The Synapse
Updates from the Sciences at Loyola University Maryland
April 2021 | Issue 31
This spring the Loyola community continues to connect through events and opportunities, new student clubs, and student-led initiatives. The growing availability of vaccines inspires hope for summer programs and a fall semester that feel more familiar. We are grateful for the scientific advances that have brought us this far and look ahead with optimism.
Share your news, photos, inspiring stories, and upcoming events for a future issue. Please send any feature suggestions to Jen Sullivan at jlsullivan4@loyola.edu.
HIGHLIGHTS & GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
NAS Statement of Solidarity with AAPI Community
NAS community strongly supports diversity among our members and shares a commitment to inclusion and respect for our students, faculty and staff, and all members of the Loyola University family no matter their social and cultural identities including race, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. We are concerned about the significant rise in reporting of violence and instances of hatred, intolerance, and bigotry against Asian, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). NAS and Loyola university is better for having AAPI as valuable members of our community and strongly denounce criminal acts and bigotry against our AAPI members and the broader AAPI community.
Covid-19 vaccine clinic at neighboring Notre Dame of Maryland open to Loyola community this week
REGISTER FOR NOTRE DAME CLINIC NOW USING THIS LINK.
Vaccines are also available through Lifebridge Health at Northwest Hospital, 5400 Old Court Road, Randallstown.
To register, follow these instructions:
- Go to www.lifebridgehealth.org
- Click on the red banner at the top where it says: CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A VACCINE AT A LIFEBRIDGE SITE
- Fill out the information and include LOYOLA in the EMPLOYER SECTION
- Click “Yes” under the option that says, “Education and continuity of government”
- Once processed, you will receive an email with a link to select a time for your vaccine.
Announcing the 2021 Hauber Summer Research Fellows
The program runs for 10 weeks throughout the summer with presentations to the Loyola community during the final weeks (late July - early August). More details coming soon. We hope you will join us to learn more about the exciting undergraduate research in the sciences this summer.
Loyola Sciences in the news
Experts Explain When You Can Expect Your Children to Get Vaccinated featuring Christopher Thompson, Ph.D., associate professor of biology (Good Housekeeping) Also featured by MSN and additional outlets
Your COVID-19 Vaccine Is Still Working Even If You Don’t Have Side Effects featuring Christopher Thompson, Ph.D., associate professor of biology (Healthline)
Is it OK to drink alcohol before or after COVID vaccination? What to know featuring Christopher Thompson, Ph.D., assocaite professor of biology (Miami Herald) Among other local outlets
Loyola’s data science program earns high ranking from Intelligent.com (Loyola.edu)
Loyola to host Baltipreneurs Accelerator Demo Day event to showcase some of Baltimore’s most promising entrepreneurs (Loyola.edu)
STUDENT & FACULTY OPPORTUNITIES
Loyola Ready Summit 21 - Life After Loyola
LOYOLA CONNECT LIVE: Making the Move to Living on Your Own
Wednesday, April 14 – 6 pm
How to Earn, Spend and Save Your Money
Wednesday, April 21 – 5 pm
Wednesday, April 28 – 6 pm
New student club - Loyola Volunteers for Medical Engineering
Calling all students with interests in engineering and STEM fields, the new Loyola Volunteers for Medical Engineering (VME), a chapter of the Balitmore VME, is a great opportunity to build your knowledge and skills and serve the community. Students will work in conjunction with the Balitmore VME on medical engineering projects - of particular value for those interested in doing senior design projects in this field. Underclassmen and other club members are invited to participate in one-day volunteer events a few times throughout the semester within the STEM field.
Club leaders are open to any suggestions or volunteer ideas. Students from all areas are welcome (not just engineering majors)! For more information, please contact Gianna Calciano at gjcalciano@loyola.edu.
Save the date - Cosmos & Creation Conference on June 12, 2021
Join us for the 39th annual Cosmos & Creation Conference, hosted virtually via Zoom again this year, on June 12 and 13. This year's keynote speaker is Loyola University professor emeritus Richard Blum presenting "From Pantheism to Secularism: Why Religion and Science are Mutual Problems."
Keynote lectures will take place on Saturday, June 12 at 10 AM and 3 PM. Both talks are free and open to the public. For details and registration, visit www.Loyola.edu/Cosmos.
X-STEM All Access Speaker Events
Details and registration at: https://usasciencefestival.org/x-stem-all-access-21
Spring Semester Resources
Coronavirus Resources
- Loyola Coronavirus Updates - General university information for all students, faculty, staff including reopening plans, COVID-19 dashboard, FAQs, policies, and resources.
- Faculty COVID FAQ - Information regarding spring teaching compiled by the Academic Continuity Working Group and updated as needed.
Resources for Spring Teaching
- Technology Services knowledge base - Resource for classroom technology training and information. The technology services training calendar can be found here.
- Resources and links for faculty development
- High Impact Teaching series - recording available of Dec. 1 event, Preparing for Spring Hybrid Teaching: Lessons Learned from Fall
Student Support Resources
Employee Support Resources