College of Sciences Archives | University of Central Florida News

UCF Grad �鶹��Ʒ S�s Mission to Build Pipeline of Young Innovators

Jenna Marina Lee — Fri, 08 May 2026 13:34:13 +0000

Some of the nation �鶹��Ʒ S�s most promising scientists can be found in Will Furiosi �鶹��Ʒ S�13 �鶹��Ʒ S�14MAT �鶹��Ʒ S�s Oviedo High School classroom.

Spend five minutes talking to Ankan Das, Angela Calvo-Chumbimuni and Moitri Santra about their research innovations in robotics, mental health and agriculture, and one truth becomes quite clear: These teens are the real deal.

From left to right: Angela Calvo-Chumbimuni, Ankan Das and Moitri Santra have racked up numerous awards with their research projects, including the top three finishes at Seminole County �鶹��Ʒ S�s regional science fair. (Photo by Daniel Schipper)

Backed by UCF associate professors Ellen Kang (physics and NanoScience Technology Center) and Candice Bridge �鶹��Ʒ S�07�ʳ�� (chemistry) and researcher Max Kuehn �鶹��Ʒ S�22 (Exolith Lab), the Oviedo High trio recently earned recognition as the top three projects at Seminole County �鶹��Ʒ S�s regional science fair.

With Oviedo �鶹��Ʒ S�s proximity to main campus, the collaboration highlights UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s steadfast commitment to supporting STEM education across Central Florida.

They will now represent the county May 9-15 at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, where they will compete against more than 1,700 high schoolers for a share of nearly $7 million in awards, prizes and scholarships.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Working in Dr. Kang �鶹��Ʒ S�s lab played pretty big role in choosing materials science and engineering as my major for college because I was exposed to just how many different things someone can do in the area I work with, nanotechnology, �鶹��Ʒ S� says Santra, a senior bound for Stanford who has worked with Kang since she was a freshman. �鶹��Ʒ S�The lab provided a lot of resources �鶹��Ʒ S� not just the instruments, but also mentorship, advice and support. �鶹��Ʒ S�

A Will to Succeed

The hallway leading to Furiosi �鶹��Ʒ S�s classroom is decorated with rows of blue, red, white, green, yellow and pink paper accomplishment ribbons. More ribbons, pennants and certificates adorn his walls, along with eight Science and Engineering Fair of Florida best-in-fair grand award senior division trophies �鶹��Ʒ S� more than any other high school in the state.

During his own primary education, Furiosi attended eight schools over 12 years. As a seventh-grader at Stone Magnet Middle School in Brevard County, he was initially prohibited from participating in science fair because officials couldn �鶹��Ʒ S�t verify Furiosi was capable of the coursework from his transfer transcripts. He would later go on to earn Order of Pegasus as a Burnett Honors Scholar majoring in biomedical sciences before earning his master �鶹��Ʒ S�s degree in teacher education.

Every day, he saw a wall of ribbons, much like the ones in his classroom now. And every day he would tell himself, �鶹��Ʒ S�I want to be one of those kids. �鶹��Ʒ S�

That experience fundamentally shaped how the UCF grad runs his program today.

�鶹��Ʒ S�What keeps me motivated is knowing that I have the opportunity to get people to be really prepared, informed citizens who are good thinkers, and who, when faced with a problem, smile and tackle it instead of running away, �鶹��Ʒ S� Furosi says.

Will Furiosi �鶹��Ʒ S�13 �鶹��Ʒ S�14MAT became a teacher through the College of Community Innovation and Education �鶹��Ʒ S�s Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program, which was created in response to the growing need for skilled workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. (Photo by Daniel Schipper)

Infusing Life into Science

Furiosi began teaching at Oviedo High School in 2013 as he pursued his accelerated master �鶹��Ʒ S�s degree, made possible by the College of Community Innovation and Education �鶹��Ʒ S�s Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program. The program, funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant, was created in response to the growing need for skilled workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Four years later, he took over the school �鶹��Ʒ S�s science fair program and was determined to breathe new life into it, which at the time involved just four kids.

He cold called students in his AP Biology and Honors Chemistry courses, begging anyone who had shown a glimmer of interest during class to sign up so they wouldn �鶹��Ʒ S�t have to fold the program.

Today, he �鶹��Ʒ S�s at 46 students, with some, like Calvo-Chumbimuni, interested in joining the program as soon as they arrive at Oviedo High.

�鶹��Ʒ S�My seventh grade science fair teacher knew Mr. Furiosi and spoke highly of him, �鶹��Ʒ S� Calvo-Chumbimuni says. �鶹��Ʒ S�When I came to Oviedo High and met him, I immediately understood why. The research program stood out to me as a valuable opportunity. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Furiosi fosters a safe space to fail, learn and grow from the research. There are no barriers to entry; no project deemed too insignificant. And he stresses the merits of high-quality mentorship, like the ones Das, Santra, and Calvo-Chumbimuni formed with UCF faculty and STEM labs.

Some of his students have earned thousands of dollars in prizes �鶹��Ʒ S� one alone pulled in $70,000 and is now studying at the University of Glasgow �鶹��Ʒ S� at prestigious competitions sponsored by some of the tech industry �鶹��Ʒ S�s biggest names, including Regeneron and Lockheed Martin, a UCF Pegasus Partner.

His alums have gone on to top research institutions including Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Stanford, and of course, UCF. One of those Knights is aerospace engineering grad Daniel Dyson �鶹��Ʒ S�21 �鶹��Ʒ S�22MS �鶹��Ʒ S�25PhD, who studied in Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Subith Vasu �鶹��Ʒ S�s lab and now works for Relativity Space at NASA �鶹��Ʒ S�s Stennis Space Center, America �鶹��Ʒ S�s largest rocket propulsion test site.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Mr. Furiosi really pushes you toward excellence, �鶹��Ʒ S� says Das, a sophomore building a tensegrity robot with shape memory alloys that he tested at UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s Exolith Lab.

Supporting Excellence

An award-winning researcher who has been supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, Kang is not easily impressed. Still, Santra made an immediate impression as an eighth grader when she first popped up Kang �鶹��Ʒ S�s inbox, asking if she could present her idea on a nanoparticle treatment for citrus greening disease in Florida.

�鶹��Ʒ S�I could clearly see that she had a firm understanding of the material and just thought, �鶹��Ʒ S�Wow, she is really a force. �鶹��Ʒ S� I actually wanted to have my undergrad students see her presentation because of how professional she was, even at that young age, �鶹��Ʒ S� Kang says. �鶹��Ʒ S�She has this creativity, passion, persistence and resilience �鶹��Ʒ S� all the key elements that you need as a successful STEM field researcher. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Similarly, Bridge immediately noticed Calvo-Chumbimuni �鶹��Ʒ S�s persistence and go-getter attitude when she initially connected with her two years ago. Driven by her interest in the intersection of neuroscience, psychology and analytical chemistry, Calvo-Chumbimuni pitched her idea to develop an electrochemical sensor and biosensor to improve diagnostic methods for mental health disorders.

�鶹��Ʒ S�I �鶹��Ʒ S�ve always appreciated her sense of humanity, �鶹��Ʒ S� Bridge says. �鶹��Ʒ S�I thought, �鶹��Ʒ S�If you can foster someone who has this sort of compassion already, there are infinite possibilities for what they can do to benefit the community. �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S�

From left to right: UCF Associate Professor of Chemistry Candice Bridge ’07PhD, Associate Professor of Physics Ellen Kang and Exolith Lab engineer Max Kuehn ’22 guided the Oviedo High students in their research, highlighting UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s steadfast commitment to supporting STEM education across Central Florida.

The two have been dedicated, active participants in their labs, regularly conducting research multiple days per week during the school year and, at times, daily over the summer. The faculty and their doctoral students have mentored the high schoolers through instrumentation methods, analyzing data, the literature review process and their presentations.

While both are presenting continuations of their projects at ISEF �鶹��Ʒ S� Calvo-Chumbimuni for her second-straight year, Santra for her third �鶹��Ʒ S�Das will be joining them for the first time at the major competition.

Kuehn, who is an engineer at , is accustomed to working with a variety of researchers and scientists who test their experiments and equipment at the Highland Regolith Test Bin. He says he was quickly intrigued by Das �鶹��Ʒ S� project, a lightweight and nimble robot that can expand, contract and move through electric current.

Das wanted to test the robot in lunar regolith �鶹��Ʒ S� simulated moon dirt �鶹��Ʒ S� because he envisions the tech behind his robot one day being utilized in lunar missions or search and rescue efforts in unstable environments.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Max noticed that sometimes the motion was a little slow, so he gave some suggestions, �鶹��Ʒ S� Das says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Working in the lunar regolith chamber was a very insightful and eye-opening experience. I know I �鶹��Ʒ S�m still in high school, but I �鶹��Ʒ S�ve learned I want to do research for as long as I can because I really find this interesting. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Which, at the end of the day, has been Furiosi �鶹��Ʒ S�s mission all along.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Research is not just in science. It is in all disciplines. There �鶹��Ʒ S�s a lot of cool things that need to be discovered in all fields, �鶹��Ʒ S� he says. �鶹��Ʒ S�UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s expertise has been so invaluable in preparing my students for the future. A lot of these kids have wonderful ideas, and I really hope we can continue growing more professional support for them in any capacity. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Tentacles in Solution: UCF Research Speeds Up DNA Biosensing

Fri, 08 May 2026 13:00:42 +0000

Detecting disease in a blood sample. Monitoring contaminants in drinking water. Identifying biological threats before they can spread. DNA biosensors play a critical role in each of these, but many rely on a slow process that can miss fleeting signals or delay results.

At UCF, researchers are developing a new approach inspired by squids, octopuses and other cephalopods, one that doesn �鶹��Ʒ S�t wait for targets to arrive, but actively reaches out to capture them. Led by , a professor in UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s , the work introduces a DNA-based system designed to capture target molecules more efficiently by extending into the surrounding solution.

�鶹��Ʒ S�One of the biggest challenges in biosensing is something surprisingly simple: molecules take time to move, �鶹��Ʒ S� Kolpashchikov says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Imagine trying to catch fish in a huge lake with a tiny net, most fish will never come close enough to be caught. Traditional sensors work the same way: they passively wait for target molecules (analytes) to randomly bump into them. �鶹��Ʒ S�

The project, supported by a $272,000 award from the U.S. National Science Foundation, reframes how biosensors operate, shifting from passive detection toward active engagement.

Targeting Molecules Through DNA

Conventional biosensors rely on diffusion, meaning target molecules must randomly move through a solution before encountering a sensing surface. This process, known as mass transport limitation, can slow detection and limit performance in time-sensitive applications.

Kolpashchikov �鶹��Ʒ S�s approach addresses this constraint by incorporating nanostructures composed of DNA strands that extend outward from the sensor. These flexible extensions function like molecular tentacles, weakly interacting with passing targets and increasing the likelihood that they will be captured.

Rather than waiting for signals to arrive, the system draws them closer.

Speeding Detection

The speed at which a sensor can detect its target is often as important as detection sensitivity and specificity. In contexts such as medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring and food safety, delays can reduce reliability or limit usefulness altogether.

By increasing the rate at which target molecules are gathered and concentrated near the sensing surface, the DNA cephalopod approach may enable faster, more responsive detection systems, particularly in applications that depend on real-time or near-real-time analysis.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Slow sensors can miss short-lived biological signals, allow samples to degrade, and delay responses to threats, �鶹��Ʒ S� Kolpashchikov says, �鶹��Ʒ S�Faster detection reduces costs (less time, fewer reagents), improves accuracy, and enables real-time monitoring �鶹��Ʒ S� something essential for healthcare, environmental safety, and biosecurity. �鶹��Ʒ S�

DNA as Structure and Sensor

The system uses DNA not only as a recognition element but also as a structural material. Engineered strands extend from the sensor into the surrounding environment, forming a dynamic interface that interacts with nearby molecules.

These extensions do not bind targets permanently at first. Instead, they weakly capture and release them, effectively increasing the local concentration of target molecules near the sensor �鶹��Ʒ S�s core detection region. This process improves detection efficiency without requiring additional mechanical or chemical input.

By designing DNA nanostructures that actively interact with nearby molecules, the system creates a sensing environment that is more responsive and efficient.

�鶹��Ʒ S�DNA is uniquely suited for building nanoscale machines, �鶹��Ʒ S� Kolpashchikov says. �鶹��Ʒ S�It �鶹��Ʒ S�s programmable, predictable and relatively inexpensive. �鶹��Ʒ S�

In this system, DNA strands self-assemble into a structure resembling a microscopic octopus, what the team calls a �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S�DNA cephalopod. �鶹��Ʒ S�. �鶹��Ʒ S� A central sensor is surrounded by long, flexible �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S�tentacles �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S� that extend into the solution. Each tentacle carries weak binding sites that briefly capture target molecules and pass them along from one site to the next, guiding them toward the center, where the sensor binds them more strongly and triggers detection.

Applications Across Fields

The improved speed and sensitivity of this approach expand the potential use of biosensors across multiple domains.

Possible applications include rapid detection of harmful bacteria in water and food systems, early-stage diagnosis through identification of DNA or RNA biomarkers, and forensic analysis requiring precise detection of biological material

By enabling sensors to detect smaller quantities of target molecules more quickly, the technology may support more timely and accurate decision-making in both clinical and field settings.

�鶹��Ʒ S�The potential applications are broad: rapid disease diagnostics, including early cancer detection, and real-time monitoring of pathogens in water and food. Perhaps most exciting is that this is a general strategy. The same �鶹��Ʒ S�tentacle �鶹��Ʒ S� concept could be applied for detection of proteins and small biological molecules. �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S� Dmitry Kolpashchikov, professor of chemistry, UCF College of Sciences

�鶹��Ʒ S�This approach could dramatically improve how we detect biological molecules, �鶹��Ʒ S� Kolpashchikov says. �鶹��Ʒ S�The potential applications are broad: rapid disease diagnostics, including early cancer detection, real-time monitoring of pathogens in water and food. Perhaps most exciting is that this is a general strategy. The same �鶹��Ʒ S�tentacle �鶹��Ʒ S� concept could be applied for detection of proteins and small biological molecules. �鶹��Ʒ S�

A New Method of Rapid Analyte Detection

As with many emerging technologies, translating laboratory advances into real-world systems presents challenges. Performance in complex environments, where multiple substances interact simultaneously, remains an area for further study.

Scaling the technology and integrating it into existing diagnostic platforms will also be critical steps in determining its broader applicability.

Rather than treating biosensing as a passive process governed by chance encounters, Kolpashchikov �鶹��Ʒ S�s work suggests a different model, one in which sensors actively engage with their environment, reaching into the surrounding space to capture what drifts.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Award No. 2555933. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.

UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s Spring 2026 Commencement Set for May 8 �鶹��Ʒ S�9

Jenna Marina Lee — Mon, 04 May 2026 16:32:38 +0000

UCF will award nearly 10,000 degrees during this spring �鶹��Ʒ S�s ceremonies, continuing its record-setting momentum in preparing highly skilled graduates for in-demand fields, including engineering, computer science, business, nursing, and digital and emerging media.

UCF is the leading producer of talent among Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s universities, awarding nearly 19,000 degrees annually to Knights who go on to work in high-demand industries. About 85% of our alumni stay in Florida because of the ample opportunity to thrive as part of our state �鶹��Ʒ S�s workforce.

Graduates will hear from six esteemed speakers whose leadership and impact span some of Central Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s most influential industries:

Barry Miller �鶹��Ʒ S�95, president of Voloridge Investment Management
Brian Adams �鶹��Ʒ S�04MBA, president and CEO of AdventHealth Central Florida Division
Gloria Caulfield, vice president of strategic alliances, Tavistock Development Company
Barbara Gellman-Danley, president of Higher Learning Commission
Maj. Gen. James Smith, commander, space training and readiness command at Patrick Space Force Base
Peter Lee, president of Microsoft Science

Commencement will be held at Addition Financial Arena and all ceremonies are streamed online.

Commencement Festivities

Held in the Addition Financial Arena, spring commencement will take place over six ceremonies spanning Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9.

All guests, including children and infants, �鶹��Ʒ S�need a ticket for admission. All graduates who have filed an intent to graduate will receive five commencement ceremony tickets when they pick up their regalia packet.

Guests who do not have tickets may watch the �鶹��Ʒ S�live ceremony via a simulcast viewing �鶹��Ʒ S�in the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center and the Student Union. Ceremonies will also be livestreamed .

Commencement Photo-ops Across UCF

Best locations on UCF’s main campus for grad photos.

Best locations at UCF Downtown’s campus for grad pictures.

Graduating Knights are unable to take photos at the Acrisure Bounce House Stadium this semester due to ongoing construction.

Grad Walk

On Thursday, May 7, 2:30-7 p.m. (doors close at 6 p.m.), spring graduates are invited to a photo-op �鶹��Ʒ S� Grad Walk �鶹��Ʒ S� within the Addition Financial Arena. This will be a first-come, first-served occasion for graduates and up to 10 of their well-wishers to take photos and videos on the ceremony stage. �鶹��Ʒ S�Graduates are required to .

Commencement Schedule

Graduates and guests can review the below commencement ceremony schedule, listing colleges, ceremony dates and streaming links:

Friday, May 8

9 a.m.

College of Business

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

2 p.m.

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

7 p.m.

College of Arts and Humanities

Nicholson School of Communication and Media

Saturday, May 9

9 a.m.

College of Community Innovation and Education

2 p.m.

College of Sciences (excluding Nicholson School of Communication and Media)

7 p.m.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Graduate Studies

College of Optics and Photonics

For more details and FAQs about Spring 2026 commencement celebrations, visit ucf.edu/graduation.

Commencement Speakers

Barry Miller �鶹��Ʒ S�95

President of Voloridge Investment Management

Barry Miller �鶹��Ʒ S�95 serves as president of Voloridge Investment Management, quantitative hedge fund manager, and Voloridge Health, a data science-based health tech company, both Florida based.

Miller, who graduated with honors from UCF with a bachelor �鶹��Ʒ S�s degree in finance, recently made a transformational $50 million gift this spring to establish the Barry S. Miller College of Business at UCF. The largest single philanthropic investment in UCF history, the gift will accelerate a bold new model of business education designed for a world where technology, data and decision-making are inseparable.

Miller, also a member of the UCF College of Business Hall of Fame, brings years of executive experience, having previously served as CEO of LASAS Technologies, a finance and insurance company that he co-founded in 1998. His career experience includes financial analysis, capital raising, financial markets, actuarial experience, software development and in-depth company infrastructure formation.

After gaining valuable experience as an entrepreneur and chief executive officer, Miller �鶹��Ʒ S�s ambition led him to join and invest in Voloridge Investment Management and then Voloridge Health. For both companies, he is responsible for many facets of leadership, including trading, back-office operations, compliance, sales and marketing, vendor relationships and strategic planning.

Brian Adams

Brian Adams �鶹��Ʒ S�04MBA

President and CEO of AdventHealth Central Florida Division

Brian Adams is president and CEO of AdventHealth �鶹��Ʒ S�s Central Florida Division, one of the nation �鶹��Ʒ S�s largest faith-based health systems, whose 37,000 dedicated team members provide care for more than 3 million patients.

Known for building high-performing teams and ensuring the organization grows to meet the care needs of the community, Adams has led efforts to expand access to care, elevate quality and bring innovative solutions to rapidly growing communities. His leadership has continued to position AdventHealth as a trusted and innovative partner in Central Florida.

As a part of AdventHealth for more than 24 years, Adams has held senior leadership roles across the organization, including CEO positions in Tampa and Polk County, where he oversaw major expansions, facility investments and quality improvements.

He earned his master �鶹��Ʒ S�s of business administration from the University of Central Florida and a bachelor �鶹��Ʒ S�s degree from Union College in Nebraska. Originally from Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, Adams and his wife have two teenage sons.

Gloria Caulfield

Vice president of strategic alliances, Tavistock Development Company

In her multifaceted role as vice president of strategic alliances at Tavistock, Gloria Caulfield manages business development and corporate partnerships, collaborates with national and global stakeholders to advance health innovation, and leads the development of cutting-edge strategies for the Lake Nona community.

She is the chief architect and creative force behind the Lake Nona Impact Forum. The revered global health innovation summit brings together many of the world �鶹��Ʒ S�s most preeminent thought leaders and serves as a signature event of the Tavistock Group.

Caulfield serves on boards that reflect her passion for advancing the future of human health, including the StartUp Health Impact Board, which focuses on mobilizing entrepreneurs to solve the biggest health challenges of our time, and the LFE Capital Advisory Board, which supports female founders and impactful, wellness-oriented companies.

Prior to joining Tavistock, she had a distinguished career at AdventHealth. As senior executive director for community development, she provided strategic leadership for corporate partnerships and spearheaded critical community initiatives across Central Florida. Caulfield is an alumna of the University of Arizona and brings visionary leadership to every aspect of her work.

Barbara Gellman-Danley

President of Higher Learning Commission

Barbara Gellman-Danley is president of the Higher Learning Commission, which accredits colleges and universities to ensure they meet high-quality standards and continuously improve.

Prior to beginning this role in 2014, she was president of the University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College in Ohio. She previously served as vice chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, president of Antioch University McGregor, vice president at Monroe Community College and vice chancellor at the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Gellman-Danley sits on the boards of Credential Engine, which she chairs, and GlobalMindED. Her career includes previous board and commission memberships with the Association of Governing Boards Council of Presidents, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, the American Council on Education �鶹��Ʒ S�s Education and Attainment group and the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning.

Gellman-Danley holds degrees from Syracuse University, Simmons University, Oklahoma City University and the University of Oklahoma. She did post-graduate work at New York University, Cornell, Harvard, the University of Chicago and MIT.

An honorary member of Phi Theta Kappa, she is a professional certified coach, certified executive coach and certified life coach. She holds certifications in change management, Agile and Lean Six Sigma, a professional credential validating expertise in data-driven process improvement aimed at reducing waste and defects.

Maj. Gen. James Smith

Commander, space training and readiness command at Patrick Space Force Base

As commander, Maj. Gen. James E. Smith is responsible for preparing the U.S. Space Force and more than 14,000 military and civilian guardians to prevail in competition and conflict through innovative education, training, doctrine and test activities.

Originally from Boise, Idaho, Maj. Gen. Smith commissioned in 1997 as the top graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. His career spans numerous space operations and acquisition positions, including command at the squadron, group, wing, garrison and Field Command levels.

Maj. Gen. Smith has deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and to the U.S. Embassy in Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Prior to his current position, Maj. Gen. Smith served as the vice director, Joint Force Development, J-7, the Joint Staff, Arlington, Virginia.

Peter Lee

President of Microsoft Science

Peter Lee is president of Microsoft Science, where his responsibility is to accelerate the pace of discovery in the physical, biological and medical sciences through the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

Previously, he led the world laboratories of Microsoft Research. Before joining Microsoft in 2010, he established a new technology office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency within the U.S. Department of Defense, creating operational capabilities in machine learning, data science and computational social science.

From 1987 to 2010, Lee was a professor and the head of the computer science department at Carnegie Mellon University. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and serves on the boards of several institutions in AI and medicine, including the board of trustees of the Mayo Clinic and the board of directors of the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine. He served on President Obama �鶹��Ʒ S�s Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity and has testified before both U.S. House and Senate committees.

He is the co-author of the book, The AI Revolution in Medicine: GPT-4 and Beyond. In 2024, Lee was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in health and life sciences.

UCF Researcher Contributes to Antscan, a Global 3D Ant Biodiversity Database

Ryan Fox — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:00:38 +0000

Since the rise of genome sequencing, the field of biology has gained an exponential amount of data and understanding of the building blocks of living organisms. However, documenting phenotypic, or observable, characteristics of organisms has lagged behind due to challenges with technology.

To advance knowledge in this area, UCF Assistant Professor of Biology , collaborated with international researchers through the Antscan, a global initiave led by the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), with contributions from universities and museums.

The effort has led to a Nature Methods publication and created a freely available, morphological database of over 2,000 ant specimens representing nearly 800 species.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Ants are important to study because they are ubiquitous, abundant and highly varied, ecologically dominant, and some species practice agriculture, facing challenges similar to human agriculture, such as crop pests, �鶹��Ʒ S� says Sosa-Calvo, who began researching insect diversity at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the University of Maryland.

Using a fast and powerful X-ray scanning technique, researchers created phenotypically accurate 3D models, providing a detailed look at both ants �鶹��Ʒ S� external and internal anatomy that can benefit a wide range of fields.

�鶹��Ʒ S�There is strong potential for more ant species to be added to Antscan and that other small insect or invertebrate groups create similar repositories of phenotypic data to advance our understanding of biological morphology, �鶹��Ʒ S� Sosa-Calvo says.

Closing the Gap Between Genetic and Morphological Data

Standard imaging tools used to photograph specimens, like high-resolution cameras, can capture the external morphology of ants from multiple angles, and micro-CT scanning can capture the internal morphology like organs and muscle tissue. However, these methods are time-consuming and limit how many specimens can be studied.

The Antscan initiative is filling this gap of available data by providing a library of morphologically accurate 3D models of ant anatomy. To solve the throughput bottleneck, the team of researchers is using high-throughput X-ray micro-CT scanning powered by a synchrotron particle accelerator.

From specimen preparation to scanning and image processing, Antscan uses advanced X-ray technology to create detailed 3D models of ants that are made publicly available online. (Photo courtesy of Katzke et al., 2026)

�鶹��Ʒ S�The synchrotron particle accelerator produces much higher intensity light beams, resulting in images with higher contrast and faster processing times than a normal micro-CT scanner, �鶹��Ʒ S� Sosa-Calvo says. �鶹��Ʒ S�It takes about 3,000 images per specimen in a short period of time. So instead of taking most of the day to scan a single specimen, researchers can scan a single ant in about a minute or so. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Once the 2D images are captured, they are reconstructed into a 3D tomogram of the specimen, allowing researchers to see fine details from the exoskeleton to internal structures like the nervous system.

Why This Tech Matters for Biodiversity Research

By streamlining the process of scanning smaller specimens and making the 3D models publicly available, the Antscan initiative has opened the door for researchers to study morphology at a scale previously only possible for genetic data, helping morphological research catch up with its molecular counterpart.

A 3D rendering of an Antscan specimen, the South American army ant (Eciton hamatum), highlighting internal anatomy, including muscles and organs. (Photo courtesy of Katzke et al., 2026)

It has also helped document the presence of characteristics previously thought to occur in only a single species.

�鶹��Ʒ S�A few years ago, we discovered that fungus-farming ants �鶹��Ʒ S�a group of ants that grow fungus for food and are the subject of Sosa-Calvo’s research at UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�have biomineralized armor that protects them like the shell of marine crustaceans and mollusks, �鶹��Ʒ S� he says. �鶹��Ʒ S�With the scans performed in this project, we now know that other species, within fungus-farming ants also have this armor, which appears to be a unique feature among ants. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Antscan maps the diversity of ants across the tree of life, highlighting species included in the dataset as the open database continues to grow. (Credit: Katzke et al., 2026)

Applications in Art and Media

Scientists aren �鶹��Ʒ S�t the only group that benefits from this extensive library. Since the files are open to the public, Sosa-Calvo says artists are using them to better understand and animate natural ant movement and is a valuable tool for education by engaging students.

He adds that this proven method of collecting morphological data could encourage researchers to generate similar databases, including other Hymenopteran groups, such as wasps andbees, as well as other insect groups like beetles, and other invertebrates.

Sosa-Calvo �鶹��Ʒ S�s work contributed expertise on insect diversity, particularly within the order Hymenoptera, which includes ants, bees, and wasps. His research focuses on fungus-farming ants, a group known for their highly organized, cooperative colonies and unique agricultural behavior, or fungiculture.

This research was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (DEB-1927161).

Researchers and students in the Department of Biology within UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s College of Sciences, including the Sosa-Calvo Ant Lab, have contributed to the Antscan initiative.

UCF Recognizes Faculty Excellence With 2026 Promotion and Tenure Awards

Scott Mauro — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:17:42 +0000

UCF has recognized 100 faculty members with promotion and tenure for the 2025 �鶹��Ʒ S�26 academic year, marking a significant milestone in their academic careers and contributions to student success and the university.

Over the course of nearly a full academic year, peers, departmental and college leadership, and the university promotion and tenure committee engaged in a rigorous, multi-stage review to ensure candidates met UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s high standards in teaching, research, and service. Ultimately, they recommended 100 faculty members for promotion, including 23 for tenure.

Following the review process, the president and provost make final decisions on promotions, while the UCF Board of Trustees provides final approval for tenure candidates. These decisions directly advance UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s strategic plan and its focus on recruiting and retaining highly qualified faculty �鶹��Ʒ S� especially those who elevate student success, accelerate discovery and research, and strengthen the talent pipeline that drives innovation and economics for the state of Florida.

�鶹��Ʒ S�At UCF, promotion and tenure reflects a thoughtful, rigorous review process and the high standards we set as an institution and state, �鶹��Ʒ S� says John Buckwalter, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. �鶹��Ʒ S�It �鶹��Ʒ S�s a significant moment for these faculty, not just for the years of hard work it recognizes, but for what promotion and tenure represents: a sustained commitment to excellence, a deep dedication to student success, research that boldly improves lives, and the future we �鶹��Ʒ S�re building together. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Promotions and tenure conferrals annually take effect on Aug. 8.

The faculty members recognized below represent the continued strength and momentum of UCF.

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

John Gardiner, College of Arts and Humanities
Tadashi Ishikawa, College of Arts and Humanities
Sara Raffel, College of Arts and Humanities
Jeffery Redding, College of Arts and Humanities
John Bush, College of Business
Seongho An, College of Community Innovation and Education
Cynthia Williams, College of Community Innovation and Education
Jiannan Chen, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Chinwendu Enyioha, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Ozlem Garibay, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Yao Li, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Miguel Bandres, College of Optics and Photonics
Robert Fitak, College of Sciences
Shyam Kattel, College of Sciences
Kelsey Larsen, College of Sciences
Kangsang Lee, College of Sciences
Xialing Lin, College of Sciences
Emily Zavodny, College of Sciences
Kayode Aleshinloye, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
Carissa Baker, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
YunYing Zhong, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine with Tenure

Taj Azarian, College of Medicine
Thomas Kean, College of Medicine

Promotion to Professor (Tenured)

Thaddeus Anderson, College of Arts and Humanities
Ann Gleig, College of Arts and Humanities
Lanlan Kuang, College of Arts and Humanities
Sandra Sousa, College of Arts and Humanities
Mel Stanfill, College of Arts and Humanities
Melanie Guldi, College of Business
Xin He, College of Business
Laurie Campbell, College of Community Innovation and Education
Eric Merriam, College of Community Innovation and Education
Woo Hyoung Lee, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Thomas Wahl, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Yang Yang, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Jacqueline Towson, College of Health Professions and Sciences
Romain Gaume, College of Optics and Photonics
Jacopo Baggio, College of Sciences
Matthieu Baudelet, College of Sciences
Karin Chumbimuni Torres, College of Sciences
Geoffrey Cook, College of Sciences
Amy Donley, College of Sciences
Hsin �鶹��Ʒ S�Hsiung Huang, College of Sciences
Brigitte Kovacevich, College of Sciences
Arkadiy Lyakh, College of Sciences
Peter Smith, College of Sciences
Xiaohu Xia, College of Sciences

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine

Maria Farooq, College of Medicine

Promotion to Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine

Naziha Slimani, College of Medicine
Sharon Wasserstrom, College of Medicine

Promotion to Clinical Professor of Medicine

Mariana Dangiolo, College of Medicine

Promotion to Research Associate Professor

Crystal Maraj, Office of Research

Promotion to Associate Lecturer

Jonathan Barker, College of Arts and Humanities
Sara Willox, College of Business
Elizabeth Yost, College of Business
Michael Gilbrook, College of Community Innovation and Education
Alison Redd, College of Health Professions and Sciences
Michael Redd, College of Health Professions and Sciences
Michael Chetta, College of Sciences
Heather Edwards, College of Sciences
Seongchun Kwon, College of Sciences
Adam Parrish, College of Sciences
Jamie Vega, College of Sciences
Tong Wan, College of Sciences
Rong Zhou, College of Sciences

Promotion to Senior Lecturer

Christy Flanagan �鶹��Ʒ S�Feddon, College of Arts and Humanities
David Head, College of Arts and Humanities
Deborah Leitch, College of Arts and Humanities
Amanda Snyder, College of Arts and Humanities
Jeanine Viau, College of Arts and Humanities
Constance Goodman, College of Community Innovation and Education
Daniel Stephens, College of Community Innovation and Education
Shane Trenta, College of Community Innovation and Education
Marino Nader, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Sudeshna Pal, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Rachid Ait Maalem Lahcen, College of Sciences
Cynthia Bayer, College of Sciences
Martha Hubertz, College of Sciences
Tamra Legron �鶹��Ʒ S�Rodriguez, College of Sciences
Hyung Park, College of Sciences
Widaad Zaman, College of Sciences

Promotion to Associate Instructor

Meeghan Faulconer, College of Arts and Humanities
Yukari Nakamura, College of Arts and Humanities
Carolina Salazar, College of Arts and Humanities
Punam Desormes, College of Health Professions and Sciences
Jorri Bright, College of Sciences
Richard Hall, College of Sciences
Nicholas Zuccarello, College of Sciences

Promotion to Senior Instructor

Rita De Luca Guerriero, College of Arts and Humanities
Steven Ton, College of Community Innovation and Education
Todd Fix, College of Health Professions and Sciences
Julie Matura, College of Health Professions and Sciences
Lance Speere, College of Sciences
Abigail Ferreira, UCF Global

Promotion to Associate Instructional Designer

Rebecca McNulty, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Senior Instructional Designer

Amy Sugar, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Associate Librarian

Renee Montgomery, UCF Libraries

Promotion to University Librarian

Sai Deng, UCF Libraries
Sarah Norris, UCF Libraries
Andrew Todd, UCF Libraries

UCF Study Suggests Some Alzheimer �鶹��Ʒ S�s Symptoms May Begin Outside the Brain

Emily Dougherty — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:00:07 +0000

UCF researchers have uncovered evidence that some movement-related symptoms of Alzheimer �鶹��Ʒ S�s disease may originate outside the brain, which could change how the disease is diagnosed and treated in the future.

The study was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health �鶹��Ʒ S�s National Institute on Aging and was led by UCF Nanoscience Technology Center Professor James Hickman and Research Professor Xiufang �鶹��Ʒ S�Nadine �鶹��Ʒ S� Guo. In collaboration with researchers at healthcare tech company Hesperos, the team used lab-grown, human-cell systems designed to model how the body functions to examined how genetic mutations associated with familial Alzheimer �鶹��Ʒ S�s affects movement. Today, the study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Motor deficits may be an earlier indication [of Alzheimer �鶹��Ʒ S�s], �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�If we can detect those changes and intervene earlier, that could help delay the onset of central nervous system symptoms. �鶹��Ʒ S�

How Movement and Alzheimer �鶹��Ʒ S�s Are Connected

Familial Alzheimer �鶹��Ʒ S�s is a rare form of the disease that is hereditary and appears earlier (from 40 to 65 years of age) in people affected than those with the typical condition.

While Alzheimer �鶹��Ʒ S�s disease is widely associated with memory loss and dementia, clinicians have long observed that some patients show changes in balance, gait (manner of walking) or movement years before cognitive symptoms appear. These early motor changes raise questions about whether parts of the disease begin outside the brain.

Through a tech-powered approach, the team found that the diseased motor neurons �鶹��Ʒ S� even without involvement from the brain �鶹��Ʒ S� disrupted the neuromuscular junction, which is central to daily movement.

�鶹��Ʒ S�This is the first time it �鶹��Ʒ S�s been demonstrated that deficits in the peripheral nervous system can arise directly from these mutations, �鶹��Ʒ S� Hickman says. �鶹��Ʒ S�It means drugs that target the brain may not fix problems in the rest of the body. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Maintaining motor function may also support overall brain health, as physical activity is known to play a role in cognitive well-being, Guo notes.

How Researchers Build Human Disease Models in the Lab

To explore how these mutations affect movement, the researchers turned to a cutting-edge approach called �鶹��Ʒ S�human-on-a-chip �鶹��Ʒ S� technology, which is manufactured through Hesperos, a company co-founded by Hickman. These miniature lab systems recreate the way human cells interact and function in the body, allowing scientists to study disease in a more realistic way than traditional lab or animal models.

The team built a neuromuscular junction-on-a-chip �鶹��Ʒ S� a small system that mimics the connection between motor neurons and muscle cells. What makes this system powerful is what �鶹��Ʒ S�s left out: the brain and spinal cord. By isolating motor neurons and muscle cells, the researchers could determine whether movement problems could arise without the central nervous system being involved.

To test this, the researchers paired healthy muscle cells with motor neurons that were created from stem cells and carried familial Alzheimer �鶹��Ʒ S�s disease mutations. The findings suggest that Alzheimer �鶹��Ʒ S�s-related movement issues may begin in the network of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord rather than being caused solely by brain degeneration.

Why the Nerve-to-Muscle Connection Matters

The neuromuscular junction is the point where a nerve cell signals a muscle to contract, making movement possible. If that connection is damaged, the body may lose strength, coordination or endurance.

In the study, the researchers measured several aspects of neuromuscular function, including how reliably nerve signals triggered muscle contraction and how long muscles could remain contracted before fatiguing. These measurements mirror the kinds of tests doctors use to evaluate movement disorders.

�鶹��Ʒ S�You can �鶹��Ʒ S�t move unless the motor circuit works, �鶹��Ʒ S� Hickman says. �鶹��Ʒ S�When a doctor taps your knee to check your reflex, they �鶹��Ʒ S�re testing that exact connection. �鶹��Ʒ S�

The Future of �鶹��Ʒ S�Human-on-a-Chip �鶹��Ʒ S� Technology

The researchers believe their approach will become increasingly important as drug developers look for more accurate ways to study human disease.

Because the models use human cells and measure real biological function, they can reveal effects that may not appear in animal studies.

For Hickman, the work reflects 30 years of research to better understand disease and help people.

�鶹��Ʒ S�These systems let us study disease in a way that �鶹��Ʒ S�s closer to what actually happens in the human body, and that �鶹��Ʒ S�s what we need to develop better treatments, �鶹��Ʒ S� he says.

Research reported in this article was supported by the National Institutes of Health �鶹��Ʒ S�s National Institute on Aging under award number R01AG077651 and R44AG071386. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health

UCF Research to Help Inform Statewide Efforts to Stop Domestic Violence and Improve Care for Survivors

Eddy Duryea �鶹��Ʒ S�13 �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S� — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:08:58 +0000

Florida is turning to UCF experts to find better ways to prevent domestic violence and give survivors a stronger voice in the services they need.

Through a $257,384 two-year grant from the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence, faculty from UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s Violence Against Women research cluster are conducting a statewide domestic violence needs assessment. Their findings will help policymakers and local agencies develop better strategies to fund and support domestic violence prevention programs that empower survivors.

�鶹��Ʒ S�The collective goal of our work is to give people working in these programs and people using these services a voice, �鶹��Ʒ S� says Bethany Backes, associate professor of social work at , who leads the Violence Against Women cluster and is the project �鶹��Ʒ S�s principal investigator. �鶹��Ʒ S�Having research that practitioners can understand and interpret in a way that �鶹��Ʒ S�s helpful is important to us. “What we’re creating now is hopefully something that can be used for years to come.”

The World �鶹��Ʒ S�s Women

Violence against women is a global issue. According to UN Women, nearly one in three women worldwide have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life. In 2024, around 50,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members.

�鶹��Ʒ S�We �鶹��Ʒ S�re looking at criminal justice, sociology, health, and so much more that altogether could create solutions beyond any one discipline. �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S� Kim Anderson, Professor of Social Work

UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s faculty cluster �鶹��Ʒ S� working across the disciplines of education, social work, criminal justice, sociology and medicine �鶹��Ʒ S� was created a decade ago to change these outcomes. �鶹��Ʒ S�We know how complex this social problem is, �鶹��Ʒ S� says Kim Anderson, a professor of social work and cluster member. �鶹��Ʒ S�We �鶹��Ʒ S�re looking at criminal justice, sociology, health, and so much more that altogether could create solutions beyond any one discipline. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Informing Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s Strategy

The researchers have already identified some key needs for the state to examine.

�鶹��Ʒ S�For example, we �鶹��Ʒ S�re seeing people facing abuse who are having to spend more on food or other necessities as they navigate shifts in funding for certain assistance programs, �鶹��Ʒ S� Backes says. �鶹��Ʒ S�What we �鶹��Ʒ S�re also seeing is the effect of population booms, and how rapid growth and rapid decline in some areas affects the need for services. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Several of the members of UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s interdisciplinary Violence Against Women Faculty Cluster: Karina Villalba (top left), Bethany Backes, Alison Cares (bottom left) and Kim Anderson (bottom right)

The researchers are analyzing data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s Departments of Law Enforcement and Children and Families and are surveying organizations that provide domestic violence services. They are interviewing survivors who sought services and those who didn �鶹��Ʒ S�t to understand access to care and risk factors.

Creating opportunities where more people feel comfortable sharing their domestic violence experiences is cluster member Karina Villalba �鶹��Ʒ S�s expertise.

�鶹��Ʒ S�My focus is on intimate partner violence, specifically within the Hispanic community, �鶹��Ʒ S� says Villalba, an assistant professor in the �鶹��Ʒ S�s Population Health Sciences Division. �鶹��Ʒ S�There are certain beliefs, like the concept of �鶹��Ʒ S�machismo �鶹��Ʒ S�, that may give an avenue for some men to pursue this kind of violence. Because it can be part of the cultural acceptance, it might not even be seen as violence by the survivors. �鶹��Ʒ S�

She hopes efforts to prevent domestic violence in the U.S. will have impact globally.

�鶹��Ʒ S�You �鶹��Ʒ S�re seeing a ripple effect in countries in Latin America where people are becoming more aware, �鶹��Ʒ S� Villalba says. �鶹��Ʒ S�It helps us keep pushing forward with our work so we cannot just be a beacon here in Florida and the United States, but to show the world what we can do. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Keys to Preventing Violence

Preventing domestic violence means identifying early warning signs and behaviors and providing services to lower the risk of continuing violence, Backes says.

Domestic violence is �鶹��Ʒ S�not always physical and it �鶹��Ʒ S�s not just seeing someone with a black eye, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Physical violence can happen after there �鶹��Ʒ S�s been psychological abuse such as coercion, controlling, isolation or stalking. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Cluster member Alison Cares, associate professor of sociology at , says preventing domestic abuse involves changing misconceptions.

�鶹��Ʒ S�There �鶹��Ʒ S�s this expectation of how abusers or survivors look. It �鶹��Ʒ S�s easy to think the people doing this abuse look like monsters, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�But the reality is these are people we know. They can be friends or family members or people we work with. �鶹��Ʒ S�

The researchers say they are encouraged by the resilience of the survivors and service providers they have met.

�鶹��Ʒ S�We see incredible bravery of people who talk to a support person, �鶹��Ʒ S� Anderson says. �鶹��Ʒ S�We �鶹��Ʒ S�re hoping that information we get from this assessment can elevate the voices of staff and survivors. �鶹��Ʒ S�

One UCF Day of Giving, Thousands of Futures Transformed

Laura J. Cole — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:50:21 +0000

More than 4,830 donors. Over 10,470 gifts. About $14.8 million dollars. On the surface, those numbers tell a story of remarkable generosity �鶹��Ʒ S� but they only hint at the true impact seen from UCF Day of Giving 2025.

That �鶹��Ʒ S�s because every dollar ripples far beyond a single day. Every gift opens doors: for students to chase a dream, create unforgettable memories, boldly invent the future and be recognized for their hard work. And every donor does more than give �鶹��Ʒ S� they ignite potential, spark inspiration and elevate Knights for generations.

With UCF Day of Giving 2026 right around the corner �鶹��Ʒ S� Thursday, April 9 �鶹��Ʒ S� we �鶹��Ʒ S�re reflecting on the transformational effects and personal stories of triumph that emerged from last year �鶹��Ʒ S�s show of support, knowing that shortly, our collective contributions will set another wave of Black & Gold breakthroughs, successes and discoveries into motion.

Prioritizing Unique Opportunities

Area of Support: College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean �鶹��Ʒ S�s Excellence Fund
Amount Raised: $67,421
Impact: Learning experiences

Growing up in rural Ohio, Jordan Hires, an aerospace engineering major and Burnett Honors College Scholar, often gazed at the boundless night sky, inspired by the astronauts from her home state of Ohio. Moving 1,000 miles away for college was daunting, but manageable. With her sights set on becoming a chief engineer for deep space flights, UCF offered two key benefits: a renowned aerospace engineering program and proximity to NASA.

�鶹��Ʒ S�It �鶹��Ʒ S�s the best decision I �鶹��Ʒ S�ve made, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says.

Since becoming a Knight, she �鶹��Ʒ S�s done backstage tours at NASA, met with industry leaders from Mitsubishi, Siemens Energy and Lockheed Martin, and even talked to a former astronaut at an awards ceremony. This past summer, she worked alongside Professor Kareem Ahmed in the Propulsion and Energy Research Lab as a U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) fellow, testing a solution to remove heat from engines �鶹��Ʒ S� research that could make hypersonic aircraft safer and cheaper. It was her second research experience as an undergrad.

�鶹��Ʒ S�I don �鶹��Ʒ S�t know if it �鶹��Ʒ S�s every little girl �鶹��Ʒ S�s dream to work on classified projects with military and civilian applications, but it definitely was this little girl �鶹��Ʒ S�s dream, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Thanks to UCF, I �鶹��Ʒ S�ve had experiences that most students don �鶹��Ʒ S�t get until graduate school. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Many of those opportunities are made possible by the College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean �鶹��Ʒ S�s Excellence Fund, which supports hands-on learning, cutting-edge research equipment and innovative initiatives.

Supporting Lasting Memories

Area of Support: Marching Knights Scholarship Fund
Amount Raised: $14,067
Impact: Multiple scholarships for band members

For UCF Marching Knights President Zoie Taverna, two moments define her UCF experience: the rush of running onto the field for her first game and the bittersweet joy of singing the alma mater song alongside her best friend for their final game before graduation.

�鶹��Ʒ S�For three whole years, we stood next to each other in the stands, screaming, feeding off each other �鶹��Ʒ S�s energy, �鶹��Ʒ S� Taverna says. �鶹��Ʒ S�For her last game, we went all out. We couldn �鶹��Ʒ S�t even talk by the end of it. We cried while singing the alma mater. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Taverna is among the Marching Knights whose experiences at UCF are bolstered by the Branen Band Endowed Scholarship, which helps cover essentials like textbooks, meals and rent that her Bright Futures scholarship does not. As a mechanical engineering major, band leader and corresponding secretary for the national chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, she packs her days with coursework, practice and student engagement.

During the summers, she works full-time at a summer camp for kids, and she spends her weekends and evenings at Panera Bread to save up enough to cover the expenses to allow her to stay focused while in school.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Without scholarships, I wouldn �鶹��Ʒ S�t have the time to do extracurriculars, such as Marching Knights, where I get to represent UCF in Central Florida and around the world, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�And I wouldn �鶹��Ʒ S�t get to spend every Saturday in the Bounce House with all of my friends, immersed in the band life we love. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Illuminating Pathways

Area of Support: College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL)
Amount Raised: $54,880
Impact: $4,880 Went Toward Supporting 19 scholarships for attendees

This summer, high school student Chloe Phung left the bright lights of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to spend a week immersed in the study of light on UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s campus. As part of the third Laser and Photonics Summer Camp hosted by CREOL, she joined more than 50 high school students from across Central Florida �鶹��Ʒ S� and around the world.

�鶹��Ʒ S�I had the chance to learn many things, to learn more about optics, lenses and lasers, �鶹��Ʒ S� Phung says.

In addition to learning opportunities, the camp shines a light on the photonics industry, where more than 10,000 jobs open each year in the U.S., despite only 80 to 100 students in the nation graduating with bachelor �鶹��Ʒ S�s degrees in photonics annually. A third of those graduates come from CREOL.

Paying it Forward

Area of Support: Dr. Michelle R. Dusseau Communication and Community Impact Endowed Scholarship Fund
Amount Raised: $1,780
Impact: $1,500 scholarship for one communication major, awarded annually

Beatrix Alerte transferred to UCF in Spring 2024 with a plan: build community on campus, explore a career in media, stay active in service and say yes to every opportunity.

The first three goals came naturally. She enrolled in classes, mentored two freshmen as part of the UCF chapter of Big Sister Little Sister mentoring program and served as a trip coordinator for the Alternative Spring Break Program. Alerte also gained work experience as a marketing ambassador for Project BEST, a Student Support Services project that supports first generation students, and as an intern with UCF Athletics.

Her final goal was made easier this summer when Alerte was named the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Michelle R. Dusseau Communication and Community Impact Endowed Scholarship, created this past year by longtime the College of Science‘s Nicholson School of Communication and Media faculty member Michelle Dusseau.

�鶹��Ʒ S�This scholarship has given me the freedom to say yes to career-building opportunities, many of which are unpaid, while worrying less about covering

personal living expenses, �鶹��Ʒ S� Alerte says. �鶹��Ʒ S�That support makes all the difference. �鶹��Ʒ S�

This UCF Day of Giving, we �鶹��Ʒ S�re launching Knights to new heights! Save the date to on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Check out the to maximize your impact. And get ready to join your Knight Nation family as we Bounce, Stomp, Splash and Cheer our way to more impact than ever before.

Founders’ Day 2026: Faculty Recognized for Excellence

Joe Adams — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:30:00 +0000

UCF will highlight approximately 280 faculty members for academic excellence and service at Wednesday �鶹��Ʒ S�s annual Founders �鶹��Ʒ S� Day Faculty Honors Celebration in the Student Union �鶹��Ʒ S�s Pegasus Ballroom.

Recipients will include this year �鶹��Ʒ S�s awardees of some of the highest honors the university bestows, including: Pegasus Professor; the �鶹��Ʒ S�Medal of Societal Impact; the Reach for the Stars Award; the Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year Award; and the Champion of Student Success and Well-Being.

Also being honored are university excellence award winners; those who recently reached milestone years of service; Faculty Senate service awardees; faculty granted �鶹��Ʒ S��𳾱��ٳܲ� �鶹��Ʒ S��ǰ� �鶹��Ʒ S��𳾱��ٲ� �鶹��Ʒ S�status; and retired or retiring faculty members.

This year �鶹��Ʒ S�s celebration includes recognition of Chuck Dziuban, one of the longest-serving and most trailblazing faculty members in school history. His remarkable 55-year-career includes being UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s inaugural Pegasus Professor and founding director of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.

Starting this year at Founders �鶹��Ʒ S� Day, the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching will be given to underscore the talented faculty behind UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s nationally renowned reputation as a leader in in online teaching and learning.

Here are this year �鶹��Ʒ S�s faculty honorees.

Hassan Foroosh (upper left); Carmen Giurgescu (upper right); Annette Khaled (bottom left); and Matthew Marino (bottom right) are the recipients of the 2026 Pegasus Professor Award. (Photos by Antoine Hart)

Pegasus Professor Award

Hassan Foroosh, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Carmen Giurgescu, College of Nursing

Annette R. Khaled, College of Medicine

Matthew Marino, College of Community Innovation and Education

Reach for the Stars Award winners: Hao-Zheng (top left), Ana Carolina de Souza Feliciano (top right), Soyoung Park (middle left), John Bush (middle right), Kevin Moran (bottom left), and Shyam Kattel (bottom right).

Reach for the Stars Award

John Bush, College of Business

Ana Carolina de Souza Feliciano, Office of Research

Shyam Kattel, College of Sciences

Kevin Moran, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Soyoung Park, College of Community Innovation and Education

Hao Zheng, College of Engineering and Computer Sciences

Zhihua Qu

Medal of Societal Impact Award

Zhihua Qu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award

Suha Saleh, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Deborah Beidel

Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year

Deborah Beidel, College of Sciences

Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

College Awardees

Tanvir Ahmed, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Norine Blanch, College of Community Innovation and Education

Matthew Bryan, College of Arts and Humanities

Peter Delfyett, College of Optics and Photonics

Nyla Dil, College of Medicine

Katia Ferdowsi, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Murat Hancer, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Deborah Horzen, College of Arts and Humanities

Richard Jerousek, College of Sciences

Betsy Kalin, College of Sciences

Evelin Pegoraro, College of Arts and Humanities

Richard Plate, College of Community Innovation and Education

Alfons Schulte, College of Sciences

Nicholas Shrubsole, College of Arts and Humanities

Daniel Stephens, College of Community Innovation and Education

Wei Sun, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Danielle Webster, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Sara Willox, College of Business

Xiaohu Xia, College of Sciences

Widaad Zaman, College of Sciences

University Winner

Norine Blanch, College of Community Innovation and Education

Excellence in Graduate Teaching

College Awardees

Shaurya Agarwal, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Kim Anderson, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Christopher Blackwell, College of Nursing

Shannon Carter, College of Sciences

Sasan Fathpour, College of Optics and Photonics

Murat Hancer, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Dana Joseph, College of Business

Magdalena Pasarica, College of Medicine

Mel Stanfill, College of Arts and Humanities

Vassiliki Zygouris-Coe, College of Community Innovation and Education

University Winner

Christopher Blackwell, College of Nursing

Excellence in Research

College Awardees

Sarah Bush, College of Community Innovation and Education

Zixi (Jack) Cheng, College of Medicine

Enrique Del Barco, College of Sciences

Romain Gaume, College of Optics and Photonics

Nan Hua, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Kevin Mullally, College of Business

Matthew Stock, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Ladda Thiamwong, College of Nursing

Subith Vasu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Cyrus Zargar, College of Arts and Humanities

University Winner

Enrique Del Barco, College of Sciences

Nicole Lapeyrouse �鶹��Ʒ S�16MS �鶹��Ʒ S�18PhD (Photo by Antoine Hart)

Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching

Nicole Lapeyrouse, College of Sciences

Excellence in Faculty Academic Advising

Emily Proulx, College of Arts and Humanities

Excellence in Professional Service

Linda Walters, College of Sciences

Excellence in Librarianship

Katy Miller, UCF Libraries

Excellence in Instructional Design

Amy Sugar, Division of Digital Learning

University Award for Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students

Engineering, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences

Subith Vasu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Social Science, Humanities, Education, Business, Art and Health

David Boote, College of Community Innovation and Education

University Award for Excellence in Mentoring Postdoctoral Scholars

Kausik Mukhopadhyay, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Thomas Wahl, College of Engineering and Computer Science

20 Years of Service

Haiyan Bai, College of Community Innovation and Education

Brian Barone, College of Arts and Humanities

Aman Behal, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Corinne Bishop, UCF Libraries

Joseph Brennan, College of Sciences

Mark Calabrese, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Li-Mei Chen, College of Medicine

Baiyun Chen, Division of Digital Learning

Joshua Colwell, College of Sciences

William Crampton, College of Sciences

Richard Curcio, College of Business

Donovan Dixon, College of Sciences

Martin Dupuis, Burnett Honors College

Michelle Dusseau, College of Sciences

Dorin Dutkay, College of Sciences

Kirk Gay, College of Arts and Humanities

Deborah German, College of Medicine

William Hagedorn, College of Community Innovation and Education

Joseph Harrington, College of Sciences

Fayeza Hasanat, College of Arts and Humanities

Bobby Hoffman, College of Community Innovation and Education

Elizabeth Hoffman, College of Community Innovation and Education

Alisha Janowsky, College of Sciences

Abdelkader Kara, College of Sciences

David Kwun, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Stephen Lambert, College of Medicine

Peter Larson, College of Arts and Humanities

Joseph LaViola Jr., College of Engineering and Computer Science

Edgard Maboudou, College of Sciences

Kevin Mackie, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Iryna Malendevych, College of Community Innovation and Education

Jonathan Matusitz, College of Sciences

Holly McDonald, College of Arts and Humanities

Florin Mihai, College of Arts and Humanities

Olga Molina, College of Health Professions and Sciences

George Musambira, College of Sciences

Nina Orlovskaya, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Talat Rahman, College of Sciences

25 Years of Service

Laura Albers-Biddle, College of Community Innovation and Education

Steven Berman, College of Sciences

Tarek Buhagiar, College of Business

Melissa Dagley, College of Sciences

Sabatino DiBernardo, College of Arts and Humanities

Mark Dickie, College of Business

Ivan Garibay, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Anthony Grajeda, College of Arts and Humanities

Bari Hoffman, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Steven Hornik, College of Business

Anna Jones, College of Arts and Humanities

Mikhail Klimov, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Stefanie Mayfield Garcia, College of Business

Rudy McDaniel, College of Arts and Humanities

Rachel Mulvihill, UCF Libraries

Christopher Niess, College of Arts and Humanities

Eugene Paoline, College of Community Innovation and Education

Sumanta Pattanaik, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Tison Pugh, College of Arts and Humanities

Walter Sotero, College of Sciences

Suren Tatulian, College of Sciences

Nizam Uddin, College of Sciences

Lei Wei, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Graham Worthy, College of Sciences

Shin-Tson Wu, College of Optics and Photonics

30 Years of Service

Charlie Abraham, College of Arts and Humanities

Helen Becker, College of Business

James Campbell, College of Arts and Humanities

Karl X. Chai, College of Medicine

Ratna Chakrabarti, College of Medicine

Jill Fjelstul, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Barbara Fritzsche, College of Sciences

Nora Lee García, College of Arts and Humanities

Linwood Jones, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alexander Katsevich, College of Sciences

Kuotsai Tom Liou, College of Community Innovation and Education

Lisa Logan, College of Arts and Humanities

Humberto López Cruz, College of Arts and Humanities

Eric Martin, Office of Research

Kevin Meehan, College of Arts and Humanities

Charles H. Reilly, Office of the Provost

Timothy Rotarius, College of Community Innovation and Education

Peter Spyers-Duran, UCF Libraries

Alexander Tovbis, College of Sciences

Laurence von Kalm, College of Sciences

Linda Walters, College of Sciences

Bruce Wilson, College of Sciences

Hong Zhang, College of Arts and Humanities

Ying Zhang, UCF Libraries

35 Years of Service

Issa Batarseh, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alain Kassab, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mansooreh Mollaghasemi, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Chung-Ching Wang, College of Sciences

40 Years of Service

Ahmad Elshennawy, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Michael Georgiopoulos, College of Engineering and Computer Science

David Hagan, College of Optics and Photonics

Anna Lillios, College of Arts and Humanities

Mubarak Shah, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Kalpathy Sundaram, College of Engineering and Computer Science

45 Years of Service

Robert Rivers, College of Arts and Humanities

55 Years of Service

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Faculty Emeritus and Emerita

Lynn Casmier-Paz, College of Arts and Humanities

James Clark, College of Arts and Humanities

Teresa Dorman, College of Sciences

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Glenda Gunter, College of Community Innovation and Education

Michael Hampton, College of Sciences

Richard Hofler, College of Business

Robin Kohn, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Piotr Mikusinski, College of Sciences

Ram Mohapatra, College of Sciences

Donna Neff, College of Nursing

Alice Noblin, College of Community Innovation and Education

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Trey Philpotts, College of Arts and Humanities

Robin Roberts, College of Business

Sherron Killingsworth Roberts, College of Community Innovation and Education

Lisa Roney, College of Arts and Humanities

Sybil St. Claire, College of Arts and Humanities

Terry Ann Thaxton, College of Arts and Humanities

Deborah Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities

Retired Faculty

Ahlam Al-Rawi, College of Sciences

Donna Breit, College of Nursing

Martha Brenckle, College of Arts and Humanities

Chinyen Chuo, Student Success and Well-Being

Therese Coleman, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Robertico Croes, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Juli Dixon, College of Community Innovation and Education

Teresa Dorman, College of Sciences

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Philip Fairey, Office of Research

John Fauth, College of Sciences

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Glenda Gunter, College of Community Innovation and Education

Michael Hampton, College of Sciences

Roger Handberg, College of Sciences

C. Keith Harrison, College of Business

Randall Hewitt, College of Community Innovation and Education

Rebecca Hines, College of Community Innovation and Education

Richard Hofler, College of Business

Charlie Hughes, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alvaro Islas, College of Sciences

Mourad Ismail, College of Sciences

David Jenkins, College of Sciences

Michael Johnson, Office of the Provost

Dayle Jones, College of Community Innovation and Education

Denise Kay, College of Medicine

Gary Leavens, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mary Little, College of Community Innovation and Education

Humberto López Cruz, College of Arts and Humanities

Michael Macedonia, Office of Research

Wasfy Mikhael, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Piotr Mikusinski, College of Sciences

Roslyn Miller, Division of Digital Learning

Ram Mohapatra, College of Sciences

Vicki Montoya, College of Nursing

Brian Moore, College of Sciences

Donna Felber Neff, College of Nursing

Alice Noblin, College of Community Innovation and Education

Peggy Nuhn, UCF Libraries

Joyce Nutta, College of Community Innovation and Education

Jeffrey O �鶹��Ʒ S�Brien, College of Business

Bendegul Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Fevzi Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Trey Philpotts, College of Arts and Humanities

Brian Plamondon, Office of Research

Michael Proctor, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Enrique Puig, College of Community Innovation and Education

Pedro Quintana-Ascencio, College of Sciences

Mark Rapport, College of Sciences

Sherron Roberts, College of Community Innovation and Education

Kelly Schaffer, College of Community Innovation and Education

Elzbieta Sikorska, College of Sciences

Jo Smith, Division of Digital Learning

Sybil St. Claire, College of Arts and Humanities

Mark Steiner, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Raymond Surette, College of Community Innovation and Education

Terry Ann Thaxton, College of Arts and Humanities

Patti Thielemann, College of Nursing

Cheryl Van De Mark, College of Community Innovation and Education

Martine Vanryckeghem, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Jane Vaughan, College of Arts and Humanities

Scott Warfield, College of Arts and Humanities

Debbie Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities

Philip Wessel, College of Community Innovation and Education

James Whitworth, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Boguslawa Anna Wolford, College of Community Innovation and Education

Laine Wyatt, College of Arts and Humanities

Cherie Yestrebsky, College of Sciences

Martin Klapheke, College of Medicine

Stephen Lambert, College of Medicine

Olga Molina, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Euripides Montagne, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Darlin’ Neal, College of Arts and Humanities

Michael Pape, College of Business

Tison Pugh, College of Arts and Humanities

David Young, College of Sciences

Founders’ Day 2026: Employee Excellence, Years of Service Awards

Joe Adams — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:22:12 +0000

UCF honored approximately 580 staff members on Founders �鶹��Ʒ S� Day, our annual celebration of employees, faculty and students who fuel UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s excellence and impact.

The university recognized employees who reached milestone years of service, along with those recently retired or about to be. UCF also presented a Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award and excellence awards in recognition of employees who made exceptional contributions to benefit the campus community.

�鶹��Ʒ S�We celebrate your service, your dedication, and the impact you make across this university. But behind that recognition is something even more powerful: the daily commitment, the steady work, and the consistency that build momentum over time, �鶹��Ʒ S� says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. �鶹��Ʒ S�The future we talk about at UCF is not something that begins someday. It is already taking shape in the work you do, in the systems you support, and in the experiences you create for our students. Thank you. �鶹��Ʒ S�

UCF this year brought a new category of Employee Leadership Excellence Awards, recognizing non-faculty administrative leadership at the director level and above. They joined the expanded Employee Excellence Awards, which highlighted the remarkable contributions of full-time employees up to an associate director level.

The employee event kicked off a Founders �鶹��Ʒ S� Day celebration that also included faculty and student celebrations. Combined, more than 900 honorees were recognized during the three ceremonies this year.

Here are the honorees from this year �鶹��Ʒ S�s Employee Honors Celebration.

Excellence Awards

Employee Excellence Awards for Operational Excellence

Arijeta Kavaja, Public Safety

Cecily McCoy-Fisher, Office of Research

Anna Nye, Office of Risk and Safety

Cindy Prophitt, Facilities and Business Operations

Employee Excellence Awards for Student Success

Cynthia Almanzar, Student Success and Well-Being

Laura Czerkies, Burnett Honors College

Michael McKee, College of Optics and Photonics

Donna Mercado, College of Nursing

Employee Excellence Awards for Community Well-Being

Jodi Reinhart, College of Sciences

Lorna Rodriguez, College of Engineering and Computer Science

David Stoneburner, Office of Institutional Resources

Mykhael Walker, Analytics and Integrated Planning

Employee Excellence Awards for Service and Partnership

Drew Barnes, College of Graduate Studies

Faith DeLorenzo, Digital Learning

Lovelyn Findley, Advancement and Partnerships

Antoine Hart, University Strategic Communications

Employee Excellence Awards Nominees

Sadia Afrin

Cynthia Almanzar

Michelle Anchel

Otto Argibay

Anthony (Joey) Asti

Drew Barnes

Alexandra Barraza-Oliphant

Davalda �鶹��Ʒ S�Dee �鶹��Ʒ S� Bellot

Jim Bennett

Miryana Blesso

Monique Carter

Laura Czerkies

Faith DeLorenzo

Lovelyn Findley

Amanda Greaves

Antoine Hart

Christina Hussey

Alexis Hutchins

Erica Hutton

Kat Jones

Arijeta Kavaja

Marsha Kernica

Melina Kinsey

Keanna Machado

Jay Malcolm

Chuck Mannella

Samantha Mason

Cecily McCoy-Fisher

Michael McKee

Donna Mercado

Traci Mibuta

Anna Nye

Steven Pardo

Diana Perez

Anthony Piazza

Cindy Prophitt

Frances �鶹��Ʒ S�Fran �鶹��Ʒ S� Ragsdale

Matthew Rall

Jodi Reinhart

Lorna Rodriguez

Ashley Samson

William Self

Maricel Soto

Jennifer Stalzer

Emily Stettner

David Stoneburner

Jeremiah Taylor

Rebecca Underhill

Mykhael Walker

Denise Whiteside

Maria Williams

Employee Leadership Excellence Awards

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for Strategic Execution

Andre Watts, Analytics and Integrated Planning

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for People Leadership and Talent Stewardship

Andrea Withington, College of Community Innovation and Education

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for Advancing Collaboration and Partnership

Germayne Graham, Student Programs and Outreach

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for Innovation, Improvement, and Bold Action

Kim Smith, Office of Research

Employee Leadership Excellence Awards Nominees

Drew Andrews

Morgan Bauer

Austin Bott

Brian Boyd

David Canova

Megan Carrigan

Shafaq Chaudhry

Sherri Dixon

Madi Dogariu

Michael Duong

Amy Ellis

Gerard Flood

Steven Freund

Andrea Gandy

Delia Garcia

Germayne Graham

Stephanie Heron

Dana Juntunen

Kerlene King

Ashley Longoria

Ayanna Lopez

Carla McCabe

Rudy McDaniel

Amy Perry

Charlie Piper

Candida Richards

Elizabeth Richner

Cesar RiveraCruzado

Rex Roberts

Anastasia Salter

Wendy Sarubbi

Basma Selim

Kim Smith

Meghan Truhett

Suzzette Turner

Michael Wainstein

Tyler Walsh

Andre Watts

Danta White

Andrea Withington

Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award

Rosemarie Mendoza, Facilities and Business Operations

Emerita Status Awardee

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Employee Service Awards

45 Years of Service

Donna Hickson

35 Years of Service

Tina Maier

Michael Reed

Patricia Trovillion

30 Years of Service

Sharon Bady

Travis Cain

Adrianne Demetry

Francisco Dionisi

Joel Lavoie

Elizabeth Rivera

25 Years of Service

Herlinda Bedoya

Michael Bell

Abdulbaset Benwali

Terri Bigham

Bruce Boutwell

Olivia Bridges

Amy Buford

Cristina Caamano

Carlos Chardon

Keith Coelho

Janny Colon

Elizabeth Costello

Al Davis

Steven Dick

Rafael Durand

Sira Giron

Rebecca Hammond

Jonathan Hanie

Keith Honaker

Davina Hovanec

Latchmin Jaggernauth

Susan Jefferson

Georgia Kent

Michelle Matthews

Andrew O’Mara

Jennifer Opper

Naya Ramirez

Gail Raymond

Brenda Rodrigues

Timothy Ryan

Maria Santiago

Heather Simeon

Carl Truesdell

Meena Turner

Maria Williams

Dela Williams

Andrea Withington

20 Years of Service

Michael Aldarondo-Jeffries

Lindsay Archambault

Gloria Bastidas

Renee Bence

Eric Brewington

Daren Caine

Michael Callahan

Marc Cassidy

Robin Chan

Karen Cox

Kelley Dietrich

Matthew Dunn

Scott Eberle

Cecilia Elias

Samuel Ensenat

Marelis Figueredo Garcia

Matthew Fitzgerald

Scott Freeman

Glenn Gaborko

Tyniesia Gandy

Kelly Gill

Lindana Gomez

Brian Graham

Timothy Haduch

Jenny Hartman

Elizabeth Herrera

Sarah Hunt

Tamara Jomarron

Carreen Krapf

Ellaine Leodones

Marlene Lugo

Carlos Martinez

Deysi Mercedes

Heather Murphy

Uday Nair

Perla Ongy

Robert (Bob) Opdahl

Haresh Patel

Rachel Perry

Omesh Persaud

Sandy Pouliot

Christine Pugh

Luz Quintero

Maria Quintero

Christopher Rains

Tim Reid

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Terrance Rooth

Diana Santiago

Saul Santiago

Kathy Sapp

Basma Selim

Romeo Sibayan

Jeff Smith

George Taylor

Lynda Toussaint

Shreya Trivedi

Reina Vazquez

Tonya Walker

15 Years of Service

Marlene Agostini

Jose Arce

Lucy Bautista

Randy Beck

Aiza Beguez

Miryana Blesso

Carolyn Castro

Silvia Cerro

Lorinda Clark

Patricia Colyer

Theresa Davis

Dani Draper

Jennifer Elliott

Tamara Gabrus

Ernie Gemeinhart

Jessica Glaspie

James Grant

Lisa Haas

Allison Henderson

Maribel Herrera

Jason Kennedy

Ann Kershner

Usha Lal

Dora Laureano

Hank Lewis

Ujjwala Magdum

Jennifer Mark

Jessica Matos

Meghan McCollum

Amanda Miller

Tracey Morrison

Kimberly Nassoiy

Beth Nettles

Hoang Nguyen

Jorge Olmedo

Minh Phan

Rhett Proctor

Elida Prophete

Michael Pugh

Ligia Ramirez

Rebeca Richards

Maria Rodriguez

Daniel Sagendorf

Kimberly Sargent

Wendy Sarubbi

Nick Schenk

Dave Schreier

Lori Shuff

Jacob Skinner

Terri Smith

Suzanne Stalvey

Brian Strickland

Christy Tant

Freddie Tirado Jr.

Joanne Toole

Roger Tripp

Matthew Vaccaro

Tamara Vassallo Soto

Martha Wiggins

Wanda Wint

10 Years of Service

Danielle Adams

Terrell Alexander

Julissa Alicea

Lindsey Anderson

Nadine Arentz

Jose Ayala Torres

Morgan Bauer

Shaun Black

John Boehm

Kate Brinister

Danilo Canlas

Megan Carrigan

Melissa Choinski

Madhavi Chokshi

Lorine Cisch-Taylor

Lisa Clendenning

Shannon Colon

Robert Connors

John Cooke

Todd Coon

Richard Cortez-Satterlee

Joanna Couch

Brandon Couts

Meghan Crowther

Summer Davis

Katherine Del Cid

Vanessa Delgado

Gerald Dillon

Kerri Drylie

Mirvate El Jerdi

Shajira El Masri

Amy Ellis

Jerad Engel

Damian Fagan

Marites Falkenhausen

Sarah Farrell

Jessica Fasano

Ben Fauser

Melissa Fawcett

Janet Feliciano

Valentina Fernandez

Jason Francis

Neftali Garcia

Eileen Garner

Christopher Gase

Kristina Gomez

Agustin Gonzalez

Adriel Gonzalez Gutierrez

Ryan Goodwin

Liz Gordian Olmo

Walter Gordon

Rhonda Granger Gomez

Josh Haupt

George Hayner Jr.

Rita Higgins

Katherine Hoefer

Elizabeth Hughes

Erica Hutton

Renee Johnston

Nathanael Jones

Megan Kellogg

Brian Kelly

Mike Kilbride

Maureen Landgraf

Daniel Lee

Missy Lesnewski

Ian Levy

Sarojben Limbachia

George Lopez

Ricardo Lopez

Juan Lugo

Karemah Manselle

Kristy McAllister

Justin McGill

Pamela McGlinchey

Oliver McSurley

Rebecca Meadows

Nelson Mendez

Pamela Mills

Mike Minutelli

Eli Mizell

Angela Moreira

Rebecca Mowrer

Lauren Murray-Lemon

David Neese

Lucas Noboa

Loida Olivas

Jeffrey Panter

Steven Pardo

Juana Pasco

Laura Patterson

Deborah Pease

Miguel Pellot

Ryan Pendry

Karen Peterson

Wanda Pruett-Butler

Abner Ramos Piñero

Erica Recktenwald

Samantha Redlund

Elizabeth Richner

Carlos Rivera

Victor Rivera

Lisa Roberts

Jacob Scholtz

Skender Shehu

Mari Sievinen

Kiela Sims

Aaron Smart

Liza Smith

Casey Smith

Esperanza Soto

Calvin Soto

Tenley Sterkel

Timothy Sullivan

Jackson Thevenin

Danielle Traylor

Wanda Tummons

Anna Velocci

Brian Villar

Stephen Villiotis

Paul Werden

Jonathan White

Barbara Wilson

Dylan Yonts

5 Years of Service

Lidya Abdelmalak

Elna Andreeva

Dana Archer

Linnette Aviles

Jessica Banos

Arismir Barreiras Peralta

Kristy Beitler

Summer Bernini

Abby Bertrand

Mayra Bonilla Torres

Melissa Braillard

Drew Bryant

Barbara Busch

Jess Camacho

Alexander N. Cartwright

Maria Ceku

Gianna Cifredo

Wilfredo Cornelio

Mario De Vera

Franco Del Pino

Mark Durbin

David Edgar

Lori Fiandra

Steven Fournier

Amoy Fraser

Raquela Garcia-Valenzuela

Melissa Gilliland

Luis Gonzalez

Marisela Guillen

Kathleen Hawkins

Robert Herr

Donna Jackson

Chase Jicha

Justin Kardach

Jamie Kaynan

Scott Langdon

Sarah Lardizabal

Kristeena LaRoue

Angela Lehman

Lucy Leon

Lawrence Lipe

Alex Lucchi

Marc Maheu

Alli Maiorano

Martha Martin

Reyner Martinez

Kate Mascheri

Angelica Mateo

Stephanie Mederos

Christopher Miller

Sarah Moore

Mindy Mozena

Lisa Myles

Iris Neil

Veronica Pak

Evgenia Pamer

Neelam Patel

Tran Pham

Cat Puckett

Monica Quimbayo

Michael Rivera

Marvecia Robinson

Leslie Rogers

Mary Rush

Luis Sanchez Artavia

Kyle Sindelar

Monica Smith

Yulisney Sotolongo

Garrett Spurlin

Jennifer Stalzer

Kimberly Stangle

Kenneth Steele

Lorenzo Stefko

Shari-Ann Stewart

Jane Stump

Elizabeth Tammaro

Jason Taningco

Raquel Toro-Espinal

Pia Valenciano

Thaina Velez

Danta White

Roksana Zak

Recognition of Retirees

Rafael Abreu

Yousef Ayoub

Pam Barkman

Suzette Batka

Emily Bennett

Richard Berwanger

Jeanne Blank

Patrick Blount

Parri Bolinger

Marcus Bowan

Deborah Bradford

Roanne Brice

Gary Burkhart

Rose Carpenter

Rick Catasus

Edgar Chavez

Willis Chico

Eunice Choi

Diane Claudio

Theresa Collins

Debra Copertino

Laura Crouch

Carol Davella

Karen Dlhosh

Debbie Doyle

Carol Ann Dykes Logue

Larry Eflin

Joseph Finnigan

Perry Fraser

Catherine Gholson

Amy Giroux

Robert Goater

Mariela Gonzalez

Tracy Griffith

Mark Gumble

Tania Gutierrez-Catasus

Martha Hamann

MJ Herbert Fuerst

Bethsy Hernandez

Ana Hernandez

Cherie Herrin

Michael Herring

Cathy Hill

Jane Ingalls

Wayne Jackson

Larry Jaffe

Daniel Kidder

Lee Kirkpatrick

Phyllis Kornegay

Melinda Kramer

Donna Leavitt

Ruben Lopez

Dennis Maddox

Kelli Marini

Janice Matley

Marcia Maukonen

Oscar Mauricio

James �鶹��Ʒ S�Jim �鶹��Ʒ S� McCully

Carrie McDowell

Linda Milner

Bruce Mink

Michele Monteith

Abderrahim Mouhassin

Christine Mouton

Jesus Munoz

Chuck Nicholas

Stephen OConnell

Leonardo Pascua

Esther Pennepacker

Rosario Pizarro

Brenda Posey

Michele Pozdoll

Odus Radford

Frances Ragsdale

Cindy Rahrle

Robert Reed

Wayne Regilio

Stella Restrepo

Kayonne Riley

Iris Rios

Charles Roberts

Norma Robles

Aimara Rodriguez

James Roop

Rosalba Ruiz

Eileen Ryan

Judith Samuels

Nicolas Santos

James Schaus

Jeanette Schreiber

Susan Schroen

Alison Schultz

Elena Sequera

Kelly Shilton

Michael Shumack

Shela Siegrist

Liza Smith

Karen Smith

Kathleen Snoeblen

Terry Stein

Peter Stephens

Patty Stroupe

Timothy Sullivan

Randolph Sulter

Jeffrey Ulmer

Lisa Vaughn

Luis Velozo

Rebecca Vilsack

Vicki Vitale

Deborah Walker

Kerry Welch

Maria Jocelyn Wick

Scott Wiles

Elena Wilson

Robert Wong