Born from the challenge of the Space Race, UCF was created to transform imagination into innovation and prepare people to launch humanity beyond its limits. Today, we are still are a place where our people 麻豆精品 S檚 curiosity drives discovery, bold questions shape the future and exploration advances life on Earth.
Founded to reach the moon, we 麻豆精品 S檙e already on our way to the next frontier. Built for liftoff, America 麻豆精品 S檚 Space University celebrates UCF Space Week Nov. 3-7.
Where Global Leaders Unite to Boldly Forge the Future of Space
America 麻豆精品 S檚 first astronauts, known as 麻豆精品 S渢he Mercury Seven, 麻豆精品 S� will forever be known as the men who began this country 麻豆精品 S檚 journey into space. Twenty-five years after beginning their quest, the surviving astronauts from our original space race launched the Astronaut Scholarship to help ensure the U.S. would be the global STEM leader for the next space races
The Mercury crew would be impressed with what 麻豆精品 S檚 happening at SpaceU in 2025: a , an , a HyperSpace Center and three more recipients of the prestigious scholarship they established. This year, the committee chose 74 juniors and seniors from 51 universities, and UCF is one of only three universities with a trio of winners 麻豆精品 S� Keanu Brayman, Kyle Coutray and Sun Latt.
Each student reminds us that you never truly know what fuels a person 麻豆精品 S檚 trajectory toward discovery until you reflect on the journey that brought them into orbit.
Keanu Brayman
Mechanical engineering student and Burnett Honors Scholar
There 麻豆精品 S檚 a good reason Keanu Brayman changed his major a few times before settling on mechanical engineering.
麻豆精品 S淪pace exploration is a broad topic, 麻豆精品 S� he says, 麻豆精品 S渁nd I want to understand everything 麻豆精品 S� the development of the spacecraft, sending it, landing it and discovering with it. 麻豆精品 S�
His curiosity led him to consider aerospace engineering, robotics, computer science and the ultimate: sitting in a capsule aimed at the moon or Mars.
麻豆精品 S淟ike a lot of kids, I always wanted to be an astronaut, 麻豆精品 S� Brayman says.
A childhood fantasy that began with Legos in the living room has blossomed in multiple labs at UCF. In the Optical Imaging System Lab, he designed a 3D printed housing for optical vision systems with space applications. In the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research, he advanced a rover wheel testbed to simulate conditions on the moon 麻豆精品 S檚 surface. Today, in his fourth year, he 麻豆精品 S檚 working in the Astrodynamics, Space and Robotics Laboratory (ASRL) researching optimal control on a robotic arm for space proximity operations.
麻豆精品 S淢y overarching goal is to help humans become multi-planetary, with enough sustained lunar infrastructure to take us further into space. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S擪eanu Brayman, student
麻豆精品 S淚 never imagined the steppingstones in my life would take me this far, 麻豆精品 S� he says.
He can vividly describe each step, with his mom encouraging him to dream big. When she noticed his interest in science, she and Brayman 麻豆精品 S檚 dad saved enough money to buy a Lego robotics kit. They invested in a modest telescope so he could spot Jupiter from their home in South Florida. One night, Brayman 麻豆精品 S檚 mom took him to the beach, where they watched the streaking speck of a distant space shuttle launch up the coast.
麻豆精品 S淭hat small glimpse made space technology more tantalizing for me, 麻豆精品 S� Brayman says.
No one in his family had a STEM background. They lived paycheck to paycheck, and he didn 麻豆精品 S檛 know if college would be affordable. That changed when his FIRST Robotics team visited UCF, where he heard faculty say they wanted students like him to join their research teams.
麻豆精品 S淚t was hard for my mom when I left home, 麻豆精品 S� says Brayman, who earned the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship, 麻豆精品 S渂ut she knew I needed to follow my ambitions. 麻豆精品 S�
Those ambitions unearthed more steppingstones at UCF. He joined a competitive rocketry team, earned an internship with NASA, and started a club: the Society of Innovation and Neurodiversity in Engineering, a community of students overcoming challenges like ADHD.
And now the Astronaut Scholarship.
麻豆精品 S淚t was always a pipe dream to meet an astronaut someday. But at our ceremony, every time I turned around, I met another astronaut and expanded my network of mentors, 麻豆精品 S� he says.
The support came at a time when Brayman needed it most as he was going through significant personal struggles.
麻豆精品 S淭he scholarship has been a light. It reinforces what my mom always told me: 麻豆精品 S榊ou can achieve anything you set your mind to. 麻豆精品 S� Her belief in me will always be my driving force, 麻豆精品 S� he says.
Kyle Coutray
Computer engineering and biomedical sciences student, and Burnett Honors Scholar
It may sound modest when Kyle Coutray says, 麻豆精品 S淚 don 麻豆精品 S檛 absorb complex topics instantly. 麻豆精品 S� Yet this is a senior pursuing two demanding majors, devoting his time at UCF to understanding the most complex system ever discovered 麻豆精品 S� the brain 麻豆精品 S攁nd turning that knowledge into tools that help people.
Managing material at that level requires discipline, and Coutray relies on habits like writing things down, studying late with flashcards and breaking big ideas into manageable parts. That steady approach reflects a deeper drive, one he credits to both his parents and his faith.
麻豆精品 S淚 truly have the world 麻豆精品 S檚 best parents. They always encouraged me to push my limits and become the best version of myself, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 also believe God blessed me with a healthy mind, and I have a responsibility to use it where I can make the greatest impact. 麻豆精品 S�
That mindset took root in high school, when Coutray launched an apparel brand by teaching himself the step-by-step process from design to sale. While it found success, he sensed there had to be another door into a more meaningful future. That conviction deepened when he came upon a neighbor lying in the road after a skateboarding accident.
麻豆精品 S淪ome say space is the final frontier. I believe it 麻豆精品 S檚 the brain, with its 100 trillion connections. Exploring it will take the same spirit of discovery that drives us to the stars, and the Astronaut Scholarship fuels my own spirit to make the next discoveries. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Kyle Coutray, student
麻豆精品 S淚 had done the same thing with my friends countless times, and in an instant his life was changed forever. That was the moment I realized how fragile the brain is. Later, when I began studying neuroscience at UCF, it offered me a way to reconcile that experience and a clear sense of purpose. 麻豆精品 S�
At UCF, Coutray has found ways to act on that purpose. He volunteers for ACEing Autism, where he facilitates adaptive tennis activities for children on the autism spectrum. Even intramural sports have offered him practical lessons that carry into his research.
麻豆精品 S淒uring my first year I was juggling so much that I stopped taking care of myself, and my productivity dropped, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲hen I got back into sports and focused on my health, everything improved 麻豆精品 S� school, relationships and research. I 麻豆精品 S檓 a firm believer that a healthy body is critical to keeping the mind sharp. 麻豆精品 S�
Coutray carries that same philosophy into the intersection of engineering and neuroscience. His focus is on decoding neural signals and developing assistive technologies that restore function and empower people of all abilities. What began as a way to process his neighbor 麻豆精品 S檚 accident has grown into a life 麻豆精品 S檚 mission: to give people their lives back.
Sun Latt
Biomedical sciences student and Burnett Honors Scholar
Sun Latt is having a moment. Actually, he 麻豆精品 S檚 having a year. You might remember Latt for winning a Goldwater Scholarship last spring. Or he could look familiar as an Order of Pegasus recipient. Here he is a few months later with the Astronaut Scholarship to complete a student triple crown of sorts 麻豆精品 S� although Latt is too modest to say so himself.
麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 been surreal and I 麻豆精品 S檓 thankful beyond words, 麻豆精品 S� Latt says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut there 麻豆精品 S檚 so much more to be done. 麻豆精品 S�
Latt has worked on nanomedicine research with urgent focus since he found his first lab as a first-year student. Three years later, he has worked alongside a team of researchers to investigate the advantages of using a novel nanoparticle in magnesium orthopedic implants: the bone heals faster and the implant dissolves without leeching toxins. He has also contributed to nanomedicine research with preventive applications, such as a delivery system to silence the gene that causes osteoporosis.
麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e been challenging myself for three reasons; To become a good scientist, to make sure my mentors and the people who 麻豆精品 S檝e supported me are not let down, and so I can be the best mentor possible in the future. 麻豆精品 S� Sun Latt, student
麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e explored the basic working principles in a glass dish, 麻豆精品 S� Latt says, 麻豆精品 S渟o now other researchers can see how the nanoparticle interacts for healing applications beyond bone. 麻豆精品 S�
This doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 mean he 麻豆精品 S檚 finished.
麻豆精品 S淲hen you 麻豆精品 S檙e always trying to innovate, you 麻豆精品 S檙e never finished, 麻豆精品 S� Latt says.
For his honors undergraduate thesis, Latt is leading a project that incorporates nanobubbles to deliver medicine into the body before releasing it precisely where and when it 麻豆精品 S檚 needed. He envisions using AI to take another leap and future applications for nanobubbles in space.
麻豆精品 S淔or me, it 麻豆精品 S檚 all about healing the body, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淭hat 麻豆精品 S檚 what motivated my dad, even with his limited resources and without formal recognition or awards. 麻豆精品 S�
Latt 麻豆精品 S檚 parents immigrated from Myanmar. His dad learned to be a doctor so he could care for people who needed the most help 麻豆精品 S� especially in rural areas. Latt carries that same compassion into his research, fully conscious that accomplishments are not his alone.
麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e been a lifelong learner, and I look forward to being a lifelong teacher, 麻豆精品 S� he says.
Those interested in the Astronaut Scholarship and other opportunities should reach out to the Office of Prestigious Awards at OPA@ucf.edu.
