CHPS Faculty Members Receive UCF RIA Awards
Thu May 12
Congratulations to Department of Health Sciences faculty members, Michael Rovito and Jeanette Garcia, for receiving the 2022 UCF Research Incentive Award. This award recognizes outstanding research, scholarly, or creative activity that advances the body of knowledge in a particular field, including interdisciplinary research and collaborations. The Research Incentive award recognizes in-unit employee contributions to UCF’s key goal of achieving international prominence…
Goodwill Industries of Central Florida to Offer Free Tuition for Employees, Selects UCF as Participating Partner
Wed May 11
UCF is joining forces with another major employer to offer access to a high-quality education to more students across the region. Goodwill Industries of Central Florida announced a new, pre-paid tuition program that will cover the cost of college or vocational school for its employees. Luis Diaz, a junior at UCF studying forensic psychology, is…
Mother of 4, Specialized Education Advocate to Graduate from UCF
Wed May 11
he subheader says Christine Parsons ’17. On May 7, she’ll become Christine Parsons ’17 ’22MS. But there’s so much more to Parsons than degrees and years. She’s a mom and a sister. She knows first-hand what it’s like to struggle in school and all-too-well how the struggle can lead to tragedy. There’s nothing traditional about the path…
UCF Graduate Student Heads to Notre Dame for Tenure-track Position After Commencement
Wed May 11
Even before Karla Badillo-Urquiola ’14 ’15MS collects her third degree from UCF on May 7, the modeling and simulation doctoral student already has a job lined up. She’ll begin her career as a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame in the fall — a…
New UCF Project Examines How Teams Will Work Together During Space Missions
Tue May 10
The isolation and long travel times of space missions can cause breakdowns in thinking and reasoning with even the best of teams, compromising mission objectives and the safety of crew members. That’s why researchers at the University of Central Florida are spearheading a new, recently funded project to improve the cognition of team members for…
National Engineering Association Honors UCF’s Space Dirt Expert
Tue May 10
UCF Pegasus Professor of Physics Dan Britt became the second UCF space researcher in university history to earn one of the American Society of Civil Engineers most prestigious awards for work that makes a difference in space exploration. Florida Space Institute planetary scientists Phil Metzger earned the recognition in 2018. Britt accepted the honor during…
From the Lab to Real Life
Tue May 10
(Photo by Jason Greene) Sanjeev Gurshaney is caught in a crossroads of enthusiasm at 9 a.m. The UCF junior would like to take time to explain his research on immunotherapy-based medical treatments. But he really would like to start his daily 30-minute commute to the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences in Lake Nona. “If I’m awake,” Gurshaney…
Former Foster Care Child, Now Mother of 3, Reaches Goal of Becoming Teacher
Tue May 10
“Are you sure you want to do this? If you failed once, you’re probably going to fail again.” And with that, Jeanette Marie Reynoso received some of the worst advice ever given by a college counselor. Reynoso was shocked. She thought the indifference and casual cruelty she encountered in her youth was behind her. But…
$75K Contribution from Duke Energy Florida Helps Build Future Leaders of Engineering and Computer Science
Mon May 9
A $75,000 donation to UCF from Duke Energy Florida will provide critical resources to support the transformation of engineering and computer science students into professionals and future leaders in their fields. The funds will be used towards priority areas in the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science, specifically in programs designed to build leadership…
Merendino Memorial Wine Scholarship Awarded to UCF Rosen College Student
Mon May 9
UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management is proud to announce that the first Merendino Memorial Wine Scholarship has been awarded to Carlos Castro-Wetzstein. This $2,500 scholarship will be awarded annually to a student enrolled in Rosen College’s newly launched Beverage Management Certificate Program who demonstrates sustained excellence in educational performance and the study of wine. The certificate program…
Makers of the Next New Worlds: UCF’s First Themed Experience Cohort Graduates
Fri May 6
commencement weekend. Some UCF graduates will head into backyards to celebrate with family and friends. Some will board planes to take long-awaited escapes. But eleven graduates will travel across Orlando to Universal Studios, which for them is a bridge from the completion of their master’s degrees into a world beyond school — and maybe beyond…
Fellowships Equip Students for Careers in Nuclear Chemistry
Thu May 5
Three nuclear chemistry students will spend their summer deepening their expertise through fellowships with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The fellowships are based on their research and specialty, with Kyle Morgan and Ian Russell working in the DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) and Jordan Stanberry working with the DOE Lawrence Livermore National Lab and Seaborg Nuclear Institute. “This…
SVAD Faculty Members Darlene Hadrika and Scott F. Hall Retire
Thu May 5
Darlene Hadrika and Scott F. Hall, longtime faculty members in the School of Visual Arts and Design, will retire this semester. Darlene Hadrika has served as Research Associate at UCF for the past 18 years. Born and raised in Orlando, she earned her MFA in Theater, Film and Television: Animation from UCLA in 2010. Hadrika has over twenty-five…
UCF’s Sherlock Holmes of Microbiology: Salvador Almagro-Moreno
Thu May 5
The literary character Sherlock Holmes is best known for his uncanny ability to crack unsolvable cases through the power of observation and by making connections often missed by the average person. Meet the microbiology world’s Sherlock Holmes – UCF Assistant Professor of Medicine Salvador Almagro-Moreno. His work in the field over the past 20 years and…
Finding Your Passion at UCF Through Research
Thu May 5
When she was assigned a group research project in her class on Ethical and Legal Issues in Student Personnel, Annaliese Bullock embraced the undertaking. She and six other students spent months investigating how on-campus cultural centers — like UCF’s Multicultural Student Center — can impact marginalized students’ sense of belonging. The work paid off, as the team…
UCF Student to Conduct Research at Mayo Clinic After Graduation
Thu May 5
J Justin Barthel loves science and medicine — the meticulous details of how the body’s systems, chemicals and cells create health and fight disease. After he graduates with university honors from UCF May 6, he will join Mayo Clinic to conduct cancer research — the next step toward his dream of becoming a physician and…
UCF Professor Awarded NSF Grant to Fund Groundbreaking Friction Research
Thu May 5
Masahiro Ishigami, associate professor of physics, recently received a two-year, $332,552 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation in recognition of his work’s potential to bridge a knowledge gap in tribology — the study of friction, lubrication and wear. According to a 2017 U.S. Department of Energy report, up to 1.6% of the United States’…
UCF’s First Ph.D. in Big Data Analytics Walks the Commencement Stage This Week
Thu May 5
Big data can reveal clues to solving big problems. Patrick (Phuong) Pho ’18MS has used big data to develop models to prevent electricity theft and tampering. He also used it to predict major depressive disorder using genotyping data and he’s used it to develop models that forecast wait times at Walt Disney World attractions. He’s…
Graduating Nonprofit Management Student Gives Back by Establishing New Scholarship
Thu May 5
A few years ago, Sean Farrell was unsure whether he had the academic qualifications to be accepted into a master’s program at UCF. Fast forward to present day, and Farrell not only is graduating this spring with his master’s in nonprofit management, he also serves as director for Advancement for Student Development and Academic Success…
Faculty Planning for Weeknight Home Football Games
Tue May 3
UCF is scheduled to host three weeknight football games at the Bounce House. Please be aware of these dates when planning syllabi for fall courses. The weeknight games include two on Thursdays and one on a Friday. As with previous seasons’ weekday football games, UCF plans to hold classes as scheduled for the entire morning…
