UF Department of Materials Science & Engineering

Gators and gold: The whirlwind world of MSE graduate and Olympic champ Erin Jackson.🐊

Jackson is the first Black woman to win a gold medal in an individual event at the Winter Games. She came within milliseconds of medaling at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and even carried the flag for Team USA during the opening ceremony. She remains one of America’s most celebrated athletes.

While Jackson wishes she had a more traditional college experience, she is not done with classes yet. She developed an interest in prosthetics while at UF and now hopes to make them better. So she is back in college and exercising those problem-solving skills honed at the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.

🔗 Read more about Jackson's journey by heading to this link: https://bit.ly/4vZj43G

Congratulations to our faculty members who were promoted this summer! 🎉 We are incredibly proud of your hard work, dedication and commitment to our college.

🔷 Honggyu Kim, Ph.D. | Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
🔷 Assel Aitkaliyeva, Ph.D. | Promotion to Professor
🔷 Justin Watson, Ph.D. | Receiving Tenure
🔷 Ira Harkness, Ph.D. | Promotion to Instructional Associate Professor

Join us in celebrating their achievements and !

Michael Tonks, Ph.D., the newly appointed chair of Material Science & Engineering, is celebrating another honor: He was recently selected as a fellow of the American Nuclear Society, known as ANS.

The fellowship distinction is awarded to those who have made significant contributions to the advancement of nuclear science and technology.

“Dr. Tonks is recognized for transforming nuclear materials modeling through innovative simulation methods, and for his exceptional commitment to mentoring the next generation of nuclear engineers and researchers,” said American Nuclear Society President Hash Hashemian.

ANS President Hash Hashemian, left, awards Michael Tonks his ANS fellowship certificate at the 2026 ANS Annual Conference.
📸: Photo courtesy of ANS

📰: Read more here: https://mse.ufl.edu/mse-chair-tonks-awarded-american-nuclear-society-fellowship/

Two new research awards are advancing educational innovation and manufacturing excellence at UF Materials Science & Engineering.

🔹 Nancy Ruzycki, Ph.D. received funding from the Palm Beach County School Board to support teacher professional development in artificial intelligence. The project includes middle school AI and Minecraft-based curriculum training, high school industry certification preparation, and ongoing coaching to help educators bring AI into Career and Technical Education classrooms.

🔹 Victoria Miller, Ph.D. received support from the Forging Industry Educational and Research Foundation for a project focused on reducing variability in metal forging processes. Through modeling and simulation, the research will examine how differences in starting materials affect final component performance and identify opportunities to improve consistency while reducing scrap.

Congratulations to Nancy and Victoria on these awards and the impact their work will have on education and advanced manufacturing.

From Gator engineer to Florida Inventors Hall of Fame inductee.

Congratulations to MSE alumnus Donald K. Jones ('91), who will be inducted into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame this year.

As an inventor and patent agent, Jones has helped advance medical technologies that improve patient care around the world. His work spans neurovascular devices, endoscopic surgical tools and intellectual property strategy, resulting in 105 U.S. patents and innovations that have transformed treatment options for patients.

We're proud to celebrate this remarkable achievement and the impact Donald continues to make through engineering innovation.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4xeuJxe

We are proud to celebrate MSE Chair Michael Tonks, Ph.D., on being named a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society — the organization's highest membership grade.

Tonks was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the advancement of nuclear science and technology and for his leadership in nuclear engineering education. Fellow status is reserved for a select group of professionals whose work has made a lasting impact on the field.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Tonks on this prestigious honor.

Three Gator engineers from MSE/Nuclear Engineering are headed toward the future of research after earning prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. 🐊🔬

Congratulations to:
• Adriana LaVopa
• Rachel Rigsby
• Jenny Xue

The NSF GRFP recognizes graduate students with exceptional potential for impactful research careers, and these students are already making their mark across materials science, nuclear engineering and advanced technologies.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3Q7j2ri

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida is entering its next phase of continued momentum and growth with the formal appointment of Michael Tonks, Ph.D. as department chair. A nationally recognized leader in materials science and nuclear engineering, Tonks’ work bridges fundamental science and real-world applications in energy and nuclear systems. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including the NEAMS Excellence Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and the TMS Brimacombe Medal, and was recently named a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society. Having served as interim chair since August 2024, Tonks will continue to lead the department as it advances its research, academic programs and impact across materials science and nuclear engineering. We congratulate Dr. Tonks and look forward to this exciting next chapter of continued momentum!

From fusion energy research and machine learning breakthroughs to nationally recognized faculty and alumni achievements, it’s been an exciting spring for UF Materials Science & Engineering and Nuclear Engineering. ⚛️

The Spring 2026 MSE/NE Newsletter highlights the people, research and momentum shaping the future of materials, energy and innovation at the University of Florida.

Read the full newsletter: https://bit.ly/431hEsY

Congratulations to Yong Yang, Ph.D., on receiving a new research award from the U.S. Department of Energy. 👏

Yang will serve as PD/PI on the project, “NSUF Partner Support for University of Florida (UF) of DOE CINR and RTE,” supporting continued advancements in nuclear engineering research at UF.