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53 Faculty Scholars Honored at 4th Biennial Faculty Authors’ Celebration
The University of Central Florida recognized some of its top faculty for their contributions to scholarly excellence and creativity during the fourth biennial Faculty Authors’ Celebration held Thursday at the Live Oak Ballroom on campus. The event, which is sponsored by the Office of Research and Faculty Excellence, drew more than 40 guests, including Vice […]
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UCF Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab Receives Disney Grant, Continues Restoration Research
UCF’s Coastal & Estuarine Ecology Laboratory (CEELAB) continues to grow and expand its influence with an investment from Disney and a research project attracting top science talent from across the U.S. The achievement came in the form of $100,000 to Pegasus Professor of Biology Linda Walters and integrative coastal biology doctoral student Katherine Harris ’18 […]
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UCF Researchers Are Contributing to World Oceans Day
One of Florida’s most precious resources is its water from the aquifer to the 8,436 miles of coastline, boarded by the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida, and the Atlantic Ocean. Water is also a major player in the state’s economy, contributing $56 billion to the economy and generating 900,000 jobs according to a […]
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CEELAB Marks 25 Years of Coastal Restoration
Twenty-five years of work by CEELAB (Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab) — celebrated in May 2023 — can be split into both tangible and intangible achievements. For instance, over the span of 17 years, 66,000 volunteers have participated in one of the longest-running oyster reef restoration projects in the U.S. and restored close to four […]
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UCF Researchers Are Contributing to World Oceans Day
One of Florida’s most precious resources is its water from the aquifer to the 8,436 miles of coastline, boarded by the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida, and the Atlantic Ocean. Water is also a major player in the state’s economy, contributing $56 billion to the economy and generating 900,000 jobs according to a […]
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Recipients of the 2022 Seed Funding Program Announced
Thirty-two teams representing colleges across the university and several centers were selected for 2022 Seed Funding awards, the third year the program has been available to faculty. The program, a result of a collaboration between the Office of Research and the Office of the Provost, is aimed at facilitating research, which is likely to attract […]
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UCF Selected for New NSF Student Research Program in Conservation, Restoration, Communication
Beginning this summer 10 undergraduate students from across the nation will have the opportunity to get hands-on experience working with UCF biologists to see how they conserve, restore, and communicate what they do and why it matters. The U.S. National Science Foundation has recently awarded UCF $369,000 over three years to run the new program. […]
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‘CBS This Morning: Saturday’ Features UCF Professor’s Work With Oysters, Climate Change
A recent segment of “CBS This Morning: Saturday” highlighted UCF Pegasus Professor of Biology Linda Walters’ work with oyster reefs, which are vital to healthy waters in Florida. The segment kicks off with an interview with Walters and CBS anchor Lonnie Quinn at Mosquito Lagoon, which is part of the Indian River Lagoon and a […]
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Florida Academy of Sciences Names UCF Biologist as 2021 Medalist
The Florida Academy of Sciences today named UCF Biology Professor Linda Walters its 2021 Medalist during its annual conference. The Academy, which is an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, honors one Floridian each year based on the nominee’s contributions to the advancement of science and outstanding efforts to share that […]
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Oyster Reef Restoration Efforts Get Help from Potato Chip Byproduct
Longtime work to restore oyster reefs in the Indian River Lagoon has found a new, unusual ally: potato chips. The Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab at UCF has been experimenting with various products looking for an effective, biodegradable material for restoration that’s inexpensive. For the past 14 months the group has been testing a mesh […]
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UCF Experts Weigh in as Coronavirus Captures Headlines
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to dominate daily news cycles, UCF experts in areas ranging from hospitality, tourism, economics and student health services are helping shape the conversation surrounding the effects of the virus on various industries and the community as a whole. Kenneth Adams, professor — Ph.D. in criminal justice from State University of […]
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COS Faculty Among Those Honored For Women’s History Month
Thirty-one women were recognized this month by UCF Faculty Excellence for Women’s Month, including five from the College of Sciences. The awardess were chosen by their colleagues and peers for their work on campus and in the community. They will be honored March 31 at a Burnett House reception. This year’s honorees from the College […]
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Uncertain Start at UCF Sends Student Around the World
Steven Carrion never thought UCF would be the foundation for the rest of his future. When he was graduating from high school, he almost didn’t apply to the school at all. Dreaming of far-off places, and thinking success would come away from home, Carrion applied reluctantly, as a last-minute decision. As it turned out, UCF […]
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14 Faculty Awarded for International Impact
UCF recognized 45 faculty members Wednesday during the university’s inaugural Luminary Award presentations for making an impact on the world. Fourteen of the recipients are College of Sciences faculty members. The event, themed like Oscar night, honored those who are academic leaders in their field and are making contributions to the world that are having […]
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Student Researches Roses and Cabbage
Senior biology major Shelly Gaynor shares her interest in genetics and evolutionary biology with the ecological community thanks to the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) program. She is interested in polyploidy evolution, a process of genome doubling which leads to organisms with multiple sets of chromosomes. Her research investigates the influence of […]
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Stabilizing the Shoreline an Oyster at a Time
Linda Walters, Ph.D., and Melinda Donnelly, Ph.D. work together to stabilize Florida’s estuarine shorelines that have severely eroded due to storms and boat wakes. Since 2007 the duo’s work has restored 82 reefs and stabilized over 2000 meters of shoreline. Without volunteers and grants from various organizations, their work wouldn’t be possible. In early July, […]
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Arc Partnership Empowers Special Needs Community
By Zenaida Kotala A group of conservation biologists and a non-profit agency that advocates for individuals with special needs are partnering to help keep local waterways healthy. UCF Biologist Linda Walters, whose research and volunteer efforts help restore eroding shoreline and oyster habitats along the Mosquito Lagoon, is teaming up with The Arc of Indian […]
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Maps, Apps and Drones
University of Central Florida professors of geographic information systems and biology teamed up Wednesday to take GIS technology and drones into Florida classrooms for 5th grade through high school. In the geospatial technology training workshop for Florida teachers, 15 teachers were shown customizable lesson plans that use GIS, mapping and drone technologies. Tim Hawthorne, GIS assistant […]
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Faculty Recognition: Research and Teaching Effectiveness
RIA Awardees The University of Central Florida Research Incentive Awards (RIA) program supports outstanding research, scholarly and creative activity that advances the body of knowledge in a particular field, including interdisciplinary research and collaborations. The below faculty members were recognized for their contributions to UCF’s key goal of achieving international prominence in research and creative activities. […]
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Student’s Award-Winning Restoration Research
Conservation genetics research conducted by Shelly Gaynor, a University of Central Florida biology student, has earned her awards at multiple events. Gaynor was recently awarded for her research presentations at Eureka: Student Research Talks and the American Society of Plant Biologist (ASPB) Southern Sectional conference. Her research evaluates the impact of current shoreline restoration efforts […]
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Service Learning Educates and Connects
University of Central Florida students presented marine biology displays for kindergarten through eighth grade students at the 14th Annual Service-Learning Showcase. The Office of Experiential Learning sponsored the showcase held on April 13, 2017 in the UCF student union. Students from Pegasus Professor Linda Walters’, Ph.D., Principles of Marine Biology course presented their work at […]
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Student’s Research Earns Unique Experience
Heidi Waite, a University of Central Florida biology senior, has been accepted as a Frost Scholar and awarded the Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Award for May 2017. Waite graduates in May 2017 and has an exciting and unique road ahead of her. The Frost Scholarship Programme is an extremely competitive program available only to students attending […]
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UCF’s Conservation Efforts Highlighted by SeaWatch
Research conducted by University of Central Florida Department of Biology Pegasus Professor Linda Walters, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow Melinda Donnelly, Ph.D., and Winter Springs High School teacher Paul Sacks, Ph.D., was recognized in the Coastal Conservation Association’s (CCA) spring 2017 publication of SeaWatch. Walters has been an advocate for marine conservation for many years. She is […]
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Founders’ Day Honors Top Faculty, Staff, Students
University of Central Florida’s Founders’ Day Honors Convocation recognizes faculty, staff members and students for outstanding teaching, research, professional service and years of dedication to the university. Awards included the Pegasus Professor Award presented to College of Sciences Associate Dean Jana Jasinski, Ph.D., the UCF Reach for the Stars Award presented to UCF Biology Assistant […]
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UCF Team Studied Sea Urchins to Restore Reefs
A team of scientists from the University of Central Florida Department of Biology had its five year research project on endangered sea urchins published in the Bulletin of Marine Science. The research conducted by biology undergraduate student at the time Luke Chandler, along with Associate Professor Eric Hoffman, Ph.D., and Pegasus Professor Linda Walters, Ph.D., […]
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Non-traditional Student Trades Computers for Career In Conservation Biology
After a 27-year career in software development, Orlando, Fla. resident Suzanne Connor faced a real challenge. The mother of two was laid off. “My last two years of my job, I was so unhappy,” Connor said. “I was kind of relieved when I was laid off. I knew I needed to find something that would […]
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Biology Students Shine at ShORE Conference
Five students and three professors from the Department of Biology at the University of Central Florida participated in the Sharing Our Research with Everyone or Sh.O.R.E. conference on Sept. 23 at New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The conference was presented by the Institute of Marine and Environmental Studies at Daytona State College and the New Smyrna […]
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Snakes, Knightro and Yoga — Oh My!
Story by Bernard Wilchusky, UCF Today Snakes, Knightro and yoga — just a few of the animals, mascots and activities one can enjoy during Faculty and Family Fun Sundays, a monthly fall get-together for the UCF faculty in the Arboretum Park. This free event was the idea of Linda Walters, Ph.D., director of the Center for […]
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Living Shoreline Workshop Makes Waves in K-12 Classrooms
12 educators, representing eight schools throughout three counties, participated in the UCF Living Shoreline Educator Workshop on Sunday, August 28, 2016. Pegasus Professor in the UCF Biology Department Linda Walters, Ph.D., UCF Biology Post-Doctoral Researcher and Instructor Melinda Donnelly, Ph.D., and Paul Sacks, Ph.D., a science educator at Winter Springs High School, led the group […]
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Inspiring Women in STEM
Story by Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala, UCF Today Julie Delauriers squarely blames UCF Biology professor Linda Walters for where she is in her career today – attending one of the best veterinary schools in the nation. “She is such an inspiration,” Delauriers said from Purdue University. “She kept encouraging me, pushing me to do science research. […]