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.
Tue Feb 4
Biofuels offer potential benefits as renewable fuels with cleaner emissions, but with thousands of types of biofuels to choose from, it makes it hard for the energy sector to focus on just a few for further development. That’s why University of Central Florida researchers are working to narrow the field of potential biofuels as part…
Mon Feb 3
Thanks to a new partnership with UCF School of Music, William J. Hanney, associate professor in physical therapy, and James Sonne, assistant professor in exercise physiology, are working on a clinical project that addresses their passion of helping musicians prevent and heal from injuries. Hanney and Sonne are musicians, so they understand the role injuries…
Thu Jan 30
Aliyah Baksh is developing a novel optic technique to monitor the brain through blood tests. Her research in UCF’s NanoScience Technology Center focuses on the development of an optical biosensor; a product used to track dopamine levels in the bloodstream. This product potentially offers a resourceful process for daily screenings and symptom detection of diseases…
Thu Jan 30
UCF physicists are using lasers to create mini-movies showing how electrons undergo changes on the quantum level. The technique relies on pulses of light that only last a few hundred femtoseconds; for perspective, comparing one femtosecond to a regular second is akin to comparing a second to a hundred million years. While the technique isn’t…
Tue Jan 28
Microsoft has announced that Associate Professor Subith Vasu has received the company’s inaugural Investigator Fellowship, worth $200,000, which recognizes higher education faculty in the U.S. who have demonstrated extraordinary talent that distinguishes them as both teachers and researchers. Vasu is one of only 15 awardees selected in the nation and the only person representing the…
Thu Jan 23
A research administrator must be passionate, curious, detail-oriented and patient, says, Eduardo Ortiz of CHPS. Ortiz, along with Monique Gregory, formerly of CHPS, now working in the research office of the College of Science, recently co-presented at the Florida Research Administration Conference at UCF. Their presentation, “Mastering the Life-Cycle: Pre- and Post-Award Steps for Success,”…
Wed Jan 15
New, potentially life-saving research from the Department of Sociology is reshaping the way law enforcement approaches domestic violence. Specifically, an associate professor and doctorate students are working alongside investigators with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office to identify signs of strangulation and collect valuable forensic medical evidence to corroborate the potentially lethal attacks. The risk of…
Wed Jan 15
One in three Americans know someone addicted to opioids. But while widespread, scientific studies show medication-assisted treatments are most effective in reducing opioid addiction-related relapse, incarceration, HIV/AIDS and death, multiple barriers prevent much needed access, according to Basia Andraka-Christou, who is an assistant professor of health management and informatics with a secondary joint appointment in…
Tue Jan 14
From December through June, visitors to UCF’s main campus may occasionally see large, orange flames licking at trees and incinerating plants near recreational grounds, parking garages or student housing. The scene appears much scarier than what’s actually occurring. These months of the year are UCF’s burn season, which is overseen by the UCF Landscaping and…
Mon Jan 13
UCF College of Medicine’s opioid education curriculum is being enhanced thanks to a funding boost from the Florida Department of Children and Families. The college recently received $250,000 from the DCF’s State Opioid Response Grant which is given to medical schools to strengthen opioid education in a bid to stem the epidemic in Florida. In…
Fri Jan 10
Racial biases can unconsciously shape school decisions that negatively impact minority students, but a new study co-authored by a University of Central Florida researcher offers a framework to help reduce those biases and improve student outcomes. “It’s important because racial bias is an issue we’ve been dealing with as a nation for a very long…
Thu Jan 9
Judo may be just the right sport to increase the physical activity level among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and holds promise for reducing sedentary behavior, which is linked to obesity and diabetes, according to a new study from the University of Central Florida. The pilot study found increases in moderate to vigorous physical…
Mon Dec 23
Ateam of Florida researchers and their collaborators created a first-of-its-kind computer model that tracks where sea turtle hatchlings go after they leave Florida’s shores, giving scientists a new tool to figure out where young turtles spend their “lost years.” Nathan Putman, a biologist with LGL Ecological Research Assoc. based in Texas, led the study, which…
