FIU's Applied Research Center

This Memorial Day, we pause as a Panther community to honor and remember those who served and sacrificed. 🇺🇸🐾

The Spring 2026 Recruitment is Now Open
https://fellows.fiu.edu/apply/
The U.S. Department of Energy and Florida International University DOE-FIU Science & Technology Workforce Development Program is accepting applications from eligible Florida International University students for the 2026 Summer Semester. Become a DOE Fellow and make a difference. #2026

On April 29, 2026, FIU will host a Tech Talk featuring Duriem Calderin from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of AI initiatives within the United Nations system, with a focus on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) mandate and activities supporting Member States in the safe application of AI for decommissioning.

Florida International University's Applied Research Center STEM DOE Fellows students and staff meet U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) Leadership at WM Symposia 2026, Phoenix, AZ

Florida International University's Applied Research Center (FIU-ARC) is proud to announce our attendance at the 2026 WM Symposia, Inc in Phoenix, Arizona, March 8 – 12, 2026.

As a leader in multidisciplinary research that supports the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management and U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management in addressing some of the nation’s most complex environmental cleanup challenges for legacy nuclear waste, FIU-ARC is committed to delivering value-driven, real-world solutions using modeling, environmental chemistry, robotics, information technology and artificial intelligence.

We are especially proud to be accompanied by 17 DOE Fellows — STEM students participating in our innovative DOE-FIU workforce development program, a partnership (https://fellows.fiu.edu/) between Florida International University and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Offices of Environmental Management and Legacy Management. This program creates a pipeline of highly trained engineers and scientists prepared to enter the DOE workforce and advance environmental cleanup technologies. Eleven of the Fellows will be presenting posters to showcase their research at the Student Poster Competition on Monday afternoon, while the other six will present their research posters during the Roy G. Post Foundation Scholarship recipients’ poster session.

We look forward to engaging with partners, sharing insights, and continuing to build the future workforce that will shape the DOE mission. Our team of engineers, researchers, and DOE Fellows, led Dr. Leo Lagos, will be presenting 9 papers and 5 posters, and are participating in 10 roundtable/panel sessions. They will also be performing technology demonstrations and hosting conference participants at our booth #832 and the University Pavilion area.

If you’re attending, we look forward to connecting!

The Boston Dynamics's SPOT robot dog which has been adapted with sensors by FIU's Applied Research Center to enable detection of narcotics and explosives was featured by WPLG Local 10 News while working along a K-9 partner at Miami International Airport - MIA. The simulation highlighted advancements of Florida International University research in machine olfaction, or electronic nose tech inspired by biology, which uses sensors to detect, analyze, and identify not only explosives, but also narcotics. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fellows from FIU-ARC, Benjamin Vargas and Sebastian Vargas, along with student Katrina Baldwin lead the technology demonstration simulating the inspection of a parked vehicle.

Robot helps to identify explosive during simulation at Miami airport Without opening a car’s trunk, a security robot identified and reported a threat on Wednesday at Miami International Airport, as part of a demonstration.

On January 29, 2026, FIU will host a Tech Talk featuring Dr. Leo Lagos and Anthony Abrahao from the Florida International University's Applied Research Center. The talk will highlight current robotics research and development efforts supporting the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management decommissioning mission.
https://www.dndkm.org/TechTalk/

Florida International University Environmental Health and Safety proudly recognized Dr. Amer Awwad, Ph.D., P.E. as the EH&S Safety Shout Out! Dr. Awwad serves as a Sr. Research Scientist for the FIU's Applied Research Center (FIU-ARC) within the FIU Engineering Center. With more than 25 years of experience as a professional engineer specializing in applied research and development, he remains a steadfast advocate for safe research practices at FIU. Dr. Awwad’s engineering expertise and unwavering commitment to safety compliance have made him an invaluable partner in fostering a strong culture of safety. His proactive approach has been instrumental in resolving critical safety issues, and he is widely respected for his professionalism and straightforward manner. Dr. Ines Triay, Dean of the FIU College of Engineering and Computing, shares: “Dr. Awwad is a remarkable Chief Engineer. His contributions to safe, effective, and efficient operations at the Engineering Center are impactful and have improved every aspect of our Engineering portfolio, making it safer and improving its quality.” Thank you, Dr. Awwad, for your exceptional dedication and for being a true champion of safety at FIU!

Former DOE Fellow Denisse Aranda (Class 2010) and FIU Alumni Engineer Reaches New Heights with Blue Origin - DOE Fellows We’re proud to highlight the remarkable journey of Denisse Aranda (’10), an alumna of Florida International University (FIU) who has reached a major milestone in her career as a principal […]

Last week, Robert Diaz and a group of Broward College students visited the FIU's Applied Research Center’s and Labs. and graduate students, led by Dr. Leo Lagos, showcased the cutting-edge robotic and AI technologies being developed at the center.

These innovations support the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management mission and play a key role in advancing environmental cleanup efforts nationwide. It was an inspiring opportunity for future professionals to see real-world research in action.