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Donate to the COS Foundation
Help secure a successful education for future College of Sciences students by donating here.
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Do you have a story idea?
Do you have a story idea for the College of Sciences? Send it our way! We write and feature stories, articles, photos and videos about students, graduates, faculty and staff at the College of Sciences at UCF. Email your information to Jerriann Sullivan at cosmarketing@ucf.edu.
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Gen Y grads more likely to launch start-ups
According to a 2012 report by the Kauffman Foundation, the largest entrepreneurial foundation in the U.S., 29.4% of entrepreneurs were 20 to 34 years old, and roughly 160,000 start-ups a month were led by Millennials in 2011. Even though 40% of 8- to 24-year-olds Kauffman polled say they would like to start a business, “There ...
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Congress clashes over student loan rate
About 450,000 Florida college students will pay an average of $979 more for new federal loans starting July 1 unless Congress agrees to freeze the current interest rate at 3.4 percent. Facing a bleak job market, some students are pressuring Congress to spare them from higher payments, and members of both parties on Capitol Hill say they ...
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Sociology student wins hurdle event at Conference USA outdoor championship
Sociology student Jackie Coward recently won the 100meter hurdle even at the Conference USA outdoor championship. She medaled and recorded times among the NCAA’s top 25 in the 100 hurdles. Corward retained her title as the 100 hurdles champion by picking up her third gold medal of her career in the event with a time of 13.10 ...
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Video: Computers inplanted in humans may be the next big thing
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist John Bersia explores the current international issues with world-renowned newsmakers, authors, scholars and experts to create an awareness and understanding of the global community. Technology and innovation expert Ayesha Khanna thinks computers inplanted in humans may be the next big thing.
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UCF Biologists Lead Hunt for Rare Snakes
A team of University of Central Florida biologists, volunteers from the community, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will search for a rare and threatened water snake at Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach May 15-20. The federally funded project is aimed at studying the genetics of the Atlantic Salt Marsh snake. Researchers hope ...
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Thank you for your support in the Faculty & Staff Campaign
The Dean served a pizza lunch to the Department of Sociology for their generous participation in the recent Faculty & Staff Campaign.
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Battle of the sexes brewing in drug store aisles
There’s a battle of the sexes going on inside every store. From moisturizer to deodorant to razors, women are paying more. Local 6 took cameras to a local skin care and cosmetics factory to get some answers and figure out how we women can start fighting back. When customers walk down any drug store aisle, ...
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Ancient skulls found in Winter Garden puzzle experts
At first, it appeared to be a discovery with sinister implications: Two skulls unearthed by a swimming pool contractor in a Winter Garden neighborhood. Now, the human remains are the focus of an archaeological mystery. The skulls, about a dozen pottery shards and textiles were discovered in the sand in January— a finding that left a ...
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Coastal residents, beachgoers should dim lights or face fines
Turn off or shade those beach lights tonight, or you could face a fine and jail time for disorienting endangered baby sea turtles. Under local ordinances, coastal residents must keep their lights from reaching the beach during official sea turtle nesting season, which runs today through Oct. 31. Llew Ehrhart, a marine turtle biologist who ...
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Democrats work to boost Rivera challenger
In an apparent effort to boost the visibility of a low-profile contender going after a potentially vulnerable incumbent, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Tuesday added Gloria Romero Roses to its list of “emerging races” that could help the party regain control of the U.S. House. Roses is a relatively unknown candidate running against Republican Congressman ...
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Political science grad tackling AIDS and malaria
Shane Meckler, a 2011 Political Science graduate, is in Mozambique tackling AIDS and malaria as a Community Health Peace Corps Volunteer. “I have worked with my supervisor to give presentations on malaria prevention to a women’s group within our organization known as ‘Anamai Wakakombererwa’ in the local Bantu dialect,” he said. “It translates to ‘Blessed Mothers,’ and ...
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A colourful way to size up nanoparticles
Nanoparticles can be sized thanks to the localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect observed in gold, silver and copper particles. This phenomenon arises as incident light interacts with surface electrons and is scattered. It forms the basis of many of the applications of nanoparticles in photonics, for instance. The team explains that the approach is ...
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Student’s thesis wins prestigious award
Congratulations to Miguel Ubiles, whose thesis “Affirmative Action in Higher Education and the Talented Twenty Program in Florida” was selected for the Best MA Thesis Award 2011-2012. The award, bestowed on Ubiles by the UCF and the Political Science department, has been generously sponsored by Cengage Learning. Cengage Learning is a leading provider of innovative ...
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Photography and social media to promote biodiversity
The Biology department recently hosted an event with photographer and blogger Alex Wild. The event “Using Photography and Social Media to Promote Biodiversity” was created so Wild could explain how new technology is changing the environmental landscape and provides pointers on how to participate. Americans are spending less time outdoors and more time glued to technology. On the surface, this ...
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Psychology grad lands job with View Media
Amanda Forbus, a recent Psychology grad from UCF, landed a job with View Media, based in Orlando, Florida. Forbus has had a passion for Contextual Marketing and Social Media Management for over three years and has been working in in the industry since. These specialties will expand ViewMedia’s already extensive list of online marketing services. ...
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Space miners seek riches in nearby asteroids
A team of venture capitalists and explorers backed by film director James Cameron, billionaire Ross Perot and Google chief executive Larry Page is proposing to bring asteroid mining closer to reality. Scientists are, of course, keen to see samples in their labs. Of particular interest, says Humberto Campins, a planetary scientist at the University of Central ...
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Chemistry Team devlops probes that may be useful to study Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases
Two-photon fluorescence microscopy imaging of cellular oxidative stress using profluorescent nitroxides Oxidative stress is thought to play a key role in a number of conditions, cardiovascular aging, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. With the increasing prevalence of these diseases, there are few methods to monitor molecular components that cause oxidative stress in vivo. Prof. Kevin ...
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Photos: UCF Arboretum
The Orlando Sentinel visited the UCF Arboretum and shot several great photos of nature on our campus. Check out all of the photos here.
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Photos: 2012 Founders’ Day Honors Convocation
The 2012 Founders’ Day Honors Convocation Photos can be viewed and saved on the UCF Marketing Photofile. Several people from the College of Sciences faculty and staff were honored at the recent Founders’ Day Honors Convocation. This year’s honorees are: The Pegasus Professor Award · Talat Rahman, Physics · Linda Walters, Biology University Awards Excellence ...
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Event: UCF job fair
Several times a year UCF Career Services hold job fairs. Today they hosted the StateWide Job Fair in the UCF Arena. The event was packed with over 100 companies that are hiring with positions for all types of graduates. To apply for jobs via Career Services and prepare for the next job fair, please visit their ...
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Politics in the Trayvon Martin shooting
In March, Sanford’s city commission passed a 3-2 motion expressing “no confidence” in the police chief. Triplett and Commissioners Velma Williams and Mark McCarty voted for the motion, while Mahany and Jones voted against it. Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida who specializes in Florida politics and state and ...
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Biology student wins conservation grant
Edem Ekpe, a student in the Applied Conservation Biology track of the Conservation Biology PhD program, was recently awarded a grant for the trustees of The Rufford Small Grants Foundation. The grant is being made towards his project – Conserving the Straw-coloured Fruit Bat, Eidolon helvum (Megachiroptera: Pteropodidae) and its habitats through networking of conservation volunteers in ...
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Chemistry student wins scholarship
The Buckhorn Homeowners Association’s annual college scholarship competition was finalized recently. Second place went to Melissa Mertely, who received a $275 college scholarship. Mertely is going to attend the University of Central Florida where she plans to achieve her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. Mertely is passionate about chemistry and her goal is to become ...
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Event: Global Perspectives Office Director to speak at luncheon
The Foreign Service Retirees Association of Florida will hold a luncheon May 18 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 55 Town Center Blvd., Palm Coast. Social time begins at 11:15 a.m. with lunch served at noon. The luncheon is open to all members and anyone who served as a U.S. government representative overseas. John C. Bersia, ...
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Broadcast journalism alumnus gaining fame as local rap performer
When you first look at Logan Herlihy, he looks like your typical college student. He has a charming personality and makes himself approachable to all with his comedic-like humor. Put Herlihy in front of a mic, and he turns into his rapper pseudonym: Swagga Blanco. Last Friday, Herlihy took the stage at Café Annie during ...
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Sea turtles, whales deter oil surveys
Florida Today recently wrote an article titled “Sea turtles, whales deter oil surveys.” They reached out to Biology Professor Llew Ehrhart for his expert opinion on the topic. The environmental study includes several alternatives for ways to avoid harming whales, sea turtles and other wildlife. Proposals include closing areas up to about six nautical miles ...
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NSC grad launches FemCityOrlando
Leah Nash, 34, is membership coordinator for the Florida Independent Automobile Dealers Association. She also runs Trusted Source Communications, an Orlando-based marketing firm. Nash’s passion for culture and connecting with people led her to launch FemCityOrlando, an Orlando group for women business owners. Nash earned a master’s degree in communication from the University of Central Florida. “I wanted ...
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Florida International Summit
The Florida International Summit, sponsored by the UCF Political Science Department, the UCF Global Perspectives Office and the UCF Nicholson School of Communication, was held last month. The event, titled “Technology, Society and Innovation in an Era of Globalization” was a success with national and international guest speakers. Specialists in technology, innovation and globalization spoke Thursday at the ...
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Risk vs. freedom: Older-driver debate leaves difficult choices
The Daytona Beach News-Journal recently wrote an article featuring a COS professor titled “Risk vs. freedom: Older-driver debate leaves difficult choices.” When it comes to our cognitive abilities and reflexes, humans reach their peak early in life, said Dr. Janan Smither, a professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida who specializes in aging. Starting ...
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Spring 2012 PhD Pre-Commencement Celebration
Nine College of Sciences students celebrated the completion of their PhD programs last week. You can view all of the photos from this year’s celebration here. You can view photos from previous celebrations here.