Highlights

  • The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is a state-wide initiative dedicated to honoring and celebrating Florida inventors whose achievements have significantly advanced the quality of life for all Americans.

  • Professor Reza Abdolvand was named an inductee for his contributions to the field of micro-electromechanical systems, which has significant applications in telecommunications, bioengineering and sensor technology.

  • Professor Ni-bin Chang was selected for his groundbreaking invention of green sorption media and sustainable water treatment technologies that improve water quality.

  • A fellow at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Clara Rivero Baleine ’01 ’03MS ’05PhD’s gradient refractive index optical materials and metamaterial coatings transformed infrared sensing systems for defense and advanced photonics applications.

  • The three will be officially inducted during a formal ceremony on Nov. 6 in Tampa, Florida.

UCF 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 UCF alum-turned-courtesy faculty appointee are now being recognized for their achievements that have advanced the quality of life for the state of Florida and the nation.

Professors Reza Abdolvand and Ni-bin Chang and Lockheed Martin Fellow Clara Rivero Baleine ’01 ’03MS ’05PhD have been named 2026 inductees of the Florida 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 Florida will be inducted during a formal ceremony in Tampa on Nov. 6. Since FIHF was founded in 2013, five faculty inventors from UCF have been recognized with the distinction.

“Induction into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame represents the ultimate validation of a lifelong commitment to translating academic research into industry practice,” Chang says. “Being inducted into the Hall of Fame, which includes over 90 inventors in different fields is also a testament to the thriving Florida innovation ecosystem and the power of continuous, groundbreaking discovery.”

Portrait of smiling Asian man wearing glasses and black business jacket with white shirt and black tie in front of yellow backdrop
Ni-bin Chang’s research is focused on sustainable water treatment technologies that improve water quality.

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 “forever chemicals” from water that can harm both humans and animals.

“Removing these diverse contaminants from water matrices provides profound, cascading benefits for both human health and aquatic ecosystems,” Chang says. “By 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.”

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

Gray-hair man in blue long sleeve collar shirt stands with hands clasped in front of him next to a screen
Reza Abdolvand serves as chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

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) — 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.

“By 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,” Abdolvand says. “Better performance, lower power consumption, and more reliable devices are the kinds of improvements that quietly make everyday technology work better for everyone.”

Abdolvand’s 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.

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

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.

“What 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,” Abdolvand says. “That chain of innovation — from a research lab to a startup to a product that improves people’s lives — 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.”

Portrait of smiling woman with gray short hair wearing black business jacket, black and red beaded necklace and white under shirt on a white backdrop
Clara Rivero Baleine continues to maintain strong ties with UCF through a courtesy faculty appointment at CREOL and serves on the CREOL Dean Advisory Board and the UCF Material Science Industrial Advisory board.

On the Cutting Edge of Infrared Materials and Optics

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

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

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

“I am profoundly proud and deeply humbled to be welcomed into such an extraordinary community of inventors and innovators,” Rivero-Baleine says. “What inspires me most is knowing that these innovations will 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 drive my work every day.”

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

Rivero Baleine is a Burnett Honors Scholar and earned a bachelor’s degree in physics, and a ٱ’s and a doctorate in optics.