UCF in the News

Acid reflux, a pervasive condition characterized by the backward flow of stomach acid into the esophagus, afflicts millions worldwide with symptoms ranging from heartburn and belching to chest discomfort and dysphagia. Beyond these daily discomforts, chronic acid reflux is a known precursor to esophageal cancer, a malignancy with a daunting five-year survival rate hovering around 22%. This grim statistic underscores the urgent need for innovative preventative and therapeutic strategies. Groundbreaking research led by Associate Professor Claudia Andl at the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine is pioneering a new frontier in the fight against acid reflux and its malignant sequelae by harnessing the potential of probiotics. Probiotics, broadly defined as live microorganisms that confer health benefits to their host, have garnered significant attention in recent years, primarily for their role in enhancing gut health and modulating the digestive microbiome.

A new forecast from the University of Central Florida says the U.S. economy is being pulled in different directions as rising energy prices, slower hiring, household debt and artificial intelligence investment reshape the outlook. The forecast comes from UCF’s Institute for Economic Forecasting, led by economist Sean Snaith. Snaith said rising energy prices tied to the conflict with Iran are adding new pressure for households that were already recovering from years of inflation.

University of Central Florida professor Humberto López Castillo was recently looking at a student project when he saw that it cited a paper by Castillo himself. There was, however, a problem with this citation: Castillo couldn’t remember ever writing this paper or conducting the research it referenced.

“Plants vs. Zombies” was where gaming started for Arnold Shakirov, a senior at Stetson University in Florida. Now, Shakirov is pursuing his dream of using his game creation skills at Electronic Arts. Electronic Arts, which had been focused on "providing a platform" for game creators, began developing games itself in the early 1990s and began acquiring other businesses, according to EBSCO. Hawkins left in the early '90s. Since then, the company has seen multiple changes and innovations as technology has progressed. "It's been a cultural change, and EA kind of led that revolution back in the early 90s," said Ben Noel, a former EA executive. Noel is now the executive director of the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy at the University of Central Florida, which has seen many graduates go on to work for EA. Noel was vice president and studio chief operating officer of EA studios in Austin, Texas, and Orlando. EA works with Stetson to give students a summer research experience at the University of Central Florida's Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy.

In this episode of AIM on MS&T, Dr. Winston Schoenfeld, Vice President for Research and Innovation, and Professor of Optics, at the University of Central Florida, shares insights on how research across the university advances national security and why MS&T continues to be a key area of focus.

Carissa Baker noted the challenges that theme park operators face in the first year of a brand-new theme park. Baker is a theme park researcher at the University of Central Florida, with 20 years of experience in the industry. “You're constantly looking to improve, you're constantly looking to adjust based on the operational reality,” Baker said. “So, until it opens, it's a theoretical concept, and this is what we think. You know, this is how many guests we think we’ll have. This is how reliable this attraction we think will be. But when guests flood through the gates, then those things change.”

For years, schools nationwide have struggled with hiring and retaining special educators. In the 2024-25 school year, 45 states reported special education teacher shortages, and staff turnover is worse in schools that largely serve low-income students. According to a recent survey by the nonpartisan Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), 57% of special education teachers polled nationwide said they used AI to help develop individualized plans for their students in the 2024-25 school year. That's up from 39% the previous school year. Along with the survey results, the CDT warned of privacy, legal and ethical risks around using AI. Other research, however, including from the University of Virginia (UVA) and the University of Central Florida (UCF), has shown that when used appropriately, AI can help special education teachers craft IEPs of equal or higher quality than when teachers produce them alone. And the time saved can benefit students, too. "The more face time a student with a disability has with a teacher, that often yields better outcomes for them, both educationally, functionally — just across the board," says Olivia Coleman, a researcher and professor at UCF who has been studying the role of AI in special education.