By Lisa Traiger

Misty Copeland is a ballerina on a mission—and last week she brought that mission to UMBC. Renowned for both her ethereality and powerful muscularity, as well as her activism in diversifying a white-dominant field, in 2015 Copeland became the first Black woman promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, a top U.S. ballet company. And she continues to break down barriers to democratize this art form born of European privilege and monarchy.

On March 6, Copeland spent a day on campus—meeting with dance majors in the Dance Cube, speaking one-on-one with alumni and young dancers at a reception, watching student dancers perform, and participating in UMBC’s first annual Artful Conversations, a public Q&A in Linehan Concert Hall.

“You are my people,” the lithe dancer in smart slacks and stilettos told about 35 UMBC dance students and prospective students in an afternoon session. “I came into the ballet world at a late age—13,” she said, recalling her first ballet classes sponsored by a YMCA Boys and Girls Club in a gymnasium. She wore socks and shorts and had never heard classical music before. What she initially described as a “weird” experience, soon became an epiphany. “I felt so free… I was very shy. I didn’t have the tools or the confidence to say everything I wanted to say at 13, but I realized this might be the last time I had this chance,” said Copeland. “So I always took advantage of every opportunity I’ve been given.” And through ballet, she found her voice—and purpose.

Breaking ballet’s glass ceiling 

Raised by a single mother, she and her five siblings were sometimes “house-less,” as Copeland described it. The ballet studio “was the first time I felt physically protected in a space and I could be naked and vulnerable,” Copeland said. “That’s the feeling we should all have: what it’s like to be in a space of freedom and creativity and no judgment.” These days through her eponymous charitable foundation, Copeland supports programs that provide funding and classes that break ballet’s glass ceiling through diversity, equity, and inclusion activities.

Victoria Davies, a junior dance major and Linehan Artist Scholar, performed in “Boundless” by faculty member Shaness D. Kemp, one of three modern works dance students shared with Copeland and attendees during the early evening public event in the sold-out Linehan Concert Hall. “For me,” Davies said, “to see another person of color who has been very successful in her dance career and hear about all the things she went through, hopefully I can get to that point in my own career.”

Left: Capstone work by dance major Eva Mclaughlin, “Episodic Abrasion” (dancers: Sarah McHale, Cassidy Cipolla-Milchak, Ria Murphy, Katelyn O’Connor, Gwyneth Watson). Right: “Boundless” (2022) repertory work by Assistant Professor Shaness D. Kemp (dancers: India Blake, Victoria Davies, Sophia Papparotto.) (Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)

First-year dance major Ashley Baer said that learning more about Copeland “makes everything so much more real. She has been so influential to so many. As dancers, it’s so amazing to be able to hear her perspectives on performing and life.” Baer shared a quote she jotted down from Copeland’s talk: “’Continue to explore life and live your life…. As dancers we get so caught up in our training and we need to continue to live life.’” 

Ask for the roles you want

Students asked Copeland about her challenges, transitioning from student to professional, taking care of her body, work-life balance, and dealing with microaggressions as one of the few Black women at the top of the ballet company hierarchy. She was frank, yet gracious, in her responses, noting she moved to New York the day after graduating from high school and it took her about five years to understand the complexity of rehearsal and casting schedules. “Having a support system has always been key,” she advised. “You need people you can turn to. This [career] takes a lot out of you, physically, mentally, emotionally.”

One lesson she learned from her close friend and mentor, the late African American ballet dancer Raven Wilkinson: Do not be afraid to ask for roles you want. Copeland desired a specific role, but had never been cast. With Wilkinson’s encouragement, she approached American Ballet Theatre artistic director Kevin McKenzie and asked. His response: “Oh, I thought you had danced that role.” Then she was cast. She noted: “As a woman, as a dancer with a Black body…it felt like [my success] was this collective effort of all my ancestors. It never felt like my accomplishment singularly.”

While Copeland hasn’t been back in the studio since the birth of her son two years ago, she remains active on other fronts: as an author of now six books for children, teens, and adults, and as designer of her own line of athleisure wear, Greatness Wins, in collaboration with athlete Derek Jeter. As well, she acknowledges the ongoing importance of being a ballet dancer.

Stars aren’t made overnight

According to College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Dean Kimberly Moffitt, who moderated the public Q&A, Copeland proved the perfect choice to inaugurate Artful Conversations, which will invite a high-profile creative to campus annually. “First and foremost, I want my dance students 10 years from now to say, ‘I had the chance to interact with Misty directly,’” Moffitt said. “That’s a special moment from their academic experience here at UMBC.” She continued, “And other students who are drawn to attend will learn something really interesting about Misty’s trajectory to becoming not just another ballerina. She has a really interesting story to tell. Often, we believe that these [stars] are overnight successes. We forget how much work, effort, and energy individuals put into making it.” 

Introducing Copeland, Dawn Moore, first lady of Maryland and an advocate for the arts across the state, said, “We have gathered to celebrate the power of dance to inspire and unite…[because] dance nurtures compassion, contemplation, and healing.”

And Copeland left the dance students of all ages with this message: “As a dancer, it’s so easy to get caught up in the minutiae of daily battles, and a lot of those are within ourselves. Every day, it’s important to remind yourself why you’re doing this. I love being on stage—it’s where I feel the most free. It’s liberating. You need to remind yourself of the things that matter to you.”

Learn more about UMBC’s dance and Linehan Artist Scholars programs.

Madelyn (“Maddy”) Pollack ’24, history, is a Humanities Scholar and a member of the Honors College. She is pursuing minors in public history and Judaic studies, and she is active in Hillel and Chabad on campus. Maddy works in Undergraduate Admissions as a Grit Guide and in the UMBC Office of the President as a student archivist. When she isn’t studying or spending time with friends, she enjoys reading. Here Maddy shares the many ways she is involved on campus and why she values all of her sources of support at UMBC.

Q: Tell us what you love about your academic program or another organization you are involved in.

A: I love being part of the Honors College because it’s my home on campus. They give us all the resources we might need, like a study lounge in the library and free printing, and support us beyond that with learning opportunities, free food, and amazing interdisciplinary excursions (did someone say Hamilton at the Hippodrome?). I’m currently taking an Honors Seminar on Star Wars and puppetry, and I think it’s fantastic that we have such an amazing variety of courses. I know that I will stay connected even after I graduate, because Honors College staff have helped me grow so much academically, professionally, and personally. Plus, it’s fun to say that I’m in the Honors College at an honors university! 

Q: Why did you choose UMBC?? 

A: I came to UMBC because I wanted to have the resources of a large university and the feel of a small university. We have the best of both worlds—not too big, but not too small. I love that I can see people I know everywhere I go on campus, but I also feel so lucky to have connections with professors and mentors who can help me do anything I want after graduation.

Q: Since you’ve been a part of the UMBC community, what sources of support have you found to help you reach your goals? 

A: My professors in the history department have been the biggest help in jump-starting my future. They’ve not only provided important skills training in the classroom, but also career planning and networking advice. I even got to intern at NASA—not something you’d expect of someone so far removed from STEM disciplines!

Q: Are you currently part of a scholars program at UMBC? Tell us what you enjoy about it!

A: Being part of the Humanities Scholars Program means I get extra enrichment as a UMBC student. First, we are lucky to have multiple excursions each semester that bring us to local arts events and theatrical performances. Each spring, we get to go on a trip to New York City to visit a museum and see a show on Broadway. (I’m especially excited about this year’s tickets to Six!)

Finally, each Humanities Scholar is encouraged to study abroad, and our scholarships are transferable to our institutions abroad. We can also apply for additional study abroad scholarships to fund our experiences as we become global citizens. I just got back from a semester in London this past fall, and you can see my blogs as an ambassador for our Education Abroad office.

Q: What’s the one thing you’d want someone who is new to the UMBC community to know?

A: Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Everyone remembers what it was like to be new to UMBC, and although the first few times you ask for help might be scary, our community is dedicated to being a family, and you’ll find your place soon!

UMBC’s greatest strength is its people. When people meet Retrievers and hear about the passion they bring, the relationships they create, the ways they support each other, and the commitment they have to inclusive excellence, they truly get a sense of our community. That’s what “Meet a Retriever” is all about.

Learn more about how UMBC can help you achieve your goals.

Meet Kisha Parker ’00. Kisha is a dual-degree alumna with a B.S. in biological sciences and a B.A. in psychology, and an active member of the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors, serving as Chair of the Public Relations Committee. As a student, she was very active, taking leadership roles in several organizations, including the Student Government Association (SGA) as the director of state and national affairs, and the Lambda Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., as president. UMBC is also where Kisha found love–meeting her future husband, Kevin Parker ’99, mechanical engineering, who was also involved in Greek Life as president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Nu Kappa Chapter, and served on the SGA executive board. This alumni power couple is now married with three children and is forever grateful that their paths crossed at UMBC–their forever home. Take it away, Kisha!

Q: What is your WHY? What brought you to UMBC?

A: What led me to UMBC was the size of the classes, academic reputation, and affordability. The bonus was the amazing avenues of support and opportunities to grow once I became a student. My experience at UMBC has led to an amazing circle of friendships, partnerships, resources, and career opportunities.

Q: What’s your favorite part of being a part of Retriever Nation?

A: Retriever Nation is diverse and multi-faceted. I love bragging about our chess team and mock trial championships, just as much as sports and academic entities. I love celebrating the wide net of accomplishments our alumni are doing around the world and the history we are making with UMBC roots.

Q: Where have you found support in the UMBC community?

A: I had a mentor in LaMont Toliver of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, lived with inspiring, smart, and motivated roommates as consistent models of achievement, and became a part of a legacy of like-minded, multifaceted women in my sorority. These relationships have led to many experiences (too numerous to count…and still ongoing!) that helped me grow mentally, academically, professionally, and as a public service enthusiast.

(On the left, Kisha Parker and her Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. sisters over a 25-year span.)

Q: What’s the one thing you’d want someone who hasn’t joined the UMBC community to know about the support you find here?

A: UMBC has a bit of everything. While strong academic programming is already established, our inclusive culture is invaluable. The support to be successful is here and in multiple forms. Whether it is in the form of day-one-ready mentorship, financial support opportunities, well-thought-out facilities to enhance the student experience and future studies, or administrative planning with students, staff, and alumni in mind, the avenues of support are multifaceted.

Q: Tell us about what you love about an organization you’re involved in.

A: I am a member of the Board of Directors of the UMBC Alumni Association. What I love about this organization is being able to further engage alumni in different ways, contribute to efforts to keep our community connected and aware, and promote UMBC’s brand. I have been able to see UMBC through a very different lens as an alum than I was as a busy and active student, and it has been integral to happily volunteering my time, financial support, and event support.

(On the right, Kisha Parker in her cap and gown on graduation day.)

Q: What drives you to support UMBC?

A: Over the years, I have supported many programs financially, but the Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund is one I make sure to always support. It allows an avenue for the Alumni Association to award current, deserving students an opportunity to continue their education in ways they need. I have been able to see the impact of these scholarships through the personal testimonies of the recipients, witness the process of awarding these scholarships, and am confident that this donation (and many others!) is going to good and immediate use!

About the Alumni Association Board of Directors

UMBC’s Alumni Association is a non ­dues-paying organization and is led by a volunteerBoard of Directors—volunteer graduates, like Lisa, who support advancing the mission and vision of the association and, by extension, UMBC, through their visibility as alumni leaders and active participants in the ongoing work of the board and its committees.

* * * * *

UMBC’s greatest strength is its people. When people meet Retrievers and hear about the passion they bring, the relationships they create, the ways they support each other, and the commitment they have to inclusive excellence, they truly get a sense of our community. That’s what “Meet a Retriever” is all about.

Learn more about how UMBC can help you achieve your goals.

Kimberly R. Moffitt, dean of UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, speaks about the inspiration for and journey of her career in an interview with mastersincommunications.com, which offers research-based data on graduate programs in media and communication studies nationwide along with insights from leaders in the field.

Moffitt shares that one of the key inspirations for her work in media and communication studies is her children. Her research and discourse on colorism, her Black hair syllabus website, and her criticism of Disney’s programming have come from observing how her children and other children of color are perceived and talked about in media. She also analyzes the major challenges with feminism and her identity as a womanist.

“I do not consider myself a feminist. I do embrace and consider myself a womanist, as Audre Lorde discusses it, however. I believe in seeing the uplift of African Americans in this nation,” says Moffitt. “I think it takes all of us to make that happen, and I am not really interested in privileging or prioritizing my own existence as a Black woman over that of a Black man.”

Leadership and communication

The scholarship that fueled Moffitt’s career paved a path to leadership as a dean during a worldwide pandemic and global calls for social justice. Moffitt credits her skills and knowledge of media and communication in helping her navigate these challenges, with grace and patience.

“The beauty of being in a discipline like communication is that we have space to engage a set of theoretical frameworks and concepts that other disciplines cannot,” says Moffitt. “Some of that is because we are a much younger discipline than most, but it is also because we are dealing with a number of contemporary issues that allow us to speak back to society about things as they are currently going on.”

Learn more about Dean Moffitt’s additional work with the Mellon Foundation-funded Global Asias Initiative. 

Written by Erle C. Ellis, professor of geography and environmental systems, UMBC.

When people talk about the “Anthropocene,” they typically picture the vast impact human societies are having on the planet, from rapid declines in biodiversity to increases in Earth’s temperature by burning fossil fuels.

Such massive planetary changes did not begin all at once at any single place or time.

That’s why it was controversial when, after over a decade of study and debate, an international committee of scientists – the Anthropocene Working Group – proposed to mark the Anthropocene as an epoch in the geologic time scale starting precisely in 1952. The marker was radioactive fallout from hydrogen bomb tests.

On March 4, 2024, the commission responsible for recognizing time units within our most recent period of geologic time – the Subcommission on Quarternary Stratigraphy – rejected that proposal, with 12 of 18 members voting no. These are the scientists most expert at reconstructing Earth’s history from the evidence in rocks. They determined that adding an Anthropocene Epoch – and terminating the Holocene Epoch – was not supported by the standards used to define epochs.

To be clear, this vote has no bearing on the overwhelming evidence that human societies are indeed transforming this planet.

As an ecologist who studies global change, I served on the Anthropocene Working Group from its start in 2009 until 2023. I resigned because I was convinced that this proposal defined the Anthropocene so narrowly that it would damage broader scientific and public understanding.

By tying the start of the human age to such a recent and devastating event – nuclear fallout – this proposal risked sowing confusion about the deep history of how humans are transforming the Earth, from climate change and biodiversity losses to pollution by plastics and tropical deforestation.

The original idea of the Anthropocene

In the years since the term Anthropocene was coined by Nobel Prize-winning atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen in 2000, it has increasingly defined our times as an age of human-caused planetary transformation, from climate change to biodiversity loss, plastic pollution, megafires and much more.

Crutzen originally proposed that the Anthropocene began in the latter part of the 18th century, as a product of the Industrial age. He also noted that setting a more precise start date would be “arbitrary.”

According to geologists, we humans have been living in the Holocene Epoch for about 11,700 years, since the end of the last ice age.

Human societies began influencing Earth’s biodiversity and climate through agriculture thousands of years ago. These changes began to accelerate about five centuries ago with the colonial collision of the old and new worlds. And, as Crutzen noted, Earth’s climate really began to change with the increasing use of fossil fuels in the Industrial Revolution that began in the late 1700s.

The Anthropocene as an epoch

The rationale for proposing to define an Anthropocene Epoch starting around 1950 came from overwhelming evidence that many of the most consequential changes of the human age shifted upward dramatically about that time in a so-called “Great Acceleration” identified by climate scientist Will Steffen and others.

Radioisotopes like plutonium from hydrogen bomb tests conducted around this time left clear traces in soils, sediments, trees, corals and other potential geological records across the planet. The plutonium peak in the sediments of Crawford Lake in Ontario, Canada – chosen as the “golden spike” for determining the start of the Anthropocene Epoch – is well marked in the lake bed’s exceptionally clear sediment record.

The Anthropocene Epoch is dead; long live the Anthropocene

So why was the Anthropocene Epoch rejected? And what happens now?

The proposal to add an Anthropocene Epoch to the geological time scale was rejected for a variety of reasons, none of them related to the fact that human societies are changing this planet. In fact, the opposite is true.

If there is one main reason why geologists rejected this proposal, it is because its recent date and shallow depth are too narrow to encompass the deeper evidence of human-caused planetary change. As geologist Bill Ruddiman and others wrote in Science Magazine in 2015, “Does it really make sense to define the start of a human-dominated era millennia after most forests in arable regions had been cut for agriculture?”

Discussions of an Anthropocene Epoch aren’t over yet. But it is very unlikely that there will be an official Anthropocene Epoch declaration anytime soon.

The lack of a formal definition of an Anthropocene Epoch will not be a problem for science.

A scientific definition of the Anthropocene is already widely available in the form of the Anthropocene Event, which basically defines Anthropocene in simple geological terms as “a complex, transformative, and ongoing event analogous to the Great Oxidation Event and others in the geological record.”

So, despite the “no” vote on the Anthropocene Epoch, the Anthropocene will continue to be as useful as it has been for more than 20 years in stimulating discussions and research into the nature of human transformation of this planet.

This article was updated to clarify that a new attempt at an official Anthropocene Epoch declaration is unlikely soon. It is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article and see more than 250 UMBC articles available in The Conversation.

Meet Lisa Nissley ‘01, political science. Lisa is a legislative liaison at the Department of General Services, as well as the chair of the mominating committee on the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors. In her spare time, you can find her at the ice rink (her two children are involved in figure skating and ice hockey), the pool (swim team), or the lacrosse field. Lisa also enjoys reading, cooking (when it’s not required), walking, and being creative. Take it away, Lisa!

Q: What’s the one thing you’d want someone who hasn’t joined the UMBC community to know about the support you find here?

A: It truly is a community, and that is a feeling that stays with you. I have worked in the political world of campaigns and government relations and always seem to connect with UMBC grads, some I knew and others who were there before or after me. Also, the community is diverse, so there is always someone to connect with and learn from. 

Q: Where did you find support when you were here?

A. When I came to UMBC, I was eager to find community and feel like I belonged and I wanted to build my career. The interesting thing is how those two goals aligned. I joined student organizations, interned in Annapolis, and made friends in class. Some of those very people have been in my corner ever since.

Q: Who is someone in the community who has inspired you or supported you?

A: Dr. Tom Schaller—I always enjoyed his classes and he was involved in the political world, so I would see him out in the world doing what he talked about in class. He assigned long research papers we worked on throughout the semester, and what seemed daunting at first turned out to be very interesting. I was lucky to assist in his research. We have stayed in touch over the years and he has shared advice and guidance throughout my career.

Q: Tell us more about your journey from UMBC to your current role.

A: I actually transferred to UMBC and didn’t expect to stay, but I loved it! I eventually graduated in 2001 with a political science degree. Over the years since graduating, I have been a state employee working in the legislative branch and various state agencies doing policy and government relations. Recently, I started at the Department of General Services in the legislative office. I am enjoying being back in Annapolis full-time and being part of the legislative process.

Q: How have you given back?

A. I serve on the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors (AABOD) as chair of the nominating committee. I really enjoy giving back to the UMBC community in this way. We work to have a diverse board that represents the alumni community, and I’m always impressed by the exciting things our alumni are doing out in the world. I also give annually to the Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund. Through the Alumni Endowed Scholarship, the AABOD strives to make a difference in the lives of deserving students, to help them achieve their dream of receiving a university degree and joining the alumni community.

About the Alumni Association Board of Directors

UMBC’s Alumni Association is a non ­dues-paying organization and is led by a volunteerBoard of Directors—volunteer graduates, like Lisa, who support advancing the mission and vision of the association and, by extension, UMBC, through their visibility as alumni leaders and active participants in the ongoing work of the board and its committees.

* * * * *

UMBC’s greatest strength is its people. When people meet Retrievers and hear about the passion they bring, the relationships they create, the ways they support each other, and the commitment they have to inclusive excellence, they truly get a sense of our community. That’s what “Meet a Retriever” is all about.

Learn more about how UMBC can help you achieve your goals.

William Gao, a senior at Centennial High School in Howard County, Maryland, has been selected as one of 40 finalists in the 2024 Regeneron Science Talent Search. Yi Huang, associate professor of mathematics and statistics, has served as his research mentor for the past three years.

The Regeneron competition is one of the oldest and most prestigious youth science competitions in the country, and past finalists now include 13 Nobel Prize winners and 22 MacArthur Fellows. Judges select finalists whose projects demonstrate scientific rigor and who they believe have the potential to become world-changing scientific leaders. The 2024 finalists were selected from among nearly 2,000 entrants nationwide, and each received $25,000 to be used for their education. 

Gao and Huang’s research led to the development of a mobile diagnostic system to identify cancerous regions in tumor samples, which they hope will eventually benefit patients in remote areas. The system applies modern data science technology, including artificial intelligence, to a prominent healthcare challenge. The findings were published in Cancer Informatics.

“I am beyond humbled and grateful to be a finalist in Regeneron’s Science Talent Search this year. I have always loved all things science and technology, and I have felt enormously lucky to grow as a young researcher under the guidance of Dr. Yi Huang,” Gao shares. “In the future, I plan to pursue a career that bridges my interests in technological innovation, research, and policy. Wherever I land, I hope to emulate Dr. Huang’s passion as a mentor and pay it forward.”

The finalists will participate in a week-long competition in March in Washington, D.C., where they will compete for more than $1.8 million in awards. The comprehensive judging process will not only test the students’ knowledge of their own projects, but also the depth of their understanding across multiple scientific disciplines.

“Serving the community and helping talented minds from various backgrounds get a boost from research early on has always been a core part of my career in education,” Huang says. “Since the start of his research journey in 2020, William has not only shown an impressive intellectual curiosity and resilience, and maturity in dealing with research challenges, but has also demonstrated exceptional initiative and independence. What sets William apart is his ability to bridge technological innovation with real-world problem solving, always considering the ethical and humanistic implications and the broad social impact of his research in the healthcare system.”

As flowers start popping up on campus and we get some warmer (if rainy) days, it’s the perfect time to go out and catch some of the arts events happening at UMBC. Whether you need a break from studying, work, or are just looking for some fun, you can be sure to find many entertaining and thought provoking arts and culture events happening on campus!

1. Enjoy an Artful Conversation All About Dance

No dance skills are required to enjoy an evening all about dance with Artful Conversations: An Evening with Misty Copeland. On the night of March 6, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Misty Copeland, the first African American female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, and a New York Times best selling author, will be discussing topics all about dance and her historical performances. The night will begin with dance works performed by UMBC students and faculty. Later, in conversation with College of Art, Humanities, and Social Sciences Dean Kimberly Moffitt, Copeland will talk about her ground-breaking career.

In case the event is sold out or if you just want to watch on a later date, a livestream and recording will be available via the UMBC Youtube Channel. (Photo by Drew Gurian/MasterClass)

2. Bask in the Glow at a Poetry Reading

If you’re unable to make the Misty Copeland event, the English Department’s spring reading series event on March 6 features Taylor Johnson, poet laureate of Takoma Park, Maryland. Johnson is the author of Inheritance, and winner of the 2021 Norma Farber First Book Award from the Poetry Society of America. Inheritance was influenced by living in Washington, D.C., and it explores the complexities of language. The event, which includes a reading, Q&A, and book signing, is free, and runs from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Albin O. Kuhn Library. (Photo by Sean D. Henry-Smith)

3. Listen to an Enchanting Evening of Music from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

On March 8, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will perform at UMBC. The ensemble will be led by conductor Ken-David Masur. The program includes Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, Toshio Hosokawa’s Meditation to the victims of Tsunami 3.11, and the orchestra will be joined by cellist, Zlatomir Fung, for a performance of Camille Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto. The performance is being held at the Linehan Concert Hall from 8 to 10 p.m., and tickets are only $5 for students. (Ken-David Masur conducting. Photo taken by Stu Rosner.)

 4. Join WMBC for its Entertaining Spring Music Festival

WMBC Radio, UMBC’s independent, student-run radio station, will be hosting their second annual music festival on March 29 in the UC Ballroom, from 6 to 11 p.m. The festival will be featuring some student artists, bands, and other creatives! The bill includes Fly by The Seat, Regan Lewis, Eat the Cake, and more. Don’t forget to check out the art vendors who will be there as well!

5. Chuckle with Dog Collar at “Saturday Bite Live”

Either before or after WMBC’s music festival, stop by Saturday Bite Live, a free improv show put on by UMBC’s comedy troupe, Dog Collar. Contrary to its name, the show will be on a Friday, March 29, and will take place in the ITE building in room 104. Doors open at 7:30, and the show begins at 8 p.m. Come out and support these students while having a laugh! (Members of the Dog Collar troupe performing at the UMBC Gritty Kitties charity show. Photo by Anthony Rivera.)

6. Check out Plays for Our Planet

Get an early start on Earth Day this year at one of the UMBC Department of Theatre’s multiple plays centered around the theme of climate science and activism. The play Slime, by Bryony Lavery, directed by Nigel Semaj, will run from April 4 to the 14 in the Performing Arts and Humanities Building’s Proscenium Theatre. Slime is a dystopian comedy about seven grad students who are translators of different animal species, who must work to save all life on earth from a toxic slime. On April 14, there will be a free matinee for UMBC students and post-show actor talk-back. 

For more theatre events, you can check out the entire production season here!

7. Explore the FloodZone

The eerie and alluring photographs of Anastasia Samoylova’s FloodZone, depict the painstaking reality of what it’s like to live in the southern U.S. at a time when the climate crisis has greatly affected the environment. The exhibition was first featured at the George Eastman Museum in 2022, and has been on display in a few other locations throughout the U.S. as well as internationally, but the alligators and flamingos and other coastal life forms have now arrived at UMBC for a limited time. The exhibition will be on display at the AOK Library Gallery until May 29.

On Monday, April 22, in the Library Gallery, the artist will participate in an Earth Day panel on Climate Change, Science Communication, and the Arts. How do climate scientists share their research and data with the wider public in a way that non-specialists can understand? How might art contribute to this urgent work? Samoylova will discuss her photography while in conversation with scientists and media historians specializing in science communication.

The American Physical Society, an influential professional society founded in 1899 to “advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics,” is highlighting the fusion research of UMBC’s Carlos Romero-Talamás at its largest annual meeting, held March 3 – 8 in Minneapolis this year. A short film showcasing Romero-Talamás and colleagues’ work on a relatively simple and cheap approach to fusion power will be broadcast on APS TV, a channel that plays on screens around the meeting venue, in selected local hotels on dedicated TV channels, on the virtual meeting platform, and on YouTube.

Fusion, which is the reaction that powers stars, releases enormous amounts of energy when light atomic nuclei combine to form heavier ones. Initiating, sustaining, and controlling the process in a way that allows humans to generate clean, safe, and near limitless commercial power has long been a goal in the physics community and beyond. The film, created by the international film and broadcasting company WebsEdge, brings viewers into the lab where Romero-Talamás, alongside colleagues and students from UMBC and the University of Maryland, College Park, are questing to bring this celestial energy down to Earth.

Romero-Talamás’s group is exploring a promising alternative to traditional fusion power approaches, using equipment that is smaller, cheaper, and more simple to operate. The group’s current experiments are going well, and they are working to attract public and private investment to build a next-generation machine that could be fitted to produce more power than it takes to run, a key milestone on the road to commercial fusion power.

“The APS March Meeting is an opportunity to connect and promote our research with the largest physics audience in the world,” Romero-Talamás says. The video aligns with the lab’s work to raise their visibility and attract additional students and researchers interested in fusion energy. “At the levels of effort that we will require for the next step in our quest for fusion energy, we will need to grow quickly,” Romero-Talamás says.

Learn more about fusion research at UMBC in this interview with Carlos Romero-Talamás and in his GRIT-X talk.