The second annual UCF Research Computing Symposium organized by the Office of Research Cyberinfrastructure, brought together a vibrant community of scholars, students and industry leaders to explore the frontiers of computing and digital transformation. With 85 attendees and 27 student posters, the event highlighted groundbreaking work in high-performance computing (HPC), machine learning/artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, cloud computing, and digital twins.
Winston Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation, provided opening remarks. Faculty speakers from various departments shared insights into emerging technologies and their applications across disciplines. The symposium served as a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration and showcased the university’s commitment to advancing research through technology.
DDN’s Nasir Wasim presented the keynote, titled “The Agentic AI Revolution: Transforming How We Work, Learn and Live,” which captivated the audience with a forward-looking vision of AI’s role in reshaping society.
In the afternoon, NVIDIA’s partner Andy Lin, CTO of Mark III Systems,gave a presentation which demonstrated the power of Omniverse in building digital twins, offering a glimpse into the future of simulation and virtual modeling.
Student Poster Session
The poster session featured 27 student-led projects spanning disciplines such as hospitality, mathematics, physics, AI, mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE) and computer science. Posters were evaluated by a panel of judges including representatives from DDN and NVIDIA, as well as faculty and postdoctoral researchers from participating departments, UCF Libraries, and the Nicholson School of Communication and Media.
Congratulations to the Poster Awardees:
- Winner: Maxine Khumalo
Title: “Applying Quantum Learning Theory for Classical Encryption”
Authors: Maxine Khumalo, Eduardo Mucciolo - Honorable Mention: Chidozie Ezeakunne
Title: “Computational Screening of Single-Atom Catalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction”
Authors: Chidozie Ezeakunne, Shyam Kattel - Honorable Mention: Syeda Faiza Rubab Sherazi
Title: “Revealing the Active Site Local Atomic Environment of Oxide-supported Ag Single Atom Catalyst”
Authors: S. Faiza Sherazi, Duy Le, Kailong Ye, Shaohua Xie, Fudong Liu, Talat S. Rahman
Leadership Perspective
“This symposium reflects our commitment to fostering a collaborative research ecosystem where emerging technologies can thrive,” says Shafaq Chaudhry, director of Research Technology. “It’s inspiring to see students, faculty and industry partners come together to shape the future of computing.”
Poster Session Organizer’s Insight
“The [variety] and depth of student research presented this year was truly remarkable,” says Nandan Tandon, computational scientist with the Research Technology team, who chaired the poster session. “It’s encouraging to see students tackling real-world challenges using advanced computational tools and interdisciplinary approaches.”
Industry Collaboration
The event was proudly sponsored by DDN, with poster awards sponsored by NVIDIA, underscoring the importance of academia-industry partnerships in driving technological progress.
“DDN was honored to participate in UCF’s Research Computing Symposium, and we applaud the university’s leadership in advancing computational research and innovation within higher education,” George Jones Jr., VP Higher Education, DDN, stated at the event.
