Research and Creative Achievement Council

The UMBC Research and Creative Achievement Council (RCAC)  is described in the Plan of Organization for the Senates of UMBC and includes representation from several of UMBC’s senates and other groups, as detailed in the roster below. The Council reviews and recommends policies that promote and enhance research, scholarship, and creative activity at UMBC. It also “serves as a forum for discussion of research issues or systematic problems in need of amelioration.” In addition, the UMBC Research and Creative Achievement Council is charged with:

  1. carrying out periodic reviews of UMBC Centers and Institutes to ensure the academic quality and value to the University;
  2. receiving reports from UMBC administration and research committees including issues of University compliance with Federal and State regulations; and
  3. voicing faculty concerns to the campus administration on matters involving administrative or academic affairs affecting the quality of research.
Research and Creative Achievement Council Meetings:  
All meetings are 11am-1pm and hybrid, in ITE 459 and on WebEx. For the WebEx link, please email the RCAC chair (see roster below).
  • September 13, 2024
  • October 11, 2024
  • November 8, 2024
  • December 13, 2024
  • February 14, 2025
  • March 14, 2025
  • April 11, 2025
  • May 9, 2025

If you would like to bring a potential initiative, concern or suggestion to the Research and Creative Achievement Council’s attention, please contact the Council through any or all of the individuals below.

We look forward to hearing from and working with you!

Research and Creative Achievement Council – Members
Representing Name Department/Unit Email Term
Faculty Senate Erle Ellis Geography and Environmental Systems ece@umbc.edu AY13-AY25
Faculty Senate James Foulds Information Systems jfoulds@umbc.edu AY24-AY26
Faculty Senate Manas Gaur Computer Science and Electrical Engineering manas@umbc.edu AY25-AY27
Faculty Senate Eileen Meyer
Physics
 meyer@umbc.edu AY24-AY26
Faculty Senate Thania Munoz Davaslioglu Modern Languages, Linguistics & Intercultural Communication munozt@umbc.edu AY23-AY25
Faculty Senate Tanya Saunders Language Literacy & Culture tanyasau@umbc.edu AY24-AY26
Faculty Senate Nykia Walker Biological Sciences ndwalker@umbc.edu AY25-AY27
Faculty Senate Jianwu Wang (Chair) Information Systems jianwu@umbc.edu AY25-AY27
Faculty Senate Semhar Yohannes Library semhar@umbc.edu AY25-AY27
Non-Exempt Staff Crocetta Argento Division of Research and Creative Achievement cargent1@umbc.edu AY25
Prof. Staff Senate Michael Walsh Office of Sponsored Programs mwalsh3@umbc.edu AY25
Prof. Staff Senate Jamie Cole Office of Sponsored Programs jamiec13@umbc.edu AY25
Grad. Student Assoc. Saad Khan LLC saadk1@umbc.edu AY25
Research Centers Aryya Gangopadhyay Center for Real-time Distributed Sensing and Autonomy (CARDS) gangopad@umbc.edu AY25
Research Centers Xiaoguang (Richard)  Xu GESTAR2  xxu@umbc.edu AY25
Sr. Research Admin. Grp. Amy Schneider Creative Achievement and Research Administration Team (CARAT) aschneid@umbc.edu AY25
Ex-Officio Members of the Council (non-voting)
  • Provost (or designee)
  • Vice President for Administration and Finance (or designee)
  • Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (or designee)
  • Vice President for Research & Creative Achievement (or designee)
  • Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (or designee)
  • Dean of Engineering and Information Technology (or designee)
  • Dean of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (or designee)
  • Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (or designee)
  • Dean of the Erickson School (or designee)
  • Director of the Library (or designee)
  • Director of Undergraduate Research and Prestigious Scholarships