by David Hoffman

UMBC and Kyushu University Sign International Partnership Agreement

Memorandum promotes academic cooperation and collaborative research.

UMBC celebrated the start of a new partnership with Japan�s Kyushu University on June 24, 2014, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for academic and research exchanges. Our two institutions will work to reach breakthroughs in cutting-edge scientific areas. We also will develop collaborations to advance learning while strengthening our respective regional economies.

In a signing ceremony, Dr. Setsuo Arikawa, president of Kyushu University, added his signature to the MOU with UMBC, previously signed by UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski. Provost Philip Rous, who represented UMBC at the ceremony, describes, �The academic agreement signed between UMBC and KU articulates our universities� shared vision and intention to collaborate broadly in both research and education.�

�We anticipate that our partnership will initially focus on cybersecurity curriculum development,� says Antonio Moreira, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at UMBC. The universities expect to initiate program exchanges in 2016.

The partnership festivities began with a signing ceremony in Adelphi, Maryland, for a similar agreement between University System of Maryland (USM) and Kyushu University. USM Chancellor William E. �Brit� Kirwan welcomed leaders including Kenichiro Sasae, ambassador of Japan to the United States; Dr. Arikawa, President of Kyushu University; and John McDonough, secretary of state for Maryland.

A delegation from Kyushu University then travelled to UMBC for a second signing ceremony, tour of UMBC research facilities, and discussion of potential collaboration areas, focusing on the interdisciplinary field of cybersecurity.

A leading public research institution in the city of Fukuoka on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu, Kyushu University has received special acclaim for its excellence in materials science, chemistry, biology and biochemistry, immunology and pharmacology.

Educational partnership agreements are a prominent component of UMBC�s nationally acclaimed success in combining high-quality undergraduate teaching with achievement in graduate education and research. UMBC has an existing educational partnership agreement with the U.S. Army Research Lab, the Army�s premier laboratory for basic and applied research and analysis. The agreement provides a framework for collaborations between UMBC faculty and students and Army Research Lab researchers. Earlier this month, UMBC and the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) that enables future collaboration between UMBC and the U.S. Army.

(06/25/2014)

UMBC Swimming and Diving rising sophomore Andrew McKissick (Ellicott City, Md./Mount St. Joseph’s) is featured in the “Faces in the Crowd” section of the June 23 issue of Sports Illustrated. The issue began hitting newsstands and mailboxes on Wednesday, June 18.

McKissick won the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim for the second consecutive year back on Sunday, June 8. The Retriever swimmer bested the field of over 600 competitors in the 4.4-mile open-water swim with a time of just under 90 minutes (1:29:35), which also beats his winning time of 1:31.46 from 2013.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqR179VT8tk&w=560&h=315]

A new National Geographic video examines what laughter can do for human health. Psychology Professor Robert Provine appears in the video and provides insight on the origins of laughter, saying it begins at three to four months of age and is one of the most important forms of early communication between babies and mothers.

“It’s a kind of instinctive language that exists before we learn to talk. Laughter, like speech, evolved to change the behavior of other individuals,” Provine said.

“Does [laughter] have to have other purposes? It probably does, but we’re just now starting to tease out what those differences are,” he added. “Did the benefits of laughter come from the act of laughing or is it the social context, spending time with friends, family, and lovers? All of these are very difficult scientific issues that haven’t been teased out. But laughter clearly feels good when we do it. Isn’t that enough?”

You can find the video on National Geographic’s website here.

WEAA’s The Marc Steiner Show is hosting a series on transportation in Baltimore, and on June 19, the program aired a segment on cycling in the city. As part of the discussion, Kate Drabinski, lecturer of gender and women’s studies and director of the Women Involved in Learning and Leadership (WILL) program, and Greg Cantori ’84, geography, shared their thoughts on how cycling has evolved in recent years in Baltimore and how it has played out in the community.

“When you’re biking, the roads are just part of your world,” Drabinski said. “In order to bike safely, you have to pay close attention to where you are going, what the street looks like, what the sidewalk looks like and who is around you. What that means is you’re embedded in the community in a totally different way than when you’re stuck inside your own metal box called a car.”

Cantori, who is president and CEO of Maryland Nonprofits and former president of One Less Car/Bike Maryland, said cycling is beginning to become more normalized around Baltimore.

“The fact is that the more of us that do [cycling] and that just try it a little bit, when we become drivers again, we then have a better understanding and appreciation of the other cyclists,” Cantori said.

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

Editor’s Note: The UMBC Alumni Association has partnered a several organizations to offer you special perks and benefits. This month, we wanted to share this announcement from our partner organization, Meyers and Associates*, about health care plan available to our newest graduates and their families:

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that everyone have health insurance. Our Insurance Program offers health insurance options to fill the needs of many new alums who will be without coverage after graduation, whether due to the end of student health insurance, a lack of employment, or even under-employment. Parental policies may not be suitable after graduation due to cost or location outside a parent’s network coverage area. Don’t risk going without health insurance, even for a short time, while affordable and flexible ACA-compliant options are available through our new private health insurance exchange.

The Alumni Insurance Program is a benefit for all alumni, and offers products for many stages of your life. The great news is that you can share this benefit: most products are available to alums and their family members, even if they didn’t attend UMBC.

For more information click here.

*posted on behalf of Meyers and Associates