Experiential learning event offers participants a firsthand look at the challenges survivors face during Domestic Violence Awareness Month

As part of Florida State University’s annual Discovery Days, the Florida Institute for Child Welfare will host an interactive learning simulation designed to help participants better understand the realities faced by survivors of domestic violence.

In the In Their Shoes simulation, participants assume the role of a parent navigating life while experiencing domestic violence. They complete real-world scenarios that simulate common barriers survivors face and make decisions related to safety, housing, finances, employment and family well-being.

“The In Their Shoes simulation is a unique experiential learning opportunity that can’t easily be achieved through a lecture or reading on the topic,” said simulation facilitator Krista Del Gallo. “Participants gain critical perspectives around the choices survivor parents make and how they often come from a place of protecting children and seeking safety in light of limited options.”

The event will take place:

TUESDAY, OCT. 20 

1-3 P.M. 

ROOMS 2400 AND 2500,
THE GLOBAL AND MULTICULTURAL ENGAGEMENT BUILDING 

110 S. WOODWARD AVE. 

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS 

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

Visit the event website for more information and to register.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence has far-reaching impacts on children and families and is frequently present among families involved in the child welfare system. Child welfare professionals play an important role in helping families navigate safety concerns and resources, making a deeper understanding of survivors’ experiences critical to effective support and intervention.

“Domestic violence affects families in every community,” said Lisa Magruder, the institute’s director. “Through research, training and public engagement opportunities like In Their Shoes, we hope to build understanding and strengthen the systems that support families.”

Experiential learning programs help participants engage more deeply with challenging issues by offering an immersive experience that challenges participants to grapple more deeply with complex subject matters.

“In Their Shoes isn’t a game, and it isn’t meant to be fun,” Magruder said. “It’s designed to encourage perspective-taking, critical thinking and reflection. By putting yourself in someone else’s position, you start to see something victim advocates have emphasized for years: survivors are the experts in their own safety.”

The event is intended for students, faculty and staff interested in gaining a deeper understanding of domestic violence and its impact on families. It may be especially valuable for those studying or working in social work, education, public health, psychology, criminal justice and related fields.

“Domestic violence is not just a workforce issue. It’s a community issue.” Magruder said.  “The more we understand about the realities of abuse, the better equipped we are to respond. When we listen to survivors, learn from research and work together across systems, we create stronger pathways to survivor empowerment.”

The Discovery Days simulation is one of several ways the institute is advancing understanding of domestic violence and its impact on children and families. In addition to training and professional development opportunities, the institute recently dedicated season nine of its child welfare podcast, “Together for Families: Domestic Violence Support in Child Welfare,” to conversations with researchers, advocates, practitioners and individuals with experience on this issue.

Established by the Florida Legislature and housed in the FSU College of Social Work, the institute also offers research publications, learning opportunities and workforce development resources that support child welfare professionals. Through these efforts, the institute connects research, practice and policy to improve outcomes for families and strengthen Florida’s child welfare workforce.

Visit the In Their Shoes event page for more information and to register. Visit the Florida Institute for Child Welfare website to learn more about the institute, explore domestic violence-related resources or listen to “Together for Families.”

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IGNITE Tallahassee will showcase how it supports high-tech and deep-technology ventures in Florida’s Capital Region during FSU Discovery Days.

The IGNITE Tallahassee Open House + Innovation Expo will give visitors a front-row seat to the resources, success stories and investment strategies available at this business incubator.

With state-of-the-art facilities, expert mentorship, commercialization support, investor access and a vibrant community of clients, IGNITE Tallahassee empowers founders to transform early-stage technology into real-world products and solutions.

The open house program includes:

• State of IGNITE-FSU updates from IGNITE leadership

• Startup Spotlight at IGNITE! featuring IGNITE Tallahassee companies Piersica, Phusion AI, SafePath App, Feel With Me, SeraphFlora and SCOFile

• iCREATE: Innovation Experience for Undergrads with students from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering delivering elevator pitches, a panel discussion, and the presentation of the TiE Tampa Bay’s ARTISAN Student Pitch Award

• Capital of Florida: VC & Angel Funding Panel on how Sunshine State tech startups find funding across Florida

• “Innovation is Everywhere” Expo, featuring demos, prototypes and founders of IGNITE incubator companies and ecosystem sponsors

The program ends with lunch. Breakfast is provided. IGNITE events will continue Wednesday with Discovery Challenge, when FSU startups compete in a “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition for up to $100,000 in cash prizes.

The IGNITE Tallahassee Open House + Innovation Expo will take place:

WEDNESDAY, OCT 21

 9 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. 

IGNITE TALLAHASSEE 

1729 W. Paul Dirac Drive

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

Visit the event website for more information and to register.
Registration is free and open to everyone.

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Forty free events include community health experiences, technology competitions, startup showcases, performances and family programming

Florida State University will open its research and creative enterprise to the community Oct. 17-24 during its fourth annual FSU Discovery Days, featuring 40 free events, from community health experiences and innovation competitions to performances, technology showcases and family-friendly science.

“Discovery Days brings the energy of discovery beyond our laboratories, studios and classrooms and invites everyone to experience how FSU ideas are changing lives,” said Stacey S. Patterson, Vice President for Research. “Whether you have been at FSU for a long time or are a student or community member curious about what comes next, this week offers a front-row seat to innovation and creativity in action.”

Discovery Days begins Oct. 17 with the FSU Health Expo: Bridging Community, Health and Research at the Gadsden County Courthouse, where attendees can access health screenings, explore educational resources, enjoy family-friendly activities and connect with organizations working to improve community well-being.

On Oct. 19, FSU and Tampa-based cybersecurity company ReliaQuest team up for The Quest for What’s Next! at the Herbert Wertheim College of Business. ​Six teams will compete for a grand prize of $100,000 in funding from ReliaQuest to pursue innovative projects in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

On Oct. 21, IGNITE Tallahassee invites the business community inside the region’s startup ecosystem for an open house and innovation expo. Attendees can meet founders of high-tech ventures, hear investment insights from venture capital and angel funding experts, and discover student innovations from across Florida’s Capital Region.

That afternoon, ​FSU startups will compete in Discovery Challenge, a pitch competition for up to $100,000 in prizes.

The arts and humanities take the stage throughout the week. Experience how the arts can promote healing at a performance introducing The Living Song Project, where four musicians and a music therapist will blend recital, improvised guitar and therapeutic narrative. At the Arts-Health-Humanities Symposium, faculty, artists, creators and researchers will explore how poetry, visual art, music and film can strengthen working environments and health outcomes.

The week also includes a full slate of seminars for FSU researchers. Learn how Amazon Web Services can support you at a series of workshops, practice sharing your work with the media and general public at Lights, Camera, Research! and more.

On Oct. 24, Saturday Morning Physics + Art finishes the week with a family-friendly experience exploring the science of bubbles for K-12 students.

Explore the full schedule, choose your events and register where required at the FSU Discovery Days website.

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Curiosity, creativity and cutting-edge research will come together at “Glittering Science,” a free FSU Discovery Days event exploring the hidden beauty of materials science.

The event brings together William Meier, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, and Scott Holstein, the college’s professional photographer, for an exploration of how scientific discovery can become visual art.

In his laboratory, Meier grows tiny metallic crystals to investigate fundamental questions about materials and their properties. Through specialized macro photography, Holstein transforms those same crystals into striking images that reveal intricate shapes, textures and colors that are nearly impossible to appreciate with the naked eye.

“Glittering Science” will feature a lecture, reception and gallery showcasing crystals grown by Meier and his students alongside Holstein’s photographs. The event will take place:

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21

6:30 – 8 P.M.

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND COMMERCIALIZATION BUILDING

2001 LEVY AVE.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

Visit the event website for more information and to register.

Crystals like those produced in Meier’s laboratory can play a role in technologies including microchips, lasers, quantum sensors and fusion reactor components. Large, high-quality single crystals are especially valuable because researchers can measure how properties such as electrical conductivity and magnetism change in different directions, offering important clues about the behavior of electrons within a material.

But science does not always produce exactly what researchers expect. Sometimes the surprises are the most visually interesting.

“Some of the most beautiful crystals are those that don’t go as planned,” Meier said.

Although visually striking, the crystals are created first and foremost for scientific discovery.

“We grow crystals to support scientific experiments and to answer fundamental questions about materials,” Meier said. “By studying their behaviors, such as magnetism, superconductivity and how they conduct electricity, we gain insight into the underlying physics and can design new materials to solve technological challenges.”

Capturing crystal photographs

While Meier studies what the crystals can reveal about the physics of materials, Holstein approaches them from a different perspective.

“When I saw the crystals up close, through the lens, they looked like other-worldly landscapes,” Holstein said. “It took a macro lens that was able to magnify the crystal up to five times its actual size to see the details of this secret world.”

Capturing those details required much more than simply pointing a camera at a crystal. At extreme magnification, only a tiny portion of the object can appear sharp in a single photograph. Holstein used a technique called focus stacking, combining numerous photographs taken at slightly different focal points to create a single detailed image.

“At 5-to-1 magnification, just a sliver of the crystal is sharp in a shot, so stacking is a must,” Holstein said.

Each finished photograph may combine dozens or even hundreds of individual images, revealing a world of unexpected structures and patterns in crystals only millimeters across.

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Florida State University welcomed representatives from the College of Social Work’s Florida Institute for Child Welfare (FICW) for a panel during the third annual FSU Discovery Days, which explored how virtual reality (VR) technologies are revitalizing the efficiency of child welfare services.

In a workforce where skills in sensitivity are critical and emotional stakes are high, the panelists discussed how virtual reality simulations can equip trainees in child welfare with the necessary preparedness to navigate real-life scenarios before entering the field.

“Our flagship study, the Florida Study of Professionals for Safe Families, found that 81% of newly hired child welfare workers leave within about the first three and a half years of starting their role, and that’s a staggering number and tells us that we need to do more, and better and ideally faster,” said Lisa Magruder, director of FICW. “One way we’re doing that is through our new experiential learning lab, which is coming soon. We want to bring our vision of simulation-based learning to life. We want to do more around realistic job previews. We want students and workers to have a safe place to practice, reflect, and grow before they’re in the field on their own, working with families.”

“We want students and workers to have a safe place to practice, reflect, and grow before they’re in the field on their own, working with families.”

– Lisa Magruder, director of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare

Established in 2014, the Florida Institute for Child Welfare is a legislatively mandated institute with the mission of promoting the well-being, safety and permanency of the children and families of Florida that are involved with the child welfare system. FICW conducts nationally recognized research and seeks to use collaborative partnerships, research, policy analysis and training to enhance the sustainability of the child welfare workforce.

Brooke Bass, assistant secretary for the Office of Child and Family Well-Being at the Florida Department of Children and Families, gave opening remarks at the event and highlighted how collaboration with the institute has transformed the state of child welfare services in Florida.

“Together, through research, collaboration and innovation, we’ve made tremendous progress in preparing and supporting the dedicated professionals who serve Florida’s children and families,” Bass said. “The Florida Institute for Child Welfare is not just a partner; they are a trusted ally in our shared mission.”

Magruder, who took over as director of the institute in 2023, joined Kristina Finch, associate director of professional development at FICW; Morgan Cooley, assistant professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Sandler School of Social Work; and Kristen Puckett, learning and development manager at the Florida Department of Children and Families’ Office of Child and Family Well-Being for the panel.

Discussing the need to strengthen statewide training and ensure consistent approaches to child welfare, the panelists emphasized the potential of advancing human services alongside technology.

“How can we create infrastructure that makes this training stable?” Cooley said.

Using VR simulations tailored towards child welfare services, FICW and DCF have created the infrastructure to foster consistent, culturally sensitive and trauma-informed training, providing a safe space for staff to practice their interactions with families involved in the child welfare system.

“My motto is words matter,” Puckett said. “When you can work with families in a way that makes you feel like you’ve done your best and where they understand what’s happening, it’s much easier to navigate this field.”

The work done at FICW reflects the power of technology to stimulate innovation across disciplines.

“Innovation moves fast, especially now,” said Finch, who helped spearhead the implementation of VR in Florida’s child welfare services. “If we don’t embrace technology, we’re going to be left behind.”

As a result of this innovation, FICW has deployed 200 headsets and launched two virtual reality simulations throughout the state, making Florida the first to implement statewide VR technology in child welfare training. With plans to expand to four scenarios by the spring, the institute has also begun merging these technologies with course curricula for students of social work.

“Students want to know when they can come back for more,” Magruder said.

Yet, the panelists added that innovation is not always about developments in technology — mindset also makes the difference. While digital advancements open the doors to increased efficiency, the changes that come from engagement with technology are what truly measure innovation.

“Virtual reality is just the tool,” Finch said.

For more information about the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, visit ficw.fsu.edu.

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Florida State University’s Office of the President and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement (CRE) hosted the annual President’s Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence on Thursday, Oct. 23. The showcase was part of FSU’s Discovery Days, a weeklong celebration of research, creative activity and discovery.  

About 900 people attended the event, where 36 students presented posters and led creative sessions to share the projects they completed during the summer with support from competitive grants and other FSU initiatives. 

“The students presenting their projects have enriched their academic journeys through directed research and creative endeavors, guided by the mentorship of some of FSU’s most distinguished faculty members,” said Latika Young, CRE director. “We extend our deepest appreciation to President Richard McCullough and Vice President for Research Stacey Patterson for their steadfast support of this event and of undergraduate research at FSU.”  

Student work represented multiple undergraduate research programs at FSU: FSU IDEA Grants, a program that funds undergraduate students’ scholarly and creative work; the Tyler Center for Global Studies, which supports a community of global scholars from 12 partner institutions coordinated by FSU; and the International Genetically Engineered Machine team (iGEM), the premier student competition in synthetic biology. 

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When he decided to major in physics, Florida State University student Nolan Scales was excited to delve into science and to explore research. But he didn’t know that research would be quantum physics. 

Today, Scales is a senior in the Department of Physics and a research assistant in the FSU-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (National MagLab), where he helps study superconductors and quantum tunneling, a phenomenon in which a particle passes through a barrier that it shouldn’t have enough energy to move through. 

“I’ve always liked the idea of quantum, but I didn’t know all that much about it until last year,” he said. “The more I found out about it, the more I saw the applications where it could be useful for the future.” 

Scales was among the students who attended a showcase of quantum science and engineering last week at the Interdisciplinary Research and Commercialization Building. The event, led by Assistant Professor of Physics Cyprian Lewandowski as part of FSU Discovery Days, highlighted the FSU Quantum Initiative with a special focus on explaining the latest research in quantum science and engineering to undergraduates and showing how students can get involved in research. 

The United Nations is celebrating 2025 as the Year of Quantum Science and Technology, marking 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics and looking forward to the future possibilities in this field. Potential applications of new quantum breakthroughs include precise sensors, unbreakable encryption or quantum computers that can solve certain complex problems exponentially faster than classical computers.

“Quantum is incredibly important for technologies that will make a huge impact on our world,” said Mike Shatruk, director of FSU Quantum. “At FSU Quantum, we are building a comprehensive program to develop the workforce that will develop future breakthroughs.” 

FSU Quantum is home to faculty research published in top journals. Along with that work, faculty leading the initiative are developing a graduate certificate in Quantum Information Science and Technology, which will be the first program offering certified quantum education in Florida. They are also creating an undergraduate quantum science lab and providing a short course for high school students to introduce them to quantum computing. 

The initiative positions FSU to continue making an impact in this field, both in research and training. 

“FSU has emerged as a regional and national leader in research on quantum information science and technology,” Shatruk said. “Our faculty, students and postdoctoral scholars and fellows are pushing the boundaries of knowledge, driving innovative technologies critical to our nation’s security and prosperity.” 

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Florida State University students looked to the future during a Discovery Days panel on opportunities in STEM, when a lineup of FSU research and academic leaders came together to inspire attendees to see how their education can translate into a wide range of career opportunities. 

The event, “Unlock Your Future: Career Paths for STEM Graduates,” offered students a chance to hear directly how STEM degrees can be applied in evolving fields beyond traditional academic paths. 

“Your time at Florida State University is profoundly impactful in shaping who you are as a person. Your academic life is just one part of the college experience — what truly defines this time are the relationships you build, the challenges you embrace and the moments that help you grow beyond the classroom as you become the person you’re meant to be.“

— Stacey Patterson, Vice President for Research

“Your time at Florida State University is profoundly impactful in shaping who you are as a person,” said Vice President for Research Stacey Patterson. “Your academic life is just one part of the college experience — what truly defines this time are the relationships you build, the challenges you embrace and the moments that help you grow beyond the classroom as you become the person you’re meant to be.” 

During the discussion, panelists offered insights and guidance through a lineup of experts who shared their professional journeys in fields such as medicine, laboratory science, university administration and corporate leadership. 

The panel featured FSU Vice President for Research Stacey Patterson, College of Medicine Dean Alma Littles, MagLab Director Kathleen Amm, Director of Laboratory Animal Resources William Hill, Associate Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and Innovation Valerie McDevitt, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Professor David Larbalestier and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Associate Program Director and Core Faculty for the Family Medicine Residency Matthew Standridge. 

Attendees were encouraged to think beyond traditional roles and consider how their STEM degrees could open doors in unexpected places. 

“There are so many opportunities out there, and people don’t need to be afraid of exploring them and that’s what makes it exciting,” Amm said.  “Even if you choose one path, you can always pivot later. The world is open to you, especially early in your career.” 

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Florida State University’s Discovery Days continued its celebration of research excellence with the inaugural Graduate Research Showcase, where doctoral students shared insights from their academic journeys and groundbreaking research. 

Hosted by the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards, the event spotlighted the dedication and innovation of FSU’s graduate scholars.  

“This showcase isn’t just about sharing research — it’s about recognizing the drive and curiosity that define our graduate students,” said Keith McCall, acting director of the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards. “FSU graduate students are emerging experts in their fields, engaged in rigorous and deeply meaningful research that pushes scholarship forward.” 

“This showcase isn’t just about sharing research — it’s about recognizing the drive and curiosity that define our graduate students. FSU graduate students are emerging experts in their fields, engaged in rigorous and deeply meaningful research that pushes scholarship forward.” 

— Keith McCall, acting director of the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards

Attendees engaged in various disciplines during the presentations, including history, biological science and higher education, and offered constructive feedback to support the students’ continued success. 

Noah Cole, a doctoral candidate in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of History, kicked off the showcase by presenting his research on political factionalism in 15th-century Northern Italy. Cole explored how preachers of the time interpreted factional conflict not just as a social phenomenon, but as a deeply ideological and emotional force.  

His work expresses that factionalism should be treated as a conceptual category — comparable to modern political identities — and that religious leaders, through their Latin sermons, acted as political theorists shaping civic discourse. 

During his presentation, Cole shared insights from his analysis of sermons by three influential figures, showing how each grappled with the nature and impact of factionalism. He highlighted how these leaders framed partisanship as a moral and spiritual crisis. Cole’s research suggests that medieval preaching played a critical role in defining political identity and offers a lens through which to reconsider the emotional roots of modern partisanship. 

Penelope Ales, a doctoral candidate in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Biological Science, presented her research on how crop arrangement affects insect herbivore behavior in agricultural systems.  

Her work focuses on intercropping, a method of planting multiple crops together, as a sustainable alternative to pesticide use. Ales presented her recently conducted field experiment using kale and elephant garlic to test how different planting patterns — monocultures, alternating rows, block mixtures and checkerboard arrangements — influence insect abundance, predator presence and crop damage. 

Ales explained how planting density and spatial arrangement can shape pest and predator dynamics, supporting the resource dilution hypothesis. Her findings suggest that small farms could benefit from exploring crop combinations that promote natural pest control and other ecosystem services. 

Johnnie L. Allen Jr., a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education program in the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, finished the showcase by presenting his research on how Black college men at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) develop leadership identity and navigate gender expression. Allen explored how students engage with leadership learning and STEM disciplines, focusing on how personal experiences and institutional environments shape their understanding of masculinity and leadership. 

During his presentation, Allen shared insights from interviews, visual mapping and photo-based reflection activities with students involved in leadership programs or STEM fields. He emphasized the importance of recognizing expressions of identity and fostering inclusive leadership development.  

Allen’s research contributes to further conversations about student success at minority-serving institutions and highlights the value of creating spaces where students can reflect on their experiences and define leadership in ways that are authentic to them. 

For more information about the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards, visit ogfa.fsu.edu. 

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Florida State University’s Claude Pepper Center recently served as a vibrant hub for creativity and collaboration, where faculty from multiple departments engaged with artists, designers and researchers to explore a central question: How can the arts and humanities improve health and well-being?

The Arts-Humanities-Health Symposium IV was one of several events during FSU Discovery Days — a weeklong celebration of research, creativity and innovation.

“Research in the arts and humanities at FSU is defined by the cutting-edge work of scholars and practitioners,” said Iain Quinn, professor of organ in the College of Music and a Faculty Fellow in the Office of Research. “Our faculty and students participate in a global network that is continually engaged in innovation, critical thinking and a deeper understanding of the human condition.”

Throughout the afternoon, presenters highlighted the role of dance, art, music and interior design in promoting health, improving working environments and enhancing lifestyles.

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Children and youth — the Floridians of the future — were the focus of a recent Florida State University event that united faculty around shared interests for interdisciplinary research. 

FSU’s Research Development staff hosted the recent Collaborative Collision seminar as part of FSU Discovery Days. Attendees were invited to consider the diverse experiences that shape childhood and to form partnerships that advance research dedicated to their well-being. 

“This event is meant to bring together research champions from across disciplines to further enhance FSU’s positive impact on young people in our communities,” said Nicole Viverito, ORD program director. “Regardless of the field of study, our researchers are dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth through evidence-based programs and services.” 

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