal computers with remote access. The project tasks include the following:
1) Compiling prior research on police assaults and coding information on data sources
2) Downloading and cleaning raw data from NIBRS, GVAs, and LEOKA on police assaults
3) Assisting the research mentor with the quantitative and qualitative analyses comparing the NIBRS, GVAs, and LEOKA data
4) Co-authoring a manuscript on the finding of the research project for publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: While there are no required skills, familiarity with locating and reviewing peer-reviewed research and data management skills in excel, STATA, or R would be beneficial. This is a learning and professional development opportunity, and all skills required for the project can be learned over the course of the year.

Mentoring Philosophy

In my role as a research mentor, I strive to not simply provide a list of instructions but rather immerse team members in the process by explaining each task’s contribution to the broader research project. This applies to all phases of the research project, from planning and data collection to writing and submitting for peer review. Promoting active involvement in these activities fosters a sense of ownership and accountability that enables a team-based approach to thrive. If this is done effectively, I believe research assistants and research mentors function as collaborative partners, where each brings special skills and perspectives to enhance the project.
Further, I believe research should be a fun experience for both new assistants and mentors. I entered academia because I fell in love with the research process because I had opportunities to work with passionate individuals that wanted to address important questions about crime, the police, violence, and other criminological topics.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=OFCah-QAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra

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animal behavior, birds, territoriality, behavioral plasticity, individual recognition

Research Mentor: Daniel Gutierrez, he/him/his
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Sciences, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: dag23@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Biology or relevant field (preferred)
Bioinformatics
Other majors (to be considered on an individual basis)
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project will explore how behavior is adjusted based on conspecific interactions. More specifically, we will address how interactions with territorial neighbors lead to adjustments in vocal production in a tropical songbird, the Grey-browed Brushfinch (Arremon assimilis). This is a monogamous high elevation sparrow found in the Andes that defends territories year round. Previous work on this species showed that males adjust aggressive territorial behavior towards intruders based on the identity of the intruder, the location from which the intrusion is perceived and the season of their annual cycle. This study looked into metrics of behavioral performance, such as movement, singing duration or singing pace. However, little is known on whether social interactions also result in changes in the production of vocalizations. During this project, the student will work with me (Daniel Gutierrez) on taking bioacoustic measurements of recordings from behavioral experiments to understand to understand the effect that the type of intrusion has on sound production in these birds.
Students will learn how to 1) search and read scientific literature, 2) create standardize data collection protocols, 3) use the software RavenPro to take bioacoustic measurements, 4) engage in data analysis and discussion, 5) effectively communicate this results through a poster.

Research Tasks: Literature review; data processing; data analysis and interpretation; communication of results

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: interest in animal behavior, able to work independently, good communication skills; reliable
Recommended: coding experience; experience with audio editing software (Raven Pro preferred, but others are also acceptable)

Mentoring Philosophy

As an undergraduate, I benefited from having had the opportunity to work with great mentors, both professors and graduate students, and I strongly feel that those experiences contributed greatly to my career path and the position I am in right now. I would like to provide the same type of opportunities that I received to new aspiring scientists. As a mentor, I try to provide each student with the right environment and opportunities that would allow them to develop on areas that they wish to improve on while also continue furthering their strengths. I believe recognizing that each student comes with a diverse background and set of skills is key to establish an optimal rapport between mentor and student that facilitates learning and promotes asking questions. Lastly, I learned from my experience with previous mentors that learning is bidirectional in a mentor-mentee relationship so I strongly encourage students to share their experience and skills with me; I can also learn a lot from students.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347223000350; https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/sthbrf8/cur/introduction

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networks, animal personality, cooperation, behavior, birds

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Biology or relevant (preferred)
Bioinformatics
Other majors will be considered on a case by case basis
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project will focus on the drivers of cooperative alliances in the Lance-tailed Manakin (Chiroxiphia lanceolata). This is a tropical lekking species that performs complex cooperative sexual displays for females. These alliances are composed by a dominant (alpha) and a subordinate (beta) individual. There is a lot of variation in the composition and stability of these alliances and how successful these alliances are. Through this project, will explore the drivers that maintain or split these alliances and how past experience can offer insights into these processes. We will incorporate a network analysis framework to understand the effect of social interactions early in the life of these birds on their cooperative behavior and alliances.

Research Tasks: Literature search; troubleshooting the construction of a social matrix across years of data; data processing; data analysis; communication of results

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: interest in animal behavior, able to work independently, critical thinking, good communication skills, reliable
Recommended: coding experience (preferred R), experience managing large databases, MS Access

Mentoring Philosophy

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V9FZSDmR1U&t=64s; https://www.bio.fsu.edu/duval/

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Machine Learning, Computational Physics, AI for Science

Research Mentor: Dr. Shibo Li, He/him
Department, College, Affiliation: Department of Computer Science, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: shiboli@cs.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 6
Relevant Majors: Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics and broad studies of Engineering
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-8,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Session 1: 9/3, 2:00-2:30pm (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/7451048764?omn=94434911198)
Session 2: 9/5, 1:00-1:30pm (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/7451048764?omn=99595455910)

Project Description

The physical principles and laws governing our universe form the foundation of our understanding of the world. As the primary discipline, physics provides the basis for comprehending the cosmos. One of its central tasks is modeling physical phenomena through mathematical formulations and finding solutions to predict them across time and space— a field known as computational physics or physical simulations. However, deciphering the behavior of physical phenomena can be incredibly challenging. This pursuit has captivated generations of brilliant minds and has become the bedrock of various fields, including Engineering, Geology, Astronomy, Meteorology, and Economics.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning have revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives in recent years. The core concept of AI is to discover and utilize statistical patterns within observed data. AI is efficient, capable of generalizing to unseen scenarios, and has transformed research and development across various fields, including computational physics.

AI for Science, specifically AI for computational physics, represents a frontier of study in academia and industry. However, the current progress of machine learning in computational physics often involves oversimplifications of the physical systems of interest. In many cases, these approaches reduce the complexity of physical phenomena by assuming that only one set of physical laws governs the observed systems. In reality, the phenomena we observe are complex and influenced by multiple physical laws. These multi-physics systems involve the interaction of various physical processes or phenomena, often spanning different fields of physics. These interactions are complex due to the coupling between different physical behaviors, such as thermal, mechanical, electrical, fluid, and chemical processes.

Empowering the study of complex physical systems with state-of-the-art machine learning research could have a significant impact, yet little existing work addresses this challenge. This project aims to develop flexible machine-learning frameworks that enhance our understanding of complex systems in our universe and enable data-driven solutions to predict their behaviors.

Research Tasks: Task 1: Search, scrap, and sort recent literature into a simple database (spreadsheet, CSV files) from top-tier machine learning venues and journals of scientific computing.
Task 2: Collecting open-source implementations, tools of the traditional studies for solving complex physical systems. Collecting some toy or synthetic problems as benchmarks for future studies
Task 3: Preliminary testing of simple and out-of-box data-driven approaches (such as linear models and convolutional neural networks) for solving those synthetic benchmarks.
Task 4: Establish a project website (github.io) with existing web development frameworks.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: (Required) interests in scientific studies and willing to spend time searching for papers
(Recommend) Familiar with Python and Linux
(Preferred) Experience with machine learning development frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, Jax); Experience with out-of-box machine learning tools (scikit-learn)
(Preferred) Students with a background in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, and broad studies of Engineering

Mentoring Philosophy

As a mentor, my philosophy is centered on empowering students to reach their full potential by fostering a supportive and collaborative learning environment. I believe in guiding students to think critically, explore new ideas, and develop confidence in their abilities. By encouraging open communication and mutual respect, I aim to create a space where students feel comfortable asking questions, taking risks, and learning from successes and challenges. I aim to inspire lifelong learning, resilience, and a commitment to ethical and inclusive practices, helping students navigate their academic and professional journeys confidently and purposefully.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://imshibo.com/

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vocabulary, education, language, linguistic

Research Mentor: Ms. Audrey Hendrix,
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Communication Science and Disorders, Communication and Information
Contact Email: ahendrix@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: 201 W. Bloxham, Warren Building Tallahassee, FL 32306-1200. The Warren building is an FSU facility, but it is not on the main campus.
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Link to Zoom Recording (requires you to log in to your FSU account): https://fsu.sharepoint.com/:v:/s/STUSchoolLanguageUROP2024-2025/ESZhw0pTXftLruc9zn3fawYB9MVzhYx38lrpcCJ4W-BQlg?e=7cJTQu

If you are interested in finding out more about this research opportunity or interviewing to be my UROP student, please sent me an email with the subject "Interested UROP Student" and I will respond as soon as possible.

Project Description

This project seeks to document and compare the complexity of the vocabulary used in school-age texts across subjects. Texts are anticipated to include both literature and textbooks across subjects. We are particularly interested in how word parts or morphemes (e.g., -ing, -ism, pre-) associated with academic language differ between subjects and grades. Because of recent developments in research tools, we expect to be able to analyze large amounts of text. This project is important because findings are expected to inform literacy instruction for students. The knowledge gained from this project may be particularly impactful for students from diverse or disadvantaged backgrounds including students with learning disabilities.
UROP students will be helping with converting school texts into usable, digital formats for analysis. Students may also help convert raw digital text into analyzed data. Data collected in this project is expected to be published by the UROP mentor in top-tier journals and presented at national or international conferences. UROP students will be acknowledged for their contributions in publications and presentations.

Research Tasks: Research tasks may include any of the following (further details below): Data formatting, data analysis, checking data quality, saving data output, and literature review.

Data formatting: Converting printed school texts into digital formats and/or standardizing digital data for purposes of analysis.
Data analysis: Utilizing web-based software to calculate count and frequency of relevant morphemes in submitted texts. This may also include copying relevant frequency counts and percentages in Excel spreadsheets in order to better classify morphemes.
Checking data quality: Proof-reading data output in Excel or Word
Saving data output: Saving the output of web-based or code-based software according to a standardized naming convention and filing location.
Literature review: Reading relevant research papers and searching for a few new papers for the purpose of creating the UROP poster

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Basic familiarity with Word (required, additional training provided)
Basic familiarity with Excel (required, additional training provided)
Ability to follow research protocols and ask questions if problems or uncertainty arise (required)
Good communication and documentation skills (required, additional training provided)
Attention to detail and commitment (required)
Basic knowledge of grammar (recommended)

Mentoring Philosophy

I am a PhD student in the FSU School of Communication Science and Disorders. I am passionate about helping students with disabilities succeed academically by supporting their literacy knowledge. Since I began researching at FSU in my freshman year, I have supervised over 30 research assistants across three labs and presented findings at national and international conferences.
For any students interested in my project, I am committed to providing you with opportunities to learn research skills and identify your research strengths and weaknesses. With these opportunities, I will provide resources and guidance to help you learn from your experiences and become confident undergraduate researchers. I hope you will be able to walk away from your UROP experience able to identify your research interests and confidently pursue opportunities to explore these interests further. I would like to help you gain the experience and skills necessary to succeed in any research environment. In the past, I have supported my UROP students in exploring their research interests by connecting them with relevant studies and research tools. I have also supported one of my students in presenting her part in our research at an academic conference. I adopt a practice of acknowledging the contributions of my UROP students in my presentations and publications. As someone who owes my current successes to the opportunities and guidance I was given in earlier years, I am very excited for the opportunity to help you succeed in your research endeavors.

Additional Information

Parking is provided free to FSU students at the Warren building.
This project is expected to have a major impact on teaching academic vocabulary across all subjects and especially help students who are from disadvantaged and diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Link to Publications

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