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UCF Video Game Design Programs Among the Best in the World for 2023
The University of Central Florida excels as one of the nation’s top talent pipelines for a rapidly growing gaming industry that fuels Central Florida’s economy and is projected to be worth more than $300 billion worldwide by 2026. In UCF’s undergraduate and graduate game design programs, talented students learn from world-class faculty with strong industry […]
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Nicholson Alumna Jennifer Fickley-Baker ‘04 M.A., ‘12 Ph.D.: Communicating for Global Brands and Giving Back
Author: Morgan Lemmen Nicholson School of Communication and Media Alumna Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Ph.D., has built a successful career working for global brands—and passing her knowledge on to the next generation. Throughout her career of more than two decades, Fickley-Baker has perfected the art of bringing big brands to life and immersing people in those stories. […]
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UCF Uses 6-Foot ‘Test Tubes’ to Study Red Tide
A potential treatment for Florida’s devastating red tides took another step toward widespread deployment after successful testing in Sarasota Bay. Additional detailed data analysis is required to confirm results, but UCF Assistant Professor of Biology Kristy Lewis is encouraged by the large-scale test of a red tide mitigation technology called clay flocculation that was performed […]
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KPSP Welcomes a Scholar of Literature from Iranian Kurdistan
Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) is delighted to welcome Cyrus Amiri, Ph.D., as a visiting scholar in 2023. Amiri is an associate professor of English and Comparative Cultural Studies at the University of Kurdistan in Iran. Could you tell us more about your background? I was born in Kurdistan to a Kurdish family. I am […]
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Consul General of India Dedicates “India Corner”
By Puja Shanbhag On Jan. 29, 2023 the India Center at UCF and the Consulate General of India in Atlanta debuted the “India Corner” within the India Center’s conference room. Dr. Swati Kulkarni, Consul General of India (Atlanta), inaugurated the new “India Corner” following a commemorative ribbon-cutting ceremony with members of the consulate, students and […]
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Alumna Takes On Role as First Orlando Beekeeper
Orlando’s first official beekeeper is staying busy as a — well you know — applying the knowledge she acquired as a College of Sciences graduate. Tuesday Piper ’22 took the job as sustainability project coordinator for the City of Orlando in August, not long after leaving UCF in Spring 2022 with a BA in communication […]
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Remembering UCF Alumnus, Spectrum News Reporter Dylan Lyons
An up-and-coming journalist and graduate from the Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) was killed Wednesday while reporting on the scene of a fatal shooting. Dylan Lyons ’19 was 24. Lyons’ journalism professors remember him as a “confident and talented go-getter who was always up for a challenge and never turned down a story,” […]
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Honoring the Life of Former Associate Dean Haven Sweet
Friends, Colleagues Remember Former Associate Dean as Warm, Caring A former College of Sciences associate dean and longtime biology professor who won hearts for his warm nature and passion for serving students died at the end of 2022 after a long illness. He was 80 years old. Professor Haven Sweet, Ph.D., joined then Florida Technological […]
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Overcoming Obstacles to Make an Impact: Camille Coffie
Roadblocks and obstacles inspire Camille Coffie. It’s how she reached her position today pursuing a doctorate in physics, and what inspires her to help other young black women access the sciences. Coffie made a big step in that direction recently when she was named co-principal investigator on a project titled “Journey to a PhD through […]
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Innovative VR Therapy Helps Patients Overcome PTSD Caused by Hospital Stays
Exceptional medical care from first responders, nurses and doctors routinely saves the lives of patients with critical illnesses. But many of those patients will suffer from anxiety, depression and PTSD after they return home. A team of UCF researchers is confident that exposure therapy featuring virtual reality with real sounds and smells, all mimicking the […]
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Meet the College of Sciences Student Ambassadors
In the Summer 2022 semester, the College of Sciences selected 11 students from different COS majors to represent the college as student ambassadors. Their role is to represent the students across COS by engaging with the student body and working with the dean to serve students. To learn more about this new program, we spoke […]
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UCF Joins Ohio State, Missouri and Arizona as New Partners in NBCU Academy Supporting Journalism, Media Students
NBCU Academy has selected UCF as one of 15 new partners nationwide in a program that will strengthen how the Nicholson School of Communication and Media supports and prepares students to succeed in the media industry. Benefits of the partnership include scholarships; resources to help expand students’ field reporting and internships; and more opportunities for […]
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UCF Researchers Uncover Key Mechanisms for Sustainable Ammonia Production
A University of Central Florida research team with collaborators at Virginia Tech have published critical findings about the electrochemical synthesis of ammonia, advancing sustainable fertilizer research and thus aiding global food safety efforts. Ammonia, a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, is an essential ingredient in many fertilizers for food production. However, its primary method of […]
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UCF Researchers Work to Reduce the Amount of Precious Metals in Catalytic Converters
The precious metals, such as platinum, palladium and rhodium, in catalytic converters make the vehicle devices attractive to thieves, but University of Central Florida researchers are working to reduce the amount of precious metals needed in them — down to single atoms — while still maximizing their effectiveness. Catalytic converters, which were widely introduced in […]
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What’s Ahead for 2023: COS Faculty Projections
Faculty at UCF share predictions and upcoming milestones for 2023. Politics Associate Professor Aubrey Jewett Ph.D., Assistant Director, School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs “For 2023 in U.S. politics, I expect the battle lines to sharpen for the Republican nomination for president. So far, it looks like former President Trump will be the frontrunner, […]
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2023 CUWiP Champions Women in Physics
The 2023 Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) brought over 200 students to UCF from Jan. 20-22, 2023. According to the National Science Foundation, only 20 percent of people studying physics are women. The annual Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics organized by the American Physical Society plays an important role in bringing […]
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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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Research Replicating Neurons Holds Potential to Shape Artificial Intelligence
Recent research replicating neurons in the brain holds potential to reshape our approach to artificial intelligence and applications like autonomous driving. The research centers on molecular-sized transistors and behavior that suggests they exchange information similar to neurons in the brain. Pegasus Professor Enrique Del Barco Ph.D., in collaboration with Professor of Molecular Modelling Damien Thompson, […]
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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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UCF Recognizes 6 Top Scholars as 2022 Luminary Award Winners
Six faculty members were lauded for being leaders and making impacts in their fields during UCF’s annual Luminary Awards on Tuesday at Leu Gardens in Orlando. The Luminary Awards are designed to recognize some of UCF’s brightest stars who shine a positive light on UCF and on their respective fields, as well as illuminate a […]
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The India Center Hosts ‘An Evening with Kal Penn’
The India Center at UCF welcomed actor, writer, producer and public servant Kal Penn for a book reading and discussion on Sept. 26, 2022. Associate Dean Kerstin Hamann, Ph.D., interim director of the India Center, and Leila Chacko, director of public affairs of the India Center, welcomed the speaker and the audience of approximately 300 […]
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UCF Professor Moonlights as Serial Marathoner
UCF Associate Professor of Chemistry Seth Elsheimer’s journey to running more than 300 marathons starts with “just a little farther.” Elsheimer was an occasional runner when he encouraged two students in his organic chemistry class at UCF to join him on a run, then sign up for a 5K race. The former football players were […]
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UCF Knights Are Part of NASA’s Artemis Program to Return to the Moon
As the nation looks on this week to see the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft blast into space on its test flight, UCF faculty, students and alumni will only momentarily pause to watch the historic milestone before returning to what they do best — scientific discovery and developing the next generation of technology […]
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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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Recent UCF Graduates Have Accepted Tenure-track Positions at Top Universities
Getting a tenure-track faculty position at a university has become harder, but several UCF recent graduates are beating the odds. For many students, an academic position is the goal. For others, it’s industry. Getting into academia is challenging. The American Association of University Professors reports tenured faculty positions have declined to approximately only 21% of […]
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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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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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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 […]