The University of Pennsylvania is a classic Ivy League university known for its finance and other STEM-driven majors. However, what most do not know is that UPenn is also equipped with arts of all kinds. UPenn’s Institute of Contemporary Art hosted Cary Leibowitz’s collection of simplistic yet eye-catching paintings from February 2 to March 25.

It was quite odd that UPenn chose to present Leibowitz’s work, for it does not utilize a particularly scholarly voice. Leibowitz’s art is visual emotion; it is an investment of his most suppressed cognitions and an exaggeration of his most vivid imaginations, as art is intended to be. His featured work seems rather simplistic – some may even consider it to be amateur. This is because most of his paintings consist of only two components: a solid colored background and a phrase written in a goofy font.

Leibowitz’s use of color immediately attracts viewers. He uses bright bubblegum pinks, vibrant yellows and neon mint greens that prompt the viewers to travel to a transient world of whims and optimism. The room, entirely covered in Leibowitz’s paintings from floor to ceiling, was a wonderland and instantly uplifted the viewers’ moods.

The use of these colors strongly links Leibowitz’s art to pop art. His line work and bolded words are reminiscent of the renowned art movement. However, Leibowitz’s art is far less exuberant and minimalist compared to classic pop art. His work aims to present a direct thought but in a colorful way. There is something quite childish and juvenile about his paintings visually, but the words on them are heavy, raw and heart-sinking.

Phrases like “Loser line forms here,” “Hey! I’m not depressed anymore…shut-up” and “epiphany please” can be found plastered across his paintings. These phrases claw at the audience’s sympathies and sprout concerns. Yet, it is clear that the painter makes light of his own self-destructive thoughts and invites viewers to do the same, for his art is not meant to be saddening or worry-evoking — it is meant to be liberating.

A sense of freedom is created when voluntarily admitting, owning and presenting these horrible, intrusive thoughts. It is empowering to make beauty and art out of one’s own tragedies. This clear, jarring contrast between the optimistic colors and the pessimistic phrases, both contained within the same paintings, mimics the complete confusion consistent in adulthood. Leibowitz’s art shows how easy it is to look pretty and colorful while housing such unpleasant thoughts.

Humans naturally want to remain youthful. There is a purity and brightness associated with childhood, but life, with experience, finds a way to mature minds. Humans fight time by rejoicing in bright colors and simple geometries as Leibowitz did with his paintings, but life will always contain complexity and even incongruity. And so, all that is left to do is to make art out of this madness.

Krisztina Dér’s flute solo and light show performance last Thursday in UMBC’s Music Box, entitled “Flute/Light,” shifted the way audiences receive music. Inspired by the idea that the sound of music is influenced by our sight, Dér focused on different techniques with her flute style and complementary lights.

Dér, a UMBC alumnus, began the night by introducing herself, some of her colleagues who composed the pieces and an old classmate of hers who joined her on stage. During the first song, Dér and her fellow UMBC alumnus paired up; their instruments, flute and drums with xylophone respectively, beautifully matched each other to create a dramatic opening for the show.

The intensity of the light in the first part of the first song followed the sharpness of the notes Dér played. At the crescendo, a bright blue light would ebb and flow over the audience, giving a wonderful sapphire color to the cloud-shaped figures on the ceiling of the Music Box. During the second half of the song, the lighting transitioned from cool blue to warm, vibrant reds and oranges, energizing the performance.

The second song, more eerie than the first, began with no light. One by one, performers walked from either side of the audience, flashlights lighting their chins, to stand at the front of the room.

After they had all taken their spots before the audience, there was a pause, then chanting and minutes of silence. After what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence, the lights came on and the audience applauded.

The third song, in the same vein as the first, included varying warm colored lights. The artist’s intent was to emulate chasing elusive shadows. As the music steadily picked up, the fiery light slowly appeared. When the music swelled and reached a breaking point, the light grew bigger then shrank back into itself. With every crescendo, the light grew greater and smaller.

The performance effectively married sight and sound. The light patterns reflected the audience’s reaction to the music: at the sound of a beating drum, the light would quickly appear and disappear with the noise. The taps of the xylophone encouraged a small, fleeting light across the stage. Cymbals teased ceiling lights onto the audience.

While there were some odd moments during the performance, such as the long pause between the second and third song and the choice of lighting during the second song, the performance kept the audience engaged.

Each song ended with a mighty swell of applause that kept a grateful smile on Dér’s face. The event goers welcomed the alumni back with open arms and minds, supporting Dér’s project through even the more confusing and less lively moments.

As you enter the East lobby of the Baltimore Museum of Art, a web of wires run from wall to wall and hang from the ceiling, supporting clusters of iridescent modules that instantly catch each visitor’s eye. “Entangled Orbits” as it’s called, is one of a handful of works by Tomás Saraceno on display at the BMA this spring.

Born in Argentina, Saraceno originally studied architecture, and his knowledge of the field is evident by the balance and sturdiness of his works. Each piece is precisely wired to hang at the perfect angle, all while maintaining complete structural integrity.

His vision for what he calls “cloud cities” is explored within “Entangled Orbits,” a prototype for a potential method of human habitation. He draws his inspiration from the world around him, as exhibited most notably in his piece entitled “Hybrid solitary semi-social SAO 90734.” To create this piece, he took various species of spiders and let them wind their own unique webs, resulting in a medley of free-flowing, yet sturdy fixtures.

Each contemporary art piece was suspended in mid-air, allowing for viewers to observe his art from every angle, including the bottom — a feature not common in the art world given the difficulty of producing such works. The unlimited range of perspectives allows visitors to discover different parts of the artwork as well as form well thought out opinions. Visitors are able to observe every aspect of the piece with no visual interruption from other physical structures such as floors or walls.

Furthermore, the works on display possess minor intricacies that can be overlooked at first glance. Inside the main eye-catching features, there are small, intricate details, provoking thought within the mind of the viewer. Whether the small details are simply for aesthetic pleasure or if they are added by the artist to achieve a certain message, they certainly give the artwork more character. The small figures entangled within the large modules balance out the simplicity of the large bulbs with their complex, yet still geometric, figure.

All of this occurs without a single part touching the ground. For example, in “Zonal Harmonic 2N 110/13. 2017,” Saraceno uses suspension wires as well as long curves to further the visual presence of the work as well as reflect nature as the piece showcases the shape and movement of our solar system.

The exhibit tastefully displays a balance of geometry and nature, with inspiration being drawn from the world around us, while the work’s execution relies on geometric shapes and clever engineering in order to achieve Saraceno’s unique vision and perception. If you are interested in seeing this for yourself, the exhibit is in the Baltimore Museum of Art’s European display until July, 8th, 2018

UMBC’s Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards offer a chance to reflect, each year, on the essential contributions of university employees to making UMBC a welcoming, supportive, and successful learning community. This year’s ceremony, on April 4, was particularly meaningful as it coincided with the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski recalled hearing of Dr. King’s death when he was a 17-year-old college sophomore. Calling that time “one of the most devastating days in American history,” he led the room in a moment of silence. With those who came together to honor some of UMBC’s most dedicated educators, from all corners of the university, President Hrabowski shared, “UMBC represents Dr. King’s dream.”

Nicole King, associate professor and chair of American studies, received the Presidential Teaching Faculty Award in recognition of her community-engaged pedagogy. King focuses on helping students develop a deeper understanding of Baltimore and its residents, whether studying gentrification or local environmental concerns. “It is especially wonderful to be honored for my work teaching at UMBC because UMBC has exceptional students,” she said.

King shared two core lessons from doing public humanities work, lessons she works to share with students: “showing up matters” and “listening is essential to learning.” To fulfill UMBC’s mission, she argued, “We must bring more voices into conversations at our public university today and we must better listen to one another because that is truly what teaching and learning are about.”

Amy Froide, associate professor of history, received a USM Board of Regents’ Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, saying, “It’s pretty humbling to win a teaching excellence award at this university that is full of faculty who inspire me every day.” Froide shared her journey as a first-generation college student who wanted to become a teacher since childhood. She didn’t imagine a career as a professor until an advisor encouraged her to pursue a Ph.D. Now she wants to pay forward the support she received.

“I want to dedicate this award to all teachers, especially at this time in our history” Froide said, referencing this spring’s K – 12 teacher protests for wages, pensions, and school budgets in the U.S. and abroad. Froide commented that teaching is “one of the toughest and most rewarding professions, but it’s not a profession that always get rewarded.” She shared what an honor it was for her to receive this faculty award and reflected, “I hope for a day when all teachers will be honored.”

James Franson, professor of physics, received the Presidential Research Faculty Award. Franson joked, “Unfortunately, it’s not quite as exciting or prestigious as being on the basketball team and going to the NCAA tournament.” Still, he reflected thoughtfully, “Research itself is exciting in its own way, and UMBC is a great place to do research.”

Several honorees revisited the long and fulfilling careers they have had at UMBC and the friendships they’ve made. “Like the Academy Awards, I’d like to take a moment to thank those who made this possible,” said Joe Kirby, assistant vice president in the Division of Information Technology (DoIT).

Kirby received the Presidential Distinguished Staff Award. He thanked family, friends, mentors, and colleagues, including DoIT Vice President Jack Suess ‘81, mathematics, M.S. ‘95, operations analysis, “For challenging me to be more than I would have thought possible, yet always promoting work-life balance and compassion over our 20+ years together.” Kirby shared, “My success is so tied to the collaboration and cooperation I receive from our faculty, staff, and students.”

Tamara Brown, executive administrative assistant for the dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, reflected on how “pleased, honored, and humbled” she felt to accept UMBC’s Presidential Distinguished Non-Exempt Staff Award. After thanking her colleagues, she added, with a smile, “I want to thank my family for putting up with my late hours at UMBC.”

That level of commitment became a familiar thread. A few moments later, Victor Fulda, recipient of the Karen L. Wensch Endowment Award for Outstanding Non-Exempt Staff, thanked his wife for putting up with 3 a.m. phone calls about urgent lab issues at UMBC. Fulda, a lab technician in chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering for 25 years, shared, “This job has been very rewarding and surprising.”

Jess Myers, who received the Jakubik Family Endowment Award, called her position as Women’s Center director “a dream job.” “To wake up every day and go to work to support and advance gender equity, to hold space for LGBTQ folks, to cultivate healing space for survivors of sexual violence, to run a scholarship program for older women returning to college…that is an award in and of itself,” said Myers.

Still, she shared, “today feels extra special to be recognized by my UMBC colleagues.” She passed along her gratitude for people across the university who have believed in her approach to growing the Women’s Center “to truly support UMBC’s vision of inclusive excellence.”

Phyllis Robinson, professor of biological sciences, also commented on that UMBC vision in describing her work to support inclusion in STEM fields. Robinson received the Marilyn E. Demorest Award for Faculty Advancement for her commitment to the professional growth of women faculty in the sciences, particularly through mentoring programs. “For me, mentoring is very simple,” said Robinson. “It’s sharing information with people and bestowing guidance and encouragement.”

President Hrabowski concluded the event with his mid-year State of the University update, highlighting key achievements across the university. These included everything from major grants, awards, and partnerships to the opening of UMBC’s new Event Center.

Whether talking about Naomi Mburu ‘18, chemical engineering, receiving UMBC’s first Rhodes Scholarship or UMBC’s recent victory over no. 1 seed UVA in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, President Hrabowski shared, UMBC is a place where “we make history.” And in working every day to achieve greatness, he reflected, “We are in this together.”

Featured image: Tamara Brown, recipient of UMBC’s Presidential Distinguished Non-Exempt Staff Award. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

“Lady Bird,” directed by Greta Gerwig, is a film about a young girl’s coming of age. At the center of this movie, however, is her conflicting yet loving relationship with her mother, Marion. The opening scene depicts how their personalities clash in a manner that carries throughout the film. This movie, in all its fervor, was played on campus this past weekend as part of the Student Events Board’s weekly movie showings.

“Lady Bird” follows the titular character throughout her final year of high school. She has a desire for a life of travel and adventure that she feels cannot be quenched if she remains in her hometown of Sacramento. She yearns for college on the east coast, despite Marion’s wishes.

Lady Bird seems to have chosen this name for herself as part of her search for an identity. The force by which Lady Bird throws herself into her new identity and her future is at odds with her mother, who feels she should remain near home during her formative years. The opening scene of the film depicts this fervor opaquely when Lady Bird throws herself out of a moving car to escape an argument of this nature with her mother.

This conflict is the most prevalent throughout the film, and it ends in Lady Bird’s favor. One may hope to see a clear reconciliation between Lady Bird and Marion, and while they seem to have wished for that too, they make their peace with the new distance between them.

“Lady Bird” also portrays high school life in a realistic light. The Catholic school that Lady Bird attends feels devoid of the gloss movies typically paint high schools with. One moment that held true to the Catholic school experience was the ‘skirt check,’ where all the female students stood up to ensure their skirts were not too short. Even with this scene, Gerwig ensured that Catholic school and religion were not portrayed in a negative light.

Despite their tumultuous relationship, Lady Bird does not resent her mother for sending her to Catholic school, the safer alternative to the zoned public school.  Even though Lady Bird does not seem to have any religious inclinations, there is a scene of her looking fondly down at a church from its balcony, likely honoring the institution’s hand in her youth.

The average college student can relate to Lady Bird’s strife. Looking back at anyone’s college aspirations, students may relate to Lady Bird’s dreams and her will to write her own future. Throughout the film, she saw her mother as an obstacle to her path, but she learns to appreciate her for her influence on who she became. And in the end, she honors her mother by taking her given name, Christine, once more.

There were some technical issues with the movie’s showing on Thursday. It seemed that the crew involved were unable to turn off the lights in the Sports Zone, and so the room’s lighting made the film difficult to view in many scenes. The subsequent showings in the RAC will likely provide better viewing experiences.

Even so, “Lady Bird” is a film that asks viewers to recognize that the past has a part in who you are today. Just as Lady’s Bird’s mother, family, friends, and hometown helped sculpt her identity, the environments and people you have encountered have had a hand on you.

How much is known about medieval maritime trade between the ancient Asian and Arabian powers? Unfortunately, not as much as historians and museums would like. However, this year, along the coast of Singapore in the Indonesian waters, a massive discovery was made that is shedding new light on ancient oceanic trade.

Several shipwrecks were discovered buried underneath a sludge of mud and water, carrying a total of about 66,000 preserved artifacts. Scientists, historians, archaeologists and ancient art enthusiasts alike marveled at the sheer size and beauty of the cargo dating back to the eighth and ninth centuries.

John Guy, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, delivered an in-depth lecture at UMBC on Wednesday evening (March 28) on the contents of the cargo and how they connect to what is already known about ancient Asian maritime trade.

The cargo consisted of a variety of bowls, jugs, jars, ceramics and vases, some carrying exotic spices and other smaller kitchenware. What was amazing about the artifacts, Guy said, was that they gave even more evidence of the known trade occurring in East Asia with countries as far away as the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia.

The ceramics and bowls were decorated with art and designs ranging from Arab to Chinese to Indian to Vietnamese. Guy explained the distinctions between the different art styles of the time, revealing that historians use specific artistic techniques in determining origin.  

Among the artifacts was the first-ever Paladin inscription from South Asia. Paladin is an ancient language, nearly forgotten, that was once spoken in Persia. In addition, a Chinese wine jar was found that was clearly copied from Arab artisans, further supporting the now-clear notion that maritime trade occurred to a great extent between these two powers.

Guy also talked about how the Arabs were able to sail to distant shores to sell and trade their goods. They invented ‘dhow’ ships which had a unique design of coconut fiber stitches binding the ship together. This made it a large ocean vessel with a flexible structure able to handle tough weather and sea conditions.

Another item of trade that was of extremely high value was textiles. Although historians know that silks and fabrics were traded as luxury items all around the Asian maritime trade routes, archaeologists have little evidence.

Guy explained that textiles decay underwater and therefore cannot be found in discoveries like these shipwrecks. However, ancient records and inventories give evidence of the trade of luxury textiles. Guy commented that although historians know it happened, archaeologists have never found actual textiles from the time.

The lecture ended with a hopeful statement that the newly discovered shipwrecks have allowed for a, “very clear picture of who was going where,” in terms of medieval Asian maritime trade. Applause ensued and a reception for the audience followed, giving people the opportunity to speak with Guy and enjoy light refreshments.

Learning more about history is vital to understanding the present, and with lectures like Guy’s happening all around UMBC in different departments, academics of all ages can better understand the stories of our world today.

2018 Mid-Atlantic Student Colloquium on Speech, Language and Learning

The 2018 Mid-Atlantic Student Colloquium on Speech, Language and Learning (MASC-SLL) is a student-run, one-day event on speech, language & machine learning research to be held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County  (UMBC) from 10:00am to 6:00pm on Saturday May 12.  There is no registration charge and lunch and refreshments will be provided.  Students, postdocs, faculty and researchers from universities & industry are invited to participate and network with other researchers working in related fields.

Students and postdocs are encouraged to submit abstracts describing ongoing, planned, or completed research projects, including previously published results and negative results. Research in any field applying computational methods to any aspect of human language, including speech and learning, from all areas of computer science, linguistics, engineering, neuroscience, information science, and related fields is welcome. Submissions and presentations must be made by students or postdocs. Accepted submissions will be presented as either posters or talks.

Important Dates are:

• Submission deadline (abstracts): April 16 April 20
• Decisions announced: April 21 April 25
• Registration opens: April 10
• Registration closes: May 6
• Colloquium: May 12

The post 2018 Mid-Atlantic Student Colloquium on Speech, Language and Learning appeared first on Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

2018 UMBC Digital Entertainment Conference

UMBC’s Game Developers Club will hold its 13th annual Digital Entertainment Conference from 11:00-5:00 on Saturday April 28 in the UMBC Commons. Come learn about the game industry from local game developing companies. High school students, college students, aspiring game developers, and game developers are all welcome.

• Meet professionals in the game industry
• Learn the latest in game art, code and technology
• Network with local game developers

Lunch will be provided. You can park in any A, B, or C lot on UMBC Campus. The closest parking garage is the Commons Parking garage on Commons Drive inside the UMBC Hilltop Circle. If you have any questions, send email to *protected email*

The post 2018 UMBC Digital Entertainment Conference appeared first on Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

UMBC’s Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards offer a chance to reflect, each year, on the essential contributions of university employees to making UMBC a welcoming, supportive, and successful learning community. This year’s ceremony, on April 4, was particularly meaningful as it coincided with the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski recalled hearing of Dr. King’s death when he was a 17-year-old college sophomore. Calling that time “one of the most devastating days in American history,” he led the room in a moment of silence. With those who came together to honor some of UMBC’s most dedicated educators, from all corners of the university, President Hrabowski shared, “UMBC represents Dr. King’s dream.”

Nicole King, associate professor and chair of American studies, received the Presidential Teaching Faculty Award in recognition of her community-engaged pedagogy. King focuses on helping students develop a deeper understanding of Baltimore and its residents, whether studying gentrification or local environmental concerns. “It is especially wonderful to be honored for my work teaching at UMBC because UMBC has exceptional students,” she said.

King shared two core lessons from doing public humanities work, lessons she works to share with students: “showing up matters” and “listening is essential to learning.” To fulfill UMBC’s mission, she argued, “We must bring more voices into conversations at our public university today and we must better listen to one another because that is truly what teaching and learning are about.”

Amy Froide, associate professor of history, received a USM Board of Regents’ Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, saying, “It’s pretty humbling to win a teaching excellence award at this university that is full of faculty who inspire me every day.” Froide shared her journey as a first-generation college student who wanted to become a teacher since childhood. She didn’t imagine a career as a professor until an advisor encouraged her to pursue a Ph.D. Now she wants to pay forward the support she received.

“I want to dedicate this award to all teachers, especially at this time in our history” Froide said, referencing this spring’s K – 12 teacher protests for wages, pensions, and school budgets in the U.S. and abroad. Froide commented that teaching is “one of the toughest and most rewarding professions, but it’s not a profession that always gets rewarded.” She shared what an honor it was for her to receive this faculty award and reflected, “I hope for a day when all teachers will be honored.”

James Franson, professor of physics, received the Presidential Research Faculty Award. Franson joked, “Unfortunately, it’s not quite as exciting or prestigious as being on the basketball team and going to the NCAA tournament.” Still, he reflected thoughtfully, “Research itself is exciting in its own way, and UMBC is a great place to do research.”

Several honorees revisited the long and fulfilling careers they have had at UMBC and the friendships they’ve made. “Like the Academy Awards, I’d like to take a moment to thank those who made this possible,” said Joe Kirby, assistant vice president in the Division of Information Technology (DoIT).

Kirby received the Presidential Distinguished Staff Award. He thanked family, friends, mentors, and colleagues, including DoIT Vice President Jack Suess ‘81, mathematics, M.S. ‘95, operations analysis, “For challenging me to be more than I would have thought possible, yet always promoting work-life balance and compassion over our 20+ years together.” Kirby shared, “My success is so tied to the collaboration and cooperation I receive from our faculty, staff, and students.”

Tamara Brown, executive administrative assistant for the dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, reflected on how “pleased, honored, and humbled” she felt to accept UMBC’s Presidential Distinguished Non-Exempt Staff Award. After thanking her colleagues, she added, with a smile, “I want to thank my family for putting up with my late hours at UMBC.”

That level of commitment became a familiar thread. A few moments later, Victor Fulda, recipient of the Karen L. Wensch Endowment Award for Outstanding Non-Exempt Staff, thanked his wife for putting up with 3 a.m. phone calls about urgent lab issues at UMBC. Fulda, a lab technician in chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering for 25 years, shared, “This job has been very rewarding and surprising.”

Jess Myers, who received the Jakubik Family Endowment Award, called her position as Women’s Center director “a dream job.” “To wake up every day and go to work to support and advance gender equity, to hold space for LGBTQ folks, to cultivate healing space for survivors of sexual violence, to run a scholarship program for older women returning to college…that is an award in and of itself,” said Myers.

Still, she shared, “today feels extra special to be recognized by my UMBC colleagues.” She passed along her gratitude for people across the university who have believed in her approach to growing the Women’s Center “to truly support UMBC’s vision of inclusive excellence.”

Phyllis Robinson, professor of biological sciences, also commented on that UMBC vision in describing her work to support inclusion in STEM fields. Robinson received the Marilyn E. Demorest Award for Faculty Advancement for her commitment to the professional growth of women faculty in the sciences, particularly through mentoring programs. “For me, mentoring is very simple,” said Robinson. “It’s sharing information with people and bestowing guidance and encouragement.”

President Hrabowski concluded the event with his mid-year State of the University update, highlighting key achievements across the university. These included everything from major grants, awards, and partnerships to the opening of UMBC’s new Event Center.

Whether talking about Naomi Mburu ‘18, chemical engineering, receiving UMBC’s first Rhodes Scholarship or UMBC’s recent victory over no. 1 seed UVA in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, President Hrabowski shared, UMBC is a place where “we make history.” And in working every day to achieve greatness, he reflected, “We are in this together.”

Featured image: Tamara Brown, recipient of UMBC’s Presidential Distinguished Non-Exempt Staff Award. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.