For computer engineering major Kamalakkannan Ravi 鈥�20MSCpE 鈥�25PhD, the goal was never to just earn a doctorate 鈥� it was to build artificial intelligence (AI) systems people could trust in the moments that matter most.

That bold vision found its momentum at 麻豆原创. As a student, Ravi was drawn to a university that encouraged big questions and interdisciplinary thinking, along with strong engineering fundamentals 鈥� the kind 麻豆原创 is rapidly becoming known for as a rising force in engineering and technology. The university鈥檚 dynamic research environment gave him the freedom to explore where machine learning, biomedical applications and human-centered AI converge, while mentorship in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering helped sharpen his purpose.

Now, he鈥檚 carrying that 麻豆原创-driven determination to Harvard Medical School and Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital, where he鈥檒l begin a research fellowship with the Division of Genetics and Genomics to advance trustworthy AI for clinical decision-making in healthcare.

At Harvard, Ravi will work on a project that aims to help physicians identify rare diseases earlier and respond more quickly. His research focuses on developing and evaluating clinical decision support tools that analyze electronic health record data and natural language processing to detect patterns that may signal a rare condition. These tools are designed to support clinicians in identifying patients who may benefit from further genetic evaluation, testing or a specialist referral. Ravi鈥檚 role centers on creating trustworthy, transparent AI methods that align with clinical systems, helping ensure these technologies are used responsibly in real-world healthcare.

Overcoming Obstacles Without a Blueprint

Ravi鈥檚 path to this opportunity was shaped by his persistence and commitment to making an impact long before he arrived at 麻豆原创.

Originally from Chennai, India, he鈥檚 a first-generation college student who entered higher education without a family blueprint to guide him. That experience influenced how he navigated graduate school and advanced research environments, reinforcing the importance of mentorship, community and resilience.

After earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in biomedical engineering from Anna University, Ravi worked as a research assistant at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. There, he gained early exposure to data-driven modeling and applied systems research at the intersection of engineering and medicine 鈥� experiences that shaped his interest in applying computational methods to biomedical and societal challenges. He鈥檇 take this interest on his pursuit of graduate education abroad.

Finding Interdisciplinary Opportunity at 麻豆原创

Ravi chose 麻豆原创 specifically for its strength in engineering combined with opportunities for interdisciplinary, human-centered research.

Within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, he found an environment that encouraged him to explore machine learning, biomedical applications and ethical AI.

Under the mentorship of Pegasus Professor Jiann-Shiun Yuan, who oversees the NSF-sponsored Multi-functional Integrated System Technology Center聽and specializes in developing the next generation of smart systems, Ravi refined his research, which bridges technical innovation with societal impact.

At 麻豆原创, Ravi鈥檚 research focused on trustworthy and comprehensible AI in critical settings, including healthcare and public safety. His dissertation, 鈥淎rtificial Intelligence for Social Wellness: Threats and Ideology Detection in Online Texts,鈥� examined how scalable and ethically grounded AI systems can be designed for real-world applications. His work emphasized interpretability, reliability and evaluation with human decision-makers in mind.

His doctoral work led to the development of several datasets and frameworks, including:

• RICo, a large-scale dataset analyzing ideological discourse in online communities
• ALERT, a threat detection framework that combines active learning with AI to support transparency and reduce labeling burden
• TRuST-M, a human-subject study exploring how explanation quality affects user trust in AI-assisted moderation systems.

Portions of this work were supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security 鈥� a testament to its national relevance and real-world value.

Growing Through Leadership, Mentorship and Community

Beyond his studies, Ravi immersed himself in the 麻豆原创 graduate community, taking on leadership roles that reflected his commitment to service and mentorship.

He served as senator for the in student government, director of professional development for the Graduate Student Association and president of the . He also led Alpha Alpha Alpha, the national honor society for first-generation college students, advocating for the success of first-generation graduate students.

Mentorship remained central to his experience through his involvement in the NSF-funded L.E.A.R.N. (Learning Environment and Academic Research Network) program, a STEM-focused living-learning community for first-year and transfer college students, and his service as a senior design project judge.

Ravi鈥檚 academic excellence, leadership and mentorship at 麻豆原创 were recognized through multiple awards, including the ORCGS Doctoral Fellowship, the Graduate Presentation Fellowship, the Graduate Research Mentor Award, the 麻豆原创 Alumni Fellows Leadership Scholarship and the Reuel Buchanan Aspire to Inspire Scholarship. These honors provided valuable support and enabled him to focus on research throughout his doctoral studies.

Advancing Impact Beyond 麻豆原创

As Ravi prepares to begin his fellowship at Harvard Medical School, he credits 麻豆原创 with shaping both his research approach and his sense of responsibility as a scholar. He hopes his journey encourages other students, especially first-generation scholars, to pursue ambitious, interdisciplinary work while remaining grounded in mentorship, ethics and service to the broader community.

Fang, who is an assistant professor in within the College of Sciences, is using the CAREER award to study the precise movement of electrons induced by light and to help educate others in her field.

Yao is an assistant professor in within the College of Engineering and Computer Science and a member of the Cyber Security and Privacy faculty cluster. He鈥檒l use his CAREER award to identify lapses in computer processing security at the micro level and find ways to defend against them.

The annual award supports an estimated 500 early-career STEM faculty from either institutes of higher education or academic nonprofit organizations who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.

Through their NSF CAREER awards, both Fang and Yao are continuing to build upon their research and contribute to key components of their respective fields.

Capturing Energy in a Fraction of a Second

Li Fang
Department of Physics
Title: Photo-induced Ultrafast Electron-nuclear Dynamics in Molecules
Award: $813,981 over five years

Li Fang is examining some of the smallest components of matter in some of the shortest amounts of time.

She studies how electrons move after their initial absorption of photo-energy as they attempt to interact, break or form a bond with other molecular components. The purpose of examining these molecular dynamics is crucial in better understanding physics and energy, Fang says.

鈥淭he dynamics of these charged particles will provide fundamental knowledge about energy absorption, dissipation and rearrangement in building blocks of materials and therefore is relevant to energy storage and harvest,鈥� Fang says. 鈥淲e implement spectroscopic tools to track the extremely fast motion of these charges. An electron鈥檚 motion is the first step in all chemical and photo reactions and ions are the subjects of chemical bonds that exist basically in all materials.鈥�

Fang measures these movements in attoseconds and femtoseconds, which are one billion billionths of a second and one million billionths of a second, respectively.

Attoseconds are the natural time scale for electrons moving inside an atom while femtoseconds are the natural time scale for measuring nuclei moving within a molecule.

Fang鈥檚 NSF CAREER project will help her further uncover and measure how light can instigate changes at the molecular level and then share her research with the greater scientific community.

鈥淭he goal is to understand the ultrafast electron motion induced by intense laser beams and its correlation with the motion of the nuclei in a molecule,鈥� she says. 鈥淎n equally important part of my NSF CAREER award is the educational subproject, the goal of which is to introduce my research field 鈥榰ltrafast science鈥� to a broader audience through media and local events.鈥�

Fang came to 麻豆原创 in 2020 from the Ohio State University.

Since arriving, she has garnered significant funding and support for her projects. In 2020, Fang was one of 76 recipients 鈥� and the only recipient from Florida 鈥� to be awarded an early career research program grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

She also was instrumental in securing NSF funding of nearly $2 million for a powerful laser in 2021, aiming to build a user facility at 麻豆原创 to continue studying electrons and molecular bonds using precise measurements in attoseconds.

Fang says it was extremely gratifying to earn her NSF CAREER award, and it represents a culmination of her previous scientific endeavors.

鈥淚t definitely fit into my career and will help me fulfill my goals as a researcher and an educator,鈥� she says.

Fang is thankful for the assistance of her peers and collaborators in cultivating her studies and developing her NSF CAREER proposal.

鈥淭he NSF CAREER program at 麻豆原创 organized by Saiful Khondaker is very helpful with improving the writing of the educational subproject, which is crucial to the NSF CAREER project,鈥� she says.

麻豆原创 has provided Fang with the opportunity to excel in her research, and she anticipates many more impactful discoveries to come.

鈥淚 am looking forward to carrying out real scientific experiments and discovering new findings with the state-of-the-art lasers and the spectroscopy systems we have,鈥� Fang says. 鈥淕etting a prestigious CAREER award is just the start.鈥�

Fan Yao
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Title: Understanding and Ensuring Secure-by-design Microarchitecture in Modern Era of Computing
Award: $556,875

Effective computer system security requires searching high and low within its infrastructure to address vulnerabilities that could be overlooked and exploited.

Fan Yao has dedicated his research to thoroughly poring through potential weaknesses within the architectural and microarchitectural designs of computing and memory units to see how they can be safeguarded against malicious hacks and data breaches.

鈥淚n today’s interconnected digital landscape, we depend on computing devices to store and process our sensitive and personal data,鈥� he says. 鈥淕iven that hardware forms the foundational bedrock of all computing systems, its security is paramount. A computer with compromised hardware security is akin to a skyscraper built on shaky ground.鈥�

Specifically, Yao is using his NSF CAREER project to examine computer processors and analyze side channel leakage, which is compromised access to information or infrastructure through indirect means.

鈥淭hrough the automation of microarchitectural security analysis, we aim to uncover hidden hardware-level states prone to leakage, as well as to develop software-level patterns that can exploit these vulnerabilities to quantify their leakage potential,鈥� he says. 鈥淪ubsequently, the project will focus on designing robust defense strategies to prevent microarchitectural information leakage, thereby ensuring stronger protection for future generations of processors.鈥�

The awarded funds will continue to catalyze Yao鈥檚 research and allow him to further challenge the limits of computer security. He is hopeful that the results will serve as an educational cornerstone to both aspiring students and his peers, he says.

鈥淭his grant allows us to explore innovative security solutions more deeply and to train the next generation of researchers in this critical field,鈥� Yao says. 聽鈥淭his award fits perfectly into my career goals, as it enables me to establish a sustainable research program that can make meaningful contributions to both academia and industry.鈥�

Yao arrived at 麻豆原创 in the fall of 2018 after receiving his doctoral degree in computer engineering from the George Washington University.

The support and mentorship from 鲍颁贵鈥檚 academic community and administration at 麻豆原创 has been crucial to helping him achieve his research aspirations, he says.

鈥溌槎乖� has been extremely supportive in junior faculty career development,鈥� Yao says. 鈥淢any of the preliminary results for this project were achieved through experiments facilitated by this support. I am also profoundly grateful for the comprehensive assistance received during the development of this proposal. This includes invaluable guidance from the 麻豆原创 CAREER mentoring program and the insightful feedback on my proposal provided by senior faculty members in our department.鈥�

Yao is proud to have been awarded an NSF CAREER grant, and says he is excited to further his research.

鈥淩eceiving the NSF CAREER grant is an incredible honor and a pivotal moment in my career,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t not only validates the importance and potential impact of our work on microarchitecture security, but also provides a substantial platform to expand our research efforts.鈥�

The worldwide rankings, , place 麻豆原创 in a tie with Yale University (57) and ahead of U.S. institutions such as Vanderbilt (56), Princeton (44) and Florida State University (38).

The NAI rankings may be further adjusted as patent corrections are submitted by universities.

This is the 11^th year that 麻豆原创 has ranked in the top 100 universities in the world for patents.

鈥淚nnovation is at the heart of our mission at 麻豆原创, and these latest patent rankings reaffirm our commitment to pushing boundaries and making impactful advancements,” says Winston V. Schoenfeld, 鲍颁贵鈥檚 interim vice president for research and innovation. 鈥淭he range of inventions reflects the dedication and ingenuity of our researchers across the research enterprise, and their efforts continue to position 麻豆原创 as a leader in innovation, both nationally and globally.”

The patents were secured by 鲍颁贵鈥檚聽, which brings discoveries to the marketplace and connects 麻豆原创 researchers with companies and entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into successful products.

Svetlana Shtrom听鈥�08MBA, director of 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Technology Transfer Office, says university patents are a valuable asset for universities, industry and society.

鈥淧atents facilitate transfer of technology from universities and foster collaboration between academia and the private sector,鈥� Shtrom says.聽鈥淭hrough collaboration with industry, university technologies provide solutions to pressing problems and create new products and services that benefit the public.鈥�

She says the patents also reflect the commitment of the university鈥檚 researchers to innovation, and they serve as a beacon to attract more students and faculty who are interested in cutting-edge research and entrepreneurship.

Here are a few of the 麻豆原创 inventions that led to patents in 2023:

Passive Insect Surveillance Sensor Device
Lead researcher: Bradley Willenberg, assistant professor, 麻豆原创

麻豆原创 researchers have developed a low-cost, easy-to-use device for detection of mosquitos and other insects that also indicates whether an insect carries a specific infectious disease. Through simple color-based tests (colorimetric assays) and biomolecular tools for detection (DNA aptamers conjugated to nanoparticles), a user can monitor viral presence in insect saliva samples. By doing so, various mosquito-borne emerging pathogens, including Zika, Dengue, and Chikunguya, can be detected.聽 The easily deployable technology can potentially help in the global fight and prevention against these deadly diseases. The .

Antiplasmodial Compounds
Lead researcher: Debopam Chakrabarti, professor and head,

This technology is a method of treatment for malaria by administration of specific fungus-derived compounds. Annually, malaria affects more than 200 million people and kills more than 600,000. Caused by Plasmodium parasites carried in mosquitos, an effective treatment is desperately needed. 麻豆原创 researchers used a聽 library of fungi found in habitats and ecological niches across the U.S. to find potential antimalarial compounds. The unique chemicals they identified provide starting points for developing lead compounds of new drugs against malaria. The research team is .

Coating for Capturing and Killing Viruses on Surfaces
Lead researcher: Suditpa Seal, Pegasus Professor and chair,

This technology is a nano-coating designed to capture, hold and kill viruses on a surface, such as on personal protective equipment and clothing, using natural light sources to protect against infections.

The COVID-killing coating is made with a nanomaterial that activates under white light, such as sunlight or LED light. As long as the nanomaterial is exposed to a continuous light source, it can regenerate its antiviral properties, creating a self-cleaning effect.

The efficacy of the disinfectant was shown through a study that was published in聽ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces聽this past year. The study found that the coating can not only destroy the COVID-19 virus, but it can also聽combat the spread of Zika virus, SARS, parainfluenza, rhinovirus and vesicular stomatitis.

Production of Nanoporous Films
Lead researcher: Yang Yang, associate professor,

麻豆原创 researchers have created , such as for fuel cells, hydrogen production, photocatalysts, sensing and energy storage, and electrodes in supercapacitors. The method improves performance and versatility and does not require use of costly precious metals, such as gold. Instead, the 麻豆原创 technology uses low-cost, earth-abundant resources such as iron, cobalt and nickel. The nanoporous thin films are designed to help meet today鈥檚 challenges in renewable energy production and conversion applications.

Method of Forming High-Throughput 3d Printed Microelectrode Array
Lead researcher: Swaminathan Rajaraman, associate professor, NanoScience Technology Center

This invention is a . The device has small channels and chambers that guide liquids, like samples or chemicals, to a central area where there are special electrodes. These electrodes can send and record electrical signals from tiny groups of cells called spheroids. Scientists can use this to see how cells react to different conditions and substances. The innovation offers an easy way to study biological cells, tissues and electrophysiological responses. The technology can help lead to advancements in disease modeling, toxicity assessments and drug discovery.

Adaptive Visual Overlay for Anatomical Simulation
Lead researcher: Greg Welch, Pegasus Professor, AdventHealth Endowed Chair in Healthcare Simulation,

This anatomical simulation allows users to wear a head-mounted display that presents an anatomical scenario onto a patient to allow for medical training, surgical training or other instruction. Users who experience the simulation will see a real body part or other anatomical items projected through an augmented reality system. The innovative, and provides constant, dynamic feedback to medical trainees as they treat wounds. Almost like a video game in real-life, the Tactile-Visual Wound Simulation Unit portrays the look, feel, and even the smell of different types of human wounds (such as a puncture, stab, slice or tear). It also tracks and analyzes a trainee’s treatment responses and provides corrective instructions.

System for Extracting Water from Lunar Regolith and Associated Method
Lead researcher: Phil Metzger 鈥�00MS鈥�05PhD, associate scientist,

This invention is and help to establish the industry. The process consists of robot mining of the regolith (loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid rock), transferring the mined material to a conveyer, and passing the soil through grinding and crushing stages. Included are mechanisms to sort the material into ice, metals, and other minerals, and final transport and cleanup. This technology allows mining water on the moon, which supports NASA missions, enables further commercial operations in space, and supports Space Force activities.

Inorganic Paint Pigment with Plasmonic Aluminum Reflector Layers and Related Methods
Lead researcher: Debashis Chanda, professor, NanoScience Technology Center

This invention, a plasmonic paint, draws inspiration from butterflies to create the first environmentally friendly, large-scale and multicolor alternative to pigment-based colorants, which can contribute to energy-saving efforts and help reduce impacts on climate.

The plasmonic paint uses nanoscale structural arrangement of colorless materials 鈥� aluminum and aluminum oxide 鈥� instead of pigments to create colors.

While pigment colorants control light absorption based on the electronic property of the pigment material, hence every color needs a new molecule, structural colorants control the way light is reflected, scattered or absorbed based on the geometrical arrangement of nanostructures.

Such structural colors are environmentally friendly as they only use metals and oxides, unlike pigment-based colors that use artificially synthesized molecules.

The researchers have combined their structural color flakes with a commercial binder to form long-lasting paints of all colors. And because plasmonic paint reflects the entire infrared spectrum, less heat is absorbed by the paint, resulting in the underneath surface staying 25 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than it would if it were covered with standard commercial paint.

Plasmonic paint is also lightweight, a result of the paint’s large area-to-thickness ratio, with full coloration achieved at a paint thickness of only 150 nanometers, making it the lightest paint in the world.

System and Method for Radio Frequency Power Sensing and Scavenging Based on Phonon-electron Coupling in Acoustic Waveguides
Lead researcher: Hakhamanesh Mansoorzare 鈥�21, postdoctoral researcher,

To meet the growing energy needs of the internet of things (IoT) and wireless communication systems, this new technology is .

The invention harvests ambient energy, specifically radio frequency electromagnetic waves, the most abundant form of communication among IoT nodes and hubs.

The technology can reduce the electronic industry鈥檚 reliance on batteries and broaden the expansion of the IoT and its energy needs.

鈥淭he new rankings reflect our focus on student success and faculty excellence and puts us one step closer to reaching our goal of becoming a 21st-century university committed to fueling the talent, ideas and innovation that will drive our community and state forward.鈥�

The list shows the university鈥檚 upward trajectory in the number of programs on the top 100 list; there were 18 programs ranked in 2017. The rankings measure the quality of 800 schools鈥� faculty, research and students, and are based on peer and expert opinions.

鈥淔rom our growing academic reputation to our successful athletic programs, the 麻豆原创 has made impressive gains over the last decade,鈥� says Elizabeth A. Dooley, provost and vice president for academic affairs. 鈥淭he new rankings reflect our focus on student success and faculty excellence and puts us one step closer to reaching our goal of becoming a 21st-century university committed to fueling the talent, ideas and innovation that will drive our community and state forward.鈥�

鲍颁贵鈥檚 top-ranked program this year, Emergency and Crisis聽Management, tied for No. 7, above programs at Texas A&M University, American University and George Washington University. The program is under the direction of Associate Professor Claire Connolly Knox, who says the course builds on the strength of the faculty, advisory board and alumni who mentor students.

鈥淓ffective emergency and crisis management is vital for every community,鈥� Knox says. 鈥淪ince 2016, four聽hurricanes 鈥� Matthew, Irma, Maria聽and Michael 鈥� and three聽mass casualty events聽鈥� Pulse nightclub,聽Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School and Fort Lauderdale Airport 鈥斅爃ave greatly impacted Florida communities. There is an聽increasing need for聽emergency management specialists聽to expand聽their knowledge, skills and abilities through an advanced degree so they can聽more ethically manage emergencies and crises.鈥�

The next highest 麻豆原创 rankings are the Nonprofit Management at No. 8 (moving up from 12) and聽Counselor Education at No. 9 (moving up from 10).

Other programs ranked in the top 50 are:聽Optics and Photonics (No. 12), Elementary Education (No. 22), Public Administration (No. 23), Criminal Justice (No. 26), Industrial Engineering (No. 36) and Health Administration (No. 46).

麻豆原创 programs with the biggest point-gain improvements this year were in nursing. 鲍颁贵鈥檚 master鈥檚 nursing school ranked No. 61 overall, moving up 26 points, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice ranked No. 72, improving by 29 points.

Other programs in the top 100 are:
Computer Engineering (No. 52)
Communication Sciences and Disorders (No. 53)
Electrical Engineering (No. 53)
Overall best public administration graduate school (No. 53)
Materials Science and Engineering (No. 57)
Physics (No. 61)
Environmental Engineering (No. 63)
Civil Engineering (No. 65)
Mechanical Engineering (No. 65)
Social Work (No. 70)
Overall best graduate engineering school (No. 75)
Overall best graduate education school (No. 78)
Computer Science (No. 82)
Overall medical research school (No. 88)
Part-time MBA (No. 89)

This was the first time in the top 100 for the part-time MBA, which includes both the 麻豆原创 Evening MBA and the 麻豆原创 Part-time Professional MBA.

Velez-Ginorio, a 2017 Goldwater Scholar, caught the attention of Oxford with his work in artificial intelligence research. Velez-Ginorio is interested in building programs and machines that think as the human brain does, and he hopes to continue developing his research at Oxford.

鈥淏y studying people and how they accomplish certain tasks so well, you can apply that to machines,鈥� says Velez-Ginorio.

Velez-Ginorio is majoring in computer engineering and minoring in mathematics and will pursue a master鈥檚 degree in mathematics focusing on programming languages and computer science.

The McNair Scholar鈥檚 passion for research lead him to encourage others to get involved. Through working with the Academic Advancement Programs office at 麻豆原创 and the organization SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science), Velez-Ginorio helps make research opportunities more accessible to underrepresented students.

After completing the master鈥檚 program at Oxford, Velez-Ginorio will pursue his doctorate in brain and cognitive sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dieffenbach earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in biomedical sciences and participated in multiple undergraduate research opportunities. Through involvement with the Research and Mentoring Program and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Dieffenbach conducted research on molecular biology, genetics and cancer. As a student of The Burnett Honors College, Dieffenbach completed his Honors in the Major thesis, which discussed his findings from studying cancer cells and how they absorb nutrients to grow.

Dieffenbach will study pharmacology this year and says he is excited for the experiences to come. 鈥淸Oxford] has a lot of resources and a fantastic reputation. I think it will be an excellent chance to further my research and explore new opportunities,鈥� he says.

After completing the program at Oxford, Dieffenbach hopes to pursue a doctorate focusing on cancer biology or drug design.

Upon applying to one of the approved master鈥檚 programs at Oxford, students are automatically considered for the Frost Scholarship and selected based on academic merit and accomplishments. Frost Scholarship recipients take full course loads of classes during the fall and spring semesters, and conduct research for a thesis in the summer months.

Students interested in similar graduate scholarship opportunities should contact the Office of Prestigious Awards at opa@ucf.edu.

Repeating from last year, the Counselor Education program earned 鲍颁贵鈥檚 highest ranking, moving up a notch to No. 9 nationally. The program prepares students for careers as counselors and practitioners in schools, community mental health agencies, hospitals, institutions and private practice.

鈥淭his ranking exemplifies the hard work of our Counselor Education faculty and staff and the progress we have achieved,鈥� said Pamela S. Carroll, dean of the College of Education and Human Performance. 鈥淲hat an honor to be listed in the top 10 in the nation in this field.鈥�

The next highest 麻豆原创 rankings were No. 14 for the atomic, molecular and optical sciences programs in the College of Optics & Photonics, and No. 17 for the Nonprofit Management program in the College of Health and Public Affairs, a jump of eight places.

Two more programs in the College of Health and Public Affairs were ranked in the top 50 鈥� Criminal Justice (26) and Healthcare Management (38) 鈥撀燼nd Industrial Engineering聽was ranked at No. 39.

Others in the top 100 were: Communication Sciences and Disorders (53), Public Administration (63), Computer Engineering (64), Materials Science and Engineering (65), Electrical Engineering (66), Civil Engineering (75), Environmental Engineering (75), Social Work (78), College of Engineering & Computer Science (82), Physics (85), Medical Research (88), Computer Science (90), College of Education & Human Performance (91), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (100).

The Best Graduate Schools 2017 edition will be available on newsstands April 5.

The U.S. News rankings were announced one day after The Princeton Review and PC Gamer magazine named 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy the best video game graduate school in North America.

The 麻豆原创 Hardware Security Team took second place in November鈥檚 Embedded Security Challenge of the 11th annual Cyber Security Awareness Week (CSAW) Conference in New York, featuring the world鈥檚 largest and most comprehensive collection of computer security education challenges. The contest pitted the best-of-the-best students against malicious hardware attacks.

Earlier this year, 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Cyber Defense Competition Team won Raytheon鈥檚 national contest that decided the country’s best defenders against malicious attacks to software applications.

麻豆原创 Hardware Security Team members include electrical engineering doctoral student Yu Bi, and computer engineering doctoral students Dean Sullivan and Kaveh Shamsi. Sullivan is a 麻豆原创 alumnus, with a 2013 bachelor鈥檚 degree in electrical engineering. Their co-advisors are Jiann-Shiun Yuan, professor, and Yier Jin, assistant professor, of 鲍颁贵鈥檚 electrical and computer engineering program.

The competition focused on emerging technologies. 鲍颁贵鈥檚 project was titled, 鈥淪ilicon Nanowire FETs in Hardware Security Applications.鈥� (FET stands for field effect transistor.)

The competition (won by the University of South Florida) began several months ago with 40 teams; 10 were selected for the final onsite competition. There, teams explained their innovative research results and fielded questions from industry-expert judges, who had already reviewed their projects.

Hardware security is related to integrated circuit design against reverse engineering, hardware Trojan attack, tamper detection and intellectual property theft, among other threats. The technologies impact hardware. By contrast, cyber security defends threats to software. The technologies work in concert. Also notably, while this competition involved months of research and scrutiny, 鲍颁贵鈥檚 hardware security victory followed intense testing to devise impromptu solutions.

Echoing the sentiments of his teammates, Bi was excited about the outcome as well as his industry future.

鈥淚 feel happy and satisfied. It was great for me to talk to them [industry expert judges] and see what the industry needs,鈥� Bi said.

According to Jin, these students are in the middle of a security area that will only grow with time.

鈥淭his is a very hot topic. Working in this area is really, really important because there are not many experts or professionals,鈥� Jin said. 鈥淐ompanies are all looking for hardware security experts. The purpose of this lab is to cultivate more qualified students to fill this requirement.鈥�

In all, there are eight 麻豆原创 students specializing in hardware security, including undergraduates and graduates. Each student, Jin adds, has a goal of being the best.

鈥淭hese competitions are not the reason for our work. They are nice opportunities to meet other students and to meet people in the industry. But our purpose is to do the best work and to publish the best papers.鈥�

As he earned his master’s degree at 麻豆原创, Raike says the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s core program contributed to many aspects of the mechanics and methods of brewing, as well as the research and formulation required for the process. (His math minor didn’t hurt either.)

“I couldn’t afford what I liked to drink, and got interested in beer history, brewing culture and brewing science,” he explains. “Interest became a passion to figure out what went into beers from around the world, and trying to brew them on a small scale. Then, I realized that I had to get into the beer business.”

After working more than a decade for Shipyard Brewing Company, which focused on flavored beers, Raike decided he wanted to get back into the roots of brewing classic styles and local production to help Central Florida grow a local beer scene. He found that opportunity at Winter Park’s Cask & Larder, where he works as brewmaster and a certified cicerone (the beer equivalent to a wine sommelier).

Raike describes a typical day as: “Get in early, make beer. Make sure everything is working and flowing at the bar. Send kegs to the distributor. Formulate and schedule future beers. Work with Cask & Larder chefs in creating food-friendly products. Enjoy fruits of labor. Repeat!”

Pint of History

Cask & Larder is one of more than 2,800 small and independent craft breweries across the nation, and one of more than 100 in Florida 鈥� with many more to come.

According to the Florida Brewers Guild, our state’s brewers comprise only 5 percent of the total beer sold in Florida, yet they provide approximately 85 to 90 percent of all beer-related jobs.

In fact, other 麻豆原创 alumni brewers are helping to create jobs in the Sunshine State. Tampa’s Cigar City Brewery has more than 50 full-time employees, including its vice president, Justin Clark, ’03, and is currently considering an $8 million expansion. In addition, Oakland Park’s Funky Buddha Brewery employs nearly 30 workers, including co-owner and brewmaster, Ryan Sentz, ’99, and is in the midst of a $3 million expansion.

Both breweries, along with Cask & Larder, regularly appear on “best of” beer lists, which are helping to drive a new kind of tourist to the Sunshine State: craft beer enthusiasts. These passionate connoisseurs specifically plan vacations to states and cities that host their favorite breweries and give them an opportunity to check out new breweries.

Liquid Bread 101

Raike brews and serves up his recipes to plenty of beer tourists and locals alike, but he also shares his knowledge and passion with fellow Knights, as a guest lecturer for HFT 4864 鈥� Seminar in Quality Brewing and Fine Beer in the 麻豆原创 Rosen College of Hospitality Management. He describes the course as taking students “from stabbing a can with a pencil and shotgunning it, to pinky-out sampling to find the finer, subtle nuances of beer styles and how well each works with food pairings.”

As he inspires future generations of brewers, Raike hasn’t forgotten the influence 麻豆原创 Professor Robert Ashley had on him when he was a student. He credits Ashley with giving him the motivating push that made him think about what he was focused on and where he was going in his life. And, he’s never looked back.

“It’s a passion for me 鈥� not work,” he says. “There are days when the time flies by. Sometimes, I’m busy all day and worked through the day without stopping, and without realizing 10 hours just went by.

“[Then, it’s] time for a beer.”

Q&A ON TAP

Q. Favorite beer you’ve ever brewed?

A. I love peanut butter, so brewing any of the peanut butter beers I’ve released over the years is always a great day.

Q. Favorite craft beer/brewery?

A. Big fan of Odell’s in Fort Collins, Colo. All of their beers are solid, and I appreciate the growth and production model they follow. I always get excited when someone shares one with me. (Hint hint.)

Q. Have you ever brewed a beer that didn’t turn out so well?

A. I’m my worst critic. I’m always critical of my beers and brewing techniques, always looking at ways to improve and make them better next time. There are some beer styles that I’m not a fan of, but I brew them to make sure the customer is always seeing unique and different products.

Q. How do you come up with your recipes?

A. Some are thought out way in advance. Some are spontaneous when something new becomes available or chefs are working on a new dish. I’m always thinking and talking to the chefs to see what they’re thinking and what might work as a pairing or on its own as a potential beer.

Q. If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A. I hope a Cuban sandwich qualifies as a food 鈥� that would be my choice. And, a side of black beans and rice. I never get tired of this one.

Q. And, with what beer would you pair that food?

A. I’m a fan of the freshest beer available and usually gravitate to the most recently tapped tank here or keg at a bar. Lately, I have been a big fan of hop-forward, session-style pale ales and IPAs. These are lower in alcohol, but bigger in flavor and are quite nice.

Q. What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten at Cask & Larder?

A. Top picks for me are the Bama Burger paired with the 5 Points India Pale Ale, the Grilled Redfish paired with Larder Lager, Happy Hour Oysters with the Olde Southern Ginger Wit, House-made Ribeye Hot Dog with Red Drum Ale… I could go on.

The program placed ninth in the nation in rankings released today, up two spots from last year. A second College of Education program 鈥� Special Education 鈥� ranked No. 16.

鈥淚t is gratifying to see our programs in Counselor Education and Special Education receive this recognition on a national stage,鈥� said Dean Sandra L. Robinson of the College of Education. 鈥淥ur faculty and staff bring passion and excellence to their work and that is reflected in the success of our students as well as our programs.鈥�

Twenty-one 麻豆原创 programs were ranked in U.S. News & World Report鈥榮 top-100 list of Best Graduate Schools for 2014. Today鈥檚 rankings are available online at usnews.com/best-graduate-schools, and the Best Graduate Schools 2014 guidebook will be available on newsstands beginning April 9.

鲍颁贵鈥檚 College of Optics and Photonics ranked No. 13 among the nation鈥檚 atomic, molecular and optical sciences programs. The Nonprofit Management program in the College of Health and Public Affairs ranked No. 25.

Two other programs in the College of Health and Public Affairs also made the top 50 鈥� Criminal Justice (26) and Healthcare Management (46) 鈥� along with the College of Engineering and Computer Science鈥檚 Industrial Engineering program, which moved up 13 places to No.35.

Others from 麻豆原创 in the top 100 of their specific fields are: Electrical Engineering (55), Computer Engineering (58), Public Administration (59), Environmental Engineering (64), Materials Engineering (70), College of Engineering & Computer Science (72), Communication Sciences and Disorders (73), College of Nursing (79), Social Work (89), Civil Engineering (90), Computer Science (91), College of Education (91), Mechanical Engineering (93) and Physical Therapy (99).

More than 1,200 programs are reviewed nationwide for the magazine鈥檚 annual graduate-school guide. Scores are based on expert opinions about programs and statistical indicators that reflect the quality of faculty, researchers and students at each institution.

The ninth-ranked 麻豆原创 Counselor Education program is designed to educate and prepare individuals interested in working as counselors and practitioners in schools, community mental health settings, institutions, hospitals, and private practice.

鈥淭his was a pretty fast progression, especially since many of the other programs in the top 10 have been there a long time,鈥� said program director Bryce Hagedorn. 鈥淥ur curriculum is designed with a heavy emphasis on experiential and clinical work for master鈥檚 students, and teaching research and supervision for doctoral students.鈥�

麻豆原创 will compete against 12 other teams in the design and programming of a surface vehicle to complete a 20-minute mission involving eight separate “trials.” Team members designed and built the craft with GPS navigation, computer vision, water cannon, and other capabilities required for the assignment.

Mission requirements are loaded into the onboard computer and the craft must use this information, plus input from its various sensors, to complete the trials. No radio-control is allowed during competition.

The eight-member team of graduate and undergraduate students based this year’s design on lessons learned from the two previous competitions. The team built the boat from scratch, including the lightweight fiberglass hulls.The current design, according to team notes, “is faster, stronger and more agile than previous years.”

Actual construction of Boatname the Brave began in late January. The craft was finally ready for launch in March. Club members continued building and testing components right up to the deadline for travel to Virginian Beach.

Team members are Chris Bunty (team leader; electrical engineering), Johathan Mohlenhoff (electrical engineering), Travis Goldberg (mechanical engineering), Kiran Bernard (electrical engineering), Ross Kerley (electrical engineering), Mike Podel (electrical engineering), Nick Yielding (electrical engineering), Brian Valentino (computer science), Gary Stein (robotics advisor; computer engineering) and Daniel Barber (academic advisor; modeling & simulation).

For more information about the 3rd ASVC, including videos and a list of the competing universities, go to http://bit.ly/3rdASVC. The contest finals will stream live on Sunday, June 13, beginning at 1:00 pm EDT.