BTC: Between the Columns October 2012

in this issue

alzheimer’s & Exercise pg. 2 /

diversity grants pg. 3 / route rider pg. 3 / perks at work pg. 4 / staff profile pg. 6 / market to mealtime pg. 7 / accolades pg. 7 / tree of life pg. 8

Between the Columns a newsletter for faculty & staff of the University of Maryland October 2012

Perks of UMD Work Bonus benefits, all mapped out | pg. 4

Be Fearless

Contest Welcomes Ideas to Improve UMD Do you have an idea on how to make our university better? Here’s your chance to share it.

President Wallace Loh is sponsoring the Fearless Ideas Challenge this month, encouraging faculty, staff and students to share their creative and innovative suggestions for the campus. They can save money, increase efficiency or simply improve the Terp environment.

Ideas will be judged on originality, their potential to make a positive impact on the Maryland community and their feasibility (getting Bruce Springsteen to jam on McKeldin Mall may be a fearless idea, but not a practical one).

A committee will name winners in four categories: faculty, exempt staff, nonexempt staff and student. They will be announced at the last home football game, on Nov. 17, and will be featured in a Diamondback ad, in the November issue of Between the Columns and on the university’s home page.

Submit your idea (or ideas!) by midnight Oct. 31 to emailum@ umd.edu with “Fearless Ideas” in the subject line or by tweet with #FearlessIdeas.

2 btc october 2012

Working Out for Brain Gain Research Seeks to Link Exercise, Alzheimer's Prevention

By Tom Ventsias

A brisk walk to clear your thoughts might be exactly what the doctor ordered.

A School of Public Health kinesiologist and a Baltimore neurologist are examining the role physical activity plays in stemming Alzheimer’s disease, the devastating neurological condition that affects nearly 5 million Americans.

Assistant Professor J. Carson Smith (below left) and Richard Macko, M.D. (upper right) just launched their study of adults ages 60 and up at high risk for developing Alzheimer’s, particularly those showing early symptoms of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), a precursor to Type 2 diabetes.

“We know from other studies that exercise improves neurovascular health and promotes new cell growth that is beneficial to stemming the effects of Alzheimer’s,” Smith says. “What we don’t know is how that same exercise effects people with IGT, which is not uncommon in older adults.”

The research team is testing two groups this fall, one in College Park and one at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, measuring test subjects’ cerebral blood flow and any changes in brain activity after a dedicated exercise regimen. Smith will use the brain imaging tools available at the Maryland Neuroimaging Center for the project.

Ultimately, the researchers want to design specialized exercise programs for assisted living homes or senior centers. The goal is to curtail Alzheimer’s progressive destruction of a person’s memory and thinking skills.

“We really want to promote the concept of an exercise intervention,” says Macko.

The project was jumpstarted with a $75,000 Research and Innovation Award, a competitive seed grant that stimulates cross-institutional research between UMD faculty and UMB physicians and clinicians.

Photography by John T. Consoli / illustration by Brian G. Payne

Grants Reward Diversity Projects By monette austin bailey

Two university offices have joined forces to help students think about the power of words to unify and divide.

The Department of Resident Life and the Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy Office (MICA) this fall have launched the Inclusive Language Campaign, one of 11 projects awarded up to $15,000 each from the Office of Diversity & Inclusion. The grant program encourages units across campus to address recommendations in the university’s diversity strategic plan.

“And to convey that we’re all in this together,” says Kumea ShorterGooden, chief diversity officer and associate vice president.

Amy Martin, with Resident Life, and MICA’s Judy Martinez created a blitz marketing campaign to stimulate conversations about sexual orientation, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion, ability and other diversity topics. “Would you say that if?” buttons, T-shirts and posters ask people to think about how what they say affects those around them. Discussions, spoken word workshops and other activities will be held on campus throughout the year.

Other funded projects include a community mural, multicultural leadership training and efforts to increase the recruitment and retention of black and Latino males.

For more information on the grantees, visit http://ter.ps/1er.

Right on Time

Student/DOT App Helps Riders Find Their Next Bus by karen shih

Eric Rosenberg (left) just wanted

to know if he had time to grab a cup of coffee and still make his bus in the morning.

“It took too long to pull up the schedule on my computer, and the NextBus mobile website is difficult to use,” says Rosenberg, a senior computer science major. “So I decided to make this app for myself so I wouldn’t have these problems anymore.” Soon, all his friends were asking for it.

In less than a year, Rosenberg and his company, 512 Technology, have created an easy-to-use system for locating every Department of Transportation Services (DOTS) Shuttle-UM bus running on and off campus. Users can save their favorite stops and routes, and with QR codes

being installed at every stop, users can easily scan and find out when the next shuttle is coming.

“We’re piloting it this year,” says DOTS Director David Allen, who likes its convenience and speed. “If a lot of people use it, we will incorporate it more into our system.”

Rosenberg and his team plan to expand to other cities that use the NextBus system and have GPS installed on their buses—he even did a personal test on the San Francisco system this summer, which went well.

The free app is available for Android phones and can be downloaded by scanning the QR code at any stop or visiting 512technology.com.

october 2012 btc 3

^Perks of UMD Work^ Whether you teach, recruit students, keep our campus beautiful, or make the shuttle buses run on time, working at Maryland has some unique advantages.

Salsa-dancing lessons? Acupuncture therapy? A free and fabulous education just steps away? Yes, yes, and yes. We started snooping around and found lots of little-known employee benefits.

6 Borrow a book

from anywhere in the world www.lib.umd.edu/ access/ill

7 2,200 movies you

can check out www.lib.umd.edu/ nonprint/collections/ home

6

1 Take free courses toward a degree.

(MBA, anyone?) www.personnel. umd.edu/benefits/ tuition.cfm

1

2 Counseling &

psychotherapy

Counseling Center

3

www.counseling. umd.edu/FacultyStaff/facultystaff.htm

3 Fill your

2

prescription www.health.umd. edu/clinicalservices/ pharmacy

Flu shots & Swedish massages (consecutively!?) www.health.umd. edu/clinicalservices

4 Peace & quiet Next to Labyrinth & Garden of Reflection

5 Little-known

picnicking and napping spot–Shh! patio

4 btc october 2012

4

5

8 Thought-

9 Belly dancing

provoking art

lessons

David C. Driskell Center, Room 1214

Art & Learning Center

thestamp.umd.edu/ entertainment/ art_learning_center

www.driskellcenter. umd.edu Chocolate croissants at the Farmers Market

StudentC oAlcetivi ties

Bowling birthday parties TerpZone

thestamp.umd.edu/ entertainment/ terpzone

Outside

www.crs.umd.edu/ cms/wellness/farmersmarket.aspx

Deals on computer equipment

1�

8

1� Special employee-

rate Terps football tickets

Terrapin Technology Store, Room 0203

Terrapin Ticket Office

www.oit.umd.edu/ techstore

301.314.7070

1� Free & reduced-

price concerts & performances

Dekelboum Concert Hall

1�

ter.ps/1f7

1� Fantastic

9

preschool www.education.umd. edu/ EDHD/CYC

1�

1� Work out

before work www.crs.umd.edu/ cms/Membership/ Membership Information.aspx

1�

1� Carpooling

7

connections www.transportation. umd.edu/share.html Metro connections Free shuttles to three rail stations and one MARC station

1�

transportation.umd. edu/schedules.html

1� Personal finance

1�

Illustration by Sabrena Setay

& computer skills classes training.umd.edu

october 2012 btc 5

Mover & Shaker From atop heavy equipment, FM veteran sees campus change

by Monette Austin Bailey

Where anything on campus is being excavated, torn down or cleared, you’ll find Morris “PeeWee” Landes.

In his 46 years with Facilities Management, Landes has moved mountains of snow and worked with equipment powered by hand-cranking.

He helped remove Duke’s Tree, the damaged grand oak that stood downhill from the Memorial Chapel, and positioned dozens of turtle sculptures for the university’s 150th anniversary celebration.

“I hauled those turtles around for a year and a half,” he jokes.

He came here straight out of high school, following his sister, Mary Monn, who worked in procurement until she retired four years ago. Landes still grumbles a bit about punching a clock at 6 a.m., but isn’t ready to become a retiree.

A bout with pancreatitis that landed him in the hospital in critical condition in 2007 has been the only thing that’s kept him off the job.

“They declared me dead, I was so bad,” he says. Once cleared for work, he was back in the seat of a Gradall backhoe. “I like the job, the people and I just didn’t want to leave.”

Joel Manspeaker, Landes’ supervisor in the Building and Landscape Services unit, says he’s earned the loyalty of his five-member team. Landes has bought breakfast as thanks for long snow-duty days and hosted crab feasts using his own money.

“And he knows how to get things done,” says Manspeaker. “He’s dependable. I could call him and say, ‘I need your crew here tomorrow at 4 a.m.’ He’ll be here, with bells on.”

Between the Columns is published twice per semester by University Marketing and Communications. Story ideas are welcome and should be sent to Monette Bailey, managing editor, at btwthecolumns@umd.edu or by calling 301.405.4629. ¶ The mailing list is generated through University Human Resources. Any changes to names and addresses should be made through ares.umd.edu.

6 btc october 2012

Photography by John T. Consoli

“Market to Mealtime” Offers Fresh Ideas for Low-Income Marylanders

By Kelly Blake

A new project led by a School of Public Health faculty research associate is showing low-income Marylanders how they can shop and eat healthier.

Since June, Stephanie Grutzmacher (below left), who is also a University of Maryland Extension specialist, has deployed extension educators to several Maryland farmers markets each week to teach about a different leafy green. They provide easy, tasty recipes and demonstrate how to prepare them.

The project, Market to Mealtime: Greens, Roots, and Fruits, is in partnership with Maryland Hunger Solutions and Eat Fresh Maryland, a coalition of more than 20 farmers markets and nonprofit agencies working to expand federal nutrition benefits redemption at farmers markets.

“We created recipes like Cooked Kale with Nuts and Raisins, and Fruit and Spinach Salad to appeal to a broad audience, including kids, and to persuade people to buy an item they don’t typically purchase,” says Grutzmacher. “Plus, greens pack a lot of nutritional punch.”

For next year, Grutzmacher is working with farmers to create recipe kits, which will include the ingredients and be sold at a set price. “This takes the guesswork out of how to get the most value from limited benefit dollars,” she says, “and should also help the farmers to sell more.”

Faculty-Staff campaign Maryland faculty, staff and students are a community of thousands committed to the Fearless Idea

that education changes lives. Support the Faculty-Staff Campaign by Nov. 15 to strengthen our community. › facultystaff.umd.edu

As part of fall welcome activities, President Wallace Loh greeted students in line at the University Book Center while John Zacker, director of the Office of Student Conduct; Vice President for Student Affairs Linda Clement and Stamp Student Union Director Marsha GuenzlerStevens bagged shoppers’ purchases.

accolades James Ross, director of orchestral studies, has accepted the position of orchestra director of the new National Youth Orchestra USA, which Carnegie Hall is initiating in July 2013. Ross will continue to work at Maryland.

The Department of Transportation Services won the International Parking Institute’s Parking Organization of the Year award.

It recognized Maryland's permit-less parking system, sustainability efforts and customer service programs.

The university’s U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon entry, WaterShed, won an AIA Maryland Design Award in the 2012 Design Awards competition. The design was chosen from more than 100 entries.

Don Linebaugh, director of the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation’s Historic Preservation Program, received the Buchanan Award from the Vernacular Architecture Forum. The honor recognizes his project on the Goulson Frame House in west-central Minnesota.

Min Wu, professor in the A. James Clark School of Engineering, won an Innovator of the Year award from The Daily Record. The honor recognizes Maryland individuals and companies that have created a product, service or process that has had a positive effect on their business, industry or community. Wu’s research interests include information security and forensics.

october 2012 btc 7

Tree Art Grows from Grassroots Effort

By Monette Austin Bailey An artwork representing the connectedness of faiths is taking shape in dorm rooms, university offices and homes of community members.

The Tree of Life, which will hang in the Memorial Chapel’s West Chapel, is a wood and tapestry-like sculpture designed by local artist Catherine Kapikian. She says the tree is a symbol of life and growth in many of the world's religions. She hopes the work evokes a sense of stability and peace.

Woodworker Jim Doman will fabricate the base, and volunteers are stitching 52 sections of colorful, interlocking, needlepointed leaves that will be attached to it. The finished piece will be approximately 18 x 15 feet.

“I’d never done needlepoint before and I like that I get to do it with other people,” says John Fink, a coordinator with the Stamp Student Union. He and colleague Kalia Patricio are sharing a tapestry. He works on it during his commute to campus. “It’s therapeutic and kinda fun.”

Soozie Brendler ’76 serves as needlepointer in residence, helping staff, faculty, students, alumni and local residents complete their pieces. She hosts campus stitch-ins where people stop by to work, visit and eat homemade apple pie or chilled strawberry soup brought in by Chaplain Emerita Beth Platz.

“Some are working on their own; some are doing it as part of a group,” says Brendler. “We have mothers of students, grandmothers, even people who were married in the chapel.”

Kapikian believes the process is as artistic as the finished piece.

“There’s a commitment to craftsmanship. … It’s a great joy to me. It becomes the work of the people.”

To inquire about stitching a section, contact Denise McHugh, Memorial Chapel coordinator, at 301.314.9893 or dmchugh@umd.edu.

Between the Columns University Marketing and Communications 2101 Turner Hall, College Park, MD 20742 P 301.405.4615

· F 301.314.9344

Brendler (center) works with (left) student Amber Frazier ’15 and Janet Ishimoto.