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Pluto a Planet? New Research from UCF Suggests Yes
By Robert H. Wells The reason Pluto lost its planet status is not valid, according to new research from the University of Central Florida. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union, a global group of astronomy experts, established a definition of a planet that required it to “clear” its orbit, or in other words, be the […]
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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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Physics Staff Recognized For Outstanding Service
On February 14, 2018, two UCF Department of Physics staff were honored for their outstanding work serving fellow staff, faculty and students. This year’s winners of the Dean’s Recognition Award are Esperanza Soto-Arcino (farthest to the right), graduate program assistant, and Jessica Brooks (third from left), senior accountant. Soto-Arcino began her role with the department […]
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Kids ‘Drone’ Up Interest in Citizen Science GIS
by Rachel Williams More than 350 4th-12th grade students, their teachers and parents Wednesday saw firsthand at UCF how apps, maps and drones are used in geographic information systems, an interdisciplinary field that captures, analyzes and presents geographic data in meaningful ways. Students flew mini drones over a model town to simulate how GIS professionals fly […]
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Anthropologist Wins Prestigious Book Award
Associate professor of anthropology, Joanna Mishtal, Ph.D., has won an award for her book, The Politics of Morality: The Church, the State and Reproductive Rights in Postsocialist Poland. Mishtal’s book was selected as the winner of the Adele E. Clarke Book Award. The award honors Mishtal’s extensive research into the politics of gender, reproductive rights, […]
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Knight Life: The UCF Turtle Team
It’s 9:30 p.m., the sun is down, and your shift is about to start. You put on your long pants, long-sleeved shirt, bug jacket and fanny pack with your nightly turtle kit. Out on the beach in Brevard County, in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, you’re starting your search for nesting female sea turtles. […]
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Founders’ Day Honors Top Faculty, Staff, Students
University of Central Florida’s Founders’ Day Honors Convocation recognizes faculty, staff members and students for outstanding teaching, research, professional service and years of dedication to the university. Awards included the Pegasus Professor Award presented to College of Sciences Associate Dean Jana Jasinski, Ph.D., the UCF Reach for the Stars Award presented to UCF Biology Assistant […]
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An Idea to Spark More Ideas: Marchioli’s ‘Collective Impact’
Story by Kristy McAllister, Academic Affairs In 1972 Nelson Marchioli received his diploma from UCF in communications, never anticipating he’d return to the university. In fact, he didn’t set foot on campus for another 41 years, when he was invited back to discover what his alma mater had become. The people and what he saw here […]
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Employee of the Month
Alumnus turned staff member Nick Schenk was selected as the USPS Employee of the Month for September, 2016. Schenk is a senior admissions specialist for the Department of Political Science at the University of Central Florida. He graduated with his undergraduate degree in English in 2009 and started working in the Department of Political Science […]
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College of Sciences Celebrates Scholarships
By Julia Anderson On Friday, September 23, the UCF College of Sciences held its fourth annual scholarship luncheon to honor its student recipients and the donors that make their scholarships possible. The Cape Florida ballroom in the University of Central Florida’s student union housed the 55 attendees – composed of students, donors, faculty and staff […]
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COS Staff Recognized at Annual Awards Program
The UCF College of Sciences was well represented at the 44th Annual Awards Program on Friday, September 2, 2016. The UCF Human Resources Department held the event in the Pegasus Ballroom where over 500 attendees gathered to celebrate the university’s outstanding USPS and A&P employees. View photos from the event here. Several College of Sciences […]
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Physics Professor Sheds Light on New Planet
The discovery of the new exoplanet Proxima Centauri b seems like a story out of a science fiction novel – maybe because it actually is. The plot of science fiction author Stephen Baxter’s 2015 book Proxima is about an expedition to the actual red dwarf star Proxima Centauri and the colonization of an Earth-sized planet […]
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Inspiring Women in STEM
Story by Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala, UCF Today Julie Delauriers squarely blames UCF Biology professor Linda Walters for where she is in her career today – attending one of the best veterinary schools in the nation. “She is such an inspiration,” Delauriers said from Purdue University. “She kept encouraging me, pushing me to do science research. […]
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Chemistry Welcomes Chair
This summer Cherie Yestrebsky, Ph.D., was named the chair of the UCF Chemistry Department. Dr. Yestrebsky has been serving as interim chair of the department since November of 2014, prior to her long-term appointment in June 2016. Before coming to UCF, Dr. Yestrebsky earned her doctorate in chemistry from the University of South Florida. She […]
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A Professor’s Passion for Political Science
“When the media kept repeating the line about terrorists ‘hating us for our freedom’ during the run-up to the [Iraq War 2003], I remember thinking ‘Is that really true?’” This was the pivotal question that prompted UCF Political Science professor, Andrew Boutton, Ph.D., to pursue his interests in the field of political science. Originally from central […]
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Civics Teaching Certificate
The UCF Department of Political Science has teamed up with the School of Teaching, Learning and Leadership to offer a certificate in civics teaching. The certificate, administered through the Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government, is comprised of a four course program designed to develop expertise in civics content, pedagogy and assessment. The certificate […]
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GIS to Offer Certificate
Beginning this fall, UCF will offer a new Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This new GIS certificate will provide students with the interdisciplinary background in the geography and the technical skills in the application of GIS through a 4 course, 12 credit hour load. The certificate will not only enhance students’ ability to understand, […]
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Back from Belize, Changed
“Back from Belize, Changed.” This is the shared sentiment of ten University of Central Florida students who traveled to Belize this summer as a part of the UCF Geographic Information Systems’ Belize study abroad experience from May 30 – June 10, 2016. UCF Citizen Science GIS is a collaborative, academic initiative that works in community-university […]
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NCFS DARTs for Fast Forensics
Forensic scientists, scholars and students gathered at UCF’s National Center for Forensic Science (NCFS) for ‘DART Day’ on Friday, August 5. Direct analysis in real time – mass spectrometry, or DART-MS is an instrument that can analyze or screen any unknown gas, liquid, or solid sample within 5-10 seconds. NCFS and UCF Chemistry Professor Candice Bridge, […]
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Fighting Inequality with GIS
Representing the UCF Department of Sociology is Yingru Li, Ph.D., an assistant professor in Geographical Information Systems (GIS). With a family background deeply rooted in geography, it was no surprise that Dr. Li went to pursue her master’s degree in GIS and Ph.D. in Geography. “My father is a geologist,” explained Dr. Li. “When I was […]
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Physics Faculty Lead Conference
UCF Physics professor Daniel Britt, Ph.D., who was recently selected to take part in the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) New Horizons extended mission, continues to make waves in the world of physics. Most recently, he assisted in organizing the International Conference on the Exploration of Phobos and Deimos hosted by NASA […]
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A Summer of STEM
This summer, UCF hosted its STEM Summer Institute (SI) camps for Central Florida middle and high school students. The STEM Summer Institute (SI) offers a mix of activities designed to maximize learning through hands-on, individualized instruction in an effort to provide science, technology, and math related summer opportunities to students. The SI currently offers camps in […]
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Dog Days of Summer Graduation
Story by Jenna Marina, UCF Alumni ORLANDO, Fla. — Soon to be UCF Psychology alumna, Amanda Overend takes pride in propagating what has become a life motto: “Help is a four-legged word.” The Orlando native associates her college experience with volunteering – a passion she found five years ago. Her most recent philanthropic endeavor has […]
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UCF Professor Dives into Marine Ecology
With an appreciation for biology and oceanography, UCF Department of Biology assistant professor Geoffrey Cook, Ph.D., found the field of marine ecology to be a perfect fit. In 2005, Cook was admitted into the Biological Oceanography doctoral program at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) where he received a Marine Biodiversity and Conservation NSF-IGERT graduate student fellowship […]
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Political Science Alumnus Lays Down the Law
UCF Political Science alumnus Peter Strand, ’08, attributes his successful law practices to the instrumental faculty and work ethic acquired during his time at UCF. When the former army veteran decided to make the move to Florida to take care of a family member, he considered several Florida universities to pursue his degree. Ultimately, UCF’s faculty sparked […]
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First Students to Secure Ph.D.
This summer Manar Elkhaldi and Marcos Degaut will be the first students to graduate from the UCF Political Science Department‘s Security Studies Ph.D. program. The Security Studies doctoral program prepares graduates looking to work in military and other governmental and international agencies as well as the private sector that deal with security. It also prepares students for academic careers. The curriculum […]
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Sociology Professor Fights Senior Hunger
James Wright, Ph.D., Pegasus Professor and Provost Distinguished Research Professor in the UCF Sociology Department is making strides for the senior community with the Table Sixty initiative. Table Sixty is an effort led by a group of about 50 local community leaders to address the issue of senior food insecurity in Orange County. As Chairman […]
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Biology Students Study in the Tropics
UCF Biology and Pegasus Professor Linda Walters, Ph.D., took a group of UCF students to the tropics in Belize this summer as part of her Tropical Marine Biology study abroad course. Offered every two years, this program gives undergraduate UCF biology students the opportunity to spend one week on an island to study marine ecosystems […]
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Permanent Home for Sea Turtle Research
Story by Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala, UCF Today The University of Central Florida and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have reached a historic agreement that will establish a permanent conservation research facility along the Brevard County coastline. UCF has run a sea turtle monitoring and research program on the beaches of the Archie Carr National Wildlife […]
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UCF in CLASS of Its Own Studying Space
Story by Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala, UCF Today UCF has diligently and methodically been making a name for itself in the world of planetary exploration, and it’s beginning to pay off in big ways. Not only are two UCF professors part of the upcoming NASA OSIRIS-REx mission to collect asteroid samples – a first for the United […]