From Renetta Tull, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Development and Director, PROMISE

Dear Colleagues,

The Graduate School and the PROMISE Program are sponsoring more than 20 professional development seminars for all graduate students throughout 2011-2012. There are seminars on teaching, the IRB, how to teach at a Community College and receive a stipend (through the PROF-it program), a Saturday seminar on developing fellowship and funding applications, leadership workshops, and the Dissertation House for Ph.D. Candidates. This list of activities can be found at http://promisesuccessseminars.wordpress.com/umbc-grad-student-success-seminars/. Some of the current and future workshops (to be added) will cover hot topics such as developing presentations and academic integrity (understanding plagiarism). Please inform your students. The Graduate School posts these events on myUMBC to allow students to register at http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise.

Campus-wide teaching workshops for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are co-sponsored by PROMISE, the Graduate School and the Faculty Development Center. That listing and more information about PROF-it can be found at http://promisesuccessseminars.wordpress.com/professors-in-training-prof-it/. Topics include syllabus creation, teaching portfolio development, public speaking and learning styles.

Workshops for Postdoctoral Fellows can be found at http://promisesuccessseminars.wordpress.com/postdocs/. This page will be updated to include additional workshops from the Office of Sponsored Programs.

We hope that these workshops will assist our graduate students and postdocs as they prepare for their research at UMBC, and their future careers.

Kind regards,
Renetta

Lisa Drouillard, human resources, recently competed in the Rockville Economic Development’s StartRight business plan competition. The Washington Post covered the all-women’s competition and recorded the “elevator” pitches for each of the semi-finalists. “Pick the Pitch: Cast Your Vote on the Best Business Elevator Speech” highlights each company’s video and allows you to vote for your favorite pitch.

Drouillard was selected as a semi-finalist for “My Hopeful Journey,” a web-based organizer for women that are going through infertility treatment, and is in the running for best pitch. Voting is open through Tuesday, September 6.

Just posted on Free Matthew VanDyke: “Great news! [Matthew VanDyke ’02] called from Tripoli a few minutes ago. The prison where he has been held has been “liberated” and he reports that he is safe and well. More details to follow once the State Department sorts everything out. Thank you all for your ongoing support.”
*Updates*

-Video interview in the Washington Post
– Story on CNN.com
– Interview with VanDyke on BBC.com

We invite all faculty and staff to join President Hrabowski and Provost Rous in welcoming our new colleagues to the UMBC community.

This interactive event is a great opportunity to connect and get to know some of the remarkable people here at UMBC. You will learn more about UMBC’s vision and values, the new Performing Arts and Humanities building, and how to create opportunities to make a difference in our community.

The Gallery will feature a photography exhibit by Robert Fichter and Robert Freidus entitled “Italian Memorial Sculpture 1820-1940.” We welcome you to stop by the new Retriever Learning Center on the 1st floor of the Library before or after the event!

Co-sponsored by The Commons and Human Resources. Hors d’oeuvres will be served. Please arrive promptly at 2:00 p.m.

This event will be Thursday, September 15, 2-4 p.m., in the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery on the first floor.

Register by Friday, September 2, at http://www.umbc.edu/training.

Get a flyer with details at http://www.umbc.edu/hr/T&OD/schedule.htm.

UMBC Training Centers, a leading provider of professional, scientific and technical training has been named one of the “Top Fastest Growing Companies” by Inc. Magazine. The Inc. 500 | 5000 list was published on August 23, 2011 and spotlights the top 500 and 5000 fastest growing companies nationwide.

UMBC Training Centers’ reported 143% growth, largely attributable to increased training delivered to the federal government in areas such as cybersecurity, systems engineering and project management. Training Centers was founded in 2000 by UMBC, a member of the University System of Maryland and ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the nation’s #1 “up and coming” national university in 2010 and 2011.

“We are honored to be recognized by Inc. Magazine for our growth” stated Kent Malwitz, Vice President of UMBC Training Centers. “Our financial growth and the excellent student feedback we receive tell me that we’re filling a need in the marketplace for high level education and training delivered on the customer’s terms. We pride ourselves on our academic quality as well as our flexibility in meeting our customers’ needs.”

Recently UMBC Training Centers has expanded its capacity to deliver training nationally and globally through the development of live, online instructor-led training programs. These programs will allow individuals and organizations around the world to take Training Centers’ high quality training and certification preparation programs at their convenience.

Inc. 500 | 5000 ‘Top Fastest Growing Companies’ 2011 Rankings:
UMBC Training Centers placed at 28th for “Top Fastest Growing Companies” in the Education Industry, 37th for companies in the Baltimore, Maryland area, and 1830 out of 5000 overall. Training Centers’ profile can be found by visiting: http://www.inc.com/inc5000/profile/umbc-training-centers.

About UMBC Training Centers:
Training Centers extends the academic excellence of UMBC to working professionals and organizations through the delivery of technical, scientific and professional non-degree training programs. Training Centers’ President and CEO is Dr. John Martello, who also serves as vice provost of UMBC’s division of Continuing Professional Studies: http://www.umbc.edu/cps/.

For more information about UMBC Training Centers, visit www.umbctrainingcenters.com or contact:

Heith Hart / Marketing Coordinator
UMBC Training Centers
1450 South Rolling Road
Baltimore, MD 21227
Phone: 443.543.5413 | Fax: 443.543.5410
E-mail: hhart@umbctrainingcenters.com

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Philip Farabaugh as Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, effective August 23, 2011.

A Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, Dr. Farabaugh will build on his many experiences with leadership roles at UMBC. He has served as the Graduate Program Director of the MS Program in Applied Molecular Biology and the PhD Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, as well as the Undergraduate Program Director of the BS Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He has chaired the University Faculty Review Committee and the University Direct Research Initiative Fund (DRIF) Grant Review Committee and served on a variety of other University committees and councils. Within the Department of Biological Sciences he has served as chair of the Graduate Committee, the Writing Intensive (WI) Program Committee, the Seminar Committee, the Web Page and Marketing Committee, and several faculty search committees.

Continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1981, Dr. Farabaugh has earned over $5 million in Federal funding. He has authored 62 peer-reviewed publications and a book. In his laboratory he has mentored 10 PhD and three M.S. candidates, six postdoctoral fellows, and 31 undergraduate students. He has presented at 48 national and international conferences and presented seminars at 54 institutions across the United States and several European countries.

Dr. Farabaugh came to UMBC in 1989 from the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, Connecticut. He completed postdoctoral work in Molecular Genetics in 1981 while working with Dr. Gerald Fink at Cornell University after receiving his PhD in Biochemistry in 1978 from Harvard University while working with Walter Gilbert, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980. He earned a BA in Biology, magna cum laude, in 1972 from the University of California San Diego. On behalf of our faculty, students, and staff I would like to thank Dr. Farabaugh for his willingness to serve our community with his skills and experience.

We also express our most sincere gratitude to Dr. Lasse Lindahl, who has served as Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences for the past 17 years. Dr. Lindahl came to UMBC from the University of Rochester in Fall 1994 and, during his tenure as chair, he has worked to improve the department in many ways. He has overseen the hiring of 19 faculty members and the establishment of several new educational programs. He led the comprehensive effort to renovate the Biological Sciences Building by successfully applying to the National Science Foundation for $1.5 million in seed money for the $12.5 million project, which was completed in 2000. Dr. Lindahl, who has maintained an active research lab in ribosome biogenesis, has promoted student research in the life sciences at the undergraduate and graduate levels by applying for and receiving training grants from a variety of federal sources. He will continue to serve as the Program Director of the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program at UMBC, which has been continuously funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) since 1997. Also, he will continue to serve as the Principal Investigator of the $1.5 NIGMS-funded Interdisciplinary Quantitative Biology (IQB) Curriculum Project. Dr. Lindahl is responsible for planting the seed for the concept of the interdisciplinary life sciences building, now in the planning stages. The department’s research and education programs have expanded and are much stronger as a result of his leadership.

Energizing Maryland�s Workforce

UMBC students were out in full force at top Maryland companies and research labs this summer. Their work as interns not only supported their career skills development; it also contributed to Maryland’s economic success. Each year Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 employers like Constellation Energy, SAIC, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Stanley Black & Decker, Booz Allen Hamilton and T. Rowe Price actively recruit interns through UMBC.
           
“Internships provide employers with an opportunity to attract and train talent early in their careers,” says Christine Routzahn, director of professional practice for UMBC’s Shriver Center. “Curious, hard-working interns with fresh perspectives enable companies to remain innovative in extremely competitive fields.”

This summer, over 700 graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in the Shriver Center’s internship, co-op and research practicums. Around Maryland, in Washington, D.C., and across the country, these UMBC students linked theory to practice in solving real-world problems. Their experiences enabled them to develop technical expertise and project portfolios as well as cultivate essential soft skills. Additionally, nearly 70% were paid, at an average rate of $14.93 per hour.

Employers like Joe Domiano, operations manager for Siemens Industry, praise the level of talent coming from UMBC. “Siemens has been very fortunate to have a relationship with UMBC,” says Domiano. “Many of our student interns have been hired by Siemens full-time and have contributed to our success.”

Beyond accessing employment opportunities, interns get a realistic glimpse of possible career paths and connect with senior mentors in their fields. Student evaluations show that 89% experienced an increase in self-confidence as a direct result of their placement; 88% indicated an increase in the clarity of their career goals.

In return for supporting their growth, companies, government agencies and research centers benefit from the fresh energy and ideas that young scholars, eager to contribute, bring to their internship sites. Here we feature a few examples of UMBC student interns energizing Maryland workplaces.

At approximately 1:51 p.m. a 5.9 magnitude earthquake occurred that was centered in Mineral Virginia (near Richmond). The earthquake was felt up and down the entire east coast to include the UMBC campus. UMBC Police sent out a text alert at 1:56 p.m. advising people on campus to evacuate all buildings. The police checked critical infrastructures on campus to assess any damage and monitored the situation. It was determined at approximately 2:10 p.m. it was safe to reenter campus buildings. This decision coincided with the Federal Government’s decision to reopen the Pentagon and other Federal buildings. UMBC Police also conferred with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) who advised they had no reports of any structural damage to buildings within Baltimore County.

Please take care and exercise caution when opening cabinets that might house volatile or heavy materials due to shifting during the earthquake. Please refer to the FEMA webpage at http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_during.shtm for tips on what to do during an earthquake.

Robert Deluty, associate dean of the graduate school, has published a new book of poetry, “Between Nothing and All.”
In his review, Richard Berlin writes, “The French poet and critic Stephane Mallarme said that poetry purifies the language of the tribe and puts it on display. Robert Deluty’s poems take this idea a step further by purifying our vision of ourselves: our behavior, our love and our humanity. He has achieved full mastery of his poetic form, and uses his skill to make us laugh out loud and to make us cry over our heartbreaks. ‘Between Nothing and All’ is another volume of Deluty’s poetry to cherish.”

Copies of “Between Nothing and All,” as well as of Deluty’s other books, are on sale at the UMBC Bookstore.

In 2002, Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg, professor of biology, found hundreds of WWII-era family letters in her parents’ home. She contacted Rebecca Boehling, professor of history and director of the Dresher Center for the Humanities, and the result is was a collective biography about a German Jewish family in Nazi Germany.

Co-authored with Uta Larkey, of Coucher College, Life and Loss in the Shadow of the Holocaust reveals the family’s struggle over whether to go or to stay while confronting ever increasing obstacles to emigration and immigration. The book documents family members’ hopes and fears as they are scattered over three continents, forced to contend with wartime postal delays and the deafening silence of loved ones left behind.

Boehling will read from and sign copies of Life and Loss on Wednesday, September 14, at 4 p.m. on the seventh floor of the Albin O. Kuhn Library.