FIU faculty are moving the needle on strategic areas and earning top honors in the process. Below is a sample of recent accolades of just a few researchers.
M. Hadi Amini
Associate professor of computer science, was awarded the 2025 IEEE Big Data Security Junior Research Award by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Eli Beracha
Director of the Hollo School of Real Estate, received the 2025 Crystal Ball Award from Pulsenomics for the most accurate U.S. home price forecast in the three-year horizon of its Home Price Expectations Survey.
Janki Bhimani and Aleksandar Krasnok
Associate professor of computer science and assistant professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering, respectively, each were inducted as senior members of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Alessandro Catenazzi
Associate professor of biological sciences, was named as the Half-Earth Chair for the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation’s Half-Earth Project.
Jason Chandler
Associate professor of architecture, won a design excellence award from the Florida Caribbean Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Jonathan Comer
Distinguished university professor of psychology, was named the 2025 recipient of the Florence Halpern Award by the American Psychological Association’s Society of Clinical Psychology.
Nicole Fava
Associate professor of social work, was named Miami-Dade County’s 2025 National Association of Social Work’s Educator of the Year.
Natalia Giordano
Assistant clinical professor of social work, was elected as the 2025-2026 Vice Chair of the Miami-Dade County Community-Based Care Alliance.
Tomás R. Guilarte
Neurotoxicologist and dean of the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, was ranked among the top nine researchers in the world studying lead neurotoxicology by ScholarGPS.
S.S. Iyengar
Distinguished university professor and Ryder professor of computer science, received a 2025 Distinguished Career Award in Computer Science from the Washington Academy of Sciences.
Denny John, Armin Mehrabi and Sohail Mohammed
Postdoctoral associate of mechanical and materials engineering; associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; and postdoctoral associate of mechanical and materials engineering, respectively, were named senior members of the National Academy of Inventors.
Amir A. Khoddamzadeh
Associate professor of earth and environment, was selected as one of nine science fellows for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program.
Zhenguo Lin
Professor at the Hollo School of Real Estate, was awarded the David Ricardo Medal by the American Real Estate Society.
Daniella Long and David Wernick
Assistant teaching professor of public policy and teaching professor of international business, respectively, each received a 2025 Changemaking Education Award by the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida.
Marilys Nepomechie
Associate dean and distinguished university professor of architecture, was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the American Institute of Architects, Miami Chapter.
Ebru Özer
Professor of landscape architecture, received a Contribution to the Profession Award from the UCTEA Chamber of Landscape Architects as part of the 2025 Turkish National Landscape Architecture Awards.
Yannis Papastamatiou
Associate professor of biological sciences, was named Shark Hero of 2025 during the 11th annual SharkCon.
Roberto Rovira
Professor of landscape architecture, won the 2025 National Outstanding Educator Award from the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture.
John Volakis
Professor of electrical and computer engineering, was awarded the Distinguished Radio Science Award by the United States National Committee for the International Union of Radio Science for 2026. He was also awarded the 2026 Electromagnetics Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.