UCF in the News

Since its founding in 1776, the United States has pursued innovation and technological breakthroughs with a relentless drive impacting almost every corner of every community. “It was back in the 60s when Ivan Sutherland realized that computers were powerful tools but operating them with switches and knobs was not going to be the future,” said Carolina Cruz-Neira, Executive Director of the University of Central Florida’s Pegasus Research Institute and Institute for Simulation and Training (IST). “The future was to be able to have a more natural way to communicate with the computer, so he created the first interactive display and developed a pen where he would draw on a screen, which was the very beginning of visual simulation and that was born here in the United States,” said Cruz-Neira referring to Sutherland’s revolutionary Sketchpad computer program that he developed in 1963 as a PhD student at MIT. Recognized internationally as one of the top innovators for virtual reality, Cruz-Neira has spent more than 30-years combining visual simulation with real-world elements and enhancing the human connection through interactive technologies, advanced computer science and systems engineering. Under the umbrella of UCF’s Institute of Simulation and Training, its Mixed Emerging Technology Integration Lab (METIL) is also advancing critical research in artificial intelligence, blockchain, digital twins, cybersecurity and simulation-based learning. “As a systems integration lab, we have an opportunity to take some of the latest and greatest emerging technologies and put them together,” said METIL Director David Metcalf who has spent more than 20 years researching in the areas of simulation training and several other digital engineering specialty areas.

SpaceX’s Friday IPO – the largest in stock market history – will benefit more than Elon Musk, now considered the world’s first trillionaire. The billions of dollars raised the moment the stock offering hit the market is expected to fuel a surge of investment and development in new private space companies, many of which will have a presence in Orlando and Brevard County. UCF College of Business Professor Dr. Zaheer Ali, who leads the space commercialization program, equated the offering to Columbus crossing the Atlantic, which set off a new era of exploration and investment in transatlantic trade in the following decades. This time, humans will be eyeing the moon, Mars and the asteroid belt. “Who’s going to do the impossible next?” Ali asked, saying the focus would shift from getting to space to doing things in space. “Now, they have the money to do it. That’s what this IPO represents.” Ali credited SpaceX with making the journey to space achievable for so many others. Since the company came online, he said costs for transporting satellites and other equipment up into orbit has fallen by 90%, thanks largely in part to the innovations in management, manufacturing and logistics that SpaceX has solved over the years.

Two young girls are gaining independence and smiles thanks to customized cars designed to help children with mobility challenges. This week's Community Champion highlights UCF Go Baby Go!, a national organization that provides modified vehicles to children in need. Melody and Keller, who require extra support with mobility, received these cars as generous gifts from Go Baby Go!, the national organization that has a branch at UCF. Interviewed for the WESH2 Community Champion segment is its Director is Jennifer Tucker, a Clinical Associate Professor in the Program of Physical Therapy at the University of Central Florida.

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.”