The UMBC LSAMP 2020-2021 Annual Report highlights involvement in the UMBC LOUIS STOKES ALLIANCE FOR MINORITY PARTICIPATION (LSAMP) program. LSAMP participants have access to individualized advising, campus workshops, funded research experiences, and national and international conferences to strengthen their STEM identity and promote entry into top graduate programs. 

"...sometimes you feel as if you're not making much progress but then you come to understand that your data can be helpful to others. My PI has taught me that my role in the research lab is valuable and that routine observations can lead to progress in an experiment. "

- Excerpt From A Chemical Engineering Major '23 Research Reflection -

FALL 2020 RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (Pg 32 )

Name and Class | Major | Topic | Faculty Mentor | University

Sahaadat Hammed-Owens ‘23 | Chemical Engineering | Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering | Dr. Jennie Leach | UMBC

SUMMER 2021 RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (pg 34)

CLASS OF 2021 GRADUATING FELLOWS AND POST-GRADUATION PLANS (pg 40)

Bats as biomonitors, community connections to the zero-waste movement, and oyster aquaculture are just a few of the topics that students in UMBC’s Interdisciplinary Consortium for Applied Research in the Environment (ICARE) master’s program are exploring through Baltimore-centered community-engaged research. As the first cohort in the program heads into their second and final year, they are excited about their work and looking ahead to becoming the next generation of environmental science leaders.

“B” is for bat

Chris Blume, M.S. ’23, geography and environmental systems,has studied bobcats, bees, and birds. So when he came to ICARE, he jokes, “I had to choose another ‘b’ animal.” Jokes aside, in his undergraduate and working experience, Blume found that “the social aspect was missing” in conservation science, which often focused on wildlife. “And that’s what drew me to ICARE, because it seemed like there was a focus on the community.”

In his project, Blume is using bats as biomonitors to detect levels of heavy metals in different neighborhoods across Baltimore. “Because of their biology and their ecology, they make great biomonitors in rural environments,” he says, “but I wanted to see how that works in urban places.”

How can bats provide information about heavy metals? Through their guano (poop). “I have literally a fridge with a bunch of guano,” he says, waiting for analysis later this fall. In addition to the guano analysis, Blume is giving away bat boxes to local residents and offering evening “bat walks” to teach local Baltimoreans about these important native critters. He’s also created citizen science opportunities by posting acoustic recordings of bat calls on a public website, where anyone can listen and help identify which bat species show up where. 

In the future, Blume wants to pursue a Ph.D. and continue his bat research, as well as continue to create citizen science and community engagement opportunities.

Building the bridge

Natalia Figueredo, M.S. ’23, geography and environmental systems, has always been community-oriented, influenced by her early childhood in Bolivia and her teenage years in Queens, New York. In New York, she noticed that “there were all these big projects going on in communities, and the community didn’t ask for them,” she says. She wanted to do something different.

After working with the Ironbound Community Corporation in Ironbound, New Jersey, she became passionate about doing inclusive research for mutual benefit, and ICARE was a perfect fit to advance her career. “What interested me about this program,” she says, “is that it was trying to build that bridge between scientific research and community engagement.”

Figueredo’s research project focuses on engaging South Baltimore residents in the zero-waste movement, in the context of recent battles over a nearby trash incinerator. She is also working closely with partners at the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and the South Baltimore Community Land Trust, in addition to her faculty mentor Maggie Holland, associate professor of geography and environmental systems.

Figueredo is surveying residents from across the city about their waste management practices and access to the zero-waste movement. She’s also interviewing South Baltimore community leaders and conducting focus groups with neighborhood residents. Figueredo hopes to find out whether they feel supported in pursuing zero-waste goals and to learn what local knowledge and practices already exist related to the movement—whether or not the residents identify them as such.

Research always comes with bumps in the road, but overall Figueredo has had a rewarding experience so far. She wanted to choose a graduate program where people would champion and support her, she says—“and that’s definitely how I feel with the ICARE team.”

Putting research into practice 

Darryl Acker-Carter, M.S. ’23, marine, estuarine, and environmental science, is studying a new method of oyster aquaculture with partners at the company Solar Oysters. Traditionally, oysters have been cultivated in wire baskets at the water’s surface. A new system, called the Solar Oyster Production System (SOPS), uses a solar-powered ladder structure to rotate the baskets through the entire water column. The goal is to produce healthier, more-uniform oysters in less space. At the end of the growing season this fall, Acker-Carter will compare oyster size, survival rate, and meat-to-shell ratio of oysters in the experimental rotating ladders, non-rotating ladders, and traditional surface-only baskets at a site in Curtis Bay, in south Baltimore.

Acker-Carter has been interested in oysters for several years. “I like social science, but I also like the biological side of things, and I saw that nexus through oysters,” he says. To some, how to best cultivate oysters may seem like a purely scientific question, but “when you actually get down to, ‘Let’s make some change,’ it’s all social science,” Acker-Carter says, “because it’s all managing people and their perspective about how to harvest oysters and their relationships to natural resources.”

The ICARE program has helped Acker-Carter see how research fits into community engagement. “I used to think research was very isolated,” he says, “but in ICARE, you’re putting that research into practice. You can create benefit in the community by doing the research, and giving people access to that data.”

Committed to community

For program leader Tamra Mendelson, professor of biological sciences, ICARE is exceeding expectations. “I am thrilled with how the program is going,” she says. “The students themselves are so strong. They are motivated. They are engaged. They are very sharp, and they’ve bonded as a cohort, which makes us really happy. I do think that’s a huge secret to success—having students feel like they are part of a network of peers supporting each other.”

The community partners have also been critical for the program’s success. One session led by Stephen Freeland, director of the individualized study program at UMBC, brought students and partners together for a brainstorming session across projects and topic areas, embodying the program’s commitment to bridging science and community. “Just bringing everyone to the table, literally, and helping everyone see that their voice is equally important in solving these environmental problems and doing the research was really powerful,” Mendelson says.

Mendelson shares that she and her fellow faculty have also been developing their community-engagement skills in working alongside their students. “I’m amazed at how important relationships are, and trust,” Mendelson says. “Building relationships with members of the community has been much more interesting and complicated than I expected. It’s work. But it’s good work.”

That community engagement piece makes ICARE different from other environmental science programs, explains Kevin Omland, professor of biological sciences. “We’re definitely tackling different issues in different places than lots of environmental science has, even 10 or 20 years ago,” he says, “so it’s really satisfying to see that coming into place.”

“ICARE fulfills so many of the stated missions and goals of UMBC—to connect with community, to address the climate crisis, to increase diversity and inclusion,” Mendelson says. She looks forward to working with the second cohort of ICARE students, who started this fall, preparing them for successful careers in environmental science and leading local change.

Hey Pre-Pharmer’s! 

We hope the beginning of your semester is going well! We are excited to invite you back for another fun-filled year with the Pre-Pharmacy Society! Please scroll all the way down to read everything, as it is all important!

This year, we will have fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and visits from pharmacy schools, so make sure to come out! Additionally, we will be offering a mentorship program with our E-Board, as well as mock interviews to help our pharmacy school applicants boost their confidence. If you know anyone interested in pharmacy, bring them too!

Meetings will be held on Mondays at 12pm on WebEx (with a few in-person). The Webex link will be sent out prior to the meetings, and it will also be in our Instagram bio @umbcprepharmacysociety! Below is picture with our GBM dates all in one place for your convenience.

However, our first meeting will be IN-PERSON. Join us for a mini-involvement fest and get to know our E-board face-to-face! Stay tuned for more info regarding time and place!

See you then!

UMBC Pre-Pharmacy Society

P.S. Don't forget to join our GroupMe where we will be sending out reminders for any events or meetings we have coming up! Fill out the Google Form as well!

GroupMe: https://groupme.com/join_group/54738203/uHip512d

Google Form: https://forms.gle/PAEfZNkQ5BJVq32Z8

Dear UMBC Community,

We'd like to remind our campus community to sign up for UMBC's emergency text alert system. We use this system to provide timely alerts for emergency conditions that may impact our campus.

If you are not already registered for emergency text alerts, please login to your myUMBC account and register here. You can also download the Alertus application for your Mac or PC. Alertus will deliver emergency desktop alerts to your computer. You can find more information about emergency preparedness here.

Actions you can take if an emergency occurs:

• Police Emergencies: If you are the victim of or a witness to criminal activity on campus, or if you observe suspicious activity or behavior, please contact UMBC Police immediately at 410-455-5555.

• Active Threats: In the event of an active threat to the campus community, UMBC Police will provide instructions through the emergency text alert system and Alertus. These instructions will include areas to avoid and/or shelter in place. More detailed information will follow by email.

• Emergency Conditions on Campus: UMBC receives real-time warnings about critical weather events in our area from a national monitoring service. If emergency conditions impact campus, UMBC Police will provide instructions through the emergency text alert system and Alertus. If you receive an alert, follow instructions and wait for the all-clear before resuming normal activities. 

• Facility Emergencies: If a fire alarm activates in your classroom, workspace, or living area, evacuate your building immediately and go to your primary designated assembly area. If you see or smell smoke or see fire in your facility, pull the fire alarm and evacuate immediately. Call UMBC Police at 410-455-5555 when it is safe to do so. UMBC Police will respond and will contact 911 for emergency services support. Do not re-enter the building during an alarm until you receive the all-clear with instructions to return.

Safety Escorts
If you are concerned about your safety as you walk on campus, call 410-455-5555 to request a safety escort. A uniformed police officer or student police aide will be dispatched to escort you to your destination. If you observe suspicious activity or behavior, ensure your personal safety first and then contact UMBC Police at 410-455-5555.

Available Support

Retriever Integrated Health provides free confidential services for UMBC students. If you are in need of counseling services or would like to learn more about available services, please call 410-455-2472 or visit the Retriever Integrated Health website. Faculty and staff can access support through the Employee Assistance Program.

The UMBC Police wish all members of our community a safe and productive semester.

Bruce Perry '97, UMBC Chief of Police

Dear UMBC Community,

We'd like to remind our campus community to sign up for UMBC's emergency text alert system. We use this system to provide timely alerts for emergency conditions that may impact our campus.

If you are not already registered for emergency text alerts, please login to your myUMBC account and register here. You can also download the Alertus application for your Mac or PC. Alertus will deliver emergency desktop alerts to your computer. You can find more information about emergency preparedness here.

Actions you can take if an emergency occurs:

• Police Emergencies: If you are the victim of or a witness to criminal activity on campus, or if you observe suspicious activity or behavior, please contact UMBC Police immediately at 410-455-5555.

• Active Threats: In the event of an active threat to the campus community, UMBC Police will provide instructions through the emergency text alert system and Alertus. These instructions will include areas to avoid and/or shelter in place. More detailed information will follow by email.

• Emergency Conditions on Campus: UMBC receives real-time warnings about critical weather events in our area from a national monitoring service. If emergency conditions impact campus, UMBC Police will provide instructions through the emergency text alert system and Alertus. If you receive an alert, follow instructions and wait for the all-clear before resuming normal activities. 

• Facility Emergencies: If a fire alarm activates in your classroom, workspace, or living area, evacuate your building immediately and go to your primary designated assembly area. If you see or smell smoke or see fire in your facility, pull the fire alarm and evacuate immediately. Call UMBC Police at 410-455-5555 when it is safe to do so. UMBC Police will respond and will contact 911 for emergency services support. Do not re-enter the building during an alarm until you receive the all-clear with instructions to return.

Safety Escorts
If you are concerned about your safety as you walk on campus, call 410-455-5555 to request a safety escort. A uniformed police officer or student police aide will be dispatched to escort you to your destination. If you observe suspicious activity or behavior, ensure your personal safety first and then contact UMBC Police at 410-455-5555.

Available Support

Retriever Integrated Health provides free confidential services for UMBC students. If you are in need of counseling services or would like to learn more about available services, please call 410-455-2472 or visit the Retriever Integrated Health website. Faculty and staff can access support through the Employee Assistance Program.

The UMBC Police wish all members of our community a safe and productive semester.

Bruce Perry '97, UMBC Chief of Police

We have good news! The deadline for submissions to the 2023 edition of the UMBC Review has been extended to Friday, September 23rd. In consideration of the updated deadline, the editors are reaching out to see if you could share the attached information with students in your department. Thank you again for helping us spread the word about this opportunity!

The submission application can be found at:https://ur.umbc.edu/umbc-review/. Click "Submit Here!" We encourage students of all majors and disciplines to send in their research! Your papers do not have to be ready for publication or perfect right now, we just want to see the best work and research you have completed! Papers may include original research and/or artistic projects alongside artistic statements exploring the research and process you have completed, and discoveries you have made. Reach out to umbcreview@umbc.eduif you have any questions. 

Attention aspiring entrepreneurs! 

Do you have an idea that solves a problem in society or the environment? Is there a product or service you have that is better than the current solution? The Idea Competition is your chance to explore your solution and win money in the process!

The submission deadline for the 2022 Idea Competition is quickly approaching! The deadline is Thursday, October 6th at 1pm.

Are you ready to submit your idea? The online submission form is now available on our website. The team at the Alex. Brown Center is excited to hear your ideas!

To learn more about the Idea Competition and fill out the submission form, visit our website below.