Connecting Students to Video Game Pros

It seems like a college student’s dream come true: get paid to immerse yourself in video games.  But a gaming career requires more than having logged the dorm top score for “Halo” or “Rock Band.” If you want to make video games your career, UMBC offers tracks for juniors and seniors that combine strong fundamentals in computer science, visual arts and teamwork.

Thanks to UMBC’s Games, Animation and Interactive Media (GAIM) program, a growing number of alumni have built careers at top Maryland gaming companies. The UMBC student Game Developer’s Club will put that talent pipeline and career mentoring network center stage at the fourth annual Digital Entertainment Conference (DEC), Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Lecture Hall 2.

The DEC is free and open to students from UMBC, other universities, high schools and anyone else with an interest in a behind-the-scenes look at how games are created and advice on breaking into the industry. Speakers from top Maryland gaming companies like Firaxis and Big Huge Games will discuss how games are conceptualized, designed, programmed and produced.

“The DEC brings students face-to-face with game industry professionals,” said Lesa Wilcox, a senior in the GAIM track and president of the Game Developer’s Club (GDC). “It’s an exciting opportunity to learn about how games get made and how you can get a job making them.”

In 2007, gaming industry revenues outpaced those for movies and music combined. Thanks to hit titles like “Guitar Hero,” the game industry continues to be strong, with sales of over $22 billion in 2008.

The GDC was founded by Eric Jordan ’08, who now works as a programmer at Firaxis and will speak at the DEC. “The GDC and the GAIM program both provide students with the opportunity to gain invaluable experience and network with industry professionals,” he said.

Katie Hirsch ’04 was a trail-blazing double major in computer science and imaging and digital arts while at UMBC. She is now a user interface programmer for Firaxis and has taught a course for the GAIM program.

According to Hirsch, the serious skills required to make games can also be attractive to other career fields. “Game development incorporates some of the most challenging and complex aspects of art and computer science,” said Hirsch. “Students who are prepared to make games will also be prepared for almost any other opportunity available.”

For more information on the 2009 Digital Entertainment Conference, visit the event’s Facebook page.

(4/22/2009)

© 2007-08 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

Crazy for Politics

Do you find news and current events dull, boring and confusing?

Too many young people answer yes to that question, says political cartoonist Kevin “Kal” Kallaugher, who has launched a new political news blog aimed at getting high school students to tune-in to current events by using the humor and spirit of political cartooning.

The Web site, www.USDemocrazy.com, is a daily news roundup edited by Kallaugher and staffed by a team of student bloggers at UMBC. Kallaugher, an award-winning, internationally syndicated editorial cartoonist for publications such as The Baltimore Sun and The Economist, conceived the site as an artist-in-residence at UMBC’s Imaging Research Center.

Using editorial cartoons, digital animation, videos and humorous blog posts about the daily news, USDemocrazy is designed to engage high schoolers in current events, Kallaugher said. Many posts are interactive and allow comments and the blog’s text is optimized so students can easily read it when projected on a large screen.

“We want to create a daily package where teachers can flip on our Web site for just a couple minutes each day and find engaging, unpredictable, accessible and fun material that can help make subjects like social studies more entertaining,” Kallaugher said.

The site launched publicly in October with a visit by Kallaugher to Wheaton High School in Montgomery County, Md., where social studies students have been the first in the nation to test USDemocrazy in the classroom.

Wheaton’s Social Studies Head David Shaffner said the multimedia Web site comes at a perfect time for social studies teachers. Schools across the country are struggling to make social studies relevant in an age of high stakes testing in reading and math and increasing emphasis on science and technology, he said.

“Students today are plugged-in to a more visual, media-rich environment,” Shaffner said. “We need new tools to help us un-lock those brainwaves.”

Kallaugher presented USDemocrazy as the feature speaker at the 2009 National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C. this November. He plans to make presentations to the National High School Model United Nations and the National Council for the Social Studies annual meetings in 2010 to reach more teachers and students. USDemocrazy will also be introduce into the classroom this spring at Kallaugher’s alma mater, Fairfield Prep in Fairfield, Conn.

Kallaugher said the blog’s also a rich education tool for college students.

His team of student writers – which he calls his “vagabonding bloggoteers” – are tasked with populating the blog with daily posts and weekly features.

“I never used to think about getting information from blogs and used to scoff at Twitter,” said UMBC junior Marc Zerfas, a financial economics and statistics major. “Now we pride ourselves as being a sort of gateway drug to current events for people who would never read the news normally.”

Features include a daily cartoon, “What’z Up Today” news roundup and feature story; a weekly “Film Festival” roundup of videos; a weekly humorous photo “Caption Contest”; and a new feature called “Three-and-a-half Questions” highlighting the expertise of people “who are smarter than us,” Kallaugher said.

“We ask a current events expert three questions in their field of interest, plus one extra credit question in an unrelated area,” Kal said.

UMBC political science professor Tom Schaller was the latest expert to answer three-and-a-half questions, featured in an audio slide show at www.usdemocrazy.net/2009/12/14/time-to-listen-to-an-expert/.

Interviewed recently in UMBC Magazine, Schaller said that USDemocrazy “is classic Kal: very cheeky, very fun, very visual, and very colorful. Anyone who’s been around Kal for five minutes knows he’s all those things.”

(12/14/09)

Diving into the Dark

Theatrical stories are often told through a series of dialogue between actors. But what if they were told only through sound and physical action? 

This idea is captured in the “Crystal Egg” production, set to run December 2-5, 10-13, in the UMBC Theatre. However, the movements are not made by actors – but handcrafted and manually operated puppets. And the sounds are not only made by instruments – but everyday objects such as wine glasses or children’s toys.

The production is a collaborative effort between theatre students and Imaging Research Center (IRC) Fellows, spurred from a discussion between Colette Searls, director of the “Crystal Egg” and associate professor of theatre, and Tim Nohe, associate professor of visual arts.

“I had worked with the IRC before and was already extremely interested in computer puppetry,” said Searls. “When Tim approached me about the project, I decided to conceive a new play that integrated traditional hand-manipulated puppets with animated characters.”

An original piece of science-fiction theatre inspired by H.G. Wells’s “Crystal Egg” story, the “Crystal Egg” is about a man who discovers creatures from another dimension inside an antique crystal egg. The play combines puppetry and live-action animation.

“The majority of the semester has been spent conceiving, designing and programming the animated creatures that escape from the egg,” said Searls. “This has required a team-based approach to artistic and logical problem-solving.”

Some students have worked as lead 3-D artists, perfecting the character and appearance of the puppets, while others have programmed actions to make them appear life-like and spontaneous. Along the way, the students discovered a method that would allow the puppets to be operated in real time, through use of video game controllers.

When it comes to the sound score for the “Crystal Egg,” the composition is a mix of traditional instruments of the orchestra (like the viola and harp) with everyday objects. The harp is performed by an undergraduate student, and the strings are performed by Professor of Mechanical Engineering Tim Topoleski. Other instrumentation is done by Nohe and the Imaging Research Center Fellows.

“They are all intermixed and radically transformed in a laptop to produce undercurrents of surreal darkness,” said Nohe.

That darkness translates not only from the stage but also from the conception of the collaboration. The “diving into the dark” experience was new for almost everyone involved, according to Searls.

A performance schedule and ticket information are available online.

(11/20/09)

Erickson School Comes of Age

For a U.S. population that is living longer and healthier, the Erickson School at UMBC is “the right school with the right topic in the right location,” said Erickson School professor Joseph Gribbin.

Combining the study of aging with courses on management and policy means the school’s 341 undergraduate and graduate students receive a multidisciplinary education that is a model for other colleges and universities.

“Aging isn’t a bubble,” said Judah Ronch, who was recently named interim dean of the Erickson School. “This program requires multiple perspectives and collaboration. Students enrolled in our courses don’t have to major in the subject. It’s just about opening our eyes to major social issues.”

UMBC’s leadership position in aging studies was sparked by John Erickson, the founder and chairman of Erickson Retirement Communities. Five years since launching with a $5 million gift from Erickson, student enrollment in all the school’s programs is strong and growing.

The school is offering new courses in entrepreneurship, diversity, mental health and increasing use of online resources. An online version of Aging 100 was launched this fall, and Aging 200 and Aging 300 will be online by spring 2010. And the school’s graduate program is now eligible for financial aid.

The school’s fall executive education offerings also have been re-tooled for a broader market – from junior management to upper level executives. And the most popular executive education offering, Business and Finance, will address immediate economic realities in the seniors housing and care markets.

Another nontraditional key for growth at the Erickson School is its use of social media as a recruiting tool, weaving blogs and video into more traditional media outreach.

“Our blog, ChangingAging.org, gives us a global presence and uses a variety of multimedia,” said Bill Thomas, a professor at the school. “It’s driven by what we think is going on and how it’s going to play out.”

The school’s new leadership is ready to capitalize on its momentum and the power of the nation’s changing demographics. Aging studies presents “the greatest opportunity of the century,” Thomas said. “I foresee a day when UMBC is known for [aging studies] like it is for science, engineering and technology.”

For more information on the Erickson School, visit http://www.umbc.edu/Erickson.

This story appears in the Fall 2009 issue of UMBC Magazine.

(9/11/09)

Faculty-Student Teamwork

E. Michael Richards, professor and chair of the Department of Music, and Michelle Ko ‘10 will travel to Sacramento, California, this November to perform at the Festival of New American Music. They’ve been performing for more than a year together – one of the many professor-student mentorships in the music department at UMBC.

“Music is a field where myriad collaborations like these are essential to artistic growth,” said Richards.

Playing the clarinet and flute (respectively), Richards and Ko will perform an experimental set that incorporates various technologies. Through the exchange of “musical ideas and expressions,” the duo has found a niche in music technology, an often underrepresented style of contemporary music. In addition to playing their own instruments, Richards and Ko also control computer generated sounds through the use of a foot pedal and interface, designed by Alan Wonneberger, director of recording in the music department. This hybrid was created for new works they commissioned by American composers.

Through these faculty-student partnerships, students are not only achieving success through performance – they are growing as artists. Music faculty and students both “undertake and develop shared research everyday,” said Richards.

“It’s important for students to collaborate with faculty because we’re aspiring performers, teachers and professionals,” said Ko. “College is a time to find our voices and have our eyes opened to new ideas.”

The partnership has not only allowed time for learning, it’s opened up doors for performance opportunities. Richards and Ko have participated in festivals ranging from new American music to electroacoustic music. Through these festivals, they’ve been able to network and meet others in the industry, helping them develop their skills in this genre of music.  

“Contemporary music is like learning a new language,” said Ko. “You need to have an open mind and heart, to allow it sink in and find a personal connection with it in order to have a full understanding of it.”

For more information about the Festival of New American Music, click here.

More information about the Department of Music is available at www.umbc.edu/music.

(10/23/09)

Gourd Season

Baltimore birds will soon find refuge in hand-made birdhouses this spring – but these small homes aren’t made of wood and paint. Painted, carved gourds, often used to decorate the Thanksgiving table, will be hung instead, thanks to a faculty-student collaboration in the visual arts department.

Through a grant from the Parks and People Foundation, Associate Professor of Visual Arts Tim Nohe and Alex Geiger ’12, visual arts, began “Gourd Season” at the Baltimore Montessori Public Charter School (on East Lanvale Street). The project enhances the green infrastructure at the school by adding capacity for rain harvesting and composing.

The greening of the school began in the summer of 2009, when Nohe, Geiger and Lisa Moren, associate professor of visual arts, began setting up raised planting beds, compost piles, rain catchers (funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust) and fruit tree plantings. The children planted canteen, snake, indo-bottle and long-handled dipper gourds for an October harvest.

“When the gourds dry in the spring, we will craft water dippers, bird houses, animals and instruments like drums and banjos,” said Nohe.

By growing gourds around the school, Nohe and Geiger are helping break up the “asphalt playground” that the school stands upon, converting parts of the mostly concrete space into more areas of “green play and learning.” The school now contains a bioswale (structure that removes silt and pollution from surface runoff water), edible gardens and other hands-on learning spaces. Prior to becoming a school, the building was briefly a set for the television drama, “The Wire,” and then a homeless shelter. Its renovation was completed in 2009.

“We are so pleased to make this green start for the school,” said Nohe.

In addition to funding from the Parks and People Foundation, Geiger is also supported by a UMBC Undergraduate Research Assistantship Award granted through the Office of the Provost. With this funding, the team was able to see Gourd Season through a full planting, harvest and crafting curriculum.

“We look forward to sharing our gourd art, crafts and musical instruments with the campus in the future,” said Geiger.

(12/11/09)

How UMBC Students Made the Most of Summer

Through The Shriver Center at UMBC, hundreds of students are foregoing their summer trips to the beach to boost their resumes with internships, co-ops, service-learning and research positions at organizations throughout the U.S.

Benjamin Link
Expected graduation: December 2009
Major: Chemical Engineering

Covidien
New Haven, Connecticut

“Engaging in a summer internship was a terrific way to transition from an academic environment into a professional engineering role. The breadth of experience I received through my industry placement has helped me define the direction my career path will take. Above all else, my internship experience has reinforced the engineering principles and validated the critical thinking skills that are prized so highly at UMBC.”

Kathleen Herwig
Expected Graduation: May 2010
Major: Social Work

Center for Social Change
Elkridge, Maryland

“As a student of social work, I was able to expand my knowledge and skills acquired in the classroom and use them in a practical manner during my internship. This experience has made me confident in my ability to succeed as a social worker and to work in the nonprofit sector. The Shriver Center has offered me much support and guidance that has allowed me to fulfill my educational and personal goals for the summer.”

Karen M. Silver
Expected Graduation: May 2010
Major: Health Administration and Policy

St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore Medical Services Clinic
Baltimore, Maryland

“Working with Project HEALTH and The Shriver Center has allowed me to apply what I learn in the classroom to the real world. By serving as a case manager for low-income individuals and families in Baltimore City through Project HEALTH and pursuing my health policy degree, I am able to better identify the disparities and challenges that this population faces.”

Maleshia Jones
Expected Graduation: May 2012
Major: Mechanical Engineering

SUNY AGEP Summer Research Institute at Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York

“My internship experience has taught me how to take ownership of my research project and my future. The most important benefit I have received is the opportunity to work in a research lab and experience what graduate school is like. I know how to better work independently and am excited about learning what more I can do to contribute to ongoing research.”

Roderick Howard, II
Expected Graduation: May 2010
Majors: Acting and Media and Communication Studies

Maryland Public Television
Owings Mills, Maryland

“From the time of my interview to my last day of work, I felt comfortable and knew without a doubt that this was where I belonged. The goal at MPT is to provide programming that respectfully represents the public, is accurate, interesting and thought-provoking. I feel blessed to have been granted the opportunity to work alongside professionals – people who truly care about their viewers.”

Katherine Parris
Expected Graduation: May 2012
Major: Political Science and Modern Languages and Linguistics

State Attorney for Baltimore City, Juvenile Division
Baltimore, Maryland

“I had the opportunity to gain experience in my future career and meet amazing people while observing the judicial and societal issues of Baltimore City youth crime. I also discovered my future calling in becoming a prosecutor. I accomplished all of this while also receiving credit for my involvement.”

Michael Coon
Expected Graduation: December 2010
Major: Computer Engineering

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland

“My internship was a huge boost to my confidence. It helped me determine what I want to do in graduate school and gave me some hands-on experience with radar technology.”

Sonia Metangmo
Expected Graduation: May 2012
Major: Biological Sciences

Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina

“I learned so many lab techniques and was very well mentored. I had the opportunity to experience two months as a scientist working in a lab almost every day. I had a very unique and remarkable experience this summer because I was mentored by three different scientists.”

Shauna Marquess
Expected Graduation: May 2010
Major: Physics

University of Rochester
Rochester, New York

“This internship gave me the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with optics and electronics, to attend several fascinating optics classes, to meet new people and to visit new places.”

Babajide Durosomo
Expected Graduation: May 2010
Major:  Business Technology Administration

McCormick and Co., Inc.
Hunt Valley, MD

“My experience working at McCormick has been very rewarding. I worked with a dynamic team that was purpose driven and rationally thought of ways to use technology to benefit the company not just locally but globally. I now fully understand why McCormick has been voted as one of Baltimore’s Best Places to Work 2008. It is truly a great company that will ‘add some spice to your life!’” 

Brian Frazee
Expected Graduation: May 2011
Major: Political Science

Governor’s Summer Internship Program working with the Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment
Baltimore, Maryland

“Choosing to spend my summer participating in the Governor’s Summer Internship Program was one of the best decisions that I have made so far in my undergraduate career. Working directly with a cabinet secretary on policy issues; attending meetings with the secretary, the governor and other high-profile policymakers; drafting a full policy proposal to present to the governor; as well as attending educational seminars in Baltimore and Annapolis have exposed me to the inner workings of state government and how policy is both developed and implemented.”

Andrew Schmitt, Aaron Mitchell and James Thomas
Expected Graduation: December 2010, May 2010, May 2010 (respectively)
Majors: Computer Science

Northrop Grumman
Linthicum, Maryland

“Finding well paying, flexible, year-round internships has been perfect for us both financially as well as serving as an educational supplement to our studies at UMBC. Our experience with The Shriver Center has been great. After helping with our resumes, the Center organized and hosted our interviews right on campus. It couldn’t have been simpler.” 

Jodie Dibley
Expected Graduation: December 2009
Major: Management of Aging Services

Charlestown Retirement Community (Erickson Communities)
Catonsville, Maryland

“At Charlestown, I felt like part of the team on my first day. I couldn’t have been placed in a better-suited internship. I really got exposed to a lot of different facets of a retirement community. It was enjoyable to see all the different components that make a huge organization like this be successful. The community has so much going on during the summer, and the fun never stopped.”

Anuj Agarwal
Expected Graduation: May 2010
Majors: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center
Baltimore, Maryland

“It was amazing to be able to work side by side with some of the greatest trauma surgeons in the world who are saving lives. My internship not only provided me with a ‘real life’ experience, it also strengthened my background and created an opportunity for networking.”

Carlos Urtecho
Expected Graduation: Fall 2010
Major: Political Science

Association of Colleges and University Housing Officers, Belmont University
Nashville, Tenneseee

“Through my residence life internship at Belmont University, I learned a lot about careers in student affairs. My internship experience has confirmed my career path and has given me valuable experience in the field of higher education. I hope to one day work in a college setting and make a difference in the lives of college students.”  

Marc Zerfas
Expected Graduation:  2011
Majors: Statistics and Financial Economics

Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
Newburgh, New York

“Forty hours a week is quite a bit of time to give up during the summer but in the end I felt like I accomplished something. This experience opened my eyes to an entirely new field. Before this internship, I had never seriously considered working in the insurance industry. Now I am studying for the first exam needed to be an actuary. The internship gave me something to do as well as a way to make money without having to flip burgers at a McDonald’s.”

Ugonna Ohiri
Expected Graduation: 2012
Major: Computer Engineering

Develpmental Robotics Laboratory
Ames, Iowa

“I was able to travel across the country to a renowned robotics conference in Seattle to see the positive contributions in the field of robotics. I was also able to effectively work on a research team that has a good chance of getting a paper published.”

Bahar Adili
Expected Graduation: May 2010
Major: Social Work

International Social Service, United States of America Branch and the Arthur C. Helton Institute for the Study of International Social Service
Baltimore, Maryland

“My internship was an amazing experience and match for me. I was able to use my interest and knowledge of social work, research, nonprofit management and international issues to fulfill my responsibilities as an intern at ISS-USA and its Arthur C. Helton Institute. By spending my summer participating in this internship, I acquired the knowledge, skills and confidence to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector.”

Sarah Candell
Expected Graduation: May 2010
Major: Political Science

Maryland Transportation Authority, Point Breeze Office
Baltimore, Maryland

“During my internship, I researched Bluetooth technology as a possible traffic detector. It was really interesting to learn about the advantages of using Bluetooth technology to estimate travel time. Learning new ways of researching information and learning more about transportation was very enjoyable.”

Jon Jordan
Expected Graduation: May 2010
Major: Graphic Design

MarketPlace Books/Traders’ Library
Glen Elg, Maryland

“Through my internship, I have gained real-world design experience, which will help me land a dream job when I graduate. Not only have I laid-out books and covers, but I have also designed a website seen by thousands that advertises the company’s upcoming forum. The Shriver Center eased the stress involved with the application process, which is especially important at the end of the semester when final exams and projects are the number one priority.”

(8/13/09)

© 2007-08 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

Increasing America’s Environmental IQ

“Our mandate is to increase the environmental IQ of America,” says Dave Jones, CEO of StormCenter Communications, a new resident of bwtech@UMBC’s Incubator and Accelerator. The company is conducting research with NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to improve the communication of weather and climate change data in order to enhance preparation for and responses to major storms.

StormCenter is developing the Envirocast® Vision Touchtable (EVTT), a potential visualization and collaboration tool for the National Weather Service and FEMA that will enable scientists to share information on storm data and make decisions on where to position response crews before storms hit. The EVTT will be a prototype decision support tool for The Gulf of Mexico Alliance (governors of all Gulf Coast states). StormCenter is also working with the state of Texas as a model for how the rest of the Gulf Coast States can be more prepared for weather and climate change impacts to the region.

The company’s other major project involves sharing climate change information to the wider world. StormCenter’s broadcast studio will transmit presentations on weather and climate change information to classrooms in K-16 schools and universities. Most recently, they collaborated with NOAA and the U.S. State Department to broadcast a scientific panel discussion on Climate Literacy to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen via videoconferencing technology.

Jones, a meteorologist who once did on-air weather forecasting for NBC4 in Washington, DC, also sent a crew to Greenland in July to take video of The North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling project (NEEM). The footage aired on the Weather Channel and PBS. “We want to leverage the work we’re doing with NOAA and NASA and turn material into original stories for broadcast and use in the classroom,” says Jones.

One reason Jones decided to relocate his company to UMBC was the opportunity to hire student interns, as well as collaborate with faculty on research projects. UMBC’s existing collaborations with NASA�the university ranks 2nd nationally in NASA university research grants and cooperative agreements�also convinced Jones that StormCenter Communications would be a natural fit with bwtech@UMBC.

(1/29/10)

Innovation Beyond the Classroom

UMBC continues to gain national recognition for its commitment to and innovation in engaging students in community service, internships, co-ops, research and service-learning.  For the second year in a row, the University has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction.  Eighty-three institutions received this designation and UMBC was the only Maryland institution in this category. 

Additionally, UMBC’s effective Internship, Co-op, and Research Programs through The Shriver Center received the 2009 Best Practice Award from the Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA).  The purpose of the CEIA’s Best Practice Award is to spotlight new approaches and their application to other programs nationwide.  Both these honors continue to highlight UMBC as a leader in applied learning.

Shriver Center Director Michele Wolff adds that “applied learning not only strengthens UMBC’s commitment to produce skilled professionals for the region’s workforce, but also contributes to creating the next generation of civic-minded leaders.” 

Being named to the President’s Honor Roll with Distinction demonstrates UMBC’s deep commitment to providing a comprehensive array of community service and service-learning opportunities to students to provide substantive assistance in meeting unmet needs in our local, regional and national community. At UMBC, students can engage in a continuum of activities from one-time community service events (e.g. blood drives, MLK Service Day projects) and Alternative Spring Breaks (both in Baltimore and around the country), to semester-long service-learning experiences with a host of community-based nonprofit organizations and local public schools. These experiences open students’ eyes to the myriad of issues facing our society, building their sense of social consciousness and their levels of civic literacy.

The Shriver Center offers a comprehensive academic Internship, Cooperative Education and Research program along with innovative work-based learning activities, including; a Lunch and Learn Career Series; Shriver on the Road Field Trips to Worksites; and a Student Alumni Job Shadow Program.  In the past five years, Shriver Center’s intern, co-op and research hires have increased by 97 percent.  To date, during the 2008-09 academic year, staff secured, coordinated and monitored over 900 internship, cooperative education and research placements for undergraduate and graduate students, not counting upcoming summer hires. 

Andrew Ishmael, who serves as an intern at Black & Decker, says, “Having an internship is the most valuable asset for a college student.  It takes what you learn in the classroom and gives you real-world applications.”

Feedback obtained from participating students, faculty and employers reinforce UMBC’s active engagement in and support of applied learning.  The 2009 Best Practice Award from the CEIA and being named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction are national honors that continue to make UMBC proud.

(5/13/09)

© 2007-08 University of Maryland, Baltimore County � 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 � 410-455-1000 �

Instrument for Expression

The upcoming concert by the Baltimore Dance Project is more than a performance – it’s an investigation of the human body. Featuring the work of choreographers Carol Hess (associate professor and chair of the Department of Dance), Doug Hamby (associate professor of dance) and Sandra Lacy (instructor), the concert examines the human body in time and motion.

For this group of choreographers, dance and research are intrinsically linked – especially through the exploration of the body.

“Dance research is the investigation of the human body and its physical limits as a kinetic object/machine and as an instrument for expression,” Hamby said.

An important part of dance research is the influence of technology, and for more than 10 years, Hess’s choreography has been focused on this interaction (dance and video in particular). One example is Hess’ previous work with videographers who captured movements and projected them onto screens behind the dancers. She wanted to see whether these different perspectives would affect the reaction of the audience.  

Hess has been teaching the class “Dance and Technology” since 2002 and has been researching the development of the dance field in this area. Two of her works with the Baltimore Dance Project incorporate technology. In “Transparencies” and “Other Lives,” six dancers perform with animated characters as they create a virtual world of avatars. The piece was inspired by Hess’ explorations in Second Life, an online virtual world where users interact with one another through avatars.

For each dance, the choreographers used different creative processes. Hamby likes to think of his compositions as a jigsaw puzzle – creating something without knowing what it will finally be. He calls it: “the start anywhere and keep going approach.”

“In this process, I have to let the movement show me the way and trust that it ultimately will,” he said.

Hamby uses this approach in his new dance, “Stop and Go,” which will be featured at the February concert. The dance highlights a young dancer who is beginning to perform for the first time. Another one of Hamby’s compositions is “Gavotte,” which is about two dancers reacting to one another’s movements to create a comic narrative. 

Lacy also uses improvisation to maximize human movement potential and expressivity.

“The body has a physical intelligence that for me is often inaccessible though the conscious mind but can be tapped through improvisation,” Lacy said. “Through improvisation I can find ways of moving and relationships that I could never have consciously choreographed.”

Performances run February 4-6 at 8 p.m. in the UMBC Theatre. More information is available online.

(1/28/10)