Psychology professor recognized with lifetime achievement award

The Interdisciplinary Network for Group Research (INGroup) at its 2012 conference honored UCF Trustee Chair and Professor of Psychology, Dr. Eduardo Salas with the group’s Joseph E. McGrath Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Study of Groups.  The award recognizes the recipient for “scholarly contributions to the understanding and improvement of team performance.” Dr. Salas […]

Journalism instructor goes “camping”

Journalism instructor Rick Brunson spent a week teaching sports writing to 18 high school students as part of a summer journalism camp earlier this year. Camp Orlando drew 340 high school journalism students from across Florida to the Doubletree Inn at SeaWorld for a week of intense, daylong training workshops in various journalism skills. The camp was […]

Sea-turtle research on heat’s effect on eggs may aid conservation

Canaveral National Seashore and neighboring beaches in Central Florida are reporting record numbers of loggerhead sea-turtle nests, a promising change from a decade-long drop. But now a new threat is looming: rising temperatures. Summer temperatures are slowly increasing at Canaveral. This could mean trouble especially for the male of the species, which is already at a […]

UCF physicists break laser pulse world record

A University of Central Florida research team has created the world’s shortest laser pulse and in the process may have given scientists a new tool to watch quantum mechanics in action – something that has been hidden from view until now. UCF Professor Zenghu Chang from the Department of Physics and the College of Optics […]

Event: Where to look and how to be found

UCF Career Services is hosting a session on career advice for students who are entering the job force or looking for a new employment opportunity. At “Where to Look and How To be Found” students can gather information about the job market and how to effectively identify employment opportunities to get the job they want. […]

UCF grad releases first of five new books

AMACOM is set to release the first of five books authored by John Mattone, a leadership thinker and talent expert. Mattone received a M.S. Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from UCF. “Talent Leadership: A Proven Method for Identifying and Developing High-Potential Employees” is due to be released on October 17th, 2012. This book is currently ranked by […]

Event: Law School Admissions Workshop

Political Science professor releases new book

The Department of Political Science is pleased to announce a new book authored by David Patrick Houghton, titled The Decision Point: Six Cases in U.S. Foreign Policy Decision Making, published by Oxford University Press.  In this book, Dr. Houghton shows students how real American foreign policy makers make real decisions. The book introduces advanced undergraduates […]

Event: Political strategists and former White House aides come to UCF

The UCF Global Perspectives Office is pleased to announce that political strategists and former White House aides, Doug McMarlin and Jason Recher, will speak Tuesday, September 4, 2012, at the University of Central Florida. McMarlin and Recher will give a presentation entitled “In the Face of Crisis: Lessons for Political Leaders” at 3 p.m. in […]

COS and CECS collaborate on STEM education initiatives

The College of Sciences and the College of Engineering and Computer Science have agreed to collaborate on STEM education initiatives. This collaborative effort, Initiatives in STEM (iSTEM), is intended to promote and enhance COS and CECS collaboration on STEM education and STEM education research. “We hope to make it easier for faculty with an interest […]

NSC grad live streams from race car

Nicholson School of Communication Graduate and Virgin sportscar driver Shea Holbrook became the first and only Pirelli World Challenge driver to stream live video from the cockpit during all on-track sessions at the Mid Ohio Sportscar Challenge, which was held earlier this month.  Fans were able to experience what it is like to be in the […]

Chemistry student reaches for international rock climbing gold

University of Central Florida chemistry student Ashley Norton will represent the United States later this month at the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s World Youth Championships in Singapore. This is the first time a UCF student has represented the nation at the competition being held in Singapore this year from Aug. 29-Sept. 1. She’ll be […]

UCF receives more than $125 million in grants

For the second time ever researchers at the University of Central Florida received more than $125 million in grants, which not only help the local economy but are leading to remarkable discoveries that capture the imagination and provide hope for the future. The total raised in grants was $128.9 million, including $73 million in federal funding. […]

President must be ‘natural-born citizen’ – but what is that?

This is a guest post from David Houghton, associate professor of political science at UCF. The long-running “birther” controversy–a rather bizarre conspiracy theory which holds that President Obama was not born in the United States–refuses to go away, kept alive by business celebrity Donald Trump and other assorted critics. And then last week it was […]

Lidar archaeology shines a light on hidden sites

UCF Anthropologists Arlen and Diane Chase have been gaining international attention for their use of lidar archaeology. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) recently featured the Chases in a piece about lidar archaeology. You can read an excerpt below and view the full article by clicking here. If you think archaeologists spend all the time with trowel […]

Psychology student promotes veganism in downtown Orlando

UCF Psychology student Keila Villageas has been providing vegan samples in conjunction with the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, which set up in downtown Orlando recently to promote veganism by providing free food samples and also to protest the treatment of animals in the meat industry. She said her love of animals drew her to the organization.  “I’m against animal […]

Professors, deans offer tips as students return to class

As the college year kicks off, FLORIDA TODAY asked three professors and college deans about advice they give college students. Michael Johnson, Dean of the Colleges of Sciences at UCF, said “it’s a lucky person who finds their passion and pursues it.” And he challenged students to never lose sight of their passions. “In the hurry-burry […]

Biology student starts UCF with National Merit Scholar scholarship

Jenny Ho, a recent Central High School graduate, has started UCF, majoring in Biology, with a $64,000 National Merit Scholar scholarship. Honors and success are nothing new to Ho. As a junior, she represented Hernando County as its Sunshine State scholar because of her heavy STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) course load. “I’m a real active […]

NSC’s new graduate certificate in corporate communication

The Nicholson School of Communication (NSC) has recently launched an exciting 15-credit hour graduate certificate program in corporate communication. The Graduate Certificate in Corporate Communication offers students additional training in creating, managing and communicating corporate reputation. Coursework focuses on theory, research and practical applications of principles related to corporate communication. The certificate program curriculum includes courses in […]

New Adopt-a-Plot program

Note:  The Adopt-A-Plot program is complete and is no longer accepting applications. The Arboretum is happy to announce an Adopt-a-Plot program beginning Fall 2012. Students and community members will have the opportunity to adopt their very own plot to grow herbs and veggies at the Arboretum! The general requirements are described below. Are you an experienced […]

UCF alum shares his story about being first openly gay legislator in the history of Florida

David Richardson, a 55-year-old forensic accountant and political newcomer, says he’s comfortable having made Florida history on election night. “I am the first openly gay legislator in the history of Florida. And forever will be,” said Richardson, who defeated three other candidates to represent state House District 113 in Miami Beach. Richardson grew up in […]

Learning about team training from NASA’s mission to Mars

With the success of the Mars Curiosity rover, NASA is shooting for the stars, with the goal of setting foot on Mars by the mid-2030s. To accomplish this feat, the astronauts will face long hours, high stakes, close quarters, and little leeway for inefficiency or error–many of the same challenges that startups and small businesses encounter. […]

Event: Politic365 brings political tour to UCF

A tour aimed at engaging young voters during this election season is coming to UCF today to hold a rally where students can share their opinions on such topics as jobs, education, health care, immigration and voter participation. Politic365 College Convention Bus Tour will visit 11 colleges or universities in Florida and North Carolina and is […]

Join us for the Florida Space Institute’s open house

The Florida Space Institute invites you to attend an Open House at its new offices in the UCF Research Park at the Partnership I Building, Suite 214. The open house is on August 29th from 4pm-6pm. This event will provide you with the opportunity to tour FSI’s new offices, meet FSI faculty and staff, including […]

Local contractors have stake in growing popularity of drones

Amid industry jitters over the potential for huge defense-budget cuts in the months and years ahead, there is at least one area of military technology that may fly above the funding fray: unmanned aerial systems, better known as drones. “With these kinds of systems, the military can send machines into combat and often avoid the […]

Political science professor named Managing Executive Editor

Peter J. Jacques, Associate Professor of Political Science, has accepted the role of Managing Executive Editor at the Journal of Environmental Studies and Science (JESS), the flagship journal for the international Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, published by Springer. JESS sets the standard for rigorous interdisciplinary environmental research and provides a forum for the […]

UCF grad making her dream a reality

Vienna Girardi has spent a lot of time in the spotlight, appearing on ABC’s The Bachelor and VH1’s Couple’s Therapy, but the UCF interpersonal communication alumna is focusing on making her new dream a reality. Girardi recently opened up Vixen Boutique near UCF. “As of right now, I am just getting my boutique up and going,” Girardisaid. “I just want to […]

UCF grad grabs national attention with Google video

Matthew Epstein, a UCF advertising and public relations grad from the Nicholson School of Communication, has been receiving national attention for his “Google Please Hire Me” video. TIME magazine recently wrote a piece on how graduates could land an interview and used Epstein as their main example. From the piece, “Many job applicants feel that […]

UCF Sikh students grieve and learn from temple shooting tragedy

While news coverage of the shooting rampage at a Sikh religious center is waning, the Central Florida Sikh community is grieving and attempting to learn from the tragedy. Simranjeet Singh, a UCF physics graduate student, was about to go to gurdwara (the place of worship for Sikhs) and read about it on his news app while he […]

Mars’ true colors show thanks to UCF invention

The exciting and colorful images being beamed back from the planet Mars this past week should be true to life, thanks to the ingenuity of researchers at University of Central Florida. Physics Professor Daniel Britt built two calibration targets that sit on the Curiosity rover now exploring the red planet. The rover captured America’s imagination […]