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UCF Student Elected to Help Protect Local Natural Resources
There are the average demands of a final semester in college, and then there’s Raquel Lozano’s life. She’s juggling two majors — political science and public administration — a minor in urban and regional planning and a certificate in human resources. The 24-year-old has the power of attorney and is the healthcare surrogate for her […]
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UCF Developed Sensor Passes First Test, On Track for Future Moon Missions
A prototype sensor that detects Moon dust by shooting lasers through the sky has successfully completed its first hurdle. That means UCF is one step closer to building the real instrument that could fly to the moon on a future mission. UCF researchers designed the Ejecta STORM instrument to scan the area around a lunar […]
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Rare Bethlehem Star, Geminids and More Delight Stargazers this Month
Stargazers are in for a very rare treat on Monday. If the clouds cooperate, they’ll be able to see the “Bethlehem Star” — an event that hasn’t been seen in about 800 years. The moniker applies to the Christian description of the “Bethlehem” or “Christmas Star” that was said to have appeared in the night […]
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UCF Researchers Earn Top Spots in Their Fields in New Ranking of Scientific Impact
Three University of Central Florida researchers are among the world’s top 25 scholars in their field, and 100 are in the top 2%, according to a new study ranking career-long scientific impact of researchers from around the globe. The study, which appeared recently in the journal PLOS Biology, used a composite indicator based on six […]
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Research Paves the Way for Next Generation of High-Speed Wireless Communication
By NIKITTA CAMPBELL While the rest of the world is preparing devices for the advent of ultrafast, 5G wireless service, one UCF physicist has already set his sights on 10G. Today’s network speeds have evolved at an incredible pace, but they’re still grounded in the same fundamental radio wave technology that was used, for instance, […]
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UCF-based Limbitless Solutions and Video Game Cyberpunk 2077 Team Up
If you are a fan of the video game Cyberpunk 2077 and a member of the UCF family, this is for you. Limbitless Solutions, the UCF-based nonprofit that creates bionic arms for children, worked with the game company to turn the metallic arm of the game character Johnny Silverhand from the screen to real life. […]
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Founder of UCF Nanoscience Center Inducted Into National Academy of Inventors
Founding Director and Professor of the UCF Nanoscience Technology Center, James J. Hickman, Ph.D., has been honored as an inductee of the National Academy of Inventors for his outstanding contributions in the fields of both biological and non-biological nanoscience. UCF recruited Hickman in 2004 to establish the NanoScience Technology Center following recognition for his work […]
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The Nature Conservancy, UCF Coastal Join Forces To Study Protected Lands
Tens of thousands of acres of protected Florida habitats will receive deeper scientific scrutiny thanks to a new agreement between The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and UCF Coastal. TNC has been on a mission since 1961 to guard prime Florida landscapes from development and conduct scientific research through a team that includes 50 scientists and land […]
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President Cartwright Returns For Second Tour of Department of Physics
By NIKITTA CAMPBELL UCF President Alexander Cartwright, Ph.D., and First Lady Melinda Cartwright recently toured the Department of Physics for a second time, with a focus on the research laboratories. Leading the Nov. 13 tour was Department Chair Eduardo Mucciolo, Ph.D., along with students and faculty who shared details of their research with the Cartwrights. […]
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New Book Provides Lifeline for Students Learning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
By NIKITTA CAMPBELL Students interested in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) now have another good reference book to help them get started: the Fundamentals of Recoupling and Decoupling Techniques in Solid-State NMR. The book by Physics Associate Professor Physics faculty Bo Chen, Ph.D., was just published by the American Institute of Physics, LLC (AIP). The book […]
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UCF Researcher Part of New NASA Mission to Map Water on Moon
NASA today gave a team of researchers the green light to begin building instruments that will be launched on a satellite to scan and create high-resolution maps of water on the moon. In June 2019, NASA selected the Lunar Trailblazer mission, along with three other proposed missions, for further study under its Small Innovative Missions […]
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Arecibo Observatory’s Telescope Collapses
The instrument platform of the 305-meter telescope at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico fell at approximately 7:55 a.m. Puerto Rico time today, Dec. 1. No injuries were reported as a result of the collapse, but it caused damage to the observatory dish and surrounding facilities. Extent of the damage is being assessed. “Safety of personnel […]
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Research Takes Early Steps Toward Handheld Cancer-Scanning Device
By NIKITTA CAMPBELL A handheld device that could allow individuals to screen themselves for cancer is one potential outcome of ongoing research into the power of terahertz lasers. The work comes from the lab of Richard Klemm, Ph.D.,in collaboration with the Kadowaki-Kashiwagi-Tsujimoto and Minami groups at the University of Tsukuba in Japan. They recently published […]
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UCF Student Gains Unique Experience as an Intern for the US Consulate in Erbil
Mohammed Al Awwad, a Junior at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs majoring in Political Science, has been selected for a highly competitive internship with the U.S. State Department in fall 2020. He is currently serving as Human Rights Research Intern at the United States Consulate of Erbil, Iraq, as part of the […]
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Serving Native American Communities
Growing up with family members who held leadership positions with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians — the only federally recognized tribal nation in Alabama — Rebecca Naragon ’07 knew she wanted to pursue a career in public service. Now the political science grad is an economic development director for the United South and Eastern […]
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UCF Professor Wins Another National Award for his Work in Human Factors
UCF Psychology Professor Peter Hancock has been named the Aerospace Human Factors Association’s William Collins Award recipient for 2020. This is the second time Hancock has received this award for his scholarly work in the area of human factors. This award is for work he published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences […]
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UCF RESTORES Starts New Mental Health Services in Orange County for COVID-19
In response to the psychological toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Central Florida’s psychological trauma clinic, UCF RESTORES, is working with Orange County on two new projects to provide treatment services in the area. The work will focus on residents of Azalea Park on the east side of Orlando and essential workers who […]
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In Memoriam and Discussion of Kurdish Politics at UCF
The Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs (SPSIA) hosted its annual Kurdish forum on November 20, 2020, during the UCF Global-sponsored International Education Week. The forum was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Najmaldin Karim (1949-2020). Dr. Karim was the former Governor of Kirkuk, Iraq, and a […]
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Farming with Traditional Companion Planting
Corn, beans, and squash—oh my! Our students grew these three staple native American crops, known as the Three Sisters in the Community Farm and Garden this fall using a traditional companion planting method. The Three Sisters Method is one of the oldest natural growing techniques developed by Native Americans. What makes the Three Sisters […]
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Arboretum Scrub Restoration
Fall is the most wonderful time of the year for Florida’s native wildflowers! Particularly during the month of October, the Arboretum natural lands are strikingly spattered with yellows and lavenders. Our campus prescribed burn program has had huge impacts on the reduction of dense saw palmetto and oaks, opening large spaces where native wildflower […]
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Coming Together for the Environment
One of the hallmarks of the UCF Arboretum has always been bringing people together. We strive to foster and develop a deep sense of community around education and the environment. What better way to embody that notion in 2020 than through a Fall pond planting project joining UCF students, faculty, and staff with local, […]
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Sharing a Restoration Success Story
Our Learning by Leading™ (LxL) Urban Horticulture team had a great experience this semester meeting onsite at the Arboretum with representatives from the City of Oviedo Recreation and Parks and Public Works Departments, and Dix.Hite + Partners landscape architects and designers. Several of the students on the horticulture team plan to pursue advanced degrees in […]
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Arboretum Student Spotlight- Meet Alicia
My name is Alicia Lowenstein, and I am one of the Co-coordinators for the Community Farm & Gardens Team. Starting as an intern, the Arb quickly became my home away from home, and my co-workers became my closest friends. My passions include permaculture, farm to table cooking, and learning about Florida’s ecology. From conducting prescribed […]
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November 2020 Message From the UCF Arboretum Director
As we enter the holiday season, people might be struggling to find things to be thankful for in a year that has proven difficult for so many. The corona virus pandemic has put a stress on everyone’s life, and has placed particular strain on those who have lost a loved one, lost their […]
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Arecibo Observatory Telescope to be Decommissioned After Second Cable Break
Following a review of engineering assessments, the U.S. National Science Foundation today announced it will begin planning the controlled decommissioning of the 1,000-foot-wide telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. The observatory, which UCF manages for NSF under a cooperative agreement, has for 57 years served as a world-class resource for radio astronomy and […]
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Alumna Quantifies Emotions and Feelings Using Power of Mathematics
Satisfaction and happiness are intangible, subjective emotions, but Statistics grad Donna Lockhart ’03 knows how to quantify those feelings into useful, actionable data. Lockhart currently leads the team that takes the pulse of guest satisfaction at Disney, and uses that data to make recommendations to senior leadership. While behind-the-scenes as the senior management consultant […]
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Political Opposites Unite to Teach Students Value of Common Vision
Today’s students are engaging in a world of politics that’s less meaningful conversation and more “angry team sports,” observes longtime Central Florida pundit Tico Perez ’83. Perez, an attorney and staunch Republican, recently did his part to reverse that trend by joining up with former Florida Representative and Democratic champion Dick Batchelor ‘71 to talk […]
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Wrapping Up the Fall 2020 SPSIA Success Series
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs hosted their SPSIA Success Series virtually throughout the span of the fall 2020 semester. With over half a dozen different workshops, this series provided students with access to learn more about the resources, opportunities and programs offered at the school. Workshop […]
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New Book Explores Breast Milk Sharing Among Central Florida Women
An in-depth, years-long study into the practice of Central Florida mothers sharing their breast milk to nourish babies other than their own recently culminated in a co-authored book. The authors trace their interest in peer-to-peer breast milk sharing to Associate Professor of Sociology Shannon Carter, Ph.D., who first observed human milk sharing at breastfeeding support […]
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Critical Seagrass Mapping Project Continues Uninterrupted Thanks to Remote Instruction
Critical work mapping seagrass beds on the Pacific West Coast continues uninterrupted this fall thanks to innovative thinking from the Citizen Science GIS team. The seagrass (also known as eelgrass) project is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation and helps researchers to measure seagrass meadow dynamics over time. This data […]