Here are the highlights that shaped an unforgettable year.

Daring to Boldly Invent the Future: Florida’s Next-Generation Preeminent University

UCF met the 12 metrics required to earn the Preeminent State Research University designation from the Florida Board of Governors, the highest designation for state research universities. This landmark achievement highlights sustained progress in student success, research and more — affirming UCF’s leadership in advancing opportunity and impact in Florida and beyond.

UCF Opens Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion in Lake Nona, Fueling a Talent Pipeline and Healthcare Innovation

UCF opened the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion on the Academic Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona — a 90,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility dedicated to preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals. The pavilion expands immersive simulation technology and interdisciplinary learning spaces, enabling UCF to graduate more nurses ready to serve communities across the region.

Pegasus Partners Expand with BNY and Lockheed Martin

This year saw strategic growth of UCF’s Pegasus Partners program, with major collaborations forged with global financial services company BNY and aerospace and defense leader Lockheed Martin. The BNY co-located educational innovation hub on UCF’s main campus — the first of its kind in Florida — brings experiential learning and cybersecurity education directly to students. Additionally, the expanded Lockheed Martin partnership will grow the highly successful College Work Experience Program and expand research in vital areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and hypersonic technologies.

Elevating Impact Across Space

As America’s Space University, UCF deepened its influence across the space sector this year, highlighted by the inaugural UCF Space Week that took place Nov. 3-7. The university-wide celebration showcased all the ways Knight Nation is advancing space research, supporting Florida’s fast-growing space economy, and preparing the next generation of explorers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. The observance also marked the debut of the SpaceU Awards, which celebrated eight honorees — two students, three faculty, two organizations and a record-setting astronaut — for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space development, discovery and exploration.

UCF’s impact also extended into human health in space. Two internationally known  experts — William Powers and Jennifer Fogarty — joined the College of Medicine’s faculty as part of UCF’s new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine that will lead research and technology development for improving health in extreme environments such as space.

As the top talent provider to the nation’s aerospace and defense industries, UCF also launched a new online space MBA program to meet the expanding needs of the booming space industry on Florida’s Space Coast and around the world. The 24-month part-time graduate business program focuses on space commercialization, business strategy and innovation, preparing graduates to lead in high-impact roles across the commercial space, aerospace, government, startups and emerging tech industries.

UCF Launches Institute of Artificial Intelligence to Advance Research, Talent Development Across Disciplines

UCF launched the Institute of Artificial Intelligence, a new university-wide initiative bringing together top faculty, industry partnerships and cross-campus collaboration to position the university as a national leader in AI. The institute will also support UCF’s AI for All Initiative, which integrates AI into teaching and learning across disciplines, ensuring students graduate with the ability to use AI effectively in their careers.

Honoring Excellence on Founders’ Day

UCF’s annual Founders’ Day honored the outstanding achievements of the university’s employees, faculty and students. Hundreds of Knights were recognized for their excellence and impact — among them Pegasus Professors Roger Azevedo, Fevzi Okumus and Yan Solihin; Medal of Societal Impact honoree Mohamed Abdel-Aty; Reach for the Stars honorees Amrita Ghosh, Leland Nordin, Yogesh Rawat and Kelly Stevens; and 37 Order of Pegasus inductees — the university’s highest student honor.

Epic Universe Launch Provides Immersive Learning Opportunities at UCF

Universal Orlando Resort’s highly anticipated new theme park, Epic Universe, opened its gates this spring, and Knights played a role in bringing it to life. Located less than a mile away, UCF’s — ranked No. 1 in the world for hospitality education (CEOWORLD magazine) — turned Epic Universe into a living case study for hands-on learning in hospitality, themed experience, engineering and beyond. While the park attracts millions of guests with its immersive worlds and attractions, it’s also transforming hospitality education for Rosen College students, building a direct talent pipeline into the park and developing a workforce ready to lead the industry.

Introducing John Buckwalter, UCF’s Next Provost 

Following a competitive national search, John Buckwalter was appointed UCF’s next provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. He and his wife, Amalia, officially joined Knight Nation on Aug. 1. Buckwalter brings more than 20 years of experience in academia to UCF. He most recently served as provost at Boise State University, where he led transformative interdisciplinary initiatives and championed student achievement. He succeeds Provost Michael D. Johnson, who retired this summer following 35 years of service to UCF.

Knights Shine in Athletics

UCF Athletics delivered unforgettable moments this year — from the rowing team claiming its first Big 12 Championship in program history, to men’s soccer’s conference title, to men’s tennis clinching its , to 82-78 victory over Hofstra at Additional Financial Arena that sparked the best start (8-1) in head coach Johnny Dawkins’ tenure.

Together, We Unleashed Impact: Thank You, Knight Nation, for a Transformational Day of Giving 2025

Knights made a collective impact for another record-breaking celebration of all things Black & Gold. raised more than $14.8 million — a 63% increase from last year and the most in university history. With 10,472 gifts, inspired donors across the globe rallied together for the community-driven effort — fueling UCF’s academic programs, life-changing scholarships, groundbreaking research and more. These contributions were made across all 50 U.S. states, as well as globally, including Australia, France, Panama and the United Kingdom.

Established in 2017, the annual awards recognize faculty whose achievements reflect the university’s highest standards in advancing knowledge, inspiring others and elevating UCF’s impact across disciplines and communities.”

“Thank you for the ideas you pursue, the people you inspire and the impact you create,” said UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright at Wednesday’s celebration at the Burnett House, home of UCF’s president and first lady. “You are advancing what is possible for our students, our state and our world — and proving every day that UCF’s brightest light comes from our people.”

Honorees were selected based on nominations by deans, department chairs and directors from across UCF. The event gathered family members and friends, fellow faculty, former awardees and community leaders to celebrate their achievements.

Joining in recognizing the honorees were UCF Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs John Buckwalter, Vice President for Research and Innovation Winston Schoenfeld, and Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence Joel Cramer.

Here are this year’s luminaries.

Mohamed Abdel-Aty

Pegasus  Professor and Trustee Chair, Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Abdel-Aty is recognized globally as a leading light in transportation engineering and traffic safety, ranking as the world’s most cited researcher in his field for the past five years.

Through innovations in technology, computing, artificial intelligence and sensing, he has contributed to preserving lives and preventing crashes for drivers and pedestrians alike. His pioneering technologies to better manage traffic have been deployed across Florida, the United States and the world, including in Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.

“Dr. Abdel-Aty is a one-of-a-kind researcher whose individual and research group achievements are paralleled only by the state, national and global impacts he has made,” said Kevin Mackie, the engineering department chair who nominated Abdel-Aty for his award.

Over three decades at UCF, Abel-Aty has secured more than $32 million for research and managed more than 90 related projects. This includes development by him and his team of CitySim, a drone-based database capturing driving behaviors at challenging highway sites that has led to new insights for preventing traffic mishaps. Among other accomplishments, Abdel-Aty also developed the nation’s first master’s degree in smart cities.

Kareem Ahmed

Trustee Chair and professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Ahmed is reshaping the future of air flight and space travel. A world expert in hypersonic and space propulsion, his pioneering work includes developing technology that makes a 15-minute flight from coast to coast a future possibility.

Ahmed heads the UCF Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion, which develops technology and innovation aimed at enhancing national defense and fostering new frontiers in space exploration. Beyond advancing faster air and space travel, Ahmed and his team’s research holds promise for enabling lighter, energy-efficient rockets that burn clean fuel and travel farther at a reduced cost.

The U.S. Department of Defense supports Ahmed’s work through multiple research grants, which also offer opportunities for his students — the next generation of innovators and explorers — to prepare for space industry careers.

“Throughout his career, Dr. Ahmed has demonstrated exceptional leadership in both research and education,” said Hyoung Jin Cho, Ahmed’s interim department chair, who nominated him for the award. “His pioneering work on detonation-based propulsion and supersonic combustion has expanded our understanding of aerospace engineering and has been recognized by prestigious awards, media coverage, competitive funding and high-impact publications.”

Tim Brown

Associate professor, School of Performing Arts, College of Arts and Humanities

Brown is an internationally renowned theater and music tour designer in demand for his artistry, creativity and ingenuity.

His scene designs are sought by celebrities that have included late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and rapper and music producer J. Cole. Brown has designed environments in world-class venues, such as Madison Square Garden, and for the Festival Musica in Strasbourg, France. When the Los Angeles Philharmonic premiered an original opera, Place, it called on Brown to recreate his designs from the world premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, another premier theatrical venue.

Locally, Brown brings his talents to the Orlando Shakes and Orlando Family Stage. At UCF, he teaches various theatre technology and design courses, sharing his professional insights and leading-edge industry practices to prepare students for successful careers.

“Professor Brown is richly deserving of a Luminary Award. He is one of the school’s top achieving theater artists with an international reputation for excellence and the credits to back that up,” said Michael Wainstein, director of the School of Performing Arts.

Yue “Gurt” Ge

Associate professor, School of Public Administration, College of Community Innovation and Education

Ge aims to make cities safer and more resilient to disasters, from hurricanes to disease outbreaks. He explores how governments, organizations and communities can collaborate more effectively on strategies and action plans to create for stronger and more adaptable places to live.

As faculty co-lead of UCF’s Urban Resilience Initiative, he brought more than 50 scholars and community partners together to boost urban resilience. This work led to two major U.S. National Science Foundation-funded projects: a Smart and Connected Communities grant focused on artificial intelligence to improve risk communication, and a Civic Innovation Challenge grant for establishing educational and urban resilience hubs. Ge is among a few social scientists nationwide to lead both types of NSF projects.

His research is shaping public policy and practice, including through a mobile emergency training app being adopted by UCF’s Office of Emergency Management and a city-supported resilience hub serving Orlando neighborhoods.

“Dr. Ge is a nationally and internationally recognized scholar in the interdisciplinary fields of community resilience and smart cities,” said Doug Goodman, director of the School of Public Administration. “His work exemplifies UCF’s mission to unleash the potential of people and ideas to positively change the world.”

Carmen Giurgescu

Chatlos Foundation Endowed Chair and associate dean for research, College of Nursing

Giurgescu excels as a world-renowned maternal researcher and game changer for elevating her college’s excellence and national prominence.

As a women’s health nurse practitioner, she works to give mothers and babies the best possible start by reducing preterm births and improving health outcomes. Her impactful research portfolio involves multi-millions in grants — including from the National Institutes of Health — as both a principal and co-investigator.

Giurgescu has spearheaded innovative research initiatives, developed training programs and provided critical support to steadily grow her college’s research expenditures, placing it among the top 50 nursing schools nationwide.

“Her research is not only advancing scientific understanding but also transforming clinical practice,” former College of Nursing Dean Mary Lou Sole said in Giurgescu’s award nomination. “Across her college, Dr. Giurgescu has fostered a culture of discovery and collaboration.”

Chiara Mazzucchelli

Associate professor and Dr. Neil Euliano Chair in Italian Studies, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, College of Arts and Humanities

Mazzucchelli’s passion for scholarship and teaching fosters connections to other cultures that expand learning opportunities for students.

She directs UCF’s Italian studies program and is internationally recognized for her scholarship in Italian American studies, particularly on Sicilian migration. Her leadership in strengthening ties between the United States and Italy, including with the Italian consulate in Miami, have led to various grants from Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Such partnerships have enhanced course offerings and created new opportunities for students to engage with Italian language, culture and global perspectives.

Meanwhile, Mazzucchelli’s contributions have earned prestigious honors in Italy. Last year, she was named a Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy — the nation’s second-highest civilian honor and awarded by Italy’s president to citizens who foster meaningful international relations. In 2023, she received the Euno Award from Kiwanis International in Enna, Italy, for her impact on education and the next generation of scholars.

“Her exceptional combination of research, academic leadership and international reputation make her eminently worthy of this recognition,” said Geri Smith, chair of UCF’s Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.

Keri Watson

Professor of art history and assistant director, School of Visual Arts and Design, College of Arts and Humanities

Watson’s scholarship and community engagement show how the humanities can lift lives and benefit society.

Watson has attracted over $1.7 million from national foundations in the past three years to power her research and the Florida Prison Education Project. She founded and directs the program to open college doors for incarcerated Floridians and change the course of their lives.

Watson’s publications and curated exhibitions, such as Silent Protest: Perspectives on War and Disability and Illuminating the Darkness: Our Carceral Landscape, have sparked widespread dialogue on incarceration, disability and civic engagement.

“Dr. Watson exemplifies what it means to be a luminary at UCF,” said Rudy McDaniel, director of the School of Visual Arts and Design. “Through her scholarship, teaching and public humanities leadership, she advances interdisciplinary research excellence and extends the university’s reach far beyond campus.”

These faculty members are awarded with the UCF Medal of Societal Impact, which recognizes those who have used their research in engineering, science or medicine to benefit humankind. This year’s recipient is Professor Mohamed Abdel-Aty, a transportation safety expert and a researcher in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering. He is the second recipient of this award, which was also given to CREOL Professor Shin-Tson Wu in 2024.

“I’m grateful to my students and to UCF,” Abdel-Aty says. “It gives me great pleasure to receive this particular recognition as it means that my research has impacted society and contributed to saving and improving lives of many people at home and beyond.”

A Pioneer in Transportation and Traffic Safety

Abdel-Aty is recognized globally as a leader in the field of transportation engineering. His research focuses on traffic safety, mobility and transportation technology, and he’s pioneered a number of real-time systems to improve driver and pedestrian safety. Over the three decades he has spent at UCF, Abdel-Aty has garnered more than $32 million in research funding.

With this support, Abdel-Aty and his team in the UCF Smart and Safe Transportation (SST) Lab have developed CitySim, which is a database of vehicle trajectories collected by drones of 21 challenging highway locations. Researchers and vehicle manufacturers are using it to develop autonomous vehicles’ algorithms and safety features. More than 480 individuals from 248 institutions are now using this data. They’ve also created software that can identify traffic conflicts and detect near-miss events on roadways based on these trajectories.

“I am specifically fond of ideas that I started about 25 years ago and kept improving until in 2019, when I won a U.S. Department of Transportation national challenge and the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award,” Abdel-Aty says. “Currently a system based on these ideas is implemented in the Traffic Management Center by FDOT and emulated in several countries. The idea is simply to predict crashes five to 10 minutes before they occur using real-time traffic and weather data, and using Active Traffic Management techniques to improve the traffic conditions.”

Abdel-Aty says that research projects such as these are among his greatest achievements as they’ve not only led to the innovative implementation of transportation systems, but have also changed much of the current state-of-the-art in research and practice.

A Globally Recognized Leader and Educator

This isn’t the first time that Abdel-Aty has been recognized by UCF for his accomplishments. In 2015, he was named a Pegasus Professor and in 2017, he was appointed as a Trustee Chair. He’s also won multiple awards for his teaching, research and leadership, from both the university and the industry. His impact has not only transformed transportation systems worldwide, but has shaped the UCF Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering.

As the previous department chair, Abdel-Aty developed the master’s degree in smart cities — the first of its kind in the U.S. He also implemented the , which brings together an interdisciplinary group of researchers to create technologies that can benefit urban areas.

He says that what he’s enjoyed most about his 30-year career at Ů��AV is the constructive environment that encourages research and innovation. He’s also grateful to the industry partners, such as the Florida Department of Transportation, that have supported his work, which leaves a lasting legacy on communities locally, nationally and globally.

“This is a unique award for a scholar, as it highlights how the work of a professor can have a lasting contribution to our society,” Abdel-Aty says. “In my 30 years as a professor at UCF, my work has contributed to improving transportation safety and technology. I want to be remembered as a person that dedicated his life working on finding solutions to road safety problems and developing technologies that impacted our society by improving our transportation system’s safety and efficiency.”

UCF also ranked among the top 40 civil engineering programs in the nation in the same global ranking, alongside Iowa State, Johns Hopkins, Michigan State and Penn State.

The ranking includes 200 of the world’s top universities, and places UCF ahead of Georgia Tech, Purdue, Arizona State University, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Florida in the category.

Last year, UCF ranked among the top 20 in the nation and top 75 in the world in the same category.

Also known as Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), ShanghaiRankings annually ranks the best universities in academic subjects ranging from physics and biological sciences to finance and hospitality and tourism management. The rankings take into account six indicators, including the success of alumni, the quality of faculty and the amount of research published in the field’s top academic journals.

“The significance of the ranking means that UCF has another pocket of excellence in its mix,” says Michael Georgiopoulos, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Outstanding faculty and students, who we recruit to UCF, look at these rankings to make decisions about whether to join our institution. Funding agencies look at the reputation of the institution’s faculty and students to make funding decisions. The college’s continued pursuit of research and educational excellence depends on pockets of excellence such as transportation science and technology housed in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering [CECE].”

UCF’s CECE department has made impressive strides over the past several years, including being ranked among the top 40 civil engineering programs in the nation in the same global ranking, alongside Iowa State University, Johns Hopkins University, Michigan State University and Pennsylvania State University.

The team has published nearly 300 articles in top journals and been recognized for best papers by the Transportation Research Board, the ASCE Journal of Transportation Engineering and the World Conference on Transport Research Society; beat out 50 other teams — including Ford and Uber — to win a national competition by the U.S. Department of Transportation focused on making driving safer; and garnered roughly $22 million in research funding for projects, including a grant from the Federal Highway Administration to test several smart cities transportation technologies locally. In addition to the USDOT, FDOT and MetroPlan, UCF researchers have collaborated with the Federal Highway Administration, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and the University Transportation Center: Safety Research Using Simulation to study topics focused on monitoring, assessing and improving traffic safety.

“Integrating programs in transportation systems and smart cities have extended our influence and reach to many students, and increased the demand for our programs.”
— UCF Professor Mohamed Abdel-Aty

UCF offers several degrees for students interested in pursuing transportation studies, including a B.S. in civil engineering, an M.S. in civil engineering, an M.S. in transportation systems engineering, and the nation’s first engineering-focused M.S. in smart cities.

“Integrating programs in transportation systems and smart cities have extended our influence and reach to many students, and increased the demand for our programs,” says Mohamed Abdel-Aty, Pegasus Professor of civil engineering and chair of the CECE department. “Our faculty have wide range of critical expertise that contribute to the excellent quality of our education and research.”

As one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities and only hubs offering connectivity options via road, sea, air, rail and even space, Orlando offers faculty and students alike the opportunity to study multi-modal, multi-faceted transportation systems. Orlando was the most-visited destination in the U.S. with a record 75 million people in 2018 and was ranked the No. 23 worst cities in the nation for traffic, according to a 2019 ranking by international navigation company TomTom. The area boasts seven major highways, three major ports less than 2 hours away, seven international airports within 100 miles, and 68 miles of railroad with an additional 170 miles of new track being developed by Virgin Trains to connect Orlando to Miami. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is also only roughly an hour away.

Currently, there are more than $10 billion in transportation infrastructure investments in Orlando, including the $2.3 billion, 21-mile long I-4 Ultimate project. According to The Wall Street Journal, the public-private partnership is one the nation’s largest roadway projects.

Discover other UCF academic rankings.

That same evolution is now happening to cities as new technology is being developed to improve our transportation needs, water availability, sustainability and other essential components.

To meet the growing demand to understand and implement that advanced technology into our urban systems, UCF this fall will offer a new smart cities master’s degree track in civil engineering, the nation’s first such degree offered in the engineering field. The new specialty track will be offered by the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Examples of emerging technologies include fields such as smart traffic- and parking-management systems, driverless public transportation, and systems that analyze data to automatically adjust for public needs.

Mohamed Abdel-Aty, chair of the college’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering and the lead of UCF’s smart-cities initiative, says the university is well positioned to offer the new track because many faculty members are already doing research in relevant topics. Some of that involvement includes:

The Federal Highway Administration in 2017 awarded $11.9 million to a team from UCF, the Florida Department of Transportation and MetroPlan Orlando to test several new transportation technologies; Siemens last year began working with UCF to implement a smart university infrastructure to improve the performance and efficiency of buildings and energy grids by harnessing the power of data; and ��AV is a founding supporter of BRIDG (Bridging the Innovation to Development Gap), a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Osceola County to make wafers used in advanced sensors, optics, photonics and advanced-system miniaturization.

Also, UCF last summer hosted planners in academia, industry, the public sector and the community at the Data Science Summit: Smart Cities of the Future conference to address emerging trends in the use of futuristic technology in public spaces.

The emergence of smart cities comes at a time when the United Nations says 66 percent of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050, a jump from the current 54 percent.

“Fueled by the growth of smart cities nationwide, workforce demand is increasing for engineers and city planners who are prepared for the high-tech urban landscape,” says Abdel-Aty. “We are offering engineers a way to stay ahead of the curve, knowing that they will soon face the challenges associated with rapidly developing technologies applied to our field.”

Administrators envision that this track will bridge some of the gaps with other engineering disciplines and provide an opportunity for collaboration on research and education that is relevant to smart cities.

The 30-hour program was designed by UCF researchers and educators in transportation systems, environmental engineering, water-resources management and public administration in addition to other engineering disciplines. The faculty has collaborated for two years in a program known as the Future City Initiative at UCF to explore futuristic technologies to help cities meet challenges, sustainability and resiliency goals for cities.

The new program is for students with appropriate science or engineering baccalaureate backgrounds; both thesis and non-thesis options are available. In addition, there will be a fully online smart cities track.

The registration deadline for the new track is July 15.

The UCF entry, Real-Time Crash Visualization Tools for Traffic Safety Management, is a computer program that uses big data to predict — and hopefully prevent — traffic accidents before they happen.

The U.S. Department of Transportation, which sponsors the competition known as the Solving for Safety Visualization Challenge, named the finalists this week.

Mohamed Abdel-Aty, a Pegasus Professor and chair of UCF’s , leads the team.

“Conducting research at UCF means solving real-world problems,” says Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for research and dean of the . “I can’t think of a better application than using big data, predictive analytics and other innovations to help keep us safe on the road. The other finalist is a vehicle manufacturer, so we are pretty excited that our Dr. Abdel-Aty’s work is being recognized.”

“Conducting research at UCF means solving real-world problems.” – Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies

Abdel-Aty’s team became a finalist after beating four other teams, including one from Uber, during the semifinals. They had entered the semifinals in December.

As a finalist, the team receives part of a $100,000 prize purse and will compete for the final prize, which is a share of $250,000.

As it has advanced through the competition, the team has developed its entry from an idea in stage I, to a prototype for the stage II semifinals, and will now develop a fully working version for submission in stage III, the final part of the competition.

Using information including real-time traffic data, weather, history of past accidents and violations, and other data, the team’s program predicts if the risk of an accident is increasing or decreasing in a situation and presents the probability in an easy-to-understand visual readout alongside a map overlaid with current traffic-flow conditions.

The idea is that if the risk of an accident rises, then transportation officials could implement measures immediately to reduce the risk, such as reduced speeds, metered ramps and messages warning drivers of perilous conditions ahead, says Abdel-Aty.

“Reducing risk can reduce the possibility or the severity of an accident,” Abdel-Aty says.

Abdel-Aty says his team’s tool represents a proactive approach to helping vehicular travel become less dangerous by recognizing dangerous roadways, intersections and conditions before the statistics about their hazards pile up.

There are about 37,000 traffic fatalities per year in the United States and millions of injuries,” Abdel-Aty says.

He says the team’s program is designed to make real-time improvements in traffic safety based on rich data and sophisticated algorithms. Seeing different trends and dynamics will allow operators to make better decisions.

Abdel-Aty received his doctorate in civil engineering from the University of California, Davis, and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering from Alexandria University. He joined UCF in 1995.

The research team was comprised of students and researchers from the College of Engineering and Computer Science, including students Yina Wu, Jinghui Yuan, Morgan Morris, Qing Cai, Yaogang Gong, Ou Zheng, Jacob Lites, Jiajia Dong, Whoibin Chung, Moatz Saad, Lishengsa Yue, Jorge Ugan, Shile Zhang, Zubayer Islam, Md Sharikur Rahman, Md Hasibur Rahman, postdoctoral associates Yina Wu and Qing Cai and professors Samiul Hasan and Jaeyong Lee.

Their entry, Real-Time Crash Visualization Tools for Traffic Safety Management, is a computer program that uses big data to predict, and hopefully prevent, traffic accidents before they happen.

Mohamed Abdel-Aty, a Pegasus Professor and chair of UCF’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, leads the research.

“If you reduce the risk, then you reduce the possibility of an accident or at least you reduce the severity of the accident,” Mohamed Abdel-Aty, Pegasus professor

Using information including real-time traffic data, weather, history of past accidents and violations, and other data, the program predicts if the risk of an accident is increasing or decreasing and presents the probability in an easy-to-understand visual readout alongside a map overlaid with current traffic-flow conditions.

The idea is that if the risk of an accident rises, then transportation officials could implement measures on the spot to reduce the risk, such as reduced speeds, metered ramps and messages warning drivers of perilous conditions ahead.

“If you reduce the risk, then you reduce the possibility of an accident or at least you reduce the severity of the accident,” Abdel-Aty says.

The national competition, known as the Solving for Safety Visualization Challenge, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Abdel-Aty’s team has progressed to stage II of the competition. They will find out in January if they become one of the two finalists to progress to stage III. The winning team will receive $250,000.

“We have about 30,000 traffic fatalities per year in this country, and millions of injuries. It’s too much. We have to change our thinking.” – Mohamed Abdel-Aty, Pegasus professor

Abdel-Aty says his team’s tool represents a proactive approach to helping vehicular travel become less dangerous by recognizing dangerous roadways, intersections and conditions before the statistics about their hazards pile up.

“We have about 30,000 traffic fatalities per year in this country, and millions of injuries,” Abdel-Aty says. “It’s too much. We have to change our thinking. So, for the first time, our system could make real-time improvements based on very rich data and very sophisticated algorithms and allow operators to see on the screen visually the different trends and different dynamics of what’s happening so they can make better decisions.”

Abdel-Aty says he’s proud to have been selected as semifinalist in the competition and have the chance to have his research implemented into practice.

“We are the only university selected for stage II … this might be our opportunity to make a difference. So definitely it’s very exciting.” – Mohamed Abdel-Aty, Pegasus professor

“We are the only university selected for stage II and to be in the company of Uber and Ford and these big companies with unlimited resources and we are working with students shows that we are doing very well,” he says. “And also, to finally reach a stage where all of the ideas that have been developed over the years, published, cited and well-appreciated could be applied. This might be our opportunity to make a difference. So definitely it’s very exciting.”

Abdel-Aty received his doctorate in civil engineering from the University of California, Davis, and his master’s and bachelor’s of science degrees in civil engineering from Alexandria University. He joined Ů��AV in 1995.

The research team was comprised of students and researchers from the College of Engineering and Computer Science, including students: Yina Wu, Jinghui Yuan, Morgan Morris,Qing Cai, Yaogang Gong, Ou Zheng, Jacob Lites, Jiajia Dong, Whoibin Chung, Moatz Saad, Lishengsa, Jorge Ugan Yue, Shile Zhang, Zubayer Islam, Md Sharikur Rahman, Md Hasibur Rahman and professors Samiul Hasan and Jaeyong Lee.