• Associate Professor Chen Chen 鈥� Associate Member
• Professor Ivan Garibay ’00MS ’04PhD 鈥� Associate Member
• Professor Jayanta Kapat 鈥� Full Member
• Professor Damla Turgut 鈥� Full Member
• Associate Professor Thomas Wahl 鈥� Associate Member
• Associate Professor Dazhong Wu 鈥� Associate Member
• Professor Xiaohu Xia 鈥� Associate Member
• Professor Yang Yang 鈥� Associate Member

Full members are recognized as established leaders with a sustained record of exceptional impact in their respective fields. Associate members, who are new to ASEMFL this year, are recognized for their professional accomplishments and emerging leadership.

鈥淲e are proud to welcome this exceptional group of scholars and innovators to ASEMFL, including our inaugural class of associate members,鈥� says Yogi Goswami, ASEMFL president and distinguished professor at the University of South 性视界传媒. 鈥淭heir lifelong dedication and creativity have led to transformational advances in their fields, improving lives and strengthening our communities.鈥�

Since its establishment, ASEMFL has grown to more than 300 experts grounded in common research and educational pursuits who are committed to undertaking issues in science, engineering and medicine of particular interest to the state.

This year鈥檚 cohort is the largest in ASEMFL history. All new members will be inducted at the ASEMFL annual meeting, which takes place in November at the University of South 性视界传媒.

Chen Chen

Associate Professor in the and the Institute of Artificial Intelligence

Citation: For pioneering contributions to multimodal and federated learning and real-time, privacy-preserving video analytics, advancing trustworthy and efficient AI systems for public safety, healthcare, and societal well-being.

Jayanta Kapat

Pegasus Professor and Director of the Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research

Citation: For innovative research and digital twin modeling and their impact on improved costs, efficiency and emissions in advanced turbines and energy systems.

Nasser Kutkut

Graduate Faculty Scholar in the

Citation: For having pioneered high-efficiency and IoT-enabled battery charging systems, cloud-based energy management, and smart telematics platforms 鈥� technologies that cut costs, reduce emissions, and modernize industrial and electric vehicle power management worldwide.

Ivan Garibay ’00MS ’04PhD

Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems and Director of the 性视界传媒 Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Initiative

Citation: For pioneering work in AI for modeling complex human behavior, including the development of inverse generative social science, evolutionary model discovery, green technological innovation, and AI for social resilience against disinformation and polarization.

Damla Turgut

Pegasus Professor and Chair of Computer Science

Citation: For pioneering contributions to the application of value of information in wireless networks, and for outstanding leadership in advancing research and education at both the university and international professional society levels.

Thomas Wahl

Associate Professor in the and the Center for Integrated Coastal Research

Citation: For pioneering work on flood risk analysis, coastal compound flooding and assessment of coastal hazards at multiple scales under weather extremes.

Dazhong Wu

Associate Professor in the

Citation: For contributions to the development and implementation of machine learning-based techniques for part qualification and certification in advanced manufacturing.

Xiaohu Xia

Professor in the

Citation: For pioneering artificial enzyme research, achieving unprecedented catalytic efficiencies and developing diagnostic technologies with substantial clinical and societal impact.

鈥淒r. Xia鈥檚 research is an excellent example of how cutting-edge research in the College of Sciences leads directly into transformative applications for the betterment of humanity,鈥� says Josh Colwell, College of Sciences dean. 鈥淗is recognition by ASEMFL is particularly appropriate given the nature of his innovative work combining nanomaterials and fundamental chemistry research for healthcare applications that will directly impact people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

Yang Yang

Professor in the

Citation: For being an accomplished scholar in developing energy materials using nanotechnology.

Driving Research Excellence at 性视界传媒

Together, the honorees exemplify the breadth of research excellence driving innovation across 性视界传媒’s College of Sciences and College of Engineering and Computer Science.

鈥淛ay Kapat, Damla Turgut, Chen Chen, Ivan Garibay, Thomas Wahl, Dazhong Wu, Yang Yang and all faculty in the College of Engineering and Computer Science have contributed significantly to the research and education in their disciplines and their induction to the academy is a testament [to] their meaningful accomplishments,鈥� says Michael Georgiopoulos, College of Engineering and Computer Science dean. 鈥淭he academy is expected to benefit from their expertise and their anticipated service to move its mission forward.鈥�

The nationwide initiative encourages interdisciplinary teams to develop new AI models and research workflows capable of addressing national challenges across fields such as advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, critical materials, energy and quantum information.

鈥淭he Genesis Mission harnesses the collective strengths of the nation鈥檚 leading institutions across academia, industry, and government to accelerate the pace of discovery,鈥� says Winston Schoenfeld, 性视界传媒 vice president for research and innovation. 鈥溞允咏绱解�檚 participation reflects听the expertise of our researchers听and talented students, whose contributions will help shape AI-enabled scientific workflows and transform technological advances into real-world solutions that fuel American competitiveness.鈥�

A New Approach to Creating Fuels and Chemicals

As interdisciplinary scientific challenges become increasingly data-intensive, applying human ingenuity to advanced technologies creates possibilities to solve long-standing industry issues.

Ling鈥檚 contribution to the Genesis Mission will aim to address problems with biomanufacturing by developing an AI digital twin (virtual replication). This digital twin predicts and optimizes bioprocess performance, enabling improved process monitoring, decision-making, and scale-up.

The project will also provide opportunities for 性视界传媒 researchers at different stages of their careers to contribute to the work. Pinzhen Lin, who will begin a doctoral degree at 性视界传媒鈥檚 College of Optics and Photonics in Fall 2026, will join Ling鈥檚 research group and lead development of the project鈥檚 real-time sensor, including its characterization and performance benchmarking. Jirui Fu 鈥�24PhD, a 性视界传媒 mechanical engineering doctoral graduate and postdoctoral scholar in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, will also assist with the project.

鈥淭he challenge is that conventionally scaling up biomanufacturing is slow and prone to failure, creating a need for smarter tools to accelerate development,鈥� Ling says. 鈥淚f successful, this project could significantly accelerate the development and deployment of sustainable biomanufacturing for fuels and chemicals, making the process faster, cheaper and less risky.鈥�

With industry-academic collaboration at the core of the Genesis Mission, Ling is working on the project with Kansas State University Assistant Professor Yian Chen, as well as the National Laboratory of the Rockies researchers Ajinkya Pal, Jason DesVeaux and Evan Komp.

A Mission With Many Benefits

Although the Genesis Mission is focused on accelerating scientific discovery, Ling believes the work has the potential to create benefits that extend beyond the research community.

鈥淭he AI digital twin framework developed here has strong potential as a commercial platform that can be adopted across a wide range of industries, from energy to materials,鈥� Ling says. 鈥淢ore broadly, it could lower the barriers for industrial partners to adopt bio-based processes, helping drive the transition toward a more sustainable economy.鈥�

For Ling, the research also represents an opportunity to see emerging technologies applied to real-world challenges.

鈥淎s an early-career researcher, I feel very fortunate to lead and participate in a mission of this scale,鈥� Ling says. 鈥淲hat excites me most is the opportunity to apply this technology to solve real-world problems, and to see how it can be integrated with the rapidly advancing field of AI.鈥�

This project will be supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science through the Genesis Mission, a Transforming Science and Energy with AI initiative.

For a combined 13 years, Alexandria Marcellus and Mason Miles lived lives defined by missions, military orders and serving something greater than themselves.

Then came a challenge unlike any either had faced before: college.

Stepping onto 性视界传媒鈥檚 campus meant trading uniforms for backpacks, military precision for unstructured schedules and familiar routines for classrooms filled with students years younger than themselves. After years of knowing exactly where they needed to be and when, they suddenly had to chart their own course.

That uncertainty became the beginning of an entirely new mission.

This summer, the two U.S. Army veterans 鈥� both first-generation college students 鈥� will cross the stage during 性视界传媒鈥檚 Summer 2026 Commencement with bachelor鈥檚 degrees and full-time jobs already secured. Their journeys represent far more than earning a degree. They show how resilience, adaptability and a willingness to embrace the unknown can transform possibility into opportunity.

Alexandria Marcellus: Finding Stability 鈥� and a Calling to Serve

Marcellus has spent much of her life opening doors no one in her family had opened before.

At 17, she became the first person in her family to enlist in the Army. While stationed in Germany, she earned an associate degree in business administration and began to see college as a realistic option for the first time.

“The military was an escape,鈥� Marcellus says. 鈥淚f I wanted a different life from the one I’d seen, this was the way.”

鈥淪erving my soldiers put me in a position to always be in service of others because of the difference that I can make.鈥� 鈥� Alexandria Marcellus

During seven years of military service, she quickly rose into a noncommissioned officer leadership role, discovering that her greatest fulfillment came from helping others succeed.

鈥淪erving my soldiers put me in a position to always be in service of others because of the difference that I can make. That鈥檚 what stuck with me the most,鈥� Marcellus says.

That mindset followed her to 性视界传媒.

Leaving the military and becoming a full-time student just two months later proved more difficult than she expected.

The campus felt enormous. The freedom she had long desired suddenly became intimidating. Unsure where she fit, she walked into (MVSS), where a veteran peer success coach assured her she wasn’t alone.

鈥淭hat’s when, for the first time since I left the military, I felt like somebody understood me,鈥� Marcellus says.

What began as a place to ask questions quickly became what she describes as her “duty station on campus.”

Inspired by the support she received, Marcellus returned as a peer success coach, helping veterans and students on academic probation regain confidence, navigate challenges and create plans for success. Often, she found that what students needed most was someone willing to listen.

She recalls several students telling her, “No one has ever asked me what’s going on in my life that’s affecting my grades.”

Marcellus became that person.

Wanting women veterans to experience the same sense of belonging she found in the military, Marcellus established the Women Veterans Association at 性视界传媒, creating a community where women veterans could build lifelong friendships and support one another throughout college.

“If I could create a space where women could come together and find someone who was going to be pivotal to them succeeding along their journey,” she says, “then I wanted to do it.”

Her own journey wasn’t without setbacks. After realizing the management major wasn’t the right academic fit, she discovered 性视界传媒’s integrated business program, where collaborative projects and interdisciplinary coursework aligned perfectly with her strengths.

“I want my future children, my nieces and nephews, my godchildren and anyone close to me to see what’s possible because when you watch someone you know accomplish something, it suddenly feels like something you can accomplish, too.” 鈥擜lexandria Marcellus

As graduation approached, she looked beyond the classroom for industry experience. After six unanswered applications to Lockheed Martin, persistence paid off when she landed a year-long position through the Lockheed Martin College Work Experience Program (CWEP), which provides undergraduate and graduate students with real-world work skills relevant to their academic and career goals. As an integrated program planner, she balanced full-time coursework while coordinating schedules, improving processes and building industry-ready skills.

The experience helped prepare her for her current position as an administrative assistant at CHA Consulting, a local engineering consulting firm, where she supports engineering teams across Central 性视界传媒.

Graduation isn鈥檛 the finish line. She plans to earn her project management professional certification before pursuing graduate studies focused on business psychology and organizational leadership.

For Marcellus, every achievement represents another opportunity for someone else.

“Every single challenge or opportunity in life is like a door,” she says. “When I can open one, it doesn’t just change my life. It creates a path for people coming after me. I want my future children, my nieces and nephews, my godchildren and anyone close to me to see what’s possible, because when you watch someone you know accomplish something, it suddenly feels like something you can accomplish, too.”

Mason Miles: Turning Curiosity into a Career

For many teenagers, an 18th birthday comes with cake and car keys. For Miles, it came with a decision to enlist in the Army.

College wasn’t financially realistic after high school, but military service offered opportunity, purpose and a way forward.

The son of a construction worker who had long been fascinated by engineering and aviation, Miles participated in JROTC throughout high school before spending six years in the Army, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

He began as an unmanned aircraft operator before advancing to aircraft commander, instructor and noncommissioned officer, eventually helping develop battlefield training doctrine alongside senior military leaders 鈥� responsibilities few people in their early twenties ever experience.

Yet during deployment, another passion quietly emerged.

鈥淚 saw that it was direct industry-relevant experience that was veteran-preferred. So I thought, 鈥榃hy not try my hand at it?鈥� I ended up in a field that has a ton to do with my exact interest.鈥� 鈥� Mason Miles

Between missions, he taught himself Python programming, built Arduino robotics kits and enrolled in online college courses.

“I knew engineering was something I was interested in,” Miles says. “I never thought I would do it. Once I got back from deployment, I saw I had plateaued [in my career]. My natural next step was in engineering.鈥�

Returning to his hometown of Orlando, he enrolled at 性视界传媒 to study computer engineering.

Determined to gain industry experience as early as possible, he applied to Lockheed Martin鈥檚 CWEP program during his first year as a Knight.

Having previously worked with Lockheed Martin while serving in the military, he recognized the program as an opportunity to combine classroom learning with real-world experience.

鈥淚 saw that it was direct industry-relevant experience that was veteran-preferred,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o I thought, 鈥榃hy not try my hand at it?鈥� I ended up in a field that has a ton to do with my exact interest.鈥�

Over the past three years, Miles has worked as a software engineer focused on cybersecurity for embedded systems, strengthening his knowledge of software and hardware development.

“Every class I took throughout my computer engineering degree either has a direct piece of software or skill or toolbox that I need for my job.” 鈥� Mason Miles

Classroom learning and professional experience quickly became inseparable.

“Every class I took throughout my computer engineering degree either has a direct piece of software or skill or toolbox that I need for my job,” Miles says.

His proudest accomplishment came during Senior Design, a capstone course for engineering and computer science disciplines at 性视界传媒. He helped create a biometric sleep-tracking device that mimics a bedside lamp 鈥� an invention he hopes to patent while continuing his accelerated bachelor鈥檚-to-尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree in computer engineering.

Miles has already accepted a full-time position as a cyber software engineer with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando.

Where Their Stories Go From Here

For Marcellus, graduation represents another door opened for her and for the generations of family members and fellow veterans who鈥檒l follow.

For Miles, it marks the moment when years of military service give way to a career solving tomorrow鈥檚 greatest cybersecurity challenges.

As they graduate with careers already underway, they embody what military service has always been about: using your skills to make a difference wherever you鈥檙e called next.

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

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

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

As Taggart works to complete his final year at 性视界传媒, his latest accomplishment fuels his path to make an impact as a future space researcher.

Future Focused

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worth noting among this graduating class:

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

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

Graduates will hear from听three听esteemed speakers听鈥� all 性视界传媒 graduates 鈥斕齱hose leadership and impact听have听benefited听our region:

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

Commencement Festivities

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

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

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

Commencement Photo-ops Across 性视界传媒

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

Grad Walk

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

Commencement Schedule

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

Friday,听July听31

6听p.m.

College of Arts and Humanities

College of Community Innovation and Education

College of Graduate Studies

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Saturday,听Aug. 1

9 a.m.

Barry S. Miller听College of Business

College of Health Professions and Sciences

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

2:30听p.m.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

College of Optics and Photonics

College of Sciences

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

Commencement Speakers

Allen Johnson 鈥�81

Chief Venues Officer, City of Orlando Venues

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

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

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

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

Tanya (Easterling) Hill 鈥�97

Market President for Central 性视界传媒, 性视界传媒 Blue

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

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

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

Hill holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in journalism from 性视界传媒.

Fred Kittinger 鈥�80

Former Senior Associate Vice President for Government and Community Relations, 性视界传媒

A native of central 性视界传媒, Fred Kittinger 鈥�80 recently retired as senior associate vice president for government and community relations at 性视界传媒, where he served for more than 22 years.

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

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

Reflecting his commitment to the community, Kittinger currently serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central 性视界传媒 (past chair), Central 性视界传媒 Council for Scouting America and Legacy Pointe at 性视界传媒.

Kittinger graduated from 性视界传媒鈥檚 criminal justice program and earned his master’s degree in public administration from 性视界传媒 State University.

That鈥檚 the future a team of 性视界传媒 researchers is building, and their groundbreaking work has earned international recognition.

A team of 性视界传媒 researchers has won an industry award for using robotics and digital twins to blend human intuition with technological innovation.

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

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

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

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

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

While Cruz-Neira and Rakhshan guided the project, she says the talented 性视界传媒 students are responsible for successfully implementing physical telepresence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rivers as Geological Records

According to Arvind Singh, an associate professor in 性视界传媒鈥檚 Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, river networks preserve traces of the physical processes and external forcings that shaped them over time.

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

Reconstructing Landscapes from Networks

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

The new framework flips that process.

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

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

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

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

Testing Alien Worlds

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A New Framework for Landscape Evolution

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

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

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

听The study was conducted by researchers from 性视界传媒, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and collaborating institutions, with support from the 性视界传媒 P3 program and other funding sources.

性视界传媒 researchers are known worldwide for their innovative studies, groundbreaking discoveries and contributions to patented technologies that have impacted society and influenced other leaders in the field.

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

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

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

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

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

A Career in Environmental Innovation

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

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

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

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

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

The Inventor of Advanced Electronics

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

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

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

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

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

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

On the Cutting Edge of听Infrared听Materials and Optics

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

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

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

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

Rivero Baleine continues to maintain strong ties with 性视界传媒 through a courtesy faculty appointment at CREOL and serves on the CREOL Dean Advisory Board and the 性视界传媒 Material Science Industrial Advisory board.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recognizing Emerging Research Leaders

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

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

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

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

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

Designing Autonomous Systems Under Communication Constraints

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Engineering Materials That Respond to Biological Signals

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

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

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

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

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

Supporting Long-Term Research and Education

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

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

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

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

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

Together, the awards highlight how 性视界传媒 researchers are advancing engineering systems capable of adapting to increasingly complex biological, computational and real-world environments.

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