In his latest Baltimore Sun commentary, “Newt Gingrich Is the GOP’s Only Serious Candidate,” UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller argues that despite claims of his unelectability, Gingrich stands out as unique in the GOP presidential field. Schaller calls Gingrich “the Republicans’ one-man walking, talking think tank” and argues, “he will be able to conduct a serious debate about America’s future because he’s the only GOP contender who has spent the past three decades actually pondering the problems, large and small, facing the country.” Read the column to learn more about Schaller’s 2010 interview with Gingrich and their conversation on Gingrich’s book “To Save America.”

Jaimes Mayhew ’10, MFA in imaging and digital arts, has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarship to Iceland, where he will spend the next nine months working on a social practice art project, Autonomous Energy Research Lab.

Mayhew states, “Autonomous Energy Research Lab is an art research project that will investigate the idea of autonomy through conversations, art events, visits from other Baltimore-based artists and any other methods of research that may come about. All of these events will take place involving my research lab, which is a modified bike cart that includes a table, chairs, protection from the rain and is capable of producing and storing energy in a mobile battery. I will be using this lab to research ideas of autonomy, with special interest in Iceland’s use of geothermal power, of preservation of the Icelandic language and culture and, of course, in talking to people about Iceland’s economic collapse and strategies to recovery.”

See more about Mayhew’s work at his website:  www.enginesofthefuture.com

– Originally published on the UMBC Graduate School blog

– Read more about UMBC alumni on Retriever Net

This month’s Urbanite cover story “El Nuevo Baltimore” begins with a compelling premise: “Baltimore’s burgeoning Hispanic community could be a force for broader change—but only if we can make them welcome here.” In the extensive piece, Donald Norris, chair of public policy at UMBC, explains why the economic impact of Latino Baltimore residents has so far been limited, despite robust population growth.

Norris suggests that currently “there is only so much in the form of gentrification that they can do,” given that many Latinos who move to the US are working class and “here for the economic opportunity.” The article notes that Baltimore’s Latino population currently has a median household income of $37,868, versus $54,514 for white residents.

Christine Routzahn, Shriver Center Director of Professional Practice, comments on the increasing value and popularity of internship opportunities in this month’s new issue of Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology (click and scroll to page 46).

“Students need to distinguish themselves from others to ensure that they can compete in a tight job market,” Routzahn says. She also suggests internships are valuable not only for students, but also for companies, who appreciate hiring from a pool of talented job candidates whom they’ve already worked with and trained.

The article notes that the Shriver Center “coordinates more than 1,700 UMBC student intern, co-op and research placements at more than 500 public and private organizations around the globe,” and these figures increase annually. Learn more about UMBC’s 2011 interns and their experiences at the UMBC website.

Sara Poggio, associate professor of Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication (MLLI), is included in the new book “Migraciones Internacionales Contemporáneas: Estudios para el Debate,” which was edited by Cynthia Pizarro.  Poggio’s chapter, ““Evaluando Los Costos Y Beneficios De La  Experiencia Transnacional: Madres Centro-Americanas En El Estado De Maryland,” explores the transnational experience of Central American mothers in Maryland.

Nicoleta Bazgan, assistant professor of MLLI, published an article in the journal “Contemporary French Civilization” Her article is entitled “From Bardot to Binoche: the Pygmalion Myth and Artistic Collaboration.”

“Taylor Swift is a sweet gal and I just read where she made $45 million last year. She’s got a fine voice. But listen to her sing. And then listen to Patsy Cline do ‘Crazy’ or ‘I Fall To Pieces.’ I rest my case,” writes Christopher Corbett, professor of the practice of English, in “Radio Days,” his latest essay in Style magazine.  In the piece, Corbett recalls his first job at a country and western radio station in Maine.

“Alas, the country and western life was not the life for me. I took a turn for the worse and wound up a journalist,” says Corbett.

The essay appeared in the December issue of the magazine.

The largest class is the history of the UMBC Athletic Hall of Fame will be inducted on Saturday, February 4, 2012.

The honorees are Charles Brown (Director of Athletics, 1989-current), Jen Dragoni (women’s lacrosse, 2000-04), Brad Green (swimming and diving, 2000-04), Adam Grossman (track and field, 2002-06), Ted Lawler (men’s soccer, 1994-98), Brendan Mundorf (men’s lacrosse, 2002-06), Josef Novotny (men’s tennis, 2001-04), Keith Puryear (head tennis coach, 1990-2008) and Drew Westervelt (men’s lacrosse, 2003-07).

There are now 121 members of the UMBC Athletic Hall of Fame, which was instituted in the 1970s. In 1990, Dr. Brown created The Annual Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony. This event now occurs every other year. Candidates are nominated throughout the two-year period and are selected for induction by a committee of current Hall of Fame members based on their excellence in competition at UMBC and subsequent graduation from the university.

Read the press release here.

Fred Worden (assistant professor, Visual Arts) will be featured on the American Originals Now series at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. on December 11 and 17. Since the 1970s, Worden has been making experimental films primarily to examine “how a stream of still pictures passing through a projector at a speed meant to overwhelm the eyes might be harnessed to purposes other than representation or naturalism.” With wholehearted revelry in cinematic illusion and a commitment to kinetic abstractions, he produces short films and digital videos that draw attention to subjective perceptual play through the manipulation of visual phenomena. His work has been exhibited at festivals and venues in Paris, Hong Kong, Rotterdam, London, New York, and Toronto.

On December 11 at 4:30 in the East Building Concourse, a program features several of his more recent works, including Here (2005, 7 minutes), “a conjuring in order to accommodate a clandestine rendezvous between Sir Laurence Olivier and Georges Méliés”; Possessed (2010, 9 minutes, pictured here), a reworking of a short clip from an early Joan Crawford movie that establishes her firmly on the “outside”; and the ribald When Worlds Collude (2008, 13 minutes).

On December 17, also at 4:30 in the East Building Concourse, Worden will present “After Hours in the Cerebral Kitchen,” a talk/lecture he has designed to contextualize his interest in the moving image and human perception. Following the presentation, Worden will show one of his early 16 mm nonfiction film How the Hell I Ripped Jack Goldstein’s Painting in the Elevator (1989, 22 minutes, pictured) and offer a rare opportunity to view and discuss his current work in progress, tentatively titled All or Nothing.

The largest class is the history of the UMBC Athletic Hall of Fame will be
inducted on Saturday, February 4, 2012.

The honorees are Dr. Charles Brown (Director of Athletics 1989-current),
Jen Dragoni (women’s lacrosse, 2000-04), Brad Green (swimming & diving
2000-04), Adam Grossman (track & field 2002-06), Ted Lawler (men’s
soccer 1994-98), Brendan Mundorf (men’s lacrosse 2002-06), Josef Novotny
(men’s tennis, 2001-04), Keith Puryear (head tennis coach ,1990-2008), and
Drew Westervelt (men’s lacrosse 2003-07).

Read more about each inductee on the UMBC Athletics website.

There are now 121 members of the UMBC Athletic Hall of Fame, which was
instituted in the 1970s, and in 1990, Dr. Brown created The Annual Hall of
Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony. This event now occurs every other
year. Candidates are nominated throughout the two-year period and are
selected for induction by a committee of current Hall of Fame members
based on their excellence in competition at UMBC and subsequent graduation
from the university.

In addition, Dr. Marvin Mandell will receive the athletic department’s Dr.
Charles Woolston Award. The award is given to an individual who provides
outstanding service to the department and strives to improve the
student-athlete experience. Dr. Mandell, a professor of policy sciences,
has served as the university’s NCAA Faculty Representative for the past
nine years.

The18th induction dinner and ceremony will take place at the Westin
Baltimore Washington Airport – BWI. The cost to attend the induction
dinner is $60, which includes a ticket to the basketball doubleheader vs.
Maine that afternoon (1:00 p.m./3:30 p.m.) at the RAC Arena. The new class
of Hall of Famers will be introduced at halftime of the men’s 3:30 game.
The dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m., with inductions to follow. Please
contact Kevin Gibbons O’Neill at 410-455-1532 or oneillb@umbc.edu for
additional information about the event or to purchase tickets.

Bringing UMBC to Montgomery County for a Decade

When the Universities at Shady Grove opened, it was an innovative concept in higher education: a place where part-time students could attend classes from a variety of public institutions. And UMBC was one of the first universities to embrace the concept, joining the center from its start.

This fall, UMBC celebrates its 10th anniversary as part of the endeavor. In those years, USG has grown into a state-of-the-art center with more than 60 degree programs in partnership with nine USM schools, serving more than 3,650 undergraduate and graduate students. UMBC now offers a wide range of degrees at the center — bachelors degrees in management of aging services, history, political science, psychology and social work, and graduate degrees in industrial/organizational psychology and geographic information systems.

�UMBC is committed to providing degree programs tailored to the specific education and economic development needs of the Montgomery County region,� said USG Executive Director Stewart Edelstein. �It is a strong partner. Its presence on the USG campus has been strategic, focused and engaged.�

Students are able to tap into the quality of a UMBC education while staying close to home. Small class sizes, one-on-one contact with faculty and a variety of professional development services help UMBC students at USG maintain their professional focus while furthering their education.

�Many of my students have responsibilities to their families and communities and are unable to pursue a traditional college route by leaving home,� said Katie Morris, program director of UMBC�s baccalaureate social work program at USG. �UMBC at Shady Grove allows them to pursue an excellent education and remain connected to their home community.�

Looking forward, UMBC plans to expand its role at USG, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math education. �UMBC will continue to grow its presence on USG�s campus,� UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski said at a celebration commemorating the 10th anniversary. �It�s important to the county, and it�s important to the state.�

Edelstein welcomes such an expansion. �I look forward to the day when UMBC brings its mechanical engineering program to USG,� he said, �building on their nationally recognized success in graduating highly skilled scientists and engineers, specifically among minority student populations.�

For more information on UMBC at USG, visit http://www.umbc.edu/shadygrove/. You can read more about the 10th anniversary celebration here.

(11/28/11)