Dominic Cirincione, ’05, in the Arbutus Time
Dominic Cirincione, ’05 political science and sociology graduate, was quoted in the Arbutus Times about Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan who is running for governor. Cirincione, a former SGA president, is vying for a House of Delegates seat in Maryland’s 42nd District. “Gubernatorial Candidate Comes to Town,” was printed on Nov. 8.
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=805&NewsID=676629&CategoryID=5768&on=1

Stuart Daily, ’02, on WYPR.com
Stuart Daily, ’02 music, was interviewed for a WYPR radio segment, “PG County Program Provides Bridge for Dedicated Teachers.” The radio package discussed The Men Equipped to Nurture program, a new initiative that seeks to support black men committed to teaching with the premise that males in the classroom will help struggling African-American students with school and self-esteem.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wypr/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=845528

President Hrabowski in the Ithaca Journal
An Ithaca Journal article, “Math Expert Advocates Brilliance,” highlighted President Hrabowski, who presented “Education for the 21st Century: Creating a Climate of Success for All Students,” to community members and area leaders of Ithaca, NY. The article was printed on Nov. 21.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051121/NEWS01/511210325/1002

Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery in the Baltimore Sun
Columnist Michael Olesker suggested readers should visit the Tyler Hicks’ exhibit “Histories are Mirrors: The Path of Conflict Through Afghanistan and Iraq” to view the realities of war. The exhibit, located in the Gallery, continues until Dec. 10. The Baltimore Sun article, “The Public Concept of War is Far from Reality,” appeared on Nov. 22.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.olesker22nov22,1,3287279.column

Ellen Handler Spitz, Honors College, in the Chicago Tribune
Ellen Handler Spitz, professor in the Honors College and visual arts, was in “College of Calvin,” a Chicago Tribune article about the comic strip, Calvin and Hobbes. Spitz, a professed fan, discussed how she incorporated segments of the comic strip into “Museums of the Mind,” a book comprised of a collection of essays authored by Spitz in 1994.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-0511040021nov04,1,2309541.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

UMBC in dcmilitary.com
Members of the Society of Automotive Engineers Club (SAE) at UMBC were mentioned in a dcmilitary.com article for participating in an event sponsored by the SAE Baltimore Chapter. “Midshipmen Take a Ride in the Fast Lane” was published on Nov. 18.
http://www.dcmilitary.com/navy/trident/10_42/features/38399-1.html

Don Norris, Public Policy, in the Baltimore Sun
A smoking ban will not be a main issue for the gubernatorial race says Public Policy Professor and MIPAR director Don Norris who appeared in the Baltimore Sun’s “Outlook is Hazy for Smoking Bans” on Nov. 20. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.smoking20nov20,1,7219438.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

Freshman Thomas Young in the Times Herald
Freshman Thomas Young and a guard for UMBC’s basketball team was profiled in the Times Herald (Philadelphia, Pa.) about his transition from high school to college. The article, “Young Settling in at UMBC,” appeared on Nov. 20.
http://www.timesherald.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1672&dept_id=32095&newsid=15609916&PAG=461&rfi=9

Thomas Schaller, Political Science, in Media Matters for America
Tom Schaller, political commentator, was consulted for a Media Matters for America piece, “Milking a Story For All It's Worth, Media Uncritically Report Crumbling Allegation That Democrats Threw Oreos at Steele,” which provides an overall report from various media outlets of the accusation that Democrats threw Oreo cookies at Steele, who - at the time - was a candidate, during a Md. Gubernatorial debate in 2002 between Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Republican Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200511210004

In a similar story, Schaller was mentioned in the Baltimore City Paper for his uncertainty about the incident. The article, published on Nov. 23, includes a time line of media reports that recounts the Oreo-throwing incident.
http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=11150

11/18/05

Center for Art and Visual Culture in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review
The Center for Art and Visual Culture (CAVC) was cited in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review as one of the art museums that will host the exhibition “What Sound Does Color Make?” The traveling exhibition explores the fusion of sound and vision. The article, “Audiovisual Exhibit Excites the Senses,” was published on Nov. 13.
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/entertainment/arts/s_394034.html

CAVC’s exhibition “Blur of the Otherworldly: Contemporary Art, Technology and the Paranormal” was featured on The Signal from WYPR on Nov. 18 at noon.
http://www.signalradio.org/

President Freeman Hrabowski in the Gazette
UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski appeared in a Gazette article, “Education Theme at NAACP Banquet” on Nov. 17. Hrabowski, who focused on education, was the keynote speaker for the annual banquet of the NAACP chapter in Prince George’s County, Md.
http://www.gazette.net/stories/111705/prinedu194249_31897.shtml

Invoke Systems in the Baltimore Business Journal
Invoke Systems, a new UMBC tech park company, was profiled in “Invoke Systems Moves to UMBC tech park.” Invoke Systems is a computer software company that works closely with Microsoft. The article appeared in the Baltimore Business Journal.
http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2005/11/14/daily25.html?jst=b_ln_hl

Freshman Cory Johnson in the Capital
Cory Johnson, a UMBC freshman, was featured in a Capital (Annapolis) story, “Severn Teen Donates 1,200 Books to AAMC,” in the Capital. The book drive served as Johnson’s Eagle Scout project. The 18-year old collected the books specifically for the new born babies at the Anne Arundel Medical Center.
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2005/11_13-94/CWC

Don Norris, MIPAR, in the Baltimore Sun
Don Norris, professor of public policy and director of MIPAR, said there are many prejudices that people hold against the suburbs. Many academics have told Norris that would not choose to live in the suburbs. Norris appeared in “Suburban Studies 101” on Nov. 8 in the Baltimore Sun.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-te.md.suburban08nov08,1,6804588.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

On Nov. 15 in the Washington Post, Norris was quoted in “Former Aide's 'Dirty Tricks' Could Blemish Ehrlich Image.” Norris said the recent disclosures of so-called political dirty tricks committed by Joseph Steffen, a former aid of Gov. Robert Ehrlich, will not affect votes for Ehrlich in Nov. 2006.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/14/AR2005111401488.html

Thomas Schaller, Political Science, in the Washington Post
Tom Schaller, political commentator, appeared in a Washington Post article, “Former Aide's 'Dirty Tricks' Could Blemish Ehrlich Image,” on Nov. 15, in which Schaller claimed the alleged dirty campaign tactics by former governor’s aid Joseph Steffen could possibly tarnish Gov. Robert Ehrlich’s “nice-guy” image.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/14/AR2005111401488.html

11/11/05

CAVC in the Washington Post
A review of “Blur of the Otherworldly: Contemporary Art, Technology and the Paranormal,” a traveling exhibition held in CAVC that uses communication technologies to explore culturally inbred questions/superstitions concerning parallel worlds to our own, appeared in the Washington Post on Oct. 5. The review came under the headline, “Go Ahead, Look Behind the Curtain.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110402029.html

Kris Lindenmeyer, History, on WYPR
Kris Lindenmeyer, chair and professor of history, was part of a panel that discussed a recently published book, “Invisible No More: The Secret Lives of Women Over Fifty,” on WYPR’s Marc Steiner Show on Nov. 8.
http://www.wypr.org/M_Steiner.html

UMBC in the Detroit News
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County was mentioned in “Grade Schoolers Master Chess Rules” for offering full scholarships to chess players. Several school districts throughout the country have added chess to their curriculums to increase problem solving skills, memory and discipline. The article was published in the Detroit News on Nov. 4.
http://www.detnews.com/2005/schools/0511/04/A13-371410.htm

On Nov. 7, UMBC was mentioned in “TU’s Voice Exits After 12 years,” a “Towerlight Online” article about Susanna Craine, a former UMBC English instructor who later held an administrative position. After 12 years at Towson University as university spokesperson and director of community relations, Craine will manage an internist’s office at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center.
http://www.thetowerlight.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/11/07/436eb08e05d57

In the “Towerlight Online”, another reference to UMBC appeared the same day in “Reporter Emphasizes Accuracy, Curiosity.” Jayne Miller, a WBAL-TV reporter, spoke during a lecture at Towson University, where she recounted a story about teaching journalism at UMBC.
http://www.thetowerlight.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/11/07/436eb1519201d

UMBC was listed in a University of Michigan press release for participating in a national study that analyzed computer incidents on college campuses. University of Michigan researchers examined 319 incidents from 36 universities and submitted recommendations as part of the “Computer Incident Factor Analysis and Categorization Project.” The story, “IT Training and Policies Could Reduce Computer Incidents on Campuses,” was posted online at the U of M News Service on Nov. 7.
http://www.umich.edu/news/?Releases/2005/Nov05/r110705

Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the Baltimore Sun
Tom Schaller, assistant professor of political science, said Prince Georges County’s larger democratic base makes it the key battleground for the gubernatorial race. “Suburbs Could Be the Key to Primary” was published in the Baltimore Sun on Oct. 5.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.primary05nov05,1,3633515.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

On Oct. 8, Schaller said that Lt. Gov Steele will attempt to gain the black vote by “position[ing] himself as a victim of a Democratic Party, race-oriented conspiracy.” The story, “Steele Aims to Erode Democrats' Black Support,” appeared in the Washington Post.
http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/07/AR2005110701581.html

Gale Seiler, Education, in the Baltimore City Paper
Gale Seiler, assistant professor of education, was quoted in the Baltimore City Paper on Oct. 19. The article, “No School Is an Island,” discussed Baltimore City’s latest program that will finally provide much needed resources to impoverished students. In the article, Seiler said she suggests to her student-teachers that they become involved in different aspects of their students’ lives. She encourages them to participate in civic activities such as politics, volunteering in the community or organizations that directly impact the lives of children.
http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?ID=11023

10/04/05

Maurice Berger and Kathy O’Dell in the Santa Fe New Mexican
Maurice Berger, curator of the Center for Art and Visual Culture and Kathy O’Dell, associate dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and professor of visual arts, were listed in a Santa Fe New Mexican article, “O’Keeffe Museum Research Center Hosts Online Symposium on 1980s Art, Politics.” Berger is the moderator of "The 1980s: An Internet Conference” held Oct. 31-Nov. 13 at http://www.okeeffemuseum.org. O’Dell is a participant.
http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/34475.html

Marty Brandwin, AVIcode, in the Star Tribune
Marty Brandwin, vice president of marketing for techcenter@UMBC company AVIcode, was featured in the Star Tribune on Oct. 28. Brandwin appeared in “Sunday Blues Color Home Life,” about the Sunday night blues, a condition, the article states, that causes anxiety, sleepless nights or other symptoms for employees preparing for the upcoming work week. This article first appeared in the Baltimore Sun on Sept. 21.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/5695338.html

Christopher Corbett, Journalism, in the Baltimore Style
Christopher Corbett, lecturer of journalism, is the November 2005 columnist for the Baltimore Style. In “Missed Manners,” Corbett explained how society lacks manners and, consequently, has become selfish. He further provided examples of manners from Emily Post’s “Etiquette: The Blue Book of Social Usage.”
http://www.baltimorestyle.com/nov05issue/backpage-nov05.html

Kevin Eckert, Erickson School of Aging Studies, in the Washington Post
Kevin Eckert, dean of the Erickson School of Aging Studies, commented on Copper Ridge, a residential facility located in Sykesville, Md., that specializes in Alzheimer’s patients. The article, “Research That Hits Home,” was published in the Washington Post on Nov. 1.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/29/AR2005102900163.html

President Hrabowski and UMBC Meyerhoff Scholarship Program in the Baltimore Sun
“Bound By Generosity,” a Baltimore Sun article profiled the Meyerhoff Scholarship program by recounting the experience of Andrew Atiemo, a former Meyerhoff Scholar. Hrabowski and Robert Meyerhoff were quoted in the article on Nov. 2.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/lifestyle/bal-to.meyerhoff02nov02,1,1396135.story

UMBC in the Towson Times
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County was mentioned in “Bumpy Ride for Bus Schedules” in the Towson Times on Oct. 26. In the article, several MTA bus riders expressed unhappiness with the changes to the bus schedule and routes that went into effect on Oct. 23. According to the article, the No. 31-No. 35 line between White Marsh Mall, UMBC and Lansdowne is one of the routes that changed to increase service along east-west routes.
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpid=659&show=archivedetails&ArchiveID=1143255&om=1

UMBC study mentioned in the Owings Mills Times
A UMBC study that examined Senior Friendly Neighborhood, a program that provides services to elderly Baltimore County residents, was mentioned in the Owings Mills Times on Oct. 27. “The Gray Tide” did not mention the name of the study, which concluded the program was beneficial for members.
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=809&NewsID=671348&CategoryID=5830&show=localnews&om=1

Don Norris, Public Policy, in the North East Booster
Don Norris, director of MIPAR and professor of public policy was quoted in the North East Booster (Fullerton, Kingsville, Overlea, Perry Hall, Rosedale and White Marsh). The article, “Impact Seen Uncertain on Son's Political Career” was published on Oct. 26. Norris said it is “hard to predict” if the recent federal charges of former Sen. Thomas Bromwell will affect the re-election campaign of his son, 42nd District Del. Eric Bromwell.
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=807&NewsID=670896&CategoryID=5800&on=1

In the Washington Post, Norris analyzed gubernatorial candidate Doug Duncan’s top campaign focus on education saying it separates the Montgomery County Executive from opponent, Martin O’Malley. “Education Tops Duncan Agenda in Md. Campaign” was printed on Oct. 22.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/21/AR2005102101875.html

The UMBC Athletic Hall of Fame will induct nine new members on February 11, 2006. The honorees are Giuliano Celenza (men’s soccer, 1999-2000), Lisa Cline Smith (volleyball, 1995-98), Ray Ford (men’s soccer, 1977-80), Jack Kane (men’s basketball, 1975-79), Oscar Lopez (men’s tennis, 1997-2000), Joe Provance (men’s lacrosse, 1972-75), Steve Tomshack (baseball, 1996-99), Terence Ward (men’s basketball, 1997-2001) and Kathy Zerrlaut (1974-current).

The two men’s soccer and men’s basketball players were central figures during different, yet very successful eras in their respective sports. Ford is UMBC’s all-time leading scorer in the school’s soccer history, with 51 goals and 124 points. He was a multiple All South honoree and, as a freshman, helped the 1977 team to a 15-2 record and the school’s first NCAA Tournament bid. Celenza is third in all-time scoring with 100 points, amassed in a brilliant two-year period. He scored a school record 22 goals in 1999, leading UMBC to the best record in the nation (19-1-2) and its first NCAA bid at the Division I level. The Baltimore native is an MISL All-Star with the Baltimore Blast. Both Ford and Celenza prepped at Archbishop Curley.

Kane, an Academic All American, is currently eighth in career scoring (1,253) and fourth in assists (373) as he led UMBC to its first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance in his senior season of 1978-79. Jack’s brother, Howie, and a third high school teammate, Parkville’s John Goedeke, helped UMBC to national prominence under Head Coach Billy Jones. Ward, who buried a school record 296 three-point goals in four years as a starter, earned Northeast Conference All League honors in three seasons. The Egg Harbor, New Jersey native is fourth in career scoring at UMBC with 1,692 points and is first in free throws made (374), free throw percentage (85.4%) and games started (112).

Lopez becomes the first tennis player inducted into the UMBC Athletic Hall of Fame. UMBC’s 1998-99 Most Outstanding Male Athlete was the #1 flight singles champion in Northeast Conference play in 1999 and 2000, and led the Retrievers to an NCAA Tournament appearance in his senior season. The native of Torrevieja, Spain was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All American and captured the ECAC Men’s Open and the Junior Davis Cup during his tenure.

Cline had a brilliant career, earning both Big South (1997) and Northeast (1998) Conference Player of the Year honors. The team won a pair of league titles and earned UMBC’s first appearance (1998) in the NCAA Tournament. The Sunderland, Maryland (Northern) native produced 1,869 kills, second in school history, and shared the stage with Lopez as UMBC’s Most Outstanding Female Athlete in 1998-99.

Tomshack, a native of Glen Burnie, Maryland (North County), was a two-time All Big South catcher and is currently ranked in 12 offensive categories, including first in total bases (392), second in home runs (34), third in RBI’s and fifth in batting average (.383). He was UMBC’s Most Outstanding Male Athlete in as a junior in 1998 and was a draft selection of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1999.

Provance led UMBC’s 1975 men’s lacrosse team with 85 ground balls after corralling 108 the previous season. The Retrievers went 13-2 in1975 with wins over Syracuse, Navy, Virginia, North Carolina and Towson. The Baltimore native (Cardinal Gibbons), who competed in the North-South All Star Classic that season, was a face off specialist, but he did amass 78 career points and is a member of UMBC’s All-Time Lacrosse team.

Kathy Zerrlaut arrived at UMBC in 1974 and coached over 850 games in 24 seasons in the sports of lacrosse and volleyball. Over the past two decades, the Baltimore native (Lansdowne) has served as UMBC’s Senior Women’s Administrator/Senior Associate Athletic Director and has been elected to the NCAA Management Council and the chair of the 2004/2005 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championships Committee.

The induction of the nine new honorees brings UMBC’s membership in the Hall of Fame to 87. The dinner and induction ceremony will take place on the UMBC campus after the men’s basketball game vs. Vermont that afternoon. Tickets will be available in December through the UMBC Office of Athletic Development at 410-455-1532.

Jeff Salgado, Information Systems, Named Co-Diver of the Week
Jeff Salgado, junior information systems major, was named the America East Conference co-diver of the week on Nov. 15. He shared the honor with Brian Lawler of Boston University.
http://www.eveningsun.com/localsports/ci_3223455

UMBC Receives 2005 ABET Presidential Award for Diversity
UMBC is one of three universities or programs honored as a winner of the 2005 ABET Presidential Award for Diversity. ABET, the Accredited Board for Engineering and Technology, honored UMBC for the distinction of producing more minority faculty than any other institution in the United States. Janet Rutledge, associate dean of the Graduate School, accepted the award on Oct. 26 in San Diego. ABET is the professional accreditation agency responsible for quality assurance in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology education. Other institutions honored by ABET were the University of Texas-San Antonio and a joint endeavor between Tulane and Xavier University of Louisiana.

11/11/05

Warren Belasco, American Studies, Edits Online Academic Journal
“Food, Culture, and Society” (FCS), an academic journal edited by Warren Belasco, professor of American Studies, is available online via Ingenta. Designed by Visual Arts Professor Geuent Abraham, FCS recently won an "Award of Excellence" in the 35th Annual Design Competition of the University and College Designers Association. The Spring 2005 issue may be accessed free of charge by all users at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/berg/fcs

Jacob Kogan, Mathematics, and Charles Nicholas, Computer Science, Presenters at International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management
On Oct.31, Jacob Kogan, associate professor of mathematics, and Charles Nicholas, professor of computer science, delivered a tutorial, "Clustering Large and High Dimensional Data" at the Fourteenth International Conference on
Information and Knowledge Management in Bremen, Germany. The interdisciplinary cooperation between the mathematician and the computer scientist is conducted from 2001. The book, "Grouping Multidimensional Data: Recent Advances in Clustering," is co-edited by Kogan, Nicholas and Professor Marc Teboulle of Tel-Aviv University and scheduled to be published by Springer-Verlag in December 2005.

10/04/05

UMBC Students and Staff Represent Well at Student Staff Conference
UMBC was well-represented at the Student Staff Conference held at Penn State University on Oct. 22. The Mid-Atlantic College and University Housing Officers sponsored the conference. UMBC student attendees (who are paraprofessionals in residential life) were Chanelle Schneider, Mary Kate Bukowski, Rosario Pullak, Andrew Rice, Savanna Grotz, Angela Raphael, Kyra Wilson, Erin Doxtater, James Koebel and Justin Clapp. Wilson and Clapp presented “Developing Strong Communities.” C. Amesha Brown and Doug Copeland, community directors in Residential Life, also attended.

Warren Cohen to Lecture at the National War College
Warren Cohen, distinguished university professor of history, will lecture on "Imperialism in Chinese Strategic Culture" at the National War College on Nov. 7.
http://www.nationalwarcollege.org/EMPIRES/

President Freeman Hrabowski and Provost Arthur Johnson invite all faculty, staff and students to a town meeting for a conversation about the draft self-study report. The town meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 7 from 12 to 1 p.m. in University Center 312. Light refreshments will be served.

For the past 18 months, over 60 UMBC faculty, staff and students have been preparing a campus-wide review of the university. This review, called a self-study, chronicles our accomplishments over the past 10 years, identifies challenges, and provides recommendations for meeting those challenges. UMBC undergoes this self-study process every 10 years as part of the reaccreditation review by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

A draft of the self-study is now available electronically (PDF, 134 pages). To download the document, go to www.umbc.edu/blackboard and log onto Blackboard. On the "My Blackboard" page, scroll down to the self-study@UMBC box, which has links to the report, a discussion board, and the self-study web site. There are also paper copies of the draft at the Reserve Desk in the Albin O. Kuhn Library.

The next step in the self-study process is to obtain campus feedback on the draft report. The feedback will inform the final report. Please read the draft report and then come to this special campus-wide town meeting to share your thoughts on whether the draft self-study report accurately reflects the current state of UMBC, our accomplishments over the past 10 years, our challenges, and areas in need of improvement.

For additional information, contact self-study coordinator Anne Roland (anne@umbc.edu; 58457).

UMBC's Center for Aging Studies will be well-represented this weekend as 17 of its researchers present at the 58th annual scientific meeting of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the world’s largest and most prestigious multidisciplinary scientific conference devoted to gerontological research.

According to Kevin Eckert, dean of the Erickson School of Aging Studies at UMBC, 17 faculty and doctoral student researchers from UMBC’s Center for Aging Studies will present research posters, papers and/or participate in symposiums at the Orlando, FL conference.

“It’s an honor for UMBC to present a significant amount of research at the top scientific meeting of gerontologists in the world,” said Eckert. “We’re especially excited to present research findings on assisted living that include faculty as well as several doctoral students.”

UMBC is building a national reputation for aging studies, thanks to a strong foundation of research built by The Center for Aging Studies. The Center is affiliated with the University’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the new Erickson School of Aging Studies at UMBC, which Eckert leads. UMBC also partners with the University of Maryland, Baltimore on an interdisciplinary, multi-campus doctoral program in gerontology, one of a handful nationally.

The GSA meeting was originally scheduled to take place in New Orleans, but was relocated in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The conference’s closing session will address the lessons learned from Katrina on how government, communities and families can respond more effectively to the needs of the elderly during natural disasters. The closing session will be moderated by Charles Longino, president of the GSA and the first visiting professor to join the UMBC Erickson School of Aging Studies faculty.

According to Eckert, the highlight of the conference for UMBC will be the Saturday, Nov. 19 symposium, “Interpersonal Dynamics in Assisted Living.” The ethnographic study dispatched interviewers to large and small assisted living facilities across Maryland to speak directly to residents about their experiences. “UMBC researchers will be presenting real stories of family relationships around assisted living decision making, what life is like for residents, what it’s like to work in one and the relationship between residents and physicians in assisted living facilities,” Eckert said.

About the Center for Aging Studies at UMBC:
The Center for Aging Studies is a hub for faculty, undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral research activities on the policy and sociocultural dimensions of aging in the United States. The Center is the administrative and intellectual home for currently funded research (exceeding $5 million) on such topics as long-term care quality, consumer direction, physician/older patient interactions and practice, among others. Working with the doctoral program in Gerontology, housed jointly at UMBC and the University of Maryland Graduate School, Baltimore, the Center has greatly increased the contributions and visibility of UMBC faculty and students on aging-related issues of State and national importance.

About The Erickson School of Aging Studies:
The Erickson School of Aging Studies at UMBC was established in April 2004 with a $5 million commitment from John Erickson, CEO and founder of Erickson. The School’s goal is to become the preeminent resource for education, research and policy on services for the mid-life and older population.
To achieve this vision, the School will expand upon existing strengths at UMBC in public policy, aging and health services research through credit and non-credit educational programs and activities.

By UMBC Retrievers News

Major: Biopsychology and pre-physical therapy

Minor: Sociology

November 11 will be your last home match as a Retriever. What kind of emotions do you have heading into that night?

Honestly, I have been telling everyone how much I am going to cry. It’s sad because it has been such a big part of me. It’s been a lot of hard work and effort and I am going to miss it and all my teammates.

You were not recruited as a libero, or defensive specialist, when you came to UMBC but have really come into the position and have an opportunity to break the all-time digs mark this weekend. What is it like to be ranked among some of the best players in UMBC history?

It is really exciting, and I have really come to love the position. I have had the opportunity to go back to hitting the last few matches and it makes me realize how much I’m into my position. I am not a hitter any more and that’s my position. It is such an accomplishment for me to be able to do that for myself, my team and my school.

This season has had a lot of ups and downs. How have you been able to handle the change and stay focused on the task of winning?

It’s been tough because we keep heading on an upward track and than we seem to regress. It’s kind of hard ending my senior year this way because of all the ups and downs and because I thought my senior year was just going to keep going forward. I am disappointed but I am also glad for all the opportunities I got.

Two years ago you got to play for the USA Select Team and travel to the Czech Republic. What kind of experience was that to represent you county and see part of your ancestors’ home country?

I think the experience helped build me into the defensive player I am. It helped me realize that is the type of player I want to be and made me comfortable in the position. It was an amazing opportunity and I would love to go back there. It was great to represent our country and we did great.

For fans who don’t know that much about the sport of volleyball and the women’s game, what is it about your sport that is so great and exciting to watch and play?

I think it takes a lot of skills. It is not one of those things where anyone can go out and just hit a volleyball over the net. It takes a lot of time, concentration and hard work. It gets very exciting and with the sport changing over the past few years with the scoring, the positions and rules, it makes the game a lot more fast pace and fun to watch.

Do you plan to play volleyball after graduation?

I have considered playing overseas for a year. Not right now because I want to finish graduate school before I go. I still have another semester to decide what I want to do and where to go to graduate school, but I do want to stay active in the game playing competitively or in some coaching aspect.

What has been your favorite moment on the court?

I always like playing Albany because it seems to be a big game. The first year we played them I was a sophomore and got aced off the court. I have grown as a player and the past two years we have been much more competitive. It’s been a good feeling to compete against them the last couple of years and pass the ball instead of being aced.

Fill in the blank, “I am very thankful that ___________ has been with me while at UMBC,” and why?

Coach Cantor, because I have had three different head coaches since I have been here, but he has been here all four years. He is always there to talk to, listen to your problems and help out with anything.

People that don’t know me well, don’t realize what about me?

I am not a quitter. I follow through with everything I do and I don’t like losing. I am very competitive and will not quit on anything.

What is it that you like to do in your spare time when you finally get a break from volleyball or classes?

I like to be with friends and go out and do something entertaining. That is the best when you can spend some time with friends and family and just relax and have a good time.

It’s that time of year again! You will be receiving your folders/packets of information soon if you have not already. Please distribute the folders and pledge forms, which are preprinted, among the staff in your department.

How do I give?
Within your folder or packet, you will find a payroll deduction card for the Faculty and Staff Campaign as well as a pledge form for the Maryland Charity Campaign. The payroll deduction card can be put in the envelope provided and sent through campus mail. The Maryland Charity pledge form can be sent individually through campus mail to Norah Freeston, located at the Alumni House. If someone in your department wishes to send them collectively, they can be sent on a weekly basis.

Where is my charity booklet?
Unfortunately, not everyone will be receiving booklets this year due to an inadequate number printed. However, all charities can be viewed online this year! Please visit www.mdcharity.org and click on “Find a Charity” to search the online charity directory.

Where is my pledge form?
If you did not receive a pledge form, you can contact Norah Freeston for a blank form, or go to www.mdcharity.org and click on the “Download a pledge form” pdf file.

Who do I contact with questions?
The deadline for giving to either campaign is December 15, 2005. If you have any questions please contact Norah Freeston at norah@umbc.edu or 410-455-1361.

Your help at any level is appreciated. Please consider giving and remember how much those in need will benefit from your generosity. Thank you in advance for your support.

By UMBC Retrievers News

You have led the nation in defensive saves all season. How cool is it to be able to say that you are the best in the entire country at something?

It’s pretty cool. I never thought before this year that I would ever be able to say that about anything. It kind of just snuck up on me. I assumed that after the first week I would never be able to say it again, but I just kept getting them.

In just one year, you’ve got more than twice your three-year career total of defensive saves. How do you explain your surge?

I really don’t know. I feel like we got a lot more aerial shots on corners this year, and that [goalie] Ashley Benitez was down logging for them, so I was up and I could just hit them out as I saw them coming in. That would be my only explanation.

You’re from California. What made you decide to come all the way across the country to go to school?

I really wanted to play field hockey, and UMBC offered me that opportunity and it offered me the chance to be close to Washington, D.C., which has really helped me get internships in [my major] political science. And once I came here, I loved the girls, I loved the campus, and it just ended up being a great fit--an unexpected fit because I was already close to making a decision when Coach Hartman called me and asked me to come out for a visit.

What will you miss most about UMBC after you graduate?

I’m definitely going to miss my team most of all. You get so close with a group of people after awhile, and it will be lonely without them.

Do you plan to stay involved in field hockey at all post-graduation?

Eventually, yeah, I’d like to coach. It’s something I love to do. I’m sure I’ll play on the side with club teams. But I would like to get a job, hopefully in legislative affairs in D.C., or for a state government. I’m also interested in applying for an internship position with the NCAA and working in athletic departments.

What are your emotions now that your collegiate field hockey career is over?

It’s sad. I feel like there are so many things left that I wanted to do with the team. I’m so grateful to have had this experience. I know so many people never get to do what I’ve done. But I always want more. If I could stay another year, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

What would you say is your greatest asset on the field?

My perseverance. I’ll never give up on myself, and I hope the girls on my team knew that I would never give up on them at all. No matter how many times I would get beat, I would do my hardest to get back in the play. I’m sure my coach would say my voice [is my greatest asset] because I’m always talking.

What has been your favorite moment on the field?

I would have to say it was this year when we beat Georgetown. Coming into the game I knew we could win, but I didn’t know if as a team we knew it. Coming back in the second half, scoring two goals and having 20 minutes left on the clock was hard because I knew it would be tough to hold the lead for that long. Then they had a corner with two minutes left, and I was able to stop the goal from going in. I felt like that was the most important save, the most important game for our team. It really helped push us to know we could do it.

What’s something that people would be surprised to learn about you?

Probably that I’m a closet softie. I put up this tough, mean front, as my teammates can attest to. I’m the first one to yell at them when they’ve messed up. But in the end, I’m the first person to cry at a sappy commercial or at a human interest piece on The Today Show.

What do you do in your spare time?

I like to read a lot. I like to shop, and I love to travel. It’s probably what I would love to do more than anything. My favorite place that I’ve gone most recently would be Paris. I went this winter and it was amazing. I’d love to go to Greece.

In the past decade, UMBC Associate Professor of Political Science Devin T. Hagerty’s region of expertise, South Asia, has gone from being an understudied corner of the globe to one of the most closely watched. In 1998, India and Pakistan added nuclear weapon capability to what was already one of the tensest borders in the world. Then 9-11 focused U.S. public opinion and foreign policy on Afghanistan, the Taliban, stopping the spread of Al Qaeda and the continuing search for Osama Bin Laden.

Hagerty recently completed two books: Fearful Symmetry: Indo-Pakistani Crises in the Shadow of Nuclear Weapons, co-authored with Sumit Ganguly (July 2005, Oxford University Press and the University of Washington Press), and South Asia in World Politics, of which he is editor(May 2005, Rowman and Littlefield). He is also the editor of Asian Security, a pioneering academic journal that takes a global, interdisciplinary look at security issues in the region.

After Oct. 7’s devastating earthquake--adding humanitarian disaster to the already volatile sociopolitical mix in this global flashpoint--UMBC Research News caught up with Hagerty and the region he studies.

Help us understand Pakistan better – compare it to Iran, India or Saudi Arabia.

Economically it’s still a very depressed country; it’s extremely poor. Literacy is very low, only about 20 to 30 percent for all the population, and for women it’s more like five to 10 percent. The society has cut off almost all opportunity for women. Health care is non-existent or shoddy. There’s also a big drug addiction problem due to all the opiate production in the region–an estimated 1 to 1.5 million heroin addicts. There are many ethnic divisions–Punjabis, Sindhis, Muhajirs, etc., along with the ongoing internal rifts amongst Islam today.

What is the role of Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf in the “global war on terror” and the stakes for him in the hunt for Bin Laden?

It’s hard to think of a leader in a more precarious position. He’s got his own domestic pressures, plus he’s survived at least three assassination attempts in recent years.

He gets a lot of criticism from the West for not being perceived as doing enough to fight terror or find Bin Laden. But it’s important to realize that he did something never done before since Pakistan was founded in 1947. He has sent regular Pakistan Army forces to the lawless border region in an effort to fight Al Qaeda and other violent fundamentalist groups there. I tend to have more sympathy for him than most Western observers.

How would Pakistan react if Abu Zarqawi is successful in his goal of sparking a Shiite-Sunni civil war in Iraq that could spread throughout the Middle East?

Pakistan has a heavily Sunni majority, but probably would try to avoid choosing sides in that scenario.

Actually, there is as much of an ideological civil war going on within Islam today. They are really working out what it means to be a Muslim in the 21st century. On one end of the spectrum are the Wahhabis who want to turn back the clock several centuries with a strict fundamentalist interpretation of the Koran, and on the other are progressive Sunnis who believe the Koran is open to interpretation. In the same sense, a very similar debate is going on within Christianity today.

What’s the current status of India-Pakistan relations?

Well, let’s just say relations are not warm (laughs). But they’re not particularly bad right now either. It’s sort of a stand off, but there is a “peace process” which is making progress.

Kashmir is the big elephant in the room. The region is not just a flashpoint, it’s part of each country’s self-identity. Pakistan views itself as the political homeland for Muslims of South Asia. India sees itself as a secular society that is tolerant of all faiths, although it’s predominantly Hindu. There is a really deep ideological dimension to the Kashmir conflict beyond simple lines on a map.

It’s hard to be optimistic about a Kashmir solution in the near future, it really is. It would take a huge act of joint political courage to resolve the situation.

Many people have a hard time squaring current U.S. administration “you’re either with us or with the terrorists” rhetoric vs. reality in Pakistan. Some would argue that from Bin Laden to A.Q. Khan, Pakistan leans more to sympathy with or support for terror. Why are we still allies with these folks?

We need them. I get this type of question in my classes.

It’s similar to the Cold War in that our allies were often very thuggish. National security calculations always look at the overriding thereat. We need the Pakistanis’ information and access--something only they can give us right now in the Muslim world.

If there were a rupture in our relationship with Pakistan, we would lose our ability to be effective on the ground in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban is reconstituting itself, for example.

From the end of the Cold War to 9-11, we pulled back from the South Asian region and forgot about it, obviously in hindsight a terrible foreign policy mistake. In my opinion, the Bush administration feels it has no choice right now but to ally with Pakistan.

It’s a tough question. I always tell my students that if you like your answers nice and neat and consistent, then maybe international relations isn’t the field for you.

What about the recent Afghanistan elections? What is the hope for that country and where does it fit in the global picture now?

The big thing to remember is that if you had Googled “elections” and “Afghanistan” in the year 2000, you wouldn’t have gotten a lot of hits. Afghanistan is one of the most politically regressive countries in the world; it’s seen literally constant warfare since 1978. Two million people killed, about six million refugees to Pakistan, Iran and elsewhere.

The Soviet occupation tried to depopulate the countryside and push everyone into the cities, then the Mujahideen power struggle obliterated the cities. It’s a country in really bad shape.

Now a lot of progress is being made. Elections are a very hopeful sign. There’s now a true, multilateral presence there of international peacekeeping troops and NGO’s. NATO is leading aid efforts and organization in the countryside. In some ways it’s a more hopeful situation than Pakistan right now.

As someone who lived and worked in Australia for many years, what are your thoughts on how it is increasingly becoming a target of South Asian based terror groups? It seems like US allies have been systematically targeted. What do Australians think of the “war on terror” and their role in it?

Australia is a vital U.S. ally. Globally, they are one of our two or three closest allies along with the UK. They have an extremely close security and international relationship with the U.S.

Australians are very proud of the fact that in every war the U.S. has fought, they have supported us with boots on the ground, not just sending a hospital ship or moral support. I have a lot of respect for the Australian people.

I’ve been a bit surprised that there has yet to be a successful terror attack on Australia. It’s as big as the lower 48 United States, with 20 million people. They have excellent coastal defenses; the Royal Australian Navy is damned good.

That said, the alliance with the U.S. isn’t always popular in Australian society. It’s a real generational difference – folks in their fifties and sixties recognize the role the U.S. played in the WWII Pacific theatre. When Japan overwhelmed Singapore in 1942, the UK was out of the game. The US got in and has stayed in ever since.

The US relationship hasn’t been cost-free for the Australian government--John Howard and George W. Bush are very close and it has cost Howard some domestic political support, especially among younger people.

By Charles Rose

There are miniature, sci-fi movie monsters buzzing around the bucolic fields of Maryland’s wineries and orchards, but you have to know where to look.

Grab a magnifying glass, kneel down near the fallen grapes and peaches and soon you’ll see tiny fruit flies flitting from meal to meal and laying their eggs. Look closer and you may see a stealthy intruder injecting the unsuspecting fruit fly larva with its own eggs that will soon make the flies the surprise special of the day.

For UMBC senior Kate Laskowski, this shape-shifting horror show worthy of a David Cronenberg or Alien movie is just another day in the field. The biological sciences major with a chemistry minor from Easton, Md., has spent nearly three years studying parasitoid wasps, a fascinating insect that could someday help us better understand human aging.

Laskowski, a UMBC Presidential Fellow with a 3.93 GPA, has studied the wasps at Boordy Winery in northeastern Maryland, a peach orchard in Severn, Md. and in the lab of her mentor, UMBC biological sciences professor Jeff Leips. She recently traveled to Cardiff, Wales, where she turned heads as the only undergraduate student at a research conference on the wasps.

“The poster that she presented on her research won first prize, beating out all other presenters that included graduate students and post docs,” said Leips.

According to Leips, the wasps’ creepy means of reproduction was the inspiration for the Alien series of science fiction thriller films. The wasps literally rob the cradle of other insect species, injecting their eggs into living fruit fly larvae. The tiny time bomb lies dormant for four to five days until the larva pupates, or spins a cocoon around itself. Only then does the baby wasp hatch, killing its host and simultaneously providing itself with a food supply and comfy, secure home in which to grow.

More importantly to Laskowski, is the wasps’ interaction with fruit flies or Drosophila, the standard studied life system for geneticists. A particular fruit fly gene, known as Ddc, seems to be an enzymatic tradeoff between how long the fly lives and how well they can avoid a parasitoid attack. Long-living flies are more likely to get hit, while those better resistant to wasp attacks seem to be shorter-lived.

“Ddc accounts for a 15 percent variation in longevity in the fruit flies,” said Laskowski, “So myself and many other researchers in the Leips Lab and across the world are very curious about what else Ddc could teach us about human aging.”