Faculty Directory

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College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Brain and Behavior Institute
Website(s):

Xiaoming He Elected to European Academy of Sciences and Arts

BIOE Professor Shawn He was elected to the EASA, recognized for the value of his research, innovation, and impact on a global scale.

Six Clark School Faculty Receive 2024 DURIP Awards

DURIP awards support university research in technical areas of interest to the Department of Defense.

‘Priming’ helps the brain understand language even with poor-quality speech signals

New research published in PNAS shows word representations may provide some objective measures of speech comprehension.

Hair, Hair for Equity in Neuroscience Research

Undergrad Expands African Americans’ Participation in Studies by Styling Hair So They Can Wear Sensor-Using Caps

'Eye-Opening' Study Sheds Light on Circadian Pacemaker

BBI-supported researchers studied synaptic changes in an animal model before and after it developed vision, which plays a key role in circadian rhythm.

UMD Researchers Begin Recruiting Participants for Largest-Ever Study of Brain Development in Infants and Children

Study Will Examine How Environmental Factors, Including Substance Use During Pregnancy, Affect the Growing Brain

New UMD Division of Research video highlights work of Simon, Anderson

The researchers use magnetoencephalography to understand and develop training for aging-related signal processing interactions between the ears and the brain.

How Repairing a Key Brain Circuit Could Help Avert Drug Relapse

$1.9M NIH Award to Fund UMD Psychologists’ Study of the Neurobiology of Decision-Making

UMD Researchers to Untangle Language Problems for Tongue-Tied Stroke Survivors

$3.1M NIH Award Allows UMD Speech Clinician, Psychologist to Study Debilitating Form of Aphasia

$3.1M NIH Award Supports Study of Anxiety-Fueled Alcohol Misuse

Neuroimaging, Computational Tools Focus on Racially and Age-Diverse Participants From Nearby Areas

New ‘FRRB’ packaging technology may solve an ingestible capsule challenge

The innovation, which protects fragile components, has been published in the Nature journal Microsystems & Nanoengineering.

Autism Research Resonates in Hearing-Focused Project

Neurobiologist and Engineer Investigate Neural Networks That Underpin a Common but Little-Understood Disorder

Isolated Cells, Inclusive Science

BBI neuroscientist issues comprehensive map of retinal gene expression in publicaly accessible format.

MSAL’s work on serotonin characterization and detection results in two journal covers

Research is leading to better detection models and portable sensing devices.

Discovering a digital biomarker for post-stroke cognitive problems

Funding for a noninvasive, inexpensive screening tool that could predict persistent post-stroke cognitive difficulties.

2023 BBI Seed Grants Inspire New Interdisciplinary Collaborations

The six interdisciplinary teams will use state-of-the-art neuroscience tools to translate basic science research into real-world impact.

Neighborhood Features Impact Mental Health for Better and Worse

UMD-led study finds that risks for depression, other physical maledies connected to one's built environment.

A New Nap-time Theory

Research Suggests Children’s Need for Daytime Sleep Depends on Brain’s Ability to File Away Memories, Learning

Training Can Improve Older Adults’ Ability to Discriminate Rapid Changes in Sound

Findings support subsequent studies on hearing loss-reversing interventions

Should You Buy One of the New OTC Hearing Aids?

UMD Hearing and Speech Faculty Experts Advise Weighing Options Carefully

Do Suddenly Self-Centered Brain Cells Promote Disease?

NSF Award Funds UMD Alzheimer’s Research Into Brain Glucose Metabolism

How Do Infants Learn Sounds in Their Native Language?

UMD-affiliated computational linguists published groundbreaking research that examines how infants learn what the sounds of their native language are.

The BBI Welcomes New Faculty Hires

Investigators joining UMD bring cross-disciplinary expertise with diverse applications in aging and development research.

The Power of Peers

Next Phase of $3.5M Project to Study Peers’ Impact on Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder

$7.9 Million in NIH Awards Propel UMD Aging Research

New multidisciplinary collaborations take on challenges like Alzheimer’s disease prevention.

New robust and scalable computational methodology developed by UMD researchers helps identify directed connectivity within the brain

‘NLGC’ can be used with magnetoencephalography to better understand the neural mechanisms behind sensory processing.

Ghodssi named to new Clark School research and innovation position

He will lead Clark School research, partnership and outreach activities in Southern Maryland.

Sochol-led Team to Develop 3D-Nanoprinted Neurosurgical Tools

The NIH has awarded $2.7 million to a UMD/JHU/UMSOM team that will leverage machine learning and 3D printing.

Jonathan Simon gives keynote address at international cognitive hearing science conference

Simon spoke on “The progression of neural speech representations through auditory cortex and beyond, from acoustics to semantics.”

Uncovering the mysteries of networking in the brain

UMD researchers are sorting out how our brains’ neurons organize as we take in, decide and act on information.

Wearable Tech and Brain Imaging Innovate Treatments for Paranoia

BBI investigators use smartphone data and wrist-worn sleep monitors to inform better treatments for paranoia.

Maryland Engineering Collaborates on Three MURIs

Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) awards support growth of newly emerging technologies.

Poster Session Cinches Banner Year for UMD Neuroscience

Dozens of undergraduate students gathered to discuss neuroscience research projects with peers and mentors.

Bringing Health Care’s Vision of Tomorrow into Focus

Professor Joseph JaJa part of new, multi-institutional effort to advance medical innovations and regulatory science for extended reality technology.

Creative Movement, 'On Display'

Human Sculpture Court Part of Workshop Exploring the Brain and Dance

UMD Aphasia Experts Work to Build Understanding of Condition Affecting Hollywood Superstar

Willis Diagnosis Puts Spotlight on Language Disorder Affecting Millions

Shamma joins former student Mounya Elhilali in new MURI soundscape project

The researchers will identify the nature and role of acoustic representations in guiding perception and behavior in humans, animals, and models.

Now Accepting 2022 Young Investigator Fellowship Proposals

Deadline for Fischell Institute faculty affiliates to submit young investigator proposals is April 15, 2022.

MPower Announces Seed Grant Awards in Neuroscience and Aging

The four awards are joined by projects that employ neuroscience-related tools and themes.

An Open House Debut for New Prisma MRI at MNC

Scheduled for unveiling on April 22, 2022, the upgrade significantly enhances spatial and temporal resolution of human brain imaging.

UMD Chemist Pioneers Tool for Eavesdropping on Neurons

Custom-built technology from BBI investigator Peter Nemes identifies and quantifies hundreds of different proteins in a single neuron.

Announcing the BBI Small Animal MR Facility

Helmed by director Konstantin Cherkas, the new BBI-SAMRI will facilitate research at the intersection of biological imaging and analytical methodologies through non-invasive anatomical, functional and connectomic analysis.

Brain Freeze: Cryo-FIB-SEM Coming Soon to College Park

The new Brain and Behavior Institute core will expand campus FIB-SEM applications to include biological tissue.

Alum Timir Datta-Chaudhuri develops VNS biosensor for mice

The invention could transform bioelectronic medicine research.

Reflections on a Career Making Biologically Relevant Compounds

A Q&A with retiring UMD synthetic chemist Philip DeShong.

2022 BBI Seed Grant Awards to Fuel Innovation in Aging and Development Research

The five interdisciplinary projects funded by the BBI offer cutting-edge approaches to translational neuroscience.

Drug Use and Altered Decision-Making Linked to Epigenetic Regulation

The BBI-funded research provides the first evidence that the enzyme HDAC5 contributes to impulsive and inflexible decision-making.

Humans vs. Machines: Examining the Effectiveness of Automated Topic Modeling Evaluations

A new paper argues that topic model developers should reassess the increasing use of machine learning to evaluate their work.

Linguist Jeff Lidz Studies What’s Behind Baby Talk

A New Study Shows Children Grasp Syntax Earlier Than You Might Think

Frequent research collaborator Deanna Kelly named 'MPower Professor'

UMSOM Psychiatry professor has worked on mental health-related projects with Espy-Wilson, Ghodssi, Payne, among others.

Exploring the 'rules of life' of natural neuronal networks could lead to faster, more efficient computers

Nearly $3 million in NSF funding will enhance understanding of how the parts of a single neuron contribute to neuronal networks' overall learning and computation abilities.

$1.7M Grant to Support UMCP, UMB Clinical and Translational Research Collaborations

The MPower award will help researchers access resources for clinical and translational training, engage in pilot research, and strengthen bioinformatics infrastructure.

How Home Alone Helped UMD Neuroscientists Unlock Brain Scan Data

New research employs advanced computational algorithms to uncover latent information in fMRI scans about human mental states.

Catching Up with 2020 VFIN Awardee Chelsea Haakenson

The Visiting Graduate Fellows in Neuroscience Program award winner discusses how cross-campus training elevated her dissertation research and overall science savvy.

CLIP Researchers Create Computational Models to Explore How Adults Learn New Languages

A team of researchers are using computational modeling to investigate learning mechanisms that can help listeners adapt their speech perception of a new language.

How does the brain turn heard sounds into comprehensible language?

$2.88M in NIH funding could lead to brain-aware, tunable hearing devices.

Award Expands UMD Monitoring of Drug Use Trends Among Emergency Room Patients

The number of hospitals participating in the UMD-run system will nearly triple.

Internal predictive model characterizes brain's neural activity during listening and imagining music

Two "Music of Silence" papers by Shamma, Di Liberto and Marion have implications for computational models of sensory perception.

Juntti Receives $1.9M Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award

The award from the NIH will support his pioneering research to understand how biology influences behavior.

Parents Can Help Guide Black Teens in Healthy Responses to Discrimination, Study Finds

Addressing Underlying Emotions Spurred by Discrimination Could Prevent Depression, Behavior Problems

UMD to Help Lead Nationwide Study of Early Childhood Brain Development, Impact of Early Adversity

25 Institutions Will Contribute to First-of-its-Kind Comprehensive Initiative

Welcome, Samuel Graham, Jr., Dean of Maryland Engineering

When an innovator wanted to engineer a more advanced and equitable society, he chose a research and education powerhouse with global impact, and came to Maryland.

Research Finds that Exercise Can Change Brain Structure in Healthy Older Adults

A new study used diffusion imaging to measure the microstructure and tissue composition in the hippocampus after 30 minutes of exercise.

Andy De Los Reyes Named Outstanding Psychologist

In 2021, the president of the APA accorded the honor to just 19 of 122,000 psychology professionals.

How tech can fill gaps in mental health care

$1.2M in NSF funding supports researchers’ work to connect patients, clinicians more effectively.

This New Algorithm Lets You Explore Virtual Reality by Walking Naturally

An alignment-based redirection controller directs users to the best route for avoiding obstacles.

The brain makes sense of math and language in different ways

Distinct regions in the brain use their own neural pathways and networks to process either spoken math or language.

CBCB Doctoral Student Studies Changes in Neurons that Affect Mammals’ Sleep Cycles

Theresa Alexander is advised by BBI seed grant award winners Colenso Speer and Najib El-Sayed

NIH grant furthers poststroke recovery research of Marsh, Simon

MEG scans will help determine the neurophysiologic effects of mindfulness training on subacute post-stroke depression and cognition.

MPower Seeks Proposals in Neuroscience and Aging, Medicine + AI

The initial deadline for the 2021 MPower Seed Grant Challenge is August 2, 2021.

Researchers Record Brain Waves to Measure ‘Cybersickness’

Better Understanding of VR-Induced Discomfort Could Broaden Tech’s Reach

Piece of Mind: Upgrade of Campus MRI to Enhance Brain Imaging

Together with major contributions from the BBI and BSOS, a new Research Instrumentation Fund award will improve the temporal and spatial resolution of MR imaging at UMD and enhance campus neuroscience research.

A new way to monitor mental health conditions

With machine learning, Carol Espy-Wilson is developing a phone app that can measure depression symptoms using speech and video cues.

Student Researchers Recognized with Wylie Dissertation Fellowships

Fourteen Clark School students pursuing their Ph.D.s in engineering have been awarded Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowships by the University of Maryland Graduate School.

Gumerov, Duraiswami Receive Funding from Facebook Reality Labs

The researchers will focus on improving a tool used to simulate the human perception of auditory signals.

BBI Advanced Genomic Technologies Core Launches

For the first time ever at UMD, researchers can access cutting-edge single-cell DNA and RNA sequencing technologies.

Nikolas Francis on the Neurophysiology of Listening

New Brain and Behavior Institute and Department of Biology faculty hire brings wide-ranging expertise to collaborative neuroscience endeavors at UMD.

"Forward-Focused Coping" Supports Mental Health During Pandemic

UMD study shows looking to the future, rather than dwelling on trauma, helped older adults’ mental health.

Maryland Joins NSF-funded Effort to Help Set Nation's Direction for Engineering

The Engineering Research Visioning Alliance will convene engineering voices to identify opportunities and priorities for innovative research that benefits society.

The Internet of Bio-Nano Things

Researchers aim to bridge the gap between microelectronics and biological systems to create next-generation wearables.

Five UMCP-UMB Collaborations Awarded MPower BHHP Grants

The bi-campus projects will address the brain in health and disease, nervous system injury.

Flashes Before Your Eyes: Non-invasive Visual Stimulation May Prime Cortex to Improve Vision

New UMD research outlines how repetitive flickering light holds promise for treatment of visual loss.

El-Sayed to Direct New BBI Advanced Genomic Technologies Core

The state-of-the-art core will feature single-cell genomic technologies for applications in the nervous and immune systems as well as cancer.

Bridging Cultures and Supporting Collaborations

Q&A with Brain and Behavior Institute Founding Director Betsy Quinlan

Engineering QC into Biomanufacturing of EV-based Products

Steven Jay is P.I of this M-CERSI funded project. Steven R. Bauer serves as FDA subject matter expert.

University of Maryland Research Enterprise Ranked Among Top 10 Publics in NSF Higher Education R&D Survey

Research in Baltimore & College Park Tackles Critical Issues in the State and Globally

Green Is Good for You—and Your Career

Architecture, Psychology Researchers Explore Workplace Performance Benefits of Sustainable Buildings

Welcoming Nate Underland as Associate Director of the BBI

In the new role, Nate will oversee the institute’s operations and communications.

A Computational Approach to Understanding How Infants Perceive Language

New PNAS paper simulates and compares how Japanese- and English-learning infants discriminate speech sounds

UMD Launches New Brain and Behavior Institute, Announces Founding Director

Institute will build on existing strengths and elevate UMD neuroscience to national preeminence.

Huang, Stroka Labs Collaborate to Advance Understanding of Blood-Brain Barrier

BIOE assistant professors aim to develop techniques to target drugs to the central nervous system.

Researchers Aim to Advance Understanding of Alzheimer's Disease Progression

UMD,FDA researchers work to develop a technique to quickly measure the amount of amyloid plaque in the brain

Deliberation Computation: The Data Behind Decision Making

New UMD research pioneers a computational model that quantifies decision making for mental health diagnosis and treatment.

The Mystery of Our Early Missing Memories

Childhood brain function and memory skills shape each other, UMD research finds.

Emerging from the fog: Little understood post-stroke cognitive issues verified

For the first time, researchers measure the physical evidence of diminished neural processing within the brain after a stroke.

Symptoms all in your head—or in your gut? Maybe a little of both.

UMD researchers are building an ingestible capsule that can monitor and model gut microbiome serotonin activity and help demystify the “gut-brain axis.”

UMD Biologist Awarded $1.5M to Develop Brain Mapping Techniques

NIH’s High-Risk, High-Reward Program will fund a project that could transform efforts to understand how neurons are wired.

Two UMCP NACS Students Awarded Fellowships to Train in UMB PIN Laboratories

The VFIN Program allows students to acquire new techniques and broaden training through cross-campus research.

Ashley Chapin advances as international finalist in Three-Minute Thesis Competition

Chapin is representing UMD with her video, "Demystifying the Gut-Brain Axis."

One Size Does Not Fit All

To advance inclusive medical therapies and diversity in fundamental science, one Maryland engineer leads by example.

Never Fear, the Maryland Threat Countdown is Here

UMD psychologists pioneer new tools for understanding the brain bases of fear and anxiety.

Cornelia Fermüller is PI for 'NeuroPacNet,' a $1.75M NSF funding award

The resulting "network of networks" will further the scientific grand challenge of developing neuromorphic artificial intelligence.

Sci-Fi Social Distancing?

Researchers tackle complexities of autonomous robots as a coronavirus solution.

New algorithms for estimating the latent dynamics underlying biological processes

Work by Miran, Presacco, Babadi, Simon, Fu and Marcus published in PLOS Computational Biology.

BBI Awards Seed Grants to Six Interdisciplinary Projects

Funded teams feature UMD faculty from 15 academic departments and six centers and institutes

Call for Pediatric Medical Device Pitches Focused on COVID-19

FDA grant and gift from entrepreneur provide $250K in awards

Ingestible device research advances, enters new phase

New NSF funding, Lab on a Chip paper for Ghodssi group developing minimally invasive medical devices.

Behtash Babadi promoted to associate professor

Babadi has broad research interests in statistical and adaptive signal processing, neural signal processing, and systems neuroscience.

Ashley Chapin a campus-wide winner of the Three-Minute Thesis Competition

Chapin’s video, “Demystifying The Gut-Brain-Axis,” reflects her dissertation work.

BBI Launches QED ("Quarantine EDucation") Virtual Seminar Series

The series's inaugural presentation offers concrete strategies for parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clark School faculty 'AIM-HI' to address major health challenges

The new UMB-UMCP program has announced its first grants for projects combining AI and medicine.

Spurring research group creativity in the time of COVID-19

Student-faculty teams that write review articles for journals reap multiple benefits.

BBI Researchers Among Those Selected for UMD Coronavirus Research Seed Funds

Mental health was an important topic among the projects awarded.

In Race With Virus, Researchers Speed Development of Medical Equipment

Bioengineers, Terrapin Works producing new respirator and ventilator designs.

Protection Collections Abound for Local Health Care Workers

Campus units donate masks, gloves, and other much-needed supplies.

Dean Pines Named University of Maryland's 34th President

Darryll Pines has served as Dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering since January 2009.

Hu, Bernat Featured in Society for Women Engineers magazine

Their BBI Seed Grant-funded project examines the mental health implications of architectural design elements.

Visual Deprivation Lowers Threshold for Enzymatic Pathway that Rejuvenates Synaptic Plasticity in the Brain

The discovery holds promise of future therapies for adults with visual deficits.

UMD STEM Students Take the Stage in The Nutcracker

More than a dozen Ballet Company M dancers hail from science and engineering backgrounds

Brain and Behavior Initiative Hosts 3rd Annual Seed Grant Symposium

Researchers from across UMD convene to discuss the latest projects funded by BBI

Chapin, Bowen win in Bioscience Day poster session

The ISR Ph.D. students won in the bioengineering and neuroscience and cognitive science categories.

New Perspectives on Some of the Oldest Questions about Human Language

An interdisciplinary team of University of Maryland researchers edited a special issue of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society

NIH announces HEAL Initiative Grants for UMD faculty

The projects are part of NIH’s larger push to reverse the opioid crisis in the U.S.

AESoP symposium features speakers, organizers with UMD ties

The symposium highlights research on hearing, speech and language that makes use of novel EEG or MEG signal processing.

Shamma, colleagues publish in Journal of Neuroscience

Paper explores the neural basis of the brain's efficient auditory encoding.

UMD Researchers Develop Technique to Advance Cell-Based Systems

Autonomous coordination of cell subpopulations highlighted in Nature Communications.

Special Delivery

To build an unmanned aerial vehicle worthy of a groundbreaking three-mile flight on the night of April 19, a team of UMD engineers worked over the course of two and a half years.

NSF Awards $1M Grant to UMD Researchers

The interdisciplinary project will explore the molecular connection between the gut and the nervous system.

Ghodssi Receives Senior Faculty Outstanding Research Award

The award recognizes exceptionally influential research accomplishments by Clark School faculty.

NIH Awards $2M to UMD Entomologist Megan Fritz

Research into mosquitoes carrying West Nile will pinpoint the genes responsible for their attraction to humans.

BIOE, UMB to Host October Symposium

A. James Clark School of Engineering researchers are invited to submit abstracts by Sept. 10th.

Simon invited speaker at implantable auditory prostheses conference

Simon spoke on how EEG and MEG successes may lead to neurophysiologically based speech perception measures.

BBI Announces FY19 Seed Grant Awards

Awarded proposals feature researchers from seven colleges and schools as well as three centers and institutes

Ghodssi gives distinguished lecture on devices for gastrointestinal health at EPFL in Switzerland

Trip also included visits to the Wyss Center and Imperial College London.

125 Years of Daring Vision, Lasting Impact

The A. James Clark School of Engineering is proud to celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2019!

UMD researchers awarded $5.3M NIH BRAIN Initiative grant

BBI-affiliated faculty instrumental to "Readout and control of spatiotemporal neuronal codes for behavior"

UMD auditory cortex research featured in Nature Neuroscience

Study reveals how the brain nimbly and rapidly change responses to incoming sensory stimuli depending upon the cognitive context of the moment.

Radio interview with Jonathan Simon on "the cocktail party problem"

BYUradio talks to Simon about where in the brain, and how quickly, neurons transition from processing the sound of speech to the language-based words of speech.

State and University Officials Celebrate Launch of Biomedical Device Institute

University of Maryland establishes Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices to propel advancements in human health.

Season's Greetings from the Clark School!

Happy Holidays from the A. James Clark School of Engineering and Best Wishes for a Fearless 2019!

Stop—hey, what’s that sound?

New Maryland study explores how the sounds going into our ears become the words going through our brains.

Brain and Behavior Initiative (BBI) hosts Second Annual Seed Grant Symposium

The University’s Brain and Behavior Initiative (BBI) hosted its Second Annual Seed Grant Symposium on November 14, 2018 at Adele’s in the Stamp Student Union.

$1.5M FEMA Award to Fund First-of-its-Kind Study of Health Effects on Wildland Firefighters

With a $1.5 million award from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, a UMD engineer will co-lead a research effort to quantify the pulmonary and cardiovascular health consequences to firefighters exposed to wildland fire smoke.

BBI FY18 Seed Grant Winners Announced

Seven projects selected for funding.

Maryland researchers develop computational approach to understanding brain dynamics

This paper published in PNAS develops a signal processing framework for extracting dynamic functional networks from neuronal data at unprecedented resolutions.

Maryland researchers awarded $1M DARPA Lagrange program cooperative agreement

Marcus, Fu, Simon and Babadi will build a scalable, risk-sensitive and real time optimization framework tailored to noninvasive neuroimaging data from the human brain.

Improving speech intelligibility testing with new EEG methods

Tests developed at KU Leuven and the University of Maryland could result in better diagnoses for patients with speech comprehension issues.

BBI February 2018 Newsletter

BBI February 2018 Newsletter

UMD researchers find listening to sound changes how neurons interact within the brain

The brain encodes not only the acoustical properties of sounds, but also the behavioral meanings and decisions we make based on what we hear.

BBI FY18 Seed Grant Program

We are pleased to announce the call for the BBI FY18 Seed Grant Program.

BBI Sponsors Animal Communication and Human Language Conference

Conference featured scientific leaders in the fields of animal communication and human language.

Losert, Waks receive prestigious fellowship in APS

Faculty join top sliver of physics society’s membership

BBI affiliated faculty receive $8 million NIH grant to combat hearing loss in older people

Multidisciplinary research will examine strategies to improve communication challenges.

MSE Students Selected as Finalists for the 2017 Collegiate Inventors Competition

Stretchable Silicon Photovoltaics is a new design for silicon solar cells.

BBI Holds 2017 Seed Grant Symposium

Over 115 people attend symposium featuring work and accomplishments of BBI Seed Grant Awardees for FY16/FY17.

BBI Seed Grant Symposium Agenda and Abstracts

BBI Seed Grant Symposium Agenda and Abstracts are now available to download.

Researchers part of two NSF Neural & Cognitive Systems grants worth more than $1.2 million

The NSF awards have been issued to U.S. cross-disciplinary teams to conduct innovative research focused on neural and cognitive systems.

Kavli Foundation to sponsor the BBI-Kavli Distinguished Speaker Series

Brain and Behavior Initiative receives generous donation from Kavli Foundation to sponsor new speaker series.

Prof. Robert Newcomb to Lead FIRE Research Stream on Neural Systems and Neurotechnologies

The FIRE stream will introduce UMD first-year students to a brave new era in medical research to minimize the risks of, complement, and eventually replace clinical trials and animal testing.

Jonathan Fritz promoted to Research Scientist

Fritz is well known for his work in neuroscience research.

Ghodssi, Bentley receive NSF EAGER grant to develop ingestible capsules for medical diagnosis

"Gut-Nav" capsules will be designed to detect problems in the gastro-intestinal tract, including pancreatic cancer and inflammatory bowel disease screening.

BBI FY17 Seed Grant Winners Announced

Nine projects selected for funding.

Fritz, Shamma are collaborators on new DARPA Targeted Neuroplasticity Training Program

The University of Maryland will receive up to $8.58 million from DARPA for the research, which is led by the UMD Center for Advanced Study of Language.

Simon is co-editor of new Springer auditory research book

The Auditory System at the Cocktail Party describes the mechanisms the auditory system employs to focus on specific sounds within a noisy environment.

Brain and Behavior Initiative partners with Arena Stage

Free night out for students to see the play Smart People, courtesy of BBI and the UMD Division of Research.

UMD Researchers Make Strides in Schizophrenia Diagnosis Research

Blood test could help doctors more quickly diagnose schizophrenia and other disorders.

Kanold study shows autism may begin early in brain development

Brains of mice with autism-like symptoms develop neural defects when first circuits take shape.

NSF Science Now video features 'aging brain' research of Anderson, Simon and Presacco

Study is part of ongoing research into the so-called 'cocktail party problem.'

BBI FY17 Seed Grant Program

We are pleased to announce the call for the BBI FY17 Seed Grant Program.

It’s not your ears, it’s your brain

UMD neuroscience research shows older adults’ brain processing contributes to diminished speech comprehension, even with normal hearing.

J. Carson Smith and colleagues find that after Just 10 Days of Rest, Brain Benefits of Exercise Diminish - NY Times Article

Study led by J. Carson Smith, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Maryland and senior author of the study finds that after Just 10 Days of Rest, Brain Benefits of Exercise Diminish.

IMPORTANT: EXTENSION for BBI Workshop Deadline

The deadline for submission of the BBI Research Workshops has been extended to September 30, 201611:59 pm EST.

Chellappa Named Inaugural Recipient of IEEE Biometrics Council Leadership Award

Chellappa recognized for the IEEE Biometrics Council Leadership Award at the IEEE 8th International Conference 

Vaughn-Cooke speaks at virtual reality event on Capitol Hill

Panelists discussed a need for government support and emphasized VR's potential for applications beyond gaming.

Thomas Winkler wins dean's doctoral research award

Dean Darryll Pines created the award to honor student researchers.

Northrop Grumman's Christopher Jones to Deliver Spring Commencement Remarks

Northrop Grumman Technology Services VP and President Dr. Christopher T. Jones (Ph.D. '97) to speak at Clark School Spring 2016 Commencement Ceremony.

Maynord and Guha are Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship winners

They will receive a $100K fellowship for their project, "Feedback for Vision."

New Findings Reveal Social Thinking in the Infant Brain

University of Maryland and University of Chicago researchers link 
motor system responses to overt social behavior in infants.

Nine UMD Faculty Receive Prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award

Nine faculty members from the University of Maryland received Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Shackman lab awarded $3.4M NIH grant to clarify the origins of anxiety disorders and depression

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has awarded a 3.4 million dollar grant to the University of Maryland to support research aimed at understanding the mechanism that that promote the development of pathological anxiety and depression.

Maryland research contributes to Google’s AlphaGo AI system

Chang, Fu, Hu and Marcus developed ideas at the core of the system that defeated Go master Lee Se-Dol in early March.

BBI Seed Grant winners announced

Five projects selected for inaugural round of funding.

UMD Faculty Member Serves on International Gene Drive Study Panel

Dr. Lisa Taneyhill has been selected to serve on a committee convened by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

Improving fitness may counteract brain atrophy in older adults, UMD study shows

Exercise may help to reverse neurodegeneration in those with mild cognitive impairment, an early stage of Alzheimer's disease

Jonathan Simon gives keynote speech at SPIRE workshop

Simon spoke on “Neural Representations of Speech, and Speech in Noise, in Human Auditory Cortex.”

Phillips, Newman involved in NSF graduate training grant in language processes and technologies

The $3M NSF grant advances the graduate training model in language science.

Babadi Wins NSF CAREER Award

Babadi is one of two ECE/ISR professors to win a 2016 NSF CAREER award in signal processing.

Moving matters: Ethnocentric behavior decreases when societal mobility rises

 Ethnocentrism results when members of one group view members of another group as undifferentiated and interchangeable.

William Fagan and team find whooping cranes stay the course when they follow a wise old bird

Long-lived birds learn their migration route from older cranes, and get better at it with age.

BioE Researchers Develop Nano-guided Cell Networks as Conveyors of Molecular Communication

BioE Professor and Founding Chair William Bentley’s research group publishes Nature Communications paper.

Brain and Behavior Initiative brings together researchers from across the University of Maryland

'BBI' will help Maryland take advantage of this rapidly growing, promising field.

Grad students Winkler, Subramanian rank highly in U21 3MT video contest

Competition requires students to explain their research to a non-specialist audience in three minutes or less.

Alumna wins MacArthur 'genius' grant

Beth Stevens discovers microglia cells root out damage, infection; control inflammation.

Wolfgang Losert and colleagues open door to measuring, engineering cell behaviors

New research reveals how cells get a foothold to move around in their environment

Hadar Ben-Yoav accepts tenure-track position at Ben-Gurion University

Former ISR postdoc will join the Dept. of Biomedical Engineering.

Arthur Popper talks about the not-so-silent world of the ocean

The oceans are not silent. In fact, they are louder than ever. And that, scientists believe, is a problem.

Lisa Taneyhill to serve on International Gene Drive Study Panel

Taneyhill joins a panel of 15 leading scientists from around the world!

Microsystems Graduate Student Seminar Series

Grad students and postdocs to give short talks on fabrication and characterization

Elisabeth Smela named ADVANCE Professor

She joins the ranks of five other ISR faculty associated with the ADVANCE program.

Dr. Beth Stevens (NACS alum) Presidential Speaker at SfN 2015

Dr. Beth Stevens (NACS PhD 2003) is one of the Presidential speakers at this year's Society for Neuroscience meeting 

Sensing Drugged Driving: UMD researchers receive grant for roadside drug test

The research grant is to identify drivers under the influence of illegal drugs

Catherine Carr Named 2015 Distinguished University Professor

Carr is one among four faculty members at CMNS to have been recognized nationally and internationally for their scholarly achievements.

Jonathan Simon is invited speaker at CHScom 2015

Professor speaks on "Neural Representations of the Cocktail Party in Human Auditory Cortex.”

Michele Gelfand identifies useful negotiation strategies for 'Honor Cultures'

In some cultures, personal honor is more important than other benefits that might be gained in a negotiation.

Rochelle Newman's study concludes parents mixing languages has no impact on children's vocabulary development

Children whose parents mixed their languages more often didn’t show any poorer vocabulary skills.

UMD among top universities for most researchers awarded DOD MURI Grants

UMD Researchers Represented on 6 of 22 Teams Awarded University Research Initiative Grants by the Department of Defense

Food safety, energy storage & video authentication innovations honored at UMD's Annual Invention of the Year Awards

The Invention of the Year Award winners were announced at the university’s Celebration of Innovation and Partnerships event.

Depireux, Masri win $25K UMB UMVentures Award

Award given for commercial potential of dental nanoparticle therapy technology.

Yiannis Aloimonos and Cornelia Fermüller help robots learn by watching videos

Autonomous robots can learn and perform complex actions via observation.

Jonathan Simon wins $1.5M NIH NIDCD grant for 'auditory scene' research

Research will further understanding of how people focus on sounds in a noisy environment.

BBI faculty members named 2014 AAAS Fellows

Greg Ball and Nan Ratner receive prestigious honors

Catherine Carr and colleagues' paper top 5 most-read article in JEB in 2014

Dr. Carr is a faculty member of Department of Biology

Ghodssi, Bentley patent compounds that give new way to kill drug-resistant bacteria

Compounds stop microbes from forming protective biofilms, and may resurrect effectiveness of older antibiotics.

Dean Gregory Ball Leads Flagship 2020 Working Group

President Wallace Loh recently announced the creation of the Flagship 2020 Commission, which has been charged to create a road map to competitive excellence for the University. Ultimately, the goal of the Commission is to help the University become a top 10 flagship institution.

Muro research team explores new treatments of Lysosomal storage diseases

Research team improves the effectiveness of treatment for Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs). 

Rubloff shows a billion holes can make a battery

Many millions of these nanopores can be crammed into one larger battery.

Carl Lejuez pioneers mental health treatment in Middle East

Methods can be replicated in low-resource, high-risk areas to alleviate depression worldwide.

Alumnus Matteo Mischiati is lead author of sensorimotor control study in Nature

Research shows dragonflies use predictive control strategies, not just simple reactions, to capture prey.

Greg Ball named AAAS Fellow

Honor recognizes Ball's scientifically distinguished efforts to advance science. 

Ben Shapiro shows pulsing magnetic fields could push drugs to deep targets

Magnetic particles may find an alternative to medical treatments.

Engineering systems for mental health work by Espy-Wilson, Resnik, Vaughn-Cooke featured in Newsweek

Research on quantifiable indicators could result in mental health tracking app.

Resnik, Vaughn-Cooke interviewed about mental health tracking in Newsweek

Technological tools to flag problems could have a huge impact on serious mental illness.

Losert, Kanold receive grant under new federal BRAIN Initiative

Team will develop new imaging and data analysis techniques to better understand neurons.

Eric Haag and colleagues find “killer sperm” prevents mating between worm species

Results suggest the interaction between sperm and the female reproductive tract as a novel reason for failed mating in worms.

Jonathan Simon and UMB's Elliot Hong win Research and Innovation Seed Grant

The pair will investigate neural processing in schizophrenia patients with auditory hallucinations.

International research partnership leads to major publication on controlling living cells with artificial cells

Research could lead to medical therapies carried out by nonliving, artificial cells.

Alumna Kirsten Bohn's bat song research is Science cover story

At Maryland, Bohn was co-advised by Cindy Moss and Gerald Wilkinson.

Wolfgang Losert, Joshua Singer promoted

The University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS) has announced the promotion of 14 faculty members, effective July 1, 2014.

Jonathan Simon promoted to full professor

Simon's research focuses on neural processing in the brain's auditory system.

Gelfand goes beyond red vs blue: Study of states finds 'tight' vs 'loose'

Tightness-looseness also relates to average state 'personality.'

J. Carson Smith shows exercise keeps hippocampus healthy in people at risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Being physically active may offer protection from the neurodegeneration associated with genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

UMD neuroscience researchers publish in the journal Neuron

Paper suggests the brain’s auditory, visual and somatosensory systems may have a similar functional hierarchical structure.

Greg Ball takes the helm as Dean of UMD's College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Dr. Ball's significant academic accomplishments include the production of more than 220 research publications.

Carr, Bierman find canal between ears helps alligators pinpoint sound

Reptiles rely on magnified time difference at the eardrum to locate noises

Kanold study in Neuron: A short stay in darkness may heal hearing woes

Simulated blindness gives adult mice sharper hearing, researchers find

'Terrapin Teachers': National UTeach Program expands to Maryland

The $1.45M grant is aimed at growing the STEM teacher pipeline.

Simon, Ding publish research in NeuroImage

Noise severely disrupts the brain’s ability to extract speech under cochlear implant listening conditions

Colin Phillips Directs New Maryland Language Science Research Center

Researchers Solve Global Language Problems at New Center.

NY Times asks Carl Lejuez why smokers still smoke

Carl Lejuez, Ph.D., Director for the Center for Addictions, Personality, and Emotions Research (CAPER) in the Department of Psychology, was recently featured in the New York Times' piece 'Why Smokers Still Smoke'. Dr. Lejuez's research has explored multiple factors involved in addictions, including risk tolerances and decision making processes.

Michele Gelfand and Luiz Pessoa on how cultural differences are realized in the brain

Working under a grant from the Department of Defense's Minerva Initiative, Gelfand, Pessoa, and their team of co-investigators are studying the underlying neural-biological processes associated with cultural permissiveness versus restrictiveness.

David Fushman's Group Studies a Potentially Life-Saving Protein 

The tiny protein may hold the key to treatment for a variety of diseases from Parkinson’s to diabetes

Lea Dougherty Receives APS Early Career Award

Dougherty among the brightest minds in the field of psychology.

Gordon-Salant receives Kawana Award

Dr. Sandra Gordon Salant is the recipient of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) 2013 Kawana Award for lifetime achievement in publications.