You think your home inkjet printer is causing you problems?

That’s nothing like the problems we all might have when peolple start printing assault rifles at home.

Defense Distributed, makers of the completely plastic pistol “Liberator,” and brain-child of crypto anarchist Cody Wilson, have taken us closer to that reality.

They have released the fighteningly titled Ghost Gunner. This allows people with a 3-D printer (available for sale at select home depots) to make the only part of an assault rifle you cannot readily purchase in the US: the “lower receiver.”

The ghost part of the name comes from the fact that the construction of these weapons is completely undetectable by the government due to its lack of a serial number, and also completely legal. The total cost of making the weapon comes out to about $1200, not much more expensive than buying a similar weapon through other legal channels.

With the vital lower receiver in your possession, you can use the printer (or buy the parts) to build the rest of the deadly assault weapon.

Clearly, technology like this is of great concern to advocates of stricter gun control policies. As 3D printing technology proliferates it will become less expensive, and the number of people capable of cheaply constructing their own ‘ghost’ weapons will rise.

The problem is that the regulatory process in our country is too slow to adapt to the rapid advance of technology in areas like this. A point that Wilson is aiming to prove with his new advancement.

Should the government step in before this technology becomes more widely available or more deadly?

And can it accomplish that goal without stifling innovation in other important areas? 

And we thought our inkjet printers were a source of headaches.

Kerry Kidwell-Slakl

Role at the UMBC Career Center: I help connect engineering and math majors with internships and careers.

Q: Where have you earned your college degrees?

A: Duke University, Durham, NC

A: I completed my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering. I attended a Math/Science magnet program in high school so knew I enjoyed STEM fields and thought engineering was a good fit because I enjoyed solving challenging problems.  I picked Mechanical because I felt that it was very broad and I could in a lot of different directions with it as a professional.  I worked as a consultant in nuclear engineering after graduation and while I enjoyed the challenge of the work, I felt like I wanted to use more of my people skills.  I looked at what I did enjoy in my professional and personal life and found that I was spending a lot of time with college students.  That pointed me toward researching graduate programs in Higher Education Administration and I eventually undertook a two year Master's program at GWU with a focus on applied learning.

Q: Tell me about the job and internship process when you were in college. Were you able to find job/internship positions that were related to your major or your career interests?

A: During my undergrad, I didn't do any "traditional" commercial internships - my summer's were spent as a Teaching Assistant for STEM camps and working on a grant on Educational research for an engineering professor (we were exploring whether this crazy new piece of software called "Blackboard" would be useful and whether professors would actually use LCD projectors with computers in class - both things that we definitely take for granted now!).  Hindsight being 20-20, I probably should have paid attention to those experiences and it may have gotten me to my current career a lot faster.

The full-time job I had after graduation, I obtained using on campus resources through the Career Center.  I had my resume reviewed, attended info sessions and career fairs and eventually obtained an offer through on-campus interviewing.  I like to think that I am proof that the system can work!

Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

A: Hanlon's Razor: "Never assume malice when stupidity will suffice."

I don't like the word choices, but I think the essence of the quote is helpful. If we approach life with a spirit of positivity and wanting to educate others about what we know rather than a sense of negativity and paranoia, I think we are all more likely to achieve success.

Q: Why should students visit the Career Center?

A: To learn more about Information Sessions - I think these are undervalued as a way for students to meet employers and learn about possible career paths.  Employers are there because they want to meet you and if you are one of the students who takes the time to come it shows your sincere interest and commitment.

Q: What is your favorite aspect about UMBC?

A: The spirit of innovation and collaboration that permeates campus.  Everyone, students, staff and faculty, demonstrates a willingness to try new things and work together for the common good.  I think that makes us a true gem in higher education!

Q: What is one item on your bucket list?

A: Backpacking the Appalachian Trail.  I did a lot of hiking/camping when I was younger and miss it.

Q: What is one aspect of the DC/Baltimore area that you often explore?

A: Being outside - I love how it's easy to get to both the beach and the mountains from here and how many state, local and national parks we have in our backyard.

Want to connect with Kerry or any of our great Career Center team? Call our office at 410-455-2216 410-455-2216 or check out our contact us page here: http://careers.umbc.edu/aboutus/

Public Policy Professor and Chair Donald Norris discussed the upcoming gubernatorial election in The Baltimore Sun and Jewish Times this week.

In an article in the Jewish Times about Republicanism in Maryland, Norris predicted that a win for the Democrats, explaining that Republican nominee Larry Hogan’s focus on the economy would not sway voters. In The Baltimore Sun, Norris commented on Hogan’s attention to environmental issues. Hogan has questioned Democratic nominee Anthony Brown’s commitment to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay. “I’ve been in the state since 1986, and I don’t remember the bay being an issue, at least in this way,” said Norris.

Click here to read “Being Purple” in the Jewish Times and here to read “A political divide over the environment” in The Baltimore Sun.

Norris also spoke to the Baltimore Sun about Governor Martin O’Malley’s possible bid for the presidency and how it might affect his relationship with the Clintons. “He’s a got a relationship with the Clintons,” Norris said. “And I don’t know how you run against someone without ticking them off.”

Click here to read “Subtly, O’Malley draws distinctions with Clinton” in The Baltimore Sun.

Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, joined The Marc Steiner Show on Monday, September 29 to discuss police brutality, societal perceptions of Black children and recent attacks on the Obamas. Other panelists in the roundtable included Marshall Bell, host of Midday Magazine with Marshall Bell and author of Baltimore Blues: Harm City, and Ray Winbush, Director of the Institute for Urban Research at Morgan State University.

In the conversation about attacks on Michelle Obama, Moffitt related it to her research on body politics. “Oftentimes we look at the black body as being this space that occupies a position of being revered and reviled, all at the same time. And so, when you look at someone like Michelle Obama, she occupies that space constantly,” she said.

To hear the full segment on The Marc Steiner Show, click here.

Political Science Professor and Chair Thomas Schaller writes about his views on religion, war and the political practices of ISIS in his latest column in The Baltimore Sun.

Schaller notes the dangerous nature of what ISIS purports to want: a return to the era of Islamic caliphates. “Political leaders hungry for power and control often peddle to potential followers the intoxicating promise of reviving a high-varnished, glorified past that never really existed,” he writes. “Such delusions often turn lethal, especially when revanchist aspirations cannot be delivered to adherents and are met with resistance from opponents.”

To read “The Islamic State’s false promise,” click here.

UMBC’s Professional Graduate Programs are designed to prepare working professionals to grow academically and professionally, and become leaders in some of today’s most in-demand fields.

Participate in upcoming information sessions to learn about Professional Graduate Programs in Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, Health Information Technology, Biotechnology, Cybersecurity, Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Geographic Information Systems offered at UMBC’s Main Campus and at The Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, MD.

Fall Info Sessions:

• Systems Engineering & Engineering Management Virtual Info Session: Oct. 9, 12 – 1 p.m.
• Health Information Technology Virtual Info Session: Oct. 16, 12 – 1 p.m.
• Biotechnology Virtual Info Session: Oct. 21, 12 – 1 p.m.
• Cybersecurity Virtual Info Session: Oct. 23, 12 – 1 p.m.
• Industrial/Organizational Psychology Info Session: Oct. 29, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
• Geographic Information Systems Info Session: Nov. 5 & 6, 6 – 8 p.m.

RSVP here!

Each information session will highlight program format and curriculum, as well as the application process. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the session.