University of West Florida

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

Student and Faculty Profiles

Student Profiles
Nano-Technology and Embracing Her Inner Nerd Snooze for 30 minutes. Grab coffee. Study for two hours, go to class, give a campus tour, have lunch, study or do homework, go back to class and in the evenings Tuesday and Thursday take yoga, remember to teach yoga class the next day. School, study, eat and make sure to watch “Project Runway” at 9 p.m. That’s the schedule that works for energetic Biochemistry major, Sarah Genet. A life full of nano-technology, quantum mechanics and working every day to predict the behaviors of diatomic molecules, she started out enjoying so many different worlds of academia, but in the end chose Chemistry. More . . .
Stepping into the World of Engineering From the time he was a young boy dissecting his remote control cars, Chad Tanton has known he was destined for a career in engineering. That, along with an aptitude for math and science convinced Tanton that a degree in electrical engineering from the University of West Florida was tailored to the future he had in mind – a future which involved staying close to his native Pensacola. More . . .
Hooked: Grad Student Studying King Mackerel Populations All it takes is one whiff of Kate Shepard’s laundry to know that she is gaining hands-on experience in her field of study – Fisheries Biology. A second-year graduate student in the University of West Florida Department of Biology, Shepard is researching population dynamics of and population mixing between King Mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. More . . .
Bringing Fresh Ideas to the Future of Engineering Statistics show that more women than men participate in higher education in the United States, but the trend does not carry forward when it comes to pursuing careers in science and engineering. According to the National Science Foundation, only 27 percent of engineering bachelor’s degrees are awarded to women. Additionally, only 25 percent of science and engineering jobs are held by women. More . . .
Pre-Pharmacy Major Finds His Perfect Blend With his sights set on the West coast, Paul Novotny, pre-pharmacy major, is looking forward to using the experience he has gained at the University of West Florida to continue on in his journey not only to be one of the first in his family to graduate college, but to also pursue his doctorate in pharmacy. More . . .
Finding Her Way to the Head of the Classroom A local from Pensacola, Sonya Savage has always had a knack for mathematics. She received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a minor in mathematics from Alabama State University - Montgomery, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in mathematics from the University of West Florida. Savage, who spends most of her days teaching and tutoring undergraduate students, hopes to one day become a professor at a college or university. More . . .
Clinical Laboratory Sciences Student Catapulting Her Career Balancing studying with caring for her four-year-old daughter and everything in between, Shana Watley, a Clinical Laboratory Sciences student at the University of West Florida, is also interning at Sacred Heart Hospital putting everything she’s learned in to practice and getting experience in a field that she’s determined will open many doors for her in the future. More . . .
Designing Aerial Vehicles that will Protect our Country Katerina Pugh has always been curious about how things work. Building and making repairs come naturally to her, and studying electrical and computer engineering at the University of West Florida allows her to engage her curiosity. More . . .

Faculty Profiles
UWF Professor Pushing all the Right Buttons As he waves to a student passing by his office, it’s easy to see that University of West Florida students have no problem going to Mohamed Khabou for any and all questions they have about electrical and computer engineering. His amiable smile and pure love for engineering is countered by his constant drive to give his students real-world experience, challenging research opportunities and a much needed competitive edge for future careers. More . . .
Professor's Research Reaching Across the Globe Educating minds across the world, Sikha Bagui, assistant professor at the University of West Florida, has 16 journal publications, co-authored five books, eight book chapters and also five review articles. Since joining the Department of Computer Science at UWF Bagui has helped guide students in database theory design and applications, Web databases, data mining, statistical computing and computer in Education. More . . .
Environmental Studies Professor Blogs About Trip to Japan Preparing for what will undoubtedly be one of the most enriching experiences of his life, John Waldron, University of West Florida assistant professor of Environmental Studies, will participate in the UWF Summer Semester in Japan Program. Through the program, Waldron and five students from varying majors will travel to Japan May 16 through June 30. Hoping to share his experiences with others, Waldron will maintain a blog on the Pensacola News Journal Web site throughout the trip and will post stories and photos from the journey. More . . .
Computer Science Gone Wilde Enthusiastic about all things software engineering, it was no surprise in 2007 when Norman Wilde, was appointed William Craig Nystul Professor of Computer Science, Eminent Scholar at the University of West Florida. For 21 years, Wilde has dedicated his time at UWF to research and teaching, bringing real world experience to his students and working closely with prominent American software companies. More . . .