New UMBC grads honor parents’ immigrant journeys by forging their own paths
Graduating seniors Anthony Cano, Renato Zanelli, and Maya Scheirer came to UMBC with pride and hunger instilled by their immigrant parents’ work ethic. They brought rich cultures, languages, and hearts full of dreams and aspirations with the goal of forging futures of their own. “As a first-generation college student,” Zanelli says, “I can now be a role model for my younger cousins. I can help and inspire them. They will not have to do it alone.” Continue reading New UMBC grads honor parents’ immigrant journeys by forging their own paths
UMBC’s newest computing grads, from bachelor’s to Ph.D., share stories of connection, support, opportunity
UMBC’s newest graduates in computing and data science fields include students at all stages in their education and careers. Undergraduates, master’s students seeking to access new career opportunities, and Ph.D. students completing high-impact research have thrived at UMBC. Many cite the university’s strong academics, accessible faculty, research opportunities, and connections across disciplines as drawing them to UMBC. Continue reading UMBC’s newest computing grads, from bachelor’s to Ph.D., share stories of connection, support, opportunity
UMBC’s newest biotech grads launch careers that will make a difference
UMBC’s Translational Life Science Technology degree is one of UMBC’s newest academic programs. The interdisciplinary program “is different from other majors,” says Titina Sirak ’20, “because you take a whole range of classes. It helps you open up your mind to different sides of biotech.” Continue reading UMBC’s newest biotech grads launch careers that will make a difference
UMBC team reveals possibilities of new one-atom-thick materials
Daniel Wines and Can Ataca are “trying to stay five or so years ahead of experimentalists,” Wines says. Their computational research lays the groundwork for developing 2D materials for particular applications from solar cells to wearable electronics. Continue reading UMBC team reveals possibilities of new one-atom-thick materials
TEDxUMBC brings community together through “Unmasking Uncertainty”
This fall, the student-organized TEDxUMBC gave ten speakers the opportunity to share their stories, experiences, and expertise with the world. Surprisingly, the theme, “Unmasking Uncertainty,” was actually conceived far before COVID-19 surged globally. Continue reading TEDxUMBC brings community together through “Unmasking Uncertainty”
UMBC researchers identify where giant jets from black holes discharge their energy
New research led by graduate student Adam Leah Harvey may put to bed a long-term controversy about where jets coming from black holes release their energy. Continue reading UMBC researchers identify where giant jets from black holes discharge their energy
Students focus on mental health and the environment in 2020 UMBC Idea Competition
Six student groups recently vied for the top prize in UMBC’s annual Idea Competition, presenting to a panel of alumni judges their innovative solutions to everyday challenges. The competition, hosted by UMBC’s Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship, was held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s winning ideas focused on physical and mental health and the environment. Continue reading Students focus on mental health and the environment in 2020 UMBC Idea Competition
BARD Fund honors UMBC’s Yonathan Zohar for aquaculture research with $12B global economic impact
Yonathan Zohar has stayed in Baltimore for 30 years because the environment is conducive to research that has a positive societal impact. His early work enabled the growth of the aquaculture industry, and today he continues to develop ground-breaking sustainable, land-based aquaculture processes. Continue reading BARD Fund honors UMBC’s Yonathan Zohar for aquaculture research with $12B global economic impact
HackUMBC goes virtual in a big way, attracting over 1,000 students
More than 1,000 students from institutions across the country and around the world—from as far away as Kazakhstan, Albania, Spain, and Nigeria—logged onto their computers for a 36-hour hackathon organized by UMBC students, November 13-15. HackUMBC’s events typically draw huge crowds overflowing conference spaces. This year, the event was held virtually for the first time due to COVID-19. Continue reading HackUMBC goes virtual in a big way, attracting over 1,000 students
UMBC chemical engineering students take second place in national Jeopardy competition
Last weekend, four UMBC students earned second prize in the national Jeopardy competition hosted virtually by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). The team competed against 12 other teams at the national level after winning the Mid-Atlantic regional competition in October. Continue reading UMBC chemical engineering students take second place in national Jeopardy competition
Students reflect on UMBC’s top-ten finish in national democracy challenge and post-election community conversations
“It’s important to vote, but also to recognize voting as just one way to make a difference in our communities and nation,” share David Hoffman and Romy Hübler. “UMBC’s Cast Your Whole Vote campaign encouraged members of the UMBC community to learn about issues, engage in civil conversations, and contribute their time and talent to building a better world on Election Day and every day.” Continue reading Students reflect on UMBC’s top-ten finish in national democracy challenge and post-election community conversations
Showing up for the season
Thanks to diligent, strict adherence to COVID testing guidelines, and a supportive community, both Retriever basketball teams plan to return to play in early December. Although current state guidelines will prevent fans from attending the games to start the campaign, coaches and players alike are excited to make Retriever Nation proud from afar. Continue reading Showing up for the season
In “Blood on the River,” UMBC’s Marjoleine Kars examines enslaved people’s accounts of a nearly successful rebellion 250 years ago
Kars’s new book chronicles a rebellion by enslaved people in the Dutch colony of Berbice, 1763 – 1764, thirty years before the Haitian Revolution. Kars says there is “a long tradition of people having different ideas about how to fight oppression and what life should look like at the other side.” Continue reading In “Blood on the River,” UMBC’s Marjoleine Kars examines enslaved people’s accounts of a nearly successful rebellion 250 years ago
UMBC’s Jasmine Lee elevates diversity and inclusion work as director of new Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Jasmine A. Lee, director of inclusive excellence in UMBC’s Division of Student Affairs, is now also leading UMBC’s Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion and Belonging (i3B). The new i3B brings together UMBC’s Mosaic Center, Interfaith Center, and Pride Center to create “opportunities for students to build their awareness and knowledge of diverse people, cultures and belief systems.” Continue reading UMBC’s Jasmine Lee elevates diversity and inclusion work as director of new Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion, and Belonging
UMBC’s Alan Sherman and collaborators develop strategy for secure online voting in future U.S. elections
Researchers from UMBC and xx.network have been working to design an online voting system that is resistant to coercion and would provide a secure way for people to cast their ballots from computers, tablets, and smartphones in the future. Continue reading UMBC’s Alan Sherman and collaborators develop strategy for secure online voting in future U.S. elections
American Chemical Society honors UMBC’s Lee Blaney for commitment to mentoring student researchers
UMBC’s Lee Blaney was honored for his impact as a chemistry educator and mentor who closely involves students of all levels in collaborative research. Blaney received the 2020 George L. Braude Award from the Maryland section of the American Chemical Society. Continue reading American Chemical Society honors UMBC’s Lee Blaney for commitment to mentoring student researchers
UMBC’s Sherman Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities is transforming early childhood education in Maryland
UMBC’s Sherman Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities is now in its third year of supporting, strengthening, and expanding early childhood education in Maryland. The center was founded with the support of a $6 million grant from the George and Betsy Sherman Family Foundation in 2017. It has developed a series of research-based initiatives to address the needs of children from birth to eight years old in Maryland, and the workforce dedicated to educating them. Continue reading UMBC’s Sherman Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities is transforming early childhood education in Maryland
Entrepreneurs and experts gather for bwtech@UMBC Cybertini event on election security
Nearly 100 industry experts and entrepreneurs gathered virtually for Cybertini 2020, hosted by bwtech@UMBC, UMBC’s research and technology park, on October 15. The annual event offers a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to learn from industry professionals and experts in academia, and this year focused on cybersecurity related to elections. Continue reading Entrepreneurs and experts gather for bwtech@UMBC Cybertini event on election security
Maryland State Dept. of Education invests additional $150,000 in UMBC’s Maryland Early Childhood Leadership Education Program
UMBC’s Sherman Center for Early Childhood Learning in Urban Communities has been leading change in this field in Maryland since 2017 through its Maryland Early Childhood Leadership Education Program (MECLP). The program’s 12-month post-baccalaureate course equips current leaders in early childhood education with the skills, knowledge, and network needed to implement effective and long-lasting change in classrooms, school districts, and nonprofits across the state. Continue reading Maryland State Dept. of Education invests additional $150,000 in UMBC’s Maryland Early Childhood Leadership Education Program
NASA awards UMBC team $1.4M to develop AI that improves how computers process climate data from satellites
“Now we have so much raw data. So how do we analyze it? How do we make it useful for the research community?” asks Jianwu Wang. As data archives balloon, the capabilities of artificial intelligence are rapidly increasing. There is also an urgent need to understand Earth’s systems as they shift due to climate change. All of these factors drove Wang and his collaborators to find ways to help researchers access satellite data much faster. Continue reading NASA awards UMBC team $1.4M to develop AI that improves how computers process climate data from satellites
Shoulder to shoulder: U.S. News again names UMBC one of the Best Global Universities
“UMBC continues to perform well on the international stage,” says David Di Maria, associate vice provost for international education. He notes, “The cross-border collaborations and contributions of our faculty, students, and staff position UMBC shoulder to shoulder amongst the top universities in the world.” Continue reading Shoulder to shoulder: U.S. News again names UMBC one of the Best Global Universities
UMBC receives $900K from Maryland E-nnovation Initiative Fund to bolster Sinha Professorship in Statistics
Professor Bimal Sinha, who founded UMBC’s statistics department in 1985, is a beloved and decorated faculty member who has helped transform UMBC into a national leader in statistics education. He’s also transformed the lives of countless students, some of whom have gone on to become leading statisticians around the globe. Continue reading UMBC receives $900K from Maryland E-nnovation Initiative Fund to bolster Sinha Professorship in Statistics
Struggle for justice and change: Karsonya Wise Whitehead presents UMBC’s 42nd annual Du Bois lecture
Whitehead will present on the intersection of COVID-19, systemic racism, and anti-racist action. Her talk, “Black COVID Stories, Black Lives Matter, and Protest: A Conversation about the Ongoing Struggle for Justice and Change,” will examine the long-term societal impacts of today’s conversations about anti-Blackness, anti-racism, policing, and justice in the context of Du Bois’s research. Continue reading Struggle for justice and change: Karsonya Wise Whitehead presents UMBC’s 42nd annual Du Bois lecture
UMBC’s Jack Suess to receive 2020 EDUCAUSE Leadership Award
“Leaders around the country admire Jack’s valuable contributions to IT and higher education. He is a fine example of enlightened leadership,” says UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski. “We all know Jack leads effectively by serving selflessly. What makes him most extraordinary is that his emotional intelligence matches his impressive technical skills.” Continue reading UMBC’s Jack Suess to receive 2020 EDUCAUSE Leadership Award
UMBC’s Kindel Nash’s new book shares best practices for culturally sustaining teaching in early education
Culturally sustaining pedagogy, Nash explains, focuses on countering structures that systematically erase the culture and language of communities of color. Her book is an example of the impact teachers can have when they commit to this work. “This includes not only changing how we teach,” she says, “but whom we teach with.” Continue reading UMBC’s Kindel Nash’s new book shares best practices for culturally sustaining teaching in early education
As demand for telemedicine swells, UMBC researchers develop strategies to scale-up services
UMBC researchers have received a nearly $150,000 planning grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study how telemedicine can be scaled more effectively, including meeting the complex training needs of medical professionals. Continue reading As demand for telemedicine swells, UMBC researchers develop strategies to scale-up services
UMBC duo using math to reveal how and why cells move with new NSF grant
“I think this project has really big implications for how we think about development and how organs and tissues function,” Michelle Starz-Gaiano says, “because it’s looking at aspects that people haven’t yet paid attention to.” Continue reading UMBC duo using math to reveal how and why cells move with new NSF grant
bwtech@UMBC receives Economic Development Administration grant to launch cybersecurity venture fellowship program
bwtech@UMBC, UMBC, and the University System of Maryland will create the Maryland New Venture Fellowship for Cybersecurity to support the development of cybersecurity companies in Maryland, and increase connections among technologists, mentors, and faculty at institutions across the state. Continue reading bwtech@UMBC receives Economic Development Administration grant to launch cybersecurity venture fellowship program
UMBC’s Tara LeGates is first runner-up for prestigious international neurobiology prize
“I’m really interested in how the brain integrates a lot of different kinds of information to regulate complex behaviors, such as seeking rewards,” LeGates says. Her findings published in Nature, and her lab’s continuing work, pave the way for new treatments for disorders such as addiction and depression. Continue reading UMBC’s Tara LeGates is first runner-up for prestigious international neurobiology prize
Research team led by UMBC’s Mark Marten studies how fungal cells respond to stress, repair broken cell walls
Fungi play an important role in the development of pharmaceuticals and enzymes, and agriculture. By understanding how fungal cells work and respond to stress, Mark Marten and his collaborators hope to help reverse-engineer processes that could have a broad range of applications. Continue reading Research team led by UMBC’s Mark Marten studies how fungal cells respond to stress, repair broken cell walls
Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education name UMBC a top university, excelling in student engagement
The ranking describes itself as “designed to put graduate success and student learning at its heart.” Across key areas measured, UMBC performs particularly well in student engagement and campus environment. Continue reading Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education name UMBC a top university, excelling in student engagement
Baltimore Sun honors Pres. Hrabowski’s leadership through Business and Civic Hall of Fame
The Baltimore Sun is celebrating UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski as a 2020 Business and Civic Hall of Fame honoree. A special feature in The Sun highlights important moments in Hrabowski’s life and career, and his impact as one of the nation’s top higher education leaders. Continue reading Baltimore Sun honors Pres. Hrabowski’s leadership through Business and Civic Hall of Fame
UMBC is named Great College to Work For for the 11th consecutive year
UMBC achieved recognition as a 2020 Great College to Work For in collaborative governance, respect and appreciation, work/life balance, confidence in senior leadership, teaching environment, diversity, and tenure clarity and process. Continue reading UMBC is named Great College to Work For for the 11th consecutive year
Chinese American parents and children have experienced increased racism due to COVID-19, report UMBC researchers in Pediatrics
A team of researchers led by UMBC psychology professor Charissa Cheah has found that a high percentage of Chinese American parents and children have witnessed and experienced an increase in racial discrimination since the outbreak of COVID-19. The researchers’ findings are now published in Pediatrics. Continue reading Chinese American parents and children have experienced increased racism due to COVID-19, report UMBC researchers in Pediatrics
UMBC sees solid enrollment in Fall 2020, celebrating returning students and high-demand graduate programs
“Our strong enrollments this fall affirm that, even with the challenges our world is facing, our new and continuing students value the UMBC experience and recognize the importance of staying on track with their degrees,” says Vice Provost Yvette Mozie-Ross. Continue reading UMBC sees solid enrollment in Fall 2020, celebrating returning students and high-demand graduate programs
New U.S. News rankings honor UMBC strengths in teaching, innovation, and inclusion
The 2021 U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges rankings affirm that UMBC remains one of the top universities in the nation, with a uniquely distinguished profile. UMBC has advanced to #11 for undergraduate teaching and holds the #9 position on the list of most innovative schools in the nation, among other prominent rankings. Continue reading New U.S. News rankings honor UMBC strengths in teaching, innovation, and inclusion
UMBC engages Howard Community College students with environmental science—online and in their own backyards
“My goal for the students was to capture what I think is the most important part of scientific research—curiosity through observation,” Chris Hawn says. By training their eyes and learning to see in new ways, Hawn says, “People were making discoveries literally inside their houses, or on a walk, or in their yard. It was really wonderful to see that transformation.” Continue reading UMBC engages Howard Community College students with environmental science—online and in their own backyards
Dipanjan Pan demonstrates new method to produce gold nanoparticles directly in cancer cells with possible applications in x-ray imaging, cancer treatment
UMBC’s Dipanjan Pan, professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, and collaborators have published a seminal study in Nature Communications that demonstrates for the first time a method of biosynthesizing plasmonic gold nanoparticles within cancer cells, without the need for conventional bench-top lab methods. It has the potential to notably expand biomedical applications. Continue reading Dipanjan Pan demonstrates new method to produce gold nanoparticles directly in cancer cells with possible applications in x-ray imaging, cancer treatment
UMBC’s Daniel Lobo receives $1.9 million NIH grant to explore genetic control of development and regeneration
Salamanders regenerate their tails. Sea stars regenerate their arms. Most species of planaria, a type of flatworm, can regenerate everything from their brains to their digestive organs. But if you lose part of a finger in a shop class accident, or while chopping vegetables for dinner, you’re out of luck—for now. “Why can the worm do it, and we cannot?” asks Daniel Lobo, assistant professor of biological sciences. That’s not really the question, though, he explains. Continue reading UMBC’s Daniel Lobo receives $1.9 million NIH grant to explore genetic control of development and regeneration
UMBC celebrates 2020 – 2021 Fulbright recipients
Ten recent UMBC alumni are recipients of 2020 – 2021 Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards, including seven from UMBC’s Class of 2020. Each year over 11,000 students apply and just over 2,000 are selected from hundreds of colleges and universities across the United States. The award secures funding for U.S. students to pursue international graduate study, research, internships, or teaching. Continue reading UMBC celebrates 2020 – 2021 Fulbright recipients
UMBC’s Taka Yamashita receives $1.4 million grant for research supporting workers returning to community college
UMBC’s Taka Yamashita has been awarded a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences for an innovative three-year research project on how adult literacy impacts success in community college STEM education and job training programs. Yamashita is an associate professor of sociology and faculty member in the UMBC/UMB gerontology Ph.D. program. Continue reading UMBC’s Taka Yamashita receives $1.4 million grant for research supporting workers returning to community college
UMBC’s Elizabeth Patton dives into history of remote work with “Easy Living: The Rise of the Home Office”
Elizabeth Patton’s new book explores how Americans think about the modern home office and why. Due to COVID-19, remote work has hit unprecedented highs, but Patton’s scholarship reveals that it’s far from a new idea. Continue reading UMBC’s Elizabeth Patton dives into history of remote work with “Easy Living: The Rise of the Home Office”