FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy awarded four faculty with grants through COSSPP’s Specialized Faculty Professional Development Program to enhance their teaching, research, and professional development activities.
Raoul Lavin, MPA
Teaching Faculty III & MPA Co-Director
Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy
Deanna Barath, Ph.D., MPH
Assistant Teaching Professor & Community Outreach and Accreditation Coordinator
Public Health
Portia Campos, Ph.D., MPA
Teaching Faculty II
Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy
Amit Anshumali, Ph.D.
Assistant Teaching Professor
Integrated Studies
The Specialized Faculty Professional Development Program is a competitive funding opportunity offered by the college to support professional growth and effectiveness of full-time specialized faculty. With a total allocation of $10,000 and individual awards of up to $2,000, the program is designed to fund activities that align with a faculty member’s Assignment of Responsibilities. Its purpose is to enhance teaching, research, and professional development by supporting conferences, workshops, continuing education, program innovation, collaborative projects, and other relevant activities that strengthen faculty contributions to the college.
Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy
Raoul Lavin , MPA, Teaching Faculty III & MPA Co-Director, requested $2,000 to attend the 2026 International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Annual Conference in Long Beach, California. This support will contribute to Lavin’s professional development by incorporating emerging trends and practitioner-driven best practices from the field.
In addition, this support will enhance the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program with hands-on learning and capstone collaborations, as well as increased alumni engagement, recruitment, and program visibility.
Lavin earned his MPA from FSU’s Askew School in 1991. He currently serves as Co-Director of MPA program and as Teaching Faculty III with the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy.
Public Health
Deanna Barath, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Teaching Professor & Community Outreach and Accreditation Coordinator, requested $1,986 to conduct approximately 30 interviews with alumni, employers, and internship preceptors to assess the current use of generative AI in public health roles and the desired technical and professional skills for future hires. The project includes 6 days of travel to Jacksonville and West Florida.
The funding will cover hotel, meals, and transportation costs related to this trip, as well as incentives in the form of $20 gift cards for interviewees. This support will help align the Public Health program curriculum with workforce expectations and strengthen partnerships for internships and job placements. The committee supports Dr. Barath’s request and recommends awarding the full $1,986.
Dr. Barath is an assistant teaching professor in the Public Health program at Florida State University, where she also serves as the Coordinator of Community Outreach and Accreditation. In these roles, she enhances the program’s connection to the public health workforce and supports continuous curriculum development and quality improvement initiatives.
Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy
Portia Campos, Ph.D., MPA, Teaching Faculty II, requested $2,000 to conduct approximately 30 interviews with alumni, practitioners, and students to assess the use of AI in public administration and the skills in demand.
The project includes 7-10 days of travel to Central and South Florida. The funding will cover hotel, meals, and transportation costs related to this trip, as well as incentives in the form of $25 gift cards for the interviewees. This support will lead to the development of a new course on Using AI in the Public Sector, as well as help modernize existing courses.
Dr. Campos earned her doctorate in Public Administration from Rutgers University in 2012. She currently serves as Teaching Faculty II with the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy.
Integrated Studies
Amit Anshumali, Ph.D., Assistant Teaching Professor, requested $2,000 to attend the Faculty Success Program offered by the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD). The funding will cover part of the program’s total cost of $4,900.
Dr. Anshumali plans to apply for scholarships offered by the NCFDD to cover the remaining costs. This support will enhance Dr. Anshumali’s professional development by developing and implementing innovative pedagogical capacities in the classroom.
Dr. Anshumali, a development sociologist, earned his Ph.D. from Cornell. He has a dual master’s degree in Agricultural Economics and Environmental Sciences from The Ohio State University. Dr. Anshumali currently serves as the faculty representative for Social Sciences in the Integrated Studies Program. As a mentor, he deeply cares about the professional development of his students and values integrity and respect as core principles of education.
To learn more about opportunities for COSSPP Faculty Development, contact Associate Dean Deana Rohlinger, Ph.D., at drohling@fsu.edu.