UMBC researchers have secured a $1,031,000 congressional earmark to launch a vital new initiative tackling the escalating threat of flooding in Maryland’s most vulnerable communities.

Led by Alan Yeakley, professor, and Dillon Mahmoudi, associate professor, both in geography and environmental systems, the project establishes the UMBC Laboratory for Flood Risk Impact Assessment and Adaptation in Impoverished Maryland Communities. This lab will serve as a hub for analyzing and tracking the impacts of rising flood risks on low-income populations in both urban and rural areas across the state. Yeakley and Mahmoudi will bring on two postdoctoral researchers and graduate and undergraduate research assistants, who will gain critical skills in community-engaged research and data analytics while supporting the work.

The project focuses on communities along the Chesapeake Bay and its major tributaries, including historically underserved neighborhoods in Baltimore such as Turner Station. Researchers will investigate how the legacies of blockbusting and redlining have heightened flood vulnerability in low-income areas and assess whether flood mitigation resources have been distributed equitably. The team will also evaluate the current state of adaptation strategies at every level—from individual households to the city, county, state, and federal governments.

Through hands-on workshops, interviews with residents, and discussions with government agency personnel, the lab will document communities’ existing adaptation methods and raise awareness of growing hazards. Advanced computer modeling completed in UMBC’s state-of-the-art geographic information systems (GIS) laboratory will help quantify predicted risks, which researchers will share with affected communities along with practical, low-cost strategies to enhance resilience. This approach will foster opportunities to co-create solutions, in alignment with UMBC’s commitment to bidirectional partnerships with our neighbors as we all seek to address environmental challenges.

“We’re thrilled to be able to help local communities experiencing flooding along the Chesapeake Bay,” Yeakley says. “We hope to learn what they are already doing to mitigate these hazards, and to suggest strategies that might improve their resilience to ongoing and future threats to their properties and their lives. We also hope that, eventually, communities will share successful strategies with each other directly, creating a grassroots network of neighborhood and environmental stewardship.”

The University System of Maryland and the University of Maryland, Baltimore are pleased to co-host a symposium entitled:  Science at the Crossroads: Fostering Trust in Research, organized by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development. 

Event Details:

Please visit The Science at the Crossroads Website for the full agenda and to register.

Click here to RSVP:  

Science at the Crossroads: Fostering Trust in Responsible Conduct of Research

Spring Break 2026 Faculty-Led Programs

Next week, we will have two Faculty-Led Spring Break Programs going abroad to Morocco and Switzerland! If you are on one of these trips, please check your email for updates from our office about airport and safety recommendations.

Abroad Ambassadors Kayla and Tanzila will be in the group of students exploring Arab culture in Morocco while Arnell will be in Switzerland learning about International Health Policy! Throughout Spring Break, they will be posting blogs on our website and taking over the @UMBCLife Instagram to share a day in their programs. Make sure you follow along as they explore new cities on these unique Spring Break experiences!

Upcoming Events and Deadlines

• April 7th, 2026: Freeman Awards for Study in Asia Application due 

• Study Abroad Orientations

  Have you confirmed your participation in a Study Abroad program for Summer 2026, Fall 2026, or Academic Year 2026-2027? If so, please make sure that you have marked your calendar for your Orientation!

• Summer 2026 Faculty-Led Program Orientation: April 10th, 1:00-5:00pm, ILSB116

• General Program Orientation: May 1st, 1:30-4-30pm, ILSB118

If you are unable to make it to your assigned orientation, please contact our office by emailing educationabroad@umbc.edu.

• Study Abroad 101 Sessions
  Monday | 2pm-3pm | Virtual
  Tuesday | 1pm-2pm | Virtual
  Friday | 11am-12pm | Virtual

UMBC'S Global Learning Lab Receives Innovative Excellence in Internationalization Award

UMBC's Global Learning Lab has been awarded one of two Innovative Excellence in Internalization Awards from The Association of International Education Administrators! The Global Learning Lab's "primary mission is to support faculty development in increasing student access to global learning opportunities. Through a cohort-based model, the lab brings faculty together for a series of workshops to develop best practices for integrating applied global learning into the curriculum. The initiative was originally launched as a pilot program by the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) and the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) Dean's Office in support of CAHSS faculty. In fall 2025, the lab was opened to all faculty with support from the Office of the Provost. Faculty who participate in this initiative produce concrete deliverables, such as course maps, faculty-led study abroad programs, and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects" (Schneider, 2026). You can read more about The Global Learning Lab and its impact on our campus and faculty here! Congratulations to everyone who has played a role in this program's success!

Forbes has announced its annual 30 Under 30 Healthcare 2026 list, and Courtney Cavin, '22, chemical engineering, M.S. '23, chemical and biochemical engineering, was named as one of the young leaders shaping the future of healthcare innovation.

Cavin serves as the chief operating officer of Baltimore-based Astek Diagnostics, a medical technology company that has developed a diagnostic tool to enable rapid, point-of-care detection of bacterial infections in urine, along with antibiotic susceptibility testing.

During her time at UMBC, Cavin was a CWIT Scholar (C17) and received the Student Personal Excellence Award at the 2022 CWIT Community Awards, recognizing her integrity, leadership, and commitment to treating others with dignity and respect as an engaged member of the CWIT community.