Alumni

Nothing motivates Ilkin Isler ’22MS ’25PhD quite like this phrase: “It can’t be done.” When Isler says candidly, “Working on my Ph.D. is the most difficult thing I’ve ever faced,” there’s a montage of difficult things in her life to consider — physical and mental, past and present. For example, in August 2025, the recent computer science doctoral…

They learned to defend networks under pressure — then took that mindset into the real world. UCF alumni Martin ’20 ’22MS and Michael Roberts ’19 ’21MS are two of the university’s most celebrated cybersecurity competitors. Now, even with their student days behind them, the identical twins remain deeply embedded in Hack@UCF, proudly supporting, training and mentoring future cybersecurity talent. From Cyber…

Faculty members are the heart and soul of a university, carrying the immense responsibility of not only preparing students for their future careers, but also advancing critical research for the betterment of society. For the UCF Department of Computer Science, it’s a privilege to be able to prepare those who choose the path of pursuing…

How’s this for a business lesson on bootstrapping? Two acquaintances from middle school reconnect in college — during a freshman orientation on Zoom, to be exact. A few weeks into their first semester they pull out a mothballed idea they believe might provide “a little magic” to help companies easily integrate their software. Over the…

As a master’s in fintech student, Nathan Kurelo Wilk ’22 is graduating with plenty of experience to set him up for success as a software engineer with Microsoft, where he’ll focus on artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. “This role provides an excellent chance to continue working on cutting-edge projects, contribute to advancements in the tech industry, … and develop innovative solutions…

It’s not uncommon for new graduates to hit the pavement, degree in hand, in search of a new job. That’s not the case for Tiffany Do. The computer science doctoral student not only has a job waiting for her, but a coveted one that many in academia aspire to for many years before it is offered. Do…

Computer science graduate student Ariel Turnley had very different plans for her future while she was a freshman at Spelman College. Since then, her planned career path has shifted from working in an operating room to working in a computer lab. Her ultimate motivation however has never changed: helping people. Turnley originally dreamed of becoming a…

A team of five Knights – computer science undergraduates Matthew McKeever and Harrison Keating, digital forensics master’s students Caitlin Cameron and Cameron Whitehead, and cyber security and privacy master’s student Jeffrey DiVincent – placed second at the Raymond James Capture the Flag competition, bringing home a $5,000 cash prize. A total of 12 schools participated…

A team of three UCF graduate students thwarted cyberattacks on a fictional airport as part of an international cybersecurity competition, besting eight other teams to take top honors. Jeffrey DiVincent, Cameron Whitehead and Caitlin Whitehead came away with a first-place finish at the Aviation ISAC Student Cyber Challenge at the A-ISAC International Conference in Dublin,…

The Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition Team at the University of Central Florida added another national title to its winning record when it achieved the highest score among 22 colleges and universities competing in a new cyber competition sponsored by the National Security Agency. The inaugural NSA cybersecurity exercise or institutions designated as NSA Centers of Academic…