The Synapse

The May issue of The Synapse features upcoming events, student achievements, awards, and various opportunities available on campus and beyond for both students and faculty.

May is the month dedicated to celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, and Memorial Day.

"The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth."
– John F. Kennedy

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

Organized by The Ingenuity Project, the 2026 STEM Student Research Symposium will be held on May 20, 2026, at Loyola University Maryland.

The Ingenuity Project is a citywide specialized academic program in Baltimore City Public Schools with four middle school programs (Hamilton Elementary/Middle, James McHenry Elementary/Middle, Mount Royal Elementary/Middle, and Roland Park Elementary/Middle) and one high school program at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly). Students take advanced math and science courses in place of the standard curriculum and have opportunities for STEM enrichment and support.

Dr. Molly Robey's Practical Meteorology course creates packet of weather-related activities for youth in Baltimore City. The packet will be used for a weather education program through the Baltimore Community Weather Network. For more information or to view packet, feel free to reach out to Professor Robey.

This year's Hauber Fellowship program will take place from the first week of June to the end of the first week in August. This year's summer program includes 16 research projects. The welcome session is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Bloomfield Hall. The first workshop will follow the reception at 12:15 pm. in Bloomfield Hall.

The weekly workshops will take place every Wednesday from June 3 to July 15. These workshops will cover a variety of topics, including Research Methods, Library Resources, National Fellowship Opportunities, Career Development, Resume/CV Writing, Interview Preparation, Planning for Graduate School, an Alumni Panel, LinkedIn learning for Artificial Intelligence, and Guidelines for Creating Posters and Papers.

The Hauber Fellows will present their research on July 22, July 29, and August 5. We encourage members of the NAS community and friends to support Hauber fellows by attending their research presentations.

The selection process is based on the student’s resume and an essay reflecting on their experiences at Loyola, focusing on their contributions to diversity and community service. The selection criteria include: (a) co-curricular activities, including research; (b) on-campus service and engagement; (c) off-campus service and engagement; and (d) involvement in diversity-related activities.

The 12th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony (2026), known as the "Oscars of Science," took place in Los Angeles in April 2026, celebrating top achievements in Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics, and Mathematics. The twelfth Breakthrough Prize ceremony honored scientists responsible for landmark advances in gene therapy, neurodegenerative disease, theories of fundamental particles and forces, and the mathematics of critical systems.

The Office of the Provost and Faculty Development is pleased to invite applications for the Untold Truths Course Development Grants and Fellowship Opportunity.

This opportunity builds on the work of the Untold Truths Equity and Inclusion Faculty and Descendant Fellows, in collaboration with Peace and Justice, to support faculty interested in integrating aspects of the Untold Truths project into their upper-level courses at Loyola University Maryland.

Grant funds may be used for a range of purposes, including faculty time, such as supplemental pay or course buyouts (pending departmental approval), books and online resources, off-site training, hosting a training or workshop at Loyola, and other related course development needs.

Applications may be submitted by individual faculty members or groups of faculty members.

Application deadline: May 27

To apply, please complete the Qualtrics Form.

If you have questions or would like support in developing your application, please contact Eva Sedgwick at gsedgwick@loyola.edu.

The deadline for receipt of completed applications and required supporting documents (including the letter of reference) is May 31, 2026 (by 11:59 PM ET).

Please visit https://bios.asu.edu/education/nsf-reu to apply and for details of the research projects available this year.

Do you know students developing a solution for an unmet clinical need? Spread the word and encourage teams to enter the challenge. This is a great opportunity for students currently working on capstone design projects.

The application deadline is June 5, 2026. Learn more and apply today!

Riley Hamilton '26 is a part of the Loyola Women’s volleyball team and in the Data Science Master’s program. At the Iggy Awards, Riley was awarded the Corinne Filograna Unsung Hero award, given to a student athlete whose hard work and determination helped improve a Loyola Athletics program.

This May 2026, we proudly congratulate 16 MSDS students on successfully completing their coursework and Capstone projects, marking the conclusion of their Master of Science in Data Science program at Loyola University Maryland.

This important achievement reflects their years of hard work, discipline, perseverance, and intellectual growth throughout the program. Through their coursework and Capstone experiences, they have developed not only strong technical and analytical skills, but also the professional judgment and ethical awareness needed to become competent and responsible data scientists.

We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to the instructors, faculty members and Loyola administrators who have supported our students throughout their academic journey. Their guidance and commitment have played an essential role in helping our students reach this milestone.

A special thank you goes to our Industrial Advisory Board member, Dr. Michael Carlin, VP of AI & Analytics at Boardroom Alpha , for his generous support, including his contributions to student mentoring and participation in the Capstone presentations. His engagement has greatly enriched the students’ learning experience and strengthened the connection between the MSDS program and industrial practice.

We congratulate Steve Eisner '26, one of our MSDS graduates, for being awarded the Best Master's Capstone in the MS in Data Science Program for Academic Year 2025–2026.

Steve’s Capstone project examined the potential impact of AI on the U.S. labor market, focusing on differences across occupations, industries, AI exposure levels, and worker experience. Using an agent-based modeling approach, his study simulated how generative AI adoption may reshape labor reallocation over time. This timely and technically rigorous project reflects the depth, innovation, and real-world relevance of our MSDS students’ work.

• 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.

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.

The Bridge

Visit The Bridge for upcoming campus meetings and events.

Training and Development Opportunities for Employees and Students

OUTLoyola SafeZone Training

Green Bandana Brigade

Academic Calendar

• 2025-2026 Academic Calendar
• 2026-2027 Academic Calendar

Student Support Resources

• Counseling Center
• Campus Ministry
• Office of Student Life
• Center for Community, Service, and Justice
• LNDL research consultation

Employee Support Resources

• Human Resources website
• Employee Assistance Program
• Financial Crisis Assistance Program
• Employee Return to Work on Campus Guidelines & Training