THEME FOR THIS MONTH
WHAT RESEARCH AND INTERNSHIPS LOOK LIKE IN A VIRTUAL SETTING
There's no doubt that COVID-19 has affected the functioning of undergraduate research and internships at FSU. This month, we'll be showcasing how students in our programs are progressing in their internships and research projects in light of the current situation.

WHAT DO VIRTUAL RESEARCH AND INTERNSHIPS LOOK LIKE?
Across all our programs, our students have expressed a common concern: "how am I going to conduct my research and/or internship virtually this summer?" The COVID-19 situation has introduced many challenges to pursuing research and related internship work, including limited access to labs, restrictions on travel and academic fieldwork, and lack of in-person communication. Despite these challenges, we wanted to share a few general tips for continuing your research and internships in a virtual setting to address this common concern. These tips include flexibility and adaptability, re-orienting frameworks, and communication.

Many of our students have told us one of the key qualities they have learned thus far in their summer work is how to adapt to new circumstances in conducting their research and internship work. Limited access to much needed materials, which sometimes necessitated students pivoting to virtual materials for their projects, reified the importance of remaining flexible and adaptable with changing circumstances. Most of these changing circumstances come with changes in how you actually conduct research, for research methodologies have been affected the most by the COVID-19 situation. While this is incredibly frustrating, it's also a good reminder that research itself is an inherently flexible process. It's a process that requires the ability to readdress a project as problems arise and to shift between multiple lenses and perspectives. Even though it might not feel like it, this experience with COVID-19 is preparing you with the necessary skills to be innovative and creative researchers in your field.

Most importantly, conducting research and completing internships in a virtual setting highlight the importance of communication. Since all communication is now essentially virtual, this changes how you connect with your research mentors, supervisors, collaborators on your project, and any institutions and individuals who have helped you conduct your work. You've likely had more Zoom meetings than ever before, have felt the fatigue of said Zoom meetings, and possibly have sent more emails than any other time in the past. In doing so, you are participating in the recursive process of research-based work itself. This will indubitably serve you in the long run as you continue your research journey at FSU and beyond.

By now, we're sure you are tired of hearing about the COVID-19 situation. However, we wanted to use the rest of the July 2020 Newsletter to showcase how students participating in summer internships and in undergraduate research through CRE programs are continuing their work. To do this, we are spotlighting students in the following CRE programs and noting how they--and their projects--have been affected by COVID-19: IDEA Grants, Tech Fellows, and Global Scholars. Please note that many of our students are in the early stages of their projects, assistantships, and internships. We want to showcase that despite all the challenges encumbered, students are finding new ways to achieve their academic and research goals.
IDEA GRANT RESEARCH SPOTLIGHTS
Morgan Hawkins and Benton Jaco

Morgan Hawkins and Benton Jaco received a team IDEA Grant for their summer research project tentatively titled “Starfish mediating Ascadian populations”. Their faculty mentor is Prof. Janie Wulff in the Department of Biological Science. As they write, "our project is focused on St. Joseph Bay; we’ve noticed many encrusting tunicates have surrounded seagrass blades and because of this the starfish are now eating the encrusting tunicates... In St. Joseph Bay we will be conducting field studies to map the populations of tunicates and starfish, measure the average sizes of each, as well as conduct some manipulative studies like bringing the starfish and various tunicates back to our home lab to see which tunicate species they prefer, and if they choose a more traditional food source (Sponges or Scallops) over the entrusting tunicates."

COVID-19 has assuredly made conducting research more difficult. Morgan and Benton talk about those challenges here: "COVID-19 has definitely been a challenge to work with. Instead of working in a lab with preexisting lab equipment, we had to start from scratch, gathering much of what we could from Amazon and setting it up in the living room of Morgan’s home. Thankfully our advisor, Dr. Janie Wulff, was able to provide us with some needed lab supplies including 6 tanks, 2 microscopes, and some tupperware. Her assistance allowed us to expand some of our research areas as we couldn't have bought our own microscopes. Due to a lack of a large lab space we resulted in using my ping pong table as the main lab area, with 6 full tanks with filters and all set up." Pictured to the right is Morgan and pictured below is Benton. Read more about their project down below!
Myah Freeman

Myah is a recipient of the 2020 Scott and Ina McNichols Undergraduate Research Award. Her faculty mentor is Carrie Ann Baade in the Department of Art. As Myah writes, her project, entitled "Nostalgia: Freeman", "engage[s] in research focusing on genealogy and ancestral links. Returning to the year 1619, slavery of the African people was introduced to the Western World, causing years of generational scarring and loss of connection to an origin for many Black people today. As a member of this racial group, my research project will consist of me using genealogical databases and the Robert Frederic Explore Your Family History Center to unveil my very own familial history. As a result, I will create a body of mixed media work, presenting my own history as a means of inspiring the Black community to know theirs, as well as educating them on how to go about such a task. Knowing who, what, when, where, and why you are a descendant of someone or someplace goes beyond a personal quest - "personal is political.""

Myah started her research by creating her family tree with the help of Lisa Crawley at the Robert F. Smith Family History Center of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, who directed Myah to genealogical resources such as Ancestry and who gave Myah tips on how to find the most germane resources for her research project. After submitting an Ancestry DNA test, Myah began working on the mixed media body of work component of her project by purchasing necessary materials for the body of work. In continuing her project, Myah writes, "my research will primarily consist of the following: 1) continuing to expand my family tree by contacting family and searching records, 2) creating a body of work informed by my ancestral research, 3) researching artists’ methods of expression, 4) awaiting my Ancestry DNA test results/analyzing the results once received, and 5) organizing my research in a way that is presentable and educational to the public with a primary focus on the African American community."

In the attached post--see the button below--Myah talks about her research work thus far and how COVID-19 has impacted her research work. Part of this includes limited access to the Robert F. Smith Family History Center of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which closed due to COVID-19.
Cole Hancock

Cole Hancock is a rising senior in Studio Art and is the recipient of the 2020 Robert and Mary Frappier Undergraduate Research Award. Cole’s faculty mentor is Prof. Denise Bookwalter in the Department of Art. She is conducting a project entitled "Traditional Craft and the Human Impact on Natural Spaces".

Cole talks about her project here:

"As an artist, I wanted to explore the human relationship with nature via our intersections, using the most prominent of those: parks. This project considers a visitor’s mindset and how people view an area of nature with some level of reverence, while simultaneously assuming ownership and dominion over it. To discuss how each affects the other, in addition to research about the parks and visitor populations, I am going to a range of different parks and choosing five. From these five, I collect grassy vegetation and litter, and turn them into paper. The paper made from each park will be made into a corresponding short artist’s book, asking viewers to consider the park and themselves. Since the parks I choose should provide a variety in size, type, upkeep, etc., three of those I’ve visited so far that I’ve decided to collect from are Governor’s Park, Dorothy B. Oven, and Cypress Landing Astronomical Park.

The largest aspect of this project is making the paper. To do so, once I have the proper materials collected, I first have to boil the grass with washing soda to break down cellulose. Then I combine it with the trash in a blender with water, to turn it into pulp. The pulp is poured into a tub of water and mixed with PVA glue as a binding agent. Once the pulp is thoroughly mixed in the water, I use my mold and deckle (a frame with a screen stretched across it) to scoop through the water and pull up a thin layer of pulp on the screen. This is then pressed face-down on a surface and extra water sponged away to transfer the newly-pulled sheet of paper. I’ve found that extra paper pulp is required to make the paper more cohesive."

Read more about Cole's project below!
McKenzie Bentley

McKenzie (Senior, Chemistry) is a 2020 IDEA Grant recipient. McKenzie’s faculty mentor is Prof. Elizabeth Murphy in the Department of Classics. She is pursuing her project entitled "Geochemical Characterizations of Early Ceramics in the Aucilla Watershed."

Mckenzie writes about her project here:

"Prior to the widespread changes that our world has undergone recently, my honors thesis and IDEA Grant project focused on geochemically tracing the specific origins of ceramics from Sardinia, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. However, with the restrictions placed upon international travel, my original project became unworkable, forcing my mentor, supervising committee, and I to reconsider the future of the project.

With the help of a locally accessible dataset provided by a member of my supervising committee, my project has been able to move forward with new focus on a collection of ceramic material from the Page-Ladson site located in the Aucilla watershed of northern Florida. Previous research at the site has found evidence of human activity in the region as early as 14,550 years ago. Dated to 3,500 to 1,800 years ago, the presence of ceramics implicates a transition from mobile hunter-gatherer groups to sedentary village lifeways.

The goal of my project is to better understand how the material culture of the Aucilla River Basin evolved as local communities and subsistence strategies also changed; this study will be the first to include material from the river basin and will help fill in an important part of Floridian history."

Read the rest of Mckenzie's post by clicking the button below!
Rachel Corry

Rachel Corry is a rising senior majoring in Communication and Public Relations and is a 2020 IDEA Grant recipient. Rachel’s faculty mentor is Prof. Patrick Merle in the College of Communication and Information. Rachel is pursuing a project entitled "Food for Thought."

Rachel writes about her project here: " My project focuses on determining the most efficient communication methods that local organic farms can implement to improve outside perceptions. I will interview at least three organic farms per state across eight Southeastern states to understand farms’ positioning in their surrounding communities. So far, I have accomplished the finalization of interview questions and a completed contact list of the farms from Local Harvest Directory I plan to interview. The interviews are intended to be similar to interactive discussions, so there will be additional questions that arise based on each farm’s unique situation. However, all questions will be formulated in relation to key specific themes and similar to the drafted questions. Working at Orchard Pond Organics, a local Tallahassee farm, has been instrumental in continuing my understanding of organic agriculture methods in practice."

Read more about Rachel's project below!
TECH FELLOWS
The CRE would like to introduce this year's Tech Fellows cohort. From left to right in the banner above, these are the 2020 Tech Fellows and their internship locations; Nohemi Soza-Acevedo (Starter Studios), Chris Lormeus (Domi Station), Alex Jeannite (Tampa Bay Wave), Adel Bebe (Domi Station), and Alex Blanchette (Starter Studios).

Each week during summer, the Tech Fellows will be blogging about their internships and qualitative research projects. To read about who the Tech Fellows are, the projects they will be working on, and what they hope to learn along the way, please visit their blog using the button below.

Congratulations to our new cohort of Tech Fellows! Let's take a look at what they have been working on this summer thus far.
Alex Jeannite

Alex is working with Tampa Bay Wave for his Tech Fellows Internship. In his most recent post, Alex writes: " My research project focuses on Imposter Syndrome and how it affects those in the tech industry. In general, imposter syndrome is defined as he persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills. So far I’ve interviewed two different people about their experience dealing with it. The interviews were an enlightening process because not only do other people experience this phenomenon but it also affects people in different ways! For example, I asked one of my research participants if they could physically describe the feeling of being an imposter, he stated that it felt like the position he earned was not by his own merit and described it as a foreboding yet intense figure."
Nohemi Soza-Acevedo

Nohemi is a 2020 Tech Fellow interning at Orlando's StarterStudio! In her most recent post, Nohemi talks about the research project she is conducting as part of her Tech Fellows experience. She writes, " my research project examines cyber-security vulnerabilities among tech-based small businesses, along with the perspectives and preparations conducted by small business owners around cyber security risk. Being that this project will use qualitative research methods, I am responsible to identify individuals/professionals who have experience with cyber-security and business owners or entrepreneurs. As a Program Management Intern for StarterStudio, I am able to expand my network with the help of my supervisor Maralena Cruz. Along with her help and that of Executive Director Lilian Myers, I have been able to network with individuals and schedule interviews. In preparation for these interviews, I conducted interviews with current seed accelerators at StarterStudio."
Adel Bebe

Adel is currently working with Domi Station here in Tallahassee! Part of his research for his internship looks at implementing new policies and procedures for Domi members. In his most recent blog post, he writes: "t he main focus of my internship with Domi Station so far has been to help its leadership figure out how to properly open up its co-working space. We have been working to maneuver and reorganize protocols in order to allow members continued access while still taking precautionary measures against COVID-19. Domi Station has to balance the safety of its co-working space members and its need to reopen. This can be difficult because most of the space at Domi is open and we need to create enough space in-between desks while having enough for all paying co-working members. I know that Domi is always striving to look at the changes in society and work towards adapting our policies and procedures to address the needs of our members."
Alexander Blanchette

Alexander's recent blog post discusses his experience as a 2020 Tech Fellow researching and interning with Orlando's StarterStudio! In this post, Alexander talks about his research project and how it has been affected by COVID-19. As Alexander writes, "At this stage, I have all the groundwork done to conduct interviews. For starters, I have been meeting lots of founders and serial entrepreneurs as a part of my internship who are interested in the project and want to learn more. In addition to networking, I have been developing interview questions to thoroughly obtain as much information as possible. One of the biggest concerns I have is making sure I get the most out of the interviews as being able to make the most of the time people volunteer to me is important. Upon reflection, I can say that progress is going well, though securing interviewees has been difficult. As it stands, I have all the preliminary work done; that being interview questions, good research papers with proper citations, and a rough formatting outline. The good news is that my research topic is relevant to almost anyone because it is about family connections within entrepreneurship. The biggest challenge I am facing is getting people to take time out of their busy schedules to meet for interviews."
Chris Loremus

Chris is currently working with Domi Station here in Tallahassee! His research in his internship focuses on creating an inclusive and collaborative space for innovation research projects to flourish. In his most recent blog post, Chris writes: " In this past week, I’ve learned about a few ways Domi station is enabling underrepresented groups to be integrated into the small business world. One program in particular that Domi Station has started is Women Wednesdays. It is an initiative to foster a diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial culture for women who enrich the community with their talents and vision, as well as benefit from the collaborative, instructional environment. The program provides free co-working spaces and meetings the first Wednesday of each month."
The ACT House and Build Day X Updates

The ACT House, which sponsors Build Day X, has restructured their Build Day X and has reopened registration for the event. From their recent mailing list ( https://buff.ly/2N8BrQy ): "Faced by the recent deaths of Oluwatoyin Salau, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, we decided that something has to be done to activate all our forces and join together with our different skills to address systematic injustices and build solutions to fill the gap and bridge the divide. Join us as we unite mission-driven innovators, business minds, designers, and developers to find potential solutions around inequities, inequalities, and injustices in our nation."

We highly encourage you to check out this innovative opportunity to have a part in creating and formulating tangible solutions to systemic racial injustices. Build Day X is a 5-day virtual immersive experience where students will connect with other like-minded individuals and top industry experts, acquire new skills, and build products that solve real-world problems. This year's event will be held from July 8-12. Register for Build Day X by following the button below.
GLOBAL SCHOLARS SPOTLIGHTS
Alejandra Pena

Alejandra is a current 2020 Global Scholar! She will be starting her senior year this coming fall and is majoring in International Affairs with a minor in Education.

As part of the Global Scholars program, Alejandra is conducting her global internship work with "Fundación de Menores Domingo Savio" in Chile. Alejandra writes about her current work in Chile here: "My official position is a translator. I am from Bogotá, Colombia, and I lived most of my life there so I am fluent in Spanish. Karla (the social worker for the NGO) sends me documents that I translate, and then she sends out to partners and donors from the US that have helped throughout the journey. Occasionally, I also help with homework. Kids in Chile are doing online school as well, and Karla expressed to me that some of them have difficulties with their homework for English class. Whenever one of the kids contacts her, she sends the question over to me, and I help them and explain it to them."

The COVID-19 situation undoubtedly was cumbersome for Alejandra's future plans, as she originally wanted to work in Ghana; however, Alejandra has the following advice to give about COVID-19: "In the end, things will work out. Even if you are anxious about a remote internship and especially an international one, do it! You will be helping people that need it, especially during these times, and will be making an impact in people’s lives even if you don’t realize it."

Read the rest of Alejandra's post below!
Naomi Fu

Naomi is a current 2020 Global Scholar and is a second-year Social Work major at FSU. She is currently conducting her research and internship work with Shamrakshak Samuha Nepal (SASANE). According to the SASANE website, "SASANE is a survivor-led organization, established in 2008, that means “Let’s protect ourselves”. It is under the founding principle that women survivors of human trafficking have immense potential to combat the exploitation of Nepalese women and girls and to create social change. SASANE’s mission is to end the physical and sexual exploitation of young girls in Nepal."

Naomi writes about her current experience with SASANE, including the internship work she is completing, here: "I officially started on May 31st. I get assignments at the beginning of each week and I complete them by the end of the week unless a specific deadline is stated. I also meet with the director of SASANE every Saturday over Skype to discuss the project I turned in and any future assignments. My work mostly consists of peer-reviewing anything SASANE writes in English and composing grant proposals. Overall, I am liking the experience. I think it pushes me out of my comfort zone and it is an incredible learning experience due to the work I am doing and also the remote format.

In addition, I feel that the biggest impact that COVID-19 has had on me as a student is a disruption in the structure of my daily life. Before COVID I was accustomed to waking up at a certain time and having to go to classes and my internships at a designated time. That structure is so important to me because it was one of the factors that motivated me and kept me focused on school work. Since most of my classes are not synchronized, it is up to me to set a schedule and keep myself motivated. In the beginning, it was difficult because I tried to keep the schedule that I had when everything was in-person. That was not working because so many things had changed and sticking to the same times as before was just not possible. I had to come to the realization that I could not just continue like nothing had happened, I had to build a new normal. I had to take into account new responsibilities and what times I was the most productive in order to build my schedule around that."

Read Naomi's recent blog post by clicking the button below!
Heather Peebles

Heather just finished her second year as an International Relations and Media Communications. She is currently working with Paz Oaxaca, a Mexican organization intent on providing quality education and community engagement to children within the Oaxaca municipality, as a remote communication intern. As a part of her position, Heather is conducting internship work that involves helping the organization promote its social media presence, generate weekly content, and stay connected to the global community.

On a more personal level, Heather writes about the COVID-19 situation and its impact on her project here: "I think the biggest hurdle for me has been not being able to be with my friends and community at school and being home 24/7. To cope with this, I have constantly been Facetiming and talking with my friends. I’ve tried to create some sort of new routine to try and stay productive at home as well. Overall, participating in an international internship remotely can have its challenges, but it’s important to be flexible and understanding."

For words of encouragement regarding the COVID-19 situation, Heather writes "I think I would tell myself to just be flexible with everything. Being a remote intern is a learning process for everyone and it’s important to remember that."
Want to stay up to date on the 2020 Global Scholars? Access the rest of the 2020 Global Scholars Blogs below.
UPCOMING EVENTS
"From FSU to Silicon Valley with Garrett Johnson and Zach Segal"

On July 21, 2020, the Division of Undergraduate Studies will be hosting an event called "From FSU to Silicon Valley with Garrett Johnson and Zach Segal" via Zoom from 2:00pm to 3:00pm.

FSU alumni Garrett Johnson (Rhodes Scholar and Athletic All-American in Track and Field) and Zach Segal (Honors in Business Management) will be sharing their collegiate and professional journeys from FSU to the tech startup scene in Silicon Valley. In addition, they will be discussing the future of cryptocurrency and the larger Fintech market. Please register for the event below and include any questions you might have for Garrett and Zach.

Here are the bios of the two speakers:

Zach Segal is the Head of Listings at Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange with over 35M customers, $25B AUM and last valued at $8B. Before Coinbase, he was a Product Manager at Earn.com which was acquired by Coinbase. Prior to Earn.com, Zach was a Product Manager at LendUp, a FinTech startup that has originated $2B in loans to underbanked Americans. He began his career in Silicon Valley as a Designer at YCombinator-backed SendHub, acquired in 2016. Zach holds a B.S. in Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from FSU.

Garrett Johnson is a co-founder and executive director of the Lincoln Network. He also co-founded SendHub.com, a venture-backed-YCombinator startup launched in 2011. He served as professional staff to the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where oversight portfolio included Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Haiti. Originally from Florida, Garrett earned a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University. He also read for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Migration Studies at the University of Oxford, England as a Rhodes Scholar. Garrett currently lives in San Jose, CA.
Friends of HSF Alumni Speaker Series featuring Mae Espinosa

On July 6, 2020 at 3:00pm, the Friends of HSF will be continuing their Alumni Speaker Series Virtual Q&A by featuring Mae Espinosa! Mae graduated from FSU in 2019 with a B.S. in Political Science and International Affairs and a B.A. in English. During Mae's time at FSU, she was involved with HSF in various ways: she was in the University Honors and Presidential Scholars program, and Mae also completed UROP as a freshman, worked with ONF on two applications, and participated in Honors Legal Scholars. Outside of HSF, Mae was a member of ¡Azucar! Dance Company, one of several Latin dance groups on campus. She went to law school straight out of undergrad and just finished her first year at Yale Law School. This summer, Mae will be working as a Summer Associate at White & Case in Miami, FL.

If you have any questions for Mae, follow this link: https://bit.ly/MaeQuestions
Friends of HSF Alumni Speaker Series featuring Bethany Swonson

On July 29, 2020 at 3:00pm, the Friends of HSF will be continuing their Alumni Speaker Series Virtual Q&A by featuring Bethany Swonson! Bethany will be discussing how FDOE has worked to support our education system during COVID and guidance on ways we can use the CARES ACT for the benefit of our students.

Bethany serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Education, as well as the Executive Director for the Florida Education Foundation. As a third-generation military brat who has lived in 17 different communities from Pre-K to post-secondary, her family’s commitment to public service formed her professional ethos to produce high-quality work to improve both individuals and communities.

For the past 12 years, she has been serving Florida's communities in the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. Most recently she was a Director of Legislative Affairs for the Florida Department of Education. Previously, Bethany was Leadership Florida’s Member Services and Resource Development Manager, and before that, she was an Account Manager at a top-tier, public relations and advertising firm, The Zimmerman Agency, managing three global accounts.
Most importantly, however, she holds the titles of daughter, sister, aunt, friend, Guardian ad Litem, and Floridian. Bethany is a graduate of the Florida State University where she received her Bachelors of Science in Public Relations and has a Masters in Nonprofit Management from the University of Tampa.

If you have any questions for Bethany, follow this link: https://bit.ly/BethanyQuestions . Please register for the event below.
2020 Virtual Summer Research Day
The CRE is pleased to announce the 2020 Virtual Summer Research Day! This event will take place on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. The event is interdisciplinary and will have presentations from all majors (STEM, Social Science, Humanities, Creative/Arts). The Virtual Summer Research Day will also feature presentations from seniors graduating at the end of Summer or Fall 2020, Honors in the Major students presenting their thesis research, and students who need to culminate the research engagement area for Garnet and Gold Scholars Society.
 
Please RSVP for the 2020 Virtual Summer Research Day by following our Facebook link:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1114341535597569/ . Please also review the attached graphic for further information.
FACULTY
CORNER
UROP Research Mentor Project Proposal Application

Deadline to submit UROP project proposal: Monday, August 17, 2020

The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) is an initiative by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement (CRE) to engage high-achieving undergraduates in the academic culture of research and to offer help to faculty members. Open to all departments, the program is three-fold:

  1. Students participate in a UROP colloquium class that introduces them to the practice of research, provides guest faculty speakers, and offers continuous support and training
  2. Students work as research assistants to faculty members, post-docs, or advanced graduate students
  3. Students present their Research Mentors’ projects and their contribution to those projects at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium

As UROP Research Mentors, faculty members, post-docs, graduate students, and campus partners can be partnered with student research assistants for a year-long period at no cost. There is no obligation to take a UROP student if you submit a project; you select the UROP student with whom you would like to work at the beginning of fall semester.

UROP Research Mentor Info Sessions

We are hosting two more UROP Research Mentor Info Sessions! These sessions will be conducted through Zoom and are an opportunity to learn more about becoming a UROP Research Mentor. As a Mentor, you can receive help on your current research projects and gain experience mentoring undergraduates. Use the attached graphic to follow a Zoom link that works best for your schedule; we look forward to seeing you at the info sessions!

Please RSVP to the Info Sessions by following this link: https://buff.ly/35GkYLK!
CRE TEAM QUOTES
Associate Director, Dave Montez:

Sheltering in place, like most things, has had its opportunities and drawbacks. I truly miss the conversations and camaraderie with students and office-mates. However, working from home has afforded me the opportunity to play a more influential role in my seven year-old son Sam's education helping him to advance in math and teach him some basic coding. We made a cute basic version of Pokemon Go where he can catch Charizard and Ponyta. My family has started to get outdoors and challenge ourselves more. My wife, Kristi, and Sam have now started inline skating at Cascades Park almost every other day and we've taken to biking on the St. Marks Trail. That being said, I can't wait to get back to campus to see all of you, even if I'm six feet away and wearing my TMNT mask.
Associate Director, Warren Oliver:

COVID-19 has meant a lot of changes in how we have been thinking of what it means to be 'globally engaged' at CRE. For example, our Global Scholars and Gap Year Fellows programs have been unable to include their physical internships abroad this summer. Instead, we have had students pivot these experiences towards online, remote internships instead. Albeit a different experience, students are still able to reach out globally and learn more about the world around them. Following this example, we are confident that we will be able to get through this uncertain time with creative-thinking and staying true to our goals. This uncertain situation is temporary, but it will not stop us from continuing to help students engage globally with their experiential learning.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Arria Hauldin
UROP Leader Mentor, IDEA Grant Recipient, UROP Student, Global Scholar

"Hauldin started as a biology major at Florida State because she appreciated the broadness of the field, but ultimately found an interest in anthropology during her sophomore year, through the  Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program  (UROP). 

“I would say that most of my research stems from my personal identity and is really focused on the human experience, and I want to continue that,” she said. “Before UROP, I had never considered research or thought it was for me, but UROP has really motivated me to continue pursuing research long-term.” 

Throughout UROP, Hauldin worked with TehQuin Forbes, a graduate student in the Department of Sociology, on a project titled: “LGBTQIA+ Attitudes Toward Their Straight Allies.” This project was recently published as a research article, and Hauldin was credited for her contributions. She also presented a portion of this larger research project at the 2018 Undergraduate Research Symposium.  

Ultimately, Hauldin became a UROP Leader, helping to mentor and teach her own UROP student sections. This past year, she was selected as a trainer for future UROP Leaders.  

Hauldin’s research and teaching interests led her to many international travel experiences. The summer after her freshman year, she volunteered in Thailand with GIVE Volunteers, a service-learning organization with country specific social, environmental and educational themes.  
In Thailand, Hauldin taught English and was the only black volunteer out of the 35 on this trip. Many of the locals and her students had never interacted with a black person, and she tried to use these difficult encounters as opportunities for teachable moments on a broader scale. 

In the summer of 2019, Hauldin traveled to Vietnam as part of FSU’s  Global Scholars Program . She and her research partner were the first FSU Global Scholar students to go to Vietnam through Coins for Change. She received $3,000 through the Global Scholars Travel Grant to fund this trip."

We're so proud of all that Arria has accomplished! She is currently waiting to serve in the Peace Corps in Mongolia, and we look forward to working with her as an alumni!
TORCHLIGHT CALL FOR RESEARCHERS
Molly Rimes, the Director of Research with Torchlight, is looking to put together a team of Research Fellows and Research Assistants. Torchlight is FSU's student run think tank, with the goal to hold SGA accountable. More information about Torchlight and who is eligible to apply is available at their website ( https://www.torchlightcenter.org/join ). Generally, Torchlight is looking for students with some research experience for the Fellows position, whereas the Assistant position can be anyone with an interest in research. If anyone is interested or has any questions, please contact Molly at  [email protected] . 
Submit Your Successes to HSF "Class Notes"

In a time where we could use a positive story, we invite you to share yours through our Class Notes submission! If anyone has exciting or positive news to share, Friends of HSF and the CRE will share them with our students, readers, and community. 
IN HONOR OF DEAN LAUGHLIN
With Dean Laughlin's passing, the university has set up two memorial funds to honor Dean Laughlin. These memorials include the newly established Karen L. Laughlin Scholars and a Stained Glass in the Honors, Scholars, and Fellows House. Please consider contributing if you are able to do so. Use the link below to access the memorial site.
MEET WITH THE CRE!
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.
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!
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.