{"id":13357,"date":"2022-05-04T10:20:36","date_gmt":"2022-05-04T14:20:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/pr\/?p=13357"},"modified":"2026-07-13T21:35:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T01:35:26","slug":"staring-down-a-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/scm\/staring-down-a-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Staring down a pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Teemer Barry<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Leoneda Inge-Barry, a Durham, N.C. broadcast journalist, wrote an essay nearly four years ago for her employer\u2019s website about the angst of sending her son off to college at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The essay, in hindsight, proved prescient. Teemer, she pointed out, was diagnosed as an infant with sickle cell disease, \u201can inherited blood disorder that can cause frequent infections and chronic pain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, he fits the definition of \u201cimmuno-compromised\u201d now part of everyday conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When UMES \u2013 and the world \u2013 confronted COVID-19 as a life-threatening pandemic, Barry had experienced a lifetime of closely monitoring his health, eating the right foods and taking extra precautions to keep himself safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt first,\u201d Barry said, \u201cI approached it with a bit of fear. I\u2019m used to dealing with a compromised system \u2026 although there was definitely a chance I was more vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He followed protocols with vigilance (reinforced by his mother\u2019s constant reminders), got vaccinated, limited contact with peers to a small group of roommates and persevered.  UMES employed aggressive mitigation policies that enabled the university to maintain a semblance of a routine academic calendar without interruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barry\u2019s chronic condition did not hold him back from making the most of his time at UMES. In fact, he thrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barry receives a degree in environmental sciences May 20 with a focus on marine science. A member of the Richard A. Henson Honors Program and dean\u2019s list student, his grade point average qualifies him to graduate with honors. He\u2019ll also be a third-generation college graduate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve tried to take advantage of every opportunity here that I could,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That includes two summer internships with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration \u2013 working remotely \u2013 to distill data into \u201crange maps\u201d the federal agency needs to track endangered species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He describes the work as a \u201cvery detailed, complicated process \u2026 not very flashy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonetheless, Barry is well-versed on population trends for such migratory fish as steelhead trout, Chinook salmon and short-nose sturgeon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This summer, he\u2019ll head to Maine for a post-undergraduate internship with NOAA’s Office of Coastal Management, where he\u2019ll continue working to help the agency shape guidelines and policies for protecting marine species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Teemer Barry and Dr. Victoria Volkis<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In the fall, Barry will enroll in Rutgers University\u2019s graduate school, where he\u2019s looking forward to taking advantage of the New Jersey institution\u2019s reputation as a diverse learning environment widely respected for its science programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In New Brunswick, he\u2019ll focus on \u201cocean observing technologies, improving mapping skills and learning to operate autonomous ocean drones\u201d \u2013 marine science lingo for miniature, unmanned submarines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At UMES, Barry worked alongside Dr. Victoria Volkis as an undergraduate assistant in her chemistry lab, where as a recipient of a multi-million dollar grant she is conducting research for the U.S. Navy to find environmentally safe \u201canti-fouling strategies for the bottom of ships\u201d and \u201chow certain reactions take place within marine environments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, Barry\u2019s senior-year capstone project for the Henson Honors program was a report on his findings on \u201cthe probing of extracts from specialty crops and medicinal herbs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe is a very strong person,\u201d Volkis said. \u201cHe works hard, learns fast and never complains or asks for any special accommodations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volkis describes Barry, who turns 22 on May 23, as a \u201cvery smart student with clear and realistic goals (who) planned a way to accomplish (them)\u201d and the results would make his family proud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to believe he was a normal kid,\u201d Barry\u2019s mother said, \u201cand that there would be no obstacles to him graduating.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe last few weeks,\u201d she said, \u201cI\u2019ve cried a lot. I\u2019m so happy. It\u2019s so emotional. It\u2019s so special.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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