February 7, 2013, 8:00 P.M.
Fine Arts Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building

Contact:
Thomas Moore
410-455-3370
tmoore@umbc.edu

Alicia DeWitt
410-455-3495
adewitt@umbc.edu

Download this release.

On Thursday, February 7, UMBC presents in concert the avant garde music ensemble ModernWorks, featuring cellist Madeleine Shapiro, accordionist Bill Schimmel and violinist Airi Yoshioka. The performance will be held at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Recital Hall. Tickets are $7 general admission, $3 for senior, free for students and free with a UMBC ID, available at the door or through MissionTix.com.

The ensemble’s program, entitled “Strange Acquaintances,” will feature:
Stille Szenne (1991) by Wolfgang Rihm
Apparitions (2006) by Phillipe Hersant
Spiral Jetty (2006) by Anthony Cornicello
Grito del Corazon (2005) by Judith Shatin
Silenzio (1991) by Sofina Gubaidulina

ModernWorks, which consists of a core of some of New York City’s most prominent performers of new music, is a member of The New York Consortium for New Music and has appeared in New York on Sonic Boom 6, 8, 9, the festival’s 10th anniversary marathon at The Knitting Factory, and Sonic Boom 11.

About Madeleine Shapiro
Called a “cello innovator” by Time Out New York, Madeleine Shapiro is a recognized figure in the field of contemporary music. She directs ModernWorks and performs as a solo recitalist throughout the United States, Europe and Latin America. Her work has been called “focused and cohesive” (Time Out New York), “powerful and commandingly delivered” (The Strad) and “played with great skill and sensitivity” (The Washington Post). ModernWorks’ most recent CD was chosen by The New York Times as one of the best CDs of 2009. Shapiro’s awards include three Encore Awards from the American Composers Forum, a Barlow Award, and first prize in Adventurous Programming awarded by ASCAP-Chamber Music America. She is a three time Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome.

About Bill Schimmel
Regarded as the world’s greatest accordionist by National Public Radio, Bill Schimmel has performed with virtually every major symphony orchestra in America (and the Kirov), including a longstanding relationship with the Minnesota Orchestra, as well as virtually every chamber music group in New York, including Ensemble Sospeso and the Odeon Jazz Ensemble. Pop star colleagues range from Sting to Tom Waits, who proclaimed, “Bill Schimmel doesn’t play the accordion, he is the accordion.” He is founder of the Tango Project, which, in addition to his hit recordings with them, has appeared with Al Pacino in the film: Scent of a Woman. The Tango Project also won the Stereo Review Album of the Year Award, received a Grammy nomination and rose to number one on the Billboard classical charts. Schimmel can be heard in the films True Lies, Kun Dun and many others, including those for which he both scored and performed, and a series of films for the Nature Conservancy.

About Airi Yoshioka
Airi Yoshioka has concertized throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Canada as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. She is the founding member of Damocles Trio and Modigliani Quartet and has performed and recorded with the members of Emerson, Brentano and Arditti Quartets. An enthusiastic performer of new music, she is a principal member of Continuum, ModernWorks, Son Sonora, Azure, Ensemble Pi and RUCKUS ensembles. She has recorded for New World, Claves, Mode, Albany and Pony Canyon records. Yoshioka is an associate professor of Music at UMBC.

Tickets and General Information
$7 general admission, $3 seniors, free for students, free with a UMBC ID
UMBC Arts & Culture Calendar: artscalendar.umbc.edu

High Resolution Images for Media
www.umbc.edu/newsevents/arts/hi-res/

Directions and Parking Information
UMBC is located approximately 10 minutes from downtown Baltimore and 20 minutes from I-495.
• From I-95 between Baltimore and Washington, take exit 47B. Follow signs for Route 166 toward Catonsville, signs for UMBC, and then signs to ModernWorks concert parking.
• From I-695, take Exit 12C (Wilkens Avenue west) and continue one-half mile to the entrance of UMBC at the roundabout intersection of Wilkens Avenue and Hilltop Road. Turn left and follow signs to ModernWorks concert parking.

It’s Friday, and the sun is out after a long, long week of rain in Baltimore. So, you know what? We’re going to give ourselves a little virtual high five.

You see, we recently found out that UMBC’s Giving Blog — the very blog you’re reading RIGHT NOW — won a silver award among all sorts of competing blogs in the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education’s District II Accolades Awards.

As always, thank you to our Retriever Believers for giving us so much exciting philanthropy news to write about. It really is a joy. Give yourselves a huge high five…and if you’d like a special Friday treat, click on the hand.

Heliophysics Summer Research Opportunity for Undergraduates at
UAHuntsville and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
NSF-REU site

Funded by the National Science Foundation

We will begin accepting applications for the 2013 REU on January 1, 2013

http://www.uah.edu/cspar/research/reu

Overview

Scientist from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center will host a Research Experience for Undergraduates in the summer of 2013. Ten undergraduates will be invited to Huntsville, Alabama for 10 weeks to engage in cutting edge heliophysics research with astrophysicists from UAHuntsville or NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Students in this program will be paired with mentors specializing in heliophysics research from the solar interior to the heliopause, and include theory, modeling, computer simulations, data analysis and instrument design. At the end of the 10-week program, participants will be required to present their research experience. Additionally, some students may be selected to present their findings at a scientific conference.

• The 2013 REU will run from May 29 - August 3, 2013. Students must be available for the entire 10 weeks in order to participate in the program.
• Students will be provided a $4000 stipend for the summer. Additionally, a travel allowance, housing on UAHuntsville campus, and a $500 meal card will be provided.
• Heliophysics researchers from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and NASA Marshall Space Center are both housed in the National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) located on the UAHuntsville campus in Huntsville, Alabama.

Eligibility

Applicants should be full-time, undergraduate students with a GPA of 2.5 or better and planning to major in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Students must be US citizens or green card holders in order to be considered for this program. Rising sophomores, women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Location

Huntsville, "The Rocket City", is an oasis of technology and research in northern Alabama, where cutting edge research has been taking place since the space race. It is home to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and NASA Marshall Space and three 4-year universities. Huntsville, is consistently names as one of the best places in the country to live by a variety of publications and thus attracts people from all over the world. In addition to the space and rocket center, visitors can enjoy hiking on nearby Monte Sano, caving, camping, museums, historical landmarks and a variety of sanctuaries and parks.

To apply

To apply, fill out the form below and attach two letters of recommendation and unofficial transcripts by April 1, 2013. Alternatively, submit the pdf application under downloads, two letters of recommendation, and transcripts to heliophysicsreu@uah.edu.

Additional Information

If you have any questions, please contact heliophysicsreu@uah.edu.

This REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation.

In December, an all-male Iowa Supreme Court ruled 7-0 that firing someone for being “irresistibly attractive” was legal.

Melissa Nelson, a 32-year-old dental assistant, was fired by 52-year-old dentist, Dr. James Knight, after working for him for 10 years. 

Knight claimed she was “irresistibly attractive” and a threat to his marriage.  He thought Nelson’s tight clothing was distracting and sent her texts containing sexual innuendos.  Nelson said she wore t-shirts and scrubs and never flirted with her boss.

Knight and Nelson are both married and have kids.  When Knight’s wife found the text messages, she demanded he fire Nelson.  Knight terminated Nelson and gave her one month’s severance.  He told Nelson’s husband that he was getting too personally attached and feared he might try to start an affair with her.  

The Court ruled the firing was not protected by the Iowa Civil Rights Act because it was motivated by feelings and emotions, not gender.

Responding to the ruling, Nelson’s attorney said:

These judges sent a message to Iowa women that they don’t think men can be held responsible for their sexual desires.

Knight’s attorney thought the ruling was a victory for family values because Knight fired Nelson in the interest of saving his marriage. 

The ruling is likely final because the case cannot be taken to a higher court since it specifically challenged the Iowa Civil Rights Act. 

Was the firing justified?  Should it be illegal to discriminate based on physical appearance?

Well not exactly… but close.

According to the Verizon Business Security Blog during a routine security audit of a US Company it was found that a “hacker” from China was logging into the company database several times a day through the account of top software developer “Bob.”

After a more thorough investigation… it turned out that Bob’s account wasn’t being hacked after all but instead Bob had outsourced his own job. 

A couple months prior, Bob hired a Chinese consulting firm to do the work which he was being paid six figures do. In return he FedExed them his RSA Key and began paying the contractor about a fifth of his salary ($50,000 a year). 

Now instead of working nine to five, Bob’s internet history showed that his days were filled with watching cat videos, surfing reddit, buying things on EBay and updating his facebook page.  Then at around 4:30 he would email his bosses with “what he had completed during the day.” 

Even more ironically, Bob’s performance reviews showed that he had received many accolades for the codes he created.  

According to the Verizon Blog,

“His code was clean, well written, and submitted in a timely fashion. Quarter after quarter, his performance review noted him as the best developer in the building.”

Unfortunately for Bob and his cat video obsession he has been fired.

But his initially outrageous business plan does raise some interesting questions about capitalism. If CEOs of companies can outsource hundreds of jobs to other countries what is stopping individual employees from outsourcing their own jobs?  

Image By: slgckgc