Florida State University Vice President and Chief Information Officer Jonathan Fozard shared the university’s approach to artificial intelligence with higher education and technology leaders Oct. 19 at a GlobalMindED event at the United Nations in New York City. 

Fozard participated in “From Classrooms to Labs: How Universities Are Connecting (and Constraining) AI,” a higher education panel focused on the opportunities and challenges institutions face as they move beyond experimenting with artificial intelligence to using it across classrooms, research and university operations. 

He joined Jennifer Sparrow, chief academic technology officer at New York University; William H.J. Hubbard, professor of law and chair of the Law School AI Committee at the University of Chicago; and Chris Ott, head of AWS Academy at Amazon Web Services. Jay Nappy of AWS moderated the discussion. 

During his remarks, Fozard stressed that a central issue facing education is no longer whether institutions will provide access to artificial intelligence, but how they will turn that access into meaningful outcomes. 

“One of my biggest takeaways from the discussions is that the challenge ahead is no longer simply providing access to AI around the world,” Fozard said. “It is how we connect people, technology, research, teaching, governance, data protection and opportunity in ways that allow institutions to move beyond experimentation and create meaningful impact at scale.” 

During the discussion, Fozard described FSU’s efforts to make secure, university-supported AI tools widely available to students, faculty and staff. 

“As AI adoption accelerated, FSU recognized that access and experimentation could not be concentrated only in technology-intensive disciplines such as computer science and engineering,” Fozard said. “Students and faculty in the arts, humanities, business, health, education and other fields also need opportunities to understand how emerging technologies may shape their disciplines and future professions.” 

“The goal is not to have artificial intelligence do the work for students or replace instruction, but to use technology to create additional opportunities for students to engage with their work, respond to feedback and strengthen their understanding.”

– Vice President and Chief Information Officer Jonathan Fozard

That philosophy has helped guide FSU’s development of AI resources that support students, faculty and staff while allowing the university to evaluate multiple platforms rather than relying on a single form of technology. 

At the same time, Fozard emphasized that strong safeguards must accompany access. 

“FSU evaluates AI platforms not only for their capabilities but also for how vendors protect intellectual property, institutional information and student data,” he said. “Those considerations become particularly important for a university whose responsibilities extend from higher education and research to K-12 environments.” 

Fozard also stressed that artificial intelligence should support faculty and staff, not replace human relationships at the heart of education. 

“Students continue to value interaction with faculty, mentorship and the ability to learn from people with deep experience in their fields,” Fozard said. 

FSU’s focus, he said, is on identifying ways AI can give faculty new tools and provide students with more opportunities to learn, practice and improve. 

One example discussed during the event involved an AI-supported tool that allows students to receive feedback on an assignment, revise their work and learn from that feedback before submitting it to their instructor for a final grade. Early results from a pilot study showed about 20% better performance among students who used the tool compared with those who chose not to use it. 

“The goal is not to have artificial intelligence do the work for students or replace instruction, but to use technology to create additional opportunities for students to engage with their work, respond to feedback and strengthen their understanding,” he said. 

Fozard also highlighted how AI and advanced computing are supporting FSU’s research mission. 

Fozard pointed to FSU’s work in pediatric rare diseases, which combines whole-genome sequencing, advanced computing, data-driven research and emerging AI capabilities to help accelerate diagnosis, discovery and the search for new treatments. 

Fozard discussed FSU’s efforts to give students hands-on technology experience before they enter the workforce.  

“FSU’s technology internship initiatives combine practical technical experience with communication, teamwork, leadership and other professional skills students will need throughout their careers,” he said. 

The GlobalMindED event brought together leaders from higher education, business, technology and other sectors to examine how organizations can respond to rapid technological and societal change. 

“There is something powerful about discussing the future of education, technology and AI in a place built around bringing people from across the world together to tackle complex challenges,” Fozard said. 

For more information about artificial intelligence at Florida State University, visit ai.fsu.edu. 

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Florida State University-affiliated startup companies competed “Shark Tank”-style at the fourth annual Discovery Challenge event, pitching their business ideas and winning a combined $85,000 in funding.

The event featured five startups pitching their technologies to a panel of judges and a packed audience, explaining how they planned to advance their products and bring them to market. The event, held Wednesday at FSU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Business, was part of FSU’s annual Discovery Days, a weeklong celebration of research, creativity and innovation.

Anosh Gomes with Cryton Biosciences won the first-place prize of $50,000. The audience choice award of $10,000 went to Zachary Asarnow with Esperance Biotech and the second-place prize of $25,000 went to Kimberley Christopher with Radical Solutions.

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The project to create an advanced nuclear magnetic resonance facility supports U.S. National Science Foundation priorities in biotechnology, energy, advanced manufacturing and health 

The Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, or MagLab, is launching a new magnet facility to build on its world leadership in nuclear magnetic resonance with $18 million in funding from the National Science Foundation.

The new ultra-high-sensitivity facility will center around a new 23.5-tesla nuclear magnetic resonance, or NMR, magnet, one of the strongest in the United States, complemented by additional equipment to accelerate data acquisition for a wide range of research.

“This grant will fund an instrument that is unique in the world. It’s a significant milestone and exciting news for the MagLab, FSU and the U.S. as a whole,” said Frederic Mentink-Vigier, lead researcher for the project and an affiliated faculty member in the FSU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “What this instrument is opening up is the ability to look at samples with higher sensitivity, and thus to look at the entirety of the periodic table.”

With stronger magnets, researchers can make deeper investigations to drive breakthroughs across disciplines.

“This facility will provide previously inaccessible capabilities for understanding the structure and dynamics of matter at the atomic scale, critical to U.S. priorities in biotechnology, energy, advanced manufacturing and health,” said the NSF award announcement.

New magnet, expanded capabilities

Nuclear magnetic resonance harnesses high magnetic fields and radio waves to determine the 3D structures of molecules, uncover the mechanisms of enzymes and catalysts, and provide insights into surfaces and interfaces at scales far beyond the reach of conventional microscopes.

The technology allows scientists to examine samples for biologically essential elements such as iron, copper, sulfur and calcium, along with greater study of membrane proteins that act as cell gatekeepers and amyloid proteins, which play a role in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Type II diabetes and other diseases.

“All this is essential to be able to understand disease and develop cures,” said Mentink-Vigier.

The instrument will expand capabilities to see elements such as lithium and sodium being studied for solid-state batteries. Scientists will also be able to better detect cadmium, selenium and lead, crucial for electronics, solar cells and LEDs, along with platinum-group metals, which play critical roles in catalysis and medicine.

World-leading techniques

Mentink-Vigier’s research focuses on dynamic nuclear polarization, or DNP, a technique in which he is a world-renowned expert. This new instrument represents the cutting edge of DNP, a signal amplifier that improves sensitivity by up to four orders of magnitude. The new system will utilize magic angle spinning, combined either with DNP or cryoprobes, to improve resolution. That technique can lower measurement times by a factor of up to 16. This will be the only ultra-high-field magnet in the world equipped with both magic angle spinning and dynamic nuclear polarization.

“When people want information out of the NMR experiments, this is the combination: magic angle spinning gives you resolution and dynamic nuclear polarization gives you signaling intensity,” said Mentink-Vigier. “We have the ability to do experiments that previously we were not able to do. What you could not absolutely see before, you can now see.”

Serving the scientific community

The new magnet system is scheduled for installation in 2028, with access for users from around the world starting the following year. The new magnet will operate as part of the MagLab’s large user program, serving more than 1,600 academic researchers and companies each year, and providing a technical training ground for students who will help build the future STEM workforce.

“Our NMR program is already known for its unparalleled equipment and expertise,” said MagLab Director Kathleen Amm. “This will only expand what’s possible for top scientists from around the world who come here to push the boundaries in biology and other disciplines.”

“I am delighted to see this remarkable facility become a reality and serve the scientific community,” said Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy, MagLab researcher and professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

Ramamoorthy’s lab investigates amyloid formation, dynamic structures of membrane proteins and the roles of biological relevant metals in disease-related molecular processes.

“This award further amplifies the MagLab’s impact by empowering scientists from around the world to make new discoveries,” he said. 

A legacy of NMR leadership

The project serves as a legacy for former NMR Facility Director Robert Schurko, who passed away in February 2026 after a battle with cancer. Schurko spent his career extending the use of solid-state NMR research and discovery.

“Rob was the catalyst that brought us together around a shared vision of creating a unique facility that would push the boundaries of solid-state NMR,” said Mentink-Vigier. “We are honored to carry his vision forward. This award is a testament to Rob’s legacy and our collective commitment to making this facility a reality.”

The National MagLab is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the State of Florida.

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Florida State University showcased regional innovation and student entrepreneurship Wednesday during the IGNITE Tallahassee Open House + Innovation Expo, part of the fourth annual FSU Discovery Days celebration.  

The event brought university leaders, community partners, regional investors and student innovators together at IGNITE Tallahassee to highlight how the business incubator helps turn university research into commercial products and supports emerging technology companies across Florida’s Capital Region 

IGNITE Tallahassee provides laboratory space, resources and mentorship to help entrepreneurs develop and launch new businesses. The incubator currently supports 22 member companies working in life sciences, engineering and AI. Its programs help researchers and entrepreneurs bring new technologies to market while creating opportunities for students and businesses throughout the region. 

“Unless you come and witness it firsthand, talk to the scientists or see a prototype, you don’t really realize the impact these innovations can have on everyday lives,” said Alissa Costabile, IGNITE Tallahassee program director. “Some of these folks are really motivated by the idea of getting their product to market faster to help people and better humanity.” 

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Florida State University recently welcomed more than 1,000 faculty, staff and students to Google Days 2026, a two-day event featuring hands-on AI training, demonstrations and discussions. 

Hosted Oct. 7-8 by FSU Information Technology Services in partnership with Google for Education, the event explored practical uses of artificial intelligence in higher education. 

The event brought Google specialists to campus to show students, faculty and staff how emerging AI tools can support teaching, learning and research. Programming included faculty-focused sessions at the Innovation Hub and a two-day Gemini Campus Tour activation at the FSU Student Union.  

“Bringing partners like Google directly to campus gives our community an opportunity to move beyond simply hearing about emerging technologies and actually explore how they can be applied to the work happening at FSU,” said Jonathan Fozard, FSU’s vice president and chief information officer. “Experiences like Google Days are part of our larger effort to give students, faculty and staff the tools, knowledge and confidence to use AI thoughtfully and effectively.” 

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A Florida State University computer scientist won a $100,000 grand prize from cybersecurity company ReliaQuest after delivering a winning pitch for Sage, a startup designed to protect personal data.

During Monday’s “The Quest for What’s Next!” competition at FSU Discovery Days, Department of Computer Science Assistant Professor Xian Mallory presented Sage to a panel of judges. Her pitch beat five other teams competing for the grand prize aimed at pursuing innovative projects in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Two other teams took home $50,000 each. Department of Scientific Computing Assistant Professor Olmo Zavala Romero earned the additional funding from ReliaQuest for his startup called Ariadne, while Department of Statistics Professor Xin Zhang benefited his ambitions after his presentation, “Protecting the Rare Label: Error-Controlled Classification for Data Sensitivity.”

Mallory’s presentation, “Sage: When Innocent Files Become a Privacy Threat,” explained how separate pieces of seemingly harmless information can reveal someone’s identity, location and behavior when combined. Sage uses artificial intelligence to uncover those hidden connections and help protect against identity and privacy risks.

Mallory illustrated the risk with shopping receipts. One receipt may reveal little, she explained, but several combined can expose far more about an individual.

“If we have only one receipt, maybe it’s not so dangerous,” Mallory said. “If we link them together, then we probably can know a lot more about you.”

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For years, critical data about Florida’s behavioral healthcare system has been scattered among state agencies, making it difficult to assess how well the system serves patients and where improvements are needed.  

Now, Florida State University is working to bring that information together to give policymakers and researchers a clearer picture of mental health and substance use treatment across the state.  

The effort is part of the Tristin Murphy Act, which became Florida law in 2025. Under the legislation, FSU is building and hosting the Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository, a secure, statewide resource that will bring together data from multiple agencies. The project combines expertise from the FSU College of Medicine’s Center for Behavioral Health Integration, the Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC) and FSU Information Technology Services (ITS). 

“Right now, we cannot say whether or not people who enter into care systems in Florida get better,” said Heather Flynn, professor and chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine at FSU’s College of Medicine and director of the FSU Center for Behavioral Health Integration. “We don’t know if the right resources are being targeted to the right geographic areas or populations.” 

Creating a repository that brings together data from multiple state agencies is a complex undertaking. The repository grew out of the work of Florida’s Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder. 

After consulting with other states that have developed similar systems, FSU researchers identified several challenges, including staff turnover, limited technical expertise and the need for independent oversight. FSU brings together specialists in data science, biostatistics, public and behavioral health to help address those challenges. 

“Access, quality, outcomes. That’s really what this whole program is about, improving access, quality and outcomes for mental health and substance use in the state.”

– Heather Flynn, FSU professor

The project also relies on FSU’s existing technology infrastructure. The Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC), which already supports state agencies, provides the secure environment needed to house the repository.  

Tim Brown, assistant vice president of NWRDC, said those existing relationships with state agencies helped lay the groundwork for the project.  

“FSU’s NWRDC is built to handle massive, complex public-sector datasets with the highest levels of security,” Brown said. “Because our infrastructure already supports state agency data, building this repository at FSU was a seamless fit. It allows us to maximize existing state investments while ensuring Florida’s data remains safe, centralized and highly available.” 

While NWRDC provides the infrastructure, the Data and Analytics team within FSU ITS is developing the technology to combine data from five state agencies into a single system. 

The five agencies are the Department of Children and Families, the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Corrections, and the Office of the State Courts Administrator. Each uses different methods and formats to collect and share information. 

The ITS team is developing a system to standardize that data so researchers can analyze it securely and consistently.  

“Our main priority is protecting patient privacy while integrating data from disconnected systems,” said Jorge Vidal, senior director of Data and Analytics at FSU ITS. “Identifying information will be kept in a highly secure environment, separate from the anonymized data researchers will use to study trends across the state.” 

The FSU Center for Behavioral Health Integration is guiding the research. Roderick Harris, the repository’s program director, said combining information from different agencies will help with better understanding patients’ experiences and evaluate treatment outcomes over time. 

“If the outcome is reduced hospitalizations or fewer trips to the crisis stabilization unit or detox center, what does that success look like?” Harris said. “And what services were delivered to get to that successful outcome? Was it peer support services? Building that integrated model is what this is all about.” 

During the project’s initial phase, FSU researchers will analyze the data and submit annual reports to the Florida Legislature. A governance structure that includes representatives from participating state agencies will help guide the work. In later phases, qualified researchers at FSU and other institutions, including the University of South Florida, may apply for access to deidentified datasets. 

By bringing together information that has long been separated across state agencies, FSU hopes to give policymakers and researchers the evidence they need to identify gaps in care, evaluate treatment outcomes and improve mental health and substance use services for Floridians. 

“Access, quality, outcomes,” Flynn said. “That’s really what this whole program is about, improving access, quality and outcomes for mental health and substance use in the state.” 

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For most meteorology students, studying hurricanes involves satellite imagery, weather models and classroom discussions. For Florida State University students Tan Dao and Diego Barbero, hurricane research took on a different perspective: from inside a storm.  

On Oct. 9, both students boarded a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) NOAA P-3 aircraft and flew into Hurricane Isaias, giving them a firsthand look at how scientists collect data that improve forecasts, inform the public and help protect communities. 

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Florida State University is defending its title as Cybersecurity Champion as students, faculty and staff compete against 11 other Florida universities in Cyberween, an online competition designed to sharpen cybersecurity skills and promote online safety. 

The annual competition, which brings together 12 Florida universities, runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 30. Participants can visit its.fsu.edu/cyberween to enter a virtual haunted house and test their ability to recognize and respond to common cyber threats. 

PLAY NOW

FSU claimed the championship last year with nearly 7,000 participants. This year, ITS hopes to reach 10,000 participants to help FSU retain its title. 

“Winning last year was a great accomplishment, but the bigger goal is helping our students, faculty and staff recognize cyber threats before they become victims of them,” said Jonathan Fozard, FSU’s vice president and chief information officer. “Cyberween gives us a fun and approachable way to build those skills across our university community. We had incredible participation last year, and this year we are challenging 10,000 Seminoles to join us.” 

The interactive game takes less than five minutes to complete and challenges players to navigate five cybersecurity scenarios. Participants learn to identify phishing scams, weak passwords, fraudulent login attempts, and other online threats while developing practical habits to protect their accounts and devices. 

The university with the highest participation among eligible students, faculty and staff will earn the title of Cybersecurity Champion. 

FSU participants also have a chance to win prizes. Students who complete the game can enter a drawing for one of two $500 scholarships, while faculty and staff can enter to win two tickets to the FSU vs. N.C. State football game Saturday, Nov. 21. 

To be counted in the competition and entered into the prize drawings, participants must sign in with their FSUID after completing the game. 

Cyberween is part of FSU’s observance of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, held each October to help people recognize online threats and practice safer digital habits. 

In addition to the virtual competition, ITS will host a table on Landis Green from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays Oct. 19-30. Students can stop by to learnabout cybersecurity, play games and pick up free candy and giveaways. ITS also will have a presence at Market Wednesday. 

ITS will offer two cybersecurity training sessions: FSU Incident Response Training at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23, and SPEAR: Seminole Prepared, Emergency and Response Training at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. Both sessions will be available online. 

Students, faculty and staff can participate in Cyberween through Oct. 30 at its.fsu.edu/cyberween. For additional cybersecurity resources and information about upcoming training sessions, visit its.fsu.edu/cybersecurity. 

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Three Florida State University theoretical physicists are part of a major national initiative exploring how quantum computing could help answer fundamental questions in high energy physics.

Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Physics Laura Reina, Professor of Physics Fernando Febres Cordero and Research Faculty member Herschel Chawdhry, all from the Department of Physics, will lead one of eight projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s $7.3 million Quantum Outposts in Fundamental Physics initiative under the DOE Office of Science’s High Energy Physics program.

Their project, “Seeking Quantum Advantage in High-Energy QCD,” has received $755,000 and aims to apply quantum computing to theoretical predictions in high energy physics and identify rare physical phenomena emerging in particle physics collider experiments.

“For years, Drs. Reina and Febres Cordero have been a powerhouse team in the field of theoretical high energy physics, and their newer teammate, Dr. Chawdhry, multiplies the discovery potential this team will have going forward,” said Paul Cottle, Department of Physics chair. “Their new DOE grant will connect high energy physics with quantum computing and demonstrates their continued physics leadership.”

As theorists, the team aims to understand the universe at its fundamental level by studying particle collision analyses and providing predictions for the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator housed by CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, near Geneva. Much of their research improves the precision of LHC calculations based on the Standard Model of particle physics, which explains how fundamental forces of nature dictate particle interactions.

“Our work helps make the most of data collected in LHC experiments, and we’re always seeking to use the best technologies and algorithms to extract the information we need to probe the Standard Model and possibly identify signals of new physics beyond it,” said Febres Cordero, the study’s principal investigator. “Now, based on what Herschel found in a previous paper, we’re exploring what quantum computers can offer to this work on top of what’s already provided by classical computers.”

One of Chawdhry’s previous papers showed hints that quantum computers have the potential to provide more precise theoretical predictions or complete more complex calculations than traditional computers and even supercomputers — because it’s a quantum system, it can exploit patterns, or use unique quantum rules to solve problems or perform tasks much faster, that can’t be exploited in standard numerical calculations.

“The idea is that we’ll be able to do the same calculation faster, extend the reach of calculations, and hopefully even open up a whole new class of processes for us to study,” Chawdhry said. “Doing so will improve our sensitivity to new physics by increasing our ability to detect small discrepancies that maximize our chance of discovering new physics beyond the Standard Model in the future.”

Expanding quantum computing

To explore how quantum computing can expand theoretical capabilities, the team is applying the technology to quantum chromodynamics, or QCD — the theory that explains the interaction holding quarks and gluons together inside protons and other particles. The LHC is a proton-proton collider, meaning the strong force has a major influence on LHC measurements. However, the technology the team is developing could have potential applications in other quantum field theories, not just QCD.

“The sizes of some of the computations we’re doing are quite large and often reach the limit of current computing capabilities,” Reina said. “The natural question arising from the revolution we’re seeing in quantum computing and information asks if we can use quantum computing to explore how to make our theoretical predictions and calculations even more efficient and precise.”

In addition to aligning with the FSU Initiative in Quantum Science and Engineering, this project contributes to multiple U.S. national priorities including the Quantum Genesis Initiative in the Genesis Mission, which seeks to deliver scientifically relevant quantum computing to the nation by 2028.

“I’m so pleased that the DOE has expressed confidence that the research we’ve done so far and will conduct in the future is contributing to this fast-moving field,” Chawdhry said. “This also gives our group the opportunity to contribute to the U.S. workforce needs because the country wants to expand in quantum information science, an area in which FSU has longstanding expertise due to its decades of fundamental physics research.” 

For more on research conducted in FSU’s Department of Physics, visit physics.fsu.edu.

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A Florida State University scientist has received a nearly half-million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve nighttime thunderstorm forecasts, research that will help forecasters and communities better prepare for dangerous weather.

Assistant Professor of Scientific Computing Hristo Chipilski will use the $422,645 grant to lead a three-year project combining computational methods with atmospheric observations to accurately model nighttime thunderstorms, which often depend on complex atmospheric conditions that are more difficult for weather models to predict than daytime storms.

“This project is not simply testing a new algorithm or instrument in isolation,” Chipilski said. “Its central question is how advanced computational methods and observations can work together to improve forecasts of one of the atmosphere’s most difficult phenomena.”

All thunderstorms are difficult to predict because small differences in temperature, humidity or wind can affect when and where a storm develops. During the day, sunlight heats the ground, helping warm air rise to form clouds and rain. After sunset, that source of energy for thunderstorms disappears.

Nighttime storms instead depend on conditions including warm, moist air above the Earth’s surface; fast-moving air in the lower atmosphere; fronts; gravity waves or atmospheric disturbances; and outflows, or cool air spreading from earlier storms. Small errors made when inputting these storm conditions can cause a predictive model to estimate the wrong timing, location, amount of rainfall or miss the storm altogether, which can lead to devastating impacts in significant weather events, particularly when nighttime storms spawn tornadoes.

Chipilski will collaborate with researchers at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Severe Storms Laboratory. His team will use a technique called data assimilation, which blends observations with weather models to estimate current conditions and provide a starting point for forecasts. Using ground-based remote sensing profilers, which are instruments that measure temperature, moisture and wind at different heights, researchers will observe atmospheric changes just before storms form to combine with the data assimilation techniques.

“Getting that starting point is especially important for nighttime thunderstorms because their nonlinear physics can magnify a small initial error very quickly,” Chipilski said. “By combining measurements with advanced data assimilation techniques, we hope to give the model a more accurate picture of the atmosphere and a better starting point for predicting storms.”

The project will test specific data assimilation methods called quantile-conserving ensemble filters, which preserve more information about possible atmospheric conditions than standard methods. While standard methods often simplify calculations by assuming uncertainty follows a Gaussian, or bell-shaped, pattern, quantile-conserving ensemble filters account for more complex conditions. The team will test whether using this method improves predictions of when and where nighttime storms develop.

This work could lead to earlier, more reliable forecasts of nighttime thunderstorms and hazards including flash flooding, hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. Improved forecasts give communities more time to prepare for weather events while benefiting agriculture, aviation and transportation.

“I did not think about a difference between night and day storms before, but Hristo’s project made it clear to me that there is considerable uncertainty in forecasting and issuing warnings for severe nighttime storms, particularly tornadoes and flash floods,” said Peter Beerli, chair of the Department of Scientific Computing. “Hristo’s research will open new ways to analyze and improve existing data using tools that don’t rely on the usual bell-curve assumptions.”

The grant will also support one of Chipilski’s doctoral students, Stephen Asare, who will contribute to the research by conducting numerical experiments on supercomputers while combining research in scientific computing, atmospheric science and applied mathematics.

“The unanswered questions surrounding nighttime thunderstorms continue to motivate me, and I hope this project will make meaningful contributions in this direction,” Chipilski said. “That understanding can help guide future observing networks and forecasting methods well beyond nighttime thunderstorms.”

To learn more about research conducted in the Department of Scientific Computing, visit sc.fsu.edu.

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IGNITE Tallahassee will showcase how it supports high-tech and deep-technology ventures in Florida’s Capital Region during FSU Discovery Days.

The IGNITE Tallahassee Open House + Innovation Expo will give visitors a front-row seat to the resources, success stories and investment strategies available at this business incubator.

With state-of-the-art facilities, expert mentorship, commercialization support, investor access and a vibrant community of clients, IGNITE Tallahassee empowers founders to transform early-stage technology into real-world products and solutions.

The open house program includes:

• State of IGNITE-FSU updates from IGNITE leadership

• Startup Spotlight at IGNITE! featuring IGNITE Tallahassee companies Piersica, Phusion AI, SafePath App, Feel With Me, SeraphFlora and SCOFile

• iCREATE: Innovation Experience for Undergrads with students from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering delivering elevator pitches, a panel discussion, and the presentation of the TiE Tampa Bay’s ARTISAN Student Pitch Award

• Capital of Florida: VC & Angel Funding Panel on how Sunshine State tech startups find funding across Florida

• “Innovation is Everywhere” Expo, featuring demos, prototypes and founders of IGNITE incubator companies and ecosystem sponsors

The program ends with lunch. Breakfast is provided. IGNITE events will continue Wednesday with Discovery Challenge, when FSU startups compete in a “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition for up to $100,000 in cash prizes.

The IGNITE Tallahassee Open House + Innovation Expo will take place:

WEDNESDAY, OCT 21

 9 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. 

IGNITE TALLAHASSEE 

1729 W. Paul Dirac Drive

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

Visit the event website for more information and to register.
Registration is free and open to everyone.

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