Facilities Management (FM) appreciates our working relationships with academic partners across the university, bridging the gap between administrative operations and academic pursuits. Below, we highlight some of the dynamic partnerships that have emerged between these two distinct realms.
Arboretum & Botanical Garden
The Arboretum partners formally and informally with a variety of departments to further the educational experience of students and visitors. Classes in the Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture and the Institute of Applied Agricultural utilize the collection as a living laboratory, as do many other programs across our university. Entomology students collect and study insects from the pollinator gardens and woody plant material on campus, and those students in the Environmental Science & Policy and Environmental Science & Technology departments participate in internships and volunteer events maintaining areas such as green roofs and stormwater maintenance areas, bringing practical knowledge to their classroom studies. The Arboretum provides a variety of student learning opportunities including internships, guest lecturing, and service projects.
- PLSC253 & 254: Woody Plants for Mid-Atlantic Landscapes I & II: Class lab takes weekly walks to learn tree identification for plants in the Arboretum's collection. The course is taught by Arboretum Director, Karen Petroff.
- ARCH272: Sustainability at College Park: Campus stormwater manager, Michael Carmichael speaks to this class about our stormwater management BMPs on campus as well as the MS4 permit.
- ENME 472: Integrated Product and Process Development: Campus arborist advised on capstone project of creating an automatic chainsaw sharpener.
- CPSS340: College Park Scholars: Infrastructure and Society: Tour of green roofs and stormwater BMPs on campus provided by stormwater manager, Michael Carmichael.
- SPAN204: Spanish Grammar Review: An enhanced landscape tour and service event is provided in Spanish.
- PLSC460: Application of Knowledge in Plant Sciences: Capstone projects have been created around the close partnership between the Arboretum and the Campus Pantry by way of the Community Learning Garden for this capstone course based on student interactions with plant science professionals.
- PLSC253 & 254: Woody Plants for Mid-Atlantic Landscapes I & II: Class lab takes weekly walks to learn tree identification for plants in the Arboretum's collection. The course is taught by Arboretum Director, Karen Petroff.
Operations, Maintenance & Utilities
FM’s Operations, Maintenance & Utilities unit actively seeks opportunities to include students in projects that provide learning opportunities and collaboration with faculty partners.
- FM is currently collaborating with Dr. Bob Infantino, Associate Dean, College of Computer, Math & Natural Sciences, and Dr. Timothy Canty, Associate Professor, Atmospheric & Oceanic Science on placing a new weather sensor/station on A/V Williams Building to expand their campus network of sensors. This is a component of the Maryland Mesonet system which will include 75 weather stations statewide. This project is a recipient of the Grand Challenges Institutional Grant.
- FM’s partnership with the School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation on campus sculpture conservation/restoration continues. During the fall of 2022, Stefan Woehlke, postdoctoral associate in historic preservation, and graduate student Janet Adesina collaborated with FM on a conservation project focused on the university’s Frederick Douglass sculpture and other historic elements on Frederick Douglass Square. Spring collaboration projects will focus on the restoration of the McKeldin Mall Sundial and Testudo.
Energy & Engineering
Members of FM’s Energy & Engineering team are frequent guest speakers for UMD classes and groups and partner with faculty on a variety of projects and programs.
- Working in collaboration with Dr. Jelena Sebric, Director of the Center for Sustainability in the Built Environment (City@UMD) on the UMD energy dashboard called TerpFootprints.
- Working with Dr. Derek A. Paley, Professor ENGR-Aerospace Engineering on manhole monitoring.
- Partnering with Dr. Daniel Perry Lathrop, Professor CMNS-Physics on methane and waste heat water remediation to identify steam and water issues on campus. This project is a recipient of the Grand Challenges Institutional Grant.
- Susan Corry, Director of Energy & Engineering presented “Buying Energy for a Really BIG User” for the UMD Sustainability Series hosted by Ralph Bennett, Professor Emeritus ARCH-School of Architecture, Planning, & Preservation, and ARCH 289i.
Invited by chapter adviser Dr. Michael Ohadi, Professor ENGR-Mechanical Engineering, Don Hill, assistant director of Energy & Engineering recently spoke at a chapter meeting for the Student Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers.