IDSC takes pride in acknowledging awards and honors over the previous year that highlight exceptional achievements and contributions by our diverse team of researchers.
2025 |
Awards and Honors Highlights |
| May | Four UM projects were nominated for Augmented World Expo® Auggie Awards, the most globally recognized award in the industry: BPEIverse: Immersive Vision Suite (FINALIST Education + Training Solution category), Collection Connections, The Golden Age of the Jews of Al-Andalus (FINALIST Best Location-Based Entertainment category), and Temikki Garden.
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| May | Noel Nuñez’s mixed reality project The Cuban Freedom Flights: A Mixed Reality Experience was selected as a finalist for the 2025 BAFTA Student Awards (Immersive category). The project was the capstone of Noel’s master’s degree in Interactive Media from the School of Communication.
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| April |
On April 8, 100 years from the University’s charter date, a celebration that included musical performances, a carnival, and fireworks also honored Drs. Yelena Yesha, David Chapman, and Ben Kirtman as Centennial Talents. The annual Provost’s Teaching Awards included a Collaborative Teaching award for Thomas Merrick (pictured second from left below). As IDSC Sr. Project Manager of XR Initiatives at the School of Communication Dept. of Interactive Media, Tom was part of the group who created a School of Medicine course that earned national recognition. IDSC Director of Data Ethics + Society and Law School Prof. Andres Sawicki (pictured 2nd from left in header image) Director of the Business of Innovation, Law, and Technology concentration), was a finalist for the Discussion-Based Learning Award, recognizing engaging educational experiences.
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| March | IDSC Deputy Director Dr. Ben Kirtman was the Faculty Senate’s unanimous choice as the recipient of this year’s Distinguished Faculty Award for his outstanding scholarly research and contributions to the natural sciences.
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2024 |
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| November | Dr. Azizi Seixas, IDSC Director of Population Health Informatics was honored as a Rising Star by the Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida for his pioneering AI-driven personalized health care, advancing digital health equity, and creating novel technologies through inclusive decentralized trials addressing global health disparities.
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| June | Drs. Mingzhe Chen and David Chapman were named John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Chairs of Data Science and AI.
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