Designed to accelerate innovation, the Orlando Health Strategic Innovations group connects real clinical and operational challenges with student and academic talent, creating a healthcare environment where ideas are tested, informed by feedback, and continually improved. The space serves as an extension of the system鈥檚 downtown headquarters and is jointly funded by Orlando Health Ventures and the Orlando Health Innovation teams.

Orlando Health鈥檚 presence within SPRK aligns with UCF鈥檚 broader co-location strategy, which brings industry partners onto campus to catalyze innovation through proximity. The approach emphasizes shared space, shared聽challenges聽and shared outcomes to accelerate problem-solving, support experiential聽learning聽and speed the translation of ideas into practice.

The co-location marks the latest milestone in聽Orlando Health鈥檚聽long-standing partnership with UCF.

鈥淏y working side by side at SPRK, we are accelerating innovation and moving real-world healthcare solutions more quickly into the communities we serve.鈥� 聽鈥� Alexander N. Cartwright, UCF president

The鈥疧rlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute鈥痯rovides comprehensive, year-round care for UCF student-athletes, including on-field coverage, primary care sports medicine, and specialized imaging. As a聽Pegasus Partner,聽Orlando Health pledged $5 million toward the聽, which supports nursing internships, scholarships, and hiring, helping to address the state’s nursing shortage. In addition, Orlando Health and UCF collaborate on advanced technology projects聽鈥斅爏uch as the鈥�AI for Medical Surgery system聽鈥斅爅ointly offer specialized residency programs and聽collaborate in聽many聽additional聽ways.

鈥淥rlando Health has been an exceptional partner,聽demonstrating聽what is possible when industry and academia come together with shared聽purpose. This next phase of co-location builds on that foundation,鈥� says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淏y working side by side at SPRK, we are accelerating innovation and moving real-world healthcare solutions more quickly into the communities we serve.鈥�

Healthcare Innovation at the Center of Campus

Located in聽approximately聽2,649聽square feet聽within SPRK, the聽Strategic Innovations group聽was intentionally placed, here,聽to foster continuous collaboration with faculty and students across disciplines.

This co-location enables a new operating model. Orlando Health brings real health system聽challenges聽directly into the academic environment, and interdisciplinary teams of students, faculty,聽and Orlando Health innovators rapidly design, test,聽and refine solutions.

Early collaboration has already begun to generate impact in areas such as cancer research, digital health, creation of AI聽models聽and various orthopedic innovations.

鈥淭he opening of an Orlando Health Strategic Innovations space at UCF represents our shared commitment to advancing healthcare delivery through bold new ideas,鈥� says Jamal Hakim, M.D., chief physician officer, Orlando Health. 鈥淭hrough this partnership, we are creating a collaborative environment where clinicians, researchers, students and industry leaders can generate real-world solutions and drive innovations that will shape the future of how we care for patients.鈥�

Built to Go For Launch

The latest milestone in , this co-location represents UCF’s deep commitment to the ecosystem of support powering our vision for the future.

Through聽a collective effort聽鈥斅燾ombining philanthropy and transformational giving with corporate聽partnerships, research聽commercialization聽and other revenue-generating endeavors聽鈥斅燯CF聽is charting聽a聽bold聽new path forward and building a future the world has only begun to imagine.

鈥淭his co-location with Orlando Health exemplifies the kind of partnership that powers Go for Launch, bringing industry and academia together to create real-world impact,鈥� says Rod Grabowski, UCF vice president for Advancement and Partnership, and CEO of the UCF Foundation. 鈥淏y aligning visionary partners with UCF鈥檚 innovation ecosystem, we are accelerating discovery, expanding opportunity and advancing solutions that improve lives.鈥�

Four outstanding undergraduate students are redefining the boundaries of STEM through their high-impact research 鈥� and in doing so, placing the university among the nation鈥檚 top producers of Goldwater Scholars.

The prestigious Goldwater Scholarship identifies and supports the nation鈥檚 best student researchers in the fields of engineering, mathematics and natural sciences.

This year鈥檚 honorees 鈥� all expected to graduate next spring 鈥� have propelled UCF into an elite tier of research institutions, surpassing several Ivy League institutions and tying for fourth in the nation in total Goldwater Scholars produced alongside Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago. Their impactful work reflects UCF’s commitment to building a high-level research environment that empowers students to lead projects addressing significant global and scientific challenges.

Supporting Space Exploration

Goldwater Scholar: Keanu Brayman

Major: Mechanical engineering

Ultimate Goal: To develop robotic systems to support human exploration on Mars.

Keanu Brayman鈥檚 passion for space began early.

鈥淥ne of my earliest memories is watching a Space Shuttle streak across the sky from a beach in South Florida,鈥� Brayman says. 鈥淚 remember being amazed there were people on board and feeling drawn to one day help explore the stars and discover what lies beyond our planet.鈥�

色花堂, Brayman has refined that dream with the support of faculty and mentors 鈥� including Associate Professors Adrienne Dove (physics) and Tarek Elgohary (mechanical and aerospace engineering), and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Engineer Christopher Proctor 鈥� as well as through programs like the .

He plans to pursue a doctoral degree in aerospace engineering to support lunar exploration and NASA鈥檚 Artemis program, as well as develop robotic systems that can extract resources and build infrastructure to support human exploration on Mars.

Engineering the Brain

Goldwater Scholar: Kyle Coutray

Majors: Computer engineering and biomedical sciences

Ultimate Goal: To research ways to restore communication, movement and cognitive function to the brain through engineering methods.

Kyle Coutray is focused on the intersection of neuroscience and technology.

鈥淚鈥檓 interested in building systems that interact directly with the brain,鈥� Coutray says. 鈥淚n the lab, 鈥� [I鈥檓] blending [both majors] into one approach.鈥�

He aims to pursue a doctoral degree in neural engineering to further his research on brain-computer interfaces that translate complex brain activity into useful functions.

A 2026 Order of Pegasus inductee and a Burnett Honors Scholar, Coutray credits his success to disciplined focus and strong mentorship, particularly from Charles N. Millican Professor of Computer Science Joseph LaViola and Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Helen Huang.

Advancing Patient Care

Goldwater Scholar: Varun Nannuri

Major: Molecular and cellular biology

Ultimate Goal: To pursue a career as a physician-scientist.

Varun Nannuri is driven by a desire to understand why people experience different health outcomes and improve care.

“Through my clinical experiences, I have seen how much patients and families rely on physicians during some of the most difficult moments of their lives,” Nannuri says. “My research experiences have shown me that better care depends on asking better questions.”

Nannuri plans to pursue a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree and become a physician-scientist. His ambition earned him recognition as a 2026 Order of Pegasus inductee while also completing his Honors Undergraduate Thesis. Nannuri is also a member of the Burnett Honors College as a Burnett Medical Scholar, a program that offers guaranteed admission to the UCF College of Medicine upon completion.

鈥淯CF has given me opportunities to grow as a student, researcher, leader and future physician,鈥� Nannuri says.

Restoring Human Senses

Goldwater Scholar: Trevor Overton

Majors: Electrical engineering and biomedical sciences

Ultimate Goal: To improve the lives of people with disabilities through advanced robotic prostheses.

Burnett Honors Scholar Trevor Overton鈥檚 work centers on neuroengineering and next-generation prosthetics.

鈥淚鈥檝e always had a passion for building things, and I also love reading and watching sci-fi,鈥� Overton says. 鈥淲hen UCF offered me the opportunity to join the MEDD [ 鈥� I knew I had to take it.鈥�

UCF鈥檚 MEDD program provides scientifically driven students like Overton with a unique opportunity to integrate engineering principles into medicine.

Much like the development of cochlear implants, Overton imagines similar breakthroughs with vision and touch.

鈥淚 envision a future where robotic prostheses are so advanced that they could completely replace or enhance the abilities of humans,鈥� Overton says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not entirely impossible.鈥�

After earning a doctoral degree in electrical engineering with a focus on neuroengineering, he hopes to inspire the next generation 鈥� just as his professors inspired him 鈥� emphasizing that UCF鈥檚 strength lies in professors who actively invest in their students.

A Growing Research Powerhouse

With four 2026 Goldwater Scholarship recipients, UCF continues to strengthen its position as a leader in undergraduate research. The achievement reflects both students鈥� immense dedication and a university-wide commitment to driving innovation, mentorship and hands-on discovery. As these Knights prepare for the next steps in their academic journeys, they carry forward a shared mission: to turn research into real-world impact.

Students interested in applying for the Goldwater Scholarship or other major national awards should contact the Office of Prestigious Awards at聽opa@ucf.edu.

They proclaimed there is no better place than UCF, the closest medical school to Kennedy Space Center, to create a new frontier in healthcare as humans prepare for longer missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.

鈥淵ou are in a global destination for medical innovation,鈥� Michal Masternak told participants in the Star Nona 2026 event in Lake Nona鈥檚 Medical City. An anti-aging and cancer researcher at the UCF College of Medicine, Masternak organized the event as part of the Lake Nona Research Council, which is focused on encouraging interdisciplinary scientific partnerships between industry, academia and healthcare.

Space medicine is one of the council鈥檚 priorities. Deep space travel and the commercialization of space bring unique health challenges that science is just beginning to explore. The College of Medicine鈥檚 focuses on how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention for patients on Earth.

Former NASA Administrator and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson told attendees the Artemis voyage鈥檚 return to the moon should inspire space medicine experts to make new discoveries.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in a whole new era, an exciting era, of space exploration that makes this time so special,鈥� Nelson said.

Star Nona鈥檚 goal was to bring together experts to understand current research on the health impacts of space travel and what challenges need to be addressed as more professional and commercial space travelers go to the moon and beyond.

The Physical Challenges of Space Flight

Former NASA astronaut Robert Curbeam holds the record for most spacewalks on a single mission. He described how the body feels during launch and splashdown when G-forces are so strong you must remind yourself to breathe. He presented with his former NASA flight surgeon, Smith Johnson, now a faculty member at UCF鈥檚 new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM). The two discussed the important relationship between physicians and space travelers before, during and after a mission.

鈥淚 loved being an astronaut and flying space shuttles,鈥� Curbeam says. 鈥淭he only problem with space travel is that not a lot of people get to do it.鈥�

Your Brain Actually Shifts in Space

Living in space causes the body鈥檚 fluids to move up to the head and brain. But symptoms of that condition do more than cause puffy faces. Space travel actually causes the brain to shift. Jogi Pattisapu, of the Hydrocephalus and Neuroscience Institute, said as astronauts go to Mars for years-long missions and settle on the moon, scientists will have to understand how living in space affects brain function and create predictive tests and preventative measures. Eye health will be key, as fluid buildup has caused spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS)聽in 70% of astronauts on the International Space Station, leading to farsightedness, optic nerve swelling and eyeball flattening.

鈥淲hat are we going to do if the pilot goes blind 210 million miles from Earth?鈥� he said.

Team Dynamics in Space

Interpersonal communication is key to any team鈥檚 success, but how do relationships change for crews in confined spaces and face additional challenges such as sleep deprivation, isolation and differences in rank and roles. Shawn Burke and Stephen Fiore from UCF鈥檚 Institute for Simulation and Training have researched team dynamics in space to understand and prevent collaboration failures that can impact mission success.

Their research has also identified the formal and informal roles crew members play in encouraging positive social interactions and teamwork, especially in long-term missions. Missions to Mars may take up to 36 months and include 20-minute communications delays to and from Mission Control. Team dynamics will impact performance, mental health and affect, Burke said, because 鈥測ou鈥檙e stuck with the people you have.鈥�

Conducting Medical Research in Microgravity: Everything鈥檚 Upside Down

The weightlessness of space provides a unique research environment for new discoveries in areas including nutrient production, waste treatment, crystallization and biomanufacturing, said Alain Berinstain, director of the Florida Space Institute at UCF.

鈥淭errestrially, whenever space can make a difference, it’s a great economic driver,鈥� he said.

In space, air doesn鈥檛 slow down processes, he explained, so experiments that involve weight, separation, sedimentation, fluid flow and buoyancy change. His advice to researchers considering space as a lab?

鈥淭urn your experiment upside down. Does it still work? If the answer is no, you have a lot of work to do.鈥�

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

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

鈥溕ㄌ�, promotion and tenure reflects a thoughtful, rigorous review process and the high standards we set as an institution and state,鈥� says John Buckwalter, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a significant moment for these faculty, not just for the years of hard work it recognizes, but for what promotion and tenure represents: a sustained commitment to excellence, a deep dedication to student success, research that boldly improves lives, and the future we鈥檙e building together.鈥�

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

The faculty members recognized below represent the continued strength and momentum 色花堂.

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

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

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine with Tenure

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

Promotion to Professor (Tenured)

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

Promotion to Associate Professor of Medicine

• Maria Farooq, College of Medicine

Promotion to Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine

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

Promotion to Clinical Professor of Medicine

• Mariana Dangiolo, College of Medicine

Promotion to Research Associate Professor

• Crystal Maraj, Office of Research

Promotion to Associate Lecturer

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

Promotion to Senior Lecturer

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

Promotion to Associate Instructor

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

Promotion to Senior Instructor

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

Promotion to Associate Instructional Designer

• Rebecca McNulty, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Senior Instructional Designer

• Amy Sugar, Division of Digital Learning

Promotion to Associate Librarian

• Renee Montgomery, UCF Libraries

Promotion to University Librarian

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

Nearly half聽of the world鈥檚 citizens聽live in areas with a聽risk of catching dengue fever,聽according to聽the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.聽As聽the mosquito-borne聽illness rapidly聽spreads, especially in the Americas and Caribbean, a聽聽researcher is playing a crucial role in finding solutions.

James聽Earnest, an assistant professor at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, is聽leading聽two聽new聽research projects to examine how humans build an immune response to dengue and the Zika virus over time, in pursuit of creating better preventative measures.

Tackling a Global Problem

Both聽dengue and聽Zika聽are carried by the聽Aedes aegypti聽mosquito,聽which has expanded聽its habitat from Africa to tropical,聽subtropical聽and even聽temperate聽areas worldwide.聽According to the World Health Organization, dengue infections in humans climbed聽from聽505,430 in 2000聽to聽14.6 million in 2024, an increase of more than 2,700%.

Dengue can be asymptomatic or cause severe pain, fatigue and high fever. Repeated infections can be fatal.

Since 2017, there have been few cases of聽Zika聽recorded in the U.S., but the disease persists sporadically in Africa, the Americas and Asia. The virus鈥� biggest health concern is聽for聽pregnant聽women because contracting聽Zika聽can increase risks for聽serious聽congenital birth defects.

While people in Mexico and Uganda聽may聽benefit聽from this research,聽Florida鈥檚 location as a worldwide travel destination聽adds to聽the聽growing聽need for solutions.聽U.S.聽dengue聽cases聽are on the rise and聽have been reported in Florida, California,聽Texas聽and Hawaii. Most are related to travel.聽Dengue is also prevalent in聽Puerto Rico.

鈥淭he threat to the U.S. is growing over time. … We want to be the leaders at looking at these viruses.鈥� 鈥� James Earnest, UCF Assistant Professor

鈥淲ith more favorable temperatures and with people traveling around the globe these days, the threat to the U.S. is growing over time,鈥� Earnest says. 鈥淚 think, especially here in Florida, the potential for these mosquitoes to live in these areas and start transmitting these diseases in the very near future is high. UCF recognizes that this is an important avenue of research for this region, and so we want to be the leaders at looking at these viruses.鈥�

How the聽UCF聽Research Works

Earnest鈥檚 lab is focused on how the immune system responds to mosquito-borne viruses. Before arriving at UCF in 2024, he tracked dengue via longitudinal sampling in Mexico鈥檚 Yucatan Peninsula.

Earnest is collaborating with the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) through a five-year $970,813 subcontract, part of a larger grant awarded to UVRI from Wellcome, a London-based charitable organization that supports science to solve urgent health challenges. The project aims to study immune system and antibody responses to dengue and Zika in large cohorts of people in Uganda and in Mexico.

UCF will also collaborate with Emory University on a聽$578,157聽grant from the National Institutes of Health, with Earnest subcontracted to Emory to study whether combining two current dengue inoculations used in Brazil gives humans better protection against repeat infections.

鈥淚t’s important that we understand what good and bad immune responses look like to these viruses.鈥� 鈥� James Earnest, UCF Assistant Professor

鈥淚t’s聽important聽that we understand what good and bad immune responses look like to these viruses,鈥澛燛arnest聽says. 鈥淲hen we know those factors, then聽we can try to steer people in聽the right聽direction so that their antibodies will protect them from聽disease.鈥�

Earnest will coordinate with teams in other countries to regularly collect blood samples and measure antibody production to get a comprehensive look at how different people鈥檚 bodies react to dengue and Zika over time. The samples will be collected and processed in Mexico and Uganda, and Earnest will analyze the results in his lab.

鈥淚 think what’s unique about聽this work is that we鈥檙e聽following people over time and not necessarily聽just聽when they get sick,鈥澛燛arnest says.

His research focuses on B cells, which are white blood cells that make antibodies and help the body remember how to fight infections. By tracking how聽people鈥檚聽B cells change over time, his team aims to understand how immune responses differ across regions.

In a related project with Emory, the lab will聽identify聽the most effective memory B cells and antibodies induced by two existing methods of inoculation for dengue, then test whether combining those methods in Brazilian trial participants produces a stronger immune response.

Students Aim to Save Lives Through Lab Work

With this new research,聽Earnest鈥檚 lab has welcomed聽two new UCF聽students聽who have聽personal聽experience聽with聽dengue and聽Zika.

Maiesha聽Mahmood, a聽second-year聽biotechnology聽master鈥檚 student,聽is from Bangladesh, where the threat of dengue looms.

鈥淚 have been around dengue a lot growing up,鈥� Mahmood聽says.聽鈥淚 know people who have been in hospital聽with聽severe forms聽of dengue, and聽people聽who’ve聽passed away聽suddenly.聽People become scared of mosquitos and dengue.鈥�

She聽says she聽hopes聽UCF鈥檚 research will someday save lives.

鈥淏ack in Bangladesh,聽we don’t really have a lot of facilities that can support virology research,鈥澛爏he says. 鈥淚t was聽a huge opportunity to be able to come here and be able to work聽with Dr. Earnest.聽I want to continue looking into these kinds of聽viruses聽and聽find聽a way to help people who keep suffering from聽these聽diseases.鈥�

叠谤耻苍辞听笔颈苍丑别颈谤辞听鈥�25, a first-year Ph.D. candidate,聽joined Earnest鈥檚 lab聽to further his education and hopes research will聽help people close to him.

鈥淢y family is from Brazil and so聽Zika聽was a very big thing for them,鈥� says聽Pinheiro, who聽earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in聽biotechnology聽鈥淚t鈥檚 great to work on something that you can feel will impact the community that you’re a part of.鈥�

Researcher Credentials:

Earnest joined UCF鈥檚 College of Medicine as聽an assistant professor聽in 2024. He聽earned聽his doctorate in聽microbiology and聽immunology from Loyola University Chicago in 2017. He performed postdoctoral research at Washington University in St. Louis studying antibody responses to mosquito-borne viruses and Emory University where he managed clinical field trials in Latin America.

Funding聽and Disclosure:

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U01AI186860. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily聽represent聽the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

With more than 200 participating funds and so many opportunities for inspiration, activation and growth 鈥� we鈥檙e counting down to liftoff by highlighting unique areas to consider supporting with your gift this UCF Day of Giving.

As Knights, we challenge status quo. We charge boldly ahead toward industry evolutions and technological advancements. We dare to build a future the world has only begun to imagine. And it鈥檚 all driven through moments like this and individuals like you.

Together,聽we鈥檙e聽launching Knights to new heights.

When the unexpected arises,聽help聽sometimes聽comes in the form of .聽Created to support聽Knights聽facing聽hardship that may聽hinder聽their education,聽this fund聽provides聽financial support聽for textbooks,聽fees聽and other education-related聽expenses聽for qualifying students.

Your gift ensures that聽when聽life鈥檚聽trials聽test our聽Knights,聽they聽pass聽with flying colors,聽securing聽the education聽and future聽they聽deserve.

The 鈥痯rovides services, programming and resources for thousands of military-connected students currently enrolled at UCF.

helps ensure聽that聽those who have served and their connected students are fully supported as they pursue their educational and career goals.

UCF has been recognized聽with a聽Gold Award聽on the聽Military Friendly聽Schools list, as a Florida Collegiate Purple Star Campus, a Best Military-Friendly Online College and on the Military Times鈥� 聽2025聽Best for Vets Colleges List.聽Help us聽continue that legacy聽of聽serving those聽who鈥檝e聽served.

offers an intensive, comprehensive therapy program聽to those聽navigating Aphasia, a聽language聽disorder that can arise from聽health challenges such as聽stroke,聽brain聽cancer聽and brain injury,聽and聽affects聽an individual鈥檚 ability to聽read, write,聽speak聽and聽comprehend聽language.

Through the program,聽individuals are聽empowered to聽make progress on their long-held goals, like talking with their grandchildren or ordering their favorite restaurant meal.

聽on UCF Day of Giving聽supports the continuation of this聽important聽service for our community, as well as the hands-on experience UCF student clinicians聽receive.

Support UCF College of Medicine researchers as they聽break聽into new realms of聽understanding聽around聽the聽country鈥檚聽second leading cause of death聽鈥� cancer.聽Through聽innovative science,聽they鈥檙e聽exploring key聽avenues of discovery聽including聽the role that聽genes play聽in聽determining聽a person鈥檚 cancer risk, what causes cancer to spread聽and how to harness the body鈥檚 immune system to kill cancer cells.

The goal: to prevent cancer and find new therapies that improve quality of life聽for patients.聽 brings聽us one聽step closer聽to聽lives saved,聽families unburdened聽and a cure聽realized.

Did you know聽that UCF has one of the top Moot Court聽teams in the nation, ranking聽among the top 15聽overall聽by the American Moot Court Association?聽Supervised by the , these student advocates聽are challenged聽with arguing聽mock supreme court cases聽on constitutional amendments.

and聽national聽leadership聽by聽making a gift on UCF Day of Giving.聽Help聽cover聽competition travel expenses, as well as聽the聽cost of聽the聽annual tournament聽hosted聽at UCF Downtown聽each fall.

It鈥檚聽time for launch, Knight Nation! Join us聽as聽we rally around聽our favorite causes, and聽maybe even聽uncover some聽new聽ones, during UCF Day of Giving.聽Find聽more areas of support聽by聽别虫辫濒辞谤颈苍驳听迟丑别听,鈥痑nd聽save the date to聽聽on Thursday, April 9.聽聽

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

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

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

The World鈥檚 Women

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

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at criminal justice, sociology, health, and so much more that altogether could create solutions beyond any one discipline.鈥� 鈥� Kim Anderson, Professor of Social Work

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

Informing Florida鈥檚 Strategy

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

鈥淔or example,聽we鈥檙e seeing people facing abuse who are having to spend more on food or other necessities as聽they navigate shifts in funding for certain assistance programs,鈥澛燘ackes聽says.聽鈥淲hat we鈥檙e also seeing is the effect of population booms, and how rapid growth and rapid decline in some areas聽affects聽the need for services.鈥�

The researchers are analyzing data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Florida鈥檚 Departments of Law Enforcement and Children and Families and are surveying organizations that provide domestic violence services. They are interviewing survivors who sought services and those who didn鈥檛 to understand access to care and risk factors.

Creating聽opportunities where more people feel聽comfortable sharing their聽domestic violence聽experiences is聽cluster聽member聽Karina Villalba鈥檚聽expertise.

鈥淢y focus is on intimate partner violence, specifically within the Hispanic community,鈥� says Villalba, an assistant professor in the聽鈥檚 Population Health Sciences Division.聽鈥淭here聽are聽certain beliefs, like the concept of聽鈥榤achismo鈥�,聽that聽may give聽an avenue for some men to pursue this kind of violence.聽Because it can be part of the cultural acceptance, it might not even be seen as violence聽by the survivors.鈥�

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

鈥淵ou鈥檙e seeing a ripple effect in countries聽in Latin America where people are becoming more aware,鈥� Villalba聽says.聽鈥淚t helps us keep pushing forward with our work so we cannot just be a beacon here in Florida and the United States, but to show the world what we can do.鈥�

Keys to Preventing Violence

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

Domestic violence is 鈥渘ot always聽physical聽and it鈥檚 not just seeing someone with a black eye,鈥澛爏he聽says.聽鈥淧hysical violence can happen after there鈥檚聽been psychological abuse such as coercion, controlling, isolation or stalking.鈥�

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

鈥淭here鈥檚聽this expectation of how abusers or survivors look.聽It鈥檚聽easy to think the people doing this聽abuse聽look like monsters,鈥� she聽says. 鈥淏ut the reality is these are people we know. They can be friends or family members or people we work with.鈥�

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

鈥淲e聽see incredible聽bravery聽of聽people who talk to聽a support person,鈥澛燗nderson聽says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping that information we get from this assessment can elevate the voices of staff and survivors.鈥�

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

Also being honored are university excellence award winners; those who recently reached milestone years of service; Faculty Senate service awardees; faculty granted鈥�别尘别谤颈迟耻蝉鈥�辞谤鈥�别尘别谤颈迟补鈥�status; and retired or retiring faculty members.

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

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

Here are this year鈥檚 faculty honorees.

Pegasus Professor Award

Hassan聽Foroosh,聽College of Engineering and Computer Science

Carmen聽Giurgescu, College of Nursing

Annette R. Khaled, College of Medicine

Matthew Marino, College of聽Community Innovation and Education

Reach for the Stars Award

John Bush, College of Business

Ana Carolina聽de Souza Feliciano, Office of Research

Shyam Kattel, College of Sciences

Kevin Moran, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Soyoung Park, College of Community Innovation and Education

Hao Zheng, College of Engineering and Computer Sciences

Medal of Societal Impact Award

Zhihua Qu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Champion of Student Success and Well-Being Award

Suha Saleh,聽College of Health Professions and Sciences

Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year

Deborah Beidel, College of Sciences

Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

College Awardees

Tanvir Ahmed, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Norine Blanch, College of Community Innovation and Education

Matthew Bryan, College of Arts and Humanities

Peter Delfyett, College of Optics and Photonics

Nyla Dil, College of Medicine

Katia Ferdowsi, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Murat Hancer, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Deborah Horzen, College of Arts and Humanities

Richard Jerousek, College of Sciences

Betsy Kalin, College of Sciences

Evelin Pegoraro, College of Arts and Humanities

Richard Plate, College of Community Innovation and Education

Alfons Schulte, College of Sciences

Nicholas Shrubsole, College of Arts and Humanities

Daniel Stephens, College of Community Innovation and Education

Wei Sun, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Danielle Webster, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Sara Willox, College of Business

Xiaohu Xia, College of Sciences

Widaad Zaman, College of Sciences

University Winner

Norine Blanch, College of Community Innovation and Education

Excellence in Graduate Teaching

College Awardees

Shaurya Agarwal, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Kim Anderson, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Christopher Blackwell, College of Nursing

Shannon Carter, College of Sciences

Sasan Fathpour, College of Optics and Photonics

Murat Hancer, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Dana Joseph, College of Business

Magdalena Pasarica, College of Medicine

Mel Stanfill, College of Arts and Humanities

Vassiliki Zygouris-Coe, College of Community Innovation and Education

University Winner

Christopher Blackwell, College of Nursing

Excellence in Research

College Awardees

Sarah Bush, College of Community Innovation and Education

Zixi (Jack) Cheng, College of Medicine

Enrique Del Barco, College of Sciences

Romain Gaume, College of Optics and Photonics

Nan Hua, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Kevin Mullally, College of Business

Matthew Stock, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Ladda Thiamwong, College of Nursing

Subith Vasu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Cyrus Zargar, College of Arts and Humanities

University Winner

Enrique Del Barco, College of Sciences

Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching

Nicole Lapeyrouse, College of Sciences

Excellence in Faculty Academic Advising

Emily Proulx, College of Arts and Humanities

Excellence in Professional Service

Linda Walters, College of Sciences

Excellence in Librarianship

Katy Miller, UCF Libraries

Excellence in Instructional Design

Amy Sugar, Division of Digital Learning

University Award for Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students

Engineering, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences

Subith Vasu, College of Engineering and Computer Science

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

David Boote, College of Community Innovation and Education

University Award for Excellence in Mentoring Postdoctoral Scholars

Kausik Mukhopadhyay, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Thomas Wahl, College of Engineering and Computer Science

20 Years of Service

Haiyan Bai, College of Community Innovation and Education

Brian Barone, College of Arts and Humanities

Aman Behal, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Corinne Bishop, UCF Libraries

Joseph Brennan, College of Sciences

Mark Calabrese, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Li-Mei Chen, College of Medicine

Baiyun Chen, Division of Digital Learning

Joshua Colwell, College of Sciences

William Crampton, College of Sciences

Richard Curcio, College of Business

Donovan Dixon, College of Sciences

Martin Dupuis, Burnett Honors College

Michelle Dusseau, College of Sciences

Dorin Dutkay, College of Sciences

Kirk Gay, College of Arts and Humanities

Deborah German, College of Medicine

William Hagedorn, College of Community Innovation and Education

Joseph Harrington, College of Sciences

Fayeza Hasanat, College of Arts and Humanities

Bobby Hoffman, College of Community Innovation and Education

Elizabeth Hoffman, College of Community Innovation and Education

Alisha Janowsky, College of Sciences

Abdelkader Kara, College of Sciences

David Kwun, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Stephen Lambert, College of Medicine

Peter Larson, College of Arts and Humanities

Joseph LaViola Jr., College of Engineering and Computer Science

Edgard Maboudou, College of Sciences

Kevin Mackie, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Iryna Malendevych, College of Community Innovation and Education

Jonathan Matusitz, College of Sciences

Holly McDonald, College of Arts and Humanities

Florin Mihai, College of Arts and Humanities

Olga Molina, College of Health Professions and Sciences

George Musambira, College of Sciences

Nina Orlovskaya, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Talat Rahman, College of Sciences

25 Years of Service

Laura Albers-Biddle, College of Community Innovation and Education

Steven Berman, College of Sciences

Tarek Buhagiar, College of Business

Melissa Dagley, College of Sciences

Sabatino DiBernardo, College of Arts and Humanities

Mark Dickie, College of Business

Ivan Garibay, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Anthony Grajeda, College of Arts and Humanities

Bari Hoffman, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Steven Hornik, College of Business

Anna Jones, College of Arts and Humanities

Mikhail Klimov, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Stefanie Mayfield Garcia, College of Business

Rudy McDaniel, College of Arts and Humanities

Rachel Mulvihill, UCF Libraries

Christopher Niess, College of Arts and Humanities

Eugene Paoline, College of Community Innovation and Education

Sumanta Pattanaik, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Tison Pugh, College of Arts and Humanities

Walter Sotero, College of Sciences

Suren Tatulian, College of Sciences

Nizam Uddin, College of Sciences

Lei Wei, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Graham Worthy, College of Sciences

Shin-Tson Wu, College of Optics and Photonics

30 Years of Service

Charlie Abraham, College of Arts and Humanities

Helen Becker, College of Business

James Campbell, College of Arts and Humanities

Karl X. Chai, College of Medicine

Ratna Chakrabarti, College of Medicine

Jill Fjelstul, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Barbara Fritzsche, College of Sciences

Nora Lee Garc铆a, College of Arts and Humanities

Linwood Jones, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alexander Katsevich, College of Sciences

Kuotsai Tom Liou, College of Community Innovation and Education

Lisa Logan, College of Arts and Humanities

Humberto L贸pez Cruz, College of Arts and Humanities

Eric Martin, Office of Research

Kevin Meehan, College of Arts and Humanities

Charles H. Reilly, Office of the Provost

Timothy Rotarius, College of Community Innovation and Education

Peter Spyers-Duran, UCF Libraries

Alexander Tovbis, College of Sciences

Laurence von Kalm, College of Sciences

Linda Walters, College of Sciences

Bruce Wilson, College of Sciences

Hong Zhang, College of Arts and Humanities

Ying Zhang, UCF Libraries

35 Years of Service

Issa Batarseh, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alain Kassab, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mansooreh Mollaghasemi, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Chung-Ching Wang, College of Sciences

40 Years of Service

Ahmad Elshennawy, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Michael Georgiopoulos, College of Engineering and Computer Science

David Hagan, College of Optics and Photonics

Anna Lillios, College of Arts and Humanities

Mubarak Shah, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Kalpathy Sundaram, College of Engineering and Computer Science

45 Years of Service

Robert Rivers, College of Arts and Humanities

55 Years of Service

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Faculty Emeritus and Emerita

Lynn Casmier-Paz, College of Arts and Humanities

James Clark, College of Arts and Humanities

Teresa Dorman, College of Sciences

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Glenda Gunter, College of Community Innovation and Education

Michael Hampton, College of Sciences

Richard Hofler, College of Business

Robin Kohn, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Piotr Mikusinski, College of Sciences

Ram Mohapatra, College of Sciences

Donna Neff, College of Nursing

Alice Noblin, College of Community Innovation and Education

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Trey Philpotts, College of Arts and Humanities

Robin Roberts, College of Business

Sherron Killingsworth Roberts, College of Community Innovation and Education

Lisa Roney, College of Arts and Humanities

Sybil St. Claire, College of Arts and Humanities

Terry Ann Thaxton, College of Arts and Humanities

Deborah Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities

Retired Faculty

Ahlam Al-Rawi, College of Sciences

Donna Breit, College of Nursing

Martha Brenckle, College of Arts and Humanities

Chinyen Chuo, Student Success and Well-Being

Therese Coleman, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Robertico Croes, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Juli Dixon, College of Community Innovation and Education

Teresa Dorman, College of Sciences

Chuck Dziuban, Division of Digital Learning

Philip Fairey, Office of Research

John Fauth, College of Sciences

Amy Giroux, College of Arts and Humanities

Glenda Gunter, College of Community Innovation and Education

Michael Hampton, College of Sciences

Roger Handberg, College of Sciences

C. Keith Harrison, College of Business

Randall Hewitt, College of Community Innovation and Education

Rebecca Hines, College of Community Innovation and Education

Richard Hofler, College of Business

Charlie Hughes, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Alvaro Islas, College of Sciences

Mourad Ismail, College of Sciences

David Jenkins, College of Sciences

Michael Johnson, Office of the Provost

Dayle Jones, College of Community Innovation and Education

Denise Kay, College of Medicine

Gary Leavens, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mary Little, College of Community Innovation and Education

Humberto L贸pez Cruz, College of Arts and Humanities

Michael Macedonia, Office of Research

Wasfy Mikhael, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Piotr Mikusinski, College of Sciences

Roslyn Miller, Division of Digital Learning

Ram Mohapatra, College of Sciences

Vicki Montoya, College of Nursing

Brian Moore, College of Sciences

Donna Felber Neff, College of Nursing

Alice Noblin, College of Community Innovation and Education

Peggy Nuhn, UCF Libraries

Joyce Nutta, College of Community Innovation and Education

Jeffrey O鈥橞rien, College of Business

Bendegul Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Fevzi Okumus, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Robert Peale, College of Sciences

Trey Philpotts, College of Arts and Humanities

Brian Plamondon, Office of Research

Michael Proctor, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Enrique Puig, College of Community Innovation and Education

Pedro Quintana-Ascencio, College of Sciences

Mark Rapport, College of Sciences

Sherron Roberts, College of Community Innovation and Education

Kelly Schaffer, College of Community Innovation and Education

Elzbieta Sikorska, College of Sciences

Jo Smith, Division of Digital Learning

Sybil St. Claire, College of Arts and Humanities

Mark Steiner, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Raymond Surette, College of Community Innovation and Education

Terry Ann Thaxton, College of Arts and Humanities

Patti Thielemann, College of Nursing

Cheryl Van De Mark, College of Community Innovation and Education

Martine Vanryckeghem, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Jane Vaughan, College of Arts and Humanities

Scott Warfield, College of Arts and Humanities

Debbie Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities

Philip Wessel, College of Community Innovation and Education

James Whitworth, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Boguslawa Anna Wolford, College of Community Innovation and Education

Laine Wyatt, College of Arts and Humanities

Cherie Yestrebsky, College of Sciences

Martin Klapheke, College of Medicine

Stephen Lambert, College of Medicine

Olga Molina, College of Health Professions and Sciences

Euripides Montagne, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Darlin’ Neal, College of Arts and Humanities

Michael Pape, College of Business

Tison Pugh, College of Arts and Humanities

David Young, College of Sciences

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

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

鈥淲hen you look at this group, you see trajectory.鈥� 鈥� John Buckwalter, UCF’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs

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

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

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

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

Here are the students to be recognized.

Order of Pegasus Inductees

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

Undergraduate Student Awards

College Founders鈥� Award

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

Outstanding Honors Undergraduate Thesis

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

Graduate Student Awards

Outstanding Dissertation

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

The mission will include multiple health studies on the four astronauts to determine how radiation, microgravity, isolation and other factors impact their physical health, mind and behavior 鈥� crucial information that will help pave the way for future lunar surface missions and develop our understanding about humans鈥� deep space capabilities.

Thanks to new technology and modern medicine, researchers have better ways to understand the impact of space flight on human health.

鈥淎rtemis II is both a historic and biomedically important mission,鈥� says 聽Emmanuel Urquieta, the UCF College of Medicine鈥檚 vice chair for aerospace medicine and director of the university鈥檚 new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM).

鈥淔or the first time since Apollo 17, humans will travel beyond the Earth鈥檚 magnetic field. That matters enormously from a research perspective, because now we have technology to thoroughly understand the health impact of embarking into deep space. The knowledge gained from Artemis II will help shape the future of safe human space exploration and drive innovations that can benefit medicine here on Earth and help us start preparing us for a mission to Mars.鈥�

The Space Coast鈥檚 College of Medicine

As the closest medical school to the Kennedy Space Center, UCF鈥檚 College of Medicine is charting a new frontier in healthcare as humans prepare for longer missions to the moon and Mars, and commercial space flights take more civilians into space.

The goal: explore how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention on Earth.

To further those efforts, UCF鈥檚 CASEEM includes faculty experts in medicine, engineering, computer science, psychology, arts and educational leadership. This interdisciplinary group will work together to research and develop new technologies for keeping space travelers healthy, as well as soldiers on military missions, deep sea explorers and mountain climbers.

What Lies Ahead for Artemis II鈥檚 Astronauts

• Understanding Radiation Exposure Effects

Traveling to the moon 鈥� which humans haven鈥檛 returned to since 1972 鈥� means astronauts will go beyond Earth鈥檚 Van Allen belts, which protect humans from cosmic radiation and solar storms. Space travelers to the International Space Station stay within Earth鈥檚 magnetic field. During their 10-day mission, Artemis II is anticipated to break Apollo 13鈥檚 record (248,655 miles) for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth.

Fifty years ago, researchers could do little more than measure radiation. This time will be different, says UCF鈥檚 William 鈥淓d鈥� Powers, chief medical officer of CASEEM and the former chief of NASA鈥檚 Medical Operations branch where he was a primary medical support physician for six shuttle missions.

鈥淢edical knowledge, technology and the ability to diagnose disease have advanced significantly since then,鈥� he says.

Physicians and scientists will be able to determine how radiation impacts cells, organs, blood proteins and other molecular functions.

Artemis crew members will carry dosimeters in their pockets that measure radiation exposure in real time. Monitors inside the Orion spacecraft will also gather radiation information throughout the flight for future analysis.

An astronaut suffering a medical condition in space is always a concern, but deep space travel brings additional challenges, Powers explains. While astronauts on the International Space Station can be returned to Earth in about a day, as happened recently when a crew member became ill, returning from the moon may take several days or more.

鈥淣one of the four astronauts on this flight is a physician,鈥� Powers says. 鈥淎nd a space capsule certainly doesn鈥檛 have the same equipment you鈥檇 have in a hospital emergency room.鈥�

• Does Space Flight Reduce Immunity?

Previous research has shown that spaceflight missions alter the and reactivate dormant viruses in the human body. As part of the Artemis II mission, NASA will conduct an AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) experiment that will investigate how deep space impacts specific cells and tissues as well as some vital bodily functions including immune system responses.

For this experiment, NASA-funded scientists created 鈥渙rgan-on-a-chip鈥� devices that contain each astronaut鈥檚 bone marrow cells. This technology allows scientists to examine molecular changes and cell function.

鈥淲ith this technology we can see how the body responds to stimuli across the whole mission,鈥� says Jennifer Fogarty, CASEEM鈥檚 chief scientist who came to UCF after serving as chief scientist for NASA鈥檚 Human Research Program. 鈥淭his capability will help us map the body鈥檚 molecular changes with tissue/organ function and much better predictive capabilities.鈥�

As the 鈥渙rgan-on-a-chip鈥� technology advances and proves accurate, it will allow NASA physicians to provide personalized and proactive medicine to astronauts because they will be able to predict a crew member鈥檚 biological response to space flight. Such technology could be used before NASA sends an actual crew to Mars. The space agency could place the crew鈥檚 personalized chips on unmanned flights to the Red Planet to better understand the potential health risks for each individual.

鈥淚t鈥檚 basically sending small versions of astronauts to Mars before we send astronauts to Mars,鈥� Fogarty says.

• Teamwork and Behavior

Selecting an astronaut crew that will perform well under the stresses of space flight is always a top NASA priority. But deep space missions present additional personnel challenges, including communication delays, increased isolation and resource constraints.

Astronauts on moon and Mars missions also must live in a capsule that is significantly smaller than the International Space Station, highlighting the need for crews to work together seamlessly and be able to manage any conflicts.

The Artemis flight will conduct an experiment called ARCHeR (Artemis Research for Crew Health and Readiness) that will evaluate how astronauts perform individually and as a team during the mission.

They will wear sleep and movement monitors before, during and after the mission to evaluate their cognition and team dynamics.

鈥淵ou watch the astronauts on TV, and it looks so easy,鈥� Fogarty says. 鈥淏ut human performance is critical in space. You have multiple duties to conduct and you鈥檙e always pushing operations. So we need to understand how the team performs, their reserve and resilience. The mission itself is the experiment.鈥�

Star Nona 2026

UCF鈥檚 leading space medicine experts, valued strategic partners and an astronaut who holds NASA鈥檚 record for spacewalks will gather April 10 in Lake Nona鈥檚 Medical City to discuss how they can work together to keep space travelers healthy and use that research to create groundbreaking clinical innovations on Earth.

The 鈥淪tar Nona 2026鈥� event is led by the Lake Nona Research Council, which is focused on encouraging interdisciplinary scientific partnerships between industry, academia and healthcare.

The council includes physicians and researchers from UCF, Orlando Health, AdventHealth, the Florida Space Institute, the Orlando VA Medical Center, Nemours Children鈥檚 Health, business and industry.

For more information, including how to register for the event, visit www.ucf.edu/news/progressing-the-final-frontier-of-medicine-space.