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

The initiative, called Bracing Venezuela, began after BMES leaders contacted Greco Pinzón, president of AAVE. Pinzon’s dad, who has been volunteering in Caracas, Venezuela’s 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.”

“From there, everything snowballed,” says Jannah Barakat, a mechanical engineering major and president of BMES. “We 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.”

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 UCF 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’s 3D printer for the project. While many volunteers are engineering students, faculty members, UCF alumni and 3D-printing hobbyists have also come forward to help.

“One of the coolest things about this project has been watching people from so many different backgrounds come together around one goal,” Barakat says. “Whether 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.”

“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’t 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’s possible when engineering students come together for a greater good.

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

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

Few people lose the career that defines them and manage to rebuild it in an entirely new arena. For Mondeson “Moe” Mondesir ’17, that reinvention began with a life-altering diagnosis and grew into a global platform for education and advocacy.

After the elementary education grad’s chronic kidney disease diagnosis prevented him from teaching in his fourth-grade classroom, Mondesir redirected his passion and expertise into a podcast that helps connect people affected by chronic illness across the globe.

“If you’re living with a chronic illness, your life can become a masterpiece — as long as you keep painting.”

“If you’re living with a chronic illness, your life can become a masterpiece — as long as you keep painting,” he says.

Identity Shifts

Mondesir was a criminal justice administration major at UCF when he discovered his was instead meant for a life in education while working at a summer camp in Belize. He found a mentor in senior lecturer ’94 ’98MEd ’12EdD, for whom he once interned at Red Bug Elementary.

“Right before my final exam, I lost my mom,” Mondesir says. “Lee-Anne Spalding was the coach I needed to get me through that. She has been the catalyst to my success as a teacher and a major inspiration for my outlook on life.”

After graduating with his bachelor’s degree, Mondesir worked as a fourth-grade mathematics and science teacher at Seminole County and Lake County Public Schools.

Just a few years into his career, Mondesir’s life took another major turn.

While the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging enough to navigate for classroom teachers, Mondesir faced the added hurdle of recurring pneumonia, which prompted his doctor to recommend weight loss in hopes of mitigating his symptoms. After losing over 100 pounds through diet and exercise, Mondesir became ill again and went to the hospital. There, he got bad news.

“The doctor told me my kidneys were filtering at only 24%, which is stage 4 chronic kidney disease,” Mondesir says. “I also had malignant hypertension, when you have high blood pressure without feeling any symptoms. When I was working out, my high blood pressure had been damaging the tissue in both kidneys, and I’d had no idea.”

“I taught fourth grade for seven years. When that was stripped away, I had to look in the mirror and ask, ‘Who am I anymore?’”

Mondesir’s condition worsened when his left kidney atrophied and his right one suffered further damage. A renal stent and a partial nephrectomy stabilized his health, but a kidney transplant remained his long-term goal.

During this time, he faced the painful realization that he could no longer work as a schoolteacher.

“When my doctor told me I couldn’t keep taking the demands of the classroom, my grief was astronomical,” Mondesir says. “I taught fourth grade for seven years. When that was stripped away, I had to look in the mirror and ask, ‘Who am I anymore?’”

Figuring Out a Way Forward

Inspired by his wife, who encouraged him to share his story with others, Mondesir made an account on Instagram under the name Mr. Cool Beans (a reference to the kidneys’ shape) and introduced himself as a CKD patient.

Combining his newfound interest with his teaching skills, Mondesir began to research and publish informative posts about kidney health while relaying his personal experiences. Before long, his channel drew the attention of fellow CKD patients eager to connect. His platform has since expanded to be inclusive of anyone living with chronic illnesses — and there are a lot of them.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three in four American adults have at least one chronic condition and over half have more than two.

In February 2025, Mondesir started his podcast, The Chronic Brew, to explore topics of chronic illness and invite people to share their own perspectives. He’s welcomed patients, caregivers and medical professionals, reaching audiences as far away as Ireland, the Netherlands, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

By fostering conversations about chronic illness, Mondesir seeks to deepen public understanding and build community among those affected. He says he also hopes to ease people’s anxiety by helping them navigate complex medical information.

“If I can help break down complex terms and concepts, listeners will be more confident walking into any medical situation,” he says.

Always an Educator

Eager to expand his work beyond digital spaces, Mondesir earned a kidney health coach certification through the American Kidney Fund as well as a health and wellness coaching credential from the American Fitness Professionals and Associates. Equipped with these qualifications, he began teaching CKD-focused classes at a local community center.

His efforts drew the attention of the Marion County Kidney Foundation, leading to broader community involvement.

Nearly 10 years since Mondesir first interned in her classroom, Spalding says he is just as much an inspiration to her for his tenacity and continued dedication to educating others.

“Moe’s kind disposition is infectious,” she says.

As Mondesir now waits to qualify for a kidney transplant, he continues to reflect on how living with chronic illness has reshaped his sense of identity and purpose. His motto centers on embracing the good and the bad equally because both lead to growth.

“In a lot of ways, a chronic illness refines us,” Mondesir says. “While it takes some things away from you, it also brings you closer to the center of who you are. In that center, you find your strength, your passion and a renewal of your purpose.”

At the UCF College of Health Professions and Sciences Rehabilitation Innovation Center, clothing becomes a tool for care. Students are combining health expertise and design to help people reclaim independence, confidence and comfort in daily living.

Through the Spring 2026 Health Tech Innovators Adaptive Clothing Hackathon, students across disciplines including physical therapy, health sciences, medicine, health services administration, and engineering worked together to redesign everyday garments around the needs of people facing medical, cognitive, and sensory challenges.

This year’s project immersed students in real world healthcare challenges, pairing interprofessional teams with patient volunteers in the community and their caregivers to identify barriers created by traditional clothing and create personalized solutions.

“It’s one thing to build something that works,” says Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Healthcare Innovation Bari Hoffman, who led the program. “It’s another thing to build something that’s usable, comfortable and actually fits into someone’s daily activities.”

��ܳ�����-���Գٱ��������ٱ��������

For physical therapy doctoral student Ashley Peitz, the project revealed how something as ordinary as getting dressed can become physically exhausting when clothing isn’t designed with accessibility in mind.

“We’re working with a stroke survivor, and he wears a device on his left leg and has difficulty getting pants on and off without his [WalkAide device] getting in the way,” Peitz says. “It makes things like going to the bathroom take longer, or just getting dressed take a little longer, which is fatiguing for him.”

Students began the multi-month project by hearing from entrepreneurs in the adaptive clothing industry before interviewing and assessing their patient volunteers to better understand their daily routines, needs and personal preferences.

For Peitz’s team, those conversations revealed not only the physical challenges their volunteer faces, but also his desire to maintain a sense of normalcy and personal style.

“His main goal was finding an easier way to take his garments on and off while still looking like everyday attire,” Peitz says. “Everyone wants to fit in. Even something as simple as not having a shirt that fits correctly, or allows for your medical device to fit underneath, can make you feel outside the norm.”

���ԲԴDZ����پ��Dz����ճ���dzܲ����������貹�ٳ��

After developing a garment design plan, presenting it for peer feedback and securing materials, students quickly learned the project required more than creativity. It demanded adaptability, communication and collaboration across disciplines.

“I think a lot of times, engineers think of a really cool, innovative idea, but sometimes the comfort and practicality of a human actually using it isn’t the most ideal,” says mechanical engineering major Jannah Barakat. “You shift from more of a product standpoint to more of a human-centered approach.”

“I’m able to be a professional problem solver and learn how I can take something that is different for somebody else and really cater it to their needs.” — Sari Greenstein, UCF student

Health sciences major Sari Greenstein and her team designed clothing for Marlie, a young girl with cerebral palsy who loves bright colors and Disney, especially Princess Tiana. They modified a sweatshirt and sweatpants with openings for a medical port and feeding tube and added zippered access points to the arms and the legs to make dressing and undressing easier for caregivers.

“It’s a process [with] a lot of iteration and a lot of cultivation,” Greenstein says. “I’m able to be a professional problem solver and learn how I can take something that is different for somebody else and really cater it to their needs.”

Mission-Driven Work

During fabrication day, students assembled their garments with guidance from sewing professionals. Volunteers later returned to try on the finished outfits and provide feedback on the fit before final adjustments were made.

The project culminated in a final presentation during which student teams explained their designs and the patient volunteers modeled the clothing.

“We are not just changing clothing,” Hoffman says. “We’re actually changing how people move through their daily activities, how they feel about themselves and how independently they can live.”

The experience also reinforced the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare.

“My biggest takeaway from this project is how important it is to work with all the other professions, especially in healthcare,” Peitz says. “We all need to come together to make the patient’s health our first priority.”

The Health Tech Innovators program was developed in part through a grant from VentureWell to promote innovation in healthcare technology. ����徱�پ��DzԲ�������upport and materials were provided �ٳ���dzܲ�����funding from the Chesley G. Magruder Foundation.

For almost a century, researchers have known that vertical land motion — the lifting and sinking of the ground — affects sea level locally. As the ground sinks, the sea level rises relative to the land. Scientists also assumed this process generally occurred at a steady rate over time. But a research team that includes Thomas Wahl, a UCF researcher and associate professor in the , has found that ground subsidence has undergone phases of variable change, creating significant implications for coastal communities.

“In many places, … sea level is going up one to three millimeters a year, but the land is going down 10, 15 times as fast.”

In an article recently published in Nature Geosciences, Wahl and his research collaborators demonstrate that the rate of vertical land motion is nonlinear in many coastal communities, particularly in Louisiana and along the Mississippi Delta. As the land sinks, relative sea level rises, increasing the risk of coastal flooding from high tides and storm surge that can damage homes, businesses and critical infrastructure.

“In many places like Louisiana, sea level is going up one to three millimeters a year, but the land is going down 10, 15 times as fast,” Wahl says. “And that compounds the effect of sea level rise. As the sea level goes up and land goes down, you have a bigger problem.”

A New Challenge for Coastal Communities

“Our results reveal that … groundwater extraction and … earthquakes have led to periods of rapid sinking or rising of coastal land.”

Current projections of future sea-level change typically assume that ground motion behaves linearly over time. However, the study challenges that assumption. Using observational data from tide gauges, the team, led by Associate Professor Sӧnke Dangendorf of Tulane University, reconstructed vertical land motion dating back to the early 20th century.

“Our results reveal that human activities such as groundwater extraction and natural phenomena such as earthquakes have led to periods of rapid sinking or rising of coastal land,” Dagendorf says. “This has largely increased the rates of sea level rise relative to the land, particularly in cities where increasing water demand led to increased groundwater withdrawals and subsequent compaction of the ground.”

The Silver Lining

Wahl says these findings have important implications for coastal infrastructure, including in Florida.

“It makes it even more critical to plan early and to create adaptation strategies to keep the water away from places where you don’t want it to be for as long as you can,” Wahl says.

The silver lining, he says, is that some causes of land motion can be managed. Cities such as Tokyo and Shanghai once experienced extreme subsidence — up to several centimeters per year during the mid‑20th century — but have dramatically slowed the sinking after implementing strict groundwater extraction controls and related land‑management policies.

When it comes to addressing the combined challenges of sea level rise and land subsidence, Wahl acknowledges that some areas will be harder to protect than others, and that protection may not be possible everywhere. Still, he remains hopeful.

“History has shown that humans are very creative, especially when they have to be,” Wahl says. “If you look back to where we were 100 or even 50 years ago and where we are now, there are probably technologies and strategies that we haven’t even thought of yet that might come up in the future that will be beneficial in that context.”

About the Researcher
Wahl collaborated on the study with researchers from Tulane University, Harvard University and various academic and research institutions in Germany and the Netherlands. Prior to joining ��AV in 2017, Wahl was a Marie Sklodowska Curie fellow of the European Union at the University of Southampton and a postdoctoral scholar at the University of South Florida. His research focuses on coastal flood risk, sea level rise and storm surges.

Name: Christopher Emrich
�ʴDz����پ��Dz�(��):��Boardman Endowed Professor of Environmental Science and Public Administration and founding member of UCF’s National Center for Integrated Coastal Research

Why are you interested in this research?
A main reason stems from my childhood in Florida — constantly being exposed to a variety of hazards and seeing how communities were impacted in different ways. Being able to study geography at a state university, the  University of South Florida, and then completing my Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina under the tutelage of leading experts in the field really helped solidify that I wanted to become an expert in both the hazards themselves and what we can do to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and rebound from them.

My time with FEMA supporting long-term recovery in Florida pushed me further to understand what is keeping people from recovering as quickly as some might expect. Tying all of these strings together really helped me pinpoint that one of the problems is that people are thirsty for knowledge. Learning how to turn data into information in order to extract meaningful knowledge has positioned me into a place that has meaning and impact for those attempting to make real-time decisions about hazards and disasters — from before the storm through the recovery period.

Who inspires you to conduct your research?
Seeing the suffering that takes place following disaster — suffering that could be avoided if society (people, governments and organizations) took the right steps to prepare for disasters — is what really drives what I do. I think that we can make simple changes to the way we do business that could lead to really impactful positive outcomes for disaster survivors.

How does UCF empower you to do your research?
UCF has given me space and opportunity to explore the different aspects of hazard threat identification and vulnerability assessment.  Partnering with experts at DIST, and partners at FDOH, and the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (among others)  we have been able to create open access websites like hazardaware.org, vulnerabilitymap.org, hazardrisk.org, and the Florida Public Health Risk Assessment tool (flphrat.com).  Each of these share the common goal of translating data into knowledge to support better emergency management decision making and preparedness planning.

What major grants and honors have you earned to support your research?
Since arriving at UCF, I have been awarded $10.8 million across 34 different extramurally supported grants and contracts. This includes grants of over $300K from funders including the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program, the State of Florida, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Along the way, I have been awarded UCF’s Research Incentive Award twice (2021 and 2026) and UCF’s Luminary Award.

Why is this research important?
American political philosopher John Rawl’s once said, “The natural distribution is neither just nor unjust; nor is it unjust that persons are born into society at some particular position.”

I think it is a responsibility of each person, each organization, each governmental entity  — and society as a whole —  to support those who need the most help among us. If we do not, how can we ever hope to move our society into a better position? My research supports making decisions that help those in most need, including those most at risk and with the least resources, to be better positioned for the next disaster.

Dinender Singla, professor and head of the College of Medicine’s Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Sciences, developed a system that turns exosomes — vesicles that cells secrete to communicate with one another — into delivery vehicles for medical treatments.

This innovative technology, for which ��AV is seeking patent protection, places therapeutics inside exosomes and coats them with cell-specific markers that direct them to an exact area of the body to deliver the drug.

“I call these smart tiny bubbles,” Singla says. “Millions of people have heart disease, and they take multiple drugs in extremely high doses. But we have no way to be certain these drugs are getting to where they need to go. We need innovative technologies to get treatments exactly where they need to go to cure the problem.”

How the Therapy Works

This discovery is part of Singla’s work to provide therapies to treat and prevent heart disease, including heart damage caused by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and targeted radiation to the chest. That heart damage seems to be caused by inflammatory factors that treatments use to kill cancer cells. Technology developed by Singla encapsulates anti-inflammatory heart treatments in exosomes and then delivers the drug to the exact area of heart damage.

“They can treat cancer and protect the heart.” — UCF Professor Dinender Singla

As part of this research, Singla’s team also developed technologies to deliver cancer-killing drugs inside exosomes. They chose triple-negative breast cancer for their research, the deadliest form of the disease, with a 77%–78% five-year survival rate. In the lab, the therapy showed significant promise in killing cancer cells – at much lower doses that are used in chemotherapy – while also protecting the heart. So the exosome therapy could help cancer patients without the severe side effects of chemotherapy.

“These therapies can work hand-in-hand,” Singla said. “They can treat cancer and protect the heart.”

Financial Investment is Key for Drug Development

The next step will be manufacturing the therapy for clinical use and advancing into FDA clinical trials for heart disease and cancer treatment. To help accelerate that path, Singla partnered with Orlando investor and UCF donor Chakri Toleti, a healthcare technology entrepreneur focused on building category-defining businesses through AI and agentic platforms, biomedical innovation and ambient intelligence including most recently care.ai, which was acquired by Stryker in 2024.

Through his innovation fund, TCapital, Toleti backs transformative technologies designed to improve healthcare delivery and reduce human suffering at scale. Together, Singla and Toleti invested in and formed Exomic to fund continued research, clinical development, and commercialization of the technology.

“This was an opportunity to do something truly innovative in cancer and cardiovascular treatment.” — Chakri Toleti, UCF donor

Toleti says his passion for advancing cancer research is deeply personal after losing his father to the disease.

“This was an opportunity to do something truly innovative in cancer and cardiovascular treatment,” he says. “Dr. Singla’s work represents a fundamental shift toward new biomedical platforms not only in how targeted therapies are delivered in the human body, but in how we think about treatment and healing itself.”

Such public-private partnerships are one of the goals of , which drives innovation, enterprise, and collaboration across disciplines.

“Dr. Singla’s groundbreaking exosome delivery system perfectly exemplifies how university innovation translates into significant, life-saving benefits for society,” says Winston V. Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation. “As demonstrated by the creation of Exomic, industry partnership is essential for driving such pioneering technologies towards successful translation and real-world clinical use.”

The effort is also providing exciting learning opportunities for College of Medicine graduate students. Jonatas De Mendonca Rolando ’23MS ’26PhD earned his Ph.D. in biomedical sciences earlier this month. He is staying at UCF as a post-doctoral researcher to continue creating the exosome therapy.

He helped develop protocols and procedures for the delicate technology and saw its impact in the lab. He’s excited to have a financial supporter who can help take the therapy from lab to, he hopes, patients.

“It’s been amazing to part of a high-tech project and see leadership in science,” he says. “I am very excited for my future.”

Researcher Background

Singla is the AdventHealth Endowed Chair of Cardiovascular Sciences at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences and is a faculty fellow with the UCF Office of Research. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Punjabi University, Patiala, India, and his Ph.D. from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and has continually been funded by the American Heart Association and/or the National Institutes of Health since 2004.

About TCapital

TCapital is an AI, Frontier Tech and Life Sciences innovation fund investing in category-defining platforms and infrastructure. Founded by healthcare technology entrepreneur Chakri Toleti, T-Capital invests in companies shaping the future of treatment, care, and biomedical innovation. For more information, visit TCapital.com.

There’s something undeniably powerful about becoming the person your younger self once needed.

For nonprofit management alum Britt Johnson ’23 ’25MNM, that transformation came full circle.

Johnson, who experienced homelessness and a lack of resources growing up, was recently named executive director of Christian HELP, a local nonprofit dedicated to preventing homelessness by supporting at-risk households.

“I see myself in some of the children who come to us fighting hunger. … Now I lead an organization that [supports] and protects them.”

The organization primarily serves the ALICE population — Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed — working families who may be one car breakdown or missed paycheck away from crisis.

“I see myself in some of the children who come to us fighting hunger and [lacking] resources because I was once that child,” Johnson says. “In my own personal life, I experienced homelessness. I experienced a lack of basic necessities. Now I lead an organization that [supports] and protects them.”

Establishing an Educational Foundation

Johnson’s path to leadership wasn’t linear.

After dropping out of high school to help support his family, he spent 17 years away from the classroom. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he enrolled at Orange Technical College and earned his GED.

He later attended Seminole State College before transferring to UCF through the program. At UCF, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science before enrolling in the ’s program.

That education changed more than his career trajectory — it introduced him to nonprofit Christian HELP. Its mission focuses on preventing homelessness by helping people find work, access resources and build stability.

In 2021, Johnson began volunteering there to fulfill a Seminole State honors program service requirement. But the moment he started working with clients, he recognized himself in them.

“It looked like my lived experience,” he says. “I got really connected to the mission.”

Rising Through the Ranks

What began as 20 volunteer hours turned into years of service and leadership. Johnson rose through the organization as volunteer coordinator, resource manager, food distribution lead and care manager before being named executive director in November 2025 — just before graduating with his master’s degree.

Today, he leads with a philosophy grounded in listening first and meeting people where they are to best provide the help they need.

“When I walk into a neighborhood or a church or a city council meeting, I’m there to co-create with the community, not prescribe it,” he says. “We have to listen first before acting.”

Christian HELP provides everything from one-on-one career coaching, resume clinics, financial literacy workshops and skill-building sessions. Through its Central Florida Employment Connections division, the nonprofit hosts six regional job fairs each year at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, connecting employers directly with job seekers. Its food pantry distributes more than 1 million pounds of food annually across Orange and Seminole counties.

“Our services help provide stability in times of uncertainty.”

For clients actively working toward employment, the organization also provides targeted financial assistance, helping cover expenses like gas, an oil change or a utility bill.

“Our services help provide stability in times of uncertainty,” Johnson says. “If you’re not working, you’re going to tip over into a spiraling cycle of issues, and we want to prevent that.”

Under Johnson’s leadership, Christian HELP is continuing to expand. This spring, the organization opened a second Orange County location through a partnership with Peace United Methodist Church, bringing employment services, grocery support and financial literacy programs directly into neighborhoods.

The Heart of the Mission

In 2025, Johnson was named an Emerging Leader Impact Award recipient by Heart of Florida United Way and recognized as an Alumni Excellence Honoree by Seminole State College. He was also recently accepted into Nova Southeastern University, where he’ll pursue a Doctor of Education degree in human service administration.

Still, Johnson says many of the opportunities that made these recognitions and opportunities possible began at UCF. Coursework in volunteer management and cross-sector collaboration gave him practical tools he now uses every day. Just as important were the mentorship, networking and alumni community connections that helped open doors beyond graduation.

“The biggest lesson I carry from UCF to Christian HELP every day is very simple: Access is dignity,” he says. “When you build systems that are welcoming, data-informed and relentlessly human, lives are transformed.”

Some of the nation’s most promising scientists can be found in Will Furiosi ’13 ’14MAT’s Oviedo High School classroom.

Spend five minutes talking to Ankan Das, Angela Calvo-Chumbimuni and Moitri Santra about their research innovations in robotics, mental health and agriculture, and one truth becomes quite clear: These teens are the real deal.

Backed by UCF associate professors Ellen Kang (physics and NanoScience Technology Center) and Candice Bridge ’07�ʳ�� (chemistry) and researcher Max Kuehn ’22 (Exolith Lab), the Oviedo High trio recently earned recognition as the top three projects at Seminole County’s regional science fair.

With Oviedo’s proximity to main campus, the collaboration highlights UCF’s steadfast commitment to supporting STEM education across Central Florida.

They went on to represent the county admirably at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, where they took home several prizes against more than 1,700 high schoolers from around the globe.

Most notably, Santra took home first place and $6,000 in the Plant Sciences category and received the EU Contest for Young Scientists Award. She will represent Regeneron ISEF at the EU Contest for Young Scientists to be held this September in Kiel, Germany.

“Working in Dr. Kang’s lab played pretty big role in choosing materials science and engineering as my major for college because I was exposed to just how many different things someone can do in the area I work with, nanotechnology,” says Santra, a senior bound for Stanford who has worked with Kang since she was a freshman. “The lab provided a lot of resources — not just the instruments, but also mentorship, advice and support.”

A Will to Succeed

The hallway leading to Furiosi’s classroom is decorated with rows of blue, red, white, green, yellow and pink paper accomplishment ribbons. More ribbons, pennants and certificates adorn his walls, along with eight Science and Engineering Fair of Florida best-in-fair grand award senior division trophies — more than any other high school in the state.

During his own primary education, Furiosi attended eight schools over 12 years. As a seventh-grader at Stone Magnet Middle School in Brevard County, he was initially prohibited from participating in science fair because officials couldn’t verify Furiosi was capable of the coursework from his transfer transcripts. He would later go on to earn Order of Pegasus as a Burnett Honors Scholar majoring in biomedical sciences before earning his master’s degree in teacher education.

Every day, he saw a wall of ribbons, much like the ones in his classroom now. And every day he would tell himself, “I want to be one of those kids.”

That experience fundamentally shaped how the UCF grad runs his program today.

“What keeps me motivated is knowing that I have the opportunity to get people to be really prepared, informed citizens who are good thinkers, and who, when faced with a problem, smile and tackle it instead of running away,” Furosi says.

Infusing Life into Science

Furiosi began teaching at Oviedo High School in 2013 as he pursued his accelerated master’s degree, made possible by the College of Community Innovation and Education’s Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program. The program, funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant, was created in response to the growing need for skilled workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Four years later, he took over the school’s science fair program and was determined to breathe new life into it, which at the time involved just four kids.

He cold called students in his AP Biology and Honors Chemistry courses, begging anyone who had shown a glimmer of interest during class to sign up so they wouldn’t have to fold the program.

Today, he’s at 46 students, with some, like Calvo-Chumbimuni, interested in joining the program as soon as they arrive at Oviedo High.

“My seventh grade science fair teacher knew Mr. Furiosi and spoke highly of him,” says Calvo-Chumbimuni, who earned fourth place ISEF’s biochemistry category this year. “When I came to Oviedo High and met him, I immediately understood why. The research program stood out to me as a valuable opportunity.”

Furiosi fosters a safe space to fail, learn and grow from the research. There are no barriers to entry; no project deemed too insignificant. And he stresses the merits of high-quality mentorship, like the ones Das, Santra, and Calvo-Chumbimuni formed with UCF faculty and STEM labs.

Some of his students have earned thousands of dollars in prizes — one alone pulled in $70,000 and is now studying at the University of Glasgow — at prestigious competitions sponsored by some of the tech industry’s biggest names, including Regeneron and Lockheed Martin, a UCF Pegasus Partner.

His alums have gone on to top research institutions including Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Stanford, and of course, UCF. One of those Knights is aerospace engineering grad Daniel Dyson ’21 ’22MS ’25PhD, who studied in Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Subith Vasu’s lab and now works for Relativity Space at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, America’s largest rocket propulsion test site.

“Mr. Furiosi really pushes you toward excellence,” says Das, a sophomore building a tensegrity robot with shape memory alloys that he tested at UCF’s Exolith Lab.

Supporting Excellence

An award-winning researcher who has been supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, Kang is not easily impressed. Still, Santra made an immediate impression as an eighth grader when she first popped up Kang’s inbox, asking if she could present her idea on a nanoparticle treatment for citrus greening disease in Florida.

“I could clearly see that she had a firm understanding of the material and just thought, ‘Wow, she is really a force.’ I actually wanted to have my undergrad students see her presentation because of how professional she was, even at that young age,” Kang says. “She has this creativity, passion, persistence and resilience — all the key elements that you need as a successful STEM field researcher.”

Similarly, Bridge immediately noticed Calvo-Chumbimuni’s persistence and go-getter attitude when she initially connected with her two years ago. Driven by her interest in the intersection of neuroscience, psychology and analytical chemistry, Calvo-Chumbimuni pitched her idea to develop an electrochemical sensor and biosensor to improve diagnostic methods for mental health disorders.

“I’ve always appreciated her sense of humanity,” Bridge says. “I thought, ‘If you can foster someone who has this sort of compassion already, there are infinite possibilities for what they can do to benefit the community.’ ”

The two have been dedicated, active participants in their labs, regularly conducting research multiple days per week during the school year and, at times, daily over the summer.

The faculty and their doctoral students have mentored the high schoolers through instrumentation methods, analyzing data, the literature review process and their presentations.

Both presented continuations of their projects at ISEF — Calvo-Chumbimuni for her second-straight year, Santra for her third — while Das made his first time at the competition memorable with his fourth-place finish in the engineering technology: statics and dynamics category.

Kuehn, who is an engineer at , is accustomed to working with a variety of researchers and scientists who test their experiments and equipment at the Highland Regolith Test Bin. He says he was quickly intrigued by Das’ project, a lightweight and nimble robot that can expand, contract and move through electric current.

Das wanted to test the robot in lunar regolith — simulated moon dirt — because he envisions the tech behind his robot one day being utilized in lunar missions or search and rescue efforts in unstable environments.

“Max noticed that sometimes the motion was a little slow, so he gave some suggestions,” Das says. “Working in the lunar regolith chamber was a very insightful and eye-opening experience. I know I’m still in high school, but I’ve learned I want to do research for as long as I can because I really find this interesting.”

Which, at the end of the day, has been Furiosi’s mission all along.

“Research is not just in science. It is in all disciplines. There’s a lot of cool things that need to be discovered in all fields,” he says. “UCF’s expertise has been so invaluable in preparing my students for the future. A lot of these kids have wonderful ideas, and I really hope we can continue growing more professional support for them in any capacity.”

Behind every badge is a commitment to serve — a commitment two new officers now carry forward at UCF.

Surrounded by family, friends, colleagues and university leaders, the officers were sworn in during a ceremony that marked not just a personal milestone, but the (UCFPD)’s continued growth and commitment to service.

“Ů��AV is a special place and working in public safety here takes a special kind of person,” says UCF Police Chief Robbin Griffin-Kitzerow. “It takes someone who genuinely cares, who shows up every day with a heart for service, and who is committed to the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff.”

Ross Wolf, interim dean of the College of Community Innovation and Education and associate provost of UCF Downtown, reflected on the ceremony’s significance, drawing on his recent retirement from policing after 34 years of service in both full-time and reserve roles.

“My law enforcement career instilled in me a deep respect for this profession and for the camaraderie, commitment and sense of purpose that define it,” Wolf says.

UCFPD’s two newest officers will join the patrol division after completing a field-training program, where they’ll work alongside senior officers and gain hands-on experience out in the field before graduating to solo patrol.

Get to Know the New Officers

Brittany Lopez

Having previously served with the Clermont Police Department as both a patrol officer and a detective, Brittany Lopez brings a strong foundation in law enforcement to UCF. She was drawn to UCFPD for its culture and the unique community it serves. With a master’s degree in cybercrime from the University of South Florida, Lopez is driven by a desire to help students make informed choices that support their future success.

Daira Yulfo-Vargas ’25

Joining UCFPD is a full-circle moment for Daira Yulfo-Vargas ’25. After moving to Orlando to attend UCF, she began as a police explorer while earning her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She later served as a UCFPD cadet and, through departmental sponsorship, completed the police academy, graduating among the top academic performers in her class. Now she returns to serve her alma mater as a Ů��AV police officer, committed to supporting students and advancing the department’s safety mission.

Celebrating Promotions

The ceremony also recognized four individuals taking on new roles within UCF Public Safety.

Corporal Melissa Guadagnino

Community Outreach and Crime Prevention Unit

Corporal Melissa Guadagnino has been a vital part of UCFPD for more than 12 years, including nine years as a detective. In that role, she worked alongside her therapy dog, Chipper, providing investigative support and comfort to victims during difficult moments. She’s also served on the Emergency Response Team through dozens of deployments and instructed crisis intervention and patrol investigator programs. Now part of the Community Outreach and Crime Prevention Unit, Guadagnino continues to lead with dedication and heart, making an impact.

Jennifer Floyd

University Physical Security Manager

During a time of significant staffing transitions, Jennifer Floyd played a critical role in maintaining operations while supporting major security initiatives. She coordinated hundreds of maintenance requests and led a campuswide security camera upgrade, overseeing the replacement of more than 500 cameras to strengthen UCF’s safety infrastructure. Floyd also led nearly 50 training sessions, helping ensure teams have the knowledge and confidence to effectively manage and maintain essential systems.

Benita Harrison

Administrative Operations Manager

Benita Harrison supports departmental leadership with professionalism and exceptional integrity. She manages daily operations, chairs multiple committees and oversees all department-led events, playing a key role in ensuring smooth transitions. Her attention to detail and ability to create meaningful experiences are felt at every level across the organization.

Tiffany Ortiz

Dispatch Supervisor

Tiffany Ortiz brings a deep understanding of communication operations. Known for delivering organized, accurate and dependable work, she’s respected by both her peers and patrol officers for her collaborative, supportive approach. In her new role, she led a full revamp of the dispatch training program, updating the manual, strengthening the curriculum and enhancing skill development to better prepare team members for long-term success.

Together, these new officers and newly promoted leaders represent UCF Public Safety — united by a shared commitment to serve, support and safeguard the campus community.

The Power of a 24-Hour Mission

In a single day, 5,187 donors from across the country and around the globe gifted more than $14.9 million in support of UCF’s bold vision for the future, setting a new record in dollars raised during . With contributions spanning across all 12 colleges and 200 programs and initiatives, participants included both longtime supporters and first-time donors, reflecting a growing community united by a shared belief in the power of education, discovery and opportunity.

From the moment the campaign launched at midnight, momentum built quickly — across campuses, communities and time zones. Hour by hour, participation grew as alumni, students, faculty, staff, partners and friends added their support, each gift contributing to something larger than any single moment.

Momentum Across Knight Nation

By mid‑morning, the energy of UCF Day of Giving was unmistakable. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Student Union buzzed with celebration as everyone gathered for photobooths, coffee and conversations that turned into meaningful contributions.

The celebration extended beyond main campus, with similar moments unfolding at UCF Downtown and the Health Sciences Campus, reinforcing UCF Day of Giving as a university‑wide movement.

“Every gift helps expand opportunity for our students, fuels discovery and sparks innovations that move our communities forward.” — President Alexander N. Cartwright

“UCF Day of Giving is a powerful reminder of what Knight Nation can accomplish together,” says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “Every gift helps expand opportunity for our students, fuels discovery and sparks innovations that move our communities forward.”

UCF Day of Giving is a key moment within Go for Launch: The Campaign for UCF’s Next Mission and the university’s most ambitious revenue-generating effort to date.

Powered by Knight Nation

Through the Go For Launch campaign, UCF builds upon four priorities that will amplify our impact and create our future. They represent the pioneering spirit of UCF and speak to the unique needs of our dynamic community: , , and. Together, these priorities accelerate UCF’s continued rise as Florida’s Technological University and create opportunities that extend far beyond campus.

This campaign shares the same collaborative spirit that’s fueled record-breaking results for UCF Day of Giving year after year.

“We recognize the unique combination of philanthropy, partnership and collective drive needed to bring bold visions to life, and we’re proud to lean into that,” says Rod Grabowski, senior vice president for advancement and partnerships at UCF and CEO of the UCF Foundation, Inc. “At UCF, we’re building a future that others have only begun to imagine, and that pursuit is sustained not by any one individual or group, but by the power of many.”

For students like Ervin Xhemali the impact of these efforts is both immediate and life‑changing. A first‑generation student funding his education independently, Xhemali initially thought the scholarship credit in his account was a mistake, until he realized it came from the Katherine Crock Memorial Fund, established by Raymond Smithberger ’02MBA in honor of his mother.

The scholarship helps remove financial barriers so students can focus on learning and future goals. For Xhemali, an economics major balancing coursework with multiple jobs, the support was more than financial, it was a catalyst for what would come next.

Across campus and online, UCF Day of Giving spotlighted stories of impact — students discovering new opportunities, faculty advancing breakthroughs and alumni carrying the Knight spirit into industries and communities worldwide.

Transformational investments fueled that momentum, including a $500,000 grant from Bank of America to support the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion on UCF’s Academic Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona. The gift closed a more than $30 million private fundraising effort for the facility, bringing UCF’s vision for its College of Nursing to life alongside $43 million in state support.

Fuel for the Mission

Over the past four years, 24,411 individuals have invested more than $49.5 million through UCF Day of Giving, strengthening the foundation for continued impact and growth.

Together, these moments reflect what has always defined UCF: a belief that bold ideas, supported by a committed community, create lasting change. In just 24 hours, Knights demonstrated how collective generosity can expand opportunity, accelerate innovation and move ideas forward.

Together, Knight Nation isn’t just imagining the future; through moments like UCF Day of Giving, we’re creating it.