When UMBC’s volleyball team headed to the University of Southern California (USC) for a tournament, Athletics reached out and invited West Coast Retrievers to an LA happy hour before the game. Eager to reconnect with their alma mater and meet other alumni in the area, folks gathered together and new friendships were formed. 

Despite the decades between their UMBC experiences, Matt Sheriff ’00, political science, and Nathenael Dereb ’21, computer science, bonded over a quintessential California connection—surfing. Specifically, Dereb, a recent relocator, wanted to learn how and Sheriff, who’s been on the West Coast for years, had the skills to teach. Since then, the pair has been meeting before work in the mornings catching the waves. They carved out some time to share the experience with UMBC Magazine. 

UMBC Magazine: We know how you two met—can you tell us how you hit it off?

Sheriff: I attended graduate business school at USC, so when I read about a tournament volleyball game at USC that the UMBC team was invited to attend, I was simply amazed that my undergrad school was coming to USC. At the alumni pre-party, I met Nate Dereb, who, like me, also relocated from Maryland to LA. He was interested in learning to surf, so I’ve been introducing him to the sport when our schedules align. The beauty of living in Los Angeles is we can surf in the morning and be at work by 9 a.m., even earlier if necessary!

UMBC Magazine: What are your best surf tips?

Sheriff: Take it slow in terms of expectations and remind yourself that the best surfer is the one having the most fun.

UMBC Magazine: How was the change from Maryland to California?

Dereb: Relocating across the country to a city I’ve never been before was an overwhelming experience, but I was fortunate to have my family around me during my relocation. One of the shocking things was finding myself outside only in shorts and a shirt in February! I’m still amazed by that.

UMBC Magazine: What are you up to now?

Sheriff: I’m a senior advisor at Southern California Edison where I lead regulatory economics projects and represent the company before the California Public Utilities Commission as an expert witness. Most of my work is finance-related but the communication and analytical skills I learned at UMBC are immensely helpful.

Dereb: I am working as a software engineer at Adobe within the analytics organization. On the side, I’m still maintaining and adding data for the platform I built during my senior year that assists students and faculty in retrieving data regarding course grades, course evaluations, and professors at UMBC.

UMBC Magazine: What was your experience at UMBC like? 

Dereb: My involvement in the Center for Women in Technology organization, as a Cyber Scholar, is an experience I will always cherish. I was also fortunate to win several awards and scholarships, get multiple internship opportunities, become a teaching fellow for Computer Science 202, and do innovative research as part of the Interactive Robotics and Language lab on campus. I am a proud Retriever!

Sheriff: More than anything I feel like I grew into a young adult who was ready for the world.

Richard Forno, principal lecturer in Computer science and Electrical Engineering, UMBC

A warning about the threat of political violence heading into the 2022 midterm elections was issued to state and local law enforcement officials by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Oct. 28, 2022.

The bulletin was released the same day that Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s husband was hospitalized after a home invasion by a lone right-wing extremist seeking to harm her.

This incident is the latest in an increasing stream of extremist confrontations taking place across the United States in recent years. These incidents have primarily targeted Democrats, including a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. But threats from both sides of the political spectrum are up significantly.

And, of course, there was the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, where supporters of a defeated Republican president, acting on a widespread lie he perpetuated, violently attempted to prevent the certification of electoral votes. According to well-documented public evidence, some rioters planned to find and execute both Speaker Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence.

Such incidents reflect a disturbing trend that targets the very fabric, foundation and future of U.S. democracy. But what led to this point?

As a researcher taking a critical and apolitical eye toward security issues, I believe the rise in contemporary right-wing political extremism – and violence – began with an outdated focus in national communications policy.

Media-induced slow burn

Until the late 1980s, the Federal Communications Commission’s Fairness Doctrine required traditional licensed broadcasters to offer competing viewpoints on controversial public issues. But these rules did not apply to cable or satellite providers. As a result, the rise of cable news channels in the 1990s led to highly partisan programming that helped divide American society in the ensuing decades.

This programming fueled increasing polarization in the public and political arenas. Bipartisanship was abandoned in the 1990s, when the Republican Congress under Speaker Newt Gingrich embraced a “scorched-earth” policy of governing. That meant treating the minority party not as the loyal opposition and respected elected colleagues who had differences over policy, but as enemies.

In addition to emerging partisan cable television networks like MSNBC and Fox News, in the early 2000s, an increasingly polarized Congress and the public received a new source of division: social media.

Internet platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and 4Chan allowed anyone, anywhere, to create, produce and distribute political commentary and extremist rhetoric that could be amplified by other users and drive the day’s news cycle.

Political pundits and influencers across the spectrum became less concerned about correctly informing the public. Instead, they stoked outrage in the search for money-generating clicks and advertising dollars. And political parties exploited this outrage to satisfy and energize their voting base or funders.

Moderation or censorship?

To combat online extremism, social media companies reluctantly began moderating user posts and sometimes banned prominent users who violated their community standards or terms of service.

In response to what it dubbed “censorship” from Big Tech, the right-wing splintered into numerous niche platforms catering to their conspiracy theories and extremist or violent views such as Truth Social – run by former President Trump – Gab, Parler, Rumble and others.

Compared with Democrats, Republicans have mastered this form of gutter politics. One example: Right-wing political figures have mocked Paul Pelosi for being attacked, spread baseless conspiracy theories about his personal life and used the incident for applause lines at campaign rallies.

Accordingly, today’s voters and politicians end up confronting one another in the public sphere not on matters and substance affecting the future of the country, but on fundamental facts and conspiracy theories, or to address distractions often generated by their respective media ecosystems. This is only exacerbated by a prolonged nationwide decline in media literacy and civics education.

Law enforcement’s unique problem

Against this backdrop, federal law enforcement has become more vocal in warning about the dangers of domestic political extremism, including a bulletin issued in February 2022. The Oct. 28 DHS bulletin further underscores this concern.

But it’s hard for law enforcement to effectively address political extremism, because speech protected under the First Amendment is a major consideration. Phrases like “I’m fighting for you!” or “Saving our country!” might seem like typical political bluster to one person. But they could be seen by others as an implied call for intimidation or violent action against political opponents, election officials, volunteer poll workers and even ordinary voters.

How does speech turn into violent action? Security specialists and scholars use the term “stochastic terrorism” to capture how a single, hard-to-locate person might be inspired or influenced toward violence by broader extremist rhetoric, as appears to have been the case with the man who allegedly tried to kill Paul Pelosi with a hammer.

Law enforcement’s problem is made worse by right-wing lawmakers who normalize or actively praise the actions of violent extremists, calling them “patriots” and demanding their prison sentences be overturned or pardoned. This helps obscure the actual reasons for such incidents, often by deflecting them into broader conspiracy theories involving their opponents.

Certainly there are controversial left-leaning politicians, pundits, activists and talking points too.

But few – if any – openly disregard the fabric of American government, scheme to overturn democratic elections by force or plot to assassinate politicians.

By contrast, there are over 300 Republican election deniers running for office this year, including many incumbents – the vast majority of whom endorse political violence such as the Jan. 6 attack either by their actions or their silence.

Hope for the best; prepare for the worst

Tensions are high heading into the 2022 midterms. Politicians are making final arguments, and the online messaging machines are spreading campaign information, fundraising requests – and plenty of disinformation as well.

Americans expect a peaceful transfer of political power after elections, but recent history shows we must prepare for the worst. It’s clear that the modern Republican Party is openly and successfully embracing and exploiting misinformation, outrage and attacks on democracy and the rule of law.

Until Republicans actively disavow their extremist rhetoric and the misinformation contributing to it, I believe the likelihood for political violence in America increases with each passing day.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Priscila de Almeida Feitosa

Degree: B.S., Computer Science
Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil
Plans: Software engineer for Amazon

“On campus, I never felt different. I never felt nervous when I needed to do a presentation because I didn’t think anyone would care about my accent or where I’m from, because at UMBC everyone is from somewhere.”

As a Cyber Scholar and Center for Women in Technology Scholar, Priscila de Almeida Feitosa ’22, computer science, found like-minded classmates at UMBC—students who wanted to challenge the status quo of representation in technology fields. 

Alemeida with Cindy Greenwood, advisor and assistant director of Cyber Scholars Program. Image courtesy of Almeida.

Almeida, whose first degree is in business, came from Brazil with the goal of redefining her career path. “In the U.S., I thought, I’ll try for the first time in my life to do something that I want to do. I’ve always wanted to change the world, and it seems like the most changes in the world happen in technology.” Almeida is excited to use her software engineering position at Amazon as a jumping off point for volunteering with young women interested in STEM, exposing them to what is possible. 

“I want to be a model for middle school girls,” says Almeida. “I want that age group to know what’s possible in this field and for them to see someone like themselves designing software. When I started to code and saw my products running, then it really clicked for me—I can see myself building something that is actually going to be meaningful for the world.”

UMBC alumni businesses are doing what they can to stay strong and build community during these troubled times. UMBC Magazine will be publishing occasional interviews with alumni business owners to show their resilience in the face of this global pandemic.

Find more alumni businesses at the UMBC Alumni Business Directory.

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Founded by alumnus Zhensen Huang, M.S. ’00, Ph.D. ’04, information systems, Precise Software Solutions “helps their customers capitalize on the efficiencies offered by technological advancements and ensures the integrity of their IT systems and programs so they can perform their public mission more effectively.” Today, Huang reflects on the challenges of the last few months, and why he continues to be filled with gratitude and hope.

Can you tell us a little bit about what you do? What’s your favorite part of the work?

My background is in IT/technology, and this is my first time serving as the CEO of a company. So, the experience of starting up and leading a new company has involved a big learning curve for me. But I love learning and finding solutions to complex problems, and there have been endless opportunities for me to learn and grow along with the company. As for my favorite part, I love working with people. I have been blessed with an amazing team of extremely smart, dedicated, and innovative people. I also love working with our growing customer base, which has included developing productive, trusting relationships, serving as a problem solver in helping them achieve their mission, and driving organic growth for the company with the help of the successes and accolades of our customers.

Image courtesy of Huang.

How do you connect your work back to your experience at UMBC? 

I am eternally grateful for the excellent education, support, and mentorship I received as a UMBC student, and I attribute much of my success in my career and this Precise business venture to the solid launch I achieved with the help of the school. I went back to teach some courses at UMBC, and I remain in regular contact with the school through the Development Office. I continue to look for ways to reinforce the connection between myself, Precise, and UMBC, ensuring that the mutual benefits we’ve enjoyed are nurtured and expanded.

Precise also has several alumni on staff, including Kaustav Lahiri, M.S. ’14, computer science; Fan Ping, M.S. ’15, computer science; and Edison Trickett ’13, business technology administration.

In these tough times, how do you keep going? What inspires you?

It’s true, we’ve been experiencing some very tough times. The pandemic has been a real test to our resilience, as individuals, as a community, and as a company. It has been difficult to witness the terrible suffering that the virus has caused, not to mention the more recent unrest following the killing of George Floyd. In the midst of these crises, my overwhelming feeling has been one of gratitude—for the health and safety of my family and the ability of Precise to continue our work. These feelings of gratitude have inspired in me a great sense of responsibility. I am constantly looking for ways to give back, to offer support and assistance to those who have not been as fortunate as I have been.

Are there specific ways you’re giving back to the community right now?

In general, our company has actively engaged in community service events. We regularly organize company service events such as coordinating groups of Precise employee volunteers to support the work of the Manna Food Center, an wonderful organization that collects, purchases, and distributes food to the needy in our community. More recently, at the outset of the coronavirus epidemic, Precise organized a donation challenge in which we raised over $22,000 dollars for Manna. We also purchase company gift cards from some of our local food vendors as a way to infuse some cash flow into their businesses which were suffering huge losses due to the lockdown.

Image courtesy of Precise website.

As part of our response to the protests following the killing of George Floyd, Precise organized internal discussions and listening sessions to ensure we are identifying and addressing any racial inequities that may exist within the company. In addition to donating $20,000 to the ACLU in support of social justice in our community and across the country, we also gave to UMBC’s Stay Black and Gold Emergency Fund. Supporting UMBC students during this time seemed to be a logical step, to help these students stay on track for their academic careers.

What advice would you give to others looking to start their own business?

I recommend following one’s passion, as that is the surest way to develop and sustain inspiration and resilience in what is a very difficult endeavor. Seek out mentors who have blazed the trail before you. I am constantly seeking out guides to help me navigate this business terrain. Again, this is my first experience building a business and being a CEO, so I am painfully aware of how much I still don’t know and need to learn. I have had many generous people who have more experience in this domain who have been willing to offer useful advice and guidance as I’ve worked to grow the company.

Another piece of advice I would offer is to practice humility and always work to keep your ego in check. You can’t learn and grow—and can’t succeed in business or any professional endeavor—if you don’t actively seek out your blind spots.

*****

Header image: Zhensen Huang and Julia Zhuhui Chen, M.S. ’02, information systems, at an SBA (Small Business Administration) event in 2019. Photo courtesy of Chen.

Imagine you’ve got an amazing idea—a piece of biotech or a cyber solution, for instance—with the potential to really help people in need.

Now, picture a community that helps you accomplish the steps to turn that idea into a successful business. Researchers and eager students to work out the kinks. The camaraderie of creative entrepreneurs to energize you. And partners with the business chops to help you take your idea to market.

Since launching 30 years ago as the first university research park in Maryland, bwtech@UMBC has nurtured more than 130 companies and their big ideas, bringing more than 1,800 jobs to Baltimore County and generating 4,500 direct and indirect jobs and $700 million in labor income and business sales for the state, according to an assessment by the Sage Policy Group in 2019.

As the world takes on the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, bwtech finds itself in the position to innovate in more ways than ever. Amid it all, bwtech’s new executive director Aaron Miscenich is ready to help bwtech make an even bigger impact in Maryland and beyond.

“We will emerge from this period strong, but with a new definition of ’normal,’” says Miscenich, who previously helped launch the New Orleans BioInnovation Center in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. He notes that bwtech steadily added jobs through the 2008 recession and recovery years, and expects the community to remain strong. 

“Working with UMBC’s diverse research base, talented entrepreneurs, and strong partner organizations, bwtech has achieved fantastic results. I think we have the opportunity to bring our community closer together and to learn more about what we can do for one another.”

Building Bridges to Success

A wooden footpath links UMBC’s main campus to bwtech North, the second of bwtech’s two campuses. Winding past Pig Pen Pond, it’s a convenient link between two centers of creative energy, and also the perfect metaphor for the relationship between these two enterprises.

“University research can contain tremendous market potential but often needs someone to facilitate that commercialization process,” says Miscenich, who took over for longtime executive director Ellen Hemmerly after her retirement this spring.

“Many times you have researchers who are not experienced entrepreneurs, you have students looking for real-world experiences to complement their course studies, and you have alumni that are looking for ways to bring their talents back to the university,” he says. 

All of the groups converge at bwtech, along with entrepreneurs from around the globe, and the research and technology community provides assets that help them meet their goals. A  recent beneficiary of this partnership is Soobum Lee, associate professor of mechanical engineering at UMBC, whose work with windmills and energy harvesting earned him a Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII) grant. 

MII, a research commercialization project established by the state and five universities, including UMBC, opened up the opportunity for Lee to work with bwtech “site miners,” who help facilitate the application process for faculty inventors and accelerate their path to commercialization. As of this January, UMBC faculty have secured a total of 42 MII awards, valued at more than $4.4 million, resulting in 16 start-up companies.

bwtech also houses a number of UMBC alumni-owned businesses at its two campuses, many of which partner with professors and also bring in undergraduate and graduate students as interns.  Jeehye Yun ’97, computer science, founding CEO at RedShred on the bwtech north campus, notes that these relationships have paid off for her company. 

“As a part of the bwtech community, we’ve had the opportunity to develop long-standing relationships with UMBC faculty and students to advance our innovative research and impact,” she says.

The same is true for Mike Adelstein ’96, biochemistry and molecular biology, who sees a strong future for his company Potomac Photonics at his bwtech south campus location.

“Even though we’re growing, we want to keep our headquarters here [at bwtech] because it’s a great place to be,” he says. “bwtech’s environment spurs innovation and drives the success that we’re having right now.”

And by pairing new business with established ones, bwtech’s “Start here. Grow here. Stay here.” philosophy makes for a welcoming environment at any stage of growth.

“We can take these companies, introduce them to industry professionals, capital sources, and other groups that help reduce the risk of failure and increase the potential of the company’s products and services,” Miscenich says.

Challenging Times

As the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic took hold earlier this spring, many in the bwtech community quickly began working on ways of creating solutions.

AthenaES switched from its regular work of protein manufacturing to instead focus on making hand sanitizer. Both New Horizons Diagnostics and Synaptic Research began working to develop rapid testing kits. And while Potomac Photonics normally focuses on microfabrication, Mike Adelstein quickly shifted gears to produce face shields for a hospital in the Bronx.

Miscenich, with his 15 years as president of the New Orleans BioInnovation Center, understands the importance of close connections among partners during challenging times. Although he has not yet been able to work from his office on Research Park Drive due to the pandemic and travel restrictions, Miscenich is spending much of his time checking on his entrepreneurs from afar to make sure they have what they need to stay strong.

“We’re maintaining one-on-one contact through our facilities’ team and trying to maintain programming that will keep our entrepreneurs connected with the park,” he says. “We’ve been holding video ’socials,’ we’ve hosted speakers, and we’re reaching out to understand their individual needs. Our hope is that we can learn from this challenge and keep in place the mechanisms that allow us to work together as a community.”

Miscenich says bwtech companies have displayed a great ability to adapt to change and to step up to challenges. His role, he says, “is to help these companies to alter their course when necessary and to bring reliable resources for them to use. Our intent is to continue to use these resources to add value to our clients and support their ongoing growth.”

Community is Key

Another key element of bwtech’s success—and one that drew Miscenich from New Orleans—is the business community’s connections to Baltimore, Washington, and its next-door neighbors, Catonsville and Arbutus. Many of the companies’ 1,800-plus workers call these towns home.

The campus also lies just up the road from BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport, Ft. George G. Meade, the National Security Agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Institutes of Health, putting it in a perfect spot to create partnerships with groups in need of cybersecurity, life sciences, and engineering solutions.

“An innovation district, or research park, is not just a group of buildings that sit idle  throughout the day and night,” says Miscenich. That means encouraging true engagement between business and the surrounding communities. 

Matt Roberson, Director of SC&H Capital, and a member of the bwtech board, knows how important those local connections are. He is raising his family nearby in Catonsville, and is looking forward to great things at bwtech.

“bwtech is an important part of the UMBC story, and growth in the area,” he says. “I’d like to see it continue to grow and foster opportunities for students, Catonsville and Arbutus residents, and businesses, in general.”

Baltimore County Executive John A. Olszewski Jr., Ph.D. ’17, public policy, notes the important role bwtech has played in the state, calling it a “true Maryland success story.”

“For the last 30 years, bwtech has strengthened our economy by giving big ideas the room they need to grow. By bridging higher education and business, bwtech at UMBC positions Maryland as an economic powerhouse within the region,” he says. “I couldn’t be prouder of what this community brings to Baltimore County.”

Miscenich says he’s looking forward to learning more about  what the Greater Baltimore region has to offer. Even more, he looks ahead to continuing to build opportunities for the bwtech and UMBC communities.

“UMBC and bwtech have clearly worked very hard and have made incredible strides in building companies out of the university,” says Miscenich. 

“I look forward to bringing bwtech even closer to the programming and culture of the university, attracting more partners into the ecosystem that has been created by bwtech, and attracting more resources in the development of our infrastructure.”

For more information about bwtech@UMBC’s community of entrepreneurs, visit https://www.bwtechumbc.com/community/.

Images by Marlayna Demond ’11 or Corey Jennings ’10 for UMBC unless otherwise noted.