Author, Actor and Activist Kal Penn to Visit UCF
Thu Sep 22
Students may know Kalpen Modi, professionally known as Kal Penn, for his film and TV roles on House, Designated Survivor and the Harold and Kumar franchise. Or maybe they know him as a political activist and former associate director for the White House Office of Public Engagement. But after Penn’s visit to UCF, many students will leave knowing him…
The Day I Met the Queen
Thu Sep 22
Tyler Fisher, associate professor of modern languages and literatures and Burnett Honors College Faculty Fellow, penned this memory in his journal during his first year living in England to attend Oxford University. He and other Rhodes Scholars met Queen Elizabeth II (and a surprise visitor!) in October 2003. He reflects on his encounter: “The Queen…
UCF Alumna Named First Hispanic Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools
Tue Sep 20
with Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Jenkins ’83 ’86MEd ’96EdD set to retire at the end of the year, Maria Vazquez ’95MEd ’10EdD will soon take the helm as her replacement. Vazquez became the district’s deputy superintendent in 2018, but her career in education spans more than 30 years. She started as a teacher…
Making the Grade: Gender and Racial Report Cards Hold Sport Organizations Accountable for Hiring Practices
Tue Sep 20
While coaches and fans closely follow their team’s wins and losses, longtime UCF Professor Richard Lapchick is monitoring another statistic, one that can’t be found in a box score. Known as the social conscience of sport, Lapchick has spent the past three decades monitoring gender and racial hiring trends in sports. As director for The…
Nursing Ph.D. Student’s Journey from Nigeria to Fellow Focused on Fall Prevention
Tue Sep 20
“As a young high school girl growing up in my native Nigeria, I always aspired to achieve the highest education degree with the intention to engage in inquiry, discovery and development of innovation to make the world a better place,” says Eunice Oladepe Ojo ’21DNP, a UCF College of Nursing student and alum. Ojo returned to UCF…
Aerospace Engineering Student Aims to Improve Tracking of Space Debris with NASA Award
Tue Sep 20
Just one small piece of space debris can damage or disable a satellite. Much of this debris, also known as space junk, is catalogued through space-based space surveillance, which uses optical sensors to track objects in orbit that could pose a risk for collision. However, some objects can be too small to track. UCF aerospace…
What Does Queen Elizabeth II’s Death Mean for the Future of the Monarchy?
Tue Sep 20
When Queen Elizabeth II died Sept. 8, it marked the end of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. At the time of her coronation in 1953, she ruled over seven independent countries, which grew to 32 nations during 70-year reign. At the time of her death, Queen Elizabeth II ruled over 15 countries in the Commonwealth and 14…
School of Public Administration Professor Receives Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellowship
Tue Sep 20
Staci Zavattaro, a professor with the UCF School of Public Administration, was named a Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellow by the State University of New York’s Rockefeller Institute of Government for the 2022-23 term. Zavattaro is one of six researchers from around the country selected for this year’s Nathan fellowship cohort, which aims to select…
UCF Professor Moonlights as Serial Marathoner
Tue Sep 20
UCF Associate Professor of Chemistry Seth Elsheimer’s journey to running more than 300 marathons starts with “just a little farther.” Elsheimer was an occasional runner when he encouraged two students in his organic chemistry class at UCF to join him on a run, then sign up for a 5K race. The former football players were…
CSD Consortium Track Debuts in Spring Allowing Students to Earn Degree in Almost Half the Time
Tue Sep 20
COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS CSD Consortium Track Debuts in Spring Allowing Students to Earn Degree in Almost Half the Time WRITTEN BY: RYAN GREENE | SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 The UCF School of Communication Sciences and Disorders master’s program has improved its long-standing consortium track, which was designed around students working in local schools as speech-language therapists. Beginning…
Decades-Old Moon Samples Inform Modern Return to Moon
Thu Sep 15
Exploring an area in the Moon that was never visited before? That’s one of the tasks that Department of Physics planetary scientist and Assistant Professor Kerri Donaldson Hanna, Ph.D., has assisted NASA with since 2013. Donaldson Hanna and her team play a vital role in studying samples collected by the Apollo astronauts and returned to…
UCF Division of Physical Therapy Announces William Hanney as Chair
Thu Sep 15
The UCF College of Health Professions and Sciences confirmed William Hanney as chair for the Division of Physical Therapy. Hanney previously served as interim chair. Hanney joined the Physical Therapy program as faculty in 2004. During his tenure, Hanney has developed a research agenda that informs clinical practice. His research seeks to investigate the implications of physical therapy treatment…
Expanded Two-Year STARTALK Russian Language Program is Free for Students
Thu Sep 15
UCF’s STARTALK Intensive Russian Language Program is getting a major upgrade next year. The new program, “How Words Shape People: Understanding Business Russian Through Proverbs,” will run from January 2023 through May 2024. It is open to high school seniors and college freshmen from across the nation, and includes both virtual and in-person segments, all…
UCF Engineering and Computer Science Remain Highly-Ranked Undergraduate Programs
Thu Sep 15
The University of Central Florida continues to uphold its reputation as a top-ranked public institution of higher education and a leader in innovation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Colleges rankings, a national list published this week that also places UCF’s engineering and computer science programs in the top 100 out of hundreds…
Theatre UCF’s 2022-23 Season Debuts with Impactful Drama, The Interference
Thu Sep 15
On college campuses, the issue of sexual assault often hides in plain sight. And when students’ stories are scattered by people in positions of power, objective truth can fall between the cracks. Theatre UCF’s production of Lynda Radley’s The Interference boosts those silenced voices by illustrating the issue through one woman’s story. Directed by Associate Professor David…
UCF Researcher Provides Resources for Professionals to Aid Young Children with Developmental Disabilities
Tue Sep 13
Through her research and contracts with the Florida Department of Health, Division of Children’s Medical Services, Jacqueline Towson is informing best practices around training teachers, speech-language pathologists, and other clinical service providers to best meet the language and literacy needs of young children with special needs. She is uniquely qualified to do this work thanks…
Faculty and Staff Members of the Year Honored at UCF Rosen College Retreat
Tue Sep 13
The annual back to campus gathering of UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management faculty and staff was a time for updates about the fall 2022 semester to come, and to recognize faculty and staff members for their accomplishments. As is the annual tradition, Rosen College recognized exemplary faculty, staff and associates with an Employee of…
UCF History Professor Discusses the Importance of Hispanic Heritage Month
Tue Sep 13
In anticipation of Hispanic Heritage Month, UCF History Professor Luis Martinez-Fernandez spoke with Abby Hornacek of FOX News to discuss the significance and cultural relevancy of this month. “What is the history of Hispanic Heritage Month and when was it started?” asks Hornacek. “Well, we have to go back to the 1960s, which was a peak in…
Two College of Arts and Humanities Staff Receive UCF Advancement Core Values Award
Tue Sep 13
Director of Advancement in Arts Azela Santana and Director of Advancement in Humanities Chris Hixon received two of three 2022 UCF Advancement Core Values Awards. The Excellence & Partnership Award, given to Santana, recognizes an employee who exemplifies collaboration in their work and creates opportunities to connect across the university. The Inclusivity Award, given to Hixon,…
UCF Podcast: Sociology Research Empowering the Hispanic Community
Tue Sep 13
Season three of Knights Do That, UCF’s official podcast, returns with its third guest, Professor of Sociology Fernando Rivera, who is the founding director of the Puerto Rico Research Hub. Rivera has been studying the movement of Puerto Ricans to the Central Florida community for over 10 years. He has studied the differential patterns of health…
