At Florida State University, student curiosity is driving innovation and research through FSU’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, or UROP. In labs and classrooms across campus, undergraduate students are gaining hands-on research skills to advance their academic careers.
On March 6-7, UROP students moved their research into the spotlight by presenting their findings at the Florida Undergraduate Research Conference, or FURC, one of the largest multi-disciplinary research conferences in the country and an opportunity for FSU students to showcase their own research and connect with students at other Florida institutions.
“FSU students produce outstanding research across a wide range of disciplines, and we’re grateful they had the opportunity to share their work at this prestigious statewide conference,” said DeOnte Brown, dean of Undergraduate Studies. “At FSU, one in four undergraduates participates in research, made possible by faculty and other research mentors who help prepare the next generation of scholars.”
Their UROP Journey
UROP offers opportunities for first-year and second-year FSU students to participate in projects as undergraduate researchers. The program is organized by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement, or CRE, a hub for promoting student research and creativity at Florida State.
The program features three parts to prepare students: a colloquium, a research assistantship and presentation at a symposium. The colloquium class answers questions about the goals and methods of academic research, helps students build fundamental skills and guides them as they navigate finding a project. The research assistantship pairs students with faculty for mentorship and training. Finally, students present their work to the public, giving them practice translating technical research into easily understood presentations that highlight the impact of their research.
Brandon Bonamarte, a first-year mathematics and music student, completed a research project about autism spectrum diagnostic tests as a high school senior.
“After I finished that research project around autism, I wanted to see if I could keep doing research at FSU,” Bonamarte said. “That is when I started looking at different programs and got an email about UROP. I looked it up online, and I decided, what better place to start than a program specifically for undergraduate researchers?”
Bonamarte used machine learning models in his research into autism spectrum tests to examine whether evaluations that aren’t traditionally used to test for autism could still provide accurate diagnoses. He used similar machine learning models in his UROP project to study relationship formation in a tropical bird species called lance-tailed manakins under the mentorship of Professor Emily H. Duvall. His research focused on the birds’ courting displays, analyzing what components of these performances relate to success in mating pairs.
For her research, second-year nursing and public health student Sofia Martinez wanted to explore postpartum health care. UROP gave her a chance to jump into a project with the help of a mentor who could guide her work.
“For a lot of research opportunities, you need experience. UROP helped me get into research,” Martinez said. “I thought the program was a great opportunity to get experience, because no matter what lab I was in, it would still be a research opportunity.”
She worked with Associate Professor Jessica Bahorski to study how maternal support and mental health influence breastfeeding for her UROP project. The project identified factors that influence recovery and support for new mothers, research that will help Martinez as she pursues her career goal of becoming a pediatrician.
“I got an incredible research opportunity through UROP, and it opened the door for so many more opportunities,” Martinez said. “I love the project that I’m working on. It aligns with my values and everything that I want to do in the future.”
Moira Shoffstall, a second-year art history student, turned to research as a passion project. UROP gave her the opportunity to explore research in a field outside of her major.
“I applied to UROP because I enjoy research. I like the process of investigating a topic and trying to answer the question that I am asking,” she said. “Humanities, art history especially, study the aftereffects of our culture, human interaction and history. Researching that is incredibly important to understanding ourselves and preventing history from repeating itself.”
Under the mentorship of Professor Ben Dodds, Shoffstall’s UROP project analyzed Spanish bandit Don Juan de Serrallonga through the lens of a biographical poem. The project compared this poem to historical records and earlier Spanish literary works to examine how historical figures are reconstructed through storytelling.
“By presenting at conferences like FURC, students gain the skills and confidence to communicate their ideas, connect with peers and imagine what’s possible in their future academic and professional paths,” said Latika Young, the director of CRE. “Those early research experiences shape how students think, communicate and engage with the world around them.”
The Florida Undergraduate Research Conference
After completing their research, Bonamarte, Martinez and Shoffstall prepared to present their work to a wider audience. With support from the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement, they joined fellow FSU undergraduates and students from around Florida at the University of North Florida for FURC. The conference marked their first major milestone in showcasing their research, and it offered valuable experience practicing public speaking for an audience that didn’t have the specialized knowledge they had developed. The event also gave students the opportunity to move beyond the classroom and engage with a wider community of researchers.
“My favorite part about FURC was not just presenting my research, but hearing others present theirs,” Bonamarte said. “I hunted down those in my field and had some really good discussions that I cannot really get elsewhere.”
Besides presenting their research, FURC attendees experience the chance to network with other undergraduate researchers and field experts, providing opportunities for academic growth and connection.
“I am not the most social person, and when I am social, I do not have a lot of practice at interacting with students my own age,” Shoffstall said. “By being given a very easy conversation topic — FURC and my own research — I had a much easier time connecting with and meeting people who are as curious as I am.”
More opportunities
The UROP students who attended FURC will also be presenting at the upcoming Undergraduate Research Symposium, or URS. The event is the largest symposium of undergraduate researchers at FSU, and it brings together student research from a variety of programs across campus, including UROP, the Garnet and Gold Scholar Society, the Honors in the Major program and more. Students with creative projects such as original films, dance and music projects present their work at Nourishing Creativity, a showcase of creative work at the symposium.
For many students, the symposium is their first time presenting their research. Bonamarte, Martinez and Shoffstall will bring their experience at FURC to the event.
“Presenting at FURC helped prepare me for URS by giving me practice explaining my research clearly and confidently to people who may not be familiar with my topic. It also reminded me that we all start somewhere,” Martinez said. “I met so many incredible high-achieving students who were also presenting for the first time, which made the experience feel very encouraging and collaborative.”
The Undergraduate Research Symposium will take place April 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Union Ballrooms.
Students interested in applying to UROP can learn more and apply on the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement website. Applications for incoming first-years and current first-year students are open until May 1 and Applications for transfer students with an AA starting in the fall close July 3.