Florida State University’s distinguished faculty are central to the mission of the university. Faculty excellence in scholarship, research, and creative activity is critical to the quality of student learning and makes a difference in the lives of others.
Throughout the year, honors and recognitions are awarded to individual faculty and staff members across campus. Faculty and Staff Briefs are produced monthly to recognize accomplishments and provide a space where honors, awards, bylines, presentations, grants, service and any other notable items can be showcased.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Fred E. Karlinsky, J.D. (College of Law) received the Florida Insurance Council’s Mark Trafton Distinguished Service Award at the 2025 Summer Symposium in Fort Lauderdale. The award recognizes exceptional service and leadership in the insurance industry.
Henry Zhuhao Wang, S.J.D., J.D., LL.M. (College of Law) was named a 2025 Association of American Law Schools Teacher of the Year for Florida State University.
Nasrin Alamdari, Ph.D., P.E. (FAMU-FSU College of Engineering) was selected to receive the prestigious A. Ivan Johnson Award for Young Professionals from the American Water Resources Association. The national recognition highlights her innovative research combining artificial intelligence with environmental water management solutions.
Zhe He, Ph.D. (School of Information) was elected as a Fellow of the International Academy of Health Sciences and Informatics.
Fraternity and Sorority Life received the 2025 Elevation in Practice — Innovation Award from the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors for their newest program, 5 Senses of Hazing.
Patrick Merle, Ph.D. (School of Communication) was awarded third place for his research “Public Relations Practitioners’ Expectations for Graduate Education” in the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Public Relations Division.
Carla Wood, Ph.D. (School of Communication Science and Disorders) was named a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and higher education doctoral program alumnus Ciera Fluker, Ph.D., were awarded Edited Book of the Year by the American Association for Hispanic Higher Education for their 2024 publication of “Latin* Students in Engineering: An Intentional Focus on a Growing Population.”
Alina Dana Weber, Ph.D. (Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics) received the Goethe-Institut / American Association of Teachers of German Certificate of Merit for furthering German teaching in the U.S.
Barbara Hamby, M.A. (Department of English) had her poem “Ode on Words for Parties (American Edition)” honored in The New Yorker’s best of the last 100 years anthology book “A Century of Poetry in The New Yorker 1925-2025.”
Norman (Trip) Wyckoff, MLIS (University Libraries) received the Fred L. Standley Award in recognition of his significant contributions to research librarianship and library development at the campus, state, national and international levels. Named for longtime FSU advocate Fred L. Standley, the award honors a legacy of scholarly excellence and service to the University Libraries.
Kathleen Kennedy, M.D. (College of Medicine, Sarasota Regional Campus) was honored with the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) Leadership Council Inspire Award. During Women in Medicine month, AMWA honors the trailblazing women physicians who continue to make a profound difference in health care and beyond.
Shermeeka Hogans-Mathews, M.D., FAAFP (College of Medicine) received the 2025 Florida Academy of Family Physicians’ Exemplary Full-Time Educator Award.
Panayotis (Paddy) League, Ph.D. (College of Music) had his new album, a collaboration with Athens, GA-based ensemble Hog-Eyed Man, selected by The Daily as one of the Best Country Records released in July.
Noel Wan, D.M. (College of Music) received the FAA Emerging Legacy Award, the University of Illinois’ highest honor for early career alumni of the College of Fine and Applied Arts.
GRANTS
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and doctoral student Holly Henning, M.A., MBA received an $11,447 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for a strategic communications project “Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Strategic Communications Project.”
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) received a $290,356 subaward from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the National Science Foundation’s CREST II Center for their project “Evaluation: CREST Phase II (CREST-CER): Center for Complex Materials Design & Hybrid Materials Processing.”
Brian Miller, Ph.D. (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry) received a $616,401 National Institutes of Health grant for his project “Enzyme Recruitment in Metabolic Plasticity and Evolvability.”
Thomas Needham, Ph.D. and Martin Bauer, Ph.D. (Department of Mathematics) received a $253,888 National Science Foundation grant for their collaborative project “CIF: Small: Generalized Optimal Transport Models: Theory and Computation.”
Michael Shatruk, Ph.D. (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry) received a $986,000 Department of Energy grant from the Physical Behavior of Materials program for his project “Multistate Optical Switching with Phase-Change Molecular Materials.”
Charles Fleischer, M.D. (College of Medicine) received a $192,927 National Science Foundation grant for his collaborative project “C2H2 EAGER Collaborative Research: Explore a Model-Data Framework to Advance Predictions of Red Tide and its Impact on Respiratory Illnesses Under Changing Temperature.”
Qiuchang (Katy) Cao, Ph.D., MSW, LSW (College of Social Work) received the 2024 Rose Dobrof Runner-Up Award from the editorial board for the Journal of Gerontological Social Work and Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work for her article “‘I’m Part of Something that Matters’: Exploring What Older Adults Value Through Their Engagement in Age-Friendly Community Initiatives” published in the Journal of Gerontological Social Work.
BYLINES
Bret Keating, M.S. (Advising First) authored “From Magic to Meaning” published in NACADA: Academic Advising Today Journal.
Eric Walker, Ph.D. (Department of English) published “Absent Fathers, Adoption from China, and Kathryn Ma’s The Year She Left Us” in the Adoption & Culture journal.
Kadir Kozan, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and doctoral student Chaewon Kim, M.A. published their research “First-Year STEM College Students’ Study Strategies: Perceived Effectiveness and Use” in the Education Sciences journal.
Stephanie Zuilkowski, Ph.D. and Bodunrin Arkinmade, Ph.D. (Learning Systems Institute) published “If I Do Not Bear Such a Burden Today, I Will Bear it in the Future: The Reasons for Private Tutoring and its Perceived Academic Impact on Children in Nigeria” in the International Journal of Educational Development.
Secil Caskurlu, Ph.D. and Kadir Kozan, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) co-authored “The Community of Inquiry Framework and Learning Analytics: A Systematic Review of Previous Research” published in Computers & Education Open.
Kadir Kozan, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and doctoral students Jaesung Hur, MS, Idam Kim, MEd and Alex Barrett, M.A. co-authored “Instructional Designers’ Integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence into their Professional Practice” published in Education Sciences.
Timothy Baghurst, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and athletic coaching alumna Tessa Taylor co-authored “A Practical Guide to Coaching International Student-Athletes (ISAs) in Interscholastic and Collegiate Sports in the United States of America” published in the International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education.
Timothy Baghurst, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) co-authored “Strategies to Positively Affect Retention in Online Kinesiology-Based Collegiate Courses” published in the International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education.
Thomas Ledermann, Ph.D. and Myriam Rudaz, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) co-authored “On Partial Versus Full Mediation and the Importance of Effect Sizes” published in Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science.
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences), postdoctoral researcher and higher education alumna Janel Acosta, Ph.D. and human development and family sciences alumna Valentina Iturriaga, Ph.D. co-authored the book chapter “Student Success for Latin* Students” in the Routledge Handbook on Postsecondary Student Success.
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D., (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and doctoral students Zahra Gholami, M.A. and Xinting Wu, M.A. co-authored “Public Financing of STEM Education: Research Evidence and Policy Recommendations” published in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D., Shouping Hu, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and Yang Li, Ph.D. (FSU Career Center) co-authored “Pathways into Computing Fields by Florida’s Community College Students” published in the Community College Journal of Research and Practice.
Russell B. Clayton, Ph.D. (College of Communication and Information) and students Junho Park, Sazzad Mahmud Shuvo, Kristina Simon Sherry Rasul, and Jessica Weinberg, co-published the study “Investigating Psychophysiological and Self-Report Responses to Antioral Nicotine Pouch Social Media Videos” in Health Psychology.
Kelly Farquharson, Ph.D., Jennifer Westmoreland, MS (College of Communication and Information) and doctoral students Mary Allison Moody and Christy Timm Fulkerson published a research article “Print Referencing Virtual Coaching for Paraeducators: A Single-Case Experimental Design” in the American Journal of Speech Language Pathology.
Zhe He, Ph.D. and Mia Lustria, Ph.D. (School of Information) published “Introducing the Adherence Promotion with Person-Centered Technology (APPT) Trial: Rationale, Methods, and Baseline Characteristics” in Contemporary Clinical Trials.
Lakeisha Johnson, Ph.D. (College of Communication and Information) published an article, “Exploring Oral Language, Spoken Language Variation, and Reading Profiles Among Black Children,” in Seminars in Speech and Language.
Dillon Pruett, Ph.D. (College of Communication and Information) was published in Nature Genetics for his “Large-Scale Genome-Wide Analysis of Stuttering” study.
Sana Tibi, Ph.D. (College of Communication and Information) and doctoral scholar Holden Allen co-authored an article “Looking Beyond the Lines: Mental Health Co-occurrences and Future Treatment Considerations for Dyslexic Populations” in Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools.
Shouping Hu, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and Joe O’Shea, Ph.D. (Office of the President) published the comprehensive volume “The Routledge Handbook on Postsecondary Student Success.”
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D., Shouping Hu, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and higher education doctoral program alumnus Teng Zhao co-authored “The Impact of Merit Aid on STEM Major Choices: A Propensity Score Approach” published in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) and alumnus Marcus Nicolas co-authored “The (Mis)Education of Black Boys: Exploring the Contributing Factors of Their Accelerated Curricular Decision-Making Process” published in the Journal of African American Males in Education.
Chelsea Armbrister, Ph.D., Tarik J. Dickens, Ph.D. (FAMU-FSU College of Engineering) and Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) co-authored “Manufacturing Inclusive Excellence: An Intersectional, Mixed Methods Study of Engineering Identity Among Undergraduate Research Students at a Historically Black University” published in the American Society for Engineering Education, PEER Proceedings.
Anthony Nguyen, Ph.D. (Department of Philosophy) authored “Self-Respect and Justice” published in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research.
Michelle Bumatay, Ph.D. (Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics) authored “Framing France in the Indian Ocean: Of Shipwrecks and Fertile Women,” published in the book “Graphic Narratives of Resistance: Advocating for Representation and Social Justice in French-language Bandes Dessinées” by Edinburgh University Press.
Elizabeth Coggeshall, Ph.D. (Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics) authored “A Transmedia Commedia: The View from Dante Today” published in the Journal of Italian Cinema and Media Studies. She also published the article, “Building and Maintaining the Crowdsourced Archive Dante Today” in Limina: Intorno al testo 1, and the article, “Into the City of Deep Downpression’: Lorna Goodison’s Tradaptation of Dante’s Inferno,” with Sx Salon.
Kathleen Powers Conti, Ph.D. (Department of History) authored “Beyond the Absence: Recovering the Architectural Imprints of Slavery at Virginia’s Berkeley Plantation,” published in the book “Architectures of Slavery: Ruins & Reconstructions” by the University of Virginia Press.
Christina Parker-Flynn, Ph.D. (Department of English) authored “Eyeing Egypt: Transparent Orientalism on the Edge of Cinematic Modernity in ‘The Eyes of Mummy Ma’ (1918)” included in the book “Refocus: The Historical Films of Ernst Lubitsch” published by Edinburgh University Press.
Stanley Gontarski, Ph.D. (Department of English) authored the essay “‘Everything oozes’: Mud and Molebane in Beckett’s Dystopian Landscapes,” published in the book “Beckett and Nature” by Bloomsbury Publishing. His essay “‘Well, Cut My Legs Off and Call Me Shorty’: Flann O’Brien, the American Mythos and Its Argot” was also published in Volume 15 of “Studi Irlandesi: A Journal of Irish Studies.”
Tarez Graban, Ph.D. (Department of English) co-authored “The Promise(s) and Peril(s) of Big Data: Historiography, Data Feminism, and Tracing Women of Color” published in the book, “Rhetorica Rising: Feminist Rhetorical Methods for Social Change” by the University of South Carolina Press.
Vincent Joos, Ph.D. (Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics) authored “Ecos de Revoluções Passadas: Arquitetura, Memória e Políticas Espectrais nos Bairros Históricos de Porto Príncipe,” published in “Rotas Caribenhas: etnografia, mobilidade e conhecimento” through Editora da Universidade de São Paulo. Joos also authored the article “Pathologizing and Controlling Haitian Bodies: The U.S. Border through Discrimination, Incarceration, and Deportation” published in the Journal of Latino-Latin American Studies.
Ross Moret, Ph.D. (Department of Religion) authored “AI, the Conflicted University, and the Classroom” published in the Journal of Philosophy of Education through Oxford University Press.
Alina Dana Weber, Ph.D. (Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics) authored “Velvet Eyes and Bowie Knives: Reading Karl May’s Tracks in Thomas Mann’s ‘Der Zauberberg,’” in the journal Deutsche Vierteljahrsschrift für Literaturwissenschaft und Geistesgeschichte.
Cy Jillian Weise, Ph.D. (Department of English) authored the poem “So Your GF wants to Come Out as Bi and Polyamorous to Her Very Conservative Family” published in the anthology “Super Gay Poems: LGBTQIA+ Poetry After Stonewall” by Belknap Press, an imprint of Harvard University Press.
Brittany Devies, Ph.D., Jarred Pernier, MEd and Freddy Juarez, MS (Fraternity and Sorority Life) co-published “Metrics, Outcomes, and Assessment: Creating Data-Driven Decisions in Leadership Programs” in New Directions for Student Leadership.
Brittany Devies, Ph.D. (Fraternity and Sorority Life) and Kathy Guthrie, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) co-published “Framing the Use of Context in Leadership Programs” and “Future of Leadership Learning: The Possibility of ILA’s General Principles” in New Directions for Student Leadership.
Michael Nair-Collins, Ph.D. (College of Medicine) published “Death is Biologically Real; Laws About Death are Social Constructions” in the American Journal of Bioethics.
Katie Berry, Ph.D. and Emily Davison, Ph.D. (Florida Institute for Child Welfare) co-authored a manuscript titled “Developing a Digital Single-Session Intervention to Promote Trauma-Informed Caregiving: Insights from Foster Caregivers and Child Welfare Providers,” published in the Journal of Cognitive Psychology.
Bruce Thyer, Ph.D. (College of Social Work) authored “Using Experimental Research Designs to Evaluate Social Work Practice in China,” published in the China Journal of Social Work.
Gashaye Melaku Tefera, Ph.D. (College of Social Work) and doctoral students Ponsiano Ngondwe, MSW and Shelby Varol, MSW co-authored “Trust Matters: A Qualitative Study on Healthcare Access and Utilization Among African Immigrants in the United States,” in the Journal of Community Health.
Nicole Bentze, D.O., FAAFP, FAMWA and Megan Verdoni, MPAS, PA-C, CAQ-EM (College of Medicine) co-authored “The Impact of Faculty Pin Recognition” published in the Journal of Faculty Development.
Alexandra Cowan-Pyle, Ph.D. and Regan Bailey, Ph.D. (College of Medicine) co-authored “The Reporting of ‘What We Eat in America’ Nutrient Intake Data in the Scientific Literature: A Scoping Review” published in the Journal of Nutrition.
Bill Boyer, DHSC, MS, CHSE (College of Medicine) contributed to the recently revised 11th edition of “American College of Surgeons’ Advanced Trauma Life Support Provider and Instructor” course manuals. He is one of four Senior Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) educators in the United States and sits on the 14-person ATLS Senior Educator Advisory Board.
Bonnie Spring, Ph.D. (College of Medicine) co-authored “Optimizing a Physical Activity Intervention with Mindful Awareness Lessons in Breast Cancer Survivors: Fit2thrivemind Protocol” in Contemporary Clinical Trials.
Brittany Devies, Ph.D., Jarred Pernier, MEd and Freddy Juarez, MS (Fraternity and Sorority Life) co-authored “Applying Content: Integrating Theory, Design, and Student-Centered Learning” published by New Director Student Leadership.
Barbara Hamby, Ph.D. (Department of English) published her book of poetry “Burn” with the University of Pittsburgh Press.
Rodney Jordan, M.M. (College of Music) authored “Your Sound Is Your Calling Card,” published in in the October 2025 issue of DownBeat Magazine and in the magazine’s annual “Best Colleges to Study Jazz” edition.
PRESENTATIONS AND CONFERENCES
Jane Harris (The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art) presented “Educating & Engaging Museum Volunteers: Flexible Strategies for Guide Training in Changing Times” at the American Alliance of Museum’s Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, Calif. The session explored flexible, inclusive training models developed at The Ringling to support volunteer guides during and after the pandemic, with a focus on accessibility, learner-centered design and sustained engagement.
Subhasree Sengupta, Ph.D. (Learning Systems Institute) was a featured panelist on the “Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on Higher Education” Zoom panel, part of the FSU Department of Scientific Computing’s Artificial Intelligence Seminar.
Rachel Bailey, Ph.D., (School of Communication) doctoral student Sun Young Park, alumna Pooja Ichplani, Ph.D. and graduate teaching assistant Yu Liang presented “Utilizing Competing Biological Motivations: Can We Improve Food Neophobe’s Attitudes toward Lab-grown Meat?” at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference.
Patrick Merle, Ph.D. (School of Communication) and doctoral students Junho Park, M.A. and Sun Young Park, MS presented “The Effect of Representation of Number and Visual Saliency of Bike Safety Message on Navigation Applications” at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference.
Ying Yang, Ph.D. (School of Communication) and doctoral student Junho Park, M.A. presented “How AI-generated Labels on Social Media Testimonials Expressing Mental Distress Affect Reader Engagement and Support Provision” at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference.
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) presented “Shaping Policies and Practices as Researchers and Practitioners: A Focus on Latin* Students in Engineering Education” at the American Society of Engineering Education meetings in Montreal, Canada.
Stanley Gontarski, Ph.D. (Department of English) presented “Samuel Beckett’s Regimes of Ignorance: Ethico-political Acts of Resistance” at the Associazione Italiana di Anglistica biennial conference at the University of Turin in Italy. He also presented “How to Read Bill’s Brain: A Neuromatic Approach to Reading Burroughs’ Archives” at the European Beat Studies Network Conference at the University of Hildesheim, Germany.
Chris Constantino, Ph.D. (College of Communication and Information) and doctoral student Angelica Bernabe co-hosted a Stuttering Affirmative Therapy workshop for the Spanish-speaking community through Centro Especializado en Tartamudez.
Dillon Pruett, Ph.D. (College of Communication and Information) was an invited speaker for the inaugural Stuttering Treatment and Research Society (STARS) Research & Education Conference held at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, CA.
Ebe Randeree, Ph.D. (College of Communication and Information) co-presented a workshop “Decoding LinkedIn” at the STARS CELEBRATION Annual Meeting in Dallas, TX.
Tarez Graban, Ph.D. (Department of English) helped lead the international workshop “A Transnational Retrospective 50 Years After the First World Conference on Women” at the Feminisms and Rhetorics 2025 Conference in July at the University of New Hampshire, Durham. She also presented her paper “South Africa’s Black Sash as Theorists of Rhetorical Genre and Resilience, from 1955 to 1995” at the 25th biennial International Society for the History of Rhetoric Society Conference at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Fanny Caroline Liu, Ph.D. (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry) co-organized the hybrid event “Early Career Researchers Connect” at the 3rd International Top-Down Proteomics Symposium in Hamburg, Germany.
David Newheiser, Ph.D. (Department of Religion) presented “Awe and the Study of Nonreligion” at Jesus College in Oxford, England. His presentation came from the project, “Awe-some spirituality: A theological and psychological cross-disciplinary exploration of awe underlying spiritual yearning of the nonreligious,” which is funded by the John Templeton Foundation and for which Newheiser serves on an advisory board.
Robert Romanchuk, Ph.D. (Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics) presented “His Mother is a Jewess: Digenis Akritis and the Septuagint” in August at the International Congress of Slavists in Paris, France.
Lisa Ryoko Wakamiya, Ph.D. (Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics) presented “Nabokov’s Book Reviews and Writing about the Present” at the International Congress of Slavists in Paris, France.
Wen Zhu, Ph.D. (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry) spoke at the seminar “Dissecting the Conformational Dynamics of Enzymes” through the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Ibrahim Yigit, Ph.D. (College of Nursing) co-authored “Development and Validation of the Microaggression Scale for Refugees (MSR): Independent Contributions of Microaggression and Experienced Stigma to Psychological Distress and Somatic Symptoms” in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
Allison McHugh, DNP, MHCDS, RN, NE-BC (College of Nursing), co-presented “Validating a Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool in the Academic Workplace” at the Association for Leadership Sciences in Nursing international conference.
Lisa Hightow-Weidman, MD, MPH and Kathryn Muessig, Ph.D. (College of Nursing) co-presented a conference poster co-authored by Rahim Miller, MSMS, EMT-B, Zoë Njemanze, MPH, Swetha Mukalel, Judah Dean, MSW, Carissa Crews, MPH, CHC (Institute on Digital Health and Innovation), Jacob Stocks, MSC and Adrian Williams, MPH (College of Nursing) titled “A Community-Centered Approach to Digital Interventions for Underserved Youth,” at the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions Annual Scientific Meeting.
Delaney La Rosa, EdD, MSN Ed, RN (College of Nursing) presented “Examining AI’s Evolution from Chat-based Assistants to Agentic Systems, the Market Inflection Points of 2024–2025, and Practical Implications for Industry and Workforce Readiness,” at a talk hosted by the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering that covered major developments from 2022 through near-future projections and offered recommendations for technologists, leaders and educators.
Delaney La Rosa, EdD, MSN Ed, RN (College of Nursing) presented “AI for Industry” at the FSU SC Artificial Intelligence Seminar hosted by the Department of Scientific Computing.
Christopher Mulrooney, Ph.D. (College of Medicine) presented “Pathways to Culture Change Implementation: What Mobilizers & Administrators Can Learn from Each Other” at the annual conference of AgingIN (formerly known as Center for Innovation & Pioneer Network).
Katie Berry, Ph.D. (Florida Institute for Child Welfare) and doctoral student Lauren Herod, MPA presented “Use of Research Evidence in Florida’s Child Welfare Policymaking” at the Macro United Conference in Washington University in St. Louis.
Katie Berry, Ph.D. and Emily Davison, Ph.D. (Florida Institute for Child Welfare) presented “Co-Adapting an SSI Parenting Intervention with Foster Parents to Fit the Relational Context of the Foster Parent/Youth Relationship” at the 5th International Single Session Intervention Symposium. They also presented “Foster Parents’ Experiences Navigating Complex Needs of Older Youths” at the 2025 Florida Department of Children and Families Summit.
Karen Geletko, MPH (College of Medicine) presented “From Screening to Cessation: An Equitable and Holistic View of Tobacco and Nicotine Use Interventions at Healthcare Visits” at the National Conference on Tobacco or Health in Chicago, which synthesized research she conducted with Jon Mills, Ph.D., Jeffrey Harman, Ph.D., (Center for Translational Behavioral Science) Katelyn Graves, Ph.D., Shermeeka Hogans-Mathews, M.D. (College of Medicine) and medical students John Acosta-Penaloza and Hanna Lateef.
Delaney La Rosa, Ed.D., MSN Ed, RN (College of Nursing) presented at the launch summit for the FSU College of Nursing sponsored Nursing AI Innovation Consortium, which was held with the National League for Nursing 2025 Education Summit as part of a panel on “Future Nursing Priorities for Responsible AI.”
Kathleen P. Wilson, Ph.D., APRN, FNP-BC, BC-ADM, FAANP, FNAP, DipACLM (College of Nursing) authored and presented “Cracking the Code: Billing and Coding Simplified for Nurse Practitioners” at the South Florida Council of Advanced Practice Nurses. She also authored and presented “Cultivating a HAPPY & HEALTHY Future at The Crossroads of NP Practice, Education, Research, and Policy” at the 2025 Florida Nurse Practitioner Network Conference Pharmacology Workshop and “Self-Management through Person-Centered Lifestyle Medicine and Shared Medical Visits” at the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.
Delaney La Rosa, Ed.D., MSN Ed, RN and LeeAnn H. Barfield, Ph.D., DNP, APRN-BC, CNE, FACHE (College of Nursing) co-presented at the 2025 Florida Nurses Association’s annual conference: “Elevating Nursing Innovation in a Digital Age.” Dr. La Rosa presented the keynote “Centering AI in Nursing, a Framework for Transformative Leadership” and Dr. Barfield presented the closing plenary “Leading the Charge: Leveraging Healthcare Technology and Innovation to Advance Nursing Practice and Patient Outcomes.”
Ericka Horne, MPH, CHES® (College of Medicine) presented “Community Impact through Integration of the Translational Science Benefits Model” at the Florida Public Health Association Annual Education Conference. Horne also wrapped up her term as co-chair of the Student Engagement Committee and started her term as secretary on the FPHA board’s executive committee.
Ransome Eke, M.D., Ph.D. (College of Medicine) presented the poster “Telehealth Use Among U.S. Adults with Chronic Medical Conditions: Findings from the Medical Expenditure Panel (MEPS) Survey” at the American College of Epidemiology Conference.
Rahim Miller, MSMS, EMT-B, Swetha Mukalel, Judah Dean, MSW, Carissa Crews, MPH, CHC (Institute on Digital Health and Innovation) co-presented and co-authored “From Stakeholders to Co-Researchers: Advancing HIV Research Through the Subject Matter Research Consultant Model” with Lisa Hightow-Weidman, MD, MPH, Kathryn Muessig, Ph.D., Jacob Stocks, MSC and Adrian Williams, MPH (College of Nursing) at the 2025 Florida HIV CPR Conference.
Ying Mai Kung, DNP, MPH, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CNE, FAAN (College of Nursing) presented the introduction at the Fullbright Taiwan Orientation.
EXHIBITIONS AND PERFORMANCES
Jonathan Holden, D.M.A., Shannon Thomas, D.M.A., Greg Sauer, D.M.A. and Read Gainsford, D.M.A. (College of Music) performed a Central Florida tour with concerts in Tallahassee, the Historic Asolo Theatre at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and Design in Sarasota and the Blue Bamboo Performing Arts Center in Winter Park.
Leon Anderson, M.M. (College of Music) released his debut album Live at Snug Harbor on Outside in Music, praised in “The Blade” as “world-class music” and a brilliant tribute to New Orleans’ jazz tradition.
Amy Fleming, MFA (Department of Art) had her work featured in the exhibition “Gig Posters for Gig Professors” at SMALLS gallery in Tallahassee.
Jiha Moon, MFA (Department of Art) has the solo exhibition of her artwork “Ten Moon” featured at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center.
Jean Shon, MFA (Department of Art) had her work featured in the exhibition “What Would I Not Give” at the Community Artists’ Collective in Houston.
SERVICE
Eric Walker, Ph.D. (Department of English) was elected co-chair of the Executive Committee of the Alliance for the Study of Adoption and Culture.
Becky Greenhill, M.Ed. (School of Communication Science and Disorders) established the Langford Family Speech & Hearing Mobile Clinic Fund, thanks to the generosity of the Langford Family. This initiative will help expand FSU health services.
Lara Perez-Felkner, Ph.D. (Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences) is serving as associate editor of Research in Higher Education. She is also serving as an inaugural vice chair for the Association of the Study of Higher Education’s new fellowship program.
Freddy Juarez, MS (Fraternity and Sorority Life) was appointed to the 2025 Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Governance & Nominations Committee. He has also been named the Southeastern Greek Leadership Association’s Associate Executive Director.
Brittany Devies, Ph.D. (Fraternity and Sorority Life) was appointed to serve on the International Leadership Association’s Committee on the Advancement of Leadership Programs for the 2026-28 term.
Ericka Horne, MPH, CHES® (College of Medicine) was chosen to serve as a Governing Councilor for the American Public Health Association’s Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section for the 2025-2027 term.
Josef V. Hodgkins, MTS, BSN, RN (College of Nursing) completed reviewer duties for the Southern Nursing Research Society’s 40th Annual Conference.
Cyneetha Strong, M.D. (College of Medicine) served as keynote speaker for the opening session at Global Liver Institute’s Liver Health Symposium. She also served as the facilitator of a workgroup of providers titled “Engage & Elevate: Gathering Provider Insights on Screening and Patient Needs in Liver Health.”
Ericka Horne, MPH, CHES® and Community Outreach Assistants Kai Pinta and Montezza Lee (College of Medicine) shared information about the eight dimensions of wellness at Florida A&M University’s Annual Grape Harvest Festival in Tallahassee.
Megan Crowe, MS, Ed.S. (Career Center) was selected to serve on the new class of the Law School Admission Council’s Prelaw Advisory Council for a two-year term.
NOTABLE
Amanda Tazaz, Ph.D. (Learning Systems Institute) is leading the Successful Start Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) project in Hillsborough County, Fla. 120 teachers participated in the project focusing on CGI in math.
Elizabeth Madden, Ph.D. and Ellen Nimmons M.S. (School of Communication Science and Disorders) launched the Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program. The program helps stroke survivors with aphasia and their care partners through an innovative, team-based rehabilitation experience.
Anna Romanova’s, Ph.D. (Learning Systems Institute) Ukrainian translation of Angi Yoder-Maina’s, Ph.D. (FSU Resilience Institute for Strength and Empowerment) book “Healing Is What Makes Peace Work” was launched in Ukraine where 1,000 free copies were distributed.
Patty Ballantine, MPA (College of Medicine) earned a Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in Leadership and Strategic Management from the Askew School of Public Administration at FSU.
Kathleen P. Wilson, Ph.D., ARNP-C, FAANP (College of Nursing) was promoted to Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs in the College of Nursing.
Katie Berry, Ph.D. and Emily Davison, Ph.D. (Florida Institute for Child Welfare) conducted primary research and submitted a report to the Task Force on the Monitoring of Children in Out-of-Home Care, a legislatively mandated task force charged with making recommendations to the Legislature to improve the child welfare system.
Malaika Samples, Ed.D., MPA, Kyle Cook, MS, and Kristina Finch, MS (Florida Institute for Child Welfare) launched Florida State University’s first Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) Badging Program, enrolling its inaugural student cohort in Fall 2025. As Assistant Director of Academic Innovation, Samples is partnering with the Zero Abuse Project and Florida higher education institutions to expand CAST statewide.
Josef V. Hodgkins, MTS, BSN, RN (College of Nursing) has been selected to join the research team developing guidelines for behavioral treatment of intrinsic Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders.
LeeAnn H. Barfield, Ph.D., DNP, APRN-BC, CNE, FACHE (College of Nursing) was accepted into the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Elevating Leaders in Academic Nursing Fellowship.
Cindy Telfort, MPH and Montezza Lee (College of Medicine) earned a Community Health Worker certification.
Kerwyn Flowers, D.O. (College of Medicine) was named dean of the Tallahassee Regional Medical School Campus. She has served as the director of Rural Medical Education since 2019.