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Our Fair Weathered Sky Creates Jolts of Excitement
“We want more people to become aware of what’s in our night sky, what really interesting things there are to see up there, and what potentially is lost if light pollution is left unchecked,” says UCF Physics Professor, Dr. Yan Fernandez. “And Dr. Fernandez did just that, along with several other members of the Physics […]
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Optical Society of America Shines Light on New Fellow
Dr. Zenghu Chang, distinguished professor in Physics, is recognized for his achievements and elected as a fellow of the Optical Society of America. “Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional association in optics and photonics, home to accomplished science, engineering, and business leaders from all over the world. Through world-renowned publications, meetings, and […]
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Helping High School Students Discover Careers In Science and Technology
The Physics and Mathematics Departments of the University of Central Florida will be hosting a Physics and Math Career Exploration Day on Saturday, October 12 at 10:00 AM in room 161 of the Physical Sciences Building. This event is geared toward high school students who want to explore careers in physics or mathematics. The students […]
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Shorter, Faster, Stronger: Advancing U.S. Strength in Lasers
The UCF researcher whose team developed the world’s shortest laser pulse last summer has received a $6.9 million grant from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to make those pulses 1000 times stronger. Professor Zenghu Chang, from the Department of Physics and the College of Optics and Photonics, is leading a team comprised of […]
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Comet in Deep Freeze Thaws as It Approaches Earth; Viewing Planned
What some people are calling the comet of the century will be paying a visit to our part of the solar system in November, but scientists, including UCF’s Yan Fernandez, are already hard at work preparing for its arrival. Comet ISON comes from the Oort Cloud, a refuge for icy debris jettisoned by Jupiter and […]
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Students and Professors are ‘Better Together’ for Undergraduate Research
The Summer 2013 edition of the Pegasus features Dr. Costas Efthimiou (Physics) and Dr. Steven Berman (Psychology) – College of Sciences professors working in collaboration with their students to produce amazing results in undergraduate research. Dr. Efthimiou worked on a research project with Christopher Frye involving string theory and how it relates to Einstein’s theory of […]
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Meet Hometown Boy: A Rocket Scientist, Movie Actor and Mentor
This story is reposted from UCF Today. Joshua Colwell is a UCF physics professor trying to unravel the mystery of how Earth and the solar system were formed. His expertise has landed him roles in several NASA-funded projects, including the Cassini mission, which is exploring Saturn’s rings. Becoming a rocket scientist was a natural career […]
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Computer Simulations Help Scientists Understand HIV-1 Infection
This story is reposted from UCF Today. Scientists have long been unable to fully explain how infections attack the body, but now a team of researchers, including one from the University of Central Florida, has taken a step closer to understanding how the process works in HIV-1. The results mean that one day that knowledge […]
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Dr. Campins Selected as 2013 Pegasus Professor
Dr. Humberto Campins’ impressive list of accomplishments ranges from discovering water ice and organic molecules on asteroids to being a part of NASA and European Space Agency teams, but he can now add UCF Pegasus Professor to that list. Campins was among seven faculty members who were honored this year with the prestigious Pegasus Professor […]
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COS PhD Student Wins First Place
Have you ever wondered how or what enabled planets to form? Tracy Becker, a PhD student in the Physics Department, is working hard to find out the answer. She has always known that she wanted to study astronomy, but she is especially interested in the solar system. Becker’s current research is focused on Saturn’s rings. Recently, Becker […]
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COS Professors Receive UCF’s Most Prestigious Award
To be recognized as a Pegasus Professor is the most prestigious award a faculty member can receive at UCF, and this year the College of Sciences was privileged to have three of its professors honored with this accolade. Deborah Beidel, Humberto Campins and James D. Wright were chosen from the College of Sciences for their […]
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Scientists Capture First Direct Proof of Hofstadter Butterfly Effect
This is a guest post from Zenaida Kotala, UCF Today. A team of researchers from several universities – including UCF –has observed a rare quantum physics effect that produces a repeating butterfly-shaped energy spectrum in a magnetic field, confirming the longstanding prediction of the quantum fractal energy structure called Hofstadter’s butterfly. This discovery by the […]
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Science Cafés featuring UCF scientists
As part of our celebrations for the UCF 50th Anniversary the College of Sciences will be hosting several Science Cafés to showcase our Pegasus Professors and discuss Science Beyond UCF with the Central Florida community. Admission is free, and you need no reservation—just come ready to listen and contribute. Each speaker will begin their presentation at […]
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Physicist’s Research Gains International Attention
Dr. Zenghu Chang, UCF Distinguished Professor of Physics & Optics, recorded the shortest pulse of light in his UCF lab. Physics World recently interviewed Chang for their publication, which you can view here. Physics World is the British equivalent of Physics Today, which is published in the US. “Dr. Chang’s success in making ever-shorter light pulses helps […]
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UCF Mentor of the Year
Congratulations, Dr. Josh Colwell, Professor Department of Physics Planetary Sciences Group, on your UCF Mentor of the Year Award. Dr. Colwell got his Ph.D. from the Department of Astrophysical, Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Colorado in 1989 and remained in Colorado as a Research Associate at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics until […]
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COS Teams Up With Knights Pantry
The College of Sciences has been keeping busy this semester with numerous activities in celebration of UCF’s 50th Anniversary, including an on-going collaboration with the Knights Helping Knights Pantry. The College of Sciences Dean’s Office brainstormed ideas for ways faculty, staff, and students could give back while also celebrating the anniversary. The Knights Helping Knights […]
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Graduate Research Forum Winners
Several College of Sciences students won awards this week at the Tenth Annual Graduate Research Forum. The Pegasus Ballroom was packed with a record number of graduate students presenting posters. Part of UCF’s Student Research Week, the Research Forum showcases the latest research from students, including cutting-edge technology and discoveries in arts, education, health and science. Throughout […]
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KSC Open For Business, Looking for Partners
Space research is a part of our everyday life, from microwave food to robotic surgery. “Where do you think robotic surgery came from?” asked Esther Beltran, a medical doctor who’s treated astronauts at Johnson Space Center and an advisor to UCF’s Institute of Simulation and Training. “It came from the robotic arm that Canada developed […]
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Students Launch Space Balloon, Watch on YouTube
More than a dozen University of Central Florida students played at being NASA engineers recently, launching a high-altitude balloon the size of a refrigerator into space. The students, studying a variety of fields from physics to accounting, designed the mission, made all necessary calculations and executed the launch from a public park in Safety Harbor. […]
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New STEM Internship Program
Workforce Central Florida and the University of Central Florida are partnering to serve a specific need in the community: offering an internship program to job seekers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields to build their resumes. The program is open to people 18 years and older that have experience in STEM fields, but […]
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Closest-Ever Asteroid Flyby Thrills Large UCF Crowd
More than 800 people packed the Pegasus Ballroom at the University of Central Florida on Friday to watch a live video feed of an asteroid zip by Earth, coming within 17,500 miles from the planet. It was the closest flyby on record, with the half-city-block sized asteroid squeezing in between the Earth’s surface and orbiting […]
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Asteroid Expert on ABC World News
By Ned Potter, ABC World News It begins to get on your nerves. Every now and then — a few times a year, depending on what you count — an asteroid goes whizzing past Earth at fairly close range, reminding us that sometimes outer space isn’t quite as, well, spacious as we may like to think. This […]
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Asteroid Encounter at UCF
An asteroid, the size of half a city block, will buzz Earth’s surface on Feb. 15, squeezing by communication satellites orbiting the planet. The University of Central Florida will host a free 1 p.m. viewing party for the public to watch this event via feeds from telescopes in Spain, where it will be nighttime. UCF’s Humberto […]
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Graduate Research Forum abstracts due
The Tenth Annual Graduate Research Forum, a part of Student Research Week, is open for submissions! The College of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Student Association invite UCF graduate students to submit your proposals now. Scheduled for Tuesday, April 2, 2013 in the Student Union, the Graduate Research Forum is an excellent opportunity for you to […]
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BP’s chief scientist kicks off physics conference
BP’s Chief Scientist, Ellen D. Williams, visited UCF January 18 to kick off the three day Southeast Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics. SCUWP was one of six conferences being held all across the country that weekend. Although this is the third annual SCUWP, this is the first time one of the conferences has been held in […]
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NASA executive, UCF grad named FSI Director
A veteran NASA executive, most recently director of the John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, has been named director of the University of Central Florida’s Florida Space Institute. Ramon “Ray” Lugo III, ’79, is taking over as the space institute begins a new era of positioning Florida and the nation to be leaders in […]
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UCF, Cornell, partner to promote women in physics with first conference in Florida
The University of Central Florida joins Cornell University, the California Institute of Technology and three other institutions to host the Women in Physics Conference at UCF beginning Friday, Jan. 18, in the Pegasus Ballroom of the Student Union. The three-day event will feature a diverse array of female speakers including Ellen Williams, chief scientist at […]
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Founders’ Day Honors Convocation 2013
The annual Founders’ Day Honors Convocation will be held beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 3, 2013, in the Pegasus Ballroom at the Student Union. We will recognize faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, advising, research, professional service, and librarianship. We will also recognize those members of our faculty who have completed […]
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2013 Southeast Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics at UCF
The Southeast Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (SCUWP) is a three-day conference for undergraduate physics majors in the southeastern United States. The 2013 conference will be held from the evening of Friday January 18th to the afternoon of Sunday January 20th. SCUWP’s goal is to help undergraduate women continue in physics by providing them […]
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BP’s Chief Scientist visits UCF
BP’s Chief Scientist, Ellen D. Williams, will be speaking to UCF students, staff, faculty and guests on January 18, 2013 as part of the Distinguished Speakers Series, which is hosted by the College of Sciences. The event will start at 11 a.m., is free and open to the public and is in the Pegasus Ballroom, which is […]