A new article by The Daily Record’s Dan Leaderman traces the history of UMBC, from its roots as a university community defying definition to a “research powerhouse” known as a national leader in teaching and innovation.

“In the life of universities, 50 years is not that long, but UMBC has done a remarkable job emerging as a first-class research university,” USM Chancellor Robert Caret told the The Daily Record, noting that today UMBC is also a major player in the region’s economic development.

Drawing comparisons with a young MIT, the article dives into success of the bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology park and of UMBC alumni becoming academic and research leaders worldwide, including as faculty at Harvard and director of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab.

A companion interview with UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski also highlights UMBC as a hub for teaching and research in emerging fields, like cybersecurity; a dedicated partner to institutions like the University of Maryland, Baltimore; and a community committed to student success. This includes asking tough questions and testing novel approaches to see what will yield the best results for students.

“At UMBC,” Hrabowski said, “we have been rethinking the teaching and learning process across disciplines, from science and engineering to the arts and humanities and social sciences.”

Michael Summers, Robert E. Meyerhoff Chair for Excellence in Research and Mentoring and University Distinguished Professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and member of the National Academy of Sciences, told The Daily Record that it goes back to the passion and dedication of UMBC students.

“I’ve come back [after] the university was shut down for snow storms and gotten in to work and the undergraduates had their sleeping bags here because they didn’t want to get trapped away from their experiments,” he shared.

 
As those students move on to promising careers, UMBC is preparing to welcome in a new class of Retrievers who have only known the university as the “powerhouse” of today.

Read “At age 50, UMBC just getting started” and the “Newsmakers” interview with President Hrabowski in The Daily Record [subscription required].

Images (top-bottom): (1) UMBC campus; (2) UMBC student during an Engineer’s Week event in the Commons; (3) UMBC Sherman Scholars working with students at Lakeland Elementary/Middle School; (4) Prof. Michael Summers (at left) with his students. Photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

With the 2016 Olympic Games off to an exciting start in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the UMBC community will have the chance to see two alumni compete in the pool and on the field later this week.

Mohamed Hussein ‘14, mechanical engineering, a current master’s student in engineering management, will represent Egypt as a member of the swim team. He will compete in the 200 meter individual medley.

Also competing in Rio is Cleopatra Borel ‘02, interdisciplinary studies, who is participating in her fourth Olympic games as a member of the Trinidad and Tobago track and field team. She will compete in the women’s shot put competition.  

At UMBC, Hussein was a member of the men’s swimming and diving team for three seasons, and qualified for the NCAA Championships twice. He broke UMBC school records in both the 100 yard and 200 yard backstroke events. In 2015, The Baltimore Sun highlighted Hussein’s strength in the pool and his participation in the 2015 World Aquatics Championship.

In 2002, Borel, won the women’s shot put event at the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships, making her the first UMBC competitor to win a NCAA Division I title. She is a three-time All-American and broke the UMBC school record in both the indoor and outdoor shot put, in addition to the weight throw and hammer toss competitions.

Earlier this year, Emily Escobedo ‘17, psychology, participated in the 2016 United States Olympic Trials. She swam the 200 meter breaststroke in an impressive 2:27.03, which put her in 10th place in the semifinals, just two spots away from qualifying for the finals.

Hussein will swim in a 200 meter individual medley qualifying heat on Wednesday, August 10 at 1:14 p.m. The semifinals for that event will be held that evening, beginning 10:29 p.m., with the finals held Thursday, August 11, at 10:01 p.m. Borel will enter the shot put circle on Friday, August 12 at 10:05 a.m. for qualifying round of the women’s shot put competition. If she advances, Borel will participate in the medal round of the women’s shot put on Friday, August 12 at 10:00 p.m.

Images: Mohamed Hussein, left, during a race as a member of the UMBC Men’s Swimming and Diving team. Cleopatra Borwl competes in shot pot for UMBC. Photos courtesy of UMBC Athletics.