Dr. Kyla McMullen (M13), '05, computer science, will deliver a keynote speech on April 6, 2013 at the Michigan AGEP Scholars Seminar (MASS) 2013 Research Symposium.
Dr. McMullen became the first African-American woman at the University of Michigan to graduate with a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Computing at Clemson University and is dedicated to educating future generations of computer scientists.
Dr. Lola Eniola-Adefeso (M7), '06, chemical engineering, was recently highlighted as a researcher on the forefront of the "10 most promising technology trends."
Dr. Enioloa-Adefeso is an assistant professor of chemical engineering and biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan and her recent research focuses on precise drug delivery through nanoscale engineering.
Click here to read more.
Kezia Alexander (M18) ’10, biological sciences and health administration and policy, completed her Master’s in Public Health in July and started a new job in November as the Research Associate/ Chief Staff Liaison for the NFL Subcommittee on Cardiovascular Health.
Ms. Alexander was brought on to develop a 10 year longitudinal study that will track the cardiovascular health of current and recently retired NFL players to see how their health status changes as their physical conditioning changes post-retirement. She works alongside NFL team physicians for various teams across the country and will be developing health education materials for the players, with hopes that the research can be translated to athletes across all ports.
Ashley Mentlik James (M14), ’06, biochemistry and molecular biology, received her Ph.D. in Summer 2012. Dr. James thanks the Meyerhoff program for helping her find the drive to conquer this hurdle saying, “I’ll never forget where I came from!”
Talmesha Richards (M11) ’04, chemical engineering & mathematics graduated from The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine with a Ph.D. in cellular and molecular medicine. Dr. Richards is also currently one of the four captains for the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders.
Kezia Alexander (M18) ’10, biological sciences and health administration and policy, defended her Masters in Public Health from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in July 2012.
In September, Ms. Alexander authored a paper that focused on research regarding social support and its impact on preventable health behavioral outcomes in elderly women. The paper was published in the Sept. 2012 issue of the Journal of Cross Cultural Gerontology. Read more by clicking here.
Dr. Aftin Ross (M14) ‘07, mechanical engineering, has been selected as a Whitaker International Scholar. This competitive, national award is presented to students who have completed or soon will complete their doctorate in biomedical engineering.
Dr. Ross plans to complete her postdoctoral appointment at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Dr. Cynthia Davies-Venn (M14) ’06, biological sciences, earned her Ph.D in Translational Biology from Baylor College of Medicine in May 2012.
Dr. Kyla McMullen (M13) ’05, computer science, defended her dissertation and earned a Ph.D in May at the University of Michigan. Dr. McMullen was the first black female to complete the Ph.D program in Neuroscience.
Dr. McMullen will be joining the Faculty of the Clemson University School of Computing in January 2013. Read more by clicking here.
Dr. Aliya Frederick (M13) ’05, biochemistry and molecular biology, successfully defended her dissertation in Neruoscience in July 2012.
Dr. Frederick is currently completing the M.D./Ph.D Neuroscience Graduate Program at Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Sean Colbert-Kelly (M13) ’05, mathematics, recently earned his Ph.D in Mathematics from Purdue University.
Dr. DeAnna Baker (M12) ‘04, biological sciences, earned her M.D/Ph.D from the Medical University of South Carolina in May 2012. She will be completing her residency at Duke University in Internal Medicine.
Dr. Janet (Tai) Guedon (M14) '06, biological sciences, successfully defended her doctoral thesis, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health on July 9, 2012.
Dr. Guedon is currently exploring post-doc opportunities in Pittsburgh.
Dr. Donel Sequea (M14) '06, biological sciences, successfully defended his doctoral thesis at the University of Michigan on July 12, 2012.
An MD/Ph.D. trainee, Donel will now return to medical school to complete his MD degree.
Dr. Alexandra Harryman (M8) '00, biological sciences, successfully defended her Ph.D.on July 27, 2012.
Beginning this Fall, Dr. Harryman will begin teaching biology at the Friends School of Baltimore and teaching biology as an adjunct professor at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC).
Dr. Nkabuije Maduike (M9) '97, biochemistry and molecular biology, recently earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry at Duke University. He is currently applying for post-doc positions.
Aliya Frederick (M13) '05, biochemistry and molecular biology, successfully defended her dissertation on July 27, 2012. Dr. Frederick is currently in the MD/Ph.D. Neuroscience graduate program at Vanderbilt University.
The Meyerhoff Cohort Giving Challenge presents an annual opportunity for alumni to demonstrate both their appreciation for the program that gave them so much, and their commitment to future Meyerhoff Scholars. In the spirit of healthy competition, the cohort with the highest participation of giving each year will be recognized on the Meyerhoff website and on a plaque in the Scholarship Program office.
Congratulations to the M1's and M17's for winning with 28% participation from their respective cohorts.
UMBC was featured on 60 Minutes in a segment entitled "Hrabowski: An Educator Focused on Math and Science." The segment, which aired on November 13, 2011, featured interviews with Dr. Freeman Hrabowski and Meyerhoff alumni and current students. Click on links below to view segments.
Hrabowski: An educator focused on math and science
Reaching about the ceiling (featuring Meyerhoff alumnus, Dr. Kafui Dzirasa)
Remembering the Children's March
Hrabowski: "Education transforms lives"
Angelique Johnson (M12) '05, computer engineering, and her new company, MEMStim, took top honors and prize money in the 2011 Michigan Business Challenge and Eugene Applebaum Dare to Dream Grant program for U-M startups.
MEMStim make customizable micro-fabricated stimulators. The company plans to sell MEMS electrode leads to medical device companies for integration into their targeted nerve stimulation devices.
Dr. Johnson earned her M.S. in 2007 and Ph.D. in 2011 from the University of Michigan.
To read more click here.
Congratulations to the 2010-2011 Alumni Advisory Board of the Chapter of Meyerhoff Alumni.
President, Kamili Jackson, M4
Vice President, Tiffani Bright, M11
Secretary, Shawnielle Predeoux, M4
Treasurer, Torria Ellis-Dugar, M4
Parliamentarian, Jason Lee, M3
Historian, Ahmad Ridley, M1
M1 Rep, Michael Haywood
M3 rep, Angelique Blanding Griffin
M4 Rep, Jattu Senesie
M5 Rep, Jason McCullers
M6 Rep, Jonta Williams
M7 Rep, Camelia Owens
M8 Rep, Alexandra Harryman
M9 Rep, Raj Stewart
M10 Rep, Sabrina Johnson Turner
M11 Rep, Abi Chike
M12 Rep, Erica Reaves
M13 Rep, Nwokedi Idika
M14 Rep, Donel Sequea
M15 Rep, Tiffany Williams
M16 Rep, Stephen Mobley
M17 Rep, Nancy Chiles
M18 Rep, Natee Johnson
M19 Rep, Lydia Grmai
Graduate Fellow Re, Joseph Washington
To learn more about the advisory board, click here.
The Meyerhoff Cohort Giving Challenge presents an annual opportunity for alumni to demonstrate both their appreciation for the program that gave them so much, and their commitment to future Meyerhoff Scholars. In the spirit of healthy competition, the cohort with the highest participation of giving each year will be recognized on the Meyerhoff website and on a plaque in the Scholarship Program office.
Congratulations to the M4's for winning the 2010-2011 challenge with 36% participation from their cohort!
For more information about the cohort giving challenge and to make a gift toward the 2011-2012 challenge, click here.
Chirag Patel (M17) '09, biological science and psychology, recently earned his M.P.H. degree in Health Science from The Johns Hopkins University- School of Public Health.
Dr. Calvin Williams (M9) ’01, biochemistry and molecular biology, recently earned his M.D./Ph.D. at the University of Maryland, Baltimore in May. He will be entering the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Christiana Care in June 2010.
Benyam Kinde (M18) ’10, biological science, headlines a national report on the successes of immigrant students in the United States STEM program. Kinde, valedictorian of the class of 2010, is the spotlight of an article boasting outstanding statistics on first and second generation American students in the sciences, technology, engineering and math fields.
To read more click here.
Jason Reid (M14) ’07, mechanical engineering, currently a Ph.D. candidate at University of California- Berkeley, is busy at work on groundbreaking research for a product in progress for the last decade. The device is the latest evolution to a line of “exoskeletons” designed as a rehabilitation tool for paraplegics and alternative to wheelchairs.
To view footage of the device at work, click here.
Vashti Wood (M12), ’04, earned her MBA at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia in May 2011.
Dr. Omolola (Lola) Eniola-Adefeso (M7) ’99, chemical engineering, won a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This award will allow Lola to continue her work on understanding particle dynamics in blood flow and improving the design of vascular drug delivery systems.
Dr. Eniola-Adefeso has also been selected as the 2011 recipient of the Lloyd N. Ferguson Young Scientist from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). This award recognizes and honors her scientific contributions and achievements and her dedication to research. She received the award at the 37th Annual NOBCChE meeting in April in Houston, TX.
Dr. Eniola-Adefeso earned her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania 2004.
Dr. Seth Miller (M13) ’05, biological science, will begin his residency in Radiation Oncology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in July 2011.
Dr. Miller earned his M.D. from the University of Miami in 2010.
Amber Jackson (M11) ’03, mathematics, earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2011. Her dissertation title was Multiscale Modeling of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media Using the Thermodynamically Constrained Averaging Theory Approach.
Dr. Delayne Johnson Ph.D. (M4), ’97, mathematics, was a fellow in the first cohort of the National Science Foundation STaR Program for 2010-2011. The Fellowship provides support in Service, Teaching, and Research for promising early career mathematics educators. The experience culminated in a presentation of her research on equity issues in mathematics education at the annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) in Irvine, CA in January 2011.
Dr. Johnson earned her Ph.D. from the University of Delaware in 2009.
Dr. Jerome Adams (M4), ’97, biochemistry and molecular biology, assistant professor of anesthesiology at Indiana University School of Medicine, contributed a chapter on "Pharmacology Principles" for the recently published book, Anesthesia Student Survival Guide", (Springer New York, 2010).
Dr. Adams earned his M.D. from Indiana State University in 2002.
Dr. Letitia Dzirasa (M11), ’03, biological science, completed her residency at Johns Hopkins University in June 2010 and is currently working as a general pediatrician at Johns Hopkins Community Physicians in Odenton, Maryland.
Dr. Dzirasa earned her M.D. from Meharry Medical School in 2007.
Upcoming: Meyerhoff Alumni Advisory Board meeting, June 7, 2011
The next Meyerhoff Alumni Advisory Board meeting will take place on June 7th, 2011 at 7pm. The location will be the UMBC Alumni House:
5451 Wilkens Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21228
If you would like to attend, please contact Ray Onley (M4) at ray.onley@gmail.com.
For additional information, please contact Stanyell Bruce in the Office of Alumni Relations, at bruce@umbc.edu.
Dr. Jasmine McDonald (M11), ’03, biochemistry and molecular biology, will be completing her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania Center for the Integration of Genetic Healthcare Technologies (CIGHT) in early Fall. Her postdoctoral work has culminated in four scholarly presentations, one published white paper, two first author papers, and four additional first author papers to be submitted. Most recently, she has successfully competed for a fellowship position at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health in the Cancer Epidemiology Training Program.
Dr. McDonald earned her Ph.D. at Harvard University in 2009.
Dr. Kenneth Gibbs (M13), '05, biochemistry and molecular biology, was recently awarded the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology Policy Fellowship. Dr. Gibbs will be working with the National Science Foundation in the Directorate of Education and Human Resources where he will contribute scientific expertise and analysis to federal policy making.
Dr. Gibbs earned his Ph.D from Stanford University in 2010.
Dr. Jacqueline Smith (M13), '06, chemistry, recently earned her Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Dr. Smith's defense title was "The synthesis of a diverse library of AI-2 analogs to investigate bacterial quorum sensing."
Dr. Clifton Harris, Jr. (M13), '05, chemistry, recently earned his Ph.D. in chemistry at Notre Dame University.
Dr. Brian Wayman (M6), '99, mechanical engineering, was recently recognized as a GE Innovator. Dr. Wayman is a Mechanical Engineer at GE Healthcare and is currently part of a team launching enhanced seals for the canopy of the Giraffe OmniBed, MIC's hybrid incubator/warmer for premature babies.
The enhanced seals allow NICU staff to remove, clean, and replace the seals without the use of tools. This design really simplifies and improves the process of cleaning the seals and we fully expect this design to improve customer satisfaction.
To read more, click here.
Dr. Wayman earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2007.
Dr. Avery Posey (M13), '05, bioinformatics & computational biology, recently earned his Ph.D. in genetics at the University of Chicago. Dr. Posey will begin his post-doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania later this Spring.
John Hopkins University recently awarded Dr. Crystal Waktins (M3), '95, biological sciences, one of its coveted Mosaic Awards. This award provides three years of support for salary and faculty research provided by the Univesity in partneship with the School of Medicine.
Dr. Watkins earned her M.D./Ph.D. from John Hopkins University in 2003.
Focus on Reaching Women for Academics, Research and Development in Science, Engineering and Mathematics is a joint program of the George Washington and Gallaudet Universities funded by a National Science Foundation ADVANCE leadership award. This workshop is provided for women and minorities who may be considering, or are currently in, a tenure track position in science, engineering or mathematics.
The two 1/2 day workshop will focus on skills, strategies and "insider information" necessary to obtain a tenure-track position, to succeed in one and advance to other positions of leadership. This is also an opportunity to network and meet peers. There is no cost to attend this workshop.
To learn more and register, click here.
The FDA offers a two-year Fellowship Program, which provides an opportunity for health professionals and scientists to receive training and experience at the FDA. Fellows will train at FDA's White Oak campus in Silver Spring, Maryland or at other FDA facilities. Salaries are extremely competitive, and travel funds are available to attend scientific meetings.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2011 class of FDA Commissioner's Fellows. To learn more and apply, click here.
Dr. Lekelia Jenkins (M5), '97, biological science, recently published an article entitled Profile and Influence of the Successful Fisher-Inventor of Marine Conservation Technology in Conservation & Society.
Click here for the article.
Dr. Jenkins earned her Ph.D. in 2006 at Duke University.
Dr. Letitia Dzirasa (M11), '03, biological science, completed her residency at the Johns Hopkins University in Pediatrics in June 2010.
Dr. Dzirasa earned her MD from Meharry Medical College in 2007 and is currently a general pediatrician at Johns Hopkins Community Physicians in Odenton, MD.
In an editorial focusing on successes in the area of minority student success in the sciences, New York Times writer Brent Staples cites UMBC as the leader among universities. UMBC president Freeman Hrabowski recently chaired the committee that produced “Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation,” an eye-opening study issued by the National Academies, the country’s leading science advisory group.
Read the full New York Times editorial here.
From the Baltimore Sun, October 2, 2010:
The federal government and the nation's universities should invest $150 million annually to double the number of minorities pursuing science and engineering degrees, says a report released from the National Academies.The report came from a committee chaired by Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In his 18 years at UMBC, Hrabowski has garnered a national reputation for mentoring minority scientists.
- Read the full story in the Baltimore Sun
- Watch Dr. Hrabowski on Andrea Mitchell Reports
Dr. Akua Bonsra-Roach (M12), '04, biochemistry and molecular biology, recently earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Cellular Pharmacology from Stony Brook University in New York.
Dr. Lekelia Jenkins (M5), '97, biological science, recently received her first major NSF grant of $350k for a project entitled, "International Adoption of Conservation Technologies (IntACT): Towards a New Theory of Transferring Technology in the Face of Conservation Crisis."
Dr. Jenkins earned her Ph.D. from Duke University in 2006.
Dr. Keisha Findley (M12), '04, biochemistry and molecular biology, recently earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology from Duke University.
Dr. Findley applied and was accepted as the only trainee for the NIH/NHGRI health disparities postdoctoral fellowship program. She will conduct research and study the human skin microbiota in health and disease.
The Meyerhoff Cohort Giving Challenge presents an annual opportunity for alumni to demonstrate both their appreciation for the program that gave them so much, and their commitment to future Meyerhoff Scholars. In the spirit of healthy competition, the cohort with the highest participation of giving each year will be recognized on the Meyerhoff website and on a plaque in the Scholarship Program office.
Congratulations to the M1's and M6's for winning the 2009-2010 challenge with 39% participation from each cohort!
For more information about the cohort giving challenge and to make a gift toward the 2010-2011 challenge, click here.
The FASEB/MARC Program, will be hosting a Leadership Development and Grant Writing Seminar in Virginia Beach, Virginia from August 27-28, 2010 for graduate students, postdocs and new assistant professors.
For questions or more information, contact Cordelia Adams at cadams@faseb.org or 301-634-7930.
Dr. Marlene Mathews (M9), '01, biological sciences, recently earned her Ph.D. from the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York.
Dr. Mathews was in an M.D./Ph.D. program and will begin her residency this fall.
Benyam Kinde (M18), '10, biological sciences, recently attended a conference hosted by the Nobel Laureates in the sciences in the Bavarian town of Lindau to exchange ideas.
Kinde has ambitions to study neuroscience. He was nominated to attend the conference by Peter Agre, a medical doctor, professor and molecular biologist at The Johns Hopkins University who was awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and received an honorary degree from UMBC in 2009.
For read more, click here.
Dr. Nwokedi Idika (M13) , '05, computer science, recently earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science at Purdue University.
Dr. Idika is the first African-American to obtain a Ph.D. from the computer science department at the University.
Tennille Daniels (M11), '03, information systems management, and a fellow UMBC alumna and former student assistant in the Meyerhoff Scholars office, Maaden Eshete '07, biological science, recently started a community based organization along with two other young women called Divas, MPH (Making our People Healthier).
In observance of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 2010, Divas, MPH hosted S.O.S. (Saving Our Sisters from HIV/AIDS), a half-day awareness and skill building summit. A brief story on their work was featured on essence.com.
To access the full story, click here.
For a full recap of the event, click here.
To learn more about Divas, MPH, visit www.divasmph.org.
Tennile Daniels earned her M.P.H. at Emory University in 2004.
Dr. Deanna Baker (M12), '04, biological science, successfully completed her Ph.D. on June 2, 2010. Dr. Baker is enrolled in an M.D./Ph.D. program at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Dr. Baker will begin her final 2 years of medical school in July.
Nkenge Wheatland (M16), '09, computer science, will be presenting a paper entitled Performance Capture with Physical Interaction at a conference hosted by the Symposium for Computer Animation.
The conference will be held in early July in Madrid, Spain.
Nkenge is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science at the University of California, Riverside.
For more information about the paper, click here.
Ode to a Scholar
“Why push so hard and demand so much?”
You ask with anger in your eyes
“Because the race is not to the swift,
But to those who keep sight of the prize
I know my high standards upset you
You fear you can't reach the bar
But I fear that you don't understand
Just how talented and special you are
I taught you to believe in yourself
You have gifts and talents to do it all
But you must be committed to your goals
And allow nothing or no one to make you fall
Right now, life is good and quite easy
But harder times are in store
And the only way to get through it
Is to work hard - and then work some more
No one expects you to be perfect
The Lord knows that I was not
Seek not perfection, but excellence
Dig deep and give all you’ve got
This is neither the time to rest on laurels
Nor lose sight of the important goals
When hope seems lost and despair abounds
That is the time to search your soul
I will continue to expect more from you
Even, when all your energy seems spent
To some this will be criticism
I hope you will see the compliment
You will meet some with low expectations
But know that as long as you live
I will expect more from you
Because you have more to give
Spend little time on how others judge you
Their judgment's fleeting and it will pass
You be the judge and your judgment should be
Service to others and this, my child, will last
When success is found and attained
And all your battles have been won
Give praise, give thanks, and give back
And be happy with whom you’ve become
As life goes on, your success will grow
Your list of accolades will surely get higher
However, never get so high that you forget
That "to whom much is given, much is required"
You’re a star and greatness waits you
So shine your light to the very end
I wish you well in all you do
Farewell, my child, my scholar, my friend
LFT (5/24/10)
Congratulations on behalf of the staff & students
of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at UMBC
Brandon Johnson (M16), '08, mechanical engineering, was recently awarded the 2010 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Brandon's proposal was entitled "Monte Carlo-based Adjoint Methods for Hypersonic Vehicles” and was concerned with developing computational methods for use in uncertainty quantification and multi-disciplinary design optimization (MDO) for a reusable launch vehicle (RLV). Brandon's research will focus on hypersonic aircraft design.
Brandon is currently enrolled in a M.S. program at Stanford University and plans to take his Ph.D. qualifying exam in Fall 2010.
Erica Reaves (M12), '04, biological science, was recently promoted to the position of research analyst in the long-term support and services unit at The Hillotp Institute.
In this role, Erica will conduct research and policy analysis related to long-term supports and services for older adults, adults with diabetes and other vulnerable populations. Additionally, Erica plans to work with legislators in Maryland and other states to refrom the long-term care system through program development, implementation, and evaluation.
Dr. Chiatogu (Chichi) Onyewu (M7) '99, biological science, was recently interviewed for a PBS special on Michelle Obama's Campaign against Childhood Obesity. Click here to view the interview.
Dr. Onyewu is currenty a UNCF/Merck postdoctoral fellow and the study director for the Assessing Inherited Markers of Metabolic Syndrom in the Young (AIMM Young) Research Study at the Children's National Medical Center, Research Center for Genetic Medicine in DC. Dr. Onyewu has also been very involved in developing the Obesity Institute at Children's Hospital.
Dr. Mela Johnson (M13) '05, mechanical engineering, successfully defended her dissertation in December 2009, and earned a Ph.D. in bioengineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Dr. Nefertiti (Harmon) Durant (M4) '96, interdisciplinary studies, authored three papers related to childhood obesity in 2009. One of these is: "Relation of school environment and policy to adolescent physical activity," published in the Journal of School Health.
Dr. Regina Macatangay (M8) '00, biological science, completed a pediatrics residency at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children in June 2009.
Dr. Macatangay is currently completing her chief resident year and in July 2010 will start a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York City.
Maryann Salib (M15), biochemistry and molecular biology, was published as the 2nd author on a paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry entitled "Hyperglycemia regulates RUNX2 activiation and cellular wound healing through the aldose reductase polyol pathway."
Dr. Kevin Beck (M10) '02, biological science, successfully defended his dissertation at UC Irvine and earned a Ph.D. in biological sciences with a concentration in anatomy and neurobiology
He co-authored the paper, "Quantitative analysis of cellular inflammation after tramautic spinal cord injury: evidence for a multiphasic inflammatory response in the acute to chronic environment," recently published in Brain: A Journal of Neurology .
Dr. Beck was awarded a fellowship from the NIH sponsored IRCADA (Institutional Research and Career Development Award) Program which aims to promote diversity in STEM disciplines and in April, will begin a post-doc at UC San Diego.
Dr. Lekelia "Kiki" Jenkins (M5) '97, biological science, was recently selected as one of only twelve scholars worldwide to attend a workshop entitled "Workshop for the Next Generation of Science and Technology Policy Leaders."
This workshop is part of the Rightful Place of Science Conference hosted by the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes (CSPO) and is scheduled for May 2010 at Arizona State University.
For more information about the conference, click here.
Isaac Matthews (M15) '07, mechanical engineering, was recently recognized in the Gazette as a member of the All Decade Boys Track Team. Matthews was the 2003 state indoor champion in the 800 meters and at one time, held the county record in the 800 and won multiple county championships.
For a link to the article, click here.
In 2007, Matthews was named the 2007 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year. Matthews recently completed his M.S. in engineering and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr. Gerald Lopez (M9) '01, computer engineering, recently earned a Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in electrical and computer engineering in the field of On-Chip Interconnect Process Variations.
Dr. Lopez' research fabricated nanoscopic metallic wires used for electrical testing, modeling and industry projection.
Meyerhoff alumni and graduate fellows looking for postdoctoral positions are invited to apply for a two day, expenses paid Diversity Research Scholars Vist hosted by the Washington University School of Medicine. The visit is scheduled for April 28 - 30, 2010.
The deadline to apply is March 1, 2010.
To learn more and apply, click here.
For Dr. Martin Luther King day, the Daily Beast surveyed black leaders to determine who best carries on his legacy and Dr. Freeman Hrabowski was selected along with 13 other influential leaders.
Click here to read more.
The Meyerhoff Alumni Advisory Board will have a meeting on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Alumni House located at 5451 Wilkens Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21250.
To learn more about the advisory board and the Chapter of Meyerhoff Alumni, click here.
If you are interested in atteding the next meeting (either in person or via conference call), please contact Mrs. Earnestine Baker at 410-455-3786 or erbaker@umbc.edu.
The FDA offers a two-year Fellowship Program, which provides an opportunity for health professionals and scientists to receive training and experience at the FDA. Fellows will train at FDA's new state-of-the-art White Oak campus in Silver Spring, Maryland or at other FDA facilities. Salaries are extremely competitive, and travel funds are available to attend scientific meetings.
For more information, click here.
Dr. Camelia Owens (M7), '99, chemical engineering, was recently profiled in the National Institute of Health Women in Science publication.
Dr. Owens graduated from the University of Delaware in 2004 with a Ph.D. in chemical engineering.
Read more by clicking on the link below (pg 5):
Dr. Omolola (Lola) Eniola-Adefeso (M8), '99, chemical engineering, was recently profiled in the National Institute of General Medical Sciences online magazine Findings.
The article highlights Dr. Eniola-Adefeso's research on developing new medicine for heart disease.
Learn more about her research by clicking on the link below:
Up Close with Lola Eniola-Adefeso
Dr. Lauren Wills (M10) '02, biological sciences, began her post-doc at the Medical University of South Carolina in the College of Pharmacy this past July.
Dr. Wills is the recipient of a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Service Award. The title of the training grant is "Training in Cancer Therapeutics." This training grant supports her research in the lab of Dr. Rick Schnellmann in the College of Pharmacy at the Medical University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on identifying compounds that can be used as pharmaceuticals to aid in recovery after acute kidney injury.
Dr. Wills earned her Ph.D. at Duke University in 2008 with a degree in Environmental Science and Toxicology.
The Meyerhoff Cohort Giving Challenge presents an annual opportunity for alumni to demonstrate both their appreciation for the program that gave them so much, and their commitment to future Meyerhoff Scholars. In the spirit of healthy competition, the cohort with the highest participation of giving each year will be recognized on the Meyerhoff website and on a plaque in the Scholarship Program office.
Congratulations to the M6's for winning the 2008-2009 challenge with 36% participation!
For more information about the cohort giving challenge and to make a gift toward the 2009-2010 challenge, click here.
2009-11 BRIDGE TO THE DOCTORATE APPLICATION FORM
Under the auspices of the University System of Maryland, the National Science Foundation, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Park, the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate program seeks to encourage and support LSAMP students pursuing advanced degrees in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) fields.
Graduate school is an important step in preparing for your professional career. The Bridge to the Doctorate Program can assist you in this endeavor by providing financial and academic support. Our staff is available to assist you in completing this application packet. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:
Dr. Renetta G. Tull
Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Development
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
(410) 455-1842, rtull@umbc.edu
For best consideration, please submit materials by Friday, July 24, 2009.
For an information sheet, click here.
For an application, click here.
Dr. Jasmine McDonald (M11) '03, biochemistry and molecular biology recently earned a Ph.D. from Harvard University with a degree in biological sciences in public health immunology and infectious diseases.
Dr. McDonald plans to pursue a post doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Lekelia "Kiki" Jenkins (M5) '97, biological sciences recently accepted the David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship and Ford Postdoctoral Diversity Fellowship.
The Smith Fellowship is the most prestigious and competitive postdoctoral fellowship in the field of conservation. Dr. Jenkins will be based at the University of Washington and will conduct research in Mexico, Costa Rica and Ecuador. To learn more about Dr. Jenkin's project, click here.
Dr. Jenkins earned her Ph.D. in marine science and conservation from Duke University in 2006.
Joseph Keller (M15) '07, biological sciences recently completed his master's degree in computational neuroscience at the Cognitve and Neural Systems Department at Boston University.
Joseph is currently conducting summer research at Massachussetts General Hospital with EEG studies of patients under anesthesia. In the fall, Jospeh will matriculate to Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department to begin a Ph.D in neuroscience and plans to focus on dementia and alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Christy Gray (M8) '00, chemical engineering graduated from Case Western University with an M.D./Ph.D. in early June 2009.
Dr. Gray plans to complete her residency training in anesthesiology at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD and complete an internship at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. She will then return to JHU to complete her residency in the department of anesthesiology.
Dr. Tida Kumbalasiri (M10) '02, biological science and psychology graduated from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences with an M.D./Ph.D. in Neurosciences.
Dr. Kumbalasiri is an internal medicine intern at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.
Dr. Delayne Johnson (M4) '97, mathematics has accepted a position of assistant professor of mathematics education at Clemson University in South Carolina.
Dr. Johnson recently completed her Ph.D. in mathematics education a the University of Delaware. Her dissertation topic was "Equity and Social Justice in School Mathematics."
The Meyerhoff Alumni Advisory Board hosted their first nomination and election process this past Spring. Congratulations to the 2009-2010 Alumni Advisory Board of the Chapter of Meyerhoff Alumni.
President, Raymond Onley, M4
Vice President, Mawuli Dzirasa, M7
Secretary, Vondell Coleman, M4
Treasurer, Donna Person, M7
Parliamentarian, John Foster, M11
Historian, Tanisha Hall, M6
M1 Rep, Michael Haywood
M3 rep, Angelique Blanding
M4 Rep, Delayne Johnson
M5 Rep, Jason McCullers
M6 Rep, Jennifer Plummer
M7 Rep, Camelia Owens
M8 Rep, Alexandra Harryman
M9 Rep, Mileka Gilbert
M10 Rep, Lauren (Battle) Wills
M11 Rep, Tiffani Bright
M12 Rep, Richard Shoge
M13 Rep, Seth Miller
M14 Rep, Michael Aaron
M15 Rep, Candace Mainor
M16 Rep, Shayla Shorter
M17 Rep , Latey Jones
To learn more about the advisory board, click here.
Gerald Lopez (M9) '01, computer engineering, presented at the 2009 IEEE International Interconnect Technology Conference in Sapporo, Japan on June 1st.
His presentation topic, "A New Physical Model and Experimental Measurements of Copper Interconnect Resistivity Considering Size Effects and Line-Edge Roughness (LER)," can be viewed on youtube by clicking here.
Gerald Lopez is in the Ph.D. program in The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The Georgia Institute of Technology.
Ms. Ivette Santana-Cruz (M15) '07 bioinformatics and computational biology will begin a Ph.D. program in human genetics at The Johns Hopkins University in Fall 2009.
Ms. Donnetta McFadden (M15) '07 biochemistry and molecular biology will begin a Pharm.D. program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Fall 2009.
Ms. Bettel Mussie (M16) '08, biological science and psychology will begin an M.D. program at The George Washington University in Fall 2009.
The Meyerhoff Scholars Program was recently profiled in Science.
To read the article, click on the link below.
Minority Retention Rates in Science Are Sore Spot for Most Universities
The Meyerhoff Alumni Advisory Board will have a meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Alumni House located at 5451 Wilkens Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21250.
If you are interested in atteding the next meeting (either in person or via conference call), please contact Mrs. Earnestine Baker at 410-455-3786 or erbaker@umbc.edu.
The Meyerhoff Alumni Advisory Board will host online elections from June 1st to June 8th. For detailed information on all officer, cohort representative and committee chair positions, and to vote beginning June 1st, please visit the website by clicking here.
For questions or more information, contact the elections committee at meyerhoff.elections@gmail.com.
Dr. Keisha John (M12) '03 biochemistry and molecular biology, successfully defended her thesis and will earn her Ph.D. from the Watson School of Biological Sciences at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories.
Dr. John, who completed her Ph.D. in four years, is the first African-American to earn her degree at the institution. After she graduates in April, Dr. John plans to join Dr. Mary Beth Hatten's laboratory at Rockefeller University.
Dr. Oliver Myers (M1) '94, '96 M.S., '07 Ph.D., mechanical engineering, accepted a position of assistant professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Mississippi State University.
Dr. Rachelle Salomon (M7) '97, biological sciences, was one of more than a hundred recognized at the national symposium of the Leadership Alliance this past summer. The Leadership Alliance marked a milestone by celebrating the attainment of 100 Ph.D.s and M.D./Ph.D.s since the program’s launch in 1993.
Dr. Salomon earned her Ph.D. at Brown University in biological sciences in 2007.
To read more about the Leadership Alliance event and milestone, visit the "Diverse Issues in Higher Education" website below. The article was published in the 9/18/08 issue (vol.25, no.16).
Dr. Lance Hester (M1), earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1994, both an M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Northwestern University, and a certificate in telecommunication science, management, and policy, also from Northwestern.
Currently, he is a member of technical staff in Motorola Lab's wireless solutions research group. At Motorola, he has been instrumental in creating next generation low-power low data rate wireless sensor link and network layer algorithms. He has authored/co-authored over 13 conference and journal publications and has 7 United States patents. His current research interests include peer-to-peer short-range wireless communications and mobile wireless social networking.
In addition to his work at Motorola, Dr. Hester is an adjunct professor at Florida International University's College of Engineering, located in Miami, Florida.
Dr. Chester Hedgepeth (M1) '93, biological sciences, earned his M.D./Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2000. He is the first African-American to earn both degrees from the University and is currently a second-year internal medicine resident at Harvard University's Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Dr. Hedgepeth plans to pursue a fellowship in cardiology.
Dr. Paula Whittington (M9) '01, biological sciences, was recently lead author on a Cancer Research article announcing a potential new vaccine for a type of breast cancer.
Dr. Whittington completed her Ph.D. in 2007 at Wayne State University where she is currently enrolled in an M.D./Ph.D. program. She is now finishing her medical degree, which she hopes to earn in 2010.
Learn more about Dr. Whittington's research by clicking on the links below.
Research Cancer, Serving the Uninsured
Dr. Kimani Stancil (M1) '94 physics, accepted a tenure track position of assistant professor in the Department of Physics at Howard University in August 2008.
Dr. Stancil graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2001 with a Ph.D. in physics and completed his post doc at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in Berkeley, California in 2008.
For those of you who don't know, Dr. Stancil is also a master chess player. Read more about his journey to becoming a National Master by clicking on the following link.
Dr. Kimani Stancil: America's Newest Master?