CNN: Science degrees prepare you for some of the best jobs in America

Coming in at number four on CNN Money’s Best Jobs in America story is the Clinical Research Associate. The special report from CNN lists 100 of the best jobs and the ways to get them. Below is the information from the article, mentioning sociology and psychology degrees as a specific way to start a career toward […]

UCF Book Festival accepting book submissions

The 4th annual UCF Book Festival/Orlando will be held at the UCF Arena on Saturday, April 13, 2013. The mission of the UCF Book Festival/Orlando is to encourage the appreciation of diverse and quality literature in addition to fostering and sustaining a love of reading. Annually, the festival draws thousands of readers of all ages […]

UCF teams with NASA to train astronauts

Three UCF professors recently won a $1.2 million grant from NASA to do research on teamwork training for the purpose of sending a crew of astronauts to Mars by 2030. Psychology professors Eduardo Salas and Kim Jentsch along with Stephen Fiore, an assistant professor from the department of Philosophy, wrote a proposal to NASA in […]

UCF psychology looking for volunteers

Bringing the smells of war home, via virtual reality

On an Orlando college campus, veterans and active duty soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder inhale the unmistakable smell of burning tires, rotting garbage and Middle Eastern spices as part of a virtual reality treatment for the psychological wounds of war. Participants sit in a chair wearing a head-mounted display and video goggles connected to […]

Psychology professor wins national research award

Eduardo Salas, a leading expert on teams and training and at the University of Central Florida’s Department of Psychology and  Institute for Simulation & Training, today won the $50,000 Michael R. Losey Human Resource Research Award from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the HR Certification Institute, and the SHRM Foundation. The award, recognizing human resource academics or experts whose […]

COS celebrates diversity and helps Knights Pantry

The College of Sciences and the UCF Community celebrated diversity Monday morning at the annual UCF Diversity Breakfast. As a sponsor, the College of Sciences had several members present including but not limited to Teresa Dorman, COS Assistant Dean, Talat Rahman from Physics, Jeff Cassisi from Psychology, Nicole Jobson from the Lou Frey Institute, Danielle […]

Psychology alumni nominated for Senior CLASS award

The following is an excerpt from a story by Erika Esola of Florida Today. UCF women’s soccer player Tishia Jewell always took her education seriously. Two years later, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in psychology at University of Central Florida. Jewell, a senior, is pursuing a dual Master’s degree in public administration and non-profit management and […]

Dinner date with a scientist

Imagine enjoying dinner and participating in a lively discussion with cutting-edge scientists about the ways lasers and nanoprobes are used in medical treatment, the impact of runoff water on the marine ecology, asteroids and their connection to the planet’s building blocks or the latest discoveries from a Mayan dig in Belize. It happens the first […]

New research from UCF psychologists about deception

After decades of research, a substantial body of work now exists about the best ways to detect an individual in the midst of deception. But how about when a pair of deceivers is being questioned? Solid evidence has been much harder to come by, which is why new research, Social Indicators of Deception, funded by […]

New fellowship program seeks UCF students

Students for a New American Politics PAC is pleased to announce the Fall 2012 Organizing Fellowship Program. The SNAP Fellowship is a paid grassroots organizing fellowship for students and youth that’s fast-paced, high-impact, and focused on social justice values. This isn’t your average summer internship – it’s your opportunity to create real, lasting change. As […]

Psychology professor recognized with lifetime achievement award

The Interdisciplinary Network for Group Research (INGroup) at its 2012 conference honored UCF Trustee Chair and Professor of Psychology, Dr. Eduardo Salas with the group’s Joseph E. McGrath Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Study of Groups.  The award recognizes the recipient for “scholarly contributions to the understanding and improvement of team performance.” Dr. Salas […]

UCF grad releases first of five new books

AMACOM is set to release the first of five books authored by John Mattone, a leadership thinker and talent expert. Mattone received a M.S. Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from UCF. “Talent Leadership: A Proven Method for Identifying and Developing High-Potential Employees” is due to be released on October 17th, 2012. This book is currently ranked by […]

Psychology student promotes veganism in downtown Orlando

UCF Psychology student Keila Villageas has been providing vegan samples in conjunction with the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, which set up in downtown Orlando recently to promote veganism by providing free food samples and also to protest the treatment of animals in the meat industry. She said her love of animals drew her to the organization.  “I’m against animal […]

Learning about team training from NASA’s mission to Mars

With the success of the Mars Curiosity rover, NASA is shooting for the stars, with the goal of setting foot on Mars by the mid-2030s. To accomplish this feat, the astronauts will face long hours, high stakes, close quarters, and little leeway for inefficiency or error–many of the same challenges that startups and small businesses encounter. […]

Save the Date: UCF Grad Fair

Individuals with a graduate degree earn about 30% more annually than individuals with a baccalaureate degree alone, according to a recent U.S. Census Bureau study. If you are interested in graduate school, clear your schedule now for Wednesday, September 12, when the University of Central Florida will host its annual Grad Fair. It will be […]

Student’s research focuses on blindfolded strangers

Joshua Moussa, a UCF psychology student, is leading the research and development initiatives for Pick Your New Opportunities, an organization that introduces people to new acquaintances while blindfolded. “Everyone has a fear. We are so into our phones or on the computer and we have Facebook, but it’s not the real way to meet someone. This encourages people to […]

A deeper understanding of adolescents and behavior problems

UCF psychology graduate student Brea-Anne Lauer and UCF Understanding Children and Families Laboratory director Kimberly Renk recently completed a study on the characteristics related to the perceptions of peer behavior problems. “I think that the biggest take away message is that adolescents can and do make active comparisons of their peers based on the behaviors that their […]

Pre and post training ‘just as important as induction process’ at workplace

When the money that is spent in training employees is utilised well, “training and development activities allow organizations to adapt, compete, excel, innovate, produce, be safe, improve service and reach goals”, a new study has revealed. Eduardo Salas and his colleagues from the University of Central Florida found that one of the most important things […]

Psychology student wins scholarship money from blogging

UCF psychology student Destiny Watson was looking for scholarships online when she discovered CollegeNet, a website where students can blog competitively for scholarship money. Watson began blogging about things that interested her including the First Amendment, sports, raising money to pay for college and and body image. She blogged everyday and eventually won $1000 for being on a “top […]

Psychology student named runner-up in Miss Florida pageant

Alexa Schmidt, Miss University of Central Florida, on Saturday narrowly missed becoming the fourth UCF consecutive student to be named Miss Florida. Schmidt, a Jacksonville senior majoring in psychology, was the first runner-up to the new Miss Florida, Laura McKeeman, a St. Petersburg TV sportscaster. Schmidt won $7,100 for being named runner-up and posting high scores […]

UCF psychology student wins scholarship

Tiara J. Leath, a 2012-2013 Psychology student, was recently awarded a scholarship to help further her education at UCF. She received a Lake Wales Noon Rotary Club scholarship for her academic achievement, extracurricular activities and community service. Leath served as President of LWHS’s Interact Club (a Rotary student club) her senior year, received the 2011-12 Medical Academy Award […]

Psychology professor receives award for contributions

UCF psychology professor Eduardo Salas has been presented with a Distinguished Professional Contributions Award, given annually by the Society of Industrial & Organizational Psychology for contributions to the practice of industrial and organizational psychology. “I consider myself a scientist practitioner – that is, I use science to solve organizational problems,” Salas said about the honor. […]

COS students to compete in Miss Florida

In next week’s 2012 Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant, nine of the 43 contestants are UCF students – so perhaps the streak will extend to four titles. The new contestants from UCF have career ambitions that range from providing therapy for brain trauma patients, to becoming a CPA, to performing as a classical pianist. The College […]

PTSD treatment at UCF’s anxiety disorders clinic

  Olfaction is one thing that distinguishes UCF’s Trauma Management Therapy (TMT) Program from other post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment programs. Dr. Deborah Beidel, director of the UCF Anxiety Disorders Clinic, uses olfactory stimulants such as “Moroccan marketplace,” “body odor” and “weapon fire” to stimulate the same part of the brain (the limbic system) that […]

Faculty members honored for teaching, research achievements

About 100 faculty members have been recognized by UCF for their outstanding accomplishments in research and teaching. Professors were selected for Trustee Chair Professorships based on their extraordinary record of accomplishment in teaching, research and service. Recipients were Peter Hancock from the College of Sciences, Mubarak A. Shah from the College of Engineering and Computer Science […]

Avatars may help children with social anxiety overcome fears

UCF Psychology professor and UCF Anxiety Disorders Clinic Director Deborah Beidel has recently won a $500,000 grant from the The National Institute of Mental Health to fund the development of a new software that she hopes will allow children with social anxiety to overcome their fears. Working with the Atlanta-based company Virtually Better, Beidel and her team […]

Psychology student explains May-Hem convention

When she was a little girl, Dawn Gomez, 19, lulled herself to sleep watching the horror films “Bride of Chucky” and “Friday the 13th.” So it’s no wonder that Gomez dressed as Batman’s enemy Poison Ivy and joined thousands of fellow goblins and ghouls at Spooky Empire’s May-Hem convention at the Wyndham Orlando Resort. The […]

The science of training and development in organizations

Each year in the United States about $135 billion is spent in training employees — but those billions do not always improve the workplace because the skills often do not transfer to the actual job. “Learning is a way of life in organizations,” says Eduardo Salas, a psychological scientist from the University of Central Florida. […]

Psychology grad honored as “Everyday Hero”

Claire Frenkel, a rowing team student-athlete who graduated last month with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, is this week’s Central Florida News 13 “Everyday Hero.” Frenkel was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in her tonsils at the age of four. The form of cancer was so rare that she was one of the […]