Bradley Rouleau, Isabelle Fowler & Eryn Wioncek (Research Intensive), An Experimental Archaeological Approach to Pre-historic and Historic Recipes using Zamia sp.

Third Place

Jocelyn Hernandez (Service-Learning),  Cerrando la Brecha con el Español: Serving Orlando’s Uninsured at American Muslim Community Clinics

Lily Cring et al. (Global Learning), Global Learning Project: Vietnam Women's Academy

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

Switch View to List View Slideshow

All-India Women’s Conference

Skylar Spearman, Brianna Campbell, Nayla Chica, Caroline Kramer, and Alexandra Rae

As a team, we collaborated closely to explore and understand the complexities of intercultural differences and their impact on communication and decision-making within diverse environments. We examined how cultural values, norms, and practices shape interactions both in personal and professional settings. Additionally, we focused on the influential role that social media plays in shaping the way companies communicate with their audiences, build brand identity, and manage customer relationships. Through our research, we discovered how businesses are increasingly using social media platforms to reach global markets, adjust to cultural expectations, and adapt their strategies to meet the needs of diverse consumer bases. This project provided us with valuable insights into how social media and cultural awareness are crucial for companies in today’s interconnected world.
Preserving Nature, Building Community

Alyson Spence

The scope of my project included volunteering at the Oakland Nature Preserve and restoring the park grounds after the effects of hurricanes Helene and Milton. My key activities were clearing downed trees, clearing trails of leaves, and marking them with logs so that the preserve could continue to be a place for people to enjoy nature. In interacting with the staff and other volunteers, I learned about the importance of community in supporting important causes. Additionally, it made me more inspired to reduce my carbon footprint and be more sustainable in my efforts to combat climate change, as well as raising awareness to inspire others to enact change as well.

You can view the video presentation at https://www.canva.com/design/DAGj49FKSEo/h4Xzwva70YNWln8n4UPr0A/watch?utm_content=DAGj49FKSEo&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h0dcb7c34a0
Redefining Fashion: Styling for a More Sustainable Future

Anthony J. Urena

My service learning experience as a stylist for Strike Magazine has enabled me to discuss how sustainability can be integrated into the fashion industry through Redefining Fashion: Styling for a More Sustainable Future. Sustainable fashion combines three elements which include eco-friendly materials together with ethical labor practices and designs that promote longevity and environmental responsibility. The fashion industry needs to transition to sustainable manufacturing and consumption because it produces major environmental waste and pollution. I implemented sustainable practices in my styling work by searching for pre-owned clothing items and encouraging environmentally responsible accessories and working with recycled fashion elements. Sustainability presents both style and affordability according to a notable initiative which produced a successful fashion shoot using only second-hand items.In addition, I challenged myself to make a full wardrobe out of trash, pushing the limits of creativity and sustainability. This experience emphasized the importance of social innovation and activism in fashion, urging consumers and industry professionals to make informed sustainable choices. In order to inspire change in the fashion industry and increase awareness, I plan to keep advocating for sustainable fashion by collaborating with artists and brands.
Spreading Hope at Give Kids The World

Tien Van, William Graham, Chrisondria Marks, Mariela Medina Rodriguez, Stephanie Jaro, and Jada Wilson

This semester-long project is aimed to facilitate civic engagement by connecting students with their local community. It provided an opportunity for students to collaborate with their peers in order to gain insight into the organization’s core mission and its root causes. Through this experience, students were empowered to make informed decisions and develop a stronger sense of active citizenship

It is highly expected for students to establish group principles and set clear common goals to forward transformative changes. Therefore, they are responsible for organizing group meetings as well as volunteering to uplift an organization in carrying out its mission.

Through this, I’ve learned the importance of collaboration, how powerful community support can be. Each group member has their own unique volunteering experience. For me, I underestimated the impact of operating amusement park rides, but over time, I saw how simple acts of kindness can make a lasting impact on children facing life-threatening illnesses. Ultimately, this project has deepened my appreciation for the role of volunteerism in achieving meaningful change.
Predicting Milk Quality with Machine Learning

Franco Vidal and Matthew Nighting-Henderson

Milk is a critical component of diets around the world, offering essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, and vitamin B12. However, in many low-income and rural regions, milk quality is often compromised due to poor storage conditions, lack of pasteurization, and even intentional adulteration. Low-quality milk poses serious health risks, including bacterial infections, toxin exposure, and long-term organ damage. These challenges highlight the need for reliable, accessible methods to assess milk quality without relying on costly laboratory testing.

In this study, we propose a data-driven approach to predict milk quality using ordered logistic regression. The dataset used, sourced from Kaggle, includes 1,059 samples with both numerical (pH, temperature, color) and categorical (odor, taste, fat, turbidity) predictors. Our target variable is milk grade, categorized as low, medium, or high quality. We perform thorough exploratory data analysis to understand feature distributions and correlations, implement baseline and penalized (lasso) logistic regression models, and conduct diagnostics to check key assumptions such as proportional odds and linearity in the logit.

Our findings show that temperature, color, and odor are among the strongest predictors of milk grade, and that the proportional odds assumption does not hold—justifying our use of multinomial logistic regression instead. This work demonstrates the feasibility of building an interpretable, low-cost milk quality classifier using simple sensory-based features. Such a tool can help improve food safety, especially in underserved regions, by providing actionable insights into milk quality before it reaches consumers.
Purification and Application of Chlamydia trachomatis Effector CTL0398

Zachary E. Wagner and Kenneth Garcia

Chlamydia trachomatis is a bacterial pathogen which utilizes secretion of effector proteins which target host cellular processes, while evading the host immune system. Using the pUAST vector and the GAL4/UAS expression system, it is possible to enhance the expression of any select Chlamydia protein effector. We took steps to purify one of these effectors, CTL0398, through PCR amplification, Gel Electrophoresis, and Colony PCR. These procedures were done with the hopes of future studies uncovering the true function of the select effector, and if there is any manifested phenotypic change in drosophila.
Geospatial and STP Analysis of the Penny, Desoto, and Dune’s Ridge Sites at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Cape Canaveral, FL

Wyatt A. Wesley, Antonio Morales, Gabriel Ryley, and Brenda Vasquez

The mission of the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project (CCAMP) is to collect and record data to mitigate the loss of sites on Cape Canaveral due to climate change such as rising sea levels. Our objective is to protect Florida’s cultural resources through recording locations and spatial extents of two archaeological sites: Penny and Desoto, and a dune ridge that may have been a campsite for survivors of a 16th century French shipwreck. Our methods will include the creation of vector and topographic maps for the sites using shovel test data collected in 2024 as well as data collected during the current season. In addition, we will create artifact density maps that will show the concentration of artifacts recovered from STP’s at Desoto. Furthermore, we will record the quantity and weight of artifacts found in the STP’s at both the Penny and Desoto sites which will help with our current research and future geospatial analysis. Our research efforts intend to explore and further the understanding of prehistoric and historic human activities at Cape Canaveral.
The association between disease burden and Alzheimer's hospitalization rates in older adults.

Autumn Johnson

Dementia refers to symptoms that impair daily life, including social and intellectual abilities, with memory loss being a key feature. Conditions such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Huntington’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are major causes of memory loss. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disorder that deteriorates memory and thinking skills, characterized by withdrawal from social activities, mood changes, and confusion about time or place.

Age is the leading risk factor for Alzheimer’s, alongside non-modifiable factors like genetics and family history. Modifiable factors include physical activity, smoking, education, and social engagement. The Alzheimer’s Association’s 2024 fact sheet emphasizes the need for more research on how social engagement impacts cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.

Initially, this study aimed to examine the link between social isolation in Alzheimer’s patients and hospitalization. However, due to limitations in the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) data, which only provided statewide statistics, the focus shifted to assessing the severity of health problems and their impact on daily functioning. Findings, based on FLHealthCHARTS and three published abstracts, do not conclusively show an association between disease burden and hospitalization but highlight potential connections that warrant further investigation.

I’ve learned the importance of attention to detail and diligence, as this research wasn’t easy.
Teaching through Play: Creative Drama

Elizabeth Pelland

Play is something that many children experience. However, we as a society do not give it nearly enough credit for just how much it can achieve. Through play, children can learn so much more and retain that information, while giving them the skills to transfer their knowledge to situations outside of the classroom. Play encourages creativity, problem-solving, and social interaction. By teaching kids through play, they are able to comphrend more at younger ages, and I have found that it can also help them express their emotions in ways that I was not able to at such young ages. As a society, we forget that kids go through human experiences too, and by connecting with them through play, we can hope to foster connections with them in a different way than is normally seen.
Unlocking the Path to Psychology: A Guide to Building a Career in the Field

Kazi S. Salsabil

The Psychology 3074: Career Readiness 2 course offers an integrative learning experience aimed at enhancing students' professional development. This project reflects my journey as a student in building a solid foundation in professional communication, self-presentation, job market navigation, and the continuous growth fostered by embracing feedback. Throughout the course, we developed essential career readiness skills, including refining resumes and cover letters, participating in mock interviews, cultivating resilience in response to feedback, and crafting compelling elevator pitches. Additionally, resources such as the UCF Writing Center and Handshake played a pivotal role in advancing my resume, cover letter, and interview preparation, contributing to my overall career readiness.