USM Chancellor Visits MATRIX Lab, Meets Interns

University System of Maryland (USM) Chancellor Dr. Jay A. Perman visited the University of Maryland (UMD) MATRIX Lab ahead of the July 2025 USMSM Board of Advisors’ meeting.

Chancellor Perman saw the state-of-the-art lab facilities and cutting-edge equipment in the USMSM SMART Building and MATRIX Lab, and had the opportunity to meet the summer 2025 cohort of MATRIX interns.

“We thank Chancellor Perman for taking the time to visit us and talk to our talented undergraduate interns,” said Dr. Reza Ghodssi, Distinguished University Professor at UMD and Executive Director of Research and Innovation at the MATRIX Lab. “We are proud of and excited about the research and educational opportunities that the MATRIX Lab is able to provide to students and researchers in the Southern Maryland region, thanks to the support we receive from USM and UMD.”

The interns thoughtfully and concisely described their research projects to Chancellor Perman, who was very engaged and asked great questions. The Chancellor also emphasized the importance of identifying and sharing the impact of research work.

After the tour, the MATRIX Lab team presented at the Board of Advisors’ meeting, highlighting the lab’s role as a holistic platform for autonomous technologies and uncrewed systems. The presentation covered the recent research, education, and partnership successes that are sparking autonomy innovation in Southern Maryland.

The meeting was also an opportunity for the Board to meet the new interim Executive Director of USMSM, Dr. Dale Nesbary. The MATRIX Lab is looking forward to working with both the Chancellor and Dr. Nesbary to advance autonomy education and research in Southern Maryland, establish the region as a hub for autonomous technologies research, and provide more local workforce development opportunities for both students and researchers.

Published July 23, 2025