The Norwegians call it “friluftsliv”—the philosophy of spending time outdoors frequently, regardless of the weather. Or, as the Swedes put it, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” These denizens of harsh northern climes aren’t just making the best of the cold—there’s a host of documented benefits to going outside.

“Research has demonstrated that spending time outdoors can improve physical health and emotional wellbeing, especially the more time you spend outdoors,” says Samantha Smith, associate director of health promotion at UMBC. “Whether taking a walk or just soaking up some natural sunlight, spending time outside can boost your mood, inspire creativity, help to reduce stress and anxiety-related symptoms, and increase your mobility and flexibility.”

In celebration of spending time outdoors in all seasons, here are a few of the best spots on and near campus to enjoy some fresh air in the new year.

1.       Library Pond

The Library Pond sits at the north end of Academic Row between the AOK Library and Gallery and the Meyerhoff Chemistry Building. Surrounded by native vegetation, it is also a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat. Ducks, songbirds, and the occasional heron enjoy the pond year round. The pond also supports a small population of catfish (but no fishing!). As a human, you can enjoy a brisk walk around the pond (approximately 500 steps) to get your blood flowing again after a serious bout of screen time, or enjoy your lunch at tables on the pond’s patio or the library’s terraced hillside nearby. 

But wait, there’s more: Underneath the surface of the pond lies a complicated series of tunnels and reservoirs that enhances storm water management by preventing flooding and improving filtration of precipitation. The pond was completely gutted in 2013 and the current version completed in 2015, setting the stage for much better support of plants, animals, and the campus.

Circling the Library Pond is an invigorating stroll in any season.

2.       Joseph Beuys Sculpture Park

The Joseph Beuys Sculpture Park is not your typical sculpture garden. In 2001, volunteers planted 30 trees on The Knoll, a wooded area between The Commons Garage and Administration Drive. Each tree has a stone at its base. The trees and stones compose a living artwork that emphasizes constant transformation: As the trees grow, the stones erode, shifting their relationship with each other and the landscape. The sculpture garden is modeled after a similar (but much larger) project in Kassel, Germany, which was installed in the 1980s and includes over 7,000 trees. At UMBC, three wooden benches are situated among the trees and one conceals a journal in a small cubby, where passersby are welcome to contribute their musings. The UMBC library archives store all of the completed journals.

When you visit the sculpture park, make sure to write down your thoughts in The Knoll’s shared journal.

As the campus has grown and expanded, The Knoll has remained intact thanks to the support of UMBC community members advocating for the green space over several decades. Today, the sculpture park is a highly valued and peaceful sanctuary that is expected to welcome many future generations of UMBC students.

3.       Forum

Just outside the Performing Arts and Humanities Building, several large stone structures, almost like upside-down bookends, rise from the earth in ancient Greco-Roman style. Stools of various heights below the columns invite community members to have a seat and wax philosophical. Instructors conduct class discussions around the sculpture, named “Forum” by artist Thomas Sayre, and a colorful sky at sunset is often visible just across The Loop. The Ancient Studies department holds regular readings beneath Forum’s stately columns—even in winter.

Forum was the very first public art installation supported by the Maryland State Arts Council’s “Percent-for-Art” program, which requires new state-owned buildings to set aside a portion of their budgets for public art installations. 

Forum draped in a dusting of snow. 

4.       Commons Terrace

The Commons Terrace, just south of The Commons and looking out on the quad and outdoor pool, is another great outdoor spot. With numerous tables, it’s the perfect locale to enjoy your lunch in any weather. (Make sure to properly sort your trash and compost and recycle whatever you can—even plastic bags can now be recycled in designated bins.) You might even get lucky and see an impromptu performance or tabling event. If it’s nice out, take advantage of the oversize Adirondack chairs on the terraced hillside leading down to the quad.

Find a few minutes to lift your face to the sun even on a chilly day on the Commons Terrace.

5.       RAC Plaza

At the main entrance to campus, between the RAC and Administration Building, a handful of tables beckons students to study and socialize. The tables are equipped with umbrellas topped by solar panels that support charging ports, so there’s no need to go inside when your laptop runs out of juice. In fact, UMBC gets 40 percent of its energy from solar and other renewable sources. In early spring, as the campus is just shaking off the cold, enjoy the blooms of the star magnolia trees lined up along the RAC. And don’t forget to rub True Grit’s nose while you’re there!

The RAC plaza viewed from above. Solar panels perch on top of the tables’ umbrellas.

6.       Admin Café Terrace

Just across Academic Row from the RAC, in front of the Administration Building, another small enclave of tables welcomes those enjoying a meal from the Admin Café or their own lunch bag. The seating area is protected by mint, bluestar, and more in a garden honoring former Vice President for Administration and Finance Mark Behm. Feel the crisp air and sunshine on your face as you dig into the café ‘s blue plate special, and ponder the meaning of the divided obelisk nearby.

The Admin Cafe Terrace in summer.

7.       Erickson Field

Nothing like tossing a frisbee or football, playing soccer, or partaking in humans vs. zombies to warm you up on a cold day. Erickson Field, the large grassy area between the Library and new Center for Well-Being, is the place to go for casual outdoor sports. In fall, the UMBC Homecoming bonfire and movie showing also take place here.  

Make new friends and hobbies by playing pick up games on Erickson Field.

8.       Herbert Run Greenway

The Herbert Run, a tributary of the Patapsco River, meanders along the southeast quadrant of campus. The Herbert Run Greenway trail traces its path from the sculpture park, around the stadium complex, through the Conservation Environmental Research Area (a designated outdoor research space at UMBC), and toward bwtech@UMBC. The entire trail travels about 1.5 miles, but one of the trail’s highlights is accessible just steps from the campus entrance plaza. Visit the CERA Pond (previously known as Pig Pen Pond) just across The Loop from the Administration Drive Garage. Reach it via a footbridge flanked by two pollinator gardens. A duck house and a small viewing platform will greet you, and possibly some ducks and turtles, too. Currently, a portion of the trail near the stadium is undergoing a major stream restoration to improve habitat, stormwater management, and access to the stadium. It should be completed by mid-spring 2022.

The sidewalk (almost) ends at CERA Pond, right outside The Loop. Photo courtesy of Sarah Hansen.

9.       Patapsco Valley State Park

For those interested in a bigger adventure, Patapsco Valley State Park’s Hilton, Glen Artney, Orange Grove, and Avalon areas are located just off campus. One of the premier mountain biking destinations in the state, the park is also popular for hiking, swimming, camping, and grilling at the park’s many pavilions. More than 30 miles of trails wind through the park, from the paved Grist Mill Trail along the Patapsco River to rocky, technical routes. Cascade Falls is a particularly popular destination. The park is also a great location for birdwatching and sighting other wildlife.  

Cascade Falls at Patapsco State Park. Photo courtesy of Sarah Hansen.

As you can see, there are plenty of places to enjoy a brisk walk, a quiet moment, or a group activity on campus throughout the seasons. Just remember to grab your hat and gloves, and you won’t even notice the chill in the air. 

“Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean the outdoors is closed!” Smith reminds us. “Bundle up, grab your sunscreen, and enjoy the wonders and benefits of spending time outside all year long.” 

*****

All photos courtesy of Marlayna Demond ’11, unless otherwise noted.

There are three things we find endlessly amusing: throwbacks to childhood, cutting things up, and attempting to predict the future. And there is one thing that magically combines it all: a paper prognosticator like the one we’ve specially fashioned below. We hope this will give you the chance both to joyfully create a fun thing to share with friends and family and choose your own UMBC adventure! Watch our how to video to refresh your memory and then cut, fold, and share the joy with your favorite #FutureRetriever!

UMBC has received a $900,000 grant from the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) to develop and implement a new, short-term biomanufacturing training program. Four universities, all classified as minority-serving institutions (MSIs), received funding for similar programs, designed to meet critical national workforce needs. 

UMBC will offer the biomanufacturing training program at its Universities at Shady Grove (USG) campus in Rockville, Maryland. The program will be adapted from a curriculum first developed at Texas A&M University. Annica Wayman ’99, M6, mechanical engineering, associate dean for Shady Grove affairs in CNMS, and co-lead Manik Ghosh, assistant director of the Translational Life Science Technology (TLST) laboratories at UMBC, will travel to Texas for training on the curriculum and will then work together to adapt it for UMBC. The anticipated training launch is late summer or fall 2023.

“This new program is really the next wave of UMBC expanding our training offerings,” Wayman says. “This kind of short-term programming could enhance our courses as well, to help with educating people in biomanufacturing and strengthening that workforce where there’s a huge gap.”

Snowball effect

The gap between supply and demand for skilled workers in biotech is very real, and it’s only growing in the BioHealth Capital Region. This region, which includes Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia, ranks #4 among the top biopharma clusters in the country. The pandemic has further expanded the biopharma industry, so the need for qualified local workers in a range of biotech roles has never been greater.

The new biomanufacturing program is a natural outgrowth of previous work by Wayman, Ghosh, and colleagues. The structure of the program will be similar to UMBC’s award-winning Biotech Boot Camp, which trained people who had lost their jobs during the pandemic for new careers in biotech. The boot camp has run twice so far, both times focusing on cell culture techniques and broader “wet lab” skills. Both times, the Montgomery County government and WorkSource Montgomery partnered with UMBC to offer the boot camps at no cost to the students. 

The original boot camp was made possible by UMBC’s TLST bachelor’s degree program, fully launched in 2019 in partnership with Montgomery College. TLST was the college’s first new major developed in response to the growing need for biotech workforce development in the region. The TLST program bridges fundamental knowledge in the life sciences with industry-specific applications, practical laboratory skills, and an understanding of the regulatory process for biopharmaceuticals.

“The launch of the TLST program has led to a lot of education and partnership opportunities,” Wayman says. “It’s allowed UMBC to address gaps in the workforce that already existed, and that became even more prominent with the pandemic. We jumped in to help to fill those gaps in a variety of ways. TLST was the impetus and the start of that, and it snowballed from there.”

Associate Dean for Shady Grove Affairs Annica Wayman. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Short program, lasting impact

Even a short-term training program can have a huge impact on an individual’s career trajectory. A general biomanufacturing program could be the start of a career in fields as diverse as bench research, regulatory affairs, and biomanufacturing process design. These careers work toward answering big questions like, “How do we know this product is safe for use in the human body?” or, “How can we make this sequence of steps more efficient by taking advantage of new technologies?” 

Roles in all these areas will be important to fill in the near future, and continuously asking the big questions as technologies emerge, regulations shift, and new scientific knowledge comes to light will help move the industry forward safely and reliably, Wayman notes. Programs like the new biomanufacturing training, the biotech boot camp, TLST, and more at UMBC have the potential to send thousands of well-prepared students into the biotech workforce.

A participant in the Biotech Boot Camp at USG in February 2021. Photo by Annica Wayman.

Looking ahead

Antonio Moreira, vice provost for academic affairs, has seen the potential for Maryland to be a biotechnology leader for years, and has championed UMBC’s efforts to grow opportunities in related fields. “As a component of the Maryland biotechnology ecosystem, UMBC is a major resource for preparing the workforce needed to develop and manufacture critical therapies,” Moreira explains. “Given a shortage in this workforce, graduating students need to be prepared to hit the ground running as they join these biotechnology companies.”

Bill LaCourse, dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS) at UMBC, agrees. “At UMBC, we are driven by the vision that Maryland will continue to grow as a leader in biotech,” he says. “We’re establishing strong pathways to develop the workforce, where students and professionals have an array of choices about how to get to the biotech career they want and that the region needs.”

Wayman leads much of the day-to-day operations of UMBC’s biotech programs. Even while planning next steps, she tries to remind herself how much progress she and her team have already made toward narrowing the workforce gap and setting a new group of students on a path to success. 

“When I take a step back, I see how amazing it is that we achieved all this through a pandemic,” she says. And then she, too, looks forward. “But there’s just so much more to do.”

This article describes work performed under a Project Award Agreement from the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) and financial assistance award 70NANB21H085 from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Header image: The Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Building at The Universities at Shady Grove. TLST courses, the Biotech Boot Camp, and the new biomanufacturing training program all happen here. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

As two-time reigning America East champions, the UMBC women’s softball team is eagerly awaiting the spring season. Following a promising preseason, teammates and coaches are confident and feel prepared to fight for their third America East Conference championship in a row.

Senior catcher and utility—a player who is capable of playing multiple positions—Karly Keating ’22, media and communication studies, remembers what it felt like to capture the conference championship in 2019, the program’s first since they joined America East in 2003. The Retrievers were expected to place last in the tournament. Instead, they upset number three Stony Brook in a thrilling championship match.

“UMBC was known for just not being good at softball. We were always ranked last in our conference every single year, like not even close to even be considered,” Keating said. So when they won the conference tournament, went to the NCAA Tournament selection room and saw they were facing Oklahoma—one of the best softball schools in the NCAA—in the first round, it was a total shock. “When you were a little girl, you knew that’s where the number one school is and you wanna go there, and now the fact that I was playing there was really awesome.”

The making of the team

Even though the  team was ultimately defeated by Oklahoma, senior infielder Chloe Obispo ’22, media and communication studies, can’t stop thinking about their surreal win against Stony Brook. Since there was no pressure to win, they just played their game throughout the season and hoped to prove everyone wrong. 

The team celebrating their 2019 win together with Coach Kuhlmeyer. Photo from The Oklahoman.

“We ended up playing in the conference tournament, and we just kept it day by day, every single game,” Obispo said. “We realized, ‘maybe we actually have a chance this season.’ We were supposed to be last, but it didn’t seem like we could be last at that point. [The win] was a surprise to everyone, including ourselves.”

Both players added that their recruiting class, the class of 2018, included players that filled some gaps in previous rosters. “My freshman year, we were close, but we were really just a bunch of good girls coming together,” said Keating. “And then as we went on, we just got a lot more gelled together and I think we just stayed really strong-minded throughout the whole season.”

Winning under pressure 

The team’s new-found confidence fueled a great start to their 2020 season, and they racked up five wins until the season was canceled by COVID. Nonetheless, the team brushed it off, worked hard over the seven months of quarantine, returned for the 2021 season, and defended their title from 2019. 

“We had to keep our heads high because we won the first time. I felt like a lot more people were coming for us since we basically shut out every team in the tournament last time. When we were working out, we kept in mind that we had to keep our crown, keep our ring,” Obispo said. “It was a lot of pressure, but it was definitely something that we could all handle together.”

Keating said that their second championship win felt just as shocking as the first, but the team had something more to prove. “We had to do it for ourselves, and to prove to us that we are what we preach.”

Ohana Means Family

The team culture revolves around the word “Ohana,” the Hawaiian word for family, said Obispo. This feeling of sisterhood and “no girl left behind” is what drew Obispo to the program, and what the team wanted to showcase in the 2021 regional game. They wanted to show their guts, their trust in each other, and feel like they accomplished something as a family rather than a team. 

The softball team with President Freeman Hrabowski at their last regional tournament in Tucson, Arizona. Photo from UMBC Softball’s Twitter.

“Our Ohana is what our culture and program is all about,” said head softball coach Chris Kuhlmeyer.  “We cannot accomplish anything without each other. Choosing love, respect, unselfishness and forgiveness over pride, unforgiveness, and selfishness will lead you to places you never knew you could accomplish together.  At the end of the day, when we say Ohana, we are choosing family over self and everyone else.”  

To prepare for the Spring 2022 season, the team is working tirelessly to be prepared to defend their title. During the fall semester, they condition once a week on top of daily practices on the field and three weight room sessions per week. 

The players are also focusing on accountability: making sure each teammate is using their time wisely, even if that means spending their day off at the cages to improve their hitting, or getting on the mound for a few hours to perfect their pitching. 

Off the field, they also are strengthening their “Ohana” with team bonding exercises. 

“My coach does this thing where he puts us in groups and we have to go out and do something, and he puts us in groups with different people,” said Obispo. “I think that’s something the team really needed because you play with a bunch of girls and it can get a little hectic sometimes, so sometimes we have to learn how to get along and know more about each other.”

Obispo feels that these exercises help the team bond and will “help overall chemistry, like there are days where we win really big games, it will feel a lot better internally, like we won this as a team.” 

They also are working to find each girl’s “why.” Each player’s “why” is different, but once they find their own individual reason, it makes the team as a whole stronger because each player will play to their best ability, making each win more meaningful. Keating says that intrinsic motivation is what drives her to play well. She understands that this is her last chance to play softball at a high, competitive level, so she wants to make the most of it and leave it all on the field. 

“After college, I can play in a beer league. People will have fun and it will be a good time, but you don’t care as much,” she said.  “I’ll never get the chance to play with girls that genuinely love the sport again.”

The team after they won their 2021 conference title. Photo by Ian Feldmann/UMBC Athletics.

For Obispo, the people around her are what motivates her to make the most of her opportunities. “I’ve worked so hard for my whole childhood to get to moments like this,” she said. “I really enjoy showing up to practice for the people around me and for the people at home, like my family.”

Looking toward the 2022 Season

The team is eager to defend their crown. Unlike previous seasons, they are no longer underdogs, but the team to beat.

“I’m very confident in this group that at the end, we will be right there with a shot at it,” Kuhlmeyer said of winning the conference championship. “This team is built different than previous years, but with the pieces we have added and the veteran experience we have returning, that gives me the confidence we will be there again at the end.  My belief in this group of women is endless.”  

“I’m so excited for the season. Not only because it’s my last season, but I think we really have the potential to win,” said Obispo. With a talented freshman class, the team can adapt to any situation. Each player works just as hard as the next to play their part and step up to fill in any gaps needed. That shows the team’s versatility, confidence in themselves, and their willingness to take chances in a pinch.

“I think we have a lot of guts and I think we all care a lot, I mean not just for our egos because we won back to back, but because we want to win, we want to play in the conference tournament, we want to go play that regional game,” Keating concluded. “We are very confident and we know our goals.”

— By Jordan Lomax ’22, media and communication studies

*****

Header image: UMBC Retrievers congratulate each other at the 2021 America East Championships. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) has announced its top ten discoveries of 2021, featuring “attention-grabbing findings” by UMBC’s Erle Ellis, professor of geography. Ellis collaborated with an international team of researchers, which included Torben Rick, study co-author and curator of North American archaeology at the museum. Their analysis revealed that people have sustainably shaped Earth’s ecosystems for over 12,000 years. 

The boundless curiosity of the researchers at @nmnh drives them to explore Earth, the species that depend upon it, the cultures that inhabit it, and the forces that alter it.

Here are some of our scientists’ top natural history discoveries of 2021.https://t.co/UUG0lWRq4q

— Smithsonian’s NMNH (@NMNH) December 31, 2021

“Our work shows that most areas depicted as ‘untouched,’ ‘wild,’ and ‘natural’ are actually areas with long histories of human inhabitation and use,” Ellis previously shared with UMBC News. They might be interpreted like this, he suggests, because in these areas, “societies used their landscapes in ways that sustained most of their native biodiversity and even increased their biodiversity, productivity, and resilience.” 

The team found the current biodiversity crisis is due to the appropriation, colonization, and intensified use of lands previously managed sustainably.

“It is so exciting to see our work recognized by the Smithsonian,” says Ellis, in response to the NMNH coverage. “I hope that 2022 will mark a turning point in our understanding and care for nature—by learning from and empowering the Indigenous and traditional peoples and practices that have sustained nature across the planet for more than 12,000 years.”

Ellis will be speaking about this discovery on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at the Global Land Programme Webinar: Prehistoric land use reshaped most of terrestrial nature – does that matter now?

Banner image: Erle Ellis. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

While we can’t wait to see what memories we will make in 2022, let’s first take a look back at the milestones, breakthroughs, and student stories that shaped our UMBC community in 2021.

1. Judges rule UMBC victorious over Yale

This spring, UMBC defeated Yale University to win the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) National Championship for the first time in program history. Five of the eleven judges voted for UMBC, five went for Yale, and the final judge stated it was a tie. To determine the winner, the judges tallied the scores from all their final round ballots, which put UMBC ahead of Yale, 1,360 to 1,355. UMBC Mock Trial also earned the Spirit of AMTA Award, honoring their commitment to the principles of civility, justice, and fair play.

2. Welcome home, Retrievers

UMBC welcomed nearly 2,100 new first-year students in fall 2021, making this the largest incoming fall class in UMBC’s history. With nearly 1,000 transfer students and additional international undergraduates and graduate students enrolled, almost 4,000 total new students joined Retriever Nation this fall. Plus, more than 100 students returned to UMBC as part of the Finish Line program to complete their degrees, some more than 10 years after their academic journey began.

3. Best in show

The 2022 U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges rankings affirmed UMBC’s position as one of the top universities in the nation. UMBC is among the best of the best in both undergraduate teaching and innovation, and distinguished in several other key areas. U.S. News ranks UMBC #6 among all U.S. universities for undergraduate teaching this year. UMBC also advanced to number #6 on the Most Innovative Universities list, just ahead of Stanford.

4. Supporting students, diversifying STEM

New data from the National Science Foundation spotlighted UMBC as the nation’s top undergraduate institution for Black graduates who go on to earn Ph.D.s in the natural sciences and engineering, as well as doctorates in the life sciences, mathematics, and computer science. UMBC is also the number one baccalaureate institution for Black undergraduates who go on to earn M.D./Ph.D.s., according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

5. Keeping the curtain up

Most of us may not have had the traditional live performance or movie theater experience this year, but many have found much-needed solace and escape through television and movies in living rooms across the country. Behind the scenes, Retrievers working in Hollywood as writers, producers, and directors have embraced the challenges of the moment—and remained ever-thankful for their audiences and creative roots.

6. NASA funding for Earth sciences

NASA announced a major award of $72 million over three years for the new Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research (GESTAR) II center. UMBC serves as the lead for GESTAR II’s national consortium and will receive over $38 million. GESTAR II will support over 120 researchers, creating extensive opportunities for breakthroughs in Earth and atmospheric science research. Participants will carry out observational, experimental, and theoretical research in support of NASA strategic Earth science mission objectives. The large scale of this work will also enable students at all levels to contribute to the research.

7. Valuing diversity in leadership 

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has granted UMBC, Morgan State University, and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) $3 million to launch Breaking the M.O.L.D., a program to develop a pipeline to higher ed leadership for scholars in the arts and humanities. It will focus on interested faculty members at the rank of associate and full professor, particularly women faculty and Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native faculty. ​​Kimberly Moffitt, interim dean of UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and professor of language, literacy, and culture, serves as the project’s lead PI. Joining her in leading UMBC’s implementation will be Patrice McDermott, vice provost for faculty affairs.

8. Your America East champions…again

Returning to regular-season play in the fall, UMBC women’s volleyball successfully defended their America East title against UAlbany and advanced to NCAA tournament play for just the fourth time in program history. This match-up may have felt familiar for supporters. Due to competition schedules impacted by COVID, it was only seven months prior that UMBC traveled to UAlbany to take on the Great Danes and win their first America East title. While the Retrievers fell short in tournament play, when the regular season came to a close in mid-November, the Retrievers officially became the sixth team in program history to have a perfect, undefeated season. 

9. Growing globalization

The Association of Public Land-Grant Universities (APLU) has honored UMBC with its 2021 Gold Award in Leadership and Pervasiveness for Internationalization. UMBC is the only North American university to receive this prestigious Gold Award. This honor affirms the collective, intentional work behind UMBC’s global engagement strategy.

10. Prestigious scholarships

Jordan Troutman ’21, M29, computer science and mathematics, was the first UMBC student to become a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. The international Knight-Hennessy Scholarship is open to students applying to graduate school at Stanford University in any area of study. In addition to funding, it offers robust leadership and community-development training. 

Joshua Slaughter ‘22, M30, computer engineering, received the Marshall Scholarship, becoming the second student in UMBC history and the first in 29 years to earn the prestigious award. Slaughter is one 41 American students named Marshall Scholars this year, from institutions across the country. The scholarship supports graduate study at institutions in the United Kingdom. He was also a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship.

11. Top history book prizes

Among UMBC faculty’s recent writing awards, Marjoleine Kars, professor of history, has received the Cundill History Prize and the Frederick Douglass Book Prize for her acclaimed book Blood on the River: A Chronicle of Mutiny and Freedom on the Wild Coast (The New Press). Based on a decade of archival research, the book tells the story of a nearly successful rebellion of enslaved African and indigenous people just over 250 years ago in the Dutch colony of Berbice, 1763-1764.

12. Hero of the Year

Kizzmekia Corbett ’08, M16, biological sciences and sociology, is an assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, after leading the team behind the successful effort to create a vaccine for COVID-19 at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Working with the pharmaceutical company Moderna, Corbett’s achievements on the global stage benefit all of us. TIME magazine recognized these efforts and named Corbett a Hero of the Year in the annual Person of the Year issue published in December.

To read these stories and more, visit UMBC News and UMBC Magazine.

Header image: Aerial view of UMBC’s campus. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC unless otherwise noted.

Contributing authors: Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque, Sarah Hansen, Charis Lawson, Megan Hanks Mastrola, Kait McCaffrey, Jenny O’Grady, and Dinah Winnick.

Filmmaker Jules Rosskam, assistant professor in the Department of Visual Arts at UMBC, was awarded a prestigious Creative Capital Award in 2021 to support production of his new feature film, Desire Lines. 

One of the most sought-after prizes in the art world, each year Creative Capital distributes awards to artists to fuel significant projects. Creative Capital recipients are a who’s-who of the art world, including artists like Wu Tsang, Cassils, Barbara Hammer, and Meredith Monk receiving up to $50,000 to fund new works. In 2021, 42 artists and 35 projects spanning all disciplines were awarded Creative Capital awards.

Building on Rosskam’s body of work devoted to examining liminal spaces—the margins inhabited by trans people and artists blurring boundaries in genre and method—Desire Lines explores the ways that trans men emerge into gay sexual attractions during transition, and the ways that these narratives have historically been suppressed.  

Behind the scenes, filming Desire Lines, Jules Rosskam (top right), Aden Hakimi, and Cyd Nova; photographer Emilia Aghamirzai.

Examining the Margins

“Trans people, people of color, queer people, we are so often written out of history, and [struggle] through those silences, and institutions not feeling like our lives are worth documenting,” Rosskam says.  

According to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, 23 percent of trans people identify as exclusively gay/lesbian, with 48 percent identifying as queer or bisexual. Only 23 percent of trans people define themselves as heterosexual—meaning that trans men attracted to other men is a common experience, even though the histories of this phenomenon have been hidden. 

“The impetus is that for the last 20 years I’ve been watching the trans community, and seeing when folks come out as trans men and develop an attraction for other men. It’s felt like no one was having, like, a meaningful dialogue about it, and I, honestly, for the last 10 years have been waiting for someone else to make the film about this,” says Rosskam. “Finally, I said, okay, I’ve been thinking about this for 20 years, I think I have to make a film about it.”

Desire Lines centers its narrative on a gay-identified trans man seeking information on these hidden histories and begins the search by delving into researching archives. 

“I think many trans and queer people can relate to searching for evidence of their own existence,” says Rosskam. “We go with him into this archive, and engage a lot of different material about trans masculinity and queer culture and bathhouses—and find people like Lou Sullivan, who, to the best of our knowledge, was the first gay-identified trans man in North America.”

Indeed, Lou Sullivan looms as a significant historical transgender figure. Sullivan, who died in 1991 from AIDS-related complications, left behind 30 years of diaries detailing his transitional journey, and these diaries were published to great fanfare in 2019. A pair of recent short films have helped elevate greater awareness of Sullivan’s life. 

Aden Hakimi (as Ahmad) and Cyd Nova (as Stranger) in Desire Lines, photographer Emilia Aghamirzai

Hybrid storytelling

While Rosskam brings Sullivan into the picture, Desire Lines resists the urge to become a traditional documentary. 

“I typically describe my work as experimental nonfiction. I am almost always working in a hybrid space between fiction and nonfiction, because that to me feels very trans, and I think it’s important in the work to unsettle that line. People think the line between fiction and reality is so clear—when in fact, it’s not,” Rosskam says, indicating that speculative fiction methods play into the film’s narrative. 

“In the process of our character researching his own existence, he writes himself into history. Throughout the film, he actually creates evidence of his own existence by simply engaging with the past. And so it begs this question about the ways I think trans people experience time in a nonlinear fashion, where the past is always influencing the present. We have to be able to imagine ourselves into existence in order to exist. It’s about the power of fantasy and desire to make real,” says Rosskam. “The space that the film exists in is both a kind of hybrid space of an archive, and a bath house.”

While bath houses may seem like a distant memory for some, they remain a significant site of community building for many gay-identified people, including trans men.  

“In those early conversations I was having with people, I was rather surprised to find out how many of them talked about going to gay bath houses, and how big of a role going to the bath house had played, like coming to accept their bodies as trans men. It’s a place where many men go to have sex with other men, trans or cis, but it’s also a community space where people would connect.”

The bath house also looms as a sort of archive in Rosskam’s perspective, providing communication of intergenerational experience. 

“As queer and trans people, our histories are generally passed from person to person, and there’s a lot of emphasis on intergenerational relationships, and so younger people really are learning how to be themselves through close contact with people who are older than them. As a trans masculine person. I know a lot of young trans people, but I personally know [only] two transmasculine people who are over the age of 60. I don’t feel like I ever got that mentorship from older trans people.”

Desire Lines is currently in production, with documentary footage being shot in Chicago this winter and an expected release date of early 2024. 

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Header Image: Omi Ford (as Keiran) in Desire Lines, photographer Emilia Aghamirzai.

The end of the semester brings a lot to celebrate—the conclusion of finals, a well-deserved break on the horizon, and the addition of new graduates to the UMBC alumni community. Over the course of two days and three ceremonies, UMBC celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2021, as well as 2020 graduates who were unable to celebrate in person before due to COVID. 

UMBC invited graduates to the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena for socially-distanced ceremonies. In keeping with safety guidelines, attendance was limited and COVID protocols were put into place. While previous commencement ceremonies were livestreamed, this marked UMBC’s first hybrid Commencement exercise, with graduates being recognized in person, as well as slides and a presentation of names for those participating virtually. 

President Freeman Hrabowski joyfully greeted attendees, assuring them that, despite the required KN95 masks, he could still tell they were smiling. During his remarks, he shared a lighthearted, but poignant, life lesson from former UMBC President Michael Hooker. 

Pres. Hrabowski noted that Hooker had a deep love of pizza and would find himself already looking forward to the next slice while still eating his first. He realized he wasn’t appreciating the moment, and committed himself to living more in the present—to take time to celebrate life’s joys. Hrabowski summed the lesson up with a line those watching won’t soon forget: “When I say ‘savor the moment,’ I want you to be thinking about the pizza.” 

Student leadership

Joel Tyson ‘18, chemical engineering, president of the Graduate Student Association and a current Ph.D. candidate, charged his classmates to continue to change the world by changing those around them.

“You are the scholars and experts that will make the impact that will lead to a better world and guide others to be more impactful,” said Tyson.

UMBC Student Government Association (SGA) President Mehrshad Fahim Devin, biological sciences, has no doubt in the abilities of his classmates. Before crossing the stage himself as a graduate, Devin addressed his peers saying, “Success is about hanging on after others have given up. Seeing you all here today assures me that no matter how the world will look in 20 years, we will all be successful.”

Messages of gratitude

All of the messages shared echoed one resounding sentiment: gratitude. As students, faculty, and staff navigated a semester filled with uncertainty and change, support from the UMBC community was more important than ever.

In keeping with the theme, last week faculty and staff enjoyed a RetriEVER Grateful event to mark the end of the semester. While catching up with colleagues and enjoying a visit from Chip, faculty and staff also shared the things they’re most grateful for. 

Provost Philip Rous shared his own reflections during a livestreamed address. “We often talk about UMBC being a place of stories,” he said, noting that “it is a binding together of each of our stories that makes up the story of the UMBC community—not just the past or the present, but also the future.”

Recordings of UMBC Commencement ceremonies can be found on YouTube. Continue to share messages of congratulations on social media using the hashtag #UMBCgrad.

All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC News.

By Matt Williams, Breaking News Editor

President Joe Biden has outlined plans to massively ramp up COVID-19 testing in an effort to curb – or at least slow – the spread of the highly infectious omicron variant across the U.S.

In a speech on Dec. 21, 2021, Biden said he aimed to get out “as many tests, as quickly as possible” and said free at-home kits would be sent out to Americans beginning in January.

At the forefront of the push against the omicron variant will be new federal testing sites and the distribution of 500 million rapid tests, free of charge, to the public. To enable the speedy rollout of tests, the White House committed to using the Defense Production Act, which allows the federal government to “allocate materials, services and facilities” from the private sector to meet the demands of the nation.

The focus on testing comes at a time of high demand for kits that diagnose infection. The arrival of the omicron variant has coincided with a desire by many to get tested before meeting up with loved ones over the holiday period, resulting in long lines outside test sites and a run on home kits being sold at pharmacies.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, The Conversations’s team of health experts has been on hand to explain why testing is such a crucial part of the response.

1. What exactly is a rapid COVID-19 test?

The type of test that Biden is hoping to get into the hands of Americans is a rapid antigen test.

Rapid antigen tests look for proteins from the virus that may be present in samples collected via saliva or a swab up the nostrils.

The tests are relatively cheap and quick, with results known in around 15 minutes. They are, however, not 100% reliable and can miss the early stages of COVID-19 infection.

The more accurate PCR test is usually performed by a doctor or health practitioner – although some are available for home use – after which the samples are sent to a lab.

Like the rapid test, the first step in a PCR test is the collection of genetic material – again, saliva or nostril swab.

After that initial procedure, the sample is amplified through a sophisticated process that causes the test DNA to replicate until there are a billion copies of the original piece.

This allows for a very high level of accuracy, with the test being able to detect the tiniest presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

But as Nathaniel Hafer, an expert in molecular medicine at UMass Chan Medical School, notes, the PCR test has weaknesses – a PCR test can cost up to US$100 or more, and results can take several days to come through.

It’s important to note that all tests are a snapshot at the time of sample collection and are much more likely to be accurate when a person is infectious. So people are encouraged to take multiple tests 24 hours apart.

2. Why rapid tests are important – especially now

Despite their lower accuracy, the antigen tests can be particularly useful at a time when many people need to get tested.

As Hafer notes in a separate article for The Conversation, rapid tests are “a welcome tool in society’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He advises readers to take a test, be it PCR or antigen, as soon as they show symptoms of COVID-19. And the same holds true whether someone is vaccinated or not.

“The faster you can determine if you have COVID-19, the sooner you can isolate yourself, which helps prevent transmission to others,” he writes.

And even if someone gets a negative antigen result, it shouldn’t be assumed that they are in the clear. Anyone showing symptoms would be advised to have a follow-up rapid or PCR test.

3. So how do you use a home testing kit?

One of the big benefits of the rapid test is that it can be performed at home – no need for a lab setting or skilled lab technicians.

Zoë McLaren, a public health policy expert at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, explained how readers should go about using their home test.

First off, plan ahead.

“It’s important to have a plan for what to do based on the test results. If you get a positive result, immediately take precautions to slow transmission, such as self-isolating, letting close contacts know about the test result and reporting the case to health authorities,” McLaren writes. Even when presented with a negative result, caution is advised, “and, if you have symptoms or a known exposure, it’s a good idea to do a follow-up rapid antigen or PCR test just in case the first test was a false negative.”

A second rapid test performed 24-36 hours after the initial test can help detect coronavirus cases that may have been missed the first time around due to an insufficient viral load, writes McLaren.

4. And if you still can’t get your hands on a rapid test?

Despite the massive planned rollout of rapid tests announced by Biden, there may well still be difficulties finding a kit.

Loss of smell or taste can be an indicator of COVID-19 infection. John Hayes and Cara Exten, both of Penn State, recount how a graduate student’s mother discovered recently that she could neither smell nor taste her habitual cup of coffee. She quarantined and got a rapid test, which came back positive.

The fact that she confirmed her suspicions by use of an antigen test underscores a key point: If you have the slightest inkling that you may have COVID-19, or been in contact with someone who has, it is advisable to get tested to know for sure.

“Using loss of smell as a COVID-19 test is far from perfect. But because a daily smell check is very specific, instantaneous and quite literally free, it is a highly useful screening tool,” write Hayes and Exten.

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Interviewed: Cara Exten Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Penn State; John E. Hayes Professor of Food Science, Penn State; Nathaniel Hafer Assistant Professor of Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School; and Zoë McLaren Associate Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here.

Header image: Reflecting on the growing demand for at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. Corinna Kern/Getty Images

All images courtesy of Marlayna Desmond unless otherwise noted.