Established in 2017, the annual awards recognize faculty whose achievements reflect the university鈥檚 highest standards in advancing knowledge, inspiring others and elevating 麻豆原创鈥檚 impact across disciplines and communities.鈥�

鈥淭hank you for the ideas you pursue, the people you inspire and the impact you create,鈥� said 麻豆原创 President Alexander N. Cartwright at Wednesday鈥檚 celebration at the Burnett House, home of 麻豆原创鈥檚 president and first lady. 鈥淵ou are advancing what is possible for our students, our state and our world 鈥� and proving every day that 麻豆原创鈥檚 brightest light comes from our people.鈥�

Honorees were selected based on nominations by deans, department chairs and directors from across 麻豆原创. The event gathered family members and friends, fellow faculty, former awardees and community leaders to celebrate their achievements.

Joining in recognizing the honorees were 麻豆原创 Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs John Buckwalter, Vice President for Research and Innovation Winston Schoenfeld, and Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence Joel Cramer.

Here are this year鈥檚 luminaries.

Mohamed Abdel-Aty

Pegasus 聽Professor and Trustee Chair, Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Abdel-Aty is recognized globally as a leading light in transportation engineering and traffic safety, ranking as the world鈥檚 most cited researcher in his field for the past five years.

Through innovations in technology, computing, artificial intelligence and sensing, he has contributed to preserving lives and preventing crashes for drivers and pedestrians alike. His pioneering technologies to better manage traffic have been deployed across Florida, the United States and the world, including in Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.

鈥淒r. Abdel-Aty is a one-of-a-kind researcher whose individual and research group achievements are paralleled only by the state, national and global impacts he has made,鈥� said Kevin Mackie, the engineering department chair who nominated Abdel-Aty for his award.

Over three decades at 麻豆原创, Abel-Aty has secured more than $32 million for research and managed more than 90 related projects. This includes development by him and his team of CitySim, a drone-based database capturing driving behaviors at challenging highway sites that has led to new insights for preventing traffic mishaps. Among other accomplishments, Abdel-Aty also developed the nation鈥檚 first master鈥檚 degree in smart cities.

Kareem Ahmed

Trustee Chair and professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Ahmed is reshaping the future of air flight and space travel. A world expert in hypersonic and space propulsion, his pioneering work includes developing technology that makes a 15-minute flight from coast to coast a future possibility.

Ahmed heads the 麻豆原创 Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion, which develops technology and innovation aimed at enhancing national defense and fostering new frontiers in space exploration. Beyond advancing faster air and space travel, Ahmed and his team鈥檚 research holds promise for enabling lighter, energy-efficient rockets that burn clean fuel and travel farther at a reduced cost.

The U.S. Department of Defense supports Ahmed鈥檚 work through multiple research grants, which also offer opportunities for his students 鈥� the next generation of innovators and explorers 鈥� to prepare for space industry careers.

鈥淭hroughout his career, Dr. Ahmed has demonstrated exceptional leadership in both research and education,鈥� said Hyoung Jin Cho, Ahmed鈥檚 interim department chair, who nominated him for the award. 鈥淗is pioneering work on detonation-based propulsion and supersonic combustion has expanded our understanding of aerospace engineering and has been recognized by prestigious awards, media coverage, competitive funding and high-impact publications.鈥�

Tim Brown

Associate professor, School of Performing Arts, College of Arts and Humanities

Brown is an internationally renowned theater and music tour designer in demand for his artistry, creativity and ingenuity.

His scene designs are sought by celebrities that have included late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and rapper and music producer J. Cole. Brown has designed environments in world-class venues, such as Madison Square Garden, and for the Festival Musica in Strasbourg, France. When the Los Angeles Philharmonic premiered an original opera, Place, it called on Brown to recreate his designs from the world premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, another premier theatrical venue.

Locally, Brown brings his talents to the Orlando Shakes and Orlando Family Stage. At 麻豆原创, he teaches various theatre technology and design courses, sharing his professional insights and leading-edge industry practices to prepare students for successful careers.

鈥淧rofessor Brown is richly deserving of a Luminary Award. He is one of the school’s top achieving theater artists with an international reputation for excellence and the credits to back that up,鈥� said Michael Wainstein, director of the School of Performing Arts.

Yue 鈥淕urt鈥� Ge

Associate professor, School of Public Administration, College of Community Innovation and Education

Ge aims to make cities safer and more resilient to disasters, from hurricanes to disease outbreaks. He explores how governments, organizations and communities can collaborate more effectively on strategies and action plans to create for stronger and more adaptable places to live.

As faculty co-lead of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Urban Resilience Initiative, he brought more than 50 scholars and community partners together to boost urban resilience. This work led to two major U.S. National Science Foundation-funded projects: a Smart and Connected Communities grant focused on artificial intelligence to improve risk communication, and a Civic Innovation Challenge grant for establishing educational and urban resilience hubs. Ge is among a few social scientists nationwide to lead both types of NSF projects.

His research is shaping public policy and practice, including through a mobile emergency training app being adopted by 麻豆原创鈥檚 Office of Emergency Management and a city-supported resilience hub serving Orlando neighborhoods.

鈥淒r. Ge is a nationally and internationally recognized scholar in the interdisciplinary fields of community resilience and smart cities,鈥� said Doug Goodman, director of the School of Public Administration. 鈥淗is work exemplifies 麻豆原创’s mission to unleash the potential of people and ideas to positively change the world.鈥�

Carmen Giurgescu

Chatlos Foundation Endowed Chair and associate dean for research, College of Nursing

Giurgescu excels as a world-renowned maternal researcher and game changer for elevating her college鈥檚 excellence and national prominence.

As a women鈥檚 health nurse practitioner, she works to give mothers and babies the best possible start by reducing preterm births and improving health outcomes. Her impactful research portfolio involves multi-millions in grants 鈥� including from the National Institutes of Health 鈥� as both a principal and co-investigator.

Giurgescu has spearheaded innovative research initiatives, developed training programs and provided critical support to steadily grow her college鈥檚 research expenditures, placing it among the top 50 nursing schools nationwide.

鈥淗er research is not only advancing scientific understanding but also transforming clinical practice,鈥� former College of Nursing Dean Mary Lou Sole said in Giurgescu鈥檚 award nomination. 鈥淎cross her college, Dr. Giurgescu has fostered a culture of discovery and collaboration.鈥�

Chiara Mazzucchelli

Associate professor and Dr. Neil Euliano Chair in Italian Studies, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, College of Arts and Humanities

Mazzucchelli’s passion for scholarship and teaching fosters connections to other cultures that expand learning opportunities for students.

She directs 麻豆原创鈥檚 Italian studies program and is internationally recognized for her scholarship in Italian American studies, particularly on Sicilian migration. Her leadership in strengthening ties between the United States and Italy, including with the Italian consulate in Miami, have led to various grants from Italy鈥檚 Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Such partnerships have enhanced course offerings and created new opportunities for students to engage with Italian language, culture and global perspectives.

Meanwhile, Mazzucchelli’s contributions have earned prestigious honors in Italy. Last year, she was named a Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy 鈥� the nation鈥檚 second-highest civilian honor and awarded by Italy鈥檚 president to citizens who foster meaningful international relations. In 2023, she received the Euno Award from Kiwanis International in Enna, Italy, for her impact on education and the next generation of scholars.

鈥淗er exceptional combination of research, academic leadership and international reputation make her eminently worthy of this recognition,鈥� said Geri Smith, chair of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.

Keri Watson

Professor of art history and assistant director, School of Visual Arts and Design, College of Arts and Humanities

Watson’s scholarship and community engagement show how the humanities can lift lives and benefit society.

Watson has attracted over $1.7 million from national foundations in the past three years to power her research and the Florida Prison Education Project. She founded and directs the program to open college doors for incarcerated Floridians and change the course of their lives.

Watson鈥檚 publications and curated exhibitions, such as Silent Protest: Perspectives on War and Disability and Illuminating the Darkness: Our Carceral Landscape, have sparked widespread dialogue on incarceration, disability and civic engagement.

鈥淒r. Watson exemplifies what it means to be a luminary at 麻豆原创,鈥� said Rudy McDaniel, director of the School of Visual Arts and Design. 鈥淭hrough her scholarship, teaching and public humanities leadership, she advances interdisciplinary research excellence and extends the university鈥檚 reach far beyond campus.鈥�

鈥淭his is amazing, just an incredible accomplishment for our students,鈥� said Tim Brown, associate director for the school, who accepted the award on behalf of Knightly News. 鈥淭his represents semesters and years of hard work for the 35 or so students who worked on that newscast, both in news and production.鈥�

Knightly News alumna and ABC News correspondent Marci Gonzalez, 鈥�05, was the keynote speaker for the convention and presented the award.

This is the second time Knightly News has received this award. Since winning in 2008, the newscast has been runner-up three times, from 2013 to 2015.

鈥淵ear in and year out, our students are recognized as one of the top college newscasts in the state and that challenges each group as they come into our program,鈥� Brown said.

To watch Knightly News broadcasts as well as other programs from Nicholson Student Media, check out the school鈥檚 live stream.

The senior said he did it because he wanted to gain skills that he hopes will make him a better candidate for graduate school. He got so much out of the experience, that this year he鈥檚 participating again. But this time it means much more to him.

He said the showcase will give him the opportunity to show his family how far he鈥檚 come in his academic career and to demonstrate to his younger siblings what it takes to succeed.

鈥淚 am the first generation of my family to go to college in the United States,鈥� Colas said. 鈥淢y mother is my compass. She speaks to me often about the importance of inspiring my siblings as their older brother. My father, at one time, was a professor and a school principal. I hope someday to go back to Haiti and make a difference in people鈥檚 lives, as he did. He has inspired me to push myself and to persevere in pursuing my dreams.鈥�

This year’s Student Research Week is聽April 4-7 and will provide professional development workshops and forums for undergraduate and students.聽Colas will be one of about 450 students at the SURE presentations that begin at 1 p.m.聽April 7 in the Pegasus Ballroom in the Student Union. The event is free and open to the public.

鈥淧resenting at the showcase gives students an important opportunity to communicate their research, both to attendees in their field of work and to the general public,鈥� said Aubrey Kuperman, coordinator of the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Colas is an undergraduate research assistant in the College of Optics & Photonics鈥櫬燜iber Optics Lab, where he studies the applications of light coursing through glass strands the thickness of a human hair.

Preparing for the showcase gave Colas the opportunity to spend time working with his mentors聽— professor Axel Sch眉lzgen and doctoral candidate Amy Van Newkirk. The individual attention enabled him to gain real-world insights he deems critical to his future growth.

鈥淎 lot of students just go to class and then don鈥檛 take the time to know their professors,鈥� Colas said. 鈥淒eveloping a relationship with a professor helps you understand what they do, and then you get to ask them questions that will help you going forward, such as: What does it take to get to grad school? How did you get where you are today?鈥�

Eventually Colas wants to get a job in research and development, and he knows communicating his work is important. SURE helps him hone those skills. Last year he earned an honorable mention for his presentation. This year he hopes to do better.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait,鈥� Colas said. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready.鈥�

The week kicks off April 4 with a day of workshops, and on聽April 5-6 students from all disciplines across campus will share their research with the 麻豆原创 community. Both events will be in the Student Union Pegasus Ballroom. Student presenters will share their work and compete for cash awards for best in category presentations.

For聽details about the week聽and a schedule, visit .

The week kicks off with a day of workshops including associate professor Tim Brown鈥檚 Communicating Your Research Workshop, ideal for those planning to present at one of the student research showcases later in the week. 聽For those students who are not yet involved in research but would like to learn more, Kimberly Schneider, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, 聽will be presenting Getting Started 鈥� Undergraduate Research that will review the research programs at 麻豆原创, how to find a faculty mentor, and more.

The day will come to a close with a workshop for all 麻豆原创 students on how to find, apply, and be competitive for national and international scholarships and fellowships. This workshop presented by the College of Graduate Studies will offer attendees a look at some of the largest and most prestigious financial awards that students can apply for and how to prepare their applications.

On March 31 and April 2, 麻豆原创 students from all disciplines across campus will share their research with the 麻豆原创 community at the Graduate Research Forum and Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence respectively. Both open house events will be held in the Student Union Pegasus Ballroom and are open to everyone. Student presenters will receive faculty feedback, share their work, and compete for cash awards for best-in-category presentations. These celebrations of student research are also excellent opportunities for students early in their research career to ask questions of others and learn more about their academic disciplines.

April 1 will feature three workshops ranging from a panel discussion about Planning for Success in Graduate School, a workshop entitled The Library- Your Research Partner for Finding and Organizing Your Literature, and finally a new addition to student research week: Student to Student: Debunking the Myths of Undergraduate Research, which will allow undergraduates the opportunity to converse with current researchers about how they got involved in research and what the experience is like. 聽

Student Research Week is to highlight the excellence of scholarship at 麻豆原创 and also encourage others who may be interested in getting involved with research.