This virtual webinar event is sponsored by Orange County Government as part of the Florida SBDC at UCF's Orange County Strategic Series.Make your future happen; don't let it happen to you. With a strategic plan, you will be able to establish your company's direction, make better business decisions, and have a source of increased market share and profitability.Strategic planning is a series of building blocks, including:* Financial Plan * Marketing Plan * Business Plan * Strategic PlanWhile most planning workshops address these plans separately, this two-part webinar series (Part I: Thursday, Oct. 16, and Part II: Thursday, Oct. 23) will present these four complementary planning events (two per webinar) as a series of activities that build on each other to create an effective, long-term strategic plan for your business that enables you to design your company's future and supports its sustainable growth and success. Includes multiple user-friendly tools and templates to be distributed.Virtual Location URL: https://events.blackthorn.io/en/6g3Q8Wa7/success-is-no-accident-strategic-planning-for-small-businesses-part-i-5a1eVO9p3GR/overview Registration Link: https://events.blackthorn.io/en/6g3Q8Wa7/success-is-no-accident-strategic-planning-for-small-businesses-part-i-5a1eVO9p3GR/overview

2025 Lecture SeriesSponsored by the Eurasia Foundation (From Asia)With 60 percent of the world's population, Asia is not only home to the world's oldest civilizations, it also represents cultural and economic vitality. Asia has a major role in manufacturing, technology and investment markets. Non-governmental organizations specializing in economic development, healthcare and environmental protection are also active throughout Asia. This series will provide a rare opportunity for students and the community to develop a better understanding of the cultural, political and economic forces that have shaped modern Asia by hearing from esteemed international scholars.Food Education and Rural Resilience in Contemporary Japan (2025)Stephanie Assmann Professor of Global Business, School of Economics and Management, University of Hyogo, Kobe, Japan[Eurasian Lecture Series 2025 - College of Arts and Humanities](https://cah.ucf.edu/eurasia-lectures-2025/)Virtual Location URL: https://cah.ucf.edu/eurasia-lectures-2025/

During the next several Wednesdays, CREOL faculty will present brief highlights of their research activities. The talks take place at noon in Room 103, with two professors each giving a 25-minute presentation.Attendance is mandatory for all first-semester Ph.D. students.SEPTEMBER 312:00: Ayman Abouraddy12:30: Christian HeideSEPTEMBER 10No presentationsSEPTEMBER 1712:00: Sean Pang12:30: Yannick SalaminSEPTEMBER 2412:00: Konstantin Vodopyanov12:30: Shin-Tson WuOCTOBER 112:00: Joshua Kaufman12:30: Kristopher DavisOCTOBER 812:00: Kyle Renshaw12:30: Peter DelfyettOCTOBER 1512:00: Eric Johnson12:30: Ivan DivlianskyOCTOBER 2212:00: Murat Yuskel12:30: Li FangOCTOBER 2912:00: Kyu Young Han12:30: Leland NordinNOVEMBER 512:00: TBD12:30: Midya PartoNOVEMBER 1212:00: Sasan Fathpour12:30: Debashis ChandaNOVEMBER 1912:00: Stephen Eikenberry12:30: TBD

Compete for $15,000 in cash prizes by pitching bold ideas that create real-world impact.This interactive workshop will guide you through everything you need to know to compete in the UCF Innovation Tournament.Competition Tracks:* Art and Entertainment * Social and Health * Retail Products and Services * Advanced TechnologyRegistration Link: https://ucf.startuptree.co/discover/events

The UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS)'s Zoom-cast series is live-streamed every other Friday from noon to 1 p.m., offering talks by CECS faculty and a live-chat Q&A.Targeted to faculty, scientists, and potential industry and government partners, [all are invited to Zoom-in](https://ucf.zoom.us/j/95525633786) and hear presentations by UCF's engineering and computer science faculty who explain their cutting-edge, pioneering research endeavors in quick snapshots.These talks provide an opportunity to get to know -- and collaborate with -- our faculty who are advancing innovations in all areas of engineering and computer science, including smart city technology, aerospace, energy, modeling and simulation, medicine, advanced materials, cyber security and more. Each faculty presenter will narrate as they share illustrative slides.Moderated by Subith Vasu from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, viewers can submit questions in real time and express interest in collaborating.The Oct. 31, 2025, presenter lineup:* Yao Li, School of Modeling, Simulation and Training: "Empowering Users in Real-Time Privacy Management" * Shin Young Jeong, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: "Sand-Like Particles for High-Temperature Thermal Energy Storage: Enabling a Resilient Renewable Energy Future" * Gerd Bruder, Department of Computer Science: "Recent Advances in Human Factors and Digital Twins in Extended Reality"You can find more details in the [Oct. 31 faculty research talk flyer](https://www.cecs.ucf.edu/web/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oct-31-2025-faculty-research-talk-flyer-web-accessible.pdf).[](https://www.cecs.ucf.edu/web/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oct-17-2025-faculty-research-talk-flyer-web-accessible.pdf)Missed a session? Check out [recordings of past research talks](https://bit.ly/3cyb6He).Virtual Location URL: https://bit.ly/3ILqC1l

Title: Analysis and Control of Straylight in a Maksutov-Cassegrain TelescopeAbstract: The world of small satellites is evolving quickly. In particular, the increasing availability of low-cost launch and commercially available hardware provides an opportunity to reduce the overall cost of science missions. The optical design forms used for the sensing and imaging telescopes used in small satellites are well known.In this talk, I will use an example of the Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope design form and review how to ensure that the optical system can perform its function by accounting for and controlling stray light. I will demonstrate how a systems level approach is necessary and is facilitated by non-sequential optical analysis software. The various techniques for identifying stray light risk and mitigating the risk will be reviewed and discussed. About the Speaker: Larry Boxler is currently a senior illumination systems engineer at Synopsys Optical Solutions Group. He received a bachelor's degree in optical engineering from Rose Hulman Institute of Technology and has over 30 years of experience in optical system design and analysis. His expertise spans a wide range of optical systems, including illumination devices, projector components, lidar systems and stray light control. He has also contributed to software development for optical engineering applications, enhancing tools used for non-imaging optical design and stray light analysis. He holds multiple patents related to LED lighting systems and optical designs.Virtual Location URL: https://ucf.zoom.us/j/99238120659?from=addon