All,

The project in the entry ways of the building has finished early, except for some additional caulking in the Physics facing entrance. That work will not affect access tot he building. Thank you all for your patience while this work was comleted.  

To all users,

This is a reminder that we are beginning our scheduled downtime for chip, which is planned from 8AM to 5PM ET. This is to apply critical security patches, and to perform some maintenance on the RRStor ceph storage cluster. During this time, chip will be inaccessible and jobs currently running may be terminated if necessary.

We will send an update at the conclusion of the work.

Previous post announcing the downtime: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/hpcf/posts/160303 

As always, remember to submit any issues you have here: https://rtforms.umbc.edu/rt_authenticated/doit/DoIT-support.php?auto=Research%20Computing

And check out our documentation here: https://umbc.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/faq/pages/1082589207/UMBC+HPCF+-+chip

Best,
Greg

Are you interested in speaking and learning Cantonese with other UMBC community members?

We are planning to start hosting Cantonese Club meetings next semester. Everyone is welcome regardless of fluency.

If you would like to participate, please fill out this interest form!
https://forms.gle/3E81RMzuwqYKzzCq6

I'm a senior undergraduate looking for a roommate to share a 2BR apartment, close to UMBC main campus(about 12 min drive) and bus shuttle. Rental available to move in immediately or from early July till December or later if needed.

•Fully furnished living room and kitchen

•Private room and bathroom included 

•Washer and dryer included, cable ready

• Rent will be about $900/month, WiFi and electric bill included 

Please contact me if interested: noellad1@umbc.edu

Phone #: 2404959832

thereserveatstonegateapts.com

UMBC’s new Make Your Research Come Alive (MyRCA) program is helping faculty translate their scholarship into compelling stories that resonate across disciplines, sectors, and audiences. Launched in November 2025, the program wrapped up its inaugural cohort with a May showcase.

“We created the MyRCA program to help faculty strengthen their research communication skills and effectively convey the significance and real-world impact of their work beyond traditional academic audiences and funding pathways,” says Christine Mallinson, assistant vice president for research and scholarly impact. “It also encourages faculty to think strategically and creatively about visibility, partnerships, collaboration, and long-term impact,” she adds.

Led by the Division of Research and Creative Achievement in partnership with the Office of Institutional Advancement, MyRCA brought together 14 faculty members for twice-monthly workshops and working group sessions, a January mini-retreat, and the culminating showcase. The program focused on identifying and articulating research impact, translating specialized scholarship for broad audiences, developing compelling narratives and pitches, understanding funding landscapes, exploring pathways for engagement with corporate, community, and philanthropic partners, and strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration.

“The value of this program is in connecting with each other,” cohort member Foad Hamidi, associate professor of information systems, shared at the showcase. “Strong research communication and collaboration can help our research come alive,” adds Dong Li, another cohort member and assistant professor of computer science and electrical engineering. Li added, “We are not just researchers, we are telling our story to our audience.”

The value of connection

The program intentionally grouped faculty into smaller interdisciplinary teams organized around broad themes such as health, youth, and the environment. These connections quickly sparked new ideas and collaborations.

For instance, Lauren Clay, professor and chair of emergency and disaster health systems, connected with Li, after learning about his work on wearable health-monitoring devices. Clay wondered how Li’s technology could support a colleague’s research on paramedic response during extreme heat events, including monitoring heat stroke risks for marathon runners.

A group including Gabriella Weiss, postdoctoral researcher with the Center for Spaces Sciences and Technology; Marie-Christine Daniel, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry; and Sophie Comer-Warner, assistant professor of geography and environmental systems, examined remediation strategies for microplastics, heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds with a focus on wetlands. Their collaboration pointed to promising local funding opportunities with Maryland Sea Grant and Chesapeake Bay organizations.

Ellen Kohl, assistant professor of geography and environmental systems, strengthened a new science communication course with the skills she gained, and Shuling Yang, assistant professor of education, advanced her research using generative AI and Chinese pop music for biliteracy development. Brian Kaufman, professor of music, built on the UMBC Create Music Festival, which brings collaborative problem-solving into a typically performance-based discipline. 

By the showcase, participants had developed polished pitches, public-facing materials, and broader impact narratives ready for funding proposals, donor outreach, and the media. Each received $500 in research support, along with new cross-campus and external connections.

MyRCA stretches faculty beyond their comfort zones

Mallinson has been excited to see the 14 faculty “stretch beyond their usual disciplinary comfort zones and immediately begin putting the skills and approaches they were learning into practice—developing cross-disciplinary proposals, crafting pitches, appearing in videos and podcasts, participating in panels, and bringing what they learned in the program back to their graduate students and colleagues.” 

Linda Kidder Yarlott, associate director for corporate research partnerships, highlighted the value of the partnership between the Division of Research and Creative Achievement and the Office of Institutional Advancement. “While federal funding agencies are looking for highly technical, methodology-driven proposals, it’s visionary, outcome-oriented narratives that clearly articulate the human impact and real-world return on investment that entice corporate and philanthropic partners,” Yarlott says.

Yarlott and Jocelyn Kehl, major gift officer for the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, worked with the cohort on practical skills—from strategic networking and optimizing LinkedIn profiles to crafting stories that resonate with donors and foundations. “Mentoring this cohort has been an incredibly rewarding experience, culminating in a spectacular program showcase where faculty teams powerfully demonstrated new communication skills that will help unlock new philanthropic pathways,” Yarlott shares. 

For more information and to learn about the full 2025 – 2026 cohort, visit research.umbc.edu/myrca.

Want to work on real-world challenges? The Grand Challenge Scholars Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County is open to students from all majors.

The program is built around the National Academy of Engineering’s 14 Grand Challenges and is designed to address major issues in sustainability, health, security, and joy of living. Students create a personalized path through research, entrepreneurship, service, interdisciplinary learning, and global experiences focused on a chosen challenge. 

Who can apply: 

Juniors and Seniors from all disciplines who have at least three semesters to graduate.

New application deadline: June 22

For more infomation, go to the Grand Challenge Scholars Website.

Hello!

The Exempt Staff Senate (ESS) Mentoring Program is in NEED of some more mentors for the FY27 cycle.  If you are were on the fence about signing up before the initial deadline expired here is your second chance to apply!  Also, if you know of an exempt employee who would make a good mentor, please share this information with them.

All exempt staff members (typically at UMBC for 3 years or longer) are encouraged to apply to be mentors! Contact Jess Wyatt (jwy@umbc.edu) or Steve Harris (stevenh1@umbc.edu) directly with questions.

Apply here! - ESS Mentoring Program Application

Name: Chinyere Ukwuoma 

Pronouns: she/her

Semester of Internship: Spring 2026

Major: Biological Sciences

Current Class Level: Senior

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): The Hilltop Institute

Location of the Organization (City, State): Catonsville, Maryland

Title of position: Health Policy Intern

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:

As an intern I performed data validation and revised annual reports with up-to-date information. I assisted with redesigning figures using Excel to improve visualization of Maryland Medicaid program enrollment trends. I helped carry out a literature review of 80+ articles to be used in an evaluation of the Health Homes program. I also ensured all documents were 100% complaint with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act using tools in Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

My initial interview came from a recommendation from my previous supervisor in the business office at the same organization. I started there as an assistant before moving to the policy team. I had expressed interest in interning with the health policy team and received an email stating they wanted to interview me and asking for a copy on my resume in Fall 2025.

What resources did you use to find your current experience?

Faculty Connections, Handshake

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?

I really like the environment and the people I work with. Everyone is extremely friendly and wants to see you succeed.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

My work has supported analysis that drives policy-decision making. Policymakers look at the reports done by Hilltop and similar organizations to make decisions about health policy. having informed analysis is important, especially for programs that support vulnerable communities.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

I would tell a student to look for research institutes on campus doing work that you are interested in and that HandShake is a great resource. I had no idea the Hilltop Institute existed until I saw a posting for the Business Office assistant role on HandShake. That was how I got started at the organization before becoming a health policy intern. Make it clear what your interests are and there will be people willing to support you!

I am in search of a small bookshelf -- about 2-3 feet high. Please reach out to me at rchesle1@umbc.edu or 53059 if you have one that is looking for a good home.

Thank you for considering!

Traffic around the arena will be very heavy beginning at 7:30am on 6/2/2026 and throughout the day to accommodate three high school graduations. Faculty, staff, and students are strongly encouraged to avoid entering campus from I-195, as parking on the east side of campus will be difficult to access. Please plan to park in any available legal permit space across campus. Parking Services will be enforcing parking regulations for safety concerns only. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to manage increased traffic and event activity.