In the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture, a particular exhibit in the back of the gallery draws interest as it transports the viewer into another time and culture. “Theater of Tacit Operations“ by Chinen Aimi Bouillon, a graduate student in the Master of Fine Arts Intermedia and Digital Arts program at UMBC, comments on the imperialistic tendencies that are characteristic of 20th century America.

Bouillon’s installation is tucked away in the back of the gallery in a small cut-off space with two entrances on either side. On the floor of these two entrances is a dotted line with the written words, “Please remove shoes,” followed by three pairs of sandals.

Black and white photographs of Okinawa, belonging to Bouillon’s series titled “Seeing Ryukyu: Collective Unconscious,” are hung on the surrounding walls. In the middle of the room is a table with a map of Okinawa painted on top. Seashells, currency and other various objects lay atop the table. Above the exhibit is a speaker playing a loop of audio broadcasts dating back to after World War II when the United States began occupation in Okinawa.

The set up of the map on the tabletop game-board resembles that of maps used for military planning. By putting the map of Okinawa on a tabletop game, Bouillon comments on how the United States viewed Okinawa as a strategic island base and possession rather than a home of a distinct people.

The announcer featured in the surrounding audio of the exhibit states, “It [Okinawa] is the only possession we hold in Asia” and later, another announcer states, “Okinawa is a vital bastion of the free world.” The broadcast can be interpreted as a form of propaganda: The United States’ justifying their of occupation of Okinawa.

On the website for the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture, the description for Bouillon’s exhibition states, “The installation plays with the assumed hierarchy of knowledge.” If one only heard the audio tape playing, one would only receive the American perspective of Okinawa. As the viewer, one receives both the American perspective from the audio as well as the perspective of the natives of Okinawa. The audio recording speaks of the militaristic benefits that the island provides to the United States, thus portraying an entire region as nothing more than a stepping stone for America into Asia. However, the objects scattered on top of and around the table paint an entirely different picture.

The writing on the floor displaying “Please remove shoes” immerses the viewer into Okinawa household culture by giving them a direct command for how to behave. The exhibit takes on the feeling of a small living room as on either side of the table there are mats and cushions. The photographs of Okinawa, as well as the seashells around the exhibit, immerse the viewer in the landscape of the island.

Bouillon’s exhibition serves as a reminder to always question the information constantly produced by the media. The information on Okinawa American citizens received was filtered by American broadcasters who weaved pro-military sentiments into their reports. To learn about a culture, one must be immersed in that culture. Bouillon immerses the viewer into the lifestyle of Okinawa, thus expanding the viewer’s knowledge from the surface-deep audio reports.

Bouillon’s installation is the perfect combination of art and a valuable lesson in United States history that will be shown from April 9 until April 26.

• Kayla Addai | Biological Sciences 
  Identification And Characterization Of A Bacteriophage That Infects The Species Streptomyces Mirabilis 
  Mentor: Steven Caruso
  UC Ballroom | 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Gabriela Salas | Gender and Women’s Studies 
  The Use And Accessibility Of Contraception For College Aged Female Students At UMBC 
  Mentor(s): Amy Bhatt
  UC 312 | 10 – 10:15 a.m.

• Shadia Musa | American Studies 
  Combating Academic Inequity: A Community Based Approach To Cultivating A Love For STEM Within Students Of Color 
  Mentor(s): Tamara Bhalla
  UC 310 | 2:15 – 2:30 p.m.
• Lydia Coley | American Studies 
  “A Model Negro Village”: How Environmental Racism Affects The Health Of African-Americans In Cherry Hill 
  Mentor(s): Nicole King
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
• Maia Parker | Education 
  Is Baltimore City Meeting The Needs Of Students: The Integration Of Latinx Students Into Baltimore City Schools 
  Mentor(s): Jennifer Mata-McMahon
  UC Ballroom | 1 – 2:30 p.m.

UMBC’s Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards offer the campus community an opportunity to reflect on the essential contributions of university employees to making UMBC a supportive and successful learning community. This year’s ceremony, on April 3, recognized eight members of the UMBC community for their commitment to inclusive excellence.

Passion for pedagogy

Carolyn Forestiere, associate professor and chair of political science, received the Presidential Teaching Professor Award in recognition of her exemplary teaching, mentorship, and pedagogical innovation. She is known for challenging students to develop a deeper understanding of course material and to apply their learning through real-world examples. Her approach to guiding students through the process of writing a research paper, outlined in the 2017 textbook Beginning Research in Political Science, has been adopted across departments.

In accepting her award, Forestiere focused on the importance of educators actively connecting students with the subjects they are teaching by modeling excitement for each topic. “Show genuine enthusiasm in any subject that you teach…The key is to find what you’re passionate about and to try to give that to our students,” she says. “It’s that enthusiasm that engages our students.”

Sarah Leupen, senior lecturer in biological sciences, is the 2019 recipient of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents’ Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. Her creativity and innovation in teaching have extended far beyond her own classroom, inspiring faculty across UMBC and the world.

When she arrived at UMBC, Leupen launched a Biology Teaching Circle as a space for faculty to explore and discuss pedagogy that could be implemented in classrooms across campus. She has also been involved with UMBC’s Faculty Development Center, leading workshops on a range of topics and techniques. In 2016, she received a Fulbright Award to extend her work abroad. She spent the year at Charles University in the Czech Republic, training medical school faculty in the use of evidence-based teaching practices.

In receiving her award, Leupen thanked her students for teaching her something new each day. She also echoed Forestiere’s remarks, sharing that being enthusiastic for her students takes their classroom engagement to the next level.

Innovative research

Govind Rao, professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering and director of the Center for Advanced Sensor Technology, is this year’s Presidential Research Professor. Rao is known for the collaborative nature of his work and for bringing together student and faculty researchers from across disciplines to produce innovative solutions to challenges. 

Rao described the question, “What have you done for others?” as the driving force behind his work. His lab has created low-cost sensors to monitor bioprocesses and provide crucial medical care to people in remote places and in communities with limited resources.

Lorraine Remer, research professor for the Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, received the 2019 UMBC Research Faculty Excellence Award. A leader in the field of remote sensing, Remer has received numerous accolades and awards recognizing her significant contributions to the atmospheric sciences. Recently, she was a named a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and one of the most cited researchers in her field.

Remer came to UMBC seven years ago after 21 years at NASA and a successful career in the private sector. She serves as CEO and owner of Airphoton LLC, a start-up company founded in 2012 at bwtech@UMBC business incubator.

Supporting students and promoting well-being

Liz Steenrod, program management specialist for the Language, Literacy, and Culture doctoral program, was recognized with the Presidential Distinguished Non-Exempt Staff Award. Steenrod has advanced the program throughout the past six years — a time of tremendous growth, with the program expanding to serve more than 75 doctoral students.

Steenrod has implemented new processes and practices that support faculty and students in the program, particularly tools to help graduate students see their progress and stay on track to reach key milestones. In her remarks, Steenrod highlighted how helpful and supportive people at UMBC are and the ways dedicated and hardworking colleagues have inspired her work.

Jessica Hammond-Graf, senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator for student-athlete well-being, received the Jakubik Family Endowment Award. During her more than 15 years of leadership at UMBC, she has led the advising and support of hundreds of student-athletes. Her efforts have significantly reduced the number of student-athletes earning below a 2.0 GPA. Today, more than 50 percent student-athletes earn a 3.0 GPA or higher each semester.

Hammond-Graf also created the Retriever Leadership Institute, which brings student-athletes together to develop and strengthen their leadership skills. Students focus on effective teamwork, managing conflict, and recognizing their roles as leaders at UMBC. Groups across UMBC have modeled other programs on the Retriever Leadership Institute.

In speaking at the awards ceremony, Hammond-Graf shared how the leaving things better than you find them is a value that resonated with her as a child, and that continues to motivate her work through today. “By leaving it better than you found it, you continue to move yourself forward, others, and the organization along a path of growth,” she says.

Shelly Graham, executive administrative assistant for student affairs, received the Karen L. Wensch Endowment Award for Outstanding Non-Exempt Staff. A member of the UMBC community for over 30 years, Graham is often the first person that people connect with when they are reaching out to Student Affairs. She provides training and support for people across campus, and handles delicate and confidential situations with professionalism and compassion.

Valerie Thomas, chief human resources officer and associate vice president for human resources, and a member of the UMBC community for 17 years, received the Presidential Distinguished Staff Award. During her time at UMBC, she has implemented several initiatives to promote the wellbeing of university employees. This includes, among other projects, growing work-life balance initiatives and co-chairing a committee that was responsible for implementing UMBC’s smoke-free campus policy.

President Freeman Hrabowski thanked the honorees by highlighting common themes in their remarks that particularly resonated with him: staff and faculty supporting each other and the passion and excitement that are core to the UMBC community. “We are celebrating…the people who make UMBC such a special community,” he said. “It’s your collective contributions that are the UMBC experience and story. You are what makes UMBC, UMBC.”

Banner image: Govind Rao speaking during the Presidential Faculty and Staff Award event. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

John Martinez

Mentor: Corrie Parks, Visual Arts
Location: Fine Arts Recital Hall | Time: 2:15 – 2:30 p.m.

What You Mean To Me, a 2:15 minute animated short film, is about a hulking, daisy creature that falls in love with a small, daisy flower and his attempt to help it in in order to gain the flower’s love. This piece is a self-portrait, based on my first love. I wanted the style of the film to come off as soft and heartwarming, so I used pastel colors and round shapes to achieve that tone. Animated in Photoshop, I was able to digitally draw everything and puppet the individual parts of the creature and flower so that I could move the parts frame by frame. By composing the music myself, I could match the timing of the visuals to the music, emphasizing the visuals and adding harmony to the whole piece. The decision to not include sound effects was to add more focus on the emotion that the body language of the creature and music create. In the end, the individual pieces of the short film come together to present a relatable, bitter sweet story of love that could not be.

URCAD is April 24th!

The Women's Center will be closing early (at 4:30 pm) on April 18th for Take Back The Night!!! 

If you need to use the lactation room after 4:30 pm, please email Jess Myers at womenscenter@umbc.edu.

Join the Women's Center on Commons Main Street on Thursday, April 18th at 6:15 pm and let's take back the night!!

Events and activities include: 

-Community Resource Fair and Craftivism (including the opportunity to make Clothesline Project t-shirts, lavender sachets, and Dear Survivor letters) and We Believe You discussion group hosted in the Women's Center post-march. 

There is limited seating for the speak-out. We recommend you arrive early. As seating fill up, we encourage you to make your way up to the balcony area on the 2nd floor of The Commons.

Stay tuned by liking the Women's Center on Facebook and following us on Instagram and Twitter. #UMBCtbtn is the official hashtag, so follow us there, too! You can see pictures from past years Take Back the Night on our blog.

For more information about UMBC's Take Back the Night, you can visit our What You Need to Know about TBTN blog series. Posts include more information about the survivor speak-out, the march, Greek Week involvement, and the post-march craftivism. More posts will be shared and/or updated leading up to 2019's event.  

Want learn more about what Take Back The Night is? Visit www.takebackthenight.org for more information.