UMBC’s Meghan Grenier receives top NROTC teaching honor from the U.S. Navy
The UMBC midshipmen “are an impressive group of individuals who will go on to serve as excellent Navy and Marine Corps officers,” Meghan Grenier says. “I hope what they have learned from me and the NROTC program will … prepare them for the challenges of leadership in our Navy.” Continue reading UMBC’s Meghan Grenier receives top NROTC teaching honor from the U.S. Navy
Two UMBC student teams win USM COVID-19 app challenge
Earlier this summer, the University System of Maryland (USM) COVID-19 Task Force invited members of the USM community to develop mobile apps that would help Maryland residents respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the six winning teams just announced are two groups from UMBC. One team developed an app to support the healthcare of people with COVID-19. The other focused on connecting residents with dining options and restaurant policies as they change during the pandemic. Continue reading Two UMBC student teams win USM COVID-19 app challenge
UMBC’s Foad Hamidi receives NSF RAPID grant to expand free, secure internet access in Baltimore during COVID-19 and beyond
During the COVID-19 pandemic, internet access has become more critical, with people relying on it to work, learn, and connect with family and friends. However, the internet is not equally accessible to all people. UMBC’s Foad Hamidi recently received a collaborative Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to increase high-speed wireless internet access to communities in Baltimore. Continue reading UMBC’s Foad Hamidi receives NSF RAPID grant to expand free, secure internet access in Baltimore during COVID-19 and beyond
UMBC’s Sydney Gaskins competes in the final round of Trial by Combat, a national mock trial championship
UMBC Mock Trial continues to reach new heights at a national level, even with COVID-19 impacting the competition season. Sydney Gaskins ’22, political science, finished as a runner-up in the final round of the national Trial by Combat (TBC), a head-to-head individual mock trial championship hosted this summer by the UCLA School of Law and Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law. Continue reading UMBC’s Sydney Gaskins competes in the final round of Trial by Combat, a national mock trial championship
UMBC and Baltimore’s Lakeland Elementary/Middle School launch innovative online summer math program
UMBC’s Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Program has launched an intensive virtual math incubator for Lakeland Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore City this summer. The free, voluntary five-week program is a math intervention for 150 Lakeland students in third through eighth grade. The program seeks to prevent summer learning loss, which could increase this year, intensified by COVID-19’s impact on student learning during the school year. Continue reading UMBC and Baltimore’s Lakeland Elementary/Middle School launch innovative online summer math program
UMBC completes pilot COVID-19 testing in preparation for fall semester
UMBC recently completed its first round of pilot COVID-19 testing, in preparation for the Retriever community’s gradual return to campus in the coming weeks and months. The pilot invited participation from faculty, staff, and students who are approved to be on campus this summer. Over the course of two days, University Health Services completed 325 COVID-19 tests and shared educational material on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Continue reading UMBC completes pilot COVID-19 testing in preparation for fall semester
UMBC historian Constantine Vaporis brings samurai scholarship to the public through TED-Ed animation
UMBC’s Constantine Vaporis, professor of history, has partnered with TED-Ed Animations to produce “A Day In The Life of A Teenage Samurai.” This original video draws from over thirty years of scholarship Vaporis has completed on Japanese history and culture, and it’s already received over 550,000 views. Continue reading UMBC historian Constantine Vaporis brings samurai scholarship to the public through TED-Ed animation
UMBC’s Gloria Chuku is named the 2020 – 21 Lipitz Professor for her research on the Igbo people of Nigeria
Gloria Chuku, chair and professor of Africana studies, has been named UMBC’s Lipitz Professor for 2020 – 21. This distinguished professorship recognizes and supports innovative teaching and research. Chuku will carry out research for her new book project, “Becoming Igbo in Nigeria and the Diaspora: A History of Ethnic Identity Formation and Negotiation.” Continue reading UMBC’s Gloria Chuku is named the 2020 – 21 Lipitz Professor for her research on the Igbo people of Nigeria
UMBC’s Dipanjan Pan receives two NIH grants to continue rapid COVID-19 testing research
Dipanjan Pan has received two new grants from the National Institutes of Health to support research poised to improve COVID-19 testing. Continue reading UMBC’s Dipanjan Pan receives two NIH grants to continue rapid COVID-19 testing research
Student cost to attend UMBC reduced for Fall 2020 semester
The cost to attend UMBC will decrease 22 percent compared to last fall for undergraduate students registered for courses offered by the main campus. UMBC’s Student Business Services Office notes that student bills will reflect stable tuition rates for undergraduate and graduate, resident and non-resident students, and decreased fees. Continue reading Student cost to attend UMBC reduced for Fall 2020 semester
UMBC develops future STEM teachers, researchers through pilot program pairing high school and college students
Now one of the high school participants, Kimani Reed, is starting at UMBC this fall. “The warm welcome I felt when I walked through the doors on the first day already made UMBC feel like home,” she says. Continue reading UMBC develops future STEM teachers, researchers through pilot program pairing high school and college students
Mantis shrimp eyes get even wilder: UMBC team finds twice the expected number of light-detecting proteins
“One of the reasons I love science is that we took this animal with an exceptional visual system, and it’s become even more complex,” Megan Porter says. “Every level that we look at adds another layer of complexity to how the visual system is working.” Continue reading Mantis shrimp eyes get even wilder: UMBC team finds twice the expected number of light-detecting proteins
UMBC collaborates with MxD to develop cybersecurity curriculum for workers in manufacturing
UMBC researchers will collaborate with the Chicago-based MxD to develop a curriculum and online platform for manufacturing professionals to increase their cybersecurity skills and to protect manufacturing plants from cyber breaches. “The program will accelerate training of practitioners in the manufacturing industry in cybersecurity. It will also expand UMBC’s impact on cybersecurity education in the manufacturing sector,” says Nilanjan Banerjee. Continue reading UMBC collaborates with MxD to develop cybersecurity curriculum for workers in manufacturing
UMBC mathematician Kathleen Hoffman receives new grants to improve HIV modeling
The improved models of disease spread Kathleen Hoffman and colleagues are working toward will help governments and non-profits get “the biggest bang for [their] buck in terms of resource allocation,” Kathleen Hoffman says. Where these groups should focus their time, energy, and money is “the kind of question this kind of work can usually answer.” Continue reading UMBC mathematician Kathleen Hoffman receives new grants to improve HIV modeling
UMBC faculty on a mission to prepare robust, high-quality online classes for fall semester
Faculty members are setting the bar high for themselves this fall, and they have demonstrated it by showing up in droves for a variety of programs offered through UMBC’s Faculty Development Center (FDC), Division of Information Technology (DoIT), and the colleges and academic departments. Since May, more than half of all faculty have participated in training activities associated with online teaching, not including the faculty members serving as mentors and instructors for these trainings. Continue reading UMBC faculty on a mission to prepare robust, high-quality online classes for fall semester
UMBC’s Fei Han, of The Hilltop Institute, receives grant to develop model predicting patients’ COVID-19 hospitalization risk
UMBC’s Fei Han has received a COVID-19 Accelerated Translational Incubator Pilot (ATIP) award for research to help predict and reduce patients’ risk of being hospitalized due to COVID-19. He will further develop the Hilltop Pre-AH Model™, a preventative risk model, to apply to pandemic conditions. Continue reading UMBC’s Fei Han, of The Hilltop Institute, receives grant to develop model predicting patients’ COVID-19 hospitalization risk
UMBC’s Nihira Mugamba, literacy advocate, is named a Newman Civic Fellow
Nihira Mugamba ‘21, political science and Africana studies, has been named a 2020 Newman Civic Fellow—the sixth UMBC student to earn this public service award. The fellowship honors her work promoting literacy in Uganda and the United States. Continue reading UMBC’s Nihira Mugamba, literacy advocate, is named a Newman Civic Fellow
Groundbreaking fish research by UMBC’s Yonathan Zohar spawns partnership with AquaCon on $1 billion Maryland aquaculture project
“I’ve been working in Maryland for almost 30 years, and we’ve been developing a lot of these technologies,” Yonathan Zohar says. “Our mission is research, education, and economic development, and we have been working to create connections between academia and industry to fulfill that mission.” Continue reading Groundbreaking fish research by UMBC’s Yonathan Zohar spawns partnership with AquaCon on $1 billion Maryland aquaculture project
UMBC’s Eric Ford, Choice Program director, leads Maryland group supporting youth development
Eric Ford, director of The Choice Program at UMBC, has been appointed to serve as chair of the Maryland’s State Advisory Group (SAG) a part of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services (GOOCP). Continue reading UMBC’s Eric Ford, Choice Program director, leads Maryland group supporting youth development
Flood Bot: UMBC researchers expand flood warning work in Ellicott City
Ellicott City, a town about five miles from UMBC, suffered devastating flooding in 2016 and 2018. These events left residents and officials wondering how technology could help predict future severe weather events, potentially saving lives and property. In response, UMBC’s Nirmalya Roy received funding from NSF to develop a rapid flood warning system for Ellicott City, combining sensor data and social media monitoring. Continue reading Flood Bot: UMBC researchers expand flood warning work in Ellicott City
UMBC’s Tom Barclay and NASA team discover Neptune-sized planet orbiting young, nearby star
“Studying this planet, and hopefully others like it, can give us insight into how our own solar system formed,” says Tom Barclay. Continue reading UMBC’s Tom Barclay and NASA team discover Neptune-sized planet orbiting young, nearby star
Library of Congress commissions UMBC’s Daniel Pesca to bring new work of music to the public during pandemic
Pianist Daniel Pesca will participate in the Library of Congress’s Boccaccio Project, in which ten composers will be paired with ten performers. The newly commissioned musical compositions will be presented in a series of online broadcasts. Continue reading Library of Congress commissions UMBC’s Daniel Pesca to bring new work of music to the public during pandemic
UMBC will be test-optional for Fall 2021 applicants
The test-optional program for the coming year is “about offering prospective students maximum flexibility,” says Yvette Mozie-Ross ’88, health science and policy, vice provost for enrollment management and planning. “This flexibility ensures that circumstances beyond our prospective students’ control do not present barriers to pursuing a top-notch education.” Continue reading UMBC will be test-optional for Fall 2021 applicants
UMBC researchers receive NSF RAPID grant to speed COVID-19 detection through a deep neural network
A research team from UMBC and the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) has received a Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant from the National Science Foundation to detect COVID-19 infections earlier through computing. Aryya Gangopadhyay, professor of information systems at UMBC and PI on the grant, explains that this work will use machine learning to improve the speed and accuracy of COVID-19 diagnosis, helping to limit spread of the disease. Continue reading UMBC researchers receive NSF RAPID grant to speed COVID-19 detection through a deep neural network
UMBC celebrates Dean Scott Casper, next president of the American Antiquarian Society
This fall, UMBC will bid farewell to one of its senior leaders as Scott Casper, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS), departs the university to assume the presidency of the American Antiquarian Society (AAS). Continue reading UMBC celebrates Dean Scott Casper, next president of the American Antiquarian Society
UMBC’s Lucy Wilson, an infectious disease transmission expert, helps governors and the public respond to COVID-19
For more than a decade, Wilson has served as a public health expert on disease response and public health planning at the international, national, and state levels. When the NGA called, she joined an interdisciplinary team of experts in developing “The Roadmap to Recovery: A Public Health Guide for Governors.” Continue reading UMBC’s Lucy Wilson, an infectious disease transmission expert, helps governors and the public respond to COVID-19
UMBC’s Dipanjan Pan develops rapid diagnostic test for virus causing COVID-19
A team led by UMBC’s Dipanjan Pan has developed an experimental diagnostic test to rapidly detect the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19, potentially as early as the first day of infection. Researchers designed the test to show results visually, through a color change visible with the naked eye when the virus is present. Unlike other tests, it does not require advanced laboratory techniques or tools. Continue reading UMBC’s Dipanjan Pan develops rapid diagnostic test for virus causing COVID-19
UMBC-affiliated artists receive Zaentz fellowships for new collaborative projects
SZIF awards are granted to nurture unique project ideas that have the potential for socio-political impact and that advance the art and craft of audiovisual media. In addition to receiving financial support for project development or production, selected fellows participate in ongoing mentorship and workshops with industry professionals. Continue reading UMBC-affiliated artists receive Zaentz fellowships for new collaborative projects
How the darter got its stripes: New UMBC research expands on sexual selection theory to explain complicated animal patterns
“Quantitatively describing visual patterns is a big challenge, and there’s not one easy way to do that,” Sam Hulse says. By integrating their skills in math and biology, he and colleagues figured out a method to do it for the first time. The new results pave the way for a great deal of new research. Continue reading How the darter got its stripes: New UMBC research expands on sexual selection theory to explain complicated animal patterns
Acting locally and globally: Four UMBC students embark on community-engaged careers
Community-engaged work has been integral to the UMBC experience for so many Retrievers, including the four featured here. Despite coming from such different academic programs, they have all been able to connect in meaningful ways with local and international communities. And after graduating this week, they’ll each apply their talents, skills, and sense of commitment to community-engaged careers. Continue reading Acting locally and globally: Four UMBC students embark on community-engaged careers
Creating new pathways: Meet ten UMBC arts graduates advancing their fields
Majoring in the arts requires intense levels of stamina and self-discipline — long hours rehearsing, creating, writing, designing, interpreting — coupled with an inner drive for inquiry and perfection. UMBC’s undergraduate and graduate students in the arts are no exception, reaching forward even in this era of social distancing. Continue reading Creating new pathways: Meet ten UMBC arts graduates advancing their fields
Support comes full circle: When students become mentors
“I love to help people succeed, so for me, if others have put time into my career and my future, I feel that it’s only right to reciprocate that love to other students,” says Cherie Tebah ’20. She and other UMBC students have found ways to support their classmates while still pursuing their own degrees. Continue reading Support comes full circle: When students become mentors
Mentorship matters: UMBC connections help three students create their own paths
The connections UMBC students make on campus often lead to strong relationships that impact career and life goals. Meet three students who utilized these networks during their academic careers. Continue reading Mentorship matters: UMBC connections help three students create their own paths
Where math and medicine meet: Jeremy Rubin is one of UMBC’s nine new NSF Graduate Research Fellows
Jeremy Rubin had an unusual personal experience with the medical field early in life, and it sent him down a path to a research career. The experience “made me think, how can I use my interest in statistics to help the field of precision medicine? How can we tailor diagnoses and treatments to the individual?” Continue reading Where math and medicine meet: Jeremy Rubin is one of UMBC’s nine new NSF Graduate Research Fellows
Unique research experiences open doors for UMBC’s Class of 2020
Danilo Symonette, Robin Bailey, and Hye-Jin Park are earning their UMBC degrees this month having researched in top labs and being invited to present their findings to colleagues across the country. They sound like phenomenal Ph.D. students, but they’re actually all undergraduates. Continue reading Unique research experiences open doors for UMBC’s Class of 2020
Graduating CNMS Scholars carry on a commitment to support women in STEM
Olivia Norman ’20 has taken the goals of the CNMS Scholars program to heart. “Being a CNMS Scholar has made me interested in not just doing research, but making sure that where I do research and how I do research is reflective of the scholars program itself,” she shares. Continue reading Graduating CNMS Scholars carry on a commitment to support women in STEM
Graduating UMBC student advocates keep building community in an unprecedented time
For Nadia BenAissa and Sam Hertl, UMBC has been a place to grow as leaders and advocates. Their college experiences have been defined by their work to educate, speak out, and create resources for survivors of sexual assault and LGBTQIA+ students at UMBC. As the university community has responded to COVID-19 and transitioned to a virtual environment, they have held steadfast in their commitments. Continue reading Graduating UMBC student advocates keep building community in an unprecedented time
UMBC’s Naghmeh Karimi receives NSF CAREER Award to develop long-lasting security for cryptographic chips
Naghmeh Karimi will investigate how device-aging related risks compromise the security of cryptographic devices through a NSF CAREER Award. Continue reading UMBC’s Naghmeh Karimi receives NSF CAREER Award to develop long-lasting security for cryptographic chips
This spring, UMBC’s Returning Women Student Scholars achieve dreams long deferred
This month Karla Gonzalez ‘20, social work, will become the first in her family to graduate from college, at age 34. For much of her life, college didn’t really seem like a possibility. “I never saw myself as a leader,” she says, “but at UMBC I learned that I was one.” Continue reading This spring, UMBC’s Returning Women Student Scholars achieve dreams long deferred
UMBC students create products to meet community needs at Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition
Four UMBC student groups vied for the top prize in the finals of this year’s Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition (CBIC), held entirely online for the first time on April 30. Their projects ranged across industries, from fashion to artificial intelligence. Continue reading UMBC students create products to meet community needs at Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition
Three UMBC student veterans adapt to a new mission: teaching science and math online
As military veterans, these student teachers are used to managing stressful and rapidly changing situations. They have drawn on skills and strategies from their years in the military to support their students and their own families during this time. Continue reading Three UMBC student veterans adapt to a new mission: teaching science and math online
UMBC researchers receive a Fast Grant to study antivirals’ effectiveness against COVID-19
The “fleximer” compounds Katherine Seley-Radtke developed work similarly to the antiviral Remdesivir, but come with distinct advantages. Continue reading UMBC researchers receive a Fast Grant to study antivirals’ effectiveness against COVID-19