Graduate Student Life

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Orientation is a key part of support from Graduate Student Life, providing year-round resources to help students transition into graduate study. This includes online modules and live sessions that introduce students to UCF and its extensive resources. In the 2024–2025 academic year, 1,465 graduate students attended live orientation sessions, a 67.9% increase from the previous year.

The annual New Graduate Student Orientation and Welcome event in August prepares students for graduate education and campus life. In 2024, 752 students attended in person at the UCF Student Union Pegasus Ballroom, while 713 joined live virtual orientations for the Summer 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters. These efforts set the stage for Grad Launch: Graduate Student Orientation, a new initiative developed with Advantage Design to expand access to key information and enhance the orientation experience for spring 2026 admits.

Graduate Community Building and Professional Development

The collaboration with the Office of Student Involvement continued in 2024, with the mission of connecting the graduate community and improving the graduate student experience at UCF.

This year, Graduate Student Life hosted over 60 social and professional development events. 5,347 attendees engaged in social and professional development activities throughout the year. These events, funded in part by the Student Government, included professional headshot sessions, networking events, and opportunities for graduate students to connect throughout the campus. Social events varied from tailgates before UCF athletics games to downtown campus takeovers and graduation celebrations held across the main campus.

New this year, we focused on activities at the beginning and end of the semesters to spark engagement, emphasizing networking and helping students begin their semester strong. As semesters progressed, Lunch and Learns with internal and external partners, including Toastmasters International, added energy and variety to professional development offerings. These initiatives highlight the expanding support for graduate students through Graduate Student Life, while maintaining popular ongoing programs, such as the First Wednesday Café, which draws an average of 68 students each month.

Graduate Student Center

The Graduate Student Center (GSC) is at the heart of UCF’s vibrant graduate community. Our graduate ambassadors play a key role in fostering a warm and inclusive environment by organizing events, sharing campus resources, and managing daily operations. Located on the second floor of Trevor Colbourn Hall, the GSC boasts unique spaces that enable the College to host a variety of events and programs tailored to the unique needs of our graduate students.

The Center offers a variety of spaces and resources to support graduate student success. Students can use conference rooms for meetings, thesis or dissertation defenses, and studying, all equipped with video and audio-conferencing technology. GSC also provides access to a data analysis room with specialized software, a multipurpose area for individual or group work, and a 48-seat presentation room for larger meetings, events, and workshops.

In addition, the Graduate Student Center’s professional-quality poster printing service has become an essential resource for research presentation needs. In 2024–2025, the service supported 338 students in preparing posters for events such as UCF Student Research Week’s Student Scholar Symposium, in addition to 28 campus partners, using the printer a combined 92 times for their own programs and initiatives. Overall, the Center welcomed 5,662 student visits, serving as a welcoming hub where students connect, collaborate, and build community.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

Originally inspired by the University of Queensland, the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition celebrates exciting research conducted by graduate students. The competition helps graduate students develop presentation and research communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the significance of their research to a panel of non-specialist judges. 3MT competitions are held at more than 900 universities across 85 countries worldwide.

In 2024, the competition expanded to two rounds. The first round, held in October, 40 students who met the eligibility criteria delivered their research or creative scholarship, with 20 advancing to the November finals. The event, held in the Cape Florida Ballroom of the UCF Student Union, featured presentations in both master’s and doctoral categories. Videos of all participants are available on the UCF College of Graduate Studies YouTube playlist.

Judges:

3MT on our YouTube channel

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Student Research Week

The 19th Annual Student Research Week celebrated UCF student research across a variety of engaging events. Highlights of the 2025 program included the Student Scholar Symposium, the expanded Impact of Research Competition in partnership with the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, professional development workshops, the Creative Scholarship Symposium, and the Excellence Awards recognizing outstanding student achievement.

This year, the Impact of Research Competition expanded to two locations: Main Campus and Downtown. Sixteen undergraduate and graduate students participated, delivering oral presentations that showcased the broader significance of their research.

Impact Participants at UCF Downtown Finalists

Sarah Alasmar, Public Policy MPP
Sarah Hall, Education Leadership EdD, Executive Track​ (First Place Awardee)
Joaquin Royer, Digital Media BA
Kassadi Smith, Security Studies, PhD (Third Place Awardee)
Rachel Totaram, Public Affairs PhD (Second Place Awardee)
Mario Villavincia, Feature Film Production MFA
Samantha Yearwood, Criminal Justice BS

Impact Participants at UCF Main Campus Finalists

Kelly Clevenger, Communication Sciences and Disorders BA
Maya Eusebio, Computer Science BS
Sun Latt, Biomedical Sciences BS (First Place Awardee)
Rishi Nair, Biomedical Sciences BS (Third Place Awardee)
Pritha Sarkar, Material Science and Engineering, PhD (Second Place Awardee)
Alicia Thoney, Computer Engineering MSCpE
Nishtha Tikalal, Physics BA
Aili Wu, Hospitality Management PhD

The signature event is the Student Scholar Symposium, featuring graduate and undergraduate students presenting their research and creative work to the UCF community. The Symposium features five poster sessions over two days in the UCF Student Union.

In 2024, a total of 271 graduate students (a 19.4% increase from the previous year) presented 211 projects as part of the Symposium. Overall, 818 students (a 92.8% increase) presented 654 projects (an 85.76% increase). A panel of 198 UCF faculty and staff judged the competition, awarding more than $40,000 in scholarships.

Stacie Becker (Emerging Media, MFA)
A Visual Exploration of the Impact of Societal Norms on Individuality
Mentored by Jason Burrell, MFA, School of Visual Arts and Design

Rachel Totaram (Public Affairs PhD)  
Comparing Experiences of Stigma in Medication-Assisted Recovery Anonymous versus 12-Step Groups: A Qualitative Study  
Mentored by Barbara Andraka-Christou, JD, PhD, School of Global Health Management and Informatics

Daejhanae Smith (Physics PhD) 
Studying Dormant Comets Among Asteroids via a Remnant Emission Survey Tool (REST)
Mentored by Yan Fernandez, PhD, Department of Physics

Joseph Goode (Biomedical Sciences PhD)  
Overcoming Immunosuppression in Pancreatic Cancer: Efficacy of Polyamine Blockade and Anti-PD-1 Combinational Therapy 
Mentored by Deborah Altomare, PhD, College of Medicine

Joseph Ciurca (Biomedical Engineering MS)
Fluid Dynamics Modeling for the Interpretation of Organ-on-a-Chip Systems
Mentored by James Hickman, PhD,  Department of Chemistry 

Kworweinski Lafontant (Kinesiology PhD)
Effect of a Physio-Feedback-Based Exercise Program on Physical Function and Body Composition Among Low-Income Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Mentored by David H. Fukuda, PhD, Jeffrey R. Stout, PhD, School of Kinseiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, and Ladda Thiamwong, PhD, College of Nursing

Amanda Tanner (Chemistry PhD)
Biodiesel Formation Catalyzed by Mechanically Milled Seed Shells  
Mentored by Michael Hampton, PhD, Department of Chemistry 

Jonatas de Mendonca Rolando (Biomedical Sciences PhD)
Cardiotoxic Mechanisms of Ponatinib: From Inflammation to Cardiac Dysfunction
Mentored by Dinender K. Singla, PhD,  College of Medicine 

Rebecca Carson (Physical Therapy DPT)
Past Injury History Predicts Current Functional Movement Screen™ Scores in Collegiate Club Ice Hockey Players
Mentored by L. Colby Mangum, PhD, School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences

Haylee Hollis, Mariana Mazzocca, Emily Riggs (Athletic Training MAT)
M-Mode Ultrasound Assessment During Common Core Endurance Exercises in Athletes
Mentored by L. Colby Mangum, PhD, School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences

Syeda Faiza Rubab Sherazi (Physics PhD)
Revealing the Active Site Local Atomic Environment of Oxide-supported Ag Single Atom Catalyst
Talat S Rahman, PhD, Department of Physics

Jazmyn Donovan (Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology PhD)
Stress, Performance, and Personality: Exploring the Effects of Social Facilitation in Vigilance Tasks
Mentored by James Szalma, PhD, Department of Psychology 

Hanifa Bakar, Mary Chaffin, Angela Le (Management MSM, Integrated Business Track)
How Can Emerging Technologies Reduce Workplace Stress in High-Pressure Environments, Including Theme Parks and Hotels, with Scalable Solutions?
Mentored by Carlos Valdez, PhD, Department of Integrated Business 

Mazharul Islam Mondal (Physics PhD)
3Observation of Multiple Flat Bands and Van-Hove Singularities in the Distorted Kagome Metal NdTi3Bi4
Mentored by Madhab Neupane, PhD, Department of Physics 

MD Roxy Islam (Physics PhD)
A New Strategy From a Sustainable Source: Membrane Capacitors From Clays
Mentored by Kausik Mukhopadhyay, PhD, Department of Materials Science and Engineering 

Leaford Henderson  (Materials Science and Engineering PhD)
MnO2 Cathode Nanocomposite and Electrolyte Engineering for High-Performance Zinc Ion Batteries
Mentored by Jayan Thomas, PhD, Department of Materials Science and Engineering 

Nurun Naher (Computer Science PhD)
Interpretable Models for Near-real-time Prediction of Team Cognitive Workload in Complex Sociotechnical Environments Using Behavioral and Physiological Data
Mentored by Stephen M. Fiore, PhD, School of Modeling, Simulation and Training 

Tangila Islam Tanni (Computer Science PhD)
GenAI at Work: Sharing Professional Content Against Better Judgment
Mentored by Yan Solihin, PhD, Department of Computer Science 

Ridhwana Appiah (Biomedical Sciences PhD)
Investigating Natural Proline-Rich Antimicrobial Peptides (PrAMPs) Activity Towards Klebsiella Pneumoniae
Mentored by Renee Fleeman, PhD, College of Medicine 

Wesley Lim (Biomedical Sciences PhD) 
Loss of LMAN1 in Airway Epithelial Cells Improves Mitochondrial Function and Inhibits Apoptosis in Response to Alternaria Alternata
Mentored by Justine T. Tigno-Aranjuez, PhD, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences 

Nathan Becker (Security Studies PhD)
U.S. Army Enlistments and the Danger of a “Warrior Caste”
Mentored by Kelsey Larsen, PhD, School Of Politics, Security, And International Affairs 

Jennyfer Vivas Gomez (Electrical Engineering PhD)
An Asymmetric Electrode Layout Apodization for Suppressing Spurious Modes in Lithium Niobate Lamb-Wave Resonators
Mentored by Reza Abdolvand, PhD, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 

Harvey Cajina, Imran Miyanji, Anais Pain (Physical Therapy DPT)  
Expectations and Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial on Pain Sensitivity After High- and Low-Exertion Exercise
Mentored by Matt S. Stock, PhD, School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences

Hannah Bynum, Laura Florez, Madison Lamb (Physical Therapy DPT)
Factors Impacting the Preparedness of Doctor of Physical Therapy Students – a Qualitative Study
Mentored by William Hanney, PhD, School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences

Sarah Swiersz (Interdisciplinary Studies MA)
Sea-Level Rise and Climate Justice for Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples
Mentor: Patricia Carlton, PhD, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies 

Doyal Kumar Sarker (Mechanical Engineering PhD)
Development of an AI-Enabled Predictive Hydrodynamics Model for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (FOWT)
Mentored by Tuhin Das, PhD, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 

Lauren Labuhn (Sociology PhD)
Perceptions of College Adjustment Amongst First-Year Latino/a/x Students
Mentored by Kim Anderson, PhD, School of Social Work 

Tina Glatz (Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences MS)
Obesogenic Behaviors and Health Outcomes of Children with Dyslexia During Summer Versus School Months 
Mentored by Keith Brazendale, PhD, Department of Health Sciences 

Christopher McCombs, Danielle Bucknor, Tetsuei Okusaki (Physical Therapy DPT)
Reliability of Athletic Ability Assessment Between Real-Time and Video Raters
Mentored by L. Colby Mangum, PhD, School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences

Randi Richardson, Kaitlyn Campbell, Kaitlyn Lackey, Austin Plymill (Physical Therapy DPT)
Improvements in Army Combat Fitness Test Performance Among New ROTC Cadets: The Influence of Sleep, Body Composition, and Muscle Quality
Mentored by Matt S. Stock, PhD, School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences 

Mahdi Soudi (Physics PhD)  
Structural Color Eco-Smart Coatings: Revolutionizing Energy Efficiency with Radiative Thermal Management
Mentored by Debashis Chanda, PhD, Department of Physics 

Maren Mainx (Security Studies PhD)
The Effects of Visual Cues on Stress Legacies and Perception of Police
Mentored by Kelsey Larsen, PhD, School Of Politics, Security, And International Affairs 

Lillie del Real (Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology PhD)
Utilizing Subjective Ratings With Machine Learning for Deepfake Face Classification  
Mentored by Mark Neider, PhD, Department of Psychology 

Kenyari Gil Rosario (Emerging Media MFA)
Finding through Feeling: Experiencing the Spectrum of Mental Health through Art and Polite Humor
Mentored by Jason Burrell, MFA, School of Visual Arts and Design 

Melissa Marks (Anthropology MA)
Into the Matrix: Linear and 3D Analysis of the Talus for Biological Sex Estimation
Mentored by Lana Williams, PhD, Sarah Freidline, PhD, and Michael Callaghan, PhD, Department of Anthropology 

Nabila Shahnaz Khan (Computer Science PhD)
GINClus: RNA Structural Motif Clustering Using Graph Isomorphism Network
Mentored by Shaojie Zhang, PhD, Department of Computer Science 

Varun Singh (Civil Engineering MS)
Towards Natural Disaster Resilience: Predictive Modeling of Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spreading  Mentored by Weiwei Zhan, PhD, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering 

Omonzejie Imaralu (Biomedical Sciences PhD)
Lipid Dysregulation Induces PCSK9-TNFα Mediated Inflammatory Mechanism in Anti-Cancer Drug (Doxorubicin) Induced Cardiomyopathy
Mentored by Dinender Singla, PhD, College of Medicine 

Funke Anuoluwapo Dada (Education PhD, Methodology, Measurement and Analysis Track)
From Tradition to Innovation: Comparing Neural Networks and Traditional Methods for Bias Reduction Mentored by Debbie Hahs-Vaughn, PhD, and M.H. Clark, PhD, Department of Learning Sciences and Educational Research 

FNU Himanshu (Physics PhD)
Observation of Dirac Cone and Flat Band in an In-Plane Ferromagnetic Kagome Metal
Mentored by Madhab Neupane, PhD, Department of Physics