The Effect of Eco-Anxiety on Sustainability-Related Nonprofit Organizations Employees

Eco-Anxiety, Sustainability, Nonprofit Organizations, Employees, Mental Health, Organizational Culture, Public Service Motivation

Research Mentor: Mr. Sina Jangjoo, He/Him/His
Department, College, Affiliation: Public Administration and Policy, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: sjangjoo@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: One Student in Environmental Science OR Environment and Society
One Student in Psychology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

Introduction:
This study will investigate the effect of eco-anxiety on the mental health and turnover intentions of employees of sustainability-related nonprofit organizations. Eco-anxiety is a growing mental health concern that is characterized by feelings of worry, fear, and helplessness about the environmental crisis. It is particularly common among people who are working in sustainability-related fields, as they are more likely to be exposed to information about the climate crisis and its potential impacts.

Methods:
The study will use a mixed-method research design and will collect data from a sample of employees of sustainability-related nonprofit organizations. The data will be collected using a survey that will measure eco-anxiety, depression, anxiety, stress, job satisfaction, productivity, organizational commitment, public service motivation, and turnover intentions. The qualitative data will be collected through interviews with a small sample of employees about cultural factors in the organization and their public service motivation.

hypotheses:
The study will test the following hypotheses:
H1: Eco-anxiety will be positively associated with levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among sustainability-related nonprofit organizations employees.
H2: Eco-anxiety will be negatively associated with job satisfaction, productivity, and organizational commitment among sustainability-related nonprofit organizations employees.
H3: Eco-anxiety will be positively associated with turnover intentions among sustainability-related nonprofit organizations employees.
H4: Cultural factors and public service motivation will mediate the relationship between eco-anxiety and turnover intentions among sustainability-related nonprofit organizations employees.

I am confident that we will be able to publish the results of this project in a peer-reviewed journal. This would be a valuable contribution to the field of nonprofit management and sustainability, and it would also help to raise awareness of the issue of eco-anxiety.

Research Tasks: 1. Conduct a literature review to identify the current state of knowledge on the relationship between eco-anxiety and the mental health and turnover intentions of employees of sustainability-related nonprofit organizations.
2. Develop a survey to measure eco-anxiety, depression, anxiety, stress, job satisfaction, productivity, organizational commitment, PSM, and turnover intentions.
3. Collect data from a sample of employees of sustainability-related nonprofit organizations.
4. Conduct interviews with a small sample of employees to find out about the organizations's cultural factors affecting their turnover intentions and their public service motivation.
5. Analyze the data using statistical methods such as multiple regression analysis and logistic regression analysis.
6. Write a research report that presents the findings of the study

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: 1. A passion for sustainability and a commitment to social justice.
2. The ability to work independently and as part of a team.
3. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
4. Strong research skills, including the ability to design a survey, collect data, and analyze data using statistical methods (Recommended).

Simulating and Analyzing Wildland Fire Spread

Fire spread, computing, statistical analysis

Research Mentor: Bryan Quaife,
Department, College, Affiliation: Scientific Computing, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: bquaife@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: Scientific Computing, Applied Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Statistics
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Wednesday, September 6, 2:00-2:30pm, https://fsu.zoom.us/j/8596550856
Thursday, September 7, 2:00-2:30pm, https://fsu.zoom.us/j/8596550856

Project Description

The propagation of wildland fires is a complex process that couples fuels, topography, and atmosphere conditions. One way to understand the spread is to employ computer simulations that model the different processes. However, all models include assumptions about the physics and parameter values, influencing the simulated data. It is critical to understand the relationships between these model choices and the simulations.

The project will start with learning to run a simplified Matlab fire spread code. Once the student is comfortable with executing the code, they will apply statistical methods to analyze individual simulations and ensembles of simulations. This will require running large numbers of simulations and developing code to perform the statistical analysis. Finally, the student will potentially incorporate additional physics into the fire spread model such as different fuel and plume models. There is also potential that small-scale measurements of fire spread will be made in the field.

Research Tasks: Perform computational experiments
Develop code
Statistically analyze results

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Computing in Matlab or Python (required)
Basic statistics (required)

The impact of brand activism advertising on consumer perceptions and behaviors of hedonic brands compared to utilitarian brands

brand activism, advertising, marketing, consumer perceptions, communication

Research Mentor: Ms. Ashley N Johns, She/her
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Communication, Communication and Information
Contact Email: ajohns@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Sindy Chapa
Faculty Collaborators Email: sindy.chapa@cci.fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Media Communication Studies
Advertising
Public Relations
Marketing
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-7 hours per week, flexible schedule, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project seeks to understand how brand activism advertising impacts consumer perceptions of and behaviors toward hedonic brand products and utilitarian brand products.

This project seeks to answer the following questions:
-Are consumers more likely to be aware of a hedonic product brand’s activism than a utilitarian product brand’s activism?
-How does brand activism play a role in how we purchase hedonic product brands compared to how we purchase utilitarian product brands?
-Is there a preference for a product brand based on activistic tendencies?
-Will this differ between hedonic product brands and utilitarian product brands?
-Will individuals be willing to pay more for a product from an activist brand compared to a non-activist brand?
-Will this differ between hedonic product brands and utilitarian product brands?


Research Tasks: Literature Review, Research Design, Data Analysis

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Completing CITI Subject Training within the first week of assistantship

Students will be expected to have knowledge of OR be willing to learn about: navigating library resources and database, utilizing online resources for research (i.e. Research Rabbit, Google Scholar), using Qualtrics

Fresh Taiwanese Folk Songs: Yi-Chih Lu and His Piano Arrangements

Taiwan; Folk Song: Piano

Research Mentor: Huixian Wu, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Music, Music
Contact Email: hw20by@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: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-6 hours a week, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

Yi-Chih Lu is one of the most prominent and popular young musicians in Taiwan during recent years. Lu composed series of piano arrangements of Taiwanese folk music. It is noticeable that his works are becoming the most popular choice for people who want to play some piano music about Taiwan, public also shows great passion to these pieces.

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, he began studying piano at the age of five. Afterward, he went to Europe and received his Master Degree at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna and Artist Diploma from the University of the Arts in Berlin. In addition to his Western classical music studies in Europe, Lu also retains a keen interest in Taiwan’s traditional musical culture. Therefore, he seeks to merge both types of cultures in his musical compositions.

This project will explore how Lu reinvigorates Taiwanese folk tunes and transcribes them into solo piano works in his familiar classical way and explain why people feel acquainted when they listen to Lu’s Asian tunes. Not only thinking about how to keep the original character of the folk songs, but Lu also aims to maximize the potential of the piano. This creative combination leads to the ever-increasing popularity of his works worldwide. It is meaningful to see how an Asian musician employs concepts and ideas that he was taught by Western classical music and applies to his treatment of his homeland’s folk tunes.


Research Tasks: Literature Review; Assistance in recording or interview; Primary source (i.e. newspaper, document) collection, analysis, and organization.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended: it will be great if the assistant can read the music.

*** Improvements of the field quality for resistive and resistive-superconductive hybrid magnets

NMR, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Ultra-High Magnetic Field, Field Homogeneity, Passive Shims

Research Mentor: please address by first name Ilya Litvak,
Department, College, Affiliation: MagLab, N/A
Contact Email: litvak@magnet.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: Physical Sciences, Engineering, including but not
limited to: Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics,
Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,
Biomedical Engineering
Project Location: 1800 E. Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee, 32310
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Seminole Express (Innovation), StarMetro (Dogwood, Live Oak)
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8-10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Sep 8, 2023 01:00 PM: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92137883544, Meeting ID: 921 3788 3544
One tap mobile: +13052241968,,92137883544# US, +13092053325,,92137883544# US
Find your local number: https://fsu.zoom.us/u/adj4ptFcSl

Project Description

National High Magnetic Field Laboratory houses seven world-record magnets at its Tallahassee location. Some applications, such as NMR and MRI require high uniformity of the magnetic field across the sample, in addition to high field. A student with a strong interest in scientific instrumentation will work with a team at NHMFL to support and improve user operations. The student will help develop, build, and test designs, and develop techniques to improve the field quality of the world record 36 tesla high-resolution magnet. The project will involve using specialized equipment and techniques to map and correct the field of the magnet.

Research Tasks: The student will help develop, build, and test designs to improve the field quality of the 36 T high resolution magnet which is used by scientists from around the world. The project will involve using specialized equipment and techniques to map and correct the field of the magnet. The project may also involve performing calculations of magnetic field for different patterns and coding for data processing. Part of the work will be performed around strong magnetic fields.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Adherence to safety
Recommended: comfortable with Excel, strong math background, physical abilities (may have to stand for extended periods of time, need to bend to insert probe into magnet)

Apology and Apologies: a Matter of Literary Genre

apology; Greek Literature; Rhetoric; Plato; Gorgias; Lysias; Attic Tragedy; Greek Poetry; Literary Genre

Research Mentor: Ms. Eleonora Falini, She/her/hers
Department, College, Affiliation: Classics, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: ef22m@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: Classics
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
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

The aim of the project is to lay foundations for future research around the Apology as a genre, from its development to the canonization fixed by the II Century A.D. Apologist Fathers. Whomever attempted to find a Περὶ ἀπολογίας or a De apologia across the immenseness of Greek classical studies would hardly find anything. The ancient definition of Apology is traced back to Aristotles' Rhetoric (1358a 35‒1358b 29), where the defense‒speech is quickly dismissed and confined in a dimension of eternal sub‒genre of judiciary oratory. The examination of specific features is never explicitly elaborated. Moreover, between the V and IV Century A.D., with the birth of democratic regimes and the development of forensic rhetoric, the judiciary defense speech represents both a literary object, both a political instrument and, in fact, the term ἀπολογία (among the available texts) appears for the first time during this centuries, in Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War and in Antiphon’s Tetralogies . It also occurs in other literary works by Lysias, Isocrates, Xenophon and in the very title of Gorgia’s Defense of Palamedes, but the text which drastically marked the fame of the 'genre' is Plato’s Apology of Socrates . The term ἀπολογία always represents the defense speech. However,we can see how, from a comparative perspective, the boundaries of genre tend to progressively blur, both synchronically and diachronically. The same label of genre (or subgenre) is attached to notably different literary texts: all of them being named as apologies.
Is it possible to really talk about apology as a genre in Greek literature ? To answer this question, it is necessary to tackle a preliminary problem: what did ‘genre’ mean for the ancient audience? And what kind of awareness about Greek literary genres could derive from the study of ancient apologies?

Research Tasks: The primary goal of the project is to metaphorically ‘take the Apology to trial’: literature review, data collection, analysis and linguistic comparison. Which are the common traits of Apology as a literary genre and subgenre? What are the most famous apologies of Greek literature? Two phases of contextual work will be needed: first, collecting a bibliography about the theory of literary genre; second, the selection and reading of the ancient texts, in order to practically apply the theoretical notions. Questions will be asked about the text, from a content, stylistic, linguistic and philological point of view.
The final objective is to develop a research model and a definition of 'Apology' that can be applied to various texts and authors.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: knowledge of Greek language and grammar (basic-intermediate); general knowledge of Greek literature and history

Recommended: knowledge of the historical-literary issues of 5th and 4th centuries B.C.

Understanding what keeps NGOs in Haiti

Haiti, NGO, system-building, nonprofit, grassroots

Research Mentor: Marie Denis-Luque,
Department, College, Affiliation: Askew School, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: mdenisluque@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: Social Sciences, Social Work, Business, Other
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: The 5-10 hours required would suffice., Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Friday, September 8 at 2:30 PM
https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99865524619

Project Description

The 2010 earthquake exposed the neglected needs of vulnerable people in Haiti and highlighted the many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) operating in this nation of 11 million people. Yet the sector needs to be organized to understand its contribution. Cap-Haitien is the second largest city in Haiti, yet the number of NGOs working in the region still needs to be enumerated. These NGOs are a lifeline for the most vulnerable people in the communities in the area. This project will help strengthen the beginning phase of a dissertation proposal that seeks to develop a system to facilitate communication among NGOs in Cap-Haitien. The successful candidate will be trained to search the specific databases for relevant NGOs and their affiliates to add to an existing database. In addition to developing the database, the candidate will assist the researcher in identifying and examining strategies to network formation and configuration among organizations, emphasizing the networks for their meaning or purpose where possible.

Research Tasks: Data collection searching for NGOs operating in Cap-Haitien using library databases and other outside sources. Limited contacts with international-Haiti nonprofits are also required.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel

Brain Measures of Motivation and Emotion Study

Motivation; Reward; EEG; Alcohol; Physiology

Research Mentor: Alexander Kallen,
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology - Clinical, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: kallen@psy.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: Psychology; Behavioral Neuroscience; Cell/Molecular Neuroscience; Biological Science; Biochemistry; Biology/FSU-Teach; Exercise Physiology; Clinical Professions; Community Patient Care; Social Work
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 6-8, 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 overall goals of this research project are to understand how brain responses (as measured by electroencephalography; EEG) and performance on computer tasks measuring reward and emotional processing, as well as questionnaires about mental health symptoms (such as depression and impulsivity) and personality traits (such as sensitivity to reward), relate to outcomes such as alcohol and substance use.

Research Tasks: Students will be thoroughly trained on all skills necessary to assist with: (1) prepping, setting up, and collecting EEG data from undergraduate participants; (2) EEG equipment maintenance following data collection, so it is ready for the next participant; (3) communication with, and sending screener questionnaires to, undergraduate participants; and, (4) organization/analysis of study data.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: No skills are needed for students who are interested! I am hopeful for students that are eager to learn new skillsets, enjoy talking with new people, and have an interest in--or are at least open to--working on a study related to brain-behavior relationships.

How Cities are Preparing for Climate Gentrification: A case study of the South St Petersburg Neighborhood

Climate Change, Gentrification, Climate Adaptation, Housing, Resiliency

Research Mentor: Mr. Anthony Milordis, He/Him
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: amilordis@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. William Hale Butler He/Him
Faculty Collaborators Email: wbutler@fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Social Sciences, including:
Political science,
Economics,
Interdisciplinary social sciences
Geography
Sociology
Environment and society
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-7, 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

As sea level rise increases the frequency of coastal flooding, individuals may seek residence in areas of a city that are less flood prone. Increases in the frequency of coastal flooding has already increased the land values of areas that are at higher elevation and are less prone to flooding. As land values and development pressures increase, current residents may feel pressure to leave the neighborhood, and in the process losing their community and home. These pressures can be felt more strongly by lower income individuals in a process of neighborhood change known as climate gentrification.

Through previous studies the low-income and high elevation neighborhood of South St. Petersburg as been identified as being vulnerable to potential gentrification pressures. This study seeks to understand how the neighborhood of South St. Petersburg is preparing for this incoming pressure with the goal of increasing neighborhood stabilization and resiliency.

Research Question: To what extent is concern about climate change related gentrification impacts a motivator for planning activity in a low-income climate receiving community?

Methodology: This study is mixture of grounded theory. case study and exploratory. Through interviews with local officials, city planners, and community leaders this study seeks to understand how the threat of climate gentrification is motivating urban planning activity and how local leaders are responding to this threat. The interview sampling procedure will start with several key actors to understand the context of how climate change is integrated into planning, policies, initiatives, programs, and projects in the neighborhood, particularly in relation to maintaining affordable housing.



Research Tasks: Research tasks can include:
Literature Review
Scheduling Interviews
Assisting with Interviews and Interview Transcription
Data Analysis through coding interview data into categories and identifying themes

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Access to a computer, ability to use Microsoft word and excel and the ability to use Zoom video conferencing software.

Creating Access to the Perra Bell Library

Research; cataloging; rare books; rare ephemera; creating access

Research Mentor: Mr. Daniel Pittman, He, Him, His
Department, College, Affiliation: FSU Honors, Scholars, and Fellows House, Education
Contact Email: dpittmanbhm@rose.net
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Brian Wilcoxon he, him, his
Faculty Collaborators Email: bwilcoxon@fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 3
Relevant Majors: Library Science, Information Science, History, English, Education, Computer Science
Project Location: The Jack Hadley Black History Museum, 214 Alexander Street, Thomasville, GA 31792
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10 hours per week, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday, September 5th, from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m.

Topic: FSU UROP Roundtable-JHBHM
Time: Sep 5, 2023 12:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9338491871

Meeting ID: 933 849 1871

Project Description

As a scholar of African American history and culture, Mrs. Perra Bell taught African American history at Towson State University for over twenty years. Before she passed away, she bequeathed her books, manuscripts, notes, and ephemera collection to the Jack Hadley Black History Museum (JHBHM). We aim to ensure it is available for research and enjoyment for years. We have made significant progress with organizing, cataloging, and digitizing her books. Thousands of pieces of her notes, manuscripts, and ephemera remain. Interns will organize, and analyze each piece for historical significance, digitize and store them in museum-quality containers.

Research Tasks: The Perra Bell Collection of books and ephemera contains at least 4,550 books. However, what makes the collection even more unique are Mrs. Bell's handwritten notes accompanying each book and most of her magazines. Also, there are four file cabinets full of her notes, manuscripts, and ephemera. We need to go through these and find out what each piece is and if it is of historical significance; organize them, scan them with a description into the museum's Past Perfect database, and then store them in museum-quality storage containers.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Excellent organization skills; Research skills; Good time-management skills; Attention to detail; Ability to manage projects and give presentations; Computer research skills; Ability to work independently without supervision.