McCann leads the new Provost’s Interdisciplinary Activities Advisory Committee, which just hosted UMBC’s first social hour to bring together faculty from different fields, but with overlapping research and creative interests, to plant the seeds for future collaborations.

Provost Philip Rous shares that this event, and the committee behind it, respond to his conversations with faculty who identified “a real need for additional support in the area of interdisciplinary work.” Having opportunities to get away from the “disciplinary lens” and removing barriers to doing interdisciplinary work, he notes, is what will set UMBC apart as a community focused on solving complex, real-world problems.

Four faculty led informal discussions to start the conversation at this week’s event. Nicole King, associate professor and chair of American studies, discussed her work in Baltimore City, including collaborations with colleagues and students in sociology, visual arts, and media and communication studies. One project centers on a community garden in Curtis Bay, in partnership with a local school. Another focuses on interviews with Baltimore residents about their experiences with the city’s deindustrialization—interviews that students have developed into radio segments airing on WEAA.

For King, interdisciplinary research means “asking big questions, solving big problems, with whatever tools you need,” moving beyond artificial limits imposed by academic disciplines.

Amy Hurst, associate professor of information systems, conducts research in human-centered computing, particularly assistive technologies. She sees her field as an amalgam of design, behavioral science, and technology.

For interdisciplinary projects to be successful, Hurst says, “We need to be fluid in the languages of the different fields.” She, like King, emphasized the need to think beyond a single answer to a narrow question or a single technology to solve a narrow problem. She shares that when working with students, collaborators, or end-users, “Rather than giving them a hammer, I like to give them the toolbox.”

Tulay Adali, University Distinguished Professor of computer science and electrical engineering, says interdisciplinary research increases the impact of her work by applying it in new contexts. Rather than continuing to make small improvements to systems that have been in development for decades, applying her research to brand new fields can lead to positive change in leaps and bounds.

“It enriches what you’re doing,” Adali says. “You have to have patience, to invest your energy, but the rewards are huge.”

Tim Nohe, professor of visual arts, discussed his work at the interface of the arts and ecology. Nohe uses a variety of art forms to explore how different cultures steward the natural environment. A 10-year project of his, based in Australia, recently culminated with the exhibition Sounding Botany Bay at the Albin O. Kuhn Library. He’s also interested in urban landscapes and empowering Baltimore citizens to put pressure on local government to tackle environmental justice issues. That’s made considerably easier by today’s smartphones, because, Nohe says, “You have the tools of agency right in your pocket.”

“In the arts, which have always connected with a public or audience, we are aware of our responsibility to make our work reach people and move them intellectually and emotionally,” Nohe explains. “There’s knowledge to be discovered when disciplines come together, finding new points of entry into a problem or by finding ‘ah-ha’ moments through attentive and respectful dialogue across disciplines.”

McCann and committee member Rachel Carter, Ph.D. candidate in language, literacy, and culture, intend to extend the social hour into a series. Follow the committee’s myUMBC group to learn about upcoming events.

Banner image: Faculty from all three colleges and a variety of disciplines discuss research, plant the seeds for collaborations, and enjoy fellowship at the first interdisciplinary faculty social hour. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

In an introductory address to the students, President Freeman Hrabowski emphasized the importance of asking good questions, rather than always having the right answers. He encouraged the scholars, some of whom travelled hundreds of miles for the event, to have confidence in their ability to achieve great things as scientists, saying, “You have most of the answers you need inside of yourself for what it takes to be successful.”

Two large poster sessions in the University Center Ballroom anchored the day-long event, spotlighting 274 student posters on research topics from cricket behavior to breast cancer to biodegradable polymers. Judging the posters were 74 faculty who selected award recipients in biochemical and molecular biology, biological sciences, and chemical sciences.

Workshops and a plenary speaker provided additional opportunities for attendees to expand their horizons.

Susan Hindle, assistant director of internships and employment in UMBC’s Career Center, led a “Master the Art of Making Connections” workshop. “Academic achievements alone are not enough to be successful in today’s workplace,” she shared. Hindle discussed how to make a good first impression and be an active listener, and she taught attendees the elements of a strong “30-second commercial” about their experience, interests, and goals. She also gave tips for networking at an event like a research conference.

Jim Thomas, UMBC philosophy lecturer, offered “A Very, Very Short Introduction to Ethics for Scientists.” The workshop encouraged students to examine why they make the ethical decisions they do. “Even if a person disagrees with you, reasons can be understood, maybe even changed or amended, and that creates better understanding, and so a better community, all around,” said Thomas.

Plenary speaker Colleen Burge, assistant professor of marine biotechnology at UMBC, used her talk to offer advice for student researchers in the audience, through the lens of her own work on host-pathogen interactions in marine environments.

Burge discussed her research on oysters, eel grass, and the diseases that affect them as critical both ecologically and economically. She described eel grass as “a foundational species in the ocean,” and explained that sea grasses serve as “ecosystem engineers,” creating habitat for a wide range of species while also providing a food source. A particularly devastating oyster virus she studies “directly impacts the bottom line for farms.”

Burge said students at the symposium “are already winning” when it comes to preparing for research careers, by getting experience early. She encouraged them to follow their passions, but not narrow their focus too soon. “Your career can change as it goes. Be flexible,” she says. “Find that thing that you like and that can move forward with you through your career.”

Preparing for the symposium required a great deal of hard work for each student, but “the value of talking to people about your research and receiving input on things you might have overlooked is priceless,” shared Fatma Abker ’19, chemical engineering. “From Dr. Hrabowski’s invigorating welcoming speech, to the buzz of the ballroom with presenters and judges and spectators, to the plenary talk—it was all worth it.”

Banner image: The University Center Ballroom during the Undergraduate Research Symposium. Photos by Mohammed Arafat ’20, biological sciences.