BME faculty and students receive Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering Excellence Awards

April 23, 2025 in BME News

Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2024-2025 Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards:

2024-2025 HWCOE Four-Year Scholar Award: These students represent our best students and have a demonstrated record of academic excellence and service.  

  • Mai-Ly Thompson
    Mai-Ly Thompson is a dedicated student with a passion for biomechanics and medical device innovation. She is earning her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in biomechanics. She studied abroad for a year at Trinity College Dublin, where she conducted research on computational biomechanics and gained a global perspective on engineering. During this time, she worked as a blogger for the Global Gator, using her experiences to inspire other students to study abroad. Her experience spans from research, designing exoskeleton components for children with cerebral palsy in the Human Neuromechanics Laboratory, to clinical and industry-focused projects, including a helmet removal device for emergency scenarios. and a Medtronic internship focused on risk mitigation strategies. Beyond academics, Mai-Ly mentors biomedical engineering students as a BMEntor and volunteers at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center. She is driven by a commitment to improving healthcare through engineering innovation.

2024-2025 HWCOE Student Speaker Awards: These students represent our best students and have a demonstrated record of academic excellence and service.

  • Bachelor’s Ceremony, Natasha Sequeira
    Natasha is a Biomedical Engineering senior, graduating Magna Cum Laude. A dedicated researcher, she has contributed to biomaterials development in the Keselowsky Lab and co-authored a publication in Molecular Systems Design & Engineering. She also leads a senior design project in orthopedic innovation sponsored by CONMED. Passionate about mentorship and service, Natasha serves as President of Alpha Epsilon Delta, fostering professional development and philanthropy for pre-health students, and serves as a Learning Assistant for the Biomedical Engineering Department. Her commitment to healthcare extends through fundraising $60,000 yearly for the Florida Diabetes Camp and Climb for Cancer Foundation, and over 200 hours of pediatric oncology and hematology patient engagement at UF Health. With a deep appreciation for storytelling, she enjoys guiding peers, and championing inclusive education. Natasha’s resilience, shaped by personal challenges, fuels her advocacy for community-driven impact, interdisciplinary collaboration, and accessible healthcare innovation.

2024-2025 HWCOE Attributes of a Gator Engineer Awards

Leadership:  Being: visionary, professional, a skilled communicator, engaged, committed, entrepreneurial, inspiring, fair, caring, a team-player, having a positive attitude, and being thoughtful of those around them.

  • Mariah Turner (PHD)
    Mariah Turner is a third-year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering, where she studies neuroimmune modulation in tendon pain and healing. Her research integrates in-vitro, clinical, and in-vivo models to explore nerve infiltration, neuropeptide signaling, and immune interactions in tendin-opathy. She is committed to professional development and mentorship, serving as the Professional Development Chair for the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Council, where she oversees the mentor-mentee program and organizes workshops. Mariah has spoken on national panels, including the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, the International Biomedical Engineering Society, and the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering, advocating for diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. She has presented at the Biomedical Engineering Society, Orthopedic Research Society, and AfroBio Tech conferences. Through research, mentorship, and leadership, she aims to bridge the gap between basic science and clinical applications to advance pain therapeutics in musculoskeletal medicine.

Professional Excellence: Professional Excellence is characterized as being: technically competent, skilled in management, planning, problem- solving, and being scientifically insightful.

  • Maximillian Diaz (PHD)
    Maximillian Diaz is a Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering. He will graduate in August 2025 as a double Gator, having also earned his undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering at UF. Max is an independent thinker with tremendous technical knowledge and research acumen. His research integrates state-of-the-art computational methods and rigorous experimental methods to overcome the challenges associated with building and using personalized, musculoskeletal computer models of the hand. For his dissertation, he has analyzed experimental data from over 700 people and computational data from over 60,000 synthetic subjects. His research has generated 18 abstracts, 5 published manuscripts, 3 manuscripts in preparation, and 1 patent. The quality of his work is recognized by awards, including two best oral presentation awards, a top 50 abstract, a 3-Minute Thesis Finalist by the American Society of Biomechanics, and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.
  • Joshua Ruley (UG)
    Joshua Ruley is a senior Biomedical Engineering student. He has been an active member of UF’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, serving as Conference Planning Chair and Treasurer. Joshua also works as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in Dr. Ana Maria Porras’ Tissue Microbe Interactions lab, where he studies the parasitic disease visceral leish-mania-sis using tissue engineering tools. He has presented his research at local and national conferences and co-authored a paper. After graduation, Joshua plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, with a focus on tissue engineering. In his free time, he enjoys running and aims to complete a marathon one day.

Service to the Global Community: Demonstrate awareness of the interaction of societal, legal, and cultural influences that drive world change. Characteristics of supporting a global community are being: tolerant, respectful, socially conscious, selfless, cooperative, service-oriented, and compassionate.

  • Karen Mancera Azamar (PHD)
    Karen is a first-generation Latina graduate student passionate about advancing STEM education and influencing health policy through patient advocacy. Diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in 2021, she has balanced the challenges of chronic illness with her academic and advocacy pursuits. Her research focuses on the potential impacts of gut microbes on intestinal tissue damage, integrating her personal experiences with her academic goals. In addition to her research, Karen has mentored younger students and participated in STEM outreach initiatives. As a 2023 Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adults Network Fellow, she has developed advocacy skills and created content to raise awareness about IBD.