Thirteen Florida State University graduate students distilled years of research into just three minutes at the annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT™) competition on April 8 in the College of Medicine Peaden Auditorium.

Developed at the University of Queensland in Australia, 3MT is a research communication competition designed to enhance participants’ skill in articulating their research clearly to an audience that may not have specialist knowledge in the subject area.

“This competition gives graduate students a chance to practice the way they think about their research and how to package it for a variety of different audiences,” said Keith McCall, acting director of the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards. “It’s critical because our graduate students are doing amazing work on a lot of groundbreaking things, and we want people to know about that work. We want our graduate students to be able to go out and talk about their work, feel comfortable doing that and feel empowered to do that.”

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Florida State University recognized graduate student achievement and leadership at the Celebration of Graduate Student Excellence, sponsored by The Graduate School and the Congress of Graduate Students, on April 6 at the FSU Alumni Center.

The celebration honored graduate students who have earned external fellowships and grants and those who have excelled in teaching, mentorship, leadership, participation in public discourse, and research and creative activity. Faculty mentors were also recognized for their work with graduate students.

“Florida State has attracted some of the top graduate students from Florida, from around the United States and from around the world,” said Steve McDowell, interim dean of The Graduate School. “Graduate students are central to undertaking FSU’s important missions of education, research and creative inquiry, and service.”

So far during the 2025-2026 academic year, FSU graduate students have won 135 national fellowships and grants, higher than last year’s near record of 131. That number is expected to grow and includes recognition and funding from the National Science Foundation, the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, the Fulbright Program, the Florida Legislative and Gubernatorial Fellows programs and the McCain Global Leaders Program.

“Graduate funding opportunities are competitive by nature, and so it is a testament to the strength of FSU’s graduate programs and, most importantly, our graduate students, to have this number of externally funded students in a year,” said Keith McCall, assistant director of the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards.

The event kicked off Graduate-Professional Student Appreciation Week, a national observance FSU celebrates with a series of events focused on recognition, professional development, wellness and community connection.

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Two Florida State University graduate students have earned scholarships from an international women’s organization recognizing academic excellence by high-achieving doctoral students.

Clinical psychology doctoral student Morgan Robison and history doctoral student Danielle Wirsansky, both from the College of Arts and Sciences, have received 2025-2026 Scholar Awards from the Philanthropic Educational Organization, or P.E.O., a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting women through education.

“Morgan and Danielle’s success reflects the caliber of their work and the strength of FSU’s graduate programs,” said Adrienne Stephenson, director of FSU’s Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards. “By investing in these women scholars, P.E.O. empowers individual success while driving meaningful progress in research, leadership and innovation across disciplines.”

Founded in 1869 by seven female university students, P.E.O. has helped more than 125,000 women worldwide pursue their goals by providing upwards of $435 million in educational assistance. First awarded in 1991, P.E.O. Scholar Awards are highly competitive merit-based scholarships providing up to $25,000 for one year of study and research by women who will make significant contributions in their fields. Of the 776 women nominated by local P.E.O. chapters this year, Robison and Wirsansky are among only 100 honorees nationwide.

Robison, a rising fifth-year doctoral student in the Department of Psychology, conducts research on suicide risk, intervention and prevention in the Laboratory for the Study and Prevention of Suicide-Related Conditions and Behaviors under the mentorship of Thomas Joiner, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology and the director of FSU’s Psychology Clinic.

“The award brings valuable visibility to our work, which is an essential step in advancing suicide prevention research,” Robison said. “Receiving this generous scholarship is humbling and exciting. It will directly support my research and ease the financial transition into my clinical internship year.”

Robison’s work suggests that one’s perception of themselves — shaped by how they psychologically and neurobiologically interpret external, interpersonal experiences such as social exclusion — influences mental health outcomes more than the interactions themselves.

Suicide prevention research and identifying those most at risk is increasingly critical as suicide rates have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for minorities, with 2024 marking the highest rate of suicide in the U.S. since 1941, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This work is deeply informed by philosophy, social psychology, history and neuroscience with each field offering a distinct lens on how we define and express our humanity as well as how that humanity can be diminished or denied,” Robison said. “I apply these perspectives in clinical psychology to better understand how we can foster belonging through our shared human experience, ultimately preventing serious mental health outcomes.”

“By investing in these women scholars, P.E.O. empowers individual success while driving meaningful progress in research, leadership and innovation across disciplines.”

– Adrienne Stephenson, director of FSU’s Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards

Also entering the fifth year of her program, Wirsansky is a doctoral student in the Department of History working under the mentorship of Nathan Stoltzfus, an FSU emeritus professor of history.

Wirsansky’s dissertation explores the experiences of World War II spies and focuses on women who served in the British Special Operations Executive and were captured by Nazis. By examining how gender shaped their recruitment, training, treatment in captivity and postwar memory, Wirsansky’s work illuminates how female spies navigated and challenged the gender norms of their time.

“Every time I uncover a letter, a photograph or a personal story, I feel like I am restoring part of their legacy,” Wirsansky said. “I want the public to recognize and honor the courage and contributions of these often-overlooked women, many of whom risked everything in service of freedom and resistance.”

Wirsansky also earned a 2024 Fulbright Study/Research Award from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, funding her present archival research on female World War II spies at the Yad Vashem Museum in Jerusalem, Israel. This work not only expands upon existing knowledge of the past, but it also informs current and future understanding of how gender plays into wartime dynamics.

“I was thrilled and honestly a little stunned when I found out I received the P.E.O. Scholar Award,” Wirsansky said. “Graduate school can be financially and emotionally demanding, especially in the final stages of dissertation writing. This award helps me begin my career on solid footing with fewer obstacles and greater momentum.”

For more information about graduate fellowship and award opportunities, visit the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards at ogfa.fsu.edu.

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Florida State University recently held a Lunch and Learn graduate workshop on artificial intelligence (AI), bringing together graduate students from various disciplines to explore the impact of AI on teaching and research.

Students from across campus participated in the 90-minute event, which was held in collaboration between FSU’s Innovation Hub, Graduate School and the Office of the Provost.

“Artificial intelligence in both teaching and research are two areas that are extremely important for our graduate students, especially those that are looking at careers in academia,” said Paul Marty, associate vice provost for academic innovation and sponsor of the event. “We have graduate students from all different programs on campus here talking together, and it shows how topics like artificial intelligence bring people together from all disciplines to learn and share ideas together.”

The workshop featured lectures from Michael Neal, associate professor in the Department of English; Joshua Morgan, academic affairs administrator at the Office of Faculty Development and Advancement; Kyung Kim, social sciences librarian; and Liz Dunne, instruction and reference librarian.

“It’s very important for Florida State University to embrace all new academic innovations. I feel really strongly that we are a university that is embracing innovation across academia, and one of the things we have to do is work with our students so they understand how those tools can be used and what their limitations are.”

— Paul Marty, associate vice provost for academic innovation

The workshop also included discussions on the ethical and effective use of AI tools. The speakers emphasized the university’s commitment to embracing innovation through artificial intelligence and highlighted how they deal with AI in their own professional lives and in the classroom setting.

“It’s very important for Florida State University to embrace all new academic innovations,” Marty said. “I feel really strongly that we are a university that is embracing innovation across academia, and one of the things we have to do is work with our students so they understand how those tools can be used and what their limitations are.”

Graduate students were also encouraged to utilize resources like the Innovation Hub and the Graduate Student Resource Center to further their academic and professional growth.

“I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about AI use in both classrooms and research and to discuss with fellow graduate teaching assistants from various departments their experiences with either combating or introducing it in the classroom,” said Emily Lu, Department of History doctoral student. “I teach Japanese history. I have an anti-generative AI policy in my course, but this workshop made me consider educating students on the ethical use of generative AI and the possibility of incorporating it into the classroom as an educational tool.”

The workshop resonated with many participants who appreciated the university’s efforts to stay at the forefront of technological advancements.

“It was very encouraging to see FSU’s proactive approach to innovative technologies by offering clear guidelines for effectively using generative AI in teaching and research,” said international and multicultural education student Amber Noor Mustafa. “I believe that AI is only as effective as the user’s query, and FSU’s guidance can empower researchers and educators to harness AI’s potential, keeping pace with cutting-edge global research. AI is here to stay, and as researchers, staying informed about the latest advancements is essential, while as educators, we must strive to stay a step ahead of our students to enrich their learning experiences.”

For more information, visit ai.fsu.edu.

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Florida State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP) and College of Communication and Information (CCI) now offer a graduate certificate in Digital Applied Social Science (DASS) to address complex social science questions using cutting-edge digital tools and ethical frameworks. Graduates of the DASS program will be uniquely prepared for impactful careers at the intersection of data science and social science, with opportunities in various fields including social research, public policy, marketing, communications, business intelligence and academia.

“The Digital Applied Social Science graduate certificate provides students with insights into and hands-on experience with AI and big data on issues central to the social science and policy fields,” said Tim Chapin, dean of COSSPP. “This new certificate ensures that students are well-equipped to work on social and policy problems using the latest tools and frameworks, and that they enter the modern workforce with the skills and confidence to tackle these challenges.”

This 18-credit graduate certificate includes four core courses and two electives, teaching students how to gather data from databases, crowdsourcing and application programming interfaces (APIs). It also builds essential skills in data management, analysis and visualization to ensure accurate and efficient results.

Hands-on training in computational tools, such as network analysis, natural language processing and artificial intelligence (AI), prepares DASS students to engage with social challenges thoughtfully and effectively.

“This new certificate ensures that students are well-equipped to work on social and policy problems using the latest tools and frameworks, and that they enter the modern workforce with the skills and confidence to tackle these challenges.”

– Tim Chapin, dean of FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy

The program embraces an “ethics as practice” approach, which embeds ethical reasoning throughout the research process and emphasizes responsible use of digital data and tools.

The coursework equips students with the skills and knowledge to navigate information policy issues, with special attention to information ownership rights, privacy rights and public access to information. The approved course electives are offered by both COSSPP and CCI.

“Collaboration among disciplines provides the opportunity for students to gain more knowledge from more sources, and in ways they may not otherwise have imagined, to approach an issue or a topic,” said Dean Michelle Kazmer of the CCI. “We are proud to partner with the COSSPP for this certificate and thrilled to be able to provide students with a multidisciplinary approach that will inform their worldview as they enter the modern workforce and society.”

Admission is competitive, with applications for this cycle due by April 1, 2025. Students must apply in the spring each year for admission to start the certificate program in the fall semester or wait for the next application cycle.

Eligible applicants are graduate students with a 3.50 GPA currently enrolled in select colleges: Communication & Information, Social Sciences & Public Policy, Criminology & Criminal Justice, Social Work or Business. Students from other colleges and non-degree-seeking students are not eligible at this time.

To learn more about the Graduate Certificate in Digital Applied Social Science (DASS) and specific course requirements, visit cosspp.fsu.edu.

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Graduate programs at Florida State University are among the nation’s best, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 edition of “Best Graduate Schools” released April 25.

Programs in education, public affairs, business, nursing and engineering saw improvements in the rankings, highlighted by the College of Education’s five-spot jump to No. 21 among all public and private universities.

“Florida State University is one of the top public research institutions in the nation,” said Jim Clark, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “These rankings are a reflection of our excellent faculty, the rigorous programs we offer, and the high-quality students we attract.”

Mark Riley, dean of The Graduate School, said the FSU’s rising graduate rankings can be attributed to the positive momentum the university has enjoyed recently.

“This is really the most exciting time I’ve ever known at Florida State, and I’ve been here for 32 years,” he said. “We are hiring amazing faculty, our graduate students continue to be phenomenal, and the applications have continued to rise because people are hearing about what a great place this is. Students here know a good thing, and they are our great ambassadors.”

“Florida State University is one of the top public research institutions in the nation. These rankings are a reflection of our excellent faculty, the rigorous programs we offer, and the high-quality students we attract.”

— Jim Clark, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs

The College of Education continued its ascent, rising to No. 21 overall and No. 13 among publics. In addition, four education specialties placed in the Top 20 among public universities — Student Counseling (No. 13), Curriculum and Instruction (No. 18), Special Education (No. 19) and Education Administration (No. 20).

“I’d like to congratulate our faculty, staff and students for achieving their highest-ever U.S. News and World Report ranking of No. 13 among public universities,” said Damon Andrew, dean of the College of Education. “Our multi-year climb in the rankings is a testament to our continued commitment to be student-focused and innovation-driven.”

The College of Business’ MBA specialty in Real Estate maintained its No. 16 ranking overall while it climbed a spot to No. 8 among public school programs — the fourth straight year placing No. 9 or better.

“Once you’ve achieved an elite spot among the nation’s best real estate programs, it’s remarkable to maintain that position – much less improve – in that competitive space,” said Michael Hartline, dean of the College of Business. “We do not take this kind of success for granted, and instead focus on providing business students with the knowledge and skills that prepare them to thrive in any profession or industry they pursue.”

Public Affairs, housed in Askew School of Public Administration and Policy within the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, moved up six spots to No. 26 among public universities and up seven places to No. 39 overall. Two career track specialties within the school’s online MPA program also rose in the ranks. The school’s Public Management and Leadership specialty ranked No. 12 among publics and No. 19 overall, while the Local Government Management specialty placed No. 13 among public universities and No. 15 overall.

“Given ongoing investments in our faculty and programs, I am not surprised to see our exceptional public affairs programs rise in U.S. News and World Report’s rankings,” said Tim Chapin, dean of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. “Our world-class faculty in the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy, as well as affiliated faculty in Urban & Regional Planning and Emergency Management and Homeland Security, continue to impact Florida and the planet through their academic research and graduating students with the skills to make a difference in their communities.”

The College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program vaulted 17 places to No. 33 overall and 13 spots to No. 24 among publics. The DNP program, which has risen 44 places in just two years, is now tied with the University of South Florida for the top program in Florida.

“The College of Nursing is proud to share another big win,” said Jing Wang, dean of the College of Nursing. “It has been an immense period of growth and transformation at the college, and achievements like this are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students. We all share a common goal in our pursuit of excellence. It is an honor to be ranked at the top in Florida and among the top programs in the country, and we plan to continue building off this momentum.”

The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering also improved, climbing three spots among public and private institutions to earn a No. 92 ranking. The graduate program in Industrial Engineering moved up three places to No. 42 among public institutions, Civil Engineering leapt 21 spots to No. 77 among public universities, and Electrical Engineering climbed 13 places to No. 84 among publics.

“We are pleased to see our graduate rankings in the top 100 doctoral-granting engineering colleges nationwide,” said Suvranu De, dean of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “This is just a piece of the story of our continued success, but it’s an important one. As we continue to attract and graduate highly qualified engineering students in our program, we will take our rightful place in the top 50 among peer institutions in the U.S. These rankings are key to that vision for us and our parent institutions.”

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The challenge is as straightforward as it is difficult: make intricate ideas accessible and interesting and do it in less than four minutes.   

Nine Florida State University master’s students from across academic disciplines accepted the challenge Wednesday and showcased their research at The FSU Graduate School’s Master’s in Four competition.  

Topics included an exploration of postpartum depression in fathers, a submerged archeological site on the Aucilla River and enhancing reading comprehension in children with signs of an emotional behavioral disorder.  

Ultimately it was Madison McCraney, a master’s student in public health, who took home the $1,000 first prize for her research on access to primary medical care in Florida. McCraney’s research demonstrated that access to primary health care is not distributed equitably in Florida. 

There’s more to it than that, which is exactly what makes Master’s in Four such a challenge. Speaking after her win, McCraney called the challenge of communicating intricate ideas in just four minutes like “walking on a tightrope.”  

“But it’s just so important to get in front of people and get the comfort level up,” she said, noting that her career in public health will require these skills. “I’ll need to be comfortable speaking to a large group of people, so this was awesome exposure to that.” 

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