PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation is pleased to invite you to attend and participate in the 2015 University System of Maryland PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium and Professional Development Conference. This conference replaces the former PROMISE Research Symposium, and adds a professional development component that will prepare graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for faculty positions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM, which includes social sciences) disciplines. This conference seeks to provide a venue that will allow students to present their work at any stage, receive feedback in preparation for presenting at larger venues, and provide training that will prepare participants for faculty careers.

This page will serve as the official webpage for the event. Please stay tuned for updates.

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• Date: Friday, February 13, 2015
• Time: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Location: Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center, http://www.riggs.umd.edu/
  • University of Maryland College Park
  • Directions and Parking: http://www.riggs.umd.edu/map.html
• Registration: Free (includes meals)
• Attire: Business Casual

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This conference will feature STEM-based oral presentations, posters, and professional development seminars. Participants are invited to submit abstracts to participate in three oral categories, and one poster category.

Oral Category 1: Traditional Research Presentations

[7 minutes presentation, 3 minutes critique, 2 minutes of questions, traditional PowerPoint presentation]

Oral Category 2: TED-Styled Talks

[5 minute talks + 5 minutes for critique/questions, PowerPoint presentation with images only – no text]

Oral Category 3: Lightening Round Talks

[2 minute talks with timer on the screen, no PowerPoints, no critique.]

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AGENDA

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM – Arrive, Breakfast Refreshments, Registration, Poster Set-Up

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Opening Remarks and Traditional Research Presentations

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM Networking Break

10:45 AM – 11:15 AM “TED-Styled” Talks

11:15 AM – 12:00 Noon – Lightening Round Talks

12:00 PM – Buffet Lunch Mentoring Discussions 

1:00 PM – Poster Session and Dessert Reception

2:00 PM  – Professional Development Workshop

4:00 PM – Closing Reception & Awards Ceremony

________________________________________________

Registration includes all program components and meals.

Click below; registration is free.

________________________________________________

Call for Presentations

If you are interested in presenting, please follow the schedule below:

December 31, 2014: “Letter of Intent” to present. This very short email should include  name, school, department, choice of oral category (1, 2, 3) or poster, and potential title of your presentation. Email to promisestaff@gmail.com with the title, “2015 PROMISE Research Symposium – Intent to Present.”

“TED-Styled” and “Lightening Round” titles must be tailored to appeal to a general audience.

January 23, 2015,  Deadline for “Intent to Present” emails for Lightening Round and Poster Presentations only.  Everyone who expressed an “Intent to Present” as of Dec. 31, 2014, will be in line for the presentation style of their choice. Those who did not specify a category will be given a space for a poster. All of the slots in the “Traditional Presentation” Category #1, and the “TED-Styled Talk” Category #2, are taken, and we will not accept any more requests for those categories. We have some slots remaining in the “Lightening Round” Category #3, and we have slots remaining for posters.

January 31, 2015:Abstracts and the information below are required for all presentations types. Email all materials from all four categories below to promisestaff@gmail.com, with the subject: “2015 PROMISE Research Symposium Presenter Information.”

1. Formal Abstract (250 words or less).Biographical Sketch (250 words or less)
   • Font: 12 Point, Times New Roman
   • Heading, Left-justified:
     • Title (Bold)
     • Name (Italicized)
     • Department (No abbreviations)
     • University (No abbreviations)
2. General Summary of Graduate Research (250 words or less)
3. High Quality Photograph
4. Numbered List of up to 5 publications and or/presentations. Please give precedence to publications and conference proceedings as applicable.

All presenters must register. Click and register by clicking the orange button below.

________________________________________________

PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation is pleased to invite you to attend and participate in the 2015 University System of Maryland PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium and Professional Development Conference. This conference replaces the former PROMISE Research Symposium, and adds a professional development component that will prepare graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for faculty positions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM, which includes social sciences) disciplines. This conference seeks to provide a venue that will allow students to present their work at any stage, receive feedback in preparation for presenting at larger venues, and provide training that will prepare participants for faculty careers.

This page will serve as the official webpage for the event. Please stay tuned for updates.

________________________________________________

• Date: Friday, February 13, 2015
• Time: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Location: Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center, http://www.riggs.umd.edu/
  • University of Maryland College Park
  • Directions and Parking
  • Additional Driving Directions to College Park
  • Registration: Free (includes meals)
• Attire: Business Casual

________________________

________________________

This conference will feature STEM-based oral presentations, posters, and professional development seminars. Participants are invited to submit abstracts to participate in three oral categories, and one poster category.

Oral Category 1: Traditional Research Presentations

[7 minutes presentation, 3 minutes critique, 2 minutes of questions, traditional PowerPoint presentation]

Oral Category 2: TED-Styled Talks

[5 minute talks + 5 minutes for critique/questions, PowerPoint presentation with images only – no text]

Oral Category 3: Lightning Round Talks

[2 minute talks with timer on the screen, no PowerPoints, no critique.]

________________________________________________

 

AGENDA

 

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM – Arrival, Breakfast Refreshments, Registration, Poster Set-Up

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Opening Remarks and Traditional Oral Research Presentations

Welcome: Dr. Evelyn Canabal-Torres, PROMISE Coordinator – UMCP, and Senior Lecturer in the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Dr. Renetta Tull, UMBC Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Student Development and Postdoctoral Affairs, and PROMISE AGEP Director for the University System of Maryland

Moderator: Erika Aparakakankanange, Ph.D. Student, Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, College of Education, University of Maryland College Park. Ms. Aparakakakanange formerly served as Assistant Director of Graduate Studies, for the University of Maryland College Park’s  Department of Aerospace Engineering. She began research on the AGEP program as master’s student at College Park, and is a co-author on the paper: An AGEP Program Analysis: Minority Graduate Student Diversity in STEM Disciplines at Three Universities (Aparakakankanange & Tull, 2014).

Presenters:

• Cheryl Camillio, UMBC, Public Policy
• Arnetta Fletcher, UMCP, Nutrition and Food Science
• Kayla Lemons, UMBC, Biological Sciences
• Marisa Franco, UMCP, Psychology
• Rachel Grice, UMBC, Information Systems
• Saadi Habib, UMBC, Mechanical Engineering
• JaWanna Henry, UMB, Epidemiology and Public Health
• Isaac Mativo, UMBC, Computer Science

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM Networking Break

10:45 AM – 11:15 AM “TED-Styled” Talks

Co-moderators: Berthel Tate, Ph.D. Student, Department of Computer Science, Bowie State University, and Jaye Clark-Nias, Ph.D. Student, Department of Computer Science, Bowie State University

Presenters:

• Viviana Monje-Galvan, UMCP, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• L. Latéy Bradford, UMB, Microbiology & Immunology
• Kristen Lycett, UMES, Natural Sciences

11:15 AM – 12:00 Noon – Lightning Round Talks

Moderator: Dr. Annica Wayman, Program Manager, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Dr. Annica Wayman is the Research Partnerships for Development Team Lead in the U.S. Global Development Lab at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The team is responsible for the Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) program and other activities which catalyze and leverage collaborative research that addresses global development challenges. Dr. Wayman holds a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), as well as MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology where her doctoral work focused on selectin-mediated adhesion of leukocytes to vascular surfaces.(Ref: http://www.asmeconferences.org/Congress2014/ForumBios.cfm)

Presenters:

• Adegboyega Akinsiku, UMBC, Human-Centered Computing
• Kailyn Cage, UMCP, Mechanical Engineering
• DeLauren McCauley, UMBC, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• William Rivera, UMBC, Mechanical Engineering
• Christa Rogers, UMCP, Reliability Engineering

12:00 PM – Buffet Lunch Mentoring Discussions with members of the PROMISE AGEP-T Board of Advisors

Welcome: Dr. Charles Caramello, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School, University of Maryland, College Park

Greetings:

Dr. Nancy Shapiro, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, The University System of Maryland (USM).

Nancy S. Shapiro is Associate Vice Chancellor for Education and Outreach and Special Assistant to the Chancellor for P-20 Education at the University System of Maryland. As the principal investigator on major federal grants totaling over $30 million dollars from and the National Science Foundation (MSP) and the U.S. Department of Education (TQE), she has worked to build sustainable partnerships between colleges, universities and public schools which support high quality professional development in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) content areas and prepare future teachers for urban schools. She leads the University System of Maryland’s STEM Initiative focused on increasing the number of STEM teachers produced by the public higher education institutions in Maryland.  She led a System-wide initiative on Academic Transformation and Course Redesign, with special emphasis on redesigning STEM courses for undergraduate general education.  Before coming to the University System Office, Dr. Shapiro served as the Founding Executive Director of the College Park Scholars program, and directed the writing programs at the University of Maryland, College Park. She has authored numerous books and articles on creating and sustaining learning communities and has served as an external evaluator and consultant on projects related to STEM teaching and learning, academic transformation, and College Board Affinity Network investment in college access and success.

1:00 – 1:30  PM – Poster Session and Dessert Reception

• Abudullah Ali, UMBC, Information Systems
• Tim Brown, UMBC, Mathematics and Statistics
• Marwa El-Sayed, UMBC, Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
• Shadaesha Green, UMCP, Marine Estuarine Environmental Science
• David Harris, UMBC, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
• Alex Holness, UMCP, Mechanical Engineering
• Christopher Mullen, UMBC, Mechanical Engineering
• Mitchel Zavala, UMBC, Mechanical Engineering

1:30 – 3:30 PM  – Professional Development Workshop

Part I: Special Guest Panel with members of the PROMISE AGEP-T Board of Advisors

Theme: Pathways to the Professoriate and Metrics for Success

Moderator: Dr. Renetta Tull

Speakers: 

PROMISE Advisory Board Members. L-R: Dr. H. Frierson, Dr. L. Martin-Vega, Dr. B. Wayman, Dr. P. Ordóñez, Dr. S. Westmoreland, Dr. S. Williams. Not pictured: N. Wells, D. Chubin, S. Nathan-Pulliam

• Dr. Henry Frierson (Assoc. VP, Dean of the University of Florida Graduate School, Leader in Culturally-responsive evaluation)
• Dr. Louis Martin-Vega (Dean of Engineering, North Carolina State University, has worked with faculty on STEM diversity issues)
• Dr. Brian Wayman (Lead Program Integrator at GE Healthcare, alumnus of UMBC Meyerhoff Program and Georgia Tech AGEP)
• Dr. Patricia Ordóñez, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras (Former PROMISE AGEP Peer Mentor, NSF Graduate Research Fellow – GRFP)
• Dr. Sophoria Westmoreland, Former Assistant Research Professor at United States Naval Academy (Former PROMISE AGEP Peer Mentor – UM College Park, Former National Society of Black Engineers National Graduate Student of the Year)
• Dr. Stacey N. Williams, Assistant Professor – Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Notre Dame of Maryland University (Former PROMISE AGEP Peer Mentor – UM Baltimore)
• Nan Wells (Higher Education Consultant to Universities, Colleges, and Corporations; Retired, Princeton University, Director of Governmental Relations and Head of Princeton’s Washington Office)

Part II: Round Tables with Faculty and Postdoctoral Fellows 

Theme: Preparing for Academic Success

Moderators: Dr. Nandadevi Cortes-Rodriguez, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (PhD Institution: UMBC), and Dr. Alexis Williams, UMCP Teaching and Learning Transformation Center (PhD Institution: UMCP)

Table Topics with Guest Speakers:

L-R: Dr. S. Bediako, Dr. A. Marshall, Dr. C. Romero-Talamas, Dr. Q. Brown, Dr. K. Jackson, Dr. A. Chen

• “Getting Funding for Your Research” – Dr. Shawn Bediako, UMBC, Psychology
• “Teach at a Community College” – Dr. Alycia Marshall, Anne Arundel Community College, Mathematics (tenured professor & Mathematics department chair (AACC) – PROMISE: Full Circle. UMCP PROMISE Alumna, Dr. Alycia Marshall, now has her own NSF grant ($598,000) for the Engineering Scholars Program at Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland.  In February 2013, Dr. Marshall won a Verizon Community Innovator Award for her work with the ESP program.)
• “Experience as a Professor” – Dr. Carlos A. Romero-Talamas, UMBC, Mechanical Engineering
• “How Faculty Positions Can Lead to Opportunities” – Dr. Quincy Brown, Bowie State University, Computer Science (AAAS Policy Fellow at the National Science Foundation) and Dr. Clare Muhoro, Towson University, Chemistry (AAAS Policy Fellow at the U.S. Agency for International Development)
• “Faculty Opportunities at Morgan State University” – Dr. Keith Jackson, Professor of Physics (former president of the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP)), Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Morgan State University, and James H. Haynes, Coordinator of Title III Programs
• “Preparing for Faculty Positions” – Dr. Alex Chen, UMCP, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• “Preparing for Postdoctoral Positions”
  • Dr. Taeyjuana Curry, UMBC, Chemistry (PhD Institution: University of Michigan)
  • Dr. Aqueasha Martin Hammond, UMBC, Human-Centered Computing (PhD Institution: Clemson)
  • Dr. Evelyn Thomas, UMBC, Mathematics (PhD Institution: Howard)
  • Dr. Obioma Ohia, UMCP, Physics (PhD Institution: MIT)
  • Dr. TaShara Bailey, UMBC, Psychology (PhD Institution: University of Michigan)

3:30 – 4:00 PM – Closing Reception & Awards Ceremony

________________________________________________

Registration includes all program components and meals.

Click below; registration is free.

________________________________________________

Call for Presentations

If you are interested in presenting, please follow the schedule below:

December 31, 2014: “Letter of Intent” to present. This very short email should include  name, school, department, choice of oral category (1, 2, 3) or poster, and potential title of your presentation. Email to promisestaff@gmail.com with the title, “2015 PROMISE Research Symposium – Intent to Present.”

“TED-Styled” and “Lightning Round” titles must be tailored to appeal to a general audience.

January 23, 2015,  Deadline for “Intent to Present” emails for Lightening Round and Poster Presentations only.  Everyone who expressed an “Intent to Present” as of Dec. 31, 2014, will be in line for the presentation style of their choice. Those who did not specify a category will be given a space for a poster. All of the slots in the “Traditional Presentation” Category #1, and the “TED-Styled Talk” Category #2, are taken, and we will not accept any more requests for those categories. We have some slots remaining in the “Lightning Round” Category #3, and we have slots remaining for posters.

January 31, 2015:Abstracts and the information below are required for all presentations types. Email all materials from all four categories below to promisestaff@gmail.com, with the subject: “2015 PROMISE Research Symposium Presenter Information.”

1. Formal Abstract (250 words or less).Biographical Sketch (250 words or less)
   • Font: 12 Point, Times New Roman
   • Heading, Left-justified:
     • Title (Bold)
     • Name (Italicized)
     • Department (No abbreviations)
     • University (No abbreviations)
2. General Summary of Graduate Research (250 words or less)
3. High Quality Photograph
4. Numbered List of up to 5 publications and or/presentations. Please give precedence to publications and conference proceedings as applicable.

All presenters must register. Click and register by clicking the orange button below.

________________________________________________

Baltimore Choral Arts Society Special Event/Marketing Intern Position

Objective

A valuable work and learning experience for the intern and a productive contribution to Baltimore Choral Arts.

Every so often, we’ll chat with an alum about what they do and how they got there. Today we’re talking with author Adam Kurtz ‘09, Visual Arts,  about his career and new book, 1 Page At A Time.

Name: Adam Kurtz
Job Title: Studio Designer for Ad Agency
Grad year & Major: 2009, Visual Arts (Graphic Design) with a minor in art history and certificate in media & communications

Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself and your background with graphic design?

I’m originally from Toronto and moved to D.C. with my family in my teens. I came to Baltimore to attend UMBC and stayed for a few years before moving to Brooklyn. As a teen, I would build websites, teaching myself code and design as I went. It wasn’t always pretty! It was my way to connect online, create something entirely myself, and communicate my passions. I knew that was what I wanted to study, and have worked in related industries since graduation: at a film production studio, an internet marketing firm, and now, a big-name ad agency in Manhattan.

Q: What drew you to UMBC for your studies?

UMBC was recommended as a state school that had a true graphic design program. Truthfully, I was new to Maryland and didn’t do very much research. I wish I could say I came to UMBC because of its great X or amazing Y, but the truth is I came in blind. I am so lucky and grateful that UMBC turned out to be as amazing for me as it was. I could not have anticipated any of that. UMBC gave me a solid education and myriad experiences on campus, from student events and life to on-campus jobs that taught me real-world skills.

Q: Were there any particular influences in your life that contributed to your blog and book?

Everything I make is influenced by life. These are not great literary works. I’m not doing anything particularly unique. I’m complaining and oversharing just like everyone else online. The difference is that I make something out of it. I put feelings into words and words onto objects and then I hold them and never let them go. The book is a hybrid activity book, workbook, journal, and more. It’s sort of my process, the introspection, the collecting, the preserving memories and feelings for later. It’s also about fighting the overwhelming nature of the internet. Slowing down, pacing yourself, counting your way through a year, and exploring creativity every single day, so that you can “make” it through.

Q: Can you recall any UMBC professors who inspired you?

I had a lot of great professors, but I think the single most inspiring teacher I had was Laura Schraven, a coordinator in The Commons who I worked with at commonvision, the campus design and print center. I worked on projects for student groups, learned about production as well as communicating abstract ideas and concepts with people who aren’t as “design-minded.” As a mentor, Laura gave her all, far beyond basic design instruction. My book is loosely based on a calendar series that I self-publish annually, the first of which was printed and bound there. I think I honestly didn’t understand that I can literally make anything I need with the tools at hand before that experience. It was a very empowering thing to realize. When I visit campus as an alumni I always try to visit… commonvision gave me a whole lot.

Of course the Visual Arts department is wonderful as well. I loved design classes with Peggy Re, was lucky enough to have artist Laure Drogoul as a professor when she taught a few courses, and I think Sandra Abbott at the CADVC is a wonderful human being. And Jason Loviglio in the Media Studies department, who is very smart and awesome (you can quote me).

Q: You have created a strong fan base for your online blog. Can you explain the purpose of it and how it got started?

There is absolutely no purpose. My blog is entirely personal and I simply post visual scraps I make and things I like. I refer to it as my “scrapbook, soapbox, diary, and jukebox,” because that’s really all it is. It surprises me how much people like what I do, and I never expected that. It was just a way to share and it grew slowly into whatever it is today.

Q: How did you get the idea of creating the “daily creative companion” book, 1 Page At A Time?

An editor from Penguin reached out and basically said “what if you do the things you are already doing with your ‘Unsolicited Advice’ calendars, but make them a book?” and I said “okay yeah that sounds cool.” Essentially. I never sought out to make a book.

a. Why do you think it’s important for creative people to seek out constant inspiration in their daily lives?

I don’t know if I would make that statement. I think creative people already find inspiration in everything. But I also don’t like the distinction of “creative people.” That is limiting. My book is not for “creatives.” My book is for human beings, for anyone with a pulse. We’re all creative in some way, that’s maybe what makes us human at all. It’s not quite for children, it’s not quite for teens. It’s just exploring yourself and your own little world. Writing and drawing however you can. Taping scraps of things to pages, sharing content online with others who have the book using the provided hashtags…. This isn’t so much about being inspired as much as realizing that if you just do one thing every single day, it will grow from nothing into SOMETHING. I guess you could say that’s a lesson I learned myself, as I was posting scraps and watching them build, not realizing what I was making.

Q: What exactly does this book entail and what do you hope it accomplishes?

The book is a daily exercise, a quiet moment for yourself, and a diary that kicks your ass a little bit. I’m not a bully necessarily, but I do encourage you… strongly. “Drink water,” “take a nap,” “go back and do that page you skipped.” I think this could be really great for anyone who needs a little help moving along, someone who has maybe abandoned journals in the past. This is a fun, weird, silly book, but it’s not a coincidence that the title sounds a little bit like a recovery slogan. All of us internet-age cellphone brains need to chill out.

Q: What does your future look like with your website? Do you plan on writing more books?

I am still actually coming to terms with the fact that I am a published author, in multiple languages (with more on the way). It feels crazy. I really did not dream of being an author, though to others, a book seems like an obvious progression of what I’ve been doing online. I have a full-time job, and this isn’t it. I am just happy to keep making nice things, and it’s exciting that people have noticed. I’m working on a product collaboration for a pretty major brand due out next year, plus plenty more self-released items. A Kickstarter campaign for my 2015 weekly planner, which I enjoy handling personally as a year-end tradition. I’m just going to keep creating tangible feelings in my own little ways, turning pages until there aren’t any left.

 Visit Adam’s website.

To UMBC Students, Faculty and Staff,

As the semester and year come to a close, we wanted to share highlights from the most recent DoIT News Update. First, as previously announced, UMBC Blackboard will now be hosted by Blackboard itself:

• The ONLY thing that will change is where current UMBC Bb links in and outside of myUMBC are pointing: To Blackboard's Managed Hosting (MH) site instead of one provided by DoIT.
• In fact, faculty can now access the new Managed Hosting (MH) Bb site by logging into my.umbc.edu/go/bbnew to prepare for Winter and Spring courses. | More Info

NOTE: This link will be active through 12/28/14. On 12/29, the myUMBC Bb icon/link and blackboard.umbc.edu will be used to access our new Blackboard system.