In an effort to prepare doctoral students for careers in academia, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has launched the Future Faculty Laureates Program. The goal is to recognize and prepare engineering students interested in careers at Research 1 academic institutions, which are considered very high activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

The inaugural group of selected laureates includes:

• Paul Amoruso ’21 ’23MS – Ph.D. in computer engineering
• Mohammad Hossein Akyash – Ph.D. in electrical engineering
• Zubaidah Al-Mashhdani – Ph.D. in electrical engineering
• Fangzhou Ye – Ph.D. in computer engineering

As Future Faculty Laureates, these students have access to advanced opportunities that include the chance to teach courses, mentor undergraduate students, publish in academic journals, present at STEM conferences and draft research proposals. They can also participate in biweekly seminars at UCF and other universities, and receive a small discretionary budget for conference travel and professional development.

Al-Mashhdani says the program provides a unique and invaluable opportunity for doctoral students who aim to become professors.

“The program is an exceptional resource to prepare for academic roles, something that isn’t typically addressed through formal training for graduate students,” Al-Mashhdani says. “I see this as an incredible chance to learn from experienced faculty, gain insight from their expertise, and grow both personally and professionally.”

Amoruso says he is also grateful for the opportunity to hone his teaching skills, which he began to develop as a teaching assistant in his master’s program.

“When I started working as a teaching assistant, I discovered a new passion for teaching others,” Amoruso says. “One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is the profound sense of satisfaction I feel when I successfully explain a seemingly complex problem or concept, and then watch as students grasp and understand it with clarity and confidence.”

The Future Faculty Laureates Program was developed by professors Ron DeMara and Azadeh Vosoughi to address the gap in STEM curricula for students who want to become faculty members.

Students can be nominated for the program by their dissertation advisor through a formal submission process. Applicants are reviewed by the department’s development committee and the graduate coordinator for final selection by the department chair. Although UCF electrical engineering and computer engineering doctoral students are the only students eligible for the program right now, the department does hope to expand it to multiple STEM disciplines and other universities in the future.

“There’s been a longstanding gap in STEM programs nationally to train future faculty, including great teachers and mentors, beyond attaining technical research aptitudes inherent in every doctoral program,” DeMara says. “So we’ve launched ways to make that interwoven with their degree program, rather than a glimpse in the month before graduation or as an afterthought.”

Those who are interested in participating may contact the department chair, Reza Abdolvand, at reza.abdolvand@ucf.edu.