Join us! TechPort UAS Incubator and Innovation Hub
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From the Director's Desk:
This weekend, the DMV’s End of Summer Bash, an online celebration of esports and the culmination of Game Gym’s summer-long tournament series, will now feature Fragman and Murphy with micro (5 minute) versions of their Progress Culture show. Their original music and conversations will fill the dead airtime, hopefully help Hafkin not lose the attention of his audience and provide a new platform for The Spirit of Innovation and Freedom to shine.
Our video production here at TechPort has been so enhanced by the presence of Fragman and Murphy that we are now able to offer our assistance to Southern Maryland TechBridge. In May, the U.S. Navy’s NavalX program designated the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, to lead collaborative efforts of innovation with industry and academic organizations. We noticed the videos coming from NavalX headquarters in Crystal City, Va., were topnotch quality and wanted to offer the same from our local TechBridge. Now the TechBridge videos will be filmed and edited here at TechPort to assure the highest production quality.
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TechPort's Word Cloud - Over a one month period early this summer, clients, visitors and interns were invited to share three words that represented their experience at TechPort. This word cloud was the result. Do you see a word you can relate to? Join our team as a sponsor, client, volunteer or intern. We'd like to hear from you: [email protected]! |
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Featured Client of the Month |
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A chance run-in with an acquaintance in a Southern Maryland parking lot last fall sent Dominic Fragman straight to TechPort to meet the new director, Tommy Luginbill. Luginbill got off the call he was on, invited Fragman in to chat and within two hours, Fragman was sold on the idea of innovating with the TechPort team.
At first glance, it may seem an odd pairing because Fragman, 35, is a professional musician. He’s spent years pursuing “music industry stuff” from Boston to North Carolina, Nashville to Manhattan. He has worked with some of the best in the business – Martina McBride, Ty Herndon, Phil Vasser and James Brandon Lewis.
“Southern Maryland is a place where new and interesting ideas thrive. We want to share that message as we continue to achieve innovation in the arts and present on the international stage,” says Fragman, a Calvert County native and graduate of the College of Southern Maryland and St. Mary’s College.
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Recent Graduate’s Project Shows the Importance of Arts in the Community
In honor of Artist Appreciation Month (August) TechPort decided to reach out to a local citizen to demonstrate how important the arts are in education and how they can affect the community.
“It’s important to include music curriculum as early as you can in education. It’s good for students. It’s good for the community. It’s better for everyone in the long run.” says Renae Rohde, a junior data analyst at Smartronix, located just around the corner from TechPort.
Rohde earned her associates degree in computer science at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) in 2018. After graduating from CSM, Rohde transferred to St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) to continue pursuing her education in computer science and graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and minors in applied mathematics and music.
Although her career is based in STEM, she is still very involved in the arts. While attending SMCM, Rohde was a member of the SMCM orchestra throughout her time there, as well as taking violin lessons and singing in a choir.
Rohde’s senior Capstone Project was a data analytics perspective on the effects of music study on students, demonstrating the importance of the arts in the community.
“I kept finding that a lot of math majors also studied music and meeting music majors who were interested in math. There was a lot of overlap.”
Often students are required to take the minimum amount of credits in arts and humanities in college; however, St. Mary’s urges their students to get involved with an array of courses and careers.
“You’re expected to sample from different categories,” Rohde explained,“St. Mary’s didn’t just allow me, they also encouraged it.” This encouragement of learning led her to select a minor in music.
St. Mary’s served as a major steppingstone in Rohde’s life. Not only impacting her love of the arts but also greatly impacting her career life. Rohde explained how her previous internship with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and involvement with the Computer Science Department at SMCM provided all the tools she needed.
“Because of my internship experience and the help from my advisors, I was able to meet the qualifications, " Rohde continued, explaining how the connections she made in the Computer Science Department helped her excel.
As Rohde states in her Capstone, “It helps develop both practical skills and soft skills that make people better functioning members of society.” Rohde was able to demonstrate that having engagement with the arts is not only important in education, but also for communication and connectivity.
Rohde is now seeking her master’s degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) in data analytics. Check out her St. Mary’s College Capstone Project discussing the importance of music and how it affects the community on her LinkedIn page.
Written by: Alexandra Walker, Intern, TechPort
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TechPort's mission is to serve as a center of innovation for the community. Incubating ideas and accelerating diversification of the innovation ecosystem of Southern Maryland. Operated under contract by the University of Maryland,TechPort targets startup and early stage companies that specialize in autonomous systems and commercialization of Navy technology while serving as a community resource for innovators of all kinds.
For more information on how to become a client or invest in these businesses,
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#ThrowbackThursday
(TechPort Interns Alex Walker and Alec Dobbins assist with social media and outreach at TechPort this summer.
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Sign up here for a private virtual tour of our Incubator space available to new clients.
(Photo courtesy of TechPort)
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Interactive Innovation
Progress Culture Tuesdays
Paul F. Murphy and Dominic Fragman of the Spirit of Innovation & Freedom (SIF) perform as part of their weekly Progress Culture Innovation sessions in the TechPort Hangar. The Spirit of Innovation & Freedom, an affiliate of TechPort, has been recognized as making a new sound in music and raising awareness of the importance of music as a dimension of innovation. Murphy and Fragman share their music and host conversations about art, community, science, technology, freedom and progress for all on their weekly podcast, Progress Culture. Visit www.ProgressCulture.org to learn more and turn in to their weekly programs on SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4p3FKMIgrVOBtcAsK7s2z3 .
This group originally performed at 5 p.m., Tuesday evenings at TechPort, and hope to begin offering the opportunity for live participation. Tickets will be available through TechPort's Events Calendar.
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If you would like updates on the team's progress as it occurs, check out @LeonardoDaPinchy2021
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This month the TechPort Battle Bot Team has been busy creating a life size render of their bot as well as launching their very own Facebook Page!
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TechPort is launching a new monthly live program streaming from the TechPort Hangar on the second Thursday of every month beginning September 10, 2020, 1-2 PM, featuring Rick Tarr, Director of the Southern Maryand TechBridge and NAWCAD Tech Transfer Office at PAX River. The monthly program will provide real-time information on upcoming challenges and an opportunity to ask questions. Registration will open on Monday, August 24, 2020 through the TechPort website. Questions for Rick Tarr may be submitted in advance to [email protected] .
TechBridge @ TechPort October 8, 2020 1-2 PM Topic TBD - Save the Date!
Registration will open on Monday, August 24, 2020 Check our monthly newsletter and website event.s page for updates on future topics.
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First Episode of Intern Hours! |
Intern Hours is a new biweekly video series that will feature discussion over various activities with a new guest!
In the first episode, the TechPort Interns talk with the founder of ShrinkRay, Lindsay Digman, about her company while learning how to make our own batch of coldbrew coffee.
We can't wait for everyone to see some of what the interns have been up to and of course please subscribe to our channel so that all of our future videos show up on your newsfeed!
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UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS
September 3, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. PROJECT OPPORTUNITY COHORT TRAINING LAUNCH - Project Opportunity kicks off Fall Training COHORT at TECHPORT. Registration is complementary and for Veterans interested in entrepreneurship training for a new or existing business. Register Here!
September 9, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
ZoHo Webinar: Elements of Design
Learn about fonts, color schemes, and gain a basic understanding of visual hierarchy. Featuring one of Zoho's very own graphic designers! Register Here!
September 9, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Project Opportunity Class 2
September 10, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. TechBridge @ TechPort Updates from the NAWCAD Tech Transfer Office and the Southern Maryland TechBridge program featuring Director Rick Tarr
Registration opens Monday, August 24 via TechPort website event's page. Interested? Email: [email protected]
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The ART of Collaboration Southern Maryland Webinar Series |
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MISSED IT?
"Connecting and Contributing to Community in Crisis" took place on July 14, 2020. Here is the audio link for final webinar and the graphic rendering by Jim Nuttle. Interested in getting involved? Email TechPort for more info.
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TechPort is a public-private sector initiative supported by: |
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