Astronomy's Jessica Sunshine and Tony Farnham discovered surprising asteroid behavior after analyzing NASA's #DARTMission data ☄️
The team found fan-shaped streaks on the asteroid moon Dimorphos' surface—the first visual evidence of rocks and dust naturally traveling between asteroids. 🔭
Is there any chance the freezing streak in the D.C. area means fewer mosquitoes?
Unfortunately, @umdentomology.bsky.social's Mike Raupp told @washingtonian.com, it "probably hasn’t been cold enough, long enough" to expect relief from the insects this summer. #BugSky
See bugs as you've never seen them before - a new AI-powered, #UMD student-led "Antscan" provides a free database of high-res 3D models of the tiny critters.
Graphic showing how much money was raised on Giving Day 2026
Thank you for supporting #ScienceTerps on #GivingDayUMD 💛 Your donations raised $1.46M for 58 CMNS funds.
Your generosity accelerates innovation, expands research and strengthens the scientific ecosystem that powers our world. Now, it's our turn to transform your philanthropy into impact.
Thanks to #AI, robots and an intrepid class of #UMD students, you can now see ants like never before.
Meet Antscan—a free database offering micrometer-resolution 3D models of ant exoskeletons, muscles, stingers, nervous and digestive systems and more 🐜 go.umd.edu/antscan #BugSky
For senior neuroscience major Clara Abdelmalek, a scholarship enabled her to focus on her research studying prenatal #Zika infection.
#GivingDayUMD is your chance to support #ScienceTerps like Clara. Pick a fund close to your ❤️ and give what you can—no gift is too small ➡️ go.umd.edu/givetocmns
March 4, 2026 is UMD Giving Day
Support UMD Physics on Giving Day!!
umdphysics.umd.edu/about-us/new...
Harkeerat Singh is pursuing degrees in astronomy, physics and mathematics so he can be at the "forefront of science development and innovation" as an astrophysicist.
See how a scholarship from CMNS gave Harkeerat the financial freedom to focus on his academics and extracurriculars ⤵️ #GivingDayUMD
Group of students wearing UMD loop T-shirts and posing with their rover
UMD Loop hopes to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a podium finish in @themarssociety.bsky.social's international rover competition ➡️ go.umd.edu/umd-loop
If UMD Loop is among the top 36 teams in the country, they'll travel to southern Utah to compete against other finalists in May.
The #ScienceTerps Pop-Up Shop is back! Order from a new selection of T-shirts, joggers, polos and more! Open until March 15: go.umd.edu/cmns-shop
In addition to CMNS apparel, some of our departments (Computer Science, @umdgeology.bsky.social, Mathematics, @umdphysics.bsky.social) have merch too!
Srivatsav Kunnawalkam Elayavalli holding two veenas
Srivatsav Kunnawalkam Elayavalli holding a piece of chalk and standing in front of a chalkboard with equations
Srivatsav Kunnawalkam Elayavalli paragliding over a blue ocean
What do math, music and skydiving have in common? Just ask
Mathematics Assistant Professor Srivatsav Kunnawalkam Elayavalli.
In his pursuits inside and outside his research, he pursues beauty—in mathematical ideas, musical motifs and the splendor of nature ➡️ go.umd.edu/skelayavalli #Quantum
#ScienceTerp Willie E. May (Ph.D. '77, chemistry) went from never having met a practicing chemist in his life to becoming a leader in science.
Read more about the biggest leadership lessons Willie has learned in his @cenmag.bsky.social piece ⤵️
Meredith Heubeck wearing a yellow shirt and jeans while posing with Testudo in front of a CMNS step-and-repeat banner
Tomorrow (2/26), junior chemistry and neuroscience double-degree student Meredith Heubeck is taking over our Instagram story ➡️ instagram.com/umdscience
Meredith will share her day, starting with peer mentoring, followed by biochemistry courses and a professional chemistry fraternity event.
Tom Lake headshot
As chief business officer at Vaxxas, Tom Lake (B.S. '88, biological sciences) is advancing next-generation biotechnology to take the needle out of vaccinations 💉 go.umd.edu/lake
"The real potential here is to allow self-administration of vaccines." #PharmSky
Flowchart for building a large genomic language model for Alzheimer's disease. Courtesy of Heng Huang.
UMD computer scientist Heng Huang and his colleagues received a $12.5M NIH award to continue crucial #Alzheimers research.
See how the multi-institution team is using #AI to improve Alzheimer's prevention, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment ➡️ go.umd.edu/AI4AD 🧪
Hi @danirabaiotti.bsky.social! Could you add the UMD College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences as a Science feed contributor? We share research findings regularly on Bluesky.
You can find more info about our college at cmns.umd.edu and in the video below.
Alberto Bolatto wearing a sweater and holding a laptop with information about his upcoming Reddit Ask-Me-Anything on Friday, February 20
Tomorrow's #RedditAMA features #UMD astronomer Alberto Bolatto! He'll be answering questions about galaxy and star formation, as well as the PRobe Far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA) mission.
Alberto will be live on Reddit from 12 to 2 p.m. ET—submit a question: redd.it/1r99m2b 🔭
A #UMD startup is putting #RNA in the therapeutics spotlight, and helping human health is only the beginning ➡️ go.umd.edu/emergente
Emergente's patented RNAnneal platform takes the unpredictability out of the shape-shifting molecule, opening doors to therapeutic development applications. #PharmSky
Introducing our new department name! @umdgeology.bsky.social
Watching someone experience #PainRelief can meaningfully reduce the hurt we feel ourselves, according to new #UMD research.
"[This study] underscores the vast potential of immersive digital therapeutics to transform #HealthCare," said CMNS Dean Amitabh Varshney, who contributed to the research ⤵️
The biggest enemy of fresh water? According to @umdgeology.bsky.social's Sujay Kaushal, it's salt.
Sujay spoke with @wtopnews.bsky.social about the danger that the melting snow poses to our local waterways ⤵️
Russell Schwartz (B.S. ’22, mathematics, B.S. ’22, computer science) is taking space exploration into the future as a senior perception software engineer for Astrobotic.
He developed robotics and navigation systems for the upcoming Griffin-1 mission to the moon ⤵️ 🧪 🔭
📣 Announcing @umdgeology.bsky.social's new name: the Department of Geological, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences!
This name more accurately reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the department's faculty expertise and academic programming.
📅Save the Date for an ento double header! Feb 19th at 7PM, The Bug Guy, Prof Emeritus Mike Raupp and MD State Entomologist Max Ferlauto present “Caterpillars in Winter in Two Acts.” www.marylandnature.org/get-involved...
🎉 Congratulations to our almost 4,200 Fall 2025 CMNS Dean's List awardees!
Each of these high-achieving students has excelled in the classroom and shares a commitment to academic excellence. Check out our Dean's List #ScienceTerps ⤵️
UMD alums Marc Slatkoff and Carel Hoffeditz sitting on the grass together in the 1970s
Marc and Carel Slatkoff recently in Colorado with the mountains behind them
College sweethearts Marc (B.S. ’70, zoology) and Carel (B.S. ’70, microbiology) Slatkoff fell for each other while pursuing science degrees at the University of Maryland.
Read about their love story this #ValentinesDay: go.umd.edu/slatkoff 💞
Gabriela Arp wearing a lab coat and working with lab instruments
Biological sciences Ph.D. student Gabriela Arp discovered how #GutMicrobes tell our hormones what to do ➡️ go.umd.edu/arp
Job opportunities...
Newly launched Quantitative Biology Initiative in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park seeks applications for three collaborative postdoctoral fellowships. Best consideration date 3/14.
Full Details:
umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UMCP/j...
At CMNS, pioneers, scholars and innovators learn, collaborate and innovate to build a better future.
Get to know our college and see how we deliver on our mission of discovering and sharing scientific knowledge and educating and supporting students ⤵️
A team led by #UMD computational biologist Brantley Hall developed #WearableTech called "Smart Underwear."
Their research reveals that healthy adults pass gas 32 times/day on average—double what medical literature reports. Learn how Brantley's team is mapping flatulence patterns across the U.S. ⤵️
