“FSU truly shined as a one-of-a-kind school where I could achieve both my academic and athletic aspirations.”
Fast Facts
- Water lover: Was a 10-meter platform diver on FSU’s women’s swimming and diving team
- Favorite place on campus: Keen Building fountain
- Daredevil: Went skydiving for her birthday
- Baker: Made 14+ cheesecakes her junior year
- Bi-coastal: Lived in San Clemente, California, up until college
A dynamic blend of academic achievement, athletic dedication and community engagement has marked Skylar Ruffner’s Florida State University journey.
Initially drawn to FSU by the opportunity to pursue academic and athletic goals, her involvement in the university’s Honors Program and Women’s Swimming and Diving team has been transformative.
Ruffner’s immersion in research, particularly within the Hammock Lab, has yielded significant contributions to the field of neuroscience. Her work focuses on oxytocin’s role in postnatal brain development.
Additionally, she has made substantial community contributions through her role as a volunteer diving coach and her involvement in the pre-medical chapter of Phi Delta Epsilon, FL Zeta, where she serves as historian.
Through her multifaceted endeavors, Ruffner exemplifies a commitment to excellence, service and scholarly inquiry that enriches both the FSU community and the broader Tallahassee area.
How did diving impact your decision to come to FSU?
I was recruited to FSU as a 10-meter platform diver. I chose to attend the university after learning about the plethora of academic opportunities available and the outstanding athletic community at FSU. I was particularly impressed with FSU’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and the amazing faculty within the neuroscience department. Through my experiences both in the recruiting process and applying for the Honors Program, FSU truly shined as a one-of-a-kind school where I could achieve both my academic and athletic aspirations. Although moving across the country was a difficult journey, I am beyond grateful for the opportunities I have had through FSU and have thoroughly enjoyed my experience as both a student and athlete.
How has the Honors Program contributed to your academic pursuits?
My most significant research project while at FSU is my honors thesis under associate professor of psychology Dr. Elizabeth Hammock, within the Hammock Social Neuroscience Lab. I have been a part of the Hammock Lab since the Summer 2022 semester and have helped in various research projects during my time while learning new laboratory skills and molecular techniques. Through the Honors in the Major Program, my research focuses on oxytocin (OXT) as a modulator of experience-dependent development through social touch circuitry. Our research has implications for when there are deficits in OXT signaling, which may be connected to atypical sensory-social responses associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Through the Honors in the Major Program, I have received the Bess H. Ward Honors Thesis Award, which provides funding to cover expenses for my project. I also have been nominated to be endorsed as a candidate for the Barry Goldwater Fellowship by FSU. The Goldwater Fellowship provides scholarships to students who intend to pursue a research career in natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. Being endorsed as a candidate by FSU has provided me the opportunity to expand upon my research interests with the intent of pursuing a Ph.D. or MD-Ph.D. in neurobiology.
Furthermore, I have been a volunteer research assistant within the Eckel Neuroscience Lab, where my foundation of behavioral neuroscience techniques has grown under Lisa Eckel’s guidance, a psychology professor in the College of Arts & Sciences. The research project I am currently involved in focuses on the role of estrogen in attenuating weight gain and women’s health.
How has your research had a positive impact?
The research I have conducted through the UROP and Honors in the Major programs has positively contributed to FSU and the Tallahassee community at large. Through UROP, the research I conducted under Dr. Taryn Wade, program manager for the Steacy-Compton lab, investigated the effects of shared reading on preschool-aged children at risk for language delays. During this study, Dr. Wade and I would go to a local preschool to read story books and simultaneously analyze the children for specific behavioral markers. This allowed us to help children with developmental delays and potentially analyze how we may improve their vocabulary development through the shared reading strategy.
Furthermore, my work within the Hammock Lab has allowed me to conduct high-quality research that supports the social and developmental neuroscience research community. Through my experiences in the Hammock Lab, I have become a mentor to other undergraduate students interested in pursuing a research career. I support my peers by teaching them the laboratory techniques I have learned while working under Dr. Hammock.
How do you give back to the community and stay involved in service-oriented activities?
Beyond the classroom, I was a part of the FSU Women’s Swimming and Diving team (August 2021 – August 2023), where I competed at the Division 1 level as a 10-meter platform diver.
During my time as a student athlete, I devoted 20+ hours a week to practice, competition, athletic training and other athletics-related activities. Additionally, I was involved in numerous community service projects organized under the FSU Swimming and Diving team, such as serving as a volunteer assistant diving coach for the FSU Tomahawk Diving team. I have been responsible for coaching children ages 7-13 and being a mentor through both physical and mental challenges during their diving practices. I have devoted over 50+ hours to coaching for the Tomahawk Diving team. This experience provided me the opportunity to instruct children on how to navigate the innate fear interwoven into the sport of diving, allowing me to give back to the community while growing as a mentor to others.
Additionally, I am a part of the pre-medical chapter of Phi Delta Epsilon, Florida Zeta, and am currently in a chair position as the historian. Phi Delta Epsilon is an international organization that partners with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals as a service partner. Through the FL Zeta chapter, I participate in many fundraising and volunteer events and discuss opportunities within the medical field. As historian, my role is to maintain a record of all events and chapter meetings for 2024 while also regularly updating our social media accounts.