See how UCF academics and leaders intersect and collaborate with the community and others in making the world a better place.
Tue Mar 2
Thousands of people are seeing more clearly thanks in part to the vision of Vadim Smirnov,’02 MS, whose lab played an integral role in the development of LASIK eye surgery. The LASIK team approached Smirnov more than 10 years ago with a request to improve the gratings that direct and tune the wavelengths of the…
Tue Mar 2
Brian Lawrence, Ph.D., â96, sees problems as opportunities. A self-described “experimentalist at heart,” Lawrence ran into plenty of problems in seventh grade when he built a power supply to power a donated HeNe laser tube to explore his curiosity about lasers. Those problems became learning opportunities that led him to eventually assemble more powerful ruby…
Mon Mar 1
Universal Knights is back for 2021 with COVID-19 precautions and access to two parks to provide more ride opportunities for students and to accommodate physical distancing. The free event will allow 11,000 UCF students exclusive access to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure on April 12 from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. While other…
Mon Mar 1
The UCF Lake Nona Medical Center opened March 1, bringing full-service, acute care to the growing Lake Nona community in a hospital that will also train the next generation of healthcare providers and support innovative medical research. Located next to the UCF College of Medicine in Orlando’s Medical City, UCF Lake Nona Medical Center provides 24/7 emergency care, comprehensive…
Mon Mar 1
“On behalf of the nearly 1.4 million residents who call Orange County home, thank you for your commitment to bringing this important resource for hope and healing to Central Florida.” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings “Our community has worked hard to grow our healthcare and life sciences cluster. And I am excited to celebrate a…
Sun Feb 28
When UCF alums Teresa Falcone ’14 and Christopher Sanchez ’14 first looked at the storyboards for Pixar’s Soul, they had a gut feeling they were going to be working on something memorable. “You can tell it feels special, when you know that people are going to love the movie when it is released,” Sanchez says. “I could feel it when…
Sat Feb 27
Medical students on Feb. 25 unveiled artwork in remembrance of those lost to racial injustice and hate and to “serve as a reminder that all students, no matter who they are, what they look like, or who they love, are accepted at UCF College of Medicine.” The “Remembering Those We Lost: A Pulse and BLM…
Fri Feb 26
As we continue to celebrate the many historical achievements of Black Americans, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible accomplishments, conversations and events that have taken place in our UCF community this February during Black History Month. As Dr. Kent Butler shared earlier in the week, UCF’s diversity brings life to our campuses.…
Fri Feb 26
Atea company run by two brothers from UCF became the fan-favorite at a renowned entrepreneurship competition with international reach. Yaupon Brothers American Tea Company won the People’s Choice award and $5,000 at the Blackstone LaunchPad Pitch Competition on Feb. 23. “It is always great to advance to the final round of any pitch competition,” Kyle…
Fri Feb 26
Jazz is all about improvisation and experimentation — and that is what the annual UCF-Orlando Jazz Festival will do when it improvises and goes all virtual Feb. 26-27. Performances for the 14th year of the event will be streamed from Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts in Winter Park (where UCF musicians will be shown) and…
Thu Feb 25
Lunar New Year is a celebration characterized by unity and prosperity that ushers individuals into a fresh start. I am dismayed to read about the increase in violent incidents against Asian Americans, which has marred this year’s celebration. A recent research study found that more than 2,100 hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans occurred across the country…
Thu Feb 25
Sabrina Dessalines ’20 says it’s never been her intention to be a well-known artist — but her work may paint a different picture. After contributing to a viral collaborative mural in downtown Orlando last year, the self-taught artist now has her own exhibit that celebrates Black History Month and Women’s History Month at a local art…
Thu Feb 25
As a program manager for Google in New York City, Molly Meyers says she uses the skills she learned in the UCF College of Business Evening MBA program every day. The two-time UCF alumna who earned her MBA in 2016 is our UCF Alumni Spotlight. Meyers first graduated from UCF with a B.S. in Anthropology…
Wed Feb 24
Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, we all love to talk about ourselves. Many of us get excited discussing our dreams, desires, feelings or even the Netflix show we just binge-watched last night. Our social media is filled with updates and pictures of our favorite coffee, what we did during our vacation, or…
Tue Feb 23
Like many Central Florida teens, Jonathan Kessluk ’20 got a summer job at one of Universal’s theme parks in 2014. Little did he know that a job working lights for some of the park’s shows, would lead him to a UCF engineering degree and a job at Kennedy Space Center. Kessluk, who graduated in August 2020, is a…
Mon Feb 22
UCF Alumni has announced its annual 30 Under 30 Award winners. These accomplished graduates were chosen for their great professional success, commitment to helping others and track record of giving back to UCF and their local community. “Every year, UCF Alumni’s 30 Under 30 classes are made up of extraordinary young alumni. This year’s class is…
Mon Feb 22
Have you ever felt like life is moving too fast and you’re struggling to keep up? While stress may seem inescapable, there are steps you can take to help manage it: 1. Cut back on the coffee Caffeine can easily become the most important ingredient in a busy lifestyle. But too much caffeine can actually…
Mon Feb 22
On March 1, the UCF Lake Nona Medical Center, which was developed in partnership with HCA Healthcare’s North Florida Division, will begin to serve the local community and students at the College of Medicine. Located at 6700 Lake Nona Blvd., the newly completed teaching hospital began development in October 2018. The medical center will provide 24/7…
Sun Feb 21
David Mariutto ’12 spent the past six months working on a mail targeting program for a presidential election campaign from his family’s house in Plantation, Florida. Sitting at a borrowed desk and chair, he nailed down the logistics and details that went into sending millions of dollars of mail to individuals across over a dozen states.…
Fri Feb 19
I4 Business magazine and Orlando Business Journal recently recognized regional business leaders, including several with ties to UCF. Beverly Seay, chair of the UCF Board of Trustees, was placed on both lists. I4 Business Chair Seay, featured in the magazine’s cover story, was named the Business Leader of the Year as the magazine cited her leadership guiding both UCF…