We are pleased to announce the Undergraduate Data Science and AI Scholars program for supporting students in Spring 2026. The Data Science and AI Scholars program welcomes undergraduate scholars from multiple disciplines, including non-STEM majors, who will examine all aspects of data and its impact on society. This year, scholars will have the opportunity to be teaching fellows or research fellows. Scholars will be able to work on research projects in Climate Science, Deepfake detection, and other data science-related projects. 

Students selected through this effort will be part of the Data Science and AI Scholars program, which will be run in partnership withthe Center for Women in Technology (CWIT), the Information Systems Department (IS), and the Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3). 

Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3) Responsibilities:

Research Fellows

• Scholars who will work as research fellows will work on a supervised research project and be mentoredby faculty. Scholars will be paid $20.00/hour for specific tasks, for 5 - 10 hours per week.
• Scholars will attend at least two events in Spring 2026 and/or participate in research initiatives andprofessional development for their leadership growth and mentoring. Mentors will coordinate this at CS3. 
• Scholars will also be expected to attend one mentoring meeting with the faculty.
• Scholars will be required to enroll in a Zero-credit Practicum course on research experience (PRAC98C) through the UMBC Career Center.

Background and Skills:

ALL applicants should have knowledge in AT LEAST ONE of the following:

• Analysis of social, behavioral, economic, or geographic data
• Python or one of the data science tools and/or languages (such as R, Rapid Miner, Weka, Orange,Knime, ML on cloud computing)
• Jupyter Notebooks with Python or taken IS 296 in a prior semester.

Interested students should complete the Google Submission Form, OR access the form using the following link: https://forms.gle/FFUAa5RpDNMGYvTY9 by Friday, November 21, 2025.

Please see the attached notice for complete details.   Questions?  Please email our team at DataScienceAIScholars@umbc.edu

(L-R) Provost Manfred van Dulmen, Michael Hunt '06, Ph.D. '25, Erwin Cabrera '10, Emily Brown '14, M.S. '14, Jamie Gurganus '04, M.S. '11, Ph.D. '20, Jacqueline Smith '06, Johnny Olszewski, Jr., Ph.D. '17, Courtney Culp '20, Mark Benesch '08, Cameron Slayden '99, President Valerie Sheares Ashby

Dear UMBC Community,

Every time I step into a UMBC gathering, I am reminded that the spirit of this place does not live in our buildings or traditions alone—it lives in each of us. It lives in the way we challenge and nurture each other, the way we lead with integrity of mind and generosity of heart, the way we see and honor each other's worth.

That truth came to life again in our recent 2025 Alumni Awards Ceremony. One recipient noted that he had won many awards for his work, but that until receiving this honor, "Never once in my life has somebody pointed to me and said, 'This man is worth it.' So…thank you."

Another said that as a student she found support at UMBC in a community that was both nurturing and challenging—support she said was "absolutely instrumental to my success at UMBC and in my career since."

That is UMBC: rigorous and kind, brilliant and humble, connected and courageous. These stories remind me that our greatest achievement is not only what we know, but who we become—together.

With pride and gratitude,

President Valerie Sheares Ashby

All events are open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.

Hello Lovelies,

Sisterhood also has a safety initiative called ‘Your Voice Matters’. ‘Your Voice Matters’ aims to build a bridge between the Office of Equity and Civil Rights (ECR) & UMBC students. This is an ANONYMOUS form where students can express any disparities witnessed, experienced, or that might happen. In addition to this QR code, this form will always be located in our Linktree.

Sincerely,

Sisterhood

Hello Lovelies,

Sisterhood has a safety initiative called ‘Sister Sister’. Sister Sister is a request only Group Me that strives for safety on the UMBC campus. Within, students may request that students walk with them if they are feeling unsafe or uncomfortable on campus. To join, please make sure your profile has your name and photo.

Sincerely,

Sisterhood

In this student-centered Q&A, Dr. Philosophe will share his personal journey to becoming a doctor, discuss the challenges and rewards of pursuing medicine, and offer advice for aspiring healthcare professionals. 

This is a great opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the path to medical school and beyond!

Building on the first session in the series of Generative AI and Teaching, this interactive session highlights applied skills and practical use cases. Participants will practice effective prompting, explore discipline-specific scenarios, and consider assignment design strategies. Examples will touch on advanced features (custom GPTs/GEMs, Canvas Mode, Deep Research Mode, agent mode) related to teaching.

Part II of an Introduction to Generative AI in Teaching Series by John Schumacher, Professor of Sociology, Anthropology and Public Health and a USM Generative AI Pedagogy Fellow for 2025-26. Whether you have already begun exploring AI for your teaching and for student learning, are an AI-skeptic, or are somewhere in between, joining Dr. Schumacher and your UMBC colleagues for these hands-on workshops will help you to deepen your understanding of how AI works, some of the ethical concerns of AI-usage, and when and how to use which GenerativeAI tools. This is a reprise of the workshop held in October and is offered in person or online.