Three UCF faculty members, including aerospace engineering Associate Professor Ranajay Ghosh, have been recognized by the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL) for the impact they’ve had on their fields of study. Associate professors Ranajay Ghosh and Chen Chen of the College of Engineering and Computer Science and Associate Professor Lindsay Taliaferro of the College of Medicine have been named 2024 Rising Star awardees and will be recognized at the ASEMFL annual meeting on Nov. 1.
The Rising Stars are selected based on their academic and scientific contributions to the field as well as their potential to become future ASEMFL inductees. This year, a total of 19 Rising Star awards will be given to mid-career academics from both public and private universities in the state.
“ASEMFL recognizes the importance of new investigators whose work shows great promise in addressing critical issues towards ensuring the growth and success in its mission,” says Angela Laird, the ASEMFL secretary and a distinguished university professor at Florida International University. “Through the Rising Stars program, ASEMFL hopes to engage with mid-career researchers more actively throughout the State of Florida, anticipating that these individuals will provide valuable insight for how to grow the society and ensure its continued relevance for current and future generations.”
Ranajay, the Rising Star
Citation: For pioneering research in nonlinear metamaterials and metasurfaces, significantly advancing the understanding of their nonlinear elasticity, dynamics, and dissipative behavior with applications to aerospace and robotics
Over the past several years, Ghosh, an associate professor of aerospace engineering, has garnered both media attention and industry support for his research, which mixes the fundamentals of engineering with cutting-edge technology to create advanced materials and systems for space applications. His work on 3D-printed bricks made of lunar regolith was featured in Popular Science in 2022 and his research on exoskeletons was funded by a U.S. National Science Foundation CAREER award in 2020.
Despite the accolades he’s received and milestones he’s achieved, Ghosh was surprised but pleased to be named a 2024 ASEMFL Rising Star.
“I’m truly honored to be recognized as a Rising Star by the Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida,” Ghosh says. “The academy’s mission to address pressing challenges, especially those impacting on the state of Florida, closely aligns with my work in advanced materials for aerospace and robotics. This recognition inspires me not only to push the boundaries of technology but also to mentor my students to become problem solvers who are able to tackle the complex issues the academy aims to address.”