Meet the Scholars

Danny Alex

Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
Major: Biological Sciences
Minor: Chemistry
Career Goals: Physician
Research_interests: Community Health and Health Policy.  Danny conducted a poster presentation on "Genetic Engineering of Cell Cycle Genes in Pancreatic Beta Cells" at the Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by Florida State University. Danny has also done research on Clinical Capabilities of LLM Powered Mental Health Tools at FSU, as well as Medicaid Expansion and State-Level Differences in Longevity-Based Aging Thresholds at Columbia University.
Community Involvement: Lambda Phi Epsilon, HOME Street Medicine, Florida Asian American Student Union, Student Government Association, HCA, the Food for Thought, and HOME Street Medicine.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Fighter
Favorite Meal: Naan and Butter Chicken

Ainsley Amendola

Hometown: Tampa, FL
Major: Human Resource Management
Minor:
Career Goals: Hospital Administrator; Senior leadership within healthcare systems.
Research_interests: Beginning Teacher’s Use of a High Leverage Practice During Math; Pre-Health & Social Sciences
Community Involvement: Phi Mu Sorority (current Chapter President), Order of Omega, Garnet and Gold Key Honorary, Dance Marathon.  She's also volunteered with the FSU Food for Thought Pantry.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Batman
Favorite Meal: Chicken Tenders & Fries

Loriz Arencibia

Hometown: Miami, FL
Major: Creative Writing and Theatre
Minor: Philosophy
Career Goals: After graduation I would love to go to law school. Eventually I would love to have a job that could take me abroad!
Research_interests: Through UROP, Loriz worked in a textile lab collecting the physiological responses that a mannikin (ANDI) had to the personal protective equipment of construction workers. The purpose of the research was to see if the apparel would help reduce heat stress.
Community Involvement: Student Government, Freshman Leadership Institute, Special Olympics, London Theatre International Program.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Kiese Laymon's memoir: Heavy and Sorry, Baby
Favorite Meal: Essence of India's Butter Chicken

Matthew Azuara

Hometown: Guilford, CT
Major: Meteorology
Minor: Math and Physics
Career Goals: Matthew is keeping his options open right now, but is interested in both operational meteorology and research. Matthew has an internship this summer that will allow him to work in both fields and is hoping to use that experience to help narrow down a path.
Research_interests: Anything meteorology!  Matthew has worked with fire weather in the past and conducted a research project in Summer 2026 over extreme heat and public health impacts relating from extreme heat events.
Community Involvement: Chi Epsilon Pi, American Meteorological Society (AMS), FSU Weather, Hollings Scholarship Program, and Lott's Community Garden.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Dell Express Fill-In Puzzles Vol. 94
Favorite Meal: Tandoori chicken, garlic naan bread, and a Blackberry Dr. Pepper

Mia Biton

Hometown: Miami, FL
Major: Theatre and Political Science
Minor:
Career Goals: To work as a performer or in government.
Research_interests: Intersectional Feminism, Gendered-Racial Socialization, Discipline Gap, Feminist Rhetoric through Music, Musicians and Race.  Through her UROP research project with mentor Brittany Barron, Mia researched the different kinds of feminist rhetoric certain female artists used to contribute to their personal definitions of feminism.
Community Involvement: Jewish Student Union, Strike Magazine, Delta Gamma, Presidential Scholars, Kearney Center, Delta Gamma and Sigma Phi Epsilon Sandwich making for the unhoused community.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Maggie Nelson's Bluets
Favorite Meal: Sushi!

Blake Bole

Hometown: Lithia, FL
Major: Finance and STEM Entrepreneurship
Minor: Computer Science
Career Goals: Law
Research_interests: Electricity and Electronics.  Blake's research journey from Summer 2023 to Spring 2024 has been focused on Dye Sensitized Solar Cells, conducted through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP). Under the mentorship of Professor Simon Foo at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Blake delved into this fascinating area of study. His research aimed to explore the efficiency and potential applications of dye sensitized solar cells, a promising alternative to traditional silicon-based solar cells. The research was conducted internally at FSU, providing Blake with ample resources and support from the academic community. Throughout the process, Blake found his research both enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. His findings have contributed to a deeper understanding of dye sensitized solar cells, laying a solid foundation for further advancements in the field. Looking ahead, Blake plans to dedicate his upcoming summer to writing a research paper based on his findings. This paper aims to be published, thereby disseminating the results to a wider audience and contributing to the body of knowledge in solar cell technology. Additionally, Blake intends to expand the scope of his research, exploring new avenues and potential applications of dye sensitized solar cells for a more sustainable future.
Community Involvement: Debate, Interfraternity Council, Order of Omega, Alpha Delta Phi, Tallahassee Food Rescue, and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Blake also was a National Debate Octafinalist.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean
Favorite Meal: Lobster

Whitney Bouk

Hometown: Gulf Breeze, FL
Major: Political Science and English (Editing, Writing, and Media)
Minor: Commercial Entrepreneurship Minor, with an Unmanned Aircraft Systems Certificate
Career Goals: After obtaining her bachelors degrees in Political Science and English, Whitney plans to attend law school, with the intent of practicing product liability upon graduation. As someone who has grown up in an area that has been affected by environmental contamination, she hopes to use her law degree to fight for those who have been unfairly affected by faulty and dangerous products or who have been affected by contamination. Beyond law, she aims to expand her current non-profit organization, Writers For Readers Inc. to continue providing a link between the writing and reading communities in the fight against illiteracy and to eventually start her own business focused on creating products that increase the quality of life for everyday users.
Research_interests: Whitney is interested in researching the various areas of law and the interconnections between law and business.  Whitney conducted ongoing research through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, working under Professor Rima Nathan at the FSU College of Law on a project determining the legal needs of the low-income elderly population across Florida. The research seeks to fill a lack of recent information about the legal needs of this often underrepresented population and help determine where resources should be focused as well as if there are any barriers currently hindering the ease of access to the resources that already exist.
Community Involvement: Honors Student Association, Presidential Scholars, Honors Legal Scholars, Page Turners, Fencing Club, Second Harvest of the Big Bend, and the Kearney Center.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Favorite Meal: Poppyseed Chicken Casserole

Emma Brown

Hometown: Ellicott City, MD
Major: Criminology and Middle Eastern Studies
Minor: Psychology
Career Goals: Emma's career goal is to become a Human Rights attorney who focuses on immigration and women's rights. She hopes to work at a pro bono.
Research_interests: Victimization, the private prison system, and juvenile law.  Emma conducted a research project titled "Developmental Pathways Explaining Repeat Victimization: The Influence of Delinquent Friendships." Alongside Myunghee You, she conducted a literature review to analyze victimization and how it continues later in life. This research was conducted through FSU and they concluded the research with legislature recommendations.
Community Involvement: Torch Society, Women Student Union, After They Arrive, and the Arabic Honor Society.  She also volunteers for Neighborly, where she has translated Arabic for Syrian refugees, translated Spanish for Venezuelan and Colombian refugees, sorted donations, and helped refer people to the right resources for resettlement, and tutored refugee children.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America by Brian Goldstone
Favorite Meal: The falafel wrap I order in Washington, D.C.

Estefania Cardenal

Hometown: Miami, FL
Major: Finance
Minor:
Career Goals: A job in wealth management
Research_interests: Business, Finance, Marketing, Psychology, Mental Health, Music.  The research project I was a part of this year was "Stand Up Branding: Does brand activism impact consumer attitudes and behaviors for every type of brand?" This project revolves around the question: does brand activism impact consumer attitudes and behaviors for every type of brand? Specifically, we will be studying hedonic versus utilitarian brands where hedonic brands are meant for pleasure such as Coca Cola or Maybelline where as utilitarian brands are more functional such as Bounty or Tide. You may also be curious as to what specifically brand activism is. Brand activism is when companies take a stance on a socio-political topic that aligns with their personal views. Brand activism is becoming more and more important because of society’s demands for larger and more powerful groups to speak up on current issues. This is quantitative based research and will be done, once approved by the IRB, through surveying a group of participants to identify both a hedonic and utilitarian brand that they have frequently purchased from. They are then asked about their knowledge on the part those brands play in brand activism and how their consumer behaviors might be impacted by their activism.  As mentioned, we are waiting for IRB approval for data collection, but once that is completed and we gather data, we will begin data analysis as well as begin the process of publishing this research. A gap in literature present in this subject is that it is a relatively new concept, making it difficult to use previous research as a precedent. Lastly, a way this study can be used in the future is for different brands to learn how to effectively use activism to further benefit them.
Community Involvement: UROP, FSU Women in Business, FSU Mental Health Council, Kappa Delta Sorority, Kearney Center, Unconquered By Debt, Food For Thought.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Glee
Favorite Meal: Sushi (the roll with the most ingredients on the menu) followed by Dulce De Leche ice cream

Henry Castellat

Hometown: Miami, FL
Major: Criminology and Philosophy
Minor:
Career Goals: Lawyer
Research_interests: 3D printing and AI Technology
Community Involvement: Henry is involved with Sigma Chi, Order of Omega, and Kappa Alpha Pi, the latter of which elected him as president.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: The Sopranos
Favorite Meal: Chicken Piccata

Thomas Cherry

Hometown: Boynton Beach, FL
Major: Computational Science
Minor:
Career Goals: To pursue a career in which I can apply some of the most unique skills I have in the fields of math and computer science.
Research_interests: Anything in the realm of math and computer science.  Thomas participated in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program throughout his first year at FSU. He researched Large Language Models (LLMs), a tool in the field of artificial intelligence, supervised under Dr. Gordon Erlebacher and Dr. Nathan Crock. By performing experiments on these tools, he explored how their reasoning processes compare to those of humans.
Community Involvement: Cubing Club, Society of Undergraduate Mathematics Students, Association for Computing Machinery, Climbing Club, Kearney Center, Food for Thought Pantry, Food Recovery Network.  Additionally, in the Summer of 2026, Thomas won the North American Rubik's WCA Championship for the third consecutive time.  Furthermore, as of July 2026, Thomas now holds the world record for solving a Rubik's Cube while blindfolded, having completed it in 11.56 seconds.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Lucky Scramble
Favorite Meal: Sushi

Kylie Cowley

Hometown: Miami, FL
Major: Finance
Minor:
Career Goals: Majoring in finance, she hopes to take the next three years to explore different aspects of the business and financial world to find something that she is passionate about.
Research_interests: Feminist theory, music, and gender disparity.  Kylie worked with the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program and signed onto a project, along with another student, studying feminist themes within the Billboard Top 10 Female Artists of 2023 newest albums with PhD student Ashley Johns. Initially, a literature review was written, discussing preexisting research on feminism within the music industry and the gaps that are left to fill. The results found that the majority of studies were conducted predominantly on Rap and R&B music, with an emphasis on derogatory language use. Common themes of sexualization, degradation, and drug use were found among these genres. For the purpose of this project, this research is meant to expand upon these preexisting findings as well as explore other genres and even other languages to see if there are any overlapping themes.
Community Involvement: Kylie was heavily involved in the Cuban American Student Association (CASA), where she got to participate in the Cafecito and Espumita Mentorship Program. Within this program, she was paired with a mentor who was 2 years older than her and had similar interests and career goals. Throughout the semester, Kylie's mentor guided and encouraged her to get involved on campus in any way that she could and to take as many risks as possible. Kylie's mentor also assisted her in developing in her professional skills by editing her resume and taking headshots of her. All throughout this process, there was an emphasis on promoting Cuban culture and using that to connect with other students within the mentorship program and around campus as well. Kylie is very grateful for this program for allowing her the space to form relationships with people of her same cultural background and make the difficult transition from high school to college a little less intimidating. She also volunteered for the Kearney Center and FSU's Unconquered By Debt program.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Interstellar
Favorite Meal: Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan

Ashby Culpepper

Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
Major: Biochemistry (pre-dental)
Minor:
Career Goals: Dentist
Research_interests: Biology (mainly enzymes and field-work)
Community Involvement: Student Government, Basketball, Best Buddies, Unconquered by Debt,
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Forest Gump
Favorite Meal: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Zionne Cummings

Hometown: Orlando, FL
Major: Media-Communications and Criminology
Minor: Technology & Society
Career Goals: To become a Criminal Defense Attorney
Research_interests: Firearms and Frustration: Exploring the Intersection of Involuntary Celibacy and Weapon Access
Community Involvement: PULSE at FSU, Black Law Students Association, Renegade, Garnet & Gold Key.  She also volunteered with the Seminole Garden Volunteer Leon, and at the Public Defense Office.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favorite Meal: Jambalaya Pasta

Tafari D'Aguilar

Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: STEM Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Aerodynamics Certification
Career Goals: Tafari's career goal is to work in the aerospace industry, contributing to the advancement of deep space exploration through engineering, research, and innovation. He is particularly interested in systems that integrate controls, robotics, and human–machine interaction to support missions beyond Earth. In the short term, he plans to pursue his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering while gaining research experience in areas such as robotics, propulsion, or advanced systems design. Long term, Tafari aspires to work with organizations like NASA, contributing to missions that expand human presence in space, while also mentoring and creating pathways for underrepresented students to enter STEM fields.
Research_interests: My research interests lie in aerospace systems, robotics, and controls, with a focus on applications in deep space exploration. I am particularly interested in human–machine interaction, system integration, and advanced propulsion or control systems that support long-duration space missions. I am also interested in interdisciplinary research that combines mechanical systems with emerging technologies to improve performance and efficiency in complex environments.
Community Involvement: Student Government Association (SGA), Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Theta Eta Chapter & Southern Province Leadership), Garnet and Gold Key Honorary, Student Alumni Association (SAA), Student Foundation, Order of Omega, Renegade Leadership Honor Society, CARE (Center for Academic Retention & Enhancement), and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering (Senior Design – NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge Team).  Tafari also volunteered for the Food for Thought Pantry and FSU Service Events / Campus Engagement (via SGA & Student Organizations).
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Hunter x Hunter
Favorite Meal: Egusi soup and Fufu

Gabriel d'Esterhazy

Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Major: Computer Engineering
Minor: Neuroscience
Career Goals: Gabriel would like to work in biomedical robotics technology. Particularly in fields like neural prosthetics and disability support technology.
Research_interests: Gabriel enjoys research that develops cutting edge solutions to those in need through the creation of new systems and technologies. Specifically he likes to conduct research into the fields of prosthetics and other cybernetics intended for aid.
Community Involvement: RTHM research lab, Seminole organic garden, Engage TLH, the Kearney center, the Tallahassee Humane society, Fiddlehorn Farm, and the Food for Thought Pantry.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: The Will of the Many / The Strength of the Few by James Islington
Favorite Meal: Chicken Ceaser Salad

Jackson De Jesus

Hometown: Orlando, FL
Major: Biology and Finance
Minor: Chemistry
Career Goals: Equity Research
Research_interests: Likability of a city through municipality bonds.  Research reconnected was looking at liability city through this patty bonds. As where we collected the various data points that could affect an individual decision and which ones affected the municipal bars of that region.
Community Involvement: Securities Society, PEVC club, pickleball club, The Kearney Center.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: The Great Alone
Favorite Meal: Mofongo con Churrasco

Sophia Deitrich

Hometown: Colts Neck, NJ
Major: Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: Chemistry
Career Goals: Pediatric Emergency Room Doctor
Research_interests: Sophia is currently an undergraduate researcher in the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. Her work focuses on a meta-analysis examining spatial navigation in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease under the guidance of faculty mentors within the department. This research aims to better understand how neurological conditions impact cognitive functions such as navigation and memory, which has broader implications for improving patient care and quality of life. Her role in this project includes reviewing scientific literature, analyzing data across studies, and contributing to the synthesis of findings. Through this experience, she has developed strong analytical and critical thinking skills while also gaining exposure to the research process from start to finish. This work has been conducted internally at FSU and has provided her with valuable insight into how research can inform clinical practice.
Community Involvement: Sophia has been actively involved in several organizations at Florida State University, including the Medical Response Unit, Phi Delta Epsilon Pre-Medical Fraternity, and Delta Gamma. 
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Survivor Season 50
Favorite Meal: Shrimp Ceviche

Alexander DeLise

Hometown: Tampa, FL
Major: Applied and Computational Mathematics
Minor: Interdisciplinary Sciences
Career Goals: Alex wants to pursue a Ph.D. in the mathematical sciences with a concentration on artificial intelligence and machine learning. He wants to research how to leverage generative models to solve inverse problems across science and engineering, and develop rigorous mathematical theory underpinning our fundamental understanding of AI.
Research_interests: Industrial Engineering and Operations Research through mathematical modeling, specifically linear programming. In his first year, Alexander participated in the Undergraduate Research Program at FSU to perform research at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He worked with his mentor Seyedreza Abazari, and the overseeing professor Dr. Arda Vanli on the research project Cost-Effective Location Allocation for COVID-19 Patient Assignment in Florida: A Data-Driven Approach. This research presents a mathematical model to decide the best location for healthcare facilities in Florida to minimize demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model proposes a hybrid approach to minimize the cost of establishing the healthcare facilities at the candidate locations and the cost of travel to the healthcare facilities. To estimate the demand for healthcare facilities, the study incorporates hospital data from all 67 counties of Florida. Budgetary constraints ensure that the optimal solution does not exceed a threshold of money spent to establish the healthcare facilities, and travel constraints ensure that demand does not exceed a threshold for money spent to travel to the candidate locations.  The implications of this research include the potential to enhance healthcare resource allocation and accessibility during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic through strategic placement of facilities based on demand and cost considerations.
Community Involvement: President of the Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society and Fraternity, Club Pickleball, and Club Bowling, Unconquered By Debt, FSU Department of Mathematics Math Fun Day, Kearney Center.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Severance
Favorite Meal: Ice Cream

Angelique Deville

Hometown: Prairieville, LA
Major: Biological Sciences
Minor: Chemistry
Career Goals: Physician
Research_interests: Angelique has worked as a researcher for Institute of Pediatric Rare Disease in the FSU College of Medicine, under Dr. David Ledbetter and Dr. Janelle Stanton, creating case curations of gene variants that lead to various pediatric disorders such as intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and cerebral palsy.  She also helped create NDD Genehub, a public-access database compiling all of the curated gene variants that may cause the previously mentioned disorders.
Community Involvement: Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Filipino Student Association, Asian American Student Union, Cajun Navy Ground Force, FSU Biology Department, Who We Play For, FSU Office Accessibility Services, FSU Garnet and Gold Goes Green, Stavros Center, Habitat for Humanity, Apalachicola Riverkeeper, Kearney Center.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Iron Lung
Favorite Meal: Lechon and white rice.

Adriana Diaz

Hometown: Miami, FL
Major: Film
Minor:
Career Goals: I aim to be a film director, using cinema as a medium for political and social commentary.  I also aim to create a philanthropy centered on disability depictions in film.
Research_interests: Adriana conducted research on Russian Director Alexander Sokurov. She studied his influence on the films of Raoul Peck, and cross-examined the themes of each director's respective films. She conducted research through UROP under the mentorship of FSU's Dr. Lisa Wakamiya.  With Dr. Wakamiya, Adriana will be constructing a video essay in the summer that analyzes my research more critically.  Adriana also aims to study climate gentrification in Miami.
Community Involvement: Aquila Entertainment, CARE, After they Arrive, SGA, and Lambda Theta Alpha.  Adriana has also volunteered for After They Arrive, the Food for Thought Pantry, and FSU Film.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Ordinary People
Favorite Meal: 10 Piece from McDonalds

Tyler Doherty

Hometown: Windermere, FL
Major: Marketing
Minor:
Career Goals: Behavioral analytics in the marketing field or something involving sports marketing.
Research_interests: Social psychology, behavior, marketing and advertising, sociology, societal patterns, social media.  Tyler participated in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program at FSU and was part of a research project under the mentorship of Dr. Vanessa Dennen. The project, titled "Social Media and Emotions", strived to observe how young adults feel about social media, especially relating to their time use. Serving as an undergraduate research assistant, Tyler helped the team sort through surveys and look for trends relating to social media platforms, uses, and feelings relating to time use. The team found that most people have negative feelings relating to their time use on TikTok, but had neutral or positive feelings when it came to platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Reddit, etc.
Community Involvement: Best Buddies, TMIC, MHC, FSU's Food Pantry, Unconquered by Debt, Kearney Center.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Book: In the Dream House // Movie: The Grand Budapest Hotel // Show: Black Mirror
Favorite Meal: My mom's shrimp alfredo.

Ross Ellis

Hometown: Nazareth, PA
Major: Cyber-Criminology
Minor: Law and Philosophy
Career Goals: Law School, with hopes of joining a field of cyber and artificial intelligence crime.
Research_interests: Artificial Intelligence research, Business Analytics.  Through UROP, Ross was able to, through presidential scholars, participate in research by acting as research assistants to current and ongoing projects. After a series of interviews and trials, students like Ross were accepted into a research project on which they then worked the whole day. Ross is hoping to continue with the research.
Community Involvement: Sigma Chi, Student Government Association, Legacy Party at FSU, Beach Volleyball Club at FSU, Sailing Club at FSU, Dulos FSU, and the Torch Society.  Ross also volunteered with the Food for Thought Pantry and the FSU Counseling and Psychological Services.  
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Favorite Meal: Steak and potatoes.

Christianna Ford

Hometown: Albany, GA
Major: Public Relations and Marketing
Minor: Spanish
Career Goals: Law School or Marketing PhD.
Research_interests: Social Media, Healthcare, and Marketing.  Christianna had the chance to be included in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) during the 2023-2024 academic year under Dr. Marcos Vasconcelos, a Computation Engineering Professor at FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. The research was about the effect of social media algorithms and recommender systems on consumer private preferences.
Community Involvement: Student Alumni Association, Freshman Leadership Institute, Medical Response Unit, The Torch Society, James M. Seneff Business Honors Program, Garnet & Gold Key Leadership Honorary, The 1910 Women’s Honorary, and Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honors Society.  She has also volunteered with the Oasis Center for Women and Girls.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: The Boys
Favorite Meal: Shrimp Alfredo

Rickerson Geneus

Hometown: Margate, FL
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor:
Career Goals: Opthalmologist
Research_interests: Anything related to the heart, eyes, programming, and engineering.  The research I have done this year with UROP is developing an AI to scan heart cells to notice differences in their sacromeres (little units that make up the muscles of the heart) as they react to different drugs. Supervising Faculty: Dr. Chistopher Solis.  Research was done internally.
Community Involvement: Progressive Black Men, Black Men in Medicine, Kearney Center, Food for Thought Pantry.  
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Vinland Saga
Favorite Meal: Haitian Macaroni (Macaroni Au Gratin)

Maddox Goodman

Hometown: Hollywood, FL
Major: English: Editing, Writing, and Media
Minor:
Career Goals: Criminal Defense Lawyer
Research_interests: The Rosenstrasse Protests.  This research involved searching for information on the survivors from The Rosenstrasse Protest. The protest involved non-jewish women protesting against their Jewish husbands being taken away from them during the Holocaust in Berlin. With this information that has been found, a database is created on the Rosenstrasse Foundation website. The faculty involved was Liam Wirsansky and Dr. Nathan Stoltzfus. The research was done in collaboration with the Rosenstrasse Foundation and the Department of History at FSU.
Community Involvement: Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Honors Legal Scholars, Food for Thought Panty, FSU Hillel
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Survivor
Favorite Meal: A home-cooked meal from my Mom.

Matias Gruen

Hometown: Guaynabo, PR
Major: Geography
Minor: Urban and Regional Planning
Career Goals: Urban Planner with a concentration on Transportation
Research_interests: Gentrification in modern society, Historical Urban Planning, politics and human geography.  Matias did his UROP project on the barriers youth face in running for political office.
Community Involvement: Alpha Kappa Psi, Outdoor Pursuits, and Club Tennis.  Matias also volunteered with the Food for Thought Pantry.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Challengers
Favorite Meal: Cacio e pepe

Sabrina Jacques

Hometown: Belle Grade, FL
Major: Nursing Education
Minor: BSN, RN
Career Goals: To gain nursing experience and eventually become an adjunct professor.
Research_interests: Black Maternal Health in America.  Additionally, under the supervision of Nursing Faculty member Dr. Salsgiver, Sabrina conducted an honors augment research called Smart Sensing: CarePredict’s Role in Improving Elderly Chronic Care.
Community Involvement: Sigma theta tau, Unconquered Scholars, Catholic Noles, and The Big Event.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Roommates
Favorite Meal: Haitian Spaghetti

Dylan Kramer

Hometown: Saint Petersburg, FL
Major: Exercise Physiology
Minor:
Career Goals: Orthopedic Surgery
Research_interests: Stem Cells and Cartilage Repair
Community Involvement: Fraternity and Sorority Life, Presidential Scholars, IM Athletics
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Impractical Jokers
Favorite Meal: Seafood Pasta

Aishat Lawal

Hometown: Saint Petersburg, FL
Major: English Editing, Writing, and Media
Minor: Film Studies
Career Goals: Playwright/Screenwriter/Director
Research_interests: The intersection of Social Justice and Film and Television
Community Involvement: Club Down Under Programming Intern, Fine Arts Ticket Office Agent, Student Life Center Cinema and Film Committee
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Young Mungo
Favorite Meal: Pho ( from Special Pho in my hometown)

Charlie Manuel

Hometown: Saint Augustine, FL
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: General Buisness
Career Goals: Physician
Research_interests: UROP, Chemistry Laboratory, Biology Laboratory, Biochemistry Laboratory.  Conducted a Meta Analysis Study.
Community Involvement: Medical Response Unit, Club Rugby, Crisis Textline, UROP, Unconquered by Debt, Cells, LA Program
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Lucy
Favorite Meal: Chipotle Bowl

Collin May

Hometown: Lake Mary, FL
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Music, Math
Career Goals: Working in Aerospace or Defense.
Research_interests: STEM/Music.
Community Involvement: Marching Chiefs, Theta Tau, Tau Beta Pi, The Big Event, Little Event, the Kearny Center, and the FSU Food for Thought Pantry.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Ted Lasso
Favorite Meal: Philly Cheesesteak.

Alyson Mizanin

Hometown: Venice, FL
Major: Media/Communication Studies and Religion
Minor: Spanish
Career Goals: Broadcast Journalism
Research_interests: Social media, media representation, journalistic transparency.  Under the guidance of FSU religion professor Rebecca Peters, Alyson analyzed the ways in which female directors tend to uphold misogynistic tropes in their portrayals of female characters. She found that, although strides are being made in the industry to move past these flawed characterizations, they prevail regardless, given how difficult it is for movies that push these boundaries to succeed.
Community Involvement: FSView, PeaceJam, Circle-K International, Habitat for Humanity, Student Government, The Center for Leadership & Service, The Kearney Center, Leon County Humane Society, Goat House Farm, Tallahassee Marathon Medaling, Tallahassee Trunk or Treat, Champ's Chance, Unconquered by Debt, FSU Homecoming, Kiwanis Home Football Game Parking, Cajun Navy Hurricane Relief.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
Favorite Meal: Mostaccioli

Luke Morrison

Hometown: Mineola, TX
Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management
Minor:
Career Goals: Luke wants to live abroad early in his career, preferably in Europe where he can gain experience in European hospitality norms before considering returning to the States.  He thrives in people-facing roles and is currently leaning toward operations roles at mountain and ski resorts in the German Alps.
Research_interests: Music Education, Environmental science, Hospitality and Tourism Management.  Luke conducted his first undergraduate research project ever through UROP. His project focused on the perception of General Music Education. Luke worked under a mentor, Crystal Berner, who is pursuing a doctoral degree through the College of Music, and he worked alongside another student in the College of Music. Throughout their project, Crystal guided them through the basics of conducting research, teaching them about the different sections of a research paper, poster, or presentation. After learning the fundamentals of research, they began their project by studying other research similar to theirs, and then forming a plan. Luke, his partner, and his mentor organized and created an online questionnaire, that they released to pre-servce and in-service music teachers, in order to gauge their perception of general music education. The survey measured whether respondents™ thought music education was important, as well as if it should be required across certain grade levels in primary school. This research was done internally and was presented at the Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Community Involvement: FSU Student Senate, Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity, FSU Homecoming, The Big Event of Tallahassee, and the Food For Thought Food Pantry.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: James Bond movies
Favorite Meal: Hot Wings

Collin Mungall

Hometown: Windermere, FL
Major: Accounting & Management Information Systems
Minor: Computer Science
Career Goals: Collin plans to begin his career in Audit at Ernst & Young, where he intends to take full advantage of learning and development opportunities to build a strong technical and professional foundation. He plans to later transition into Internal Audit to broaden his exposure to risk, controls, and operational processes, with the long-term goal of progressing into senior finance leadership and ultimately becoming a Chief Financial Officer.
Research_interests: Financial skills for those with intellectual disabilities and general data analysis.  My research was focused on the ability to teach algebra to students with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism. We found that through quality instruction, not only can they learn the information, but they will also improve their quality of life based on these skills. The only limitations were the generalizability of it. I would like to thank my mentor, Deidre Gilley, for bringing me through this experience. I researched with her at the College of Education here at FSU.
Community Involvement: James M. Seneff Scholars Program, The Finance Society, Student Government Senate, Legacy Party, and Sigma Phi Epsilon.  Collin also volunteered with VITA and The Big Event
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Paradise
Favorite Meal: Picanha Steak

Ryan Napoleon

Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Major: Insurance and Risk Management
Minor: Political Science
Career Goals: Ryan wants to pursue a career in the Insurance field. Directly after college, we plans to work with a big name insurance brokerage, in order to gain experience in the field. He then wants to start his own insurance brokerage practice.
Research_interests: Insurance and Poltiical Science.  This past year, Ryan worked on an Insurance and Risk Management/Political Science project through the RMI department. This project observed the potential correlations between Insurance Commissioners' jobs before and after their time in office, and the insurance rates/premiums that came out of their office. Insurance commissioners are either elected or appointed in every state, and they play a big role in regulating how much consumers in that respective state pay for insurance. Ryan's research statistically analyzed if an Insurance Commissioners job before and after their time in office had an effect on these prices. The results of this research indicate that insurance commissioners who has experience in the industry before their time in office generally produce lower insurance premiums or prices.
Community Involvement: Gamma Iota Sigma (FSU Insurance Fraternity),
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Succession
Favorite Meal: Sushi

Carter Parent

Hometown: Salem, OR
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: Spanish
Career Goals: Biomedical Engineering Industry.
Research_interests: Cell and Tissue Engineering.  Carter performs research in the Driscoll Laboratory under Dr. Tristan Driscoll. He conducts TFM microscopy experiments, analyzing the forces cells exert on their extracellular environment using bead displacement. He performs his research at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
Community Involvement: FSU Club Beach Volleyball Team, Sinfonia Orchestra, Unconquered By Debt, and the Seminole Organic Garden. Carter also volunteered with Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Project Hail Mary (Book first, then Movie)
Favorite Meal: Al Pastor Tacos

Blake Pu

Hometown: Orange Park, FL
Major: Industrial Engineering
Minor:
Career Goals: Blake hopes to build a leadership-oriented career at the intersection of engineering, business, and public impact. As an Industrial Engineering student, he is interested in energy, infrastructure, aerospace, defense, consulting, and other large-scale technical systems where he can apply systems thinking, data, project management, and communication skills.
Research_interests: Industrial and systems engineering, optimization and operations research, energy systems and infrastructure planning, project management and organizational strategy, AI and data analytics in large-scale systems, aerospace, defense, and national security systems, political economy and technology policy, social mobility, inequality, and institutional power, U.S. political history and democratic institutions, Chinese history from the 19th century onward, Qing decline, imperialism, revolution, and state-building in modern China, geopolitics, imperialism, and postcolonial history, and labor, workforce development, and organizational behavior.  Blake conducted research on Selective Reporting in Chinese State media, with Qing Wang (PHD candidate), internally at FSU.
Community Involvement: Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, Asian American Student Union, and the Big Bend Habitat for Humanity.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Beef
Favorite Meal: Cha siu bao

Owen Ritter

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Major: Accounting and Management Information Systems
Minor:
Career Goals: Undecided; Financial Management, Investment Banking, Insurance
Research_interests: Financial Literacy, Health Literacy.  Through UROP, Owen studied the financial barriers to accessing health care. It was done at FSU with Dr. Carli Culjat.
Community Involvement: Beta Alpha Psi-VP, Seneff Scholars, The Finance Society (Co-Director of Financial Literacy), Unconquered by Debt.  Owen also volunteered with The Big Event and The Little Event, as well as the Second Harvest of the Big Bend.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Money Heist
Favorite Meal: Burritos

Carlos Rodriguez

Hometown: Miami, FL
Major: Economics
Minor: General Business
Career Goals: Sports Management in Europe
Research_interests: Agent Based Modeling
Community Involvement: Intramural sports, the Food For Though Pantry, and The Big Event
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Project Hail Mary
Favorite Meal: Chicken Parmesan

Nora Romano

Hometown: Nashville, TN
Major: Criminology and Psychology
Minor: Spanish and U.S. National Intelligence Studies
Career Goals: Criminal Psychologist or FBI Agent
Research_interests: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Crime within Indigenous Communities, Media and Crime Relations.  For her FSU UROP project, Nora conducted research with Dr. Davis Houck. Their project was entitled: "Writing His Life: The Life and Death of John Brown in Letters." The project consisted of discovering letters that John Brown wrote on death row and rhetorically analyzing them. Although they did not end up publishing a paper, Nora developed many skills through the process of researching: critical thinking, time management, and communication.  Nora will not be continuing research with this specific project, but she will keep in touch with her mentor, Dr. Houck. The second research project that Nora conducted was not through a program, but started from a simple email inquiring interest on a possible research study. The research is on crime within Indigenous communities -- specifically the Seminole Tribe of Florida -- and it is being led by the Dean of the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Dr. Thomas Blomberg. The research is very much in the beginning stages, and Nora hopes to continue this research in the form of a DIS in the following years.
Community Involvement: Honors in the Major, Seminole Sound, Marching Chiefs, Women's Ice Hockey, Torch Society, and the Presidential Scholars' Service Board.  Nora has also been volunteering for FFTP, Seminole Sound, and Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Crime and Punishment
Favorite Meal: My mom's homemade fettuccine alfredo.

Gabriel Segurola

Hometown: Miami, FL
Major: Finance, Real Estate
Minor:
Career Goals: Real Estate Private Equity Director.
Research_interests: Real Estate Markets.  Gabriel presented at the Research Symposium on the effects of sports gambling on society and the economy since it first really emerged in the US.
Community Involvement: Real Estate Partners, Real Estate Society, Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Chef
Favorite Meal: Korean BBQ

Maegan Smarkusky

Hometown: New Port Richey, FL
Major: Political Science
Minor: Philosophy of Law
Career Goals: To to attend law school and work in labor law.
Research_interests: Second-order thinking, subconscious, and constitutional interpretation.  Maegan worked as a research assistant for FSU PhD candidate Mrs. Marli Dunietz in understanding second-order thinking in the political science field.
Community Involvement: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio's Tampa Office, The Triangle Factory Memorial Coalition, Public Defender (2nd Circuit), State Attorney's (2nd Circuit) Office, the Center for Health Advocacy and Wellness, Unconquered by Debt.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: The World Behind the World
Favorite Meal: Philadelphia rolls!

Samyuktha Sridhar

Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Major: Political Science
Minor: Sociology
Career Goals: Constitutional lawyer or lobbyist.
Research_interests: Samy is currently researching effects of Teen Court on recidivism. She has always been interested in juvenile and criminal justice, so she decided to join this project during UROP and has stuck with it ever since. 
Community Involvement: UROP, Noles Engaged in Politics, FSView Newspaper, Office of Representative Jessica Baker, Honors Legal Scholars, APPLE program, Surge Executive Board, and the Committee of the Academic Honor Policy, as well as Unconquered by Debt and Habitat for Humanity.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Mad Men
Favorite Meal: Dosa

Tristny Ta

Hometown: Yulee, FL
Major: Public Health
Minor: General Business and Chemistry
Career Goals: Physician Assistant
Research_interests: Neuroscience, Cardiovascular disorders
Community Involvement: FSU College of Medicine USSTRIDE, Alpha Phi, Order of Omega, Garnet and Gold Key, and Torchbearer 100.  Tristny has also volunteered for Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Clinical College.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: The Pitt
Favorite Meal: Any form of pasta

Matthew Turner

Hometown: Safety Harbor, FL
Major: Finance & Management Information Systems
Minor:
Career Goals: Matthew wants to work in some sort of banking or corporate finance role in the future, with the hopes of transitioning to fintech after a few years in either of these industries. Matthew has always had a passion for combining technology with decision making, and he believes a few years in a broader finance industry role will allow him to specialize in a fintech role afterwards.
Research_interests: Matthew enjoys researching market and finance analytics, studying trends and building models that use data in order to fuel the best business decisions.
Community Involvement: Relay For Life at Florida State University, and Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Invincible
Favorite Meal: Surcheros burrito bowl

Marie Weber

Hometown: Sarasota, FL
Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry
Career Goals: Marie would like to be a dentist, particularly that help under-served communities.  
Research_interests: genetics, neuroscience, CRISPR, biomedical
Community Involvement: Marie has been engaged in Students for Dental Dignity, Predental Society, The Torch Society, the Presidential Scholars' Outreach Board, the Catholic Student Union (CSU), SCURC, Clay Club, WSU, Unconquered by Debt, Renew/The Center for Health Advocacy and Wellness, Kearney Center, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace.  
Last Book, Show, or Movie: When Breathe Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Favorite Meal: Anything Asian or with carbs

Harper West

Hometown: Orlando, FL
Major: History, Environment & Society
Minor: Economics
Career Goals: Environmental law and initiatives towards environmental justice and climate justice.
Research_interests: Environmental Sciences, Marine research (specifically oysters in Apalachicola Bay), clean energy efforts, Sustainability, and Climate Justice/Environmental Justice Initiatives.  Through UROP, Harper was able to complete research at the FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory. In partnership with PhD candidate Donaven Baughman, she helped to assess the survivability of algae at various salinity levels. These results are imperative for marine science experiments, especially those involving oysters, and the both of them hope to compile these results into a future publication.
Community Involvement: Phi Alpha Delta, Her Campus at FSU, Environmental Service Program, Campus sustainability/environmental service, Outdoor Pursuits.  Harper's most impactful service experience within the Tallahassee community has been the work at the Kearney Center. There, she was able to prepare and serve food to local unhoused and or food-insecure Tallahassee.
Last Book, Show, or Movie: Turtles All The Way Down by John Green
Favorite Meal: Sushi or pasta (any kind)