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Maryland
Faculty and Staff Accolades
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Under are awards and honors College of Maryland college and employees have earned since November:
Alice Allen, a college specialist within the Division of Astronomy, and Professor and Chair Andrew I. Harris have been named fellows of the American Astronomical Society.
Affiliate Professor Willow-Lung Amam within the City Research and Planning Program and doctoral pupil Nohehly Alvarez earned an honorable point out for the Marie Weil Greatest Article Award within the Journal of Group Observe.
Antoine Borrut, an affiliate professor of historical past, was awarded a 2023 fellowship from the Nationwide Endowment for the Humanities to advance the analysis and writing of his upcoming e book, “Astrology and the Building of Historic Data in Early Islam.”
Holly Brewer, Burke Professor of Historical past, was awarded the 2022 Sutherland Article Prize from the American Society for Authorized Historical past for her article, “Making a Frequent Regulation of Slavery for England and its New World Empire.
Division of Criminology and Legal Justice Professor Rod Brunson was introduced with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Society of Criminology’s Division of Individuals of Colour and Crime.
Alessandra Buonanno, analysis professor within the Division of Physics, acquired the 2022 Tomalla Prize, awarded by the Swiss Tomalla Basis for Gravity Analysis.
Gwynedd Mercy College honored James Butler III, affiliate professor within the Division of Behavioral and Group Well being, with its Distinguished Alumni Award.
Colleen Byrne, psychology medical professor and director of UMD’s Psychology Clinic, was not too long ago elected to a five-year place on the Nationwide Register of Well being Service Psychologists’ Board of Administrators.
A staff of researchers led by Gang-Len Chang, professor of civil and environmental engineering, gained the D. Grant Mickle Award, given annually by the Transportation Analysis Board Nationwide Academy for one of the best paper within the space of operation, security and upkeep of transportation services.
Inderjit Chopra, Distinguished College Professor of aerospace engineering and director of Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Heart, acquired the 2023 Walter J. and Angeline H. Crichlow Belief Prize from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
The American Bodily Society honored Professor Emeritus Alex Dragt with the 2023 Robert R. Wilson Prize for Achievement within the Physics of Particle Accelerators.
Structure Director Mohammad Gharipour acquired an Structure Analysis Facilities Consortium / European Affiliation for Structure Training 2023 Award for his 2021 e book, “Epidemic Urbanism: Contagious Ailments in International Cities.”
Cheng Gong, assistant professor {of electrical} and laptop engineering, was named the Maryland Part of the American Chemical Society’s 2022 Chemist of the 12 months for his “revolutionary growth of nanosensors based mostly on two-dimensional quantum supplies.”
Kimberly Griffin, Faculty of Training dean, was named one of many nation’s 200 most influential training students. The annual RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Affect Rankings by Training Weeok identifies university-based students who’re shaping academic apply and coverage.
Mohammad T. Hajiaghayi, the Jack and Rita G. Minker Professor of Laptop Science, acquired the 2022 College’s Alumni Achievement Medal from the College of Waterloo.
Historical past Professor Jeffrey Herf’s 2022 e book, “Israel’s Second: Worldwide Help for and Opposition to Establishing the Jewish State, 1945-49,” acquired the Bernard Lewis Ebook Prize from the Affiliation for the Examine of the Center East and Africa.
Three laptop science professors have been named fellows of the Affiliation for Computing Equipment: Michael Hicks, for “contributions to programming language design and implementation, program evaluation and software program safety;” Samir Khuller, a professor emeritus, “for contributions to algorithm design with real-world implications and for mentoring and community-building;” and David Mount, for “contributions to algorithms and information buildings for geometric information evaluation and retrieval.”
Furong Huang, an assistant professor of laptop science with an appointment within the College of Maryland Institute for Superior Laptop Research, was named to MIT Expertise Overview’s Asia Pacific “Innovators Underneath 35,” an annual checklist recognizing 35 of the brightest younger minds working in expertise.
Michele Lamprakos, an affiliate professor of structure, was awarded a 2023 fellowship from the Nationwide Endowment for the Humanities to ahead her second e book, “Memento Mauri: The Afterlife of the Nice Mosque of Cordoba,” forthcoming from College of Texas Press.
A paper written by Dinesh Manocha, Distinguished College Professor {of electrical} and laptop engineering and Paul Chrisman Iribe Professor of Laptop Science, and his GAMMA Analysis Group, gained Greatest Paper on the annual Affiliation for Laptop Equipment SIGGRAPH Convention on Movement, Interplay and Video games.
Lena Morreale Scott, director of civic training and engagement initiative on the Faculty of Training, acquired Rework Mid-Atlantic’s Civic Management Award for contributing to the event of civic and neighborhood engagement within the Maryland, D.C. and Delaware area.
The Environmental Safety Company appointed Jennifer D. Roberts, affiliate professor of kinesiology, to function a member of its Youngsters’s Well being Safety Advisory Committee from 2023-26.
Nirupam Roy, an assistant professor of laptop science with an appointment within the College of Maryland Institute for Superior Laptop Research, acquired an NSF College Early Profession Improvement Program (CAREER) award, anticipated to whole $601,000 over the subsequent 5 years.
“Human-Centered AI,” a e book by laptop science Professor Emeritus Ben Shneiderman, gained the Computing and Info Sciences class in Affiliation of American Publishers’ annual PROSE Awards honoring scholarly works revealed in 2022.
Ankur Srivastava, professor {of electrical} and laptop engineering and director of the Institute for Methods Analysis, has been elevated to fellow by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers “for contributions to chip {hardware} safety.”
Konstantina Trivisa, director of the Institute for Bodily Science and Expertise, was elected a 2023 fellow of the Affiliation for Ladies in Arithmetic for her efforts to extend range within the mathematical sciences and for assist of ladies.
Chile named economics Professor Sergio Urzua its 2022 Economist of the 12 months, a distinction awarded to an economist with Chilean roots whose friends imagine well-represents the highest of their discipline.
Jessica Vitak, affiliate professor of data research, was named one of many prime 100 Sensible Ladies in AI Ethics by WomeninAIEthics.org.
FoodShot International named Ray Weil, a professor within the Division of Environmental Science and Expertise, recipient of the 2022 GroundBreaker Prize, awarding him $240,000 for his work on the intersection of bioactive meals, precision protein and soil improvements to enhance human diet.
The Nationwide Affiliation of Agricultural Educators honored the Agriculture and Extension Training program, led by Melissa Leiden Welsh, assistant medical professor within the Division of Plant Science and Panorama Structure, with an Excellent Postsecondary Agriculture Program Award for the Northeast area.
“Quantum Steampunk: The Physics of Yesterday’s Tomorrow,” a e book by Nicole Yunger Halpern, assistant adjunct professor of physics, was honored as a class winner (Widespread Science and Arithmetic) within the Affiliation of American Publishers’ annual PROSE Awards.
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Maryland
Getting to know Michigan State football’s Week 2 opponent: Maryland
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Game two is coming up for Michigan State football as the Spartans hit the road for an early season Big Ten matchup against Maryland. The Terps have had MSU’s number in recent years, but the Spartans’ new-look team is ready to change that narrative this weekend.
Jonathan Smith and his staff have a lot to work on this week after a lackluster 16-10 win over Florida Atlantic, but we’ve become more than used to slow starts for MSU in their first game so it’s not time to panic just yet.
While the team wraps up their preparations for Maryland, let’s take a quick look at the Terps and see what we can learn about them before the big game on Saturday.
Maryland is off and running in their 2024 campaign and had an absolutely dominant week one performance. The Terps took on UConn at home and came away with an impressive 50-7 win. Sure UConn is an awful football program, but we saw how poorly Michigan State just did against a similar opponent.
Not only was the final score lopsided, but ever major statistical category was as well. Maryland doubled UConn in first downs and rushing yards, threw for nearly 400 passing yards and even won the turnover battle 3-0. The Terps also only had five penalties for 45 yards which is significantly better than MSU’s 12 for 140 yards against FAU.
Sure all of this took place against UConn, but it appears that Maryland is in a very good spot heading into this big week two matchup.
One thing that I thought would be a positive for Michigan State in this game is that Maryland is breaking in a new quarterback as well. The Terps’ quarterback, Billy Edwards Jr., went off against UConn and completed 20-of-27 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns. He also is a capable runner and added 39 yards on the ground, so Michigan State will have its hands full on Saturday slowing him down.
The Terps don’t have one standout running back in the backfield, so that does benefit MSU. They do however have two solid backs in Roman Hemby and Nolan Ray who both ran for over 60 yards and one score each.
The one player however that Michigan State needs to pay the most attention to is wide receiver Tai Felton. He had one of the best Week 1 performances in the country as he recorded seven receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Thankfully MSU’s defense and secondary looked much improved against FAU, so hopefully that carries over into this weekend’s matchup.
The opportunity in front of MSU on Saturday is massive. The Spartans are big underdogs in this matchup which they probably deserve, but a win would do wonders not just for the overall perception of the team but for their confidence moving forward.
I’ve got a strange feeling that we’re going to be very happy around 7 p.m. ET Saturday night.
Maryland
Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some
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More than 700,000 Marylanders should be able to file their state and federal income tax returns online for free next year, saving residents hours of work and hundreds of dollars on tax software and prep services.
Maryland joined dozens of states Wednesday in a voluntary federal program called Direct File after a test run received positive reviews and showed possible cost savings. Filing paper returns by mail will still be an option.
“It’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns,” Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman said at a news conference in Annapolis.
The first-term Democrat called the program a game changer for Maryland taxpayers that will modernize her agency. It targets low-to-moderate earners with relatively simple tax returns, and is expected to expand over time.
Lierman’s office will partner with the nonprofit Code for America to integrate the Maryland tax filing system into Direct File. Eligibility requirements will be announced in January, the comptroller’s office said.
Gov. Wes Moore, State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, members of Maryland’s congressional delegation, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo and nonprofit partners joined Lierman for the announcement.
Funds from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 helped build and test the system. The IRS and Treasury Department then invited states to participate.
The IRS has been considering a free e-filing option for low-income American taxpayers for decades, according to the Congressional Research Service. When tax prep companies pushed back, the federal government agreed not to compete with them if they provided free help and e-filing to low-earning taxpayers.
However, many qualified taxpayers were pushed toward paid services, according to an investigation by nonprofit news outlet ProPublica.
The IRS piloted Direct File in 12 states this year. Filers used a laptop, tablet, cellphone or other device to submit income returns and request certain tax credits offered to low-earning individuals and families.
In a survey, nine out of 10 Direct File users ranked their experience as “Excellent” or “Above Average.”
U.S. Rep Steny Hoyer, a Democrat representing Maryland’s 5th District, called paying taxes the “price of our democracy.”
“We ought to make it as easy as possible for people to comply with a legal obligation that they have to support their country, their state and their communities,” he said. “And this system of Direct File does that.”
Robin McKinney, CEO and co-founder of CASH Campaign of Maryland, said easy, free online filing makes the government work more efficiently for citizens and should deliver refunds and credits to taxpayers faster.
McKinney’s nonprofit promotes economic advancement for low- to moderate-income Marylanders and provides free tax help, among other services.
Economic Security Project, a nonprofit that advocates for guaranteed income and economic equity for working families, found that adopting Direct File could mean $355 million in costs and time saved for Maryland’s low- to moderate-earners.
Maryland recently has expanded tax credits for working families, but about $152 million goes unclaimed each year, according to the Security Project’s analysis.
They also estimated that about $148 million could be saved in filing fees and $56 million could be saved in time spent filing taxes.
That money could have gone into Marylanders’ pockets, CASH Campaign’s McKinney said, and it could have gone back into the state’s economy.
Maryland
Maryland joins IRS Direct File program, offering free tax filing for up to 700,000 taxpayers – Maryland Matters
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Some Maryland taxpayers will be able to use a free electronic filing tool for their federal taxes rather than having to pay a tax preparer or buy tax-filing software next year, when Maryland will offer the IRS’s new Direct File service.
The service was tested in 12 states this year, where 140,803 people filed with Direct File, saving an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees. Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D) estimated Wednesday that as many as 700,000 Maryland taxpayers could be eligible for the program when it debuts in the state next year.
“While we value our relationship with tax preparers and CPAs (certified public accountants), it’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns,” Lierman said at a news conference announcing the program.
The IRS and the U.S. Treasury still have to finalize eligibility rules for the program this fall, but Lierman said it will be a “game changer” for those families who do qualify, which could be as much as 20% of individual taxpayers in the state.
“Taxes are a part of the glue that keeps our state and our nation together, functioning, producing, protecting and thriving,” Lierman said. “Yet in America, we make it uniquely challenging to pay those taxes and file a return — until now.”
According to the Treasury, taxpayers spend “approximately 13 hours and $270 preparing their taxes each year.” Many Americans use tax filing services or software, such as TurboTax and H&R Block, to ensure that their taxes are filed correctly, despite most of the information being readily available state and federal tax collection agencies.
It’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns.
– Comptroller Brooke Lierman
Direct File launched this year in 12 states for people to file their 2023 federal returns — Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said the program is aimed at helping middle-income tax filers with “relatively simple” filings.
“What I can tell you is our goal for us is to build a system that’s going to work for working class and middle class Americans. So you get a W-2, and you’re somebody who’s a teacher, you’re a fireman, you’re a doctor who’s earning most of your money from a W-2, we want to make sure we’re building a system that potentially works for you,” said Adeyemo, who was in Annapolis for the announcement.
“The thing we’re not going to do is build a system that works for big corporations or wealthy individuals. Next year we’re going to expand the system so that more Americans are able to participate in it,” Adeyemo said.
The Biden administration invited all 50 states and the District of Columbia to join the program next year, when people will be filing their 2024 taxes. The Treasury said that Maryland joins Oregon, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Connecticut, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Maine in taking up Direct File.
“I know to some, this announcement may seem inconsequential — and I know how exciting tax announcements are,” Gov. Wes Moore (D) joked at the announcement. “But the details matter. They matter to the families who are impacted by this work. They’re going to matter to the families, who … dread tax season because it feels complicated. Who dread tax season because it seems expensive, or oftentimes have to deal with the consequences of getting something wrong.”
The Direct File program came out of the Inflation Reduction Act signed in 2022, which also secured additional funding to help the IRS modernize and provide better services to Americans.
But Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who chairs a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, said Direct File program and other services under the Inflation Reduction Act could be “under threat.” While his subcommittee wants to fully fund the IRS and keep Direct File going, House leaders want to cut funding for both.
He also said that the industry is lobbying against the free tax filing system.
“There are people who didn’t want us to do this, including a lot of the middlemen” who currently profit from tax preparation, Van Hollen said. “They’re lobbying against this kind of thing.”
In addition to Van Hollen, Moore, Lierman and Adeyemo, Wednesday’s event drew a number of Maryland Democratic heavyweights: U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer John Sarbanes and State Treasurer Dereck Davis.
Hoyer put it simply: “Nobody likes taxes.”
“We don’t really get excited about paying our taxes. But we know that it is the price of our democracy,” Hoyer said. “We ought to make it as easy as possible for people to comply with a legal obligation that they have to support their country, their state and their communities.”
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