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Big Data in Psychology: Tweets, Work and Stress
Assistant Professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Wei Wang, Ph.D., was the lead big data researcher on a recently published paper entitled “Twitter Analysis: Studying U.S. Weekly Trends in Work Stress and Emotion.” According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention and previous research, in the United States, more than 70% of workers report that their jobs are stressful, […]
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Bill Nye Comes to UCF
Get your bow ties ready because Bill Nye is coming to UCF! Students, faculty and staff are invited to spend “An Afternoon with Bill Nye,” popularly known as “The Science Guy,” on March 15, 2016. Nye won America’s heart as the star of the live-action educational comedy that aired on PBS from 1993-1998. He famously […]
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COS Student Captures Coveted Internship
Alex Alvarado is learning in a very different classroom this semester: the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. The UCF junior, who is pursuing a B.S. degree in Legal Studies, with a minor in Intelligence and National Security, is working in the office of Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who represents Florida’s 27th Congressional District. The new Intelligence and National Security […]
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Florida Declared a Global Biodiversity Hotspot
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 […]
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Remembering Dr. David Jones
Anthropology expert, musician, and mentor, David Jones, Ph.D., passed away on Jan. 31, 2016. The retired anthropology professor and founding faculty member of the anthropology department, dedicated over 30 years of excellent service to the students, the University and the community. A mentor to many students and faculty, Dr. Jones was known for his studies of Native American shamanism, […]
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Order of Pegasus Class of 2016
20 students have received the Order of Pegasus, UCF’s most prominent student award and six out of those 20 students representing the College of Sciences. The Order of Pegasus recognizes exemplary performance by undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of academic achievement, outstanding university involvement, leadership and community service. Because of the breadth of accomplishments required for this […]
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Faculty Cluster Pursues Coastal Sustainability
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 […]
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UCF Sociology Ranks with the Best
UCF’s online B.A Sociology degree is one of the best in the nation according to thebestschools.org, with a current ranking at No. 6. According to the website, the top 25 online Sociology degree programs in the nation were ranked based on quality of program, types and range of courses offered, and faculty strength, as well as school awards, rankings, […]
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Get Plugged in with Anthropology Professor Branting
On Jan. 28, Assistant professor of anthropology, Scott Branting, Ph.D., participated in a Future Tense discussion about how present and emerging technologies can be used to deliver cultural heritage from the past to the future. After the event, Increasing Human Potential asked Dr. Branting for a follow-up interview for their “Unmanned Unplugged” feature. Increasing Human […]
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Shedding Light on Sex Offenders
Department of Sociology chair and professor Elizabeth Mustaine, Ph. D., recently co-authored an article called “Criminal Justice Officials’ Views of Sex Offenders, Sex Offender Registration, Community Notification, and Residency Restrictions.” Her article was chosen by Jon Brandt, associate blogger of the Journal of Research and Treatment, as one of the standout articles from 2015 in the field of sexual abuse. “Criminal Justice […]
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Biology Student Makes Waves with Research
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 […]
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Central Florida Math Circle
The Department of Mathematics at UCF presents The Central Florida Math Circle. These sessions offer students of the Central Florida area, particularly middle school students, an opportunity to have fun with mathematics. The Math Circle is not directed towards a particular curriculum; it is not a class, a lecture or a tutorial. It is a way to have […]
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UCF Recognized as ‘Center of Excellence’
UCF researcher Swadeshmukul Santra, Ph.D., associate professor with the NanoScience Technology Center and the chemistry department at UCF, has been awarded a $1.9 million grant to develop a method for protecting the troubled citrus industry from the disease HLB, also known as citrus greening, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson announced Tuesday. In awarding the funding, the U.S. Department of […]
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New COS Associate Dean
The College of Sciences is pleased to announce that Florian Jentsch, Ph.D., has accepted the offer to become Associate Dean, the position that he has been holding on an interim basis. He will be responsible for overseeing research, facilities, and faculty development. Dr. Jentsch is a Professor of Psychology with a joint appointment in the Department […]
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Satellites Show Florida Beaches Becoming Darker, and That’s Good for Sea Turtles
Newly published research that started as a high school science project confirms that the density of sea turtle nests on Florida beaches is reduced where artificial lights along the coast deter nesting females. But the data also show that the network of sea turtle-friendly lighting ordinances along Florida’s coast seems to be working. “It’s a […]
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Painting a New Path
In the 1950s, a group of African-American artists broke the conventional mold by selling paintings during a time marked with extreme discrimination and financial hardships. Amanda Anthony, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology, had the opportunity to study, research, and learn about these self-taught entrepreneurs. Dubbed The Florida Highwaymen, these artists navigated the Jim Crow south, often finding alternatives to […]
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Faculty Spotlight: Lisa Malone
If you’ve watched a space shuttle launch in the past 30 years, you’ve probably heard the voice of Lisa Malone, the former director of Public Affairs for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), counting down the seconds until liftoff. Now you can expect to hear – and see – Malone at the Nicholson School of Communication […]
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Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Ida Cook
A member of the Board of Trustees, chair of the Board’s Educational Programs Committee, co-developer of the Masters in Applied Sociology program, associate professor and previous Graduate Coordinator, Faculty Senate Chair, Ida Cook, Ph.D., has done it all at UCF. Dr. Cook dedicated 39 years of excellent service to the students, the University and the […]
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Air Force Grant Helps UCF Soar
UCF Physics alumnus and current assistant professor in the department, Michael Chini, Ph.D., has earned $480,000 in grants from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. He is using laser pulses to create more powerful electronics and partnering with Sumit Jha,Ph.D., UCF assistant computer science professor, who is looking to combine thousands of transistors into a […]
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GIS Delivers the Past to the Future
On Thursday, January 28, Scott Branting, Ph.D., will participate in a Future Tense discussion about how present and emerging technologies can be used to deliver cultural heritage from the past to the future. Hosted by New America, a non-partisan think tank in Washington D.C., and in partnership with Arizona State University and Slate magazine, “Deploying Technology to […]
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Presenting Sea Turtles in Peru
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 […]
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Difference of Emotional Intelligence Across Cultures
Doctoral student Matthew L. Lapalme and Assistant Professors Wei Wang, Ph.D., and Dana Joseph, Ph.D., of the department of psychology, collaborated on a recently published paper, “Measurement equivalence of the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale across cultures: An item response theory approach.”, regarding cross cultural differences in emotional intelligence between Chinese and U.S. college students. Dr. Wang’s lab, the Computational Psychology Laboratory, […]
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COS Celebrates 27 New Ph.D. Graduates
On Friday, Dec. 18, 12 new Ph.D. students graduated from the College of Sciences. A special graduation reception was held to congratulate the graduates on Thursday, Dec. 17. The event was held in the afternoon in the Physical Sciences building. Family members of the graduates, faculty advisors and members of the Dean’s office staff were in attendance. […]
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COS Graduates Over 1,000 Students
More than 5,000 UCF students will become alumKnights during the fall commencement ceremonies this weekend. The university will award an estimated 5,168 degrees during the three ceremonies. That includes 4,405 bachelor’s degrees, 657 master’s degrees, four education specialist degrees, 12 educational doctoral degrees, 81 Ph.D.’s and nine Doctor of Nursing degrees. The College of Sciences alone will […]
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GIS Academy Hosts National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
On Oct. 28, Timothy Hawthorne, Ph.D., and The Geospatial STEM Academy hosted Sue Gordon, deputy director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), for a student and STEM meet and greet event. Currently an assistant professor of geographic information systems (GIS) in the department of sociology, Dr. Hawthorne is also the Founding Director and Principal Investigator of […]
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Space Dust Research Wins NASA Rides
By Scott Powers – Writer for Orlando Sentinel Tiny particles of space dust: How do they stick together? How might astronauts not stir them up? Two UCF scientists are asking, and they’ve gotten NASA’s attention. UCF physics Professor and Assistant Director at the Florida Space Institute Joshua Colwell, Ph.D., and UCF physics post-doctoral Research Scientist Julie Brisset, Ph.D., have won […]
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Matanzas Murder Mystery
Can you solve a murder mystery? On November 19th, the UCF Forensic Science Association (FSA) teamed up with Matanzas High School to help students and hosted their very first “Murder Mystery at Matanzas”. “Murder Mystery at Mantanzas” was designed as an interactive first look at the disciplines within the forensic science field, with an emphasis on crime […]
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Life and Careers in the Intelligence Community
On Thursday, November 5, the UCF Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (IC CAE) hosted “Life and Careers in the Intelligence Community.” Held as a panel discussion, this event brought together five representatives from different intelligence agencies to introduce and discuss their departments with the students. The panelist talked about their agencies, how they became involved in the intelligence […]
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Who Is a Millionaire?
Under a sunset stroked sky in front of the University of Central Florida’s main administration building, university leaders celebrated the common traits of tenacity, collaborative spirit, and commitment to excellence that UCF’s top grant earning researchers share. Twenty-nine researchers earned $1 million or more earning a bid into UCF’s Millionaires Club, which hosted the celebration […]
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Distinguished Speaker Wins Big for Anthropology
2015-16 COS Distinguished Speaker Series participant, Sarah Parcak, Ph.D., won the 2016 TED Prize for her work on archeological sites in the Middle East and around the globe. As a satellite archeologist, she is known for discovering, analyzing and preserving archaeological sites by using satellite and infrared imagery. Dr. Parcak was the 1st speaker of the 2015-2016 COS […]