UCF in the News

Florida ranked first in the United States as the destination in which the most people moved in 2021, dozens of residents of that state have faced a rise in rent and property prices that could mark the beginning of a crisis of living place. According to experts from various fields, high monthly payments, expensive property prices, and low wages, among other factors, force residents to seek other cheaper housing options such as renting a motel or hotel room. Dr. Owen Beitsch, a UCF professor for Economy & Real Estate said, "There is no question whatsoever. We're not only not providing enough housing of any kind, we're not providing enough rental housing. This is why I go back to 1950, this hasn't been a sudden boom it's been a period of gradual change that at different points in the last 50-60 years was suddenly punctuated with a sudden and sharp disruption." Dr. Andrew Sullivan, UCF professor of public administration said, "Homelessness and housing affordability was an issue even before COVID. But COVID brought to the forefront a lot of these issues that were sort of underline." NOTE: This story is in Spanish.

Former University of Central Florida football player Jake Hescock has died, according to the football team. His family says on Tuesday, Hescock collapsed during a jog in Boston, suffering cardiac arrest. He was taken to the hospital afterward and later passed away, according to his cousin. His cousin wrote on social media,"It is with a heavy heart that I have to say my cousin Jake has passed on, may he rest in peace and forever shine his bright soul down upon us." UCF Football confirmed Jake Hescock's passing Sunday on Facebook, saying he will be missed by the Knight Nation. "We are devastated to hear of the passing of Jake Hescock. He was beloved by everyone within Knight Nation. Our deepest condolences go out to everyone who knew Jake. He was taken too soon and will be greatly missed," UCF Football posted on Facebook. Coach Gus Malzahn honored Hescock on Twitter, writing, "We’re heartbroken to hear of Jake’s passing. He was an incredible person, who embodied what it means to be a UCF Knight. Everyone who knew Jake loved him and he was a blessing to coach. He will be greatly missed. Kristi and I’s prayers are with his whole family."

In addition to the loss (erosion) and gain (accretion) of sediments along the island coastline, Hurricane María caused a “significant” migration or movement of the coastline (shore) inland, increasing the exposure and vulnerability of the population, infrastructure and flood services in the event of new cyclones or storm surge events. Approximately 99 kilometers or 62 miles of coastline –also called water line– migrated inland, standing out, above all, in sections of Vieques, Cabo Rojo, Arecibo, Humacao, Isabela, Vega Baja, Fajardo, Luquillo, Loíza and bundle. Only in Vieques, the movement was 19 kilometers or 12 miles, according to the study "State of the beaches of Puerto Rico post-María", whose final results were presented yesterday. The study was made possible by a $1.4 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through the Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resiliency (COR3), with a duration of three years. Thirty-eight students from various faculties participated, and the other co-investigator was Luis Santiago, a planner and professor at the University of Central Florida School of Public Administration. NOTE: This story is in Spanish.

During the State of Downtown Address, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer discussed the growth and future possibilities of tech here in Central Florida. The mayor said the city is becoming a hub for technology companies and is the fastest-growing US city for IT talent and the second fastest-growing city for tech worker salaries. Ben Noel is the Executive Director of the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy at UCF and believes this is just the beginning for technology in Orlando. “It is one of the fastest growing areas. Maybe not the biggest, but fastest growing,” explained Noel. “We have seen that and again 20-30 years ago, it was harder to attract people to Orlando. The people were coming from other places. They could hardly bring their families here. They were worried about if I lost my job in that one tech job, what do we do? Now those concerns aren’t there.” He said students are coming to the graduate program with the goal of staying in Orlando and working at a company like EA. “I got stories of kids that are coming saying what am I doing, I’m moving into the Julian, I’m coming to FIEA, then I’m going to go work at EA,” added Noel. “16 months later it is exactly what they are doing.”

A University of Central Florida chemistry professor is using laser-based technology to help the families of victims whose remains have yet to be identified. “This is a handheld laser-induced spectroscopy instrument, otherwise known as a handheld LIB,” UCF doctoral student Kristen Livingston said. Livingston said there are two versions of the laser-induced spectroscopy—a hand-held version, used for fieldwork, and a larger stationary unit, used for lab work. Livingston and her professor, Matthieu Baudelet, hope they can get results by distinguishing bones and other remains using this new tech. The idea behind it is that someone’s metabolism or their environment causes a unique signature within the remans that make them identifiable. During a demonstration, Livingston said the instrument works by focusing a laser on the surface of a bone or remain. The laser then helps break down the sample which then converts data to a spectrum highlighting its composition in elements and atoms. “So if you just have bones and you cannot do much DNA, that would be something like large mass graves and everything is mixed up, we can help,” Baudelet said.

Leonid Glebov left Russia for the United States in 1995 empty-handed with a big idea and no plan. Today, Glebov, 74, is a research professor at the University of Central Florida and the research and development director of OptiGrate Corp., an Orlando-based company producing optical elements that precisely control laser beams. This has made eye surgery with lasers safer and improved spectral analysis for the detection of drugs, explosives and other kinds of contaminants. Today, Glebov, 74, is a research professor at the University of Central Florida and the research and development director of OptiGrate Corp., an Orlando-based company producing optical elements that precisely control laser beams. This has made eye surgery with lasers safer and improved spectral analysis for the detection of drugs, explosives and other kinds of contaminants. The research has also helped miniaturize size and reduce the cost of lasers used for medicine, pharmacology and defense.

After pedaling his bicycle to the barrier-island dunes in Melbourne Beach, Florida Institute of Technology professor J. Travis Hunsucker watched NASA's mighty Artemis I moon rocket arc a fiery path across the post-midnight sky last month, twinkling into a tiny dot over the Atlantic Ocean. Now, the ocean engineering and marine sciences assistant professor has reported to the Navy amphibious transport ship USS Portland in San Diego. On Sunday, he'll help forecast and analyze wave dynamics to guide NASA officials as they retrieve the rocket's bobbing Orion capsule after it splashes down into the Pacific Ocean. While attending the University of Central Florida, Jones recalled getting a February 2003 phone call from her mother, Sue Hutchinson, who was standing at the 15,000-foot-long Shuttle Landing Facility waiting for shuttle Columbia to return to the Cape. “She called and woke me up, and she said, ‘Get up and turn the news on.’ And she hung up. And she was out there the rest of the day,“ Jones recalled. Columbia had tragically broken apart over Texas during atmospheric reentry, killing all seven astronauts aboard.

Following a loss at Tulane in the AAC championship on Saturday, UCF coach Gus Malzahn stressed the importance of the Knights’ opportunity to earn the team’s 10th win of the season in a bowl. “What’s next is a bowl game and we need to win a bowl game to get some momentum for next year,” Malzahn said after his team fell 45-28 against the Green Wave in New Orleans. It marks the seventh straight year that UCF will play in a bowl, which extends a program record. “Bowl games are very important,” Malzahn said. “Just like it was last year. We’ll put everything we can into getting a bowl victory.”

With the holiday season in full swing, you may be looking forward to your parties, dinners, and other cheer-filled festivities. But for many people, this time of year is also an opportunity to practice gratitude and spirituality. Established in 1966, Kwanzaa is celebrated for seven days every year from December 26 through January 1. The word Kwanzaa comes from the word "first" in Swahili and is inspired by the start of the harvest season in Africa. The holiday was created with the intention of connecting with the past to prepare for the future while acknowledging culture and identity, says Donald Harrell, an adjunct Africana Studies professor at University of Central Florida. However, it wasn't recognized as a mainstream holiday until the 1980s. The shift in acceptance was revolutionary for the Black community. "Your identity with yourself gives you power that was [against] the goals of those who sought to oppress, marginalize, and keep people in a second class position," explains Harrell.