The University of Central Florida brings innovation and solutions to some of society’s most pressing problems through research and the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge and avenues for progress.
Mon Nov 23
The search for a superconductor that can work under less extreme conditions than hundreds of degrees below zero or at pressures like those near the center of the Earth is a quest for a revolutionary new power – one that’s needed for magnetically levitating cars and ultra-efficient power grids of the future. But developing this…
Fri Nov 20
Anew report co-authored by a University of Central Florida researcher has found that easing state regulations affecting solar energy production in Florida could result in a more than $3 billion economic benefit to the state, support 18,000 jobs and reduce numerous greenhouse gases emitted each year. The regulations state that anyone selling power in Florida, regardless of…
Thu Nov 19
New research from the University of Central Florida has identified physiological features that could make people super-spreaders of viruses such as COVID-19. In a study appearing this month in the journal Physics of Fluids, researchers in UCF’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering used computer-generated models to numerically simulate sneezes in different types of people and determine associations…
Wed Nov 18
UCF has patented new technologies that use sensors to create virtual simulations that respond to individuals to help people conquer fears and anxiety. The premise is to use emerging sensor-based technology to help people suffering from anxiety disorders, individuals with autism spectrum disorder or those with executive functioning issues, says Lisa Dieker, an exceptional student education professor and…
Tue Nov 17
The number of Americans age 65 and older continues to increase as the baby boom generation ages and people are living longer. At the same time, many seniors plan to “age in place,” or continue living in their current homes, despite needing more assistance as they get older. One strategy for aging in place is…
Tue Nov 17
The speed of pulses of light are not as fixed you might think — and that’s good news for your weekend movie streaming. New research published last week in Nature Communications builds on a previous proof of concept that showed it was possible to speed up, slow down and even direct a pulse of light to travel…
Mon Nov 16
What protective factors reduce the likelihood lesbian and bisexual women will consider killing themselves? That’s the focus of a $2 million national study led by researches at the UCF College of Medicine’s new Population Health Sciences Department. Lindsay Taliaferro, an expert in suicide and self-harm, and Eric Schrimshaw, an expert in LGBTQ+ health disparities and…
Fri Nov 13
An in-depth, years-long study into the practice of Central Florida mothers sharing their breast milk to nourish babies other than their own recently culminated in a co-authored book. The authors trace their interest in peer-to-peer breast milk sharing to Associate Professor of Sociology Shannon Carter, Ph.D., who first observed human milk sharing at breastfeeding support…
Thu Nov 12
Researchers from the University of Central Florida are conducting a study to determine if mini robots used in the classroom to teach children coding skills can also help students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder improve their communication and social skills. These minibots, also known as social robots, are designed to interact with humans through speech,…
Tue Nov 10
Critical work mapping seagrass beds on the Pacific West Coast continues uninterrupted this fall thanks to innovative thinking from the Citizen Science GIS team. The seagrass (also known as eelgrass) project is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation and helps researchers to measure seagrass meadow dynamics over time. This data…
Mon Nov 9
Every year UCF takes technologies developed on campus to the national TechConnect Conference for exposure and this year one of them earned one of the top awards of the conference. The 2020 TechConnect Defense Innovation Award is a recognition for a technology that removes more than 90 percent of pollutants from engine exhaust at low…
Sun Nov 8
Amain cable that supports the Arecibo Observatory broke Friday at 7:39 p.m. Puerto Rico time. Unlike the auxiliary cable that failed at the same facility on Aug. 10, this main cable did not slip out of its socket. It broke and fell onto the reflector dish below, causing additional damage to the dish and other nearby…
Thu Nov 5
In early March, Keith Brazendaleâ¯began gathering initial dataâ¯forâ¯his research projectâ¯on the factorsâ¯and behaviorsâ¯that contribute toâ¯weight gain among childrenâ¯living in rural areas. After completing the first part of the project, which was conducted in the town of Paisley, located in Lake County, Florida, Brazendale planned to returnâ¯twoâ¯weeksâ¯after the children’s spring breakâ¯to collect follow-up data. Aâ¯week later, COVID-19â¯changed…
Thu Nov 5
The rate of preterm births in the U.S. has been on the rise during the past six years, with a stark difference in the rate of preterm births among non-Hispanic Black women compared to non-Hispanic white women. Preterm, or premature, birth is when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy have been completed,…
Wed Nov 4
New research shows that abuse of prescription stimulant medication by adolescents and young adults is driven by different motivations closely linked to age. The study was conducted by Ty Schepis, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Texas State University; Jason Ford, Ph.D., Department of Sociology, University of Central Florida; Timothy Wilens, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass. and…
Tue Nov 3
A new grant from the National Academies of Sciences will fund a “boots on the ground” approach to evaluating how severe wetland loss impacts the recreational fishing industry. Kristy A. Lewis, Ph.D, and her team at the Lewis Lab of Applied Coastal Ecology received the $110,662 grant in collaboration with Louisiana State University to help…
Mon Nov 2
Do students’ implicit values influence their decision to pursue STEM-related careers? And how do the ethical codes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines influence those who pursue careers in these fields and those who persist in their professional development? These are questions a UCF research team is trying to answer to strengthen the STEM…
Fri Oct 30
The increase in online education has allowed a new type of teacher to emerge — an artificial one. But just how accepting students are of an artificial instructor remains to be seen. That’s why researchers at the University of Central Florida’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media are working to examine student perceptions of artificial intelligence-based teachers.…
Thu Oct 29
University of Central Florida researchers are leading an interdisciplinary project to help communities use artificial intelligence and smart technologies to bounce back from disasters quickly. The project is funded by a recently announced $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation as part of its Smart and Connected Communities program. The three-year project will examine…
Wed Oct 28
NASA has selected research from a University of Central Florida planetary scientist to fly on upcoming zero-gravity flights as part of the space agency’s Flight Opportunities funding program. The research project is led by Adrienne Dove, an assistant professor in UCF’s Department of Physics, and explores regolith behavior at zero and low gravity. Regolith is loose,…