Wednesday, March 3 • 5 - 6:30 p.m. 
A Virtual Community Event

Register Here

UMBC alumni, faculty, and staff are at the forefront of scientific, social, and policy responses to the grand challenges facing Maryland and the nation. We invite you to listen in as leading Retrievers talk about their work and what this moment requires of each of us. Topics and invited speakers include:

Welcome & Public Policy in a Triple Pandemic

Brian Frazee ‘11, M.P.P. ‘12, President, UMBC Alumni Association, and Vice President, Government Affairs, Maryland Hospital Association, emcee

The Honorable Adrienne Jones ‘76, Speaker, Maryland House of Delegates

Rebuilding Trust in Science

A discussion with UMBC community members responding to the coronavirus pandemic and developing the vaccine.

Freeman and Jackie Hrabowski, UMBC President and First Lady

Dr. Kate Tracy, M.A. ’01, Ph.D. ’03, Special Advisor to the Senior Vice Chancellor, University System of Maryland

Featuring comments from  Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett ‘08, Senior Research Fellow, NIAID's Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory

One Virus, Different Experiences

A conversation about the structural inequities exacerbated by the pandemic and the response efforts, specifically how UMBC community members are working to resource minority communities in Baltimore City.

Dr. Letitia Dzirasa ‘03, Baltimore City Health Commissioner

Josh Michael ‘10, Director, Baltimore School Partnerships, Sherman STEM Teacher Scholars Programs

Diane Bell-McKoy ‘73, CEO, Associated Black Charities

Redefining Public Safety

A dialogue on the national movement for criminal justice reform and how UMBC community members are leading the way in Maryland.

The Honorable John Olszewski, Ph.D.‘17, Baltimore County Executive

William Joyner ‘11 , Equity Officer, Baltimore City Police Department

Eric Ford, Director, The Choice Program at UMBC

Questions? Please email Marie Lily, Director, Community Engagement, atmlilly@umbc.edu.

o Support students as they eat their lunch in the classroom.

o Supervise students as they participate in recess.

o Read to students or monitor students during quiet time after recess and lunch.

Present at URCAD but don't be like lawyer Rod Ponton, who showed up to present a case in Texas' 394th District Court with the filter of a cute kitten on.

"I don't know how to remove it," Ponton said in a clip of the live stream that the court shared on YouTube titled Kitten Zoom Filter Mishap. "I'm here live; I'm not a cat."

Reminder: Turn Off Kitty Cat Filter When Presenting at URCAD.

Apply by tonight's deadline:

ur.umbc.edu/urcad

Grace Waterman is a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major who will graduate this spring. She is a member of the Biological Sciences Departmental Honors Program, and a URA Scholar.

Title of your research project: Testing the Effects of Entresto on the Heat Stress Response of Drosophila melanogaster

Describe your project:

My project is a group project focused on determining how Entresto, a blood pressure medication, impacts response to heat stress in different ages and genetic backgrounds in Drosophila melanogaster. We want to apply the results we find from our experiment to predict how people taking Entresto will be affected by heat stress, like a heat wave. 

Who is your mentor(s) for your project?

Dr. Jeff Leips, Department of Biological Sciences

I found my mentor when I was taking BIOL 142. Dr. Leips discussed his research one day during class and it sounded interesting. After learning more about his research online, I asked if I could join his lab and participate in the research.

I chose Dr. Leips because I am interested in the projects in his lab. I also chose the Leips Lab because before joining the lab, everyone was incredibly nice and supportive. I could tell it would be a great environment to do research in.

How did you become interested in this project?

When interviewing to join the Leips Lab, Dr. Leips told me about each of the projects being done in the lab and I chose to join the Entresto group. My project is a further investigation of the Entresto project from when I joined the lab. 

What has been the hardest part about your research/what was the most unexpected thing about being a researcher? 

During my time as an undergraduate researcher, one of the projects I worked on has had numerous setbacks. We have had everything from controlled temperature room failures to the COVID-19 pandemic to equipment malfunctions. Having numerous setbacks can be hard but it has taught me that research can sometimes go wrong, and you cannot give up.

What has been the most rewarding part?

The most rewarding part of being a researcher has been discovering my passion for research. Before joining a lab, I was not completely sure I wanted to pursue research in graduate school or as a career. After working in a lab, I found research is what I am passionate about. Even when I encountered numerous setbacks in my projects, I still enjoyed doing research.

How will you disseminate your research (URCAD presentation, conference, publication, etc?)

My research is going to be presented at URCAD, April 19-25. My group also hopes to write a paper about the research and publish it.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research? 

My advice to other students is to never give up. When pursuing research, things often do not go as planned. You cannot give up; keep trying and it will work out.

What are your career goals?

I plan to attend graduate school after graduating from UMBC and earn a PhD in Biochemistry. I plan to focus on drug design and develop medications to treat cancer. After graduate school, I aim to work in the pharmaceutical industry and become a leader in the field of drug development.