Joshua Taggart knew he wanted to work for the space industry the day he experienced his first launch while attending a camp at Kennedy Space Center, seeing the space shuttle Endeavour soar into the sky. He鈥檚 now closer to making that dream a reality after being recognized with one of the industry鈥檚 most distinguished awards.

Taggart is the latest Knight to receive the coveted Astronaut Foundation Scholarship, a national award that provides more than 70 scholarships of up to $15,000 each for some of the nation鈥檚 very best STEM students. He will be recognized with the 2026 class of scholars at the foundation鈥檚 gala, to be held next month in Houston.

Taggart says he chose 麻豆原创 for its reputation in engineering as the No. 1 supplier of talent to the nation鈥檚 aerospace and defense industries (Aviation Week Network). He is in good company as part of a trio of Astronaut Scholars this year from the College of Engineering and Computer Science, joining mechanical engineering student Keanu Brayman and computer engineering student Kyle Coutray (a biomedical sciences double major), who have received the scholarship for second consecutive year.

As Taggart works to complete his final year at 麻豆原创, his latest accomplishment fuels his path to make an impact as a future space researcher.

Future Focused

Driven to contribute to humanity鈥檚 exploration of our universe, Taggart is already working on future-focused innovations that can benefit the space industry.

Through NASA Office of STEM Engagement, he interned at the Johnson Space Center working on communications, avionics, propulsion and flight software for CubeSat subsystems.

This summer at NASA鈥檚 Glenn Research Center, he is researching packaging materials for silicon carbide pressure sensors, working to make sure they perform reliably above 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit), and on integrating thermocouple sensors for temperature compensation.

鈥淚 chose this field of research because I want to be involved in next-generation electronics that can withstand the extreme nature of outer space.鈥� 鈥� Joshua Taggart

鈥淲ith the harsh environment that outer space is and planet surfaces like Venus, electronics must survive very high temperatures and radiation effects,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 chose this field of research because I want to be involved in next-generation electronics that can withstand the extreme nature of outer space.鈥�

His work as an undergraduate researcher for the Q-Sim Lab, directed by Assistant Professor Jaesung Lee, also centers around developing technology designed to operate in outer space. Taggart is working on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators designed to perform under extreme conditions, such as elevated temperatures and increased exposure to radiation.

He recently won a Judge鈥檚 Choice Award at 麻豆原创 Student Research Week for his Honors Undergraduate Thesis, 鈥淩obust AlN MEMS Resonators for High Temperature Space Environments.鈥�

His passion for space has only grown over the years, reflected by his ongoing research at 麻豆原创 and for NASA. As an Astronaut Scholar, Taggart is launching into a future full of possibilities.

鈥淎side from the financial support that this scholarship will provide me as I complete my undergraduate program, I am very eager for all of the networking opportunities I will have,鈥� Taggart says. 鈥淚 look forward to networking with other students and industry leaders to learn and grow as much as I can thanks to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.鈥�

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

Worth noting among this graduating class:

• Roughly 30% of the undergraduate students receiving their degrees are the first in their families to earn their diploma.
• More than 25% of this term’s degrees are tied to STEM majors.
• About 30% of the undergraduate graduating class are Pell Grant recipients.

麻豆原创 is the leading producer of talent among Florida鈥檚 universities, awarding roughly 19,000 degrees annually to Knights who go on to work in high-demand industries. About 85% of our alumni stay in Florida because of the ample opportunity to thrive as part of our state鈥檚 workforce.

Graduates will hear from听three听esteemed speakers听鈥� all 麻豆原创 graduates 鈥斕齱hose leadership and impact听have听benefited听our region:

• Psychology alum听Allen Johnson听鈥�81,听chief听venue听officer for听City听for听Orlando Venues
• Journalism alum Tanya (Easterling) Hill 鈥�97, market president for Central Florida for Florida Blue
• Criminal听justice听alum听Fred Kittinger 鈥�80, 麻豆原创鈥檚 former听senior associate vice president for government and community relations

Commencement Festivities

Held in the Addition Financial Arena, summer commencement will take place over three ceremonies spanning Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1.

All guests, including children and infants,鈥痭eed a ticket for admission. All graduates who have filed an intent to graduate will receive five commencement ceremony tickets when they pick up their regalia packet.

Guests who do not have tickets may watch the鈥痩ive ceremony via a simulcast viewing鈥痠n the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center and the Student Union. Ceremonies will also be .

Commencement Photo-ops Across 麻豆原创

Graduating Knights are unable to take photos at the Acrisure Bounce House football stadium this semester due to ongoing construction.

Grad Walk

On Thursday,听July听30,听4:30-7 p.m. (doors close at 6 p.m.),听summer听graduates are invited to a photo-op 鈥� Grad Walk 鈥� within the Addition Financial Arena. This will be a first-come, first-served occasion for graduates and up to 10 of their well-wishers to take photos and videos on the ceremony stage.鈥疓raduates听are required to听register at听.

Commencement Schedule

Graduates and guests can review the below commencement ceremony schedule, listing colleges, ceremony听dates听and streaming links:

Friday,听July听31

6听p.m.

College of Arts and Humanities

College of Community Innovation and Education

College of Graduate Studies

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Saturday,听Aug. 1

9 a.m.

Barry S. Miller听College of Business

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

2:30听p.m.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Optics and Photonics

College of Sciences

For more details and FAQs about听Summer听2026 commencement celebrations, visit听ucf.edu/graduation.

Commencement Speakers

Allen Johnson 鈥�81

Chief Venues Officer, City of Orlando Venues

Allen Johnson 鈥�81 has served as chief venues officer of Orlando Venues since 2004, overseeing the City of Orlando’s diverse portfolio of Kia Center, Camping World Stadium, Tinker Field, Leu Gardens and the Mennello Museum of American Art.

Johnson brings decades of venue management experience from leadership roles across Florida. Under Johnson’s leadership, Orlando Venues has evolved into a premier, globally recognized destination for sports, entertainment and culture, welcoming millions of guests each year while strengthening Central Florida’s reputation as a world-class destination.

A proud 麻豆原创 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, he has earned numerous honors, including the 2025 International Association of Venue Managers Foundation Legacy Award, the SPORTYS Executive of the Year Award and the Downtowner of the Year Award.

He remains active in the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), serving as past chairman and trustee of the foundation board, while also contributing to organizations that include the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, Florida Citrus Sports, Victim Service Center and the .

Tanya (Easterling) Hill 鈥�97

Market President for Central Florida, Florida Blue

Tanya Hill 鈥�97听is Florida Blue鈥檚 market president for Central Florida,听responsible for听regional business and community engagement in a 9-county region.

Throughout her more than 25-year career, she has worked with reputable brands including Chick-fil-A, Target and Walt Disney World to drive business results through strategic partnerships.

Hill is passionate about investing time in the community and has been involved with听numerous听community and civic organizations. She currently serves on the board of directors for the听African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, 4Roots Foundation, Orlando Economic听Partnership听and the Winter Park Health Foundation.

Hill holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in journalism from 麻豆原创.

Fred Kittinger 鈥�80

Former Senior Associate Vice President for Government and Community Relations, 麻豆原创

A native of central Florida, Fred Kittinger 鈥�80 recently retired as senior associate vice president for government and community relations at 麻豆原创, where he served for more than 22 years.

He worked alongside local and state leaders to help foster some of 麻豆原创’s most transformative achievements, including the approval of 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Medicine, the creation of the world-class Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, the development of 麻豆原创 Downtown, the expansion of the 麻豆原创 Business Incubation Program and investments that enhanced the student experience and advanced regional impact.

Prior to his career at 麻豆原创, Kittinger served as chief of staff to Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood and previously as vice president of government relations for the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce. He began his career as a legislative aide to state Senator George Stuart of Orlando.

Reflecting his commitment to the community, Kittinger currently serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central Florida (past chair), Central Florida Council for Scouting America and Legacy Pointe at 麻豆原创.

Kittinger graduated from 麻豆原创鈥檚 criminal justice program and earned his master’s degree in public administration from Florida State University.

That鈥檚 the future a team of 麻豆原创 researchers is building, and their groundbreaking work has earned international recognition.

A team of 麻豆原创 researchers has won an industry award for using robotics and digital twins to blend human intuition with technological innovation.

Their work, Be There Without Being There: Humanoid Robot Immersive Telepresence, received the Auggie Award for Best Interaction Product at this year鈥檚 Augmented World Expo in Long Beach, California. Auggie Awards, which received over 330 entries across 18 categories, are among the world鈥檚 most recognized honors in the augmented and virtual reality industry.

The award-winning 麻豆原创 team includes computer science student researchers Judah Rowe 鈥�23 鈥�25MS, junior Liam Abramov, seniors Seniah McField and Megan Bailey, Assistant Professor Mohsen Rakhshan, and is led by 麻豆原创 Institute for Simulation and Training Interim Director and Agere Chair Professor of Computer Science Carolina Cruz-Neira. In addition to this honor, Cruz-Neira received the 2026 Auggie Award for Innovator of the Year.

Together, they developed a system that pairs a humanoid robot with an immersive digital environment, allowing a person to interact with a remote location as if they were physically there.

The technology creates a real-time digital twin of the robot鈥檚 surroundings while mapping the user鈥檚 body movements directly onto the robot.

鈥淔rom a technical [standpoint], this is perhaps the first working product or system that actually [allows] a human to be physically functional in a remote location as if they were really there,鈥� Cruz-Neira says. 鈥淲e map the body of the human to the robot. So the human walks, the robot walks. The human moves, and the robot moves. The human turns the head, the robot turns the head. It’s almost like the concept in the movie Avatar.鈥�

While Cruz-Neira and Rakhshan guided the project, she says the talented 麻豆原创 students are responsible for successfully implementing physical telepresence.

鈥淭his project was done entirely by 麻豆原创 students,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey are the ones who solved all the problems. They brought it to this level of sophistication to win the award.鈥�

The technology has applications across industries wherever people cannot safely or easily be physically present.

A robot could enter buildings damaged by hurricanes or earthquakes to assess structural damage and search for survivors. Healthcare providers could remotely examine patients with limited mobility or those living far from medical facilities. 听Someone unable to travel could experience strolling along the Champs-脡lys茅es in Paris through the robot鈥檚 perspective.

The most important aspect of the work is its ability to blend human intuition with technological innovation, Cruz-Neira says.

鈥淎t the end of the day, we have a human element, and robots can help us extend our human capabilities through this amazing technology,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his project is about [using] technology to augment or extend our human capabilities to help us do things more safely and more effectively.鈥�

The team continues refining the technology to enhance the human experience. Future developments include incorporating artificial intelligence to give the robot greater autonomy and adding a sense of touch that would allow users to remotely feel temperature and texture, as well as manipulate objects.

Cruz-Neira says the project demonstrates not only what鈥檚 possible through emerging technologies, but also what 麻豆原创 students can accomplish when given the opportunity to tackle complex real-world challenges. The students have taken this project from the lab into the real world. They鈥檝e built a robust working prototype that鈥檚 an exceptional display of real value for the community.

鈥溌槎乖� is making [its] mark in the world as the technology university,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his project demonstrates that as a university, we鈥檙e part of the future that we like to talk about. [We鈥檙e helping build it.]鈥�

Over millions of years, flowing water etched valleys, shaped mountainsides and formed the branching blue and green scars visible across Earth 鈥� and potentially those on other celestial bodies.

Now, 麻豆原创 researchers and collaborating institutions developed a framework capable of reconstructing realistic 3D landscapes using only 2D river network patterns. By combining computer models that simulate how river networksform with principles of hydraulic geometry 鈥� the study of how rivers naturally shape themselves over time 鈥� the researchers were able to estimate terrain features such as elevation, channel depth, slope and sediment transport.

The approach could help scientists better understand how landscapes evolve under different environmental conditions on Earth and potentially other planetary bodies such as Mars and Titan.

Rivers as Geological Records

According to Arvind Singh, an associate professor in 麻豆原创鈥檚 Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, river networks preserve traces of the physical processes and external forcings that shaped them over time.

鈥淩iver networks encode the integrated effects of hydrologic and geomorphic processes, reflected in metrics such as drainage structure, channel geometry, relief and hypsometry (the measurement of elevation and depth),鈥� Singh says.

Reconstructing Landscapes from Networks

Traditionally, researchers study river systems by starting with 3D topographic data gathered through satellite imaging and digital elevation models, then extracting river networks from the terrain.

The new framework flips that process.

Instead of beginning with terrain itself, the researchers investigated whether river networks contain enough information to reconstruct landscapes from the ground up.

鈥淏ecause traditional approaches require full topography and only describe patterns, reverse engineering (e.g., from networks) can reveal the underlying physical processes that govern landscape form,鈥� Singh says.

The researchers say river networks can reveal far more than simple drainage patterns. Under the framework, the geometry of the networks can also help estimate hidden environmental variables tied to landscape formation.

鈥淎 key insight is that realistic 3D landscapes, and even unobservable quantities like discharge or sediment transport, can be reconstructed from 2D network structure alone, revealing strong constraints imposed by fundamental scaling laws,鈥� Singh says.

Testing Alien Worlds

Because the framework is dimensionless and scalable, researchers were also able to adapt the model to hypothetical landscapes on Mars and Titan by changing variables such as gravity and sediment density.

The resulting simulations revealed how river valleys and terrain formations may differ across planetary environments. Compared to Earth and Mars, Titan鈥檚 lower gravity and unique environmental conditions produced wider channels, deeper river systems and flatter overall landscapes.

鈥淢ars and Titan provide natural laboratories with different gravity and fluid/sediment properties, allowing the framework to test how identical network structures yield different landscapes under altered physical conditions.”鈥擜rvind Singh, associate professor

The planetary comparisons allowed the researchers to test how different environmental conditions influence landscape formation even when river structures remain similar.

鈥淢ars and Titan provide natural laboratories with different gravity and fluid/sediment properties, allowing the framework to test how identical network structures yield different landscapes under altered physical conditions,鈥� Singh says.

The simulations also demonstrated how gravity and sediment behavior can dramatically alter the shape of landscapes over time.

鈥淒ifferences in gravity and sediment properties directly alter channel width, depth, slope, and relief, leading to distinct landscape geometries even with the same network structure,鈥� Singh says.

The researchers say the framework may also help scientists better understand how precipitation, sediment size and watershed structure influence the evolution of landscapes over time. Unlike many traditional landscape evolution models, the framework explicitly resolves river channels and their physical characteristics, including depth, slope and gravel transport.

A New Framework for Landscape Evolution

The researchers say the framework differs from many traditional landscape evolution models because it directly incorporates the physical properties of river channels into the simulations.

鈥淭his framework couples probabilistic 2D channel network generation with physically based, dimensionally consistent hydraulic geometry and hillslope models, explicitly resolving channel properties and producing fully scalable 3D landscapes,鈥� Singh says.

By revealing how river networks preserve hidden information about the worlds they shape, the researchers hope the framework can help scientists better understand not only Earth鈥檚 geological past, but also the ancient landscapes of distant planetary environments.

听The study was conducted by researchers from 麻豆原创, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and collaborating institutions, with support from the 麻豆原创 P3 program and other funding sources.

麻豆原创 researchers are known worldwide for their innovative studies, groundbreaking discoveries and contributions to patented technologies that have impacted society and influenced other leaders in the field.

Two College of Engineering and Computer Science professors and a three-time 麻豆原创 alum-turned-courtesy faculty appointee are now being recognized for their achievements that have advanced the quality of life for the state of Florida and the nation.

Professors Reza Abdolvand and Ni-bin Chang and Lockheed Martin Fellow Clara Rivero Baleine 鈥�01 鈥�03MS 鈥�05PhD have been named 2026 inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame (FIHF). This initiative celebrates pioneering inventors and empowers future problem-solvers and changemakers.

This initiative celebrates pioneering inventors and empowers future problem-solvers and changemakers.

This year, 10 inventors from Florida will be inducted during a formal ceremony in Tampa on Nov. 6. Since FIHF was founded in 2013, five faculty inventors from 麻豆原创 have been recognized with the distinction.

鈥淚nduction into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame represents the ultimate validation of a lifelong commitment to translating academic research into industry practice,鈥� Chang says. 鈥淏eing inducted into the Hall of Fame, which includes over 90 inventors in different fields is also a testament to the thriving Florida innovation ecosystem and the power of continuous, groundbreaking discovery.鈥�

A Career in Environmental Innovation

Chang was selected for induction based on his groundbreaking invention of green sorption media (GSM) and sustainable water treatment technologies that improve water quality.

GSM is a cost-effective and sustainable type of filtration media that uses recycled byproducts and natural minerals to treat stormwater runoff, wastewater effluent, groundwater flow and agricultural discharge.

There are a variety of patented GSM blends that can filter heavy metals, pathogens and contaminants from water systems. This process not only restores aquatic ecosystems but halts the transmission of waterborne diseases, and eliminates cyanotoxins and 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥� from water that can harm both humans and animals.

鈥淩emoving these diverse contaminants from water matrices provides profound, cascading benefits for both human health and aquatic ecosystems,鈥� Chang says. 鈥淏y eliminating the risk pathways associated with both acute exposure and chronic bioaccumulation, these GSM-based treatment technologies support fundamental ecological balance and public well-being.鈥�

GSM blends are already used at more than 300 water treatment sites across the U.S.

The Inventor of Advanced Electronics

Abdolvand, the chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was named an inductee for his contributions to the field of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) 鈥� incredibly small devices that have mighty power. Specifically, he is the inventor of a class of microelectronics called Thin-Film Piezoelectric-on-Substrate (TPoS) devices, which improve the reliability and efficiency of a wide range of electronics, including cell phones.

鈥淏y improving the efficiency and reliability of the components that make up these systems, the impact, while often invisible to the end user, is very real,鈥� Abdolvand says. 鈥淏etter performance, lower power consumption, and more reliable devices are the kinds of improvements that quietly make everyday technology work better for everyone.鈥�

Abdolvand鈥檚 interest in innovation stems from his natural sense of curiosity. He says his tendency to connect the dots between seemingly unrelated events or systems has served him well throughout his career in research and academia.

鈥淭he moment it all clicked was during my Ph.D., when I was first given the opportunity to work on genuinely hard technical problems,鈥� Abdolvand says. 鈥淚 realized I could come up with solutions that simply did not exist yet. That realization was a turning point.鈥�

As his career progresses, Abdolvand hopes to leave behind a legacy that is less about devices and innovation and more about people. His passion for educating, inspiring and creating opportunities for students means more than the impacts of his inventions.

鈥淲hat excites me most is seeing students take the seed ideas developed at the university and carry them forward into their own companies, their own inventions, their own contributions to society,鈥� Abdolvand says. 鈥淭hat chain of innovation 鈥� from a research lab to a startup to a product that improves people’s lives 鈥� is what I find truly meaningful. If I can play even a small role in setting that chain in motion for as many students as possible, that is the legacy I would be interested to leave behind.鈥�

On the Cutting Edge of听Infrared听Materials and Optics

Driven by a desire to protect people and advance technologies that matter, Rivero Baleine joined Lockheed Martin, a 麻豆原创 Pegasus Partner, in 2005 after completing three degrees in six years at 麻豆原创.

Rivero Baleine now serves as a Lockheed Martin fellow, contributing to cutting鈥慹dge innovation in infrared materials and optics.

Rivero-Baleine鈥檚 gradient refractive index optical materials and metamaterial coatings transformed infrared sensing systems for defense and advanced photonics applications.

鈥淚 am profoundly proud and deeply humbled to be welcomed into such an extraordinary community of inventors and innovators,鈥� Rivero-Baleine says. 鈥淲hat inspires me most is knowing that these听innovations will听become part of systems that protect service members, strengthen national security and expand the capabilities of the platforms we rely on. That sense of purpose continues to听drive听my work every day.鈥�

Rivero Baleine continues to maintain strong ties with 麻豆原创 through a courtesy faculty appointment at CREOL and serves on the CREOL Dean Advisory Board and the 麻豆原创 Material Science Industrial Advisory board.

Rivero Baleine is a Burnett Honors Scholar and earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics, and a 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and a doctorate in optics.

Students in the , with support from the American Association of Venezuelan Engineers (AAVE), are producing 3D-printed orthopedic devices 鈥� including splints, neck braces and animal immobilizers 鈥� for people and pets injured in the disaster.

The initiative, called Bracing Venezuela, began after BMES leaders contacted Greco Pinz贸n, president of AAVE. Pinzon鈥檚 dad, who has been volunteering in Caracas, Venezuela鈥檚 capital, connected the students with physicians on the ground who identified the types of orthopedic devices most urgently needed.

“… before we knew it, we had a campuswide humanitarian project taking shape.”

鈥淔rom there, everything snowballed,鈥� says Jannah Barakat, a mechanical engineering major and president of BMES. 鈥淲e started test printing, organizing volunteers, building a print tracker, reaching out to other student organizations, and before we knew it, we had a campuswide humanitarian project taking shape.鈥�

Since launching the effort, BMES has produced more than 350 devices that have been shipped to clinicians in Venezuela. Smaller items, such as finger and wrist splints, take only a few hours to print and are manufactured flat so they can be easily transported. Once they arrive, clinicians soften the material with hot water and mold each device to fit each patient. Larger devices, such as neck braces and animal leg braces, are printed in multiple sizes and can take up to 10 hours to complete. With volunteers printing from across 麻豆原创 and beyond, multiple devices can be produced simultaneously.

Bracing Venezuela has received support from Mohsen Rakhshan, an assistant professor in and BMES faculty advisor, who opened his lab鈥檚 3D printer for the project. While many volunteers are engineering students, faculty members, 麻豆原创 alumni and 3D-printing hobbyists have also come forward to help.

鈥淥ne of the coolest things about this project has been watching people from so many different backgrounds come together around one goal,鈥� Barakat says. 鈥淲hether you’re printing a brace, packing a box, donating supplies or simply helping us spread the word, every contribution helps get these devices into the hands of the people and animals who need them.鈥�

“I hope this initiative becomes a model for how engineering students can quickly mobilize to respond to humanitarian needs.”

Those interested in joining the initiative don鈥檛 need to own a 3D printer. BMES supplies filament to volunteers who have printers, while others can still make an impact by donating materials, connecting the organization with additional volunteers or helping spread the word.

For Barakat, Bracing Venezuela demonstrates what鈥檚 possible when engineering students come together for a greater good.

鈥淚 hope this initiative becomes a model for how engineering students can quickly mobilize to respond to humanitarian needs,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hether it’s supporting communities after natural disasters, helping [less fortunate] populations locally or partnering with organizations in other countries, I’d love to continue using engineering as a way to make healthcare more [widely available] wherever it’s needed.鈥�

To join the Bracing Venezuela initiative, email Jannah.barakat@ucf.edu.

Two 麻豆原创 researchers have received U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Awards supporting separate engineering research projects focused on how complex systems sense, adapt and respond to changing environments.

The awards were presented to Chinwendu Enyioha, an assistant professor in , and Mohiuddin Quadir, an associate professor in . Among NSF鈥檚 most prestigious recognitions for early-career faculty, the CAREER Award supports researchers who show strong potential as academic leaders while integrating research, education and student development.

Recognizing Emerging Research Leaders

While Enyioha and Quadir work in different engineering fields, both researchers are developing systems designed to respond under complex conditions 鈥� including autonomous systems coordinating under limited communication and nanoparticles interacting with biological signals in complex environments.

Enyioha says the award will enable his group to build on years of prior work, including early doctoral students who helped lay the foundation for the project.

鈥淚t gives us the opportunity to study these problems and acknowledges the effort that has gone into making important findings in this area,鈥� Enyioha says. 鈥淚t will enable us to continue training doctoral students and make contributions to the broader cyber-physical systems research community.鈥�

For Quadir, the award will help support the long-term development of ideas his research group has been pursuing for years for engineering 鈥榮mart鈥� materials with programmable form and function.

鈥淭his recognition means a very significant impact for our research group and for the progression of our ideas,鈥� Quadir says. 鈥淭his is a core idea that we want to develop over time, and for that, you need logistic support, intellectual support, collaborations, and of course, newer ideas.鈥�

Designing Autonomous Systems Under Communication Constraints

Enyioha鈥檚 CAREER project, 鈥淟imited-Communication Control of Teams of Autonomous Systems鈥� focuses on developing mathematical frameworks and distributed algorithms that allow teams of autonomous systems to coordinate effectively under bandwidth-limited communication constraints.

The research examines how spatially distributed systems 鈥� including robotic networks, wireless sensors and autonomous infrastructure systems 鈥� can continue operating cooperatively even when communication bandwidth becomes constrained or unreliable.

鈥淥ne way to think about it is if you have a bunch of robots that need to solve a particular task. Clearly they have to talk and agree and coordinate,鈥� Enyioha says. 鈥淭he question we are interested in is how can they solve that problem when they are not able to talk freely with one another?鈥�

Communication constraints are common in real-world environments, including disaster zones, underwater systems and crowded networks where many devices compete for limited bandwidth.

鈥淥ur focus isn鈥檛 on situations where we have no communication, but on being efficient in how we use limited communication resources down to single bits,鈥� Enyioha says.

To explain the concept, Enyioha compares the challenge to compressing navigation instructions.

鈥淚f you want to go from Orlando to Houston, Google Maps gives you a long list of instructions,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut if you only had two pieces of information to give someone, you might say, 鈥楪o north. Then go west.鈥欌��

The project also studies resilient systems capable of continuing to operate even when communication channels fail or individual components become compromised, an important challenge in areas such as disaster response, autonomous infrastructure and large-scale robotic systems.

鈥淚n the community we call this designing autonomous systems that gracefully degrade,鈥� Enyioha says.

Engineering Materials That Respond to Biological Signals

Quadir鈥檚 CAREER project, 鈥淣anoscale Interactions of Stimuli-responsive Nanoparticles with Enzymes,鈥� investigates how engineered nanoparticles can be designed to recognize and respond to biological signals in ways that mimic certain characteristics found in living systems.

鈥淎s you know, in [human] physiology, in the physiology of the plants, in the physiology of any living materials around the world, there is a very basic paradigm that goes on, which is selective responsiveness to a particular stimulus within the myriad of noises,鈥� Quadir says. 鈥淭his sensitivity means a system can register and isolate signals from a complex external environment and translate them into an action.鈥�

Quadir says his research group is trying to translate that biological principle into the materials world by engineering nanoparticles capable of recognizing specific molecular signals and producing targeted responses.

The research focuses on enzyme-responsive nanomaterials 鈥� particles capable of interacting with enzymes at the molecular level. Quadir says his research group designs and engineers the molecular building blocks of nanoparticles so they can recognize specific enzyme signals and respond accordingly.

Potential applications could include medicine, aging research, environmental science, and adaptive materials capable of responding to dynamic biological environments.

Supporting Long-Term Research and Education

Both CAREER projects include education and outreach components designed to train students and expand engagement with emerging areas of engineering.

Education and workforce development are central components of Enyioha鈥檚 CAREER Award, he says. His research group includes doctoral, 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and undergraduate students who participate in research on autonomy, machine learning, and distributed optimization theory, with applications to networked cyber-physical systems. Beyond the university, he also introduces younger students to these fields through programs such as 麻豆原创 Camp Connect, where K-12 participants are introduced to decision-making algorithms and autonomy during a week-long summer program.

鈥淪eeing real demonstrations helped them understand how core concepts from math and physics apply to real problems,鈥� Enyioha says.

Quadir acknowledges the work done by the graduate students and postdocs towards the research goal. He is grateful to his mentors, collaborators and colleagues at the department and college for their guidance and inspiration, and the National Science Foundation for research support.

Quadir says scientific and engineering research ultimately aims to improve the lives of others.

Together, the awards highlight how 麻豆原创 researchers are advancing engineering systems capable of adapting to increasingly complex biological, computational and real-world environments.

Enyioha鈥檚 CAREER Award project, 鈥淟imited-Communication Control of Teams of Autonomous Systems,鈥� is supported under NSF award GR110760. Quadir鈥檚 CAREER Award project, 鈥淣anoscale Interactions of Stimuli-responsive Nanoparticles with Enzymes,鈥� is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under awards GR111180 and GR111181 (Award number听 – 2609681)

For a group of seven 麻豆原创 graduate students and alums, it starts with curiosity and a willingness to explore the unknown.

Researchers studying topics ranging from galaxy formation and invasive fire ant species interactions across Florida ecosystems to sustainable propulsion systems, harmful algal blooms and organic chemistry with potential pharmaceutical applications have earned recognition through the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)鈥檚 Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). One of the nation鈥檚 most competitive honors, the fellowship supports students pursuing research-based 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in STEM fields while helping develop the next generation of innovators and scientific leaders.

The 2026 麻豆原创 recipients of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship are:

• Charlotte Moore 鈥�25
  Physics, College of Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Jennifer Hughes 鈥�25
  Environmental engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Burnett Honors College
• Melissa Deinys 鈥�26
  Chemistry, College of Sciences and Burnett Honors College
• Noah Swann 鈥�24
  Chemistry, College of Sciences
• Kalissa Moseley
  Integrative biology, College of Sciences
• Emilio Pereira 鈥�25
  Aerospace engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Burnett Honors College
• Brendan Shrader 鈥�25
  Mathematics, College of Sciences, and Burnett Honors College

Chasing Challenges

The fellows鈥� research spans different disciplines, but many are driven by a common goal: developing solutions to better our world.

麻豆原创 mathematics and physics alum Charlotte Moore 鈥�25 studies galaxy evolution in the early universe, a field that has rapidly advanced thanks to new observational technologies such as the James Webb Space Telescope.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in an era of very rapid improvement in observing technology,鈥� says Moore, an astrophysics doctoral student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. 鈥淭here is a lot of data from very early times in the universe I can use that just wasn鈥檛 available before the past five years or so.鈥�

Jennifer Hughes 鈥�25, a 麻豆原创 environmental engineering and biology alum, became interested in research after seeing a graduate student demonstrate a microbial fuel cell powered by bacteria in research lab during her first semester at 麻豆原创.

鈥淚 was immediately fascinated by the idea that bacteria could generate an electrical current,鈥� says Hughes, an incoming 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 student in biological and environmental engineering at Cornell University whose research at 麻豆原创 focused on harmful algal blooms and algal bioremediation.

Melissa Deinys 鈥�26, a 麻豆原创 biotechnology alum and current chemistry doctoral student whose research focuses on environmental health and ecosystem protection technologies, says her passion for science stems from a curiosity about how the world works and encouragement from her parents to keep asking questions.

鈥淲hat I love most about research is that it allows me to combine my natural curiosity with a meaningful impact,鈥� Deinys says.

Scientific Curiosity and Discovery

Moore said her interest in astronomy began early through physics courses and science programs she explored while growing up. She later became interested in studying galaxies through undergraduate research experiences and opportunities to work directly with researchers in the field.

Deinys says one of the experiences that most shaped her perspective on research came while presenting mangrove disease research during a community outreach event.

鈥淎s researchers, we often focus on experiments, data analysis and publications, but at the end of the day, the purpose of research is to help people,鈥� Deinys says.

The Reality of Discovery

While scientific breakthroughs may be the end goal, several fellows say the real work of research happens in the setbacks, uncertainty and persistence that lead to discovery.

For chemistry alum Noah Swann 鈥�24, whose work focuses on organic chemistry and natural product synthesis, repeated setbacks are an expected part of lab research.

鈥淚 was told when I first started in the lab that 90% of the reactions you run won鈥檛 work,鈥� says Swann, a chemistry doctoral student at the University of Chicago. 鈥淎t the end of the day, you realize that there is no failure, only learning.鈥�

Kalissa Moseley, a 麻豆原创 integrative biology doctoral student who studies invasive fire ant interactions across Florida ecosystems, says one of her earliest undergraduate research projects helped reshape how she approached experimental design and scientific problem-solving.

鈥淓ven though this project was [challenging], I walked away with a much better skillset in experimental design,鈥� Moseley says.

Working through uncertainty has become one of the most important lessons for 麻豆原创 aerospace engineering alum Emilio Pereira 鈥�25, whose research focuses on hypersonics and detonative combustion for propulsion and power generation systems.

鈥淣othing worth doing has ever been easy,鈥� says Pereira, a mechanical engineering doctoral student at Purdue. 鈥淭he ability to recognize this and not beat myself down and be empowered by my own inadequacies, is what鈥檚 allowed me to succeed.鈥�

The Power of Mentorship

Many fellows credit 麻豆原创 faculty mentors, undergraduate research opportunities and hands-on lab experiences with helping shape their academic and professional journeys.

Moore points to undergraduate research experiences with Professor of Physics , which helped prepare her for graduate research and provided early exposure to scientific collaboration and conference opportunities.

Participating in undergraduate research and completing her Honors Undergraduate Thesis strengthened Hughes鈥� research skills for graduate study and the NSF fellowship.

Swann credits Professor of Chemistry with empowering him to lead his own research project and pursue research professionally.

Looking Ahead

Whether they鈥檙e studying distant galaxies, invasive species, sustainable energy systems, environmental resilience or future medicines, the fellows share a belief that research can make a meaningful difference.

Several hope to advance scientific discovery. Others envision mentoring the next generation of STEM students and researchers.

These ambitions are already taking shape in labs, field sites and research centers 鈥� one question, experiment and discovery at a time.

For Hughes, that future includes continuing research focused on biological systems and environmental resilience. For Moore, it includes continuing astronomy research as new observational technologies expand scientists鈥� ability to study the early universe.

Moseley says she hopes her future research can contribute to improving invasive species management strategies and understanding how invasive ants affect ecosystems across Florida.

Deinys says she hopes to eventually build a career that combines research, mentorship and public impact while helping future students see themselves represented in STEM fields.

Brendan Shrader 鈥�25, a 麻豆原创 mathematics alum and Burnett Honors Scholar, also received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and will pursue graduate studies in mathematical biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Students interested in applying for the U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship program or other major national awards should contact the Office of Prestigious Awards at听opa@ucf.edu.

In September, one month before the Knicks tipped off their 2025-26 season, White was promoted to manager of event presentation at Madison Square Garden. From hosting New York鈥檚 first NBA Finals game in 26 years to the Knicks鈥� unbelievable 29-point comeback in Game 4 to the celebratory ticker-tape parade on Manhattan鈥檚 streets that drew an estimated 2 million fans, the 麻豆原创 aerospace engineering alum had a front-row view and played a supporting role to the team鈥檚 success this year.

鈥淢adison Square Garden and the Knicks organizations have brought so many people across the world together, and getting to be a part of that kind of impact will really change your perspective forever in the best way possible,鈥� White says.

White, a former Burnett Honors Scholar and 麻豆原创 dance team member, finally had a moment to breathe to share about her experience.

You serve as manager of event presentation. What does a day on the job look like?

Event presentation is everything that happens on the court during a game that is not the actual basketball game. This includes our in-game entertainment such as our Knicks City Dancers and 7th Ave Hype Squad as well as our halftime performances, in-game fan contests, T-shirt tosses, and other elements like on-court presentations and recognitions.

I was first hired as a coordinator in 2021, and over my time with the team, I have taken on more responsibilities. I now fully manage all 40 members of our 7th Ave Squad in addition to serving as the floor director for all in-game elements during Knicks games.

You earned your degree in aerospace engineering. How did you end up in sports business?

This is a bit of a wild pivot. I grew up dancing my entire life and was a member of the 麻豆原创 dance team. I loved having the ability to keep dancing while earning my degree. When I graduated college and got a full-time role in the defense industry and later the tech industry, I found a way to keep dancing with the Orlando Magic dance team. I had so many positive experiences during my three seasons working for the Magic and got to travel with the team numerous times to participate in NBA global events. I worked my 9-5 during the day and then headed to the arena at night for rehearsals and games and found myself enjoying my role in the professional sports industry more than my full-time job.

I chose to go back to school to pursue a degree in sports business so that I could properly transition into the industry. I pursued a degree in global sport business from New York University while continuing to work full-time in Orlando and was fortunate to travel to New York City and Tokyo for educational residencies.

In 2020 I landed a remote internship with Madison Square Garden and was able to meet so many passionate members of the MSG sports team. I maintained the professional connections I had created during my time in the program. About five months after my time as an MSG student associate ended, I applied for my dream role with the Knicks event presentation team, and the rest is history.

How did your experience at 麻豆原创 play into your success today?

鈥淢y time at 麻豆原创 as a student-athlete pursuing a rigorous degree taught me invaluable lessons in perseverance, time management and self-motivation.鈥� 鈥� Olivia White 鈥�16

My time at 麻豆原创 as a student-athlete pursuing a rigorous degree taught me invaluable lessons in perseverance, time management and self-motivation. I got to dance at every 麻豆原创 football and basketball game, perform at the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, compete in Universal Dance Association Nationals every January, and perform at numerous events in the community, including Orlando Magic halftimes. Getting to take part in all of these incredible experiences at such a young age, while also having to balance school and part-time jobs prepared me to thrive under pressure and become comfortable in chaotic environments.

This season is one for the record books. What are some of your most memorable moments?

This season was my favorite season yet. There were so many moments that will stick with me forever. The historic 29-point comeback in Game 4 is something I鈥檒l never forget. If this postseason run taught me anything, it鈥檚 to never count the Knicks out 鈥� and this belief never failed me.

A few of my other favorites include getting to celebrate on stage at Radio City Music Hall when the Knicks secured their first championship in 53 years and getting to hold the NBA Cup back in December when the Knicks brought home their first hardware of their historic season.

When you do eventually look back on this season, what do you think are going to be your biggest takeaways from the experience?

My biggest takeaway from this entire season is definitely just pure gratitude. It鈥檚 not lost on me how lucky I was to have a front row seat to one of the most historic runs in professional sports, especially with one of the most iconic franchises of all time. And to get to be a part of something so meaningful in a city like New York at a venue like Madison Square Garden, is literally a dream that I will forever be thankful for.

What is the hardest decision you had to make that has led you to where you are today?

Packing up my life in Orlando and moving to New York to pursue a whole new career. I have always been a risk-adverse individual, so giving up the familiarity and comfort of my hometown for place as big as New York City was a huge decision for both me and my then boyfriend, now husband, Logan Cloak 鈥�17. As hard of a decision as it was, I would make it 100 times over and am so thankful every single day that I took that leap out of my comfort zone.

Now CATER is expanding its mission and its reach as it shifts from a center within the College of Engineering and Computer Science to an official university center, effective July 1. This new iteration of CATER includes structured goals for faculty success, advancing new industry and national lab partnerships and the development of new research and testing facilities for students and faculty.

鈥淔lorida has an unparallel industrial ecosystem that includes turbomachinery companies, space propulsion companies and aviation companies,鈥� Pegasus Professor and Trustee Chair Jayanta Kapat says. 鈥淐ATER works at the intersection of these technologies and strives to provide the best training to 麻豆原创 students who will work for these organizations, capable of providing them with fast and quality technical solutions.鈥�

Fostering Faculty Mentorship

麻豆原创 sets up its faculty for long-term success, in part, through quality mentorship.

As part of Kapat鈥檚 plan, core senior CATER faculty members will mentor incoming assistant professors who join CATER as core faculty members until they receive promotion and tenure. Throughout the process, junior faculty will receive guidance on the grant funding process and networking as well as student recruitment and advising.

CATER鈥檚 current interdisciplinary faculty expertise includes mechanical and aerospace engineering, and modeling, simulation and training.

鈥淭he typical faculty career is 20 to 30 years, and we want our faculty to stay successful over that period of time,鈥� Kapat says. 鈥淣one of this is taught in a university as a course. So in CATER we have created a very intense one-to-one mentorship plan that worked well in the previous version of CATER so that core members can sustain productivity over their entire faculty careers.鈥�

Redefining the Research Focus

To be considered or to remain a core member of CATER, senior faculty will need to continuously meet specific metrics such as annual research expenditures, total annual awards, the number of mentored graduate students, number doctoral graduations, publications, etc.

CATER won鈥檛 expand beyond 15 core members and 10 research faculty members, while keeping its focus on various research applications, such as hypersonics and national security, energy and sustainability, advanced air mobility, and space power and propulsion.

鈥淭hese are the areas where we contribute to the university’s overall strategic initiatives that President Alexander N. Cartwright implemented as part of 麻豆原创鈥檚 strategic plan,鈥� Kapat says. 鈥淪o this is our contribution to the university鈥檚 strategic goals.鈥�

The faculty are already working on several research projects to support CATER鈥檚 research pillars, including the development of digital twin architecture for power plants and aviation systems, creating new fuels for zero-emission aviation, use of supercritical carbon dioxide, molten salt and ammonia as energy carriers for future power generation systems, expanding design paradigm using advanced manufacturing and newer materials, and investigating the possibility of building a power plant on the moon.

Expanding Industry Partnerships

CATER also supports industry needs through partnerships with major energy, aerospace and defense organizations that are based in Central Florida, including Pegasus Partner Siemens Energy. For the past decade, CATER鈥檚 homebase has been the Siemens Energy Center on the main campus. But now researchers have additional facilities that support their work.

CATER and the Aerospace Technology Group (ATG) have collaborated on the CATER-ATG Engine Research Test (CERT) facility, which recently opened at Valkaria Airport near Melbourne, Florida. The space allows CATER researchers to certify engine parts and develop/validate new technologies that companies like Boeing or GE could incorporate into their next generation aviation systems.

Professor Kareem Ahmed, a world expert in hypersonic and space propulsion, is using the space to conduct fuel tests for the Department of Defense. Professor Subith Vasu, a world expert in supercritical carbon dioxide oxy-combustion and ammonia combustion, will conduct engine testing of ammonia as a fuel for an actual aviation gas turbine 鈥� one of the first in the world.

Kapat鈥檚 group is conducting ground testing of hypersonic flight components and will conduct cracking of ammonia using heat from a gas turbine exhaust. Such experiments can鈥檛 be run on the 麻豆原创 campus.

A third joint facility called the CATER Applied Propulsion and Energy Center (CAPE), is under development with start of operation expected by August. This would house several mid-TRL experimental rigs on supercritical carbon dioxide cycle, molten salt systems and components, energy storage, advanced air mobility, etc.

CAPE facility will be also strategically located close to the world鈥檚 largest molten salt energy storage facility, called MOSS, being planned by Siemens Energy and will be used to test components for thermal energy storage systems and thermal interface for advanced nuclear reactors. Siemens Energy would own the MOSS facility while a nuclear reactor company will supply a large fraction of the equipment. 麻豆原创 researchers will help operate and use the facility to conduct research and train the next generation of nuclear and mechanical engineers.

鈥淲e need to train the new workforce because there is not enough people trained in nuclear engineering anymore,鈥� Kapat says. 鈥淢echanical engineering is a nuclear-adjacent area, so they see this as an opportunity to train the workforce by letting them run the facility. So it鈥檚 a win-win for everybody.鈥�