All,

The Millipore unit on the 4th floor is currently inoperable. It requires a new computer board, UV bulb, cartridges and .22 micron filter. I am waiting on a quote to have the work done. 

Luckily, the Millipore unit on the 3rd floor is currently working after a painfully complicated process where we learned that a different computer board and UV lamp was required along with software updates for the board to get it operational.

There is also a hydro polishing unit in room 221C available which is not as sleek as the millipore units but has by far a greater capacity for producing 18 Meg-Ohm water. 

Thank you all for your patience as millipore worked through the "upgrade". 

The USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to announce a call for applications for the Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellows program. This initiative will support up to 12 USM faculty members in engaging in digital accessibility-related course redesign to reduce barriers and support access for all students, including students with disabilities. Each selected faculty member will receive a $1,500 stipend and participate in a collaborative professional development program, culminating in a redesigned course for Spring 2027. 

Program Goals

This program aims to:

1. Promote inclusive teaching practices by equipping faculty with tools, strategies, and frameworks grounded in accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
2. Support the redesign of existing courses to reduce digital barriers for students with disabilities and increase access for all learners.
3. Build a faculty-led culture of access and accountability across the USM through shared learning, peer exchange, and cross-campus collaboration.
4. Establish models of accessible course design that can be shared, celebrated, and potentially scaled across departments, disciplines, and institutions. 

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Updated: USM faculty of any rank whose primary role on their campus is faculty. 

• Available to participate fully in all synchronous and asynchronous program components. 

• Applicants should propose a course they are scheduled or likely to teach in Spring 2027. 

Applicants should submit all required materials by Friday, September 11, 2026.  

NOTE: All institutional and faculty grants awarded to UMBC must be routed to the Office of Sponsored Programs prior to submission. Contact your unit's business manager or proposal development staff to discuss your application. CAHSS faculty can request assistance from CARAT (Creative Achievement and Research Administration Team).   

Timeline 

• August 1, 2026 – Call for applications opens 

• September 11, 2026 – Application deadline 

• September 17, 2026 – Notification of selected fellows 

• October 1, 2026–December 10, 2026 – Program participation 

• January 15, 2027 –Virtual Launch of Participants’ Projects 

Download a Word doc of this announcement. For more information, please contact Dr. Jennifer Potter, Associate Director, Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, at jpotter@usmd.edu. 

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As summer begins to wind down, we are excited to prepare for one of the most meaningful times of the year: the return of our students to campus!

Faculty and staff are invited to help support Welcome, Retrievers, UMBC’s campus-wide initiative to create a welcoming and memorable start to the academic year, through event support roles taking place before the start of the fall semester.  We especially encourage members of our community to consider supporting Convocation as part of this year’s Welcome, Retrievers experience.

Explore available opportunities and sign up by August 14.

From Convocation and move-in to new student programs and weeks of welcome activities, these events help students build connections, navigate campus, and feel that they truly belong from the moment they arrive.

Whether you have been part of Welcome, Retrievers for years or are considering getting involved for the first time, we invite you to join us in welcoming our Retrievers home.

Support opportunities include:

• Helping welcome the incoming class at Sunday’s Convocation

• Welcoming students and families during residential move-in

• Assisting with programs and events

• Helping students navigate campus and connect with resources

• Creating a positive first impression through friendly conversations and encouragement

The registration form includes details about each opportunity, including dates, times, responsibilities, short training requirements, and remaining openings.

We hope you will find an opportunity, or several, that fits your schedule and allows you to be part of this exciting campus tradition. Even a few hours of your time can have a lasting impact on a student’s transition to UMBC.

For questions, please contact welcomeretrievers@umbc.edu.Thank you for helping us create an inclusive, welcoming, and memorable start to the semester. We look forward to welcoming our Retrievers home, together!

Warm regards,

New Student Experience Engagement Subcommittee

MCS / MLL 495  Video Ethnography

MLL 695 Intercultural Video Production FA26

Mondays 4:00pm - 6:30pm

This hands-on course explores how documentary video can be used to understand and represent the social world. Working in collaboration with community members, students produce short documentaries that amplify local voices, experiences, and histories.
The course emphasizes participatory and reflexive documentary practices, treating video as both a creative medium and a qualitative research tool. Students gain practical experience in every stage of production, including camera operation, lighting, location sound, interviewing, editing, and post-production.

Capstone Option for MCS Majors

MCS majors who have completed MCS 399 and have prior production experience may be eligible to take this course in place of MCS 499, allowing them to complete a production-based capstone project as part of their coursework.

Public Humanities Minor

For students pursuing the Public Humanities Minor, this course fulfills one of the two required elective courses.

MCS / MLL 495  Video Ethnography

MLL 695 Intercultural Video Production FA26

Mondays 4:00pm - 6:30pm

This hands-on course explores how documentary video can be used to understand and represent the social world. Working in collaboration with community members, students produce short documentaries that amplify local voices, experiences, and histories.
The course emphasizes participatory and reflexive documentary practices, treating video as both a creative medium and a qualitative research tool. Students gain practical experience in every stage of production, including camera operation, lighting, location sound, interviewing, editing, and post-production.

Capstone Option for MCS Majors

MCS majors who have completed MCS 399 and have prior production experience may be eligible to take this course in place of MCS 499, allowing them to complete a production-based capstone project as part of their coursework.

Public Humanities Minor

For students pursuing the Public Humanities Minor, this course fulfills one of the two required elective courses.

The Wi-Fi Issue

Affected Service: eduroam Wireless Network

Time of Status Update: Beginning Thursday 7/30

Due to a recent update from an external security provider, some laptops and mobile devices may show an "authentication failure" message when trying to connect to the eduroam Wi-Fi network. 

Don’t worry, the eduroam network itself is working fine! Affected devices just need a quick profile update to reconnect securely.

How to Fix It in 2 Easy Steps

If your device is getting an authentication error, follow these steps to restore your connection: 

1. Forget the Network: Go to your device’s Wi-Fi settings and select “Forget” or “Remove” the eduroam network.

2. Reconfigure: Access the eduroam setup tool available via the Eduroam FAQs to reestablish a secure network connection to all of your devices (macOS, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android, Chromebook, and Linux). 

Need Help?

If you need assistance, please contact the Technology Support Center at UMBC Help or  410-455-3838.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Hi everyone,

DoIT staff are aware of an issue regarding SLURM job scheduling on the chip cluster, where jobs are indefinitely stuck in the pending state with a reason of “(None)”. This boiled down to the SLURM scheduler being overwhelmed with over 9000 concurrent job submissions this weekend.

As a temporary work around, we have intervened to get all submitted jobs scheduled. We will be monitoring the queue to ensure future job submissions run smoothly. Finally, we are developing a more permanent fix to increase the job-handling capacity of SLURM, and to make it more resilient when handling many jobs.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this issue. To be clear, no jobs were lost as a result of the underlying issue or our intervention. However, some users may see that their jobs are in an “administratively held” state as we wrap up our intervention.

As always, please submit a descriptive support ticket via the link below if you have any questions or notice other issues: https://rtforms.umbc.edu/rt_authenticated/doit/DoIT-support.php?auto=Research%20Computing 

Gregory Ballantine
HPC System Administrator

See also: Over 9000 in “popular” media (YouTube)

The State Wellness Program aims to motivate, inspire, and educate employees through monthly wellness webinars (live and on-demand), healthy challenges, guided meditations, wellness coaching, and much more. 

August offers fresh opportunities to deepen healthy habits! The Wellness Program will continue to support your family's Thrive journey each month with motivating webinars, seasonal challenges, and monthly resources designed to help you stay energized, informed, and thriving as the year unfolds.

Health and Wellness Coach Available at No cost!

Reach your health goals faster! Your personal health coach will partner with you and motivate you to reach your fitness, nutrition, sleep and stress management goals.

View Wellness Coach Resources by Medical Plan below: 

CareFirst Personal Health Coaching

United Healthcare Wellos Program 

Kaiser Permanente Wellness Coaching Program

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

MetLife Webinar

Tuesday, August 11, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Smart Money Moves - 10 Tips to Financial Success

Learn ten key financial and retirement planning tips that will help set you up for financial success now and in your future. From making the most of your State benefits, to weighing risk and reward with your investments and having the right asset allocation, this workshop offers real time insights.

Register for 8/11 Smart Money Moves - 10 Tips for Financial Success

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Mindful Mondays: Summer Serenity Series

Monday, August 10, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: The Power of Social Support

Strong relationships are essential to good health. Explore how social support boosts emotional well-being, reduces stress, and helps you and your family navigate life's ups and downs with greater confidence and resilience.

Register for 8/10 The Power of Social Support

Monday, August 17, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: The Power of Resilience

Resilience helps you and your family navigate life's unexpected moments. Learn practical tools to strengthen emotional well-being, adapt to change, and foster resilience that supports you and your loved ones.

Register for 8/17 The Power of Resilience

Monday, August 24, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: The Power of Talk Therapy

Discover how talk therapy can help you and your family manage stress, navigate life's challenges, strengthen relationships, and support emotional well-being.

Register for 8/24 The Power of Talk Therapy

Monday, August 31, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: The Power of Taking Time for Yourself

Discover why making time to recharge supports your mental, emotional, and physical well-being and helps your whole family thrive.

Register for 8/31 The Power of Taking Time for Yourself

Tasty Tuesdays with Chef Sandra

Tuesday, August 4, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Succotash

Maryland sweet corn and fresh lima beans are in season through mid-September. Because their peak harvest periods align so perfectly, they are a classic combo, delivering fresh flavor, satisfying texture, and timeless summer appeal!

Register for 8/4 Succotash

Tuesday, August 18, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Watermelon and Feta Salad

Juicy watermelon, crumbly feta, fresh herbs, and a lively dressing create the perfect balance of sweet, salty, tangy, and refreshing flavors. Think of this as summer on a plate!

Register for 8/18 Watermelon and Feta Salad

Tuesday, August 25, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Caprese-Style Sheet Pan Chicken

With school starting soon, it's time to consider simple and satisfying family meals like this dish. Juicy chicken roasted with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, then garnished with balsamic, is a colorful sheet pan meal that feels fresh and flavorful any night of the week!

Register for 8/25 Caprese-Style Sheet Pan Chicken

Healthy U Wednesdays 

Wednesday, August 5, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: From Hustle to Harmony

Life can sometimes feel like a race to get everything done, but slowing down and finding balance benefits you and your whole family. Learn how to manage life's demands, reduce stress, and create space for meaningful moments that support lasting health and well-being.

Register for 8/5 From Hustle to Harmony

Wednesday, August 12, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Positive Relationships and Your  Health

Discover how positive connections can reduce stress, boost emotional well-being, and strengthen the bonds that help individuals and families thrive.

Register for 8/12 Building Positive Relationships and the Effect on Health

Wednesday, August 19, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Teen Talk: Connecting with Your Teen

The teen years can be challenging for parents and teens alike. Discover effective ways to improve communication, navigate conflict, and build lasting trust and understanding with your teens.

Register for 8/19 Teen Talk - Building a Positive Relationship with Your Teen

Wednesday, August 26, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Caring for an Aging Loved One

Caring for an aging loved one can be both rewarding and challenging. Discover practical strategies to navigate caregiving with confidence while supporting your well-being and the health of your family.

Register for 8/26 Caring for an Aging Loved One

Thrive Thursdays

Thursday, August 6, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Seated Pilates

Experience the power of Pilates! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, this class welcomes all fitness levels. Get ready to feel empowered, refreshed, and stronger - like a core work-out meets a mini retreat just for you!

Register for 8/6 Seated Pilates

Thursday, August 13, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Family Health

Healthy families build healthy futures. Learn practical ways to support the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of every family member through healthy habits and meaningful connections.

Register for 8/13 Family Health

Thursday, August 20, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Seated Chair Yoga

Practice restorative chair yoga right at your workspace as you stretch and lengthen your spine, increase blood flow, and release muscle tension. It's the perfect mid-day mini-retreat!

Register for 8/20 Seated Chair Yoga

Thursday, August 27, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Preparing Healthy Meals

It's been said that a healthy home often starts in the kitchen. Learn simple meal-preparation strategies that help you create nourishing meals.

Register for 8/27 Preparing Healthy Meals

Friday Guided Meditations

Friday, August 7, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Breathe Away Anxious Thoughts

Take a mindful pause! Learn how the power of your breath can help quiet anxious thoughts, ease tension, and restore a sense of calm and balance in this guided meditation.

Register for 8/7 Breathe Away Anxious Thoughts

Friday, August 14, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Giving Gladness to Your Thinking Mind

Give your mind a moment of renewal. This guided meditation that invites you to slow down, welcome positive thoughts, and create space for greater joy, gratitude, and emotional well-being.

Register for 8/14 Giving Gladness to Your Thinking Mind

Friday, August 21, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Focusing on the Positive Moments

Your mind naturally clings to unpleasant experiences to protect you from danger, but by actively seeking out moments of joy, you encourage the brain to shift that bias. As the saying goes, what you put your attention on grows!

Register for 8/21 Focusing on the Positive Moments

Friday, August 28, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Bring in the Positive

Create space for positivity and renewal as you shift your focus, release stress, and welcome more gratitude, calm, and optimism into your day.

Register 8/28 Bring in the Positive

Tips for a Healthier You

Friday, August 7, 11:30 am - 11:45 am: Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity often leads to risks for poor health outcomes in adulthood. Learn how establishing healthy lifestyle choices in childhood improves future health as adults.

Register for 8/7 Childhood Obesity

Friday, August 21, 11:30 am - 11:45 am: Everyday Time Management

Life is busy! By assessing your time management skills and setting your priorities, you can manage time to benefit you and your family's schedules.

Register for 8/21 Everyday Time Management

Friday, August 28, 11:30 am - 11:45 am: Adolescent Mental Health

Learn the unique states of adolescent mental health and how to support adolescents during the transition to young adulthood.

Register for 8/28 Adolescent Mental Health

Join us for a night of family fun as we come together to build relationships between community members and law enforcement officers. We'll enjoy food, music, and family-friendly safety events; including a helicopter landing! This event will take place August 4th, 2026 from 6pm - 8:30pm at the UMBC Stadium Arena Lot. Parking is available in Lot 23 & 24. 

Get ready to lock in and boost your research and writing skills! Join us during any of the following library workshops that are scheduled throughout the semester. From citation management and grad student resources, to tips on how to give your academic research poster the ultimate glow up, you’ll find the tools you need to succeed and ace your semester! 

Follow us on the AOK Library's myUMBC page for updates on registering and more info on our events!  

• Monday, August 31, 12pm–1pm: Library Services for Graduate Student Success

• Wednesday, September 2, 12pm–1pm: Navigating the UMBC Library: Resources and Support for International Students

• Tuesday, September 15, 4pm–5pm: How to Prepare a Social Science/Humanities Literature Review 

• Monday, September 21, 12pm–1pm: How to Write a STEM Literature Review (Introduction) 

• Tuesday, September 22, 4pm–5pm: Skills for Graduate Students: Technical Writing

• Monday, September 28, 12pm–1pm: Using Citation Management Tools for Your Research and Writing

• Monday, October 5, 12pm–1pm: Creating an Academic Research Poster Using Canva

• Thursday, October 8, 12pm–1pm: How to Write a STEM Literature Review (Advanced)

• Monday, October 19, 4pm–5pm: Navigating the Use of AI Tools in the Research Process

• Monday, October 21, 12pm–1pm: Skills for Graduate Students: Advanced Research Strategies

• Monday, October 26, 12pm–1pm: Creating an Academic Research Poster Using Google Slides

• Tuesday, November 10, 4pm–5pm: Skills for Graduate Students: Managing and Organizing Your Research 

These workshops are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University’s nondiscrimination policy.