Campins was named Professional of the Year at the 13th-annual Don Quijote Awards, which are sponsored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando and the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund. The awards recognize local business leaders who have shown character of great strength, courage and determination in the style of the timeless literary character Don Quijote.
Campins, who has worked at UCF since 2002, is a physics professor and head of the Planetary Sciences group. Considered an international expert on asteroids, he has garnered international attention in the past year for his discovery of water ice and organic material on two distant asteroids.
“This award means a lot to me because it comes from the community where I live and work,” Campins said. “I am honored that fellow residents of Central Florida noticed my work, and it motivates me even more to contribute to this special place.”
Campins received the award at a gala Dec. 4, where he sat next to Jose Fernandez, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, and the recipient of a Don Quijote Award in 2005. Other members of the UCF family who have earned the award include Board of Trustees member Olga Calvet and former Board of Trustees member Conrad Santiago.
To learn more about the award, go to http://www.donquijoteawards.com.