Beyond teaching and conducting research, many faculty members devote significant time — sometimes years — to authoring books. Their work spans instructional texts that guide students’ learning to creative publications that explore new ideas.
This year, UCF honored 84 faculty members during the fifth biennial Faculty Authors’ Celebration, held Feb. 17 in the Solarium Room at the John C. Hitt Library on the university’s main campus. The event celebrates faculty whose published books — from novels and poetry to textbooks and manuals — contribute to scholarly excellence and creativity in their respective fields.
The event, which is sponsored by the Office of Research and Faculty Excellence, drew many guests, including Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs John Buckwalter and Vice President for Research and Innovation Winston Schoenfeld.
Professor of English and Director of Graduate Programs Anastasia Salter delivered the keynote address. Salter is the author or co-author of 10 books on digital culture and electronic literature, including most recently Undertale: Can a Game Give Hope, which invites readers to rethink their relationship with gaming and game characters.
2026 Faculty Author Honorees
- Yara Asi ’07MA ’15PhD, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Jonathan Annand, Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy
- Greg Autry, College of Business Administration
- William Ayers, College of Arts and Humanities
- James Bacchus, College of Sciences
- Morris Beato, College of Health Professions and Sciences
- James Beckman, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Martha Brenckle, College of Arts and Humanities
- Andrea Borowczak ’92, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Wayne Bowen, College of Arts and Humanities
- Sarah Bush, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Jessica Campbell ’12MA ’20PhD, College of Arts and Humanities
- Shannon Carter, College of Sciences
- Robert Cassanello, College of Arts and Humanities
- Necati Catbas, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Thomas Cavanagh ’06PhD, Center for Distributed Learning
- Karl Chai, College of Medicine
- Baiyun Chen ’07PhD, Center for Distributed Learning
- Amy Cicchino, College of Arts and Humanities
- Brian Collins, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
- Ilenia Colón Mendoza, College of Arts and Humanities
- Joshua Colwell, College of Sciences
- Aimee Denoyelles ’00, Center for Distributed Learning
- Taseen Desin, College of Medicine
- Ahmad Elshennawy, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Katia Ferdowsi, College of Health Professions and Sciences
- Julie Feuerstein, College of Health Professions and Sciences
- Scot French, College of Arts and Humanities
- Martha Garcia ’97 ’00MA, College of Arts and Humanities
- Amrita Ghosh, College of Arts and Humanities
- Carolyn Glasshoff ’11MA ’21PhD, College of Arts and Humanities
- Donita Grissom ’14PhD, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Gulsah Hancerliogullari Koksalmis, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Kenneth Hanson, College of Arts and Humanities
- Duncan Hardy, College of Arts and Humanities
- David Head, College of Arts and Humanities
- Bari Hoffman ’96 ’98MA, College of Health Professions and Sciences
- Emily Johnson ’15PhD, College of Arts and Humanities
- Naim Kapucu, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Lauren Kehoe, UCF Libraries
- Haidar Khezri, College of Arts and Humanities
- Nolan Kline, College of Medicine
- Alla Kourova, College of Arts and Humanities
- Lanlan Kuang, College of Arts and Humanities
- David Lerner Schwartz, College of Arts and Humanities
- Hsiu-fen Lin, College of Health Professions and Sciences
- Robert Littlefield, College of Sciences
- Ty Matejowsky, College of Sciences
- Stephen Masyada, College of Sciences
- Jonathan Matusitz, College of Sciences
- Kevin Meehan, College of Arts and Humanities
- Lisa Nalbone, College of Arts and Humanities
- Hakan Özoğlu, College of Arts and Humanities
- Jason Phillips, UCF Libraries
- Laurie Pinkert, College of Arts and Humanities
- Ghaith Rabadi ’96MSIE ’99PhD, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Luis Rabelo, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Sherry Rankins-Robertson, College of Arts and Humanities
- Jorge Ridderstaat, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
- Lee Ross, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Mary Rubin ’12 ’19MA, UCF Libraries
- Houman Sadri, College of Sciences
- Anastasia Salter, College of Arts and Humanities
- Scott Carter, College of Sciences
- Melina Sherman, College of Sciences
- Marwan Simaan, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Christopher Spinale ’04MEd ’24PhD, College of Sciences
- Mel Stanfill, College of Arts and Humanities
- Sandra Sousa, College of Arts and Humanities
- Bulent Soykan, Institute for Simulation and Training
- Sidney Turner, College of Arts and Humanities
- Jennie Wagner, College of Nursing
- Linda Walters, College of Sciences
- Chung Ching (Morgan) Wang, College of Sciences
- Keri Watson, College of Arts and Humanities
- Taylar Wenzel ’11EdD, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Amanda Wilkerson ’16EdD, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Florence Williams, Center for Distributed Learning
- Andrew Williams Jr., College of Community Innovation and Education
- Ross Wolf ’88 ’91MPA ’98EdD, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Sharon Woodill, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Kuppalapalle Vajravelu, College of Sciences
- Jill Viglione, College of Community Innovation and Education
- Staci Zavattaro, College of Community Innovation and Education