Seth Sawyers ’99, history, published an op-ed about childhood memories of his dad in the Father’s Day issue of the Baltimore Sun. Sawyers, who recently finished a memoir about growing up in the Maryland Appalachians in the 1980s, also teaches writing classes at UMBC.

An excerpt from the piece:

The zombie trend continues to spread across the pop cultural landscape and shows little sign of slowing down. Speaking with The Baltimore Sun‘s John-John Williams IV for a June 9 story entitled “Pop culture’s undying affection for zombies“, Arnold Blumberg ’93, English, an adjunt faculty member in UMBC’s English department and co-author of Zombiemania: 80 Movies to Die For, illustrated the history of this now-ubiquitous staple of modern popular culture, as well as theorizing as to why the walking undead seem to have captured our culture’s imagination in recent times.

“There has never been a figure that has reflected all the fears we have as the zombie,” he told Williams. “It is the closest type of monster to us. They are us and we are them. The zombie comes down to some form of being a human being.”

Originally posted in UMBC Insights.

Read more about Blumberg in UMBC Magazine.

Ph.D. Dissertation Defense

Fabrication and Operation of Integrated Distributed-Bragg-Reflector
Thermally Tunable Quantum Cascade Lasers

Liwei Cheng

10:00am Friday, 22 June 2012
Center for Advanced Studied in Photonics Research Conference Room

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) that emit in the mid-infrared (IR) range between 3 and 10 μm of the electromagnetic spectrum play an important role in optical gas sensing and molecular spectroscopic applications because several important environmental molecules such as CO, CO2, CH4, and NH3 are known to exhibit strong absorption lines in this mid-IR range. To differentiate such fine absorption features as narrow as a few angstroms, a single-mode QCL with an extremely narrow spectral linewidth, broadly tunable over the molecular absorption fingerprints and operating at sufficient optical power at room temperature, is highly desirable. We present, in this dissertation, two major studies on mid-IR QCLs, one being an improvement in device performance through a buried-heterostructure (BH) regrowth study, and the other being a realization of single-mode tunable QCLs integrated with distributed-Bragg-reflector (DBR) grating and thermal tuning mechanism.

Efficient heat dissipation in the QCL active region, which is crucial for high optical-power operation, can be effectively achieved using BH waveguides laterally embedded with InP grown by metal-organic chemical vapor disposition. We have experimentally studied the effects of the structural features of mesas, such as mesa orientation, geometry, sidewall-etched profile, and the length of the oxide overhang, on the BH regrowth. We find that the mesa oriented in the [01 1 ] direction with smoothly etched sidewalls produces a satisfactory planar growth profile and uniform lateral growth coverage and that a mesa-height–to–overhang-length ratio between 2.5 and 3.0 is effective in reducing anomalous growth in the vicinity of oxide edges. As a result, high-power QCLs capable of producing multi-hundred milliwatts at room temperature at ~4.6 μm and ~7.9 μm through reproducible BH regrowth results have been demonstrated.

We have also demonstrated single-mode tunable QCLs operating at ~7.9 μm with an internal DBR grating structure and thermal tuning scheme incorporated. A special flip-chip bonding configuration and device assembly utilizing two copper heatsinks—one for the gain section and the other for the DBR grating section—were devised and constructed to achieve separate temperature controls in both sections. A miniature thermoelectric (TE) cooler dedicated to the DBR grating section was implemented to control the DBR grating temperature while the gain section was kept at a different temperature to achieve single-wavelength tuning. Under ±1000 mA bias conditions, a quasi-single-wavelength tuning range of ~7.2 cm-1 was realized across the TE cooler temperature span, combined with an additional temperature contrast of 56 °C between the two heatsinks (gain/DBR = 10/66 °C) owing to the implementation of additional temperature-controlling elements. We have also developed a two-dimensional thermal model to investigate the thermal dynamics in the device, including the temperature distribution and thermal dependency of each section, and the thermal response time, which ultimately dictates the wavelength tuning speed. We find that a 250-μm passive section located between the gain and DBR grating section can significantly improve temperature uniformity in both the sections as it absorbs most temperature gradients. Further, a swift thermal response time of ~7 ms is simulated if the DBR grating section is directly bonded on the miniature TE cooler.

More importantly, we have realized a monolithic photonic integration platform, both thermally and electrically, for mid-IR QCLs. The QCLs fabricated in this dissertation possess two major functionalities. The gain section, an active component, is electrically pumped to provide optical gain and is kept at a temperature different from the DBR grating section, and the DBR grating section, a passive component, provides optical feedback for single-wavelength emission and subsequently tunes the emission wavelength through a local temperature variation. Such thermal and optoelectronic integration opens new perspectives for mid-IR QC technology.

Committee: Drs. Fow-Sen Choa, Anthony Johnson, Li Yan, Ryan Robucci, Terrance Worchesky and Jocob Khurgin

Seth Sawyers ’99, history, published an op-ed about childhood memories of his dad in the Father’s Day issue of the Baltimore Sun. Sawyers, who recently finished a memoir about growing up in the Maryland Appalachians in the 1980s, also teaches writing classes at UMBC.

An excerpt from the piece:

The international sustainability scene is getting increasingly complex. Not only is UNCSD aka Rio+20, the world’s biggest meeting on sustainability, taking place this week but the agenda for the G-20 Economic Summit (today and tomorrow) includes discussions about “promoting sustainable development with a focus on infrastructure, energy efficiency, green growth and financing the fight against climate change.”

I think it is an incredibly good sign that the G-20 is bringing international monetary policy together with sustainable development. From what I am reading in the international press, the disconnect between macroeconomics, the green economy, and the elimination of poverty seems to be a major problem in getting agreement among the diplomats at Rio+20. Last Friday, the final Preparatory Committee Meeting resulted in agreement on less than 40% of the outcomes document. The UN passed the document to the Brazil government who as host is charged with further development in bringing the document to the conference. Brazil now has presented a longer but more focused document for discussion that more clearly represents the positions of the countries in the developing world. According to some sources, the US, Canada, and European Union have been blocking many measures in the original zero draft document on the basis of economic issues (free trade, intellectual property rights, responsibility for payments). There are concerns that a final outcomes document will fail to confirm the original principles of the Earth Summit and will fail to provide Sustainable Development Goals to replace or supplement the Millennium Development Goals,, let alone provide funding to make anything happen.

On a more optimistic note, several events in Rio indicate that progress will be made despite the failure of diplomats to come to agreement. There have been a number of commitments and healthy discussion coming from the Corporate Sustainability Forum, particularly on public reporting of sustainability efforts. Microsoft has committed to net zero carbon emissions. Another announcement was the signing of the Natural Capital Declaration by 37 major financial institutions that commit them to work towards integrating natural capital considerations into their products and services.

Today, as the side events continue, a consortium of higher education sustainability associations will be presenting the side event Aiming Higher, Unlocking Tertiary Education's Potential to Accelerate Sustainable Development and the Transition to a Fair and Green Economy. Dr. Kim Smith of Portland Community College will represent AASHE at that meeting. Last night I received the following update in an email from Kim.

"It has already been an incredible two days. The Earth Summit is a conference to beat all conferences. Every issue related to sustainability and the green economy is being discussed, with fascinating and thought-provoking presentations in the RioCentro Pavilions given by experts all over the world. One talk yesterday on glaciers was particularly fascinating, as was an amazing talk on sustainability and the education system in India. An Indian girl came up with a new slogan: "Increase your handprint! Decrease your footprint!" They are all talking about how to turn all of these words into actions.

There also are amazing exhibits at Athlete's Park (to be used for the Olympics in 2016), like a World Expo. I took many pictures there today and learned a great deal about different countries' sustainability efforts.

I also am having lively conversations with people from all over the world, and am pleased to report that many people have been very supportive of higher education. I have definitely been networking and have given away all 100 of the flyers for our presentation. It was particularly good to meet some youth from the EU Student Forum the first day, as we have been supporting each other's efforts. It was wild to have them engage in a debate about the economic state of Europe. Truly, I cannot make this up: a German, English/Greek, and Belgian walk into a bar.... drink caipirinhas and totally duke it out over capitalism, socialism, taxes, subsidies, health care, the elderly, the stratification of 27 countries, German wages, and what to do with Greece. I was in awe! They are doubtful that the EU will be able to agree upon the treaty. I was able to give them quite a lot of problematic examples from the United States as well. Alas, each day, the UN picks a delegation that does the least to support the Summit and sustainability efforts. They call them the "fossil" of the day. The first day it was the United States (very embarrassing). The second was Canada. It is not too easy to represent North America when everyone thinks that we are a bunch of idiots....

It is incredible how contentious it is and how cynical some of the bureaucrats are as to whether we actually will be able to turn all of the words into actions and solve the problem in time... Of course, it doesn't help that so many in the US don't even believe that there is a problem. The number of people all over the world who believe we are in crisis are staggering compared to the US. Our media truly does such a disservice in educating the public about crucial issues and providing good information on the solutions."

In its second year, the Baltimore Hackathon invites teams or individuals to build a hardware or software project from start to finish. Sporting the slogan "Meet People. Build Stuff. Have Fun.", this year's competition was held in Tide Point from June 8–10.

Among the more than ninety participants was UMBC student Ahmad Abbas, who took home the competition's DIY/Hacker prize for his hardware project. Originally from Egypt, Ahmad is finishing up his Master's degree in Computer Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Mohamed Younis in the ESNet Lab. He hopes to graduate this summer and begin Ph.D. studies at UMBC this Fall.

In the interview below, Ahmad talks about his experience at the Baltimore Hackathon and explains what made it "one of the most exciting experiences of [his] life."

How did you hear about the Baltimore Hackathon?  I heard about the Baltimore Hackathon 2012 after reading a post by Dr.Tim Finin on myUMBC on Wednesday, just two days before the competition, and I decided to join at the same day.

What is the Baltimore Hackathon? The Hackathon is a competition where you work individually or on teams with the purpose of building hardware or software in a single weekend. Participants may submit an existing project as well, but they need to indicate this before entering the competition.

In a few words, explain your winning project. When I registered, I wasn't sure about my project's idea. My idea was to build a digital camera using 1.3 MPixel CMOS camera sensor, 2.4" LCD and SD card. I decided later, during the competition, to build shields, daughter boards, for Arduino kits. These boards can be connected to Arduino kits and used in different projects.

Where did you come up with the idea? I came up with this ides because I am skilled in designing and implementing electronic circuits. Some people need these circuits to build their own projects, but they can't design or implement it. I build these circuits to help them. This idea was not only for the competition. I built my first Arduino shield last semester in Dr.Ryan Robucci's class. It is an FPGA board that can be connected to Arduino kits. This board was one of my boards in the competition, too.

I designed another two boards during the competition. One of them was a WiFi board for Arduino and the second was a Camera board for the Arduino. I built the WiFi, but I couldn't finish the camera board. Also, I built another USB enabled kit using a low-cost micro-controller and a small number of components. Last board was a DIY digital camera,  which was the original idea. I designed the board but I didn't have time to build it.       

Describe the Baltimore Hackathon. Was it stressful? Exciting? Were you intimidated by the other competitors, or did you collaborate and support one another? The Baltimore Hackathon turned out to be one of the most exciting experiences of my life. Although I was highly stressed during the competition, I was inspired by all the creative and hardworking participants.  In order to reduce the stress, participants played different games, where I earned the title of "ping pong master" and a prize to go with the title.    

I had the fortune over the course of the competition to meet Gary Mauler, Founder of Robot Fest and DIY Expo, and Amy Hurst, Assistant Professor of Human-Centered Computing at UMBC. Gary provided me with insights on how to move forward with my passion for building hardware. 

The Hackathon would not have been such an incredible experience if it were not for the organizers and volunteers who made it possible.  I would like to personally thank Jason, Kafu, Paris, and John.

Did you think you would win, or was the award a pleasant surprise? I won the Hacker DIY prize which comes with $500. I expected to win a prize because most of the participants were doing software projects.  

Born in Tamil Nadu, India and raised in Columbia, MD, Kavita got her B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics. In 2001, Kavita joined UMBC's graduate program in Computer Science to pursue her Ph.D. When she's not studying, Kavita likes to watch movies and listen to audio books.

About Kavita…

When did you know you wanted to study Computer Science?

I decided on majoring in Computer Science since high school but discovered my passion for computer science research during the completion of my undergraduate years.

Are you part of any labs, clubs or organizations on campus?

I am a member of the Cognition, Robotics, and Learning (CORAL) lab of Dr. Tim Oates.

What are you researching for your thesis?

My research goals are to provide assistance and increase independence for people with disabilities using machine learning, artificial intelligence, and robotic technologies to improve their quality of life. In particular, my research is focused on path planning and the development of an accessible robotic interface to assist users with activities of daily living. For example, I am currently investigating the use of brain computer interfaces, speech recognition, and facial gestures to control an interface for repositioning the arms of disabled users to strengthen their muscles and relieve pressure on the joints.

I am extremely grateful for the research support of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Bridge to the Doctorate fellowship, National Academy of Sciences Ford Foundation Predoctoral fellowship, and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. These fellowships are instrumental in facilitating my research career in many ways and making it possible for me to be one step closer to achieving my goals to assist people with disabilities and the elderly.

Have you had any internships? 

This summer I will begin an internship at Knexus Research to conduct artificial intelligence and robotics research.

Last summer, I participated in an AccessComputing Internship as a robotics interaction researcher working with Dr. Tim Oates. I implemented an accessible web interface to control a simulated robotic hand using WebGL. I also designed an interface with 3D graphical models, animations, and special effects using Blender and JavaScript.

I have also interned at IBM business consulting services and the University of Maryland School Of Medicine in the past.

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduate school, I plan to be a full-time researcher. I hope to advance technology development and increase diversity as a leader in computing, accessibility, and robotics.

What is your dream job?

In my dream job, I want to emphasize the importance of an inclusive environment for all by conducting research in academia or the industry. I want to increase the active participation of underrepresented minority groups in the community locally, nationwide, and internationally via research, especially people with disabilities, in order to improve their quality of life.

On UMBC and CSEE…

Why did you choose UMBC?

I chose UMBC for my graduate studies because I valued the more one-to-one teacher-student interactions compared to other colleges in Maryland, the size and accessibility of the campus was not too big or too small to accommodate my needs with a disability using a wheelchair, my positive experience in the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program as a UMBC undergraduate, and because I strongly believe that UMBC nurtures an environment for high-quality research and development in technology.

What was your first impression of UMBC?

I was on the UMBC campus during the Meyerhoff selection week for the first time. I was very impressed with the diversity of people from many different cultures and backgrounds all come together for the common goal of succeeding and pushing each other to succeed at UMBC. A diverse environment offers not only a greater learning experience, but also a greater social experience.

I love the positive energy of the campus. I always will remember the first time I heard our college president Dr. Freeman Hrabowski's favorite words by Langston Hughes, "Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly." Those words broadened my perspective and gave me the confidence that success was guaranteed with hard work and sincerely giving your best efforts.

What was your first Computer Science Course?

My first computing course was CMSC 104: Problem Solving & Computer Programming with Dr. Chintan Patel.

What was your favorite Computer Science Course?

My favorite and recommended undergraduate courses are:

• CMSC  451: Automata Theory and Formal Languages that helped me understand the theoretical principles of Computer Science.
• CMSC  437: Graphical User Interface Programming gave me a perspective on the development of creative interfaces with a focus on the front end-user.
• CMSC  466: Electronic Commerce Technology provided me an opportunity to appreciate web technologies and applications for purchasing items online and understand the infrastructure of online shopping sites, such as Amazon and eBay.

My favorite and recommended graduate courses are:

• CMSC  601: Research Skills For Computer Science taught me how to thoroughly plan a research project and perform a literature review.
• CMSC  679: Introduction to Robotics presented an avenue to design, construct, program, and control an actual, real robot in the class project and learn about the latest robot technologies.
• CMSC  661: Principles of Database Systems offered a practical perspective of real-life data management techniques and procedures for maximizing efficiency.

What do you like about the Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (CSEE) Department?

The Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department is a positive place filled with wonderful professors that are very devoted to their students and really want students to learn. Everybody in the department is very passionate about academia and research.

How would you describe the professors in the department?

Professors are well-experienced, friendly, supportive, and leaders in their field. They are always willing to spend time with the students to help them grasp the material and eager to offer advice.

What advice would you give to incoming graduate students?

Computing is a promising field. Technology keeps growing every year so computer science jobs will always be in high demand. If you’re interested in a career in computing, take some time to figure out and plan your goals and discussed them with your professors, seniors, and peers in the department. Also, learn about the research work of those around you to learn from them and share your own experience with them so they can also learn from you.

Find a mentor in a computing field who can help you learn more about what it’s like. Learn more by browsing technical websites, like the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Spectrum and Wired.com—they are a rich source of inspiration and a way to keep up to date with current technology trends. Also, practice your programming skills—they’re important!

Come join us! You won't regret the best decision in your life. You could make very significant contributions in this field and be acknowledged for your abilities.

The zombie trend continues to spread across the pop cultural landscape and shows little sign of slowing down. Speaking with The Baltimore Sun‘s John-John Williams IV for a June 9 story entitled “Pop culture’s undying affection for zombies“, Arnold Blumberg ’93, English, an adjunt faculty member in UMBC’s English department and co-author of Zombiemania: 80 Movies to Die For, illustrated the history of this now-ubiquitous staple of modern popular culture, as well as theorizing as to why the walking undead seem to have captured our culture’s imagination in recent times.

“There has never been a figure that has reflected all the fears we have as the zombie,” he told Williams. “It is the closest type of monster to us. They are us and we are them. The zombie comes down to some form of being a human being.”

Originally posted in UMBC Insights.

Read more about Blumberg in UMBC Magazine.