Workshop: Science communication and engagement with religious publics

March 25, 1 - 4 p.m., Library 7th Floor
Lunch for registrants is available at noon
Open to UMBC STEM researchers at the graduate student level and above

Register here

UMBC STEM researchers are invited to participate in a workshop led by staff from the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion as part of the Engaging Scientists in the Science and Religion Dialogue Project. The workshop offers scientists from any background evidence-based strategies and resources for engaging with people of diverse backgrounds, with a special focus on religious communities. 

Please consider carving out the time to attend this unusual training opportunity, and RSVP here as soon as possible. 

Other Engaging Scientists events can be found here on the CNMS website (more to be added), and you can learn more about the project in this UMBC News story. We hope to see you in March!

Contact Sarah Hansen, hansen.sarah@umbc.edu, with any questions.

A single leaf dropping into a stream has just a tiny impact, but, together, the billions of leaves that drop into waterways every year help keep global ecosystems going. How this works and why it’s so important are two questions addressed in a massive, new study in Science Advances co-authored by UMBC’s Chris Swan and over 150 researchers across all seven continents.

Leaves are mostly made of carbon, a primary building block for all living things. As leaves fall, organisms that live in or near rivers and streams are “supported by this pulse of carbon,” either directly or indirectly, says Swan, professor of geography and environmental systems.

“At any one point in time there’s not a lot of carbon there,” Swan explains, “but rivers serve as the plumbing system of the planet when it comes to how much carbon flows through.” So what factors drive how all that carbon is processed?

The new landmark study reveals how environmental factors drive the flow of carbon through the world’s waterways. “The study looked across the globe to learn what drives the rate of carbon decay in rivers and streams,” Swan says. “How is it transformed into energy as it travels up through the food web or transported downstream?”

Shifting patterns

The researchers first determined the overall carbon flow in waterways “across all continents and across a serious range of latitudes,” Swan says. They found that temperature was the biggest driver of carbon flow.

“That’s important because of climate change,” Swan says. “This study suggests that if temperature goes up, the rate at which carbon degrades will also go up.” This means that temperature change could reshape how carbon flows “either up the food chain or downstream.”

For example, bacteria, fungi, and aquatic invertebrates (like crayfish) are all responsible for breaking down some of the carbon in rivers. With climate change, “Bacteria and fungi that consume carbon are probably going to be more responsible for degrading it than invertebrates, because invertebrates aren’t able to evolve as fast” to adapt to the changing temperature, Swan explains. As some species succeed and others struggle, that could eventually lead to shifts in the makeup of aquatic ecosystems.

Development and dead zones

Increasing human development near waterways may also play an important role in carbon flow. Development “snips off” the smallest streams, but it’s at those abundant small streams where there’s an “intimate connection between streams and the forest,” Swan says. Those small streams are “part of the water purification process,” he explains.

Without as many small streams to break down the carbon, it ends up on pavement and runs off into larger streams and rivers. That creates higher than normal carbon concentrations, which can lead to low-oxygen “dead zones” in those larger waterways that are dangerous, even lethal, to aquatic life.

The value of partnership

The results of this study provide an important baseline for research on carbon flow in waterways moving forward. The experimental design at each site was simple, “but to manage and deploy it across the globe to all seven continents was a Herculean task that could only be done with a network of colleagues,” says Swan. “The key here is true partnerships and global coverage.”

To come to their conclusions, the scientists all used the same protocol: They each placed identical cotton squares provided by the lead author, Scott Tiegs at Oakland University, in a nearby stream. Then they carefully measured variables like the temperature, chemical makeup, flow rate, and width of the stream, plus the percentage canopy cover (how shaded the stream is). Everyone sent their cotton squares back to Tiegs, and he measured the cotton’s integrity at the end of the experiment.

Leaf chemistry can play a significant role in how quickly leaves decay—oak leaves are very slow, and ash leaves are fast, for example. But by using the cotton squares instead of real leaves, “we held all of that leaf chemistry constant and just looked at the environmental drivers,” Swan says.

“What I’m most proud about is being part of a group that was able to document the patterns on such a large scale using a consistent approach,” Swan says. Because of its extensive scope and scale, Swan expects the paper to be used in classrooms for a long time to come. As a benchmark study, it could teach generations of ecology students the fundamentals of carbon processing in waterways.

“The study is a lesson in stream ecology,” Swan says, “but the bigger lesson is that if you have partnerships you can do big things, and come up with big patterns.”

Image: Chris Swan. Photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

There is a reason why sports are not decided on paper. One would imagine that the Vermont Catamounts, playing at full strength with their best player Anthony Lamb, would be a tough task for UMBC and that the UAlbany Great Danes would be a breeze. But this week shaped out much differently than match-up predictors imagined.

On Thursday, the Retrievers men’s basketball team hosted the Catamounts for a nationally televised game. It was the second game between the two teams so far on the year. In January, the Retrievers bested the Catamounts in Burlington, VT in the first rematch of last years America East championship game. At that time, Vermont was without their leading scorer, Anthony Lamb due to a concussion. Still, the Catamounts entered the game heavily favored to beat the Retrievers.

But, the Retrievers played tough defense throughout the contest, and they were seemingly too tough for Vermont to handle. Junior-guard KJ Jackson and Junior-forward Arkel Lamar led the charge as the Retrievers outplayed the Catamounts on both sides of the ball. Jackson scored 18 points with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Lamar scored 15 points with 5 rebounds and 3 steals. UMBC led the game for all but about 30 seconds of the contest, dominating the team that they had lost 23 consecutive games against.

On Saturday, the Retrievers traveled to Albany, where they looked to continue their hot-streak. After the win against Vermont, the team had won 9 of their last 10 contests. But, Albany’s offense was too much for UMBC on the evening. Aside from making the first field-goal of the evening, UMBC would not lead in the contest. They would fall to Albany 84-75. The Great Danes scored more points than any other conference opponent has against UMBC all season.

Despite the setback against Albany, the Retrievers will look to finish their season strong. On Wednesday, they have the opportunity to take second place from Stony Brook, as they play the Sea Wolves on the road in New York. They will finish the regular season on Saturday at home against New Hampshire.

UMBC will host a first-round playoff game at the Event Center on March 9. If they secure second place in the conference, they would also host a second-round game on March 12.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science has chosen UMBC to host a conference regarding the topics of religion and science; only five other universities across the country were selected to host this dialogue. Staff members of the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion program will help lead on sessions that are aimed at STEM community members engaging with others of diverse backgrounds or communities.

Sarah Hansen, the communications manager for STEM in the Office of Institutional Advancement who focuses on the College of Natural and Mathematical Science, recalled how the university was chosen: “We put out an application and they ended up selecting us and five others.” She cites that one of the strengths of the application was UMBC’s history of inclusive excellence and the campus’ desire to serve diversity.

Dr. Bill LaCourse, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry who is also the dean of the college of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, explains how the AAAS forum will work throughout the two days it is scheduled to happen. “In the morning of March 25th in Flat Tuesdays, there will be an open area for students and faculty to come in freely and ask questions.”

Following that, a workshop in the afternoon will see experts from DoSER train STEM researchers on how to communicate science effectively to diverse communities. That evening four experts from different religious backgrounds will speak on their experience as scientists while practicing their faith. The following day, the Mar. 26, will involve more of the campus community speaking amongst each other to ensure that students and faculty can interact together.

Dr. Stephen Freeland, who is the director of the Individualized Study program and an associate professor of biology, uses vital statistics to explain why having this dialogue is so important, not only to those practicing of faith, but to the scientific community. “A majority of the American public self-identifies as religious in some way shape or form. If scientists don’t know how to work with that context sensitively, their science is not going to be effective.”

Student organizations, Meyerhoff Scholars and Graduate Fellows, STEM Living Learning Community, Mosaic Center, McNair Scholars, UMBC Hillel and the School of Public Policy are scheduled to be involved, while others may be added as the events approach.

LaCourse explained, “We bring up the conversation, but these groups will build on it in smaller groups.” The STEM communications manager also expressed her desire for more student organizations on campus to become involved on the second day of conversation to allow for more flow of dialogue to occur within the UMBC community.

Along with a time and space for open discussion, Hansen explains that when UMBC won their spot in the forum, they also received a grant to be presented to the winners of this contest, in which $1,000 will be presented to four winners to further promote their outreach efforts of engaging religious communities with science within the surrounding community outside of UMBC.

This meeting will help people to get to know others and their beliefs as religiously-practicing scientists. Dr. LaCourse emphasizes that this event is not about conversion, but rather people understanding each other. Dr. Freeland praises UMBC for doing so well during his time as a faculty member at the university, saying, “I’ve never felt in any way awkward about the fact that I am a Christian who teaches evolutionary biology.”

Hansen also presented the idea of the intersectionality of people’s identities through gender, race and other aspects that influence their life experiences and how the upcoming events will allow people to explore the intersectionality of their faith and their scientific discipline. The whole goal of the event is not any sort of academic debate, but rather, to give UMBC and its members a welcoming space to freely discuss their beliefs as scientists.

“Gather round!” the salesman shouted, “Gather round and hear me tell of the miracle of the century!”

His black beady eyes shone as he waved a grimy-gloved hand toward a large wooden crate. A large crowd had gathered around him by now, murmurs and speculations humming like a quiet group of bees. The man gave a crooked-tooth smile before continuing. “Man had finally gotten the upper hand on pestilence, on all things in this world that ail you!” the man called out. The people crowded closer among the man, eyes wide.

“Yes that’s right, we have found the cure! Y’see it’s all science,” the man bent down and took the lid off of the wooden crate, producing a small green-tinted glass bottle jingling with tiny capsules. “Yes, I said it’s science! Just think — influenza, the measles, the mumps —all cured! All cured with Mr. McGehey’s Miracle Pills!” The buzzing of the crowd began to grow louder.

“Now I know what you’re thinking — how is it possible for one tiny pill to solve all man’s ailments? I tell you it’s science! Mr. McGehey’s Miracle Pills contain a healthy mixture of vitamins and remedies approved by top chemists to do away with all of the common man’s illnesses and woes! And all for only fifty cents a bottle!”

The crowd cheered and began rummaging through their purses, grabbing out their fifty cents, and soon the salesman was swamped with slender fingers waving quarters. One by one, the salesman took their quarters, placing them in his suit pocket, and handed each customer a small green bottle of Mr. McGehey’s Miracle Pills.

As soon as the optimistic hands got a hold of their Mr. McGehey’s Miracle Pill bottle, they wasted no time in popping out the cork and dumping a slippery inky pill into their mouths. Once the crowd had dispersed, happily heading home with their Mr. McGehey’s Miracle Pill bottles and without a care in the world now that they had their cure, the salesman placed the lid back on the wooden crate and sat down, a bottle of Mr. McGehey’s Miracle Pills in his hand.  

Reaching into his briefcase, the salesman pulled out a small pack of round hard-candy and a jar of black writing ink. Quickly, he dunked the candy in the ink and set the fresh Mr. McGehey Miracle Pills out to dry.

This is an installment in The Retriever’s new creative writing section. If you would like to submit your creative writing or art for possible publication in The Retriever, please contact ceyda1@umbc.edu.

In recent years, Asian American writers and novels have gained rapid popularity in the U.S.: Viet Thanh Nguyen’s “The Sympathizer” received the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2016; Celeste Ng has been on the New York Times Bestseller list for both of her novels; Ken Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asians“ and Jenny Han’s “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before“ have both been made into incredibly popular movies. Min Jin Lee, therefore, is in perfect company with her second novel, “Pachinko,” published in 2017.

“Pachinko“ tells the multi-generational epic of a Korean family, headed by strong but troubled matriarch, Sunja. In the 1930s, Sunja’s teenage affair with a mysterious and wealthy businessman in Japan leaves her shamed and pregnant with a bastard child. A kindly minister agrees to marry her and take on the child as his own. Together, they move to Japan, hoping for a richer life, but are instead met with intense discrimination and tragedy. 

Lee continues to follow the struggles of Sunja’s family as they attempt to piece together their lives as Christian Koreans in war-torn Japan. The family is repeatedly saved by the meddling of Sunja’s former lover, Hansu Koh, who secretly attempts to guarantee a successful life for his abandoned son. Eventually, the novel finds Sunja’s two sons working in pachinko parlors, becoming variously successful on the gambling addictions of others. Despite their successes, each son and their descendants continue to struggle with their troubled past and confused identities.

While “Pachinko” offers readers an intense and compelling family dynamic, something about the novel seemed lackluster. Lee’s prose is quite elegant, and she effectively pulls her readers into the minds of even the most minor characters. The novel starts off excitingly enough with Sunja’s tale but lost steam as Lee began telling the stories of those two or three generations down the line.

Additionally, the recycled storylines of Hansu Koh appearing out of thin air and the untimely death of multiple beloved family members quickly grew tiring over time. As characters began to experience these dilemmas for the fourth or fifth time, they grew more and more distasteful and disconnected to readers. Readers grow tired of anticipating these scenes repeatedly, often told with a painstakingly slow pace across several pages, while other more exciting scenes are given no more than a few brief paragraphs.

Lee seems to write under the assumption that her readers know little of the Korean-Japanese history, and her novel serves as a way to make that history more accessible to American readers. Unfortunately, for any readers even slightly familiar with this background, the novel seems to simply tell this information in an uninteresting way, lacking any sort of proper narrative beyond following the segmented strands of a family.

Lee works far too hard to bring in new predicaments to side characters. For example, the harelip and club foot plaguing Sunja’s father without ever being mentioned again, the quandary of a gay friend of the family and his relationship with his wife, and the troubled teenage step-daughter who falls into prostitution all complicate the story without adding much value. These almost interesting vignettes are overshadowed by the family’s other cyclical crises and lack depth as Lee seems to emphasize quantity of these storylines over quality.

Where other family sagas have succeeded, “Pachinko“ disappoints, relying far too heavily on a sweeping history of Japan and Korea than truly delving into a distinctive and unique family experience. Min Jin Lee offers an almost interesting account of the plight of Korean-Japanese immigrants but fails to reach the depth of other novelists. Readers interested in but unfamiliar with Korean-Japanese history may find this book of use to them, but others will likely be let down by a lack of any engaging narrative structure.