Science & Tech

Large smoke clouds emitting from the Zaca forest wildfire in California

New UMBC/Los Alamos research on megafire smoke plumes clarifies what they contain, how they move, and their potential impacts

In recent years, large, intense wildfires, known as megafires, have increasingly caused severe damage to forests, homes, and crops. In addition to megafires fatally impacting humans and wildlife alike, they may also be impacting climate change. New research led by UMBC’s Stephen Guimond provides insight into how the large smoke plumes produced by megafires can be more accurately modeled and characterized to improve our understanding of how they might impact the earth. Continue Reading New UMBC/Los Alamos research on megafire smoke plumes clarifies what they contain, how they move, and their potential impacts

UMBC student smiling while presenting research at URCAD 2023. (Marlayna Demond '11/UMBC)

Lighting design to flu treatment: UMBC students share research and creative work at URCAD 2023

In 2020, Renata Taylor-Smith ‘24, theatre, eagerly prepared for her first trip to Munich, Germany to study theatrical lighting design, but a week before she was meant to fly to Germany, her trip was canceled due to COVID-19. She learned that the show she was working on would be postponed indefinitely. Discover how she pivoted to have a valuable research experience, recently shared at UMBC’s annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD 23023), where hundreds of students presented their work. Continue Reading Lighting design to flu treatment: UMBC students share research and creative work at URCAD 2023

Two students in professional attire pose outside the UMBC Biological Sciences Building.

UMBC’s Arjun Kanjarpane and Anya Viswanathan receive prestigious Goldwater Scholarships

Both recipients have the potential to make a major impact in their fields and in people’s lives through their research. “We are delighted that UMBC has continued its impressive string of Goldwater awards for this year,” says April Householder “This indicates just how strong STEM education at UMBC is—indeed, it’s among the best in the country.” Continue Reading UMBC’s Arjun Kanjarpane and Anya Viswanathan receive prestigious Goldwater Scholarships

four researchers in white lab coats seated in a traditional wet lab.

UMBC’s Ivan Erill demonstrates fast, low-cost method to monitor spread of antibiotic resistance over time

A new computational method developed by Ivan Erill and colleagues is simple, fast, and effective at detecting the spread and source of antibiotic resistance genes. “It’s great for studies trying to find insight into what’s happening in bacterial genomes,” Erill says. Continue Reading UMBC’s Ivan Erill demonstrates fast, low-cost method to monitor spread of antibiotic resistance over time

Four researchers in lab coats stand in a lab, two holding petri dishes up to the light. Glass-doored cabinets in the background.

Deepak Koirala to grow understanding of how enteroviruses replicate with $786K NSF CAREER Award

Diseases such as polio, the common cold, and meningitis are all caused by closely related enteroviruses and the way that these viruses multiply in the body is poorly understood. Deepak Koirala hopes to change that by investigating how the RNA structures within these viruses’ genetic material enable them to multiply. The answers could lead to drugs that attack specific mechanisms critical for viral replication, stopping these diseases in their tracks. Continue Reading Deepak Koirala to grow understanding of how enteroviruses replicate with $786K NSF CAREER Award

Portrait of a woman in a fuschia top outside a brick building with some greenery.

Mercedes Burns to study arachnid evolution in Japan through prestigious NSF CAREER Award

“The questions I’m asking in this CAREER grant set the stage,” she says, for discovering how arachnid species that can reproduce both sexually (with a mate) and asexually (without a mate) “control whether it’s going to be one reproductive mode or the other,” Mercedes Burns says. “Ultimately we want to understand what allows for this kind of reproductive strategy in these systems, which we don’t see commonly in animals.” Continue Reading Mercedes Burns to study arachnid evolution in Japan through prestigious NSF CAREER Award

Man in white lab coat standing in front of a chemical hood with lots of colorful containers.

UMBC’s Smith lab discovers enzyme ATE1’s role in cellular stress response, opening a door to new therapeutic targets

A new paper in Nature Communications illuminates how a previously poorly understood enzyme works in the cell. Many diseases are tied to chronic cellular stress, and Aaron T. Smith and colleagues discovered that this enzyme plays an important role in the cellular stress response. Better understanding how this enzyme functions and is controlled could lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets for these diseases. Continue Reading UMBC’s Smith lab discovers enzyme ATE1’s role in cellular stress response, opening a door to new therapeutic targets

Smiling woman stands outside.

Unlocking the secrets of materials that turn heat into electricity: UMBC’s Deepa Madan wins NSF CAREER Award

Deepa Madan, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at UMBC, has received a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award for research on materials that could improve wearable medical devices, reduce energy waste, and power sensors to monitor everything from the safety of infrastructure to the paths pollutants travel. Continue Reading Unlocking the secrets of materials that turn heat into electricity: UMBC’s Deepa Madan wins NSF CAREER Award

A group of 4 people hold hand-sized drones.

UMBC experts guide TV viewers through the promises and pitfalls of artificial intelligence

Over the past week, UMBC faculty and students have given primetime TV news watchers in Baltimore a glimpse of the frontiers of artificial intelligence (AI) research. WZJ, Baltimore’s CBS News affiliate, aired the AI series in six segments, four of which featured UMBC researchers. Continue Reading UMBC experts guide TV viewers through the promises and pitfalls of artificial intelligence

An artist's computer generated drawing of the STAR X space craft in space

UMBC partners on STAR-X, a $3M NASA mission concept study through the CRESST II research consortium

UMBC researchers are partnering on STAR-X, a nine-month mission concept study investigating black holes, galaxy clusters, and often-elusive transient cosmic events like supernova explosions. STAR-X is one of two Explorer missions to receive $3 million from NASA for this concept phase, before NASA selects one in 2024 to proceed with implementation, targeted for launch in 2028. Continue Reading UMBC partners on STAR-X, a $3M NASA mission concept study through the CRESST II research consortium

Three people work with machinery in a lab. They wear protective glasses and gloves. One wears a sweater reading "UMBC Rerievers."

UMBC researchers listed among the world’s top 2% of most-cited scientists and engineers

More than 40 active UMBC researchers are listed among the top 2% of the world’s most-cited scientists and engineers in an analysis recently published by Elsevier. “This analysis shows that our researchers are truly impacting the scientific community in a significant way,” says Karl V. Steiner, vice president for research and creative achievement. Continue Reading UMBC researchers listed among the world’s top 2% of most-cited scientists and engineers

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