In Florida and across the Caribbean, hurricane season is more than a forecast. It is a reminder that safety, housing and survival are shaped by decisions people make long before a storm arrives.

For Paul Niell, an associate professor in Florida State University’s Department of Art History, those decisions are also questions of history, ecology and cultural knowledge. His research on Indigenous Caribbean architecture points to a timely idea for communities facing stronger storms: Buildings can be designed to work with the environment around them, not apart from it.

“You have to build in such a way that it works with that ecological condition,” Niell said. “And of course, that’s a very complicated problem to work out.”

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At Florida State University, Clinical Professor Rima Nathan is leading a hands-on elder law clinic that trains future lawyers by tackling several crises for low-income senior citizens.

The Claude Pepper Elder Law Clinic is a holistic, interdisciplinary program dedicated to strengthening the well-being and resilience of low-income older adults through legal advocacy and community education. Clinical students handle real cases and work on policy initiatives while helping seniors navigate turbulent times.

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From the robotics lab to island shores, Christian Hubicki bridges two worlds between futuristic professor and fan favorite on one of America’s longest-running reality shows.

Hubicki, part of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering faculty, operates out of the Aero-Propulsion, Mechatronics, and Energy Center at Innovation Park. He runs the Optimal Robotics Lab with a team of students, creating algorithms for robots to navigate complex and real-world environments.

Hubicki’s day-to-day work runs opposite to the relatively nomadic experience of being on “Survivor,” where contestants are in remote locations and must build food and shelter while competing in challenges. He is a two-time contestant on the show who always dreamed of being on the reality competition that first began in 2000.

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As the director of Florida State University’s Cardiovascular & Applied Physiology Laboratory (CAP Lab), Joseph Watso is leading the way on research aimed at supporting better heart health.

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading global cause of death. Watso’s team at the CAP Lab, part of the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, works daily to advance knowledge on the modifiable factors that people can change to reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases.

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Florida State University is known for positively impacting its communities. As director of the College of Nursing’s Institute on Digital Health and Innovation (IDHI), Dr. Lisa Hightow-Weidman conducts research to strengthen FSU’s public health leadership and improve patient care. 

Hightow-Weidman entered the medical research industry as an infectious disease specialist, advancing her work in the early 2000s when the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was becoming more understood through cause, diagnosis and treatment. She centered her research around helping young individuals with HIV lead healthier lives — setting the stage for her breakthrough in the world of digital health. 

“We didn’t necessarily have smartphones. We had cell phones, but they were flip phones back then,” Hightow-Weidman said. “I got into developing computer-delivered interventions because, at the time, it was a way to meet young people where they were.” 

As smartphone technology advanced and the epidemic evolved, Hightow-Weidman’s work also shifted. She expanded her realm of care beyond HIV, addressing health domains that young people struggled with, including mental health, substance use and more. To make the process more seamless, she began investing her time in developing digital health platforms that housed essential patient data and provided interventions. 

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Growing up, Adam Hanley was always interested in the power of the mind. As the grandson of a preacher, he became intrigued by the combination of both spirituality and therapy as a tool for healing.

Hanley, a licensed psychologist and the director of the College of Nursing’s Complementary Health Innovation Lab, embarked on an academic journey that was inspired by the physical pain he felt when an injury ended his basketball career with Helsinki Panterrit.

“That’s when mindfulness practice became more of a central focus for me,” Hanley said about deciding to step away from basketball. “It was a way of dealing with some of the physical discomfort as well as some of the confusion about what comes next.”

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When Madeleine Martin was a child, she staged puppet shows behind a small wooden theater with red curtains. Her brothers gave blunt reviews, but she kept writing and performing anyway.

That persistence and imagination carried her from living room skits to Broadway, television, animation, and now to Florida State University, where she teaches performance in the School of Theatre.

“I fell in love with the premise first, and then doing my own puppet shows,” Martin said. “There’s a quote by C.S. Lewis that says, ‘Reason gets us to truth, but imagination gets you to a meaning.’ My father was a philosophy professor, and I think I’ve always been interested in how we can lead a meaningful life. I find that the artistic creations are one way I have any choice in life.”

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Inside Florida State University’s Department of Education Psychology and Learning Systems, professor Lyndsay Jenkins is filling the void that exists within current bullying interventions.

School districts across the country implement whole school anti-bullying programs, but their lack of research shows an inability to address how adequately victims can be cared for.

Jenkins and her team work daily to fill this gap.

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Florida State University’s Chuck Nyce is one of the most visible professors on campus.

As department chair of Risk Management/Insurance, Real Estate and Legal Studies through FSU’s College of Business, Nyce’s expertise on hurricane coverage is highly in demand, especially in the state of Florida.

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Almost 25 years ago, Florida State University Professor Sonia Cabell faced a challenging moment early in her teaching career in Oklahoma.

As a second-grade teacher, she encountered a student who had trouble with reading and was unable to retain much information. The issue persisted despite the student advancing in grades, leading to an increasing gap over time.

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As wildfires continue to grow in frequency and intensity, there is an urgent need for firefighters to stay better protected against their damaging effects.

Florida State University ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® Director Meredith McQuerry is providing groundbreaking research and innovative design that is making a difference in the firefighting community. She is aggressively tackling personal protective equipment (PPE) issues that many firefighters deal with, ranging from improper fit, reduced mobility, low durability, chafing and overheating.

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