Educators at UCF do more than teach coursework 麻豆精品 S� they mentor the next generation of professionals, helping them discover what 麻豆精品 S檚 possible for themselves and guide them toward it. One engineering professor has been recognized for his impact beyond the classroom.
January is National Mentoring Month, celebrating the value of mentorship and its positive impact on individuals and communities.
The Florida Education Fund (FEF) unanimously selected Assistant Professor Kausik Mukhopadhyay as the recipient of the 2025-26 William R. Jones Outstanding Mentor Award, honoring faculty who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to mentoring and supporting McKnight Doctoral fellows.
It Began with a Nomination
For Mukhopadhyay, the recognition carries added meaning because it came from the people he prioritizes most: his students.
He was nominated by Amanda Bernard 麻豆精品 S�22, a first-year doctoral student, McKnight Doctoral fellow and member of Mukhopadhyay 麻豆精品 S檚 . A faculty member in materials science and engineering, Mukhopadhyay says the award came as a complete surprise, as he didn 麻豆精品 S檛 even know he was nominated.
麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 special knowing that this is a student-nominated award, 麻豆精品 S� Mukhopadhyay says. 麻豆精品 S淪pecial thanks to my student, Ms. Amanda Bernard, for secretly nominating me for this award. This is also my first award for mentorship, so it is very special to me. I am so thankful to the FEF committee for this. 麻豆精品 S�
Support That Opens Doors
Bernard 麻豆精品 S檚 path to doctoral study reflects the kind of trajectory Mukhopadhyay works to develop. She first joined the KM Lab as an undergraduate biology student and has remained a member for the past year. After earning her bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree, she planned to pursue a master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in materials science and engineering, until Mukhopadhyay 麻豆精品 S� known simply as 麻豆精品 S淒r. K 麻豆精品 S� to his students 麻豆精品 S� encouraged her to aim for a doctoral degree.
“Rarely do you meet a professor whose passion is to see his students succeed without expecting anything back.” 麻豆精品 S� Amanda Bernard 麻豆精品 S�22, UCF doctoral student
Mukhopadhyay quickly began helping Bernard envision a future she hadn 麻豆精品 S檛 fully considered for herself. Within weeks of her joining the KM Lab, Bernard says that he was researching fellowships and internships to support her graduate journey, which led her to the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship.
麻豆精品 S淥nce you join Dr. K 麻豆精品 S檚 lab, he always has your back, 麻豆精品 S� Bernard says. 麻豆精品 S淗e defends his students, advocates for them and does the behind-the-scenes work most mentors never bother with. 麻豆精品 S�
When Bernard learned she could nominate a professor for the Outstanding Mentor Award, it wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 a question of who; it was just a matter of winning.
麻豆精品 S淒uring my time at UCF, I have met many professors, some of whom have passions in research, teaching, social service and more, 麻豆精品 S� Bernard says. 麻豆精品 S淩arely do you meet a professor whose passion is to see his students succeed without expecting anything back. 麻豆精品 S�
Mentorship That Starts with Students
That belief defines Mukhopadhyay 麻豆精品 S檚 approach to mentorship. Over the years, he has mentored nearly 50 students, including visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers and high school students. His advising philosophy has evolved over the years, shaped by what he 麻豆精品 S檚 learned from conferences, books and his personal experience.
“Every scholar is like a puzzle, and I love being able to serve as a resource to help connect the pieces for each one.” 麻豆精品 S� Kausik Mukhopadhyay, UCF assistant professor
Mukhopadhyay says the key to his success as a mentor lies in how he approaches his mentees. He views them as colleagues, not students, and listens to their thoughts and questions.
麻豆精品 S淚 believe a faculty 麻豆精品 S檚 success depends on how successful their students are, 麻豆精品 S� Mukhopadhyay says. 麻豆精品 S淓very scholar is like a puzzle, and I love being able to serve as a resource to help connect the pieces for each one 麻豆精品 S� whether by answering questions about a plan of work and training, pointing them to resources, helping them set and achieve academic and career goals, or simply offering words of encouragement and support when plans don 麻豆精品 S檛 get going. 麻豆精品 S�
For Bernard, that support has been transformative. It reflects the power of UCF 麻豆精品 S� a university where mentorship fuels momentum and where faculty invest not only in solving the world 麻豆精品 S檚 greatest problems, but also in its people.
麻豆精品 S淏eing intentional about creating or modifying my philosophy allows me to reflect on how I interact with [students], make space for their independence and improvement as needed, and contribute to society and the next generation of students, 麻豆精品 S� Mukhopadhyay says.
For the students who walk into his lab, it often marks the moment they begin to see a bigger future and realize they 麻豆精品 S檙e capable of achieving it.
