{"id":35292,"date":"2026-04-22T12:44:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T16:44:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=35292"},"modified":"2026-04-22T12:44:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T16:44:04","slug":"college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"College of Sciences Honors Alumni Driving Impact Across Industries\u00a0at the Distinguished Alumni Awards\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards celebrate graduates whose careers are advancing research, strengthening communities and shaping the future.\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published\u00a0April 22,\u00a02026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
At the 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards,\u00a0the College of Sciences\u00a0(COS)\u00a0celebrated\u00a0alumni whose careers\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0how knowledge, leadership and service\u00a0can\u00a0create lasting change\u00a0and impact in the Central Florida Community and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The event honored graduates who are not only leaders in their fields, but also contributors to the communities and systems their work influences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond the awards, the evening served as a celebration of community, as alumni gathered alongside family members, colleagues and mentors who have supported their journeys. Hosted at The Celeste Hotel, the room reflected a shared sense of pride, with conversations, reunions and moments of recognition highlighting the personal connections behind each achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kelsey Larsen, assistant professor in the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs and event emcee, emphasized the importance of recognizing impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAssistant\u00a0Professor\u00a0in\u00a0the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs and event emcee,\u00a0Kelsey Larsen,\u00a0opens up\u00a0the 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards with a warm welcome to guests.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis annual event recognizes our remarkable alumni who have achieved exceptional personal, professional, and philanthropic accomplishments in their respective fields, Larsen says. \u201cOur awardees excel in life, and they bring immense pride to Knight Nation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout the evening, speakers highlighted how alumni success reflects a broader mission\u2014one centered on student success, innovation and community engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kerstin Hamann, senior associate dean of the College of Sciences and Pegasus Professor, emphasized that connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are committed to student success at UCF,\u201d Hamann says. \u201cThe successes we\u2019re celebrating tonight is a testament to the commitment, passion, and hard work of our distinguished alumni, as well as the support of their loved ones, many who are here with them tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nKerstin Hamann, senior associate dean of the College of Sciences and Pegasus Professor, shares with guests the impact UCF has on its students and alumni<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Hamann also highlighted a major milestone for the university as it continues to expand its academic and research impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUCF is entering an exciting new phase as we have met and surpassed the requirements to become a preeminent university in Florida,\u201d Hamann says. \u201cThe College of Sciences is supporting that vision\u2014increasing the number of students that complete their undergraduate education in four years, growing the number of doctoral degrees, and catalyzing research.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The impact of that vision could be seen in the alumni recognized throughout the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paige Marotta\u2019s recognition as Distinguished Young AlumKnight highlighted the role of emerging professionals in shaping future pathways through mentorship and engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn addition to remarkable accomplishments, this award recognizes an individual who has maintained direct and meaningful involvement with their alma mater since graduating,\u201d Hamann says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Distinguished Noble Knight Award, awarded to Aaron Smith, represents a model of service-driven expertise, applying data science to both industry challenges and student development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAaron embodies the spirit of the Noble Knight Award combining scientific excellence, service to others, and a deep commitment to uplifting the next generation of Knights,\u201d Eloy Hernandez, interim director of the School of Data, Mathematical, and Statistical Sciences, says.<\/p>\n\n\n
\nGuests pose for a photo with Knightro at the 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards.<\/em>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Dr. Alan L. Peterson\u2019s, recipient of the Distinguished Physical Sciences AlumKnight Award, work in behavioral medicine demonstrates the extensive implications of research, particularly in improving care for military populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDr. Peterson embodies the values of the College of Sciences: rigor, service, collaboration, and a deep dedication to advancing human well-being,\u201d Mark Neider, interim chair of the Department of Psychology, says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Olivia Feild, recipient of the Distinguished Natural Sciences AlumKnight Award, highlights the critical role of analytical chemistry in mission success, supporting testing processes at Kennedy Space Center that ensure safety and precision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her contributions extend beyond the lab through mentorship and leadership, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in scientific environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Awardee of the Distinguished Physical Sciences AlumKnight Award, Dr. Todd Du Bosq, reflects the impact of innovation in defense technology, with his work advancing electro-optical and infrared systems and contributing to international research collaborations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His leadership and technical expertise have played a key role in strengthening the U.S. Army\u2019s capabilities while shaping the future of performance modeling and computational imaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In communication and media, Nikki Roth, a Nicholson School of Communication and Media Hall of Fame inductee, demonstrates the growing influence of immersive technology, where she has helped shape real-time experiences across industries including film, gaming and virtual reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her work bridges creative and technical disciplines, driving innovation in how people interact with digital environments and redefining the future of user experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Together, all the honorees represent a collective narrative\u2014one where knowledge is not static, but actively applied to address challenges to drive impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChristina Starace, executive director of\u00a0advancement, addresses guests on the importance of supporting Knights and the work they do.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Through their work, these AlumKnights continue to push boundaries, solve complex problems, and elevate communities. Their achievements reflect COS not defined by where its graduates go, but by how far their impact travels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTogether, we are shaping the future of the College of Sciences at UCF,\u201d Christina Starace, executive director of advancement, says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paige Marotta, MBA, is a talent analyst at Vaco by\u00a0Highspring, where she supports talent acquisition operations and enhances the candidate experience. She earned her Master of Business Administration in human resources from Louisiana State University Shreveport after completing her bachelor\u2019s degree in sociology at the\u00a0UCF. She\u00a0remains\u00a0actively engaged in mentorship and community involvement.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Graduate Certificate in SAS Data Mining<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Aaron Smith is a data scientist and statistician whose work spans government,\u00a0education\u00a0and Fortune 500 analytics. He leads large-scale survey analysis and develops machine learning systems that translate data into actionable insights for decision-makers. Since 2016, he has also served as an adjunct lecturer at\u00a0UCF, mentoring students in statistics, data\u00a0science\u00a0and applied research.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Distinguished Social Sciences AlumKnight Award<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Dr. Alan Peterson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
B.S. Psychology\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Alan L. Peterson is a professor and chief of the Division of Behavioral Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, where he leads major research initiatives focused on PTSD and trauma-related conditions. A UCF graduate and retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, his work has shaped national clinical guidelines and improved care for service members and veterans. He directs two international research consortia advancing behavioral health.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Todd Du\u00a0Bosq\u00a0is the division director for the Sensor Evaluation and Digital Prototyping Division at the U.S. Army DEVCOM C5ISR Center. With more than 18 years of experience, he has advanced electro-optical and infrared systems and contributed to international research collaborations, including NATO initiatives. His work continues to shape innovation in defense technology and performance modeling.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Olivia\u00a0Feild\u00a0is a forensic scientist and analytical chemist serving as a lead lab analyst at Kennedy Space Center. She supports mission-critical testing through advanced analysis while mentoring team members and improving laboratory operations. A UCF graduate, she\u00a0remains\u00a0actively engaged in mentorship and alumni initiatives within the College of Sciences\u00a0as a member of the Dean\u2019s Advisory Board and Alumni Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
M.S. Interactive Entertainment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nikki Roth is a technical art manager at Meta, specializing in real-time technology and immersive experience design. Her career spans companies including Apple, Google,\u00a0EA\u00a0and Lucasfilm, where she has helped advance virtual production, VR\/AR\u00a0and simulation technologies. She continues to drive innovation by bridging creative vision with technical execution across industries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards celebrate graduates whose careers are advancing research, strengthening communities and shaping the future.\u00a0 Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published\u00a0April 22,\u00a02026 At the 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards,\u00a0the College of Sciences\u00a0(COS)\u00a0celebrated\u00a0alumni whose careers\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0how knowledge, leadership and service\u00a0can\u00a0create lasting change\u00a0and impact in the Central Florida Community and beyond. The event honored graduates who are not only leaders […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":250,"featured_media":35299,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[31,3,38,6,28,29],"tags":[376,736,3457],"class_list":["post-35292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-news","category-awards","category-breaking-news","category-events","category-top-news","category-ucf-news","tag-awards-2","tag-college-of-sciences","tag-ucf"],"yoast_head":"\n
College of Sciences Honors Alumni Driving Impact Across Industries\u00a0at the Distinguished Alumni Awards\u00a0 - College of Sciences News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"College of Sciences Honors Alumni Driving Impact Across Industries\u00a0at the Distinguished Alumni Awards\u00a0 - College of Sciences News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards celebrate graduates whose careers are advancing research, strengthening communities and shaping the future.\u00a0 Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published\u00a0April 22,\u00a02026 At the 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards,\u00a0the College of Sciences\u00a0(COS)\u00a0celebrated\u00a0alumni whose careers\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0how knowledge, leadership and service\u00a0can\u00a0create lasting change\u00a0and impact in the Central Florida Community and beyond. The event honored graduates who are not only leaders […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"College of Sciences News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-22T16:44:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2712.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Emily Dougherty\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Emily Dougherty\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Emily Dougherty\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b0fef91c1b645235c964a6ec2a451c95\"},\"headline\":\"College of Sciences Honors Alumni Driving Impact Across Industries\u00a0at the Distinguished Alumni Awards\u00a0\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-22T16:44:04+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1305,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/29\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/IMG_2712.png\",\"keywords\":[\"awards\",\"College of Sciences\",\"UCF\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Alumni News\",\"Awards\",\"COS News\",\"Events\",\"Top News\",\"UCF News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/\",\"name\":\"College of Sciences Honors Alumni Driving Impact Across Industries\u00a0at the Distinguished Alumni Awards\u00a0 - College of Sciences News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/29\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/IMG_2712.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-22T16:44:04+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b0fef91c1b645235c964a6ec2a451c95\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/29\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/IMG_2712.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/29\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/IMG_2712.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"A group of people poses indoors with a person in a knight mascot costume, all smiling and dressed in business or semi-formal attire.\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/\",\"name\":\"College of Sciences News\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b0fef91c1b645235c964a6ec2a451c95\",\"name\":\"Emily Dougherty\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d420c729881d590b6c7fa0b69760546956677cb1ce8044c26dbea4fcbffcb80d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d420c729881d590b6c7fa0b69760546956677cb1ce8044c26dbea4fcbffcb80d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d420c729881d590b6c7fa0b69760546956677cb1ce8044c26dbea4fcbffcb80d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Emily Dougherty\"},\"url\":\"\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"College of Sciences Honors Alumni Driving Impact Across Industries\u00a0at the Distinguished Alumni Awards\u00a0 - College of Sciences News","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"College of Sciences Honors Alumni Driving Impact Across Industries\u00a0at the Distinguished Alumni Awards\u00a0 - College of Sciences News","og_description":"The 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards celebrate graduates whose careers are advancing research, strengthening communities and shaping the future.\u00a0 Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published\u00a0April 22,\u00a02026 At the 2026 Distinguished\u00a0AlumKnight\u00a0Awards,\u00a0the College of Sciences\u00a0(COS)\u00a0celebrated\u00a0alumni whose careers\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0how knowledge, leadership and service\u00a0can\u00a0create lasting change\u00a0and impact in the Central Florida Community and beyond. The event honored graduates who are not only leaders […]","og_url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/","og_site_name":"College of Sciences News","article_published_time":"2026-04-22T16:44:04+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2712.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Emily Dougherty","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Emily Dougherty","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/"},"author":{"name":"Emily Dougherty","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/b0fef91c1b645235c964a6ec2a451c95"},"headline":"College of Sciences Honors Alumni Driving Impact Across Industries\u00a0at the Distinguished Alumni Awards\u00a0","datePublished":"2026-04-22T16:44:04+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/"},"wordCount":1305,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2712.png","keywords":["awards","College of Sciences","UCF"],"articleSection":["Alumni News","Awards","COS News","Events","Top News","UCF News"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/","url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/","name":"College of Sciences Honors Alumni Driving Impact Across Industries\u00a0at the Distinguished Alumni Awards\u00a0 - College of Sciences News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2712.png","datePublished":"2026-04-22T16:44:04+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/b0fef91c1b645235c964a6ec2a451c95"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/college-of-sciences-honors-alumni-driving-impact-across-industries-at-the-distinguished-alumni-awards\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2712.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2712.png","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"A group of people poses indoors with a person in a knight mascot costume, all smiling and dressed in business or semi-formal attire."},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/","name":"College of Sciences News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/b0fef91c1b645235c964a6ec2a451c95","name":"Emily Dougherty","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d420c729881d590b6c7fa0b69760546956677cb1ce8044c26dbea4fcbffcb80d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d420c729881d590b6c7fa0b69760546956677cb1ce8044c26dbea4fcbffcb80d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d420c729881d590b6c7fa0b69760546956677cb1ce8044c26dbea4fcbffcb80d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Emily Dougherty"},"url":""}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/250"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35292"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35316,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35292\/revisions\/35316"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2807-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2860-1024x683.jpg\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2935-1024x683.jpg\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2712-1024x683.jpg\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/IMG_2950-1024x683.jpg\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/Paige-Marotta-image-resized.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"Bald](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/Image-19.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/alan_peterson.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/resized_Todd_Official_Pic_1_t-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2025\/10\/Image-6.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/nikkiroth.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n