Did you know?
The first modern version of the seat belt was invented at Cornell University. Cornell Aeronautical Labs did some of the first crash testing of automobiles, and in 1957 Cornell teamed with Liberty Mutual Insurance to build an unusual looking concept car that incorporated the lessons learned in testing. The car did not actually run, but it featured ideas like seat belts, head rests, and padded interiors that are incorporated into today's cars. Since then, engineers have worked to enhance the modern three-point belt, which was first introduced by Volvo. It is estimated that the seat belt has saved more than one million lives in the four decades since it was introduced. In the United States alone, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts save more than 11,000 lives each year.

Want to conduct research and create something innovative? Become a URA Scholar!
Undergraduate Research Awards provide up to $1,500 to undergraduate students to support their research or creative work with a UMBC faculty mentor on an original project. UMBC students of all years and disciplines are invited to apply, as long as they will remain enrolled at UMBC long enough to complete the proposed work. 

Apply by Feb. 16: https://ur.umbc.edu/ura/

Contact Dr. April Householder at aprilh@umbc.edu for more information.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST's) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program is for students majoring in science, engineering, and mathematics. The program is hosted at NIST’s Boulder, Colorado, campus and NIST's Gaithersburg, Maryland, campus.

Applications for participation in the SURF program are accepted only from colleges or universities and not from individual students or faculty. Contact Devon Fick at dfick1@umbc.edu to apply. Applications are due to Mr. Fick by Jan. 29, 2018.

• SURF Program:
   https://www.nist.gov/surf

Application due date:

Monday, February 12, 2018 

Eligibility Requirements:

• Be a U.S. citizen and Permanent U.S. Resident with a valid green card
• Must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior) at a U.S. College or University during the time of application; seniors graduating in May 2018 are eligible to apply.
• Majoring in biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, materials science, mathematics, physical sciences, physics, and/or statistics  
• Have a 3.0 G.P.A. or above
• Considering pursuing a graduate degree or career in a STEM discipline

Research Opportunities Matching

• Students applying to the SURF Boulder program will be matched to opportunities in the Boulder divisions:

    Applied Chemicals and Materials Division

        Public Safety Communications Research Division

        RF Technology Division

        Applied Physics Division
        Quantum Electromagnetics Division
        Time and Frequency Division

• Students applying to the SURF Gaithersburg program will be matched to opportunities in the Gaithersburg laboratories:

       Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST)

       Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL)

       Engineering Laboratory (EL)

       Information Technology Laboratory (ITL)

       Material Measurement Laboratory (MML)

       NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR)

      Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML)

For additional information and application materials about the NIST SURF Program, please visit:https://www.nist.gov/surf

Or register for an upcoming webinar (open to students and university staff):

• January 10, 2018- https://cc.readytalk.com/registration/#/?meeting=vwgijlct4rqq&campaign=iuuyhx2z5e3w
• January 17, 2018- https://cc.readytalk.com/registration/#/?meeting=b2hmwdfq9xgc&campaign=wws2myp9hz25