The College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS) is proud to host the Annual UMBC Summer Undergraduate Research Fest (SURF) to recognize summer undergraduate research at UMBC. Since 1997, summer student researchers including participants in the MARC U*STAR, Meyerhoff Scholars, HHMI, and the Summer Biomedical Training Programs have presented their summer research as oral presentations or posters during this exciting event 

This year's Annual UMBC Summer Undergraduate Research Fest (SURF) will be held August 8, 2018 in the UC Ballroom.

We are pleased to acknowledge Kathie Seley-Radtke and Dottie Caplan from CNMS were recognized at the 2015 UMBC Presidential Faculty & Staff Awards.

Kathie Seley-Radtke
Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
2015–2018 Presidential Research Faculty Award

Kathie Seley-Radtke joined the UMBC faculty in 2003. Internationally known in her field, her research in drug design through chemical synthesis is advancing medicinal chemistry and saving lives.

Seley-Radtke’s current projects focus on the design and synthesis of chemotherapeutic agents to treat cancer and infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis C, Ebola and MERS-CoV, as well as biological probes to explore the structure and function of DNA. In the last 10 years, she received six National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants for which she is the sole principle investigator, and received NIH funding for the Chemistry-Biology Interface graduate training program, which she directs. This prestigious program is one of about 24 such NIH-funded programs in the country, and is recognized for its innovation and positive cross-disciplinary training impact.

She is one of only a few dozen U.S. scientists to have served the White House as a Jefferson Science Fellow. As part of her ongoing assignment at the U.S. Department of State, she continues to work closely with the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, as well as leading scientists, ministry officials, and the Russian Academies of Sciences and Medical Sciences on national security and bioweapons, in addition to emerging and reemerging infectious diseases.

Seley-Radke is currently the president of the International Society for Nucleosides, Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids, the leading scientific society for her field. She is also a member of the Award Nomination and Selection Committee for the American Chemical Society’s Medicinal Chemistry Division and on the Board of Directors of the International Society of Antiviral Research.

In addition to her research, Seley-Radtke has taken a lead role in developing new approaches to attracting and retaining students from diverse backgrounds for the Ph.D. program. She also led efforts to develop a new summer bridge program for incoming chemistry graduate students, designed to improve problem-solving skills and increase retention rates.

Seley-Radtke received her B.A. from the University of South Florida and Ph.D. from Auburn University.

Dottie Caplan
Executive Administrative Assistant, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences
2014–2015 Karen L. Wensch Endowment Award for Outstanding Non-Exempt Staff

Dottie Caplan began her career at UMBC in 1997 as a secretary in what was then known as the College of Arts and Sciences, and joined the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences in 2005. Her dedication to UMBC, its students, faculty, and staff is unparalleled, and her coworkers consider her an invaluable asset to the College and the UMBC community.

Caplan handles a large volume of work and consistently provides support to the Dean and CNMS staff that goes above and beyond her responsibilities, for the good of CNMS and the University. Her helpful, supportive manner is evident in her daily communications. Always offering a smile and an optimistic word, Caplan treats internal and external visitors with the same courtesy and kindness.

Her dedication to CNMS is only matched by her commitment to UMBC’s mission of service. Caplan is president of the Non-Exempt Staff Senate and is known for persistently advocating for her NEES constituents. She embraces shared governance by serving on a number of university committees, including the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. She is a tireless advocate for the Maryland Charity Campaign (MCC), serving on its cabinet and overseeing the annual Non-Exempt Staff/Professional Staff Senate bake sale fundraiser for MCC. In addition, Caplan serves as a mentor for new students and supports both Commencement and Welcome Week activities.

Over the years, Caplan has also served her local community and received awards for her service at the Violetville School, American Heart Association, department of Recreation and Parks, Baltimore City Public Schools, and other organizations.

Phillips Academy, an independent boarding high school located in Andover, Massachusetts, visited UMBC to explore student success strategies in preparation for structural and program changes to its math department. The six-member group met with faculty, staff and students regarding the active-learning centers within the math and science departments, the Meyerhoff Summer Bridge Program, and the success in mathematics at UMBC.

The College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences hosted the February 26, 2015 visit which featured conversations with representatives from the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Biological Sciences, the Department of Education, the Sherman Scholars Program, the Meyerhoff Scholars Program and the Learning Resources Center. This was the second visit from Phillips Academy that visited UMBC. In 2012, the visit focused on ways to encourage students to work together to improve their understanding of mathematics and sciences.

Professor Hayden elected to the newest class of OSA Fellow Members

Dr. L. Michael Hayden, UMBC Professor of Physics and Department Chair, was honored as a 2015 Fellow Member of The Optical Society (OSA), the leading professional society for researchers, industry leaders, and students focused on the science of light and founded in 1916. Dr. Hayden was one of 76 individuals recognized by OSA for their significant contributions to the advancement of optics and photonics. Dr. Hayden's professional interests involve the study of new materials, including nonlinear optical and electro-optic polymers, and their use in terahertz applications.

“This year’s class of OSA Fellows has offered prodigious service to OSA and the global optics community,” said OSA President Philip Bucksbaum. “The Optical Society is honored to offer recognition for their outstanding contributions and leadership in the optics and photonics profession.”

Reference: http://www.osa.org/en-us/awards_and_grants/fellow_members/recent_fellows/2015_fellows/, downloaded 3/2/15.

Dr. Jeff Leips honored by USM Regents for excellence in teaching Jeff Leips, Associate Professor in Biological Sciences, was presented with the 2014 University System of Maryland Board of Regents Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony held in the University Center Ballroom on April 2, 2014.  He was the only UMBC faculty member to receive a prestigious Regents Award this year.

Leips spear-headed the creation of two new minors at UMBC in Quantitative Biology and Biomathematics.  He also co-chairs the Undergraduate Training in Biology and Mathematics (UBM) program.  In addition, Leips is a leader in creating student-centered experiences in undergraduate biology courses. He leads an HHMI grant-sponsored effort to create, implement, and evaluate student-centered modules in introductory biology classes at UMBC that emphasize quantitative skills.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Leips leads a research lab focused on quantitative and evolutionary genetics in fruit flies. “I like what I’m doing," [said Leips].  It’s part of our job – the teaching part probably affects way more students than anything I do in research.”

In that vein, Leips believes UMBC and other universities need to improve teaching training for graduate students and faculty.  If you are a graduate student thinking about a career in academia, “A large fraction of your job is going to be teaching.  And you’re doing the students a disservice if you don’t treat it seriously,” he said.

UMBC launches holistic student support initiative following White House STEM education workshop on campus.

Faculty researchers, administrators, and staff across UMBC cheered when the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced by teleconference on October 22, 2014, a groundbreaking series of awards for the university. NIH has granted UMBC over $18 million to create a national model of comprehensive support to expand and increase the success of students seeking degrees in the sciences, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

This funding is part of a $240 million, five-year NIH investment to enhance diversity in the biomedical research workforce. Ten projects across the United States were awarded Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) grants, including the STEM BUILD@UMBC initiative. This initiative includes collaborations with five community colleges, Gallaudet University, and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The STEM BUILD@UMBC initiative combines innovation with leveraging effective components of existing UMBC programs to create a multifaceted new student support model. It builds on the best that UMBC has to offer, from the supportive peer networks of our living-learning communities to the experiential learning of the Shriver Center and internship opportunities of the Career Center. The initiative pulls in the rigorous undergraduate research preparation that is a hallmark of the MARC U*STAR program, McNair Scholars Program, and our partnership with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. It expands the community college partnerships of the Gates STEM Transfer Student Success Initiative and the proactive mentorship of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, and much more.

Bill LaCourse, dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, and UMBC Provost Philip Rous, together serve as the award’s principal investigators and will direct the STEM BUILD@UMBC initiative.

“At UMBC, we believe large numbers of students from all backgrounds have the potential to excel in the sciences,” shares Bill LaCourse. “Through a university culture that values both innovation and assessment, we’re constantly developing more effective ways to support learning and degree completion, building on the diverse strengths our students bring to the table.”

Philip Rous shares, “This award recognizes the commitment of our faculty and staff and their demonstrated record of achievement in supporting the success of all students. It recognizes our ability to develop transformational initiatives that have a profound impact on the lives of our students and also serve as national models of student support.”

Unlike programs that focus on supporting students at extreme ends of the achievement curve, STEM BUILD@UMBC will focus on high-potential students who are at risk for not completing their STEM degrees but who, with extra support, are likely to succeed.

After a planning period, the program will launch with 20 BUILD Trainees from UMBC and 18 BUILD Affiliates from collaborating institutions and grow to provide direct support to a total of 80 trainees and 72 affiliates. Hundreds of additional undergraduates will benefit indirectly from BUILD initiatives that expand UMBC’s STEM success infrastructure, including new active learning courses, student professional development workshops, faculty training opportunities, a STEM milestone certificate, and group research experiences. The program will seek to establish a model that can be implemented on a national scale.

A White House College Opportunity Initiative workshop held September 16, 2014, at UMBC revealed a real hunger for well-evaluated approaches to improving STEM education nationwide, as many other universities struggle with lagging retention rates and achievement gaps, particularly in STEM. Building on momentum from President Obama’s College Opportunity Summit, the workshop engaged education leaders in discussing ways to improve STEM teaching and learning, to make STEM degrees more accessible to underrepresented students, and to increase degree completion and the production of highly skilled professionals in STEM areas.

STEM BUILD@UMBC directly responds to the concerns of top education leaders and the workforce needs identified by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. The initiative represents an exciting step forward in developing an effective model to boost the success of more students in STEM and in all fields, at UMBC and nationwide.

(10/22/2014)