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UCF RESTORES Clinic Receives Grant to Develop New VR Software to Treat PTSD
By Robert Wells A new $3 million grant from the Department of Defense will help the University of Central Florida’s RESTORES clinic develop its own virtual reality software to treat first responders, veterans, active duty personnel and civilians with post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related disorders. The clinic currently uses third-party software. However, the […]
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The 2018-19 Distinguished Speaker Series is Here!
The UCF College of Sciences Distinguished Speaker Series is back for its fifth edition. Starting in September, six speakers will present on new technology and research in their respective fields. The 2018-2019 series will be held monthly (excluding November and December) at the Tuscawilla Country Club from September 2018 to April 2019 at […]
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UCF RESTORES PTSD Clinic Renamed
By Rachel Williams The PTSD clinic of UCF RESTORES has been renamed in honor of alumus Jim Rosengren ‘81 and his wife Julia, who donated $1 million to the clinic. In a ceremony Friday, the Rosengrens and Deborah Beidel, the clinic’s director and a Pegasus professor of psychology, unveiled the new name: Rosengren Trauma Clinic […]
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The Future of Cryptocurrency
A UCF graduate, a group of students, and a first-of-its kind master’s program could help change the way we look at money. The very beginnings of the most widely known digital currency, Bitcoin, are veiled in mystery. Conceptualized and launched as an immediate response to the worldwide financial crisis in 2008, Bitcoin was the brainchild […]
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Congratulations, Summer 2018 Ph.D. Grads!
The College of Sciences celebrated its new Ph.D. graduates in a reception hosted by Dean Michael Johnson. Twenty students were recognized at the ceremony with their family members and faculty advisors by their side. Associate Dean Teresa Dorman honored each student individually by presenting their research and a brief description of their dissertation. Afterward, the group toasted […]
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Congratulations to the 2018 30 Under 30!
Last Friday, May 19, UCF Alumni hosted an award ceremony to recognize the 30 Under 30 alumni who have made an impact within their professions, communities and the university in the early stages of their careers. Eleven of the honored students are from the College of Sciences. Congratulations, alumni! Yazen Abdin ’12 Psychology Yazen […]
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UCF RESTORES Clinic Receives $10 million Grant
UCF’s cutting edge RESTORES clinic, which helps people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, has been awarded a $10 million grant to expand its work. The U.S. Army is funding RESTORES to establish programs at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Georgia, Naval Medical Hospital Portsmouth in Virginia and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. […]
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Helping the Helpers
If you build it, they will come. This isn’t the saying that comes to mind when thinking of a facility dedicated to treating anxiety, trauma and PTSD. But it’s been the case for UCF RESTORES, a one-of-a-kind clinic founded by Deborah Beidel, Ph.D., in 2011. “How do you get over a fear of driving? You […]
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Advocating for HIV Prevention
Nicole Elinoff graduated the same year as UCF’s 50th anniversary. Now, she spends her days involved in outreach activities in the Central Florida community, working to spread HIV prevention throughout the area. “Being able to educate and raise awareness in others about HIV is some of my favorite work,” she said. Elinoff is the sexual […]
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Congratulations, Spring 2018 Ph.D. Graduates!
The College of Sciences celebrated its new Ph.D. graduates in a reception hosted by Dean Michael Johnson, Ph.D. Twelve students were recognized at the ceremony with their family members and faculty advisors by their side. Associate Dean Jana Jasinski, Ph.D., honored each student individually by presenting their research and a brief description of their dissertation. Afterward, […]
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Building a More Sustainable Orlando
The sounds of construction can be heard on the third floor of Orlando City Hall. The building is being retrofitted with energy efficient technology as part of the City of Orlando’s sustainability initiatives. It’s one of the many projects currently underway and supervised by sustainability director Chris Castro ’10 and sustainability project manager Brittany Sellers […]
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Congratulations, 2018 Pegasus Professors!
UCF’s annual Founders’ Day Honors Convocation celebrates outstanding achievements of the university’s faculty members, staff and students. Among the recognitions this year are five Pegasus Professors, three from the College of Sciences. View a full list of Founders’ Day Honors Convocation honorees. The Pegasus Professor Award is the highest academic honor an educator can receive at UCF and rewards highly […]
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Couple’s $6.6M Gift Will Boost Many UCF Programs
What do sea turtles, veterans, language programs, science and football have in common? They’ll all be better off thanks to the generosity of Jim and Julia Rosengren, who have committed $6.6 million to support those programs at the University of Central Florida. It is among the largest alumni commitments in university history. Combined with their […]
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11 Students Honored For Women’s History Month
The College of Sciences is proud of our 11 female students who were recognized as outstanding student leaders for Women’s History Month. Congratulations to the awardees! Sarah Davenport, Anthropology “Seek positive mentorship. Mentorship from the McNair Program and my faculty mentor are the reasons why I have been able to achieve and exceed my […]
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Paving the Path for a Future Diplomat
By Meredith Harris Ever since taking a UCF honors diplomacy course at The Burnett Honors College, Amanda Fleming ’15 dreamed of working as a diplomat. Armed with a 4.0 GPA and international work experience, the political science major (and psychology minor) took steps to make herself competitive for a position in the U.S. Foreign Service, […]
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Helping Young Children Feel Secure, Prepare for School
by Zenaida Kotala A local pilot program aimed at addressing the social and emotional needs of children just got a boost thanks to the Central Florida Foundation’s “100 Women Strong” giving circle. The organization provided a $45,000 grant to the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, which is partnering with the University of Central Florida to […]
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How Caregivers Can Best Care for Themselves
by Robert Stephens There is nothing fictional in the most famous line from The Wizard of Oz: “There’s no place like home.” It’s true when we’re growing up … and it’s just as true as we reach our twilight years. Which is why more than 42 million Americans provide care inside the home for […]
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A Life Less Ordinary For Psychology Alumna
Sleep is not a word Jenna Reisert knows. A UCF alumna, Reisert has not taken a break since she first stepped foot on campus, back in 2014. After graduating from the psychology program in three years, an entire year earlier than planned, she embarked on an insane gap year to “live a life less ordinary” […]
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Congratulations, Fall 2017 Ph.D. Graduates
In a reception hosted by Dean Michael Johnson, Ph.D., the College of Sciences celebrated its new Ph.D. graduates in the Physical Sciences building. Thirteen students were recognized with family members and faculty advisors by their side. Associate Dean Teresa Dorman, Ph.D., honored each student by presenting their research and dissertation. A champagne toast followed to […]
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NFL Star Breaks Mental Health Stigma
by Jenna Marina Lee The day that NFL star wide receiver and UCF alumnus Brandon Marshall ’06 went public with his borderline personality disorder diagnosis in 2011, his wife, Michi Marshall ’06, remembers turning to him and saying that his diagnosis was going to help someone. They knew immediately they needed to organize and mobilize […]
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14 Faculty Awarded for International Impact
UCF recognized 45 faculty members Wednesday during the university’s inaugural Luminary Award presentations for making an impact on the world. Fourteen of the recipients are College of Sciences faculty members. The event, themed like Oscar night, honored those who are academic leaders in their field and are making contributions to the world that are having […]
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Alumnus Came to UCF With a Single Bag
Looking at UCF’s current attendance numbers, it’s hard to believe that the school once had only 14,000 students and a low student to teacher ratio. But in 1983, it’s this factor that appealed heavily to young Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Alfredo Anthony, DBA, and inspired his transfer to the school. Anthony showed up to UCF […]
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The 2017-18 Distinguished Speaker Series is Here!
The UCF College of Sciences Distinguished Speaker Series is back this September with six UCF faculty who are experts in topics relevant to the natural, computational, social or behavioral sciences and the developments in their respective fields. This year’s 2017-18 series will be held monthly at Tuscawilla Country Club at 6 p.m., from September 2017 […]
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Ph.D. Student Makes Major Changes
William Volante, Ph.D. student, has been at UCF for seven years, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t finished. In fact, he’s just begun. Volante is from Gainesville, and out of high school was interested in engineering. Despite having a large state university in his own backyard, he wanted to go to UCF. He began his […]
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Introducing 13 New Ph.D. Graduates
In a reception hosted by Dean Michael Johnson, Ph.D., the College of Sciences celebrated its new Ph.D. graduates in the Physical Sciences building. Thirteen students were recognized with family members and faculty advisors by their side. Associate Dean Teresa Dorman, Ph.D., honored each student by presenting their research and dissertation. A champagne toast followed to celebrate the students’ […]
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UCF Alumnus Rocks the Restaurant Business
Kris ‘Po’ Maronpot is warm and welcoming. He knows how to treat people, and after working in the restaurant business for over 20 years, it comes naturally. Maronpot graduated from UCF in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. At the time, he chose UCF for the great scholarships he received and the fact that […]
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Ph.D. Student Finds Gene Linked to Depression Risk
By Rachel Williams A University of Central Florida study has found that a gene variant, thought to be carried by nearly 25 percent of the population, increases the odds of developing depression. People with apolipoprotein-E4, called ApoE4 for short, have a 20 percent greater chance of developing clinically significant depressive symptoms later in life compared […]
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Socializing on Mars
Ensuring the survival of humankind, making new extraterrestrial discoveries, and discovering the potential for technological and medical advancements. These are just a few reasons why many scientists believe the colonization of Mars should be the next big step in space exploration. Although it would be a major breakthrough, sending astronauts into space for a prolonged […]
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PTSD Intensive-Therapy Approach Proves Highly Effective
Story by Rachel Williams At the University of Central Florida RESTORES Clinic that treats post-traumatic stress disorder, veterans and active military members are put face-to-face with what has caused them anguish. Through virtual reality, patients see bombs detonate and the smell of smoke or gunfire fills their nostrils. It’s like being on the front lines in Iraq […]
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UCF Alumni Start “The Dru Project” in Honor of Pulse Victim
Two-time University of Central Florida psychology alumnus Christopher Andrew Leinonen, ’07 ’09MS, known to most as “Drew,” lived and breathed having an impact on LGBTQ youth, hoping to equip them with education and empowerment. As a junior in high school, Drew received the Anne Frank Humanitarian Award from the Florida Holocaust Museum for taking initiative […]