GRIT-X

Global. Research. Innovation. Trends. Excellence.

GRIT-X is a series of presentations to celebrate the passion and achievements of UMBC’s alumni, faculty and graduate students, with invited speakers conveying compelling aspects of UMBC’s impact in the areas of research, scholarship and creative achievement. GRIT-X is a Homecoming staple at UMBC since 2016. More information about the GRIT-X 2025 (including registration info) is available on the Division of Research & Creative Achievement website.

Read more about the GRIT-X talk series and 2024 UMBC Homecoming activities.

GRIT-X 2025

Learn more about GREIT-X 2025, past speakers, and their research.
Watch all the GRIT-X 2025 presentations [YouTube videos].

Back for its eighth year, GRIT-X returned to the Fine Arts Recital Hall during Homecoming 2024 with presentations from faculty and accomplished alumni addressing some of the most pressing issues facing society now and throughout history, and how UMBC scholars are working to build a better tomorrow.

“The goal of GRIT-X is to provide a sneak peek behind the scenes of some of the exciting and impactful research and creative achievement initiatives across our campus community,” says Karl V. Steiner, UMBC’s vice president of research and creative achievement. “[GRIT-X] takes you around the whole campus and beyond.”

GRIT-X 2025 – UMBC Fine Arts Recital Hall – Oct 9, 2025

 

Aryya Gangopadhyay, professor of information systems: “Where Humans Can’t Go – Human Robot Teaming”

Patricia Ordóñez ’10, ’12, computer science, associate professor of information systems: “Why Moms Should Be Leaders in Computing Education”

Watch the GRIT-X 2022 presentations.

Delali Dzirasa ’04, computer engineering
Rethinking Digital Divides – Creating Access, Experiential Learning, and Empathy in the Digital World

Vandana Janeja https://research.umbc.edu/grit-x/(Information Systems)
Can We Reduce the Deluge in the Sea Levels with a Data Deluge?

Watch the GRIT-X 2021 presentations.

Andrea Kleinsmith (Information Systems)
Stressing Connections – Designing for Affective Awareness

Upal Ghosh (Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering)
Saving our Environment from the Past – A Story of Chemicals and Fish

Watch the GRIT-X 2019 presentations.

Tinoosh Mohsenin (Computer Science and Electrical Engineering)
Micro AI – When Intelligence Moves to Low Power Sensors

Gregory Szeto (Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering)
The Frenemy Within – Mining the Wisdom and Ignorance of our Immune System

Watch the GRIT-X 2018 presentations.

Kavita Krishnaswamy ’07, ’19, computer science
Robotic Journeys – A Quest for Independence

Watch the GRIT-X 2017 presentations.

Kafui Dzirasa ’01, chemical engineering
Next Generation Psychiatric Diagnostics and Therapeutics

Nilanjan Banerjee (Computer Science and Electrical Engineering)
When What You Wear Understands You

Gymama Slaughter (Computer Science and Electrical Engineering)
The Art of Powering Implantable Electronics

Corey Fleischer ’08, mechanical engineering
Building Founders the Old Fashioned Way

Watch the GRIT-X 2016 presentations.

Lee Blaney (Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering)
Our Environment is on Drugs

Govind Rao (Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering)
Inventing Tomorrow at UMBC