Meet The Team

Dr. Andrés Tremante serves as the Senior Director for both the Center for Development, Support, and Success in Engineering and Computing (CDSSEC) and the Engineering Industry–Innovation Ecosystem (ENGINE) at Florida International University (FIU). A native of Venezuela, he earned his PhD from Arts et Métiers Paris Tech in France and began his career as a Research Scientist in the oil and gas industry before transitioning into academia at Universidad Simón Bolívar. At FIU, he has advanced through multiple academic and research roles since 2006, ultimately becoming a Teaching Professor in Mechanical and Materials Engineering. His leadership of CDSSEC began in 2017, where he has significantly expanded experiential learning, academic support systems, and student engagement opportunities while cultivating strong industry partnerships with organizations such as 3M, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Microsoft, Chevron, Dell, BOSCH, and Stellantis.

After returning from an academic-year sabbatical, Dr. Tremante assumed dual leadership of CDSSEC and the newly defined ENGINE initiative in 2024. The ENGINE Model is a comprehensive, innovation-focused framework that positions FIU’s engineering and computing enterprise as a dynamic, student-centered ecosystem—spanning K–12 through graduate education (K–20) and linking directly to workforce readiness. Dr. Tremante oversees FIU’s CDSSEC efforts within ENGINE, strengthening early STEM exposure, academic preparation, and guided pathways into engineering careers. He has published more than 30 research papers across fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, aerodynamics, and computational simulation, and holds a U.S. patent for an active aerodynamics mitigation and power production system.

Mais Kayyali is the Associate Director for the Center for Development, Support, and Success in Engineering and Computing (CDSSEC) at Florida International University’s (FIU) College of Engineering and Computing (CEC). Mais holds a Bachelor’s in Finance, a Master’s in Hospitality Management, and is pursuing a doctorate in Engineering and Computing Education at FIU. Her research focuses on mentorship, support systems, student transitions, and the experiences of graduate students.

Previously, Mais led the Graduate Education, Admissions, and Recruitment (GEAR) team at CEC and provided administrative support to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. She also served as Program Coordinator/Coordinator of Administrative Services in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and as Program Assistant in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE).

Damaris is a Program Specialist for the Center for Development, Support, and Success in Engineering and Computing (CDSSEC) at Florida International University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Havana (1983) and completed postgraduate studies in Wolfen, Germany (1984) and New Delhi, India (2007). Before joining FIU, she spent 15 years working in chemistry research followed by a 20-year tenure with a diplomatic mission in Havana, with concurrent responsibilities in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Damaris joined FIU in October 2023 as an Administrative Support and Program Assistant in the College of Engineering and Computing and was promoted to Program Specialist at CDSSEC in May 2025. She brings extensive experience in scientific research, international service, and administrative coordination to her role, supporting key programs and initiatives that advance student success across the college.

Natasha Rogers earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in philosophy from Florida International University. Natasha has a unique experience with the program, having been a student in it since third grade. She understands the program inside and out, able to implement improvements from a first-person perspective as a student, volunteer, camp counselor, and parent liaison. Working from the bottom up of this program, she has facilitated significant growth and insight to aid more children.

Natasha plays a vital role in coordinating and overseeing the school sites, handling program administration, communicating with parents, guiding discussions with children, and orchestrating a positive, welcoming environment for children to thrive.

Bailey Bond-Trittipo is an Engineering and Computing Education Ph.D. candidate within the Multidisciplinary Engineering and Computing Education, Systems and Management (ESM) Department at Florida International University.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in physics and mathematics from Butler University in 2019.

Her research interests center on employing critical theoretical frameworks and qualitative methodologies to study liberatory pedagogies in engineering education and undergraduate engineering student participation in activism.

Her work within Center for Development, Support, and Success in Engineering and Computing (CDSSEC) includes inspiring the next generation of engineers by co-coordinating Florida Action for More Engineering (FLAME) program and supporting innovative student research through Opportunities for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS) program.

Thelma del Cid is a Doctoral Student in Mechanical Engineering at Florida International University (FIU), where she also earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. Her professional experience includes several years as a Quality Control Associate at Cordis, where she supported design verification for cardiovascular and endovascular medical devices through comprehensive mechanical and functional testing. Her work centered on ensuring safety, performance, and regulatory compliance across multiple phases of product development.

As a Graduate Assistant for the Center for Development, Support, and Success in Engineering and Computing (CDSSEC), she oversees the engineering peer tutoring program. In this role, she manages tutor coordination, scheduling, and daily operations to ensure accessible academic support while contributing to the academic development of engineering and computing students.

Rodrigo Barboza Prado is a Graduate Assistant for the Center for Development, Support, and Success in Engineering and Computing (CDSSEC) and the Multidisciplinary Engineering and Computing Education, Systems and Management (ESM) Department at Florida International University (FIU).  Rodrigo holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and is pursuing a doctorate in Engineering and Computing Education from FIU.  His research focuses on community-based relationships and building engineering identity and professional development in K-12 environments, having supported different NSF funded initiatives.  He also currently serves as the Program Planning Chair at the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)-FIU chapter.

As the Graduate Assistant in charge of the CDSSEC’s student led initiatives, he oversees operations and team coordination of different K-12 outreach programs.  With several years of experience in the education industry and a strong interest in Engineering Management, he is passionate about bridging the gap between engineering education and real-world application throughout CDSSEC’s various outreach programs and the development of research opportunities to continue building knowledge in the engineering education field.

Victoria Veliz is a Doctoral Student in Mechanical Engineering at Florida International University (FIU), where she also earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.  Her research interests lie in the thermal-fluids area, exploring the intersection of heat transfer, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.  Her work seeks to bridge theoretical concepts with practical innovations in system design and process improvement.

As a Graduate Assistant for the Center for Development, Support, and Success in Engineering and Computing (CDSSEC) she provides administrative and program support to ensure the smooth execution of the center’s initiatives that promote student success in engineering and computing as well as the daily operations of the center. Dedicated and innovative, she is committed to advancing engineering education and practical research through collaborative, data-driven approaches.