Five UCF Faculty Earn 2025 NSF CAREER Awards to Tackle Cutting-Edge Challenges in Tech and Engineering
Five early-career professors from the University of Central Florida (UCF) have received prestigious 2025 NSF CAREER Awards, collectively earning nearly $3 million in funding to advance impactful research in computer science, engineering, and emerging technologies.
The recipients — Sidong Lei, Truong Nghiem, Kevin Moran, Wen Shen, and Hao Zheng — all teach and conduct research within UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. Their projects reflect broad societal needs, from improving wearable health devices to making artificial intelligence systems more energy efficient and accessible.
Sidong Lei (Materials Science & Engineering) is investigating how to integrate Van der Waals semiconductors into next-generation microelectronics. His research may lead to smaller, more powerful wearable and implantable devices for health monitoring.
Kevin Moran (Computer Science) is developing AI-driven tools to automate the design of intuitive user interfaces (UIs), making software easier to use and more reliable. His work combines machine learning with UI engineering to streamline bug reporting and interface creation.
Truong Nghiem (Electrical & Computer Engineering) is blending machine learning with physics to build smarter, safer autonomous systems. His “composite physics-informed learning” framework aims to enhance complex, large-scale cyber-physical systems like smart buildings and self-driving vehicles.
Wen Shen (Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering) is pioneering a 3D printing method for fabricating rare earth permanent magnets (REPMs). Her energy-efficient process could transform magnet manufacturing for industries including aerospace, healthcare, and renewable energy.
Hao Zheng (Electrical & Computer Engineering) is designing adaptable chip processors — “polymorphic processors” — that dynamically support modern AI applications. His research aims to produce scalable chips that optimize performance for robotics, simulations, and large language models.
The NSF CAREER program supports promising young faculty who integrate education and research. Since 1995, UCF has produced nearly 100 CAREER awardees, generating over $40 million in research funding.