Discovery

Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, walks across a stage in front of two men sitting on white chairs

Putin’s visit to Mongolia defies ICC warrant and tests neutral nation’s ‘third neighbor’ diplomacy

/ 7 minutes of reading

Mongolia has attempted to bolster its independence from its more powerful neighbors by developing cordial relations with so-called third neighbor countries that include the United States, Germany, Japan and South Korea, explains Christopher Tong, associate professor of Asian studies at UMBC and Chares Krusekopf at the Royal Roads University. We attended the Ulaanbaatar Duologue in June 2024 and witnessed Mongolia’s diplomatic efforts firsthand. It is a strategy that has worked for the country, but as events like Putin’s visit highlight, it can be a tough balancing act.” Continue Reading Putin’s visit to Mongolia defies ICC warrant and tests neutral nation’s ‘third neighbor’ diplomacy

A U.S. vice presidential candidate stands with his hands raised in prayer with the white and blue DNC 2024 digital sign behind them

The specter of China has edged into US election rhetoric − for Republicans much more than Democrats

/ 6 minutes of reading

Fan Yang, professor of media and communication studies at UMBC, an expert on how China is represented in U.S. media culture and politics, explains how the fact that China is edging into the election rhetoric is of little surprise – nor is the imbalance in emphasis given to the country by the Democratic and Republican tickets, respectively. Continue Reading The specter of China has edged into US election rhetoric − for Republicans much more than Democrats

Cargo shipped in water with remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge of top of the cargo ship

Infrastructure of support after Key Bridge collapse

/ 6 minutes of reading

In 1987, Paul Flinton, then a 23-year-old senior studying at UMBC, decided to make a short documentary focused on the tollbooth workers on the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The six-minute documentary “One Dollar”—named after the toll’s cost for cars at the time—captures a vehicle’s journey across the bridge from the driver’s point of view in one continuous take. As Flinton ’87, visual arts, drives across the bridge, audio of the tollbooth workers interviewed for the project act as the film’s narrators in which they share some of their experiences as toll operators.  Flinton, who is now a location sound manager… Continue Reading Infrastructure of support after Key Bridge collapse

China Hands typing on a lap top with a red background and gold stars China

China turns to private hackers as it cracks down on online activists on Tiananmen Square anniversary

/ 6 minutes of reading

“As a China expert and open-source researcher, I believe the latest revelations draw the curtain back on a contractor ecosystem in which government officials and commercial operators are increasingly working together,” explains Christopher K. Tong, associate professor of Asian studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. ” In short, Beijing is outsourcing its cyber operations to a patchwork army of private-sector hackers who offer their services out of a mix of nationalism and profit.” Continue Reading China turns to private hackers as it cracks down on online activists on Tiananmen Square anniversary

An adult walking along a palm tree-lined beach

Rotting sargassum is choking the Caribbean’s white sand beaches, fueling an economic and public health crisis

/ 6 minutes of reading

“The sargassum invasion has worsened since it exploded in the region in 2011. Forecasts and the seaweed already washing up suggest that 2024 will be another alarming year,” says Farah Nibbs, assistant professor of emergency and disaster health systems at UMBC, studies the intersection of critical infrastructure and disasters in the Caribbean. Continue Reading Rotting sargassum is choking the Caribbean’s white sand beaches, fueling an economic and public health crisis

PACE atop SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket in the raised to launch position. Photo credit: NASA

On PACE to Unravel Earth’s Mysteries

/ 12 minutes of reading

The third time’s the charm. Against a calm and crisp dark night sky on Florida’s Cape Canaveral on February 8, 2024, just after 1:30 a.m., the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) spacecraft rocketed to orbit carrying on board Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter (HARP2)–UMBC’s wide-angle imaging polarimeter.  The launch marked the first time NASA deployed a university payload on a large operational Earth science space mission. Continue Reading On PACE to Unravel Earth’s Mysteries

A person in the Caribbean carries large plastic jugs of water into an old apartment building

Thirsty in paradise: Water crises are a growing problem across the Caribbean islands

/ 6 minutes of reading

UMBC’s Farah Nibbs, assistant professor of emergency and disaster health systems, studies the intersection of critical infrastructure and disasters, particularly in the Caribbean. Safe water is essential for all human activity and public health. Nibbs is looking at how and why the Caribbean islands are in a water crisis, and their governments have warned that water scarcity may become the new norm. Her data is sheds light on the root causes of the water crises and to find effective, affordable ways to improve water supply systems. Continue Reading Thirsty in paradise: Water crises are a growing problem across the Caribbean islands

A large bill board in the middle of a field reads Hell is Real

How 19th-century Spiritualists ‘canceled’ the idea of hell to address social and political concerns

/ 7 minutes of reading

“Spiritualists believed that people could maintain communication with the living even after death,” discusses UMBC’s Lindsay DiCurirci, associate professor of English. “They thought communicative spirits had a principal role to play in addressing the era’s most pressing social and political concerns, which would be impossible if souls were damned to hell. This idea was a cornerstone of their practice and a driver of their politics.” Continue Reading How 19th-century Spiritualists ‘canceled’ the idea of hell to address social and political concerns

Brick rowhomes with tall buildings in the background neediest areas

Neediest areas are being shortchanged on government funds − even with programs designed to benefit poor communities

/ 5 minutes of reading

Erik Stokan, associate professor of political science at UMBC, collaborated on a study that looked at 20 years of data from the CDBG program, which in 2022 provided about $4.3 billion to cities and states across the country. Federal rules require that 70% of these funds be spent in neighborhoods where a majority of families have low to moderate incomes – a category researchers abbreviate as “LMI.” Continue Reading Neediest areas are being shortchanged on government funds − even with programs designed to benefit poor communities

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