Kourtney Rutkowski
B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Psychology
Cum Laude
Hometown: Bel Air, Maryland
Plans: M.S., mechanical engineering, UMBC

UMBC has also helped to grow my leadership skills, my confidence, and has opened my mind in so many ways.

Kourtney Rutkowski enjoys being the first, particularly when it comes to unique learning experiences. As an engineer with an interest in cross-cultural exchange, she was UMBC’s first student to participate in a semester-long study abroad at the University of Porto in Portugal, and one of the two first students to participate in a winter study abroad at the University of Kassel in Germany, after UMBC initiated research and education partnerships with both institutions.

Home at UMBC, Rutkowski has participated in the Grand Challenge Scholars Program and Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) Scholars Program. She is a member of the Honors College and Tau Beta Pi, the honors society for engineering. She has held leadership positions on the CWIT student council, in Tau Beta Pi, and as a UMBC Eco-Ambassador, and she currently serves as the inaugural student president for the Grand Challenge Scholars Program Student Organization. Additionally, she has worked as a teaching fellow for multiple courses, most recently as a lead teaching fellow for statics.

Rutkowski shares that mentors across campus have provided her with valuable guidance related to research, career options, and pursuing opportunities abroad. She worked most closely with Anne Spence, former professor of practice at UMBC; Jamie Gurganus, associate director for engineering education initiatives; Marc Zupan, associate professor of mechanical engineering; and Neil Rothman, professor of practice in mechanical engineering.

As a student in the integrated B.S./M.S. mechanical engineering program, Rutkowski will remain at UMBC after graduation to complete her graduate degree, before moving on to opportunities in industry and, perhaps, a Ph.D. and mechanical engineering teaching career of her own.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

2018 UMBC-affiliated NSF Graduate Research Fellows:

Sarah Hemler ‘15, mechanical engineering

2018 UMBC-affiliated NSF Graduate Research Fellow Program honorable mentions:

Roy Anderson ‘16, mechanical engineering

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The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded prestigious Graduate Research Fellowships (GRF) to nine UMBC-affiliated STEM students, including seven alumni and two seniors who will soon begin their graduate studies. Their awards include a $34,000 stipend and $12,000 toward tuition and fees for each of three years.

NSF also recognized three UMBC students and five alumni with honorable mentions. Of the 17 UMBC students and alumni honored, 13 are Meyerhoff or MARC U*STAR Scholars. These programs aim to increase the number of first-generation college students, students from low-income families, and underrepresented minorities in STEM.

This large number of honorees “shows the quality of student we have here at UMBC and what they’re doing,” says Keith Harmon, director of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program. “It also shows the quality of their research experiences at UMBC, and the commitment of the faculty to mentoring these students as undergraduates.”

Students spoke to the impact of their UMBC experiences on their success. Williams includes UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski among her mentors and shares, “Honestly, I wouldn’t be at MIT pursuing a Ph.D. without UMBC.” Werner adds, “I reached out to a lot of professors here asking for advice, and every single one was more than happy to help.” He also shared his gratitude for UMBC alumni mentors Keisha John ’03, M12, biochemistry and molecular biology, and Kafui Dzirasa ’01, M8, chemical engineering. Shahir is particularly thankful for UMBC’s supportive culture, including guidance he received from Kang and John. “I believe UMBC promotes a healthy balance between cooperation and competition that has motivated me to push myself harder,” he shares, “allowing me to grow as both an aspiring scientist and as a young adult.”

The honorees are pursuing graduate study at top institutions across the nation, from UMBC and MIT to Duke and Georgia Tech. Whether students receive NSF fellowships or honorable mentions, Harmon describes this level of national recognition as very meaningful validation. “I think students are always questioning, even the most accomplished,” he says. “It’s nice for them to see yes, I can do this. Another affirmation that yes, I am on the right path. I have ability. I have something to offer. There is a place for me in STEM.”

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Image from UMBC’s Keith Porter Imaging Facility, by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

UMBC expects over 350 presenters and 2,500 guests to attend Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day on April 25, making URCAD 2018 the largest in the event’s 22-year history. The annual showcase of advanced undergraduate work offers students a chance to share with the broader community projects they have been working on for months, or even years. Through URCAD, students practice their presentation skills, get robust feedback on their work, and engage with fellow researchers to think, collaborate, and push their research in new directions.

“I am most proud of the kinds of questions these students are asking in their research and creative work,” says April Householder, director of undergraduate research and prestigious scholarships. “From developing clean air technologies or bringing awareness to human trafficking, to collaborating with local poets and creating meaningful art, UMBC undergrads are making change in the world.”

Lucas McCullum ‘18, Mechanical Engineering, explores how piezoelectric materials, which create electricity in response to mechanical stress, can be used for different purposes, including to detect tumors. He has found research to be an incredibly valuable experience and suggests it can “help a younger student to discover their passions while learning about how to successfully manage their time and critically analyze complex problems.”

McCullum, a URA scholar who works with Dr. Soobum Lee, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, particularly appreciates his research experience for teaching him how to embrace new situations where he doesn’t immediately have all the answers. “One of the most certain things in research is that you never know what is going to happen the next time you go into the lab, and the ability to be flexible and adapt to unpredictable situations is one of the most valuable experiences out there,” he says.

Whether a student goes on to graduate school or directly into a career, major projects completed in their undergraduate years can drive lifelong passions, support critical thinking, and boost an array of skills crucial to their future success. This includes everything from how to identify a problem and explain its importance to how to set project goals, see a project through to completion, accept feedback constructively, and connect with stakeholders who are impacted by the work.

Householder invites all of UMBC to support URCAD presenters by attending the event on April 25 and “asking good questions” that challenge students to think about their work in new ways. “There is something for everyone at URCAD,” she says, sharing, “I hope it inspires even more people in our community to conduct research, collaborate, mentor, and bring creativity to their work each day.”

Dozens of retired faculty and staff - and our very own Professors Emeriti Dr. Shlomo Carmi and Dr. Christian Von Kerczek - gathered in the UMBC Event Center’s Retriever Room earlier this month to celebrate the launch of the Wisdom Institute, created to foster ongoing connections between the university and its most long-standing community members. Through the Wisdom Institute, emeritus faculty and staff will have the opportunity to continue to impact UMBC’s mission and future students by attending workshops, serving as guest lecturers, and offering mentorship.

“It is your shoulders on which we stand today,” said Philip Rous, UMBC’s provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, during his opening remarks. “You have dedicated your lives, your careers, your heart, and your passion to building this great university.”

The Institute was established by Craig Saper, professor of language, literacy and culture, and Leslie Morgan, professor of sociology, through the support of a Hrabowski Innovation Fund grant.Diane Lee, former dean of undergraduate education, has worked to make it a reality over the past two years, with Provost Rous calling her “the heart and soul of the Institute.”

The first official members of the Wisdom Institute returned to campus for a program featuring former U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski; Naomi Mburu ‘18, chemical engineering, the first UMBC student to receive the Rhodes Scholarship; Tim Hall, director of athletics at UMBC; and Ryan Odom, head coach of the history-making UMBC men’s basketball team.

Mburu shared her gratitude for the UMBC faculty and staff who have supported her in setting high goals and moving past obstacles. She reflected that the forward-thinking attitudes of UMBC mentors and their commitment to providing opportunities and support for all students have played a major role in her experience and achievements. “The Meyerhoff Scholars Program has been vital in molding me into the confident engineer that I am now,” Mburu said. “They nurtured the fire within me to instill that sense of confidence into students around me.”

Hall and Odom discussed the success of the men’s basketball team in last month’s NCAA championship tournament and highlighted the importance of stellar faculty and staff who support UMBC’s student athletes. Odom spoke about how essential it can be to hear from people who believe in you during challenging times, not just in moments of glory. “Everyone has doubts,” Odom said. “Everyone needs someone to pat them on the back and say ‘I believe in you.’”

Senator Mikulski’s 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate have had a lasting impact on people in Maryland and across the United States more broadly. When she retired from public office, Mikulski joined Johns Hopkins University as a professor of public policy, and brought her “no issue too small to take up” approach into the classroom. In this role, she is able to continue to impact the next generation of leaders, like Mburu, who want to change the world. Mikulski encourages her students, and people she meets, of all ages, to apply their knowledge and skills to causes that matter to them, no matter how big or small.

The Wisdom Institute currently includes a few dozen members, but organizers hope to expand it over time to welcome all retired faculty and staff. As the Institute grows, Diane Lee looks forward to fostering connections between its members and broader university to propel UMBC forward. In closing the kick-off event, Lee shared, “I hope as we leave today we celebrate what we’ve been able to do, we celebrate who we are, and that we continue to think about who we might become.”

Additional photos from the event can be found on the UMBC Magazine website.

Banner image: Charles Woolston, vice provost emeritus, greets colleagues and friends at the Wisdom Institute event. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

UMBC Racing will host the 2018 Baja SAE Maryland competition, where engineering students test the limits of single-seat, all-terrain vehicles they have spent the year designing and building. The event, which attracts teams from across the country and the world, will be held at Budds Creek Motocross in Mechanicsville, MD, April 19 – 22.

Throughout the weekend, each team will put their vehicle to the test in a series dynamic events and an endurance race. The teams will compete not only in racing times, but also in areas like durability and cost.

“I am most excited about the chance to compete against 100 other schools from all across the world,” said Robert Sherwood ‘20, mechanical engineering, one of the UMBC Racing team captains. “It allows us to show all the other schools what UMBC is capable of achieving.”

Each year, UMBC’s team develops one vehicle, relying on lessons learned in prior competitions. Beginning in the fall, this year’s team worked together to develop a new off-road, all-terrain vehicle that is fast, structurally strong, and meets SAE International’s strict technical requirements. Their focus has been on designing and constructing it to withstand the difficulties that come with navigating rough terrain, in preparation for challenges that will test the vehicle’s performance in various situations. On one day of the competition, the team participates in a range of events that put the acceleration, suspension, and maneuverability to the test.

“The first race of each season is the most difficult because it is the first real end-to-end challenge for the team and vehicle, and will likely reveal any deficiencies in their design or fabrication,” explained Neil Rothman, professor of practice in mechanical engineering, and faculty advisor of the UMBC Racing team. The team took a fresh approach to the vehicle design this year, focusing on simplicity and reliability so we will see how that holds up over the next 4 days of competition.

Team members share that the endurance race is one of the most exciting and challenging parts of the weekend event. During the endurance race portion of the competition, the team must drive the vehicle for four hours. The team must switch drivers out at least once, and the vehicle may stop to refuel throughout the race.

Another element of the competition is pitching the vehicle to an fictitious company. Members of the team present their vehicle as a prototype. It is then inspected based on criteria including technical elements, cost, and design, keeping in mind SAE’s requirements for a design that is “reliable, maintainable, ergonomic, and…serves a recreational user market.” Beyond the design and construction of the vehicle, this part of the competition evaluates the students on their skill in delivering a sales pitch.

In 2015, the last time the UMBC team hosted the Baja SAE Maryland competition, UMBC came in fifteenth place overall. During the 2017 season, the team placed twentieth at a competition in Illinois, and thirty-third at a competition in Kansas.

For additional details about the competition, visit the SAE International website.

UMBC is again celebrating major national recognition for talented student researchers with the announcement that Linda Wiratan ’19, biochemistry and molecular biology, has been named a 2018 – 2019 Goldwater Scholar, and Yasmin Graham ’19, mechanical engineering, received an honorable mention. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program seeks to identify and support undergraduates in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics “who show exceptional promise of becoming this nation’s next generation of research leaders.”

Wiratan began her UMBC research career as a high school senior, working with mentors Marcin Ptaszek, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and Nopondo Esemoto ’12, biochemistry and molecular biology, and a current Ph.D. student in chemistry. “She learned both theoretical concepts and experimental techniques quickly,” Ptaszek recalls.

After only a few months, she was working independently in the Ptaszek lab. During her two years in the lab, she contributed significantly to two academic papers, one of which was featured on the cover of Inorganic Chemistry. Based on her rapid progress, Ptaszek says, “I am sure in just a few years she will be a world-leading researcher.”

With gratitude for his mentorship throughout that initial lab experience, Wiratan shares, “Dr. Ptaszek’s patience and real-world advice have shaped my early successes in college and maturation as a researcher.”

Once enrolled at UMBC, Wiratan began work with Hua Lu, associate professor of biological sciences, and Chong Zhang, a postdoc in the lab. “Dr. Lu constantly encourages me to be a creative and driven scientist and cares deeply about my well-being in and out of the lab,” Wiratan shares.

Wiratan’s research today focuses on the relationship between the circadian clock and innate immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant species. Specifically, she is examining how the plant’s defense system, when activated by pathogens, can alter the plant’s circadian clock. Her results demonstrate that the relationship clearly exists, but is complex. The research has important disease-control applications for agriculture and even human medicine.

“Linda has been a key member in my laboratory to study this topic,” says Lu. Wiratan independently developed an undergraduate research award proposal and is a co-author on a research paper under revision in Nature Communications, a premier international journal.

Beyond her impressive scientific journal articles, Wiratan has also written for broader audiences. She co-authored a piece in The Conversation, an online news outlet that connects researchers with the general public. Her article introduced readers to the idea that studying plants can inform precision medicine, and it was republished in Smithsonian Magazine online. Wiratan has even founded her own social entrepreneurship organization, City of Cells, LLC, which focuses on improving the public perception of science through creative work, such as an online journal, science-inspired home furnishings, and educational animations. She does all this while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

“Disseminating science concepts to the general public is one of Linda’s ways to show her passion for research,” says Lu. “She is clearly a rising star who will make a difference in science education.”

For Wiratan, being named a Goldwater Scholar is particularly gratifying because her success has not come easily. “This scholarship symbolizes the culmination of years of hard work and endurance,” she says. “I have always loved science and research, but growing up I have been faced with so many challenges.” She thanks her mentors—Ptaszek, Lu, and Simon Stacey, director of the UMBC Honors College—for their support in helping her confront those challenges and grow a sense of inner strength, resilience, and confidence that has propelled her forward.

“Now I see the proof that I am strong enough to create my own future and inspire others,” she says. “The Goldwater Scholarship is that final push that will help me fly.”

In 2016, Daniel Ocasio ‘17, Naomi Mburu ‘18, and Andreas Seas ‘17, all chemical engineering majors, received Goldwater Scholarships.

Banner image: Linda Wiratan stands in front of flats of her research plants. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

UMBC graduate programs are among the best nationwide, according to the 2019 U.S. News Best Graduate Schools rankings, released today. The rankings recognize a dozen UMBC graduate programs including nine top-100 programs from a broad range of fields, with all three UMBC colleges represented. They are based on a survey of more than 20,500 academics and professionals, plus data on over 2,000 programs, indicating the quality of each school’s faculty, research, and students.

Graduate programs in UMBC’s College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS) appear on five separate lists across a broad range of scientific fields: biology, chemistry, math, physics, and statistics.

“Our graduate programs use cutting-edge research led by outstanding faculty to train the next generation of leaders in science and education,” said CNMS Dean Bill LaCourse. “These rankings are a reflection of our commitment to student success through rigor, passion, and inclusive excellence.”

UMBC’s College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) appears on six lists, representing computer science plus five different engineering fields: chemical, computer, electrical, mechanical, and environmental.

“The successes of the academic programs and people from our college are directly connected to the strengths we bring together in computing, information systems and engineering,” says COEIT Dean Keith J. Bowman. “Our education and research programs benefit from being part of a university that fosters leadership, innovation and collaboration across a campus that values excellence that is also inclusive.”

Dean Bowman came to UMBC in August 2017 with strong commitments to advancing research that benefits society and elevating student success, as two core aspects of maintaining high-caliber graduate programs.

UMBC’s School of Public Policy was also again included among the best in the country in this year’s U.S. Newsgraduate rankings. “The UMBC School of Public Policy has a distinguished track record of preparing students for careers in every sector of public life,” says Scott Casper, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS). “Its faculty are not just outstanding teachers, but also nationally recognized researchers in fields ranging from health and education policy to public management, law, and regulatory economics.”

The UMBC School of Public Policy welcomed Susan Sterettas its new director this past fall. She shares, “We are so excited to be building on our excellent history as we participate in important interdisciplinary initiatives, particularly in the area of health policy. Our faculty and graduate students are partnering with communities to improve our schools, serve the city of Baltimore, and spread understanding concerning cities and the economics of public policy.”

U.S. News also recognized UMBC’s psychology and fine arts graduate programs, both in CAHSS, as leaders in their fields in rankings released last year.

Today’s announcement is just the latest in a long line of U.S. News accolades for UMBC. The 2017-18. U.S. News & World Report college guide ranked UMBC the #7 Most Innovative university in the nation, #13 top national university for Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching, and one of the nation’s top universities overall on its latest Best National Universities list.

Also earlier this year, Times Higher Education recognized UMBC as one of the world’s top universities for the sixth consecutive time. The Center for World Universities honored UMBC as one of the best universities worldwide, in the top two percent of higher education institutions. Highlighting the university’s combination of outstanding academics and affordability, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance named UMBC a Best Value College for the eighth year in a row.

Banner image: Ph.D. recipient at UMBC graduate commencement, winter 2017. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.