The Department of Gender and Women’s Studies is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of our faculty over the last academic year –

Dr. Amy Bhatt was incredibly active at the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) Conference this year. She presented her paper, “Baltimore to Bangalore: Intersectional Geographies and Place-Based Feminist Teaching and Research,” served as a moderator on a panel titled “Reflections, Curriculum, and Solidarity: From the Combahee River Collective, to Transnational Feminist Theory, to BLM.” She was also a discussant on the “Traveling Feminisms: Intersectionality and Assemblage in an Asian Frame” panel.

Dr. Bhatt also gave papers at the Association of Asian American Studies Conference in March (“From Dreamers to Tech Workers: Building South Asian American Solidarities”) and at the American Studies Association Conference in November (“Anchors Along the Climb: Developing Resources for Asian Americans and Asian American Studies”).

Her book, High-Tech Housewives: Indian IT Workers, Gendered Labor, and Transmigration, came out in May, and she also had a number of news media articles come out over the last year. These include:

“From dependents to deportees: How US immigration policy is impacting Indian families.”The Indian Express, February 12, 2018.

Bhatt, Amy and Dillon Mahmoudi. “White men may be biggest winners when a city snags Amazon’s HQ2.” The Conversation, February 6, 2018.

Bhatt, Amy and Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque. “The Trump Administration’s Visa Rules Are an Attack on Immigrant Women.” Ms. Magazine Blog, December 19, 2017.

“Why Trump’s Plan to Forbid Spouses of H-1B Workers to Work is a Bad Idea.” The Conversation, December 18, 2017.

Dr. Bhatt has also mentored a number of students through some exciting achievements this past year. She mentored three Gender and Women’s Studies students through URCARD – Daniel Willey, Jamie Tingler, and Emily Ruppert – and mentored one student, Susannah Hochmuth-Jones, through the UMBC Review.

Dr. Kathryn Kein has a new article out in Studies in American Humor, vol. 4 no.1 – “Domestic Failure, Comic Pleasure: Phyllis Diller and the Feminist Potential of Failure, 1955-1969.”

Dr. Carole McCann had one article (“Figuring the Population Explosion: Demography in the Mid-Twentieth Century,” Feminist Media Histories) and one encyclopedia entry (“Feminist Theories,” The Cambridge Handbook of Sociology) out this year. She also published a review of Michael Helquist’s Marie Equi: Radical Politics and Outlaw Passions in Pacific Historical Review.

Dr. McCann served on two panels at the National Women’s Studies Association Conference in November. She was a round table panelist on the “From Alternative Facts to Alternative Worlds: The Possibilities and Limits of Feminist Science” panel, and served as moderator for the “Building Solidarity: Parents Form a Racial Justice Parenting Group at a Baltimore City Elementary School” panel.

Dr. McCann was also invited to deliver 2018’s annual Lipitz Lecture – her talk, “Maryland Planned Parenthood: A Vital Community Resource” was delivered at the Albin O. Kuhn Library in May.

Dr. Mejdulene B. Shomali had two articles come out this year – “Political Social Movements: Homosexuality and Queer Movements” was published in Encyclopedia of Women & Islamic Cultures, and “”Scheherazade and the Limits of Inclusive Politics in Arab American Literature” came out in the February issue of Multi Ethnic Literature of the United States. She also had a book chapter out this year in The Immigrant Experience. Her chapter is titled “We Are Made to Leave, We Are Made to Return: Writing Movement in Contemporary Arab American Literature.”

Dr. Shomali was also awarded a Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation Fellowship and will be attending their workshop in Berkeley, CA this summer.

Big Data, Security and Privacy

Prof. Bhavani Thuraisingham, University of Texas at Dallas
11:00-12:00 Wednesday, 16 May 2018, ITE 459, UMBC

The collection, storage, manipulation and retention of massive amounts of data have resulted in serious security and privacy considerations. Various regulations are being proposed to handle big data so that the privacy of the individuals is not violated. For example, even if personally identifiable information is removed from the data, when data is combined with other data, an individual can be identified. This is essentially the inference and aggregation problem that data security researchers have been exploring for the past four decades. This problem is exacerbated with the management of big data as different sources of data now exist that are related to various individuals.

While collecting massive amounts of data causes security and privacy concerns, big data analytics applications in cyber security is exploding. For example, an organization can outsource activities such as identity management, email filtering and intrusion detection to the cloud. This is because massive amounts of data are being collected for such applications and this data has to be analyzed. The question is, how can the developments in big data management and analytics techniques be used to solve security problems? These problems include malware detection, insider threat detection, and intrusion detection.

To address the challenges of big data security and privacy as well as big data analytics for cyber security applications, we organized a workshop sponsored by the National Science Foundation in September 2014 and presented the results in 2015 at an inter-agency workshop in Washington DC. Since then several developments have been reported on big data security and privacy as well as on big data analytics of cyber security. This presenting will summarize the findings of the workshop and discuss the developments and directions.

Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham is the Louis A. Beecherl, Jr. Distinguished Professor in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) and the Executive Director of UTD’s Cyber Security Research and Education Institute since October 2004. She is also a Senior Research Fellow at Kings College, University of London (2015-2018) and a New America Cyber Security Policy Fellow (2017-2018). Her current research is on integrating cyber security and data science. Prior to joining UTD she worked at the MITRE Corporation for 16 years including a three-year stint as a Program Director at the NSF. She initiated the Data and Applications Security program at NSF and was a member of the Cyber Trust theme. While at MITRE she was a department head and was also a technical advisor to the DoD, the NSA, the CIA, and the IRS. Prior to that, she worked for the commercial industry for six years including at Honeywell, Inc. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the IEEE CS 1997 Technical Achievement Award, the IEEE ISI 2010 Research Leadership Award, ACM SIGSAC 2010 Outstanding Contributions Award, SDPS 2012 Transformative Achievement Gold Medal, 2013 IBM Faculty Award, ACM CODASPY 2017 Innovative and Lasting Research Contributions Award, IEEE CS Services Computing 2017 Research Innovation Award, and Dallas Business Journal 2017 Women in Technology Award. She is a 2003 Fellow of the IEEE and the AAAS and a 2005 Fellow of the British Computer Society. She has published over 120 journal articles, 250 conference papers, 15 books, has delivered over 130 keynote and featured addresses, and is the inventor of six US patents. She has chaired/co-chaired top tier conferences including the Women in Cyber Security (WiCyS) 2016, ACM CCS 2017, and is serving as the Program co-Chair for IEEE ICDM 2018. She also delivered a featured address at the Women in Data Science (WiDS) conference in 2018. She received her PhD at the University of Wales, Swansea, UK, and the earned higher doctorate (D. Eng) from the University of Bristol, England, UK for her published research in secure data management.

The post talk: Big Data, Security and Privacy, 11am Wed 5/16 appeared first on Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

Kourtney Rutkowski
B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Psychology
Cum Laude
Hometown: Bel Air, Maryland
Plans: M.S., mechanical engineering, UMBC

UMBC has also helped to grow my leadership skills, my confidence, and has opened my mind in so many ways.

Kourtney Rutkowski enjoys being the first, particularly when it comes to unique learning experiences. As an engineer with an interest in cross-cultural exchange, she was UMBC’s first student to participate in a semester-long study abroad at the University of Porto in Portugal, and one of the two first students to participate in a winter study abroad at the University of Kassel in Germany, after UMBC initiated research and education partnerships with both institutions.

Home at UMBC, Rutkowski has participated in the Grand Challenge Scholars Program and Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) Scholars Program. She is a member of the Honors College and Tau Beta Pi, the honors society for engineering. She has held leadership positions on the CWIT student council, in Tau Beta Pi, and as a UMBC Eco-Ambassador, and she currently serves as the inaugural student president for the Grand Challenge Scholars Program Student Organization. Additionally, she has worked as a teaching fellow for multiple courses, most recently as a lead teaching fellow for statics.

Rutkowski shares that mentors across campus have provided her with valuable guidance related to research, career options, and pursuing opportunities abroad. She worked most closely with Anne Spence, former professor of practice at UMBC; Jamie Gurganus, associate director for engineering education initiatives; Marc Zupan, associate professor of mechanical engineering; and Neil Rothman, professor of practice in mechanical engineering.

As a student in the integrated B.S./M.S. mechanical engineering program, Rutkowski will remain at UMBC after graduation to complete her graduate degree, before moving on to opportunities in industry and, perhaps, a Ph.D. and mechanical engineering teaching career of her own.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

They’re going to find out I’m a fake

“It’s all just dumb luck” “Why would they choose me for the job?” “I don’t deserve this; I didn’t earn this. This has to be a mistake!” “God, if they only knew … “ These are some of the things that have gone through our minds after getting a job, achieving a goal, being praised for a job well done, or even just being complimented on a nice outfit.  No matter how talented we are, no matter how hard we worked to get there, there’s a part of us that feel undeserving. What’s more, it’s not just an evil voice that whisper these ugly things in our heads, but a feeling. A sick feeling in the pit of our gut that just won’t go away, despite our achievements. No, it’s not just you. I’ve been there, too. Yes, there is a term for it: imposter syndrome.

What is Imposter Syndrome?

According to Scientific American imposter syndrome is “a pervasive feeling of self-doubt, insecurity, or fraudulence despite often overwhelming evidence to the contrary.” In other words, you feel like you’re a phony, you’re constantly doubting and second-guessing yourself, and think everything you do is a sham. You are unable to accept your accomplishment, let alone enjoy it.

The term, imposter phenomenon, was first used by clinical psychologists Dr. Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes in 1978 to describe the feeling often felt by high-functioning women who felt their accomplishments were more from luck than their own hard work and ability. These women felt as if they were fakes, that they would be revealed as frauds.

When first “discovered,” health professionals thought this syndrome affected predominantly women, but now, after much research, they have found it affects men and women equally. It affects people of all genders who are high functioning and high achieving. Now, having said that,  women also deal with pronounced sexism plus internalized sexism which makes this an important topic for us to dig into here on the Women’s Center blog.

Why are women more susceptible to imposter syndrome than men? Perhaps it’s the conditioning of countless generations of women to be “modest,” to be “humble,” to be the caretakers and caregivers and to melt into the background while allowing the men to stand in front, to take charge, to shine. Perhaps it’s the millenia or more of telling our daughters and sisters and nieces that boys are “smarter than girls,” that we are “less than” our male counter parts, that we weren’t meant to be their equals. In Kate Bahn’s piece Faking It: Women, Academia, and Imposter Syndrome she writes: “a recent survey of undergraduates at Boston College, which showed that female students finished college with lower self-esteem than they started with. Male students, on the other hand, graduated with greater self-confidence (albeit lower GPAs) than their female peers.” No matter how much education we acquire, no matter how much more qualified we become, the feeling of inadequacy never leaves, instead, it just gets stronger.

Famous people who struggle with imposter syndrome

Here is a quote by Maya Angelou from the website theHUSTLE. Would you think she struggled with imposter syndrome?

“I have written eleven books, but each time I think, uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.”

MAYA ANGELOU

Michelle Pfeiffer (multiple nominee for Academy Awards and Golden Globe awards, successful actor, producer), Chris Martin (lead singer of the popular band Cold Play, song writer, producer), Sheryl Sandburg (COO of Facebook, former vice president of global online sales and operations at Google, named one of 2012 Time 100 most influential people, wife, mother) … the list goes on. What’s the one thing they all have in common? They all feel they’ve been putting on an act, that they are frauds, none of their accolades are earned.

How do you handle imposter syndrome?

There’s power in naming so now that you know about imposter syndrome, how can you fix it? Well, there aren’t any magic pills that will make imposter syndrome go away. No genie in a bottle and a wish or o magic wand to wave over yourself. In other words there are no easy fixes that will make you feel gloriously confident and deserving of it all. There are, however, ways of coping and overcoming the relentless, self-damaging, at times, debilitating taunts.

There are the usual go-to tips: meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, healthy eating and lifestyle, and of course, that elusive ingredient, sleep. Yes, in a perfect world this would solve the problem, but for most of us stress and lack of sleep is the norm, so here are some other tips on how to manage your imposter syndrome. 

1.  Don’t sell yourself short. The website Personal Excellence states: “Maybe you feel like a fraud because you don’t think you have anything good to offer … know that whatever place you are at in life now, you are here because you are ready for it.” Know that your being who you are is what’s going to give this job the uniqueness that only you can bring to the position. You are the only apple in a sea of oranges.  Or the only orange in the sea of apples.  Or the kiwi … or the grapes …  you get the picture.
2. “Stop comparing yourself to that person”. As I’ve stated in #1 you are unique. Your accomplishments are unique. Thinking your way is not as good as someone else’s is not only self-sabotaging, it’s futile. You are different people, therefore, your way of doing things are different. You are not them; they are not you. End of story.
3. Allow yourself to make mistakes. We don’t learn from our successes, we learn from our mistakes. Being wrong, making mistakes, is not a waste of time, merely lessons learned. Get upset, get angry, then get back up and use those lessons. Only you can turn the “wrongs” into valuable “rights”.

Self-doubt, anxiety, panic, fear, stress …    

 Everyone has moments of self-doubt and anxiety. We are juggling school, work, for some, family, and many more issues daily. The world is full of things that bring on stress and anxiety, every minute, every hour, every day. The Women’s Center at UMBC is one of the places you can come and share with other women who are struggling with similar issues, experiences, and solutions and options with each other. If you feel you need to speak to someone on a one-on-one basis the professional staff members along with our student staff members, and those who utilize the Center regularly. Know that there are people who understand when you say “I don’t deserve this” or “It was a mistake” or “I’m a fake.” We are journeying, experiencing, and dealing with this very common issue. Please, don’t be afraid to share what you’re going through, even if it’s just with a pen on a sheet of paper. And if it’s keeping you from functioning in your daily life, please, seek counseling. We at the Women’s Center will help connect you with the resources you may need. Know that you are not alone in struggling with imposter syndrome. We are here to listen, and we will help any way we can.

Even More Resources:

From AAUW’s Being a Woman in STEM Isn’t Easy

Check out Feminist Fight Club from the Women’s Center library

From Everyday Feminism – a way to tackle imposter syndrome with an intersectional lens

Ariana  is a double major in Biology (BA) and Psychology (BA), who will graduate in 2019. She is a member of the Honors College and 2018-19 URA Scholar.

Title of your research project:  Rat Prostate Cancer Model

Describe your project: To create a floxed P53 rat, for prostate specific P53 loss.

Who is your mentor(s) for your project? My mentors are Michael Rubenstein and Dr. Bieberich from the Biology Department. I found my mentor by talking to my bio 141 TA, who advised me to email specific professors at UMBC that encompassed my interests in genetic research, cancer research, and working with animal models. 

How did you become interested in this project? I became interested in this project because I had a passion for cancer treatment and research, and have a strong interest in how genetics influence disease initiation and progression. I also was excited to work closely with rats and mice given I had previously worked in animal care. Another aspect of my research that caught my interest is that I would conduct different surgical procedures on rats and mice. Given that I want to become a physician, this is exciting because I am able to learn and practice some skills I will later learn in medical school.

What has been the hardest part about your research/what was the most unexpected thing about being a researcher? The hardest part about research is that a seemingly simple experiment can fail countless times before it will work. Often, these experiments are composed of dozens of steps that take up anywhere from several hours to several days. It can get disheartening, but it’s important to not give up. From watching my mentor, I have found that resiliency is an important quality of a strong researcher.

What has been the most rewarding part?  The most rewarding part about my research is that I am able to contribute to the progress of cancer research, even though my role is small. By being a part of the research community, I am able to see all the progress cancer research has already made, and this inspires me to work hard.

How will you disseminate your research? I presented at the UMSOM 9^th Annual Cancer Biology Research Retreat on April 30th. I have also presented at URCAD in the spring of 2017, and will again next spring (2019).

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?  My advice is to not delay. The sooner you can get started in research, the better understanding you will have about what your passions are, and the more time you will have to contribute to your lab.

What are your career goals? My career goals are to become a Pediatric Oncologist and to integrate research into my daily working life.