A Florida State University condensed-matter physicist is part of a team exploring how quantum materials, which are materials that power everything from modern electronics like smartphones to natural processes like photosynthesis, respond in real time to changing environmental factors, such as magnetic fields, light and temperature.

Associate Professor of Physics Hitesh Changlani has earned a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, with his collaborator Kemp Plumb, an associate professor of physics at Brown University, to model out-of-equilibrium quantum matter using neutron scattering. The goal of this research is to understand how to steer materials toward specific quantum states useful to scientists. Nearly $800,000 of the grant will come to FSU and the National Science Foundation-funded, FSU-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, with which Changlani is also affiliated.

“Quantum mechanics is all around you: in your phone, in superconducting materials, in magnets and more,” Changlani said. “There are so many important processes happening at a microscopic level that we have yet to comprehend, and this research will help us better understand how we can create more efficient quantum materials by controlling interacting electrons’ responses.”

Studies on quantum matter often focus on matter’s behavior in an equilibrium state, a condition where all competing forces in a system are balanced. Changlani’s theoretical physics research investigates how non-living systems, like interacting electrons in quantum materials, behave similarly and self-stabilize.

“The field of non-equilibrium physics has achieved a lot of importance over the last 20 years,” Changlani said. “Developments across the field have helped us understand how we can steer quantum materials to desirable states, like superconducting states, so we can use them more efficiently in modern technologies.”

This grant will allow Changlani, a theorist, and Plumb, an experimentalist, to collaborate with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, or ORNL, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. FSU is a core university partner of ORNL, the largest DOE science and energy laboratory. There, the team will investigate how nickel-based magnetic pyrochlores, whose unconventional properties the team previously characterized in equilibrium settings, react when they are out of equilibrium with their environment.

“Hitesh has become a leader in our department very early in his career path,” said Paul Cottle, Department of Physics chair. “His collaboration with Brown University shows that he’s reached a new milestone in his scientific development.”

When interacting with other forces like electromagnetism, electrons drop from excited, high-energy states to low-energy states. The team will use an imaging technique called neutron scattering to uncover how electrons in magnetic materials like pyrochlore navigate this state change in response to changing electromagnetic forces.

“If you fracture your arm and look at an X-ray of it every day, you’ll see how your arm is healing,” Changlani said. “We’re using a similar technique by shooting neutrons at a magnetic system evolving slowly enough that we can observe those changes.”

Neutrons that are fired at a material interact with the spin of its electrons and lose energy as they are deflected. Information from the lost energy is used to create real-time images of the arrangement of electron spins. These images are captured in collaboration with ORNL’s Neutron Scattering Division, and Changlani creates simulations using high-performance computing resources at FSU’s Research Computing Center.

“Neutron scattering has illuminated how materials like high-temperature cuprate superconductors, quantum spin liquids and altermagnets, which are relevant to important technologies like quantum computers, power grids and storage devices, work in equilibrium,” Changlani said. “However, using neutron scattering for out-of-equilibrium quantum matter is still relatively uncharted territory, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to model it.”

Changlani and Plumb first met as postdoctoral researchers at Johns Hopkins University in 2016. Since then, they have collaborated several times, including at the 2019 Theory Winter School, hosted by the National MagLab. Changlani is a member of the FSU Quantum Initiative, a multidisciplinary effort to strengthen quantum science research and education at FSU.

To learn more about Changlani’s work and research conducted in the Department of Physics, visit physics.fsu.edu.

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The project to create an advanced nuclear magnetic resonance facility supports U.S. National Science Foundation priorities in biotechnology, energy, advanced manufacturing and health 

The Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, or MagLab, is launching a new magnet facility to build on its world leadership in nuclear magnetic resonance with $18 million in funding from the National Science Foundation.

The new ultra-high-sensitivity facility will center around a new 23.5-tesla nuclear magnetic resonance, or NMR, magnet, one of the strongest in the United States, complemented by additional equipment to accelerate data acquisition for a wide range of research.

“This grant will fund an instrument that is unique in the world. It’s a significant milestone and exciting news for the MagLab, FSU and the U.S. as a whole,” said Frederic Mentink-Vigier, lead researcher for the project and an affiliated faculty member in the FSU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “What this instrument is opening up is the ability to look at samples with higher sensitivity, and thus to look at the entirety of the periodic table.”

With stronger magnets, researchers can make deeper investigations to drive breakthroughs across disciplines.

“This facility will provide previously inaccessible capabilities for understanding the structure and dynamics of matter at the atomic scale, critical to U.S. priorities in biotechnology, energy, advanced manufacturing and health,” said the NSF award announcement.

New magnet, expanded capabilities

Nuclear magnetic resonance harnesses high magnetic fields and radio waves to determine the 3D structures of molecules, uncover the mechanisms of enzymes and catalysts, and provide insights into surfaces and interfaces at scales far beyond the reach of conventional microscopes.

The technology allows scientists to examine samples for biologically essential elements such as iron, copper, sulfur and calcium, along with greater study of membrane proteins that act as cell gatekeepers and amyloid proteins, which play a role in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Type II diabetes and other diseases.

“All this is essential to be able to understand disease and develop cures,” said Mentink-Vigier.

The instrument will expand capabilities to see elements such as lithium and sodium being studied for solid-state batteries. Scientists will also be able to better detect cadmium, selenium and lead, crucial for electronics, solar cells and LEDs, along with platinum-group metals, which play critical roles in catalysis and medicine.

World-leading techniques

Mentink-Vigier’s research focuses on dynamic nuclear polarization, or DNP, a technique in which he is a world-renowned expert. This new instrument represents the cutting edge of DNP, a signal amplifier that improves sensitivity by up to four orders of magnitude. The new system will utilize magic angle spinning, combined either with DNP or cryoprobes, to improve resolution. That technique can lower measurement times by a factor of up to 16. This will be the only ultra-high-field magnet in the world equipped with both magic angle spinning and dynamic nuclear polarization.

“When people want information out of the NMR experiments, this is the combination: magic angle spinning gives you resolution and dynamic nuclear polarization gives you signaling intensity,” said Mentink-Vigier. “We have the ability to do experiments that previously we were not able to do. What you could not absolutely see before, you can now see.”

Serving the scientific community

The new magnet system is scheduled for installation in 2028, with access for users from around the world starting the following year. The new magnet will operate as part of the MagLab’s large user program, serving more than 1,600 academic researchers and companies each year, and providing a technical training ground for students who will help build the future STEM workforce.

“Our NMR program is already known for its unparalleled equipment and expertise,” said MagLab Director Kathleen Amm. “This will only expand what’s possible for top scientists from around the world who come here to push the boundaries in biology and other disciplines.”

“I am delighted to see this remarkable facility become a reality and serve the scientific community,” said Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy, MagLab researcher and professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

Ramamoorthy’s lab investigates amyloid formation, dynamic structures of membrane proteins and the roles of biological relevant metals in disease-related molecular processes.

“This award further amplifies the MagLab’s impact by empowering scientists from around the world to make new discoveries,” he said. 

A legacy of NMR leadership

The project serves as a legacy for former NMR Facility Director Robert Schurko, who passed away in February 2026 after a battle with cancer. Schurko spent his career extending the use of solid-state NMR research and discovery.

“Rob was the catalyst that brought us together around a shared vision of creating a unique facility that would push the boundaries of solid-state NMR,” said Mentink-Vigier. “We are honored to carry his vision forward. This award is a testament to Rob’s legacy and our collective commitment to making this facility a reality.”

The National MagLab is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the State of Florida.

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From pioneering cancer research and building the world’s most powerful magnets to expanding the frontiers of health, engineering and the arts, Florida State University has spent generations turning research and creative discovery into work that changes lives.

As FSU celebrates its 175th anniversary, that legacy stretches from the university’s earliest research programs to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and today’s rapidly growing FSU Health academic health system.

“Research is central to Florida State University’s mission and essential to the impact we make on Florida, the nation and the world,” said President Richard McCullough. “For generations, FSU researchers have pushed the boundaries of knowledge, tackled complex challenges and transformed bold ideas into discoveries that improve lives. We look to build on that legacy as we continue investing in the research that will drive the next generation of breakthroughs.”

Early research foundations

In 1947, the Florida State College for Women became Florida State University, signifying an expansion of the institution’s mission from undergraduate education to a research enterprise.

The university’s research footprint was also growing. FSU established its first marine laboratory, the Oceanographic Institute, in 1949, followed by additional facilities on the St. Johns River near Jacksonville and on Tampa Bay. The facilities supported research into local fisheries, the oceanography of the Gulf Stream, red tide and other marine science topics.

As the FSU research program developed, the university became a leading institution in the physical sciences, especially physics and chemistry. In 1957, FSU established the High Energy Physics group, the first high-energy physics program in the Southeast. The FSU Accelerator Laboratory — now the John D. Fox Nuclear Accelerator Laboratory — began operations in 1960, helping FSU physicists study low-energy nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics and the quantum mechanics of atomic nuclei and their reactions, which supports applications like medical treatments, energy production and storage, national security and more.

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Florida State University will establish a campus-scale quantum communication testing platform with $2.1 million in federal Community Project Funding through the National Institute of Standards and Technology, secured with support from U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster of Florida’s 11th Congressional District.

The testbed will link a central quantum communication hub in FSU’s Interdisciplinary Research and Commercialization Building (IRCB) with receiver nodes at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab). Researchers will study how quantum communication hardware and optical links perform under challenging conditions, including strong air turbulence, high magnetic fields and cryogenic thermal cycling.

Quantum communication uses quantum properties of light, including entanglement, to transmit and protect information in ways that are fundamentally different from conventional networks. A major challenge is moving quantum communication from carefully controlled laboratory demonstrations to reliable systems that can operate in real-world conditions.

“Florida State University leads the nation in quantum science and engineering,” said Rep. Webster. “I fought for this investment in Congress as it will help establish the first quantum communications testbed facility in the southeastern United States. These resources will help expand their important work and strengthen American innovation. Advancements in quantum technology are critical to our national security and will help ensure the United States remains a leader in these emerging technologies as we counter adversaries like China.”

The testbed will connect the hub to the nodes through campus fiber resources. It will generate and distribute entangled photons and monitor measures such as link reliability, allowing researchers to improve system performance. The system will also include reconfigurable optical links so researchers can deliberately expose components and communication channels to controlled environmental stresses.

“The next frontier is not simply demonstrating quantum communication in an ideal laboratory, but understanding how to make these systems reliable in the environments where they will ultimately operate,” said Suvranu De, dean of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “This investment gives us a platform to connect fundamental quantum science with engineering validation, workforce development and future partnerships with government, industry and other universities. It is an important step toward secure and resilient quantum networks that can operate in the real world.”

 FSU expands quantum research

The project continues FSU’s commitment to advancing research in quantum science and engineering. Since launching the FSU Quantum Initiative in 2023, the university has hired 10 new faculty members to reach a total of 45 faculty members researching quantum topics, developed Florida’s first graduate credential in quantum information science and engineering, hosted the inaugural Florida Quantum Conference and joined with other universities around the state to establish the Florida Alliance for Quantum Technology.

In July, the U.S. Department of Energy chose FSU to lead four major projects as part of the Genesis Mission, including a project to develop AI that acts as a real-time diagnostic system for quantum computers and another to improve scientists’ understanding of atomic nuclei and other quantum systems.

“This is an important research infrastructure investment that can support future quantum-networking activities and position FSU for larger-scale opportunities,” said Wei Guo, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, head of the MagLab’s cryogenics lab and co-director of the FSU Quantum Initiative. “Just as importantly, it will give students and researchers hands-on experience across the full quantum-networking stack, from photons and detectors to controls, data, networks and demanding operating environments.”

For more information about ongoing quantum research at Florida State, visit the FSU Quantum initiative website.

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Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, or MagLab, have shown that a potential stroke treatment derived from stem cells may be more effective for women.

In a study published in Theranostics, the research team used human mesenchymal stem cells, which can transform into a variety of different cell types, to harvest extracellular vesicles, or EVs — small particles released by cells as chemical messengers. They tested those EVs as a therapy for ischemic stroke, when blood is blocked from reaching the brain.

The research could help scientists improve drug-based treatments for stroke patients and refine care strategies, even tailoring those that may be impacted by a patient’s sex.

What they did

Extracellular vesicles have shown potential as a treatment for various diseases, both as a way to deliver medicines to specific targets in patients and as a therapy on their own.

In this study, researchers used EVs to treat rats with strokes, then tracked changes in their brains over several weeks with the MagLab’s 21.1-T ultra-widebore magnet using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy.

In both males and females, the EV treatment improved post-stroke recovery. MRI scans showed improvements to damaged brain tissue and the brain’s chemical and metabolic activity after treatment.

But the benefits were not the same for each sex, suggesting that biological differences may influence treatment effectiveness.

Why it matters: Personalizing treatment for patients

The primary female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, have protective effects for the brain. In this study, the researchers saw that EVs augmented the positive effects of these naturally occurring hormones.

“Extracellular vesicles are a way to use the body’s own biological messaging system to promote healing,” said study co-author Yan Li, a professor at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “That natural capacity to promote repair and restore balance could transform how we treat some of the most challenging diseases.”

Preclinical work, including animal and cellular studies, often uses male subjects to avoid data variations caused by female hormonal cycles. By understanding the role sex hormones play in stroke recovery, the research could eventually help scientists implement more effective treatments for women.

Extracellular vesicles: An avenue for targeted treatment

EVs are a promising treatment for various diseases because they offer the regenerative and anti-inflammatory benefits of cell therapies without the risks of using living cells.

Drugs used to treat strokes must cross the blood-brain barrier to target the area where they are needed. EVs are small and can penetrate deeper into the brain than stem cells, which are more likely to be identified and attacked by a patient’s immune system.

“You’re getting an extra bang for your buck as a patient,” said study co-author Samuel Grant, a professor at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “Even though estrogen is helping recovery, the EV therapy has the added benefit of helping to recover faster, to salvage more tissue and reestablish regulation of metabolic processes in the brain.”

Collaborators and support

Former FSU doctoral student Jamini Bhagu was the lead author on this study. FSU graduate students and undergraduate students were also co-authors. This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation through the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the State of Florida.

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For 175 years, generations of students have come to Florida State University and its predecessor institutions for an education and the opportunities that come with it.

Those generations include the first students to pursue public higher education in Florida, young women attending Florida State College for Women when access to higher education was limited, veterans returning from World War II and first-generation students charting a new path for themselves and their families.

Today, FSU is one of the nation’s top public universities, drawing record numbers of highly accomplished students while continuing a long tradition of expanding opportunity.

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Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory have designed new quantum computing architecture that uses magnetic levitation to smooth over design flaws in the intricate bits necessary to run a quantum computer.

Quantum bits, or qubits, can be as small as a few nanometers, and manufacturing them inevitably introduces random flaws onto their surface. By using superconducting magnets to levitate neon particles, the research addresses a challenge in electron-on-neon qubit devices: the tendency for electrons to become trapped by random tiny bumps on the neon surface, making them function unpredictably.

The study, published in the American Physical Society journal PRX Quantum, could help pave the way for more reproducible and scalable quantum computing technologies.

“Instead of hoping that the right nanoscale feature appears in the right place, we want to decide where each electron qubit sits,” said study co-author Wei Guo, a professor at Florida State University, the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, or MagLab.  “Magnetic levitation gives us a way to place a clean neon carrier above the chip, while the chip still provides the circuitry needed to control and read the qubit. In this architecture, the qubit is no longer found by chance. It is built by design.”

What they made: A new design for electron-on-neon qubits

The researchers proposed a chip design that uses superconducting loops to magnetically hold tiny solid-neon particles above the chip surface. Instead of placing a solid-neon film directly on the chip, where it can inherit roughness from the substrate underneath, the new architecture uses nearly spherical neon microparticles as carriers for electron qubits.

“A simple way to think about it is that we give the electron a tiny, clean, floating island to sit on, rather than asking it to find a good spot on a rough landscape,” said study co-author Yinghe Qi, a MagLab postdoctoral researcher. “The chip underneath still provides the microwave circuits needed to control and read the qubit.”

Why it matters: Engineering a better chip

The work opens a path toward a new class of hybrid quantum devices, where clean quantum materials are integrated directly with chip-based control circuits.

“We have not built a full quantum computer in this paper, but we showed that the essential ingredients can work together in a realistic design: clean electron confinement, tunable qubit energy levels, strong coupling to microwave circuits and a way for neighboring qubits to communicate,” Guo said.

Technological advantages

Unlike the bits in ordinary computers, which store information as 0s or 1s, qubits use the rules of quantum mechanics to process information that can represent multiple possibilities at the same time until it is measured. To build a useful quantum computer, researchers need qubits that are clean, stable, controllable and practical to arrange in large numbers on a chip — a mix of properties that is difficult to achieve.

Electron-on-neon qubits, which use a single electron held above solid neon, are a promising platform for qubit design because of their accuracy and their ability to maintain their quantum information long enough to perform calculations. The electron sits in a clean environment, while the chip underneath provides the microwave circuits needed for control and readout.

The design shown in this study preserves the advantages of these qubits while using levitation to remove the randomness of a bumpy surface. 

“The main advantage is reproducibility,” said study co-author Yiming Xing, an assistant professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “Right now, useful electron-on-neon qubits depend on random nanoscale surface features, almost like hoping the right defect appears in the right place. Our approach replaces those random traps with designed, clean neon carriers placed at intended locations on a chip. If demonstrated experimentally, this could make electron-on-neon devices more predictable, reduce unwanted charge noise and make it easier to build larger arrays of qubits.”

Future research: Building a working prototype

The researchers plan to use their design to build a working prototype of an electron-on-neon qubit.

The main components of their design — superconducting loops, microwave resonators and patterned chip structures — are compatible with fabrication methods already used in quantum-device research, which will help researchers move from design to prototype and beyond.

Collaborators and support

Co-authors on this study included FSU postdoctoral researchers Sosuke Inui and Charles Peretti. Dafei Jin, an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame, was also a co-author.

The project received support from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the Florida State University Quantum Initiative. The FAMU Center for Quantum Science and Engineering supported contributions by Xing and supported the Notre Dame team through the National Science Foundation ExpandQISE grant administered by Florida A&M University.

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New FSU Quantum Initiative certificate will prepare students and professionals for careers in the rapidly expanding quantum workforce

Florida State University is launching Florida’s first formal graduate-level credential in quantum information science and engineering, opening a new pathway for students and professionals to enter one of the world’s fastest-growing technology fields. The Graduate Certificate in Quantum Science & Technology is now accepting applications for Spring 2027 enrollment.

Administered by the FSU Quantum Initiative, the interdisciplinary certificate will give graduate students and working professionals rigorous training across quantum physics, materials science, chemistry, computer science and engineering. Drawing on courses from multiple departments and two colleges — the FSU College of Arts and Sciences and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering — the program positions FSU to help build the emerging quantum workforce vital to the nation’s technological leadership and security.

“Quantum science is reshaping the future of computing, communication, materials and national security, and Florida State University is positioning itself at the forefront of that transformation,” said FSU Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson. “This new graduate certificate reflects the strength of our research enterprise and our commitment to preparing students for the high-demand careers that will drive the next generation of discovery and innovation.”

Students will complete required coursework in quantum information and computing, choose from a broad selection of electives and gain access to world-class research facilities, including the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the new Interdisciplinary Research & Commercialization Building. The building houses cleanroom and nanofabrication facilities as well as dilution refrigerators for low-temperature quantum experiments. The FSU Quantum Initiative also is developing partnerships with leading quantum technology companies and national centers to connect students directly with career opportunities in the rapidly growing quantum industry.

“Florida State University is an ideal place for students to pursue training in quantum science and technology because of the extraordinary breadth of expertise across our campus,” said Sam Huckaba, dean of the FSU College of Arts and Sciences. “Students in this program will learn from faculty working at the cutting edge of physics, chemistry, materials science, mathematics, computer science and related fields, while also benefiting from access to world-class research facilities. That combination of talent, infrastructure and opportunity will prepare them to make meaningful contributions in a rapidly evolving field.”

FSU has made bold investments in quantum science and engineering, including hiring ten new faculty. Many of these faculty will teach new courses that will serve both their departments and interdisciplinary programs.

“The most important challenges in emerging technologies cannot be solved within the boundaries of a single discipline,” said Suvranu De, dean of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “This certificate reflects the strength of the partnership between the College of Arts and Sciences and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, bringing together complementary expertise to prepare students for a future where quantum information science and engineering is transforming computing, sensing, communications, and enabling new approaches to materials discovery. It is exactly the kind of interdisciplinary collaboration needed to tackle fundamental scientific challenges and develop the quantum technologies of tomorrow.”

FSU is extending its commitment to quantum education beyond the graduate level. The university already offers introductory quantum computing courses for undergraduate and high school students, and plans are underway to develop formal programs for both groups. Together, these efforts will create a comprehensive quantum education pipeline that introduces students to the field early and supports them through advanced training.

“Quantum information science is not just a frontier for research; it is becoming a foundation for the economy of the 21st century,” said Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Michael Shatruk, director of the FSU Quantum Initiative. “With this certificate program, we are giving students in Florida the tools to be part of that future. And by reaching students at the undergraduate and high school levels, we will be planting those seeds early.” 

The FSU QIST Graduate Certificate Program is accepting applications for the Spring 2027 cohort through Oct. 1, 2026. The program is open to current FSU graduate students in relevant STEM disciplines as well as external post-baccalaureate applicants, including industry professionals seeking foundational knowledge in quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum materials and related technologies. More information and the online application are available on the program website.

About the FSU Quantum Initiative

The FSU Quantum Initiative is a cross-departmental research and education hub spanning the departments of Physics, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Materials Science & Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Florida State University. FSU Quantum coordinates quantum science and engineering research, education, and industry partnerships across the university, with access to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the Interdisciplinary Research & Commercialization Building.

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Florida State University researchers are part of an international team whose work reveals that North and South American mammals interacted before the Panamanian land bridge formed about 3 million years ago.

Professor of Geology and Environmental Science Yang Wang and geology doctoral student Chance Hannold are coauthors of a new study that challenges the long-held belief that North and South American mammals did not mix until the continents joined through an isthmus, a narrow strip that connects two larger land masses. Instead, the researchers found evidence of some North American animals clustering in present-day southern Mexico before opportunities arose to move further south beginning about 7 million years ago.

This research was published Thursday in the journal Science.

“Fossils, as well as ancient sediments and soils, provide valuable archives of past life and environmental conditions,” said Wang, who is also a faculty affiliate of the National Science Foundation-funded, FSU-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. “By studying these natural archives, we can better understand how mammalian communities responded to past environmental changes and the processes that gave rise to present-day biodiversity patterns. This knowledge, in turn, can help us better anticipate the potential impacts of future environmental perturbations on the biosphere.”

North and South America were once isolated continents home to distinct groups of animals. Until recently, scientists believed those animals moved north and south only after the Isthmus of Panama formed about 3 million years ago. Biologists refer to this as the Great American Biotic Interchange, or GABI.

However, the new research suggests many North American mammals migrated to present-day southern Mexico and remained there in a sort of geographical holding pen until the continents moved just close enough for smaller species, including racoon-like coatis, ringtails and rodents, to travel farther south, likely by island hopping through the Caribbean or rafting on vegetation.

This suggests that intercontinental species migration began at least 4 million years before GABI. For context: At the beginning of that 4-million-year gap, early human ancestors had just genetically separated from chimpanzees, and by the end of it, the Stone Age had begun.

For this research, Wang and Hannold, a fifth-year doctoral student, conducted fieldwork in Mexico in from 2022 to 2024, collecting samples of ancient soil and fossilized tooth enamel.

“Earth’s natural processes, such as volcanism, the formation of the Isthmus of Panama, and the uplift of the Himalayas, have shaped the environments and climates in which animals, including humans, live,” Wang said. “We took our field samples back to the lab at FSU to conduct stable isotope analyses, which help identify when, where and in what conditions these animals lived, providing the environmental context for this study’s collection of fossils.”

Stable isotope analyses found evidence that the early arrival of North American mammals in Mexico was driven by the development of savanna grasslands in the region. The data revealed that C4 grasses — warm-season plants that include corn, sugarcane, switchgrass and Bermuda grass — were present in the area around 10 million years ago and became a dominant component of early horses’ diets by 5 million years ago.

“Yang’s new research is truly interdisciplinary, as it combines geological and biological evidence to investigate how geological processes created one of the great natural ecological mixing experiments of the Cenozoic Era,” said Mike Stukel, chair of the FSU Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science. “It is also fascinating to consider how these results might shed light on the current mixing experiment occurring as humans intentionally and unintentionally spread different species across the planet.”

Wang and Hannold’s work was supported by the National Science Foundation through a portion of more than $500,000 in funding for the project. The broader study was led by principal investigator Jack Tseng, an associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and coauthored by researchers from Stanford University, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, California, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, as well as the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, both located in central Mexico.

To learn more about research conducted in the FSU Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, visit eoas.fsu.edu.

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This summer, Florida State University’s Learning Systems Institute (LSI) hosted its third cohort of fellows through the BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience and Reconstruction (UPRR), further strengthening research partnerships between U.S. and Ukrainian scholars. 

The fellows, Dmytro Diadin, an associate professor at O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv, and Oleksandra Hrytstna, associate professor and vice dean at the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering in Rivne, spent four weeks at FSU collaborating with faculty across campus. They conducted research, observed classes, developed course materials and explored the policies and culture that shape American higher education.   

This marks the third cohort of BridgeUSA UPRR fellows hosted by FSU’s Ukraine Task Force (UTF), housed within LSI. Vilma Fuentes, director of the UTF, coordinated the visit.  

“While staying here, we were really in good hands,” Diadin said. “We are very grateful to FSU’s UTF for hosting us because this ensures that we will go to Ukraine with really tangible outcomes, tangible results.” 

Hrytstna’s research focuses on water and wastewater management to support sustainable urban environments. His work also explores the potential of wastewater energy recovery as a tool for decarbonization. Diadin specializes in hydrology, water monitoring and environmental impact assessment, with extensive expertise studying groundwater and surface water systems in Eastern Ukraine.  

During their visit, the fellows worked alongside scientists at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) to analyze groundwater samples from Ukraine and examine how the ongoing Russian invasion has affected the country’s water resources.  

“The most exciting and the most useful part for me was taking samples (of Ukrainian groundwater) and using the magnificent capabilities of the MagLab to analyze this water,” Diadin said. “This is actually the first time ever that Ukrainian water was analyzed on such magnetic instruments. So, this is the only place in the world where we can do it with such precision.” 

The collaboration also created opportunities for long-term research partnerships. Florida’s unique geology, particularly North Florida’s more than 300 documented freshwater springs, provides valuable opportunities for comparative water research.  

“I see a beautiful harmony here,” Hrytstna said. “It is a unique ecosystem in Florida, in Tallahassee. How FSU built a world-class academic campus right inside this natural paradise shows me that progress and nature can live together.” 

Both fellows said the visit strengthened relationships with FSU researchers and opened the door to future joint projects. 

“I see that we will have further cooperation on water quality and just in general water studies because in Florida you have really unique conditions of groundwater formation, groundwater pollution and groundwater use,” Diadin said. “In Ukraine we have different conditions but the impacts, the anthropogenic inputs to water and the necessity of water preservation, to ensure water quality, water safety. This is in our common tasks. So, I really see that we will cooperate on these water issues with the FSU.” 

The BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience and Reconstruction is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, with additional funding from U.S. host institutions, and administered by American Councils for International Education. The program equips professionals with the skills and expertise needed to support Ukraine’s recovery and resilience. 

“BridgeUSA provides an opportunity to meet face-to-face,” Hrytstna said. “It is important because you see your partner, your scientist colleagues and you have eye contact. In a face-to-face meeting, we can better understand each other. For me, it is a two-way bridge. It is not only the U.S. to Ukraine. It is also Ukraine to the U.S.” 

ABOUT LSI

LSI strives to lead the way in creating innovative educational solutions that seamlessly connect theory with practice. Through advanced research, we develop industry-leading methods and implementation strategies to enhance systematic learning at all levels and in all environments. For more than five decades, LSI has been committed to driving measurable improvements in the performance of both individuals and organizations. 

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As Florida State University celebrates its 175th anniversary, the milestone coincides with the national observance of America 250, offering an opportunity to reflect on how the university’s history has unfolded alongside that of the United States.

Since its founding, FSU’s evolution from a regional seminary into a preeminent public research institution has been closely connected to many of the defining events and transformations that shaped the nation.

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