Award for Fiction: “Poppy” by Lukas Pitkevits

Lukas Pitkevits is a senior at UMBC, currently studying for a degree in Biological Sciences. Although he is pursuing a career in the STEM field, he is passionate about creative expression through storytelling, which he believes can be just as enlightening as any form of science. When he isn’t writing, he can be found curating playlists, watching ocean documentaries, or flipping through various art books. You can read his work here.

Award for Poetry: “Coffee Can” by Layanne Khaskia

Layanne is a Palestinian-American and Muslim writer, poet, and biochemistry student. She first became entranced by the world of poetry at age 17 and hasn’t put her pen down since. Her work centers themes of Palestinian culture and life from the perspective of a young woman growing up estranged from her ancestral land. You can read her work here.

Award for Creative Nonfiction: “Flesh and Blood” by Erica Rigoroso

Hailing from a mysterious town in Southern Maryland, Erica Rigoroso is a senior studying English Literature and Communications and Technology. She finds comfort in writing about her personal experiences, aiming to make sense of all that has come her way. Aside from writing, Erica likes to listen to Blondie on repeat, watch strange movies, and most importantly—spend time with her cat, Karl. You can read her work here.

Spring has finally sprung on campus - the trees are green, the days are warm(er) and sunny, and the end of the semester is in sight. Before we get to finals and Commencement, though, there's still a lot happening on campus and in Asian Studies. Take a look! 

Fall 2024 Advising Available - Have you signed up?

Classes for Fall 2024 are filling quickly! If you have not already received advising and your registration clearance, don't wait - sign up today! 

Information about advising, including a class list and other registration-related details, is available on our website. 

Guest Lecture - Dr. Gregg Brazinsky, George Washington University

Asian Studies and the History Department are pleased to welcome GWU's Dr. Gregg Brazinsky to campus on May 6. Dr. Brazinsky will give a talk in the Library Gallery titled "Empathy at War: China and North Korea During the Korean War." The talk will be followed by light refreshments and coffee - more information is available on the event page. We hope you'll be able to join us! 

Summer Session Registration Available Now!

Considering a summer class? Summer 2024 registration is ongoing. In order to graduate in four years, you need to complete 30 credits per year. Summer Session is a great opportunity to catch up, or to get ahead. Many classes are offered online and asynchronously, and some can be completed in as few as four weeks! A few courses this summer may be of particular interest for Asian Studies students: 

• ASIA 100: Intro to Asian Studies - Six Weeks, Session I, online and asynchronous
• HIST 103: East Asian Civilization - Four Weeks, Session II, online MWF
• HIST 381: From Samurai to Salariman - Four Weeks, Session I, online and asynchronous
• JPNS 102: Elementary Japanese II - Six Weeks, Session II, online MWF

Please join us on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, from 3-5 pm for the Emergency and Disaster Health Systems Graduate Speaker Seminar Series via WebEx. The speaker's information and seminar topic can be found below. Please help us welcome this week’s speaker by attending the seminar, and please bring your questions and discussion points!

We hope to see everyone there!

All majors are welcome!

Speaker Information:

Dr. Ben Lawner, DO, EMT-P

Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine

EM Physician, University of Maryland Medical Center

Medical Director, Baltimore City Fire Department, Maryland ExpressCare, PHI Air Medical EMS Liaison

Seminar Topic:

"Baltimore City Fire Department's Behavioral and Community Paramedicine & State of paramedicine and practice of prehospital care" 

Speaker Bio:

Ben's interest in emergency medicine began at an early age. He considered paramedics Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto as childhood friends and was often spotted at daycare donning a plastic "squad 51" fireman's hat. After "Emergency!" was cancelled, he inexplicably clung to the TV set for career counseling. Disappointed by the surgeons of, "Trapper John, MD," Ben turned to Howie Mandel (St Elsewhere's Dr.Wayne Fiscus) for further inspiration. True to his out-of-hospital roots, Ben completed EMT school in 1994 and secured his first pair of trauma shears. Until 2001, Ben worked for Alachua County Fire Rescue as a lead paramedic / firefighter. Fortunately for the population of north central Florida, Ben was never detailed to a fire suppression apparatus and remained "stuck on the box (ambulance)." He graduated from Nova Southeastern University's College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2005 and completed his emergency medicine residency training at the University of Maryland. He served as a Chief Resident and Faculty Development Fellow for the 2008-2009 academic year and is completed an EMS fellowship jointly sponsored by UMBC, UMD, and the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS). Ben's current academic interests include medical education, critical care transport, and resuscitation. In 2018, he was recognized with the Street Medicine Society's John P. Pryor Award for his ongoing commitment to prehospital medicine. 

Ben Lawner currently serves as the Medical Director for the Baltimore City Fire Department and the Maryland ExpressCare Critical Care Transport Team. In 2023, he was recognized as the EMS Physician of the Year by the Maryland Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He is a board member and Fellow of the Air Medical Physician Association. 

Location: 900 Walker Ave, Room 114, or online via Webex

Join Webex Meeting

Meeting number:

2633 827 4060

Meeting password:

36350242

Join by phone

+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

Attendee access code: 36350242

Global call-in numbers

Please note that the Dept of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems (EDHS) has temporarily moved (due to renovations of Sherman Hall) to the 900 Walker Building. Address is 900 Walker Ave. (building located behind the Walker Apartments, towards Wilkins Ave.) in the main EHS classroom Walker 114. Enter the front doors and follow the signs to the department area & classroom (Room 114). Link to map (see upper right corner on Walker Avenue, it is the building entitled Baltimore County Courthouse): https://mcac.umbc.edu/maps-and-directions/

B.S.: Resilient Design of Structures