Professor Gymama Slaughter received a research award from the National Science Foundation to support her work on a self-powered biosensing microsystem that simultaneously generates bioelectricity and monitors glucose.

The four-year award in the amount of $400,000 is from NSF’s prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program, which supports junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research.

With the support from NSF, Professor Slaughter and the students in her Bioelectronics Laboratory will fabricate and characterize a self-powered biosensing microsystem that simultaneously generates bioelectricity and monitors glucose. This will be accomplished using an inertial power scavenging design by converting interstitial glucose into energy through the coupling of enzymes and three-dimensional nanowire arrays to power implantable glucose monitors.

The self-powered biosensing microsystem will monitor sugar levels and embodies two key technical contributions: it eliminates the need for a potentiostat circuit and an external power source or batteries, leading to dramatic improvements in both speed and energy efficiency, and it demonstrates an autonomous, self-powered, low-power biosensing microsystem that can be adapted for other uses. For people suffering from diabetes, continuous, self-powered monitoring of glucose will improve their quality of life and can save lives.

Professor Slaughter notes that the educational component of the project enriches and complements other programs at UMBC designed to increase minority and female participation in STEM fields. The exposure of these students to a real-world problem and its solution will enable them to better appreciate the contribution of scientific research.

UMBC is once again hosting the Global Gam Jam this January. It will run from 5pm Friday, January 24th to 5pm Sunday, January 26th, just before classes start. Once again, thanks to a generous donation by NextCentury, registration is free. Space is limited, so sign up now! 

For anyone who hasn't participated, the global game jam is a 48 hour game development event with hundreds of host sites around the world. At 5pm local time, introduce the jam and announce this year's theme. Previous year's themes have ranged from a phrase ("as long as we're together there will always be problems") to a word ("extinction") to an image (ouroboros: a snake eating its tail), to a sound (the recording of a heartbeat). Participants brainstorm game ideas around the theme, form into teams, and spend the weekend building games that are designed to be both fun and express the theme.

The UMBC site is not restricted to just students. In previous years, we have had a mix of UMBC students, faculty, alumni, students from other schools, game development professionals, and just people with an interest in game development. More details at gaim.umbc.edu/global-game-jam. However, we are limited to just 40 participants, so sign up early if you want to come. If the UMBC site fills, other local(ish) sites include the Unviersity of Baltimore, American University, and George Mason University.

Meet Emily. She is a Music major and current Undergraduate Research Award (URA) Scholar. Her current research focuses on the influential American flutist William Kincaid.

How did you find your mentor for your research project?
My flute teacher, Dr. Lisa Cella, suggested that I apply for the URA. We discussed possible projects and decided on one together. It only seemed natural for her to be my mentor after this collaboration.

How did you know that this was the project you wanted to do?
As a flute player, I have always been interested in the history and development of the various styles of playing the flute in different countries. When I learned about William Kincaid, the father of American flute playing, I was fascinated by what I read and desired to learn more.

Is this your first independent research project?
This is not my first independent research project. In my high school, we were expected to successfully complete two twenty-page theses on topics of our own choosing in our junior and senior year. We were assigned faculty mentors to help us hone our topics. This experience greatly prepared me to apply for the Undergraduate Research Award.

Do you get course credit for this work? How much time do you put into it?
I do not receive course credit for this work. I plan to complete much of my research this summer. Part of my research entails attending master classes to interview various flutists who have been influenced by Kincaid’s teaching. Both of these one-week master classes occur in the summer. 

How did you hear about the URA Program?
My faculty mentor suggested I apply for the program; I also heard about it from various professors who recommended that I apply.

What academic background did you have before you applied for the URA?
I have played the flute for eight years and I am a music major with a double emphasis in education and performance.

Was the application difficult to do?
For me, the most difficult part of the application was the editing process. I worked closely with my mentor and sent several drafts of my proposal to a few of my professors to get their thoughts. Hearing their insights really helped to hone my proposal.

What has been the hardest part about your research?
For me, the hardest part I think will be pacing myself. I am trying to do most of my research this summer as I have a heavy academic load during the fall and spring semesters.

What was the most unexpected thing?
I did not realize how intensely I had to revise my proposal. Every word had to be purposeful and communicate exactly what I meant. Writing the proposal was a wonderful writing exercise.

How does your research relate to your work in other classes?
My research will greatly aid in my Performance Studies class. My research entails attending several master classes over the summer, which have proven to be both enlightening and challenging. 

What else are you involved in on campus?
In addition to my academic classes, I am involved in CRU, Campus Crusade for Christ.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?
I would highly recommend that all students pursue some type of research during their undergraduate years. It is a wonderful opportunity to develop close relationships with professors and it is a great academic experience. It also is a superb addition to any resume.

What are your career goals?
After obtaining my Bachelor’s degree, I would love to pursue a Master’s degree in both Music Education and Music Performance. I also would enjoy teaching music both privately and in an elementary school.

Read Emily's abstract here...

Story from: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/12/03/preparing-for-interview-questions-that-dont-have-a-right-answer

Imagine that you are in a job interview , the first thing you encounter is a purposefully unpredictable off-the-wall question like: "A penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?" or "How many windows are in New York City?" According to Glassdoor's Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions survey, these questions were actually asked during interviews at Clark Construction and Bain & Company.

Other times, you'll encounter the same old, same old questions you've come to expect: "Tell me about yourself," "What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?" and "Why did you leave your last job?" Still other times you will be asked behavior-based questions that classically begin with "Tell me about a time when…" or "How would you do…?"

Regardless of which kind of approach is taken, the whole idea behind these questions for which there is no one right answer is less about the actual content but rather to discern aspects about your personality, work style, values, perspective and how your mind works. These are all things one can't reliably ask directly.

Nonetheless, you can anticipate legitimate issues of any employer's concern, prepare by crafting stories in response to these questions and display yourself in the best possible light.

1. Do you show up for work? On one very basic level, an employer wants to know that you live within a reasonable commuting distance so that you are able to arrive on time and not be mentally fatigued. But on a deeper level, be prepared to demonstrate with your answer that you actually care about your work, take it seriously and are psychologically engaged as opposed to just physically present.

Do you immediately accept the challenge of figuring out how many windows are in New York? Do you relish the opportunity and show how you would dig in to go about finding a reasonable approximation? Can you talk about how in the past you jumped into a job or project with both feet first?

2. Are you flexible? Prepare stories that demonstrate you can adapt to changing circumstances and needs. Can you speak about how you have adjusted your schedule, come in early and left late or adapted to the work style of a new boss or different team members? Are you willing to shift your priorities and work style to meet the needs of others?

What stories can you tell to demonstrate that you can go with the flow to help get done whatever needs to happen?

3. Are you ambitious? Few people can actually predict what they will be doing five years from now. But can you talk about the overall arc of your career up to this point? Do the transitions from one position to the next over the course of your professional life make sense, or are they happenstance? Can you articulate the general direction in which you want to move?

What have you done to propel your career forward up to this point? And, are you relying on what you did in 1985 and how you did it to get hired today? Do you think that the skills and knowledge you have will get you by for the long haul, or what are your plans to keep up with the latest and greatest information, innovations, trends and technology?

Put simply: can you articulate a vision of what you want to accomplish in the job for which you are applying, and beyond? And can you weave this vision into the narrative you tell?

4. How well do you communicate? It is rare to find a job description that doesn't include strong communications skills among the requirements, and few are the résumés that don't claim that those skills. Most interviewers will judge your level of intelligence and your attitude by the way you speak and convey your own personal story.

Often, interview questions are purposefully open-ended to see how you will respond when challenged. Do you summon relevant facts and stories from your past, or do you meander through an answer without dealing with the concern of your interviewer? Do you engage through dialogue, open body language and clarity of thought? Do you understand when enough has been said and it is time to stop speaking?

When you take the time to step back from the interview process to think about the underlying concerns of any employer, you can gain valuable perspective. Then you can go about effectively crafting your own stories with these concerns, and thereby increase your odds of hearing the words that every job hunter craves: "You're hired."

Happy hunting!

Story from: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/12/03/preparing-for-interview-questions-that-dont-have-a-right-answer

Imagine that you are in a job interview , the first thing you encounter is a purposefully unpredictable off-the-wall question like: "A penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?" or "How many windows are in New York City?" According to Glassdoor's Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions survey, these questions were actually asked during interviews at Clark Construction and Bain & Company.

Other times, you'll encounter the same old, same old questions you've come to expect: "Tell me about yourself," "What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?" and "Why did you leave your last job?" Still other times you will be asked behavior-based questions that classically begin with "Tell me about a time when…" or "How would you do…?"

Regardless of which kind of approach is taken, the whole idea behind these questions for which there is no one right answer is less about the actual content but rather to discern aspects about your personality, work style, values, perspective and how your mind works. These are all things one can't reliably ask directly.

Nonetheless, you can anticipate legitimate issues of any employer's concern, prepare by crafting stories in response to these questions and display yourself in the best possible light.

1. Do you show up for work? On one very basic level, an employer wants to know that you live within a reasonable commuting distance so that you are able to arrive on time and not be mentally fatigued. But on a deeper level, be prepared to demonstrate with your answer that you actually care about your work, take it seriously and are psychologically engaged as opposed to just physically present.

Do you immediately accept the challenge of figuring out how many windows are in New York? Do you relish the opportunity and show how you would dig in to go about finding a reasonable approximation? Can you talk about how in the past you jumped into a job or project with both feet first?

2. Are you flexible? Prepare stories that demonstrate you can adapt to changing circumstances and needs. Can you speak about how you have adjusted your schedule, come in early and left late or adapted to the work style of a new boss or different team members? Are you willing to shift your priorities and work style to meet the needs of others?

What stories can you tell to demonstrate that you can go with the flow to help get done whatever needs to happen?

3. Are you ambitious? Few people can actually predict what they will be doing five years from now. But can you talk about the overall arc of your career up to this point? Do the transitions from one position to the next over the course of your professional life make sense, or are they happenstance? Can you articulate the general direction in which you want to move?

What have you done to propel your career forward up to this point? And, are you relying on what you did in 1985 and how you did it to get hired today? Do you think that the skills and knowledge you have will get you by for the long haul, or what are your plans to keep up with the latest and greatest information, innovations, trends and technology?

Put simply: can you articulate a vision of what you want to accomplish in the job for which you are applying, and beyond? And can you weave this vision into the narrative you tell?

4. How well do you communicate? It is rare to find a job description that doesn't include strong communications skills among the requirements, and few are the résumés that don't claim that those skills. Most interviewers will judge your level of intelligence and your attitude by the way you speak and convey your own personal story.

Often, interview questions are purposefully open-ended to see how you will respond when challenged. Do you summon relevant facts and stories from your past, or do you meander through an answer without dealing with the concern of your interviewer? Do you engage through dialogue, open body language and clarity of thought? Do you understand when enough has been said and it is time to stop speaking?

When you take the time to step back from the interview process to think about the underlying concerns of any employer, you can gain valuable perspective. Then you can go about effectively crafting your own stories with these concerns, and thereby increase your odds of hearing the words that every job hunter craves: "You're hired."

Happy hunting!

Hacker School is a free, full-time, immersive school in New York for becoming a better programmer. Participants come from around the world to spend 12 weeks writing code and growing as programmers. Three sessions are run each year, with one in the summer.

Hacker School is largely unstructured, self-directed, and project-based with optional activities and structure: reading groups, mini workshops and seminars, weekly dinners and talks, group presentations, and more.

The program is tuition-free, but participants are responsible for their own living expenses. Some aid is available, including more than $150,000 from Google for need-based grants for female programmers to come to Hacker School. For more information and to apply, see the Hacker School site.

Hacker School is a free, full-time, immersive school in New York for becoming a better programmer. Participants come from around the world to spend 12 weeks writing code and growing as programmers. Three sessions are run each year, with one in the summer.

Hacker School is largely unstructured, self-directed, and project-based with optional activities and structure: reading groups, mini workshops and seminars, weekly dinners and talks, group presentations, and more.

The program is tuition-free, but participants are responsible for their own living expenses. Some aid is available, including more than $150,000 from Google for need-based grants for female programmers to come to Hacker School. For more information and to apply, see the Hacker School site.