Order of Pegasus Alumna Turned Childhood Curiosity into STEM Advocacy  

College of Sciences Physics doctoral graduate, Stephanie Lough, reflects on finding her path through the American Physical Society Bridge Program. 

By Emily Dougherty | July 25, 2025 

When Stephanie Lough decided to return to school at 28 after already building a career, she was unsure of what to expect as a non-traditional student. She graduated recently as an Order of Pegasus recipient, receiving one of UCF’s highest student honors, but she came from humble beginnings.  

Lough grew up in Northwest Arkansas and as a first-generation student without a scientific or scholarly background, she shares that the higher education environment felt like learning a new language.  

“I didn’t grow up in an academic family, so it was a struggle learning how to navigate the academic world,” she says. “But I managed to do it, and I always encourage other students to surround themselves with people who support them.” 

Led by determination and curiosity and through the help of faculty and peer support, Lough found her way to physics at UCF through the American Physical Society (APS) Bridge Program, where she earned her Ph.D. 

In 2015, the Department of Physics became an APS Bridge Program site, which aims to increase access to Physics doctorate programs for students, offering fellows full integration into the graduate program from day one. This provides access to departmental research opportunities, financial support, specialized mentoring, and professional development 

“The APS Bridge Program single-handedly gave me my opportunity at graduate school,” Lough says. “UCF’s status as an APS Bridge site is the reason I’m here.” 

Unbeknownst to Lough, her love of physics began much earlier in her educational journey.  

“I was always inquisitive,” she says. “My grandmother once told me the Easter Bunny wouldn’t come if I didn’t stop asking questions.”  

She says she avoided taking challenging courses, but that changed during her senior year of high school, when she decided to stretch beyond her comfort zone and sign up for her first physics class.  

“I don’t know how to describe it, but something just sparked inside of me. Physics seemed to answer so many of those questions I’d always had,” she says. “I loved it so much that I declared it as my major in college.” 

Once she was at UCF, Lough says she struggled with feelings of “imposter syndrome.” She was hesitant about research and even declined an invitation from professor of physics and her advisor, Masahiro Ishigami, to visit his lab. 

“I felt that I would never be good enough to do the research. His students were so patient and kind that I knew any doubts I had would fade,” she says. “But I felt welcomed and now, I love my research,”  

Thanks to her Bridge Program experience, Lough became a founding officer of UCF’s APS Chapter, a student organization that supports the development of graduate students and early career scientists. This position also opened up other opportunities, including her engagement in leadership conferences and a Congressional Visit Day in Washington, D.C. There, she met with elected officials to advocate for STEM policies. She now serves as an APS Advocacy Champion, continuing her efforts to expand opportunity in science. 

“I didn’t even know what physics was as a kid and that pains me,” she says. “How do students dream of a future they’ve never been exposed to? We need to start these conversations earlier and keep supporting access at every level.” 

She says that none of her success would have been possible without the support of her advisor.  

“The APS Bridge Program got me to UCF, but Dr. Ishigami made a difference in getting me to where I am now,” Lough says. “For future students, I recommend you find an advisor that you connect with well and the experience and the love of the science will follow.” 

Now working as a post-doctoral scholar in UCF’s physics department, her advice for future physics students is rooted in realism and encouragement. 

“If you love it, take it one day at a time. It sounds cliché, but it’s true,” Lough says. “There were so many moments I wanted to quit. But now I have a Ph.D. in physics, and I’ve received the Order of Pegasus. You just have to turn down the noise and keep moving forward. Eventually, you’ll be standing on a stage wondering how it all went by so fast.”