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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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Two professors at Florida State University’s Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (Anne’s College) have earned fellowships recognizing their contributions to the field of nutrition.

Associate Professor Sarah A. Johnson and Betty M. Watts Endowed Professor Ravinder Nagpal, both members of FSU’s Department of Health, Nutrition and Food Sciences, are among 69 researchers and professionals selected for the American Society for Nutrition’s (ASN) 2026 Excellence in Nutrition Fellows of ASN (FASN).

The program recognizes nutrition professionals who are 10 or more years beyond their terminal degree and have maintained ASN membership for five or more years. Fellows have demonstrated significant impact in their respective career paths, as well as meaningful service to ASN.

The FASN designation recognizes significant contributions to nutrition science, practice and professional service.

Johnson’s research uses clinical and translational approaches to develop food and nutritional interventions. Her work evaluates how nutritional interventions, particularly phytochemical-rich, high–nutritional quality functional foods, promote cardiometabolic health and reduce cardiovascular disease risk with aging.

Earlier this year, Johnson was one of 12 researchers whose study examined the effects of wild blueberries on cardiometabolic health. The findings received attention in national and industry publications.

Johnson said the fellowship reflects a career shaped by mentors, colleagues and collaborators.

“I am honored and humbled to be recognized as a Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition among colleagues I admire and whose work continues to advance the science of nutrition and its translation to improve human health and well-being,” Johnson said. “I am deeply appreciative to everyone who has contributed to making this achievement possible. I joined the American Society for Nutrition as a PhD student, new to research and having just worked as a clinical inpatient and outpatient dietitian prior to going back to school to pursue a doctoral degree. Reflecting on that journey, it is difficult to fully express the meaning and impact of this recognition. To be honored by peers I admire so strongly is especially meaningful.”

Nagpal directs The Gut Biome Lab, which studies the mechanisms and dynamics of host-diet-microbe interactions and how they influence human health.

He has become one of the country’s top experts in gut health, a field that has fueled interest because of new research showing how the gut plays a central role in overall health. His lab collaborates with experts in gerontology, neuroscience, microbiology, nutrition/food sciences, cell/molecular biology, immunology, sepsis and clinical care.

Nagpal said the fellowship reflects the collaborative nature of nutrition research.

“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized as a Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition,” Nagpal said. “This distinction reflects the collective efforts of an incredible community of my mentors, collaborators, students, trainees and friends who have supported my endeavors and made this recognition possible. My research is centered on understanding how nutrition shapes the gut microbiome and influences health and disease, with the goal of translating these discoveries into strategies for disease prevention and improved well-being. Since joining ASN in 2017, I have always been proud to be part of a scientific community dedicated to advancing nutrition science through education, research and service.”

The 2026 Fellows will be recognized July 25-28 at NUTRITION 2026 in National Harbor, Md., at the ASN’s annual meeting.

For more information about Anne’s College, visit its website.

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Two Florida State University students from the Department of History have earned prestigious awards for their work in the identification, protection and rehabilitation of historic sites around the state of Florida. 

Chase Panish and Flora Domitrovic, both Spring 2026 graduates, have won the Historic Preservation Scholar Award from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, a statewide award recognizing outstanding scholarship in the field. 

The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation is a statewide non-profit founded in 1978 with the goal of promoting the preservation and sharing of Florida’s heritage. The awards were first presented in 2024, and many of the recipients have hailed from FSU. 

“Flora and Chase are gifted preservationists who excel at archival research to create research projects that benefit their communities,” said Kathleen Powers Conti, an assistant professor of history at FSU who nominated the students for this award. “Two of our students receiving this prestigious, statewide award showcases the important, community-engaged work that the Department of History does every day.” 

“Flora and Chase are gifted preservationists who excel at archival research to create research projects that benefit their communities. Two of our students receiving this prestigious, statewide award showcases the important, community-engaged work that the Department of History does every day.” 

— Kathleen Powers Conti, assistant professor of history at FSU

Panish was honored with the Historic Preservation Scholar Award for his work nominating Tallahassee’s Union Bank to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). When the NRHP — the official list of the U.S.’s historically significant places — was created in 1966, there was a rush to build out the list. The Union Bank was originally listed in 1971, but like many of the original listings, the existing nomination was quite short and had substantial gaps. Panish authored an updated nomination for the Union Bank, the state’s oldest surviving bank building, to include more substantive discussions about its history and architectural significance.  

A NRHP nomination requires months of archival research, interviews and site visits to create a detailed description of a site’s long history and architectural significance. Panish worked closely with the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources to develop the appropriate documentation to renominate the bank with a testament of its full history including its time as a plantation owner’s bank and, later, a branch of the Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company, a Congress-chartered bank serving formerly enslaved people. 

“Don’t look past a small building. Every patch of dirt has a history if you look far enough,” Panish said. “Just follow your interests because you never know where they may lead.” 

Prior to graduating this spring with a master’s in history with a major in public history, Panish interned at Heritage Village, a public museum featuring a collection of a historic structures in Pinellas County, Fla., during which he created several precise, digital, architectural drawings to help the museum complete its catalog of these structures.  

Panish also used specialized software to design and build 3D virtual models of the structures to create an opportunity for people with disabilities who may not be able to fully access these sites a chance to experience them. As an advocate for accessibility in preservation, Panish was selected by the National Council on Public History to partake in the Accessibility Working Group beginning in Jan. 2025, a team dedicated to making public history more inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities. 

“I’m disabled but there are not a lot of disabled people in the preservation realm,” Panish said. “I’m grateful for the research and to have received this honor so that I can represent the small amount of disabled people in my field.” 

After graduation, Panish plans to continue his involvement in cultural resource management as an architectural historian, documenting and evaluating historic sites for preservation. 

Domitrovic earned the Historic Preservation Scholar Award for her Honors in the Major project, “Early Computers as a Tool for Ecologically Conscious City Planning.” Her research examined how urban planners in the 1970s encouraged more environmentally conscious planning, in line with new environmental regulations of the time, through the integration of computers into urban planning systems. 

With support from an IDEA Grant from FSU’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement, Domitrovic visited the Library of Congress’ History of Computer Cartography and Geographic Information Sciences Archive during the summer of 2025 to examine primary sources related to the integration of these systems.  

“We can see the similarities between how people grappled with automation in the integration of computers into the city-planning in the 1970s and the emergence of AI today,” said Domitrovic. “We can also see the link between environmental conservation and historic preservation, and the early efforts to try to protect them both.” 

Domitrovic earned her bachelor’s degree in history from FSU this spring, and during her time in the department, she completed internships at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She also worked with the Florida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center, starting with her experience in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program. Domitrovic also drafted a nomination to put Tallahassee’s Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, built in 1940, on the National Register of Historic Places. 

In Fall 2026, she will join the University of Pennsylvania’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design to purse a master’s in city planning.  

To learn more about historic preservation and the research conducted in the FSU Department of History, visit history.fsu.edu.

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The Florida Center for Research in STEM (FCR-STEM) at Florida State University has awarded its first-ever Innovating Teacher of the Year award to honor Anna Prindle, a fifth-grade teacher at Holley-Navarre Intermediate School.   

With more than 20 years of educational experience, Prindle has earned multiple Teacher of the Year awards and has provided opportunities for students at Holley-Navarre in robotics, coding, 3D printing and other STEM activities that would not have been possible without her securing major STEM grants.  

The award was presented to Prindle Thursday, May 14, at Holley-Navarre Intermediate School. 

“We are thrilled to be honoring Anna Prindle with the first-ever FCR-STEM Innovating Teacher of the Year award,” said Rabieh Razzouk, director of FSU’s Learning Systems Institute, which is home to FCR-STEM. “By connecting complex STEM concepts to hands-on experiences, familiar contexts and student-driven inquiry, Ms. Prindle is allowing all learners to engage with confidence and curiosity and excel. She has transformed STEM education into an accessible, interdisciplinary and community-connected experience that prepares students for real-world problem solving, setting an example for the future of STEM education in Florida.” 

Prindle’s work is built on a foundation of professional experiences across multiple states, virtual learning environments and international teaching in Japan. These experiences have shaped her ability to design inclusive, adaptableand forward-thinking STEM opportunities that meet the needs of all learners by incorporating emerging technologies, community partnerships and real-world problem solving. 

She has improved her students’ measurable performance while blending science, technology, engineering and mathematics with literacy, creativity and career awareness. 

“The academic impact of her work is evident,” said Holley-Navarre Intermediate Principal Ann Thomas. “Her students consistently demonstrate growth in science and mathematics, with math exceeding district and state averages. What stands out even more is the confidence students develop as learners. Students who once struggled with math or science begin to take risks, explain their thinking and work through challenging problems with persistence.” 

Prindle’s impactful work includes the project “From Code to Creatures,” in which students move from coding Ozobots to designing food webs, 3D-printing ecosystem animals and applying algebraic reasoning to their own creations. This project blends computer science, life science and mathematics while emphasizing problem solving, collaboration and creativity. Students not only learn standards but also apply them in meaningful, tangible ways that mirror real-world STEM applications. 

Her work on the Uniquely Human Grant transforms the study of human body systems into an immersive investigation using microscopes, stethoscopes and 3D modeling. Students collect and analyze data, design models and connect scientific understanding to personal identity, demonstrating how innovation can deepen both academic learning and student engagement. 

Beyond the classroom, Prindle’s leadership expands STEM learning across the entire school community. As the leader of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Committee, she has grown STEAMNight into an event serving over 450 participants and 170 families, creating access to hands-on STEM experiences beyond the school day. She also launched a schoolwide industry panel during Manufacturing Month in conjunction with STEAM Night, connecting students with professionals from organizations such as GE Vernova and the Doolittle Institute. These experiences bridge classroom learning with future STEM careers, preparing students for the 21st-century workforce. Additionally, her leadership of One School, One Project, engages nearly 700 students across 35 classrooms in engineering design challenges, fostering collaboration, innovation and shared problem solving at a schoolwide level. 

“Ms. Prindle models how innovation is not a single lesson but its own culture,” said Santa Rosa County District Schools Coordinator of STEAM Michael Knowlton. “Her work bridges families, community partners and educators, strengthening the STEM ecosystem for all students. She exemplifies what it means to transform STEM education through creativity, leadership and sustained, measurable impact on students, teachers and the broader community. She consistently creates STEM experiences that are both rigorous and deeply engaging for all learners.” 

Prindle’s impact has been recognized through honors including Holley-Navarre Intermediate School Teacher of the Year (2026-2027) and the Air and Space Forces Association Hurlburt Field Elementary Teacher of the Year (2025),and she has been selected to attend Educators Space Camp this summer. She has also served as a facilitator for other educators as part of FSU’s InSPIRE initiative in the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast. 

For more information about FCR-STEM and the Learning Systems Institute at FSU, visit their website at lsi.fsu.edu. 

FCR-STEM was created by the Florida Legislature and competitively awarded to Florida State University in 2006. The mission of FCR-STEM is to help the State of Florida improve STEM teaching and learning in grades K-12 and prepare students for higher education and STEM careers in the 21st century. Through impacts on teacher knowledge and classroom practice, FCR-STEM strives to improve student achievement, narrow student achievement gapsand increase student pursuit in STEM fields. 

LSI strives to lead the way in creating innovative educational solutions that seamlessly connect theory with practice. Through advanced research, we develop industry-leading methods and implementation strategies to enhance systematic learning at all levels and in all environments. For more than five decades, LSI has been committed to driving measurable improvements in the performance of both individuals and organizations. 

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Routine high-tide flooding in coastal communities could lead to thousands of deaths among older adults by the end of the century, according to a new study co-authored by Florida State University researcher Mathew Hauer.

Published in The Lancet Planetary Health, the study projects that without significant adaptation, premature deaths among adults aged 65 and older linked to high-tide flooding could increase 43-fold by 2100.

Unlike storm surges from major hurricanes, high-tide flooding happens regularly and is often viewed as a nuisance rather than a danger. But researchers found even shallow flooding on roads can delay emergency medical care for older adults during time-sensitive emergencies such as cardiac arrest.

“When we think about climate change threatening people’s lives, we picture hurricanes and heat waves,” Hauer said. “What we found is that the routine, ankle-deep flooding people have learned to live with is on track to kill more older adults than storm surge does in these same coastal areas. It’s a quiet, cumulative form of climate mortality, and until now nobody had put a national number on it.”

The research team, which included Hauer from the FSU College of Social Sciences and Public Policy’s Department of Sociology and Center for Demography and Population Health, found that flooding creates significant traffic disruptions that obstruct emergency medical access. This is particularly dangerous for time-sensitive conditions where every minute of delay significantly reduces survival rates.

Researchers identified three major findings:

• A growing crisis: By 2100, the model projects nearly 10,000 additional deaths annually among older adults in coastal U.S. regions.
• Economic impact: The monetized damages associated with these premature deaths could reach $1.1 trillion by the end of the century.
• The 8-minute threshold: Seniors living in areas with more than an 8.85-minute drive to the nearest hospital are especially vulnerable to these flood-induced delays.

The findings are a wake-up call for the Sunshine State, which stands at the epicenter of the issue.

The study identified Florida as the nation’s most vulnerable state because of its large older population and extensive low-lying coastline.

“Simple things like raising roadways, better sited-hospitals, and other changes could make a significant impact on reducing this anticipated mortality. An ounce of prevention today is worth a pound of cure tomorrow.”

– Mathew Hauer, FSU associate professor and study co-author

By 2060, Florida could account for 24% to 38% of all high-tide flooding deaths in the coastal contiguous U.S., with an estimated 360 to 1,590 annual fatalities.

“Florida has twin threats of an older population and a large, low-lying coastal zone,” Hauer said. “So, the demography, the geography and climate change all combine to account for a large percentage of these anticipated deaths.”

Researchers said the projected death toll could be significantly reduced through infrastructure improvements and planning. Implementing protective measures, such as elevating roads or building new healthcare facilities in accessible locations, could reduce premature deaths by 57%.

The researchers recommend three critical steps for coastal communities:

• Protect road networks that are essential for emergency medical access.
• Increase accessibility by building more critical care facilities in at-risk coastal areas.
• Manage the retreat of vulnerable populations to areas with better infrastructure and healthcare access.

The study concluded that the economic costs associated with these deaths exceed many other climate-related impacts, making healthcare infrastructure a priority for policymakers.

“The deaths show up when an ambulance can’t get through and the adaptive infrastructure to prevent these are things we already know how to do,” Hauer said. “Simple things like raising roadways, better sited-hospitals, and other changes could make a significant impact on reducing this anticipated mortality. An ounce of prevention today is worth a pound of cure tomorrow.”

The study was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and included collaborators from Arizona State University, Industrial Economics and the International Food Policy Research Institute.

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As U.S. actions in Iran and Venezuela spark debate, partisan divides over presidential war powers hit record levels 

As debate over U.S. military action against Iran intensifies, a new report from the Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC) at Florida State University finds that most Americans believe presidents should obtain congressional approval before using military force, even as partisan divisions have grown increasingly sharp. 

The report, “Public Opinion on Congressional Approval for Military Force,” draws on more than four decades of survey data on presidential war powers and is part of the IGC’s broader effort to foster civic understanding and engagement through public polling. 

Key findings:

• In 2026, roughly 70% of Americans say presidents should obtain congressional approval before taking military action. 

• Support for requiring congressional approval has consistently exceeded 50% since 1980, peaking at 86% in 2013. 

• The partisan divide now exceeds 40 percentage points: 90% of Democrats favor requiring congressional approval, compared to 48% of Republicans. 

• Americans are more likely to support obtaining congressional approval when the opposing party holds the presidency. 

• Republican support for requiring congressional approval drops sharply after military action begins (from around 59% before action to 26% after), while Democratic support remains consistently high, at about 95-96%. 

“In the abstract, the public wants Congress involved before military force is used,” said Ryan Owens, director of the IGC. “But the partisan gap tells us that people don’t apply that principle consistently when their own party holds the White House.” 

The report also shows that opinions can shift quickly once military action is underway. In the most recent cases, Republican support for requiring congressional approval dropped substantially after strikes began, while Democratic support stayed consistently high.  

“The broad pattern is stable,” said Zach Goldberg, author of the report. “Who is in power – as well as whether action has already been taken – makes a real difference in how people answer these questions.” 

 Read the full findings and access data and figures in the latest report here: Public Opinion on Congressional Approval for Military Force. 

 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 new collaboration between Florida State University and nonprofit educational organizations is opening doors for Ukrainian scholars, empowering them with vital AI skills that can drive innovation and resilience in higher education. 

The Anne Spencer Dave’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (Anne’s College) and the Ukraine Task Force (UTF) have joined forces with the American Councils for International Education and the Digital Education Council (DEC) to deliver free, online artificial intelligence (AI) training for research faculty in Ukraine.  

Dina Vyortkina, associate dean for Innovation and Instructional Technology at Anne’s College and member of the UTF, coordinated the effort to provide DEC’s online course leading to a certificate for AI in Higher Education at no cost to 36 Ukrainian researchers.The researchers invited to participate are alumni of or current participants in BridgeUSA programs. 

“We have designed a comprehensive faculty professional development program for our colleagues in Ukraine,” Vyortkina said. “Completing AI literacy courses would be a great foundation for everyone before we embark on scalable AI initiatives that support teaching, learning, research and operations. We are looking forward to tangible outcomes and impactful changes.” 

Both the BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program (BridgeUSA UAFP) and the BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience and Reconstruction (UPRR) build connections between Ukrainian and U.S. scholars for long-term collaboration in areas such as joint research, shared pedagogy, course development and publications. These programs are implemented by the American Councils for International Education with the long-term goal of helping Ukrainian universities educate and train professionals critical to the country’s recovery and reconstruction through lasting, productive collaboration with U.S. institutions of higher education.  

Housed in FSU’s Learning Systems Institute (LSI), the UTF was established in 2022 as part of the university’s broader internationalization strategy and aims to forge partnerships between FSU and Ukrainian scholars and educate the FSU community about Ukraine. Through the UTF, FSU has hosted six BridgeUSA Fellows and will host two more this summer.  

In June 2024, FSU became the first U.S. university to host fellows through the program: Taras Panchenko, Andrii Balandr, Andrii Roskladka and Natalia Safonova all spent the summer on campus collaborating with FSU faculty mentors. And in October 2025, the UTF hosted Sofiia Doskich and Kostyantyn Mezentsev through BridgeUSA UPRR.  

“We anticipate that this new area of collaboration will lead to new research collaborations and the sharing of best teaching practices between BridgeUSA Alumni and peers at FSU,” said Vilma Fuentes, UTF program director. “This may also pave the way for future grant-funded opportunities.” 

The DEC’s “Certificate for AI in Higher Education” is a self-paced, 20-hour course that allows participants to gain the knowledge and skills needed to integrate AI effectively in teaching and day-to-day work. It’s intended for users of every level, helping them understand the fundamentals of AI, its implementation in higher education, responsible practices and practical use cases. Each module is practical, focused and directly applicable to higher education.  

American Councils is providing the course as part of its mission to strengthen international ties and connections between countries and cultures through excellence in academic, professional, and cultural exchange, language acquisition, educational developmentand research. Since 1974, their educational portfolio has grown to include 140 countries important to national security, prosperity and peace.  

“It’s a strong reflection of the partnership we have forged through BridgeUSA UPRR with FSU so far—one built on trust, shared purpose and a long-term commitment to lasting partnerships between Ukrainian and U.S. universities, including new opportunities for collaboration in areas such as AI in higher education, research and innovation,” said Ksenia Ivanenko, program manager for Higher Education Partnerships and Capacity, Field Operations at American Councils for International Education. 

In addition to completing the AI course, Ukrainian faculty can also participate in webinars facilitated by FSU colleagues. The project also aims to help Ukrainian faculty adapt existing university courses, embed innovative approaches and AI tools, contribute to the co-creation of AI literacy courses tailored to higher education in the Ukrainian language and local context, and conduct institutional AI assessments. 

“We are deeply grateful to Florida State University for its outstanding commitment to Ukraine, American Councils BridgeUSA UPRR, our program participants and alumni and for investing so much energy and care into this work,” Ivanenko said. “At a time when Ukrainian higher education continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience under immense pressure, this initiative creates meaningful access not only to practical AI skills but also to international academic exchange that can strengthen institutions and support the next generation of teaching and research.” 

For more information about LSI and the UTF, visit lsi.fsu.edu. To learn more about Anne’s College, visit annescollege.fsu.edu. For more information about FSU’s global footprint, visit global.fsu.edu. 

LSI strives to lead the way in creating innovative educational solutions that seamlessly connect theory with practice. Through advanced research, we develop industry-leading methods and implementation strategies to enhance systematic learning at all levels and in all environments. For more than five decades, LSI has been committed to driving measurable improvements in the performance of both individuals and organizations. 

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A Florida State University researcher has published the first peer-reviewed study showcasing how a critical thinking course increases long-term reduction in common reasoning biases and errors.

Professor of Philosophy Michael Bishop led the study that revealed that an appropriately designed critical thinking course can drastically reduce four common reasoning biases in students by boosting students’ awareness of the presence of these biases in people’s thinking and prompting them to avoid these biases in their everyday personal and professional lives.

“Critical Thinking Classes Can Reduce Common Biases: Results from a Field Experiment,” was published this month in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied.

“A good critical thinking class doesn’t teach students what to think; it teaches students how to think, whether that’s about important life decisions or social and political issues,” said Bishop, whose research covers the nature of rational reasoning and the nature of happy lives. “Prior to our study, there was little evidence that people who learn critical thinking skills in class continue to use these skills once they leave the classroom. Our research shows that we can teach skills that produce large and lasting improvements in how people think about issues that are important to their lives.”

The study revealed that the critical thinking class produced long-term reductions in four judgment biases: honoring sunk costs, or our tendency to continue a project based on the money and resources already spent; inferring causation from correlation; the regression fallacy, or our tendency to give unnecessary explanations for the natural tendency of outlier events to be followed by more typical events; and overlooking opportunity costs, or making a decision without considering whether there are better alternatives.

“I spent several years developing a critical thinking class at FSU based on a theory that J.D. Trout and I defended twenty years ago,” Bishop said. “This theory says that good reasoning is easy to use, generates accurate judgments and applies to important problems. In the study, Adam Feltz, a professor of psychology at the University of Oklahoma, Paul Conway, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Southampton in England, and I found that a critical thinking class informed by this theory produces large and lasting improvements in how students think.”

Students in the critical thinking class went through two phases of learning: a commitment phase followed by a recognition phase. In the commitment phase, students settled on the right way to think about certain problems and avoid biases. In the recognition phase, students learned to recognize the full range of cases to which those rules can be correctly applied. This two-step training process specifically targeted and corrected a variety of real-life instances of poor reasoning.

“Good critical thinkers make wiser judgments about how to invest their money, raise their children, run their businesses and treat their friends,” Bishop said. “They make smarter choices about whether to stick with a relationship, a job, a major or a project. They reason more clearly and persuasively about important issues.”

At the beginning and end of the semester, students taking the critical thinking course and students taking other philosophy courses evaluated several instances of reasoning. At the end of the semester, students in the critical thinking course improved significantly on four out of five biases tested, while students not in that course still did poorly on all five.

Sixteen months after the end of the course, students were asked to evaluate different instances of reasoning. Students who took the critical thinking class still proved much better at avoiding biases than students who did not, demonstrating how the lessons of properly designed critical thinking courses stick with students far beyond the classroom.

“Professor Bishop utilized results from earlier research to shape his teaching and obtained new research findings while teaching the course,” said Randolph Clarke, Department of Philosophy chair. “This study is an excellent example of how research and teaching enhance each other.”

Bishop, who earned a doctorate in 1990 from the University of California San Diego and served as an associate professor at Iowa State University and Northern Illinois University before joining FSU’s faculty in 2006, used previous research findings and his decades of teaching experience to develop the study, the results of which hold the potential to shape future approaches to critical thinking courses. 

“We all think we’re good critical thinkers,” Bishop said. “Our study suggests that for most of us, there is room — and perhaps a lot of room — for big improvements in how we think about the world.”

To learn more about Bishop’s work and research in the Department of Philosophy, visit philosophy.fsu.edu. 

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Florida State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy is set to launch the M.S. in Data and Society, a new one-year graduate program through the Department of Sociology, beginning Fall 2026. 

Applications are now open, with a deadline of July 1. 

The program prepares students to collect, analyze and interpret data in ways that account for the social, ethical and policy dimensions of an increasingly data-driven world. 

“The M.S. in Data and Society is a vital addition to our college, reflecting our commitment to evidence-based decision-making and applied excellence,” said Tim Chapin, dean of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. “By blending sophisticated computational tools with a deep understanding of social and ethical contexts, we are empowering our students to not only navigate a data-driven world but to lead it with integrity and insight. This program ensures our graduates are uniquely prepared to solve complex challenges across the public and private sectors.” 

The 34-credit-hour curriculum blends quantitative and qualitative research methods with hands-on training in computational tools and geographic information systems, drawing on expertise across sociology, economics, urban and regional planning, political science and geography. 

Students complete independent research and a capstone experience, and the program is designed to finish in three terms: fall, spring and summer. 

The program is housed in FSU’s Department of Sociology, which ranks 32nd among public universities nationally and third among programs in the Southeastern region, according to U.S. News and World Report. 

Graduates will be prepared for careers in research, government, nonprofit organizations and the private sector. 

No GRE is required. Applicants must submit official transcripts, a resume and three letters of recommendation. Out-of-state students from states participating in the Southern Regional Education Board Academic Common Market may be eligible for in-state tuition. 

For more information or to apply, visit bit.ly/MS-data-society or contact kmcclellan@fsu.edu with questions. 

Learn more about graduate programs in FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy at cosspp.fsu.edu. 

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Last Friday, the Anne’s College Research Showcase at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center brought together FSU faculty and staff to discuss research opportunities, grants and promote departmental collaboration.

Featuring more than 300 students and faculty from the renowned Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (Anne’s College), the event was an opportunity for participants to present their work that places an emphasis on real-world impact.

Damon Andrew, dean of Anne’s College, provided remarks at the showcase ceremony that summed up the everyday ambitions of the college’s research.

“Every year I look forward to this conference, which showcases the very best research activities being undertaken by our college’s faculty and students,” Andrew said. “While we come from various scientific disciplines and utilize a broad range of methodological conventions and techniques, we all share the common goal of using our research to maximize human potential.”

With approximately 233 PowerPoint and poster presentations, and more than 300 students and faculty presenting current research, the showcase covered endless topics that impact day-to-day life and span across several disciplines. Presenters tackled issues related to ultra-processed foods, artificial intelligence in the classrooms, workplace accommodations, mental health in schools and much more.

Joshua Newman, associate dean for research at Anne’s College, asserts that the caliber of work being conducted offers valuable solutions for both Floridians and a broader audience.

“Research is at its core is about value proposition, because we’re really trying to answer tough questions but provide solutions to problems that face families across Florida and the region even beyond,” Newman said. “In our college, we have a very strong commitment to making sure that we’re doing research that doesn’t just get published in journals but is making an impact in people’s lives.”

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Florida State University’s Ukraine Task Force (UTF) recently welcomed a leading analyst, lecturer and scholar on international relations to deliver a lecture and speak to classes about the everchanging political landscape of Eastern Europe.  

Kateryna Shynkaruk, a senior lecturer at Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Service in Washington D.C. and nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, delivered the talk “Ukraine and European Security: War, Identity and the Future of the International Order” Tuesday, March 10, in The Globe Auditorium as part of the Center for Global Engagement’s Engage Your World Speaker Series.  

“My lecture was about European security and how it is affected by the Ukraine war and basically how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has completely overturned the European security architecture,” Shynkaruk said. “I thoroughly enjoyed the questions and answer session with students. They clearly were engaged and I was positively impressed by how closely they followed it.” 

Shynkaruk has published more than 30 articles on the topics of post-communist transformations in Ukraine and across Eastern Europe. She spent seven years working as a political analyst at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and six years covering Ukraine’s foreign and security policy as a senior research fellow at the Kyiv-based Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.  

She was grateful to be able to share her knowledge gained from these experiences with faculty, staff and students. 

“My hope is that there is this interest actually in European affairs, that it is strengthened through engagements like my visit and generally that there is more interest in Ukraine, in European security and European affairs built here among students,” Shynkaruk said. “My meetings with faculty members were another very positive experience, seeing how the faculty is interested in exposing more perspectives on European affairs. If I have inspired any of them [students] to follow our potential avenues that I mentioned, that would be an amazing outcome.” 

Housed in FSU’s Learning Systems Institute (LSI), the UTF was established in 2022 as part of the university’s broader internationalization strategy and aims to forge partnerships between FSU and Ukrainian scholars and educate the FSU community about Ukraine. 

One of the goals of the UTF is to reach FSU students and educate them about Ukraine, its current and historical relationships with Europe and Russia, and its relevance to American security and economic interests. In 2025 alone, the UTF hosted 21 Ukrainian visitors and offered 17 educational events. 

“I was hosted graciously by the Ukraine Task Force here at FSU. I was positively impressed by the work they’re doing,” Shynkaruk said. “When teaching students, I do believe that direct information is always better than interpretations through second and third-hand perspectives. So, whenever you have a Ukrainian expert or a Ukrainian coming from Ukraine at the table in the classroom, you will have students exposed to a real-life experience and perspective rather than reading about it.” 

Most recently, FSU signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) last semester to expand global connections and outreach. The UTF also hosted two Ukrainian scholars last semester through the BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience Reconstruction (BridgeUSA UPRR), an exchange program funded by the U.S. State Department that connects Ukrainian and American researchers.  

“The work they [the UTF] are doing and the fact that they also bring people from Ukraine directly — some cultural presence, some academic presence — there is no better way to learn than to learn from the perspective of the ground,” Shynkaruk said. “The resilience of Ukrainian people, the challenges, the political landscape, all these pros and cons. If you don’t have a Ukrainian at the table, then this is an abstract conversation.” 

LSI strives to lead the way in creating innovative educational solutions that seamlessly connect theory with practice. Through advanced research, LSI develops industry-leading methods and implementation strategies to enhance systematic learning at all levels and in all environments. For more than five decades, LSI has been committed to driving measurable improvements in the performance of both individuals and organizations. 

For more information about the UTF, visit the UTF webpage on LSI’s website. To learn more about FSU’s global footprint, visit global.fsu.edu. 

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