At the threshold of retirement on June 30, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 first Pegasus Professor (honored in 2000) and original architect of online learning would rather talk about his ultimate inspiration.

麻豆精品 S淢y greatest reward is that so many of my former students stay in touch with me, 麻豆精品 S� says Dziuban, an inaugural Online Learning Consortium (formerly Sloan Consortium) fellow.

麻豆精品 S淢y greatest reward is that so many of my former students stay in touch with me. 麻豆精品 S�

Those students often showed up for Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 statistics and research design classes. Many of these students were daunted by the subjects only to find that the person teaching them listened intently, making himself, and the material, approachable.

This is Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 style 麻豆精品 S� with students, colleagues, everyone. To effectively teach, he knows he must begin with the right questions. That curiosity-driven approach has guided UCF to be a leader in online education, including the UCF Online program which serves 9,000 students annually, for over 30 years 麻豆精品 S� earning recognition among the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 best programs, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Here, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 longest serving faculty member is finally on the other side of the questions, sharing insightful reflection and parting wise words.

Humble Roots

麻豆精品 S淚 never set out to achieve any of this, 麻豆精品 S� he says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut the smallest incidences can make significant impacts. 麻豆精品 S�

Dziuban grew up near Utica, New York, where most boys graduated from high school and followed their fathers into the mills. Dziuban, avid about hunting and fishing, began to develop a routine that exists to this day: reading two books every week.

麻豆精品 S淭he truth is, I didn 麻豆精品 S檛 want to work in a mill, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淩eading led to college and college allowed me to reinvent myself. People had called me Charlie. I hated it. In college, I became Chuck. 麻豆精品 S�

Chuck earned degrees, moved, taught, and discovered a connection with statistics and research. At the University of Wisconsin, a mentor, Chester Harris, changed his life.

麻豆精品 S淗e was terrifyingly smart, 麻豆精品 S� Dziuban says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut he knew the importance of understanding students before expecting them to understand the subject. I still have a picture of Chester on my desk. It keeps me humble. 麻豆精品 S�

Humility was among the factors that drew Dziuban to a new university in Orlando, where parking lots were dirt and a cardboard box housed the university 麻豆精品 S檚 entire computing output.

麻豆精品 S淚 saw FTU then, and UCF now, as a place where you had room to develop ideas. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淚 saw FTU then, and UCF now, as a place where you had room to develop ideas, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚t was like a Silicon Valley startup. You weren 麻豆精品 S檛 sure how it might go, but at least the vibe was positive. 麻豆精品 S�

He developed one of his first ideas following a three-hour statistics lecture.

麻豆精品 S淢y students should have been in an emergency room after that lecture, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 realized they 麻豆精品 S檇 learn better by running data first and then coming back for an abbreviated lesson 麻豆精品 S� similar to what we call a 麻豆精品 S榝lipped classroom. 麻豆精品 S� Students said, 麻豆精品 S極h, I get it now. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S�

Pioneering Digital Learning

Dziuban was called upon to use his expertise in and research design to develop a plethora of ideas that would attract international attention to UCF.

One of those early ideas led to a seismic shift that thousands of UCF and UCF Online students are still benefitting from today.

While developing what would become the Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness, Dziuban mentioned to the university 麻豆精品 S檚 fourth president, John C. Hitt, the concept of remote learning through the use of VHS tapes.

麻豆精品 S淗e told me to innovate, 麻豆精品 S� Dziuban says, 麻豆精品 S渟o we used computers instead of tapes. Eventually, we had the most sophisticated online learning model in the country, and the walls of classrooms came down. 麻豆精品 S�

This is why, the annual Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching, established in 2012, is bestowed to one UCF instructor who teaches an exemplary online or video course.

麻豆精品 S淟ike I said, I never planned any of this, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Staying True to 麻豆精品 S淒oing the Right Thing 麻豆精品 S�

If you ever stepped near Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 office, you 麻豆精品 S檇 see a poster featuring a child with hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen 麻豆精品 S� namesake of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management. Rosen used an adage that 麻豆精品 S檚 echoed in Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 mind since they began to break barriers to education in communities in need 31 years ago: 麻豆精品 S淒o the right thing. 麻豆精品 S�

With this as his guide, Dziuban helped The Rosen Foundation institute a program to ensure free preschool and resources through high school. College and trade school would also be free. Instead of directing the program, they empowered people in Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 Tangelo Park and Parramore communities to lead it.

They 麻豆精品 S檝e expanded that impact across Florida as well, and the results have been remarkable 麻豆精品 S� including a recent $50,000 donation from the Harris Rosen Foundation to Gainesville for All in honor of Dziuban 麻豆精品 S檚 work transformative community initiatives.

麻豆精品 S淭he odds of earning a college education have gone from nine-to-one against to three-to-one in favor, 麻豆精品 S� Dziuban says. 麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 immense talent in every community. We can 麻豆精品 S檛 let it go to waste. It 麻豆精品 S檚 why we start young and celebrate every success. 麻豆精品 S�

At the end of this school year, he will be on stage for just such a celebration.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檒l have the honor of moving tassels from the right to the left on the graduation caps of pre-k students, 麻豆精品 S� Dziuban says.

The man with six decades of achievements in higher education will stand back and enjoy a moment the 4- and 5-year-old kids can tell others about.

麻豆精品 S淚 can 麻豆精品 S檛 imagine anything more meaningful than that. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 faculty are renowned thinkers, doers and creators delivering high-quality education and leading-industry research with purpose. They are the campus culture-setters 麻豆精品 S� inspiring ingenuity while upholding our mission to change lives and livelihoods.

The most exceptional among them are recognized annually with the distinction of the university 麻豆精品 S檚 highest honor, the Pegasus Professor award. This year, Hassan Foroosh (College of Computer Science and Engineering); Carmen Giurgescu (College of Nursing); Annette Khaled (College of Medicine); and Matthew Marino (College of Community Innovation and Education) become the newest inductees of this esteemed group.

Their work and research have been motivated by a pursuit to positively impact society 麻豆精品 S� redefining our capabilities with artificial intelligence (AI) systems; improving pre-term birth outcomes for mothers and their babies; curing cancer; and enhancing quality of life for people with disabilities.

Each will be recognized during Founders 麻豆精品 S� Day, which is April 1 this year and receive $5,000.

Meet the UCF Pegasus Professors for 2026:

Hassan Foroosh

CAE-Link Professor of computer science
Director of the Computational Imaging Laboratory

One day your research will solve:

My聽goal has always been not to solve one specific聽problem but聽build聽a machine that is聽the聽problem solver.聽I work with explainable AI and efficient or high-performance AI. My goal is to build general-purpose machines, whether in robotics or autonomous driving or data analytics, etc. I have always thought that there is a way to find a general solution to almost any problem. We just then have to specialize the machines and models to solve specific problems.

What motivates you to pursue this line of research?

I was fascinated by sci-fi movies as a kid. Not many people know this, but I 麻豆精品 S檓 a Trekkie. What always fascinated me were the technologies in that world 麻豆精品 S� tele-transportation, warp speed, and others. I had not even seen a computer as a kid. Because back then, computers fit in rooms five times the size of my office. I was always interested in electronics and building things. In 1992, I moved back to France to do my Ph.D. and my advisor pushed me in the direction of AI and it 麻豆精品 S檚 been that ever since.

What makes UCF the right place to do what you do?

When I first came to UCF 24 years ago, I saw opportunity for growth, and I saw all the industries around here. I saw Kennedy Space Center next door. I like to build partnerships. I like to see my research used in practice. UCF has given me the ability to do that throughout my career.

What has been your favorite moment as a professor?

There are many I can think of. But, once I was vacationing with my family in North Carolina about 10 years ago or so. We were in a mall, and this young man ran toward me. I said, 麻豆精品 S淲hat 麻豆精品 S檚 going on? 麻豆精品 S� He shook my hand and said, 麻豆精品 S淒r. Foroosh! I wanted to thank you. You affected my life. 麻豆精品 S� Back then I was teaching classes of 200 students every semester, so it wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 easy to build relationships with every student or remember everyone 麻豆精品 S檚 name. It felt humbling to know that he felt that way and that I impacted his life like that. It was a very good moment.

Carmen Giurgescu

Chatlos Foundation Endowed Chair in Nursing聽Associate聽Dean of聽Research聽
Professor of nursing聽

One day your research will:
Reduce the rate of pre-term births. For the past 20 years, my research has been examining how social determinants of health influence maternal health and birth outcomes, including preterm birth. Pre-term infants, born at less than 37-weeks gestation, are more likely to have developmental delays, hearing problems and blindness than infants born at term. Their mothers are more likely to have stress, depression, and anxiety. I am focused on improving the health of mothers and their babies.

What motivates you to take this on?
I 麻豆精品 S檝e always been passionate about obstetrics, even since childhood. One of my aunts was pregnant with my cousin when I was a young child, and she was a physician, so she felt comfortable telling me about fetal development. I came to the United States in 1990, and I started working in a mother-baby unit. I had the opportunity to talk with mothers and provide care for their babies. And that put me on the trajectory and my passion for pregnancy and birth outcomes.

In what ways do your students inspire you?
They聽come聽up聽with聽new, innovative ideas that I never thought of.聽It 麻豆精品 S檚聽not a matter of聽just them聽learning from me, but聽me聽also聽learning from them. When I see their passion for what they are doing and when I see them being successful, it drives me to be more innovative, to keep pursuing opportunities, and be more resilient.

What contributions聽at UCF are you most proud of?
I came here in fall of 2019, and back then the College of Nursing had $1.7 million in research funding. In the 2024-25 academic year, we had $3.8 million.聽That 麻豆精品 S檚聽a 124% increase in funding in five years. I am聽really proud聽of聽the聽commitment of our faculty聽and聽the interprofessional collaboration聽that聽has聽increased聽research and聽advanced聽scholarship聽in our college.

Annette Khaled

Professor of Medicine Cancer Division Head
Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs聽

One day your research will solve:
Cancer. Today, even if you聽treat聽it, the patient聽isn 麻豆精品 S檛聽sure if it will come back. Cancer diagnosis is聽almost like聽a lifetime death threat. I want to get to a place where, much like when we have a cold and take an antibiotic, I want people to be able to say, 麻豆精品 S淚 have cancer, take my medicine,聽I 麻豆精品 S檓聽done.聽It 麻豆精品 S檚聽not going to come back.聽It 麻豆精品 S檚聽not going to kill me. 麻豆精品 S�

What motivates you to take this on?
I grew up in California, and my grandparents visited us when I was a teenager. I remember my grandfather asked, 麻豆精品 S淲hat do you want to do? 麻豆精品 S� And I told him, 麻豆精品 S淚 want to cure cancer. 麻豆精品 S� I think for some reason my whole life聽I 麻豆精品 S檝e聽been aware of this deadly disease. I want to help people. I want to make a difference.

What聽are you most proud of聽during your tenure at UCF?
I think the resiliency. We are a young college and have struggled with the ups and downs that the world throws at you. Sometimes you won 麻豆精品 S檛 have funding, sometimes you will have tons of funding. Sometimes things go your way with your studies, but this might be after 20 years of doing experiments that 诲颈诲苍 麻豆精品 S檛听work.聽So聽I think what聽I 麻豆精品 S檓聽most proud of is that I聽haven 麻豆精品 S檛聽given up,聽and I still see that聽there 麻豆精品 S檚聽an optimistic future.

奥丑补迟 麻豆精品 S檚听苍别虫迟?
Cancer is a聽really difficult聽disease because everybody 麻豆精品 S檚 cancer is different.聽But personalized drug therapies 麻豆精品 S� although good in theory 麻豆精品 S� is聽very hard聽to implement because you would have to have 100聽different聽drugs for each person.聽That 麻豆精品 S檚聽how complicated it is. Our research and method take聽a different聽track.

We 麻豆精品 S檝e聽found that all cancer cells share something in common, a protein-folding complex. With this insight we developed a drug that聽we 麻豆精品 S檙e聽partnering with the Orlando VA聽Healthcare System, thanks to the generous support of Orlando Sports Foundation and聽Alan Gooch聽 麻豆精品 S�84聽 麻豆精品 S�89MA,聽聽to test with patient聽specimens. We have a lot more to聽do聽 麻豆精品 S� this is very preliminary. But I am so pleased with the data. I want to eventually get this into clinical trials and get this into the hands of people.

Matthew Marino

Professor of聽Exceptional聽Student聽Education
Director of the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute聽(TJEEI)

One day your research will:
Empower independence for people living with disabilities. People with disabilities struggle to find and maintain employment. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Labor noted a workforce participation rate of just 42% for people with disabilities, compared to 78% for those without. This lack of employment leads to downstream effects such as the inability to live independently. Our dynamic team is utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to leverage emerging technologies in a way that enhances the lives of people with disabilities across our community.

What motivates you to take this problem on?
When I was in college, I suffered a severe spinal cord injury while playing rugby. I had no idea what a disability was prior to that event, but when you are confined to a聽wheelchair,聽you quickly learn how challenging life can be. It took me years of rehabilitation to recover from the injury. I have been working to improve the lives of people with disabilities who are less fortunate than me ever since.聽My goal is to help them find聽the tools聽to open the doors of employment.

What makes UCF the right place to do what you do?
The work we do at TJEEI is based on interdisciplinary partnerships and efficient, effective teamwork.聽I have traveled to universities throughout the country and have not found an institution where there is more ambition to change the world for the better, technology resources to make the change,聽and collaborative vigor to make it happen than there is at UCF. We are truly blessed to work in this environment.

奥丑补迟 麻豆精品 S檚听苍别虫迟?
When we published聽our聽first article on聽 no one was talking about the impact it would have on education. AI has tremendous potential for people with disabilities, which is something we are actively exploring at the National Center on Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning, where I am a co-principle investigator. I 麻豆精品 S檓 not sure where it will take us, but I am extremely optimistic that it can enhance the lives of people with disabilities while improving employment and independent living outcomes.

UCF Trustee Chair Subith Vasu and postdoctoral scholar Justin Urso 麻豆精品 S�15 麻豆精品 S�22PhD have been awarded a $750,000 grant from NASA to study the effects that AAM may have on communities. The UCF researchers have partnered with Ocala International Airport on this project, which will specifically explore the effects of pollution and noise on the surrounding neighborhoods.

麻豆精品 S淲e partnered with Ocala International Airport because of the air traffic around that community, 麻豆精品 S� Vasu says. 麻豆精品 S淎nything that flies makes noise, and it can be annoying for residents. We 麻豆精品 S檙e looking at how to minimize the risk so the community isn 麻豆精品 S檛 bothered. 麻豆精品 S�

Ocala International Airport was a prime partner due to its potential for implementation. Vertiports are the specialized launch pads for electrical air vehicles such as drones and air taxis. Companies like Amazon are interested in using AAM technology for fast and convenient home deliveries while organizations like NASA aim to develop this new transportation system that will deliver both goods and people around the world, safely and efficiently.

麻豆精品 S淚f you live in Ocala and want to take a flight to Europe, California or New York, where do you go? 麻豆精品 S� Vasu says. 麻豆精品 S淭he Tampa and Orlando airports are two hours away by car. Depending on where you live, AAM can be very helpful. 麻豆精品 S�

Urso says we could see the development of a vertiport at the Ocala International Airport by 2035. The City of Orlando also has a vested interest in AAM and is working with NASA to develop an air transportation system plan. Vasu says, in the future, they may expand their project to include Orlando International Airport.

An additional partner on the project is Yingru Li, a professor of sociology at UCF, who will conduct community assessments to provide important data on the City of Ocala. Vasu says the goal is to put UCF at the forefront of this developing industry.

麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 a lot of opportunity within AAM for UCF and the state of Florida, 麻豆精品 S� Vasu says. 麻豆精品 S淲e just want to push UCF as a leader in that field. 麻豆精品 S�

The $150,000 award recognizes young NF researchers across the globe who have made groundbreaking findings early in their careers.

Nagel is a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Cristina Fern谩ndez-Valle, a Pegasus Professor who leads the Neuroscience Division at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. 麻豆精品 S疐ern谩ndez-Valle has dedicated her research to NF2 and finding drugs that can induce cell death in these tumors.

Born in Poland, Nagel 麻豆精品 S檚 interest in medicine stemmed from her childhood, where she spent time in hospitals helping her sister, who suffered from myopathy, a disorder that causes severe muscle weakness. That inspired her to earn a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 and master 麻豆精品 S檚 in biotechnology and a doctoral degree in breast cancer and tumor microenvironments at the University of Gdansk. She then earned a Fulbright BioLAB Scholarship to join the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation to study the genetics of autoimmune diseases like lupus. 麻豆精品 S疉fter two years, she wished to return to cancer research and joined Fern谩ndez-Valle in 2022.

While NF2 tumors are benign, Fern谩ndez-Valle 麻豆精品 S檚 lab is testing existing, FDA-approved cancer drugs to see if they can kill NF2 tumors. In addition to hearing loss and balance issues, the tumors 麻豆精品 S� called vestibular schwannomas 麻豆精品 S� can cause patients to have difficulty controlling facial expressions, ringing in the ears, and dizziness. While the tumors can be removed surgically, they often grow back quickly and worse than before.

Nagel says she chose to work with Fern谩ndez-Valle because 麻豆精品 S渟he sees the research as translational. We want to give back to the community. 麻豆精品 S�

With the award, Nagel will identify the tumors 麻豆精品 S� internal cellular workings and the best way to kill them. She will present her latest findings at the 2024 Global NF Conference in Brussels later this month.

Her advice to young researchers is to stay open to new avenues for pursuing scientific discoveries.

麻豆精品 S淏e open-minded. Apply for many things, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淒on 麻豆精品 S檛 be discouraged when you get rejected. Being a scientist is a great opportunity. There are great science facilities all around the world. Just have fun. 麻豆精品 S�

Pegasus Professors Arlen and Diane Chase were at the Boston Museum of Science to lead about 70 UCF alumni on a special viewing of the largest Maya exhibit ever mounted in the United States. Michael Johnson, dean of the UCF College of Sciences and a Boston native, was also on hand.

Only a portion of the full exhibit is on display in Boston, as it travels around the country, but it includes ample materials unearthed by the Chases and the UCF students who dig alongside them in Belize. The husband-and-wife team have been leading excavations of Maya treasures there since 1979, first at Santa Rita Corozal and since 1985 at Caracol.

The Chases, who came to UCF in 1984 to establish a program in Maya archaeology, work only with UCF students or graduates at Caracol, which at 200 square kilometers is the largest known Maya site. The couple was fresh off their 2015 digging season when they traveled to Boston to point out exhibit highlights for alumni and answer their questions. The Chases consulted heavily on the exhibit.

麻豆精品 S淲e read every label and proofed them, 麻豆精品 S� said Diane of the displays of their work. She serves as UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 vice provost for academic program quality. Arlen is an associate dean in the College of Sciences.

麻豆精品 S淚 already had tickets to come to this exhibit, so I was planning to come anyway, 麻豆精品 S� said Roberto Santamaria 麻豆精品 S�09, deputy director of public health for the town of Framingham, Mass. 麻豆精品 S淏ut it 麻豆精品 S檚 unbelievable that we can be with the people who actually did the archaeology. It 麻豆精品 S檚 a little surreal. 麻豆精品 S�

Ariel Shapiro 麻豆精品 S�11, a behavior therapist for Southbay Mental Health, said she never thought she 麻豆精品 S檇 see a UCF alumni event in Massachusetts. 麻豆精品 S淚 thought I 麻豆精品 S檇 have to go to Florida, 麻豆精品 S� she said. She was so pleased when she heard of the Museum of Science event, she immediately decided to attend.

Santamaria is Costa Rican, and was thrilled to see his own culture and heritage presented in such depth. And the fact that professors from his alma mater were involved? 麻豆精品 S淭hat makes it even better, 麻豆精品 S� he said.

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www.caracol.org

The award for work that has significantly contributed to advancing the nursing profession was presented in San Antonio at the association 麻豆精品 S檚 annual conference.

麻豆精品 S淒r. Sole has made exceptional contributions to the body of knowledge of nursing science. Her work has improved the outcomes of numerous patients and she continues to mentor future CNS researchers, 麻豆精品 S� said Carol Manchester, president of the association.

Sole 麻豆精品 S檚 primary research is on improving outcomes with critical illness, with a focus on airway management and infection. Her secondary research interest is in the application of technology in clinical and educational settings. She has published more than 65 articles in peer-reviewed journals, mostly covering critical care and nursing education.

Sole has worked at UCF since 1991 and was named a Pegasus Professor, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 top faculty honor, in 2008. She is a fellow in both the American Academy of Nursing and the American College of Critical Care Medicine. Her textbook, Introduction to Critical Care Nursing (5th edition) by Sole, Deborah Goldenberg Klein and Marthe J. Moseley, was named Book of the Year in 2010 by the American Journal of Nursing.

She was the lead investigator on a National Institutes of Health nursing research grant related to airway management in critically ill patients, and in 2006 her expertise and commitment earned a gubernatorial nomination to the Florida Biomedical Research Advisory Council, on which she continues to serve.

The Orlando Health Distinguished Professor at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Nursing, Sole received a BSN from Ohio University, a master’s degree in nursing from The Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Texas at Austin. She is certified as a critical care clinical nurse specialist.

Eric Van Stryland, professor of optics, is the joint winner of the R.W. Wood Prize, endowed by the Xerox Corporation and presented by the Optical Society of America. The prize is shared with Mansoor Sheik-Bahae, formerly of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers, and now a physicist at the University of New Mexico.

The award is given annually in recognition of an outstanding discovery, scientific achievement or invention in the field of optics that opens a new era of research or significantly expands an existing one.

Bahaa Saleh, dean of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Optics & Photonics, said the Wood Prize is an honor that only the most dedicated scientists receive and he is especially proud that Van Stryland is the third faculty member from the college to receive the award.

Professor Demetri Christodoulides received the award in 2011 and George Stegeman, now emeritus professor of optics, was chosen in 2003.

麻豆精品 S淲e are pleased that the Optical Society of America recognizes the vast talent we have here at UCF, 麻豆精品 S� Saleh said.

Van Stryland and Sheik-Bahae developed the Z-scan technique that allows researchers to better understand the interaction of high-intensity light with materials and discover new nonlinear optical phenomena. Scientists from all over the world now use this technique to easily measure how materials respond to laser light by simply measuring the transmittance of a material sample as it is moved in and out of the focus of a laser beam.

Using Z-scan measurements, scientists and engineers have been able to select and design materials that can be used to control and manipulate light in specific ways, leading to advances in optics and lasers.

Their technique was published in the IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics in 1989 and remains the most highly cited paper in that journal 麻豆精品 S檚 history.

Van Stryland said the award would not have been possible without the support of longtime UCF collaborators, including MJ Soileau, vice president for research & commercialization, and David Hagan, associate dean for academic programs and professor of optics and physics.

麻豆精品 S淚 am greatly honored to win the R.W. Wood Prize and want to be sure to thank, in addition to my colleagues, all the graduate students, post-docs, research scientists and visitors who have taught me so much over the years, 麻豆精品 S� Van Stryland said.

The ability to manipulate light through materials opens up myriad possibilities for applications. Currently, optical communications are via fiber optics where short pulses of light carry information. These pulses are currently detected electronically and sent to the proper destinations. New research is showing that electronics in many areas can be replaced by “smart” optical materials that will greatly speed up communications and allow more information capacity. There are many examples of how specially engineered materials are finding uses in energy, defense, and medicine.

Van Stryland is one of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 most decorated scientists. He is a fellow and past president of the 19,000-member Optical Society of America and a past member of its board of directors. He is also a senior member of the Laser Institute of America, and a fellow of IEEE LEOS, the American Physical Society and SPIE. In 2003 he was awarded UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Pegasus Professor award.

More than 100 elected officials, business executives, journalists and other notables were nominated for consideration because of their demonstrated leadership and contributions to the enrichment and overall growth of Hispanics in Central Florida. The quarterly magazine is published by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando.

Fern谩ndez moved with his family from Cuba to the United States when he was 12, and is now the highest ranking Hispanic administrator at UCF. He is responsible for the administrative oversight of the college, building new college policies and developing new programs of excellence.

He earned a doctorate at Florida State University in 1973 and came to UCF as a visiting Spanish-language professor in 1981. He was chairman of the Foreign Language and Literature Department before he was named dean.

In addition to winning the Pegasus Professor Award, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 highest honor for teaching, research and service, Fern谩ndez has written dozens of books both in English and Spanish. In 2008, President George W. Bush appointed him to the National Museum of the American Latino Commission.

In an article about him in the magazine, Fernandez compares himself to 麻豆精品 S渢he first Hispanic explorers visiting the New World. 麻豆精品 S�

Other university-related recipients named to the magazine 麻豆精品 S檚 top-25 list were: UCF alumnus Tico Perez, a member of the Board of Governors of the State University System, and Conrad Santiago, a former UCF Board of Trustees member.

Perez, a son of Cuban immigrants, is co-founder of Edge Public Affairs and serves as national commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America.

Santiago, managing聽director of Conrad聽Santiago & Associates/Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., was a founding member and聽the first president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando.