Dawn C. Carr, director of Florida State University’s Claude Pepper Center and Mildred and Claude Pepper Professor of Sociology in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, has been elected to the board of directors of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), one of the world’s largest interdisciplinary organizations devoted to the study of aging.

Carr will begin her term Jan. 1. GSA’s more than 6,000 members include researchers, educators, clinicians and policy professionals working across disciplines to advance research, education, practice and policy related to aging.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve GSA and contribute to an organization that has played such an important role in advancing the study of aging,” Carr said. “As our population ages, it is increasingly important that we bring together researchers and professionals across disciplines to better understand what helps people remain healthy, active and engaged throughout their lives.”

Carr’s research focuses on identifying factors that help older adults remain healthy and active as long as possible. Over the past decade, she has studied the connections between health and active engagement in the second half of life, including how employment, retirement, volunteering, caregiving, social relationships and major health events affect health and well-being.

Her recent research also examines how early-life experiences and exposures can affect outcomes later in life and how psychological resources can help people remain resilient as they age.

As director of the Claude Pepper Center, Carr leads a center dedicated to advancing research and policy aimed at improving the lives of older adults. The center focuses on issues affecting older people and their families and works with policymakers, agencies and researchers to promote evidence-based policymaking.

Founded in 1945, GSA brings together experts from a range of disciplines involved in the study of aging. The organization’s work spans biological, medical, behavioral and social research as well as education, practice and public policy.

Carr joined FSU in 2016. Before coming to Florida State, she was a researcher at the Stanford Center on Longevity, a postdoctoral fellow in the Carolina Program for Health and Aging Research at the Institute on Aging at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a researcher at the Scripps Gerontology Center.

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From modest beginnings to national championships and some of college sports’ most recognizable traditions, Florida State Athletics has played a defining role in shaping the identity and spirit of Florida State University.

As FSU celebrates its 175th anniversary, Seminole Athletics stands as one of the university’s most visible symbols of pride, connection and achievement, built by student-athletes, coaches, traditions and fans.

The story dates to 1902, when Florida State College fielded football and baseball teams as a co-educational institution. More than a century later, FSU Athletics has grown into a nationally recognized program with a broad championship legacy and a deep connection to the university community.

Since 1947, Florida State has carried the Seminoles name. The university’s relationship with the Seminole Tribe of Florida has grown into a longstanding partnership rooted in respect, consultation and a shared commitment to representing Seminole heritage with dignity.

That connection is most visible on football Saturdays, when Osceola rides Renegade to midfield and plants a flaming spear moments before kickoff. Introduced in 1978 with the approval of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the tradition has become one of the most iconic pregame moments in college football.

Other traditions — including the war chant, the Marching Chiefs and the Sod Cemetery, which honors major football road victories — have helped make FSU games shared experiences for students, alumni and fans across generations.

The university’s athletic success has matched the strength of those traditions. FSU has won 20 national championships across nine sports, including seven in the past 15 seasons, and has claimed 205 conference titles that include 114 Atlantic Coast Conference championships.

FSU’s national championships include:

• Women’s soccer: 2014, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2025
• Football: 1993, 1999, 2013
• Softball: 1981, 1982, 2018
• Men’s outdoor track and field: 2006, 2008
• Men’s volleyball: 1955, 1957
• Men’s gymnastics: 1951, 1952
• Women’s indoor track and field: 1985
• Women’s outdoor track and field: 1984
• Women’s golf: 1981

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The Early Childhood Autism Program (ECAP) at Florida State University Panama City is partnering with the Arc of the Bay to expand therapy services to adults with developmental disabilities.

The collaboration, Cultivating Abilities with Resources Education and Support (CARES), was made possible through a $25,000 grant from the St. Joe Community Foundation. The foundation presented the grant during the Arc of the Bay’s 10th Annual Kohl’s Fashion Show on July 25, where community members, supporters and partners gathered to celebrate inclusion and learn about the new initiative.

The CARES Program brings together two organizations dedicated to serving individuals with disabilities and their families. Through the partnership, ECAP will expand its applied behavior analysis services to support the Arc of the Bay’s Adult Day Training Program.

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to serving individuals with developmental disabilities across the lifespan,” said Amy Polick, development director of FSU ECAP. “We are excited to work alongside the Arc of the Bay to support their vocational training and life-skills programs, while also creating new opportunities for the families who depend on us.”

By combining expertise and resources, the CARES Program will create a more connected support system for families affected by developmental disabilities while expanding opportunities for education, advocacy and long-term success across Bay County.

“We are incredibly grateful to the St. Joe Community Foundation for believing in this partnership and investing in the future of the families we serve,” said Ron Sharpe, CEO and president at the Arc of the Bay. “The CARES Program represents what is possible when organizations come together with a shared mission. This funding allows us to build meaningful support systems that will have a lasting impact on our community.”

The partnership reflects the shared commitment of ECAP and the Arc of the Bay to expand services and create new opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

To learn more about FSU ECAP, visit pc.fsu.edu/ecap. For more information about the Arc of the Bay, visit www.bayarc.org.

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The number of children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise, underscoring the need for educators who are prepared to support autistic learners in a range of classroom settings. Recent data shows that 1 in 31 children age 8 — about 3.2% of that population — has been diagnosed with ASD, making autism-focused training an increasingly important part of professional development for today’s educators.

Led by the special education program at the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (Anne’s College), the inaugural Florida State University Autism Teaching and Learning Institute was created to help close that training gap. It brought together professionals who support autistic learners across early childhood, K-12 and postsecondary settings for a professional development experience focused on instruction, collaboration and practical classroom application.

Featuring a wide range of professionals in attendance, the institute helped strengthen how schools are supporting autistic learners.

“We knew there was a need for this type of professional learning based on our longstanding partnerships with school districts, conversations with educators across the state, and our own experiences working alongside teachers and families,” said Jenny Root, the Anne & John Daves Endowed Professor who led the event. “Having a wide range of participants was especially meaningful because supporting autistic learners is truly a team effort. Seeing professionals from so many different disciplines learning together reinforced our vision for the institute: improving outcomes for autistic learners across the lifespan requires collaboration across professions.”

The mission aligns with FSU Health — the university’s collaborative initiative uniting researchers, educators and clinical partners to improve health care delivery across Florida. Root believes supporting autistic learners means supporting the variety of educators who teach and serve them.

“Effective preparation for supporting autistic learners is no longer a specialized need — it’s an essential component of professional learning across the educational workforce,” Root added. “That’s why we intentionally designed the FSU Autism Teaching and Learning Institute with multiple learning strands and encouraged participation from professionals across disciplines and settings.”

“Effective preparation for supporting autistic learners is no longer a specialized need — it’s an essential component of professional learning across the educational workforce.”

– Jenny Root, Anne & John Daves Endowed Professor

The event’s multidisciplinary approach benefited the 200-plus attendees, with eight different strands offering a variety of topics. Emphasizing high-leverage practices and evidence-based interventions, the one-day experience covered all the critical aspects of professional development that proved to be more advantageous than a one-size-fits-all model.

“One of the core principles of the institute is that there is no single pathway to supporting autistic learners because there is no single type of educator who supports them,” Root said. “A preschool teacher, a middle school mathematics teacher, a speech-language pathologist and a university professor all have different roles, responsibilities and professional learning needs. Rather than asking everyone to sit through the same sessions, we designed targeted strands that allowed participants to choose learning experiences most relevant to their work and their current level of knowledge.”

The collaborative effort included staff members from FSU’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (FSU CARD) and members from the Board of Directors of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD). A mix of professionals — including school teachers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, behavior specialists, administrators, paraprofessionals, transition specialists and higher education faculty and staff — converged at Stone Building to learn and share their experiences with others.

Addie McConomy, an assistant clinical professor and program leader at Anne’s College, was one of several special education staff members who led interactive workshops, roundtables and learning sessions. In the afternoon, she led a “Create Supportive Learning Environments” session that focused on teachers applying some of their own concepts to their autistic learners.

“Classroom environment establishes the foundation for all learning,” McConomy said. “Many classrooms have great routines and strategies in place to support learning.  However, some students may need the classroom routines and strategies explicitly taught, and this is a step that is often overlooked in busy classrooms. I hope that teachers invest the same time into teaching their routines as they do building their routines.”

McConomy’s goal for each of her sessions was to ensure educators leave equipped with best practices that fulfill both themselves and their learners.

“The institute was implementation-focused and each session emphasized practical applications that we hope educators can put into practice right away,” McConomy added. “These professional development experiences bridge the gap between research and practice and should prepare teachers to support all student learning.”

The institute looks to carry its momentum forward after a successful debut. Growth and evolution will include listening to participants and community partners on feedback from the event, whether that means expanding capacity, offering additional learning strands or bringing together a broader range of professionals.

The early response shows demand will be high for next year.

“This was always envisioned as more than a one-time event,” Root added. “Our goal is to build a community of educators who are committed to improving educational outcomes for autistic learners and who continue learning from one another long after the institute ends. The response to this inaugural institute certainly suggests there is an appetite for that kind of professional learning.”

By combining research-based instruction, practical training and collaboration across professions, the FSU Autism Teaching and Learning Institute reflects FSU’s growing role in preparing the next generation of educators to support autistic learners and improve outcomes across the lifespan.

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Every day, judges, attorneys and court staff make decisions that shape people’s lives. As research increasingly shows that many behaviors bringing people into the courtroom are deeply rooted in unresolved trauma, Florida State University’s Center for Prevention & Early Intervention Policy (CPEIP) is helping lead a national shift to change how the justice system responds.

In collaboration with Florida’s Office of the State Courts Administrator, CPEIP has launched an online training program to bring trauma science directly into judicial practice. 

The self-paced course, “Trauma & Resilience Education for the Judiciary: Aligning What We Know With What We Do,” equips judges, court personnel and legal stakeholders with actionable, research-backed tools to examine how trauma influences behavior, how resilience fuels recovery and how to integrate trauma-informed practices across the legal system.

“Trauma-informed courts present a transformative opportunity for the justice system to shift toward a more effective, compassionate and therapeutic approach,” said Mimi Graham, director of CPEIP. “This is about aligning what we know with what we do so courts can achieve better outcomes for the individuals and families they serve.”

“Trauma-informed courts present a transformative opportunity for the justice system to shift toward a more effective, compassionate and therapeutic approach. This is about aligning what we know with what we do so courts can achieve better outcomes for the individuals and families they serve.”

— Mimi Graham,  Center for Prevention & Early Intervention Policy director

Trauma science is reshaping how courts understand and respond to behavior. Without that perspective, courts risk misinterpreting behavior driven by adversity, chronic stress and disrupted development, reinforcing the very cycles they seek to break.

Former Chief Judge Jonathan Sjostrom of Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit says recognizing trauma is essential to improving outcomes.

“If you’re going to work with families in court, you have to recognize the tragedy that brings families to court,” Sjostrom said. “No family gets to court without that history of trauma. And if we fail to recognize and address that trauma, we are ‘rearranging the deck chairs.’ If we recognize that trauma and can learn what science has to teach us, we can intervene more effectively.”

Beyond individual cases, trauma-informed practices can improve decision-making, strengthen public safety and reduce recidivism while helping protect justice professionals from chronic burnout.

Retired Sixth Judicial Circuit Judge Jack Helinger believes trauma-informed practices are fundamental to the justice system’s mission.

“If we miss the trauma, we have missed the case,” he said. “Every judge, attorney and others involved in the legal system must be trauma-informed and trauma-responsive.”

Momentum is building across Florida, with judicial leadership and the supporting efforts to expand trauma-informed practices statewide. Each circuit has appointed a judicial lead to champion trauma training and encourage broader adoption.

At the same time, CPEIP is offering the training nationwide. The goal is not to change the role of the judiciary, but to strengthen it by giving judges and court professionals practical tools grounded in science.

That opportunity is gaining traction nationwide as organizations such as the American Bar Association and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges call for trauma-informed practices, prompting courts across the country to adopt approaches that address root causes rather than symptoms.

Retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente called the course “brilliant teaching” that “will transform the way judges and staff view cases involving children and families, and just possibly help to end generational trauma.”

Trauma-informed courts don’t replace accountability. They strengthen it by addressing underlying factors that contribute to repeated involvement in the justice system. The course offers continuing education credits, including CJEs, CLEs and CEUs. It is available at no cost to judges, judicial staff and child welfare direct-service professionals across Florida and at a nominal cost for participants outside the state.

Visit the Center for Prevention & Early Intervention Policy website for more information about this program.

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Seven faculty members from Florida State University have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards for the 2026-27 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

FSU’s seven scholars will travel to Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Belgium, Vietnam and India to teach, conduct research and engage with colleagues in their fields.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational and cultural exchange program. Led by the U.S. government in partnership with 160 countries worldwide, Fulbright offers programs for passionate and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds to study, teach and conduct research. Participants enrich their education, advance their careers and make meaningful contributions to communities abroad and at home.

In addition, FSU’s Vice President for Student Affairs Amy Hecht received a Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Award, which supports two-week seminars for U.S. higher education administrators to learn about participating countries’ higher education systems, exchange information on best practices and explore the potential for partnerships with institutions of higher education in the host country.

Hecht will use the award in France, where she will participate in briefings, campus visits, appointments with government officials, networking and cultural activities and meetings with French international education professionals to familiarize herself with France’s higher education and research system.

The 2026-2027 Fulbright Scholars from FSU are: 

Jim Lile, a professor at the School of Theatre in the College of Fine Arts, will use the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to teach courses about Western production practices and conduct research on Asian production methods at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan, during the spring 2027 semester. 

Lile brings 25 years of experience in live theater. He was first invited to Taipei in October 2023 to conduct a series of master classes based on his experience with the Western theatrical technical production methods used for opera, musicals, plays and dance. The short visit provided such a valuable opportunity that Lile wanted to return to Taipei to continue teaching and learning more about live performance practices in Asia.  

By focusing on the various organizational structures, training techniques and uses of text, movement and music to tell stories, Lile will explore how cultural values and traditions are reflected in technical production methods. 

“I hope to build an international network with theater designers and technicians and create long-term collaboration opportunities in Taiwan and other regional countries,” Lile said. “Taiwan’s multicultural history offers rich opportunities to study the diverse traditions and histories of Asian live performance.” 

Judith Pascoe, the George Mills Harper Professor in the Department of English in the College of Arts and Sciences, will expand on her research and teaching interests in Nara, Japan, through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program starting in March.  

This is Pascoe’s second Fulbright award to Japan. She previously received the Fulbright Japan Lecturing Award for the 2009-2010 academic year while teaching at the University of Iowa. This experience led to her writing “On the Bullet Train with Emily Brontë: ‘Wuthering Heights’ in Japan,” an account of her quest to discover the reasons for the continuous Japanese embrace of the novel “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë. 

Pascoe will teach classes and continue her research on Japanese adaptations of world literature at Nara Women’s University from March to August 2027. Her classes will draw from her experience as a specialist in nineteenth-century literature, while her research will focus on why certain works have gained popularity among youth demographics.  

“I look forward to fine-tuning the teaching strategies I cultivated for use in Japanese classrooms, to forging relationships with new Japanese colleagues and to learning about present-day Japanese challenges,” Pascoe said. “The Fulbright support for the humanities is a tremendously strong force for kindness, empathy and cross-cultural solidarity.” 

Hui Wang, an associate professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, will conduct collaborative research at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore from January to July 2027 through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.  

While at NTU, Wang will collaborate with colleagues on a research project focused on improving manufacturing quality control and process design in advanced production systems, particularly 3D printing.  

The project combines process simulations, sensor measurements and engineering knowledge to better understand how manufacturing conditions affect product quality. 

“Singapore provides a unique environment where advanced manufacturing and data-driven engineering innovation are closely integrated,” Wang said. “Beyond the technical research, I value the cultural exchange aspect of Fulbright very highly. I believe there is much to learn from Singapore’s emphasis on discipline, efficiency and engineering rigor, while also sharing perspectives from the U.S. research environment that encourage open discussion, interdisciplinary exploration and student-centered mentoring. 

Aleksandra Zimmerman, the Ed McIntyre Associate Professor of Business Administration in the Department of Accounting at the Herbert Wertheim College of Business, will carry out research in Antwerp, Belgium, during the fall and spring semesters.

Zimmerman will work with researchers at the University of Antwerp and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where she will collaborate with faculty on research and engage with students and scholars on topics related to accounting and auditing, human capital and labor markets, and regulatory policy. Her research project will focus on accounting and business with a particular emphasis on issues related to emerging trends and to the accounting and auditing profession and regulation policies in a global context.

The project seeks to address how different institutional structures, cultural norms and regulatory environments influence accounting, auditing and business practices and decision making. Through collaborative research and scholarly exchange, Zimmerman aims to better understand how institutional and cultural settings shape business practices, regulation and standard setting.

“Belgium is an ideal location for this work given its central role in European regulatory and economic systems,” Zimmerman said. “I am most looking forward to the collaborative aspect of the Fulbright experience, working closely with international colleagues, engaging with students, and immersing myself in the academic and cultural life of Belgium and visiting other schools in Europe. Fulbright support is particularly important for accounting and business because these fields are deeply shaped by global economic forces and international regulation.” 

Biwu Ma, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, will also travel to Belgium to conduct research at the University of Antwerp during the upcoming fall and spring semesters through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. He will spend the academic year merging material science and medical physics to improve how ultra-high dose rate radiotherapies monitor radiation in real-time. 

With recent advancements in FLASH radiotherapy, an emerging cancer treatment shown to reduce damage to healthy tissue while delivering high rates of radiation at extreme speeds, comes a need to create radiation dosimeters that reliably detect dosages. Ma’s work focuses on developing organic-inorganic hybrid scintillation materials to provide accurate, real-time dose monitoring and enhance treatment precision. 

“The (University of Antwerp) provides a unique environment where materials science can be directly connected to clinically relevant validation and translational research,” Ma said. “The award emphasizes the importance of international collaboration in driving scientific innovation and translating fundamental discoveries into real-world societal impact.” 

Frankie Wong, the McKenzie Endowed Professor in the College of Nursing and founding director of the Center of Population Sciences for Health Empowerment, will travel to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, next spring to further his research at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities at National Vietnam University (VNU-USSH).

Wong, who has visited Vietnam nearly 10 times in the past decade and has previously worked in countries like China, Russia, South Africa and Tajikistan, will further his work examining HIV-related stigma intervention among high-risk men in Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam with the highest rate of HIV in the country. His work seeks to encourage more people to engage in HIV research, which can lead to more cutting-edge strategies to mitigate and/or prevent this global burden. 

“The Fulbright Fellowship will allow me to have an immersive experience. I believe I have the temperament, humility and appreciation of American culture to serve as an effective cultural ambassador for the U.S.,” he said. 

Paromita Sanyal, an associate professor of Sociology in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy and research associate at FSU’s Center for Demography and Population Health, will travel to India using the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award.

Sanyal specializes in international development, gender, economic and political sociology. Her research examines large-scale programs aimed at inducing development, women’s empowerment and financial inclusion.

As a member of the World Bank’s Social Observatory team, which is based in India and tracks projects aiming to eradicate poverty and improve livelihoods around the world, she uses her insights to understand the impact of socioeconomic interventions on women in India. She will expand upon this work during her Fulbright experience.   

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build connections, and work to address complex global challenges. Notable Fulbrighters include 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, 41 heads of state or government, and thousands of leaders across the private, public and non-profit sectors.  

More than 800 individuals teach or conduct research abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program annually. In addition, over 2,000 Fulbright U.S. Student Program participants — recent college graduates, graduate students and early career professionals — participate in study/research exchanges or as English teaching assistants in local schools abroad each year. 

FSU faculty interested in learning more about applying for Fulbright Program funding can contact Peggy Wright-Cleveland, Director of Faculty Development in the Office of Faculty Development and Advancement, at mwrightcleveland@admin.fsu.edu or (850) 645-8202. 

To learn more about FSU’s global footprint, visit global.fsu.edu. 

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Every day, millions of young women use social media to learn about health and wellness, yet few know that alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer.

To help close this awareness gap, Russell Clayton, the Distinguished and Endowed Provost McKenzie Professor, professor in FSU’s School of Communication and director of the Cognition and Emotion Lab, is collaborating on a five-year study with researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James, and UMass Chan Medical School.

Funded by a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI), the team is working to identify the most effective social media message strategies for raising awareness about the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk among women ages 18 to 25.

“Drinking alcohol during young adulthood is associated with benign breast disease, which increases the risk of future breast cancer, as well as a higher risk of developing breast cancer before menopause,” Clayton said. “Despite these risks, fewer than one-third of young adult women are aware that alcohol consumption is a risk factor for breast cancer.”

Although alcohol is an established risk factor for breast cancer, public awareness of that link remains low. Compared with other modifiable cancer risk factors, such as tobacco use, alcohol has historically received less attention in cancer prevention messaging.

Because young adulthood is both a biologically vulnerable period for breast development and a time when alcohol use is common, researchers and public health agencies are increasingly focused on improving awareness of alcohol-related breast cancer risk.

“Social media, particularly Instagram and TikTok, provide a unique opportunity to reach young women with evidence-based health information at scale. Through this project, we will identify which social media message characteristics are most effective at increasing awareness of alcohol-related breast cancer risk and encouraging informed health decisions.”

The project will begin with a national online study examining how different social media messages about alcohol-related breast cancer risk influence young women’s responses. Clayton will then lead the laboratory phase at FSU’s Cognition and Emotion Lab, where researchers will combine self-report assessments and psychophysiological measures to better understand young women’s cognitive and emotional responses.

During the multi-site laboratory phase of the project, participants will view a simulated social media feed while researchers assess their responses to breast cancer prevention messages. Using eye-tracking technology, Clayton will examine which message features capture and hold participants’ visual attention, while measures of heart rate and skin conductance will provide objective indicators of participants’ emotional and cognitive responses to the messages.

Clayton and collaborators will then determine whether participants’ psychophysiological and self-reported responses differ by baseline alcohol use, informing whether digital health messages should be tailored to different drinking patterns.

“Social media, particularly Instagram and TikTok, provide a unique opportunity to reach young women with evidence-based health information at scale. Through this project, we will identify which social media message characteristics are most effective at increasing awareness of alcohol-related breast cancer risk and encouraging informed health decisions.”

— Russell Clayton, School of Communication professor and Cognition and Emotion Lab director

The study will generate evidence to help public health agencies design more effective digital communication strategies for reducing alcohol-related breast cancer risk among young women.

“This project will advance cancer communication science by identifying the social media message strategies that most effectively communicate the link between alcohol use and breast cancer risk,” Clayton said. “The findings will help public health agencies, breast cancer prevention organizations and policymakers strengthen future public health campaigns and ultimately reduce alcohol-related breast cancer risk.”

The five-year project brings together researchers from Florida State University, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James, and UMass Chan Medical School with expertise in health communication, cancer prevention, biostatistics and behavioral science to develop more effective strategies for reducing alcohol-related breast cancer risk among young women.

The collaborative research team is led by multiple principal investigators — Russell Clayton at FSU, Darren Mays at Ohio State and Elise Stevens at UMass Chan, alongside Ohio State co-investigators Abigail Shoben and Margaret Gatti-Mays.

Clayton also acknowledges the support of Florida State’s College of Communication and Information, including Dean Michelle Kazmer, School of Communication Director Patrick Merle and grant specialist Cherie Pagan, whose leadership and administrative support were instrumental in securing the award.

To learn more about the FSU Cognition and Emotion Lab, visit the FSU Cognition and Emotion Lab webpage.

Optimizing Social Media Messages Targeting Young Adult Women About the Risks of Breast Cancer from Alcohol Consumption:

This multi-institutional project, is funded by a five-year Research Project Grant (R01) from the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI), expected to total $3,113,767.

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The Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC) at Florida State University hosted the 2026 Florida Statewide Finals of the National Civics Bee® on Tuesday, June 30, at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center, where 12 middle school students from across Florida competed in a live, quiz-style civics championship.

Araoluwakiitan A., an 8th-grade student at Voyager K-8 in St. Cloud, Florida, was named the 2026 Florida Statewide Finals winner and will advance to the National Civics Bee® championship in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 13-14. The national championship will bring together state champions to compete for the national title and a first-place 529 education award of $100,000.

Presented in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and chambers of commerce across Florida, with Kinder Morgan serving as the presenting sponsor, the nonpartisan competition encourages students in grades 6-8 to deepen their understanding of American government, civic responsibility and community engagement.

During the statewide finals, students demonstrated their civic knowledge through multiple rounds of live competition, answering questions about government, civic responsibility and public life while engaging with judges, audience members and community leaders.

“It feels amazing, and I can’t believe I’m going to D.C.,” said Araoluwakiitan A., 2026 Florida Statewide Finals winner of the National Civics Bee®.

Statewide finals winners received prizes up to $1,000. Georgia W., a 7th grade student at Julia Landon College Preparatory in Jacksonville finished in second place, and Orion A., an 8th grade student at Pine View School in Osprey, Florida, came in third place.

“The National Civics Bee gives students a meaningful opportunity to strengthen their understanding of government, think clearly about their communities, and see themselves as active participants in civic life,” said Ryan Owens, director of the IGC. “We are proud to welcome these outstanding students to Tallahassee and celebrate the curiosity, leadership and civic responsibility they represent.”

Student participants, who advanced through regional essay competitions hosted by local chambers, included:

Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce

• Orion A., Pine View School, 8th grade
• Zeke C., Pine View School, 7th grade
• Tristan R., Pine View School, 7th grade

St. Pete Chamber of Commerce

• Viacheslav B., Farnell Middle School, 6th grade
• Sayed H., Liberty Middle School, 7th grade
• David M., Safety Harbor Middle School, 7th grade

The Osceola Chamber of Commerce

• Araoluwakiitan A., Voyager K-8, 8th grade
• Avinoor J., Abraham Lincoln Middle School, 8th grade
• Georgia W., Julia Landon College Preparatory, 7th grade

Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce

• Emma C., Liza Jackson Preparatory School, 7th grade
• Arianna N., Northwest Florida Ballet Académie, 8th grade
• Rishi T., Florida State University Schools K-12, 7th grade

The statewide finals reflect the IGC’s broader mission to advance the principles of liberty through research, education, and discourse. Through the National Civics Bee®, students are encouraged to learn, lead and contribute to their communities while gaining a deeper understanding of the role informed citizens play in a strong democracy.

For more information about the Florida Statewide Finals of the National Civics Bee®, visit the IGC’s event website.

About the Institute for Governance and Civics: The Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC) at Florida State University is dedicated to creating the next generation of effective citizens and responsible leaders. Established in 2023, the IGC supports a variety of initiatives that promote constitutional liberty, economic liberty, conscience liberty, and educational liberty through data-driven research, excellence in teaching, and intellectually diverse exchange. To learn more about the IGC, visit igc.fsu.edu or follow on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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A leading global agency of the United Nations has tabbed Florida State University as its first chair focused on sport ecology — a landmark agreement that places FSU at the center of one of the world’s most critical and emerging fields of study.

UNESCO, which stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, selected FSU for a four-year partnership that connects the university to the global agency’s priority-setting work and to peer institutions on six continents. There are 14 UNESCO Chairs in sport-related fields worldwide. FSU is the only one based in the United States and the only one dedicated specifically to sport ecology.

The distinction positions FSU at the forefront of a rising discipline linking sport, environmental science and global policy.

“Holding the world’s first UNESCO Chair in sport ecology is a distinct honor for Florida State University, and a recognition that sport’s relationship with the environment is worthy of serious study,” said Timothy Kellison, FSU’s chairholder and an associate professor of sport management within the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.

“Holding the world’s first UNESCO Chair in sport ecology is a distinct honor for Florida State University, and a recognition that sport’s relationship with the environment is worthy of serious study.”

– Timothy Kellison, associate professor of sport management

Sport ecology is the study of the bidirectional relationship between sport and natural environment. It is a critical field examining both how sport affects the environment — whether through carbon emissions, energy use or facility construction — and how environmental change affects sport.

According to UNESCO, the academic infrastructure for understanding and improving sport’s environmental performance remains nascent. A UNESCO Chair dedicated to sport ecology fills a gap in both scholarship and international policy, helping shape a multi-hundred-billion dollar global sports industry with a large environmental footprint.

The designation gives FSU’s research and faculty opportunities for international collaboration and access to the agency’s knowledge networks. For students, it will signal that FSU provides an education in a discipline of growing career relevance as sport organizations face growing pressure to address sustainability.

Over the four-year partnership, FSU will build a collaborative research network of UNESCO Chairs and academic institutions worldwide; strengthen the education and training of sport ecology; facilitate knowledge for researchers, practitioners and policymakers; and raise public awareness.

FSU is among just 33 institutions in the U.S. with a UNESCO Chair designation — joining other research universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Chicago, Penn, Georgetown and Northwestern.

FSU’s faculty team includes an interdisciplinary group of experts from across the university spanning sport management, urban and regional planning, geography, design, political science, anthropology and history. This faculty, which will work together to address the challenges of sport ecology, includes Eric Coleman (political science); Ronald Doel (history); Tisha Joseph Holmes (urban and regional planning); Amy Kim (sport management); Amy Kowal (anthropology); Meaghan McSorley (urban and regional planning); Victor Mesev (geography); Meghan Mick (interior design); and Devra Waldman (sport management).

For more information on the FSU Department of Sport Management, which was recently voted a top three program among public institutions, visit the department’s website.

Find out more about UNESCO by visiting its website.

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Soon after the development of the first computers, engineers and programmers began tinkering with them to create games. Turning a calculating machine into a device for fun pushed the capabilities of the new technology, stimulated creative thinking and inspired interest from the public.

From their origins in the 1950s and 1960s, video games have come a long way. They’re now an industry that generates more than $180 billion annually around the world. Faculty at Florida State University are innovating in this rapidly evolving field, studying how games can reduce mental health stigma, improve language learning, train child welfare professionals and create new opportunities for science communication.

Games and human behavior

At the College of Communication and Information (CCI), researchers are investigating the cultural impacts of video games and how they can affect perceptions of mental illness. In 2025, Professor Nicholas Sellers authored a book chapter titled “GAMES FOR GOOD: Exploring the Potential for Traditional Video Game Narratives to Reduce Mental Health Stigma.”

The chapter is based on a study published in Frontiers, conducted by Sellers and Associate Professor Arienne Ferchaud. The study examined whether playing or watching a video game character experiencing mental illness affected participants’ attitudes toward mental health.

Researchers found that players who directly engaged with the game felt more connected to the character and demonstrated lower levels of stigma, which may help remove impediments to treatment.

“One of the main barriers to seeking treatment is the stigma around mental health. If we can find ways to destigmatize mental illness, we can remove that barrier and encourage treatment when necessary,” Ferchaud said. “Video games are an effective medium for representation because of their interactivity, allowing players to ‘practice’ interactions in a way that is not possible in non-interactive media.”

Other CCI researchers are also exploring applications of video games in the classroom. In a multi-institutional research study published in ACM Journals, Professor Sana Tibi co-led research examining whether collaborative video games can help English as a Second Language (ESL) students develop language skills. The study paired native English speakers and ESL students in a game that required communication and cooperation to complete tasks.

Other research is examining games as a communication medium that intrinsically involves decision making from the audience. Gabrielle Lamura, a doctoral student at FSU, explored horror and morality in video games in her paper, “Moral Dilemmas: Horror Video Games Narrative Mechanics,” which she presented at a 2025 National Communication Association conference.

Some of her other projects are examining how environmental factors and game mechanics influence player behavior and a review of morality and moral decision making in games.

At the FSU College of Music, Assistant Professor Julianne Grasso researches music in multimedia, especially video games, examining how musical themes associated with characters and places develop during a game’s narrative.

“Video game music is interesting for the ways that it seems to function as background and yet has such an effect on us,” Grasso said. “It’s similar to film music in that it can affect how we perceive the emotions and meanings of the scenes we are watching, but video game music goes one step further in influencing ultimately how players interact with virtual environments.”

As technology developed, game designers gained a greater ability to add richness and interactivity to in-game sounds and music, changing how users perceived their experience. Early adaptive audio has evolved so musical directors in modern games have a wide number of parameters they can adjust to fit their creative goals.

“In a film, we might get tense, dissonant music to accompany a suspenseful scene and help the audience feel what characters feel. In a game, that same kind of music might be used as a signal for the player to watch out for danger and to act accordingly,” she said.

From screen to reality: Practical applications of video game technology

The Florida Institute for Child Welfare (FICW) collaborated with different contractors to launch two new virtual reality (VR) tools that help social workers train for a critical job in low-stakes virtual environments.

“We are working to create real-world practice opportunities for both current child welfare professionals and students preparing to enter the field,” said FICW Associate Director of Professional Development Kristina Finch. “Through our immersive VR platforms, including the Accenture Avenues headset experiences and our AI-powered virtual home environment being developed with MeetKai, participants can build and strengthen the skills needed to effectively engage with children and families while promoting safety and well-being.”

These interactive simulations provide controlled environments where College of Social Work students can develop skills before practicing in real-world settings. These AI-powered tools allow students to practice observing environmental factors in a virtual setting, helping students connect classroom instruction with real-world practice.

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The William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust has awarded two faculty members in the FSU Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (Anne’s College) a $500,000 grant to train the next generation of professionals working with individuals with autism.

With the generous funding, Anne’s College will offer competitive scholarships to provide full financial support to teachers pursuing the Autism Spectrum Disorder Graduate Certificate. The grant will support 75 in-service teachers over the next three years.

Veronica Fleury, associate professor in special education at Anne’s College, says that access to the Autism Spectrum Disorder Graduate Certificate curriculum will greatly benefit teachers.

“It is currently estimated that 1 in 31 children are identified with autism,” Fleury said. “This means all teachers, regardless of grade level or educational setting, will have students with autism in their classes. Educators who complete this program will be better equipped to support the varied needs of their learners, specifically the growing autistic student population.”

The William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust has a long history of awarding grants in education. Addie McConomy, clinical assistant professor and program leader for special education at Anne’s College, explains that this funding will serve the long-term goal of bolstering the teacher workforce.

“Any plan to strengthen the Florida teacher pipeline must involve concerted efforts to retain teachers who enter the field,” said McConomy. “A key factor in retention lies in professional preparation. Funding from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust will allow us to provide teachers access to high-quality coursework in teacher education.”

McConomy and Fleury’s sustaining vision is that teachers who are prepared to teach will be prepared to stay. With the support of the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust, they are making actionable steps toward this shared goal.

To be considered for the funding opportunity, prospective students should complete an online application found on the Autism Spectrum Disorder Graduate Certificate website. All teachers are eligible to apply; however, priority will be given to those who hold a temporary license, as they may benefit most from professional learning opportunities.

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