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‘Multiple Paternity’ Gives Invertebrates Climate Change Advantage, Research Finds
A common reproductive strategy among invertebrates called multiple paternity could give animals like porcelain crabs a survival advantage as the world grows warmer, new research finds. While climate change is often associated with major events like melting glaciers and super storms, the authors of the recently published paper in the Journal of Crustacean Biology […]
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Pandemic Inspires Creative New Partnerships to Complete Research
When the COVID-19 pandemic restricted travel at UCF, Assistant Professor Michelle Gaither, Ph.D., got creative. Gaither planned to conduct field research in various parts of the country this past summer to complete some of her research, but COVID derailed those plans. So, she and her team of students came up with another idea that will […]
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Animals’ Magnetic ‘Sixth’ Sense May Come from Bacteria, New Paper Suggests
A University of Central Florida researcher is co-author of a new paper that may help answer why some animals have a magnetic “sixth” sense, such as sea turtles’ ability to return to the beach where they were born. The question is one that has been unresolved despite 50 years of research. “The search for a […]
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Third Scholarship Recipient Chosen By National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation
A new scholarship for a Biology student will support her final undergraduate year studying and promoting sea turtle conservation. Christine Sarkis is the third 2020 recipient of the $10,000 scholarship from the National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation. She’s joined by two other students working in tandem with the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group, led […]
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Fellowship Opens Opportunity for Biology Grad Students to Test Drive Teaching
A new fellowship offered by the Department of Biology gives doctoral students the chance to experience what it’s like to be in charge of the classroom. The doctoral teaching fellowship debuts this fall, and walks Ph.D. candidates through the process of designing and teaching their own courses. Matthew Atkinson is one of the first to […]
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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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New Study Reveals How Frogs Use Bile and Bruise Color for Camouflage
Researchers have discovered, for the first time, how frogs use the chemical responsible for the color of bile and bruises for their own camouflage coloring. The mechanism the frogs use to turn what is essentially a waste product into a part of their protection is detailed in a new study published this month in the […]
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Genes Responsible for Protecting Frogs May Play Role in Death from Global Disease
For frogs dying of the invasive chytridiomycosis disease, the leading cause of amphibian deaths worldwide, the genes responsible for protecting them may actually be leading to their demise, according to a new study published today in the journal Molecular Ecology by University of Central Florida and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) researchers. The lowland […]
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College of Sciences Celebrates Summer 2020 Ph.D. Grads
A doctorate degree represents one of the highest honors in academia. The 2020 Summer term’s Ph.D. graduates not only earned this honor, they did so with the extra stress of doing their work remotely. The College of Science recognizes and applauds the hard work applied to receive this degree. Chemistry Ziyang Huang, Ph.D. Faculty Advisor: […]
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UCF Scientists Study Method to Combat Florida Red Tide
An inexpensive, natural countermeasure to curb the devastating economic and ecological impacts of Florida red tide is now under study at UCF. The study focuses on spraying a clay solution to sink the cells (flocculate) of Karenia brevis (known commonly as Florida red tide) to the bottom sediments. Florida red tide is the algae responsible […]
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Research: Pandemic Threatens To Widen Pre-Existing Academia Inequities
New research argues the pandemic will widen pre-existing inequities in the academic community if preventative measures aren’t taken. The 17 authors of “In the wake of COVID-19, academia needs new solutions to ensure gender equity,” published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, say it’s not enough to provide a one-size-fits-all solution to […]
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How to Turn Your Lawn Into a Wildflower Garden
Whether you’re searching for an educational activity to do with your children or spending time landscaping while social distancing, UCF’s new Lawn to Wildflowers program out of the College of Sciences can offer a bit of inspiration. The project, spearheaded by UCF associate professor of biology Barbara Sharanowski and postdoctoral fellow Nash Turley, offers a […]
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UCF 1st in Florida, 3rd Nationally for Coveted National Science Foundation CAREER Grants
UCF leads the state and ranks third in the nation for the number of National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipients this year. Nine UCF has 11 confirmed awards as of June 3, and NSF has recommended two more for funding. In Florida, a total of 21 awards have been given so far, including four to […]
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UCF Study Finds Microplastics in Florida’s Birds of Prey for 1st Time
A new study from the University of Central Florida has confirmed and quantified, for the first time, the presence of microplastics in terrestrial and aquatic birds of prey in Florida, including hawks, ospreys and owls. Microplastics are small plastic pieces – less than the size of a pencil tip – that come from larger pieces […]
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Sea Turtle Nesting Season in Full Swing, UCF Researchers Keep Working Despite COVID-19
While uncertainty reigns for Floridians due to COVID-19, there’s one thing they can count on: sea turtles are nesting on our local beaches as nesting season heads into its fourth month this June. More than 2,750 sea turtle nests have already been discovered along the 29 miles of Brevard County beaches surveyed by UCF, and […]
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UCF Library Resources Help Biology Faculty Find $177K in Savings
The collective efforts of three biology faculty members to find digital textbooks for their lower-level classes recently resulted in savings of $177,006 for 1,207 students. The savings were created in Biology I Honors and Biology II after their instructors moved the bulk of the class to online coursework and streamlined the curriculum. The only changes […]
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Biology Grad’s Research Paper Lands Award for Excellence
UCF College of Sciences graduate, Katherine Harris ’18, has recently been awarded the UCF Library Annual Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research for her published research paper on infaunal organisms (i.e. aquatic, sediment-dwelling organisms like worms or clams) on restored oyster reefs. The announcement of the award took Harris by pleasant surprise when she was […]
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151 UCF Faculty Promoted Across All Disciplines
A great university is built by great faculty, and this year’s group of promoted and tenured faculty are the reason behind UCF’s academic excellence. Thirty-three were granted the title professor, a marker of an exceptional career in academia. A university’s excellence hinges on the strength of its faculty as scholars and as teachers. “This class […]
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UCF to Lead Study Exploring Social Media’s Impact on Consumer Behavior when Red Tide Strikes
The University of Central Florida is one of two universities selected to study the social and economic impacts of Florida’s red tide events during 2017-19 that killed fish, stunk up the coastlines and sent tourists packing. Notwithstanding today’s global pandemic, a large chunk of Florida’s economy depends on its beaches and waterways. The red tide […]
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Lifelong Friendship With Arboretum Founder Inspires Donation
A passion for plants is at the root of a recent donation made by Biology faculty member Rani Vajravelu, Ph.D. The donation is made out to the UCF Arboretum in aim of supporting students that are passionate about outdoor plant studies. “I would love the money to help alleviate financial stress on students looking to […]
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Six COS Students Recognized With 2020 Order of Pegasus
Six College of Sciences students were recently awarded the Order of the Pegasus, the highest student achievement at the University of Central Florida. Here are the 2020 winners. Samantha Berg “UCF’s remarkable faculty and programs developed me into the strong researcher and individual I am today. Upon entering The Burnett Honors College (BHC), I immediately […]
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Student Research: Understanding the Lionfish Invasion in Florida
Biology major Katherine Viehl conducts research focused on the lionfish, one of the state’s most invasive species. Though this species is native to the South Pacific and Indian oceans it has been spreading through the Atlantic Coast since 1985. Their predatorial habits cause damage to the biodiversity destroying native fish and plants of the estuaries […]
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UCF, FAU and Coast Guard Team up to get Endangered Sea Turtles Home
Florida Atlantic University and the University of Central Florida teamed up with the U.S. Coast Guard to take some endangered sea turtles into the ocean where they belong. With the COVID-19 pandemic closing or severely limiting everything from beaches to lab activities at universities, researchers got creative to make sure three six-month old green turtles […]
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Making A Difference: Protecting the Aquatic Ecosystem
By ZENAIDA GONZALEZ KOTALA Kelly Kibler spends a good deal of time in the classroom and her lab at UCF, but it’s not unusual to see her with her feet in the mud of local waterways or driving a boat. For the assistant professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, those days […]
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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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Students Learn Research Fundamentals Through Bird House Project
A new study exploring nesting preferences of North America’s largest swallow is giving students hands-on experience in scientific methods. The Purple Martin Project, led by Department of Biology Research Scientist Anna Forsman, Ph.D., aims to attract the birds using strategically placed nests around UCF’s main campus. Students from Forsman’s biology courses and the Wild Symbioses […]
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Five Year Grant Will Deepen Research Into ‘Zombie Ants’
A new $970,000 grant from the National Science Foundation will allow biologists to deepen their research into the biological makeup of parasitic fungi that hijack the behaviors of their hosts. The five-year CAREER grant also paves the way for Assistant Professor Charissa de Bekker, Ph.D., to develop an upper level insect behavior course and […]
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Psychedelic Study Inspires Undergrad’s Future Research
An independent study examining the role of psilocybin is opening new lines of thought and fulfilling a student’s interest into understanding the effects of naturally occurring psychedelic medicines. The study, funded through a grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research, was conducted by Maria Orozco, an undergraduate student completing a double degree program in Anthropology […]
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Biology Degree Launches Career As Nutritional Entrepreneur
Lourdes Diaz-McAgy ’99 has always been in tune with society’s trends. After realizing the world is moving in the direction of conscious well-being, she was inspired to help people look and feel their best. Today, Diaz-McAgy is the chief executive officer of Total Nutrition Technology, a nutrition focused company that private labels products for brands […]
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Student Coaching Project Earns Marchioli Award
An ongoing project to boost classroom student engagement through high-impact practices (HIP) recently earned one of UCF’s highest internal awards. Called HIP Coaches, the project uses student coaches to mentor and guide fellow students through high-impact learning experiences, such as collaborative assignments and projects, undergraduate research, cultural competency, community-based learning and internships. The idea is […]