"Taking graduate level classes in Chinese, writing a graduate thesis in Chinese, and studying alongside Chinese and
international students, all while in Nanjing, built a robust foundation for my work in diplomacy." 
- Shirlene Yee, HNC MAIS '12, Foreign Service Officer at U.S. Department of State
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UMBC Public Health Week was created with the intent to educate students on public health and increase student public health engagement on campus. 

UMBC Public Health Week is promoting the American Public Health Association's Keep It Moving Challenge which is currently running.

Follow the link below to join the UMBC Public Health Week Groups page, and get more information about how you can participate in the Keep It Moving Challenge.

https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/publichealthweek 

UMBC Groups Page - https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/publichealthweek

Butler-Williams Scholars Program

The Butler-Williams Scholars Program provides unique opportunities for junior faculty and researchers new to the field of aging to gain insight about aging research. The program offers diverse perspectives and includes presentations, seminars, and small group discussions.

About the Butler-Williams Scholars Program

The Butler-Williams Scholars Program is held annually in the summer. NIA applications are being received now through March, 31, 2021.

Presentations cover research topics including: the biology of aging; genetics and Alzheimer's disease; health, behavior, and aging; and health disparities research related to aging. Discussion sessions focus on methodological approaches and interventions. The program also includes support and consultation for the development of attendees' research interests and advice on preparing and submitting research grant applications to NIA—directly from NIA scientific review and program officers!

Who Should Apply?

Applications are sought from emerging researchers, including those who may have limited involvement in research on aging. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or permanent resident. As an offering of the NIA Office of Special Populations, researchers with an interest in health disparities research related to aging are encouraged to apply. Applicants from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

Qualified applicants must hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D., DrPH, M.D., DO, etc.). Only applicants working in the field of aging—or actively considering joining this research field—will be considered.

Applicant Evaluation Criteria

Applications are reviewed each spring. Participants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Previous experience and training
• Affiliation with a NIA-supported research university or laboratory
• Letters of recommendation
• A brief statement of objectives for attending the Butler-Williams Scholars Program
• Specific aims page

How to Apply to the Butler-Williams Scholars Program

Application information for the Butler-Williams Scholars Program is made available each fall/winter. Applicants will be notified of acceptance within 60 days of the submission deadline in March. Generally, the application requirements include:

• Statement of 150 words or less describing your objectives in attending the Butler-Williams Scholars Program.
• Letters of recommendation from two people familiar with your professional interests and scholastic achievements. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure letters of recommendation are received.
• One-page specific aims. Please include a full specific aims page as would be seen in an application for award. Be sure to discuss expected outcome and impact of your research.
• NIH Biographical Sketch (General).

View Butler-Williams Application form

Application Resources

The resources below can help applicants develop successful applications for the Butler-Williams Scholars Program.

• More information about preparing an NIH application
• How to write specific aims
• Inside NIA Blog post: Strengthen your research plan for a better score – Dos and Don'ts
• More information about preparing an NIH biosketch

Learn more about the Butler-Williams Scholars Program

Contact the NIA Office of Special Populations to learn more about the Butler-Williams Scholars program.

Dear Colleagues,

The Fostering Online Learning Improvement and Opportunity (FOLIO) working group at UMBC has gleaned and synthesized ideas from PIVOT, the Undergraduate Student Success Committee, the Faculty Development Center, and fall faculty gatherings to develop 9 Tips for Engaging Students Online. The tips in this short document are intended to be broadly applicable, and many require little effort to implement. So as you prepare for the spring semester, you may find some of these suggestions helpful toward keeping your students actively engaged with you, their classmates, and the course content.

Meanwhile, the Faculty Development Center will host several upcoming synchronous sessions on engaging students online. Register today at the links below.

Best,

Kerrie

Engaging Students Online Part 1: Chat and Polling √ §

How do we engage the whole class without relying on video?

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 · Noon - 1 PM · Online · REGISTER HERE

How do we engage students as a whole class without relying on video? Students may have good reasons for keeping their video off, so it’s important to measure their engagement through other means, including polling, chat, and discussions. In this session, faculty panelists will share their experiences, lessons learned, and strategies to successfully engage students online. The panelists represent a diverse set of disciplines and teach courses ranging in size from 30-300. Many of the strategies they will be describing  are not discipline-specific and are adaptable to any course. Panelists include Kristen Anchor (MCS), Tamra Mendelson and Mercedes Burns (BIOL), and Tanya Olson (ENGL).

Engaging Students Online Part 2: Gamification √ §

Energize your online classroom & motivate students to engage

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 · Noon - 1 PM · Online · REGISTER HERE

How can you energize your online classroom and engage students through games and gamification techniques? Well-designed games for learning motivate players to work through challenging problems that require them to engage with concepts, take calculated risks, and reflect on the learning process--collaboration and/or competition can heighten this enjoyment (Gee, 2007; Smith-Robbins, 2011). Join us as we explore general principles about using games for learning, specific examples from UMBC colleagues, and applications to our own online classrooms. Faculty panelists will present examples designed to engage students, motivate them to learn, and create social connections as they collaborate or compete to demonstrate their learning. The strategies are not discipline-specific and are adaptable to many courses. Panelists include Kerri Evans (SOWK) and Caitlin Kowalewski (BIOL).

"For this issue of RSF, we invite original research contributions pertaining to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on socioeconomic inequality in the United States and in particular how pre-existing inequalities may have mediated the impact of the pandemic and in turn been exacerbated by the current crisis. We are particularly interested in studies that focus on how institutions, ranging from the health care system, corrections and criminal justice, childcare policies, social safety net programs, and labor market policies have either mitigated or exacerbated the impact of the pandemic on social and economic outcomes as well as studies that focus on the likely longer-term impacts of the pandemic on inequality in the United States."

I hope you had an enjoyable holiday season. I wanted to make you aware of the following opportunity:

Candidate Ruben Amaya is running to represent District 10 in the Maryland House of Delegates. He is looking for volunteers to help reach out to voters on behalf of his campaign. If you are interested in learning more about his campaign or volunteering for his campaign, please visit his campaign’s website. Please also see the attached flyer for more information.

Congratulations to LLC's Montia Gardner (Cohort 19) for presenting a workshop and presentation for teachers, administrators, parents and community stakeholders -- who are all cordially invited to JOIN THE CONVERSATION: "An Introduction to Culturally Relevant/Responsive Pedagogy (CRP)" on

Monday, January 18, 2021 from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm CST (1-3pm EST).

For more information or to register:

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Attention-Teachers--Administrators-and-School-Community-Stakeholders--JOIN-THE-CONVERSATION.html?soid=1132480672197&aid=2qanHgKe45A