We are America鈥檚 Space 海角直播. And we celebrate UCF Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what鈥檚 next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

With world-renowned faculty, hands-on learning experiences and a location less than an hour from Florida鈥檚 Space Coast, UCF continues to prove why it鈥檚 America鈥檚 Space 海角直播 鈥� where education, industry and exploration unite to shape the future of space.

Oct. 25 marks the start of the second UCF Space Week, a university-wide celebration of all the ways Knight Nation boldly pushes space forward. The observance highlights UCF鈥檚 vital role in advancing space research, supporting Florida鈥檚 fast-growing space economy, and preparing the next generation of explorers, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

Here are a few key reasons why we celebrate UCF Space Week and how SpaceU is launching the next era of space innovation.

A Legacy in Fueling the Space Industry’s Talent Pipeline

When the university first opened in 1963, landing humans on the moon was a dream that seemed out of reach. Yet UCF dared to believe 鈥� and take action 鈥� by supplying talent and research to the nearby space industry based on the Space Coast just 35 miles east. UCF鈥檚 purpose has only grown stronger more than six decades later as space exploration fuels transformative innovation here on Earth.

Every year, thousands of students gain real-world experience, conduct interdisciplinary research and participate in programs 鈥� including the听aerospace medicine program 鈥� directly connected to industry, preparing them for in-demand roles across the space sector.

The university鈥檚 excellence in providing talent is supported by data, as the American Society of Engineering Education consistently ranks UCF in the top five nationally for awarding bachelor鈥檚 degrees in (2025):

• Aerospace engineering (No. 4)
• Mechanical engineering (No. 5)
• Computer science (No. 5)
• And No. 10 for awarding engineering bachelor鈥檚 degrees overall 鈥� the highest in Florida

Advancing Research That Reaches New Frontiers

When visionaries look to the future, they also look to UCF 鈥� a leader in space research, innovation and education with 14 experiments sent to space aboard commercial rockets since 2016. UCF Space Week spotlights these breakthroughs, connecting the community with the pioneering work happening right on campus.

Studying Aging in Space

Researcher: Professor Michal Masternak, College of Medicine
Project: Masternak and his team study how the extreme conditions of space affect human aging and health. By simulating microgravity and space radiation, the researchers identified molecular changes associated with accelerated aging, offering insights that could help protect astronauts on long-duration missions and inform future therapies for age-related diseases on Earth.

Unlocking Lunar Resources

Researchers: Planetary Geologist and Associate Professor Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Interim Department Chair of Physics and Associate Professor Adrienne Dove
Project: Donaldson Hanna and Dove are leading NASA鈥檚 Lunar-VISE (Lunar Vulkan Imaging Spectroscopy Explorer) mission, which aims to uncover clues about an unexplored part of the moon and potential insight for deeper space exploration.

Detecting Habitable Worlds

Researcher: Professor Stephen Eikenberry, College of Optics and Photonics
Project: Eikenberry and his team are developing advanced photonics technology to help future space telescopes detect Earth-like planets hidden by the brightness of nearby stars. The NASA-funded project could improve scientists鈥� ability to directly observe potentially habitable worlds and search their atmospheres for signs of life.

Building Partnerships That Propel Discovery

UCF Space Week highlights these crucial collaborations with support from Blue Origin, KPMG, Lockheed Martin, Verizon, Space Florida and SpaceX.

At the heart of UCF鈥檚 success is collaboration. The university works closely with NASA, government agencies, private companies, and research institutions to create opportunities that bridge education, research, and real-world application. These partnerships help students gain experience and industry insight while advancing technologies that will define the next phase of space exploration.

On Sept. 9, UCF partnered with the U.S. Space Force鈥檚 innovation enterprise to launch the听. The effort strengthens connections between government, academia, industry and entrepreneurs to help promising ideas move faster from research to real-world capability.

UCF is also helping space鈥憆elated research, innovation and workforce development across through the Florida Space Research Consortium. Alain Berinstain, who joined UCF in January as director of the Florida Space Institute, now leads the eight-university initiative 鈥� underscoring UCF鈥檚 leadership and expertise in this evolving field.

Powering Florida鈥檚 Space Economy

Space is no longer just a frontier 鈥� it鈥檚 the future. With the global space economy projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, UCF is preparing the visionaries who will fuel discovery and shape that growth.

Now expanding its impact into the business of space, UCF is helping lead the business of space under the direction of Space Commercialization and Strategy Program Director Zaheer Ali . His work is building a pipeline of leaders ready to drive innovation, strengthen national security and unlock opportunities that will advance humanity鈥檚 future beyond Earth.

Reaching for What鈥檚 Next

UCF Space Week isn鈥檛 just about looking back at past achievements 鈥� it鈥檚 about imagining what comes next. With a legacy built on exploration and a community fueled by curiosity, UCF continues to inspire students and researchers to reach higher, think bolder and push the boundaries of what鈥檚 possible.

Because at UCF, space isn鈥檛 the final frontier 鈥� it鈥檚 just the beginning.

Engineering students are constantly told that grueling workloads, sleepless nights and brutal exams will eventually pay off with lucrative careers. But Michael Ferrante 鈥�15MSEM wants them to know something far more important: they are not alone.

鈥淚鈥檓 providing evidence that somebody cares. That鈥檚 important to students 鈥� knowing that somebody is listening.鈥� 鈥� Michael Ferrante 鈥�15MSEM, CECS special instructor

鈥淚鈥檓 providing evidence that somebody cares,鈥� says Ferrante, an engineering management graduate and a special instructor in UCF鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) who has championed student success for over 50 years. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 important to students 鈥� knowing that somebody is listening.鈥�

His peers at the Florida Engineering Society have tuned in as well, naming Ferrante their 2026 Engineering Faculty Member of the Year. The recognition came as a surprise to Ferrante, who does not teach full-time. Instead, he wears many other hats, all displaying an unwavering devotion to expanding engineering opportunities
at UCF.

鈥淲hen a student comes back to me years later and says, 鈥楬ey, I got my Ph.D., I am working where I want to work and I鈥檓 enjoying life,鈥� that鈥檚 what matters,鈥� Ferrante says. 鈥淚 may have given them advice and steered them in the right direction, but they did the heavy lifting. They earned the grades and they put in the work.鈥�

Tau Beta Pi Is In His DNA

Ferrante’s legacy began in the 1970s when he helped record UCF courses on Betamax tape for traveling engineers. Since then, he has been deeply embedded in campus engineering organizations. He is the chief advisor for Tau Beta Pi 鈥� the National Engineering Honor Society 鈥� and has served on numerous leadership committees, including the CECS Alumni Council, the Engineering Leadership and Innovation Institute (eli2) and the UCF student chapter of the Florida Engineering Society.

When he is not running between the engineering buildings, Ferrante is networking on behalf of students at national conferences, securing scholarships and bringing industry leaders to campus for recruitment events.

鈥淭he thing I鈥檓 most proud of involves Tau Beta Pi,鈥� Ferrante says. 鈥淭hese students are the cream of the crop. When I began advising the UCF chapter 12 years ago, we had just three students. Today, our chapter has grown to more than 100 students and we regularly initiate dozens of new members each semester.鈥�

Until Ferrante secured approval at a Tau Beta Pi national convention several years ago, computer science majors at UCF were ineligible to join the prestigious engineering honor society. Today, UCF stands as one of only an elite number of colleges nationwide permitted to induct computer science students into the organization.

鈥淢r. Ferrante is the kind of person who is always around and has his hands in everything. Nothing is too much for him. He鈥檒l make the time for it.鈥� 鈥� Julia Moras, computer science student

Computer science major Julia Moras is one of those select members. Since being initiated during her first year, Moras has spent the past two years leading the UCF chapter as its president.

鈥淢r. Ferrante is the kind of person who is always around and has his hands in everything,鈥� says Moras, who has taken on the role of student advisor for the UCF chapter. 鈥淣othing is too much for him. He鈥檒l make the time for it.鈥�

Next year, the Florida Delta chapter of Tau Beta Pi will celebrate its 50th anniversary at UCF. As the chapter prepares to host the District 5 conference for the third time, Ferrante will be busy organizing the landmark event. The numerous chapter awards lining his office walls stand as a testament to his impact 鈥� even if he is quick to deflect credit by insisting he is “just the advisor.” Yet, his influence extends far beyond the campus borders.

Alongside four decades of service to the Naval Air Warfare Center, where he worked on simulation and live system development projects, Ferrante served as a weapons expert and test sniper for the U.S. Army鈥檚 small arms development program. He also was vice president of a local chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees, volunteered for 40 years as a reserve captain with the Orange County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and currently sits on the Zoning and Planning Board for the City of Winter Springs.

No Slowing Down

His wife and fellow UCF graduate, Pamela Ferrante ’85 MEd鈥�95 EdS 鈥�00, insists that retirement is out of the question. Even at 73, slowing down is simply not an option for her husband, a past recipient of the CECS Alumni Night Leadership and Service Award.

As a student advisor, Ferrante believes his job is to show up, listen and help. Sometimes that mentorship means writing letters of recommendation for scholarships or graduate schools, introducing students to prospective employers or providing them with advice. He and his wife also donate food, clothing and supplies to the UCF Knights Pantry, which provides for students鈥� immediate needs.

There is no telling how deep Ferrante鈥檚 campus footprint will grow. With his recent 听appointment to College of Community Innovation and Education as courtesy professor of practice for engineering integration, Ferrante intends to leverage his five decades of engineering expertise to foster new strategic partnerships and collaborative initiatives across the university and beyond.

鈥淲hat really makes me feel good is when students make the effort and get the job of their dreams. All I do is try to direct them.鈥� 鈥� Michael Ferrante 鈥�15MSEM, CECS special instructor

鈥淢ike has an extraordinary gift for making people feel supported,鈥� says CCIE Interim Dean and Professor Ross Wolf 鈥�88 鈥�91MPA 鈥�98EdD, who volunteered with Ferrante in the Orange County Sheriff鈥檚 Office. 鈥淥ver three decades, I watched him dedicate countless hours to mentoring and encouraging others. Whether in law enforcement, engineering or community service, Mike鈥檚 true passion has always been helping people reach their goals.鈥�

One thing is for sure. Ferrante鈥檚 goal remains the same: to pay forward the education and opportunities that UCF provided him and his four children 鈥� Matthew 鈥�16, Aimee 鈥�17, Deanna 鈥�17 and Jennifer 鈥�19.

鈥淲hat really makes me feel good is when students make the effort and get the job of their dreams,鈥� Ferrante says. 鈥淎ll I do is try to direct them.鈥�

Powerful innovation changes more than technology. Put to work for UCF students, it expands what they can learn, discover and achieve.

Across UCF, innovation takes shape through meaningful experiences. Students navigate patient care through immersive simulations, explore new possibilities for prosthetics, and learn from world-class faculty who bring industry expertise and mentorship into the classroom.

That approach has helped place UCF among the nation鈥檚 top five most innovative public universities and earn recognition as Florida鈥檚 most innovative university for the 10th consecutive year, according to the 2027 Best Colleges rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report.

鈥淲e are proud to see UCF recognized as Florida鈥檚 most innovative university and among the best in the nation for the opportunities we provide our students,鈥� says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淥ur students work alongside outstanding faculty, contribute to meaningful research and gain experience taking on real problems. We want them to graduate from UCF knowing what they are capable of and ready to put that experience to work in our state and beyond.鈥�

The distinction reflects the university鈥檚 commitment to elevating how students learn, how discoveries are made and how higher education strengthens the state it serves.

Preparing Talent That Strengthens Florida

For UCF nursing students, learning to care for critically ill patients can begin well before they enter a hospital room.

At UCF鈥檚 Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation, Technology, Innovation and Modeling (STIM) Center, a global leader in healthcare simulation education, nursing students build patient care skills in realistic clinical environments.

“[We] continue to evolve the way we teach our nursing students because healthcare and technology are constantly evolving.” 鈥� Frances Armstrong, UCF clinical assistant professor

Clinical Assistant Professor and Graduate Simulation Coordinator Frances Armstrong recently combined鈥痶he center鈥檚 immersive cave, a virtual ventilator and an artificial intelligence-enhanced platform to create a simulation for acute care nurse practitioner DNP students. The experience brings theory to life, challenging students to apply what they鈥檝e learned as they prepare for the complexities of patient care.

鈥淚t’s鈥痠mportant for us to continue to evolve the way we teach our nursing students because healthcare and technology are constantly evolving,鈥� Armstrong says. 鈥淥ne of the main ways to do that is by being innovative.鈥�

That impact extends beyond the classroom. UCF has educated more than 17,000 Knight nursing alumni to date, with over 80% living and working in Florida. Our undergraduate nursing program also ranks among the top 50 public universities nationally.

When Research Meets the Real World

UCF also ranks among the nation鈥檚 top 15 public universities for Best Undergraduate Teaching and top 10 for public universities for Best Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects 鈥� and is the only Florida university recognized in the latter category. Those strengths converge as students work alongside faculty to answer questions without obvious solutions.

More than 2,000 UCF undergraduate students conduct research each year. For computer science graduate student Eugenio Diaz 鈥�26, that opportunity began as a sophomore through a research event that matches students with faculty experts.

There, he connected with Mohsen Rakhshan, an assistant professor in . Together, they began exploring a question with life-changing potential: Could technology help a prosthetic hand recognize what it touches?

Their project, 鈥淭exture Classification Using Neuromorphically Encoded Tactile Sensing Data,鈥� combines AI, neuroscience and engineering to identify textures from tactile data. The technology relies on spiking neural networks, which more closely mimic how biological neurons communicate. The research could eventually help prostheses restore a sense of touch.

“This project showed me how satisfying it can be to take [theoretical] ideas … and turn them into something that addresses a tangible problem.” 鈥� Eugenio Diaz 鈥�26, UCF student

Diaz helped redesign the data-collection system, train models, analyze results and author a paper now under review.

Progress wasn’t immediate. For months, the models performed little better than random guessing. Guided by Rakhshan, Diaz kept experimenting until accuracy surpassed 80%.

鈥淢entoring undergraduate students is both teaching and research,鈥� Rakhshan says. 鈥淚 try to teach students how to think and guide them to find answers to what is known and unknown.鈥�

For Diaz, the breakthrough revealed what his skills could accomplish.

鈥淭his project showed me how satisfying it can be to take ideas that are interesting theoretically and turn them into something that addresses a tangible problem,鈥� Diaz says.

Putting More Opportunity Within Reach

Experiences like these have a greater impact when more students can reach them.

UCF is among the nation鈥檚 top 30 public universities for Best Value for In-State Students.

Value goes beyond the cost of a UCF degree. It鈥檚 reflected in the opportunities students have to learn and collaborate with faculty experts, contribute to hands-on research, work with emerging technology and develop skills that prepare them for graduate study and the workforce.

Together, the rankings reinforce innovation with a clear purpose: creating more possibilities for students to learn, discover and build what鈥檚 next.

To see the full list of U.S. News & World Report rankings, visit ucf.edu/academics/us-news-rankings.

A double-barreled T-shirt launcher that can fire shirts higher than the 60-foot walls of Acrisure Bounce House.

A decked-out golf cart, rescued from its fate at the salvage yard and repurposed instead into Knightro鈥檚 preferred mode of transportation.

A 3D-printed, robotic Citronaut piloting a spaceship that blasts AC/DC鈥檚 Thunderstruck through surround-sound speakers.

And set to make its debut later this year, a powerful projection spotlight designed to summon Knightro onto the field 鈥� his own version of Batman鈥檚 iconic bat signal.

As the students explain the ins-and-outs of these custom innovations 鈥� all built in university labs with tools, technology and machines at their disposal 鈥� facility manager Pete Alfieris stands off to the side with a dash of pride on his face.

鈥淩emember what Pete stands for,鈥� the longtime UCF staff member calls out. 鈥�Preparing engineers through e诲耻肠补迟颈辞苍.鈥�

They collectively groan, but in a tone that clearly shows they cherish this man and his dad jokes.

鈥淚f you graduate from [UCF鈥檚] engineering college without meeting Pete, you didn鈥檛 really go to the engineering college,鈥� says Caden Peters 鈥�26, a computer engineering alum who co-created the Knight signal. 鈥淗e really shows that anyone can make an impact. You don鈥檛 have to be a professor. You don鈥檛 have to be an advisor. He鈥檚 the facilities manager of the engineering building. And he still has such a strong impact on the college and inspires so many students. There鈥檚 really no one like him.鈥�

Alfieris oversees daily operations, lab safety and security for UCF鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science buildings since he took the role in 2008. Nowhere in his job responsibilities does it list mentoring and collaborating with students.

Yet for the past five years, since the football season ticket holder was first inspired to introduce a T-shirt launcher at UCF football games, Alfieris has been the driving force behind the growing partnership between the college and UCF Athletics, pitching his ideas to elevate the game-day experience for fans.

The partnership reflects what UCF does best: connecting classroom learning with real-world experience. As SpaceU, UCF Athletics provides a fitting stage for students from the College of Engineering and Computer Science 鈥� the nation’s No. 1 supplier of talent to the aerospace and defense industries, according to Aviation Week Network 鈥� to apply their academics and flex their skills.

鈥淔or years I have seen the potential in these students,鈥� Alfieris says. 鈥淎 lot of them go on to work at SpaceX, NASA, Blue Origin, L3 Harris, Northrop Grumman. They鈥檙e so smart and talented.鈥�

The students are always on board to oblige in bringing his visions to life because he believes in them; sometimes more than anyone.

鈥淭here are only a few people here that I would say even scratch the surface compared to Pete when it comes to their belief in students,鈥� says recent mechanical engineering grad Ayden Jordan 鈥�26, who also created Knightro鈥檚 signal. 鈥淧ete believed in us from day one.鈥�

Peters interjects: 鈥淒ay zero.鈥�

That belief and hard work have led to some of the most engaging moments in UCF football鈥檚 game day experience today.

The Idea That Started it All: A T-Shirt Launcher

Austin Harkins 鈥�24 鈥�26MS had listened through two weeks of senior design project ideas, waiting for one worth claiming. The year-long group projects require engineering students to design, build and present a functional prototype before graduation.

Then his professor said two words: T-shirt launcher.

鈥淵ou could just see everyone鈥檚 ears kind of perk up around the room,鈥� says Harkins on a call from Texas, where he鈥檚 currently working as a mechanical design engineer for L3 Harris. 鈥淚 grew up in Oviedo, Florida. My parents went to UCF. I couldn鈥檛 tell you how many UCF football games I鈥檝e been to. I thought, 鈥榊eah, I鈥檓 doing this.鈥� 鈥�

Harkins led one of the teams to score the project. Mechanical engineering graduate student Luciana Carreras 鈥�25 led another.

Over the next several months, both teams designed launchers capable of firing dozens of shirts into the stands during the brief 30-second window they鈥檇 have on the field between plays.

When the prototypes were ready, Carreras and Harkins brought them to the football stadium in the summer for a test run in front of UCF Athletics鈥� game day operations staff.

鈥淚 think [UCF Athletics] had some hesitations, which I understand because they didn鈥檛 know who we were,鈥� Alfieris says. 鈥淲e were launching [T-shirts] all over the field 鈥� one even went out of the stadium 鈥� and [UCF Athletics staff] all looked at me and said, 鈥極h, we鈥檙e definitely doing this.鈥� 鈥�

While the athletic department staff has worked hard to build and protect traditions that span generations of Knights fans, they always embrace trying new things.

鈥淚 think some of UCF鈥檚 best qualities have always been a spirit of collaboration and an attitude of, 鈥榳hat if we try鈥�?鈥� Pete and the engineering students embody that completely,鈥� says Alex Cesarano, associate athletics director for brand experience. 鈥淲hat they鈥檝e delivered over the last few years is a testament to what鈥檚 possible when we have a strong partnership between the university and athletic department. We are immensely grateful for all they鈥檝e added, and continue to add, in service of our fans and student-athletes鈥� experiences.鈥�

Beyond practicality, the teams took design aesthetic into account.

Harkins鈥� launcher resembles a rocket, a nod to UCF鈥檚 SpaceU identity. Carreras鈥� team chose a double-barreled design that maximizes the number of shirts they could launch before leaving the field.

鈥淚 never went to a football game until I had to launch this thing,鈥� Carreras says. 鈥淏ut seeing it out there on game day and seeing the excitement from everyone, it鈥檚 great to leave something behind, especially when it鈥檚 a place that you鈥檝e gotten education from, and you鈥檝e found your friends and a life around the campus.鈥�

Knightro鈥檚 Wheels

Once word spread that Alfieris and the engineering students were behind the T-shirt launchers, the UCF spirit team wanted in.

Knightro head coach Michael Callahan 鈥�05 鈥�09MBA 鈥�17EdD, who also serves as director of knowledge management for UCF鈥檚 College of Medicine, invited Alfieris to tour the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village and discuss future collaborations.

As they drove around in a standard golf cart with Knightro on board, Alfieris couldn鈥檛 help but notice the mascot clinging to the seat.

鈥淜nightro was holding on for dear life, and I looked at Michael and said, 鈥楬ow come Knightro doesn鈥檛 have his own cart?鈥� 鈥� Alfieris says. 鈥淗e looked at me and said, 鈥楪ood question.鈥� 鈥�

Without a dedicated budget or funding, Alfieris has gotten good at being resourceful. He scoured the university鈥檚 surplus property system database, which offers discounted equipment and items in need of repair. One person鈥檚 trash is another鈥檚 treasure.

He found a cart in serious need of electrical work to run again. He turned to the looking for some talent.

Josh Alper, then a first-year mechanical engineering student, answered without knowing a single detail about what he was showing up for.

Alper, who is primarily self-taught, rewired the cart鈥檚 electrical system and fixed the battery charger. He installed LED lighting, four surround-sound speakers and a custom 鈥淏ounce Button鈥� horn to the tune of Zombie Nation鈥檚 Kernkraft 400. He even rigged a 鈥淜nightro phone鈥� that pauses the music for Team Knightro to interact with fans while tailgating. When the phone is placed back on the receiver, the music immediately resumes at maximum vibe levels.

鈥淚 was a new student who basically knew nothing about the school, and in my first few weeks, Pete was touring me around and introducing me to lab managers and faculty,鈥� Alper says. 鈥淚 was able to use 3D printers and tools in the . I鈥檝e gone to football games and shot the T-shirt cannon, which was a really cool experience for my first football season. Working with Pete has opened so many doors.鈥�

Here Comes Citronaut

Alfieris鈥� next big idea was a robot. Mechanical engineering student Andrew Anderson thought Citronaut seemed like a logical choice.

Anderson, who has completed professional internships with Pegasus Partner Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World Resort refurbishing high-profile rides, spent a year creating what the team affectionately refers to as 鈥淐itronaut鈥檚 Thunderstruck鈥� 鈥� a 3D-printed Citronaut piloting a spaceship that rolls through campus blasting AC/DC鈥檚 hit song.

The project began as an oversized foam cube measuring roughly 5 feet on each side.

鈥淔iguring out how to safely cut the foam and see it take that saucer shape, it felt like I was working at Disney,鈥� says Anderson, who has dreamed of developing theme park rides since he was 9 years old.

The team equipped the spaceship with tilting and movement capabilities and an accelerometer to give it a sense of flight.

Meanwhile, computer science major Melanie Allen became Alfieris鈥� go-to team member for precision work. She designed, laser cut and 3D-printed the Citronaut figure to fit snuggly in his spaceship.

鈥淚鈥檝e taken advantage of our machine shop, our 3D printers, laser cutters [and] the 5-axis CNC machine to make aluminum parts. I didn鈥檛 think I would ever be good at painting, and now I know how to paint. So I think a lot of these experiences have given me skills that really make me stand out,鈥� Allen says.

Citronaut鈥檚 Thunderstruck debuted at the 2025 Mission IX Space Game as part of the pregame march to the stadium and was an immediate hit.

鈥淎 lot of kids were really excited when they saw it, and fans wanted to take pictures with it. It was fun to be part of the march and know that I helped create something that looks cool and something that people want to interact with,鈥� Allen says. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 feel like I was just another student commuting and taking classes. I felt like I was making a difference and actually contributing to the university.鈥�

Coming Soon: Knightro鈥檚 Own 鈥楤at鈥� Signal

One of Alfieris鈥� most theatrical, ambitious ideas yet is expected to debut this year thanks to Peters, Jordan and the other three engineers of their senior design project team.

Similar to Batman鈥檚 鈥渂at signal,鈥� the team designed a custom cylinder-shaped light projector capable of summoning Knightro into action to amp the crowd.

鈥淲e faced a lot of questions and doubt when we pitched this for senior design. Could the physics actually work out? Will [the light] actually project at that far of a distance?鈥� Jordan says. 鈥淲hen you have a good team, anything is possible. And we believed we could make the impossible happen.鈥�

The biggest hurdle came early.

The specialized lights required for the design cost $700, leaving Jordan unsure if the project would ever get off the ground.

A week later, his team got an email that the lights were in, purchased by the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering from the budget dedicated to supporting senior design projects.

鈥淧ete worked his magic,鈥� Peters says.

Engineering this from a concept drawing into an actual functioning contraption was no small feat.

The high-powered lights generated enough heat to require radiators and a water-cooling loop. The team also developed an innovative method to display the projected image by using a laser cutter to burn away the coating on mirror slides. And ensuring safety throughout their design, down to the emergency stop button, was paramount.

When their first successful test happened at 3 a.m. on the side of Engineering II, the first person they told was Alfieris.

鈥淚 remember walking up my apartment stairs that night thinking, I want this feeling for the rest of my life,鈥� Peters says.

Funds and hours in a day are the only things holding back Alfieris and the students at this point. They have a few more ideas and projects in the works that they鈥檙e eager to share with Knight Nation when they鈥檙e ready.

Alfieris says he鈥檚 grateful to his supervisor, College of Engineering and Computer Science Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and NCAA faculty representative Manoj Chopra, for allowing him to engage with the students in these ventures. It鈥檚 been one of the greatest gifts of his career.

鈥淎ll [the] stuff that I wanted to do is coming to life, and it鈥檚 so much fun,鈥� Alfieris says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have any kids, so they鈥檙e like my kids. I get that proud parent moment when they come to me and say, 鈥楾hank you.鈥� And I’m like, 鈥榃hat are you thanking me for?鈥� And they say, 鈥榊ou helped me. You were just always there.鈥� And it just makes me feel really good. It really does.鈥�

A groundbreaking discovery in a university laboratory may solve a scientific problem but turning that discovery into a successful company is an entirely different challenge. Researchers must determine whether customers actually need their technology, develop a viable business model, attract investors, and build the expertise and infrastructure needed to compete in the marketplace. Even promising technologies can stall somewhere along that journey.

After decades of helping researchers bridge the gap between discovery and commercialization, UCF is now bringing that proven model to a national stage.

Small U.S. businesses based in a variety of technologies that are seeking support to scale their reach can .

With a $20 million investment from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), UCF is leading the National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI), a two-year pilot program designed to help late-stage federally funded technology companies make the difficult transition from validated technology to commercial success.

The effort has drawn support from more than 30 organizations across industry, academia, national laboratories and the innovation community. Samsung, Siemens, Lockheed Martin and L3Harris are a small sample of the industry leaders that submitted letters of support. Research and higher education institutions supporting the effort include UC Berkeley, the Florida High Tech Corridor, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory. Together, these organizations and others that will be brought into the mix represent the kind of national network NCTI aims to bring together to help promising technologies reach the marketplace.

How NCTI Will Support Small Businesses

Under the leadership of UCF鈥檚 experts, NCTI will build on that commercialization experience by studying companies that have progressed beyond the initial stages of research and development. Researchers will examine how different combinations of support, including capital investment, mentorship, training, prototyping and testing, and market validation, can most effectively accelerate commercialization.

鈥淣CTI completes that pipeline rather than duplicating any part of it.鈥� 鈥� Ivan Garibay, professor

UCF Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems 鈥�00MS 鈥�04PhD, principal investigator for NCTI, will lead the institute. For more than 20 years, the UCF computer science alum has advanced research focused on modeling and simulating complex systems that combine social, technological, and economic factors. Through his previous positions at UCF, including serving as the Office of Research鈥檚 director of technology and innovation, Garibay has gained unique expertise on how to transform developments from the lab into real-world innovations.

Garibay says NCTI is designed to build upon existing federal research translation and commercialization programs by providing support at a later stage, when promising technologies have been developed but companies may still struggle to reach the market. NCTI also builds on another NSF effort Garibay has been leading at UCF since 2024, the Accelerating Research Translation program, which has strengthened internal processes at the university to enhance potential for developing viable business.

鈥淣CTI completes that pipeline rather than duplicating any part of it,鈥� Garibay says. 鈥淲e coordinate the full continuum of federal resources, managing the handoffs from [the NSF] Innovation-Corps customer discovery through to commercialization support, so each company knows where it stands and what comes next.鈥�

鈥淔urthermore, the research study conducted in this effort will discover which interventions applied to enhance commercialization efforts of deep tech companies have the intended impact.鈥� 鈥� Michael Georgiopoulos, CECS dean

, dean of UCF鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science for over a decade, will also contribute expertise as a co-principal investigator for NCTI. Georgiopoulos is a seasoned researcher in electrical and computer engineering whose areas of interest include machine learning and neural networks. Georgiopoulos has also helped lead NSF-supported efforts focused on strengthening STEM education and student success 鈥� fueling a talent pipeline for future innovators and entrepreneurs.

鈥淭his is a great opportunity for UCF with its prior expertise with TIP (Technology, Innovation and Partnership) programs such as ART, I-Corps, Engines to bring together a national network of entrepreneurs, innovators, venture capitalists, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders to help deep-tech companies with proven technologies to successfully commercialize their efforts and attain the expected impact that their technologies are destined for,鈥� Georgiopoulos says. 鈥淔urthermore, the research study conducted in this effort will discover which interventions applied to enhance commercialization efforts of deep tech companies have the intended impact.鈥�

Enhancing a Commercialization Ecosystem

Over time, UCF has steadily expanded its efforts to help faculty researchers move discoveries beyond the laboratory, from establishing the UCF Business Incubation Program in 1999 to taking leadership roles in major economic-focused NSF initiatives.

听 鈥�96MS 鈥�96MBA 鈥�05PhD, a professor of industrial engineering and management systems, has been involved in many of these efforts. He founded the UCF Business Incubation Program, which Time magazine recently named the No. 17 on its inaugural America鈥檚 Best Incubators and Accelerators 2026 鈥� and the top ranked traditional business incubator in the country.

鈥淭he notion now is bringing all these disparate tools together to help an engineer or a scientist get the training, processes, and tools that they need to transfer that technology into something beneficial to society.鈥� 鈥� Thomas O’Neal, professor

鈥淭he whole notion is to build a robust ecosystem at the 海角直播 to help us get technology out of the laboratory and into the marketplace,鈥� O鈥橬eal says.O鈥橬eal also serves as the co-principal investigator for UCF鈥檚 NSF Innovation-Corps (I-Corps) program, which launched at UCF in 2014 as the first NSF-sponsored economic effort at the university. Through the program, researchers undergo a structured customer-discovery process that helps them evaluate the market for their technology and ultimately reach what O鈥橬eal describes as a 鈥済o or no-go鈥� decision about pursuing commercialization.

鈥淚t is a formal process that helps engineers and scientists transfer their technology into viable business opportunities,鈥� O鈥橬eal says.

UCF is also strengthening the broader infrastructure surrounding research commercialization through NSF ART, which O鈥橬eal is a co-principal investigator on.

鈥淲e were really siloed before,鈥� O鈥橬eal says. 鈥淭he notion now is bringing all these disparate tools together to help an engineer or a scientist get the training, processes, and tools that they need to transfer that technology into something beneficial to society.鈥�

Expanding Tech Focuses and Business Insights

That commercialization experience at UCF also extends to the Florida Semiconductor Engine, an NSF-funded initiative led by UCF Galloway Professor of Management , a co-principal investigator of NCTI.

鈥淪ome of the most critical factors include sufficient capital investment, clarity on customer need, business savvy and focused leaders, and the discipline to execute.鈥� 鈥� Ron Piccolo, professor

鈥淭he Florida Semiconductor Engine is charged with translating and commercializing promising technologies in the semiconductor domain,鈥� Piccolo says. 鈥淚 am hopeful that we can support similar efforts in adjacent technologies. 鈥� NCTI extends the university鈥檚 portfolio of programs that support entrepreneurship, technology development and market readiness.鈥�

As an NCTI co-principal investigator, Piccolo will draw on his experience as a business scholar to help develop and execute the institute鈥檚 research plan. His work with the Florida Semiconductor Engine will also help connect NCTI with a national network of NSF Engines spanning critical technology areas, including energy, textiles, quantum computing, critical materials, semiconductors and natural resources.

Determining why some promising technologies become viable companies while others do not will be a central part of NCTI鈥檚 research.

鈥淪ome of the most critical factors include sufficient capital investment, clarity on customer need, business savvy and focused leaders, and the discipline to execute,鈥� Piccolo says.

Ready to Grow Your Business?

NCTI supports a select group of NSF-funded U.S. small businesses (NSF-funded SBIR and STTTR Phase II and Phase IIB companies) at the later stages of deep technology research and development 鈥� such as AI, biotechnology, quantum computing and other fields 鈥� 听through funding, mentoring and connections, paired with individualized support that includes diagnostic triage, a commercialization plan, dedicated mentor teams and curated introductions to customers, investors, industry and national laboratories.

Small businesses across America based in a variety of technologies that are seeking support to scale their reach can .

For听seven consecutive years, the听Rosen College of Hospitality Management听ranks听No. 1 in the nation听for Hospitality and Tourism Management Programs, according to听ShanghaiRanking鈥檚 2026 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

鈥淭he ranking recognizes what Rosen College has accomplished over the past two decades,鈥� Rosen College Dean Cynthia Mejia says. 鈥淲hat excites me most is how we build on that foundation. Our goal is to influence the future of hospitality through the students we educate, the research we produce, the partnerships we create and the solutions we help develop for the industry’s most important challenges.鈥�

Additionally, UCF ranks听No. 2 in the nation听for Transportation Science and Technology 鈥� and in the top 10 for the seventh year in a row. The recognition reflects the breadth of research underway across UCF to develop solutions and advancements for the future of the transportation industry while improving safety and mobility on the nation鈥檚 most critical and busiest roadways.

鈥淚 am happy that our hard work and expanding our transportation faculty have paid off in this continuous recognition,鈥� UCF Pegasus Professor Mohamed Abdel-Aty says. 鈥淲e have opened new fronts in transportation systems, technology and ideas looking to the future. We balance traditional transportation research with cutting-edge and high-impact new directions.鈥�

The rankings represent significant industries that drive international economies with travel and tourism contributing to a global GDP (gross domestic product) of $11.6 trillion and supporting about one in every nine jobs around the world, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council鈥檚 2025 report.

The ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects evaluates universities by academic discipline using research-focused indicators, these include measures related to research output, research quality, international collaboration and academic influence.

A Global Leader in Hospitality and Tourism Research

Located in the nation鈥檚 top tourism destination, Rosen College students, faculty and staff are embedded in industry, allowing them to directly explore emerging areas in the field.

鈥淭his ranking reflects the depth, quality and consistency of the research being produced by our faculty,鈥� Manuel Rivera, associate dean of research at Rosen College says. 鈥淭o be recognized once again among the world’s leading hospitality and tourism programs is a testament to the collective efforts of our faculty, students, alumni and industry partners. The ranking recognizes the foundation Rosen College has built over the past two decades. Building on that foundation, Rosen College is helping shape the future of hospitality through impactful research, innovation, industry partnerships and the development of future leaders.鈥�

Faculty research spans areas including tourism, lodging, events, food service, consumer behavior, technology, and the management of destinations and hospitality organizations, including:

• HFTP Professor of Hospitality Financial Management and Technology Mehmet Altin鈥檚 study on entrepreneurial ecosystems in hospitality and tourism with a comparative analysis across economic contexts, which was published in Tourism Economics.
• Associate Professor Yun Ying Zhong, a research faculty member of UCF鈥檚 Disability, Aging and Technology faculty cluster initiative, completed a systematic review of 30-year research on hospitality in healthcare, which was published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
• Assistant Professor Frank Badu-Baiden鈥檚 study of the factors influencing consumers鈥� acceptance of drone food delivery, including the role of usefulness, emotions and perceived risk, which was published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management.

The No. 1 ShanghaiRanking placement builds on Rosen College鈥檚 continued excellence in curriculum, research and workforce impact as Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX) joined UCF as a Pegasus Partner in June to establish the Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation. Through this partnership, UCF and UDX will further explore:

• Service robotics and human-centered approaches to shape guest and employee interactions

• AR and VR simulation technologies for training, operations, and immersive environments
• AI and digital twins for optimizing and personalizing the guest experience

Advancing Transportation Safety and Technology

With more than 23.4 million residents in 2025, Florida is the nation鈥檚 third most populated state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In the same year, the Sunshine State welcomed 143.3 million visitors听as America鈥檚 No. 1 domestic travel destination, according to Visit Florida.

As residents and tourists navigate around the state, UCF researchers are working to improve transportation challenges related to roadway safety, emerging mobility technologies and other areas.

Abdel-Aty and Associate Professor Shaurya Agarwal lead multiple projects funded by U.S. and Florida Departments of Transportation to develop safety plans and demonstrate technologies across various Florida counties.

One examines Florida鈥檚 Regional Advanced Mobility Elements, or IFRAME, project along Interstate 4 between Orlando and Tampa. The study is evaluating the performance of advanced transportation technologies to inform decisions about future investments to enhance safety and mobility.

Research Assistant Professor Zubayer Islam and Abdel-Aty鈥檚 Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) project 鈥� the first of its kind in the Southeast 鈥� evaluates the effectiveness and enhancements of the agency’s Flex Lanes Program on sections of its expressway. It is the latest development in UCF鈥檚 longstanding partnership with the CFX.

For nearly 14 years, UCF has worked to make highways safer by tackling wrong-way driving, one of the nation鈥檚 deadliest roadway hazards. An international expert in transportation engineering, planning and operations, Professor Haitham Al-Deek, in partnership with CFX, designed, implemented and evaluated wrong-way driving and prevention system technology to detect and deter wrong-way driving on high-speed roads. Deployed across the CFX system, it has achieved an 88.5% driver self-correction rate, the highest known worldwide, which is well supported by the largest amount of data collected on the performance of the invented technology.

Al-Deek and his students also invented the nation鈥檚 first algorithm to help transportation agencies identify wrong-way driving hotspots and prioritize improvements for greatest safety impact with maximum economic efficiency. Through competitively won contracts at state and national levels, this algorithm was implemented for five transportation networks throughout Florida and Idaho.

鈥淎ccording to the data we collected, the deployed lifesaving technology on CFX transportation network helped 2,541 out of the detected 2,870 wrong-way drivers self-correct and turn around safely as of June 2026,鈥� Al-Deek says.

Research That Translates to Daily Impact

UCF鈥檚 performance in transportation science and technology and hospitality and tourism management reflects two distinct research strengths while also demonstrating how the university is improve daily life across the region, state and nation. The 2026 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects also show UCF is making an impact in Public Administration as the No. 11 program in the nation and Law as the No. 25 program across the U.S.

鈥淣SF invests in small businesses that bring the most innovative cutting-edge technologies to the market and society,鈥� says Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for TIP. 鈥淏y closing this gap that is known as the 鈥榲alley of death,鈥� NSF aims to strengthen our commitment to translational research and further develop innovation ecosystems in the United States.鈥�

The 鈥渧alley of death鈥� refers to a stage at which a new technology innovation has been substantially de-risked but the technology has not yet been commercially proven, making it difficult to attract funding or other support needed to achieve commercial viability.

鈥淣CTI builds on UCF鈥檚 growing national leadership in helping promising technologies become products, companies and economic growth.鈥� 鈥� Alexander N. Cartwright, UCF president

鈥淢any NSF-supported small businesses have the potential to become great commercial successes and contribute significantly to economic growth and job creation throughout the nation,鈥� says Lesia Crumpton-Young, TIP section head for small businesses. 鈥淲e want to support small businesses to overcome the hurdles common to commercializing deep technology innovations.鈥�

Led by the 海角直播鈥檚 National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI), the pilot will examine the factors, conditions and approaches that lead to the successful transition of deep technology innovations to nationally impactful technologies.

The institute represents the latest evolution of a commercialization pipeline UCF has spent years developing. Through initiatives including the Southeast Hub of NSF I-Corps, NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) and the Florida Semiconductor Engine, UCF has helped researchers evaluate commercial opportunities, advance emerging technologies and strengthen regional innovation. NCTI will build on that foundation by expanding UCF鈥檚 commercialization efforts to companies nationwide.

UCF Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems , principal investigator for NCTI, will lead the institute, which will provide commercialization funding, expert mentorship and investor connections to SBIR/STTR Phase II and Phase IIB funded companies, while evaluating which approaches most effectively help deep technology 听companies reach the marketplace.

鈥淲e are grateful to the National Science Foundation for its continued confidence in UCF and for the opportunity to help shape the future of research translation and commercialization,鈥� says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淒iscovery reaches its greatest potential when it moves beyond the laboratory and improves lives, strengthens industries and creates opportunity. NCTI builds on UCF鈥檚 growing national leadership in helping promising technologies become products, companies and economic growth. With Central Florida鈥檚 extraordinary concentration of talent, industry and innovation, UCF is well positioned to build a model that can deliver impact for Florida and across the nation.鈥�

鈥淯CF鈥檚 readiness to lead this national effort is anchored by our highly integrated entrepreneurial infrastructure critical in the ‘lab-to-market’ pipeline,鈥� says Winston Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation. 鈥淣CTI will ensure that federally funded technologies successfully transition into investor-ready commercial enterprises.鈥�

鈥淧roviding a 鈥榖ridge鈥� to support our late-stage NSF-funded companies will move their impactful innovation to the market more quickly and thereby benefit the national economy.鈥� 鈥� Peter Atherton, program director for NSF Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer.

鈥淎 validated technology is a scientific achievement, but it isn鈥檛 yet a business. Many NSF SBIR Phase II companies hold genuinely de-risked technologies, yet still lack the business expertise, infrastructure, and capital access to turn that validation into a viable company,鈥� Garibay says. 鈥淣CTI completes that pipeline rather than duplicating any part of it: we coordinate the full continuum of federal resources, managing the handoffs from I-Corps customer discovery through to commercialization support, so each company knows where it stands and what comes next.鈥�

The pilot will support a select group of NSF-funded small businesses at the later stages of deep technology research and development through funding, mentoring, and connections, paired with concierge-level individualized support: diagnostic triage, an individualized commercialization plan, dedicated mentor teams, and curated introductions to customers, investors, industry, and national laboratories.

鈥淧roviding a 鈥榖ridge鈥� to support our late-stage NSF-funded companies will move their impactful innovation to the market more quickly and thereby benefit the national economy,鈥� says Peter Atherton, program director for NSF Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer.

Each stage of the pilot will be structured and independently evaluated. Designed as a scalable model, the results of the pilot will determine whether to establish a long-term program.

Learn more about the .

As coach of UCF鈥檚 championship Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition Team (C3), Thomas Nedorost 鈥�02 keeps his eye on the prize 鈥� but not just the trophies.

For Nedorost, a management information systems alum, the real prize is seeing his students and C3 team members become trailblazers, land top industry jobs, build successful careers and pave the way for other Knights.

A senior lecturer in UCF鈥檚 , Nedorost has coached C3 to 15 national championships in 14 years. The team has finished among the top three in 198 competitions, earning 123 first-place wins along the way.

UCF has one of the nation’s most successful collegiate cybersecurity programs, with its competition team winning 15 national championships in the last 14 years.

C3 members compete against top universities worldwide, putting their cybersecurity defense skills to the test by protecting systems against simulated threats.

Nedorost, who built the program from the ground up, is proud of what his teams have achieved over the years, and he sees the impact of their success in the opportunities that come their way.

鈥淏ecause of the experience they get on C3, team members end up in fantastic internships in the field, and when they graduate, most of them skip over entry-level jobs and land roles at that next level, along with some impressive salaries. So, their career prospects are really strong,” Nedorost says.

Fostering Excellence, Investing with Impact

Even with the team鈥檚 consistent success, funding has remained an ongoing challenge.

鈥淲e have struggled from day one 鈥� not in finding talent or space, but in acquiring computer equipment and funds for airfare, hotels, meals and other operational expenses,鈥� Nedorost says.

The university鈥檚 Collegiate Cyber Defense Fund through the has been a source of support, thanks to the generosity of individual donors, as well as several companies and organizations.

That support has helped C3 compete at the highest level. But Nedorost knows that long-term success requires long-term investment.

So, he鈥檚 making one himself.

Nedorost is making a planned gift to support future C3 teams. By including the program in his estate plans, he鈥檚 creating a legacy that鈥檒l continue investing in the next generation of cybersecurity talent long after his coaching career ends.

His commitment represents the largest single gift to C3 to date.

鈥淢y hope is that this will always be a strong program, and that future team members will continue to compete at an elite level, become leaders in the industry and always feel like they have a place in the community we鈥檝e built,鈥� Nedorost says.

Building Greatness

C3 began when former information technology major Jonathan Singer 鈥�13听approached Nedorost during his first semester as a UCF instructor and proposed entering the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CDCC).

Nedorost had a background in management information systems and had served as an adjunct instructor at Valencia College and UCF, but he didn鈥檛 have experience in cybersecurity. He gave Singer the go-ahead to hold an interest meeting.

When 86 students showed up, Nedorost knew they were onto something.

The Collegiate Cyber Defense Club was born, and Nedorost began building a team from among its members, focusing on elevating UCF’s competitive excellence in this emerging field.

鈥淒uring the live competitions, I can鈥檛 help them. They have to rely on what they鈥檝e learned in class, what they鈥檝e seen and done before, and what they’ve practiced as a team,” Nedorost says.

In its first year, with just eight members, the team won the Southeast CCDC regional competition. That victory earned the team a trip to nationals, where it finished 10th.

These days, Nedorost fields a team of 25 to 27 students each year, from which he builds competition rosters. C3 has won six CDCC national competitions since those early years 鈥� more than any other team in the competition’s history.

“Like any winning team, we put our top talent in the competition. And meanwhile, I’m always recruiting so that we have a strong bench for the future,鈥� Nedorost says.

Fostering Community, Opening Doors

As he has built the program, Nedorost has also created a community that supports each other.

Experienced C3 members serve as speakers at club meetings and lead workshops to help other students. Program alumni return to help Nedorost coach the team, mentor students, serve as guest lecturers and even sponsor meals during local competitions.

Those alumni connections also open doors to internships and jobs as former team members advance in their own careers.

The rise in cybercrime in recent years has fueled demand for cybersecurity professionals, creating a significant gap between the number of skilled workers and available positions. The United States has more than 1.3 million cybersecurity professionals 鈥� the largest cybersecurity workforce in the world today 鈥� with more than 500,000 open positions in the field (Programs.com 2026 report).

UCF is preparing students to help fill that gap.

Designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, UCF attracts talented students passionate about the field.

Nedorost is part of that success. In addition to serving as C3 coach and faculty advisor to the Collegiate Cyber Defense Club, he directs UCF鈥檚 and teaches courses including Cyber Defense Analysis and Topics in Cybersecurity.

Investments like Nedorost’s highlight the importance of UCF鈥檚 Go For Launch campaign: Investing in students to elevate their competitive excellence and shape a bold tomorrow.

• Associate Professor Chen Chen 鈥� Associate Member
• Professor Ivan Garibay ’00MS ’04PhD 鈥� Associate Member
• Professor Jayanta Kapat 鈥� Full Member
• Professor Damla Turgut 鈥� Full Member
• Associate Professor Thomas Wahl 鈥� Associate Member
• Associate Professor Dazhong Wu 鈥� Associate Member
• Professor Xiaohu Xia 鈥� Associate Member
• Professor Yang Yang 鈥� Associate Member

Full members are recognized as established leaders with a sustained record of exceptional impact in their respective fields. Associate members, who are new to ASEMFL this year, are recognized for their professional accomplishments and emerging leadership.

鈥淲e are proud to welcome this exceptional group of scholars and innovators to ASEMFL, including our inaugural class of associate members,鈥� says Yogi Goswami, ASEMFL president and distinguished professor at the 海角直播 of South Florida. 鈥淭heir lifelong dedication and creativity have led to transformational advances in their fields, improving lives and strengthening our communities.鈥�

Since its establishment, ASEMFL has grown to more than 300 experts grounded in common research and educational pursuits who are committed to undertaking issues in science, engineering and medicine of particular interest to the state.

This year鈥檚 cohort is the largest in ASEMFL history. All new members will be inducted at the ASEMFL annual meeting, which takes place in November at the 海角直播 of South Florida.

Chen Chen

Associate Professor in the and the Institute of Artificial Intelligence

Citation: For pioneering contributions to multimodal and federated learning and real-time, privacy-preserving video analytics, advancing trustworthy and efficient AI systems for public safety, healthcare, and societal well-being.

Jayanta Kapat

Pegasus Professor and Director of the Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research

Citation: For innovative research and digital twin modeling and their impact on improved costs, efficiency and emissions in advanced turbines and energy systems.

Nasser Kutkut

Graduate Faculty Scholar in the

Citation: For having pioneered high-efficiency and IoT-enabled battery charging systems, cloud-based energy management, and smart telematics platforms 鈥� technologies that cut costs, reduce emissions, and modernize industrial and electric vehicle power management worldwide.

Ivan Garibay ’00MS ’04PhD

Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems and Director of the UCF Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Initiative

Citation: For pioneering work in AI for modeling complex human behavior, including the development of inverse generative social science, evolutionary model discovery, green technological innovation, and AI for social resilience against disinformation and polarization.

Damla Turgut

Pegasus Professor and Chair of Computer Science

Citation: For pioneering contributions to the application of value of information in wireless networks, and for outstanding leadership in advancing research and education at both the university and international professional society levels.

Thomas Wahl

Associate Professor in the and the Center for Integrated Coastal Research

Citation: For pioneering work on flood risk analysis, coastal compound flooding and assessment of coastal hazards at multiple scales under weather extremes.

Dazhong Wu

Associate Professor in the

Citation: For contributions to the development and implementation of machine learning-based techniques for part qualification and certification in advanced manufacturing.

Xiaohu Xia

Professor in the

Citation: For pioneering artificial enzyme research, achieving unprecedented catalytic efficiencies and developing diagnostic technologies with substantial clinical and societal impact.

鈥淒r. Xia鈥檚 research is an excellent example of how cutting-edge research in the College of Sciences leads directly into transformative applications for the betterment of humanity,鈥� says Josh Colwell, College of Sciences dean. 鈥淗is recognition by ASEMFL is particularly appropriate given the nature of his innovative work combining nanomaterials and fundamental chemistry research for healthcare applications that will directly impact people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

Yang Yang

Professor in the

Citation: For being an accomplished scholar in developing energy materials using nanotechnology.

Driving Research Excellence at UCF

Together, the honorees exemplify the breadth of research excellence driving innovation across UCF’s College of Sciences and College of Engineering and Computer Science.

鈥淛ay Kapat, Damla Turgut, Chen Chen, Ivan Garibay, Thomas Wahl, Dazhong Wu, Yang Yang and all faculty in the College of Engineering and Computer Science have contributed significantly to the research and education in their disciplines and their induction to the academy is a testament [to] their meaningful accomplishments,鈥� says Michael Georgiopoulos, College of Engineering and Computer Science dean. 鈥淭he academy is expected to benefit from their expertise and their anticipated service to move its mission forward.鈥�

The nationwide initiative encourages interdisciplinary teams to develop new AI models and research workflows capable of addressing national challenges across fields such as advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, critical materials, energy and quantum information.

鈥淭he Genesis Mission harnesses the collective strengths of the nation鈥檚 leading institutions across academia, industry, and government to accelerate the pace of discovery,鈥� says Winston Schoenfeld, UCF vice president for research and innovation. 鈥淯CF鈥檚 participation reflects听the expertise of our researchers听and talented students, whose contributions will help shape AI-enabled scientific workflows and transform technological advances into real-world solutions that fuel American competitiveness.鈥�

A New Approach to Creating Fuels and Chemicals

As interdisciplinary scientific challenges become increasingly data-intensive, applying human ingenuity to advanced technologies creates possibilities to solve long-standing industry issues.

Ling鈥檚 contribution to the Genesis Mission will aim to address problems with biomanufacturing by developing an AI digital twin (virtual replication). This digital twin predicts and optimizes bioprocess performance, enabling improved process monitoring, decision-making, and scale-up.

The project will also provide opportunities for UCF researchers at different stages of their careers to contribute to the work. Pinzhen Lin, who will begin a doctoral degree at UCF鈥檚 College of Optics and Photonics in Fall 2026, will join Ling鈥檚 research group and lead development of the project鈥檚 real-time sensor, including its characterization and performance benchmarking. Jirui Fu 鈥�24PhD, a UCF mechanical engineering doctoral graduate and postdoctoral scholar in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, will also assist with the project.

鈥淭he challenge is that conventionally scaling up biomanufacturing is slow and prone to failure, creating a need for smarter tools to accelerate development,鈥� Ling says. 鈥淚f successful, this project could significantly accelerate the development and deployment of sustainable biomanufacturing for fuels and chemicals, making the process faster, cheaper and less risky.鈥�

With industry-academic collaboration at the core of the Genesis Mission, Ling is working on the project with Kansas State 海角直播 Assistant Professor Yian Chen, as well as the National Laboratory of the Rockies researchers Ajinkya Pal, Jason DesVeaux and Evan Komp.

A Mission With Many Benefits

Although the Genesis Mission is focused on accelerating scientific discovery, Ling believes the work has the potential to create benefits that extend beyond the research community.

鈥淭he AI digital twin framework developed here has strong potential as a commercial platform that can be adopted across a wide range of industries, from energy to materials,鈥� Ling says. 鈥淢ore broadly, it could lower the barriers for industrial partners to adopt bio-based processes, helping drive the transition toward a more sustainable economy.鈥�

For Ling, the research also represents an opportunity to see emerging technologies applied to real-world challenges.

鈥淎s an early-career researcher, I feel very fortunate to lead and participate in a mission of this scale,鈥� Ling says. 鈥淲hat excites me most is the opportunity to apply this technology to solve real-world problems, and to see how it can be integrated with the rapidly advancing field of AI.鈥�

This project will be supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science through the Genesis Mission, a Transforming Science and Energy with AI initiative.