Research

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences honors COSSPP sociology department researchers’ study linking lead exposure to IQ loss

The editorial board of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal is honoring a pair of COSSPP researchers for their 2022 study which found that childhood exposure to lead has robbed Americans an average of 2.6 IQ points per person

Research Spotlight: Motivations for Maintaining Virginity Among US Adolescents 

FSU Sociology Professors Karin Brewster, Ph.D., and Kathryn Karker Tillman, Ph.D., co-authored the article “Motivations for Maintaining Virginity Among US Adolescents” with Giuseppina Valle Holway, Ph.D. Below is a summary of the article written by doctoral student Martin Gandur (Political Science ’25).  

Research Spotlight: Environmental Justice & Green Space Access: Inequities at the Intersection of Disability, Race, & Class

Sandy Wong, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Geography at Florida State University. Below Dr. Wong discusses her recently published article, “Environmental Justice & Green Space Access: Inequities at the Intersection of Disability, Race, & Class.” 

Research Spotlight: Creating Communities of Wellness for DRC Refugees: Lessons Learned from the Field

Lauren Metcalf is an alum of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy at Florida State University (B.A. International Affairs & Religion ’21). Lindsey Anderson (B.A. Editing, Writing, and Media ’23) authored this summary of Lauren’s honors thesis titled, “Creating Communities of Wellness for DRC Refugees: Lessons Learned from the Field.”

Dissertation Spotlight: Acquiescence Over Activism: How NGOs Manage Authoritarian Demands

Jordan Holsinger, Ph.D., is a graduate of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy at Florida State University (Ph.D. Political Science ’21). Below is a summary of Dr. Holsinger’s dissertation titled, “Acquiescence over Activism: How NGOs Manage Authoritarian Demands” authored by FSU student Katie Kelsey (Editing, Writing, and Media ‘24).

Research Spotlight: Recognizing the Equity Implications of Restoration Priority Maps

In “Recognizing the Equity Implications of Restoration Priority Maps,” Bill Schultz, Ph.D., Eric Coleman, Ph.D., and co-authors explore the implications for understanding the potential risks of concentrating restoration activity in regions where possible negative consequences for peoples’ livelihoods would be most severe.

Research Spotlight: What’s the Problem with Disaster? The Value of Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research

Tisha Holmes, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at Florida State University. In this research news spotlight, Dr. Holmes discusses her recently published article, titled “What’s the Problem with Disaster? The Value of Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research.”

Engage Magazine Feature: COSSPP Researchers Find Lead Exposure is Linked to IQ Loss

COSSPP researchers published a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in February 2022 that estimates exposure to lead has robbed Americans on average 2.6 IQ points per person. The study was groundbreaking, garnering widespread interest from news media and reaching over 1.5 billion.

Engage Magazine Feature: EMHS Conducts Research in Disaster Areas, Provides Experiential Learning Opportunities

The Disaster Incident Research Team (DIRT), housed within the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program (EMHS), was formed in 2012 to effectively conduct research in disaster areas and provide students with experiential learning opportunities, which is often a challenge in disaster management.