Shiona Wijesekara is an Economics and Mathematics major who will graduate in May, 2019. She is a current URA Scholar.

Title of your research project: Determining the Impact of the REACH Initiative on High School Students. We are evaluating the pre and post impact of the mentoring program by surveying the high school students involved in the program. 

Who is your mentor(s) for your project? Mario Santo Domingo. The previous Research chair of the program found him and he has concentrated his research in behavioral psychology , so the ample knowledge was thought to be helpful for the project. 

How did you become interested in this project? I have been an active mentor on REACH for the last 2 years and very fascinated by the multiple layer contribution of the program. So I wanted to get a statistical reading that shows me the extent of the contribution of the program to college readiness, breaking the gender gap in STEM and exposing the participants to STEM options. 

What has been the hardest part about your research/what was the most unexpected thing about being a researcher? Gathering a consistent amount of data because the programs participation fluctuates every week. 

What has been the most rewarding part? I was planning in walking into pure economics research but working on this project, I realized that I want to explore behavioral research from an interdisciplinary social science perspective. 

How will you disseminate your research? URCAD presentation- April 24, 2019!

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research? If you have the chance to get involved in research do it! You will come out with ample of knowledge and a very unique experience!

What are your career goals?  To become a researcher in Educational Economics or Environmental Economics.

Have mentor-led research and want to be featured as a UMBC Researcher of the Week? Email: aprilh@umbc.edu

Meet Your Professor Series: Marie desJardins

Join the CS Education Club for its fourth and final installment of the Meet Your Professor series this semester featuring Dr. Marie desJardins. The series provides students with the opportunity to learn more about their professors, including how they achieved their position, what they believe makes an effective teacher, what research they conduct, and more!

Dr. Marie desJardins is Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the College of Engineering and Information Technology, and Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.  Prior to joining the faculty in 2001, Dr. desJardins was a senior computer scientist at SRI International in Menlo Park, California.  Her research is in artificial intelligence, focusing on the areas of machine learning, multi-agent systems, planning, interactive AI techniques, information management, reasoning with uncertainty, and decision theory.  She has mentored 13 Ph.D. students, 27 M.S. students, and nearly 100 undergraduate researchers.   She is also active in the CS education community, chairs the Maryland Steering Committee for Computer Science Education, and frequently serves as a mentor and invited speaker at CS education and outreach events.

The event is Wednesday 5/2 from 12:00-12:50 in ITE 239. Light refreshments will be provided. Bring questions!

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2018 Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Conference Sponsorship – Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox, a full-service intellectual property law firm located in Washington, DC, invites women engineering students in the DC area to apply for our 2018 Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Conference Sponsorship opportunity.

Each year, SWE hosts one of the largest and most comprehensive gatherings of forward-thinking women in engineering and technology.  This year’s conference will be held in Minneapolis at the Minneapolis Convention Center from October 18-20, 2018.  In addition to networking and professional development opportunities, attendees can expect to develop and renew friendships while connecting with leading-edge innovators in the international engineering community.

The firm is particularly interested in students with a degree in biochemistry, chemistry, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or a related field.  Students must have a positive and professional attitude, strong academic credentials and strong communications skills (written and oral).

Sponsorship will include transportation and hotel accommodation as well as participation in the conference.  In order to be considered, please email your resume and all transcripts to Leslie Cameron atlcameron@sternekessler.com. Applications must submitted by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 31, 2018.

If you have any questions about this sponsorship opportunity, please contact Leslie Cameron, Professional Development Coordinator, at 202-772- 8768.

UMBC SWE will still be assisting with funding registration for members but this advertisement is for a full sponsorship, so we strongly encourage you to apply!

Exciting news!

We have selected our travel team and have finalized travel dates for our assessment trip this summer for our Costa Rica project. We will be going to collect data, survey the area, and more to determine what type of solution the community is looking for. 

Leading up to the trip, we are trying to do a big fundraising push. Please help us raise money to bring a community in need access to clean, safe water by sharing this link with family and friends and posting on social media. 

T. Rowe Price just launched the LEAD Program below for May 2018 graduates.  If you are interested in learning more, be sure to apply by simply submitting your resume to position 9298823 in UMBCworks ASAP.

The company will also have an information session on the program on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 5 PM in The Commons , Room 331.  Details on the program can be found below.  This opportunity is open to all majors.

The role is within the Individual and Retirement Plan Services division as a Financial Services Representative, and the program is called LEAD@TRP.

Picture yourself at T. Rowe Price.
As a senior about to graduate from UMBC, you’re ready to begin your career doing meaningful work. T. Rowe Price is recruiting talented UMBC graduates of ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds to come and work with us.

Perform Meaningful Work
Our mission is to help people achieve their financial goals and secure their future, and we do this in many ways. You’ll find jobs that span multiple disciplines—such as client services, technology, and investments.
 
Inclusive Work Environment
Through our LEAD program, we are focused on providing high potential, new associates of diverse backgrounds the opportunity to develop and enhance their leadership skills. We’ve designed our LEAD program to ensure participants receive mentoring and networking opportunities, with exposure to senior leaders throughout the first two years at T. Rowe Price. Our goal is to position our culturally and ethnically diverse new associates in supervisory career paths.

To Qualify
Applicants must:
Have demonstrated excellence in leadership, professional development, and/or community/campus service.
Self-identify as being of a different race, ethnicity and or nationality, including but not limited to: Hispanic/Latino, African-America, Asian and Native American.
Maintain a minimum 3.0 over GPA at the time of employment.

Please contact Mindy Silverman – mindy_silverman@troweprice.com for more information.

UMBC recognizes Marie desJardins for lasting commitment to inclusive computing education

Marie desJardins, associate dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) and professor of computer science and electrical engineering, will be leaving UMBC to take up a new position as founding dean of the College of Organizational, Computational, and Information Sciences at Simmons College in Boston.

“What I will remember most about my 17 years here is UMBC’s collaborative spirit. Because of the open environment and commitment to diversity, I’ve been able to work with colleagues across the university on a wide range of initiatives,” desJardins says.

During her tenure at UMBC, desJardins has applied her passion and expertise to implementing programs for students across all disciplines and majors, explains Keith J. Bowman, dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT). “She brought her passion and expertise to UMBC, and has changed the lives of faculty, students, and staff through her work,” Bowman says. “As COEIT’s founding associate dean, she has played a crucial role in establishing how the College operates, with a focus on supporting students at all levels. She has set an incredibly high bar in all areas of her work.”

One of desJardins’ many accomplishments was the development and launch of UMBC’s Grand Challenge Scholars Program, based on the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) Grand Challenges for Engineering. The program is open to students who are interested in working on interdisciplinary teams to address pressing challenges facing society. UMBC’s program is distinct because it is open to all majors, bringing together students studying everything from computing and mechanical engineering to the life sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the arts. The Grand Challenge Scholars Program is “a great match with so many things that UMBC and UMBC students are already doing: applied, project-based learning; service learning; entrepreneurial explorations; global involvement; and undergraduate research,” desJardins said of the program when it launched in 2016.

desJardins also reached students across the university through her work with the Honors Colleges, as an Honors Faculty Fellow. This role enabled her to teach a seminar called “Computation, Complexity, and Emergence,” where students from a range of majors shared their perspectives on interdisciplinary topics and learned how subjects they had not previously explored were relevant to their lives. desJardins also served as a chair of the Honors College Advisory Board during her tenure at UMBC.

Beyond her passion for expanding computer science education at UMBC, desJardins has also been steadfast in her work to increase access to computing education for K – 12 students. She has served as the lead principal investigator of CE21-Maryland, a series of projects implemented to increase opportunities for high school students to access computer science education. She was also instrumental in the creation of How Girls Code, an afterschool program and a summer camp at UMBC where girls in elementary and middle school develop computer science skills through engaging activities and learn about careers in the field.

In addition to her writing for academic and technical audiences, desJardins has written numerous articles for the public, including pieces for The Conversation and The Baltimore Sun about the need for computing education for students of all ages. She is particularly passionate about engaging girls and women in computer science.

In a recent op-ed in The Baltimore Sun, desJardins discussed the importance of computer science education in K – 12 schools, both to expand career opportunities for students of all backgrounds and identities and to make sure the world has a chance to benefit from a diverse talent pool in computing fields. “The need for computer science and computational thinking skills is becoming pervasive not just in the world of software engineers, but in fields as varied as science, design, marketing, and public policy,” she wrote.

desJardins has also worked to support new faculty in her College, as they work to advance their careers, inviting assistant professors and lecturers in COEIT to participate in the Junior Faculty Initiative. The program introduces participants to university resources through units like the Faculty Development Center and Office of Student Disabilities Services. It also supports junior faculty through a series of workshops addressing topics such as time management, mentoring relationships, and conflict management, to acclimate faculty to UMBC.

Across the nation and the world, desJardins has been recognized as a leader in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Earlier this year, she was named a fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. In 2017, she was included on Forbes’ list of women advancing AI research. UC Berkeley, desJardins’ alma mater, also recently recognized her work to advance her field by presenting her with the Distinguished Alumni Award in Computer Science.

“UMBC has given me so many opportunities to learn, grow, and give back to the community around me, I will be forever grateful,” says desJardins. “No matter where I go from here, I will always consider myself to be part of the UMBC community.”

Adapted from a UMBC News story by Megan Hanks. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

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