The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering news for faculty and staff
CBE Research Day + DDS Seminar: Frank Bates
Be Part of the FSU-Microsoft AI Symposium 2026
You’re Invited to the FSU–Microsoft AI Symposium 2026
Join us at the FSU–Microsoft AI Symposium 2026, a two‑day, hands‑on event taking place March 24–25. This symposium brings Microsoft experts to campus to explore how AI can enhance research, teaching, and day‑to‑day productivity.
March 24 is open to faculty, participants in research disciplines and relevant adjacent support teams. It will explore AI for Research in the Microsoft Azure Ecosystem, along with hands-on workshops. Faculty are encouraged to invite all members of their labs and research teams.
March 25 is open to faculty, all staff and researchers in relevant research areas and will allow participants to practice and explore Microsoft AI tools.
Location: Technology Services Building (TSB), 1721 W Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee
Attendees will need to bring their laptops. Lunch will be provided on both days. We hope you’ll join us for one or both days as we explore how AI can make an impact at FSU!
Nominate a Grad Student for Engineering Graduate Student Appreciation Week
March 18 is the deadline to nominate a graduate student.
By nominating a student, you agree to us using your submission in social media and other marketing content
Register Now! Launch Ring Ceremony Registration Deadline is April 3
Tuesday, April 21 from 6:00PM-8:00PM
Registration begins Now.
Come to Student Services in B111 to size and order your ring.
Deadline to register is April 3, 2026.
Graduating seniors, graduate students and faculty are invited to participate!\
Understanding Academic Publishing Workshops
Understanding Academic Publishing is a workshop series designed to help students, faculty
, and staff build practical skills in publishing and disseminating research. Workshops address research planning, the publication process, writing across different academic genres, copyright and permissions, open access, and research impact. Each session emphasizes practical tools and techniques to support publication. The series runs February 17 through March 24 with workshops being held in the Strozier Library on the main FSU campus. More information and registration can be found here.
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.
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
Spring Break, March 16-20, 2026 - No classes
CBS Survivor Weekly Watch Party, March 18, 2026, 7:30P, Proof Brewery Co. (Shearer)
Brilliant Resilience Saturday School, March 21, 2026 9A-4P, B135 (Ernst)
#2 Research Town Hall, VP Research Charles Weatherford, March 23, 2026, 3:00P-5:00P, MRB 114 (Liang)
ChE Undergraduate Townhall, March 24, 2026, 5:00P-7:00P, B210 (Gaughf)
CBS Survivor Weekly Watch Party, March 25, 2026, 7:30P, Proof Brewery Co. (Shearer)
BME Undergraduate Townhall, March 26, 2026, 5:00P-7:00P, B210 (Gaughf)
CBE Research Day + DDS Frank Bates, March 27, 2026, 2:30-3:30pm DDS and Awards at 3:30pm, IRCB
DCQC Workshop: Modal Analysis, March 27, 2026, 2P-4P, AME 106 (Shoele)
FAMU Spring Preview at Engineering, March 28, 2026, 11:00A-1:00P, A Atrium (Roberts)
Brilliant Resilience Saturday School, March 28, 2026 9A-4P, B135 (Ernst)
NSBE JR. Meetings, March 28, 2026, 11:00A-1:00P, A125 (McGill)
CBS Survivor Weekly Watch Party, April 1, 2026, 7:30P, Proof Brewery Co. (Shearer)
DCQC Workshop: Applied CFD (SU2), April 3, 2026, 2P-4P, AME 106 (Shoele)
Launch Ring Ceremony Registration Deadline, April 3, 2026 | Go to B111 Student Services to size/order your ring!
Brilliant Resilience Saturday School, April 4, 2026 9A-4P, B135 (Ernst)
Joint Management Council Meeting, April 8, 2026, 3P, TBD (Brown)
CBS Survivor Weekly Watch Party, April 8, 2026, 7:30P, Proof Brewery Co. (Shearer)
Florida Quantum Conference, April 9-11, 2026, TBD at FSU Kroto Auditorium
Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 10, 2026, Poster session: 10:00am-12:00pm; Lunch, speaker and awards, 12:00pm-1:30pm, TBD (AbdelRazig)
Brilliant Resilience Saturday School, April 11, 2026 9A-4P, B135 (Ernst)
NSBE JR. Meetings, April 11, 2026, 11:00A-1:00P, A125 (McGill)
CBS Survivor Weekly Watch Party, April 15, 2026, 7:30P, Proof Brewery Co. (Shearer)
2026 Tallahassee Regional, REBUILT, FIRSTAGE and FIRST Robotics Competition, April 15-18, 2026, Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center, (Keller) | Volunteers from among our faculty, staff and students needed! No experience required.
FAMU Day of Giving, April 16-17, 2026
Graduate Research Symposium, April 16, 2026, 4:30-6:00pm, TBD (Jacobs)
(R-SEAT) Center Annual UTC Conference, April 16-17, 2026, 8:00am-3:00pm, IRCB (Bryant) – Registration closes on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 5:30 PM.
College Advisory Boards, April 16-17, 2026, TBD, TBD
DCQC Workshop: JAX & Automatic Differentiation, April 17, 2026, 2P-4P, AME 106 (Shoele)
Senior Design Day, April 17, 2026, TBD, TBD. (Shearer)
Brilliant Resilience Saturday School, April 18, 2026 9A-4P, B135 (Ernst)
ASCE Bridge Florida, April 18, 2026, 8:00A-12:00P, COE (Spainhour)
Launch Ceremony, April 21, 2026, 6P-8P, COE B Lawn (Rambo-Roddenberry)
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)
Brilliant Resilience Saturday School, April 25, 2026 9A-4P, B135 (Ernst)
NSBE JR. Meetings, April 25, 2026, 11:00A-1:00P, A125 (McGill)
Final Exam Week, April 27-May 1
PhD Brunch, April 30, 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm, 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.
2026 First Fridays Quantum Bites Brown Bag Lunch Series
There will be no seminar on Friday, 04/10, since we will be hosting the Florida Quantum Conference (FQC) on April 9–11, 2026 at the FSU Chemical Sciences Laboratory (Kroto Auditorium). Event details and registration are available here.
QUESTIONS? Feel free to reach out to Wei Guo at wguo@eng.famu.fsu.edu
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
Department Representatives and Hiring Managers
2026 Summer Camp 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
Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar - April 10, 2026
Quantum Computing: An Emerging Approach to Sustainability and Decarbonization in Buildings and Cities, with 
speaker Dr. Zhipeng Deng, Assistant Professor Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering University of Central Florida
Friday, April 10, 2026 at 12:30 p.m., COE B134
Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Seminar - April 17, 2026
Surveying Reality (SurReal): Immersive Technologies in Surveying Education, with 
speaker Dr. Dimitrios Bolkas, Associate Professor and Program Chair, Surveying Engineering Program Pennsylvania State University
Friday, April 17, 2026 at 12:30 p.m., ZOOM https://bit.ly/4a7fYCQ
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
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
Evaluation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems ADAS) Influence on Florida Intersection Safety
Volunteers Needed for Faculty-run Workshop Presentations on Thursday, April 16 during the 2026 Tallahassee Regional, REBUILT, FIRSTAGE and FIRST Robotics Competition
We are looking for faculty or grad students to make workshop presentations on Thursday, April 16 during this event. workshops can be 1-2 hours to take place at the Lawson Center on FAMU campus. Audience will be STEM-interested robotics teams made up of high school students.
Also, we are looking for additional faculty and staff volunteers to help during this event, Wednesday, April 15 thru Saturday, April 18. No experience required!
Download the flyer below for more event information. Contact Tisha Keller with question about volunteering to be a workshop presenter or just to help out!
First Robotics Tallahassee Regional Competition, Call for Judges
The 2026 FIRST Robotics Competition game, REBUILT, has been released and we would like to invite you to see it in person as a judge for the Tallahassee Regional Event on April 17th and 18th, 2026 at the Alfred Lawson Center.
This is a high school robotics program that brings teams from around the world to the FAMU campus to compete in a three (3) day tournament and they are need of judges for a two (2) day inspiring experience! No experience is needed.
Teams this year will gather balls designated as fuel and shoot them into hubs to score points for their alliances. At the end of the game teams will climb towers at their players station for bonus points. Being a judge will give you a front row seat to the excitement that is about to come to Tallahassee. The full game video can be found here.
Elise and Kelli will once again be the Co-Judge Advisors for the competition, and we are looking forward to working with new and returning judges. If you know someone else who might enjoy being a judge, please invite them to register as well!
Apply to volunteer today:
- Login or Create an account here.
- Click the Volunteer Registration tab & click ‘Volunteer at an Event’
- Filter events by program (FRC) and area to find an event near you
- Select roles you are interested in (Judge)
- Complete your required youth protection background screening (applicable every 3 years in US & Canada only) & ensure you have agreed to the Consent & Release Form.
As a reminder, judging is two full days of fun. As we get closer to the event we’ll be assigning you to judge for Machine Attributes, Team Attribute awards, or as a Match Observer. If you have a preference, please let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate your request.
Get ready for an exciting two days - we guarantee you will continue to be amazed at the creativity and energy displayed by the students and their adult mentors.
Finally, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We can’t wait to see you in Tallahassee!
Kelli Van Antwerp & Elise Cronin-Hurley
FIRST Robotics Competition Co-Judge Advisors
Tallahassee Regional, FIRST Robotics Competition
www.tallahasseefrc.org | tallahasseeregional@gmail.com
FSU CFA Performance Schedule
NIH 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."
Department of Energy Announces Early Career Research Program for 2026
Funding will support outstanding early career scientists at universities, National Laboratories, and Office of Science user facilities.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science today announced it is now accepting applications for the 2026 DOE Office of Science Early Career Research Program. The program will advance President Trump’s Executive Order Restoring Gold Standard Science, providing five-year awards to exceptional early career researchers at U.S. academic institutions, DOE National Laboratories, and Office of Science User Facilities to stimulate new research directions in mission critical areas supported by DOE’s Office of Science.
“The energy and creativity of early career scientists is crucial for propelling scientific discovery forward. The Department of Energy is committed to nurturing this talent through programs like the Early Career Research Program,” said DOE Under Secretary for Science Darío Gil. "These awards provide essential resources and opportunities for collaboration, enabling these researchers to explore novel concepts and accelerate the development of solutions for our nation's energy and scientific landscape."
To be eligible for the program, a researcher must be an untenured, tenure-track assistant or associate professor at a U.S. academic institution or a full-time employee at a DOE National Laboratory or Office of Science User Facility who is within 10 years of having earned a doctorate degree. Awards to an institution of higher education will be approximately $875,000 over five years and awards to a DOE National Laboratory or Office of Science User Facility will be approximately $2,750,000 over five years.
DOE’s Office of Science is the nation’s largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences. Early career researchers may apply to one of seven Office of Science program offices: Advanced Scientific Computing Research; Biological and Environmental Research; Basic Energy Sciences; Fusion Energy Sciences; High Energy Physics; Nuclear Physics; and Isotope R&D and Production. Proposed research topics must fall within the programmatic priorities of DOE’s Office of Science, which are provided in the program announcement. Funding will be competitively awarded on the basis of peer review.
Pre-applications are mandatory and are due on March 24, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Applications will be due on June 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Only those applicants whose pre-application is encouraged by DOE may submit full applications.
Total planned funding is up to $145 million, with $79 million in Fiscal Year 2026 dollars and outyear funding contingent on congressional appropriations.
To see more about this funding opportunity please visit the funding opportunities page.
Office of Research | Information for Researchers Here
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
MANAGER ACTION REQUIRED: FAMU Fundamentals 2026 Week 1 Status
The Office of Compliance and Ethics has completed the Week 1 review of FAMU Fundamentals 2026 training using the Canvas gradebook.
To provide a clear and easy-to-understand report, the FAMU Fundamentals 2026 – 8 Modules and the FAMU Fundamentals 2026 – Compliance and Research (1 module) documents reflect completion of the final module in each course. Because the course is structured with prerequisites, employees must complete all prior modules before they are able to access and complete the final module and obtain their certificate. As a result, completion of the final module confirms completion of the entire course sequence. these two documents will be sent in separate emails. These reports identify all employees and their required training status.
For privacy and security purposes, the documents are password-protected. The password will be sent in a separate email.
Manager Action Requested
Please review the reports and follow up with any employees who have not yet completed the training.
Managers can support timely completion by:
- Setting clear expectations that the training is mandatory
- Providing employees time during the workday to complete the modules
- Monitoring internal progress within your department and following up with employees who have not completed the course
- Encouraging employees to complete the course as soon as possible to avoid last-minute issues
If you have any questions regarding access to the courses, please email Office of Information Technology here.
Thank you for your partnership in ensuring full participation in this important compliance training.
Notice of Research Opportunity with SAET
The FAMU School of Architecture and Engineering Technology (SAET) is pleased to announce a HUD‑funded initiative that will provide Summer A support for research planning. While one of the primary goals of this grant is to strengthen the HUD‑related research capacity of our architecture faculty, the initiative also offers an opportunity to foster collaboration across architecture and engineering. Therefore, we are seeking FAMU and FSU COE faculty, Ph.D. students, and graduate students who may be interested in participating in this funded Summer A research effort. Selected participants will receive a stipend to work with a SAET faculty member and develop a research concept aligned with HUD‑related themes.
If you or any students you supervise are interested, please have them contact Andrew Chin directly at or (850) 339‑8168. The opportunity and next steps will be introduced during the Monday lunch meeting.
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
Need Faculty Recommendations for Library Materials Purchase
The library welcomes your recommendations for new additions to our collection. If you have suggestions for books you would like to see, please submit your requests by March 27.
You may submit your suggestions by:
- Contacting your librarian (Robert Markham or Kassidy Hof-Mahoney) directly with the title, author, and ISBN (if available)
- Completing the Materials Purchase Suggestion Form
Please note that purchase requests received after March 27 will be considered in the next fiscal year.
Your input helps us build a collection that best serves our community's needs. Thank you for your valuable contributions.
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 headstart 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: March 2026
ORNL Opportunities | A Newsletter of Internships and Jobs for
New Graduates: March 2026
March marks the month where we are making the final matches for summer undergraduate mentorships, with all the traditional applications being closed.
However, workarounds are available in special cases where a mentor and student are identified already. Please contact me if you run into this. March also marks the opening of the Fall internship recruiting season. For obvious reasons, these are less popular than summer, but you should know that we do offer our normal undergraduate internships on time frame that correspond roughly to your Fall, Spring and Summer periods.
Graduate internships under the GRO program do not have any deadline; they are handled on a rolling basis. However, the process does take some time…so we do advise students to reach out to potential mentors very soon if they wish to come for a full summer.
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
Jacob Boykin, Monday, March 16, 2026 @ 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM | Event Location: IRCB 1030
Destiny Law, Friday, March 20, 2026 @ 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Event Location: Virtual
Samantha Lafrance, Monday, March 23, 2026 @ 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Event Location: Virtual
Ahmad Alshami, Monday, March 23, 2026 @ 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Event Location: RIDER C10
THESIS DEFENSE
Simon Hart, Tuesday, March 17, 2026 @ 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM | Event Location: Virtual
Fernando Guerra, Thursday, March 19, 2026 @ 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Event Location: A329
Joshua Vincent, Thursday, March 19, 2026 @ 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM | Event Location: Virtual
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
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 Student Advising Hours
Career Advising by Appointment Only
- In-Person: Tuesday - Thursday, A141
- Virtual: 9:00am-4:00pm
Please email tleung@fsu.edu to schedule an appointment.
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 - https://canvas.fsu.edu/enroll/3LWPX7
Job Fairs and Events | Jobs, Internships & Experience | Plan Your Career
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.
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