UROP Project

Supporting Interpersonal Skill Development using PEERS® Curriculum

interpersonal skills, social relationships, PEERS®, curriculum implementation

Research Mentor: Dr. Denise Lynne Dennis, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida Center for Reading Research, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: DLDennis@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Jenny Root, PhD she/her
Faculty Collaborators Email: jrroot@fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: School Psych, SLP, Education, Ed Psych, Social Work, Child Development, etc.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Tuesday, September 1
  Start Time: 1:00
  End Time: 1:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/dldennis
• Day: Wednesday, September 2
  Start Time: 5:00
  End Time: 5:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/dldennis

Project Description

Research increasingly supports the importance of explicit, systematic, and evidence-based social communication instruction for adolescents. Interventions incorporating modeling, rehearsal, performance feedback, perspective taking, and structured opportunities for social practice have demonstrated positive outcomes related to social knowledge, peer engagement, and interpersonal functioning. One intervention with a growing evidence base is the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS), originally developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). PEERS is a manualized intervention designed to teach friendship skills, conversational skills, conflict management, electronic communication etiquette, and other interpersonal competencies through explicit instruction and guided practice.

Existing PEERS research has primarily focused on clinic-based or university-affiliated implementation models, particularly with adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder who have average or above-average cognitive and verbal abilities (Wyman & Claro, 2020; Zheng et al., 2021). Research has demonstrated improvements in social knowledge, peer interactions, social responsiveness, and social engagement among participants (Cheng et al., 2025; Zheng et al. 2021). However, important gaps remain in the literature.
This study seeks to address these gaps by examining implementation of School-based PEERS within middle school settings through a mixed-methods design that incorporates student outcomes, teacher outcomes, implementation experiences, and school contextual factors.

Research Tasks: Literature review, materials creation, data collection, data entry, note-taking, data management, attending meetings, implementation support, Interview observation, transcript cleaning

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: CITI training (required)
Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Word, Excel, PPT, proficient (required)
Self-starter, able to work independently, great communication, willing to ask questions, interested in improving outcomes for students with disabilities (required)
RedCap knowledge, data entry (recommended)

Programming Science Education Game Museum for Maize-10-Maze

computer programming, maize genetic, fun with mutants, social media

Research Mentor: Hank or Dr. Bass Hank Bass,
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: bass@bio.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Sohaila Askar
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: sea23@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Any computer-related field or bio-computing, especially:
Computational Biology (biology or computer science),
Management Information,
Information Technology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Tuesday, September 1
  Start Time: 12:30
  End Time: 1:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/3502326572
• Day: Wednesday, September 2
  Start Time: 2:00
  End Time: 3:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/3502326572

Project Description

The Maize-10-Maze project is a public education outreach event at FSU in Tallahassee, FL, as part of our outreach educational project for more than 20 years. The goal of the outreach is to produce a fun and educational self-guided online museum, game, or educational resource for public field tour of the maize genome. We previously explored different online platforms that would be compatible with posting images and movies from past events. We emphasized user-guided exploration, such as Instagram (@maize10maze) and GlideApp. The online resources (images, placards, links to more info) are available for continued development, now entering the "build an online interactive museum" phase. Dr. Bass & the biology dept. has the hardware and servers needed. We are looking assistance with programming expertise, we have lots of content and 20 years of activitiens (see our https://linktr.ee/maize10maze for more info.


Research Tasks: Meet with Dr. Bass, Sohaila Askar, and the team on a regular basis and work on the project also outside of those weekly meetings.
Present work and progress along the way. Have fun.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Interest in public science communication is important. Ability to code or work with coders and IT staff in the dept. is recommended.
Students will be expected to learn the computational skills as needed or if needed, working with a team of people.

Maize Molecular Genetics and Genomics of Lesion Mimic Mutations

molecular biology, DNA, RNA isolation and analysis, bioinformatics, maize (corn), discovery research, genetics

Research Mentor: Peter Adedibu,
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: paa24b@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Doctoral Student
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: paa24b@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Life science majors, especially Biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics related majors may also apply.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Tuesday, September 1
  Start Time: 2:00
  End Time: 3:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/3502326572
• Day: Wednesday, September 2
  Start Time: 3:30
  End Time: 4:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/3502326572

Project Description

Work with doctoral student in the H Bass lab to isolate DNA and RNA for a lesion mimic mapping project.
Lesion mimic mutants resemble human auto-immune diseases, and we have maize mutants that are mapped but not cloned.
The goal is to characterize several mutants in different genetic backgrounds. Basic biology discovery research.
Relevant to biology & biomedical research (even though it is plants). Important to learn how cells respond to pathogens.

Research Tasks: Student will learn basic molecular biology, wet-bench science, and participate in lab group meetings on Mondays, 3:30-500pm.
Primary activities involve DNA and RNA extraction from leaf tissues harvested summer 2026.
Assist with DNA library construction for sequencing and analysis.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Looking for team players with organizational skills and willingness to learn new techniques.
Prior knowledge of lab basics is helpful, but not required.
Good work ethic helps make if productive and fun.
Students need to take lab notes, produce and analyze data, as described by the mentors.

Maize Molecular Genetics and Genomics of Transcription Factors

molecular biology, DNA isolation and analysis, bioinformatics, maize (corn), yeast genetics, discovery research in maize and human

Research Mentor: Mr. Paul Agbola,
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: psa23b@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: Life science majors, especially Biology, Biochemistry, Computational Biology, or Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (IMS)
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Tuesday, September 1
  Start Time: 3:30
  End Time: 4:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/3502326572
• Day: Friday, September 4
  Start Time: 1:00
  End Time: 2:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/3502326572

Project Description

Work with doctoral student in the H Bass lab to study gene regulation, with emphasis on chromatin profiling and gene regulatory elements.
This project aims to identify the molecular genetics switches that control trait development in the model crop species corn (Zea mays). We use our FSU-developed technology, MOA-seq, to pinpoint the location of more than 100,000 genetic switches. These switches work through the binding of two components: the short DNA sequences (DNA motifs) and the proteins (Transcription Factors/TFs) that bind to them. Our MOA-seq technology defined 215 DNA motif families, but not their binding partners, the protein TFs. This crucial gap in our knowledge can begin to be filled using a powerful genetic assay called YEAST ONE-HYBRID screening, currently underway as part of Agbola's PhD project.

Research Tasks: Student will learn basic molecular biology, wet-bench science, and participate in lab group meetings on Mondays, 3:30-500pm.
Primary activities involve DNA manipulation (ordering synthetic oligos, constructing plasmids, bacterial and yeast transformations), and protein expression for DNA-protein binding experiments. Interactions and collaboration with bioinformatics analysis may also be done as part of a team of students working on this project.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Looking for team players with organizational skills and willingness to learn new techniques.
Prior knowledge of lab basics is helpful, but not required.
Good work ethic helps make if productive and fun.
Students need to take lab notes, produce and analyze data, as described by the mentors.

Interaction of fluorenone excited states with the stilbenes

Energy transfer, electron transfer

Research Mentor: Dr. Jack Saltiel, he, him
Department, College, Affiliation: Chemistry & Biochemistry, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: jsaltiel@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Ms. Sulthana Fehroza Parambilpeediyakkal Research Assistant
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: sp22be@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators: Dr. Edwin F. Hilinski He
Faculty Collaborators Email: hilinski@chem.fsu.edu

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Chemistry
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: at least 10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable

Project Description

The inefficiency of fluorenone triplet energy transfer to the stilbenes
Although rediscovered recently,1 the fluorenone triplet (3FL*) sensitized photoisomerization of the stilbenes (1St) has long been known.2,3 A puzzling aspect of the triplet energy transfer process is that careful quantum yield measurements revealed that it is only about ~85% efficient for trans-stilbene and less so for cis-stilbene.4,5 Caldwell has suggested quenching via unproductive decay from a 3FL*St exciplex,4 and a similar explanation was proposed by Valentine and Hammond,5 but definitive evidence for this or other explanations is still lacking.
We propose to reinvestigate the fluorenone/stilbene interaction in order to determine the cause of energy wastage in triplet energy transfer. The possibility of electron transfer from excited fluorenone singlets to the stilbenes was considered,4,5 but rejected because there was little fluorenone fluorescence quenching by the stilbenes. However, there was ambiguity in this finding (see footnote 12 in ref 4). In view of the very high stilbene concentrations that were used in the photoisomerization studies, we propose to reinvestigate fluorenone fluorescence quenching. Electron transfer can also occur from the triplet excited state. We propose to investigate the interaction of fluorenone excited states with the stilbenes using fs and ps pulse excitation to monitor the transient absorption spectra of all excited states and radical ion intermediates.

References
(1) Kozlowski, P. M.; Saha, S.; Maity, B.; Cavallo, L.; Thompson, L. M. Mechanistic Explanation of Enhanced E → Z Photocatalyzed Isomerization Kinetics. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2026, 17, 1147−1154.
(2) Saltiel, J.; Hammond, G. S. Mechanisms of photochemical reactions in solution. XVII. cis-trans isomerization of the stilbenes by excitation transfer from low energy sensitizers. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1963, 85, 2515-2516.
(3) Hammond, G. S.; Saltiel, J.; Lamola, A. A.; Turro, N. J.; Bradshaw, J. S.; Cowan, D. O.; Counsell, R. C.; Vogt, V.; Dalton, C. Mechanisms of photochemical reactions in solution. XXII. Photochemical cis-trans isomerization. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1964. 86, 3197-3217.
(4) Caldwell, R. A.; Gajewski, R. P. Fluorenone-photosensitized isomerization of trans-stilbene. Inefficiencies both in intersystem crossing and in triplet excitation transfer. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1971, 93, 532-534.
(5) Valentine Jr, D.; Hammond, G. S.; Mechanisms of photochemical reactions in solution. LXVII. Energy wastage in photosensitized isomerization of the stilbenes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1972. 94, 3449-3454.


Research Tasks: Literature Review
Data Collection
Data Analysis

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Best if student has already taken CHM 2211L

Taking Despair Out of Disparity: Constructing Acculturation and Coping Typologies Among Latine Emerging Adults

acculturation, coping, alcohol use, health disparities, career research

Research Mentor: Jacob Perez, he/him/his
Department, College, Affiliation: Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: jacob.perez@med.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: Psychology, Public Health, Nursing, Behavioral Neuroscience, Sociology, or Human Development and Family Science; students from other majors with related interests will also be considered.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Thursday, September 3
  Start Time: 6:00
  End Time: 6:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/jacobperez
• Day: Friday, September 4
  Start Time: 5:30
  End Time: 6:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/jacobperez

Project Description

Family values inform how children develop coping behaviors as they age into emerging adulthood (ages 18–29), and among Latine Americans, familism is a prevalent cultural value, positioning the family as central to one’s decisions. As Latine families migrate and acculturate to the United States, they adopt varying degrees of American values, norms, and behaviors. Latine cultural expectations shape how people should cope with the distress that accompanies acculturation (e.g., family as a source of support), but this may create bicultural tension if this expectation contrasts with the host culture’s norms (e.g., American individualism). This bicultural tension, or acculturative stress, has been linked to disparities in alcohol use patterns and career development outcomes, and given that emerging adulthood is a period rife with alcohol use and career changes, it is necessary to intervene to mitigate detrimental outcomes among Latine emerging adults.

As Latine Americans face immigration-related stressors, they also demonstrate lower help-seeking behaviors than their White and non-immigrant peers, suggesting these outcomes are difficult for health professionals to intervene. Accessible treatment approaches, such as digital health interventions, may be adapted to bridge gaps in help-seeking behavior among treatment-hesitant groups, such as Latine Americans. Adapted interventions have shown promise for improving both health and career development outcomes above generic approaches. However, adapting interventions can be difficult when core processes for the population, like acculturation, may differ widely (e.g., depending on time since immigration, generational status, etc.). Not only do individuals differ in their acculturation patterns, but the pattern of their general coping behaviors (e.g., reliance upon one's "fate," family, community, and sense of unity with the broader population) may be linked with health and career-related outcomes.

Since it is difficult to develop a “one-size-fits-all” approach, this project uses a statistical approach called "latent profile analysis" to investigate whether the broader population of Latine American emerging adults, or people aged 18–29, demonstrate any distinct patterns (called profiles) that we cannot directly measure (hence the term latent). By using profiles, it is like a heuristic to show how several variables co-occur or contrast when we investigate people's health and career behaviors in the real world, and it is much easier to tweak and adapt an intervention for a few common profiles than it is to adapt for every possible combination of variables. Based on these latent profiles, I plan to predict differences in health and career-related outcomes that are tied to disparities in the Latine American emerging adults population.

Research Tasks: Tasks will include:
- Conducting literature reviews using research databases (PubMed, PSYCInfo, etc.), Scite.ai, and other tools
- Organizing literature in APA style (7th ed.) using citation managers like Zotero (zbib.org)
- Making a measures library (e.g., listing items for project scales, creating item labels for each (like ScaleAItem1, ScaleAItem2, etc.), noting how measures are scored, citing the sources for that information, and filling in templates of key information for each scale)
- Computing variables (e.g., adding cells for Items 1-10 for a scale to create a total score column in an Excel spreadsheet)

*Depending on additional funding pending for this project, you may also be responsible for conducting, transcribing, and/or coding qualitative data for participant interviews.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: REQUIRED:
- Willingness to ask for help/clarity as needed
- Timeliness in communicating with the research mentor
- A vision for how research fits into their future professional goals
- A genuine interest in addressing population-level disparities
RECOMMENDED:
- Career goals in health service psychology or an allied mental health profession
- Completed or currently completing coursework in research methods (PSY 3213C), statistics, and/or psychology (e.g., PSY 2012)
- Savvy with technology; it is recommended that you are familiar with basic functions in Excel (e.g., =SUM, conditional formatting) and could apply these to compute total scores from a set of items.
- An understanding of both the benefits and pitfalls of AI use
- Experience with APA style writing or experience using a citation manager

Cyber–Physical Data Generation and Intrusion Detection Testbed for a 39-Bus Power System

Cyberattack Detection, Cyber Layer, Smart Grid, and Machine Learning.

Research Mentor: mahasan@fsu.edu Md. Rakibul Ahasan, Mr.
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: mahasan@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 and Computer Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, etc.
Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Center for Advanced Power Systems
Research Assistant Transportation Required: FSU transportation options (e.g., Seminole Express)
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8-10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable

Project Description

This project develops a cyber–physical testbed that integrates a simulated communication network with a real-time power-system model. The cyber layer contains containerized human–machine interface (HMI) and programmable logic controller (PLC) components, while the physical layer consists of the IEEE 39-bus power system implemented in MATLAB/Simulink and executed using real time simulator OPAL-RT.

The cyber and physical layers communicate through industrial network protocols so that commands, measurements, and cyberattacks introduced in the communication network influence the physical power-system operation. Network traffic is stored in PCAP format, while electrical measurements are stored in CSV format. The synchronized cyber and physical data are then combined to construct a dataset for visualization, anomaly detection, and machine-learning-based cyberattack identification.

Research Tasks: 1. Docker-based HMI and PLC setup
2. Cyber-network configuration and network traffic collection
3. Basic cyberattack implementation
4. Documentation and literature review

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Recommended: bash, python, windows power shell and unix system
Required: Team player and eagerness to take challenges

Building Elevated Affect and Mood for Adolescents

clinical; adolescents; treatment; anhedonia

Research Mentor: Dr. Corinne Carlton-Smith,
Department, College, Affiliation: Psychology, Arts and Sciences
Contact Email: carlton@psy.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: Psychology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Monday, August 31
  Start Time: 12:00
  End Time: 1:00
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/corinnecarlton

Project Description

The Building Elevated Affect and Mood for Adolescents (BEAM-A) study will examine the effects of a brief positive emotion–focused treatment on reward responsiveness and positive emotionality in adolescents with current anhedonia. We will be testing the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of the intervention. Methods will include clinical assessment, intervention, ecological momentary assessment, and self-report questionnaires. Future iterations will also include electroencephalogram (EEG).

Research Tasks: Tasks will include literature review, data collection, data compilation, training in clinical assessment administration to conduct clinical interviews, and training in data analysis.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Prior experience working with youth is recommended, but not required. Research assistants will need to ensure they are on time, motivated, and communicative. Prior experience with R or work with clinical populations is a plus, but not a requirement.

Generative AI use in K-12 language learning class

Education, Educational Technologies, Learning Design, Generative AI, K-12

Research Mentor: Jueun Shin,
Department, College, Affiliation: Educational Psychology and Learning Systems (EPLS), Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: js25e@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, Education or human development related programs preferred.
Project Location: remote
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Thursday, September 3
  Start Time: 2:00
  End Time: 2:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/7109001534

Project Description

This project investigates the integration and pedagogical design strategies of Generative AI (GenAI) in K-12 language learning contexts. The primary goal is to examine recent literature to identify how GenAI tools are implemented and scaffolded in language learning classes. The undergraduate research assistant will help process and analyze the collected literature data to map out current trends. If the scope of the literature yields sufficient insights, the findings will be prepared for a review paper. Alternatively, if the scope shifts during the process, the collected materials will serve as foundational groundwork and supporting data for developing and prompting educational chatbots tailored for K-12 language learning.

Research Tasks: - Literature review, screening, and data extraction from papers
- Pre-processing raw data
- Assisting with reference management
- Searching for relevant measurement scales
- Supporting the testing/prompting of educational chatbots
- Proof-reading

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: - Reliability and time management (Required): Strong commitment to meeting deadlines, staying organized, and working independently on assigned weekly tasks.
- Basic literature search/reading skills (Recommended): Familiarity with reading academic papers.

From Prohibition to Title IX: Institutions, Gender, and the Making of Women's Soccer in Brazil and the United States, 1970s–1990s

women's soccer; Brazil; United States; gender and race; comparative sports history

Research Mentor: Dr. Lidiana de Moraes, she/her
Department, College, Affiliation: Honors Program, Undergraduate Studies
Contact Email: lidiana.demoraes@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. Especially relevant: History, International Affairs, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, Sport Management, Women's/Gender Studies — but no specific major required. Portuguese reading proficiency is helpful (not required) for the Brazil track only; no language requirement for the U.S. track.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8 hours, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Tuesday, September 1
  Start Time: 12:00
  End Time: 12:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92284757234
• Day: Wednesday, September 2
  Start Time: 12:00
  End Time: 12:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92284757234

Project Description

This project investigates the institutional foundations of women's soccer in Brazil and the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, a formative period in the development of both countries' contemporary systems. In Brazil, a 1941 decree banning women from football—deemed "incompatible with their nature"—remained in force until 1979; how it was enforced, circumvented, and eventually repealed has not been closely studied. In the United States, the same period saw the early implementation of Title IX (1972), the expansion of NCAA women's soccer programs, and the formation of the first U.S. women's national team (1985).

Drawing on two parallel archival streams — Brazilian newspaper and federation records on one side, U.S. collegiate, federation, and press archives on the other — this research traces how each country built its own institutional pathway. Comparing the two models reveals how different approaches to gender and opportunity produced different outcomes.

Undergraduate researchers will contribute to archival research, literature reviews, source collection and organization, and the development of a comparative digital research database. The project is expected to contribute to conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and the development of a broader comparative research agenda on the history of women's soccer in the Americas.

Research Tasks: Brazil track — literature review of Brazilian sports policy under the Estado Novo and military dictatorship; search and catalogue primary sources (newspaper archives, sports federation bulletins) on the 1941 ban's enforcement and 1979 repeal; build a chronological timeline of legislative/institutional milestones, 1941–1979.

U.S. track — literature review of Title IX's early implementation in women's collegiate athletics; search and catalogue primary sources (NCAA archives, U.S. Soccer Federation records, newspaper archives) on the growth of women's soccer programs and the 1985 national team's formation; build a chronological timeline of legislative/institutional milestones, 1972–1991.

Shared — organize findings into structured spreadsheets; participate in biweekly comparative discussions connecting the two tracks; assist with citation management and an annotated bibliography.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required — strong written English communication; strong organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to work independently on a set timeline; interest in Latin American history, U.S. sports history, gender studies, or sport management.

Recommended — for the Brazil track, reading proficiency in Portuguese (training in archival methods provided regardless of language);
No prior archival experience necessary.