All posts by: UMBC News Staff

Faculty, PAHB in Baltimore Sun

The Baltimore Sun’s special education supplement last month featured William D’Eugenio ’14, theatre, and Nyalls Hartman, theatre, as they discussed the features of the Black Box Theatre and the Performing Arts and Humanities Building Theatre.

D’Eugenio spoke about the influence the new facilities had in his decision to apply to UMBC and become a part of the theatre design and production program, saying that “they are built to the standards of today and offer a real broadway style experience. Working with lighting systems that are being used in professional theaters gives me an advantage when applying for jobs.”

Read more of the article, “More than Just Performing: Music, Theatre Students Learn Diverse Skills”

Amy Hurst, Information Systems, Collaborates on $3.7 million project

Amy Hurst, Collaborates on Multi-University Project To Improve Web and Cloud Computing Accessibility

Will Help People With Disabilities Take Full Advantage of Online Resources

“The researchers are working on methods for easily modifying software to meet the needs of people with disabilities. Researchers will develop ways to make it easier for people with disabilities to log on to the Web, make user interfaces more accessible, and change the presentation of information on the Web to streamline experiences for people with disabilities, caregivers and service providers. The researchers also will look for ways to leverage help from other people on the Web — crowdsourcing — to increase accessibility for all.

“Authentication or logging into a service is an integral yet mundane part of peoples’ Internet experience,” said Yang Wang, assistant professor at the School of Information Studies at Syracuse. “However, most existing authentication schemes tend to be difficult to use for people with disabilities. We’re very excited about this opportunity to explore new authentication schemes that can provide a much better experience for people with disability.”

The team also will explore ways to dynamically change pointing and clicking actions on Web pages. “For example, if an individual is having difficulty smoothly controlling a mouse, we could detect this and smooth their input,” said Amy Hurst, assistant professor of human-centered computing in the Information Systems Department at UMBC.”

Read the full article 

 

Donald Norris, Public Policy, in The Washington Post

Heather Mizeur, a Democratic candidate in the Maryland gubernatorial race, has announced she will participate in the state’s public financing system next year. Mizeur will limit overall spending in exchange for matching funds, and is the first candidate in 20 years to do so.

Donald Norris UMBC

Public policy professor and chair Donald Norris was interviewed by The Washington Post for an article about Mizeur’s decision.  With Mizeur running against two candidates with greater name recognition in Attorney General Douglas Gansler and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Norris said the move is needed for Mizeur to remain competitive.

“It may be a principled matter, but it’s also making a virtue out of a necessity,” Norris said. “It’s very unlikely, given that she’s a dark-horse candidate, that she could raise serious money on her own.”

Mizeur, a Montgomery County delegate, was expected to release several campaign finance proposals, including expanding the state’s public financing system to candidates running for other state offices.

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

Constantine Vaporis, Asian Studies, in National Museum of Japanese History Magazine

The National Museum of Japanese History recently published an article by Constantine Vaporis in its bi-monthly magazine “REKIHAKU.” Vaporis, who is the Asian studies program director and professor of history, was the lead article in the magazine’s special edition on processions.

vaporis

The article, titled “Alternate Attendance as Performance,” examines Tokugawa Japan (1603-1868) and the system of alternate attendance when the daimyo were required by the shogun to alternate their residences between their domains and Edo. The article studies alternate attendance from two perspectives: as a symbol of authority and as performance or theater. It does so by analyzing the form in which alternate attendance movements were made as depicted in oral literature, popular culture forms, and contemporary accounts of Japanese and foreigners.

The article is published in the latest edition of “REKIHAKU.” For more information on the National Museum of Japanese History and “REKIHAKU,” click here.

A Special Video Message from President Hrabowski

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX-TY7a22Us&w=560&h=315]

Time is running out for your chance to win the Maryland Charity Campaign grand prize: two round-trip tickets to anywhere that Southwest Airlines flies!

The deadline for the grand prize drawing has been extended. Be sure to make your gift or pledge before the end of the day, Tuesday, December 3, to be eligible for the grand prize drawing. Everyone who has contributed to the fall campaign is automatically entered into the drawing.

There’s still time to give. The campaign is accepting all donations through the end of the week. If you have not yet had a chance to do so, we encourage you to help support the many nonprofit organizations that serve our surrounding community, and consider a gift of any amount.

Please make your donation by completing your pledge form or visiting mdcharity.org. If you have not received a form, please download and fill out a pledge card and turn it into your coordinator.

#GivingTuesday at UMBC, 12/3

We’re less than a week away from #GivingTuesday, a national day of giving on December 3rd. UMBC’s students and alumni are working to change the world, and on #GivingTuesday, you can be a part of it.

Throughout the last month, the UMBC Annual Fund has shared stories of how our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are working to change the world. We’ve gotten a peek at how the Engineers Without Borders group will bring clean water to Isongo, Kenya. We’ve learned about UMBC’s mission to create a more inclusive campus through LGBTQ programs and initiatives. And we’ve tapped our feet to songs that will be on the Down and Dirty Dawg Band’s new CD.

Here are just a few things the people involved with those projects had to say:

Giving Tuesday_EWB_Square

“Engineers Without Borders-UMBC relies on gifts to fulfill our mission of implementing environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects, while developing globally aware and internationally responsible students and engineers. We especially appreciate gifts from alumni because we believe that EWB-UMBC not only promotes projects in the developing world, but also transformative experiences for UMBC students.”

~Lee Blaney, assistant professor and advisor for EWB

Giving Tuesday_DDB_Square

“[Your support] means the world to the band. If you’re an alumni of the band and had a great experience, your donation will help ensure that the next generation of students have the same positive experience.”

~Matt Basch ’08,  ’10, Director, Down and Dirty Dawg Band

GT_rainbow flag_square“To support UMBC as an alum is a no-brainer. As a student, I felt the positive impact [of donor support], and I want to live up to Dr. Hrabowski’s motto that of those to whom much is given, much is expected.”

~Chris Magaha ’03, donor to LGBTQ programs & initiatives

They’ve had their say. Now it’s your turn.
Will you join us in making a difference on #GivingTuesday?

We’re grateful for you!

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Today we wanted to pause for a moment and tell you what we’re thankful for. The answer is you, our wonderful alumni. Thank you for all that you do and all that you are. UMBC would not be same without you.

We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. We hope you enjoy the time with family and friends, eat plenty of tasty food, and, if you travel, do so safely.

Tell us: What are you thankful for? 

 

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Ted Lawler ’99, bio sci & psych, named to Big South All-Decade Team

Ted Lawler ’99, biological sciences and psychology, was recently named to the Big South Network’s All-Decade Team for men’s soccer in the 1990s.

From Big South’s website: 

As part of the Big South’s 30th Anniversary celebration in 2013-14, the Conference is announcing its first-ever All-Decade Teams to recognize the student-athletes and coaches who excelled in their respective sport since the Conference’s founding in 1983. A committee of Big South Conference administrators served as the official voting panel to determine the All-Decade Teams, with fan voting comprising 20 percent of the overall total.

During his time at UMBC, Lawler was named Player of the Year and was two-time All-Conference.

Read more.

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Donald Norris, Public Policy, in The Washington Post

Attorney General Douglas Gansler and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown both put forth campaign pledge proposals last week in what has become a hotly contested Democratic primary in the Maryland race for governor.

Donald Norris UMBC

Gansler asked fellow Democrats to sign a pledge discouraging outside spending on the race. Brown then proposed abandoning all negative ads in the campaign.  The candidates campaign’s have gone back and forth in recent days attacking the proposals. Del. Heather Mizeur, a third candidate in the race, has largely stayed out of the disputes.

Public policy professor and chair Donald Norris was interviewed by The Washington Post for an article about the pledge proposals.

“I don’t think either one was about anything but political maneuvering,” Norris said. “It’s about who’s trying to get advantage over whom and how. . . . At the end of the day, both campaigns will have their pledge to wave around and say, ‘I asked them to behave themselves, and they wouldn’t agree.’ ”

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

Alumni take the stage in production of “Annie”

Annie_112513Now through December 7, see Tom Bethards ’90, computer science, and Rebecca Feibel ’03, history, in Annie at Colonial Players of Annapolis. Stevie Mangum, a UMBC senior theatre major, plays Rooster Hannigan – a role he’s coveted since elementary school.

“In this age of cynicism, Annie is a play that speaks to that very special part inside us that is still optimistic and has an innocent faith that even in the face of impossible odds, dreams can still come true and hope can be triumphant.” – director, Joe Thompson

To learn more about the play and cast, click here.

Theatre lover? Support UMBC’s theatre department and give today!

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