• 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�

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, master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聽 – 2609681)

In aquatic ecosystems, some species use active sensing systems, emitting echolocation sounds or electric fields to navigate dark or murky waters.

This sensory ability can come with trade-offs. For electric eels and their weakly electric knifefish prey, generating electric fields helps them navigate and hunt, but those same signals can also reveal their location.

In a recent study published in , 性视界传媒 researchers found that both electric eels and knifefish strategically suppress and resume their electric signals to avoid detection.

The findings provide new insight into how animals balance sensing their surroundings while remaining hidden from predators or prey, a challenge that also appears in technologies such as sonar and radar. This work also expands scientific understanding of how active sensory systems evolve in competitive environments where being detected can mean losing a meal or becoming one.

鈥淥ur findings show that active sensing creates a paradox: the same electric signals these animals need to navigate and hunt can also reveal them to eavesdropping predators or prey,鈥� says Professor of Biology William Crampton, who co-led the study with biology doctoral graduate Lok Poon 鈥�26PhD. 鈥淏oth eels and knifefish appear to resolve this paradox through electric stealth, briefly suppressing their signals when concealment matters, then resuming them when sensing becomes more important.鈥�

Tracking Electric Signals in the Amazon

To test these predator-prey interactions, the researchers deployed six custom-designed electric signal loggers along a 150-meter section of an Amazonian stream. Each logger recorded 60-second segments of electric signals over 27 nights. In total, nearly 107,000 minutes of data were collected.

鈥淓lectric fish are ideal for this kind of study because their signals let us monitor their presence and movements electronically, simply by recording how often they pass near submerged electrodes,鈥� Crampton says. 鈥淥ur loggers allowed us, for the first time, to monitor predator-prey electric signaling interactions continuously in the wild.鈥�

Researchers then analyzed the recordings to distinguish species by their unique electric signal signatures.

How Eels and Knifefish Use 鈥淓lectric Stealth鈥�

“With knifefish, we found that when they detect electric eel signals, some flee while some pulse-type species switch off their own electric discharges for several seconds. “鈥擶illiam Crampton, professor of biology

鈥淲ith knifefish, we found that when they detect electric eel signals, some flee while some pulse-type species switch off their own electric discharges for several seconds,鈥� Crampton says. 鈥淚n our logger recordings, a knifefish could be producing its normal train of pulses to sense its environment, then suddenly become electrically silent as soon as eel signals appeared.鈥�

Laboratory tests showed that low-frequency components of electric eel signals play a key role in triggering this response, with knifefish reacting far less when those components were reduced.

Electric eels were also found to pause their low-voltage electrolocation pulses before high-voltage bursts used to probe for or stun prey. This silence would make an approaching eel less detectable to electroreceptive prey such as knifefish. Once the eel produces a high-voltage burst, however, it has revealed its presence, temporarily reducing the benefit of stealth. 聽The eel promptly resumes its regular low-voltage pulses, likely to rapidly relocate, track or capture prey.

鈥淭he field recordings revealed these phenomena in the ecological context,鈥� Crampton says. 鈥淭he laboratory experiments then allowed us to isolate the eel signal features that trigger knifefish responses.鈥�

Parallels in Nature and Technology

In nature, the only well-studied comparison to this behavior is the predator-prey dynamic between killer whales and their toothed-whale prey.

鈥淜iller whales and smaller toothed whales such as beaked whales use echolocation, relying on sound rather than electric signals to sense their surroundings,鈥� Crampton says. 鈥淢ammal-eating killer whales can suppress echolocation and calls while hunting, while beaked whales and other prey species may reduce vocal activity or take evasive action when they detect killer whale sounds. The eel-knifefish system shows a remarkably similar trade-off in the electric sense.鈥�

The findings suggest convergent evolutionary pressures favoring the ability of both predators and prey to modulate active-sensing signals to improve survival.

Similar trade-offs also occur in human active-sensing technologies such as sonar and radar. A submarine, for instance, can use active signals to detect its surroundings, but each outgoing ping can also reveal the vessel鈥檚 location.

鈥淛ust as we found in electric eels and knifefish, operators of these systems balance the need to gather information with the need to remain hidden,鈥� Crampton says. 鈥淚n submarines, that can mean alternating between active sonar and passive listening depending on the situation.鈥�

Electric eels, knifefish, echolocating whales and human operators all face the same challenge: balancing the benefits of active sensing with the risk of detection.

Future Research Applications

Electric fish have long contributed to scientists鈥� understanding of concepts beyond biology, including electricity, nerves and sensing.

鈥淓lectric fishes have played an outsized role in the history of biology and physics,鈥� Crampton says. 鈥淔or example, their discharges helped shape early research on electricity, including Alessandro Volta鈥檚 invention of the first battery, and their electric organs later became important model tissues for studying acetylcholine receptors 鈥� protein channels that help nerves send signals to other cells.鈥�

The new findings build on this legacy, showing how electric fish can reveal principles related to sensing, stealth and decision making. Similar trade-offs shape sonar, radar and autonomous sensing technologies, suggesting that nature’s solutions to stealth and detection may offer insights for future adaptive sensing systems.

鈥淭his study shows that active sensing is not just about gathering information, but also about managing the risk of being detected,鈥� Crampton says. 鈥淭his opens opportunities for future research, from understanding how other aquatic species respond to electric signals to uncovering whether similar stealth strategies occur in other sensory systems.鈥�

This work was funded by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program grant 2035702 (L.P.), an American Philosophical Society Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research grant (L.P.), and National Science Foundation grant DEB-1146374 (W.G.R.C.).

Now a global project manager for wire technology at Alleima Advanced Materials, the materials science and engineering alum has earned the company鈥檚 2026 Innovation Prize for her work advancing wires used in critical medical devices such as continuous glucose monitors, hearing implants and pacemakers. The annual award recognizes excellence in product development.

鈥淭he work I do is very rewarding. Every day, I get to contribute to advancing medical care and treatment,鈥� McDorman says. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 a medical device and it has a wire, Alleima is likely contributing to it somehow.鈥�

McDorman earned her doctoral degree from 性视界传媒 under Associate Professor Swaminathan Rajaraman, who directs the , where researchers develop micro- and nanoscale solutions spanning biotechnology, pharmacology, plant sciences and medical devices.

鈥淚 chose 性视界传媒 because the [materials science and engineering] program was highly rated … and had a wide variety of research areas …鈥�

Before coming to 性视界传媒, McDorman earned her master鈥檚 and bachelor鈥檚 degrees in physics, but discovered a passion for applied research that required a deeper focus on materials.

鈥淲hen I decided to pursue a Ph.D., materials science and engineering was a natural choice,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 chose 性视界传媒 because the program was highly rated, small and had a wide variety of research areas that I was interested in.鈥�

Through her doctoral studies, McDorman found a more biology-focused side of materials science. Her work with biosensors in Rajaraman鈥檚 lab ultimately inspired her to pursue a career in the medical device industry.

She credits her research experience at 性视界传媒 with preparing her for work at Alleima, where 90% of her unit鈥檚 business supports medical device manufacturing.

鈥淭he company has a rich history of materials innovation in steel and nickel-based alloys,鈥� McDorman says. 鈥淪ince we produce wire, I am constantly using base materials science knowledge to process the material in a way that achieves a specific set of properties in the end product.鈥�

She says she has always aimed for a position that would allow her to make a positive contribution to society, an opportunity she is grateful to have at Alleima.

For new graduates considering a similar path, McDorman encourages them to connect with 性视界传媒 alumni on LinkedIn and to explore job opportunities in 性视界传媒鈥檚 growing manufacturing industry, particularly in Volusia and Flagler counties.

鈥淲e put a lot into our work every day because we truly care about ensuring the best possible patient outcomes,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t is great that our efforts have been recognized by the business.鈥�

Now, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has taken notice.

Dene茅 Lichtenberg was awarded the DOE鈥檚 Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship, giving her the opportunity to further her research at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. This premier multidisciplinary research institution is advancing breakthroughs in science and technology to address national security challenges.

The opportunity brings her closer to achieving one of her biggest goals: working at a national laboratory, where she鈥檒l collaborate with experienced researchers and learn how large-scale scientific projects are conducted.

Raised in Titusville, less than an hour away from 性视界传媒鈥檚 main campus, Lichtenberg says she always knew she鈥檇 attend 性视界传媒, especially given the strength of its engineering programs. What she didn鈥檛 yet know was how far that decision would take her.

“The ability to design and improve materials that impact a variety of fields really motivated me to pursue this discipline.”

She found her path in materials science 鈥� a field where physics, chemistry and engineering intersect 鈥� which would allow her to study materials from the atomic level to real-world applications.

鈥淯ltimately, everything is made up of materials,鈥� she says. 鈥淏y changing a material鈥檚 structure or composition, you can drastically alter its performance. The ability to design and improve materials that impact a variety of fields really motivated me to pursue this discipline.鈥�

That curiosity has evolved into something bigger: tackling the challenge of sustainably recovering rare earth metals that are vital to the future of energy and technology.

Advancing Sustainable Extraction

Over the past year in the , led by Assistant Professor of Engineering Kausik Mukhopadhyay, Lichtenberg has focused on a breakthrough approach that uses a naturally occurring protein, lanmoudulin.

鈥淭he protein can capture rare earth elements from dilute waste streams, and then a small temperature change can trigger the protein to release them so they can be collected,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his could create a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way to recover valuable materials.鈥�

Those materials are critical to everything from renewable energy systems to manufacturing; however, traditional extraction methods rely heavily on large amounts of energy and chemicals sourced from acid mine drainage, coal byproducts and electronic waste.

Lichtenberg鈥檚 work points to a sustainable future.

鈥淏y developing protein-based systems that selectively capture and release these elements, we could potentially reduce the reliance on traditional extraction,鈥� she says.

At Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lichtenberg will take that work further, designing modified proteins, producing them in the lab and testing how effectively they bind and release rare earth elements.

鈥淚t is a very exciting interdisciplinary project that combines protein engineering, materials science and sustainability,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 hope to continue this research after the internship ends.鈥�

It Takes a Lab 鈥� and a Team

But just as impactful as the research has been, the environment that鈥檚 shaped it has been.

鈥淒r. Mukhopadhyay is a fantastic mentor who creates a very supportive and positive environment that encourages learning [both] in and out of the lab,鈥� Lichtenberg says. 鈥淭he graduate students in the lab have [also] played a huge role in 鈥� helping me learn new techniques and [understand] the experiments and science itself.鈥�

Next, she plans to continue her journey as a Knight by pursuing a doctoral degree at 性视界传媒, advancing her research as a graduate member of the KM Lab.

For Lichtenberg, the DOE internship isn鈥檛 the finish line 鈥� it鈥檚 just the beginning of reimagining how the world sources its most essential materials.

The Thermo Fisher Talos F200X analytical transmission electron microscope enables researchers 鈥� both at 性视界传媒 and in industries across 性视界传媒 鈥� to observe and analyze materials at the atomic scale. Equipped with advanced nanoanalysis tools, the instrument allows direct observation of elemental, chemical, electrical and magnetic states, dramatically enhancing what scientists can measure and understand.

The instrument will be housed in 性视界传媒鈥檚 AMPAC Materials Characterization Facility (MCF), directed by Professor Jiyu Fang, and will operate as a shared university resource supporting interdisciplinary research and external partnerships.

鈥淭he new Thermo Fisher Talos F200X analytical transmission electron microscope will revolutionize materials science and engineering at the nanoscale,鈥� says Professor Sudipta Seal, chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. 鈥淚ts advanced analytical capabilities will enable unprecedented insight into structure鈥損roperty relationships, accelerating innovation across next-generation semiconductors, quantum materials, space and hypersonic systems, and cutting-edge biomedical applications.鈥�

鈥淭his instrument is a catalyst for discovery,鈥� says Vice President for Research and Innovation Winston Schoenfeld. 鈥淏y giving our researchers and students the ability to see and understand materials at the atomic scale, 性视界传媒 is unlocking new pathways for innovation across energy, aerospace, semiconductors and beyond.鈥�

A Unique Capability in 性视界传媒

While other institutions in 性视界传媒 operate microscopes within the Talos series, 性视界传媒鈥檚 system offers a distinct combination of capabilities.

It is the only Talos F200X in the state equipped with both a cold field emission gun and a super X energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy detector. This configuration significantly enhances energy resolution and high-contrast imaging, enabling exceptionally precise chemical mapping at the atomic scale.

According to Professor Akihiro Kushima, the cold field emission gun allows advanced atomistic-scale analysis even for beam-sensitive materials 鈥� samples that can be damaged under conventional imaging conditions. The improved resolution and signal collection make it possible to analyze delicate materials in ways that were previously difficult or impossible.

In addition to supporting engineering and computer science research, the instrument will expand capabilities in fields such as planetary science, where nanoscale characterization of extraterrestrial materials can provide new insight into the origins and composition of planetary bodies.

Supporting 性视界传媒鈥檚 Innovation Ecosystem

Beyond academic research, the microscope is expected to strengthen partnerships with 性视界传媒鈥檚 high-tech industries.

The Talos F200X enables deep structural understanding of advanced materials, opening new opportunities for collaboration with companies across aerospace, defense, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, electronics, semiconductors, energy and environmental sectors.

Kushima notes that the microscope is already supporting collaborations with local industry partners developing advanced battery materials. Using the Talos F200X, researchers can study how material structures evolve during charge and discharge processes, providing deeper insight into reaction mechanisms and helping optimize performance. The acquisition was made possible by the 性视界传媒 Office of Research, with support from the Office of the Provost.

Training the Next Generation

The Talos F200X will be incorporated into undergraduate and graduate coursework in electron microscopy and advanced characterization techniques. Students conducting research can also gain hands-on experience after completing required training.

Understanding materials at the nano and atomic scales is essential in advanced manufacturing and semiconductor sectors, where structural insights inform synthesis optimization and failure analysis. Students trained in advanced characterization techniques such as transmission electron microscopy are highly valued in industry, positioning 性视界传媒 graduates to contribute directly to 性视界传媒鈥檚 advanced manufacturing and semiconductor workforce.

Industry partners interested in utilizing the AMPAC Materials Characterization Facility may request instrument time by contacting ampacmcf@ucf.edu.

鈥淎I should learn chemistry the way humans do 鈥� by seeing molecular structures, not just reading linear strings,鈥� Vyas says. 鈥淲hile large language models have shown promise for molecular property prediction, their reliance on representations like SMILES or SELFIES [textual representations] limits their ability to capture the rich structural cues chemists rely on.鈥�

According to Vyas, this work opens a new pathway for chemical predictions and molecular analysis, by creating an AI system that operates more intuitively.

A Challenging Vision

According to Vyas, one of the biggest challenges facing the field of artificial intelligence and computer vision is in shifting AI models from a textual to a visual understanding of chemical reactions.

鈥淢olecular images represent a very different data domain compared to the natural images or text that vision-language models are typically trained on.鈥� Vyas says, 鈥淢olecules contain highly specific structural relationships 鈥� bonding patterns, stereochemistry, and functional group arrangements 鈥� that are subtle yet crucial for property prediction.鈥�

Many VLM models have limited exposure to visual representations of scientific data, which makes training and adapting them to understand the nuances of molecules and their atomic structure a primary challenge.

Transforming How Scientists and AI See Chemistry

To address these challenges, Vyas and her research team developed a multi-modal data set for MolVision to refer to during its training. The data set pairs 2D diagrams with text-based descriptions on a variety of molecules and different atomic structures. Using this data set was crucial for training the MolVision VLM to integrate textual and visual information effectively. Using a LoRA (low rank adaptation) algorithm, the MolVision VLM is able to engage in billions of parameters worth of data enabling it to complete complex tasks such as molecular property prediction or chemical description without the cost of full retraining.

鈥淩ecent advances in vision鈥搇anguage models have transformed how AI understands the world, but most of that progress has focused on natural images and everyday language,鈥� says Yogesh Singh Rawat. 鈥淲ith MolVision, we鈥檙e bringing those same AI capabilities into chemistry 鈥� allowing models to reason about molecules visually, in ways that are much closer to how scientists actually think.鈥�

This work has the potential to transform drug discovery, the personalization of medicine, and even sustainable design and engineering. The research team also expects that 鈥渙ver the next few years we can expect this multimodal approach to reduce experimental screening burdens, support faster identification of promising drug candidates and materials, and offer more interpretable insights into structure-property relationships,鈥� Vyas says.

Vyas and her team here at 性视界传媒 plan to scale up the MolVision VLM project in terms of its data set and capabilities. The team plans to integrate the VLM model in chemistry with technologies using current AI neural networks and large molecular simulators to create hybrid systems that can combine symbolic, visual and physical reasoning.

Vyas will also participate in the upcoming where she will be presenting an exhibit on AI for chemistry and molecules. Those interested in viewing the exhibit can attend from 7:45 to 11:00 p.m. this Saturday on the 4th Floor.

January is National Mentoring Month, celebrating the value of mentorship and its positive impact on individuals and communities.

The 性视界传媒 Education Fund (FEF) unanimously selected Assistant Professor Kausik Mukhopadhyay as the recipient of the 2025-26 William R. Jones Outstanding Mentor Award, honoring faculty who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to mentoring and supporting McKnight Doctoral fellows.

It Began with a Nomination

For Mukhopadhyay, the recognition carries added meaning because it came from the people he prioritizes most: his students.

He was nominated by Amanda Bernard 鈥�22, a first-year doctoral student, McKnight Doctoral fellow and member of Mukhopadhyay鈥檚 . A faculty member in materials science and engineering, Mukhopadhyay says the award came as a complete surprise, as he didn鈥檛 even know he was nominated.

鈥淚t鈥檚 special knowing that this is a student-nominated award,鈥� Mukhopadhyay says. 鈥淪pecial thanks to my student, Ms. Amanda Bernard, for secretly nominating me for this award. This is also my first award for mentorship, so it is very special to me. I am so thankful to the FEF committee for this.鈥�

Support That Opens Doors

Bernard鈥檚 path to doctoral study reflects the kind of trajectory Mukhopadhyay works to develop. She first joined the KM Lab as an undergraduate biology student and has remained a member for the past year. After earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree, she planned to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in materials science and engineering, until Mukhopadhyay 鈥� known simply as 鈥淒r. K鈥� to his students 鈥� encouraged her to aim for a doctoral degree.

“Rarely do you meet a professor whose passion is to see his students succeed without expecting anything back.” 鈥� Amanda Bernard 鈥�22, 性视界传媒 doctoral student

Mukhopadhyay quickly began helping Bernard envision a future she hadn鈥檛 fully considered for herself. Within weeks of her joining the KM Lab, Bernard says that he was researching fellowships and internships to support her graduate journey, which led her to the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship.

鈥淥nce you join Dr. K鈥檚 lab, he always has your back,鈥� Bernard says. 鈥淗e defends his students, advocates for them and does the behind-the-scenes work most mentors never bother with.鈥�

When Bernard learned she could nominate a professor for the Outstanding Mentor Award, it wasn鈥檛 a question of who; it was just a matter of winning.

鈥淒uring my time at 性视界传媒, I have met many professors, some of whom have passions in research, teaching, social service and more,鈥� Bernard says. 鈥淩arely do you meet a professor whose passion is to see his students succeed without expecting anything back.鈥�

Mentorship That Starts with Students

That belief defines Mukhopadhyay鈥檚 approach to mentorship. Over the years, he has mentored nearly 50 students, including visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers and high school students. His advising philosophy has evolved over the years, shaped by what he鈥檚 learned from conferences, books and his personal experience.

“Every scholar is like a puzzle, and I love being able to serve as a resource to help connect the pieces for each one.” 鈥� Kausik Mukhopadhyay, 性视界传媒 assistant professor

Mukhopadhyay says the key to his success as a mentor lies in how he approaches his mentees. He views them as colleagues, not students, and listens to their thoughts and questions.

鈥淚 believe a faculty鈥檚 success depends on how successful their students are,鈥� Mukhopadhyay says. 鈥淓very scholar is like a puzzle, and I love being able to serve as a resource to help connect the pieces for each one 鈥� whether by answering questions about a plan of work and training, pointing them to resources, helping them set and achieve academic and career goals, or simply offering words of encouragement and support when plans don鈥檛 get going.鈥�

For Bernard, that support has been transformative. It reflects the power of 性视界传媒 鈥� a university where mentorship fuels momentum and where faculty invest not only in solving the world鈥檚 greatest problems, but also in its people.

鈥淏eing intentional about creating or modifying my philosophy allows me to reflect on how I interact with [students], make space for their independence and improvement as needed, and contribute to society and the next generation of students,鈥� Mukhopadhyay says.

For the students who walk into his lab, it often marks the moment they begin to see a bigger future and realize they鈥檙e capable of achieving it.

性视界传媒 researchers Needa Brown and Aleksandra Petelski-Kulik, assistant professors in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, plan to study the microenvironment of TNBC to understand how age may play a role in the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, a promising therapy for the disease. Their work is supported through a $100,000 grant from the 性视界传媒 Breast Cancer Foundation.

鈥淩ecent studies suggest that younger and older women may respond differently to breast cancer therapies due to differences in their immune systems and tumor biology,鈥� Brown says. 鈥淗owever, we still do not fully understand how age affects the immune response in TNBC.鈥�

The researchers aim to discover how age shapes the immune landscape of TNBC and if this age-driven dysfunction can be reversed, leading to improved patient outcomes.

The team鈥檚 approach combines Brown鈥檚 knowledge of cancer biology with Petelski鈥檚 expertise in proteomics, the large-scale study of protein abundance and functional networks in biological systems. Using advanced mass spectrometry techniques, the team hopes to identify the age-related proteomic biomarkers associated with TNBC progression, immune invasion and a poor response to ICI treatment. With 性视界传媒鈥檚 aging population, Petelski says these findings could have a significant impact on treatments within the state and across the nation.

鈥淏y understanding how age influences TNBC and immune therapy response, our findings could translate to improved outcomes for thousands of patients both in 性视界传媒 and beyond,鈥� Petelski says. 鈥淣ew biomarkers identified could set the stage for age-specific health screenings and personalized treatment strategies.鈥�

One promising therapeutic strategy involves targeting the STING pathway, a critical immune pathway that can either inhibit or promote cancer growth. The team plans to investigate how the STING pathway could be used to turn 鈥渃old鈥� tumors that evade immune detection into 鈥渉ot鈥� tumors that could be attacked by the immune system.

Brown and Petelski will co-mentor a postdoctoral researcher who will gain hands-on experience with the project while fostering collaboration between the two labs.

“We鈥檙e excited to have the chance to work together on new research opportunities that can help shape the future of cancer therapies.鈥� 鈥� Aleksandra Petelski-Kulik, assistant professor

鈥淭hrough this project, we will jointly mentor a postdoctoral fellow to allow for professional development in cross-disciplinary fields,鈥� Brown says. 鈥淲e hope this project will set-up a pipeline of next-generation doctoral students who can traverse the fields of materials science, proteomics and cancer biology.鈥�

While the researchers are also open to collaborations with other 性视界传媒 faculty, they look forward to working with each other. Ironically, they followed a similar path from Boston to Orlando this past year.

鈥淲e both started at 性视界传媒 in Fall 2024 and were looking for opportunities to merge our respective fields to allow us to make an impact within the 性视界传媒 community,鈥� Petelski says. 鈥淎lthough we both had been a part of Northeastern University in Boston, our paths never crossed until we met at 性视界传媒. We鈥檙e excited to have the chance to work together on new research opportunities that can help shape the future of cancer therapies.鈥�

Annette Khaled, who leads the College of Medicine鈥檚 cancer research division, recently received more than $2 million in grant funding to expand her work with Z-TOP, a peptide she discovered in 2012 that stops the spread of metastatic cancer cells. She is collaborating with 性视界传媒 College of Engineering and Computer Science colleagues to design a better cellular delivery system for the treatment.

An almost $258,000 grant through the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program鈥檚 性视界传媒 Cancer Innovation Fund will help Khaled鈥檚 team further their efforts to stop metastatic breast cancer by disrupting the cellular activities that allow cancer cells to spread.鈥疉nd nearly $1.8 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), in partnership with the Orlando Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, will allow her to develop the treatment for men with late-stage metastatic prostate cancer.

Khaled says her research has expanded thanks to the support of the Orlando Sports Foundation, which funds cancer research through sports-related fundraising events. The nonprofit鈥檚 flagship event is the StaffDNA Cure Bowl, a unique college football game with the goal of ending cancer.

鈥淲hen you get funding for a research project, you can only do the work that is described in the specific aims of the project,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he donations from the Orlando Sports Foundation do not have this limitation.鈥疻ithout their support, I would not have been awarded the DOD grant. Using the donations, I was able to generate the preliminary data that made me competitive for the DOD and the 性视界传媒 Department of Health (FDOH) grants we received this year.鈥�

Alan Gooch 鈥�84 鈥�89MA, CEO of the Orlando Sports Foundation and executive director of the StaffDNA Cure Bowl, says he鈥檚 grateful to continue partnering with 性视界传媒.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all about bringing teams together,鈥� says Gooch, who played football at 性视界传媒 and later coached the team for 22 years. 鈥淥ur relationship with Dr. Khaled is outstanding, and we are honored to continue to partner with her and sponsor her research.鈥�

The Science Behind Khaled鈥檚 Work

The two new grants expand Khaled鈥檚 portfolio of research to understand how and why cancer cells spread.

鈥淐ancer treatments are very effective when the cancer is localized, but the problem is that cancer doesn鈥檛 stay at one site,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t spreads to other sites of the body. Usually, the cause of death is not the primary cancer, but metastasis.鈥疨reventing that can be a cancer cure, and that is what we鈥檙e looking at here in our lab.鈥�

Khaled鈥檚 latest research focuses on the spread of cell fragments called extracellular vesicles that are shed by cancer cells during the early stages of the disease. These vesicles are resilient to early cancer treatment and can travel through the bloodstream, acting as tumor 鈥渟eeds鈥� by preparing future sites for metastasis.

The vesicles are mediated by a molecular structure called a chaperonin. Chaperonins help fold proteins that support the body鈥檚 normal cell function. But cancer cells hijack the folding process because they need more chaperonins to grow and spread.

Khaled鈥檚 breast cancer research project aims to distinguish which chaperonins help facilitate cancer cells’ growth and stop them without harming normal chaperonins. She hopes to develop a treatment that could regularly deliver her peptide to cancer patients to prevent metastasis. Patients, Khaled says, could receive her treatment while they are receiving chemotherapy and radiation to kill the original tumor.

Her prostate cancer research will confirm the chaperonin as a viable treatment target for prostate cancer, and if so, optimize the peptide specifically for use in men who have lethal forms of metastatic prostate cancer.鈥疷nlike breast cancer treatment, which seeks to prevent metastasis, prostate cancer research will see if a strengthened variant of the peptide can eliminate cancer that has already spread.

Fielding a Team Against Cancer

In the lab, Khaled鈥檚 peptide has shown success in preventing cancer cells from spreading. The challenge is how to engineer and deliver the treatment. For that, she is collaborating with Lorraine Leon, associate professor of materials science at 性视界传媒鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science.

They are working to create a system that delivers the peptide to where the cancer has spread and at the same time protects the peptide from being destroyed in the bloodstream by the body鈥檚 immune and digestive systems.

鈥淭he College of Engineering and Computer Science is a great collaborator,鈥� Khaled says. 鈥淣ormally this peptide is very fragile but we鈥檙e working with materials sciences to create a protected peptide and then find [a] way to get it to the right spot. By having a variety of expertise and interests, we can work together to find new technologies and new ways to combat cancer.鈥�

Leon specializes in biomaterials and polymer science. Her team studies how to build and program molecules to form assemblies for many purposes, including biomedical transport. She developed a specialized polymer that binds to the peptide, forming a large, water-soluble molecule. This allows it to travel easily through the bloodstream while keeping the peptide intact as it reaches its destination. The system drives the molecules to form self-assembled structures called micelles, which are assemblies of around 100 or so individual molecules, Leon says.

鈥淚n addition, we can tune the shape of these micelles, decorate them with targeting elements and make mixed versions of them where we incorporate different functionalities,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ur original designs have had great preliminary results so far. We will continue to optimize the designs moving forward.鈥�

Leon is excited to team up with Khaled, and she says she looks forward to achieving more breakthroughs together as the projects progress.

鈥淲orking with Dr. Khaled has been very fun,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ur labs really complement each other. This is the beginning of a very long collaboration.鈥�

Khaled and Leon are also working with Cancer Specialist and Associate Professor of Medicine Deborah Altomare, along with Burnett School of Biomedical Science Biostatistician Xiang Zhu, on the prostate cancer research project.

Khaled says strong research and community collaborations are critical to beating cancer.

鈥�Cancer is a tough enemy,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut we have a great team.鈥�

These studies are the first phase of preclinical research that may lead to new drugs in the future.

This work was supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs,听in the amount of聽$1,771,271,听through the聽Prostate Cancer Research Program Idea Development Award聽under Award No.聽HT9425-25-1-0487. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the聽U.S. Department of Defense.

Researchers鈥� Credentials

Khaled joined 性视界传媒 in 2002 after receiving her doctoral degree from the University of 性视界传媒 and doing post-graduate training at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). A tenured professor, she has been funded by multiple R01 grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the FDOH. She has published more than 100 manuscripts and abstracts and presented her research at numerous national and international scientific meetings. She has been recognized with research, leadership and teaching awards, including the NCI CURE Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to her research responsibilities, she teaches molecular immunology to 性视界传媒 graduate students and serves as the College of Medicine鈥檚 assistant dean for faculty affairs.

Leon joined 性视界传媒 in 2017 after postdoctoral appointments at the University of聽Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, and she received her doctoral degree from the City University of New York. She is a recently tenured professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, where she also serves as the education director for the U.S. National Science Foundation PREM Center for Quantum Materials Innovation and Education Excellence. She has published more than 20 refereed publications. Other accomplishments include her being named a 2019 Emerging Investigator by the Journal of Materials Chemistry B, receiving an NSF CAREER award in 2021 and a 3M Non-Tenured Faculty award in 2022.