The MEMS bi-weekly e-newsletter shares information about events, conferences, calls for papers, student and faculty work in the field, and digital resources that enrich our understanding of Medieval and Early Modern Studies.  If you have any items you would like to share in the newsletter, please send them to Laurel Bassett at lburgg1@umbc.edu.

ON CAMPUS EVENTS

October 28, 12:15-12:45 PM  Mini-MEMS Lunch and Learn: Musical Instruments of the Renaissance on Web Ex

Want to hear a racket? Come learn about musical instruments of the Renaissance! (Yes, a racket IS an instrument!) Dr. Lindsay Johnson will demo a variety of Renaissance wind instruments, from the racket (an early bass double reed) to the crumhorn (sounds like a glorified kazoo!) to the shawm (an early oboe) to the recorder (so much better than what you learned in 3rd grade!). Come hear what these instruments sound like, see how they work, and laugh at Dr. Johnson's attempts to play them (she's actually a violinist). Curiosity encouraged. 

Sponsored by Medieval and Early Modern Studies and the History Department

November 18 4 PM Exploring Islamic Manuscripts at the Walters Art Museum on Web Ex

 Qur’an, Iran, 15^th century, The Walters Art Museum, bequest of Henry Walters, 1931, acc. no. W.562 (fol. 2b).

Join curator Ashley Dimmig from the Walters Art Gallery for a virtual presentation of Islamic Manuscripts, with Q and A to follow, sponsored by Medieval and Early Modern Studies and the History Department.

MEMS AT WORK

Corbin Jones (M.A., 2020) will be presenting a paper, "John Mandeville, ibn Battuta, and the Marvelous in 14th Century Travel Writing " on a Mandeville panel  at the New Chaucer Society Congress in Durham, England in July 2022. The New Chaucer Society will fund his trip.  Corbin received a fall 2019 Dresher Center graduate student fellowship as well as a Graduate Student Association travel grant, which supported archival research in March at the Bibliothèque nationale in Paris, on the travels of the 14th century Moroccan judge, ibn Battuta.

He defended his thesis, "Writing the `Self' in 14th Century Travel Narratives: John Mandeville and ibn Baṭṭūṭa," in April 2020. 

COMMUNITY EVENTS

OCTOBER 30, 12-1 pm: Astrolabes and Armillary Spheres: Scientific Instruments and Prints in the Renaissance

This program will be held virtually on Zoom. Please register for free in advance here.

Center for Renaissance Studies Programs presents: A virtual conversation with Susan Dackerman (Stanford University) and Pedro Raposo (Adler Planetarium).  During the Renaissance, the development of new scientific tools and their promotion through print media altered navigation, inspired exploration, and enabled European colonialism.  Join this discussion on the workings of early modern scientific instruments and their depiction on paper.

PAPERS AND CONFERENCES

October 29^th and 30^th, University of Helsinki hosts a Zoom Conference: Authorial publishing from the Carolingian period to the Renaissance

Written transmission relies on the fact of ‘publication’, the step between the authorial process and reception.  The papers in this colloquium ask what it meant for medieval and renaissance authors and their associates to publish.  The contexts under scrutiny range from England to Italy, from hagiography to medicine, and from Carolingian monasteries to renaissance libraries. 

Abstracts can be accessed in the Medieval Publishing website:

https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/medieval-publishing    

To obtain the Zoom meeting ID and passcode, please contact to Mr. Olli-Pekka Kasurinen (olli.kasurinen@helsinki.fi).   

The colloquium is organized by the projects Medieval Publishing from c.1000 to 1500 (ERC-716538) and Authorial Publication in the Early Medieval Period (Academy of Finland), and the University of Helsinki.

JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS

National Gallery of Art Library Seeks Student Assistants: Positions in Reader Services and Image Collections Available

The National Gallery of Art Library welcomes applicants for part-time student assistant positions in the Reader Services and Image Collections departments.  Students will assist Gallery curators, scholars in the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, and members of the public with their research and use of the library’s extensive image collections.

These positions are designed to introduce students to the world of libraries in cultural heritage organizations and provide opportunities for interest-driven exploration of the museum and library fields.  Applicants should be enrolled at least half-time as students and be able to work both onsite and from a remote computer.  For more specific information about the positions, see the attached job descriptions. 

DIGITAL RESOURCES

Check out the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast from the Folger Shakespeare Library: Writing About the Plague in Shakespeare's England

We think we’ve been plagued for a long time now, and we definitely have, but this podcast talks about waves of plague across 6 centuries and the writers, including Shakespeare’s contemporaries, who dealt with it (or refused to deal with it). 

https://www.folger.edu/shakespeare-unlimited/plague-writing?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ShakespearePlus14Oct2020&utm_content=version_A&promo=14089

For more information, please join the Medieval and Early Museum Studies Group: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/mems and see our website: www.mems.umbc.edu

UMBC shared its recent Public Health Dashboard and, as of October 21, our campus has a 0% positivity rate. The dashboard provides timely data about the prevalence of COVID-19 within our main campus.

In today’s Industry News, we take a look at a bold new COVID study in the UK where volunteers are deliberately injected with live COVID. We also take a look at innovative ways we are reusing plastics, a new hope for those with inherited blindness, and becoming cyber smart.

 UMBC  is one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review^®.

 The education services company features UMBC in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2021 Edition. Released on October 20, 2020, and accessible for free at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide, the guide profiles 416 colleges.

 The Princeton Review chose the schools based on a survey of administrators at 695 colleges in 2019-20 about their institutions’ commitments to the environment and sustainability. The company's editors analyzed more than 25 survey data points in the process of choosing schools for the guide.

 The Princeton Review has seen a high level of interest among college applicants and their parents in colleges with green practices, programs, and offerings. Sixty-six percent of the 12,845 respondents (college-bound teens and parents) to The Princeton Review's 2020 College Hopes & Worries Survey said that having information about a college's commitment to the environment would affect their (or their child's) decision to apply to or attend a school. A report on the survey findings is downloadable at www.princetonreview.com/college-hopes-worries.

The school profiles in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges include "Green Facts" sections detailing such matters as the availability of transportation alternatives on campus and the percentage of the college food budget spent on local/organic food. The profiles also provide information about the schools' admission requirements, cost, financial aid, and student body demographics.

The Princeton Review has published its annual Guide to Green Colleges since 2010. The company is also known for its dozens of categories of annual college rankings, its books, including The Best 386 Colleges and The Best Value Colleges, and its many other education services.

How Schools Were Chosen for the Guide

The Princeton Review chose the 416 colleges based on its survey of administrators at 695 colleges in 2019–20 concerning their institutions' sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs. Survey topics ranged from academic offerings and campus initiatives to career preparation for "green" jobs. 

More than 25 survey data points were analyzed by The Princeton Review editors to tally Green Rating scores for the schools on a scale of 60 to 99. Colleges that earned a Green Rating of 80 or higher made it into the guide. Of the 416 schools in the 2021 edition, 393 are in the U.S., 22 are in Canada, and one is in Greece. The 416 schools are listed alphabetically in the guide and not ranked overall from 1 to 416. Colleges that earned a Green Rating of 99 made it onto The Princeton Review's earlier (August 2020) reported Green Honor Roll, as well as this guide. The Green Rating scores appear in the profiles of the schools in the guide on The Princeton Review website and in profiles of the schools in the 2021 editions of The Princeton Review books, The Best 386 Colleges (published August 2020)  and The Complete Book of Colleges (published July 2020).

Every so often, we chat with an alum about what they do and how they got there. Today’s guest, investment banker Chris Adams ‘15, economics, is putting his interests in business and sports to work with his new venture, SharpRank. We caught up with Adams, who recently appeared on an “Inside Scoop Panel” offered by the UMBC Career Center, to learn more about the world of cross-sport performance ranking.

NAME: Chris Adams
MAJOR: Economics
GRAD YEAR: 2015

Q: Tell us a little about SharpRank. How did you get interested in this type of work?

A:  There is always opportunity that comes out of difficult times.  My business partners and I saw such opportunity in the emerging, ever-evolving landscape of sports betting. While listening to sports radio and podcasts, we would hear experts (or “Sharps”) claim to have incredible records at picking games successfully.  We started thinking the general public is largely held in the dark with respect to this industry (sports betting); experts are self-proclaimed.  Attributes of efficient markets are transparency and “full information,” and this particular industry was seemingly lacking both.  While the sports world was completely shut down for six months we went to work creating an algorithm that incorporates metrics like accuracy, consistency, longevity, etc., to produce a “Madden” type ratings system to rate these “Sharps” that is both easy to understand and effective at performance ranking, The scores are normalized so the public can compare “Sharps” who focus on different sports on a level playing field; much like Morningstar does for funds and other securities.  SharpRank was created to provide transparency for the general public in a traditional murky market.  The sports gambling industry is booming and our team operates under the premise that “when there is a gold rush, don’t go digging, sell shovels.”  Because of this we are now a part of the ecosystem and constantly growing/evolving.  

Q:  Were there any classes or professors at UMBC who really helped you or inspired you along the way? 

A:  I came to UMBC somewhat non-traditionally. I had helped start a business after high school and so upon entering UMBC, I knew exactly what I wanted to learn and study and where to focus my attention: statistics, game theory, economic theory, etc.  Having said that, I was fortunate enough to expand my horizons and take the “What is an American” class with Professor [Kimberly] Moffitt, who challenged my views and stances.  She has proven to be an incredible friend and sounding board to this day – despite still not agreeing on Disney’s values. Additionally, my independent project with Professor [R. Scott] Farrow on two-sided markets helped build the framework for the platform we use at SharpRank.  Dr. [Freeman] Harbowski has been and continues to be one of the most influential leaders I have had the privilege of interacting with. He took the time to meet with me in person multiple times during my time at UMBC and remains a strong support and influencer.    

Q: What’s the toughest lesson you’ve learned along the way as a new entrepreneur? 

A:  Time management and delegation.  Over the past two years I have gotten engaged and married.  Last year, my wife and I bought our first home and this January we are expecting our first child! Academically I completed my MBA at UVA Darden School of Business and professionally, I work with an incredible team in investment banking full time, at Evergreen Advisors Capital.  In the off hours (between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.) we founded SharpRank.  Needless to say, time management is a skill that I have sharpened over the past few years so that I am able to participate in all the activities that I am passionate about.  Additionally, I cannot be good at everything, and that is okay.  Delegation is difficult but necessary when time is the constraint.  At SharpRank we have built a team that allows each of us to focus on our strengths and delegate our weaknesses.  The team is incredibly diverse in background and skill set – ranging from Top Gun instructor to financial planner and everything in between.  Our advisory board consists of 7 team members with experience in legal, start-ups, funding, etc. We lean on them for guidance in areas our team is not as familiar.  What we have found is, time management and delegation are functions of effective communication, efficiency, and trust. 

Q: What advice would you give a current UMBC student interested in starting their own business? 

A:  Just do it! Find a passion and chase it down.  Belief in the mission and passion are critical.  Seventy percent of businesses fail within the first year, but the devil is in the details with statistics and in this case, be the minority.  Be the example for the next generation of entrepreneurs to turn to and when that time comes openly accept that invitation to help.  Harbor an environment of supporters/team members who have aligned values and will ask the tough questions. If it does not work, the photo negative is as important as the end photo; SharpRank is not the first idea my partners and I have attempted.  View challenges as opportunities and do not let perfection get in the way of progress.  Action, action, action. If you are interested in learning more or are interested in joining the team please reach out, info@sharprank.com. We are always looking for talent. 

Header photo courtesy of Adams.

Learn more about other entrepreneurial alumni by using the UMBC Alumni Business Directory.

Read more Career Q&A stories here.