in this issue NO TIME LEFT PG. 2 / ACCOLADES PG. 2 / THE WORD ON WELLNESS PG. 3 / HANDS HOLD US PG. 6 / PLAYING AROUND PG. 7 / A BOLD VISION PG. 8
Between the Columns a newsletter for faculty & staff of the University of Maryland February 2015
It's Great to Work at Home
ACCOLADES
His Wheels Keep on Turning
Paul T. Jaeger, associate professor and co-director of the Information Policy and Access Center in the College of Information Studies, was the inaugural winner of the Library Journal/ALISE Excellence in Teaching Award.
Student Adviser Values a Busy Life
Geology Assistant Professor Vedran Lekic earned a Packard Fellowship for promising early-career scientists and engineers from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
BY ALEX STOLLER ’16
Four physics researchers have been honored by the American Physical Society. Gretchen Campbell, adjunct professor, won the Maria Goeppert Mayer Award; Christopher Monroe, Bice Zorn Professor, won the Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science; Edward Redish, professor, won the Excellence in Physics Education Award; and Ian Spielman, adjunct professor, won the I.I. Rabi Prize in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics.
Alan “Al” Santos doesn’t just dole out advice about how to make the most of each day—he puts his own instructions into practice. Besides his day job as director of student services in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Santos has his own photography company. And in between advising 400 undergraduates, he uses each lunch hour to ride his bicycle 16 to 18 miles round trip to D.C. “It’s easy to waste time,” he says. “I think everyone is capable of being productive with their time.” Santos began teaching himself photography with Al Santos has started an a Nikon camera informal fitness group seven years ago called UM Fit Crew. Join and started the members from noon Alan P. Santos to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Photography in Thursdays at the Cole 2008. He now has Student Activities Build10 writers and phoing to run the stairs or tographers working walk the track. under him.
Santos and his team shoot Maryland and Georgetown games, and he also covers the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, D.C. United and the Washington Nationals. He is a contracted photographer with UMD, taking headshots and covering events. “I try to do a great job every time I’m out there,” he says. “It could be my 200th time covering the NBA, but you still have to have the passion for it. You have to work hard, and essentially be creative with photography.” Santos also makes time for himself through exercise (he’s also completed marathons and cycling races), and he encourages his peers and students to do the same. “If you start exercising in high school or college, then you have something to look forward to when you’re working full-time,” Santos says. “Being able to enjoy life—I think that’s what it’s all about.”
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Rada Dagher, assistant professor of health services administration, received the Young Professional Award from the American Public Health Association’s Maternal and Child Health Section. Yunho Hwang, research professor of mechanical engineering, is a new member of the editorial board for Energy and will chair the 2015 International Conference of Energy Sustainability. Dennis vanEngelsdorp, assistant professor of entomology, is featured in the short film “The Collectors: Beekeeper,” which was screened at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Physics Professor Ellen Williams was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. Jonathan Katz, professor of computer science and director of the Maryland Cybersecurity Center, received the Humboldt Research Award for achievements in computer science and cybersecurity.
BOOKSHELF Paleontologist Thomas R. Holtz Jr., senior lecturer in the Department of Geology, introduces young readers to the discoveries of several dinosaurs in a series of books: Digging for Tyrannosaurus Rex; Digging for Triceratops; Digging for Stegosaurus; and Digging for Brachiosaurus.
The mysterious awakening of a man in a deserted field is the starting point for an exploration of hope, love and regret in Yatrik: The Traveller by popular blogger and author Arnab Ray, a senior research scientist at Maryland’s Fraunhofer Center for Experimental Software Engineering.
Intel on the Wellness Program State seeks to improve workers’ health, cut costs of chronic conditions BY LAUREN BROWN
A wellness program for all state employees that launched Jan. 1 aims to provide a prescription for healthier living and save insurance costs. At UMD, the five-year initiative requires faculty, staff, retirees who aren’t eligible for Medicare, and graduate students—and their spouses—who are enrolled in health benefits through the state to meet a number of benchmarks. Those who don’t follow doctor’s orders will face modest, but increasing surcharges subtracted from their paychecks. Those who do will enjoy incentives such as no copayments for primary care. All participants in the wellness program will no longer have to pay for lab work or X-rays associated with chronic conditions (like with some generic drugs) and get free access to weight loss or smoking cessation programs. “The point is to get the people who are not managing their health very well to do it, which will drive down the claims and could lower premiums for everybody,” says David Rieger, the university’s assistant director of benefits. The state spent $830 million in fiscal 2013 covering chronic conditions, up from $720 million the previous year, says Anne Timmons, director of the Employee Benefits Division for the state Department of Budget and Management. With more than 9,700 eligible participants, UMD is the
largest agency affected by the program. But in this first year, it will have a small effect. In 2015, enrollees must only select a primary care provider and fill out a “health risk assessment,” available on all insurers’ websites, and discuss it with that provider. There’s no surcharge this year for not completing these tasks, but those who don’t next year will see $50 removed from their paychecks, spread out through 2016. Insured employees asked to take part in a wellness program—typically for a chronic condition such as diabetes— but don’t do so will be charged $250 in 2017 and $275 in 2018. Some UMD employees have expressed concern that the state government is intruding into their personal lives. But the division will receive just a “yes” or “no” indicating whether employees and spouses have completed their assigned healthy activities each year. Only your health-care professional, insurance carrier and disease management staff used by your insurer will see detailed health information. “If you look at other states’ wellness programs, this is pretty mild,” Timmons says. “We’re all just taking a step forward together.”
STEPS TO
Wellness 2015 Select a primary care provider (PCP), complete a health risk assessment form and discuss it with that provider (applicable in future years as well).
Complete an online nutrition education or a weight management program.
2016
2017
Complete a stress management program or another from a menu of healthy online activities.
2018-19
Discuss the annual biometric screening (part of the health risk assessment) with your PCP. For more information, visit dbm.maryland.gov/benefits.
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Faculty and Staff Tell Us Why They Choose to Stay and Why You Should Make the Move, Too BY KAREN SHIH ’09
Does traffic congestion make you ill? Would you like to give your commute the boot? You could be home in minutes if you lived around the corner from campus. Attracting staff and faculty to live in the community is a long-term priority of President Wallace Loh. Through initiatives such as the College Park Academy, the upcoming new hotel and conference center and more Route 1 redevelopment, the university is pursuing a vision of College Park as a top-tier college town. Its existing strengths of affordable housing, easy access to mass transit and great sense of community drew these five Terps to College Park and the surrounding area:
KRISTY MADDUX
Associate Professor of Communication Years at UMD: 7
“College Park has what most people claim they want,” Maddux says. “Walking distance to shops and restaurants, a Metro station—it’s hard to beat that.” She, her husband and their baby live in a 1940s Colonial and love their big back yard, despite having to sometimes shoo students out of it. But as vice president of her citizens association, she’s working to improve town-gown relations, address the high rate of turnover from owner-occupied to rental properties and tackle other quality-of-life issues that can keep faculty and staff away. “To me, [College Park] is the perfect combination of suburban and urban living,” she says. HIDDEN GEMS: Herbert Wells Ice Rink; Paint Branch Parkway Community Park Disc Golf Course (“It’s like golf they play with Frisbees—it’s a pretty unique thing.”)
4 btc FEBRUARY 2015 Illustrations by Beverly Yeager
DENNIS PASSARELLAGEORGE
Associate Director, Department of Resident Life Years at UMD: 20
JOE RIDGE
Senior Engineer and Student Manager, Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) Years at UMD: 18
MONICA WARREN
Passarella-George feels more in tune with student needs because many of them overlap with his own as a neighbor and community member. “Being around nights and weekends gives me a unique experience,” he says. With husband Michael working as the assistant director in Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment and their 4-year-old son attending the Center for Young Children, their lives center around College Park. Now, new changes like the construction of non-student housing, expanded police jurisdiction and the Whole Foods development “are all things transforming the landscape of College Park,” he says. “It will make living in College Park more compelling for faculty and staff.”
Artist Services Coordinator, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center Years at UMD: 3
HIDDEN GEMS: College Park Airport (Santa flies in on a helicopter each year); the Downtown College Park Farmer’s Market (“Barbeque Bill is a big draw.”); Lake Artemesia (“It’s like this little oasis that’s back away from everything.”)
HIDDEN GEMS: Buddy Attick Park; New Deal Café (“I always get the Turkish coffee, chicken shawarma and German chocolate cake—it’s not fancy at all, but it’s one of my favorites.”); Chef Lou’s Desserts (“The storefront is smaller than my cubicle, but the owner will chat your ear off.”)
Warren gave up her car last summer and now bikes to work—even when it’s 36 degrees and raining. “It’s more difficult in your mind than when you’re out there,” she says. Don’t feel too bad for her: It’s just a 10-minute ride from her home in College Park Woods, and best of all, she doesn’t have to pay for parking. “Living here is a great option,” says Warren, who’s part of a Greenbelt dance company. “My rent is a lot cheaper than if I lived in the city, but I still have the benefits of living near D.C. I have a yard that’s quiet, with a little birdwatching area, and I know my neighbors.”
When a powerful derecho knocked out campus power in summer 2012, UMIACS had a small window to keep its sensitive data from becoming corrupted. Ridge was there in minutes, walking from his Parkside apartment to A.V. Williams. “That’s an example where timeliness really helped,” he says. He used to make the trek from D.C., but as someone who’s never had a driver’s license or car, he had to rely on public transportation. After being stranded after-hours too many times when the Metro shut down, he made the move in 2006. College Park can’t become a top college town without more people like him, he says. “That takes permanent residents so businesses can survive summers and winters.” HIDDEN GEMS: Marathon Deli, D.P. Dough (“They’re open late and one of the best places about staying open year-round.”)
TOM RUGGIERI
Coordinator of Faculty Staff Assistance, University Health Center Years at UMD: 27 For those who can’t imagine raising a family nearby, take a look at Ruggieri’s three kids, all of whom attended public schools: They all graduated from UMD, one has an advanced degree from Columbia, and one is about to start a doctorate after he finishes his master’s at Georgetown. Ruggieri moved to Beltsville when he started working at UMD, tired of his previous hour-and-a-half commute. “The advantage is, if you have a family, you’re going to be home more,” he says. That gave him plenty of time to do things like coach his kid’s softball team. “I could be home in 20 minutes and on the field in 10. If I had to commute, there’s no way.” HIDDEN GEMS: Franklin’s Restaurant, Brewery and General Store (“I love their handcrafted beers.”); Raulin’s Bakery; Sardi’s Pollo a la Brasa (“The smell alone pulls you in—there’s arms on that smell.”)
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UMD President Wallace Loh, left, stands with former basketball coach Gary Williams, center, and Athletic Director Kevin Anderson at an event in January celebrating Williams' induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Hands Hold More than Each Other UMD Researcher Looks at Benefits of Touch BY LIAM FARRELL
Humans are undeniably social creatures who can take comfort even in the presence of strangers. So how can we better understand those who choose to be withdrawn and socially isolated? Jack Blanchard, UMD clinical psychology professor and department chair, is leading a study to find out.
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He is researching how social relationships and physical touch affect individuals with schizophrenia, a mental illness that often results in extreme detachment and a lack of social contact. Schizophrenia, which is defined by disordered thoughts and delusions, affects more than 21 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. “(Being social) buffers us from stress, it helps us cope. This is all altered in schizophrenia,” Blanchard says. “Our research is trying to see why. It’s somewhat of a mystery.” A previous study led by Jim Coan at the University of Virginia found that women holding their husbands’ hands had reduced stress-related brain activity when confronted with the possibility of a mild electric shock. The benefits were greater for those in good marriages, but holding a stranger’s hand also showed positive results. “We cope with stressors better when we are in social relationships,” Blanchard says. “With social support, your brain is not working as hard.” Blanchard, who is collaborating with Coan and Luiz Pessoa, director of the Maryland Neuroimaging Center, will use slightly different techniques. Instead of a spouse, both healthy people and individuals with schizophrenia will hold the hand of a researcher they first meet in the lab and engage with in “icebreaking activities.” The hope is that the handholding scenario can give clues to how and why some individuals with schizophrenia have such intense social withdrawal, and what treatment options are available. “How do they experience this social benefit?” Blanchard says. “Or do they?”
Photo by Greg Fiume
PLAY ATTENTION
Professor, Students, Children Team Up to Rejuvenate CYC Playground BY LAUREN BROWN
Kindergartners at the university’s Center for Young Children (CYC) will not be getting the working rocket or four-story playhouse they pictured for their playground renovation. But this spring, they could see a new outdoor stage, native-grass maze, hillside slide and weather station as part of a project spearheaded by Steven Cohan, coordinator of the Landscape Management Program in the plant science and landscape architecture department. Inspired by the nonprofit Come Alive Outside, which encourages people to spend more time outdoors, Cohan approached CYC Director Fran Favretto asking if she’d like to team up to reinvent its 20-year-old playground. “CYC has an ideal setup to diversify kids’ activities and also provide resources to bring into the classroom,” he says.
Nestled between Oakland Hall and the Aquatic Center, CYC has a fenced L-shaped playground with two small play sets, teepees, tire swings and sandboxes for the 110 children ages 3 to 6—mostly UMD employees’ offspring— enrolled there. Small landscaped areas and flowerbeds were installed when the building opened, but Favretto says her busy staff doesn’t have time to maintain them. Cohan’s offer for his students to recreate and tend them and add a much-wanted vegetable garden was a happy surprise. But what most excited Favretto is that Cohan and his students are incorporating the ideas they culled from the teachers and kindergartners. The plan’s highlights include building the stage (but sadly, not an area for costumes and makeup), simple
amphitheater and slide into the sloping grass, along with a kid-size zip line and a “secret garden” fed by rain barrels and improved stormwater drainage, courtesy of Facilities Management. Plenty of open area will remain, Favretto says: “We don’t want to sacrifice the running space—we want to make sure they can still play soccer.” While most of the individual pieces cost only hundreds of dollars, how many get done this semester depends on funding. Cohan has been seeking grants, hitting up his connections in the landscaping industry for donations and asking CYC parents for support. Landscape management senior Bernard Botchway said the real-life experience in design has been “awesome.” Now he wants to get started on the installation: “I’m not really into the preparation. I’m like, let’s get dirty!”
CYC kindergartners created these drawings with their playground-improvement suggestions.
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Confronting the Past Artist’s Bold Vision on Display at Driskell Center BY LIAM FARRELL
Kara Walker’s vision lives at the intersection of race, gender and sexuality, confronting America’s history of slavery and mistreatment of African Americans. Her challenging art will be on display at UMD’s David C. Driskell Center in “Emancipating the Past: Kara Walker’s Tale of Slavery and Power” from Feb. 5 to May 29. The 60 works in the exhibit feature prints, a wall installation, a video and Walker’s trademark black paper silhouettes. Each was selected to show the breadth of her response to slavery and its impact on American life, from the horrific to the humorous. Curlee Holton, executive director of the Driskell Center, says Walker is “one of the most prominent and controversial artists working in the U.S. today.” He sees the show as an opportunity to discuss issues ranging from the influence of wealthy patrons in minority art to whether Walker’s use of stereotypes helps perpetuate them. “It’s all a big meal that we get to take part in,” he says. “We’re showing it to engage in a conversation about contemporary art and culture.” “Emancipating the Past” was organized by the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon, from the Portland-based collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer. The exhibition is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council.
"African American" by Kara Walker, an example of her black paper silhouette art.
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