The Charge

Growing up surrounded by wetlands near the Virginia Beach area, Tiffany Dawson developed a deep love for marine biology and a lifelong passion for ecological conservation.Dawson, a UCF integrative and conservation biology Ph.D. candidate, was recently inducted into UCF’s Order of Pegasus, the most prestigious award a student can receive at the school, according to UCF's website.
As a member of UCF’s marine turtle research group, Dawson was recognized by the school for her research on the...

UCF mental health professionals discussed how Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to investigate antidepressants may lead to more problems in the ongoing mental health crisis in the country.During his confirmation hearing on Jan. 29, Kennedy stated his intention to investigate the use of antidepressants in the country, particularly Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, as part of his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign.
“I know people, including membe...

UCF Student Government and the UCF Arboretum celebrated World Water Day on Monday in the Cape Florida Ballroom with an event that informed students and faculty on water sustainability and global water challenges.Attendees were greeted outside the ballroom by members of UCF's Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab (CEELAB) who set up a table with biodegradable ecosystem engineering products (BESE), which are environmentally safe products used for ecosystem restoration.
The event had seven spea...

NASA recently assessed asteroid 2024 YR4, also known as the "city-killer" asteroid, which now has a lower probability of impacting Earth in 2032. The chance of an impact has dropped significantly to 0.0012% at the time of publication, but questions remain about Earth's asteroid defenses.Dr. Joshua Colwell, UCF pegasus professor and associate dean for research in the College of Sciences, said lead time is critical for deflecting an impending asteroid. Lead time is the head start scientists have t...

UCF fans arrived in droves for the Knights' highly anticipated matchup with in-state rival Florida, Saturday evening in Gainesville.Despite the large number of Gator fans wandering the streets of Florida’s campus, Knights fans made their presence felt, with their iconic “Go Knights” and “Charge on” monikers, as well as their familiar black and gold colors shining through the sea of orange and blue.
As fans waited for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium’s gates to open, tailgating and pregame activi...

Researchers from UCF's Marine Turtle Research Group used satellite trackers to uncover new data released earlier this month regarding the behavior of young sea turtles during what is known as "the lost years.""The lost years" term is used to describe turtles lives in between leaving a beach after hatching, to returning to shore as a juvenile. The new data suggests that previous hypotheses about the turtles’ behaviors and migration routes during this time may not have been as accurate as initiall...