Florida State University College of Social Sciences & Public Policy

Florida State University’s Spatial Data Science Center won two awards from the FSU/AWS Research Acceleration Fund on May 3, 2026.

As cloud computing continues to reshape the boundaries of what’s computationally possible, researchers from FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP) are positioning the university at the forefront of data-driven discovery.

The awards were 2 of 11 presented by FSU’s Office of Research and Information Technology Services, recognizing researchers across campus for their creativity and technical excellence in leveraging AWS cloud computing to advance scientific discovery. The event brought together FSU leadership and researchers for an award ceremony, a panel discussion, and a look at the latest Amazon Web Services (AWS) tools, closing with presentations from winners of FSU’s AI Maker Challenge. Each award included up to $20,000 in AWS credits.

Krafft Professor of Spatial Data Science and Director of the Spatial Data Science Center A. Stewart Fotheringham, Ph.D., led two collaborative teams of COSSPP researchers recognized at the event, along with Urban & Regional Planning colleague Mehak Sachdeva, Ph.D., with projects spanning electoral behavior analysis and the development of advanced tools for geographic modeling.

To read more, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/fsu-spatial-data-science-center-lands-two-awards-for-innovative-use-of-aws-cloud-computing

Michelle Hollinger – a Florida State University alumna (B.S. Sociology ‘85) – has spent four decades building a career around strengthening communities through personal empowerment, from her early work in social services to the newsroom to her current role as founder and Chief Worthiness Officer of The Institute for Worthy Living.

After graduating from FSU, Hollinger began her career path as a social worker and director of a family empowerment program before taking on new challenges in the journalism field. She became a respected editor of two prominent South Florida magazines, published her own magazine, and then delved further into the world of human behavior and worthiness by writing several books.

Since then, she has taken on her current role as Founder and Chief Worthiness Officer of The Institute for Worthy Living and has created several digital applications focused on the topic. “The Worthiness Sanctuary” and “The Worthy Entrepreneur” are two of her multifaceted digital platforms, along with her newest application, “Calling All Allies," which offers users a private space to reflect on their consciousness and personal values and how they want to show up for others.

To learn more, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/alumni-spotlight-michelle-hollinger

Assistant Professor Minyoung Ku, Ph.D., of FSU’s Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration & Policy at Florida State University was the lead author of “Where do uninsured patients go? The paradox of collaborative network dynamics in interhospital transfers” published in Social Science & Medicine in May 2026, with fellow researchers FSU doctoral student Jinyoung Cha, and Arnold L. & Priscilla Moss Greenfield Endowed Professor Keon-Hyung Lee, Ph.D. The study examines the subtle ways that interhospital collaboration dynamics shape where patients are transferred, with a focus on differences across payer groups.

To study this topic, the team analyzed daily inpatient transfers among 159 general acute-care hospitals in Florida from 2018 through 2021, using Relational Event Modeling (REM), a method that captures how relationships between hospitals develop and change over time, to evaluate how the interhospital collaboration dynamics differed between insured and uninsured patients.

“My research helps to advance our understanding of how patient transfer systems work, from identifying empirical patterns of transfers to revealing the mechanisms behind them, bridging theoretical perspectives from multiple disciplines, including organization management, public policy, sociology, and public health,” Dr. Ku said. “Theoretically, the study also extends the discussion of the ‘dark sides’ of social capital and embeddedness into the domain of public value creation in healthcare, by showing that different stories may emerge when we look at seemingly well-operating systems from a different, more systemwide perspective.”

To learn more about the teams’ work, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/research-spotlight-minyoung-ku

This year, the News Service of Florida (NSFL) honored 5 Alumni from FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP) in their annual “50 Over 50” article, which was released on April 20.

The publication recognizes 50 individuals over 50 years of age who have used their leadership, achievements, and strong dedication to improve Florida’s wellbeing across energy, government, healthcare and higher education domains.

Of the 50 individuals distinguished in the article, 5 were COSSPP Alumni: Charles C. Hart IV; Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp; James Murdaugh, Ph.D.; Cari Roth, J.D.; and Jamie Wilson, DBA. Recognized for their outstanding contributions to the state, they were featured in the publication and invited to the News Service of Florida 50 Over 50 Reception held on April 22.

To read more, visit https://cosspp.fsu.edu/five-cosspp-alumni-honored-in-2026-news-service-of-floridas-50-over-50/

The World Affairs Program (WAP) at Florida State University has wrapped up a banner 2025-2026 academic year, cementing its reputation as a powerhouse on the national collegiate circuit. After traveling to conferences from San Francisco to Williamsburg, the team concluded their season with an impressive 146 total points, including 16 Gavels and five Delegation Awards.

WAP is an academic debate team that provides training in negotiation and debate strategies, as well as opportunities to develop leadership and problem-solving skills by engaging with experts on topical global affairs and participating in debate competitions nationwide.

This year, the World Affairs Program achieved significant success in the Southeast and across the country.

To read more, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/fsu-world-affairs-program-caps-off-award-winning-2025-2026-season

Matthew Becker, Ph.D. – a two-time FSU alumnus (B.S. Political Science ’07, M.S. International Affairs ’09) – was nominated by the U.S. Department of State to serve as a member of the U.S. Delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as an international election observer.

This marks Dr. Becker’s second deployment as an OSCE observer; he previously served in that role during Serbia’s June 2024 elections. Most recently, he served with the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights’ (ODIHR) Election Observation Mission to the Republic of North Macedonia, which held local elections on October 19, 2025. Dr. Becker joined a team of 253 observers from other OSCE participating states. After briefings in the capital city of Skopje, he was sent southeast to observe elections in two regions near the border with Greece.

“It was an honor to represent the United States of America and work alongside observers from other OSCE participating states,” Dr. Becker said. “I am grateful to be given the opportunity to contribute to the ODIHR mandate of strengthening democratic institutions and promoting free and fair elections. North Macedonia is a beautiful country with friendly people and great food.”

Read more: https://cosspp.fsu.edu/alumni-spotlight-matthew-becker-2/

COSSPP Academic Advising has expanded its availability and added new virtual drop-in hours! Students can schedule appointments through Campus Connect or drop in through the open Zoom call!

For more information, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/academics/undergrad/how-to-schedule-an-appointment

CDPH Combined Pathways Program Student Interview -- Sarah Neal Sarah Neal is utilizing the Combined Bachelor's-Master's Pathway Pr...

When students choose a college major, they’re often told the decision will make or break their career. A new book by Florida State University sociologist Corey Moss-Pech, Ph.D., says the reality is far more complicated, and more encouraging for liberal arts students than the headlines suggest.

Major Trade-Offs: The Surprising Truths about College Majors and Entry-Level Jobs, published in May 2025 by the University of Chicago Press, draws on nearly 200 interviews with roughly 90 students across four majors, engineering, business, English and communications, at a large Midwestern university. Dr. Moss-Pech followed the students through their senior years and into the workforce, tracking their internship experiences, job searches and early career outcomes.

His findings upend a common assumption: that graduates from so-called “practical” majors like business and engineering are better prepared for the workforce than their peers in liberal arts fields. While practical majors did enter the labor market more quickly and at higher starting salaries, largely through structured internship pipelines, many landed in entry-level roles that were predominantly clerical in nature and didn’t require skills learned in college. Liberal arts graduates, by contrast, were more likely to report using their degree skills once they secured a job.

To read more, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/fsu-sociologist-challenges-myths-about-college-majors-and-the-job-market

FSU Political Science Associate Professor Dr. James Strickland authored “Who Stopped the Equal Rights Amendment?” The article investigates which groups and lobbying efforts influenced state legislators as they voted on the proposed constitutional amendment during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Using historical lobbying records and legislative voting data, Dr. Strickland argues that lobbying activity played a significant role in shaping legislators’ votes on the Equal Rights Amendment. His research found that the number of ERA lobbyists active in a state was associated with legislators’ votes on the amendment, while the presence of insurance lobbyists showed little measurable effect. The findings also revealed a partisan divide: lobbying activity appeared to influence Republican legislators more strongly, while Democratic legislators generally supported the ERA regardless of lobbying pressure. Overall, however, the effects of lobbying were likely not large enough on their own to stop the amendment from passing.

“This is the first study that measures the effect of lobbyists on roll-call votes on the ERA among state legislators,” said Dr. Strickland, “and it helps to address conflicting expectations in both the scholarly and popular presses.”

To read more, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/research-spotlight-who-stopped-the-equal-rights-amendment