Dr. José Valentino Ruiz & Dr. Azra Bihorac Win Four International Awards for Interdisciplinary Collaboration
An interdisciplinary collaboration between the University of Florida College of Medicine's Intelligent Clinical Care Center (IC3) and the College of the Arts received four international honors recognizing innovation at the intersection of music, artificial intelligence, healthcare, and healthy aging. Dr. Azra Bihorac, Senior Associate Dean for Research Affairs, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Biomedical Engineering, and Director of IC3, and Dr. José Valentino Ruiz, Associate Professor and Founding Coordinator of the Music Business & Entrepreneurship Program, received international recognition for their collaborative work, while Dr. Ruiz also earned three additional international honors recognizing his scholarship and creative work in dementia care, therapeutic music, and senior living innovation. The Communicator Awards, presented by the Academy of Interactive &Visual Arts (AIVA), recognize excellence in communication, media, and creative innovation, while the Global Music® Awards honor outstanding achievement in music composition, performance, production, and innovation.
Award-winning projects include:
- Human Systems: Translating Clinical Intelligence into Music
2026 Communicator Award of Excellence – Emerging Tech: AI Utility Integration
Drs. Azra Bihorac & José Valentino Ruiz - Leadeth Me Beside the Still Waters: Bass Flute Works for Dementia Care
2026 Communicator Award of Excellence – Craft: Original Music
Dr. José Valentino Ruiz - Community as a Differentiator: Repositioning Senior Living Around Human Connection Using the TILLMAN Framework
2026 Communicator Award of Excellence – Feature Article
Dr. José Valentino Ruiz - Leadeth Me Beside the Still Waters: Bass Flute Works for Dementia Care
2026 Global Music® Award – Outstanding Achievement in Applied Therapeutic Music
Dr. José Valentino Ruiz