Help Advertising Iceland and Costa Rica Study Abroad Program ENES 220 FYI

 ENME 407:  SUSTAINABILITY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS 

COSTA RICA - WINTER 2026 [January 4th - 19th] 

ICELAND - SPRING BREAK 2026 [March 13th - 22nd] 

Are you interested in Sustainability?  Do you like to travel?  If so, you should consider signing up for ENME 407: Sustainability, Climate Change and Renewable Energy Systems.

These exciting courses, housed in the department of Mechanical Engineering, offer students a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the natural wonders of Iceland or Costa Rica and to learn about a variety of sustainable technologies to combat climate change like geothermal and hydroelectric energy production.   

The program will be offered in two different locations this upcoming year:  

Costa Rica - Winter 2026 [January 4th - 19th] 

Iceland - Spring Break 2026 [March 13th - 22nd] 

The course can satisfy a number of academic requirements and can double count toward the UMD Sustainability Minor as a Science and Technology course.  Please see the course flyer for more specific academic details and reach out to your advisor should you have any questions.  Applications are due by Tuesday September 30th 2025.

To learn more about these programs please:

• See the attached informational flyer,
• Check out a video of the Iceland trip,
• Visit the course website for the Iceland program,
• Visit the course website for the Costa Rica program

If you have any more questions about these programs please email Professor Mike Galczynski at mgalczyn@umd.edu

Fall 2025 GEOH courses with open seats

 

Helpful tips for passing orgo

 Be Successful in Organic Chemistry: A Student Guide

Based on a presentation to AGNR advisors by Dr. Lee Friedman, Director of the Chemistry Undergraduate program.  Thanks to Victoria Pearlman (ANSC) for compiling this information.

Organic Chemistry has a reputation for being one of the most challenging undergraduate courses — but with the right approach, you can build a smart, effective strategy to succeed.  Here are some tips from ANSC and CHEM instructors that will help prepare you to be successful in your course!

Start Gathering Resources Before the Semester Starts

You can get a head start on the semester by creating your study plan and identifying resources before the course begins.  If you’re reading this guide partway through the semester, don’t panic!  There’s no better time to start than right now!

• Dr. Saundra Yancey McGuire is not only a chemistry instructor but also a leader in learning strategies.  Watch her lecture- Metacognition: The Key to Acing Chemistry

• Chemistry instructors and students report that this book has been a helpful resource for students taking organic chemistry: Organic Chemistry As a Second Language by David Klein

• Create your study plan and stick to it from day one!  Dedicate times in your weekly schedule to work on the course and book those times on your calendar or agenda. Try out The Study Cycle- it’s a five-step process designed to enhance learning and make studying more effective. 

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Prepare Before Every Class

Organic Chemistry builds on itself — missing a foundational concept early on can make later material much harder. Prepare ahead of class by:

• Skimming the chapter or lecture notes before class.

• Watching a pre-lecture video or doing a few simple problems to warm up.

• Making a list of questions or confusing terms.

• Going to class!!  Make sure that you're attending class and taking time afterwards to review the content from each lecture, even if it's just reviewing it in your head as you walk to your next class.  Recalling the information while it's fresh aids long term recall.

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Understand the Nature of Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry is not about memorization alone — it's about recognizing patterns, understanding mechanisms, and thinking conceptually. You're not just learning facts; you're learning a language of logic and transformation.

• Think in terms of mechanisms, not just reactions.

• Recognize that structure determines function.

• Visualize molecules in 3D, not just on paper.

• Treat a chemistry problem as a sort of logic puzzle.  Ask yourself, what functional groups are present?  How do they react?  What mechanism do I expect here?  What are the leaving groups?  What is the shape of the molecule that will be formed?  You will find that you cannot memorize every reaction out there, but you can learn to correctly apply the rules of the game to predict most every reaction you will see.

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Focus on Understanding, Not Memorizing

Memorization will only take you so far, especially in organic chemistry. Focus on:

• Why reactions happen, not just what happens.

• Learning electron-pushing (curved arrow) mechanisms.

• Relating reactions to one another — many follow common patterns.

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Practice, Practice, Practice

Success in Organic Chemistry comes from solving problems — lots of them!  The UMD Chemistry lecturers recommend working at least 30-45 practice problems a week.  To get the most from your practice:

• Do not rely on just looking over problems.  Do the work.  Get stuck.  Figure out where you get tripped up and relearn that material.

• Work problems without looking at the solutions first.  If you don't know how to work the problem give yourself 5 minutes to try before moving on.  Note where you are having issues (did you miscount electrons or forget a positive charge?) and write it down.  Use that information to study from or to address with a GSS leader or tutor. 

• Redo problems you got wrong after a few days — spaced repetition helps.

• Explain your reasoning out loud or to a peer — if you can teach it, you know it.  In explaining it to someone else (even just your dog!) you can easily identify the areas where there's a gap in your knowledge. 

• To find practice problems, check your textbook first!  Professors will often have additional practice problems available in your ELMS group.  You can find old textbooks and use practice problems from them in the STEM Library.  

• Do the hard problems too.  Don’t get overconfident on the basic examples only to find yourself floundering on hard problems during the exam.

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Use Active Study Techniques

Passive studying (re-reading, watching videos) is less effective than active study. Try:

• Drawing mechanisms from memory.

• Creating reaction maps to see connections.

• Flashcards for reagents, functional groups, and mechanisms.

• Using whiteboards to draw structures big and often.

• Explaining (to your family, friends, pets, random squirrels) how and why a reaction works.

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Don’t Cram — Study Consistently

Organic Chemistry rewards consistency over intensity. Space your study over the semester:

• Review a little bit every day.

• Start exam prep at least two weeks early.

• The UMD Teaching and Learning Transformation Center (TLTC) has many resources to help you understand how to improve your study strategy as well as time management and test taking skills.  https://tutoring.umd.edu/academic-success.

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Join or Form a Study Group

Working with others helps reinforce understanding and gives you new perspectives:

• Teach each other reactions.

• Quiz one another on mechanisms.  Write practice exams and test each other.

• Work through challenging problems together.  But stay focused — study groups should be productive, not just social.

• Attend the GSS (Guided Study Sessions)- https://tltc.umd.edu/students/guided-study-sessions. Trained peer facilitators plan and hold two, 50-minute study sessions per week to help you practice and put difficult material in perspective. GSS Leaders have previously taken the course and earned an A, so they know what it takes to stay on track in lectures and prepare for exams. Go once, a few times, or attend every session—it’s never too late to start attending GSS.

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Get Help Early and Often

If you're stuck, get help right away. Don’t wait.

• Visit office hours, ask questions during your discussion sections, attend the GSS sessions.

• Use tutoring services or online platforms (e.g., Khan Academy, Organic Chemistry Tutor).  You can find more information about chemistry tutoring resources at UMD through the TLTC. and CMNS College.

• Ask peers — someone else has likely had the same question.

• Schedule a one on one academic coaching session with the Teaching and Learning Transformation Center.

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Take Care of Yourself

Your brain works best when you're well-rested, nourished, and mentally balanced.

• Don’t sacrifice sleep to study.

• Eat well and stay hydrated.

• Take breaks — your brain consolidates learning during rest.  Take a walk, visit the campus farm, call a friend or loved one to chat.  

• Utilize the resources at the UMD Counseling Center.- Counseling Services, Accessibility & Disability Services, Learning Assistance Services, Wellness Workshops, and more.

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Keep the Long Game in Mind

Organic Chemistry is a gateway to many fields — veterinary medicine, biochemistry, research, and more. It teaches you how to think critically and solve complex problems.

Believe in yourself. Your effort matters more than your initial talent. Persistence is the key.

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Additional Resources:

• Chemistry Tutoring and Chemistry Exam Test Bank by the Alpha Chi Sigma Fraternity.: Free Chemistry tutoring up to General Chemistry 2.

• American Chemical Society Students Affiliates Chapter.: Offers online tutoring for the lower level chemistry courses such as general chemistry and organic chemistry. Also offers tutoring for upper level and majors courses like biochemistry and physical chemistry. This is a fundraising effort, as such it is a *pay-for-service option.

Success in Organic Chemistry isn't about being a genius — 

it's about being organized, consistent, and proactive. 

You've got this!

Fall 2025 anthropology elective courses

Two new electives for ENST students check them out!!!

ANTH 432/632 Multispecies Coexistence; Dr. Jen Shaffer, TTh 2-3:15pm Interactions and relationships between humans and other species, including fungi, animals, plants, and microorganisms, shape human culture, history, economies, politics, and genetics. Over the past decade, multispecies research has emerged to explore these connections by recognizing the agency and significance of non-human beings in shaping social and ecological systems. Moving beyond traditional anthropocentric study of cultures, societies, and human behavior, multispecies scholarship challenges the nature-culture divide by emphasizing the importance of understanding and responsibly engaging with the interconnectedness of all species. 

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ANTH 482/682 Anthropology of Infrastructure, Architecture, and Design; Dr. Cady Gonzalez, TTh 11am-12:15pm Build It, Break It, Fix It. Examining cases from power grids to public toilets and everything in between, this course explores the emergence, construction, operation, breakdown, repair and reimagination of infrastructure and architecture through anthropological theory and methods.

[AGNR-UNDERGRADSTUDENTS] 2026 Spring Break in Brazil: Recorded info session and scholarships

Hello AGNR students,

Expand your studies globally to Brazil (3-credit AGST/ANSC 470) over Spring Break 2026 — with significantly reduced costs for 2026 and scholarships to make it affordable!

Dr. Cardoso and Dr. Silvert, who co-lead the program, have pre-recorded an 18-minute information session video that reviews the course, the 9-day itinerary in Brazil, and financial and application considerations:

View the Brazil Study Abroad info Session Recording Here

We are nearly two months away from the application deadline (September 30, 2025). You do not need to commit to joining the program when submitting an application. See information and the link to apply here and via the QR code in the flyer.

We are also happy to share three main scholarship sources that can reduce the cost of our 9-day study abroad course and guided experience in Brazil over UMD's spring break:

• UMD Education Abroad scholarships: Students can be awarded up to $1500
• AGNR Study Abroad scholarship: Our College also awards $750 to support studying in Brazil
• Gilman Scholarship: This is a national scholarship from the State Department that students can apply for. Awards vary but can be up to $5000.
  • Related to this, UMD offers the Gilman Guarantee. If students apply for the Gilman scholarship through UMD's National Scholarship Office, they will get $500 guaranteed (regardless of if they receive a Gilman award or not). If they end up not receiving a Gilman award, they still keep that $500, and UMD will award them an additional $2000 (for a total scholarship of $2500). If they do get a Gilman award, then they still keep that initial $500, and they receive whatever amount Gilman decides to award them.

Note that out-of-pocket costs in the portal are estimated and will not be billed for the program and all costs in the portal are before applying any scholarship support. Also, note that speaking Portuguese is not required.

We hope you will join us for a life-changing global educational opportunity!

Course Announcement (Note: this course can count as an ENST elective)

Available for UMD students: Google Career Certificates and AI courses (free!)

The University System of Maryland (USM) and Google on Tuesday announced a new partnership that will help thousands of USM students and other Maryland learners earn Google Career Certificates in high-growth fields including cybersecurity, data analytics and project management at no cost.

USM will also offer learners Google’s new AI courses, designed and taught by AI experts at Google to teach foundational skills in artificial intelligence technology. All 12 of USM’s public universities and two of its regional higher education centers will offer this training.

Read official announcement: https://today.umd.edu/usm-google-to-bring-google-career-certificates-ai-training-to-thousands-of-learners

Summer course - ENST115

Are you looking for a unique big question/i-series course over summer or want to get more field experience using bat acoustic detectors? You, friends, roommates, and everyone is invited to register for ENST115. We meet June 2-20, 6-9pm (which allows plenty of time for commuting, a part-time job, & free evening parking on campus). Below is a description of the class. Please feel free to share this with others and let me know if you have any questions.

How might an understanding of human-wildlife conflicts shape our approach to disease, ecology, and conservation? Should we care that we are losing wildlife, like bats? Across the globe, human societies have significantly harmed bat populations both intentionally and unintentionally. This course will delve into different bat population crisis causes as well as current and potential solutions, while addressing complex human-wildlife conflicts that need to be considered while solving them. During the course, students will get hands-on experience using highly sophisticated bat acoustic technology to identify bats to species-level. Lecture and discussion sections will focus on bat ecology, management techniques, newest bat identification techniques, data interpretation, and scientific presentation skills.

1 credit course in Fall 2025 about Water Use in the Developing World

Ground water is the source of potable water to millions of people around the world. In this seminar students will learn how this underground resource is discovered and delineated, and the various methods and techniques used in the developing countries and other countries to extract this resource. Students will watch films, clips and slides of actual well drilling, construction and pump installations in Africa, Asia and the USA. Students will understand why millions of people around the world lack reliable water supply.

ENST499L: Special Topics in Environmental Science and Technology; Ground Water Extraction and Use in the Developing World 

ENST 499L- Ground Water Extraction and Use in the Developing World

Term: Fall 2026
Professor: Dr. Yaron M. Sternberg
                   1460 Animal Science Building (ANS)
                   Email:yaronst@umd.edu
                   Telephone: 301-405-8844
Pronouns: he/him
Office hours: Mondays 8- 11 am; other times by appointment
Course Times: Monday at noon
Classroom: ANS 0422
Credits: one (1)
Prerequisite: None

Course Description

The main objective of this seminar is to introduce the students to the global utilization of ground water in developing countries. Topics include basic ground water principles, locating ground water resources, drilling and completion of water wells, and various techniques of ground water extraction. The material will be presented via lectures, films, clips and slides.

For more information see the full syllabus here

Summer Course Opportunities – Forage Production and Management

Forage Production and Management: From soil to the feed bunk ANSC254

Term: Summer/2025
Professor: Fabiana Cardoso
Pronouns: She
Office Phone: 301.405.1401
Email: cardosof@umd.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Credits: 3
Course Dates: From June 2 - July 11, 2025
Course Times: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00-12:50a.m.
Classroom: Online-Zoom

More information can be found here! The syllabus is linked here!

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Forage Production and Management: From soil to the feed bunk ANSC654

Term: Summer/2025
Professor: Fabiana Cardoso
Pronouns: She
Office Phone: 301.405.1401
Email: cardosof@umd.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Credits: 3
Course Dates: From July 14 - August 22, 2025
Course Times: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00-12:50a.m.
Classroom: Online-Zoom

More information can be found here! The syllabus is linked here!

Science, Education, & Leadership Expeditions for Positive Change

Mike Smith Executive Director of Common Tides wanted to share an opportunity with ENST students please read below

I work with Common Tides, a nonprofit organization providing free marine science education and sail programs for youth that are experiencing disadvantages in order to promote knowledge, protection, and an understanding of the marine environment. We run our expeditions in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

We are looking for individuals 18 and over to join our expeditions. Many of the individuals that join us have just graduated or are taking some time to gain experience, or are in college. For these reasons, we thought the University of Maryland community would have interest.

This summer we are offering the following expeditions:

• Marine Education Expedition - provides free marine science and sailing programs to local children that are experiencing disadvantages and is open to all genders and majors. Instructors, many of whom are college students, volunteer their time, and the position meets internship and service learning requirements. Here is a flyer that can be shared with students.
• Women's Leadership Expedition - an immersive, experiential program that is centered around leadership education and stewardship with a focus on providing women the knowledge to become the optimal version of themselves as a conscious leader. Here is a flyer that can be shared with students.

There is a fee for the expeditions which covers food, stay on the sailboat, training, and makes the program free for the youth that we work with that are experiencing disadvantages.

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ENME 489Y - Japan - Advanced Transportation Systems - Climate Change, Bullet Trains and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

CLIMATE CHANGE, BULLET TRAINS & HYDROGEN FUEL CELL VEHICLES  
JAPAN 

SUMMER 2025 Study Abroad Course

SUMMER: MAY 24TH - JUNE 6TH
Course Instructors - Mr. Michael Galczynski

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Japan is a country well-renowned for its unique and historical culture, its delicious food and its incredible world leading  transportation systems. Japanese bullet trains, known locally as shinkansen, race through sprawling cities and quaint villages at  break-neck speeds of nearly 200 mph with pinpoint punctuality. From the sleek shinkansen to the humble local train, Japan has  one of the largest and most advanced systems of public transportation in the world.  

In addition to its world-famous trains, the automotive industry in Japan is also one of the most prominent and largest industries  in the world. Japan is home to many of the world's well-known car brands such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Suzuki, Mitsubishi,  Mazda, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, Datsun, Hino, Daihatsu, Isuzu and Subaru; many of which are at the forefront of new technology development.  

In this course students will learn about the most cutting-edge advanced transportation systems and technologies, as well as their  potential to combat climate change, with a particular focus on bullet trains and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.  

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Immerse yourself in Japanese culture by visiting historical temples, museums, interacting with local guides, as well as  sampling / making some of Japan's most famous foods like sushi, ramen, okonomiyaki and many more • Explore the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, as well as the historical capital city of Kyoto, to learn about the history, culture and  technology of Japan through a variety of activities / field trips

• Learn about Japan's advanced transportation infrastructure through engaging academic lectures on sustainability /  advanced transportation technologies, visits to technology museums, train control centers, automotive manufacturing  facilities, and many other activities

• Experience some of Japan's most breathtaking architectural / natural wonders and cultural experiences: Sensoji Temple,  Tokyo Tower, Mount Fuji, Sumo Wrestling, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and many more

APPLY NOW!

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Applications Due Monday February 17th 2025

For More Information Please Contact:  

Mike Galczynski - Mgalczyn@umd.edu

Current or future honors students in ENST

Below are helpful details for ENST students currently in the UMD Honors Program who started their 1st (aka freshman) year or for ENST students interested in applying to be an honors student by their 2nd to final (aka junior) year. 

• Learn more about applying to become an Honors Student in AGNR/ENST here: https://agnr.umd.edu/undergraduate/current-students/academic-honors/
• Students’ Honors Options proposals should be submitted by Sep 13.
  
• Honors College Research Grant applications are due Oct 1. 
  
• The Winston Family Paper Awards. Your departmental honors students may submit their Thesis (or a very advanced draft). Updated information will be on the Honors College website soon. Applications will open Nov 4 - March 28. 
  

Please let any of the ENST advising team (Advisors Baballari, Browne, Gunnulfsen, Izursa) know if you have any questions.