The Graduate School at Florida State University, together with the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards, has announced the winners of its annual Graduate Student Op-Ed Competition. The event aims to highlight the writing and communication skills of graduate students from various disciplines.
This year’s competition received support from the Congress of Graduate Students and attracted 51 submissions representing multiple academic programs. Five students were selected for top honors in categories such as “Best Explanation of a Complicated Subject” and “Best Use of Evidence.” An additional five students earned honorable mentions for their contributions.
“The Op-Ed Competition is about empowering graduate students to share their research and perspectives with a broader audience,” said Keith D. McCall, acting director of the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards. “It’s encouraging to see so many students step up to the challenge of translating complex ideas into accessible, persuasive writing. Their voices are vital to public discourse.”
Savoya Simone Joyner, a doctoral student in psychology and neuroscience, was recognized for “Best Explanation of a Complicated Subject” with her op-ed on sex differences in obesity research. She emphasized the need for more focus on women’s brain biology when addressing obesity treatment strategies. Joyner commented, “Science hasn’t always felt accessible to me — I grew up without scientists around me… Winning this award is not just recognition for an op-ed — it’s affirmation that taking a complicated scientific idea and making it clear, human, and accessible truly matters… It validates that communication is just as essential as experimentation, and that making science accessible isn’t optional — it’s necessary.”
Suzy Ji won “Best Use of Evidence” for her piece urging educators not to treat Asian American students as a uniform group but instead recognize individual differences. Ji stated, “I’m grateful for the chance to share a perspective that often goes unheard — that Asian American students are not a monolith… Writing this op-ed reminded me why I care so deeply about this work, and I hope it encourages others to think critically about how we support students.”
Sarah Lovins Bacani received “Best Call to Action” for her essay highlighting overlooked elements in undergraduate development through social work perspectives. She advocated embedding empathy into professional training: “FSU is home… Continuing my academic journey at FSU felt like a natural extension of that commitment.”
Rachel Flemming took home “Best Organized Op-Ed” by arguing that research-based teaching improves language learning outcomes: “Winning this award is an honor that reflects the efforts I have made to communicate clearly about my research… This was a rewarding experience that helped me to refine my communication skills…”
Athena Thai was awarded “Most Persuasive Op-Ed” for challenging negative perceptions surrounding social media use: “This experience has been really valuable to me because one of my goals as a researcher is to make our findings relevant and accessible to the public… My hope is that people will increasingly rely on science…”
Honorable mentions were given across all categories:
– Coreine Rainford (Urban and Regional Planning)
– Gallage Ariyaratne (Biomedical Sciences)
– Md Sazzad Mahmud Shuvo (Communication)
– Rimil Guha Roy (Neuroscience)
– Tzu-An Chiang (Public Administration)
“We hope this competition continues to grow and encourages more students to share their stories and solutions,” McCall said. “Congratulations to all who participated. Because of the research and perspectives shared in this competition, we are all better informed.”
For further details or inquiries regarding next year’s competition or related opportunities, contact ogfa.fsu.edu.
