The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is looking for students for its paid Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF.)

SURF offers students in STEM fields PAID summer research under the guidance of one NIST's scientists and engineers. The 11-week program at NIST's Gaithersburg, MD campus is May 23 through August 9. There is also a SURF program at NIST's Boulder, CO campus from May 20 – August 2). Participants receive a $5,500 stipend and additional travel and housing allowances as necessary.

UMBC applications must be submitted through the Office of Undergraduate Education. Send an email message to Janet McGlynn (Sorry, you need javascript to view this email address. ) to receive application information.

Eligibility:U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status, undergraduate status (can be a senior graduating in May), and at least 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA.

UMBC fullback Liam Paddock has been selected to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Men’s Soccer First Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).   Paddock becomes the first men’s soccer player at UMBC to receive the nation’s top academic honor. He is the fifth student-athlete in school history to earn first team honors and the 20th Retriever overall to be cited by CoSIDA since 1977.

A senior with a 3.92 G.P.A. as a psychology and sociology major, Paddock was the 2012 ECAC Division I Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A team captain at UMBC, he was named 2012 America East Defender of the Year and was a repeat selection to the America East all-conference first team. The Worcestershire, England native scored a career-high three goals this season while leading the Retrievers to the America East championship and an 11-4-7 record.   UMBC reached the NCAA Championship in 2010 and 2012 with Paddock as a fixture at center back in the lineup. He started all 72 games that he dressed for in his four-year tenure in Baltimore.

“It’s remarkable how well Liam has done both on the field and in the classroom,” head coach Pete Caringi, Jr. said. “On the field, he was the leader and he helped us to get to three America East finals and compete in two NCAA tournaments. Off the field, he set the standard for our academic success. This culminates a tremendous career at UMBC and I couldn’t be more proud of what he’s done. Liam is a great player, but more importantly, he is a great person, and he has been an ambassador for our program.”

The Capital One Academic All-America® Men’s Soccer Division I first team had an average G.P.A. of 3.94.   UMBC tennis standouts Oscar Lopez (1999) and Lana Khvalina (2003, 2004), cross country/track’s Jen Ecker (2001) and swimming’s Keilan Freeman (2011) are UMBC’s other first team honorees.   Recent UMBC Athletics’ Hall of Fame inductee and soccer standout Ted Lawler earned Academic All-District II honors in 1999.

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 16,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.   For more information about the Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit www.cosida.com.

UMBC junior forward Pete Caringi III is among a group of thirty-four of the nation’s top men’s college soccer players who have been named finalists for the 2012 Soccer News Net College Boot award, recognizing the men’s college player of the year.

The editors of each of the sites in the Soccer News Net network nominated up to five local players for the award, each of which will be eligible for the regional player of the year award. The nominations included athletes playing at colleges within each site’s coverage area, as well as athletes from the area playing collegiately elsewhere in the country. Nine additional at-large selections rounded out the nominations.

Fans from across the country can be able to vote for the top collegiate player. Voting will continue until December 22, and will be conducted on DC Soccer News (www.dcsoccernews.com) which will officially launch later this year, but is conducting voting as an introduction to the site.

Online fan voting will account for 40% of the total toward the award. The remaining 60% of the vote will be cast by the Soccer News Net editorial staff.

The winner of the popular vote will receive the Soccer News Net Supporter’s Choice Award.

Caringi had a brilliant 2012 campaign, scoring 14 goals and amassing 32 total points for the America East Conference champion Retrievers (11-4-7), who reached the second round of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship. Entering the tournament, Caringi was eighth in the nation in goals scored.
The son of head coach Pete Caringi, Jr. was named America East Striker of the Year and was selected to the America East First Team. He was a two-time America East Player of the Week, an ECAC Division I Offensive Player of the Week and a multiple honoree on “Teams of the Week” for Soccer America and College Soccer News.