Kennedy Hewitt is committed to making public health more accessible through community service and leadership. Her outreach efforts have helped connect Florida State University students and residents to better health resources.

As a graduate and teaching assistant in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy’s Public Health program, Hewitt helps students navigate their academic paths. She helped organize the Public Health Professions Conference, which brought together over 300 students and professionals from across Florida to share ideas and build connections.

Through Ability 1st, a nonprofit that supports people with disabilities, Hewitt helped build wheelchair ramps across Tallahassee. She also collaborated with the Department of Urban & Regional Planning to develop a cultural resource center for the Frenchtown community.

Why did you choose to attend Florida State University?

From the moment I toured the campus, I knew Florida State University was where I was meant to be. The welcoming community and opportunities for growth immediately stood out to me. FSU’s commitment to innovation, leadership and service inspired me to push myself and pursue my passions. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I wanted to continue learning, growing and making an impact, which led me to apply to the Master of Public Health program. This program has empowered me to become a stronger advocate for health equity and community well-being.

What have been your most valuable academic experiences?

Serving on the planning team for FSU’s annual Public Health Professions Conference has strengthened my leadership, collaboration and professional skills. I managed finances, outreach, sponsorships and promotion of the event to ensure a strong turnout and engagement. This experience enhanced my organization and communication skills while teaching me how collaboration is essential to public health education.

I worked on an interdisciplinary project with the Department of Urban & Regional Planning to develop a new cultural resource center for the Frenchtown community. Our team partnered with local leaders and residents to build a center that reflects the community’s heritage, needs and future. This project taught me the importance of community-based planning and inclusive public health initiatives. These experiences were instrumental in shaping my commitment to fostering equity, sustainability and empowerment within the communities I serve.

How have you given back to your community?

I serve the Tallahassee community through leadership and volunteering that reflect my passion for health equity. As treasurer of the Master of Public Health Student Association, I managed the budget and coordinated volunteer events, socials and professional development seminars.

Volunteering with Ability 1st reinforced my belief in the importance of accessibility and inclusion. I also worked at the Florida Department of Health in the STD Surveillance section as a data analyst, where I completed a 10-year epidemiological study on trends of congenital syphilis across the state of Florida. I examined patterns of race and ethnicity, if there was any drug use present, and if these cases could have been prevented. I helped the STD Surveillance team conclude why we are seeing this increase in cases and how we can make an impact.

These experiences have strengthened my leadership and deepened my commitment to serving others.

How have you seen the impact of your work on the Tallahassee community?

As a graduate assistant, I worked with the accreditation coordinator to collect and analyze data that supports continuous improvement of FSU’s public health programs. My work helped enhance academic standards and ensure future students receive a rigorous education.

As a teaching assistant, I mentor and assist undergraduate students, helping them understand complex public health concepts, guiding them through coursework and encouraging their academic and professional growth. I have created an inclusive and supportive learning environment that encourages student success. My involvement in community projects, such as volunteering with Ability 1st and collaborating with the Frenchtown community, has strengthened ties between FSU and the local community. These experiences reflect my dedication to advancing education, equity and public service, while upholding the values that make FSU a leader in academic excellence.

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Three Florida State University students — Jonus Goldstein, Max Harden and Matthew John Aguilera — have been named 2025 Humanities at Hertog Fellows, selected from a competitive cohort of students from various elite institutions.

The Humanities at Hertog Fellowship, a prestigious and new opportunity offered through FSU’s Office of National Fellowships, provides a fully subsidized program that enables fellows to immerse themselves in rigorous academic inquiry through online seminars and summer programs in the humanities, law and international affairs.

During the spring 2025 semester, the Hertog Fellows participated in a six-week online seminar focusing on Thucydides’ “History of the Peloponnesian War.”

“We are incredibly proud of these students for their selection as Humanities at Hertog Fellows,” said Ryan Owens, director of FSU’s Institute for Governance and Civics. “This recognition confirms FSU’s commitment to academic excellence and shows the importance of studying topics like western civilization and the ideas that underlie America’s foundation.”  

Jonus Goldstein, a sophomore from New Port Richey, Florida, is pursuing a dual degree in management information systems and political science with a minor in urban and regional planning.

At FSU, Goldstein excels in civic leadership. He serves in student government, works part-time as a legislative aide in the Florida Senate, and works as an Institute Assistant at the Institute for Governance and Civics. He also completed fellowships through FSU’s Sustainable Campus, where he led solar and electric vehicle infrastructure projects.

Competing with students from universities such as Yale and Stanford, he credited FSU’s support in being selected for the Hertog Fellowship.

“Having faculty and staff who take the time to mentor students, connect us with opportunities, and say: ‘you should go for this’ makes all the difference,” Goldstein said.

Goldstein emphasized the intellectual growth he experienced during the fellowship through deep, collaborative discussions with peers from a variety of academic backgrounds.

“The best part is the depth of thought everyone brings,” Goldstein said. “You’ve got people from completely different academic backgrounds all reading the same text, yet each person walks away with a different insight. You find yourself rethinking your own views just by listening. It’s an environment where you speak not just to be heard, but to understand.”

He also values Hertog’s 1,900-strong alumni network.

“My hope is that down the line, we’ll have multiple students representing FSU each year and that this kind of rigorous, civic-minded programming becomes something our students actively pursue,” he said. 

Max Harden, a junior from Tampa, Florida, is a double major in economics and philosophy with a minor in classics. He is a student assistant at FSU’s Institute for Governance and Civics and a researcher at the DeVoe L. Moore Center, specializing in aerospace and labor economics. 

“These seminars are outstanding since they allow us to build upon our FSU education in dynamic ways,” Harden said. “Thucydides’ work is an examination of human nature in war and across history, variously considering economics, politics, philosophy and international affairs. We get to ask interdisciplinary questions and pursue comprehensive answers in a dedicated community.” 

At FSU, Harden participates in the Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) program under Assistant Teaching Professor Doug Norton, which equips students with analytical skills for opportunities like Hertog. He also credits professors Sam Staley and Randall Holcombe from the Department of Economics and Mark LeBar from the Department of Philosophy for investing in his intellectual formation inside and outside the classroom.  

“FSU students are given intellectual tools they can use to engage with scholars and top students from around the country by crossing disciplinary lines to seek answers to deep questions,” Harden said. “The PPE program fosters a unique ability to connect ideas across fields, preparing students to tackle complex issues with clarity and depth.” 

Harden looks forward to seeing more FSU students take advantage of programs like Hertog while continuing to explore the intersection of political theory and real-world policy. 

“I hope more FSU students pursue Hertog’s rigorous seminars,” Harden said. “I cannot thank my professors enough for investing in my growth as a student, intellectual and human. Thanks to them, this summer I will be working an economic policy internship that includes interdisciplinary discussion groups.” 

Matthew John Aguilera is a senior political science major from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

His academic path at FSU has been defined by a deep engagement with political science and international affairs, utilizing opportunities like the Hertog Fellowship to further his education in this field.

“I applied to the program because I was captivated by the idea of studying certain eternal principles of war and statecraft — what Thucydides sought to capture in his history, which he described ‘as a possession for all time,’ not something ‘to capture the applause of the moment,’” Aguilera said. “These lessons remain relevant to modern international affairs and politics.” 

Aguilera is currently interning with the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. and will attend the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship at Hillsdale College to pursue a master’s degree in politics in the fall.

He values the opportunity to engage with Hertog’s robust academic community and looks forward to applying these insights in his future studies.

“I highly recommend the fellowship to anyone with an interest in the humanities and a passion for intellectual rigor,” he said.

To learn about fellowship opportunities, visit onf.fsu.edu.

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The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through Nov. 30, bringing with it an increased focus on these destructive storms.

Florida State University faculty are world leaders in the study of hurricanes and efforts to mitigate their impact. Faculty are available to answer questions and provide perspective for news stories throughout hurricane season and beyond.

Four faculty also participated in a virtual media briefing about this year’s hurricane season.

FORECASTING, FORMATION AND TRACKING
Mark Bourassa, professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, and associate director of the Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies
mbourassa@fsu.edu, (850) 644-6923
Bourassa uses on-site and remote (aircraft and satellite-based) observations as well as meteorological models to research air-sea interactions and how satellites measure what is happening on Earth’s surface. He is an expert on the network of global meteorological and oceanographic observations that inform forecasts, and the identification of tropical disturbances, which are possible precursors to tropical cyclones. Bourassa is also a team leader for the NASA Ocean Vector Wind Science Team.

Bradford D. Johnson, assistant professor, Department of Geography, College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
bdjohnson@fsu.edu
Johnson’s expertise spans tropical cyclone forecasting, hazard interpretation and science communication. His research integrates geospatial analytics, numerical weather prediction and artificial intelligence to assess the atmospheric and societal impacts of extreme weather events, with an emphasis on urban areas and land use change. He leads projects examining public responses to hurricane forecast graphics and works to improve communication of risk using plain language for diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, emergency managers and the public. His interdisciplinary background and federal program leadership experience position him as a valuable resource for interpreting tropical cyclone hazards and their broader implications.

David Zierden, state climatologist; associate in research, Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies
dzierden@coaps.fsu.edu, (850) 644-3417
Zierden’s research focuses on climate variability in Florida, the factors that go into seasonal hurricane forecasts and the large-scale environmental factors that affect the hurricane season, including the El Niño/La Niña cycle. He studies how forecasting can be applied to industries including agriculture, forestry and water resources.

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
Pedro L. Fernández-Cabán, assistant professor, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response (RIDER) Center
plfernandez@eng.famu.fsu.edu, (850) 410-6251
Fernández-Cabán’s research couples laboratory and field experiments to assess the structural performance of civil infrastructure during windstorm events. His recent work focuses on developing state-of-the-art machine learning models to predict hurricane wind fields and their interaction with coastal landscapes. Fernández-Cabán’s research leverages ground-level anemometric datasets collected during landfalling hurricanes and advanced wind tunnel techniques to better model the impact of coastal storms on civil infrastructure.

Katie Kehoe, assistant professor, College of Fine Arts
mkk22f@fsu.edu
Kehoe primarily works in performance and site-specific installations with a focus on natural disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes. She led a 2024 project that honored the resilience of the rural Florida community of Steinhatchee in the aftermath of hurricanes Idalia and Debby. The project, “Learning from Local Experience to Strengthen Disaster Resilience,” was part of a pilot research initiative that examines how rural communities recover from extreme weather events such as hurricanes.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
David Merrick, director of the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program; director of the Center for Disaster Risk Policy
dmerrick@fsu.edu, Office: (850) 644-9961, Cell: (850) 980-7098
Merrick has worked in state emergency management for more than 21 years in roles including planning, external affairs and air operations. He developed and oversees the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program’s Disaster Incident Research Team, which deploys to disaster impact areas to perform field research on disaster and emergency management. This team has deployed to disasters such as hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Michael, Ian, and Helene to support federal, state and local agencies. His research interests include emergency management planning and policy, remote sensing and unmanned aircraft systems, and information technology in emergency management.

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Shi-Ling Hsu, D’Alemberte Professor, College of Law
shsu@law.fsu.edu, (850) 644-0726
Hsu is an expert in the areas of environmental and natural resource law, economics and property. He has published in a variety of legal journals, co-authored the casebook Ocean and Coastal Resources Law and has appeared on the American Public Media radio show “Marketplace.” Before entering academia, he was a senior attorney and economist for the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, D.C.

Erin Ryan, Elizabeth C. and Clyde W. Atkinson Professor and associate dean for Environmental Programs, College of Law
eryan@law.fsu.edu, (850) 645-0072
Ryan specializes in environmental governance and environmental, water, property and land use law and oversees the Center for Environmental, Energy, and Land Use Law at the FSU College of Law. She has appeared in the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Foreign Policy, Huffington Post, London Financial Times, National Public Radio, Thomson-Reuters Beijing and local NBC and CBS Television News.

EVACUATION
Eren Ozguven, associate professor, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, director of the Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response (RIDER) Center
eozguven@eng.famu.fsu.edu, (850) 410-6146
Ozguven directs the Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response Center, which improves the quality of life in Florida and the Southeast by identifying disaster vulnerability, improving infrastructure and investigating ways to minimize negative impacts of natural disasters. His research interests include transportation accessibility, modeling of emergency evacuation operations, artificial intelligence and the simulation of transportation networks. Recent scholarship focuses on the relationships among different infrastructure networks in Florida and how that contributes to disaster preparation.

Maxim A. Dulebenets, associate professor and graduate program director, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
mdulebenets@eng.famu.fsu.edu, (850) 410-6621
Dulebenets’ research mainly focuses on operations  and optimization. His research group has developed efficient algorithms that can be used to schedule large-scale evacuations in preparation for major natural hazards. His models capture realistic features of emergency evacuation planning, including potential impacts of evacuation settings on evacuees themselves. His recent studies propose new types of optimization models and solution algorithms for emergency evacuation planning under pandemic settings, considering a higher risk of virus spread in overcrowded emergency shelters.

RISK AND INSURANCE
Patricia Born, Payne H. & Charlotte Hodges Midyette Eminent Scholar in Risk Management & Insurance, College of Business
pborn@business.fsu.edu, (850) 644-7884
Born studies the insurance market structure and performance, professional liability, health insurance and the management of catastrophic risks, such as hurricanes and other natural disasters. She is a past president of the American Risk and Insurance Association and the Risk Theory Society.

Charles Nyce, Dr. William T. Hold Professor of Risk Management and Insurance and chair of the Risk Management/Insurance, Real Estate & Legal Studies Department, College of Business
cnyce@business.fsu.edu, (850) 645-8392
Nyce’s research focuses on catastrophic risk financing. He has written numerous articles on risk management and insurance topics, including title insurance, enterprise risk management, predictive analytics and natural hazards.

PUBLIC HEALTH
Chris Uejio, professor, Department of Geography, College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
cuejio@fsu.edu
Uejio studies how the physical environment influences human health and well-being. His recent research includes investigations of tropical cyclones, extreme heat and health. Uejio has been quoted in the Orlando Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times, Wall Street Journal, Science Friday and other news outlets about public health issues, including heat waves and hurricanes.

URBAN PLANNING
Dennis Smith, planner in residence, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
djsmith3@fsu.edu
Smith is the director of the Mark & Marianne Barnebey Planning & Development Lab, which uses the academic and professional resources of Florida State University to connect with public and private partners to provide capacity and innovative planning for the sustainable growth and long-term viability of Florida communities. His work has focused on risks to the built environment, including projects for resiliency, transportation modeling, evacuation planning for high-risk areas and vulnerability assessment. He has extensive experience managing state and federal programs and a thorough knowledge of laws relating to land use, transportation and disaster recovery.

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As the spring 2025 semester draws to a close, Florida State University is preparing to celebrate the achievements of its latest cohort of graduates. This year’s commencement is particularly significant as FSU will honor its largest graduating class in history, with 8,926 degrees expected to be awarded.

The ceremonies, scheduled for May 2-3 at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, will be a testament to the resilience and determination of these students, especially in the wake of the tragic events of April 17.

Despite the challenges, graduates have demonstrated remarkable perseverance and dedication. From groundbreaking research projects to impactful community service initiatives, they have made significant contributions both on and off campus.
 
View Additional Graduates

Marilyn Barnwell’s journey to obtaining her doctorate in educational leadership at Florida State University is a testament to her resilience. 

More than 20 years ago, while working at Merrill Lynch, Barnwell was inspired by author Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” The book served as motivation for her to pursue a career in education at the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (Anne’s College). 

“It was something that was always kind of nagging at me — that I hadn’t gone back and gotten that piece,” Barnwell said of getting her doctorate. “That’s always been a dream and a goal of mine. That’s what drove me to going back.” 

The road was anything but easy. Nearly 18 months after beginning her doctorate program, her husband suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and stroke in December 2023 and remained in a coma for several months. He is currently in a minimally conscious state. 

“I remember having to make a decision about how I continue what I’ve already started, because one thing I know is he wouldn’t want me to stop,” Barnwell said. 

Barnwell remained committed to her goal. She balanced her studies with her responsibilities as a principal in the Duval County School System, while caring for her spouse. Her journey was supported by a strong network, including her daughter Kayla Barnwell, who is finishing a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction at Anne’s College and earned her bachelor’s degree last year while caring for her father.  

“She finished her bachelor’s on time because I told her that was a promise I made to her dad. No matter what happened, I would make sure she got it done,” Barnwell added. 

Barnwell’s dissertation focused on the Jacksonville Teacher Residency Program, highlighting the critical role of mentor-teacher relationships in preparing novice teachers. 

“I was really interested to know more about how the program really works,” Barnwell said. “I wanted to know more about how the program was structured, the expectations and how it helped teachers to be ready to lead a classroom.” 

She acknowledged the strong support from her faculty at FSU, noting their assistance in her and her daughter’s success despite their challenges.  

“Florida State really wrapped themselves around me and my family to make sure that my daughter and I could excel, and that we could complete the journey that we started,” she added. “I will be forever thankful for Florida State.”  

Sahari Walker of Lakeland, Florida will complete her master’s in science planning with a specialization in neighborhood planning and community development from FSU’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning.

“I decided to attend FSU because I did my undergrad here, and they really provided me with a lot of support and help,” she said.

As a first-generation college student, Walker’s achievements are particularly significant.

“It is important to me to be a leader and show people no matter where you come from, you can reach higher education,” she said.

During her time at FSU, Walker was involved in various projects and internships. She worked as a project manager for Hillsborough County and helped to update their comprehensive plan and address community needs. She also collaborated with the City of Tallahassee on safety and mobility issues in local neighborhoods.

Walker has accepted a position with the Florida Division of Emergency Management. There, she will be responsible for providing temporary housing and shelter during natural disasters.

“I want to help people, really alleviate any issues that they may be going through, just providing them with the resources to help them now,” she said.

Walker hopes to alleviate issues that people may face and provide them with the resources to help them through challenging periods. Her goal is to offer hope and stability.

“I want people to know that even in the toughest moments, they do not have to face it alone,” she said. “There’s strength in knowing someone is there to support you, to listen, and to help you move forward.”

 Rodrigo Santa Maria, a student from Rio de Janeiro, is graduating with dual degrees in International Affairs and Public Relations.  

Santa Maria decided to come to FSU for its academic rigor and social setting. He found a home that nurtured both his professional goals and personal growth. 

Although he was passionate about global issues from a young age, it was at FSU that Santa Maria sharpened his interest with classes in international affairs, history, economics and political science. He volunteered with the World Affairs Program, helping organize and run Model UN conferences that connected students from different schools for debates focused on international issues. 

Santa Maria chose public relations as his second major to develop his professional communication skills. For almost two years, he worked as a news writer for FSU’s Office of University Communications. He was also a member of the School of Communication’s news writing media team during his senior year. 

“I wanted to learn how to use the written word to my advantage,” he said. “It turned out I ended up learning way more than just that. My internship helped me develop a wide set of skills that will be useful in my professional life.”   

Santa Maria’s academic journey will continue at FSU, where he will pursue a master’s degree in international affairs. He will also serve as a teaching assistant in the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. 

Santa Maria described his time as an undergraduate as transformative. He is looking forward to graduate school and the opportunities that come with it. 

“FSU opened my eyes to a lot of things, both personally and professionally,” Santa Maria said. “I am graduating a much different person than I was when I first got to FSU. I learned a lot and developed skills I’ll be using for the rest of my life. I’m extremely proud to be graduating from a university that encouraged me to think critically, voice my opinions and allowed me to grow as an individual.”

Dylan Barton, a native of Sarasota, Florida, will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. After applying to several competitive programs, he ultimately chose FSU for its welcoming campus culture and the financial benefits of staying in-state. 

Barton’s passion for chemistry, math and physics led to his decision to pursue chemical engineering. 

“I wanted to apply all those skills in a real-world, industrial setting,” he said. 

During his time at FSU, Barton has been involved in academic and extracurricular activities. He is an honors student and has undertaken an independent research project as part of his Honors in the Major. Barton is also a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), through which he presented his research at a national convention in San Diego.  

Barton‘s research on using plasma to degrade harmful organic contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, prevalent in various industrial applications and pose significant health risks, earned him third place in the AIChE catalysis and reaction engineering section. 

“These compounds are really harmful to human health and are used in various products, so our goal is to find ways to degrade them,” he said. 

Barton credits his principal investigator, Bruce Locke, chair and distinguished research professor in the Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, for guiding him through the research process. 

“The support and motivation from my professors have inspired me to pursue a doctorate in chemical engineering, with hopes of becoming a professor myself,” he said. “The recent events have allowed me to celebrate the supportive community at FSU, and I can only hope to experience that same sense of community as I pursue my Ph.D.” 

Steven Decesare, from Pensacola, Florida, is graduating with his undergraduate degree in biology. He chose to attend FSU because it offered a balanced mix of academic excellence and campus community where he could apply his curiosity to studying the mysteries of the natural world. 

“I’ve always been super interested in biology,” he said. “It’s incredible to understand how the human body works.”  

His passion for the subject has driven him to excel in his studies and pursue a career in medicine. 

Decesare transferred to FSU in the spring of his freshman year. He found FSU to be the perfect place to grow both academically and personally, benefiting from its supportive culture and proximity to home. 

During his time at FSU, Decesare served as the president of the pre-medical fraternity Phi Delta Epsilon, where he found mentorship and led community volunteer efforts. Under his leadership, the fraternity organized community volunteer efforts and raised funds for the Children’s Miracle Network. 

Decesare credits the supportive community and collaborative spirit at FSU for helping him achieve his goals and prepare for the next chapter in his medical career. 

“If nothing else, recent events have shown me that the FSU community has an inherent resilience and bond unlike any other, and I will be forever proud to be a part of the Seminole family,” he said. 

Decesare plans to attend the University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine to start his medical journey this fall.

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A collaborative, interdisciplinary team with researchers from Florida State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Revitalization Anti-Displacement Strategies (BRADs) Program.

A brownfield is a property where expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.

The BRADs Program is a national resource and technical assistance hub for dealing with brownfields. The program provides guidance and training in developing and applying best strategies.

Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning Kelly Kinahan will lead FSU’s portion of the project.

“The BRADs Program represents an important expansion of the EPA’s commitment to minimizing displacement and gentrification resulting from brownfields reuse, and more generally thinking about the relationships between brownfields and environmental justice,” Kinahan said. “Our interdisciplinary team of researchers from engineering, sociology and urban planning is excited for the opportunity to help communities build practical knowledge related to anti-displacement strategies and work toward maximizing the benefits of brownfields redevelopment for historically disparaged groups.”

The team’s project includes three objectives:

1. Conducting research on gentrification issues and anti-displacement policies relevant to brownfields communities and local and regional brownfields programs.
2. Developing guidance on anti-displacement strategies for various decision-making levels that consider local context.
3. Providing direct technical assistance and capacity building on anti-displacement gentrification practices to brownfields communities of practice, prioritizing those serving and working with underserved and overburdened communities.

Researchers from FSU and the University of Louisville will lead the literature reviews and qualitative analyses related to the first two objectives and will provide support for technical assistance and capacity building related to the third objective.

Nefeli Bompoti, assistant professor at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, serves as the project’s principal investigator. She will partner with Lauren Heberle, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Louisville; Kelly Kinahan, associate professor of urban and regional planning at Florida State University; and FSU urban and regional planning graduate students Sahari Walker and Onyeka Ugochukwu.

The BRADs Program is funded through a cooperative agreement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Land and Emergency Management.

To learn more about FSU’s Department of Urban & Regional Planning, visit coss.fsu.edu.

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A Florida State University research team received a nearly quarter-million-dollar grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to help Southeast Florida advance local action on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The team includes Department of Urban and Regional Planning Associate Professors Tisha Holmes and Kerry Fang and Askew School of Public Administration and Policy Associate Professor Tian Tang.

“This project offers us an opportunity to shape the future of the Southeast Florida region as one that is resilient, healthier, economically robust and fairer,” Fang said. “We will improve public health, bolster economic resilience and create high-quality jobs for low-income and disadvantaged communities — all while mitigating climate change.”

The team received $222,412 from Miami-Dade County through the Southeast Florida Climate Change Compact, a partnership between Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties. The compact is developing regional climate action plans with strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region.

The research team’s role is to ensure that these strategies positively affect low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDACs).

They will work with local governments and stakeholders to assess the potential impacts that greenhouse gas emissions measures have on the disadvantaged communities in Southeast Florida. These could include energy savings, reduction in air pollution, impacts on health and workforce development.

“The FSU team’s tasks are particularly important because the low-income and disadvantaged communities that are most vulnerable to climate change impacts have been left behind by many climate policies,” Tang shared.

These action plans cover 109 municipalities within the four counties and the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribal Government jurisdictions, a region of nearly 6.2 million people.

This project has three phases:

1. Preliminary LIDAC Benefits Analysis: This phase maps LIDACs and identifies the benefits of GHG reduction measures for the LIDACs.
2. Comprehensive LIDAC Benefits Analysis: Building on Phase I, this phase conducts a detailed assessment of the impacts of GHG reduction measures on co-pollutants, public health, economic benefits and environmental resilience.
3. Workforce Planning Analysis: This phase examines labor shortages, assesses job impacts and identifies opportunities for creating high-quality jobs induced by the GHG reduction measures.

“I am impressed with this project’s ongoing commitment to extensive expert and stakeholder engagement as they develop a Climate Action Plan that is technically rigorous and responsive to the needs of LIDAC communities,” Holmes said. “Our work will support the development and eventual implementation of greenhouse gas reduction strategies that can enhance the health, environmental, social and economic well-being of communities who often bear the disproportionate burdens of climate change.”

For more information about the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, visit coss.fsu.edu. To learn more about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, visit southeastfloridaclimatecompact.org.

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A team of students from Florida State University’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) earned the top student prize at the American Planning Association (APA) Florida Awards. 

FSU’s team topped the Outstanding Student Project category in the APA’s Florida Award of Excellence for its submission, North Star Legacy Communities: Gadsden County Community Heritage Project.    

Dennis J. Smith, planner-in-residence with DURP, said Florida is home to one of the country’s largest populations of APA members.  

“Florida hosts five nationally accredited graduate schools of planning,” said Smith. “To rise to the top amongst such a tight field, with the evaluations done by some of our nation’s most premier planners, is a testament to the dedication and commitment to excellence displayed by this team of students.” 

The APA Florida Project Awards program aims to provide members with opportunities each year to recognize outstanding Florida-based planning projects in several different categories.  

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