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Highlights

• UCF tied for fourth in the nation in total Goldwater Scholars this year, surpassing Ivy League institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University and MIT, and outperforming nearly all other Florida universities.

• The four scholarship recipients 麻豆精品 S� Keanu Brayman, Kyle Coutray, Trevor Overton and Varun Nannuri 麻豆精品 S� are pushing the boundaries of STEM by blending fields like engineering, medicine and robotics.

Four outstanding undergraduate students are redefining the boundaries of STEM through their high-impact research 麻豆精品 S� and in doing so, placing the university among the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 top producers of Goldwater Scholars.

The prestigious Goldwater Scholarship identifies and supports the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 best student researchers in the fields of engineering, mathematics and natural sciences.

This year 麻豆精品 S檚 honorees 麻豆精品 S� all expected to graduate next spring 麻豆精品 S� have propelled UCF into an elite tier of research institutions, surpassing several Ivy League institutions and tying for fourth in the nation in total Goldwater Scholars produced alongside Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago. Their impactful work reflects UCF’s commitment to building a high-level research environment that empowers students to lead projects addressing significant global and scientific challenges.

Supporting Space Exploration

Goldwater Scholar: Keanu Brayman

Major: Mechanical engineering

Ultimate Goal: To develop robotic systems to support human exploration on Mars.

Keanu Brayman 麻豆精品 S檚 passion for space began early.

麻豆精品 S淥ne of my earliest memories is watching a Space Shuttle streak across the sky from a beach in South Florida, 麻豆精品 S� Brayman says. 麻豆精品 S淚 remember being amazed there were people on board and feeling drawn to one day help explore the stars and discover what lies beyond our planet. 麻豆精品 S�

At UCF, Brayman has refined that dream with the support of faculty and mentors 麻豆精品 S� including Department of Physics Chair and Professor Adrienne Dove, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Tarek Elgohary and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Engineer Christopher Proctor 麻豆精品 S� as well as through programs like the .

He plans to pursue a doctoral degree in aerospace engineering to support lunar exploration and NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 Artemis program, as well as develop robotic systems that can extract resources and build infrastructure to support human exploration on Mars.

Engineering the Brain

Goldwater Scholar: Kyle Coutray

Majors: Computer engineering and biomedical sciences

Ultimate Goal: To research ways to restore communication, movement and cognitive function to the brain through engineering methods.

Kyle Coutray is focused on the intersection of neuroscience and technology.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 interested in building systems that interact directly with the brain, 麻豆精品 S� Coutray says. 麻豆精品 S淚n the lab, 麻豆精品 S� [I 麻豆精品 S檓] blending [both majors] into one approach. 麻豆精品 S�

He aims to pursue a doctoral degree in neural engineering to further his research on brain-computer interfaces that translate complex brain activity into useful functions.

A 2026 Order of Pegasus inductee and a Burnett Honors Scholar, Coutray credits his success to disciplined focus and strong mentorship, particularly from Charles N. Millican Professor of Computer Science Joseph LaViola and Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Helen Huang.

Advancing Patient Care

Goldwater Scholar: Varun Nannuri

Major: Molecular and cellular biology

Ultimate Goal: To pursue a career as a physician-scientist.

Varun Nannuri is driven by a desire to understand why people experience different health outcomes and improve care.

“Through my clinical experiences, I have seen how much patients and families rely on physicians during some of the most difficult moments of their lives,” Nannuri says. “My research experiences have shown me that better care depends on asking better questions.”

Nannuri plans to pursue a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree and become a physician-scientist. His ambition earned him recognition as a 2026 Order of Pegasus inductee while also completing his Honors Undergraduate Thesis. Nannuri is also a member of the Burnett Honors College as a Burnett Medical Scholar, a program that offers guaranteed admission to the UCF College of Medicine upon completion.

麻豆精品 S淯CF has given me opportunities to grow as a student, researcher, leader and future physician, 麻豆精品 S� Nannuri says.

Restoring Human Senses

Goldwater Scholar: Trevor Overton

Majors: Electrical engineering and biomedical sciences

Ultimate Goal: To improve the lives of people with disabilities through advanced robotic prostheses.

Burnett Honors Scholar Trevor Overton 麻豆精品 S檚 work centers on neuroengineering and next-generation prosthetics.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e always had a passion for building things, and I also love reading and watching sci-fi, 麻豆精品 S� Overton says. 麻豆精品 S淲hen UCF offered me the opportunity to join the MEDD [ 麻豆精品 S� I knew I had to take it. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 MEDD program provides scientifically driven students like Overton with a unique opportunity to integrate engineering principles into medicine.

Much like the development of cochlear implants, Overton imagines similar breakthroughs with vision and touch.

麻豆精品 S淚 envision a future where robotic prostheses are so advanced that they could completely replace or enhance the abilities of humans, 麻豆精品 S� Overton says. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 not entirely impossible. 麻豆精品 S�

After earning a doctoral degree in electrical engineering with a focus on neuroengineering, he hopes to inspire the next generation 麻豆精品 S� just as his professors inspired him 麻豆精品 S� emphasizing that UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 strength lies in professors who actively invest in their students.

A Growing Research Powerhouse

With four 2026 Goldwater Scholarship recipients, UCF continues to strengthen its position as a leader in undergraduate research. The achievement reflects both students 麻豆精品 S� immense dedication and a university-wide commitment to driving innovation, mentorship and hands-on discovery. As these Knights prepare for the next steps in their academic journeys, they carry forward a shared mission: to turn research into real-world impact.

Students interested in applying for the Goldwater Scholarship or other major national awards should contact the Office of Prestigious Awards at聽opa@ucf.edu.