Dionne Cole is a double major in Biological Sciences and Social Work who will graduate in May 2025.

Title of your project: Evaluating the Impact of Retriever Essentials on UMBC students  

How did you find the research opportunity?

My mentor is Dr. Laura Ting from the School of Social Work. The semester before I applied for the URA, I took a class called Social Work Research with Dr. Ting where I fell in love with the concept of research in a social sciences setting and grew in curiosity about its application. I expressed my interest of doing research to Dr. Ting and she placed the Undergraduate Research Award (URA) on my radar, however I did not have a specific research topic until my involvement with Retriever Essentials. At Retriever Essentials I learned about the prevalence of food insecurity on college campuses. I became invested in examining Retriever Essentials impact on combating food insecurity at UMBC and decided to focus my research on that.

What was the hardest part about your research? 

Prior to beginning research, I didn’t anticipate the variability in timeline for research. I thought I knew how much time it would take to get all the different steps done (such as proper training, getting all my materials together, IRB approval, etc…) but everything took longer than I expected. At first this was very frustrating for me due to my perfectionist tendencies, but thanks to my mentor and a friend in research, I have learned to embrace changes in my timeline and be flexible. In fact, I have found that things not going as planned gives me an opportunity to reassess and revaluate my methodology before I am too entrenched in the process.

What is the most rewarding part of your research, and how do you plan to disseminate it?

 With every qualitative interview I conduct where a student shares with me their personal experience with Retriever Essentials or an idea they have to improve the program, I get excited because I anticipate that their contributions are going to have a profound impact on the provision of Retriever Essentials services and food insecurity at UMBC. Oddly enough, I am eager to get to the end because I want to see the fruit of my labor and everyone’s contributions. The plan is not just to present the findings at URCAD and to Retriever Essentials leaders but also, as a joint project with a friend who is conducting similar research on food insecurity, but also to UMBC administration. Our hope is to create lasting change in eliminating food insecurity at UMBC.  

How does this research experience relate to your work in other classes?

Currently, I am taking a class called Medical Case Studies where I, along with my group members, integrate our knowledge of our respective disciplines to design and present our own novel case studies. Specifically, I am integrating my social work and public health knowledge surrounding the topic of food insecurity. Our case follows a middle-aged man who contracts a food borne illness due to living in a food desert. The end of the case uses the evaluative research I have conducted from Retriever Essentials to suggest sustainable practices and outlines the roles various levels of society can play in addressing food insecurity and eliminating food deserts.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?  

I think a good approach to beginning research is finding a topic that you are interested in or passionate about and then exploring undiscovered aspects, knowledge gaps, or potential research benefits for those connected to the topic. In my opinion, this initial approach is beneficial because it will foster a genuine interest in your research, increasing your commitment to its success. It also gives you an opportunity to not reinvent the wheel and explore new areas of research which could have significant implications.

 Abstract:

Food insecurity is a socioeconomic condition of having limited or uncertain access to enough food. For college students, food insecurity can lead to poorer psychosocial and physical health, lower grade point average, and a higher dropout rate. UMBC’s Retrieval Essentials is a free food access program whose mission is to address college food insecurity by developing a comprehensive program of nutritional food resources for students who are experiencing food insecurity, such as a food pantry and the farmer’s market. Their hope is that by providing various food secure services, the academic retention and career success of UMBC students will improve. The research aims to understand the type and frequency of Retriever Essentials services being used by students and to learn how satisfied students are with the services, what additional needs students have, and any improvement that can be made to current services for these students. In hopes of enhancing the provision and planning of Retriever Essential services.

Name: Bharath Kumar Swargam

Pronouns: He/Him

Semester of Internship: Fall 2024

Major: Data Science

Current Class Level: Master's Student

This semester I completed a(n)...: Co-op

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name):
Institute for Genome Sciences - University of Maryland School of Medicine

Location of the Organization (City, State): Baltimore, Maryland

Title of position: Data Science Intern/Laboratory Assistant

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:
During my internship at the Institute for Genome Sciences, I have been actively involved in research focused on polygenic risk analysis to better understand genetic predisposition to various traits, including pain and opioid intake. My primary responsibilities include data preprocessing, statistical modeling, and machine learning applications to analyze complex genomic datasets. On a typical day, I clean and structure genetic data, implement Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) analysis using different methods, and present it to researchers to identify meaningful insights.

Additionally, I explore ways to improve prediction models by integrating multiple traits to enhance variance in opioid intake prediction, which contributes to precision medicine efforts. I also collaborate with researchers and bioinformaticians to interpret results and validate findings. This hands-on experience has strengthened my skills in data science, statistical genetics, and machine learning, allowing me to contribute meaningful insights to genomics research.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I discovered this internship during my active search for opportunities that align with my passion for data science and its applications in real-world problems. Fortunately, I came across this exciting role, which immediately caught my interest due to its focus on genomic data analysis and predictive modeling. Eager to contribute, I promptly submitted my application.

After about two to three weeks, I received an interview call from a researcher at the institute, focusing on my background in Data Analysis and Machine Learning. Following a successful interview, I was offered the position, and I was thrilled to join the team to contribute to impactful research in precision medicine and predictive modeling.

What resources did you use to find your current experience?
UMBC Career Center, Career Fairs, Networking events (UMBC Connects, Info Sessions, Arts With a Purpose, etc.)

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?
What I have enjoyed the most about my internship at the Institute for Genome Sciences is the opportunity to work at the intersection of data science and genomics, tackling complex problems with real-world impact. Analyzing polygenic risk scores and developing predictive models for precision medicine has been both intellectually stimulating and rewarding. I appreciate how my work contributes to understanding genetic predispositions and improving healthcare outcomes.

Additionally, the collaborative research environment at IGS has been incredible. I’ve had the chance to work alongside experts in bioinformatics and genomics, gaining exposure to cutting-edge research. The experience has deepened my understanding of healthcare research and reinforced my passion for leveraging data science to drive meaningful change.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I made an impact through my work, which helped researchers gain valuable insights into identifying genetic predispositions for opioid intake, contributing to the development of preventive and precision medicine. By leveraging different polygenic risk score (PRS) analysis methods, I enhanced the accuracy of risk assessment for post-surgical patients. Additionally, my experimentation with developing workflows for ML models has made it easier for researchers to understand and implement predictive models, streamlining analysis and improving interpretability in genomic research.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
My advice would be to start exploring opportunities early and stay proactive. Leverage campus resources like career services and networking events to gain some exposure and be prepared. Stay focused and make the most of every learning experience.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.
What I liked most about my position was the opportunity to learn and apply my skills to real-world healthcare data, directly contributing to precision medicine. The Career Center played a key role in preparing me by offering its valuable resources, which were instrumental in helping me secure this internship.

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The Career Center is collecting new and gently used professional clothing for "UMBC Suits You" as part of Career Month.

Students will have the opportunity to learn about dressing professionally and then be able to select one free outfit to use for job interviews, career fairs, networking opportunities and much more.. We are asking staff, faculty, alumni, and affiliates to donate new and gently used professional attire at collection bins around campus from February 17th - February 28th.

Starting February 17th, professional clothing can be dropped off at the following on-campus locations:

• The Shriver Center, Public Policy Bldg., 1st Floor - 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Mon-Fri)
• Career Center, Math/Psych 201 - 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Mon-Fri) 
• Campus Information Center, The Commons, Lobby
• Admin Building, 1st Floor near elevators
• Performing Arts & Humanities Building, 1st floor across from the ticket booth
• OCA Mocha, 5410 East Dr, Arbutus, MD