Peter Braunschweig is a Physics (May, ‘19) major, URA Scholar, and a member of the UMBC Honors College. His goal is to obtain a doctorate in astrophysics and have a career in research.

Project Title: Urban Heat Islands and the Great American Eclipse

Studying the St. Louis Urban Heat Island During the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse

Cities are made of materials that hold in heat, so at night, they cool off less than the area around them. I am investigating to see if this effect is visible during the eclipse as well, using data from surface weather stations and weather balloons.

Mentor: Dr. Jeffery Halverson, Geography and Environmental Systems

How did I find my mentor/project?: We already knew each other when he started looking for a student to assist in a research project relating to the eclipse. I was very interested in the opportunity to see a solar eclipse, so I jumped at the chance. I came up with the idea to put together a side project of my own, which became the heat island project.

How has being a URA scholar helped?: The URA program provided guidance to help me plan the project and understand where to start.

Hardest part: Time management and keeping on schedule.

Most rewarding part: So far, seeing the eclipse. But I'm not done my data analysis yet.

Plans to share research: I will have a poster at URCAD on April 25^th!

Advice for other students: Know what you're getting into and how to manage your time.

Photo: A volunteer at the viewing site helping me and Dr. Halverson prepare weather balloons.

Be like Peter and become a URA Scholar- get up to $1500 to support your research or creative work!  Go to: ur.umbc.edu/ura

Orientation 2018: O-Team Application Information

Thank you for your interest in being a part of the O-Team!  As an O-Team member, you would have an opportunity to be a part of one or more of the following areas:

• Summer Orientation: a day-long event designed to provide new students with the opportunity to meet other new students, meet an advisor to register for classes, and meet faculty and staff while also learning more about everything UMBC has to offer
  • Orientation Peer Advisors (OPAs) will work with over 3,000 incoming freshmen and transfer students and their families to serve as a resource for their transition to UMBC
•  Welcome Week: a week and a half long series of social and educational events designed to help new students meet other students and learn about opportunities in and out of the classroom
  • Welcome Week Leaders (Woolies) will develop relationships and encourage a group of 25-35 new students to engage with Welcome Week events while also helping with the logistics of Welcome Week
• Introduction to an Honors University (IHU) Seminar/Transfer (TRS) Seminar/Computing (COMP): a semester-long course designed to help new students develop academic skills and learn about campus resources for college success
  • Peer Facilitators will co-teach, on a weekly basis, an IHU/TRS/COMP course with a staff instructor during the fall and/or spring semester

Application Process:

• Application is now LIVE! Apply online at:   https://goo.gl/forms/XixPDIB1hOkRZ9QS2
• Applications are due online by Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at 12 PM
• All applicants will participate in a Group Interview as well as an Individual Interview

• • Group Interviews will take place on either Thursday, March 1 or Friday, March 2, 2018
  • Individual Interviews will take place on either Tuesday, March 6, Thursday, March 8, or Friday, March 9, 2018

• Decision emails for all positions will be sent out around Friday, March 16, 2018

Selection Criteria:

• Must be a current undergraduate student who has completed at least one semester at UMBC
• Must be in good judicial and academic standing (at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA)
• We are looking for a diverse group of students who possess the following:
  • A desire and the ability to work with a diverse group of students, families, faculty, and staff
  • Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
  • Leadership potential and problem-solving skills

Questions:

Contact orientationteam@umbc.edu for more information!

Sarah Miller

INDS Capstone
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Fine Arts 002
10:00 – 11:15 a.m.

For Sarah's capstone she spent several months abroad researching this question: "How can I use collaborative photography as a fieldwork research method to investigate the social roles fulfilled by women participating in low income housing movements and projects in Rio de Janeiro?"

The BEYA STEM Conference sponsored by Career Communications Group will be held February 8-10, 2018 as part of this large annual conference, representatives from several major corporations and universities will be on hand to meet with students pursuing careers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields as well as Business, Finance, and Marketing.  Why you should attend:

• FREE Career Fair
• Career exhibits
• 50 + seminars and workshops
• On the spot job offers
• Networking with recruiters
• Job readiness certification for college students.

The Career Fair portion of the conference, on Saturday, is free of charge for UMBC students and alumni with an active UMBC email address. All students are welcome to attend. Dress to impress and bring plenty of updated resumes!

Registration is required.

To register and for additional information, go to:

http://careers2.umbc.edu/calendar/fairs/beya2018.php

Deadline to pre-register is Feb. 5 (Career Fair) and Feb. 2 for the entire Conference

Contact Diane Crump-Fogle (crump@umbc.edu) or Chrisi Giannakaris (chrisig@umbc.edu) of the UMBC Career Center for additional information.

Free Shuttle Bus

There will be a free shuttle bus to transport students to and from the career fair on Saturday. If you will need transportation, be sure to complete the shuttle bus registration form at the bottom of the BEYA registration page: http://careers2.umbc.edu/calendar/fairs/beyabus.php. Please note that the free shuttle bus is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The free shuttle will run only on Saturday between 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Transportation to and from other conference events (such as the BEYA Gala held Saturday evening) is on your own.

Did you know?
The first modern version of the seat belt was invented at Cornell University. Cornell Aeronautical Labs did some of the first crash testing of automobiles, and in 1957 Cornell teamed with Liberty Mutual Insurance to build an unusual looking concept car that incorporated the lessons learned in testing. The car did not actually run, but it featured ideas like seat belts, head rests, and padded interiors that are incorporated into today's cars. Since then, engineers have worked to enhance the modern three-point belt, which was first introduced by Volvo. It is estimated that the seat belt has saved more than one million lives in the four decades since it was introduced. In the United States alone, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts save more than 11,000 lives each year.

Want to conduct research and create something innovative? Become a URA Scholar!
Undergraduate Research Awards provide up to $1,500 to undergraduate students to support their research or creative work with a UMBC faculty mentor on an original project. UMBC students of all years and disciplines are invited to apply, as long as they will remain enrolled at UMBC long enough to complete the proposed work. 

Apply by Feb. 16: https://ur.umbc.edu/ura/

Contact Dr. April Householder at aprilh@umbc.edu for more information.