On April 30, Dr. Lee Blaney was awarded the 2015 Donald Creighton Outstanding Faculty Award. The UMBC Graduate Student Association established this award to honor an outstanding advisor, mentor, or professor who strives to aid graduate students in their academic and professional pursuits during their time at UMBC.

Congratulations to Dr. Blaney, who is pictured below with graduate research assistants Utsav Shashvatt (L) and Ke He (R).

Congratulations to the Upal Ghosh Lab for receiving two awards from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists (AAEES), the governing body that gives the board certification for Environmental Engineering. The awards were presented at their Annual Conference and Awards Luncheon on Thursday, April 23rd.

Honor awards were received in two categories:

One under University Research category submitted by Dr. Ghosh in which graduate assistants Eli Patmont and Hilda Fadaei are named participants, along with Allen Place from the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology.

Project profile: http://www.aaees.org/e3competition-winners-2015honor-universityresearch.php

A second one submitted by the Delaware Dept of Natural Resources for the remediation of Mirror Lake under small projects. UMBC is a participant in the award. This project implemented a remediation technology developed at UMBC to clean up a polluted lake.

Project profile: http://www.aaees.org/e3competition-winners-2015honor-smallprojects.php

Congratulations to Nicholas Rogers, a fourth year Chemical Engineering student, on receiving the 2015 Undergraduate Award from the American Chemical Society’s Division of Environmental Chemistry. Mr. Rogers works in Dr. Lee Blaney’s laboratory and will be presenting his research at the International Water Association’s NOM 6 conference in Malmo, Sweden (Sept. 2015).

Congratulations to CBEE Professor Govind Rao and the Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) team, who won $50,000 at the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI), held February 12th at University of Maryland, College Park.

CAST presented their design for a low-cost respiration monitor for premature newborns. This innovative device, which monitors oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in preemies’ blood, is much safer than current techniques because it is completely non-invasive, removing risks associated with conventional methods that either cause burns or require so many pinpricks the tiny babies need blood transfusions. Clinical trials have shown that the device measures carbon dioxide and oxygen levels with 90 percent accuracy compared to traditional tests.

The lab plans to use the new funds to automate and miniaturize the monitor for interested markets. Dr. Rao has established relationships with potential collaborators in Ethiopia, the Philippines, India, Mexico, and Nepal, and is partnered with General Electric, who will eventually manufacture the device.

Full story here: http://my.umbc.edu/news/50147

Congratulations to Dr. Upal Ghosh, who has been named as an Editor for the SETAC journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. He will be one of several editors of the journal and will handle papers in the fields of environmental remediation and pollutant bioavailability. Dr. Ghosh is looking forward to this role, especially as SETAC is seeking to increase the engagement of engineers.

Congratulations to Hollie Adejumo from the Blaney Lab for winning the UNCF-Merck Undergraduate Science Research Scholarship Award. Hollie was one of just 15 students from across the country to receive this prestigious award, which provides up to $30,000 in academic support, as well as an internship at a Merck Facility or other research institution.

Congratulations to Nick Rogers from the Blaney Lab for taking first place in the Chemical Sciences poster competition at the 17th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Chemical and Biological Sciences. His poster was titled, “EEM Characterization of Surface Waters along a Rural-to-Urban Gradient in Baltimore.”

To highlight the growing need for more minorities to help fill energy-related jobs of the future, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz visited UMBC on Tuesday, December 9th. Moniz shared coffee and conversations with UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski and some the school's students enrolled in the popular Meyerhoff Scholars Program, including Chemical Engineering students Stephen Vichhio and Aida Berhane.
Both students were interviewed by WBAL TV for a news segment that can be seen here.

Congratulations to Apurva Shah, class of 2016, who was recently featured as Researcher of The Week in The Retriever. Shah has been working in the Blaney Lab, researching “pharmaceuticals and other contaminants [that] have been detected in drinking water and other water matrices.”

His feature can be found here: http://retrieverweekly.umbc.edu/?p=520

Congratulations to Swarnalatha Balasubramanian, who successfully defended her Ph.D. on October 30th, 2014. Her research was performed in the Leach Lab; the title of her dissertation was Astrocyte Response to 3D Microenvironments

Congratulations to PhD student Adil Zuber, who is featured on myUMBC blog The Helix. Zuber is involved in therapeutic protein research in the Frey lab at TRC. He is working on a “factory-in-a-shoebox” device that could revolutionize access to protein-based medications in remote or war-torn locales.

His feature can be found here: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/helix/news/47510

Congratulations to Kristina Higgens, a chemical engineering major, whose Q&A with UMBC Giving was recently published on their blog. Kristina is a recipient of the Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship, and was asked to share her UMBC experience with donors and alumni. Her feature can be found here: http://bit.ly/1nfLUcF

Congratulations to Elvis Andino, Trevor Needham, Eli Patmont, and James Sanders, who competed in the national student design competition at the Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) in New Orleans, LA on September 28th. After winning the regional competition hosted by the Chesapeake Water Environment Association, the team was awarded a cash prize and travel scholarships to WEFTEC.

Congratulations to Dr. Miguel A. Acosta, a graduate from our department's Ph.D. program, for being featured today within North Carolina State University’s newsletter. The showcase comes in a move to feature the university’s minority scientists in STEM fields and to motivate minority students to embark in scientific careers through the success of their peers. The article is available at the following link: http://news.ncsu.edu/2014/09/science-looks-like-miguel-acosta/

Lee Blaney, in partnership with Triea Systems, LLC, received a $250,000 research award from the Maryland Industrial Partnerships program and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. With this award, Blaney’s team will optimize the recovery of phosphorus from animal manure produced in Maryland. The collaboration with Triea Systems will lead to development of a pilot-scale system to be used on Maryland farms. A press-release on the award is available at the following link: http://www.trieasystems.com/blog/triea-systems-and-umbc-receive-250k-grant-from-maryland-department-of-natural-resources-and-maryland-industrial-partnerships

Congratulations to Zachary Hopkins (Blaney Lab) on the successful defense of his MS thesis, Transformation of UV-filters by ozone: Reaction kinetics and removal of UV absorbance. This fall, Zack will start a PhD program in Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University.

Congratulations to Ke He from the Blaney Lab for winning the Best Poster Award in the “Analytical Methods for Detecting and Prioritizing Contaminants of Concern” symposium at the fall 2014 American Chemical Society meeting in San Francisco, CA. His poster was titled, Determination of fluoroquinolone antibiotics in wastewater by solid-phase extraction high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

Congratulations to Arundhathi Venkatasubramaniam, who successfully defended her Ph.D. on June 27, 2014. Her research was performed in the Good Lab; the title of her dissertation wasEngineering tools to analyze Aβ's effects on cellular mechanisms linked to the neurodegeneration observed in Alzheimer's disease

Dr. Lee Blaney and Class of 2014 student, Dalton Hughes, were recently interviewed by Dinah Winnick, Director of Communications at UMBC. The video was produced by Bill Shewbridge and the UMBC in the Loop program, and stemmed from work completed by the UMBC Engineers Without Borders chapter in Kenya. This work was partially funded by the UMBC BreakingGround initiative.

“In the Loop” is a series of half-hour programs highlighting the work of UMBC faculty in research and the arts. You can view the interview here:

The President of Portugal, on behalf of the Portuguese Government, has awarded CBEE Professor Antonio Moreira the National Order of Civil Merit of Public Education. This was timed to occur with the National Day of Portugal which was celebrated on June 10th.

The news is on the website for the President of Portugal:

http://www.presidencia.pt/?idc=10&idi=84633&idl=2

The decoration will be presented at a ceremony and reception at the Embassy of Portugal in DC this fall.

CBEE professor Upal Ghosh has partnered with Newcastle University in the project:

Development of Sustainable Technologies to Investigate, Restore and Protect the Urban Water Environment. Newcastle University, University of Maryland Baltimore County (US), Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (India) and CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute Nagpur (India)

The grant, instituted through Newcastle University will support student and faculty research exchanges among the partnering institutions, and will examine urban water quality.

Full story here

CBEE Class of 2014 student Dalton Hughes, whose mentor is Dr. Jennie Leach, was recently featured in The Baltimore Sun. Read the entire article here: Five Baltimore Graduates, Five Journeys

Mr. Hughes is a Meyerhoff Scholar, Janice Antoine Lumpkin Scholar, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholar, and MARC U*STAR Scholar, as well as a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. He plans to continue his studies at Duke University, where he will pursue a M.D./Ph.D.

Congratulations to Jessica Lee, a third year Chemical Engineering student, on receiving the 2014 Undergraduate Award from the American Chemical Society’s Division of Environmental Chemistry. Ms. Lee works in Dr. Lee Blaney’s laboratory and recently presented her research at the 247th ACS meeting in Dallas, TX.

Congratulations to CBEE graduate students, Elvis Andino, Trevor Needham, Eli Patmont, and James Sanders, who won first place in the Chesapeake Water Environment Association (CWEA) Student Design Competition. The team of four entered the competition as part of Dr. Lee Blaney’s ENCE 612 course. On May 8th, the team presented their design to CWEA members at the Baltimore Public Works Museum. Their award includes a $1000 cash prize and a travel allowance to the national Water Environment Federation conference.

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Julia Ross, Professor of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering and former Department Chair, has just been named Dean of the UMBC College of Engineering and Information Technology. Official announcement at this link.

Congratulations Dr. Ross!

Congratulations to Environmental Engineering PhD grad Barbara Beckingham ('11) on her appointment as Assistant Professor at College of Charleston. Dr. Beckingham recently finished her post-doctoral research position at University of Tübingen, Germany and is our first Ph.D. student from the environmental engineering program to go on to a faculty position.

CBEE undergrad Dalton Hughes was among the panelists at the U.S. News STEM Solutions conference on April 23, 2014 and spoke about his UMBC experiences in a discussion moderated by PBS Newshour co-anchor Judy Woodruff.

The panel addressed major issues in STEM education, including the challenge of retaining students as STEM majors, the need to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in STEM, and the importance of mentorship and a supportive peer community in student success.

Read UMBC Insights story here.

Watch video from the conference here.

UMBC scientists receive Maryland Innovation grant from TEDCO to advance bioremediation of PCB-contaminated sediments

BALTIMORE, MD (April 21, 2014)

Professor Kevin Sowers, Professor of Marine Biotechnology at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), and Professor Upal Ghosh, at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, have received a $100,000 grant from the Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII). The grant will fund research to that will ameliorate the environmental harms of PCB’s. The program is an initiative of the Technology Council of Maryland (TEDCO) created in 1998 to spur commercialization of scientific research in Maryland as part of the state’s efforts to foster economic development through academic research.

Dr. Sowers is a global leader in environmental science and has pioneered a method that uses activated carbon pellets seeded with microorganisms that degrade the concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediments. In recent laboratory experiments, the cultures Sowers created resulted in over 80% reduction in the PCB mass after treatment.

“Our hope is that this method for treating PCB’s will have a tangible impact in restoring previously degraded areas – both on land and in bodies of water,” says Sowers. “PCB’s have long been a harmful and largely intransigent pollutant and our work is intended to address serious health impacts these chemicals have on people, animals and the environment.”

Sowers is collaborating in this work with Upal Ghosh, a professor at the Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering at UMBC. “The magnitude of PCB sediment contamination and associated water quality problems in the United States is reflected in more than 3,200 state and local advisories that have warned the public about of the health impacts of consuming contaminated fish. These warnings cover 24% of total river miles throughout the United States,” Ghosh says. “The advisories include 100% of the Great Lakes and 35% of all other lakes nationwide.” PCBs are frequently reported as the leading contaminants at impacted sites. Current remediation technologies are expensive, destructive to environmentally sensitive areas, and difficult to coordinate with local activities. The technology proposed by Sowers and Ghosh addresses existing challenges and is especially suitable for environmentally sensitive sites such as wetlands and difficult-to-reach areas under-pier structures in contaminated harbors. This technology advances an in-situ remediation approach using activated carbon that has been recently developed by Ghosh and commercialized through a startup company Sediment Solutions.

The Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII) was created as a partnership between the State of Maryland and five Maryland academic research institutions (Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, University of Maryland College Park, University of Maryland Baltimore and University of Maryland Baltimore County.) The program is designed to promote commercialization of research conducted between and among the partnership universities and it leverages each institution’s unique strengths.

“The MII program is critically important to our partner universities and the citizens of Maryland,” noted Russell Hill, IMET Director, “because it facilitates the transformation of basic science into practical and far-reaching applications. We are grateful for TEDCO’s support and foresight in addressing this important environmental issue and are proud of the excellent research being done by Dr. Sowers and Dr. Ghosh.”

TEDCO
The Maryland State Legislature created TEDCO in 1998 to facilitate the transfer and commercialization of technology from Maryland’s research universities and federal labs into the marketplace and to assist in the creation and growth of technology-based businesses in all regions of the State. TEDCO is an independent organization that strives to be Maryland’s leading source for entrepreneurial business assistance and seed funding for the development of startup companies in Maryland’s innovation economy.

INSTITUTE OF MARINE AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
Located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology is a strategic alliance involving scientists at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the University of Maryland Baltimore and the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Scientists are engaged in cutting-edge research in microbiology, molecular genetic analysis and biotechnology, using marine resources to develop new drug therapies, alternative energy and other innovations to improve public health and economic opportunities. IMET also contributes to sustainable marine aquaculture and fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay and other marine ecosystems.

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CBEE Undergraduate student Cheli (Sara) Arussy is conducting research in Dr. Mark Marten's lab and has recently been featured on the UMBC web site. Read the entire article here: “Determining the Effects of Autophagy on Morphology of Aspergillus nidulans”

CBEE departmental alumni Andy Gotsch (B.S. 2012) helps Fiberight win Autodesk Small Business Success Award and is featured in video describing his work at Fiberight - turning trash into energy.

Link to Video

Doug Frey, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, will be this year’s Horvath Memorial Lecturer at Yale University.

The prestigious Csaba Horvath lecture series is in memory of Professor Csaba Horvath, who is responsible for developing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), without which modern chemistry and biotechnology would be difficult, if not impossible. The lecture is sponsored by Yale’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and The Goizueta Foundation.

Dr. Frey will speak on new methods and applications for the chromatography of biological macromolecules at Yale on April 16.

Congratulations to Bill Moss (mentor Mark Marten) and Aditi Bhaskar (mentor Claire Welty), both of whom graduated with their Ph.D. Degrees.

Congratulations to Nuno Dos Santos Pinto, who successfully defended his Ph.D. on December 8th, 2013. His research was performed in the Frey Lab; the title of his dissertation was Novel hybrid chromatofocusing methods for protein purification

Aditi Bhaskar successfully defended her Ph.D. on November 12th, 2013. Her research was performed in the Welty Lab.

Shaunak Uplekar successfully defended his Ph.D. on November 12th, 2013. His dissertation was entitled "Impact of process parameters on product titer and quality attributes during cell culture scale down."

A recent article on the Smithsonian Science website highlights the work of CBEE professor Upal Ghosh, along with Cynthia Gilmour from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and their colleagues. These researchers have found a new low-cost, nonhazardous way to reduce the toxicity of hot spots polluted with mercury by using charcoal to trap it in the soil.

The complete Smithsonian Science article can be found at this link and the study "Activated Carbon Mitigates Mercury and Methylmercury Bioavailability in Contaminated Sediments," published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, can be found here

Congratulations to Niloufar Pezeshk, who successfully defended her M.S. on September 20th, 2013. Her research was performed in the Good Lab; the title of her dissertation was Inhibiting Amyloid-beta fibrils from binding to cells

In January 2013, the EWB-UMBC team traveled to Isongo, Kenya for an assessment trip, during which they successfully established relationships with the residents, mapped the community, analyzed the water quality, and surveyed residents on water, sanitation, and hygiene. Now the group is planning an implementation trip for January 2014 to install a clean water system that will benefit 500 people from Isongo.

But they can’t make the trip without your help.

How can you help?

Your donation makes two things possible: (1) Development of a clean water supply for the community of Isongo, Kenya and (2) transformative experiences for UMBC students interested in international, humanitarian work. You can also help the EWB-UMBC project by spreading the word to your friends, family, and co-workers. Money raised will help pay for materials and tools needed to drill wells in Isongo, as well as travel and lodging costs for student volunteers.
With your help, EWB-UMBC hopes to raise $20,050 to send a team of 6 students to Kenya to complete this important project.

For more information or to donate, please visit EWB-UMBC's crowdfunding page.

Congratulations to Environmental Engineering graduate student Aditi Bhaskar for receiving a Rising Young Star award at the 2013 Gordon Conference on Catchment Science, which was held Jun 16-21, 2013 in Andover, NH.

Regular conference meetings were preceded by a two-day Gordon Research Seminar, in which graduate students and post-doctoral investigators met as a group to share and discuss their cutting-edge research, build new scientific collaborations and prepare for their interactions with more senior scientists. The goal of the symposium was to promote networking among the young people in advance of the conference in a non-threatening, low-key environment. Students were required to apply in order to be allowed to give oral presentations, and the top three outstanding oral presentations were selected by a vote of all seminar attendees. Rising Young Star recipients were then given the honor of presenting their work to the general conference.

Ms. Bhaskar, who is a research assistant in the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE), did a wonderful job giving her presentation and received congratulations from attendees from around the world, many of whom are senior and well known scientists. CBEE is very proud of her remarkable achievement!

Recipients of a Ph.D. degree in Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering

The following Ph.D. graduates completed a doctoral thesis describing significant research contributions to their field:

John Bendick May 2013, High Shear Rotary Membrane System Enhancements for Naval Wastewaters MENTOR: Brian Reed

Philip Gidly Dec. 2012, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Transport in Amended Sediment Caps MENTOR: Upal Ghosh

Hui Guo May 2013, Development of Chromatofocusing Techniques Employing Mixed-Mode Column Packings for Biomolecule Separations MENTOR: Doug Frey

Angele Kwimi May 2013, Interaction of As(III), As(V) and PO4 with Fe Oxide Impregnated Activated Carbons: Modeling Multisorbate Adsorption using the Surface Complexation Approach MENTOR: Brian Reed

Recipients of a Master of Science degree in Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering

The following M.S. graduates completed a thesis describing original research endeavors:

Helena Gaifem, Dec. 2012 The Influence of Neural Stem Cells on the Degradation of Poly(Ethylene) Glycol Hydrogel Scaffolds MENTOR: Jennie Leach

Priyanka Gupta, May 2013 Completely Non-invasive Monitoring of Dissolved Oxygen in Disposable Small Scale Cell Culture Devices MENTOR: Govind Rao

Sunsanee Kanjananimmanot, May 2013 Noninvasive Transdermal Glucose Monitoring using a Fluorescent Glucose Binding Protein MENTOR: Govind Rao

Shengchun Liu, May 2013 The Influence of Micro-patterned Surface on the Formation of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm MENTOR: Julia Ross

Jacob Sarnecki, Dec 2012 Using Genome Scale Metabolic Models to Determine the Similarity of the Crabtree and Warburg Elfects MENTOR: Mariajose Castellanos

Shelby Vargo, Aug. 2012 Cell Response to Hydrogel Tissue Scalfolds MENTOR: Jennie Leach

Bo Wang, Dec. 2012 Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Fish from Maryland Waters MENTOR: Upal Ghosh

Yunqian Wei, Aug. 2012 Polyethylene Glycol-Peptide Hydrogels as Affinity Growth Factor Release Scalfolds MENTOR: Jennie Leach

The following M.S. graduates completed Master level course work and also worked with Faculty Mentors in their laboratories:

Opeyemi Ajayi, Dec. 2012 Developing Chemical Genetic Profiling Methods for Fungi MENTOR: Mark Marten

Chijioke Irrechukwu, May 2013

Sivesh Muthuswarmy, Dec. 2012 Quantifying morphology of autophagy deficient fugal mutants MENTOR: Mark Marten

Brian O'Hara, Dec 2012 Studying processes using differential equations MENTOR: Mariajose Castellanos

Payam Rezaei, May 2013 Large scale sorting of nanoparticles MENTOR: Doug Frey

Nicholas Selock, May2013 C02 Sensor Development MENTOR:Govind Rao

Recipients of Bachelor's of Science degree in Chemical Engineering

Omar M. Ahmed, B.S.
Saqib M. Ashraf, B.S.
Natalie A. Austin, B.S.
Henry 0. Ayoola, B.S.
Zach Bailey, B.S. HONORS: Cum Laude
Adithya Balasubramanian, B.S. HONORS: Summa Cum Laude, Certificate: Honors College
Catherine H. Brown, B.S. Minor: Psychology
Keisha M. Carr, B.S. HONORS: Cum Laude
Rosilyn J. Chirayath, B.S.
Carole-Anne G. Dallo, B.S.
Andrew Dillon, B.S.
Eli Y. Eisenberg, B.S. HONORS: Magna Cum Laude
Azra Hosie, B.S. Minor: Modern Languages and Linguistics
Lilian C. Johnson, B.S. HONORS: Magna Cum Laude; Certificate: Honors College
Nikolaus H. Jost, B.S. HONORS: Cum Laude; Certificate: Honors College
Phillip H. Kang, B.S. HONORS: Magna Cum Laude
Virgil Ketner, B.S. Second Major: Chemistry
Bryan Y. Kim, B.S.
Dongxue Li, B.S.
Hung Lu, B.S.
Joshua M. Martin, B.S.
Jennifer E. Mohr, B.S.
Satomi Morimoto, B.S.
Brittany A. Nordmark, B.S. HONORS: Cum Laude
Chiazor Tolu Nwachukwu, B.S.HONORS: Magna Cum Laude
David J. Ring, B.S. HONORS: Magna Cum Laude; Minor: Mathematics; Certificate: Honors College
Elham Safavi, B.S.
Marc A. Scimonelli, B.S.
Eugene Shin, B.S.
Robert L. Temple, B.S.
Jonathan E. Tourgee, B.S.
Brianna Grace Trankle, B.S.
Camille Q. Vu, B.S. HONORS: Magna Cum Laude
Christopher L. Yankaskas, B.S. HONORS: Summa Cum Laude
Talat Zeini, B.S.

Hui Guo successfully defended her PhD on April 26th, 2013. Her research was performed in the Frey Lab; the title of her dissertation was "Development of Chromatofocusing Techniques Employing Mixed-Mode Column Packings for Biomolecule Separations."

John Bendick successfully defended his Ph.D. on April 17th, 2013. His research was performed in the Reed Lab; the title of his dissertation was "High Shear Rotary Membrane System Enhancements for Naval Wastewaters".

Angele Kwimi successfully defended her Ph.D. on March 29th, 2013. Her research was performed in the Reed Lab; the title of her dissertation was "Interaction of As(III), As(V) and PO4 with Fe Oxide Impregnated Activated Carbons: Modeling Multisorbate Adsorption using the Surface Complexation Approach".

In January 2013, the UMBC chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB-UMBC) successfully completed an assessment trip to Isongo, Kenya for a clean water project. Students, Chris Mullen (Mechanical Engineering, ‘14) and Dalton Hughes (Chemical Engineering, ‘14), travelled with CBEE professor, Lee Blaney, and professional engineer, Duane Wilding, of the Maryland Environmental Service. The principal goal of this assessment trip was to establish a relationship with the Isongo community and to collect data on the water source currently being used by over 500 villagers. With the help of several community members, the team conducted basic topological surveys, chemical & bacteriological analysis, and household interviews over the weeklong trip.

In partnership with Simiyu House Kenya, a non-profit organization, EWB-UMBC will design and implement a clean and safe water supply for the community of Isongo. Having reliable access to clean water will reduce the incidence of waterborne disease and improve the overall living conditions of the villagers. Currently, the EWB-UMBC chapter is beginning the design phase of the project and raising funds to implement a safe water system in January 2014. The chapter expects to take 5-7 students on the implementation trip.

EWB-UMBC is a student-run organization that seeks to complete sustainable engineering projects in the developing world. All majors and backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to join. More information can be found at http://ewbatumbc.tumblr.com/.

If you would like to join the group, please email Madison Bondoc at umbc.ewb.secretary@gmail.com.

If you would like to donate to the EWB-UMBC project, please follow this link: https://ssl.charityweb.net/ewbusa/pfp/ewbumbckenyawaterproject.htm.
 

Some of the EWB-UMBC team’s helpers.

The EWB-UMBC team (minus Duane Wilding) with community leaders in Isongo.

Dalton Hughes, Chris Mullen, and Duane Wilding conducting water quality testing.

Thumbs-up all around at the end of a successful day!

Our new undergraduate track in Environmental Engineering and Sustainability leads to a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering. For details see our Curriculum Page.

The CBEE Department said good bye to Mary Anderson, who faithfully served the department for over 16 years, at a farewell party on Aug 23, 2012. Mary earned her MS degree and is leaving to begin a new career. While we'll miss her very much, we wish her all the best in her new endeavor.

Pictured left to right: Good, Rao, Leach, Bayles, Frey, Kedzierski, Ross, Mary Anderson, Enszer, Castellanos, Blaney, Marten, Loehe, Hennigan

The Novozymes Zymobile visited the CBE Department this week. Pictured (L to R) Prashant Bapat, Karthik Boppidi, Bill Moss, Mark Marten, Jason Noel.

Graduate and undergraduate students from the department participated in an outreach event at a local elementary school called "Groovy Science Night." UMBC students helped the elementary students learn about rheology, microscopy and polymer science... all while having fun! For more pictures see the UMBC GSN web site.

We are happy to announce that the former departments of "Chemical and Biochemical Engineering" and "Civil and Environmental Engineering" have joined forces to create new and exciting educational opportunities for our students. We are now the...

Department of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering

The merger has created a significantly larger department with expanded research breadth. A few details about ongoing changes are included below. Please be patient while we work to merge our two websites into one and check back often to track the many new things that are happening!

What’s new as a result of the merger?

• We’ve hired two new faculty members as part of the merger. Dr. Lee Blaney is a new Assistant Professor and is building a research program focused on advanced treatment processes aimed at removing pharmaceuticals from water and wastewater matrices. Dr. Josh Enszer has joined us as a new Lecturer, conducting courses involving experimental and computational tools, mathematical modeling, and working with new learning technologies.


• We are currently searching for another new Assistant Professor.


• We are expanding the opportunities for our undergraduates by adding a new track in Environmental Engineering and Sustainability. The track leads to the B.S. degree in chemical engineering and is available to current freshmen and sophomores at UMBC as well as incoming students. Help us spread the word!

• We continue to offer all of the degree programs from each of the departments including the B.S. in Chemical Engineering, the M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and the M.S. and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering that is focused exclusively in environmental engineering and water resources.


• The people! All faculty and staff from the two departments are still here.


• We continue to be a research focused department that is student-centered. Faculty and student success are still our highest priorities and we strive to provide a close-knit and inclusive environment for all.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) seeks to fill a new tenure-track position
at the assistant professor level as part of a strategic initiative to expand its research and
academic leadership in environmental sustainability.

For details see our Faculty Search Page.

Ph.D. student Barbara Beckingham won the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors/Wiley Publishers Best Student Poster award at the Biennial Conference of the organisation in Tampa earlier this week. Barbara's research involves assessment and control of toxic chemical bioavailability to benthic organisms. Shown in this picture, Barbara is getting ready to deploy caged organisms to assess pollutant biouptake at a pilot demonstration site in a contaminated river.

Recipients of Bachelor's of Science degree in Chemical Engineering

Our B.S. graduates have accepted offers from companies such as Dupont, Constellation Energy, Boeing, the Navy, Procter and Gamble, Bechtel, CTC, and graduate schools such as University of Michigan, University of Delaware, Drexel University and UMBC.

From left to right: (back) Jessica, Hythem, Luis, Kellie, Jake, Matt, Jay, Brian, Dewey, Jason, Josh, Danny, Ryan, and Mike (middle) Kellie, Tim, Donterrius, Brian, and Norman (front) Shelby, Ona, Marsha, Carol, Sofia, Cassie and Angela.

Michael K. Boone-Felder
Timothy R. Buck
Brian P. Cottrell
Norman T. Dean* (Honors College)
Cassie M. Dobrzanski
Donterrius A. Ethridge
Sofia D. Francisco
Daniel A. Gray
Imhotep N. Jackson
Joshua D. Levine (Minor: History) ^
Jason A. Loiland** ^ (Double Major: Music)
Yuchen Luo (Minor: Economics) ^
Angela R. Nealen
Brian R. O'Hara
Carol A. Ortega
Sylvie S. Osias (Minor: Economics)
Timothy S. Paterniti
Stephanie E. Pubill ^
Kiran Quraishi (Minor: Biological Sciences)
Joseph A. Richards
Jacob Sarnecki* ^
Matthew J. Schwarz*
Onajite Shemi*
Hythem I. Sidky
Kellie Tilley*
Jessica L. Trankle
Shelby L. Vargo
Luis T. Verona** ^
Marsha K. Walker*
Nicole R. Wallace**
Dewey J. Ward

* Cum Laude
** Magna Cum Laude
*** Summa Cum Laude
^ Biotechnology/Bioengineering Track

Recipients of a Master of Science degree in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering* and Civil Engineering^

Clockwise: Tomilayo, Shilpa, Nikhila, Mutsa, Archana, and Zach.

The following M.S. graduates completed Master level course work and also worked with Faculty Mentors in their laboratories and have accepted offers of employment with companies including GE and Jacobs Engineering Group.

Nikhila Vikas Karnik* “High-performance size-exclusion chromatography of proteins”
Mentor: Doug Frey

Philip Andrew Kartochvil*

Tomilayo Komolafe* “Predicting petroleum properties through artificial neural networks”
Mentor: Mariajose Castellanos

Naga Shilpa Vadala* “Analysis of ECM production”
Mentor: Jennie Leach

Zachary Daniel Vonder Haar* “The INSPIRES Curriculum”
Mentor: Julie Ross and Taryn Bayles

The following M.S. graduates completed a thesis describing original research endeavors and have accepted offers of employment with companies such as MedImmune.

Mutsa Yvonne Kambarami* "Quantifying the effect of hydrodynamic shear on polymorphonuclear leukocyte adhesion to Staphylococcus aureus biofilms"
Mentor: Julie Ross

Jennifer Jerscheid^ “Impact of activated carbon on benthic organism toxicity and PCB loss from sediment”
Mentor: Upal Ghosh

Chirayu Joshi^ “Laboratory assessment of bioavailability reduction of DDx by sorbent amendments to sediment”
Mentor: Upal Ghosh

Archana Sriram* (December 2010) “Engineering periplasmic binding proteins to develop potential sensors to measure glucose, glutamine and lactate”
Mentor: Govind Rao

Recipients of a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering

The following Ph.D. graduates completed a doctoral thesis describing significant research contributions to their field and have accepted positions at Decision Resources Consulting and Martek.

From Top to Bottom: Miguel, Andreia, and Goncalo

Miguel Acosta “Miniaturized probes for cell microenvironment: development, characterization, and application of fluorescent oxygen-sensing microparticles”
Mentor: Jennie Leach

Goncalo Maia (December 2010) “Design of large scale kinetic metabolic models: applications in mammalian and algae metabolism”
Mentor: Mariajose Castellanos

Andreia Sofia Gaifem Ribeiro “Translating neuronal responses from 2D to 3D microenvironments to improve the design of biomaterials”
Mentor: Jennie Leach

Graduate and undergraduate students from the department participated in an outreach event at a local elementary school called "Groovy Science Night." UMBC students helped the elementary students learn about rheology, microscopy and polymer science... all while having fun! For more pictures see the UMBC GSN web site.

At the recent UMBC Service Awards, our beloved Mary Anderson was honored for 30 years of faithful service to UMBC. We are grateful for the dedication and excellence that Mary shows in all that she does. Her commitment to the department and the students is clear to all who meet her and her contribution to the department is, quite literally, immeasurable. On behalf of all the students and faculty - THANK YOU!

For pictures from the event, please visit Photos from the UMBC Service Awards

To see an in depth interview with Mary Anderson look at this video on UMBC-Tube

Cluster Hire in Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering at UMBC
Three positions to be filled: The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) seeks to fill two
new tenure-track positions at the assistant professor level and one lecturer position as part of a strategic initiative to expand its research and academic leadership in environmental sustainability.

For details see our Faculty Search Page.

Recipients of Bachelor's of Science in Chemical Engineering

Our B.S. graduates have accepted offers from companies such as ECBC in Aberdeen and graduate schools such as University of Wisconsin, Johns Hopkins University, University of Rochester, EPFL at Lausanne and UMBC.

From left to right: (back) Jon, Ryan, Ben, Rohan, Colin K., Robert, Brooke, Dom, Mike & Zach
(front) Philip, Colin H., Fabiola, A.K., Jenny & Hannah

Jonathan A. Bollinger **
Ryan P. Connor ^
Philip A. Cutler
Benajmin D. D'Alessio ^
Jenny R. Donoghue
Rohan Durbal
Jeremiah Flynn ^
John C. Haser **
Kirbi M. Hawkins (Minor: Economics)
Robert M. Henderson * ^
Chijioke O. Irrechukwu
Colin J. Kelly (Certificate: Honors College)
Brooke E. Leibforth
Dominique T. Monteil ^ (Minor: Modern Languages and Linguistics)
Michael S. Pacella *** ^
Akanksha W. Raja
Fabiola E. Rincon
Zachary D. Vonder Haar *
Hannah K. Wilson ** ^ (Minor: Biological Sciences)

* Cum Laude
** Manga Cum Laude
*** Summa Cum Laude
^ Biotechnology/Bioengineering Track

Recipients of a Master of Science degree in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering

From left to right: Ryan Park, Ashrith Mathias & Robert Reeves

The following M.S. graduates completed Master level course work and also worked with Faculty Mentors in their laboratories and have accepted offers of employment at OSIsoft.

Ashrith Mathias
Sialic acid polymers prevent amyloid binding to cells, a step towards preventing neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease
Mentor: Theresa Good

Ryan Park
Exploring signaling reactions of beta amyloid with T cells and neurons: clues to the mechanism of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease
Mentor: Theresa Good

Robert Reeves
The INSPIRES Curriculum
Mentors: Taryn Bayles & Julie Ross

The following M.S. graduate completed a thesis describing original research endeavors and has accepted an offer of employment at the Naval Research Laboratory.

Jessica Schwartz
The influence of human serum on Staphylococcus aureus growth, collagen and fibrinogen receptor expression and adhesion to Immobilized collagen and fibrinogen under dynamic shear
Mentor: Julie Ross

Recipients of a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering

Left to right: Silviya Petrova and Jennie Leach & Ben Keshet

The following Ph.D. graduates completed a doctoral thesis describing significant research contributions to their field and and have accepted postdoctoral fellowships at the National Institute of Health.

Ben Keshet
Towards understanding the molecular details of beta amyloid neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease
Mentor: Theresa Good

Silviya Petrova (December 2009)
Star poly(ethylene glycol) as a tunable scaffold for neural tissue engineering
Mentor: Jennie Leach

Mark Marten was selected as recipient of the James M. Van Lanen Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the BIOT Division. Mark received the award from Weichang Zhou, BIOT 2009 Chair at the ACS National Meeting in Washington DC.

Recipients of Bachelor's of Science in Chemical Engineering

Our B.S. graduates have accepted offers from companies such as MedImmune, Exxon, ECBC in Aberdeen, Lockheed Martin, and graduate schools such as Northwestern University, Cornell University, University of Delaware and UMBC.

From left to right:
Back: J. Ross, Tim, Ryan, Eric, Larry, Bob, Rob, Bobby.
Middle: Jessica, J. Leach, Amanda, Ashrith, T. Bayles, Mike, Nizeet, Olu, Aileen, T. Good.
Front: Fellipe, Joel, M. Castellanos.

Nizeet Aguilar ^
Fellipe F. Balieiro *
Eric C. Borman
Timothy D. Courtney **
Jessica E. Dewitt
Mike German ** ^
Joel M. Gwinn
Lawrence P. Hetzel *
Thomas C. Hsu (Minor: Mathematics and Statistics) ^
Amanda K. Karp * ^
Ryan Kostick *
Rob C. Low
Ashrith Mathias ^
Oluwaseun D. Olayiwola (Minor: Biological Sciences) ^
Adebimpe D. Oyede
Robert P. Reeves **
Aileen P. Richards*
Lauren A. Smalls-Mantey ^

* Cum Laude
** Manga Cum Laude
^ Biotechnology/Bioengineering Track

Recipients of a Master of Science degree in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering

From left to right: James Pallikal, Mariajosé Castellanos, Joe Piekarski, Nichole Au

The following M.S. graduates completed Master level course work and also worked with Faculty Mentors in their laboratories and have accepted offers of employment at ECBC.

Nichole Au
The INSPIRES Curriculum
Advisors: Taryn Bayles & Julie Ross

Yadira Castillo
Investigations of new chromatographic methods and materials
Advisor: Doug Frey

The following M.S. graduates completed a thesis describing original research endeavors and have accepted offers of employment at MedImmune or are continuing doctoral degrees in Chemical Engineering at UMBC.

Hui Guo (December 2008)
Thesis: Dispersion phenomena in micropellicular HPLC columns
Advisor: Doug Frey

James Pallikal (December 2008)
Thesis: Investigation of MUC1 in Alzheimer's applications
Advisor: Theresa Good

Joseph Piekarski
Thesis: Construction of a dual infection mechanism for HIV
Advisor: Mariajosé Castellanos

Recipients of a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering

Left: Yonghyun (John) Kim and Mark Marten
Right: Julie Ross, Patrick Ymele-Leki, Irina Ramos, Theresa Good

The following Ph.D. graduates completed a doctoral thesis describing significant research contributions to their field and and have accepted offers of employment at MedImmune and postdoctoral fellowships at the Korean Samsung Cancer Center and Harvard Children Hospital.

Yonghyun (John) Kim (December 2008)
Thesis Proteomic identification of novel regulators and effectors of osmoadaptation and autophagy of model filamentous fungi Aspergillus nidulans
Advisor: Mark Marten

Irina Ramos
Thesis: Role of β-Amyloid structure and residue accessibility in cell interactions associated with Alzheimer’s disease
Advisor: Theresa Good

Patrick Ymele-Leki
Thesis: Quantitative analysis of the accumulation, architectural organization, detachment and reseeding of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms under physiological fluid shear conditions
Advisor: Julie Ross

Taryn Bayles was selected as recipient of the USM 2009 Regents’ Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring. This award is the highest honor that the Board of Regents bestows to recognize exemplary faculty achievement.

Bhargavi Kondragunta, a third year Ph.D. student in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, was selected to receive the Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) Pre-Doctoral Fellowship. This award is selected through a national competition each year. Bhargavi works with Dr’s Antonio Moreira and Govind Rao. Bhargavi’s project title: Quality by design using high throughput bioreactors with feed-back control (HTCB) to predict multivariable relationships. Bhargavi will use time course analysis with DNA micro arrays to establish comparability of HTCBs to bench scale during fed-batch bioreactor runs. Obtain design space variables, as well as multivariable equations between input process variables and output product attributes using statistical experimental design. Bhargavi earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering at the Osmania University, Hyderabad, India in 1995 and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering at Drexel University, Philadelphia. Bhargavi has also held several bioprocess engineering and scientist positions in Upstream Process Development and Technology Transfer for the past 9 year in biopharmaceutical companies in the US.

The Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) founded in 1946 is the leading global provider of science, technology and regulatory information and education for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical community. Its mission is to develop scientifically sound, practical technical information and resources for the pharmaceutical industry through the expertise of its global membership. In addition to facilitating development, testing and qualification of new technologies, sponsoring educational conferences and training courses, PDA publishes the PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology and the PDA Letter, which focuses on current industry and regulatory news. It continues to be a leading and influential contributor of information for the global regulatory and harmonization processes.

In recognition of the research efforts and influence of students impacting the pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical industry, PDA and the PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology have established Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Program and the Annual Graduate Research Symposium. These programs were developed to promote applied research in areas of study relevant to the scientific foundations of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical product development, drug manufacturing and quality assurance technologies.

Recipients of Bachelor's of Science in Chemical Engineering

Our B.S. graduates have accepted offers from companies such as Exxon, NupocNavy Officer, NIH Vaccine Research Center NIAID and graduate schools such as Cambridge University, Stanford University, Tulsa University, Brown University, Berkeley University, and University of Maryland Baltimore.

From left to right.
Standing: George, Areeb, Tolu, Eric, Bill, Mark, Adeniyi, Jacob, Amaka, Guy, Quang,
Nirav, Abraham, David. Bottom row: Nichole, Pete, Jessica, Debbie, Amber, Sylvia, Tania.

George E. Aninwene II (Minor: Biological Sciences) ^
Nichole B. Au (Minor: History) *^
Tolulope O. Babalola
William A. Becker
Mark A. Benesch **
Abraham G. Beyene **
Peter D. Block (Minor: Psychology)
Amaka Chidume-Okoro (Minor: Modern Language & Linguistics) *
Jacob S. Demirji ^
David E. Dunn
Simon M. Gray (Valedictorian) ***^
Terrell K. Higgins
Quadri O. Johnson
Guy S. Kamguia
Josphat G. Kiaritha
Ariane C. Kouamou
Quang M. La
Debora W. Lin (Minor: Biological Sciences) **^
Jian Liu (Double Major: Chemistry)
Amber Mahmood
Tania Monterastelli **
Eric C. Mortin *^
Adeniyi O. Olujoya
Nirav Patel
Christa L. Puhl (Minor: Biological Sciences) ^
Sylvia J. Rivera
Jessica E. Schwartz ^
Areeb A. Shaikh

* Cum Laude
** Manga Cum Laude
*** Summa Cum Laude
^ Biotechnology/Bioengineering Track

Recipients of a Master of Science degree in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering

The following M.S. graduates completed a thesis describing original research endeavors and have accepted offers of employment at TAI Engineering and Aberdeen Proving Grounds or are pursuing doctoral degrees in Chemical Engineering at Cornell University and the University of Delaware.

From left to right: Jake McGill, Tony Geisz, Brad Gates and Jessica Drew.

Jessica L. Drew
Thesis: Application of High Throughput Bioreactors in Subclone Selection
Advisor: Govind Rao

Bradford M. Gates
Thesis: Amyloid-Neuron Interactions Explored via Computational Modeling
Advisor: Mariajose Castellanos

Anton J. Geisz, Jr.
Thesis: Multivalent Sialic Acid Polymers: A Novel Chemistry
Advisor: Theresa Good

Leonard C. Lombardo
Thesis: Engineering Macroporous Hydrogels via the Degradation of Embedded Microspheres
Advisor: Jennie Leach

Jacob A. McGill
Thesis: Development of an Intracellular Infection Model and Integration of Diffusional Virus Effects into a Cellular Automata Simulation
Advisor: Mariajose Castellanos

Recipients of a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering

The following Ph.D. graduates completed a doctoral thesis describing significant research contributions to their field and are currently working at companies such as Wyeth, Regeneron, and Novozymes and postdoctoral fellowships at NIST and Drexel University.

From left to right
Top Row: David Schaefer, Niraj George, Michael Johnson, Chris Cowan
Middle Row: Liming Zhao, Julie Ross, Derek Smith, Michael Hanson
Bottom Row: Judith Kadarusman, Mark Marten, Theresa Good, Govind Rao

Christopher B. Cowan
Thesis: Developing Novel Materials that Capture the Alzheimer's Disease Associated Protein Beta Amyloid for Therapeutic and Detection Applications
Advisor: Theresa Good

Niraj P.E. George
Thesis: Influence of Shear Stress on the Adhesion of S. aureus to Immobilized Platelets
Advisor: Julia Ross and Konstantinos Konstantopoulos

Michael Hanson
Thesis: High Throughput Bioreactor Validation and Use in Mammalian Cell Culture Process Change Studies Utilizing Gene Expression Data
Advisors: Govind Rao and Antonio Moreira

Michael A. Johnson
Thesis: Platelet-S. aureus Interactions: A Study of Thrombus Formation in Whole Blood in the Presence of Bacteria Under Physiological Shear Conditions
Advisor: Julia Ross

Wendy Lea
Thesis: Development, Validation and Application of a Biological Antioxidant Capacity Assay Using sodA::gfp as a Living Sensor
Advisor: Govind Rao and Leah Tolosa

Judith K. Pollack
Thesis: Study of the Morphology and Physiology of Filamentous Fungi During Nutrient Starvation Using the Parallel Plate Flow Chamber
Advisor: Mark Marten

Derek S. Smith
Thesis: Plasmonic Enhancement for the Development of High Sensitivity, Low-Cost Fluorescence Sensing With Ultrafast Detection
Advisor: Govind Rao and Yordan Kostov

Liming Zhao
Thesis: Surface Structures and Mechanical Properties of Model Fungus Aspergillus nidulans
Advisor: Mark Marten and David Schaefer

Congratulations to Dr. Mark R. Marten, who was promoted to Professor on July 1, 2008. Information on Dr. Marten's research can be found on his laboratory web site.

Mr. Simon Gray, a graduating senior in the department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, has been chosen as UMBC’s 2008 Valedictorian.

Simon not only has an outstanding record of academic accomplishment, including a 4.0 GPA, but graduated from High School a year early and has finished all the requirements (and then some) for the Chemical Engineering B.S. degree in just three years. In addition to his course work, Simon completed an internship at Lyondell Chemical Company, and has excelled in undergraduate research. During the summer 2007, Mr. Gray was supported by the National Science Foundation to perform bioremediation research through a program organized by the Ocean University of China. His project analyzed the microbial diversity of crude oil contaminated soil of the Yellow River Delta in Shandong Province, China. In addition, he has performed on campus undergraduate research in the laboratory of Dr. Jennie Leach focused on miniaturizing oxygen sensor technology through the use of biocompatible polymers.

Simon’s aspirations are to be a physician/scientist with his own company. He has been accepted to study at Cambridge next year in a unique program which will combine both advanced studies in Chemical Engineering and Business/Management; after which he will pursue his MD/PhD. In addition, Simon is the recipient of the extremely competitive and tremendously prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

Simon conducting High School outreach project as part of ENCH 427 Heat and Mass Transfer, with colleagues from Senior Design class (ENCH 446), and standing on Great Wall of China during Summer Internship.

Dr. Julia Ross has been elected Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers. Election to this Institute is done by nomination, selection by a primary committee and final vote by 75% of the current AIMBE membership. Election to Fellow of AIMBE is one of the highest scientific recognitions in the biological and biomedical sciences.

Bob Reeves won a first place award for his poster presentation at the Tenth Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Chemical and Biological Sciences. The Symposium invites contributions from all interested undergraduates concerning their research in any aspect of Chemistry, Biology and Biochemistry and typically draws more than 200 contributions for consideration.

Dr. Govind Rao was elected AAAS Fellow for innovative research in the field of optical sensors, which has lead to a paradigm shift in bioprocessing applications. Each year, the AAAS Council elects members whose “efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its application are scientifically or socially distinguished.”

Dr. Antonio Moreira was appointed by the Portuguese National Science and Technology Foundation to chair an international panel to evaluate chemical engineering and biotechnology research in Portugal.

The American Society for Engineering Education selected Professor Julia Ross to receive the 2007 ASEE Sharon Keillor Award for Women in Engineering Education. The Award recognizes and honors outstanding women engineering educators who have an outstanding record in teaching engineering students, and reasonable performance histories of research and service within an engineering school.

Dr. Theresa Good won the UMBC Creighton Award for graduate student mentoring. The award is given annually by the Graduate Student Association to one faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and dedication to graduate students. The award is particularly meaningful as it is given by the students themselves.

CBE Senior Erin Voss was selected to be the Class of 2007 salutatorian. A Phi Beta Kappa member and former women’s basketball team captain, she also found time to serve others during her busy years at UMBC. Her academic honors included being named to the National College Athlete Honor Society, a PDA Scholar Award, membership in the Golden Key International Honor Society, a Collegiate All-American Scholar Award, an Outstanding Senior in Chemical Engineering Award and memberships in Phi Kappa Phi honor society and Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society. Voss also volunteered at a local hospital, refereed and coached youth basketball, participated in charity distance running events and helped with many other community outreach activities.

Mark R. Marten was awarded the USM Board of Regents’ Faculty Award for Collaboration in Research. Regents' Faculty Awards publicly recognize distinguished performance on the part of faculty members and are the highest honor presented by the Board of Regents to exemplary faculty members. Awardees are selected by the Council of University System Faculty and submitted to the Board of Regents for approval. Dr. Marten and his collaborator, Dr. David Schaefer, professor of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences at Towson University, won this award based on national and international recognition for their interdisciplinary research, which serves as a model of inter-USM campus collaboration and advances the biotechnology and bioprocess industries.