All posts by: UMBC News Staff

Tom Cronin, Biology, Washington Post on Camouflage

In a recent story the Washington Post wrote about what animals, specifically octopus, cuttlefish, and squid otherwise known as cephalopods can teach us about camouflage.

The ability of humans to camouflage themselves is very important in military applications.

UMBC biology professor, Tom Cronin, is quoted as saying:

Military applications will come first, predicts Thomas Cronin, a biologist at the University of Maryland Baltimore County who is part of the research community with octopus-to-gadget ambitions. “When a machine or person moves to a different environment or background, these camouflage systems could automatically reduce the level of detectability to any imaging system,” he says.

 

 

Outstanding Alumnus: Isaac Kinde ’05

Over the next few weeks we’ll be introducing you to this year’s Alumni Award winners. The UMBC Alumni Association proudly honors distinguished alumni and faculty for their accomplishments and dedication to UMBC. Today we’re talking witIsaac - Kinde_Alumni_Award_Recipienth Isaac Kinde ‘05, biological science, about his research with cancer diagnostics. 

Name: Isaac Kinde ’05, biological science
Title: M.D./Ph.D. Candidate, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Award Category: Rising Star

Q: Please tell us a little about why you chose to attend UMBC and what, if any, involvement you have with the university currently.

The Meyerhoff Program was the most important reason why I chose to attend UMBC as a California native. Its immersive scientific experience was attractive, but I was even more excited about the opportunity to be closely surrounded by like-minded peers. The engagement of the faculty, staff, and administration further inspired confidence in my decision. I now return yearly to help interview candidates for the Meyerhoff Program.

Q: Is there a particular class or professor at UMBC who really inspired you?

Working with my research mentor, Dr. Michael Summers, was transformative. It was then I recognized that the best way to learn science was to do science. Having no prior research experience, I remember his patience and commitment to mentorship being central to my persistence in the lab. Equally memorable was how much fun I had. The group skiing trips, picnics, and mountain biking outings were great ways to bond with my colleagues and blow off steam. As a direct result of his mentorship, I ended up applying to combined M.D. /Ph.D. programs instead of solely pursuing my M.D.

Q: Please tell us a little about the trajectory of your career and what you are working on now:

My doctoral research produced novel cancer diagnostics based on improvements in DNA sequencing technology. Example applications include a prototype screening test for ovarian and endometrial cancer from Pap smear specimens, a noninvasive method of monitoring bladder cancers from urine, and a revelation in the development of treatment resistance from analyzing the blood of patients with colon cancer. With the help of my mentors and collaborators, I have published descriptions of these technologies and applications in leading scientific journals and submitted several patent applications detailing the inventions. Encouragingly, this work has attracted considerable attention from industry, spurring partnerships to facilitate its commercialization. The ultimate goal is to bring meaningful cancer diagnostic tests to the clinic – where the real difference to patients’ lives can be realized.

Q: What has been the greatest success in your career? The greatest challenge?

My greatest challenge led to my greatest success. When I began the graduate school portion of my training program, I joined a team working on applying new technologies to detect cancers at early, highly curable stages. We repeatedly identified the wrong technology to accomplish our goal, but the potential impact of finding the right technology kept us going. Three years later we created the technology we needed – a method that significantly improved the accuracy of commercial next- generation DNA sequencers. It wasn’t an easy process but the benefits of our technology have made the effort worthwhile. We’re now developing this technology for use in the earlier detection and optimal management of several cancers.

Check out the other Alumni Award winners.

Meet the Alumni Leadership: Ken Pittman ’80

Name: Kenneth L. Pittman ‘80, economics, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®
Employer: PNC Wealth Management
Alumni leadership role: President of the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors

Q: Where are you from originally?
Annapolis, MD

Q: What’s your favorite UMBC memory?
Meeting my (future) wife at Dr. Peake’s Halloween Party

Q: Why are you involved in an alumni board or chapter?
If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

Q: Do you have a favorite hobby or pastime?
Power boating and scuba diving.

Q: If you were an Olympian, what would be your sport/activity of choice?
Decathlon.

Read more about the Alumni Association!

Outstanding Alumnus: Michael Adelstein ’96

Over the next few weeks we’ll be introducing you to this year’s Alumni Award winners. The UMBC Alumni Association proudly honors distinguished alumni and faculty for their accomplishments and dedication to UMBC. Today we’re talking with Michael Adelstein ‘96, biochemistry and molecular biology, about his career as CEO of Potomac Photonics, Inc. 

MikeAdelsteinName: Michael Adelstein ’96, biochemistry and molecular biology
Job Title: CEO, Potomac Photonics, Inc.
Award Category: Natural and Mathematical Sciences

Q: Why did you choose to attend UMBC, and how do you continue to be involved with the university?

I chose to attend UMBC because I felt it provided the perfect balance of academics, size, and social environment when compared to the other schools that I considered. I had a sense that UMBC was poised for great accomplishments, and the arrival of Dr. Hrabowski was instrumental at solidifying the school as a top tier university. The culture of UMBC is a very dynamic mix of academic excellence, cultural diversity, hard work, and opportunity that truly prepares its students for success.

I continue to be closely aligned with UMBC and its values. Recently, I moved our company to bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park to further enhance our partnerships with the faculty and students.

Special thanks to Dr. Tony Farquhar of the Mechanical Engineering Department; Susie Lynch from the UMBC Office of Institutional Advancement; and Ellen Hemmerly, Executive Director of bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park and Walt Schultz Director of Facilities and Leasing of bwtech@UMBC Technology and Development Park who have been invaluable in solidifying Potomac’s partnership with UMBC.

Q: Is there a particular class or professor at UMBC who really inspired you?

My coursework at UMBC inspired me to pursue opportunities in science and technology, and set the foundation for my future educational endeavors and career. Most notably, I really enjoyed my chemistry and biology classes, such as Analytical Chemistry and Immunology. Two of my former professors, Dr. William LaCourse and Dr. Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg, employed innovative teaching techniques that were engaging and encouraged student participation and debate.  

Q: Please tell us a little about the trajectory of your career and what you are working on now.

During my time at UMBC I spent several summers interning at the National Institutes of Health. I also served six years in the Maryland National Guard as a squad leader for a mortar platoon. In 1997, I joined Potomac Photonics as a sales administrator, and became immediately intrigued and inspired by the micro manufacturing technology emerging for applications in industries such as medical, biotech, electronics, and others. I focused my efforts in developing and implementing a strategy to grow a contract manufacturing unit. This eventually became the primary focus of Potomac and in 2011 I was promoted to President and CEO of the company. One year later, I led a buyout of the company, and in 2013 relocated to bwtech@UMBC Technology and Research Park.

Q: What has been the greatest success in your career? The greatest challenge?

I am very proud of the company that Potomac has become. Currently, we are involved in projects to fabricate devices to treat cancer, diagnose concussions, develop new pharmaceutical drugs, and many others. We also started an Education Manufacturing Initiative which is a program focused on creating a robust partnership with universities in order to develop new products and manufacturing technologies. Our culture is one of continuous learning and opportunity and is modeled very closely after UMBC and its core values.

The greatest challenges moving forward are related to ensuring that Potomac stays true its mission and continues to develop novel micro manufacturing technologies that ensure our partners will be able to build parts with features that are getting smaller in size and more complex in design. Workforce training and education is of particular importance, and we are committed to supporting our employees and institutions committed to this area.

Q: What are your proudest personal achievements?

My proudest personal achievements revolve around my family. I cherish every moment that we spend together and the experiences that we share. My wife is my partner in every way, and her support and courage, even while battling several health issues, has been inspirational. Our children, Jacob, Josh, and Anna, are the light of our lives. We feel blessed to share all of this with our parents who frequently spend time and vacation with us. Finally, I am proud of all my coworkers and employees whose hard work and devotion have been instrumental in making Potomac a success.

Check out the other Alumni Award winners.

UMBC Homecoming Big Prize Poetry Slam (10/10)

The time has arrived once again for one of UMBC’s premiere arts events this year. The annual UMBC Homecoming Big Prize Poetry Slam will be held on Friday, October 10, 2014, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Peforming Arts & Humanities Building (PAHB) first-floor atrium. Come enjoy a night of fun and poetry while cheering on the fantastic student and alumni poets as they compete for big prizes, enjoy wonderful free food, and even win door prizes. We look forward to seeing you there!

The event is presented by the English department, Bartleby, and the UMBC Homecoming Committee.

Outstanding Alumna: Dr. Claudia Pearce ’89

Over the next few weeks we’ll be introducing you to this year’s Alumni Award winners. The UMBC Alumni Association proudly honors distinguished alumni and faculty for their accomplishments and dedication to UMBC. Today we’re talking with Dr. Claudia Pearce ‘89, computer science, about her career working with the NSA as Senior Computer Science Authority.

Claudia Pearce-Alumni_Award_Recipients-2014-2786

Name: Dr. Claudia Pearce ’89 M.S., ’94 Ph.D., computer science
Job Title: Senior Computer Science Authority, NSA
Award Category: Engineering and Information Technology

Q: Why did you choose to attend UMBC?

I chose UMBC because of the quality of the computer science program and its central Maryland location. I am currently NSA Technology Directorate’s Senior Executive Academic Liaison (SEAL) for UMBC.

Q: Is there a particular class or professor at UMBC who really inspired you?

Dr. Charles Nicholas, professor of computer science, was my Ph.D. advisor. Since that time, Dr. Nicholas has continued to be a source of knowledge and inspiration that has helped me maintain my technical roots. He was very flexible in my choice of dissertation topic in a novel, unproven area of Information Retrieval using character n-grams to deal with spelling errors, garbles, and multiple languages in text.

Q: Please tell us a little about the trajectory of your career and what you are working on now.

I was in research and development positions for the first two thirds of my career. During that time, I led research and development programs for information retrieval, knowledge representation, and storage, knowledge distillation, and knowledge access and sharing. For the last 10 years I have been responsible for the recruitment, retention, and continued technical health and growth of computer scientists at NSA.

Q: What has been the greatest success in your career? The greatest challenge?

My greatest success was my choice of dissertation topic in a novel, unproven area of information retrieval. This work became the foundation for a series of tools and advances in flexible garble-resistant text retrieval applications.

My greatest challenge was in standing up the office of my current position, NSA/CSS Senior Computer Science Authority. This was a new position and as such, I had to develop the mission and function, goals, and strategic plan for the organization as well as secure the funding and positions to support it. My significant accomplishments in this current position include: (1) the establishment of a computer science development program; (2) the creation and establishment of technical workforce metrics and roadmaps; (3) the creation of new computer science courseware, workshops, and other offerings for the agency’s technical community; and (4) spearheading a university outreach program for computer science.

Q: What are your proudest personal achievements?

I’m an avid quilt maker, and trumpet player. I’ve shown my quilts in juried international competitions and have competed nationally in trumpet competitions. I play trumpet in the Frederick Symphony Orchestra and the Montgomery Village Community Band.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the affiliate and do not reflect those of NSA/CSS.

Check out the other Alumni Award winners.

Round Up: UMBC in the News, 9/19

One of the things that makes UMBC great is how wonderful our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are. Because of these amazing people, UMBC often finds itself “in the news,” so each week, we’ll be sharing with you a round-up of the most newsworthy achievements from our community.

Read more at UMBC Insights!

Thomas Schaller, Political Science, Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun

In his latest column in the Baltimore Sun, Political Science Professor and Chair Thomas Schaller writes about his views on the American justice system in the wake of the Michael Brown and Ray Rice news stories in recent weeks.

Tom SchallerIn the column, Schaller notes, “we remain far from the perfect union to which our Constitution aspires. To get there, we must demand a justice system that’s blind not only to gender, race and socioeconomic status, but also the advantages conferred to some Americans by virtue of their affiliation with powerful institutions.”

To read the complete op-ed titled, “Yet another social bias: institution-based privilege,” click here.

Felipe Filomeno, Political Science, Participates in United Nations Association Consultation with UMBC Students

Filomeno with students

Felipe Filomeno, an assistant professor of political science, participated in a United Nations Association consultation in Baltimore on Wednesday, September 17 at the Johns Hopkins offices in Fells Point. Filomeno, along with UMBC students and political science majors Aaron Kennett and Benjamin Fosbaugh, participated in a consultation along with representatives of other organizations (local government and NGOs) to provide input for the post-2015 global development agenda of the UN, considering the needs and interests of Baltimore. The meeting will be followed by a broader event to take place at the JHU Homewood Campus on Nov 11, in which Filomeno will serve as a moderator and other UMBC students will also participate.

Donald Norris, Public Policy, on WJZ 13 and in the Baltimore Sun

Public Policy Professor and Chair Donald Norris was in the news this past week analyzing the race for Maryland governor. As the campaign gains steam, Norris was interviewed by WJZ Channel 13 and the Baltimore Sun.

Donald Norris UMBC

As more negative campaign ads emerge between Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and Republican opponent Larry Hogan, Norris told WJZ that, “attack ads we know three or four things about. One of them is they work, which is why candidates and their campaigns use them,” said Norris. He also discussed the ads as a potential way to drive more voter turnout: “I know that both camps are trying to get as much turnout as they can. Whether they’re going to be successful or not, I don’t know,” Norris said.

Norris was interviewed by the Baltimore Sun about Larry Hogan accusing Anthony Brown of “blatant lies” and “disgraceful” attack ads, saying Hogan’s complaints could backfire: “Anthony Brown is a real likable guy,” said Norris. “Calling him a liar can just inflame his supporters, and that means higher turnout. It also makes [Hogan] look awfully thin-skinned. Politics, after all, is a combat sport.”

In a Baltimore Sun article focusing on differences on transportation issues between the two candidates, Norris said Brown and Hogan are “polar opposites” on transportation issues as they vie for the support of Maryland voters. Their divergent views matter because Maryland’s governor has the budgetary authority to decide whether a major transportation project goes forward — or not. “Voters have got a really, really clear choice in this election,” Norris said.

Complete coverage can be found below:
Attack Ads Continue as Election Day Nears (WJZ)
Hogan accuses Brown of ‘blatant lies’ and ‘disgraceful’ attack ads (Baltimore Sun)
Governor candidates are on separate tracks (Baltimore Sun)

Roy Meyers, Political Science, in the Herald-Mail

An article published September 13 in the Herald-Mail examines Question 1 on the November 4 Election Day ballot for Maryland voters. The legislatively referred constitutional amendment seeks to ensure money from the state’s transportation fund will be used for transportation-related bond payments and for the construction and repair of highways. If approved, the measure would prevent money from the transportation fund being transferred to the state’s general fund or any non-transportation projects.

Roy Meyers (UMBC)

Political Science Professor Roy Meyers was interviewed for the article and discussed his views on the measure: “I think that if the state had a bad year, it should be allowed to transfer money,” Meyers said. “The state should have flexibility during a crisis.”

“During bad times, why should transportation go on spending merrily while spending is cut in other areas?” he asked. Meyers said that he understands the desire to keep faith with Marylanders who are paying the gas tax: “But the best way of doing that is for the state to have a long-run transportation strategy that promotes mobility at an acceptable cost while protecting the environment. The provision in this referendum doesn’t contribute significantly to that goal,” he said.

To read the full article, click here.

Anne Sarah Rubin, History, in the Washington Post

Through the Heart of DixieAn article published September 13 in the Washington Post examines the legacy of Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman’s March to the Sea during the Civil War. Anne Sarah Rubin, an associate professor of history, was interviewed for the article and provided insight on Sherman’s strategy.

“It’s very much about saying, ‘Here’s the power of the Union army,’ ” said Rubin. Sherman’s purpose, she said, was to convey to the South that “you cannot stop us. You cannot resist us. You just need to give up.” She also commented on Sherman’s background, saying he was “a far cry from any kind of abolitionist.” To read the full article, click here.

Rubin is author of, Through the Heart of Dixie: Sherman’s March and American Memory (UNC Press 2014). In the book, Rubin analyzes stories and myths about Sherman’s March as a lens for examining how Americans’ ways of thinking about the Civil War have changed over time. For more information, click here.

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