Living Water is having our weekly Large Group tonight Thursday, 4/9, at 7:30PM in MEYER 030!

Come out to Large Group! Join us as we learn about Theology of Immigration, how the bible calls us to be a "City on the Hill" and extend love to everyone. We saved you a seat :D

See you there!!

***reposted from CARAT***

The University System of Maryland's (USM) Wilson H. Elkins Professorship (traditional) and the Elkins Professsorship for Academic Transformation are open to UMBC faculty at the rank of Associate Professor and Professor for Academic Year 2026-2027.

Review the attached program information and the USM Wilson H. Elkins Professorship information page, which includes links to both opportunities, at https://www.usmd.edu/usm/academicaffairs/elkins.html.

Elkins Professors will exhibit, at a minimum, all the following qualifications:

• A solid record of achievement in a recognized academic or professional discipline
• Evidence of significant achievement outside traditional disciplines but linked in scholarly and professional ways to the work of the USM
• Demonstrated ability and continuing desire to lead and inspire undergraduate and graduate students in a range of learning situations
• Demonstrated ability and intent to participate in programs and activities outside the USM

Both opportunities require an institutional nomination from a Dean or Provost supporting the faculty member’s candidacy, necessitating an Internal Competition at the College level (detailed information with timeline is attached).

Qualified CAHSS faculty may prepare and submit a pre-proposal, following the attached Internal Competition instructions, to the CAHSS Dean's Office (via Box link) by April 20, 2026. Following a review of the pre-proposals, the advancers (one per professorship) will be notified to prepare complete proposals by April 24, 2026. The College-level nominated proposals will be submitted to the Provost's Office by May 10, 2026 for review and final selection, and then forwarded to the Office of the President. The UMBC nominated proposals must be routed for approval by the Office of Sponsored Programs (in Kuali) prior to submission to USM. The deadline for nomination submissions is May 22, 2026.  

Questions: Contact CARAT - Marc Ruppel, Director (mruppel@umbc.edu) or Rachel Brubaker, Associate Director (rbruba1@umbc.edu)

No matter how long you’ve taught, there is always something you can learn from your colleagues. And if you generally prepare and teach your classes in isolation, you may wish you had more opportunities to have the kinds of conversations that would enrich your teaching practice, help you improve student engagement, and deepen your sense of belonging to a community of scholars. Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) at UMBC fill this niche: An FLC is a cross-disciplinary group of 6-12 faculty who meet regularly throughout an academic year in a casual atmosphere - in person or virtually - to investigate a teaching-related topic of mutual interest. 

The Faculty Development Center is currently seeking proposals for new FLC topics. Funding may be available to support new FLCs in 2026-27. Any UMBC faculty or staff member with an interest in participating as a co-learner--not an expert--in investigating a particular need, issue, or opportunity related to teaching and learning may propose a topic for a year-long FLC. In order to entice other UMBC faculty/staff to join the FLC, topic proposals should describe in 1-2 paragraphs the importance of the topic and should suggest a few sub-topics the FLC might take up. Proposing a topic does not obligate you to facilitate the FLC. Approved topics will be announced as soon as possible. 
The deadline for topic proposals is Friday, April 24th, 2026. Please submit your proposal using this Google form.

Some current and recent FLCs have devoted their attention to topics such as:

• Fostering Resilience: Pedagogies and Strategies to Address Student Stress and Mental Health 
• Designing Humanizing Assignments in the Age of AI 
• Exploring the Design and Delivery of High Impact Experiences (HIEs) 
• Exploring Practical Metacognitive Approaches to Help Students Succeed 
• Developing Students’ AI Literacy Within and Across Disciplines
• Using AI to Enhance and Expedite Teaching
• Who Are Our Students? Exploring Student Identities and Why They Matter
• Serious Fun: Exploring the Role of Play and Humor in the Classroom
• Teaching in the Era of AI: A Multidisciplinary Conversation
• Thinking Critically about Critical Thinking
• Contemplative Pedagogies
• Flexible, Alternative, or “Un”grading Strategies 
• Teaching Creativity Across Disciplines
• Fostering pedagogies that engage and support transfer students
• Writing questions to foster deep learning and engagement

For further information about Faculty Learning Communities at UMBC, please consult the FLC page on the Faculty Development Center's website. If you would like to discuss your idea in more detail, please contact us at fdc@umbc.edu.  

Fully Furnished Room for Rent

·     Everything Included (Utilities, Internet, Washer & Dryer, Private Parking)

·     In the Heart of Arbutus (Walking Distance to Trains, Buses, Grocery Stores, Restaurants)

·     Month to Month Lease Contract

·     Male Tenant Only

·     Rent = $1000

Call, Text or Email

               443-616-1993

                 nasir2sarkar@gmail.com

Dear UMBC Community, 

Inclusive excellence is at the heart of UMBC’s identity. We are strengthening this commitment by introducing a framework that helps form a shared definition to guide our work.

The Division of Institutional Equity team has developed a draft framework for inclusive excellence, building on ideas shared by our campus community through the series UMBC Talks in 2024 and 2025. The framework is intended to articulate our shared commitments, communicate our values, guide action, inspire collaboration, and support the development and implementation of UMBC’s next strategic plan.

This spring, we are inviting the entire campus community to participate in dialogue sessions to help continue to shape the framework. These conversations are an opportunity to share your experiences, reflect on your values, and provide feedback to strengthen this work.

UMBC Talks dialogues are 90-minute, facilitated conversations led by Ciara Christian, M.A. ’18, Ph.D. ’22, director of the Center for Social Justice Dialogue, and David Hoffman, Ph.D. ’13, director of the Center for Democracy and Civic Life.

The following UMBC Talks dialogue sessions are currently scheduled:

• Friday, April 10, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m., UC 312 - Focused on faculty and staff experiences but open to all. Participants will have opportunities to connect with others who share similar UMBC affiliations. RSVP here.

• Wednesday, April 15, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., UC 312 - Open to all. Conversations will take place in mixed groups. RSVP here.

• Friday, April 24, 10 a.m. – noon, UC 312 - Focused on graduate student experiences, but open to all. Participants will have opportunities to connect with others who share similar UMBC affiliations. RSVP here.

• Friday, April 24, 2 – 4 p.m., UC 312 - Focused on undergraduate student experiences but open to all. Participants will have opportunities to connect with others who share similar UMBC affiliations. RSVP here.

• Tuesday, April 28, 3 – 5 p.m., Virtual - Open to all. Conversations will take place in mixed groups. RSVP here.

Each session will follow the same format, so you can choose the time that works best for you. We encourage you to participate and share your perspective as we shape this important work together.

Sincerely, 

Tanyka M. Barber
Vice President for Institutional Equity and Chief Diversity Officer

To view the original post, please click the link below:
https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/announcements/posts/158459

Shania- B.S. INDS 

Minors: 

• Computer Science 

Why did you choose INDS? 

I chose to major in INDS because it gives me the flexibility to combine my interest in technology, including both hardware and software, with other passions that don’t fit into just one field. It also allows me to design my education around the skills I want for my future career, leading me to reclaim my education and take control of my path.

List any UMBC faculty or staff you would like to highlight:

• Dr. Jose Arenas Gomez— He really pushed me to think outside the box and go beyond just academics. He encouraged me to explore my interests and find ways to actually weave them into my degree, which helped me make my education feel more personal and meaningful.

What are your plans for after graduation and how do you see yourself using your INDS degree?

After graduation, I plan to join the United States Air Force, where I can apply my skills in technology, problem solving, and adaptability in a real world setting. My INDS degree will allow me to bring a flexible, interdisciplinary approach to my work, helping me handle complex challenges and grow within my career.

Were you involved in any clubs or organizations?

• UMBC Catholic Retrievers
• UMBC bible study

Congrats Shania! 

We are pleased to congratulate the undergraduate students admitted to the Department of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering at UMBC for the Fall 2026 term.

Watch a welcome message from Dr. Marten, CBEE Chair, by clicking the image below.

Get ready to boost your financial know-how and take control of your future!

Join us for our annual Money Smart Week (Monday, April 13, 2026 – Friday, April 17, 2026), a week dedicated to helping you build smart money habits and make confident financial decisions.

Explore engaging workshops, interactive sessions, and valuable resources designed to meet you where you are—whether you're budgeting for the first time, learning to invest, or planning for your future!

Check out the full schedule by downloading the attached Money Smart Week 2026 Schedule

Visit the Events tab to view all session offerings

Pre-register for sessions directly in myUMBC through each event posting

Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in yourself, grow your financial skills, and have some fun along the way. We can’t wait to see you there!

Special Exhibit, RAC Track, 1st Floor- all day

Missionary Position: Power and Cultural Mediation Through the Lens of 16th Century Missionaries and Postwar Sex Workers

Isabel Kendall

Mentor: Julie Oakes, Honors College, History, Asian Studies

What does it mean to be a cultural and linguistic mediator between two nations? How does a colonial power imbalance impact this relationship? This multi-disciplinary creative project seeks to start a conversation about these questions. In this project, I explore how language is shaped by asymmetrical power dynamics and how cultural contact zones create opportunities for linguistic creativity amid significant power imbalances. I analyze two extremely different historical moments to explore how dominated groups have enacted agency throughout history, despite differences in culture or profession. The two case studies are as follows: 16th-century missionary Fray Bernardino de Sahagún’s creation of the Florentine Codex with Nahua scribes, and panpan women, a postwar phenomenon in American-occupied Japan, and their sex-work transactions with U.S. servicemen. This visual project plunges the viewer into the perspective of an intercultural communicator, informed by my research into these two case studies. The intention is for the audience to leave the exhibit with more questions to ask than answers. Further, one should leave with a greater understanding of the crucial and often misunderstood role of the linguistic interlocutor as well as its ubiquity in our past and present.

This work was funded, in part, through an Undergraduate Research Award (URA) from the UMBC Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

URCAD is Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC:

URCAD.umbc.edu

Investigating the Effects of Electronic Cigarette Vapor Exposure on the Olfactory System and Neuroinflammation in Mice

Silvi Shah

Mentors: Weihong Lin, Biological Sciences; Tatsuya Ogura, Department of Biological Sciences

RAC 050 | 2:55 – 3:10 p.m.

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) usage is a public health concern due to exposure to nicotine and other harmful substances, despite being marketed as attractive, flavored alternatives to traditional cigarettes. During vaping exposure, nicotine, flavorant metabolites, and heavy metals can interact with the olfactory system, impairing the sense of smell and disrupting brain signaling. Previous research in mice shows that e-cigarette vapor exposure disrupts olfactory bulb function, though the effects of nicotine, flavorants, and heavy metals remain unknown. This study investigates how vaping disrupts the rodent olfactory system by altering the morphology of the glomerular layer and its neuroinflammatory responses in the olfactory bulb. We hypothesize that increasing chemical components in e-cigarette vapor exacerbates neuroinflammation and olfactory disruption. Each group, containing nine to ten mice, was exposed to e-cigarette compounds (propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, e-liquid containing flavorants and nicotine, with or without heavy metals) or air for eight weeks. Post-exposure, olfactory bulb tissue was analyzed via immunohistochemistry using antibodies against VGluT2, TH, OMP, and GFAP, to determine morphological changes to olfactory glomeruli and inflammation in the olfactory bulb. We are collecting data to explore how exposure to these components, particularly flavorants and heavy metals, may contribute to neuroinflammatory and olfactory dysfunction.

Support for this research was provided by the National Institute of Health grants (T32GM066706) and (T32GM158458). Silvi Shah was supported in part by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) grant (52008090) to the UMBC Meyerhoff Scholars Program.

URCAD is Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC:

URCAD.umbc.edu