UROP Project

Voter Mobilization; Grassroots Organizations; Voter Suppression; Excluded Voters
Research Mentor: Mr. JoVontae Butts, He/him
Department, College, Affiliation: Department of Sociology, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: jlbutts@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Friday, September 6 at 4pm

https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99047959808

Project Description

In the current climate of increasing voter suppression, political ambivalence, and alienation, it is more crucial than ever to develop and implement strategies that effectively engage and mobilize voters. Many individuals are being systematically excluded from democratic participation due to institutional barriers and targeted campaign strategies that focus primarily on likely voters, inadvertently leading to voter suppression. This issue has been exacerbated by the rise in suppressive voting laws following the Shelby County v. Holder decision, which removed key protections that once safeguarded against discriminatory practices in voting.

Given the complexities and demands of modern campaigns, which often prioritize efficiency over inclusivity, relying solely on political candidates and their campaigns to address these challenges poses a significant threat to the health of democracy. This project contends that grassroots organizations play a vital role in filling this gap, as they are uniquely positioned to reach and mobilize the most disengaged and elusive voters—those who are often overlooked by mainstream political strategies.

While much research has been conducted on voter mobilization strategies, there remains a significant gap in the literature specifically focused on how to effectively engage and mobilize these marginalized voting populations. This research aims to address this gap by conducting an ethnographic examination of grassroots organizations that work to enfranchise these voters.

This study will focus on a mid-size city in a republican ran state in the southeast united states, a location where voter suppression tactics are expected to be particularly aggressive during the 2024 election season, given its history and the current political landscape. The research will explore the strategies employed by grassroots organizations to overcome the barriers that hinder voter participation. It will seek to answer critical questions, including: How do organizers address the conditions that most likely prevent individuals from exercising their right to vote? How do they access and engage voting populations that are often disengaged? And how do canvassers help these individuals develop a civic identity?

Through participant observation and semi-structured interviews, this project will provide a nuanced understanding of the efforts and effectiveness of grassroots mobilization strategies in the post-Shelby County v. Holder era. By focusing on the lived experiences of both organizers and voters, this research will contribute valuable insights into how to ensure a more inclusive and participatory democratic process.

Research Tasks: Data analysis, theme coding, transcription, literature review.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended: citation management; transcription; critical reading and analysis; qualitative theme coding using Nvivo; familiarity with excel and microsoft word.

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy is centered around fostering a supportive, collaborative, and personalized environment for my research assistants. I believe that each mentee's professional and personal growth is best nurtured through a relationship built on mutual respect, open communication, and a shared commitment to excellence.

To help my research assistants achieve their goals, I make it a priority to understand their individual aspirations and tailor their experience accordingly. By encouraging them to set their own deadlines and providing gentle reinforcement, I aim to promote a sense of ownership and accountability in their work. I strive to create a down-to-earth yet professional atmosphere where they feel comfortable asking questions and seeking guidance, knowing that their development is my primary concern.

Ultimately, my goal is to empower my research assistants to become confident, self-directed professionals. By fostering independence and promoting their professional development, I hope to equip them with the skills and mindset necessary to succeed in their future endeavors.

Additional Information


Link to Publications


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water yield, machine learning, climate change, forested watershed
Research Mentor: fh23b@fsu.edu Fahad Hasan,
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida state university, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: fh23b@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

Introduction:
This project aims to evaluate the potential impacts of climate change on water yield in a forested watershed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Forested watersheds are critical for water resource management, and understanding how climate change could alter water availability is essential for future planning and adaptation.

Objectives:
1. Assess changes in water yield and streamflow under various climate scenarios.
2. Identify key climatic factors influencing water quantity.
3. Provide management recommendations for mitigating climate change impacts.
Study Area and Data Collection:
A representative forested watershed will be selected, with comprehensive data on topography, soil types, land use, vegetation, meteorology, and hydrology. Data sources will include local agencies, global climate datasets (e.g., CHIRPS, ERA5), and remote sensing data (e.g., MODIS).

Methodology:
SWAT Model Setup: Configure the SWAT model using collected data, delineating Hydrological Response Units (HRUs).
Calibration and Validation: Calibrate and validate the model using historical streamflow data.
Climate Scenario Development: Use future climate projections from GCMs and RCMs, applying bias correction techniques.
Simulation: Run the model under baseline and future scenarios to simulate changes in water yield.
Analysis: Compare baseline and future water yields, analyzing trends and variability.
Expected Outcomes:
The study will provide insights into how climate change might impact water resources in forested watersheds, offering recommendations for effective watershed management under future climate conditions.

Reporting:
Results will be documented in a concise report, including methodology, findings, and management recommendations, serving as a guide for policymakers and water resource managers.

Research Tasks: Mostly literature review and data collection. Model setup and configuration, if interested.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: 1. Required critical thinking.
2. Data analysis proficiency recommended but not required
3. Familarity with water modeling softwares recommended but not required.

Mentoring Philosophy

As a mentor, my primary goal is to foster an interactive and supportive environment where learning thrives. I believe that true learning occurs not just through instruction, but through active engagement and collaboration. By creating an interactive environment, I encourage mentees to explore ideas, ask questions, and challenge themselves to think critically. I see mentoring as a dynamic process where both mentor and mentee learn from each other, growing together in knowledge and understanding.

Central to my mentoring philosophy is the belief that failure is a crucial component of learning. I strive to create a safe environment where mentees feel empowered to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them without fear of judgment. In this space, mistakes are not seen as setbacks, but as valuable learning opportunities that drive personal and professional growth. My role is to provide the guidance and support necessary to help mentees navigate these experiences, building their confidence and resilience along the way.

By combining an interactive approach with a supportive, non-judgmental environment, I aim to help my mentees develop not only the skills and knowledge they need to succeed but also the confidence to face challenges with a positive and growth-oriented mindset. My ultimate goal as a mentor is to equip my mentees with the tools they need to become independent thinkers, capable of navigating their own paths and contributing meaningfully to their fields.





Additional Information


Link to Publications

https://www.mdpi.com/2856174
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Suicide, Scale Development
Research Mentor: Marie Campione ,
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology , Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: campione@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: 1
Relevant Majors: Psychology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Wednesday, September 4th from 4:00PM-4:30PM: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/98708227418
Thursday, September 5th from 3:00PM-3:30PM: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/96920728601

Project Description

Psychological pre-death (PPD) is comprised of the experience of feeling dead despite being physically alive, a loss of subjective contingency, and psychological pain on account of the former two points. As PPD is a new construct, we are in the process of creating and validating a scale with which to measure PPD. Part of the validation process is testing whether and how our PPD measure predicts acute risk factors for death by suicide (e.g., social withdrawal, significant weight loss, severe affective states) and correlates of suicide risk (e.g., suicide capability, fearlessness about death, self-dehumanization), which is what we aim to do for this project.

Research Tasks: Tasks will vary depending on the research assistant's interests. Examples of tasks are literature reviews, assisting with data analysis and visualization (e.g., making graphs and tables), conducting suicide risk assessments on participants, and creating research surveys.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended: Academic writing, statistics knowledge, SPSS, R, Excel, Qualtrics, APA style conventions

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy is centered around what I believe to be the ideal mentor-mentee relationship: mutually beneficial. You are choosing to do UROP for a reason; perhaps you are interested in pursuing graduate education or a career in research. Similarly, I am choosing to seek a UROP mentee for a reason; for assistance with my research. The tasks you will be asked to do will vary; your interests, goals, and growth are very important to me and will inform the work you will be asked to complete. Though I will absolutely be available to provide necessary training and to answer questions that may arise, you are an intelligent and competent individual and I believe it is important that you reach a point where you can complete assigned tasks without my guidance. My goal is to help prepare you for your future endeavors and provide you with skills, experiences, and training that will make you a more competitive applicant for any future graduate programs and/or jobs, and also more successful in whatever route you take.

Additional Information


Link to Publications


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meteorology, environment, atmosphere, air quality
Research Mentor: Dr. Christopher Holmes, he/him
Department, College, Affiliation: Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: cdholmes@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: Meteorology, Environmental Science, Engineering
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

My group builds 3-D atmospheric models and uses observations to understand the changing atmosphere and Earth. Our research studies air pollution, greenhouse gases, and their interactions with weather, climate, and the biosphere. I have several projects that a student could contribute to, depending on their interests and level of interest in computer programming. The description here is for just one of those projects, but please contact me if other areas of my group's research interest you. Prescribed fires are widely used in the eastern United States to reduce wildfire risk, manage habitats and ecosystems, and clear agricultural land, among other purposes. This project will use satellite data to examine where fires have burned over the last decade and for what purposes. We will take advantage of several new satellites that were launched over the last 10 years and improved our ability to detect and study fires from space. Research questions include the following: What fraction of fires are detected from these satellites? What are the types and purposes of those fires? Have the amount and types of fires changed over the last 10 years?

Research Tasks: The UROP student will plot and statistically analyze the fire detections in a satellite dataset that we will provide. The dataset classifies the types of fires (e.g. crop, wildland) and their locations. The student will create maps of these fires for each year, classified by fire type and look for patterns visually and using statistical methods. We typically use Python for data analysis and data visualization.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Some experience in programming (e.g. Python, Matlab, GIS) or statistical methods (e.g. t-tests for comparison of means, ANOVA) is required.

Mentoring Philosophy

This is a great project for developing skills to synthesize information and draw real-world conclusions from numerical data analysis, statistics, data visualization, and government records. The student involved in this project will work semi-independently with frequent guidance and support from the mentor and other group members.

Additional Information

I am available for individual meetings with students interested in working with me and my group. Please contact me by email.

Link to Publications

https://acgc.eoas.fsu.edu
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zoology
Research Mentor: Dr. Kimberly Hughes, she
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Science, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: kahughes@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: Biological Science, Scientific Computing
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

We are interested in why organisms are so genetically diverse. We examine this question using one of the best-studied species for understanding the maintenance of genetic diversity, the Trinidad guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Individual guppies vary greatly in many traits, but one of the most obvious is male body color. In previous research, we found that males with rare or novel color patterns are favored by natural selection, a process that tends to maintain high genetic variation. As the result of a long-term experiment, we have a large collection of digital images of guppy coloration. UROP students will have the opportunity to assist in digitizing those images and, ultimately, analyzing that data to rigorously test the hypothesis that selection favoring rare color patterns is responsible for maintaining high genetic diversity in this species.

Research Tasks: data collections (digitize images of fish coloration)
data analysis (use computational tools to analyze animal color data)


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: familiarity with personal computers
ability to focus on small details for long periods
good hand-eye coordination

Mentoring Philosophy

My philosophy for mentoring undergraduate research students is that each student is unique in the interests and talents they bring. I therefore like to to begin student's project by focusing on a single discrete skill. Once that skill is mastered, we will add new skill, thereby sequentially building the students' confidence and competence. Our research is very "basic" (that is, it does not have immediate, direct applications to biomedicine, agriculture, or veterinary medicine). The skills students will learn should be transferable to wide range of career goals, however. This project will *not* involve work with live animals. so student's will need to be happy to work on a computational project that relates to animal biology and evolution, but without hands-on exposure to the animals themselves.

Additional Information


Link to Publications

https://www.bio.fsu.edu/kahughes/research.html
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renewable energy; mechatronics; energy harvesting; underwater vehicles
Research Mentor: Dr. Camilo Ordonez,
Department, College, Affiliation: Mechanical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: cordonez@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Alexander Cairns he/him
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: acairns@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Juan Ordonez
Faculty Collaborators Email: jordonez@fsu.edu
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Any engineering major, math, physics, or computer science
Project Location: The Center for Advanced Power Systems 2000 Levy Avenue
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Wednesday, September 4 from 12:30-1:00 PM: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/95009223551
Thursday, September 5 from 2:30-3:00 PM: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/95997948830
Friday, September 6 from 1:00-1:30 PM : https://fsu.zoom.us/j/96868105094

Project Description

This project seeks to experimentally characterize thermoelectric generators to be used as part of underwater submersibles employed to generate electricity using ocean temperature changes. This technology has the potential to enhance endurance of underwater vehicles and support energy resources in diverse applications such as aquaculture.

Research Tasks: - Experimental validation of commercially available thermoelectric generators.
- Data analysis of collected data ( temperature, voltage, current, power)
- Summarize results in a technical document


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Excel - recommended but can be learned during the project
CAD - recommended but can be learned during the project

Mentoring Philosophy

We meet with the student to identify his/her interests and skills to better formulate project goals that are properly aligned. Additionally, we look for topics or skills that the student wants to develop as part of the research experience. Once these areas of potential growth are identified, we make sure that they become integral parts of the project. Mentors work closely with the student to provide a rewarding research experience.

Additional Information


Link to Publications

http://esc.fsu.edu/homePage.html; https://www.caps.fsu.edu/; https://www.ciscor.org/
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atmospheric sciences, meteorology, medicane
Research Mentor: cd21q@fsu.edu Cansu Duzgun, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: cd21q@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: Students majoring in Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Scientific Computing, and related STEM disciplines.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday -- canceled
Wednesday, Sept. 4 from 2:30-3:00 PM (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92656644475)
Thursday -- canceled
Friday, Sept. 6 from 2:30-3:00 PM (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/91550490845)

Project Description

The Mediterranean basin is recognized as a climate change hotspot, where intense cyclones occur. The frequency of these cyclones is expected to increase in a warming climate. These cyclones share characteristics with both tropical cyclones (TCs, like hurricanes) and extratropical cyclones (ECs), leading to their classification as 'hybrid' or 'subtropical' cyclones, which are receiving increasing attention in the literature. Mediterranean tropical-like cyclones (TLCs), commonly known as medicanes, fall into this category: 1) they develop in environments similar to ECs, and 2) their mature stages resemble TCs. Medicanes have a calm central 'eye' surrounded by strong winds and rainbands extending from the center to the outer areas. Although generally smaller and weaker than TCs, their unique hybrid nature and significance in a changing climate make them significant.

The selected student will conduct research aimed at supporting statistical analysis and/or case comparisons. Depending on their interests and skillsets, students can explore climatological data or investigate the environmental conditions that lead to the formation of medicanes. For example, it is important to understanding the role of humidity before cyclone formation to reveal how evaporation modifies the low-level humidity and seek to identify relevant differences in selected cases.

Research Tasks: The student will review literature, and work with existing reanalysis data using coding scripts. Guidance will be provided to the student for an effective literature search and to learn more about medicanes.


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: A coding background in Python is recommended, but it is not a requirement.

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy is based on open communication. After giving their best effort, every researcher inevitably faces challenges. It is essential to prevent situations that could de-motivate the mentee because of a failure on a task, or vice-versa leading to overworking. It’s not just the progress of the project that matters, but the student’s effort and curiosity in the research. Regular weekly or biweekly meetings will allow me to guide the research and respond to the student’s needs and questions effectively.

Additional Information


Link to Publications


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Intonation patterns, language contact, sociolinguistic factors, border regions, Uruguay, Brazil
Research Mentor: rf20cw@my.fsu.edu Raquel Ferreira, She/Her/Hers
Department, College, Affiliation: Modern Languages and Linguistics, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: rf20cw@my.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours a week,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project investigates the intonation patterns of Spanish spoken in border regions where language contact is prevalent, particularly in two towns on the Uruguayan border: Bella Unión and Rivera. It aims to analyze the phonetic and phonological characteristics of both languages as spoken by individuals in these regions. The study focuses on the sociolinguistic factors that influence linguistic variation, with a particular emphasis on the intonation of yes/no questions, and declarative sentences. By examining the unique intonation patterns in these bilingual communities, the research seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of how language contact and bilingualism shape regional Uruguayan Spanish. The project also explores how the interaction between Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese in these border areas leads to specific phonetic and phonological features. Through this analysis, the research will provide insights into the broader implications of language contact on linguistic variation, offering valuable perspectives on the evolution and adaptation of intonation patterns in bilingual environments.

Research Tasks: Data collection and data analysis

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Knowledge of Spanish

Mentoring Philosophy

I believe mentoring is founded on mutual respect, trust, and a shared commitment. My approach is collaborative, centered on creating a space where the students who work with me feel heard and supported. I understand that education extends beyond the classroom; it's an opportunity to develop essential life skills while pursuing academic goals.
I encourage students to step out of their comfort zones, helping them build resilience and a growth mindset. I expect the students who work with me to take charge of their goals, be proactive, and remain open to feedback.
For me, success means seeing these students make progress toward their personal and professional goals while building trusting relationships. Therefore, my goal is to inspire them to become confident, independent thinkers who are equipped to contribute significantly to their chosen fields.

Additional Information

Regarding the time frame for working, it is going to be a combination of remote and in-person. I will have in-person meetings for instructions and to go over their work, but they can do the actual work remotely.

Link to Publications


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Diabetes, VWF Polymer, Lattice-Boltzmann, Langevin Dynamics, Implicit Solvent Intermolecular potential
Research Mentor: Prof. Leo Liu,
Department, College, Affiliation: Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: zl22d@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Mr. Connor Willis
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: lwillis2@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Engineering, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, Math, Computational Science or any other relevant major
Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Research Assistant Transportation Required: there is public transportation, via FSU shuttle to innovation park
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/98633126808

Project Description

Introduction: The number of people with diabetes in the world is expected to increase to 693 million people by 2045[1]. Furthermore, patients with diabetes are susceptible to hyperglycemia, meaning an increase in blood glucose levels. We have experimental evidence suggesting that an increase of sugar molecules increases the shear threshold for shear-induced unfolding of von Willebrand factor (vWF) glycoprotein. The vWF biomolecule is a glycoprotein responsible for platelet adhesion, coagulation, and blood clotting and its deficiency, dysfunction, or disruption can lead to various bleeding disorders[2]. Additionally, under normal conditions, after a certain shear threshold, vWF’s various binding sites that cause platelet adhesion and clotting are exposed by shear-induced unfolding. Hence, any disruption in the tolerance to vWF elongation is detrimental to normal blood-clotting and hemostasis.
Motivation: Because vWF is a multimer, it can be approximated as a polymer in molecular models for use in simulations. Currently, vWF intermolecular interactions are modeled using a Lennard-Jones 12-6 (LJ) intermolecular potential[3]. However, the current model does not include explicit solvent-particle intermolecular interactions. Instead, solvent interactions are included via particle translation resistance and thermal fluctuations, both of which depend on solvent (blood) viscosity. However, the presence of sugar in the simulation affects both the viscosity and solvent-induced molecular effects (like hydrophobicity). Hence, to more accurately model vWF-glucose interactions in the hyperglycemic blood, an intermolecular potential that can better capture the intermolecular interactions, implicitly, is needed. Moreover, having a physics-based model that separates these two effects, viscosity and molecular interactions would be predictive of this effect and potentially lead to better patient outcomes.
Plan: Using an in-house Lattice-Boltzmann coupled Langevin-dynamics (LB-LD) code[3], vWF glycoprotein will be simulated in blood flow under a range of glucose concentrations to gain insight into mechanisms leading to observed experiments. Instead of explicitly modeling the glucose molecules, an implicit solvent potential, based on multibody interactions will be used. The goal is to address the hypothesis that elevated glucose levels cause the vWF shear-induced unfolding threshold to elevate because of unfavorable intermolecular interactions. Additionally, while testing the hypothesis, deeper insight into the mechanisms causing the behavior will be gained.
The hypothesis will be tested using the following objectives:
Objective 1: Incorporate the new potential into the LB-LD framework.
Objective 2: Verify it was incorporated correctly against previous zero-to-low glucose concentration simulations.
Objective 3: Validate against experimental observations, gain deeper in-silico insight into mechanisms causing stymied shear-induced vWF unfolding, and eventually support or offer an alternative hypothesis.
[1] A. S. Alsharidah, “Diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy: a review of the literature on hemostatic changes in coagulation and thrombosis,” Blood Res, vol. 57, no. 2, pp. 101–105, Jun. 2022, doi: 10.5045/br.2022.2021204.
[2] G. A. Cortes, M. J. Moore, and S. El-Nakeep, “Physiology, Von Willebrand Factor,” in StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 2024. Accessed: Aug. 18, 2024. [Online]. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559062/
[3] Z. Liu, Y. Zhu, J. R. Clausen, J. B. Lechman, R. R. Rao, and C. K. Aidun, “Multiscale method based on coupled lattice‐Boltzmann and Langevin‐dynamics for direct simulation of nanoscale particle/polymer suspensions in complex flows,” Int J Numer Meth Fluids, vol. 91, no. 5, pp. 228–246, Oct. 2019, doi: 10.1002/fld.4752.



Research Tasks: Literature Review, Simulation Submissions on RCC Cluster, Data Collection, Data Analysis, Scientific Writing, and Presentation

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Willingness to learn, Computer competency, Basic understanding of classical mechanics
Recommended: Prior coding knowledge, Basic knowledge of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics

Mentoring Philosophy

When mentoring students, the philosophy used emphasizes independence and critical thinking by assigning independent tasks and having frequent meetings to offer clear guidance and boundaries. By allowing independence, the mentee can explore their own creativity and perseverance while also developing strong problem solving and applicable hard skills. Additionally, because it is critical the students can work in interdisciplinary teams, the mentees will be required to communicate significant findings by writing technically, constructing posters, and leading presentations. The philosophy’s goal is to develop a well-rounded researcher who is independent, able to think critically and creatively, can rigorously apply the scientific method to computational science, and can clearly communicate their work.

Additional Information

Int J Numer Meth Fluids, vol. 91, no. 5, pp. 228–246, Oct. 2019, doi: 10.1002/fld.4752

Research Roundtable Meeting 9/3/24-9/6/24 13:00-13:30 link below, join to learn more:

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ODYzNWM4OWMtYzRjNi00MTZjLTljN2UtNjU3MGQwY2ZkMDg4%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22a36450eb-db06-42a7-8d1b-026719f701e3%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f85e9a81-ee16-40e7-8989-1796f83c7fb2%22%7d

Link to Publications

https://sites.google.com/view/gtleo
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breastfeeding, apparel design
Research Mentor: Dr. Jessica Ridgway,
Department, College, Affiliation: Retail Entrepreneurship, Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
Contact Email: jridgway@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: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hrs,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

The goal of this project is to conduct interviews with NICU moms, nurses, and lactation consultants to generate data to inform apparel design decisions for breastfeeding and kangaroo care garments to be used within NICU environments.

Research Tasks: Conducting interviews, coding data, data transcription, prototype creation

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: interview/ interpersonal skills, organization
Recommended: sewing, patternmaking

Mentoring Philosophy

As a mentor I encourage students to join in the fun of conducting research. Allowing students to create their own path and explore their own ideas while participating in a larger research project. I always encourage students to think about how involvement in research might benefit their long term career goals.

Additional Information


Link to Publications

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