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Anthropology Student Explores South Carolina’s Environmental History through Prestigious Penn State Fellowship
Cheyenne Taylor overcame personal health challenges, found new purpose through Penn State’s ARISE Fellowship inspired by her family heritage. By: Emily Dougherty | June 23, 2025 Cheyenne Taylor, a transfer student from Broward College studying anthropology in the College of Sciences, isn’t just chasing a degree; she has reclaimed her educational journey and purpose after […]
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Doctoral Student Uses Applied Sociology to Create Change Locally and Globally
Through fellowships, fieldwork, and outreach, Lisa Rodriguez transforms sociological concepts into meaningful solutions for local and global communities. By: Emily Dougherty | June 20, 2025 Lisa Rodriguez, a fourth-year sociology doctoral student in the College of Sciences, is using her academic path and shared experiences to make an impact in communities through research, outreach, and […]
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Research in 60 Seconds: How Seagrass Helps Coastal Ecosystems Thrive
Whether it’s solving the world’s biggest problems or investigating the potential of novel discoveries, researchers at UCF are on the edge of scientific breakthroughs that aim to make an impact. Through the Research in 60 Seconds series, student and faculty researchers condense their complex studies into bite-sized summaries so you can know how and why Knights […]
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UCF Graduate Student Awarded Prestigious Marine Conservation Scholarship Named After Distinguished Marine Biologist Susan L. Williams
Biology student Carla Perscky will conduct first-time research, developing innovative technologies to help conserve tropical seagrass, a vital habitat for many marine species By: Ana G. Hidalgo | May 22, 2025 Carla Perscky, a master’s student in the UCF Department of Biology and Navy veteran, received the Women Divers Hall of Fame’s (WDHOF) Susan L. […]
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UCF Hosts The Florida Consortium on the Neurobiology of Cognition for the First Time
The Psychology Department at the College of Sciences convenes researchers across the state to explore issues around cognition and aging. By: Sultana Ali and Jordan Sammarco | May 20, 2025 Researchers from across the Florida university system, as well as other organizations connected to cognition, gathered at the University of Central Florida May 8 and […]
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Interdisciplinary Collaboration Unlocks New Insights Into Quantum Physics
Konstantin Vodopyanov, a professor at the College of Sciences and CREOL, the College of Optics and Photonics, recently co-authored a study published in the journal Optica. This research examines electro-optic sampling (EOS), a technique that advances fields such as quantum physics, molecular spectroscopy and biomedical sensing. As a professor at the two colleges, Vodopyanov shows […]
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UCF Research Team Discovers Breakthrough for 3D Carbon Printing
The research teams of Laurene Tetard, professor of physics at UCF, and Richard Blair, researcher professor at UCF’s Florida Space Institute, have discovered how to produce strong micro and nanofibers of carbon at room temperature, which can be implemented in a unique 3D printing process they have developed. The team’s research, published in Nature Communications, […]
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College of Sciences Doctoral Student Combines Archaeology, Geospatial Science, and Artificial Intelligence at Harvard University’s Spatial Data Lab
Bryce Peacher incorporates the use of AI into recreating history through fellowship. By Emily Dougherty | April 15, 2025 Bryce Peacher, second-year doctoral student studying Integrative Anthropological Sciences, is currently in a fellowship with Harvard University’s Spatial Data Lab. His unique research engages Geospatial Artificial Intelligence to look at ancient landscapes. Peacher’s advisor, Associate Professor […]
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Astrophysics Observatory SPHEREx Launches on its Way to Study the Origins of the Universe
NASA’s newest astrophysics observatory, SPHEREx, recently launched on its way to study the origins of our universe, the history of galaxies and to search for evidence of life in our galaxy. The infrared space telescope will spend about two years orbiting Earth from 404 miles overhead, collecting data on more than 450 million galaxies. The […]
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College of Sciences Hosts Interdisciplinary Seminar on Novel Materials for Health, Energy, and Other Applications
Faculty come together to learn more about the research taking place in their college By: Emily Dougherty | March 13, 2025 On February 24th, the College of Sciences hosted an interdisciplinary seminar entitled, “Novel Materials for Health, Energy, and Other Applications,” bringing faculty together to share approaches to conducting research from across the College. Pegasus […]
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UCF Researchers Receive $600K Grant to Develop Intelligent Assistive Robotics
For people with upper extremity disabilities — such as a stroke, multiple sclerosis or other conditions — assistive robotics can help restore their independence in performing everyday tasks like eating, grooming and grasping objects. But much like old dogs, these devices have a hard time learning new tricks. “They need a lot of demos to […]
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Los Angeles Wildfires Show Firefighting and Public Communication Challenges
The top of the year has been a challenge for Southern California, and a reminder for the nation of the devasting impacts of fires. As of Jan. 27, the Los Angeles wildfires have killed at least 28 people, forced over 200,000 to evacuate, and destroyed or damaged 16,255 structures. The wildfires have led to discussion […]
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UCF Researchers Advance Knowledge About Juvenile Sea Turtle’s Early Life Stage, Informing Conservation Efforts
Biology researchers from the College of Sciences’ UCF Marine Turtle Research Group studied the dispersal movements of four juvenile sea turtle species, revealing that they may be active swimmers, rather than passive drifters, during their early life stage known as the “lost years.” These findings challenge existing hypotheses and provide important data for assessing risks […]
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Physics Doctoral Student Advances Research to Improve Effectiveness for Scientific Instruments on the Moon’s Surface
College of Sciences Ph.D. Candidate makes strides with research on lunar space exploration with NASA fellowship By: Emily Dougherty | January 28, 2025 Jared Long-Fox, a doctoral student in the Planetary Science Track in the Department of Physics within the College of Sciences, is advancing research supported by the NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities […]
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UCF Admitted to Prestigious Research Consortium to Advance Critical Engineering, Defense Innovations
UCF recently joined the consortium of universities comprising the Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC), one of 15 U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) designated University Affiliated Research Centers (UARC) in the country. UCF’s membership in the UARC allows researchers and DoD project sponsors to better directly connect with one another and collaborate on meaningful research through […]
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UCF Researcher Discovers New Technique for Infrared “Color” Detection and Imaging
UCF researcher Debashis Chanda, a professor at UCF’s NanoScience Technology Center, has developed a new technique to detect long wave infrared (LWIR) photons of different wavelengths or “colors.” The research was recently published in Nano Letters, an esteemed scholarly journal published by the American Chemical Society. The findings are the result of a $1.5 million […]
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UCF Doctoral Student Awarded National Nuclear Security Administration Program Award for Technical and Higher-Education
PhD chemistry student, Zachary Murphy, has been recognized for his research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. By: Emily Dougherty | December 12, 2024 Zachary Murphy, a doctoral chemistry student in the College of Sciences, has been awarded the National Nuclear Security Administration Program Award for Technical and Higher-Education (PATH) for his research focusing on […]
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UCF Psychology Professor Recognized with Beckman Award for His Impact on Student’s Research for Breast Cancer Survivors
Psychology and art blend into lifelong impact for women with Stacie Becker’s research By Emily Dougherty | November 25, 2024 Dr. Jeffrey Cassisi, Professor of Psychology in the College of Sciences, is a recipient of the 2024 Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award for his mentorship and support of Stacie Becker’s research. Becker is a master’s student […]
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Doctoral Chemistry Student Selected for the Department of Energy, Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program
Alec DeCecco, a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry, is investigating the impacts of Criegee intermediates on climate change By: Emily Dougherty | October 29, 2024 Since the beginning of his undergraduate studies at UCF, Alec DeCecco, now a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry, has spent his time in a research lab […]
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PhD. Student’s Research on Snakes is Helping Protect Florida’s Ecosystem
Jenna Palmisano was awarded multiple research grants to expand her research on parasites affecting pygmy rattlesnakes and Florida ecosystems By: Emily Dougherty | October 28, 2024 Florida has diverse ecosystems that are made up of an array of species, all of which play an important role in the beauty of Florida. Jenna Palmisano, a doctoral […]
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UCF Lecturer’s Service-Learning Research is Cover of Academic Journal
By Rachel Stamford A UCF chemistry lecturer’s pioneering service-learning research on sucralose in the Orlando Easterly Wetlands has put her on the cover of a premier academic journal. Dr. Emily Heider was a postdoctoral research assistant at the University of Central Florida developing sensors to detect mercury in water before she was hired in 2015 […]
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Chemistry Grad Student Cracks Code for Colorblind Tests
Tatiana Fedotava-Molden, a first-year Ph.D. student in the department of Chemistry, has already had her first research breakthrough and publication in one of the most prestigious international chemistry journals. For a chemistry Ph.D. student, Molden had an interesting start. When she lived in Russia, she went to school for journalism and found herself at movie […]
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Math Professor Wins World Renowned Prize
UCF professor of mathematics, Alexander Katsevich, Ph.D., recently won the highest prize in the world for the forestry industry, the 2016 Marcus Wallenberg Prize. This prize recognizes, encourages and stimulates path breaking scientific achievements that contribute to broadening knowledge and technical development within the fields of forestry and forest industries. Dr. Alexander Katsevich, who also […]
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Fall 2016 IC CAE Study Abroad Scholarship
The Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (IC CAE) is offering a study abroad scholarship for Fall 2016. The IC CAE is a grant-funded program, housed in the Political Science Department. Its main goal is to prepare students, by enhancing critical skills and knowledge deemed essential by the intelligence community, for careers in intelligence and national […]
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Biology Success in Mexico City
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 […]
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Biology Students Ready for Research
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 […]
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Anthropology Student Studies Homelessness
Anthropology graduate student, Rebecca Young, ’14, currently has an article under review in the peer reviewed journal, Human Organization, about homelessness in Orlando and Oviedo. Rebecca has done research on this topic for four years and has presented her work widely at the largest conferences in the U.S. Rebecca started attending UCF in fall 2010 and […]
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The Power of Studying Abroad
Political Science undergraduate student Nicholas Maier spent the winter semester studying at Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany. Nick participated in the UCF Study Abroad program, a two-student exchange through the UCF Political Science Department which allowed him to spend September through the end of February in Germany. At UCF, he has worked on several projects in […]
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A Summer in Sicily
Caitlin Sawyer, senior anthropology student with a focus in bioarchaeology, was recently selected for a National Science Foundation Research Experience (NSF REU) in Sicily, Italy. This very selective program is conducted through the University of Georgia, where she will be working with assistant professor Laurie Reitsema, Ph.D., from UGA. Caitlin’s NSF REU will specifically focus on “Immersive Research in the Bioarchaeology […]
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COS Shines at Student Research Week
Student Research Week celebrates the research and creative projects of UCF undergraduate and graduate students. From April 4 through April 7, graduate and undergraduate students attended workshops, presented research, developed research skills, and met with researchers. On April 5 and April 7, students from all disciplines, shared their research with the UCF community at the annual Graduate […]