Research

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

/ 10 minutes of reading

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

/ 7 minutes of reading

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

A black and white photo of a Black Vaudeville troupe of seven dancers posing in a row while sticking their leg out in unison.

Michelle R. Scott illuminates the lives of Black Vaudeville performers and their broader social impact in Jazz Age America

/ 5 minutes of reading

“My new book explores the lives of the performers, theater owners, producers, managers, and audiences that were part of Black Vaudeville and the Theater Owners Booking Association (T.O.B.A.),” says Michelle Scott, associate professor of history. “It’s a story about how these Black- and white-owned theaters fostered Black artistic exploration and development and the growth of Black-owned businesses.” Continue Reading Michelle R. Scott illuminates the lives of Black Vaudeville performers and their broader social impact in Jazz Age America

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

/ 5 minutes of reading

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

People hand over plastic bottles to be refilled with water

Calls for a ‘green’ Ramadan revive Islam’s long tradition of sustainability and care for the planet

/ 5 minutes of reading

in recent years, Muslim communities around the world have used the period to rally around themes of social awareness. And this includes understanding the perils of wastefulness and embracing the link between Ramadan and environmental consciousness. As a historian of Islam, Noor Zaidi, assistant professor of history, sees the “greening” of Ramadan as entirely in keeping with the traditions of the faith, and in particular the observance of Ramadan. Continue Reading Calls for a ‘green’ Ramadan revive Islam’s long tradition of sustainability and care for the planet

A nursing home resident using a wheelchair receives an injection from a health professional

CIDER program supports new approach to measuring nursing home quality, plus more research collaborations

/ 5 minutes of reading

Assessing the quality of nursing home care has historically been a challenging and complex process that considers only a portion of the factors involved—generally, clinical indicators reported by the nursing homes themselves. UMBC researchers are collaborating on a new measure of nursing home quality that combines care experiences with clinical data. And they are doing it with funding from a new UMBC program designed to support novel research across different teams.  Continue Reading CIDER program supports new approach to measuring nursing home quality, plus more research collaborations

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

/ 6 minutes of reading

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

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

/ 6 minutes of reading

“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

/ 5 minutes of reading

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

/ 4 minutes of reading

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

/ 2 minutes of reading

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

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