Fixing our democracy demands bold change. In this talk, Maryland Carey Law Professor Max Stearns outlines three essential reforms:
1️⃣ Reimagine the House of Representatives — blend single-member districts and proportional representation to end gerrymandering.
2️⃣ Encourage multi-party coalitions — move beyond the two-party trap and give voters real choices.
3️⃣ Create a way to remove a deeply problematic president — ensure accountability at the highest level.
These reforms strike a Goldilocks balance: not too few, not too many—just right. The goal? A stronger, more representative, and more resilient democracy.
#Democracy #PoliticalReform #MaxStearns
- Can computer modeling be a fast track to discovering cures? | Breakthroughs Can't WaitStudent researcher Lynijah Russell is designing virtual environments that act and react like human organs in order to simulate diseases and treatments. Now a sophomore at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Russell says her love for science was jump-started at the University of Maryland, Baltimore where she participated in the UMB CURE Scholars Program.#ComputerModeling #CancerResearch #PancreaticCancer #MedicalSimulation #PythonProgramming #StudentResearch #BiomedicalEngineering #VirtualOrgans #CancerCure #CUREScholars
- Army Nurse to Professor | Jacqueline Mitchell “Becoming the Story”Jacqueline C. Mitchell, PhD, MS, CRNA, FAANA, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, recalls serving in Afghanistan and realizing she was living the dreams she whispered as a child.#JacquelineMitchell #BecomingTheStory #UMBConvocation #ArmyNurse #Inspiration #Shorts
- UMB 2025 Convocation Remarks by President Bruce Jarrell, MD, FACSUMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, shares that in this high-stakes moment that the university finds itself, the university perseveres as a team focusing on what UMB can control while we search for the light.The president praised the University for its resilience in challenging times, recalling a procedure he and his surgical team performed years ago amid a power failure.
- Respecting Mothers: Trauma-Informed Birth Care with Rachel Blankstein BremanEvery mother deserves to feel respected during childbirth.Rachel Blankstein Breman, assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, explains how trauma-informed maternity care helps preserve dignity, prevent harm, and keep mothers and families at the center of the birth experience.This research is supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).#BreakthroughsCantWaitUMB #SafeBirths #MaternalHealth #FamilyCare #NursingResearch
- Max Stearns: How Gerrymandering Broke American DemocracyPartisan gerrymandering isn’t new—it goes back to Governor Elbridge Gerry’s salamander-shaped map in Massachusetts. But today’s computer-driven maps take it to another level. In this clip, Max Stearns explains how gerrymanders compress opposition voters, spread majorities across more districts, and leave only a handful of competitive races. In fact, Pew Research Center reported in 2024 that just 40 out of 435 House seats were competitive. The result? Primaries matter more than general elections, states turn redder or bluer, and both parties play the game—though Republicans often do it better. In gerrymandered elections, we don’t choose our representatives. They choose us. #Gerrymandering #Democracy #MaxStearns
- On the Imperative of Courage | Danya Qato at UMB Faculty Convocation 2025Danya Mazen Qato, PhD, PharmD, MPH, Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, delivered her speech “On the Imperative of Courage” at the 2025 University of Maryland, Baltimore Faculty Convocation.In her remarks, Dr. Qato reflects on the role of courage in science, research, and higher education. She shares a powerful story from a scientific conference where silence could have allowed a harmful narrative to persist, underscoring why speaking up — even when uncomfortable — must be part of the pursuit of truth.Dr. Qato calls on universities and faculty to resist silence, defend inquiry, and model courage for students and society. Her message is clear: silence itself speaks volumes, and courage is essential to protect knowledge, justice, and the future of higher education.🎓 University of Maryland, Baltimore – Seven Schools, One University#DanyaQato #ImperativeOfCourage #UMBConvocation #MarylandPharmacy #SpeakUp #HigherEducation #Courage #ScienceAndJustice #AcademicFreedom
