UMBC Technology Catalyst Fund

FY20 Request for Proposals 

Announcement Date – August 13, 2019

Deadlines: An initial draft proposal must be submitted by Wednesday, September 25, 2019.  The final deadline for proposal submissions is Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Please be advised that several preliminary steps must be completed prior to final submission and applicants are advised to contact OTD at least 3 weeks in advance of the first deadline.

Background: The UMBC Office of Technology Development (OTD), under the Office of the Vice President for Research, is continually seeking ways to help bridge the funding gap – support that can be difficult to obtain from traditional funding sources. With support provided by the State of Maryland, we are happy to announce the FY 2020 UMBC Technology Catalyst Fund, which is designed to advance innovations originating from UMBC research to more commercially viable technologies. Additional proof-of-concept studies, extending data collection and prototype development are examples of the essential steps needed to demonstrate commercial potential.

A total of $100,000 is available annually for this initiative. UMBC plans to make several awards up to $25,000. Projects will be funded at the level deemed necessary to achieve the goals outlined in the proposal. Awards will be for a six- to twelve- month period and only proposals that can demonstrate achievable milestones within that time period will be selected for funding.  One-time, no-cost extensions may be granted, subject to approval by the review committee. No overhead will apply.

Requirements: All UMBC members with Principal Investigator status are eligible to apply as long as the technology to be developed has been previously disclosed to OTD. We welcome projects from all disciplines and encourage interdisciplinary collaborations.

Criteria:  All proposals will be reviewed by a committee comprised of faculty, administrative research personnel and outside reviewers from the business community, and will be held confidential. PI’s whose proposals are selected to continue onto the final round of evaluation will be notified, and the PI will be invited to give a presentation to the Review Committee. Finalists must be available to present their proposals to the review committee on Friday, November 15, 2019.

The evaluation criteria will include factors such as:

·       Significance of the market need and opportunity to impact the public.

·       Competitive advantage the technology presents over current solutions.

·       Probability that the project will result in additional funding or licensing.

·       Probability that the research results will strengthen the patent position.

·       Probability of reaching milestones within the time frame and budget.

Deadlines: An initial draft proposal must be submitted by Wednesday, September 25, 2019.  The final deadline for proposal submissions is Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Please be advised that several preliminary steps must be completed prior to final submission and applicants are advised to contact OTD at least 3 weeks in advance of the first deadline. Awards will be announced in the fall with an anticipated starting date of January 1, 2020.

Contact: Interested applicants should contact Wendy Martin, Director, OTD at wmartin@umbc.edu or call 410.455.3658 to request the Proposal Process and Executive Summary Checklist and the Cover Form.

Most new students can’t wait to get their college careers started. This group of dedicated Retrievers really couldn’t wait. Through UMBC’s new Dawg Days Abroad program, nearly 30 incoming students had the chance to travel to Bristol, England as part of a two-week international excursion. Students were able to gain college credits and start making lasting memories before classes even began.

Developing the pilot program, navigating piles of paperwork, coordinating travel logistics, and wrangling a few dozen college students in a foreign country…seems easy, right? Caylie Middleton ‘08, associate director of international education, told us just how this exciting new adventure unfolded.

This is the first time UMBC has offered a program like this. What was the process for getting Dawg Days Abroad off the ground?

This program has been in the works for about three years and has been a personal dream of mine. I’ve always wanted to reach newly-admitted students because oftentimes once students come to our office, they don’t have as much time to think about studying abroad amidst their other responsibilities and priorities.

Dawg Days Abroad is a really rare type of study abroad program that few universities in the United States offer. To start, I met with campus partners such as Admissions, the Office Academic Engagement and Transition Programs, and potential faculty leaders. I also had to start to identify external providers to map our logistic support and explore possible locations for the program.

Once everyone was on board with the program, we identified the faculty whose courses would be the best fit for potential students. Then we had to narrow down the location options to one that fit within our anticipated budget.

That’s all the easy part. The hard part comes when you start to promote the program. We had to get enough students to make our minimum enrollment. We were aiming for at least 20 students and we ended up with 29.

This program had many moving pieces and so many different parties involved. I couldn’t have done it without the collaborative effort of everyone who was a part of it.

You mentioned that not many universities are doing this type of program. What makes it so unique? 

This is a study abroad program that UMBC students complete before they start their first semester on campus. Most students don’t study abroad until their junior year, so Dawg Days students got international experience well before most others.

During their two weeks abroad, students earn four credits and get a chance to complete research, which makes this program particularly unique and valuable. Students have guided instruction on selecting a research topic and mentor, creating a poster presentation, and presenting a poster in a professional setting. Those four credits also include a one-credit “Introduction to an Honors University” component, which I taught to help students develop the skills to become successful Retrievers.

Our goals for this program are to give the students a snapshot and head start into university life and the potential they can reach. We want students to get an international and intercultural experience, form a group of friends before they start their time on campus, develop relationships with mentor on UMBC staff, and learn about the resources available to them.

The big question: What did students actually do while they were abroad? 

The program started with a day and a half on campus so students could develop some rapport with each other, get the pre-departure safety information, and do introductory coursework. We all left together to go to the airport and then flew together to London.

Once we arrived, we spent the majority of the time in Bristol, a city about two hours west of London. From there, students attended class daily and we enjoyed excursions every few days. We visited Bath to see the Roman Baths, went into the Welsh countryside, saw the Big Pit National Coal Museum, and explored social and political history on a tour of a coal mine. We did get to see a few traditional English castles while we were in the neighborhood, but most of our activities tied directly to the course content.

Other excursions included The National Gallery in London, the British Museum (to see the Rosetta Stone and explore representations of Orientalism), the National Assembly for Wales, and the Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre in Bristol. The students’ days were packed with activities and classes.

After such a successful first venture, what are your hopes for the future of the program?

Seeing this program come to fruition was so exciting. My next steps are to continue to improve and run it for the next few years. In the long term, I hope we can offer a few different pre-freshman/transfer study abroad programs in different locations for students to choose from. I believe this experience is so beneficial for both the students and our university. At least two students who participated who said they chose UMBC because we offered this study abroad program. It’s a great way to introduce future Retrievers to the fun and fascinating experiences they can access as a UMBC student.

All photos courtesy of Caylie Middleton ’08.

Description:

Description:
Under the direction of the house manager on duty, student ushers ensure that patrons have the best possible experience at SHCS. In addition to directing patrons to their seats, stuffing inserts in programs, and assisting to seat late patrons, ushers serve as ticket-takers, program handlers, lobby attendants, and help clean the concert hall after the performance. Most importantly, student ushers create a safe, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere for all patrons attending performances. Orientation is required for all student ushers. Compensation is $50/concert.

Responsibilities:

• Assist audience development and outreach efforts for all SHCS events. This may include outreach to local colleges and student organizations, submission of events to free listing websites, and development and cultivation of relationships with meet-up groups.

• Support development of content for Facebook and Twitter, and other social media platforms

• Conduct artist, market, audience, donor, and other research

• Assist in preparation of materials for the 2019-20 season and Annual Fund Campaign

Single Carrot Theatre (SCT), Baltimore’s premier alternative theatre company, creates socially relevant theatre as a form of civic engagement in Baltimore by producing vibrant, experiential performances in traditional and non-traditional theatre venues; building cross-sector partnerships; and facilitating empowering education programs. This includes three productions annually, one night events, a robust education program, and a variety of fundraising and community engagement events.

View the poster.