UCF Professor and Faculty Fellow Abdul-Akeem Sadiq Honored with 2026 Luminary Award
Abdul-Akeem Sadiq, Ph.D., a professor in UCF’s School of Public Administration and Faculty Fellow with the College of Graduate Studies, is being recognized for his trailblazing work in disaster management and public policy with the 2026 Luminary Award.
The annual award honors faculty whose work brings national and international recognition to UCF while expanding the university’s influence across disciplines and communities. Sadiq and seven other faculty members will be celebrated Oct. 20 during the 10th annual Luminary Awards ceremony.
Sadiq’s research focuses on helping governments and communities prepare for complex threats and strengthen their resilience. His interdisciplinary work spans floods, infrastructure failures, human trafficking and other emerging crises, with an emphasis on disaster preparedness, emergency communication, organizational mitigation and equitable disaster response.
His work has taken him from studying mass-fatality management following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti to examining ways communities can strengthen resilience to floods. Through his research and public engagement, Sadiq has contributed to a broader understanding of how communities can prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.
Sadiq earned a joint Ph.D. in public policy from Georgia State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2009. In 2014, he received the National Science Foundation’s Enabling the Next Generation of Hazards and Disasters Researchers Fellowship. In 2016, he served as principal investigator on an NSF-funded project focused on enhancing community resilience to floods.
Sadiq also leads an NSF initiative focused on developing the next generation of hazards and disaster researchers. Through this work, he recently brought scholars from across the country to UCF to strengthen collaboration and workforce development in disaster science. He is also a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, one of the field’s highest professional distinctions.
Now, Sadiq is expanding his impact through mentorship.
He recently began serving as a Mentoring Faculty Fellow with the College of Graduate Studies, where he helps strengthen mentorship opportunities for graduate students and faculty across the university.
As part of the role, Sadiq coordinates the Graduate Enrichment Mentoring Initiative, or GEMiNi. The program supports meaningful mentoring relationships while providing resources, guidance and professional development opportunities that help graduate students succeed academically, professionally, and personally.
For Sadiq, mentoring builds on his commitment to preparing the next generation of researchers and public service leaders. His work demonstrates how research, leadership, and mentorship can come together to strengthen communities and create lasting impact.
From disaster response and community resilience to research development and graduate mentorship, Sadiq’s work reflects the impact celebrated by the Luminary Award — advancing knowledge, strengthening communities, and preparing the leaders who will shape the future.
