UROP Project | Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement

Pre-college, college choice, student success, social science

Research Mentor: just Sam is fine..! Sam Luby, He/him
Department, College, Affiliation: Education Leadership and Policy Studies, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: sml23@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: Topic: Roundtable #1: Identifying and Categorizing University Pre-College Programs
Time: Sep 3, 2024 05:00 PM - 06:00PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97439561496?pwd=qLbtbeOlIRrBDuRaQlShQDey0GXjQ2.1

Meeting ID: 974 3956 1496
Passcode: 303274

Topic: Roundtable #2: Identifying and Categorizing University Pre-College Programs
Time: Sep 4, 2024 01:00 PM - 01:30PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/94273765422?pwd=TfxkyOLQ4ibpfa6rVldP3bJmGv4eJ9.1

Meeting ID: 942 7376 5422
Passcode: 698422

Project Description

Many leading U.S. universities today offer some sort of pre-college or high school student program. Commonly delivered in the summer, these can be online or in-person and delivered in a variety of different experiences to the student, with the overall goal of improving college readiness. They are usually part of a university’s non-degree seeking academic portfolio.

This project aims to collect the entire variety of pre-college programs that currently exist, produce a clean dataset, and empirically produce a typology categorizing these programs to provide scholarship that can be used in future studies. You will be working alongside the lead researcher for this project and work towards the formal publication of this scholarship.

This project is ideal for someone interested in a career in research or data science; particularly with an interest in social sciences, public policy, or education. This can be completely remote if you prefer, but I'll be on campus and available to meet

Research Tasks: Collect and organize the dataset
Engage and support the literature review
Contribute towards other research-related tasks

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: An interest to learn more about large data sets, how to research information, and how social science research is done. Beneficial to have statistics background and excel knowledge

Mentoring Philosophy

My masters degree is in education and I have been a college and career counselor for over a decade. I am an educator at heart and my mentoring philosophy focuses on helping my students find their own paths and futures, and building practical tools and knowledge to pursue those paths.

At the beginning, this will involve us figuring out your starting point; both in your practical skills of completing the project and progressing further, but also in your conceptual ideas about how this experience fits with the bigger future picture, and what that future picture looks like.

I will then work to equip you with the information and skills you need to start completing this project. This will be done through meetings, lectures, and small readings or software review. Yes, it is a research project but treat it as a class, as you will be learning. I believe in autonomy and professional respect, and empower you to create your own schedule and meet me virtually to prepare for a postgraduate future that expects this maturity. I envision, however, that we would have at least 1 or 2 in-person meetings, or more if you believe it is useful for your learning progression.

Lastly, this needs to be a meaningful endeavor for you. Therefore, I will encourage you to shape this experience to meet your individual needs. Support my project, while using the opportunity to create your own benefit. The skill to do that will serve you wisely.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Zika Virus, ZIKV, Flavivirus, Microcephaly, NS3, Replication Factory, VLS

Research Mentor: ts21m@fsu.edu Tania Sultana,
Department, College, Affiliation: FSU Department, Medicine
Contact Email: ts21m@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Biology is preferred but not limited to.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 3,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

The epidemic outbreak of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in 2015 from Asia and Africa to the Americas raised serious health concerns worldwide due to its association with neurological disorders. ZIKV is a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus that encodes three virus structural proteins and seven non-structural (NS) proteins involved in virus replication, packaging and host manipulation. ZIKV replicates its genome in the cytosol and assembles virus particles in a virus-regulated compartment called the replication factory or viroplasm in part by remodeling the endoplasmic reticulum. I show that one of the ZIKV proteins, NS3, is sufficient to assemble a viroplasm-like structure (VLS) that organizes microtubules in human cells. NS3 is a multidomain protein containing protease and helicase domains. I will describe how similar the VLS is to the ZIKV-induced viroplasm and describe the molecular mechanisms by which NS3 forms VLS. Overall, these discoveries improve our grasp of how viruses hijack cells for replication and offer potential routes for protecting humans against infections.

Research Tasks: literature review, Confocal Imaging, data analysis or may include writing

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Just willing to learn

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy centers on fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and resilience in aspiring scientists. I aim to create a supportive environment where mentees feel empowered to explore, innovate, and learn from failures. By sharing my expertise and encouraging collaboration, I strive to inspire the next generation of scientific leaders.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tadvTZDyh4&t=59s

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Arabic; Jihad; Theology; Middle East; Translation

Research Mentor: n/a Scott Bursey, He, They, Bro
Department, College, Affiliation: Religion, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: rsb20cg@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: Arabic, Middle Eastern Studies, Linguistics, Computer Science
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Round table One: September 3rd, 2-2:30pm (URL: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/4799312972 | [Meeting ID: 479 931 2972])
Round table Two: September 5th, 2-2:30pm (URL: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/4799312972 | [Meeting ID: 479 931 2972])

Project Description

Have you ever tried to think like a terrorist? Even just for a moment, to crawl into their mind and see how the most heinous and evil acts are justified? Well, if you choose to work with me, you will get that chance. The goal of this project is to review a number of books I have translated from Arabic to English, by the Egyptian Islamist author Muḥammad Quṭb (1919-2014). If this name is new to you, it’s because he is radically understudied, and this dearth of research is doubly concerning as he was also the personal theology teacher to Osama Bin Laden. Muḥammad Quṭb was a man who much more than just a master orator, university professor, philosopher, prodigious author, and religious scholar. Muhammad Qutb’s religious zeal instilled in a young Bin Laden an unyielding desire to defend Islam no matter the cost, with violence as the primary means of affecting change. Although it was Bin Laden’s hand upon the sword used to commit acts of terror all over the world, it was the crucible of Muhammad Qutb’s fiery rhetoric, canonical interpretations, and juridical rulings which forged and tempered his weapon. Given the pre-eminence of Muhammad Qutb’s influences on contemporary terrorists, why is it that Muhammad Qutb remains ignored and virtually absent from historical accounts of radicalized Saudi youth, including and notably Osama Bin Laden, who went on to found international terror organizations? Moreover, Muḥammad Quṭb’s forty-five monographs have ensured the endurance of his dogmatic theological interpretations of Islamic scripture and jurisprudence. We need look no further than the Dark Web to find a new generation of radicalized youth who distribute and venerate his works on Daesh (Islamic State) recruitment sites. These sites have radicalized Canadians like Farah Mohamed Shirdon, who left his home in Calgary to fight for the Islamic State, citing the work of Muḥammad Quṭb as his inspiration. If you choose to work with me, we will explore his influence over a generation of international Islamist fighters through his academic production – you will get a chance to crawl into the mind of a terrorist and see how it ticks.

Research Tasks: Research tasks will include scanning source material, manipulating that material in OCR software, proof reading of translations already completed, and working directly within LLM’s to train them to assist with translations (from Arabic to English).

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: knowledge of Arabic language and grammar (basic-intermediate)
Recommended: Basic background in computer science with a general knowledge of modern middle Eastern history

Mentoring Philosophy

A traditional Mentor/Student relationship goes back several thousands of years. For example, in traditional Islamic education system the system of ‘ustadh’ / ‘talib’ or ‘Teacher’ / ‘Student’ was the fundamental basis of the educational system. This system is based on mutual trust and reciprocity between the teacher and the student, and the teacher is vested in the success of the student as if it is his/her own success. Undergraduate research mentorship study is still one of those educational endeavors where there is an opportunity for a close mentor relationship in all aspects of the educational and personal development of the mentee. Successful mentorship of students is critical in the long-term success of mentee in their career whether it is in academia, industry or entrepreneurship. My approach to mentorship involves six basic principles (i) Educational traineeship (ii) Personal Development (iii) Creation of opportunities (iv) Mutual Respect (v) Setting up Clear Expectations (vi) Shared values.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://scottbursey.com/

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memory, sleep, rat, behavior

Research Mentor: Carmen Varela,
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: c.varela@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Psychology, Computer Science, Engineering, Biology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

When we go to sleep, the memories we form during the day are reinforced and processed, allowing them to become stable and accessible for a long period. This process of memory consolidation requires the interaction of networks of cells across different parts of the brain. Our goal is to understand how sleep aids learning in animals and identify the critical brain circuits involved in memory consolidation. To achieve this, we train rodents to explore objects and then examine how their memory performance changes following sleep.
We are looking for students interested in the cellular mechanisms of memory and sleep. As part of this project, you will learn about behavioral training in rodents, histological methods, and assist in rodent surgeries. If you have a strong interest in neuroscience and the mechanisms of behavior and cognition, this could be a great fit for you.

Research Tasks: Data collection working with behaving rats
Data collection involving neuroscience methods such as optogenetics and brain tissue processing
Data analysis with Matlab

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: We are looking for students that are dedicated, interactive, and love to learn.
Recommended: Experience handling rodents is a plus, as well as experience with microscope use, histological methods. Programming skills are a plus!

Mentoring Philosophy

We are a highly interactive and multidisciplinary lab. Our mentoring style is centered around teamwork, communication, and shared goals. As a result, I expect that anyone considering joining the lab will have a strong motivation to study the fundamental mechanisms of learning and memory, while also seeking to acquire expertise in the neuroscience methods employed within the lab. One of the key strengths of our team lies in the diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and viewpoints, all of which collectively enrich the mentoring experience for trainees. I expect that each lab member will contribute to fostering a positive lab environment, displaying respect for and valuing others.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://varelalab.create.fsu.edu/

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protein SUMOylation, polySUMOylation, cell cycle, protein misfolding

Research Mentor: Yanchang Wang,
Department, College, Affiliation: Biomedical Sciences, Medicine
Contact Email: yanchang.wang@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: 2
Relevant Majors: Biology, Biochemistry
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Roundtable times and Zoom link: Friday, September 6, 2:00-3:00pm. This is drop-in style.
https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92708842643

Project Description

Protein subcellualr localization is critical for its cellular function. Recently, our lab uncovered a new mechanism that controls protein subcellular localization through SUMOylation, a process in which SUMO proteins are covalently attached to specific lysine residues in target proteins. SUMOylation is important for stress response, cell cycle, DNA damage repair, and other cellular processes. SUMOylation imbalances can cause cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. The current focus of our lab is to understand how SUMOylation regulates the subcellular localization of key mitotic players and how SUMOylation is regulated during cell cycle.

Research Tasks: Yeast strain construction
Molecular method to detect protein expression and modification
Cell imaging

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Cell culture, microscopy

Mentoring Philosophy

As an educator, I will enable students to learn some basic technology in genetics and cell biology by performing experiments, to receive training in critical thinking through the interaction with mentor and other lab members, to improve communication skills by presenting his/her own research work.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124724008210?via%3Dihub

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Transgender, Diversity, Healthcare, Psychology, Qualitative

Research Mentor: Lyndon Sherman, He/Him
Department, College, Affiliation: College of Education, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: ls21@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Laura Reid Marks
Faculty Collaborators Email: laura.reidmarks@fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Interested in students from the following majors: Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, English, Education, Criminology, Health and Human Science, Neuroscience, Physical Science, Editing Writing and Media, Political Science, or majors adjacent to those listed.

MUST KNOW APA FORMATTING!
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

I am completing my dissertation which is a phenomenological qualitative research which focuses on the experience of gender euphoria in healthcare settings as experienced by transgender adults. Data will be collected through 90-minute semi-structured interview. The purpose of the study to add the term "gender euphoria" to the literature. Gender euphoria is a term popularized by the transgender community which aims to focus on the positive experiences associated with an individual being affirmed in their gender either externally or internally. Specifically, the described study aims to assess if access to healthcare can increase gender euphoria. Furthermore, key action items will be made for psychologists and other mental health professionals on how they can best aid transgender individuals in their desired transitional journey.

Research Tasks: Once approved by my doctoral committee I will be completing the IRB process which will begin approximately in October. Once IRB is approved, I will begin recruiting for the project and conducting interviews. The following tasks will be required from UROP students.
- Reading chapters 1-3 of my prospectus to increase knowledge and understanding on the topic
- Assistance with reviewing IRB and Qualtrics survey prior to their submission/activation
- Completing CITI trainings and multicultural trainings to ensure competency
- Advertising for the study through flyer postage and online forums
- Emailing potential participants
- Transcribing from Zoom's transcription and cleaning the qualitative data
- Coding and completing data analysis
- Weekly individual/team meetings
- Completing journal entry's on positionality to ensure transparency of the research

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: REQUIRED:
- Student's must know APA formatting including citations
- Writing skills
- Microsoft skills
- Organizational skills
- Prioritize and complete provided tasks in a timely manner
- Cultural humility

RECOMMENDED:
- Completion of at least two years of university classes (currently a junior, will accept applicatants who have not completed two years of university)
- Previous qualitative experiences or familiarity with qualitative studies through reviewing the literature
- Familiarity with diversity related topics particularly around intersectionality and LGBTQ issues
- Familiarity with aspects of research

Mentoring Philosophy

I aim for a collaborative working relationship with my mentees. I aim to support students in their academic goals while providing structure. I will set clear expectations and goals for the project, ensuring that students understand their roles and responsibilities. We will have regular meetings to discuss progress, address challenges, and plan next steps. These meetings will provide a consistent structure and allow for ongoing feedback and support. I will conduct trainings on qualitative research methods, including thematic analysis and coding, to equip students to gain hands-on qualitative analysis experiences. I encourage open communication and will create a safe space where students will work together as a team, fostering a collaborative environment. I am committed to supporting my mentees beyond the scope of this project, offering guidance on academic and career opportunities, such as conference presentations. I have a conference for SAIGE in October in Denver, CO that I am providing a 50-minute presentation on. If interested, UROP students may be a co-presenter on this project. I will also ensure that our research practices are inclusive and respectful of the diverse experiences of transgender adults. Given the sensitive nature of the research topic, I will provide resources and support to address concerns that may arise during the project. I aim to create a positive and enriching research experience for my mentees, helping them develop valuable skills and achieve their academic and professional goals.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Institutional research, higher education, measuring effectiveness

Research Mentor: Ms. Katherine (Katie) Gipalo, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Office of Institutional Research, N/A
Contact Email: kgipalo@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday, September 3rd - 1:30-2pm (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/96958103234?from=addon)
Thursday, September 5th - 4-4:30pm (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93721804162?from=addon)
Friday, September 6th - 9:30-10am (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/95461326657?from=addon)

Recording from Sept 3rd (for those that cannot attend any live roundtables): https://fsu.zoom.us/rec/share/LWVlKcne_Fl-zf-SAfo6oAhzW9QNUlGn1tm6KboOkcjrwA8rUwlnnsuzs53GTQgK.cLNmUKdBC2DpUsy2

Project Description

FSU IR would like to clarify and expand potential measures of success/effectiveness of our office. We are seeking 1-2 UROP students to help us research what success/effectiveness measures exist for IR offices or other analytics units within postsecondary education, education in general, or any similar industry. Then, we would like the students to (as their summative project) construct a set of recommendations for our office outlining the most appropriate measures of success/effectiveness, with justification for each. The goal of this project is to provide our office the ability to report out our efforts and assess the value of what we produce using the measures constructed.

Research Tasks: The undergraduate researchers would use multiple sources of data to explore this issue: a scholarly literature review, a practitioner conference review, results from an FSU data user survey, and interviews with FSU and potentially external IR practitioners.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: strong communication skills, willingness to learn, ability to work collaboratively, basic familiarity with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel
Recommended: experience searching online databases/search engines, ability to efficiently sort through google results, interest in higher education administration/improvement
Nice to have: knowledge of qualitative interview procedure, experience with analyzing survey response data, knowledge of evaluation/assessment, SMART goal criteria, and/or strategic planning

Mentoring Philosophy

o Importance of balance between mentor engagement and allowing mentees to make mistakes
o Support with mentees developing their professional boundaries
o Facilitate dialogue that allows for feedback and questions in a way that works for the mentee
o Provide clear, direct instruction both verbally and written
o Assist mentees in developing transferable skills that support their broader academic, research, and career goals
o Value communication, organization, and willingness to learn in a mentee
o Desire to support community and connection building between my mentees
o Desire to provide mentorship support to my mentees both during and after the formal time frame of our relationship

Additional Information

Link to Publications

ir.fsu.edu

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Sexuality, LGBTQ+, U.S. South, Life History, Qualitative Research

Research Mentor: Ms. Hailey McGee, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: Sociology, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: hmcgee@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: Sociology, Psychology, History, Geography, Political Science
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 6,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Wed 9/4 from 2:30-3:00pm and Fri 9/6 from 2:30pm-3:00pm.
Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/94352640530

Project Description

This project explores the life histories of 68 LGBTQ+ individuals who have lived in the south for at least 10 years. The sample varies in terms of sexual orientation, gender identity, and state resided in. Interviews were conducted between Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 and focused on LGBTQ+ southerners' lived experiences during the lifecourse (childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood). They were also asked about their perceptions of the U.S. South as a region, and if applicable how their life outside of the south was different from their experiences living in the south. This data is being used for my dissertation, which will have two analysis chapters, one focused on childhood and the other focused on adulthood. Mentees will be expected to help clean and edit interview transcripts and sort data for each chapter based on analytic themes. The goal of this project is to understand LGBTQ+ southerner’s lived experiences within the political, historical, and cultural context of the U.S. south.

Research Tasks: Cleaning and editing interview transcripts, coding for analytic themes, creating documents of passages on selected topics from the interviews.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Strong communication skills, proficiency in Microsoft word and/or google docs, grammar and spelling skills, auditory processing skills, document organization.

Mentoring Philosophy

As a mentor, I believe it is my duty to use my experience to help foster my mentee’s interest in research and provide them with the methodological tools to conduct their own analyses. I will do this by acquainting them with the means of qualitative analysis needed for this project that can be applied in their future research endeavors, such as line-by-line coding, transcript formatting, and analytic memo-writing. I will facilitate collaboration and teamwork while also encouraging mentees to pursue their own research goals, and can provide mentorship beyond the scope of the project by answering questions about the qualitative research process, interviewing, and graduate school. I am looking forward to building a supportive environment for students interested in the project topic and methodology.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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health communication, HIV and mental health, linguistic and cultural barriers

Research Mentor: Carli Culjat, she/her/hers
Department, College, Affiliation: College of Nursing, Nursing
Contact Email: carli.culjat@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Angelica Gonzalez she/her/hers
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: abg20@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: online/virtual
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, 9/4 from 2:30-3:00PM Meeting URL: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/95708895997?from=addon
AND
Friday, 9/6 from 2:00-2:30PM Meeting URL: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92776309758?from=addon

Project Description

Pilot study focused on co-creating and feasibility testing of a curriculum to micro credential and integrate CHWs into a clinical space to improve care provided to Spanish-speaking Persons Living with HIV who need integrated care services for HIV and mental health.

Research Tasks: literature review, data collection - interviews, data analysis - coding, infographic development

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: recommended: data base searches, zoom, canva/adobe/illustrator, word, fluent in Spanish (written and/or spoken)

Mentoring Philosophy

My philosophy in directing and advising undergraduate research and creative activity is focused on the belief that fostering intellectual curiosity, critical thinking skills, passion for exploration, networking across the continuum, and engaging with empathy are essential for growth and elevating students to their fullest potential. My objectives are centered around providing a supportive environment that encourages independent thought, creativity, and the acquisition of valuable skills. Critical to this environment is co-creating a psychologically safe space where failure is not feared, questions are encouraged, and fun is intertwined with learning. I aim to provide students with a holistic and inspiring experience that includes a multifaceted approach that not only enriches their academic journey but also equips them with the tools and motivation needed to navigate the complexities of professional life with confidence and enthusiasm. Through a combination of mentoring strategies, I aim to empower students to become lifelong learners, robust collaborators, and fearless innovators both in their fields and cross-cutting for interdisciplinary opportunities.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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Physical Culture, Athleticism, Sports, YMCA, Martial Masculinity, German POWs

Research Mentor: Darian Abenes, She, her
Department, College, Affiliation: History, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: da23c@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: History, Sociology, Anthropology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-6 hours a week,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Tuesday, September 3rd at 12-12:30pm
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78822913299?pwd=arsq6qjckhTTyGLX8bHnbVQqS2w1om.1

Meeting ID: 788 2291 3299
Passcode: 8GNqVv

Project Description

This research project investigates how America’s physical culture and perceptions of masculinity impacted German Prisoners of War housed in the U.S. during World War II. It examines the sports programs available at Prisoner of War camps within the United States during the Second World War and examines how cultural values of physical culture and masculinity shaped the treatment of German POWs.

Research Tasks: Researchers will be responsible for reviewing secondary literature on masculinity and the treatment of German POWs in America during World War II, collecting material on American physical culture leading up to World War II, and gathering information on sports programs implemented at German POW camps by organizations such as the YMCA.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: German language proficiency is preferred. This will allow research assistants to examine German POWs’ memoirs.

Mentoring Philosophy

Trust is the cornerstone of my philosophy on mentorship, which requires a professional relationship built on open dialogue and goal setting. From the inception of a mentoring partnership, it will be critical to identify the research assistants’ goals and previous relevant experience. By assessing previous experience, the mentee will discuss their areas of strength with the mentor. Through this dialogue, the mentor and mentee can set a realistic baseline and goals for development through the research process using a strength-based approach. Through this approach, researchers will gain the confidence to make bolder inquiries while having the mentor serve as a safeguard. While participating in this program, researchers will receive formal and informal feedback regarding their analysis. The informal and formal processes ensure open dialogue between the mentor and mentee and cultivate a trusting professional relationship between both parties.

Additional Information

Link to Publications

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