Noah Cruz '24, a psychology and biological sciences student, poses on the stairs.

Meet a Retriever—Noah Cruz ’24, first-generation scholar and mentor

Oct 5, 2023 / 7 minutes of reading

Meet Noah Cruz, a senior pursuing B.S. degrees in both psychology and biological sciences on the pre-med/Ph.D. track. As a first generation student and a member of multiple scholars programs, Noah takes part in student organizations and undergraduate research while also following his passions of advocating for underrepresented students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. We can’t wait to see where Noah goes from here, and we’re excited to share his story. Q: Tell us about yourself. What would you want another Retriever to know about you? A: I am a senior concurrently pursuing dual bachelor of science… Continue Reading Meet a Retriever—Noah Cruz ’24, first-generation scholar and mentor

smiling woman standing on a beach, her curly hair blowing in the wind

Why does your hair curl in the summer? A chemist explains the science behind hair structure

Aug 11, 2023 / 5 minutes of reading

Curly-haired chemist Tara Carpenter explains how your hair’s structure affects its sometimes unpredictable and undesirable behavior on hot and humid summer days. Continue Reading Why does your hair curl in the summer? A chemist explains the science behind hair structure

A mentor stands outside talking with a student about asking for help and community support with a building and trees in the background

Graduating students share how unexpected paths and community support got them to where they needed to be

May 16, 2023 / 5 minutes of reading

“College can be a nerve-wracking and anxious experience, right? So when you have a question, or when you are feeling uncertain, when you are feeling overwhelmed, do me one favor,” said Joel DeWyer, director of campus life operations, encouraging students to find community support. “Find someone around you in your community and ask for help.” Continue Reading Graduating students share how unexpected paths and community support got them to where they needed to be

two students observe a well plate in a brightly lit laboratory

UMBC’s Chengpeng Chen receives $1.7M NIH grant to develop human liver model

Aug 26, 2022 / 5 minutes of reading

Today, less than 10 percent of drugs succeed in clinical trials. Chengpeng Chen is betting that a more accurate liver model, employed early in the drug discovery process, can increase the efficiency of drug development and our understanding of certain diseases. Continue Reading UMBC’s Chengpeng Chen receives $1.7M NIH grant to develop human liver model

A professor teaches a class of college students

Better Living Through Chemistry

Jul 6, 2022 / 12 minutes of reading

From cooking and cleaning to fixing your car, understanding chemistry can enlighten all aspects of life. That’s just one reason why Dean William R. LaCourse still loves sharing the joy of his favorite subject in front of a classroom. Continue Reading Better Living Through Chemistry

Creating new antiviral drugs: Katherine Seley-Radtke’s innovative “fleximer” research to receive $3.5M from NIH

Jun 10, 2022 / 4 minutes of reading

“Many people in the antiviral field had been pushing for many years, warning people that this kind of viral pandemic could happen,” says Katherine Seley-Radtke. Thankfully, her decades of work put her in a strong position to contribute to a new surge of antiviral research. Continue Reading Creating new antiviral drugs: Katherine Seley-Radtke’s innovative “fleximer” research to receive $3.5M from NIH

UMBC faculty and staff award recipients place community at the core of their success

Apr 7, 2022 / 6 minutes of reading

At UMBC’s 2022 Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards (PFASA), Tamra Mendelson said she loves “getting to the core of a concept” in her research and teaching. As awardee after awardee addressed the audience, both in person and online, it became clear that all shared the same “core concept” of UMBC: community. Continue Reading UMBC faculty and staff award recipients place community at the core of their success

Viral inventors: UMBC study finds virus DNA orchestrates a critical cellular pathway in bacteria

Dec 9, 2021 / 7 minutes of reading

A protein produced by viral DNA is orchestrating the critical “SOS response” in a large group of bacterial species, according to a new study in Nucleic Acids Research. “It’s the SOS response because if the bacteria or virus doesn’t get it right, they die,” Ivan Erill says. Continue Reading Viral inventors: UMBC study finds virus DNA orchestrates a critical cellular pathway in bacteria

The Rocky Yet Rewarding Road of Graduate Research

Aug 9, 2021 / 7 minutes of reading

“Be willing to be an independent thinker and be willing to be wrong,” says graduate student Amanda Belunis as ways to succeed in analytical chemistry. Continue Reading The Rocky Yet Rewarding Road of Graduate Research

Two students, both wearing masks and graduation regalia, take a selfie. One student is holding a "Congrats Class of 2021" sign.

Graduating with gratitude: UMBC welcomes a new class of alumni

May 24, 2021 / 5 minutes of reading

Persistent. Innovative. Determined. These are the words UMBC’s commencement speakers returned to again and again to describe the Class of 2021. And despite a year of challenges—missing family and friends, technological frustrations, life lived through the computer screen—one of the resounding themes of this year’s Commencement ceremonies was gratitude. Continue Reading Graduating with gratitude: UMBC welcomes a new class of alumni

Young adult with long, curly hair smiles for a portrait, wearing graduation regalia and a bow tie.

UMBC’s newest grads leave a legacy of advocacy, inclusion, and support for fellow students

May 18, 2021 / 1 minute of reading

On the back of every UMBC black and gold ID card is a guide to essential emergency resources, including numbers for health, counseling, sexual assault, and suicide prevention helplines. The new card design was the result of student advocacy through UMBC’s Retriever Courage initiative, seeking to better prevent and respond to sexual assault and violence. And the person who suggested that change is Autumn Cook, graduating this week, a tireless advocate for fellow UMBC students. Continue Reading UMBC’s newest grads leave a legacy of advocacy, inclusion, and support for fellow students

TEDxUMBC brings community together through “Unmasking Uncertainty”

Dec 9, 2020 / 4 minutes of reading

This fall, the student-organized TEDxUMBC gave ten speakers the opportunity to share their stories, experiences, and expertise with the world. Surprisingly, the theme, “Unmasking Uncertainty,” was actually conceived far before COVID-19 surged globally. Continue Reading TEDxUMBC brings community together through “Unmasking Uncertainty”

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