Three Florida State University students who met through an undergraduate research project traveled to Seoul, South Korea, this summer to attend a conference focused on how new technologies are shaping education.
Ella Owens, a business management student from Orlando; Olivia Leichter, a violin performance and risk management and insurance student from Sarasota; and Michael Cedeno, a graduate student studying product development from Ocala, attended the Digital Education for Digital Transformation: Shaping the Future of Learning and Innovation conference, hosted by the World Learning and Digital Communication Network Program, from June 15-17.
The opportunity came after the students collaborated on a research project through FSU’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) about entrepreneurship in Ukraine. They worked with their research mentor, Eric Liguori, Jim Moran professor and associate dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, and presented their work at FSU’s annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in April.
“Ella, Olivia, and Michael spent all of the last academic year interviewing entrepreneurs in Ukraine as part of a research project in my lab, so when the opportunity for students to participate in this program came up, I knew instantly they would be perfect ambassadors to head to South Korea to represent FSU and the United States in this global forum,” Liguori said. “The Jim Moran College remains committed to curating opportunities for all FSU students, regardless of majors, who have interests in entrepreneurship.”
UROP is a year-long program that introduces first- and second-year students and select transfer students to research through mentored assistantships, peer-led research colloquia and culminating presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. UROP projects often lead to further opportunities to conduct research through other programs such as Honors in the Major or IDEA Grants (summer research awards).
A fourth student from Liguori’s UROP project group, political science student Josh Selig, also traveled abroad this summer to participate in a similar conference in Mumbai, India.
“The type of experience these students had traveling abroad to present at an international conference exemplifies the kind of mentorship that takes place every day in UROP and undergraduate research more widely at FSU,” said Latika Young, the director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement. “We are so grateful to the research mentors who find inspiring opportunities such as these and build meaningful learning environments for our students, on campus and around the globe.”
Owens, Leichter and Cedeno were among the first U.S. student researchers to attend the South Korean conference, organized by World Learning and Digital Communication Network Global and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
World Learning is a nonprofit focused on international development, education and exchange programs. The Digital Communication Network Program is a global community dedicated to promoting free expression, advancing digital literacy and helping individuals and organizations succeed in a connected and tech-driven world.
“It was great to be able to go continue to educate ourselves outside of the classroom,” Cedeno said. “I think we made connections there, whether it was for business opportunities or just to meet people and hear other perspectives.”
During the conference, Leichter spoke on a panel about her experience as a U.S student and how she uses technology to connect her interests in the arts, education and business at FSU.
“(The conference) gave me a new perspective on approaching AI differently and using it as a tool in a positive way because it’s not going away, and it’s only going to be more developed,” Leichter said.
Since returning to the United States, Owens, Leichter and Cedeno have applied what they learned to their multidisciplinary work at FSU.
“I’m navigating toward a master’s degree in international business and policy, and then this opportunity opened up to go to South Korea to connect with people around the world about global initiatives in technology,” Owens said. “I can use that as an interest in policy, so attending the conference opened doors I didn’t know were possible, and I’m very grateful for that.”
To learn more about UROP, visit cre.fsu.edu/undergradresearch/urop.