Anthony Johnson, Physics, CASPR, Appointed to Board of Directors of Essex Corporation
Anthony Johnson, professor of physics and director of the Center for Advanced Studies in Photonics Research (CASPR), was recently appointed an independent director for the Board of Directors of the Essex Corporation. The Essex Corporation, located in Columbia, serves commercial, defense and intelligence customers in the signal and image processing industry.

Vin Grabill, Barbara Tyroller, Visual Arts, in Exhibition
Vin Grabill, associate professor and graduate program director, visual arts has a work on display at "Process: Painting, Printing, Photography, Projection," an exhibition at the Montpelier Cultural Arts Center in Laurel, Maryland, which will run through May 26.

Grabill's 10-1/2 minute work is entitled Time Painting, which utilizes Dada-like, self-imposed rules for creating art. Time Painting collages together sample footage of selective close-ups of landscape into rhythmic patterns. This approach transforms his source material into something Grabill calls "painting in time."

Also on display at the same exhibition is a group of photographs, Submerged Journey: Portraits of Intimacy by Barbara Tyroller, MFA, IMDA '03. The exhibition was reviewed in The Washington Post on April 15 in "Digital Artists Delight in Breaking Barriers," which quoted Grabill extensively. (Free registration is required for online access to the article.) Maryland Public Television's ArtWorks also covered the exhibition on April 14 and broadcast part of Grabill's video.

Uri Tasch, Mechanical Engineering, Awarded Patent
Uri Tasch, professor of mechanical engineering, was awarded a patent entitled"Method and Apparatus for Detecting Lameness in Animals," patent numberUS 6,699,207 B2, issued on March 2. This invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting lameness in animals and for promoting animal well-being, wherein one or more force places are configured to detect forces generated by an animal and these forces are utilized to determine the soundness of an animal.

The patent can be viewed in its entirety on the US Patent and Trademark Office's Web site. If you would like more information about patents, trademarks, copyrights or start-up companies, please call the Office of Technology Development at 410-455-1414 or visit us in our new location, ECS329.

UMBC Collaboration Featured in German Exhibition
Teri Rueb, associate professor of visual arts, has artwork included in an exhibition, "Ohne Schnur: Kunst und Drahtlose Kommunikation," at the Cuxhavener Kunstverein in the port city of Cuxhaven, Germany. Her work, entitled Drift, incorporates software created by UMBC computer science students in a class, Special Topics: Wearable Computing, taught by distinguished professor of computer science and electrical engineering Zary Segall. Students who participated in the project included undergraduates Henry E. Chen, computer engineering, William Chung, computer engineering, Bryan T. Hurley, computer science, Muzaffarah R. Kahn, computer engineering and Stanley J. Thompson, computer engineering, as well as graduate student Swapnagandha Joshi, computer science. Alumnus Erik Conrad, visual arts '99, provided additional on-site technical support.

Drift is a large-scale distributed installation that employs GPS and pocket PC technologies for the delivery of interactive, dynamic location-based sound and text. The content itself floats freely, as un-tethered as the participants who explore it and the wireless technology that delivers it. The piece creates a space of flows consisting of sounds and words that travel like particles on simulated air and water currents loosely based on actual oceanographic and meteorological data. "Ohne Schnur" continues through May 2. For more information visit www.ohne-schnur.de/ or Teri Rueb's Web site.

Fow-Sen Choa, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Issued Patents
Fow-Sen Choa, professor of computer science and electrical engineering, was awarded a patent on April 6, 2004, entitled "System and Method for Reducing Differential Mode Dispersion Effects in Multimode Optical Fiber Transmissions," patent number US 6,718,087 B2. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a system for compensating for unwanted modes in multimode fiber transmissions comprises a detector that receives an optical signal transmitted through a multimode optical fiber and converts the transmitted optical signal to a detector signal, and an adaptive equalizer that generates an adaptive equalizer signal that, when combined with the detector signal, compensates for unwanted modes in the detector signal.

Choa was issued a second patent on April 27, 2004 entitled "Improved Thermally Tunable System," patent number US 6,727,598. This invention provides a thermally tunable system that is configured so that the temperature of a temperature sensitive portion of the system is held substantially constant at a desired temperature or held within a predetermined temperature range, while another portion of the system is thermally tuned.

The patents can be viewed it its entirety on the US Patent and Trademark Office's Web site. If you would like more information about patents, trademarks, or copyrights, please call the Office of Technology Development at 410-455-1414 or visit us in our new location, ECS329.

Mark Street, Visual Arts, Has Film Screened at Silver Theatre
Assistant professor of visual arts Mark Street had one of his films, "At Home at Asea" (71 minutes, 2002) screened at the American Film Institute Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland on April 6. "At Home and Asea" unfolds in a series of unsettling vignettes centered on five characters who piece together lives in Baltimore, Maryland. The film meditates on displacement and isolation in the modern landscape.

Shriver Center Sees Increase in Intern, Co-op, and Service Learning Placements
This spring, the Shriver Center has almost 360 students participating in internship, co-op, or service learning experiences, marking a 10% increase in placements over the last two years. This semester marks one of the Center's largest spring placement cohorts ever. Internship and co-op placements include psychology majors conducting research at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and information systems majors updating software for NOAA. Service learning placements include students from all majors mentoring at-risk youth through the Choice Program and an innovative service learning course offered by the English department and the Honors College that has students provide literacy and life skills training to adults in Baltimore City.

Jessica Pfeifer, Philosophy, Gives Talk at Virginia Tech
On April 9, Jessica Pfeifer, assistant professor of philosophy, presented a talk to the Virginia Tech Philosophy Department entitled "What's not the Problem with the Propensity Interpretation of Fitness." She has also been accepted to participate in the Dibner Institute Summer Biological Seminar at the Marine Biological Lab in Woods Hole, MA, which is focusing this year on Molecular Evolution. The seminar runs from May 19-26.

PROMISE Participants, Peer Mentors and Graduate Meyerhoff Fellows Honored at Graduate Research Conference
Graduate Meyerhoff fellows and students involved as participants or peer mentors in the PROMISE program were well represented in the awards at the recent Graduate Research Conference. The following students received awards:

1st Place Chemistry poster:
Delphilia Taylor
(Graduate Meyerhoff, PROMISE participant)

*1st Place Psychology poster:
S. Sonia Arteaga
(PROMISE Peer Mentor)

*3rd Place Life Sciences poster:
Shahza Somerville
(PROMISE Peer Mentor, Graduate Meyerhoff, PROMISE-Grad. Meyerhoff Liaison)

*2nd (or 3rd) Place Molecular Biology poster:
Dwayne Taliaferro
(Graduate Meyerhoff)

3rd Place Physics poster:
Nikisia Jordan
(PROMISE participant)

The following PROMISE Peer Mentors and Mentors in Training also presented at the GRC: Robert Alexander, public policy; Curtis Durham, chemistry; Sylvester Mosley, chemistry; Jessica Soto-Perez, chemical engineering; and Vera Roquemore, psychology.

Stephen Braude, Philosophy, Presents at Conference
On April 2 and 3, Stephen Braude, chair and professor of philosophy, participated in a conference on Personal Identity at Bowling Green State University. Braude's presentation was titled "Personal Identity and Postmortem Survival." The well-known BGSU conferences are held twice annually and are sponsored by the university's Social Philosophy and Policy Center. The papers are subsequently published in the Center's journal, Social Philosophy & Policy, and then in book form.

Emergency Health Services Students Present at National Conference
Emergency health services graduate student Luis Pinet and undergraduate Sako Narita traveled to Dallas, Texas to present the results of their research to a national and international audience at the annual National Disaster Medical System Conference. Pinet co-presented with Associate Professor of EHS and Graduate Program Director Rick Bissell the results of a national survey, titled "Barriers to Health Sector and Emergency Management Coordination." Narita presented her senior interdisciplinary studies research project results, titled "Barriers to an Effective Response to the Kobe, Japan Earthquake of 1995." These presentations were the first student presentations at this annual meeting's research forum.

Robert Deluty, Psychology, Publishes New Book of Poetry and Essays
Associate Professor of Psychology and Presidential Teaching Professor Robert Deluty has a new book of poetry and essays, Observed and Imagined: Poems and Essays is forthcoming from Gateway Press. Observed and Imagined will be available in the UMBC Bookstore and at selected bookstores in the Baltimore/Washington area.

Rohm and Haas Awards Grants to UMBC Laboratories
Philadelphia-based chemical company Rohm and Haas has awarded External Alpha Grants to four UMBC laboratories. Faculty members Lisa Kelly, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry; Bradley Arnold, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry; Marc Zupan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering; and Brian Reed, associate professor and acting chair of civil and environmental engineering, each received unrestricted grants of $25,000 from Rohm and Haas for use in their laboratory research.

Bob Nielsen Reappointed to Office with the Safety Council of Maryland
Bob Nielsen, director of environmental safety and health, has been nominated for another three-year term on the Board of the Safety Council of Maryland, Inc., beginning July 1, 2004. Nielsen has also been nominated to continue on in his position as Vice President of the Schools and Colleges Division of the Council. The Council is an 81-year-old non-profit and non-governmental public service organization that devotes its total resources to the prevention of all types of accidents and the promotion of safety and health. After July 1, the Council will expand into Delaware and change its name to the Chesapeake Region Safety Council.

Greg Giovanazzi, Christine Skala, Volleyball, to Represent USA in European Spring Cup
UMBC's head volleyball coach Greg Giovanazzi and sophomore Christine Skala will be among three coaches and twelve collegiate players on the USA Select Team heading to Brno, Czech Republic for the European Spring Cup from May 6-16, 2004. The USA Select team is recognized by the USAV (USA Volleyball) organization as part of their national team pipeline and organized by Bring It Promotions.

Drew Westervelt, Men's Lacrosse, in The Sun
Freshman Drew Westervelt was featured in The Sun on April 27. Westervelt, a graduate of the John Carroll School in Bel Air, is second in scoring this season for the Retrievers' men's lacrosse team with 16 goals and 12 assists.

Alumnus Duff Goldman Featured in Baltimore Magazine
Duff Goldman, philosophy and physics '97, and his business, Charm City Cakes, is featured in the May 2004 issue of Baltimore magazine.

By Jack Prostko, Director, Faculty Development Center

Near the end of last semester, I wrote a brief article in Insights ("Racing to the Finish") about how faculty can help students successfully manage the final weeks of the semester. As this semester speeds to a close, I would like to discuss how faculty can best prepare themselves for a successful conclusion to the academic year. Effectively managing time and stress during the end of a term (instead of wearing ourselves out) can help us enjoy these weeks, conclude with a sense of satisfaction, and be primed--after a brief rest--to begin summer projects.

The final month of teaching presents various challenges, including finishing the material originally outlined in the syllabus, preparing tests and assignments, giving feedback on projects, and dealing with individual students' late papers, personal crises, or grading concerns. Depending on how closely the current calendar matches with the original syllabus, consider cutting back on content (if this is an option). Students don't benefit from having four weeks of information squeezed into two since there's little likelihood that they'll have time to comprehend and digest the new information. Focus on the major concepts of the course and tie as much of the course together (through review) as possible. Most of the memorization should be over for students by now: they should be concentrating on integrating and consolidating information.

This notion of limiting new content to the most significant ideas during the final weeks also relates to another key factor in managing short periods of time well: make priorities stick. Decide on what is most important and be ruthless in staying on task. One of the most insidious forms of procrastination is to imagine that smaller and more trivial things need to be gotten out of the way before we tackle larger tasks (like grading that set of essays or reviewing those final reports). Tackle the big concerns first, when you're fresh and able to concentrate best. This may require spending a little more time planning out the day, but such planning becomes especially crucial in hectic periods.

For other teaching tasks, two suggestions offered by Douglas Robertson in Making Time, Making Change (see below) may be useful: "require students to monitor their own completion of course assignments," and "require students to prepare their own study guides" (p. 42). The rational for both suggestions is both to save faculty members time and to place greater responsibility on students for their success in a course. Robertson takes this position on study guides, "because it has now become clear to me that on many of our campuses the professor's study guide may constitute the only course reading that some students do" (pp. 42-43).

In the last weeks of the semester, many faculty feel that review sessions are more effective that office hours. Review sessions help one avoid having to repeat the same information or review the same problem several times for different students. If possible, videotape the session and make it available for students who can't attend. In the same vein, asynchronous online discussion boards can serve the same purpose--and even save more time if students are encourage to answer each other's questions.

Other common time management advice also holds: set time limits for tasks and stick to them (if possible); avoid interruptions by isolating yourself if necessary--inform people in advance when you'll be available and when you won't; finish a task if possible, rather than jumping from one thing to another. And finally, save time every day for yourself-to unwind, exercise, enjoy pleasure reading, or relax with family or friends. You may have noticed the phenomenon that occurs regularly for undergraduates: by winter break in December and by finals time in May, they have worked themselves so ragged, slept so little, and eaten so poorly, that their first few weeks after classes end are spent with the flu, or a cold, or home in bed with another ailment. It's nice to have learned from our experience so that even though we are on similar schedules, we don't have to repeat the mistakes of our youth.

And of course the biggest reason for avoiding an end-of-semester collapse is to move into the summer months with energy for our research projects and a clear plan to carry them forward. Use some time in the coming month to begin careful planning and setting small goals and tasks to accomplish soon. Another of the worst causes of procrastination is imagining a task that is so large that it seems impossible to begin. To avoid stalling in the face of a trek up Everest, start small and make certain that several short hikes are taken before the summer even begins.

Resources on Time Management for Faculty:

On the Web

Richard Reis on Tomorrow's Professor Web site:Establishing Your Absence
Faculty Time Savers

Time Management for New FacultyAnastassia Ailamaki, Carnegie Mellon University and Johannes Gehrke, Cornell University

"Lessons in Time Management"Lee Tobin McClain, Chronicle of Higher Education, December 16, 2003

"Time Management 101 for Grant Applicants"Vid Mohan-Ram, Science's Next Wave, October 8, 1999

Books available at the FDCGmelch, W.H. (1993) Coping with Faculty Stress, Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Robertson, D. R. (2003) Making Time, Making Change : Avoiding Overload in College Teaching, Stillwater, OK: New Forums.

Zahorski, K.J. (1994) The Sabbatical Mentor: A Practical Guide to Successful Sabbaticals, Bolton, MA: Anker.

Be under no illusion. You shall gather to yourself the images you love. As you go, the shapes, the lights, the shadows of the things you have preferred will come to you, yes, inveterately, inevitably as bees to their hive. And there in your mind and spirit they will leave with you their distilled essence, sweet as honey or bitter as gall, and you will grow unto their likeness because their nature will be in you.

As men see the color in the wave, so shall men see in you the thing you have loved most.

Oliver W.S. McCall, The Hand of God

How does one capture the essence of a man? My grandmother would have said that Bino had a "sweet spirit." He loved his family, his work, and life itself.

Our colleague and dear friend, Bino Koh, skillfully led UMBC's College of Engineering in its early years, through the development of its academic programs and its first accreditation. He also played a major role in recruiting a number of our faculty and in integrating the College into the fabric of the University. I was always taken by his passion for engineering and education, his broad international perspective, and his determination to make us the best. He had a sense of enthusiasm about building both the University and the new College of Engineering.

But what made Bino so special - even more than his rich academic and administrative contributions - were his distinctive personal qualities. In fact, a number of colleagues have talked to me about Bino in recent days, and what they all said, in essence, was that he was a genuinely kind person - something I learned firsthand many years ago.

Bino was one of my closest colleagues during our first years at UMBC, in the late 1980s when I was Vice Provost, as we focused on the challenges that students of color and international students faced on our campus. On many occasions, he and I led discussions with our President's Council about these challenges. In fact, our President, the late Michael Hooker, called us his two experts on diversity - I called Bino our expert on humanity.

I continue to remember Bino telling me about growing up in the Philippines - his is the story of poor young boy who overcame the odds and shared with countless others the transforming power of education. He brought the human touch to engineering and to the academic environment, treating every person he met as someone important, especially our students. He was always thinking about what was best for people.

When I think of Bino, I picture his disarming smile and that look of hope in his eyes, and I hear his comforting voice. If I had to give you one statement from him that stands out, it would be when he looked at me and said with great enthusiasm, "We can do this!" He always believed in the power of the human spirit.

Most important, perhaps, he taught us much about the significance of balancing work and family. Indeed, whenever he mentioned his beloved Paz, or his daughters and grandchildren, his face would light up with a great smile and a twinkle in his eyes. You can tell when someone is happy at home, and he was. It was as if he knew something that others might not know - and indeed he did. He knew what it meant to love deeply and to be loved by his family. And that love extended not only across his family, but also across our campus. We were not simply fond and respectful of Bino; we loved Bino, and we always will.

By Anne Roland, Editor and Intergovernmental Relations Coordinator, Department of Public Policy

Every ten years, UMBC undertakes a university wide review, or self study, as part of a requirement for reaccreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. On March 2, UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski and Provost Arthur T. Johnson announced the start of the 2006 Self Study, which culminates with a Middle States team evaluation. "We have changed and grown significantly since our most recent Middle States self study in 1996," said President Hrabowski. "An essential part of our accreditation, the self study process is critical to understanding our strengths, and the challenges and opportunities we face as an academic community."

The purpose of the self study is to determine how well UMBC educational programs and services accomplish the university's goals and meet the Middle States Commission standards. During the review, work groups will carefully evaluate key University areas such as planning, staffing, enrollments, teaching, research and student learning. "Engaging in self study benefits the university as a whole,” said UMBC Provost Art Johnson. "In addition to responding to the Middle States Commission, the University will use the self study process to advance the campus planning initiative.”

The two-year process involves many members of the UMBC community. Marvin Mandell, professor and chair of the Department of Public Policy, and NancyOchsner, director of the Office of Institutional Research, are co-chairing the 2006 UMBC Self Study. "Participation from all UMBC constituencies is essential for a successful self study,” stressed co-chair Marv Mandell.

A Self Study Steering Committee has been formed to guide the process. Work groups made up of faculty, staff, students and alumni will actually conduct the self study, beginning in fall 2004. Each work group will examine a set of assigned topics and issues and submit a report to the Steering Committee. Various mechanisms, including campus-wide forums, will be used throughout fall 2005 to provide the UMBC community an opportunity to respond to the self study draft before finalizing the report. The Steering Committee will finalize the self study report by the end of 2005, in advance of the Middle States Evaluation Team visit to the University in spring 2006.

Representatives from various University groups, including students, faculty and staff, have been invited to discuss the self study process with Middle Statesrepresentative Dr. Robin Dasher-Alston during her campus visit on April 22. The UMBC campus community will receive information about the self study, includingopportunities for participation, throughout the process. A dedicated self study Web site will be operational in May 2004.

For more information, contact Anne Roland (anne@umbc.edu or 410-455-8457)

The USM Board of Regents will present the 2004 Regents' Faculty Awards for Excellence at its meeting on Friday, April 16. UMBC biological sciences professor Thomas Cronin will receive an award in the Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity category, while public policy professor Nancy Miller will receive an award in the Mentoring category.

The Board of Regents established the awards in 1995 to publicly recognize distinguished performance by educators and researchers within the university system. Other awards are given in the categories of Teaching, Public Service and Collaboration; a total of 11 USM faculty will receive awards this year.

Thomas Cronin joined the UMBC faculty in 1983 and was promoted to professor in 1988. Although his research on the visual system of mantis shrimp may seem an esoteric topic of interest, what Cronin discovered was the most complex visual system in nature. In the letters supporting his nomination, his colleagues characterize this work as innovative and awe-inspiring.

"Professor Thomas Cronin epitomizes what every research university seeks in its professoriate: world-class research and scholarship; first-rate teaching and student mentorship; and engaged citizenship," said UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski in his nomination letter.

In contrast to human vision, which relies on three types of photoreceptors and four visual pigments, the mantis shrimp has 12 types of photoreceptors and as many as 16 visual pigments. Cronin has been able to document the role of shrimp habitat in determining the expression of its underlying visual genotype. His most recent work, on wavelength and polarization of light, is providing an explanation of why shrimp possess such extraordinary visual systems. The mechanisms that permit this small crustacean to have color vision in aquatic depths have far-reaching potential applications for human processing of visual information in difficult contexts.

Over the last three years, Cronin has published 27 papers, has five more in press and several under editorial review. Five of his papers have appeared in Science and Nature; his work has been continuously funded by such external agencies at the National Science Foundation (over $700,000 in the last three years); he receives frequent invitations to speak at international conferences; and this past year was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

He is recognized as an excellent teacher and mentor, and in 2002 received a UMBC Graduate Education Award for excellence in teaching and service from the Marine Estuarine-Environmental Sciences program.

"It's tremendously gratifying to be recognized by the Regents for my research here at UMBC," says Cronin. "I'm very pleased that my references--peers from a number of international laboratories--were so supportive in their letters, and it has been wonderful to have received congratulatory comments from family and from many members of the university community."

Cronin adds, "While the award for scholarly achievement focuses on work of recent years, this work has proceeded from many more years of groundwork done here in my laboratory, both with the support of many gifted graduate students and with the collaboration of colleagues around the world. Thus, it might be more appropriate to term the honor the 'Regents' Award for Excellence in Teamwork'!"

Also recognized for her outstanding work is Associate Professor of Public Policy Nancy Miller. In 1992, Miller joined the UMBC faculty after having developed a mental health information system for the city of Milwaukee; coordinated a health promotion program for Cook County, Illinois; and supervised research, demonstration and evaluation activities for the Health Care Financing Administration.

Miller has mentored 15 doctoral degree recipients in the last two years, while serving on 13 additional doctoral committees and serving as a reader for 11 others. With her support, students have produced significant dissertations and received numerous awards and recognition for their work.

As the health track advisor to health policy graduate students, Miller is a mentor to many, and her office door is always open. She is especially supportive of students while they are working on their master's theses and doctoral dissertations. She treats her students as colleagues, often including them in major grant projects she supervises and letting them serve as co-authors of published research.

In his nomination letter, President Freeman Hrabowski noted the "superb guidance and support" Miller gives her students and described her as a "dedicated and gifted faculty mentor."

Last year, two of Miller's advisees were finalists for the Laurence G. Branch Doctoral Student Research Award (named for one of the major figures in the study of aging and human development), given by the American Public Health Administration, and one of the students received the award.

"Being recognized as a mentor is a tribute both to those who I have mentored and to those who have mentored me," says Miller. "To borrow from a former student, quoting Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 'One can never pay in gratitude: one can only pay 'in kind' somewhere else in life...' This 'somewhere else,' most fortunately for me, has been UMBC. It is my wish that my students, someday, will be blessed likewise."

Manil Suri, professor of mathematics and statistics at UMBC, has been named a 2004 Guggenheim Fellow for his exemplary work in the field of fiction writing.Suri was one of 184 distinguished scientists, scholars and artists selected to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship from a field more than 3,200 applicants.

After the publication of Suri's first novel, The Death of Vishnu (W.W.Norton & Company, 2001), he was named a Time magazine "Person to Watch.” His book garnered rave reviews from critics, including those writing forThe New York Times Book Review, the Boston Sunday Globe and Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

A scholar who is seriously engaged in the discipline of mathematics, Suri has taught at UMBC since 1983. His fiction was largely unknown, even to UMBC faculty, until the publication of an excerpt from The Death of Vishnu appeared in a February 2001 issue of The New Yorker.

For more information about Professor Suri, please go to:
www.manilsuri.com/
or
www.math.umbc.edu/~suri/

Buried--a production developed by students and faculty in UMBC's Theatre Department--is one of just six plays to be showcased this month at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. More than 1,200 colleges and universities nationwide vied for a spot in this highly regarded festival.

"We are delighted to be returning to the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. This year's production underscores UMBC's commitment to the arts and the importance of collaboration between our faculty and students,” said UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski.

Buried reached the finals by being voted the outstanding theatre production of schools representing the mid-Atlantic region, besting festival participants from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Conceived and directed by UMBC Assistant Professor Colette Searls, Buried is an original puppet performance about the casualties of war. Looking at war through the eyes of its victims, Buried uses puppetry to imagine what happens to the suspended thoughts and intentions of those who don't survive.

Three of the students in Buried-–McKenzie Bowling, Jillian Byrnes and Vanessa Strickland-–are Linehan Artist Scholars, recipients of UMBC's prestigious merit scholarship for talented undergraduates majoring in the visual and performing arts who have a strong record of academic achievement.

Also in the spotlight at the Theater Festival is UMBC undergraduate Jason Roth, who will be one of 16 national finalists (out of 300 from across the country) pursuing the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. A sophomore, he returns to the festival for the second year in a row.

The performances, marking UMBC's sixth appearance at the national festival, will take place on April 12 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater.

By Mark Terranova, Associate Director, The Shriver Center

"an Inclination join'd with an Ability to serve…should be the great Aim and End of all Learning."

-Benjamin Franklin*

During the first weeks of March I had the benefit of attending two conferences on campus-community partnerships, both held on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in West Philadelphia.

The first was a workshop sponsored by Penn's nationally recognized Center for Community Partnerships, founded by Ira Harkavy. The second was a conference hosted by C.O.O.L. (Campus Opportunity Outreach League) and Idealist.org organized primarily by undergraduate students dedicated to service.

In his keynote address, Harkavy spoke of his Center's connection to the surrounding West Philadelphia community. The Center for Community Partnerships is an impressive blend of research and service to the community, and the involvement of hundreds of faculty members in their initiatives is a testament to Penn's dedication to Philadelphia. Certainly, barriers remain -- faculty at Penn face the same pressures of tenure and resources that often prevent them from becoming as actively involved in the communities they research as they might like to be. However, it is encouraging that the administration of schools such as Penn and UMBC support these worthwhile initiatives by supporting the Center for Community Partnerships and the Shriver Center.

The COOL/Idealist.org conference was a spotlight on over 1500 hundred students from around the country dedicated to service and activism. The energy was certainly palpable, and the idealism of the students in attendance was undeniable. One thing that struck UMBC students attending the conference was how supportive UMBC is in promoting an ethic of service to the community, and they are grateful of the support of so many faculty here at UMBC that support their work through service-learning courses.

I believe that both conferences highlighted the desire of many students, faculty and staff to attach their day-to-day work to something larger, something that helps other in a direct way. Higher education has the unique ability to serve communities both through the creation of lasting knowledge serving generations to come, and the application of that knowledge that serves communities tonight.

What can we learn from Philadelphia? Service remains at the heart of education, running up the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art like Rocky is harder than it looks and a Pat's cheese steak is better than one from Gino's every time.

www.upenn.edu/ccp
www.cool2serve.org
www.shrivercenter.org
www.patskingofsteaks.com

*Quote appears as amended by the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Community Partnership's brochure.

Randy Monroe has been promoted to head men's basketball coach at UMBC, Director of Athletics Charles Brown announced. Monroe was hired after a series of on-campus interviews with student-athletes, faculty and administrators.

Monroe has been serving as acting head coach since March 2, and coached the Retrievers in their 65-59 First Round loss to Stony Brook in the America East Conference Tournament. Tom Sullivan resigned as head basketball coach on March 11.

Assistant Coaches Jeff Estis and John Schaller are expected to remain on the UMBC staff.

Monroe has been an assistant coach at UMBC since the 1994-95 season, a span of ten years. He was hired by Earl Hawkins, and retained when Tom Sullivan took over the following season.

Last spring, many people around the country learned what east coast basketball fans have known for a long time when the affable native of Philadelphia was one of 27 Division I coaches (all sports) nationally to receive AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year honors. The winners were selected from a field of more than 350,000 coaches across the nation. The criteria in the second annual AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year program allowed for coaches to win based on longevity, expertise, contributions to the school and community, and special achievements throughout their careers.

"This is a tremendous opportunity…an opportunity most assistant coaches live for," said Monroe. "I have been an assistant coach for 20 years, and perhaps some people in that position would have been upset not to get an opportunity earlier. The way I look at it, I gained a tremendous amount of experience and learned so much about the development of young people throughout the years. I believe that experience will serve me well as a head basketball coach.

"I would like to express my gratitude towards [UMBC President] Dr. (Freeman) Hrabowski, [UMBC Provost] Dr. (Arthur) Johnson, and Dr. Brown for giving me this opportunity and showing enough confidence in me to become the head basketball coach at UMBC. I will work as hard as I always have and be as committed as I've always been to this program and the young men that are a part of it. We will put a product on the floor that the UMBC community can be proud of."

Brown said, "In his ten years at UMBC, Randy has displayed all of the outstanding qualities necessary to be a Division I basketball coach. He has a passion for the game, a tremendous work ethic, knowledge and experience as a player and as a coach at various levels of Division I, and the personality to bring out the best in our players. I was also very impressed with the number of alumni and people in the community that contacted me in support of Randy."

Monroe had previously served as assistant coach at Vanderbilt University (1993-94), LaSalle University (1988-1993), and his alma mater, Cheyney University (1985-87). During his tenure at Vanderbilt, the Commodores finished the 1993-94 season at 20-12 and were the 1994 National Invitational Tournament finalists. While at LaSalle, the Explorers compiled a record of 119-39, won three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles and gained three NCAA Tournament berths and one NIT berth. Cheyney averaged 24 wins per season in Monroe's two campaigns, and in 1986, they were the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Champions, the Eastern Regional Champions, and participants in the NCAA Division II Final Four in Springfield, Massachusetts.

In 1987-88, he assisted Dave "Lefty" Ervin at the William Penn Charter School, where the Quakers tied for the league title with a 20-10 record.

Monroe had an excellent playing career at Philadelphia University and Cheyney State University. In 1982, he was named one of the top freshmen on the east coast by Eastern Basketball Magazine. He earned a Bachelor of Science (Magna Cum Laude) in Recreation Administration from Cheyney in 1987.

Brown and Monroe are looking to a successful season next year. "I want to develop a winning attitude with everyone involved with the program," said Brown. "I would like to see improvement in every player in all phases of the game, and bring that all together to form a cohesive team. Ultimately, I want our team to become more competitive in the America East Conference, and contend for a conference title."

"Next year will be about progression," Monroe added. "I hope to adopt a motto of 'Whatever It Takes' and really focus in on attitude and effort. Eventually, I believe that we can compete for and win an America East title. But that attitude and effort must begin right now."

By Christine Routzahn, Associate Director of Internships and Cooperative Education, The Shriver Center

UMBC encourages its students to explore entrepreneurship at all levels. Students who break new ground in the creative arts, push the envelope in science and technology or provide solutions to society's problems, can all become future entrepreneurs.

In 2002, The Shriver Center, in collaboration with the Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship at UMBC, partnered with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to develop the Kauffman Entrepreneur Internship Program (KEIP). This semester, the successful program includes 14 interns from a variety of majors, including computer engineering, computer science, history, information systems, mathematics, mechanical engineering and psychology.

KEIP introduces both undergraduate and graduate students to the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship by providing them with mentors and internships in new and emerging businesses. Julio Gutierrez, an undergraduate computer science major who interned with Healthcare System Connections last fall, says, "The experience of learning firsthand how a small company is run is priceless. Anyone with entrepreneurial skills and ambitions would appreciate the chance."

Gigi Yim, an undergraduate majoring in information systems, currently serves as a KEIP intern with the Maryland Technology Development Corp. (TEDCO). Yim plays a key role in helping TEDCO organize and clean databases in order to streamline TEDCO's ability to conduct outreach and follow-up with businesses. She also has the opportunity to network with entrepreneurs and gain exposure to new technologies being developed in Maryland. "I want to establish a professional network of contacts outside of UMBC and learn how technology is created, applied, and financed beyond the classroom," says Yim.

Organizations participating in KEIP this semester include Acceleration Strategies, BCA Network LLC, Bloomsbury Consulting Group, E-Global Interactive, eOriginal Inc., Engenium Technologies Inc., Key Technologies Inc., Maryland Technology Development Corp. and Regal Decision Systems Inc.

The Shriver Center and the Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship are pleased with KEIP's results and are eager to continue the program during the fall 2004 semester. For more information on KEIP, e-mail routzahn@umbc.edu.

Pictured: KEIP intern Gigi Yim and her TEDCO mentor, David Houle.

David J. Fink, Ph.D., has been named the Venable entrepreneur-in-residence at techcenter@UMBC. With more than two decades of experience as an entrepreneur and officer in biotechnology start-ups, Fink will provide techcenter@UMBC companies with invaluable mentoring and expertise.

Fink is the third Entrepreneur-in-Residence for techcenter@UMBC, UMBC's on-campus tech incubator and home to 17 start-up and six emerging high-tech and biomedical companies.

Venable founded the entrepreneur-in-residence program at UMBC four years ago with a grant. Designed to assist companies in getting to the next level of business success, the Venable Entrepreneur-in-Residence program makes it possible for experienced businesspeople like Fink to counsel techcenter@UMBC entrepreneurs by assessing business plans, preparing state and federal grant applications, evaluating technology transfer and business development opportunities.

"I enjoy working with dynamic entrepreneurs who are committed to their companies. In these technology-based businesses, situations can change rapidly," said Fink. "It is exciting to think the resources provided by techcenter@UMBC, along with the support I can offer to these professionals, will make a difference in their success."

Newt Fowler, Venable partner and chairman of the Greater Baltimore Technology Council said, "Venable is a proud supporter of the techcenter@UMBC program and we congratulate David on being selected this year's Entrepreneur-in-Residence. Without question, he will provide the guidance and expertise these entrepreneurs and professionals value."

Prior to accepting the position as Venable's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Fink was a researcher and research manager at Battelle in Columbus, Ohio and then was an officer in six start-up biotech companies. Fink recently rejoined Osiris Therapeutics as vice president of business development. Fink was trained in chemical engineering at the Universities of Cincinnati and Michigan and was a post-doctoral fellow in biochemistry at Purdue University.

In addition to Fink's role as Entrepreneur-in-Residence, he has been an active member of the techcenter@UMBC Business Advisory Board, the Baltimore Bioscience Consortium and the Technology Advisory Committee of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse.

"David is an extraordinary asset to our strong management team," said Executive Director of UMBC Research Park Corporation Ellen Hemmerly. "Expanding UMBC research opportunities, facilitating technology transfer between the University and the private sector and creating jobs are important elements of the techcenter@UMBC and our research park, bwtech@UMBC. We are the smart way to advance business, and David is a smart choice for helping entrepreneurs get there."