Be the Solution

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences: Be the Solution | 1

Working Together to Be the SolutionThrough my conversations and experiences as dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS) and in the classroom as a professor of geographical sciences, I am convinced that every generation of BSOS students believes it attended the College at the best possible time. And—whether you are a graduate who proudly recalls the establishment of our renowned Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice or a current student who will remember this academic year as the time you saw both Dr. Jane Goodall and the Dalai Lama on campus in person—you are right. Our community is inspired by its past achievements and is excited to usher in a new era of the College’s growth and development.

Ours is one of the largest and most academi-cally challenging colleges on campus, with several of Maryland’s most popular under-graduate majors. BSOS is home to 10 diverse, interdisciplinary departments and programs—as well as several significant research centers—all committed to Enhancing International Relations, Advancing Global Sustainability, Understanding Societies and Cultures, and Improving the Human Condition. These are universal issues of our times, and we are com-mitted to making a difference whether in our

classrooms and laboratories or by working with our alumni and with partners in our state of Maryland, in the federal government, and indeed with institutions and entities around the world. Across all of our depart-ments and disciplines—and through the work and lives of our graduates—each member of our community makes a commitment to Be the Solution to the world’s great challenges.

Highlighted in this publication are some of the many recent accomplishments that illustrate this work. This fall, we opened the doors to Chincoteague Hall, the fully reno-vated former Journalism building that now is home to several BSOS entities and which has

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A Message from the DeanTable of ContentsA Message from the Dean . . . . . . . 1

College Headlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

AASD News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 19

ANTH News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 7, 19

CCJS News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10, 19

ECON News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 13, 19

GEOG News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12

GVPT News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14

HESP News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

JPSM News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 19

PSYC News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

SOCY News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 16, 18, 19

Be in Touch! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

continued on page 20

Dean John Townshend

www.bsos.umd.edu

www.bsos.umd.edu

2 | College of Behavioral and Social Sciences: Be the Solution

Dalai Lama to Deliver Sadat Lecture for PeaceSadat Forum Features Renowned Experts

BSOS and Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development Shibley Telhami are honored to join the University community

in welcoming His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet to campus on May 7 to deliver the Sadat Lecture for Peace in the Comcast Center. (For details including ticket informa-tion, visit www.umd.edu/lecture.)

On April 9, the Sadat Forum featured remarks by Dr. Jehan Sadat, former first lady of Egypt and widow of Anwar Sadat, and a discussion with Daniel Kurtzer, the S. Daniel Abraham Professor in Middle Eastern Policy Studies at Princeton University and former United States Ambassador to Israel and to Egypt; Margaret Warner, senior correspondent with

PBS NewsHour; and Tamara Cofman Wittes, director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. The discussion “Can Obama Broker Arab-Israeli Peace?” was moderated by Dr. Telhami. The event was held in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and was convened in coordination with the release of The Peace Puzzle: America’s Quest for Arab-Israeli Peace: 1989–2011, with co-authors Ambassador Kurtzer and Dr. Telhami available to answer questions. •

BSOS Focuses on Innovation and EntrepreneurshipBSOS celebrated the success of its first business plan competition with student competitors, distinguished alumni judges, College leadership and an enthusiastic crowd of students, family members and friends last November in Francis Scott Key Hall. The 2012 Be The Solution Business Plan Competition (BPC) finals featured five teams chosen from a large pool of undergraduate competitors, who presented their start-up business ideas and competed for $4,500 in prize money.

In cooperation with UMD’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, the BPC put its unique signature on UMD President Wallace Loh’s University-wide focus on innovation and entrepreneurship by encouraging competi-tors to create business models which dem-onstrated social value and impact. Student competitors were challenged to find solutions and opportunities concerning global sustain-ability, understanding societies and cultures,

improving the human condition and encour-aging international relations.

Ben Simon (Government & Politics), a senior and serial entrepreneur, led the Food Recovery Network (FRN) team to a first place prize. FRN is a nonprofit that gives students at colleges and universities nation-wide the tools and the roadmaps they need to fight food waste and hunger by recovering surplus perishable food from their campuses and surrounding communities that would otherwise be discarded and donating it to people in need. The FRN is active on 11 col-lege campuses, with more collegiate partners on the horizon. To date, the organization has recovered more than 100,000 pounds of food that otherwise would have gone to waste. “What motivates me to be an entrepreneur is that there are so many issues in our world that we can do something about, like hun-ger, climate change and citizen engagement,” Simon said. •

BSOS student Ben Simon (center) and his Food Recovery Network colleague accept the first prize check in the Be the Solution Business Plan Competition from BSOS Board of Visitors Chairman Paul Mandell, GVPT ’95 (left).

College Headlines

His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

www.umd.edu/lecture


BSOS’s Chincoteague Hall Sets the Gold Standard for SustainabilityThe project which renovated the for-mer Philip Merrill College of Journalism, now named Chincoteague Hall and fully renovated for BSOS use, achieved Gold Certification by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council in Fall 2012. Provost Ann Wylie and Dean John Townshend were instrumental in ensuring that Chincoteague was fully renovated for the College, rather than undergoing only cosmetic changes. BSOS and UMD staff contributed count-less hours toward successfully renovating and refurnishing the beautiful building, led by Mary Ossi from Capital Projects and by BSOS Director of Facilities Dona Morgan.

The building’s plumbing systems were designed to conserve water. Chincoteague’s new windows and doors were specially selected and fitted to ensure heating and cooling efficiency. The building features smart lighting technology on motion sen-sors. Insulation and other building materials were specially selected to conserve natural resources and ensure energy efficiency. Most of the construction was diverted from the landfill during the renovation of the build-ing. Carbon sensors in the conference rooms and other spaces detect whether there is high occupancy and additional outside air is required.

The building also features peace-themed artwork, beautiful furnishings and innovative technology for the use of BSOS faculty, staff and programs. Chincoteague is now home to the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and its incumbent, Dr. Shibley Telhami; the Baha’i Chair for World Peace and its incumbent, Dr. Hoda Mahmoudi; the

George and Lisa Zakhem Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace and its incumbent, Dr. Suheil Bushrui; the Center for International Development and Conflict Management; numerous faculty members and graduate students in the Department of Government & Politics; and BSOS’s Video Production Studio.

The Chincoteague renovation is one of many recent improvements to the College’s physi-cal portfolio. The African American Studies Department has new offices in Taliaferro Hall; the Departments of Geographical Sciences

and Criminology & Criminal Justice have expanded their footprint in LeFrak Hall as a result of a completed renovation; the Department of Anthropology is renovating a new lab space in Taliaferro Hall; and the College’s External Relations, Smart Center and Facilities teams are enjoying renovated spaces in Tydings Hall. In addition to these improvements, the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism now has improved off-campus facilities. •

(From left to right): President Wallace Loh, Provost Ann Wylie and Dean John Townshend celebrate the opening of Chincoteague Hall.


ADVANCE Lecture Features Madeleine AlbrightMargaret Pearson, a professor in the Department of Government & Politics, and Sandra Gordon-Salant, a professor in the Department of Hearing & Speech Sciences and a BSOS ADVANCE professor, joined the University community in welcoming Madeleine Albright to campus in March. Former Secretary of State Albright spoke about her career path, overcoming adversity and international relations. She fielded many questions from the audience, leading a discussion on work/life balance and the challenges of being a mother and a career professional. The ADVANCE Program for Inclusive Excellence aims to transform the institutional culture of UMD by facilitating networks, offering individual mentoring and support, and providing information and strategic opportunities for women faculty in all areas of academia. •

On Nov. 16, the international and cam-pus communities gathered in the Adele H. Stamp Student Union’s Colony Ballroom to celebrate the inauguration of Dr. Hoda Mahmoudi as UMD’s third incumbent of the Baha’i Chair for World Peace. The event fea-tured remarks by Ken Bowers, secretary-gen-eral of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States of America. Dean Townshend presented Mr. Bowers and the Assembly with BSOS’s Dean’s Distinguished Service Medal for their outstanding support of the College and the University. The Assembly has supported the Baha’i Chair and its incum-bents since the Chair’s establishment in 1990, and at the event, Mr. Bowers and the Assembly presented Dean Townshend with a donation of $100,000 for the continued operation and achievement of the Baha’i Chair.

A special video appearance was made by Dorothy W. Nelson, Senior Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for

the Ninth Circuit, also a long-time sup-porter of the Chair. Dr. Mahmoudi was then introduced by Professor Suheil Bushrui, the George and Lisa Zakhem Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace and the previous incum-bent of the Baha’i Chair. Drs. Mahmoudi and Bushrui are two of BSOS’s Peace Chairs, and also in attendance was the third Peace Chair, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development Shibley Telhami.

Dr. Mahmoudi then offered her inaugural address. As the Baha’i Chair professor, Dr. Mahmoudi develops a sound scientific basis for knowledge and strategies that explore the role of social actors and structures in remov-ing obstacles to peace and creating paths to a better world. In pursuit of this goal, she collaborates with a wide range of scholars, researchers and practitioners. In particular, Professor Mahmoudi discussed why she advocates a broad concept of peacemak-ing—which she refers to as a “worldview approach”—that draws insights from all cultures. For more information, visit www.bahaipeacechair.umd.edu. •

Dr. Hoda Mahmoudi Presents the Baha’i Chair Inaugural Lecture

College Headlines

www.bahaipeacechair.umd.edu


State Department Contracts START to Provide Terrorism Data and AnalysisAs of November, the U.S. Department of State has contracted the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) to produce the statisti-cal annex for the congressionally mandated report, “Country Reports on Terrorism 2012.” Headquartered at the University of Maryland, START systematically collects, catalogues and reports statistical information on terrorist incidents occurring in 2012, including the number of terrorist attacks worldwide and the number of individuals killed, injured and/or kidnapped in terrorist attacks. START will also provide an analysis

of overarching trends in international and domestic terrorism data, which could include incident location, weapon utilization, tactic and target choice, perpetrators, casualties and consequences.

START’s compilation of the statistical annex complements the existing data collection efforts undertaken for its Global Terrorism

Database (GTD), the world’s largest, most comprehensive unclassified database of ter-rorist incidents. Currently sponsored by the Science and Technology Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the GTD contains information on more than 104,000 domestic and international terrorist attacks between 1970 and 2011 that resulted in more than 225,000 deaths and more than 299,000 injuries. These attacks are defined as the threatened or actual use of illegal force and violence by a non-state actor to attain a political, economic, religious or social goal through fear, coercion or intimidation. •

Dr. Jane Goodall Presents ‘Making a Difference’The BSOS community and its event cosponsors were pleased to welcome world-renowned primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and UN Messenger of Peace, to campus on Oct. 13 in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. In her speech, “Making a Difference,” Dr. Goodall brought the audience into the world of the Gombe chimpanzees―from her early observations and experiences to the latest news and stories from the field. She also discussed the current threats facing the planet, encouraging the audience to do their part to make a positive difference every day.

Dr. Goodall also shared information about the work of the Jane Goodall Institute, which continues her pioneering research and cel-ebrated its 35th anniversary in 2012. Today, the

Institute is a global leader in the effort to pro-tect chimpanzees and their habitats. It also is widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centered conservation and devel-opment programs in Africa, and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, the Institute’s global environ-mental and humanitarian youth program.

Before the event, Dr. Goodall and Dr. Lilian Pintea, vice president of conservation sci-ence for JGI, visited the Department of Geographical Sciences’ UMD–Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE) team. Dr. Pintea explained that JGI works with its partners to protect 85 percent of known chimpanzee populations and their habitat, and UMD-CARPE’s maps of African forest cover and loss are helping JGI meet this goal. •


Dr. William Falk was presented with the University System of Maryland Board of Regents’ Faculty Award in Mentoring in April. He also was awarded the BSOS Dean’s Medal, which was presented to him at the State of the College Address in September by Dean Townshend (pictured).

Dr. Falk has contributed a significant portion of his career to serving as an academic facili-tator. He is praised by his peers for his tireless mentoring of graduate students, as well as for his ability to energize his students to think creatively about systematic inequalities. Dr.

Falk recently stepped down as the acting chair of the African American Studies Department, a position he assumed in 2010, and currently serves as faculty member. He also chaired the Department of Sociology for 17 years. His teaching, research and writing focus on forms of structural inequality, whether analyzing school desegregation or regional economic development.

Of receiving two prestigious awards in one academic year, Dr. Falk said, “I’m touched. No one starts a career with the intentions of looking to win awards. One is lucky to attain the profession of college professor in the first place. So to go on to win awards recognizing your time spent is just the icing on the cake.” •

AASD and SOCY News

AASD and ANTH News

Farewell to Erve

Dr. Falk Receives Board of Regents’ Award, Dean’s Medal

Professor Erve Chambers will retire at the end of the Spring 2013 semester. Affectionately known simply as Erve by his colleagues and students, he has served at UMD for the past 32 years. For 12 years, in two separate terms, he was chair of the Department of Anthropology, and he cur-rently holds affiliate professorships in the Departments of American Studies and African American Studies. Erve also has held an affiliated professorship in the Department of Comparative Literature.

“Through hard work and dedication, Erve has helped to propel our department to one of the leading academic institutions in the field of applied anthropology,” said Professor Paul Shackel, chair of Anthropology. “He has helped to create a solid foundation for our department from which we are building a world-class program.”

A widely renowned researcher in the field of applied anthropology and heritage studies,

Erve focuses on issues related to sustainable tourism development. Throughout his career, he has received dozens of awards and grants, has held office in professional organizations, and has conducted field research in Thailand, Mexico, Central America and across several parts of the United States. He has published six books and has contributed countless articles, chapters and papers, all enriching the field of applied anthropology.

“Erve Chambers is one of the reasons I applied to and attend the University of Maryland for graduate studies. As an under-graduate student, I went on a study abroad trip where I was confronted with the realities of cultural appropriation and competing claims of ownership—of land, art and history. Upon returning, I was introduced to some of Erve’s work on varying sorts of heritage, and this profoundly influenced how I processed what I experienced, and how I proceeded with my academic career,” said Ph.D candi-date Kristen Sullivan. •


Collaborative Project Increases Resiliency of Chesapeake Bay MarshesFor many members of the university com-munity, Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay is an invaluable resource for research, relaxation and recreation. Professor Michael Paolisso in the Department of Anthropology is dedicated to protecting the Bay by examining how environmental and natural resource manage-ment policies affect the various individuals and groups who live, work and play in the area, and what steps can be taken to help the region become more resilient to natural changes and to human activity.

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed is in a constant state of transformation, due to rapid private and commercial development and increased tourist and recreational activity. These human activities create pressure on the ecosystem, harming aquatic life and the natural terrain. Professor Paolisso is the prin-cipal investigator of a key socio-cultural needs assessment that aims to address these environ-mental issues and to provide a baseline assess-ment of the marshes and communities on the Deal Island Peninsula on the Lower Eastern Shore, specifically Monie Bay. The results of the study are informing the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve System of best practices and recommended program-ing that will help the region adapt to change and will preserve it from harm. This work is funded in part by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Stakeholders in the area include farmers and commercial fishermen, as well as policy-makers and new and longstanding residents. Bringing more than 12 years of fieldwork to bear on this project, Professor Paolisso is learning whether these groups are famil-iar with climate change and how to best

convince them to adapt policies and behav-iors that will protect and benefit the region. These policies and behaviors include adopt-ing responsible building practices, conserving natural buffers to flooding and developing storm-related evacuation plans.

“This project is a great example of collabora-tive science, where researchers are working alongside community members and local stakeholders to try to restore this area and make it resilient to future natural and man-made changes,” Professor Paolisso said. “This is a knowledge-sharing project. The marshes mean different things to different people. We’re helping to activate these various groups to help this region adapt.” •

ANTH News

“ This project is a great

example of collaborative

science, where researchers

are working alongside

community members and

local stakeholders to try to

restore this area and make it

resilient to future natural and

man-made changes.”– Professor Michael Paolisso


The ability of computer hackers to gain entry to computers and networks worldwide and the efforts of cybersecurity experts to protect individuals and their information drive the development of technology in a never-ending cycle. Dr. David Maimon, an assistant profes-sor of in the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, and Dr. Michel Cukier, an associate professor of reliability engineering at the A. James Clark School of Engineering and Institute for Systems Research, have partnered to study the behavior of hackers and vic-tims alike. With their students, they conduct research on how end-users’ online routines determine their vulnerability to cybercrime incidents, and also address some of the fundamental questions surrounding criminal behavior.

To study the “human component” of cyber-crime, Maimon and Cukier have established a cross-disciplinary research collaboration, combining principles of criminological, sociological and engineering methods in novel ways—creating a deeper and more socially-focused understanding to the Internet and its dangers.

Hackers commonly seek to infiltrate indi-vidual computers to use them as tools in their attacks—thus, it becomes extraordinarily difficult for technicians and authorities to discover the true perpetrator of the attack. For this reason, the science of understanding the behavior of hackers, and their victims, is increasingly important and valuable.

Maimon and Cukier’s National Science Foundation-funded, collaborative research—which is supported by the efforts of Gary LaFree from UMD’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism and Anthony Lemieux from Georgia State University—has three foci; understanding hacker response to situational stimuli in the attacked computer system, learning about users’ online routines that expose them to threats in cyberspace, and developing practical tools to help guide IT managers improving their cybersecurity sys-tems. Their research has focused exclusively on the University of Maryland’s network, which receives an estimated 6,000 attacks per day, and nearly 700,000 attacks each year—each of which is noted by the university’s highly monitored network security infrastructure.

In general, cybercriminals do not systemati-cally attack every computer within a network. Instead, they randomly probe computers within a given network, looking for weak-nesses. Once a target has been identified, hackers will attempt to “break in,” despite

CCJS News

Professors Maimon and Cukier analyze attempted attacks on UMD’s network to develop strategies that will protect the University community and the public from cybercrime.

Exploring the Human Componentof Cybercrime

“We provide opportunity

to the hackers, but not real

incentive. Once inside,

hackers will not find any

valuable information to steal.

The systems are highly

monitored and controlled, so

there is no real danger in

allowing the intrusions,”– Dr. Michel Cukier


being challenged by some level of security protection. The random nature of these attacks gives Maimon and Cukier a strategic advantage—camouflage. They deploy “honey pots,” or computers that appear to be part of a network, but are actually isolated, highly monitored systems designed to study hackers and document their tactics.

By using several hundred honey pots, altering their individual characteristics and observing how hackers respond, Maimon and Cukier learn a great deal about the attacks—and the attackers. “We provide opportunity to the hackers, but not real incentive. Once inside, hackers will not find any valuable information to steal. The systems are highly monitored and controlled, so there is no real danger in allow-ing the intrusions,” explains Cukier.

By applying UMD’s Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) reports, Maimon, Cukier and their students tested the idea that the UMD computer users’ online routine determines the timing and origin of attacks against the system. In many cases, computer users’ activities (such as opening suspicious emails) directly prompt the attacks. Once detected, the IPS sends an alert to network administrators, prevents the attack from developing, and records a number of data points about the attack.

According to Maimon and Cukier’s research findings, more than 50 percent of computer attacks against the network occur during the university’s business hours. Also evident is a correlation between foreign network users, such as international students, and attacks against the network. According to the researchers’ findings, an increase in the rate of foreign network users at UMD increases the number of attacks originating in these users’ countries of origin as much as 40 percent.

Maimon offers a socio-criminological con-clusion of their research findings. “Our study demonstrates that network users are clearly linked to observed network attacks, and that successful future security solutions need to account for the human element of cyber crime.”

Maimon and his student Theodore Wilson designed a cybersecurity awareness campaign, Think Before You Click, that is aimed at edu-cating residents in UMD dormitories regard-ing the hazards of risky online behaviors. This campaign is part of Maimon, Cukier and their research team’s effort to promote campus-wide “cyber hygiene,” a general collection of best practices to help network users avoid risky online behaviors and suspicious websites. By training students, faculty and staff how best to reduce hackers’ effectiveness, these scholars seek to be the solution to one of our campus’s, and nation’s, greatest threats. •

Professors Maimon and Cukier use “honey pots,” or computers that appear to be part of a net-work, but are actually isolated, highly monitored systems designed to study hackers and document their tactics, in their research.


The Department of Economics is proud to announce that Distinguished University Professor John C. Haltiwanger has been named the first recipient of the Dudley and Louisa Dillard Professorship in Economics, and that Professor Peter Murrell has been appointed as the first Mancur Olson Professor of Economics.

The Dudley and Louisa Dillard Professorship in Economics was established in 2001 to honor the Dillards for their long-standing service and commitment to the University of Maryland. Dr. Dillard joined the Economics Department in 1942, became its Chair in

1951, and served in this capacity until 1975; he continued to teach until his passing in 1991. Louisa, his wife, also taught in the Economics Department and supported Dr. Dillard in his efforts to lead the Department to national prominence in economics.

The Mancur Olson Professorship honors its namesake, who came to the University of Maryland in 1967 and served as a Distinguished University Professor until his passing in 1998.

There will be an official celebration on campus this spring to honor both the Dillard and Olson families as well as Professors Haltiwanger and Murrell. For more infor-mation, please visit www.econ.umd.edu. •

BSOS is pleased to welcome Dr. James P. Lynch, a prominent expert on crime statis-tics and victimization, as the new chair of the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice. In his new role, Dr. Lynch will build upon the remarkable work of the depart-ment’s interim chair, Dr. Charles Wellford, and its former chair, Dr. Sally Simpson, to continue to expand the scope and raise the profile of the top-ranked criminology pro-gram in the nation.

“I look forward to taking some time to get to know the department and to find ways that I can help it move forward. In the past 20 years, the department has focused on substantive areas at the heart of criminology,

and more recently faculty members are doing research on emerging issues such as terrorism, cybercrime and white collar crime. I look forward to the discussions we’re going to have about the new areas of research we’re going to pursue,” Dr. Lynch said.

Dr. Lynch previously served as director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics in the U.S. Department of Justice from June 2010 until his arrival at UMD in early January. In addi-tion to his role as chair, Dr. Lynch focuses on teaching and research in the areas of data collection methodologies, victimization, offender re-entry and the role of punishment in social control. •

CCJS News

ECON News

BSOS Welcomes New CCJS Chair James P. Lynch

Professors Haltiwanger, Murrell Appointed to Named Professorships

www.econ.umd.edu


UMD, NASA Establish Joint Global Carbon Cycle Center

Researchers and officials from the University of Maryland’s Department of Geographical Sciences and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) formally launched the Joint Global Carbon Cycle Center, the latest in a 30-year history of collaborations between NASA and UMD, at an event on March 7 in the Samuel Riggs Alumni IV Center featur-ing remarks by GSFC Director Christopher J. Scolese and UMD President Wallace Loh.

Dean John Townshend, Professor and Research Director George Hurtt, and Deputy Director of NASA’s Sciences and Exploration Directorate Piers Sellers also offered com-ments and presentations on the decades of collaboration between NASA and UMD and on the scope and significance of the center.

The center was established through a NASA Space Act Agreement designed to foster external partnerships with the agency and provides the necessary framework for the effective interaction and collaboration of researchers concentrating on global car-bon cycle studies. This framework enhances critical work, including the assessment of biospheric carbon stocks and fluxes; the monitoring of land cover and land-use changes; field calibration and validation stud-ies; and integrated computer modeling for future projections. The center will build on the strengths of GSFC and UMD to become a world-leading center for studies of the global carbon cycle. For more information, visit www.geog.umd.edu. •

GEOG News

(From left to right): Deputy Director Sellers, Dean Townshend, President Loh, Director Scolese and Professor Hurtt

Watch a video about the Joint Global Carbon Cycle

Center’s mission and capabilities at

http://ter.ps/JGCCCvideo

http://www.geog.umd.edu

http://ter.ps/JGCCCvideo


BSOS Students Abroad: Exploring the Southern CaribbeanBSOS offers its students a diverse range of both long and short-term study abroad opportunities through the Education Abroad office. GEOG 328B: Geography of the Southern Caribbean is a two-week study abroad program that takes students to the Caribbean archipelago aboard a magnificent sailing ship, providing a truly unique oppor-tunity to study the physical and cultural geog-raphy of the Caribbean, as well as the history that has shaped the region, its landscape and its people.

Matt Goldberg, a Government & Politics major and junior at UMD, found the entire experience particularly eye opening.

“The more places you visit, the more you learn. Each island has its own culture…its own identity. [Government & Politics] is the study of individual countries and how their governments interact with citizens. Traveling the world broadens my understanding of

these relationships…island-to-island, nations and their territories, or tourists and their hosts,” he said.

During their winter break, six BSOS students joined 18 other UMD students on a journey throughout the Leeward Islands, experiencing firsthand the cultures that define each island, and the economic, political and sustainability issues facing them. Aboard the Star Clipper, a 360-foot full-rigged clipper ship, the stu-dents also learned about life at sea and had the opportunity to learn hands-on about the operation of a complex sailing vessel. The combination of these focuses makes GEOG 328B the only program of its kind in the United States. Led by Joseph Trocino, a lecturer in the Department of Geographical Sciences, the students gained the type of cul-tural appreciation, universally applicable skills, and international exposure that BSOS prides itself on offering. •

GEOG News

Watch the video of the students’ adventure at

http://ter.ps/caribbean

http://ter.ps/caribbean


Inside BSOS’s Experimental LabsTwo departments within BSOS have estab-lished experimental laboratories, dedicated to furthering the use and development of experimental methodology in their fields. The Department of Economics and the Department of Government & Politics both have independent and custom-designed labs. These labs expose students at all levels to some of the most innovative work being done in their fields, and are expanding the ability of researchers to gather, analyze and validate their own unique and complex experimental data.

The Experimental Economics Laboratory (EEL) was founded in 2008 by Dr. Erkut Ozbay, an assistant professor in the Department of Economics who directs the lab today. The facility in Tydings Hall is dedi-cated to experimental economics, leverag-ing technology and experimental design to test economic theory and learn from the behavior of participating subjects. With 16 fully networked workstations, two dedicated computer servers, and custom-made furni-ture to facilitate human subject privacy, the state-of-the-art lab is being used by a diverse group of faculty to gather data in a controlled environment.

Dr. Ozbay is dedicated to ensuring that the lab and its research standards far surpass the Institutional Research Board requirements. As a result, the lab has earned favorable compari-sons to some of the most advanced and well-respected experimental economics labs in the country. In many cases, the EEL has part-nered with other prestigious labs to conduct joint research. Ongoing and recent research includes exploration into behavioral finance, studying risk tolerance, saving behaviors, why individuals make systematic errors, and why and how they react to market trends.

The Department of Government & Politics has also established an experimental research laboratory, founded and directed by Dr. Antoine Banks, an assistant professor spe-cializing in American politics. In addition to utilizing the new facility—located in Chincoteague Hall—to continue his own experiments on political psychology, Dr. Banks expects to see a substantial increase in the number of faculty who will use the lab to conduct their own research.

Dr. Banks notes that the new technology allows researchers to test innovative ques-tions and theories before applying them in the field. The lab maintains an innovative

computer-based experimental facility, which includes 10 powerful desktop computers and the software necessary to conduct a variety of experimental manipulations. “These sys-tems give [faculty] greater control over their research and promote increasingly creative research designs,” said Dr. Banks of the lab’s benefit to the academic community. The wide array of ongoing or planned experi-ments and their findings, which contribute to a number of political focus areas including healthcare reform, world peace and campaign strategy, also have tremendous applications abroad—setting a standard for experimental political science research to be duplicated and expanded by researchers around the globe. •

Dr. Banks and Dean Townshend tour the Department of Government & Politics’ new experimental research laboratory in Chincoteague Hall.

GVPT and ECON News


GVPT Alumni Representing in Congress In January, new and returning House of Representatives members were sworn in to the 113 Congress of the United States. Among them were two graduates of BSOS’s Department of Government & Politics, Cheri Bustos ’83, representative for the 17th Congressional District in Illinois, and Eric Swalwell ’03, representative for the 15th Congressional District in California. These BSOS alumni joined the ranks of several Terps who are currently holding public office.

Both representatives give credit to their expe-riences at Maryland in spurring their interests in politics and shaping their future careers.

Aside from her classes, Rep. Bustos said she made the most of her time at Maryland by getting involved within various extracur-ricular activities. Having lived in Worchester Hall, she campaigned for and served as vice president for the North Hill Student Council. Rep. Bustos also joined the College Democrats club. In 1981, as a junior, she worked for Steny Hoyer’s first congressional campaign, which he went on to win.

Similarly, Rep. Swalwell played an active role in the community while at Maryland in the early 2000s. Asked what some of the most important lessons he learned as a Terp were, Rep. Swalwell described his first foray into politics.

“When I was a student at UMD, the men’s basketball team was doing very well. Occasionally, the celebrations would get out of hand,” he recalled. “I witnessed how the riots were affecting the relationship between UMD and the residents of our community.”

To facilitate mutual understanding, respect and cooperation, Rep. Swalwell piloted an initiative to put students on the College Park city council—a program that still exists today.

Rep. Bustos said priorities in her new role include taking steps to better foster biparti-sanship in Washington politics by personally contacting each of her peers. When asked what advice she would give to students and alumni, Rep. Bustos said, “Get involved in your community, volunteer, do things outside of your comfort zone, be kind to people, smile, learn people’s names, but most of all, follow through with your promises and goals.” •

GVPT News


Department of Hearing & Speech Sciences Launches Groundbreaking LabThe Department of Hearing & Speech Sciences in 2012 completed construction on a new lab in Morrill Hall which is dedicated to cochlear-implant research. The Auditory Perception and Modeling Lab, directed by Assistant Professor Matthew Goupell and funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the University, is one of the few labs worldwide conducting research on bilat-eral cochlear implants. The research, which attracts participants from across the country, utilizes cutting edge technology and compu-tational methods to improve the hearing of individuals with cochlear implants, devices that can restore hearing to those with severe hearing loss, even when a hearing aid may not provide benefit.

Much of the research related to bilat-eral implants involves improving how the implanted electrodes function and how the two devices communicate with each other—synchronizing their signals to provide patients with not only higher quality of sound, but also the increased ability to locate sound. In Dr. Goupell’s studies, participants con-nect their implants directly to equipment in the new laboratory. Through a series of games, prompts, rating scales and categori-zation processes, participants interact with computers to assess their hearing capabili-ties. By carefully controlling the signals being transmitted to the devices, Dr. Goupell and

his team of researchers can properly calibrate the implants and collect tremendous amounts of data on how sounds are being processed and perceived.

In addition to receiving a high level of indi-vidualized attention, lab participants also have an opportunity to learn about developments in the field of auditory research, and gain a deeper understanding of the work that is being done to further their own cause. “What speech information is necessary to present to cochlear-implant users to fully understand speech, and how does speech understanding change as a cochlear-implant user ages?” Dr. Goupell said, explaining the type of questions his lab strives to answer. Speaking about his research on bilateral implants, Dr. Goupell emphasized the importance of improving speech understanding in noisy environments and enhancing sound localization for users.

One research participant, who had traveled a great distance to visit Dr. Goupell’s lab, said “I am so blessed with the new ability to hear,” explaining how her quality of life has improved with the development of cochlear-implant technology and the advantages it has afforded her. “Music used to sound so flat. Now it sounds full and round. I had no idea what I was missing.”

HESP News

The Auditory Perception and Modeling Lab cooperates with numerous research labs in the United States and abroad, leverag-ing the collective contributions of the field’s foremost researchers and scientists. Partners include the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, and cochlear implant research groups at New York University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Austrian Academy of Sciences. At the University of Maryland-College Park, the lab is part of the greater hearing science community that includes the Center for Comparative and Evolutionary Biology of Hearing and the Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science. •


Stanley Presser Named Distinguished University Professor

In October, Stanley Presser—a member of the faculties of the Joint Program in Survey Methodology, which he cofounded in 1992, and the Department of Sociology—was named a Distinguished University Professor, one of UMD’s highest honors. Distinguished University Professors are recognized nationally and internationally for the importance of their scholarly and creative achievements, and also have demonstrated the breadth of interest char-acteristically encompassed by the traditional role of scholar, teacher and public servant.

Professor Presser is interested in the interface between social psychology and survey mea-surement. His research focuses on question-naire design and testing, the accuracy of survey responses, nonresponse, and ethical issues stemming from the use of human subjects.

To read more about Professor Presser and Joint Program in Survey Methodology updates, visit www.jpsm.umd.edu. •

JPSM and SOCY News

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences congratulates its Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, which was named the #1 program in the nation in the 2014 US News & World Report’s Best Grad Schools listing.

CCJS has been ranked #1 for years, and is joined in the top tier by several other BSOS departments: Economics (#22), Sociology (#24), Government & Politics (#28) and Psychology (#40). Two of SOCY’s specialty programs were also highly ranked, Sex & Gender (#6) and Sociology of Populations (#10).

Several BSOS Programs Make US News Top Tier

www.jpsm.umd.edu


MNC Offers World-Class Research Experience to StudentsThe Maryland Neuroimaging Center (MNC) is the University’s state-of-the-art neuroim-aging research center and is affiliated with BSOS and its Department of Psychology. The array of equipment and facilities in the MNC are used to observe and capture images of the human brain and to measure its activity, providing valuable data to researchers in a seemingly endless number of fields.

With active research projects spanning the behavioral, social and medical sciences, the MNC has also become a powerhouse for interdisciplinary research at UMD and across the country.

The MNC is also one of the only imag-ing centers of its kind, offering its faculty, researchers and students cutting edge equip-ment, analysis labs and conference rooms dedicated solely to research. Boasting a brand new MRI scanner, EEG and MEG facili-ties, the MNC has attracted a wide range of UMD’s leading scientists and their students.

For aspiring student researchers, the MNC represents an opportunity to gain experience working with world-renowned faculty and develop the skills necessary to become the next generation of neuroscientists, doctors, teachers and professional researchers.

Ruth Ludlum (pictured), a psychology major and a junior, is working with Assistant Professor Elizabeth Redcay to examine the development of social cognition and how it is impacted by age, autism and a number of other factors. As a UMD Summer Scholar,

Ludlum received a grant to conduct research throughout the summer of 2012 and con-tinue work on her research thesis. “If you are motivated, there are endless opportunities,” she said.

In addition to hosting undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, graduate and post-doctoral researchers, the MNC also has programs that

link ambitious high school students with faculty researchers to provide early exposure to the sciences. Ongoing collaborative proj-ects involve researchers from throughout the University of Maryland, the UMD School of Medicine in Baltimore, the University of Delaware, the University of Michigan and the University of Pittsburgh. •

PSYC News


The newly founded Culture Lab in the Department of Sociology was designed to provide sociologists and graduate students alike with resources, training and a research forum— empowering them to conduct systematic studies of culture by providing a structured, effective methodology for analyz-ing content.

“Cultural ideals and beliefs are remarkably powerful,” said Professor Melissa Milkie, founder of the Culture Lab. “But they are not always readily apparent. Extracting data from existing content, like books, magazine or newspaper articles ads, Twitter posts, or music, is a crucial aspect of studying culture.”

To make the process more clearly defined, Professor Milkie has established a lab and sup-porting coursework where graduate students can develop valuable skill sets and best prac-tices in an environment that supports cross-disciplinary collaboration and innovation. By offering aspiring sociologists the tools, processes and programs to more effectively study cultural aspects of society, Professor Milkie is developing the foundation by which the overall quality and consistency of content analysis is improved.

Graduate students who participate with the Culture Lab through coursework are gaining more than just refined methodology.

“Studying culture is a fuzzy enterprise,” says Kathleen Denny, a doctoral student and a graduate assistant and mentor in the Culture Lab. “We are being given the tools to make the process more clear and defined. Beyond that, we are provided with the opportunity to apply these skills to develop professionally.”

Accordingly, the graduate-level course is largely focused on building the students’ academic reputation, encouraging students to publish their works at the conclusion of the academic year. As a result, the students and participating faculty have developed the widely recognized and effective skills to study a dynamic range of cultural phenomenon.

As one example of the lab’s work, graduate student Joanna Pepin, who is also a research assistant and mentor in the Culture Lab, discussed her studies of the online coverage of celebrities who have engaged in domestic violence. By examining a random selection of articles on specific celebrities, she is research-ing how the race of the celebrity impacts the style, tone and message of the reporting. “Extracting the necessary data is very com-plicated. The training I have received in the Culture Lab with Dr. Milkie has helped me refine my methods and goals…to understand how to approach and analyze the topic,” Pepin said.

Professor Milkie is enthusiastic about the possibilities for collaboration across the University and beyond presented by the lab. “The application of these research methods to topics in geography, anthropology and criminology are all possible, and in many cases this is already being done. There are endless possibilities,” she said. •

Professor Melissa Milkie, founder of the Culture Lab

SOCY News

New Sociology Lab Examines the Power of Cultural Beliefs


Maryland Population Research Center Wins $1.9 Million Renewal GrantThe Maryland Population Research Center (MPRC) has been awarded a $1.9 mil-lion grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The infrastructure grant—along with more than $1.7 million in funding from the various University of Maryland units—will permit MPRC to continue its mission to promote interdisciplinary research in the field of popu-lation studies.

Since 2008, MPRC has supported 284 grant applications by 67 researchers, result-ing in funding of more than $22.7 million. This research has served to provide valuable insights on topics ranging from sexual health among adolescents in America to caste effects on educational opportunity in India.

Scientists reviewing MPRC’s renewal applica-tion noted that “the Center’s potential to secure strong NIH research grant support” and its provision of a secure data enclave were strengths. Likewise, they wrote that two long-standing Center themes—Gender, Family and Social Change and Social and Economic Inequality—“have been invaluable as is noted by their contribution to the literature and to advancements in the field … .” The indus-try looks ahead to two of MPRC’s other

thematic areas during the next five years: Health in Social Context and People and Place. The reviewers also praised MPRC’s work to promote good research and develop junior investigators.

MPRC was founded in 1998 as the Demography of Inequality Initiative, with a core of sociologists and economists. It added faculty members from other depart-ments and won its first infrastructure grant from NICHD in 2002. Currently, 73 Faculty Associates from five schools and 15 depart-ments at the University of Maryland partici-pate in the Center’s work. This is the Center’s second successful renewal proposal, with funding now extended through 2017.

Dean John Townshend named Professor Michael S. Rendall of the Department of Sociology as the Center’s director for the next five years. Professor Rendall will be assisted by Associate Professor Sangeetha Madhavan of the African American Studies Department, who will serve as associate director.

Dr. Rendall joined the University of Maryland in fall 2011, moving from the RAND Corporation where he was senior social scientist, director of the Population Research Center and Postdoctoral Program in Population Studies, and associate director of the Labor and Population Division. He served as an MPRC associate director in 2011-12.

Dr. Madhavan has been an active member of the Center since her arrival at the University of Maryland and has served as a member of the MPRC Executive Committee for the past two years.

Professors Rendall and Madhavan are build-ing on the work of the center’s former direc-tor, Professor Sandra Hofferth, who continues to contribute vital research. •

SOCY, AASD, ANTH, CCJS, ECON, and JPSM News


Be in Touch!BSOS urges our alumni to stay in touch! Tell us about your personal and career accomplish-ments, and your best Terp memories. Learn about upcoming events and activities, and feel free to suggest programming ideas. Visit www.bsos.umd.edu to learn more!

Class NotesWe look forward to publishing BSOS Class Notes online and in future publications. Please send us a brief description about births, marriages, new jobs, recent promotions, and/or pro-fessional and educational accomplishments. Updates can be sent to: [email protected].

Please be sure to include your:

• Firstandlastname

• Formerlastname,ifapplicable

• City/state

• E-mailaddress

• Yearofgraduation

• Degree/major

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The College of Behavioral & Social Sciences boasts 10 diverse, interdisciplinary departments and programs, all committed to investigating and improving the human condition.

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences: Be the Solution

African American Studies: Be Empowered

Anthropology: Be Cultural

Criminology & Criminal Justice: Be Just

Economics: Be Efficient

Geographical Sciences: Be Global

Government & Politics: Be Civil

Hearing & Speech Sciences: Be Heard

Joint Program in Survey Methodology: Be Counted

Psychology: Be Understood

Sociology: Be Social

achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. We welcomed many outstanding new faculty members, including Hoda Mahmoudi, our Baha’i Chair for World Peace. And we launched several exciting new ventures, including UMD’s latest collaboration with NASA, the Joint Global Carbon Cycle Center. I invite you to visit our website at www.bsos.umd.edu to find out even more about what’s happening in our dynamic College.

As always, we appreciate your engagement, your financial gifts and your many contri-butions to support the goals and mission of BSOS. Thank you for what you have done already to make us one of the nation’s pre-mier institutions for education in the behav-ioral and social sciences, and for what you yet will do to make us even better for the next generation of students and proud alumni. •John Townshend Dean and Professor

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