Florida Interdisciplinary Research Fellows in Education Sciences (FIREFLIES)

Florida State University (FSU) has hosted IES-funded predoctoral training programs since 2004. The purpose of the current training program, Florida Interdisciplinary Research Fellows in Education Sciences (FIREFLIES), is to train doctoral students to conduct reading research in collaborative partnerships with higher education, local and state education agencies, and nonprofit research organizations. The training program is housed primarily in Florida Center for Reading Research and will recruit fellows and faculty from six distinct disciplinary programs: reading education, special education, educational psychology, psychology, communication sciences and disorders, and social work. 

FIREFLIES will recruit approximately 18 fellows for 3- to 4-year fellowships in 3 cohort waves. Fellows will receive tuition and benefits, stipends, and a small fund for research and travel expenses. FIREFLIES fellows will participate in an interdisciplinary core curriculum consisting of coursework in reading research and education and quantitative methodology that focuses on applied research and education policy. They will be trained in the IES SEER principles and will complete two practica, including a 3-year research apprenticeship with faculty mentors, and a year-long policy/practice apprenticeship with an education agency or other education-focused organization. The training program also includes a proseminar, lecture series, and professional development opportunities.