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 […]
Omelia Dhanraj is the Spring 2020 India Fellow for the Office of Global Perspectives and International Initiatives. She is a senior at the University of Central Florida pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a minor in human services. Dhanraj is a member of the Burnett Honors College and a tutor for Orange County Public […]
As the daughter of two immigrants from Guatemala and Venezuela, Carla Garcia has always been passionate about understanding perspectives different from her own. It’s what inspired her to pursue political science at UCF, and it’s the reason she was recently chosen by the American Political Science Association for the Minority Fellowship. The fellowship awarded to […]
When most kids were watching cartoons, Leah Trilling ’18 was on the couch watching the news with her dad. That interest in current events stuck with her, and eventually led to her current position as deputy director of Cabinet Affairs for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The steps leading to that position include undergraduate internships […]
By MIA WILSON Presidential historian Jon Meacham provided perspective on today’s White House using the lens of the past at a presentation Thursday called “The Art of Leadership: Lessons from the American Presidency.” Meacham started broadly, noting the presidency is a reflection of the American population. “The presidency is in many ways a manifestation of […]
By TAD SCHNAUFER The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formed in 1949 as an alliance to counter the rising threat of the Soviet Union in Europe. Seventy years later, the alliance has faced harsh criticism from both sides of the Atlantic. President Donald Trump has called the alliance “obsolete,” while President Emmanuel Macron of France […]
The Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery at UCF has recently recruited the talents of lawyer Shilpa Finnerty to serve as its senior fellow and community advisor. Through Finnerty’s experience in human rights and trafficking advocacy, the center hopes to expand their presence in the Orlando area. “The work that we […]
By SARA BELLIGONI Sara Belligoni, a doctorate student in Security Studies, has just returned from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Focused on emergency management and human security, Belligoni presented the preliminary results of her research about the local-federal (un)coordination in Puerto Rico before, during and after Hurricane Maria. This, in occasion of the Conference Within a […]
By SARA BELLIGONI On Dec. 4, Sara Belligoni, a doctorate student in the Security Studies at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs, participated in the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC). I/ITSEC is the largest world conference for modeling, simulation, and training. Conceived as a showcase for the aerospace and military fields, […]
Everything from the precision of military strikes to global money markets hinges on timely, accurate information, or, as it’s known in the trade, “intelligence.” Alanna Fulk ’16, M.A. ’19, is keenly aware of that now as an intelligence analyst for one of the most prestigious intelligence and security corporations in the world, Lockheed Martin. But […]
A newly published book takes a timely look at the intersection of the relations between Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia as U.S. influence and involvement declines in the Middle East. Aspiring Powers, Regional Rivals: Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the new Middle East, co-authored and edited by Gönül Tol and David Dumke, was published […]
As he adjusted his black gown, a yellow tassel dangling out of the corner of his eye, Bepsy Omar Aguasvivas thought about his father’s words: “The hardest thing to do is be born. Everything else is simply a step ahead.” That advice carried Aguasvivas through his academic experience at UCF all the way to Saturday, […]
Senior Monica Foster is the Fall 2019 India Fellow for the Office of Global Perspectives and International Initiatives (GPII), in cooperation with the India Center. She is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, with a minor in Religion and Cultural Studies, as well as Creative Writing. Foster is a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor […]
By SARA BELLIGONI In early November, Sara Belligoni, a Security Studies doctorate student,presented her research paper at the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society (IUS-AFS) international conference in Reston, Va. The conference is organized every other year in the U.S. and represents an excellent forum of discussion for scholars and professionals involved in the […]
The Office of Global Perspectives & International Initiatives (GPII) will host award-winning Washington Post foreign affairs columnist and best-selling novelist David Ignatius during his visit to UCF on Nov. 18. Ignatius will be the keynote speaker at the 12th Annual International Education Week Breakfast, which is cohosted by GPII and UCF Global. Ignatius will be […]
The UCF India Center, in conjunction with the Interdisciplinary Studies Program (Diversity Studies), and the Asian Cultural Association (ACA), was pleased to host the opening film of the ACA’s 25th Annual South Asian Film Festival. The film, Girija: A Life Time in Music, explores the career of renowned vocalist Girija Devi and her life in […]
The India Center welcomes Seema Shekhawat, Ph.D., as a Fellow. Shekhawat is a social scientist with a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Jammu in India. Her doctoral work focused on the intersection of gender, conflict and displacement in Kashmir. Her research and teaching interests include conflict, peace and gender, and […]
In the nine years after graduating from UCF, Nathalia Martins ’10 ’12MA has crossed paths with Washington D.C. movers and shakers, held a job with the Brazilian ambassador and started a new career path in public relations. Not bad for someone who didn’t have a clear plan when she arrived in college. “When I […]
The Florida Council for the Social Studies (FCSS) recently announced their first student-centered award in honor of Doug Dobson, Ph.D., a senior fellow at UCF’s Lou Frey Institute. The Dr. L Dobson Student Civic Engagement Award recognizes a student, or students, that have demonstrated outstanding civic engagement and leadership. For Dobson who has been one […]
By Robert Stephens In September, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. And while the word — impeach — has been around for four and half centuries, the history and meaning of it are often misunderstood. Few people may know this better than David Dumke. Dumke is […]
Pegasus Professor Kerstin Hamann, Ph.D., director of the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs, was recently named a vice president of the American Political Science Association. The APSA, founded in 1903, is the leading professional organization in the field of political science with over 11,000 members in more than 100 countries. APSA’s mission extends to […]
Champion of civic education and former Congressman Lou Frey Jr., the namesake of UCF’s Lou Frey Institute, passed away Monday in Winter Springs. He was 85. Frey leaves a long legacy of service to the U.S. and Central Florida; he had a hand in both establishing Kennedy Space Center as the home of the space […]
An endowed chair position for UCF’s India Center continues its march toward reality with a new $1 million pledge. The pledge comes from Raj Toleti, ‘93MS, and family, including his wife, Aparna Toleti, ‘95MS, and brings the total for the fund to $2 million of a $5 million goal. Their generous commitment to the success […]
In a hectic world, it pays to pause and say “thank you.” That’s the philosophy of Chris Lombardo, who was struck not too long ago about his own inattention to showing gratefulness. More specifically, he realized the impact that longtime Political Science professor Roger Handberg, Ph.D., had on Lombardo’s career as an attorney. “The foundational […]
The Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government (LFI) was recently recognized for its work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida’s After School Zone by the Florida After School Alliance (FASA). LFI was honored with the inaugural Special Recognition Award for their contribution to the civic well-being of Florida’s youth. Since 2017, […]
By: Katina Rentas Negrón, Latin America Intern, Office of Global Perspectives and International Initiatives, UCF How much is trade between the U.S. and Mexico worth? According to former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Earl Anthony Wayne (2011-2015), the answer is “over one million dollars’ worth of goods and services. Every minute.” Trade was one […]
The College of Sciences recognized 10 alumni for their achievements Thursday at the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Awards. The annual event brings together outstanding alumni from each of the departments and schools within COS for a night of celebration and reflection on another successful year. “Tonight’s awardees were selected for this honor based on their professional […]
BY SEEMA SHEKHAWAT, India Center Fellow On September 17, 2019, I delivered a talk at UCF’s Learning Institute for Elders (LIFE), on “Female Combatants: Victim or Victimizers.” It was an exciting experience speaking on a topic close to my heart in front of about 400 people. I have been researching these relatively less focused issues […]
By: Rose Balicki, Nelson Mandela African Affairs Fellow, Office of Global Perspectives and International Initiatives, UCF “I got angry.” “They told me I couldn’t.” When a student asked two former members of Congress why they got involved in politics in the first place, Gary Franks (R-CT, 1991-1997) and Mike Capuano (D-MA, 1999-2019) did not hold […]
By Doreen Horschig, doctoral candidate of Security Studies. Two students affiliated with UCF’s Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) conducted research in Kurdistan over this summer. Tutku Ayhan, a doctoral candidate in Security Studies program at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs at UCF and Jenna Dovydaitis, a senior of the UCF Burnett Honors […]