When Shaniah Reece ’23, information systems, now a Ph.D. student in computer science at Emory University, was navigating her academic journey at UMBC, there were times she felt like giving up. One evening, around 10 p.m. at night, she was exhausted and considering not submitting an important application. But then Michael Hunt, director of the McNair Scholars Program, with which she was affiliated, gave her a call.

“He said, ‘There are two hours left, and I haven’t seen any indication that you’ve submitted it,’” Reece relates. “I could hear his family and the TV in the background—he was off the clock, at home—but he still made that call. That moment was so impactful because he thought about me, believed in me, and pushed me in a moment when I was too weak to push myself.”

It’s just one example of the many times that Hunt ’06, applied mathematics, Ph.D. ’25, language, literacy, and culture, has shown up for students in just the ways they need. Since 2019, Hunt has directed the federally funded UMBC McNair program with a goal of empowering students from underrepresented segments of society to earn research-based doctoral degrees. Not only does he support the 30 students who enter the full program each year—he’s worked hard to extend opportunities to affiliated students, through a program now called the Retriever Graduate Preparation Network, and to spread the supportive culture of the McNair program across the university as a whole. 

On October 29, Hunt’s contributions will be recognized when he receives the 2025 Outstanding Staff award from UMBC’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. 

Showing up for students

What makes Hunt such an effective mentor? For one thing, he asks students what they need and makes their voices and experiences a central part of his relationship with them. He strives to support them holistically, including emotional, cultural, and academic support. He wants the mentor-mentee relationship to be reciprocal, to honor the value of the mentee’s contributions, and to extend into a wider network of community support. 

The approach, called holistic critical mentoring, has been central to the McNair Scholar’s Program under Hunt’s leadership. Hunt even wrote his Ph.D. dissertation on the subject and his interviews of former McNair scholars showed how much they valued the mentoring philosophy.

“I am one of the many UMBC students whose trajectory was forever changed by Dr. Hunt’s mentorship,” says Ting Huang ’21, psychology, the program coordinator for UMBC McNair Scholars Program and a former scholar herself. “I didn’t know my path until I stumbled onto McNair as an undergraduate. Through the program, I conducted research virtually for the first time during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the remote nature of those years, I had never felt more connected to a community. That sense of belonging was cultivated by Dr. Hunt and his team, showing how intentional leadership can overcome even the most isolating circumstances.”

Building community

Hunt says the experience of reaching out to current and former McNair program participants to request their help supplying information for his dissertation research was ultimately very gratifying. He wondered how many would respond, given their busy schedules, but a large number were eager to engage.

“I was genuinely surprised, I didn’t expect that number of responses. But then my mentor pointed out: That’s what happens when you build relationships,” Hunt says.

Hunt says the continued support of program alumni makes him feel like he is making a difference. He’s happy that former participants, some as far away as California, regularly offer to serve as volunteer mentors for current students.

This summer, Hunt had the opportunity to sit in on the dissertation defense of one of the first students to go through the McNair Scholars Program under his watch.

“It’s wonderful to see these alums thriving,” Hunt says. “We are building community. And while we stood on the shoulders of giants, we’re making sure to also be the shoulders that others can stand on next.”

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Alumni Awards on Wednesday, October 29, at 6 p.m., and consider joining the UMBC community at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena to celebrate Michael Hunt and the many remarkable individuals receiving awards. The event will be livestreamed for those unable to join in person. You can learn more at alumni.umbc.edu/alumniawards.

Inside the dark, swirling chaos of a cell, drama unfolds. A viral molecule, rendered in electric blue and menacing curves, attempts its invasion. A therapeutic compound swoops in to intercept it like a fighter jet defending its home from alien forces. This is not science fiction; it is the meticulously crafted vision brought to life by Cameron Slayden ’99, interdisciplinary studies, founder, CEO, and creative director at Microverse Studios. 

Slayden’s team of animators specializes in creating detailed, stunning visuals for biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies, illustrating how their technologies operate at the most granular level—on a cellular and molecular scale. “We never copy other people,” says Slayden. Instead, his team embraces metaphor—visualizing neurons as jellyfish tentacles or lightning bolts—and superimpose that artistic aesthetic onto the scientific imagery.

It’s not enough for Slayden to just be a 3D animator. He also needs to fully understand the science—satisfying practicing scientists with his two-minute animation while compelling venture capitalists to invest millions. “I have to balance clarity of message to reach multiple levels of audience with enough accuracy so that the underlying message is unimpeachable,” says Slayden. 

This unique balance of artistic flair and scientific rigor is the direct result of a path galvanized over three decades ago. For his pioneering work in scientific visualization, combining the rigorous inquiry of science with the persuasive power of art, Slayden is being recognized with an Outstanding Alumni award at the 2025 UMBC Alumni Awards on Wednesday, October 29. His career exemplifies the interdisciplinary spirit UMBC fosters, proving that to truly understand the world, one must be able to both analyze it like a scientist and appreciate it like an artist.

Illustrations have more value than just beauty

Even as a 16-year-old student at Suitland High School in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Slayden was already balancing his passion for art with his love of science—but he had yet to discover how the two intertwined. At this time, Slayden had won multiple Gold Key awards, the highest regional prize in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a competition for students in grades 7-12, which, he admits, had given him a “hugely inflated ego.” Then, during one biology class, inspiration struck while studying chloroplasts, the organelles in plant cells that are responsible for photosynthesis.

“The illustration in the textbook was awful, really ridiculous, extremely simplified,” says Slayden.

Next to the illustration, however, was a cross-section of the cell created from a tunneling electron microscope, which creates images at an extremely small scale, down to resolving individual molecules. Immediately, Slayden began to notice differences between the illustration and the tunneling electron micrograph. That’s when his pencil got to work. He began to sketch a more detailed illustration of the chloroplast that better represented the intricate details of the organelle. 

“When I was done with that drawing, I remember realizing that that illustration had more value than just being pretty,” says Slayden. “It carried real information about the world, and it was valuable to humanity in that way. And at that moment, I realized that was the kind of art that I wanted to do.”

The rest of Slayden’s life would be guided by that moment. From then on, he used every opportunity to hone his craft—to envision how each tiny detail would translate to paper.

“When you’re drawing something, you’re bringing it through your visual cortex and through all of the processing,” explains Slayden. “Your brain is creating a three-dimensional model of the object in your head, and then you’re bringing it out through your motor cortex onto the paper. You come away with a much deeper understanding of the thing that you were just drawing.” 

Fruitful friction

Around the same time Slayden was looking into colleges, something big was happening at UMBC. Earl and Darielle Linehan, with a deeply held belief in the importance of the arts in society, had recently made a generous gift to the university to establish the Linehan Artist Scholars Program. Slayden applied in the program’s inaugural year and was then offered a full ride to UMBC as one of the first cohort of  Linehan Artist Scholars.

Slayden seized the opportunity, working with his advisor, Stephen Bradley, to craft an interdisciplinary course load that seamlessly merged UMBC’s stellar biology program with the visual arts curriculum. While the science courses provided the foundational accuracy, it was the friction in the art program that proved transformative.

“There was an artistic journey that I had to go through,” says Slayden. “UMBC’s art program forced me to dig deep and crack open my inner reservoirs of creativity and start to actually explore producing an emotional response in my audience.”

Today, that emotional engagement is the key to the success of Microverse Studios, transforming dry scientific information into a memorable, persuasive story. However, the greatest impact UMBC had on Slayden and his career was not a class or a professor, but a fellow student—Olivia Rogers ’99, psychology—now Olivia Slayden, his wife.

Photos above: Slayden and Adam Mueller ’02, M.S. ’03, at the UMBC Jiu-Jitsu club, which he helped found in 1999. Slayden is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a second-degree black belt in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu (left). Slayden and Olivia Rogers, now Olivia Slayden, at Cameron’s graduation (right).

Following graduation, Slayden got a job doing medical illustrations for legal cases, but found the work to be “too dark and draining.” He eventually landed the role of scientific illustrator at Science Magazine, creating medical illustrations for the publication and designing a dozen magazine covers. However, after three years, he realized, “I wasn’t at the top of my game.” At the same time, Olivia was also unhappy with her job. It was time for a change.

After Slayden received his master’s degree in medical illustration from Augusta University in Georgia, he and Olivia founded Microverse Studios in 2005. Cameron serves as CEO and creative director, while Olivia serves as chief commercial officer.

“I had no idea what I was doing running a business,” says Slayden. “And in the intervening 20 years, I think I’ve kind of finally figured it out, at least for the most part.”

Leaning into new tech

Today, Microverse Studios is a full-service scientific and medical animation studio serving high-profile clients like Pfizer, National Geographic, Bausch + Lomb, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) as well as notable startups like Elon Musk’s Neuralink. Slayden and his team specialize in taking an idea and turning it into a deployment-ready video for a wide range of audiences, from research scientists to investors and venture capitalists, as well as healthcare providers. 

Slayden attributes the studio’s success to their commitment to staying on top of science and new animation technology. The shift to cloud rendering means complex, high-quality animation that once took a week to output can now be rendered in “literally an hour.” Slayden also believes artificial intelligence will continue to play a larger role in the studio’s work. Rather than viewing it as a threat, he sees AI as another tool at his disposal—the next evolution in how artists create their work.

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Alumni Awards on Wednesday, October 29, at 6 p.m., and consider joining the UMBC community at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena to celebrate Cameron Slayden and the many remarkable individuals receiving awards. The event will be livestreamed for those unable to join in person. You can learn more at alumni.umbc.edu/alumniawards.

Rising Star is a worthy award for alum and Linehan Artist Scholar Courtney Culp ’20. During her time at UMBC, Culp was both an athlete and an artist, playing Division 1 soccer and pursuing a degree in visual arts. Now, this star has continued to rise higher, earning an M.F.A. in arts and entertainment at the Savannah College of Art and Design and working as a graphic designer at Warner Bros. Discovery—combining her degree and athletics experience into a role that creates key art designs for TNT Sports—NBA, NHL, U.S. Soccer, MLB, and more. 

Culp chats below with fellow Linehan Scholar and UCM intern Kayla Logue ’27 about balancing athletics and the arts, her experience as a Linehan Artist Scholar, and how her time at UMBC has led her to a dream career. 

Q: How does it feel to win an alumni award just a few years after graduation?

A: It honestly hasn’t hit me just yet, but I’m overjoyed with gratitude and am really looking forward to giving back to the community. I can see the steps that I took to get here and how UMBC played a huge role in my development. I want to pour back into the school, back into the campus, and the faculty and students. That’s what I’m really looking forward to, especially with the Linehan Scholars mentorship group.

Q: What motivated you to apply to the Linehan Artist Scholars Program? What did you find most valuable from this select experience?

A: The program’s mission statement and framework was something that really sparked my interest. I really enjoyed being surrounded by different types of creatives who pushed you to see things from other perspectives and become the best artist you could be. The extracurriculars, in terms of exposing us to the arts in different places, I thought were extremely valuable. Those experiences I believe made me not only a better and more well-rounded artist, but as a person as well.

Q: What was your experience being both an athlete and an artist at UMBC? Did those two parts of your life overlap in any way?

A: I always had two passions growing up: playing sports and the arts. Finding a school where I could excel in both of my passions was extremely important. At UMBC being an athlete and an artist was so much fun. Lots of early mornings at practice and late nights in the studio. Overall, I would say those two parts of my life have overlapped in every way possible. I enjoy using the arts to tell stories about my own and other’s lived experiences. In my senior year at UMBC, I produced A Mile in My Cleats, a documentary about Black women in sports. It explored their stories about having intersectional identities and how that impacted them as Division 1 athletes.

Q: What clicked for you here? Was there a specific time you remember having that realization that UMBC was the right community for you?

 A: I played soccer my whole life, and always wanted to follow in my brother’s footsteps of playing collegiate sports. In high school, my family and I would go to different soccer camps across the country and see different schools that I was interested in. On my way back from one camp, we passed by UMBC’s campus, and we were like, ‘Let’s go drive through there, see what’s going on.’ We loved the campus immediately, my parents and I. Eventually going to soccer camp at UMBC, seeing the breadth of diversity on campus, the emphasis on educational advancement, and the dedicated arts programs, I knew that I would be seen, heard, able to thrive in the space that UMBC had built.

Q: Is there someone from UMBC who inspired you, and how?

A: Then-President Freeman Hrabowski spoke to a group of Linehan Artist Scholars on our orientation day. With the authenticity that he spoke with and the real joy that he felt being among his community, I felt very safe and appreciated being at UMBC. It didn’t matter who you were. Every time you saw him, he greeted you with a smile, a handshake, and asked how you were doing. So, just a really, really great person and that energy trickled down to the entire UMBC community.

Corrie Francis Parks, an associate professor of animation and interactive media, was definitely a big influence on me. Going into UMBC, I thought I wanted to be an animator. I took my first 2D animation class and realized I didn’t love the process of animating frame by frame. But she really showed the breadth of the animation pipeline and all the different things that you can do in the industry. That really sparked my curiosity for learning about different disciplines and mediums, and encouraged me to pursue Intermedia as my degree path. Having a wider foundation of knowledge and skillsets set me up for success in the entertainment industry as the work is extremely collaborative and interdisciplinary.

My two professors from studying abroad, Kimberly Anderson and Lynn Cazabon, were incredible. While in Rome for a month, they made sure that the students were okay and having fun. They were great at translating what we learned in textbooks to seeing it in real life right before our eyes. They really took an interest in the way you viewed the world and the ideas that were important to you.

All of my friends on the soccer team were great. The fitness tests, the early mornings—they’re bonds that have really stuck with me through life. We’re going to each other’s weddings now, which is crazy to think about for me. I still talk to my group of friends that I made in class over papier-mâché making in the Linehan Freshman Seminar. We’ve all stuck together and really support each other through different stages of life.

Q: What is your current role at Warner Bros. Discovery?

A: I am a graphic designer for Warner Bros. Discovery, specifically TNT Sports. I help create the key art designs for our entire sports portfolio— NBA, NHL, U.S. Soccer, MLB, and more. Our work is seen across promotional video campaigns, digital ads, and posters and billboards. We work closely with our broadcast teams designing logos for studio shows and building and designing physical sets. We aim to create best-in-class work that allows fans an exciting, quality experience while watching their favorite sports teams. We also work as an in-house creative studio, providing company needs like designing merchandise and redesigning the corporate offices.

Q: What do you find most fulfilling about your profession? 

A: Knowing that you’re a part of someone else’s joy. Knowing that there are such huge sports fandoms and people who look to sports as a way of entertainment or a way of connecting with those they love and their community, it’s really, really fun. It’s also a huge responsibility for me to make sure that we’re doing the best work that we can for the person on the other end. I’m always thinking of “younger me” or people who look for these moments as a source of joy throughout their day. That’s super, super important to me.

Q: Have you done any more projects building off your senior year documentary, A Mile in My Cleats?

A: My whole life has kind of been working through that lens because, while I love soccer, what really draws me to the sport is the connection it brings me to my family over a shared passion, and the growth formed from obstacles and challenges that make you a better person. My heart and my way of expression has always been through the arts and creativity. Being a Black woman in sports (or any other profession), there are a lot of things that we go through that others may not know or understand.

Now, working in the sports industry, the foundation of the work is always storytelling. How do we bring in the audience to connect with the product? The most authentic way is by sharing the experiences of the athletes, the teams, and coaches that allow others to see themselves in someone else’s journey.

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Alumni Awards on Wednesday, October 29, at 6 p.m., and consider joining the UMBC community at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena to celebrate Courtney Culp and the many remarkable individuals receiving awards. The event will be livestreamed for those unable to join in person. You can learn more at alumni.umbc.edu/alumniawards.

On a recent Wednesday in September, thousands of people filled the arena of the Retriever Activity Center for the UMBC 2025 Fall Career and Internship Fair. At the booth for pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, Mark Benesch ’08, chemical engineering, eagerly engaged with students, some of whom waited in a line 30-odd people long at times for their chance to ask questions and exchange contact information. 

Benesch has regularly brought his enthusiasm and energy to UMBC career fairs, first as a recruiter for ExxonMobil, where he worked immediately after graduating, and later for the Columbia, Maryland-based chemical company W.R. Grace. But it was after starting at AstraZeneca as the senior director of the capital projects portfolio for the Americas region in January 2023 that Benesch spotted the opportunity to take his connections with the university to the next level. 

AstraZeneca employs thousands of people across the state of Maryland, including at a large scientific campus in Gaithersburg, a center in Frederick that manufactures a diverse class of drugs called biologics, and a newly opened facility in Rockville that will manufacture immunotherapy drugs to treat cancer. The company has announced plans to invest $50 billion in America by 2030 for medicines manufacturing and research and development. 

From the hundreds of UMBC alumni at AstraZeneca, Benesch has recruited and inspired a team of eight dedicated to forging stronger links to their alma mater. They, together with partners in AstraZeneca’s Early Career Programs, have built a strong alumni-driven network linking UMBC students with opportunities at the company. 

“Mark is always thinking about innovative ways to connect,” says Christine Routzahn, the director of the Career Center at UMBC who has worked with Benesch to expand the UMBC-AstraZeneca partnership. “He’s very passionate about UMBC and ensuring our students are successful.”

Benesch’s efforts will be recognized when he receives the 2025 Distinguished Service Alumni Award this October. 

A growing partnership 

The work of the AstraZeneca-UMBC recruiting team has gone far beyond career fairs. Under Benesch’s stewardship, AstraZeneca played a key role at the UMBC-hosted 2024 Mid-Atlantic Student Conference for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. The company sponsored the event and Pran Patel, the vice president of global engineering and real estate at AstraZeneca, served as a keynote speaker. Benesch met monthly with student organizers of the conference, helped lead a popular conference workshop, and mobilized other AstraZeneca employees to volunteer.

“From a five-minute conversation at the career fair, Mark took the initiative to follow up and create real collaboration opportunities,” says An Dang ’24, a student organizer who led the fundraising efforts for the conference.

Benesch and his team have also worked with UMBC to launch new collaborations such as dedicated on-campus information sessions and recruiting events, alumni happy hours, and tours and networking at the AstraZeneca Gaithersburg campus.

The efforts have paid off, as the number of UMBC students applying to summer internships at AstraZeneca has increased by 31 percent in the past year, and the number of students accepting internships has grown from one in summer 2024 to seven in 2025.

On the research side, Benesch attended the College of Engineering and Information Technology’s recent Research Day and is facilitating discussions of ways AstraZeneca may partner with UMBC faculty on joint projects. 

“Mark’s ongoing dedication to serving his alma mater has been nothing short of extraordinary,” says Mariajosé Castellanos, a teaching professor in the Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering who first met Benesch in her thermodynamics class in 2006. “As a faculty member who has been in the department for 20 years and served as the AIChE UMBC Chapter advisor for the past nine, I can confidently say that I have never seen this level of consistent engagement and support from any other undergraduate alumnus.”

Building community and empowering individuals 

Benesch, who was the first from his family to go to college, credits his UMBC education with empowering him to realize his own potential. 

“At UMBC, I was exposed to so much, and from that I gained confidence. Technical confidence, yes, but also the confidence to navigate the diversity of the world and the opportunities that come from that,” he says. “So I’m inspired to help today’s students receive that same kind of support, and even more so.” 

“Mark is so animated when he’s connecting with people. He listens well and he really brings out the best in students,” says Miriam Friedman, assistant director of alumni professional networks.

On his part, Benesch says the students give him energy. “They are curious and smart and I see their enormous potential,” he says. “To give them opportunities to realize it for themselves is really gratifying.”

Abi Postus, a junior in chemical engineering who interned this summer on Benesch’s AstraZeneca team, says she was impressed by his efforts to connect her to resources and make sure she got the most out of the experience. 

“I remember one piece of advice he told me,” she says, “which was: ‘Don’t be afraid to take up space.’ I found that very helpful because this was my first internship and it was kind of daunting. That made me feel more confident.”

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Alumni Awards on Wednesday, October 29, at 6 p.m., and consider joining the UMBC community at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena to celebrate Mark Benesch and the many remarkable individuals receiving awards. The event will be livestreamed for those unable to join in person. You can learn more at alumni.umbc.edu/alumniawards.

As a high schooler, Emily Brown ’14, M.S. ’14, computer science, dreamed of a future in STEM. Searching for a community to support her aspirations, she found the Center for Women and Technology at UMBC. Brown became a CWIT Scholar and ended up earning her bachelor’s and her master’s degrees one semester apart. After graduation, she was hired at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. This October, Brown will receive the 2025 UMBC Outstanding Alumna Award. In this Q&A, she shares how her time at UMBC—and the support she found there—helped get her to where she is today.

Q: What brought you to UMBC?

A: Initially, I was looking into other schools, but UMBC kept making its way back to the top of my list because I was looking for schools that explicitly had programs and communities for women in engineering.

Eventually, I applied for the CWIT (Center for Women and Technology) Scholars Program. As I kept coming back to UMBC for tours and meetings, I figured out this was a community that I really wanted to be a part of. At the time, Dr. Penny Rheingans was the director of the CWIT program, and hearing her talk about the program and what it would offer made UMBC one of my top two school choices. The in-state nature of UMBC meant that I would come out of school debt-free, with the kind of support that I wanted as a woman in STEM.

Q: What did you enjoy about the computer science program?  

A: I graduated from my master’s degree in the winter. I have a picture of myself and the four other people who graduated with a computer science master’s that December, and I had taken classes with all of them. At my undergraduate graduation in May, there were nine women who graduated from the computer science program. I knew all nine, which is exactly what I had attended UMBC for—to be part of a community of other women in STEM, it meant a lot to me.

Right: Emily Brown along with fellow CWIT Scholars pose to spell out CWIT.

Q: You graduated with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in the same year. How did you decide to pursue that and is there any advice you would give another student who may consider doing the same?

A: I wasn’t sure at first that I wanted to do computer science after graduation, but by my junior year I decided to stick to a computer science career. I realized then I could either graduate early or I could start taking graduate classes with the combined B.S./M.S. program. After finishing my undergraduate degree that May, I took summer and fall classes and finished my master’s in December, and that’s how I was able to graduate twice in one year.

There are both upsides and downsides to having done that. On the upside, I started my professional career with a graduate degree, which does come with more pay and professional respect. On the downside, my computer science master’s was a general master’s degree as opposed to specialized. But this has actually proven to be useful: I started my career thinking I wanted to focus on cybersecurity and now I do more AI work and I have some graduate coursework in both of those things.

Q: Is there a faculty or staff member who helped you on your UMBC path? 

A: There are three faculty members who stand out when I think of my time at UMBC. Dr. Marie desJardins, who has since retired, was an AI and machine learning professor and the professor that I completed undergraduate research with. Her passion for teaching aligned with my desire for a community that encourages women in engineering. The undergraduate research I did with her was working on the new AP computer science curriculum for the College Board. 

Dr. desJardin’s argument was that with computer science you should submit a portfolio rather than take a test. She worked with the College Board to develop what that curriculum for submitting a portfolio would look like and I worked alongside her. My former high school computer science teacher from Howard High School was also on that team, so that was really great. My younger sister has since taken the course and I said, “Did you know I wrote that course that you’re taking in high school now?” Her response was, “I’m not telling anyone that—that’s the most embarrassing thing ever.” I thought it was very exciting.

The second professor who had a huge impact on me is Dr. Tim Oates. I found his teaching style to be one that I deeply resonated with. I always tell people, when you take a class with Dr. Oates, you need to take paper without lines because he draws a lot of pictures to explain things.

He had an example where he would walk around the classroom floor and each tile was a different square and he would say, “All right, I’m an AI, and I’m using reinforcement learning and I physically step here.” He wasn’t just lecturing, he taught by physically moving his body around the classroom. 

One example he used was if a $10 bill drops from the ceiling here, I’m incentivized as the AI to keep going back to that corner of the room, where if a $1 bill drops over there, then I know that’s not as useful of a place to go. Even if you don’t have a computer science background, you intuitively go, that makes sense. I followed him to whichever class he would teach because I knew his teaching style broke it down in a way I would deeply understand. In my final class with him, I rigged a $10 bill to drop from the ceiling because he had done this example over and over. 

The third is Dr. Anupam Joshi. He was my master’s advisor and he’s now the vice provost and chief AI officer, but at the time he was a professor teaching cybersecurity classes. He is largely the reason that I work the way I do here at the Applied Physics Laboratory. He introduced me to the type of work that got me my first job at the lab. I wrote my final research paper for my master’s degree about my APL internship experience, which was combining all of my passions.

Q: Can you share your involvement in CWIT (Center for Women in Technology), both as an alum and mentor, and what your experience was as a student? 

A: I lived in the CWIT Living Learning Community my freshman and sophomore years and then lived in an on-campus apartment with other CWIT students. I met my best friends in the CWIT program. We had a CWIT alum virtual happy hour during the pandemic, and I think there were a number of us who said, “I walked into that CWIT office and just cried and then walked out and passed my classes because there was that kind of support for me.”

I have been involved as an alum since day one. After undergrad, I participated in the career fairs and networking dinners with the talent services recruiting department from APL. 

I’ve done industry mentoring nearly every year for the past six years. When I was a CWIT student, my industry mentor was from Lockheed Martin. She did a mock interview with me where she asked me the same questions she would ask a candidate interviewing for their summer internship. She then brought me on a Friday afternoon to the Lockheed Martin office facilities for a lab tour. Those two things were both extremely memorable to me, and I carried that forward with my mentees, some of whom then got internships at APL. That was the experience I sought to replicate and produce for my CWIT mentees.

Q: Can you tell me a little bit more about your current job at APL? What do you enjoy most about it? 

A: I’m currently the assistant group supervisor for the analytic capabilities group. The group is really known for a space at APL called the Live Lab, which was started as a response to a 2009 cyber attack that APL was victim of. The lab watches cyber data coming into the lab and processes it in real time to try to be more proactive about the next attack. I actually toured the Live Lab as part of a CWIT Scholars and Cyber Scholars visit day my senior year and thought to myself, ”This place is really cool. I would really like to work there someday.” The staff member running the tour that I attended was Dr. Elisha Peterson, who is my direct boss now. It took a while, but I made it to where I wanted to work my senior year of undergrad.

I’m so proud of UMBC. Being recognized as someone who UMBC is proud of also is incredible.

Emily Brown ’14, M.S. ’14, computer science

Q: How did your UMBC degree help prepare you for your professional career?

A: It wasn’t just what I learned at UMBC that was valuable, but how I learned how to learn. I came into my career already knowing that I valued community and diversity of thought because I had valued it and been taught to value it from my time at UMBC. 

UMBC also prepared me to anticipate that there are things that will be interdisciplinary in nature [in my career]. I was able to quickly understand at APL that the value of interdisciplinary teams is really important.

For example, I’ve worked with a psychologist colleague on the concept of a moral foundation. There is, of course, a computing component to parsing out the information, but there’s also a psychological component: Why does this message resonate with you, but not with me? Everybody has their own semi-unique moral foundations profile and a message that aligns to your moral foundations is more likely to resonate with you. That’s something I didn’t study in my computer science coursework at UMBC and I do need to make sure that I’m taking my psychologist colleagues’ opinions and thoughts about this into account as we’re building a project.

Q: What does winning a UMBC Alumni Award mean to you?

A: My sister, who I already mentioned finds me embarrassing, has told me in the past, “You know, there’s such a thing as too much school spirit.” And I refuse to believe that. Having been given so much by UMBC and being so passionate about what I experienced in that circle on that campus, I’m so proud of UMBC. Being recognized as someone who UMBC is proud of also is incredible.

Left: Emily Brown with her younger sister at Homecoming.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a current UMBC student, what would it be?

A: Try to do something different. I got a computer science degree, but I was also on The Retriever Weekly editorial staff, which for a CS major was super unusual. But that was my something different. I can’t tell you how many times I have been told in my professional career, “Wow, finding an engineer who is a decent writer is rare.” But that’s because I was on a student newspaper in undergrad. That ability to communicate has taken me pretty far in my career.

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Alumni Awards on Wednesday, October 29,at 6 p.m., and consider joining the UMBC community at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena to celebrate Emily Brown and the many remarkable individuals receiving awards. The event will be livestreamed for those unable to join in person. You can learn more at alumni.umbc.edu/alumniawards.

At a young age, Jacqueline Smith ’06, chemistry, already knew what she wanted to study in college. What she wasn’t quite sure about was where that would take her. She interned at several different companies, including L’Oreal, McCormick, and Walgreens, but it wasn’t until she found herself in Katherine Seley-Radtke’s chemistry lab that she found her true passion—academic research. 

Today, Smith is an associate professor of chemistry at Howard University. 

Her research on drug discovery and delivery has been supported by prestigious national awards, including a National Science Foundation CAREER award, as well as the NSF Excellence in Research award. And in October, she will receive a 2025 UMBC Outstanding Alumni Award. 

She recently had an opportunity to reflect on her journey from UMBC to Howard, and everything in between.

Q: What initially brought you to UMBC?

A: I’m a native of the DMV area. I graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Prince George’s County. I came to UMBC as a Meyerhoff scholar, the M13 cohort, as a chemistry major in 2003. In high school, I didn’t really know much about UMBC, to be honest. It was my guidance counselor who told me to check it out. And then when I came to campus for Meyerhoff selection weekend, it was a different atmosphere than I had ever experienced. The idea of people getting their Ph.D. was kind of new to me. That was attractive and interesting to me as a high-achieving student from the Eleanor Roosevelt Science and Tech program. 

Q: What do you love most about the Meyerhoff Scholars Program?

A: The Meyerhoff program really helped me because, even though I was a pretty strong student, I didn’t necessarily have the best study skills. The Meyerhoff Program helps you get organized and get focused, so that when you meet challenges, you have the tools to overcome them. And then personally, the Meyerhoff program has always been very supportive of me throughout my academic and professional career.

Q: You had your daughter while at UMBC. What was that experience like, and where did you find support?

A: It was challenging, of course. But I think that because of the strong foundation I had through the Meyerhoff program, I was able to continue on and eventually complete my degree. I remember vividly that sometimes I had to bring my daughter to class. The teachers were not like, “Oh, no, what are you doing here?” I didn’t get that vibe at UMBC. Even when I had to bring my daughter to the library with me for a study group, my colleagues were very welcoming. So, there was tons of support..

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a current UMBC student, what would it be?

A: What I would say to current UMBC students is to take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities and support found on campus. Sometimes when you’re young, you think you don’t need to go to a study group or utilize the Writing Center, but they’re valuable. 

Pictured right: Jacqueline holding hands with her daughter and one of her Meyerhoff M13 cohort.

Q: How did your time at UMBC shape your career aspirations?

A: Coming into UMBC, I knew I wanted to study chemistry, but I really didn’t know what type of chemistry or, really, what different varieties were out there. I was able to explore that at UMBC. In addition to the whole Meyerhoff program experience, which was pivotal to my academic growth, I had a lot of wonderful internship experiences at UMBC, including L’Oreal, McCormick, and Walgreens.

I also worked in Katherine Seley-Radtke’s lab in the chemistry department. Faculty research was a new thing to me, and it intrigued me. And so I decided that I wanted to explore this idea of academic research further. When I graduated from UMBC, I continued on to the University of Maryland, College Park to do my Ph.D. in chemistry, specializing in organic synthesis, which is what Dr. Seley-Radtke had done. Then, I went to do my postdoc at Georgetown University in the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Q: Can you tell us more about your career in higher ed?

A: After my postdoc, I got a faculty position at Bowie State University, which is a primarily undergraduate institution. I think what really attracted me to Bowie is that it’s an HBCU (Historically Black College or University), but it also felt similar to UMBC in a lot of ways. It was a smaller school, and I felt like there was that whole family environment. 

However, when I got to Bowie in 2016, they did not have a chemistry department. I played a big role in developing the chemistry program at Bowie, developing the curriculum, developing the proposal for the Maryland Higher Education Committee, and, eventually, defending that proposal. And I am happy to say that we officially launched the chemistry department at Bowie in 2019.

While I was working on the chemistry program, I was also trying to develop a research program with undergraduates, similar to what I saw done at UMBC. Ultimately, I was able to secure National Science Foundation funding through the HBCU-UP program. Initially, I got a research initiation award, which allowed me to procure some high-tech equipment, like a microwave reactor and an automated column chromatography instrument.

These tools allowed students to do their research within the confines of their academic schedule. The microwave, for example, allowed students to do reactions very quickly—in about 20 minutes—and then they could purify the compounds very quickly using automated chromatography.

In 2023, I became the first-ever Bowie professor to earn an NSF CAREER grant. This is an unusual achievement for an HBCU. When I was at College Park in my Ph.D. program, I remember seeing everybody working on their CAREER award applications. It was like a benchmark when they got it. So, being the rebel that I am, I decided that I was going to go for it at this primarily undergraduate HBCU institution. 

It just so happened that UMBC president Valerie Sheares Ashby (herself a chemist) was at Bowie shortly after I received the CAREER award. She was very happy for me, especially after learning I was a UMBC alum. She shared that information with UMBC president emeritus Freeman Hrabowski and the Meyerhoff program, who also reached out to congratulate me.

Receiving the CAREER award was really a game-changer for my research. I was able to hire a postdoc. And then, I received the NSF Excellence in Research award the next year.

Now, I felt like I had the tools I needed to take my work to the next level. So, that’s what brought me to Howard University in 2025. It was a hard decision to leave Bowie, but I really wanted to work with and support graduate students at the Ph.D. level.

Q: How have you given back to the community throughout your career?

A: I’ve had the opportunity throughout my career, really starting in my Ph.D. program, to work with the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). I was the student chapter president at College Park, and that was a really supportive organization for me. Then, upon starting my career at Bowie, I joined the NOBCChE board. I am entering the last year of my term as the Northeast Regional chair for NOBCChE.

However, I still plan to assist with programming and outreach in the local areas and with Howard University’s chapter. So, I’ve been really fortunate to come full circle and now be in a position to offer the same support to graduate students that I received. I was also lucky enough to help approve the UMBC chapter of NOBCChE recently.

While at Bowie, I also worked with the science and technology program at Flowers High School to have students come into my lab and do their research practicum project, just like I did when I was a student at Eleanor Roosevelt. Then, several times a year I try to do some K-12 STEM activities with local elementary, middle, and high schools.

Q: What does winning a UMBC Alumni Award mean to you?

A: Winning this award means a lot to me because it validates that I have continued the Meyerhoff and the UMBC tradition of excellence. I know UMBC’s reputation is world-renowned, and I know the high standard that is there. So, it makes me feel proud to be selected. It makes me feel like the work I’m doing is good work, and it’s contributing to the scientific community, to the chemistry community in a tremendous way.

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Alumni Awards on Wednesday, October 29,at 6 p.m., and consider joining the UMBC community at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena to celebrate Jacqueline Smith and the many remarkable individuals receiving awards. The event will be livestreamed for those unable to join in person. You can learn more at alumni.umbc.edu/alumniawards.

At a young age, Jacqueline Smith ’06, chemistry, already knew what she wanted to study in college. What she wasn’t quite sure about was where that would take her. She interned at several different companies, including L’Oreal, McCormick, and Walgreens, but it wasn’t until she found herself in Katherine Seley-Radtke’s chemistry lab that she found her true passion—academic research. 

Today, Smith is an associate professor of chemistry at Howard University. 

Her research on drug discovery and delivery has been supported by prestigious national awards, including a National Science Foundation CAREER award, as well as the NSF Excellence in Research award. And in October, she will receive a 2025 UMBC Outstanding Alumni Award. 

She recently had an opportunity to reflect on her journey from UMBC to Howard, and everything in between.

Q: What initially brought you to UMBC?

A: I’m a native of the DMV area. I graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Prince George’s County. I came to UMBC as a Meyerhoff scholar, the M13 cohort, as a chemistry major in 2003. In high school, I didn’t really know much about UMBC, to be honest. It was my guidance counselor who told me to check it out. And then when I came to campus for Meyerhoff selection weekend, it was a different atmosphere than I had ever experienced. The idea of people getting their Ph.D. was kind of new to me. That was attractive and interesting to me as a high-achieving student from the Eleanor Roosevelt Science and Tech program. 

Q: What do you love most about the Meyerhoff Scholars Program?

A: The Meyerhoff program really helped me because, even though I was a pretty strong student, I didn’t necessarily have the best study skills. The Meyerhoff Program helps you get organized and get focused, so that when you meet challenges, you have the tools to overcome them. And then personally, the Meyerhoff program has always been very supportive of me throughout my academic and professional career.

Q: You had your daughter while at UMBC. What was that experience like, and where did you find support?

A: It was challenging, of course. But I think that because of the strong foundation I had through the Meyerhoff program, I was able to continue on and eventually complete my degree. I remember vividly that sometimes I had to bring my daughter to class. The teachers were not like, “Oh, no, what are you doing here?” I didn’t get that vibe at UMBC. Even when I had to bring my daughter to the library with me for a study group, my colleagues were very welcoming. So, there was tons of support..

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a current UMBC student, what would it be?

A: What I would say to current UMBC students is to take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities and support found on campus. Sometimes when you’re young, you think you don’t need to go to a study group or utilize the Writing Center, but they’re valuable. 

Pictured right: Jacqueline holding hands with her daughter and one of her Meyerhoff M13 cohort.

Q: How did your time at UMBC shape your career aspirations?

A: Coming into UMBC, I knew I wanted to study chemistry, but I really didn’t know what type of chemistry or, really, what different varieties were out there. I was able to explore that at UMBC. In addition to the whole Meyerhoff program experience, which was pivotal to my academic growth, I had a lot of wonderful internship experiences at UMBC, including L’Oreal, McCormick, and Walgreens.

I also worked in Katherine Seley-Radtke’s lab in the chemistry department. Faculty research was a new thing to me, and it intrigued me. And so I decided that I wanted to explore this idea of academic research further. When I graduated from UMBC, I continued on to the University of Maryland, College Park to do my Ph.D. in chemistry, specializing in organic synthesis, which is what Dr. Seley-Radtke had done. Then, I went to do my postdoc at Georgetown University in the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Q: Can you tell us more about your career in higher ed?

A: After my postdoc, I got a faculty position at Bowie State University, which is a primarily undergraduate institution. I think what really attracted me to Bowie is that it’s an HBCU (Historically Black College or University), but it also felt similar to UMBC in a lot of ways. It was a smaller school, and I felt like there was that whole family environment. 

However, when I got to Bowie in 2016, they did not have a chemistry department. I played a big role in developing the chemistry program at Bowie, developing the curriculum, developing the proposal for the Maryland Higher Education Committee, and, eventually, defending that proposal. And I am happy to say that we officially launched the chemistry department at Bowie in 2019.

While I was working on the chemistry program, I was also trying to develop a research program with undergraduates, similar to what I saw done at UMBC. Ultimately, I was able to secure National Science Foundation funding through the HBCU-UP program. Initially, I got a research initiation award, which allowed me to procure some high-tech equipment, like a microwave reactor and an automated column chromatography instrument.

These tools allowed students to do their research within the confines of their academic schedule. The microwave, for example, allowed students to do reactions very quickly—in about 20 minutes—and then they could purify the compounds very quickly using automated chromatography.

In 2023, I became the first-ever Bowie professor to earn an NSF CAREER grant. This is an unusual achievement for an HBCU. When I was at College Park in my Ph.D. program, I remember seeing everybody working on their CAREER award applications. It was like a benchmark when they got it. So, being the rebel that I am, I decided that I was going to go for it at this primarily undergraduate HBCU institution. 

It just so happened that UMBC president Valerie Sheares Ashby (herself a chemist) was at Bowie shortly after I received the CAREER award. She was very happy for me, especially after learning I was a UMBC alum. She shared that information with UMBC president emeritus Freeman Hrabowski and the Meyerhoff program, who also reached out to congratulate me.

Receiving the CAREER award was really a game-changer for my research. I was able to hire a postdoc. And then, I received the NSF Excellence in Research award the next year.

Now, I felt like I had the tools I needed to take my work to the next level. So, that’s what brought me to Howard University in 2025. It was a hard decision to leave Bowie, but I really wanted to work with and support graduate students at the Ph.D. level.

Q: How have you given back to the community throughout your career?

A: I’ve had the opportunity throughout my career, really starting in my Ph.D. program, to work with the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). I was the student chapter president at College Park, and that was a really supportive organization for me. Then, upon starting my career at Bowie, I joined the NOBCChE board. I am entering the last year of my term as the Northeast Regional chair for NOBCChE.

However, I still plan to assist with programming and outreach in the local areas and with Howard University’s chapter. So, I’ve been really fortunate to come full circle and now be in a position to offer the same support to graduate students that I received. I was also lucky enough to help approve the UMBC chapter of NOBCChE recently.

While at Bowie, I also worked with the science and technology program at Flowers High School to have students come into my lab and do their research practicum project, just like I did when I was a student at Eleanor Roosevelt. Then, several times a year I try to do some K-12 STEM activities with local elementary, middle, and high schools.

Q: What does winning a UMBC Alumni Award mean to you?

A: Winning this award means a lot to me because it validates that I have continued the Meyerhoff and the UMBC tradition of excellence. I know UMBC’s reputation is world-renowned, and I know the high standard that is there. So, it makes me feel proud to be selected. It makes me feel like the work I’m doing is good work, and it’s contributing to the scientific community, to the chemistry community in a tremendous way.

Mark your calendars for the 2025 Alumni Awards on Wednesday, October 29,at 6 p.m., and consider joining the UMBC community at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena to celebrate Jacqueline Smith and the many remarkable individuals receiving awards. The event will be livestreamed for those unable to join in person. You can learn more at alumni.umbc.edu/alumniawards.

Early mentorship at UMBC, layered with her continued education and formative life experiences, has shaped Ali-Coleman’s voice and purpose. From her transformative years at UMBC—where she wrangled her array of interests into a self-designed major—to her current varied roles,  Ali-Coleman’s commitment to the arts, education, and advocacy is clear. Her most recent project was launching the nonprofit Black Writers for Peace and Social Justice, which emerged from her experiences and inspirations gathered from a recent trip to Cuba. 

Ali-Coleman’s entrepreneurial spirit is evident in her earlier work as well. In 2008, she founded an arts organization called Liberated Muse, driven by a passion for artistic expression and community engagement rather than immediate financial gain. Her leadership roles in various nonprofits provided her with the skills to formalize her initiatives with integrity and a systems mindset, she says. Collaborations with fellow UMBC alum Maceo Thomas ’93, biochemistry and molecular biology, arose from her desire to create spaces for artistic expression.

As the second poet laureate of Prince George’s County, Maryland, Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman embodies the role’s commitment to both the arts and community. She describes the work as an ambassador for literature and writing, creating courses and spaces for writers to share their voices. “What I’ve found the greatest joy in,” says Ali-Coleman ’95, interdisciplinary studies , “is partnering with local libraries and schools to share the different literary eras that have impacted our world.” Through this position, she has launched a symposium series, focusing on the Black Arts Movement, with plans for an exploration of the Harlem Renaissance in 2025.

Listening to her mother’s voice

Ali-Coleman’s path to UMBC was heavily influenced by her mother, who encouraged her to stay local, despite initially being set on applying to schools across the country. However, during a family tour of UMBC, she felt an unexpected connection. It was, as she describes it, “love at first sight,” enamored by the warmth of the campus community and the support from then admissions counselor Yvette Mozie-Ross ’88.

Now the vice provost for enrollment management and planning, Mozie-Ross was present when Ali-Coleman won the UMBC 2024 Outstanding Alumni Award. “It’s great to see that the same passion and compassion for the genuine well-being of others that ignited and drove Khadijah as a student leader has not waned a bit,” says Mozie-Ross. “Her work in our communities continues to reflect her deep sense of humanity. We (UMBC) couldn’t be more proud of her.”

Once at UMBC, Ali-Coleman faced the challenge of narrowing down her diverse academic interests—ranging from social work and mass media to African American history and English. She quickly realized that a traditional major wouldn’t fit her needs, and after reading the entire course catalog, she discovered the interdisciplinary studies (INDS) program, which allowed her to create a personalized curriculum. This flexibility enabled her to weave courses from African American studies, American studies, and English into a unique educational path that laid the groundwork for her future in communications and education.

Key figures at UMBC also played a significant role in shaping her journey. One of her favorite classes was Acklyn Lynch’s course on the Black Experience, where Ali-Coleman formed a lasting friendship with William Honablew ’95. This course not only stimulated intellectual discussions but also fostered ongoing connections among both students and Lynch long after graduation. Another influential mentor was Jamie Washington, who taught Ali-Coleman during her time as a student peer advisor. Washington’s ability to facilitate difficult conversations around racial tolerance during pivotal moments—such as the Rodney King trial verdict—left a lasting impression on Ali-Coleman. She often finds herself wishing she could emulate his approach as a facilitator and teacher. “Jamie Washington is by far the most impacting role model and person that I think of,” she says.

Making herself at home

Ali-Coleman draws on her inspiring mentors in her own classrooms as an associate professor of English at Coppin State University. “Baltimore is really my second home,” she shares, which started with her time at UMBC, followed by earning her master’s from Towson University, and her doctorate from Morgan State University. As someone familiar with area institutions, Ali-Coleman calls UMBC a “gem.” Aside from having high academic standards, she said it was also ahead of its time. 

“Many aspects we now take for granted—like diversity, equity, and inclusion—were already being prioritized at UMBC,” says Ali-Coleman. “The university created a culture around inclusion, which was evident during my time as both an employee and a student.” As a member of the second cohort of UMBC McNair Scholars, Ali-Coleman experienced firsthand UMBC’s commitment to supporting underrepresented students in pursuing doctoral degrees. “I realized how ahead of the curve UMBC was,” said Ali-Coleman. “It didn’t sacrifice academics or cultural experiences. I don’t think people fully appreciate that.” 

Ali-Coleman, who was named an Outstanding Alumni at the 2024 Alumni Awards, says that her career trajectory reflects her experiences at UMBC, where she honed skills that would later serve her in various opportunities. After defending her dissertation on African American homeschool students who were dual enrolled just days before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she recognized an urgent need for support among families navigating homeschooling for the first time. This led her to found Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars in 2020, an organization created to assist parents struggling with the transition to remote learning.

As she continues to navigate her role as poet laureate, professor, and nonprofit leader, her story showcases how pivotal moments, resilience, and a little bit of serendipity have shaped her path. “UMBC was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, and it has been incredibly impactful,” Ali-Coleman reflects. “I’ve drawn from my time there in countless ways in all different areas of my life.”

There’s already a student waiting outside the office of Faisal Quader, Ph.D. ’20, when the adjunct professor arrives at the Information Technology and Engineering building on a Thursday afternoon. 

The recent graduate, Smriti Khilnani, M.S. ’24, information systems, patiently waits for the information systems instructor—a full-time president of Technuf LLC, philanthropist, and board member of several organizations—to open his office for his limited hours on campus. Quader breezes in, greeting his guest with a smile while asking her how she’s doing. 

“I don’t know,” the graduate says, before the pair steps inside the office. After several minutes, the duo exit and Khilnani’s face looks more relaxed and at ease than moments before. 

“She’s looking for a job, and she’s a little frustrated,” says Quader of the graduate, who is an international student. “She’s trying to get a cybersecurity job, but it needs security clearance, which she cannot get due to her non-U.S. citizen status. However, we talked about alternative solutions to her problem.”

Moments like these aren’t uncommon for Quader, a former international student himself. He spends a large portion of his time in service to those around him, whether it’s in the classroom, in a meeting room at the high-tech company he runs, or on stage when he’s singing classic Bengali songs. 

“The fact that people are so open to come to me for help—that makes my day knowing that I’m able to make a difference,” says Quader.

Bringing industry perspectives into the classroom

Since graduating in 2020, Quader has spent the last four years as a part-time instructor teaching two graduate-level cybersecurity courses at UMBC and an additional course at the University of Maryland, College Park. On top of teaching, Quader works full-time as the president of the company he co-founded, Technuf, which specializes in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), robotic process automation, mobile application development, and software engineering. The Rockville-based company supports agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Homeland Security, and some state governments on high-profile cybersecurity initiatives.

Quader has a B.S. in computer science from the University of Wisconsin and an M.S. in computer science and engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Before going down the path to becoming a faculty member, Quader was initially a non-degree student at UMBC, but after enjoying his class so much, he decided to pursue a doctoral degree in information systems, specializing in cybersecurity. 

“It was a difficult path working full-time and being a student, but I got so much from UMBC,” says Quader. “My mentors and professors supported me tremendously. I love this school, and now I feel like it’s time for me to give something back. Nothing is better than being able to share what I’ve learned with students.”

Quader brings his data science industry know-how to the classroom in more practical ways, educating students on how he and his team at Technuf work to address timely cybersecurity challenges, such as securing network infrastructures from cyber attacks and analyzing data to protect from cyber threats. His courses are capped to capacity every semester and has an ever-evolving waitlist of students hoping to learn from his tutelage. 

“Cybersecurity is an extremely hot topic, and I like that I can bring in the industry perspective to my theoretical teachings,” explains Quader. “I love teaching—it’s my passion. Even though I work full time, I do this because I love to be able to share what I do everyday.”

A passion for performance

While Quader has spent the last three decades in engineering, computer science, and information science as an industry leader, he’s dedicated much of his life to something he got from his mother: a love of singing. 

As a child growing up in Bangladesh, Quader frequently performed on tv shows as a vocalist and continues to feed his passion for performance today. He shares that music is his “weekend work” where he occasionally puts on family performances with his wife and two children. Every few weeks, Quader travels across the DMV singing with various groups. He’s a big fan of Lionel Richie and Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore. With his performances, Quader says that he is trying to create a bridge between Eastern and Western music. 

The tech-heavy data scientist says that finding time to mesh his creative passions with his analytical and technical skills gives balance to his life—music and technology are more related than one may think, he adds. 

“Technology has a lot of mathematical inductions, different kinds of modeling theories and patterns. Music is also something that is kind of like a pattern,” says Quader. “Music refreshes my brain. When the weekend comes, I focus on music and that gives me more energy to do my work. That keeps me sane.”

Supporting the next generation of data scientists and engineers

In 2023, Quader established the Technuf Endowed Fellowship at UMBC, a $100,000 fund that supports master’s or Ph.D. candidates in information systems with entrepreneurial aspirations who are conducting research and/or pursuing a career in AI/ML or cybersecurity. The fellowship, Quader shares, is particularly for students who are unable to receive financial support for their education. 

“When I was a student here in the U.S. after emigrating from Bangladesh at age 18, I didn’t have a scholarship or funding because of the fact that I was an international student. I struggled so badly and had to work three jobs to make my tuition,” he says. “I don’t want my students to go through the same process of struggling. I’m not able to help every student, but this is a good start.”

Quader also created a summer internship program at Technuf where students work hand-in-hand with data scientists and engineers on solving technical problems. Several UMBC students have gone on to work full time at Technuf following their internships, including Isha Shah, M.S. ’23, information systems. In summer 2022, Shah worked at Technuf as a software engineer and data science intern. 

“I often found it challenging to secure job or internship opportunities. During one of our initial classes, Dr. Quader mentioned his company, which immediately caught my interest,” says Shah. “I reached out to him to inquire about internship opportunities and to my surprise, he responded with enthusiasm and asked me to send over my resume. That moment felt like a turning point in my career journey.”

After graduating from UMBC, Shah was offered a full-time position at Technuf and currently works at the company as a product development engineer.

“Dr. Quader has had a tremendous impact on both my studies and career. His approach to teaching went far beyond textbooks. He always emphasized the importance of real-world applications and critical thinking, which made a significant difference in my understanding of cybersecurity concepts,” Shah explains. “Dr. Quader believed in my potential and opened doors for me at Technuf, where I’ve been able to gain invaluable hands-on experience in the field.”

In October, Quader was honored for his service as a 2024 recipient of UMBC’s Distinguished Service Alumni Award.

“That was a big encouragement for me,” Quader beamed. “I can see the difference I’m able to make with my students by giving them job opportunities, internships, training, and industry focused-teaching. That’s what keeps me going.”

Meet Karen Woodard ‘90, English. Karen is chief of the Employment Litigation Section in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and an active member of the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors, serving as Vice President of Finance and one of the co-chairs of the Alumni Awards committee. As an undergrad, Karen was heavily involved on campus. She played on the women’s basketball team all four years—serving as team captain her senior year—and was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., serving as president also in her senior year. Karen credits her time at UMBC and its nurturing community for preparing her for future success. Tell us all about it, Karen!

Q: What is your WHY? What brought you to UMBC?

A: I came to UMBC because I believed I would receive a first-class education, could continue my athletic career, and would be supported in both pursuits.

Q: Where have you found support in the UMBC community?

A: As a student, I had so many opportunities to develop my leadership skills as an athlete, as part of Greek life, and in the classroom. When I decided to apply to law school, members of the UMBC community, including professors and coaches, encouraged me to aim high. I applied to and was accepted by several top law schools. I ultimately decided to attend Duke. I could not have achieved that goal without the nurturing and support of the UMBC community.

Q: What’s one essential thing you’d want another Retriever to know about you?

A: While at UMBC, I was a member of the women’s basketball team, a four-year letter winner, and captain during my senior year. I was honored as the Outstanding Scholar Athlete for the 1989 – 1990 season. I also joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Lambda Kappa Chapter, serving as president from 1989 – 1990. Additionally, I received the Student Affairs Leadership Award.

Left: Karen at the 2013 Chapter of Black & Latinx Alumni (CBLA) Homecoming Throwback Party. Right: Karen and others at the 2016 UMBC Grit & Greekness Alumni Reunion.

Q: Tell us about someone in the community who has inspired you or supported you, and how they did it.

A: During my time at UMBC, I was inspired and supported by the upperclass members of the Lambda Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, These women were accomplished in the classroom and involved in service to the UMBC campus and Baltimore community, and they modeled how to balance all of these important parts of a student’s life with excellence. They each inspired me to achieve and encouraged and supported me as I worked my way though UMBC, and they continue to do the same even today.

After UMBC, I went on to graduate from Duke University School of Law. Currently, I am chief of the Employment Litigation Section in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

Q: Tell us more about your current job. What do you like most about it?

A: As a civil rights attorney, I enjoy bringing cases that vindicate the rights of individuals and classes of people those who have been discriminated against to ensure the unlawful behavior is not repeated and the workplace is left better than what it was when we started our case.

Q: How have you stayed connected with the UMBC community?

A: I truly love my work on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and specifically as co-chair of the Alumni Awards committee. I enjoy working with fellow alumni who love UMBC and are committed to helping get more alumni involved in the Alumni Association and seeing the university continue to thrive. As the co-chair of the awards committee, I look forward to reading about the many accomplished alumni who are nominated. It fills me with a sense of pride to know UMBC produces so many accomplished individuals. I also feel very inspired by my work with the Athletic Department’s Hall of Fame committee.

Q: What’s the one thing you’d want someone who hasn’t joined the UMBC community to know about the support you find here?

A: As an alum, you will feel supported by all levels of the university, including President Valerie Sheares Ashby—who truly cares about all who are connected to UMBC—the Office of Alumni Engagement, and the many staff members who are dedicated to supporting UMBC alumni.

Q: What drives you to support UMBC?

A: I support the Alumni Endowed Scholarship and the UMBC Athletics Department, women’s basketball program. With my support of the alumni scholarship, I know I am pouring into some of the best and brightest of UMBC’s current students. I also find it important as a women’s basketball alum to give back to the program that helped define me as a student. I learned so much and grew so much as a student and athlete during my four years on the team, and I want to do my part to help the current group of athletes succeed.

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UMBC’s greatest strength is its people. When people meet Retrievers and hear about the passion they bring, the relationships they create, the ways they support each other, and the commitment they have to inclusive excellence, they truly get a sense of our community. That’s what “Meet a Retriever” is all about.

Learn more about how UMBC can help you achieve your goals.