Degree Mentors
Why did you choose to major in INDS?
I graduated high school knowing that I wanted to combine my interests in architecture and meteorology, as well as my academic skills in engineering-related sciences, to major in something similar to architectural engineering. I had no plans on moving out of state, so when I came for freshman orientation at UMBC, I met with Dr. Kenneth Baron to discuss my aspirations, and he advised me to major in INDS to craft my own degree that would incorporate all of these disciplines as none of the existing majors encapsulated my interests fully. It was so interesting to hear that was possible, and I am fortunate to this day to have had that opportunity at UMBC.
Since that day, the INDS department has supported me and helped guide me to refine my degree to include not only architecture, meteorology, and engineering, but also the crucial component of social science, which helps address how to meet communities’ needs when making structures, and the community itself, more resilient. I strongly feel my current comprehensive understanding of the field was only possible because I was able to take an interdisciplinary path through different departments’ courses. The overall experience contributed to my confidence and passion in this field, so I am always excited to talk to others about both my degree and the INDS program overall.
What are your plans for after graduation, and how do you see using your INDS degree?
I originally sought to immediately obtain a Master of Architecture in graduate school, but am now instead planning on working at a location that will assist in paying for graduate school as I want to utilize that degree to assist with licensure and other future career opportunities. In the long term, I aspire to work for either a state or federal agency, such as FEMA, and provide a perspective that better incorporates communities’ needs when preparing them for natural disasters, and especially assisting after disasters, by making the structures and community more resilient.
EXTRACURRICULAR
For more information on Yeva-Kristina's INDS journey please click here:
The Politics of Unwanted Pregnancy: A Social Work Perspective
Tessa Cone, Social Work
Lisa Vetter, Political Science; Jayshree Jani, UMBC, Department of Social Work
In a country where bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom are no longer guaranteed, social workers have a responsibility to understand the current political climate and legislation, educate themselves and others on safe sex practices, and advocate for increased services and resources for pregnant people. Through a variety of qualitative and quantitative research, including first hand experiences, this research will guide social workers as they continue to provide support to pregnant people who have unwanted pregnancies in the post Roe era.
This work was funded, in part, through an Undergraduate Research Award from the UMBC Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
Exploring Barriers to the Hispanic Community of Baltimore: Perceived Discrimination in the Workplace
Natan Lichtman, Social Work
Kerri Evans, Social Work
Many Hispanic immigrants, especially those that are undocumented, endure poor working conditions and long hours while maintaining jobs that are significantly underpaid (Fernández et. al., 2021). That being said, their stories often remain unheard due to language barriers and/or not speaking up in fear of consequences. This research takes a deeper dive into a previous quantitative study with Dr. Evans regarding barriers to employment experienced by the Hispanic immigrant community of Baltimore, MD. The initial results found that many participants reported not having experienced discrimination, contradicting what we know to be true. To understand this discrepancy, 20 individuals from varying demographics that attend the Esperanza center, a social service organization that supports this population, participated in a 45-minute to one-hour interview regarding their pay, opportunity for advancement, workplace relationships, treatment by their employers, and discrimination based on various identities. At this point, the results have showed the common theme of a paradoxical relationship with their employers: on one hand, they pay them below minimum wage, deny requests off, and laugh off their attempts at self-advocacy; on the other, they provide them the opportunity to work in this country and support their families, and for that they are grateful.
This work was funded, in part, through an Undergraduate Research Award from the UMBC Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
The Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) program is designed to strengthen the academic (i.e. math and science) skills of participating students. The goal of the program is to help students recognize and develop their potential to excel in math and science and to encourage them to pursue postsecondary degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields and ultimately STEM careers.
UBMS serves students from Baltimore county and Baltimore city who have demonstrated their academic potential and their commitment to working hard to achieve the goal of obtaining a four year college degree. Participants must also meet the income and first generation criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education.
The URCAD Selfie Contest winner for Best Selfie with a Presentation: The presenters from the Women's Center: Ash Acuña, Tanzila Malik, Carrington Cline, Abby Claytor. They will receive a gift card to the UMBC Bookstore.
Even after the poster session ended, you could find these folx holding up their poster in the UC lobby and doing an impromptu presentation for people who missed it... now that's dedication to the feminist cause of analyzing Barbie!
White, Pink, and Pretty: How Barbie’s Feminism Fails its Viewers
Carrington Cline, Tanzila Malik, Abby Claytor, Nati Acuña, Media and Communications Studies
Lauren Allen, Women's Center; Amelia Meman, Women's Center
The 2023 film Barbie (Gerwig, 2023) is the highest-grossing live-action comedy film of all time; it has been lauded as a feminist film that cunningly subverts gender roles and thoughtfully addresses issues of diversity that are fraught in most Hollywood films. Barbie is an easily digestible media that portrays basic feminist principles for the general public. But if Barbie is a feminist film, is it also intersectional? This study examines the limitations of the Barbie movie’s portrayal of feminism and its failings in regard to intersectionality. We aim to inspire critical thinking around media and intersectionality and shed light on the prevalence of White feminism in popular media. Using content analysis informed by intersectional feminist theory, we analyzed instances in the film that demonstrated (pseudo-)feminist principles and themes in order to determine how intersectional Barbie’s brand of feminism is. We also explored avenues by which Barbie could better depict intersectionality and contemporary feminist thought.
]]>The URCAD Selfie Contest Winner for Best Overall Selfie is Olivia Hutchinson! Olivia will receive a $100 gift card to the UMBC Bookstore.
Olivia took this selfie before the start of the poster session and sent it to her mom, who asked, "Are you nervous?" Her reply: "I don't know, do I look nervous??" Olivia, you were great, but we love your sense of humor!
Effects of Child Abuse and Acute Stress on the Experience of Emotion in People with Schizophrenia
Olivia Hutchinson, Psychology, Jacob Nudelman1, Eric Neutzling, Gabrielle Pakravan2, Adriann Lai1, Elie Holzel1
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 2University of Maryland, College Park
Raimi Quiton, Psychology; James Waltz, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Early-life adversity and psychosis can alter sensitivity to stimuli. We used images from the International Affective Pictures Set (IAPS) to examine how diagnosis and abuse history influence picture ratings under stress. We hypothesized that stress would heighten reactivity to unpleasant stimuli and reduce reactivity to pleasant ones.
52 people with schizophrenia (PSZ) and 32 healthy volunteers (HVs) performed the Emotional Experience Task (EET) – requiring subjects to view and rate the “positivity” and “negativity” of emotions evoked by pictures twice – once after experiencing an acute stressor and once after a neutral event. We assess abuse history with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.
PSZ exhibited reduced rating range, relative to HVs. PSZ rated positive pictures as less positive (t = 1.958; p = 0.05) and negative pictures as less negative (t = 2.711; p = 0.008) than HVs. Physical abuse (PA) scores correlated with aversive image ratings (r = 0.309; p = 0.035) and the acute stressor’s impact on positive (r = 0.333; p = 0.022) and neutral stimuli (r = 0.300; p = 0.040). Higher PA was associated with greater stressor impact on IAPS ratings.
Diagnosis and abuse history impacted affective picture ratings. These factors did not interact in influencing picture ratings.
I am a recipient of a UMBC Travel Award from the UMBC Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs ]]>Indicate any other major, minor, certificate, and/or honors that will be on your graduation records
Degree Mentors
Why did you choose to major in INDS?
I chose to major in INDS because I knew that it would give me the opportunity to learn and study all of my interests while preparing for a degree based on physical therapy. It allowed me to take courses based on children ( as a pediatric physical therapist), fulfill my prerequisite courses for DPT school, and to take some business courses in case I ever want to switch to the business side of physical therapy or run my own practice someday.
What are your plans for after graduation, and how do you see using your INDS degree?
After graduation, I will be attending a Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Marymount University in the fall. I see myself using this degree to remember that physical therapy isn't just about physical needs but mental, social and spiritual needs as well. I plan to utilize this mindset with my patients as a DPT and even during my clinicals (in the DPT program) as I prepare to become a DPT.
EXTRACURRICULAR
For more information on Mia's INDS journey please click here: