On February 20th, FINS Research Graduate Assistant and PhD Candidate, Olivia Dizon-Paradis, was awarded an honorable mention for the Madelyn Lockhart Fellowship by the Association for Academic Women (AAW). This award was established in honor of Dr. Madelyn Lockhart, who served as Dean of the Graduate School and Dean of International Studies and Programs at the University of Florida from 1985 to 1993—and now honors outstanding PhD candidates who have made remarkable contributions towards their fields of research.
Olivia is not only a member of FINS working on a number of critical projects in support of National Security, but she is also a member of Dr. Damon Woodard’s Applied Artificial Intelligence Group (AAIG) specializing in Applied AI, Machine and Deep Learning, Image Processing and Computer Vision, and Reinforcement and Imitation Learning. Her exemplary leadership skills and involvement in student wellness, multiple honors programs, the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute (EFTI), as well as a plethora of other activities make her well deserving of this honor.
The committee commended her on academic achievement, compassion for helping communities and individuals within those communities and her dedication to helping others overcome challenges.