To advance knowledge in this area, UCF Assistant Professor of Biology , collaborated with international researchers through the Antscan, a global initiave led by the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), with contributions from universities and museums.

The effort has led to a Nature Methods publication and created a freely available, morphological database of over 2,000 ant specimens representing nearly 800 species.

“Ants are important to study because they are ubiquitous, abundant and highly varied, ecologically dominant, and some species practice agriculture, facing challenges similar to human agriculture, such as crop pests,” says Sosa-Calvo, who began researching insect diversity at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the șŁœÇֱȄ of Maryland.

Using a fast and powerful X-ray scanning technique, researchers created phenotypically accurate 3D models, providing a detailed look at both ants’ external and internal anatomy that can benefit a wide range of fields.

“There is strong potential for more ant species to be added to Antscan and that other small insect or invertebrate groups create similar repositories of phenotypic data to advance our understanding of biological morphology,” Sosa-Calvo says.

Closing the Gap Between Genetic and Morphological Data

Standard imaging tools used to photograph specimens, like high-resolution cameras, can capture the external morphology of ants from multiple angles, and micro-CT scanning can capture the internal morphology like organs and muscle tissue. However, these methods are time-consuming and limit how many specimens can be studied.

The Antscan initiative is filling this gap of available data by providing a library of morphologically accurate 3D models of ant anatomy. To solve the throughput bottleneck, the team of researchers is using high-throughput X-ray micro-CT scanning powered by a synchrotron particle accelerator.

“The synchrotron particle accelerator produces much higher intensity light beams, resulting in images with higher contrast and faster processing times than a normal micro-CT scanner,” Sosa-Calvo says. “It takes about 3,000 images per specimen in a short period of time. So instead of taking most of the day to scan a single specimen, researchers can scan a single ant in about a minute or so.”

Once the 2D images are captured, they are reconstructed into a 3D tomogram of the specimen, allowing researchers to see fine details from the exoskeleton to internal structures like the nervous system.

Why This Tech Matters for Biodiversity Research

By streamlining the process of scanning smaller specimens and making the 3D models publicly available, the Antscan initiative has opened the door for researchers to study morphology at a scale previously only possible for genetic data, helping morphological research catch up with its molecular counterpart.

It has also helped document the presence of characteristics previously thought to occur in only a single species.

“A few years ago, we discovered that fungus-farming ants—a group of ants that grow fungus for food and are the subject of Sosa-Calvo’s research at UCF—have biomineralized armor that protects them like the shell of marine crustaceans and mollusks,” he says. “With the scans performed in this project, we now know that other species, within fungus-farming ants also have this armor, which appears to be a unique feature among ants.”

Applications in Art and Media

Scientists aren’t the only group that benefits from this extensive library. Since the files are open to the public, Sosa-Calvo says artists are using them to better understand and animate natural ant movement and is a valuable tool for education by engaging students.

He adds that this proven method of collecting morphological data could encourage researchers to generate similar databases, including other Hymenopteran groups, such as wasps andbees, as well as other insect groups like beetles, and other invertebrates.

Sosa-Calvo’s work contributed expertise on insect diversity, particularly within the order Hymenoptera, which includes ants, bees, and wasps. His research focuses on fungus-farming ants, a group known for their highly organized, cooperative colonies and unique agricultural behavior, or fungiculture.

This research was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (DEB-1927161).

Researchers and students in the Department of Biology within UCF’s College of Sciences, including the Sosa-Calvo Ant Lab, have contributed to the Antscan initiative.

Over the course of nearly a full academic year, peers, departmental and college leadership, and the university promotion and tenure committee engaged in a rigorous, multi-stage review to ensure candidates met UCF’s high standards in teaching, research, and service. Ultimately, they recommended 100 faculty members for promotion, including 23 for tenure.

Following the review process, the president and provost make final decisions on promotions, while the UCF Board of Trustees provides final approval for tenure candidates. These decisions directly advance UCF’s strategic plan and its focus on recruiting and retaining highly qualified faculty – especially those who elevate student success, accelerate discovery and research, and strengthen the talent pipeline that drives innovation and economics for the state of Florida.

“At UCF, promotion and tenure reflects a thoughtful, rigorous review process and the high standards we set as an institution and state,” says John Buckwalter, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “It’s a significant moment for these faculty, not just for the years of hard work it recognizes, but for what promotion and tenure represents: a sustained commitment to excellence, a deep dedication to student success, research that boldly improves lives, and the future we’re building together.”

Promotions and tenure conferrals annually take effect on Aug. 8.

The faculty members recognized below represent the continued strength and momentum of UCF.

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

• John Gardiner, College of Arts and Humanities
• Tadashi Ishikawa, College of Arts and Humanities
• Sara Raffel, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jeffery Redding, College of Arts and Humanities
• John Bush, College of Business
• Seongho An, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Cynthia Williams, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Jiannan Chen, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Chinwendu Enyioha, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Ozlem Garibay, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Yao Li, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Miguel Bandres, College of Optics and Photonics
• Robert Fitak, College of Sciences
• Shyam Kattel, College of Sciences
• Kelsey Larsen, College of Sciences
• Kangsang Lee, College of Sciences
• Xialing Lin, College of Sciences
• Emily Zavodny, College of Sciences
• Kayode Aleshinloye, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
• Carissa Baker, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
• YunYing Zhong, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine with Tenure

• Taj Azarian, College of Medicine
• Thomas Kean, College of Medicine

Promotion to Professor (Tenured)

• Thaddeus Anderson, College of Arts and Humanities
• Ann Gleig, College of Arts and Humanities
• Lanlan Kuang, College of Arts and Humanities
• Sandra Sousa, College of Arts and Humanities
• Mel Stanfill, College of Arts and Humanities
• Melanie Guldi, College of Business
• Xin He, College of Business
• Laurie Campbell, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Eric Merriam, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Woo Hyoung Lee, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Thomas Wahl, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Yang Yang, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Jacqueline Towson, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Romain Gaume, College of Optics and Photonics
• Jacopo Baggio, College of Sciences
• Matthieu Baudelet, College of Sciences
• Karin Chumbimuni Torres, College of Sciences
• Geoffrey Cook, College of Sciences
• Amy Donley, College of Sciences
• Hsin‑Hsiung Huang, College of Sciences
• Brigitte Kovacevich, College of Sciences
• Arkadiy Lyakh, College of Sciences
• Peter Smith, College of Sciences
• Xiaohu Xia, College of Sciences

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine

• Maria Farooq, College of Medicine

Promotion to Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine

• Naziha Slimani, College of Medicine
• Sharon Wasserstrom, College of Medicine

Promotion to Clinical Professor of Medicine

• Mariana Dangiolo, College of Medicine

Promotion to Research Associate Professor

• Crystal Maraj, Office of Research

Promotion to Associate Lecturer

• Jonathan Barker, College of Arts and Humanities
• Sara Willox, College of Business
• Elizabeth Yost, College of Business
• Michael Gilbrook, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Alison Redd, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Michael Redd, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Michael Chetta, College of Sciences
• Heather Edwards, College of Sciences
• Seongchun Kwon, College of Sciences
• Adam Parrish, College of Sciences
• Jamie Vega, College of Sciences
• Tong Wan, College of Sciences
• Rong Zhou, College of Sciences

Promotion to Senior Lecturer

• Christy Flanagan‑Feddon, College of Arts and Humanities
• David Head, College of Arts and Humanities
• Deborah Leitch, College of Arts and Humanities
• Amanda Snyder, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jeanine Viau, College of Arts and Humanities
• Constance Goodman, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Daniel Stephens, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Shane Trenta, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Marino Nader, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Sudeshna Pal, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Rachid Ait Maalem Lahcen, College of Sciences
• Cynthia Bayer, College of Sciences
• Martha Hubertz, College of Sciences
• Tamra Legron‑Rodriguez, College of Sciences
• Hyung Park, College of Sciences
• Widaad Zaman, College of Sciences

Promotion to Associate Instructor

• Meeghan Faulconer, College of Arts and Humanities
• Yukari Nakamura, College of Arts and Humanities
• Carolina Salazar, College of Arts and Humanities
• Punam Desormes, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Jorri Bright, College of Sciences
• Richard Hall, College of Sciences
• Nicholas Zuccarello, College of Sciences

Promotion to Senior Instructor

• Rita De Luca Guerriero, College of Arts and Humanities
• Steven Ton, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Todd Fix, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Julie Matura, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Lance Speere, College of Sciences
• Abigail Ferreira, UCF Global

Promotion to Associate Instructional Designer

• Rebecca McNulty, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Senior Instructional Designer

• Amy Sugar, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Associate Librarian

• Renee Montgomery, UCF Libraries

Promotion to șŁœÇֱȄ Librarian

• Sai Deng, UCF Libraries
• Sarah Norris, UCF Libraries
• Andrew Todd, UCF Libraries

The study was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging and was led by UCF Nanoscience Technology Center Professor James Hickman and Research Professor Xiufang “Nadine” Guo. In collaboration with researchers at healthcare tech company Hesperos, the team used lab-grown, human-cell systems designed to model how the body functions to examined how genetic mutations associated with familial Alzheimer’s affects movement. Today, the study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“Motor deficits may be an earlier indication [of Alzheimer’s],” she says. “If we can detect those changes and intervene earlier, that could help delay the onset of central nervous system symptoms.”

How Movement and Alzheimer’s Are Connected

Familial Alzheimer’s is a rare form of the disease that is hereditary and appears earlier (from 40 to 65 years of age) in people affected than those with the typical condition.

While Alzheimer’s disease is widely associated with memory loss and dementia, clinicians have long observed that some patients show changes in balance, gait (manner of walking) or movement years before cognitive symptoms appear. These early motor changes raise questions about whether parts of the disease begin outside the brain.

Through a tech-powered approach, the team found that the diseased motor neurons — even without involvement from the brain — disrupted the neuromuscular junction, which is central to daily movement.

“This is the first time it’s been demonstrated that deficits in the peripheral nervous system can arise directly from these mutations,” Hickman says. “It means drugs that target the brain may not fix problems in the rest of the body.”

Maintaining motor function may also support overall brain health, as physical activity is known to play a role in cognitive well-being, Guo notes.

How Researchers Build Human Disease Models in the Lab

To explore how these mutations affect movement, the researchers turned to a cutting-edge approach called “human-on-a-chip” technology, which is manufactured through Hesperos, a company co-founded by Hickman. These miniature lab systems recreate the way human cells interact and function in the body, allowing scientists to study disease in a more realistic way than traditional lab or animal models.

The team built a neuromuscular junction-on-a-chip — a small system that mimics the connection between motor neurons and muscle cells. What makes this system powerful is what’s left out: the brain and spinal cord. By isolating motor neurons and muscle cells, the researchers could determine whether movement problems could arise without the central nervous system being involved.

To test this, the researchers paired healthy muscle cells with motor neurons that were created from stem cells and carried familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations. The findings suggest that Alzheimer’s-related movement issues may begin in the network of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord rather than being caused solely by brain degeneration.

Why the Nerve-to-Muscle Connection Matters

The neuromuscular junction is the point where a nerve cell signals a muscle to contract, making movement possible. If that connection is damaged, the body may lose strength, coordination or endurance.

In the study, the researchers measured several aspects of neuromuscular function, including how reliably nerve signals triggered muscle contraction and how long muscles could remain contracted before fatiguing. These measurements mirror the kinds of tests doctors use to evaluate movement disorders.

“You can’t move unless the motor circuit works,” Hickman says. “When a doctor taps your knee to check your reflex, they’re testing that exact connection.”

The Future of ‘Human-on-a-Chip’ Technology

The researchers believe their approach will become increasingly important as drug developers look for more accurate ways to study human disease.

Because the models use human cells and measure real biological function, they can reveal effects that may not appear in animal studies.

For Hickman, the work reflects 30 years of research to better understand disease and help people.

“These systems let us study disease in a way that’s closer to what actually happens in the human body, and that’s what we need to develop better treatments,” he says.

Research reported in this article was supported by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging under award number R01AG077651 and R44AG071386. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health

Florida is turning to UCF experts to find better ways to prevent domestic violence and give survivors a stronger voice in the services they need.

Through a $257,384 two-year grant from the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence, faculty from UCF’s Violence Against Women research cluster are conducting a statewide domestic violence needs assessment. Their findings will help policymakers and local agencies develop better strategies to fund and support domestic violence prevention programs that empower survivors.

“The collective goal of our work is to give people working in these programs and people using these services a voice,” says Bethany Backes, associate professor of social work at , who leads the Violence Against Women cluster and is the project’s principal investigator. “Having research that practitioners can understand and interpret in a way that’s helpful is important to us. “What we’re creating now is hopefully something that can be used for years to come.”

The World’s Women

Violence against women is a global issue. According to UN Women, nearly one in three women worldwide have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life. In 2024, around 50,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members.

“We’re looking at criminal justice, sociology, health, and so much more that altogether could create solutions beyond any one discipline.” — Kim Anderson, Professor of Social Work

UCF’s faculty cluster — working across the disciplines of education, social work, criminal justice, sociology and medicine — was created a decade ago to change these outcomes. “We know how complex this social problem is,” says Kim Anderson, a professor of social work and cluster member. “We’re looking at criminal justice, sociology, health, and so much more that altogether could create solutions beyond any one discipline.”

Informing Florida’s Strategy

The researchers have already identified some key needs for the state to examine.

“For example, we’re seeing people facing abuse who are having to spend more on food or other necessities as they navigate shifts in funding for certain assistance programs,” Backes says. “What we’re also seeing is the effect of population booms, and how rapid growth and rapid decline in some areas affects the need for services.”

The researchers are analyzing data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Florida’s Departments of Law Enforcement and Children and Families and are surveying organizations that provide domestic violence services. They are interviewing survivors who sought services and those who didn’t to understand access to care and risk factors.

Creating opportunities where more people feel comfortable sharing their domestic violence experiences is cluster member Karina Villalba’s expertise.

“My focus is on intimate partner violence, specifically within the Hispanic community,” says Villalba, an assistant professor in the ’s Population Health Sciences Division. “There are certain beliefs, like the concept of ‘machismo’, that may give an avenue for some men to pursue this kind of violence. Because it can be part of the cultural acceptance, it might not even be seen as violence by the survivors.”

She hopes efforts to prevent domestic violence in the U.S. will have impact globally.

“You’re seeing a ripple effect in countries in Latin America where people are becoming more aware,” Villalba says. “It helps us keep pushing forward with our work so we cannot just be a beacon here in Florida and the United States, but to show the world what we can do.”

Keys to Preventing Violence

Preventing domestic violence means identifying early warning signs and behaviors and providing services to lower the risk of continuing violence, Backes says.

Domestic violence is “not always physical and it’s not just seeing someone with a black eye,” she says. “Physical violence can happen after there’s been psychological abuse such as coercion, controlling, isolation or stalking.”

Cluster member Alison Cares, associate professor of sociology at , says preventing domestic abuse involves changing misconceptions.

“There’s this expectation of how abusers or survivors look. It’s easy to think the people doing this abuse look like monsters,” she says. “But the reality is these are people we know. They can be friends or family members or people we work with.”

The researchers say they are encouraged by the resilience of the survivors and service providers they have met.

“We see incredible bravery of people who talk to a support person,” Anderson says. “We’re hoping that information we get from this assessment can elevate the voices of staff and survivors.”

That’s because every dollar ripples far beyond a single day. Every gift opens doors: for students to chase a dream, create unforgettable memories, boldly invent the future and be recognized for their hard work. And every donor does more than give — they ignite potential, spark inspiration and elevate Knights for generations.

With UCF Day of Giving 2026 right around the corner — Thursday, April 9 — we’re reflecting on the transformational effects and personal stories of triumph that emerged from last year’s show of support, knowing that shortly, our collective contributions will set another wave of Black & Gold breakthroughs, successes and discoveries into motion.

Prioritizing Unique Opportunities

Area of Support: College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean’s Excellence Fund
Amount Raised: $67,421
Impact: Learning experiences

Growing up in rural Ohio, Jordan Hires, an aerospace engineering major and Burnett Honors College Scholar, often gazed at the boundless night sky, inspired by the astronauts from her home state of Ohio. Moving 1,000 miles away for college was daunting, but manageable. With her sights set on becoming a chief engineer for deep space flights, UCF offered two key benefits: a renowned aerospace engineering program and proximity to NASA.

“It’s the best decision I’ve made,” she says.

Since becoming a Knight, she’s done backstage tours at NASA, met with industry leaders from Mitsubishi, Siemens Energy and Lockheed Martin, and even talked to a former astronaut at an awards ceremony. This past summer, she worked alongside Professor Kareem Ahmed in the Propulsion and Energy Research Lab as a U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) fellow, testing a solution to remove heat from engines — research that could make hypersonic aircraft safer and cheaper. It was her second research experience as an undergrad.

“I don’t know if it’s every little girl’s dream to work on classified projects with military and civilian applications, but it definitely was this little girl’s dream,” she says. “Thanks to UCF, I’ve had experiences that most students don’t get until graduate school.”

Many of those opportunities are made possible by the College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean’s Excellence Fund, which supports hands-on learning, cutting-edge research equipment and innovative initiatives.

Supporting Lasting Memories

Area of Support: Marching Knights Scholarship Fund
Amount Raised: $14,067
Impact: Multiple scholarships for band members

For UCF Marching Knights President Zoie Taverna, two moments define her UCF experience: the rush of running onto the field for her first game and the bittersweet joy of singing the alma mater song alongside her best friend for their final game before graduation.

“For three whole years, we stood next to each other in the stands, screaming, feeding off each other’s energy,” Taverna says. “For her last game, we went all out. We couldn’t even talk by the end of it. We cried while singing the alma mater.”

Taverna is among the Marching Knights whose experiences at UCF are bolstered by the Branen Band Endowed Scholarship, which helps cover essentials like textbooks, meals and rent that her Bright Futures scholarship does not. As a mechanical engineering major, band leader and corresponding secretary for the national chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, she packs her days with coursework, practice and student engagement.

During the summers, she works full-time at a summer camp for kids, and she spends her weekends and evenings at Panera Bread to save up enough to cover the expenses to allow her to stay focused while in school.

“Without scholarships, I wouldn’t have the time to do extracurriculars, such as Marching Knights, where I get to represent UCF in Central Florida and around the world,” she says. “And I wouldn’t get to spend every Saturday in the Bounce House with all of my friends, immersed in the band life we love.”

Illuminating Pathways

Area of Support: College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL)
Amount Raised: $54,880
Impact: $4,880 Went Toward Supporting 19 scholarships for attendees

This summer, high school student Chloe Phung left the bright lights of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to spend a week immersed in the study of light on UCF’s campus. As part of the third Laser and Photonics Summer Camp hosted by CREOL, she joined more than 50 high school students from across Central Florida — and around the world.

“I had the chance to learn many things, to learn more about optics, lenses and lasers,” Phung says.

In addition to learning opportunities, the camp shines a light on the photonics industry, where more than 10,000 jobs open each year in the U.S., despite only 80 to 100 students in the nation graduating with bachelor’s degrees in photonics annually. A third of those graduates come from CREOL.

Paying it Forward

Area of Support: Dr. Michelle R. Dusseau Communication and Community Impact Endowed Scholarship Fund
Amount Raised: $1,780
Impact: $1,500 scholarship for one communication major, awarded annually

Beatrix Alerte transferred to UCF in Spring 2024 with a plan: build community on campus, explore a career in media, stay active in service and say yes to every opportunity.

The first three goals came naturally. She enrolled in classes, mentored two freshmen as part of the UCF chapter of Big Sister Little Sister mentoring program and served as a trip coordinator for the Alternative Spring Break Program. Alerte also gained work experience as a marketing ambassador for Project BEST, a Student Support Services project that supports first generation students, and as an intern with UCF Athletics.

Her final goal was made easier this summer when Alerte was named the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Michelle R. Dusseau Communication and Community Impact Endowed Scholarship, created this past year by longtime the College of Science‘s Nicholson School of Communication and Media faculty member Michelle Dusseau.

“This scholarship has given me the freedom to say yes to career-building opportunities, many of which are unpaid, while worrying less about covering

personal living expenses,” Alerte says. “That support makes all the difference.”

This UCF Day of Giving, we’re launching Knights to new heights! Save the date to on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Check out the to maximize your impact. And get ready to join your Knight Nation family as we Bounce, Stomp, Splash and Cheer our way to more impact than ever before.

Recipients will include this year’s awardees of some of the highest honors the university bestows, including: Pegasus Professor; the Medal of Societal Impact; the Reach for the Stars Award; the Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year Award; and the Champion of Student Success and Well-Being.

Also being honored are university excellence award winners; those who recently reached milestone years of service; Faculty Senate service awardees; faculty granted ±đłŸ±đ°ùŸ±łÙłÜČő ŽÇ°ù ±đłŸ±đ°ùŸ±łÙČč status; and retired or retiring faculty members.

This year’s celebration includes recognition of Chuck Dziuban, one of the longest-serving and most trailblazing faculty members in school history. His remarkable 55-year-career includes being UCF’s inaugural Pegasus Professor and founding director of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.

Starting this year at Founders’ Day, the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching will be given to underscore the talented faculty behind UCF’s nationally renowned reputation as a leader in in online teaching and learning.

Here are this year’s faculty honorees.

Pegasus Professor Award

Hassan Foroosh, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Carmen Giurgescu, College of Nursing

Annette R. Khaled, College of Medicine

Matthew Marino, College of Community Innovation and Education

Reach for the Stars Award

John Bush, College of Business

Ana Carolina de Souza Feliciano, Office of Research

Shyam Kattel, College of Sciences

Kevin Moran, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Soyoung Park, College of Community Innovation and Education

Hao Zheng, College of Engineering and Computer Sciences

Medal of Societal Impact Award

Zhihua Qu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award

Suha Saleh, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year

Deborah Beidel, College of Sciences

Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

College Awardees

Tanvir Ahmed, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Norine Blanch, College of Community Innovation and Education

Matthew Bryan, College of Arts and Humanities

Peter Delfyett, College of Optics and Photonics

Nyla Dil, College of Medicine

Katia Ferdowsi, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Murat Hancer, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Deborah Horzen, College of Arts and Humanities

Richard Jerousek, College of Sciences

Betsy Kalin, College of Sciences

Evelin Pegoraro, College of Arts and Humanities

Richard Plate, College of Community Innovation and Education

Alfons Schulte, College of Sciences

Nicholas Shrubsole, College of Arts and Humanities

Daniel Stephens, College of Community Innovation and Education

Wei Sun, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Danielle Webster, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Sara Willox, College of Business

Xiaohu Xia, College of Sciences

Widaad Zaman, College of Sciences

șŁœÇֱȄ Winner

Norine Blanch, College of Community Innovation and Education

Excellence in Graduate Teaching

College Awardees

Shaurya Agarwal, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Kim Anderson, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Christopher Blackwell, College of Nursing

Shannon Carter, College of Sciences

Sasan Fathpour, College of Optics and Photonics

Murat Hancer, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Dana Joseph, College of Business

Magdalena Pasarica, College of Medicine

Mel Stanfill, College of Arts and Humanities

Vassiliki Zygouris-Coe, College of Community Innovation and Education

șŁœÇֱȄ Winner

Christopher Blackwell, College of Nursing

Excellence in Research

College Awardees

Sarah Bush, College of Community Innovation and Education

Zixi (Jack) Cheng, College of Medicine

Enrique Del Barco, College of Sciences

Romain Gaume, College of Optics and Photonics

Nan Hua, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Kevin Mullally, College of Business

Matthew Stock, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Ladda Thiamwong, College of Nursing

Subith Vasu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Cyrus Zargar, College of Arts and Humanities

șŁœÇֱȄ Winner

Enrique Del Barco, College of Sciences

Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching

Nicole Lapeyrouse, College of Sciences

Excellence in Faculty Academic Advising

Emily Proulx, College of Arts and Humanities

Excellence in Professional Service

Linda Walters, College of Sciences

Excellence in Librarianship

Katy Miller, UCF Libraries

Excellence in Instructional Design

Amy Sugar, Division of Digital Learning

șŁœÇֱȄ Award for Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students

Engineering, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences

Subith Vasu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Social Science, Humanities, Education, Business, Art and Health

David Boote, College of Community Innovation and Education

șŁœÇֱȄ Award for Excellence in Mentoring Postdoctoral Scholars

Kausik Mukhopadhyay, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Thomas Wahl, College of Engineering and Computer Science

20 Years of Service

Haiyan Bai, College of Community Innovation and Education

Brian Barone, College of Arts and Humanities

Aman Behal, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Corinne Bishop, UCF Libraries

Joseph Brennan, College of Sciences

Mark Calabrese, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Li-Mei Chen, College of Medicine

Baiyun Chen, Division of Digital Learning

Joshua Colwell, College of Sciences

William Crampton, College of Sciences

Richard Curcio, College of Business

Donovan Dixon, College of Sciences

Martin Dupuis, Burnett Honors College

Michelle Dusseau, College of Sciences

Dorin Dutkay, College of Sciences

Kirk Gay, College of Arts and Humanities

Deborah German, College of Medicine

William Hagedorn, College of Community Innovation and Education

Joseph Harrington, College of Sciences

Fayeza Hasanat, College of Arts and Humanities

Bobby Hoffman, College of Community Innovation and Education

Elizabeth Hoffman, College of Community Innovation and Education

Alisha Janowsky, College of Sciences

Abdelkader Kara, College of Sciences

David Kwun, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Stephen Lambert, College of Medicine

Peter Larson, College of Arts and Humanities

Joseph LaViola Jr., College of Engineering and Computer Science

Edgard Maboudou, College of Sciences

Kevin Mackie, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Iryna Malendevych, College of Community Innovation and Education

Jonathan Matusitz, College of Sciences

Holly McDonald, College of Arts and Humanities

Florin Mihai, College of Arts and Humanities

Olga Molina, College of Health Professions and Sciences

George Musambira, College of Sciences

Nina Orlovskaya, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Talat Rahman, College of Sciences

25 Years of Service

Laura Albers-Biddle, College of Community Innovation and Education

Steven Berman, College of Sciences

Tarek Buhagiar, College of Business

Melissa Dagley, College of Sciences

Sabatino DiBernardo, College of Arts and Humanities

Mark Dickie, College of Business

Ivan Garibay, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Anthony Grajeda, College of Arts and Humanities

Bari Hoffman, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Steven Hornik, College of Business

Anna Jones, College of Arts and Humanities

Mikhail Klimov, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Stefanie Mayfield Garcia, College of Business

Rudy McDaniel, College of Arts and Humanities

Rachel Mulvihill, UCF Libraries

Christopher Niess, College of Arts and Humanities

Eugene Paoline, College of Community Innovation and Education

Sumanta Pattanaik, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Tison Pugh, College of Arts and Humanities

Walter Sotero, College of Sciences

Suren Tatulian, College of Sciences

Nizam Uddin, College of Sciences

Lei Wei, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Graham Worthy, College of Sciences

Shin-Tson Wu, College of Optics and Photonics

30 Years of Service

Charlie Abraham, College of Arts and Humanities

Helen Becker, College of Business

James Campbell, College of Arts and Humanities

Karl X. Chai, College of Medicine

Ratna Chakrabarti, College of Medicine

Jill Fjelstul, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Barbara Fritzsche, College of Sciences

Nora Lee GarcĂ­a, College of Arts and Humanities

Linwood Jones, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alexander Katsevich, College of Sciences

Kuotsai Tom Liou, College of Community Innovation and Education

Lisa Logan, College of Arts and Humanities

Humberto LĂłpez Cruz, College of Arts and Humanities

Eric Martin, Office of Research

Kevin Meehan, College of Arts and Humanities

Charles H. Reilly, Office of the Provost

Timothy Rotarius, College of Community Innovation and Education

Peter Spyers-Duran, UCF Libraries

Alexander Tovbis, College of Sciences

Laurence von Kalm, College of Sciences

Linda Walters, College of Sciences

Bruce Wilson, College of Sciences

Hong Zhang, College of Arts and Humanities

Ying Zhang, UCF Libraries

35 Years of Service

Issa Batarseh, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alain Kassab, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mansooreh Mollaghasemi, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Chung-Ching Wang, College of Sciences

40 Years of Service

Ahmad Elshennawy, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Michael Georgiopoulos, College of Engineering and Computer Science

David Hagan, College of Optics and Photonics

Anna Lillios, College of Arts and Humanities

Mubarak Shah, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Kalpathy Sundaram, College of Engineering and Computer Science

45 Years of Service

Robert Rivers, College of Arts and Humanities

55 Years of Service

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Faculty Emeritus and Emerita

Lynn Casmier-Paz, College of Arts and Humanities

James Clark, College of Arts and Humanities

Teresa Dorman, College of Sciences

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Glenda Gunter, College of Community Innovation and Education

Michael Hampton, College of Sciences

Richard Hofler, College of Business

Robin Kohn, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Piotr Mikusinski, College of Sciences

Ram Mohapatra, College of Sciences

Donna Neff, College of Nursing

Alice Noblin, College of Community Innovation and Education

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Trey Philpotts, College of Arts and Humanities

Robin Roberts, College of Business

Sherron Killingsworth Roberts, College of Community Innovation and Education

Lisa Roney, College of Arts and Humanities

Sybil St. Claire, College of Arts and Humanities

Terry Ann Thaxton, College of Arts and Humanities

Deborah Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities

Retired Faculty

Ahlam Al-Rawi, College of Sciences

Donna Breit, College of Nursing

Martha Brenckle, College of Arts and Humanities

Chinyen Chuo, Student Success and Well-Being

Therese Coleman, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Robertico Croes, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Juli Dixon, College of Community Innovation and Education

Teresa Dorman, College of Sciences

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Philip Fairey, Office of Research

John Fauth, College of Sciences

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Glenda Gunter, College of Community Innovation and Education

Michael Hampton, College of Sciences

Roger Handberg, College of Sciences

C. Keith Harrison, College of Business

Randall Hewitt, College of Community Innovation and Education

Rebecca Hines, College of Community Innovation and Education

Richard Hofler, College of Business

Charlie Hughes, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alvaro Islas, College of Sciences

Mourad Ismail, College of Sciences

David Jenkins, College of Sciences

Michael Johnson, Office of the Provost

Dayle Jones, College of Community Innovation and Education

Denise Kay, College of Medicine

Gary Leavens, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mary Little, College of Community Innovation and Education

Humberto LĂłpez Cruz, College of Arts and Humanities

Michael Macedonia, Office of Research

Wasfy Mikhael, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Piotr Mikusinski, College of Sciences

Roslyn Miller, Division of Digital Learning

Ram Mohapatra, College of Sciences

Vicki Montoya, College of Nursing

Brian Moore, College of Sciences

Donna Felber Neff, College of Nursing

Alice Noblin, College of Community Innovation and Education

Peggy Nuhn, UCF Libraries

Joyce Nutta, College of Community Innovation and Education

Jeffrey O’Brien, College of Business

Bendegul Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Fevzi Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Trey Philpotts, College of Arts and Humanities

Brian Plamondon, Office of Research

Michael Proctor, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Enrique Puig, College of Community Innovation and Education

Pedro Quintana-Ascencio, College of Sciences

Mark Rapport, College of Sciences

Sherron Roberts, College of Community Innovation and Education

Kelly Schaffer, College of Community Innovation and Education

Elzbieta Sikorska, College of Sciences

Jo Smith, Division of Digital Learning

Sybil St. Claire, College of Arts and Humanities

Mark Steiner, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Raymond Surette, College of Community Innovation and Education

Terry Ann Thaxton, College of Arts and Humanities

Patti Thielemann, College of Nursing

Cheryl Van De Mark, College of Community Innovation and Education

Martine Vanryckeghem, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Jane Vaughan, College of Arts and Humanities

Scott Warfield, College of Arts and Humanities

Debbie Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities

Philip Wessel, College of Community Innovation and Education

James Whitworth, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Boguslawa Anna Wolford, College of Community Innovation and Education

Laine Wyatt, College of Arts and Humanities

Cherie Yestrebsky, College of Sciences

Martin Klapheke, College of Medicine

Stephen Lambert, College of Medicine

Olga Molina, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Euripides Montagne, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Darlin’ Neal, College of Arts and Humanities

Michael Pape, College of Business

Tison Pugh, College of Arts and Humanities

David Young, College of Sciences

The university recognized employees who reached milestone years of service, along with those recently retired or about to be. UCF also presented a Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award and excellence awards in recognition of employees who made exceptional contributions to benefit the campus community.

“We celebrate your service, your dedication, and the impact you make across this university. But behind that recognition is something even more powerful: the daily commitment, the steady work, and the consistency that build momentum over time,” says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “The future we talk about at UCF is not something that begins someday. It is already taking shape in the work you do, in the systems you support, and in the experiences you create for our students. Thank you.”

UCF this year brought a new category of Employee Leadership Excellence Awards, recognizing non-faculty administrative leadership at the director level and above. They joined the expanded Employee Excellence Awards, which highlighted the remarkable contributions of full-time employees up to an associate director level.

The employee event kicked off a Founders’ Day celebration that also included faculty and student celebrations. Combined, more than 900 honorees were recognized during the three ceremonies this year.

Here are the honorees from this year’s Employee Honors Celebration.

Excellence Awards

Employee Excellence Awards for Operational Excellence

Arijeta Kavaja, Public Safety

Cecily McCoy-Fisher, Office of Research

Anna Nye, Office of Risk and Safety

Cindy Prophitt, Facilities and Business Operations

Employee Excellence Awards for Student Success

Cynthia Almanzar, Student Success and Well-Being

Laura Czerkies, Burnett Honors College

Michael McKee, College of Optics and Photonics

Donna Mercado, College of Nursing

Employee Excellence Awards for Community Well-Being

Jodi Reinhart, College of Sciences

Lorna Rodriguez, College of Engineering and Computer Science

David Stoneburner, Office of Institutional Resources

Mykhael Walker, Analytics and Integrated Planning

Employee Excellence Awards for Service and Partnership

Drew Barnes, College of Graduate Studies

Faith DeLorenzo, Digital Learning

Lovelyn Findley, Advancement and Partnerships

Antoine Hart, șŁœÇֱȄ Strategic Communications

Employee Excellence Awards Nominees

Sadia Afrin

Cynthia Almanzar

Michelle Anchel

Otto Argibay

Anthony (Joey) Asti

Drew Barnes

Alexandra Barraza-Oliphant

Davalda “Dee” Bellot

Jim Bennett

Miryana Blesso

Monique Carter

Laura Czerkies

Faith DeLorenzo

Lovelyn Findley

Amanda Greaves

Antoine Hart

Christina Hussey

Alexis Hutchins

Erica Hutton

Kat Jones

Arijeta Kavaja

Marsha Kernica

Melina Kinsey

Keanna Machado

Jay Malcolm

Chuck Mannella

Samantha Mason

Cecily McCoy-Fisher

Michael McKee

Donna Mercado

Traci Mibuta

Anna Nye

Steven Pardo

Diana Perez

Anthony Piazza

Cindy Prophitt

Frances “Fran” Ragsdale

Matthew Rall

Jodi Reinhart

Lorna Rodriguez

Ashley Samson

William Self

Maricel Soto

Jennifer Stalzer

Emily Stettner

David Stoneburner

Jeremiah Taylor

Rebecca Underhill

Mykhael Walker

Denise Whiteside

Maria Williams

Employee Leadership Excellence Awards

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for Strategic Execution

Andre Watts, Analytics and Integrated Planning

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for People Leadership and Talent Stewardship

Andrea Withington, College of Community Innovation and Education

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for Advancing Collaboration and Partnership

Germayne Graham, Student Programs and Outreach

Employee Leadership Excellence Award for Innovation, Improvement, and Bold Action

Kim Smith, Office of Research

Employee Leadership Excellence Awards Nominees

Drew Andrews

Morgan Bauer

Austin Bott

Brian Boyd

David Canova

Megan Carrigan

Shafaq Chaudhry

Sherri Dixon

Madi Dogariu

Michael Duong

Amy Ellis

Gerard Flood

Steven Freund

Andrea Gandy

Delia Garcia

Germayne Graham

Stephanie Heron

Dana Juntunen

Kerlene King

Ashley Longoria

Ayanna Lopez

Carla McCabe

Rudy McDaniel

Amy Perry

Charlie Piper

Candida Richards

Elizabeth Richner

Cesar RiveraCruzado

Rex Roberts

Anastasia Salter

Wendy Sarubbi

Basma Selim

Kim Smith

Meghan Truhett

Suzzette Turner

Michael Wainstein

Tyler Walsh

Andre Watts

Danta White

Andrea Withington

Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award

Rosemarie Mendoza, Facilities and Business Operations

Emerita Status Awardee

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Employee Service Awards

45 Years of Service

Donna Hickson

35 Years of Service

Tina Maier

Michael Reed

Patricia Trovillion

30 Years of Service

Sharon Bady

Travis Cain

Adrianne Demetry

Francisco Dionisi

Joel Lavoie

Elizabeth Rivera

25 Years of Service

Herlinda Bedoya

Michael Bell

Abdulbaset Benwali

Terri Bigham

Bruce Boutwell

Olivia Bridges

Amy Buford

Cristina Caamano

Carlos Chardon

Keith Coelho

Janny Colon

Elizabeth Costello

Al Davis

Steven Dick

Rafael Durand

Sira Giron

Rebecca Hammond

Jonathan Hanie

Keith Honaker

Davina Hovanec

Latchmin Jaggernauth

Susan Jefferson

Georgia Kent

Michelle Matthews

Andrew O’Mara

Jennifer Opper

Naya Ramirez

Gail Raymond

Brenda Rodrigues

Timothy Ryan

Maria Santiago

Heather Simeon

Carl Truesdell

Meena Turner

Maria Williams

Dela Williams

Andrea Withington

20 Years of Service

Michael Aldarondo-Jeffries

Lindsay Archambault

Gloria Bastidas

Renee Bence

Eric Brewington

Daren Caine

Michael Callahan

Marc Cassidy

Robin Chan

Karen Cox

Kelley Dietrich

Matthew Dunn

Scott Eberle

Cecilia Elias

Samuel Ensenat

Marelis Figueredo Garcia

Matthew Fitzgerald

Scott Freeman

Glenn Gaborko

Tyniesia Gandy

Kelly Gill

Lindana Gomez

Brian Graham

Timothy Haduch

Jenny Hartman

Elizabeth Herrera

Sarah Hunt

Tamara Jomarron

Carreen Krapf

Ellaine Leodones

Marlene Lugo

Carlos Martinez

Deysi Mercedes

Heather Murphy

Uday Nair

Perla Ongy

Robert (Bob) Opdahl

Haresh Patel

Rachel Perry

Omesh Persaud

Sandy Pouliot

Christine Pugh

Luz Quintero

Maria Quintero

Christopher Rains

Tim Reid

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Terrance Rooth

Diana Santiago

Saul Santiago

Kathy Sapp

Basma Selim

Romeo Sibayan

Jeff Smith

George Taylor

Lynda Toussaint

Shreya Trivedi

Reina Vazquez

Tonya Walker

15 Years of Service

Marlene Agostini

Jose Arce

Lucy Bautista

Randy Beck

Aiza Beguez

Miryana Blesso

Carolyn Castro

Silvia Cerro

Lorinda Clark

Patricia Colyer

Theresa Davis

Dani Draper

Jennifer Elliott

Tamara Gabrus

Ernie Gemeinhart

Jessica Glaspie

James Grant

Lisa Haas

Allison Henderson

Maribel Herrera

Jason Kennedy

Ann Kershner

Usha Lal

Dora Laureano

Hank Lewis

Ujjwala Magdum

Jennifer Mark

Jessica Matos

Meghan McCollum

Amanda Miller

Tracey Morrison

Kimberly Nassoiy

Beth Nettles

Hoang Nguyen

Jorge Olmedo

Minh Phan

Rhett Proctor

Elida Prophete

Michael Pugh

Ligia Ramirez

Rebeca Richards

Maria Rodriguez

Daniel Sagendorf

Kimberly Sargent

Wendy Sarubbi

Nick Schenk

Dave Schreier

Lori Shuff

Jacob Skinner

Terri Smith

Suzanne Stalvey

Brian Strickland

Christy Tant

Freddie Tirado Jr.

Joanne Toole

Roger Tripp

Matthew Vaccaro

Tamara Vassallo Soto

Martha Wiggins

Wanda Wint

10 Years of Service

Danielle Adams

Terrell Alexander

Julissa Alicea

Lindsey Anderson

Nadine Arentz

Jose Ayala Torres

Morgan Bauer

Shaun Black

John Boehm

Kate Brinister

Danilo Canlas

Megan Carrigan

Melissa Choinski

Madhavi Chokshi

Lorine Cisch-Taylor

Lisa Clendenning

Shannon Colon

Robert Connors

John Cooke

Todd Coon

Richard Cortez-Satterlee

Joanna Couch

Brandon Couts

Meghan Crowther

Summer Davis

Katherine Del Cid

Vanessa Delgado

Gerald Dillon

Kerri Drylie

Mirvate El Jerdi

Shajira El Masri

Amy Ellis

Jerad Engel

Damian Fagan

Marites Falkenhausen

Sarah Farrell

Jessica Fasano

Ben Fauser

Melissa Fawcett

Janet Feliciano

Valentina Fernandez

Jason Francis

Neftali Garcia

Eileen Garner

Christopher Gase

Kristina Gomez

Agustin Gonzalez

Adriel Gonzalez Gutierrez

Ryan Goodwin

Liz Gordian Olmo

Walter Gordon

Rhonda Granger Gomez

Josh Haupt

George Hayner Jr.

Rita Higgins

Katherine Hoefer

Elizabeth Hughes

Erica Hutton

Renee Johnston

Nathanael Jones

Megan Kellogg

Brian Kelly

Mike Kilbride

Maureen Landgraf

Daniel Lee

Missy Lesnewski

Ian Levy

Sarojben Limbachia

George Lopez

Ricardo Lopez

Juan Lugo

Karemah Manselle

Kristy McAllister

Justin McGill

Pamela McGlinchey

Oliver McSurley

Rebecca Meadows

Nelson Mendez

Pamela Mills

Mike Minutelli

Eli Mizell

Angela Moreira

Rebecca Mowrer

Lauren Murray-Lemon

David Neese

Lucas Noboa

Loida Olivas

Jeffrey Panter

Steven Pardo

Juana Pasco

Laura Patterson

Deborah Pease

Miguel Pellot

Ryan Pendry

Karen Peterson

Wanda Pruett-Butler

Abner Ramos Piñero

Erica Recktenwald

Samantha Redlund

Elizabeth Richner

Carlos Rivera

Victor Rivera

Lisa Roberts

Jacob Scholtz

Skender Shehu

Mari Sievinen

Kiela Sims

Aaron Smart

Liza Smith

Casey Smith

Esperanza Soto

Calvin Soto

Tenley Sterkel

Timothy Sullivan

Jackson Thevenin

Danielle Traylor

Wanda Tummons

Anna Velocci

Brian Villar

Stephen Villiotis

Paul Werden

Jonathan White

Barbara Wilson

Dylan Yonts

5 Years of Service

Lidya Abdelmalak

Elna Andreeva

Dana Archer

Linnette Aviles

Jessica Banos

Arismir Barreiras Peralta

Kristy Beitler

Summer Bernini

Abby Bertrand

Mayra Bonilla Torres

Melissa Braillard

Drew Bryant

Barbara Busch

Jess Camacho

Alexander N. Cartwright

Maria Ceku

Gianna Cifredo

Wilfredo Cornelio

Mario De Vera

Franco Del Pino

Mark Durbin

David Edgar

Lori Fiandra

Steven Fournier

Amoy Fraser

Raquela Garcia-Valenzuela

Melissa Gilliland

Luis Gonzalez

Marisela Guillen

Kathleen Hawkins

Robert Herr

Donna Jackson

Chase Jicha

Justin Kardach

Jamie Kaynan

Scott Langdon

Sarah Lardizabal

Kristeena LaRoue

Angela Lehman

Lucy Leon

Lawrence Lipe

Alex Lucchi

Marc Maheu

Alli Maiorano

Martha Martin

Reyner Martinez

Kate Mascheri

Angelica Mateo

Stephanie Mederos

Christopher Miller

Sarah Moore

Mindy Mozena

Lisa Myles

Iris Neil

Veronica Pak

Evgenia Pamer

Neelam Patel

Tran Pham

Cat Puckett

Monica Quimbayo

Michael Rivera

Marvecia Robinson

Leslie Rogers

Mary Rush

Luis Sanchez Artavia

Kyle Sindelar

Monica Smith

Yulisney Sotolongo

Garrett Spurlin

Jennifer Stalzer

Kimberly Stangle

Kenneth Steele

Lorenzo Stefko

Shari-Ann Stewart

Jane Stump

Elizabeth Tammaro

Jason Taningco

Raquel Toro-Espinal

Pia Valenciano

Thaina Velez

Danta White

Roksana Zak

Recognition of Retirees

Rafael Abreu

Yousef Ayoub

Pam Barkman

Suzette Batka

Emily Bennett

Richard Berwanger

Jeanne Blank

Patrick Blount

Parri Bolinger

Marcus Bowan

Deborah Bradford

Roanne Brice

Gary Burkhart

Rose Carpenter

Rick Catasus

Edgar Chavez

Willis Chico

Eunice Choi

Diane Claudio

Theresa Collins

Debra Copertino

Laura Crouch

Carol Davella

Karen Dlhosh

Debbie Doyle

Carol Ann Dykes Logue

Larry Eflin

Joseph Finnigan

Perry Fraser

Catherine Gholson

Amy Giroux

Robert Goater

Mariela Gonzalez

Tracy Griffith

Mark Gumble

Tania Gutierrez-Catasus

Martha Hamann

MJ Herbert Fuerst

Bethsy Hernandez

Ana Hernandez

Cherie Herrin

Michael Herring

Cathy Hill

Jane Ingalls

Wayne Jackson

Larry Jaffe

Daniel Kidder

Lee Kirkpatrick

Phyllis Kornegay

Melinda Kramer

Donna Leavitt

Ruben Lopez

Dennis Maddox

Kelli Marini

Janice Matley

Marcia Maukonen

Oscar Mauricio

James “Jim” McCully

Carrie McDowell

Linda Milner

Bruce Mink

Michele Monteith

Abderrahim Mouhassin

Christine Mouton

Jesus Munoz

Chuck Nicholas

Stephen OConnell

Leonardo Pascua

Esther Pennepacker

Rosario Pizarro

Brenda Posey

Michele Pozdoll

Odus Radford

Frances Ragsdale

Cindy Rahrle

Robert Reed

Wayne Regilio

Stella Restrepo

Kayonne Riley

Iris Rios

Charles Roberts

Norma Robles

Aimara Rodriguez

James Roop

Rosalba Ruiz

Eileen Ryan

Judith Samuels

Nicolas Santos

James Schaus

Jeanette Schreiber

Susan Schroen

Alison Schultz

Elena Sequera

Kelly Shilton

Michael Shumack

Shela Siegrist

Liza Smith

Karen Smith

Kathleen Snoeblen

Terry Stein

Peter Stephens

Patty Stroupe

Timothy Sullivan

Randolph Sulter

Jeffrey Ulmer

Lisa Vaughn

Luis Velozo

Rebecca Vilsack

Vicki Vitale

Deborah Walker

Kerry Welch

Maria Jocelyn Wick

Scott Wiles

Elena Wilson

Robert Wong

Our students are groundbreaking national and global scholarship winners, researchers, athletes, teaching assistants, residence assistants and leaders in campus organizations, including Student Government, LEAD Scholars and the President’s Leadership Council. The honorees include transfer students, those from first-generation and international backgrounds and members of the Burnett Honors College.

Aside from focusing on academics and campus causes, many of the student honorees volunteered at hospitals, schools, parks, food banks, shelters, clinics, youth clubs and with many community service organizations — at times as organizers and coordinators for support drives and campaigns.

“When you look at this group, you see trajectory.” — John Buckwalter, UCF’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs

“The students we recognize at our Founders’ Day Student Honors Celebration are extraordinary not just for what they’ve achieved, but for how they’ve shaped their time at UCF. They’ve pursued opportunities, challenged themselves and lifted others along the way,” says John Buckwalter, UCF’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “When you look at this group, you see trajectory — students whose experiences here are opening doors in meaningful ways and changing the direction of their futures, the trajectories of their families and the communities they inhabit.”

Student award categories highlight new inductees of the Order of Pegasus, UCF’s highest student honor; graduate awards for outstanding master’s thesis and outstanding dissertation; undergraduate awards for honors thesis; and individual college awardees as chosen by the respective college deans. All honorees earned financial awards.

This year’s 37 inductees into the Order of Pegasus mark the 25^th anniversary class of top-achieving Knights. The average GPA of the 2026 class is 3.912.

The campus community is invited to attend the Student Honors Celebration on Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Student Union’s Pegasus Ballroom. A brief reception will follow.

Here are the students to be recognized.

Order of Pegasus Inductees

• Fatima Alziyad, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Andy Ayup, College of Sciences
• Megan Bailey, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Stacie Becker ’23, College of Arts and Humanities
• Akash Hari Bharath ’25MS, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Swati Bhargava ’25MS, College of Optics and Photonics
• Sanjana Bhatt, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Griffon Binkowski ’24, College of Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Nico Chen, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Kyle Coutray, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College
• Allyson Crighton, College of Nursing and Burnett Honors College
• Nyauni Crowelle-Feggins, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Cameron Cummins, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Andrew “Drew” Hansen ’25, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Andrea Hernandez Gomez, College of Sciences
• Lindsey Hildebrand, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Ariana Johnson, College of Medicine
• Sanjan Kumar ’23, College of Medicine
• Kworweinski Lafontant, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Meera Lakshmanan, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Ilana Logvinov, College of Nursing
• Hannah Lovejoy, College of Business
• Taiel Lucile, College of Health Professions and Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Robin Marquez, College of Sciences
• Shanel Moya Aguero, College of Community Innovation and Education and Burnett Honors College
• Gabrielle “Gabby” Murison, College of Sciences
• Varun Nannuri, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Natalie Otero, College of Business and Burnett Honors College
• Om Pathak, College of Medicine, College of Arts and Humanities and Burnett Honors College
• Pritha Sarkar ’24, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Jacob Vierling, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Janapriya Vijayakumar, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Ornella Vintimilla, College of Medicine and Burnett Honors College
• Om Vishanagra, College of Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science and Burnett Honors College

Undergraduate Student Awards

College Founders’ Award

• Liam Pivnichny, Burnett Honors College
• Antonella Bisbal Hernandez, College of Arts and Humanities
• Jordan Nell, College of Business
• Jude Hagan, College of Community Innovation and Education
• Ossyris Bury, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Timothy Horanic, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Sun Latt, College of Medicine
• Abrianna Lalle, College of Nursing
• Jacob Silver, College of Optics and Photonics
• Emily Willis, College of Sciences
• Fabian Rodriguez Gomez, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis

• Edwin Garcia ’25, College of Arts and Humanities, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Arts, Humanities and Creative Inquiry
• Eric Haseman ’25, College of Sciences, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Social Sciences
• Shreya Pawar ’25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Natural Sciences
• Andrea Molero Perez ’25, College of Medicine, Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis in Health Sciences
• Nicholas Rose ’25, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Outstanding Honors Thesis in Engineering and Technology

Graduate Student Awards

Outstanding Dissertation

• Jessica Moon ’25PhD, College of Health Professions and Sciences
• Michael Pierro ’20 ’23MS ’25PhD, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Big ideas don’t wait — and neither do the researchers behind them.

The 2026 Reach for the Stars honorees — six UCF assistant professors — are already making a substantial impact on their respective fields through meaningful research and creative work that extends far beyond campus, with national and international influence.

Across disciplines, their work and research reflect a shared mission to advance ideas into impact — uncovering what shapes ethical decision-making in the workplace; exploring the origins of our solar system; developing computational solutions to meet future energy demands; designing more intuitive and reliable software experiences; strengthening education for students with disabilities; and engineering faster, more energy-efficient artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

Together, this brilliant group represents the kind of bold, forward-thinking innovation UCF continues to champion.

Each year, the Reach for the Stars awards recognize early-career faculty opening new doors for what’s possible across their fields. The prestigious award is second only to Pegasus Professor as UCF’s highest faculty honor.

In recognition of their achievements, each honoree will receive a $10,000 annual research grant for three years in addition to the distinction of being an award recipient.

The UCF community is cordially invited to come and congratulate the recipients from 3-5 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, in the Pegasus Ballroom at the Student Union as part of the 2026 Founders’ Day Faculty Honors Celebration.

This year’s Reach for the Stars honorees are:

John Bush

Assistant professor of management in the College of Business

What’s something few people know about you?

Working at UCF is a homecoming for me. Growing up in Florida, I had the opportunity to experience all the great things this state and its universities have to offer. And while my younger self might not have predicted I’d end up in Black & Gold, UCF and Orlando have been incredible homes.

What does your research focus on?

I study when, why, and how employees cross ethical lines, and what role leaders, management policies, and organizational systems play in those decisions. A big part of what makes my work unique is that I focus on an important puzzle: how things we typically think of as “good” can promote unethical behavior. We tend to assume that well-intentioned management practices will always lead to good outcomes. However, my research shows that’s not always the case, and the unintended consequences can be significant.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

Before I entered academia, I worked in corporate finance and accounting. That experience meaningfully shaped how I think about ethics in organizations.

There’s a common assumption that unethical behavior is a “bad apple” problem, or rather, that it comes down to an individual’s character or integrity. But as my work has shown, it’s often a “bad barrel” problem. The environments organizations create, the systems they put in place and the ways managers approach leadership profoundly influence how people behave.

What makes UCF the right place for you to do this kind of work?

I’m a firm believer that the people make the place — and the faculty, staff and students of UCF are truly what make it such a great place to be. The College of Business has a management department full of colleagues who are both excellent scholars and genuinely collaborative people.

What’s next for you or your research?

I’m excited about several new directions, each of which builds upon my existing work. I’m particularly interested in examining more nuanced, less studied drivers of ethical decision-making. For example, what happens when someone becomes an accidental witness to unethical behavior? How does that experience shape what they do next and the moral burden that’s placed on them?

Ana Carolina de Souza-Feliciano

Assistant professor at the

What’s something few people know about you?

While many people know I’m not afraid to face challenges, few know that I’m afraid of roller coasters.

What does your research focus on?

I study the small bodies of our solar system (objects such as asteroids, Trojans and trans-Neptunian objects) from an observational perspective to try to understand how our planetary system formed and evolved. The small bodies that remain from the early solar system still preserve clues about the materials and conditions that existed when planets formed. By observing their surfaces, compositions and physical properties, we can piece together the history of how the solar system came to be.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

The solar system still holds many unanswered questions, and every observation has the potential to reveal something completely new about its history. I’m especially motivated by the idea that these small and distant objects preserve a record of the earliest stages of planetary formation, and since we still don’t know much about them, we need to better characterize these groups to have a chance of getting closer to important scientific answers.

What makes UCF the right place for you to do this kind of work?

UCF provides a dynamic research environment with strong collaborations and access to facilities that help me achieve my scientific goals.

What’s next for you or your research?

I aim to expand my research group and continue developing new projects exploring the composition and physical properties of small bodies in the outer solar system.

Shyam Kattel

Assistant professor of physics in the College of Sciences

What’s something few people know about you?

I enjoy long, quiet walks or runs. It’s when I do my best thinking and come up with new ideas for teaching and research.

What does your research focus on?

My research group is interested in understanding chemical processes through computer simulations. These chemical processes are central to many energy and fuel generation and energy conversion processes. We are exploring the design of catalytic materials that selectively convert abundant small molecules, such as CO2, N2, NO3, O2 and H2O, to a wide variety of synthetic chemicals and fuels in a carbon-neutral way to fulfill the growing energy demand of the future.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

I’m a huge advocate of sustainability. I’m fascinated by the rapid development and advancement of modern computers, machine learning (ML) and AI, which have enabled us to understand complex science on a time scale that’s impossible with traditional trial and error methods. This unique opportunity to utilize supercomputers with ML and AI to tackle energy and sustainability challenges keeps me awake at night.

What makes UCF the right place for you to do this kind of work?

By training, I’m a physicist, but my research focuses on looking into chemical reactions. UCF’s physics department is among a handful of institutions in the U.S. with a very strong catalysis program. This allows me to collaborate within the department and teach a physics course, which I enjoy. Additionally, the university’s large size and research facilities present opportunities to recruit the best students and to collaborate both within and beyond the department.

What’s next for you or your research?

My lab is developing capabilities to integrate ML and AI into our methods for understanding structure-materials property relationships across a large set of materials, driving the development of the next generation of clean and sustainable energy and fuel generation technologies. Our goal is to develop an integrated materials design framework that anyone can use for their research and for teaching research-based undergraduate and graduate courses.

Kevin Moran

Assistant professor of computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, director of the Software Automation, Generation and Engineering Research Lab and affiliate of the Cyber Security and Privacy faculty cluster initiative

What’s something few people know about you?

I was a Division 1 rower as an undergraduate at the College of the Holy Cross. Our team competed in the national championship regatta my senior year and was ranked among the top 20 teams in the country.

What does your research focus on?

If you’ve ever been frustrated by glitches in apps or websites, my students, collaborators and I aim to give engineers the tools they need to build more reliable software. My group has pioneered work in user interface engineering, focusing on user-facing systems and making software easier to use.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

Since I was young, I’ve enjoyed building things, taking them apart and understanding how they work. I view software as the ultimate engineering medium, where abstract ideas can quickly become reality. What excites me most is tackling the complexity of modern software systems by developing tools that engineers can easily adopt. Seeing those tools save engineers hours or days of time is truly fun.

What makes UCF the right place for you to do this kind of work?

UCF has been an excellent place to grow as an early-career researcher. I’ve received invaluable mentorship from department and college leadership, as well as senior faculty. The university’s connection to the local tech industry is also exciting, and I look forward to forming connections with local companies to put our tools into practice.

What’s next for you or your research?

Software engineering is rapidly shifting toward agentic workflows, where AI-powered agents perform engineering tasks autonomously. While this increases speed, it also introduces complex errors that are harder to spot. My lab aims to understand these software engineering agents, improve their reliability and create tools that help developers use them effectively.

Soyoung Park

Assistant professor of teacher education in the College of Community Innovation and Education (CCIE)

What’s something few people know about you?

When I travel for conferences, I love to explore local bookstores and cafes.

What does your research focus on?

My research focuses on transforming educator preparation to better support students with disabilities. Supported by more than $3.75 million in U.S. Department of Education funding, my work prepares special education teachers, speech-language pathologists and school psychologists to serve students with autism spectrum disorders and high-intensity needs. I also develop evidence-based mathematics interventions for students with learning disabilities.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

Mathematics remains an area where both research and practice need stronger alignment. Teachers need accessible, evidence-based guidance on how to teach effectively, but it isn’t always easy to find or interpret. Students need consistent access to high-quality instruction that meets their individual needs. I’m interested in helping bridge that gap so that research can better support educators and the students they serve.

What makes UCF the right place for you to do this kind of work?

UCF’s strong infrastructure for research and collaboration further amplifies my work. Support from the Office of Research has been instrumental in advancing my research development, grant capacity and interdisciplinary collaboration. As a CCIE research fellow and affiliated faculty member at the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute, I have valuable opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration across colleges.

What’s next for you or your research?

Our next project focuses on synthesizing large data sets to help educators identify mathematics interventions that align with their students’ needs. We’re also exploring how AI can support this process through pedagogical AI chatbots and interactive web-based platforms that guide educators in interpreting and applying research evidence in practice. Ultimately, this work aims to strengthen both instruction and student outcomes at scale.

Hao Zheng

Assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science

What’s something few people know about you?

I enjoy traveling, especially visiting national parks and exploring new cities. Each trip helps me recharge, and I often come back with fresh perspectives and new ideas.

What does your research focus on?

My research focuses on making today’s AI systems faster, more energy-efficient and more reliable by bridging the gap between algorithms and hardware. AI has reshaped daily life, but behind the scenes, modern AI models require enormous amounts of computation and energy. My work explores new ways to co-design hardware and software so AI can run efficiently, especially for irregular or sparse data structures, such as graphs.

What drives you to take on this challenge?

I’m driven by both the importance and the difficulty of the problem. We’re at the turning point of rethinking future computing systems. Defining a new computing paradigm, despite its challenges, can have a far-reaching impact across society. Our research can fundamentally reshape how future computers are designed and how AI is deployed at scale.

What makes UCF the right place for you to do this kind of work?

UCF is an ideal place to pursue bold research ideas, supported by strong momentum in engineering, computing and interdisciplinary collaboration. The university also offers an exceptional and supportive community of mentors and collaborators, including students, who set a high bar for excellence. I’ve been fortunate to work with many outstanding colleagues, and those experiences have shaped how I think about building a high-impact research program and growing as a scholar.

What’s next for you or your research?

Next, we’re expanding our work toward real-world deployments, including applications in healthcare and robotics. We’re also continuing to strengthen our research in building processors for AI and scientific computing so that our ideas can translate into improvements in performance and energy efficiency.

Following a competitive national search and rigorous interview process, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs John Buckwalter selected Colwell on March 13, citing his steady leadership during his nine-month tenure as interim dean.

“Under his leadership, the college fostered an environment where students, faculty and staff can thrive, while strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding research and community impact,” Buckwalter says.

As interim dean, and now as dean, Colwell oversees the university’s largest college, serving more than 16,000 students across a wide range of disciplines, including the physical, biological, social, behavioral and computational sciences. The College of Sciences plays a central role in advancing UCF’s research enterprise and preparing graduates to address complex global challenges through scientific discovery and innovation.

Colwell’s bold vision for the College of Sciences builds on UCF’s reputation as Florida’s Technological șŁœÇֱȄ.

“We have cutting-edge research ranging from human-machine communication and interaction to new materials for clean energy, as well as the societal and political aspects of space exploration,” Colwell says. “We are uniquely positioned to prepare students for a rapidly evolving technological landscape and the economy of the 21st century.”

Among his key focuses are improving student preparedness after graduation, ensuring students have the knowledge and skills to thrive in an increasingly competitive job market shaped by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.

“It’s a top priority to make sure our researchers understand the rapidly changing technological landscape so they can carry out transformative work.” — Joshua Colwell, COS dean

“It’s a top priority to make sure our researchers understand the rapidly changing technological landscape so they can carry out transformative work,” Colwell says. “We also want to ensure our faculty have the support needed to deliver a world-class education.”

Colwell emphasizes the importance of keeping key stakeholders informed and including them in decision-making when appropriate.

“I’ve found that transparency and strong communication among all parties go a long way toward building trust and commitment to a shared vision,” Colwell says. “I want to make sure my team and I are available and actively engaging with faculty, students, staff and the community to discuss challenges, opportunities, and how to navigate them.”

Colwell joined UCF as an assistant professor in the Department of Physics in 2006. He later served as chair of the Department of Physics and associate dean for research for the college. In these roles, he was instrumental in advancing academic planning, supporting research growth and leading initiatives that strengthen student success. His leadership contributed to expanding faculty capacity, modernizing instructional laboratories and enhancing research opportunities across the college — experience that has shaped his approach as a leader.

“The breadth of those experiences has given me valuable insight into the challenges our faculty and staff face and how administration at the college level can support their work,” Colwell says. “I’ve also taught both large and small classes and supervised undergraduate and graduate students, so I feel very connected to the UCF student experience.”

“I’ve also taught both large and small classes and supervised undergraduate and graduate students, so I feel very connected to the UCF student experience.” — Joshua Colwell, COS dean

Colwell says the multidisciplinary nature of the college’s work, which touches every part of the human experience, makes it an exciting place to be.

“From transforming energy production and human-computer interaction to shaping entertainment, managing information, and coexisting with our environment, our work is exciting, impactful, and innovative,” he says. “Above all, we are preparing our students to thrive and make a positive impact in the world.”

Colwell earned his doctoral degree in astrophysical, planetary and atmospheric sciences from the șŁœÇֱȄ of Colorado Boulder and his bachelor’s degree in physics from Stetson șŁœÇֱȄ. In 2019, he was named a Pegasus Professor, UCF’s highest faculty honor. His research on planetary rings, comets and the evolution of planetary systems has supported experiments flown on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. He also served as a co-investigator on Cassini–Huygens and has worked closely with students on spaceflight experiments in collaboration with commercial partners such as Blue Origin.