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UCF Ranks in Top 15 in Nation for Best Public Universities, Social Mobility by Washington Monthly
UCF is intensely focused on helping students of all backgrounds succeed. As a result of the university’s success, UCF is among the nation’s top universities overall and for social mobility — according to the Washington Monthly magazine’s 2025 rankings released this week. For the past decade, UCF has made great strides in the area of social […]
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GeoBus UCF Builds Momentum for New Adventures in 2024
Looking back on 2023, GeoBus UCF accomplished a lot—both in Florida and internationally. We spoke with Associate Professor of Geographic Information Systems in the Department of Sociology and 2024 National Geographic Explorer Timothy Hawthorne, Ph.D. about these exciting accomplishments. Top Three GeoBus Highlights in 2023 2024 Goals for GeoBus When asked about goals for this […]
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Sociology Professor Researches Healthcare and Society
Sociology Professor Shannon Carter researches various topics in the healthcare industry that have a true impact on peoples’ lives. Read what she has to say about her research and learn what you can do with a Sociology degree. Can you please describe your research areas? My research focuses on health practices among different groups […]
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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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Sociology Professor Dedicates Research to Serving Homeless Population
Department of Sociology Associate Professor Amy Donley works closely with social inequality and the homeless community. Her work truly makes an impact in the lives of others and society. Take a look at what she has to say about her work below. Please describe your research and the impact of this research. I am an […]
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Sociology Expertise Strengthens Campus Safety Initiatives
Parking at night is a simple but powerful illustration Associate Professor Alison Cares, Ph.D., uses to teach gendered experiences with violence and victimization. Routes through campus after hours are typically dictated by lighting, exits and number of people in an area — and often preplanned by women and non-gender confirming people. If men consider these factors […]
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GIS Mapping Research Benefits Coastal Village, Teachers, Students
A community in Belize and students and teachers from UCF and across the U.S. benefited from a seven-week research project hosted by Citizen Science GIS this summer. This was the sixth year Associate Professor of Geographic Information Systems Timothy Hawthorne, Ph.D. led 10 students and two teachers to Hopkins Village, Belize in Central America […]
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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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School District Partnership Deepens GeoBus Reach, Impact
The impact of the nation’s first GeoBus continues to grow, with a new partnership bringing the immersive educational experience to 18 Title I Brevard County schools this spring semester, with an additional set of schools to continue in the next school year. The partnership ushers in the next phase for GeoBus from one-off school visits […]
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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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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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Sociology Podcasts Further Scholarship, Teach Skills
Two recently debuted podcasts are increasing awareness about sociology while simultaneously providing valuable skills to students. The podcasts come from the classroom of Associate Professor Ramon Hinojosa, Ph.D. Free the Mind Free the People, is a student-led podcast that tackles major questions about the inner workings of society by drawing from core sociological concepts. “They […]
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Annual Belize Trip Trains Students, Assists International Community
Traveling to Hopkins Village, Belize, feels like a homecoming for Citizen Science GIS after six years of research and community work. Each summer brings a surprise, though. A new degree of urgency was injected into this year’s projects when Associate Professor Timothy Hawthorne, Ph.D., and the student team saw just how badly the beach had […]
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Summer ’22 PhD Graduates Given Warm Send-Off
Doctorate graduates were given a warm and personal send-off Thursday in a longstanding College of Sciences tradition. Remarks by Dean Maggy Tomova, Ph.D., were followed by individual recognition of the Summer ’22 graduates in attendance. A toast sent them forward into their next milestones, which varied from academia to postdoctoral research and national laboratories. Click […]
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Sociology Associate Professor Named National Geographic Explorer
Explorers still exist, even in a world where every has corner has a name. Count Associate Professor Timothy Hawthorne, Ph.D., among their number. Hawthorne was recently named a 2022 National Geographic Explorer by the prestigious organization. The National Geographic Society describes its Explorers as “infinitely curious people who are passionate about our planet and making it […]
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Spring ’22 Doctorate Graduates Honored At Special Reception
Thirteen doctorate graduates were given a warm congratulations and sendoff Friday in a continuation of a longstanding College of Sciences’ tradition. The final toast was led by College of Sciences Dean Maggy Tomova, Ph.D. Click here to see the full gallery of photos. Below is the full list of Ph.D. graduates for Spring 2022. Big […]
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UCF Recognized for Academic Excellence and Advancing Professional Careers in Engineering, Research and Innovation
UCF is one of the best universities in the nation for students looking to continue their education and advance their careers in a wide range of professional areas, including emergency and crisis management, high-tech research and the engineering fields. Take it from U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Graduate Schools Rankings, which are based […]
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26 Exemplary Students Awarded 2022 Order of Pegasus
Twenty-six students — ranging in disciplines from engineering to biology to education and others across the institution — have been named as 2021-22 recipients of the Order of Pegasus, UCF’s most prestigious student award for those who display incredible academic achievement, university involvement, leadership and community service. This year’s honorees joined UCF already having accomplished […]
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COS Employees Honored For Years of Service, Performance Excellence in 2022 Knight Star Awards
Every year, UCF Human Resources organizes a ceremony for faculty and staff to gather and recognize USPS and A&P employees who make the university such a great place to work. At the Knight Star Awards, honorees include employees celebrating years of service milestones, retirees and recipients of the USPS Employee of the Year Award and […]
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Faculty Honored at UCF’s 3rd Authors Celebration
David “Jamie” Poissant kicked off UCF’s third Authors Celebration with a story about how he hated reading as a child and eventually became an associate professor of English and published author. Poissant was one of 47 honorees at the celebration Tuesday, March 1, at the Live Oak Room on main campus. The celebration, held every […]
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First-Generation UCF Student Finds Confidence to Pursue Her Dreams
Eileen Zelaya was born in Miami, but she was raised “all over the place” because her father was in the army. From a tiny town in rural Oklahoma to New York and back to bustling Miami, one thing remained consistent: Zelaya’s mother always made room for creativity. She crafted clothes, decorations, tablecloths, pillows, earrings, necklaces […]
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New NSF-Funded Survey Aims to Understand Gender Inequity in STEM Fields
University of Central Florida researchers are starting a U.S. National Science Foundation-funded project to identify systemic gender inequities impacting university STEM faculty so that they can be addressed by the institution. The $300,000, two-year project will focus on UCF. The project will study STEM faculty’s perceptions of departmental culture through the frameworks of organizational justice […]
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21 Faculty Members Inducted into UCF Scroll and Quill Society
The 21 new inductees of UCF’s Scroll and Quill Society represent a broad spectrum of academic expertise, such as fiction writing, artificial intelligence, police-community relations, nursing and terrorist recruiting tactics on social media. The Scroll and Quill Society celebrates faculty members who for at least a decade have made scholarly contributions of impact to advance […]
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Maggy Tomova Joins the College of Sciences Today as Dean
Maggy Tomova, Ph.D., officially joins the University of Central Florida today as dean of the College of Sciences. Tomova, 44, brings deep research and leadership experience to the role, most recently as associate dean for the 18 departments that fall under the Natural, Mathematical, and Social Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences […]
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UCF Student Selected as Orlando’s Second Poet Laureate
For Shawn Welcome ’17, serving as Orlando’s second Poet Laureate is the culmination of years of supporting poetic expression and storytelling in the city. From studying at UCF to working with a variety of area organizations, including the Orlando Boys & Girls Club and Hope CommUnity Center, he has deep roots in the Orlando community. […]
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UCF’s Brightest Shine During Luminary Awards
The UCF community celebrated the accomplishments of 15 exceptional faculty members at its annual Luminary Awards Night. UCF leadership lauded faculty members for being leaders in their fields and conducting work that has had a significant impact on the world. COVID-19 disrupted plans for the recognition ceremony in 2020 so UCF honored the 2020 and […]
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Pandemic Widened Health Risks of Pregnancy, Childbirth Among Women of Color, Sociologists Say
The health risks of childbirth and pregnancy among women of color grew higher in 2020 as the pandemic widened preexisting inequities. These are among the findings two UCF sociologists presented in a chapter of the recently published “Social Problems in the Age of COVID-19.” Professor Shannon K. Carter, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor Bhoomi K. Thakore, […]