Policy & Society

Ilsa Lottes, Sociology, Presents Human Rights Lecture in Finland

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Earlier this summer, UMBC Associate Professor Ilsa Lottes (Sociology and Anthropology) presented a lecture on human rights at the Center of Excellence in Sexual Health Education at JAMK University of Applied Sciences in Jyväskylä, Finland. Lottes traveled to Finland as a Fulbright Specialist in the areas of sexual health and research methods. Lottes is an expert on sexual and reproductive health in both the United States and Finland, with much of her research focusing on the views of college students. In this lecture, Lottes describes the basic principles of human rights and how sexual rights have been incorporated into human… Continue Reading Ilsa Lottes, Sociology, Presents Human Rights Lecture in Finland

Matthew Panunto ’12, M.S. GES, Wins Poster Competition

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Alumnus Matthew Panunto ’12, M.S. geography and environmental systems (GES), has won the 2012 American Water Resources Association (AWRA) National Conference Student Poster Competition for his submission “Effects of valley segment sequencing on floodplain hydroperiods.” According to the abstract, Panunto and co-authors Philippe Vidon, Pierre-André Jacinthe, and GES professor Matthew Baker’s piece used “numerical simulations of… hypothetical hydraulic constraints and empirical characterizations of valley segments and flood hydrographs in central Indiana’s White River valley” in order to understand more about the impact of “valley sequencing” on floodplain hydroperiods, or when a region is waterlogged. Along with a certificate and monetary… Continue Reading Matthew Panunto ’12, M.S. GES, Wins Poster Competition

Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the Baltimore Sun

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Political science professor Tom Schaller’s latest column for The Baltimore Sun was published on July 24th. “American should give up its role as lone superpower” dealt with the shifting paradigm in global relations, with nations such as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russia and South Korea becoming major players in the international economy in the coming decades, while simultaneously there has been a decline in the United States’ ability to alter such currents. Schaller suggested that rather than holding onto the idea of itself as the lone superpower, the U.S. should instead draw down its international dominance and focus more on… Continue Reading Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the Baltimore Sun

Christopher Corbett, English, on BackStory With the American History Guys

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On July 20th, the Virginia radio program BackStory With the American History Guys tackled the history of postal delivery in America in an episode entitled “You’ve Got Mail: A History of the Post Office.” Among the guests who appeared was Christopher Corbett, professor and interim chair of English.  Corbett is the author of Orphans Preferred: The Twisted Truth and Lasting Legacy of the Pony Express, a history of the mid-19th Century mail carrier. Associate producer Eric Mennel began the segment by quizzing his own mother on the history of the Pony Express. When he asked how long the Pony Express was in… Continue Reading Christopher Corbett, English, on BackStory With the American History Guys

Eugene Schaffer, Education, in the Catonsville Times

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Eugene Schaffer, professor and chair of education, spoke with the Catonsville Times for a story on the performance of the county’s middle school students on the Maryland School Assessment (MSA) tests. With test scores on math showing a slight improvement and reading scores a slight decline, the results show an overall mixed record regarding students’ progress. Schaffer said that subjects that used to be taught in high school are now taught in middle school, which might account for some of the decline. He also spoke of the difficulties facing many students during the middle school years. “It’s tough being in middle school… Continue Reading Eugene Schaffer, Education, in the Catonsville Times

Robert Deluty, Graduate School, Publishes His 37th Book

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Robert Deluty, associate dean of the graduate school, has published a new book of poetry, titled “Through Others’ Eyes.” In his review of the book, Dr. Ronald Pies states: “If, as Marcel Proust wrote, the only true voyage of discovery is ‘to possess other eyes,’ then Robert Deluty envisions the world through the eyes of a multitude. This is best exemplified in his uncanny ability to enter into the world-view of the very young and the very old, as with ‘a fourth grader/ dreaming of statues sculpted/ in his honor’ and the ‘elderly chemist/ struggling to spell the word/ laboratory.’… Continue Reading Robert Deluty, Graduate School, Publishes His 37th Book

Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, in The Baltimore Sun

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In a Baltimore Sun op-ed, Kimberly Moffitt, assistant professor of American studies, criticizes the number of “promotion ceremonies” held for schoolchildren and questions whether “milestones” are being overemphasized. While acknowledging the appeal for parents of celebrating their children’s accomplishments, Moffitt noted that such ceremonies can involve valuable time and considerable financial resources from our already-strapped school systems, and proposes an alternative awards program more modest in scope for the whole of a school, with divisions in terms of elementary and middle school. Moffitt wrote that the recently-released Maryland School Assessment (MSA) scores for Baltimore “[confirm] that more instruction time, not less, is needed for all of our children. And limiting… Continue Reading Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, in The Baltimore Sun

Robert Provine, Psychology, in Scientific American

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Psychology professor Robert Provine’s latest book Curious Behavior: Yawning, Laughing, Hiccupping, and Beyond  as reviewed in the August 2012 issue of Scientific American. Anna Kuchment, senior editor for the magazine, wrote in the “Recommended” section that Provine “has written a charming ode to ‘Small Science’—science that does not require a large budget or fancy equipment but that is interesting nonetheless. Taking examples from his own research, some of which involved nothing more complicated than stalking graduate students and observing how and when they laugh, he explains the origins of some of the most prevalent, but often overlooked, human behaviors.”

David Rosenbloom Joins Ancient Studies Department

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The Ancient Studies Department is delighted to announce the arrival of Dr. David Rosenbloom as an Associate Professor of Ancient Studies. Rosenbloom is a specialist in Athenian tragedy and comedy. His research in Greek tragedy resulted in a new edition of the Persians and a co-edited volume, _Greek Drama IV: Texts, Contexts, Performance_, as well as many articles for _Blackwell’s Encyclopedia of Greek Tragedy_. His next books will be the _Blackwell Companion to Euripides_ and __A City of Scoundrels: Culture and Hegemony in Classical Athens, among others. Most recently, Rosenbloom has been a senior lecturer in the Classics Department at… Continue Reading David Rosenbloom Joins Ancient Studies Department

Dr. Sanjit Karmakar ’12, Physics, in The Baltimore Sun

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Recent Ph.D. Sanjit Karmakar ’12, physics, was featured in an article published by The Baltimore Sun July 13th. The focus of the article was on Karmakar’s work in “ghost imaging,” where a picture can be taken without actually “seeing” the object which is being photographed. The camera the physicist designed utilizes the light of the sun as the source for images, which are generated on a computer using mathematics associated with quantum physics. This process can be used to generate images of objects on other continents and planets without the distortion of traditional photography, according to the piece. Speaking on… Continue Reading Dr. Sanjit Karmakar ’12, Physics, in The Baltimore Sun

George Derek Musgrove, History, on NPR

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On July 13, George Derek Musgrove ’97, history, and new addition to UMBC’s history faculty, was a guest on “Tell Me More,” where he spoke with guest host Maria Hinojosa about the history of government investigations into African-American politicians. Musgrove is the author of Rumor, Repression, and Racial Politics, and spoke of his investigations into the increasing numbers of legal investigations of black elected officials from the 1960s and 1970s onward, or what he calls “harassment ideology.” “When I sat down to a study of post-Civil Rights Era black politics when I first entered graduate school, I was interested in figuring out what happened when… Continue Reading George Derek Musgrove, History, on NPR

Robert Provine, Psychology, in The Washington Post Magazine

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The Washington Post Magazine announced a humor-writing contest in the July 15th issue. The research of Robert Provine, professor of psychology and author of the forthcoming book Curious Behavior: Yawning, Laughing, Hiccupping, and Beyond, was cited the print edition invitation. Provine is also the author of Laughter: A Scientific Investigation. Prizes include $1000 for a written piece, $140 for a Twitter joke, or $300 for a funny photo. Learn more about the contest – including submission guidelines – here.

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