The myriad artworks in The CADVC’s retrospective Spectrum of Light and Spirit span Oletha DeVane’s prolific career, including paintings, works on paper, video artworks, and interactive sculpture. Continue Reading Art, Life, and Spirit—Oletha DeVane Retrospective at The CADVC
Meredith Oyen, associate professor of history and Asian studies, discusses President Biden’s remarks about U.S. military intervention should China attempt an invasion of Taiwan.y towards China. Continue Reading Biden again indicates that US will defend Taiwan ‘militarily’ – does this constitute a change in policy?
There’s more to virus biology than meets the eye. Viruses that infect bacteria can listen for key cellular signals to help them make decisions. Even worse, they can use the cell’s own “ears” to do the listening for them. Continue Reading Viruses may be ‘watching’ you – some microbes lie in wait until their hosts unknowingly give them the signal to start multiplying and kill them
“In recent research, I studied how Americans’ perceptions of their own political knowledge shape their political attitudes,” says Ian Anson, associate professor of political science. “My results show that many Americans think they know much more about politics than they really do. Political overconfidence causes Americans to underestimate the political skill of their peers. And those who believe themselves to be political experts often dismiss the guidance of real experts.” Continue Reading Americans think they know a lot about politics – and it’s bad for democracy that they’re so often wrong in their confidence
By Richard Forno, Principal Lecturer,Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, UMBC Twitter’s former security chief, Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, filed a whistleblower complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission in July 2022, accusing the microblogging platform company of serious security failings. The accusations amplified the ongoing drama of Twitter’s potential sale to Elon Musk. Zatko spent decades as an ethical hacker, private researcher, government adviser and executive at some of the most prominent internet companies and government offices. He is practically a legend in the cybersecurity industry. Because of his reputation, when he speaks, people and governments normally listen – which underscores… Continue Reading Did Twitter ignore basic security measures? A cybersecurity expert explains a whistleblower’s claims
SPARK, an annual group exhibition of works by faculty, staff, alumni, and students at UMBC and Towson University returns for its fifth edition August 13-September 25. SPARK: New Light features work from 24 artists, and opens concurrently with the Founder’s Day Grand Reopening of The Peale, a celebration of the completion of extensive renovations to the historic facility. Continue Reading Sparking History at The Peale
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hasn’t confirmed when – or even if – she is to visit Taiwan. Yet such is the sensitivity over the island’s status that reports of her possible trip have resulted in a warning by China of “serious consequences” and a suggestion by President Joe Biden that the visit was “not a good idea,” writes Meredith Oyen. Continue Reading Why the big fuss over Nancy Pelosi’s possible visit to Taiwan?
A massive painting dwarfed Rob Kempton ’12, English, as he stood in a Baltimore Museum of Art gallery. In his security guard uniform, Kempton gestured to the swoop of orange oil paint on the blood-red background, painted by Grace Hartigan in 1957 and titled “Interior – The Creeks.” “I love the opaque strong colors. There’s such a push and pull, rhythm and movement, it really dances,” he said. “And here,” he said, pointing to a section that Hartigan slathered with paint, then scraped away with a palette knife. “See where she scrapes it away, it’s like revising a poem, so… Continue Reading Lost in the Art: English major guards and curates paintings at Baltimore Museum of Art
The success of politicians in the U.S. largely depends on the amount of funding they receive from various sources. Traditionally, volunteers went door to door to solicit donations from individuals. Today, politicians use social media to encourage their supporters to donate and eventually vote for them. Many politicians have turned to this sort of political crowdfunding. Continue Reading Political crowdfunding does more than raise money – it can also rile up opponents
For Christopher Tong, discovering clues hidden in texts documenting history’s most devastating floods isn’t just about the promise of making social, cultural, and political change. It’s also a personal journey inspired by generations of his own family. In July of 2021, the city of Zhengzhou, China, had more than seven inches of rain in one hour, flooding subway train cars filled with commuters and forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate. Around this time Christopher K. Tong, an assistant professor of modern languages, linguistics, and intercultural communication, was surrounded by materials he had collected during his trip to the People’s Republic… Continue Reading Turning the Tides
UMBC’s Grand Challenge Scholars Program prepares students to collaborate across disciplines and address real-world issues. Continue Reading See the Challenge, Be the Change
This year, an estimated 1 million people will perform the hajj, which is considered one of the five pillars in Islam. Chaos ensued in early June 2022 when Saudi Arabia announced a hajj “lottery” for Western pilgrims that made it mandatory for people from Europe, the Americas and Australia to apply for visas through a random draw through the Saudi government-backed website. Under the lottery, only 50,000 permits were allowed from these 50 countries, compared with 25,000 for U.K. Muslims alone in previous years. Continue Reading From caravans to markets, the hajj pilgrimage has always included a commercial component
