The MyRCA program is expected to next be offered in AY 2028-2029, and every two years thereafter.
About the Program
The “Make Your Research Come Alive” (MyRCA) program, originally launched in Fall 2025, is a collaboratory designed for faculty who are committed to advancing and amplifying the visibility, reach, impact, and funding potential of their research, scholarship, and creative activity.
Each year, the program brings together a cohort of about 15 UMBC faculty to develop skills in research impact to reach stakeholders and the public; create compelling pitches and broader impact narratives tailored to foundations, corporations, and donors; and share best practices and learn from each other in a supportive, cross-disciplinary cohort model.
Watch this video to hear directly from 2025–2026 participants about the value of MyRCA and how the program helped advance their work.
The 2026-2027 Cohort
Learn about the faculty who are participating in the 2026-2027 program.
Jude Agboada, Assistant Professor, Visual Arts
Tiffany Banks, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
Fiona Bell, Assistant Professor, Information Systems
Renée Lambert-Brétière, Associate Professor, Modern Languages, Linguistics &
Intercultural Communication
Clement Fung, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Anita Komlodi, Professor, Information Systems
Nkiru Nnawulezi, Associate Professor, Psychology
Ana I. Prados, Senior Research Scientist, Earth and Space Institute
Julie Sayo, Assistant Professor, Visual Arts
Orianne Smith, Professor, English
Aubrey Jackson Soller, Associate Professor, Sociology, Anthropology and Public
Health
Justin T. Webster, Professor, Mathematics and Statistics
Ming Xie, Assistant Professor, Emergency and Disaster Health Systems
Roberto Yus, Assistant Professor, Computer Science & Electrical Engineering
Lei Zhang, Assistant Professor, Information Systems
The 2025-2026 Cohort
Below, learn about the faculty who participated in the 2025-2026 program and read their research in 7 words — following this Harvard University model. A UMBC News story by Sarah Hansen shares what they accomplished during their time in the program, as does this video.
Charissa Cheah, Professor, Psychology. Research in 7 words: “Advancing equity through families and youth thriving.”
Karen Chen, Assistant Professor, Department of Information Systems. Research in 7 words: “Building data-driven technology to promote human flourishing.”
Lauren Clay, Professor, Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems. Research in 7 words: “Reducing barriers to food access after disaster.”
Sophie Comer-Warner, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography & Environmental Systems. Research in 7 Words: “Discovering how global change affects aquatic biogeochemistry.”
Marie-Christine Daniel, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Research in 7 words: “Boosting advanced cancer treatment using multifunctional nanoparticles.”
Foad Hamidi, Associate Professor, Department of Information Systems. Research in 7 words: “Increasing public participation in interactive technology learning.”
Yiwen Hu, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Research in 7 words: “Enhancing security and reliability of mobile systems.”
Brian Kaufman, Associate Professor, Department of Music. Research in 7 words: “Fostering creativity and civic action through music.”
Ellen Kohl, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography & Environmental Systems. Research in 7 Words: “Environmental policies’ roles in perpetuating systemic injustices.”
Dong Li, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Research in 7 words: “Enabling accessible health intelligence with everyday devices.”
Amy Tondreau, Associate Professor, Department of Education. Research in 7 words: “Developing asset-based literacy practices for inclusive schools.”
Gabriella Weiss, Assistant Research Scientist, Center for Space Sciences and Technology. Research in 7 words: “Looking inside molecules to uncover their formation.”
Rebecca Williams, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Research in 7 words: “Capturing, visualizing, and interpreting data for good.”
Shuling Yang, Assistant Professor, Department of Education. Research in 7 words: “Visual representation of GenAI applications in classrooms.”
MyRCA Program Committee
Dr. Christine Mallinson, Assistant Vice President for Research and Scholarly Impact, Division of Research and Creative Achievement
Dr. Don Engel, Associate Vice President for Strategic Research Initiatives, Division of Research and Creative Achievement
Donna Ruginski, Associate Vice President for Center Development, Division of Research and Creative Achievement
Dr. Karl V. Steiner, Vice President for Research and Creative Achievement, Division of Research and Creative Achievement
Dr. Linda Kidder Yarlott, Associate Director for Corporate Research Partnerships, Office of Institutional Advancement
In collaboration with the following units:
College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
College of Engineering and Information Technology
College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences
Center for Earth and Space Sciences
Center for Space Sciences and Technology
Institutional Advancement
New Media Studio, in the Division of Information Technology
School of Social Work
University Communications and Marketing
For more information about the program, please contact Dr. Christine Mallinson or email ord@umbc.edu.
