UCF in the News

Charging more for pink razors or other items marketed to women will become illegal in California on January 1. Often called the "pink tax," the practice of charging different prices for men and women for similar goods and services will no longer be tolerated in the state. It's estimated that women pay about $2,381 more per year for the same goods and services as a man—that's $47 billion per year extra women spend in California. Liz Grauerholz, a sociology professor at the University of Central Florida who researches the pink tax, says it may be hard to enforce the law because it's often tough to compare women's and men's products directly. "It is almost impossible to make a side-by-side comparison. And I honestly believe that manufacturers have gotten pretty wise to the pink tax, so they make them [men's and women's items] look like completely different products to make those side-by-side comparisons really difficult." She adds that women's products often have more ingredients and some different ingredients than men's products making comparisons even more difficult. Thus, it’s unlikely that California women will reap big savings as a result of the new law.

Universities around Central Florida have spent the week celebrating their Fall 2022 graduates. Commencements took place around the state, where students got the chance to walk on stage and receive their diplomas. The following institutions held their ceremonies this week: According to UCF’s publication, they were expected to award about 6,200 degrees during four different ceremonies that took place Friday and Saturday. UCF has awarded more than 407,000 degrees since classes began in 1968.

Thanks to the proliferation of mobile devices there is now "Text Neck Syndrome," where social media is quite literally becoming a pain in the neck! The more we look down at our devices during the day the more this could result in changes in our posture and alignment. However, that is just one of the lesser concerns about the impact social media is having on our modern lives. Excessive social media use can also take a toll on young people's mental health. "For college students, social media can be a double-edged sword: On the one hand, avoiding social media altogether can lead to feelings of loneliness and fear of missing out, because social media is now a primary means for maintaining social connections," explained Dr. Mary Jean Amon of the School of Modeling, Simulation, and Training at the University of Central Florida. "On the other hand, research shows too much or problematic social media use is often associated with worsened mental health and even impairments to academic performance," she added. In general, students struggling with their mental health should even consider seeking professional help from their university's counseling and psychological services, which are well-equipped to deal with issues specific to college students. "I also encourage parents to have constructive conversations and practice empathy when considering their kid's experiences with social media," suggested Amon. "Social media is a primary means of communication for young people, yet it is not always easy to navigate."

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.