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Dinah and Bryan determined this is the tag for Research & Creative Achievement articles that belong in the second feature row. 9/1/2022

group photo of five people in professional attire and conference lanyards, two wearing black stoles with red, green, and yellow accents.

UMBC chapter of National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) shines at regional conference

The UMBC NSBE team defeated Carnegie Mellon University and North Carolina State University to win the Tech Bowl competition, a Jeopardy-style game that tests teams’ knowledge of fundamental engineering principles. UMBC also claimed first through third place in the research poster presentation contest, which involved a 10-minute technical research talk followed by questions from the judges and audience. “We are so proud of the UMBC NSBE Chapter,” Keith Harmon shares. “They do tremendous work supporting UMBC STEM majors and offering service impacting youth in the Baltimore-Washington corridor.” Continue Reading UMBC chapter of National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) shines at regional conference

An adult wearing a light blue collar shirt stands outside with black and gold banners and trees behind them. Hilltop Institute

Morgan Henderson of The Hilltop Institute at UMBC co-authors new research investigating the feasibility of price shopping for two common hospital services

Morgan Henderson, principal data scientist at The Hilltop Institute at UMBC, co-authors an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association of Internal Medicine on pricing discrepancies at top hospitals. Continue Reading Morgan Henderson of The Hilltop Institute at UMBC co-authors new research investigating the feasibility of price shopping for two common hospital services

Four men standing on stage in front of a screen that says "INCS-COE C2C CTF 2023, August 1-4, 2023, Keio University, closing ceremony"

Cracking the code: International collaboration fosters cybersecurity

This summer, three UMBC students competed in an international “capture the flag”-style cybersecurity competition in Japan, with one Retriever taking home a victory—and all three bringing back a greater range of expertise. This opportunity helped UMBC students build global relationships and attain more practical experience in cyber defense.  Continue Reading Cracking the code: International collaboration fosters cybersecurity

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Ph.D. candidate Jessica Novak to study biofuels at National Renewable Energy Laboratory

With a Department of Energy fellowship, Jessica Novak will pursue better understanding of Cellvibrio japonicus, a bacterium with biofuels potential. Novak’s time at NREL “will also train me in some of the biochemical analyses that I’m going to do back at UMBC,” she says. “I think the results we’re going to get from this fellowship will spark new ideas.” Continue Reading Ph.D. candidate Jessica Novak to study biofuels at National Renewable Energy Laboratory

a glass vial with fruit flies inside and about a dozen eppendorf flasks on a black countertop; many more vials in a red plastic holder in the background, and more eppendorf flasks in a teal container.

First Roth Research Award recipient broadens horizons after summer research experience

Inioluwa Oluseyi has wanted to be a neurosurgeon as long as she can remember. She didn’t anticipate how much fly husbandry would play a role in her reaching her goal. Summer research with Fernando Vonhoff, funded by a new scholarship, has given her opportunities to excel. Continue Reading First Roth Research Award recipient broadens horizons after summer research experience

portrait of man standing in front of whiteboard with equations

Justin Webster receives NSF grant to study mathematical models behind oscillation of plane wings, bridges, energy harvesters

Although objects like bridges, buildings, and airplane wings may seem quite rigid, by design they are capable of a surprising deal of bending. This elasticity allows them to deform safely and temporarily in windy conditions. However, very rarely, “Elastic systems like bridges, buildings, and planes can become oscillatory or unstable in the presence of everyday wind, with potential for the oscillations to become damaging,” Justin Webster says. “Understanding this has big implications for fields like civil engineering or alternative energy.” Continue Reading Justin Webster receives NSF grant to study mathematical models behind oscillation of plane wings, bridges, energy harvesters

two scientists in lab coats converse at a lab bench with equipment on it

Deepak Koirala to explore how RNA viruses hijack cellular machinery, with eye to future drug treatments

RNA viruses cause many human diseases, but understanding of how they do it is poorly understood. Deepak Koirala is pursuing new research to figure out how they trick their host cells into making viral proteins. “It could be a new biological mechanism we’ve never seen before,” Koirala says. Continue Reading Deepak Koirala to explore how RNA viruses hijack cellular machinery, with eye to future drug treatments

a sandy landscape, with a deep ditch down the middle

UMBC’s Steve Freeland co-leads $1.8 million research grant to predict the biochemical foundations of life beyond Earth

Every living thing on Earth uses the same set of 20 amino acids to build all of its proteins. But why that particular set of 20? And how might we recognize life beyond Earth based on different molecules? Now Stephen Freeland and colleagues are taking this work from theory to the laboratory for the first time. “Nobody knows what will happen,” Freeland says. “This is a first.” Continue Reading UMBC’s Steve Freeland co-leads $1.8 million research grant to predict the biochemical foundations of life beyond Earth

a large ballroom full of people and rows of research posters

STEM BUILD interns shine at UMBC’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fest

Summer Undergraduate Research Fest gives students early in their research careers a chance to feel like part of a scholarly community. In mentoring students completing summer research, “Our main goal is to help them see and feel that they belong in science and that they can be future leaders in this field,” Maria Cambraia says. Continue Reading STEM BUILD interns shine at UMBC’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fest

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

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