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The Power of AI Unleashed Through UCF’s AI Initiative
Talk of AI is all around. Whether discussed in the context of education, the workforce or everyday life, it is certainly making a large impact. According to the program’s website, UCF’s Artificial Intelligence Initiative (Aii) aims to hire close to 30 new AI faculty members from across five different colleges: College of Sciences, College of […]
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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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Psychology Professor Makes Waves in the Future of Online Teaching
Associate Lecturer Martha Hubertz in the Department of Psychology was recognized for her work in online teaching with the Excellence in Instructional Teaching Practice from the Online Learning Consortium. Her work in online instruction has made important strides in flexible learning options that provide more options for learners of different lifestyles. We spoke with Hubertz […]
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Stories from Ancient Pottery Uncovered by Anthropology MA Student
Anthropology MA student Emily Tyler has invested significant time in her thesis studying pottery from the Burns Site in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Professor Sarah Barber, Ph.D. shared, “Emily has had the opportunity to learn a wide range of analytical techniques as part of her research, which will be valuable to her as she moves forward […]
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Physics Ph.D. Student Pushes the Frontiers of Attosecond Physics
A physics Ph.D. student will travel to California next year to conduct research in attosecond physics through a U.S. Department of Energy program. The program allows Chris Lantigua to continue his research into ultrashort pulses of light, which he currently pursues in the laboratory of Associate Professor Michael Chini, Ph.D. Through the DOE’s Science Graduate […]
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Biology Student Awarded at Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science Conference
Biology student Stefannia Tasayco recently had the opportunity to attend the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans (SACNAS) 2023 National Diversity in STEM Conference in Portland, Oregon. She was selected for the Outstanding Research Presentation award for her research poster on seagrass and living shoreline restoration. Read what she had to say about […]
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Researchers Named Rising Stars of Science
Two researchers in the College of Sciences were named Rising Stars of Science by the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL). Assistant Professor Kerri Donaldson Hanna, Ph.D., and Associate Professor Xiaohou Xia, Ph.D., will present their research and receive the honor at the annual ASEMFL conference in early November. Donaldson Hanna is […]
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Statistics and Data Science Team Wins Third Consecutive First Place in Competition
Outbreaks of violence and instability in global hotspots like the Middle East can seem unpredictable, but data science proves otherwise. That was the premise behind a statistics and deep learning hybrid model that earned Associate Professor Hsin-Hsiung “Bill” Huang, Ph.D., and a team of students from the Department of Statistics and Data Science their third […]
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Book Explores Southern Identity Through the Lens of Waffle House
Say “Waffle House” and you’ll probably picture late-night brawls shared on social media or stand-up comedy material. But the same qualities that make us laugh also make the restaurant the perfect subject of study by cultural anthropologists like Professor Ty Matejowsky, Ph.D. Matejowsky specializes in how food shapes and informs a culture, with past […]
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UCF Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab Receives Disney Grant, Continues Restoration Research
UCF’s Coastal & Estuarine Ecology Laboratory (CEELAB) continues to grow and expand its influence with an investment from Disney and a research project attracting top science talent from across the U.S. The achievement came in the form of $100,000 to Pegasus Professor of Biology Linda Walters and integrative coastal biology doctoral student Katherine Harris ’18 […]
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Cranberries and Chemistry Came Together with Ocean Spray Internship
A chemistry doctoral student gained valuable research experience this summer with Ocean Spray Cranberries. Edwin Davidson Barahona was tapped by the farmer cooperative to work in research and development by supporting production improvements and quality measurements for cranberry products. “The idea of working for a vibrant company with a reputable background, and an […]
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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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UCF Names Joseph Harrington as Interim Associate Vice President for Research and Scholarship
The University of Central Florida Office of Research has announced the appointment of Joseph Harrington, a Pegasus Professor in the Department of Physics and UCF’s Florida Space Institute, as the interim associate vice president for research and scholarship. In this role, Harrington’s duties will include overseeing UCF’s institutes and centers and research strategy councils; participating […]
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New Ethanol Fuel Cell Technology Rivals Fossil Fuels and Electric Car Batteries
University of Central Florida researchers have achieved new record-setting power density for ethanol fuel cells, helping advance the technology as a competitor to fossil fuels and electric car batteries. Ethanol fuel cells offer cleaner emissions than fossil fuels and no charging times compared to electric vehicle batteries. In recent studies published in the journals Nature […]
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2 UCF Professors Honored as Fellows in the World’s Largest Scientific Society
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting-edge research through its Science family of journals. Election as a fellow is a lifetime honor and considered one of the most distinguished recognitions within the scientific community. UCF professors Peter Delfyett and Ronald DeMara are […]
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College of Sciences Sets New Research Funding Record
The College of Sciences saw a record $43.6 million in research awards this past year — up from $25 million in 2021–22. This is the first year that the college has ranked first in funding across the university. “This is a tremendous accomplishment by our research faculty and students,” said Associate Dean and Pegasus Professor […]
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Two Transfer Students Find Belonging at UCF Through Research
Two transfer students recently took advantage of a special program to scratch their itch for learning research skills. Mosquitos and their vulnerability to pesticides was the focus of research by Biology students Holly Monroe and Kathleen Velez. Both took advantage of the Transfer Student Research Integration Program (TRIP) to help acclimate to campus and begin […]
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Grants Elevate National Profile of Radiochemistry Program
Two recent grants elevate the national profile of UCF’s radiochemistry program. The first connects the university with a $25 million consortium funded by the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) in nuclear forensics. The consortium — comprised of 15 academic institutions and seven national labs —trains students on topics related to national security and nuclear non-proliferation. […]
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UCF Is Leading Comprehensive Study of Centaurs and Jupiter-family Comets
A UCF researcher is working on a new, NASA-funded project that will gather the most comprehensive collection of data on active centaurs and distantly-active Jupiter-family comets to date. The work will inform research into the origins of the solar system, as these bodies contain materials from the dawn of its formation. Centaurs and Jupiter-family comets […]
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Human Migration Timeline Redrawn by Fresh Fossil Analysis
New research recasts the narrative on the earliest presence of Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia, pushing back the presence of humans in that part of the world by at least 20,000 years and a human presence in the region for at least 56,000 years. The findings are based on analysis of bones excavated from deep […]
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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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Underground Carbon Deposits Unlock Climate Change Insights
The amount of carbon stored in soils across UCF’s campus is equivalent to removing 68,200 cars from the roads for a year. That’s according to newly published research from Aquatic Biogeochemistry Lab Supervisor and Associate Professor of Biology, Lisa Chambers, Ph.D., and Jennifer Bennett ’20. The research is the product of intensive soil sampling across […]
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New Grad Heads to Paris For Doctoral Degree
Recent physics graduate Christian Cabello ’23 says bonjour to a new life in Paris this fall, where he’ll take advantage of a full scholarship to pursue a doctorate degree at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP). The new adventure not only brings him to Europe for the first time but opens access to rare equipment […]
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CEELAB Marks 25 Years of Coastal Restoration
Twenty-five years of work by CEELAB (Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab) — celebrated in May 2023 — can be split into both tangible and intangible achievements. For instance, over the span of 17 years, 66,000 volunteers have participated in one of the longest-running oyster reef restoration projects in the U.S. and restored close to four […]
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Childhood Chasing Frogs Leads to Wetlands PhD Pursuit
A childhood chasing frogs in America’s heartland has led Anthony Mirabito to the cusp of a career saving wetlands. Today, Mirabito mixes classwork from the third year of his doctoral studies in Integrative and Conservation Biology with hands-on work in the Aquatic Biogeochemistry Lab at UCF led by Associate Professor Lisa Chambers Ph.D. Mirabito pursues […]
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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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UCF Research in 60 Seconds: Studying Culture Through Food
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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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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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 […]