Florida State University hosted a national undergraduate research conference that celebrates top student researchers from across the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 18 schools.
FSU’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement (CRE) hosted the ACC’s annual Meeting of the Minds from April 10-12, inviting five students and accompanying staff from each participating school to present their undergraduate research and creative inquiry, network with one another and learn about FSU and Tallahassee.
“We were proud to host this year’s Meeting of the Minds conference, and I’m grateful to the ACC for investing in the academic success of undergraduate students,” CRE Director Latika Young said. “It was inspiring to see students from across the conference come together, share their work, and take part in memorable experiences in and around campus.”
Student delegates to the conference are chosen through a competitive refereeing process. They must present research that is original, student directed and under the advisement of a faculty member.
The event featured student poster sessions and oral presentations on a wide range of topics in the fields of medicine, music, education, technology, political science, psychology and more.
“Florida State is deeply committed to advancing undergraduate research,” said DeOnte Brown, dean of Undergraduate Studies. “Being part of the ACC’s Meeting of the Minds underscores the importance of investing in students’ ideas and academic curiosity.”
FSU’s five student representatives and projects were:
- Rameen Ahmed, Orthotropic Properties of Wood-Plastic Composites in Environmental Conditions
- Alex DeLise, Active Learning for Conditional Generative Compressed Sensing
- Varun Raju, Judging Judicial Elections in Mexico: Public Opinion, Democratic Accountability, and Judicial Legitimacy
- Sydney Wald, Who Turns to ChatGPT for Emotional Support? Clinical Predictors of AI Engagement
- Sophie Maclayne Works, Lacquer and Legacy: Opening the Box to Soviet Narratives and Baltic Realities
FSU political science and economics student Varun Raju presented his research assessing public opinion and perception about recent large-scale judicial reforms in Mexico.
“I had the opportunity to present and learn in an enriching, interdisciplinary group of young researchers,” Raju said. “It was fulfilling to see my presentation on Mexican judicial reforms draw interest from all academic corners, while hearing high-caliber work surrounding material innovation, international policy solutions, systemic analyses on artificial intelligence use and much more.”
FSU psychology and human development and family science student Sydney Wald shared her research about ChatGPT use and its relation to reassurance seeking behavior and clinical symptoms.
“I’m so happy to be here at this conference,” Wald said. “It’s been really nice to make connections with students from other schools and hear about their research.”
Meeting of the Minds presented a chance for students from other ACC schools to visit FSU and learn from one another’s research and creative activity.
Biology major Alacia McClary came from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to present her genetics and epigenetics research.
“I’m always excited to present my work at conferences, just to be able to communicate my work and improve on that sort of skill, but also to be able to meet other people and see how their work relates to mine or how different it is,” McClary said.
In addition to academic sessions, FSU curated a series of experiences that showcased campus life and the city of Tallahassee. Attendees enjoyed a guided walking tour of Cascades Park, a lunch reception at the FSU Heritage Museum, a dinner reception at the Kearney Osceola Grille in the Dunlap Champions Club and the FSU Flying High Circus’s spring show. A grant from Visit Tallahassee helped support the event.
“This is the nicest place in Florida I’ve ever been to,” said Clover Smith, an anthropology student from the University of Louisville who presented her research analyzing the multispecies dynamics between humans and insects in urban environments. “It’s beautiful. I love it. I’m going to look at graduate programs here.”
The ACC funds the Meeting of the Minds through its Academic Consortium, which also coordinates a leadership summit and student innovation competition for its member institutions.
“We’d like to thank this year’s host, Florida State University, for welcoming our member institutions to present at the ACC Meeting of the Minds,” said Leslie Stevens, ACC Academic Consortium coordinator. “At the ACC, we’re proud to carry our tradition of excellence beyond the playing field by building a connected academic community and offering meaningful programs and opportunities that support both students and faculty.”
For more information about FSU’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement, visit cre.fsu.edu.
