Communities First

Impacting Local Communities, Advancing the State, and Beyond

Students and alumni take the knowledge and values gained at COSSPP into roles across Florida, the nation, and the world, demonstrating how Florida-grown expertise helps solve complex problems everywhere.

FSU’s DeVoe L. Moore Center Part of Collaborative Project Offering Data-Driven Solutions for Florida’s Housing Crisis

Published: | 10:28 am | Posted in: News, Research That Works

As housing costs continue to increase nationwide, Florida residents have become all too familiar with the growing housing shortage and affordability crisis that has been building over the past two decades in the Sunshine State.

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FSU Geography Faculty Researchers Join National AI Effort to Advance Wildfire Forecasting

Published: | 2:38 pm | Posted in: Faculty/Staff, News, Research That Works, Students

A research project in Florida State University’s Department of Geography has been accepted into the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Pilot Start-up program. The project is focused on developing a predictive model to forecast fire frequency and severity in California. The NAIRR Pilot Start-up program connects researchers and educators to computational, data and training resources essential for advancing AI […]

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FSU’s Institute for Governance and Civics receives $1.7 million U.S. Department of Education grant to launch Founding Voices project

Published: | 12:00 pm | Posted in: News, Research That Works

Florida State University’s Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC) has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to launch the Founding Voices project, an initiative designed to transform civics education by engaging middle school students with immersive, historically accurate portrayals of America’s Founding Era figures. 

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FSU Planning Team Win Award for Innovative Work on Hillsborough County Land Use Plan

Published: | 10:00 am | Posted in: Faculty/Staff, News, Research That Works, Students

Florida State University students and faculty from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning’s (DURP) The Mark & Marianne Barnebey Planning & Development Lab won a 2025 Florida Planning and Zoning Association (FPZA) award in the Education category: Plans or efforts that effectively promote planning and zoning best practices.

“The Barnebey Lab worked alongside Plan Hillsborough to deliver innovative, context-specific recommendations for updating Hillsborough County’s Future Land Use Map,” said Dennis Smith, AICP, Planner-in-Residence & Director of the Barnebey Lab. “Through research, engagement with planning practitioners, and scenario planning across four key urban areas, the Lab helped advance a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable vision for the County’s future growth.”

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COSSPP Honors 2025-2026 Distinguished Alumni

Published: | 8:45 am | Posted in: Alumni News, Faculty/Staff, News, Students

Each year, the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP) presents its Distinguished Alumni Awards to accomplished individuals to recognize their professional achievements, contributions to society, and support of the college and university.

We are pleased to honor our newest Distinguished Alumni — Jennifer Green, Jeff Kottkamp, Bobby Pittman Jr., and Carissa Schively Slotterback — at the college’s Distinguished Alumni Gala in Spring 2026.

The 2025 honorees join COSSPP’s 54 Distinguished Alumni who have received this honor in previous years.

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FSU Study Highlights Importance of Psychological Resilience in Aging and Widowhood

Published: | 11:58 am | Posted in: Faculty/Staff, News, Research That Works

A new study from Florida State University’s Claude Pepper Center and Pepper Institute on Aging & Public Policy has shed new light on the importance of psychological resilience for aging adults experiencing widowhood, including notable gender differences in recovery.

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Student Spotlight: Sina Jangjoo

Published: | 11:09 am | Posted in: News, Research That Works, Students

Sina Jangjoo – a Florida State University doctoral student in the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy – was awarded the FSU Graduate School Student Leadership Pursuit Award.

“My time at FSU has thoroughly prepared me for my career by providing rigorous academic training, valuable research experiences, and significant leadership opportunities,” said Jangjoo. “The collaborative projects, mentorship roles, and teaching assignments I’ve undertaken have greatly enhanced my professional skills and academic expertise, positioning me effectively for my future academic career.”

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