Corey Fleischer ’05, ’08 M.S. mechanical engineering,  zooms a homemade Wii-controlled car around his driveway by day, and rules the demolition derby by night. He geeks out about nanotechnology, blows up light bulbs in his microwave in the name of fun and science, and always seems to be concocting plans for his next big idea.

So, when the opportunity to appear on the Discovery Channel’s new engineering-based reality show, “The Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius,” arose the senior mechanical engineer at Lockheed Martin jumped at the chance to show off his skills.

The series, hosted by actor Kal Penn, launches on Wednesday, May 1st, with Fleischer among the 10-person cast of extreme DIY-ers each trying to out-engineer the other to win a $50,000 prize and an engineering dream job.

We sat down with the father of two to find out more about what makes him tick…and what to expect from his appearance on the show.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgPzs6EBOsE]

Q: How did you hear about BBT? And how crazy was it when you found out you were chosen for the cast?

A:  I first heard about BBT through a good friend at work.  My buddy forwarded me the call-for-applicants webpage which was announcing a new TV show looking for the Top Engineer.  They wanted hands-on engineers with outgoing personalities. My buddy thought I was a good fit, and he even helped me write my application and recorded and edited my audition video. See the audition here.

When I found out I was picked, I flipped out!  It was crazy at first to know that I got picked!…but then it quickly set in that I was going to be on TV…which I’ve never been before.

Q:  Your brain is clearly constantly formulating new ideas. What’s your dream invention?

A:  My dream invention would be some type of engineering toy set for young kids.  I have a 6-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter and I’m always coming up with simple projects to show them engineering principles…they love it!  I think all parents should introduce their kids to engineering at a really early age.  Or, maybe I’d like to invent an laundry folding machine.  Laundry folding and I don’t get along.

Q:  I know you were a part of Mini-Baja (now SAE) at UMBC. How did that and other UMBC experiences help you get to where you are now?

A:  Coming from UMBC, I feel like I hit corporate America with an unfair advantage.  Participating in Mini-Baja had given me years of experience within/leading a technical team in a competition environment. Engineering is highly competitive, so that was huge.  Additionally, my undergraduate and graduate studies under Dr. Mark Zupan gave me a strong background in material science that I apply toward all stages of engineering projects, from hardware selection to geometrical design to finish coatings.

Q:  Tell us a little about your work at Lockheed Martin…and what you’d love to be doing in the future.

A:  At Lockheed I get to work on several projects simultaneously.  We have a large group here in Baltimore so there are always several projects going on that I’m able to support.  I work under lots of smart guys…I love it here.  As for the future, I just want to keep working on great projects with great people.  As long as I continue to learn, I’ll be happy.

Q:  You obviously can’t divulge the outcome of BBT, but what was one of your favorite parts of doing the show? How about challenges? Any nemeses we should look out for?

A:  The design challenges were my favorite part of the experience.  They were amazing!  Every time they told us about a new challenge I thought, “I can’t believe someone’s going to pay me to build this!”  Every challenge could be a paragraph on my resume…and I got to build eight!

The hardest part of the experience was being away from my kids. That was tough, but I knew they’d be proud, my son especially since he’s older.  There was also a lot of drama that we all had to deal with, but I stayed out of it as much as I could.  The whole experience was amazing!  We pulled off some crazy accomplishments, and it’s going to be an amazing show. Nothing like this has ever been done.

– Read about Corey’s latest venture – a “makerspace” in Baltimore

Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyfleischer for updates and behind-the-scenes info about the show!

Theatre alumna Deborah Randall ’94, founder of Venus Theatre in Laurel, will speak on “Embracing the Female Voice in Our Society” on Wednesday, April 24, at noon in Public Policy 105. The Raymond V. Haysbert, Sr. Entrepreneurship Lecture is presented by the Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship.

As stated in the event flier:

Theatre is the perfect vehicle of empathy. It has allowed Deborah Randall to explore many worlds with varying points of view. Immersion into other worlds changes the experience of life. Experiencing theatre as an audience member, finding ways to support it by embracing living playwrights from all over the world, and executing the journey with artistic teams and direction have allowed
Deb to create Venus Theatre at the Venus Theatre Play Shack.

In addition to being an award winning writer, director, and actor, Randall is also a 2012 UMBC Outstanding Alumna of the Year in the Visual and Performing Arts.

For more information, click here.

The Albin O. Kuhn Library Special Collections recently digitized 66 photographs of the Little Rock Nine, the first African American students to attend an integrated school in largely segregated Arkansas. When the students enrolled at Little Rock Central High School in September, 1957, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus deployed the Arkansas National Guard to deny their admission. Shortly thereafter, President Dwight D. Eisenhower federalized the Guard and required them to facilitate the students’ entry. While attending the school, the Little Rock Nine were subjected to discrimination, harassment, and violence because of their race. Several students wrote books about their experiences, and in 1995, President Bill Clinton awarded the Little Rock Nine with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The Little Rock Nine photographs were taken by Mildred Grossman, a noted teacher, unionist, and civil rights activist. Grossman’s photographs focus on the students' trip to New York City in the summer of 1958, where they accepted the New York Hotel Trades Council’s Better Race Relations Award for their courage and historic achievements. The students also met with elected officials, diplomats, and entertainers, and visited landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and the Coney Island amusement parks.

View the Little Rock Nine collection via the UMBC's Digital Collections page and in the Special Collections reading room. The Little Rock Nine photographs are a small part of the Mildred Grossman collection, which contains thousands of Grossman’s photographic prints, negatives, and personal papers.

Take a look at the collection when you can and tell us what you think: http://contentdm.ad.umbc.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/p16629coll3 

See also:

Mildred Grossman papers finding aid 

Service-Learner of the Month: William Agosto
Service Site: B'More Clubhouse  

http://bmoreclubhouse.org/

Service-Learning Intern of the Month: Longte Kuptong

Service Site: Maryland Food Bank 

http://www.mdfoodbank.org/site/c.mgLPIYOzGlF/b.5551677/k.BF32/Home.htm

Come join me for our last Team Study Groups meeting for the spring semester in Patapsco Hall (Community Room) on April 29th (8-8:50pm).   This will be an opportunity to catch up with other Team Study Group members, provide me with updates and find people to form study groups to prepare for finals.  

Light refreshments will be served!  To RVSP, visit the "Events" page on the Team Study Group website at  http://my.umbc.edu/groups/getsmartiesumbc/events.

 For more information contact Dr. Felix at tfelix1@umbc.edu.

Hello!

Final exams are quickly approaching.  Enjoy some brain food to fuel a study session ON ME!!  

All iCubed Team Study Group participants in a study group are eligible to enter. Please fill out the study group registration form (attached) and return to me by FRIDAY, May 10th, to be entered into a raffle to win 2 PIZZAS for you and your study group on UMBC Study Day (May 15th).   

For those of you not in a study group yet, it is not too late!  If you need assistance, I can help you find one.  For more information or if you have questions, please feel free to contact me,  stop by during my office hours (on Wednesdays in the dorms), or stop in my office in University Center 116.

Thanks!

-- 

Tashauna Felix, M.S., Ph.D.

iCubed Study Group Coordinator

University Center 116

tfelix1@umbc.edu

410.455.3173