In August 2011, hundreds of Environment Canada scientists and staff working on environmental monitoring received notice their positions were targeted for elimination. Ray Hoff, Professor of Physics, at UMBC and his colleagues published a commentary this week in the American Geophysical Union’s publication Eos criticizing Environment Canada’s cuts, the first such criticism from U.S. scientists.

Hoff and his colleagues say that research conducted by scientists in Canada has been instrumental in the success of international agreements such as the Montreal Protocol, international legislation that has successfully reduced atmospheric levels of ozone depleting substances.

Other international agreements that may be endangered by the cuts are the Vienna Convention to Protect Ozone Layer, the Ottawa Declaration, Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, U.S. Canada Air Quality Agreement, and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

With the loss of so many scientists who conduct environmental research in this part of the world, say Hoff and his colleagues, it is not clear whether Canada will be able to keep its commitment to these agreements.

Read the commentary
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Constantine Vaporis, professor of history and director of the Asian studies program, is a consultant and writer on a new exhibit opening at Washington D.C.’s National Geographic Museum on March 7.  “Samurai: The Warrior Transformed” examines the transformations experienced by Japan’s samurai and is built around material artifacts of samurai culture, including gifts of the same given by the Japanese government to American presidents and mid-nineteenth century portraits of the warriors. A companion exhibit displays images by writer, photographer and geographer Eliza Scidmore, who was instrumental in the gift of the Japanese cherry trees to Washington that adorn the Mall and Tidal Basin.

The exhibit runs through September 3, 2012 was planned to coincide with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from March 20-April 27. This year marks the the 100th anniversary of the Japanese gift of cherry trees to the U.S.

Students are invited to join the Asian Studies Program, the Honors College and the Humanities Scholars Program for a trip to Washington D.C. on April 7. The group will visit the exhibit and then have free time to visit the mall, other museums and festival. The bus will leave UMBC at 9 a.m. and depart from Washington at 3 pm. A $12 fee covers the cost of transportation to and from Washington and the price of admission to the National Geographic Museum. Students can contact Lisa Whittle to register.

The University of Michigan Press recently posted to their blog about the travels that Ellen Handler Spitz, honors college professor of visual arts, completed this winter. The post, entitled “‘Illuminating Childhood’ author recounts her travels in Czech Republic and India,” is based on Spitz’s recent post to UMBC’s Talking Heads blog. Spitz’s book Illuminating Childhood: Portraits in Fiction, Film, and Drama was published by the press and will be available in paperback this March.

The Baltimore Sun has announced that Kevin “KAL” Kallaugher, editorial cartoonist for The Economist and UMBC artist-in-residence, will be publishing a new cartoon each week in the paper’s Sunday edition. In the Sun‘s announcement video, KAL describes his recent work at UMBC, where he advises student bloggers in their coverage of current events and politics on USDemocrazy. KAL also shares his experiences speaking to international audiences on freedom of the press and the power of caricature.

UMBC Political Science Professor Roy T. Meyers offered a dissenting voice in PolitiFact’s recent analysis of comments by White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew on President Obama’s 2013 budget proposal. Lew said, “You can’t pass a budget in the Senate of the United States without 60 votes” — a statement rejected by critics who note only a simple majority is needed for a budget vote.

Meyers offers the counterargument that “Lew is absolutely on the mark on the bigger picture” given that the budget resolution requiring a majority vote is just a blueprint and legislation to actually implement the budget’s provisions will likely require 60 votes eventually, to reach the cloture threshold.

From UMBC Magazine Winter 2012, The Coolest Jobs You Never Knew Existed at UMBC, featuring accompanist Ferd Maisel. Video by Meredith Purvis.

From UMBC Magazine Winter 2012, The Coolest Jobs You Never Knew Existed at UMBC, featuring archivist Lindsey Loeper ’04. Video by Gavin St. Ours.

From UMBC Magazine Winter 2012, The Coolest Jobs You Never Knew Existed at UMBC, featuring landscape & grounds manager Donna Anderson. Video by Gavin St. Ours.

From UMBC Magazine Winter 2012, The Coolest Jobs You Never Knew Existed at UMBC, featuring glassblower Tony Baney. Video by Gavin St. Ours.