KENNESAW, Ga. | Jun 25, 2025

Maria Valero de Clemente named 2025 Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year

Maria Valero de Clemente has mentored more than 50 undergraduate students during her time at Kennesaw State University, motivated by her commitment to a student-first approach to research.

Valero is the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, given annually by the Office of Undergraduate Research to a faculty or staff member at KSU who has exhibited not only success, but also a sustained diligence to their students.  

Valero describes her mentoring style as student-driven, adjusting her approach to fit each student.  

“Much of my mentoring style is giving the students the opportunity to discuss their ideas with me,” Valero said, “and to guide them carefully at the beginning about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it.”

Her main goal is to provide her students with the freedom and space to bring in and discuss new ideas. She motivates and encourages her students to do research, but specifically in areas that they enjoy.

Valero is an assistant professor in the College of Computing and Software Engineering and the director of IoT as Service research group.

“KSU was always my first choice,” said Valero, who has been at KSU for five years. “I love the passion for research and the growth of the institution.”

Her research sits at the intersection of technology and healthcare, particularly using the Internet of Things (IoT), a vast network that connects physical objects to one another through the internet. The objects, referred to as things, include anything that is connected to the internet, such as a smart plug or thermostat, and the goal of these “things” is to increase everyday efficiency by allowing people to automate tasks.  

One of Valero’s projects seeks to improve the lives of people with diabetes by creating a noninvasive glucose monitoring device called GlucoCheck.

This device would eliminate the need for a person to prick themselves with a needle each time they need to check their blood sugar, replacing it with a device that shines a light through human tissue like the ear or finger that allows a small camera to capture an image of the tissue on the other side. The image is analyzed, then based on the light absorption present, the team works out the blood glucose level.

This project had several students working on it, including Ahn Duong, a computer science major and recent KSU graduate who worked with Valero extensively.  

Duong met Valero through the Office of Undergraduate Research’s First-Year Scholars Program after applying to work on the GlucoCheck project. She worked with Valero again in both the Sophomore Scholars Program and the Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

During her senior year and due to her exceptional work, Duong received the first-ever President’s Award of Distinction at KSU.  

“She has given me so many opportunities to not only thrive as a student and a researcher, but also as a leader,” Duong said, “and a big part of my success is thanks to her.”

Valero’s work exemplifies how impactful mentorship can be when the students are encouraged to pursue fields they enjoy and are passionate about. She has accomplished a great deal during her time at KSU and has left her mark on all the students who have worked with her.  

She attributes the success of her work and her lab to her students, praising their dedication and innovative ideas; and she shares this award with the student she’s mentored.  

“I’m very thankful for this award,” Valero said, “because my number one goal always has been to encourage my students to do research in an area that they like.” 

— Story and video by Alyssa Ozment