A woman with long curly brown hair wearing a green sweater stands outside with a red maple tree in the background. Arab

Creating Queer Arab Joy

Jul 31, 2023 / 7 minutes of reading

“This book is my love letter to my unnamed queer Palestinian ancestors. It is the knowing glance, playful wink, and double entendre between us,” Mejdulene Bernard Shomali, assistant professor of gender, women’s, and sexuality studies, says about her new book Between Banat: Queer Arab Critique and Transnational Arab Archives. “It is the ways we call one another, not only for recognition and community but to action and movement toward a joyful and pleasurable queer Arab future.” Continue Reading Creating Queer Arab Joy

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UMBC’s 2023-2024 Fulbright Student Program recipients announced

Jul 22, 2023 / 6 minutes of reading

The U.S. Fulbright Student Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program, has awarded nine UMBC students and alumni top research and teaching placements in countries such as Japan, Taiwan, North Macedonia, and Turkey. Continue Reading UMBC’s 2023-2024 Fulbright Student Program recipients announced

US, Chinese warships’ near miss in Taiwan Strait hints at ongoing troubled diplomatic waters, despite chatter about talks

Jun 9, 2023 / 5 minutes of reading

Meredith Oyen, associate professor of history and Asian studies, an expert on China-U.S. relations, helps explain the context of the recent encounters on the Taiwan Strait and how they fit within growing tensions between the two countries on the South China Seas. Continue Reading US, Chinese warships’ near miss in Taiwan Strait hints at ongoing troubled diplomatic waters, despite chatter about talks

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Transforming the future of healthy aging: UMBC event highlights leading practices, research from Kanagawa and Maryland

Nov 30, 2022 / 7 minutes of reading

UMBC recently partnered with the government of Japan’s Kanagawa prefecture to host the seminar “New Frontiers in Healthcare Management,” examining innovative approaches to healthy aging in society, from a broad range of research and policy perspectives. Continue Reading Transforming the future of healthy aging: UMBC event highlights leading practices, research from Kanagawa and Maryland

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How to Bridge Your Two Homes

Nov 23, 2022 / 5 minutes of reading

With Jess Presuel ’23, biological sciences, an international student from Mexico Jess Presuel’s route to UMBC was not a direct flight from Mérida, Yucatán—her home state in Mexico—to UMBC. She originally arrived in Maryland in 2015 as an au pair to a family with five children. There, she immediately felt accepted and as she cared for the children, they helped her learn English. Over time, Presuel realized she was ready to pursue her dream of becoming a surgeon, starting in fall 2021 working toward a degree in biological science. At UMBC, Presuel knew that she wasn’t just on campus to… Continue Reading How to Bridge Your Two Homes

a black and white transistor radio with the words BBC World Service in white lettering sits on top of a a newspaper BBC

BBC at 100: a trusted international news source, but it’s important to remember whose values it reflects

Oct 17, 2022 / 5 minutes of reading

Jessica Berman, Director of UMBC’s Dresher Center for the Humanities, discusses the BBC’s role in bringing Anglocentric news around the world, specifically in the West Indies, and the impact of of All India Radio. Continue Reading BBC at 100: a trusted international news source, but it’s important to remember whose values it reflects

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UMBC humanities faculty pursue groundbreaking archival research through over $135,000 in prestigious fellowships

Oct 12, 2022 / 9 minutes of reading

Elizabeth Patton, Mirjam Voerkelius, and Amy Froide have received prestigious research fellowships to explore archives and reveal new findings about unique historical events in the United States, Soviet Union, and United Kingdom. Continue Reading UMBC humanities faculty pursue groundbreaking archival research through over $135,000 in prestigious fellowships

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wave before boarding Air Force One

Biden again indicates that US will defend Taiwan ‘militarily’ – does this constitute a change in policy?

Sep 19, 2022 / 7 minutes of reading

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?

UMBC students explore South Korea, Japan through new Education Abroad Access Fund

Jul 20, 2022 / 4 minutes of reading

“Education abroad is known to have a positive impact on students’ future academic and career outcomes, but the costs of international travel can result in barriers to participation,” says David Di Maria, associate vice provost for international education. “The Class of 1970’s generous gift helps address these barriers. It ensures more Retrievers are able to enjoy the transformative benefits of making the world their classroom.” Continue Reading UMBC students explore South Korea, Japan through new Education Abroad Access Fund

Professor Christopher Tong and an image of the Yangtzi River

Turning the Tides

Jul 14, 2022 / 10 minutes of reading

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

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UMBC’s María Célleri and Yolanda Valencia receive Mellon Fellowships for research on an immigrant community in Washington and postcolonial transformation of Quito, Ecuador

Jul 8, 2022 / 5 minutes of reading

“Their work further reifies UMBC’s commitment to community-engaged scholarship, in particular in often overlooked or ignored communities,” says Dean Kimberly R. Moffitt. Continue Reading UMBC’s María Célleri and Yolanda Valencia receive Mellon Fellowships for research on an immigrant community in Washington and postcolonial transformation of Quito, Ecuador

Five adults stand outside next to each other on a pathway. Fulbright.

UMBC’s 2022 Fulbright student scholars will travel the world to explore difficult questions

Jun 16, 2022 / 11 minutes of reading

Nine recent UMBC graduates and alumni will soon travel to the UK, El Salvador, Kuwait, France, Colombia, Taiwan, South Korea, and Germany as 2022 Fulbright U.S. Student scholars. They include emerging leaders in education, astrophysics, cybersecurity, human rights, and more, and they are excited to explore difficult questions through fresh perspectives. Continue Reading UMBC’s 2022 Fulbright student scholars will travel the world to explore difficult questions

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