Science & Technology

MagLab scientists discover thermoelectric properties in promising class of materials

Published: June 11, 2019 | 4:51 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

Exploring an area overlooked by other scientists, physicists at the Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory have discovered that a class of materials called “1-2-20s” have very promising thermoelectric properties, opening the floodgates for further research into these fascinating materials. The study was published in Science Advances. Thermoelectric devices can produce electricity if […]

Researcher documents cascading effects of parasites on underwater ecosystems

Published: June 11, 2019 | 4:40 pm | Posted in: News, Science & Technology

Research by an evolutionary biologist from Florida State University has shown parasites have important and far-reaching effects on predatory fish and the ecosystems they inhabit. These findings, published this week in the journal Ecology, provide important evidence for the little-studied role of parasites in trophic cascades, which are powerful, indirect interactions that can affect entire […]

Researchers find seaweed helps trap carbon dioxide in sediment

Published: June 3, 2019 | 12:14 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

Every beachgoer can spot seaweed in the ocean or piling up on the beach, but Florida State University researchers working with colleagues in the United Kingdom have found that these slimy macroalgae play an important role in permanently removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Their work is published in the journal Ecological Monographs by the […]

Innovative modeling strategies give researchers improved look at Florida’s climate future

Published: May 28, 2019 | 4:20 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

Experts agree that rising atmospheric temperatures and shifts in the global ocean make Florida’s future climate evolution uncertain and potentially precarious. But conventional, poorly resolved climate models have made it difficult to credibly project what may actually be in store for the Sunshine State. While nobody can predict the future with perfect accuracy, meteorology researchers […]

Statistics professor named institute fellow

Published: May 28, 2019 | 9:36 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

A Florida State University professor has been named a fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. Professor of Statistics Victor Patrangenaru, who joined FSU in 2006, received the honor from the institute, which was founded in the 1930s and is dedicated to fostering the development and dissemination of theory and applications of statistics and probability. […]

Four FSU students receive prestigious NSF graduate fellowships

Published: May 22, 2019 | 10:23 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

FSU's 2019 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship winners. From left: (top) Lyndsey Chong, Ethan Cissell, (bottom) Victoria Posey and Eileen Kyoung Chun.

Four Florida State students have received a prestigious and highly competitive fellowship from the National Science Foundation to help fund their doctoral work. The fellowship program recognizes exceptional graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees. Fellows receive an annual stipend of $34,000 over three […]

FSU art and engineering students collaborate on kid-friendly project for local nonprofit

Published: May 20, 2019 | 11:51 am | Posted in: Arts & Humanities, Science & Technology

From left to right: Owen Paul, Maddie Wishart, Associate Professor Jonathan Clark and Brianna Wylie show off their mechatronic installation. (Patricia Radulovich).

Engineering and art students might have more in common than people think. This spring, Florida State University brought students from the two disciplines together for a Mechatronic Art class, where they collaborated to design interactive stations for a creative play lab at The Sharing Tree, a local nonprofit. Mechatronics is an engineering field that brings […]

New study could improve understanding of how rare species benefit human beings

Published: May 17, 2019 | 10:22 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Conservationists have long been committed to the preservation of rare plant and animal species — from California’s colossal sequoias to Atlantic bluefin tuna to China’s giant pandas — without having a rigorous system for determining these unique species’ tangible contributions to human well-being. A team of ecologists including Florida State University Assistant Professor Stephanie Pau […]

NASA awards researchers $1.7M grant to develop tools to help Florida water utilities allocate resources

Published: May 15, 2019 | 2:17 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

FSU researchers and collaborators from throughout the state will develop new products that help regional utilities account for climate variation when making important decisions about resource allocation. (Credit: Mark Averette)

Researchers from Florida State University, in partnership with a network of scientists and stakeholders from throughout the state, have been awarded a $1.7 million grant from NASA to develop cutting-edge climate prediction tools that could benefit Florida water supply utilities. Florida State climate experts and their collaborators will use NASA Earth Science satellite and modeling […]

In guppy courtship, the unusual male wins

Published: May 15, 2019 | 9:13 am | Posted in: News, Science & Technology

Professor of Biological Science Kimberly Hughes and postdoctoral researcher Mitchel Daniel examined the reasons behind guppy mating choices.

When it comes to choosing a mate, female guppies often go for the mates with the flashiest, most interesting color patterns. But why is that? Turns out, it’s all about psychology. In a new study, Florida State University researchers found that these tiny, tropical fish often choose a mate that physically stands out from the […]

FSU-developed foam could offer NFL players powerful protection against head injuries

Published: April 24, 2019 | 12:45 pm | Posted in: Science & Technology

Changchun Zeng, an associate professor of engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and a researcher at Florida State's High-Performance Materials Institute.

A next-generation foam technology developed by engineers at Florida State University could soon be a key component in safer and more effective football helmets, thanks to a new grant from the National Football League’s Play Smart. Play Safe. health and safety initiative. The technology, called auxetic foam, was invented by Changchun Zeng, an associate professor […]

FSU researchers find tissue environment plays important role in tumor formation

Published: April 24, 2019 | 11:25 am | Posted in: Science & Technology

Wu-Min Deng, professor of biological science

A team of Florida State University researchers used a simple tumor model to show the importance of tissue microenvironment in primary tumor formation. In the journal Developmental Cell, FSU researchers explain how certain signaling pathways define tumor hotspots, tissue microenvironment favorable for tumorigenesis, and show that simple stimulation of a protein can lead directly to […]