Daniela Zamora Alviarez Selected as USF’s 2026 Ralph C. Wilcox Outstanding Graduate

University of South Florida College of Engineering student Daniela Zamora Alviarez has been selected for the Ralph C. Wilcox Outstanding Graduate Award, which annually recognizes a graduating student who exemplifies the university’s values of scholarship, leadership, and service.

Selected by a committee formed by the dean of undergraduate studies, the Wilcox Outstanding Graduate Award is one of USF’s highest honors. Applicants must have at least a 3.7 GPA, be engaged in multiple high-impact practices, such as research or internships, hold leadership positions in student organizations, and demonstrate an outstanding record of service.

Zamora Alviarez is a nontraditional student, having had to wait nearly a decade after graduating as her high school salutatorian before attending college. That gap did nothing to slow her down. Driven by the need to confront the growing energy demands of AI, she achieved a stellar record of research and academic achievement through work centered on the potential of 2D materials to shape a new generation of energy-efficient computing technologies. That sense of purpose is reflected equally in her commitment to creating opportunities for talented students underrepresented in STEM through tutoring and mentorship, in addition to her leadership in environmental student organizations on campus, which led to her recognition with the award.

On the heels of the Outstanding Graduate news, Zamora Alviarez learned she was also selected for two prestigious national fellowships for graduate studies — the GEM Fellowship and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRF). She will begin her doctoral program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in materials science and engineering this fall.

The Road to Opportunity

Zamora Alviarez came to USF with a scholarship as part of the National Science Foundation Scholarships in STEM Program (S-STEM), which supports nontraditional, academically talented students with financial need. The program requires universities to provide co-curricular guidance to prepare these students for careers in STEM fields.

While already conducting research on 2D materials under Dr. Michael Cai-Wang, formerly a USF assistant professor of mechanical engineering, in the NanoMechanics, NanoMaterials, NanoManufacturing Lab (NM3L) in the College of Engineering, Zamora Alviarez attended a presentation for the USF S-STEM cohort.

At the presentation, USF Office of National Scholars Director Sayandeb Basu spoke about the Goldwater Scholarship, widely considered the highest honor in undergraduate STEM research. Inspired by his presentation, Zamora Alviarez reached out to Basu and established a connection that would launch her research career at the national level.

First, she received the POET “Never Satisfied” Scholarship, awarded to students who demonstrate drive, creativity, and persistence in solving complex engineering challenges, through her preliminary research in innovating energy solutions.

“The recognition affirmed my determination to pursue research that bridges materials science and energy innovation,” said Zamora Alviarez. “It encouraged me to seek opportunities that would push me beyond the boundaries of my home institution.”

That next step was a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Binghamton University.

Zamora Alviarez was one of six students selected nationwide and studied the potential for synthesized 2D transition metal dichalcogenides to catalyze electrochemical hydrogen production, which could make the production of hydrogen fuel, a clean energy source, more economical.

The experience at Binghamton University helped Zamora Alviarez prove she was ready to perform at the highest level. After returning from the summer experience, she applied for the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and was selected in spring 2024 in recognition of her work in the NM3L Lab with Dr. Cai-Wang.

Material Impact

After receiving the Goldwater Scholarship, Zamora Alviarez began expanding her research interests, starting at the USF Center for Assistive, Rehabilitation, and Robotics Technologies (CARRT). She led human-subjects research and contributed to the development of technologies that expand accessibility for individuals with disabilities through virtual reality platforms and robotic arm attachments.

“My work with CARRT at USF developing novel robotics and immersive virtual-reality modules that prepare individuals with disabilities for employment grounded me in the human side of technology. While it may not have focused on materials directly, it constantly reminds me of the real impact engineering can have on people’s lives when done with rigor and care.”

Beyond her research, Zamora Alviarez served on the executive boards of Global Leaders Outreach for a Better Environment (GLOBE) at the Patel College of Global Sustainability and Tau Beta Pi, where she strengthened sustainability initiatives and enhanced engineering community engagement across campus.

the Future of Energy Efficient Computing

This fall, at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Zamora Alviarez will make the most of her fellowships while working in Dr. Arend van der Zande’s group, where a recent breakthrough in artificial charged domain walls using 2D materials has opened new possibilities for neuromorphic computing and other energy-efficient electronic technologies. The work will focus more directly on nanomaterials and their potential to support lower-power computing as AI continues to drive up energy demand.

“My goal is to design low-power neuromorphic systems based on atomically engineered 2D materials that reduce energy consumption during AI training and inference," said Zamora Alviarez. "Beyond research, I intend to mentor women and underrepresented students in engineering to help build an inclusive workforce. I aspire to lead by example, advancing technology that preserves both performance and sustainability while ensuring that the innovations powering our world serve the generations that follow.”