2026 Spring Newsletter

Friday May 8, 2026

Welcome to the digital newsletter from the University of Florida Department of Engineering Education. Each semester, you will receive an email highlighting department updates and successes. We are excited to connect with you.

Chair Message for Spring 2026

Monday April 27, 2026

Dear faculty, students, alumni and friends, 

It’s been a busy spring, and I’m pleased to share with you some of the accomplishments from our students and faculty. 

First, some truly exciting news: Please join me in congratulating Curtis Taylor, Ph.D., for being one of only 230 people named as a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors this year.  This remarkable achievement is a testament to his innovation and impact.

Castles, curricula and awards: Villanueva opens 2026 with national recognition

Thursday April 9, 2026

EEd Chair Idalis Villanueva’s research on hidden curriculum—uncovering communication gaps and translating them into actionable solutions—earned national recognition and informed her work as a Fulbright Specialist in London.

‘Patience, thoughtfulness and genuine care’: EEd professor Amanpreet Kapoor wins teaching awards 

Wednesday April 8, 2026

Amanpreet Kapoor, Ph.D., earned two major UF honors for his innovative teaching, including a student-driven bug bounty program and forward-looking plans to integrate AI into engineering education.

Meet Rikki DeOreo, MATLAB’s new ambassador and peer mentor.

Friday March 13, 2026

Second-year electrical engineering student Rikki DeOreo is helping fellow Gators master MATLAB as the University of Florida’s new MathWorks Student Ambassador and a peer mentor in Programming for Engineers. Through workshops, mentoring and a new MATLAB Student Club, she’s sharing her technical skills while building a supportive learning community.

‘Intellectual curiosity, relentless perseverance’: Meet multi-major engineer Edward Kempa 

Wednesday February 18, 2026

No one will ever accuse Edward Kempa of being an underachiever.  

Kempa is graduating this spring with double majors – his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the Department of Computer and Information Science (CISE) and a bachelor’s in economics. As well as double minors in German and business administration. After graduation, he plans to pursue his doctorate in computer science, with a research focus on applications of machine learning in health care.

From solar panels to cybersecurity tools, Florida engineering students design game-changing products

Monday February 9, 2026

As IPPD marks its 31st year, here is a look at some of the program’s notable products still in use. 

Amie Baisley assesses student assessments

Friday January 16, 2026

Rethinking how engineering students are evaluated, Amie Baisley, Ph.D., is transforming assessments from one-time grades into tools that track conceptual growth, support persistence and give students meaningful feedback throughout the semester.

For Gloria Kim, all roads converged at the University of Florida 

Friday November 21, 2025

Gloria Kim, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Florida’s Department of Engineering Education, found her research area organically. Her life experiences were directly related to convergence in education, not that she knew it at the time.  She grew up in Australia, Canada, Germany and Korea, learning three languages, moving to the United States, […]

Ramirez-Salgado honored with AI Educator award 

Monday November 10, 2025

UF named Andrea Ramirez-Salgado, Ph.D., its 2025 AI Educator of the Year, recognizing her creative approach to teaching artificial intelligence and inspiring the next generation of learners.