The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering news for faculty and staff
FAMU Presidential Investiture – University Participation and Class Schedule Adjustment
Presidential Investiture – University Participation and Class Schedule Adjustment (April 21)
FAMU Presidential Investiture Participation – Florida A&M University will proudly celebrate the Investiture of our 13th President, Marva B. Johnson, J.D., on April 20–21 under the theme “FAMU Forward, Advancing Excellence.”
Presidential Investiture Ceremony
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
11:00 a.m.
Lee Hall Auditorium
Seating, tenting, and broadcasting will also be available on the quadrangle for students to view the entire ceremony.
Register here.
Class Schedule Adjustment (April 21)
To encourage full campus participation:
- Classes will be canceled from 11:00 a.m. through the end of the 2:25 p.m. class period
- Classes will resume as follows:
- 2:00 p.m. for Tuesday/Thursday classes
- 2:30 p.m. for four-day-per-week classes
Faculty should communicate any necessary adjustments to coursework or assignments accordingly.
University-Wide Participation - All faculty, staff, and students are strongly encouraged to attend the Investiture Ceremony and participate in this milestone event in the life of Florida A&M University. Your presence reflects our collective commitment to leadership, academic excellence, and student success.
Special Note - FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Classes held at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering will remain in session and will not be canceled. Only faculty, staff, or students who are participating in or formally supporting the Investiture may be excused. FAMU engineering students who wish to participate in the Investiture should notify their instructor(s) ahead of time. Excused absence forms will be provided by the COE Student Services office (B-111) to students who can provide proof of participation. Please fill out the form here and submit it to Student Services along with your proof of attendance.
Full Investiture Schedule Highlights
Monday, April 20
Prayer Breakfast – 8:00 a.m., Grand Ballroom (Sold Out)
Partner/Donor Reception and Dinner – 6:00 p.m., Grand Ballroom (Sold Out)
Tuesday, April 21
Investiture Ceremony – 11:00 a.m., Lee Hall Auditorium
Quadrangle Reception – Immediately following
President’s Wind Symphony Concert – 7:30 p.m., Lee Hall Auditorium
This investiture represents both a celebration of leadership and a strategic moment for FAMU as we continue advancing excellence across our academic enterprise. Thank you for your partnership in ensuring strong participation from your respective units.
Registration Required - All attendees are encouraged to register in advance here.
Cancelled: Aspire Forums This Week To Be Rescheduled
Dear Colleagues,
We regret to inform you that the ASPIRE town halls scheduled for April 20 and April 22 have been cancelled. We hope to reschedule these events in the near future and will provide updates as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to connecting with everyone soon.
Sincerely,
Stacey S. Patterson, Ph.D., Vice President for Research
Engineering Employee & Faculty Awards
Take a Paws: Destress Day, April 28
Event Location: Outside - Bus Stop Courtyard
De-stress during finals with therapy dogs, plus Valentino the horse (1:30-2:30pm).
NNSA TRU-CoRE Undergraduate Workshop - June 4-6, 2026
The NNSA Transuranic Chemistry Center of Research Excellence has announced an opportunity for sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduates to learn about careers in the US National Laboratories (PNNL, LLNL, LANL, LBNL, ORNL, and SRNL/SRS) and graduate research in Chemistry PhD programs at Georgia Tech, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Iowa, and Washington State University that supports these careers within the NNSA TRU-CoRE Center.
The DOE/NNSA Undergraduate Workshop is intended for sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduates at any institution who are interested in careers in the national laboratories and/or graduate research in one of the groups within the Center. The Workshop will be held at Georgia Tech from June 4-6 (Th-Sat), 2026 and will consist of a day of networking and lectures - featuring National Laboratory researchers from LBNL, ORNL, SRNL, and LANL, and a following day of lab tours, graduate school Q&A's, and a chance to explore Atlanta.
All travel costs and hotel accommodations will be covered along with meals during the program for those students accepted into the workshop.
Applications are due May 4th, 2026.
Please go here for information on the Center, and go here for the application.
Engineers Without Borders Ecuador Project – Please Support Us!
FAMU–FSU Engineers Without Borders is partnering with Ecuadorian engineers to strengthen local hydraulic infrastructure and provide the community of San Isidro de Punin with clean, safe, and reliable drinking water.
We are seeking donations to support the installation of a sustainable water storage and catchment system, as well as to train community members to operate and maintain an improved chlorination system.
This is the link to our SPARK Page. Every little donation helps.
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work – April 23
Thursday, April 23 is national Take Our Daughters/Sons to Work. With the help of the Challenger Learning Center, we are once again hosting some fun engineering activities for our children to participate in. Seats are limited this year due to spacing issues.
Why we host our activities at the Challenger Learning Center:
The Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee is the K-12 outreach facility for the College of Engineering, and it strives to foster long-term interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); creating positive learning experiences; and motivating students to pursue higher education and careers in these fields. Since we all work at the College of Engineering this is a great opportunity to show our children the different areas engineering has to offer in a fun and hands-on environment.
Requirements to participate in the COE Take your Child to Work Day:
- Any child in grades 3rd through 8th can participate.
- Employees must seek supervisor and department head approval to participate.
- You must submit the Leon County’s "Student Intent to Participate in Take Our Daughters/Sons to Workday" form to your child's school (attached to this email) prior to Thursday, April 23, 2026
- Complete the COE registration form here by 5pm on Thursday, April 16. First 30 submissions with everything, will get a spot.
- You must submit both the liability waiver and the photo release waiver for each child participating to have a spot.
- Activities will be held at Challenger Learning Center (CLC), and you MUST stay with your child throughout the entire time.
Information about the event:
Check-in will begin at 8am at the Challenger Learning Center. We will do a space mission simulator, learn about the Hubble Space Shuttle, and build Saturn V rocket. All activities will end by 11:45am. Families are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch or take your child out to a special lunch. We recommend you return to work with your children and let them see you working at the College of Engineering.
To register click on this link here.
Attachments:
- FSU's letter about TYCTW day
- The Leon County School Student Intent to Participate in Take Our Daughters/Sons to Work Day form, (this form is due to your child's school prior to April 23rd)
- The waivers required to participate (2 pages)
The college will provide a school note for any child participating. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact Maribel Amwake by email here.
Happening
Lunchtime Food Trucks will be at the Shaw Building's picnic area on the corner of East Paul Dirac Drive and Pottsdamer Street starting at 11:00 am. Lunch truck tentative schedule here.
COE Cafe: Spring 2026 Hours - Mon - Fri, 7:30am - 3:00pm | Menu
Launch Ceremony, April 21, 2026, 6P-8P, COE B Lawn (Rambo-Roddenberry)
Coffee and Connections, April 22, 2026, 8:30A –10:30A (Live stream begins at 9:00AM) Location: TBA | Topic: AI in 2025-26: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Dina Vyortkina, Anne's College (Wandell)
CBS Survivor Weekly Watch Party, April 22, 2026, 7:30P, Proof Brewery Co. (Shearer)
College Awards Night, April 23, 2026, 6P-8P, Goodwood Museum & Gardens (Shearer)
Last Day of Classes, April 24, 2026
Faculty & Staff Meeting, April 24, 2026, 1P-3:30P B221 (Brown)
CEE Advisory Board Meeting, April 24, 2026, TBD, TBD
Brilliant Resilience Saturday School, April 25, 2026 9A-4P, B135 (Ernst)
NSBE JR. Meetings, April 25, 2026, 11:00A-1:00P, A125 (McGill)
Take a Paws, April 28, 2026, 1:00pm-3:00pm, Bus Stop Courtyard (Amwake)
Final Exam Week, April 27-May 1
PhD Hooding Ceremony and Reception, April 30, 2026, 2:00pm-4:00pm, IRCB 1030 (Evans)
Spring FSU MS, BS Commencement, May 1, 2026, 2:00pm, Civic Center
Spring FSU PhD Hooding, May 1, 2026, 9:00am, Civic Center
Spring FAMU Commencement, May 2, 2026, 2:00P, Lawson Multipurpose Center
Leon County Schools STEAM Challenge, May 8, 2026, 8:00A-1:30P, A atrium
Memorial Day Holiday, May 25, 2026, College Closed
Bookmark college events webpage.
ARPA-E Fellowships for your recent PhD advisees
These are 2-year full-time paid Fellowships located at ARPA-E in Washington, DC. US citizenship required. Must have completed PhD ’21 – ’26.
Here is the job announcement Fellowship Opportunity | ARPA-E
Here is more about the ARPA-E Fellowship experience Fellows | ARPA-E
Fellowship applications are due April 24, 2026!
James Sunshine
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Support Contractor to ARPA-E
Mobile: 301-873-9656
James.Sunshine@hq.doe.gov
JOIN US: FCRR’s Summit on Artificial Intelligence and the Reading System (AIRS) - May 13-14, 2026
Please join the Florida Center for Reading Research on May 13-14 for what is sure to be an
engaging summit on Artificial Intelligence and the Reading System. Together with invited experts from universities and industries across the nation, we will think collectively about how AI informs the reading system, and education more broadly.
Please see below and attached for more detailed information. Seating is limited, so please RSVP here by Friday, April 10th.
We hope to see you there!
NASA Glenn Research Center is offering seven fellowship opportunities for high education faculty to conduct research at the Center this summer through the NASA Glenn Faculty Fellowship Program (NGFFP).
NGFFP is a 10-week residential research program that is open to full-time science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty members who are U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), Permanent Resident Aliens (PRA), or green card holders and who are currently teaching at accredited U.S. universities and colleges. An NGFFP award is for one summer residency (June to August) at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Fellowship engagements are aligned with one or more of Glenn’s areas of expertise, cross-cutting engineering disciplines, or focused research areas for meeting the center’s commitments to advance NASA’s mission.
The benefits of participating in NGFFP are:
- Enhancing professional knowledge through engagement in cutting-edge research at NASA Glenn
- Engaging with NASA subject matter experts in research and engineering
- Enriching research and instruction at U.S. academic institutions by infusing NASA mission-related research and technology content into classroom teaching
- Contributing to the in-house research, technology and engineering goals and objectives of Glenn in support of NASA’s mission
2026 Summer Projects
Detailed information about each fellowship project and application information is located on the NGFFP webpage.
2026 Timeline
- March 20: Application Opens
- April 20: Application Closes
- May 8: 2026 NGFFP Fellows Announced
- June 1 – August 24: NGFFP 10-Week Session
Additional Information
Questions about the NGFFP should be submitted to:
Catherine Graves, Ph.D.
Office of STEM Engagement
NASA Glenn Research Center
grc-ed-opportunities@mail.nasa.gov
Google PhD Fellowship - Call for Interested Doctoral Students
Chairs and Graduate Program Directors,
The Google PhD Fellowship opened yesterday and has a submission deadline of April 30, 2026. FSU may nominate four students for this award, so the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards will coordinate an internal review process (depending on the number of applicants) and facilitate application submission. Students in your program may be eligible.
Google PhD Fellowships support promising PhD candidates of all backgrounds who seek to influence the future of technology. The two-year fellowship provides $85,000 per year toward education costs (tuition and fees), living expenses, travel, and personal equipment.
Eligibility:
- Open to domestic and international students.
- Applicants should have completed coursework by fall 2026.
- Students must remain enrolled full-time in the PhD program for the duration of the Fellowship or forfeit the award. (Award timeline: Fall 2026 to Spring 2028.)
- Google employees, and their spouses, children, and members of their household are not eligible.
Particular Areas of Research Focus: Computer architecture; algorithms and optimization; health research; human-computer interaction; machine learning and ML foundations; machine perception; natural language processing; privacy, safety, and security; quantum computing; software engineering and programming languages; systems, networking, and cloud computing.
Documents needed for nomination/review: Students who would like to be considered for nomination need to email the following to kmccall2@fsu.edu by April 8. We will select the four nominees by April 15 and work with them to finalize the full application for submission April 30.
- Current/up to date CV with links to personal website and publications.
- A brief statement of support from their advisor and the names of two other faculty members who have agreed to serve as recommenders.
- Research Impact student essay (350-word limit) to: Describe the desired impact your research will make on the field and society, and why this is important to you. Include any personal, educational and/or professional experiences that have motivated your research interests.
- Leadership student essay (350-word limit) to: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
- [Note: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities? Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? And your leadership role doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to school activities. Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? Do you help out/take care of your family?]
If you, your staff, or students have any questions about this award or any others, please email Keith McCall or call, 644-2947.
2026 Summer Camps & DCF Background Checks
The 2026 Summer Camp season is approaching, and preparations must be made soon. Summer Camp background checks are conducted and adjudicated by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse as mandated by Florida Statute 409.175. They require all new and returning summer camp personnel (owners, operators, administrative staff, employees, and volunteers) who provide care to minors to be screened and determined eligible by DCF via a Level 2 Fingerprint-based Background Check prior to working, training, or volunteering for the camp.
All FSU-Sponsored Summer Camps and Camps held on FSU campuses must comply with DCF Background Screening requirements. If made aware of external Summer Camps utilizing FSU facilities, or if external campers may interact with FSU personnel, please contact Andrew Kapec, University Background Check Manager, for best practices and next steps.
Summer Camps held virtually still require a background check due to the live virtual interaction. Please coordinate with the HR Background Check Team to submit the Summer Camp Roster appropriately.
Please advise all camp volunteers and staff to complete the Protection of Vulnerable Persons (PVP) training linked below. Human Resources also provides customized PVP training for staff groups via Zoom and in person. This training provides additional information on FSU expectations and resources. Please contact Michelle Brown here to schedule customized PVP training.
The Summer Camp Page on the Background Check Website provides a detailed guide on initiating Summer Camp Background Checks, including forms, exemptions, and timelines to process Summer Camp Background Checks more efficiently. All Summer Camp Candidate DCF Clearinghouse Forms have been updated. Please replace all previously saved versions with the 2026 versions.
Required Summer Camp documents must be submitted to The Office of Human Resources Background Check Team via FSU Nifty to email no later than 30 days before the anticipated start dates to ensure the timely processing of DCF Summer Camp Background Checks.
If hiring camp counselors or staff as OPS employees, please visit the HR Employee Data Management Website and review the OPS Employment Checklist to ensure the hires are made efficiently and employees are paid in a timely manner.
Other Summer Camp Resources
- Protection of Vulnerable Persons Act/PVP Training:
- It is important for all camp volunteers and staff to be trained in protecting minors and the reporting requirements for suspected child abuse. Please have staff review the page below, as well as the training video and tips.
- https://hr.fsu.edu/sections/equal-opportunity-compliance-engagement/protection-vulnerable-persons-act
- Housing:
- To make plans for camp housing, please visit the link below.
- https://housing.fsu.edu/conference-services
- Environmental Health & Safety / Insurance:
- FSU Parking Services:
- If parking plans are needed for camp, please contact FSU TAPS.
- https://transportation.fsu.edu/
Questions? Contact Andrew Kapec at (850) 644-7938 or by email.
Spring 2026 Department Graduate Seminars
Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Graduate Seminar - April 24, 2026
Decoding Plant Cell Walls: Lignin Chemistry and 2D Gel-State NMR: Structural Analysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass, with speaker Dr. Hoon Kim, Research Chemist, 
USDA Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin
Friday, April 24, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., COE B135
Materials Science & Engineering Graduate Seminar - April 24, 2026
Metallurgy-Informed Bayesian Optimization: Rethinking Alloy Discovery and Design, with 
speaker Dr. Raymundo Arróyave, Chevron Professor II, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University
Friday, April 24, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., COE B135
Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar - April 24, 2026
Leveraging emerging technologies to address the crisis of aging concrete infrastructure, with speaker Dr. Xianming Shi, Chairman and Professor 
Civil & Architectural Engineering University of Miami
Friday, April 24, 2026 at 12:30 p.m., COE B134
FNIH and NSF Important Research Notices
NIH has released 4 important notices and one NSF notice recently that we want you to be aware of. For questions, please contact Richard Liang or Bonnie Wright. (Bonnie is filling in for Liang Lu who will be on vacation beginning December 10, 2025.). Please share with your research lab personnel and graduate students.
Important:
Emergency Modifications to NIH Peer Review: Please see the hyperlink for significant details as they will affect applications in current cycles. "In order to address the backlog of applications scheduled for peer review, emergency modifications to NIH review processes and policies will be made. Because the review of applications submitted for January 2026 Council deadlines will overlap with the review cycle for applications submitted for May 2026 Council, these modifications will remain in place through the May 2026 Advisory Council:"
Implementing a Unified NIH Funding Strategy to Guide Consistent and Clearer Award Decisions. Specifically “Going forward, ICOs will be considering peer review information in its entirety. NIH ICOs will not rely on funding paylines”. Please see the full announcement.
NIH Notice NOT-OD-26-017 - “This notice notifies the extramural community of the NIH implementation of the Research Security Training (RST) requirements...will be effective for applications submitted for due dates on or after May 25, 2026 "
NSF: Update 149 - Updates to NSF Research Security Policies: Research training is effective December 2, 2025. If you haven’t already completed RST, you can find it on CITI Training, using the FSU or FAMU link.
NIH Minor notices:
NOT-26-019:
1) Letter of Intents are part of the application process will no longer be accepted or requested.
2) "NIH will no longer require applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs (excluding consortium F&A costs) in any one budget period to contact the funding Institute or Center (IC) before application submission."
Office of Research | Information for Researchers Here
Our Progress and the Updated Federal Digital Accessibility Deadline
The Florida State University community has shown incredible dedication as we’ve worked together to make our digital campus more accessible. We have tackled challenges head-on, moved quickly, and have already made meaningful progress in removing barriers for our students, faculty, and staff.
We’re writing to share an important update to the federal digital accessibility compliance timeline.
As of April 20, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice published an interim final rule extending the web accessibility compliance deadline for state and local governments. The new deadline for FSU to meet federal accessibility requirements is now April 26, 2027.
For FSU, this is a positive development. The additional time allows us to ensure our work is thorough, sustainable, and well-integrated into our long-term practices.
However, we want to be clear: this is not a signal to stop.
While the deadline has shifted, our commitment has not. We encourage you to maintain your momentum so the new date becomes a milestone we reach with confidence—not a last-minute hurdle.
Let’s also take a moment to recognize how far we’ve come. As a community, we’ve taken on this challenge thoughtfully and collaboratively. This extra year gives us the opportunity to refine our digital environment and fully embed accessibility into our everyday workflows.
We encourage you to complete any ongoing website or document remediation while these skills are top of mind and to continue incorporating accessibility into how you create and share digital content moving forward.
Our efforts matter. Every accessible PDF, captioned video, and well-structured webpage helps ensure that every member of our community has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Thank you for your continued commitment to making FSU a leader in digital accessibility. For resources and updated guidance, visit digitalaccessibility.fsu.edu.
Sincerely,
The Digital Accessibility Task Force
FSU Fringe Benefit Rate Increase
- FSU rates for fringe benefits have increased, primarily because of increased health insurance costs.
- Begin using the rates published by Sponsored Research here.
- FAMU rates are found here.
Contact: Richard Liang, Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies
Advancing Digital Accessibility at FSU: Federal Updates
Florida State University is one of the top public universities in the nation, and now we have an opportunity to lead the way in digital accessibility, setting an example for other institutions by prioritizing inclusive access for everyone.
Digital accessibility means making sure websites, apps, and all online materials are easy for everyone to use, including people with disabilities. This involves designing and creating content so that it works for people who might use screen readers, need captions for videos, or rely on keyboard navigation. Making digital content accessible helps everyone participate fully — no one gets left out.
Why Digital Accessibility Matters
FSU is legally required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its updated regulations to ensure all public-facing digital content is accessible to everyone. Digital accessibility is a legal obligation and a reflection of our values as educators. By making our materials accessible, we support an inclusive environment where all students, staff, and visitors can engage fully with our content, regardless of their abilities.
On April 24, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) published a new rule on digital accessibility under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This rule requires FSU's web content, including academic courses, videos, documents and social media, to be accessible beginning on April 24, 2026, and going forward.
Shared Responsibility and Resources
Compliance is a university-wide responsibility. Departments and units are responsible for reviewing and remediating legacy content. While a dedicated task force has been working diligently on this major undertaking, it will take all of us to meet the requirements of the rule.
To help FSU meet these requirements, the task force has developed a dedicated website with guides, standards, and best practices at digitalaccessibility.fsu.edu.
We know there will be questions, so we have created an email address (digitalaccessibility@fsu.edu) where you and your teams can reach out if you need additional support.
What to Do Next
- Familiarize yourself with the digital accessibility standards, guidelines and resources on digitalaccessibility.fsu.edu.
- Review all digital content you create or manage to ensure it meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements. Get started here.
- Update or remediate existing materials for accessibility as needed, especially if they are publicly facing.
- Identify the appropriate contact within your department or unit for assistance with remediating content or creating accessible materials.
- If you need specific guidance, reach out to our accessibility task force support team at digitalaccessibility@fsu.edu.
Using AI Responsibly to Protect FSU Research and Data
Florida State University supports the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) to advance research, teaching, and innovation. As AI tools become more widely used, it is important to remain mindful of how institutional data and scholarly intellectual property are protected.
We are seeing a growing number of researchers using free or personally purchased AI tools, and we want to highlight an important risk associated with this practice: many free and personal-use tools do not include institutional data protection agreements and are not governed by research compliance requirements, and any data entered, including unpublished findings, proprietary methodologies, and sensitive information, may be retained, reused, or even shared beyond your control. Under the terms of many platforms, content may even be used to train public models.
To help mitigate these risks, FSU provides secure, institutionally approved AI tools that meet university, state, and federal privacy standards. Secure options are currently available through Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, Google, Zoom, Salesforce, and additional secure tools available at ai.fsu.edu. Faculty and researchers are strongly encouraged to use these tools accessed with their FSUID. The university will continue expanding secure AI offerings, with additional licensed capabilities expected throughout 2026.
Protecting research and institutional data is a shared responsibility. AI tools and applications present significant data security risks when they are not subject to an agreement with the university, and sharing information with AI tools not licensed by the university (or approved through the appropriate university channels) can lead to unintended violations of data privacy laws such as FERPA, GDPR, and HIPAA. See the Data Protection & Privacy page to learn more.
Please take a moment to verify that the AI tools you use for research, instruction, or administrative work are institutionally supported and data protected. By using these technologies within established safeguards, we can continue to lead in scholarship and innovation while ensuring our data remains protected.
Thank you for your partnership in keeping our research secure. As always, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.
Kind regards,
Stacey Patterson, Vice President for Research
Jonathan Fozard, Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer
FAMU: Faculty Research Growth and Strategic Priorities Survey
Florida A&M University is actively advancing a comprehensive Research Strategic Plan to provide a clear, data-driven roadmap to enhance research productivity and toward achieving Carnegie R1 designation (Very High Research Activity)—a central priority within the University’s strategic framework.
Your engagement in this process is essential. The discussions and collaboration with our consultant Dr. Robert Nobles this week have been exceptionally insightful and energizing. Your perspectives, expertise, and candor are already shaping a stronger, more focused vision for our research enterprise.
To build on this momentum, I ask each of you to complete the Research Growth and Strategic Priorities Survey (9 Questions). Your input will directly inform the priorities, investments, and strategies that will define our path forward—ensuring that this plan is not only ambitious, but grounded in the realities and aspirations of our faculty.
This is a moment that demands our collective leadership. Achieving R1 will require us to align our strengths, invest strategically, and move with clarity and purpose. Together, we will build a research enterprise that is nationally competitive, globally relevant, and deeply rooted in FAMU’s mission of impact and opportunity.
We appreciate your leadership, scholarship, and continued commitment to advancing FAMU’s research enterprise.
Donald E. Palm III, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President
Health Science Enterprise & Research Innovation
Mandatory FAMU Research Security Training Memo -- NSF and NIH Requirements
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL FAMU RESEARCHERS
Beginning October 1, 2025, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and October 10, 2025, the National Science Foundation (NSF) will require all “senior/key personnel” listed in grant applications to complete research security training within 12 months prior to proposal submission with annual refresher training thereafter. This training requirement is currently in place for the Department of Energy, and we expect all federal agencies to implement the requirement soon.
To ensure compliance, the Office of Sponsored Programs will be required to confirm that all PIs, Co-PIs, and any listed key personnel have successfully completed the research security training prior to proposal submission to NIH, NSF, and DOE.
PLEASE NOTE: NO PROPOSAL CAN BE SUBMITTED TO APPLICABLE SPONSORS WITHOUT VERIFICATION OF TRAINING COMPLETION BY ALL THE REQUIRED INDIVIDUALS.
FAMU has partnered with the CITI Program to offer online training options to fulfill this certification requirement:
• Initial Research Security Training (Combined Course)
o A one-hour course based on the NSF SECURE Center Consolidated Training Module (CTM) V.1
• Research Security Advanced Refresher
o Required annually after initial training (20 minutes)
Please plan to complete this training now to avoid any delays at proposal submission time! To access the initial training:
1. Visit citiprogram.org
2. Register and select “Florida A&M University”
3. Log in and choose “Research Security”
4. Select the “Research Security Training (Combined Course)”
For additional questions related to the Research Security Training and CITI, please contact Dr. Tanise Jackson, Director of Research of Research Compliance and Research Security at tanise.jackson@famu.edu.
Need to Know
A Message from FAMU DPS: How to Respond to Bomb Threats
In light of recent swatting calls related to bomb threats, the FAMU Department of Public Safety is sharing the following checklist for your awareness. This quick reference checklist is designed to help employees and decision makers respond to a bomb threat in an orderly and controlled manner with the first responders and other stakeholders.
A bomb threat is defined as a communication made through mail, e-mail, telephone, telegram, or another instrument of commerce that willfully conveys a threat or maliciously provides false information known to be untrue. The communication may concern an attempt, actual or threatened, to kill, injure, or intimidate an individual, or to unlawfully damage or destroy any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property by means of an explosive.
Please review the tips below and download a copy of the checklist for your records. Thank you for your support to keep our campus community informed and safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Audrey Alexander.
Download the Bomb Threat Procedures and Bomb Threat Checklist here.
–Chief Audrey Alexander, FAMU Department of Public Safety)
FAMU COO Memo on Operational Excellence Task Force
Florida A&M University is pleased to announce the launch of the Operational Excellence Task Force, a collaborative initiative designed to drive sustainable improvements across campus operations with a strong focus on student success.
This effort reflects our shared commitment to continuously strengthening the university experience. Through this initiative, we will identify opportunities to enhance services, improve processes, and elevate the overall campus environment so that our students can clearly recognize and benefit from meaningful improvements in their academic and campus experience.
To advance this work, the Task Force will operate through several focused committees, each charged with addressing a key area of institutional improvement.
Download the Operational Task Force Memo here.
–Kelvin Lawson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
REMINDER: COE Parking Regulations & Motorcycle/Scooter Parking
In order to provide the safest environment possible, Parking Services and FSUPD issue parking citations and/or tow vehicles which are not properly parked at the College of Engineering (vehicles must be legally parked in an appropriate space). This includes those vehicles which are parked in the grass, in no-parking areas, next to red or yellow painted curbs, those that have jumped a curb, or those that park in hashed-out spaces. Vehicles illegally parked in reserved spaces will be immediately ticketed/towed at the owner's expense.
REMEMBER: Parking is never allowed on the grass (vehicles must be legally parked in an appropriate space). See the parking map here.
Motorcycle and scooter parking: There is very limited space for motorcycles and scooters at the COE. In the A Bldg. lot, there is a small area reserved for motorcycles and scooters. There is no motorcycle/scooter parking in the B Bldg. lot. Motorcycles and scooters also cannot park on walkways, in handicap spaces, or in regular parking spaces at the COE. Those that park anywhere at the COE other than the designated location in the A Bldg. lot will be in violation of university parking regulations and may be ticketed. Motorcycles and scooters can park in the overflow lot (yay!).
Additional spaces are available in the overflow lot between the B parking lot and the AME building. This lot extends to the end of Innovation Park (it’s huge! See the map here).
Don’t forget, students/faculty/staff can take the bus to and from the College, FAMU, and FSU for free with a valid University ID. Carpooling and Biking are also great!
Pedestrians, please look up from your phones before stepping out into the street when leaving the building. We hope that everyone can come and go safely from the college.
Engineering Library Scholar Support
For Faculty & Staff
Library Hours
The last day of library’s staffed hours (Monday through Friday, 8 AM-5 PM) will be Friday, Dec. 12. The space will remain open during the intersession as building hours permit. Staffed hours will restart on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
Course Reserves
Instructors should get a head start on Spring 2026 Course Reserves requests. Begin by filling out this form. If you have a personal copy to provide, simply bring it to the COE Library Scholar Support Desk during staffed hours. Materials can also be requested from other FSU Libraries’ locations for course reserves at COE. Please allow 72 hours to fully process requests.
New Items
Sometimes scholars need a laptop for more than a few hours. COE Library now has 3-Day loaner PC laptops and chargers. Also new to the library this semester are measuring kits. These packs include one each of tape measure roll, soft measuring tape, protractor and compass.
For further information, reach out to Shaundra Lee, Engineering Library Scholar Support Supervisor.
Engineering Our Future
We identified five strategic priorities to focus on for the next five years. For each of these priorities, we set goals with identified metrics for our college:
Opportunities for Faculty and Staff
ORNL Internship and Job Opportunities: April 2026
ORNL Opportunities | A Newsletter of Internships
and Jobs for New Graduates: APRIL 2026
While you take a break from dealing with Genesis Project proposals, please find attached this month’s edition of the ORNL Opportunities newsletter, giving the current stat of our internship applications and a snapshot of current postdocs and other recent STEM graduates.
This newsletter is sent to relevant departments and centers at our Core Universities (FSU, Georgia Tech, NSCU, Duke, UVA, VA Tech, and Vanderbilt).
William Jenks | Core Universities Student Programs Lead, Office of Research Education, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, jenksws@ornl.gov | 515-451-4711
FAMU HR: Upcoming Trainings Calendar
Please contact famutraining@famu.edu for the most up-to-date training offerings.
Dissertation and Thesis Defenses
DISSERTATION DEFENSE - TBA
THESIS DEFENSE - TBA
For full defense announcement info click here.
Good to Know
AI at FSU: New Faculty Guidelines & Training
To help you keep pace with the evolving technology of artificial intelligence (AI), the AI@FSU website features a range of resources. The website was designed to support the FSU community in the effective and ethical use of AI technologies for teaching, learning, research, and workflow. You’ll find faculty guidelines for using AI, a showcase of AI research, and free AI literacy training for faculty, staff, and students.
AI Training for Faculty & Staff
Website Transition Update – Materials & Aerospace Engineering
You may have noticed changes on the college website regarding the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. Following the department's renaming, the website will be updated to reflect the new name. Most page titles and text references to the department have already been changed from "Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering" and "MAE" within those department web pages where appropriate. I am still working on updating language site-wide.
URLs have also been changed; however, if you type in or click on an old link within our site, it should redirect you to the proper page. For example, the Undergraduate Admissions page URL has been updated, but if you type in or use this link, it will still take you to MAE Undergraduate Admissions webpage.
File names will not change, meaning links to PDFs, images, and other media items housed on the website will stay the same.
While I've tried to make this transition as smooth as possible, I expect there will be some interruptions and broken pathways. If you encounter an issue, please notify me via the website update request form or by email.
Ginny Fouts
(she/her/hers)
Web Content Marketing Strategist
Campus Safety Updates & Emergency Preparedness Information
At Florida State University, the safety and security of everyone on campus remains our top priority. The university uses a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to campus safety, integrating a top-notch campus police department, advanced technology, robust emergency management protocols, and dedicated security personnel. These coordinated efforts are designed to protect students, faculty, staff, and visitors alike, ensuring a secure environment that supports learning and collaboration.
As we begin the fall semester, we'd like to take the opportunity to introduce you to some new technology tools and resources, reiterate the various means by which FSU supports the campus community during emergencies, and encourage you to review emergency preparedness materials.
CAMPUS SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS
As is the case every summer, the university has been diligently working on campus enhancements. This fall, you will see new technology tools, such as panic buttons and lockdown buttons, installed in academic spaces throughout campus.
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Panic Buttons: These are blue in color and are silent alert buttons that send a direct alert to the FSU Police Department’s dispatch center. Use these in emergencies involving active assailant threats. When activated, they trigger immediate police dispatch. Remember to also physically lock the room where the panic button is being activated.
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Lockdown Buttons: These are yellow in color and marked “Lockdown.” When activated, doors are automatically locked, and FSU Police are immediately dispatched to the building. No one from outside the room can enter except FSU Police.
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Door Locks: Doors to academic spaces that are not equipped with centrally managed electronic locks have thumb-turn or push-button locking systems.
All of these new enhancements comply with university guidelines, ADA standards and building codes.
Our University Communications team collaborated closely with Public Safety to create an educational video that will teach you when and how to use these tools properly.
We encourage everyone to check classrooms, offices, and other university facilities at the start of each semester to know what technology is available in each location. DO NOT push panic or lockdown buttons to test them.
WATCH: How to Use Door Locks and Lockdown/Panic Buttons in Classrooms
In addition to these security enhancements, you will see an increased security presence at the Student Union. Throughout the semester, FSU Police officers also will hold office hours at the Union. Times and dates will be announced.
FSU ALERT
FSU ALERT is the official emergency notification and warning system of Florida State University. In the event of a situation or condition, occurring or imminent, that poses an immediate threat to the health, safety, or general welfare of students, faculty, staff or visitors to the university, an FSU ALERT will be issued. The FSU ALERT emergency notification system uses multiple methods for disseminating emergency information, including email, text messages, alerts.fsu.edu and social media.
WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
Having a well-defined plan is essential for ensuring safety and achieving positive outcomes in the event of an emergency. We recommend that you review our Emergency Preparedness Guide and develop a personal emergency plan. In addition, FSU has Emergency Action Guides for many of the potential hazards we face in Florida and at FSU. Each guide provides protective action steps and best practices on how to respond to an emergency situation, including hurricanes, tornadoes and active threats.
ACTIVE THREAT TRAINING
The FSU Police Department will continue to offer Active Threat Training this fall, and participation is strongly encouraged. This training provides information and skills for responding during an active threat situation by understanding and applying the Run, Hide, Fight strategy.
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Upcoming dates for faculty/staff trainings are Aug. 26, Sept. 2, Sept. 9, Sept. 16 and Sept. 30. To register, visit hr.fsu.edu.
- You may also watch this short video to become familiar with the fundamental principles of the Run, Hide, Fight strategy or watch a recorded training session.
We appreciate your commitment to fostering a safe and resilient campus environment. By staying informed, participating in available trainings, and familiarizing yourself with the resources and protocols provided, you will help ensure that Florida State University remains a place where everyone can thrive. As a reminder, mental health and resiliency resources are available for all students, faculty and staff anytime, anywhere. Visit response.fsu.edu to check out support tools and resources.
Thank you for your ongoing support and vigilance. We wish you all a successful and secure semester ahead.
New FSU ID Cards for COE Joint Faculty
FSU is issuing new ID cards for our FAMU faculty in the College of Engineering. These new cards are designated "COE Joint Faculty" rather than "Courtesy" at FSU. This change reflects our efforts to better recognize and integrate our faculty within the college community, as outlined in Article 4 of the Memorandum of Agreement between FAMU and FSU and the One College goal of the COE Strategic Plan.
To obtain your new ID card, drop by the FSU card office.
FAMU-FSU Engineering Career Services Liaisons
Engineering Career Services Website here.
FAMU - Sean Collins - sean.collins@famu.edu - Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Sr. Career Specialist, Career Services Liaison at FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
Fall 2025 Student Advising Hours:
Tuesday - 8:30 AM - 12 Noon (Virtual)
Wednesday - 8:30 AM - 12 Noon COE A143 (Appointments only (Virtual or In-Person)) & 1 PM - 4:30 PM COE A143 Virtual & Walk-Ins
- Except for special events at FAMU Main Campus.
Thursday - 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM (COE A143
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FSU - Tiffany Lueng Career Liaison for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Spring 2026 Engineering Student Advising hours
Drop-In Career Advising (No Appointment Necessary)
Wednesdays & Thursdays: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. In-Person – COE A141
Pre-Scheduled Career Advising Appointments
Please schedule an appointment via NoleNetwork
FSU Career Center Drop-In Advising Hours (No Appointment Necessary):
Virtual: Mondays, 9:00am - 4:00pm. Click HERE
In-Person (at the FSU Career Center): Tuesday - Friday, 9:00am - 4:00pm
NOTE: Closed Friday 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. for staff training
Career Docs (Virtual Document Review):
Students can submit their resumes, cover letters, and other career-related documents for online review and feedback via Career Docs here.
FSU Career Center website here.
Things to Do
Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee
Hollywood Movies at the IMAX | Call (850) 645-7796 to Buy Tickets
Faculty and Staff tickets are $11. Check out all the new movies now playing, here.
Resources
Engineering Career Services
Virtual and F2F advising hours here.
FAMU Academics
Undergraduate Links to academic info, student services, student life and more.
Grad Links to academic info, grad student services and more.
FSU Student Academic Resources
Undergraduate Links to academic info, official university announcements and public health information.
Grad Links to graduate student academic info, official university announcements and public health information.
Online Scholarship Search
FAMU Scholarships
FSU Scholarships
In Case of Emergencies
Call 9-1-1. If you have concerns about your safety while on the engineering campus, call FSU Police 850-644-1234.
Access important resources and updates at: RESPONSE.FSU.EDU
The Engineering Library Circulation Desk
Hours are: Monday - Friday – 8am to 5pm | (850) 410-6328 | A225 & A248
College Lost and Found
Student Services in B111 is the college lost and found location. If you've found something, drop it off here and if you've lost something, check here first!
Need a Mental Health Break?
Welcome to the Breakroom, B226-H, which is available for one person at a time, from 9:00 am - 4:50 pm on normal business days. Reserve a 50-minute slot using this link.
FAMU Counseling Services and Support
Check online here for more information about individual or group counseling services.
To schedule an appointment, you can walk in or contact the office by phone at 850-599-3145.
If you are experiencing a crisis and need to speak with a counselor when our office is closed, call BetterMynd for FREE at (844) 287-6963.
FSU Employee Mental Health & Wellbeing Support
If you are struggling, please visit the Employee Mental Health & Wellbeing Support page for a list of on-campus and community resources.
If you are in crisis or need immediate intervention, contact FSU PD at (850) 644-1234. To reach the 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988.
Questions? Contact the Employee Assistance Program at (850) 644-2288.
Want to add something to the next issue?
Email us! Deadline is Wednesday for Monday publication.