You can see it at URCAD Online, starting April 22nd!

Mentors: Eric Dyer, Visual Arts, UMBC; Charles LaBerge, CSEE, UMBC

Presenters and Guests:

Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from?

I relocated to Catonsville 20 years ago from a small town north of Pittsburgh called Aliquippa, and yes, I'm a Steelers fan. My love for community stems from my roots there and my strong family values, much like the UMBC community that I am growing to love!

Where did you go to school? 

I graduated from Aliquippa High School, home of many famous graduates there such as Jesse Steinfeld, Henry Mancini, Mike Ditka, Ty Law and Tony Dorsette, to name a few.

What did you do before coming to the Career Center?

I worked for Anne Arundel Workforce Development, part of the Workforce Branch of  Anne Arundel County Government and MD Department of Labor. I enjoyed my varied roles over the past 10 years as a career advisor, training facilitator, business services rep and career center manager. Every day was a new adventure and I loved being part of getting people back to work and helping them to advance in their careers.

What will you be working on at UMBC?  

As the Office Supervisor, I will be providing administrative and budgetary support to the director and staff members in the Career Center, Math/Psych 201. My duties also include managing the front office, student staffing/recruiting and training.   

What are you most excited about for your new role?

Besides getting to be part of the UMBC community, I’m excited to work with such an amazing and supportive Career Center team, and use my skills and experience to support both staff and students in achieving their goals. 

Do you have a secret talent?

I wish I could say I have a secret talent, but, on a silly note, I accidentally drove into a presidential motorcade (pre-911), drank champagne out of the Stanley Cup, and got kissed by Shamu.

What was your first job or internship?

My first job as a teenager was cleaning a small credit union, where I set off the alarm a time or two. But, my first internship was at a major bank as a teller/office assistant, which led to a permanent job offer as the secretary to the Vice President.

How are you spending your COVID-19 quarantine?  

I’ve been learning more about UMBC and my role while working virtually. In the past month, I started my new position, had my wedding reception cancelled, still got married in a private ceremony (me, my new husband and the pastor), prepared to sell my house and moved into a new place. At least I can say I’m never bored and although it has been a little stressful, I feel blessed!

• umbc.edu/go/urcadonline (to create/submit a VT to urcadonline)
• umbc.edu/go/urcadonline-faq (for information on how to create/view/comment in VT)

Join us for URCAD Online, April 22-29, 2020!

You will be able to view student presentations and interact with the presenters.

URCAD.umbc.edu

Presenters and guests:

Murielle Abissi, Aarsh Sheth, Oladeji Akinbamowo, Kristina Atanasoff | Biological Sciences

Assessing the Age-specific Phagocytic Ability in Drosophila melanogaster Using An in Vivo phagocytosis Assay

Mentor: Jeff Leips

 

Theodore Addo | Biological Sciences

Effects of Oxygen on NDRG1 Function

Mentor: Rachel Brewster

 

Precious Adeniyi| Biological Sciences

Developing Tools to Characterize Ubiquitin-Chain Patterns in Vivo

Mentor: Achuth Padmanabhan

 

Susan Afolabi, Kathryn Wardrup| Biological Sciences

CHARACTERIZING THE EFFECTS OF FERRITIN ON OVARIAN CELL MIGRATION IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Mentor: Michelle Starz-Gaiano

 

Assefa Akinwole| Biologial Sciences

DETERMINING THE EFFECT OF PHOSPHORYLATION ON THE LYSINIE METHYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY OF THE YEAST ENZYME, SET5

Mentor: Erin Green

 

Shandon Amos | Biological Sciences

Investigation of the Protein-Protein Interactions of the Chromatin Associated Protein Set4 in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Mentor: Erin Green

 

Chase Andre| Biological Sciences

Examining the Role of Mind Bomb 2 on Cell Migration in Drosophila

Mentor: Michelle Starz-Gaiano

 

Shehar Yar Awan| Biological Sciences

ANALYSIS OF SET5 METHYLATION ACTIVITY WITH POTENTIAL SUBSTRATES

Mentor: Erin Green

 

Barna Baierna | Biological Sciences

Characterization of N-Acetylglucosamine Transport and Utilization by Cellvibrio Japonicus

Mentor: Jeffrey Gardner

 

Robin Bailey| Biological Sciences

The Role of Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis in Melanopsin Phototransduction

Mentor: Phyllis Robinson

 

Sierra Barkdoll| Biological Sciences

SHINY COWBIRD BROOD PARASITISM THREATENS THE CRITICALLY-ENDANGERED BAHAMA ORIOLE

Mentor: Kevin Omland

 

Elshaday Behailu| Biological Sciences

The Effect of CREB on the Immune Response of Drosophila Melanogaster

Mentor: Fernando Vonhoff

 

Dominique Brooks| Biological Sciences

Evidence for Conserved Mechanisms of Neurulation in the Zebrafish Forebrain

Mentor: Rachel Brewster

 

Breanna Byrd | Biological Sciences

POPULATION ANALYSIS OF FERAL ISLAND CATS: PREDATION RISK TO ENDANGERED BAHAMA ORIOLE

Mentor: Kevin Omland

 

Allyson Caldwell| Biological Sciences

Apical Constriction Molecular Machinery Within the Zebrafish Medial Hingepoint

Mentor: Rachel Brewster

 

Arushi Dalal | Biological Sciences

Grasshopper Sparrow Song Diversity in the Caribbean

Mentor: Bernard Lohr

 

Sheridan Danquah| Biological Sciences

Use of Radio Tracking to Study Territory Size of the Bahama Oriole

Mentor: Kevin Omland

 

Antara Das, Cyrus Jenkins, Kerrey O’Neill, Maggie Meesuk, Maithily Diaz, Bella Gudino| Biological Sciences

Identification of Novel Genes that Influence Age-Related Immunosenescence in Drosophila Melanogaster

Mentor: Jeffrey Leips

 

Ayushi Dave| Biological Sciences

Investigating the Role of Effete in Border Cell Migration in D. Melanogaster

Mentor: Michelle Starz-Gaiano

 

Shiva Deljookorani | Biological Sciences

HIGHT CONTENT SCREENING FOR INVESTIGATING FATTY ACID-MEDIATED EPGENETIC REPROGRAMMING IN MELANOMA

Mentor: Ting-Hsiang Huang

 

Riki Egoshi| Biological Sciences

Investigating the Roles of Circadian Genes LNK1 and LNK2 in Plant Defense

Mentor: Hua Lu

 

Ogechi Elemuo| Biological Sciences

EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE VAPOR ON MOUSE OLFACTORY-GUIDED BEHAVIOR

Mentor: Weihong Lin

 

Carina Lopez Escobar| Biological Sciences

Investigating Synaptic Refinement in the Central Nervous System of Drosophila Melanogaster

Mentor: Fernando Vonhoff

 

Carly Fabian| Biological Sciences

Development of Intersectional Chemogenetic Techniques to Isolate Circuitry Involved in Pain Affect

Mentor: Greg Elmer

 

Nathaniel Felbinger | Biological Sciences

Loss of TRNA Core Region Modifications Effect on Translation Error Rate in Mutant Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Mentor: Philip Farabaugh

 

Star Fernandez| Biological Sciences

Genes on Prostate Cancer

Mentor: Charles Bieberich

 

Fleurine Amouzou Guiffo| Biological Sciences

Morphological and Genetic Identification of the Harvestmen Species Leiobunum Flavum

Mentor: Mercedes Burns

 

Mitra Harrison | Biological Sciences

Deciphering the Function of the rlsA Gene in the Multicellular Green Alga, Volvox Carteri

Mentor: Stephen Miller

 

Andrew Hennigan| Biological Sciences

Assessing the Impact of Phosphomimetic Mutations on Mouse Melanopsin Signaling

Mentor: Phyllis Robinson

 

Nneamaka Iwobi| Biological Sciences

The Developmental Role of Drosophila Melanogaster

Mentor: Fernando Vonhoff

 

Jafira Johnson| Biological Sciences

Investigating the Role of the Planar Cell Polarity and Shroom3 in Forebrain Morphogenesis

Mentor: Rachel Brewster

 

Zulekha Karachiwalla| Biological Sciences

Three-dimensional Visualization of Harvestman Spermathecae Using Confocal Microscopy

Mentor: Mercedes Burns

 

Rakaia Kenney| Biological Sciences

Goblet Cell Proliferation in the Mouse Respiratory Epithelium in Response to E-Cigarette Vapors

Mentor: Weihong Lin

 

Avantika Krishna| Biological Sciences

Effects of Nicotine and a Common E-cigarette Flavoring Agent on Taste Bud Morphology and Taste Preference

Mentor: Weihong Lin

 

Priya Krishna| Biological Sciences

Consequences of Prolonged Chronic Inflammation in the Mouse Prostate Gland

Mentor: Charles Bieberich

 

Jennifer Kuhlman| Biological Sciences

Study of the Genetic Relationship Between Sleep and Immunity in Drosophila Melanogaster

Mentor: Jeffrey Leips

 

Amir Labani| Biological Sciences

Functional Classification of Disease Variants for the Advancement of Precision Medicine

Mentor: Maricel Kann

 

Michael LaScola| Biological Sciences

Developmental Characterization of Dp1 Mutants in the Green Alga, Volvox Carteri

Mentor: Stephen Miller

 

Nguyet Le| Biological Sciences

ROLE OF N-MYC DOWNSTREAM REGULATED GENES FAMILY IN LOW OXYGEN ADAPTATION

Mentor: Rachel Brewster

 

Se Rin Lee| Biological Sciences

Investigating the Divergence and Role of Chromatin Modifiers Set3 and Set4 in Budding Yeast

Mentor: Erin Green

 

Phillip Long| Biological Sciences

Generating an Engineered Exosome Model for Treating Heart Failure

Mentor: Samarjit Das

 

Sahar Mahate, Riva Malick, Janvi Madhiwala| Biological Sciences

Anti-erbB2 Agent with Doxorubicin Alters ErbB2 Phosphorylation in Osteosarcoma Rat Model

Mentor: Kathy Gabrielson

 

Olufolake Majekodunmi| Biological Sciences

Examination of Behavioral and Physiological Effects of E-liquid Flavoring and Vapor on Immune Response in Tongue Of Mice

Mentor: Weihong Lin

 

Darius McKoy| Biological Sciences

Role of N-myc Downstream Regulated Gene 3 (NDRG3) in Cellular Arrest Under Anoxia

Mentor: Rachel Brewster

 

Harper Montgomery| Biological Sciences

Identification of Reproductive Endosymbiont Bacteria in Oklahoma Harvestmen

Mentor: Mercedes Burns

 

Zakary Newberry| Biological Sciences

Effect of Lambda Red Recombinogenic Proteins On Cas9-Mediated Homology Directed Repair

Mentor: Charles Bieberich

 

Favour Nwagugo | Biological Sciences

Light-Dependent Endocytosis of Mouse Melanopsin

Mentor: Phyllis Robinson

 

Ehita Oboh | Biological Sciences

Investigating the Anoxia-induced Transcriptional Adaptations of NDRGs

Mentor: Rachel Brewster

 

Chelsea Okeh| Biological Sciences

The Effects of Hyperglycemia on Neurulation

Mentor: Rachel Brewster

 

Cheyenne Oliver| Biological Sciences

The Effects of Oscillatory Activity in Synaptic Refinement in Drosophila Melanogaster

Mentor: Tagide deCarvalho

 

Victor Omoniyi | Biological Sciences

Effects Of APPLd Mutation On The Olfactory System In Drosophila Melanogaster

Mentor: Fernando Vonhoff

 

Yaw Owusu-Boaitey| Biological Sciences

Roles for Steroid Hormone Signaling Targets in Border Cell Migration in the Drosophila Ovary

Mentor: Michelle Starz-Gaiano

 

Steve Park| Biological Sciences

Testing the Effect of Exercise and Gut Microbiota in Brain Function of Drosophila Flies

Mentor: Fernando Vonhoff

 

Aiman Raza| Biological Sciences

Dreissena Mussels as an Indicator Species For Assessing Aquatic Microbial Biodiversity in Lake Michigan

Mentor: Rosemary Jagus

 

Jonathan Rodman| Biological Sciences

A Comparative Soundscape Analysis of the Cylburn Arboretum and a Section of The 33rd Street Corridor In Baltimore City

Mentor: Bernard Lohr

 

Mitali Sarkar | Biological Sciences

GAG-RNA INTERACTIONS THAT INITIATE HIV-1 ASSEMBLY

Mentor: Michael Summers

 

Jonathan Sikora|Biological Sciences

A Comparison of Song Repertoire Sizes in Male and Female Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia Sialis) using Statistical Rarefaction

Mentor: Kevin Omland

 

Andrew Simpson, Emmanuel Kotey, Ashley Mitchell, Dorjan Leka| Biological Sciences

Systematic Annotation of Evidence-based Sentences in Scientific Articles Using the Evidence and Conclusions Ontology

Mentor: Ivan Erill

 

JD Snee| Biological Sciences

Developing a High-throughput Platform to Identify Small Molecules Targeting Specific Mutant P53 Proteins

Mentor: Achuth Padmanabhan

 

Eric Upton| Biological Sciences

Deactivation Kinetics of the Photopigment Melanopsin in Rod Monochromats

Mentor: Phyllis Robinson

 

Garvan Vines| Biological Sciences

Prevalence of Putative Drug-resistant Mutations in HIV-1C in Africa

Mentor: Daphney Matume

 

Sierra Wallace| Biological Sciences

Generation of dp2 Mutant in Volvox carteri through the CRISPR/Cas9 Editing System

Mentor: Stephen Miller

Anna Yaschenko | Biological Sciences

Identifying the Genetic Basis of Drug Response Using Drosophila Melanogaster in the Era of Personalized Medicine

Mentor: Jeff Leips

 

Rianna Zacharias| Biological Sciences

The Effects of Hyperglycemia on Neurulation

Mentor: Rachel Brewster

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Please join us virtually for discussion and education focused workshops for UMBC undergraduate and graduate students who identify as women of color. Space designed to allow students to obtain emotional support and a place to discuss stressors and challenges related to navigating social, academic, and work spaces in the time of COVID-19.

Black Plague, “Yellow” Fever, and Coronavirus: Virus Racialization, Inequity, and Oppression

Working from Home Well(ness)

Relationships - Revisited and Reignited

Uncharted Territory: Grieving the uncertain and unknown 

Please register via MyUMBC in advance if possible, but feel free to drop in as well if you identify as a woman of color (while allies are appreciated, this is not a space designed for them). For security purposes, the links for these meetings will be emailed to individuals who registered or be shared the hour prior to the meeting on the myUMBC event.  The meeting will be locked 5 minutes after the start time.

Abstract:

Mentor: Felipe Filomeno, Political Science

Sheridan Danquah is a Biological Sciences major. and an LRC tutor. He will be presenting his research, "Use of Radio Tracking to Study Territory Size of the Bahama Oriole," along with his research team, Gabriel Wilkins, Breanna Byrd, and Sierra Barkdoll at online URCAD 2020!

Abstract:

The Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi) is a critically endangered bird found only in Andros, Bahamas. Previous literature on these orioles suggested they mostly nested in developed areas in Coconut Palms (Cocos nucifera). With new knowledge that the Bahama Oriole also nests in pine forests (Pinus caribaea), we hope to make more accurate population estimates. Determining the territory size of the Bahama Oriole is crucial to making reliable population estimates.

Using radio transmitters placed on three different orioles, we triangulated the positions of tagged birds. These positions were used to generate territory maps for the three radio tagged orioles. To assess the validity of our equipment, and ensure the transmitter was still on sampled birds, we also periodically set out to sight the tagged orioles. The resulting home range maps show that the Bahama Oriole has a larger territory size than was previously assumed.  These findings will be crucial in our ongoing efforts to estimate the total number of Bahama Orioles surviving.

Mentors: Kevin Omland, Biological Sciences, Colin Studds/Matthew Fagan, Geography & Environmental Systems, UMBC

Photo: Dr. Omland with the 2019 research group