As rain falls, lurking within stormwater runoff are hidden microplastics, polluting the water sources they drain into. Even though microplastics originate in urban environments such as cities, existing data sets focus on marine and coastal areas. Without data sources on microplastics in cities, scientists are unable to develop models for predicting stormwater runoff that deal with this pollution.

In a multi-institutional study featuring the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, researchers compiled numerous data sources to develop the Dataset of Urban RUnoff Microplastics (DURUM), a standardized data set compiling research on microplastics in urban stormwater from around the globe. The research, which was published in Scientific Data, enables comparisons across studies and supports drainage infrastructure, urban planning and environmental policy and regulation.

“Plastic pollution creates issues in the environment and human health. To protect ourselves and the world around us, we need to be able to predict the conditions under which microplastics spread and pollute our water,” said study co-author Assistant Professor Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf. “This was not possible until now. We synthesized several different sources to create a standardized data set, DURUM, which will have global impacts.”

How it works

When it rains, stormwater runoff systems quickly drain excess water from streets, protecting buildings and their occupants. Stormwater systems also help filter pollution before it reaches rivers, lakes and oceans.

In the study, the researchers created a global, standardized data set of microplastics in urban runoff, combining information from 180 sampling procedures from 15 countries to create a centralized hub of information on microplastics.

Each entry includes information such as where samples were taken, what microplastics were found in samples, microplastic concentration and more. This study aims to fill the large gap in urban stormwater runoff modeling, which will help in designing reliable stormwater systems to reduce microplastic pollution impacts.

“There are already global data sets on microplastics in marine environments, but our study dives into a completely new area,” Ahmadisharaf said. “Urban areas are unique because they have high populations and high plastic consumption. With our current technology, we cannot quickly and reliably detect these high microplastic concentrations. We need to develop new models and validate them with adequate observed data to predict microplastics in urban stormwater runoff.”

Why it matters

Microplastics are everywhere, and cities are a major source. Wear from tires and plastic accumulation from littering release these tiny fragments into the environment. Effective drainage infrastructure can help prevent microplastic pollution.

By helping scientists understand how microplastics move through urban stormwater systems, DURUM can inform the design of drainage infrastructure and mitigation strategies that more effectively reduce microplastic pollution.

“Right now, there are no established water quality regulations addressing plastics,” Ahmadisharaf said. “As such regulations are developed, it will be essential to identify and understand the sources of microplastics and the pathways through which they are transported into water bodies. This will help us design mitigation and prevention infrastructure to limit export of plastic to water bodies. The data we compiled supports the models that will inform these crucial decisions.”

Future directions

The DURUM system is similar to a map that shows how pollution spreads, guiding researchers to new conclusions for developing improved urban stormwater transport systems.

The data set is public domain, so researchers all over the globe can access it. Ahmadisharaf and colleagues plan to update DURUM as more data is discovered, enhancing it to support modeling research.

“This data set enables new capabilities for validating predictive models. With DURUM, we can be more confident about what our models predict,” Ahmadisharaf said. “It also creates a new understanding of the key drivers of microplastics in urban stormwater runoff and could lead to new insight as we continue to update the data set.”

Acknowledgements

FSU doctoral student Abdul Mobin Ibna Hafiz in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering was the lead author of this work. FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Assistant Professor Jeffrey Farner was a co-author of the study. Researchers from the University of Missouri, Wageningen University, the University of Exeter, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Tsinghua University and Tulane University contributed to this study.

The FSU team’s research was supported by research grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Science Foundation.

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Student entrepreneurs from across Florida State University gathered at the Innovation Hub last week to pitch business ventures in the Student Innovators’ Shark Tank competition.

Hosted and sponsored by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, the competition challenged students to move beyond classroom theory into a startup environment. Participants competed for a $1,000 grand prize to help launch their ventures.

“The JMC Shark Tank offers students a hands-on opportunity to experience what it’s really like to pitch in front of real entrepreneurs and successful business owners,” said May Jingyan Wang, student engagement program coordinator for the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. “These students are learning how to communicate under pressure, respond to feedback and adapt their strategies in real time, building a level of professional confidence that sharpens their skills regardless of their major.”

Participants delivered a three-minute pitch followed by a five-minute Q&A session with local business owners and entrepreneurs. The judges evaluated each venture based on originality, strength of its value proposition and potential for market success.

“Applying what I’m learning in the classroom to real-world projects allows me to see my efforts come to life while building the confidence I need to be ready for my career.” 

—Samir Kanbar, Student Innovators’ Shark Tank participant

The Innovation Hub served as a natural setting for the cross-disciplinary competition.

“The Hub is a unique and central resource for students and faculty from across disciplines to meet and collaborate,” said Ken Baldauf, founding director of the Innovation Hub. “We provide access to emerging technologies and design thinking training that drive innovation for students in every major. We value our close relationship with the Jim Moran College.”

The competition helps students master the art of the elevator pitch while receiving direct feedback from industry professionals. By distilling complex business plans into concise presentations, the event bridges academic study and the practical execution required to launch a company.

A key highlight of this year’s event was the introduction of a virtual investment model. Each member of the judging panel was allocated $100,000 in virtual capital, creating a total pool of $500,000 to “invest” in student-led startups. This simulated venture fundraising environment mirrored real-world capital rounds, with the student securing the highest total investment declared the overall winner.

This year’s winner was Larry Harper, a senior pursuing his undergraduate degree in History. His venture, Chapter, integrates AI and traditional tools to improve student engagement and deliver actionable performance data to universities.

“The Shark Tank is one of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship’s most valuable initiatives,” Harper said. “Not only does it provide a space for students to socialize and hear other businesses, but it has proven to be the single most important way for students to pitch their ideas, come back again and again, becoming better each time.”

This year’s panel of “Sharks” included Rich Smith, director of Small Business Innovation for Florida Commerce; Tangela Lofton, regional director of the Florida Small Business Development Center; Lonna Peterson, former IT and operations executive; Robert Blacklidge, serial entrepreneur; and Ahmed Negm, Innovation Hub faculty member.

The Student Innovators’ Shark Tank is a signature initiative of the InNOLEvation® Center for Student Engagement, which provides resources and platforms for all FSU students to explore entrepreneurship.

“Competing against such talented and advanced startups at FSU was a blast, and I’m thankful to have been part of it,” said Samir Kanbar, a student majoring in computer science. “Applying what I’m learning in the classroom to real-world projects allows me to see my efforts come to life while building the confidence I need to be ready for my career.”

Through the collaboration of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and the Innovation Hub, FSU continues to support student-led innovation and economic development.

Visit the Innovation Hub and Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship websites for more information.

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As summer approaches and more boaters take to the water, the risk of vessel strikes increases for the sea turtles that inhabit Florida’s coastal environment.

Florida State University Professor Mariana Fuentes helps reduce the impact on sea turtles by studying issues around their conservation and management. Within the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, she leads the Marine Turtle Research, Ecology and Conservation Group, where her team studies sea turtles across every life stage, from nesting beaches to coastal feeding grounds.

A recent study identified places on the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts that expose protected marine turtles to the highest risk of being struck by vessels. Along with partners around the state, she is part of a statewide educational campaign called “Boaters for Turtles” to reduce vessel strikes on sea turtles.

Media interested in speaking with Fuentes on conservation issues around sea turtles can contact her at mfuentes@fsu.edu.

What do we know about high-risk areas for vessel strikes?
Vessel strikes are not isolated incidents. Our research reveals clear and concerning patterns. Injuries from watercraft are found in roughly 25% of stranded sea turtles, with loggerhead and green turtles among the most affected species. Geographic hotspots span heavily trafficked coastal regions, particularly in Florida, Texas and across the Gulf Coast, where boating activity overlaps with critical feeding and nesting habitats. These areas often include coastal passes and nearshore zones where turtles gather in high numbers. It’s a combination of having more boats and also having more turtles in those areas that make it risky.

Seasonal trends further intensify the issue, as peak boating months coincide with key periods in sea turtles’ life cycles, bringing human activity and marine life into closer and more dangerous contact. While previous studies examined localized trends, our research is among the first to analyze vessel strikes across a broad geographic scale.

How does the Boaters for Turtles initiative turn research into real-world impact?
The Boaters for Turtles initiative uses science and community collaboration to help protect Florida’s sea turtles, keystone species that are crucial to a healthy ecosystem. Vessel strikes are a major threat to sea turtles, although there have been initiatives to reduce them through voluntary go-slow zones. We are expanding that work by creating a broader network of voluntary go-slow areas across the state to reduce the threat. We are emphasizing slower speeds in certain areas, highlighting other behaviors boaters can adopt to reduce their impact and working with institutions and county partners across Florida to raise awareness.

What are simple actions people can take to reduce the risk of vessel strikes on sea life?
Small changes in how people operate boats — like slowing down, keeping a careful watch, respecting wildlife zones and giving animals plenty of space — can greatly reduce both the chances of hitting marine life and the severity of injuries if a collision occurs.

What are the next steps in the Boaters for Turtles initiative?
The campaign is built on the data we have collected to identify where go-slow areas are most needed. After launching and implementing additional go-slow zones throughout Florida, the goal is to expand the campaign across the broader Gulf region. Our initial research helped demonstrate how significant vessel strike is as a threat to sea turtles, and now the focus is on scaling solutions and increasing awareness to reduce that impact. The effectiveness of our campaign will be evaluated at the end of the year, so we can learn what worked and what did not work.

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A Florida State University neuroscientist has earned a national award for research on gustation, the scientific term for the sense of taste, and how it shapes eating behavior.

Associate Professor of Biological Science and Neuroscience Roberto Vincis has earned the 2026 Ajinomoto Award for Young Investigators in Gustation from the Association for Chemoreception Sciences, or AChemS, in recognition of his research into sensory systems with the aim to understand gustation’s influence on eating behavior.

His work focuses on how taste influences what we eat, and it informs a wide range of topics, from how and why people develop eating disorders to why they may overconsume ultra-processed foods.

“Learning how the brain integrates information from what we consume and experience really gets at the fundamental components of why some foods are good for us and others aren’t,” Vincis said. “Winning this award validates that my lab’s research is relevant and impactful because our peers recognize it as such.”

Since 1998, the Ajinomoto Award has been conferred annually to an outstanding junior scientist and emerging leader in gustation. Its awarding body, AChemS, is the preeminent organization dedicated to the advancement of chemoreception science, which includes smell and taste. Vincis is the first from FSU to earn this honor, which is supported by the Ajinomoto Group, a multi-billion-dollar food and biotechnology corporation credited with developing the first umami-flavored seasoning in 1909.

Vincis was presented with the honor Wednesday during the annual AChemS conference in St. Petersburg, Florida. As an awardee, he will also deliver a lecture at the conference that broadly covers the Vincis Laboratory’s investigation of the neurological mechanisms behind the role of taste in eating behavior and preferences.

“Dr. Vincis’ research investigates the neural circuits and computational processes of brain regions that regulate food intake and shape dietary preferences, which are key factors in understanding eating disorders,” said Lisa Eckel, director of FSU’s Program in Neuroscience. “The chemical senses have long been a hallmark of excellence within the program, and this recognition further elevates the stature of this distinguished community of scientists.”

Humans’ perception of taste generally falls into five categories — sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami — each triggered by specific chemicals. For example, ingesting alkaloid molecules like the caffeine in coffee and dark chocolate will leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Chewing adds a layer of sensation, as the action releases gaseous chemicals, which then hit the nose. Somatosensory components like temperature and texture also factor into what and how much someone consumes.

“All of these sensory modalities give rise to the percept we call flavor, and our daily consumption is highly dependent on this initial sensation,” said Vincis, who, in addition to traditional research methods, employs machine learning techniques to analyze neural activity from different brain regions. “Neurons don’t speak in English, so by decoding neurons’ specific language as they receive sensory information, we can understand how certain eating behaviors develop.”

Theoretically, people eat when they are hungry, stop when they feel full and only select nutritious foods and beverages. Examining the reality of humans’ experiences reveals a different picture that includes the impact of ultra-processed foods and wide-ranging public health concerns such as obesity and eating disorders. Vincis’ work strives to explain this gap in biological theory and real-world occurrences.

“We use the term ‘maladaptive’ to describe nutrition-related behaviors that will cause long-term problems,” Vincis said. “For example, ultra-processed foods can lead to overeating because they are packaged with very rewarding olfactory and sensory cues. When we taste these foods, we feel good, but they are devoid of nutrients. This is how sensory information from your oral cavity can hijack your brain, similar to the way a drug hijacks neural reward pathways for dopamine to drive addiction.”

Ultra-processed foods like soft drinks and many packaged snack options are industrially manufactured and include a high number of ingredients not found in a common household kitchen. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, approximately 70 percent of packaged products in the nation’s food supply could be considered ultra-processed, and children get more than 60 percent of their calories from such foods. Due to their addictiveness, caloric density and lack of nutrients, the prevalence of ultra-processed foods is known by nutrition scientists, epidemiologists and major health organizations such as FDA to be a significant contributor to rising rates of obesity, heart disease and cancer, among others.

“The National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration consider research on nutrition-related behavior to be a public priority at this stage,” Vincis said. “Earning the Ajinomoto Award means we are on the right track and is likely to help us secure future funding and fellowships so that we may continue our work.”

Florida State University has been a prime contributor to chemosensory research for more than 50 years and has served as a home base for generations of the field’s leaders including the late James C. Smith — a chemosensory research legend, FSU Robert O. Lawton Professor and alumnus of the FSU Department of Psychology — who was among the cofounders of AChemS in 1978.

To learn more about Vincis’ research and its scientific impact, visit the Vincis Laboratory website. Visit the FSU Program in Neuroscience website to learn more about this  interdisciplinary program.

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A Florida State University researcher has earned a major grant to research local waterways that affect the everyday lives of Tallahassee residents.

Ming Ye, a professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, has been awarded more than $2.5 million from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to research groundwater sources in the Wakulla Springs basin and map the basin’s underwater caves, some of which have never been explored.

“All of Florida’s springs are facing critical issues: water level is dropping, amount of flow is decreasing, and water quality is becoming worse,” said Ye, who is also affiliated with the Department of Scientific Computing. “The funding of this project gives us a chance to finally go subsurface to understand both the quantity and quality of the water.”

Wakulla Springs, just a 30-minute drive from FSU’s Tallahassee campus, is a natural exit point for the groundwater of the Floridian aquifer, one of the most productive aquifers in the world, which provides drinking water to nearly 10 million people. The basin comprises a series of caves, conduits and sinkholes that lead into Wakulla Springs, which was named an International Geological Heritage Site in 2024.

By testing water at the springs and mapping the cave systems that lead into it, researchers will better understand how our water is affected by the geological makeup of the caves it passes through and how it’s affected by various other environmental factors, from rising sea levels to pollution.

Ye will partner with the University of South Florida, a cave diving team of the Woodville Karst Plain Project, and SunFish, a Texas-based underwater field services company to train its new technology, the Underwater Autonomous Vehicle, in mapping cave systems beneath Wakulla Springs. While in the cave systems, divers will accompany the UAV — a small, drone-like machine — and “teach” it how to map the caves by guiding it through passages so the machine can work independently in the future.

“Ming is an expert in hydrogeology and using computational approaches to model groundwater transport, which helps him study fluid transport beneath the ground here in Florida,” said Michael Stukel, chair of the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science and a professor of oceanography and environmental science. “He’s a collaborative and interdisciplinary scientist and teacher whose work builds bridges across different curricular groups within EOAS.”

Florida is home to the highest concentration of springs in the world — over 1,000 throughout the state — which are an essential part of the ecosystem. Methods like dye tracing have long been used to map how water moves through the underwater cave system, and taking water samples has provided insights into the chemical makeup of the water.

While divers have charted some of the caves, parts of the basin remain unmapped and unsampled because they’re too narrow or dangerous for humans to reach. The UAV can access these dangerous caves, taking water samples from more areas to provide a comprehensive picture of how different geological compositions in the cave system affect the water that’s eventually consumed and used in our daily lives.

“This area was brought to my attention on day one of my FSU career because it had a worldwide reputation for how difficult it was to map,” said Ye, who began studying Wakulla Springs when he joined FSU’s faculty in Spring 2007. “There are still a lot of research questions regarding these water sources.”

The Wakulla Springs basin is the largest spring basin in Florida, and the cave system stretches approximately 25 miles. The UAV will map the size and shape of the caves while taking water samples to help researchers understand the chemical makeup of the water that will eventually make its way to Wakulla Springs.

“The UAV is a new way to study these systems, and the technology can be expanded to the entire state and to other states with ongoing problems in their springs,” Ye said. “Wakulla Springs is part of our heritage; I bring my daughter to swim in the spring, and I hope it can remain as healthy as possible so future generations can also enjoy it.”

Ye received his doctorate in hydrology from the University of Arizona in 2002 before completing his post-doctoral research with the Hydrology Technical Group in Portland, Oregon, part of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He joined FSU’s faculty in 2007 as part of the Department of Scientific Computing before transferring to EOAS in 2017. During his time at FSU, Ye has been honored with awards such as the Department of Energy’s Early Career Award, FSU’s Developing Scholar Award, and the Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was elected as a fellow of the Geological Society of America in 2012.

Visit the FSU Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science website to learn more about Ye’s work and research.

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Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering have developed a rechargeable zinc-ion battery that uses low-cost materials and a simplified water-based assembly process to make safer reliable batteries. The approach could reshape how utility-level energy storage and home energy systems are designed and manufactured.

The work, led by Professor Petru Andrei of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and doctoral student Peng Wang, was published in ACS Omega.

Meeting the demand for improved battery technology

Demand for reliable, safe and eco-friendly batteries continues to grow across industries, from consumer electronics to electric vehicles to medical devices. Lithium-ion batteries remain the industry standard, but their safety concerns — overheating and flammability chief among them — along with their environmental footprint have pushed researchers to explore alternatives.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries, known as AZIBs, offer a cost-effective and environmentally friendlier option. Their widespread use has been held back by technical hurdles: short-circuiting caused by dendrite growth, complex manufacturing and limited long-term stability.

Dendrites are tiny metal structures that form inside batteries during charging. When they grow unchecked, they can pierce internal barriers and cause short circuits or outright failure.

How it works: solving the dendrite problem

To address those challenges, the FAMU-FSU team developed a new battery assembly approach. They integrated a specialized hydrogel electrolyte with electrodeposition of manganese dioxide, meaning a critical battery component grows directly inside the cell during assembly rather than being manufactured separately and inserted.

“We want to improve how aqueous zinc-ion batteries are made,” Andrei said. Everything is processed in water, with a nonflammable hydrogel that stabilizes and suppresses dendrites. These are tiny metal structures that can cause battery failure, making the assembly much simpler and significantly safer.”

The hydrogel is composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) and aramid nanofibers derived from Kevlar, the same material used in body armor. Together they form a flexible, durable network that retains the battery’s electrolyte and physically blocks the formation of zinc dendrites. The battery charges and discharges rapidly over hundreds of cycles with minimal capacity loss, without the hazardous solvents or energy-intensive drying steps that conventional manufacturing requires.

A simpler manufacturing process

Traditional battery manufacturing relies on slurry mixing: Powdered electrode materials are combined with solvents to form a thick paste, coated onto metal foils and then dried. It is time-intensive and requires precise equipment and quality controls at every stage.

The FAMU-FSU approach eliminates that step entirely.

“This concept can be used in production in the future,” Andrei said. “Because our process is fully water-based and doesn’t require slurry mixing and drying steps, it can fit naturally into a manufacturing line.”

Removing that step reduces equipment needs and simplifies quality controls, offering a meaningful advantage for any manufacturer looking to scale production of next-generation energy storage.

Why it matters: grid-scale energy storage

The batteries maintained capacity after more than 900 rapid charge-and-discharge cycles and performed reliably under demanding conditions.

Those results have real-world implications. Grid-scale energy storage — the infrastructure that buffers power from solar and wind sources — demands batteries that are stable, long-lasting and inexpensive to produce at scale. Home energy backup systems face similar requirements.

“The future of this technology is safe, low-cost energy storage,” Andrei said. “I see it being used in applications where safety, cost and long cycle life matter more than high energy density, such as grid storage, home energy systems and large backup power. These are situations where batteries need to last a long time and be very reliable, even if they aren’t the most powerful. Our technology is designed for stability and safety, making it well-suited for these critical uses.”

The advances could also benefit flexible electronics and wearable medical devices, where battery flammability is a particular concern.

The research was supported by Florida State University.

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In the air people breathe, the water on the Earth, the stars in the sky and more, atoms are the building blocks that make up the universe. Understanding the structure of the atomic nucleus is crucial for research with implications for astrophysics and in applications such as medical imaging and data storage.

A new study conducted by Department of Physics researchers using the John D. Fox Superconducting Linear Accelerator Laboratory at Florida State University examined titanium-50 nuclei and showed that a long‑standing explanation for where magnetism in atomic nuclei comes from does not fully work for titanium‑50. The research, which was published in Physical Review Letters, suggests that scientists may need to rethink how they explain nuclear magnetism.

“What current models propose is that magnetic strength is largely generated by spin-flip excitations, that means when flipping proton or neutron spins from up to down between so-called spin-orbit partner orbitals,” said Associate Professor Mark Spieker, a co-author on the multi-institution study. “For the first time, we showed that this type of spin-flip cannot be the only mechanism that generates nuclear magnetism.”

How it works

Current nuclear models treat protons and neutrons as individual particles that can occupy fixed energy levels. A spin-flip occurs when these particles change the orientation of their spin as they jump between levels, generating magnetic strength in the process. For many years, scientists believed that this spin-flip mechanism was mainly responsible for magnetic strengths, or signals, in atomic nuclei. Advanced computer modeling also predicted this behavior.

The FSU experiments showed something unexpected: nuclear excited states that clearly showed this neutron spin-flip structure were not the ones producing the strongest magnetic signals. In other words, having more of this neutron “spin‑flip” structure did not automatically mean a stronger magnetic effect.

What they did

The researchers conducted a neutron-transfer experiment at the John D. Fox Superconducting Linear Accelerator Laboratory, using the facility’s Tandem Van de Graaff Accelerator to direct a deuteron — a nucleus made of a proton and a neutron — beam at a thin foil of titanium-49. During the reaction, the neutron from the beam was transferred to titanium-49, producing titanium-50 and leaving a residual proton.

Scientists used the Super-Enge Split-Pole Spectrograph at the Fox Lab to measure the different angles at which the proton was emitted in the reaction, allowing them to analyze how the neutron was transferred to titanium-49.

“You could say that the deuteron beam hits the titanium-49, transfers a neutron, and in this process kicks it up a set of stairs. Depending on the nucleus, that set of stairs looks very different,” Spieker said. “With the spectrograph, we can measure how high the different steps are. How high we get up the set of stairs depends on the excitation energy that we give to the nucleus.”

They combined their results with previously published electron- and proton-scattering data and with data from new photon-scattering experiments conducted at collaborating universities. By combining all these approaches, they were able to closely examine how neutrons flip their spin and how much those flips contribute to the nucleus’s overall magnetic behavior.

The researchers saw that the magnetic signal observed in their experiments was not of the same strength as models predicted — a sign that something else must be contributing to the magnetic signals they measured for titanium-50.

“Without combining all these data sets, the story cannot be stitched together cleanly,” said Bryan Kelly, a graduate student at FSU and study co-author. “Seeing the other magnetic excitations, that the other probes are sensitive to, allowed us to conclude that the spin-flip mechanism between spin-orbit partners is not the sole factor of magnetic strength generation.”

Why it matters and future directions

The study’s results challenge long-standing assumptions about the magnetic behavior of nuclei. Improving scientific understanding of the structure of atomic nuclei will refine current models used across nuclear physics and astrophysics and will help to link these with models used in high-energy physics. Such combined efforts between different fields of physics lead to a better understanding of the building blocks of ordinary matter that shape our universe.

“Developing a better understanding of the universe is exciting and fascinating on its own, and as we learn more, we can possibly apply these new insights to all sorts of new ideas,” Spieker said. “All ordinary matter is made of atomic nuclei, so the more we understand these ‘building blocks’ of nature, the more possibilities we have for what we can use them for to benefit society and drive progress.”

In future studies, the researchers plan to examine what accounts for the unexplained magnetism in titanium-50.

“This research showed that we cannot rely on magnetic strength measurements alone to understand excited states of nuclei,” Kelly said. “Magnetic strength is spread out across several nuclear states and understanding why will require further investigations of the nucleus.”

Acknowledgements

Researchers from Florida State University, the Technical University of Darmstadt in Germany and the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory in North Carolina at Duke University contributed to this study.

This research was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, the German Research Foundation, the Institute of Atomic Physics in Romania, the Romanian Ministry of Research and the Romanian Government.

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A Florida State University physicist has been named to a newly formed committee that will oversee and advise all future scientific ventures for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

Mayly Sanchez, the Wyatt-Green Chair of Physics in FSU’s Department of Physics, is one of 20 expert scientists selected for the Office of Science Advisory Committee, or SCAC, that will provide advice to DOE on complex scientific and technical issues as well as guide future directions of all of DOE’s research programs.

“I’m so excited for the opportunity to shape how we do science and help determine the best directions for DOE’s research,” said Sanchez, a world leader in the study of neutrinos, mysterious subatomic particles that have little mass, no charge, and played a large role in how our universe came to be. “We’re living in a very exciting moment in which we have many new technologies that are developing incredibly fast, and there’s a real opportunity for the scientific community to adopt these tools and make significant progress in all areas of science.”

SCAC was established in 2026. The committee includes scientists from a range of fields and combines expertise from academia and university research, national laboratories and industry science. Other SCAC members hail from such institutions as the Cleveland Clinic; the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California; Google DeepMind and more.

“Dr. Sanchez is an extraordinary scientist who will provide invaluable insight to DOE as it faces the next generation of complex scientific and technological questions,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “This recognition is a testament to her outstanding leadership and dedication to advancing scientific research. We’re proud to have her represent FSU at the national level.”

Sanchez currently leads research in multiple neutrino experiments, including the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, or DUNE, a large international collaboration among over 1,400 scientists that uses giant underground neutrino detectors at DOE’s Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago, Illinois, and the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota. She also helps lead the  NOvA (NuMI Off-axis νe Appearance) experiment in its investigation of neutrinos through precise measurements of their oscillation properties at Fermilab.

“Being named to SCAC is a significant honor that reflects a career defined by excellence and impact,” said Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson. “Professor Sanchez has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the lab; now, she will bring that same rigorous, forward-thinking approach to the DOE. Her work on this committee will undoubtedly influence the future of scientific discovery and energy security for years to come.”

Previously, Sanchez served on the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel, which recommended plans and directions for research in particle physics to DOE, and on the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel, which advised DOE’s Office of Science on high-energy particle physics research until 2025.

“This committee is unique not only because it crosses interdisciplinary boundaries but also because scientists in academia, industry, and government work in very different ways,” said Sanchez, who works with FSU’s High-Energy Physics group. “Having the space to discuss how we can better enable collaboration among these domains can make a huge difference in the world and in how we conduct science, especially if we make certain technologies more accessible. I’m an incredible optimist in terms of what technology and science can do for society, and I’m looking forward to sharing that energy with the committee.”

SCAC’s responsibilities include establishing research and facilities priorities, determining program balance among disciplines, and identifying opportunities for inter-laboratory collaboration, program integration and industrial participation.

“I’m very pleased with Mayly’s selection to serve on SCAC,” said College of Arts and Sciences Dean Sam Huckaba. “The appointment is not only prestigious and reflective of her stature, but it’s also important — it means that FSU will be well-represented during discussions of current scientific priorities and future directions at DOE.”

Sanchez has earned numerous accolades for her research, including an American Physical Society Fellowship in 2020. In 2013, she was named among Latin America’s top 10 women scientists by the BBC, and she’s also received two prestigious National Science Foundation awards for her work with neutrinos — the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2012 and the Early Career Development Award in 2011. Sanchez received her doctorate in 2003 from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Following her graduation, Sanchez conducted postdoctoral research at Harvard University and simultaneously joined the Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search team at Fermilab. She then worked as a staff scientist at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois, before taking a faculty position at Iowa State University in 2009. Sanchez joined FSU’s faculty in 2022.

To learn more about Sanchez’s work and research conducted in the Department of Physics, visit physics.fsu.edu.

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The research could help develop methods for reducing intense noise that threatens aircraft and ground crews

Researchers from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion, or FCAAP, are helping to solve a safety challenge in military aviation: the extreme noise generated by supersonic jets during takeoff and landing.

The research, published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics, demonstrates a new model for understanding how supersonic jets of air collide with the ground or other structures to create a resonant feedback loop that produces extreme noise that can reach dangerous volume levels.

The team examined jets like those found in a type of aircraft known as Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing jets, or STOVL. The ability to operate without a traditional runway gives these aircraft, such as the F-35B Lightning II, critical tactical advantages.

But as they descend toward the ground, their exhaust plumes interact with landing surfaces and generate intense noise, often exceeding 140 decibels, posing serious dangers to both aircraft structure and nearby personnel.

“Only a tiny fraction of the jet’s energy is transformed into sound, but this small fraction has a major impact,” said Farrukh S. Alvi, professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and former founding director of the Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education, or InSPIRE, and founding director of FCAAP. “The intense noise produced by jet engines can cause structural damage to the aircraft and damage the hearing of personnel on the ground. We are trying to understand the physics behind these supersonic jets and the noise they produce so that we can develop tools that can reduce their impacts. In fact, we have already had some success in developing techniques that can reduce jet noise.”

Why it matters

When the high-speed air coming from jet engines mixes with the ambient air, it creates large-scale disturbances that hit the ground, producing strong sound waves that propagate back toward the jet engine. This establishes a repeating, back‑and‑forth interaction and creates resonance, an example of a feedback loop, causing loud and repeating noise. For aircraft, these resonant vibrations accelerate structural fatigue and can generate hazardous low-pressure zones that can pull the aircraft toward the ground.

For crewmembers on the ground, sustained exposure to sound levels over 140 decibels can cause permanent hearing damage, even when wearing protective equipment. At peak intensities, extreme acoustic pressure can even cause organ damage.

An animation showing an aircraft using supersonic jets for a vertical landing. As it descends toward the ground, exhaust plumes interact with landing surfaces to generate intense noise, often exceeding 140 decibels, posing serious dangers to both aircraft structure and nearby personnel. (Courtesy of Myungjun Song)

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Florida State University’s Information Technology Services (ITS) is hosting the 2026 ITS RISE Together Showcase from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7. This event is designed to promote collaboration, highlight groundbreaking projects and drive technological innovation across the university.  

Open to all members of the FSU community, this free half-day technology conference offers opportunities to connect, exchange ideas and spotlight emerging technological innovations.  

“The RISE Together Showcase represents the very best of Florida State University,” said Jonathan Fozard, associate vice president and chief information officer. “It brings together research, instruction, innovation, security and student success in one unified experience. This event demonstrates how technology is not simply supporting the university’s mission but actively accelerating it.” 

This year’s showcase features three 50-minute session blocks. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with thought leaders, participate in live demonstrations and discover how technology is shaping the future of FSU. 

Highlighted themes and sessions for 2026 include: 

• Research & Innovation: We empower researchers and educators with cutting-edge technologies that accelerate discovery and elevate teaching, ensuring our academic community continues to rise toward new horizons of knowledge. 

• Innovation & Modernization: By embracing emerging tools, modern platforms, and forward-thinking solutions, we are building a digital ecosystem that is agile, future-ready and boldly innovative. 

• Security & Compliance: We champion a culture of unwavering digital security, privacy and system resilience, fortifying our infrastructure with proactive safeguards so the university can operate with confidence in our digital environments. 

• Engagement & Student Success: Through seamless experiences, real-time insights and innovative digital pathways, we rise together to empower every learner and enhance engagement across the student journey. 

“RISE Together is more than a theme — it is a call to action,” Fozard said. “The showcase reflects how FSU is aligning strategy, talent and technology to drive measurable impact across research, instruction and operations. When we rise together, innovation becomes transformation.” 

While session selections are not binding, your input and RSVP are vital for estimating room capacities. On the day of the event, you are welcome to attend different sessions, space permitting. 

To learn more and register for the event, visit its.fsu.edu/rise-together-showcase.  

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Maize serves as a vital model species for advancing our understanding of plant biology, yet many mysteries remain about the intricate processes governing how DNA works and organizes itself in the genome.

A team of FSU researchers together with colleagues at North Carolina State University has made a breakthrough in understanding how DNA replicates in maize, uncovering the existence of two distinct subcompartments in the nucleus that hold genetic material. This discovery not only advances the fundamental knowledge of plant genomics but may have broad implications for gene regulation and crop improvement.

“We’re beginning to uncover chromatin’s organization in plants,” said Hank Bass, senior author of the study. “We had suspected that these subcompartments might exist, but this was the first real proof we had of their existence.”

The paper was published in the journal Plant Cell.

“Being part of this project and making a contribution to investigate the blueprint genome organization with respect to replication has been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my scientific journey,” said Hafiza Sara Akram, the paper’s lead author and Bass’ former graduate student.

Foundations of DNA Replication and Chromatin Structure

DNA replication is a critical process that ensures every cell receives an exact copy of genetic material during cell division. The genome, organized within the nucleus, consists of DNA wrapped around proteins to form chromatin. Chromatin exists in two main forms: euchromatin, which is generally more accessible and transcriptionally active, and heterochromatin, which is more condensed and typically less active. The timing of DNA replication varies across these regions, with euchromatin usually replicating earlier than heterochromatin.

Understanding how chromatin structure influences the order and regulation of DNA replication is critical for unraveling how genes are controlled and how cells maintain their identity.

To investigate DNA replication in maize, researchers combined cutting-edge genomics techniques with advanced 3D microscopy. High-throughput sequencing allowed the team to map replication events across the entire genome, while three-dimensional imaging visualized the physical organization of chromatin within the nucleus. This integrative approach provided unprecedented resolution in linking DNA sequence features with nuclear architecture and replication behavior.

Key Findings: Two Distinct Euchromatin Subcompartments

The study revealed that maize euchromatin is not a uniform compartment as previously thought. Instead, it is divided into two subcompartments, each exhibiting distinct replication timing and spatial organization. One subcompartment replicates early and is associated with highly active genes, while the other replicates later and shows unique structural features. This organizational complexity suggests a new layer of regulation in plant genomes.

The identification of euchromatin subcompartments with specialized replication timing provides important clues about how gene expression is controlled.

“Our findings indicate that the spatial and temporal regulation of DNA replication is tightly coupled to gene activity,” Bass said. “This could mean that manipulating replication timing may one day offer new ways to enhance crop traits or resilience.”

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation.

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Students at Florida State University fused human creativity with modern technology during a recent 24-hour Create-a-thon. The design sprint, hosted by FSU’s Innovation Hub, challenged participants to celebrate Tallahassee’s community spirit by building interactive experiences that cultivate a lasting sense of belonging and connection.

The event served as a feature of the 2026 Festival of the Creative Arts (FCA), an initiative led by the FSU Office of Research that highlights the voices and talents of students and faculty across the university.

“Events like this Create-a-thon provide our students with a space where creativity is the primary driver of discovery,” said Ken Baldauf, founding director of the Innovation Hub. “When we bring together dancers, engineers, musicians, writers and scientists, we aren’t just making art, we are developing a universal language for problem solving that leverages the latest technologies.”

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