Science & Technology

NASA awards researchers $1.7M grant to develop tools to help Florida water utilities allocate resources

Published: May 15, 2019 | 2:17 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

FSU researchers and collaborators from throughout the state will develop new products that help regional utilities account for climate variation when making important decisions about resource allocation. (Credit: Mark Averette)

Researchers from Florida State University, in partnership with a network of scientists and stakeholders from throughout the state, have been awarded a $1.7 million grant from NASA to develop cutting-edge climate prediction tools that could benefit Florida water supply utilities. Florida State climate experts and their collaborators will use NASA Earth Science satellite and modeling […]

In guppy courtship, the unusual male wins

Published: May 15, 2019 | 9:13 am | Posted in: News, Science & Technology

Professor of Biological Science Kimberly Hughes and postdoctoral researcher Mitchel Daniel examined the reasons behind guppy mating choices.

When it comes to choosing a mate, female guppies often go for the mates with the flashiest, most interesting color patterns. But why is that? Turns out, it’s all about psychology. In a new study, Florida State University researchers found that these tiny, tropical fish often choose a mate that physically stands out from the […]

FSU-developed foam could offer NFL players powerful protection against head injuries

Published: April 24, 2019 | 12:45 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

Changchun Zeng, an associate professor of engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and a researcher at Florida State's High-Performance Materials Institute.

A next-generation foam technology developed by engineers at Florida State University could soon be a key component in safer and more effective football helmets, thanks to a new grant from the National Football League’s Play Smart. Play Safe. health and safety initiative. The technology, called auxetic foam, was invented by Changchun Zeng, an associate professor […]

FSU researchers find tissue environment plays important role in tumor formation

Published: April 24, 2019 | 11:25 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Wu-Min Deng, professor of biological science

A team of Florida State University researchers used a simple tumor model to show the importance of tissue microenvironment in primary tumor formation. In the journal Developmental Cell, FSU researchers explain how certain signaling pathways define tumor hotspots, tissue microenvironment favorable for tumorigenesis, and show that simple stimulation of a protein can lead directly to […]

On the rise: Six years of scientific success

Published: April 18, 2019 | 11:40 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

From left to right: Hanwei Gao, Kenneth Hanson, Ross Ellington and Biwu Ma. With instrumental support and guidance provided by Ellington, the three early-career scientists have made waves internationally for their cutting-edge research. (FSU Photography Services)

Three Energy and Materials Researchers Reflect on Their Remarkable Early-Career Accomplishments at FSU Florida State University researchers Biwu Ma, Kenneth Hanson and Hanwei Gao have a few things in common. Several things, actually. All three are international leaders in the fields of energy and materials research. They were all recruited by Florida State as part […]

A social equation: Engineering researcher uses network science to understand how materials work

Published: April 18, 2019 | 9:29 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

FAMU-FSU Professor of Mechanical Engineering William Oates

Network science is how mathematicians and software designers construct complicated social networks like Facebook. But a group of Florida State University researchers has found that these equations can tell engineers a lot about the composition of different materials. Using network science — part of a larger mathematical field called graph theory — FAMU-FSU Professor of […]

Report: Red wolves, Mexican gray wolves are distinct species, subspecies

Published: April 1, 2019 | 4:15 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

A yearlong study chaired by a Florida State University professor indicates the red wolf is a distinct species in the wolf family and the Mexican gray is a distinct subspecies of the gray wolf. These conclusions were published today in the consensus report “Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red […]

In ancient oceans that resembled our own, oxygen loss triggered mass extinction

Published: March 27, 2019 | 3:34 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

Seth Young (left) and Jeremy Owens (right), assistant professors in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science

Roughly 430 million years ago, during the Earth’s Silurian Period, global oceans were experiencing changes that would seem eerily familiar today. Melting polar ice sheets meant sea levels were steadily rising, and ocean oxygen was falling fast around the world. At around the same time, a global die-off known among scientists as the Ireviken extinction […]

Massive earthquakes provide new insight into deep Earth

Published: March 27, 2019 | 9:49 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Wenyuan Fan, assistant professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science

In the waning months of 2018, two of the mightiest deep earthquakes ever recorded in human history rattled the Tonga-Fiji region of the South Pacific. In the first-ever study of these deep earthquakes — generally defined as any earthquake occurring 350 kilometers or more below the Earth’s surface — a Florida State University-led research team […]

New computational tool could change how we study pathogens, FSU researchers say

Published: March 22, 2019 | 9:42 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

The FSU researchers' new model allows for increased variation in simulations designed to identify the origins of genetic differences. The graph shows the many different environments that can change the potential of an ancestor to produce offspring.

A sophisticated new analysis tool developed by Florida State University scientists may signal a new era in the study of population genetics. Their model, which incorporates advanced mathematical strategies, could help revolutionize the way researchers investigate the spread and distribution of dangerous, fast-evolving disease vectors. The breakthrough research was an interdisciplinary collaboration between postdoctoral mathematician […]

FSU investment in high-performance microscope will take research to next level

Published: March 19, 2019 | 3:13 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

The FIB microscope will allow materials science researchers to slice through minuscule material samples and collect images of their structures.

Florida State University is the new owner of a sophisticated ion beam microscope that will allow materials science researchers to conduct a variety of experiments on the tiniest materials. The purchase of the focused ion beam microscope — also known as a FIB — is a strategic investment in the university’s materials and nanomanufacturing research […]

FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Air Force Research Laboratory celebrate new partnership

Published: March 18, 2019 | 4:57 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and researchers and engineers from Eglin Air Force Base celebrated the beginning of a new partnership Monday to train undergraduate students in areas critical to the U.S. Air Force. From left: (L to R): David Lambert, AFRL; Maurice Edington, FAMU provost; Dean Murray Gibson; Charles Weatherford, FAMU; Sally McRorie, FSU provost; Col. Garry Haase, AFRL Directorate; Gary Ostrander, FSU Vice President for Research.

Multiyear Grant Will Support STEM Education The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and researchers and engineers from Eglin Air Force Base celebrated the beginning of a new partnership Monday to train undergraduate students in areas critical to the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force Research Laboratory at Eglin will fund a $400,000 grant to create the […]