Robert Deluty, associate dean of the graduate school, has published a new book of poetry, “Saluting from the Shore.”

In his review, Ronald Pies writes, “Once again, Robert Deluty presents us with a splendid collection of short poems, inspired by Cheryl Strayed’s observation that we will never know the lives we have not chosen – the ‘ghost ship that didn’t carry us…’ We wonder, for example, what other ship might have carried the dean who confides that ‘…feigning interest all day/ is wearing him out.’ We wonder how the life not chosen might have spared ‘the dying soldier/ recalling his grandfather/ saying Be a man.’ In a sense, these poems are a salute to paths not taken, lives not chosen, which—through Deluty’s illuminating explorations—are given voice and dignity.”

Copies of “Saluting from the Shore,” as well as of Deluty’s other books, are on sale at the UMBC Bookstore.

Christine Routzahn, director of professional practice, shares UMBC’s internship process and how it positively impacts the undergraduate experience on WYPR’s “Midday with Dan Rodricks,” which aired last week.

An increasing number of college students are trading traditional summer jobs for internships – and many of them are working for free. It is estimated that half of the more than a million undergraduate internships a year are unpaid. While internships have always been seen as effective stepping stones toward career development and job opportunities, recent lawsuits over unfair labor practices have raised concerns about companies using internships to replace employees with free labor.

“It’s our job to educate our students when accepting an offer. Internships are critical, but it’s important to understand that not all internships are equal,” said Routzahn. “When a student evaluates an offer and is sitting at the interview chair, it is important to ask certain questions and evaluate those answers.”

Listen to the full segment »

In a recent Baltimore Sun article on engaging underprivileged and minority students in science, Bill LaCourse, dean of the college of natural and mathematical sciences, voiced the importance of creating a strong community to support student learning and success.

Students who come to college unprepared often need remediation, said LaCourse. UMBC has decided to change the approach of throwing 800 students into an introductory science class to let everyone sink or swim, because too many were sinking. Today, the school works to ensure that students feel more supported and have a small community of fellow students to turn to for help.

From innovative student ideas to campus programs and campaigns, UMBC is going green—and getting noticed. The Princeton Review has recognized UMBC as a college raising the bar on sustainability in its 2013 Guide to 322 Green Colleges.

The annual guide profiles higher education institutions in the U.S. and Canada that demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.

To determine which schools qualify, colleges and universities are rated based on institutional data such as the school’s energy consumption, green transportation programs, and the level of dedication for sustainability in and out of the classroom.

UMBC was noted for its successful student programs, including the Biodiesel Club’s sustainability project and a student-driven initiative to bring a farmer’s market and community garden to campus. The list also highlighted UMBC’s efforts to increase its renewable energy resources, the new LEED certified Performing Arts and Humanities Building, and its educational campaign for recycling.

On Monday, July 8, Fox News visited the UMBC campus as part of a story on the new USM requirements that all state institutions become smoke free by July 1. Students interviewed for the story shared their thoughts on past rules for smoking and how the new policy will impact life on campus.

“On one side you kind of want to have personal freedoms, but at the same time we’re at a public university that’s getting public money,” said a UMBC student.

Read the full article »

UMBC first-year Cybersecurity (CYBR) MPS student Andrew Shiffer placed third in Microsoft’s “Cybersecurity 2020” student essay contest. The contest allows Microsoft to solicit original research about cybersecurity policy challenges from university students at any stage in their educational careers. Andrew’s paper is entitled “A Cybersecurity Triumvirate: Policies, Outcomes, and Emerging Trends.”

Andrew will receive $2,000 and the opportunity for his work to be published by Microsoft. Andrew says the money will go toward his studies at UMBC. According to Microsoft, Andrew is the only American finalist.

Erin O’Keefe ’08, MPP, has been named to the Daily Record’s VIP list, which honors leaders under 40 for their professional accomplishments and commitment to inspiring change in their communities. Erin is the director of the York Road Initiative at Loyola University.

Greg Sileo ’11, MPP, was named to the Daily Record’s 20 Under Twenty list, which honors Maryland up-and-comers who are in their 20s. Greg is the Director of the Office of Home Energy Programs at the Maryland Department of Human Resources, and was formerly the Director of Community Outreach for the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services.

Chosen by a panel of previous award winners, honorees are chosen based on professional development, civic involvement and impact of achievement.

Nicole Else-Quest, assistant professor of psychology joins WYPR’s “Midday with Dan Rodricks” to address gender gap in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) industry, and to discuss findings from her latest study on math and science attitudes and achievement as it relates to gender and ethnicity, published in the journal Psychology of Women Quarterly.

“Our first goal was to conduct a study that examined how boys and girls achieved in math and science and feel about math and science,” said Dr. Else-Quest. “And what we found was girls and boys perform equally in math and science, for the most part. There’s no evidence that the girls can’t do math and science.”

The full segment can be heard here.

New Media Studio and Maryland Traditions’ “Mill Stories” Project in Dundalk Eagle.

Access Lens, a research project from Shaun Kane in the Department of Information Systems, was recently covered by Discovery News. This research was presented at the 2013 ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing (CHI 2013).