Borda and Young receive 2024 UMBC Presidential Awards

On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, the UMBC 2024 Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards ceremony was held in the University Center Ballroom, and it was available to view virtually. President Valerie Sheares Ashby welcomed the awardees, family members, attendees, and everyone involved with creating a beautiful event. She shared each awardee's accomplishment and presented each one with an official plaque.

Robert A. Fernandez Borda, Senior Research Engineer, received the 2024 UMBC Research Faculty Excellence Award. He was recognized for his work in "serving as the lead optical designer of the HARP polarimeter family (HARP2 is currently in space in NASA's PACE mission) and also leads the design of the FPGA firmware controlling the custom acquisition of the polarimeters."

Margo Young, Director, Earth and Space Research Administration, received the 2024 University System of Maryland Board of Regents Staff Award for Effectiveness and Efficiency. In particular, "Her exceptional vision in developing ESRA, nurturing UMBC's important relationship with NASA, and her outstanding work as a leader in UMBC's vital program of research administration greatly contributed to naming UMBC as an R1 university."

More information about their accomplishments and other 2024 awardees can be found here. Congratulations to you both on these well-deserved recognitions!