UNF Graduate School

Most people scroll past health claims on social media without a second thought, Vishwaa Shah built an AI model to scrutinize them.

As an M.S. Computer and Information Sciences student at University of North Florida, Vishwaa is using large language models to detect nutritional misinformation on social media — research that sits at the intersection of AI, public health, and responsible technology. Her interdisciplinary approach, developed with both computing faculty and nutrition experts in UNF Brooks College of Health, has already resulted in multiple accepted papers at workshops hosted alongside the Association for Computational Linguistics 2026, as well as an accepted abstract to be published in the Learning Health Systems journal.

Her faculty advisor, Dr. Indika Kahanda, points to Vishwaa's work ethic, curiosity, and ability to lead meaningful research as the driving force behind results that are making waves at the international level.

Vishwaa also completed an AI engineering internship where she applied skills developed directly through her graduate work — proof that what's built in the classroom and research lab translates into professional impact.

This is what rising potential looks like in the M.S. CIS program at UNF.

How do higher education faculty design online courses that actually work for every student? That's the question driving Syeda Hyder's doctoral research. Her work examines how faculty implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in practice and what institutional support they need to do it well.

Syeda presented her research at the 2026 Conference of Florida Graduate Schools, sharing her findings with scholars and educators from across the state. "Impactful research requires not only strong ideas but also the ability to communicate, collaborate, and connect findings to practice," she said.

After graduation, Syeda plans to continue research at the intersection of pedagogy, accessibility, and course design — contributing to more inclusive, effective learning environments in higher education.

Last month, four University of North Florida graduate students — representing the UNF Silverfield College of Education and Human Services, the UNF Brooks College of Health and the College of Arts and Sciences — took their research to the 2026 Conference of Florida Graduate Schools, hosted by the University of Florida in Gainesville.

The conference brought together graduate students, staff and administrators from institutions across the state around the theme of future-focused leadership in graduate education — and UNF's students were right at the center of it.

From inclusive course design and tuberculosis detection to bacteria-based coastal preservation and mitochondrial DNA research, our students showcased the depth and range of scholarship happening across UNF's colleges.

"It is equally valuable for our Graduate School team to participate alongside them — conferences like CFGS create opportunities for us to collaborate with peer institutions, exchange ideas and explore innovative approaches," said Dr. Michele Moore, Dean of The Graduate School.

We'll be sharing individual spotlights on each student in the coming weeks — stay tuned to learn more about their work and what this experience meant to them.

Read the full story at: https://www.unf.edu/graduateschool/about/newsroom/Spring-2026/Conference-of-Florida-Graduate-Schools.html