Reflections on Well-Being and Sustainability
At the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), our core values are more than words, they are our way of life — the demonstration of what we stand for and the guide for our behaviors.
Our core values of Respect and Integrity, Well-Being and Sustainability, Equity and Justice, and Innovation and Discovery are at the heart of our mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good of Maryland and society at-large.
Since November 2024, we have been exploring UMB’s core value of Well-Being and Sustainability — We care about the welfare of our people, planet, communities, and University — by posing thought-provoking questions for you to respond to.
Several people have taken this opportunity to engage with this core value in an intentional way and share their insights with the UMB community:
Understanding the value set of Well-Being and Sustainability:
“To me, well-being is the umbrella-term that takes into account any and all aspects that are crucial to living your life. Well-being takes into account your physical health, your emotional health, spiritual health, relational health, mental health, financial health; it takes into account your environment and your support systems, it takes into account your community, culture, country; it takes into account the state of our world. In short, well-being is how an individual is feeling about the combination of everything happening in the world. Just as plants need a balance of water, sun, and nutrients, a person's well-being is dependent on a combination of taking care of yourself (relaxing, reading, exercising, cooking), taking care of others (supporting friends, families, pets, strangers), and taking care of the world around us (if the current state of the world is affecting our well-being, the best cure is to take action: communicate, educate, volunteer).” ~ Ben Eglash, Administration and Finance
“Well-being means feeling a sense of calm, alignment, and fulfillment in most or all aspects of life. This supposes that one has a level of good health, enjoys their work, feels a sense of contribution to something larger, their basic needs are met, and they have emotional support and love from friends and family. I make time for exercise, meditation, walking outdoors, try to eat well, and do things that I enjoy, like pottery and music to maintain balance. Personal well-being means you can show up fully for others.” ~ Christina, School of Graduate Studies Faculty Member
“Well-being is a state of mind. It means personally prioritizing my health and ensuring that I am fit both mentally and physically, which enables me to give my best effort professionally within my role at UMB.” ~ Ron Eshleman, Administration and Finance
“Well-being means finding the balance between work, family, friends, and taking care of myself.” ~ Chris Pollock, School of Medicine
“Well-being is the sense of being safe. Your relationships should provide a sense of safety to be who you are and not what others expect you to be. Family, friends, colleagues and community are social connects from which this sense stems. These components of social connection are what supports your well-being. When one is off, they all are off. A balance is required to accomplish a real sense of wellbeing. This is not because of who they are but instead the choices you have made. It is difficult sometimes but there must be a divide from those who challenge your wellbeing and those who nurture it. We can't always select the relationship but we can select not to involve ourselves in those interactions that threatens our wellbeing.” ~ Staff Member, School of Medicine
Sustainability means making choices that prioritize the long-term health of the planet, as well as myself and that of future generations. It involves being mindful of how I consume resources, reducing waste, and supporting practices that protect the environment. This could include actions like conserving energy and water, minimizing single-use plastics, recycling, choosing sustainable products, and supporting local businesses. ~ Carey Martin, School of Medicine Staff
Exploring how you can be a catalyst for others valuing Well-Being and Sustainability through your actions:
“An interdisciplinary UMB faculty consortium is working together to teach a course on Climate Change, Health, and Society (CIPP650) to build connections among the different UMB schools, other USM campuses, stakeholders, and the community. Students and faculty in the course work together in interprofessional teams to address some of the challenges from the climate crisis in the community and state of Maryland. This helps to enhance our sense of well-being and sustainability, making Baltimore stronger and more climate resilient. We invite everyone to get involved!” ~ Shiladitya DasSarma, School of Medicine Faculty
“Education plays a vital role in promoting sustainability by raising awareness, fostering understanding, and equipping individuals with the knowledge needed to make sustainable choices. It helps people understand the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic systems and empowers them to take action to address issues such as climate change, resource depletion, and social inequity.” ~ Carey Martin, School of Medicine Staff
“If possible, a daily routine for sleep is desirable, and going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps with my overall well-being and feeling my best. If I don't get enough sleep, it's reflected in my mood and mental sharpness throughout the day. Life happens, and sleep patterns sometimes change unwillingly, but a persistent pattern of sleep habits can improve quality of life.” ~ Ron Eshleman, Administration and Finance Staff
“The quality of sleep I get definitely affects my overall well-being. If I sleep poorly, I have trouble functioning throughout the next day. Concentrating is difficult, and I am more likely to snap at others due to increased stress. On the other hand, I am much more productive and pleasant to be around if I get a good night's rest.
One action I can take this week to improve my sleep habits is to reduce my screentime before bed and to incorporate a relaxing activity to wind down, such as reading or meditating.” ~ Carey Martin, School of Medicine Staff
“This week I will reduce my carbon footprint and promote sustainability by planning my meals carefully and specifically to actively minimize food waste by buying only what is needed, using leftover creatively and composting any food scraps that can't be used to help prep for Spring gardening.” ~ Amarylis Velasco, University of Maryland Medical Center Staff
During this focus on Well-Being and Sustainability, an anonymous member of the School of Medicine staff asked a question for the University as a whole regarding integrating sustainable practices into our workplace and UMB community: “How do we square promoting the use of AI in all aspects of the workplace when we know that a simple Chat GPT query uses (I read) 10 times the energy of a Google/Bing/DuckDuckGo search? Data centers are environmental nightmares. More and more of them will be required as increased numbers of workers employ AI in their daily work in addition to the large-scale use planned for health care, etc. I understand that use in health care 'improves the human condition.' However it seems to simultaneously hurt the human and environmental condition. Seems this should be considered in the Core Values Sustainability discussions.” Many elements of this question are being examined by this years’ President’s Fellows as they explore the impacts of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) on the educational environment, and answer the following question: How is GenAI impacting academic integrity and the educational environment at UMB, a public health, law, human services, and research university? More information can be found here.
Thank you to everyone who engaged in the Core Values Conversation focused on Well-Being and Sustainability.