The “UMBC Campus” wireless network will transition to a much more improved network: eduroam. The network provides encrypted traffic for any device you use and features a one time setup process that can be used on any campus that supports eduroam, not just UMBC. UMBC will discontinue the UMBC Campus WiFi SSID name later in calendar year 2015. Eduroam is supported on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. 

1. Availability: Originally developed in Europe, eduroam also supports people in higher education using wireless networks at other higher education institutions. Eduroam has expanded beyond the 1900 institutions using it in Europe to include over 30 countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States. So any UMBC student, faculty or staff member traveling abroad can use their UMBC email address and password to access WiFi around the world. In Maryland, UMCP, Loyola, University of Baltimore, and JHU have implemented eduroam and you can use their WiFi when visiting those campus.

2. Quick and easy: Damian Doyle, Director of Enterprise Infrastructure and Support, thinks eduroam is great for students. When asked about the main advantages, he said “eduroam can remember your login information allowing your device to automatically connect to the wireless network.” Setup for eduroam usually takes less than 5 minutes and once set up, the network works flawlessly. 

3. Security: Eduroam provides a higher level of security than conventional, unencrypted wireless. When students use eduroam, all traffic between their devices and the wireless access point is encrypted using WPA2 providing another reason students should switch to eduroam sooner rather than later. 

It’s not just Doyle who likes eduroam, UMBC students like it too. Aaron David, a senior computer engineer said “I mainly use eduroam since I only have to log in once on a device and then it will automatically connect and authenticate for me from then on. Also, it is encrypted whereas UMBC Visitor and UMBC Campus aren’t.”

Students who need help during the setup process can consult the UMBC FAQ on eduroam. The process however is relatively simple. “In most of our experience connecting to eduroam is fairly straightforward,” Doyle said. “We have a set of videos and tools available on the DoIT website that help people connect. The main issue is that people have to put in the entire username with domain name, so damian@umbc.edu, not just damian,”

“I honestly didn’t use eduroam at first because I didn’t feel like going through the setup process on all of my devices,” said David “but it really isn’t difficult to set up and once it is, you can just forget it and it works.”

UMBC students can connect to an upgraded network, all for free. The transition should be smooth and seamless as Doyle said “ In general we are planning on working through publications, the department IT staff and the Office of Residential life to try and spread the word to migrate folks to eduroam.”

The new redesigned UMBC app is now available for download in the Apple App Store for free and requires iOS 7.0 or later. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and is optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. The Android version of the app will launch later this Summer. 

 

If you have a UMBC account, you can log into the app for personalized content. After logging in once, when you return to the app, you can use Apple’s Touch ID or a 4-digit PIN to quickly log in again. If you don’t have an account, you can still access all the features in the app as a guest.  Note that people using DUO second factor authentication cannot log into the app at this time. This will be corrected in a future update.

Once inside, the app has four distinct tabs -- Home, Search, Places, and Events -- to help you find what you are looking for. Home features the latest updates from both myUMBC and the UMBC homepage. With a simple arrow toggle, you can switch between both sites easily. You can also share any content by tapping the three dots in the top right of the app and then tapping copy link which automatically adds the link to your clipboard.

Search features an adaptive search engine, allowing for results from many UMBC sites such as the UMBC directory, groups, departments, and the UMBC FAQs. Collier Jones, lead architect for myUMBC, said “You don’t have to know what you are looking for, we’ll try to help [with universal searching]” 

When you first open the Search tab, there is a recent section for your past searches and a trending section that shows resources others are looking for. Your favorites are underneath trending, and anything you favorite on the web version of myUMBC automatically appear in the app. Also included is a QR code scanner that can scan posters and signs around campus.

Places provides hours, offices, maps and upcoming events for all the places around you. Need to navigate around campus? Google Maps is integrated in helping you navigate to any location on campus. Along with a Building Directory that allows you to search for all buildings including student housing and lecture halls found on campus, there is also a transit tracker that shows all the routes currently in service.

Events lets users see what's happening right now, along with upcoming events. You can also browse different event calendars such as Arts & Culture and the Athletics calendar for all the upcoming games. 

Jones said that the app is designed to be really simple, and will be updated with more features making it more even more robust in the future. 

The Mind Spa offers several resources, including, but not limited to: a massage chair, and oil diffuser, a biofeedback device, books, and a meditation area. Photo Credit: Shawnisha Hester

Remembered best for his idyllic depictions of the countryside and rural life, John G. Bullock created an impressive collection of photographs that include a diverse array of breathtaking landscape photographs and touching family portraits. His ability to showcase a variety a subject matter with equal beauty and artistry highlights his remarkable skill and versatility as a photographer, as well as his deep personal connections to the people and places that he photographed. Through “The Photography of John G. Bullock” exhibit, viewers have the opportunity to explore some of Bullock’s photographs and to learn more about the photographer behind these beautiful images. The full collection of Bullock’s photographs, which includes approximately 1,154 images, is available in its entirety for view at Special Collections. A full digital collection is forthcoming.

Visit the UMBC Special Collections Online Gallery here to view “The Photography of John G. Bullock” exhibit, and continue to check back for new upcoming exhibits!

Special Collections is open during the fall and spring semesters from 1pm-4pm on Monday through Friday, with extended hours until 8pm on Thursdays, as well as by appointment. During the summer and winter sessions, Special Collections is open by appointment. 

This post was written by Special Collections Student Assistant Sarah Klimek.  Sarah Klimek also curated the online exhibit,  “The Photography of John G. Bullock.” Thanks, Sarah!

UMBC will host the annual Summer Horizons program for undergraduate students and others who are interested in learning more about graduate school admission, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The 3-hour workshop will feature sessions on the application timeline, GRE, Statement of Purpose, Recommendation Letters, and other topics related to preparing for graduate school.  There will be a panel hosted by current graduate students, and the keynote speaker will be the President of UMBC, Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III. 

(Read about Dr. Hrabowski in Time Magazine: 10 Best College Presidents, World’s 100 Most Influential People. See Dr. Hrabowski talk about UMBC on 60 Minutes. Watch Dr. Hrabowski’s  TED Talk.) Summer Horizons is co-sponsored by PROMISE AGEP and the Meyerhoff Graduate Fellows Program. The chair for the 2015 Summer Horizons program is Justine Johnson, Associate Director for the Meyerhoff grad program.

2015 Summer Horizons Program

• Friday, July 24, 2015
• The 2015 program will begin at 9:00 AM and will end at 12 noon. (Registration and Seating will begin at 8:30)
• Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Chemistry Building, Room 120
• Light refreshments will be served.
• This event is FREE to the public but (participants must register). 

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AGENDA

8:30 – 9:00 a.m

• Registration

9:10 a.m.

• Welcome
  • Justine Johnson, Associate Director, Meyerhoff Graduate Fellows Program

9:20 a.m.

• Preparing for Graduate Study: Timelines and Choices
  • K. Jill Barr, J.D. –  Sr. Assistant Dean of Graduate Enrollment, The Graduate School
  • Gay Warshaw,  Manager, Recruitment and Admissions, The Graduate School

10:00 a.m.

• Elements of the Graduate School Application: GRE, Transcripts, Letters of Recommendation, Statement of Purpose
  • Dr. Renetta Tull, Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Student Development & Postdoctoral Affairs, Director of PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP

10:45 a.m.

The 2015 Summer Horizons program is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about UMBC and the graduate admissions process.  The graduate school preparation material that we will present  is applicable to most U.S. institutions.  Faculty and staff may invite prospective students to this event.  Visitors from out-of-town are welcome to attend. Invitations are  extended to:

• All UMBC undergraduate students
• As part of the PROMISE Pathways project, undergraduate and master’s students  from schools within the University System of Maryland (USM) have a special invitation to attend
•  Students from all summer programs within the DC/Maryland/Virginia (DMV) region
• Students from NSF programs such as LSAMP, AGEP, NSF ERC, RDE etc., at any school
• McNair programs at any school.
• Students from organizations such as SHPE, SACNAS, NSBE, and AISES at any school in the country are welcome to attend.
• Students from any college or university, who are either local or will travel the distance to learn more about graduate school.
• We also invite professionals who are considering returning to graduate school for an advanced degree.

This program is free, but participants must register.

Summer Horizons is co-sponsored by PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP, The Meyerhoff Graduate Biomedical Fellows Program, and The Graduate School at UMBC. For additional resources, including access to funding opportunities: Please visit the Institute for Broadening Participation’s website,  “Pathways to Science,”  and fill out the form in the left corner:  http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/. The website has information on a variety of opportunities, which include as an example, a wealth of information on funding and internships through NASA:  http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/nasa.aspx. Our student participants have taken advantage of this resource in the past, and several have had offers for great opportunities. _________________________________________________________________________

Directions and Parking: 

http://about.umbc.edu/visitors-guide/directions/

Metered visitor parking is available in the Commons Garage. To get to the Commons Garage, circle around Hilltop Circle (either direction) until you reach Commons Drive. Take Commons Drive toward the center for campus. The garage will be on your left. Meter fees are $.25 for each 15 minutes, quarters only, maximum time of 5 hours.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• UMBC President Named In Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People (baltimore.cbslocal.com)
• Reading material: Tull, R. G., Nino, M.  and Ramoutar, N. (2012).  Preparing for Engineering and Other STEM Graduate/Post-Graduate Masters and Doctoral Programs.  [Spanish Version of Section 4 here: Preparación para Programas de Maestría y Doctorado]

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Partial sponsorship for this program has been provided by the National Science Foundation, Collaborative Research: AGEP – T: PROMISE AGEP Maryland Transformation # 1309290,   PROMISE: Maryland’s Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP).  Read more about PROMISE:  https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/publications/