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Updates, publications, recognitions, conference participation, and research stories from the OptiSim Lab.

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  • Research publications
  • Conference participation
  • Lab milestones
  • Faculty and student recognition

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Mariana Ramirez Velasco

Student Success • July 2026

Undergraduate Honors Student and OptiSim Lab Member Joins NASA’s Artemis Mission

Mariana Ramirez, an undergraduate Honors student in Computer Engineering with a minor in Digital Media (Game Design), participated in the Optimization and Simulation Laboratory at UCF’s School of Modeling, Simulation and Training. Under the supervision of Dr. Muradha and Dr. Ghaith Rabadi, she contributed to research on decision-making and safety in robotic simulation environments while gaining valuable experience in simulation, programming, and technical writing.

Mariana will begin the next chapter of her career as an Orion Test Operations Engineer with Lockheed Martin, supporting NASA’s Artemis missions at Kennedy Space Center. The OptiSim Lab congratulates Mariana on this outstanding achievement and wishes her continued success as she helps advance the effort to return astronauts to the Moon.

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Faculty • March 9, 2026

UCF Researchers Author Guide on Digital Twin Technology for Supply Chains

UCF researchers developed a new resource that explains how digital twin technology can improve supply chain processes, decision-making, and operational performance. The book was co-authored by Ghaith Rabadi and Bulent Soykan and highlights practical implementation strategies for industry and academia.

ANNSIM conference group photo at UCF

Conference • ANNSIM 2026

OptiSim Lab Participates in the Annual Modeling and Simulation Conference

The OptiSim Lab participated in the Annual Modeling and Simulation Conference (ANNSIM), held May 4–7, 2026 at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The conference brings together researchers and professionals working across modeling, simulation, digital twins, artificial intelligence, and related areas.

ANNSIM 2026 featured keynote speeches, technical sessions, tutorials, and opportunities for the modeling and simulation community to exchange research ideas and emerging applications. The organizing committee includes Prof. Ghaith Rabadi as General Chair and Ahmad Bany Abdelnabi as a Proceedings Chair.

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