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Passing the Torch
Dr. Piotr Mikusinski was recently honored by the College of Sciences for his hard work as the Department Chair of Mathematics. A small celebration featuring a cookie cake and fellow associates, including Dean Johnson, was held in the College of Sciences building. Dr. Mikusinski will return to being a faculty member and focus on his research with generalized functions and […]
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The Balut: A UCF Professor’s Rite of Passage
Being paid to talk about food is a dream job for some, for one UCF professor it became reality by stepping into the streets of the Philippines and cracking open a fertilized duck egg. Dr. Ty Matejowsky, of the Anthropology Department, won the 2014 Belasco Prize for Scholarly Excellence presented by the Association for the […]
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Ph.D. Student Published in Foreign Policy Blog
Joe Funderburke, a Ph.D. student in the Security Studies Program in the Political Science Department, together with his co-authors Ad Godinez, Andy Whiskeyman, and Bryan Groves, published a blog posting entitled “To operate in a renewed Cold War atmosphere, the U.S. needs to realistically pursue its interests and its values “. The authors argue for a U.S. foreign policy […]
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Congratulations College of Sciences Summer Ph.D. Graduates
In a reception hosted by Dean Michael Johnson, the College of Sciences honored 11 Ph.D graduates on Friday, August 1, 2014. The Ph.D. graduates attended the reception in the Physical Sciences Building on the UCF campus with their families and faculty advisors. Associate Dean Teresa Dorman hosted a presentation that individually recognized each graduate with their faculty advisor […]
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The Healing Power of Animals
The American Sociological Association (ASA) has presented UCF’s Dr. Liz Grauerholz with the Clifton Bryant Animals & Society Course Award. Spring 2014 Dr. Grauerholz launched a course she developed that explores the ways in which non-human animals both enhance and diminish humans’ health. The course is Animals and Health (SYO 3408) and was offered again […]
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UCF Political Science Alumnus Created Successful Multi-Media Company
As a college freshman, UCF alumnus Brad Gans, ’01, envisioned studying in the UCF film program. But after taking a political science class, his eyes were opened to different ideas and he eagerly switched his major to political science. His double major in political science and criminal science has taken Gans from working for England’s […]
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On Your Mark, Get Set…….Tour de Turtles!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlXdwAREWAc One, two, three…….they’re off! Turtles, scooting at high speed (for a loggerhead turtle), swept across the beach on their way to the ocean in the 7th Annual Tour de Turtles this past Sunday. Hundreds of spectators and fans came out to enjoy this year’s race which took place at the Barrier Island Center in Melbourne Beach on […]
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Finalist for American Physical Society Award
Dr. Michael Chini, a recent graduate from UCF’s Department of Physics (PhD, 2012) and currentResearch Scientist in the Townes Laser Institute of UCF’s College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL), is a finalist for the American Physical Society‘s Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation in Laser Science Award for his dissertation, entitled “Characterization and Application of Isolated Attosecond Pulses”. […]
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Meet Professor Whose Passion for Helping Others Fuels Her Research
Dr. Jennifer Sandoval joined the human-communication faculty of UCF’s Nicholson School of Communication in 2011 and brought with her an array of academic and professional experience. Prior to joining UCF, Sandoval worked in California and New Mexico as a mediator, communication consultant, and instructor at Pepperdine University and the University of New Mexico. Sandoval’s enthusiasm […]
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Vomit Comet Equals Opportunity of a Lifetime
Beginning on Monday, July 21, UCF students boarded a specially equipped plane that NASA uses to train astronauts and run microgravity experiments. The plane is nicknamed the vomit comet because first-time flyers tend to vomit as the plane hits zero gravity. “My team and I have worked tirelessly for the past year to get our project up […]
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Swimming With Sharks, Turtles and Eels
Thirteen University of Central Florida biology students swam among nurse sharks, sea turtles, eels and lionfish this month as part of a hands-on summer abroad course. The students spent a week studying more than 60 species in the depths of the Glovers Atoll, about 35 kilometers off the coast of Belize. The atoll is considered […]
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Arson Investigators Get Help From UCF
The University of Central Florida is home to one of the best resources for arson investigators in the nation, and starting next year the university will also be a resource for European investigators. UCF’s National Center for Forensic Science houses the Ignitable Liquids Reference Collection and the Substrate Database. The collection is a compilation of […]
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Political Science Alumnus Appreciates Career Advice
When UCF undergraduate Todd Curry, ’03, ’06, approached graduation, he wasn’t sure which path to take: law school or graduate school. He sought advice about both paths with his UCF mentor, taking into account Curry’s expectations and his mentor’s experiences. Curry is very thankful that he realized that pursuing a master’s degree in political science […]
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What’s Happening at the Arboretum
Many exciting ventures are planned for this summer at the Arboretum! From gardening in the Community Garden to Yoga at Oak Hammock, there will surely be something for everyone! Gardening at the Community Garden: The UCF Arboretum engages students and the community through experience based learning, research, volunteer opportunities, educational workshops and guided tours. Establishing […]
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Cornerstone Member of the UCF Family Celebrates Retirement
This year, after 42 years of service, the College of Sciences’ esteemed Associate Dean, Dr. John M. “Jack” McGuire, will retire. In honor of his retirement, the College of Sciences will host a reception Monday, June 30, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Jack comments, “After 42 years at FTU, [now] UCF, I’m ready to move […]
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New Voices for Refugees in Italy
Italy has long been an access point to Europe for refugees escaping from deteriorating political conditions and lack of economic opportunities. Influx of refugees from North African and the Middle East has dramatically increased in recent years after the political upheavals in Tunisia and Libya, driving asylum-seekers to pursue Italian shores in rickety boats across […]
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Swinging for Scholarships
Monday, June 30 at the Interlachen Country Club, the National Center for Simulation‘s 20th anniversary and the Lou Frey Institute Golf Tournament will be held. The Tournament will benefit the Vince Amico & Hank Okraski STEM Scholarship Funds and the Lou Frey Institute of Politics & Government. Guests will enjoy a fun-filled day of golf […]
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Professors Lead Students to Post-Grad Success
As the saying goes, it’s not what you know, but who you know. But, according to a recent study, it might be how well your teachers know you, too. A Gallup-Purdue Index report, released May 6, shows that college graduates who had a professor who “stimulated them, cared about them and encouraged their hopes and […]
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Dr. Hamann Presents a Research Seminar in Wales, UK
Dr. Kerstin Hamann presented a research seminar entitled “Unions against Governments: Contesting Policy Reforms through General Strikes in Western Europe” at the Cardiff University Business School in Wales, UK. The seminar discussed Dr. Hamann’s collaborative research with Alison Johnston (Oregon State University) and John Kelly (London University) on the causes and consequences of labor union […]
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Need a Psychology Internship? COS Has You Covered
How do you find a good Psychology internship? You can search for one on your own. Use your status as a UCF student and ask your local community members if they need a volunteer intern. Try doing a Google search of the type of experience you want. For example: Google “Mental Health Counselor in Orlando” […]
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Romantic Strolls with Sea Turtles
The College of Sciences wants to take COS faculty and potential donors on a long, moonlit walk on the beach. To learn about sea turtles of course! This summer, the College of Sciences has organized a series of Turtle Walks to promote the college’s excellent sea turtle research program and cultivate interest in the program. […]
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Wood Decomposition a Climate Change Detector?
Climate change models could have a thing or two to learn from termites and fungi, according to a new study released this week. For a long time scientists have believed that temperature is the dominant factor in determining the rate of wood decomposition worldwide. Decomposition matters because the speed at which woody material are broken […]
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Newly Minted Ph.D. Lands Prestigious John A. Knauss Fellowship
Dr. Simona Ceriani, a recent Ph.D. graduate in Conservation Biology, has received the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This fellowship provides students with an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources as well as the national policy decisions affecting those resources, the opportunity to be matched […]
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Dr. Mirilovic Examines Dual Citizenship Across Nations
Dr. Nikola Mirilovic recently published an article in International Political Science Review entitled “Regime Type, International Migration, and the Politics of Dual Citizenship Toleration.” Dual citizenship toleration has been growing cross-nationally. Scholars have explained dual citizenship toleration by pointing to increases in international immigration and to the pursuit of remittances by sending countries. Dr. Mirilovic […]
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UCF Pushes Space Frontier, Selected to Fly on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo
A UCF experiment and a 3-D printer for space developed by a UCF graduate will fly on the first NASA-funded commercial research flight on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo. NASA and Virgin Galactic announced Tuesday that 12 university experiments, two industry-developed technologies and two NASA projects were selected for the mission. Dr. Joshua Colwell, a UCF physics […]
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Physics Class With No Tests, No Lectures
How would you do in a class that didn’t have any tests or lectures? Beginning in Fall 2014 at UCF, two physics classes will attempt to answer that question. Instead of listening to long lectures and taking multiple exams and quizzes, students will read the material at home and have their understanding improved via class […]
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Seeing Red – Linking Color Perception to Schizophrenia
Earlier this year, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) began funding 26 UCF research projects totalling $7.2 million in grants. Among those many projects, Dr. Jeffrey Bedwell received $404,000 toward his research on the link between schizophrenia and early visual processing abnormalities, in other words, seeing colors and objects differently than expected. Much progress has […]
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UCF Alumnus Uses Political Science Degree in More Ways than One
At the age of 20, Rishi Bagga, ’03, graduated from UCF with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and he never thought he would use it in so many different ways. Eleven years later, the successful attorney has now worked in various fields of law, politics and hospitality. After graduating from UCF, Bagga moved to […]
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New Department Chairs for Biology, Anthropology and Sociology Announced
As three esteemed faculty members chose to leave their positions as department chairs, Dean Michael Johnson had to choose which professors would be their successors. The College of Sciences is pleased to announce and congratulate the new department chairs who willingly stepped up to help their departments such an important way. Dr. Graham Worthy, Department […]
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Outgoing Chairs Honored For Contributions to the College of Sciences
Drs. Arlen Chase, Jana Jasinski and Laurence VonKalm were recently honored by the College of Sciences for their hard work as the anthropology, sociology, and biology chairs, respectively. A small celebration featuring a Pegasus cake and fellow associates, including Dean Johnson, was held in the College of Sciences building. Dr. Chase, former Anthropology Chair, has […]