College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences - Univ. of Maryland

06/08/2026

Physics' Wolfgang Losert recently received a grant from the U.S. Army Research Office to develop next-gen AI inspired by astrocytes—brain cells that make up roughly half the brain.

"Astrocytes, contrary to previous beliefs, are much more active participants in how the brain learns, remembers and adapts," Wolfgang said. "Our goal is to take these biological insights and turn them into concrete algorithms that will outperform the AI systems we have currently."

The federally funded research program aims to harness astrocytes—one of the brain’s most overlooked cell types—t

06/05/2026

🎉 Congrats to senior biological sciences major Joshua Mathew on being named a 2026 Astronaut Scholar! He is one of 79 undergrads from 54 institutions selected for the $15K award this year.

This recognition follows Joshua's Barry Goldwater Scholarship, which he received earlier this year. He plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. and go on to lead a structural and computational biology research program focused on cancer drug discovery.

"I want to answer questions that no one has thought to ask yet, and use those answers to help people who need it most."

06/04/2026

Columbia Ph.D. candidate Syl Foisy traveled 200 miles on foot to meet with Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Professor Ross Salawitch!

Syl started this 250-plus-mile walk from Central Park to the U.S. Capitol to connect the public with the climate science community and help people better understand how science-backed weather and climate information keeps all Americans safe and healthy. Along the way, Syl interviewed experts like Ross about the value of their research.

“At [UMD], we do a huge amount of research on the effect of aerosols on atmospheric composition,” Ross said. “Our air has gotten so much cleaner from the efforts that have been put in place, and that has huge economic benefits for the health, welfare and well-being of the citizens of Maryland and throughout the world."

06/03/2026

Meet the new chair of our Department of Geological, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Sarah Penniston-Dorland!

A fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America, Sarah joined the department in 2004 as a lecturer and was ultimately promoted to professor in 2020.

"The department has been a welcoming home for me for my entire career," Sarah said. "I am excited to work with the departmental community and with CMNS and UMD more broadly to lead us into the future, expand our impact and grow into the potential of our new name."

06/02/2026

During the COVID-19 lockdown, senior neuroscience major Seti Ouelega and her little sister wrote a book, "Marvelous Meghan: Our Big Sister," to raise autism awareness ➡️ go.umd.edu/ouelega

The biographical book chronicles the three sisters’ childhood, showing how Meghan experiences life differently but, like all children, ultimately wants love and fun.

“These people need assistance. They need love. They need to be cared for,” she said. “That's the message we're trying to spread with our book and our foundation.”

06/01/2026

Computer Science graduate Esha Singhai's next stop is Google's Associate Product Manager (APM) program! In this two-year rotational program, Esha hopes to work on consumer-facing products and further explore how tech integrates into our lives.

During undergrad, Esha worked with The Diamondback as a product manager to help build products such as DBK Apartments, a platform that helps students find housing. She also mentored two freshmen this year with the Association for Women in Computing, helping them navigate classes and get involved on campus.

"[Mentoring] was a full-circle moment for me, because as a freshman, I was mentored through the Computing Catalyst and the Quest Honors Program," Esha said. "Being able to pass that on to the next generation of women in computing has been really rewarding."

05/29/2026

When Chemistry Ph.D. candidate Manny Bazan-Bergamino isn’t playing his clarinet, you can find him developing “molecular containers” to fight drug overdose.

Molecular containers are large molecules that encapsulate smaller ones, and they have widespread applications. They’re how Febreze captures and removes foul odors. Manny applies the same principles to remove unwanted drugs from the human body.

Read more about Manny's Ph.D. journey at UMD: https://go.umd.edu/MBB

05/28/2026

All three graduate schools Isaac Robinson applied to accepted him. This fall, he‘ll start classes at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy!

Isaac's part-time job at Giant Pharmacy during undergrad cemented his passion for pharmacy, leading him to take a second job at the University Health Center to develop his skills further.

"Helping patients with their medications gave me a sense of fulfillment," Isaac said, "and I began to feel a part of the community as they began remembering me and checking in on how my schooling was going."

05/28/2026

Graphic designer Faye Levine works behind the scenes to ensure our college's external communications and branded products are picture-perfect. This year, she was awarded the Dean's Outstanding Employee Award for her extensive portfolio!

"Even when many projects are flying around at once, or when I have to troubleshoot to stay ahead of the curve on technology challenges, [CMNS] is a great place to be," Faye said. "There’s a sense of trust and shared responsibility; everybody knows everybody else will get their job done."

05/26/2026

With hurricane season approaching, you may be wondering how tropical cyclones form—and how we can better predict severe weather events.

ESSIC-UMD's Will Miller will answer your questions about tropical cyclones and meteorology in today's , live from 1–3 p.m. ET ➡️ redd.it/1tniwzx