“Whoa.” My first thought when experiencing a Dan Deacon concert.

Last Saturday, Deacon performed a frenzy of electronic tunes at the 9:30 Club. Ben O’Brien (not shown) and Prince Rama were opening acts for the show. The Baltimore native played for a sold-out crowd with one of the patrons being NPR’s Bob Boilen! Starting his set at a late 12:30am, Deacon energized the crowd with jokes, balloons, and electronic madness. It was an experience going to a Dan Deacon concert; his static-buzzing riffs mixed with mind-melting triple projector visuals makes him one of the best performances I have seen all year! If you are a fan of dense electronics and good vibes, check him out!

Write Up by Paul Oh

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With buzz surrounding last week’s 2015 home opener for the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, economics professor Dennis Coates was in the news discussing what the recent success of the team means for business.

In a Baltimore Sun article, Coates shared that if the team weren’t doing so well, money spent in and around Camden Yards would simply be spent in other areas of the city. “All we’ve really seen is a shift from one set of entertainment activities to another,” Coates said. “That’s not creating any big boost to the economy; it’s just moving around.”

Coates added that out of town visitors are what bring new tourism dollars to Baltimore and the team isn’t necessarily a draw to visitors. “The bottom line is it’s good for the Orioles, but it doesn’t do anything significant for the rest of the Baltimore economy,” he said.

In another Baltimore Sun article, Coates discussed the Hilton Baltimore convention center hotel losing $5.6 million last year despite the success of the nearby Orioles. “I don’t have a crystal ball to say whether it will always be a money-loser,” said Coates. “But it’s not a good sign if they can’t do well when the Orioles are doing well.”

To read all recent news coverage involving Coates, see below:
Orioles and sponsors look to ride 2014 success into a new season (Baltimore Sun)
City-owned Hilton lost $5.6 million last year (Baltimore Sun)
Why Baltimore is not likely to land new pro sports teams (Baltimore Business Journal)
Walker, Vos: City, county need to offer more for new arena (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

In its April education section, the Baltimore Sun published an article on programs that prepare students to provide effective, evidence-based care for patients. UMBC’s Psychology Training Clinic, part of the Psychology Training, Research, and Services Center at the South Campus Research and Technology Park, was featured in the article. Rebecca Schacht, a clinical assistant professor of psychology and director of the clinic, was quoted extensively in the story and discussed the new clinic, which provides low-cost therapy for people struggling with anxiety, depression, substance abuse and post-traumatic stress syndrome. Graduate-level students provide care under supervision of licensed psychologists.

“This is really the standard for training,” Schacht said. While students also train in community outpatient clinics, “you don’t get as much oversight there. It allows us to have more contact with our students to train them in evidence-based treatment.” Patients at the clinic agree to be recorded, and then the professors review the tapes with the students. “It benefits the students and the patients because there’s a lot more focus,” Schacht added. “You really think more deeply about each person.”

Students at the clinic study the latest research which benefits patients and Schacht noted the training at the clinic will provide the field with effective practitioners. “One of the biggest determinants in whether people get better is the relationship with their therapist,” she said. For more information about the clinic, click here.

More than 150 years after the first mail was delivered via the Pony Express, Vox published an article examining the service that lasted for only 18 months. Christopher Corbett, professor of the practice in the English department, was quoted in the article. He is author of Orphans Preferred: The Twisted Truth and Lasting Legend of the Pony Express.

“In the American memory, that man is still riding across the country,” said Corbett when reflecting on the Pony Express. He also discussed how the mail service’s business model played a major role in its undoing.

The business was always doomed. “It hemorrhaged money from the first day,” Corbett said. “It was a bit of a madcap idea from the get-go … the structure of the business was deeply flawed.”

In the article, he also described the legacy of the Pony Express in American memory: Corbett says the appeal of the Pony Express is obvious: it’s an American myth without American tragedy. The bloodshed, suffering, and seediness of the Wild West aren’t part of the myth of the short-lived delivery service. “It’s a benign memory of the Old West,” he says. “It’s a powerfully romantic figure on the back of a fast horse.”

To read the full article in Vox, click here.

An April 13 article in the New York Times took an in-depth look at the Henry Rayhons case which has drawn national attention in recent weeks.

Ann Christine Frankowski, associate director of the Center for Aging Studies, was quoted in the article and discussed how dementia symptoms tend to fluctuate and patients can often be lucid in the morning and significantly impaired in the afternoon. “What may be appropriate on one day may not be appropriate the next week, or at a different point that same day,” she said.

In the article, Frankowski also discussed what she has discovered in her research with some staff member attitudes towards sex in assisted living facilities:

In other facilities, though, Dr. Frankowski said: “I find staff members saying ‘It’s wrong. Old people don’t do this, they had spouses in the past, they have family member that would be concerned.’ ”

“Sometimes they will say to the resident, ‘Do you really want your daughter to know about this?’ And the staff members do really and truly believe they are doing the right thing.”

To read the full article in the New York Times, click here.

MLLI
Friday, April 24 | 6:30-8 p.m.
ITE Building Room 104

Victory in Europe Day—known as V-E Day—commemorates May 8, 1945, the date when the World War II Allies (including the United States, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union) formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. The UMBC Russian Club with support of the Department of Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication and the American Association of Russian Language, Culture, and Education (AARCE) is presenting a 70th anniversary concert for V-E day with music, song, and dance.

The event will feature the UMBC Russian Chorus, Russian School Metaphor, Potomac Russian Academy, Perspectiva Russian School, Musical Theater Zerkalo, East-West Cultural Center – Dance Group “Kalinka,” and Dance Studio Olympus.

Celebrating 20 Years of JCET Climate Research: Climate affects all residents of the Earth but we all have different perspectives and ways of talking about it.

The UMBC Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology and the UMBC Sustainability Working Group invite the campus community to a symposium focused on communicating the results of scientific climate investigations. A panel of noted climate researchers will contribute their knowledge of Earth’s climate a discussion prompted by questions from the broader UMBC audience.

This Communicating Climate symposium also celebrates the integration of art and science with renowned musician and composer Kenji Williams who will perform the multi-media presentation, “Beautiful Earth.”

Communication Climate will take place on April 20, 12:30 – 6 p.m. in the UC Ballroom.

Top ranked pitchers helping UMBC baseball get off to a strong start this season

Matt Chanin and Conrad Wozniak are leading the baseball team to an amazing start with several strong showings this season.

UMBC baseball is off to a strong start this season, thanks in part to freshman pitcher Matt Chanin and junior transfer Conrad Wozniak. Statistically, both players are highly ranked in several important categories in the America East conference, along with the team’s overall pitching statistics.

Wozniak comes to the team after transferring from Frank Phillips College where he earned a spot on the NJCAA All-Conference First Team for Region V. He is credited with six starts so far this season and has one win.

He says he was attracted to UMBC by the school’s environment and the coaches.

“The coaches were one of the main reasons I came to UMBC. They seemed to know a lot about the game and their personalities seemed similar to mine. Also the great education and scenery,” Wozniak said. Although in the beginning, adjusting to the school was difficult for him, it has proven to be worth the work.

“It was a bit difficult at first. I came from a junior college that did not seem as demanding a task as here as far as education goes. I think I’ve adjusted well since coming here though,” he said. “It is everything I could have wanted coming from a junior college that did not have a lot to offer.”

“UMBC has a beautiful campus, great education and a great coaching staff. I could only have dreamed of a school like this back while in Texas’ at junior college. I think every moment I get to play is really a dream come true here. Getting to play division 1 baseball is always the best moment for me.”

Wozniak has a 1.49 earned run average and six earned runs allowed, both of which lead the America East conference. Wozniak has yet to allow a triple or a home run, which ties him for first. He also has a .209 opposing batting average, 16 batters struck out while looking and nine runs allowed that places him second in the conference for each statistic.

Wozniak is in the top 10 statistics for innings pitched (36.1), games started, hits allowed (28), walks allowed (nine), doubles allowed (six) and caught stealing by (three). Although none of this matters to him.

“I see [the statistics] from time to time because my family will tell me them but overall I typically do not care about the stats,” he said, “I only care about winning and hopefully changing the team for years to come into a championship ball club.”

Wozniak was named the America East Pitcher of the week on March 10 after his performance against The University of Toledo. In that game, Wozniak threw seven innings and only allowed two hits and no runs.

Although Wozniak believes the team has started out strong, he understands that there is room for improvement. “We can always improve but so far its been what we hoped for. I love our hitting and pitching for this team. [I] could not have asked to be on a better team, honestly,” said Wozniak.

“We’re excited to bring in two guys with excellent experience at a high JuCo level, in Kevin and Conrad,” head coach Bob Mumma said regarding Wozniak and fellow transfer Kevin Little during the summer. “I think they will be able to step in right away and help us solidify our rotation.”

Chanin, a freshman from Sherwood High school, has an impressive start so far in his college career. Chanin currently boasts a three win season, only receiving his first loss on Sunday against Stony Brook University. His three wins currently have him tied for second place in the conference for most wins.

Chanin is also currently tied eighth in batters struck out with 25 strikeouts, and tied for seventh with 10 batters struck out while looking.

Chanin previously received America East rookie of the week honors for his performance earlier in the season against Binghamton University. Chanin completed the sweep for the Retrievers by throwing five shutout innings that only resulted in four hits for Binghamton. Earlier in the week, he pitched against Mount St. Mary’s University, and threw a total of 7 strikeouts in two games.

Prior to the season, Mumma said, “Matt really came on during his senior year and if he continues to progress, he will push himself into a key spot for us.”

Wozniak and Chanin will hope to continue their strong season for the Retrievers on Wednesday as the team takes on Mount St. Mary’s who they earlier defeated 4-3 in extra innings.

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