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Socializing on Mars
Ensuring the survival of humankind, making new extraterrestrial discoveries, and discovering the potential for technological and medical advancements. These are just a few reasons why many scientists believe the colonization of Mars should be the next big step in space exploration. Although it would be a major breakthrough, sending astronauts into space for a prolonged […]
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A Typical Day like No Other
University of Central Florida political science alumnus Mike Nichola ’11 MA goes to work every day to make a difference. Nichola works as a legislative director for Congressman Darren Soto in his Washington, D.C., office, but his journey started with an entirely different major at UCF. “I was originally going to go to UCF for a […]
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UCF Continues to Stand for Opportunity for AlumKnight Joan McCain
UCF attracts students for many different reasons: Spirit Splash, the luxurious pool, a state-of- the-art gym and tailgates at Memory Mall before football games. But when Outstanding AlumKnight Joan McCain chose UCF, none of that existed. She knew UCF would provide the opportunity, experiences and internships to launch her career in marketing and communications. “Instinct […]
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Molecular Electronics Scientists Shatter ‘Impossible’ Record
Story by Mark Schlueb An international research team that includes University of Central Florida Professor Enrique del Barco, Damien Thompson of the University of Limerick and Christian A. Nijhuis of the National University of Singapore has cracked an important limitation that for nearly 20 years has prevented the practical use of molecular diodes. Electrical circuits […]
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Breaking Down the Stigma of Physics with Free Camp
Story by Jacob Rosenfarb & Zenaida Kotala While many teenagers enjoy their summer break on the beach or at theme parks, a small group of high school students spent a week at the University of Central Florida getting over their fear of physics. UCF held its free one-week physics camp in June to help […]
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PTSD Intensive-Therapy Approach Proves Highly Effective
Story by Rachel Williams At the University of Central Florida RESTORES Clinic that treats post-traumatic stress disorder, veterans and active military members are put face-to-face with what has caused them anguish. Through virtual reality, patients see bombs detonate and the smell of smoke or gunfire fills their nostrils. It’s like being on the front lines in Iraq […]
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UCF Expert Teams up with Astronaut for World Asteroid Day
Story by Zenaida Kotala For the third annual World Asteroid Day on Friday, UCF physics Professor Humberto Campins is teaming up with friend and astronaut Tom Jones for a special presentation at Kennedy Space Center beginning at 1:30 p.m. They will talk to the public about the importance of learning everything possible about asteroids. Asteroids represent a […]
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Bizarro Comet Challenging Central Florida Researchers
Original story by Zenaida Kotala Scientists pursue research through observation, experimentation and modeling. They strive for all of these pieces to fit together, but sometimes finding the unexpected is even more exciting. That’s what happened to University of Central Florida’s astrophysicist Gal Sarid, who studies comets, asteroids and planetary formation and earlier this year was part […]
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A Startup Beats the Odds
University of Central Florida graduate student Jordan Manning and his startup, Abe AI, have beat the odds and are headed to South Africa. The Orlando based startup was one of ten applicants out of more than a thousand competitive groups to be selected to participate in the Barclays Accelerator. Of those ten only two were […]
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Helping Avoid Long Lines at Theme Parks
Two UCF alumni and a student each earned first place in a competition that stretched their statistical math skills to come up with better resources to help people visiting theme parks avoid long lines. Kanak Choudhury ‘17,Taha Mokfi ’17 and statistical computing major Phuong Pho competed individually in Touring Plans’ Big Data Challenge. The contest […]
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Excavating New Opportunities
University of Central Florida’s Department of Anthropology dug up a new Experiential Learning program last spring. Anthropology Associate Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator Sarah Barber, Ph.D., created the program with Tom Penders, an archaeologist and cultural resources manager at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The program was created because Barber’s students were clamoring for archaeological […]
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TEDx Talk With Coastal Implications
Story by Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala Albert Manero ‘16, president of Limbitless Solutions, will speak about the power of technology and art to help children unlock their identities during the relaunch of TEDx Orlando on Saturday, June 24. UCF biology Pegasus Professor Graham Worthy also will speak about the pressures of population growth on the […]
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Solving a Turtle Health Mystery
Story by Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala Almost 50 percent of the green sea turtles in the Indian River Lagoon have tumors all over their bodies and despite data going back more than two decades, the cause of the disease remains a mystery. University of Central Florida assistant professor and biologist Kate Mansfield works on various sea […]
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A Mission to Save Sea Turtles
Story by Zenaida Kotala Sea turtles have been a major component of keeping the world’s oceans healthy for more than 100 million years. With many of the species being endangered or threatened, University of Central Florida researchers are continuing to do grueling research to help expand our knowledge of these creatures. June 16 was World […]
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Fall 2017 IC CAE Study Abroad Scholarship
The Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (IC CAE) is offering a study abroad scholarship for Fall 2017. The IC CAE is a grant-funded program that is housed in the political science department. Its main goal is to prepare students for careers in intelligence and national security by enhancing critical skills and knowledge deemed essential by the […]
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Father’s Day Tip of the Cap to UCF Alumnus, Longtime MLB Radio Announcer
Story by Jenna Marina UCF alumnus Vince Cotroneo ’83 has experienced some memorable moments during the past 25 years of his career as a radio broadcaster for Major League Baseball. His first opening day in 1991 with the Houston Astros. His first postseason game in 1997. His first inside-the-park home run call during the 2006 […]
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UCF Alumni Start “The Dru Project” in Honor of Pulse Victim
Two-time University of Central Florida psychology alumnus Christopher Andrew Leinonen, ’07 ’09MS, known to most as “Drew,” lived and breathed having an impact on LGBTQ youth, hoping to equip them with education and empowerment. As a junior in high school, Drew received the Anne Frank Humanitarian Award from the Florida Holocaust Museum for taking initiative […]
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Maps, Apps and Drones
University of Central Florida professors of geographic information systems and biology teamed up Wednesday to take GIS technology and drones into Florida classrooms for 5th grade through high school. In the geospatial technology training workshop for Florida teachers, 15 teachers were shown customizable lesson plans that use GIS, mapping and drone technologies. Tim Hawthorne, GIS assistant […]
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Jammin’ Knight Takes on Circuit Court
University of Central Florida political science alumnus Matthew Baker has been busy since his graduation in May 2009. His journey has taken him all over Florida, but some of his fondest experiences were here at UCF. “I played trombone in the Marching Knights from 2006-2008 and was on Student Staff in 2007 and 2008,” Baker […]
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The Many Roles of Outstanding AlumKnight Debra Perry
Each year, University of Central Florida’s College of Sciences honors 10 esteemed alumni with the Outstanding AlumKnights award. The Department of Mathematics gave this accolade to Debra Perry based on her outstanding achievements. Perry graduated from UCF with two bachelor’s degrees in 1977 – one in applied mathematics and the other in education. She continued […]
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Underwater Exploration Earns Unique Scholarship
University of Central Florida student Adam Searles used his passion to help him succeed and fund his college career. Searles won the prestigious National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship. The scholarship provides awards that include academic assistance for two years of full-time study and a full-time paid internship at a NOAA facility […]
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Taking a Step Back to Move Forward
A team of University of Central Florida students made it to the semifinals in a data analysis challenge sponsored by the Society of Actuaries. The students who were a part of the successful team included Andres Alvarez, Richard Klimek, Kyle Morgan, Tyler Reback and team leader Connor Fullman. Over a two-month period, the groups that […]
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Healthcare Accessibility Research
Mackenzie Hager’s desire to help has driven her to be a voice for those in need. Anticipating a spring 2018 graduation, she is a first-year master’s student studying cultural and medical anthropology. Her journey began when she planned to conduct research with HIV positive prisoners. She was interested in the correctional system and the impact […]
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Content Creation Abroad
Story by Rachel Williams The University of Central Florida’s Nicholson School of Communication has earned a $25,000 grant that will enable students to study abroad and produce a multimedia communication project in Cuba next summer. The grant is from the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund that aims to help create university partnerships to […]
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Students SURF Their Way to Success
University of Central Florida recently awarded seven College of Sciences students with the esteemed Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship award. Hanna Reed, Mackenzie Coulthart, Marcella Grillo, Edward Powers, Glenda Vaillant Cruz, Katherine Stahlhut and Matthew Rudolf received the SURF award, which encourages motivated students from all majors to take part in independent research and creative projects […]
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Zika in Belize: Researching an Epidemic
University of Central Florida master’s student Deven Gray is utilizing his research skills in Belize to help spread awareness of the dangers of an infamous virus, Zika. Gray, expected to graduate in spring 2018, is a cultural anthropology student with a focus on infectious diseases and medical anthropology. He was drawn to anthropology as an […]
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UCF Alumna Harvard Bound after Earning Nearly Perfect Score on LSAT
Story by Rachel Williams Years ago, Rebecca Fate’s vision of her future never included college. Neither of her parents earned college degrees, and growing up in a single-parent household meant there was little to no extra money to send her to school, she said. But when her fifth-grade teacher opened Fate’s eyes to her […]
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NASA Asteroid Mission Leader Is Coming to UCF
Dante Lauretta, the principal investigator for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, will give a public talk at the University of Central Florida on June 2 about the mission that’s working to recover samples of a nearby asteroid. Lauretta, a professor of planetary science and cosmochemistry at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, is working with UCF Physics Professor Humberto Campins, on […]
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Adventure is Out There
Story by Jenna Marina Years ago, when anyone asked biology alumna Anai Colyer ’14 what she wanted to be when she grew up, she dreamed of a life as a wildlife documentarist. She didn’t view it as a practical choice – rather, a choice of the heart. A self-taught photographer, Coyler’s hobby has led to […]
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Snake Venom Evolution
University of Central Florida biology doctoral student Andrew Mason won first place in the Clark Hobbs Poster Competition for his remarkable research on venomous snakes. In April, Mason traveled to Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma where he attended the Southwestern Association of Naturalists Conference for the student only competition. He was accompanied by a fellow […]