Two University of Florida engineering professors have been recognized among the nation’s top early-career researchers for their contributions to national defense and security.
Farimah Farahmandi, Ph.D., Walden C. Rhines Endowed Professor for Hardware Security, and Md Jahidul Islam, Ph.D., Yangbin Wang Rising Star Endowed Assistant Professor, in UF’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), received the 2026 Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research (ONR).
The highly competitive program supports early-career scientists and engineers whose research shows exceptional promise for advancing naval capabilities. This year, just 23 researchers nationwide were selected, each receiving approximately $750,000 over three years to support defense-relevant research in areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomy and cybersecurity.
Farahmandi’s work focuses on a critical-but-often-overlooked vulnerability in modern technology: microelectronic chip security.
While cybersecurity efforts have traditionally focused on software, hardware vulnerabilities are often more difficult to detect and fix after deployment. Her research addresses this challenge by introducing reconfigurable elements into chip design, allowing systems to adapt to emerging threats.
“We are proposing new ways to make hardware itself more resilient,” Farahmandi said. “If there is a security threat, parts of the system can be updated to respond, which is something traditional hardware cannot do.”
Her work has wide-ranging implications, from consumer electronics to military systems and critical infrastructure, where a single hardware vulnerability can compromise entire networks.
“Security at the hardware level is essential, especially as systems become more connected,” she said.
Receiving the award, she added, is an honor and an opportunity to advance that vision.
“It is one of the most prestigious awards for young faculty,” Farahmandi said. “It allows us to take the next step in developing more secure and trustworthy systems.”
Islam’s research focuses on enabling autonomous robots to operate in one of the most challenging environments on Earth: the ocean.
Through his RoboPI Laboratory, Islam develops artificial intelligence systems that allow marine robots to navigate and make decisions in remote environments without GPS or communication infrastructure. Funded by ONR, his projects explore how robots can learn and transfer knowledge across missions and conditions.
“My research focuses on developing intelligent autonomy for marine robots operating in challenging environments,” Islam said. “We are building systems that can explore, monitor and operate safely even when sensing and communication are limited.”
These capabilities are increasingly important for national defense, including underwater surveillance, infrastructure inspection and mine countermeasures.
“The ocean plays a critical role in national security,” Islam said. “Our work enables robots to operate in complex, uncertain environments while making reliable decisions in real time.”
Islam said the award provides critical support for advancing these technologies and training future engineers.
“It represents a strong vote of confidence in our vision,” he said.
Their recognition also highlights the growing impact of UF’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where research in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and robotics continues to expand.
“Dr. Islam and Dr. Farahmandi are great examples of young investigators,” said ECE Chair Mark Tehranipoor, Ph.D. “Be it in the field or in a lab, they are guided by innovation, passion and a sincere curiosity to make real impacts. They make ECE proud, as the department works to become a leader in hardware security, AI and robotics.”