Innovation and Collaboration: Congressional Leaders Visit Southern Maryland

The University of Maryland (UMD) MATRIX Lab hosted part of a Congressional visit to Southern Maryland by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Representatives Steny Hoyer and Sarah Elfreth. On May 19, the members of Congress, plus U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks earlier in the day, toured the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, the USMSM SMART Building, and the MATRIX Lab to learn about how different sectors collaborate to teach students in-demand skills, strengthening the region’s workforce and its economy.

“I am proud of our outstanding federal and state representatives for all they do to provide access and opportunities for our students across the state of Maryland. Education and research are always the backbones of what makes the U.S. the world's leader in science and technology,” said said Dr. Reza Ghodssi, Distinguished University Professor at UMD and the Executive Director of Research and Innovation at the MATRIX Lab. “Thank you to Senator Van Hollen, Representative Steny Hoyer, and Representative Sarah Elfreth for touring the MATRIX Lab during their visit to Southern Maryland and meeting our students and researchers.”

At the MATRIX Lab, representatives from organizations presented examples of how academia, military, government, industry, and nonprofit organizations collaborate to create opportunities in Southern Maryland.

Speakers represented USMSM, the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance (SMNA), St. Mary's County Economic Development, the Patuxent Partnership, UMD, and the College of Southern Maryland (CSM).

These organizations and many more work together to promote STEM education through field trips, camps, and other activities and give students the hands-on experience they need to succeed through apprenticeships and internships. The organizations also strengthen the technical workforce through promoting educational and professional pathways and creating lifelong learning and development opportunities. When all of these sectors are in constant communication, they empower the community with in-demand skills that real-world employers are looking for.

“On behalf of the College of Southern Maryland, we are incredibly grateful for the strong collaboration that is exemplified through the support of our Congressional delegation, and from our state and local partners in supporting CSM's launch of our new cyber range at our Leonardtown Campus and our participation in Maryland’s Cyber Workforce Accelerator program,” said Dr. Yolanda Wilson, the President of CSM. “This initiative is just one example that clearly demonstrates how Southern Maryland with the state of Maryland is taking the lead in addressing the needs of our workforce, in this instance in providing critical training across the IT and cybersecurity spectrum for workforce development.”

After the briefings, the members of Congress toured the lab spaces and were able to meet and speak with the researchers and students using the building’s state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge equipment.

“The UMD MATRIX Lab is a national leader in research and innovation and an important driver of economic growth and workforce development across Southern Maryland. Seeing their work firsthand and hearing from students and researchers about its impact is not only inspiring, but also highlights the power of partnership in the region between academic institutions, the military, and across the public and private sectors. I’ll continue working to support the critical work being done by the University of Maryland and its partners,” said Senator Van Hollen (Maryland's 8th District).

“Ensuring Maryland and America stay competitive in the 21st-century global economy requires encouraging academia, government, and the private sector to collaborate together more closely than ever before. I was pleased to see that cooperation at work in Southern Maryland,” said Representative Hoyer (Maryland’s 5th District). “The researchers and innovators at the UMD MATRIX Lab and its partner institutions are helping our state and country get ahead, which is why I will continue to do everything I can to support their vital work.”

“The innovation at the UMD MATRIX Lab is second to none. Senator Van Hollen, Congressman Hoyer, and I had the opportunity to meet with their scientists and learn more about their groundbreaking research on ingestible capsules, autonomous aerial refueling, underwater systems, and more,” said Representative Elfreth (Maryland’s 3rd District). “In Congress, Team Maryland will continue to advocate for university research funding to keep our state at the forefront of research and innovation.”

Earlier that day, Van Hollen, Hoyer, and Elfreth, along with U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks, learned about the work going on at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River and toured some of the facilities there.

“This was an extraordinary opportunity to share our phenomenal story with our Maryland Congressional Representatives,” said Dr. Dale L. Moore, the President of SMNA. “We were able to highlight the amazing things happening across the Southern Maryland region in terms of our workforce education and development, research capabilities and innovation, collaboration and partnerships at the technological edge in support of the naval aviation mission, and our future economic development and growth.”

Published May 30, 2025