Celebrating our alums! From left, Jackie Hrabowski, Eduardo Gonzalez '06, Aaron Merki '05, Alicia Wilson '04, Susan Emfinger, and Dr. Art Johnson

In The Daily Record‘s inaugural year of recognizing Maryland’s top “Twenty in Their 20s,” three UMBC alumni made the list. Eduardo Gonzalez ’06, attorney with Hearne & Bailey in Salisbury; Aaron Merki ’05, associate with Venable LLP in Baltimore; and Alicia Wilson ’04, associate with Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger & Hollander LLC in Baltimore, were selected by The Daily Record staff for this recognition. Honorees were chosen on the basis of professional accomplishment, civic involvement and impact of achievement. According to The Daily Record, “the program celebrates the best and brightest under 30…whose creativity and spirit are already contributing to a new energy in Maryland.”
Learn more about the awards and see video from the recent awards ceremony.

Roger Clemons, notorious pitcher and sock bleeder, has proven that he can bring the heat. Will he be able to take what the judge throws him?

All about academic integrity? We think not.

What would you #AskObama?

If you haven’t checked the family tree lately, you may want to.

Brazil, here we come!

Philippians 2:3-8 (NIV)

³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

⁵In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Reflection

In his famous inaugural address, John F. Kennedy challenged his listeners not to ask what their country can do for them, but rather what they can do for their country. The good of the country was offered as a more noble goal than self serving individualism. Here Paul’s letter to the Philippians is similar in that he is addressing tendencies of being self focused, insisting on meeting our own needs and desires, and holding to our opinions. The antidote to that kind of living is humility, humility that considers others first, humility that obeys God, humility that is exhibited above all in Jesus, who even though is God, came to serve and die for us. The way that Jesus served acts as model for interactions within the church. We are to serve one another clothed with the same humility, not looking out for ourselves, but rather acting in the best interest of other.

Responding to the Transmission

Jesus is the ultimate example of servant-hood and humility. As we read and meditate on Christ’s life and death, let’s put aside selfish motives. By the Spirit we can put on the humility of Christ as we pray and ask for help to act in the best interest of others. Let’s embrace the call to love and serve one another.

Similar to the highlights of campus sustainability case studies that have been profiled (here and here) we also hope to highlight the excellent student research on campus sustainability that AASHE has available in our resource center. AASHE's student research database (main interface accessible to AASHE members-only) includes papers from undergraduate and graduate students on a wide variety of topics related to campus sustainability. Many of the papers were submitted for our annual student research on campus sustainability award. Although we can only recognize a few papers as "official winners" for that program, there are many exemplary research papers in the database worthy of recognition and wide dissemination.

The issue of reducing bottled water consumption has been gaining traction with many campuses experimenting with restricted sales or with campaigns to reduce bottle water use on campus. Max Liboiron, an undergraduate at New York University wrote and submitted an excellent research paper in 2010 entitled, "H204U: The Culture of Water Consumption at New York University". Included below is the abstract. The full paper may be accessed here.

Abstract:
While an abundance of information about the negative environmental impacts of bottled water exists, there are few, if any, bottom-up studies of why and how people choose and understand the water they drink, be it bottled, tap or filtered water. H204U is an interdisciplinary qualitative study funded by New York University's Sustainability Task Force to investigate the culture— the meanings, metaphors, influences, rhetoric and practices— of bottled and tap water consumption so environmental initiatives can effectively target certain populations and behavioural thresholds.

The findings show that there is a gap between popular discourses about bottled water, dominated by environmentalism, marketing, and water quality, and the reasons people choose one type of water over another. Thus, its findings challenge popular assumptions about bottled water consumption, including: availability is more influential than convenience for bottled water drinkers; while a mistrust of public municipal water sources is popular in discourse, water quality is rarely a threshold attribute; environmental values and the consumption of bottled water are not mutually exclusive; and bottled water marketing has a influential, though indirect, effect on how bottled and tap water is experienced.

Finally, the project finds that there are two types of initiatives that can impact bottled water consumption: initiatives that change behaviour and can be quantified, and those that attempt to change the terms of the overall discourse of water consumption, perhaps legitimizing common practices but also potentially shifting or expanding the spectrum of how water is understood. The paper ends with concrete operational and communicative recommendations modeled for New York University, where approximately a million bottled waters are consumed every month.

Similar to the highlights of campus sustainability case studies that have been profiled (here and here) we also hope to highlight the excellent student research on campus sustainability that AASHE has available in our resource center. AASHE's student research database (main interface accessible to AASHE members-only) includes papers from undergraduate and graduate students on a wide variety of topics related to campus sustainability. Many of the papers were submitted for our annual student research on campus sustainability award. Although we can only recognize a few papers as "official winners" for that program, there are many exemplary research papers in the database worthy of recognition and wide dissemination.

The issue of reducing bottled water consumption has been gaining traction with many campuses experimenting with restricted sales or with campaigns to reduce bottle water use on campus. Max Liboiron, an undergraduate at New York University wrote and submitted an excellent research paper in 2010 entitled, "H204U: The Culture of Water Consumption at New York University". Included below is the abstract. The full paper may be accessed here.

Abstract:
While an abundance of information about the negative environmental impacts of bottled water exists, there are few, if any, bottom-up studies of why and how people choose and understand the water they drink, be it bottled, tap or filtered water. H204U is an interdisciplinary qualitative study funded by New York University's Sustainability Task Force to investigate the culture— the meanings, metaphors, influences, rhetoric and practices— of bottled and tap water consumption so environmental initiatives can effectively target certain populations and behavioural thresholds.

The findings show that there is a gap between popular discourses about bottled water, dominated by environmentalism, marketing, and water quality, and the reasons people choose one type of water over another. Thus, its findings challenge popular assumptions about bottled water consumption, including: availability is more influential than convenience for bottled water drinkers; while a mistrust of public municipal water sources is popular in discourse, water quality is rarely a threshold attribute; environmental values and the consumption of bottled water are not mutually exclusive; and bottled water marketing has a influential, though indirect, effect on how bottled and tap water is experienced.

Finally, the project finds that there are two types of initiatives that can impact bottled water consumption: initiatives that change behaviour and can be quantified, and those that attempt to change the terms of the overall discourse of water consumption, perhaps legitimizing common practices but also potentially shifting or expanding the spectrum of how water is understood. The paper ends with concrete operational and communicative recommendations modeled for New York University, where approximately a million bottled waters are consumed every month.

Psalm 130:4-5 (NIV)

⁴But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

⁵I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.

Reflection

The person writing this Psalm is coming to God for help and rescue, but also because of a need for forgiveness. In this section, the wonderful connection of forgiveness and reverent service to the Lord is described. Deeply experiencing God’s mercy, care, and especially forgiveness in our lives causes us to honor God with our live. How we live becomes more about what God wants. Sins that alienate us from God are removed and we can freely follow Him. The writer continues with his longing for God, a longing to see God act on his behalf, and commitment to hope in Him.

Responding to the Transmission

Let’s worship and praise God today who forgives our sins and comes to rescue us. Spend time thanking Him for what He has done in the church, the missional groups and campuses, and your own life. May His mercy and forgiveness lead us into greater reverence in serving Him.

The Washington Post had a recent story on how Maryland is positioning itself to take advantage of increased interest in cybersecurity, Maryland sees its moment in cybersecurity. The article discusses the cybersecurity incubator in UMBC’s research Park.

“The state has had no trouble attracting well-known contractors — many of whom are based in Northern Virginia. McLean-based Science Applications International Corp., for instance, has touted the cyber center it built near Fort Meade, while Northrop Grumman — soon to be based in Falls Church — has established a cybersecurity incubator program with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, whose campus is 10 miles from Fort Meade.
…
Ellen Hemmerly is trying to bring the pieces together as executive director of bwtech@UMBC, a research and technology park on UMBC’s campus that is home to incubator and entrepreneurial training programs.

The incubator started in 1989 with a focus on life sciences but saw an increased emphasis on dot-com companies in the early 2000s. Now, cyber companies are springing up; the campus is home to more than 20.

Five Directions, a cybersecurity start-up founded by William Arbaugh, is one of them. Arbaugh, who spent time at the Pentagon and the National Security Agency, sold his first company to Microsoft in 2008. Now using bwtech’s provided office space to host Five Directions, he said Maryland is increasingly developing an environment that supports start-ups.”

Image from The New York Times

Getting away with murder? Casey Anthony found not guilty in the death of her daughter.

Back to the real world: Senate works through recess on debt deal.

It doesn’t look good. Capsized boat’s missing passengers presumed dead.

All good things must end: No more shuttles for NASA.

And, Mark Zuckerberg switches to Google+?