By: Cassidy Delamarter, University Communications and Marketing

From training robots to integrating artificial intelligence into hardware systems,
the USF Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing wrapped up its first-ever summer research program, completing a major milestone ahead
of its official launch this fall. 

As part of the new USF Bridge Coalition Program, undergraduate research scholars from
the University of Rhode Island were invited to work side-by-side with USF faculty
to tackle real-world challenges and gain hands-on experience at USF that could launch
careers in robotics, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. 

“This is a historic step forward for USF,” said Sylvia Wilson Thomas, vice president for USF Research & Innovation. “It’s a powerful example of what can
happen when we create intentional pathways that link students with mentors, labs and
real-world challenges.”

The 10-week program, funded by the Florida High Tech Corridor and USF Research & Innovation, is designed to foster collaboration between Research 1 (R1) universities, such as
USF, and institutions that have not traditionally had access to the same level of
research. The first cohort included three undergraduate students who were matched
with USF faculty members based on academic goals and research interests.

“This isn’t just about research,” said Saundra Johnson Austin, director of USF’s Office of Student Engagement in Research and Innovation, who leads the program. “It’s about building bridges between institutions, between
students and mentors and between talent and opportunity.”

“Having our URI engineering scholars selected for USF’s new program is not only a
blessing, but a partnership in engineering and science that can last for years to
come,” said Charles Watson, assistant dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Rhode Island. 

Denilo Semedo, a junior double-majoring in electrical engineering and French with
a minor in robotics, is exploring multi-object grasping with Yu Sun, a USF professor of computer science and engineering. Multi-object grasping is a
complex challenge in the world of robotics, and one of Sun’s primary areas of focus
in his Robot Perception and Action Lab.

“I was originally torn between mechanical and electrical engineering, but once I got
introduced to robotics, I knew this was something I wanted to pursue,” Semedo said.
“This experience is helping me figure out if this is the right career path.”

The goal of the program is to strengthen national competitiveness, accelerate innovation
and cultivate the next generation of research scholars and entrepreneurs. The students
spent the summer researching and concluded the program by presenting their findings
at the 2025 “OneUSF” Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Andrew Texeira was able to showcase an early prototype of the robot he developed this
summer: A robot that he made walk, talk and show emotions. The electrical engineering
junior is minoring in robotics and dreams of being a robotics engineer after graduation.
This summer’s program provided Texeira with a unique opportunity in the lab of Zhao Han, an assistant professor focused on developing novel robotic systems that are more
understandable when interacting with humans.

“Through hands-on experiences, they’re unlocking their creative potential — asking
deeper questions, building curiosity, and discovering solutions they never imagined,”
said Florida High Tech Corridor CEO Paul Sohl, who has prioritized and expanded the
organization’s support for undergraduate research and other STEM and innovation learning
programs during his five-year tenure.

Working alongside USF Associate Professor Hao Zheng, Cesar Sicaju, a junior studying computer and electrical engineering with a minor
in computer science, learned about prompt engineering, which is an emerging field
that involves curating prompts to feed large language models, such as Microsoft Copilot,
to produce the best results.

“This opportunity has taught me a lot of skills that I believe will transfer over
and be applicable elsewhere,” he said. “I am honored to have worked with Dr. Zheng
throughout this entire process. Some advice for anyone who is looking into programs
that are far away from home: Don’t be afraid to venture into a new environment, sometimes
that change is needed.”

The success of this summer’s pilot cohort has set the stage for future expansion –
Johnson Austin has already started to build upon this year’s partnership with URI
and is working to identify new university partners for the 2026 Bridge Coalition Program. 

Also inspired by this year’s success, Zheng is planning to lead a new National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates in hardware security that’s open to all universities, making it the college’s first
Research Experience for Undergraduates. The program will provide students with foundational knowledge and supervised research
experience in hardware security, a critical component of cybersecurity and national
infrastructure. Zheng hopes to begin accepting applications in March 2026.

“Programs like this not only ignite student innovation, they strengthen Florida’s
talent pipeline and fuel Tampa Bay’s rise as a national hub for collaboration, opportunity
and a high-tech future,”  Paul Sohl said.