Driven to Win Spring is around the corner, and it’s once again time to prepare for the big race. The drivers strap on their helmets. The pit crew fine tunes the engine. Right feet twitch in anticipation of flooring the gas at the first wave of the green flag. It’s not NASCAR; it’s a car-obsessed club of mechanical engineering students right here at UMBC. For over two decades, members of UMBC’s chapter of The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) have designed, built, tested and raced a pint-sized but powerful dune-buggy style car in a national contest that pushes their reflexes… Continue Reading Driven to Win
Committing to Scholarship and Service For the members of UMBCÂ’s Golden Key International Honor Society chapter, an honor society offers much more than an addition to a resume or graduate school application. These students have committed both to maintain the level of academic excellence that earned them a place in the society and to support the community service activities that are a hallmark of the UMBC chapter. UMBCÂ’s Golden Key chapter was founded in 1995 and currently has about 600 members. It is advised by Lynn Zimmerman, professor of biological sciences and vice provost for academic initiatives, and Mark Terranova,… Continue Reading Committing to Scholarship and Service
Modeling the Subsurface of the Earth Mathematics and statistics professor Sue Minkoff and two of her Ph.D. students are engaged in a mathematical geoscience project that will lead to greater understanding of the Earth. Now in its second year, the collaborative project with Rice University is funded by a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation. The overarching mission of the project, Minkoff says, is “to understand statistical properties of the earth at a variety of different scales.” At Rice University, much of the emphasis is on developing a basic understanding of the deep crust of the earth and issues… Continue Reading Modeling the Subsurface of the Earth
A National Model for Math and Science Education A partnership between UMBC, Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS), Maryland State Department of Education, and the Achievement Initiative for MarylandÂ’s Minority Students is helping to create a national model for improving pre-K through 12th grade math and science education. SUPER STEM [School-University Partnership for Excellence in Research-based (SUPER) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)] is funded by a five-year, $13-million grant from the National Science Foundation Math and Science Partnership program, and promises to accelerate student achievement and reduce achievement gaps by enhancing teacher and school effectiveness. The SUPER STEM project is… Continue Reading A National Model for Math and Science Education
A Decade of Learning and Service This month, the Shriver Center celebrates ten years of service to the UMBC community and beyond. Founded on December 14, 1993, in honor of Sargent and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Shriver Center was created to engage the strengths and resources of higher education to find creative solutions to the most pressing of social problems. It has since become a national leader in promoting service-learning, civic engagement, and community-based service delivery. The following are just a few of the Shriver Center’s many accomplishments over the last ten years: *The Choice Programs, which have been administered… Continue Reading A Decade of Learning and Service
Standing Out From the Competition Have you ever seen a clever product – say, a pair of earmuffs with built-in headphones – and said to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?” If so, there’s a good chance Gib Mason, economics ’95, was involved. The “serial entrepreneur” and CPA is chief financial officer of Baltimore-based 180s LLC (formerly Big Bang Products), an innovative sportswear company whose signature products include stylish fleece ear warmers, scratch-resistant sunglasses and gloves that feature “Exhale Heating Technology,” which uses the wearer’s own breath to warm the hands. In October, the Greater Baltimore Technology Council recognized… Continue Reading Standing Out From the Competition
Honoring America’s Veterans For as long as he can remember, freshman Greg Winger has always had a love of history and an interest in foreign affairs. Now, as a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar at UMBC, he has the opportunity to participate in the Veterans History Project, a program established by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress to record the personal histories and testimonials of American war veterans, covering World War I to the Persian Gulf War. To date, Winger has interviewed over 20 veterans at the VA Hospital in downtown Baltimore and describes his experience as “ranging… Continue Reading Hands-On From the Start-Honoring America¹s Veterans
Immigration and America’s Future  On Nov. 5, UMBCÂ’s Interdisciplinary Studies program is sponsoring its third Mosaic Roundtable (http://www.umbc.edu/mosaic/), a panel discussion by a diverse cross section of UMBC experts on controversial, timely issues. This semesterÂ’s Mosaic examines changes in attitudes and laws regarding immigration after 9-11, and the impact of those changes on research, higher education and the high-tech economy. The panel is made up of four immigrants – an international educator, a physicist, a computer engineer, and a sociologist – three of whom are now U.S. citizens – all with unique perspectives on the issue. Dr. Arlene Wergin, Director,… Continue Reading Immigration and America’s Future
Exploring the Sonic Landscape Performing classical music‹whether by Bach, Stravinsky, Mozart or a host of others‹presents tough challenges for concert artists, who not only learn the music’s notes, but also master phrasing, articulation and other elements to bring the music to life. But for performers of contemporary classical music (or “new music” in the common parlance‹music written in the past 10 or 20 years), the challenge intensifies: the music is often unfamiliar and far more difficult to play. Sometimes learning just a few seconds of music can take repeated hours or days of rehearsal. At UMBC, Department of Music performance… Continue Reading “Forging” the Way to Success
A Time to Explore For freshman Ross Dixon, UMBC is not only a place to obtain a bachelorÂ’s degree and prepare for a career, but also a place to explore the full range of his abilities. Whether heÂ’s studying for his physics courses or adding the finishing touches to his most recent script, Dixon is making the most of UMBCÂ’s many opportunities. Dixon comes to UMBC as an accomplished 2003 graduate of Hereford High School in northern Baltimore County, with academic credentials that include recognition as a Maryland Distinguished Scholar and recipient of a scholarship from the Baltimore County Chamber… Continue Reading A Time to Explore
A Voice for Students in Maryland In a time of budget challenges for Maryland, UMBC is fortunate to have an experienced voice for students’ interests as a member of the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents. Phil Shockley, only the second UMBC student to be named to the governing body for the 11-campus system, was appointed by Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich in July for a one-year term. “Phil Shockley has already begun his career in public service, demonstrated by his various academic and community accomplishments,” said Ehrlich. “His dedication to his fellow students will serve as an asset… Continue Reading A Voice for Students in Maryland
“Unlocking the Mysteries of the Ancient Past” The faculty members in UMBCÂ’s Department of Ancient Studies share a common goal to provide a classical liberal arts curriculum with an interdisciplinary approach that includes instruction in languages, ancient history, and classical archaeology. This year, the five faculty members who form the core of the department celebrate 25 years working together to offer a fresh perspective on the study of the ancient past. The department dates back to UMBCÂ’s earliest days. Professor Walt Sherwin has been on the UMBC faculty since the UniversityÂ’s opening in 1966; within the next two years, he… Continue Reading Unlocking the Mysteries of the Ancient Past
