College of Engineering and Computer Science Honors Awards
Each year, we celebrate the best and the brightest from the College of Engineering and Computer Science and honor an outstanding current student.
Our goal is to recognize the achievements of our alumni, faculty, and students, creating a ripple effect and positively changing the world together. To our past, and future honorees – Thank you for inspiring us to Reach for the Stars.
To nominate an alumni, faculty member, or student that has achieved exceptional personal and professional success in their respective areas, please fill out the form below. The nomination process starts now and ends on November 3. Winners will be announced in early December.
*Self-nominations are not accepted.
Save the Date for the Honors Award Banquet
February 26, 2026
Criteria for Nominations
To be awarded with an Alumni Award, the nominee must meet the following criteria:
- Graduate of the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science (undergraduate or graduate degree)
- Has achieved a level of distinction within the industry that reflects well on UCF and the College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Demonstrates exceptional achievement(s) in the area(s) of community involvement, college engagement, and/or university engagement
- Demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with UCF (i.e. mentoring, volunteering, philanthropy, etc)
To be awarded with a Faculty award, the nominee must meet the following criteria:
- Current faculty of the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science (undergraduate or graduate)
- Has achieved a level of distinction within the industry that reflects well on UCF and the College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Demonstrates exceptional achievement(s) in the area(s) of community involvement, college engagement, and/or Teaching Excellence
- Demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with UCF (i.e. mentoring, volunteering, philanthropy, etc)
To be awarded with a Student award, the nominee must meet the following criteria:
- Current student at the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science as of the date the ceremony takes place (undergraduate or graduate)
- Has achieved a level of distinction within the university that reflects well on the College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Demonstrates exceptional achievement(s) in the area(s) of community involvement, college engagement, and/or professional success
- Demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with UCF (i.e. mentoring, volunteering, philanthropy, etc)
Thank You To Our Sponsors
Past Award Recipients
UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science
Distinguished Awardees
2011 – Benjamin Patz ’85MS
2012 – Oscar Rodriguez ’86
2013 – Vinod Philip ’00MS
2014 – Angel Ruiz ’78
2015 – Ian Ippolito ’93
2016 – Dr. Arun Ramaswamy ’92MS ’94PhD
2018 Spring – Dr. Ankush Oberai ’83 ’18PhD
2018 Fall – Frank A. St. John ’87 ’91MS
2021 – Thomas “Tom” Riordan ’78 ’79MS
2022 – Nicole Stott ’92MS
2023 – Katie Stretch ‘06 ‘13MS
2025 – Ricardo Zaurin ‘08MS ‘09PhDAd Astra Awardees
2015 – Jason Dunn ’07 ’09MS
2016 – Justin Corini ’09
2020 – Rana Rian
2021 – Brianna LaBarge ’13
2022 – Kadi Gashlin ’19
2023 – Sanna Siddiqui ‘12 ‘14MS ‘18PhD
2011 – Benjamin Patz ’85MS
2012 – Oscar Rodriguez ’86
2013 – Vinod Philip ’00MS
2014 – Angel Ruiz ’78
2015 – Ian Ippolito ’93
2016 – Dr. Arun Ramaswamy ’92MS ’94PhD
2018 Spring – Dr. Ankush Oberai ’83 ’18PhD
2018 Fall – Frank A. St. John ’87 ’91MS
2021 – Thomas “Tom” Riordan ’78 ’79MS
2022 – Nicole Stott ’92MS
2023 – Katie Stretch ‘06 ‘13MS
2025 – Ricardo Zaurin ‘08MS ‘09PhDAd Astra Awardees
2015 – Jason Dunn ’07 ’09MS
2016 – Justin Corini ’09
2020 – Rana Rian
2021 – Brianna LaBarge ’13
2022 – Kadi Gashlin ’19
2023 – Sanna Siddiqui ‘12 ‘14MS ‘18PhD
Dept. of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering
2012 – Leila Jammal ’82
2013 – Dr. Tyng-Lin Yang ’92PhD
2014 – David Mulholland ’93
2018 Spring – Jeremy Dilmore ’02 ’05MS
2018 Fall – Dr. Anurag Pande ’03MS ’05PhD
2019 – Denver Stutler, Jr. ’87, ’89MS
2020 – Debra Reinhart
2021 – Taylor Lochrane ’08 ’09MS ’14PhD
2022 – Timothy “Tim” Smith ’98
2023 – Catherine Felter ‘15
2025 – Victor Godlewski ’78, ’80MS
2013 – Dr. Tyng-Lin Yang ’92PhD
2014 – David Mulholland ’93
2018 Spring – Jeremy Dilmore ’02 ’05MS
2018 Fall – Dr. Anurag Pande ’03MS ’05PhD
2019 – Denver Stutler, Jr. ’87, ’89MS
2020 – Debra Reinhart
2021 – Taylor Lochrane ’08 ’09MS ’14PhD
2022 – Timothy “Tim” Smith ’98
2023 – Catherine Felter ‘15
2025 – Victor Godlewski ’78, ’80MS
Dept. of Computer Science
2011 – Lee Carrick ’80
2012 – Jay Hackett ’87 ’89MS
2013 – Dr. Robert Franceschini ’92MS ’99PhD
2014 – Craig Miller ’89MS
2018 Spring – Dan Schiappa ’87-’90
2018 Fall – Dr. Kathryn Kinsley ’79MS ’83PhD
2019 – John Stevens ’96
2020 – Yaser Sheikh
2021 – Omar Javed ’05PhD
2022 – Steve Leonard ’04
2023 – Donna Kocak ’89 ’97MS ’11MS
2025 – Hala ElAarag ‘01PhD
2012 – Jay Hackett ’87 ’89MS
2013 – Dr. Robert Franceschini ’92MS ’99PhD
2014 – Craig Miller ’89MS
2018 Spring – Dan Schiappa ’87-’90
2018 Fall – Dr. Kathryn Kinsley ’79MS ’83PhD
2019 – John Stevens ’96
2020 – Yaser Sheikh
2021 – Omar Javed ’05PhD
2022 – Steve Leonard ’04
2023 – Donna Kocak ’89 ’97MS ’11MS
2025 – Hala ElAarag ‘01PhD
Dean’s Award
2013 – Dr. Robert Kersten
2018 – Dr. Martin Wanielista
2018 – Dr. Martin Wanielista
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
2011 – Dr. James Vinson ’98PhD
2012 – Brian Crutcher ’95
2013 – Dr. Richard Hull ’93MS ’96PhD
2014 – Terence Murphy ’85 ’89MS
2018 Spring – Dr. Shamik Sengupta ’07PhD
2018 Fall – Herb Gingold ’91 ’14MBA
2019 – Philip Dumas ’05
2020 – Randy Morgan
2021 – Osama Abdel-Rahman ’05MS ’07PhD
2022 – Samuel M. Richie ‘80
2023 – Wenkai Wu ‘03PhD
2025 – Jia Di
2012 – Brian Crutcher ’95
2013 – Dr. Richard Hull ’93MS ’96PhD
2014 – Terence Murphy ’85 ’89MS
2018 Spring – Dr. Shamik Sengupta ’07PhD
2018 Fall – Herb Gingold ’91 ’14MBA
2019 – Philip Dumas ’05
2020 – Randy Morgan
2021 – Osama Abdel-Rahman ’05MS ’07PhD
2022 – Samuel M. Richie ‘80
2023 – Wenkai Wu ‘03PhD
2025 – Jia Di
Dept. of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
2011 – Dr. Grace M. Bochenek ’98PhD
2012 – Dr. Adedeji Badiru ’84PhD
2013 – LTC Gregory Fortier ’06MS
2014 – Dr. Thomas O’Neal ’96MS ’96MBA ’05PhD
2018 Spring – Amanda Mitskevich ’92MS
2018 Fall – Dr. Lucy Morse ’82MS ’87PhD
2019 – Tandreia Bellamy ’98MS
2020 – Mark Calabrese
2021 – Angela Balles ’95
2022 – Christal LaVecchia ’01 ’03MS
2023 – Dayana Cope ’00 ‘02MS ‘08PhD
2025 – Andres Vargas ‘15
2012 – Dr. Adedeji Badiru ’84PhD
2013 – LTC Gregory Fortier ’06MS
2014 – Dr. Thomas O’Neal ’96MS ’96MBA ’05PhD
2018 Spring – Amanda Mitskevich ’92MS
2018 Fall – Dr. Lucy Morse ’82MS ’87PhD
2019 – Tandreia Bellamy ’98MS
2020 – Mark Calabrese
2021 – Angela Balles ’95
2022 – Christal LaVecchia ’01 ’03MS
2023 – Dayana Cope ’00 ‘02MS ‘08PhD
2025 – Andres Vargas ‘15
Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
2013 – Dr. Christina Drake ’07PhD
2014 – Ajay Kale ’99MS
2018 Spring – Dr. Petya Georgieva Fernlund ’06PhD
2018 Fall – Dr. David Reid ’12PhD
2019 – Dr. Catherine Kammerer ’13MS, ’15PhD
2020 – Nidhi Nidhi Bhardwaj Bhardwaj
2021 – Islam Salama ’03PhD
2022 – Othmane Benafan ’08BSME ’09MSME ’12PhDME
2023 – Jing Liu ’04MS ‘07PhD
2025 – Sameer Deshpande ’04MS ’07PhD
2014 – Ajay Kale ’99MS
2018 Spring – Dr. Petya Georgieva Fernlund ’06PhD
2018 Fall – Dr. David Reid ’12PhD
2019 – Dr. Catherine Kammerer ’13MS, ’15PhD
2020 – Nidhi Nidhi Bhardwaj Bhardwaj
2021 – Islam Salama ’03PhD
2022 – Othmane Benafan ’08BSME ’09MSME ’12PhDME
2023 – Jing Liu ’04MS ‘07PhD
2025 – Sameer Deshpande ’04MS ’07PhD
Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
2011 – Dr. Munir Sindir ’73
2012 – Joanne Puglisi ’73
2013 – Dr. Daniel Rini ’95 ’97MS ’00PhD
2014 – Paul Mirabella ’75MS
2018 Spring – Zachary Quandt ’84
2018 Fall – Mark Blue ’89 ’08MS ’10MBA
2019 – Michael Piatek ’02, ’05MBA
2020 – Scott Keller
2021 – John Sparkman ’13 ’15MS
2022 – Jennifer Lyons ’92MS
2023 – Eduardo Divo ’96MS ‘98PhD
2025 – Andrea Wesser-Brawner ‘04 ‘08MS
2012 – Joanne Puglisi ’73
2013 – Dr. Daniel Rini ’95 ’97MS ’00PhD
2014 – Paul Mirabella ’75MS
2018 Spring – Zachary Quandt ’84
2018 Fall – Mark Blue ’89 ’08MS ’10MBA
2019 – Michael Piatek ’02, ’05MBA
2020 – Scott Keller
2021 – John Sparkman ’13 ’15MS
2022 – Jennifer Lyons ’92MS
2023 – Eduardo Divo ’96MS ‘98PhD
2025 – Andrea Wesser-Brawner ‘04 ‘08MS