Eight rising juniors at the University of Maryland have been awarded Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarships from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), one of the premier honors for undergraduates in the field.
The students will each receive $19,000 of academic assistance and a paid summer internship with NOAA next year. The UMD cohort—the largest in the nation this year and second-highest ever at UMD—brings Maryland’s total number of Hollings Scholars since 2008 to 56.
“This best-in-the-nation result in NOAA’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarship program is a testament to Maryland’s exceptional students and our institution-wide commitment to environmental excellence,” said Francis DuVinage, director of the National Scholarships Office. “We couldn’t be prouder of our Hollings Scholars and the vital work they’re doing to meet the pressing environmental challenges of our time.”
Of the 128 new Hollings Scholars, selected from a competitive applicant pool of 829 students, two scholars include UH juniors Khushi Desai and Donovan Fry.
Two University of Maryland juniors working on environmental issues have been awarded prestigious scholarships from the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.
Vivian Maneval ’27 and Michelle Wang ’27 were among 65 students nationally selected to receive $7,500 Udall Undergraduate Scholarships, which recognize and support future leaders in environmental, tribal public policy and health care fields.
Previous UH Faculty member, Dr. Jordan Johnson, recently published a new article in Edge Effects online magazine focused entirely on her innovative approach to teaching in University Honors. Her course, HNUH238R: Invasive: Feminist Perspectives on Power, Politics, and Ecosurveillance, was a hit among UH students and included a trip to Greenbelt to help remove invasive species of plants from local parks.
A University of Maryland junior with a passion for environmental justice has been awarded a Truman Scholarship, the nation’s most selective award for underclassmen with exceptional leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or in the nonprofit sector, and demonstrated academic excellence.
Michelle Wang ’27, a double major in environmental science and policy along with social data science, is the 12th UMD student to earn the honor established by Congress in 1975 to memorialize President Harry S. Truman. It provides up to $30,000 for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and special internship and fellowship opportunities within the federal government.
It’s always an honor to celebrate the remarkable members of our UH community each spring and this year was no different. Find the full program and some photos from our most recent UH SendOff event below!
Jeremiah Carr, Alessandra Crippa, Alyssa Davies, Sarah Davis, Gabrielle Dorsey, Patrick Gee, Julianna Gray, Anika Hukmani, Naasera Husain, Tanvi Kotta, Diana Lyons, Vivian Maneval, Ryan Mathew, Benjamin Mielcarek, Kate Oyedele, Ashley Patterson, Hannah Smith, & Cricia Villanueva
House Spirit Award Winners
House Altair: Noah Oppelt (1,067 pts) House Shaula: Sanaya Moore (1,129 pts) House Eltanin: Ishan Joshi (1,186 pts) House Denebola: Chase Baldwin (1,668 pts)
Emerging Leader Award Winners
David Akamine, Sarah Davis, Rose Deguet Delury, Diana Lyons, Alisha Mansoor, & Benjamin Mielcarek
Student Scholar Award Winners
Anushka Poddar, Savannah Robbins, & LeeAnn Wong Arbelo
Vantage Point Realization Award Winners
Brooke Baney, Adam Didouchevski, Julianna Gray, & Hannah Richard
Outgoing Thematic Clusters Recognition
Artificial? Intelligence?: Roland Rust, Rebecca Jones, Cody Buntain, Kenneth Frauwirth, & Alex Harlig
Butterfly Effects: Richard Bell, Daniel Yoder Zipp, DeNeen Brown, Todd Cooke, Marisa Franco, & Robert Graham
Karim Abdallah Nishan Abeywardena William Adams Ayodele Adeyeri Ayomiposi Ajayi Madison Akers Paul Akiyama Alisa Alford Ava Allen Shayna Alter Chisom Amaikwu Simon Ambrozak Dillon Amin Simran Arora Naana Asamoah Alexandra Atherton Nisha Athrey Kendall Auffarth John Baik Anne Bair Nicole Baker Alseny Balde Paul Baliff Zoe Barbour Ava Bautista Lara Becker Maya Beckman Addis Belayneh Adam Ben Youssef Lina Berhaneyessus Alexander Bierly Deeraj Binkam Bridget Bisson Adryanna Blocker Noa Blumenthal Nathan Bogin Tanvi Bolarum Maria Bond-Lamberty Madisen Bonner Anthony Boscolo James Botti Mason Boyers Nolan Brennan Tal Bresler Violet Brungart Carleigh Buckler Fatima Bundu Sara Busch Maeve Campbell Natalie Carpenter Jenna Catlett Mia Censoprano Megan Cha Julia Chamberlin David Chang Elise Chang Nihar Chegireddy Andy Chen Austin Chen Jeffrey Chen Natalie Chen Rachel Chen Spencer Chen Tao Chen Vicky Chen David Chen Tyson Cheung Shreenitha Chikyala Joseph Cho Michelle Choi Christopher Connor Rebecca Contreras Alessandra Crippa Gwen Cuadra Jack Cullum Aya Daher Zaharias Dakoulas Kenna Dalu Caleb Daniele Calvin Davis Madison Davitt Tara Davoodi Conrad Decressin Gianna DeLucca Dylan Dembo Yemisrach Deneke Medhanit Desta Julia Devine Zoe Devine Maeya Devlin-Tremble Anna Devoto Neha Dheenadhayalan Gabrielle Dorsey Isabella Dos Santos Cole Drumgoole Leo Du Olivia Duran Sean Eby Dylan Edwards Kamryn Edwards Thomas Edwards Christina Elebeke Divine Enyi Keola Evans Monica Eze Klint Faber Benjamin Falco Ashley Fearon Gabriella Feinberg Amber Felger Emmanuel Felix Ella Ferbert Ari Ferneau Noah Ferrara Mia Ferraro Harrison Fike Jaime Fonseca Gonzalez Adelia Fontes Arya Forohar Fiona Forrest Megan Freiermuth Jake Friedman Nikko Fukui Catherine Furtado Meherzan Gai Aidan Gaines Vaibhav Garg Caroline Garrett Alston Geckle Patrick Gee Ainsley Giles Ashley Gitau Darcia Gleason Amber Godil Christian Gomez Nicholas Gonzalez Srikar Gosakan Srikar Gosakan Margaret Gouker Julianna Gray Skyler Gribbon Luke Griffith Kyle Grimsley Kathryn Grow Anthony Gu Iris Guo Daniel Guonjian-Pettit Caleb Haber Iris Ham Avipsa Hamal Dana Harel Dana Harel Rory Harmon Julion Harris Royce Hartin Joseph Hauerstein Nicholas Hearne Emily Heath Medha Hegde Trevor Hennebery Alanna Hennessey-Loyo Ian Henry Ava Hill Lauren Hill Sage Hoffman Robert Hopkins Liam Hornstein Anika Hukmani Elizabeth Ipe Neisha Islam Sarah Jacob Daniel Jamison Siddharth Jasti Shane Jayasundera Ephod Jima Mia Jocic Benjamin Johnson Hudson Jones Fredrick Jorgensen Ayush Joshi Charlotte Juengel Rebecca Kanda Kaviya Kandaswamy Alexander Kantuni Jacob Kaplan-Davis Marzan Karim Jamiesen Kavanagh Charles Keene Paul Kettlestrings Elena Khanlarbeik Irene Ki Andrew Kim Donggeon Kim Paul Kim Ryan Kim Stanley Kim Woo Kim Sai Kodali Shiri Kolom Phoebe Korang Megha Krishnakumar Katherine Krotkov Elyssa Kugler Aditya Kumbhare Steven Kuo Noah Kupinsky Nikhil Kurian Nicole Kyei-Asare Sebastien Lair Khang Lam Daniel Lamb Cailyn Lamptey Robert Latyak Jameson Lau Jackson Laub Thomas Lazzarini Alexis Le Sarah Lederman Benjamin Lee Collin Lee Eric Lee Eunice Lee Mingxin Lei Luca Lemberger Vivian Li Anthony Liberatore
Tyler Lin Amber Liu Qin Lu Rebecca Lu Sophie Lu Austin Luu Pacawat Luu Mosiah Maddox Zaina Maharoof Dennis Malikov Reva Mannan Reva Mannan Cierra Marshall Cyril Mathew Ryan Mathew Aiden McCormick Declan McGarry Ainsley McNinch Daniel Mehreteab Sunjum Mehta Tej Mehta Jonathan Mei Salem Mengistu Casey Metzger Aidan Meyer Nadia Meyerovich Zachary Miller Dorian Mitchell Kevin Mitchell Keshav Mittu Yassine Mohmand Chris Moon Hannah Moore Susanna Moore Bradley Morhiser Joan Morningstar Jonathan Moses Rachel Mroz Miku Nagao Vikram Nagarajan Praharsh Nanduri Pranav Narayan Adam Nazrul Hisham Beryl Ndofor Quinlan Ngo Christine Nguyen Huy Nguyen Amanda Nobil Obariagora Nwogu Oriel Ockerman Jaidan Odonoghue Oluwatobiloba Oloye Victoria Olyshko Jenna Omar Angel Oparaocha Devora Organic Prince Osei Arya Palan Aakash Pamnani Nicholas Pappas Tiana Parker-Bey Ansh Patel Maahi Patel Tisha Patel Kavi Patel Alexander Paul Keya Pawar Ankit Penmatcha Joseph Pennsy Flavia Peredo Barbery Yesenia Perez Mika Persaud Alex Pertea Justin Pham Ava Piatt Terra Pickett Isabel Polanco Maya Popova Carsten Portner Caitlin Powell Natalie Prieto Andy Pu Kyle Pumphrey Asbah Qadri Grant Quant Maryellen Quinn Maarij Qureshi Schanze Qureshi Silas Rager Jasmine Ramos Iara Rattner Sanchay Ravindiran Samiya Redd Paige Reed Ansh Rekhi Ansh Rekhi Quinn Renaghan Angelica Reyes Bruce Reyes Michelle Rhee Alex Ridolfi Wyatt Riker Savannah Robbins Archer Romelli David Romero Luke Rose Sophia Rowe Rona Roy Emma Rudolph Adaline Ruff Elizabeth Runsdorf Aidan Sachs Brynn Saffer Priyansu Sahu Logan Sampath Valeria Sanchez-Mendoza Nishan Sandhu Archer Sariscak Khary Sarr Jenneth Sayson Andrew Schaefer Tali Schlenoff Zachary Schneider Riley Schoch Trevor Scholz Patrick Scott Sierra Scott Curtis Sechler Parsa Sedghi Bennett Sellers Ryan Selser Maaya Senthilkumar Hannah Seok Olivia Sevy Arjun Shah Kunal Shah Archit Shankar Katherine Shen Stephen Shkeda Susan Shollenberger Anna Simpson Surabhi Singh Anna Sladic Alyson Smallhorn Hannah Smith Lindsey Smith Nathan Smith Nathaniel Smith Jakob Snyder Sriya Sogal Minjae Sohn Evan Song Anthony Spinelli Vishnu Sreekanth Campbell Stein Megan Stuller Eashana Subramanian Nadia Sumah Peampat Suphaphon Mia Swaby-Rowe Benjamin Tabor Nico Tantengco Anais Taupenot Christopher Taylor Sydney Taylor Naomi Tesfai Johann Thomas Sharvari Tirodkar Nicholas Todirita Meena Toolaabee Angelina Tran Samuel Tran Clara Tuske Sophie Umansky Franz Uriona Lizarraga Ryan Vacek Emma Vanden Berg Samuel Verbrugge Deven Verma Isabella Vidal Cricia Villanueva Sanjanaa Viswanathan Joseph Vogel Danylo Voloshyn Luke Walker Brian Wall Abigail Wambach Davin Wambogo Elliot Wang Justenn Wang Alison Wang Peter Wange Grace Warfield Matthew Welling Braden White Ryan Whittaker Noah Wigglesworth Laila Wilson Katelynn Winebrenner Benjamin Winig Ashley Witcher Alexander Wolfson Sophia Wolin Matthew Won Annika Wong Tyler Wong Leeann Wong Arbelo Kenny Wu Josephine Wu Isabella Xerri Michelle Xie Chuanhai Xu Nathan Xu Lydia Yom Ashley Yoon Meilin Yuan Azhan Zafar Doniella Zak Tahmid Zaman Zain Zarger Andrew Zhang Frank Zhang Lauren Zhang Daisy Zheng Joseph Zolkiewicz Shoshana Zuck
Gabriel “Gabe” Santiago has always approached academics with curiosity and interdisciplinarity. From his University Honors Vantage Point project exploring the relationship between pop culture, musicology, and climate change to his publication in UMD’s Interpolations: Journal of Academic Writing focused on the nuanced discourse of cultural borrowing in the fashion world, Gabe is not afraid to tackle big topics from a multitude of perspectives. So it’s no surprise that he was recently named a 2025 NOAA Undergraduate Hollings Scholar. This prestigious two-year program awards recipients with financial assistance and a paid, 10-week summer internship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The internship provides scholars with hands-on, practical experience in NOAA-related science, research, technology, policy, management, and education activities. The award also includes travel funds to attend a mandatory NOAA Scholarship Program orientation, the annual Science & Education Symposium, and scientific conferences where students present their research.
Gabe interned with The Maryland General Assembly as an Energy and Environmental Policy Federal Fellow. During this experience, he noted his surprise that many public and environmental policymakers, both at the state and federal levels, lacked a deep understanding of the science behind the environmental decisions they were making. This realization was part of his motivation to apply for the Hollings Scholarship, as a step toward bridging the gaps he witnessed between science and policy. “As someone passionate about innovative solutions to climate change adaptation and mitigation, I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to this mission through NOAA’s work over the next two years, even amidst uncertainty from the current administration,” says Gabe.
As an Environmental Science and Policy major within University Honors, Santiago’s approach to academics is inherently interdisciplinary. “Through University Honors, I’ve learned to approach complex issues from multiple angles and to value interdisciplinary thinking. These skills,” he said, “are essential to the mission of the Hollings Scholarship, which lies at the intersection of science and research, communication, and public service.” Santiago thanks UH professors Dr. Jordan Johnson (Vantage Point Seminar), Tyson Slocum (Climate in Crisis: Strategy & Advocacy) and Dr. Jonathan Dinman (Climate Change, Infectious Disease, & Civil Society) specifically for their support of his academic growth. “Their classes have nurtured my scientific curiosity about the environmental problems we face, and their mentorship has guided my commitment to shaping policy solutions,” he states.
“This is so well deserved,” said Dr. Johnson of Gabe’s appointment. “Gabe’s attention to thoughtful project management and his passion for environmental policy enriched the experience of our class throughout the semester. Gabe brought a sense of intellectual curiosity to each conversation, excelling in class discussions as well as individual assignments and workshops. He also demonstrated an eagerness to explore interdisciplinary approaches to environmental studies, most notably in his final which culminated in an interdisciplinary art project on climate change, eco-anxiety, musicology, and pop culture. I know he will do amazing things working with NOAA!”
After six years as Director of University Honors, Dr. Stephan Blatti recently announced that he will step down at the end of this academic year. Dr. Blatti fearlessly captained the UH ship through a highly innovative update to the curriculum, the construction and move into Heritage Community, and a global pandemic. Under Blatti’s leadership, UH has grown from a time in 2019 when he was the program’s sole employee to a dedicated team of more than 20 full-time faculty and staff. From teaching in one of the original thematic clusters, to the inauguration of the Maryland Honors in Oxford track at his alma mater, to his much-anticipated Breakfasts with Blatti, it is fair to say that Dr. Blatti will leave a lasting legacy in the program he helped to reimagine.
Before he decamps for his next adventure in New England, the UH Student Board sat down with Dr. Blatti to talk about his time at UH and his hopes for the future of the program. Enjoy their conversation below, and make sure to stop by his office before the end of the semester to wish Dr. Blatti a fond “See you later!”
What brought you to University Honors?
I came to UMD in 2017 after nearly a decade at the University of Memphis where I’d been an Associate Professor of Philosophy. At Memphis I had been moving into administrative roles, serving as director of the humanities center and later as chair of the Philosophy Department. I care a great deal about public higher education, and I especially enjoy teaching honors students.
So, when our family decided to relocate to Maryland, I was immediately drawn to UMD, in general, and to the Honors College, in particular, which was then searching for an Associate Director to work closely with University Honors. That was eight years ago, almost to the day.
What was the most rewarding experience that UH gave you and how will you carry that into your future endeavors?
Far too many rewarding experiences to pick just one! But if I had to pick one, it would be … everything.
Here’s what I mean. Shortly before I came to Maryland in 2017, a strategic visioning committee had completed a study of the Honors College. Included in the final report was a recommendation to reimagine University Honors. So I joined then Executive Director, Sue Dwyer, in developing a plan to transform just about everything about UH, from its curriculum and its staffing model to its residential home and relationship with the College. For nearly two years, we worked with UH students and university leadership in refining that plan. By the spring of 2019, we’d secured the requisite approvals from across campus, and the “new UH” was officially under construction. I say that my most rewarding experience in UH has been everything because we’ve been hard at work ever since in trying to realize that plan and because it has been so rewarding to witness the impact of this work for hundreds and hundreds of UH students. And I emphasize the “we” because it’s the deep sense of gratitude that I feel toward the many, many faculty, staff, and student leaders who have devoted so much time and energy into launching the “new UH” that I will cherish long after I leave.
What is the biggest challenge you faced during your time in UH, and what did you learn from it?
The transition from “old UH” to “new UH” was long and bumpy. The first cohort of students to join the “new UH” arrived in Fall 2020. As if launching a new living-learning program wasn’t challenging enough, we did so in the teeth of COVID-19, in the midst of a nationwide racial reckoning, and whilst actively supporting “old UH” students still working to complete the existing curriculum (which itself needed to be wound down as the new one ramped up). Complicating things further was the ongoing construction of Heritage Community, with first-year students split between Pyon-Chen and Hagerstown Halls in 2021-22. Not until Johnson-Whittle and the UH Commons (Yahentamitsi Hall) opened in Fall 2022 did it begin to feel like the vision for the “new UH” was realized. Except that, in many ways, we’d only just arrived at the starting line: because even with the restructured curriculum, a full team of faculty and staff, and the new buildings all in place, we hadn’t even begun, really, to build the culture of the new program. Which brings me to the lesson that I take from these years: meaningful change takes much time and care.
What piece of advice do you have for UH students?
My advice is encapsulated in a phrase that, by now, students will be tired of hearing me say, viz. “epistemic humility,” which means modesty with respect to what you think you know and a willingness to acknowledge all that you don’t know. As the opposite of intellectual arrogance, epistemic humility is the sort of virtue that isn’t much celebrated or prized these days. But it’s vital that students cultivate this disposition. Here is just one reason among many: a lot of what you don’t yet know has to do with yourself. For the overwhelming majority of you, the tape at the finish line that you envision as a first-semester freshman will not be the same as the tape you’ll break a few years later at graduation. Along the way, you’ll drop your initial major in favor of a different one. Or you’ll keep your initial major, but add a second one. You’ll pick up a minor, or a certificate, or both. You’ll attempt things and fail. You’ll try other things and flourish. You’ll fall in and out of love. You’ll develop passions you could hardly have fathomed when you began. You’ll take a course, or study abroad, or complete an internship that changes your life. There’s so much you don’t know about what you believe and who you are that it would be utterly foolish to pretend otherwise. So why on earth would you be rigid about anything? Instead, be open to unfamiliar ideas and experiences. Whether personally or intellectually, don’t be closed off or arrogant. Be epistemically humble!
What do you hope for UH’s future?
I often think about something that a former student said about UH. Sasha Kahn was an “old UH” student on whom I relied for counsel as we developed and began to implement our plan for the “new UH.” For his many contributions to the program, we recognized Sasha with an award just before he graduated in Spring 2020. The award was accompanied by an invitation to give a brief address to UH students. Because the pandemic prevented us from in-person gatherings, Sasha elected to record a video that could be shared with all UH students; it’s still available online here. Being a Government & Politics and Architecture double-major, Sasha spends much of the video drawing a picture of Hagerstown Hall while he shares a story from his first year in UH. Along the way, he makes the following observation which has stuck with me all these years:
University Honors is a huge program—it’s thousands of people. And sometimes it struggles to find a unifying identity. And, you know, I think that’s kind of a good thing. We aren’t all a single living-learning community in the way that some of the other smaller ones are. We are many living-learning communities under one name. We’re lounge friends and roommates and study groups that divide and reform when we need to. And in times like these, when distancing and isolation are the only things we know, those communities become more important than ever. We are all in this together—as University Honors, as the Honors College, and as Maryland.
-Sasha Kahn, ’20
I couldn’t agree more, and from the “old UH” through the “new UH,” that’s always been true. It seems fitting, therefore, that Sasha’s drawing of Hagerstown hangs today in the main office of the UH Commons—in a building, that is, that was barely under construction at the time he graduated. Because it’s never really been about “old UH” or “new UH.” Our one UH has been many UHs all the way along.
So as I depart and as new leadership steps in (watch this space for news!), let me first register what a privilege it has been to work alongside you these past few years. My sincere hope is that students, faculty, and staff will continue to push the program to evolve in ways that support and educate the many communities University Honors serves, because it’s in that innovation, co-creation, and multiplicity that UH’s identity consists.
Another annual House Challenge Course is safely in the books! We were thrilled to have so many students interested in taking part in this yearly event intended to bring together students from each house to connect with one another outside of the classroom. From ice-breakers and teamwork games on the ground to high-flying antics climbing the RecWell Challenge course, we love to see our UH students rise to the occasion (literally!).
Special thanks to the RecWell team and the UH Staff and Faculty members who came to join our students for this experience!
Join us in congratulating UH’s own Lauren Applegate, Rebecca Lu, and Krista Adu-Osei on bringing home the gold alongside their UMD iGEMs teammates!
iGEM is known as the heart of Synthetic Biology, working hard to create a vibrant, innovative, and responsible research community and industry surrounding topics of synthetic biology. Each fall, the iGEM foundation hosts their Jamboree, a 3-day international expo featuring exhibits, networking events, panels, and competitions for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students alongside industry veterans and startups. This year’s Jamboree was held in Paris, France, and included keynotes by representatives from Colorifix, Neoplants, Twist Bioscience, BIOFABRICA, Gingko Bioworks, Asimov, and more.
UMD’s iGEM team presented their project CerviCare at this year’s expo. CerviCare is a urine-based, cervical precancer screening tool they created to detect cervical cancer early, easily, and safely for users across the globe, especially in lower and middle-income countries. The test avoids common barriers to cervical cancer diagnosis like cost, anxiety, patient discomfort, refrigerated storage, and reliance on lab equipment/technicians.
Utilizing a novel approach to toehold switch design, the project detects microRNAs (miRNAs) upregulated in the urine of cervical precancer patients. Urine is introduced onto a test strip containing plasmid DNA and cell-free expression components, triggering toehold switch-mediated reporter gene output. This output is measured by a low-cost portable reader to provide a risk assessment for cervical precancer.
The team earned a Gold Medal for their project, an accolade only awarded to iGEM teams who fulfill a specific judged set of criteria, indicating high competitive excellence. UMD was one of two Big 10 teams to achieve a Gold Medal, alongside prestigious programs from Cambridge, Cornell, McGill, MIT, Oxford, Princeton, and Stanford.
We caught up with Lauren, Rebecca, and Krista before their trip to Paris to learn more about iGEM and how their UH experiences influenced them as they devised and created CerviCare alongside their teammates.
UH: How did your time and courses in UH help you formulate and execute your iGEM project and research?
LA: The interdisciplinary focus of UH translates very well to the interdisciplinary work we do in iGEM. Because of UH, I know how to work with people who have different interests and areas of expertise to accomplish a common goal – something we do every day in iGEM. Also, my UH class the Ecology of Child Poverty helped me bring a sociological perspective to our project. I can take my understanding of how environmental factors and policy affect people, and apply it to our device’s design and implementation.
RL: My time in UH really made me understand the importance of having multiple perspectives and a division of roles. In iGEM, we need to consider a variety of factors besides the actual research part that is integral to our project. From the numerous discussions through my UH courses, I’ve seen how important voicing those opinions are.
KA: My time in UH really helped with iGEM by allowing me to work on my research skills when it comes to huge projects like these. It also helped with learning different interdisciplinary skills and applying those to various projects, since iGEM is interdisciplinary as well.
UH: Why do you think incoming students should consider joining UH? And why should students of all years check out iGEM?
LA: I think students should join UH because of the wide variety of classes available – it is easier to be engaged in what you are learning when it appeals to your personal interests. Joining iGEM is a great way to get involved in student-directed research: we all get a say in our project’s development and direction. In addition, no matter what your major is, there are opportunities to gain valuable experience. Whether you’re interested in biology, web development, art and design, mathematical modeling, fundraising and budgeting, public health, or engineering, there’s an aspect of iGEM for you.
RL: I think students should join iGEM because it allows for a unique hands-on experience that allows students to be involved in a variety of aspects of synthetic biology research! Similar to UH, it encourages students to learn more deeply by interacting closely with the material and further enriching their educational experience. UH is beneficial in this manner because the courses are often smaller and discussion-based, allowing students to connect with each other and the faculty.
KA: I think students should join UH because it allows them to learn from a variety of different subjects that they would not have the opportunity to learn outside of it. I also think students should join iGEM because it allows you to build up different skills you have and also encourages you to work on those skills both collaboratively and independently.
It’s not every day that students get the unique opportunity to enhance their academic experiences outside the classroom—but here in University Honors, it’s more common than you may think. Students in the Metamorphosis and Heritage clusters recently joined their professors in the great outdoors for some hands-on learning. Learn more about each of these exciting excursions below!
HNUH 238R: Invasive: Feminist Perspectives on Power, Politics, and Ecosurveillance
On a balmy Saturday in September, students in Professor Johnson’s Metamorphosis cluster course ventured out to Greenbelt Park to hear from a local resource manager and work together on a restoration project focused on invasive plantlife in the park. Coinciding with their recent coursework on the practice and ethics of invasive species management, students rolled up their sleeves and assisted with the removal of wineberry and mile-a-minute-weed that were encroaching on the edges of a playground within the park.
“I really want to celebrate the great work these students have done–they came out and got really sweaty and dirty on a Saturday, embodied an admirable work ethic the whole time, and never ceased to bring their creative and curious questions into the conversation and the process itself,” says Johnson of the experience. “It was truly a delight to work and learn alongside them!”
HNUH 268W: Where the Waters Blend: Contemporary Indigenous Perspectives on History, Traditions, and Modern Issues
Students in Professor Stoltz’s Heritage cluster course recently traveled out to Indian Head, Maryland for a guided kayak tour of the Mattawoman Creek. Before heading out, students were invited to give an offering of gratitude to the land and the water. While out on the creek, they were introduced to an abundant variety of native plants integral to the health of the Potomac’s ecosystem.
Unlike many traditional courses focused on the Indigenous experience, this course aims to center the narratives of the Piscataway people (rather than the voices of their colonizers). Co-taught by Stoltz and multiple members of the local Piscataway-Conoy tribe, this innovative and transformative excursion gave students a first-hand look at the culture and history of Maryland’s Indigenous people.
