November 14, 2014

From:  Karl V. Steiner, Ph.D., Vice President for Research

To:      Campus Community

RE:  Dean Drake - Promotion to Associate Vice President for Research

I am delighted to announce that Dean Drake has been promoted to Associate Vice President for Research, effective November 1, 2014.

Since leaving the Defense Industry, Dean has accumulated over 20 years of experience in University based research.  During his nearly 15 years with USM, Dean has established and managed offices of Sponsored Programs, Research Compliance, as well as technology protection and commercialization.  He has participated on review panels, taught, and has also consulted in several areas associated with research administration.  He is an advocate for strong internal customer support, the cornerstone to effective research development.

Dean joined UMBC in 2010 as Assistant Vice President for Research with primary responsibilities for the Office of Technology Development (OTD) and for what was then known as HARPO - the Human and Animals Research Protections Office. He has been a tireless advocate for our research community over these past four and a half years.  During this time, we revamped HARPO into the Office of Research Protections and Compliance (ORPC), established Export Control and Principal Investigator policies as well as training programs, and expanded the technical skill set within the offices.  He has participated in several internal and external committees and workgroups, and was invaluable during my transition to UMBC.

In his new role, Dean’s responsibilities will formally include functional oversight of the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), the Office of Research Protections and Compliance (ORPC) and the Office of Technology Development (OTD). Dean has been effectively handling these responsibilities for over two years.  I am very thankful for his energy and experience, as we move forward in building a strong and sustainable research culture and infrastructure at UMBC.

Please join me in congratulating Dean on this well-deserved promotion.

Got Linux? If you've ever wanted to try Linux but didn't know where to start, bring your computer to the Linux Installfest this Thursday between noon and 4:00pm at the UMBC Commons Mainsteet.

The UMBC Linux Users Group will hold a Linux Install Fest from Noon to 4:00pm on Thursday, November 20th on Main Street in the Commons. Experts will help you install a free copy of Linux on your computer using any of several options — dual boot, virtual and more. LUG members can also advise you about the hundreds of legal, free apps available for many Linux versions. See the LUG site for more information and pictures from the 2010 LUG Installfest.

Name: Andreas Seas

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: University of Nebraska Medical Center | Title of Your Position: Student Researcher

Major(s)/Minor(s): Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering Track

Expected Graduation Year: May, 2017

Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service-learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

This summer, I interned at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the department of Vascular Surgery. My main project was to design a program to analyze microscopic cross sections of arteries and determine certain characteristics of their elastic microstructure. I also had to see if any risk factors or demographics correlated with characteristics of this microstructure. The ultimate goal of this project was to allow doctors to use patient information to get an idea of the condition of their patients arteries. In order to retrieve more data for this project, I also spent a significant amount of my time dissecting human arteries and testing their mechanical properties. Another project of mine involved performing comparative genomic studies to isolate mutations responsible for causing abdominal aortic aneurysms. Finally, when time permitted, I was able to shadow surgeons in the operating room, and see what the real life of a surgeon is like!

Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.

Essentially, I searched Google for MD/PhD summer undergraduate research programs and found the University of Nebraska Medical Center's program among my results. Like most other internships, it involved an extensive process of filling out forms and writing essays.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience?

Google Search

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

Honestly, I enjoyed being a part of a lot of unique projects. It was extremely fulfilling to work with so many dedicated and interesting individuals, and to be able to make my own unique contribution to the scientific community.

What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?

This summer, I was able to improve my ability to think creatively and come up with new ideas. My lab environment was extremely open and collaborative - all ideas were considered. Also, I gained significant experience dissecting human tissue, as well as a fair amount of knowledge of procedures in vascular surgery.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

My advice would be to apply to as many places as possible, even if some of them seem like long-shots. First, you never know what will happen, maybe they are looking for somebody just like you. Second, the more practice the better - none of the experience filling out applications goes to waste when you eventually have to write grant proposals.

Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.

I liked that I could have a good conversation with anybody in my department. It was also amazing to be able to contribute to scientific knowledge!

National Native American/American Indian Heritage Month: 

UMBC students understand the importance of charitable engagement and giving back: they know that making a difference in the lives of others is what makes the world go around. That’s why we’re celebrating our students and our community on National Philanthropy Day. This special day is a unique opportunity to acknowledge the importance of giving, volunteering, and charitable engagement to our society and our world.

So, in honor of National Philanthropy Day, UMBC is proud to highlight three student initiatives that are lending a helping hand:

Making connections, building friendship.

Students will spend the week at the ARC of Carroll County, where they’ll get to know and offer support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Learn more and support this project.

Examining the stigma, lending a hand.

Students will make a difference right here in Baltimore as they learn about the experiences and challenges of homelessness and reflect on approaches to addressing the issue through public policy and community action. Learn more and support this project.

Clowning around to change lives.

UMBC students explore alternative healthcare and interact with patients to bring laughter, joy, and creativity as an integral part of the healing process. Learn more and support the project.

 Celebrate National Philanthropy Day and support a student project!