Insights welcomes Jennifer Leigh Gibson as a regular staff writer. Jennifer is a senior English major, and features editor for The Retriever Weekly.

Some people have an unadorned simplicity to them, a natural wholesomeness that appeals to all. These are the ones who simply walk into a room and strangers flock to them. Senior theatre major Allison Houseworth (pictured, left) is one of these people. She has that intangible, indescribable something that both draws others to her and, through these interactions, gives her a fount of knowledge that helps bring to life the characters that she portrays.

Houseworth was born in Chevy Chase, Md. and has been acting on a continuous basis since the age of twelve. Coming to UMBC on a Linehan Artist Scholarship, she says that she only had plans on staying here for a year, but fell in love with the department. She praises the program saying, "[The faculty] are extremely talented -- their intelligence blows me away. I'm very lucky."

Since her first days as a freshman in the theatre department, Houseworth has accomplished a great deal. Not only has she had major roles in past productions and ran shows, this talented actress has also traveled to Berlin as part of the International Beckett Festival. Her credits aren't limited to the stage alone, Houseworth has had roles in two films: Minority Report with Tom Cruise and the new Chris Rock film Head of State.

While willing to do work in film, her true love is the stage. Houseworth has portrayed a vast array of characters at UMBC -- from the lesbian Alice in Blue Window to the troubled Lady MacBeth in the 2001 production of MacBeth. Citing Kevin Spacey and Ed Norton as actors she respects, Houseworth states, "I admire the people who are diverse in their acting."

With graduation's imminent approach, Houseworth discusses her hopes for the future. "Ideally, I would like to act on stage and eventually teach," she says, adding, "I plan on going to grad school and getting an internship in casting or managing a theatre." This wouldn't be the first time Houseworth would have done these two jobs. She worked as assistant stage manager and ran lights for the Maryland Stage Company's 2000 production of Play.

Each UMBC theatre production requires a great deal of research and a large time commitment. Houseworth says with MacBeth, the actual rehearsals did not start for weeks, instead the cast studied a variety of subjects ranging from witchcraft to Scottish history. This was done in order to add to the working knowledge of those involved. "It's supposed to look like it's not a lot of work, but it is," Houseworth explains.

Regardless of the amount of work, the lack of sleep, the stress and all of the other related factors that comes with life in the theatre, the only feelings Houseworth has are enthusiasm and excitement. "I just love what I do, that's why I keep doing it."

- Jennifer Leigh Gibson

For upcoming theatre events visit www.umbc.edu/arts.

By G. Rickey Welch, Dean of Arts and Sciences

I, like many in the UMBC family, have reveled in the recent cover profile on the UMBC homepage, featuring the UMBC Crew. Their greatest fan and most vivacious cheerleader is their faculty sponsor, Lou Cantori from the Department of Political Science. Working with Lou, I've had the pleasure of providing some modest support to help sustain this club activity on campus. And I've been invited to sit in an honorary position on the coach's skiff at one of their 5 a.m. practice sessions -- yes, that's a.m. not p.m.!

Our Provost, Art Johnson, has been championing the cause of student engagement as a core value at UMBC, and the campus leadership is wrestling with this important issue at moment. Lest we lose sight, student engagement outside the classroom is just as essential as the intramural teaching-and-learning endeavor, as we strive to create a compleat education at the Honors University (I prefer the Old English form of the word). The noble enterprise of education should seek to expand both the mind and the spirit of the human being, and we as educators should instill in our students the worth of avocation as well as vocation. Each of us amongst the UMBC faculty and staff bring to the fore our own forms of avocation, under the guise of hobbies, crafts, recreations and pleasures in life.

An activity dear to me is fishing (I like the more esoteric term "angling"). I did not learn fishing from a college teacher, nor was it imparted to me by my parents; I rarely went fishing in my childhood. I discovered fishing through my son, John -- a self-taught aficionado. I learned from him, first and foremost, that fishing is not about catching fish; it is about the artistry, romance, and serenity of communion with Nature. We elevated fishing to a high form: preferring fly-fishing (the most naturalistic technique), tying our own flies to mimic the ambient insect foodstuff, and, most often, returning the fish gently to the water -- after a "kiss" and a "thank-you" for the sport. (Yes, on occasion we would keep the fish for some gastronomic treat!)

Notably, John taught me always to be on the lookout for the Kingfisher; for, he told me, this bird is recognized in the angling lore as the omen of calm waters and good fishing. I smiled upon hearing this, as I knew of the Kingfisher from Greek fable -- where it is a symbol of days of peace and tranquility and is known by the Greek word Halcyon. I am often wont to refer to that 17th-century classic, The Compleat Angler, by Izaak Walton, wherein it is betold: "You are assured, though there be ignorant men (sic) of another belief, that Angling is an Art… and that this is truth is demonstrated by the fruits of that pleasant labour which you enjoy, when you purpose to give rest to your mind, and divest yourself of your more serious business, and… dedicate a day or two to this recreation."

My association with the UMBC Crew and my affinity with fishing came to a nexus not long ago. In the spring of last year, Lou Cantori and the Crew presented me with one of their waterproof logo parkas (and very honored I felt!). The timing was propitious, as I would be getting married in May in England and heading to the cool, rainy climes of the Scottish Highlands for the honeymoon…. Well, there I was with my wife, Jo, sporting my new UMBC parka in the most well-known watery backdrop in Scotland, Loch Ness, angling the depths on a fishing boat skippered by John Northcote -- a cheerful Scotsman who had given up his vocation as an engineer to pursue his avocation. Our excursion was almost at the end when suddenly something "big" took hold of my line. After 15-20 minutes of struggle (yes, anglers exaggerate!), I brought in a rather uncommon catch in those waters -- a 13-pound Atlantic King Salmon. As well as a beautiful fish species, this salmon presents a real culinary delight. We promptly took it to our hotel in Invergarry, where the skillful (and wide-eyed) chef prepared 16 steaks from the catch. Jo and I enjoyed two fresh steaks that evening in the hotel restaurant and took the remaining steaks (frozen) back to her family in Lancashire….

You must be wondering, did we see the famous Loch Ness "monster"? No, alas, we didn't. Back at the local Public House after our fishing venture, while enjoying some celebratory refreshment with the good Captain Northcote, I asked him (with a mixture of caution and whim) if he thought that the "monster" is really there. He got very serious for a moment, looked me squarely in the eye, and replied, "I know it is; I've seen it." Then, more refreshment….. Halcyon Days, indeed.

By Diane Crump-Fogle, '87 M.A.
Associate Director, Career Development and Placement

Do you know how to conduct a job search? The thought of graduating and entering the world of work can be very overwhelming, especially in today's uncertain job market. Your job search strategies will need to be very aggressive and thorough.

Having a definite plan is the key. Below are some job search tips that will be useful in developing a successful plan of action. When job searching in today's market, you will need to take as many different approaches to your job search as possible.

The Career Development Center (CDC) located in room 204 of the Math Psychology Building can help with every facet of your job search. If you need assistance, or have questions about how to get started, just stop by or call x52216 to set up an appointment to meet with an advisor.

Job Search Tips

Conduct a Self-Assessment:
First, you must identify your strengths, interests, values and skills. The SIG+ Career Exploration Program available in the Career Development Center can be helpful here. You must be able to highlight your strengths and interests at the interview and on paper (resumes, letters, etc.).

Gather all of your documents:
Some of the job search materials you will need are a resume that's been critiqued by a career specialist, cover letter, reference letters (three to four) and a list people who can be contacted by employers for reference checks. You will also need a copy of your college transcript. You may even be asked to provide writing samples or a portfolio. Check with a career specialist in CDC for additional information on portfolios.

Start the Application Process:
Identify places where you can locate job listings. Take a look at the job books in CDC. We receive thousands of announcements yearly; register for our on-campus interviewing program, where you will have an opportunity to meet and interview with employers right in the Career Center. Attend workshops and seminars where employers are visiting campus. Approach them after the session, and discuss career opportunities. Check the various job search Web sites linked to the CDC Web site. Use the various employer directories in the CDC Career Resource Center (MP 212) to identify and research employers who are hiring in your major and send a personalized letter of application and resume. Follow this up with a phone call.

Don't forget about the want ads; major newspapers throughout the U.S. can be located on the Career Path Web site. You can also try employment agencies that are "employer fee paid." CDC has a directory listing various agencies and you can also identify them from the newspaper and phonebooks.

Consider Government employment. Several government agencies are hiring now. CDC has a list of lots of government job opportunities and will also sponsor a Government Employment seminar on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 1-3 p.m. in UC 312. There are several helpful resources available in the Career Resource Center, and don't forget to check the government employment links on our Web site.

Networking:
One recent survey reported that as much as seventy-five percent of job-seekers found their jobs through networking. It is important to reestablish contact with everyone you know. Dedicate some time to making some new contacts. Considering joining professional and trade associations relevant to your field of interest. CDC has a directory to help you identify these organizations and you can also ask professionals in your field where they have memberships. In addition, several job fairs are sponsored through out the year, where you can meet employers and discuss career opportunities. Check the CDC Web site for the dates.

Conduct informational interviews to gain information about your area of interest, network with professionals, and learn about entry level opportunities. Attend professional meetings and seminars, collect business cards, and keep in touch with those you've met. Many professional groups also have online newsgroups and mailing lists that could be helpful.

Get Experience before you Graduate:
One of the smartest things you can do to make yourself marketable upon graduation is to gain experience in your field of study before you graduate -- and try to have more than one. This experience will go a long on your resume. Yes, volunteer experiences also counts. And the value of giving back to your community can not be overemphasized.

Learn Good Interviewing Skills:
Often, the decision whether or not to hire you is based only on one or two short meetings; so, your first impression must be a lasting one. CDC conducts mock interviews, holds workshops and seminars and lots of information on interviewing techniques.

Finally, when job searching, it is important to stay focused on your strengths and when communicating with employers, voice how your skills match what they are looking for. In short, stay focused.

Broaden your horizons and investigate options in related fields and industries. Be flexible (with the salary requirements also) and stay positive.

By Mark Terranova, Assistant Director of Service Learning, The Shriver Center

The Shriver Center's programs attempt to engage the strengths and resources of faculty, staff and students at UMBC in finding creative solutions to social problems. Through the creation of university-community partnerships, we attempt to address the most pressing issues of the City, with a special focus on the Baltimore area.

One of the ways we foster these university-community relationships is through our service-learning programs.

Service-learning can be defined in many ways, but it is generally considered to be a method whereby service is integrated into and enhances the academic curriculum of the students, or the education components of the community service program in which the participants are enrolled (National & Community Service Trust Act of 1993).

Many faculty at UMBC are currently teaching very innovative and effective service-learning and engagement courses. The following are exciting examples of these partnerships:

*Anne Spence's Mechanical Engineering 204 "Introduction to Engineering Design with CAD" course includes a student developed outreach project that includes hands-on demonstrations of engineering concepts to local high school students.

*Jason Loviglio's American Studies 200 "Multi-Cultural America" course offers students the option of enhancing their learning by participating in 3 hours of service each week to a community organization to see first hand the effects of the barriers that cultural differences can have on populations.

*Jim McKusick and Lucille McCarthy have developed English 386 "Adult Literacy," where students learn about adult literacy issues in class while immersing themselves in the community to work one-on-one with adult learners who are learning literacy skills at The Learning Bank in Baltimore.

*Carol Hess' Dance 301S "Special Topics in Dance: Dance and Community Service" provides students the opportunity to immerse themselves into schools in the community, exploring the benefits of the arts.

These are just a small example of the creative partnerships in which faculty and students are currently involved. Many other faculty, in a variety of disciplines, offer unique and exciting learning opportunities for their students through service-learning and other forms of academic engagement in the community.In addition to the benefits to the community, service-learning provides many benefits to participating students. According to a commission funded by the Kellogg Foundation, service-learning has been shown to provide increased student engagement, improved academic achievement, stronger ties to schools, communities, and society, and improved character.

I invite you to stop by The Shriver Center to learn more about how we can help support the incorporation of service-learning or civic engagement into a new or existing course, and to find out more about our programs and initiatives in the greater Baltimore community.

For more information on service-learning and engagement, please visit:

The Shriver Center
www.shrivercenter.org

The Corporation for National and Community Service
www.cns.org

Learn and Serve America
www.learnandserve.org

Michigan Journal of Community Service-Learning
www.umich.edu/~ocsl/mjcsl

Provost Arthur Johnson, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Diane Lee, and members of the Undergraduate Research Awards Committee are pleased to announce the recipients of Undergraduate Research Awards for the 2002-2003 academic year.

Instituted in 1995, the Undergraduate Research Awards program provides stipends up to $1,500 to fund research projects designed by students who work in close collaboration with UMBC faculty mentors. Proposals are solicited from all fields of study and are competitively reviewed by a multidisciplinary faculty committee.

The 2003 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day will be held on April 30.

Sam Bronson, History
"Aleut Creole Identity: Cultural Brokers in Russian-America"
Faculty Advisor: Marjoleine Kars, History

Gedalya Chinn, Theatre
"UNGUENTUM ARMARIUM (Weapon Salve)"
Faculty Advisor: Alan Kreizenbeck, Theatre

Jason Crump, Visual Arts
"This Space May Be Used for Communication"
Faculty Advisor: Mark Street, Visual Arts

Kristine Antoinette DeGuzman, Social Work
"OASDI: Preserving the Plan for the Future"
Faculty Advisor: Claudia Lawrence-Webb, Social Work

Jonathan P. Desi, Mathematics and Statistics
"Numerical Simulation of Nucleation in Multi-Component Metal Alloys"
Faculty Advisor: Thomas Wanner, Mathematics and Statistics

Nicole Farina, Mechanical Engineering
"Construction of a Microjet for Dynamic Cell Seeding of Engineered Tissue Scaffolds"
Faculty Advisor: Charles Eggleton, Mechanical Engineering

Mary Megan Fitzpatrick, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
"Isolation and Analysis of Protein Expression Signatures to Detect Chemical Agents in Arthropods"
Faculty Advisor: Brian Bradley, Biological Sciences

Zachary Z. Handler, Visual Arts - Photography
"Sticks & Stones: Bullies, Brats, and Bashers"
Faculty Advisor: Calla Thompson, Visual Arts

Lauren Johanna Kaupp, Chemistry
"Transition Metal Binding to Alzheimer's Disease Peptides"
Faculty Advisor: Veronika Szalai, Chemistry & Biochemistry

Paul Kelm, Theatre
"LCD gobo"
Faculty Advisor: Terry Cobb, Theatre

R. Wesley Kline, Visual Arts - Photography
"'Lacunae': Interruption, Intertextuality, and Reality in the Photographic Image"
Faculty Advisor: Mark Alice Durant, Visual Arts

Nicholas Kridler, Mathematics
"Numerical Simulation of Coupled Fluid Flow and Mechanical Deformation Modeling"
Faculty Advisor: Susan Minkoff, Mathematics and Statistics

Lucie Kyrova, History
"Native American Women and Adoption in Seventeenth-Century New France"
Faculty Advisor: Marjoleine Kars, History

Chrysa Marie Latrick, Chemistry
"Creating Gene 32- Phage For The Purpose of Testing in vivo Selected Mutations"
Faculty Advisor: Richard Karpel, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Tomasz J. Macura, Mathematics and Computer Science
"Medical Content-Based and Text-Based Image Search and Retrieval: The Lung Cancer Database"
Faculty Advisors: Chein-I. Chang, Computer Science, and Jacob Kogan, Mathematics and Statistics

Angela Christine Maloney, Sociology/Social Work
"Quality of Palliative Care for End-Stage Alzheimer's Disease Patients in Nursing Homes"
Faculty Advisor: Elzbieta Skiroska-Simmons, Sociology

Jay L. Perry, Visual Arts - Video-Film, Imaging and Digital Arts
"Book of the Dead; Theological Implications of Blight and Renewal in Baltimore"
Faculty Advisor: Timothy Nohe, Visual Arts

Eric W. Petenbrink, History
" 'Who But Hoover?': The 1928 Presidential Election in Maryland"
Faculty Advisor: John Jeffries, History

Timothy P. Phelan, Biological Sciences
"The Role of the MHC Class II Cytoplasmic Domain in Developing Cancer Vaccines"
Faculty Advisor: Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg, biological sciences

Aimee Alice Pohl, History
"Women in the American Communist Party: An Oral History and Analysis"
Faculty Advisor: Kriste L. Lindenmeyer, history

Amber Sallerson, Mathematics
"Navier-Stokes Equations with Applications to Gel Chromotography"
Faculty Advisor: Rouben Rostamian, Mathematics & Statistics

Ilse Anne Schweitzer, English/History
"King Arthur the Tyrant and the Scottish Call for Freedom"
Faculty Advisor: Gail Orgelfinger, English

Audrey L. Simmons, Interdisciplinary Studies
"The Ellicott City Colored School Restoration"
Faculty Advisor: Ann Christine Frankowski, Anthropology

Chris Smith, Visual Arts - Film, Film/Video
"Attachments"
Faculty Advisor: Vin Grabill, Visual Arts

Maura Josephine Smyth, English
"The Poetry of Edwin Morgan: A Dive into the Slippery World of Language"
Faculty Advisor: Christoph Irmscher, English

Babak Tofighi, Interdisciplinary Studies
"Diabetes Prevention in Baltimore's Underserved Spanish-Speaking Immigrant Population"
Faculty Advisor: Kevin Eckert, Sociology and Anthropology

Matthew Williams, Biological Sciences/Bioinformatics
"Do Rhodopsins and Color Opsins Share a Similar Electrostatic Interaction?"
Faculty Advisor: Phyllis Robinson, Biological Sciences

UMBC Named Baltimore's Best College by SunSpot
Thanks to great student voter turnout (and some encouragement from Athleticsand our Student Marketing group), UMBC has been named "Baltimore's BestCollege" by SunSpot, the online version of the Baltimore Sun. UMBC received 3,872 votes, far more than any other college (at last check, the closest school had about 300 votes). All Baltimore colleges, as well as College Park, were included in the contest. The winning college is publicized via the SunSpot Web site. In addition, up to 1,000 UMBC students will be given free movie passes to the theatre at Arundel Mills.
www.sunspot.net/extras/contests/best_college/

Royce Hanson and CUERE in the Baltimore Sun
A report by UMBC's Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE) was featured in the Baltimore Sun on October 26. CUERE Director Royce Hanson and his team of researchers studied a spectrum of data to compare the quality of life in the Baltimore metro region with prominent U.S. cities like Atlanta, Boston, and St. Louis. A key finding of the CUERE study was that Baltimore needs more education and job training to feed its growing economy.
www.sunspot.net/bal-te.md.region26oct26.story

Thomas Schaller in the Baltimore Sun
Thomas Schaller, assistant professor of political science, was quoted in an October 29 Baltimore Sun article, "Race's focus turns to turnout."
www.sunspot.net/news/elections/bal-md.turnout29oct29,0,4178459.story?coll=bal%2Dhome%2Dheadlines

Donald Norris in the Baltimore Sun
Donald Norris,MIPAR director, was quoted in the Baltimore Sun article, "Ehrlich edges past Townsend in new poll" on October 30.
www.sunspot.net/news/elections/bal-te.md.poll30oct30,0,7505755.story?coll=bal%2Dhome%2Dheadlines

Robert Carpenter in the Baltimore Sun
Associate Professor of Economics Robert Carpenter was quoted in the October 30 Baltimore Sun article, "Consumer confidence nears 9-year low."
www.sunspot.net/business/bal-econ1029.story

Steven Holden in BusinessWeek Online
Steven Holden, assistant professor of information systems, was quoted in an October 29 BusinessWeek Online article on "Why the IRS Wants You to E-file."
www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2002/tc20021029_3339.htm

Fred Pincus in the Baltimore Sun
For his October 20 OpEd, "Unmoved by War," Baltimore Sun writer Michael Hill talked with Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Fred Pincus about the current opposition to war with Iraq, compared to protests during Vietnam.
www.sunspot.net/news/opinion/oped/bal-pe.protest20oct20.story

Center for Art and Visual Culture in the Washington Post
Jessica Dawson reviews the Center for Art and Visual Culture's current exhibition of work by Maria Elena Gonzalez in the October 24 issue of the Washington Post.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8463-2002Oct24.html

UMBC Physics in the Baltimore Sun
Baltimore Sun reporter Michael Stroh traveled by helicopter to visit UMBC Assistant Professor of Physics Wallace McMillan and his team of researchers at the Chesapeake Light Tower. The team is firing lasers into the night sky and launching weather balloons by day to make sure a new multi-billion-dollar NASA research satellite is working properly.
www.sunspot.net/technology/bal-md.lighthouse13oct13,0,3670226.story

Lou Cantori on Salon.com
Political Science professor and U.S. Middle East policy expert Lou Cantori was quoted on October 10 as part of a Salon.com article by Michelle Goldberg on what a post-invasion Iraqi regime might look like (article available to Salon subscribers only.)
www.salon.com

Don Norris in the New York Times
UMBC's resident expert on Maryland politics, Don Norris of MIPAR, was quoted in The New York Times' October 11 coverage of how the recent DC-area sniper attacks may make gun control a bigger issue in the upcoming gubernatorial election.
www.nytimes.com/2002/10/11/national/11GUNS.html?pagewanted=2

Kuhn Library Gallery in the Chronicle of Higher Education
The Kuhn Library Gallery's Matthew Carter exhibition is highlighted in the Chronicle of Higher Education's October 18 "Endpaper" feature.
Click here to read the article

Grad Student-Produced History Channel Documentary Airs 10/13
History graduate student and film producer Ron Simon will get his first associate producer credit on Sunday, October 13 at 10 p.m., when October Fury, a documentary about the secret submarine conflict during the Cuban Missile Crisis, airs on The History Channel.

Freeman Hrabowski in the Baltimore Sun
President Freeman Hrabowski was quoted in a October 10 Baltimore Sun story on potential tuition increases for the University System of Maryland.
www.sunspot.net/news/education/bal-te.md.tuition10oct10,0,2328512.story?coll=bal%2Dhome%2Dheadlines

Don Norris in the Baltimore Sun
Don Norris, director, Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research, was quoted in a October 8 Baltimore Sun story on independent attack ads and the gubernatorial race.
www.sunspot.net/bal-te.md.ads08oct08.story

Thomas Schaller in the Baltimore Sun
Thomas Schaller, assistant professor of political science, was quoted in a October 9 Baltimore Sun story about the gubernatorial debates.
www.sunspot.net/news/custom/election/bal-te.md.campaign09oct09,0,3788715.story?coll=bal%2Dhome%2Dheadlines

Student Audrey Simmons in the Baltimore Sun
Audrey Simmons, a 70-year-old senior, has received one of 27 Undergraduate Research Awards from UMBC.
www.sunspot.net/news/local/howard/bal-ho.research09oct09.story

Technocation in the Daily Record
In his October 5 Technocation Column, Vice Provost Craig Weidemann talks with Jennifer Preece, professor of information systems at UMBC and an international expert in human-computer interaction.
www.mddailyrecord.com/guestbook/techno1005.html

Each fall when UMBC launches its Faculty/Staff and Maryland Charity Campaigns, the response from the campus community is tremendous.

Last year's Faculty/Staff Campaign raised over $240,000 for UMBC. There were contributions from 415 people -- this year's goal is 450. Over the course of the five-year Campaign for UMBC, which ended on June 30, 2002, UMBC faculty and staff raised more than $1 million, surpassing the $700,000 goal.

The Maryland Charity Campaign last year was also a success, with UMBC employees contributing over $80,400 -- the largest amount ever (the goal was $55,500). This year, campaign co-chairs hope the campus community will raise $60,000 to help fellow Maryland residents.

"The campus community has always shown that it cares about the programs at UMBC and about the larger community by giving generously to the Faculty/Staff and Maryland Charity Campaigns," says President Freeman Hrabowski, who is co-chairing the statewide Maryland Charity Campaign with his wife, Jackie. "I hope that everyone will join us again this year in investing in the University and in the lives of citizens in need throughout Maryland. Your gifts, regardless of the amount, will truly make a difference."

Insights is looking for members of the UMBC community who volunteer with any of the organizations represented by the Maryland Charity Campaign for regular Insights profiles. If you are interested in sharing your volunteer experiences, please email Insights@umbc.edu.

Insights recently spoke with UMBC's Maryland Charity Campaign Co-chairs - Larry Wilt, director of the Kuhn Library; Linda Baker, psychology professor; and Sheldon Caplis, vice president for institutional advancement, about why and how they participate in the campaign.

Larry Wilt

I give through the Maryland Charity Campaign payroll deduction because it is convenient compared to writing and mailing checks. I also have confidence when I give through this organization that the donation will reach the intended recipients and that those recipient organizations have been reviewed and found to be legitimate.

I divide my contribution among local charities that I know, trust and support. The Lighthouse, a family counseling center in Catonsville, is one of these. I first learned of it through the local newspapers and school officials. As I learned more about its work, I realized that my conception about the need for its services was wrong: I had thought its services were needed mostly in poorer communities. I learned that evena well-healed community like Catonsville has families who are in need, somehow hidden in plain sight. The Lighthouse counsels hundreds of people with a couple of miles of UMBC.

Another example of a worthy local organization that I want to support is the Children's Home on Bloomsbury Avenue, just on the other side of Spring Grove. Though its residents may come from elsewhere, they are part of our community now and attend Catonsville schools. For many of them, the Children's Home is a step up from very difficult circumstances. They now have a chance to attend good schools and, with luck and perseverance, even graduate from UMBC.

Linda Baker

With so many worthy charities to choose from, it can be overwhelming trying to decide which ones to support. I confess that several times in years past I picked up the campaign materials with the best of intentions to fill out my pledge card. I opened the booklet listing all of the charities, realized I needed more time than I currently had available to make my selections, and put the materials aside -- never to return to them.

To get around this problem, I decided to focus my giving on organizations that are doing work that has deep personal meaning for me. For example, my research on children's early reading development has shown me just how important it is that children have strong parental support, plenty of access to good books, and early intervention if they are struggling to learn to read. Baltimore Reads is an organization that addresses all of these needs, as well as those of adults whose ownliteracy skills are weak. So this is one charity that I support. And, because a close friend's son has muscular dystrophy, I also give to organizations providing services for children with this disease.

Sheldon Caplis

As a fundraiser for UMBC, people assume that since I have a passion for what I do here, I only donate to UMBC. But I believe I also need to be involved in the larger community. I can not ignore the tremendous needs we have in Baltimore, particularly issues facing children. While education is the great leveler, education alone can't support poor children if they are not prepared with adequate health care, after-school programs and other important needs. Co-chairing and donating to the Maryland Charity Campaign is a natural extension of what I've devoted my career to.

By Jack Prostko, Director, Faculty Development Center

While most faculty at UMBC informally assess their own teaching on a regular basis by considering what has (or hasn't) worked in teaching a particular class or topic, it's sometimes very useful to supplement this evaluation with a more deliberate approach. Now, early in the fall semester, professors have the perfect opportunity to get more specific or comprehensive information about what's going on in the classroom. Doing so helps avoid surprises in end-of-semester evaluations or complaints when students find themselves lost before finals. More importantly, instructors can often make small but potentially crucial changes in a course that may make it a more satisfying learning experience for everyone.

The easiest method of looking more closely at what's going on in the classroom is taking extra time to pause after each class to consider what happened. Busy schedules often keep us from thinking about a class session until well after it's over (or indeed until we're about to step into the following session). But developing a habit of asking specific questions and jotting down some notes about the class will help in making adjustments and following up on problems. Some people find it useful to keep a separate notebook for these reflections in order to have a more continuous record of their thinking about a course. For example, you may want to remember the one or two explanations that didn't seem to connect today. Should there have been more examples? Which discussion questions ignited sparks and which fell flat?

More specific information about your teaching can be gained by asking students directly. Take five minutes at the end of the class and ask them to write out, anonymously, what's helping them learn and what's not. Or ask a few very specific questions: Do you understand the organization of lectures? Are the overheads or Powerpoint presentations helpful? This form of anonymous questioning is an example of a group of teaching strategies called Classroom Assessment Techniques, and more information on them is available at the web sites listed below.

A formal interview, which I conduct on a regular basis for UMBC faculty, can elicit even more precise teaching information. These interviews, or small-group evaluations, require about twenty minutes of class time, either at the beginning or end of the regular period. Once the instructor leaves, I break the students into groups of six or fewer and ask each group to select a note keeper who will record their discussion. These groups then spend ten minutes discussing what they like about the course, what needs improvement, and specific suggestions for helpful changes. I gather this information, summarizing their comments with them and clarifying any issues that are unclear. I then meet with the instructor later to share this feedback. To request a small-group evaluation, simply call me at the Faculty Development Center at x51829. All the information I gather for faculty in this fashion is, of course, strictly confidential.

Finally, you may want to have yourself observed in the classroom, either by a colleague or an observer. (I regularly am asked to sit in on classes and provide confidential feedback to faculty who want an outside assessment). For an even more "objective" view of your teaching from an observer's perspective, you may wish to simply have yourself videotaped (by calling the FDC a week in advance). However, this form of evaluation may become more valuable if someone else consults with you on it, since I have found that many lecturers and discussion leaders initially tend to focus more on their presentation (and the discomfort they feel with seeing themselves on videotape) than on the organization of information and effectiveness of their skills at explaining concepts or conveying ideas.

Improving any skill takes some time and the willingness to isolate a few areas for measured improvement. With teaching, there are lots of ways of getting information to see what's working effectively. And in the literature about university teaching there are many useful strategies and techniques to experiment with. If you would like to discuss evaluating your teaching or learn more about specific teaching strategies, please contact me at the Faculty Development Center.

For other practical suggestions for evaluating your teaching see:

Barbara Gross Davis, Tools for Teaching (Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA, 1993), especially Section 10 "Evaluation to Improve Teaching," two chapters of which ("Fast Feedback" and "Watching Yourself on Videotape" are on the Web at http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/teaching.html

Wilbert J. McKeachie, et. al., McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers, Eleventh Edition. (Houghton Mifflin: Boston, MA, 2002), especially Chapter 27: "Vitality and Growth Throughout Your Teaching Career."

For information on Classroom Assessment Techniques see:

Penn State Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching:
http://www.psu.edu/celt/CATs.html

Indiana University: Campus Instructional Consulting
http://www.indiana.edu/~teaching/feedback.html

University of New Orleans: Teacher Explorer Center
http://ss.uno.edu/SS/TeachDevel/Asses/AssemTechMenu.html

Wendy Buskey Licensed to Practice Psychology
Wendy Buskey, University Counseling Services psychologist and substance abuse treatment coordinator, has passed her exams for licensure and is now licensed to practice psychology in Maryland.

Off-campus visitors who meet with President Freeman Hrabowski often find themselves on the roof of the Administration Building for an aerial campus tour. In honor of Hrabowski's ten years as president, UMBC's Board of Visitors recently presented the University with a 16" x 56" painting of his favorite view -- appropriately titled The President's View -- by Baltimore artist Crystal Moll.

"This is an incredible statement," said Hrabowski, who recently met with Moll about her UMBC painting. "Not many people get to see the campus from the Administration Building's roof. It's a magnificent view. You get to see UMBC as a whole and its close relationship to downtown Baltimore. I want to find ways to share this painting with the rest of the campus."

A blend of impressionism and realism, Moll's paintings have a pleasing painterly quality of traditional oils, with an intriguing color sense that is her own. A 15-year resident of Baltimore, Moll says painting on location gives her work the feel of "being there," allowing the viewer to enter the scene and acquire a sense of place and time.

Symmes Gardner, director of UMBC's Center for Art and Visual Culture, suggested Moll for the project. "I've followed Crystal's work for a long time as an artist in Baltimore. I thought she would be an excellent choice. She's a representational painter who gives a lot of life to her subjects. Her work is very vibrant."

Moll's paintings have been widely exhibited throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, including shows at the Academy of Art, Easton; Marin-Price Galleries, Chevy Chase; Medici Gallery, Philadelphia; and the Bennett Street Gallery in Atlanta. Commissions include the Albert V. Bryan United States Courthouse, Atlanta; The Marsh McLennan Building, Stone and Associates, Baltimore; and Rohn & Hass Co., Philadelphia. She received her B.F.A. in painting from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia.

Insights recently talked with the artist about her UMBC experience.

What was your reaction to being asked to paint the view from the Administration Building roof?

It's a neat image for me to work on, different from what I usually do. Although I normally do paint street scenes and buildings, I don't usually paint [from an aerial view] where buildings look this small. But when we began the process there was a heat wave so it was about 105 degrees! And there is a five-foot wall on the roof so I had to stand the whole time I was painting, but that was not as bad as I thought it would be.

So you aren't afraid of heights?

No, not generally. It's not my favorite thing but it was fine. Actually, when I'm working it's usually on a regular street so people come up and talk to me, which is fine, but in this situation I didn't have those interruptions so I was able to work harder and faster than normal.

How did you go about planning the painting and how was the process kept under wraps from the president?

First I went up on the roof with Lisa Akchin from the Office of Institutional Advancement to see what should be in the painting. I did an initial sketch that day and figured out the size. The first day I did the complete underpainting in a burnt sienna oil wash and then began laying in color and filling in the painting.

I positioned myself so I could get the center walkway up the campus and Baltimore City in the horizon. I had fun painting the city in just a couple of hours.

Of course I couldn't paint when the president was here, so we had to check his schedule to see if he'd be taking a visitor on the roof. During the last ½ hour of my last visit someone called on my cell phone and said he was on his way up to the roof, so I had to pack up and leave as quickly as I could. I'm glad that didn't happen more often!

How many sittings/how long did it take to finish?

I worked on the painting over four weeks. There were about seven sittings and I usually worked for four hours at a time.

What are your thoughts on the painting now that it's finished?

I'm quite pleased -- it's different than my usual pieces and I was able to work on many different buildings in one day. Being able to accomplish so much in one day made it fun too.

UMBC is blessed with many outstanding head coaches, a group of dedicated professionals that have helped build the Retrievers into one of this region's most respected athletic programs. One member of that coaching fraternity, Head Men's Soccer Coach Pete Caringi, recently achieved a major milestone in his career, earning his 300th (currently 302-105-22) career collegiate coaching victory on September 1 of this season. Perhaps because the Retriever mentor has accomplished so much in his playing and coaching careers, that landmark victory was just another "brick in the wall" for the East Baltimore native.

"It was just another win," said Coach Caringi. "I am always looking forward to the next game, so it's hard to distract me with a record like that during the season. Plus, I consider myself a young coach with a lot of years left."

Coach Caringi is a true Baltimore and UMBC success story. He played for the legendary coach Bill Karpovich at Calvert Hall, and then went on to become a two-time All American at the University of Baltimore ('78). His 70 career goals is ranked 12th on the all-time Division II scoring list and he captained the 1975 UB squad to an NCAA Division II national championship. After spending some time as a professional player with the NASL's Washington Diplomats, Caringi picked up a whistle at nearby Essex Community College in 1981.

Caringi had ten brilliant seasons on Rossville Boulevard, compiling a record of 170-27-8. He was named National Junior College Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1989, as the Knights played in the national title game in both seasons. In 1994, Caringi was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame.

In the spring of 1991, UMBC Athletic Director Charles Brown hired Caringi as UMBC's first full-time men's soccer coach. A year earlier, Caringi had piloted the American Professional Soccer League's Maryland Bays to a 20-5 record and the league title. In his first three years, UMBC's new mentor won a pair of regular season conference championships as the 1991 and 1993 teams tied school records with 15 wins in each season.

By the end of the decade, Caringi had rebuilt the Retrievers into a national power. The 1999 team led the nation in winning percentage (19-1-2) and earned the school's first trip to the NCAA Tournament before falling to #1-ranked Duke, 4-3, in overtime, in Durham, North Carolina. The following year saw the Retrievers nationally ranked again as they posted a win over Maryland. No less than seven Caringi-coached Retriever players over the last three seasons have been drafted professionally, including last season's Major Indoor Soccer League Rookie of the Year, Baltimore Blast defender Billy Nelson.

Entering the 2002 season, Caringi was ranked 37th among all active Division I soccer coaches with a winning percentage of 62.7 percent. He was inducted into the Maryland Soccer Hall of Fame in 1998.

Coach Caringi has made a lasting impression on many of the athletes he has coached. Of all the victories and championships, Caringi cherishes his ongoing relationships with his players the most. One of those players is Pete Eibner, '91, a financial advisor and locally-known professional comedian. "Coach Caringi instilled in us the value of outworking the competition, playing with passion and preparing properly. All of those lessons I have been able to take directly off the field and into my personal and professional life," said Eibner.

So what's left for someone that has achieved so much in his chosen profession? "There is still a lot I want to achieve at UMBC," said Caringi. "I still get excited about every game, every season. There are goals and aspirations I continue to have for this program at a national level. I am as motivated now as ever."

Insights continues with regular profiles of new faculty, department chairs and program administrators for the 2002-2003 academic year.

Jeffrey Davis
Assistant Professor, Political Science

Political science's Jeffrey Davis not only brings an impressive research record to UMBC, but also the energy to revive the student Mock Trial team. His research examines judicial behavior, examining the impact of institutional independence on court decision-making. Davis will be passing on his interest in the judiciary to the approximately 60 students enrolled in his constitutional law course, and to the 24 students who will learn real-life skills preparing and trying cases with the Mock Trial team. Davis earned his B.A. at the University of Richmond, a J.D. at the University of Georgia School of Law, and his Ph.D. at Georgia State University.

Jessica Kelley-Moore
Assistant Professor, Sociology and Anthropology

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology adds to its roster of accomplished gerontology researchers with the work of Jessica Kelley-Moore. Her research examines the social determinants of health, in particular, the role of racial and ethnic differences in the health of older adults. Most recently, this work has concentrated on the disability gap between White and Black older Americans. Kelley-Moore recently completed her Ph.D. at Purdue University; she also received her M.S. from Purdue and her B.A. from Hanover College.

Michelle Scott
Assistant Professor, History

For historian Michelle Scott, music is not simply an art form, but provides valuable insight into the culture from which it emerges. Scott comes to UMBC from Cornell University where she recently completed her dissertation on Bessie Smith and blues culture within the African American community in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the turn of the century. She describes her work as "part biography and part community studies" where Bessie Smith's life and work serves as a representation of the ways in which African Americans used recreational landscapes as an alternative form of resistance to racism. Scott also earned her M.A. at Cornell and her A.B. at Stanford University.

David Skiba
Assistant Professor, Social Work

David Skiba brings extensive research and field experience to his instruction in social work at UMBC. He comes to UMBC from the University of Buffalo, where he recently completed his Ph.D. in Social Welfare. His research deals with the impact of alcohol use by adolescents or their parents on adolescent sexual behavior. In addition to his research, he has worked with both children and adults as a practicing psychiatric social worker. He received his M.S.W. from the University of Buffalo and a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice from the State University College at Buffalo.

Previous Profiles

Kenneth Baldwin
Chair, Department of English

Ken Baldwin is no stranger to the job of chairing the English department. He was previously chair from 1992 to 1997. During that time he helped bring the prestigious Shakespeare Association of America to campus, led an initiative to found an English alumni chapter and was among the faculty instrumental in creating a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy and Culture (the program resides in the modern languages and linguistics department).

"It's a pleasure to come back to this position. The department has grown up in many ways over the last four years," Baldwin says. "Jim McKusick (former chair, now Honors College director) did a great job in fostering our English alumni group, which is now very active. Last year he finalized a track in communications and technology. This is a major direction English departments should be moving in, and I'd like to continue to emphasize new media."

Baldwin is teaching a course on mediated movies, which looks at how films -- such as All the President's Men -- borrow or appropriate from other media. He contributed several entries, including a history of literature in Maryland, to the Companion to Southern Literature, and is also writing about George Antheil, an author best known as a composer/musician.

Laura McGough
Visiting Assistant Professor, History

Laura McGough's work clearly illustrates the relationship between the experiences of the distant past and the concerns of today. McGough examines the impact of syphilis as an endemic disease in sixteenth and seventeenth century Venice. She believes, largely based on her experiences teaching in Ghana, that this study offers insight into the long-term implications of today's AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. McGough has also begun an interdisciplinary research colloquium for faculty members working on health-related issues to share their research. McGough earned her B.A. from the University of Chicago, an M.A from the University of British Columbia, and her Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

Tyson King-Meadows
Visiting Assistant Professor, Political Science

Tyson King-Meadows comes to UMBC while on research leave from Middle Tennessee State University. He is an expert on African American political behavior, examining such issues as attitudes on politics and rates of political participation among African Americans and rates of success for African American politicians in passing policy and running for office. King-Meadows earned his B.A. from North Carolina Central University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he, as a graduate student instructor, he received a Chancellor's award for outstanding undergraduate teaching.

John Schumacher
Assistant Professor, Sociology & Anthropology

John Schumacher examines the nature of relationships between health providers and their patients. By studying such factors as the length of time patients spend with medical personnel and how information is conveyed in that time, Schumacher evaluates the level of satisfaction among health providers who treat elderly patients in hospital emergency departments. He hopes that this research will be able to offer recommendations to prepare medical professionals to treat elderly patients more effectively. Schumacher earned his B.S. from John Carroll University, a M.A. in Applied Philosophy from Bowling Green State University, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Case Western Reserve University.

Sarah Chard
Visiting Assistant Professor, Sociology & Anthropology

Sarah Chard comes to UMBC from Bowling Green State University. Her research focuses on factors such as family networks and socioeconomic resources that influence women's ability to seek treatment for tuberculosis. This research, partially funded by the National Science Foundation, has taken her to Uganda where she has been able to investigate how people with very limited resources are able to gain treatment for chronic disease. Currently, she is working closely with local health institutions to help them develop policy that is more effective in implementing preventive measures for disease. Chard earned her B.A. at Bryn Mawr College and her M.A. and Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University.

14 miles offshore from Virginia Beach, UMBC physicist Wallace McMillan and a rotating crew of scientists are firing lasers into the night sky and launching weather balloons by day to make sure a new multi-billion-dollar NASA research satellite is working properly.

For two months, McMillan and his crew are taking turns living and working aboard the Chesapeake Light, a 1960's-era U.S. Coast Guard lighthouse platform with a panoramic view of the Atlantic. Chesapeake Light looks a bit like an oil-drilling rig, perched on a rusty steel frame 75 feet above 34-foot-deep waters. Manned from 1965 to 1982, Chesapeake then became automated and in recent years has hosted experiments by NASA and the US Navy.

"We provide product validation," says McMillan. "We're measuring air temperature, water vapor content, sea surface temperature, and so on, around the clock, and then comparing those to the same measurements taken by AIRS."

AIRS is short for the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, a $70-million "Cadillac" of satellite instrumentation which was developed in part by McMillan's UMBC colleague, Larrabee Strow. AIRS is one of several instruments aboard AQUA, a NASA satellite launched back in May that is designed to give the best looks yet at the Earth's water cycle.

If all goes as planned, AIRS data will soon help U.S. and European Union weather forecasters make more accurate long-range predictions, and reduce the number of "bust" forecasts.

So what good does an Atlantic Ocean lighthouse do for a NASA satellite orbiting the upper atmosphere? "As it happens, the ocean makes a nice, uniform target in the infrared portion of the spectrum where AIRS sees," McMillan explains. "Making comparisons over the ocean makes for the easiest, thus the first, comparisons we want to make."

It only takes two of the seven researchers (three scientists and four graduate students), to man the light. To avoid "lighthouse fever," a fresh crew member and fresh food fly out each week via helicopter from Norfolk International Airport at a cost of $1,000 an hour.

The two-person crew makes regular weather balloon launches by day, and fires a laser beam device skyward at night to take atmospheric observations in concert with AQUA as it passes overhead. Other instruments on board include BBAERI (pronounced "Barry"), a lower atmosphere monitoring device designed by McMillan. The UMBC team is also closely linked to UMBC's Joint Center for Earth Sciences Technology (JCET), NASA Wallops Island Flight Facility, the NOAA and NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA.

The accommodations couldn't be described as cozy -- steel is the main motif. But the Chesapeake Light does have a kitchen, a bathroom, six compact bedrooms, satellite TV, various work rooms, two generators, plus a rec room with a pool table.

"It looks a bit like I would imagine Alcatraz," says researcher Michele McCourt, a physics graduate student at UMBC and probably the first woman to live on Chesapeake since its construction. "It's rusty and dirty," she says. "Plus there's the occasional foghorn in the ear, and the light is always on when you're trying to sleep."

Still, the view here is a lot better than a cubicle or lab. Chesapeake's catwalk is the favorite spot to watch some spectacular sunsets, the occasional rainbow, dolphins, sea turtles, and flotillas of Virginia Beach-area fishermen chasing big schools near the platform.

In addition to pool games in the rec room, McMillan's protégés find ways to keep themselves entertained. Grad student Kurt Lightner likes to do a strange dance as he launched the day's weather balloon. "I'm dancing to appease Thor. You know, the Norse god of weather," he says with a grin.