Hao Zheng

  Big ideas don’t wait — and neither do the researchers behind them. The 2026 Reach for the Stars honorees — six UCF assistant professors — are already making a substantial impact on their respective fields through meaningful research and creative work that extends far beyond campus, with national and international influence. Across disciplines, their work and…

The early-career professors were recognized for their excellence with significant research funding as part of a prestigious and highly competitive annual U.S. National Science Foundation grant program. Three UCF faculty were named 2025 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program award winners while two recent faculty hires transferred their CAREER projects…