All posts by: UMBC News Staff

Donald Norris, Public Policy, on WJZ-TV

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has said he is laying the groundwork for a possible presidential bid in 2016, but has yet to formally announce he is running.

Donald Norris UMBC

Public Policy Professor and Chair Donald Norris was interviewed by WJZ-TV about what a potential White House campaign would mean for O’Malley.

“He’s got to raise a lot of money and he’s got to raise his name recognition considerably,” Norris said.

A recent poll showed Hillary Clinton as the overwhelming favorite for the Democratic nomination, but Norris said anything can happen for O’Malley with the presidential election more than two and a half years away.

“Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. They were in the same position at some point when they started running and nobody gave them any chance whatsoever,” Norris said. “All three became president.”

You can watch the full interview on WJZ-TV here.

Robert Provine, Psychology, in American Psychological Association Monitor

As part of its February 2014 Monitor on Psychology, the American Psychological Association (APA) published a feature titled “Why we cry.” The article examines recent research that helps answer what human tears mean through psychological, social and neuroscientific perspectives.

Psychology Professor Robert Provine is quoted in the article when the author references a study he conducted with other UMBC researchers. “Tears add valence and nuance to the perception of faces,” Provine says. He also notes tears are a type of social lubricant and help people communicate.

Provine is also quoted in the article when the author analyzes recent insights by psychologists into people who can’t produce tears. “Ophthalmologists have typically treated ‘dry eye’ as a medical issue, completely missing the fact that emotional communication is impaired when you lack tears,” says Provine. “They have not attended to important psychological and social consequences.”

You can read the full article in the APA Monitor here.

Constantine Vaporis, Asian Studies, Op-Ed in Al Jazeera America

In an op-ed published January 31 in Al Jazeera America, Asian Studies Program Director Constantine Vaporis writes about East Asia’s “history wars” and the growing tensions among countries in the region.

vaporis

In “Japan stokes regional tension by revising school curriculum,” Vaporis writes the history wars are grounded in four issues: visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese officials, ongoing dispute over the sovereignty of several islets in the Sea of Japan, Japan’s responsibility for the suffering of “comfort women,” and recent controversy over Japanese textbooks and their explanation of colonial and wartime history:

At the root of the troubling and deep-seated problems between South Korea and Japan — two of Washington’s strongest allies in Asia — is history. The stability of East Asia and the success of President Barack Obama’s much-heralded “pivot” toward Asia now hinges on the potential outcomes of these disputes, sometimes referred as the “history wars.” The enormity of the challenge warrants a swift plan of action from the United States.

You can read the full op-ed in Al Jazeera America by clicking here.

Samantha Hawkins ’14, INDS, Crowned Miss Baltimore

Samantha Hawkins, Miss Baltimore

Congratulations to Samantha Hawkins ’14, Interdisciplinary Studies, who was crowned Miss Baltimore on January 25. As Miss Baltimore, Samantha will continue her work helping low-income families by launching a state-wide campaign to expand the Food Resource Program.

Samantha is a Maryland Delegate Scholar and a recipient of the Walter Sondheim Jr. Nonprofit Leadership Scholarship. In 2012 and 2013 she was also awarded the Miss America Academic Award. After graduation, Samantha will be teaching in Baltimore City as a member of Teach for America, while pursuing a Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Johns Hopkins.

Round-Up: UMBC in the News

One of the things that makes UMBC great is how wonderful our alumni, students, faculty and staff are. Because of these amazing people, UMBC often finds itself “in the news,” so each week, we’ll be sharing with you a round-up of the most newsworthy achievements from our community.

Check out all the other great campus news on Insights Weekly.

Justin Vélez-Hagan, Public Policy, in Fox News Latino

Puerto Rico’s creditors are meeting in New York this week to discuss concerns over inevitable debt default. Puerto Rico has more than $70 billion in outstanding debt and its debt per capita is nearly $19,000.

Justin Vélez-Hagan, Public Policy Ph.D. student and executive director of The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, recently wrote an op-ed in Fox News Latino about the Puerto Rican debt crisis and provides suggestions for turning the economy around.

“The initial step should be a more effective marketing campaign centered on the tax, labor, environmental, and Latin American and American market access opportunities that are second to none in the Western Hemisphere,” Vélez-Hagan writes.

Vélez-Hagan also suggests Puerto Rico should start marketing to industries experiencing strong growth, noting long-term benefits from employment will outweigh investment over time.

“Outside of industrial jobs, attracting firms in the growing science, technology, and healthcare sectors will instigate job growth that is simultaneously synergistic with Puerto Rico’s already educated and trained workforce,” he adds.

You can read the full op-ed titled “Lenders Meet to Discuss Puerto Rico’s Fate. Is There Still Hope?” here.

Dr. Kenneth Gibbs ’05, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, in Science Magazine

Most new Ph.D.s in science are encouraged to pursue tenure-track faculty positions. Dr. Kenneth Gibbs felt pressured to follow that path, but instead he decided to explore a career in science policy in order to more directly impact society.

Dr. Gibbs recounts his professional journey and shares advice for future scientists in an essay in Science Magazine, entitled “Planning a Career in Today’s Landscape.” As a member of the 13th Meyerhoff cohort, Dr. Gibbs majored in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He then completed a Ph.D. in Immunology at Stanford.

Currently, Dr. Gibbs is a part of the Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program (CPFP) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), while finishing a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins.

Donald Norris, Public Policy, in The Washington Post

Larry Hogan, the leader of watchdog group Change Maryland and former appointments secretary under Gov. Robert Ehrlich, kicked off his campaign in the Republican primary for governor on Wednesday.

Donald Norris UMBC

Public Policy Professor and Chair Donald Norris was interviewed for an article in The Washington Post about Hogan’s announcement. He said whoever the winner of the Republican primary is faces an uphill battle unless a serious mistake is committed by the Democratic candidate.

“In a statewide race in Maryland, a good Democrat running a good campaign beats a good Republican running a good campaign every time,” Norris said.

You can read the full article in The Washington Post here.

Nicole King and Michelle Stefano, American Studies, in City Paper

American Studies Assistant Professor Nicole King and Folklorist in Residence Michelle Stefano are starting a series of essays for the “City Folk” section of City Paper. They will be writing about interesting people they encounter during their travels around Baltimore.

The first essay in the series titled “Different Presence” was published on January 29. King and Stefano write about Robert Williams, who stands on the corner of Hollins Street and South Arlington Avenue and runs “New Day” gallery which houses a collection of African masks, sculptures and other collectibles. The essay looks at William’s motivation for running the gallery and examines his impact on the neighborhood and community. It also looks ahead to his future plans:

[Williams] is in the early stages of planning the African World Museum and Gallery, which would provide the space to delve deeper into the cultures and histories represented within his collection. While he currently lacks the funding, he certainly has the objects, the knowledge, and the trust of many in the community. He even has a space in mind: the old Steadman Station firehouse at East Read and North Calvert. With 14 years on the corner seeing the street life of Hollins Market, Williams is ready to come inside.

You can read the full essay in City Paper here.

Thomas Schaller, Political Science, Op-Ed in The Baltimore Sun

The Republican National Committee has announced it wants to hold its 2016 national convention as early as June. As Political Science Professor Thomas Schaller writes in an op-ed published January 28 in The Baltimore Sun, the decision to do so centers around finances.

Tom Schaller

“It’s a wise but also very sad decision because it confirms what most Americans already know applies to both parties: Money matters most,” Schaller writes.

In his column titled “In presidential primary schedule, money talks,” Schaller notes condensing the primary schedule and moving the convention earlier has two potential benefits: time and money. He writes moving the convention earlier gives parties more time to devote to the general election and also has campaign finance benefits.

“So at least in theory, a condensed primary calendar and earlier convention may prevent Republicans from wasting time and money on an end-of-summer convention that arrives too late to matter,” Schaller writes. “Once matching funds are no longer part of the equation, the financial penalty of an early convention disappears,” he adds.

You can read the full column in The Baltimore Sun here.

Theatre Alumni David Brasington, Katie Kopajtic, Jesse Poole and Anderson Wells in ‘b’, the Baltimore Sun and City Paper

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Theatre alumni David Brasington ’12, Jesse Poole ’13 and Anderson Wells ’13 were featured on the January 29 cover of b magazine — the highlighted article discusses the success of the web series, B.F.A., written and produced by Katie Kopajtic ’11, theatre.

Read the article “Baltimore-set comedic web series ‘BFA’ is not your average show about Millennials” at bTheSite or at the Baltimore Sun online. The series is described as “perfectly Baltimore, and it captures the humor, wackiness and mild desperation that make this show about young Bachelor of Fine Arts grads different from other shows about millennials.”

More about the series including an interview with Kopajtic also appeared in the January 19 issue of City Paper. Read, “Art Schooled: New web series pokes affectionate fun at Baltimore’s arts community” at City Paper’s website.

A screening of episodes 1-9 of B.F.A., followed by the release of Episode 10, will take place at The Metro Gallery, 1700 N. Charles St. in Station North this Friday, January 31 beginning at 8:00 p.m.

Vin Grabill, Neal McDonald and Steve Silberg, VA, in Baltimore Sun

The exhibition, Digital Disclosure: UMBC Faculty Perspectives, featuring the work of visual arts faculty members Vin Grabill, Neal McDonald and Steve Silberg, received praise last week by the Baltimore Sun, in a review, “Art’s future and past linked in ‘Digital’ exhibition.” While describing the works, the author states that the collection is successful in displaying “high-tech ways in which artists acknowledge art history while also taking art forward.”

Digital Disclosure continues through Friday, February 21 at the Howard County Center for the Arts. The gallery is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday until 4 p.m. and Sunday from Noon – 4 p.m.

Learn more at the Howard County Center for the Arts website.

 

 

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