On Wednesday, May 21, more than 300 high school students from the high school Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly), family members, teachers, and faculty and staff from area universities filled a hall at Loyola University Maryland for the Ingenuity Project’s 2025 STEM Student Research Symposium. Poly students presented research they had completed as part of the Ingenuity Project, UMBC mathematics and statistics majors presented educational workshops, and UMBC faculty and staff were on site to discuss their research and opportunities at UMBC.
The Ingenuity Project is a premier STEM program at Poly, a top-tier, STEM-focused high school in Baltimore City. Ingenuity prepares highly motivated students for success in college and beyond with a rigorous STEM curriculum, including independent research. Ingenuity students have earned over $27 million in scholarships since the program’s launch in 1997.
Ingenuity Project students visited UMBC this spring. They toured campus (right), heard from current math and stat students (left), and sat in on UMBC math courses. (Courtesy of Justin Webster)
“Our partnership with Ingenuity has allowed us to interact with some truly exceptional students and share the wonder of higher mathematics,” says Justin Webster, associate professor of mathematics and a lead liaison between UMBC and Poly. “The diverse collection of mathematically gifted students at Ingenuity is truly amazing.”
Those interactions go well beyond the research symposium. This semester alone, UMBC faculty visited the Ingenuity program at Poly three times, engaging with students through the Math Modeling Club and offering guidance in Poly’s Research Methods course. The department hosted 21 Ingenuity students at UMBC for the first-ever Math and Stat Visitation Day. They toured the campus, shared lunch with faculty and undergraduates, and sat in on mathematics lectures, gaining a firsthand look at college-level STEM education.
Left: Ephraim Ruttenberg ’25, mathematics, (who also loves to crochet) speaks to high school students at the 2024 Ingenuity Research Conference at Morgan State University. Right: Justin Webster (left) works with a student at the 2024 conference. (Courtesy of Ingenuity Project)
“Our partnership with UMBC is an invaluable asset to the Ingenuity Project, and we are so grateful for their ongoing collaboration and support,” shared Lisette Morris, executive director for the Ingenuity Project. “Their generous sponsorship and support of both the Leadership Conference and the Research Symposium truly helped make this year’s events a tremendous success, empowering nearly 300 young scholars to explore and showcase their passion for STEM.”
For Webster, who lives less than a mile from Poly, the partnership is also personal.
“As a Baltimore City resident, getting to share the beauty of higher math with these students—both at Poly and on UMBC’s campus—has been a privilege,” he says. “It’s just deeply rewarding to work with such talented young minds.”
This collaboration strengthens ties with the local community, creating a pipeline for future STEM leaders. By fostering these connections, UMBC and Poly are building a future full of opportunity for Baltimore’s brightest.
Before they left, the Ingenuity Project students who came to UMBC this spring for Math and Stat Visitation Day stopped to say hello to True Grit outside the Retriever Activities Center. (Courtesy of Justin Webster)
Jianyu “Kevin” Zheng, a postdoctoral fellow with the Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research (GESTAR) Center II, whose work focuses on remote sensing for dust aerosols, is the recipient of the 2025 Elsevier/JQSRT Richard M. Goody Award. This honor recognizes early-career researchers for outstanding contributions to the fields of atmospheric radiation and remote sensing. Zheng, Ph.D. ’23, atmospheric physics, will accept the award in June at the 21st Electromagnetic and Light Scattering Conference in Milazzo, Italy.
Zheng researches microscopic particles from deserts that drift across the globe, influencing Earth’s climate. These particles play a dual role in the planet’s radiation budget, which describes how much heat is trapped or reflected.
“Aerosols can scatter solar radiation, but they can also absorb thermal radiation from the Earth. If the scattering effect is stronger, that will cause cooling. If the absorption effect is stronger, then it causes warming,” Zheng says. “That causes uncertainties, because right now we still don’t know to what extent aerosols are warming or cooling in different circumstances, due to our limited understanding of how aerosols’ properties change during global transport.”
Zheng’s research digs into this complexity, offering insights that could sharpen the accuracy of climate predictions.
A dust aerosol size surprise
Using satellite data, Zheng studies dust as it travels from Africa across the Atlantic Ocean. His findings show that dust particles are on average larger than most scientists expected. Other emerging research using samples collected from ocean-mounted buoys has also shown that large particles can stay aloft for weeks or months—much longer than researchers had assumed.
“Particle size on average generally decreases over time during transport,” Zheng says, “but our study shows that it remains relatively constant as dust transports over the North Atlantic until it reaches Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.”
He also identified seasonal shifts in particle sizes. Current climate models assume a constant rate of particle shrinkage as dust travels across the Atlantic, and they completely overlook seasonal dynamics, so Zheng’s discoveries are pushing experts to rethink how aerosols are represented in climate models.
Today Zheng is expanding his work to investigate particle size variability over land, an even more complex dynamic than over the ocean.
Left: Zheng also recently received the NASA Goddard Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award. (Courtesy of Zheng)
Finding his niche
Zheng’s academic journey began in China, where he completed a bachelor’s degree in geography and a master’s focused on atmospheric science. Then a chance encounter with Zhibo Zhang, professor of physics, changed his trajectory.
“I hadn’t thought about coming to the U.S., but Zhibo invited me to consider UMBC when we met at a research conference,” Zheng recalls. “I thought the United States might be a good choice to try learning in a different environment.”
With Zhang’s guidance and access to collaborators at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Zheng has honed his expertise in dust aerosol research over several years.
Jianyu Zheng (right) graduated with his Ph.D. in December 2023, conducting research with Zhibo Zhang (left). (Courtesy of Zheng)
“Zhibo is the reason I ended up taking this postdoc position at NASA Goddard, because of the close collaborators that he has there who were engaged with my Ph.D. project,” Zheng says. At Goddard, Zheng is mentored by Hongbin Yu, a research physical scientist.
“I have to give thanks to both of them, Zhibo and Hongbin, for keeping me motivated to continue this work. It helped me build up a reputation in this specific field early in my career,” Zheng says. “I think it’s the most important reason that I got this award, because right now I am an early-career scientist who is considered as rising in this field among the scientific community—they recognize this work.”
In his current role, Zheng continues to explore the frontiers of atmospheric science. His work not only deepens our understanding of aerosols but also lays the groundwork for more reliable climate models—with implications that reach far beyond the lab.
Imagine cells navigating through a complex maze, guided by chemical signals and the physical landscape of their environment. At UMBC, a team of researchers has contributed an important discovery about how cells move, or migrate, through this maze of bodily tissues. Potential implications include better understanding of diseases like cancer and advancing medical treatments.
Published in iScience, the team’s study combines biological experiments and mathematics to reveal new insights into cell migration. Alex George, Ph.D. ’24, biological sciences, and Naghmeh Akhavan, Ph.D. ’25, mathematics, led the study, which explores how cells in fruit fly egg chambers navigate their environment. Their mentors, Michelle Starz-Gaiano, professor of biological sciences, and Brad Peercy, professor of mathematics, are co-authors.
By integrating mathematical modeling with advanced imaging, the team discovered that the physical shape of the egg chamber, combined with chemical signals called chemoattractants, significantly influences how cells move.
Alex George (left) and Naghmeh Akhavan present their research at a conference at the University of Maryland, College Park. (Courtesy of Starz-Gaiano)
“This paper takes an interdisciplinary focus with tight collaboration between a mathematical framework and experimental design,” Peercy says. “The results promote the idea that complex distribution of chemical attractants can explain specific variations in migratory movement.” His enthusiasm highlights the study’s innovative approach, which merges precise mathematical models with real-world biological experiments to uncover patterns that were previously invisible.
Following the breadcrumbs
The team’s work focuses on border cells, a type of cell in fruit fly egg chambers, which are a model system for studying cell migration because of their similarities to processes in human development and disease. The team found that the border cells’ movement wasn’t just driven by continuously increasing chemical concentrations from one end of the egg chamber to the other, as earlier models suggested. Instead, the physical structure of the tissue—narrow tubes alternating with wider gaps—played a critical role.
“This was the first time that we characterized that there were these patterns of migration behavior that ended up correlating to aspects of the tissue geometry,” explains George, who specializes in capturing live images of these cells. He likens the process to Hansel and Gretel following breadcrumbs through a forest: On a flat plain, the trail is clear, but in a landscape with ravines and valleys, the breadcrumbs pool in unexpected ways, complicating the path.
This visualization of Akhavan’s mathematical model shows how migration speed shifts in each zone of the egg chamber, pictured above the graph. A steeper slope indicates a slower speed. (Courtesy of Akhavan)
To understand this, Akhavan developed mathematical models that simulate how cells respond to both chemical signals and tissue geometry together. “Alex’s experiments showed that the speed is not exactly the way previous models showed it,” she says. Her models revealed that cells speed up in narrow tubes and slow down in larger gaps, a pattern confirmed by George’s imaging.
Both approaches—wet-lab experiments and modeling—bring unique strengths to the work. Putting them together “is like unveiling the invisible from two different perspectives,” George says. “My experiments would refine her model, and her model would refine my experiments.”
And then, “When our model shows exactly what Alex found in his experiments, we love that,” Akhavan adds.
Learning new languages
This synergy didn’t always come easily. Working across disciplines meant learning to speak each other’s scientific “languages.” Akhavan, with a background in pure mathematics, recalls that when she joined the project in spring 2022, “Everything was in a different language for me.” Similarly, “A couple of times I opened my MATLAB code and Alex’s eyes got huge,” Akhavan laughs.
Yet, their collaboration flourished, fostering not only scientific breakthroughs but also friendship. “It’s a challenge to communicate across disciplines since it’s almost like speaking in different languages,” Starz-Gaiano says. “Both Alex and Naghmeh got more adept at explaining their work and honing their research questions as a result of working together over a couple of years, which was great to watch.”
Putting together wet lab experiments and mathematical modeling “is like unveiling the invisible from two different perspectives. My experiments would refine her model, and her model would refine my experiments.”
Alex George, Ph.D. ’24, biological sciences
“It is a risky and vulnerable situation to be open with colleagues in areas in which you are not a burgeoning expert,” Peercy adds. “Naghmeh and Alex have grown so much through this project to genuinely rely on each other’s opinion.”
The study’s broader impact lies in its potential to inform fields beyond developmental biology. Cell migration is critical in processes like wound healing, immune responses, and cancer metastasis. “Most research on how cells navigate the world has focused only on chemical signals or only on structural ones, so this is one of the first studies to consider how those two things impact each other, which is likely to be relevant in many cases,” Starz-Gaiano explains. By showing how tissue geometry and chemical signals interact, the research could guide new strategies for controlling cell movement via medical treatments.
Left: The team traveled to the Janelia Research Campus in Virginia to do advanced imaging for the cell migration project, which will open new avenues for research. (Courtesy of Starz-Gaiano) Center: A moment of levity in the Starz-Gaiano lab. (Courtesy of Akhavan) Right: Brad Peercy and Michelle Starz-Gaiano shared their collaborative work at the “RetriEVER Empowered: Student Success + Research + Community”event in April 2022.
New strategies lead to new discoveries
George refined his expertise in microscopy through working with Tagide deCarvalho in UMBC’s Keith R. Porter Imaging Facility. “It helped me learn a lot, getting my hands on other people’s work and visualizing all the cool things,” he says. “A picture is worth a thousand words, but a movie? Ten thousand words.” Now he’s taking his skills to the Dartmouth Cancer Center’s microscopy core facility at the Geisel School of Medicine, where he’ll start as a research scientist in June.
For Akhavan and George, leading this project has been a defining experience. Akhavan’s models, including a new approach that uses energy calculations to better capture the egg chamber’s complex geometry, have become a cornerstone of her dissertation, and she plans to continue this work post-graduation.
George and Akhavan’s mentors played a pivotal role in their success. “Michelle is a role model for me,” Akhavan says, praising the collaborative spirit of Starz-Gaiano and Peercy. “Dr. Peercy and Dr. Starz-Gaiano make the best combination for doing interdisciplinary research. This collaboration is amazing.”
Left: Naghmeh Akhavan (center) accepts the Outstanding Graduate Research in Mathematics Award at CNMS Awards and Recognition Day. (Courtesy of Akhavan) Right: Michelle Starz-Gaiano and Alex George take some time for fun while attending the Society for Developmental Biology Annual Meeting in Chicago in 2023. (Courtesy of Starz-Gaiano)
The team’s work continues to evolve, including recent experiments at the Advanced Imaging Center at the Janelia Research Campus in Virginia, where George used advanced microscopes to capture previously unseen dynamics of the relevant chemoattractants. These findings will further refine their models, opening new avenues for research.
“We are developing new experimental strategies both on the biology and the math side of things,” Starz-Gaiano says, “so it will be exciting to see where this will take us next.”
For Rachel Brewster, professor of biological sciences, “science has always been visual,” she says. Her laboratory focuses on developmental biology, using zebrafish as a model organism. Zebrafish have transparent embryos, and imaging them as they grow and change is a core element of her group’s data collection.
“There is endless complexity and beauty captured in the images we generate using increasingly advanced imaging technologies,” Brewster says. “To me, this is not unlike the experience of viewing great works of art, such as impressionist paintings that bring the natural world to life through color, texture, and contrast.”
To that end, Brewster endowed the new Havelock and Jennifer Brewster Art of Science award in the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS). The award recognizes one CNMS student per year who produces original, visually stunning photographs, illustrations, or data visualizations that effectively communicate an important aspect of research.
“Scientific imaging that captures both beauty and meaning takes time, skill, and perseverance,” Brewster says. The new award acknowledges that “this kind of work deserves recognition not just within the scientific community, but beyond, because it has the power to spark curiosity, inspire others, and make science more accessible and engaging to the wider public.”
Rachel Brewster’s office is a welcoming space for students to come and ask questions. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)
Opening people’s minds to the art of science
Maggie Wang, a junior biochemistry and molecular biology major with a minor in art history and museum studies, is the first recipient of the new award. Participating in UMBC’s SCIART program, a collaboration with the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, initially “opened my mind to the intersection of science and art,” Wang says.
As an undergraduate researcher in UMBC’s Molecular Characterization and Analysis Complex (MCAC), Wang’s desire to better understand the research equipment in the MCAC led her to produce detailed illustrations explaining the purpose of various instruments and the techniques they employ. With the encouragement of Cynthia Tope Niedermaier,MCAC facility manager, Wang polished her illustrations to help others learn about the equipment.
Maggie Wang created detailed drawings of instruments in the MCAC accompanied by helpful explanations of their features, such as this Bruker 12T solariX Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometer (FT-ICR-MS). (Courtesy of Wang)
This summer, Wang will develop educational diagrams of more MCAC instruments. In addition to her scientific art, she works with graphite, ink, and yarn to create pieces that frequently focus on themes of Chinese culture and women’s fashion. Wang plans to pursue additional study in medical illustration after she graduates from UMBC.
“Making art is a cathartic experience that allows me to express my creativity and emotions,” Wang says. “It also helps me connect with people from different backgrounds, opening the door to new perspectives and meaningful connections.”
Giving back in gratitude
Brewster strongly believes in UMBC’s mission to bring together and support students from a wide range of backgrounds, a goal she lives out daily within her own research group. Recently she also became co-lead of UMBC’s Meyerhoff Graduate Fellows Program, which offers financial support and a close community feel to promising STEM students from all backgrounds.
“I have seen firsthand the powerful role the program plays in building the next generation of scientists,” Brewster says. “The Meyerhoff Program offers a proven framework, showing that by engaging all those who have something to contribute, we can continue to thrive as a nation.”
Brewster’s gift to fund this award is also “a small expression of my deep and lasting gratitude to my late parents, whom I love and miss every day,” she says. UMBC has also had a major role in shaping her identity. “UMBC has been my home since 2004. It is here that I have grown, not just as a scientist, but as a person. A big part of who I am is inextricably linked to this university.”
To increase the relevance and benefit of students’ projects, members of community partner organizations co-advise students on their research. Co-advisors have come from organizations like Baltimore Green Space, Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, and the South Baltimore Community Land Trust. ICARE began with a handful of faculty members from all three colleges at UMBC who wanted to collaborate more closely. Over time, it grew into an NSF-funded training program that today includes more than 100 people and 36 organizations.
Earlier this month, the ICARE program celebrated its impact with “ICARE Day,” including a research poster session and luncheon with keynote address.
Left: Erin Hamner collected weekly water quality data from this stream for six months, using the battery-powered digital probe she’s holding. (Sarah L. Hansen, M.S. ’15/UMBC) Center: Natalia Figueredo, M.S. ’23, geography and environmental systems (second from left), interviewed local community members about their experiences with zero-waste practices. (Courtesy of Figueredo) Right: Chris Blume, M.S. ’23, geography and environmental systems, studied urban bat populations to investigate heavy metal pollution. (Courtesy of Blume)
“You’re combining the skills, knowledge, and perspectives you gained here in ICARE with your already strong commitment to environmental justice to make the world better for people and the ecosystems we live in,” said Tamra Mendelson, professor of biological sciences and ICARE program director, of program alumni, while members of the current cohort are “flexing those skills, nurturing your passions, and finding your way toward meaningful and consequential work in the environmental sector.”
“What’s happening now is that individuals realize that every single thing we do—every single economic activity we engage in, from the food you eat, to the clothing you wear, to how we power our cities—everything hinges on the environment and natural resources,” he said. “It’s not just about having a nice landscape—the environment impacts economic bottom lines.”
Current trainees, set to graduate in the next few months, are pursuing a diverse set of projects. For example, Isabella Molatore has been studying the presence of invasive fish species in Baltimore Harbor through a combination of angler interviews and DNA testing of harbor water samples. Donovin Smith is exploring novel methods to detect heavy metals in the air and using the data to measure how proximity to railways, incinerators, and other factors affects air pollution. And Will Kaselow has compared the roles and effects of different entities that influence environmental education, such as nonprofits, various levels of government, and local institutions like schools and community centers.
Left: Kids at Glenwood Middle School in Howard County raised horseshoe crabs hand-delivered by Jessica Baniak during the 2023 – 2024 school year. (Courtesy of Baniak) Right: Margaret Siao (left) and Donya Hamidi collect water samples from around Baltimore Harbor, part of the initial stages of a project to measure PFAS in the local waterways. (Image courtesy of Siao)
Despite undeniable environmental challenges, Miralles-Wilhelm ended the event on a hopeful note.
“If you look at the news, you get bombarded by so much negative stuff. You may end up believing that the world is becoming a worse place. However, I counter that by saying that since World War II, every single human development indicator and every single environmental and development indicator around the world has gotten better,” Miralles-Wilhelm said. “We’ve spent quite a bit of effort—scientists, policymakers, and investors—to try to make a better world, and it is working. It may not be working at the pace that you want it to work, it may not be improving everywhere at the same time, but it’s also undeniable that we have gotten better.”
ICARE trainees and alumni, armed with skills from technical laboratory techniques to community organizing, are now poised to contribute to and accelerate that positive trend.
Vast, quasi-circular features on Venus’ surface may reveal that the planet has ongoing tectonics, according to new research. On Earth, the shifting and recycling of tectonic plates continually renews our planet’s surface. Venus doesn’t have tectonic plates, but its surface is still being deformed by molten material from below.
“These features are not found on Earth today; however, they may have existed when our planet was young and before plate tectonics had been established,” says the study’s lead author, Gael Cascioli, a UMBC assistant research scientist with the Center for Space Sciences and Technology. “By combining gravity and topography data, this research has provided a new and important insight into the possible subsurface processes currently shaping the surface of Venus.”
Seeking to better understand the underlying processes at work on Venus, researchers studied a feature called a corona. Ranging from tens to hundreds of miles across, a corona is most often thought to be the location where a blob of molten, buoyant material from the planet’s mantle rises (called a “plume”), pushing against the uppermost part of the planet’s mantle and its crust. Coronae are usually oval and surrounded by fractures in the crust, and hundreds are known to exist on Venus.
Unlike on Earth, where tectonic plates move sideways and down in a process called subduction, the plumes on Venus might be pushing the surface upward and outward, making the surrounding surface sink down. The scientists also think that in some places, the plumes might be driving volcanoes. Here, Sif Mons, a volcano on Venus, is rendered from data collected by Magellan. The lighter orange trails coming from the peak to the foreground are lava flows. (NASA)
Old data, new discoveries
The new study, published in Science Advances, found telltale signs of corona-shaping activity at or beneath Venus’ surface. These signs may also provide a unique window into Earth’s past. To find them, the authors turned to NASA’s Magellan mission, which orbited Venus in the 1990s and collected what is still the most detailed gravity and topography data of Venus available.
There are various theories about how coronae form. “The most exciting thing for our study is that we can now say there are most likely various and ongoing active processes driving their formation,” coauthor Anna Gülcher, Earth and planetary scientist at the University of Bern in Switzerland, says.
The scientists created detailed 3D models that predicted different ways the coronae might have formed, and then compared them to data from Magellan. Their work revealed that beneath about 70 percent of the coronae they studied, there were hot, low-density plumes rising from deep inside Venus, which might be causing the unique geological activity.
The NASA VERITAS mission, scheduled for launch no earlier than 2031, will be key to filling gaps in understanding of how coronae form. According to coauthor Suzanne Smrekar, planetary scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and principal investigator for VERITAS, the mission will provide much greater resolution than Magellan, supplying “an unprecedented level of detail that could revolutionize our understanding of Venus’ geology and implications for early Earth.”
When Samuel Geleta ’25, biological sciences, arrived at UMBC from Ethiopia, he was confident he wanted to go to medical school. But that was before he started conducting HIV research with Michael Summers, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and fell in love with the scientific process. This fall, he’s headed to Yale University to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical and biological sciences. He dreams of conducting research that he can parlay into biotech entrepreneurship in his home country.
Q: How did you choose UMBC?
A: I’m from Ethiopia, and the health sector there needs a lot of work. I wanted to contribute to my community, and at that time I thought getting a medical degree would be the best way to do that. I first started looking at UMBC because I had family living in Maryland. But what really drew me in was UMBC’s reputation as a research powerhouse in the area, with exciting and innovative research that captured my interest. I also appreciated the more affordable price tag at UMBC, and I really liked the communication I had with UMBC staff while I was applying. Especially as an international student, I had a lot to figure out, and they were very quick to respond to all of my requests. I thought, “This is the kind of environment I want to be in.”
Q: How did you get connected with the Summers lab?
A: I was waiting for an Uber at the campus entrance circle, and I saw then President Freeman Hrabowski walking to his car from the Administration Building. I thought, “Let me go talk to him for a second—this is the president, I might never get another chance.” So I talked to him about where I’m from and my strong interest in science. He mentioned the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, and that conversation started a whole chain of communication with him. Eventually he connected me with Keith Harmon, the director of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program. After I met with Mr. Harmon, I became a friend of the program and started receiving advising and other support from Meyerhoff staff. Mr. Harmon was also the one who connected me with Dr. Summers.
Sam Geleta works hard in Dr. Michael Summers’ lab (left), but also finds time for fun with friends. At right, he celebrates Diwali on campus at an event hosted by the Hindu Student Association. (Courtesy of Geleta)
I was really excited about what Dr. Summers’ lab was doing, and I wanted to be a part of it. We study HIV’s RNAs and proteins, particularly how the virus replicates and packages its genetic material. That was really exciting for me, because Ethiopia is heavily affected by the HIV epidemic. If I could do research that could help us understand how the virus works and ease the epidemic, I wanted to participate in that. Fast forward, and it’s been two-and-a-half years since I joined the lab.
Q: What are you working on in the lab?
A: My first project was on understanding the role of RNA structures in modulating the translation and packaging of the HIV genome. That project was one of the reasons I became strongly interested in doing research, because it showed me the ups and downs of science. A lot of things didn’t work as planned, but eventually they came together, and just that pursuit itself was an incredibly rewarding experience.
We were able to publish results from that project in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) last summer, and now I’m working on a new project where I study how HIV proteins interact with human proteins—how they hijack cellular factors to enhance their own replication. The goal is to find new therapeutic targets for HIV.
Going to conferences taught me that you’re not just limited to your own little bench. Science goes much wider, and you can collaborate with people from across the country or the world, which is amazing.
Samuel Geleta ’25
Q: How did you decide to pursue a research career?
When we published the paper on my first project, I thought, “Wow, by doing research, I can be a part of a story that’s not done yet, but will continue to help other people. That really got me excited about pursuing my Ph.D. Also, for the paper, we collaborated with researchers at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan. That showed me how much collaboration there is in science—that other people are also trying to figure out what’s going on.
Going to multiple conferences also really inspired me to pursue a Ph.D. I was able to meet people from different places and backgrounds, and it was just amazing how much we had in common in terms of what we wanted to pursue. At the same time, there were differences in how we approached our questions. That was really exciting, because I felt like doing my Ph.D. could connect me to a lot more potential collaborators and opportunities. Going to conferences taught me that you’re not just limited to your own little bench. Science goes much wider, and you can collaborate with people from across the country or the world, which is amazing.
Left: Sam Geleta poses by the ABRCMS sign, a major conference for undergraduate scientists. Right: Samuel Geleta (far left), Dr. Michael Summers (center) and other undergraduate researchers attend UMBC’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fest in 2023. (Courtesy of Geleta)
Q: Who has supported you through your UMBC career?
A: I chose to work with Dr. Saif Yasin, an M.D./Ph.D. candidate in the Summers lab, because of how passionate he was about his science. We clicked immediately. He gave me a lot of freedom to think like a scientist, and come up with solutions to problems in the lab. He’s been an amazing support, and I learned a lot from him.
After he defended his Ph.D and returned to medical school, now I’m working with Dr. Nele Hollman, a postdoc in the lab. She has helped me take ownership of my work and come up with new ideas for the project that I’m doing right now. Even other grad students and postdocs in the Summers lab are always there if I need help. It’s an awesome environment for doing science.
The entire Meyerhoff staff has also been very supportive, and their support didn’t waver as my goals changed. Dr. Tiffany Gierasch, a teaching professor in chemistry and biochemistry, gave me the opportunity to be a learning assistant for organic chemistry classes, which really helped me understand organic chemistry even more and give back to other students. Dr.Deepak Koirala, an assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has also been an awesome mentor. He does RNA research, and I’ve gotten to know him because we’ve gone to a lot of conferences together. I sit in on some of his classes on RNA structures.
The Center for Global Engagement has been very supportive, too. Whenever I have a question, I just go there during their walk-in hours and talk to someone. They are so responsive.
And I can’t leave out my family and friends—some of them are still in Ethiopia. They’ve also been incredibly supportive and encouraging.
It’s perfectly fine if you are not sure about what you want to do. If you’re confused and looking for inspiration for what to do, then you’re doing the right thing. You should let the process play out. Just explore all the paths and everything you’re interested in, and eventually you will find what you really want to do. And once you find that, just keep going.
Samuel Geleta ’25
Q: What’s next for you?
A: I committed to Yale for my Ph.D. in biomedical and biological sciences. I’m really looking forward to starting life in New Haven and being in a new environment to do science. I’m interested in studying RNA therapeutics and how they can be used for viral interventions in different kinds of viruses.
My research got me looking into biotech as well, and after my Ph.D. I would be interested in pursuing that while also potentially working in academia. I would like my research to produce a product or get patented—translational work. That prospect got me more excited to do my Ph.D. I also want to bring some of the business back to Ethiopia and see what I can do. I want to be an entrepreneurial scientist.
Q: What advice do you have for incoming UMBC students or aspiring undergraduate researchers?
A: It’s perfectly fine if you are not sure about what you want to do. If you’re confused and looking for inspiration for what to do, then you’re doing the right thing. You should let the process play out. Just explore all the paths and everything you’re interested in, and eventually you will find what you really want to do. And once you find that, just keep going.
Also, forming connections is really important. Attend events with people from different places, and you’ll gain new insight into what they do. If you decide to start up a conversation with someone who doesn’t know you, you don’t have to go into the conversation with a specific goal. If you’re kind and curious, the other person will take the next step and want to help you out. Even if they can’t help you directly, they may be able to connect you with someone else who can.
I’m still in touch with Dr. Hrabowski. I told him about my post-grad plans and how he’s impacted me, and he was really happy. When I first had that conversation with him, I didn’t think it would lead up to this. I just took a chance, and it worked out. It’s been amazing.
Left: Sam Geleta (far left) with Dr. Summers and other members of the laboratory, all sporting sweatshirts advertising where they will pursue further study. Right: Geleta visited Yale’s campus before making his graduate school decision.
At UMBC, undergraduate students are redefining the boundaries of scientific and artistic pursuits. From a chemical engineer who graces the stage with his cello to a bioinformatician who paints and a biochemist who ignites the dance floor with Latin rhythms, these scholars thrive in an environment that celebrates their diverse passions.
This spring, several U-RISE Scholars—the National Institutes of Heath’s Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement—shared their multidisciplinary interests with Jacqueline King, associate director of the U-RISE program, and Mariano Sto. Domingo, associate director of research and evaluation within the Meyerhoff Scholars Program. As a result, King and Sto. Domingo started researching how the arts and science blend in these students’ lives, and presented their findings at an academic conference this spring. What they learned was that here, rigorous research and creative expression intertwine, fostering a vibrant community where students explore every dimension of their talents.
Ajeetha Aruchandran, a seniorbioinformatics and computational biology major, studies how the neural tube—a precursor to the spinal cord—forms in zebrafish embryos with Rachel Brewster, professor of biological sciences.
The development of the embryos, which are transparent, “is a very visual process,” Aruchandran says. Her artistic skills have allowed her to generate beautiful and accurate diagrams that communicate her research, she says. “When you’re not able to communicate science well, then the meaning is lost. So I think my art has really strengthened that aspect of my science. The connection has surprised and delighted me, because for a long time I thought my science and my art had to be separate.”
Biologist Ajeetha Aruchandran also loves to paint. (Courtesy of Aruchandran)
Aruchandran began with drawing, but has transitioned to painting. “There’s something so special about the freeness of a brushstroke,” she says. The two pursuits “create balance in my life, because when I need more structure, I have research and the scientific method, but when I need to feel more free, I have my art.”
Rhythm and harmony
Lesley Hernandez, a senior majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology, is hunting for factors that regulate how viruses like HIV multiply in cells with Michael Summers, University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The ultimate goal is to disrupt the viruses’ replication. She also loves to dance.
“My family is from the Dominican Republic, so I grew up surrounded by music and movement. I decided to embrace that part of my culture at UMBC by joining the Latin Dance Club, where I could perform and share my love for dance with others,” Hernandez says. “I love incorporating dance into the workspace by sharing a laugh with my peers and dancing between experiments. It fosters stronger connections and creates an enjoyable work environment.”
Lesley Hernandez loves being able to “go to my dance class and come back [to the lab] with a refreshed mind.” (Melissa Penley Cormier, M.F.A. ’17/UMBC)
And, when the science gets intense, “I can go to my dance class and come back with a refreshed mind,” Hernandez says. Her attention to detail benefits both her science and her dance. Being “a calculated person” helps her pick up rhythmically complex dance moves more quickly, for example. Both activities also require creativity, whether in trouble-shooting an experiment that’s not working or coming up with new dance routines.
In the Summers lab, “We are all really into science, but what is fun for you outside of that? Everyone in my lab has their own outlet, and that is encouraged,” Hernandez says.
For Daisy Parry, a senior majoring in biological sciences, that outlet is singing. “I’ve had a lot of interests that have come and gone, but singing has been a constant thread throughout my life. It’s very important and very centering to me,” Parry says. Her music minor has created dedicated times that provide a respite from the demands of science, she says.
Daisy Parry (in front, with microphone) performs with the UMBC Stilettos, an all-female a cappella group. (Courtesy of Parry)
Parry is a member of The Stilettos, an all-woman a cappella group at UMBC, and her church choir. She arranges songs for The Stilettos to perform, which permits taking some creative license with the original work. “I like changing up the rhythms and dynamics to add depth to the music, and I think’s encouraged me to think a bit outside the box with my science, too, in terms of trying new experimental techniques.”
For now, her work on cell migration in fruit fly embryos with Michelle Starz-Gaiano, professor of biological sciences, her classes, and her music keep her busy, but Parry is looking forward to pursuing a master’s in public health after UMBC. She emphasizes how the concept of harmony—so central to music—carries over to the kind of work she wants to do. Factors such as research, clinical care, public policy, economics, the environment, and how they intersect are all relevant to public health outcomes, she explains.
‘It makes me whole’
Ella Reinders, a junior biological sciences major, also likes to tackle projects—scientific or artistic—from many angles. Watercolor and acrylic paints, sketching and drawing, handicrafts, sewing, and ballet have all captured her interest. “There are all different kinds of random things that I think are fun,” Reinders says.
In the lab, “I am able to come up with different ways of thinking about something because I’ve taken so many different approaches,” she says.
Reinders does behavioral research with Tara LeGates, assistant professor of biological sciences. The lab needed a new piece of equipment, but it was too expensive to buy off the shelf. “So I decided, why not create our own?” Reinders recalls.
Ella Reinders says that “moving through life with both scientific and artistic interests just makes everything more interesting.” (Courtesy of Reinders)
She sketched it out, learned how to render it on the computer, how to 3D print it at the UMBC library, and then how to wire it. “And now I’ve actually been using it, and it works,” she says. “It was really exciting. I love turning something from my brain into something that I’m actually holding.”
There is also direct overlap between Reinders’ science and her art. “I’ve done imaging of neurons, and being able to turn them into this piece of artwork that you want to hang on your wall is really exciting. Moving through life with both scientific and artistic interests just makes everything more interesting and feels like a way to express all sides of myself.”
For Joshua Dayie, a senior chemical engineering major, both discipline and creativity are required for his research and his art—playing the cello. “You really have to strike a balance between them to make any meaningful progress,” he says. Practicing cello requires hours of repetition, until technical passages flow out of his fingers from muscle memory alone. In the lab, sometimes experiments must be repeated many times before they’re successful—that’s the discipline.
Playing the cello and conducting research makes Joshua Dayie feel “more whole.” (Melissa Penley Cormier, M.F.A. ’17/UMBC)
Dayie applies that discipline to his research with Mark Marten, professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, on characterizing signaling pathways in fungi that activate in response to environmental stressors.
Then comes the creativity. Only after someone masters the fundamentals can they explore nuance in the tone or emotion conveyed on the cello, Dayie says. Similarly, in science “a lot of the innovation that you generate is really only meaningful after you’ve spent a lot of time understanding the core scientific concepts behind everything.”
“I think that’s been the most surprising thing: The creativity that comes from a very sound foundation of discipline is something that is translatable pretty much anywhere,” Dayie reflects.
As an added bonus, “Music has been a really nice outlet for me to use a different part of my brain, just to express myself in a different way,” he adds. “I feel like it makes me a little bit more whole.”
Lea-Pearl Njei, biological sciences; Caly Ferguson, mechanical engineering; and Jariatu Kargbo, biological sciences, have each received the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for the 2025 – 2026 academic year. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation strives to promote a strong STEM workforce in the U.S., and Njei, Ferguson, and Kargbo are among this year’s 441 awardees nationwide. Since 2005, 34 UMBC students have been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship.
“Caly, Lea-Pearl, and Jariatu emerged from a field of well-qualified students to represent UMBC in the Goldwater competition,” shares April Householder ’95, director of undergraduate research and prestigious scholarships. “They worked with me and the Goldwater faculty committee to strengthen their applications, and their dedication paid off. For several years in a row, UMBC has had multiple winners for this extremely competitive award.”
Njei is conducting colorectal cancer research with Jean-Pierre Raufman at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, after an internship at Yale sparked her interest in gastrointestinal organs. Njei has found support in the Meyerhoff Scholars program, especially from staff such as Jacqueline King.
“Sometimes I have that fear, where I know I can do something, but I need a little push, or someone to give me that confidence that I can do it,” Njei says. “And Dr. King’s support has been wonderful.”
Raufman, too, “has always been incredibly supportive of me as a young researcher and continually challenges me to grow and reach my full potential,” Njei says.
Njei also appreciates how much assistance she’s received as an international student and the diversity among biological sciences majors. “There are people who want to go to medical school, who want to go to graduate school, and others who want to go into the pharmaceutical industry or engineering,” she says. Njei serves as president of the UMBC chapter of Phi Delta Epsilon, the international medical fraternity. The fraternity offered “another community on campus that, besides seeing myself as a researcher, helped me see myself in the world of medicine.”
Left: Lea-Pearl Njei presents her research at an NIH symposium. (Courtesy of Njei) Right: Jariatu Kargbo presents her research at a conference. (Courtesy of Kargbo)
The perfect place to grow
Ferguson is developing a prosthetic arm that runs on software driven by machine learning and is also affordable—a tricky combination. His work with Ramana Vinjamuri, associate professor of computer science and electrical engineering, has taken Vinjamuri’s lab in a new direction.
Vinjamuri is “open to ideas,” and tells his students that “the biggest thing you have to do is learn,” Ferguson says. “He’s been an incredible help to me over these past couple of years working on this project. UMBC has been the perfect place for me to grow.”
The project is making good progress, and right now Ferguson is working on a live simulation and moving toward a prototype that other lab members can use in experiments. He’s picked up substantial coding skills from his time in Vinjamuri’s group.
Ferguson is inspired to pursue the prosthetic arm in part because of a birth defect that caused portions of two fingers on each of his hands not to develop. It doesn’t affect his daily life much—Ferguson says he can still type, play basketball, and play video games, for example. “But it got me thinking about people with much bigger challenges,” he says. “Being able to impact that community with technology that I created would be pretty cool, so that’s how I got started with this idea.”
Caly Ferguson (foreground, right) is developing an affordable robotic hand that runs on machine learning. Parthan Olikkal (background, right) works with Ferguson in Ramana Vinjamuri’s research group. (Melissa Penley Cormier, M.F.A. ’17/UMBC)
Right at your doorstep
Kargbo is studying melanopsin, a protein in the eye, with Phyllis Robinson, professor of biological sciences. “I singled out UMBC because of its emphasis on community and research—that’s what I wanted out of my university experience,” Kargbo says, and she found what she was looking for. She chose Robinson’s lab because of her interactions with other lab members. “It felt like a really safe lab environment for me to make mistakes, learn from them, and then grow as a researcher,” she says, “even though I didn’t understand that much when I first started out.”
Kargbo encourages aspiring researchers not to sell themselves short. “You don’t know what you’re capable of until you actually try to accomplish your goal,” she says. “And if you don’t have the confidence to show what you’re able to do, nobody’s ever going to know about it.”
All of the recipients agreed that receiving the Goldwater will open up a new support network among current and former recipients, and that the application process improved their communication skills and helped them sharpen their career goals.
“Goldwater is another opportunity for me to practice communicating my science,” Kargbo says. “I can now use the skills that I learned from applying for Goldwater, even if I hadn’t won the award, to apply for other grants, for example the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship for graduate school or Fulbright.”
The newest Goldwater scholars also felt that UMBC offered the environment and resources they needed to succeed. To go after big goals, “You need people who believe in you. You need mentors, you need support groups, and you can and will find them at UMBC,” Njei says. “You don’t even have to look too far, because they are all right there at your doorstep.”
April Householder, left, supports UMBC students through the Goldwater application process. (Michael Mower/UMBC)
Samuel Barnett ’25, biochemistry, is on his way to the Ph.D. program in cellular and molecular biology at the University of Pennsylvania this fall, after seizing opportunities to conduct research at Howard Community College and then at UMBC. Always mindful of how others have supported him and wanting to pay it forward, Barnett has served in leadership roles in UMBC student organizations and created resources to help his classmates land their own opportunities.
Q: How did you choose your major?
A: My high school biology teacher at Wilde Lake was adamant about getting high school students involved in STEM. Even though the course was online because of the pandemic, she was still able to enrapture people in the wonders of biological sciences. I added the chemistry aspect because I wanted to dive a little bit deeper into how everything works from a basic science perspective. The interdisciplinary nature of biochemistry can sometimes make things a little more challenging, but also fun. Actually, if what I’m doing isn’t challenging, it’s not going to be as fun, I don’t think.
Q: How did you choose UMBC?
My research mentor at Howard Community College, Joseph Sparenberg, nominated me for the BUILD a BRIDGE to STEM (BBS) Internship at UMBC, part of the STEM BUILD program, after my sophomore year. I can confidently say that BBS was the most crucial turning point of my undergraduate career, making the shift from HCC to the “bigger pond” of UMBC much smoother. The mission of the BBS internship was to give transfer students a sense of belonging while immersing them in biological research. While I had research experience from Howard Community College, BBS made me feel like a researcher at UMBC.
The BBS mentors gave us a lot of autonomy and intellectual freedom to create our own projects, and I acquired experience that was relevant for my lab at UMBC and a later internship at the University of Pennsylvania. I also connected with a diverse network of mentors, familiarized myself with unique scholarship and scientific presentation opportunities, and met fellow community college transfers who helped inspire me to become the scientist I am today.
Sam Barnett with the research poster he presented to conclude his internship at the University of Pennsylvania. (Courtesy of Barnett)
Q: How did you get connected with your research mentor at UMBC, Fernando Vonhoff, and what are you studying?
A: It’s a funny story, actually—Dr. Vonhoff grew up in Mexico and is fluent in Spanish, and one day he stepped in for my UMBC Spanish teacher. I talked to him after the Spanish class about his work and later visited him in his office to learn more. Even though his lab is mostly focused on behavioral neuroscience, I was up front about the fact that I’m interested in molecular biology. Dr. Vonhoff could have said I wasn’t a good fit, but he gave me a chance and connected me with one of his Ph.D. students, Zach Smith, who does a lot of the molecular work in the lab. Gaining those molecular skills has opened up doors for me when it comes to getting research experience.
I started in the lab in January 2024. Initially, I worked with Zach to master skills like qPCR and later Western blotting—foundational research techniques for identifying and quantifying genetic material and proteins in a sample. This semester I’ve been trusted to do Western blotting completely on my own.
Dr. Vonhoff’s lab works with fruit flies, a common model system for lots of kinds of studies. I’m trying to figure out a better way to identify the presence of a specific very tiny protein in the flies. Because it’s so small, it’s hard to visualize using traditional Western blotting. We tried a procedure that added a larger, fluorescent protein to the small protein to make it easier to see on the blots. It didn’t pan out, but that happens! So now we’re trying to go back to the basics and find new ways to observe the really small protein, but it’s really difficult.
That was definitely disappointing, but I think at the end of the day that’s just how the scientific process works. Progress ebbs and flows. We’re always asking, what can we do beyond this?
Samuel Barnett
That was definitely disappointing, but I think at the end of the day that’s just how the scientific process works. Progress ebbs and flows. We’re always asking, what can we do beyond this? Maybe another type of test or approach will work. I think the best way to approach those challenges is just optimism and to engage your curiosity and expose yourself to alternative solutions.
Q: Along with Vonhoff, who else has supported you along the way?
A: I first met Dr. Maria Cambraia, assistant director for research and international affairs in CNMS, through the BUILD a BRIDGE to STEM internship, and she has since been one of the most influential people on my undergraduate journey. She advised me on what pathways to take when I transferred to UMBC, gave me opportunities to present at national conferences, wrote letters of recommendation for anything and everything under the sun, and has been an overwhelming source of support throughout my undergraduate career. It is genuinely difficult to quantify the impact she has had on me and my fellow undergraduates.
Dr. April Householder, director of undergraduate research and prestigious scholarships, has also been essential in making sure that my place at UMBC was seen and heard. She helped me apply for the prestigious Goldwater and Knight-Hennessy Scholarships, and was always there to lend an ear. She worked overtime with the Goldwater representative at HCC, Cheryl Campo, to help me get my application submitted.
Sam Barnett, right, with April Householder, director of undergraduate research and prestigious scholarships.
Q: What are you most proud of from your time at UMBC?
A: I am most proud of winning the Barry Goldwater Scholarship. According to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship website it is “the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering in America.” An academic institution can select up to five students to apply for the scholarship, including one slot for transfer students. Originally, I competed for the transfer slot at UMBC, but wasn’t selected. However, at a national conference I attended, I met the president of the Goldwater foundation, who told me about a policy change that allowed transfer students to reapply at their previous institution. That led to Dr. Householder and Dr. Campo rushing to help me get my application submitted as a nominee from HCC. In April 2024, I got the email that I had won the scholarship. At the moment I won, I could hardly believe it; I was quite literally shaking and overjoyed.
Q: What else are you involved in at UMBC, and how have those activities benefited, challenged, or surprised you?
A: In addition to research, I’ve served in leadership roles as the vice president of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) UMBC chapter and secretary of the UMBC chapter of the Tau Sigma National Honor Society, an honor society specifically for transfer students. I’ve also been a tutor for analytical chemistry on campus and volunteered regularly at Grassroots Crisis Intervention.
Sam Barnett presents at a general body meeting of the UMBC chapter of the American Chemical Society in 2024. (Courtesy of Barnett)
The biggest surprise was my position within the ACS chapter here. It turned out to be a bigger job than I expected. I compiled a list of 200+ active internships to help out other students. Recently, I leveraged one of my connections at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology to invite a guest speaker to campus. A lot of my work for the ACS chapter was self-driven, but I’m grateful to the group’s advisor, Dr. Maria van Staveren, who really supported my ambitions to make the position into more than the minimum required.
Q: What’s next for you, and what are you looking forward to?
A: This fall, I’ll begin a Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology with a concentration in cancer biology at the University of Pennsylvania. I was an intern at Penn’s Center for Cellular Immunotherapies in summer 2024, and I had a really good time there. The rigorous research environment was just enthralling to me. I was able to focus completely on being a researcher for the first time. I had my own independent project, under guidance from a postdoc. It was really intimidating at first. At Penn, you’re able to work through the entire research process and bring new things to the table.
Sam Barnett, far right, with STEM BUILD Trainees at UMBC’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fest in 2023.
Q: What has been the best part of your UMBC experience?
A: The best part of my UMBC experience has been the opportunity to meet mentors that have defined my career. I’ve been given a lot of opportunities, and sure, I’ve taken initiative and put in effort, but at every step of my undergraduate journey, I’ve had a mentor in my corner who’s been willing to lend me a hand and give me a chance.
UMBC offers many opportunities for undergraduates to get connected to administrators and research faculty. In my experience, faculty have always been friendly and open to connecting with undergraduates. I am extremely grateful to both UMBC and my mentors for the continued support throughout my career, and all that support has inspired me to try to give back, through efforts like the ACS internship database.
Q: What advice do you have for transfer students and aspiring undergraduate researchers?
A: Don’t feel afraid to reach out to everyone—faculty members, classmates, staff. They can all help you. And if they don’t respond via email, you can go to their office to introduce yourself. Even in a period of uncertainty, move forward anyway—research is still necessary and important. Stay ambitious, and stay involved in science.
UMBC has received a $1.2 million solar energy grant from the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) to support solar power installations on campus and other sustainability initiatives.
The funding will enable construction of solar canopies over the north portion of the Stadium Lot. Rooftop solar arrays will be mounted on UMBC’s central receiving warehouse, located adjacent to the lot. The installations will be highly visible to the UMBC community and members of the public attending events at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.
Together, these solar installations will generate 1,000 kWAC of clean, carbon-free energy, or about 2.5 percent of UMBC’s current annual electricity. The solar panels’ output will reduce UMBC’s carbon footprint by roughly 500 tons per year and earn Solar Renewable Energy Credits from the state of Maryland, which can be sold to power companies. The combined savings from the electricity generation and accompanying SRECs may save UMBC $200,000 to $300,000 annually.
“This solar energy project is a significant step forward for UMBC to reach its sustainability goals, and will benefit our campus and local communities,” Taylor Smith, assistant director in the Office of Sustainability, says. “For the first time, the university will generate a significant amount of clean, renewable electricity right here on campus. We are lucky to have a community of partners that made this happen.”
The UMBC Library Pond and surrounding vegetation are home to numerous wildlife species, such as yellow-crowned night herons and red-winged blackbirds. The pond also serves as an important stormwater management feature on campus. (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)
Beyond solar
The grant will also support the development of UMBC’s Campus Clean Energy Master Plan (CCEMP). The CCEMP will rely on past studies and a forthcoming decarbonization engineering study to identify opportunities to save energy and decarbonize campus energy systems, including the central and satellite utility plants.
UMBC’s geography and environmental systems department and engineering faculty affiliated with the Grand ChallengesScholars Program are designing new learning opportunities that will use the solar project as an educational tool. Grant funds will partially fund academic experiences that provide students with hands-on learning opportunities in solar energy technology, renewable energy systems, and sustainability management, integrating real-world problem-solving into the academic curriculum. Five interns will also gain critical experience through supporting these projects, under the supervision of the Office of Sustainability and departmental faculty.
“The campus community can be proud of this commitment to bring solar energy to campus,” Smith says. “This project will not only accelerate UMBC’s shift to clean energy but will also create a visible, tangible symbol of the progress that’s been made. Plus, the new solar arrays will create learning opportunities for students to build the skills they need to thrive in the green economy.”
Thomas Seidman, late emeritus professor of mathematics and statistics, gave 45 years of his life to teaching, mentoring, and conducting research at UMBC before retiring in 2017. After his death in August 2024, his estate donated $1.06 million to UMBC to create the Dr. Thomas I. Seidman Endowed Chair in mathematics. The Maryland E-nnovation Initiative, an effort within the Maryland Department of Commerce, matched the bequest, bringing the total endowment to more than $2 million.
Thomas Seidman (Courtesy Seidman family)
“The Seidman family’s generous gift, along with the MEI match, will make it possible for UMBC to hire world-class applied mathematics faculty with expertise in research fields that will drive the economy of the future,” said William R. LaCourse, dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences. “CNMS is deeply grateful for Dr. Seidman’s service to UMBC throughout his decades as a faculty member. With this gift, his impact will extend even further by helping UMBC students prepare for rewarding careers in booming fields like data science and AI.”
Joining UMBC only a few years after the university’s founding in 1966, Seidman created a home for himself in the mathematics and statistics department. In addition to his prolific and widely-cited scholarship in applied analysis and fierce dedication to teaching, Seidman also contributed to the young department’s development through writing bylaws for department chair election processes, chairing the promotion and tenure committee for many years, and serving as acting department chair in 1992. He never missed a department seminar and was known for asking insightful questions.
“He was able to build a niche and a role for himself that fit him perfectly,” Seidman’s son, Gregory Seidman, says. “The continuity and stability of the environment, combined with the roots our family had put down in the area, made him feel at home in a way he couldn’t imagine rebuilding elsewhere.”
Leaving a legacy
Seidman “cared deeply about teaching,” his son says, and took pride in instructing students in both foundational math courses like Linear Algebra and courses for non-majors, such as a course on the history of mathematics. Seidman’s one regret was that he did not advise more graduate students, his son shares.
Gregory believes his father hoped to leave a legacy by supporting further work in his mathematical research fields and creating opportunities for students. “It is my hope that his bequest will support many doctoral students following in his research footsteps,” Gregory says, “who would otherwise have been that legacy.”
The younger Seidman remembers spending much of his childhood in his father’s office and in a UMBC computer lab. Father and son learned to program an original Apple PC together in the early 1980s, which inspired Gregory to pursue computer science. Eventually, he even co-authored a research paper with his father. Gregory also recalls regular meetings of the minds with department members in the Seidman household when he was young.
Thomas Seidman was known for his commitment to teaching, and his bequest will create more opportunities for UMBC students to study with outstanding mathematicians. (Courtesy Seidman family)
“While I know my father made a difference at UMBC in various ways, some more significant than others, it feels good to have his name on something that will be seen for years to come,” Gregory says. “I’m also especially pleased that, some day, my kids will be able to show their kids that their great-grandfather, whom they will never meet, made a difference here.”
Seidman notes that his father’s life was a fulfilling one, rich in warm personal relationships and professional success. “His was a life well lived,” he says. And now, the Dr. Thomas I. Seidman Endowed Chair will help create opportunities for more aspiring mathematicians to build their own lives and legacies.
