Pegasus Professor Award 2006

April 5, 2006

In his speech honoring Dr. Shah, UCF President John Hitt said,

"The Pegasus Professor Award honors a faculty member who goes beyond the ordinary*and who consistently delivers an extraordinary level of excellence in teaching, research, and service to our students, our community, and to the profession.

Thank you. Today, we honor two recipients of the Pegasus Professor Award Dr. Karen Dow and Dr. Mubarak Shah. Occasionally, the committee has such stellar candidates that it decides to make two awards.

... Our other Pegasus Professor is Mubarak Shah, the Agere Chair Professor of Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences, and the assistant vice president for Research and Commercialization. He joined UCF in 1986 when his research focus, computer vision, was in its infancy. His work is now internationally recognized, has made an impact in the field, and has contributed to the recognition of UCF as a leader in computer vision research. He has secured a large amount of research funding from industry and federal, state, and local agencies and was an UCF Millionaires' Club honoree in 2005.

He has received many of UCF's awards and recognitions for outstanding faculty members, including the Teaching Incentive Award twice and the Research Incentive Award.

He has also been recognized nationally by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers with an Outstanding Engineering Educator Award. He has received its Distinguished Visitors Program Speaker Award four times, and he was made a Fellow of the Institute in 2003. The Harris Corporation also honored him with its Engineering Achievement Award.

He is a prolific author and has published two books, ten book chapters, and sixty journal articles, and he has given over one hundred conference papers.

He has supervised numerous doctoral students and post doctoral fellows, run the National Science Foundation-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates program for many years and has advised and inspired countless undergraduate students. He has also provided opportunities for high school students to conduct computer science research.

In their letters nominating him for this award:

Dr. Issa Batarseh, Director and Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, said that " through his relentless efforts, determination, and leadership, Mubarak has brought prominence and visibility to UCF in the area of computer vision."

Todd Jenkins, senior engineer with the Department of the Air Force, said that "Dr. Shah's contributions in the specific computer vision area of video exploitation are considered world class."

Dr. Jiangjian Xiao [dyoung dgin dgow*as in ow!], a former student, said that "Without Dr. Shah, I couldn't imagine that I could achieve such research success in a short, three-year period. Dr. Shah is not only the person who opened the research door for me, but also the person who leads me in the way of true academic research. From him, I know what is sincere, what is hard work, what is creative, and what is enthusiastic . . . . Dr. Shah treats everyone equally and gives each individual the opportunity to become an innovative and independent researcher. He is always willing to sponsor a large group of students using his own funding and takes care of any personal issues for each one in the department . . . . Dr. Shah is my life model and I really adore his integrity, creativity, and constant enthusiasm."

And, the 27 graduate students in the UCF Computer Vision Laboratory write that "It has been well said that a leader inspires others to become leaders. Looking at earlier graduates who worked with him . . . . there is little doubt that Professor Shah is an outstanding leader who has inspired many in the field and will continue to do so."

Karen and Mubarak, thank you for setting such a fine example of excellence in teaching, research, and service. I am honored to present you with the 2006 Pegasus Professor Award. Please accept, with our appreciation, this statue of the Pegasus, the symbol of UCF, and the Pegasus Professor Medallion that you will wear with your regalia at official university ceremonies. And, perhaps best of all, you will also receive a check for $5,000!

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me once again in congratulating Dr. Karen Dow and Dr. Mubarak Shah."