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UCF Researchers Eagerly Awaiting First James Webb Space Telescope Images
UCF physics graduate student Olga Harrington Pinto is counting down the minutes until July 12. She is one of eight UCF researchers and one alumna who will be using the world’s mightiest space telescope as soon as NASA gives the go-ahead on Thursday. That’s when final checks on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) should […]
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UCF Student Summer Project: Getting an Early Start on Space Rover Design
Catherine Millwater has been dreaming of space long before arriving at UCF. In 2018, the eager 17-year-old reached out to UCF’s Planetary Sciences Group in hopes they had room for a high school student willing to learn how to be a researcher. Spoiler alert: They did. Millwater, who expects to graduate from UCF in May […]
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World Uniters: Five Knights Receive 2022 Fulbright Awards
Over the coming months, planes carrying five UCF Knights will land on various runways thousands and thousands of miles from home. The five will stroll off those planes into the purpose of the Fulbright Program for which they’ve been selected: to work, live, and learn with others on the ground. For them, the ground will […]
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Arecibo Observatory Scientists Help Unravel Surprise Asteroid Mystery
When asteroid 2019 OK suddenly appeared barreling toward Earth on July 25, 2019, Luisa Fernanda Zambrano-Marin and the team at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico jumped into action. After getting an alert, the radar scientists zoned in on the asteroid, which was coming from Earth’s blind spot — solar opposition. Zambrano-Marin and the team […]
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UCF Professor to Moderate State Department Discussion on Planetary Defense
In June, at least five asteroids — some as large as a Boeing 747 — will buzz by Earth, coming as close as 431,000 miles from the planet. Asteroids are always moving through our solar system. Although none of them pose a serious threat to Earth now, they could in the future. As a civilization […]
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UCF Researchers Develop Technology for AI that Mimics the Human Eye
University of Central Florida researchers have developed a device for artificial intelligence that mimics the retina of the eye. The development could lead to advanced AI that can instantly recognize what it sees, like automatic descriptions of pictures taken by a camera or phone. The technology also has applications in self-driving vehicles and robotics. The […]
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UCF RESTORES Receives $1.4 Million to Expand Support, Suicide Prevention Training for First Responders
UCF RESTORES has received a $1.4 million First Responder Regional Support Grant from the Florida Department of Children and Families to expand its nationally recognized peer support and suicide prevention training for first responders in a 12-county region in Central Florida. The award establishes UCF RESTORES — a leading nonprofit clinical research center and trauma treatment clinic […]
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UCF Researcher Receives Department of Energy Early Career Award to Study Elusive Chemical Compounds
A University of Central Florida researcher has been selected for an Early Career Award by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to investigate elusive chemical compounds that could help mitigate the impact of combustion on climate change. The researcher, Denisia Popolan-Vaida, will receive $800,000 for a period of five years to support her research. The […]
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UCF Researchers Are Contributing to World Oceans Day
One of Florida’s most precious resources is its water from the aquifer to the 8,436 miles of coastline, boarded by the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida, and the Atlantic Ocean. Water is also a major player in the state’s economy, contributing $56 billion to the economy and generating 900,000 jobs according to a […]
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Artificial Intelligence Holds Promise to Revolutionize Pottery Reconstruction
The time-consuming process of piecing together broken pottery vessels found during archaeological excavations is getting a boost from artificial intelligence. Pottery provides key insights into how ancient people lived, but most archaeological sites uncover pottery in broken sherds. To use this evidence to its full potential requires piecing them back together like a jigsaw puzzle […]
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Study of Civil-Military Relations Leads to Diversity Fellowship for SPSIA Student
Advocating for inclusion and researching civil-military relations are just a few of the things Salah Ben Hammou does in the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs. The Security Students Ph.D. student became interested in politics at the age of 14 after observing the Arab Spring, a series of anti-government protests in the 2010s that […]
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What Is Allyship? And Other Questions You May Have
While Pride Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, it’s an important time for allies to reflect on their efforts in support of these individuals. Being an ally is not a self-asserted identity, it is one that people within a community assign to others based on their efforts to combat and raise awareness for issues affected individuals face, says LGBTQ+ Services Director Michael Nunes […]
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NASA Selects UCF for $35 Million Mission to the Moon’s Mysterious Gruithuisen Domes
NASA today tapped UCF’s dynamic duo, planetary scientists Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Adrienne Dove, to lead a $35 million science mission that will land a spacecraft on a part of the moon never visited before — the Gruithuisen Domes. The domes, located in the western portion of the Imbrium basin rim, remain a mystery to […]
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Research in 60 Seconds Video: Examining Effective Crisis Communication
Whether it’s solving the world’s biggest problems or investigating the potential of novel discoveries, researchers at UCF are on the edge scientific breakthroughs that aim to make an impact. Through the Research in 60 Seconds series, student and faculty researchers condense their complex studies into bite-sized summaries so you can know how and why Knights […]
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5 UCF Scholars to be Inducted into Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida
Five University of Central Florida scholars are among 15 honorees selected for induction to the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL), a group that brings together the nation’s most distinguished scholars who live and work in Florida. With the induction of Grace Bochenek ’98 PhD, UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright, Demetrios Christodoulides, […]
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UCF’s Planetary Science Rock Stars Guests at MegaCon 2022
If you’re a space expert you know your science but explaining it in a way that excites the public is not always easy. Several of UCF’s faculty are rock stars in both areas, which is why they are back at Megacon this year. Megacon is the Southeast’s largest science fiction and pop culture convention attracting […]
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Controlled Arboretum Burns Lead to Discovery of new Grass Species
A new grass species was discovered in the UCF Arboretum thanks to regular controlled burns that mimic nature’s wildfire season. Sporobolus osceolensis is a type of dropseed grass sensitive to fire-stimulated flowering, according to Florida ecologists Edwin Bridges and Steve Orzell, who identified the blooming grass in 2018 on one of UCF’s prescribed burn sites. […]
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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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UCF Developing Scam Screener for the Elderly
UCF researchers are developing a tool for primary care providers that could help them protect senior citizens from scammers who steal everything from the elderly’s life’s savings to their identity. The team led by Psychology Assistant Professor Nichole Lighthall is working on exploitation susceptibility tool kits that could screen seniors’ cognitive abilities. These abilities influence […]
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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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National Engineering Association Honors UCF’s Space Dirt Expert
UCF Pegasus Professor of Physics Dan Britt became the second UCF space researcher in university history to earn one of the American Society of Civil Engineers most prestigious awards for work that makes a difference in space exploration. Florida Space Institute planetary scientists Phil Metzger earned the recognition in 2018. Britt accepted the honor during […]
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UCF’s First Anthropology Ph.D. Graduate Looks Forward to Career
Jane Holmstrom is looking forward to a career that looks back in time when she graduates this weekend with UCF’s first integrative anthropological sciences doctorate degree. Her journey to Saturday’s hooding ceremony began twelve years ago when she took her first anthropology classes as an undergrad at Minnesota’s St. Cloud State University. That ignited a […]
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Fellowships Equip Students for Careers in Nuclear Chemistry
Three nuclear chemistry students will spend their summer deepening their expertise through fellowships with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The fellowships are based on their research and specialty, with Kyle Morgan and Ian Russell working in the DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) and Jordan Stanberry working with the DOE Lawrence Livermore National Lab […]
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UCF’s First Ph.D. in Big Data Analytics Walks the Commencement Stage This Week
Big data can reveal clues to solving big problems. Patrick (Phuong) Pho ’18MS has used big data to develop models to prevent electricity theft and tampering. He also used it to predict major depressive disorder using genotyping data and he’s used it to develop models that forecast wait times at Walt Disney World attractions. He’s […]
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UCF Professor Awarded NSF Grant to Fund Groundbreaking Friction Research
Masahiro Ishigami, associate professor of physics, recently received a two-year, $332,552 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation in recognition of his work’s potential to bridge a knowledge gap in tribology — the study of friction, lubrication and wear. According to a 2017 U.S. Department of Energy report, up to 1.6% of the United States’ […]
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New UCF Podcast Provides Government Transparency and Real-world Journalism Experience
Rooted in a government transparency mission, the Winter Park Sunshine Podcast provides UCF journalism students a wealth of leadership and professional experiences. One of those students, UCF junior Jackie Cardentey, says serving as the podcast’s executive producer gave her real-world experience that was integral in guiding her career’s path. “This podcast is all about keeping […]
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Research in 60 Seconds: Quantum Physics for the Future of Tech
Whether it’s solving the world’s biggest problems or investigating the potential of novel discoveries, researchers at UCF are on the edge scientific breakthroughs that aim to make an impact. Through the Research in 60 Seconds series, student and faculty researchers condense their complex studies into bite-sized summaries so you can know how and why Knights […]
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Suicide Training for 911 Dispatchers Earns Psychology Professor Recognition From Sheriff
A four-hour course designed to help 911 dispatchers talk with individuals threatening suicide recently earned a UCF faculty member recognition from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Psychology Assistant Professor David Rozek, Ph.D., was given the 2022 Citizens Award for the work developed through his expertise in suicide prevention and post-traumatic stress disorder. “Dispatchers have been […]
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UCF Research Seeks to Give Families Closure by Developing Tools to Help Identify Individuals in Mass Graves
New research out of the University of Central Florida has the potential to give war crime investigators a new tool and the victims’ families closure. The National Institute of Justice has awarded UCF Associate Professor Matthieu Baudelet at the National Center for Forensic Science a grant to advance a technique that may help identify individual […]
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UCF Students Reap the Benefits of the Plant Breeding Initiative
It’s getting hot in the hoop houses at UCF as students grow peppers for the Department of Biology’s Plant Breeding Initiative (PBI). Hoop houses are tunnel-shaped solar greenhouses that are constructed from steel frames and a plastic covering. Launched in Fall 2019 with a vision to create a living classroom built around growing plants, the […]