Meet Our Team

Contact Principal Investigator and Project Leader: Isabell C. May, PhD is the director of both the Entrepreneurship and Science Communication for Aging and Aging-Related Research (ESCAAR) program and the Certificate in Science Communication at the University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies. She also directs the UMB Writing Center in UMB’s Division of Student Affairs. She also serves as Co-PI on the NIH Fogarty International Center R25 grant Establishing a Sustainable Master’s Degree Ethics Program in Research and Integrity in Morocco. Her teaching focuses on inclusive, interdisciplinary training in communicating science across audiences and sectors. She has been a faculty fellow with the accessibility-focused organization Teach Access and the National Federation of the Blind. This year, she was selected as UMB’s faculty representative for the William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation’s Boosting Course Accessibility mini-grant program.  She regularly publishes in UMB Elm’s SciComm Spotlight monthly column and is preparing a narrative review about science communication program for students, postdocs, and faculty in the biomedical sciences for publication. 

Principal Investigator: Diane Blazejewski Martin, PhD, MSL, MA is an associate professor in the School of Graduate Studies and director of UMB’s Geriatrics and Gerontology Education and Research (GGEAR) Program. An applied gerontologist and scholar-practitioner with nearly 20 years of experience, she advances workforce development and promotes the well-being of older adults through education, research, and community partnerships. As GGEAR Director, Dr. Martin leads statewide interprofessional initiatives that prepare students and professionals to address the complex needs of aging populations. Collaborating with the Maryland Department of Aging and Area Health Education Centers, she develops programs that support aging-in-place, caregiver education, and dementia care. Her work focuses on cognitive health, mental well-being, social determinants of health, and person-centered, culturally responsive care. Dr. Martin’s scholarship explores ageism, aging-in-place, and interdisciplinary collaboration. She holds advanced degrees in psychology (aging concentration) and law (healthcare concentration) Dr. Martin is active in state, regional, and national organizations that advance research and scholarship in aging and workforce development, including those that promote innovation, collaboration, and best practices across the aging services continuum.

Principal Investigator: J. Howard "Jim" Kucher, DPA, MBA an associate professor and director of the Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies.  An award-winning teacher and internationally recognized thought leader, he is the author of over a dozen books and articles on Social Entrepreneurship and has assisted over 100 area nonprofits and social enterprises in developing new models for meeting the needs of their constituents while increasing the sustainability of their organizations.  Kucher earned a Doctorate in Public Administration with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship, as well as an MBA with a Marketing & Entrepreneurship specialization from The University of Baltimore. He holds a B.A. from Kean University and has also earned certification as a project management professional and a new product development professional. He has been recognized as a Baltimore Renaissance Seed Scholar, an Unsung Hero of Small Business, and a Fulbright Specialist Scholar in Social Entrepreneurship.  His current research explores the field of Economic Theology and its practical application in faith based social enterprise.