Structures of Government Matter: Investigating Their Influence on Racial Disparities through the Lens of Governmental Responsiveness

Social Equity, Racial Disparities, local governments, and forms of government

Research Mentor: Ms Jing Peng, Jing
Department, College, Affiliation: Askew School of Public Administration and Policy , Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: jpeng@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: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8 hours a week , Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday, September 5, from 5:00-5:30 pm, Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99445641859

Project Description

This research project aims to construct a comprehensive database documenting the diverse forms of local government across the United States. The initial phase involves meticulously scouring official government websites to obtain the requisite information. In cases where online data is unavailable, alternative methods such as surveys or direct communication with government officials will be employed to ensure the acquisition of the most up-to-date information.

Furthermore, this project will make a valuable contribution to the field of governmental responsiveness by investigating its moderating impact on the relationship between various forms of government and various social equity outcomes.




Research Tasks: 1. Data Collection: This project involves research assistants conducting searches on the official websites of local governments to gather information regarding the various forms of government nationwide.
2. Literature review: For those research assistants interested in further exploration of this project, it is encouraged to conduct a literature review focusing on the intersection of social equity and various forms of government.



Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
(1) Data Collection: Proficiency in data collection methods, such as web scraping, survey and data entry, may be necessary depending on the nature of the research project.
(2) Microsoft Excel: Excel is often used for data entry, basic data analysis, and creating graphs or charts. Proficiency in Excel is a valuable skill.
(3) Communication: Effective communication skills, including the ability to collaborate with the research team, communicate findings, and potentially present research results, are important.

Recommended:
(1) Academic Writing: Strong academic writing skills are essential for literature reviews, research reports, and scholarly publications.
(2) Data Management: Skills in data management, including data cleaning, organization, and storage, are important to maintaining data integrity.
(3) Statistical Analysis: Depending on the project, familiarity with statistical software such as R, or other languages may be required for data analysis.
(4) Critical Thinking: The ability to critically evaluate research questions and data for relevance and quality is crucial for literature reviews.

Exploring Sustainable Food Choices Advertising on Social Media: A Content Analysis of the Food Industry's Promotional Practices on Instagram

Sustainable Food, Social Media, Food advertising, Content analysis

Research Mentor: Ms Sun Young Park,
Department, College, Affiliation: Communcation, Communication and Information
Contact Email: sp22bb@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr Jaejin Lee
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: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Thursday, September 7, 1-2 pm, https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6321719535
Friday, September 8, 9-11 am, https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6321719535

Project Description

Significant interest has been expressed in sustainable food choices, which have become popular and challenge the role of the food industries. This study examines how the food industry uses advertising on social media to influence consumers to adopt sustainable food choices.

Research Tasks: Coding

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended to have coding skills for content analysis

Social Classes and Inequality: Origins, Realities, and Implications

social inequality; textbook; social problems

Research Mentor: Dr. Davis Katrinell M. Davis, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Sociology and African American Studies, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: kmdavis3@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: Five hours per week., Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

Work will contribute to a textbook that is concerned with how social inequalities are created, maintained, and confronted in modern US society. This textbook project will offer content that engages students' interests with information that extends beyond the demographic profiles offered in most social inequality textbooks.

A good percentage of leading textbooks are readers that are more suitable for graduate students than undergraduate students, based on the level of reading material difficulty. In many cases, these well-received textbooks lack discussion of foundational terms, conditions, and institutional circumstances that create and maintain the social inequalities engaged throughout the text. This project is designed to assist instructors’ capacity to meet learning goals in lower and intermediate level courses.

My textbook project’s unique contribution involves an attempt to compliment the macrolevel focus in conventional social inequality textbooks with attention to the local and state-level decision-making that help shape and maintain unequal conditions between social groups. This textbook will also enable students to learn about conditions across various social groups that we oftentimes ignore (e.g., people with special needs, the elderly, and residents in poor communities).


Research Tasks: Students will conduct literature reviews on different topics pertaining to social inequality.
Students will write summaries of key literature on a sub-field.
Students will write essay and multiple choice questions for assigned readings.
Students will help create target concept questions and exercises for assigned readings.
Students will collect demographic data and news stories about one or two social groups/or problems.
Students will look for community and advocacy groups, at the national level, working to address the inequalities examined.


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Data entry, MS Excel

Two projects: Uncontrollability of Thought, Thought Content, and Perceived Control; A meta-analysis of suicide-specific standardized mortality rates in individuals with lifetime Anorexia Nervosa

suicide, mental health, self-harm, self-injury, clinical psychology

Research Mentor: Ms (or address me by my first name) Nikhila Udupa, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology Department, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: udupa@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: Preference for Psychology and related social science majors, but open to all majors.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 6-9, 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

First project: Uncontrollability of Thought, Thought Content, and Perceived Control - The overall aim of the project is to refine and validate new assessments of uncontrollability of suicidal thought, including examining relationships among these and other related psychological constructs (suicidal ideation itself, self-harm, disordered eating, depression, etc.). Additionally, the project will examine relationships between perceived uncontrollability of different types of thought (including suicidal), behaviors, and external conditions. Finally, this project will examine the relationships between these constructs and the frequency and intensity of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Second project: A meta-analysis of suicide-specific standardized mortality rates in individuals with lifetime Anorexia Nervosa - The aim of this project is to conduct a systematic review of previous longitudinal studies of suicide risk in populations with Anorexia Nervosa, and to extract and synthesize data from these previous studies.

Research Tasks: General:
- Attend a one-hour weekly informational and training meeting with other research assistants.
- Minor tasks (e.g., data entry, literature search, assistance with creating tables, etc. for manuscript preparations).

First project: Uncontrollability of Thought, Thought Content, and Perceived Control
- Assist with IRB modifications.
- Organize and clean data.
- Data analysis and presentation, if interested.

Second project: A meta-analysis of suicide-specific standardized mortality rates in individuals with lifetime Anorexia Nervosa
- Read and screen research papers for eligibility.
- Extract relevant data from research articles.
- Organize data.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: - CITI certification required (if not already completed, this will need to be completed prior to beginning other study tasks).
- Completion of a Research Methods course is recommended.

Behavioral economics of political discussion

behavioral economics, political discussion, language, communication, text analysis

Research Mentor: Marli Dunietz,
Department, College, Affiliation: Political science, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: mdunietz@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Valeria Burdea
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors, but economics, political science, policy, communication, linguistics, or computer science students may be particularly interested
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-8, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Weds, Sept 6 at 2pm
Friday, Sept 8 at 2pm
https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99868025318

To download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system:
https://fsu.zoom.us/meeting/tJ0lceGorD4pG9x_NRYChGxMJhrK_LdKUKBQ/ics?icsToken=98tyKuChpj0iGtaQsxiPRox5Go_oWfTzpiVejfpFozHXOgNbRRvbHOpQGY1TFPPl

Project Description

When citizens discuss their views on public policy with one another, they may not always be forthcoming about what they really think. Their willingness to speak up sincerely can depend on whether they believe others will agree, and how they believe others will react (that is, will they be rewarded, punished, or neither?) At the same time, citizens tuning into the public conversation may try to "correct" for these distortions (e.g., do the speakers believe exactly what they said or are they just trying to say the right thing? Does someone who didn't participate have no opinion, or are they hiding an unpopular opinion?) Mistakes can happen on both sides, leading to falsely believing that people are much more divided than they truly are, or that people agree much more than they truly do.

This project applies the tools of behavioral and experimental economics to investigate how social norms and social incentives influence what opinions people share, how other people interpret what they hear, and what we can do to help citizens learn about public opinion more accurately. The research assistant(s) will join an ongoing project in which ordinary citizens from around the US discuss public policy proposals and try to learn where others stand. In particular, we will explore the costs and benefits of encouraging highly personal styles of communication and more impersonal language, and how this affects perceptions of extremity and polarization.

Research Tasks: The research assistant(s) will assist in compiling a literature review and analyzing data from group discussion experiments (text and/or quantitative). The data analysis portion of the research will involve reading the written communication between study participants, noting patterns, and coding the text data as quantitative data that will then be analyzed using statistical methods. Given interest and motivation, the research assistant(s) may also receive guidance and feedback to design and run an original experiment or analysis to answer a new question that arises in the course of research.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
- native/fluent English language
- data entry skills
- curiosity
- courage to ask questions and make mistakes

Recommended:
- familiarity with social science research methods

Ideal but not necessary:
- human subjects research ethics training (CITI certification)
- familiarity with coding in R and/or Python
- familiarity with text-as-data/natural language processing (NLP) methods

Understanding the basic creep behavior of 3D printed concrete (3DPC)

Basic Creep; 3DCP; Nanoindentation; XRF, SEM

Research Mentor: Mr. Mohammadhossein Kosarimovahhed,
Department, College, Affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: mk21@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Qian Zhang Dr./ Ms.
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: qzhang@eng.famu.fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators: Prof. Sungmoon Jung Dr./Mr.
Faculty Collaborators Email: sjung@eng.famu.fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Innovation FSU bus
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 5 through 7 from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93255828152)

Project Description

3D concrete printing, a form of additive concrete manufacturing, has been garnering attention in construction research, largely due to its advantages over conventional building methods. As its adoption in the construction industry grows, understanding the material's creep behavior becomes increasingly paramount. This project delves into the basic creep behavior of 3D printed concrete via a comprehensive multiscale experimental program. For short-term creep behavior analysis, macroscopic compressive creep tests are executed on both printed and cast samples. For insights into long-term behavior as well as micromechanical property, nanoindentation tests are employed. To provide context and interpret the creep response across different material phases, scanning electron microscope (SEM) imagery and X-ray fluorescence (XRF)-based chemical composition analysis are leveraged, ensuring a holistic understanding of the creep behavior in 3D printed concrete.

Research Tasks: For the successful completion of this research, the following tasks need to be undertaken:
Concrete Mixing: Formulate and mix concrete specifically tailored for 3D printing applications.
3D Printing: Use the mixed concrete to print walls per research specifications.
Sample Preparation: This involves cutting and coring the printed samples to acquire appropriate samples for testing.
Instrumentation: Equip the samples with the necessary instruments for the designated tests and Install strain sensors on the samples to record and analyze deformation under stress.
Nanoindentation Preparation: Ready the samples for nanoindentation tests, ensuring they are of the correct size and surface finish.
Microstructure Analysis Preparation: Set up samples for detailed microstructure analysis to understand the material's composition and behavior on a microscopic level.
Each task is crucial in understanding the properties and behavior of 3D printed concrete and will ensure a comprehensive study of the material.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Construction Experience (recommended): Familiarity with construction tasks, materials, and best practices is highly recommended. This experience ensures that the assistant can handle hands-on tasks, understand the intricacies of the materials being used, and foresee potential challenges.

3D Printing Knowledge (recommended): A foundational understanding of 3D printing techniques, materials, and machinery. While in-depth expertise might not be necessary, a basic grasp ensures the assistant can effectively contribute to the 3D printing aspects of the research.

In addition to these skills, attributes like attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and collaborative teamwork will be beneficial for any research assistant in this role.

Coral Geochemistry Research Asistantship

geochemistry, oceanography, paleoclimatology

Research Mentor: Miss Neda Mobasher, she/her/hers
Department, College, Affiliation: Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: nam22e@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Dr. Alyssa Atwood
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: aatwood@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: biology, chemistry, environmental science, geology, environmental studies
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
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 student will assist graduate research assistants in studying how the tropical Pacific Ocean has been changing from pre-anthropogenic to modern times using the geochemistry of coral skeletons as a natural archive of ocean temperature and hydrology. The student will work in a laboratory setting collecting and analyzing geochemical data in the skeletons of fossil corals.


Research Tasks: Tasks may include literature and data review, drilling and imaging coral samples, using various analytical instrumentations, microscope work, and assisting graduate students in a variety of tasks.



Skills that research assistant(s) may need: research assistants are required to have strong written and oral communications skills. It is recommended that research assistants are organized, highly attentive to detail, and timely. I see mentoring as a web, where everyone is entitled to and encouraged to have multiple mentors that will fit various needs. As a mentor, I seek to aid a mentee in their development as a researcher and individual to display their progress in a positive light and will aid the student in their future aspirations and ambitions towards pursuing their individual goals. I will discuss information with the mentee in an honest and direct manner and encourage my mentee to not only recognize the big picture.

The Effects of Caffeine on Motor Performance in Parkinson's Disease

Caffeine, Neurodegenerative Disease, Parkinson's Disease

Research Mentor: Ms. Caroline Menton, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University College of Medicine, Medicine
Contact Email: cbm20bv@med.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: Neuroscience, biology, chemistry, pre-med, IMS
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: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

The purpose of this study is to acquire data on the gross and fine motor function of patients with Parkinson’s Disease when they are at peak dose of primary therapy and compare this with data collected at peak dose with a caffeine adjuvant of ~3mg/kg. The treatment standard for PD is dopamine replacement therapy (e.g. levodopa) to improve quality of life and reduce falls risk. Over time, patients may require increasing dose and frequency of levodopa therapy, which can precipitate side effects (e.g. dyskinesia) and hasten the rate of disease progression. To prevent this, researchers have been investigating adjuvants and supplements that can improve peak performance on levodopa. While the neuroprotective effects of caffeine are well established in the literature, the acute effects of caffeine on motor performance have not been sufficiently evaluated. In this study, we will examine the acute effects of caffeine as an adjuvant therapy during peak dose of primary therapy in Parkinson’s patients. Detailed analysis of the physical effects of caffeine is necessary to determine what, if any, role caffeine can play in the treatment and management of PD. This study is a double-blinded crossover study using randomized placebo-intervention to assess the effect of caffeine on motor performance.

Research Tasks: Literature review, Data Analysis, write-up

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommend - statistics

Reconstructing central tropical Pacific climate variability over the Last Millennium

Fossil Coral Paleoclimate ENSO Isotopes

Research Mentor: Ms. Taylor Conklin, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: tac22f@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Dr. Alyssa Atwood She/Her
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: aatwood@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Chemistry, Geology, Environmental Science, Physics
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
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

My project focuses on reconstructing central tropical Pacific climate records over the last millennium with the use of Porites coral fossils from Kiritimati Island. Stable isotope measurements of coral powders from these samples can tell us valuable information about past climate conditions, such as sea surface temperature and precipitation patterns. Through analyzing various stable isotope measurements, such as d18O, Sr/Ca, and Sr-U, we can develop a robust reconstruction of climate conditions in the central tropical Pacific over the last 1,000 years. Through this reconstruction, we are hoping to gain a better idea of how both the El Niño - Southern Oscillation (or ENSO) and background climate varied throughout this time period.

Research Tasks: Data collection and analysis, organization of fossil corals, acid washing & prep, geochemical instrument use (table saw, drill, ultrasonic bath, etc.)

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: a good attitude and willingness to learn!
Recommended: chemistry/acid handling and/or geology lab background

Leveraging Simulation-Based Rehearsal Opportunities for the Development of Leadership Competences

simulations, simulated learning, educational technology, educational leadership, principal, principal preparation

Research Mentor: Dr. Daniel Moraguez, He/Him/His
Department, College, Affiliation: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies , Education
Contact Email: dm22w@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Ms. Seunghee Park She/Her/Hers
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: sp22a@fsu.edu
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: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: 9/5 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM; Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/9857878982
9/7 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM; Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/9857878982

Project Description

Although common in other fields and growing in teacher education, the use of simulations in educational leadership is just emerging. The mentor has experience establishing a simulated learning program, for both student learning and research. This initiative will be a first step in a broader effort to create and embed a focused simulation practicum with various types of simulations as a complement to current pedagogies. Ultimately, this simulation practicum will provide research opportunities, novel understandings of the affordances of simulations in educational leadership, and contribute to the development of aspiring school leaders’ competences.

Numerous courses in the educational administration program currently use SchoolSims simulations. These simulations are digital, click-driven interfaces that use video and audio to present the scenario. SchoolSims provides students with an asynchronous experience in which they choose among a set of predetermined options and then learn the outcomes of their decisions. Students often referred to these simulations as “choose your own adventure.” Via SchoolSims, we currently have access to over 30 scenarios to engage students in simulated learning. The scenarios, however, are aligned with the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) and do not address the specific needs of Florida students or our aspiring leaders.

BranchTrack software allows us to create content and scenarios in alignment with Florida’s leadership standards and our unique, ethnically and linguistically diverse, local contexts. Research mentor and mentee will create BranchTrack scenarios with input from faculty, program graduates, and community members. The suite of new scenarios will be used to collect data for a new study, and simultaneously address existing gaps in our simulation program. Further, the simulations will be embedded in EDA courses to facilitate engagement by all students enrolled in the Master’s and Specialist degree programs.



Research Tasks: literature review, content development, simulation creation, simulation testing, research design, data collection and analysis

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Strong writing skills recommended