Professor helps native country

When John Malala looks at his home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, it’s not the same country he remembers. The fertile, resourceful land, is now impoverished and war torn. But he has hope since starting the John Malala Dignity Foundation in 2007. The foundation attempts to help the Congolese become educated and self-reliant. Malala, […]

Equine therapy helps human career performance

Dr. Sandra Wise and Dean Van Camp share a light moment with their class, which includes students in the Masters program in Clinical Psychology at the University of Central Florida and Mental Health Counseling at Rollins College, while their equine teaching accomplices look on. “The Broussards have been unbelievably supportive of the program,” Wise said, […]

Land your dream job at COMM day, April 8

Students from the Nicholson School of Communication are invited to network with industry professionals and connect with faculty and alumni at the school’s COMM day, which will provide students with tips to improve their  job search skills. Events will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 8, at the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center. The […]

New UCF research program

A pioneering program is coming to UCF where first year students will live and learn together while becoming research apprentices, an experience usually reserved for juniors and seniors. The Learning Environment and Academic Research Network (L.E.A.R. N.) will provide a living and learning community where students will live in a residence hall and take three […]

Professor featured in Orlando Sentinel

We first wrote about Dr. Deborah Beidel’s new research study a few months ago and are thrilled that several news organizations are becoming aware of her amazing project. Linda Shrieves of the Orlando Sentinel wrote this piece about the project that will combine virtual-reality simulation of wartime scenes with the smells of Middle East combat zones in […]

UCF on Discovery News

Robots can solve puzzles, assist with surgery, and even stand in for caregivers, but ask one to handle potato chips without crushing them and humans still prevail. Robotic hands just aren’t sensitive enough. A new material dubbed “frozen smoke” could be the skin they need for a lighter touch. “It’s a kind of very light […]

Miniature laser diode aims to speed up networking

The use of laser as a means of data transmission is hardly anything new, but the current crop of laser diodes can only handle so much stress, provided that they don’t fail in the first place. Luckily, the geniuses over at the University of Central Florida are about to deliver a smaller yet more intense […]

Cold water influx in Gulf may have delivered fatal blow to dolphins

A combination of factors probably led to this year’s rash of dolphin deaths, although plumes of cold water that entered Mobile Bay in January and February may have delivered the killing blow, according to one of the Gulf’s foremost dolphin scientists. Graham Worthy, a University of Central Florida researcher who ran the state of Texas’ […]

NSC teacher highlighted at international conference

Rick Brunson from Jerriann Sullivan on Vimeo. “Meet Your Teacher,’’ a video that journalism instructor Rick Brunson produced for his online News Reporting course, was highlighted and presented at the Sloan‐C International Conference on Online Learning, which drew about 1,200 college educators to Orlando. The video, which Brunson made as part of UCF’s IDL 6543 […]

VIDEO: UCF bug closet

UCF wins President’s volunteer service award

UCF was recently presented with the 2010 President’s Volunteer Service Award, Gold Level, which recognizes organizations that provide 15,000 volunteer service hours or more to their communities. The President’s Volunteer Service Award is a special recognition presented on behalf of President Barack Obama. It is part of a national recognition program created in 2003 through […]

Orlando Sentinel: Virgin Galactic CEO comes to UCF

Human space flights will now be a routine rather than a rarity. This is one goal a privately owned company has for its customers. So far more than 400 people have placed a down payment on making their dream a reality. The next potential flier could be you. The CEO and president of Virgin Galactic, […]

Space conference featured in The New York Times

The Physics Department is receiving a lot of attention for the space conference it is hosting in partnership with UCF. The 2011 Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference started Feb. 28 and runs until March 2. About 400 scientists, engineers, and educators from around the world will be listening to leaders of commercial and public institutions talk about […]

‘Frozen smoke’ may improve robotic surgery, energy storage

A spongy substance that could be mistaken for packing material has the nanotechnology world buzzing. University of Central Florida Associate Professor Lei Zhai and postdoctoral associate Jianhua Zou have engineered the world’s lightest carbon material in such a way that it could be used to detect pollutants and toxic substances, improve robotic surgery techniques and […]

Students ship their project to space

Three UCF students are developing an experiment that they will be launched into space n late 2011 or 2012. “It was a bit intimidating at first,” said Josh Steele, a computer engineering major from Jensen Beach, who’s building an experiment that will help test theories about how planets form. Steele and two other undergraduates are […]

Goodyear Blimp take students, professors for ride

Earlier this month, the Goodyear Blimp circled about 1,000 feet over UCF. The big surprise, though, was that College of Sciences students and professors were inside the famous blimp. Doug Grassian, public relations manager for Goodyear and a UCF alumnus, arranged for a group from UCF to ride in the blimp. Journalism instructor Rick Brunson […]

Orlando Sentinel: Stephen DeCanio talks climate change at UCF

Could you wear five sweaters over your clothes everyday? You could imagine that it would be hot for a human to handle, especially in Florida’s climate. Hopefully this isn’t part of your daily attire, but as these “sweaters” continue to pile on elsewhere, Earth is getting too hot for comfort. Stephen DeCanio, professor of economics, […]

“America’s Next Top Model” features UCF student

Nicole Lucas, a UCF psychology student, is one of the contestants competing in the new season of “America’s Next Top Model,” which returns to The CW network on Feb. 23. She will be among the 14 ladies competing for a contract with IMG Models, a fashion spread in Vogue Italia, a cover of Beauty in […]

Physics hosts space conference

The Physics Department, in partnership with UCF, is sponsoring the 2011 Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference from Feb. 28 to March 2. About 400 scientists, engineers, and educators from around the world will be listening to leaders of commercial and public institutions talk about a new generation of space vehicles capable of economically delivering payloads, experiments […]

COS students wins miss UCF

Jacqueline Boehme, a senior molecular and microbiology major, was awarded the 27th annual Miss UCF crown. She will receive $1,600 in scholarships and will compete for the title of Miss Florida in July. Should Boehme win the state title she will go on to compete for Miss America. In August last year, 90 women auditioned […]

Sociology professor leads grant from U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

Dr. Fernando Rivera was awarded a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture. He will lead the Sociology component of a two year grant with two UCF faculty members from the department of Public Administration. The trio will study how risk and vulnerabilities can be managed by identifying factors influencing community capacity and resilience […]

Debate team back, ceremony celebrating UCF’s first team Friday

Four decades ago, when the University of Central Florida was known as Florida Technological University, the school was nationally known in the world of debate, competing against the likes of Harvard and Northwestern. After years of inactivity, UCF Debate is back, thanks to Nicholson School of Communication Instructor Sydne Kasle. Kasle began restoring the program […]

Anthropology professor captures video in Cairo

Anthropology professor Amanda Groff visited Egypt to spend a month researching an ancient Christian cemetery that is south of Cairo. After finishing their work, Groff and a colleague traveled north to visit Alexandria and the country’s capital. When they arrived, though, residents warned them about the impending conflict. Groff was interviewed by the Orlando Sentinel […]

COS February newsletter

View the College of Sciences newsletter for the month of February by clicking here.

Stephen J. DeCanio visits UCF Feb. 7

Through the Distinguished Speakers series, the College of Sciences is bringing Stephen J. DeCanio to UCF on February 7. DeCanio will speak at 1:30 p.m. in room 117 in the Teaching Academy. His talk is titled “Game Theory and Climate Diplomacy.” The discussion will cover the lack of progress in reaching an international agreement to […]

Chemistry and biology students release research

One professor and a duo of UCF students are helping research new ways to battle cancer. College of Medicine professor Otto Phanstiel, doctorate of chemistry student Aaron Muth and undergraduate biology major Joseph Kamel presented their research at the most recent American Chemical Society regional meeting in New Orleans. The team’s research was on polyamines, […]

Communication student raises money through racing

A win on the track for one UCF student could help gain in the search for a muscular dystrophy cure. Shea Holbrook, a junior communications major, combines her professional racing career with fundraising for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the only fatal form of muscular dystrophy. “My goal is to be like Danica Patrick,” Holbrook said. “If […]

Anthropology alumnus awarded for altruism

An act of altruism earned a Knight alumnus token of high honor from the UCF Police Department on Jan. 20. On January 19, anthropology graduate Matt Newton noticed an abandoned wallet and cell phone in the downstairs men’s restroom of Howard Phillips Hall. Newton said he glanced around for the owner but didn’t see anyone. […]

Nicholson alumni hits Washington

Bianca Fortis, a 2010 Nicholson School of Communication journalism graduate, is the newest enrollee in the Scripps Howard Semester in Washington program. Through this prestigious internship, she will be writing for the Hispanic Link New Service, which focuses on the national Hispanic community. “Basically, we take any story and find a Hispanic angle on it,” […]

Stopping the spread of cholera through water tests

A complex sugar may someday become one of the most effective weapons to stop the spread of cholera, a disease that has claimed thousands of lives in Haiti since the devastating earthquake last year. A technique developed by University of Central Florida scientists would allow relief workers to test water sources that could be contaminated […]