Some of the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 most promising scientists can be found in Will Furiosi 麻豆精品 S�13 麻豆精品 S�14MAT 麻豆精品 S檚 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.

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

With Oviedo 麻豆精品 S檚 proximity to main campus, the collaboration highlights UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 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.

麻豆精品 S淲orking in Dr. Kang 麻豆精品 S檚 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, 麻豆精品 S� says Santra, a senior bound for Stanford who has worked with Kang since she was a freshman. 麻豆精品 S淭he lab provided a lot of resources 麻豆精品 S� not just the instruments, but also mentorship, advice and support. 麻豆精品 S�

A Will to Succeed

The hallway leading to Furiosi 麻豆精品 S檚 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 麻豆精品 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 麻豆精品 S檛 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 麻豆精品 S檚 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, 麻豆精品 S淚 want to be one of those kids. 麻豆精品 S�

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

麻豆精品 S淲hat 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, 麻豆精品 S� Furosi says.

Infusing Life into Science

Furiosi began teaching at Oviedo High School in 2013 as he pursued his accelerated master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree, made possible by the College of Community Innovation and Education 麻豆精品 S檚 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 麻豆精品 S檚 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聽courses, begging anyone who had shown a glimmer of interest during class to sign up so they wouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 have to fold the program.

Today, he 麻豆精品 S檚 at 46 students, with some, like Calvo-Chumbimuni, interested in joining the program as soon as they arrive at Oviedo High.

麻豆精品 S淢y seventh grade science fair teacher knew Mr. Furiosi and spoke highly of him, 麻豆精品 S� Calvo-Chumbimuni says. 麻豆精品 S淲hen I came to Oviedo High and met him, I immediately understood why. The research program stood out to me as a valuable opportunity. 麻豆精品 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 麻豆精品 S� one alone pulled in $70,000 and is now studying at the University of Glasgow 麻豆精品 S� at prestigious competitions sponsored by some of the tech industry 麻豆精品 S檚 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 麻豆精品 S�21 麻豆精品 S�22MS 麻豆精品 S�25PhD, who studied in Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Subith Vasu 麻豆精品 S檚 lab and now works for Relativity Space at NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 Stennis Space Center, America 麻豆精品 S檚 largest rocket propulsion test site.

麻豆精品 S淢r. Furiosi really pushes you toward excellence, 麻豆精品 S� says Das, a sophomore building a tensegrity robot with shape memory alloys that he tested at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 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 麻豆精品 S檚 inbox, asking if she could present her idea on a nanoparticle treatment for citrus greening disease in Florida.

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

Similarly, Bridge immediately noticed Calvo-Chumbimuni 麻豆精品 S檚 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.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e always appreciated her sense of humanity, 麻豆精品 S� Bridge says. 麻豆精品 S淚 thought, 麻豆精品 S業f you can foster someone who has this sort of compassion already, there are infinite possibilities for what they can do to benefit the community. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S�

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 麻豆精品 S� Calvo-Chumbimuni for her second-straight year, Santra for her third 麻豆精品 S擠as 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 麻豆精品 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 麻豆精品 S� simulated moon dirt 麻豆精品 S� because he envisions the tech behind his robot one day being utilized in lunar missions or search and rescue efforts in unstable environments.

麻豆精品 S淢ax noticed that sometimes the motion was a little slow, so he gave some suggestions, 麻豆精品 S� Das says. 麻豆精品 S淲orking in the lunar regolith chamber was a very insightful and eye-opening experience. I know I 麻豆精品 S檓 still in high school, but I 麻豆精品 S檝e learned I want to do research for as long as I can because I really find this interesting. 麻豆精品 S�

Which, at the end of the day, has been Furiosi 麻豆精品 S檚 mission all along.

麻豆精品 S淩esearch is not just in science. It is in all disciplines. There 麻豆精品 S檚 a lot of cool things that need to be discovered in all fields, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淯CF 麻豆精品 S檚 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. 麻豆精品 S�

The two are among 6,000 undergraduate, master 麻豆精品 S檚 and Ph.D. students who will graduate from UCF Dec. 12-13.

Bassett and Deinys, both Florida natives, credit UCF with instilling in them a spirit of scientific discovery and a passion to use their love of science to help others.

Transforming Healthcare Through Tech

Bassett will graduate with a medicine-engineering double degree in molecular and cellular biology and mechanical engineering. The degree program, one of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 most challenging, recognizes that the future of healthcare is in technology, and the workforce needs trained professionals who can understand both the biology of disease and the engineering principles to create new healthcare solutions.

The double major requires 163 credit hours and a lot of time management skills. With back-to-back engineering and biomedical sciences labs as part of his routine, Bassett jokes he could actually feel his mind transform as he walked from one classroom to the next to absorb and process two vastly different topics.

While at UCF Bassett completed multiple internships at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. A Burnett Honors College scholar, he served as a teaching assistant and a chemistry undergraduate lab researcher.

Bassett says UCF helped him understand the medical 麻豆精品 S渨hys 麻豆精品 S� of the medical engineering he creates and wants to go into an industry that will allow him to design and test better medical tools that can make surgery less invasive, more efficient and safer.

麻豆精品 S淲ith my training, I know the what and the why, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 can use that knowledge to solve more medical problems. I hope I can help my colleagues understand why something is happening in the body. 麻豆精品 S�

Making Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Mangroves More Resilient

Born in Miami, Deinys knew science was her passion at an early age while attending a STEM-focused middle and high school. During an internship at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, she discovered a pathogen that was threatening to kill Florida mangroves.

Later, in collaboration with the Marine Resources Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Indian River Lagoon, they determined that 80% of the mangroves they had sampled tested positive for at least one of the pathogens.

Through her research at UCF, she helped create a nutrient of magnesium and sulfur nanoparticles called 麻豆精品 S淢ag Sun 麻豆精品 S� (MgSuN) that acts like an antimicrobial solution while helping nourish the plant. Mag Sun is also sustainable so it 麻豆精品 S檚 safe for the environment. The product, which reduced pathogens by 95%, has now been approved for use across Florida, and Deinys hopes it will soon receive EPA clearance for use nationwide.

麻豆精品 S淚 grew up in South Florida and developed a deep love for the beach and coast, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淎nd I knew something was happening to my mangroves. I 麻豆精品 S檓 committed to the community I 麻豆精品 S檓 from and I want to help people 麻豆精品 S� that 麻豆精品 S檚 the goal. 麻豆精品 S�

As an undergraduate, she was lead research assistant in an agricultural artificial intelligence effort between UCF and Cornell University and UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Material Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture Lab. She also served as an Office of Undergraduate Research peer mentor and has presented her research at conferences across the state and nation.

An Order of Pegasus honoree, Deinys will stay at UCF to earn her Ph.D. in chemistry with a specialization in nanoscience. She said her goal is to be a 麻豆精品 S渏ack-of-all-trades, 麻豆精品 S� in science because she 麻豆精品 S檚 excited by too many opportunities to use her inquisitive mind to solve real-world problems. As she speaks from her lab office filled with plants, she says she wants to use her love of agriculture to help find ways to link plant life and space travel.

麻豆精品 S淐entral Florida is my home, and I 麻豆精品 S檇 like to be part of this community for as long as I 麻豆精品 S痗an, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

That plan fell into place when he landed 麻豆精品 S痑 job at Lockheed Martin, a UCF Pegasus Partner, just weeks after graduating with his 产补肠丑别濒辞谤 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in May. 麻豆精品 S疕is 麻豆精品 S痭ew role 麻豆精品 S痑s an electro-optical engineer associate in Lockheed Martin 麻豆精品 S檚 Orlando Missiles and Fire Control division involves developing new imaging systems 麻豆精品 S� a project that comes with its own challenges.

麻豆精品 S淭hese systems make use of sensors specific to the mission, 麻豆精品 S� says Lopez-Zelaya, who is part of the 83% of career-ready UCF alumni who help fuel Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 workforce. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e concerned with how these sensors generate images, so we take the optics and other sources of noise into consideration. 麻豆精品 S�

That 麻豆精品 S檚聽exactly the skillset he honed during his time at聽the聽UCF College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL). In addition to engineering and physics concepts, CREOL students learn the hands-on methods necessary to build optical and electro-optical systems 麻豆精品 S� allowing them to contribute to technological developments that benefit humanity. Lopez Zelaya says he now puts that training to use every day.

麻豆精品 S淪omebody who doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 have an optics and photonics background can 麻豆精品 S檛 truly engage in these discussions, 麻豆精品 S� he says, 麻豆精品 S淏ecause they don 麻豆精品 S檛 understand the basics of what is actually happening in these systems. 麻豆精品 S�

Lopez Zelaya 麻豆精品 S檚 early career success is a continuation of the legacy he built during his聽undergrad聽years. Between classes that taught him MATLAB, display technology, image聽processing聽and semiconductor devices, he got involved as an undergraduate student research assistant. He also volunteered at Grace Medical Home, served as president of the IEEE Photonics Society student聽chapter聽and served on UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 President 麻豆精品 S檚 Leadership Council. His dedication to both professional development and his fellow students led to his induction into Order of Pegasus, the most prestigious award UCF bestows upon students.

Lopez Zelaya says聽UCF 麻豆精品 S檚聽culture of creating lifelong learners prepared him well for his next steps at Lockheed Martin.

麻豆精品 S淓verybody is willing to learn something new about optics, 麻豆精品 S� he says, adding that聽he 麻豆精品 S檚聽often a source of聽expertise聽for questions that arise in the field.

Lopez Zelaya 麻豆精品 S檚 quick transition illustrates the value of the talent pipeline聽CREOL supplies to the Central Florida photonics industry.聽As a valued, longtime member of CREOL 麻豆精品 S檚 Industrial Affiliates Program, Lockheed Martin 麻豆精品 S檚 partnership has strengthened both the available opportunities for students and collaborative research efforts that aim to聽benefit聽the industry at large. And as a new聽Pegasus Partner聽with UCF, Lockheed Martin 麻豆精品 S檚 investment in the future will make impacts far beyond CREOL 麻豆精品 S檚 walls,聽building on聽a longstanding and pragmatic focus on talent pipeline.

With a 7-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, CREOL 麻豆精品 S檚 students are in a unique position to have a small-college experience at a big university. Lopez Zelaya says聽he 麻豆精品 S檚聽glad to have found a similar sense of community at 麻豆精品 S疞ockheed Martin.

麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 a misconception that new technologies mostly emerge from startups, but a lot of them are being developed here, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淒evelopment is fun 麻豆精品 S� taking 麻豆精品 S痑 concept and making it into a working product. 麻豆精品 S�

Lopez Zelaya says he 麻豆精品 S檚 proud to put those skills to use in his hometown, and for a company that 麻豆精品 S檚 leading the way in emerging optical technology 麻豆精品 S� positively contributing to Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 economy along the way.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 one of the best ways to make an impact here, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Bush, a professor of K 麻豆精品 S�12 STEM education and Lockheed Martin Eminent Scholar Chair in the College of Community Innovation and Education was recently appointed to serve as a member of the U.S. National Commission on Mathematics Instruction (USNC/MI). The faculty member 麻豆精品 S檚 appointment began in May and will end in December 2028.

An Opportunity for National and Global Impact

Under the umbrella of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, USNC/MI is a standing commission that promotes U.S. participation in mathematics activities around the world. USNC/MI members represent the U.S. through participation in the International Commission on Mathematics Instruction (ICMI), which aims to build global interaction among mathematics educators and researchers. The commission also represents the U.S. in the International Mathematical Union, which fosters efforts to improve the quality of mathematics instruction worldwide.

麻豆精品 S淔or the past 15 years, I 麻豆精品 S檝e been dedicated to interdisciplinary STEM and STEAM work grounded in deep mathematics learning, which not many other members of the commission specialize in, 麻豆精品 S� Bush says. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e also worked with some of the largest school districts in the country to cultivate mathematics teacher-leaders and make systemic improvements in education. These are some of the unique perspectives I bring to the table. 麻豆精品 S�

Part of Bush 麻豆精品 S檚 distinct insight is informed by her experience as the director of the , a 30-year partnership that supports K-12 STEM educators pursuing advanced degrees and boosts the quality of mathematics and science education for Central Florida youth.

Guiding the Future With Emerging Technologies

Not only does USNC/MI represent the United States in mathematics education events worldwide, it also provides guidance on timely topics such as innovative technology 麻豆精品 S� such as artificial intelligence (AI) 麻豆精品 S� and instructional strategies in mathematics. Bush believes her expertise will be valuable in the commission 麻豆精品 S檚 efforts to provide this guidance.

麻豆精品 S淭o be part of this commission is so exciting, 麻豆精品 S� Bush says. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 our voice in mathematics education to the whole world. This appointment is effortlessly synergistic with UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 focus on STEM and AI, and it only further elevates the pioneering work we 麻豆精品 S檙e doing here. 麻豆精品 S�

With data science and AI currently trending as transformative tools in mathematics education, Bush says they have the potential to allow teachers and students to analyze and interpret mathematical data in a more impactful and efficient way 麻豆精品 S� something she is interested in working with fellow USNC/MI members on regarding instructional guidance.

麻豆精品 S淎I gives us instant access to information and data that opens doors to a whole new level of conversations in math and STEM instruction, 麻豆精品 S� Bush says. 麻豆精品 S淢y current work explores how AI can be intentionally leveraged to make our instruction more authentic and empower students to seek solutions to real challenges on a deeper level. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淚n USNC/MI, we 麻豆精品 S檙e not only interested in teaching students how to use AI, 麻豆精品 S� she continues. 麻豆精品 S淲e also want to help them think about when and why to use it while being critical consumers who understand its limitations and broader implications. 麻豆精品 S�

A Prestigious Appointment and a Global Stage

Bush received her appointment with USNC/MI through a nomination from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 麻豆精品 S� the world 麻豆精品 S檚 largest PK 麻豆精品 S�12 mathematics education association 麻豆精品 S� for which she served on the board of directors from 2019 to 2022. She says she considers the USNC/MI appointment an extraordinary professional learning opportunity.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a big honor in our field, 麻豆精品 S� Bush says. 麻豆精品 S淭hose I 麻豆精品 S檓 serving alongside on the commission have made critical contributions to my field, and they have impactful careers as faculty, distinguished professors, endowed chairs and deans at some of the highest-performing universities in our country. I 麻豆精品 S檝e collaborated with some of them in the past, and others I 麻豆精品 S檒l be working with for the first time. I 麻豆精品 S檓 learning so much through this experience because they work in areas adjacent to my own. It still feels a little unreal that I 麻豆精品 S檝e been nominated to join them and represent UCF. 麻豆精品 S�

She says she is looking forward to seeing how her involvement with USNC/MI will unlock new possibilities for discovery and collaboration on the international stage.

Bush and fellow USNC/MI members will also be gearing up to represent the U.S. at the International Congress on Mathematics Education 麻豆精品 S� one of the key events in which the commission is involved. Held every four years, this conference brings together thousands of mathematics educators from around the world to showcase their work, exchange ideas and forge partnerships. The next conference will convene in Prague in Summer 2028.

Joined by Gov. Ron DeSantis, UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright and Lockheed Martin Chief Operating Officer Frank St. John ’87 ’91MS signed the Pegasus Partnership agreement in June at the Paris Air Show, the global aerospace industry 麻豆精品 S檚 premier meeting 麻豆精品 S� and a fitting venue for two organizations that are leaders in Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 robust and rapidly growing aerospace industry.

As part of the agreement:

• Lockheed Martin will expand investments in the highly successful , which since 1981 has provided unrivaled work experiences for more than 10,000 students in engineering, business and many other disciplines 麻豆精品 S� and led to many of those students earning full-time employment with Lockheed Martin.
• Lockheed Martin will significantly grow research with UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 world-class faculty in key areas such as autonomous systems, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, robotics, advanced manufacturing and hypersonic technologies.
• UCF will develop a new executive education program that would provide an opportunity for Lockheed Martin to upskill and train their leaders for the future.
• Both organizations will work together to pursue joint federal funding opportunities that will further strengthen their roles as leaders in cutting-edge research and development.

What This Means for Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Future

The Pegasus Partnership supports many of Gov. Ron DeSantis 麻豆精品 S� goals, including maintaining Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 role as setting the national standard for economic growth, workforce development and innovation.

“This partnership between UCF and Lockheed Martin is an example of how Florida leads in workforce education,” DeSantis says. “Our state is proud to prioritize educational opportunities that produce practical knowledge and immediate job opportunities.”

UCF has provided much of the talent that has fueled Lockheed Martin 麻豆精品 S檚 growth and success. The university is the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 top provider of graduates to the aerospace and defense industry, according to Aviation Week Network.

麻豆精品 S淟ockheed Martin 麻豆精品 S檚 unwavering partnership empowers our students with real-world opportunities, drives innovation, and strengthens our shared commitment to building a brighter future, 麻豆精品 S� Cartwright says. 麻豆精品 S淭ogether, we will work even more closely to shape the next generation of leaders and advance industries and technologies that benefit Florida and the world. 麻豆精品 S�

The agreement builds on UCF and Lockheed Martin 麻豆精品 S檚 longstanding partnership and designates UCF as Lockheed Martin 麻豆精品 S檚 first university strategic partner in Florida. UCF joins 11 other prestigious universities in this designation, committed to supporting Lockheed Martin as the world 麻豆精品 S檚 largest Aerospace and Defense corporation.

麻豆精品 S淭his agreement is a celebration of more than four decades of partnership between Lockheed Martin and UCF, built on innovation, shared values, and a commitment to developing the next generation of STEM talent, 麻豆精品 S� says St. John, who earned 产补肠丑别濒辞谤 麻豆精品 S檚 and master 麻豆精品 S檚 degrees in electrical engineering from UCF and began at Lockheed Martin through the CWEP. 麻豆精品 S淎s an alum, I 麻豆精品 S檓 incredibly proud of the role UCF plays in shaping the future of aerospace and defense. 麻豆精品 S�

About UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Partnership with Lockheed Martin
Thanks to UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 partnership with Lockheed Martin, UCF students for decades have gained invaluable hands-on experience through internships and cooperative education programs, which strongly enhance their practical skills and employability. Lockheed Martin also provides scholarships and mentorship opportunities that help students excel in fields such as engineering, cybersecurity and technology.

The two organizations have worked closely on cybersecurity initiatives 麻豆精品 S� including the Cyber Innovation Lab, where UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 national champion collegiate cyber defense team trains 麻豆精品 S� and educating K-12 STEM teachers who are inspiring Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 future workforce to become interested in science, math and engineering fields.

About the Pegasus Partners Program
UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Pegasus Partners program offers opportunities for select partners to engage across the university in ways that create meaningful value for both organizations. That engagement includes talent development and recruitment, shared research projects, joint ventures and collaborations, strategic philanthropy and co-location at UCF. The university is proud to also include Addition Financial, AdventHealth, Nemours Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Health, Orlando Health and Siemens Energy among its Pegasus Partners.

For 40 years, Lockheed Martin has partnered with UCF to provide students with paid internship opportunities through CWEP. The part-time program has grown exponentially, with approximately 650 students participating each year. On average, 60% of them are offered full-time jobs.

By utilizing hybrid work schedules, Lockheed Martin provides flexibility for students to complete the program 麻豆精品 S檚 requirement of 15-25 hour of work weekly while they maintain other responsibilities. In the video above Hernandez shares what it 麻豆精品 S檚 like interning with Lockheed Martin through CWEP and below he shares advice for other students interested in the program.

Where are you from and why did you choose to attend UCF?
I am from Oswego, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). I chose to attend UCF because UCF had everything I was looking for in a graduate school. I was drawn to the university because of its prestige and recognition in several areas. The research conducted in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems also closely aligns with my research interests.聽 In addition to all that, I was definitely drawn to the warmer weather.

How did you become interested in industrial engineering and what do you want to pursue in this field?
When I began applying for college as a high school senior, I was unsure of a major; however, I was certain about wanting a career that somehow focused on the human body. Undecided, I enrolled at Iowa State University as an 麻豆精品 S渦ndecided engineer. 麻豆精品 S� I was fortunate to start college early as I was accepted into Iowa State 麻豆精品 S檚 summer bridge program, Academic Program for Excellence, and that is where I had the opportunity to tour Dr. Richard Stone 麻豆精品 S檚 Augmentation and Training of Humans with Engineering in North America (ATHENA) Lab, a lab in the Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering department. I immediately fell in love with the research and decided to study industrial engineering with an emphasis on human factors and ergonomics.

My passion for this field has grown ever since enrolling and finishing my 产补肠丑别濒辞谤 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in industrial engineering (IE) at Iowa State. It has grown enough for me to continue onto graduate school at UCF in industrial engineering. Here at UCF, I have now obtained my master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in IE, and I am on the road to obtaining a Ph.D. in IE. After obtaining my Ph.D., I would like to help work toward improving safety and enhancing human performance with engineering.

What advice would you give to another student who is applying to the program or starting the program?
I would say to take full advantage of this opportunity and make the most of it. As UCF students, we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to gain industry experience at a widely known and respected company while working to obtain a degree. Also, don 麻豆精品 S檛 be afraid to ask questions when you are stuck. We aren 麻豆精品 S檛 expected to know everything, and it is OK to ask questions when they arise.

What skills have you gained from being involved in CWEP?
This program has been a rewarding experience thus far. From the work I have completed to the incredible people I have met, this is an experience I am so glad I decided to be a part of. As a student that aspires to work in industry after finishing my degree, it is important to have these internships and work experiences to gain real-world experience before applying to full-time jobs. I have developed and further enhanced various skills such as my analytical skills, interpersonal skills, and presentation skills. Thus, being a part of this program will help develop the skills I will need to be ready for full-time work in industry.

How does CWEP help you connect with other students and network with industry professionals?
We develop many different personal and professional connections by working with professionals daily. In addition, CWEP has also created opportunities for CWEPs to meet each other. The past few events have been virtual because of the pandemic.

It took about two weeks to successfully complete the mission, but Hawks and his team spent the entire time trying to reach their contacts on the island via satellite phones, coordinating with companies to get items such as generators and cases of water, and finding the right aircraft and delivery location, among hundreds of other tasks.

麻豆精品 S淚t was probably one of the most challenging situations that I may face in my entire career, 麻豆精品 S� Hawks says. Although it was difficult, Hawks says he was able to conquer the challenge because of his experience at the university.

As a criminal-justice major and emergency-management and homeland-security minor, Hawks聽interned at the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange, a crime and hazard fusion center that supports nine Central Florida counties. After graduation, he landed a job with Lockheed in a crisis-management position. His job is to make sure company personnel and sites are prepared for natural and man-made disasters, as well as lead a team in functions such as human resources, technology, security and more in recovery efforts.

About a year ago, Hawks 麻豆精品 S檚 undergraduate internship experiences proved to be helpful once again when he was tasked with managing the storm response for Lockheed 麻豆精品 S檚 Puerto Rico site, which employed more than 150 people at the time.

The site 麻豆精品 S檚 location in the western city of Aguadilla added another level of difficulty to the already daunting delivery. Most of the flights and supplies to Puerto Rico arrived in San Juan, located in the east, meaning a trip across the island 麻豆精品 S搘ith debris-covered roads, no working traffic lights and no power 麻豆精品 S� was needed to reach the right destination.

This may sound impossible, but Hawks was able to join a Lockheed corporate aircraft approved to fly into the Aguadilla airport, which was limited to military aircraft right after the storm. One key person Hawks worked with was a contact he made while at UCF.

麻豆精品 S淢y time at UCF luckily paid off with connections from my internship days, 麻豆精品 S� Hawks says. 麻豆精品 S淚 was able to reach out to Manny Soto, who is the City of Orlando’s emergency manager. He is very familiar with Puerto Rico and has contacts in the emergency management community. 麻豆精品 S�

Through separate two trips, Hawks 麻豆精品 S檚 team was able to make their deliveries, which helped not only Lockheed employees, but also residents of the city of Aguadilla. While the experience was full of hurdles, Hawks learned a lot from it. Here he shares some of that knowledge, more details about the mission and advice for those looking to enter his industry.

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in delivering supplies to Puerto Rico?

Communication was probably one of the hardest obstacles because you’re trying to coordinate not only getting relief supplies there, but what people need. How do we coordinate logistics in moving supplies from the airport to a city that has no form of communications?

How do we coordinate logistics in moving supplies from the airport to a city that has no form of communications?

Cellphones were out and the batteries in those satellite phones could only last so long [meaning] our phone calls could only be so detailed because of the length. There was also, in some cases, a language barrier. I know a little bit of Spanish, but not enough to be fluent.

We verify our employees 麻豆精品 S� wellbeing after any emergency. With no cellphone coverage, no internet, no email, no anything, frankly, we had no real way of doing that. Eventually [it] got to the point where we were trying to get our employees down there who we had been able to get in contact with to ask others, 麻豆精品 S淗ey we know you live within a few blocks of this employee. Have you seen them? Do you know them? 麻豆精品 S� Things like that.

What is the greatest lesson from this experience?

[One of] the lessons that I took away from Maria was we have to build relationships and partnerships with our community.

Without me being able to reach out to Orlando’s emergency manager, Manny Soto, to get the contacts for the mayor’s office and Aguadilla and [other agencies, we wouldn 麻豆精品 S檛] have that direct line as easily as we could have. And it’s not just that, working with our counterparts that are in the area [is important.] We have other businesses there that we know are just as equally concerned as we are and provide that support [to] help each other.

What did it feel like to be able to help out with such a devastating natural disaster?

Rewarding is the first thing that comes to mind. I felt super rewarded and satisfied and felt like my entire schooling, going through UCF and going through emergency management, [was worth it.] My passion in life has been trying to help.

Knowing how rough it was for them down there and essentially what they had to go through, I was like, 麻豆精品 S淥kay we have to do everything we can. 麻豆精品 S� And the ability for us to help and knowing that Lockheed has come through and said, 麻豆精品 S淵es, this is the right thing. We need to do it. 麻豆精品 S� It’s super satisfying.

What advice would you give to a student looking to get into your field?

This fall, UCF just released its new bachelor program in emergency and crisis management, as well as a graduate program in that. I know the level of breadth and experience there from the staff and the individuals that are involved at the emergency management and homeland security functions within the university are top level. And those contacts are frankly what helped get me into a position where I could be successful in my career.

There 麻豆精品 S檚 also the . It 麻豆精品 S檚 a professional group that brings in emergency mangers, not just from private industry, but also from the public. So you’ll hear from people who run different cities, counties, even at the state level from time to time. Or you also get the individuals who may run hospital chains. The stories that they tell are from events and things that have happened, not just in Central Florida, but across all of the state, even farther.

How do you stay calm when managing a crisis?

Knowing that there are people in need and people in life-critical situations, you realize that you have to be the calm voice of reason and try to coordinate and work your way through every possible avenue that we can to see what we can do to help others.

Knowing that there are people in need and people in life-critical situations, you realize that you have to be the calm voice of reason

[But] there’s definitely moments in time where even myself, after [hearing the word] 麻豆精品 S渄evastating 麻豆精品 S� and things like that, you need to take a break mentally for yourself to kind of regroup. You have to become a leader because if you show stress or signs of faltering, it’s not going to help the team and it’s not going to be productive.

The folks that are in these positions, they’re there for a reason and they’re there to help bring everybody grounded to a level of response and quick action to take immediate actions in those cases to help get things back to normal for those who are impacted.

The award, an expansion of the State University System 麻豆精品 S檚 Think Florida: A Higher Degree for Business initiative, was created by Chair Lautenbach to honor businesses that work with universities to promote student success, advance research, and create a better Florida for all citizens.

麻豆精品 S淟ockheed Martin exemplifies exactly how partnerships between our universities and businesses can lead to enhanced opportunities for our students and improved research capabilities that benefit our entire state, 麻豆精品 S� Chair Lautenbach said. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e excited for this opportunity to show our appreciation. 麻豆精品 S�

Lockheed Martin has partnerships throughout the State University System, including the following at UCF:

UCF Trustee Beverly Seay said, “I couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 be happier to have the inaugural award presented at UCF. Partnership is deeply embedded in our culture, and Lockheed Martin is one of our most outstanding and impactful partners. It 麻豆精品 S檚 no secret to those in our region that Lockheed Martin hires many UCF graduates as engineers and computer scientists, but the company 麻豆精品 S檚 impact on our campus and in our community goes much further.”

麻豆精品 S淎s a proud University of Central Florida alumnus, I 麻豆精品 S檓 honored and humbled to accept this award on behalf of Lockheed Martin, 麻豆精品 S� said Frank St. John, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. 麻豆精品 S淭he company believes that advancing education and increasing opportunities for students requires strong collaboration among industry, educators, policy makers and families, and we look forward to continuing our support of these programs well into the future. 麻豆精品 S�

Otronicon engages all ages with the growing digital-media industry, including video gaming, simulation, robots, virtual reality and other fields.

In addition to UCF, visitors to the show Thursday through Monday can learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers and interact with technology created by local companies Lockheed Martin, EA Sports, Disney and others. Gamers will be able to create their own games and an art gallery also will combine technology and art.

麻豆精品 S淭he experience has the opportunity to inspire interest in science and tech careers, 麻豆精品 S� said Jennine Miller, public relations specialist at the science center. 麻豆精品 S淕et a preview of tomorrow 麻豆精品 S檚 technology through interaction with some of our community 麻豆精品 S檚 up-and-coming start-ups and established players. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF exhibitors will be the E2i Creative Studio, School of Visual Arts & Design, Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy and the College of Psychology.

Here are the UCF activities at Otronicon:

The Orlando Science Center is at 777 E. Princeton St. For a complete schedule of Otronicon events, activities and admission costs, click here.

Students successfully complete this program while attending UCF full-time and can work up to 25 hours a week at one of Lockheed Martin 麻豆精品 S檚 two facilities in Orlando. The CWEP Program employs over 500 students annually and is recognized as the #1 Millionaire in the UCF Office of Research and Commercialization 麻豆精品 S檚 Millionaire 麻豆精品 S檚 club and generates over $8 million annually.

Students must be enrolled full-time, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and two full semesters left prior to graduation to be eligible for CWEP. Salaries range from $10.25 an hour to $21.88 an hour based on the technical nature of the positions and student 麻豆精品 S檚 class standing.

麻豆精品 S淭his program is a remarkable opportunity that provides students with professional experience working with one of the leading engineering companies in the world, 麻豆精品 S� said Mark Greenwood, assistant director for UCF Career Services who oversees the CWEP Program. 麻豆精品 S淪tudents that participate in the program graduate with a competitive professional edge over their peers. 麻豆精品 S�

Lockheed Martin looks for a range of majors to complete this program including engineering, business and more. Within the last 10 years, student participation in the program has doubled and in 2014, 62.1 percent of students that graduated from the CWEP Program received full time employment offers from Lockheed Martin.

For more information, visit: career.ucf.edu/lockheed-martin.