Olivia is a senior majoring in Psychology and also a member of Psi Chi, the National Residence Hall Honorary Regent Scholar, and a URA Scholar.

Title of your research project: 

Impact of Stress and Trauma on Learning and Decision-making in Psychosis

For my project I am examining the connection between childhood abuse and performance on a learning task in people with and without schizophrenia.

Who is your mentor(s) for your project? 

I have two mentors for my senior thesis, one at the MPRC, Dr. James Waltz, and one at UMBC, Dr. Raimi Quiton. I met Dr. James Waltz when I got an email from UMBC's Psychology Department that the MPRC was looking for an intern to work in the IDRIS lab. I wanted to work for Dr. Waltz because he does neuroscience and psychology research. I formally met Dr. Waltz in the second round of interviews. I met Dr. Quiton when I was looking for someone to sponsor me for my Psych 397 research credit for research I was doing in translational toxicology at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. We were introduced through Dr. Etopio who had sponsored my 398-internship credit the semester before. After deciding to do a senior thesis I asked Dr. Quiton to be my UMBC mentor because we already had a connection and she also does neurobiological and psychology research.

I have always been interested in the impact of childhood abuse and neglect across a person's lifetime. This interest, as well as my position working in a lab studying schizophrenia, ultimately led to my decision to study the intersection of these topics. Over time, I became more interested in specific questions such as the differential impacts of childhood abuse and schizophrenia on win-stay and lose-shift responses within the task as I became more acquainted with the task.

The hardest part of my research has been listening to clinical interviews and scoring questionnaires. Many people with psychotic disorders like schizophrenia have experienced trauma in their lives that you learn about through interviews and questionnaires. I want to research child abuse because I love children and I want to help and protect them. It hurts to know what the many study participants have gone through, especially when they were children.

The most rewarding part of doing research for me has been working on projects that I know are going to help patients and in being a part of someone getting help for their mental illness. The people at the MPRC really care about everyone that comes into the center, even those who are coming in as controls.

I am planning on publishing my senior thesis as well as presenting it in a poster URCAD and at UMB's research day. I will also be presenting this research at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Research in Psychopathology in St. Louis, Missouri.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?  

Don’t be afraid to be told no. All no means is no, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. If you see something you want, ask for it. If you see someone doing research you want to be doing, ask them if you can be a part of it. It’s much easier to get a position that was created for you than it is to apply to the position 100 people are applying for.

Currently, I am applying to clinical psychology doctoral programs that focus on neuropsychology. It's rare to be accepted directly out of Undergrad, so I will likely take up a full-time research position after I graduate and apply again next year. I want to work with children with traumatic brain injuries as a result of abuse and neglect and research/ develop treatment plans to help them regain functioning.

To learn more about how to become a URA Scholar: https://ur.umbc.edu/ura/

Looking to get involved? Interested in making a difference this year in your Community? Enjoy planning events or want to gain a leadership experience? Want to be better prepared for other leadership opportunities on campus like being an RA, Desk Assistant, SGA, (seb), or RSA Executive Board? Joining a Community Council is the perfect way to do that!

Community council is a great opportunity to advocate for your fellow students, meet new people, and gain experience programming!

For more information and the application, click on this link

Applications close on September 8th at 9am. 

Any questions or concerns may be directed to RSA Exec Board: umbcrsaexec@umbc.edu

Thank you for your interest and we hope you apply! 

Name: Thomas Hammond

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Semester of Internship: Summer 2023

Major: BFA in Graphic Design

Current Class Level: Junior

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): The Historical Society of Harford County

Location of the Organization (City, State): Bel Air, Maryland

Title of position: Intern Graphic Designer

As an intern for the Historical Society of Harford County, I have several responsibilities and tasks to complete throughout the week. On Wednesdays, I meet in person to discuss topics such as creating flyers and social media posts, new signage, and a wide range of other design-related tasks. During the meeting, I lay out a plan of action for what deliverables I will work on for the next 7 days. During this time, I will  periodically send updates of designs virtually. After a week has passed, I attend the weekly Wednesday meeting to provide the final designs and proceed to discuss the upcoming week's plan of action.

I found this position through their website over my winter break. They posted that they needed interns, especially a design intern, and I decided to apply. I emailed the director and set up a time to come into their main building for an interview. The interview process was very smooth and I had the chance to provide my graphic design portfolio. 

LinkedIn or other social media

What I enjoy most about this position is the experience to practice professional skills and receive helpful feedback. I have had to take a lot of initiative in-order to schedule meetings, set personal deadlines and develop new creative ideas. Overall, this internship is a nice glance into what I will be doing with my degree in the future.

The biggest impact I've made through this experience is helping engage my community with my designs. The Historical Society of Harford County works to preserve records and artifacts and serves as a way for Harford County residents to learn more about local history. My designs help spread exposure of our resources to members of the community.

My advice for students seeking internships is to be proactive. Do research on what places nearby might need the help of an intern. Sometimes there will be a place on a company's website about open positions. LinkedIn, Handshake and the Career Center are great tools as well. Overall, do some digging to find an opportunity that is right for you.

The Career Center has been a huge help with setting foundational guidelines to get the most out of your internship. Don't be afraid to reach out to the Career Center and the additional resources UMBC has to offer.

Monday, 09/11 @ 12–1  Link

Monday, 09/18 @ 12–1  Link

Monday, 09/25 @ 12–1  Link

Monday, 09/25 @ 4–5  Link

Wednesday, 10/18 @ 12–1  Link

Wednesday, 11/01 @ 12–1  Link 

Name: Harish Reddy Manyam

Semester of Internship: Summer 2023

Major: MPS Data Science

Current Class Level: Master's Student

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): Maryland Department of Health

Location of the Organization (City, State): Baltimore, Maryland

Title of position: Data Analyst

- Analyzed patient safety data from multiple sources, including hospital records and incident reports, to identify common themes and root causes of adverse events. 

- Worked with cross-functional teams to develop targeted interventions and improve processes to reduce the risk of adverse events.

- Developed complex SQL queries and Python scripts to clean, transform, and aggregate data from disparate sources, including electronic health records and claims data.

I heard about this position from Handshake. After applying for this position, they called me for a technical interview. 

UMBC Career Center, Career Fairs, Handshake, LinkedIn or other social media.

In my role as a Data Analyst Intern at the Maryland Department of Health, I've most enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to patient safety through data analysis, collaborate with diverse teams, and grow my technical skills. The team outings and mentoring have also enriched my experience, fostering a positive and engaging work environment.

My work has made an impact by uncovering common themes and root causes of adverse events in patient safety data. By analyzing complex datasets, I've assisted in identifying areas that required targeted interventions, ultimately contributing to the development of processes that reduce the risk of these events. My skills in SQL and Python have enabled me to transform and aggregate data efficiently, aiding the organization in making informed decisions. Overall, my contributions have played a role in enhancing patient care and safety within the healthcare system.

Seek an internship that aligns with your interests and strengths. Tailor your resume, practice for interviews, and don't be afraid to network. Once in the role, be proactive, professional, and eager to learn. Your attitude and effort can turn an internship into a significant stepping stone in your career.

My internship allowed me to transform classroom knowledge into real-world impact. Working with a team towards a common goal in healthcare was not just rewarding but a significant learning experience.

Dear Colleagues,

Last Monday, August 14, an email with a link to the online survey was sent out. The survey, conducted by Energage, an independent research company, should take about five minutes to complete. Energage will keep your responses confidential; however, certain members of the UMBC community will have access to the optional written comments on the survey. If you wish to remain completely anonymous, please do not submit any optional written comments that could identify you individually.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Energage directly at 1-800-749-0187 or by replying to your survey email.

We encourage everyone's participation and hope you will take this opportunity to share your honest feedback. 

The library's Macbooks will be available again soon. The Dells will be recalled this week and sent for software updates. We expect the Macbooks and some of the Dells to be available in time for the fall semester.

We appreciate your patience during this important update process. Chromebooks remain available for four-hour or seven-day loans at the Check Out desk.