Watch, Warning or Just Weather? A UMD Meteorologist Decodes Alerts on Your Phone

UMD lightning researcher and former National Weather Service forecaster Joseph Patton breaks down hazardous weather alerts and what they mean.

Tracing the Evolution of Snake Venom

Once (or twice) bitten, biological sciences Ph.D. student Jory van Thiel pieces together the genetics of one of nature’s deadliest concoctions.

Two UMD Astronomers on PRIMA Team Selected for New Class of NASA Astrophysics Missions

The PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA) will peer through cosmic gas and dust to achieve a remarkably clear view of the universe. 

Celebrating National Postdoc Appreciation Week

Postdocs bring valuable expertise, national prestige and additional research funding to UMD.

New Study Detects Ammonia and Unexpected Chill on a Distant Giant Planet

A UMD-led team found water, methane and a rare ammonia signal in the atmosphere of HATS-6 b, a large planet orbiting a tiny star—raising new questions about how giant planets form.

University of Maryland Physicist Zohreh Davoudi Named 2026 Schmidt Polymath

Davoudi will receive up to $2.5 million to explore how the universe works using cutting-edge tools such as quantum computing and sensing.

UMD Computer Science Undergraduate Program Ranks in the Top 20 for the 7th Consecutive Year

The program ranks in the Top 10 among public institutions overall and for the specialties of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Planetary Protector

Kelly Fast (M.S. ’93, Ph.D. ’05, astronomy) is NASA’s acting planetary defense officer, overseeing U.S. efforts and global coordination to survey the sky, calculate orbits, study physical properties and identify possible impact risks of near-Earth objects.

Portrait of  Sai Challagundla Sai Challagundla

Computer Science and Anthropology Majors
Ellicott City, MD

Noriko Maitland Receives UMD Provost’s Academic Advisor of the Year Award

The Department of Computer Science academic advisor contributed to several initiatives to address student advising needs and improve how the department delivers information and resources.