Thanks to ’s dedicated support for STEM students, he had access to resources so he would not have to navigate that journey alone.

“Engineering is hands-down our most active liaison area,” says Taylor Sandifer ’23MA, assistant director of employer relations in Career Services who supports all STEM majors, including the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “CECS students show up to everything. They’re really engaged, and they take advantage of every opportunity.”

For Knights like Nguyen, that means access to employers through engineering-focused employer-led workshops, resume reviews, mock interviews, and the highly attended , which occurs annually in the fall at the Addition Financial Arena, where as many as 300 employers fill the venue.

Big Companies Recruit Knights

Before Expo, students canÌęparticipateÌęin the Career Readiness Program, a two-week series including industry-specific, employer-led sessions where recruiters host one-on-one resume reviews and mock interviews to help students prepare.

UCF’s employer-relations model attracts major companies such as Google, Meta, Amazon, Siemens Energy, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and Walmart directly to campus for tabling, information sessions,Ìęand networking events.

“Employers coming in to recruit STEM talent will work with us to get connected,” Sandifer says. “We help them get into the engineering atrium, set up information sessions, reach students through Handshake, and collaborate with CECS to spread the word.

“We want students to see a clear path from UCF to a career.”— Taylor Sandifer ’23MA, assistant director of employer relations in Career Services

“We want students to see a clear path from UCF to a career. When they put in the effort, and we can help make those connections, it all comes together.”

Sandifer has seen firsthand how transformative this can be.

“One computer science student (Nguyen) showed up on the wrong day — in a suit —Ìębut stayed anyway,”Ìęshe recalls. “He came back the next day, met with recruiters, and weÌęconnected him with Deloitte & Touche. He ended up getting the job. His hard work and willingness to show up made the difference.”

Real World Ready

Nguyen credits the Dixon Career Development Center in helping him shape his career path.

“IÌęwasn’tÌęvery prepared initially and had no idea whereÌęto evenÌęstart. It was overwhelming just thinking about it,” he says. “I attended an event I found off Handshake and it turned into me getting resume reviews, mock interviews, and attending events that got me to meet employers I was passionate about joining.”

He took advantage of summer appointments, interview strategies,Ìęand alsoÌęprinted business cards to hand out to the company representatives at theÌęInternship andÌęCareer Expo. Those efforts paid off with an opportunity at Deloitte — a place he was drawn to for its culture and its constant flow of new challenges.

His biggest takeaway from his experience with the Career Center is to be persistent and open to every opportunity.

“You never know what conversation you have with someone that could turn into a huge career opportunity,” he says.

°Őłó±đÌę will take place on Tuesday, March 10.

Although Royal knew since high school that he wanted to be an engineer, he didn’t know these courses were essential to succeeding in his studies. He enjoyed working with his hands, solving practical problems, and was interested in science, math, and technology. Mechanical engineering felt like the perfect intersection of all his interests.

What he didn’t have was guidance.

Starting Behind — and Pushing Forward

Royal didn’t know anyone in engineering or have access to mentors who could advise him on the classes a university engineering program required. When he later reconnected with two friends from high school — Kent Huerta and Isaac Washington, both civil engineering majors at the șŁœÇֱȄ of South Florida — he quickly discovered they faced many of the same challenges navigating STEM pathways without early guidance.

“I would’ve still been a year behind graduating if I [hadn’t taken] an accelerated courseload,” says Royal, who’s now a mechanical engineering graduate student on track to become a double Knight. “We realized that 
 if we had some prior knowledge or someone to talk to us about STEM before we got to this level, or before we tried to enter STEM, we could have avoided those pitfalls.”

That realization helped turn his personal ambitions into action that benefits others.

In 2024, Royal, Huerta and Washington co-founded STEM Mentorship Matters, an outreach program that connects students at their high school, Q. I. Roberts Junior-Senior High School, with professionals in STEM fields and equips them with the knowledge to successfully pursue their careers.

“We 
 didn’t have that many opportunities or much education related to STEM when we were in high school,” Royal says. “That made it a lot more difficult compared to our peers who did. So we thought, ‘Is there any way to give something to students who were like us, who could use opportunities in STEM?’”

Giving Students a Head Start

What began as a grassroots effort serving just 30 students at Q. I. Roberts has since grown into a network of 10 high schools across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, reaching hundreds of junior and senior high school students. The organization now includes 30 volunteer mentors who lead monthly workshops that connect professionals with students.

STEM Mentorship Matters also offers a range of resources, including guidance on applying to universities through the Common App, explanations of different engineering disciplines and advice on getting involved on campus. Monthly discussions focus on preparing for careers in STEM, with topics shaped by student interest and shared through the organization’s Discord server.

From navigating the college application process and building strong resumes to learning how to network and apply for internships, volunteer mentors guide students to success in the classroom and beyond graduation.

“It helps students think, ‘What would I want to do beyond middle and high school? Am I even interested in STEM?’” Royal says. “[And] it’s OK if they’re not. We’re just trying to provide them with some insight. It also provides some insight into what they may want to do in STEM if they are interested.”

Royal adds that these interactions help students narrow their interests, explore future career possibilities and feel more confident entering their chosen field. Just as important, it gives them something Royal says he and his co-founders lacked early on: encouragement.

“Just someone saying, ‘You can do this if you set your mind to it,’ is very important because we didn’t have a lot of that pursuing STEM,” he says. “And I feel it’s important to have because it makes it easier to accomplish whatever you set out to do.”

Founded to reach the moon, we’re already on our way to the next frontier. Built for liftoff, America’s Space șŁœÇֱȄ celebrates UCF Space Week Nov. 3-7.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Boldly Forge the Future of Space

As SpaceU, UCF is pushing the boundaries of exploration once again by launching a groundbreaking new doctoral program in the planetary and space sciences. Now, aspiring researchers can apply to the inaugural cohort of the program, which launches Fall 2026 and is offered through the College of Sciences’ Department of Physics.

Apply to the planetary and space sciences doctoral program by the Dec. 1, 2025, priority deadline.

“It’s relatively unusual to have a separate Ph.D. program in planetary and space sciences like this,” says Yan Fernandez, professor of physics and director of the new doctoral program. “It’s an exciting step forward. We have a large number of faculty working on planetary science and there are very few universities with that kind of knowledge in one place.”

The new doctoral program is interdisciplinary in its approach, bringing in elements from astrobiology, astronomy, data analysis, geology, physics and more. The program originated as a planetary sciences track as part of a doctoral degree in physics and was approved by the Board of Governors in Florida as the first and only planetary and space sciences doctoral program in the state.

“As SpaceU, we are aiming to be the premier engineering and technology university in the state and a destination for space-focused learning in the world,” says Addie Dove, professor and chair of the Department of Physics. “We want to ensure the programs we offer reflect the university’s strategic approach as well as what’s necessary to succeed in today’s workforce.”

What Students Can Expect from the Program

The new degree will position graduates for employment opportunities that are projected to grow in Florida and nationwide. Program graduates will have the knowledge and skills necessary for roles in governmental agencies such as NASA, the private space industry, academia and research institutions. Graduates will be prepared to work as scientists within fields that include astronomy, atmospheric physics, space science and geoscience.

“This program is not just for physics students, but also for students who have studied geology, engineering, data science orÌę many other STEM fields,” Dove says. “We have a number of faculty who built hardware that has gone or will travel into space and there’s an opportunity for students with more of an engineering background to pursue this doctorate.”

“Having a strong foundation in scientific thinking is important, whether individuals are building hardware going to other planetary surfaces, working on next generation telescopes, or considering problems that have not even been imagined yet,” she continues.

The program broadens the areas of study to include not only physics but also astrochemistry, astrogeology, astrobiology, and scientific instrument development. Fernandez also emphasizes the importance of big data and machine learning in planetary science.

“There’s a need for a program like this because we are awash in data,” Fernandez says. “Students who understand these aspects of big data, efficient programming and working in problems in planetary science can contribute in many ways to innovative research and to cutting-edge science.”

Fueling the Future of Space

Dove notes that the students who have pursued the initial planetary sciences track in the physics doctorate program have successfully worked on space-related research.

“There are many possibilities available through the program’s large network,” she says. “Many of our students obtain internships or fellowships over the course of their studies, and we create high impact experiences within our classes. Our graduates have become postdocs and have worked on spacecraft missions. Some have continued into academia, some have worked for NASA and we have also seen students go on to work for companies that develop hardware and technology to send to space.”

Dove shares that it is important to be responsive to the changing needs of industry, while providing opportunities for students to work in the collaborative ways that researchers often work in planetary science and all of STEM.

“We wanted to ensure that the program reflected the values of our department, college and university and embraced our shared passion to boldly push the frontiers of knowledge,” Dove says.

Note to Prospective Students: Enrollment is currently open for admission in the Fall 2026, with a priority deadline of Dec. 1, 2025. You may apply after the early deadline, and can reach out to faculty with research areas of interest. Be sure to apply to the planetary and space sciences doctoral program and not the track. Contact planets@ucf.edu for more information.

Students who enroll in UCF’s new graduate certificate in digital twins can explore the answers to these questions and a whole lot more. The 12-credit-hour program, launching this fall in the School of Modeling, Simulation and Training (SMST), will teach students to design, implement and analyze advanced digital twin systems that can mimic the behavior and performance of their physical counterparts.

“The program emphasizes innovation and hands-on learning, preparing students to apply cutting-edge digital twin technologies to real-world challenges across sectors such as smart cities, healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing and defense,” SMST Interim Director and Program Coordinator Ghaith Rabadi says. “The program is strategically designed to strengthen Central Florida’s digital twin talent pipeline and offers students access to industry-aligned training and career-ready skills. Graduates will emerge equipped to drive transformative digital solutions in high-demand fields.”

Various industries already utilize digital twins to test and analyze products or environments before they are created. For example, NASA uses digital twins to predict the behavior of spacecraft and increase the success of future missions. Siemens Healthcare employs digital twins of organs to help doctors better understand their physiology and to develop more targeted treatments.

Industry professionals who want to develop skills in this type of digital modeling are welcome to apply to the program. A background in engineering or computer science is not required, although an undergraduate degree from a STEM-related discipline and some experience with programming are preferred.

Assistant Professor Soheil Sabri says that graduates of the program may be better positioned to pursue job titles such as digital twin engineer, simulation analyst, systems integration specialist, smart infrastructure developer or digital transformation consultant across a wide range of industries.

“With the growing adoption of digital twin technologies in industries such as aerospace, healthcare, manufacturing, energy, transportation and national defense, graduates will be equipped to lead efforts in optimizing operations, enhancing predictive maintenance and driving innovation in complex systems,” Sabri says. “The program’s strong emphasis on real-world applications and industry collaboration further enhances graduates’ readiness for impactful, future-forward careers.”

The SMST faculty aims to enroll 10 to 15 students in the first year of the program and already have strong interest from students enrolled in the school’s graduate degrees. The program can be completed online, offering convenience to students who need to balance coursework with a full-time job.

“The program is designed to be accessible to working professionals and students from diverse STEM backgrounds, providing flexible pathways to deepen understanding into emerging fields such as machine learning and artificial intelligence,” Assistant Professor Sean Modesire says. “As digital twins continue to revolutionize sectors from healthcare to aerospace, this program positions UCF at the forefront of preparing the next generation of innovators and problem solvers.”

Other collaborators on the project include Roger Azevedo, Vishnu Prabhu and Bulent Soykan.

Over its 40-year history, the ASF has awarded scholarships totaling over $9 million to more than 850 students. This year, 71 undergraduate students from 48 U.S. colleges and universities were named Astronaut Scholars, including three exceptional leaders from UCF.

Abigail Glover

To Abigail Glover, a Burnett Honors Scholar and mechanical engineering student at UCF, earning a prestigious award like the Astronaut Scholarship represents far more than just financial support. For her, it’s entry into a network of ambitious individuals sharing her passion for space, engineering and scientific discovery. Glover describes the Astronaut community as “a family of like-minded individuals who will always support you.”

Much of Glover’s research has focused on planetary science. Some of her undergraduate research initiatives include studying the influence of humidity on simulated lunar highlands regolith properties and terra mechanics. Currently, her Honors Undergraduate Thesis is on “Quantifying the Performance of the SPARTA Toolkit for use in Planetary Regolith Characterization Missions.”

Glover is a project manager with the Regolith Interactions for the Development of Extraterrestrial Rovers (RIDER) program at UCF’s , where she coordinates with industry experts and leads a team focused on enhancing technologies for lunar regolith and rover wheel interaction. She has also worked with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems — assisting the Human Systems Integration team in preparing for Artemis II. Beyond her professional experiences, she founded the Lake-Sumter State College Astronomical Society in 2016. She also served as the social media and marketing chair for the UCF chapter of the American Society for Mechanical Engineers and is the creative chair for Students for the Exploration and Development of Space at UCF.

Glover came to STEM from a background in art and theater, which initially left her feeling like an outsider in the world of engineering and research. In her first semester, she had difficulty adjusting to the demanding load of her STEM classes. With some encouragement from her mother, she returned to UCF for her second semester with renewed determination.

“It has been a long journey of discovering my capabilities and limits, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she says.

Glover’s courage in asking questions and seeking new opportunities has been a powerful force in her development. A conversation with a professor led her to UCF’s Exolith Lab, and a class interview connected her to the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program, which set off a chain of experiences she says “opened doors to opportunities I would never have thought possible.” Glover has received multiple scholarships and awards throughout her academic career such as the Office of Undergraduate Research Grant, the Pell Grant, and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Looking ahead, Glover hopes to contribute to long-term lunar habitation. She envisions herself continuing with lunar regolith research and building systems for sustainable human presence beyond Earth’s atmosphere. However, Glover’s past experiences have inspired her to remain adaptable, confident that “life has a funny way of working out.”

Charlotte Moore

With a passion for astronomy and a double major in and physics, Burnett Honors Scholar Charlotte Moore sees research as a way to learn more about the universe. Her research journey began in her first year and has transformed her academic experience, allowing her to build meaningful relationships and discover the collaborative spirit of the STEM community.

With her sights set on a doctoral degree in astronomy, Moore plans to focus on galaxy mergers, especially in tidal features at higher redshifts. “Once I finish my Ph.D., I hope to work at a university or other research institution to continue my research,” she says. Currently, Moore is an undergraduate student researcher with Eric Bell from the șŁœÇֱȄ of Michigan working on the time constraints of the merger of Centaurus A from the Stellar Halo. She is also an undergraduate researcher with Theodora Karalidi, associate professor of physics at UCF, working on the impact of optical thickness on the polarization of the light of Jupiter.

Despite her accomplishments, Moore candidly acknowledges the challenge of imposter syndrome.

“There are very few moments where I haven’t had doubts about what I’m doing,” she says.

However, by immersing herself in new topics and projects, she has cultivated a sense of belonging in astronomy. Her hard work was marked by her first official publication, a moment that reinforced that she could make waves in the field of astronomy.

Moore credits her success to the incredible mentors she has encountered along her journey.

“Dr. Karalidi has always pushed me to pursue outside opportunities that will help me towards my goal of graduate school,” she says.

Additionally, she has benefited from the experiences of peers who have previously received the Astronaut Scholarship, utilizing their insights as she navigated her application process.

Beyond her academic pursuits, Moore is committed to helping others find their footing in research. As the secretary of the Society of Physics Students, she mentors fellow students, sharing her knowledge and experiences to guide them. Additionally, Moore has received multiple honors and awards, such as the Order of Pegasus in 2024, the Knights Achievement Scholarship, and the Allyn M. Stearman Scholarship. Moore embodies the academic excellence, commitment to community, and passion for discovery that the Astronaut Scholarship seeks to promote.

Luis Santori

As a second-time recipient of the Astronaut Scholarship Luis Santori, a Burnett Honors Scholar and mathematics major, also appreciates the opportunities the ASF community will offer for his growth as a researcher.

“The doors that the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation opens will be crucial to my career,” he says.

For Santori, the ASF community provides opportunities to collaborate, learn and grow as a researcher.

Santori is an undergraduate research assistant involved in multiple projects, including two with Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Adrienne Dove, associate professors in UCF’s Department of Physics, focusing on lunar craters and lunar regolith. He describes his mentors — Hanna, Dove, and Professor Eduardo Teixeira from the UCF Department of Mathematics — as instrumental in his growth and development as a researcher.

Santori’s research journey has been transformative for both his academic and personal development.

“Research has fostered personal growth by keeping me curious and introducing me to subjects beyond my curriculum,” he says.

His research experiences have improved his communication skills, something that will be a necessity for him as he continues to promote his work.

Santori has also had to deal with the challenges that come with imposter syndrome, common in research where the uncertainty of discovery can lead to self-doubt. However, he reflects that by recognizing that it’s not productive to compare his path to the path of others, he has moved beyond this challenge. He also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a good work-life balance in sustaining a research career. His ability to work through these challenges and his dedication to his academic career have earned him the Allyn M. Stearman Research Fellowship, the Summer@ICERM 2023 Fellowship, and the 2024 NASA Exploration Science Forum Student Travel Grant.

Looking ahead, Santori plans to apply to doctoral programs in applied mathematics and planetary science, aiming to contribute to advancements in these fields. He is considering a career in academia, national labs or industry. With his passion and resilience, Santori is ready to make meaningful contributions to planetary science and mathematics as he continues on his academic journey as an Astronaut Scholar.

Those interested in the Astronaut Scholarship and other opportunities should reach out to the Office of Prestigious Awards atÌęOPA@ucf.edu.

“There was a lot of uncertainty,” says the Argentinian immigrant, “[which made it] kind of hard to focus on school.”

But Lobos was determined to change his path.

He became the first male in his family to graduate from high school — and the first ever to attend college — earning a full-ride scholarship to UCF in 2015.

“I had just got into UCF [and] had no idea what to do,” Lobos says. “I met with one of the [admissions] counselors … [and] she led me to [PRIME STEM].”

First-Generation Student Awareness WeekÌęis Nov. 4-8, celebrating the success and achievements of first-generation college students.

Housed on UCF’s main campus, stands for Purpose + Reach = Individuals Measured for Excellence (PRIME). It supports first-generation in college students who demonstrate financial need and/or have a documented disability while pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) degrees. Program participants benefit from resources such as priority registration, one-on-one tutoring, peer mentoring, help with financial aid and scholarship applications, research opportunities and more.

“When I didn’t know who to ask for a recommendation letter, I [turned] to PRIME STEM,” Lobos says. “It felt like home. It was somewhere I [could] go when I wanted to chat with my friends or needed some mentoring or tutoring. It was really a beautiful place to be.”

PRIME STEM is one of five federally funded at UCF, each dedicated to educational opportunity and support. Its mission is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants/scholars by helping them transition from one level of higher education to the next.

PRIME STEM, Ìęand the — housed under UCF’s Academic Achievement Programs — areÌęcollegiate Student SupportÌęServicesÌęprograms. (through Project ACE andÌęProject EDGE)Ìęare pre-collegiate programs that prepareÌęsmall cohorts of students from Apopka and Edgewater high schools for college success.

“Being able to provide students with resources and connections they otherwise would not have access to is perhaps the single greatest benefit to working on the TRiO team,” says Deborah Bowie, director of UCF’s TRiO Programs. “These students are not only changing their own lives but, through their commitment to higher education and their future careers, they are also changing the trajectory for their families.”

The term “TRIO” was coined in the late 1960s to describe three federal education opportunity outreach programs launched as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on Poverty.” Established in 1964, Upward Bound was the first TRiO program — and this year marks its 60th anniversary. UCF launched its first TRiO program in 2010.

PRIME STEM paved the way for many firsts for Lobos. With the program’s support, the first-generation biomedical sciences major secured his first internship in cancer research at Boston șŁœÇֱȄ as a sophomore. He credits this transformative experience with early exposure to advanced technology and complex science, shaping the course of his college journey.

“[It] was the first time I ever left Florida,” Lobos says. “[This internship] was something I never really imagined I could do, but it turned out to be one of the most beautiful experiences of college.”

“Me and my folks came here with just suitcases. Now I’m going to be the first doctor in my family.” — Giuliano Lobos ’19, biomedical sciences and PRIME STEM alum

Since earning his bachelor’s degree from UCF in 2019, Lobos has set his sights on providing compassionate care to people in need. Now in his fourth year at Howard șŁœÇֱȄ’s College of Medicine, Lobos says he is grateful for the connections he made through PRIME STEM, which have helped him advance his education. His PRIME STEM tutor played a pivotal role in guiding him toward his purpose in psychiatry. After completing his clinical rotations, he says he realized that every doctor engages with psychiatry in some capacity, which inspired him to specialize in the field.

“I love the science and 
 how psychiatrists are able to care for 
 patients in a more holistic way. [ I find] a lot of joy in getting to know [my] patients [and] their stories,” Lobos says.

Graduating med school is just the tip of the iceberg for this budding physician. Next up: positively changing lives and owning psychiatric clinics.

“Me and my folks came here with just suitcases, heavy with dreams. I never thought I was going to graduate high school. Now I’m going to be the first doctor in my family,” Lobos says. “I hope that my journey shows that no matter how tough things are, 
 persistence always pays off.”

These K-8 STEM educators, who comprise the Robert Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship program cohort, are each graduating with a doctorate in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in K-8 mathematics education. However, their program doesn’t just end here. They are also serving as teacher leaders advocating for evidence-based instructional practices and transforming the ways in which mathematics education is approached.

The state of Florida has not only faced challenges posed by a shortage of teachers, but also by struggles in retaining highly qualified educators. These needs are often exacerbated in Title I schools, in which many of the Noyce program fellows work. Housed in the College of Community Innovation and Education’s and funded by a U.S. National Science Foundation grant, the five-year program directly addresses the issue of teacher retention through investing in quality educators by increasing their leadership capacity and mathematics expertise. It is led by Sarah Bush, principal investigator, as well as co-principal investigators Lisa Brooks ’92 ’06MEd ’14EdD, Juli Dixon and Brian Moore.

“Leadership capacity entails a combination of knowledge, experience, confidence, passion and opportunity,” Brooks says. “Our fellows are all natural leaders, and they are thriving because they harness the tools given to them and capitalize on every opportunity to follow their passion for ensuring that all students are provided with positive mathematics learning experiences.”

For Shane Wiggan, a Noyce fellow and eighth-grade teacher at Liberty Middle School, being prepared with the knowledge and strategies for effective mathematics instruction has not only helped him support his students’ learning gains but also in encouraging a love of learning.

“This program has equipped me with the tools to encourage students to harness their innate curiosity to solve math problems,” Wiggan says. “Instead of solely aiming to ‘get the correct answer,’ we now approach math tasks by thoroughly comprehending the problem and utilizing our existing knowledge. As a result of this change,ÌęI have noticed my students become more confident and enthusiastic.”

Although summer commencement marks the end of the Noyce Fellows’ academic journey, they’ll continue honing their leadership skills through the UCF-Orange County Public Schools Noyce Teacher Leader Academy over the next two years. The academy provides mentorship opportunities — including supervising UCF teacher education interns — that allow the fellows to share their expertise and positively impact both current and future teachers while continuing to teach in their own classrooms.

They’ll also continue an ongoing partnership with nonprofit City Year Orlando, an organization that provides support and resources for high-needs schools through their members taking on roles as volunteer student success coaches. Fellows serve as mentors to these volunteers, some of whom are interested in becoming teachers themselves.

“As I grow in my leadership capacity through the Teacher Leader Academy, I am looking forward to mentoring and supporting … STEM education professionals,” says Nisha Phillip-Malahoo ’21MEd, a Noyce Fellow and third-grade teacher at Pinewood Elementary. “I’m excited to work with these individuals to create opportunities for our students to explore STEM learning by utilizingÌęthis professional network to share and gain valuable insights, fostering a culture of continuous improvement within our schools.”

However, their leadership capacity transcends the classroom. Many of the fellows serve on boards and standing committees for national professional organizations, lead districtwide initiatives, present at mathematics education conferences and are publishing their research.

“Our work through the Teacher Leader Academy has always been centered on being responsive to the needs of the fellows and positioning them as leaders,” Brooks says. “We also focus on meeting the needs of Orange County Public Schools and City Year Orlando. Our project has regular online and in-person meetings where we provide ongoing professional learning, mentoring and support to fellows as they continue to serve as leaders, mentors, teachers and advocates.”

For Abigail Ruiz ’16 ’21MEd, another Noyce Fellow and fourth-grade teacher at Hidden Oaks Elementary School, her passion for sparking joy in mathematics with her students is rooted in her own academic journey. Growing up, she had a teacher who inspired her to not only persevere despite finding math difficult, but also to study education at UCF. It was while working toward her master’s degree that Ruiz learned to love math and science education.

“I never experienced the joy in a classroom until then,” Ruiz told a group of fellow teachers at a recent conference for NCSM, a mathematics education leadership organization for which she also sits on the board. “My mission is to help students experience this type of joy much sooner than I did because this type of revelation should not be confined to post-graduate education. Every learner deserves access to the wonder, joy and beauty of mathematics.”

Wiggan adds that teachers can sometimes become accustomed to affecting a finite space, such as a classroom or campus, in which they feel they can make a difference. However, he’s since learned his impact can extend far beyond.

“Overall, the Teacher Leader Academy has helped me realize that the only thing stopping me from making a more significant impact has been myself,” Wiggan says.

“Papayas grow without much effort,” Loftin says, sounding more like a wonder-struck gardener than the center chief technologist at Kennedy Space Center. Actually, she’s both. Loftin spends Monday through Friday leading a team of researchers who are figuring out how to sustain healthy human life from the moon to Mars, and yet here she is, mesmerized with papayas.

“They could be the answer to world hunger,” says Loftin, who studied chemistry at UCF.

She’s joking. Or is she? You’d be wise to never doubt Loftin and her easy-going nature. Others have made that mistake, which she uses as fuel in her personal mission to take us to unimaginable places.

Here she shares her inspirations for pursuing a career in STEM and her contributions to field of space exploration.

On being a modern scientist:
People are always surprised to hear what I do. The women in my book club and in our bunco group will hear me talk about NASA and say, “Really? You’re a researcher in space exploration? You?” I guess they’re used to a stereotype of a scientist — it isn’t someone who kayaks and works the garden on weekends.

On what keeps her inspired:
A UCF professor said something I think about daily. The late Chris Clausen, my chemistry professor, would say, “What did you do to push the boundaries of science today?” That question still inspires me. It brings me out of the weeds to realize the magnitude of what we’re doing at Kennedy Space Center. Our work is much, much bigger than myself.

On supporting life on Mars:
Did you see The Martian? It’s based on the novel by Andy Weir, but the idea comes from NASA’s research on In-Situ Resource Utilization [ISRU]. Do you know the part in the movie where Matt Damon grows potatoes on Mars? We’ve been working on something like that for years as a way to sustain human space explorers on long duration missions. And now with the upcoming Artemis I flight we’re bringing it a step closer to reality. It’s the first in a series of launches that will take us closer to our goal: to allow humans to live on the moon and prepare for sending astronauts to Mars — and to bring them back safely.

On her role with NASA:
My role is very technical. I oversee the research and technological efforts of the mission. It’s why I love gardening — to keep my brain in balance. Both of my passions are helpful in my work with Artemis. Think about it. When Lewis and Clark trekked across America, they had to figure out ways to use the land. They couldn’t carry everything necessary for survival. It’s a similar concept with ISRU. When we go to the moon or Mars, there is a limit on what we can take. So we’re learning how to break down the moon’s soil into breathable oxygen and how to use the metals there to build launch pads, parts, and infrastructure. From there we can learn how to sustain life on Mars in the future for months or years. How exciting is that?

On finding her passion for science:
This all started with rocks. They fascinated me as a young girl when our family would camp in north Georgia. I’d find quartz and amethyst, or jade when we traveled out west. In 8^th grade I brought the rock collection to my science teacher, and she showed a genuine interest. Her encouragement helped me create an identity for myself in science.

On rising to the challenge:
Teachers sometimes underestimated me. My chemistry teacher in 10^th grade said, “Boys are better in science, so I don’t expect girls to do as well.” I can’t imagine a teacher saying that today. Back then, I took it as a challenge. I thought, “Game on! Let’s go!” I still feel that way.

On her time at UCF:
I’ve always felt that I got a lot of bang for my buck at UCF. As an undergraduate in chemistry, I could get my hands into meaningful research. It didn’t matter that I was a girl or that I didn’t have a bachelor’s degree yet. There were no limitations.

And then there were the shuttle launches. We’d stand on a roof at UCF to watch them, and the entire building would shake under our feet. I loved that so much. I still love every launch. It’s hard to explain what it does to my soul whenever a rocket goes up.

On pivoting her career:
I didn’t plan this career. I’m an inventor. In the early 2000s I was part of a team that developed a product [zero-valent iron, or EZVI] to clean chlorinated chemicals out of the environment. We happened to bring our work over to NASA, and the place amazed me. The scientists and their work 
 I wanted to be around it.

On another great woman in STEM:
The woman who changed my life is still at UCF. Cherie Yestrebsky ’90. We were undergraduates together. We both took breaks from our career pursuits to raise our families. We worked on the EZVI product together and she’s now the chair of UCF’s chemistry department. We’re both in the Space Technology Hall of Fame. It means a lot to have another woman, who’s also a mother, motivating you to push further and further.

On the magic of science:
Science can be so cool. When my kids were little, I’d go to their classes with a full-on lab coat and do chemical “magic shows.” We’d make shuttles out of hot dogs, cheese sticks, ketchup, and mustard. After 30 minutes, all these first graders felt like scientists. They could identify all parts of a shuttle — and then eat it.

On being limitless:
My message for girls and women: Never doubt yourself. If anyone doubts you, use it as motivation. I still do that. We’re all capable of anything. There is no glass ceiling. Just look how far we’ve come and look what we’re about to do next.

“The evolving relationship between business and innovation is driving the need for highly trained professionals with both advanced financial skills and technological know-how,” says Christo Pirinsky, program co-director and an associate professor of finance. “UCF is uniquely positioned to offer a graduate degree program designed to promote entrepreneurial thinking, innovation and the fostering of relationships within the Central Florida business community and beyond.”

“The evolving relationship between business and innovation is driving the need for highly trained professionals with both advanced financial skills and technological know-how,” says Christo Pirinsky, program co-director and an associate professor of finance in the College of Business.

The master’s in fintech is a full-time, three semester program consisting of 10 courses — five finance and five computer science — with internship opportunities and a final capstone project. Students will have two program options: in-person evening classes on UCF’s main campus or fully online.

Jointly offered by the College of Business and the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the program admits applicants with an undergraduate degree in computer science, finance, business studies, mathematics, natural sciences, or the engineering disciplines.

The program blends finance and computer science courses to teach students how to harness the power of data, technology solutions, and financial services to reduce costs, improve customer experience, and create economies of scale. Its interdisciplinary curriculum will provide students with employable technical skills and the ability to think and function in cross-disciplinary teams.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be well positioned for a wide range of jobs, including apps developer, blockchain developer, cybersecurity analyst, compliance expert, data specialist, financial analyst, investment manager and more.

Financial technology is widely regarded as one of the world’s fastest growing business areas. More than 95% of global consumers are aware of at least one fintech service and more than three quarters of the world’s population have used a FinTech service. Currently, there are more than 8,700 fintech startups in the Americas.

Central Florida is a prime region for a degree program in FinTech. Earlier this year, WalletHub ranked the City of Orlando first in Florida and No. 19 nationally among the best areas for STEM professionals. Global Finance magazine named Florida the new home for FinTech in 2019. In 2018, Forbes Magazine proclaimed Orlando as a FinTech hub. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UCF as one of the most innovative universities in the nation.

So, on Thursday, the science fair came to them — thanks to the help of UCF faculty and students — in the form of the first-ever STEM Day at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando. Poster boards detailing projects as varied as fish prosthetics and bouncing marbles were on display in the hospital’s lobby, each awaiting the arrival of a special panel of guest judges.

Thursday’s event was put on by UCF PedsAcademy at Nemours, which provides highly specialized schooling to chronically ill children in a way that’s tailored to their specific disease. STEM Day wrapped up the first academic year of PedsAcademy, which launched in August 2018. The program is run by about 50 UCF faculty members, student researchers, postdoctoral scholars and student interns who specialize in mathematics, engineering, science, the humanities and special education. Megan Nickels, Ph.D., an assistant professor of STEM education, heads the program.

“Every school needs a science fair. We wanted to give the kids center stage so everyone can see their good work.” —ÌęMegan Nickels, UCF assistant professor and PedsAcademy faculty director

“Every school needs a science fair,” Nickels says. “We wanted to give the kids center stage so everyone can see their good work.”

The lobby of the Lake Nona hospital also hosted labs from across the university, enticing children with opportunities to touch sea turtle shells, get up close with bugs and learn how muscles generate electricity.

August Terry, 10, was captivated by the crabs brought by the Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab. She completed three projects for the science fair: one on silicone in paint; another with a 3D-printed replica of the Castillo De San Marcos fort in St. Augustine; and a third exploring the best materials for building bridges.

Terry, who is still undergoing treatment for bone cancer, won an award for “most likely to change the world.”

Terry’s St. Augustine project was particularly special to her, as she was unable to attend her fourth-grade field trip to St. Augustine because of her illness.

“I can’t put a price on it,” says her mother, Wendy. “PedsAcademy has made hospital visits something August actually looks forward to.”

One of the judges was Katie Seymour, wife of Interim President Thad Seymour. She had high praise for the tailored, one-on-one instruction PedsAcademy offers children on a daily basis at the hospital.

“I love seeing the spark in each of these children,” she says.