The Synapse
Updates from the Sciences at Loyola University Maryland
January 2021 | Issue 28
Welcome to the start of the spring semester! We are excited to welcome students and faculty back to campus as our community comes together to heal, learn, lead, and serve during times we have never imagined.
"When people are determined, they can overcome anything." -Nelson Mandela
In this issue, we bring you resources for coronavirus updates at the university, student and employee assistance and support during this challenging time, and share many upcoming opportunities for both students and faculty with deadlines quickly approaching.
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
Now accepting applications for Haig Scholars Program
For eligibility requirements and application details, visit the Haig Scholars web page.
Applications Due: February 5, 2021 (Third Friday of spring semester)
Now accepting applications for Hauber Research Fellowship Program
Visit the Hauber web page for details and application link.
Interested in learning more about past student research projects?
Check out recordings of the 2020 virtual presentations here.
Visit the LND Library's Digital Collection - Hauber Research Fellowship to view the papers and posters by some of the 2020 Hauber fellows.
Student Research Update
Student research will resume in labs with faculty on campus this semester with proper safety protocols in place. With this exciting news, we are hopeful that all will go well and the Hauber Summer Research Fellowship program will be in-person on campus for summer 2021!
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
Loyola Sciences in the news
STUDENT & FACULTY OPPORTUNITIES
MLK Convocation - Uprooting Racism and Inequality with Ibram X. Kendi
For details and advance registration, visit https://www.loyola.edu/join-us/mlk-convocation.
Join Equalize and share your knowledge and skills with local small businesses!
Looking for an opportunity to connect with and support local Baltimore small businesses? A team of Loyola undergraduate students invites you to learn more about their new online platform Equalyze.
The team at Equalyze is just finishing up a holiday initiative called Force for Local where they collaborated with a non-profit, Emergence Baltimore, to provide talented volunteers (mostly students) to local small businesses for this past holiday season. To date, they have paired around 50 student volunteers with 50 small businesses!
As they transition from the holiday initiative to projects run through Equalyze, they are looking to continue growing their database of student volunteers. Students of all majors are welcome and can simply fill out the form below to tell the team about their strengths and passions. When there is a small business project that aligns with the student, Equalyze will make the match happen!
Student resources:
Equalyze Student Interest Form: https://airtable.com/shrteZSOfnLLNCArO
Equalyze Website: equalyze.net
Equalyze Email: equalyze.it@gmail.com
Summer Opportunities for Undergraduates
View links to various summer research and internship opportunities on the NAS website and Pre-Health Programs website.
Spring Pop-Up Classes
Are some of your new year's resolutions to dive into something new, try something out of your comfort zone, or add skills to your virtual teaching and learning toolbox? Try a pop-up class! Spring pop-up classes will be held in a virtual format and are open to all members of the Loyola community. Visit www.loyola.edu/pop-up for a complete schedule, updated as more classes are confirmed.
Using the SmartMarker
Thursday, January 28, 12-1 pm
Instructor: Clara Love
Registration: https://forms.gle/JhuEqG8iME6YJXtH7
Learn how to use the SmartMarker, a whiteboard sensor system available for checkout from the Library. The SmartMarker can record, save, and stream whiteboard notes as they are being written via a free app. This pop-up class will offer a live instructional demonstration, information about how to check out this equipment, and answer questions!
Design to 3D Print a Customized Keychain using TinkerCad
Monday, February 1, 2021, 12-1:30 pm
Instructor: Matthew Treskon
Registration: https://forms.gle/w61hsHQ7vermEuXA6
Learn the basics of 3d design and 3d printing by creating your own keychain! Perhaps for your self, perhaps for someone special!
Intro to ArcGIS
Monday, February 8, 12-1 pm
Instructor: Clara Love
Registration: https://forms.gle/PxQLo4kk8u4iumv38
Learn how to create an interactive map in ArcGIS, a digital mapping software. You’ll learn about the benefits and uses of digital maps, how to format data for mapping, and how to customize and share your map. ArcGIS is available for free, with additional licensing available through the Library.
NSF Invites Public Participation Around Online STEM Learning: Learning Gains and Assessing Success
To view all upcoming NSF events, visit https://www.nsf.gov/events.
NIST SI Happy Hours (Fridays from 4-5 pm)
The National Institute of Scientific Teaching hosts Zoom happy hours each Friday from 4-5 pm. Share challenges and successes with colleagues around the rapid transition to remote teaching and learning. Registration invitations are sent via the NIST monthly newsletter. To sign up click here.
Jan 22: Elly Vandegrift "Fostering Connections By Making Room for Chattering Students"
Jan 29: Bryan Dewsbury "Mitigating Pre-college Socioeconomic Barriers to STEM Education"
Feb 5: Sarah Leupen "Team-based Learning: Group Work that Works!" *
Feb 12: Mays Imad "Teaching Critical Thinking and Information Literacy in Introductory STEM Courses"
Feb 19: Beth Beason "Transforming a Research Project into a Research"
Feb 26: Christine Andrews "Increasing a Sense of Belonging and Science Literacy Through CUREs"
Mar 5: Joshua Caulkins "Metacognition & Self-regulated Learning" *
Mar 12: Erin Vasudevan, Peter Gergen & Bill Collins "The Pen is Mightier: Writing-to-Learn in Large-enrollment Classes"
*Links coming soon. Subscribe to NIST monthly newsletter for updates.
Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Posters on the Hill open for submissions
The deadline for submissions is January 22.
Visit https://www.cur.org/what/events/students/poh/ for more information.
Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Upcoming Events
Looking ahead...
National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) | April 12 - 14, 2021
NCUR is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students. Unlike meetings of academic professional organizations, this gathering of student scholars welcomes presenters from all institutions of higher learning and from all disciplines.
We are excited to share that biology major and forensic science minor Anthony Taylor, '21, has been accepted to present at this year's NCUR! Anthony was a 2020 Hauber fellow. Learn more about his project: Detecting Clandestine Graves Using White Dutch Clover; Plant Growth & Germination in Response to High Cadaverine Levels
Data Scientist Job Opportunity
Details can be found at: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/588499000