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The heart was so tiny, no bigger than a plum. There in the operating room at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, UCF Pegasus Professor Alain Kassab watched in awe as a team of surgeons went to work, saving a life that had just begun. Kassab had collaborated for years on the research behind the procedure with William DeCampli, the hospital 麻豆精品 S檚 chief of pediatric cardiac surgery and professor of surgery at UCF. They 麻豆精品 S檇 explored drawings, analyzed the math and experimented with models in UCF labs.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 one thing to collect data and use simulation, 麻豆精品 S� Kassab says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut to see it all come down to a little heart, with my own eyes, it 麻豆精品 S檚 hard to describe. 麻豆精品 S�

On the surface, it might seem that Kassab and DeCampli come from different worlds. One is a pediatric heart surgeon. The other works in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Separately, they 麻豆精品 S檙e highly respected in their spheres of influence. Together, they 麻豆精品 S檙e finding ways to keep hearts beating in the world we share.

麻豆精品 S淭hat 麻豆精品 S檚 why I 麻豆精品 S檓 here at UCF: for the collaboration and access to technology, 麻豆精品 S� says DeCampli, who could literally be practicing anywhere. 麻豆精品 S淭o render the best care possible for children and adults with heart disease, one can no longer do this alone. 麻豆精品 S�

The same can be said about a physics professor using a lunch break to visit an authority in virtual reality, or a philosopher talking with computer scientists about the ramifications of artificial intelligence. On a campus where fields of expertise are vast, the doors of progress are always wide open.

Creating a Healthier Future

During video calls, DeCampli often sits at a desk where two words are visible on a wall above his head: Engineering Hope. He personifies cross-discipline proficiency in a white surgeon 麻豆精品 S檚 coat or, sometimes, in his MIT hoodie.

麻豆精品 S淲e can turn concepts into big applications, 麻豆精品 S� he says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut first we have to take steps outside the box. 麻豆精品 S�

We can turn concepts into big applications, but first we have to take steps outside the box. 麻豆精品 S�

Those steps come naturally for DeCampli. He earned a physics degree from MIT and a doctorate in astrophysics from Harvard University. He had a residency at Stanford University and a teaching position at the University of Pennsylvania, with clinical work at the Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Hospital of Philadelphia. Before working on little hearts, DeCampli was on track to work in space as an astronaut. He passed enough tests in the 1980s to make the list of semifinalists for NASA Astronaut Group 11, but then he took a sharp turn.

麻豆精品 S淚 thought being a surgeon would provide a lifelong challenge and allow me to do more good for the world, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 believed this could be done with a combination of surgical expertise and multidisciplinary research. 麻豆精品 S�

That 麻豆精品 S檚 why he rerouted his career to Orlando to lead pediatric heart surgery at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children while UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 medical school was being built. He viewed UCF as a startup where he could collaborate on research with fewer limitations than at many other institutions.

The same kind of optimism drew Kassab to UCF, where he believed there might one day be a biomedical engineering program, a medical school and space to apply aeronautical technology. By the time UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Medicine opened in 2009, physicians were already knocking on Kassab 麻豆精品 S檚 door. DeCampli was among the first.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檇 just seen a poster in a colleague 麻豆精品 S檚 waiting room in New York, 麻豆精品 S� DeCampli says. 麻豆精品 S淭he picture showed a heart with a ventricular assist device (VAD) implanted and it became my eureka moment. 麻豆精品 S�

He noticed the angle of implantation of one of the cannulas, or tubes, on the VAD was likely to allow particles in the blood to move into the cerebral arteries where they could cause strokes. As soon as DeCampli returned to Orlando, he called Kassab.

This should be a wake-up call for surgeons around the world because there 麻豆精品 S檚 an opportunity to reduce stroke disability and possibly save lives. 麻豆精品 S�

Together, they used math, sketches and laws of physics to develop a computer simulation and a 麻豆精品 S渕ock flow loop 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� a benchtop simulation of the human circulatory system. With these experimental approaches, they were able to adjust angles and orientations of VADs and predict the probability of clots moving to the brain.

DeCampli, Kassab and collaborator Eduardo Divo from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University published their initial results nearly a decade ago. Their predictions were validated in September 2023 when researchers from a major heart center in Texas reported that the incidence of stroke was reduced from 50% overall to 10% in patients whose angle of implantation was optimized in the range predicted by the UCF team.

麻豆精品 S淭his should be a wake-up call for surgeons around the world, 麻豆精品 S� DeCampli says, 麻豆精品 S渂ecause there 麻豆精品 S檚 an opportunity to reduce stroke disability and possibly save lives. 麻豆精品 S�

Engineering New Solutions

Earlier this year DeCampli was invited to lead a seminar at the Medical College of Wisconsin. The title of his presentation is a question that has driven his work with Kassab for the past 16 years: Can engineers cure congenital heart disease? Adventures in cross-disciplinary research.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 no physician, 麻豆精品 S� Kassab says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut I know how to use computations from airplane designs to help us figure out the fluid dynamics of blood flow. I 麻豆精品 S檇 always wanted to be a part of medical research, and then [DeCampli] came along. 麻豆精品 S�

They 麻豆精品 S檝e used similar methods with the aim of improving the survival rate of children born with several congenital heart defects, including those with single-chambered hearts. With no intervention, the mortality rate of the latter defect is 80% to 100% within 12 months. To increase survival, these children need three operations. The first procedure, carried out in the first week after birth, is so remarkable that Kassab can only describe it as 麻豆精品 S渞eplumbing the circulatory system. 麻豆精品 S� The second and third operations are carried out around 6 months and 3 years of age, respectively. Even so, problems with circulation can develop later in life. Using a concept drawn from mechanical engineering and industrial applications, the UCF team designed a small implantable 麻豆精品 S渋njector jet 麻豆精品 S� to assist circulation and potentially improve the longevity and quality of life of these children.

It 麻豆精品 S檚 amazing to see everything come to that point, where he 麻豆精品 S檚 working on a little heart, doing good for humanity. That 麻豆精品 S檚 what this is all about. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 an idea born in aerospace, 麻豆精品 S� Kassab says.

Each procedure follows the now familiar rhythm of their research: computer models go to the benchtop and the findings from the benchtop go to the surgeon 麻豆精品 S檚 hands 麻豆精品 S� to the heart of their purpose.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 amazing to see everything come to that point, 麻豆精品 S� Kassab says, 麻豆精品 S渨here he 麻豆精品 S檚 working on a little heart, doing good for humanity. That 麻豆精品 S檚 what this is all about. 麻豆精品 S�

The Power of Physics and Computer Science

At first, Eduardo Mucciolo had little interest in trying on the virtual reality (VR) headset. The idea that goggles could make quantum computing less complicated and more friendly sounded far-fetched. A student, however, urged him to try it.

麻豆精品 S淚 thought it might be kind of silly, 麻豆精品 S� Mucciolo says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut when a student is excited about research, you listen. So I decided to go and see what she was talking about. 麻豆精品 S�

Mucciolo did not have to make travel arrangements or navigate layers of approvals. He used a break in his day to walk from UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Physical Sciences Building to the Barbara Ying Center. He sat down while the student, Pauline Johnson 麻豆精品 S�21 麻豆精品 S�22MS, gave him a tutorial on how to use the VR goggles.

麻豆精品 S淥nce I put them on, I couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 get enough, 麻豆精品 S� Mucciolo says. 麻豆精品 S淚 stayed there for two hours. 麻豆精品 S�

He lost himself in a 3D virtual world, where complex formulas and equations came to life as spheres and a movable vector. Prompts on the screen kept him from missing steps. The goggles themselves kept him engaged.

If this technology can make a believer out of me, imagine how it could excite more students about quantum computing. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淚f this technology can make a believer out of me, 麻豆精品 S� Mucciolo thought, 麻豆精品 S渋magine how it could excite more students about quantum computing. 麻豆精品 S�

When he took off the goggles, he had one question for Johnson: 麻豆精品 S淲ho 麻豆精品 S檚 behind this? 麻豆精品 S�

A few days later, Mucciolo the physics professor was sipping coffee with Ryan McMahan the computer science professor and lead researcher on the project.

麻豆精品 S淓duardo was excited, 麻豆精品 S� McMahan says. 麻豆精品 S淲e both know that quantum computing has unlimited potential and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) believes it 麻豆精品 S檚 about to explode, but there will be a dearth of people who understand it. So, Eduardo and I talked about collecting more data, refining the application and eventually presenting VR goggles to his students as a testbed. 麻豆精品 S�

Those students could then be among those to unlock the power of quantum computing to help with myriad needs, like expediting simulations for drug development, strengthening data security and advancing machine learning. The NSF recognizes the great potential of the research and supports it with a grant, ensuring the work continues.

Simplifying Quantum Computing

But none of this would be happening if McMahan hadn 麻豆精品 S檛 been seated on an airplane next to another quantum physicist in 2019. The man emphasized the biggest factor preventing growth of quantum computing: intimidation. McMahan believed VR could change that. But at the time, he couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 do anything about it. As the only faculty member researching VR at the University of Texas at Dallas, his inbox was always flooded.

麻豆精品 S淚t was overwhelming to be the only person answering questions about the technology, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

A few months later, McMahan accepted a position at UCF to join a deep and growing roster of AR/VR researchers, where he would have the freedom to explore ideas with people across disciplines.

He 麻豆精品 S檚 a computer scientist and I 麻豆精品 S檓 a physicist. But we both have an interest in education. That 麻豆精品 S檚 the motivation for us 麻豆精品 S� easing more students into this new technology. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淚 consider it a blessing that Ryan and I met, 麻豆精品 S� Mucciolo says. 麻豆精品 S淗e 麻豆精品 S檚 a computer scientist and I 麻豆精品 S檓 a physicist. But we both have an interest in education. That 麻豆精品 S檚 the motivation for us 麻豆精品 S� easing more students into this new technology. 麻豆精品 S�

Ironically, the software application that was intended to bring apprehensive students into quantum computing was originally designed by students in McMahan 麻豆精品 S檚 senior design class. And it was a student who convinced a reluctant Mucciolo to try them on before he became a collaborator.

麻豆精品 S淚 had a good feeling about UCF when I came here 20 years ago, 麻豆精品 S� Mucciolo says, 麻豆精品 S渁nd this is an example of why. 麻豆精品 S�

Preparing Elite Professionals for Emerging Industries

At a time when Venmo was only used between friends and crypto was still a fringe currency, Ajai Singh came to UCF to embark on a lofty goal: to build curiosity about finance among computer science students and build curiosity about computer science among finance students. The world would need fintech professionals, and UCF had an environment to create a learning program for them.

麻豆精品 S淭here were universities with fintech courses, but no university had an entire curriculum for us to emulate, 麻豆精品 S� says Singh, professor and chair of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Finance. 麻豆精品 S淪o we became the template. 麻豆精品 S�

It isn 麻豆精品 S檛 an easy template for other schools to follow.

Fintech is one of those areas where UCF saw very early an opportunity to drive talent and research into a new tech industry.”

麻豆精品 S淔intech is one of those areas where UCF saw very early an opportunity to drive talent and research into a new tech industry, 麻豆精品 S� says Rob Panepinto, senior strategic advisor and director of innovation districts strategy and partnerships in the UCF Business Incubation Program. 麻豆精品 S淏ut it requires partnerships between business, computer science and engineering. Not many universities can do that. 麻豆精品 S�

Recruiting the Best of the Best

Singh had the liberty to form a world-class fintech team. Christo Pirinsky of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was among the first people he contacted.

麻豆精品 S淚 liked my job with the SEC, and we 麻豆精品 S檇 been digging pretty deep into fintech, but I recognized an inflection point at UCF, 麻豆精品 S� Pirinsky says. 麻豆精品 S淚t was growing not only in size but in quality, and I wanted to be a part of something that hadn 麻豆精品 S檛 been done. 麻豆精品 S�

Pirinsky came as the co-director of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 fintech initiative, a group that collaborates with professors in computer science and engineering. They are not separated by silos or legacies. In fact, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Finance is the only one in the world that includes a tenured faculty member with a doctoral degree in computer science. All instructors share a common objective: to prepare elite professionals for the fintech industry.

We 麻豆精品 S檝e never had a school with an example to follow, so we created our own path and continue to lead the way. 麻豆精品 S�

Other prestigious universities quietly envy the rapid success of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 fintech initiative. There were eight students in the first year of the undergraduate program. The number more than tripled a year later and it has grown exponentially ever since. In 2022, UCF launched the state 麻豆精品 S檚 first graduate program in fintech and one of the only such programs in the country.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e never had a school with an example to follow, 麻豆精品 S� Singh says, 麻豆精品 S渟o we created our own path and continue to lead the way. 麻豆精品 S�

Outthinking Artificial Intelligence

A voice rose above a recent onstage demonstration during UCF Celebrates the Arts. One of the university 麻豆精品 S檚 tech enthusiasts was showing the audience how artificial intelligence (AI) could analyze a picture he 麻豆精品 S檇 just taken of the room when someone called out, 麻豆精品 S淏ut wait! Do you have permission from the people to use that? 麻豆精品 S�

It 麻豆精品 S檚 one of a million looming questions about AI. Actor and hip-hop artist Common asked this big one at the end of a 2018 Microsoft commercial for AI: 麻豆精品 S淵ou have more power at your fingertips than entire generations that came before you. So, here 麻豆精品 S檚 the question: What will you do with it? 麻豆精品 S�

These questions have inspired as much collaboration as any ongoing research at UCF. The conversations bring together people in philosophy, writing and rhetoric, the arts, computer science, the sciences and engineering.

This technology feels different. There 麻豆精品 S檚 a combination of interest and concern. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淭his technology feels different, 麻豆精品 S� says Jonathan Beever, who 麻豆精品 S檚 in the middle of many of the discussions. 麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 a combination of interest and concern. 麻豆精品 S�

Who is Beever? He 麻豆精品 S檚 a philosopher, but not the solitary thinking kind. The NSF has awarded funding for his interdisciplinary research over the past four years. He 麻豆精品 S檚 tech-savvy enough to have developed an outdoor soundscape lab to analyze biodiversity in nature. He 麻豆精品 S檚 the founding director of the UCF Center for Ethics and helped launch Ethics and Digital Culture with Stephen Kuebler, a research professor of optics and photonics, and chemistry. Questions about AI have reached so many ears that, last year, UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright and Provost Michael D. Johnson expressed an immediate need to connect AI with humanities. Within eight months, Beever had developed a certificate program with Professor of Writing and Rhetoric Laurie Pinkert, drawing input from professors of every specialty in the College of Arts and Humanities.

麻豆精品 S淭his is the topic being discussed around campus, 麻豆精品 S� Beever says. 麻豆精品 S淣o matter what you 麻豆精品 S檙e studying, you want to understand how AI works, the potential benefits and risks, and how and if to use it. It 麻豆精品 S檚 related to everything we value as individuals and as a culture. 麻豆精品 S�

To develop the program, Beever and Pinkert dove into both the micro practical questions around writing and creative arts, and the big-picture ethical questions for society.

麻豆精品 S淭he questions are endless, so at the end of the day we want people to think about AI from every angle, 麻豆精品 S� Beever says, putting the essence of all interdisciplinary research into a nutshell.

麻豆精品 S淏eing at UCF allows me to explore beyond my own realm, and that 麻豆精品 S檚 how we all make progress. 麻豆精品 S�

While spanning his own thoughts 麻豆精品 S� curiosity, concern, excitement 麻豆精品 S� Beever keeps going back to one: gratitude.

麻豆精品 S淚 think about where I am and the importance placed on the work I 麻豆精品 S檓 doing, 麻豆精品 S� he says, echoing the sentiment of every person in this story. 麻豆精品 S淚n a traditional position at a traditional university, I 麻豆精品 S檇 be told to focus on a narrow space. Being at UCF allows me to explore beyond my own realm, and that 麻豆精品 S檚 how we all make progress. 麻豆精品 S�