By Wendy Sarubbi | September 22, 2014 1:39 pm

A biomedical sciences major who researches solar energy and hopes to attend medical school has been selected for UCF’s 2014 Homecoming Court and is in the running for Homecoming King. Gerald Richardson, a senior from Longwood, has earned a long list of academic achievements during his four years at UCF and says “without the support of the Burnett School, I would not have had this incredibly unique opportunity to serve our university.”

Richardson, who minors in chemistry, has a 4.0 GPA and has made the President’s Honor Roll every semester of college. He serves on UCF’s Student Undergraduate Research Council, which helped bring about his nomination to the Homecoming Court, and has earned student grants for his research into converting light into energy. As he completes his undergraduate degree, he has applied to medical schools, including UCF’s. “My goal is to become a physician who practices primary care, conducts research, and teaches at a medical school,” he said.

Richardson said his interest in research helped to fuel his passion for medicine. Working in Dr. Stephen Kuebler’s lab in UCF’s Chemistry department, he researched Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) which convert light into energy. Richardson says this experience allowed him to grow and learn as a researcher and scientific investigator.

“We are extremely proud of our undergraduates in the Burnett School at UCF,” said Burnett School Director Dr. Griffith Parks. “Mr. Richardson is an example of the hard-working, dedicated and talented students that we love to see developing into the next generation of scientists.”

Student voting for Homecoming Court Nominees is done through myUCF, and begins on Monday, October 20 at 9 am. Winners will be announced during the Knights football game against Temple University on October 25.

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