Research

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From solar energy harvesting to advanced batteries: Cohort of new engineering faculty bolster UMBC’s commitment to Earth-friendly research

/ 5 minutes of reading

This April 22, as the campus community celebrated Earth Day, the feel of spring’s natural reawakening was in the air. Birds chirped from newly leafed trees and students strolled in the bright sunshine. But the pleasant day belied a concerning trend: In Maryland and beyond, the balance of Earth’s life-supporting systems is shifting, driven in large part by the heat-trapping greenhouse gasses we humans send into the atmosphere. The Earth is getting hotter; weather patterns are changing; and ecosystems are under stress.  “Climate change is pressing us to adopt a more Earth-friendly lifestyle, to develop renewable energy,” says Özgür Çapraz,… Continue Reading From solar energy harvesting to advanced batteries: Cohort of new engineering faculty bolster UMBC’s commitment to Earth-friendly research

A large bill board in the middle of a field reads Hell is Real

How 19th-century Spiritualists ‘canceled’ the idea of hell to address social and political concerns

/ 7 minutes of reading

“Spiritualists believed that people could maintain communication with the living even after death,” discusses UMBC’s Lindsay DiCurirci, associate professor of English. “They thought communicative spirits had a principal role to play in addressing the era’s most pressing social and political concerns, which would be impossible if souls were damned to hell. This idea was a cornerstone of their practice and a driver of their politics.” Continue Reading How 19th-century Spiritualists ‘canceled’ the idea of hell to address social and political concerns

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UMBC’s first Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence shares unique research on neurodiversity in language teaching and learning

/ 8 minutes of reading

“If students have not experienced an inclusive classroom, they may be afraid of managing an inclusive classroom when they become teachers,” says Jules Buendgens-Kosten, a research assistant at the Institute of English and American Studies at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Germany and UMBC’s first Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence , whose research helps prepare educators to teach students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and other minority neurotypes. “One way to reduce this fear is giving teachers tools for best practices on neurodiversity in teaching and learning.” Continue Reading UMBC’s first Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence shares unique research on neurodiversity in language teaching and learning

Brick rowhomes with tall buildings in the background neediest areas

Neediest areas are being shortchanged on government funds − even with programs designed to benefit poor communities

/ 5 minutes of reading

Erik Stokan, associate professor of political science at UMBC, collaborated on a study that looked at 20 years of data from the CDBG program, which in 2022 provided about $4.3 billion to cities and states across the country. Federal rules require that 70% of these funds be spent in neighborhoods where a majority of families have low to moderate incomes – a category researchers abbreviate as “LMI.” Continue Reading Neediest areas are being shortchanged on government funds − even with programs designed to benefit poor communities

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Ryan Bloom, English, receives 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship for translation

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UMBC’s Ryan Bloom, senior lecturer in English, has received the 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship for translation to work on the first complete edition of the French-Algerian author Albert Camus’s notebooks, journals, and other works. This year, 188 grants were awarded from more than 3,000 applicants from over 52 academic disciplines across the U.S. and Canada. Fellows are provided funding to freely pursue their creative projects through their unique process without any special conditions.  Continue Reading Ryan Bloom, English, receives 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship for translation

An adult wearing a suit jacket stands outside in front of a red brick building

Students inspire William Blake’s paper on constitutional amendments in the prestigious ‘American Political Science Review’ 

/ 2 minutes of reading

The American Political Science Review, the leading political science peer-reviewed journal,  published “Social Capital, Institutional Rules, and Constitutional Amendment Rates,” a new research article by lead author William Blake, associate professor and associate chair of political science. at UMBC The study addressed why some constitutions are amended more frequently than others. Continue Reading Students inspire William Blake’s paper on constitutional amendments in the prestigious ‘American Political Science Review’ 

Three college students who are wearing suits smiling at the camera on UMBC's campus. Students are 2024 Goldwater Scholarship recipients.

UMBC students receive prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for fifth consecutive year

/ 5 minutes of reading

For the fifth consecutive year, multiple UMBC students have been awarded a Barry Goldwater Scholarship. Gabriel Otubu ’25, biochemistry, Nathaniel Glover ’25, chemical engineering, and Samuel Barnett ’25, biochemistry, were recently named among the 2024 Goldwater Scholars recipients, joining UMBC’s growing list of students to receive this prestigious research scholarship. Continue Reading UMBC students receive prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for fifth consecutive year

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Nancy Kusmaul, social work, receives “Outstanding Individual in Academia” award from the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy 

/ 3 minutes of reading

UMBC’s Nancy Kusmaul, associate professor of social work, a scholar and advocate for the rights of older adults and professional caregivers, received the “Outstanding Individual in Academia” award from the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy in March 2024 at a ceremony on Capitol Hill. Kusmaul’s work is informed by her 10 years of experience as a social worker and over a decade of novel scholarship.  Continue Reading Nancy Kusmaul, social work, receives “Outstanding Individual in Academia” award from the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy 

Student holding object that is a part of her research. Student is talking to a visitor of UMBC's Undergraduate Research Day.

Watch: A recap of URCAD 2024

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UMBC’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) returned earlier this month for its 28th year, bringing together more than 400 student presenters and the broader university community for a day filled with posters, performances, demonstrations, and much more.  Continue Reading Watch: A recap of URCAD 2024

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The Mellon Foundation awards UMBC’s Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies department $100,000 as part of its ‘Affirming Multivocal Humanities’ initiative

/ 3 minutes of reading

UMBC’s Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies (GWST) department has received a $100,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to implement its Advancing Gender and Sexuality Studies in Community project. UMBC is one of 95 public colleges and university programs leading research on race, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality to receive funding from the Mellon Foundation’s $18 million “Affirming Multivocal Humanities” initiative. Continue Reading The Mellon Foundation awards UMBC’s Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies department $100,000 as part of its ‘Affirming Multivocal Humanities’ initiative

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