UCF in the News

The University of Central Florida is working on propulsion technology that can travel at least five times the speed of sound or greater as the U.S. chases China and Russia in developing the latest air defense technology. The Department of Defense awarded UCF researchers $1.5 million to advance its hypersonic propulsion technology in the hopes of surpassing China, which successfully tested new hypersonic missiles last August, a feat the U.S. has yet to accomplish. “Hypersonics are the new set of technology that everyone is interested in weaponizing,” said Tom Dolan, UCF associate professor at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs. “The concern is that hypersonics could represent a complete revolution of technology that changes everything but we don’t know for sure.” UCF’s three-year award is part of 18 other projects the DOD is funding to advance hypersonic research and build a workforce around it. Kareem Ahmed, an associate professor in UCF’s department of mechanical engineering and an expert in hypersonic propulsion engineering, is the lead researcher.

A $3.3 million University of Central Florida research project aims to help law enforcement agencies better recognize potential domestic violence situations through enhanced risk assessments that could lead to changes that prevent recent cases like Gabby Petito and Miya Marcano. Bethany Backes, UCF researcher and the project’s co-lead, said the research aims to decrease homicide and violence against people during the pretrial period, as well as ensure the assessment tools created are culturally significant.

Protecting the Earth from celestial threats took a big step forward Tuesday night with the launch of a mission to move an asteroid. The mission headed by NASA, Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), was sent on its journey with a launch of the first SpaceX mission that sent a payload into deep space. Dr. Kerri Donaldson Hanna, a planetary geologist at the University of Central Florida who will study samples of the asteroid Bennu when they return to Earth, said getting the opportunity to study these asteroids up close will provide invaluable information — on top of what NASA may learn while attempting to alter the course of an asteroid.

A study by researchers at the University of Central Florida and the University of Waterloo in Canada surveyed parkgoers’ feelings toward dynamic pricing. It found consumers don’t like it, especially when it means they know they paid more than others.

A University of Central Florida animation and visual effects graduate student plans to tell the story of immigrants living in the U.S. in a creative way by using 3-D animation. Animation Career Review (ACR) ranked UCF’s School of Visual Arts and Design as number two among the nation’s top public animation schools this year.

Two major players in growing the region's early-stage startups have a new home in downtown Orlando. The University of Central Florida Business Program's Downtown Innovation District and startup accelerator Starter Studio on Dec. 1 will move into a 3,579-square-foot space at 130 S. Orange Ave — the ground floor of the 85-year-old Kress Building.

The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) is an engineering organization that targets the Hispanic community, and its chapter at UCF is helping the 30 percent of Hispanic or Latino undergraduate engineering students feel at home. SHPE has over 300 members and focuses on helping students obtain mentorships, internships or jobs, as well as creating a family in the large UCF community. This year, it also launched a scholarship committee for students who struggle financially.

UCF RESTORES is making strides in its mission to make virtual reality treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder more available. The program is now looking to cut down the length of treatment from 15 days to 10 days and using new VR technology developed at the university. With it, treatment can be more personalized for veterans and first responders, and anyone who has experience trauma.

UCF’s classic “Knighthead” logo has received a facelift as the athletics department begins to prepare for bigger stages and brighter lights in the Big 12 Conference. The new logo, which serves as a secondary to UCF’s primary “stacked” logo, provides a more modern look at the Knighthead. The logo was designed in-house, and makes references to the university’s connections to the space program by featuring a Polaris star in the center chest, while remaining true to its original mascot with iconic Knight characteristics.