The Synapse

The February issue of The Synapse includes important announcements regarding the NAS annual events, the ranking achieved by Loyola's MSDS program in the recent U.S. News Survey, faculty scholarly activities, and research and internship opportunities available for students.

February is also the month when we celebrate Black History Month.

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."– Confucius

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

Loyola's Master of Science in Data Science was named one of the “Best Online Master’s in Info Tech Programs for 2026" by U.S. News & World Report, ranking No. 34 out of 106 universities chosen for the list. Read more on the Loyola news site.

Loyola University Maryland has received a milestone $12 million commitment—the largest individual gift in the University’s history—from Bill and Susan S. Bloomfield, MBA ’94. The gift will support the expansion of Donnelly Science Center and establish the Bloomfield First-Generation Scholarship. The addition to Donnelly Science Center will be named Bloomfield Hall in recognition of their support. Read more on Loyola news site.

Loyola University Maryland's 33rd annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Reception & Convocation has been rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in McGuire Hall West!

Individuals who had registered for the original date of Jan. 26, 2026, should update their RSVP: https://bridge.loyola.edu/peace/rsvp_boot?id=2153362

On Wednesday, February 11 at 5pm there will be a reenactment of Frederick Douglass' speeches by Nathan M. Richardson. Join Frederick Douglass (reenactor Nathan M. Richardson) as he recalls his escape from slavery and how he taught himself to read and write, becoming one of the greatest Abolitionists in the 19th Century.

Register here: https://bridge.loyola.edu/cfh/rsvp_boot?id=2154865

Join us for a lecture on Cogent Computing for the Collatz Conjecture by Dr. Kevin Ward Drummey, Assistant Teaching Professor and Director of the Undergraduate Data Science Program, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, February 18, 2026, 3:00 PM, Knott Hall B03.

Abstract:

In this talk, I will discuss my research and computational results on a fun, interesting, and addictive math problem known as the Collatz Conjecture, one of the great unsolved problems in mathematics, which was proposed in 1937 by Lothar Collatz, is simple to state but is difficult to prove. The conjecture states that for every natural number (positive integer) X, a sequence of numbers starting with X may be generated that employs just two arithmetic operations to guarantee that the sequence will always end with number 1. The arithmetic operations are: (1) an even number will be divided by 2 and (2) an odd number will be multiplied by 3 and the result added to 1. Due to the simplicity of this conjecture, there has been a lot of work done over the years, but no definitive proof has been given yet. I will consider the equivalent "reverse Collatz conjecture," which has garnered much less attention by researchers. This equivalent version states that beginning with the number 1, then repeatedly applying the inverse of the arithmetic operations (1) and (2), all natural numbers will eventually be generated. i.e. instead of all natural numbers converging to 1; the number 1 generates the entire set of natural numbers. I will provide some new results in my talk, inspired by computationally intense R programming, to support the veracity of this conjecture.

This talk is geared towards students. Refreshments will be served. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Sudeshna Basu.

The 2026 Celebration of Science - April 7-13

We invite members of the Natural and Applied Sciences division to support and contribute to the 2026 Celebration of Science. You can participate by organizing department lectures, special events, mentoring and networking sessions, presentations, student club demonstrations and activities, pop-up classes, and related initiatives. Please send your suggestions to sciences@loyola.edu.

STEM Academic Excellence - Friday, April 10, 3-6 pm
The 2026 STEM Academic Excellence ceremony will take place during Celebration of Science week. During this event, we will present the 2026 NAS Alumni Award and recognize the following graduating students.

• Hauber Fellows
• Haig Scholars
• Hyman Science Scholars
• Choudhury Sarkar-Dey medal recipient and finalists
• Health Outreach Baltimore Advocates

The International Hauber Research Experience Summer 2026 program is open to all NAS majors. The program will take place in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, for a period of 6 weeks, from July 3 to August 14, 2026. The registration fee is £3,000, which includes accommodation, local cultural trips, a welcome meal, and a farewell celebration. The airfare will be funded by the Natural and Applied Sciences.
The application deadline is February 27, 2026, at midday. Notifications regarding acceptance will be sent out by March 13, 2026. If accepted into the program, the deadline for full payment is April 3, 2026.
For questions, please contact Dr. Bahram Roughani at broughani@loyola.edu.

NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) paid internships offer students an opportunity to gain practical work experience while working side-by-side with mentors who are research scientists, engineers, and individuals from many other professions. Internships may be full-time or part time on a NASA center or facility.

2026 Internship Application Deadlines:
Summer 2026: February 27, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
Fall 2026: May 22, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET

Loyola Graduate Students are invited to present a poster showcasing academic research and scholarship at the fifteenth annual Emerging Scholars: A Celebration of Graduate Research on April 17, 2026. This annual event highlights the amazing scholarly work of Loyola’s graduate students as the emergent experts in their fields of study.

The evening features an awards ceremony, poster session, and reception. Posters may be based on research conducted for a publication or conference presentation, capstone project, thesis or dissertation, case study, a class research paper assignment, or other research project developed while a Loyola graduate student. Research can be in any stage of completion and can come from any discipline.

Submissions will be accepted through March 20, 2026. For interested students, please complete the Emerging Scholar Proposal Submission Form.

• Completion of B.S and M.S. in as little as 5 years
• 15% Double Greyhound Tuition Discount
• May count a maximum of three courses (9 credits) towards both undergraduate and graduate degrees
• Application and transcript fee waiver

Ready to learn more? contact Loyola's Graduate Data Science Program or Julieta Guerra, Director of Program Operations, Graduate Data Science

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.

SUDESHNA BASU, Ph.D., Assistant Teaching Professor, Mathematics and Statistics Department

Please note that phase 1 and the addition of Donnelly Science Center has opened and access to Donnelly and Knott has changed due to the construction of phase 2 of Donnelly.
Donnelly Science Center - Loyola Today

A logistics plan for the area around Donnelly and Knott can be found here.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:33673eea-cb19-423c-89a2-ea7b97f85c24

The Donnelly Science Center has been the hub for Loyola’s science programs since 1978. As part of the University’s strategic plan Together We Rise: Loyola University Maryland's Strategic Plan for 2030, we aim at enhancing our STEM offerings, thus, university is making significant investments to strengthen STEM and health programs including extensive renovation and expansion of Donnelly Science Center.

More info and to view the Donnelly Science Center Addition & Construction Livestream.

Interested to support our Growth: To learn about making a gift to the Donnelly Science Center project, contact Mary Lineburger, '99, assistant vice president for major gifts, at mlmazzuca@loyola.edu or 410-617-2797.

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