Delaney Hanson is currently an Assistant Merchant for Vertical Brands at Dicks Sporting Goods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She completed her B.S. in Retail Entrepreneurship and Product Development in 2023. From 2021-2023, she worked in the Textile Testing Lab and ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, operating the ANDI Manikin and performing lab tests to determine the performance of samples.
Madeline Poley-Bogan earned her B.S in Retail Entrepreneurship (2022) and M.S in Retail and Textile Entrepreneurship (2023) at Florida State University. From 2021-2023, she worked in the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® and Textile Testing Lab, serving as a research assistant and later lab manager. In these roles, she contributed to research aimed at improving physiological comfort, ergonomic mobility, and garment fit for first responders, military personnel, healthcare workers, and athletes.
Steven M. Bernal-Diaz is currently employed as a Medical Assistant at Southern Medical Group in Tallahassee, Florida. He is on track to complete his B.S. in Psychology at Florida State University in December 2025. From 2022 to 2025, Steven has been an active member of the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® under Dr. McQuerry, where he has served in two roles within the textile lab—first as an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program student and later as a Directed Independent Study student.
Emily Rodriguez is an undergraduate student at Florida State University who plans to graduate with a degree in Athletic Training in 2029. She joined Dr. McQuerry’s lab as an undergraduate researcher, where she contributes to ongoing projects in textile performance and comfort testing. Emily has also earned an Associate of Arts degree from Miami-Dade College.
Elle Orchard is a sophomore majoring in Retail Entrepreneurship in the FSU Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. She is currently working with Dr. McQuerry through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program and is expected to graduate in May 2028. This year marks the beginning of her involvement in the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® and the Textile Testing Lab, where she has already discovered a strong passion for textile research. Elle plans to use this experience to shape the direction of her future career.
Mark Pachowicz is a senior at Florida State University, graduating in the spring with a Commercial Entrepreneurship degree. He works as a Banquet Captain at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center and began working in the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® in August under Dr. McQuerry. Previously, he gained experience in the Textile Testing Lab, conducting quality assurance on apparel through physical, chemical, comfort, and performance testing.
Caroline Symons is currently an undergraduate lab assistant in the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® and Textile Testing Lab at Florida State University. Caroline assists in the labs by operating testing equipment including the ANDI Manikin, collecting and synthesizing test subject data, and regularly conducting inventory checks on lab materials. She is working toward a B.S. in Retail Entrepreneurship with a minor in Digital Media Communications.
Leah Livin is an undergraduate honors student and laboratory assistant at Florida State University. She plans to graduate in 2026 with a dual degree in Biology and FSU-Teach (Secondary Stem Education) before going to veterinary school. In the FSU textile labs, Leah is responsible for leading wear trials and recording data through the use of advanced electronic goniometers. A former UROP student and lab team member since 2022, she also aids with data analysis, publication efforts, and testing for research studies focused on firefigh
Cole Martucci is an FSU student and graduate research assistant in the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® and Textile Testing Lab. He completed his B.S. in Retail Entrepreneurship in 2025 and is currently pursuing his M.S. in Textile and Apparel Entrepreneurship. His work in the textile labs involves operating the ANDI Manikin for testing on firefighter turnout gear, conducting experimental garment wear trials, and contributing to the lab’s marketing and social media.
Nadia Love, current Testing Manager at Valley Forge Fabrics in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, graduated from Florida State University with a B.S. in Retail Entrepreneurship and M.S. in Textile and Apparel Entrepreneurship in 2021. While at FSU, she worked in the Textile Testing Lab and ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® under Dr. Meredith McQuerry, contributing to research on 3D body scanning of female firefighters and leading a COVID mask wear trial funded by a nylon manufacturer to study comfort and health impacts on first responders.
