The Synapse

The November issue of The Synapse highlights NAS-related events, students and faculty scholarly activities, and opportunities for both faculty and students. We also introduce new member of the Natural and Applied Sciences. November is also the month we celebrate Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day!

“Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

– William Arthur Ward

Share your news, photos, inspiring stories, and upcoming events for a future issue. Please send any feature suggestions to sciences@loyola.edu.

Health Outreach Baltimore (HOB) team wants to thank Loyola Community and Mercy Medical Center for their steadfast support over the program’s first ten years. It is a privilege to work side-by-side with Baltimore’s families in weekly hospital shifts and gather each week to reflect & learn more about health justice and community resources. In words of Nabeeha Abbas, ’25, HOB’s clinical coordinator at Family Physicians Practice at Mercy: "HOB has been by far the most meaningful service experience that I have had in my four years at Loyola. My time at Mercy has shown me how much impact we have as individuals when we use the resources available to us and simply exercise compassion and empathy, especially in historically underserved communities in Baltimore. HOB is unique in the fact that it not only gives our advocates opportunity for hands on experience, but it also strongly fosters reflection and personal growth through our reflection sessions. This helps train us to be the most educated and empathetic future healthcare providers that we possibly can. I believe that HOB is changing the way we view clinical experience and service at Loyola Pre-Health. I am deeply grateful to have been a part of its first 10 years!"

HOB students are honored to do their service in the wider realm of two age-old institutions, Loyola (established in 1852) and Mercy Medical Center, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this very week. “I like to believe that the Jesuits and Sisters of Mercy of the earlier times would be very happy to know that their work bears fruit in a younger movement that values same commitments as they did,” writes Maiju Lehmijoki Wetzel, the program’s founding faculty member and director. “Among these tested and true ideals are direct service to one’s neighbor and dedication to the people of Baltimore. The HOB motto – Beyond the Scope – is in large measure similar to beloved Jesuit tenets, such as cura personalis and magis.”

Health Outreach Baltimore is also proud to celebrate its alumni, many of whom have chosen to dedicate themselves to medicine and other health careers, speech pathology, social work, and education. The work of previous HOB students lives on in the traditions and ideals that current students embrace in their shifts, reflection sessions, and growth as servant leaders.

Congratulations to Dr. Dave Binkley of Computer Science Department on receiving the Distinguished Artifact Award at the 2024 International Conference on Software Maintenance and Evolution (ICSME). This prestigious award highlights the exceptional quality of both the research paper and its associated artifacts. ICSME serves as a premier international forum for discussing the latest innovations and challenges in software maintenance and evolution.

A group of Loyola science majors participated in the 13th Naval Academy Science and Engineering Conference (NASEC), held from November 3-5, 2024. This annual event brings together future Navy and Marine Corps officers, alongside students from universities across the nation—both civilian and military—for a dynamic exchange of ideas and research.

The conference provides a unique platform for students to collaborate on critical scientific and technical issues facing our country and the world. This year’s theme, “Beyond the Forecast: Exploring Extreme Weather in a Changing Climate,” focused on the impact of climate change on weather patterns and the challenges it presents for the future.

Loyola’s students had the opportunity to present their research posters and engage with their peers from other institutions, expanding their professional networks and gaining insights from a diverse range of academic backgrounds. The Loyola contingent included Grace Acle, Diba Ramezan, and Gwenyth Lowery (Gwen and Diba seen in the picture), who were among the many students attending this year’s conference. The following is a brief report about our students’ experience attending NASEC that is prepared by Grace Acle.

***Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the 13th annual Naval Academy Science and Engineering Conference in Annapolis, MD. While there, I had the chance to engage with fellow researchers and field experts from organizations including NOAA, NASA, NWS, and more. I participated in a variety of sessions covering topics addressing the latest advancements in climate change research within the theme of the conference: “Beyond the Forecast: Exploring Extreme Weather in a Changing Climate.”

***One of the highlights of this experience was the Forestall Lecture delivered by Dr. Richard Spinrad, NOAA Administrator and Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. My experience at NASEC has deepened my understanding of the challenges we currently face in the field of climate science, as well as reinforced my commitment to environmental justice and advocacy.

On Tuesday, November 12, the Department of Mathematics and Statistics held its 43rd annual Career Night. Ten alumni of the department (and also two representatives from the Loyola Career Center) returned to Loyola to discuss their careers with current students who are or are considering majoring or minoring in mathematics, statistics, or data science. By talking informally with our alumni, our current students learn about what careers are available to people with strong quantitative backgrounds and also learn about specific internships or job openings in which they might be interested.

This year, our alumni represented such organizations as the National Security Agency, the U.S. Census Bureau, and Mariner Finance, among others.

2025 Hauber Summer Research Program: Undergraduate students at Loyola University Maryland pursuing studies in Natural and Applied Sciences and are interested in collaborating with a faculty mentor on research in their chosen field are invited to submit applications. The Hauber fellowships have proven to be a catalyst for numerous students, opening doors to campus and national accolades, collaborative authorship on presentations or manuscripts, and successful transitions into professional or graduate programs. Additionally, Hauber Research Fellows will have multiple opportunities to showcase their research posters throughout the 2025-2026 academic year. This collaborative experience not only equips students with valuable research insights but also provides faculty members with assistance on their projects, fostering a rewarding direct engagement with students.

Summer Program Duration: June 2 – August 8, 2025

Appointments Details: A stipend of $5000 for the duration of the 10-week program, plus discounted or free summer housing. The summer 2025 Hauber program is open to all NAS majors, except for May 2025 graduates.

2025 Haig Scholars Program

The Haig Scholars Program is an academic excellence and leadership program for students majoring in Natural and Applied Sciences. The program recognizes the accomplishments of highly motivated students based on academic work, the impact of participation in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, meaningful community engagement, and impact as student leaders.

Haig Scholar program is open to all NAS majors, with rising junior or rising senior status and a GPA of 3.5 or better.

Prof. Rebecca Rebhuhn-glanz

Department of Mathematical Sciences, George Mason University

Wednesday, Nov 20, 2024, 3:00 PM, Knott Hall 309

Zoom link : https://loyola.zoom.us/j/81031149427

Meeting ID: 810 3114 9427

Passcode: mathstat

Title : Classifying Neural Ideas

Abstract

The neural ideal was introduced by Curto, Itskov, et al in 2013 to study the firing pattern of a set of neurons (called a neural code), turning problems in neuroscience and coding theory into algebraic questions. They also introduced the canonical form of a neural ideal, a set of generators uniquely tied to the original neural code. In this talk I will give an overview of neural ideals, describe a simple criterion for determining whether a neural ideal is in canonical form, and demonstrate how some algebraic invariants help us classify neural codes. This work is joint with Hugh Geller and Nora Youngs. While I will mention the words ”ring” and ”ideal” in this talk, the majority of the content will be accessible to anyone who can multiply polynomials.

This talk is geared towards students. Refreshments will be served. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Sudeshna Basu at sbasu1@loyola.edu.

Explore the LNDL fall semester pop-up classes below! Click each class title to register, and check out each instructor’s book recommendation!

Reading is Data Literacy: Visualizing Data

Monday, November 18, 2024, 4:30-5:30 PM
In Person at LNDL Idea Space
Instructor: Suzanne Keilson

Learn about how to turn quantitative data into engaging visuals! Suzanne's book recommendation: TBD, stay tuned.

Reading is Transformative: Sublimation Notebooks

Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 4-5 PM
In Person at LNDL IDEAspace
Instructors: Nicky McDougal and Youlanda Halterman

Learn about sublimation with a dry-ice demo, then customize your own bookmark and/or notebook with a photo or artwork. Capped at 12 participants. Nicky's book recommendation: Chemistry for Breakfast: The Amazing Science of Everyday Life by Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim

The U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) program offers research opportunities to undergraduates in any of the research areas funded by NSF.

The vast majority of REU Sites operate during the summer months and have application deadlines during the January–March timeframe. Some REU Sites operate at other times, including the regular academic year. REU Supplements support student research during the academic year and/or the summer.

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) announces its upcoming opportunities, events, and deadlines. The mission of the CUR is to support and promote high-quality mentored undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry. It also provides support and professional development opportunities for faculty, staff, administrators, and students.

Please check the CUR's calendar of events for more information.

It's that time of the year! The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) 2025 to be held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from April 7-9, 2025, is now accepting abstract submissions from students and faculty.

The deadline to submit is December 6, 2024. Acceptance decisions will be sent on January 14, 2024. Please reach out with any questions at NCUR@CUR.org.

Submission Form + Guidelines

Shikha Neupane, Program Assistant, Mathematics & Statistics and Chemistry & Biochemistry Departments

I am a media enthusiast with a background in journalism, originally from Nepal. I hold a degree in Media Studies and have worked as a journalist before pursuing a master's in mass communication from Texas Tech University, where I also served as a Teaching Assistant. My passion lies in exploring the evolving role of media and storytelling in communication. I am excited to join the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Loyola University as a Program Assistant and look forward to contributing to these departments while continuing to learn and grow.

Join us for an upcoming information session to learn more about Loyola University Maryland's Online Graduate Data Science program. The academic program director and the director of program operations will be present to answer your questions regarding program formats, application requirements, and the admission process.

By attending any of our information sessions, you can save yourself from paying the $60 graduate application fee.

Join us and explore the opportunities that await you! Please register here.

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