Andrea Lorick, business services specialist for the Department of Information Systems (IS), has been named UMBC's Non-Exempt Employee of the Quarter effective July 1 to September 30. Lorick has more than 22 years of state service. In 1994 she transferred from the University of Maryland, Baltimore to accept a position at UMBC as an accounting clerk III in the Comptrollers Office. She advanced in her career and was promoted several times during her years in Financial Services. She transferred in March 2005 to her current position.
Barbara Morris, office supervisor/coordinator of special events and projects, and the IS staff nominated Lorick for the award.

“Everyone on campus has heard of Andrea in her 20 years and has the utmost respect for her,” said Morris. “She is held in high esteem by her past colleagues as well as the current faculty and staff in our department.”

Lorick is a graduate student at UMBC pursuing a certificate in nonprofit sector through the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. In addition to attending classes at UMBC, she is also a part-time student in a theology program.

Lorick received her award at a surprise celebration on July 7. Faculty and staff from the department as well as the Dean’s Office were present.

Ralph Caretti, information technology manager for enrollment management, has been named UMBC’s Exempt Employee of the Quarter effective July 1 to September 30. Caretti began his career at UMBC in 2001 in his current position.

Yamiley Saintvil, former associate director of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation, nominated Caretti for the award.

“The successful implementation of PeopleSoft Student Administration for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation is attributed to the hard work of Ralph Caretti,” said Saintvil. “His knowledge of the admissions process coupled with technical expertise and project management made learning a new system an easier transition for the staff. Ralph’s leadership skills shined when he was able to recognize each staff members varying skill set and trained them accordingly.”

Caretti received his award on July 8 during a staff meeting. Yvette Mozie-Ross, assistant provost for enrollment management, presented the award. Dale Bittinger, director of undergraduate admissions and orientation, and many colleagues from the enrollment management staff attended and offered their congratulations to Caretti.

J. Kevin Eckert, Sociology and Anthropology, in the Baltimore Sun
Baltimore Sun writer Diane Scharper included J. Kevin Eckert, former dean of the Erickson School and professor of Sociology and Anthropology, in her “Local Interest Book Roundup.” The book, “Inside Assisted Living: The Search for a Home,” combines personal narrative and social history and is a collaborative effort by Eckert and others affiliated with the sociology and anthropology department. Eckert said “as horror stories about conditions in nursing homes became widespread, older adults looked to assisted living.” The article, “Local Interest Book Roundup” ran Sunday, July 26.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/booksmags/bal-ae.bk.roundup26jul26,0,5514599.story

Susan Main ’09 M.F.A., Visual Arts, in Baltimore City Paper
Susan Main ’09 M.F.A. was featured in a Baltimore City Paper review of an exhibition by recent MFA graduates in Baltimore. Her video, “One Inch of Anywhere.” Her piece is a looping video that plays on a laptop screen set up behind a wall and can only be seen through a plumbing tailpipe. At other end of the hole is a sped-up, top-view video of grass.

The article, “Grad Company: Group show of recent MFA graduates catches young artists still honing their ideas,” ran Wednesday, July 29.

http://www.citypaper.com/arts/story.asp?id=18419

Donald Norris, Public Policy, in the News
The Baltimore Sun revealed that John Paterakis, developer of the Harbor East complex, was indicted Tuesday on two counts of campaign finance violations for contributing $6,000 to help pay for a city councilwoman's political poll. "You've got to be kidding,” said Donald Norris, chair and professor of the Department of Public Policy. "He is well known, he is highly regarded and for him to be charged with something like this is quite frankly shocking."

The article, “New charges in city bribery investigation,” ran Tuesday, July 28.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bal-paterakis0728,0,3877326.story

In an article about Baltimore County Councilman Kenneth Oliver’s guilty plea to two misdemeanors, Norris noted the plea would spur challengers but that voters might not view the crime as too serious. “It all depends on how forgiving his constituency is,” said Norris. The article, “Councilman pleads guilty to campaign finance violations,” ran Tuesday, July 28, in the Maryland Daily Record.

http://www.mddailyrecord.com/article.cfm?category=2&page=1&id=12043&type=UTTM

Robert Provine, Psychology, in the News
In a Science News article, Professor of Psychology Robert Provine was cited for his work to record instances of laughter. What he found was that most laughter had little to do with humor. Provine said, “Laughter serves as a way to form alliances and make connections with others. For most, laughter serves as a signal for mutual liking and well-being.”

The article, “When Humor Humiliates,” ran Friday, July 17.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/45581/title/When__Humor_Humiliates

According to The National, mass hysteria and contagious laughter (and sometimes crying) still take place today. The article cites Provine’s documentation of an incident that occurred in 1968 where “a group of 12- to 18-year-old schoolgirls rapidly rose to epidemic proportions. Contagious laughter propagated from one individual to the next, eventually infecting adjacent communities.” The epidemic required the closing of schools for six months.

The article, “Death and taxes can be postponed but not hysteria," ran Tuesday, July 28.

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090729/OPINION/707289866/1080

Provine was also cited in La Presse on Saturday, July 25, in “Le rire sous toutes les coulture,” by Mathieu Perreault.

Judah Ronch, Erickson School, in the Baltimore Sun
Although most believe that today’s generation has a high rate of entrepreneurship activity, it is the baby boomer generation that has the highest, according to a recent Baltimore Sun article. Judah Ronch, interim dean of the Erickson School, is not surprised by the risk-taking attitude of the boomers. "There is a sense of 'I will not age according to the stereotypes,' and part of that is 'I'm not going to retire,' " Ronch said. "They're approaching aging as the next step of development as opposed to the next period of decline."

The article, “Boomers Go Venturing,” ran Wednesday, July 29.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/jobs/bal-bz.entrepreneur29jul29,0,7925652.story

Manil Suri, Mathematics, in The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe noted that one would be “hard pressed” to find a novelist that is also a mathematics professor. However, Manil Suri, professor of mathematics, fits the bill as a published author of two novels and a tenured faculty member at UMBC. When it comes to math and writing, Suri thinks both have a place in society. “Many people like mathematics while in school, but then have no further opportunity to enjoy it,’’ he said. “It’s not like art, for which you can go to a museum to satisfy a craving. I’d like to help push mathematics into the cultural arena. Perhaps even put a mathematician on ‘Oprah.’ ’’

The article, “The Sum of His Talents,” ran Tuesday, July 28.
http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2009/07/28/manil_suri_practices_writing_and_professes_mathematics/

Center for History Education Partners with Public Schools
Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) has been awarded a $1 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop and implement a program to improve student achievement in American history. BCPS is partnering with the Center for History Education at the UMBC in this initiative, which will begin in October. For the next three years, 60 elementary, middle and high school teachers will attend workshops and summer institutes to create “history labs,” an innovative approach to teaching and learning about the past. Through history labs, student historians will use primary sources and critical thinking to construct historical narratives and interpretations.

The Center has received five $1 million grants from the U.S. Department of Education's Teaching American History Grant Program to invigorate the teaching of history in elementary, middle and high schools.

For more information, visit http://www.umbc.edu/che/about/.

Two History Alumni Included in Maryland Historical Magazine
The summer 2009 Maryland Historical Magazine features articles from two UMBC alumni: Richard Hardesty ’02, ’08 M.A. history, for “A Veil of Voodoo” and Willa Banks ’08 M.A. for “Curtis Washington Jacobs: An Architect of Absolute Black Enslavement, 1850-1864.”

Tim Brennan Gives Lectures in Australia and New Zealand
Professor of Public Policy Tim Brennan gave eight talks on regulation, antitrust and energy policy in Australia and New Zealand in July, including a keynote address at the Australian Railway Business Economics Conference in Perth and a keynote address at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in Queensland.

Composition by Will Redman ’99, Music, Featured in “Out of Your Head”
A composition titled, “Book,” by Will Redman ’99, music, will be featured at a musician’s collective called “Out of Your Head” on Tuesday, August 4, at The Windup Space in Baltimore. This will be the first large-scale performance of this composition, which is an unordered collection of 98 graphic composition rendered in black ink on a sheet of letter- sized white paper.

The Windup Space is at 10-12 W. North Avenue, and the event includes two 45-minute presentations from 9:30 p.m.-12 a.m.

For more information, contact outofyourhead@gmail.com.

Submit all Winter Session 2010 course proposals directly to your designated department scheduling coordinator from now until September 4.

Since UMBC has implemented PeopleSoft Student Administration, academic departments now coordinate and build their schedule of classes at the department level each academic term.

The Special Sessions Policy Committee will continue to review and approve summer and winter schedules before publication and our office will continue to manage faculty contracts and program administration.

Feel free to contact Tim Lynch at lynch@umbc.edu or ext. 5-3039 if you have any questions or require assistance regarding winter session.

UMBC faculty who mentor academically-talented undergraduate and graduate students should encourage these students to consider an application for the U.S. Student Fulbright program. The U.S. Student Fulbright program offers graduating seniors and graduate students the opportunity to conduct individualized research or study in one of 155 different countries as well as English teaching assistantships in 43 countries. The on-campus deadline for applications is September 15. For more information, contact Brian Souders in the International Education Services Office at souders@umbc.edu.

The Aberdeen IronBirds are hosting an Educator's Appreciation Night on Wednesday, August 19, and would like to extend an invitation for UMBC faculty to attend. The night will include an IronBirds home game, performances by the ZOOperstars and special recognition and activities for all teachers and professors in attendance.

Educators will enjoy a pregame social hour, an in-game recognition of the service you provide and games such as trivia challenges between groups and "Are you Smarter than an IronBirds Sales Intern?" Our groups start at 20 and all of our groups will also receive free parking, game programs and IronBirds hats for every member, all for $10-13.

If you are interested in joining us for Educator's Appreciation Night, contact 410-297-9292 (stadium) or 203-241-7878 (cell).

Looking to jump start your fitness in 2009? Join us for one of the summer Get Fit Clinics! We will learn how to use the various equipment available in the RAC, use baseline measurements and fitness testing to track our progress and develop individualized fitness programs to meet our goals. Each participant will walk away with a fitness plan that has been tailored to their needs and current fitness level and goals. They will also learn techniques to adapt their plan and tips to stick with it.

In addition, each participant will be able to schedule a free follow-up fitness assessment to further track their progress. The fee is $45, all inclusive. The next clinic is
August 7, 14, 21, from noon-1 p.m.

For more information, contact Katie Birger (cbirge1@umbc.edu) or Mike
D'Archangelo (miked@umbc.edu).

Skin care is important at all times of the year but especially during the warmer months when we engage in outdoor activities. The Wellness in the Workplace Web site is filled with resources, tips, music and inspiration. Check out the new links for Summer sun safety under the Wellness Resources tab, Wellness Tips and Articles section. Visit http://www.umbc.edu/wellness for more information.

July’s new relationship practice is “Choose partnership first, then you and me.’” Visit the Wellness in the Workplace Web site at http://www.umbc.edu/wellness and click on this link.

Did you know that music, dancing and exercise are keys to keeping your mind and body in peak performance? "Linercise" is a 50-minute line dance workout for beginners through advanced, men and women. This class is great for balance, coordination and freedom of movement. Have fun while exercising.

The class will be every Monday in July from 5-6 p.m. The cost is only $5. The class is held in the bwtech@UMBC Main Seminar Room (1450 S. Rolling Road location). Pre-registration is required at http://www.umbc.edu/training.

For more information, contact Casina Rice at ext. 5-5809 or crice@umbc.edu.

Participate in summer yoga at the Women’s Center on Mondays, 5-6:15 p.m., with Pat Barnes. The fee is $10 per class (payable to the instructor) and will be on the following Mondays: July 20, 27, 31 and August 3 (six weeks for $60). Call ext. 5-2714 or stop by the Women’s Center (located in The Commons, Room 004) to register or ask questions.

Many of you may have implemented a wellness change (e.g., walking/exercise program, eating healthy, etc.) with which you’re seeing some success. Sharing our successes with others on campus helps inspire and motivate them to make healthier choices, in turn making us a healthier and more resilient community. Visit the Wellness in the Workplace Web site at http://www.umbc.edu/wellness and click “Success Stories” under the “About WinW” tab to submit your success story today.

The University System of Maryland (USM) collaboration project provides an opportunity for USM institutions to formally share and exchange training programs that are currently offered. The intent of this partnership is to maximize limited resources and deliver training effectively, economically and efficiently.

The University of Baltimore (UB) is hosting the Disney Keys to Excellence Program, an event that is open to the public and will consist of four 90-minute sessions covering leadership, management, customer service and loyalty. The investment is $345 with the UB promotional code UBMEE (this is a $50 discount). There is an additional discount for groups of 10 or more. For details, parking information and to register, visit http://www.KeysBaltimore.com. If you have questions, call 877-544-2384.

The event will be Tuesday, September 22, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at UB’s Langsdale Auditorium. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Lyric Theater Lobby.

Do you have the skills needed to be effective and advance in your administrative support role? SkillSoft has a variety of business-related courses that can help you develop and grow your knowledge and skills as well as curricula designed specifically for you.

The effective administrative support professional curriculum includes topics such as effective business communication, administrative functions and advancing your administrative career.

Visit http://www.umbc.edu/skillsoft and click the “Login to SkillPort” link. Once on the homepage, under the course catalog, click "Business Skills Curricula" and then "Administrative Support Curriculum." For a printable flyer on the Administrative Support curricula available in Skillsoft, visit http://www.umbc.edu/hr/T&OD/T&ODindex.html.

For a printable flyer on the Administrative Support curricula available in
Skillsoft, visit http://www.umbc.edu/hr/T&OD/T&ODindex.html and look
under E-Learning, Recommended Learning Lists.

For more information on SkillSoft or to schedule a department
presentation, call ext. 5-6262 or e-mail hrtraining@umbc.edu.

SkillSoft e-Learning at UMBC provides faculty and staff online courses to enhance their professional and personal skills. In this workshop you will learn how to navigate SkillSoft, search for courses, create a learning plan and practice running a course.

For a SkillSoft Demo, FAQs and a Quick Start Guide, visit http://www.umbc.edu/skillsoft.

This workshop is offered on the following dates: September 11 and October 23. For times, locations and to register, visit http://www.umbc.edu/training/community.

Get a flyer with details at http://www.umbc.edu/hr/T&OD/T&ODindex.html.

In this library workshop, you will learn how to use the full capabilities of this multidisciplinary database that provides literature access to the highest-quality journals across the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences. This hands-on workshop will focus on cited and citing reference searching, filtering and analyzing search results and setting up search alert e-mails or RSS feeds.

The workshop is Tuesday, July 28, noon-1 p.m. in the Albin O. Kuhn (AOK) Library, Room 259. Register at http://www.umbc.edu/training.

Questions? Contact Katy Sullivan (sullivan@umbc.edu) or Janet Hack (jhack@umbc.edu).

Wimba Classroom is a real-time virtual classroom environment designed for distance education, hybrid classes and collaboration. This live, virtual classroom supports audio, video, application sharing, content display and whiteboarding. In addition, faculty can hold office hours, host guest lectures, webcasts, set up workspace for student groups and create meetings. The program enables application sharing from your desktop or a remote desktop and can be archived. You can set up group study areas for any class, not just the online variety.

Check out demos, documentation and webinars from the Wimba site at http://wimba.com/services.

Join us for one of the demos (sign up at http://www.umbc.edu/training) or contact Joan Costello at ext. 5-3685 or jcostello@umbc.edu to meet one on one or as a group.

The Career Services Center will be hosting a brief overview of UMBCworks on Thursday, August 6, 1-2 p.m., in The Commons, Room 327. UMBCworks is a convenient Web-based job posting site that allows faculty and staff to post campus positions free of charge. All current UMBC students have access to the site, giving posted positions the needed exposure to our diverse and talented pool of students.

Register for the training session by Monday, August 3, at http://www.umbc.edu/training. Spaces are limited, and pre-registration is required. Contact Sue Plitt at ext. 5-2340 or plitt@umbc.edu with questions.

All campus departments are invited to participate in the Campus Jobs Fair scheduled for Monday, August 31, noon-2 p.m., at The Commons Main Street. This annual Welcome Week event is a great opportunity for recruiting student workers from UMBC’s diverse and competent pool of students.

This event is brought to you by the Welcome Week Committee and Career Services Center. Register at http://www.careers.umbc.edu/faculty/cjf2009reg.php. The deadline to register for this free event is Wednesday, August 17.

Paperless direct deposit statements will begin with the pay check dated Friday, July 24, unless you have completed a direct deposit advice selection form. If you did not complete the form, you may view your statement online at the Payroll Online Service Center (https://interactive.marylandtaxes.com/Extranet/cpb/POSC/ or http://www.umbc.edu/hr/) and select the “Payroll Online Service Center (POSC)” link.

In order to access paycheck information, you will be required to create a user ID and password in the POSC. You will need your social security number, a prior pay advice/check number (available on the top right corner of your pay check or advice) and the agency code (360231). Complete the following steps:

1. Navigate to http://compnet.comp.state.md.us/Central_Payroll_Bureau/Online_Services/.
2. Select the POSC option.
3. At the “Start” page, click the “Sign Up” option and follow the account setup instructions.

NOTE: If you have previously set up an account and forgot the password, contact Kathy at Central Payroll Bureau to have your password reset (410) 260-7387.

CPR for the Healthcare Provider will be sponsored by the Department of Emergency Health Services on the following dates:

Monday, August 31: 5:30-10 p.m.
Monday, November 2: 5:30-10 p.m.

The registration fee is $65 for the full provider course and $55 for the renewal course.
For further information, contact Danette McCoy at ext. 5-3584 or e-mail danette@umbc.edu.

The downtown line, UMBC-University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) bus route, has been discontinued for the months of July and August based on declining ridership numbers and available budget. Look for spotlight announcements on myUMBC as well as more information on the transit Web site (http://www.umbc.edu/transit).

See the transit Web site for information regarding MTA's Bus Route #35, which services the UMB campus. Pictures of bus stops and related information are available.

Warren Belasco, American Studies, in Washington Post
In her opinion article on July 20, Jennifer LaRue Huget discusses her personal memories of watching the first astronauts walk on the moon and, more specifically, what they ate on the moon. Similar to American food, space food has also evolved over time. “The first space-food programs were informed by ‘scientific nutrition’ and a modernist sensibility that yielded foods that were ‘efficient and high-tech’ but barely edible,” said Warren Belasco, American studies professor. “NASA chemically engineered ‘pills and paste’ designed to provide calories, vitamins and minerals, but the thing is - astronauts wouldn't eat it. It was little more than edible biomass, food for function, not for the soul."

The article, “Houston, We Have a Menu,” ran Tuesday, July 21.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/20/AR2009072001057.html

Erle Ellis, Geography and Environmental Systems, in Nature
Quantifying the amount of Earth covered by novel ecosystems (one heavily influenced by humans but not under human management) is no easy task. A few ecologists, however, are looking into these systems in a non-judgmental light. Nature magazine asked Erle Ellis, geography and environmental systems professor, to try to quantify the amount of land covered by novel ecosystems. His estimation was 35% of the globe. The article also cited one of his maps. “Ecology: Ragamuffin Earth,” ran Wednesday, July 22.

http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090722/full/460450a.html

Mechanical Engineering Student on National Geographic
Joseph Hyman ’10, mechanical engineering and MARC *U STAR Trainee/Meyerhoff Scholar, appeared on a segment of National Geographic with his summer research team from California Institute of Technology. The program was titled “Wild Spaces, America’s Sand Dunes” and was produced in Death Valley, California. The program will be rebroadcast on August 1.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/death-valley-4296/Overview#tab-Videos/06912_00.

Robert Deluty Publishes his 21st Book
Robert H. Deluty, associate dean of the Graduate School, has published a new book of poetry titled "Giving the Mundane Its Due." In his review, Richard M. Berlin of the University of Massachusetts Medical School wrote, "In his new volume, Robert Deluty continues to distill his experience into crystals of poetic insight. With his usual compassion, warmth, and humor, these poems highlight the magic and surprise of our daily lives. More than giving the mundane its due, Deluty's poetry transforms the momentary into timeless beauty and art."

"Giving the Mundane Its Due," as well as all of Deluty's other books, are on sale at the University Bookstore.

Jessica Pfeifer, Philosophy, Participates in Overseas Conferences
Assistant Professor of Philosophy Jessica Pfeifer is currently in Australia and participating in two conferences. She’s presenting papers and chairing a conference at the Metaphysics of Science conference and The Australasian Association of Philosophy conference.

Randy Monroe, Athletics, in the Baltimore Sun
Head Basketball Coach Randy Monroe participated in a Q & A with the Baltimore Sun’s Recruiting Report. Focusing on the six newcomers to the team, Monroe discussed his thoughts for the fall and the players who’ve moved on. “New guys are coming in, and they kind of rejuvenate the coach, too,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, [I’ll miss the departed players]. But it happens to everyone across the country, where players move on to future basketball careers or get started with their futures in other careers.” The interview ran Tuesday, July 14.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/recruiting/2009/07/qa_with_umbc_coach_randy_monroe.html

James Clements ’85 computer science, ‘ 91 M.S., ’93 Ph.D. in Charleston Daily Mail
In office since June 30, West Virginia University’s (WVU) President James Clements ’85, computer science, ’91 M.S., ’93 Ph.D, has already accomplished quite a bit. While making contributions to academia, others will look to him to also improve athletics at WVU. Entering office at a time when critical decisions need to be made, he understands the situation but isn’t quick to solve all the problems. “Decisions,” he said, “will and must be made, but only after they've been properly studied and discussed.” The opinion piece, “Clements Makes a Good First Impression,” ran Tuesday, July 14.

http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/MikeCasazza/200907140003

Jen Dobbins ’06, Dance, in the Frederick-News Post
Alumna Jen Dobbins ’06 just became the facility manager at the Cultural Arts Center of Frederick County. However, her new role “doesn’t begin to describe her talents or resume.” Dobbins focused on dance and technology after graduating from UMBC and choreographed and danced in a solo with a briefcase that also served as a projector. "It was really cool, because every time I opened the briefcase (for) the first time, everyone would exclaim, 'Oh!'" She is excited for the opportunity to dance into a new role and looks forward to gaining practical management skills from the experts. The article, “Doing more than just managing,” ran Sunday, July 12.

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=92518

Michael Pesci ’12 Winner of “All-Stars Among Us”
Rising sophomore Michael Pesci and his sister, Christina, have been named among the 30 winners of the “All-Stars Among Us” campaign, which highlights people who have gone above and beyond to serve their communities.

Nearly three-quarters of a million votes were cast by fans across the nation to select the 30 "All-Stars Among Us" winners (one per Major League team) out of the pool of 90 finalists who are serving as leaders within their communities. The Pescis were selected to represent the New York Yankees.

“As a UMBC baseball player and a huge fan of the game, it is extremely exciting to be at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game amongst the best players in the world,” Pesci said.

http://www.umbcretrievers.com/sports/baseball/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=4818

Scott Farrow, Economics, Presents at D.C. Conference
Chair and Professor of Economics Scott Farrow recently gave a lecture at the New Ideas for Risk Regulation conference sponsored by Resources for the Future. His talk, “Incorporating Equity in Regulatory and Benefit-Cost Analysis: Don’t Let the Ideal be the Enemy of the Useful,” was streamed online. The conference received coverage by InsideEPA, a policy-focused publication.

http://www.rff.org/Events/Pages/New-Ideas-for-Risk-Regulation.aspx

Ricky Fried ’88 Named U.S. Women’s Lacrosse Coach
Ricky Fried ’88 was named the 2009-13 U.S. National Team Head Coach for women’s lacrosse. While at UMBC, Fried was an All-American midfielder and served as team captain his senior year – being named the team’s Most Valuable Player and earning a leadership a ward. "I am honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the next U.S. Team," said Fried. "After this past World Cup experience, I am very grateful to my predecessor, Sue Heether, for giving me the opportunity to work and learn at the international level. It was a fantastic experience and we will work hard to build on this past team's success."

http://www.laxmagazine.com/international/uswomen/2008-09/news/071509_fried_usa

Don Norris, Public Policy, in the Baltimore Sun
The future remains unclear in terms of what Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith will do after leaving office, as he has decided against running for state comptroller in 2010. In the past, he hinted to the Baltimore Sun about running for other statewide offices. Don Norris, public policy professor, thought the decision was surprising – but logical. “It's not an exciting position," Norris said. “The comptroller really doesn't have any opportunity to make policy, and has little opportunity to influence policy.” The article, “Smith says he won’t run for comptroller,” ran Tuesday, July 7.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bal-md.smith07jul07

LaMont Toliver, Meyerhoff Scholars Program, in Black Enterprise
Although African Americans have had great achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the pool of talented professionals is still low. Enrollment numbers in these programs extend back to the high school level, where minority youth are graduating without proper backgrounds in math and science. LaMont Toliver, director of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, believes exposure to STEM areas should happen earlier. “We are continually counting on people coming out of high school and we really need to be proactive about kindergarten to grade 12 students,” he said. “By the time students are in 10th, 11th and 12th grade, they’ve already created a mindset that they do not want to do math or science or that they can’t. And by then, it could be too late.”

The print article, “Moving the Numbers,” ran in the July issue of Black Enterprise magazine.

UMBC Receives State Award for Achieving 46% Reduction in Injury Claims
The State Employee Risk Management Administration recently recognized UMBC at their annual conference with a certificate for the significant 46% reduction of workplace injury claims reported in calendar year 2008. UMBC’s Environmental Safety and Health department attributes this success largely to the heightened awareness and importance of workplace safety on campus. Congratulations to the entire campus community for this important achievement.

Maryland Morning Receives Awards for UMBC Interviews
Maryland Morning won five awards from the Maryland Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, two of which included interviews featuring UMBC faculty. Ed Orser, American studies professor, spoke with NPR’s Nathan Sterner about the Gwynns Falls Trail while Jason Loviglio, director of the Media and Communication Studies program, discussed media with NPR’s David Folkenflik.

http://www.wypr.org/MD_MORNING.html

Ellen Hemmerly Receives Business Achievement Award
Congratulations to Ellen Hemmerly, executive director of the UMBC Research Park Corporation, on being named one of 25 winners of the 2009 SmartCEO Brava! Women in Business Achievement Awards. The program recognizes 25 female CEOs who have been able grow successful companies and actively give back to the community through philanthropic acts. The winners are selected by an independent panel of business leaders.

The winners will be celebrated at SmartCEO's Brava! Awards breakfast on Friday, July 24, at the Crowne Plaza in Timonium. Each winner is also profiled in the July issue of SmartCEO, which also features Hemmerly and with two other winners, on the cover.

To view the July issue, visit http://www.smartceo.com/issues/baltimore/2009/july.

Two other winners have ties to bwtech@UMBC: Mollie Spilman, president and CEO of BDMetrics, and Kerrie Brady, CEO of Traxion Therapeutics. Brady is a 2005 graduate of the ACTiVATE program and her company is a bwtech@UMBC affiliate.

Jessica Berman Gives Plenary Lecture at Conference
English department chair Jessica Berman gave the closing plenary lecture at the 19th Annual Conference on Virginia Woolf, “Woolf and the City,” at Fordham University. The title of her talk was "You Then: Three Guineas, The Spanish Civil War and the Challenge of Total War."

Thomas Blass, Psychology, on NPR’s “Science Friday”
Professor of Psychology Thomas Blass was a guest on NPR’s “Science Friday” and discussed the life and legacy of the controversial social psychologist Stanley Milgram. “Obedience experiments” were conducted by Milgram in the early 1960s and proved that most individuals will do what an authority figure tells them. Blass discussed this and more from his book, “The Man Who Shocked the World,” which highlights Milgram’s life and work. The show ran Friday, June 12.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105310424

Christopher Corbett, English, in Baltimore Style
In his monthly column for Baltimore Style, professor Christopher Corbett writes about the changes in “freak shows” throughout the generations. Beginning with references to the Skowhegan State Fair in Maine (which was founded in 1819), he proceeds to examine the difference between now and then, asking, “Do you think we might be the last generation to have experienced the edifying effects of this sort of entertainment?” His final answer: no. They are communicated differently - through television, the Internet and other live streaming capabilities.“What freak show could rival ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’ and his family? Or Sarah Palin and her family? How can the humble freak show of yore hope to challenge the delights offered by Maury Povich or Judge Judy or the late Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter?” he wrote. The article, “Step right up,” ran in the July/August issue.

http://www.baltimorestyle.com/index.php/style/backpage/

Robert Provine, Psychology, In the News
Robert Provine, professor of psychology, was quoted in media across the globe recently regarding a new study on the evolution of laughter in apes. Provine, an expert on and an international expert on the neuroscience of laughter, yawning and other contagious behaviors, has long studied the distinctive, panting laughter made by apes and other primates when they are tickled. His thoughts on the study were featured in hundreds of media articles and broadcasts, including, NPR’s "All Things Considered,” the Associated Press, Nature, New Scientist, AAAS Science Now, The Guardian (UK) and Wired. "I think that it's about time we get out there, start tickling the dogs and the cats, and the pigs, the rats, as well as the chimpanzees," he said.

http://www.umbc.edu/research/blog/2009/06/thoughts_on_ticklish_apes_and_1.html

UMBC, STEM Education, in the Baltimore Sun
STEM education was highlighted in a recent Baltimore Sun article, “Nurturing a love of math, sciences.” Experts are becoming concerned about whether the U.S. will produce enough STEM teachers like UMBC mathematics major Christine Sweigart ’11. The article noted that UMBC “stepped up its production of STEM teachers” by offerings such as a four-year track for future math teachers (instead of requiring them to obtain a separate degree and certificate that would take five years). "Students are already deciding what they don't want to do with their lives by fourth and fifth grade," said Anne Spence, an assistant professor of engineering at UMBC. "So we hope to at least want to keep the door open for math and science instead of having that door close for them at an early age." The article ran Monday, June 29.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.stem29jun29,0,6784837.story

Lipitz Professor of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 2009-10
Thomas Field, professor of modern languages, linguistic and intercultural communication, has been named the Lipitz Professor of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for 2009-10. This professorship is supported by an endowment created by Roger C. Lipitz and the Lipitz Family Foundation "to recognize and support innovative and distinguished teaching and research in the arts, humanities and social sciences at the UMBC." To read more about Field and this award, visit http://www.umbc.edu/insights/2009/06/thomas_field_named_lipitz_prof.html.