SMCM Student awarded Summer UMD UAS Internship!

June 14, 2018

Dr. Townsend and SMCM student David Gerrish

David Gerrish, an undergraduate physics major at St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM), will be the first SMCM student to undertake a summer internship at the new Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site located at the St. Mary’s Airport in California, MD. Under the mentorship of Dr. Troy Townsend, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Materials Science at SMCM, David will be using Computer Aided Design (CAD) to build 3-D printed unmanned aircraft and test their performance at the University of Maryland UAS Test Site. This full-time 11-week internship is traditionally awarded to students attending the University of Maryland, College Park Engineering Program or the College of Southern Maryland Engineering or Computer Science Programs.

According to the UAS website, “UAS Test Site summer internships give students an opportunity to work hands-on with researchers and staff on the modeling, design, analysis, simulation, assembly, and experimentation of UAS. As members of the test site team, summer interns work full-time from offices in California, MD and … [conclude the internship] with a briefing to advisors and UAS Test Site staff on project outcomes. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site at the University of Maryland stands at the forefront of UAS rulemaking, commercialization, and national airspace integration. Formed in 2014, Test Site experts leverage their approximately 150 years of combined experience in military and civilian aviation, engineering, and project management to accelerate the safe, responsible application of UAS in public and private industries.”

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is Maryland’s Public Honors College and is heralded as one of the nation’s top public liberal arts colleges. David’s internship award is a testament to the quality of the applied science component of the SMCM student liberal arts experience. Dr. Townsend says, “One of St. Mary’s greatest values is student research. Every student is required to complete a senior capstone project to culminate their interdisciplinary studies, and I have a team of students who start in lab with directed research in their first two years of college. The applied nature of our research has initiated partnerships with the Navy and commercial partners, where our undergraduate students are conducting PhD level research. Projects like David’s are super cool and could lead to exciting opportunities with new discoveries in technology.”

St. Mary’s College Environmental Studies to Receive Grant to Spur Civic Learning in Major by Design

June 1, 2018

SMCM student and Professor Muchnick in the field

The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) awarded Barry Muchnick, assistant professor of environmental studies at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, a mini-grant to advance civic learning and social responsibility as expected dimensions within students’ majors.

Muchnick’s grant was one of 24 awarded by AAC&U out of the 134 applications, indicating widespread interest in rethinking departmental disciplinary designs for learning, life, work, and citizenship. The Civic Prompts: Civic Learning in the Major by Design initiative is supported by a grant from the Endeavor Foundation and aims to limit the civic-free zones within departments.

“The environmental studies program at St. Mary’s College is excited to expand and deepen our commitment to civic education and to continue to offer new opportunities for student engagement and leadership both inside and outside the classroom,” Muchnick said.

The award secured by Muchnick will help fund a June 6 and 7 workshop at St. Mary’s College tasked to better integrate civic learning and social responsibility into the environmental studies program. The workshop is also sponsored by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers

“Educating for democracy is more critical than ever, and AAC&U is proud to support the departments and institutions receiving grants for their commitment to advancing liberal education in the major as a foundation for fostering civic engagement,” said AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella in a press release announcing the awards.

SMCM Alumnus Continues Archaeological Collaborations

May 4, 2018

Scott Strickland conducting archaeology in the field

An archaeologist and adjunct instructor, Scott Strickland is one of many successful alumni working to enrich the St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) community. A 2008 graduate, Strickland has worked on SMCM archaeological projects for almost a decade. Strickland began his archaeological career with Professor of Anthropology Julie King, finding and testing Moore’s Lodge, the first courthouse of Charles County, MD. He has since worked on a wide variety of projects, and was instrumental in the discovery of Zekiah Fort, a defensive fortification established in 1680 by Gov. Charles Calvert to protect Piscataway people from northern Native American raiders. Strickland received his Master of Science from the University of Southampton in the UK, specializing in archaeological computing. He also worked on the Colonial Encounters Project, an effort funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities focused on cataloging artifacts and analyzing historical maps for future use.

Scott Strickland using a surveyor’s scope in the field

Currently, Strickland is working on a project funded by the National Park Service, entitled “An Ethnographic Overview and Assessment of Piscataway Park in Prince George’s County.” The grant funding this project was awarded to Dr. King in September, 2017. Strickland, along with SMCM staff member Travis Hanson, hopes to document changes to the Piscataway Park community in Prince George’s County by talking with local residents, gathering historical documents including land grants and tax forms, and recording alterations to the physical landscape. He also serves as an adjunct instructor at SMCM, teaching anthropological applications of Geographic Information Systems and computational methods in anthropology. Strickland is one of countless SMCM alumni that are giving back to the St. Mary’s community through his commitment to historic preservation and ability to teach.

The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Tidewater Project Seeks to Broaden Climate Change Education In Curriculum

May 4, 2018

The Tidewater Project brought six St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) faculty and eight local experts together on October 8 and 9, 2017, to discuss cross-disciplinary approaches to effective climate change education. Headed by Dr. Barry Muchnick, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, the Tidewater Project centered on leveraging campus and community resources to strengthen climate literacy and sustainability awareness and to integrate sustainability into our institution’s strategic future.

Represented disciplines included: Art & Art History, Biology, Sociology, Political Science, Philosophy, and Religious Studies. Local experts and faculty gathered at the Brome Howard Inn to create new and renovated courses using innovative interdisciplinary teaching methods, discuss ideas for research projects, grants, and publications, expand their own knowledge about practical action to mitigate climate change, strengthen community ties, enhance wellness, and enrich connections to the natural world. Program organizers and participants were thrilled with the project outcomes, and valuable impacts continue to be realized as reimagined programming focusing on climate change education is implemented on campus.

The Tidewater Project was primarily funded by a University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science grant awarded to Dr. Muchnick, with additional support generously provided by SMCM’s Office of Sustainability. Organizers are exploring options to host similar workshops in future years to reach additional individuals, and to build on the positive momentum generated to date.

Tidewater Project faculty participants, from left to right: Drs. Barry Muchnick, Susan Grogan, Emily Casey, Andrew Cognard-Black, Jessica Malisch, Kristy Lewis, and Charles Stein.

SMCM Announces 2018 Cohort of SURF Researchers

April 20, 2018

The 2018 cohort of SURF students with co-directors Dr. Rhoda (top left) and Dr. Emerson (top right)

As the Spring 2018 semester draws to a close, a group of students with diverse interests and backgrounds are preparing to take part in the St. Mary’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program this summer. The SURF program partners students from intentionally varied disciplines with faculty mentors to engage in directed research or creative work. While working full-time for eight weeks on their individual projects, students will also participate in workshops and group meetings to develop their professional skills. The SURF program will culminate in a symposium in July 2018, allowing each student to showcase their finished projects to the campus and local community.

Nine students were chosen during a competitive selection process to participate in the SURF program this summer:

Justyce Bennett, a junior DeSousa-Brent Scholar studying anthropology, is working on a project entitled “Visual and Material Cultures of Slavery: The View from Art History” under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Art History Emily Casey. Justyce will research the methodology of archaeologists and art historians to establish an interdisciplinary approach to the interpretation of artifacts found on sites that relate to slavery. The project’s purpose is to develop a critical method for approaching these artifacts that connects them to larger visual cultures and provides insight into the culture and lives of enslaved people, while also allowing room for personal agency and creativity.

A sophomore studying chemistry and applied math, Nick D’Antona is conducting the project “Printing Perovskite Solar Cells: A Low-cost Production Method for Renewable Energy”. Nick and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Troy Townsend hope to layer inks with an automated printing process so that they consistently produce stable and efficient solar cells. Nick hopes to earn his PhD in chemistry, but first wants to be a research chemist and explore the materials sciences. He hopes to gain better presentation skills and is thankful for the research experience available through the SURF program.

James Judlick is a junior studying psychology. His project “Queer Eye for the Employer: A Résumé Audit Study for LGBTQ Individuals” is a study of possible discrimination against LGBTQ men as they apply to administrative, clerical, and management positions. The project will be mentored by Dr. Ayse Ikizler, an Assistant Professor of Psychology with a background in the effects of oppression of marginalized groups and the intersectionality of identity. James is looking forward to the collaborative and interdisciplinary aspects of the SURF program, hoping to become a group therapist in the future.

Bethany Laffan is a sophomore English major who is working with Professor of English Jeffery Coleman on the project “Literary Rock Star: A Reception Study of Haruki Murakami’s Popularity in Japan and the United States”. Analyzing the novels Norwegian Wood and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle through various psychoanalytical theories, Bethany hopes her research will reveal intercultural connections between readers in Japan and the United States. She hopes to use SURF to gain more experience in research and analysis and later become an English professor or librarian.

Lily Pohlenz is working on a biology-focused project, “What’s the Buzz on Somatic Wolbachia Infection? Using Drosophila Melanogaster as a Model Organism to Understand the Control of Disease Transmission in Mosquitoes”. She will be conducting research under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Biology Kevin Emerson. Since somatic Wolbachia infection limits disease transmission among mosquitos, Lily and Dr. Emerson are attempting to learn its method of growth as a potential mechanism for preventing the spread of vector transmitted diseases. Lily is majoring in biology, with a minor in philosophy. She hopes to travel and help others during a future stint with the Peace Corps and later work as a physician’s assistant. Lily is looking forward to designing a project and conducting experimental research as part of her SURF experience.

Collaborating with Research & Instruction Librarian Amanda VerMeulen, Stephanie Schoch is working on the project “Visualizing Refugee Health Data: Impact of Domain-specific Knowledge on Comprehension”. Stephanie is a computer science and psychology double major graduating in May 2019. Her project will investigate the role of domain-specific knowledge in health data visualizations. This research specifically focuses on how healthcare domain knowledge affects comprehension of data visualizations with varying properties and attributes. She plans to apply for PhD programs in the fall, with current research interests including human-computer interaction, UX (user experience) design, and data visualization.

Kelly Healy will work with Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Shanen Sherrer on her project titled “Cutting a Pathway: Locating Binding Site of Environmental Contaminant Cadmium in Metal-binding Protein”. Kelly is a junior, double majoring in biology and biochemistry with a minor in music. She hopes that SURF will give her more research experience and prepare her for grad school.

With Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Barry Muchnick, Elizabeth (Izzy) Peterson is conducting the project “A Call to Animate: A Study and Subversion of Propaganda’s Power”. A studio arts major with a minor in film & media studies Izzy hopes to work in the film industry as a production designer. Her research is focused on analyzing propaganda films of the early 20th century, such as Disney war bond shorts, Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, the films of Leni Riefenstahl, and more. She intends to uncover the techniques behind successful propaganda films and employ them in her own animated short film she hopes will serve as a “call to enlist” for women in the arts.

The SMCM community wishes this summer’s cohort of SURF students the best of luck and anticipates many exciting outcomes from their scholarship!

~St. Mary’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship~

SMCM Sophomore Accepted into National Institute of Standards and Technology Summer Research Program

March 27, 2018

SMCM Sophomore Peter Orban

Continuing the tradition of seeking summer research opportunities, another group of students have applied to the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for summer 2018. NIST is one of the nation’s premiere research institutions for the physical and engineering sciences. The first student to be selected is Peter Orban, a St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) sophomore, with a double major in mathematics and physics. Peter will work with the Physical Measurement Lab in Gaithersburg, MD, measuring radioactivity with ionization chambers. He enjoys the intersectionality between math, physics, and statistical processing, and hopes to gain experience in research and computer programming. A high-achieving student and Division III swimmer, Peter has made Dean’s List and earned the Capital Athletic Conference All-Academic Team Award, as well as the Capital Athletic Conference Men’s Swimming Weekly Honor Roll Award. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in either math, physics, or engineering. Peter is one of the many SMCM students developing their research skills through summer research programs.

SMCM Wraps Up Spirit of Jazz and Democracy Program

March 27, 2018

Music has always been a means of salvation. This can be seen in a recently completed project, “From Slavery to Freedom in St. Mary’s City: Engaging History to Strengthen Democracy with Jazz”. Created by Professor of Philosophy Sybol Anderson and Professor of English Jeff Coleman, this project served to promote the intersectionality between democracy, creative expression, and slavery in southern Maryland. The project was supported by the Maryland Humanities Council, and engaged community members of all ages and backgrounds in historical, cultural, and philosophical reflection on the meaning of slavery in St. Mary’s City and beyond. Participants explored how African-Americans liberated themselves from oppression by “improvising” methods of “physical” escape from slavery and of spiritual escape in jazz; and how through engaging this history, one can liberate themselves for an inclusive democracy. The multi-disciplinary project intentionally varied both it’s engagement medium (symposiums, lectures, and workshops) and it’s content (archaeological finds, jazz concerts, and spoken-word performances).

Program events included a symposium held on September 23rd, 2017 at which St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) faculty, students, and visiting scholars shared with the general public information about the discovery of archaeological evidence that St. Mary’s Female Seminary owned slaves in the 19th century. Discussions highlighted narratives about those enslaved people and slavery in Maryland. For democracy to flourish, the truth about slavery in Maryland has to be uncovered and recognized, allowing for healing, inspiration, and understanding.

Workshops entitled “Improvisation, Self-Emancipation, and Democratic Participation,” were held in October and November 2017. Through historical study, philosophical reflection, and improvisational activities, participants explored the themes of improvisation, innovation, and freedom linking jazz and democracy. They learned how jazz stimulates free thought and expression and how to employ jazz concepts in daily life to nurture democratic listening and practice.

Along with the symposium and workshops was a lecture and performance titled “The Spirit of Jazz and Democracy.” The opening lecture was part of the aforementioned symposium that illuminated jazz as the embodiment of democracy and traced it from slavery to innovations by Maryland jazz artists such as Billie Holiday to its use by the US government to promote ideas of American democracy globally. The closing lecture and performance on December 8th, 2017, featured workshop participants’ reflections on the connections between jazz and democracy.

Exploring the local African-American narrative and its connection to liberation and democracy through jazz was a profound research approach. This project was able to unite scholars from varied disciplines, as well as students and local SMCM community members, thus succeeding in the goal of bring SMCM closer together, engaging with the past for a better, more democratic, future.

This project was made possible by a grant from Maryland Humanities, through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or Maryland Humanities.

SMCM Students Present Research at Anthropology Conference

March 22, 2018

Anthropology is a very diverse discipline which can be applied to solve a variety of questions or problems. This could be seen at the recent University of Maryland Anthroplus Conference which brought students together to present on modern applications of anthropology. With support from the St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) Anthropology Department, three SMCM students were selected as the only undergraduates to present their research at this graduate student conference. The conference was separated into three thematic segments: How We Are Where We Are: Places, Spaces & Belonging, How We Are Known: Bodies, Minds, and Identities, and How We Do What We Do: Contemporary Archaeological Methods. Each SMCM student presented on one of the thematic approaches at this conference.

SMCM Senior Patrick Martin

The first student to present was Patrick Martin, a Senior, majoring in Anthropology with a focus in conflict studies. Under the thematic group Places, Spaces & Belonging, Patrick presented his Senior Tutorial research on conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). His project was titled Corruption, Conflict, and the Congolese: Proposing a New Model for Conflict Analysis in the DRC. Synthesizing past ethnographies, news reports, and statistical data on the occurrence of violence among individuals, he proposed a new model for socio-economic causes of continued conflict within the Congo. Citing the creation of informal economies due to lack of infrastructure, groups use ethnic identity and violence to regain agency and survive. Patrick hopes to continue his research and apply his model to other conflicts, as well as investigate ways to find peace.

SMCM Senior Rita Druffner

Next to present was Rita Druffner, a Senior, with a double major in Anthropology and Psychology. Under the theme Bodies, Minds, and Identities, Rita presented her current St. Mary’s Project on the Anthropology of Autism. With the increase of people diagnosed with autism, this project analyzed autistic identity, through societies lens, as well as the lens of diagnosed individuals. Rita interviewed individuals diagnosed with autism from the St. Mary’s community to collect ethnographic data and create a life history. She reviewed how autism is diagnosed by the Psychiatric community, as well as how autism is portrayed and viewed in society. She concludes that autism creates a unique identity for each individual, not defining them, but becoming one of the many aspects of who they are as a person.

SMCM Junior Matthew Borden

The final SMCM student to present was Matthew Borden, a Junior and Anthropology major. Presenting on Contemporary Archaeological Methods, Matthew showcased his investigation into the relevance of oyster shells found at Lower Brambly, a Native American archeological site in St. Mary’s County. First conducting an archeological dig in collaboration with SMCM Professor of Archaeology Julie King, Matthew focused on the size, placement, and quantity of oyster shells found in Lower Brambly. He hypothesized that the increased size of these shells meant a smaller Native American population, allowing oysters to grow larger. Matthew tested his hypothesis by measuring, classifying, and comparing, shells found through shovel test pits. He compared oyster shell size characteristics with documented local historical demographics and found that as population size grew, smaller and smaller oyster shells were present. Matthew also speculated that the largest oyster shells would be found at locations where higher status people lived . Much information can be gained through studying the distribution and characteristics of oyster shells and this knowledge can be applied to other archeological work in the region.

All three presenters offered their unique take on how anthropology can be applied in the twenty-first century. Representing SMCM as the only undergraduates students among graduate students from other colleges, these students took the opportunity to showcase their research to a wider community.

Two SMCM Students Conduct Research on Women of Color in STEM

March 6, 2018

Although a liberal arts college, St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) has a unique connection with STEM majors. Two SMCM students, Rose Young and Elizabeth Mulvey, are conducting research on women of color in STEM programs at academic institutions. There have been many inclusivity issues with regards to women in STEM fields, especially women of color. This research hopes to uncover factors that promote the success of these women in STEM programs. Under the guidance of Professor of Educational Studies Angela Johnson, these two high-achieving students are using the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to compare the inclusivity and success of women of color across college campuses. IPEDS shows statistical data on student demographics across a number of different campuses. They will use this information, cross-referenced with other variables to see how factors including institution diversity, support networks, and teacher-to-student ratio affect women of color in STEM. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation, via a Eureka Scientific, Inc. subaward to Dr. Johnson.

Along with these demographic figures, Rose and Elizabeth are also collecting ethnographic data and conducting interviews among women of color in STEM. They have attended a number of STEM focused conferences and events to collect this interview data. Both hope to better the success rate of women in STEM and find steps that colleges can take to better the student experience. This research is also being conducted with a sister school in England.

Rose Young – SMCM Sophomore

Both students showcase the St. Mary’s Way in the research that they are conducting. Rose Young is a sophomore, studying Math and Physics. Rose believes that due to SMCM’s small size, teacher interaction, and accepting culture, women in STEM fields succeed here. Also, during her interviews she found that the presence of updated collaboration rooms and group-focused STEM clubs on academic institutions increase the likelihood of student success. While working on this project, Rose is gaining experience in data analytics and interview skills, as well as a new appreciation for math. Rose wants to continue developing her research skills and pursue a career in Nuclear Engineering.

Elizabeth Mulvey – SMCM Sophomore

Elizabeth Mulvey is also a sophomore studying Physics, with a double minor in Education and English. With a past internship at NASA, Elizabeth is glad to gain experience in data entry and conducting anthropological interviews. She also enjoys being able to travel to different academic events and meet other like-minded women in STEM programs. Elizabeth hopes to shed more light on race and diversity issues associated with women of color in STEM programs at different colleges. She sees the potential moral applications of STEM in education and how it’s taught to people of color and different genders.

Both students will continue this research project into the Fall 2018 semester, including traveling to the sister school in England to compare data. Rose and Elizabeth are two of many SMCM students that are building a better future through sponsored research.