IDEA Grants

Since my last blog post, I have completed the most exciting part of my IDEA Grant journey, my research trip. I travelled first to Washington, D.C., to visit the History of Computer Cartography and Geographic Information Sciences Archive at the Library of Congress for five days, then to Philadelphia for the Ian McHarg Collection atContinue reading “Flora Domitrovic: My Research Trip and Beginning the Writing Process”

During the month of June, I took a short trip back to my hometown of Orlando to visit my family and got a much-needed break from summer stresses. Visiting family is always a helpful contribution to my artmaking, as I feel more connected to the cultural influences that guide my ideas. I got to catch-upContinue reading “Alex Davidoff: Revisiting Cultural Iconography”

This month has been an eventful one for us. We already have a basic model that can detect damaged windows reasonably well; however, this alone isn’t sufficient to achieve our broader goal of drone-based damage assessment. To move closer to that goal, we decided to revisit the dataset used to train the original model andContinue reading “Jas Chawla: Professional Labelers”

As I reflect on the second month of my project, there is one word that continues to come up in my mind: noise. I have plenty of literature that is guiding my work, a great working relationship with my mentor, but the noise continues to sound loudly through the numbers. I am not speaking aboutContinue reading “Miguel Arceo: Controlling the Noise within the Numbers”

The rehearsal process was where I found the most challenges in this project. The concept, logistics, working with designers, and even running the show itself had their unique hurdles, but rehearsal was the largest part where I was continuously navigating different obstacles. As I mentioned in a previous post, this project operates within a moreContinue reading “Max Allen: Rehearsal is the Hardest Part”

As technology advances, so has the prevalence of 3D printing. The ease of sending a design file to a printer is unrivaled, and the new possibility of creating complex structures is revolutionary compared to age-old construction techniques. However, as humanity innovates, the waste produced by this expansion is unprecedented. The waste products from modern constructionContinue reading “Rameen Ahmed: Pivoting to a More Sustainable Route”

Greetings Esteemed Reader, This past month, completing a big band arrangement of ‘Smart Race’ and finishing the theme of ‘Celebration’, the last movement of my big band suite, revealed some persistent problems I’ll be facing in my tuning methodology. The Lumatone is anticipated to give me insight on said methods, however, it is stuck inContinue reading “Peter Fasano: Hurdles to Xenharmonic Computation”

To reintroduce the topic I have chosen, I am investigating the future outlook of a small, coastal community amidst the decline of one of their historic industries, oyster harvesting. Apalachicola, Florida, and the surrounding areas have long been known for their native oysters, and this sentiment was felt most vibrantly by the residents of FranklinContinue reading “Morgan Krause: Dear Reader, It’s Okay to Mess Up. Keep Going.”

Hello again! My name is Kellan Kissinger and I am an IDEA Grant recipient currently working on an Honors in the Major thesis about how female utopianism appears in medieval and contemporary texts. Specifically, my thesis aims to explore the intersections between Christine de Pizan’s medieval A Book of the City of Ladies and contemporaryContinue reading “Researching Utopian Thinking”

Hey all! It’s been a hectic past few weeks, but progress has been coming along slowly and steadily. As I continue to build DSPT, a computational tool for more accurate cell trajectories, I didn’t realize just how quickly it would become a true test of my abilities as a programmer. Soon I discovered that “justContinue reading “Andy Gonzalez: Debugging, Difficulties, and Perseverance”

As I continue my research for this summer, I have been absolutely enraged and pleased with the project in front of me, as is the way with anything creatively enriching. Although unsurprising, one of the most pressing obstacles I’ve encountered has been the difficulty of gaining access to witness an embalming. From the conception ofContinue reading “Joanna Godfrey: Finding Clarity in Chaos”

In prison there is a saying, “From the dirt I will rise.” It’s a quiet promise, a seed planted in soil others thought barren. Every research journey is a path of discovery. Mine began as a subject–Degrees of Opportunity: Mapping Success and Barriers for Justice-Impacted Students. But over the summer, it led to an educationalContinue reading “Eddie Fordham: From the Dirt, We Rise! A Summer of Preparation and Purpose”

I spent most of the last month enjoying a short break, during which I was able to visit friends and family, as well as go on a trip to Ecuador. My trip was filled with natural beauty, everything from the beach, rainforest, and mountains, and was an incredibly rewarding experience after a busy spring semester.Continue reading “Time Well Spent and Return to Campus”

Now that we’re getting farther into the summer semester, and I’m getting farther into my IDEA Grant project, I’m glad I’m getting to put some of the skills I’ve developed during previous research experiences to use. On Saturday, I finished writing an abstract on the association of body fat percentage with the variability of autonomicContinue reading “Progress, Funding, and a Feline”

For the majority of May I was home and taking advantage of some much-needed relaxation from the spring semester. Also getting in as much family time as possible. I have included a picture of my beautiful beach back home! This was definitely a crucial and much needed time away from all things school. At theContinue reading “Learning the Research Ropes!”

For those who are reading about my project for this first time, hello! My name is Annie English, and I am currently working on an Honors in the Major project where I am investigating perceptions of juvenile delinquency based on music preference. Currently, I am finalizing the formal design strategy for my project and amContinue reading “Investigating How Music Preferences Influence Perceptions of Youth Crime”

This summer, I’ll be researching the relationship between environmentally focused city planning and emerging computer technology in the 1970s. I will be using my IDEA grant funding to travel to two archives to research this project: the Library of Congress and the Architectural Archives of the University of Pennsylvania. This will be my first timeContinue reading “Researching in Historical Archives”

Hello! My name is Alex Davidoff, and I have some updates on my project since I have returned from my research trip to New York. I am incredibly grateful that I was granted the opportunity to see some of the most influential galleries and see many well-established works in-person for the first time. While onContinue reading “Exploring New York: Inspirations and New Directions”

My experience working on the grant project has been productive but stressful—though not necessarily because of the project itself. At the beginning of the month, I had a family emergency that required me to travel to India. While I was there, the city I was staying in became a target during a skirmish between IndiaContinue reading “May Drone Report”

A little over two weeks into my data analysis and I have become even more excited about the research I am conducting. My research into Hispanic voters has really sharpened my data analysis skills and my ability to identify trends within the data. Currently, I have been using R Studio to combine seven editions ofContinue reading “Typing, Coding, Modeling Away”

This month is the start of rehearsals for my production of Sea Marks, while not my first time directing, it is the first time I will be coordinating between so many other people in the process. My previous work was essentially me and the actor(s) and maybe one additional person to assist in building theContinue reading “Experimenting with Directing Styles”

One of my main goals while pursuing research is to deepen my understanding of the concepts I learn in class and apply them to the advancement of knowledge. To me, research bridges the gap between theory and real-world application. A perfect example of this was during my Strength of Materials course, where we studied howContinue reading “Resources and Reminiscing: My Journey into Research and FSU’s Role”

Throughout the summer, I am creating a body of artwork that explores human dissociation from the natural world and how we use technology to reinforce our separation. My painted sculptures are informed by video game environments which function as hybrid spaces, at once human, wild, and machine. I have spent this Spring semester curating aContinue reading “Living as Animals in the Digital Age”

Throughout my academic and professional journey thus far, I have discovered that what drives me the most is mission-driven work that has a legitimate real-world impact. This project is precisely that, through developing a machine learning model to assess the building damage caused by natural disasters. This project fits me perfectly in its capabilities toContinue reading “Growing as a Researcher Through Disaster Damage Analysis”

As I continue my research for my Honors in the Major undergraduate thesis project this summer, I have been refining my qualitative analysis skills and reading lots of literature on decolonialism, environmentalism, and spatial justice. My current read is Walter Mignolo’s 2005 book The Idea of Latin America, in which Mignolo traces the colonial historyContinue reading “A Decolonial, Interdisciplinary Approach to International Climate Policy”

Hello again! A few weeks into the summer, I’m excited to share some updates regarding my creative research project. As I work through the development of my paintings and continue my research on both Colombian and Floridian wildlife, I’ve reflected a bit on the significance of this proposal. I am increasingly grateful for the opportunityContinue reading “Forging Mythologies as Introspection: My Reflections and Goals for the Summer”

What Your Body’s Stiffness Can Say About Your Health Most people think of things like blood tests, X-rays, or heart monitors when they hear the word “diagnosis.” But believe it or not, there’s something much simpler that can help doctors figure out if something’s going wrong inside the body: how soft or firm your tissuesContinue reading “How Tissue Stiffness Helps Doctors Detect Disease”

Hello everyone! This is Hayley Schermer again with an update on the research project I’m conducting with Ella Vizzini, focused on how exercise influences sleep patterns and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women. While we haven’t begun collecting data just yet, there’s been a lot of exciting progress behind the scenes. Over the past few weeks,Continue reading “Starting Strong: Reflections on the Early Stages of My Menopause & Sleep Study “

Hello again! Since summer is just around the corner, I figure now is a good time to give an update on my IDEA Grant Project. I am happy to say that a lot of progress has been made in the past two months. We started data collection for the project back in April. Our teamContinue reading “Waiting With Intention: Bringing Mindfulness to a Free Clinic Waiting Room”

Hey Everyone! Over the past month, Hayley and I have been working to receive approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure that all procedures in our study follow proper ethical standards. While we await this approval, we’ve begun searching for both study participants and essential supplies. One of the key materials for ourContinue reading “From IRB to Intake: Starting a Research Study in Women’s Exercise Science”

Hello! My name is Claire, and I am currently finishing up my first year at FSU. It is hard to believe that this year has gone by so fast. To me, it feels like my first home game in the student’s section was just a few weeks ago! I have really enjoyed my experience atContinue reading “Waiting With Intention: Bringing Mindfulness to a Free Clinic Waiting Room”

My name is Ella Vizzini, and I am a junior studying Exercise Physiology on the pre-medical track at Florida State University. My research journey began in the fall of my sophomore year when I joined the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) through the FSU Center for Research Excellence (CRE). This program introduced me to theContinue reading “Investigating Women’s Health during Menopause”

Hello everyone! My name is Hayley Schermer, and I am a junior at Florida State University. I am a cell and molecular neuroscience major on the pre-health track with hopes of attending medical school after I finish my undergraduate career. My research partner, Ella Vizzini, and I have recently been given the great privilege ofContinue reading “Researching the Potential Benefit of Exercise during Menopause”

Hi! My name is Dev Sangha, and I’m a biology major at Florida State University, set to graduate in Spring 2027. I’m passionate about science, technology, and biomedical research. This summer, with support from the IDEA Grant, I’ll be working on a project that brings together engineering and biology to tackle a very real problemContinue reading “Prototyping and Testing a Better Tissue Sensor”

Over the summer, I will be conducting a creative research project that investigates my identity as a Colombian American through three large-scale mixed media paintings. My primary inspiration in creating these works is the concept of hybridity as a bridge between the natural and cultural realms. With a definition originating in biology, hybridity has historicallyContinue reading “Antonia Pretelt: Hybridizing Colombian and Floridian Iconography through Art”

I have been passionate about the environment and social justice for as long as I can remember. As a born and raised Floridian, I have been witness to the effects of climate change and its resulting long-term societal injustices. In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Florida and my family lost power for nearly two weeks. ThisContinue reading “Madelyn Luther: Discursive Analysis of a Changing World”

Hi there! My name is Brooke Taylor Hagans, and I’m an undergraduate researcher studying Biological Science at Florida State University. This summer, I’m incredibly grateful to be conducting independent research through the FSU IDEA Grant, a program that supports original, student-led projects. With this support, I’ll be exploring a question that connects physiology, parasitology, andContinue reading “Brooke Hagans: The Mysteries of Survival”

Hello readers! My name is Amber Losciale, and I am a third-year Cyber-Criminology major. I am incredibly passionate about my major and career trajectory, with many of my academic and occupational goals particularly aligning for a future combatting Internet crimes against children. I am unsure if I watched too much of ‘How to Catch aContinue reading “Amber Losciale: Unmanned Aircraft Assessors”

Hello everyone! My name is Audrey Lendvay, and I am a second year studio art student at Florida State University, and I now have the exciting honor to introduce you all to my upcoming IDEA Grant research for summer 2024.  My project takes a particular interest in the ways in which we participate in physicalContinue reading “Audrey Lendvay and Gamescape Dérives”

Hi, I’m Morgan Krause, a junior at Florida State University majoring in Environmental Science and Policy. I’m preparing for law school with the goal of pursuing a career in environmental law. Through this blog, I hope to share my research journey, provide insights for fellow student researchers, and inspire others to explore the intersection ofContinue reading “Oyster Crash in Apalachicola- Where will the future lay?”