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Alumnus Holds Key To Big Data
By Jenna Marina In the past, the biggest threat from a data breach was to the individual. But now with the onset of Big Data, there are much bigger threats and even bigger opportunities. Few people, however, understand what Big Data is or how it can be used, said Lee Odess, ’99, vice president of […]
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Major Growth for UCF Social Sciences
The University of Central Florida’s Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree has seen a rapid increase of new students in the past year. In 2016 over the spring, summer and fall, 19 students graduated with social sciences degrees. From fall of 2015 to fall of 2016, 32 more students enrolled in the program. 118 […]
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A Wild Win for UCF Biology Student
Rhett Rautsaw, a master’s student in UCF Department of Biology, won first place for his presentation at the 38th annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting in Palatka, Florida held January 13-15, 2017. Rautsaw was representing the university at the meeting where he was awarded first place for his oral presentation on a new method to survey […]
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UCF Professor Tops Sayfie Review
A column written by Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Central Florida Aubrey Jewett, Ph.D., topped the website Sayfie Review this month. On January 12, 2017, Jewett’s column titled “The Contest to Predict the Presidential Winner in Florida Was as Close as the Race Itself” was posted to the […]
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Does Distance Matter in Relationships?
University of Central Florida psychology student, Shirley Dorsainvil, is the January recipient of the Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Award (DURA). Each month the UCF Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) presents the award to an undergraduate UCF student in recognition of outstanding academic research. It’s no surprise Dorsainvil is this month’s winner of DURA. As a psychology […]
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Physics Professor on Good Day Orlando
University of Central Florida Physics Professor Dan Britt, Ph.D., was a special guest on FOX 35’s morning show, “Good Day Orlando,” on Friday morning, January 13. Britt, director of the Center for Lunar & Asteroid Surface Science at UCF , will help explore some of the oldest asteroids in the solar system thanks to a […]
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The Coordinates of Success
Amanda Ashby, a University of Central Florida senior majoring in sociology, was thrilled when she was awarded a student assistantship for the annual Esri FedGIS Conference. The conference, held this year in Washington, DC, focuses on the high-tech field of geographic information systems, or GIS. GIS is a system that is designed to capture, store, […]
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An Idea to Spark More Ideas: Marchioli’s ‘Collective Impact’
Story by Kristy McAllister, Academic Affairs In 1972 Nelson Marchioli received his diploma from UCF in communications, never anticipating he’d return to the university. In fact, he didn’t set foot on campus for another 41 years, when he was invited back to discover what his alma mater had become. The people and what he saw here […]
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Professor’s Research Part of First Mission to Trojan Asteroids
Story by Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala, UCF Today University of Central Florida Physics Professor Dan Britt, Ph.D., will help explore some of the oldest asteroids in the solar system thanks to a new NASA mission. NASA, this month selected the Lucy mission, which will explore Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids for the first-time. The robotic spacecraft will also explore […]
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New Statistics Professor Has Big Plans for Big Data
The University of Central Florida’s Department of Statistics welcomed Mengyu Xu, Ph.D., to its faculty as an assistant professor of statistics. Mengyu Xu started at UCF in the fall of 2016 and has been aiding the department with the development of its big data program and collaborating with researchers from applied scientific fields to improve […]
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Legacy Alumna Credits UCF Opportunities for Success
Angie Lander grew up in a University of Central Florida family. Her father went to UCF and passed along his school spirit to her. When the time came for Lander to go to college, her choice was an easy one. “I toured the campus and felt at home,” Lander said. “I didn’t know what I […]
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COS Celebrates Fall 2016 Grads
On Friday, December 16, 2016 the University of Central Florida’s College of Sciences celebrated more than 1,000 students graduating from the college. The college hosted its traditional graduation reception immediately following the afternoon ceremony for its graduates to celebrate with their faculty, friends and family. The event, held in the UCF Psychology Building, hosted more […]
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Physics Pegasus Professor’s International Appointments
Talat Rahman, Ph.D., Pegasus Professor in the University of Central Florida’s Department of Physics, has received several prestigious appointments in her field. Beginning in January 2017, Rahman will begin serving as a member of the Physical Sciences Directorate Advisory Committee at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. She will assess and provide advice on the […]
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Student’s Hardship Inspires Volunteerism
By Rachel Williams, UCF Today A University of Central Florida student’s experience with economic hardship and childhood illness has inspired a volunteer trip to Puerto Rico, where a group of students will help bring joy to pediatric cancer patients and their families in need this holiday season. Akasha Palou, a senior studying biology, planned the […]
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UCF Student Shows Meditation Could Treat PTSD
University of Central Florida Department of Psychology student Michelle Aiello recently won the Student Presentation Award at the annual conference of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). Aiello, an undergraduate student slated to graduate in spring of 2017, serves as secretary for the SACNAS chapter at UCF. Her presentation […]
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Communication Grad Provides Limbitless Solutions
Thirty University of Central Florida students who are earning their degrees this weekend have one very special bond: They all created bionic arms for children in their spare time while attending the university. One of the students, Alyssa Anderson, is a Nicholson School of Communication student who will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in human […]
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UCF Chemistry Student Receives National Honor
University of Central Florida undergraduate chemistry student Samantha Mensah won the Winifred Burks-Houck Undergraduate Award scholarship from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. The award is only presented to one undergraduate student in the United States every year. Mensah also attended NOBCChE’s annual conference in November in Raleigh, […]
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Grant to Aid Sexual Assault Investigations
Story courtesy of Gabriel PR Candice Bridge, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Central Florida (UCF), was awarded a $324,000 grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to develop new forensic science techniques to aid in sexual assault investigations. “This grant will enable us to conduct research into a unique new means of identifying […]
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Fighting Back Against ISIS: Forum Addresses Important Role of Kurds
By: Ada Tang, Lester N. Mandell Diplomacy Fellow On Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, the UCF Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) hosted a Kurdish Political Issues Forum. Held in the Cape Florida Ballroom of the UCF Student Union, the forum featured distinguished visitors discussing Kurdish issues and how they relate to the United States. John C. […]
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Big News for The India Center at UCF
A new collaboration between The India Center at UCF and The New Indian Express newspaper is serving to broaden awareness and understanding between the world’s two largest democracies – and providing an opportunity for writers at UCF to be seen around the world by readers of the publication. Beginning in October, articles written at UCF […]
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Sociology Student Maps His Way to Success
Nicholas Altizer from the University of Central Florida’s Department of Sociology has been chosen as a virtual intern for United States Agency for International Development’s Geocenter. The internship lasts from late January to the beginning of May. The internship is with YouthMappers, a program that engages university and high school students by allowing them to […]
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From First Gen To Family Tradition
Story by Jenna Marina, UCF Alumni As a UCF Alumni board member, season ticket holder, Oviedo resident and occasional guest lecturer, Ryan Vescio ’02 visits UCF’s campus more than most. And when the assistant state attorney returns, his three children are frequently in tow. Ella, 10, Sophia, 9, and Owen, 5, are big fans […]
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EXCEL Celebrates 10 Years
On Saturday, November 19, 2016, EXCEL at the University of Central Florida hosted an event in honor of its ten year anniversary. A group of 50 faculty, alumni and students celebrated at a special tailgate in the Harris Corporate Engineering Center before UCF’s home game. The EXCEL program at UCF is aimed to increase student […]
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Physics Professor’s Research Published in Science
Luca Argenti, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department Physics and College of Optics & Photonics at the University of Central Florida, has co-authored a research paper recently published in the prestigious journal “Science.” This work is the result of a large theoretical and experimental collaboration that came together in 2013 to address a long-standing conundrum […]
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UCF to Host Moon Viewing
Story by Bernard Wilchusky, UCF Today UCF’s Planetary Sciences Group will host a telescopic-viewing night of the moon in a new location Thursday, Dec. 8. For the first time, telescopes will be set up from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in front of Millican Hall near the Reflecting Pond. Hurricane Matthew interfered with the originally scheduled […]
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Professor Dedicates Career to UCF
Associate Professor Frank Kujawa has been a part of the University of Central Florida family for 47 years and counting. The office of Associate Professor Frank Kujawa, Ph.D., is full of memories. The shelf space is packed with catalogs, books and miscellaneous texts spanning decades. An overhead projector sits on top of a full filing […]
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Psychology Professor Selected as IEEE Fellow
Peter Hancock, Ph.D., a UCF Psychology Pegasus Professor and University Trustee Chair, has been named an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Fellow. His appointment, beginning January 2017, is in recognition of his contributions to adaptive human-systems engineering. Adaptive human-systems use direct information from on-line brain physiological monitoring. The systems adjust and adapt their operations to […]
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UCF Supports Archaeologists for Autism
The third annual Archaeologists for Autism (AFA) event was held on November 19 at the county park Sam’s House at Pine Island Conservation Area in Merritt Island. 15 members of the University of Central Florida’s Department of Anthropology volunteered to help with the event and give children on the autism spectrum a fun and safe […]
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Outstanding Alumknight Actualized her Dreams
University of Central Florida alumna Tiffany Wills, ’06, was awarded the College of Sciences’ 2016 Outstanding AlumKnight Award for the Department of Statistics. The award was presented at a ceremony in March. Shunpu Zhang, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Statistics described Wills as “a great example of an exemplary UCF graduate striving to reach […]
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Political Science Alumnus Strives for Service
University of Central Florida Department of Political Science alumnus Anthony Velardi, ’15, has always focused on the big picture. He came to UCF from his small hometown of Port St. Lucie because it offers a program in International and Global Studies. He was also drawn to the university’s reputation as being one of the most […]