UCF in the News

As the sun rises on sea turtle nests across the Space Coast, biologists see new rays of hope. Many feared for the future of Florida's three most prominent types of endangered sea turtles — greens, loggers and leatherbacks — but this year evidence suggests they are rebounding. That's especially true along Brevard County's Space Coast, where astronauts launched to the moon and these prehistoric leviathans lay countless eggs. "Yes, generally, we have had a good season for leatherbacks (a new record, though the numbers are still low given we are at the northern range of where leatherbacks nest along our coastline)," wrote Kate Mansfield, associate professor at University of Central Florida.

Two experimental payloads built by college students were incorporated into a Rocketstar suborbital test flight the following month. Students at Brigham Young University and the University of Central Florida provided an experimental payload developed by TriSept Corp. Built into a 10-meter-tall cowbell rocket by RocketStar, based in New York. The UCF payload is intended to simulate asteroid particle activity during suborbital flight. Students who have flown similar payloads on the International Space Station are using their device to study particle collisions. Students at the BYU College of Engineering provided a suite of sensors for measuring motion, acceleration, and vibration onboard the rocket.

Orlando has the most sophisticated wrong-way detection system of its kind in the U.S. Professor Haitham al-Deek at UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science was an expert in transportation research. Together with his engineering students, they proposed a comprehensive system.

The Rosen College of Hospitality within the University of Central Florida has been recognized once again. The school was ranked top five worldwide in the ShanghaiRankings’ 2022 list, which includes 500 top universities. This is the third time Rosen College’s hospitality program was ranked No. 1 in the nation and among the top five in the world.

“Everyone deserves the chance to play" was much more than just a motto on a T-shirt for the participants at the University of Central Florida’s inaugural Adaptive Tennis Day this spring. Hosted at no cost by the UCF Recreation & Wellness Center on May 31, participants of all ages and abilities joined volunteers to share in the joys of tennis. Dr. Jill Fjelstul, an associate professor at the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management and founder of the non-profit Champions at Play, Inc., organized the event with the goal of providing a fun and memorable experience for all involved—having seen first-hand in her own family the positive impact that sports can have on individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Climbing boulders and rolling through quicksand-like conditions, NASA’s latest lunar rover is getting ready to take on the alien terrain of the moon. For now, it’s passing tests in Cleveland, Ohio at NASA’s Glenn Research Center. Recently, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) prototype passed its test of conquering a lunar obstacle course, NASA said Tuesday. And while the rover tests from afar, VIPER is getting some assistance in preparation thanks to the University of Central Florida, which sold NASA lunar simulated rocks from its Exolith Lab. UCF’s lab, which is managed a mile north of its main campus, produces alien-simulated soil imitating properties found on the moon, Mars and other celestial bodies.

Could sight be a sense soon to be unlocked by artificial intelligence? This is the basis of a project led by researchers at the University of Central Florida. Thanks to a device capable of reproducing the retina of a human eye, their creation could lead to new, more powerful AI systems with new capabilities. In practical terms, the technology could allow AI to instantly understand what it's actually looking at. The most obvious applications for such technology are autonomous cars and robotics.

Just weeks ahead of the start of the new academic school year, Florida State University and the University of Central Florida announced new hires for administrative positions. Rodney Grabowski is UCF’s new Senior Vice President of Advancement and Partnerships.“[Grabowski] has an incredible track record of success in fundraising, university advancement, and in fostering the connections and relationships necessary to fuel the success of a 21st-century university,” UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright says.

Like most cities where tourism fuels the economy, Orlando was hit hard by the pandemic. The theme parks shut down for months in 2020. The restaurants and hotels which once served millions of tourists a year were quiet. The smaller businesses were hurt too. The airport slowed down to a grind. Thousands of employees were temporarily out of work. Now, the University of Central Florida is starting a $4.5 million research project that educators believe will help the next time a pandemic strikes.