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Community News

Read the latest news about activities, events, initiatives, programs, and more related to UMD's innovation and enterpreneurship community.

Top 10 Patents

USM Named to Top 10 of Nation’s Patent-Producing Universities

University of Maryland, College Park Awarded 59 Patents in 2023

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Inaugural Xplore Summit

Summit Launches Student Competition

Annual Cohorts to Seek Solutions to Gun Violence, Then Mental Health Challenges

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30 Under 30

3 Terps Make Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Lists

Alums Recognized Among Young Achievers in Retail and E-commerce, Music

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Top 5 Entrepreneurship

UMD Ranked a Top 5 School for Entrepreneurship

The University of Maryland climbed into the nation’s top five colleges for cultivating student entrepreneurialism, according to rankings released by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine.

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Simply Gay

A 'Simple Gay' Way to Show Pride

Alumna’s Brand Offers Different Take on LGBTQ+-themed Fashion

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WISE Cities

Student Startup Helps Older Adults to Connect

UMD students have developed a web platform, WISE Cities (Where Innovation Supports Everyone), that aims to combat social isolation among older adults.

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PasteandRind

‘Cheese’ the Day

Passion for Provolone, Parmesan Drives Alum to Pivot From Overseas Development to Opening Tasting Bar. From delicious cheese boards to elaborate wedding "cakes," Kara McGrath '13 creates all types of savory delights at Paste and Rind, the cheese and wine bar she and husband Aaron Fagan '13 opened earlier this year on Washington, D.C.'s H Street.

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Neil Sorkin

Disaster Drones to the Rescue

Computer Science Major, Assistant Professor Design System to Locate Trapped, Injured Victims After Catastrophes

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Lynde_Washington

Brush With Greatness

Former Terps Cornerback Tackles Subjects’ Essences on Canvas. Unlike many working artists, dissecting his peers’ techniques and the politics of the art world bores Lynde Washington ’99. He’d rather figure out how to put you in the shoes of a quarterback about to get flattened by legendary Bears linebacker Mike Singletary.

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Barbie

Alum at the Center of a ‘Barbie’ World

Opening of the movie “Barbie” has inspired a marketing juggernaut by doll producer Mattel (led by Richard Dickson ’90) and other corporate partners, including, clockwise from top left, a branded Xbox; a Barbie that looks like the movie’s star, Margot Robbie; a Gap dog hoodie; hot pink Aldo pumps; a Mattel pool float; and sparkly Pinkberry fro-yo.

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BlueFernTravel

D.C. History by the Forkful

Anthropology Alum’s Food Tour Dishes Out Tales From ‘Black Broadway,’ Taste of Immigrant Culinary Traditions. Blue Fern Travel tour guide Jim Haefele standing outside of the the iconic Ben's Chili Bowl mural.

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Krisztina Christmon

Finding Her ‘Repurpose’

Entomology Alum’s Startup Works to Protect Farmers and Reduce Plastic Waste. Krisztina Christmon Ph.D. ’23 has created a company to tackle the problem of agricultural plastic waste by collecting and cleaning it for recycling into new products.

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AmberMayfield

Party Queen, Behind the Scenes

Alum Highlights Black Chefs, Artists at NYC-Based Event Agency. From intimate dinner parties to glamorous galas and even a sleek magazine, Amber Mayfield '14 highlights Black chefs and creators through her company, To Be Hosted.

 

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Parker Yablon and Sam Panitch

Alum Podcast Hosts Seek to ‘Elevate’ Post-College Life

Sam Panitch ’18 and Parker Yablon ’18 turned to a whiteboard to workshop what didn’t feel right in their lives. They have recorded hundreds of episodes of their podcast, "Elevation Nation," which explores topics related to building their adult lives after graduation.

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DianSeidel

Language Opens Doors to Alum’s Book

Retired Climate Scientist Spent Months Teaching English to Thai Kindergarteners. After retiring from a career as a climate scientist, Dian Seidel Ph.D. '92 spent several months in Thailand teaching kindergarteners English. Now, she's written a memoir, "Kindergarten at 60," about the experience.

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Peer_to_Peer

Tutoring Group Wins Zipcar’s Students With Drive Challenge

Terp tutors from Peer to Peer will soon be able to zoom to local schools to teach refugee students in person, rather than being limited to online Zoom sessions, after winning the Zipcar Students with Drive Challenge.

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HatcheryShowcase

Mokhtarzada Hatchery Startups Showcase Their ‘Immense Progress’

From tackling food insecurity to fostering cultural exchanges, UMD students and alums are positively impacting communities through their newly formed companies.

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Arts for All Clarvit Dedication

Clarvit Studio and Courtyard Expands Artistic Possibilities at UMD

Inside the studio, students can now use 3D scanners, depth-sensing cameras, laser cutters and circuitry equipment.

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Northrop Grumman Day 2023

At Northrop Grumman Day, Students Pitch the Future of Networked Computing

From Next-Gen Security Cameras to Smart Sorters, Hackathon Winners Provide Innovative IoT Solutions

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2023InnovateMaryland

Device That Harvests Water From Air Named Top UMD Invention of the Year

Innovate Maryland Event Also Celebrates Work on Plastic Substitutes, Cancer Detection, Quantum Science

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DoGoodIcon

UMD Poised to Do More Good

The expanded Do Good program was announced during Maryland Day, the university’s annual open house, with the official unveiling of a new campus icon, the Do Good sculpture.

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McKeldin Mall Aerial

University System of Maryland Ranks Among World’s Top Patent-Producing Institutions

New Report Lists USM 14th in U.S. Public Universities, 32nd Worldwide

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Do Good Teams 2023

Green Lab Startup, Camp for Kids Dealing With Parents’ Cancer Take First Place in Do Good Challenge

Six student teams split $20K for their impactful ventures and projects tackling social issues.

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2023 Do Good Finalists

6 Student Teams to Make Pitches for Share of $20K at Do Good Challenge

Six teams that spent the year advocating, fundraising, volunteering and developing solutions to address social issues will take the stage during this year’s Do Good Challenge finals.

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Sustainabli Pitch Dingman 2023 Winner

Pitch Dingman Winner Closes the Hood on Labs’ Energy Waste

Team members of Sustainabli, a startup dedicated to reducing energy loss from fume hoods in laboratories and making the practice of science more sustainable, display their $30,000 grand prize at the Pitch Dingman Competition on Tuesday.

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QIS2023

At UMD-Sponsored Summit, Pines Offers Vision for Growing the ‘Capital of Quantum’

UMD President Darryll J. Pines speaks to attendees at UMD's Quantum Investment Summit at the Hall CP on Wednesday.

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Rasa Co-Founders

Dishing Out Time-Honored Flavors Fast

Rahul Vinod '11 and Sahil Rahman '12 are opening the fifth location of their fast-casual Indian restaurant, Rasa, this spring in Rockville. The pair are following in the footsteps of their parents, who own more formal Indian restaurants together.

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UMD Apples

Apples, Adapted: New Fruit From UMD Could Weather Changing Climate and Labor Shortages to Boost Grower Profits

Two new apples developed by a UMD team—one red and one yellow —are far easier to grow and could be better suited to a warming climate than traditional varieties.

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Cool Green Shelters

With New UMD Invention, All the Cool Kids Will Be Riding the Bus

Cool Green Shelters, an offshoot of Maryland-born company Living Canopies, will bring comfortable, sustainable bus shelters to riders often left unprotected. The company's first shelters will debut in Hyattsville this summer.

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Innovation Instigator Mira Azarm

New Workshop Has Instructors ‘Acting Out’

Mira Azarm, an innovation instigator in the Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, peers out from under a table during a recent improv workshop designed to help instructors bring more playfulness and creativity into their classrooms.

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Ori Zohar Burlap and Barrel

Alum Takes Spicy Turn on ‘Shark Tank’

Ori Zohar ’07 and his Burlap & Barrel co-founder, Ethan Frisch, are appearing tonight on ABCs “Shark Tank’ to pitch the investing panel their single origin spice company. "You only have one shot," said Zohar. "Whatever happens, happens."

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Terp Trendsetters

Terp Trendsetters: 5 UMD Groups and Traditions That Have Spread to Campuses Nationwide

Food Recovery Network, the Midnight Mile (and later Madness), campus versions of “Survivor,” streaking and the Gamer Symphony Orchestra all trace their origins to the University of Maryland.

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Alaskan Brewing Company

Beer, Off the Beaten Track: Alum Celebrates 35 Years of Craft Brewing Success in Alaska

The craft beer that Geoff Larson ’80 produces for his Alaskan Brewing Company draws from the natural resources of Juneau.

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Mojo Rawley

From Ruling the Ring to Representing Wrestlers

Dean Muhtadi ’08, MBA ’11, known as Mojo Rawley during his days as a WWE wrestler, recently launched Paragon Talent Group with business partner Steve Kaye to help current and former pro wrestlers make a comfortable living—with or without the sport.

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Forbes 30 Under 30 Terps

4 Terps Named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Lists for 2023

Tyler Denk ’16, Sarah Lorentzen ’18, Daniel Luu ’16 and TJ Ademiluyi ’17 were named to this year’s Forbes’ 30 Under 30 lists, which highlight North America’s up-and-coming entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, scientists and activists.

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Rudy Lamone

Smith School Mourns Passing of Former Dean Rudolph P. Lamone

Rudolph P. Lamone, or "Rudy," as he was commonly known, served from 1973-92 as dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business and established the widely recognized Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship.

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