Whether you鈥檙e attending a job fair or trying to advance to the interview stage for a position you鈥檙e applying for, you can increase your chances of success by following some tried-and-true tips from UCF鈥檚 .

How can you make a strong impression on your job interview?

• Know your professional story/prepare your elevator pitch
• Offer a confident greeting, handshake and smile
• Think about two to three key selling points about your professional self. For UCF students, start with your major/expected graduation and talk about related skills/experience including student clubs and class projects
• Research employers and showcase your knowledge in conversation
• Give examples to back up your answers. Storytelling is a big part of the interview experience.

How can you craft an effective elevator pitch?

Your elevator pitch introduces you to recruiters in 30-60 seconds. Follow the present-past-future format:

• Present: What are you currently studying? What鈥檚 your major or program?
• Past: Highlight a recent relevant experience (e.g., internship, research project, volunteer work).
• Future: State your career goals and explain why you鈥檙e excited to connect with this employer.

What are some ways you can make your resume stand out in a pile?

• A resume should be concise, organized marketing document highlighting your education, experiences and achievements; its purpose is to secure an interview and evolve with your professional growth.
• Keep formatting clean and consistent: 1-inch margins, 1 page (up to 2 max), standard 10- to 12-point fonts, professional appearance and easy-to-scan layout.
• Focus content on relevance: tailor to the position, connect transferable skills, emphasize contributions and quantify results whenever possible.
• Use strong writing mechanics: start bullets with action verbs, maintain consistent verb tense (present for current roles, past for previous) and keep statements concise.
• Include core sections as appropriate: Heading, objective (optional but tailored), education (reverse chronological order), summary of qualifications (skills-focused) and experience (employment, internships, research, projects).
• Add optional sections when relevant: Activities, leadership, honors/awards, publications or research.

What software or AI tools can help build your resume?

• is a fantastic tool available to all students by logging in with their NID credentials
• VMock is a 24/7 virtual career assistant that utilizes technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and sophisticated analytics engine to deliver instant, personalized, and smart career guidance to students and professionals.
• Do not rely only on AI to write content for your resume. Double check wonky spelling/grammar and word choices to make sure it is your voice.
• Be aware that employers are now reviewing resumes and running them through plagiarism detection software to check for AI.
• Utilize AI (VMock can do this) to make sure your resume matches the language in the job description closely enough so that it will pass through applicant tracking systems successfully.

What questions should job candidates ask the interviewer?

Typically, it鈥檚 best to focus on two to three questions to have prepared to ask at the end of the interview.

• Ask about the company culture. What is it like to work there?
• Ask about the position or opportunity in a way that helps you learn more than what you have already learned on your own research. In your opinion, what qualities/traits do you look for in an ideal candidate to be successful in the role?
• Ask about what to expect in the interview process. What are next steps?

Are there any best practices for following up after an interview?

Within 24 hours, send personalized thank-you emails to the recruiters you spoke with that include:

• A brief recap of your conversation
• An expression of gratitude
• A question or statement to keep the dialogue going

As artificial intelligence (AI), virtual assistants and robots become increasingly woven into everyday life, more researchers are asking this question: What happens when technology stops being just a tool and becomes something we can communicate with?

UCF faculty have spent years helping create a field dedicated to finding the answers.

“Human-machine communication is about studying how humans perceive and interact with technology as a communicator rather than simply as a tool.”

This summer, human-machine communication (HMC) reached a major milestone when the International Communication Association (ICA) elevated it from an interest group to an official Division, recognizing it as an established area of communication research. The achievement reflects the rapid growth of a field exploring how emerging technologies are reshaping the way people communicate, form relationships and make decisions.

“Human-machine communication is about studying how humans perceive and interact with technology as a communicator rather than simply as a tool,” UCF College of Sciences Professor Jihyun Kim says. “It’s about communicating with machine agents as interaction partners.”

Among those who helped shape the field are faculty members Kim and Professor Patric Spence, whose leadership has contributed to HMC’s development both at UCF and within the international research community.

When Technology Becomes the Communicator

Traditional studies of technology-mediated communication typically examine technology as a channel connecting people. HMC shifts the focus to interactions between people and technologies such as AI assistants, social robots and virtual companions.

Researchers explore how these interactions can influence everything from trust and relationships to decision-making and communication.

Although scholars have studied human-computer interaction for decades, HMC is a relatively young field within the communication discipline. It formally emerged in 2015, bringing together researchers interested in studying machines not simply as tools, but as communicators.

Since then, the rapid adoption of generative AI has accelerated both public interest and scholarly research.

Kim, who recently completed a four-year leadership term with ICA’s Human-Machine Communication Interest Group, witnessed that growth firsthand.

“During my four years in leadership, I saw a drastic increase in the volume of HMC research,” she says. “I also saw scholars from interpersonal communication, organizational communication, public relations and many other communication specialties begin collaborating to better understand AI from their own perspectives.”

“We’re studying how humans perceive AI and communicate with it for good outcomes.”

But as public conversations increasingly focus on whether AI could replace human work or relationships, Kim says that鈥檚 a common misconception about human-machine communication research.

“A lot of times people assume we’re glorifying AI, but that’s not what we study,” Kim says. “We’re studying how humans perceive AI and communicate with it for good outcomes.”

Her own research explores how people perceive and interact with AI or machine agents and how people can instead use AI to strengthen, rather than replace, human relationships.

“I’m studying augmentation,鈥� Kim says. 鈥淗ow can AI help strengthen the relationships we already have? How can we communicate with AI more effectively, so it enhances our social relationships instead of replacing them?”

Building a Scholarly Home

As interest in HMC grew, so did the need for a dedicated scholarly community.

Spence was among the founding members who organized the first HMC post-conference in 2016, creating one of the first formal spaces where researchers with shared interests could collaborate and exchange ideas.

“Through our research and leadership, we’ve helped put UCF on the international stage.”

He later helped establish the journal, which launched in 2020 and is hosted under a UCF domain. Before its creation, researchers published HMC studies across broader communication journals, as no publication was dedicated exclusively to the emerging field. The journal provided a central platform for sharing HMC research and scholarship, building an international academic community, and further positioning UCF as a leader in the discipline.

“Whenever we do something meaningful in this field, UCF is represented alongside that achievement,” Kim says. “Through our research and leadership, we’ve helped put UCF on the international stage.”

Kim continued that work during her tenure as vice chair and later chair of ICA鈥檚 Human-Machine Communication Interest Group.聽 She focused on mentoring early-career researchers, expanding the field’s international presence and helping prepare the review dossier that ultimately led to HMC’s elevation to Division status.

From Momentum to Milestone

For Kim, the new designation signals more than organizational growth.

“[The recognition] especially matters for junior scholars because they’re contributing to a discipline that’s formally recognized by the world’s largest communication association.”

“Having this formal recognition within the International Communication Association sends the message that human-machine communication is now an established field,” Kim says. “It especially matters for junior scholars because they’re contributing to a discipline that’s formally recognized by the world’s largest communication association.”

The milestone is expected to create new opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration, including partnerships with researchers studying AI from technical, behavioral and social perspectives.

And as AI continues to evolve, Kim believes HMC will continue growing alongside it, helping researchers better understand not only the technologies themselves but also the people who use them.

“We want to make sure it’s not about studying bad things,” Kim says. “It’s about how we can leverage what AI offers to improve our lives and how we can communicate more effectively.”

What happens when graduate students go beyond the classroom to tackle real-world artificial intelligence (AI) challenges facing the financial industry?

At 糖心logo入口鈥檚 , that experience comes to life in the FinTech-AI Lab.

The lab puts fintech master’s students to work on complex AI and machine learning problems alongside faculty researchers and industry mentors. Beyond technical expertise, the experience gives students a front-row seat to how AI is being used to solve business challenges and the opportunity to contribute to what comes next.

Established to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry innovation, the lab pairs selected students with leading industry organizations to develop solutions with the potential to influence products, improve decision-making and drive innovation across financial technology.

Each semester, just two to four students are selected through a competitive process based on academic performance and faculty interviews. Instead of completing a traditional capstone project, they join a faculty-led research team conducting applied AI research for industry partners.

Partnership Powering Innovation

One of the lab’s most impactful collaborations is with Equifax, a global leader in data, analytics and technology.

Together with Miller College of Business faculty, Equifax identifies high-impact business challenges, provides resources and mentors students throughout the research process. Fintech faculty members, Associate Professor Cuneyt Akcora and Assistant Professor Yafei Zhang, lead the lab鈥檚 research initiatives, meeting weekly with student teams and collaborating with Equifax to review progress and refine projects.

Students spend more than a year working on AI research, gaining an experience that closely resembles a part-time industry internship.

鈥淭he partnership shows what makes UCF鈥檚 master鈥檚 in fintech distinctive,鈥� Zhang says. 鈥淪tudents not only learn finance, AI and data science in the classroom; they apply these tools to real industry problems with guidance from faculty and industry mentors. In the AI era, that kind of hands-on, corporate-partnered experience is essential.鈥�

Turning AI Skills Into Industry Solutions

The impact of the FinTech-AI Lab comes to life through the work of its students, whose research tackles real challenges facing the financial industry.

Fintech graduate student Michael Azzi set out to help address synthetic identity fraud, the fastest-growing financial crime in the United States.

Azzi developed an address-intelligence framework that combines Google’s Gemini large language model, the Google Places API and a rule-based risk engine to identify high-risk addresses, including virtual offices and private mailbox services. The approach could help improve fraud detection within consumer credit files.

“Working on synthetic identity fraud detection at Equifax showed me how AI can be applied to real-world business challenges,鈥� Azzi says. 鈥淏eing able to combine large language models with live address intelligence to help protect consumers made this one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on.”

Another fintech graduate student, Clare Anandra Eric Hamissi, investigated how government intervention programs, including stimulus payments and loan forbearance, influenced consumer default risk.

Her findings revealed that lower-income consumers and those with lower credit scores experienced the greatest reductions in default risk.

The projects don鈥檛 necessarily end when the research does. When a project demonstrates strong business potential, Equifax evaluates the results for possible productization or internal implementation, giving students the opportunity to contribute to solutions that could make a measurable impact across the financial industry.

Opening the Door to Experiential Learning

The FinTech-AI Lab demonstrates the Miller College of Business鈥� commitment to experiential learning while providing students with a new way to prepare for and help shape an AI-driven future.

Students gain experience working with enterprise-scale data, collaborating with faculty researchers and industry professionals, and solving problems at the intersection of finance, AI and data science.

As the lab prepares to welcome its third cohort of fintech student researchers this fall, it continues to set UCF鈥檚 Master鈥檚 in FinTech program apart. Students don鈥檛 just learn about AI, machine learning and financial technology 鈥� they put that knowledge to work alongside faculty and industry experts, solving real business challenges with the potential to influence products and business decisions.

The UCF master鈥檚 in fintech is a STEM-designated graduate program that prepares the next generation of fintech leaders through AI, data analytics and emerging financial technologies. The first program of its kind in Florida, the program is offered each fall with in-person and online options.

聽Applications are now open for Fall 2027.

The top three finalists from the new program, organized by UCF Alumni, are creating jobs, strengthening communities and introducing innovative approaches in industries ranging from health care and hospitality to technology, finance and motorsports.

Their origin stories are shaped by education, family, friendships, unexpected career turns and the ability to adapt. UCF helped the Ever Upward honorees build the knowledge, relationships and confidence to turn their ideas into impact. Rodney M. Grabowski, UCF鈥檚 senior vice president for and CEO of the UCF Foundation, connected the honorees鈥� work to the university鈥檚 founding mission.

鈥淯CF was founded to support the space program … to launch humanity even further. And that spirit still defines us today,鈥� Grabowski says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e launching students into careers and leadership positions in every industry. We鈥檙e launching ideas from our classrooms and labs into the real world.鈥�

Recognizing Excellence

Ever Upward is UCF鈥檚 first program recognizing the fastest-growing Knight-owned and Knight-led businesses around the world. The 2026 rankings were based on cumulative percentage revenue growth over a consecutive three-year period, using calendar years 2022 through 2024.

Explore ways to

UCF Alumni accepted applications in January before announcing the top 25 finalists in June. Companies were ranked by percentage of cumulative annual growth in revenue. The final rankings were revealed at a special celebration in August.

Grabowski says, 鈥淭he success of Knight-led businesses is part of the momentum shaping UCF鈥檚 future. Through the university鈥檚 $3.5 billion campaign, UCF is investing in people, ideas, research and partnerships that will help bring tomorrow within reach.鈥�

鈥淭hese companies demonstrate the transformational power of entrepreneurship,鈥� says Mike Harding, UCF associate vice president for partnerships. 鈥淎s they grow, their success creates opportunities for employees, strengthens the industries and communities they serve and inspires other entrepreneurs to pursue their own ideas.鈥�

Learn more about this year鈥檚 top three finalists.聽

No. 3: Reception 24/7

Ryan Rapolti 鈥�11MBA, founder and CEO of Reception 24/7, traces his approach to leadership to experiences he had at home.

Rapolti watched his mother return to college while raising a family, which shaped his understanding of perseverance. His stepfather鈥檚 work in vocational rehabilitation also influenced his belief that business can be a vehicle for helping people.

Those influences became part of the foundation for Reception 24/7, which provides around-the-clock answering services for businesses. As artificial intelligence reshapes customer service, the company combines aspects of that technology with human support so clients can remain responsive and accessible. Rapolti applies the same people-first philosophy to the company鈥檚 workplace culture.

For Rapolti, innovation begins with understanding what both clients and employees need, then using technology to strengthen rather than replace human connection.

“You take away so many things from the UCF experience 鈥� not just what you learn in a textbook or from the professor, but from the people sitting next to you,鈥� says Rapolti. 鈥淚 am so excited to have been in the top three. Being able to grow quickly is great. Hopefully it will allow us to hire more UCF graduates and continue to do great things with the university.鈥�

No. 2: Sebring Driving Club

Four years ago, W. Paul Jones 鈥�94 had a choice to make: accept his fate or pivot.

Jones was the longtime managing director of the Palm Beach Driving Club before the historic raceway shuttered its gates in 2022. When an opportunity to purchase the聽Sebring International Raceway appeared in front of him, Jones decided to take action.

Jones, who had extensive hospitality management experience, returned to his longtime interest when he founded the Sebring Driving Club, creating memorable experiences in the form of a private driving community. The club gives members access to Sebring International Raceway and a place to connect through a shared interest in motorsports.

By turning the traditional track experience into a year-round membership community, Jones found a new business model.

Jones challenges aspiring entrepreneurs to take the leap and dare to chart their own paths forward.

鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to fail,鈥� says Jones. 鈥淪tart your company and keep on going. Go at it with passion.鈥�

No. 1: Coastal Investment Company

For Coastal Investment Company founders Keith Ahrens 鈥�08, Travis Barr 鈥�09, Tyler Bloechinger 鈥�09 and Carey Sobel 鈥�09, entrepreneurship was shaped by friendships that began at UCF.

The partners built a diversified investment company that acquires and grows businesses across multiple industries. Their model combines complementary expertise with a hands-on approach to identifying opportunities, supporting leadership teams and helping companies reach their next stage of growth.

They credit UCF with providing the mentors, networks and entrepreneurial environment that gave them the confidence to take risks and ultimately launch Coastal together. Those connections remain central to the company鈥檚 culture, from hiring fellow Knights and drawing talent from their UCF networks to mentoring students and young alumni.

“We met at UCF, continued on, kept in touch and pushed each other,鈥� says Bloechinger. 鈥淩elationships are so important. People are what will lead to your success.鈥�

Coastal鈥檚 approach shows how different perspectives and complementary strengths can create a more collaborative model for growth.

Celebrating the Top 25

Interested in Ever Upward? Details about the next application period, including eligibility for 2027 honorees, will be announced at .

See the final rankings below.

1. Coastal Investment Company

• Tyler Bloechinger 鈥�09聽

• Keith Ahrens 鈥�08聽

• Travis Barr 鈥�09聽

• Carey Sobel 鈥�09聽

2. Sebring Driving Club

• W. Paul Jones 鈥�94聽

3. Reception 24/7

• Ryan Rapolti 鈥�11MBA

4. Orange Tree Staffing

• Mardly Smith 鈥�95聽

• Craig Smith 鈥�94聽

5. Quadrant Engineering, P.C.

• Rafiqul Chowdhury 鈥�09 鈥�11MS聽

6. Island Direct Primary Care

• John Rothwell III 鈥�13 鈥�15MS 鈥�18DNP

7. Martin Aquatic Design and Engineering

• Josh Martin 鈥�07聽

8. Maymont Senior Care

• Nichole Blake-Little 鈥�15聽

9. Boys Electrical Contractors

• Kyle Nylander 鈥�02 鈥�09聽

10. Brewlando

• Shara Sooknarine Pathak 鈥�04

11. Qu5 Services, Inc.

• Zachary Quandt 鈥�84聽

12. I’m All Ears

• Shelby Roemer 鈥�08

13. Strategos Group

• Adam Giery 鈥�08 鈥�11MA聽

14. CJS Communications

• Christopher Slaven 鈥�13聽

• Alexander Fackler Sr. 鈥�11聽

15. Space Coast Pool School

• Lauren Broom 鈥�00聽

16. Buckalew Hospitality

• David “Skee” Buckalew 鈥�05

17. Knight Federal Solutions

• Chris Baeten 鈥�03聽

18. Boston Data Pro, LLC

• Rajeev Verma 鈥�04MS

19. McGinniss Himmel Insurance Agency

• Allen McGinniss 鈥�05

20. Threaded Marketing Group

• Kelly Jo Jefferis 鈥�04聽

21. Garney Construction

• Matthew Reaves 鈥�05聽

22. aVenue Event Group

• Sean Hughes Jr. 鈥�10聽

23. S Cook Productions, LLC

• Stacey Cook 鈥�99聽

24. Global Ktech

• Kannan Srinivasan 鈥�96MS聽

25. Kavaliro

• Mark Moore 鈥�99聽

• John Mahony 鈥�96

• Diane Mahony 鈥�96 鈥�01MEd聽

• Bill Peppler 鈥�96聽

鈥淭o lead this amazing team and help change the lives of people with disabilities,鈥� Marino says, summarizing the impact of his work before emphasizing the impact it鈥檚 made on him, 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 living a dream every single day.鈥�

A number of factors, personal and professional, feed Marino鈥檚 enthusiasm.

He was once given only a slim chance to walk again. He knows how it feels to vanquish doubt and has witnessed dramatic changes in others because someone believed in them, perhaps for the first time.

He funnels all of this 鈥� passion, teamwork and life experiences 鈥� into his why: Discover better strategies to help more people read, learn and find meaningful employment.

鈥淧eople with learning disabilities are all around us,鈥� says Marino, a professor of special education in the College of Community Innovation and Education. 鈥淭here isn鈥檛 a moment that goes by when I鈥檓 not thinking about how I can make a difference for them.鈥�

His resolve has led to $75.5 million in funding for 18 research projects since 2011. The most recent months, however, have been stunning, with technology unlocking so many doors that Marino can hardly believe what鈥檚 happening.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in a spot with AI that I never thought I鈥檇 see in my lifetime,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t means our opportunities to give people hope are growing.鈥�

Using Tech to Better Serve People

The field of special education is complicated. Disorders, spectrums, challenges that change with age, processing delays, they鈥檙e all part of a giant melting pot.

Marino boils his work down to the largest group: those who have specific learning disabilities 鈥� about 2.4 million students in the United States.

鈥淢ost of them face a constant battle to identify letters and translate them into sounds and words,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he same is true with math symbols and numbers. It takes a ton of persistence to do basic classwork.鈥�

Unfortunately, frustration often leads capable, intelligent people to give up.

鈥淏ut our work with AI is changing everything,鈥� Marino says. He puts us in the shoes of a student to illustrate. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e studying the complexities of cells, trying to read cumbersome texts about mitochondria and osmosis. Now we can show you how to use AI to code words, phrases or symbols and translate them into understandable text.鈥�

The material can be converted to slide decks, podcasts and videos. A process that used to take five days to complete can be done in one minute.

鈥淲hat matters most is that students can learn,鈥� Marino says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a gamechanger for teachers, too. Instead of spending an hour presenting information, they can focus on the reason they love teaching: to give students a better future.鈥�

This far exceeds the futuristic vision Marino brought to UCF in 2011.

He didn鈥檛 even intend to accept a position when he came from Washington State University for an interview.

鈥淚鈥檓 an early adopter of technology,鈥� he says. 鈥淥n that trip, I was introduced to UCF鈥檚 work in VR, AR and . I told my wife, 鈥業 think we need to come here.鈥欌��

He immediately dove in, earning research grants and contracts from agencies like the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Office of Special Education Programs, and Institute of Educational Sciences. He鈥檚 layered the newest advancements into each project.

The progress made, according to Marino, has mostly come from a force more powerful than technology alone: the team of experts at TJEEI.

鈥淭hey have siblings who never thrived because of dyslexia or they鈥檝e cared for a family member with memory loss,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen a student comes in with a story, at least one of us can relate to it.鈥�

Turning Obstacles into Impact

As for Marino鈥檚 own story, he recites the date as easily as his birthday: Sept. 23, 1990. Marino, 19, was playing rugby for Keene State College in New Hampshire.

During a breakaway, two opponents hit him so hard his head snapped back and he landed on his neck. In the hospital, he was told a spinal cord injury would prevent him from walking and his life expectancy will shorten.

鈥淚 laid in that hospital bed for a long time,鈥� Marino says, 鈥渁nd had a moment with God where I made a promise: 鈥業f I get up and walk out of here, I鈥檒l change my life and give back to others.鈥� 鈥�

鈥淚 laid in that hospital bed for a long time. … I made a promise: 鈥業f I get up and walk out of here, I鈥檒l change my life and give back to others.鈥� 鈥�

That鈥檚 exactly what he did, walking out the door and leaving plans for an architecture career in the past.

For his first job, he mentored students with extreme behavior challenges. Marino鈥檚 dad, an educator, opened his son鈥檚 eyes to an unfortunate truth: They hired you because no one else wants to work with those kids.

鈥淗e was right,鈥� Marino says. 鈥淭hat experience made me realize how much it means to a kid when someone takes the time to help, without judging. I also knew the field of special education is where I鈥檓 needed most.鈥�

There are too many stories for Marino to recount. Each carries its own weightiness, so he shares a recent one: 鈥淲e heard from a graduate who was named employee of the month at Amazon. When we first met, he was living in a poor area of Orlando, riding a bus two hours to UCF. But he committed to learning and improving his life. We gave him the same commitment. And now look how he鈥檚 doing.鈥�

The daily inspiration Marino finds in people he helps at UCF is part of why he doesn鈥檛 dwell on the near-tragic accident or the limitations it still causes at times. Instead, he focuses on the benefits that continue to grow from it.

鈥淚 walked when doctors said I wouldn鈥檛,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 made it to 30 years old, to 40 and to 50. I鈥檓 still going, still keeping my promise, and I have no intention to stop.鈥�

The more Jake Rose鈥檚 colleagues at UCF and his neighbors around Chuluota, Florida, get to know him, the more he surprises them. The California native surfs and gardens. He is as comfortable building barns as he is building frameworks for AI-driven interfaces. He studied premed, minored in information systems and at heart admits to being 鈥渁 closet psychologist.鈥� He and his wife, who is now a visiting lecturer in the Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting at UCF, raised their two children in New Zealand and recently purchased seven acres of workable land in the Orlando area.

The man with the callused hands is one of only a handful of professors in the world merging artificial intelligence (AI) and neuroscience to shape the future of the field he鈥檚 best known for at UCF 鈥� accounting.

Welcome to the dawn of neuro-accounting.

鈥淲hen my master鈥檚 students hear about these new ways to view and practice accounting and the tremendous difference technology can make, it heightens their interest,鈥� says Rose, UCF’s Kenneth G. Dixon Eminent Scholar. He adds with a smile, 鈥淚鈥檓 also more relatable when they find out how I spend my weekends.鈥�

“Accounting provides the information needed for [business] decision-making, and that鈥檚 why neuro-accounting will eventually impact the entire global economy.”

On his most recent Saturdays, he鈥檚 been using his hands to dig postholes for 2,000 linear feet of fencing while letting his mind do what comes naturally to him: envisioning the future. In this one, he sees Paso Fino horses and an orchard.

Then, fully refreshed on Monday, he鈥檚 Professor Rose again with his thoughts laser-focused on what he calls 鈥渢his unusual combination鈥� of behavioral science, technology and accounting.

鈥淚鈥檝e never viewed accounting as just credits and debits,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen you take a step back, you see business is about decision-making. Accounting provides the information needed for this decision-making, and that鈥檚 why neuro-accounting will eventually impact the entire global economy.鈥�

Trailblazing with Technology

Rose joined UCF in August 2025 after directing accountancy programs at universities from the South Pacific to America鈥檚 heartland. He made the move because he recognized a unique culture in , which recently received a $50 million gift from entrepreneur and alum Barry Miller 鈥�95 to strengthen tech-driven business education 鈥� including Rose鈥檚 work.

鈥淭his is one of the very few business schools that want to pursue experimental work with technology,鈥� Rose says. 鈥淚 saw it as a unique place to make progress in neuro-accounting, which, other than UCF, only exists in a colleague鈥檚 lab in Australia.鈥�

He鈥檚 made rapid progress. Within weeks of arriving at UCF, Rose was named the university’s Kenneth G. Dixon Eminent Scholar for excellence in accounting research. At the award ceremony, Rose emphasized the larger mission driving his work: 鈥淲e can literally improve the world.鈥�

When he says 鈥渨e鈥� in this context, he refers to a collaboration between people and advanced tech.

“When we design systems and interfaces that allow people and AI to make important decisions together, then every business and government can benefit.”

鈥淭he basic mechanics of accounting are already being automated,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he future will be about how people perceive risks within financial data and how technology can improve professional judgment. The consequences of good judgment are massive and affect businesses and lives worldwide. The truth is, we鈥檙e bad at dealing with large amounts of data because our brains are limited. But AI and other new technologies are expanding our limits. When we design systems and interfaces that allow people and AI to make important decisions together, then every business and government can benefit. The implications are massive.鈥�

Those improvements, the way Rose sees them, will have their origins at UCF鈥檚 Dixon School of Accounting, in the first neuro-accounting lab of its kind in the U.S.

Fun and Fresh: The Future of Accounting

Rose already knows what the future lab could look like because he鈥檚 worked in the Business Behavioural Laboratory at Monash University in Australia. The Dixon School鈥檚 director, Jay Thibodeau, is currently seeking funding to bring the concept to UCF.

Once complete, the lab would allow researchers to measure how new technology and financial information influence crucial judgment factors like stress and attention.

鈥淯ltimately, we鈥檒l be able to help firms make better decisions,鈥� Rose says.

However, he doesn鈥檛 want to be one of the only people in the world who understands neuro-accounting.

鈥淭his is why I love teaching,鈥� Rose says. 鈥淚 get to spread the word with students and let them experiment. It鈥檚 fun. They鈥檙e enthusiastic about taking accounting where no one has taken it.鈥�

The nationwide initiative encourages interdisciplinary teams to develop new AI models and research workflows capable of addressing national challenges across fields such as advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, critical materials, energy and quantum information.

鈥淭he Genesis Mission harnesses the collective strengths of the nation鈥檚 leading institutions across academia, industry, and government to accelerate the pace of discovery,鈥� says Winston Schoenfeld, UCF vice president for research and innovation. 鈥淯CF鈥檚 participation reflects聽the expertise of our researchers聽and talented students, whose contributions will help shape AI-enabled scientific workflows and transform technological advances into real-world solutions that fuel American competitiveness.鈥�

A New Approach to Creating Fuels and Chemicals

As interdisciplinary scientific challenges become increasingly data-intensive, applying human ingenuity to advanced technologies creates possibilities to solve long-standing industry issues.

Ling鈥檚 contribution to the Genesis Mission will aim to address problems with biomanufacturing by developing an AI digital twin (virtual replication). This digital twin predicts and optimizes bioprocess performance, enabling improved process monitoring, decision-making, and scale-up.

The project will also provide opportunities for UCF researchers at different stages of their careers to contribute to the work. Pinzhen Lin, who will begin a doctoral degree at UCF鈥檚 College of Optics and Photonics in Fall 2026, will join Ling鈥檚 research group and lead development of the project鈥檚 real-time sensor, including its characterization and performance benchmarking. Jirui Fu 鈥�24PhD, a UCF mechanical engineering doctoral graduate and postdoctoral scholar in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, will also assist with the project.

鈥淭he challenge is that conventionally scaling up biomanufacturing is slow and prone to failure, creating a need for smarter tools to accelerate development,鈥� Ling says. 鈥淚f successful, this project could significantly accelerate the development and deployment of sustainable biomanufacturing for fuels and chemicals, making the process faster, cheaper and less risky.鈥�

With industry-academic collaboration at the core of the Genesis Mission, Ling is working on the project with Kansas State University Assistant Professor Yian Chen, as well as the National Laboratory of the Rockies researchers Ajinkya Pal, Jason DesVeaux and Evan Komp.

A Mission With Many Benefits

Although the Genesis Mission is focused on accelerating scientific discovery, Ling believes the work has the potential to create benefits that extend beyond the research community.

鈥淭he AI digital twin framework developed here has strong potential as a commercial platform that can be adopted across a wide range of industries, from energy to materials,鈥� Ling says. 鈥淢ore broadly, it could lower the barriers for industrial partners to adopt bio-based processes, helping drive the transition toward a more sustainable economy.鈥�

For Ling, the research also represents an opportunity to see emerging technologies applied to real-world challenges.

鈥淎s an early-career researcher, I feel very fortunate to lead and participate in a mission of this scale,鈥� Ling says. 鈥淲hat excites me most is the opportunity to apply this technology to solve real-world problems, and to see how it can be integrated with the rapidly advancing field of AI.鈥�

This project will be supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science through the Genesis Mission, a Transforming Science and Energy with AI initiative.

At 16, he opened his first brokerage account聽in 2008, with his grandmother鈥檚 help, during the Great Recession because he saw a market that had no place to go but up.

When cloud accounting platforms were just starting to become viable in the early 2010s, he was an early adopter, eventually building a firm that served clients remotely.

Now as聽artificial intelligence (AI)聽reshapes聽the business landscape, Hubenthal decided to embrace this聽latest inflection point by enrolling in UCF鈥檚聽.

鈥淯CF is ready for every Knight who dares to lean in.鈥�

鈥淯CF聽doesn鈥檛聽just educate you. It finds you. It amplifies who you are and prepares you to make a difference,鈥� says Hubenthal, who is from Elon, North Carolina. 鈥淪ometimes聽I鈥檓聽amazed that this small-town kid has ended up consulting with business leaders in boardrooms across the globe. Somewhere out there, another teenager is watching the world shift and feeling that pull. UCF is ready for every Knight who dares to lean in.鈥�

Leading With a Spirit of Innovation

It鈥檚 Knights like Hubenthal who inspired Barry S. Miller 鈥�95 to invest a transformational $50 million gift into the College of Business to further strengthen UCF鈥檚 reputation as a global leader in fintech, AI and business innovation.

A graduate of 糖心logo入口鈥檚聽聽program in the聽,聽Hubenthal聽initially came to UCF to study聽听补苍诲听engineering. But聽after聽witnessing聽the impact of the聽Great Recession聽on聽families, including his own,聽he聽switched聽to business and finance.

鈥淚聽made it my mission to聽understand what happened, why it happened and how to help prevent it,鈥澛燞ubenthal says.

Early聽in his career,聽Hubenthal聽worked in corporate聽finance,聽gaining聽hands-on experience听补苍诲听learning聽how established organizations manage their financial infrastructure.

In 2015,聽just two years after聽earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree,聽he聽co-founded聽a data analytics firm with fellow UCF graduates,聽bringing聽enterprise-grade聽big聽data and聽analytics聽services聽to local businesses at an accessible price point.聽That聽venture earned Hubenthal聽recognition聽as part of聽Business聽North Carolina聽magazine鈥檚聽cover story聽on聽innovation聽in聽2016.

Building on Success

He聽has since founded firms rooted in data analytics, accounting and finance 鈥� including his firm Bookscaping 鈥� started a financial literacy podcast to share his expertise with small businesses, and published a book, The Simple Fiscal Method: 17 Financial Lessons for Every Small Business Owner to Succeed in Life.

In 2022, he signed on as vice president of finance for ryco.io, an educational startup where he built and still leads the company鈥檚 financial strategy and operations.

He is currently beta聽testing聽an automated system for the company, which almost fully manages its payable function with safeguards, audit trails and authorizations built in. He envisions this empowering ryco.io to scale its financial operations.

Hubenthal wanted to fully immerse himself in this new era of business and tech, so he is turning to UCF鈥檚 fintech program to prepare him for what鈥檚 ahead.

鈥淔or me, the real world is the lab. And thanks to UCF, I鈥檓 just getting started.鈥�

鈥淭he program put me in a room with nearly 30 students from four continents who felt like family within the first month,鈥澛燞ubenthal聽says. 鈥淛ust weeks ago,聽I built a portfolio optimization tool for my own retirement account 鈥斅�1聽million simulated market days听补苍诲听almost聽4,000聽years of data, solved by a聽supercomputer聽in under three seconds 鈥� using what I learned in this program.

鈥淔or me,聽the real world is the lab,鈥� he continues.聽鈥淎nd thanks to UCF,聽I鈥檓聽just getting started.鈥�

As drones, air taxis and emergency aircraft begin to fill city skies, the biggest challenge may be invisible: how radio signals move through dense urban environments.

That future depends on reliable communication systems that can function reliably amid buildings, materials and interference, a problem UCF postdoctoral researcher Saumya Gupta is working to solve.

鈥淐ollaborating with NASA through the MUREP MPLAN program provides an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research that supports the future of aviation and air mobility.鈥� 鈥� Saumya Gupta, postdoctoral researcher

Gupta received a NASA Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Partnership Learning Annual Notification (MPLAN) award to study and model how radio signals behavior in complex urban environments. She is working with co-principal investigator , an associate professor in UCF鈥檚 , on a project titled 鈥淎 Digital Twin for AAM Communication Channels.鈥�

Gupta鈥檚 research focuses on urban air mobility, where drones, emergency response aircraft and potential air taxis depend on reliable communication networks to operate safely in dense cities. The work builds on a growing body of AAM research at UCF, including prior simulation efforts led by Professor Vela, by focusing specifically on how communication signals move through crowded cities.

鈥淐ollaborating with NASA through the MUREP MPLAN program provides an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research that supports the future of aviation and air mobility,鈥� Gupta says. 鈥淚t allows our team at UCF to work on problems that are directly relevant to NASA鈥檚 AAM (advanced air mobility) mission while also benefitting from guidance and collaboration with NASA researchers. This partnership helps ensure that our research addresses real-world challenges in integrating new air vehicles into the national airspace.鈥�

Building the Digital Twin

Traditional radio frequency prediction models often rely on simplified formulas that estimate how signals weaken over distance. While useful, these models lack the spatial and material detail needed to represent dense urban environments where glass, steel and concrete significantly affect signal behavior.

More advanced simulation tools can model signal reflection, absorption and diffraction using digital maps. Most maps include building shapes but not detailed material data, a factor that strongly influences how signals are transmitted.

To address this limitation, Dr.Gupta and Professor Vela, along with their research team, are developing a simulation-based digital twin, a virtual model of an urban communication environment that incorporates artificial intelligence to improve prediction accuracy.

鈥淩eliable communication is essential for future systems such as drones, emergency response UAVs and urban air taxis.鈥� 鈥� Saumya Gupta, postdoctoral researcher

Rather than relying solely on static maps, the system trains neural networks using signal data collected by uncrewed aerial vehicles. By analyzing how signal strength changes across locations, the system can infer building material properties and refine the model accordingly. Over time, this approach allows the digital twin to become more adaptive and better aligned with real-world conditions.

鈥淩eliable communication is essential for future systems such as drones, emergency response UAVs and urban air taxis,鈥� Gupta says. 鈥淏y using a digital twin to model how buildings and materials affect radio frequency signals, this research helps identify where signals may weaken, become blocked or experience interference. These insights can guide safer routing, real-time coordination and the scalable airspace management that future urban air mobility will depend on.鈥�

Strengthening Industry-Academic Partnerships

NASA鈥檚 MUREP program aims to broaden participation in aerospace research while strengthening partnerships between universities and NASA centers.

Through the MPLAN initiative, faculty researchers work directly with NASA scientists to develop technologies aligned with the agency鈥檚 long-term missions while also expanding opportunities for students to engage in aerospace research.

鈥淲e plan to expand student involvement as the project progresses,鈥� Gupta says. 鈥淲e also look forward to engaging with NASA researchers to provide mentorship and collaborative learning opportunities.鈥�

In addition to Gupta鈥檚 project, UCF researcher Justin Urso also received a MUREP MPLAN award supporting research on communication and sensing systems for advanced air mobility, further reflecting UCF鈥檚 role in NASA鈥檚 urban initiatives. Urso is a research assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering who conducts work in Professor Subith Vasu鈥檚 laboratory.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Partnership Learning Annual Notification (MPLAN) program. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASA.聽

To better understand Assistant Professor Hamzeh Ghasemzadeh and his work, he goes back to a childhood memory of broken toys. Within hours of receiving little robotic figures or remote-control cars, he鈥檇 dissembled what had once been a carefully crafted package of technology. To him, sitting among the remnants of a new gift meant he was sitting in a circle of fun.

鈥淢y favorite game was to take the toys apart to see how they work and then try to put them back together,鈥� Ghasemzadeh says. 鈥淢y parents saw my curiosity as a great thing.鈥�

“This is why I came to UCF. I鈥檝e been able to jump right in and address mysteries that haven鈥檛 received much attention.”

That same curiosity now drives his research at , where he seeks to take apart discomforted voices, figuratively, so he can develop strategies to make each one whole again. Ghasemzadeh, who joined UCF in late Summer 2025 and will teach in the school鈥檚 newly launched , has already secured one research project funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and is developing another.

鈥淭his is why I came to UCF,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to jump right in and address mysteries that haven鈥檛 received much attention until now.鈥�

A Common Problem Without Clear Answers

The first such mystery sounds quite straightforward: vocal fatigue, a common vocal complaint. Beneath the surface, however, it鈥檚 deceptive. Solutions have mostly evaded scientists, leaving vocal fatigue as an ongoing problem for many people who rely on their voices, like coaches, public speakers, singers and teachers. Many of Ghasemzadeh鈥檚 colleagues experience the very throat discomfort that he鈥檚 deconstructing during the funded project just underway.

“We want to collect … multi-modal data and use machine learning models to analyze [vocal fatigue] and develop recommendations for each person.”

鈥淪ome instructors get vocal fatigue quickly, some get it slowly and some don鈥檛 get it at all,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a genetic component, but there are also behavioral components. How do they use their voice? How often do they use it? What about the environment where they鈥檙e using it? What about personality? We want to collect such comprehensive multi-modal data and use machine learning models to analyze it and develop recommendations for each person.鈥�

The recommendations might include pacing voice usage, projecting the voice efficiently and allowing the voice to recover. Ghasemzadeh envisions this model being predictive and 鈥� this is the part he stresses most 鈥� personalized.

鈥淭he approach to general medicine started with an assumption that while we鈥檙e different on the outside, we are very similar inside. Patients with similar ailments took the same medications and [the] same dosages. But we now know that people don鈥檛 always respond to pills the same way. If we can quantify how we鈥檙e different inside, we can create a computational model to predict responses to medications and optimize treatment plans.鈥�

To integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into vocal fatigue solutions, subjects in Ghasemzadeh鈥檚 study will wear sensors that track how and where they use their voices. He鈥檒l prompt them to perform specific vocal tasks and monitor their phonatory function throughout the day. The AI model will analyze these patterns in real time to identify early signs of vocal strain and predict when fatigue is likely to occur.

“We are different. Every prescribed solution should be different, too.”

Participants will also visit his lab at the in Central Florida Research Park, where specialists will collect imaging, aerodynamic and acoustic data. The highly equipped facility brings together America鈥檚 leading hearing and voice scientists to develop new technologies and clinical tools for people with hearing loss or voice disorders.

With all of that in hand, including the technology, Ghasemzadeh and his team hope to unwind the mystery of vocal fatigue 鈥� one person at a time.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the idea I want to put forward with every project,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e are different. Every prescribed solution should be different, too.鈥�

From Engineering to Human Connection

Many would think a toy-reassembling boy is destined to become an engineer. That鈥檚 what Ghasemzadeh thought, too. He earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in electrical engineering and began his career with a focus on telecommunications and signal processing.

鈥淭here was something important missing,鈥� he says. 鈥淗uman connection.鈥�

“Speech became my research interest because … it sets us apart as a species and as individuals.”

He crossed paths with a close friend who mentioned his own research in a field Ghasemzadeh was vaguely familiar with: communication sciences and disorders. The conversation sparked Ghasemzadeh’s enthusiasm for applying his expertise in areas such as signal processing to personally help others.

鈥淪peech became my research interest because it鈥檚 the signal we predominantly use to communicate,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t sets us apart as a species and as individuals.鈥�

For example, it鈥檚 quite easy to identify Ghasemzadeh without even seeing him. He sounds young yet intelligent enough to have dual doctoral degrees. There鈥檚 an inflection of humility in his voice. The curiosity is always there, too. In fact, his peers have noticed, from his work, what his parents noticed among his broken toys: his curiosity leading to great things. Shortly after arriving at UCF, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association chose Ghasemzadeh for its Early Career Contributions in Research Award.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also a reminder that I鈥檓 early in my career,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd the sky is the limit.鈥�

At the center of his work as a principal investigator is a belief that progress doesn鈥檛 happen alone, but through teamwork.

鈥淵ou have to surround yourself with different skillsets, all of us willing to take things apart that have never been taken apart, with everyone focused on one goal,鈥� Ghasemzadeh says. 鈥淲hen you win, I win and everyone wins.鈥�

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health under award number R00DC021235. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.