Tampa — From an engineer building a research program around a rare electric flying vehicle, to the leader of the internationally acclaimed Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation, to a psychologist whose London summer course brings culture and history to life—the USF Global Excellence Awards recognize faculty and staff who are setting a global standard for innovation and impact.
Nine awardees from an array of disciplines were honored at the annual ceremony held on April 15, which celebrated achievements in internationally focused education, research, and innovation for 2023 and 2024. Selected through an open nomination process, this year’s winners are:
“These award winners exemplify USF’s unwavering commitment to global engagement through
teaching, research, and innovation, and the transformative impact that arises from
a sincere curiosity about the world around us,” said Kiki Caruson, Vice President
of USF World. “Each of these individuals is nurturing in USF students a lifelong passion
for learning which is at the very essence of what universities strive to do.”
Excellence in Global Advocacy Award
C. H. Kevin Lee
Sr. Academic Advisor & Affiliate Faculty
Judy Genshaft Honors College
During the 2023-2024 academic year, Lee led two groups of 20 students to Seoul as part of his experiential learning study abroad course focused on developing cultural competencies.
As an Honors College advisor, Lee helped develop a global experience course on Korea to keep students engaged in international learning during the pandemic. The response to the course was so enthusiastic, Lee began leading study abroad trips to Korea that have since become one of the college’s most popular learning experiences.
Lee is known as an enthusiastic champion of global engagement at USF as an Honors College advisor, encouraging students to study abroad and join cultural organizations on campus, and for using creative learning opportunities, such as creating a pen pal program for his students to interact with their counterparts in South Korea (some eventually meeting in person), student-led podcasts and incorporating a K-pop lesson into the class. Lee connected with the Korean Dance Association, a USF student organization that performs at K-pop competitions and campus events, to teach his students dance routines.
Haru Okuda
Associate Vice President Interprofessional Education & Practice
USF Health
Okuda is the executive director of the Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation in downtown Tampa, which
has become an internationally renowned center for medical training that draws groups
from around the world to participate in its state-of-the-art programs and technologies.
Okuda is being recognized for his global advocacy, which included a collaboration
between USF Health and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), an initiative
that set a new standard for interprofessional education on an international scale.
Okuda also initiated a simulation-based educational program for international medical
students in USF Health’s exchange program with partner universities. Okuda has been
an invited speaker and panelist for symposia and conferences in India, Saudi Arabia,
and across Europe and Latin America, expanding USF’s global footprint in the distinctive
field.
Excellence in Global Teaching and Learning Award
Margarita Altuna
Spanish Assistant Instructor
Department of World Languages
College of Arts and Sciences
Altuna fostered a virtual intercultural and language exchange for students through
Conectando Fronteras/Bridging Borders between USF, Universidad Marista de Mérida in
Mexico and Universidad Don Bosco in El Salvador. The program eliminated barriers often
presented by physical travel while still allowing students to gain intercultural,
linguistic, and global competencies by working together on activities that require
a deep understanding of each other’s cultures, language and perspectives.
Nominators said Altuna’s efforts enhanced USF’s online Spanish course offerings as
she restructured existing online courses to follow best practices in pedagogy, significantly
improving student engagement and learning outcomes. “Beyond simply adapting courses
for the online environment, (she) has continually sought innovative methods to enrich
her teaching with global experiences, enhancing our students' language learning journey,”
a nominator wrote, adding Altuna integrated live-coaching programs that providing
students with opportunities to interact with native speakers. She also leads a summer
study abroad program in Salamanca, Spain.
Frank Biafora
Professor of Sociology
Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Biafora advanced global teaching and learning by integrating innovative virtual global exchange
(VGE) programs into his sociology classroom, broadening access and exposure to international
education for all USF students, especially those who, as the first in their families
to attend college or coming from homes with limited incomes, may not find a study
abroad trip accessible. He’s also built interdisciplinary collaborations between the
social and physical sciences through his work in Tanzania and Botswana.
For more than a decade, Biafora has led education abroad programs to Vietnam and his
many connections there also have helped other USF faculty become engaged in the country.
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought international programs to a halt, Biafora developed
a VGE program for Vietnam and went on to lead an interdisciplinary research/teaching
expedition in southern Africa. “By mentoring a team of USF students from diverse disciplines,
I facilitated fieldwork in rural African communities, emphasizing the power of cross-cultural
trust-building, not as some warm and fuzzy exercise, but as a meaningful first step
towards lasting global collaboration,” he wrote.
One USF Honors College student who participated in Biafora’s month-long teaching and research expedition to Tanzania, which included a trek in the Serengeti and an opportunity for students to spend
time with Masai chiefs, “profoundly opened my eyes, altered my original trajectory
from biomedical sciences into public health, and shaped my understanding of global
public health and the importance of cross-cultural collaboration for securing a safer
world.”
Meera Nanjundan
Associate Professor
Department of Molecular Biosciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Nanjundan is being recognized for her achievements in creating educational opportunities through
VGE projects to enhance learning for diverse student bodies across multiple Japanese
prefectures and molecular bioscience majors at USF. Her efforts create an engaging
environment in her classes that foster student understanding of global issues, nominators
said.
Nanjundan integrated VGE projects into her classes, implemented modern approaches
to teaching and brought her USF students together with Japanese students from Akita
University though an online Discord platform to share research on such evolving issues
as micronutrient deficiency and artificial intelligence in the era of global change.
Nanjundan also contributed to Fulbright grant reviews in Egypt and actively contributes
to the international education community through her work as a committee reviewer
with the Asian Conference on Education and International Development held in Tokyo.
A Fulbright scholar at Tokushima University in Japan for the 2019-20 academic year,
Nanjundan also was instrumental in developing two new partnerships for USF in Japan.
Jennifer O'Brien
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology
College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. O’Brien is being recognized for her contributions to the USF in London summer
experience, her support of Fulbright student applications, her international research
engagements and her selection as a finalist for the British Council’s Study UK Alumni Awards 2025 in the Science and Sustainability category. A researcher who studies dementia prevention
and is a part of several major federal studies on cognitive decline, O’Brien has been
invited to participate in the highly selective World Dementia Council Summit at the
Francis Crick Institute in London.
O’Brien has partnered with faculty at the University of East London in a VGE experience
for students and this summer will be taking her USF in London students to UEL’s Department
of Psychology and Human Development to meet with faculty at one of Europe’s top-ranked
programs in the field.
But it’s O’Brien teaching in London that students said sets her apart. “Her ability
to take complex psychological theories and bring them to life within the vibrant,
historical and cultural context of London was nothing short of extraordinary,” wrote
one student in supporting O’Brien’s nomination. “Walking through the streets of London
(and) visiting iconic landmarks like the Freud Museum and the British Library, I found
myself learning in ways that were personal, emotional, and intellectually stimulating.
These experiences were not just lessons, they were moments of discovery that enriched
my understanding of psychology and its global relevance.”
Excellence in Global Research Award
Ioannis Spanopoulos
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry
College of Arts and Sciences
Spanopoulos is being recognized for his achievements in materials chemistry particularly his advancements in the development of next-generation
multifunctional semiconductors for medical, energy and environment-related applications.
His research group develops technologies at the interface of chemistry and materials
science that address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, such as environmental
sustainability, antimicrobial resistance and energy efficiency. Particularly significant
on a global scale is Spanopoulos’ achievements in creating materials with the ability
to negate a broad spectrum of pathogens, including viruses and harmful algae.
The group has successfully developed two new families of materials that redefine possibilities
in material design. One of his research group’s most notable achievements is its innovative
generation of porosity within hybrid semiconductors, a feature that enhances their
optoelectronic (a field that combines optics and electronics to create devices that
interact with light) properties and extends the technology’s utility into previously
unexplored applications.
Spanopoulous’ innovation for combatting bacterial infections involves the development
of materials capable of sustainable antibacterial properties upon exposure to light.
“Imagine a coating on regular items like doorknobs or salad bar serving utensils that
retain antibacterial properties and reduce the spread of disease without fear of whether
the previous person to touch them used proper hygiene,” one nominator wrote. “It could
be revolutionary!”
Spanopoulous is listed among the most highly cited researchers in his field, and he’s
been named a Fellow of the International Association of Advanced Materials.
Davide Tanasi
Professor
Department of History
College of Arts and Sciences
Tanasi is being recognized for his achievements in archaeology, particularly for pioneering
research in biomolecular archaeology and digital heritage. His focus on creating new understanding of Mediterranean civilizations — particularly
those in Sicily, Malta and Egypt which have been historically underrepresented in
STEM-integrated archaeological studies — has elevated USF’s international reputation
as a leader in interdisciplinary archaeological science.
Tanasi’s interdisciplinary projects have provided new insights into the lifestyles,
diets, and mobility patterns of ancient populations. He recently discovered psychotropic
substances in Egyptian ritual artifacts, a finding that deepened understanding of
ancient ceremonial practices and set new methodological standards in the field. His
groundbreaking studies demonstrate how advanced scientific techniques can redefine
understanding of ancient civilizations while contributing to the preservation of cultural
heritage.
His research includes biomolecular analyses, isotopic studies, and advanced 3D visualization
techniques and his projects have been featured in The New York Times, National Geographic, the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera and CNN. Tanasi also hosts Italian PhD students, partners with institutions worldwide
and he’s the founder of the
Southeast Chapter of the Italian Scientists and Scholars in North America Foundation.
He has published 103 works since 2016 and delivered invited talks and conference presentations
in 18 countries.
Tansel Yucelen
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering
Yucelen leads the Laboratory for Autonomy, Control, Information, and Systems (LACIS), a research initiative on the integration of large-scale eVTOL (electronic vertical
takeoff and landing) technology that translates theoretical breakthroughs into real-world
applications. Among the highlights of his work last year was the acquisition of a
full-scale, manned eVTOL vehicle, a rare piece of technology for a research university
to have. The acquisition was funded through a $550,000 Defense University Research
Instrumentation Program grant in 2024, and nominators said it highlights recognition
of Yucelen’s leadership in pushing the boundaries of academic research for real-world
implementation.
Yucelen’s research also has made significant advances in the control of next-generation
autonomous vehicles, robotic swarms and aerospace systems. His goal is to develop
globally impactful control, information, and decision systems that enable vehicles
and robots to operate under highly uncertain and dynamic conditions, including environments
involving partial or unreliable data, potential adversarial attacks, and cooperative
tasks among multiple agents.
Yucelen’s team collaborates with the Air Force Research Laboratory and Army Research
Laboratory, addressing pressing needs of the aerospace and defense sectors to bring
about robust, resilient and sustainable capabilities for a variety of autonomous vehicles
and robotic platforms. This effort supports emerging areas such as urban air mobility
and swarm-based operations, both of which have broad, global implications for transportation,
humanitarian aid, surveillance and security.