Four UCF students have been awarded the 2025 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) fellowship, which provides funding and mentorship to students who pursue a doctoral degree in disciplines of military importance. The recipients are:
- Gabriel Duany ’25
- Aaron Guenther ’25
- Francisco Hernandez ’24
- Lucas Pitts ’24
The fellows will work on a research project of their choosing under the guidance of a mentor from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Their tuition and fees will be covered and they will receive a monthly stipend.
The program was created to increase the number of promising graduates with terminal degrees in the engineering and sciences who could ultimately prepare for careers in the defense industry. Since the program’s inception in 1989, over 70,000 students have applied for the NDSEG fellowship, but only 4,700 have been selected. This year, 126 students from across the nation were selected for an NDSEG fellowship.
Gabriel Duany ’25
Ph.D. in aerospace engineering
This year, Duany will begin a new degree program in a familiar place — Vasu’s lab. His research project will involve applying laser and optical spectroscopy to study the complicated heat and airflow effects associated with high-speed flights and missile defense. Izaguirre says he looks forward to working with his advisor again.
As a budding engineer who hopes to make an impact on the world someday, Duany says the NDSEG fellowship will help him grow as a researcher and expand his network of industry contacts. He credits UCF for helping him earn this opportunity.
“I went to UCF because it is closely connected to the aerospace industry,” Duany says. “I did a lot of research in undergrad here, which gave me the experience I needed to land this fellowship.”
Aaron Guenther ’25
Ph.D. in mechanical engineering
Guenther is one of three students from Professor Subith Vasu’s lab who were selected for the NDSEG fellowship this year. Vasu is involved in U.S. aerospace and defense research, making it an easy choice for the students to apply for this opportunity.
“The NDSEG fellowship is awarded to students who propose research projects that align directly with the interests of the Department of Defense,” Guenther says. “Our research group is heavily involved with defense projects, so I thought that the availability of knowledge and resources would allow me to submit a strong application.”
For his project, Guenther will run laser diagnostics on the J85 turbojet engine to gather data on the distribution of temperature and combustion products in the exhaust plumes. This data will inform the development of military jet engines capable of running on a variety of fuels to ease DOD’s logistics and supply.
Like his advisor, Vasu, Guenther aims to become an expert in combustion chemistry, laser diagnostics and propulsion systems and eventually become a technical leader in the space, defense or power industries. He says UCF’s connection to industry is one of the reasons he chose to pursue an education here.
“When applying for undergraduate programs, I saw UCF as the best engineering program in Florida because of its heavy involvement in research and its many connections to the engineering industry,” Guenther says. “My time spent doing research as an undergraduate has highly prepared me for the responsibility of leading my own research in graduate school.”
Francisco Hernandez ’24
Hernandez has the distinction of being selected for two prestigious fellowships — NDSEG and the DOD SMART Scholarship, which was awarded to three UCF students this year. Hernandez ultimately selected the NDSEG fellowship and says it’s an honor to be among the few who were awarded.
“Finding out that I had won the NDSEG fellowship during my first year as a doctoral student was a tremendous personal achievement, and I was quite happy about it when I shared the news with my family,” Hernandez says. “This recognition has been a huge motivator to keep pushing forward with my research at UCF, knowing that both my potential as a doctoral student and the work I am doing at CREOL are being recognized by one of the leading research organizations in the country.”
After earning dual bachelor’s degrees in photonics engineering and electrical engineering, Hernandez returned to UCF in 2024 to earn his doctoral degree in optics and photonics. Under the guidance of Assistant Professor Leland Nordin, he aims to design and develop single-photon detectors for advanced sensors that can be used in infrared imaging, telecommunications and quantum information science applications.
Hernandez’ goal is to work for a national government laboratory or major company within the semiconductor industry after graduation. He says the NDSEG fellowship and his doctoral degree will help him become a leader in the field.
“I believe that my Ph.D. program, combined with a platform like NDSEG, will allow me to inspire future Ph.D. students while also helping to increase public understanding of photonics,” Hernandez says. “The fellowship also provides mentorship and networking opportunities that can connect me with leaders in photonics, enabling me to adopt new approaches to solving complex challenges in both my research and professional growth.”
Lucas Pitts ’24
Ph.D. in aerospace engineering
Like Duany, Pitts views the NDSEG fellowship as an opportunity to grow as a researcher. His career goal is to return to academia as an instructor and researcher, teaching and mentoring the next generation of engineers. He says this fellowship will help him build the technical expertise, research experience and professional network that will help him achieve his goal.
“Beyond honing my technical skills, I am excited to connect with other researchers at conferences to gain feedback on my work and learn about what others are doing,” Pitts says. “Engaging with the broader research community will help me better understand how my work fits into larger challenges and grow both professionally and personally.”
Pitts will also continue working in Vasu’s Lab, focusing on chemical kinetics in complex, real-world flow fields. The application is for advanced propulsion and missile defense capabilities for the U.S. He says he chose to enroll at UCF to work on research like this with world-renowned faculty like Vasu, and that his undergraduate program prepared him to become an NDESG fellow.
“The CECS undergraduate program has prepared me by providing rigorous coursework that deepened my knowledge and research methods,” Pitts says. “Through hands-on projects, collaborating with my peers and great mentorship from faculty like Dr. Subith Vasu, I have gained the knowledge and confidence to really make the most of the NDSEG fellowship and contribute meaningfully to my field.”
