UROP Project | Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement

racism, history, communities, systematic prejudice

Research Mentor: Jack M. Mills,
Department, College, Affiliation: Criminology and Criminal Justice, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Contact Email: jmills4@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project is focused on enhancing our understanding of Sundown Towns in America. Put briefly, sundown towns were communities that systematically, explicitly, and violently refused marginalized communities (most prominently Black communities) from living or even interacting within the community. This project will continue on data collection for a growing database that will be used as part of a dissertation project. Students will explore the histories of these towns following open-coding methods that will be discussed at the onset of the project.

Research Tasks: Data collection

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended: experience with Microsoft Excel, Word; experience with Google Sheets, Docs

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentor philosophy, at its core, is about building community. I believe that academic success is fostered by a sense of belonging and support. As such, my goal is to create a space where ideas can be freely exchanged and challenges can be met with collective problem-solving. I prioritize open communication, empathy, and mutual respect. I also emphasize the importance of professional and personal development, and I encourage mentees to actively engage and network in the broader academic community.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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AI, STEM, Measurement

Research Mentor: Hailey Kuang,
Department, College, Affiliation: Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: hkuang2@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: Target STEM students, with a particular focus on those studying Food Science.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 6,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: 9/6, Friday, 1-1:30 pm, https://fsu.zoom.us/my/haileyfsu

Project Description

This research project aims to explore and analyze the opinions, experiences, and perspectives of STEM students regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their learning and research activities. By focusing on students from various STEM disciplines, particularly those studying Food Science, the project seeks to gain insights into how AI is being integrated into their academic experiences, its perceived benefits, challenges, and the overall impact on their educational journey.

Research Tasks: Mainly literature review; Revise survey

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Ability to conduct comprehensive literature reviews, identify relevant studies, and synthesize findings; Strong analytical skills to evaluate data, identify trends, and draw meaningful conclusions.

Mentoring Philosophy

I believe in fostering an inclusive, equitable, and respectful mentoring environment where every individual’s voice is valued. My approach centers on understanding and embracing the diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of my mentees. I aim to empower each mentee by providing personalized guidance, promoting critical thinking, and encouraging self-advocacy. I believe in fostering an inclusive, equitable, and respectful mentoring environment where every individual’s voice is valued. My approach centers on understanding and embracing the diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of my mentees. I aim to empower each mentee by providing personalized guidance, promoting critical thinking, and encouraging self-advocacy.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://cehhs.fsu.edu/faculty-and-staff/dr-huan-hailey-kuang

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second language acquisition, language teaching, psycholinguistics

Research Mentor: raflemming@fsu.edu Rachel Flemming, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Modern Languages and Linguistics, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: raflemming@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

Spanish
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Linguistics
Psychology
Education
Statistics
Communication Science & Disorders
International Affairs
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 2-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project explores the effect of second language instruction methods on language acquisition outcomes. In particular, it compares the effects of input-based instruction (listening/reading) and output-based instruction (speaking/writing) on the acquisition of a particular grammar form in Spanish (direct object pronouns). Critically, the effectiveness of these methods will be assessed using four different tasks designed to get at changes in the mental representation of this grammatical form in the learner's cognitive system. A secondary research question is whether the learner's proficiency level at the time of treatment affects the outcomes of these instructional interventions. This project will help to inform second language instructional methods so that classroom-based learning can become more effective. This is a dissertation research project.

Research Tasks: - Materials development (final stages, piloting programs, checking for errors, etc.)
- Participant recruitment and scheduling
- Data collection in lab (collecting consent forms, running subjects treatment programs (language learning modules), data collection (automated programs or simple assessments, depending on abilities)
- Data cleaning and statistical analysis
- Updating literature review (post 2023)
- Proofreading publication drafts

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Communication (required)
Interpersonal skills (required)
General computer literacy (required)
Proofreading (required)
Spanish (recommended, but not necessary for most tasks)
Excel (recommended)

Mentoring Philosophy

The overarching objective of my mentorship philosophy is to foster curiosity and investment by inviting my mentees into my area of expertise and share the knowledge and skills I have been able to obtain. Where my experience and knowledge are limited, I encourage mentees to learn with me, helping them to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. I recognize that not all mentees will share my enthusiasm for linguistics, but I believe the skills mentees can gain from this type of work will be applicable to a broad range of research-intensive fields.
To help students develop these skills, I strive to identify their own research goals and to tailor their tasks to build competence and confidence in these areas. My role involves engaging them in critical thinking, prompting them to question assumptions and analyze research relevant to their field and beyond. It is also to help them learn how to plan out and implement large projects. I emphasize the importance of mastering goal-setting, communication, effective writing, editing, and basic statistical analysis. These skills are crucial across disciplines and can significantly enhance a mentee’s versatility and career prospects.
I enjoy sharing insights from my research experience and encouraging questions about the research process. My hope is that mentees perceive us as collaborators and feel assured of my investment in their research journey. By integrating communication, openness, and curiosity into my mentorship, I aim to empower mentees to develop their potential and find fulfillment in their professional pursuits.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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speciation, behavioral evolution, neurobiology, computational biology, modeling

Research Mentor: Dr. Alan Lemmon,
Department, College, Affiliation: Scientific Computing, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: alemmon@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Emily Lemmon
Faculty Collaborators Email: chorusfrog@bio.fsu.edu

Project Description

The student will join a collaboration to compare neural and behavioral phenotypes across divergent populations using neural circuit model written in MatLab.

Research Tasks: The work involves performing runs to optimize model parameters to fit phenotype data and using 3D visualization to uncover evolutionary trajectories in high-dimensional parameter space.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended but not required (just helpful): experience in programming any language.

Mentoring Philosophy

Additional Information

When new undergraduate researchers join my lab, I meet with them individually to determine their backgrounds, experiences, aspirations, and career goals. Then we begin to lay out their pathways to attain these career goals. We discuss the key steps along their paths—how to make the right moves—to become a strong candidate for these future positions. We discuss the timing needed for each step and create multi-year plans with goals for each semester of their undergraduate careers. When students join my group, I immediately engage them in our diverse ongoing research projects. These activities span multiple branches of biology and include fieldwork , behavioral experiments, genetics labwork, computational bioinformatics bootcamp, and neuroscience experiments. My goal is to expose our undergraduate researchers to multiple branches of biology through our lab’s current projects, so that they can gain direct experience with the possible directions they could pursue in their future scientific careers in biology.

Link to Publications

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speciation, genomics, behavioral evolution, neurobiology, statistical analysis

Research Mentor: Dr. Emily Lemmon,
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Science, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: chorusfrog@bio.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Alan Lemmon
Faculty Collaborators Email: alemmon@fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: "Open to all majors"
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday September 3rd from 7:00-7:30pm (zoom; https://fsu.zoom.us/j/96719535758)

Project Description

The student will join a collaboration to identify speciation genes using a newly assembled frog genome. We have been studying the chorus frog system for ~20 years to understand how reproductive behaviors (male acoustic signals and female preferences for these signals) diverge and evolve as new species form. We are just gaining insight into the genes that underlie these changes. The student will have the opportunity to join ongoing fieldwork to collect and phenotype frogs (record male calls in a controlled environment), as well as conduct statistical analysis to find genetic markers associated with variation in the phenotype.

Research Tasks: The student could participate in winter/early spring fieldwork on our frog study system, and/or record and analyze male acoustic signals, and/or perform a GWAS.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: interest and enthusiasm for scientific research; motivation to work hard and persevere through challenges; positive attitude; determination to learn; ability to work individually and as part of a team.
Recommended but not required (just helpful): experience in statistics and/or fieldwork.

Mentoring Philosophy

My approach toward mentoring is to welcome into my laboratory anyone with a passion for science, a willingness to work hard, and the ability to persevere. I have trained and mentored 76 undergraduates from all backgrounds during my 14 years as a faculty member in Biological Science at FSU. Most have gone onto professional programs—graduate, medical, or veterinary school—and to careers in academia, industry, and medicine.
When new undergraduate researchers join my lab, I meet with them individually to determine their backgrounds, experiences, aspirations, and career goals. Then we begin to lay out their pathways to attain these career goals. We discuss the key steps along their paths—how to make the right moves—to become a strong candidate for these future positions. We discuss the timing needed for each step and create multi-year plans with goals for each semester of their undergraduate careers. When students join my group, I immediately engage them in our diverse ongoing research projects. These activities span multiple branches of biology and include fieldwork , behavioral experiments, genetics labwork, computational bioinformatics bootcamp, and neuroscience experiments. My goal is to expose our undergraduate researchers to multiple branches of biology through our lab’s current projects, so that they can gain direct experience with the possible directions they could pursue in their future scientific careers in biology.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Plants, Biology, Evolution, Microscope

Research Mentor: Niall Whalen,
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Sciences, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: nwhalen@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: Biology
Anthroplogy
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

Phytoliths are microscopic silica deposits that form within the tissues of plants. Different plant taxa deposit these phytoliths in different cellular regions, resulting in distinct phytolith shapes and forms that can be directly identified with the source plant. In this graduate research thesis project, characteristic phytolith shapes are actively being described from taxonomic families within the seed plants (spermatophyta), the group including the evergreen gymnosperms and the flowering angiosperms. The result will be a catalog of phytolith shapes typical of each family, from which evolutionary trends in phytolith development and morphology can be investigated. Phytolith research is an exciting and emerging field of study carrying applications to disciplines as diverse as ecology, geology, anthropology, and environmental science. This catalog will also open up possible avenues of inquiry into these fields. Please reach out if you have any questions.

Research Tasks: Preparing phytolith samples using a laboratory centrifuge
Observing phytoliths under the microscope
Cataloging specimens

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: No specific skills required, but the ideal candidate will be:
Conscientious
Detail-oriented
Well-organized

Mentoring Philosophy

I believe in fostering a balance between independent learning and supportive guidance. I hold that the most valuable and lasting knowledge comes from the student’s own discoveries and problem-solving efforts, as these experiences are not only more memorable but can also lead to new research insights. However, I also recognize the importance of being an accessible and dependable resource. My role as a mentor is to be present, ready to provide clarity, direction, and encouragement whenever challenges arise, ensuring that the student feels supported and confident in their journey of exploration and growth. Through this approach, I aim to nurture a learning environment that empowers the student to develop critical thinking skills and intellectual curiosity while knowing they have a reliable mentor to turn to whenever needed.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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software, automation, machine learning, image processing, computer vision

Research Mentor: Scott Stagg,
Department, College, Affiliation: Biological Sciences, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: sstagg@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Behdad Khoshbin
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: September 6, 4:00-4:30 - https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92680223264

Project Description

We are developing the next generation of software for automated data collection and processing for cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Cryo-EM is now a widely established and indispensable method for determining the high-resolution structures of biomedically important molecules. The pioneering software packages Leginon and Appion demonstrated the power of automated data acquisition and real-time processing, and there are now numerous programs for automated data acquisition and real-time processing. Despite advances in automation, data collection and processing still require a good deal of manual involvement of an expert electron microscopist. Building on the foundations of Leginon and Appion, we are developing the next generation software package that we call “Magellon”. Magellon will overcome existing bottlenecks and provide an avenue toward fully automated data acquisition that bypasses the need for user input during data collection. Importantly, this software will support the computational infrastructure to enable real-time image processing results to inform on and modify the ongoing data collection by learning where to acquire images in regions that will yield the highest quality data. Using machine learning and industry standard tools for distributed processing, we are developing new fast image assessment routines and providing an application programming interface to enable the incorporation of extensions and plugins from developers in the community.

Research Tasks: Students will work with a team of programmers and biochemists to develop new tools for data collection and processing. The overall goals of the project have been modularized so that individual team members can work on a discrete task that contributes to the overall project. There are many potential tasks available depending on the interests of the student. Examples include: 1) adapting existing code to build backend tools that interface with the electron microscopes to drive data collection from the web, 2) using machine learning tools to automatically identify good areas of the sample for data collection, 3) developing front end web tools to interface with the instruments, 4) developing and testing deployment strategies for the software

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: We can take most any student with a computational mindset. Students should have at least one skill in the following list: Python, MySQL, Web development, HTML, Javascript, RESTful programming

Mentoring Philosophy

My philosophy is to provide students with the information and resources they need to be successful. Additionally, I assign a peer mentor who has experience on the project. We have weekly group meetings where I check in on their project and help them problem solve any issues with their research. My goal is to promote independent, research minded students who will thrive in dynamic cooperative team environment.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://www.stagglab.com

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college access and affordability; STEM education; inclusive environments; research mentoring; closing opportunity gaps

Research Mentor: lperezfelkner@fsu.edu Lara Perez-Felkner, she/her/ella
Department, College, Affiliation: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: lperezfelkner@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: 8,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Friday, September 6 12-1pm.
https://fsu.zoom.us/j/9380510178?omn=96638312993

Project Description

My research uses developmental and sociological perspectives to investigate the mechanisms that shape racial-ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic disparities in post-secondary educational attainment and entry to scientific career fields, especially in engineering, computing, and other STEM areas. Increasingly, that involves work moving from the study of individuals to the study of systems and the engagement of partnerships. I feel fortunate to do the work I do and with the support and collaborators I have. Current initiatives include research dissemination and stakeholder engagement around sustainable approaches to enhancing opportunity and inclusive excellence in higher education.

My research centers on two focal strands: access to higher education and underrepresentation in specific STEM majors and careers. These strands share an aim: to identify mechanisms that could be addressed through policy and institutional interventions to broaden the participation of women and underrepresented groups in higher education and scientific careers, irrespective of their social background. A third strand builds on and centers equity through narrative writing. From the start, my research has and continues to pursue the following question: How can we equitably enhance educational success for students who have been historically underserved and underrepresented in higher education?

My expertise leverages my interdisciplinary and multiple methodological skills to intervene in seemingly persistent disparities and underrepresentation in college and STEM careers. Specifically, I examine (1) young people’s academic ability beliefs and (2) the social and schooling contexts that influence their college and career outcomes. These key factors – examined alternately with quantitative, qualitative, and/or mixed methodology – are leveraged to investigate mechanisms which might intervene in current disparities in access to higher education, high-status and high-earning fields (STEM), and degree attainment. In these studies, I alternately employ secondary analysis of large-scale state and national longitudinal datasets and/or original research using longitudinal surveys, secondary analyses of large-scale institutional and/or government data, participant observation, and interview methodology. I remain committed to investigating and addressing seemingly entrenched educational disparities, leveraging interdisciplinary theoretical perspectives, research evidence, and collaborative partnerships.

Research Tasks: literature review, data analysis, editing presentations and written research reports for practitioner and research audiences, engaging in team meetings

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Willingness to learn, engage, be curious, offer ideas and ask for clarification, guidance, and support
Recommended/Preferred: Interest and/or comfort with or background experiences in social and/or behavioral sciences, education, and/or STEM sciences. Comfort with writing and use of citations.

Mentoring Philosophy

Making my research spaces inclusive in terms of disciplines and views has been a strength for the research and has enhanced my own mentoring and leadership. Why? First, I deeply appreciate the opportunity to serve as a faculty member at a preeminent institution with a diverse pool of highly capable students. Second, as one of so few Latina tenured faculty members, my mentoring role is particularly important. Third, I value the outstanding mentoring and training I received as a doctoral and postdoctoral fellow working on major federally-funded projects at the University of Chicago and various research institutes, and continuing it here.

I self-assess my own performance in part by the following metric: How have I trained and furthered the development of the next generation? My mother taught in high-poverty public elementary schools. Neither my father nor my stepfather finished college, nor did either of my grandfathers finish high school before serving in the U.S. military. Neither grandmother finished elementary school. When I make meaning of the work I do, I feel a sense of responsibility to help others realize their ambitions, dream higher, work better, and achieve greater.

To date, I have written countless nomination and recommendation letters, and helped students win major awards and dissertation fellowships. I model the attainability of faculty life through mentoring, public communication, and how to develop and sustain opportunities. I continue to build a network of excellent, bold, trailblazing scholars who hone their scholarly craft and expand their potential.

Additional Information

This project investigates the structures and supports which can foster postsecondary success for students, faculty, and institutions. This research draws on sociological and life course frameworks to understand constraints and opportunities which can contribute to longer-term outcomes. Recent work includes a randomized control study of a rent-free housing intervention at Florida universities, partnerships with STEM departments at FSU and beyond, and analyses of major state and national databases.

I publish with current and recent undergraduate and graduate students ,and have a 100% track record for undergrad mentees I've written recommendation letters for getting into graduate programs. One recent UROP student went on to a PhD program and just started her first year as a tenure-track professor at a major research university. I'm happy to offer opportunities, support, and connections to help whatever students' disciplinary field/major and career aspirations are moving forward, and to continue to colloborate beyond this program year.

Link to Publications

perezfelkner.com/publications

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Robotics, Artificial Inteligence, Learning

Research Mentor: Dr. Marcos Muller Vasconcelos, He/Him/His
Department, College, Affiliation: Electrical and Computer Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: m.vasconcelos@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: Electrical Engineering
Computer Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science
Mathematics
Statistics
Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours a week,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

The project aims to develop a new control framework that enables autonomous agents to coordinate effectively in constrained environments. This involves creating a multi-level architecture where agents first establish a teaming structure to form a control network, and then refine their control policies through collective learning via wireless networks. The two primary objectives are:

1. Understanding the Impact of Control Network Structures: Investigate how different control network structures affect coordination among agents, particularly when they have bounded rationality. This will include the design of teaming algorithms tailored for tasks of varying complexity.

2. Characterizing Collective Learning under Constraints: Study how agents collectively learn coordination policies when faced with challenges like stochastic disturbances, signal fading, and power limitations inherent to wireless networks.

This work could lead to advancements in various domains, including drone swarms, micro-robotics, and other autonomous systems operating in complex, real-world environments. The holistic approach of integrating teaming, sensing, learning, and control is particularly promising for addressing the challenges posed by imperfect information and limited infrastructure.

Research Tasks: Literature Review
Programming Robots
Data Collection
Mathematical Modelling

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Programming (Required)
Familiarity with mathematical notation and language (Required)
Problem-solving (Required)

Mentoring Philosophy

Our mentoring philosophy centers on empowering students to gain confidence in their ideas and nurturing their creativity. At the MINDS lab, we embrace the motto that there is no limit to what the human mind can accomplish and that the world of ideas offers infinite low-hanging fruits. Currently, our lab supports a diverse group of researchers, including six undergraduate students, two PhD students, and one postdoc. We believe that a diverse team representing a broad spectrum of backgrounds and perspectives leads to more innovative work, thereby contributing to the broadening of participation of underrepresented groups in the scientific community and society as a whole.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Artificial Intelligence, Social Networks, Machine Learning, Game Theory

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Economics
Statistics
Mathematics
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Computer Engineering
Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
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

Information dissemination is primarily controlled through platforms across their social media network infrastructure. At the heart of this system is the platform itself, which has access to a vast array of heterogeneous content. On the periphery, individual users act as information consumers. It has become widely recognized that these platforms utilize a mechanism popularly known as the "Algorithm''. The "Algorithm'' selects which information to present to users based on machine learning model (or an estimate) of content preferences specific to each consumer. The user's objective is straightforward – to maximize its utility – while the platform's aim is to maximize consumer engagement. The misalignment between the user's and platform's objectives results in intriguing behaviors that are observed empirically. In this project we propose a new game-theoretic model to analyze how content distribution platforms optimize user engagement for users interested in keeping their preferences with provable guarantees using differential privacy techniques. The contribution of the project is twofold:

1. To inform platforms on how to improve their machine learning recommendation algorithms for a user population that has strict privacy requirements;

2. To inform users on how to judiciously disclose their preferences to ensure they receive good recommendations from the platform while guaranteeing a base level of privacy protection.

Research Tasks: Literature Review
Mathematical Modeling and Analysis
Computer Programming and Simulations
Data Collection and Statistical Analysis

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Proficiency in Machine Learning, Mathematics, and Statistics (Required)

Mentoring Philosophy

Our mentoring philosophy centers on empowering students to gain confidence in their ideas and nurturing their creativity. At the MINDS lab, we embrace the motto that there is no limit to what the human mind can accomplish and that the world of ideas offers an infinite number of low-hanging fruits. Currently, our lab supports a diverse group of researchers, including five undergraduate students, two PhD students, and one postdoc. We believe that a diverse team representing a wide spectrum of backgrounds and perspectives leads to more innovative work, thereby contributing to the broadening of participation of underrepresented groups in the scientific community and society as a whole.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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