Title: Supermassive Black Hole Growth in Local Low-Mass Mergers

Katherine Carver, Ashlyn Wright
Mentor: Adi Foord, Physics

Come see Kat's oral presentation in RAC 050 | 11 – 11:15 a.m.

Most massive galaxies host a supermassive black hole (SMBH) at their centers, whose feedback and growth impact the galaxy’s evolution. Such periods of activity, observed as active galactic nuclei (AGN), are thought to arise when gas is efficiently funneled toward the galactic center, fueling black hole accretion and growth. Extensive studies of major mergers have suggested a link between merger activity and the incidence of AGN. However, the precise role mergers play in triggering AGN activity remains unclear. This uncertainty is greater in the low-mass galaxy regime, where observational challenges make it difficult to identify merging systems and assess their AGN activity. Understanding AGN activity in low-mass mergers is especially important, as these systems are far more common and represent fundamental building blocks in the overall process of galaxy formation.
We present an X-ray study based on new XMM-Newton observations of six nearby (0.015 < z < 0.021) dwarf–dwarf galaxy merger systems. Out of the twelve galaxies analyzed, six show X-ray detections. Notably, two of the mergers exhibit X-ray emission from both galaxies, suggesting possible dual AGN candidates. These findings suggest that low-mass merging systems may significantly contribute to SMBH growth, playing a role comparable to that of major mergers.

This work was funded, in part, through an Undergraduate Research Award from the UMBC Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

URCAD is Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC:

URCAD.umbc.edu

RSVP on the event page: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/humanitiesretrievers/events/152103

'A Lot is Happening in the World: Let’s Discuss!

(A Student/Faculty Forum)

Location

Performing Arts & Humanities Building : 216

A Lot is Happening in the World: Let’s Discuss! – Online Event

Date & Time

April 8, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Description

LUNCH PROVIDED!What role do the humanities play in understanding and processing current events? Take part in a discussion with students and faculty as they consider how history, culture, and various areas of research shed light on emerging developments. 

Keys with jeep key, pepper spray and a hexgirl laynard--please come to MP 410 by the end of today 4/7 if you'd like to retrieve them (4:30pm today). If not claimed, I will take them to the lost and found in the commons tomorrow. 

Join us in person tomorrow, 4/8, in Admin 101 from 12 - 1  PM!

Click here to RSVP and see more details on the myUMBC event.

Don’t forget to join your colleagues tomorrow, Wednesday, April 8, for an open staff conversation with President Valerie Sheares Ashby. Hosted by the Exempt and Non-Exempt Staff Senates, this session is a great chance to bring questions, share ideas, and connect directly with President Sheares Ashby. This in-person event is focused on strengthening our campus community, so bring your questions and ideas—we look forward to seeing you there!

A private room is available in a One-bedroom house at Maiden Choice Apartment over the summer months from May to August.

Rent is negotiable.

Contact:

Phone: 405-2694217

Email: mhoque4@umbc.edu

Original Post Listing

The Global Asias Initiative was well-represented at this year's Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS) Conference in Honolulu, Hawai'i! While there, we were also hosted by colleagues at University of Hawai'i Manoa for our Global Asias Site Visit to learn about the incredible work they're cultivating in Ethnic Studies, Native Hawaiian Studies, Asian Studies & Student Services. Read about our presentations to colleagues across the country below!

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Dr. Tamara Bhalla, Associate Professor, American Studies, & Co-PI of the Global Asias Initiative organized and facilitated a roundtable discussion Power and Privilege in South Asian American Studies

Dr. Emily Yoon, Assistant Professor, English & Global Asias Advisory Board Member, was supported by a Global Asias faculty Conference Grant to present Little Plastic Intimacies: Offshore Solidarity Against Empire

Dr. Mika Thornburg, Global Asias Postdoctoral Fellow, was supported by a Global Asias faculty Conference Grant to present Oceanic Orbits: The Colonial Circuits of Transpacific Tourism

Priya Bhayana, Global Asias Project Manager, and Angelina Jenkins, Global Asias Advisory Board Member & Assistant Director of the Mosaic Center, were supported by the Dresher Center for Humanities (Priya) and the Division of Student Affairs (Angelina) to co-host a roundtable discussion Cultivating Connections: Asian American Studies & Student Affairs at AANAPISIs

We had so many rich conversations and look forward to next year's conference happening March 2027 right here in Baltimore!

Your graduate experience is more than a series of credits; it is a high-level training ground for the exact skills employers crave: critical thinking, project management, and specialized technical expertise. Now is the time to pivot from academic depth to career momentum. Here’s how.

Translate Your Academic Language

In the lab or the seminar room, you speak the language of academia. In the job market, you must speak the language of impact. Instead of listing "Dissertation Research" in a cover letter, for example, you can frame your experience as "Managing multi-year projects" or "Data-driven problem solving." By translating your academic tasks into industry-standard accomplishments, you make it easy for recruiters to see your value.

Own Your Professional Agency

For many graduate students, the transition to the workforce can feel like starting over. But you aren't starting from scratch — you are starting from really valuable experience. Whether you are aiming for a role in R&D, policy, or corporate leadership, you must view your time at UMBC as professional tenure.Yes — those grad school years do count as years of experience! When you treat your job search with the same rigor as your thesis or capstone project, you become an unstoppable candidate.

Diversify Your Career Narrative

Many graduate students feel pressured to follow a narrow, traditional path. However, the modern economy values the "versatile expert." Explore how your specialized skills can solve problems in unexpected sectors. Reframe uncertainty as a chance to explore the "hidden job market" where advanced degrees are highly sought after but rarely advertised in traditional ways. Read between the lines, and ask clarifying questions. You might be surprised by what you find.

Network Beyond the Department

While your faculty mentors are invaluable, building momentum also requires connecting with professionals who have already made the jump from the ivory tower to the industry. These connections provide the "insider intel" on company culture and hiring timelines that you won't find in a job description. Not sure where to start? Check out the Alumni tab for UMBC’s page on LinkedIn, or check out the community in Retrievers Connect. You might find that tapping into the UMBC connection is the gateway to a job opportunity.

Ready to Get Started?

Don't wait until your graduation day to start thinking about your next professional destination. Join the UMBC Career Center and the PROMISE program at Career Paths for Graduate Students on Thursday, April 9th from 5 to 8:30 PM. It’s a specialized series of sessions designed to help graduate students navigate the unique challenges of the advanced job search while acquiring helpful skills along the way.

HI FRIENDS!

TONIGHT at 7 PM in PAHB 456 the incredible & wonderful Dr. Joonho Lee will be leading a faculty/student discussion on progressive confucianism! This is a prelude to the lecture next week on Monday 4/13 in the recital hall on the same subject! Be there or me and Dr. Lee will cry

XOXO

CHLOE

Check Out Aissatou's Experience @ NSBE!   

How long have you been a member of NSBE?

I've been with the UMBC chapter since I transferred in the fall of 2023. They have provided me with guidance, a mentor, opportunities to volunteer, and to be a part of a community that wants to see me succeed.

What opportunities did the NSBE convention provide?

I had an amazing opportunity to represent: UMBC and the Region. This convention went better than I expected. I went from 1 interview last year to 4 this year, with 2 job offers. I also had the opportunity to connect/ network with companies and multiple people from different schools. I went to multiple events, including the Golden Torch Awards, where I got to see people win awards for their accomplishments, plus schools, (a dress to impress event). 

Any other comments about the conference you would like to share?

The event would forever leave a special place in my heart. In an environment with about 16,000 people, I stood out and walked proudly as an INDS major. I thank the INDS program for everything. It's a degree that got me through so many things and shows that it's ok to want something different in college. Passion will get you a long way. 

Click here to learn more about Aissatou's INDS Degree!

Professor  Amber Spry from Brandeis University and a UMBC Alumna (BA, Political Science, '10), will talk about "The Technological Future: Shifting the Focus from What We Build to Who We Build it For" in the UMBC AOK Library Gallery on 4-5:30 pm this Wednesday.

Dr. Spry is an Assistant Professor of African and African American Studies and Affiliate Faculty in the Department of Politics at Brandeis University. She is a thought leader bridging social scientific insights with application in the tech industry, most recently as Meta's Academic Collaborator for Social Impact Research, where she led the creation of measurement systems to understand social outcomes across Instagram, Facebook, AR, and VR applications, and artificial intelligence. She is a founding member of Meta's Co-Design Lab, a central organization that brings everyday people alongside engineers and designers to create new technologies with, not just for, the communities who use them. She also convened the recent  Responsible Innovation in AI Workshop in collaboration with the New York Academy of Science and Arizona State University, which gathered technologists, academics, and civil society to create actionable frameworks and guidelines for solving pressing technological challenges.

Read more here