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 166su 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 166su’s steadfast commitment to supporting STEM education across Central Florida.

They will now represent the county May 9-15 at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, where they will compete against more than 1,700 high schoolers for a share of nearly $7 million in awards, prizes and scholarships.

“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 166su 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,” Calvo-Chumbimuni says. “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 166su 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 166su 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 166su’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.

While both are presenting continuations of their projects at ISEF — Calvo-Chumbimuni for her second-straight year, Santra for her third —Das will be joining them for the first time at the major competition.

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. “166su’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.”

The two are among 6,000 undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. students who will graduate from 166su Dec. 12-13.

Bassett and Deinys, both Florida natives, credit 166su with instilling in them a spirit of scientific discovery and a passion to use their love of science to help others.

Transforming Healthcare Through Tech

Bassett will graduate with a medicine-engineering double degree in molecular and cellular biology and mechanical engineering. The degree program, one of 166su’s most challenging, recognizes that the future of healthcare is in technology, and the workforce needs trained professionals who can understand both the biology of disease and the engineering principles to create new healthcare solutions.

The double major requires 163 credit hours and a lot of time management skills. With back-to-back engineering and biomedical sciences labs as part of his routine, Bassett jokes he could actually feel his mind transform as he walked from one classroom to the next to absorb and process two vastly different topics.

While at 166su Bassett completed multiple internships at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. A Burnett Honors College scholar, he served as a teaching assistant and a chemistry undergraduate lab researcher.

Bassett says 166su helped him understand the medical “whys” of the medical engineering he creates and wants to go into an industry that will allow him to design and test better medical tools that can make surgery less invasive, more efficient and safer.

“With my training, I know the what and the why,” he says. “I can use that knowledge to solve more medical problems. I hope I can help my colleagues understand why something is happening in the body.”

Making Florida’s Mangroves More Resilient

Born in Miami, Deinys knew science was her passion at an early age while attending a STEM-focused middle and high school. During an internship at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, she discovered a pathogen that was threatening to kill Florida mangroves.

Later, in collaboration with the Marine Resources Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, they determined that 80% of the mangroves they had sampled tested positive for at least one of the pathogens.

Through her research at 166su, she helped create a nutrient of magnesium and sulfur nanoparticles called “Mag Sun” (MgSuN) that acts like an antimicrobial solution while helping nourish the plant. Mag Sun is also sustainable so it’s safe for the environment. The product, which reduced pathogens by 95%, has now been approved for use across Florida, and Deinys hopes it will soon receive EPA clearance for use nationwide.

“I grew up in South Florida and developed a deep love for the beach and coast,” she said. “And I knew something was happening to my mangroves. I’m committed to the community I’m from and I want to help people – that’s the goal.”

As an undergraduate, she was lead research assistant in an agricultural artificial intelligence effort between 166su and Cornell University and 166su’s Material Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture Lab. She also served as an Office of Undergraduate Research peer mentor and has presented her research at conferences across the state and nation.

An Order of Pegasus honoree, Deinys will stay at 166su to earn her Ph.D. in chemistry with a specialization in nanoscience. She said her goal is to be a “jack-of-all-trades,” in science because she’s excited by too many opportunities to use her inquisitive mind to solve real-world problems. As she speaks from her lab office filled with plants, she says she wants to use her love of agriculture to help find ways to link plant life and space travel.

“Central Florida is my home, and I’d like to be part of this community for as long as I can,” he says.

That plan fell into place when he landed a job at Lockheed Martin, a 166su Pegasus Partner, just weeks after graduating with his �����������ǰ�’s degree in May. His new role as an electro-optical engineer associate in Lockheed Martin’s Orlando Missiles and Fire Control division involves developing new imaging systems — a project that comes with its own challenges.

“These systems make use of sensors specific to the mission,” says Lopez-Zelaya, who is part of the 83% of career-ready 166su alumni who help fuel Florida’s workforce. “We’re concerned with how these sensors generate images, so we take the optics and other sources of noise into consideration.”

That’s exactly the skillset he honed during his time at the 166su College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL). In addition to engineering and physics concepts, CREOL students learn the hands-on methods necessary to build optical and electro-optical systems — allowing them to contribute to technological developments that benefit humanity. Lopez Zelaya says he now puts that training to use every day.

“Somebody who doesn’t have an optics and photonics background can’t truly engage in these discussions,” he says, “Because they don’t understand the basics of what is actually happening in these systems.”

Lopez Zelaya’s early career success is a continuation of the legacy he built during his undergrad years. Between classes that taught him MATLAB, display technology, image processing and semiconductor devices, he got involved as an undergraduate student research assistant. He also volunteered at Grace Medical Home, served as president of the IEEE Photonics Society student chapter and served on 166su’s President’s Leadership Council. His dedication to both professional development and his fellow students led to his induction into Order of Pegasus, the most prestigious award 166su bestows upon students.

Lopez Zelaya says 166su’s culture of creating lifelong learners prepared him well for his next steps at Lockheed Martin.

“Everybody is willing to learn something new about optics,” he says, adding that he’s often a source of expertise for questions that arise in the field.

Lopez Zelaya’s quick transition illustrates the value of the talent pipeline CREOL supplies to the Central Florida photonics industry. As a valued, longtime member of CREOL’s Industrial Affiliates Program, Lockheed Martin’s partnership has strengthened both the available opportunities for students and collaborative research efforts that aim to benefit the industry at large. And as a new Pegasus Partner with 166su, Lockheed Martin’s investment in the future will make impacts far beyond CREOL’s walls, building on a longstanding and pragmatic focus on talent pipeline.

With a 7-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, CREOL’s students are in a unique position to have a small-college experience at a big university. Lopez Zelaya says he’s glad to have found a similar sense of community at Lockheed Martin.

“There’s a misconception that new technologies mostly emerge from startups, but a lot of them are being developed here,” he says. “Development is fun — taking a concept and making it into a working product.”

Lopez Zelaya says he’s proud to put those skills to use in his hometown, and for a company that’s leading the way in emerging optical technology – positively contributing to Central Florida’s economy along the way.

“It’s one of the best ways to make an impact here,” he says.

Bush, a professor of K–12 STEM education and Lockheed Martin Eminent Scholar Chair in the College of Community Innovation and Education was recently appointed to serve as a member of the U.S. National Commission on Mathematics Instruction (USNC/MI). The faculty member’s appointment began in May and will end in December 2028.

An Opportunity for National and Global Impact

Under the umbrella of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, USNC/MI is a standing commission that promotes U.S. participation in mathematics activities around the world. USNC/MI members represent the U.S. through participation in the International Commission on Mathematics Instruction (ICMI), which aims to build global interaction among mathematics educators and researchers. The commission also represents the U.S. in the International Mathematical Union, which fosters efforts to improve the quality of mathematics instruction worldwide.

“For the past 15 years, I’ve been dedicated to interdisciplinary STEM and STEAM work grounded in deep mathematics learning, which not many other members of the commission specialize in,” Bush says. “I’ve also worked with some of the largest school districts in the country to cultivate mathematics teacher-leaders and make systemic improvements in education. These are some of the unique perspectives I bring to the table.”

Part of Bush’s distinct insight is informed by her experience as the director of the , a 30-year partnership that supports K-12 STEM educators pursuing advanced degrees and boosts the quality of mathematics and science education for Central Florida youth.

Guiding the Future With Emerging Technologies

Not only does USNC/MI represent the United States in mathematics education events worldwide, it also provides guidance on timely topics such as innovative technology — such as artificial intelligence (AI) — and instructional strategies in mathematics. Bush believes her expertise will be valuable in the commission’s efforts to provide this guidance.

“To be part of this commission is so exciting,” Bush says. “It’s our voice in mathematics education to the whole world. This appointment is effortlessly synergistic with 166su’s focus on STEM and AI, and it only further elevates the pioneering work we’re doing here.”

With data science and AI currently trending as transformative tools in mathematics education, Bush says they have the potential to allow teachers and students to analyze and interpret mathematical data in a more impactful and efficient way — something she is interested in working with fellow USNC/MI members on regarding instructional guidance.

“AI gives us instant access to information and data that opens doors to a whole new level of conversations in math and STEM instruction,” Bush says. “My current work explores how AI can be intentionally leveraged to make our instruction more authentic and empower students to seek solutions to real challenges on a deeper level.”

“In USNC/MI, we’re not only interested in teaching students how to use AI,” she continues. “We also want to help them think about when and why to use it while being critical consumers who understand its limitations and broader implications.”

A Prestigious Appointment and a Global Stage

Bush received her appointment with USNC/MI through a nomination from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics — the world’s largest PK–12 mathematics education association — for which she served on the board of directors from 2019 to 2022. She says she considers the USNC/MI appointment an extraordinary professional learning opportunity.

“It’s a big honor in our field,” Bush says. “Those I’m serving alongside on the commission have made critical contributions to my field, and they have impactful careers as faculty, distinguished professors, endowed chairs and deans at some of the highest-performing universities in our country. I’ve collaborated with some of them in the past, and others I’ll be working with for the first time. I’m learning so much through this experience because they work in areas adjacent to my own. It still feels a little unreal that I’ve been nominated to join them and represent 166su.”

She says she is looking forward to seeing how her involvement with USNC/MI will unlock new possibilities for discovery and collaboration on the international stage.

Bush and fellow USNC/MI members will also be gearing up to represent the U.S. at the International Congress on Mathematics Education — one of the key events in which the commission is involved. Held every four years, this conference brings together thousands of mathematics educators from around the world to showcase their work, exchange ideas and forge partnerships. The next conference will convene in Prague in Summer 2028.

Joined by Gov. Ron DeSantis, UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright and Lockheed Martin Chief Operating Officer Frank St. John ’87 ’91MS signed the Pegasus Partnership agreement in June at the Paris Air Show, the global aerospace industry’s premier meeting — and a fitting venue for two organizations that are leaders in Florida’s robust and rapidly growing aerospace industry.

As part of the agreement:

• Lockheed Martin will expand investments in the highly successful , which since 1981 has provided unrivaled work experiences for more than 10,000 students in engineering, business and many other disciplines – and led to many of those students earning full-time employment with Lockheed Martin.
• Lockheed Martin will significantly grow research with 166su’s world-class faculty in key areas such as autonomous systems, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, robotics, advanced manufacturing and hypersonic technologies.
• 166su will develop a new executive education program that would provide an opportunity for Lockheed Martin to upskill and train their leaders for the future.
• Both organizations will work together to pursue joint federal funding opportunities that will further strengthen their roles as leaders in cutting-edge research and development.

What This Means for Florida’s Future

The Pegasus Partnership supports many of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ goals, including maintaining Florida’s role as setting the national standard for economic growth, workforce development and innovation.

“This partnership between 166su and Lockheed Martin is an example of how Florida leads in workforce education,” DeSantis says. “Our state is proud to prioritize educational opportunities that produce practical knowledge and immediate job opportunities.”

166su has provided much of the talent that has fueled Lockheed Martin’s growth and success. The university is the nation’s top provider of graduates to the aerospace and defense industry, according to Aviation Week Network.

“Lockheed Martin’s unwavering partnership empowers our students with real-world opportunities, drives innovation, and strengthens our shared commitment to building a brighter future,” Cartwright says. “Together, we will work even more closely to shape the next generation of leaders and advance industries and technologies that benefit Florida and the world.”

The agreement builds on 166su and Lockheed Martin’s longstanding partnership and designates 166su as Lockheed Martin’s first university strategic partner in Florida. 166su joins 11 other prestigious universities in this designation, committed to supporting Lockheed Martin as the world’s largest Aerospace and Defense corporation.

“This agreement is a celebration of more than four decades of partnership between Lockheed Martin and 166su, built on innovation, shared values, and a commitment to developing the next generation of STEM talent,” says St. John, who earned �����������ǰ�’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from 166su and began at Lockheed Martin through the CWEP. “As an alum, I’m incredibly proud of the role 166su plays in shaping the future of aerospace and defense.”

About 166su’s Partnership with Lockheed Martin
Thanks to 166su’s partnership with Lockheed Martin, UCF students for decades have gained invaluable hands-on experience through internships and cooperative education programs, which strongly enhance their practical skills and employability. Lockheed Martin also provides scholarships and mentorship opportunities that help students excel in fields such as engineering, cybersecurity and technology.

The two organizations have worked closely on cybersecurity initiatives — including the Cyber Innovation Lab, where 166su’s national champion collegiate cyber defense team trains — and educating K-12 STEM teachers who are inspiring Florida’s future workforce to become interested in science, math and engineering fields.

About the Pegasus Partners Program
166su’s Pegasus Partners program offers opportunities for select partners to engage across the university in ways that create meaningful value for both organizations. That engagement includes talent development and recruitment, shared research projects, joint ventures and collaborations, strategic philanthropy and co-location at 166su. The university is proud to also include Addition Financial, AdventHealth, Nemours Children’s Health, Orlando Health and Siemens Energy among its Pegasus Partners.

For 40 years, Lockheed Martin has partnered with 166su to provide students with paid internship opportunities through CWEP. The part-time program has grown exponentially, with approximately 650 students participating each year. On average, 60% of them are offered full-time jobs.

By utilizing hybrid work schedules, Lockheed Martin provides flexibility for students to complete the program’s requirement of 15-25 hour of work weekly while they maintain other responsibilities. In the video above Hernandez shares what it’s like interning with Lockheed Martin through CWEP and below he shares advice for other students interested in the program.

Where are you from and why did you choose to attend 166su?
I am from Oswego, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). I chose to attend 166su because 166su had everything I was looking for in a graduate school. I was drawn to the university because of its prestige and recognition in several areas. The research conducted in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems also closely aligns with my research interests.  In addition to all that, I was definitely drawn to the warmer weather.

How did you become interested in industrial engineering and what do you want to pursue in this field?
When I began applying for college as a high school senior, I was unsure of a major; however, I was certain about wanting a career that somehow focused on the human body. Undecided, I enrolled at Iowa State University as an “undecided engineer.” I was fortunate to start college early as I was accepted into Iowa State’s summer bridge program, Academic Program for Excellence, and that is where I had the opportunity to tour Dr. Richard Stone’s Augmentation and Training of Humans with Engineering in North America (ATHENA) Lab, a lab in the Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering department. I immediately fell in love with the research and decided to study industrial engineering with an emphasis on human factors and ergonomics.

My passion for this field has grown ever since enrolling and finishing my �����������ǰ�’s degree in industrial engineering (IE) at Iowa State. It has grown enough for me to continue onto graduate school at 166su in industrial engineering. Here at 166su, I have now obtained my master’s degree in IE, and I am on the road to obtaining a Ph.D. in IE. After obtaining my Ph.D., I would like to help work toward improving safety and enhancing human performance with engineering.

What advice would you give to another student who is applying to the program or starting the program?
I would say to take full advantage of this opportunity and make the most of it. As 166su students, we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to gain industry experience at a widely known and respected company while working to obtain a degree. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions when you are stuck. We aren’t expected to know everything, and it is OK to ask questions when they arise.

What skills have you gained from being involved in CWEP?
This program has been a rewarding experience thus far. From the work I have completed to the incredible people I have met, this is an experience I am so glad I decided to be a part of. As a student that aspires to work in industry after finishing my degree, it is important to have these internships and work experiences to gain real-world experience before applying to full-time jobs. I have developed and further enhanced various skills such as my analytical skills, interpersonal skills, and presentation skills. Thus, being a part of this program will help develop the skills I will need to be ready for full-time work in industry.

How does CWEP help you connect with other students and network with industry professionals?
We develop many different personal and professional connections by working with professionals daily. In addition, CWEP has also created opportunities for CWEPs to meet each other. The past few events have been virtual because of the pandemic.

It took about two weeks to successfully complete the mission, but Hawks and his team spent the entire time trying to reach their contacts on the island via satellite phones, coordinating with companies to get items such as generators and cases of water, and finding the right aircraft and delivery location, among hundreds of other tasks.

“It was probably one of the most challenging situations that I may face in my entire career,” Hawks says. Although it was difficult, Hawks says he was able to conquer the challenge because of his experience at the university.

As a criminal-justice major and emergency-management and homeland-security minor, Hawks interned at the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange, a crime and hazard fusion center that supports nine Central Florida counties. After graduation, he landed a job with Lockheed in a crisis-management position. His job is to make sure company personnel and sites are prepared for natural and man-made disasters, as well as lead a team in functions such as human resources, technology, security and more in recovery efforts.

About a year ago, Hawks’s undergraduate internship experiences proved to be helpful once again when he was tasked with managing the storm response for Lockheed’s Puerto Rico site, which employed more than 150 people at the time.

The site’s location in the western city of Aguadilla added another level of difficulty to the already daunting delivery. Most of the flights and supplies to Puerto Rico arrived in San Juan, located in the east, meaning a trip across the island –with debris-covered roads, no working traffic lights and no power – was needed to reach the right destination.

This may sound impossible, but Hawks was able to join a Lockheed corporate aircraft approved to fly into the Aguadilla airport, which was limited to military aircraft right after the storm. One key person Hawks worked with was a contact he made while at 166su.

“My time at 166su luckily paid off with connections from my internship days,” Hawks says. “I was able to reach out to Manny Soto, who is the City of Orlando’s emergency manager. He is very familiar with Puerto Rico and has contacts in the emergency management community.”

Through separate two trips, Hawks’s team was able to make their deliveries, which helped not only Lockheed employees, but also residents of the city of Aguadilla. While the experience was full of hurdles, Hawks learned a lot from it. Here he shares some of that knowledge, more details about the mission and advice for those looking to enter his industry.

What was the biggest obstacle you faced in delivering supplies to Puerto Rico?

Communication was probably one of the hardest obstacles because you’re trying to coordinate not only getting relief supplies there, but what people need. How do we coordinate logistics in moving supplies from the airport to a city that has no form of communications?

How do we coordinate logistics in moving supplies from the airport to a city that has no form of communications?

Cellphones were out and the batteries in those satellite phones could only last so long [meaning] our phone calls could only be so detailed because of the length. There was also, in some cases, a language barrier. I know a little bit of Spanish, but not enough to be fluent.

We verify our employees’ wellbeing after any emergency. With no cellphone coverage, no internet, no email, no anything, frankly, we had no real way of doing that. Eventually [it] got to the point where we were trying to get our employees down there who we had been able to get in contact with to ask others, “Hey we know you live within a few blocks of this employee. Have you seen them? Do you know them?” Things like that.

What is the greatest lesson from this experience?

[One of] the lessons that I took away from Maria was we have to build relationships and partnerships with our community.

Without me being able to reach out to Orlando’s emergency manager, Manny Soto, to get the contacts for the mayor’s office and Aguadilla and [other agencies, we wouldn’t] have that direct line as easily as we could have. And it’s not just that, working with our counterparts that are in the area [is important.] We have other businesses there that we know are just as equally concerned as we are and provide that support [to] help each other.

What did it feel like to be able to help out with such a devastating natural disaster?

Rewarding is the first thing that comes to mind. I felt super rewarded and satisfied and felt like my entire schooling, going through 166su and going through emergency management, [was worth it.] My passion in life has been trying to help.

Knowing how rough it was for them down there and essentially what they had to go through, I was like, “Okay we have to do everything we can.” And the ability for us to help and knowing that Lockheed has come through and said, “Yes, this is the right thing. We need to do it.” It’s super satisfying.

What advice would you give to a student looking to get into your field?

This fall, UCF just released its new bachelor program in emergency and crisis management, as well as a graduate program in that. I know the level of breadth and experience there from the staff and the individuals that are involved at the emergency management and homeland security functions within the university are top level. And those contacts are frankly what helped get me into a position where I could be successful in my career.

There’s also the . It’s a professional group that brings in emergency mangers, not just from private industry, but also from the public. So you’ll hear from people who run different cities, counties, even at the state level from time to time. Or you also get the individuals who may run hospital chains. The stories that they tell are from events and things that have happened, not just in Central Florida, but across all of the state, even farther.

How do you stay calm when managing a crisis?

Knowing that there are people in need and people in life-critical situations, you realize that you have to be the calm voice of reason and try to coordinate and work your way through every possible avenue that we can to see what we can do to help others.

Knowing that there are people in need and people in life-critical situations, you realize that you have to be the calm voice of reason

[But] there’s definitely moments in time where even myself, after [hearing the word] “devastating” and things like that, you need to take a break mentally for yourself to kind of regroup. You have to become a leader because if you show stress or signs of faltering, it’s not going to help the team and it’s not going to be productive.

The folks that are in these positions, they’re there for a reason and they’re there to help bring everybody grounded to a level of response and quick action to take immediate actions in those cases to help get things back to normal for those who are impacted.

The award, an expansion of the State University System’s Think Florida: A Higher Degree for Business initiative, was created by Chair Lautenbach to honor businesses that work with universities to promote student success, advance research, and create a better Florida for all citizens.

“Lockheed Martin exemplifies exactly how partnerships between our universities and businesses can lead to enhanced opportunities for our students and improved research capabilities that benefit our entire state,” Chair Lautenbach said. “We’re excited for this opportunity to show our appreciation.”

Lockheed Martin has partnerships throughout the State University System, including the following at 166su:

166su Trustee Beverly Seay said, “I couldn’t be happier to have the inaugural award presented at 166su. Partnership is deeply embedded in our culture, and Lockheed Martin is one of our most outstanding and impactful partners. It’s no secret to those in our region that Lockheed Martin hires many 166su graduates as engineers and computer scientists, but the company’s impact on our campus and in our community goes much further.”

“As a proud 166su alumnus, I’m honored and humbled to accept this award on behalf of Lockheed Martin,” said Frank St. John, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The company believes that advancing education and increasing opportunities for students requires strong collaboration among industry, educators, policy makers and families, and we look forward to continuing our support of these programs well into the future.”

Otronicon engages all ages with the growing digital-media industry, including video gaming, simulation, robots, virtual reality and other fields.

In addition to 166su, visitors to the show Thursday through Monday can learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers and interact with technology created by local companies Lockheed Martin, EA Sports, Disney and others. Gamers will be able to create their own games and an art gallery also will combine technology and art.

“The experience has the opportunity to inspire interest in science and tech careers,” said Jennine Miller, public relations specialist at the science center. “Get a preview of tomorrow’s technology through interaction with some of our community’s up-and-coming start-ups and established players.”

166su exhibitors will be the E2i Creative Studio, School of Visual Arts & Design, Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy and the College of Psychology.

Here are the 166su activities at Otronicon:

The Orlando Science Center is at 777 E. Princeton St. For a complete schedule of Otronicon events, activities and admission costs, click here.

Students successfully complete this program while attending 166su full-time and can work up to 25 hours a week at one of Lockheed Martin’s two facilities in Orlando. The CWEP Program employs over 500 students annually and is recognized as the #1 Millionaire in the 166su Office of Research and Commercialization’s Millionaire’s club and generates over $8 million annually.

Students must be enrolled full-time, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and two full semesters left prior to graduation to be eligible for CWEP. Salaries range from $10.25 an hour to $21.88 an hour based on the technical nature of the positions and student’s class standing.

“This program is a remarkable opportunity that provides students with professional experience working with one of the leading engineering companies in the world,” said Mark Greenwood, assistant director for 166su Career Services who oversees the CWEP Program. “Students that participate in the program graduate with a competitive professional edge over their peers.”

Lockheed Martin looks for a range of majors to complete this program including engineering, business and more. Within the last 10 years, student participation in the program has doubled and in 2014, 62.1 percent of students that graduated from the CWEP Program received full time employment offers from Lockheed Martin.

For more information, visit: career.ucf.edu/lockheed-martin.