Course Description:

The course will explore the past and present of Korea, diving into its history and contemporary issues with a balanced and engaging approach. It will be a great session for anyone interested in understanding the two Koreas:

This course is designed to help students develop a solid background of contemporary history, politics and society of two Koreas and their impact on the broader context of Asia. The course explores key historical processes that have shaped the contemporary societies of two Koreas through multidisciplinary lenses. The course will help students understand the origins of, and influences stemming from, the stark political, social and economic differences between the two Koreas, amidst their underlying core cultural similarities. Themes to be covered in this course include modernization, colonialism, nationalism, democratic transition and consolidation, industrialization, reunification, and gender relations.

The School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in collaboration with the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University sponsors an annual Dissertation and Thesis Grant Program in the field of retirement, health and disability research through their Retirement and Disability Research Center (RDRC).  This RDRC program provides grant support to master’s and/or doctoral students to pursue research or support a thesis or capstone study focused on retirement, health and disability, with funding from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA). 

The grant proposal must address one of SSA’s 2025 research focal areas:

Focal Area 1: Understanding Service Needs and Improving Service Delivery

Focal Area 2: Studying Causes and Inequities of Overpayment and Underpayment

Focal Area 3. Addressing Barriers to Disability and SSI Programs Participation and Processes

Focal Area 4: Understanding and Improving Communication

Focal Area 5. Identifying Disparities by Race, Ethnicity, and Sex

Focal Area 6: Examining Economic Security of Program Applicants and Beneficiaries

Focal Area 7: Addressing Employment Barriers for People with Disabilities

FY 2025 SSA focal areas can be found here: https://www.ssa.gov/policy/extramural/index.html#rdrc

Dissertation and Thesis Grants

$8,000 grants will be awarded to master’s and doctoral students enrolled in an accredited program at a U.S. university.  We encourage individuals from historically underserved or underrepresented communities to apply.  We are interested in supporting doctoral students both pre and post comprehensive examination completion and candidacy, as well as master’s students conducting thesis research or conducting a capstone study. The grant recipients may be asked to present their work to the Social Security Administration in Washington, DC or Baltimore, MD. Awardees may also be asked to attend the RDRC Annual Meeting.  

Submission

Applicants should submit a 1,000-word proposal that describes the research work they propose and its connection to an SSA research focal area, as well as a discussion of how the grant will be used; a CV; and a letter of support from the applicant’s advisor. Materials should be emailed to Melanie Keys (mkeys3@umbc.edu).  The deadline for the 2025 Dissertation and Thesis Grant Program is January 14, 2025. 

Additional information

Please contact Melanie Keys (mkeys3@umbc.edu) with any questions about the Dissertation and Thesis Grant Program. 

Application for the Summer 2025 Genomics & Society Mentorship Program

Now Open!

Are you interested in exploring ethical issues in health and medicine? If so, you may want to learn more about the summer 2025 internship experience in genomics and bioethics at Johns Hopkins! To learn more about applying to our 15-month research and mentorship opportunity, please visit our website or contact Penny White (pwhite17@jhu.edu). Next year’s cohort will begin the program in May 2025 with a 10-week summer research internship.

The Genomics & Society Mentorship Program application closes at 11:59PM on February 1, 2025.  

Join the team from PNC Bank for a "Banking in the USA" seminar. 

Following the seminar, the team will be available to help interested students apply for a bank account.

Location: University Center 204

Jan 9, 2-3pm

Jan 16, 2-3pm

Jan 22, 11am-12pm

Jan 28, 2-3pm

***If you are going to apply for a bank account, please bring your I-20, passport, and other documents with you to the event***

Learn information, make connections and have fun with the Li Lab at IMET.

Doors open at 6pm

Parking is available at the Pier V garage located next to IMET.

Please register via the linked Eventbrite website