When Nilver Tovar-Ospina ’26PhD came to 91�Թ��� to pursue a doctorate in environmental engineering, he expected to continue studying the environmental challenges he had explored in Colombia during his graduate studies. Instead, the Colombian native opened a new avenue of research in 91�Թ���’s .

In Summer 2026, Tovar-Ospina became the first graduate of 91�Թ���’s integrative anthropological sciences doctoral program with a concentration in environmental anthropology. His research in environmental engineering examines how flooding and sea-level rise affect vulnerable communities in South Florida.

Tovar-Ospina found that while high-income, tourist-focused areas received substantial flood-protection infrastructure, historically lower-income communities continued to experience recurrent flooding that, in some places, had persisted for decades. He connected these contemporary disparities to earlier drainage and canalization projects, environmental changes and uneven infrastructure investment.

“Understanding what these communities are experiencing today is essential for developing more equitable risk assessments and adaptation strategies,” he says.

From Colombia to 91�Թ���

Tovar-Ospina’s interest in the field began years ago while working for a company that conducted environmental studies in Neiva, Colombia. His experience evaluating how hydrological companies, construction and projects can impact biodiversity and societies dependent on biodiverse resources deepened his interest in how environmental and social changes affect communities. It prompted him to explore these connections further from home, which led him to the 91�Թ��� Global Intensive English Program and eventually his doctoral program.

Focus of Research

During his doctoral studies, Tovar-Ospina began examining how flooding and sea-level rise affect communities in Miami-Dade County and why flood vulnerability is distributed so unevenly. Through 91�Թ��� Coastal, one of 91�Թ���’s Faculty Cluster Initiatives (FCI), he connected his anthropological research with broader interdisciplinary conversations about coastal vulnerability and climate adaptation.

“I wanted to go beyond conventional flood-risk models and understand how flooding is actually experienced by the people living with it,” Tovar-Ospina says. “That meant combining ethnography and community knowledge with historical research, participatory mapping and GIS to understand not only where flooding occurs, but why vulnerability is so uneven.”

Tovar-Ospina’s dissertation, Architectures of Flooding: History, Power, and the Production of Flood Risk in Miami-Dade County, examined flooding not simply as a natural hazard but as a condition shaped by history, infrastructure, environmental transformation and funding. His research combined ethnography, interviews, participant observation, participatory mapping, historical research and GIS to connect residents’ lived experiences with the broader processes that have shaped flood vulnerability across Miami-Dade County.

To his surprise, some communities identified as highly exposed by conventional flood-risk models reported relatively limited experiences with recurrent flooding. Sea walls, coastal barriers and improved drainage systems helped protect some coastal communities, revealing a disconnect between modeled flood exposure and the lived experiences of residents.

Farther inland, Tovar-Ospina found lower-income communities experiencing recurrent flooding, including residents still recovering from hurricanes of the previous years. These experiences showed that elevation or proximity to the coast alone could not explain how flood risk was lived across Miami-Dade County.

Through participatory mapping, residents identified places where they repeatedly experienced flooding, allowing Tovar-Ospina to compare community knowledge with official representations of flood risk. The maps revealed recurrent flooding, drainage problems, mobility disruptions, and household impacts that conventional assessments did not always capture.

“Living with these low-income communities, I learned that residents were often offered ‘palliative solutions’ or short-term responses, like sandbags and water bottles, while they continued to call for longer-term adaptation strategies and infrastructure that could better protect them,” Tovar-Ospina says.

Awards and Accolades

Over the course of his doctoral program, Tovar-Ospina built an exceptional record of research and scholarship, receiving recognition at the university, national and international levels.

In 2026, his peer-reviewed article, “Tangible and Intangible Impacts of Flooding in Miami-Dade County: A Human-Centered Analysis,” was published in Human Ecology. He also received a Judges’ Choice Award at 91�Թ���’s 2026 Student Scholar Symposium and the Best Paper Presentation Award at the International Conference on Environmental Anthropology and Sustainability in Paris.

Among his other recent accomplishments, he received the 2026 Laura Bassi Scholarship for his book manuscript, Architectures of Flooding: Unequal Ground in a Drowning County and was selected as one of nine international participants for the 2025 Climate Politics and Autocratization Conference at the University of Bergen in Norway.

A Pathway to Strengthen Florida’s Coastal Communities

Tovar-Ospina hopes his work will help direct greater attention and resources to those most affected.

“Communities need to be included in discussions, studies and assessments when developing climate-related policies to ensure their concerns are understood and addressed,” he says.

Tovar-Ospina also feels proud for paving the path for future students who are interested in environmental anthropology at 91�Թ���.

“Florida and other coastal areas have been affected by hurricanes and flooding,” he says. “We need more environmental anthropologists to ensure the knowledge and experiences of the most impacted communities are part of how these challenges are understood and addressed.”

Robin Marquez ’26 has re-prioritized his necessities at the University of Minnesota: he has clothes for exploring, clothes for frigid winters and somewhere he’s safely stored a new passport. This is Marquez’s latest stop in a lifelong itinerary that’s taken him from Brooklyn, New York, to Palm Beach County to Tampa, Florida, to 91�Թ���.

Nov. 2-6 is First Generation Week at 91�Թ���.

“I created a new road by going offroad,” he says.

Marquez is coming up on his 31^st birthday. He graduated from 91�Թ��� in May with a biology degree and an unexpected interest. Among the possessions he took north are arthropod samples collected from the 91�Թ��� Arboretum, an 80-acre parcel of research-rich ecosystems. He’s studying the microscopic insects for information about biological diversity. They’ve already provided the direction Marquez sought for so long.

“What I’m doing now, I couldn’t fathom a few years ago,” he says.

In his mid-20s, Marquez felt as if he were stuck in the weeds with a high school education and blurry future. Today, this same Robin Marquez has achieved the following: awarded the Order of Pegasus, recognition as the first student nominated through Valencia College for a Goldwater Scholarship, collaborated with researchers at Yale University and the Smithsonian Institution, and stood as the only undergraduate to receive the coveted Entomological Society of America Alate Award in 2025.

All of this has led him to the Twin Cities to work on a Ph.D. in entomology.

“I still don’t know where the limit is,” Marquez says.

His successes aren’t just for him. They’re for anyone who thinks they’ve wandered off the academic road.

“I no longer buy the narrative of hitting traditional checkpoints, like [completing an uninterrupted path to graduation] and starting a career by your early 20s,” he says. “It might take time to find the right people to propel you in ways you never thought possible.”

Marquez tried the “traditional checkpoints” route after high school, enrolling at the University of South Florida on a full ride in 2013. He imagined cruising along to medical school. However, 16 months later he departed USF with a failing GPA and mounting mental health challenges.

“I felt crushed,” he says. “I thought college would be my ticket out of socioeconomic hardship, that I’d be a first-generation graduate and break a cycle. Instead, it came to a grinding halt. I had the capability but not the right mindset. So, I kind of floated in this nebulous space of ‘adulthood.’ ”

Marquez carried the label “college dropout” in his mind for years. To this day, it’s hard for him to explain how misunderstood he felt.

Volunteering at an animal shelter became an escape. He moved to Orlando and grew plants in his apartment, hoping to shake himself out of stasis. A friend noticed how he enjoyed gardening and said he could make a career at it.

“I grew up in the concrete jungle of Brooklyn before my family moved to Florida,” Marquez says. “A gardening career sounded impossible until I heard Valencia [College] offers a degree in plant science. I thought I’d take a class, set the bar low and get back on my feet.”

A botany instructor at Valencia, Fabiano Isenhour, told Marquez to aim higher and consider research. The program director, Javier Garces, suggested he pursue a doctorate.

“I went from thinking two years of college would be my path into the workforce,” Marquez says, “to wondering where research might take me.”

The Fascinated Bug Librarian

In January of 2024, nearly 10 years after leaving college with a 0.9 GPA, Marquez transferred through the DirectConnect to 91�Թ��� program with multiple plant certifications and a 4.0 earned at Valencia. His mental health had improved, too.

“Everything snowballed,” he says. “At 91�Թ���, I spent time with a wellness coach in the McNair Scholars Program. Mentors like (former Professor) Patrick Bohlen were invested in my potential. I found this intersection of passion, support and community, which fueled my drive.

Marquez also discovered the Arboretum and 91�Թ���’s Bug Closet, a collection of more than 575,000 specimens — one of the largest completely databased collections in the world — that heightened his new curiosity about the relationship between insects and agriculture.

“Insect specimens are like books,” he says. “They provide knowledge about the world. In the Bug Closet, I was the librarian. My research there led me to the Smithsonian, where I worked with species that are new to science. Someday I could be involved in giving them names.”

On His Own Track in Life

“When I look back at where I’ve been and where I’ve come, it’s exhilarating. I can’t imagine making it this far if my path hadn’t led to 91�Թ���.”

The dispiriting label Marquez once shouldered has been shed. In its place, he has that new passport, which he’s using to present research at international conferences. He envisions completing his doctorate and working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture or Smithsonian to support America’s natural resources through entomology.

“I’m just now finding where I belong,” he says. “When I look back at where I’ve been and where I’ve come, it’s exhilarating. I can’t imagine making it this far if my path hadn’t led to 91�Թ���.”

We are America’s Space University. And we celebrate 91�Թ��� Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what’s next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

at 91�Թ��� extends far beyond a single discipline.

91�Թ��� students can choose from numerous space-related programs spanning business, engineering, hospitality, medicine, planetary science, optics and policy — preparing them for in-demand careers across the space sector.

Joining a space-focused student organization can strengthen your skills, connect you with like-minded peers and offer opportunities to turn your studies into real-world work.

Learn more about some of these groups and how to get involved.

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Who they are: 91�Թ���’s chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), a technical society dedicated to the aerospace profession, welcomes students of all experience levels and academic disciplines. It boasts nearly 400 active members, with many  studying aerospace, mechanical or electrical engineering or computer science.

Ways to get involved: AIAA@91�Թ��� sponsors industry tours, guest speakers, professional development events, socials and creative engineering projects. One is a multi-year effort in partnership with SEDS and Seagate Space to engineer the first sea-based launch by university students in the nation.

How to find them: Join the to stay up to date with announcements and general information, or follow on Instagram.

Astronomy Society

Who they are: The Astronomy Society is dedicated to cultivating a deep appreciation for space while providing valuable opportunities for students aspiring to build careers in astronomy.

Ways to get involved: Members can participate in resume workshops, physics conferences, space-themed social meet-ups, and telescope operation training, and help organize or attend Knights Under the Stars stargazing events at Robinson Observatory on 91�Թ���’s main campus.

How to find them: Attend a general board meeting, follow on Instagram or join the .

Knights Experimental Rocketry

Who they are: Knights Experimental Rocketry designs and builds experimental rockets and payloads for collegiate competitions.

Ways to get involved: Students can get involved in a wide range of projects, from designing and building rockets, developing liquid rocket propulsion systems, and researching and testing electric thrusters.

How to find them: Join the follow on Instagram or visit .

Knights Satellite Club

Who they are: Knights Satellite Club is 91�Թ���’s center for satellite and space systems development. Students can join with little to no satellite experience and gain  engineering skills through low-cost projects that introduce them to spaceflight hardware, integration, testing, communications, recovery, and systems engineering.

Ways to get involved: Members can join progressively more challenging projects as their experience, skills and knowledge develop. Weekly committee meetings also welcome members with interests beyond engineering and science, including fundraising, event management and public relations.

How to find them: Find the latest information at .

Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS)

Who they are: SEDS empowers members to make an impact in space exploration through an interdisciplinary community spanning engineering, biology, economics, history, photography and more.

Ways to get involved: Attend speaker series, social events like space-movie viewings, professional workshops, rocketry tutorials and tours of space-industry companies. Members can also take part in research projects ranging from agriculture in simulated Martian regolith and space economics to solving space exploration challenges for NASA.

How to find them: �վ������� , stay up to date  through the or follow on Instagram.

Landing humans on the moon was just a dream when 91�Թ��� was founded in 1963. But we dared to believe — developing the talent and inventing the technologies to make it reality. That same spirit still drives us today.

We are America’s Space University. And we celebrate 91�Թ��� Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what’s next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

91�Թ��� Professor Anish Roshi Damodaran is investigating a new approach for a virtual super telescope that could allow scientists to observe planet formation and the early universe in unprecedented detail.

Damodaran previously led radio astronomy for the Arecibo Observatory, which 91�Թ��� began co-managing in 2018 under an agreement with the U.S. National Science Foundation. Following the telescope’s structural collapse in 2020, he continued to advance his research activities at 91�Թ���.

Damodaran is now one of 18 researchers in the U.S. selected for Phase I of NASA’s 2026 Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. The nine-month, $175,000 award funds early development of technologies that demonstrate transformative potential and possible feasibility for eventual implementation.

“Having the opportunity to explore such a bold idea at its earliest stage, and to do so with the support of NASA and the NIAC community, is both professionally and personally inspiring,” Damodaran says.

The concept is known as PHOENIX — short for Photonics-Enabled Heterodyne Submillimeter/Far-Infrared Interferometer.

PHOENIX proposes using advanced photonic technologies to connect up to 25 spacecraft into a powerful space-based interferometer. Working together, the spacecraft could effectively function as a much larger telescope, capable of producing ultra-high-resolution observations at submillimeter and far-infrared wavelengths.

The project also brings together expertise in astronomy, photonics and space instrumentation from 91�Թ��� and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). This includes CREOL Pegasus Professor Peter Delfyett; CREOL professors Guifang Li and Stephen Eikenberry; Florida Space Institute researcher Julie Brisset; College of Sciences Professor Yan Fernandez; and JPL researchers Jacob Kooi and Jonathan Kawamura.

Jumpstarting a New Wave of Space Technology

Some of the most important stages in the evolution of the universe are also among the most difficult to observe. Stars, planets and galaxies often form from cold gas and dust that are invisible to the human eye.

Falling between infrared and radio wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum, submillimeter astronomy gives scientists a window into this otherwise hidden universe.

But observing these phenomena at extremely high resolution requires capabilities that are difficult to achieve with a conventional space telescope. A single telescope with an aperture measuring tens or even hundreds of meters would face significant launch constraints. Dividing that observing power across multiple smaller satellites presents its own challenges, including precisely synchronizing the spacecraft, and processing and transmitting the enormous amounts of data they collect.

“While existing facilities can detect cold gas and dust associated with planet formation, star formation, and galaxy evolution, they cannot directly resolve many of the critical structures where these processes occur,” Damodaran says.

Seeing the Universe in New Detail

PHOENIX could also provide new insights into how stars form within dense, dust-enshrouded environments. By combining high-resolution imaging with spectroscopy — an observation technique that uses light to analyze the chemical composition of matter — the observatory concept could allow astronomers to examine how turbulence, gravity and gas dynamics interact where stars form.

“One of the most exciting applications would be the direct observation of planet formation in protoplanetary disks around young stars,” Damodaran says, referring to the rotating disks of gas and dust which form planets. “PHOENIX could resolve structures on scales comparable to the size of the inner solar system — allowing scientists to observe how water, water ice, molecular gas and dust are assembled into planets, identify the signatures of newly forming worlds, and investigate the conditions that lead to potentially habitable planetary systems.”

On a larger scale, observations of gas and dust within distant galaxies could help researchers examine how star formation and supermassive black holes have influenced galaxy evolution over billions of years.

“One of the most exciting applications would be the direct observation of planet formation in protoplanetary disks around young stars.” — Anish Roshi Damodaran, Florida Space Institute professor

Testing an Ambitious Idea

The nine-month Phase I study represents an early step toward determining whether that vision could eventually become technically achievable. Rather than building the observatory itself, Damodaran and his collaborators will use the NIAC award to develop a more detailed mission architecture, identify critical enabling technologies, evaluate performance requirements, assess technology readiness and further define the scientific capabilities PHOENIX could provide.

Following his selection, Damodaran attended the NIAC orientation and symposium, where he met other NIAC fellows and learned about the range of early-stage concepts being pursued through the NASA program.

“In many ways, the process feels like undertaking a second Ph.D. thesis,” Damodaran says. “It requires questioning assumptions, exploring alternative approaches, identifying critical technology gaps and developing a compelling scientific case. As a scientist and instrument developer, I find that immensely rewarding.”

Future Stages of NASA’s NIAC Program

NASA’s NIAC program supports visionary aerospace concepts through progressive phases of study. Eligible Phase I recipients can propose for Phase II, which provides up to $750,000 for two years of further concept development and requires researchers to prepare a roadmap for continued development.

Phase III provides up to $2 million for another two years of exploration and development, with the goal of strategically transitioning concepts with the highest potential impact for NASA, other government agencies or commercial partners. NASA plans to make six to eight Phase II awards and one Phase III award annually.

The PHOENIX project is supported by a $175,000 Phase I award through NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program. 

What happens when students from an entertainment law class and a podcasting class walk into a graveyard together? At 91�Թ���, they bring to life the most ambitious cross-college collaboration yet from an Emmy-winning faculty duo.

Legal studies senior lecturer was inspired one day when she came across a video of someone wandering through cemeteries, reading headstones and telling the stories of the people buried beneath them. The videos were pulling in millions of views. Pons, who teaches both entertainment law and funeral law at 91�Թ���, saw a learning opportunity for her legal studies students.

She reached out to , a senior instructor in 91�Թ���’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) and veteran broadcast journalist, as the first step to what would go on to become a student-produced podcast, The Dead Speak.

Pons’ entertainment law students paired with Brunson’s audio reporting and podcasting students during the Spring 2026 semester — creating a cross-disciplinary collaboration unlike anything either department had attempted before.

The two faculty members are repeat collaborators. Their prior work legal studies-related documentaries that have earned five regional Emmy awards.

But this project presented a whole new challenge. It required bringing together nearly 100 students of very different skill sets to deliver a finished product that would both accurately and legally “bringing the dead back to life.”

Bringing the Dead to Life in Sound

Each class took on a distinct role in the production. Pons’ legal studies students were the researchers. Using legal databases, death records, obituaries and cemetery records — while exercising the entertainment law and copyright skills they were developing in class — they identified deceased Floridians or people with strong Florida ties whose stories were compelling, historically verifiable and legally safe to tell.

A few students even ventured into cemeteries to find their subjects, while others utilized websites for virtual tours of burial grounds.

“Law comes into play because a lot of research goes into databases where death records are kept,” Pons says. “The entertainment law aspect comes in because we have ethical considerations, like copyright, public domain and how to verify the veracity of a record. ‘Did that person really die in 1867?’ Those are the kinds of questions that sharpened our legal research skills.”

“The entertainment law aspect comes in because we have ethical considerations, like copyright, public domain and how to verify the veracity of a record.” — Irene Pons ’00, senior lecturer

Once initial research was completed, the classes met together in person, divided into groups, in NSCM’s state-of-the-art podcasting studio. They pitched their research and determined which subjects would make the strongest episodes.

“My students were coming at this from what I call ‘seeing with your ears,’” Brunson says. “Does this subject and the time period they’re in present rich audio and sound opportunities? Does their story present rich opportunities to tell it in a sonic way?”

From there, Brunson’s students took over, writing scripts that would be narrated in first person and finding voice actors to give an accurate voice to the deceased.

Some students reached out to professional voice-acting collectives, and several professionals were so intrigued that they volunteered their voices. Other students recruited friends, family members or peers who matched the voice characterization they needed.

They further enhanced the production by recording real-world ambient sounds like crickets chirping, musical instruments or an audience cheering to create the backtracks that bring each episode to life.

In total, the collaboration produced 12 publicly accessible episodes that can be streamed on .

Everlasting Benefits

The response from students on both sides was immediate and enthusiastic. Pons’ law students were so enamored by the experience that many asked if they could come into the studio themselves to see their research brought to life.

“They were so invested in what they were doing,” Pons says. “At the end of class, they were like, ‘Do we have to leave?’ That was their favorite part of the whole semester.”

For Brunson’s podcasting students, the project offered an avenue for creativity while still adhering to journalism’s standards of accuracy and reporting and will ultimately serve them well on their resumes.

“The benefits are two-way. You get smarter by working with really smart and creative people, and you push understanding of ourselves as humans and as a community forward.” — Rick Brunson ’84, senior instructor

“We have dead-set rules against making things up over here,” Brunson says. “They really enjoyed this opportunity to go out, get sound, create a period of time and make it immersive in a listener’s mind. It stretched their muscles as audio storytellers. Students can say, ‘This is something I built. This is something that went out and is public-facing.’ I think that is so much more valuable to students than just getting an A on a test.”

He adds that the experience reaffirmed what he’s always believed about project-based learning.

“It’s cross-pollination,” he says. “The benefits are two-way. You get smarter by working with really smart and creative people, and you push understanding of ourselves as humans and as a community forward.”

Pons hopes to continue The Dead Speak podcast and partnership with Brunson’s class with her Entertainment Law course in Spring 2027 and her Death, Dying and the Law course in Fall 2027.

“When faculty have the opportunity, they should take advantage of collaborating like this,” she says. “It was so rewarding for the students and for us as professors just to see the smiles on their faces. That says it all.”

Florida’s wildlife is closely connected to the environments it has inhabited for generations. But as temperatures rise and rainfall patterns shift, those conditions are changing, creating new challenges for species across the state.

For white-tailed deer and Florida panthers, those challenges may look very different. Southern deer populations could face greater pressure as rising temperatures and shifting water conditions alter their habitat, while Florida panthers’ limited genetic variety may restrict their ability to respond to future environmental change.

“The main goal is putting this research on … the radar for wildlife managers so they can use it to implement conservation measures. ” — George Zaragoza ’26PhD, postdoctoral scholar

Research conducted by 91�Թ��� College of Sciences postdoctoral scholar George Zaragoza ’26PhD combines genomic data with habitat suitability models to examine how suitable habitats may change and whether individual populations have the genetic variety and adaptive potential needed to respond.

The research revealed a latitudinal pattern among Florida’s white-tailed deer, with southeastern populations more vulnerable than those farther north. For Florida panthers, the concern is their low genetic variety and limited adaptive potential despite a genetic rescue program in the 1990s.

“The main goal is putting this research on these interconnected species on the radar for wildlife managers so they can use it to implement conservation measures that will help these species thrive in the future,” says Zaragoza, who earned a doctorate in integrative conservation biology at 91�Թ���.

South Florida Deer Face a Hotter, Drier Future

The greatest concerns for white-tailed deer are concentrated in South Florida and the greater Everglades, where projections indicate increasingly dry conditions over the next 50 to 100 years.

“The ecology of the South Everglades relies a lot on water dynamics and how populations respond to higher or lower water levels,” Zaragoza says.

For deer, those changes can affect the plants they rely on for food.

“If water levels are lower than historically expected, those nutrient-rich food sources may become less available,” he says. “Too much water can create a different challenge by making low-lying areas unreachable to deer.”

Central and northern Florida deer populations are projected to face similar conditions, though the shift is expected to be less pronounced than in South Florida.

Genetics Reveal How Deer Are Adapted to Their Environment

Zaragoza’s research also examined genetic characteristics that may help explain how Florida deer have adapted to their environments.

Two genes of particular interest related to circadian rhythm are THADA, associated with metabolism and thermoregulation, and PROK2, associated with the timing of nocturnal activity.

Zaragoza says the findings may point to a role in regulating seasonal metabolic energy use and reproduction-related physiological processes.

“There are consistently these sort of genes that are involved in the timing of these physiological processes that have to do with how deer are storing energy,” Zaragoza says.

Zaragoza also identified genes associated with immune processes more often than expected by chance. This may be particularly important in Florida, where deer are exposed to a wide range of viruses, including those transmitted by arthropod vectors such as ticks, mosquitoes and biting flies.

The research may also help explain why Florida deer have a different reproductive timeline than populations farther north. Differences in sunlight, temperature and other environmental conditions may have contributed to adaptations in these cycles.

Florida Panthers Face a Different Challenge

For Florida panthers, the primary concern is whether the species has enough genetic variety to respond to future environmental conditions.

The population experienced a severe genetic bottleneck, leading to a genetic rescue program in the 1990s that introduced Texas pumas into the Florida population.

While subsequent research has shown that Florida panthers remain a distinct population, Zaragoza’s research indicates that genetic variation remains low.

“With limited genetic variation, Florida panthers have limited adaptive potential, especially as their habitat is also threatened,” he says. “It highlights the importance of suitable habitat and ensuring that it remains for the future.”

The research identified genetic variants involved in regulatory processes, including how and when genes are expressed. While this does not provide direct evidence of epigenetic mechanisms, it raises questions about whether epigenetic mechanisms could contribute to the panthers’ ability to respond to environmental changes despite their limited genetic variety.

“If a population with low genetic variation is able to use these epigenetic mechanisms to respond to future change, then that gives that population another potential way to adapt to future change that we’d like to better understand,” Zaragoza says.

For now, habitat protection remains particularly important for the species. Some South Florida habitats remain at risk of development or conversion, including in protected areas and wildlife refuges.

Connecting Genetics and Habitat

A central part of Zaragoza’s research brings together two types of information often studied separately: genetics and ecology.

By comparing projected changes in suitable habitat with genetics and adaptive potential, researchers can begin to prioritize populations based on vulnerability.

A population experiencing a substantial shift in suitable habitat may be better positioned to respond if it has high genetic variation and adaptive potential. Conversely, a population facing a similar environmental shift but lacking genetic variation could be at greater risk.

Zaragoza says this approach could give wildlife managers another tool for making decisions about Florida’s wildlife.

“There has been some work before, but especially in terms of environmental change, there really haven’t been these vulnerability assessments done with white-tailed deer and Florida panthers in the past,” Zaragoza says.

Making this information accessible could help managers identify populations that may need additional support, minimize habitat loss and consider strategies to protect vulnerable species.

An Integrative Approach to Conservation

For Zaragoza, the work also demonstrates the value of combining disciplines to answer complex conservation questions.

“There are so many tools and technologies available that really help us merge ecology and genetics into more of an integrative perspective,” Zaragoza says.

For him, understanding wildlife is ultimately about using science and technology to improve humanity’s relationship with the natural world.

“It comes down to realizing that we’re part of this greater ecosystem and we have a responsibility to steward it,” Zaragoza says.

Questions asked at 91�Թ��� rarely stay put.

The answers travel — making highways safer, informing disaster planning, shaping conversations about life-changing technologies and more. Behind that reach are brilliant minds, including eight faculty members whose research and scholarship are being celebrated at the 2026 Luminary Awards. Their achievements demonstrate how 91�Թ��� expertise reaches beyond campus to address challenges facing Florida and the world.

Now in its 10th year, the annual awards honor faculty whose work brings 91�Թ��� national and international recognition while elevating the university’s influence across disciplines and communities.

Selected from nominations submitted by deans, directors and department chairs across 91�Թ���, the 2026 awardees will be celebrated Oct. 20. Joining the ceremony will be President Cartwright; John Buckwalter, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs; Winston Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation; and Kelly Ferris Lester, vice provost for faculty excellence.

Meet this year’s luminaries.

Haitham Al-Deek

Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Haitham Al-Deek is helping stop wrong-way drivers before a dangerous turn becomes a devastating crash.

Working with the Central Florida Expressway Authority, he helped create and implement North America’s first highly accurate wrong-way driving detection and deterrence system. Since its introduction in 2015, thousands of drivers have corrected course before heading in the wrong direction, helping prevent potentially fatal or debilitating crashes.

His algorithm for cost-effectively addressing the highway exits most at risk for wrong-way driving has been widely adopted in Florida and Idaho. Al-Deek’s broader expertise includes freeway operations, intelligent transportation systems and traffic safety. His work has influenced public policy and advanced transportation planning, freight transportation, and the deployment of life-saving technologies on high-speed toll roads and freeways.

Since joining 91�Թ��� in 1992, Al-Deek has secured more than $10 million in research funding and developed innovations that have resulted in multiple patents for the university while preparing the next generation of transportation engineers to make an impact on society. His honors include awards from the U.S. National Research Council’s Transportation Research Board.

Kevin Mackie, Al-Deek’s department chair, says his extensive efforts to improve highway safety and transportation “are contributions that touch the lives of all of us.”

Andrea Blanco-Redondo

Florida Photonics Center of Excellence Endowed Professor, College of Optics and Photonics

Andrea Blanco-Redondo is harnessing light to push the boundaries of quantum technology.

Her research develops scalable ways to generate and control quantum states of light — advances that could unlock new possibilities in computing, communications and information processing. She’s internationally known for discovering a new class of optical pulses that behave like a particle and can help researchers and industry shape what’s next. In three years at 91�Թ���, her scholarship has informed roughly two dozen conferences and produced papers in prestigious journals, including Science, Nature Materials, Nature Communications and Nature Photonics.

An Optica (Optical Society of America) Fellow, Blanco-Redondo also serves as chair of the SPIE OPTO Symposium at Photonics West, a premier annual conference of the international society for optics and photonics. Alongside her research and professional leadership, she mentors future scientists and helps expand opportunities in engineering and optics.

“Through internationally recognized scholarship, sustained external engagement and demonstrable impact, Dr. Blanco-Redondo exemplifies the 91�Թ��� Luminary ideal through globally impactful work that both broadens understanding and inspires future scientists,” 91�Թ��� College of Optics and Photonics Dean David Hagan says.

William Crampton

Professor, Department of Biology, College of Sciences

William Crampton’s research on electric fish is revealing extraordinary capabilities — and has even earned a world record.

A leading global authority in his field, Crampton recorded an 860-volt eel in the Amazon Basin, the highest voltage ever documented from a living organism, according to Guinness World Records. His work advances species discovery, documentation, and conservation while revealing principles of biological sensing relevant to radar, sonar, and autonomous sensing technologies.

In a recent study, Crampton and other 91�Թ��� researchers uncovered how eels and knifefish strategically suppress their electric signals to avoid detection, balancing the need to sense their surroundings with the need to remain concealed. His open-source tools are also expanding how scientists study behavior in natural systems. Crampton’s discoveries have also reached audiences worldwide through major media outlets, including National Geographic.

“His recent work combines innovative discovery, international recognition and exceptional public visibility, producing scholarship that advances knowledge while capturing the imagination of both the scientific community and the public,” 91�Թ��� Department of Biology Chair Eric Hoffman says.

Alan Fyall

Visit Orlando Endowed Chair of Tourism Marketing,

Alan Fyall is helping destinations worldwide rethink how tourism can better serve the people who visit and the communities that call them home.

His research addresses destination planning, travel accessibility, resilience, sustainability and tourism’s impact on communities. His appointment to the United Nations Pool of Experts for Global Reporting on the State of the Marine Environment brings 91�Թ��� expertise into international ocean governance.

An elected fellow and leader with the International Academy for the Study of Tourism, Fyall has advised organizations and governments across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and the United States. His scholarship includes eight books, 105 peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 100 conference papers and editorials. The New York Times, USA Today and Forbes have featured his expertise.

“Dr. Fyall’s work connects local relevancy to global impact,” says Rosen College of Hospitality Management Dean Cynthia Mejia. “His research on accessible tourism through mega-events, the well-being impacts of tourism on residents and the vulnerability of coastal destinations to climate disruption is improving how communities around the world plan for and benefit from tourism.”

Ivan Garibay

Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Ivan Garibay is advancing artificial intelligence (AI) to confront challenges ranging from social media misinformation to disease.

He uses AI to model and predict complex human behavior and develops data-driven strategies to counter misinformation and propaganda. This year, he co-founded a biotechnology research company to commercialize AI research aimed at accelerating the search for cures for diseases – an effort supported by a patent filing.

Since joining 91�Թ��� in 2016, Garibay has secured more than $36 million in research funding and testified before Congress about AI’s challenges and opportunities. The master’s program in data analytics he founded has produced 240 91�Թ��� graduates for the workforce.

His work has attracted media attention on four continents, including on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. His honors include election as an associate member of the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida.

“[Garibay] exemplifies the externally recognized, world-changing scholarship the Luminary Award celebrates,” says Waldemar Karwowski, chair of the 91�Թ��� Department of Industrial Engineering and Management.

Claire Connolly Knox

Professor, School of Public Administration, College of Community Innovation and Education

Claire Connolly Knox is strengthening how communities prepare for and mitigate disasters, respond when they strike and recover in their aftermath.

Her nationally recognized research connects coastal resilience, emergency management, environmental vulnerability and equitable delivery of public services. Supported by millions of dollars in grant funding, her work informs federal policy, disaster response, emergency management capacity and strategies for building more resilient communities.

As founder and director of 91�Թ���’s Master of Emergency and Crisis Management program, Knox also helps prepare future leaders in the field. Her contributions have helped advance 91�Թ���’s homeland security and emergency management graduate programs, which U.S. News & World Report ranks No. 1 nationally.

Knox was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in 2024 — one of the field’s highest honors — and received the International Association of Emergency Managers’ 2025 Emergency Management Educator of the Year Award.

“Her sustained scholarly productivity, national prominence, public engagement and commitment to addressing complex societal challenges have enhanced 91�Թ���’s reputation while advancing more equitable and resilient communities,” says Bradley Heim, director of the 91�Թ��� School of Public Administration.

Abdul-Akeem Sadiq

Professor, School of Public Administration, College of Community Innovation and Education

Abdul-Akeem Sadiq helps governments and communities prepare for complex threats while equipping the next generation of researchers to take them on.

His interdisciplinary research spans floods, infrastructure failures, human trafficking and other emerging crises. By examining disaster preparedness, emergency communication systems, organizational mitigation strategies and equitable disaster response, he generates insights that inform public policy and professional practice.

Sadiq also leads a U.S. National Science Foundation initiative to develop future hazards and disaster researchers. He recently brought scholars from across the nation to 91�Թ��� to strengthen collaboration and workforce development in disaster science. His honors include election as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, one of the field’s highest distinctions.

“Dr. Sadiq has established himself as a nationally and internationally recognized scholar whose research, leadership and public engagement have significantly advanced the fields of emergency management and public administration while elevating 91�Թ���’s visibility as a leader in disaster resilience and public service scholarship,” Heim says.

Mel Stanfill

Professor, Texts and Technology Program and Department of English, College of Arts and Humanities

Mel Stanfill brings critical insight to the technologies and online communities reshaping digital culture.

In examining how technology, identity, law and economics influence cultural participation, Stanfill explores fandoms, music, AI, digital games, social media governance, parasocial relationships and more.

Stanfill’s book Fandom Is Ugly: Networked Harassment in Participatory Culture earned the National Communication Association’s 2025 Diamond Anniversary Book Award for its analysis of politics, online communities and harassment.

Stanfill’s expertise has reached the public through commentary for NPR, The Guardian, National Geographic, Forbes, NBC News and Teen Vogue, bringing scholarly insight to contemporary conversations about technology and popular culture.

“Dr. Stanfill has made 91�Թ��� a national player in the discussion of the cultural effects of technology,” 91�Թ��� Department of English Chair James Campbell says. “91�Թ��� needs to be a place not just where new technology is conceived, but where it is questioned, critiqued, and has its cultural meanings and effects made clear, and Dr. Stanfill is making that happen.”

On Thursday, Sept. 24, the 91�Թ��� Board of Trustees approved renaming the to the Dr. Yvette Kanouff School of Data, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences. The renaming initiative was the in honor of a transformational gift Kanouff — a highly successful leader in mathematics and technology — made to 91�Թ��� and establishes the school as one of the very few named mathematical schools in the United States.

Kanouff’s investment also establishes an endowed fund that will help advance 91�Թ���’s mission of expanding student success and maximizing excellence. The fund will support outstanding graduate students, expand scholarships that increase access and achievement, and recognize excellence in teaching and research among students, faculty and postdoctoral fellows across the school, which is in the .

Creating Paths to Success

Kanouff says she believes everyone can contribute to 91�Թ��� student success, whether through mentoring, professional connections, volunteer service or financial support.

“I want our students and future students to know that what I’m investing in is them,” Kanouff says. “I want them and their children to have an amazing opportunity at a college that is able to fully develop their capabilities and talents.”

Her gift reflects a belief shared by many supporters of 91�Թ���’s Go For Launch campaign: that investing in students creates opportunities that extend far beyond graduation and strengthens the university’s impact for generations to come.

Kanouff knows firsthand how any financial assistance can help make a student’s college journey easier, which she says the new endowment and school name will help promote. Kanouff worked to pay for her studies while earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics at 91�Թ���. At the time, she says she did not understand how scholarships worked or what financial assistance might have been available. From this personal experience she knows there are students who have the ability and determination to succeed but they may not know where to find help.

“If you have the skill and you have the grit, there should be a path for you to have a wonderful career,” Kanouff says.

A Foundation for What Comes Next

In addition to access to opportunities funded by philanthropy, Kanouff says that students should seek out their professors and maintain lifelong relationships with them whenever possible.

When Kanouff was in graduate school at the College of Sciences, she chose a challenging topic on wavelets and their application to digital signal processing and centroids for her master’s thesis. She selected Ahmed Zayed, the former associate chair for graduate studies in 91�Թ���’s College of Sciences, as her advisor. Zayed became her “thesis father,” a term that reflected the lifelong commitment he made to mentoring her. The two have remained close ever since.

Zayed encouraged Kanouff to pursue a doctorate in mathematics, but her career ultimately took her in another direction. In 2025, 91�Թ��� recognized her many contributions to mathematics, data science and technology by awarding her an honorary Doctor of Science. Zayed, now at DePaul University, traveled from Chicago to attend the ceremony.

“That relationship was something really, really special,” Kanouff says, “And that is something most students don’t have.”

In addition to lifelong friends and mentors, 91�Թ��� gave Kanouff a strong foundation in mathematics. She began her career as a mathematician in the defense industry, applying pattern-recognition algorithms she had learned at 91�Թ���. She later carried that foundation into technology and other emerging fields, discovering how mathematical principles could be applied across industries and disciplines.

Over the years, Kanouff has often visited the campus to see how her professors were doing and occasionally taught a calculus class as a guest lecturer. When speaking with students, she often shares some of the emerging technologies that require the advanced math skills they are learning.

Kanouff points to artificial intelligence as one example of how mathematics drives emerging technology. AI systems rely on mathematical concepts such as pattern recognition, clustering, and association.

“People look at AI and think computer science,” Kanouff says. “I love computer science, but guess what else you have to take? You have to take data science and math and statistics.”

Expanding What’s Possible

Through Knights like Yvette Kanouff are helping 91�Թ��� expand student success, fuel discovery and build a future the world has only begun to imagine. Join the mission at goforlaunch.ucf.edu.

That sense of possibility that Kanouff foresees reflects the vision behind 91�Թ���’s Go For Launch campaign and will shape the newly named school, bringing mathematics, statistics and data science together to help students understand complex problems and contribute across disciplines and industries.

“Yvette’s relationship with 91�Թ��� demonstrates what can happen when graduates remain connected and invest in those who follow,” says Rod Grabowski, senior vice president for advancement and partnerships at 91�Թ��� and CEO of the 91�Թ��� Foundation Inc. “Her generosity advances the vision of Go For Launch by expanding opportunity for students, strengthening academic excellence and inspiring others to help build what comes next.”

Kanouff says she believes creating those possibilities is not the university’s responsibility alone. Alumni, friends and industry partners can strengthen students’ paths in large and small ways by staying connected, sharing their experience, mentoring or contributing to scholarships.

“Mathematics teaches us how to solve complex problems, but supporting students helps create opportunities for them,” Kanouff says. “Whether we give money, time, mentorship or opportunity, each of us can help a student see a path forward.”

Every time a 91�Թ��� student accepts a hug from Kelly Haskins ’91, the radio-TV grad pulls them in and asks the same question:

“When was the last time you saw your mom?”

When she first started Mom Hugs Day in 2022 as a tribute to her late son/former 91�Թ��� student, Hunter, she was stunned by some of the answers.

“There were a few international kids who had not seen their moms in two years,” she recalls. “Those hugs meant a lot.”

Four years in, the fifth annual Mom Hugs Day — which will be held Thursday, Sept. 24, from noon until 2 p.m. at Ferrell Commons — has grown from two moms to 50. Some bring pre-packaged snacks and water to hand out. Some sense a student is really struggling and personally connect them to (CAPS) or to get the support they need. Chipper, the therapy dog, makes appearances.

Haskins looks forward to organizing the event every year on behalf of her nonprofit organization, Do It for Hunter, in partnership with .

“We get more out of it than we give. We walk away just filled with love, and we all say, we wish we could do this every day,” Haskins says. “We just want to do a little something to try to help especially some of the young people in our area because after losing Hunter, we didn’t want this to happen to another family.”

Remembering Hunter

Haskins, who has called Merritt Island, Florida, home since she moved from Michigan in the ninth grade, is from a family of Knights. Her husband, Andrew Haskins ’97, graduated with an electrical engineering degree. They sent their daughters Haley ’16 (psychology) and Hannah ’18 (nursing) here.

By the time her son Hunter enrolled in 2021, she was practiced at the college kid send-off.

“I think he seemed to be more prepared and more mature than kids his age because he grew up with two older sisters. He knew how to do his laundry. He knew how to cook for himself,” she says.

Five weeks into the semester, on Sept. 29, 2021, Hunter took his life. When he was found, his laptop was still open. He’d just failed a math test.

“He was just the most normal kid, and the last one you would think of for this to happen to. But Hunter wasn’t much of a talker. He wouldn’t talk about his feelings, and we will never know exactly why,” she says. “I think he had a panic attack, and he didn’t know how to handle it.”

Now she purposefully has conversations with teenagers about the inevitable ups and downs of life. She tells them it’s OK to fail a test because you’ll get another chance to take it again, just like she did in college algebra. She hosts an annual You Matter Day at Hunter’s high school and works to install suicide awareness benches in parks, schools and other community areas.

“I know I’m a different person now. There’s the ‘before’ me and the ‘now’ me,” she says. “It does give me a lot of purpose. When I get feedback from and hearing that somebody was helped, then it makes it all worth it.”

Simple Idea Leads to Meaningful Impact

Haskins got the idea for Mom Hugs Day when she saw an older, retired couple publicized for bringing lawn chairs to a now-forgotten campus to offer hugs to college students. She immediately got the wheels in motion.

Although she is now retired, she started the event while she was vice president of marketing at Launch Credit Union. She cashed in a PTO day every year for the couple of hours she spent on campus giving out hugs.

“Best PTO day ever — so worth it,” she says. “It’s my favorite day of the year.”

WHPS Director Stephanie Spies has helped coordinate the event since its inception, and she has witnessed first-hand the magic that happens from the simple act of connection.

“To see that many students who were so excited just to be able to get a hug from a mom, or [who] ended up calling their moms or grandmas afterward because they missed them or connecting with students who had been impacted by suicide — it’s just been an overwhelmingly positive experience,” Spies says.

It expanded to Florida Atlantic University this year, and Haskins continues to get requests from non-91�Թ��� moms to bring it to other Florida campuses. She always replies with if someone can make a connection with the university on her behalf, she’s up for a road trip.

“Some of the most meaningful things that we can do don’t have to cost a lot of money,” she says.

Resources for 91�Թ��� Students, Faculty and Staff

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988. Free, confidential counseling is available 24/7 for mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or simply available for anyone who needs someone to talk to.

It’s important to prioritize taking care of your mental health. Take advantage of these resources at 91�Թ��� to help you:

Students

• 91�Թ��� offers a wide range of free mental health services to currently registered undergraduate and graduate students. Students can access CAPS by visiting their offices by Student Health Services, between the Biology and Physical Sciences buildings, or by or by phone at 407-823-2811. During non-business hours, students can call 407-823-2811 and press 5 to be immediately connected to a licensed therapist.
• provides proactive programming and education for students to practice lifelong skills that improve quality of life on topics that include stress management, nutrition and social wellness.
• assists students facing personal hardships, academic concerns, well-being challenges, or unexpected crises. If you are need of support or are concerned about a 91�Թ��� Knight, .
• connects students with peers around the world who may be going through similar experiences. It is a safe, judgment-free space to share your thoughts, receive encouragement and find support whenever you need it.

Faculty and Staff

• The offers a 24-hour emergency hotline and in-person, telephonic or video counseling with licensed professional counselors. It is confidential and free to all faculty and staff (excluding OPS student employees) as well as their eligible family members, including spouses, dependent children, parents and parents-in-law.

To build the ultrafast computers of the future, scientists are looking beyond the electrical charge of electrons to another property: their spin. While conventional hardware relies entirely on the movement of charge to process data, the ability to tap into this intrinsic quantum property could enable researchers to completely reinvent how information travels through a circuit.

Now, a team led by 91�Թ��� Professor of Physics has identified a promising candidate. Neupane and his collaborators found evidence of altermagnetism, an emerging form of magnetism that combines useful characteristics of the two more familiar types of magnetism: ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism.

Ferromagnetism produces the behavior most people associate with everyday magnets. In these materials, magnetic moments align in the same direction, creating a magnetic field. That property can be useful in electronics, but the resulting stray magnetic fields can interfere with nearby components.

Antiferromagnets behave differently. Their magnetic moments point in opposing directions and cancel one another out, largely avoiding the stray fields. However, they lack some of the useful electronic properties found in ferromagnets.

Altermagnets offer another possibility by combining desirable characteristics of both.

Like antiferromagnets, they can avoid producing unwanted stray magnetic fields. But they can also generate and detect spin currents — the movement of electron spins through a material — that researchers hope to use for future electronics.

Neupane and his collaborators experimentally identified signatures of this unusual magnetic state in Co₁/₄TaSe₂, a layered material containing magnetic cobalt atoms. The discovery gives researchers a promising, versatile platform for studying altermagnetism and could help advance future electronic and spintronic technologies.

“These materials are distinguished from more conventional antiferromagnets by their ability to generate and detect spin currents without the negative effect of producing stray fields,” Neupane says. “This new property makes them very well positioned for use in many different applications — including spintronics, ultrafast memory devices, terahertz networks and energy-efficient electronics.”

Tracking the Signs of Altermagnetism

To determine whether Co₁/₄TaSe₂ exhibited altermagnetism, the researchers needed to examine how its electrons behaved.

They used a technique called angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, or ARPES, which allows scientists to measure the energy and movement of electrons and map a material’s electronic structure.

“Our approach was to use higher-resolution methods that were insensitive to the electron’s spin to measure the splitting in the energy levels,” Neupane says. “Then, we complemented this measurement with spin-resolved ARPES to conclusively tell if this looks like altermagnetism.”

The team first detected a characteristic splitting in the material’s electronic bands. They then used spin-resolved ARPES to take a closer look and found that those split states carried opposite spin polarizations, key evidence of altermagnetism.

Getting a clear look at that behavior presented another challenge. Photoemission measurements are extremely sensitive to a material’s surface, so researchers needed exceptionally clean samples to accurately observe what was happening.

While collaborators produced high-quality Co₁/₄TaSe₂ samples, Neupane’s team carefully screened them for ultra-clean surfaces before mapping the material’s electronic behavior.

“The significance became clear once the experimental measurements consistently matched our theoretical predictions,” Neupane says. “Seeing those independent pieces of evidence converge gave us confidence that we had identified a genuine layered altermagnet.”

Why Layered Materials Are Changing the Game

Finding evidence of altermagnetism was only part of what made Co₁/₄TaSe₂ interesting to researchers.

The material is built from extremely thin layers stacked on top of one another. Because those layers are weakly bound, scientists can separate and combine them into extremely thin structures, making layered materials promising for use in thin-film devices and other emerging technologies.

Scientists call this family of layered materials transition-metal dichalcogenides, or TMDs.

In Co₁/₄TaSe₂, magnetic cobalt atoms inserted between the layers help create the material’s unusual magnetic properties. Its layered structure also makes the material highly tunable, allowing researchers to modify it and study how those changes affect its electronic and magnetic behavior.

The team also wanted to understand where that unusual electronic behavior originated. Before the study, it was unclear whether the key signatures of altermagnetism in layered materials would come primarily from the surface or from deeper within the material.

Their measurements showed that the relevant electronic state originated primarily within the material itself and displayed clear signatures of altermagnetic order.

“Evidence for altermagnetism in a versatile materials platform opens a lot of new possibilities,” says Milo Sprague, the study’s lead graduate student researcher. “There’s currently a lot of debate in altermagnetic theory about how the spin-polarized electronic states interact with other magnetic phenomena. Now we have a material that we can easily modify to explore these new questions.”

Building the Foundation for Future Technologies

Most conventional electronics rely on the electrical charge of electrons to transmit and process information. But electrons possess another property, their spin, that researchers are exploring as another way to carry information.

This emerging field is known as spintronics.

Altermagnets could be particularly useful for spintronics because they can generate and detect spin currents without producing the stray magnetic fields that can interfere with densely packed electronic components.

“As electronic devices continue to shrink, researchers need new materials that can operate faster while consuming less energy,” Neupane says.

Layered materials are already being investigated for use in extremely small transistors, optical technologies and other electronic devices. At the same time, researchers are exploring whether spin currents can provide new ways to transmit digital information.

Layered altermagnets could bring those two areas of research together, providing extremely thin, adaptable materials capable of controlling electron spin without producing the same unwanted magnetic interference as conventional magnets.

“If this approach proves viable, then layered altermagnets will be at the forefront of electronics development,” Neupane says.

What Researchers Still Don’t Know

The study gives researchers something particularly valuable: a material they can use to investigate the many unanswered questions surrounding altermagnetism in Co₁/₄TaSe₂.

Scientists still don’t fully understand why this unusual magnetic state forms or why it can become favored over other possible magnetic structures — including ferromagnetism and other forms of antiferromagnetism — and how it behaves.

Theoretical studies suggest that competition among different interactions between electrons may help determine which magnetic state forms, but researchers are still working to determine how completely those theories describe the behavior of real materials.

“There are many details to the theory of how altermagnets work that haven’t been explored or verified yet,” Neupane says. “Now that we have identified several platforms for answering these questions, more advanced studies into these materials are underway.”

Because scientists can modify Co₁/₄TaSe₂ and observe how its properties change, the material provides researchers with a new experimental platform for investigating unanswered questions and exploring how altermagnetism interacts with other magnetic and electronic phenomena.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science under Award Number DE-SC0024304.