terp, fall 2009
DESCRIPTION
Terp Magazine, University of MarylandTRANSCRIPT
7.24.09 12:50 PM Page 1
TERPVOL. 7, NO. 1 FALL 2009
CONNECTING
THE UNIVERSITY
OF MARYLAND
COMMUNITY
FIGHTING FROG EXTINCTION 14 I PRO-LIFIC PLAYERS 24 I SIX DECADES OF GIVING 35
FingerOn the Pulse
Maryland Leads Effort to PutDigital Health Records
in Your Hands 20
Terp Cover FALL 2009 FINAL:Terp Cover Summer -FINAL 9/18/09 3:43 PM Page covV
Danita D. Nias ’81Assistant Vice President, Alumni Relations and Development
PUBLISHERBrodie RemingtonVice President, University Relations
ADVISORY BOARDJ. Paul Carey ’82 M.B.A.Managing Partner, JPT Partners
John Girouard ’81President and CEO, Capital AssetManagement Group
Anil Gupta Ralph J. Tyser Professor of Strategy and Organization, Robert H. Smith School of Business
Beth MorgenChief Administrative Officer, Maryland Alumni Association
Danita D. Nias ’81Assistant Vice President, Alumni Relations and Development
Vicki Rymer ’61, ’66 M.B.A., ’83 Ph.D.Teaching Professor,Robert H. Smith School of Business
Keith Scroggins ’79Chief Operating Officer, Baltimore CityPublic Schools
Lee ThorntonProfessor and Eaton Chair, PhilipMerrill College of Journalism
MAGAZINE STAFFLauren BrownUniversity Editor
Kimberly Marselas ’00Managing Editor
John T. Consoli ’86Creative Director
Jeanette J. NelsonArt Director
Joshua HarlessCatherine Nichols ’99Brian G. PayneContributing Designers
Monette A. Bailey ’89Mandie Boardman ’02Cassandra RobinsonRebecca M. RuarkTom VentsiasWriters
Kelly Blake ’94Michael Hoffman ’05Contributing Writers
Anne McDonough ’09Photographer’s Assistant
Kathy B. Lambird ’94Production Manager
Elizabeth Burzenski ’10Katherine Davis ’09Magazine Interns
E-mail [email protected]
Terp magazine is published by the Division ofUniversity Relations. Letters to the editor arewelcomed. Send correspondence to KimberlyMarselas, Managing Editor, Terp magazine,2101 Turner Building, College Park, MD20742-1521. Or, send an e-mail to [email protected].
The University of Maryland, College Park is anequal opportunity institution with respect toboth education and employment. Universitypolicies, programs and activities are in confor-mance with pertinent federal and state lawsand regulations on non-discrimination regard-ing race, color, religion, age, national origin,political affiliation, gender, sexual orientationor disability.
TERP
FROM TEXTING TO iPods, technology ischanging the way we live our lives.We’ve certainly come a long way sinceeight-tracks and street maps! AndMaryland’s world-renowned researchersare working to implement technologicaladvances to help improve the likes ofhealth care, energy, the environment andeven museum collections for “endusers” like you and me, in Maryland andacross the nation and the world. “Health IT” on page 20 explores the
challenges and opportunities in the raceto modernize medical record-keeping.Success would expand health-careaccess, improve quality and reduce costsand enable each of us to take bettercharge of our health. On page 12, read about Maryland
faculty from engineering, chemical andlife sciences and computer science whohave joined together to tackle energystorage issues. Their aim: to create “superbatteries” to power the next generationof automobiles and more. Our world-class university is also
leading a new climate institute with thegoal of providing detailed—and perhapslifesaving—weather information withthe help of technology. Read more onpage 5. And, get the scoop on technolo-gy’s marriage with the environment atMaryland straight from a botanist andundergraduate program director of envi-ronmental science and technology onpage 13.In collaboration with the university,
the Smithsonian Institution plans tomake a digital record of the more than137 million artifacts in the Smithsonian’scollection to keep up with the techno-logical times. Turn to page 3 for more
on that collaboration. At Maryland,thousands of recordings and books in theKeesing Collection of Popular Music,covered on page 17, have been madesearchable through University Libraries’catalog—making rock ‘n’ roll raritiesaccessible to fans all over the world.Even Terp is getting in on the tech
act. Can’t get enough of the magazinethat connects you to everythingMaryland? Starting with this issue, wepreview bonus Web content on page 6. And don’t forget to bookmark alum-
ni.umd.edu for all the goings-on aroundHomecoming and Reunion Weekend,Oct. 16-17. You won’t want to miss outon the members-only Backyard Bashbefore the Terrapins tromp theCavaliers. (See the calendar section inthe magazine’s center for more upcom-ing activities.)Signing off from my BlackBerry—Go Terps!
DearAlumniandFriends,
GRADUATION YEAR
S
Terp Cover FALL 2009 FINAL:Terp Cover Summer -FINAL 9/18/09 3:43 PM Page covVI
20 A SOUND RX FOR HEALTH CARE
University researchers advance ideas integral to health-care reform in the United States: developing technology, assessing costs and improvingcommunication between doctors and patients. BY TOM VENTSIAS
24 PRO-LIFIC PROGRAM
Maryland churns out a surprisingly large number of NFL players, and foot-ball Coach Ralph Friedgen’s methods on and off the field get the credit.BY MICHAEL HOFFMAN ’05
28 GIVING + RECEIVING
Maryland earns a national reputation in encouraging students’ interest inimproving their communities and the world.BY LAUREN BROWN
9 CLIMATE LEADER
A new climate institute at Marylandlinks researchers to improve long-range forecasts and climate changeprojections.
TERP FALL 2009 1CLIMATE IMAGE COURTESY OF NASA; PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA HARLESS
2 BIG PICTURE International undergraduate enrollment expands; three deans named; leading new climate institute; and more 6 TERP ONLINE Ask a reading
expert; take a virtual stadium tour; and more 7 ASK ANNE Fallout shelters; oldest female graduate; and more 8 CLASS ACT Brothers spin successful Webs.com;
Hollywood Terp; and more 12 M-FILE Vanishing frogs; powerful ideas for cars; environmental professor rocks; and more 16 PLAY-BY-PLAY Gymnastics coach
familiar face 17 SPOTLIGHT Gems in popular music history 18 MARYLAND LIVE Homecoming and reunion details; the 2009 First Year Book; and more
31 IN THE LOOP Donor for 50-plus years; Divine Nine to the rescue; giving teaches giving; and more 36 INTERPRETATIONS New vigor in research-funding efforts
departments
features
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/18/09 3:54 PM Page 1
MORRILL QUAD PHOTO BY DAVID TROZZO, 1986; GARDEN OF REFLECTION SKETCH BY SCOTT MUNROE; “TERPIARY” PHOTO PROVIDED BY DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES PLANNING
bigpicture
This year, Maryland was named a Tree Campus USA and designated an arboretum and botanical garden,recognizing the university's commitment to beautifying the campus, maintaining it as a learningresource and serving as an exemplary environmental steward.
GROWTHspurt
Honoring Tradition and ServiceHe’s covered in boxwoods and sits across the street
from Cole Student Activities Building. The Testudo
topiary, also known as “Terpiary” and designed by
Tennessee artist Joe Kyte, shares space on a traffic
plaza with two 50-foot flagpoles and a plaque honoring
those who have served and are serving in the U.S.
military. The memorial is a gift from the university’s Air
Force ROTC unit and the Class of 2004. Once funding
becomes available, says Dan Hayes, an architect with
Facilities Planning, the site will also feature flowering
trees in a grove and benches.
Connecting the Community to NatureNear Memorial Chapel, construction begins this fall on
the Garden of Reflection and Remembrance. Designed
as a place of solace, the garden will include a beautiful
and fragrant labyrinth, a reflection pool and all-weather
journals for visitors’ thoughts. It will also be the site of
a Vietnam veterans memorial, restored, designed and
funded by graduates from the 1980s. To demonstrate
sustainable practices, the garden will include recycled
PVC pipes for the walkways and other innovations.The
project is being supported by significant private dona-
tions.
Protecting HistoryHistoric Morrill Quad is being restored with assistance
from the Class of 2009. Located in the center of Morrill,
Tydings, LeFrak, Taliaferro and Shoemaker halls, it is
the site of the original campus quadrangle and is home
to some of the university’s oldest trees. Plans, pending
funding, call for creating a setting of historical high-
lights with a prominent gateway.
4 TERP FALL 2009
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/16/09 3:34 PM Page 4
TERP FALL 2009 5KETTL BY CANDACE DICARLO; STEELE BY KIP MAY; TOWNSHEND BY JOHN T. CONSOLI; EARTH IMAGE COURTESY OF NASA
A NEW RESEARCH partnership led by
the University of Maryland may soon
provide long-range global forecasts
and warnings about the impact of cli-
mate change on the Earth’s ecosys-
tem, including water quality, disease
vectors, drought projections and the
health of marine life.
The Cooperative Institute for
Climate and Satellites, funded by up
to $93 million from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, links Maryland
researchers with federal scientists
and faculty from North Carolina State
University and 16 other institutions.
These experts will collect data
from dozens of sophisticated NOAA
and NASA satellites orbiting the
Earth, providing information on
atmospheric water vapor, ozone lev-
els, sea-ice concentrations, sea
level, infrared radiation from the
planet’s surface, chlorophyll in the
ocean as well as rainfall and vege-
tation in specific areas.
“Ultimately, we want to provide
detailed information to end users—
people and officials who need to
make decisions based on our cli-
mate modeling and predictions,”
says Phillip Arkin, a senior research
scientist at Maryland who will lead
the new institute.
The institute will be based at
the university’s M Square research
park, where a cluster of climate and
weather-related research activities
are already established, including
the Earth System Science
Interdisciplinary Center and the
Joint Global Change Research
Institute. NOAA’s National Center
for Weather and Climate Prediction
is set to open there next year. —TV
Maryland Leads New Climate Institute
THE SCHOOL OF Public Policy, University
Libraries and the College of Behavioral and
Social Sciences this summer welcomed new
deans—two of whom replaced deans who
assumed positions in the Obama administration.
Donald Kettl, a well-known expert on govern-
ment reform and a prolific author, arrived in June
to lead the School of Public Policy.
A former scholar at the University of
Pennsylvania and a nonresident senior fellow at
the Brookings Institute, a respected think tank,
Kettl says he’s glad to come to Maryland as the
U.S. struggles with economic and political crises.
The School of Public Policy is “uniquely suited
to grapple with the overwhelming policy challenges
facing government,” Kettl says. “I’m enormously
impressed by all the school has accomplished and
where it can go.”
Patricia Steele, a national leader in digitizing
information to improve academic libraries’
access, took her new post on Sept. 1. Previously
head of the libraries at Indiana University, she’s
known for her work on the Google Project to put
online up to 10 million volumes in important
library collections.
The new dean for the university’s largest
college, Behavioral and Social Sciences, is more
homegrown. John Townshend is former chair of
the Department of Geography, which he has
guided into a leader in global measurements
through satellite imaging. He hopes to attract to
the college more resources, more disciplinary
research on national and global concerns and a
more entrepreneurial spirit.
He takes over for Edward Montgomery, who is
now heading the Presidential Task Force on the
Auto Industry. Steve Fetter, former public policy
dean, was named assistant director in the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
And if that’s not enough Maryland influence in
D.C., public policy Professor Ivo H. Daalder is the new
U.S. ambassador to NATO. —LB
3 Deans in, 2 Off to White House
KETTL
STEELE
TOWNSHEND
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6 TERP FALL 2009
alumni bylinesWith so many graduates becoming authors,
we’ve expanded our By Alumni department to
include more great titles online.
revamping byrdCapital One Field at Byrd Stadium is
new and improved, with new suites
and mezzanine seating in Tyser Tower.
Take a virtual tour and check out the
sweet digs for yourself.
PHOTOS BY JOHN T. CONSOLI; BYRD SUITE PHOTO COURTESY OF MARYLAND ATHLETICS
terponline terp.umd.edu
more green goodnessTo remember why you fell in love
with Maryland’s tree-lined mall (and
see some of the plant life that helped
us become an official arboretum and
botanical garden), enjoy a slideshow
by photographer John T. Consoli ’86.
THIS FALL, WE’RE BRINGING YOU MORE OF WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT TERP ONLINE. EACH ISSUE, OUR WRITERS AND DESIGNERS WILL
PUT TOGETHER BONUS CONTENT RANGING FROM BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEOS TO A CHANCE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH MARYLAND FACULTY. YOU CAN
RECONNECT WITH FORMER CLASSMATES THROUGH CLASS NOTES, FIND OUT WHO’S BEEN PUBLISHED IN AN EXPANDED BY ALUMNI SECTION OR
SIMPLY DROP US A LINE TO TELL US HOW WE’RE DOING AND WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE IN FUTURE ISSUES. OUR ADDRESS IS WWW.TERP.UMD.EDU.
BOOKMARK US. YOU’LL WANT TO VISIT OFTEN.
expert on callSchool is back in session, and for
some parents that means endless
battles over homework assign-
ments. Whether your student has
just mastered the alphabet, is reluc-
tant to pick up his first chapter book
or refuses to crack the cover of a
great American classic, our expert
can help. College of Education
Professor Jennifer Turner fields your
questions on developing a lifelong
love of reading.
terp.umd.ed
u/exp
erts
terp.umd.ed
u/alumni
terp.umd.ed
u/r
evam
ping
terp.umd.ed
u/g
reen
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/16/09 3:35 PM Page 6
Q.My late great-grandmother, HenriettaSpiegel, was a student at the university inthe 1980s, and I believe she was the old-est woman ever to graduate from the uni-versity. Can you share any informationabout her?—Ryan Spiegel '00
A. I remember when your great-grandmother(right) graduated cum laude in Spring1989 at the age of 85. She earneda degree in English and a GPA of3.9. She holds two records: She isthe oldest person to complete anundergraduate degree at theUniversity of Maryland and theoldest woman inducted into PhiBeta Kappa. An award for creativewriting in the Department ofEnglish has been named for her.
IMAGES COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Questions for Anne Turkos,
university archivist for
University Libraries, may be
sent to [email protected] any fallout shelters located oncampus, and if so, where? —Al Barth
A. The Diamondback reported in December 1962 that 39 areas in
37 campus buildings had been prepared for fallout shelters. These
areas could accommodate a total of 7,462 people. The university
planned to create 20 more shelters, each stocked
with a two-week supply of food and water and
a radio kit. A shelter manager and two alter-
nates would be assigned to take charge during
emergencies.
By 1971 there were 42 buildings with fallout
shelters with a total capacity of 23,052. As far as
can be determined, none of these shelters exists
today. It is believed that most were converted to
other uses during major renovations of university buildings begin-
ning in the late 1970s. Fallout shelter signs were reported to exist
in Reckord Armory and at the Institute for Physical Science and
Technology Building, but no signs were found during a recent
check of these buildings.
Q. How does Rachel Carson fit into Maryland’s history? She was an adjunct faculty member in zoology, andI am curious to know more. —Andrea Morris
A. Even though she taught zoology, acourse we normally associate withUniversity of Maryland, College Park, ayearbook photo and faculty directoriesfrom the Baltimore campus confirmthat Rachel Carson (right) only taughtthere. Carson wrote “Silent Spring,” acall to action on the environment thatresounds loudly even today.
TERP FALL 2009 7
askAnne
Students participate in a fallout sheltercourse at Denton Dining Hall in 1966.
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/16/09 3:35 PM Page 7
8 TERP FALL 2009 PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MOKHTARZADAS
alumniprofileclassact
Entrepreneurs andbrothers, clock-wise from left, D.Haroon, Zekeriaand IdrisMokhtarzada.
LOGGING PHYSICS FINDINGS in a journal,
investing in the stock market and attending
weekend math and technology courses
aren’t the kind of things most school kids do
for fun. Then again, not many people have
enjoyed the kind of success that brothers D.
Haroon Mokhtarzada ’01 and Zekeria “Zeki”
Mokhtarzada ’01 have as leaders in the Web
publishing world.
As children, Haroon and Zeki were forced
to flee Afghanistan with their family. Here in
their adoptive country, they learned survival
skills in life and work. “Our parents started
a business, which exposed us very early on
to two things: entrepreneurship and com-
puters,” says Haroon.
While at Maryland, the brothers used
their complementary skills to build a Web
site people could use to construct their own
sites for free—even as Haroon finished his
economics degree summa cum laude and
Zeki finished his double major in computer
science and mathematics.
Today, Haroon and Zeki are CEO and
chief technology officer, respectively, of
Webs.com, their hobby-turned-business.
Younger brother Idris, a senior majoring in
computer science, is a co-founder and senior
engineer. Each day, 20,000 new sites—for
personal, organizational and business
uses—are created using their simple and
streamlined site-building process, and each
month, more than 30 million unique visitors
hit on Webs.com.
“Webs.com has helped hundreds of
thousands of people generate income for
their families and causes,” says Haroon.
Now the brothers can add 2009
Outstanding Young Alumni to their résumés.
In April, Haroon and Zeki were named
Outstanding Young Alumni at the Maryland
Alumni Association Awards Gala. In their
acceptance speech, the brothers thanked
their parents and siblings—all Terps—as
well as their alma mater. “It’s great to know
that Maryland honors entrepreneurship and
innovation, things we really believe in,” Zeki
says. —RR
Brothers’ Hobby Becomes Web Wonder
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/18/09 4:05 PM Page 8
TRAVEL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION; RANCIC PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT; “E! NEWS” LOGO COURTESY OF VIACOM
alumniprofile
AFTER EMIGRATING FROM Italy to
Washington, D.C., with her family at
age 7, Giuliana Rancic ’96 learned
English by watching television. She
grew up idolizing News 4 reporter
Barbara Harrison and dreaming of a
career in journalism.
Today she’s a well-known TV
anchor for the E! network, co-hosting
“E! News” daily with Ryan Seacrest,
tracking celebrity stories and work-
ing the red carpet at high-profile
events.
At Maryland, the then-Giuliana
DePandi reveled in the fast-paced
course work and demanding pro-
fessors. With her undergraduate
degree from the Philip Merrill
School of Journalism and a mas-
ter’s degree from American
University, she set out for Los
Angeles, knowing entertain-
ment news was her passion.
“My degrees set me apart
from my peers in
Hollywood—I wasn’t just
another blonde trying to be
an actress.”
She began her job at
“E! News” in 2002 as an
off-camera reporter, and
was promoted to anchor and
managing editor in January 2005.
“I became a stronger writer and pro-
ducer because of that initial work,”
she says. Since her promotion,
according to the network, the show’s
viewership has jumped more than 50
percent.
Rancic spends her days in a flurry
of shooting promos, writing stories
and seeking the latest celebrity
scoops. By night, she takes to the
red carpet, asking questions her
viewers would love to ask their
favorite celebrities, but can’t. “I pre-
pare by not preparing,” Rancic says.
“By thinking too much, it inhibits the
organic process and you miss the
spontaneity right in front of you.
Plus, my knowledge of pop culture is
a great safety net.”
In 2007, she cemented her own
role in pop culture, marrying Bill
Rancic, season 1 winner of “The
Apprentice.” Their Style Network
reality show, “Giuliana & Bill,”
debuted in August. The couple
recently traveled to campus, where
Giuliana served as presenter at the
10th annual University of Maryland
Alumni Association Awards Gala. “I
spent
the last nine
years working
nonstop, and
because of that I lost
touch with my past. I’m
ready to reconnect and give
back,” she says.
Rancic emphatically broadcasts
her Terp pride. “I love saying I am
from Maryland and representing the
Terps in Tinseltown.” —MLB
travel 2010Treasures of
Jordan
April 3-14
Encounter won-
ders both of
nature and of man:
lively Amman and rose-red Petra,
the ruins of Jerash, the resort life of
the Red Sea and the restorative
powers of the Dead Sea.
Holland and Belgium
April 20-28
Experience the beauty, history and
culture of Holland and Belgium by
cruising their legendary water-
ways. Join us aboard the MS
Amadeus Diamond and enrich your
life with an adventure you will
never forget.
Amalfi
June 2-10
Indulge in the majesty of the
Divine Coast, where you’ll travel a
fabled, serpentine ribbon of road
from destination to destination.
Along the way, take in the breath-
taking views and realize why it has
drawn royalty and celebrities for
decades.
For more details on these and other
tours featured in the Travel 2010 pro-
gram, visit www.alumni.umd.edu or
call 301.405.7870/ 800.336.8627.
Terp Takes Tinseltown
TERP FALL 2009 9
Giuliana Rancic'sinterest in enter-tainment and jour-nalism led her to adream job at E!EntertainmentTelevision and herown reality show.
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/18/09 3:58 PM Page 9
alumniprofile
10 TERP FALL 2009
classact
DAN HEIGES ’93 is surely one of only a few corporate executives whoget paid to eat baby food.A physics major who switched to food science, Heiges is now
vice president of food production at Sprout Foods, a nearly year-oldcompany that sells gourmet, organic baby food.Heiges says he was at Maryland when he realized he didn’t want to
be a physicist. “I had been cooking since I was 16,” he says. “The day I decided
to change course and become a chef, I stumbled on a foodscience fair. I’d never heard of [food science], a blendof culinary arts and science. Perfect.”Eventually, Heiges wound up as director of research
and development at Wild Oats Markets. He gotexcited during a meeting where Sprout Foodsfounders Max MacKenzie and celebrity chef TylerFlorence pitched their innovative baby food. “I was so impressed that I volunteered my help in
getting the company off the ground. When WholeFoods merged with Wild Oats, the writing was on the wall and Iasked if there was any chance Sprout Foods was hiring,” he says. He joined the company last March, helping to translate the
recipes and cooking processes to manufacturing scale. Sprout isavailable in more than 1,300 Publix and H.E.B. Fresh Foodsstores, and planned to add 500 to 1,000 locations during anationwide rollout in September.Heiges, dad to 3- and 6-year-olds, says people are initially
hesitant to try the pouches of roasted bananas, baked sweet pota-toes and peach rice pudding, but smile after their first bite. Heremembers his first meeting with Florence, who asked the group,“Why would you feed kids something that you wouldn’t eat?”Now, Heiges says, “I eat it all the time.” —MAB
Food Scientist Takes Baby Steps
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SPROUT FOODS; AT RIGHT: ROTTER AT PODIUM BY LISA HELFERT;ROTTER WITH STUDENTS BY ANNE MCDONOUGH; ALUMNI BOOKS BY JOHN T. CONSOLI
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/18/09 3:58 PM Page 10
TERP FALL 2009 11
BYalumniErnie Full of Energy by
Tara Iona ’91 is
a great
way for par-
ents and their
children to
begin a dialogue
about the frustra-
tions involved with
learning disorders,
particularly ADHD.
Ernie’s constant energy
and sometimes explosive behavior
confuse his parents, but through it
all they see their son’s special and
wonderful qualities.
University Professor
Anil C. Gupta and
Haiyan
Wang ’95
help busi-
ness leaders
develop robust
global strategies
by uncovering hidden
opportunities—and
challenges—presented
by the rapidly growing
economies of China and India.
In Getting China and India
Right, they reveal the secrets to
capturing the hearts, minds and
wallets of consumers there.
In Rabbit in the Moon by Deborah
and Joel Shlian ’67, Dr. Lili Quan
honors her mother’s dying
wish by traveling
to China,
where she
meets her
grandfather,
who made a
remarkable dis-
covery: the secret
to long life. This
earth-shattering find
could become a deadly
international game.
Rotter Plots New Course for Association
Dr. Steve Rotterspeaking (above) at a Maryland ringceremony, and withstudents (below) at awelcome event earlythis semester, is theboard of governors’new president.
DR. STEVE ROTTER ’82 believes that youget what you give in life. Grateful for theeducation and experience he received atMaryland, he is committed to giving backto his alma mater.In July, Rotter became the University of
Maryland Alumni Association board ofgovernors’ new president. Rotter hasserved on the board since 2005 and haschaired two committees: awards and recog-nition and membership and marketing. Healso serves on the College of Chemical andLife Sciences board of visitors.After graduating from Maryland, Rotter
went on to the University of Maryland School of Medicine and JohnsHopkins Hospital. He is now the owner and director of the Center forSkin Surgery & Skin Cancer Outpatient Surgical Hospital in Vienna, Va.And while Rotter spends most of his time in surgery or with his wife,
Fran ’82 and their two children, he takes his new post seriously and hasset goals for his two-year term. He plans on growing the alumni associa-tion’s life membership program and strengthening ties between the alum-ni association and the undergraduate and graduate student populations. He encourages all alumni to become involved. “This university is first-
class from top to bottom. All you have to do is see the campus and feelthe energy of what’s happening here.” —MLB
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/16/09 3:37 PM Page 11
m-file
STUDENT EXPENSES ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN G. PAYNE12 TERP FALL 2009
NEWSdesk
IMAGINE A NEW breed of all-electric
cars that can travel 300 miles or more
before needing a quick recharge—
almost three times farther than cur-
rent hybrid models that rely on gaso-
line as a backup.
Innovative science in the university’s
recently launched Energy Frontier
Research Center may lead to such a
vehicle within a decade, says Gary
Rubloff, the Minta Martin Professor of
Engineering and director of the center.
Working with Sang Bok Lee, associ-
ate professor of chemistry and bio-
chemistry, Rubloff is developing “super
batteries” that can store more energy,
deliver more power and recharge much
faster than existing devices can. The
key, says Rubloff, is exploiting the hon-
eycomb patterns of nanoscale pores in
aluminum oxide, using arrays of these
nanowires to build compact yet
extremely efficient batteries.
Linking faculty from engineering,
chemical and life sciences and comput-
er science, the energy research center
was funded with $14 million from the
U.S. Department of Energy as part of a
new program that brings together
groups of leading scientists to address
fundamental energy issues. —TV
Powerful Ideas onEnergy Storage
“The Republicans were morenervous about giving Obama a bigvictory than in further erodingtheir diminished support amongHispanics. The Sotomayorvote signals that (Obama)needs to be very, very carefulabout going any further leftwith the next nominee.”
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY DEAN DONALD
KETTL, ON REPUBLICANS’ “UNFLINCHING”
OPPOSITION TO SONYA SOTOMAYOR, THEN A CAN-
DIDATE FOR THE SUPREME COURT, LOS ANGELES
TIMES, JULY 29
“Legalization in the U.S. might be amuch more commercial matter thanin pragmatic Holland, where the gov-ernment created a legally ambiguousregulatory system with minimal courtoversight. The U.S. might find it hardto prevent producers from using theirFirst Amendment rights to activelypromote the drug.”
PETER REUTER, CRIMINOLOGY, IN A FORUM ON
WHETHER ADDICTION WILL RISE IF MARIJUANA
IS LEGALIZED, THE NEW YORK TIMES, JULY 19
“The public is pulling formore—a lot more, no, but abit more, yes. There is defi-nitely political capital thereto move the ball forward andthat is pretty much universal.”STEVEN KULL, DIRECTOR, PROGRAM ON
INTERNATIONAL POLICY
ATTITUDES, DISCUSSING THE
POLL HE LED ON DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES’ BELIEF THAT CLI-
MATE CHANGE SHOULD BE A
GOVERNMENT PRIORITY, THE
(U.K.) GUARDIAN, JULY 30
“When students actually track those
expenses, they realize how much they arespending onlittle items.
And small things add up.”
JINHEE KIM, FAMILY SCIENCE, ENCOURAGING
COLLEGE STUDENTS TO WATCH THEIR DISCRE-
TIONARY SPENDING, USA TODAY, AUG. 15
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND FACULTY ARE THE SOURCE NEWS MEDIATURN TO FOR EXPERTISE—FROM POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY TOSOCIETY AND CULTURE TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/18/09 4:09 PM Page 12
PHOTO BY JOHN T. CONSOLI
TERP: How do technology and the environment fit together in this new department?
BALDWIN: People hear “technology” and think “computers.” A lot of the research in our department helps design
ways to solve problems—an applied technology approach. Pat Kangas is using algae to clean wastewater and create
biofuels. Josh McGrath is working on a GPS/sensor system that lets farmers fertilize only exactly where
needed. Other faculty are working on how to use plants to purify indoor air or use bacteria to clean
up hazardous waste.
TERP:Why should students be interested in environmental science at Maryland?
BALDWIN: We’re one of the only universities that offer undergraduate concentrations in ecological and technology
design and in environmental health.
The university’s location is great. Maryland is physiographically diverse—there are wetlands
and forests, mountains and beaches. The university is surrounded by urban conditions, but we’re
only a few miles from the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, which has
experimental farms, plus forests and fields. We’re also near a lot of federal and
state government agencies and nonprofits where graduates can
find internships and jobs.
TERP:What are the most pressing issues in your field?
BALDWIN: We need to learn more about ecosystem restoration.
Another big one is climate change; it’s changing precipitation patterns,
temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations.
TERP: How does your love of nature extend beyond the classroom?
BALDWIN: I’m a botanist—I go out and identify plants. Sometimes,
I’ll just take a walk with my field guide. I’ve tried to take my kids
out, but they say, “Nooooo.”
TERP: You're known for your enthusiasm for teaching in the
field. How do students respond?
BALDWIN: I tell the students, “We’re going to go out-
side,” and they don’t really believe me. One
time, it was raining and 35 degrees out, and
I saw one kid had on only shorts
and a T-shirt. After they do that
once or twice, they seem to be
more prepared.
TERP: You play bass, guitar and drums
and sing with a band, but you’re also the
college’s commencement singer. What’s that like?
BALDWIN: I sing the national anthem and the alma mater.
I try to spice it up, maybe a fist in the air. Then, usually, I
high-five the dean on the way back to my seat.
ANDREW BALDWIN, AN EXPERT ON WETLAND ECOLOGY AND ENGINEERING,
IS UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
HE JOINED THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND
NATURAL RESOURCES IN 1996 AND ENJOYS WORKING WITH STUDENTS
OUTDOORS, EVEN IN FREEZING RAIN OR SEARING HEAT. HE SAT DOWN
WITH TERP’S LAUREN BROWN TO TALK ABOUT HIS FIELD.
In Tune with His Environment
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/18/09 4:00 PM Page 13
m-file
14 TERP FALL 2009
FROGS AND OTHER amphibians are mysteriously disappearing from the
planet, and biologist Karen Lips is racing against time to save them. One-
third of the 6,300 species of amphibians are in decline and 168 have gone
extinct in the last 20 years, with more disappearing each day. The
crisis has required Lips and her colleagues to act as detectives at a
crime scene, investigating sites where they find the bodies of thousands
of dead frogs to unravel what went wrong.
While pollution and other environmental factors are taking their toll
on frogs, Lips and others discovered that it’s an unusual fungus, called
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or Bd, that’s causing massive frog die-offs
in locations as disparate as Panama, Australia and the National Zoo in
Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, these experts don’t know where this fungus
originated and don’t know how to stop it. They do know that it likes cool, wet
climates, where frogs also thrive, and that it spreads rapidly.
After Lips documented the disease’s rapid and devastating impact on
frogs in Costa Rica and Panama, her colleagues rushed to evacuate frogs
from the forests of Central Panama to save them from the advancing fun-
gus. Today, their facility shelters 58 species of frogs—including some of
the rarest on earth.
Lips is also investigating the fungus’s impact in the U.S. and whether it has
caused the decline of several species of salamanders in Appalachia, which has
the highest biodiversity of salamanders in the world. In addition, she is docu-
menting the impact that these extinctions are having on ecosystems.
“Once amphibians are eliminated from an ecosystem, everything else
changes,” she explains. “Snakes disappear, algae grows, sediments accu-
mulate and affect water quality. We don’t know yet how many of these
changes are irrevocable.” —KB
ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN G. PAYNE
Where Have All the Frogs Gone?
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/18/09 4:00 PM Page 14
TERP FALL 2009 15
A UNIVERSITY OF Marylandneuroscientist is collaboratingwith experts at the JohnsHopkins University School ofMedicine to advance a treat-ment for Alzheimer’s disease,the debilitating neurologicaldisorder that afflicts more than5.3 million Americans and isthe sixth-leading cause of deathin the United States.Hey-Kyoung Lee, an associ-
ate professor of biology in theCollege of Chemical and LifeSciences, links her previouswork in neuroplasticity—thebrain’s ability to reorganizeneural pathways—with JohnsHopkins scientists who arestudying innovative treatmentsfor Alzheimer’s.
Current Alzheimer’s treat-ment relies on medications thatcan only delay or manage thedisease’s most prevalent symp-toms: the loss of memory andthinking skills. In researchfunded by the NationalInstitutes of Health, Lee andthe Johns Hopkins researchersare attempting to actually stemthe disease by preventing theaction of an enzyme calledBACE1, which produces linked
amino acids called peptides.Many scientists believe that
an overproduction of a peptidecalled A-beta is the cause ofAlzheimer’s. The concern is thatby eliminating the BACE1enzyme in laboratory mice,some of the test animals becameconfused and aggressive.Lee and her students pin-
pointed these abnormalities,and the researchers are nowsearching for a pharmaceuticalsolution that can eliminate thebehavioral side effects causedby BACE1 inhibition.“Learning what is happening atthe cellular level gives us thetools to circumvent what iscausing the brain to functionabnormally,” Lee explains.Ultimately, Lee says the
research team is hoping to dis-cover a cure for Alzheimer’s.“That’s the holy grail—to beable to first show we can safelyinhibit the production of A-betapeptides in laboratory animals,and then move on to clinicaltrials that can lead to an effec-tive treatment,” she says. —TV
For more details, go towww.chemlife.umd.edu/biology/leelab#.
THE SOMETIMES-AWKWARD transi-
tion from adolescence to adulthood
is a period of intense physical, men-
tal, emotional and social change.
While most young people can cope
with these growing pains without
much consequence, others may
struggle and engage in harmful
behavior to suppress their uncom-
fortable feelings.
Research in the university’s
School of Public Health may soon
give counselors new tools to identify
at-risk youths prone to negative
behaviors like substance abuse,
juvenile delinquency and unpro-
tected sex.
Stacey Daughters, ’98, M.A. ’03,
Ph.D. ’05, assistant professor of
public and community health and
director of the Stress, Health and
Addictions Research laboratory, is
investigating the biological and
psychological mechanisms underly-
ing distress tolerance, which is the
ability to tolerate intense emotional
discomfort without reverting to
avoidant or impulsive behavior.
“The substance abuse or other
non-acceptable behaviors may be
symptoms of a core emotional vul-
nerability we want to identify,” says
Daughters, who recently completed
a distress intolerance assessment of
150 Prince George’s County high
school students ages 14 to 17.
“The school system can definite-
ly benefit from new approaches to
early intervention at this critical
stage of development for our
youth,” says Heather Iliff, a member
of the Prince George’s County Board
of Education.
The project is funded by the
National Institute of Drug Abuse and
follows up on distress tolerance
research Daughters is doing with
recovering drug addicts and alco-
holics at an inpatient treatment
center in Washington, D.C.
The high school students
played a series of computer games
that involved adding numbers or
tracing the outline of a star using
the computer mouse. To increase
stress, the task included forced
failure in the form of a quickened
pace followed by a loud buzzer.
The students were told that the
better they performed, the greater
their reward at the end of the
session—yet they also had the
option to quit the task at any time.
Students who quit early (show-
ing they had low distress tolerance)
were also more likely to report drug
or alcohol abuse and other harmful
behaviors identified through a
follow-up questionnaire.
The next step is to develop inter-
ventions. “If you can identify these
kids right away with the tools that
we have, and give them treatment,
then that’s the key,” says Daughters.
—TV
New Tools to Identify At-Risk YouthsResearchers Team Up to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/18/09 4:00 PM Page 15
play-by-play
PHOTO BY GREG FIUME, MARYLAND ATHLETICS
Balance of Power
16 TERP FALL 2009
AFTER 31 YEARS, 19 winning seasons and 493victories, Bob Nelligan is no longer the face ofwomen’s gymnastics at Maryland.But the new face looks familiar: The
team’s head coach is now his son, Brett.Bob Nelligan, who everyone calls Duke,
retired in June as the university’s longest-tenured coach, just after being named the2009 NCAA Division I Southeast RegionCoach of the Year.Brett, who served six years under his dad
as an assistant coach, knows that taking thegrips from him is no small feat.
“For his retirement, 200 gymnastics alumni came back—each with their ownstory about how Duke personally impactedtheir life. It’s intimidating,” Brett says.Duke was exposed to gymnastics early on,
in elementary school, and developed his ownphilosophy as a coach even before coming toMaryland at age 28.By the time gymnasts got to college, he
soon found, many were no longer enjoying thesport that brought them so much joy as a kid. “My role was to be not just a coach but a
caretaker,” he explains. “By helping them findexcitement in the sport again, it created astronger program.”His role as caretaker extended outside the
gym. To senior BrandiGeorge, he became her family away from home.“Duke makes the gym enjoyable, but he’s also afather to all of us. When my roommate and I arrived from Florida inshorts and flip-flops, he drove us around untilwe found the perfect winter coats.” He also became known for encouraging
his athletes to remain committed to school,and his squad won the President’s Cup TeamGPA award nine times since the program wasfounded 13 years ago. Brett says he’s up for the challenge of
maintaining the program’s strong tradition andplans to implement a more aggressive trainingand recruiting program. Says his father: “Brettis a better businessman for the program.” Losing only one student from the 2009-10
team, Kelsey Nelligan ’09, Duke’s daughterand Brett’s sister, and welcoming four newtop-notch gymnasts, Brett has high expecta-tions for the team and himself for the seasonstarting in January. Duke intends to remain a proud supporter
of Maryland gymnastics. Says George: “I’m notsure what retirement will bring, but I don’t seehim going anywhere anytime soon.”—MLB
SCOREcardThe 2008-09 school year as
one of the most successful in
Terps’ athletics history.
Men’s soccer, women’s
basketball, field hockey,
women’s lacrosse and
wrestling all brought home
ACC tournament champi-
onships this year, making it
the first time since 1964-65
that five Terps teams won
ACC titles in the same
season.
Women’s basketball, field
hockey and women’s and
men’s lacrosse finished first
in their ACC regular-season
standings, giving Maryland
four regular-season champs
for the first time since
1996-97.
All five of Maryland’s ACC
tournament championship
teams saw continued suc-
cess in the NCAA tourna-
ment, with men’s soccer
and field hockey winning
national championships last
fall. Women’s basketball
played in its second consec-
utive regional championship
game, women’s lacrosse
made it to the national
semifinal round and
wrestling tied for its best
national finish ever, placing
10th at the NCAA champi-
onships.
Bob “Duke” Nelligan(left) passed theresponsibilities ofcoaching Maryland’swomen’s gymnasticsteam on to his son,Brett (center).
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/18/09 4:00 PM Page 16
spotlight
TERP FALL 2009 17KEESING COLLECTION PHOTO BY JOHN T. CONSOLI
Music to Researchers’ EarsIN 1996, RETIRED Maryland professor and popular
music collector Hugo Keesing made his first gift
to the University of Maryland Libraries.
He gave generously: The gift consisted of 2,708
books, 1,529 journals and 175 linear feet in paper
and memorabilia items. It has grown into the Hugo
Keesing Collection of Popular Music, housed in the
Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library, or MSPAL,
at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The
books, serials, recordings, sheet music, auction
lists, clippings and memorabilia span the 1910s to
the 1990s. While the collection is comprehensive, a
significant amount of material is related to Elvis
Presley, the Beatles, Fats Domino and Roy Orbison.
The collection recently opened to the public, with
new resources available to guide amateur and
expert researchers.
“Recordings are essential for understanding
rock music,” says Vincent Novara, curator for
Special Collections in Performing Arts within
MSPAL, “and Keesing has given us thousands.”
From the primary source materials in this collec-
tion, researchers gain access to more than the
music of former generations; they gain access to
the history of 20th century America. Says
Novara, “I’m always surprised to see younger
students researching the artists their grandpar-
ents listened to.”
Unfortunately, the sources that cultural and
music historians rely on are often dismissed by
some scholars and may be in danger of not being
preserved, says Professor Andrew Kellett, who
received his doctorate in history from Maryland in
2008. “The sources I found in the Keesing
Collection, like interviews with Pete Townshend of
The Who and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin in the
’70s fanzine Zig Zag, brought my research to life.”
They proved crucial to Kellett’s analysis of the
British appropriation of American blues music in
the creation of “classic” rock. “It’s so commend-
able that collections like the Keesing Collection
exist,” he says.
The study of music strikes a personal chord for
Novara. “My earliest childhood memory is of listen-
ing to ‘Hey Bulldog’ by the Beatles over and over
again. Ever since then I have been hooked, and I
look forward to helping students utilize the
sources Keesing assembled over decades.”—RR
A sampling of music and memo-rabilia from the Hugo KeesingCollection of Popular Music:
Rare sheet music from the WWII musicalpropaganda campaign
The ’60s album “Sands ofTime” from Jay and theAmericans that has neverbeen reissued on CD oriTunes
A Four Seasons greatest hits recordingwith liner notes written by Dick Clark
Elvis milk bath
A Rock ‘n’ Roll brand beer canfeaturing Chuck Berry
The first issues of RollingStone magazine
Metal lunchboxes and thermoses featuring
Bobby Sherman, the BeeGees and Kiss
A Pepsi can advertisingthe 1984 Jackson Tour
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/16/09 3:38 PM Page 17
With
cla
sses
in fu
ll sw
ing
and
a cr
isp b
reez
e in
the
air,
“fal
l” b
ack
into
life
at M
aryl
and
with
a v
isit t
o ca
mpu
s. W
e’re
hos
ting
even
tsth
is se
ason
that
will
get
you
thin
king
, cla
ppin
g an
d ch
eeri
ng.
The First Year Book Program
Presents Dave Eg
gers, A
utho
r of
“What Is the W
hat”
NOVEM
BER 5, 5:30 P.M.
0130 Tydings Hall
Eggers offers Maryland’s freshmen insight into
the power of community amid chaos in an
overlooked part of the world with this
year’s program selection. His book,
provided to all first-year students, is a
novelized biography of one of the
more than 20,000 children who fled
during the Second Sudanese Civil
War. Eggers chronicles the harrow-
ing, sometimes humorous and
always inspiring journey of
Valentino Achak Deng, who
eventually settled in Atlanta.
Alumni Association
Mem
bers-Only
Backyard Bash
OCTOBER 17, THREE HOURS PRIOR TO KICKOFF
Sponsored by GEICO
Sam
uel R
iggs IV
Alumni Center
This members-only event features complimentary
tailgate fare and beverages and live music. Reunite
with former classmates and friends at this exclusive
party held just for m
embers in the Samuel Riggs IV
Alumni Center’s Moxley Gardens. Be sure to carry
your membership card on
Homecoming for
entrance to this
special celebration!
Step Afrika!
NOVEM
BER 12-13
8 P.M.
$37/$9
Clarice Smith
Performing Arts Center
Step Afrika delivers the high-
energy tradition of stepping, an
art form born at African American
fraternities and based in African
traditions, to the Ina and Jack
Kay Theatre. With its intri-
cate kicks, stomps and
rhythms mixed with
spoken word, the
troupe seeks to build
connections between
people and to highlight
the similarities in dance
forms, lives and communities.
To mark the company’s 15-year
anniversary, Step Afrika will per-
form some its most celebrated
works with a remarkable choral
collaboration.
“Voices of the Vanqu
ished:
Censored Print Pub
lication
sfrom
Postw
ar Japan, 194
5-1949
,” Sho
wcasing
Materials From the Gordon
W. P
rang
e Collection
THROUGH DECEM
BER 30
Hornbake Library
University Libraries shed light on the
world of print publications during the
first years of the Allied Occupation of
Japan, with a display that includes
books and short stories censored by the
Allies, pulp fiction, children’s textbooks
on democracy and materials related
to the drafting of the Japanese
Constitution of 1947. Discover Japan
as it rebuilt, recovered and redefined
itself after World War II.
Fir
st
Ye
ar
Bo
ok
By
Da
ve
Eg
ge
rs
IS T
HE
WH
AT
WH
AT
20
09
/20
10
2009
Hom
ecom
ing and
Reunion
Weekend
OCTOBER 16-17
Throughout cam
pus
Reunite with old friends and make
new ones, as you rediscover
Maryland during Homecoming and
Reunion Weekend. The campus will
be buzzing with a variety of festive
activities:
• Hom
ecom
ing parade, including
floats, live music, special guests
and more. October 16, Main
Administration Building
• 50th reunion for the Class of
1959, featuring the Emeritus
Alumni Club induction with a for-
mal medallion ceremony and an
Alumni College event with a faculty
speaker. October 16, Samuel Riggs
IV Alumni Center
• An All-Reunion Lunch for all
Maryland classes, with celebrity
host and nutritionist Joy Bauer ’86,
where guests will enjoy a student
performance. October 16, Samuel
Riggs IV Alumni Center
• Maryland Alum
niAssociation
Hom
ecom
ing Festival
with activities for the
entire family, game fare and
beverages. October 17, Samuel
Riggs IV Alumni Center (three
hours prior to kickoff)
• Maryland vs. Virginia. The Terps
take on the Cavaliers in this ACC
match-up. October 17, Capital One
Field at Byrd Stadium
Visit w
ww.alumni.umd.edu for a
complete list of events.
ALU
MNI A
SSOCIATION
301.405.4678 or 800.336.8627, w
ww.alumni.umd.ed
u
CLARICE SMITH PER
FORMING ARTS CEN
TER301.405.ARTS (Ticket Office),
www.claricesm
ithcen
ter.u
md.ed
u
FIRST YEAR [email protected],
www.firstyearboo
k.um
d.ed
u
UNIVER
SITY LIBRARIES301.405.9348,
www.lib.um
d.ed
u/pran
ge/htm
l/exhibit09.jsp
HO
T L
INE
PRA
NG
E C
OLL
ECTI
ON
BY
JO
HN
T. C
ON
SOLI
; STE
P A
FRIK
A P
HO
TO ©
SHA
RO
N F
AR
MER
; HO
MEC
OM
ING
BY
LIS
A H
ELFE
RT; F
OO
TBA
LL B
Y G
REG
FIU
ME,
MA
RYLA
ND
ATH
LETI
CS
Spring09te
rp_M
DLiv
e:p
16-1
7 9/1
8/0
9 4:2
6 P
M P
age 1
With
cla
sses
in fu
ll sw
ing
and
a cr
isp b
reez
e in
the
air,
“fal
l” b
ack
into
life
at M
aryl
and
with
a v
isit t
o ca
mpu
s. W
e’re
hos
ting
even
tsth
is se
ason
that
will
get
you
thin
king
, cla
ppin
g an
d ch
eeri
ng.
The First Year Book Program
Presents Dave Eg
gers, A
utho
r of
“What Is the W
hat”
NOVEM
BER 5, 5:30 P.M.
0130 Tydings Hall
Eggers offers Maryland’s freshmen insight into
the power of community amid chaos in an
overlooked part of the world with this
year’s program selection. His book,
provided to all first-year students, is a
novelized biography of one of the
more than 20,000 children who fled
during the Second Sudanese Civil
War. Eggers chronicles the harrow-
ing, sometimes humorous and
always inspiring journey of
Valentino Achak Deng, who
eventually settled in Atlanta.
Alumni Association
Mem
bers-Only
Backyard Bash
OCTOBER 17, THREE HOURS PRIOR TO KICKOFF
Sponsored by GEICO
Sam
uel R
iggs IV
Alumni Center
This members-only event features complimentary
tailgate fare and beverages and live music. Reunite
with former classmates and friends at this exclusive
party held just for m
embers in the Samuel Riggs IV
Alumni Center’s Moxley Gardens. Be sure to carry
your membership card on
Homecoming for
entrance to this
special celebration!
Step Afrika!
NOVEM
BER 12-13
8 P.M.
$37/$9
Clarice Smith
Performing Arts Center
Step Afrika delivers the high-
energy tradition of stepping, an
art form born at African American
fraternities and based in African
traditions, to the Ina and Jack
Kay Theatre. With its intri-
cate kicks, stomps and
rhythms mixed with
spoken word, the
troupe seeks to build
connections between
people and to highlight
the similarities in dance
forms, lives and communities.
To mark the company’s 15-year
anniversary, Step Afrika will per-
form some its most celebrated
works with a remarkable choral
collaboration.
“Voices of the Vanqu
ished:
Censored Print Pub
lication
sfrom
Postw
ar Japan, 194
5-1949
,” Sho
wcasing
Materials From the Gordon
W. P
rang
e Collection
THROUGH DECEM
BER 30
Hornbake Library
University Libraries shed light on the
world of print publications during the
first years of the Allied Occupation of
Japan, with a display that includes
books and short stories censored by the
Allies, pulp fiction, children’s textbooks
on democracy and materials related
to the drafting of the Japanese
Constitution of 1947. Discover Japan
as it rebuilt, recovered and redefined
itself after World War II.
Fir
st
Ye
ar
Bo
ok
By
Da
ve
Eg
ge
rs
IS T
HE
WH
AT
WH
AT
20
09
/20
10
2009
Hom
ecom
ing and
Reunion
Weekend
OCTOBER 16-17
Throughout cam
pus
Reunite with old friends and make
new ones, as you rediscover
Maryland during Homecoming and
Reunion Weekend. The campus will
be buzzing with a variety of festive
activities:
• Hom
ecom
ing parade, including
floats, live music, special guests
and more. October 16, Main
Administration Building
• 50th reunion for the Class of
1959, featuring the Emeritus
Alumni Club induction with a for-
mal medallion ceremony and an
Alumni College event with a faculty
speaker. October 16, Samuel Riggs
IV Alumni Center
• An All-Reunion Lunch for all
Maryland classes, with celebrity
host and nutritionist Joy Bauer ’86,
where guests will enjoy a student
performance. October 16, Samuel
Riggs IV Alumni Center
• Maryland Alum
niAssociation
Hom
ecom
ing Festival
with activities for the
entire family, game fare and
beverages. October 17, Samuel
Riggs IV Alumni Center (three
hours prior to kickoff)
• Maryland vs. Virginia. The Terps
take on the Cavaliers in this ACC
match-up. October 17, Capital One
Field at Byrd Stadium
Visit w
ww.alumni.umd.edu for a
complete list of events.
ALU
MNI A
SSOCIATION
301.405.4678 or 800.336.8627, w
ww.alumni.umd.ed
u
CLARICE SMITH PER
FORMING ARTS CEN
TER301.405.ARTS (Ticket Office),
www.claricesm
ithcen
ter.u
md.ed
u
FIRST YEAR [email protected],
www.firstyearboo
k.um
d.ed
u
UNIVER
SITY LIBRARIES301.405.9348,
www.lib.um
d.ed
u/pran
ge/htm
l/exhibit09.jsp
HO
T L
INE
PRA
NG
E C
OLL
ECTI
ON
BY
JO
HN
T. C
ON
SOLI
; STE
P A
FRIK
A P
HO
TO ©
SHA
RO
N F
AR
MER
; HO
MEC
OM
ING
BY
LIS
A H
ELFE
RT; F
OO
TBA
LL B
Y G
REG
FIU
ME,
MA
RYLA
ND
ATH
LETI
CS
Spring09te
rp_M
DLiv
e:p
16-1
7 9/1
8/0
9 4:2
6 P
M P
age 1
An Rx for Health Care
By Tom Ventsias
Health ITIt’s been 15 years since University of Maryland researchers
invented the technology to allow doctors to get a
compact overview of patients’ information—office
visits, hospitalizations, medications and lab
results—on a single computer screen.
But today, only 8 percent of the nation’s 5,000
hospitals and 17 percent of its 800,000 physicians are
using computerized record-keeping systems. The
federal government is racing to meet its self-imposed
deadline of digitizing all Americans’ health records by
2014.
“Changing the way medical professionals work is not
easy … and turning an academic idea into a commercial
success is sometimes a long and difficult process,” says
computer science Professor Ben Shneiderman, who with
senior research scientist Catherine Plaisant guided the
research efforts to modernize medical records.
RX
TERP
x-ray
Feature 1.indd 20 9/16/09 1:32:43 PM
The problem has taken on new urgency with $19 billion of this year’s economic stimulus earmarked for bringing the nation’s health-care records into the digital age. The president and Congress continued to debate health-care reform into the fall, with the president stopping on campus in September to hold
a reform rally.The solution lies with the use of health information technology, or health IT,
which can expand health-care access, improve quality, prevent medical
errors and reduce costs.Maryland faculty are already
leaders in this fi eld, creating software that can spot trends in patients’ medical histories, developing tools to train senior citizens in online “health literacy” and study-ing the fi nancial impact of improved communication in hospitals.
It seems like it should be a no-brainer for all the stake-
holders in health care to embrace information technology, says Ritu
Agarwal, the Robert H. Smith Dean’s Chair of Information Systems. After all,
it’s been more than two decades since the U.S. banking industry discovered that elec-
tronic banking could greatly speed up transactions, reduce errors and attract customers.
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But Agarwal says signifi cant hurdles—besides the cost, estimated at as much as $150 billion—are holding up the revolution in health IT: Insurance companies may not believe it’s in their best interest to empower consumers. Hospitals are reluctant to invest in expensive health information technology if doctors aren’t going to use it. And consumers have a number of serious concerns—from a digital health record provider going out of business (taking scores of medical records with it), to the fear of unauthorized users accessing their personal health information.
“There isn’t any rigorous evaluation of what the benefi ts of using these technologies are, so people are reluctant to make [large-scale] investments of both time and money,” says Agarwal, founder and director of the Smith School of Business’s Center for Health Information and Decision Systems, or chids.
That’s where her work comes in. In one study, Agarwal is evaluating how the use of electronic prescribing—which allows a doctor to write a prescription on a computer notepad and send it directly to your pharmacy—can change the work-fl ow in small physician practices.
Researchers in chids are also at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., determining whether its new IT system for input-ting and tracking physician’s notes has affected the way attending physicians and consultants do their rounds, especially doctors who are attending to patients with complex illnesses and injuries.
to debate health-care reform into the fall, with the president stopping on campus in September to hold
a reform rally.The solution lies with the use of health information technology, or health IT,
which can expand health-care access, improve quality, prevent medical
errors and reduce costs.
leaders in this fi eld, creating software that can spot trends in patients’ medical histories,
improved communication in hospitals.
a no-brainer for all the stake-holders in health care to embrace
information technology, says Ritu Agarwal, the Robert H. Smith Dean’s
Chair of Information Systems. After all, it’s been more than two decades since the
U.S. banking industry discovered that elec-tronic banking could greatly speed up transactions, reduce errors and attract customers.
Bringing health-care records into the digital age could give patients better access to their records and the ability to make more informed choices.
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Bringing health-care records into the digital
their records and the ability to make more
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TERP fall 2009 21
Feature 1.indd 21 9/18/09 4:53:38 PM
Funded by the National Library of Medicine, the project is led by Assistant Professor Bo Xie, whose goal is to improve training techniques that boost health literacy. “For this age group, we have discovered that people pick up the knowledge faster if they are working together with their peers. That collaborative learning is very important,” Xie says.
In the university’s School of Public Health, faculty are also involved with improving health literacy—especially for underserved groups—as well as studying demographic factors that influence the effectiveness of online health information.
Nancy Atkinson, director of the school’s Public Health Informatics Research Laboratory, special-izes in developing health IT education programs. While social media tools like Facebook and Twitter are popular with support groups for weight loss or other health issues, she says consumers need to learn how to evaluate the quality and validity of health information they are getting online.
Atkinson says reliable online health tools can help people make decisions in a safe environment and teach them about health in an engaging way. “You can’t force people to sit down and listen to a lecture, but if you can give them an online health-risk assessment that has interactive features, there is a much better chance of the person participating in making informed decisions about their health care,” she says.
One example might be an online shopping game in which people could practice buying food, then get feedback on the nutritional benefits of items they purchase. After playing a similar game aimed at children, Atkinson says, young research subjects then told their parents: “I need to eat more breakfast!”
With U.S. hospitals potentially wasting almost $12 billion a year because of communication inefficiencies, Agarwal says, it is important to build a model for quantifying the cost of these inefficiencies.
Taking Charge of Your HealthDr. Sidney Wolfe, acting president of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, says it is essential for people to have unfettered access to their personal health records—as well as a basic understanding of what those documents represent.
He says patients who can review their records might discover a documenting error that could have serious consequences down the road, such as being denied life insurance or health insurance. The digi-tizing of health records also allows consumers an awareness of test results or consultations that doctors should generally be telling patients about, but sometimes don’t, he adds.
“The more a patient knows about their own diagnosis and treatment, the better they can partici-pate in their own health care,” Wolfe says.
Making informed health-care decisions, however, first requires sufficient health literacy, or the ability to obtain and understand basic health information and services.
Research in the College of Information Studies, Maryland’s iSchool, is helping seniors—who are more prone to medical problems yet less likely to be computer-savvy—improve their health literacy and learn the basics of accessing health information online.
Twice a week, iSchool graduate students meet at a Prince George’s County library with small groups of predominantly African-American women over the age of 60. These adults are taught how to distinguish valid health information from online advertising and also learn computer skills like how to navigate the Internet or use a mouse.
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Feature 1.indd 22 9/16/09 1:32:43 PM
New Health IT ToolsFor health IT to really blossom, says Ben Shneiderman, doctors need to get on board. “The key word for medical professionals is interoperabil-ity,” he says. “They are interested in helping people get better, not having to learn two or three new computer systems.”
Working with colleagues in the univer-sity’s Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, Shneiderman has designed a new computer interface called Lifelines2 that is compatible with almost any existing health IT system. The technol-ogy gives physicians an overview of the patient’s history—up to 100 years or 10,000 medical events—and it lets doctors pull up groups of patient histories to see any emerging health patterns.
This feature can help in busy emergency depart-ments, says Dr. Greg Marchand, senior attending physician of emergency services at Washington Hospital Center. “We can run blood work and immediately see if it matches certain patterns of irregularities in other patients we’ve admitted,” Marchand says. “This technology saves time and gives us another important diagnostic tool.”
Marchand is part of a group of physicians at the hospital testing the Lifelines2 technology.
“In its most basic form, medicine is people helping people,” he says, “Still, these new technolo-gies will not only make for better care by doctors, but also help patients make healthier choices on their own.”
To view a video showcasing
Lifelines2 technology, go to
www.terp.umd.edu.
Lifelines2, the computer inter-
face designed by Professor Ben
Shneiderman, is compatible
with almost any existing health
IT system. It can give doctors a
quick view of a medical history
and spot health problems.
TERP
Only 8 percent of the nation’s 5,000 hospitals and 17 percent of its 800,000 physicians are using computerized record-keeping systems.
Feature 1.indd 23 9/16/09 1:32:47 PM
24 TERP fall 2009 FOOTBALL IMAGES COURTESY OF MARYLAND ATHLETICS—PHOTOGRAPHERS: BILL VAUGHAN, GREG FIUME AND PEYTON WILLIAMS
Feature 3.indd 24 9/18/09 4:57:50 PM
Friedgen and football staff pump out “players for life.”by Michael Hoffman
Darrius Heyward-Bey had already gotten the magic phone call from Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable telling him he was the team’s first-round selection and the No. 8 overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft. But the star Maryland wide receiver didn’t believe it until his name scrolled across the TV screen in his house and his family exploded in cheers.
Maybe Heyward-Bey, a lightning-fast athlete who racked up 45 catches, 694 yards and five touchdowns last year, shouldn’t have been surprised.
He joins 36 other Terrapins who were listed on NFL rosters as of press time. In fact, head coach Ralph Friedgen’s team has produced the 13th-highest number of current NFL players of any college, according to an NFL database. Some of college football’s elite, including Virginia Tech and Alabama, trail Maryland.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA HARLESS, PHOTO BY JOHN T. CONSOLI
TERP
ARYLAND PLAYERSare going beyond just making
NFL teams, too; they’re leaders. D’Qwell Jackson registered 150 tackles last season to lead the Cleveland Browns, and Shaun Hill beat out a former No. 1 draft pick this preseason to win the start-ing quarterback position for the San Francisco 49ers. Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker E.J. Henderson ’02 directs one of the NFL’s most-feared defenses, which includes his brother and fellow alumnus Erin Henderson, as well as safety Madieu Williams ’03.
“I think Maryland is very underrated. Every year we have somebody go in the first round. Every year we have four or five guys get drafted. Not only do we get drafted, we do well in the NFL,” Heyward-Bey says.
The coaching staff says it’s all about the players, but former players point to Friedgen ’70, M.A. ’72 and his staff ’s guidance on—and off—the field as the secret to their success. Whether it’s the pro-style schemes employed by the staff, the rigorous strength and conditioning program or the coach’s dedication to developing his players into men, former players say they have an advantage.
“When I got to the NFL, I knew it was going to be tough but Coach Friedgen really got us ready and once I got past the shock of, ‘I’m in the NFL,’ I realized it was a lot like what we did at Maryland every day,” says former Maryland tight end Joey Haynos ’07, who now plays for the Miami Dolphins.
Friedgen himself spent time coaching in the NFL. He was an assistant with San Diego when the Chargers lost to the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX. That experience has helped Friedgen prepare players to make the jump to the pros, but it also gives him credibility when NFL scouts ask about his players.
“He’s spent so many years in the NFL that when Ralph puts his stamp on a player, you know it is legitimate,” says Bobby DePaul ’86, senior director of pro personnel for the Chicago Bears and a former Terps linebacker.
Haynos said his exposure to Friedgen’s complex offense made it easier to learn the different offensive schemes and elaborate NFLplaybooks. It also helps Maryland players get drafted because NFLscouts know they can make the transition faster, DePaul says.
Friedgen says some players have come back and even told him his practices were tougher: “Many of them have remarked to me that it is easier in the NFL than it is playing for us.”
His strength and conditioning coach, Dwight Galt M.A. ’89, trains all Maryland players on NFL combine events such as the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and bench press from the first year they
arrive on campus. Much has been made about how well Maryland players, including Heyward-Bey and tight end Vernon Davis, now with the 49ers, performed in the combine.
“The strength program by Dwight Galt definitely has gotten me ready for the physical aspect of the NFL,” says defensive lineman Jeremy Navarre ’09, who plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Galt, who has spent 21 years at Maryland, says this latest run of Terrapins going pro is special—and he doesn’t expect it to slow down.
“We have some really good football players coming to Maryland, and we are also doing a better job of getting them ready to make that jump,” Galt says.
Well before then, Friedgen sets out to develop “players for life.” When recruiting, he talks up the school rather than the football team or its potential to send athletes to the NFL. During senior quarterback Chris Turner’s recruiting visit, Friedgen says he stressed internship opportunities in nearby Washington, D.C., just as much as his passing drills.
“A lot of our competitors, that’s all they sell is the NFL,”
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA HARLESS
Friedgen says. “If I was a parent of a player, I would run so far away from that school. I would rather talk to our players or recruits about the fact that this decision is about the next 40
years of their life.”Once players arrive in at Maryland, Friedgen demands those who skip class run stairs in Byrd Stadium. He and
his wife, Gloria M.A. ’73, reward players with the high-est class attendance rates and GPAs with dinner at
their home. Gloria, a former biology teacher who works as alumni and outreach coordinator in the
School of Public Health, also tutors players.“What we do is really try to develop a family atmosphere with the team right from the start,” Gloria Friedgen says.
“Ralph looks for high-quality individuals, and it’s great to see how they mature over
time. Some move to the NFL, which is great, too, but we want to see all players succeed in life.”
A new book by a Maryland alumnus, sportswriter and devoted Terps football fan chronicles the team’s history, from the first game in 1892 to its successes under coach Ralph Friedgen today.
John McNamara ’83 uses words, historic photos and replicas of rare memorabilia to
create a vivid scrapbook of sorts titled “The University of Maryland Football Vault: The History of the Terrapins.”
“The book was a very personal undertaking,” says McNamara, who covers the Terps at The Capital newspaper in Annapolis. “I have followed Maryland football—first as a fan, then as a
journalist—for the last 35 years. Many of the players mentioned were people I watched, interviewed and got to
know. I even met my wife, also a Maryland journalism student at the time, after a Maryland-North Carolina football game in 1981.”
He combines stories about legends including Harry C. “Curley” Byrd 1908, Jack Scarbath ’54, Jerry Claiborne, Boomer Esiason ’84 and E.J. Henderson ’02 with materials drawn from Maryland’s athletics department and archives. Johnny Holliday, longtime radio play-by-play announcer, wrote the foreword and Friedgen provided the afterword.
“VAULT” HOLDS TERPS FOOTBALL HISTORY
“I think Maryland is very underrated. Every year we have somebody go in the first round. Every year we
have four or five guys get drafted. Not only do we get drafted, we do well in the NFL.”—HEYWARD-BEY
TERP
28 TERP fall 2009
TERP fall 2009 29
The students chat with the residents, who are leaving behind abusive relationships, drug addictions or unemployment and heading to work or school. Back on campus, the students attend seminars on homelessness, meet guest speakers and consider such questions as: What perceptions about homelessness did they bring to the shelter? How had they changed?
Stephanie Rivero, a senior majoring in family science, called the work “inspiring.”
The women slowly “opened up to us and we saw just how dif-ficult their lives were,” she says, recalling how the shelter’s coordina-tor got her and her peers to think about how the women there had lost everything. “And after we got that, it was even more fulfilling when they did talk to us.”
This isn’t just volunteerism. It’s a national trend called civic engagement. The University of Maryland is a leader among colleges encouraging students to become citizens who act to improve their communities.
People born between 1982 and 2000 are America’s first “civic generation” since the 1930s and 1940s, according to Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais Ph.D ’73, authors of the 2008 bestseller “Millennial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube, and the Future of American Politics.” Interest in public service has gained further traction with the election of President Barack Obama, who has championed community service, and Congress’s passage last spring of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, a broad outline to expand service opportunities and reward people who take part.
Campus Compact, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting com-munity service, civic engagement and service-learning in higher education, has grown from 500 participating schools in 2006 to more than 1,100 now, representing 6 million students.
Carrying pillows and sleeping bags from their
dorm rooms, a few Maryland students arrive at
Calvary Women’s Shelter in Washington, D.C.,
at 10 p.m. Their task for a few nights of the
semester seems simple enough: Answer the
phone or door. Try to sleep. Get up at 6 and put
out breakfast and a pot of coffee. Make sure the
25 women who live there are out the door by 8.
By Lauren Brown
CivicFeaturev3.indd 29 9/18/09 5:16:23 PM
30 TERP fall 2009
“The growth preceded Obama,” says Elizabeth Hollander, former executive director of Campus Compact and now senior fellow at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, Tufts University. “But what he did was reinforce it in a huge way.”
She praised Maryland’s “innovative” efforts to get students thinking about their role in society, and in particular its efforts to measure the growth in student involvement—whether in one-day stream cleanups, yearlong mentoring and literacy programs at elementary schools or alternative breaks spent rebuilding homes on the Gulf Coast. U.S. News & World Report also consistently ranks the university’s service-learning opportunities on its list of
“Programs to Look For.”Anecdotal evidence of the boom at Maryland abounds. Pre-
registration for Terp Service Weekend jumped from 300 in 2008 to 560 this past April. The Coalition for Civic Engagement and Leadership reached thousands of students in the last academic year
through its 2-year-old Web site, www.TerpImpact.umd.edu. Terps for Change, a volunteer placement program formed
last fall through the university’s Leadership and Community Service-Learning unit, already has a waiting list of students seeking long-term opportunities.
All kinds of organizations on campus are putting the “learning” in “service-learning.” Leadership and Community Service-Learning has students—like those who volunteered at the women’s shelter—come together for refl ective discussions on their work, where they wrestle with their preconceptions and evaluate the success of social systems. Students in CIVICUS, a two-year living and learning program in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, take special classes about societal challenges and write in their journals about their experiences in nonprofi ts, governmental agencies and schools. In College Park Scholars, another living and learning community, all 900 freshmen participate in a service day around the Washington area every August.
“Overall, we’re seeing more involvement both by individual students doing service-related projects, as well as fi nding faculty who are very interested in creating those kinds of experiences for students,” says Martha Baer Wilmes, associate director for student affairs in College Park Scholars.
After all, faculty members want their students to learn, and stu-dents generally prefer to learn by doing rather than through lectures. Students also know they can learn leadership skills as part of their community service experience, and build their résumés.
A critical component of service-learning is stressing its recip-rocal nature: While volunteering is a one-way act, participants in service-learning give and receive.
“The old—the bad—way to go in thinking was, ‘We know what you need. We’re here to solve your problems,’” says Barbara Jacoby, senior scholar at the Adele H. Stamp Student Union-Center for Campus Life. “Now we consider the community in terms of its assets as well as its needs.”
She gets much of the credit for the university’s commitment to focusing on that difference. This year, Jacoby ’71, M.A. ’72, Ph.D ’78 published her fourth book on service-learning and civic engagement, “Civic Engagement in Higher Education: Concepts and Practices.” She and colleague Susan R. Jones in the College of Education are seeking a grant to study how students develop a civic identity.
“We have these resources here that really inform what we do,” says Craig Slack, the Stamp’s assistant director for leadership and community service-learning. He helped establish the university’s year-old minor in leadership studies, which connects theory to students’ identity, major and interests in the community.
Jacoby was a founder of the university’s Coalition for Civic Engagement and Leadership, which shows faculty how to incorporate civic engagement into their classes and integrated the concept into the education of a large majority of Maryland students, through required English 101 classes. The Terp Impact Web site has won accolades nationwide for pulling together all of the civic engagement and leadership opportunities for students on and off campus, encouraging collaboration and reducing duplication of efforts.
“Students were telling us that they knew so much was going on in the way of civic engagement, but they couldn’t fi nd it,” Jacoby says.
She adds that there’s no way to measure the coalition’s success because that’s ultimately refl ected in the community and around the world, as more civic-minded graduates go on to nurture commitments to their neighborhoods, professions, families and faith communities.
But she’s encouraged by examples like Stephanie Rivero, who planned to return to the women’s shelter this fall and hopes to become a family and marriage counselor, and Matthew “M.J.” Kurs-Lasky, a senior majoring in marketing. He came to Maryland as a College Park Scholar, created a service day for Jewish students, interned for nonprofi ts for the past two summers and is seeking a career in the nonprofi t sector.
Civic engagement, Kurs-Lasky says, “is something that might not have been formulated in my head coming to Maryland, but Maryland solidifi ed it for me. I can put in a great deal of work, and at the end of the day, there’s noticeable change in the community.” terp
PHOTOS BY JOHN T. CONSOLI
CivicFeaturev3.indd 30 9/18/09 5:16:26 PM
WITH THE ECONOMY IN A TAILSPIN earlier this year, long-time WTTG–TV reporter Karen Gray Houston was distressed to learn an endowed scholarship honoring her late husband would not generate enough income for a 2009 award.
The scholarship, named for Maryland journalism alumnus Chris Houston ’85, provides � nancial aid to a broadcast journalism student in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. It recognizes
Chris Houston’s passion for the news industry, exempli� ed by his 18 years at WUSA–TV in Washington, D.C. There he advanced from reporter trainee to senior assignment manager before losing a battle with pancreatic cancer three years ago at age 42.
“I was determined not to let the scholarship lapse,” Karen Houston says.
“I knew how strongly Chris had felt about the value of an education, and I
also recognized the slow economy was probably a� ecting students, too, making it even more di� cult to pay for college.”
Houston provided additional funding to the K. Christopher Houston Scholarship, with Jolie Doggett, a sophomore from
Newport News, Va., named as this year’s recipient.In April, Doggett was invited to a reception at Karen
Houston’s home in Silver Spring, Md., where the aspiring jour-nalist met a who’s who of broadcast media from Washington, D.C.
When it came time for Doggett to accept her award, the brief notes she had written on index cards fell by the wayside. Doggett broke into tears, expressing gratitude for the scholarship, but also sharing concerns about making ends meet for her second year at Maryland.
Her heartfelt remarks struck a chord with the audience, Houston says, with many of them immediately writing checks—totaling more than $4,000—to the scholarship fund, assuring that Doggett could receive additional support.
Two weeks later, Houston had a leather-bound journal delivered to Doggett that was signed by dozens of reporters who attended the reception, sharing words of wisdom about their experiences in the news industry and life. “That means so much to me,” Doggett says.
“I can look at it for inspiration whenever I’m having a hard day.”Houston says the experience touched her as well: “I just want
people like Jolie to be able to follow their dreams, just as I did…just as Chris did.” —TV
A Memory to Keep
, with Jolie Doggett, a sophomore from
TERP fall 2009 31
Jolie Doggett
(left) with Karen
Gray Houston.
K. Christopher
Houston (above
left).
Honor Roll of Donors Online The generous support of alumni and friends raised $112 million in new gifts and pledges last year*. To show our gratitude, individual benefactors are recognized in the Honor Roll of Donors, available exclusively online at www.honorroll.umd.edu. *2009 fi scal year (July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009)
$1 BILLION
$500 M
campaign total
$650 MILLIONas of Sept. 1, 2009
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In the Loop.indd 31 9/18/09 5:34:48 PM
32 TERP fall 2009 DIVINE NINE ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA HARLESS
ΑΚΑ ΑΦΑ
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THEY CALL THEMSELVES THE DIVINE NINE: the nine historically African-American Greek-letter fraternities and sorori-ties that form the National Pan-Hellenic Council, or NPHC. And Maryland alumni members of each organization are rallying around a new cause to bene� t current students.
Led by Nicole Pollard ’91, a new member of the Colonnade Society Council and the alumni association’s Board of Governors, these alumni created the Divine Nine Emergency Tuition Assistance Fund this year.
“Members of our organizations were leaders at Maryland, and this fund bene� ts those students who are following in our footsteps and taking on leadership roles today,” says Pollard, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., who was seeking ways to encourage more alumni to give back to Maryland.
The Divine Nine, who share a common purpose of commu-nity service and leadership development, held their � rst alumni reunion on May 2 to get the fund-raising ball rolling. The more than 200 alumni who came
together to reminisce also contributed nearly $17,000 to the fund. Others who couldn’t attend the event connected on the group’s Facebook page and expanded the fundraising momentum online. The goal is to raise $25,000 by Homecoming, which will endow the tuition assistance fund and ensure its perpetual impact.
“I strongly believe that people give to the things that they are close to, and this event renewed connections to Maryland for many African-American alumni,” says Pollard.
The tuition assistance fund will support members of NPHC orga-nizations who have no other � nancial resources available to handle emergency situations, with priority given to students who are within one or two semesters of graduation.
“These students have invested two, three or more years in getting their education,” Pollard says.
“We don’t want them to have to walk away from their accomplishments
and lose opportunities simply because of � nancial need.”
Ultimately, the group hopes continued contri-
butions will grow the fund to a level that will allow full scholarships to be awarded. —CR
“Divine” Intervention for Students in Need
the divine nine
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
• Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc.
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
• Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.
• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
In the Loop.indd 32 9/16/09 5:22:00 PM
CREDIT
ΑΚΑ ΑΦΑ
ΔΣΘ
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ΣΓΡ
Turf Grad Sets Others on Right CourseWHEN FRANK DUDA ’07 was � nishing his undergraduate degree in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, his classmates joked that he was the type of person who might one day have a college building named after him.
Maybe someday. Duda was known then for his dedication to his studies in the col-lege’s turf and golf course management program as well as his leadership and work as a peer mentor. Now he’s an alumnus who’s found another way to show his com-mitment to the college.
Immediately after graduating, and at only 21 years of age, Duda established a scholarship to bene� t others in the turf program. His gift makes him one of the university’s youngest alumni to fund a scholarship.
“I knew I wanted to give back,” Duda says, “especially to the turf program, because there are not a lot of scholarships available in that discipline, and I wanted to help the program’s reputation grow.”
Now an assistant superintendent at the Miacomet Golf Course in Nantucket, Mass., he can see � rsthand the value of the education he received at Maryland. “The plant sciences part of the program is invalu-
able, and you also learn a commitment to environmentally friendly turf management practices that are becoming the standard in the industry today.”
Steve Hutzell, a senior in plant sciences and University Honors with a 3.98 GPA, is
the � rst recipient of the Frank Duda Turf Grass Scholarship. Hutzell completed an internship this summer in golf course man-agement at the Chevy Chase Club, and says he learned that a large part of the business involves managing human resources along
with taking care of the greenery.He hopes to follow in Duda’s footsteps
not only in his career track, but also in his � nancial support of Maryland’s turf and golf course management program. “I don’t think Frank could have done a better thing
for the University of Maryland than to give back to the same program he was in,” says Hutzell. “I am thinking that maybe a year or two after I am done with my degree that I can do something similar.” —TV
“I knew I wanted to give back,” , “especially to the turf program, because there are not a lot of scholarships available in that discipline, and I wanted to help the program’s reputation grow.”
Hutzell. “I am thinking that maybe a year or two after I am done with my degree that I can do something similar.” —TV
DUDA AND TURF PHOTOS BY EDWIN REMSBERG; HUTZELL PHOTO BY JOHN T. CONSOLI TERP fall 2009 33
DUDA
HUTZELL
In the Loop.indd 33 9/16/09 5:22:06 PM
GIVING TREE BY BRIAN G. PAYNE; MEAGHER PHOTO COURTESY OF SARA MEAGHER
IN THE MOST LITERAL SENSE the seed money o� ered by Bruce and Karen ’76 Levenson to expand philanthropy and non-pro� t management studies at Maryland is a gift that keeps on giving.
The couple has made a three-year commitment to the School of Public Policy to fund development of a program that produces graduates committed to advancing the work of nonpro� ts and introduces students to the importance of philanthropy in society and their own lives.
“We see this as a way for us to leverage our own philanthropic endeavors in a way that can’t be achieved by focusing on any indi-vidual charity,” says Bruce Levenson. “There are numerous good causes, but most charitable decisions are made spontaneously. We want to encourage a more informed approach to giving that will bene� t the greater community.”
Karen Levenson, who worked with high school students in a Jewish youth philanthropy program, saw the impact of actively engaging them in giving decisions.
“I’ve seen how excited young people become when they are part of the process, when they learn how to give in an educated manner,” she says. “We hope the Maryland program can expand on that idea.”
The Levinson gift will enable the hiring of a new professor of the practice, who will develop a robust curriculum for both undergraduate and graduate students, with the � rst course to be o� ered this spring.
An anticipated hallmark of the program is a hands-on philan-thropy project that would allow undergraduate student groups up to $10,000 to distribute for philanthropic purposes based on their studies. Dean Donald Kettl says the school also envisions eventually establishing a center for philanthropy and nonpro� t management.
“Our hope,” says Bruce Levenson “is that we can prove some-thing through this seed program that will attract students and other donors in a large way and enable expansion of this into something more signi� cant for the future.” —CR
The Gift That Keeps on Giving
A love of horses
was required to be
a recipient of the
Equine Studies
Scholarship, and
Sara Meagher’s
long list of activities working
with and caring for horses made her
an easy fi rst choice.
A senior double major in animal
sciences and agricultural science
and technology, the honor student
was an active member of the Animal
Husbandry Club and the Equestrian
Club where she was both an
instructor and rider on
the Intercollegiate
Equestrian Team. She
volunteers with the
Maryland Network for
Injured Equestrians and
helps plan equine events
for the Maryland Cooperative
Extension Service.
Meagher (above) assisted in
teaching a horse management
course last year and after gradu-
ation hopes to foster good
management practices and an
educated and passionate equine
community.
The scholarship was estab-
lished in 2007 by Martha Asberry in
memory of her brother John Bruce
Dodson ’68, who had a passion for
horses and riding. It is awarded
annually to a student who demon-
strates a commitment to the equine
industry through education and
hard work.
Rose Weiss, (right) a senior his-
tory major, loves working as a park
ranger at the Frederick Douglass
National Historic Site to help pay
34 TERP fall 2009
In the Loop.indd 34 9/18/09 5:35:06 PM
TERP fall 2009 35
For 59 Consecutive Years, Alumnus Supports Terps
for school, but admits it takes a toll
on her studies. The Hugh F. and
Glen Hannah Cole Financial Aid
Scholarship for Students in the
Arts and Humanities allowed Weiss
to reduce her work hours last year
and take advantage of some special
academic opportunities.
As part of a course exploring the
relationship of slavery to the found-
ing of the University of Maryland,
she participated in research trips
to Alexandria, Va., and Philadelphia
to search through archives contain-
ing papers of some of the school’s
founders. Weiss says having time
for that kind of primary source
research and for working one-on-
one with distinguished faculty
members in independent study
projects was possible only with
fi nancial support from scholarships.
For Patrick McTamney, a fi fth-year
biochemistry doctoral student who
graduated in August, the fellow-
ship funded by Herman Kraybill
provided more than money to sup-
port his research. It also led to a
close relationship with the donor, a
noted biochemist retired from the
National Institutes of Health.
McTamney, (bottom left) whose
research focuses on the chemistry
of iodide salvage in the thyroid,
says he enjoys his discussions and
interactions with Kraybill, including
sharing research articles of mutual
interest. Thankful for the fellowship
support, McTamney prominently
acknowledged it in three articles he
wrote this year.
Make your mark on Marylandcheer join share volunteer give
OSCAR LINE MISSED HIS GRADUATION
CEREMONY back in Spring 1950—he’d already been shipped o� to serve in Korea. Despite his meager Navy wages, he managed from his overseas post to send his � rst donation to Maryland.
He’s mailed at least one check to his alma mater every year since.
Now 90, Line is one of the university’s most consistent supporters, helping to fund athletics, student scholarships and other priority needs.
“I’ve tried to make it a little better o� for others than what I had,” he says.
Line (right) came to Maryland in 1946, after serving as a Navy � ghter pilot in World War II. He’d already lost his dad, and his mother died while he was stationed in the South Paci� c.
The pre-law major lived on campus and worked at the university bookstore; he laughs now as he recalls students o� ering him “bribes” of cold bottled milk in exchange for books. Line refused to take any shifts on Friday nights or Saturday afternoons because he never missed a football game.
He carried on that same devotion to the football team as soon as he returned from Korea after three years, two months and � ve days. Line earned a law degree at American University and began a long career in
Department of Defense intelligence. He still can’t talk about most of his work.
Line remains a huge Maryland football fan and likes to tailgate with fellow alumni in the Maryland Club at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center.
“He loves the people, he loves the music we play. He’s always the � rst one here,” says Brian Shook, director of individual philanthropy and regional programs and a friend of Line’s.
Over the years, Line increased his giving substantially, and in March of this year made a bequest to support the operation of the alumni center. A space in the building will be named in Line’s honor, a � tting tribute to a man who makes Riggs his game-day home. —LB
OSCAR LINE BY ANNE MCDONOUGH; SAMUEL RIGGS IV ALUMNI CENTER BY ROBERT SULLIVAN ; WEISS PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSE WEISS; MCTAMNEY/KRAYBILL PHOTO BY ANDREA MORRISOSCAR LINE BY ANNE MCDONOUGH; SAMUEL RIGGS IV ALUMNI CENTER BY ROBERT SULLIVAN ; WEISS PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSE WEISS; MCTAMNEY/KRAYBILL PHOTO BY ANDREA MORRIS
In the Loop.indd 35 9/18/09 5:35:11 PM
36 TERP FALL 2009 PHOTO BY JEREMY GREEN
Interpretations
ONLY A FEW milesfrom the nation’s capi-tal, the University ofMaryland has alwaysbeen affected by newpresidential adminis-trations. This year theinfluence has beeneven more pro-nounced, calling onthe university’sresearch strengths inareas of criticalnational priority, suchas energy, climatechange and national
security. With the new administration committed to pro-moting science and technology and the stimulus packageproviding a wellspring of funding, the university’s researchefforts have been infused with new vigor. In April the U.S. Department of Energy created an
Energy Frontier Research Center at the university.Discovering the science and creating the technology neededto build a 21st-century energy economy, our center focuseson new electrical energy storage capacity. The center is fund-ed in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Actand complements the administration’s new $400 millionAdvanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.Building on the University of Maryland’s talented
teams of climate scientists, the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration, or NOAA, selected the uni-versity in May to lead a new climate research partnershipof 17 institutions. The nationwide consortium, theCooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites, or CICS,will receive up to $93 million in funding over the nextfive years from NOAA. With one of the nation’s largestclusters of federal and university scientists, the CICS willfocus on satellite observations and Earth system modelingto develop tools that will make our climate change pre-dictions and assessments useful to policymakers and localcommunities.
National security is another research area receivingcontinued attention in Washington, D.C. This year theDepartment of Defense has awarded the university arecord-breaking four primary program awards from thehighly competitive Multi-disciplinary University ResearchInitiative, or MURI. The MURI program supports multi-disciplinary basic research in areas that have high potentialboth for defense and commercial applications. Our topicsfor this year include research into the electronic propertiesof graphene at the nanoscale, new phases of matter forquantum information/computing, quantum-optical cir-cuits of hybrid quantum memories and practical super-conductors.These MURIs complement a new Physics Frontier
Center, awarded in September 2008 to the Joint QuantumInstitute, a partnership between the University ofMaryland and the National Institute of Standards andTechnology. Focused on cutting-edge investigations ofquantum science, the center is funded by $12.5 millionover five years from the National Science Foundation, orNSF, and is pursuing the physics of quantum informationand quantum computing. Discoveries are needed to createcomputers that can undertake very large database searchesand create unbreakable data encryption that is not possiblewith the best conventional computers.University researchers have been ahead of the curve for
decades, creating innovative solutions to many challengesthat are now pressing on the national agenda. Since over70 percent of the university’s research funding comes fromfederal sources such as the NSF, NASA, the Department ofDefense, the National Institutes of Health, the Food andDrug Administration and the U.S. Department ofAgriculture, the university has always been a leader inconnecting basic research to federal as well as practicalobjectives. With the presidential administration’s newcommitment to science, Maryland is strongly positionedto influence fundamental scientific advancement and thenational science and technology agendas.
—Dan Mote, President
Changing Times
“With the presidential administration’s new commitment to science,Maryland is strongly positioned to influence fundamental scientificadvancement and the national science and technology agendas.”
Spring09terp DEPTS:p1-15;29-32 9/16/09 3:38 PM Page 36
Terp is the magazine that keeps you connected with the University of
Maryland, passing on news of the latest research, interesting alumni
and fun happenings on campus. These tough economic times are making it more challenging to
deliver the print edition of Terp to your mailbox. We produced it in a
Web-only format in the spring to trim expenses and used the opportunity
to expand our online content and collect feedback from our readers.
But we want to continue to make the print version available to alumni
who like settling into a favorite chair with the magazine.If you enjoy our stories—such as our Spring feature about military
veterans transitioning to life at Maryland, or this issue’s article about
our research to make your health records easier to access—please
consider a tax-deductible contribution to support your alumni magazine.
Yes, I want to support Terp magazine. Enclosed is a tax-deductible gift to the Terp Magazine Fund in the amount of $
NAME GRADUATION YEAR
STREET
CITY STATE ZIP
SELECT PAYMENT
Check (Please make payable to the University of Maryland College Park Foundation Inc.)
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Send your contribution to: Maryland Fund for Excellence, 4511 Knox Road, Suite 205, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740-3380.
You can also make your donation online at www.supportum.umd.edu or call the Maryland Fund for Excellence at 301.405.7749 or 877.TerpGive.
Gifts in support of the University of Maryland are accepted and managed by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation Inc., an affi liated 501(c)(3) organ-ization authorized by the Board of Regents. Contributions to the University of Maryland are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Please see your tax adviser for details. PYYA0 | TERP MAGAZINE TEAR OFF | MAILING 1 | CPAF TERPTO, M1
Danita D. Nias ’81Assistant Vice President, Alumni Relations and Development
Terp Cover FALL 2009 FINAL:Terp Cover Summer -FINAL 9/18/09 3:43 PM Page covVII
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Return to alma mater for Homecoming and Reunion Weekend
October 16 -17, 2009
Welcome to Terp Town! Bring the whole family to your alumni home on campus, the Samuel
Riggs IV Alumni Center, for Homecoming Festival 2009, beginning three hours before kickoff,
Saturday, Oct. 17. Gear up for the game with activities to delight Terps of all ages,
including live Terp tunes, Terptivities for the kids and refreshments for
purchase at the Terp Tavern and Tailgate Grill. Alumni Association
members are invited to the exclusive Backyard Bash with complimentary
tailgate fare, beverages and live music. See page 18-19 for details.
All-Reunion Lunch
PLACE
FSC
LOGO
Terp Cover FALL 2009 FINAL:Terp Cover Summer -FINAL 9/17/09 1:19 PM Page covIV