See how UCF academics and leaders intersect and collaborate with the community and others in making the world a better place.
Wed Jul 15
Several years ago, UCF sent out a call for ideas to improve the campus, with the winning ideas to be implemented on a trial basis. I was intrigued by this and several ideas raced through my head. Ironically, one of them was to coat all of the high-touch surfaces on campus with a copper alloy,…
Tue Jul 14
As of July 7, 2020, the Orange County emergency operations center has been activated for 117 days. It’s an unprecedented time. Among the law enforcement officers and members of Lynx and the National Guard sit Carrie Mathes ’08 â14MPA and her team: the procurement division. The group’s work may be mostly behind the scenes, but they help…
Fri Jul 10
Mary Lou Sole has been reappointed as the dean of the College of Nursing. The decision by Michael D. Johnson, interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, extends the role of a UCF leader who has advanced student success, academic excellence and community engagement at the college since becoming dean in 2015. “Under Dr.…
Fri Jul 10
UCF was featured on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Friday as the university prepares to welcome back students, faculty and staff to campus for the first day of classes Aug. 24. The segment focuses on newly implemented safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including Plexiglas in high-contact areas, classroom and resident hall capacities, and…
Thu Jul 9
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults over age 18 get more than seven hours of sleep a night as part of a strategy to achieve peak mental and physical performance. But the stresses of COVID-19 may be impacting your sleep, so in this week’s health tip, we get advice from Keith Brazendale,…
Thu Jul 9
Michael J. Morsberger, chief executive officer of the University of Central Florida Foundation and vice president of Advancement, Michael J. Morsberger, chief executive officer of the University of Central Florida Foundation and vice president of Advancement, was recently chosen as one of two recipients of the 2020 CASE Commonfund College and University Foundation Award. The…
Wed Jul 8
Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise across Florida, and we cannot ignore the reality that the virus exists in our communities. As outlined in our Return to Campus Plan, UCF’s approach to opening in phases will allow us to respond to changing conditions, and we remain positioned to make adjustments as needed. Health care systems…
Wed Jul 8
Internal medicine physician Dr. Yanisa Del Toro joins UCF Health and the faculty of UCF College of Medicine this month. She brings with her 16 years of experience as the associate program director of the internal medicine program and associate clerkship director for primary care at Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami.…
Wed Jul 8
Light up the grill, hop in the pool or head to the beach! UCF Music’s Steel Band, Black Steel, has released their new album that is perfect for all of your “Summer Knights.” Black Steel is lead by music faculty member, Kirk Gay. “Creating Summer Knights was a great learning experience for the members of the band. Recording in…
Wed Jul 8
Iworked a few years ago in a rural region of Kenya, supporting environmental educators in a small but ecologically important rain forest. Once, after a weekend in a neighboring town visiting friends, I stepped off the bus as close as a paved road could get me to my home and prepared to hire a bicycle…
Tue Jul 7
When UCF recently held a virtual conversations to discuss race and unity, the online platform created a larger space for the campus community to have difficult dialogues around what real inclusion is, and isn’t — something S. Kent Butler has been advocating for even before he became the university’s interim chief Equity, Inclusion and Diversity officer…
Mon Jul 6
As UCF prepares for the return to campus this fall, many staff members have been and are working hard to develop and enforce plans to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Here is a look at some of the new safety methods UCF has adopted and will continue using throughout Fall 2020. Across UCF’s main, Downtown…
Mon Jul 6
Texts and Technology at UCF is hosting two virtual conferences this summer, both of which focus on the fusion of humanities questions with critical examination and playful exploration of the potential of technology. On July 13-15, the ACM Hypertext + Social Media conference includes research on all aspects of the modern web. The conference theme, “Hypertext for…
Thu Jul 2
If today’s new normal is increasing your feelings of stress, anxiety and even depression, you’re not alone. In this week’s health tip, we turn to Katherine Daly, a licensed psychologist who leads counseling and wellness services for UCF medical students, on ways to maintain your mental health during this challenging time: Be intentional about your emotional…
Thu Jul 2
Soon after George Floyd’s death and the worldwide protests demanding justice for Black lives and police-department reforms, Minneapolis’ city council announced June 7 it planned to disband their local force and invest in a community-based public-safety program. As protests have continued nationwide, more than a dozen other U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas, and Washington,…
Thu Jul 2
A community thrives off unity. This is the philosophy lived by Kannan Srinivasan ’96 MS, CEO of Global KTech and an affiliate of the UCF India Center. When the global pandemic left Indian citizens stranded in Florida, Srinivasan did not hesitate to help them return home safely. “We had multiple organizations and wonderful leaders from…
Wed Jul 1
July 4, 2020, is a tough time to be celebrating Independence Day. The pandemic is persisting. The economy is in recession and millions of people are out of work. The police killing of George Floyd lay bare racial injustice. There are widespread protests, and some nights erupt in attacks on monuments deemed offensive. Six months…
Wed Jul 1
In these unique times we are all forced to look at things with a different perspective. For most reasonable people, this might also include a modicum of discomfort. I bring this up as a prelude to this thought: “What makes you think your rights are more important than my rights?” Regardless of your political affiliation,…
Mon Jun 29
Theatre alumna Elisabeth Christie organized the event, “Black Artists for Black Lives,” which took place Sunday, June 28 at Orlando City Hall. Programming featured fellow Theatre alumnus Arius West and incoming director of choral activities Jeffery Redding. Standing on the steps of City Hall on Sunday, a trio of female singers performed “Lift Every Voice and…
Mon Jun 29
Theatre alumna Elisabeth Christie organized the event, “Black Artists for Black Lives,” which took place Sunday, June 28 at Orlando City Hall. Programming featured fellow Theatre alumnus Arius West and incoming director of choral activities Jeffery Redding. Standing on the steps of City Hall on Sunday, a trio of female singers performed “Lift Every Voice and…