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SPRING 2022 SEMESTER IN REVIEW |
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We've finished up a busy spring semester at the CRE! This month, we're sharing updates from all of our programs, including some awesome photos from celebration events, student spotlights, upcoming application deadlines, and more.
Congratulations to all of the students in our programs, especially those who are graduating this semester--we wish you the very best in your future endeavors. Stay in touch with your friends at Team CRE!
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It was exciting to see our UROP students and leaders back in person at the start of the fall semester. Students were excited to once again be involved through in-person undergraduate research opportunities. Over 1000 students applied to be a part of UROP and 484 students started the program this year. These students completed impressive work throughout the spring semester, including presenting their UROP research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 7!
With this many students, we had to assemble an impressive cohort of UROP Leaders to teach our UROP students the mechanics of conducting undergraduate research. We had 60 UROP Leaders, across all disciplines and majors at FSU, teaching our undergraduates across 29 colloquium class sections. You can check out featured leaders on our CRE Social Media (links at the bottom of the newsletter).
Our UROP Leaders and students weren't the only ones that were excited to be in person again. Our research mentors, who provide our students opportunities to work on research projects, were ready to get back to in-person research. They submitted 253 research projects proposals to our UROP Database.
We held our UROP Leader Celebration earlier in April to commemorate all of our UROP Leaders hard work throughout this academic year and to wish our graduating UROP Leaders the best of luck and success in their future endeavors! See the photos above!
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FGLSAMP at FSU stayed strong and consistent this year working with 25 students. Nine grad mentors supported 25 students in their academic journeys. Over the course of this year, the meetings focused on different topics such as finding internships, choosing an advisor, and mental health, among others. FGLSAMP students were also able to attend FSU’s President's Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence in September and the Undergraduate Research Symposium in April. To recognize student success and achievement in these milestones over the year, we are in the process of disbursing roughly $21,000 in student support.
We held our FGLSAMP Celebration earlier in April to commemorate all of our FGLSAMP students for their hard work this year--see the photo above!
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Thanks to generous support from our donors, the CRE awarded IDEA Grant awards to over 25 students this semester. These awards support projects ranging from conducting focus groups with Black caregivers to measuring the amount of pollutants in the Fenholloway River. Once the IDEA Grant winners have posted their Summer blogs, you can view them on the Honors, Scholars, and Fellows House blog; here, you will learn about their wide variety of projects and what they hope to achieve over the summer.
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The 2022 Global Scholars completed the Spring Theory Course and are about to start their independent experiences to explore community engagement this summer! Of the 25 students, 8 have been approved to partake in face-to-face international experiences for the first time since 2019! Keep your eyes out for their blogs to stay updated with their experiences through the summer!
We held our Global Scholars Celebration earlier in April to commemorate all of our Global Scholars for their hard work this year--see the photos above!
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This year, 11 students from FSU’s incoming class have been chosen to be a part of this newly expanded program. Meanwhile, the 2021-2022 Gap Year Fellows are finishing their experiences, blogging, and preparing to start their first semester at FSU! We are very proud of these students, who have spent the past twelve months exploring their interests in a variety of settings (both domestically and internationally), and we are excited to see where their undergraduate experiences take them!
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Five new students were enrolled in the Tech Fellows program. During the spring, they completed a preparation course getting them ready for their summer internship and the completion of a qualitative research project. The Tech Fellows’ blog posts overview what they will work to accomplish over the summer in their business incubator internships and their research questions. The Tech Fellows and IDEA Grants award winners will be culminating their programs this fall at the President’s Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence. In addition, this year, we received a generous donation from Truist through their Truist Charitable Fund to support our five Tech Fellows.
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Finally, at the close of fall semester, the 2022 FSU iGEM team was chosen, and they selected to save the manatees by combatting harmful algal blooms. In addition to combing through the research literature, the team has been interviewing stakeholders from environmental journalists to state officials to better understand the state of water quality in Florida. Over the summer, the team will finalize their intervention, test it in the lab, and develop a website documenting all of their work. In October, the team will present their project as a part of the iGEM international competition.
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2022 Undergraduate Research Symposium |
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Our major event of the semester was the Undergraduate Research Symposium, which happened in-person in the Honors, Scholars, and Fellows House on April 7, 2022. We had 775 people at the event total, with around 485 presenters and 290 attendees. The event was a great success and gave our student presenters the opportunity to present their research in-person to the wider community. Click the photo above to access our URS Program!
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48 FSU undergraduate researchers traveled with us down to Orlando, Florida at the University of Central Florida for this conference, where students presented their dynamic undergraduate research, attended workshops, networked, and enjoyed the UCF campus. |
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Damamli Dorsey presenting their research on "Video Games and Neuropsychological Tests: A Comparative Study" |
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Isha Chekuri presenting their research on "Mitochondrial Dynamics are Disrupted in CVB3 Acute Myocarditis" |
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Daniel Zuniga presenting their research on "Effects of Simulated Spaceflight Exposure on the Coronary Artery" |
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Benjamin Erstling presenting their research on "Can Sonar Be Used to Find Underwater Ceramics"
We have more photos from FURC 2022; click on the image below to access the full photo booklet! Also: be sure to stay tuned for the FSU FURC 2022 Facebook Photo Album.
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For many of our students, this was their first in-person presentation experience. Several of our students also expressed that having this experience at FURC was crucial to their academic development and career at FSU, and after continuing through over two years in a pandemic, our office was proud and thrilled that students had this opportunity to present. Congratulations to all! |
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2021-2022 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
MENTOR AWARDS
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The Undergraduate Faculty Research Mentor Award for 2022 was presented to Dr. Michael David Franklin for mentoring UROP student Nadia Rassech in research on the LGBT Oral History Project of North Florida. See above a photo of both of them at the 2022 URS!
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The Post-Doc Undergraduate Research Mentor Award for 2022 was presented to Dr. Daniel Dunleavy. Dr. Dunleavy mentored UROP student Conqualla Scott and Abdullah Ismail on "Social Determinants and Comorbidity in Minority Groups."
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The Graduate Student Undergraduate Research Mentor Award for 2022 was presented to Bobbie Renfro. Bobbie mentored Remi Ventura in researching "The Aquaculture of Sponges, the Coral Reef Superheroes, in a Closed Laboratory System." See to the left a photo of both of them at the 2022 URS!
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CRE UPCOMING DEADLINES AND EVENTS |
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APPLY FOR THE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (UROP) BY MAY 9! |
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Are you a current high school senior or a current first-year student at FSU? Are you looking for an enriching academic experience to learn about undergraduate research? If so, you should apply to the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)!
Program Components
- Conduct research 5 -10 hours per week assisting a faculty member, graduate student, or startup company;
- Meet bi-weekly with a UROP Leader and fellow UROP students;
- receive personalized guidance about research and campus resources
- Present at the 23rd annual Undergraduate Research Symposium
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APPLY FOR AN ARTS AND SCIENCES CONFERENCE GRANT! |
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Undergraduate students may apply for up to $750 to cover costs for conferences in their discipline (or a related discipline). Both virtual and in-person conferences are eligible for funding. Rolling deadline, though you must submit this application at least 6 weeks prior to the conference at which you will be presenting (though, you may need to submit this earlier to ensure registration by conference deadline). You will need to upload an itemized list of expenses as part of this application. Read more and apply here: https://buff.ly/35WFYQj
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This month, we have spotlights for two of our students in the Florida-Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation in STEM (FGLSAMP) program at CRE! Founded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the program’s mission is to increase the number of STEM baccalaureate and graduate degrees awarded to populations historically underrepresented including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. FGLSAMP aids with the acclimation to the college environment, the social and academic integration of the undergraduate experience, and the engagement in research and internship opportunities.
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First up on our Spotlights is Andrea Moran-Melendez. She has participated in many CRE programs, including Global Scholars and FGLSAMP:
"My name is Andrea Moran-Melendez, and I am a Junior pursuing a dual degree in Behavioral Neuroscience and Public Health with a certificate in Global Citizenship. I'm from Puerto Rico and was raised in Jacksonville, Florida and matriculated to FSU through the CARE Summer Bridge Program. One of my favorite hobbies is gardening which I enjoy doing through my work with Sustainable Campus as the current Garden Coordinator.
My involvement with the CRE has connected me to a plethora of resources to help me become more involved in undergraduate research. I have also received a tremendous amount of academic support and mentorship from members of the CRE. I have learned valuable skills when it comes to applying for graduate school and how to prepare for that process as well as learning how to balance my time and prioritizing myself. This involvement has added to my undergraduate experience in ways that are priceless which will shape me for years to come.
I was recently accepted to the Global Scholars cohort; I started a new DIS in clinical neuroscience; and I recently had an event in partnership with Seminole Dining to promote the work that sustainable campus and the organic garden does to help serve the campus and community at large."
Congratulations, Andrea! We're so proud of you and your accomplishments!
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Up next on our CRE Student Spotlights is Nyla Johnson! She has participated in many CRE programs, including UROP and FGLSAMP.
"I am currently a UROP Leader with the CRE and an active member of FGLSAMP. My current research interests include genetics, hereditary diseases and CRISPR. When I graduate in the fall, I want to continue on to graduate school to earn my PhD. Besides research, I enjoy making jewelry and coasters as a hobby.
My first involvement with the CRE was when I was accepted into UROP in my first year. My project during this time involved coral mortality and whether the size of a coral contributed to its susceptibility to coral bleaching. After finishing the project, I moved on to apply for a UROP Leader position. Currently, I co-teach a colloquium for environmental science and give as many tips as I can to my students.
I presented my UROP research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Spring of 2020. My involvement with the CRE has improved both my research experience and my leadership experience. Before becoming a UROP leader, I struggled with presentations and had little experience with leadership roles. Now, I feel comfortable speaking in front of a crowd and have gained many skills when it comes to managing a class.
I am now the Vice President of Alpha Chi Sigma, the professional chemistry fraternity at Florida State University."
Thanks, Nyla, for sharing! We're so proud of you and your achievements!
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Congratulations to Dhenu and Sophie on being awarded a Barry Goldwater Scholarship! Both Dhenu and Sophie were UROP students, and Dhenu traveled with our office to UCF for the 2022 Florida Undergraduate Research Conference!
Dhenu Patel, a junior exercise physiology major from Tallahassee, and Sophie Allen, a sophomore from Wauchula, Florida, who is majoring in psychology and biomathematics, will receive up to $7,500 for their junior and also their senior years from the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation to be put toward tuition, fees, books and room and board.
The Goldwater Foundation provides scholarships to college sophomores and juniors pursuing research in the “critical fields of the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering,” it says.
Patel focuses on cancer research and credits her mentors at FSU’s Irianto Lab for helping her earn the Goldwater Scholarship.
“I would credit my research mentors and advisers for supporting me and the Office of National Fellowships at FSU for helping me to navigate the applications process, which can be a little tough,” she said. “I am interested in continuing my work and pursuing a career in medical research, so this is important aid to help fund my journey.”
Allen said she found herself “breathless” after learning she’d earned the Goldwater and that the funding would allow her to continue her research at FSU’s Martin Memory Lab, where she is researching semantic and episodic memory.
“I didn’t expect to get the Goldwater as a sophomore, and I was using my first application to get familiar with the process,” she said. “I am hoping that I will be able to not work in the summer and just focus on research.”
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For our Faculty Corner, we are highlighting Dr. Cameron Beatty! Dr. Beatty was awarded the 2022 Dr. Susan R. Komives Research Award, a NASPA Community award whose purpose is "to support the creation of new knowledge focusing on the area of student leadership programs in higher education. This award is intended to support professional, doctoral, and Masters-level scholarly research. The recipient will submit an article about their research to the SLP-KC newsletter in order to disseminate their findings to the KC membership and beyond."
Dr. Beatty has been a long-standing UROP Research Mentor and has continuously supported our UROP students.
Congratulations, Dr. Beatty!
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CRE VIRTUAL ADVISING
Please set up a meeting through Campus Connect, use the instructions on the “Getting Started” page, and we will respond to you with a link to a Zoom appointment.
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FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA |
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CRE SPOTLIGHTS WANTS TO FEATURE YOUR NEWS!
We are constantly amazed by what our current students and alumni are working on, so share your success stories with us to be featured in our monthly newsletter and weekly social media posts. Fill out this form to share your news!
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Engaging students in research, innovation, and scholarship is the hallmark of a great research university. Through this engagement, students become better thinkers, innovators, and problem solvers, cultivating a depth of understanding needed to make a positive difference in the world. |
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