Hairy Tales

Kimberly Moffitt, assistant professor of American studies, is co-editor of two recently released books that explore perceptions of race in America.

Blackberries and Redbones: Critical Articulations of Black Hair/Body Politics in Africana Communities (Hampton Press), examines the way that hair and bodies shape perception of African Americans through a variety of interdisciplinary lenses, including poems, creative writing and scholarly essays.

“This book is really the first of its kind to bring together a number of voices and multiple perspectives in terms of exploring issues significant to black hair and body in American society,” said Moffitt.

Aside from presenting traditional views of these issues, Moffitt and her co-editor, Regina Spellers Sims, explored perspectives that are not often heard in conversations about this topic, such as the voice of a homosexual African American man.

Moffitt is also teaching an Africana studies class on hair and body politics, and has found that students are eager to share their own lived experiences. In fact, student response has been so positive that Moffitt is organizing an event called “Hairstories” for Tuesday, November 9, at 7 p.m. in The Commons Skylight Room. Describing the event as “the ‘Vagina Monologues’ of hair,” Moffit said that it will be an outlet for all members of the community, not just her students, to share their own experiences with their hair.

“Society throws so many things at us that we inevitably neglect to analyze what we are being bombarded with,” said Ngeri Nnachi ’10, American studies, the student coordinator of the event. “This event will give us a chance to actually start thinking about what it is that we go though and critically analyze our experiences.”

Despite the book’s success in her class, Moffitt is quick to point out that it can be just as useful to people outside the classroom. “We wanted to make this a text that could be used in spaces where folks are just interested in understanding themselves,” she said. Each work within the book is followed by discussion questions, which she hopes that readers will use as a jumping off point for discussions, and the book’s website includes a discussion board.

Another book out this fall was inspired by a conference that Moffitt helped to organize shortly before the 2008 election. The Obama Effect: Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign (SUNY Press) includes conference papers that captured the essence of the campaign and election in that moment and places Barack Obama’s candidacy and victory in the context of the American experience with race and the media.

“No one else was able to capture that unique space in which Obama was still a candidate, yet deemed successful at changing the way we do politics and campaigning,” said Moffit, who co-edited the book along with Heather Harris and Catherine Squires.

Moffitt’s research interests aren’t confined to issues of race; this December will see the release of The 1980s: A Critical and Transitional Decade? (Rowman and Littlefield/Lexington Books), which she co-edited with Duncan Campbell, lecturer in American studies. The collection looks at the 1980s as a significant decade in contemporary American history and society.

10/29/10

Honoring Alumni

As Retriever Fever spreads across campus for UMBC’s Homecoming Celebration, October 13-16, it’s an opportunity for alumni to reconnect with their alma mater, reminisce about the past and see firsthand how much campus has grown.

It’s also an opportunity for alumni to reflect on their UMBC education and how it helped them succeed. The Alumni of the Year Awards Reception, an annual ceremony presented during Homecoming by the UMBC Alumni Association, honors former students in three categories: Alumnus/Alumna of the Year, Distinguished Service and Young Alumni Rising Star.

Jenny O’Grady, director of alumni and development communications, said the event represents “an array of alums from all the disciplines, showing us that a UMBC education really takes you places.”

The Alumnus/Alumna of the Year award recipients certainly demonstrate that diverse educational array as they continue to thrive and succeed in an equally diverse spectrum of careers.

Michael George ’87, information systems, is a vice president at Amazon.com and is named on several patents related to payments, the marketplace and group buying business processes and technologies.

Vikki Valentine ’96, English, who graduated magna cum laude, is a science journalist and lead editor of NPR’s environment, energy and climate coverage.

Michael I. Nishimura ’80 BA, ’84 MS and ’89 PhD, biological sciences, pioneered approaches for cancer therapy and is vice chair for research in the department of surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Chad Cradock ’97, psychology, led UMBC’s men’s swimming and diving team to nine consecutive conference championships, including seven straight America East titles, and the Retriever women have won four conference crowns.

Dean Alexander ’88, visual arts, has won nearly 100 international awards for his photography. He has captured a wide variety of subjects, from Oprah Winfrey, Lady Sutherland and Baltimore’s homeless to a variety of corporate and non-profit clients.

This year’s Distinguished Service Award goes to Gene Trainor ’86, health science and policy and economics. He is the chief operating officer of Foundation Capital, a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. He serves on the board of Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a non-profit organization.

Aaron Merki ’05, political science  is this year’s Young Alumni Rising Star. While attending the University of Maryland School of Law, he founded the FreeState Legal Project, an organization that provides legal services to low-income LGBT clients around the Baltimore area. He is also an associate at Venable LLP, where he serves a range of clients from corporations to low-income individuals.

The Alumni of the Year Awards will be presented Thursday, October 14, at 7:30 p.m., followed by a reception for the campus community. More information is available online.

A complete Homecoming schedule and registration are available online.

(10/12/10)

In Demand

Even in tough economic times, UMBC students are in high demand.

UMBC’s commitment to ensuring that students graduate with substantive experience through internships, co-ops, service-learning and research opportunities gets high praise from students and employers alike.

The Shriver Center serves as a powerhouse for applied learning at UMBC, coordinating over 2000 student placements each year. According to Christine Routzahn, director of professional practice, “UMBC continues to help students develop as leaders by complementing classroom teaching and research with internships, co-ops and service-learning opportunities.”

In Maryland and D.C., and across the country, UMBC students link theory to practice in real-world settings, allowing them to more precisely define their career interests as they acquire the valuable work experience and skills needed to jump-start their careers in a competitive employment environment.

Kristen Worrall, a senior corporate recruiter, said, “Over the years, we have consistently had success with UMBC students who join our summer internship program at T. Rowe Price. The students bring intellectual curiosity, a strong work ethic and a desire to learn. Our interns work on some complex projects that have a real impact on our business and UMBC students help us deliver true results.”

Click here to learn how some UMBC students spent their summer engaged in applied learning.

The Shriver Center was recently awarded a Best Practice Award from the Cooperative Education & Internship Association (CEIA).

(9/8/10)

NCAA Bound

For the second time in school history, the UMBC men’s soccer program will compete in the NCAA Division I Championships as the Retrievers advanced, 5-4, in penalty kicks in the America East Conference title game after playing visiting New Hampshire (UNH) to a 0-0 scoreless draw.

“I am extremely proud of our Men’s Soccer program,” said UMBC Athletics Director Charles Brown. “Coach Pete Caringi, his staff and our student-athletes have had an amazing season.  It is great to see that a team with such hard work and dedication has won the America East Conference Championship.  The atmosphere at our championship game was amazing and everyone in attendance was treated to a very special day.  I am sure our team will make UMBC proud in the NCAA Championships.”

The game pitted the league’s top offense of UMBC against the best defense in UNH.  The second-seeded Retrievers (11-4-3) and fifth-seeded Wildcats (9-5-6) played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, necessitating the penalty kicks. After both teams converted their opening kicks, UMBC junior goalkeeper Dan Louisignau made a diving save to his right on an attempt by UNH’s Joe Corsello.

The next three shooters for each squad converted, leaving it up to UMBC senior midfielder John Paul Waraksa with the shootout knotted at 4-4. The Retriever captain placed his shot inside the left post, setting off a wild celebration from the Retriever players and partisan crowd at UMBC Soccer Stadium.

Senior forward Levi Houapeu was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. He scored two goals in the semifinals vs. Stony Brook and was the game’s most dangerous player in the finals. Warkasa, senior captain Chris Williams and junior midfielder Andrew Bulls were also selected to the All-Championship Team.

“This is a very confident team,“ Caringi said. “We played a lot of good teams on the road and won games at Bucknell and Penn State. It shows that we can play with anybody if we play our game. Our team had tremendous support this season from UMBC students, alumni and fans. We’re very excited to represent UMBC in the NCAA tournament.”  

The Retrievers are now 7-1-3 in their last 11 outings heading into the NCAA tournament.

The team will face host Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championships on Thursday, Nov. 18. Kick-off time is set for 7 p.m. at Roberts Stadium in Princeton, N.J.

UMBC previously went to the NCAA’s in 1999, after winning the Northeast Conference Tournament and advancing in penalty kicks over Lafayette in an NCAA play-in game. The Retrievers, who owned the country’s best record at 19-1-1 in that season, lost, 4-3, in overtime at top-seeded Duke.

(11/15/10)

Nifty Teaching

For about 300 middle schools students in western Maryland, a recent science class masqueraded as a paper-airplane competition. Anne Spence, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at UMBC, divided groups of students at St. John Regional Catholic School into teams to design single-sheet planes, awarding points to those whose models reliably flew the farthest.

At Huntingtown High School in southern Maryland’s Calvert County, students in advanced placement and honors chemistry classes also got a fresh perspective on science when Mark Perks, a senior lecturer in UMBC’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, handed them molecular model kits to demonstrate how identical groups of atoms can take on radically different structures.

The lessons were meant to be fun, but they were also part of a broad effort to ignite scientific interest in local schools as part of the USA Science and Engineering Festival. Spence and Perks were selected to be part of the “Nifty Fifty,” a group of slightly more than 50 leading educators and researchers from across the country.

Other members of the Nifty Fifty included Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, and Tony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

“It was a real honor to be a part of the Nifty Fifty and to spend a day with Maryland high school students,” Perks said. “There’s such a need in this country for more scientists — programs like this one can provide the necessary spark to put someone on that path.”

The festival concluded with an expo on the National Mall Oct. 23-24.

The work getting young people interested in science and engineering continues. Spence is the director of the state’s Project Lead the Way affiliate, which has provided an engineering curriculum in more than 100 Maryland schools. Spence said the airplane activity she recently taught at St. John Regional Catholic School in Frederick is just an example of the kind of hands-on lesson that can make science and engineering meaningful to students.

“So many kids get the mistaken idea that studying science and engineering has to be boring and difficult,” she said. “When they see they can solve real problems and make new things, many students start mastering the tricky stuff, almost by accident.”

11/5/10

Securing Cyberspace

Military commanders often talk about the need for “situational awareness” — they want to see and track the potential threats facing them, whether they come from planes, ships, troop movements or any other source.

In a traditional conflict, that awareness might come from a giant digital map hanging in a darkened command center. But as the country faces a growing range of threats to the computers and networks that make these maps and other vital technologies possible, it becomes difficult to imagine what a picture to track them would even look like. 

“Cyberspace is a domain that was entirely created by humans,” says Chris Valentino ’02, MS ’05, information systems. “There’s no good way to visualize it and to see where the threats are.”

Not yet, anyway. A new partnership between UMBC and the Northrop Grumman Corporation is designed to accelerate the development of this and other types of technology that will help protect the country from these growing cyber threats. 

“We want to open the aperture to new technologies and ideas,” explains Valentino, a director of cybersecurity at Northrop Grumman. “We want this partnership to help companies find out-of-the-box solutions that will make our nation more secure.”

The partnership will build on the successful business-incubation framework at the bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park by creating the Cync Program. The program is now accepting applications from companies from across the country with the most promising cybersecurity ideas. Those selected to participate will collaborate at bwtech’s north campus, drawing on UMBC’s research expertise and Northrop Grumman resources to develop tools that will secure and protect the computer hardware, software and networks vital to national defense.

Companies will join bwtech’s Advantage Incubator in office space adjacent to campus.

Ellen Hemmerly, executive director of the bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park, notes that the program is a perfect fit for a region with a strong information technology workforce and a growing array of businesses and governmental agencies working on cybersecurity.

“UMBC and Northrop Grumman share a culture of innovation,” she says. “This program will build on UMBC’s strength in information technology and its success nurturing new companies. Businesses started through this partnership will come from across the country, expanding the local business base and spurring economic growth in the region.”

Participating companies will be provided with office space, business support services and academic resources, including access to faculty and student employees. For more on the program and information about applying, visit http://www.advantageincubator.com.

The Cync Program is part of a growing focus on cybersecurity at UMBC. The university’s new graduate Cybersecurity program offers both a graduate certificate and a master’s degree.

Valentino remembers seeing construction at bwtech during his student days at UMBC, and thinking then about the potential benefit of blending the university’s research expertise with a company like Northrop Grumman’s ability to quickly build complex, structured systems.

Now, he says, he’s thrilled to see what can be accomplished with this new partnership: “This really could go a long way to help meet the country’s cybersecurity needs.”

UMBC’s release on the Cync Program

(12/6/10)

Spectrum

The Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture (CADVC) presents “Spectrum: 2010 Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition.” The first exhibition in a new series, “Spectrum” is designed to give a look into the current research and studio practice of faculty members Dan Bailey, Steve Bradley, Cathy Cook, Vin Grabill, Calla Thompson and Fred Worden.

The moment visitors step into the exhibition space, they are immersed in the artists’ work. Soundtracks from the films of Cook, Grabill and Worden, screened in the darkened theatre, create an ethereal accompaniment to the contemporary visual work on display.

Sounds drift across the room from the loudspeakers connected to the interactive installation created by Steve Bradley. “’TAP’ utilizes architectural infrastructure to perform a live sonic composition determined by the sound frequencies of a building,” Bradley writes in the exhibition’s accompanying catalogue.
                 
Across from the installation hang prints of 360-degree spherical panoramas shot and digitally manipulated by Dan Bailey. His piece, “Retriever Planet,” gives observers a unique perspective on a familiar campus location. “For me, the process of creating an image was one of making or building. With the advent of digital photography, it was a seamless transition to build and make images on a computer,” he writes.

Calla Thompson created pigmented prints and collage-based work raises questions about power. “I am interested in the collapse of a good/evil dichotomy, and instead create a place where characters have the potential to be both the goodie and the baddie, at times simultaneously,” she writes.

Inside the screening room, Vin Grabill, collaborated with two sound artists for his film “Frontier.” He explains that he edits short audio clips and visual footage “to generate visually musical compositions.”

In her documentary, “Immortal Cupboard: In Search of Lorine Niedecker,” Cathy Cook, explores the life of a working artist. She writes, “’Immortal Cupboard’ encompasses many of the subjects that have been central to my work for a long time: nature, women’s roles, rural living, the intersection of personal memory and history and the mechanics of everyday life.”

Fred Worden, creates experimental films that challenge viewers “to make sense of stimuli coming, not from the natural world out in front of the eyes, but rather from a source behind the eyes, the conscious mind.”
                 
“Discernable in all the work is an investigative quality that continually tests the boundaries of technical processes and formats found within each artistic discipline,” writes Symmes Gardner, executive director of CADVC.

“Spectrum” is on view through December 13. Accompanying artist lectures take place at noon on the following dates:

October 27 – Steve Bradley
November 3 – Vin Grabill
November 8 – James Smalls
November 17 – Cathy Cook
December 1 – Calla Thompson

CADVC is located on the first floor of the Fine Arts building and is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit the CADVC website or call ext. 5-3188.

(10/21/10)

Star on the Rise

When Luke Roberts plays piano and sings, he is at ease and does so with a purely natural ability.  He is confident and plays his original songs with the grace and passion of a seasoned pro.

It is no surprise that a junior mechanical engineering student and Meyerhoff Scholar has many talents, but it was Roberts’ positive attitude and dedication to his craft that made it clear why he won the second season of the international YOBISing online music competition.

Roberts, who is from Laurel, Md., began his musical journey by learning drums when he was young.  He soon realized it was a hobby that was going to stick.  He eventually learned piano and began singing and writing songs.  His father was in a local band, and his brother Daniel, also a UMBC student, plays guitar, piano and sings.  His younger brother Michael plays bass, piano and sings.

“Music connected to a part of me and allowed me to let things out that I couldn’t any other way,” said Roberts, who was one of 30 semifinalists out of nearly 3,000 international musicians. 

Roberts entered the YOBISing contest in January of 2009, and only those with enough votes advanced in the competition until the contest closed this past May and a winner was selected. He made it clear that he wouldn’t have gotten far without support. 

Roberts utilized Facebook and the support of the UMBC community through 40 weeks of the competition to push his song “Turn Me Around” all the way to first place after seven weeks of semi-finals.  Flyers, banners, emails to listserves and t-shirts were created by Roberts and friends to promote his participation in the contest. 

“It was cool for everyone else, almost like a UMBC victory too,” he said. “People I don’t even know still come up to me and say ‘congrats man!’”

As the winner of theYOBISing contest, Roberts received $18,000, a trip to Los Angeles, VIP tickets to the 2011 Grammy Awards and VIP tickets to a celebrity awards after-party. 

Roberts admits he spent most of the money paying for school. 

While Roberts has a passion for music and songwriting, he is also very interested in studying mechanical engineering and getting a Ph.D.  He is interning at Johns Hopkins where he is doing research on prosthetic hands, and working to develop a glove that can detect if an object is slipping through its grasp. 

“Always have back-up options,” said Roberts. “A huge part of me is engineering.”

Roberts does find the time to balance his two worlds.  He plays drums and piano simultaneously (one instrument with each hand) in his band, Band of Brothers, with his siblings. They just released a CD and play locally at community events, and will perform at “A Taste of UMBC” during Homecoming on Saturday, October 16.

He also emphasizes that music is sometimes a profound experience, and that he strives to connect to people with his art.  This is something that he shares with his brothers.

“I think that the real success of the band will lie in whether or not our music is able to reach people where they are, in a way that helps them to come to a better place,” said Roberts.  “If we achieve that, then we will have succeeded.  That is something that all of us as brothers deeply want to achieve.”

If you plan to enter the YOBISing competition this year, Luke Roberts will greet you on the website as the host of the third season. 

(9/17/10)

Victory!

      Watch game highlights >

UMBC junior midfielder Andrew Bulls scored with 11:58 remaining, as the Retrievers rallied from a 1-0 deficit to defeat tenth-ranked Princeton, 2-1, and advance to the second round of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championships.

“We are ecstatic to come away with a victory against a really, really good team,” said head coach Pete Caringi. “Princeton is one of the best teams in the country and this is a very tough place to come up and get a win. I am really proud of our players.”

The Retrievers improve to 12-4-3 and extending their unbeaten streak to seven straight games, while snapping the Tigers’ (13-4-1)12-game winning streak. 

UMBC advances to take on host 12th-seeded William & Mary on Sunday, November 21, at 5 p.m. The fan bus departs from UMBC’s Stadium Lot at 12 p.m. The cost is $20 per person round trip but does not include a ticket to the game. Contact Kristen Alexander at kristen2@umbc.edu by 6 p.m. Saturday to reserve a seat on the bus. Tickets to the game, which can be purchased at William & Mary’s Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field, are $5 for adults and $3 for youth 14-and-under and for students with valid ID.

The game was tied at 1-1 at intermission when the potent tandem of Bulls and Levi Houapeu struck for the second time in the game. Junior back Andy Streilein served a ball deep into Princeton territory, where the duo both tried to run it down. Houapeu got to it first and after breaking into the box, slid a pass to the right for Bulls, who just tucked the ball into the far left corner.

The Tigers dominated the early action, but did not break through until the 32nd minute in unorthodox fashion. Antoine Hoppenot’s corner kick from the left corner eluded UMBC goalkeeper Dan Louisignau and bent into the goal, just inside the far corner.

But a Tiger handball seven yards outside the box provided UMBC an opportunity that they would convert. Bulls took the kick and bent it around the wall and off the right post. The rebound came out diagonally and Houapeu converted the rebound to knot the score at 1-1 in the 42nd minute.

Houapeu’s goal was his 15th of the season, matching his total of the 2009 campaign. The assist for Bulls was the 28th of his career, tying UMBC’s all-time leader James Hamilton (’01).

Louisignau made a season-high 10 saves in the UMBC cage.

UMBC improved to 4-4-0 when allowing the game’s first goal this season and held Princeton below two goals for only the second time since Sept. 19.

“Our game against Princeton was monumental for the Men’s Soccer program,” said Charles Brown, director of athletics. “We beat a nationally ranked opponent on their own turf and our team played with grit and determination. We are very proud of the entire team and coaching staff. We look forward to traveling to Williamsburg, Virginia to take on the 12th ranked William & Mary as we advance in the NCAA Division I Soccer Championship. GO RETRIEVERS!”

(11/19/10)

Rebecca Boehling, professor of history and the director of the Dresher Center for the Humanities, will read from her recent book, Life and Loss in the Shadow of the Holocaust: A Jewish Family’s Untold Story at Baltimore’s Pratt Library on Wednesday, February 22.  The discussion, which will also feature Boehling’s co-author, Uta Larkey, is part of the Schapiro Lecture Series, which is sponsored by a bequest from Gloria Schapiro.

Based on letters discovered by Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg, professor of biology, Life and Loss in the Shadow of the Holocaust reveals a Jewish family’s struggle over whether to leave Nazi Germany while confronting ever increasing obstacles to emigration and immigration. The book documents family members’ hopes and fears as they are scattered over three continents, forced to contend with wartime postal delays and the deafening silence of loved ones left behind.

The lecture will take place at the Central Library’s Poe Room at 6:30 p.m. on February 22. For more information, visit the Pratt website.