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Fall 2024

Fall 2024 Lung illustration with bellhop outline inside. Viruses throughout

Welcome to the Hotel Influenza

A groundbreaking UMD researcher investigating how respiratory infections spread asks volunteers to check in—and get sick for science.

 Parting Shot Purple Line track being laid on campus

Track Record

Newly Laid Tracks for Purple Line Curve Up to Campus Drive

 Post-Grad four students leap over four others on stage during step show

Spring in Their Step

An ‘Underexposed’ Photo of UMD History

 Post-Grad Isaac Hirsch and Ken Jennings on "Jeopardy!" set

Back to the Buzzer

After 9 Wins on ‘Jeopardy!,’ History Grad to Return for Tournament of Champions

 Post-Grad Katie Labor outside brick house with red door

Behind Baltimore’s Closed Doors

Alumna Investigates the Small Histories in Charm City’s Houses

 Post-Grad collage of musical acts

What Happens in Vegas (Is Thanks to a Terp)

Alum Brings Big Concerts to Sin City

 Post-Grad Large group of young people taking a selfie

Alumni Association News

Tailgates, Touchdowns and Togetherness

 Explorations cartoon lock that says "fake"

Seal of AI-pproval

System Could Derail Video Fakes, Deep or Shallow

 Explorations collision of Lego cars

Clear ‘View’ of Road Dangers

From Sidewalks to Streetlights, Common Features Shown in Google’s Tech Linked to Crash Frequency

 Explorations Robert Stewart poses with arms crossed

An Insider’s Look at a Prison’s Imprint

Criminologist, Once Convicted, Studies Ripple Effects of Legal System Involvement

 Explorations pixelated people use devices with varying amounts of battery life: 80%, 4%, 100%

How to Zap Your Phone-Charging Phobias

Ask the Expert: Advice for Real Life

 Explorations blue radiation emerges from the UMD reactor

Glowing ‘Gem of the University’

Maryland’s Little-Known Nuclear Reactor Observes a Half-Century of Fission

 Explorations Atmospheric and oceanic science Associate Professor Tim Canty, UMD President Darryll J. Pines and College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences Dean Amitabh Varshney discuss the technology behind a newly installed water level sensor

UMD Casts HydroNet to Predict, Prepare for Floods

Researchers, Local Leaders to Track Real-time Data in State’s Waterfront Communities

 Explorations astronaut on the moon

A New Reflection on History

Physicist Who Helped Send Mirrors to Moon on Apollo 11 Prepares to Launch an Improved Model

 Campus Life Esports athletes with arms folded looking at the camera

Leveling Up Gender Diversity

Women’s, Nonbinary Esports Teams Change the Game in Conference Competitions

 Campus Life Boxers in ring

Book Throws Jab at Art of Black Boxers

Researcher Reveals How Stereotypes Were Reinforced

 Campus Life fish, water bottle, frog, person holding bag of groceries, person holding stack of serving trays, dresser with two drawers

Sustainable Developments

Grant Program Greens Campus

 News lock illustration

Lab Awarded Record-Setting Research Contract of Up to $500M

Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security Addresses National Challenges With a Human-Centered Lens

 Campus Life student works on farm

Farm to Table, UMD Style

Terp Farm Celebrates 10 Years of Growing Fresh Produce for Campus

Class Notes

News on Friends and Classmates

See all Class Notes from this issue
Marvalee Bascus Leslie

00s

Marvalee Bascus Leslie ’03

Marvalee Bascus Leslie ’03 joined the board of trustees of Brooklyn Children’s Museum. She is vice president of loyalty marketing membership activation at American Express in the U.S. Consumer Services Business.

70s

Andy Balo ’70

Andy Balo ’70 was appointed to the board of directors at Glucotrack, a medical technology company focused on designing, developing and commercializing novel technologies for people with diabetes. He retired in March as executive vice president of…

Passings

Melissa “Moe” Gail Daston M.A. ’78, MBA ’80, M.S. ’87

Melissa “Moe” Gail Daston M.A. ’78, MBA ’80, M.S. ’87 died at her Laurel, Maryland, home on June 9, 2024, after a long illness. She was 69. Daston grew up in North Carolina and Maryland, graduating from Duke University then earning three degrees in…

00s

Thomas Van Valkenburgh MBA ’05

Thomas Van Valkenburgh MBA ’05 was appointed president and chief executive officer of LBB Specialties, a distributor of specialty chemicals and ingredients. He came from Kerry Group, where he was president of the specialty chemicals business, prior to…
Vincent Kizer Shipp

Passings

Vincent Kizer Shipp ’97

Vincent Kizer Shipp ’97 of Rockville, Maryland, died on May 26, 2024, at age 60. He graduated from St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. and earned a B.S. in chemistry from UMD and a Master of Education degree from Bowie State University.…
Dan Freiman

90s

Dan Freiman ’94, MBA ’04

Dan Freiman ’94, MBA ’04 was named chief financial officer at West Monroe, a management and technology consulting firm. Based in Washington, D.C., Freiman joins the firm from JSI, a telecom-focused consultancy, where he spent four years as CFO. Before…
Pradeep Sharma

00s

Pradeep Sharma Ph.D. ’00

Pradeep Sharma Ph.D. ’00 was promoted to dean of the University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering. He is the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Professor and has served on the college’s faculty for 20 years, most recently…
Alex Davidson

10s

Alex Davidson ’15

Alex Davidson ’15 was appointed senior director of public affairs of the National Turkey Federation. He last held this role at the Beer Institute, and previously was the communications director for the late U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-Mich.) and worked in…