As Preston Strenth prepares to cross the stage at commencement, he finds himself flashing back to the moment his journey to this milestone started in 2023 with the South Carolina National Guard.

Strenth was on deployment in Kuwait with his unit. Among his fellow infantrymen was 20-year-old Jayson Haven. Haven had been accepted to his dream school, the University of Michigan, and was fulfilling the final two months of his year-long assignment before shipping off to college. He was tragically killed in a non-combat vehicle rollover accident.

麻豆精品 S淚 think all of us who were on that deployment understood you 麻豆精品 S檙e here and somebody else isn 麻豆精品 S檛. What are you going to do with your life? 麻豆精品 S� Strenth says.

麻豆精品 S淚 think all of us who were on that deployment understood you 麻豆精品 S檙e here and somebody else isn 麻豆精品 S檛. What are you going to do with your life? 麻豆精品 S�

Seven months later, Strenth envisioned that life and voiced his goals to his wife, Kriselle. He proposed a two-year timeline to earn a college degree in computer science and start a new career path.

麻豆精品 S淚 feel like everything in my life now is all clicking together, 麻豆精品 S� says Strenth, who landed three job offers before graduating and is in the process of purchasing his first home. 麻豆精品 S淚 have achieved the American dream in a sense. 麻豆精品 S�

The Right Place

A Central Florida native, Strenth moved to South Carolina at 17 and joined the National Guard two years later. He extended his contract twice 麻豆精品 S� his current contract ends in 2027 麻豆精品 S� as he pursued a degree in criminal justice from the University of South Carolina.

He took advantage of the educational benefits the U.S. Army offers and obtained a certification in computer programming, which introduced him to coding software.

After that fateful deployment in Kuwait, he and his wife set their sights on Orlando and UCF, where Strenth knew of the university 麻豆精品 S檚 reputation as one of the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 top military friendly schools, its strength in computer science and our many industry partnerships.

麻豆精品 S淲ithout a doubt, coming to UCF is the best thing I ever did, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

His credits from the University of South Carolina transferred over to help keep him on track for his two-year timeline. He thrived, in part, because of his willingness to take advantage of the many resources offered through the .

His experience here also tested him in ways that led to great growth and confidence.

In his second semester, while taking Computer Science I, he was stuck on his first programming assignment. Every time he willed the coding to work, he was met with the same result: fail.

His frustration turned to tears as he voiced his doubts to his wife. What if he just screwed up his life? What if he couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 do this?

She encouraged him while leveling with him at the same time 麻豆精品 S� he wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 the first to attempt this class or this degree. If he wanted to be here, he was going to figure it out.

She was right.

麻豆精品 S淚 think that is kind of the point 麻豆精品 S� they will make you go to that line and ask yourself, 麻豆精品 S楧o you want to be here? 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Strenth says. 麻豆精品 S淏ecause it 麻豆精品 S檚 a program that can lead you to a financially stable future. I have offers that no one in my family has ever had in front of them before. But you 麻豆精品 S檝e got to work for them. 麻豆精品 S�

Opportunity Calls with BNY

He applied that same grindstone mentality to maximizing opportunities outside of the classroom 麻豆精品 S� all the while driving to South Carolina once a month to fulfill his National Guard duties.

麻豆精品 S淚 have offers that no one in my family has ever had in front of them before. 麻豆精品 S�

In Spring 2024, he attended a lunch and learn with BNY, which was organized by the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success. The leading global financial services company announced a formal partnership with UCF that establishes a co-located educational innovation hub on UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 main campus 麻豆精品 S� the first-of-its-kind in Florida.

Strenth turned the connection he made with the BNY recruiter into a summer internship as a software engineer and vowed to himself to secure a job offer.

He wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 deterred by the fact that many of his fellow interns had started programming as middle-schoolers while he, at 24, had just learned the basics a year prior.

He committed to being the first one in the door and one of the last to leave. He reached out to fellow veterans he found in an interdepartmental staff directory to seek advice about integrating into the company. He emailed a weekly recap to his supervisor that listed how his accomplishments that week aligned with BNY 麻豆精品 S檚 core values.

麻豆精品 S淚 was trying to showcase that I wanted to be here, and I wanted this job offer more than anything, 麻豆精品 S� Strenth says.

When the internship ended, he stayed connected, even as he lined up another software engineering internship with Hatalom Corporation, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business.

Strenth had three job offers lined up before graduation day with BNY, Hatalom and Northrop Grumman. BNY 麻豆精品 S檚 career growth potential, military leave policy and proximity to his home were too good to pass up.

麻豆精品 S淏NY has a future leaders program that I 麻豆精品 S檝e already expressed interest in even though I 麻豆精品 S檓 not eligible for another two years. But I 麻豆精品 S檓 already telling them, 麻豆精品 S楾his is something I want to do. How can I? 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� he says.

He draws upon that memory of his conversation with his wife from years ago 麻豆精品 S� in his story, he refers to it as 麻豆精品 S渢he gamble 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� as he sits here today, once again, betting on himself.

麻豆精品 S淣ow two years later, I 麻豆精品 S檓 like, 麻豆精品 S榃e won. We did it, 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淐elebrating this moment at graduation is a testament to the sacrifices that my wife has made, my family has made, and the countless other people who have supported me to get to this point. 麻豆精品 S�

Under a high-stakes, simulated cyberattack and mounting pressure, the UCF Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition (C3) team proved it can defend, adapt and outperform 麻豆精品 S� earning first place at the 2026 Southeast Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC).

The team rose above nine competitors, including Tennessee Tech University, Clemson University, the University of South Florida and the University of Florida. With the win, UCF advances to the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, which will be held virtually next month.

Twelve students make up this year 麻豆精品 S檚 C3 team: sophomore information technology (IT) majors Gabriel Edwards and Maksim Shostak; junior IT majors Logan Autry, Anthony Donnelly, Joseph Durand, Adam Raczynski and Jonathan Styles; senior IT major Ardian Peach; sophomore computer science major Tyler Waddell; junior computer science major Benjamin Williams; cyber security and privacy master 麻豆精品 S檚 student Andy Pompura 麻豆精品 S�23; and senior prelaw major Noah Magill, who serves as team captain.

UCF’s Legacy of Cybersecurity Success

Their stellar performance marks UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 ninth first-place finish at the Southeast CCDC regional since 2013. UCF earned runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2025, along with first-place titles in special at-large CCDC regionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

“UCF has historically maintained high service availability levels while under attack by the red team.” 麻豆精品 S� Tom Nedorost 麻豆精品 S�02MS, senior instructor and C3 team coach

The team not only clinched the top spot but also swept all three categories, winning Best in Uptime Service, Best in Business and Best in Defense.

麻豆精品 S淯CF has historically maintained high service availability levels while under attack by the red team, 麻豆精品 S� says Tom Nedorost 麻豆精品 S�02MS, C3 team coach and senior instructor of computer science and IT. 麻豆精品 S淲e lived up to that expectation again this year, which resulted in winning the Best in Uptime Service award. 麻豆精品 S�

Nedorost adds that the team strengthened its ability to complete technical service requests while hardening systems against vulnerabilities to protect their network, key improvements that led to the two additional category wins.

Putting Cyber Defense Skills into Practice

At each competition, teams are tasked with defending a fictional company 麻豆精品 S檚 network against cyberattacks launched by red team members attempting to infiltrate it. All the while, competitors must maintain business operations and respond to customer service requests.

Each obstacle mimics real-world scenarios cybersecurity professionals face, allowing competitors to demonstrate their technical skills, business acumen and ability to collaborate.

It’s fun to go up against people [who, collectively,] would be a force to reckon with in the cyber world . 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Noah Magill, prelaw major and C3 team captain

Magill says the Southeast CCDC is among the most competitive, with red team members from leading companies such as Amazon Web Services and Cisco.

麻豆精品 S淎ll of them put together make up one of the scariest real-world life adversaries, 麻豆精品 S� Magill says. 麻豆精品 S淚t’s fun to go up against people [who, collectively,] would be a force to reckon with in the cyber world 麻豆精品 S� and a lot of [them] are [UCF] alumni. 麻豆精品 S�

Next Up: Nationals

As the team sets its sights on the national competition, the work is far from over. Magill says a few more 100-hour weeks are likely ahead.

麻豆精品 S淓veryone on the team is incredibly adept at what they do and world-class [in] their specialty, 麻豆精品 S� Magill says. 麻豆精品 S淟eading this team [and relying] on such amazing teammates with such a diverse amount of skills has been really awesome. 麻豆精品 S�

(IST) Director Carolina Cruz-Neira 麻豆精品 S檚 career in virtual reality (VR) began as a backup plan.

She spent her childhood training as a ballet dancer. When a knee injury at 21 ended her professional dance aspirations, she leaned on the engineering degree her father had encouraged her to pursue.

While earning her doctoral degree in electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Illinois Chicago, she discovered the Electronic Visualization Laboratory 麻豆精品 S� and with it, a way to merge art and technology.

“My philosophy as a researcher has always been to take on projects that are a little risky.”

In 1992, she unveiled the Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE), an immersive VR system that transforms a room-sized cube into an interactive 3D digital world. Unlike early VR headsets that isolated users, the CAVE allows multiple people to step inside the same digital environment, fostering shared exploration and real-time collaboration.

Today, CAVE systems are used worldwide, from gaming and art installations to military training and automotive design, helping industries visualize complex problems, improve safety and refine products before building them in the real world.

Powering the Future of Simulation

Over nearly four decades, Cruz-Neira has made significant contributions to the fields of VR, interactive visualization, high-performance computing and digital twins, which are dynamic virtual replicas of real-world objects used for simulation and testing across industries. Her innovations have influenced training and research for NASA, the U.S. military and U.S. National Laboratories.

By the Numbers: A Lasting Impact

• Secured more than $200 million in research funding
• Authored more than 100 publications
• Elected to the National Academy of Engineering 麻豆精品 S� one of the highest professional distinctions for engineers in the U.S.
• Named an IEEE fellow and Forbes 麻豆精品 S� 50 Over 50 honoree for innovation
• Inducted into the inaugural Augmented World Expo XR Hall of Fame and the Orlando Tech Community Hall of Fame for her contributions to Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 tech ecosystem
• Recognized in the U.S. Congressional Record for the national impact of her work

麻豆精品 S淢y philosophy as a researcher has always been to take on projects that are a little risky, 麻豆精品 S� says Cruz-Neira, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Agere Chair Professor of computer science. 麻豆精品 S淚 tell my students that we do research with a purpose. And yes, it’s challenging. But if we have that vision of where this thing is going, our talent and creativity have a terrific playground. 麻豆精品 S�

That bold spirit of exploration drew her to UCF in 2020 麻豆精品 S� a university recognized for its strength in computer science and deep partnerships and collaborators across several sectors, including space, defense, entertainment and healthcare.

“There 麻豆精品 S檚 a whole community of researchers, faculty and students here who are passionate about this kind of work.”

Since arriving, she says she has found something even more powerful: a culture that pairs high-level excellence with a nurturing environment 麻豆精品 S� where ambitious ideas are energized, challenged and brought to life through collaboration.

麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 a whole community of researchers, faculty and students here who are passionate about this kind of work. That has allowed us to expand our ideas tremendously, 麻豆精品 S� Cruz-Neira says. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e now collaborating with teams across the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the College of Medicine, the College of Arts and Humanities and the , which broadens what we 麻豆精品 S檙e able to do. It 麻豆精品 S檚 nice to have a tribe around you, where everyone helps each other and works together. 麻豆精品 S�

Among those collaborators is longtime colleague and IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Service awardee, Gregory Welch. Cruz-Neira says they first met as 麻豆精品 S淧h.D. babies, 麻豆精品 S� beginning a collaboration that has now spanned nearly 38 years. Since joining UCF, she has continued working closely with Welch and his team on several joint research projects and publications.

What’s Next: Blending Physical and Virtual Worlds

As IST director, Cruz-Neira is helping broaden UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 modeling and simulation legacy while leading several cutting-edge research projects in collaboration with talented students and faculty. One such project explores humanoid robots as extensions of the human body, allowing a person to navigate remote or inaccessible locations in real time. Using artificial intelligence, the robot captures its surroundings and transmits a live digital replica into the CAVE, where a human operator 麻豆精品 S檚 movements control the robot, creating a seamless exchange between physical and virtual worlds.

麻豆精品 S淭his project opens a lot of possibilities and aligns with where we want to go at IST and UCF, 麻豆精品 S� Cruz-Neira says. 麻豆精品 S淲e do a lot of work with defense, first responders and healthcare professionals, and in many cases, we see the need for a human [presence in locations] that aren 麻豆精品 S檛 feasible. By combining mature technologies available in the commercial world with some of our more advanced algorithms and system designs at UCF, we 麻豆精品 S檝e finally been able to come together to make this prototype and showcase it in December 2025 at [the Interservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Conference], a major defense training environment. 麻豆精品 S�

Cruz-Neira continues to push boundaries, bringing people together and asking questions like, 麻豆精品 S淲hat can we create next? 麻豆精品 S� and 麻豆精品 S淗ow far can we take this? 麻豆精品 S�

And despite a lifetime achievement award, she 麻豆精品 S檚 clear about one thing: 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 not done yet. 麻豆精品 S�

LaViola is one of 11 computer science academics and professionals selected for induction into the Association of Computing Machinery 麻豆精品 S檚 Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI) Academy this year. He will be honored during an awards ceremony at the 2026 CHI conference in Barcelona, the leading international conference on human-computer interaction.

麻豆精品 S淚t means a great deal to me, both personally and professionally, to be included with so many outstanding HCI researchers and pioneers in the field, 麻豆精品 S� LaViola says. 麻豆精品 S淭his honor helps recognize the work I have done over the last 20-plus years in the field, and I am truly humbled to be part of this select group. 麻豆精品 S�

LaViola manages the Interactive Computing Experiences Research Laboratory at UCF, where his work with 3D user interfaces, 2D and 3D gesture recognition and sketch- and touch-based interfaces contributed to his induction into the ACM SIGCHI Academy. He and his team are currently developing multimodal interfaces that use visual language models to track users 麻豆精品 S� movements and eye gaze and interpret their speech. The goal is seamless human-computer interaction, enabling computers to predict user needs without requiring exact commands. He 麻豆精品 S檚 also the lead author of the second edition of 3D User Interfaces: Theory and Practice, the first comprehensive book on the topic.

Since joining UCF in 2007 as an assistant professor, LaViola has risen to become the Charles N. Millican Professor of computer science and director of the Interactive Computing Experiences Research Cluster. He has published more than 200 refereed journal and conference articles and written eight book chapters. He contributed to leading research that demonstrates how stereoscopic 3D viewing, head tracking, gestural control and eye tracking can affect a player 麻豆精品 S檚 performance in video games.

In 2025, LaViola was inducted into the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Visualization and Graphics Technical Community 麻豆精品 S檚 Virtual Reality Academy. He is a senior member of both IEEE and ACM.

LaViola says his induction is a shared achievement and thanks those who helped him along the way.

麻豆精品 S淏eing inducted into the SIGCHI Academy is not an honor that is achieved in isolation, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 would like to thank my Ph.D. advisor, Andries van Dam, for his guidance over the years, as well as Robert Zeleznik, with whom I have collaborated closely on many human-computer interaction projects during my career. I would also like to thank my book collaborators Doug Bowman, Ernst Kruijff, Ivan Poupyrev and Ryan McMahan, as well as my graduate students who did a lot of the work that I am being recognized for. Finally, I would like to thank Steve Feiner for nominating me for inclusion into the SIGCHI Academy. 麻豆精品 S�

Nothing motivates Ilkin Isler 麻豆精品 S�22MS 麻豆精品 S�25PhD quite like this phrase: 麻豆精品 S淚t can 麻豆精品 S檛 be done. 麻豆精品 S�

When Isler says candidly, 麻豆精品 S淲orking on my Ph.D. is the most difficult thing I’ve ever faced,” there 麻豆精品 S檚 a montage of difficult things in her life to consider 麻豆精品 S� physical and mental, past and present.

For example, in August 2025, the recent computer science doctoral graduate began work as a senior artificial intelligence (AI) engineer at Universal Creative. Her role involved analyzing complex white papers and developing state-of-the-art AI systems from scratch 麻豆精品 S� all for the purpose of improving the safety of park guests.

麻豆精品 S淚 find solutions for high-risk applications, 麻豆精品 S� Isler says, 麻豆精品 S渨hich is a good description for what I love to do. 麻豆精品 S�

“… when I hear something can 麻豆精品 S檛 be done, it motivates me to make it happen.” 麻豆精品 S� Ilkin Isler 麻豆精品 S�22MS 麻豆精品 S�25PhD

The fact that her work requires fortitude also fits Isler well. In high school in Turkey, she once walked into a gym 麻豆精品 S渏ust for something to do. 麻豆精品 S� A trainer immediately suggested she head to the cardio area, where she 麻豆精品 S檇 blend in easily. Isler, however, saw the powerlifting space and thought, 麻豆精品 S�罢丑补迟 麻豆精品 S檚 what I want to do. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淚 had to teach myself how to do [powerlifting], 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淧eople probably thought I 麻豆精品 S檇 give up, but when I hear something can 麻豆精品 S檛 be done, it motivates me to make it happen. 麻豆精品 S�

Self-taught and competing despite her small frame, Isler went on to become a European powerlifting champion.

All of this is important for understanding the person who, while studying at UCF, helped develop an AI model to assess cancerous tumors.

Using Computer Imaging to Enhance Patient Care

Guided by a team of advisors, Isler came up with a way to feed medical imaging into an algorithm that measures shapes and textures with more speed, precision and consistency than is currently possible. Given such accurate information, an oncologist could make quicker, more confident decisions 麻豆精品 S� improving overall patient care.

“… [Ilkin’s] work helps push the field forward in an important and timely way.” 麻豆精品 S� David Mohaisen, UCF computer science professor

麻豆精品 S淭he problem she chose to work on is inherently difficult for several reasons, 麻豆精品 S� says David Mohaisen, UCF computer science professor and one of her advisors. 麻豆精品 S淢edical imaging is a high-stakes domain where errors have serious clinical consequences. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 also a mature and crowded research area, with competitive works focusing on incremental benchmark gains rather than addressing deeper issues, such as reliability, uncertainty and clinical integration, 麻豆精品 S� Mohaisen continues. 麻豆精品 S淚nstead of chasing marginal improvements, Ilkin focused on meaningful outcomes. Her work helps push the field forward in an important and timely way. 麻豆精品 S�

Yet the breakthrough alone, and the work that went into it, does not fully capture what Isler faced at the dizzying start of her doctorate journey.

Taking a Chance to Change Her Life and Others

Isler arrived from Turkey with two suitcases and a hotel reservation near UCF.

麻豆精品 S淢y mom filled one of the suitcases with Turkish food, 麻豆精品 S� Isler says. She can laugh now, but at the time, she had no clear path beyond the airport. 麻豆精品 S淚 had to figure everything out. 麻豆精品 S�

A few years earlier, she traveled across the globe to UCF as an undergraduate, having earned a competitive internship in the Synthetic Reality Lab, where she worked with Pegasus Professor Charles Hughes and then computer engineering doctoral student Kamran Ali 麻豆精品 S�21PhD on facial expression recognition.

麻豆精品 S淪he committed herself to the research, 麻豆精品 S� Hughes says, 麻豆精品 S渁nd even contributed to writing and editing the resulting report after she returned to Turkey. 麻豆精品 S�

Days away from starting doctorate-level research, with all her belongings in a single piece of luggage, Isler would do what she does best: find a way. She moved from the hotel to an unfurnished apartment.

But with her, Isler brought two specific interests to her postgraduate research at UCF. Her mother, a dentist in Turkey, inspired an interest in medical advancement. Her father, a computer science professor, recognized in his daughter the curiosity and determination required for the field.

麻豆精品 S淚f I know an idea can be impactful, I 麻豆精品 S檒l do whatever is necessary to make it a reality, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭he higher the stakes, the more driven I become. 麻豆精品 S�

Those stakes led her to focus on medical imaging solutions for cancer care worldwide. Without a medical background, she collaborated with doctors. It helped that she never looked at her research as an academic exercise. She wanted only to deliver something trustworthy that clinicians everywhere could use to eliminate gray areas in image analysis.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e been fortunate to work with many doctoral students over the years, and Ilkin stands out on multiple levels, 麻豆精品 S� says Mohaisen, pointing out her motivation, energy and curiosity, before adding: 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檇 say she is among the most driven. 麻豆精品 S�

Fueled by Challenge and Service

By now, the source of Isler 麻豆精品 S檚 uncommon drive is clear. Every time someone showed skepticism about her powerlifting, she responded by breaking a national record. Although she could have attended a private college in Turkey, where she would have been surrounded by familiar language and culture, she instead chose to move across the world to study AI.

There 麻豆精品 S檚 one more motivation that consistently guides her: others.

Isler considers her greatest accomplishment in powerlifting to be the doors she helped open for others in Turkey to try any form of fitness they choose. And she says she would gladly move to another continent again, with just a suitcase and her AI skills, if it meant helping improve the lives of others.

麻豆精品 S淲hen I look back, I can see that I 麻豆精品 S檝e often traded comfort for growth, 麻豆精品 S� she says, 麻豆精品 S渁nd I will not hesitate to do it again. 麻豆精品 S�

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has named Solihin to its 2025 class of fellows 麻豆精品 S� a distinction awarded to just 71 professionals worldwide for their remarkable achievements, technical innovations and lasting contributions to the field.

Selected from ACM 麻豆精品 S檚 100,000 members, the new fellows will be formally inducted at the ACM Awards Banquet in June.

For Solihin, the recognition represents something deeper than a title.

麻豆精品 S淏eing one out of 71 selected for this designation worldwide in 2025, I feel deeply honored, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淭his recognition is the culmination of decades of research in computer architecture, with contributions from my former and current Ph.D. students and collaborators. 麻豆精品 S�

A Pioneer in Computer Architecture

Long before today 麻豆精品 S檚 cloud-powered, security-conscious computing era, Solihin was asking questions others weren 麻豆精品 S檛.

In the early 2000s, as research focused on single-core processors, he turned his attention to multicore systems and uncovered a hidden flaw. His research group identified a critical performance challenge in shared cache architecture: uneven slowdowns caused by cache sharing. When multiple programs run simultaneously and share a common cache, some slow down more than others due to resource limitations.

麻豆精品 S淚 feel deeply humbled because, at the time I chose to work on these problems, it was not clear how important they would turn out to be.”

Groundbreaking when it emerged in 2003, this phenomenon is now widely known and studied by computer scientists. Solihin and his group coined the term 麻豆精品 S渇air cache sharing 麻豆精品 S� and introduced a technique to partition the cache so programs slow down equally, ultimately improving overall performance. They also coined the term 麻豆精品 S渃ache quality of service, 麻豆精品 S� advocating for cache policies that enable differentiated performance levels. Solihin also pioneered research on secure processors, which allow applications to run in an environment protected from vulnerabilities in system software.

Today, those once-theoretical ideas are foundational. Cache partitioning and secure processors are now standard features in graphics processing units and central processing units, particularly those powering cloud computing systems worldwide.

麻豆精品 S淚 feel deeply humbled because, at the time I chose to work on these problems, it was not clear how important they would turn out to be, 麻豆精品 S� Solihin says. 麻豆精品 S淚 started working on 麻豆精品 S� cache partitioning when the hot research topics of the day were single-core processors. I started working in secure execution environment design when it was still unclear if hardware architecture should play a major role in computer security. 麻豆精品 S�

Making an Impact in Industry and Education

After earning his doctorate in computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Solihin worked as a professor at North Carolina State University. He then joined the U.S. National Science Foundation, where he served as a program director for secure and trustworthy research on cyberspace and computer systems.

When he joined UCF in 2018, that bold ambition and pioneering spirit came with him.

As director of the at UCF, Solihin helped expand the university 麻豆精品 S檚 research footprint and developed the Cyber Security and Privacy master 麻豆精品 S檚 program within the Department of Computer Science. Under his leadership, the program has grown to 200 students, the research cluster has added 13 faculty members and his findings have been incorporated into the computer processing industry 麻豆精品 S檚 design and development of computer architecture.

Yet Solihin doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 claim any of these achievements as his greatest.

麻豆精品 S淭he achievement I am the proudest of is the positive impact I have made on students that I have advised, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淪ome of my past students have established good careers of their own, including becoming professors at Oxford University, Northeastern University, UC Santa Cruz and Binghamton University. 麻豆精品 S�

Thanks to 麻豆精品 S檚 dedicated support for STEM students, he had access to resources so he would not have to navigate that journey alone.

麻豆精品 S淓ngineering is hands-down our most active liaison area, 麻豆精品 S� says Taylor Sandifer 麻豆精品 S�23MA, assistant director of employer relations in Career Services who supports all STEM majors, including the College of Engineering and Computer Science. 麻豆精品 S淐ECS students show up to everything. They 麻豆精品 S檙e really engaged, and they take advantage of every opportunity. 麻豆精品 S�

For Knights like Nguyen, that means access to employers through engineering-focused employer-led workshops, resume reviews, mock interviews, and the highly attended , which occurs annually in the fall at the Addition Financial Arena, where as many as 300 employers fill the venue.

Big Companies Recruit Knights

Before Expo, students can聽participate聽in the Career Readiness Program, a two-week series including industry-specific, employer-led sessions where recruiters host one-on-one resume reviews and mock interviews to help students prepare.

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 employer-relations model attracts major companies such as Google, Meta, Amazon, Siemens Energy, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and Walmart directly to campus for tabling, information sessions,聽and networking events.

麻豆精品 S淓mployers coming in to recruit STEM talent will work with us to get connected, 麻豆精品 S� Sandifer says. 麻豆精品 S淲e help them get into the engineering atrium, set up information sessions, reach students through Handshake, and collaborate with CECS to spread the word.

麻豆精品 S淲e want students to see a clear path from UCF to a career. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Taylor Sandifer 麻豆精品 S�23MA, assistant director of employer relations in Career Services

麻豆精品 S淲e want students to see a clear path from UCF to a career. When they put in the effort, and we can help make those connections, it all comes together. 麻豆精品 S�

Sandifer has seen firsthand how transformative this can be.

麻豆精品 S淥ne computer science student (Nguyen) showed up on the wrong day 麻豆精品 S� in a suit 麻豆精品 S斅燽ut stayed anyway, 麻豆精品 S澛爏he recalls. 麻豆精品 S淗e came back the next day, met with recruiters, and we聽connected him with Deloitte & Touche. He ended up getting the job. His hard work and willingness to show up made the difference. 麻豆精品 S�

Real World Ready

Nguyen credits the Dixon Career Development Center in helping him shape his career path.

麻豆精品 S淚聽wasn 麻豆精品 S檛聽very prepared initially and had no idea where聽to even聽start. It was overwhelming just thinking about it, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 attended an event I found off Handshake and it turned into me getting resume reviews, mock interviews, and attending events that got me to meet employers I was passionate about joining. 麻豆精品 S�

He took advantage of summer appointments, interview strategies,聽and also聽printed business cards to hand out to the company representatives at the聽Internship and聽Career Expo. Those efforts paid off with an opportunity at Deloitte 麻豆精品 S� a place he was drawn to for its culture and its constant flow of new challenges.

His biggest takeaway from his experience with the Career Center is to be persistent and open to every opportunity.

麻豆精品 S淵ou never know what conversation you have with someone that could turn into a huge career opportunity, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

罢丑别听 will take place on Tuesday, March 10.

Dedicated resources, personal guidance and a shared sense of purpose help illuminate their path to success. That commitment is reflected in national recognition, with UCF earning a Silver Award on the 2025-26 Military Friendly Schools List 麻豆精品 S� placing Knight Nation in the top 20% of all participating schools 麻豆精品 S� and ranking among the top five colleges in Florida (No. 51 overall) on Military Times 麻豆精品 S� 2025 Best for Vets Colleges List.

More than 3,300 student-veterans attend UCF, where they 麻豆精品 S檙e supported by the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success. This is a dedicated unit that creates an enriching and welcoming environment for military students to achieve educational and career goals through academic success and community partnerships.

Pursuing a degree online is a convenient and affordable path for military and veteran students who balance work and personal responsibilities. As a leader in online education for nearly 30 years, UCF is recognized among the best institutions that offer online programs for service members and their families.

UCF is also a 2025 Best Military-Friendly Online College, according to OnlineU, an organization that reviews and ranks top online colleges with the best value and return on investment. In January, UCF was ranked No. 8 for Best Online Bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 Programs for Veterans by U.S. News & World Report. Best Colleges has also ranked UCF No. 3 for Best Online Military-Friendly Colleges of 2025.

Opening More Doors for Military and Veteran Students

To enhance support for military and veteran students, UCF has formed partnerships to extend academic offerings to this community, including its selection as one of 12 universities nationwide 麻豆精品 S� and the only one in Florida and the southeast 麻豆精品 S� to join the new Service to Service initiative.

The national pilot program is a collaboration between two nonprofit organizations: The Volcker Alliance, which supports public service education, and We the Veterans, which aims to empower service members and their relatives. Service to Service is dedicated to connecting veterans and their families with graduate educational pathways in public service and helping them find impactful long-term careers in public leadership.

At UCF, students who join the initiative, known as Service to Service Fellows, can further their education through the university 麻豆精品 S檚 graduate programs in 麻豆精品 S�public administration, 麻豆精品 S�emergency and crisis management, 麻豆精品 S�nonprofit management, 麻豆精品 S�public policy, and 麻豆精品 S�regional and urban planning. 麻豆精品 S疐ellows also benefit from mentorship, community building, professional development opportunities and job placement support.

This is just one of many examples of how UCF opens doors to new purpose after military service 麻豆精品 S� and part of the reason why Trevor Chandrapaul chose to become a Knight after retiring from the U.S. Navy.

麻豆精品 S淚 always knew I wanted to go back to school, 麻豆精品 S� says Chandrapaul, a third-year student who was drawn to UCF for its strong military community and proximity to major defense companies. 麻豆精品 S淚 saw how many military veterans actually attended [UCF]. I reached out to someone at the Veterans Academic Resource Center, and they took the time to talk to me and offer reassurance. 麻豆精品 S�

Trevor Chandrapaul: From the Engine Room to Emerging Tech

After completing prerequisite courses at Valencia College with plans to become a physical therapist, Chandrapaul took an unexpected five-year detour in the U.S. Navy. As a gas turbine systems technician working in the engine room, he was introduced to systems and engineering fundamentals 麻豆精品 S� a turning point that sparked his interest in computer science.

麻豆精品 S淸UCF] is surrounded by so many defense companies, and I felt like it was a good place for me to continue my studies. 麻豆精品 S�

Although he never intended to build a long-term military career, his service shaped his direction. At 26, Chandrapaul says he was feeling slightly out of place as an older student and transferred to UCF.

麻豆精品 S淐oming from the military, I wanted to continue to serve after my service, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淸UCF] is surrounded by so many defense companies, and I felt like it was a good place for me to continue my studies. 麻豆精品 S�

Through [the Military Veteran and Success Center (MVSC), formerly VARC], he quickly found community among other veterans. The initial intimidation of being older than his peers faded as he connected with other student-veterans.

In his first semester, he landed a job at the MVSC and now serves as a program specialist with the Peer Success Coaches. In this role, he helps military-connected students navigate the transition to UCF 麻豆精品 S� from connecting them with campus resources to encouraging involvement in student clubs and supporting their academic success.

麻豆精品 S淭hrough that job, I was able to help host and participate in so many different events and meet organizations like the Student Veteran Association, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

He 麻豆精品 S檚 also strengthening his skills in computer science through Knight Hacks, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 largest and only hackathon and software development student organization, while continuing to challenge himself academically. In Spring 2025, he enrolled in 麻豆精品 S�Entrepreneurship for Defense 麻豆精品 S� a course he initially picked as a fun elective, but one that quickly became a launchpad.

Assigned to a team developing a maritime awareness system, Chandrapaul worked alongside students from across engineering disciplines. They conducted market research, interviewed high-ranking military officials and industry experts, and presented weekly updates to professors and government sponsors 麻豆精品 S� all of which sharpened his public speaking and technical communication skills.

The experience led to his selection for the Defense Innovation Unit 麻豆精品 S檚 summer Maritime Domain Awareness System fellowship.

As a fellow, Chandrapaul is helping improve the safety of maritime environments by developing sensors capable of detecting threats like drug smugglers and illegal fishing activity.

麻豆精品 S淲e recently did a demo on the rooftop of a coastal condo in West Palm Beach, Florida. We got to see a bunch of boats that our radar picked up. We did demos with the U.S. Navy, too. I had the opportunity to visit the Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, which was a base I had pulled into during my time in the service. 麻豆精品 S�

Now, Chandrapaul is focused on solving real-world challenges through technology. With experience in software development, rapid prototyping and mission-driven problem-solving, he aims to work at the intersection of national security and emerging technology.

And he 麻豆精品 S檚 not ruling out entrepreneurship.

麻豆精品 S淪ince [taking the Entrepreneurship for Defense] course, we might actually make it into a real business, which now might be in my future plans, 麻豆精品 S� he says. It’s a lot of fun making a project that has a real-world impact. And I have to thank UCF for even presenting me with this opportunity. 麻豆精品 S�

Editing videos with those same AI commands isn 麻豆精品 S檛 quite as simple, however, UCF researchers in the College of Engineering and Computer Science aim to change that.

Professor Nazanin Rahnavard, Associate Professor Chen Chen, and UCF alumni Nazmul Karim 麻豆精品 S�20MS 麻豆精品 S�23PhD and Umar Khalid 麻豆精品 S�20MS 麻豆精品 S�23PhD have developed novel text-to-video AI technology that can dramatically change videos in minutes.

麻豆精品 S淥ur system takes the 麻豆精品 S榖rain 麻豆精品 S� of an AI that 麻豆精品 S檚 already skilled at generating images from text and adapts it for video, without losing the creative power that makes it effective in the first place, 麻豆精品 S� Rahnavard says. 麻豆精品 S淥ur breakthrough came from recognizing a fundamental inefficiency in existing text-to-video editing approaches. Current systems either require massive text-to-video datasets for training or rely on computationally expensive, per-video adaptations of text-to-image models. We believed there had to be a more efficient and elegant solution. 麻豆精品 S�

With Rahnavard 麻豆精品 S檚 background in electrical engineering and Chen 麻豆精品 S檚 background in computer science, the team used linear algebra techniques to examine the numerical parameters of an AI model that are optimized and adjusted while learning a new task. They realized that instead of fine-tuning the entire parameter set, they could update only the singular values, preserving the AI model 麻豆精品 S檚 ability to generalize while speeding up its adaptation time.

麻豆精品 S淭he key was learning which parts of the AI 麻豆精品 S檚 麻豆精品 S榤emory 麻豆精品 S� to adjust, and which to preserve, 麻豆精品 S� Rahnavard says. 麻豆精品 S淏y focusing only on the most essential elements and leaving the rest untouched, we created a method that adapts much faster and more efficiently while still producing high-quality, expressive results. 麻豆精品 S�

The AI model works best on existing video clips and can edit them in minutes. It can change the colors of clothing, swap a cat for a dog or transform the clip into a cartoon. The more complex the commands, the longer the editing time. But Rahnavard says the process can still be completed in minutes, not hours.

The university was recently awarded a patent for the technology, which movie studios and social media companies could use.

麻豆精品 S淭his technology has the potential to revolutionize video editing across a wide range of industries, 麻豆精品 S� Rahnavard says. 麻豆精品 S淢ovie studios could use it for rapid scene modifications without the need for costly reshoots, while social media platforms could offer their users instant, highly sophisticated video filters far beyond what 麻豆精品 S檚 available today. 麻豆精品 S�

Led by UCF Professor of Biology and developed by undergraduate students, the new game blends research with interactive learning.

麻豆精品 S淢y work on parasitic wasps and their symbiotic viruses forms the foundation for the game and other outreach efforts designed to engage the public with biology in a fun and accessible way, 麻豆精品 S� Sharanowski says.

The game was created by computer science senior students as part of their capstone project under the supervision of Associate Lecturer of Computer Science Matthew Gerber, with Sharanowski providing the concept. It represents the second phase of development, with an earlier senior group of students building the original concept and the second group advancing it into a fully playable desktop version.

麻豆精品 S淭he students coded, designed and refined the game, which was initially envisioned as a virtual reality experience but shifted to a desktop game 聽due to delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, 麻豆精品 S� Sharanowski says.

In the game, players take on the role of scientists tasked with protecting a national park by designing custom wasps to control invasive pests.

麻豆精品 S淭he goal as a scientist is to save the park by releasing specially designed wasps with beneficial features like paralytic venom, long ovipositors or even mind control, that make them more effective at targeting host species such as caterpillars, beetles and aphids, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

Along the way, players encounter educational blurbs that explain these traits and reinforce the idea that not all wasps sting and many are actually beneficial to humans and ecosystems.

麻豆精品 S淭hese wasps can be endoparasitic, developing inside their host, or ectoparasitic, developing outside the host, 麻豆精品 S� Sharanowski says. 麻豆精品 S淵ou can find them all around the world, including in our backyards, and they serve an important role in nature as natural agents of pest control, thereby reducing the need for pesticides. 麻豆精品 S�

The project was funded through the U.S. National Science Foundation 麻豆精品 S檚 (NSF) Rules of Life Initiative, which brings together multiple NSF divisions to address the fundamental questions about how living systems function and evolve.

According to Sharanowski, parasitic wasps are one of the most varied lineages on Earth, with more species than all vertebrates combined.

麻豆精品 S淔or every insect that 麻豆精品 S檚 out there, there 麻豆精品 S檚 likely one or more parasitic wasps that attack it, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

Her research explores the unique symbiosis between wasps and viruses.

麻豆精品 S淥ver time, some viruses have become integrated into the genomes of certain parasitic wasps, effectively making the virus and wasp a single organism, 麻豆精品 S� Sharanowski says. 麻豆精品 S淭he virus no longer replicates independently 麻豆精品 S� its reproduction is tied to the wasp 麻豆精品 S檚. When a female wasp lays an egg inside a host, the virions enter the host and activate viral genes that manipulate the host 麻豆精品 S檚 immune system and behavior, benefiting the developing wasp. 麻豆精品 S�

This wasp-virus relationship has evolved multiple times and remains a central focus of her research.

As a first-generation college graduate, Sharanowski says this project has been a way to share her passion for entomology and science, as well as to provide educational opportunities for people to learn about wasps in a fun way.

麻豆精品 S淥ne of my core values as an educator is to make science engaging, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 enjoy doing campus and community outreach to show how fascinating these insects are, and I believe this game does that. 麻豆精品 S�

She also highlighted UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Collection of Arthropods, commonly known as the , as a public resource preserving and showcasing the biodiversity of insects in Central Florida.

Looking ahead, Sharanowski says a third group of students is currently working on a mobile version of the game, expected to launch later this year.

麻豆精品 S淭here is so much beauty out there, and I want people to see how fascinating bugs are and the important role they play in ecosystems, 麻豆精品 S� she says.