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11 Students Honored For Women’s History Month
The College of Sciences is proud of our 11 female students who were recognized as outstanding student leaders for Women’s History Month. Congratulations to the awardees! Sarah Davenport, Anthropology “Seek positive mentorship. Mentorship from the McNair Program and my faculty mentor are the reasons why I have been able to achieve and exceed my […]
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Online Education Leads to Studying Abroad
College education doesn’t need to be defined by four walls and a weekly classroom setting, just ask Kristine Carlos. Carlos is a UCF student taking only online classes while studying cultural anthropology, and she has not once let her learning be confined to a desk or to a computer. Instead, she takes her education across […]
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National Coastal Center Launches at UCF
UCF has launched a national research center focused on finding big-picture solutions to threats facing coastal communities. In 2017, federal and local governments in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico spent more than $284 billion to deal with the impact of hurricanes and flooding, according to NOAA. “There’s a perfect storm coming,” said Graham Worthy, UCF biologist […]
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Anthropology Sets the Path for Med School
Undergraduate anthropology student Shelby Lucia works with John Starbuck, Ph.D., to combine her passions of medicine and anthropology. Her research in his lab focuses on the facial morphology of the brain and skull, particularly in children with Down syndrome. Lucia catalogs CT and MRI image scans provided by Florida Hospital by noting important regions such […]
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Another Side of Anthropology: Infants and Children
Not many anthropologists focus on infants and children when they research the past, but UCF bioarchaeologist Sandra Wheeler, Ph.D., does just that. She investigates the burial practices of ancient cultures and the archaeological contexts surrounding death and burial, creating an image of how society treated their youth and infants. She works with skeletal and mortuary […]
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Anthropology Ph.D. Program to Launch in 2018
by Zenaida Kotala UCF will begin offering a Ph.D. program in integrative anthropological sciences next fall, but it won’t be your traditional anthropology degree. Students who enter the program will benefit from a methods-focused program that encourages them to integrate advanced methodological expertise with anthropology’s strengths in diversity to address enduring problems not just in […]
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History Reveals Future Opportunities
Thanks to the American Anthropological Association (AAA) internship program, one UCF student traveled to Washington, D.C. this past summer and experienced the vast opportunities present in the anthropology field. Karina Nogueras spent her time conducting research for the United States Navy as well as analyzing the learning objectives of various anthropology departments nationwide to make […]
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Using Vocal Cords to Unlock Human Origins
UCF undergraduate student Austin Stanley is majoring in anthropology and tackling the question of human origins at the same time. More specifically, he’s studying the vocal capabilities of homo heidelbergensis, a more direct human ancestor than Neanderthals, to get a broader sense on when spoken language of humans began. This can be determined through looking […]
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Uncovering History Through Undergraduate Research
Most college students think of beach days and bathing suits when they hear they’re going to visit the East Coast for the summer. Current UCF senior Alexandra Kulenguski headed to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to spend her break working as an Archaeology and Digital Heritage Technician, instead of soaking up the sun beach-side. This […]
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Anthropologist Wins Prestigious Book Award
Associate professor of anthropology, Joanna Mishtal, Ph.D., has won an award for her book, The Politics of Morality: The Church, the State and Reproductive Rights in Postsocialist Poland. Mishtal’s book was selected as the winner of the Adele E. Clarke Book Award. The award honors Mishtal’s extensive research into the politics of gender, reproductive rights, […]
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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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Imaging Device to Be Used in Anthropology Research
By Mark Schlueb Due to the collaborative nature of UCF’s faculty, the National Science Foundation has awarded the university a grant that will help fund the purchase of a $900,000 imaging device that will do everything from design nanoparticles of the future to delve into our civilization’s past. The NSF approved the funding request because […]
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Anthropologist Studies Alternative Treatment for Addiction
Assistant Professor within UCF’s Department of Anthropology Shana Harris spends her time in Mexico researching drug use and addiction, currently focusing on the therapeutic use of a psychedelic known as ibogaine. Ibogaine is a naturally occurring substance that many use as a form of alternative drug treatment for addiction. Users who ingest it experience a […]
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UCF Alumna Creates Her Own Path
Recent UCF graduate Nicolette Jackson has a passion for people and a desire to impact legislature. She spent this past summer working in the District Office of state Rep. Sharon Pritchett as she makes preparations to head to law school. While Jackson’s degree is in Social Sciences, she also obtained three minors in sociology, anthropology […]
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UCF Anthropologist’s Research is Changing Lives
John Starbuck, Ph.D., thought studying anthropology might lead him to a career in a museum, but it’s done more than he could’ve imagined – his research and discoveries are changing the lives of people affected by Down syndrome and those with cleft lip or palate. Growing up, Starbuck wasn’t interested in college. His mother worked […]
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A 12-Year Delay Leads to Success
Melissa Gomez attended small private schools until fall 2000, when she found herself a freshman film major at one of the nation’s largest universities. She came to the conclusion all of the students knew what they wanted out of life and she did not yet. She chose to leave UCF, believing she was wasting her time. […]
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The 2017-18 Distinguished Speaker Series is Here!
The UCF College of Sciences Distinguished Speaker Series is back this September with six UCF faculty who are experts in topics relevant to the natural, computational, social or behavioral sciences and the developments in their respective fields. This year’s 2017-18 series will be held monthly at Tuscawilla Country Club at 6 p.m., from September 2017 […]
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Anthropology Student Focuses on Sustainability
What if you could spend the summer reading books by the beach in San Diego? That’s what Sarah Davenport did. But that’s not all. Davenport is majoring in anthropology and her research conducted as an undergrad is already getting attention. She focuses on sustainability – but not just the environment kind. Working with an environmental […]
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Socializing on Mars
Ensuring the survival of humankind, making new extraterrestrial discoveries, and discovering the potential for technological and medical advancements. These are just a few reasons why many scientists believe the colonization of Mars should be the next big step in space exploration. Although it would be a major breakthrough, sending astronauts into space for a prolonged […]
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Excavating New Opportunities
University of Central Florida’s Department of Anthropology dug up a new Experiential Learning program last spring. Anthropology Associate Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator Sarah Barber, Ph.D., created the program with Tom Penders, an archaeologist and cultural resources manager at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The program was created because Barber’s students were clamoring for archaeological […]
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Healthcare Accessibility Research
Mackenzie Hager’s desire to help has driven her to be a voice for those in need. Anticipating a spring 2018 graduation, she is a first-year master’s student studying cultural and medical anthropology. Her journey began when she planned to conduct research with HIV positive prisoners. She was interested in the correctional system and the impact […]
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Students SURF Their Way to Success
University of Central Florida recently awarded seven College of Sciences students with the esteemed Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship award. Hanna Reed, Mackenzie Coulthart, Marcella Grillo, Edward Powers, Glenda Vaillant Cruz, Katherine Stahlhut and Matthew Rudolf received the SURF award, which encourages motivated students from all majors to take part in independent research and creative projects […]
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Zika in Belize: Researching an Epidemic
University of Central Florida master’s student Deven Gray is utilizing his research skills in Belize to help spread awareness of the dangers of an infamous virus, Zika. Gray, expected to graduate in spring 2018, is a cultural anthropology student with a focus on infectious diseases and medical anthropology. He was drawn to anthropology as an […]
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UCF Anthropology Alumna Attracts International Attention
Sammantha Holder is a University of Central Florida alumna whose academic research surrounding dietary analysis is being internationally recognized by mainstream media. Holder graduated from UCF in 2013 with a master’s degree in anthropology where she conducted research that is now attracting considerable attention. The Guardian, Archaeology Magazine and National Radio Australia, which is similar […]
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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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COS Undergrads Shine at Showcase
Every year, the UCF Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence, presented by the Division of Teaching and Learning, celebrates undergraduate research and creativity across the curriculum. The showcase gave University of Central Florida undergraduate students the opportunity to present their research and creative projects to the university community. Students from all fields and disciplines gathered at […]
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COS Faculty Join Elite Society
Eight University of Central Florida College of Sciences faculty were inducted into the Scroll and Quill Society on April 13, 2017. The society honors faculty members who have brought positive national and/or international attention to the university through their scholarly work. The faculty who were recognized have demonstrated sustained scholarly contributions over a period of […]
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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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Meet the 2017 COS Order of Pegasus Recipients
UCF has named 21 students as recipients of the Order of Pegasus, the university’s most prestigious student award. Eleven of these recipients are students of the UCF College of Sciences. Get to know them below. CHRISTOPHER CLEMENTE: Tampa, FL About: Christopher Clemente, College of Arts and Humanities and College of Sciences, is majoring in history and […]
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Archaeologist Uses Satellites to Protect Ancient Sites
Story by Mark Schlueb, UCF Today University of Central Florida archaeologist Scott Branting, Ph.D., has gotten his hands dirty on plenty of digs, but some of his most important work now involves satellites instead of shovels. Since 2014, Branting has been a principal investigator on a U.S. Department of State project meant to track damage […]