Luciana Banquero, a graduate student studying marine science in UCF’s Biology department in the College of Sciences, has won the notable Aylesworth Scholarship from Florida Sea Grant.
Spring 2023 College of Sciences doctoral graduates were celebrated at the COS Pre-Commencement Celebration on Thursday, May 4, 2023. Dean Maggy Tomova, Ph.D., honored their accomplishments with remarks and a toast. She said, “These credentials establish you among your contemporaries as someone who is willing to make sacrifices and embrace challenges in their pursuit of knowledge. There […]
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, […]
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 […]
An independent study examining the role of psilocybin is opening new lines of thought and fulfilling a student’s interest into understanding the effects of naturally occurring psychedelic medicines. The study, funded through a grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research, was conducted by Maria Orozco, an undergraduate student completing a double degree program in Anthropology […]
Lourdes Diaz-McAgy ’99 has always been in tune with society’s trends. After realizing the world is moving in the direction of conscious well-being, she was inspired to help people look and feel their best. Today, Diaz-McAgy is the chief executive officer of Total Nutrition Technology, a nutrition focused company that private labels products for brands […]
A UCF biologist is attracting global attention for recording the highest-ever voltage generated by an electric eel — or any living creature, for that matter. The record-shattering 860-volt eel was discovered by Associate Professor William Crampton, Ph.D., during an expedition to the Tapajós River of Brazil. The eel belongs to one of two new species […]
Twenty-seven UCF programs were nationally ranked today in the top 100 of their fields by U.S. News & World Report, and 35 graduate programs total were included in the publication’s 2020 Best Graduate Schools edition. This is a record number of programs ranked for the university. The list shows the university’s upward trajectory in the number of programs […]
A pilot program in the biology department is championing new ways to create a smooth transition for transfer students coming to UCF. The centerpiece of the program is Transfer Advisory Peers, or TAPS, who pair up with incoming transfer students and offer guidance on everything from study spots to the best coffee on campus. “Having […]
By Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala Long before the algal blooms on Florida’s Gulf Coast sparked surprise and outrage, University of Central Florida doctoral student Chris Long was studying the effects of similar episodes on threatened green sea turtles in the Indian River Lagoon. Algae blooms regularly hit the Indian River Lagoon and were especially intense from 2011 […]
Biology student Julia Carlin won one of the most prestigious, national awards for pre-veterinary students, the 2018 American Pre-Vet Medical Association (APVMA) Scholarship. The award was open to all pre-vet students in the country, and Carlin was chosen based on her academic success, leadership qualities and participation within the pre-vet community. “I have worked endlessly […]
How many books on nutrition do you remember reading during your childhood? Probably not many, since UCF Biology faculty Rani Vajravelu, Ph.D., wrote one of the first. Her recently published book, The Dog That Didn’t Like Leftovers, encourages young children and their families to open a dialogue about healthy eating. The book follows Lucy the […]
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) awarded UCF alumna Linh Anh Cat a Next Generation Fellowship award. This award recognizes her research on patterns of fungal disease dispersion and climate change, as well as a review she wrote which links her work to public policy. Her public policy review calls for nations to cooperate […]
Biology student Nicole Santana uses a hands-on approach to make a difference. While studying to becoming a veterinarian, she also works as a research assistant in anthropology assistant professor John Starbuck’s lab. Santana compares images of mice with Down syndrome to those without. She hopes to find differences in their skulls, something that can then […]
UCF recognized 45 faculty members Wednesday during the university’s inaugural Luminary Award presentations for making an impact on the world. Fourteen of the recipients are College of Sciences faculty members. The event, themed like Oscar night, honored those who are academic leaders in their field and are making contributions to the world that are having […]
A team of University of Central Florida biology graduate students recently won an Undergraduate Research Journal award for their exceptional environmental work. The UCF Libraries gives its annual Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research to the most outstanding essay published within the calendar year. Casey Craig, Chelsea Landau, Courtney Beck and Jordan Filipponi’s publication, The Impact […]
UCF Biology student Matthew Rudolph, 31, always knew he wanted a career that involved animals, but he never envisioned using tiny honeybees to help save the world’s largest land mammal. Still, that’s exactly what Rudolph has been doing for the past six months, working alongside a team of international researchers in Kenya to build fences […]
Three UCF biology students, Hollis Dahn, Alejandra Osorio, and Jason Stickland, participated at the annual Southwestern Association of Naturalists (SWAN) meeting in Mexico City from April 14-17. Hollis, Alejandra, and Jason all work in Biology Professor Chris Parkinson’s, Ph.D., laboratory. The Parkinson Lab focuses on evolution, systematics, and conservation of reptiles. Graduating senior Hollis Dahn, was […]
The UCF Biology Department is proud to have multiple students participating in competitive research experiences this summer across the nation. These Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) support active research participation of students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. Michelle Gaynor – Junior, Biology Michelle was awarded one […]
Born and raised in Stuart, Florida, Clay Scherer, ’94, is a third generation Floridian. Growing up in one of the most ecologically diverse places in the world, he enjoyed the outdoors and developed an appreciation for nature. Clay and his wife Juliann recognize the importance of natural history in today’s education of biologists and want to make sure […]
All of the students in UCF Biology professor Linda Walters’, Ph.D., advanced marine biology course were winners at the 2016 UCF Service-Learning Showcase on Thursday, April 14. The team, dubbed the “Microterrors,” conducted research on microplastic abundance and diversity on Central Florida beaches and estuaries and then presented this research to Ms. Tricia LaChance’s fifth […]
UCF biologist Anna Savage, Ph.D., is obsessed with frogs and figuring out why they are dying at an unprecedented rate around the world. Her latest research, published today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggests that natural selection as well as other evolutionary forces have shaped the evolution of immune genes in […]
A new minor in the rapidly advancing field of nanoscience is now available for University of Central Florida undergraduates. Nanoscience is the study of materials on the nanometer scale. That’s exceedingly small – a sheet of paper is about 75,000 nanometers thick. At the nanoscale, materials can exhibit unusual properties that scientists have put to […]
The North American Coastal Plain – the low-lying land stretching from Texas to Florida to New England – was recently named the 36th biodiversity hotspot in the world, highlighting the importance of this region, but signaling concerns over threats to the plant and animal life there. UCF Biology professor, Reed Noss, Ph.D., was the lead […]
The spotlight was on UCF at the 2016 Indian River Lagoon Symposium (IRLS). On Feb. 11-12, the Indian River Lagoon and their sponsors held the Indian River Lagoon Symposium at the Johnson Education Center, FAU Harbor Branch, in Fort Pierce, Florida. This year’s theme was Indian River Lagoon: Linking Research with Management. The goals of this […]
Coastal systems research will soon evolve beyond its typical limits by integrating an interdisciplinary focus in a new collective opportunity. To no surprise, coastal systems research is vital to the state of Florida, given that its well-being maintains the economy and environment. The University of Central Florida’s faculty has recognized these stresses and has taken […]
On Feb. 9–12, a group of UCF faculty, staff, and graduate students from the Marine Turtle Research Group (MTRG) attended the 3rd Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting, hosted by the Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Network in Mobile, Alabama. Two UCF faculty members and one research associate gave oral presentations, and one Ph.D. student presented a poster. The theme of this years meeting was […]
Congratulations to UCF biology major, Lacie Anderson, for her accomplishment as the February recipient of the Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Award (DURA). Each month, one student is rewarded for their time and effort spent researching a subject of their choice. During their research, students work with a mentor that guides and helps them during the process. With their […]
Growing up in a rural community in New England, Joshua King, Ph.D., entomologist and associate professor in the Department of Biology, began his exploration in the life sciences as many children do: outdoors. With a voracious curiosity, King developed a hobby of observing and collecting insects. Inspired by the support and encouragement of his high […]
CENTRAL FLORIDA FUTURE – Isabelle D’Antonio, Contributing Writer In February 2016, hundreds of sea turtle enthusiasts and researchers from around the world will gather in Lima, Peru, for the 36th annual International Sea Turtle Symposium to present their research and discuss conservation efforts. This year, junior Abigail Hudak, UCF biology major, will be one of […]