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Meet the College of Sciences 30 Under 30 Awardees
COS alumni “Reach for the Stars”, making lasting impacts through their careers and service to the community By Emily Dougherty | March 26, 2025 The College of Sciences is celebrating its eight alumni who were selected as 30 Under 30 awardees. These exceptional AlumKnights have gone above and beyond in their careers while making an […]
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UCF Announces 2025’s 30 Under 30 Alumni Award Recipients
UCF Alumni is proud to unveil the extraordinary honorees of the 2025 Class of 30 Under 30. These visionary alumni, driven by unwavering dedication and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence, are not just shaping the future — they are redefining it. Their impact extends beyond personal success, igniting inspiration and facilitating change in every sphere […]
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Women Supporting Science Event Showcases UCF RESTORES’ Cutting-Edge Technology and Treatment for First Responders
Community of local alumni, philanthropists, and volunteers receive up-close look at support that first responders, military veterans, and disaster victims receive from UCF RESTORES By: Emily Dougherty | February 7, 2025 In a display of collaboration and community, College of Sciences’ UCF RESTORES recently hosted Women Supporting Science, a group of women supporting philanthropy in […]
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Excellence in Digital Learning Recognized: UCF’s Online Programs Rank Top 10 in Nation Once Again
For decades, UCF has been at the forefront of online education by integrating advanced technology and strategies at both the undergraduate and graduate level to provide high-quality, flexible learning pathways that meet students’ needs where they are. From engineering, healthcare and criminal justice to nursing, hospitality, leadership and management, and education, UCF has grown its […]
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UCF Psychology Online Bachelor’s Degree Ranked Fourth Nationally in U.S. News & World Report
2025 marks the fourth consecutive year that the online bachelor’s degree program in Psychology has ranked in the top five of all programs in the U.S. By Sultana Ali | January 21, 2025 UCF is known for its innovation and breadth and depth of program offerings for a diverse student population. One of those online […]
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UCF Psychology Professor Recognized with Beckman Award for His Impact on Student’s Research for Breast Cancer Survivors
Psychology and art blend into lifelong impact for women with Stacie Becker’s research By Emily Dougherty | November 25, 2024 Dr. Jeffrey Cassisi, Professor of Psychology in the College of Sciences, is a recipient of the 2024 Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award for his mentorship and support of Stacie Becker’s research. Becker is a master’s student […]
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10 UCF Students Selected for 2024 DoD SMART Scholarships
Receiving paid tuition, annual stipends, an internship and guaranteed employment after graduation sounds like a dream come true to any college student. But for several UCF students, that dream is about to become a reality. Eight Knights were selected for the 2024 Department of Defense (DoD) Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship, an […]
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UCF Office of Research Awards 3 Faculty Fellowships to Accelerate Research Enterprise
Three UCF faculty members have been awarded fellowships by the UCF Office of Research to advance the university’s research efforts over the coming year. The selected fellows — Vladimir Boginski, Nichole Lighthall and Dinender Singla — will develop and implement programs that can help improve faculty grant success and accelerate the growth of the research […]
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4 Volunteers Will Spend 45 Days in a NASA-simulated Mars Habitat — How Will They Handle Isolation, Mental Health?
NASA has its sights set on Mars, a key target for learning more about science, technology and whether life exists on the red planet. Experts around the world are developing technologies that may eventually allow humans to live and work on Mars. But making the long trek to Mars is still years — perhaps decades […]
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UCF Director of Clinical Psychology Chosen for Prestigious Position
Jeffrey Bedwell, Ph.D. has a lifelong passion for helping people overcome mental illness. As a professor at UCF’s Department of Psychology, and as director of the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program, his work allows him to train future clinical psychologists to make a difference in the lives of others. Now, he’s taking on a new role […]
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Psychology’s Role in AI Presented by Professor Mindy Shoss at American Psychological Association Webinar
Department of Psychology Professor Mindy Shoss, Ph.D. presented at a recent American Psychological Association webinar on AI titled: “Artificial Intelligence: The Role of Psychology and How to Navigate Change.” She was also cited in an APA press release on AI and ethics. Over 1,500 people registered for the webinar on this timely topic. We spoke […]
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Four College of Sciences Doctoral Students Selected for Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship
College of Sciences graduate students contribute important scholarship and research that is crucial to the future of their various disciplines, from the natural sciences to communication studies. This year, four outstanding COS doctoral students, representing three disciplines, were selected for the prestigious Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship. “The Dissertation Completion Fellowship provides a unique opportunity […]
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Psychology Research Project Supports Well-Being of Prescribed Fire Practitioners
Psychology Assistant Professor Chelsea LeNoble, Ph.D. is spearheading a research project on the well-being of prescribed fire practitioners. LeNoble shared, “Prescribed fire is a tool that can prevent more catastrophic wildfires. It helps by reducing fuels (e.g., sticks, leaves, fallen trees) in a controlled way and maintaining the health of the natural ecosystems that rely […]
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Congratulations Fall 2023 Doctoral Graduates!
This fall, 26 College of Sciences Ph.D. graduates will walk across the stage into futures making an impact in academia and industry. They have dedicated themselves to countless hours of research that have made an impact on both them and those around them. These graduates are now ready for the next step in their careers. […]
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Psychology Professor Makes Waves in the Future of Online Teaching
Associate Lecturer Martha Hubertz in the Department of Psychology was recognized for her work in online teaching with the Excellence in Instructional Teaching Practice from the Online Learning Consortium. Her work in online instruction has made important strides in flexible learning options that provide more options for learners of different lifestyles. We spoke with Hubertz […]
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Psychology Alumna Gives Back to UCF Transfer Students
Diana Rodriguez ‘18 currently serves as the Academic Support Coordinator at UCF Connect. As a former transfer student from Miami Dade College in 2016, Rodgriguez understands the needs of transfer students. She graduated from UCF with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2018. The College of Sciences Marketing team sat down with Rodriguez to […]
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Psychology Degree Goes Deeper Than Counseling
Training students to make a difference in the psychology field and beyond is all in a day’s work for licensed clinical psychologist and Senior Lecturer Karen Mottarella, Ph.D. “Psychology is fun, so my idea is that students should never be bored in the classroom,” she said. This mentality guides her work as she […]
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Congratulations Summer ‘23 Doctoral Graduates!
This summer, 26 College of Sciences Ph.D. graduates walked across the stage into futures making an impact in academia and industry. They were celebrated by faculty, staff, supporters and the dean at the COS Pre-Commencement Ph.D. Celebration on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. Dean Maggy Tomova, Ph.D., honored their accomplishments with remarks and a toast. She […]
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15 UCF Students Awarded Distinguished Gilman Scholarship to Study Abroad
Most college students would consider studying marine science at the Great Barrier Reef or even architecture in Europe to be the pinnacle of their college experience. However, studying beyond the four walls of their classroom is a goal only about 10% of undergraduate students nationwide get to accomplish. But with the support of the Benjamin […]
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UCF Researchers Pave the Way to Better Understand and Treat PTSD
June is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, which aims to raise the public’s understanding of the oftentimes debilitating condition. It’s estimated that about one in three people who experience severe trauma develop PTSD. Veterans, first responders, and survivors of abuse or serious accidents are more prone to PTSD than others, according to the National […]
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3 UCF Students Receive Prestigious 2023 Boren Scholarship
Three UCF students have been selected as 2023 Boren Scholars, a distinguished national honor that recognizes highly motivated undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in U.S. national security. This year’s recipients are Angelina Alonzo, a political science major; Flora Ngo, a criminal justice and psychology double major; and Sean Merkel, a computer […]
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Latina Alumna, Postdoctoral Researcher Inspiring Underrepresented Youth to Excel in Tech World
Olivia Newton 13 ’17MS ’22PhD is a second-generation Mexican American, a three-time graduate from the UCF and a woman excelling in a field significantly underrepresented by Latinas. Latin women hold less than 2% of STEM occupations, but Newton has always been a barrier breaker, according to a report by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Google and […]
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Why is UCF a Leading Producer of Aviation Talent in the U.S.?
The next time you see a plane flying overhead — any plane — consider this: There’s a strong possibility that a graduate or researcher from UCF had something to do with that plane being in the air. It could be an engineer who designed the propulsion system, a pilot who trained on a simulator, or […]
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Spring ‘23 Doctoral Graduates Honored by Dean
Spring 2023 College of Sciences doctoral graduates were celebrated at the COS Pre-Commencement Celebration on Thursday, May 4, 2023. Dean Maggy Tomova, Ph.D., honored their accomplishments with remarks and a toast. She said, “These credentials establish you among your contemporaries as someone who is willing to make sacrifices and embrace challenges in their pursuit of knowledge. There […]
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Faculty Recognized for Excellence in Instruction, Mentoring
Faculty representing every area in the College of Sciences were honored for their commitment to excellence at the Spring 2023 Faculty Recognition Event. Hosted by Associate Deans Kerstin Hamann and Teresa Dorman, the recognitions spanned multiple areas and categories. Those recognized were: High Impact or High-Quality Instruction Stacy Barber, ProfessorNeil Duncan, Associate ProfessorAmanda Groff, Senior […]
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Awardees Announced for 2023 Founders’ Day Faculty Honors Celebration
UCF will showcase more than 200 faculty members for academic excellence and service Wednesday at the Founders’ Day Faculty Honors Celebration in the Student Union’s Pegasus Ballroom. The celebration runs 3-5 p.m. and includes a reception after the formal program. Highlighted are recipients of the Pegasus Professors award, UCF’s highest faculty honor; recipients of the Reach […]
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UCF Team Awarded $2.3M Grant for Innovative Intervention to Prevent Falls
Falls — and the fear of falling — are the leading cause of injury, disability and hospitalization among racially diverse, low-income older adults, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To help address this critical issue and reduce disparities, a team of University of Central Florida researchers is partnering with the City […]
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Fall ’22 Doctoral Candidates Honored By Associate Dean
A traditional toast and individual recognition from Associate Dean Teresa Dorman , Ed.D., sent 22 doctoral graduates into the next chapter of their careers. In her remarks, she said, “You have what it takes to be successful. You worked very hard for a very long time . . . but now you are done. Savor […]
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2022 College of Sciences Year in Review
A glimpse at another year of exploration, innovation and scholarship in the College of Sciences. Over the course of the year, College of Sciences faculty, staff, and students worked hard to accomplish great things. At the heart of their accomplishments is a desire to create a greater tomorrow and a stronger community. Follow along to […]
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Pabst Steinmetz Foundation Arts and Wellness Innovation Award Winners Enhance Mental Health Resiliency
The arts and humanities have a unique power to resonate with the human soul across time, place and socioeconomic status. When this power is harnessed by the community through sustainable, evidence-based and cross-disciplinary initiatives, the potential for positive human impact is limitless. Based on this idea, the Pabst Steinmetz Foundation Arts and Innovation Award gives […]