UMBC’s Office of the Provost has launched a university-wide initiative to celebrate faculty who go above and beyond as educators, scholars, and leaders on campus and in their fields. This initiative strives to highlight tenure-track junior faculty, lecturers, and adjunct, research, and clinical faculty whose work is essential to UMBC’s success. The first recipients were announced last month, and represent a broad range of disciplines.

In the College of Engineering and Information Technology, recipients were announced during a special celebration marking the end of the academic year. Chris Hennigan, assistant professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, received the Early Career Faculty Excellence Award. Gunes Koru, associate professor of information systems, received the Mid-Career Faculty Excellence Award. Chuck LaBerge, professor of practice of computer science and electrical engineering (CSEE), was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award.

In the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Pengwang Zhai, assistant professor of physics, received the 2018 Early Career Faculty Excellence Award. Tamra Mendelson, professor of biological sciences, was awarded the Mid-Career Faculty Excellence Award. Tiffany Gierasch, senior lecturer in chemistry and director of the Chemistry Tutorial Center, received the Excellence in Teaching Award.

The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences also presented awards to three faculty. The Early Career Faculty Excellence Award was presented to Corrie Parks, assistant professor of visual arts. The Mid-Career Faculty Excellence Award was awarded to Susan McDonough, associate professor of history. Andrew Nolan, senior lecturer of history and director of the UMBC history program at the Universities at Shady Grove, received the Excellence in Teaching Award.

UMBC’s Office of the Vice President for Research presented its inaugural  Research Faculty Excellence Award to Milt Halem, research professor of CSEE. Halem came to UMBC following a highly successful career at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, serving as founding director of a UMBC center focused on big-data computation and next-generation computing.

“UMBC is the academic home to over 180 research faculty who contribute their expertise and personal commitment to making UMBC a destination for cutting-edge research while providing our students with remarkable insights and opportunities,” said Karl Steiner, vice president for research, shared. He noted that Milt Halem’s “energy and expertise have been a major factor in UMBC being recognized as a major contributor to high performance computation and data analytics.”

Banner image: Library pond. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Three UMBC students have been selected to receive prestigious Boren and Gilman scholarships to study abroad this summer. The programs provide recipients with financial support to pursue international travel and immerse themselves in a new culture and language, with an eye toward their future careers.

“We know from research that studying abroad is among the most positive and impactful experiences a student can undertake while in college. Learning to function in an unfamiliar environment, developing an understanding of another culture, and acquiring proficiency in a foreign language all contribute greatly toward academic and career development,” says David Di Maria, associate vice provost for international education.

The Boren Scholarship, a National Security Education Program initiative, provides students with unique opportunities to study languages that are important to national security, but are not commonly taught in schools. Boren Scholars commit to federal government jobs related to national security for at least one year after graduating.

This year, Cody Thomas ‘18, chemical engineering, and modern languages, linguistics and intercultural communication, received the Boren Scholarship for International Study. He will travel to Kazakhstan to study the Russian language at Nazarbayev University, through a program hosted by the University of Arizona.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship provides funding to support students studying or completing internships abroad during summer- or semester-long programs, with the goal of “internationalizing their outlook and better preparing them to thrive in the global economy.” The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education support the Gilman Scholarship.

Sungheum Jo ‘19, biology, and Danielle White ‘19, chemical engineering, are two of about 1,200 students from across the United States who will participate in the Gilman Scholarship Program. Jo will study in Barcelona as part of UMBC’s faculty-led program in Spain, and White will be a participant in UMBC’s faculty-led program in Barranquilla, Colombia.

“The prestigious Boren and Gilman scholarships provide talented students with generous financial awards and unique pathways to rewarding careers with the federal government,” says Di Maria. “We are very proud of this year’s recipients and look forward to following their continued achievements.”

This year’s awards continue UMBC’s strong tradition of connecting students with international learning opportunities through competitive scholarship programs. During the 2016 – 17 year, UMBC was one of the top institutions of its size in number of Gilman Scholarships awarded. Barellie Thompson ‘17, sociology, traveled to Ghana; Danielle McGrogan ‘17, global studies, traveled to Rwanda; Emily Parks ‘18, English, traveled to India; Selam Kubrom ‘18, global studies, traveled to Costa Rica; and William Early ‘19, information systems, traveled to Japan.

Banner image: The flags in the Commons. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

A UMBC Ph.D. student and an alumna have been selected to participate in this year’s international Nobel laureate forums, which connect top student engineers and scientists from universities around the globe with the world’s leading scientific researchers.

Kavita Krishnaswamy ‘07, computer science and mathematics, and Ph.D. ‘18, computer science, will attend the Heidelberg Laureate Forum, and Naomi Mburu ‘18, chemical engineering, will attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Forum. William Easley ‘13, information systems management, M.S. ‘15, human-centered computing, and Ph.D. ‘22, human-centered computing, was also nominated to participate in the Heidelberg Laureate Forum.

“These competitive events bring great minds, who have been recognized for outstanding scientific achievement, together with a new generation of scientists, who are considered to be among the top young minds from countries around the world,” explains Renetta Tull, associate vice provost for strategic initiatives. She is delighted to say, “This year, we have not one, but two students from UMBC who will receive this significant honor.”  

Mburu, the first UMBC student to receive the Rhodes Scholarship, will attend the 68th Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting, June 24 – 29, in Lindau, Germany. The meeting brings approximately 500 undergraduate and Ph.D. students, and post-doctoral researchers together from around the globe to promote connections between scientists across generations, cultures, and disciplines. Each year the focus of the meeting changes to address topics including physiology, medicine, physics, and chemistry.

“I am beyond excited to be attending this meeting with 40+ Nobel laureates and brilliant students from around the world,” says Mburu. “There will be opportunities to both network and speak with the Nobel laureates, while celebrating different cultures and learning more about advances in medicine and physiology.”

In addition to her most recent honors, Mburu received a Goldwater Scholarship in 2016. She has also already conducted research at European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland.

During the one-week-long Heidelberg Laureate Forum, Krishnaswamy will have the opportunity to connect and network with leaders in the fields of mathematics and computer science. The forum will be held at Heidelberg University in Germany, September 22 – 28.

Krishnaswamy is one of just 200 students from around the world selected to participate in the Heidelberg Laureate Forum. She shares, “I am very thankful for the opportunity to represent UMBC and help promote the public understanding of mathematics and computer science from the perspective of improving the quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities through the advancement of robotics.”

Krishnaswamy’s previous honors include being named a Microsoft Fellow and received the Google Lime Scholars in 2017, prestigious honors that recognize emerging scholars in computing who are dedicated to increasing diversity in the industry.

“At UMBC we think of our university as an institution committed to inclusive excellence that prepares students who can compete on a global scale,” Tull reflects. “Kavita and Naomi’s awards signify that others around the world agree.”

Banner image: Nobel Prize. Photo by Flickr user Adam Baker under license CC BY 2.0.

UMBC students have rewritten the record books in 2018. With graduation around the corner, and our soon-to-be new Retriever alumni preparing for graduate school, careers, and research around the world, we reflect on all they have achieved.

UMBC celebrates two valedictorians for the Class of 2018. Valedictorian Kara Seidel ‘18, psychology, a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, discovered a particular passion for supporting families dealing with trauma through several intensive research and internship experiences. These include work at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in an HIV and addiction lab, a research internship at the American Psychological Association, and work as lead research assistant in the Trauma Lab of Christopher Murphy, professor and chair of psychology.

Seidel is particularly appreciative of the opportunities for hands-on learning that she accessed in her time at UMBC, as well as mentorship that paired high expectations with support. She says:

One of the best things about UMBC is how supportive professors and staff are. They tell you the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it. They see potential in you and encourage you to take each mistake as a learning experience. Their ongoing support helped me feel confident about pursuing a wide range of opportunities.

Seidel will work as a behavioral therapist and researcher for the next year, before beginning a Ph.D. program in psychology, with a focus on supporting families experiencing trauma.

Valedictorian Eudorah Vital ‘18, biochemistry and molecular biology, is a Meyerhoff Scholar, MARC U*STAR Scholar, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scholar. She pursued research from her earliest days as a freshman at UMBC, quickly advancing in Rachel Brewster’s developmental biology lab. She has already co-authored two papers in top-tier academic journals, and a third is coming soon.

Vital is also an advocate for community support, and shares that her professors and friends have been essential to her growth and success, saying, “I did not make it through alone.” In recognition of this support, she has become a mentor and tutor for undergraduates newer to her field. She shares:

UMBC prepares its students to be productive members of society, who strive to understand others and bring people together. I came to UMBC thinking I knew what I wanted to do, and I am leaving with a refined version of my goals, which reflect the values of inclusivity, support, and grit.

With a commitment to pursuing clinically relevant research, Vital will soon begin Emory University’s neurobiology M.D./Ph.D. program.

UMBC’s 2018 history-makers include the graduating Retrievers of the men’s basketball team.

K.J. Maura ‘18, sociology, took a few twists and turns in his college journey, as he found his path from Puerto Rico to UMBC. Once he put on the Retriever jersey, he got to work making a lasting impact, and by 2018 he was named the America East Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He helped lead the charge in UMBC’s NCAA round one victory of University of Virginia, 74-54. How does Maura think about his success? It’s all about reaching for greatness together, as a team, he says:

The chemistry and the friendships we have built helped us stay focused on our goals. I’m thankful for my teammates and coaching staff. Every single person on the team played a role to help us reach together and I’m proud to call them family.

When Joe Sherburne ‘18, financial economics, traveled from Wisconsin to Maryland to attend UMBC, he couldn’t have anticipated where that path would lead. He has skillfully balanced academics and athletics, becoming the first UMBC and first America East Conference men’s basketball player to ever be named to the Academic All-America Division I Basketball First Team. Sherburne served as a captain for the history-making 2017-18 men’s basketball team and still maintained his place on the President’s List each semester. After graduating, he will continue to play for UMBC while pursuing his master’s degree in data science.

Jourdan Grant ‘18, media and communication studies, holds the record for playing the most men’s basketball games in UMBC history. NCAA showcased his exuberance after dethroning no. one seed University of Virginia in this year’s “One Shining Moment” tournament highlights video. Reflecting on his college experience, Grant shares:

UMBC has prepared me in the way that the university has a standard in how you carry yourself and really embrace success.

Also a member of the Class of 2018 is UMBC’s first Rhodes Scholar, Naomi Mburu ‘18, chemical engineering, who will next pursue a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering at Oxford. Mburu is a Meyerhoff Scholar, MARC U*STAR Scholar, and recipient of the highly prestigious Goldwater Scholarship, as well as president of UMBC’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.

Mburu has conducted notable research at UMBC and around the world. In the lab of Gymama Slaughter, associate professor of computer science and electrical engineering, she worked to help develop a bioreactor to extend the viability of human organs awaiting transplant. She has also brought her passion for learning and creating new solutions to internships at Intel, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland. She will soon travel to Europe to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, which invites the world’s top emerging scientists to meet with thirty Nobel laureates.

UMBC’s Class of 2018 includes thousands of phenomenal graduates.

In the arts, humanities, and social sciences, Shirley Basfield Dunlap, Ph.D. ‘18, language, literacy, and, culture, is finishing her doctorate at the age of 65 after steadfastly completing one course a semester for nearly a decade. She will apply her dissertation research on the history of African American stage directors to her work as coordinator of theatre arts at Morgan State University. Emmanuel Mones ‘18, visual arts, will launch a men’s streetwear brand and magazine designed to promote public dialog about gender, sexuality, and equality. Flora Kirk ‘18, ancient studies, has already traveled the world to study ancient coins, and will next research Roman coinage in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, as a Fulbright Scholar.

Among UMBC’s impressive STEM scholars, men’s club lacrosse team captain Greg Huxtable ‘18, physics and mathematics, will build on his high-level research in quantum computing through a Ph.D. at UC Irvine. Arissa Falat ‘18, biochemistry and molecular biology, an award-winning professional figure skater, will pursue a Pharm.D./J.D. at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. After multiple internships with Google, CWIT Scholar Katherine Dillon ‘18, computer science, will soon work as a software engineer at the company’s San Francisco campus.

To learn about these students and more from across the university, see UMBC’s Class of 2018 profiles:

Summer Akhtar, political science and financial economics
Mohammad Arif Ul Alam, Ph.D., information systems
Janae Baptiste, Ph.D., chemistry
Mollye Bendell, M.F.A., intermedia and digital arts
Morgan Chadderton, modern languages, linguistics and intercultural communication
Ciara Christian, M.A., applied sociology
Kaylin Corsiatto, psychology
Todd Cox, financial economics
Adrian Davey, chemical engineering
Andrea Davis, sociology
Katherine Dillon, computer science
Shirley Basfield Dunlap, Ph.D., language, literacy, and culture
Richard Elliott, American studies and political science
Soheila Escobar, information systems
Arissa Falat, biochemistry and molecular biology
Jourdan Grant, media and communication studies
Ke He, Ph.D., chemical, biochemical and environmental engineering
Stormy Hill, applied statistics
Greg Huxtable, physics and mathematics
Flora Kirk, ancient studies
Sophia Lopresti, global studies
Joshua Massey, computer engineering
K.J. Maura, sociology
Naomi Mburu, chemical engineering
Emmanuel Mones, visual arts
Daniel Morris, biochemistry and molecular biology
Marie Pessagno, social work and gender and women’s studies
Max Poole, computer science, mathematics, and economics
Priyanka Ranade, information systems
Kourtney Rutkowski, mechanical engineering
Maia Schechter, dance
Marc Schultz, political science and global studies
Kara Seidel, psychology
Jamshaid Shahir, mathematics and statistics
Joe Sherburne, financial economics
Adaku Uchendu, mathematics
Bryan Vanek, computer science
Manisha Vepa, economics and global studies
Eudorah Vital, biochemistry and molecular biology
Doopashika Welikala, biological sciences and anthropology
Jonathan Werner, bioinformatics and computational biology
Noah Zazanis, psychology
Morgan Zepp, English and global studies

Top image: Orientation Peer Advisors cheer for UMBC in the Commons, Spring 2018. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Cancer is most devastating when it metastasizes—when tumor cells break away, travel through the bloodstream, and then attach elsewhere, only to grow another tumor. A significant amount of scientific research has focused on finding ways to prevent metastasis. For some time, scientists have understood that a particular biochemical pathway, known as the PDK1 pathway, is active in metastasizing cancer cells. But no one knew why.

In a new paper published in PLOS ONE, Songon An and colleagues have shown for the first time that the PDK1 pathway regulates the formation of a three-protein complex that facilitates two chemical pathways: One builds purines (two of the four building blocks of DNA) and the other produces thiamine, a B vitamin. While it’s still unknown how purine and thiamine levels contribute to metastasis, the authors hypothesize ways they could be related, and they are planning further research to reveal any links.

For example, the three-protein core complex that PDK1 regulates is sometimes joined by three more proteins. Together, the six proteins form a larger complex called the purinosome, which carries out all 10 reactions necessary to build purines. Without the three peripheral proteins, however, purine production only goes halfway, and the molecule the core complex makes is more likely to end up as the vitamin thiamine.

Making purines is an energy-intensive process, so one hypothesis is that decreasing purine production during metastasis helps the cell survive while it is detached from a nutrient source like an organ. “Looking at this metabolic switch—which pathways are in use during metastasis versus when the cell is attached—may be where our research goes in the future,” says An.

The team’s immediate next step is to validate the function of the three-protein core complex. After that, they’ll investigate whether the core complex and the six-protein purinosome are actively coming together and breaking apart in metastatic cells. “Blocking those dynamics could be an alternative way to block metastasis,” An says.

A broader goal for An and collaborator Greg Szeto, UMBC assistant professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, is to map the various protein complexes and the signaling pathways they regulate in cancer cells. “We want to put every signaling pathway into the same context,” An explains. “Whenever the proteins have different spatial assemblies, we would like to know which pathways are on and which ones are turned down.”

So far, the researchers have only looked at one pathway at a time (such as PDK1), but by using a cutting-edge technique that can detect many proteins at once within a cell, “now we are going to target multiple signaling pathways at the same time, so that we can understand the complete picture of the regulatory map for purine metabolism.” That knowledge could provide more new insights into the causes of metastasis and how to prevent it.

Image: Songon An and Danielle Schmidt in the lab. Photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

The American Association of Immunologists has selected Greg Szeto, assistant professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, as one of just ten scientists nationwide to participate in its prestigious Public Policy Fellows Program (PPFP). During the 2018-2019 year, Szeto will work to better understand how national policies impact biomedical research, and how he can use this knowledge to inform his future work.

Each year the AAI, selects a small group of junior scientists who are emerging as leaders in biomedical research to take a deep dive into understanding how public policy intersects with their work. Fellows also explore the role of the president of the United States, the president’s administration, the U.S. Congress, and the National Institutes of Health in creating and implementing policies that shape biomedical studies today. The program culminates with a multi-day visit to Capitol Hill in 2019 with AAI public policy committee members, fellows, and legislators.

Szeto’s research focuses on using engineering approaches to discover basic immunology and develop immunotherapy and drug delivery platforms. In 2017, he received funding from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation to develop experimental tests and computational models that could assist physicians in more accurately predicting how individual patients with multiple myeloma will respond to immunotherapy. The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation currently funds work in Szeto’s lab on rapid cell engineering for cancer immunotherapy.

As a public policy fellow, Szeto looks forward to attending AAI meetings and training sessions, participating in events on Capitol Hill, and meeting with members of Congress to advocate for increased funding to support the advancement of biomedical research.

“It is a core responsibility for all scientists to advocate for science. For those of us who are lucky enough to also be training future scientists, we must have a refined understanding of the broader context that shapes the science and careers of our labs and our trainees,” says Szeto. “The knowledge and experience I acquire from the PPFP will be translated into sustained regional and national advocacy for the rest of my career.”

Several UMBC faculty have taken advantage of the university’s proximity to the nation’s capital to complete policy-oriented fellowship programs in Washington, D.C. Most recently, Christy Ford Chapin, associate professor of history, participated in the prestigious Kluge  Fellowship at the U.S. Library of Congress, and Diana Parr, adjunct instructor for the cybersecurity graduate program, participated in the Brookings Legis Congressional Fellows Program.

Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Dozens of retired faculty and staff 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.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded prestigious Graduate Research Fellowships (GRF) to 10 UMBC-affiliated STEM students, including eight 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.”

Randi Williams ’16, M24, computer engineering, received a fellowship for her work as a master’s student in the personal robots group at the MIT Media Lab. She studies children’s interactions with artificial intelligence and is developing a curriculum to help young children learn about AI by building, programming, and training their own autonomous robots. “I was drawn to this research because of my interest in developing a platform that helps decrease the technology gap for low-income and underrepresented communities in tech,” she says.

Williams finds the work rewarding because it combines her aptitude for engineering with her passion for education and social justice. “The greatest thing about receiving the fellowship is support and validation for my diverse research interests,” she shares. “I’m looking forward to chasing my dreams and being a bridge between disciplines.”

Jonathan Werner ’18, M26, bioinformatics and computational biology, has been conducting research with Rachel Brewster, professor of biological sciences, since his freshman year. By studying zebrafish development, “we aim to provide the basic research necessary for the future clinical treatment of neural tube birth defects, the most common birth defects in humans,” he says.

Werner’s interests span computer science and traditional experimental biology. “In graduate school, I’m hoping to join both a computational lab and an experimental lab to further train as an interdisciplinary scientist,” he says, “and winning the NSF GRF gives me the freedom to do so. It’s going to allow me to be as creative as I want when designing my graduate research projects, which I’m really looking forward to.”

Jamshaid Shahir ’18, M26, mathematics and statistics, works with Hye-Won Kang, assistant professor of mathematics and statistics, on mathematically modeling the dynamics of cell polarization—how cells develop distinct front and back ends. That process allows cells to move and transmit information. It is particularly important for wound healing, the immune system, and embryonic development.

“Winning the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship is a powerful affirmation that I can both pursue and excel in a research career,” Shahir says. “I look forward to the freedom of pursuing questions that interest me, and growing as a researcher.”

All three 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.”

2018 UMBC-affiliated NSF Graduate Research Fellows:

William Dean ’16, chemistry
Sarah Hemler ’15, mechanical engineering
Teisha King ’16, biological sciences
Rachael Knoblauch ’15, theatre, and current Ph.D. student in chemistry
Samantha McDonald ’16, information systems
Sean Najmi ’17, chemical engineering
Jamshaid Shahir ’18, mathematics
Gwenaëlle Thomas ’16, biochemistry and molecular biology
Jonathan Werner ’18, bioinformatics and computational biology
Randi Williams ’16, computer engineering
Jasmin Zarb ’16, biochemistry and molecular biology

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

Roy Anderson ’16, mechanical engineering
Anya Byrd ’18, biological sciences
Adrian Davey ’18, chemical engineering
Skylar Fisher, ’16, biological sciences
Alvaro Fletcher ’16, mathematics
Kori McDonald ’16, chemistry
Theresa Sheets ’18, mathematics

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

Naomi Mburu
B.S., Chemical Engineering
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Ellicott City, Maryland
Plans: Ph.D., University of Oxford

As a scientist interested in cross-disciplinary research, UMBC faculty have supported me in confidently conducting research and co-authoring work in scientific journals in research projects that combine chemical engineering with electrical engineering, biology, and chemistry.

When Naomi Mburu arrived at UMBC, she hit the ground running and never turned back, as an exceptional student, researcher, peer mentor, campus leader, and passionate advocate for increasing diversity in STEM fields. She is a Meyerhoff Scholar and MARC U*STAR Scholar, and the first UMBC student to receive the Rhodes Scholarship. In 2016, she was also one of three chemical engineering undergraduate students to receive the highly prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship.

Mburu has conducted research at UMBC and around the world, including under the direction of Gymama Slaughter, associate professor of computer science and electrical engineering, to develop a bioreactor to extend the viability of human organs awaiting transplant. The project involved developing sensors to track glucose and lactic acid levels to ensure that the organs remain healthy as they are transported to a recipient.

Mburu’s work with mechanical engineering faculty at Vanderbilt University formed the basis of her application for the Goldwater Scholarship. She has also brought her passion for engineering and research to internships at Intel, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland. She recently was one of 500 students from around the world selected to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, which bring together researchers from around to world to promote collaboration across generations, cultures, and disciplines.

Outside of the classroom, Mburu previously served as president of the UMBC chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and was named the Region II Vice Chairperson this year, in addition to being the Pre-College Initiative chair for the organization. The national NSBE organization presented Mburu with the Region II Executive Board Member of the Year award. She also received the Academic Achievement Award at the 2018 Black Engineer of the Year Award Gala.

As a Rhodes Scholar, Mburu will attend Oxford University in England to pursue her Ph.D. in engineering.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Ke He
Ph.D., Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
Hometown: Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
Plans: Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Maryland School of Medicine

As an international student, the diverse and friendly circumstances in UMBC really helped me to settle down in this completely new environment.

Over the six years that Ke He has been a Ph.D. student at UMBC, he has conducted research alongside many passionate peers and faculty who, like him, are committed to improving water safety.

He explains that his faculty advisor Lee Blaney, associate professor of chemical, biochemical and environmental engineering, has had a profound impact on his research. He studied contaminants of emerging concern, such as antibiotics, hormones, and UV-filters, and their effects on the environment. To understand how these substances impact human and ecological health, He examined crayfish collected from a watershed in Baltimore.

The work that He conducted has been featured in media outlets, including an article in The Conversation (republished by CBS News) about commonly-used personal care products that have been found to impact water sources. He traveled to Hawaii to do research, and this work will likely play a role in regulating sunscreens that have been shown to harm coral reefs.

For three years, He served as a senator in the Graduate Student Association (GSA) at UMBC. The GSA recognized He’s distinguished service to the organization by presenting  him with the 2016 Outstanding Senator Award. He also was the chair of the Chinese Student and Scholar Association at UMBC, and served on the Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering Graduate Student Association’s executive board.

He has received notable awards supporting and recognizing research papers delivered at academic conferences across the United States. In 2017, He received a Travel Award from the National Environmental Monitoring Conference, in recognition of his distinguished presentation. The American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Division of Environmental Chemistry awarded He a Certificate of Merit Award in 2016, a Best Poster Award in 2014, and a Certificate of Merit Award in 2014.

While He has contributed significantly to the university, GSA, and his field in his six years at UMBC, he shares that he is also grateful for the support he has received from the UMBC community in that time, saying, “The research and travel grant from Graduate Student Association and the support from Graduate School for parental leave offered me more opportunities and balanced my life and doing research.” He plans to continue research in environmental engineering through a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.