{"id":346021,"date":"2026-07-20T14:10:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/346021\/"},"modified":"2026-07-20T14:10:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:10:08","slug":"2-engineering-professors-1-alum-inducted-into-florida-inventors-hall-of-fame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/346021\/","title":{"rendered":"2 Engineering Professors, 1 Alum Inducted Into Florida Inventors Hall of Fame"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\tHighlights<\/p>\n

The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is a state-wide initiative dedicated to honoring and celebrating Florida inventors whose achievements have significantly advanced the quality of life for all Americans.<\/p>\n

Professor Reza Abdolvand was named an inductee for his contributions to the field of micro-electromechanical systems, which has significant applications in telecommunications, bioengineering and sensor technology.<\/p>\n

Professor Ni-bin Chang was selected for his groundbreaking invention of green sorption media and sustainable water treatment technologies that improve water quality.<\/p>\n

A fellow at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Clara Rivero Baleine \u201901 \u201903MS \u201905PhD\u2019s gradient refractive index optical materials and metamaterial coatings transformed infrared sensing systems for defense and advanced photonics applications.<\/p>\n

The three will be officially inducted during a formal ceremony on Nov. 6 in Tampa, Florida.<\/p>\n

UCF researchers are known worldwide for their innovative studies, groundbreaking discoveries and contributions to patented technologies that have impacted society and influenced other leaders in the field.<\/p>\n

Two College of Engineering and Computer Science<\/a> professors and a three-time UCF alum-turned-courtesy faculty appointee are now being recognized for their achievements that have advanced the quality of life for the state of Florida and the nation.<\/p>\n

Professors Reza Abdolvand and Ni-bin Chang and Lockheed Martin Fellow Clara Rivero Baleine \u201901 \u201903MS \u201905PhD have been named 2026 inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame (FIHF). This initiative celebrates pioneering inventors and empowers future problem-solvers and changemakers.<\/p>\n

This initiative celebrates pioneering inventors and empowers future problem-solvers and changemakers.<\/p>\n

This year, 10 inventors from Florida will be inducted during a formal ceremony in Tampa on Nov. 6. Since FIHF was founded in 2013, five faculty inventors from UCF have been recognized with the distinction.<\/p>\n

\u201cInduction into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame represents the ultimate validation of a lifelong commitment to translating academic research<\/a> into industry practice,\u201d Chang says. \u201cBeing inducted into the Hall of Fame, which includes over 90 inventors in different fields is also a testament to the thriving Florida innovation ecosystem and the power of continuous, groundbreaking discovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Portrait\"PortraitNi-bin Chang\u2019s research is focused on sustainable water treatment technologies that improve water quality.
\nA Career in Environmental Innovation<\/p>\n

Chang was selected for induction based on his groundbreaking invention of green sorption media (GSM) and sustainable water treatment technologies that improve water quality.<\/p>\n

GSM is a cost-effective and sustainable type of filtration media that uses recycled byproducts and natural minerals to treat stormwater runoff, wastewater effluent, groundwater flow and agricultural discharge.<\/p>\n

There are a variety of patented GSM blends that can filter heavy metals, pathogens and contaminants from water systems. This process not only restores aquatic ecosystems but halts the transmission of waterborne diseases, and eliminates cyanotoxins and \u201cforever chemicals\u201d from water that can harm both humans and animals.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemoving these diverse contaminants from water matrices provides profound, cascading benefits for both human health and aquatic ecosystems,\u201d Chang says. \u201cBy eliminating the risk pathways associated with both acute exposure and chronic bioaccumulation, these GSM-based treatment technologies support fundamental ecological balance and public well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n

GSM blends are already used at more than 300 water treatment sites across the U.S.<\/p>\n

\"Gray-hair\"Gray-hairReza Abdolvand serves as chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
\nThe Inventor of Advanced Electronics<\/p>\n

Abdolvand, the chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was named an inductee for his contributions to the field of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) \u2014 incredibly small devices that have mighty power. Specifically, he is the inventor of a class of microelectronics called Thin-Film Piezoelectric-on-Substrate (TPoS) devices, which improve the reliability and efficiency of a wide range of electronics, including cell phones.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy improving the efficiency and reliability of the components that make up these systems, the impact, while often invisible to the end user, is very real,\u201d Abdolvand says. \u201cBetter performance, lower power consumption, and more reliable devices are the kinds of improvements that quietly make everyday technology work better for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abdolvand\u2019s interest in innovation stems from his natural sense of curiosity. He says his tendency to connect the dots between seemingly unrelated events or systems has served him well throughout his career in research and academia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe moment it all clicked was during my Ph.D., when I was first given the opportunity to work on genuinely hard technical problems,\u201d Abdolvand says. \u201cI realized I could come up with solutions that simply did not exist yet. That realization was a turning point.\u201d<\/p>\n

As his career progresses, Abdolvand hopes to leave behind a legacy that is less about devices and innovation and more about people. His passion for educating, inspiring and creating opportunities for students means more than the impacts of his inventions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat excites me most is seeing students take the seed ideas developed at the university and carry them forward into their own companies, their own inventions, their own contributions to society,\u201d Abdolvand says. \u201cThat chain of innovation \u2014 from a research lab to a startup to a product that improves people\u2019s lives \u2014 is what I find truly meaningful. If I can play even a small role in setting that chain in motion for as many students as possible, that is the legacy I would be interested to leave behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Portrait\"PortraitClara Rivero Baleine continues to maintain strong ties with UCF through a courtesy faculty appointment at CREOL and serves on the CREOL Dean Advisory Board and the UCF Material Science Industrial Advisory board.
\nOn the Cutting Edge of\u00a0Infrared\u00a0Materials and Optics<\/p>\n

Driven by a desire to protect people and advance technologies that matter, Rivero Baleine joined Lockheed Martin<\/a>, a UCF Pegasus Partner<\/a>, in 2005 after completing three degrees in six years at UCF.<\/p>\n

Rivero Baleine now serves as a Lockheed Martin fellow, contributing to cutting\u2011edge innovation in infrared materials and optics.<\/p>\n

Rivero-Baleine\u2019s gradient refractive index optical materials and metamaterial coatings transformed infrared sensing systems for defense and advanced photonics applications.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am profoundly proud and deeply humbled to be welcomed into such an extraordinary community of inventors and innovators,\u201d Rivero-Baleine says. \u201cWhat inspires me most is knowing that these\u00a0innovations will\u00a0become part of systems that protect service members, strengthen national security and expand the capabilities of the platforms we rely on. That sense of purpose continues to\u00a0drive\u00a0my work every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rivero Baleine continues to maintain strong ties with UCF through a courtesy faculty appointment at CREOL and serves on the CREOL Dean Advisory Board and the UCF Material Science Industrial Advisory board.<\/p>\n

Rivero Baleine is a Burnett Honors Scholar<\/a> and earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in physics<\/a>, and a master\u2019s<\/a> and a doctorate in optics<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Highlights The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is a state-wide initiative dedicated to honoring and celebrating Florida inventors…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":346022,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[141727,78407,141728,82968,141729,106797,28,30,29,40484,141730,141731,7352,78410],"class_list":["post-346021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-burnett-honors-college","tag-college-of-engineering-and-computer-science","tag-college-of-optics-and-photonics","tag-college-of-sciences","tag-creol","tag-faculty-excellence","tag-florida","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news","tag-lockheed-martin","tag-main-site-stories","tag-pegasus-briefs","tag-research","tag-ucf-alumni"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=346021"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346021\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/346022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=346021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=346021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=346021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}