UMBC’s values and mission are what unite this community of Retrievers together. When we work in service of our students and our academic mission of inclusive excellence, it’s hard not to feel connected to the work on another level. The ongoing success of those shared efforts has been recognized once again by ModernThink’s Great Colleges to Work For survey. 

This is UMBC’s 16th year of recognition, and 14th on the Honor Roll—a distinction that goes to the top 10 four-year colleges recognized the greatest number of times in each enrollment size category.

“It is no accident that UMBC has been recognized as a Great College to Work For for more than 15 years running,” says President Valerie Sheares Ashby. “UMBC staff and faculty are dedicated to one another, to our students, and to our mission. That dedication inspires us to continually improve, to support the growth of others, and to participate in setting the course for our future. I am grateful every single day for this extraordinary community.” 

ModernThink surveys current employees, and based on responses, UMBC fell into nine recognition categories, including Mission and Pride; Faculty and Staff Well-Being; Shared Governance; Inclusion, Belonging, and Community; and more.

“Our faculty and staff are the best of the best and work to provide an environment where our students can thrive,” says Lynne Adams, associate vice president and chief human resources officer. “I am so proud of the passion and compassion that our employees continue to show each day. We come together as one with one focus and that is demonstrated in big and small ways throughout campus. It is truly exciting that our university continues to be celebrated as one of the top places to work each year.”   

Students from across the College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) spent the summer diving into research—embarking on new projects or deepening their focus. The college celebrated their work in August with a poster session and networking lunch. Students showcased their research on diverse topics including how artificial intelligence can help K-12 teachers monitor student engagement; how best to model environmental phenomena like wildfires and cloud patterns; and how the sex hormone estradiol affects the behavior of blood platelets, which play an essential role in healthy blood clotting.

Julia Chapman, a rising senior in mechanical engineering who conducted research on a mathematical model that replicates aircraft wing flutter, says she was inspired by the curiosity on display at the poster session. “I’m so thankful for the opportunity to share my summer research and engage in thoughtful conversations,” she says.

“I really enjoyed sharing my work with faculty and fellow students. Since everyone comes from different backgrounds, the variety of questions helped me see my research from multiple perspectives,” says Zahid Hassan Tushar, a Ph.D. candidate in information systems who presented his research studying how machine learning techniques can help predict properties of clouds and aerosols from data gathered by one of NASA’s recently launched Earth-observing satellites. 

Many of the participating students were supported through the inaugural COEIT Student Summer Projects (CSSP) awards, which provided stipends to 10 students—both graduate and undergraduate—across all academic departments of the college. 

The CSSP-funded students were joined by faculty-nominated members of various labs across COEIT and students from REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) programs—National Science Foundation-funded opportunities that bring undergraduates from around the country to UMBC for summer research. The students’ summer research experience also included attending professional development seminars, in which campus leaders shared their own research journeys and COEIT faculty ran skill-development workshops on topics such as making effective presentations, writing papers, and more. 

“The poster session was the culmination of a summer of research exploration for our students, and it was an honor to meet them and learn about their work,” says COEIT Dean Jeanne van Briesen. “Their excitement at the challenges they’d faced and the new ideas they’d generated reminded me of why I love research!”

“It was an honor to celebrate the hard work of these students,” says Vandana Janeja, associate dean for research and faculty development in COEIT. “We look forward to seeing where our students’ curiosity leads us next.” 

Robert Barry spent his undergraduate years thinking about the past, not the recent past, but the Minoan Bronze Age civilization of ancient Greece, which existed approximately 1750 to 1050 BC. This was not a passion Barry brought to UMBC. In fact, he had no interest in archeology and had never heard of the Minoan civilization until he chose to learn Greek with Michael Lane, associate professor of ancient studies, during his sophomore year. 

The language class set off an unexpected domino effect. Barry enjoyed learning from Lane, which piqued his interest in his archeology classes. He soon found himself enrolling in one archeology class after another, eventually preparing him to spend three summers working on an archeological site in mainland Greece. “What caught my eye was the art and architecture of Minoan civilization. I’ve always been interested in material culture with my degree in ancient studies and visual arts, but I became more interested in ancient civilizations,” says Barry. “I wanted to learn more about how people use art and architecture as expressions of individuality and power.”

Having the courage to pursue the unexpected led Barry to two prestigious opportunities that could help launch his career in ancient studies. This spring, Barry received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to study archeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and was admitted to the University of Oxford’s Master’s of Philosophy in Classical Archaeology. Barry, who had to choose between the two opportunities, ultimately decided on the program at Oxford, excited at being involved in research with leading experts. 

“One of the reasons I chose Oxford is the network of field archeologists whom I had heard about from peers at Oxford,” says Barry. “I am interested in working with an expert in Aegean palace economies. I decided to accept the offer so that I could work with Lisa Bendall, associate professor in Aegean archeology.”

Barry leaves for Oxford in October, but not without imparting some advice to his fellow Retrievers that inspired him to apply for both opportunities, “Apply to whatever programs you want to pursue. It is better to apply now and get rejected than regret that you never tried later on.”

Learn more about UMBC’s global education opportunities.

Matthew Kvalheim, assistant professor of mathematics, was one of only about 20 scholars who spoke at a conference celebrating the 95th birthday of Stephen Smale, one of the most influential mathematicians alive today. Held July 21 – 22, 2025, at the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing in Berkeley, California, the invitation to present was an honor for Kvalheim, who joined the UMBC faculty in 2023.

Stephen Smale, a Fields Medalist (an award often likened to a Nobel Prize in mathematics), revolutionized fields like topology and dynamical systems. His groundbreaking work, which Kvalheim uses as a basis for his own research, has shaped modern mathematics. 

Kvalheim’s research explores systems that evolve over time. Specifically, he studies “asymptotically stable” systems—those that naturally settle into a predictable state, like a pendulum coming to rest. Kvalheim’s talk at the conference built on Smale’s foundational discoveries, using them to determine whether certain system behaviors are possible or fundamentally unattainable. 

“It was a great privilege to speak about Professor Smale’s legacy, and in particular the deep impact his work has had on one of my projects funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research,” Kvalheim says. “The result of this project, which relies heavily on Smale’s breakthrough solution of a mathematical puzzle known as the ‘generalized Poincaré conjecture,’ helps us understand limitations in designing stable real-world systems.”

This work has far-reaching implications, from ensuring the safety of autonomous vehicles to optimizing complex robotics. By developing mathematical tools that apply across diverse applications, Kvalheim’s research offers universal insights into what systems can and cannot do, blending creativity with mathematical rigor to tackle fundamental questions with real-world impact. 

Learn more about UMBC’s programs in mathematics and statistics. 

Yasmine Kotturi, an assistant professor of human-centered computing, was selected by the Computing Research Association (CRA) to be part of the inaugural cohort of Trustworthy AI Research Fellows. The fellowship program, sponsored by Microsoft, supports researchers working to integrate ethical and societal considerations into computing research, particularly in the field of AI. The nine inaugural fellows hail from institutions across the U.S. and bring expertise in the social sciences together with computing knowledge. 

“I’m most excited about building connections with fellow scholars who are reimagining what trustworthy AI looks like—especially across institutions and disciplines—to fundamentally shift how we teach and practice computing,” says Kotturi, whose research focuses on designing and building sociotechnical systems that support worker resilience, especially among those navigating precarious employment and entrepreneurship. “At a time when civic participation feels increasingly urgent, I see this work as essential to preparing technologists to engage with both the technical and social realities of their practice,” she says. 

The researchers began their work with a virtual kick-off meeting in July and will attend a four-day, in-person field school in August. Over the course of the 15-month fellowship, they will engage in collaborative research, contribute to the development of a national trustworthy AI lexicon and framework, and help lead initiatives at CRA partner institutions.

“This inaugural cohort brings a remarkable range of expertise, insight, and passion to the challenges of building more trustworthy AI,” says Mary L. Gray, senior principal researcher at Microsoft Research and the chair of the CRA Trustworthy AI Fellowship Advisory Committee, in an announcement of the cohort selection. “I can’t wait to get started and see what they accomplish together.”

Joseph Bennett, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and Mona Layegh, Ph.D. ’25, chemistry, know how hard it can be to teach density functional theory (DFT) to undergraduates. DFT is a computational method for predicting a substances’ properties at the quantum level, such as how they conduct electricity or react with other compounds. Despite its complexity, DFT is a foundational technique that underpins research in fields like renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and nanotechnology, so it’s critical that students understand it and know how to apply it.

To address the challenge of teaching DFT well, Bennett and Layegh coauthored a tutorial on teaching the technique, which was published in the Journal of Chemical Education. Their paper was the first ever published in the journal’s brand new Tutorial section, which was inspired by their submission and a need to develop more training tools. 

The tutorial, refined over five years of training UMBC students in DFT, is paired with open-source resources on GitHub, including ready-to-use files and visualizations. These allow instructors at community colleges or in areas with limited internet to teach the concepts even without advanced computers.

“If you can erase some of the hurdles to make DFT a little bit more accessible, more students can get into it,” Bennett says.

In sharing these teaching tools, UMBC is leveling the playing field, making it possible for students in all kinds of learning environments to master this core technique. As a result, they’ll be better prepared for careers in growing industries like technology and healthcare, where they may go on to design better batteries, solar panels, life-saving drugs, and more. 

This summer UMBC is partnering with the Maryland Department of Disabilities to upgrade nine teaching labs in the Meyerhoff Chemistry Building. The updates will allow students with mobility disabilities to fully participate in critical chemistry and biochemistry lab courses. 

Sinks, lab benches, cabinets, fume hoods, specialized equipment stations, and more will all be constructed that are accessible for wheelchair users. A research lab will be similarly modified to allow students with disabilities to gain research experience.

“These projects are a part of an ongoing campus-wide effort to remove barriers to access throughout our campus buildings,” Celso Guitian, UMBC’s campus planner, says. 

A lecture hall in the Engineering Building is also being renovated this summer. The changes are similar to those made in lecture halls in the Administration, Meyerhoff Chemistry, and Biological Sciences buildings in recent years to create multiple spaces for wheelchair-users with fold-down desk tablets, both at the front and rear of the lecture hall. TV monitors will help students with vision disabilities who may not be able to see the whiteboard or screen at the front of these lecture halls. And seating size variations, including standing-desk options, accommodate students of varied body types and disabilities, including supporting pregnant students and students with orthopedic challenges. Assisted listening technology and an area for sign language interpreters support students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Other projects under construction this summer include accessibility upgrades in four Biological Sciences Building restrooms and elevator upgrades in several academic buildings.

“The Office of Accessibility & Disability Services greatly values our longstanding partnership with Facilities Management to assist us in the mission of inclusive access and elimination of barriers for all UMBC community members,” says Tawny McManus, assistant vice president for accessibility. “Improving our teaching labs allows increased participation of our students with disabilities and shows them UMBC welcomes everyone here.”

UMBC recently unveiled a new organic pollinator garden at the Center for Well-Being. The new garden builds on years of work to support wildlife on campus, including pollinator gardens, enhanced habitat at the Library Pond, increasing use of native plants in campus flower beds, a major stream restoration of Herbert Run, and a commitment to long-term conservation of The Knoll, a forest patch on campus that includes trees older than the university.

The new pollinator garden qualifies as a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat and a Monarch Watch Waystation. The garden includes milkweed plants funded by a grant from Monarch Watch and additional species from Chesapeake Natives, a local nonprofit dedicated to supplying plants native to the coastal and Piedmont regions of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed for home and public landscapes. 

The new garden and the UMBC sustainability and grounds teams’ other work to promote ecosystem health on campus also brings UMBC one step closer to achieving the next level in the Green Grounds certification program. 

“I am excited that UMBC continues to invest in native habitats on our campus. I’m inspired by the amount of wildlife activity I encounter when I walk around, and it reminds me we can create flourishing habitats even in small spaces,” shares Taylor Smith, assistant director of sustainability. “The new pollinator garden is already filling in, and our pollinators are loving it!”

UMBC senior track and field student-athlete Anjayooluwa “Jayo” Adegboyo, biochemistry and molecular biology, was named the 2025 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. The publication sponsors the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards to honor students of color who have excelled in the classroom and on the athletic field and demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership. Adegboyo was chosen from among 700 nominated student-athletes in the country for best exemplifying the standards of scholarship, athleticism, and humanitarianism.

Adegboyo is a sprinter in track and field. He is a member of the bronze-winning 4x400m team that set a new school record during the 2023-2024 season. He also posted the second fastest time in school history in the 400 meters at the America East Conference Championships.

Off track, he volunteers at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Trauma Resuscitation Unit and the Howard County Food Bank. He also serves as a mentor to younger peers in the chemistry, biology, and physics departments and conducts research to investigate how metabolic nutrients arrange inside cells to discover markers for cancer cells versus normal cells.

“Since his arrival to UMBC, Jayo has brought his dynamic approach to his athletic and academic experiences,” said UMBC head track and field coach David Bobb ’02. “Jayo’s fun-loving personality disguises his relentless pursuit of excellence, and that combination makes him an obvious asset.”

A dynamic research ecosystem was on display in a series of events showcasing existing projects and encouraging new collaborations across the College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) this spring.

On April 11, the second annual COEIT Research Day brought together more than 180 students and faculty from COEIT’s four academic departments, as well as outside speakers and visitors. Attendance increased by around 20 percent from last year’s inaugural Research Day. 

More than 100 researchers presented either talks or posters at the meeting, and several students won awards for their posters and were recognized at the COEIT Awards and Celebration event on May 4.

“A major success of this year’s Research Day was the presence of visitors and speakers from industry, nonprofits, and government,” says Vandana Janeja, the associate dean for research in COEIT. “The event gave these guests an opportunity to visit UMBC and to engage in the vibrant research happening within COEIT, making connections with our research community that we hope to see grow into long-lasting partnerships.”

The college also launched a new call for COEIT Interdisciplinary Proposals. Last year, COEIT funded 11 projects from teams made up of researchers from two or more academic departments. The teams presented their results at this year’s event, on topics ranging from cybersecurity in manufacturing to thermally stable energy-harvesting materials. 

On May 2, the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering also hosted its annual research day, bringing together faculty, staff, and students to highlight the department’s latest advancements in research, from robotics to AI weather forecasting.