UMBC’s McNair Scholars Program attend national conference
Keynote speaker Maria Sanchez shares inspiring words
October 25, 2018 by Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque
What does it take to be a professor? That is exactly the type of question the McNair Scholars Program wants students to ask early on in their undergraduate years. The national program prepares talented students who are first-generation and low-income, or from other underrepresented groups, for doctoral study. Over 200 McNair Scholars from UMBC and other universities across the nation recently gathered at UMBC for a McNair Scholars National Research Conference to share their work and connect with faculty mentors and each other.
The McNair Scholars Program was created in memory of Ronald E. McNair, physicist and NASA astronaut who lost his life on the Challenger mission. UMBC has carried on McNair’s legacy for 26 years through a highly active McNair Scholars chapter. Over 300 UMBC students have tapped into the academic, social, professional, and personal support the national program offers via workshops, trainings, conferences, and networking events. Students traditionally enter the program their junior year, but applicants are welcome to apply earlier so they can benefit even more.
The conference experience
As a first-time conference participant, Luwan Gebreyesus ‘19, health administration and policy, was in awe of the diversity of research and thought among her peers. “I joined my junior year and I wish I knew about the program earlier. I always knew that I would pursue a doctorate degree,” says Gebreyesus, who studies trauma and sound. “McNair has been a catalyst for opening my eyes to how much preparation goes into getting ready for a Ph.D program, connecting me to resources, and developing in me the agency to embrace being ambitious and successful.”
Gebreyesus accepting a certificate from Margaret Kessie ’22, M.A., teaching English as a second language.
While the conference is a platform for UMBC student scholars to share their own research, it also offers them important opportunities to gain skills organizing and hosting an academic conference. Networking is also a fundamental part of the experience. Students value the opportunity to connect with peers with similar backgrounds, and also practice the skills involved in building professional relationships.
Blake Hipsley presenting a poster on new ideas for imaging frequencies.
Blake Hipsley ‘19, physics and math, presented a poster on his research on different materials that can maximize imaging frequencies in fields like medicine. “Neither one of my parents earned a college degree. I didn’t have anyone I could relate to tell me how to get into graduate school,” says Hipsley. “McNair helped me access a network of people to help me develop research skills and manage the graduate school application process. Now I tutor other students in math to help them with their graduate school entrance exams.”
The impact of mentors
Mentorship is crucial to the success of McNair Scholars. Faculty, staff, and alumni can become McNair Mentors or Faculty Research Mentors, to support students as they navigate the graduate school preparation process.
Maria Sanchez, Mechanical Engineering, and Director of Education and Outreach for the College of Engineering and Information Technology, was drawn to the McNair mission and offered inspiring words for the attendees as the keynote speaker. “As a woman in mechanical engineering, I always struggled with feeling out of place,” Sanchez reflected. “After I came to the United States to attend graduate school and became part of another underrepresented group, I understood that I have a responsibility to other women and Hispanics that are trying to do the same.”
Keynote speaker Maria Sanchez sharing inspiring words with McNair Scholars.
Sanchez sees a direct link between faculty sharing their journeys and students feeling like they are not alone in a challenging yet rewarding path. “I know now that we need to embrace the differences that we bring and recognize them as assets and advantages,” she shared with the group. “I hope that by participating in events such as the McNair conference, I could give strength to those that are struggling in the same way that I did.”
The conference also offered an opportunity for faculty who were themselves McNair Scholars as undergraduates to share their journeys with today’s students. UMBC’s Earl Brooks, assistant professor of English, and Christine Hawn, assistant professor of geography and environmental systems, moderated a conference panel. “The McNair program was critical for me, and it was awesome to experience being on the other side of things as a faculty member,” said Brooks. “The conference is such a great opportunity for students to gain the experiences of presenting their research.”
Christine Hawn and Earl Brooks, who are both McNair alumni and UMBC faculty.
Participating students also spoke to the profound impact that mentorship can have. Damarius Johnson ‘19, Africana studies, transferred to UMBC from the Community College of Baltimore County Essex, where he learned about the McNair Scholars and about UMBC as a place to help him prepare for his Ph.D. aspirations.
“I would not have been able to come to UMBC and be in this program if not for the fact that I had mentors who made it possible for me,” said Johnson. “If I can do that for other people that would be a very powerful thing because I am the first in my family to get a college education. The mentors have helped me see that my dreams are possible.”
Damarius Johnson networking with another scholar.
Future scholars
As assistant director of the McNair Scholars Program at UMBC, Michael Hunt ‘06, mathematics, Ph.D. ‘25, language literacy and culture, sees the program’s impact both in the opportunities it creates for students and in the value of scholarship those students produce. “McNair scholars are doing important work in math, science, the humanities, and the arts,” he notes.
Hunt hopes to continue to grow the program and is working to connect with eligible students as early as possible in their UMBC careers. He emphasizes, “There should not be any student that limits their aspirations because they are unsure how to pursue a Ph.D. or because of financial constraints.”
Current and prospective UMBC students can learn more about the McNair Scholars Program by completing this brief interest form at any time. The application window is December 1 – February 8. Faculty and staff interested in mentoring can contact program staff at any time through the McNair Scholars website.
All photos by Eric Stocklin.
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October 25, 2018 by Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque What does it take to be a professor? That is exactly the type of question the McNair Scholars Program wants students to ask early on in their...
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Thu, 25 Oct 2018 16:25:30 -0400
Thu, 25 Oct 2018 16:25:47 -0400
Researcher of the Week is an ME student!
Congratulations to Rebekah Kempske!
**from the Undergraduate Research Group**
Rebekah Kempske is a Mechanical Engineering major with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation who will graduate in May, 2019.
List any Scholars/Honors programs you are a part of: Center for Women in Technology (CWIT); Honors College; Tau Beta Pi
Title of your research project: Developing A Binder for Flexible Thermoelectric Generators
Describe your project: I am part of a team that is working on developing a binder for printing thermoelectric elements. These thermoelectric elements are a component of a type of flexible energy harvesting device called a thermoelectric generator.
Who is your mentor(s) for your project? Dr. Deepa Madan, Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Madan was my professor for ENME 301, Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials. During the class, she mentioned her research on thermoelectric materials. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and wanted to gain hands-on experience with the topic. Dr. Madan is also expanding
the opportunities available to undergraduates in her lab, so it was perfect timing.
How did you become interested in this project? Flexible thermoelectric generators were something I was not familiar with but sounded very
interesting. These devices can convert waste heat to useful energy and can be used as long lasting power supply for Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable devices. As I learned more and more about thermoelectric generators, my interests continued to grow, and I knew this was research I definitely could see myself being part of.
What has been the hardest part about your research/what was the most unexpected thing about being a researcher? Even though I took Engineering Materials the semester before I began my research, there was still a great deal of information and lab techniques I did not know and needed to learn. There
was a learning curve, but through reading papers and a lot of practice, I was able to quickly get up to speed and become a contributing member of the team.
What has been the most rewarding part? The most rewarding part has been having hands-on experience with topics I learned in class and having the opportunity to apply and expand my knowledge.
How will you disseminate your research? I plan to present my research at URCAD in the Spring.
What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research? Try to get involved in research as early as possible! I did not start my research experience until Spring of my Junior year, and I wish I would have started sooner. Also, do not be afraid to try something out! Even if you are not very knowledgeable about a particular subject area, you learn a lot while you are conducting research and everyone is always willing to help you.
What are your career goals? I would like to obtain a master’s degree in design engineering and then work in industry as a product design engineer. I am also applying to several prestigious scholarships, both in the U.S., and abroad.
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**from the Undergraduate Research Group** Rebekah Kempske is a Mechanical Engineering major with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation who will graduate in May, 2019. List any...
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Thu, 18 Oct 2018 09:35:04 -0400
Thu, 18 Oct 2018 09:37:49 -0400
Alumna launches translational science program at Shady Grove
For Annica Wayman M6, ’99, Mechanical Engineering, this fall marks a homecoming wrapped up in a new beginning. After eight years with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), building programs from the ground up to support research projects that address international development challenges such as global health, agriculture, food security, and renewable energy, Wayman is ready for a new chapter.
Wayman, who holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering with a bioengineering emphasis from Georgia Tech, sees parallels between what she did at USAID and her new role at UMBC as the College of Natural and Mathematical Science’s associate dean for Shady Grove affairs. In particular, a UMBC campaign t-shirt with “Transform Lives” in large, bold print caught her attention.
“That’s what I was doing at USAID,” Wayman says, “and that’s what I have a chance to do here through science and engineering.” As leader of the charge to launch UMBC’s new Translational Life Science Technology (TLST) undergraduate program at Shady Grove, “There’s still a theme of translating scientific discovery to solutions that transform society, so I’m able to do that, and I’m also transforming students’ lives so they can go on to do those things.”
Building a New Program
The brand-new TLST program, which is administered through the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS), trains students in the work that happens “behind the scenes,” Wayman explains—between discoveries in basic science and fully-forged applications in practitioners’ hands, such as drugs or medical devices. Often, gaps in communication and a lack of translational science professionals prevent promising new therapies from ever getting past the earliest stages of development.
The TLST program hopes to change that by training people in the “in between” tasks, such as conducting animal studies and clinical trials, developing processes to scale up production of promising treatments, and learning how to make sure new products are the ones practitioners actually need to help patients.
Wayman will also lead a re-launch of the Master of Professional Studies degree in biotechnology at Shady Grove, which had previously been offered at main campus. Other new programs may follow.
Wayman says UMBC is well-suited to offer such programs at Shady Grove for several reasons, including the Rockville campus’ location in the heart of Montgomery County, where 75 percent of Maryland’s 2,300 life science companies have set up shop. In addition, “UMBC is not scared to take risks,” Wayman says, “and we look for those cutting-edge opportunities to be at the forefront of what careers and industry needs are out there, so that we can prepare students for what is to come and not just what’s already here.”
UMBC’s culture of inclusive excellence is also an asset. “You really need a diverse set of folks—not just diverse in disciplines, but also a diversity of thinking and ethnicity,” says Wayman, who is an alumna of the Meyerhoff (M6 cohort) and MARC Scholar programs. “UMBC has always been really good at fostering an equal playing field,” she adds, “so that all people feel like their voices matter and they can all equally achieve and work together.”
A Supportive Community
Wayman credits her own success in part to the supportive culture she experienced as an undergraduate. “When I was here, I felt that the Meyerhoff staff and the faculty just had such a caring approach,” she shares. In addition, “as an engineering class, we were great peer mentors to each other… Being an African-American female in engineering, I was looking to be sure I could get the support I would need and UMBC delivered greater than my expectations.”
On top of her strong STEM background, Wayman understands that the success of the scientific enterprise is driven by interdisciplinary collaboration. “From where I come from at USAID, that’s huge—we realize that understanding the technology alone is not sufficient to solve a development challenge. You have to understand the culture, the people, the political context, the history of the country.”
“UMBC is continuing to try to push the envelope into what’s the next wave of innovative education, not just in STEM but also blending it with the arts and humanities,” Wayman says, and she’s looking forward to being part of that push.
Learn more about UMBC’s new Translational Life Science Technology and Master of Professional Studies in Biotechnology programs.
**from Dr. Deepa Madan**
To all ME undergraduates but all ME students are welcome:
Dear ME students,
Are you interested in ongoing research projects in the research labs in the ME department? Would you like to explore the research
opportunity in ME department?
On Friday, October 12, during the free hour time (12-1 pm), a lab visit is scheduled to ME undergraduate students to show some research projects in the ME
department. The visit will be in Room ENGR113 (Flexible Energy Harvesting
and Storage Devices research lab).
You will get the
opportunity to learn about long lasting power supplies and rechargeable
batteries.
If interested, please
gather outside the lab tomorrow Friday 10/12 at 12 pm. We are looking forward to seeing you then.
Many
Thanks,
Deepa Madan
Assistant Professor
ENGR221
Department of
Mechanical Engineering
University of
Maryland, Baltimore County
1000 Hilltop Circle
Baltimore, Maryland
21250
Phone: 410-455-3307
E mail: deemadan@umbc.edu
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**from Dr. Deepa Madan** To all ME undergraduates but all ME students are welcome: Dear ME students, Are you interested in ongoing research projects in the research labs in the ME...
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Thu, 11 Oct 2018 14:27:54 -0400
Thu, 11 Oct 2018 14:33:17 -0400
Call for International Events - submit by October 1
Participate in International Education Week! Nov 12-16
International Education Week (IEW), November 12-16, 2018 is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare students for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences.
Do you have an event already planned that you can submit that we can include on our schedule of events?
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International Education Week (IEW), November 12-16, 2018 is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department...
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International Education Week
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Mon, 24 Sep 2018 12:50:26 -0400
Mon, 24 Sep 2018 12:50:51 -0400
UMBC's Idea Competition - $750 Top Prize
Win $$ for your Ideas!
**from the Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship**
Announcing UMBC's Fall 2018 Idea Competition - Win $$ for your Ideas!
Have ideas to help the environment, society, business, your friends, social media, or anything else you can dream up? This is your chance to
use your idea to win $750 cash! Ideas can be inspired by a new or improved product or service that meets a need in the marketplace, improves society or the UMBC campus, engages more people in the arts and humanities, is part of a research project with commercial applications, or is currently part of another class or team project.
1st place = $750
2nd place = $500
3rd place = $250
Best Presentation = $250
Deadline for submissions is October 11 at 1 p.m.
Submit Your Idea Now!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfifLtPNCaj9Yg60zJpeZH_zJukmsERhiluk-pL_RcbZifJ7A/viewform
Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
1000 Hilltop Circle
Baltimore, Maryland 21250
410-455-5740
]]>
**from the Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship** Announcing UMBC's Fall 2018 Idea Competition - Win $$ for your Ideas! Have ideas to help the environment, society, business, your...
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Mon, 17 Sep 2018 15:23:08 -0400
2018 Robosub Competition
Best First Time Entry – UMBC Robosub team!
**from Connor Strang, UMBC Robosub team**
The UMBC Robosub team recently competed for the first time in the International Robosub Competition in San Diego, California from July 30th to August 5th. The Robosub competition challenges teams to develop Underwater Autonomous Vehicles (AUVs) capable of maneuvering underwater, dropping markers, firing torpedoes, locating acoustic pingers and interacting with field elements designed around the casino theme for the year. The three members of the team who attended joined approximately 500 students and mentors across 47 teams and 10 countries in a cooperative effort to push the limits of AUV technology.
UMBC capstone students have been working diligently for the past four years to develop the structure for the robot. This year,
a cross-disciplinary group initially composed of Retriever Robotics members picked up the project and added the sensors and other hardware necessary to make the vehicle ready to compete.
In particular, the team integrated depth and orientation sensors, experimented with vision systems, developed software for motion control, and plugged the leaks. At the time the robot was shipped out o the competition, there was only one major part missing – a kill witch. The circuit for this was fabricated and installed from a hotel room over the course of the competition week. The lack of a kill witch led to the loss of valuable testing time early in the week as vehicles without this critical component were not allowed to operate in the main pool. As a result, the team had to wait three days to discover that their vision system was severely crippled by the unexpectedly low water quality.
Despite these setbacks, the team managed to qualify, perform adequately in the semi final mission using only feedback from the orientation sensor to hold course, and even get a chance at a
finals slot. Unfortunately, a minor issue in the mission code was not repaired in time to compete in the time slot. Despite these frustrations, the team’s ability to overcome challenges and their eagerness to
aid other teams led them to receive the “Best First Time Entry” award.
Using the experience gained in the competition and connecting with teams and staff, UMBC Robosub is in the process of developing several improvements to be incorporated into a new, more capable, design. In particular, we envision a strong partnership with IEEE members to develop active and passive sonar systems, and hope to recruit new members to help design and manufacture a power-
efficient and precise buoyancy control system.
Finally, UMBC Robosub would like to thank the Dean’s Office, with the Computer, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering departments for their generous funding this year, and IEEE for partnering with us in that endeavor. In particular, we would like to thank BAE Systems, Inc. for their continued support and generosity over the years. We greatly appreciate the backing that allowed the members of UMBC Robosub the opportunity to develop a relationship with the amazing teams at the competition and share the wonder of autonomous robotics with the world.
Connor Strang
UMBC Robosub
Picture: (left to right) Brandon Guerrero, Connor Strang,
and Igor Savchenko at the 2018 International
Robosub competition
Members unable to attend: Adam Grosse, Kevin Wegner, Daniel Lee, Logan Courtright
]]>
**from Connor Strang, UMBC Robosub team** The UMBC Robosub team recently competed for the first time in the International Robosub Competition in San Diego, California from July 30th to August...
https://www.robonation.org/competition/robosub
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Thu, 30 Aug 2018 09:38:09 -0400
Fri, 31 Aug 2018 09:08:37 -0400
Alumni Success Stories!
Annica Wayman, B.S, Appointed Associate Dean
**from Dean William R. LaCourse**
Dear Members of the UMBC Community,
I am delighted to announce the appointment of alumna Dr. Annica Wayman as Associate Dean for Shady Grove Affairs in CNMS, effective immediately.
As Associate Dean for Shady Grove Affairs, Dr. Wayman is responsible for administering and directing the undergraduate Translational Life Sciences Technology (TLST) program and Master of Professional Studies in Biotechnology at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG). She will oversee curricula and instruction; recruit and supervise qualified part-time faculty; collaborate with the Division of Professional Studies (UMBC-Shady Grove’s administrative division) on program marketing, student recruitment and retention activities; advise students; pursue business development opportunities with industry; manage UMBC's TLST/Biotechnology Advisory Board; and carry out the necessary administrative duties associated with academic program oversight. Dr. Wayman will also strengthen the relationships with our community college partners, while building UMBC’s presence and portfolio at USG.
Dr. Wayman brings to her new role extensive experience in leadership, administration, and education. For the past eight years, she worked at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), starting as an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow in the Office of Science and Technology and becoming a Division Chief in the Global Development Lab. At USAID, she led her team in managing scientific research policies and programs for the agency and its more than 90 field offices worldwide while also strengthening partnerships with higher education institutions, federal science agencies, global development institutions, and across the industry. Prior to USAID, Annica worked at Becton, Dickinson & Co. (BD) where she served in various R&D engineering roles ranging from advanced technology development to new product development for the anesthesia platform. Dr. Wayman received her Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her thesis research focused on understanding the mechanokinetics of selectin-mediated adhesion of leukocytes on vascular surfaces. She received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UMBC.
UMBC is very fortunate to have someone of Dr. Annica Wayman’s impressive experience and talent to serve as Associate Dean for Shady Grove Affairs in CNMS. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Wayman on her new appointment and supporting her in this important endeavor.
Dean William R. LaCourse
]]>
**from Dean William R. LaCourse** Dear Members of the UMBC Community, I am delighted to announce the appointment of alumna Dr. Annica Wayman as Associate Dean for Shady Grove Affairs in...
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Thu, 23 Aug 2018 16:58:59 -0400
UMBC’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fest 2018
ME student featured!
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fest (SURF) presenters were high school students and undergraduates from UMBC and other colleges who chose to spend their summers conducting research at UMBC. In all, 126 students participated in the event. More than 30 faculty members across five departments and two colleges at UMBC guided the students in their research.
“The experience helped us to think like scientists,” says Olufolake Majekodunmi ’21, biological sciences and psychology.
Participants in the UMBC STEM BUILD Training Program also received training in writing personal statements, analyzing academic journal articles, constructing their resumes and more.
Ewnet Sisay ‘20, Mechanical Engineering, studied zebrafish embryos with developmental biologist Rachel Brewster. “I hope to go for a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, so I wanted to try biology before committing to a Ph.D,” Sisay says. The result? “I really love it.”
In addition to sharing the benefits of their experiences, the student also spoke to how research can sometimes be an emotional roller coaster, peppered with challenges and failures. But by working through those issues, they came to see failures as growth opportunities, rather than setbacks.
Brett Lucht, a student at Marist College and recipient of an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates award, found a way to see the positive in the challenges he faced while working with physical chemist Lisa Kelly. “Failures are a part of research,” he says, “and we’ve learned from them, so they were good failures.”
Bill LaCourse, Dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, which organized the event, took a moment at the research festival to tell the students that although they are still early in their scientific careers, working to answer questions no one has ever answered before is a noble and exciting challenge. He shared his hope that their time as UMBC researchers “lights a flame of passion that will drive you to greater undertakings…with joy and wonderment.”
“It has been our privilege to host you here at UMBC,” said LaCourse. “Your spirit is an inspiration to us all.”
Image: Students explain their research to attendees at SURF 2017. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
For ME students:
I will be hosting workshops throughout the semester in the library on the following topics:
Creating an Academic Research Poster in PowerPoint (10/10)
and
How to Conduct a Preliminary U.S. Patent Search (10/22).
If you’re interested in learning more about these workshops please email me semhar@umbc.edu.
Don’t hesitate to contact me with any library or research related questions.
I look forward to hearing from you, and working with you as well.
Sincerely,
Semhar
Blake Hipsley presenting a poster on new ideas for imaging frequencies.
Keynote speaker Maria Sanchez sharing inspiring words with McNair Scholars.
Christine Hawn and Earl Brooks, who are both McNair alumni and UMBC faculty.
Damarius Johnson networking with another scholar.