“I admired how FSU seemed to foster growth and embrace student learning.”
Fast Facts
- Studying Abroad: Studied abroad during first semester at FSU London
- Musicality: Played saxophone for 10 years
- Traveling: Has visited 10 countries
- Hobbies: Reading, writing and cooking
- Favorite FSU Event: Seeing Faye Webster at a Club Downunder concert
Genessa Dulcio is a civil engineering major and part of the Engineering Ambassadors Network at Florida State University. She is the winner of the Spring 2025 Civil and Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Research Award for her work in wind engineering and computational fluid dynamics models.
Her research, mentored by Assistant Professor Fernandez-Caban from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, enhanced her love of engineering research and inspired Dulcio to continue research into her future career.
Dulcio serves in the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) as the fall regional conference chair where she supervised all conference planning efforts and directives for the region’s 2025 conference.
She also serves as president of the Caribbean Student Association.
Why did you choose to attend Florida State University?
FSU was a perfect fit and the obvious choice for me. I’ve always been an adventurous person, and I wanted a larger school with enough room to grow so I didn’t go stir crazy. I had been exploring different schools, but I admired how FSU seemed to foster growth and embrace student learning.
Programs like the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and Global Scholars seemed to really be geared toward getting students out of their comfort zone and pushing them academically. It was a comforting thought to see that I could end up somewhere that would satiate my desire to constantly be learning something new and doing something different. When I came on a tour, I fell in love with the campus and energy of everyone I met and knew I’d have a great time here.
What academic achievements have you accomplished at FSU?
One of my proudest academic accomplishments was winning the Spring 2025 Civil and Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Research Award. Coming into college, I had high school teachers tell me to get into research because they thought that type of environment suited me; but truthfully, I had no clue what research would actually look like.
I took the initiative to research civil and environmental engineering professors and staff to find someone doing work in a subject I found cool and relevant. I found Assistant Professor Fernandez-Caban, who allowed me to shadow some of the projects he was working on.
That work inspired me to dive deeper into my research, so together we developed a personal research project for me to independently pursue. Now, that project is focused on wind engineering and computational fluid dynamics models, and it makes me excited for all my future research. To have a project that not only I can call my own, but that has already been recognized for excellence among my peers has given me confidence to continue in research.
How do you serve the FSU community?
My two most significant leadership contributions would be to the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). I’ve been involved in CSA as Miss CSA, the secretary and now the president. In NSBE, I served as the hospitality and entertainment coordinator for the 2024 Region 3 conference planning committee and now serve on the regional board as the fall regional conference chair.
Both organizations are important to me because they’ve offered amazing opportunities for growth and leadership. They also connect me with students who understand my struggles, background and that will offer unrelenting support. In return, for the priceless bonds and knowledge both CSA and NSBE have offered me, I’ve had the chance to shape these organizations and create a lasting impact for future students to be embraced in the same way I was.