Faculty receiving tenure at Florida State University now have a lasting legacy included in the collection of the University Libraries. Each year, members of the new class of tenured faculty will hand-pick an item for the Libraries in a subject area of their choosing. These new library holdings will bear a bookplate inscribed with the faculty member’s name, department, and the year. In addition, the faculty members are asked to write a brief paragraph explaining why the book they selected is meaningful to them. This project will serve the dual purpose of honoring the achievement of earning tenure, while also helping to sustain the University Libraries’ ongoing efforts to develop collections that support teaching, research, and intellectual inquiry.
Andy Ballard
Department of Political Science
John Aldrich was my grad school advisor and also wrote one of the foundational books on the study of political parties in the United States. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him or his work.
Andres Felipe Barrientos
Department of Statistics
This book guides new assistant professors in navigating the tenure track. It offers insights on how to balance the many demands we face. It was recommended to me by a faculty member who knew about my transition from postdoc to assistant professor. It has been especially helpful during overwhelming times when juggling multiple responsibilities. The book introduces mindfulness as a key tool for managing the challenges of academia. I genuinely believe this book should be part of the welcome kit for all new faculty members.
Andrea Barton-Hulsey
School of Communication Science & Disorders
I read this book for the first time the summer after my freshman year of undergrad while working the research labs of Dr. Romski and Dr. Sevcik. The work described in this book made a lasting impression on my direction of study thereafter and continues to inform my own program of research. It is important that we continue to include individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in all aspects of school, community and the workplace, advance technology, and continue to design and test intervention approaches within these contexts that support communication development to their fullest potential.
Breaking the Speech Barrier: Language Development through Augmented Means
Michael Bukoski
Department of Philosophy
This book had a big influence on me early in my graduate study. It helped to spark my interest in metaethics and my long focus on a particular philosophical problem–the problem of explaining the nature of normativity and, in particular, the “source” of the authority of moral norms–as well as inspiring the subject of my dissertation and one of my early publications. I wouldn’t describe myself as a defender of Korsgaard’s views, but it seems fitting to acknowledge the influence of her book.
Christopher Dominick Constantino
School of Communication Science & Disorders
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” Augustine articulates our search for meaning, of discarding what is false to obtain what is true. By carrying out this conversion daily, and through God’s grace, we become messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance. It is from this well spring of joy that my career flows. I am so grateful for the gift of my work and for the support of my colleagues at FSU. Pax et bonum!
Tyra Dark
Department of Behavioral Science & Social Medicine
Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” is an expression of faith that one will overcome and triumph against adversities and reclaim one’s history from misrepresentation. “Still I Rise” is a constant source of inspiration, encouraging me to defy oppressive social expectations through its powerful expression of strength and resilience. “Still I Rise” urges me to refuse to cower and instead to carry myself with pride, with an upright posture and a confident stride. Knowing that although my academic journey may be arduous, and often dispiriting—Still I Will Rise!
Adam Kabir Dewan
Department of Psychology
Grigory Fedyukovich
Department of Computer Science
Jeongbin Kim
Department of Economics
Panayotis League
College of Music
This book inspired me to think critically from an American perspective about the structures of power that have conflated race and class in the US. This approach to social analysis informs all the work I do today as a researcher, educator, artist, and citizen.
Lichun Li
Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
Back in the summer of 2013, this was the first book I read on game theory, and I was amazed by the depth and richness of the subject. Beyond the well-known Nash equilibrium—a strategic balance between players’ actions, as seen in chess—this book introduced another fascinating concept: cognition balancing. This idea applies to multi-round games with players holding private information, such as Texas Hold ’em. The book opened a new world of understanding for me, ultimately inspiring my NSF Early Career Award, Learning Equilibria of Dynamic Bayesian Games Efficiently with Nash, Bellman, and Lyapunov.
Daniel Luedtke
Department of Art
At the very beginning of my visual art-making career I volunteered at the Video Data Bank at the School of the Art Institute which is one of two video art specific collections in the US. Between clerical work processing royalty fees for the prominent artists in the collection and mailing out DVD’s, Hi8 and VHS tapes to museums and galleries I was encouraged to view anything I wanted in the screening room. I was voracious. This piece from 1987, “A Perfect Pair” by Valie Export really made an impact. It depicts a future where individual consumers’ bodies are used as walking billboards, promoting all kinds of products and services. Using very early computer animation and quick, magic trick-like editing the video depicts gleeful consumers that willingly participate in their exploitation for the monetary rewards it grants them. The work has an obvious and prescient understanding of what social media and the internet would become but it is the humor, sensuality, and entertainment value of the work that grabbed me. Although I work in primarily non-video mediums such as printmaking and ceramics, I too investigate the ways that bodies are quantified and assigned value. This piece deeply influenced the trajectory of my work and life as an artist.
Meredith Laura Lynn
Department of Art
Artists aren’t often celebrated as writers. If we’re lucky, words from curators, critics, and historians will attach to our work. Their interpretations bring deep meaning and context to what we do, but also change it. Pope.L has been a hugely influential artist to me – an inspiration through his uncompromising and withering gaze turned on the often comical grinds of the human condition. In this collection of his own writing, I find a wealth of poetry, nuance, and clear-eyed insight that cuts through the detritus of daily life.
Elizabeth B. Madden
School of Communication Science & Disorders
This book was instrumental in shaping ideas for my dissertation study and directing me down a path focused on helping stroke survivors regain reading abilities.
David S. March
Department of Psychology
Attitudes: Insights from the New Implicit Measures shaped both my methodological approach and theoretical understanding of social cognition. It deepened my thinking about the dynamic and context-dependent nature of attitudes, particularly their tenuous and cryptic role in shaping behavior. The book challenged me to refine how I study attitudes and provided the foundational social cognitive lens through which I conduct the entirety of my research.
Elizabeth A. Murphy
Department of Classics
Ravinder Kumar Nagpal
Department of Health, Nutrition, & Food Science
Tom Needham
Department of Mathematics
This is a classic book in metric geometry. It is filled with insightful and creative ideas, which have inspired much of the work done in my research area.
Michelle Anne Stegemeyer Parvatiyar
Department of Health, Nutrition, & Food Science
I read this book cover to cover as a graduate student and had the privilege of meeting Dr. Bers annually at the Cardiac Muscle Society meetings. As a trainee, I found it invaluable to engage with a leading scholar in my field who served as a source of inspiration.
Excitation-Contraction Coupling and Cardiac Contractile Force
Zhiying Qian 钱之莹
Department of Modern Languages & Linguistics
From the moment I first encountered “Dream of the Red Chamber” as a child, I was captivated by its rich stories and unforgettable characters. I still remember discovering a beautifully bound set in a bookstore, priced at just one dollar but equivalent to hundreds today. Without hesitation, my mother bought it for me, unknowingly sparking a lifelong love for this masterpiece. Over the years, I have collected many editions and watched countless adaptations. Today, I share this passion with my students and hope to inspire their appreciation for Chinese literature and culture.
Tanya R. Renn
College of Social Work
This book encapsulates the intricate interplay between stress, biology, and health, reinforcing the importance of understanding trauma’s impact on overall well-being—a core focus of my work with vulnerable populations.
Stress and Health: Biological and Psychological Interactions
Myriam Rudaz
Department of Human Development & Family Science
In 2010, I had the privilege of interning in the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the Center for Mindfulness, University of Massachusetts Medical School. Since then, I have passionately developed, conducted, and evaluated Mindfulness- and Compassion-Based training. Full Catastrophe Living beautifully emphasizes embracing all aspects of life, including its joys and sorrows, with mindfulness and acceptance.
Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness
S. Unnikrishnan
Department of Mechanical Engineering
“Wings of fire” is the autobiography of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India, and a renowned scientist in the area of aerospace engineering. He played a critical role, both through technical and leadership roles, in developing India’s space and defense programs. To me, he is one of the most inspiring individuals, whose story motivated me to pursue a career in Engineering, and specialize in the area of aerodynamics.
Joel Michael Smith
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
This book describes how to make various psychedelic molecules and the experiences felt by each after taken by the authors of the book. Research into psychedelic molecules has been a major research thrust in the Smith Lab at FSU and has led to therapeutic leads for various neuropsychiatric ailments. It is encouraged that you read some of the vivid descriptions of psychedelic experiences described in this book as a way of introducing yourself to the psychoactive power of these molecules.
Mark-Christoph Spieker
Department of Physics
Atomic nuclei are complex mesoscopic objects making up the bulk of visible mattter in our universe. Yet, simple structures emerge and we observe experimental signatures that we can understand in terms of the atomic nucleus assuming, e.g., an American-football-like shape. This textbook, written by one of my mentors, helped me to understand the foundations of nuclear structure when being a student, is still a book which I use myself as a reference, and which I suggest to my graduate students for their studies.
Rebekah Downes
Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
This book is significant to my career because it provides a strong foundation for modeling and analyzing composite materials using finite element methods. As my research focuses on hybrid nanocomposites and extreme environment materials, understanding the computational tools for predicting their behavior is essential. Abaqus is widely used in industry and academia, making this resource valuable for both my research and teaching.
Finite Element Analysis of Composite Materials Using Abaqus
Vandana Tripathi
Department of Physics
I received this book as a prize in 11th grade for standing first in my class. I started reading it, but I could not and did not as it was quite sad and depressing. Years later when I came to know about the movie based on the book with one of my favorite actors, I had to read it to figure out what I missed. The book is set in the slums of Howrah (twin city of Kolkata in India) and revolves around the trials and tribulations of the 3 main characters as they navigate life. The novel is characterized as fiction but could very well be real. With all the sad and ugly episodes related to poverty, hunger, caste system and illness, the ending is calm. It emphasizes that life goes on no matter what. We should be grateful for we have as it could be worse and also to give other people the benefit of doubt whenever possible as you never know what they are going through. I have kept these thoughts in my mind, and I feel I should read it again as I am way older now, likely there will be a new perspective.
Liliya Ugay
College of Music
This is a collection of works by my former mentor – a composer and conductor Fred Cohen, whom I was fortunate to meet and work with during my undergraduate studies at Columbus State University Schwob School of Music, which was my first experience of being in the United States. Dr. Cohen’s oeuvre includes many genres from solo instruments to concertos and orchestra music; his music is full of expression, knowledge, wit, and lyricism. Dr. Cohen currently serves as a director of School of Music and Dance at San Jose State University.
Compositions
Roberto Vincis
Department of Biological Science
This is one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date books on chemosensory neuroscience, offering valuable insights into the field. I love having the paper version in my office, as it serves as both a reliable reference and a source of inspiration for my work.
Steven Zane
College of Criminology & Criminal Justice
In his classic work, Packer highlights two fundamental conflicts in criminal justice and law. First, punishment as moral justice versus a means of preventing antisocial behavior. Second, the criminal process as “crime control” versus “due process.” Packer approaches his subject with humility, recognizing the complexity and inherent contradictions between deep moral commitments and visions of how the social world operates. He ultimately acknowledges that there are no perfect solutions—only trade-offs. Though I do not share all of Packer’s conclusions, his thoughtful and never tendentious presentation of criminal justice’s conflicting goals remains unsurpassed.
Qian Zhang
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
This is a very well written book about advance techniques for characterization of concrete materials that I found very helpful. I would also love to have this in the library collection for students.
A Practical Guide to Microstructural Analysis of Cementitious Materials
Robert C. Schoen
School of Teacher Education
This album has been instrumental in my life. It was often played in the background at a restaurant called The Kitchen, where I worked as a young adult. I enjoyed listening to it while working and eventually purchased a copy. That album introduced me to an all-American approach to music that has been my muse for the subsequent 30 years (and counting). Upon my arrival in Tallahassee, I missed the live acoustic music I had grown to love. Not knowing where to find it, I resolved to learn how to create it myself. I later realized that Tallahassee has a rich music history and is teeming with great music and musicians that have since immeasurably enriched my life. This album was the catalyst for my musical journey. To me, it represents a never-ending source of entertainment, inspiration, creativity, culture, and so much more. Had I not encountered this album in my young adulthood, I am certain that I would not have had the participatory experience in music that has become one of the central features of my life. I owe this album and its creators a debt of gratitude for creating this inspiring work of art. I hope this copy of the album serves to inspire others who tread these halls at FSU.
Garcia Grisman Album
Elizabeth Avery
College of Music
Michael Hanawalt
College of Music
This book espouses creativity and student centeredness in the choral classroom, and has been a lovely point of inspiration for me and my students as we discuss how to make choral rehearsals as engaging and effective as possible.
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