Shakthi Rajesh was playing video games at his friend’s house one day during high school in Chennai, India, when his friend’s mother started screaming from the kitchen. She had spotted a venomous saw-scaled viper on the floor.
Fortunately for her, Rajesh was a budding snake enthusiast and calmly ushered the unwanted reptile into a bucket and out of the house.
“Anything with venom I’ve always had a love for,” he said. “It’s really cool how they go from a snake that kind of just slithers around to something that can kill you in 30 minutes.”
Rajesh’s early snake-catching adventures grew into a more serious interest in venomous animals. He’s now a third-year computation biology student at Florida State University studying the Florida bark scorpion with guidance from biological science Professor Darin Rokyta and funding from an IDEA Grant, which provides summer funding for undergraduate research and creative projects.
This year’s IDEA Grant winners delivered oral and poster presentations during the President’s Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence held Thursday, Oct. 10. The event, which drew an estimated 800 attendees, is a collaboration between the Office of the President and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement (CRE) and a signature event of FSU’s weeklong Discovery Days celebration.
“Your research is fantastic, and we’re so proud of each and every one of you,” said FSU President Richard McCullough during his opening remarks to students, their mentors and other guests. “This work makes a difference in the world, and we’re so pleased to be able to be here and interact with the students about their projects.”
Thirty-five students selected by the competitive grant program shared their posters and creative projects on their work exploring the role of diplomacy in the future of space exploration, rhetoric in the Polish constitution of 1791, innovation in 3D-printed devices for diagnosing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, the impact of solitary confinement on social outcomes and more.
“One of the best parts of administering the IDEA Grants is being able to see students really blossom into researchers,” said Latika Young, director of the CRE. “Something that might start out as just a unique interest – like Shakthi’s love for venomous animals – can transform, with the support and funding offered by the IDEA Grant and under the mentorship of our terrific faculty, into a project that makes a valuable contribution to the field and allows the student to cement their researcher identity.”
IDEA Grants include donor-endowed research awards from the Tyler Center for Global Studies and other privately funded gifts.
Engagement in undergraduate research overall continues to grow at FSU. This year saw an 11% increase in undergraduate student participation and a 3% increase in research mentor participation in the campus-wide Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, and the Honors in the Major thesis program saw a 21% increase in undergraduate student participation, according to program directors.
The 24th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in April featured nearly 700 undergraduate researchers showcasing their research and creative projects, produced under the guidance of research mentors from FSU’s faculty and graduate student bodies.
“These undergraduate research events celebrate the very best of our university. FSU has a distinctive culture of community and mentorship that empowers students,” said Joe O’Shea, associate provost and dean of Undergraduate Studies. “There is such magic that happens when our world-class faculty guide students through the research and discovery process – and I’m so proud we can provide that opportunity.”
FSU Discovery Days events continue through Saturday, Oct. 12. For the full calendar of events, visit discoverydays.fsu.edu.