How have histories of colonialism and their foundational language of gender, race, sexuality, and nation shaped the language, terminology, and theories of the modern plant sciences? How and why do botanical theories remain grounded in the violence of their colonial pasts? Join feminist botanist, Dr. Banu Subramaniam, who develops the concept of migrant ecologies to retheorize plant migration and reproductive biology. This lecture explores new biological frameworks that harness the power of feminist thought to reimagine and reinvigorate our love of plants.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Banu Subramaniam is the Luella LaMer Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at Wellesley College. Trained as a plant evolutionary biologist, Dr. Banu engages the feminist studies of science in the practices of experimental biology and is author of Botany of Empire (2024), Holy Science (2019) and Ghost Stories for Darwin (2016).

Co-sponsors and Partners: Social Science Forum, The Center for the Social Sciences Scholarship, and the Department of Geography and Environmental Systems

This event is open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.

Congratulations to our Spring 2025 graduates!

Amanda Lynne Evans
Asmaou Thiam
Alyssa Thomas
Sarah Jeannette Siskind

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RSVP TODAY for our end of the year Celebration & Awards! 

Student Belonging (formerly known as Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion, & Belonging, or i3b) in the Division of Student Affairs has hosted celebration ceremonies for Latinx, Black, and LGBTQIA+ / queer students for several years. This year, we are excited to add the Asian Cultural Celebration & Awards to the lineup. These three affinity events will honor and celebrate the achievements of UMBC's outstanding community members and graduating students.

Inaugural Asian Cultural Celebration & Awards

Thursday, May 15, 2025

5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. 

University Center Ballroom 3rd Floor

This celebration commemorates the achievements of graduating UMBC students while celebrating the vast cultural diversity of Asian communities and heritage on our campus. We recognize the difficulty of choosing just one identifier or term to capture the vast diversity of all people with heritage in the Asian continent, representing 49 countries and hundreds of cultures. We seek to honor the breadth of experience of people across Asia - East, South, Southwest, West, and Central Asia. 

During the gathering, we’ll enjoy food together, we’ll showcase keynote speakers, student musical and dance performances, and award presentations to honor student contributions, as well as the faculty and staff who’ve contributed to their success.

Light refreshments and appetizers will be served starting at 5:30 pm for all guests in attendance. 

Graduates must check in no later than 5:45 p.m. The program will begin promptly at 6 p.m. 

Dress code: We encourage all attendees and graduates to dress in their "celebration best." While cap and gown are not required, we would be thrilled to see attendees embracing cultural attires.

For those interested in attending, RSVP HERE (https://forms.gle/1Yg5fMgzj2VsdfGC8)! Graduates that RSVP between Monday, April 14th and Monday, April 28th at 6pm will be highlighted during the event and receive honorary graduation cords.

If you have any questions, please email co-chairs: Priya Bhayana, Project Manager, Global Asias Initiative at priyab@umbc.edu and Angelina R. Jenkins, Assistant Director for The Mosaic: Center for Cultural Diversity at arjenkins@umbc.edu. 

This event is open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy. 

Asian Studies majors and minors,

The NBR Bridge to Asia Fellowship provides exceptional undergraduate and community college students with immersive professional experience in Asia policy and international affairs. Fellows gain hands-on research training, mentorship from leading experts, and opportunities to publish their work while building lasting professional networks.

Through paid summer fellowships in Seattle and Washington, D.C., participants join NBR’s research teams to deepen their understanding of critical policy challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

Fellows benefit from:

• Direct involvement in NBR research projects
• One-on-one mentorship with Asia policy experts
• Professional development through NBR’s Summer Learning Series
• Opportunities to publish with members of NBR’s network of experts
• Networking with leaders in international affairs

Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Information Session