Globally, a total of 230 emerging inventors were named to the list this year, making it the largest cohort in NAI history. The inductees will be honored during the NAI 15^th annual conference in Los Angeles in June. Solihin says he feels honored to join this distinguished group of researchers.

“What sets the NAI senior member designation apart is that it focuses on innovations with real-world impact.�

“This induction means a lot to me,� he says. “What sets the NAI senior member designation apart is that it focuses on innovations with real-world impact.�

Solihin’s work has significantly impacted society and the way that our technology works. The Pegasus Professor and director of the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Cyber Security and Privacy faculty cluster initiative has made computing systems faster, more reliable and more secure.

Among his most influential inventios are a security mechanism known as the Bonsai Merkle Tree and a system called Cache Quality of Service. The former protects computer memory from unauthorized modifications at significantly lower cost than previous methods, while the latter addresses performance slowdowns that occur when multiple applications share processor resources.

Both innovations have influenced processors that are now widely used in data centers.

“My journey of making real-world impact from my research spanned many years ago, starting in 2012,� he says. “Since that time, my work has garnered 57 U.S. patents in the area of chip design.�

Solihin, who is also an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Association for Computing Machinery and Japan Society for Promotion of Science fellow, says his process for taking an invention from an idea to a tangible product starts with identifying a problem that is worth solving. From there, he analyzes literature and technical documents for solutions, identifies the key technical challenges to overcome and then works to refine the solution. He encourages young inventors to just start by “brainspilling,� or getting the idea out on paper.

“When I have an idea in my head, it is typically not very clear,� Solihin says. “It appears vague, like seeing it through fog. Translating this into an invention requires working the brain to conceptualize the solution, to visualize it in much deeper details, to enumerate all the cases in which it shows benefits and drawbacks and solves key technical challenges. This process, brainspilling, requires long hours with pencil and paper to remove the fog.�

Ultimately, he says, the motivation to continue innovating comes from the satisfaction of solving complex problems.

“It’s the good feeling of gaining clarity on something that was once unclear,� he says. “It’s similar to solving a puzzle but with open-ended problems and unpredictable timelines.�

At Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, researchers working in space and semiconductor reliability, including those affiliated with the university’s Center for Reliability Evaluation of Space and Semiconductor Technologies (CRESST), are helping address the challenge. Through a new collaboration with TAU Systems, they will evaluate and benchmark an emerging approach to radiation testing designed to make the process faster, more accessible and easier to scale.

“Academic partnerships are central to how we move this technology forward,â€� TAU Systems CEO Jerome Paye says. “Universities like Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ bring deep scientific expertise, world-class facilities and a culture of rigorous validation that complements everything we are doing on the commercial side. That is the real value of working closely with academia, it accelerates the path from breakthrough science to deployable technology.â€�

“Universities like Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ bring deep scientific expertise, world-class facilities and a culture of rigorous validation that complements everything we are doing on the commercial side. That is the real value of working closely with academia, it accelerates the path from breakthrough science to deployable technology.â€�—Jerome Paye, CEO of TAU Systems

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s established strengths in microelectronics and radiation effects, combined with its legacy as America’s Space University, make it a natural partner as TAU Systems works to validate and scale accelerator technologies designed to reduce the size and cost of radiation testing systems.

Making Room for Beamtime

When a high-energy particle from space radiation strikes a microchip, it can cause it to malfunction, a phenomenon known as a single-event effect (SEE). These events are a major concern for satellites, spacecraft and defensive systems, where even small disruptions can have significant consequences.

Studying these effects requires access to specialized particle accelerator facilities. This access, known as “beamtime,� is limited and in high demand, often booked months in advance and creating delays that can slow research and development.

“Access to heavy-ion beam facilities is one of the major bottlenecks in radiation effects research today,� says , assistant professor in and lead of the Radiation Effects Exploration Laboratory (REEL). “These facilities are limited in number, heavily oversubscribed and often require long scheduling timelines. That makes it difficult to rapidly evaluate modern microelectronics technologies that are increasingly being deployed in space and defense systems.�

Researchers typically study these effects using heavy-ion accelerators, specialized facilities capable of simulating the radiation conditions electronics experience in space. While effective, these facilities are expensive to operate, limited in number and often booked months in advance creating delays for researchers and industry seeking access to beamtime.

An Alternative to Heavy Ion Testing

A collaboration between Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and TAU Systems aims to change that by testing a new approach known as electron-based single-event effects, or eSEE. Instead of relying on heavy ions, the method uses laser-driven electron beams to reproduce similar radiation-induced effects observed in space electronics.

“Electron-based SEE approaches could significantly expand access to radiation testing by enabling more flexible and scalable experimental platforms,� Zhang says. “Our role is to rigorously evaluate how these electron-driven methods compare with established heavy-ion testing and determine where they can provide reliable and meaningful insight for real-world applications,� Zhang says.

The approach has the potential to reduce systems that traditionally span kilometers to setups that could fit within a laboratory, lowering barriers to entry and expanding access to radiation testing.

Through the partnership, researchers will work to validate the new method by comparing its results against established heavy-ion testing data to determine when and how reliably it can replicate real-world radiation effects. The collaboration will also support test execution, data analysis and the refinement of validation techniques.

“A key part of this collaboration is establishing confidence in the methodology through direct benchmarking against conventional heavy-ion data,� Zhang says. “If successful, these approaches could help accelerate qualification workflows for advanced semiconductor technologies used in space, aerospace and national security applications.

Forging a Future in Space

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s work in space and semiconductor research, including efforts led through CRESST, positions the university as a contributor to advancing radiation testing capabilities. Located near Florida’s Space Coast and long connected to the nation’s aerospace industry, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ supports research and workforce development tied to emerging space technologies.

If successful, the collaboration could lead to the deployment of a compact testing system at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, expanding access to radiation testing and helping train the next generation of engineers and researchers. By expanding access to radiation testing infrastructure, the effort could help accelerate the development of more resilient electronics for space, defense and commercial applications.

Five years after Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ computer science students first helped the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) build a tech solution to enhance efficiency, Knights are still improving the platform — and the impact keeps growing.

Reserve Mercury, a mobile and web application designed to replace slow, paper-based administrative processes used by Army Reserve units, is now being used by thousands of reservists nationwide. What started as Project Mercury — a student-led effort to replace paper forms — has evolved into a long-running collaboration between student developers in Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s Senior Seminar Course, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the USAR.

Originally launched in 2023, the app digitized the Army Reserve’s DA 1380 submission process — a manual workflow that once required soldiers to print forms, physically route paperwork through chains of command and wait for approvals tied to compensation and service records.

Now, soldiers can digitally submit pay, absence and medical forms within the platform from any device. Leaders can then review and approve submissions instantly, helping reduce delays and ensure soldiers are paid on time.

But the momentum behind Project Mercury didn’t end at launch.

Each semester, new student teams continue building on the work of those before them — refining features, fixing issues and expanding the platform based on direct user feedback from soldiers.

“As technology continues to advance, it’s important that critical systems like those used by the Army Reserve evolve as well,â€� says Shaun Gorllapati ’26, functional test and continuous improvement lead on the Fall 2025–Spring 2026 Senior Design II team. “Projects like this help bridge that gap by introducing more efficient, scalable and modern solutions that improve overall operations.â€�

Inheriting a Mission Already in Motion

Under the guidance of Associate Lecturers Matthew Gerber and Richard Leinecker in Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s College of Engineering and Computer Science, Project Mercury has become one of the university’s most ambitious long-term software projects since its inception in 2021.

Senior Design students work alongside Army Reserve subject matter experts led by Reserve Mercury Program Manager Lt. Col. Jonathan LacKamp while gaining experience in large-scale software engineering, testing and deployment management.

This year’s team included 15 students with expertise in data science, artificial intelligence and application and web-based development. Organized into three groups, they focused on backend development, bug fixes and maintenance, and new feature development.

At the start of the semester, the team inherited a nearly five-year-old codebase from previous students. Through documentation reviews, handoff meetings and collaboration with prior developers, they learned how to maintain and expand a living software system already serving military users nationwide.

New Features Focus on Speed, Security and Simplicity

For Spring 2026, 84 new users from the 6th Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment were onboarded and trained on the platform. Their feedback directly shaped several new improvements.

Among the latest updates was a Pay Type Limits feature that helps commanders monitor annual submission thresholds tied to DA 1380 compensation requests. Students also improved the app’s dental form process by adding required field validation, submission confirmation and better signature handling to help ensure medical documentation is completed accurately for deployment readiness.

Another major upgrade was a redesigned notification system.

“I’m especially proud of the notification system, which significantly improves how reservists stay informed and act within the application,� Gorllapati says. “Previously, … users had to rely on an activity log to view updates. Notifications were not actionable, lacked clear read and unread indicators, and did not guide users to the relevant part of the app.�

Additional enhancements currently in development include multi-factor authentication for stronger security and a large-scale user interface redesign to modernize the platform and improve accessibility.

The response from reservists has reinforced the project’s impact.

“We recently onboarded a unit that was struggling with an HR administrator shortage across multiple companies,� says Maj. Jeffrey Garner, Reserve Mercury onboarding and implementation lead. “After they started using Reserve Mercury, the feedback was immediate — they called it a ‘game changer’ and asked to onboard their additional units as soon as possible.�

Developing Career-Ready Skills Through Mission-Driven Work

For students, the experience goes far beyond the classroom.

“Working on a project with real-world, national-level impact while still a student has been a very meaningful experience,� Gorllapati says. “[It has] prepared me to handle real-world engineering challenges more effectively and has reinforced my goal of pursuing a career in software engineering, where I can contribute to large-scale, impactful systems.�

Senior Design team members build experience in frontend and backend development, AWS services, deployment management, software testing, and release cycles while collaborating directly with military stakeholders in an environment that mirrors professional software engineering teams.

But for many, the most rewarding part is knowing their work directly supports service members.

“Knowing that the end users are real service members adds purpose to every feature we build,� Gorllapati says. “It motivates us to learn new tools, improve our technical skills, and apply best practices to ensure the application is reliable, efficient, and easy to use.�

That purpose continues driving Reserve Mercury forward — one update, one deployment and one student at a time.

“What we’ve seen over the life of the project is the power of collaboration between reservists as both customers and subject matter experts, innovation sponsors like DIU and the incredible dedication of successive student teams,” LacKamp says. “The program is currently poised for wider adoption across USAR, but that wouldn’t be possible without the strong foundation built by our Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ partners.  At Reserve Mercury, we believe that administrative efficiency is directly related to both operational readiness and the retention of qualified soldiers. Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ is helping make this belief a reality.”

Now a global project manager for wire technology at Alleima Advanced Materials, the materials science and engineering alum has earned the company’s 2026 Innovation Prize for her work advancing wires used in critical medical devices such as continuous glucose monitors, hearing implants and pacemakers. The annual award recognizes excellence in product development.

“The work I do is very rewarding. Every day, I get to contribute to advancing medical care and treatment,� McDorman says. “If it’s a medical device and it has a wire, Alleima is likely contributing to it somehow.�

McDorman earned her doctoral degree from Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ under Associate Professor Swaminathan Rajaraman, who directs the , where researchers develop micro- and nanoscale solutions spanning biotechnology, pharmacology, plant sciences and medical devices.

“I chose Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ because the [materials science and engineering] program was highly rated … and had a wide variety of research areas …â€�

Before coming to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, McDorman earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in physics, but discovered a passion for applied research that required a deeper focus on materials.

“When I decided to pursue a Ph.D., materials science and engineering was a natural choice,â€� she says. “I chose Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ because the program was highly rated, small and had a wide variety of research areas that I was interested in.â€�

Through her doctoral studies, McDorman found a more biology-focused side of materials science. Her work with biosensors in Rajaraman’s lab ultimately inspired her to pursue a career in the medical device industry.

She credits her research experience at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ with preparing her for work at Alleima, where 90% of her unit’s business supports medical device manufacturing.

“The company has a rich history of materials innovation in steel and nickel-based alloys,� McDorman says. “Since we produce wire, I am constantly using base materials science knowledge to process the material in a way that achieves a specific set of properties in the end product.�

She says she has always aimed for a position that would allow her to make a positive contribution to society, an opportunity she is grateful to have at Alleima.

For new graduates considering a similar path, McDorman encourages them to connect with Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ alumni on LinkedIn and to explore job opportunities in Florida’s growing manufacturing industry, particularly in Volusia and Flagler counties.

“We put a lot into our work every day because we truly care about ensuring the best possible patient outcomes,� she says. “It is great that our efforts have been recognized by the business.�

By modifying the material at the atomic level, the researchers at , led by , significantly improved the reaction’s energy efficiency while maintaining industrial production rates.

The findings were recently published in Nature Communications.

Atomically Perfect Imperfections

The new material was created using a method known as defect modification.

At the nanoscale, carbon materials contain atomic-level imperfections, or “defects,� Yang says. Some of these defects help drive chemical reactions, while others reduce efficiency and create instability. Yang and his team focused on stabilizing the harmful defects while preserving the beneficial ones.

“We found that adding a small amount of fluorine — the same element found in toothpaste — can ‘heal’ or stabilize the harmful defects while keeping the helpful ones active,� Yang says.

Hydrogen peroxide (Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚) plays a critical role across industries, including wastewater treatment, semiconductor manufacturing, and medical sterilization.

“Today, most hydrogen peroxide is produced in large, centralized factories using an energy-intensive process,� Yang says. “It then has to be transported, which adds cost and safety risks. Our work offers a simpler, cleaner, and more efficient way to produce hydrogen peroxide using electricity, potentially, wherever it is needed.�

Engineered Efficiency

After stabilizing the atomic defects, the team observed minimal wasted reactions and high production rates. The material can withstand industrial-level electrical currents of 1 amp per square centimeter and maintain stable performance for more than 100 hours.

When paired with methanol oxidation, the system requires less energy than conventional approaches. The researchers’ economic modeling suggests a commercial version of the system could reduce environmental impact while remaining financially competitive.

Beyond hydrogen peroxide production, the research demonstrates a broader strategy for materials engineering.

“Instead of randomly modifying materials and hoping for improvement, we used computer modeling, statistical screening, and careful experimental validation to design the exact atomic structures that work best,� Yang says.

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ filed a patent application for this technology to cover its novelty and use, with the intent of commercializing the technology and expanding collaboration with industry partners.

Some of the nation’s most promising scientists can be found in Will Furiosi ’13 ’14MAT’s Oviedo High School classroom.

Spend five minutes talking to Ankan Das, Angela Calvo-Chumbimuni and Moitri Santra about their research innovations in robotics, mental health and agriculture, and one truth becomes quite clear: These teens are the real deal.

Backed by Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ associate professors Ellen Kang (physics and NanoScience Technology Center) and Candice Bridge ’07±Ê³ó¶Ù (chemistry) and researcher Max Kuehn ’22 (Exolith Lab), the Oviedo High trio recently earned recognition as the top three projects at Seminole County’s regional science fair.

With Oviedo’s proximity to main campus, the collaboration highlights Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s steadfast commitment to supporting STEM education across Central Florida.

They went on to represent the county admirably at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, where they took home several prizes against more than 1,700 high schoolers from around the globe.

Most notably, Santra took home first place and $6,000 in the Plant Sciences category and received the EU Contest for Young Scientists Award. She will represent Regeneron ISEF at the EU Contest for Young Scientists to be held this September in Kiel, Germany.

“Working in Dr. Kang’s lab played pretty big role in choosing materials science and engineering as my major for college because I was exposed to just how many different things someone can do in the area I work with, nanotechnology,� says Santra, a senior bound for Stanford who has worked with Kang since she was a freshman. “The lab provided a lot of resources — not just the instruments, but also mentorship, advice and support.�

A Will to Succeed

The hallway leading to Furiosi’s classroom is decorated with rows of blue, red, white, green, yellow and pink paper accomplishment ribbons. More ribbons, pennants and certificates adorn his walls, along with eight Science and Engineering Fair of Florida best-in-fair grand award senior division trophies — more than any other high school in the state.

During his own primary education, Furiosi attended eight schools over 12 years. As a seventh-grader at Stone Magnet Middle School in Brevard County, he was initially prohibited from participating in science fair because officials couldn’t verify Furiosi was capable of the coursework from his transfer transcripts. He would later go on to earn Order of Pegasus as a Burnett Honors Scholar majoring in biomedical sciences before earning his master’s degree in teacher education.

Every day, he saw a wall of ribbons, much like the ones in his classroom now. And every day he would tell himself, “I want to be one of those kids.�

That experience fundamentally shaped how the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ grad runs his program today.

“What keeps me motivated is knowing that I have the opportunity to get people to be really prepared, informed citizens who are good thinkers, and who, when faced with a problem, smile and tackle it instead of running away,� Furosi says.

Infusing Life into Science

Furiosi began teaching at Oviedo High School in 2013 as he pursued his accelerated master’s degree, made possible by the College of Community Innovation and Education’s Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program. The program, funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant, was created in response to the growing need for skilled workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Four years later, he took over the school’s science fair program and was determined to breathe new life into it, which at the time involved just four kids.

He cold called students in his AP Biology and Honors Chemistry courses, begging anyone who had shown a glimmer of interest during class to sign up so they wouldn’t have to fold the program.

Today, he’s at 46 students, with some, like Calvo-Chumbimuni, interested in joining the program as soon as they arrive at Oviedo High.

“My seventh grade science fair teacher knew Mr. Furiosi and spoke highly of him,â€� says Calvo-Chumbimuni, who earned fourth place ISEF’s biochemistry category this year. “When I came to Oviedo High and met him, I immediately understood why. The research program stood out to me as a valuable opportunity.â€�

Furiosi fosters a safe space to fail, learn and grow from the research. There are no barriers to entry; no project deemed too insignificant. And he stresses the merits of high-quality mentorship, like the ones Das, Santra, and Calvo-Chumbimuni formed with Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ faculty and STEM labs.

Some of his students have earned thousands of dollars in prizes — one alone pulled in $70,000 and is now studying at the University of Glasgow — at prestigious competitions sponsored by some of the tech industry’s biggest names, including Regeneron and Lockheed Martin, a Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Pegasus Partner.

His alums have gone on to top research institutions including Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Stanford, and of course, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½. One of those Knights is aerospace engineering grad Daniel Dyson ’21 ’22MS ’25PhD, who studied in Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Subith Vasu’s lab and now works for Relativity Space at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, America’s largest rocket propulsion test site.

“Mr. Furiosi really pushes you toward excellence,â€� says Das, a sophomore building a tensegrity robot with shape memory alloys that he tested at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s Exolith Lab.

Supporting Excellence

An award-winning researcher who has been supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, Kang is not easily impressed. Still, Santra made an immediate impression as an eighth grader when she first popped up Kang’s inbox, asking if she could present her idea on a nanoparticle treatment for citrus greening disease in Florida.

“I could clearly see that she had a firm understanding of the material and just thought, ‘Wow, she is really a force.’ I actually wanted to have my undergrad students see her presentation because of how professional she was, even at that young age,� Kang says. “She has this creativity, passion, persistence and resilience — all the key elements that you need as a successful STEM field researcher.�

Similarly, Bridge immediately noticed Calvo-Chumbimuni’s persistence and go-getter attitude when she initially connected with her two years ago. Driven by her interest in the intersection of neuroscience, psychology and analytical chemistry, Calvo-Chumbimuni pitched her idea to develop an electrochemical sensor and biosensor to improve diagnostic methods for mental health disorders.

“I’ve always appreciated her sense of humanity,� Bridge says. “I thought, ‘If you can foster someone who has this sort of compassion already, there are infinite possibilities for what they can do to benefit the community.’ �

The two have been dedicated, active participants in their labs, regularly conducting research multiple days per week during the school year and, at times, daily over the summer.

The faculty and their doctoral students have mentored the high schoolers through instrumentation methods, analyzing data, the literature review process and their presentations.

Both presented continuations of their projects at ISEF — Calvo-Chumbimuni for her second-straight year, Santra for her third — while Das made his first time at the competition memorable with his fourth-place finish in the engineering technology: statics and dynamics category.

Kuehn, who is an engineer at , is accustomed to working with a variety of researchers and scientists who test their experiments and equipment at the Highland Regolith Test Bin. He says he was quickly intrigued by Das’ project, a lightweight and nimble robot that can expand, contract and move through electric current.

Das wanted to test the robot in lunar regolith — simulated moon dirt — because he envisions the tech behind his robot one day being utilized in lunar missions or search and rescue efforts in unstable environments.

“Max noticed that sometimes the motion was a little slow, so he gave some suggestions,� Das says. “Working in the lunar regolith chamber was a very insightful and eye-opening experience. I know I’m still in high school, but I’ve learned I want to do research for as long as I can because I really find this interesting.�

Which, at the end of the day, has been Furiosi’s mission all along.

“Research is not just in science. It is in all disciplines. There’s a lot of cool things that need to be discovered in all fields,â€� he says. “Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s expertise has been so invaluable in preparing my students for the future. A lot of these kids have wonderful ideas, and I really hope we can continue growing more professional support for them in any capacity.â€�

The same curiosity that once led Jeonghyun Song to shape clay with his hands now drives him to engineer materials at an atomic level, combining chemistry and creativity.

He began his college journey in the arts, drawn to pottery. But as he worked with ceramics, his attention shifted beneath the surface — to the chemistry of the materials and the possibilities within them. That shift in perspective pushed him from the art studio into the lab — and now to a national fellowship.

A materials science and engineering major, Song will join the University of Notre Dame this summer as a recipient of its Nanoscience and Technology Undergraduate Research Fellowship, hosted from May 18 through July 24.

“I chose to attend Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ because of the opportunities it offers — especially in research — along with its strong engineering program.”

The opportunity marks a turning point in his journey from an arts major to an engineering major, which he began when he transferred to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ in Fall 2025.

“I chose to attend Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ because of the opportunities it offers — especially in research — along with its strong engineering program,â€� Song says. “The MSE (Materials Science and Engineering) Program is relatively new and rapidly growing, which gives students more chances to get involved and grow.â€�

He didn’t waste time getting started.

As a new Knight and burgeoning materials researcher, Song set his sights on working with Assistant Professor Kausik Mukhopadhyay, whose research bridges materials, chemistry, biology and engineering to develop solutions for surfaces, coatings, electrochemistry and more.

Now in Mukhopadhyay’s , Song studies clay-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

“As a student who comes from a ceramics background, Dr. Mukhopadhyay’s research was the most interesting to me,� Song says. “Based on his work in chemistry and materials science, I knew his lab would be a place where I could grow and actively engage in research.�

The lab quickly became more than a workspace — it became a launchpad, which Song says he’s grateful for.

“I would like to thank Dr. Mukhopadhyay and the people in our group for their support,â€� he says. “If it wasn’t for them, I would have had a hard time blending into the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ community.â€�

His perspective as a researcher is evolving, too.

“I find it more interesting to study how common … materials can be engineered to achieve similar or even more useful properties.”

Once drawn to examining rare and expensive materials for their unique characteristics, Song is now focused on factors in materials costs and environmental impact.

“While studying rare materials is interesting due to their distinct properties, I find it more interesting to study how common and inexpensive materials can be engineered to achieve similar or even more useful properties,� he says.

That mindset will guide his work at Notre Dame.

His project, “Prototyping High-speed Synthesis of Gold Microplates,� tackles a key challenge in nanotechnology: efficiently producing ultrathin gold coatings. These coatings are useful in technology like biosensors and electronics, but current synthesis methods are slow, and controlling their size, shape and placement is challenging.

Song will help explore faster synthesis methods using a reaction chamber to study the process through three activation approaches: light, temperature and merging chemical streams.

As he prepares to spend the summer in Indiana, Song acknowledges some anxiety — the kind that comes with stepping into something bigger — as he looks ahead to what could be a pivotal moment in his journey as a researcher.

“I would like to meet new people, learn from them and also expand my vision for research,� Song says. “I think this summer will be the most important for me in terms of deciding my future.�

The study, led by Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ , identifies hydrazinoacetic acid as a key building block in the production of N-nitroglycine, a rare compound that offers new insight into how living systems carry out sophisticated chemical processes.These processes could be used to create safer and more efficient chemical reactions across manufacturing, healthcare and more. The research has been accepted for publication in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology and was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Graham Laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Zdilla Laboratory at Temple University.

“Enzymes — or bacteria, more broadly — are capable of generating many interesting types of molecules, including ones we would think are explosive,� Caranto says. “We don’t know why they’re making them, but it’s fairly interesting that they do.�

While compounds like nitramines are often associated with industrial and energetic applications, their role in biology remains poorly understood. By identifying hydrazinoacetic acid as a key precursor to N-nitroglycine, the team begins to explain how bacteria construct these unusual nitrogen-rich molecules — and what those pathways may tell scientists about chemistry in living systems.

Why It Matters

Understanding how bacteria produce nitrogen-rich compounds could have implications across multiple fields, from industrial chemistry to medicine. Traditional methods for synthesizing these compounds often require energy-intensive processes or hazardous materials. Biological systems, by contrast, operate under milder conditions and could offer a blueprint for alternative production methods.

“Currently, the way these compounds are made requires a lot of very corrosive, hazardous and environmentally detrimental materials, having a bacterium make it instead would present a lot of advantages in terms of eliminating waste.â€�— Jonathan Caranto, associate professor of chemistry, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ College of Sciences

“Currently, the way these compounds are made requires a lot of very corrosive, hazardous and environmentally detrimental materials,� Caranto says. “Having a bacterium make it instead would present a lot of advantages in terms of eliminating waste.�

At the same time, the discovery opens new avenues for studying how these molecules function in biological systems, including potential applications in drug development and enzyme engineering.

Uncovering Nature’s Hidden Chemistry

At the center of the discovery is hydrazinoacetic acid, a small but highly reactive molecule that functions as a precursor, or starting material, in the bacterial synthesis of N-nitroglycine. By identifying its role, researchers were able to map a previously unknown biosynthetic pathway, showing insight into how bacteria construct these compounds. For postdoctoral scholar Ben Rathman, the discovery highlights how much remains unknown about these molecules.

“The biological role of these compounds is not really well understood,� Rathman says. “We have a lot to learn from nature, and that’s where my interest in the project lies.�

That uncertainty is central to the work. While these compounds have been studied in synthetic contexts for decades, their presence in biology raises new questions about how and why organisms produce them.

A Paradox in Biology

Part of what makes the finding compelling is the tension between how these molecules are typically understood and how they behave in living systems.

“It’s one of those things where, at first, you might say this shouldn’t be a biomolecule,� chemistry doctoral student Gabriel Padilla ’17 says. “These types of functional groups are usually associated with energetics, but here they’re produced by living systems.�

Rather than behaving like traditional energetic materials, the compounds studied do not detonate under normal conditions. Instead, they appear to exist as stable intermediates within biological systems, suggesting they may serve entirely different functions.  In addition, most hydrazines are regarded as highly toxic.

For Caranto, this reflects a broader theme in the research.

“One insight from our work is that life is pretty remarkable in how it can safely and productively use molecules that would otherwise be toxic,� he says.

For the team, the work represents an early step in a much larger effort to understand the role these compounds play in nature.

“We’re really interested in why bacteria make these nitramines,� Caranto says. “This is the first step on a much longer road toward understanding that.�

Work in the Caranto and Graham labs was supported by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) projects WP24-4206 and WP2332, respectively. Work of the Caranto lab was also supported by the National Institutes of Health (R35GM147515).Work from the Zdilla lab was supported by an NSF (CHE-2215854). and the Office of Naval Research (N00014-22-1-2266).

“The Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation unites creativity, technology and the practical application of business, marketing, and guest service to develop tomorrow’s leaders in themed entertainment and immersive experiences.� — Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences

The first-of-its-kind Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation is housed within the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, ranked No. 1 nationally. With the addition of Universal’s new school and the college’s School of Hospitality Leadership, students now have access to a dual-school model that brings together experience-focused education with business strategy, operations, and service leadership.

“The Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation unites creativity, technology and the practical application of business, marketing, and guest service to develop tomorrow’s leaders in themed entertainment and immersive experiences,� says Chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences Mark Woodbury.

“Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ was built to power what’s next for our students, for industry, and for the State of Florida,â€� Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ President Alexander N. Cartwright says. “This collaboration with Universal Destinations & Experiences represents our mission at its best, creating an environment where students are learning in direct connection with the people and ideas shaping the future of immersive experiences.â€�

A First-of-its-Kind Model for Experience Education

The Universal and Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ partnership will also support research through a new Hospitality Technology Lab, designed to be a creative sandbox for students to collaborate, test ideas, and gain practical hands-on experience working alongside Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ faculty, Universal professionals, and industry stakeholders. Students will gain timely insight that reflects industry needs as part of their education. Built around innovation and interdisciplinary teaming, the lab embeds coursework, student projects, and faculty research in a shared space, equipping graduates with both current skills and the adaptability to lead in a constantly evolving technology ecosystem.

The new school’s research will build on Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s existing strengths, applying university expertise to one of the world’s most dynamic industries. Focus areas for teaching, learning, and research will include:

• Service robotics and human-centered approaches to shape guest and employee interactions
• AR and VR simulation technologies for training, operations, and immersive environments
• AI and digital twins for optimizing and personalizing the guest experience

This work extends a decades-long partnership between Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and Universal rooted in collaboration and shared success. For more than 20 years, Rosen College has served as a key talent pipeline for Universal, with thousands of graduates contributing across its parks, experiences, and operations, alongside hands-on learning opportunities like the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½/Universal Creative Lab.

“Together with Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ we have opened doors for students and helped strengthen our industry with valued talent — and the next chapter will be even better,â€� Chief Administrative Officer of Universal Destinations & Experiences John Sprouls says. “We’re creating a distinctive academic home that will expand pathways into fulfilling and dynamic careers.â€�

“Rosen College has long been a global leader in hospitality education, and this next step reflects how our industry is evolving,â€� says Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Rosen College of Hospitality Management Dean Cynthia Mejia. “By strengthening our relationship with our longtime partners at Universal Destinations & Experiences, we are creating a first-of-its-kind two-school model that blends creativity, technology and leadership, preparing students to lead the future of guest experiences.â€�

Pegasus Partners: Scaling Impact Through Collaboration

As Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s first entertainment-sector Pegasus Partner, Universal Destinations & Experiences joins a group of industry leaders working with the university to solve real-world challenges, accelerate discovery, and strengthen the workforce talent pipeline. Universal is also the first Pegasus Partner to enter into a master research agreement with Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, enabling collaboration at scale and unlocking new opportunities for applied research.

The Pegasus Partners program offers opportunities for select partners to engage across the university in ways that create meaningful value for both organizations. That engagement includes talent development and recruitment, shared research projects, joint ventures and collaborations, strategic philanthropy, and co-location at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½.

As the first Pegasus Partner since the start of , Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s $3.5 billion campaign to accelerate its next era of impact, Universal’s commitment is a powerful model that combines philanthropy and strategic industry investment to drive innovation, expand opportunity, and fuel shared success.

At Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, researchers are developing a new approach inspired by squids, octopuses and other cephalopods, one that doesn’t wait for targets to arrive, but actively reaches out to capture them. Led by , a professor in Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s , the work introduces a DNA-based system designed to capture target molecules more efficiently by extending into the surrounding solution.

“One of the biggest challenges in biosensing is something surprisingly simple: molecules take time to move,� Kolpashchikov says. “Imagine trying to catch fish in a huge lake with a tiny net, most fish will never come close enough to be caught. Traditional sensors work the same way: they passively wait for target molecules (analytes) to randomly bump into them.�

The project, supported by a $272,000 award from the U.S. National Science Foundation, reframes how biosensors operate, shifting from passive detection toward active engagement.

Targeting Molecules Through DNA

Conventional biosensors rely on diffusion, meaning target molecules must randomly move through a solution before encountering a sensing surface. This process, known as mass transport limitation, can slow detection and limit performance in time-sensitive applications.

Kolpashchikov’s approach addresses this constraint by incorporating nanostructures composed of DNA strands that extend outward from the sensor. These flexible extensions function like molecular tentacles, weakly interacting with passing targets and increasing the likelihood that they will be captured.

Rather than waiting for signals to arrive, the system draws them closer.

Speeding Detection

The speed at which a sensor can detect its target is often as important as detection sensitivity and specificity. In contexts such as medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring and food safety, delays can reduce reliability or limit usefulness altogether.

By increasing the rate at which target molecules are gathered and concentrated near the sensing surface, the DNA cephalopod approach may enable faster, more responsive detection systems, particularly in applications that depend on real-time or near-real-time analysis.

“Slow sensors can miss short-lived biological signals, allow samples to degrade, and delay responses to threats,� Kolpashchikov says, “Faster detection reduces costs (less time, fewer reagents), improves accuracy, and enables real-time monitoring — something essential for healthcare, environmental safety, and biosecurity.�

DNA as Structure and Sensor

The system uses DNA not only as a recognition element but also as a structural material. Engineered strands extend from the sensor into the surrounding environment, forming a dynamic interface that interacts with nearby molecules.

These extensions do not bind targets permanently at first. Instead, they weakly capture and release them, effectively increasing the local concentration of target molecules near the sensor’s core detection region. This process improves detection efficiency without requiring additional mechanical or chemical input.

By designing DNA nanostructures that actively interact with nearby molecules, the system creates a sensing environment that is more responsive and efficient.

“DNA is uniquely suited for building nanoscale machines,� Kolpashchikov says. “It’s programmable, predictable and relatively inexpensive.�

In this system, DNA strands self-assemble into a structure resembling a microscopic octopus, what the team calls  a “‘DNA cephalopod.’.� A central sensor is surrounded by long, flexible “‘tentacles�’ that extend into the solution. Each tentacle carries weak binding sites that briefly capture target molecules and pass them along from one site to the next, guiding them toward the center, where the sensor binds them more strongly and triggers detection.

Applications Across Fields

The improved speed and sensitivity of this approach expand the potential use of biosensors across multiple domains.

Possible applications include rapid detection of harmful bacteria in water and food systems, early-stage diagnosis through identification of DNA or RNA biomarkers, and forensic analysis requiring precise detection of biological material

By enabling sensors to detect smaller quantities of target molecules more quickly, the technology may support more timely and accurate decision-making in both clinical and field settings.

“The potential applications are broad: rapid disease diagnostics, including early cancer detection, and real-time monitoring of pathogens in water and food. Perhaps most exciting is that this is a general strategy. The same ‘tentacle’ concept could be applied for detection of proteins and small biological molecules.â€� — Dmitry Kolpashchikov, professor of chemistry, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ College of Sciences

“This approach could dramatically improve how we detect biological molecules,� Kolpashchikov says. “The potential applications are broad: rapid disease diagnostics, including early cancer detection, real-time monitoring of pathogens in water and food. Perhaps most exciting is that this is a general strategy. The same ‘tentacle’ concept could be applied for detection of proteins and small biological molecules.�

A New Method of Rapid Analyte Detection

As with many emerging technologies, translating laboratory advances into real-world systems presents challenges. Performance in complex environments, where multiple substances interact simultaneously, remains an area for further study.

Scaling the technology and integrating it into existing diagnostic platforms will also be critical steps in determining its broader applicability.

Rather than treating biosensing as a passive process governed by chance encounters, Kolpashchikov’s work suggests a different model, one in which sensors actively engage with their environment, reaching into the surrounding space to capture what drifts.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Award No. 2555933. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.