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Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida Announces New Members and Rising Star Awardees

Oct 28, 2024

Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida Announces New Members and Rising Star Awardees

The Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida plans to induct a record number of new members at its annual meeting in November. Twenty inductees, who represent some of the most distinguished and impactful researchers and professionals in the nation, will be honored at a special ceremony at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando on Nov. 1.

“ASEMFL is an organization that brings together the collective wisdom of National Academy members and other individuals who have made significant accomplishments in science, engineering and medicine,” says Michael Georgiopoulos, the ASEMFL executive director and the dean of the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science. “One of ASEMFL’s goals is to increase the collective wisdom in the academy and the induction of new members accomplishes this. The other major goal of ASEMFL is to support the State of Florida in addressing some of the major challenges impacting the state, and the expanded talent brought to the academy through its annual induction ceremony reinforces this effort.”

Inductees are selected through a rigorous review process that runs from August to April. New members are among the top scholars, experts and entrepreneurs in the fields of science, engineering and medicine who live and/or work in the State of Florida. They are considered for their potential to be inducted into the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine. Members of the national academies who reside and/or work in Florida are automatically given membership to ASEMFL.

With the addition of this year’s inductees, the total membership of ASEMFL nears 250. The 2024 inductees are:

Eduardo C. Alfonso – Kathleen and Stanley J. Glaser Endowed Professor in Ophthalmology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Citation: For clinical and research expertise in eye diseases and surgery, ocular microbiology and administrative skills in healthcare

Dominick J. Angiolillo – Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of the UF Health Cardiovascular Center, University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville
Citation: For unravelling mechanisms of individual response to antiplatelet therapy, pioneering personalized therapies using novel treatments to improve outcomes in heart disease

Scott Angle – Provost and Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Florida
Citation: For phytoremediation and phytomining of useful heavy metals for environmental sustainability and for administrative leadership in Florida agriculture

Susan S. Bell — Distinguished University Professor Emeritus in the Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida
Citation: For distinguished contributions to understanding and restoration of seagrass, mangrove, and coastal habitats of the East Coast, with world-wide application

Jim Cairns – Founder and President, Pontus Subsea Connectors Inc.
Citation: For accomplishments as an inventor/entrepreneur in subsea technologies with applications to national defense, energy production, and early warning systems

Sylvia Daunert – Director of the Dr. JT Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute and Director of the Frost Institutes and University STEM Centers and Institutes, University of Miami
Citation: For using chemistry and understanding of biological processes to develop biosensors and nanotechnology delivery systems to address diverse clinical problems

Patricia A. Davis-Lemessy – Engineering Fellow and Director of Sustaining Engineering for the Interventional Cardiology Division, Cordis Corporation
Citation: For global impact on care and health of patients suffering from cardiovascular disease through innovative discoveries of novel polymer science applications in medicine

Maurice R. Ferre – Chairman and CEO of INSIGHTEC; Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of MAKO Surgical Corp; Founder, President and CEO of Visualization Technology Inc.
Citation: For creating breakthrough technologies that transform healthcare and improve the lives of millions of people around the world

Roger B. Fillingim – Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, University of Florida College of Dentistry
Citation: For substantively advancing the understanding of individuals’ differences in pain and providing outstanding service and leadership, both nationally and locally

James W. Fourqurean – Distinguished University Professor and Associate Director of the Institute of Environment for the Coastlines and Oceans Division, Florida International University
Citation: For being a dedicated marine biologist with over $35M in external funding, creating significant works protecting Florida’s coastlines

Lisa Hightow-Weidman – Distinguished and Endowed McKenzie Professor and Associate Dean for Research, Florida State University College of Nursing
Citation: For being a pioneer and global leader in developing and disseminating digital health interventions addressing HIV prevention and care among adolescents and youth

Stephen Hill – Director of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Electron Magnetic Resonance User Program and Distinguished Professor of Physics, Florida State University
Citation: For development and application of unique high field magnetic resonance techniques for advancing fundamental understanding of molecular magnetic quantum materials

Daniel Joseph – Executive Illusions and Effects Development, Walt Disney Imagineering
Citation: For being a prolific inventor of advanced immersive display technologies used to entertain people around the world

Christiaan Leeuwenburgh – Professor, University of Florida Institute on Aging
Citation: For translating basic discoveries from the biology of aging to improve the life span of older people

Prasant Mohapatra – Provost and Executive Vice President, University of South Florida
Citation: For exemplary leadership in academic affairs and research while making an impact on the quality, performance, and security of wireless networks

Carlos T. Moraes – Esther Lichtenstein Professor in Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Citation: For identifying multiple mitochondrial mutations leading to disease and developing novel therapies to treat them

Dipen Parekh – Chief Operating Officer of the University of Miami Health System and Professor and Chair of Urology Department, University of Miami
Citation: For leadership in advancing genitourinary surgery excellence, establishing that robotic cystectomy was not inferior to open abdomen cystectomy surgery and bringing more women into a male-dominated field

Laura Reina – Distinguished Research Professor and Endowed Joseph F. Owens Professor of Physics, Florida State University
Citation: For fundamental theoretical contributions to the interpretation of collider experiments and leadership in planning for explorations at the energy frontier

Neil Sullivan – Professor of Physics, University of Florida
Citation: For leadership in low temperature and high magnetic field research on quantum fluids and solids and axion dark matter searches

Sylvia Wilson Thomas – Vice President for Research and Innovation and President and CEO of the USF Research Foundation, University of South Florida
Citation: For pioneering advancements of biosensor technologies and electronic applications and for mentorship of underrepresented groups in engineering

In addition to the inductees, the ASEMFL planning committee has also selected the 2024 Rising Stars. These 19 honorees are noted for their contributions to their field and are potential future ASEMFL inductees.

“ASEMFL recognizes the importance of new investigators whose work shows great promise in addressing critical issues towards ensuring the growth and success in its mission,” says Angela Laird, the ASEMFL secretary and a Distinguished University Professor at Florida International University. “These Rising Stars have made significant contributions to science, engineering and medicine and are on the cusp of consideration for full membership in ASEMFL. Through the Rising Stars program, ASEMFL hopes to engage with mid-career researchers more actively throughout the State of Florida, anticipating that these individuals will provide valuable insight for how to grow the society and ensure its continued relevance for current and future generations.”

The 2024 Rising Stars will be recognized during an award ceremony at the ASEMFL annual meeting. The honorees, listed by category, are:

Science

Fabio Aguiar-Alves – Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences
Palm Beach Atlantic University

Citation: For advancing molecular epidemiology, bacterial pathogenesis and COVID-19 detection, mentoring over 50 students and scholars

Alison Dunn – Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of Florida
Citation: For novel mechanics applied to the surfaces of soft, hydrated materials to understand their lubrication behavior

Cassandra Gaston – Associate Professor, Atmospheric Sciences
University of Miami
Citation: For climate, air quality and biogeochemical impacts of African dust on the Caribbean and the Americas

Kenneth Hanson – Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Florida State University
Citation: For progress towards surpassing theoretical solar cell efficiency limits using light energy upconversion

Alya Limayem – Associate Professor, Biology
University of North Florida
Citation: For patented work in pioneering nanotherapeutics against emerging drug resistance, and for top research in renewable resources, enhancing public health safety and security

Sirani Perera – Associate Professor, Mathematics
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Citation: For excellence in applied linear algebra while converging research in applied mathematics, engineering and theoretical computer science

Matthew Sutherland – Associate Professor, Psychology
Florida International University
Citation: For his work on nicotine addiction that clarifies human brain processes contributing to smoking and vaping, which informs treatment and prevention strategies

Engineering

Chen Chen – Associate Professor, Computer Science
University of Central Florida
Citation: For pioneering advancements in real-time, privacy-preserving video analytics and impactful contributions to public safety and healthcare engineering

Ranajay Ghosh – Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of Central Florida
Citation: For pioneering research in nonlinear metamaterials and metasurfaces, significantly advancing the understanding of their nonlinear elasticity, dynamics and dissipative behavior with applications to aerospace and robotics

Daniel Hallinan – Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Citation: For advancing understanding of dynamics in nanostructured polymer materials for sustainable energy

Ahmed Ibrahim Mohamed – Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Florida International University
Citation: Inspired by brain networks and neurological disorders such as Autism, he has designed wireless networks that enable self-driving vehicles and drone-assisted post-disaster recovery

Anna Pyayt – Associate Professor, Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering
University of South Florida
Citation: For significant contributions to sensing applications, artificial intelligence, assistive technology for individuals with blindness, mobile health technologies

Roozbeh Tabrizian – Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Florida
Citation: For pioneering advancements in semiconductor nano-electro-mechanical systems enabling transformative innovations in microwave spectral processing and precision timekeeping

Medicine

Rebecca Pearl – Associate Professor, Clinical and Health Psychology
University of Florida
Citation: For identifying the harms of weight- and health-related stigma and forging new paths to reduce stigma and its adverse effects on health

Azizi Seixas – Associate Professor, Informatics and Health Data Science
University of Miami
Citation: For pioneering AI-driven personalized healthcare, advancing digital health equity, and creating novel technologies through inclusive decentralized trials addressing global health disparities

Diana Sheehan – Associate Professor, Epidemiology
Florida International University
Citation: For illuminating HIV disparities, treatment barriers, and interventions to allow Latino men to benefit from HIV treatment equitably

Sara St. George – Associate Professor, Public Health Sciences
University of Miami
Citation: For her contributions to addressing obesity prevention and treatment among Hispanic families

Lindsay Taliaferro – Associate Professor, Population Health Sciences
University of Central Florida
Citation: For addressing social inequities and health disparities among LGBTQ+ youth by identifying modifiable factors that protect against suicide and facilitate healthcare utilization

Hariom Yadav – Associate Professor, Neurosurgery and Brain Repair
University of South Florida
Citation: For revolutionizing aging research by linking microbiome modulation to improved brain, heart and muscle health

Housed at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, ASEMFL is a not-for-profit organization of top scholars and researchers from universities, public agencies and industries statewide. The purpose of this organization is to establish an association in Florida that undertakes studies, or contracts on its behalf, that are of interest to the State of Florida and/or intend to inform the Florida community of current and future challenges that face our global society, and in particular the State of Florida, and engage in discussions of how these challenges can be addressed.

For more information on the ASEMFL 2024 annual meeting, please visit asemfl.org. For media inquiries or news outreach, please contact Marisa Ramiccio at marisa.ramiccio@ucf.edu.