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Prestigious honor for two at FSU

Two FSU professors have been selected as fellows of the Association for Psychological Science — an honor given only to the most prominent scientists in the discipline. Jeanette Taylor, professor and chair of the Department of Psychology, and Chad Van Iddekinge, the Synovus Research Associate and associate professor of management in the College of Business, were among 26 scholars from around the world who were awarded fellow status this year. Fellow status is awarded to APS members who have made sustained outstanding contributions to the science of psychology in the areas or research, teaching, service and/or application. Candidates are considered after 10 years of postdoctoral contribution.

Mars probe under way at Mag Lab

Was Mars — now a cold, dry place — once a warm, wet planet that sustained life? And if so, how long has it been cold and dry? Research underway at the Mag Lab may one day answer those questions — and perhaps even help pave the way for future colonization of the Red Planet. By analyzing the chemical clues locked inside an ancient Martian meteorite known as Black Beauty, FSU Professor Munir Humayun and an international research team are revealing the story of Mars’ ancient, and sometimes startling, climate history. The team’s most recent finding of a dramatic climate change appeared in Nature Geoscience. The scientists found evidence for the climate shift in minerals called zircons embedded inside the dark, glossy meteorite.

Presidential Scholars class debuts at FSU

FSU this fall welcomed the first class of 25 Presidential Scholars, all freshmen, who will benefit from unprecedented support and educational experiences through the university’s new premier undergraduate merit scholarship program. The Presidential Scholars Program provides four years of support to critical and innovative thinkers who use their talents to make meaningful contributions to society. The scholars receive additional funding for educational enrichment opportunities including international experiences, research and creative projects, service learning projects or public service, internships and entrepreneurial development. In addition, the scholars will benefit from faculty mentoring, leadership training and regular group meetings. The students also will be among the first to use the new Honors, Scholars and Fellows House, a learning center for the best and brightest students.

Researchers focus on teen boys’ brains

FSU College of Medicine neuroscientist Pradeep Bhide brought together some of the world’s foremost researchers in a quest to explain why teenagers — boys, in particular — often behave erratically. The result is a series of 19 studies that approached the question from multiple scientific domains, including psychology, neurochemistry, brain imaging, clinical neuroscience and neurobiology. The studies are published in a special volume of Developmental Neuroscience, “Teenage Brains: Think Different?”

FSU law No. 2 in country for Hispanics

Hispanic magazine touts law, medical schools

FSU’s colleges of law and medicine are among the 10 best in the nation for Hispanics, according to Hispanic Business. The College of Law was ranked second among the nation’s law schools, while the College of Medicine was ranked eighth among medical schools on the 2014 Best Schools for Hispanics list. Hispanic Business annually ranks the Top 10 graduate schools in four disciplines: business, law, engineering and medicine. The schools are ranked using criteria such as enrollment, faculty, reputation, retention rate and the use of progressive programs to recruit, support and mentor Hispanic students.

Gift keeps FSU program for veterans alive

Financial support from a South Florida couple along with the Hudson Family Foundation will allow a certificate program that trains veterans’ family members in entrepreneurship and business management to again be offered at FSU. Budgetary constraints had threatened the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans0’ Families (EBV-F) from being offered this year until Scott and Holly Bodenweber, through the Hudson Family Foundation, stepped in with their donation, which was matched by the national EBV Program. Randy Blass is executive director of The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship at FSU, which also hosts an annual Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities.

FSU researcher adds to molecule’s capabilities

New work by an FSU research team has led to a novel molecular system that can take your temperature, emit white light, and convert photon energy directly to mechanical motions. And, the molecule looks like a butterfly. Biwu Ma, associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, created the molecule in a lab about a decade ago, but has continued to discover that his creation has many other unique capabilities.For example, the molecular butterfly can flap its “wings” and emit both blue and red light simultaneously in certain environments. This dual emission means it can create white light from a single molecule, something that usually takes several luminescent molecules to achieve.

FSU law, Eckerd sign pact

The FSU College of Law is now accepting applications for admission from college juniors at Eckerd College as part of a new 3+3 Accelerated Law Program. Under the recently approved program, students who meet certain admission requirements can complete a bachelor’s degree and a law degree in six years rather than the traditional seven, saving a year of time and costs. FSU’s law school has similar arrangements for undergraduate students at UCF and FSU. To learn more about the 3+3 law school admission requirements, contact the FSU Law Office of Admissions at 850.644.3787 or admissions@law.fsu.edu.

Marshall elected to headmasters group

John D. Marshall, son of former FSU President Stanley Marshall and head of Mount Pisgah Christian School in Georgia, has been elected to membership in the Southern Headmasters' Association. Membership in the association is considered one of the highest honors to be bestowed on leaders in independent schools accredited by either the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) or the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Election to membership is based on a lifetime of service to independent schools and is limited to 20 active school heads. A 26-year-veteran of independent schools, Marshall recently completed his 10th year as a school head. He has served as Head of Mount Pisgah Christian School since 2012.

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