Appalachian Lab
Monthly Newsletter

Meet the SCCUG

Dear AL community,

Welcome to the second installment of the AL newsletter! To kick this one off, I’d like to mention what we fondly refer to as SCCUG (nod to Eric Farris for that one) – the Scientific Computing Cluster Users Group. As you may know, AL has its very own scientific computing cluster (SCC) that is available to all researchers. As datasets grow larger and analytical methods demand greater computing resources, SCCs are quickly becoming a critical tool for environmental science research. SCCUG meets every week for an hour on Wednesdays at 11:30 in the Blue Room. Throughout the semester SCCUG will be learning about how to interface with AL’s computing resources and strategies for making the most use of the SCC for research. All are welcome to attend – just bring a laptop and a willingness to be a SCUGG!    

Matt Fitzpatrick

February 2024

New AL Faces

Lydia Deneen, Intern

Lydia joined the AL community in early January after graduating from FSU in December.  She is working as an intern with Xin Zhang to assist with coordination of her Global Nitrogen Innovation Center for Clean Energy and the Environment (NICCEE) and Sustainable Agriculture Matrix (SAM) projects.  Lydia helps facilitate meetings, set agendas, communicate with project partners, and is helping to plan the upcoming Summer 2024 Nitrogen Institute.  In her spare time, Lydia enjoys working out, cooking, baking, and spending time with friends and family.

Keyu Ren, Visiting Scientist

Keyu joined us right before the holiday break in December.  He is a visiting academic scholar from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and is also working with Xin Zhang.  He has previously studied soil fertility improvements and the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizer in farmland.  With Xin, he will be investigating sustainable agriculture.  Keyu is enjoying the weather in Frostburg so far and is looking forward to living and working here for the next year.  During his spare time, he enjoys playing basketball at the FSU gym.

 

If you see Lydia or Keyu around the building, be sure to introduce yourself to them if you haven’t done so already.

Photo of Lydia Deneen

Recent Happenings

AL staff, students, FRAs, and postdocs: In an effort to increase communication and transparency, each fall semester Matt and I have met with you in groups to discuss how things are going at AL from your perspectives. In the spring semester, we’ve been offering the chance to meet individually. So, if you would like to talk with one or both of us please just reach out in the coming weeks. – Dave

Fiscal Year 2025 Budget News

There are proposed merit and cost of living adjustments (COLA) in the Governor’s budget.  UMCES could see a 0.9% annual budget increase compared to other USM institutions (2.2% cut).   The budget will be finalized after the current Maryland legislative session.

Solar Proposal

We submitted a proposal to the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) in January for funding to support the installation of solar panels on our roof that will be expected to offset about 20% of our current electricity usage.

Faculty Search

AL is hosting six candidates this month for the Environmental Science and Sustainability faculty search.  We hope to hire two tenure track faculty members through this venture.  Many thanks to all of you for your participation hosting each candidate!

Featured Research Bulletin Board

Thanks to all of you who recently completed flyers for the Featured Research bulletin board outside the graduate student office on the second floor.  It’s wonderful to see so many of our students, FRA’s, and postdocs represented there.  Of course, there is always room for more of you.  You can download the template and develop one of your own.

Outreach Roundup

From:  Rhonda Schwinabart

Please note upcoming award ceremony dates: Inspiration Award (May 15) and Johnson Award (August 29). Nominations for the Johnson Award will open in early March. Invitations for the Inspiration Award will go out in March, as well.

The CW CESU Student Award nomination materials are being finalized now and will go out next week with a due date of March 29. There is an honorarium with the award, and grad students are eligible.

DEI Updates

From:  Sarah Endyke

The next meeting is scheduled for March 6th at 10AM. To continue with our mentorship theme, we’ll be creating a resource for mentors to use during the interviews for the summer internship program.

Black History Month

February is Black History Month.  This year’s theme is “African Americans and the Arts”.  Frostburg State University has a number of events scheduled this month, which you can learn about in their Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Newsletter.

Admin Updates - Scheduling Zoom Meetings

The lab has only two Enterprise Zoom accounts.  One is reserved for classes, while the other is needed for administrative purposes, like Faculty Meetings, Town Halls, UMCES-wide meetings, etc.  Availability for these two accounts for other needs can be limited, BUT we have some great news!!!!  EVERY employee (faculty, staff, and students) has access to a FREE unlimited Zoom account through the UMD.

EVERYONE should use their UMD Zoom account to schedule research team, lab group, and individual meetings.  Effective March 1, 2024, the AL Zoom accounts will no longer be able to be used for such meetings.

To access your Zoom account, go to https://umd.zoom.us.

Sign in using your UMD credentials (same as for your timesheets).

Once you’re signed in, you can configure your account, set up recurring meetings, host, or join a meeting.  If you need assistance getting started, contact someone in the business office.

Screen capture of the University of Maryland Zoom Login Screen
Did you know that you can schedule your own Zoom meetings through your UMD login?

Spotlight on Safety - Ergonomics

Illustration of man sitting at a computer leaning over his computer to demonstrate poor posture.
Failure to maintain correct posture while working at the computer can result in back and neck pain that is difficult to resolve.
Illustration of a woman standing next to her desk, using her office chair for support, and stretching to prevent repetitive stress injuries.
Take regular breaks to stretch and move around to minimize your risk for repetitive stress injuries.

From:  Katie Kline

The Emergency Preparedness Bathroom Posting Series that I mentioned last month is underway.  If you’ve missed any of the earlier weeks, previous content from this series has been posted on the bulletin board by the third floor copier/printer.

This month, I wanted to provide some tips on office ergonomics since so many of us spend a significant part of our days in front of computers.  Failure to observe appropriate ergonomic practices can result in nagging wrist, shoulder, back, and neck pain.  Working in alternative settings can make you more prone to injury. Chair height, equipment spacing, and desk posture all make a difference.  Your goal should be to maintain a neutral position at all of your joints, including your neck, elbows, wrists, shoulders, hips, and knees.

Illustration depicting optimal office ergonomics with respect to distance from monitor, height of desk, and height of chair.

Chair – Select a chair that supports your spine and adjust its height so that your feet rest flat on the floor.  You can also use a footrest to make your thighs parallel to the floor.

Desk – Ensure that there is adequate space for your legs and feet under your desk.  If your desk has a hard edge that’s not rounded, pad the edge or use a wrist rest to prevent stress to your wrists.

Keyboard and Mouse – Position your keyboard and mouse so that your wrists and forearms are in line and your shoulders are relaxed.  Use a keyboard tray to avoid reaching up to type and move your mouse.

Monitor – Place your monitor directly in front of you about an arm’s length away from your face.  The monitor should be no closer than 20 inches and no further away than 40 inches.  The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level.  If you wear bifocals, lower the monitor an additional 1 to 2 inches for more comfortable viewing.

Another piece of advice is to stay active.  Sitting in the same position for hours at a time isn’t good for your body.  Get up and walk around regularly throughout your day.  If possible, perform some tasks while standing up.  When seated, stretch your hands, fingers, and arms occasionally.  

This article from Boston University includes tips on improving ergonomics while working from home.

Resource Review - USM Employee Assistance Program

GuidanceResources is available to USM employees who need no-cost, confidential assistance with life’s challenges, including emotional support, legal guidance, work-life balance solutions, or general online support.  Learn more at their website, on their app (GuidanceNow), or by calling 855-410-7628. 

Be sure to use the USM Web ID:  USMEAP.

Available services include:

  • Emotional support from anxiety, depression, stress, grief, loss, and life adjustments.
  • Assistance finding child and elder care.
  • Legal guidance for divorce, adoption, wills, trusts, and more.
  • Financial experts to consult for retirement planning or taxes or assistance with budgeting, debt, bankruptcy, and more.
  • 24/7 online information, tools, and support.
Illustration of woman sitting cross legged on top of an hourglass timer juggling five different icons, including a check box, pie chart, email, notepad, and clock.

Recently Awarded Grants

  • Matt Fitzpatrick received funding from the USDA NRCS through the University of Arizona for a projected titled, “Arizona Partnership for Climate-Smart Food”
  • Eric Davidson received a grant from the DOE through Emory University to study temperature sensitivity of carbon loss from cool and hot soils.
  • Dave Nelson received funding to continue air quality measurements at the continuous monitoring station at Piney Reservoir.
  • Keith Eshleman received funding from Maryland Department of Environment to continue analytical support for their Jennings Run and Cherry Creek pH TMDL monitoring projects.

Mark Your Calendars

  • AL DEI Meeting on 3/6 at 10:00 AM in the Blue Room
  • Spring Break:  UMCES will be closed on 3/18 and 3/19/24.  There will be no classes from 3/18 through 3/22/24.  Be sure to make advance arrangements if you expect to have administrative needs for 3/18 or 3/19.
  • MEES Colloquium – March 22nd
  • Workforce Civility Training – in person at AL on 4/9/24; details will be forthcoming
  • FSU Undergraduate Research Symposium, May 3rd from 11 AM to 2 PM
  • AL Inspiration Award – May 15th
  • UMCES Convocation/Commencement at IMET – May 30th-31st
  • Richard Johnson Environmental Education Award – August 29th

 

Do you have an announcement or update you’d like to include in a future newsletter?

AL’s monthly newsletter is issued during the second week of the month.  Please submit any announcements and updates to Katie Kline or Heather Johnson before the close of business on the first Friday of each month to ensure that your content can be included in that month’s newsletter.

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