Letter from the Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation
I’m pleased to present the University of Central Florida Office of Research Annual Report for 2023. Inside we showcase some of UCF’s successes in research and innovation, alongside compelling highlights from our colleges, faculty research clusters, and various centers and institutes.
Fiscal Year 2023 was another milestone for UCF Research, with sponsored funding reaching $217.1 million, marking eight consecutive years of growth. Moreover, the issuance of 56 U.S. patents in FY23 helped solidify UCF’s rank as a top, patent-producing public university.
This year’s report also offers insights into the Office of Research’s units, integral in supporting UCF’s research enterprise and driving our ongoing success and continued growth in research and innovation.
As we conclude 2023, we are preparing for many new initiatives to drive further growth in 2024, as outlined in our newly developed UCF Research Enterprise Plan. UCF’s faculty, staff, and students continue to exhibit new levels of excellence in research and innovation, and I look forward to the many accomplishments to come in 2024.
Best wishes,
Sincerely,
Dr. Winston V. Schoenfeld
Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation
Research by the Numbers
UCF has seen another record year in research funding with more than $217 million in total sponsored awards for Fiscal Year 2023.
This is up $2 million from FY2022 and signifies a continued upward trajectory over the last eight years. Research expenditures for FY2022 were more than $221 million.
These totals are a testament to the hard work of our talented faculty and students who are the forefront of innovation and our dedicated staff who work tirelessly to support our research enterprise
Proposals Funded
Proposals Submitted
Contracts Approved
Contracts Received
Tech Transfer Patents
56 U.S Patents Issued within 2023 Fiscal Year
UCF’s Office of Technology Transfer brings the innovations of our researchers to the marketplace, placing UCF as one of the top-ranked, patent-producing public universities in the world.
AWARDS BY UNIVERSITY UNIT
Research funding was spread out among colleges and units, with the College of Sciences and the College of Engineering and Computer Science receiving the most in FY2023.
Unit
Award Amount
UCF Libraries
$3,182
Office of the CFO
$11,500
Burnett Honors College
$20,461
College of Undergraduate Studies
$35,000
Limbitless Solutions, Inc.
$50,000
WUCF FM
$97,712
UCF Global
$164,186
College of Business Administration
$225,109
Rosen College of Hospitality Management
$246,904
Public Safety
$309,704
College of Graduate Studies
$544,862
College of Arts and Humanities
$1,424,319
WUCF TV
$1,533,956
Student Success and Well-being
$2,300,866
College of Nursing
$4,736,264
College of Health Professions and Sciences
$6,667,771
President
$9,352,488
College of Community Innovation and Education
$17,979,984
College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL)
$18,998,724
School of Modeling, Simulation and Training
$19,736,761
College of Medicine
$21,076,138
Office of Research
$27,374,035
College of Engineering and Computer Science
$40,615,221
College of Sciences
$43,603,440
Top INVESTIGATORS
UCF investigators receiving the most new funding included those from Physics and Education, highlighting the range of research at the university spanning from space to our local communities.
Julie Brisset – $ 10.35 MILLION
Interim director of the Florida Space Institute
KERRI DONALDSON HANNA – $9.73 Million
Associate Professor, Physics
AMY ELLIS – $ 7.18 MILLION
Director, Center for Community Schools
ADRIENNE DOVE – $ 6.58 MILLION
Associate Professor, Physics
Cause for Celebration
The Luminary Awards
Established in 2017 these awards are designed to recognize some of UCF’s brightest stars who shine a positive light on the university and in their respective fields, as well as illuminate a path of discovery for those who will come after them. This year, fifteen faculty members were celebrated for their leadership and the impact they are having around the world.
Barbara “Basia” Andraka-Christou
College of Community Innovation and Education
Desiree Diaz
College of Nursing
Aristide Dogariu
College of Optics and Photonics
Irene Pons
College of Community Innovation and Education
Kerri Donaldson Hanna
College of Sciences
Tommy James
College of Arts and Humanities
Marry Little
College of Community Innovation and Education
UCF Celebrates the Arts
Tim Brown is an assistant professor of scenery and projection design; Rob Siler is an assistant professor of lighting and projection design; Rudy McDaniel is the director of UCF’s School of Visual Arts and Design; Vandy Wood is an associate professor of scenic and lighting design; Jeffrey Moore is the dean of UCF’s College of Arts and Humanities; Paul Lartonoix is an assistant dean in UCF’s College of Arts and Humanities; Claudia Lynch is an associate professor and the coordinator of the BFA in Stage Management; and Bert Scott is director of production for Theatre UCF and a professor of theatre.
Key Funding Sources
Top federal funders for UCF research in FY2023 were the U.S. Department of Defense(DOD), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Types of Funding
Out of the research funding UCF received in FY2023, the majority was from federal sources, followed by industry and other, and then from state
and local.
