Category: Alumni Highlights

The UF Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering gathered at the Wayne J. Reitz Union’s Rion Ballroom for a vibrant evening of celebration, honoring the outstanding achievements of its faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Dr. Warren Dixon warmly welcomed the crowd as guests enjoyed dinner, lively conversation, and a shared sense of pride in the […]

UF alumni have made their mark in varied industries and have inspired future generations of engineers. Read on to discover the stories of Logan Hickox, Frank Gillette, and Alberth Franco. Logan Hickox: From Robotics to Revolutionizing Footwear at Nike What do robotics and basketball shoes have in common? For UF mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE) alum […]

Diego Acevedo’s grand life – from kite surfing in his Aruba neighborhood to three engineering degrees from three countries – stems from mere curiosity. Maybe a bit of restlessness, too.  Born in Colombia, Acevedo, Ph.D., earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Florida in 2003. There, he met his wife, Monica […]

What do robotics and basketball shoes have in common? For UF mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE) alum Logan Hickox, the answer is simple: engineering. Hickox, now a mechanical engineer at Nike’s Bowerman Footwear Lab, is at the forefront of blending cutting-edge technology with athletic performance. His journey, which began at P.K. Yonge and the University […]

An intimidated freshman from Miami walks into a SHPE general body meeting.  No, this isn’t the beginning of a trite joke, but the prologue to Alberth Franco’s career testimony. Now a systems engineering and verification specialist at Rolls-Royce, Alberth was once a new gator, finding his way through the Marston French Fries and the Turlington […]

With a long and illustrious list of accomplishments, the career of Frank Gillette was as powerful and high-flying as the fighter jets that rely on his engine designs. And his success story took off in Gainesville, where he graduated from UF in 1962.   “He just loved his job and appreciated the education he got at […]

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida proudly recognizes seven distinguished alumni from the class of 2024, each exemplifying the highest standards of engineering excellence and leadership in their respective careers. Ms. Shitarria Battle: BSME ’10 – Ms. Battle serves as the Chief Engineer for the Command and Control, Battle […]

The phrase “homegrown talent” is a familiar one to sports fans—and when it comes to Steven Botwinik, it applies equally well to aerospace engineering. From his beginnings as a University of Florida MAE student to his current role as Vice President of Advanced Programs Execution and Transition at Lockheed Martin’s Sand Lake Road facility, Botwinik […]

When in-person classes became one of the many aspects of normal life that fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic, most people grumbled and resigned themselves to a period of languishing in a mire of pajama pants and low productivity. Juliana Mishur, meanwhile, saw an promising opportunity and followed a hunch that has led her to […]

Mitchell “Mitch” Waldman’s long and illustrious career practically brims with prestige and honor.  The UF MAE alum served for nearly 30 years in a variety of executive positions with the federal government, including as deputy assistant secretary of the Navy, director of cost engineering and industrial analysis for Naval Sea Systems Command, and deputy program […]