A Florida State University computer scientist has earned one of the most prestigious awards available to early career faculty for developing high-performance computing systems that help researchers more efficiently manage large amounts of data in experiments and theoretical predictions.

Kai Zhao, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, has earned the 2026 Faculty Early Career Development Award, or CAREER Award, from the National Science Foundation, or NSF, for his work helping scientists manage massive amounts of data generated by large-scale simulations, scientific instruments and sensor systems, such as those used in X-ray imaging or to build cosmological models of the universe.

The CAREER Awards Program offers the NSF’s most significant awards in support of early career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models and lead advances in their field. Zhao is the third faculty member from FSU’s Department of Computer Science to earn the award this year, which provides five years of funding to support activities that build a firm foundation of leadership through the integration of research and education.

“Earning the CAREER Award is a huge milestone for me,” Zhao said. “I’m excited that the award supports not only my research but also student mentoring and education over the next five years.”

During research, scientists often spend a great amount of time sorting through data to identify patterns and details that support or disprove their hypothesis. Zhao was inspired by interdisciplinary connections among computer science and other subjects to develop a compression system that makes research and data management for science and engineering more efficient.

“I like working on problems where advances in computer science can accelerate scientific discovery,” Zhao said. “Better data management can help researchers run larger simulations, analyze results faster and make better use of computing resources. My goal is to make storing, moving and analyzing scientific data more efficient without losing information that researchers need.”

Through NSF funding, Zhao will continue developing a streaming-first framework called StreamZ, a data-processing tool designed to handle data that is continuously produced or consumed — such as data gathered in medicine, astrophysics or materials research. StreamZ will reduce the volume of such data by sorting out repeated or unnecessary information so scientists can more easily retrieve the most essential data at the level of detail they need.

“StreamZ addresses one of the most pressing challenges in modern scientific computing — how to efficiently manage massive streams of data from scientific instruments and simulations,” said Weikuan Yu, professor and former chair of the Department of Computer Science. “Kai’s work has the potential to substantially reduce storage costs and accelerate scientific discovery.”

The StreamZ stool is currently a set of compression algorithms, sets of rules that reduce data by removing repeated or extra information, but Zhao will further develop it into a high-performance software that can run on both high-performance computing clusters and personal computers. He’s also exploring how artificial intelligence and large language models can assist in data compression by automatically optimizing compression methods for different scientific applications or computing platforms. Eventually, he hopes to make StreamZ an open-source system that scientists can use in their daily research activities.

Zhao’s award will also support educational and mentorship initiatives by allowing him to hire undergraduate and graduate research assistants to help with laboratory processes while gaining valuable research experience, providing them with necessary skills and knowledge for a successful scientific career.

“Kai has accomplished an extraordinary amount in a very short time,” Yu said. “I’m impressed not only by the quality and quantity of his research products but also by his commitment to mentoring students and building strong research relationships.”

Zhao earned his bachelor’s degree in 2014 from Peking University in Beijing, China and his doctorate in computer science from the University of California, Riverside in 2022. While earning his doctorate, Zhao worked as a student intern at the Argonne National Library, a federally funded, multidisciplinary science and engineering research center in Lemont, Illinois. He joined FSU’s faculty in 2023.

Visit the Department of Computer Science website to learn more about Zhao’s work and department research.

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Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, or MagLab, have shown that a potential stroke treatment derived from stem cells may be more effective for women.

In a study published in Theranostics, the research team used human mesenchymal stem cells, which can transform into a variety of different cell types, to harvest extracellular vesicles, or EVs — small particles released by cells as chemical messengers. They tested those EVs as a therapy for ischemic stroke, when blood is blocked from reaching the brain.

The research could help scientists improve drug-based treatments for stroke patients and refine care strategies, even tailoring those that may be impacted by a patient’s sex.

What they did

Extracellular vesicles have shown potential as a treatment for various diseases, both as a way to deliver medicines to specific targets in patients and as a therapy on their own.

In this study, researchers used EVs to treat rats with strokes, then tracked changes in their brains over several weeks with the MagLab’s 21.1-T ultra-widebore magnet using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy.

In both males and females, the EV treatment improved post-stroke recovery. MRI scans showed improvements to damaged brain tissue and the brain’s chemical and metabolic activity after treatment.

But the benefits were not the same for each sex, suggesting that biological differences may influence treatment effectiveness.

Why it matters: Personalizing treatment for patients

The primary female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, have protective effects for the brain. In this study, the researchers saw that EVs augmented the positive effects of these naturally occurring hormones.

“Extracellular vesicles are a way to use the body’s own biological messaging system to promote healing,” said study co-author Yan Li, a professor at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “That natural capacity to promote repair and restore balance could transform how we treat some of the most challenging diseases.”

Preclinical work, including animal and cellular studies, often uses male subjects to avoid data variations caused by female hormonal cycles. By understanding the role sex hormones play in stroke recovery, the research could eventually help scientists implement more effective treatments for women.

Extracellular vesicles: An avenue for targeted treatment

EVs are a promising treatment for various diseases because they offer the regenerative and anti-inflammatory benefits of cell therapies without the risks of using living cells.

Drugs used to treat strokes must cross the blood-brain barrier to target the area where they are needed. EVs are small and can penetrate deeper into the brain than stem cells, which are more likely to be identified and attacked by a patient’s immune system.

“You’re getting an extra bang for your buck as a patient,” said study co-author Samuel Grant, a professor at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “Even though estrogen is helping recovery, the EV therapy has the added benefit of helping to recover faster, to salvage more tissue and reestablish regulation of metabolic processes in the brain.”

Collaborators and support

Former FSU doctoral student Jamini Bhagu was the lead author on this study. FSU graduate students and undergraduate students were also co-authors. This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation through the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the State of Florida.

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As Floridians brace for the peak of hurricane season in September, terms like El Niño and long-range forecasts can feel distant and abstract. For Emily Powell, Florida state climatologist at the Florida Climate Center within Florida State University, those forecasts are essential tools for helping communities understand weather risks and make key decisions before disaster strikes.

Powell’s work sits at the intersection of climatology, emergency management and urban planning, three critical areas in a hurricane-prone state like Florida. Her interdisciplinary approach helps small and at-risk communities build practical roadmaps for resilience.

As state climatologist for the State of Florida, Powell turns complex historical weather trends into clear, decision-ready data for policy and planning. The Florida Climate Center provides official weather data, climate research and public outreach for the state of Florida.

“The mission of the Florida Climate Center is to monitor, disseminate and analyze weather and climate data and information to serve the people in the state,” Powell said.

The center’s work includes three main components: data services; research and applications that support weather-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, forestry, water resources, emergency management, public health and urban planning; and outreach and education. The center translates information to the public by highlighting climate events, informing media and maintaining an active social media presence.

Serving the public is what first drew Powell to studying weather patterns and continues to drive her research.

“I wanted to take my interest in weather and society and my academic training and apply it to understand how weather and climate affect people and their environment,” Powell said. “For instance, how weather and climate impact people’s lifestyles, public health and safety, a community’s economic solvency, how it affects our food supplies, and how it drives ecosystem change.”

Powell’s expertise comprises the drivers of seasonal hurricane forecasts, including the El Niño/La Niña cycle. Known as the El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, the pattern affects temperature, precipitation, storm tracks and hurricane activity around the world.

According to Powell, the heating and cooling of the equatorial Pacific Ocean influence atmospheric pressure patterns and the position and strength of the jet stream. That helps shape where storms track and can lead to persistent temperature and precipitation anomalies, including in Florida.

El Niño is drawing heightened attention because 2026 is predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to reach record levels, with sea surface temperatures potentially rising nearly 3 degrees Celsius by winter. Powell cautions that increased risk does not guarantee a specific outcome.

“One thing to keep in mind is that a strong or very strong El Niño event does not guarantee we’ll see stronger or bigger impacts from the event,” Powell cautioned. “It does, however, considerably increase the odds, or the likelihood that those expected impacts will occur.”

Powell said Floridians could see the effects most strongly from late fall through winter and into spring. Wetter, cooler than normal weather is expected during colder months, along with an increased risk of severe weather, including tornadoes and more frequent rain, as El Niño favors a more active southern storm track.

Besides providing crucial climate intel, another focus area is community resilience. Powell has worked with Florida Sea Grant and the University of Florida Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences to provide technical assistance and resilience support to low-capacity communities across the state, reinforcing the demand for credible, science-based information.

“We’ve seen demand for weather and climate services go up over the years, and we try to communicate information and contextualize that information, particularly from national and local authorities, to ensure people have the right information and can make sense of that information so they can make well-informed decisions,” Powell said.

“We’ve seen demand for weather and climate services go up over the years, and we try to communicate information and contextualize that information, particularly from national and local authorities, to ensure people have the right information and can make sense of that information so they can make well-informed decisions.”

– Emily Powell, state climatologist for the State of Florida

Powell’s community impact also extends to Florida’s Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network, where she serves as the state’s co-coordinator. The grassroots precipitation-measurement network relies on volunteers who take daily measurements in their own backyards.

Powell embraces the citizen science approach because it provides real-time data that can support precipitation forecasts, flash-flood monitoring, extreme storm tracking, drought monitoring and more.

“It’s great to have a network of citizen scientists who are passionate about the weather,” Powell added. “We get to work with people around the state who do this on their free time, and the data that they produce is freely available almost immediately to anyone who wants to look at it.”

Even with NOAA forecasting a below-normal hurricane season, Powell said one storm can still exploit a window of opportunity and cause widespread damage. She encourages the public to prepare early, regardless of the quieter forecast.

“People always need to be aware of the risk and stay prepared, no matter what the overall trend says,” Powell advised.

And while weather conditions change daily, Powell’s mission remains constant: helping Floridians understand the risks ahead of time so that communities can make informed decisions before the next challenge arrives.

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Pellumb Reshidi, an assistant economics professor in Florida State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, has been named a Senior Fellow of Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute (AIEI), joining an international cohort of researchers studying how artificial intelligence is transforming firms and the future of work.

As part of the fellowship, Reshidi and collaborators Brian Jabarian of Carnegie Mellon University and Luca Henkel of Erasmus University Rotterdam received a Microsoft research grant to investigate the growing use of AI in hiring and recruitment. Their project focuses on agentic hiring, or the use of artificial intelligence to screen, interview and evaluate job candidates.

The research comes as organizations increasingly adopt AI tools in the workplace. While many companies have embraced the technology, questions remain about its effects on workers, employers and labor markets.

“Adoption has moved faster than the evidence, particularly on what happens when an entire industry takes up these systems rather than a single firm, and how the added competition affects firm and worker welfare,” Reshidi said. “Those effects need careful measurement, and we’re approaching them less as a question of AI substituting for people than as one about where the two together outperform either alone.”

Working with a major recruiting firm, the team has conducted a natural field experiment covering roughly 70,000 interviews, producing a dataset that tracks both recruiters and candidates from application through employment and beyond.

The evidence speaks to the interactions between human recruiters and AI systems, to how screening changes when applicants can choose between a human and an AI interviewer, and to how employers compete when they rely on similar AI screeners.

This is AIEI’s third cohort and the first to turn to firms themselves; the previous two examined how education systems prepare people for an AI-enabled economy.

The cohort’s findings will be collected in an edited volume scheduled for publication in January, with Reshidi’s team contributing a chapter and submitting its research to an open-access academic journal.

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Florida State University students, faculty and staff are getting an in-depth lesson on artificial intelligence and its applications in research, courtesy of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, part of the College of Arts and Sciences.  

The 2026 AI Bootcamp series kicked off Aug. 6 on campus and runs through Oct. 9. 

The free educational series, organized by Cottrell Family Professor of Chemistry Oliver Steinbock and Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Wen Zhu, features guest lecturers, interactive workshops, panel discussions and guided debates. The bootcamp programming covers a comprehensive range of topics throughout the fall, from agentic AI and data analysis with large language models, to mental health considerations and career planning in the AI landscape.  

The series, which takes place in the Kroto Auditorium at FSU’s Chemical Sciences Laboratory, has drawn in faculty, staff and graduate and undergraduate students from departments across campus who are interested in diving deeper into the unique challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence, in the research laboratory, the classroom and beyond. 

Featured speakers for the series include experts from FSU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Interdisciplinary Data Science Master’s Degree Program, Department of Scientific Computing, Department of Computer Science, FSU Libraries, Information Technology Services and the School of Information in the College of Communication and Information. Visiting speakers include guests and returning FSU alumni from Emory University, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Florida, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Google X and AI-driven platform Synfini. 

To view the complete AI Bootcamp program or register for the series, visit the bootcamp website.

For more information on events at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, visit chem.fsu.edu. 

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Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory have designed new quantum computing architecture that uses magnetic levitation to smooth over design flaws in the intricate bits necessary to run a quantum computer.

Quantum bits, or qubits, can be as small as a few nanometers, and manufacturing them inevitably introduces random flaws onto their surface. By using superconducting magnets to levitate neon particles, the research addresses a challenge in electron-on-neon qubit devices: the tendency for electrons to become trapped by random tiny bumps on the neon surface, making them function unpredictably.

The study, published in the American Physical Society journal PRX Quantum, could help pave the way for more reproducible and scalable quantum computing technologies.

“Instead of hoping that the right nanoscale feature appears in the right place, we want to decide where each electron qubit sits,” said study co-author Wei Guo, a professor at Florida State University, the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, or MagLab.  “Magnetic levitation gives us a way to place a clean neon carrier above the chip, while the chip still provides the circuitry needed to control and read the qubit. In this architecture, the qubit is no longer found by chance. It is built by design.”

What they made: A new design for electron-on-neon qubits

The researchers proposed a chip design that uses superconducting loops to magnetically hold tiny solid-neon particles above the chip surface. Instead of placing a solid-neon film directly on the chip, where it can inherit roughness from the substrate underneath, the new architecture uses nearly spherical neon microparticles as carriers for electron qubits.

“A simple way to think about it is that we give the electron a tiny, clean, floating island to sit on, rather than asking it to find a good spot on a rough landscape,” said study co-author Yinghe Qi, a MagLab postdoctoral researcher. “The chip underneath still provides the microwave circuits needed to control and read the qubit.”

Why it matters: Engineering a better chip

The work opens a path toward a new class of hybrid quantum devices, where clean quantum materials are integrated directly with chip-based control circuits.

“We have not built a full quantum computer in this paper, but we showed that the essential ingredients can work together in a realistic design: clean electron confinement, tunable qubit energy levels, strong coupling to microwave circuits and a way for neighboring qubits to communicate,” Guo said.

Technological advantages

Unlike the bits in ordinary computers, which store information as 0s or 1s, qubits use the rules of quantum mechanics to process information that can represent multiple possibilities at the same time until it is measured. To build a useful quantum computer, researchers need qubits that are clean, stable, controllable and practical to arrange in large numbers on a chip — a mix of properties that is difficult to achieve.

Electron-on-neon qubits, which use a single electron held above solid neon, are a promising platform for qubit design because of their accuracy and their ability to maintain their quantum information long enough to perform calculations. The electron sits in a clean environment, while the chip underneath provides the microwave circuits needed for control and readout.

The design shown in this study preserves the advantages of these qubits while using levitation to remove the randomness of a bumpy surface. 

“The main advantage is reproducibility,” said study co-author Yiming Xing, an assistant professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “Right now, useful electron-on-neon qubits depend on random nanoscale surface features, almost like hoping the right defect appears in the right place. Our approach replaces those random traps with designed, clean neon carriers placed at intended locations on a chip. If demonstrated experimentally, this could make electron-on-neon devices more predictable, reduce unwanted charge noise and make it easier to build larger arrays of qubits.”

Future research: Building a working prototype

The researchers plan to use their design to build a working prototype of an electron-on-neon qubit.

The main components of their design — superconducting loops, microwave resonators and patterned chip structures — are compatible with fabrication methods already used in quantum-device research, which will help researchers move from design to prototype and beyond.

Collaborators and support

Co-authors on this study included FSU postdoctoral researchers Sosuke Inui and Charles Peretti. Dafei Jin, an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame, was also a co-author.

The project received support from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the Florida State University Quantum Initiative. The FAMU Center for Quantum Science and Engineering supported contributions by Xing and supported the Notre Dame team through the National Science Foundation ExpandQISE grant administered by Florida A&M University.

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Florida State University researchers studying male green sea turtles off the coast of Brazil have discovered two distinct migration strategies, with some turtles traveling up to 1,000 kilometers after breeding while others remain in the same area year-round.

The findings shed new light on the movements of male green sea turtles, which are much harder to study than females. Female turtles regularly return to nesting beaches to lay their eggs, giving researchers predictable opportunities to tag and monitor them. Males, however, rarely return to land after entering the sea as hatchlings, leaving major gaps in scientists’ understanding of where they travel and which marine areas are important to their survival.

The FSU team, based in the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, tracked adult male green sea turtles at a remote breeding site off Brazil’s coast during three breeding seasons. The study provides new information about where the turtles travel during and after breeding season and could help guide conservation efforts in areas they use for migration and feeding. The research was recently published in Marine Ecology Progress Series.

“Many turtles undertook long-distance migrations, with some migrating for almost a month,” said Armando Barsante Santos, one of the study’s co-authors and a postdoctoral researcher in the Marine Turtle Research, Ecology and Conservation Group at FSU. “Their sense of navigation is impressive, and identifying paths they use during their oceanic migrations is essential for conservation management.”

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New FSU Quantum Initiative certificate will prepare students and professionals for careers in the rapidly expanding quantum workforce

Florida State University is launching Florida’s first formal graduate-level credential in quantum information science and engineering, opening a new pathway for students and professionals to enter one of the world’s fastest-growing technology fields. The Graduate Certificate in Quantum Science & Technology is now accepting applications for Spring 2027 enrollment.

Administered by the FSU Quantum Initiative, the interdisciplinary certificate will give graduate students and working professionals rigorous training across quantum physics, materials science, chemistry, computer science and engineering. Drawing on courses from multiple departments and two colleges — the FSU College of Arts and Sciences and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering — the program positions FSU to help build the emerging quantum workforce vital to the nation’s technological leadership and security.

“Quantum science is reshaping the future of computing, communication, materials and national security, and Florida State University is positioning itself at the forefront of that transformation,” said FSU Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson. “This new graduate certificate reflects the strength of our research enterprise and our commitment to preparing students for the high-demand careers that will drive the next generation of discovery and innovation.”

Students will complete required coursework in quantum information and computing, choose from a broad selection of electives and gain access to world-class research facilities, including the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the new Interdisciplinary Research & Commercialization Building. The building houses cleanroom and nanofabrication facilities as well as dilution refrigerators for low-temperature quantum experiments. The FSU Quantum Initiative also is developing partnerships with leading quantum technology companies and national centers to connect students directly with career opportunities in the rapidly growing quantum industry.

“Florida State University is an ideal place for students to pursue training in quantum science and technology because of the extraordinary breadth of expertise across our campus,” said Sam Huckaba, dean of the FSU College of Arts and Sciences. “Students in this program will learn from faculty working at the cutting edge of physics, chemistry, materials science, mathematics, computer science and related fields, while also benefiting from access to world-class research facilities. That combination of talent, infrastructure and opportunity will prepare them to make meaningful contributions in a rapidly evolving field.”

FSU has made bold investments in quantum science and engineering, including hiring ten new faculty. Many of these faculty will teach new courses that will serve both their departments and interdisciplinary programs.

“The most important challenges in emerging technologies cannot be solved within the boundaries of a single discipline,” said Suvranu De, dean of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “This certificate reflects the strength of the partnership between the College of Arts and Sciences and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, bringing together complementary expertise to prepare students for a future where quantum information science and engineering is transforming computing, sensing, communications, and enabling new approaches to materials discovery. It is exactly the kind of interdisciplinary collaboration needed to tackle fundamental scientific challenges and develop the quantum technologies of tomorrow.”

FSU is extending its commitment to quantum education beyond the graduate level. The university already offers introductory quantum computing courses for undergraduate and high school students, and plans are underway to develop formal programs for both groups. Together, these efforts will create a comprehensive quantum education pipeline that introduces students to the field early and supports them through advanced training.

“Quantum information science is not just a frontier for research; it is becoming a foundation for the economy of the 21st century,” said Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Michael Shatruk, director of the FSU Quantum Initiative. “With this certificate program, we are giving students in Florida the tools to be part of that future. And by reaching students at the undergraduate and high school levels, we will be planting those seeds early.” 

The FSU QIST Graduate Certificate Program is accepting applications for the Spring 2027 cohort through Oct. 1, 2026. The program is open to current FSU graduate students in relevant STEM disciplines as well as external post-baccalaureate applicants, including industry professionals seeking foundational knowledge in quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum materials and related technologies. More information and the online application are available on the program website.

About the FSU Quantum Initiative

The FSU Quantum Initiative is a cross-departmental research and education hub spanning the departments of Physics, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Materials Science & Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Florida State University. FSU Quantum coordinates quantum science and engineering research, education, and industry partnerships across the university, with access to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the Interdisciplinary Research & Commercialization Building.

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Hurricane warnings are only effective if people understand them.

A new study by Florida State University faculty in the School of Communication in the College of Communication and Information and the Department of Geography in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy examined an experimental forecast graphic developed by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) that adds inland tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings to the traditional track-forecast cone, which historically emphasized coastal impacts.

The FSU study found that the new graphic helps nonexperts identify which inland areas are under a hurricane or tropical storm watch. But the updated format, developed by NHC in 2024, didn’t change respondents’ perceptions of risk or their intentions to take protective action. It also didn’t improve their ability to identify regions under warnings. The research was published in the American Meteorological Society journal Weather, Climate, and Society.

“The National Hurricane Center has made a number of thoughtful changes to improve how hurricane information is communicated,” said Assistant Professor Elizabeth Ray, the study’s lead author. “We had a simple question. Do those changes actually help people understand what the graphic is telling them about the risk they face?”

Analyzing public understanding

The researchers surveyed participants in Florida and Georgia using both a traditional hurricane cone graphic and the updated experimental version. Respondents who viewed the inland-enhanced graphic were better able to identify areas under tropical storm or hurricane watches, but that improvement did not translate into higher perceptions of risk or plans to avoid storm danger. One challenge is that people often misunderstand what the familiar “cone of uncertainty” actually represents.

“For years, research has shown that people often mistake a wider cone for a bigger storm,” Ray said. “Our findings suggest that even with an updated graphic, that misconception can be hard to shake.”

Turning data into action

The NHC introduced the updated graphic in 2024 to better communicate inland hazards such as flooding, tornadoes and damaging winds. The revised version adds inland hurricane and tropical storm information to the familiar forecast cone to show that serious hurricane impacts often extend well beyond the coastline.

The researchers emphasized that the findings are not a criticism of NHC’s forecasting, which they describe as highly accurate. Instead, the study focuses on the communication challenge of translating complex scientific information into messages the public can quickly understand and use.

“Our question wasn’t whether the science is good,” said co-author Patrick Merle, professor and director of the School of Communication. “The science is excellent. The question is how we communicate that science so people who aren’t meteorologists understand the risk they’re facing.

If people find information credible but still don’t understand it well enough to take protective action, then communication has fallen short. The goal is to empower people with information they can use to stay safe.”

The researchers said people should not rely on the graphic alone but also seek out local forecasts and information about expected impacts.

“Our findings are a reminder that one graphic can only tell you part of the story,” Ray said. “Don’t rely on the cone alone. Pair it with clear, local information about what impacts to expect and what actions to take. That gives you a fuller picture of what the storm could mean where you live and what to do next.”

The research was supported by an internal Florida State University SEED grant and informed by conversations with NHC, which provided the experimental forecast graphics used in the study. Department of Geography Assistant Professor Bradford Johnson was a co-author of the research. The project is part of a broader line of research on crisis and risk communication being conducted through the College of Communication and Information’s Crisis and Communication Collaborative (C3), co-directed by Ray and Merle.

Visit the School of Communication website for more information about research conducted at the College of Communication and Information.

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A Florida State University computer scientist has earned one of the most prestigious awards available to early career faculty for exploring how wireless networks can help devices collaborate to run advanced artificial intelligence applications more efficiently and reliably without relying on cloud computing, supporting the next generation of AI technologies.

Assistant Professor of Computer Science Xiaonan Zhang is a recipient of a 2026 Faculty Early Career Development Award, or CAREER Award, from the National Science Foundation for her work developing frameworks that allow devices connected through wireless networks to collaborate and execute complex AI applications closer to where data is generated.

The CAREER Awards Program offers the NSF’s most significant awards in support of early career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic leaders in research and education. The award provides five years of funding to support research, student training and educational outreach activities while helping faculty pursue long-term scientific goals.

“Receiving this was a reminder that persistence matters and good ideas often take time to develop,” said Zhang, who earned her doctorate from Clemson University in 2020 and joined FSU’s faculty that same year. “Earning a CAREER Award after years of proposal writing, revision and resubmission made the recognition especially meaningful, both personally and professionally.”

The use of AI is increasing in areas of society like healthcare, transportation, environmental modeling and emergency response, requiring more reliable, efficient wireless networks to move massive amounts of data and coordinate real-time decisions. A wearable health monitor or tablet used by a paramedic could use AI to quickly analyze a patient’s condition, for example, but many advanced AI models require more computing power and memory than a single device can provide. While cloud computing data centers help process these tasks, relying entirely on distant infrastructure can introduce delays, consume network resources and create challenges when internet connectivity is limited.

Zhang’s research explores how wireless networks can allow nearby devices to collaborate and jointly run AI applications such as analyzing medical data, helping autonomous vehicles make real-time driving decisions and improving emergency response during disasters. Rather than serving solely as a pathway for transmitting data, these networks can help coordinate where AI computations occur, how resources are shared among devices and how systems adapt when conditions change.

“My goal is to rethink the role of wireless networks in the age of AI,” Zhang said. “I believe future AI-integrated wireless networks will not only connect devices but also help them work together more effectively.”

By exploring how devices work together while remaining reliable in changing network environments, the research could make these advanced technologies more accessible in areas with unreliable cloud connectivity while also expanding the range of devices capable of running them.

“Dr. Zhang’s work addresses increasingly important challenges as AI becomes more integrated into everyday life,” said Weikuan Yu, Department of Computer Science chair. “Rather than viewing wireless networks solely as a way to transmit data between devices, her research explores how devices can work together and share resources to make AI systems more efficient, reliable and resilient. This award recognizes both the significance of this research and Dr. Zhang’s innovative vision for bringing together wireless networking, distributed computing and AI.”

Zhang’s award will also support educational initiatives like establishment of new courses and research opportunities designed to help students deepen their understanding of AI and recognize that the field involves more than just creating intelligent algorithms; the algorithms need to run efficiently across multiple devices and networks for practical use in real-world systems. Zhang will also continue mentoring undergraduate students through the FSU Career Center’s InternFSU Program and engaging K-12 students through FSU’s Young Scholars Program.

“As AI becomes increasingly incorporated into the physical world, scientists need to design communication, computing, and intelligence together so AI can operate more efficiently, reliably, and securely across connected devices instead of relying on distant cloud data centers,” Zhang said.

To learn more about research conducted in the Department of Computer Science, visit the department’s website.

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A new artificial intelligence tool developed by researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems could help make electric grids more reliable and reduce operating costs. The system improves forecasts of electricity demand and renewable energy generation, giving grid operators better information to balance supply and demand.

As more renewable energy comes online, today’s electric grid has become increasingly difficult to manage. Uncertainty in forecasts can force operators to keep too much reserve power, increasing costs, or too little, raising the risk of blackouts. The FSU-developed model addresses that challenge by treating the power grid as a connected network to generate more accurate forecasts. The research was published in IEEE Transactions on Network Science and Engineering.

The forecasting system, called GridFusionX, combines information such as past electricity demand, power generated from renewable sources, energy market prices and other data points to generate predictions and confidence intervals, helping operators run the grid more efficiently and with less wasted reserve power.

“Our research looks at smart systems as a dynamic puzzle: every factor, from different energy sources, to shifting demands in cities and changing prices and how they fit together,” said study co-author Tuy Nguyen, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “What happens in one area can affect neighboring areas because they share power lines, weather patterns and energy markets. By continuously analyzing these pieces, we can predict energy needs more accurately and adapt to ensure both reliability and cost savings.”

How does GridFusionX work?

The main innovation in the AI tool developed in this research is multi-modality: the ability to use many sources of information in estimates.

“Whether we’re predicting power usage, traffic patterns or even weather, reducing uncertainty in our predictions lets us make smarter, more adaptive decisions that benefit daily life,” said Associate Professor Olugbenga Moses Anubi and a co-author of the study.

The system uses a graph neural network — a mathematical representation of connected objects — to map how what happens within one region in the power grid can affect neighboring regions. The tool addresses a critical gap in existing methods by providing both spatially connected predictions and measures of uncertainty.

The model’s precision allows grid operators to plan reserves more efficiently and respond proactively to sudden changes, such as spikes in demand or drops in renewable generation. In real-world tests across ten European regions, GridFusionX improved forecasting accuracy by up to 56% and cut reserve costs by as much as 66%, all while maintaining reliable service.

Why it matters

Today’s power grids have become increasingly complex. Regional power nodes are linked not just by electrical lines, but also by market economics, weather patterns and other issues that affect power usage.

“Right now, utility companies estimate your usage to make sure you never underpay, which almost always means you overpay,” Anubi said. “With our approach, predictions become more precise, so your bill matches what you truly use.”

Knowing how much energy is needed and when it is needed is a problem of predictability.

“The main vision is engineering intelligence,” said Associate Professor Ravikumar Gelli. “We want to help utility operator balance generation and load and help consumers pay less. That’s the vision behind it.”

A new generation of energy scholars

FAMU-FSU faculty are incorporating concepts used in this research into classes about cyber security systems for electric grids and artificial intelligence for power systems. Doctoral student researcher Quoc Bao Phan led the study.

“It benefits students to work on a project like this because they have the chance to work with four faculty instead of just one,” Anubi said. “This mentorship serves as a model for other students and other kinds of collaborations. There are good learning and research outcomes for students and that is also an important part of this project.”

Assistant Professor Abdulrahman Takiddin was also a co-author of this study. This work was supported by the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

Visit the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering website for more information about the research at the college. Visit the Center for Advanced Power Systems website to learn more about advanced power system engineering research at the center.

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