Shark Awareness Day, observed every year on July 14, encourages a better understanding of sharks and the important role they play in healthy marine ecosystems.

Summer fears often focus on shark attacks instead of far more common dangers such as rip currents, extreme heat or even dehydration. On average, shark attacks cause one to two fatalities nationally per year, while rip currents result in more than 100 annual deaths and heat-related illnesses contribute to nearly 2,400 deaths each year, according to 2023 data from the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Florida State University Associate Professor of Psychology David March studies threat perception, or how people judge and respond to danger. He leads the March Research Laboratory that examines how automatic and deliberate thinking shape perception, decision making and behavior. March says people naturally process dramatic events such as shark attacks differently than more common but less visible dangers, shaping how they think about risk before they ever step onto the beach.

“There is an evolved bias toward acute, identifiable physical threats,” March said. “A shark is a clear and imaginable agent of harm. It has teeth, movement, intentional behavior and the capacity to cause immediate bodily harm. In contrast, rip currents and dehydration are more diffuse, gradual and harder to visualize as ‘attackers.’ They do not fit the evolved threat prototype, even though they may be more dangerous in practical terms.”

That imbalance, March said, is especially clear among beachgoers who may understand the ocean more as a place of recreation than as a changing natural environment with less visible risks.

“Threat perception is not simply a response to objective danger. It is shaped by experience, attention, cultural messages and how easily a threat can be imagined,” March added. “For tourists, the beach may feel generally safe and recreational, while the most emotionally available danger is the shark. The result is misallocated fear, leading to vigilance toward the wrong threat and underpreparedness for the risks most likely to cause harm.”

Media interested in interviewing associate professor of psychology David March about the misplaced summer fears of shark attacks may reach out to him via email at march@psy.fsu.edu.

David March, associate professor, Florida State University Department of Psychology

Statistics show shark attacks are rare, yet rip currents and extreme heat claim far more lives. Why do so many people worry more about sharks at the beach?

Sensationalized news coverage contributes to an overperception of how often shark attacks occur. This reflects the availability heuristic: because shark attacks are dramatic and widely reported, examples of them come to mind easily, which makes them feel more common than they actually are. In contrast, dangers like rip currents or dehydration may be statistically more frequent, but they are less likely to receive the same kind of vivid media attention.

This availability effect is paired with the especially vivid and emotionally intense nature of shark attacks. The idea of being attacked by a large predator is easy to imagine, visually graphic, and associated with fear and pain. Those affective reactions can make the risk feel more immediate and serious, even when the actual probability is low. As a result, when someone is at the beach, they may become more vigilant about signs of sharks than about less dramatic but more likely dangers.

Together, media sensationalism, availability, vivid affect, and evolved sensitivity to acute predators prepare us to overperceive the risk of shark attacks, leading to greater concern that is oversized relative to the actual danger. This is especially the case when we are at the place where such a threat may occur.

One behavioral data point suggests that a large portion of rip current fatality victims are out-of-state tourists — many who visit beaches more for leisure. How much does mindset play a role in these types of fatalities, and how does this tie into threat perception overall?

Experience likely plays an important role because it shapes both how people approach the beach and which threats they know how to recognize. Tourists with less regular beach exposure may see the beach primarily as a leisure setting rather than a dynamic natural environment with changing surf, currents, heat and other hazards. They also have fewer ordinary, uneventful beach experiences to counter the cultural narrative that sharks are the major ocean danger. At the same time, they may be less familiar with rip currents, less likely to recognize their warning signs, and less likely to have encountered public messaging that treats them as a serious threat. This stacks the deck toward underperceiving common but less vivid dangers while overperceiving dramatic but rare ones.”

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Mental Health Awareness Month is recognized each May to provide education and reduce the stigma of several disorders. One lesser-known term gaining attention is high-functioning anxiety, which describes people who appear successful and composed while privately struggling with chronic stress, worry and self-doubt.

According to the Mayo Clinic, high-functioning anxiety is associated with generalized anxiety disorder and often goes unnoticed because individuals continue to perform well at work, school or in relationships despite significant internal stress. Florida State University’s Brad Schmidt is the director of the Anxiety & Behavioral Health Clinic, which develops state-of-the-art treatments for individuals suffering from anxiety-related problems. Schmidt’s translational research lab also focuses on the nature, causes, treatment and prevention of anxiety and associated forms of psychopathology, including PTSD, substance use and suicide.

Schmidt says high-functioning anxiety can be difficult to recognize because many people who experience it appear highly capable on the surface.

“One important thing to clarify is that high-functioning anxiety is not a formal diagnosis. It is a way of describing people whose anxiety is largely hidden by outward competence,” Schmidt said. “These individuals may look successful, organized and driven, but internally they experience chronic worry, self-doubt, anticipatory fear, and a persistent sense that they are one mistake away from failure. Basically, it is a term for people who experience anxiety while still appearing outwardly successful or composed.”

Today’s culture often celebrates people who push themselves to succeed, even when that success comes at the expense of their mental health. Schmidt said social media can amplify behaviors commonly associated with anxiety.

“Social media does not typically celebrate anxiety itself, but it does celebrate behaviors that can be anxiety-driven — extreme productivity, relentless ambition and the idea that rest is weakness,” Schmidt added. “The danger is that we confuse high output with psychological health. A person can be achieving at a high level and still be chronically dysregulated, sleep-deprived and unhappy and anxious. In an anxiety clinic, we would ask not only ‘Is the person functioning?’ but ‘What is the cost of them functioning in this way?’

Schmidt is available for interviews on high-functioning anxiety and can be reached via email at schmidt@psy.fsu.edu. As an experienced and highly responsive media subject, Schmidt has appeared in National Geographic, Us Weekly  and other large outlets recently.

Brad Schmidt, director, FSU Anxiety and Behavioral Health Clinic

High-functioning anxiety can be masked easily, especially by individuals who are seen as successful and rewarded in corporate culture. But what are some of the internal dilemmas these individuals experience?

A common dilemma is that the very behaviors that make them look successful —overpreparing, saying yes to everything, working late, being hyperresponsive —may actually be anxiety-management strategies. They reduce anxiety in the short term because the person feels temporarily more in control, but they can reinforce the belief that “I only succeed because I never let up.”

So, the internal conflict is: “I’m being rewarded for the same behaviors that are exhausting me.” The person may receive praise for being dependable or high achieving, while privately experiencing sleep disturbance, muscle tension, irritability, difficulty relaxing, and a narrowed life organized around preventing failure.

How normalized is high-functioning anxiety becoming in today’s competitive landscape?

I would be cautious about saying that high-functioning anxiety itself is becoming normalized, because we don’t really have good research tracking HFA to know how common it is. Anxiety itself is very common. Epidemiological estimates suggest that clinically significant anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses, and so it would follow that many people with significant anxiety are also outwardly successful.

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Florida State University recognized the research contributions and creative work of associate professors with this year’s Developing Scholar Awards.

The awards are sponsored by the Council on Research and Creativity, and they include funding to promote the awardee’s program of research and creativity. Faculty were nominated by their respective academic departments.

“These faculty members exemplify excellence in scholarship, and we congratulate them on this well-earned recognition,” said Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson. “FSU is honored to celebrate their accomplishments and to support their ongoing research and creative work.”

This year’s awardees are:

David Braithwaite, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
In his “Queen of the Sciences” lab, Braithwaite investigates mathematical thinking and logical reasoning and how people learn and develop these skills. Using behavior studies and computational modeling, he aims to improve our understanding of cognitive processes involved in math and logic to advance psychological theory and improve education.

Ravinder Nagpal, Department of Health, Nutrition, and Food Science, Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Nagpal researches the role of the gut microbiome in age-related intestinal and neurocognitive health. His research examines how beneficial and pathogenic microbes and their metabolites function, with the goal of developing nutritional and pharmacological interventions to improve the microbiome and reduce conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

Joel Smith, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences
The Smith Lab is focused on improving synthetic approaches to assemble some of nature’s most complex molecules. Smith and his team investigate the most concise way to assemble naturally occurring molecules, which often inspires the invention of brand-new chemical reactions and improves the synthesis, function, and translational potential of organic molecules and transformations.

Qian Yin, Department of Biological Science, College of Arts & Sciences
Yin studies how individual proteins or protein assemblies intervene in related biological processes such as membrane transport, the innate immune response, and host-pathogen interactions. Her work illuminates the interactions among inflammation, infection, cellular cleanup processes and rearrangement of protein filaments in cells. A recent focus is on the endomembrane system, which is the focal point of both antimicrobial defense and cell maintenance.

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Florida State University Teaching Professor of Psychology Orenda Johnson has been recognized with the university’s most prestigious teaching honor for her sustained excellence in the classroom and her deep commitment to student learning.

Johnson of the College of Arts and Sciences is the recipient of FSU’s 2026-2027 Distinguished Teacher Award, which recognizes faculty who demonstrate long-term excellence in teaching and a lasting impact on their students.

“Professor Johnson is known for creating a highly engaging, student-centered classroom, where complex concepts are broken down clearly and reinforced through active learning, practice and real-world connection,” said Jim Clark, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

Johnson has spent nearly two decades teaching Introduction to Neuroscience, a foundational course that reaches students from across the university. The course serves a wide range of learners, from first-year students to advanced STEM majors, many of whom encounter neuroscience for the first and only time in her classroom. She also teaches upper-division neuroscience courses and a graduate teaching practicum.

“It is a huge honor,” Johnson said of the award. “I’ve worked with so many faculty across the university over the years, and I’m always impressed and inspired by the dedication and thoughtfulness they put into teaching. To be recognized by my colleagues … is really very special.”

She said she approaches teaching as a shared experience between instructor and students.

“I really think of teaching as kind of a collaborative experience with myself and my students,” she said. “I don’t ever want it to be a situation where I just talk at them for a long time. I want the class to be active and conversational.”

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Two Florida State University faculty members have been named among the world’s most highly cited researchers, a distinction that places them in the top 1% of scientists and scholars whose work has had the greatest influence in their fields.

Department of Psychology Professor Thomas Joiner and Department of Geography Professor A. Stewart Fotheringham were recognized by the analytics company Clarivate for producing multiple highly cited papers over the past decade, reflecting exceptional research impact in suicide prevention and spatial data analytics.

The designation identifies researchers whose publications rank in the top 1% by citations for their field and year in the Web of Science Core Collection and is awarded to roughly one in every 1,000 researchers worldwide.

Together, Joiner and Fotheringham exemplify FSU’s growing research profile, with scholarship that informs clinical practice, public policy and real-world decision making.

Thomas Joiner
Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology
Director, FSU Psychology Lab

Joiner’s research spans psychology, neurobiology and clinical treatment, with an emphasis on understanding the mechanisms that lead to suicide and identifying effective strategies for prevention across diverse populations, including military personnel and first responders. He is known for developing and empirically testing the interpersonal theory of suicide, a foundational framework in contemporary suicide research.

At FSU, Joiner directs the Laboratory for the Study and Prevention of Suicide-Related Conditions and Behaviors, where faculty, clinicians and students collaborate on research examining suicidal ideation and diagnoses and safety around access to lethal means. His work at the university also extends to large-scale, federally funded initiatives, including his role as co-director of the Department of Defense-funded Military Suicide Research Consortium, which is focused on reducing suicide risk among service members.

Joiner’s influence extends beyond academia into clinical practice and public health policy, reshaping how suicide risk is understood and addressed.

“Thomas is not only a prolific researcher, but his work has profoundly influenced practicing clinicians,” said Brad Schmidt, chair of the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts & Sciences. “We are doing a better job assessing for suicide and bringing it out of the shadows because of the bright light that Thomas has shone on it with his theory and empirical work over his career. His research, including the many students he has inspired, has substantially influenced the way we think about, assess and treat suicide risk.”

A. Stewart Fotheringham
Krafft Professor of Spatial Data Science, Department of Geography
Director, Spatial Data Science Center

A. Stewart Fotheringham is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a pioneer in the application of advanced statistical and computational methods to spatial data. His research focuses on how location and spatial relationships shape social, economic and health-related outcomes, with widely recognized contributions to spatial interaction modeling and local statistical analysis.

At FSU, Fotheringham is the founding director of the Spatial Data Science Center in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, where he leads interdisciplinary research that applies spatial analytics to real-world challenges including public health, crime patterns, migration, urban development and the environment.

“Stewart has transformed how researchers and policymakers understand the role of location in complex societal issues,” said Anne Chin, chair of the Department of Geography. “His innovative work in spatial data analytics has not only advanced our tools, but it has also provided practical insights into a range of issues that include public health, urban development and social patterns. Through his research and mentorship, Stewart has shaped a generation of scholars and left a lasting mark on the field of geography. The advances and approaches that he has championed will continue to lead us into meeting the global challenges of tomorrow.”

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Love takes center stage every Valentine’s Day. But for many, connections are becoming embraced over commitment.

The modern dating scene is seeing a rise in ‘situationships,’ defined as relationships that are characterized by passion and intimacy but lacking formal commitment. These types of relationships are more common today than in the past, particularly among younger generations.

Florida State University’s Andrea Meltzer is the social psychology area director and a professor within the Department of Psychology. Her research uniquely integrates relationship science and evolutionary psychology to examine how evolved processes shape our closest relationships.

While it’s hard to select the single biggest driver of the rise in situationships among younger people, Meltzer points to individuals’ perception of availability as a big reason for the trend.

“We know from relationship science that, regardless of how happy people are in their relationships, the relative comparison of what people are getting out of their relationships versus what people think they could get outside of that partnership predict the extent to which they are committed,” Meltzer said.

Meltzer is head of The Attractions and Close Relationships (ACR) Lab at FSU. She utilizes both experimental and longitudinal methods and often draws from an evolutionary perspective to better understand established romantic relationships.

She asserts that social media is at the heart of modern dating habits.

“In our fast-paced, technology-drenched modern world, the available options seem endless,” Meltzer added. “When young people spend hours on their phones scrolling social media and dating apps, they are exposed to an endless stream of attractive others. Even if those attractive others are not realistically obtainable (because they live far away or because they are strangers), we likely unconsciously process those others as ‘potential options,’ driving lower commitment in our face-to-face relationships.”

For media interested in discussing the rise of situationships heading into Valentine’s Day, Andrea Meltzer is available for interviews. Requests can be made by contacting her via email at meltzer@psy.fsu.edu.

Andrea Meltzer, social psychology area director, Department of Psychology

What do you see as the main pros and cons of situationships?

Situationships can offer people many of the benefits of more committed relationships. They provide companionship, intimacy and emotional and physical support. Nevertheless, there is a growing literature demonstrating that such situationships are less satisfying than relationships characterized by more commitment. Furthermore, their ambiguity is associated with hypervigilance, lower self-esteem and poorer well-being (especially if the situationship ends and their partner “ghosts” them).

Talk about the role that dating apps have in this trend

I do think dating apps play a notable role. People who scroll these apps think their available options are endless. Even if they have considered all potential partners in a given area, they can expand their search to a wider area, offering more options. To me, social media plays an even bigger role. Compared to 10 minutes on a dating app, people are exposed to significantly more attractive people when endlessly scrolling on TikTok for 10 minutes.

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The public health crisis of drug abuse and addiction, now understood to be a chronic, treatable brain disorder, has affected society for centuries. In 2024, more than 46 million people in the U.S. had a substance use disorder, yet only 3.5% of them received treatment.

In addition to treatment options such as behavioral therapy and medication, a person’s social context has a significant influence on whether they will actively avoid drugs. Social groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous provide support to those overcoming substance abuse disorders, but support outside of these groups also has a major impact.

Florida State University researchers have been awarded a $3.7 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the National Institutes of Health, to investigate the effect of peer partners on facilitating drug avoidance and reducing the desire to seek out drugs. Leading the five-year project are Mohamed Kabbaj, professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Medicine, and Zuoxin Wang, professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences. They will investigate the foundational neural interactions influencing drug- and social-reward interaction.

“It’s well known that drug abuse is a serious worldwide public health problem for humans and that social affiliation and context can have profound effects on preventing and reducing drug use and dependence,” Wang said. “Unfortunately, the underlying neurochemical mechanism is still largely unknown.”

Our brains have evolved to reinforce and encourage life-sustaining behaviors through the brain’s reward pathway known as the mesolimbic system. When we experience things that give us pleasure — eating food, exercising, listening to music and other natural rewards — our brains release dopamine, an important hormone that helps us associate pleasurable activities with positive feelings.

“Because oxytocin is so important for social connections, it makes us wonder: What’s really going on in the brain that makes social interactions feel rewarding — and how does that affect whether people use or steer clear of drugs?”

– Mohamed Kabbaj, professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Medicine

When someone abuses substances like drugs, their brain reward pathway is hijacked — the neural circuitry that has evolved to enhance associative learning instead produces pleasurable feelings related to drug use, reinforcing the individual’s desire to continue using the substance.

“On the other hand, positive social interaction, such as maintaining strong social bonds, is critical and beneficial as it can have profound effects on our brain and behaviors to prevent and reduce the negative impacts on drug use from a person’s social environment,” Wang said.

Researchers will analyze a model centered on strong social preferences and focus on amphetamine or AMPH, one of the most abused drugs worldwide according to the NIH. They’ll investigate how AMPH use impairs social affiliation, how social affiliation facilitates AMPH extinction — one’s willingness to resist the drug even in its presence — and the role of the neurochemical oxytocin in mediating these drug- and social- reward interactions.

“Hanging out with a partner or friend boosts dopamine release in specific brain areas, hitting the same spots that light up when using drugs,” Kabbaj said. “AMPH tends to reduce social behaviors and bonding, but being around someone you’re close to can actually weaken the brain’s response to drugs. Because oxytocin is so important for social connections, it makes us wonder: What’s really going on in the brain that makes social interactions feel rewarding — and how does that affect whether people use or steer clear of drugs?”

The longtime collaborators will investigate the nucleus accumbens, a brain structure where dopamine is released and plays a major role in reward and motivation, and the interaction between oxytocin and dopamine at the molecular level. Oxytocin and dopamine are both neurotransmitters that facilitate communication among neurons throughout the body.

“We believe the nucleus accumbens is where oxytocin and dopamine work together to regulate this close interaction between social behaviors and drug of abuse,” Kabbaj said. “These neurotransmitters work within a brain circuit that includes the nucleus accumbens, and we plan to isolate the roles of these various brain circuits to understand the dampening effects of social behaviors on the development and extinction of drug addiction.”

Understanding the brain mechanisms behind how social behaviors impact drug addiction can lead to novel therapies including pharmacological therapy and new therapies based on how social support and social interactions influence drug use.

To learn more about research conducted in the Wang Lab, visit fla.st/BR4LINE1. For more on the Kabbaj Lab in the College of Medicine, visit fla.st/36IF0YPF.

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Annie English, a criminology and psychology student in the Florida State University Honors Program is an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) leader, IDEA Grant recipient and Honors in the Major student. English uses her research experiences and involvement at FSU to teach and mentor fellow undergraduates about research.

As a leader in her sorority, she gives back to the FSU community by helping her fellow sorority sisters with community engagement, academic resources and finding opportunities at FSU. Through research and leadership, English’s commitment to service remains a highlight of her FSU experience.

Why did you choose to attend FSU?

From a young age, I knew I wanted to spend my life studying the criminal mind. I have encouraging parents who stopped at nothing to help me follow my dreams and foster my curiosity. In high school, when it came time to search for colleges, I discovered that FSU had one of the top criminology programs in the country. FSU quickly became my dream.

I heard stories from friends and family about the many academic opportunities that FSU had to offer, so FSU seemed like the obvious choice. I was admitted for the summer term and never looked back. I feel attending FSU was never a “choice” for me; it was always the goal.

What academic achievements are you most proud of?

I participated in UROP during my second year at FSU. I worked with a faculty mentor to conduct research about the presence of hostile men in online communities. I had the privilege of presenting our work at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in spring 2024. UROP increased my involvement at FSU and improved skills that led me to new opportunities.

After participating in UROP, I was empowered to further involve myself in undergraduate research. I am working on an Honors in the Major project on how perceptions of juvenile deviance are influenced by music genre preferences. I received an IDEA Grant to fund my research, and I am grateful for the guidance and support of so many incredible and intelligent mentors and faculty.

How have you served the FSU community?

The first significant contribution I feel I have made to FSU is my involvement in the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement (CRE) as a UROP leader. For the past two semesters, I have taught a UROP colloquium of students eager to get involved in research at FSU.

Beyond academics, I also was selected by the executive board of my sorority, Chi Omega, to serve as the 2025 Director of Career and Personal Development (CPD). This role gives me the opportunity to assist my sisters as they navigate their undergraduate experiences. The day-to-day workload as the CPD director involves individual advising, where I help them with resume writing, LinkedIn profiles, class schedules, financial literacy and personal well-being.

Working as the CPD director has allowed me to not only learn how to help in many situations, but it has also been a reminder that spending time with others in different fields is beneficial, and that there is so much to learn.

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As Florida State University celebrates the summer class of 2025, more than 2,850 graduates are stepping into the next chapter of their lives, joining a global network of over 407,000 FSU alumni.

This summer, the university will award 1,692 bachelor’s degrees, 881 master’s and specialist degrees, 183 doctoral degrees, 4 Juris Doctor degrees, 93 Juris Master’s degrees, and 2 LLM degrees. Roughly 1,850 graduates will participate in person, marking a proud moment for the FSU community.

This summer’s graduates have had a variety of experiences, mentors and moments that shaped their individual academic journeys. From groundbreaking research to personal transformation, these stories reflect the resilience, curiosity and drive that define the spirit of FSU.

Miguel Garcia-Salas is graduating with a doctorate from FSU’s School of Communication Science and Disorders. His work focused on speech-language pathology with an emphasis on family-centered interventions.

During his time at FSU, Garcia-Salas published in top-tier journals, presented at national American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) conferences, earned multiple awards and taught undergraduate courses.

A highlight of his research was the development of the DREAM Program, Dialogic Reading Education through Accessible Modules. This online initiative helps families implement dialogic reading, a proven technique that fosters language development through interactive storybook reading. Garcia-Salas piloted the program with 42 families and reported promising outcomes in his dissertation.

Beyond academics, Garcia-Salas raised his young family in Tallahassee, an experience he describes as deeply meaningful.

“This is all my family knows, this FSU community,” Garcia-Salas said. “The FSU Childcare and Early Learning Program, the Florida Center for Reading Research my school, the library and university grants have all played a role in helping me balance fatherhood and scholarship.”

After graduation, Garcia-Salas will join the University of Arkansas as an assistant professor. He plans to continue working with historically underserved families and community organizations to promote language and literacy development through home-based interventions.

Carlton Wier, a Marine Corps veteran born and raised in Tallahassee, is graduating this semester with a degree in interdisciplinary social science from Florida State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy.

Wier chose to attend FSU for its tradition, culture and the outstanding reputation of the Student Veterans Center.

“It is an honor to walk in this semester’s commencement ceremony and join close relatives as Florida State alumni,” Wier said. “The history, culture, tradition and the people I had the privilege to meet set Florida State apart.”

During his time at FSU, Wier found support through the Student Veterans Center, which he described as a model of integrity, inclusion and expertise in navigating VA benefits.

“The Student Veterans Center is an example of what selfless service truly means,” he said. “It improves character, performance and confidence in a veteran experiencing college life after and during military service.”

He said he will miss the staff, facilities, athletics, academics, professors, students and alumni most from his time at FSU.

After graduation, Wier plans to start a business or organization dedicated to supporting veterans, law enforcement, first responders and their families with a broader mission to serve the community in any way possible.

“I look forward to continuing to uphold the title and responsibility that comes with being a graduate of Florida State University,” he said. “Go Noles!”

Zahria Moore, a first-generation college graduate from Boca Raton, Florida, is earning her degree in criminology with a minor in African American studies from Florida State University’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Moore chose Florida State for its standout academic programs and vibrant campus life. Criminology, one of FSU’s top-ranked majors, caught her attention early on, but it was the university’s spirit and support systems that made it feel like home.

“My journey has been very unique and challenging,” Moore said. “Walking in this commencement ceremony is something I’ve always dreamt of, but never fully imagined happening until this week. Getting the email that I would graduate made my heart do a backflip.”

Throughout her time at FSU, Moore found a strong sense of community through the Unconquered Scholars Program and CARE (Center for Academic Retention & Enhancement). These programs provided her with more than just academic support—they gave her a village.

“These programs feel like drinking from a wishing well,” Moore said during her keynote address at the 2025 Unconquered Scholars Awareness Banquet. “Everything that I wanted, everything that I came to college looking for, I found in this remarkable program and these amazing people. My family, my home away from home, my safe space, my confidants.”

Moore’s proudest accomplishment was not only growing within the Unconquered Scholars Program but also helping it grow. Serving on the executive board became a defining part of her college experience.

“Joining the board was possibly one of the best things I could have done in my college career,” she said.

When she reflects on her time at FSU, Moore lights up at the memory of football season and spontaneous campus events.

“Something I love about FSU is the spirit of football season. It unites everyone—no matter who you are or where you came from,” she said. “And I’ll miss the random events on Landis. Waking up to a carnival being built genuinely made me smile.”

After graduation, Moore will begin her career as a youth counselor at a juvenile detention center in New Hampshire—her first step toward a long-term goal of positively impacting the criminal justice system.

“I earned this,” she said. “And I’m excited for everyone to see that.”

Alison Cole has always been drawn to the roar of engines. Growing up in Jupiter, Florida, she was captivated by a nearby facility that assembled and tested military helicopters.

“I grew up down the street from where they built the Blackhawks, and I’d always watch them get tested, and you could hear the engines going,” Cole said. “It was just really fascinating to me.”

That early fascination led her to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration at FSU, which she will receive this month. After graduation, she will work in Orlando for Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control department.

Cole credits her success to the support she received from professors and mentors, especially Larry Giunipero, one of the nation’s top supply chain experts.

“Without Dr. Larry Giunipero, I don’t know where I would be,” she said. “His connections and his love of the supply chain really helped me focus on where I wanted to go after graduation.”

Giunipero praised Cole’s intelligence, business acumen and drive, noting her potential to help solve complex supply chain challenges.

Cole said her MBA experience helped her understand business dynamics and corporate strategy, giving her the tools to navigate the professional world.

Outside of academics, Cole recently completed the London Marathon, a personal milestone she describes as one of her proudest accomplishments.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve probably ever had to accomplish, but I’m really proud that I did that,” she said.

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Study supports utilizing weight history assessment for eating disorders and shows pivotal role of GLP-1 in link between weight loss and binge eating severity

A groundbreaking study from Florida State University has uncovered the biological and behavioral consequences of weight loss that underlie binge eating in women with bulimia nervosa and related syndromes.

Led by Pamela Keel, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor in FSU’s Department of Psychology, the study reveals the roles of the hormones leptin and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) for understanding excessive food intake in binge eating among women.

“When somebody loses weight, they put themselves in this ‘psychobiological bind,’” Keel said. “We live in a culture that values weight loss, so psychologically, you’re motivated to keep the weight off. But biologically, your body is not designed to maintain that weight loss. Caught between a desire to be thin and strong urges to eat more food, weight suppression could trap people in cycles of bingeing and purging.”

WHY IT MATTERS

The study highlights the concept of weight suppression — the difference between a person’s highest and current weight — and how it affects hormone levels.

The researchers found that greater weight suppression is associated with reduced levels of leptin, and lower leptin was further associated with reduced release of the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 after eating. Both hormones play key roles in appetite regulation.

Leptin, primarily released from fat tissue, signals the brain about the body’s energy reserves, while GLP-1, secreted by the intestinal tract in response to food intake, helps signal the brain when enough food has been consumed. The study showed that lower GLP-1 response was associated with needing to eat more food to feel satiated, which was linked to more severe binge episodes.

“Prior to this research, the middle of the equation – GLP-1 and satiation deficits – was completely missing, and that missing part is crucial for advancing treatment for bulimia and related disorders,” Keel said.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT

The research underscores the importance of assessing weight history in addition to current weight in patients with eating disorders and shows that drugs that affect GLP-1 receptor agonists, initially approved by the FDA for type 2 diabetes and, more recently, for weight loss, could have potential applications in managing binge eating.

“Our study offers novel insights as the first project to link biological consequences of weight loss, namely lower leptin and reduced GLP-1, to eating larger amounts of food, which is a core feature of binge eating,” said co-author Lindsay Bodell, a professor in the Department of Psychology at Western University in Ontario, Canada. “These findings point to new directions for treatment, offering hope to those affected by eating disorders.”

The article also discusses the need for further investigation of GLP-1 medication misuse as an eating disorder symptom and describes cognitive-behavioral therapy as a first-line treatment for bulimia and related disorders.

The study included nearly 400 women with various weights with a range of eating disorders involving recurrent binge eating as well as women without eating disorders. This approach was designed to identify mechanisms underlying binge eating across diagnoses of anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder and other specified feeding and eating disorders to have the broadest impact possible.

FUNDING AND MORE INFORMATION

This research was funded by a $2.1 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, to investigate biobehavioral predictors of bulimia. Additional support was provided by Florida State University through an award from the U.S. Department of Education Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.

For more information about Keel’s research, visit her lab’s website. For more about FSU’s Department of Psychology, visit psychology.fsu.edu.

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Six Florida State University researchers have been named to the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida in recognition of their extraordinary research accomplishments.

“These six researchers are outstanding faculty members who have made significant contributions to their fields,” said FSU Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson. “We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and congratulate them on being named to the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida.”

Founded in 2018, the academy studies issues in science, engineering and medicine of interest to the people of Florida and provides unbiased, expert advice related to these issues.

To be selected, individuals must live and work in Florida, be nominated by a current ASEMFL member and have an outstanding record of accomplishments of international significance.

The researchers will be inducted into ASEMFL at the organization’s annual conference in November.

The six FSU researchers are:

Angelina Sutin
Sutin is a professor of behavioral sciences and social medicine in the FSU College of Medicine who studies the psychological and social factors that contribute to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. She has brought in more than $11 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health and is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the Gerontological Society of America.

Christopher Patrick
Patrick is a Distinguished Research Professor and the director of clinical training in the Department of Psychology. His research focuses on psychopathy, antisocial behavior, substance abuse and personality. He is the author of over 380 published works and editor of the Handbook of Psychopathy. He has served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Society for Scientific Study of Psychopathy and has received lifetime contribution awards from both organizations.

Igor Alabugin
A member of the FSU faculty since 2000, Alabugin is a Distinguished Research Professor whose work bridges synthetic and theoretical organic chemistry. His research group is known for integrating experimental and theoretical approaches to discover new reactions, reveal hidden stereoelectronic effects and design unusual molecules with applications for molecular electronics. In 2023, Alabugin received the Southern Chemist Award from the American Chemical Society for his pioneering contributions to organic chemistry.

Joseph Schlenoff
Schlenoff, a Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Research Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, specializes in polymer and materials science research, with a focus in polyelectrolytes. He served as chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry from 2007 to 2011, and he was named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2023.

Richard Liang
Liang is the Sprint Eminent Scholar Chair Professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the associate dean for research.  He also serves as the director of the FSU High-Performance Materials Institute. His research experience and expertise are in the areas of advanced composites, multifunctional nanomaterials and thin carbon nanotube materials, including synthesis, chemical functionalization, processing-structure-property relationships and multiscale characterization and manufacturing process modeling. He has published more than 175 journal articles and holds 40 U.S. patents for his work. He was named to the National Academy of Inventors in 2021.

Robert Schurko
Schurko is a leading authority in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Since 2020, he has served as director of the NMR/MRI User Program at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory — the world’s only open-access facility of its kind. In this role, he guides the scientific direction of the program, oversees a multidisciplinary team of more than 25 staff scientists and engineers and supports over 300 users annually from around the globe.

For more information, visit the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida.

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