College of Arts and Sciences

FSU English professor wins prestigious Chicago Folklore Prize for Boxing Day monograph

Seventeen years ago, Professor of English Jerrilyn McGregory traveled to the Bahamas to observe the traditional Junkanoo Parade on Boxing Day. She was particularly taken by the expressive style of drumming she heard performed throughout the day. Later, McGregory asked one of her students to describe Boxing Day, to which the student replied, “it’s one […]

Here comes the sun: Research team mimics nature to create hydrogen fuel

The best answers to scientific questions can often be found in nature. A team of scientists from Florida State University and University of South Carolina have found a way to mimic photosynthesis — converting light energy into chemical fuel in the lab. Their study is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. “One […]

FSU geologist available to comment on Mauna Loa eruption

The Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on the planet, is erupting for the first time since 1984. Vincent Salters, director of the Geochemistry Program at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University, is available to speak to media about the geology behind this eruption. Vincent Salters, professor in the […]

Seeing through her subject: FSU graduate student finds passion in study of fluorescent frogs

Courtney Whitcher always loved biology and learning about how things work. Little did she know that she’d find an interest in the world of biofluorescence and the world of amphibians. “And then a biofluorescent frog brought my two worlds together,” she said. Whitcher indeed has hopped into a glowing field as a doctoral candidate in […]

FSU researchers find decrease in crucial trace element preceded ancient mass extinction

A decline in the element molybdenum across the planet’s oceans preceded a significant extinction event approximately 183 million years ago, new research from Florida State University shows. The decrease may have contributed to the mass extinction, in which up to 90% of species in the oceans perished, and it suggests that much more organic carbon […]

FSU researchers: Rapid fluctuations in oxygen levels coincided with Earth’s first mass extinction

Rapid changes in marine oxygen levels may have played a significant role in driving Earth’s first mass extinction, according to a new study led by Florida State University researchers. About 443 million years ago, life on Earth was undergoing the Late Ordovician mass extinction, or LOME, which eliminated about 85% of marine species. Scientists have […]

FSU chemistry doctoral student receives Department of Energy research award to build safer, better batteries

People use lithium-ion batteries every day to power devices from toys to smartphones to electric vehicles and more, but organic liquid materials used to design these batteries are extremely flammable under certain conditions. A Florida State University doctoral student working to replace these materials with safer alternatives will get the chance to further this work […]

FSU biological scientist named president-elect of Animal Behavior Society

A Florida State University biologist has been named president-elect of the Animal Behavior Society, a prominent professional organization that advances research and education in the field of animal behavior. Professor of Biological Science Emily DuVal will take over as president in 2026. “I’m humbled and inspired by this election,” DuVal said. “Being president of the […]

FSU Winthrop-King Institute presents ‘Global Africas’ symposium on history and culture of Senegal

Florida State University’s Winthrop-King Institute for Contemporary French and Francophone Studies will welcome French and Senegalese distinguished scholars and well-known artists for a two-day symposium examining the legacies and culture of Senegal. “Senegal: Past and/as Present [Sénégal passé/present]” takes place Thursday, Nov. 3, and Friday, Nov. 4, at the FSU Museum of Fine Arts. The […]

FAMU-FSU Engineering, FSU Statistics researchers use artificial intelligence to analyze human work performance

Researchers from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the Florida State University Department of Statistics are teaming up in a National Science Foundation-funded study that could help people perform better in manufacturing and other industries that rely on humans. Chiwoo Park, an associate professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, and Anuj Srivastava, a professor […]

FSU assistant professor earns early career award from Geological Society of America

When Florida State University Assistant Professor Richard Bono was deciding what part of geology to focus on, he learned about the field of geophysics and geodynamics — the science of how the Earth changes over time. “I knew that was something I could keep coming back to,” Bono said. “It’s like a puzzle that changes […]