Congratulations to the semi-finalist teams!

The 8 semi-finalist teams include 40 students and faculty mentors from 10 UMD colleges and schools. The semi-finalist teams will present their proposals at a public event on December 9 from 9-11 am in Room 1208 (Eaton Theater), Knight Hall, and up to four winning teams will be selected. Learn more about the spark grant competition here.

The semi-finalist teams include:

Ensuring Effectiveness of Environmental and Mental Health Education in Middle School Students

• Shabnam Ahmed, Global Public Health and Development, Individual Studies Program
• Naomi Harris, Philip Merrill College of Journalism and Anthropology, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
• Samantha Bingaman, Environmental Science and Policy, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Andrea Lopez, Anthropology, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (Faculty Mentor)

The Eyes and Ears of Autism: A Virtual Reality Experience

• Harry Wandersman, Computer Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering
• Harrison Linowes, Computer Science and Math, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
• Amitai Cohen, Mechanical Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering
• Chris Castellano, Computer Science, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences and Psychology, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
• Elizabeth Redcay, Psychology, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (Faculty Mentor)
• Kathy Dow-Burger, Hearing and Speech Sciences, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (Faculty Mentor)

Finding Mnemosyne: Encountering Digital Archives Through a Mobile App

• Gina Takaoka, Art, College of Arts and Humanities
• Catherine Medlock, Art (Graphic Design Concentration), College of Arts and Humanities
• Vinita Atre, HCIM, College of Information Studies
• Gira Patel, Art (Graphic Design Concentration), College of Arts and Humanities
• Liese Zahabi, Art, College of Arts and Humanities (Faculty Mentor)

Inside a Washington, D.C. Food Desert: Developing a Method for Combining Virtual Reality Video with Motion Graphic Data Visualization

• Jennie Aguilar, Philip Merrill College of Journalism
• Naema Ahmed, Computer Science, College of Computer Mathematical, and Natural Sciences and Philip Merrill College of Journalism
• Camille Chrysostom, Philip Merrill College of Journalism
• Kelsey Hughes, College of Information Studies
• Josh Davidsburg, Philip Merrill College of Journalism (Faculty Mentor)
• Sean Mussenden, Philip Merrill College of Journalism (Faculty Mentor)

Memory Loci: Merging Sionides’ Method of Loci with Virtual Reality

• Ashish Uppala, Decisions, Operations and Information Technologies, Robert H. Smith School of Business
• Meir Snyder, Economics, Colleges of Behavioral and Social Sciences
• Brian Servia, Computer Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering
• Vineet Shah, Computer Science, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
• Neil Sehgal, Heath Services Administration, School of Public Health (Faculty Mentor)

The Rest of the Story: Credibility and the Three60 Reporter

• Tom Hausman, Journalism (Multi-Platform), Philip Merrill College of Journalism
• Hannah Klarner, Philip Merrill College of Journalism
• Jordan Mess, Computer Science, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
• Matthew Regan, Journalism (Broadcast News), Philip Merrill College of Journalism
• Evan Golub, Computer Science, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (Faculty Mentor)

Self-Regulated Therapy Through Virtual Reality and Gamified Feedback Loops

• Rohan Dixit, Computer Science, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
• Matthew Fan, Mechanical Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
• Richard Kong, Computer Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
• Jay A. Smith, A. James Clark School of Engineering (Faculty Mentor)

Social Training for Autism using Augmented Reality (STAAR)

• Swanand Bhave, Telecommunications and Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering
• Kimberly Martin, Hearing and Speech Science, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
• Gregory Schuler, Library and Information Sciences, College of Information Studies
• Wenxin You, Special Education, College of Education
• Gulnoza Yakubova, Special Education, College of Education (Faculty Mentor)