UMBC's Training Centers is offering a new Certificate in Cyber Operations that is designed to help move participants from a basic competence with computers and technology up to the level of a competent, entry-level professional as a Cyber Analyst or Operator.

Homer Minnick, the Training Centers' director for Cybersecurity training, will host a free webinar on the certificate program from 12:00-1:00pm on Wednesday March 27, 2013. It will include the following topics.

• What is the Cybersecurity Academy?
• Is the Certificate in Cyber Operations right for me?
• How does the Certificate in Cyber Operations contrast with other certifications from UMBC Training Centers?”
• What are the education and experience eligibility requirements?
• Which industry certifications are included in this program?
• What is the value this certification brings to my organization?
• How do you apply for the program?
• What is the next step? Where do I get more information?

  If you are interested in participating, please register online for the free webinar.

March is Women’s History Month!

This year’s national theme is Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This theme is meant to honor generations of women who throughout American history have used their intelligence, imagination, sense of wonder, and tenacity to make extraordinary contributions to the STEM fields.

As part of our Women’s History Month celebrations, the Women's Center and CWIT are partnering to showcase six talented women in engineering and IT fields at UMBC. The future of women’s history is being created as we speak and there is importance in sharing our lived stories now. We invite you to join us throughout the month of March to learn more about these women, their experiences, and their dreams.

Nicole Racine, CWIT Scholar
Freshmen Mechanical Engineering major

Describe what sparked your interest STEM and the journey to choosing your major.
For as long as I can remember, science has intrigued me. One of my earliest school memories is clutching two plastic cups in first grade – one filled with hot water and the other filled with cold water – and watching sugar cubes dissolve. I remember being baffled when I saw the sugar cube dissolve faster in the hot water. What sort of miracle caused this to happen?

As I grew, I continued to be fascinated with the world around me. If my dad was working in our garage, I wanted to help him. In school, I thrived in my math and science classes, and especially enjoyed hands-on labs. Choosing my high school class schedule was always difficult because I wanted to fill it with all the science, mathematics, computer science, and information technology courses available.

When first I began to think about my educational goals beyond high school I was very overwhelmed. How was I supposed to pick one major that encompassed my love for mathematics, science, and physics? After exploring various careers and talking with family members, the answer became clear: mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineering is the ideal major for me because it applies the laws of physics and mathematics to analyze problems and design solutions. It is a subject that incorporates all my intellectual interests and inspires me to study science, not only as a participant but also as a contributor.

Tell us about an internship, research experience or project that you are proud of.
In summer 2012 and winter 2013, I interned at the Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate. I worked with a materials engineer and a mechanical engineer investigating the mechanical behavior of single-woven Kevlar® fibers at different loading rates. Based on the research, I wrote a document that was later published, summarizing the experimental procedure and results.

Who are your role models in the engineering or IT field?
I have a plethora of role models in the engineering field who have inspired me each in their own way to pursue my degree in mechanical engineering. I met many people, some internationally known, that motivated me to pursue an education in the STEM fields, but my most influential role models can be narrowed down to one person, my father. My dad is a mechanical engineer and he is the reason I love figuring out how things work and interact with each other. In elementary school, I used to go to my family’s garage with him and work on little projects that he graciously let me help with. I was awed by how talented he was with everything from woodworking to mechanics, and now, years later, I am still impressed by his talents.

Explain your experience as a woman in a STEM major, including the challenges as well as the rewards.
Growing up in a household with two engineers was truly a blessing for me. Dinner discussions about poorly designed systems, innovations in science, and available technical opportunities were a common occurrence. I used to take for granted the knowledge that constantly surrounded me, and I assumed that all my female friends felt the same about science and math as I do. But in high school, before I chose my mechanical engineering major, I became aware of the gender disparity that women face. The majority of the students in my upper level high school courses were male, and my female friends questioned my decision to major in a STEM field. I was surprised that my female friends felt uncomfortable with technology and were not aware of the opportunities available in my chosen career choice. As I advanced in my academics, I experienced the gender imbalance in technological fields firsthand. At my internship at the Army Research Laboratory, I am the only female in my branch of twelve people. If it were not for my excellent support outside of the workplace, I would have felt vulnerable and unwelcome in my chosen field of academics.

Once I realized that women are underrepresented in the technological fields, I decided to act upon it. I am involved in outreach events, where I help promote engineering and information technology fields of study to students of all ages. I love mechanical engineering and being able to share this field of academics with other students is extremely gratifying. Engineering is a challenging field of study, especially when you have to overcome gender inequality, but it is also very rewarding, and I embrace the challenge.

The Center for Women In Technology (CWIT) is dedicated to increasing the representation of women in the creation of technology in the engineering and information technology fields. CWIT efforts begin with nurturing a strong group of Scholars, grow to building community resources for other women in these majors, extend to fostering a healthy gender climate and ITE pedagogy in College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) departments, and finally expand into outreach efforts to increase interest in technical careers. A successful program for female-friendly engineering and information technology education at UMBC will help make UMBC a destination for women (and men) interested in technical careers and serve as a national model for other universities.

General Dynamics is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat vehicles and systems, armaments, and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and mission-critical information systems and technology. General Dynamics delivers capable, relevant and affordable products and services through a culture focused on quality, innovation, continuous improvement, integrity and ethical behavior. General Dynamics is looking for talented, motivated individuals who want to become part of a growing company and a winning team.

Throughout our history, General Dynamics has endeavored to deliver the highest-quality products and services, as well as foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, ethical behavior and integrity.

We value our employees and the role they play in our success. We recognize and reward their achievements and we invest in their training, development, benefits and compensation.

General Dynamics is currently looking for interns with skills in IS, CMSC, Engineering, Business Technology, Economics, Financial Economics, Marketing and Economic sand many more! If you're interested, search for "General Dynamics" in UMBCworks and take a look at all the internships available for this summer!

UMBCworks IDs: 9256815, 9256828, 9256829

Chrome Academy
What is it:  Chrome Academy is a week long program at our Google Headquarters in Mountain View, CA.  Program participants will learn how to conceptualize and build mobile and Chrome applications.
Who should apply:  Current freshmen or sophomores who are majoring in Computer Science or a related field and who have proficiency (1-2 years experience) programming in Javascript, CSS, and HTML.
More information:  Please visit google.com/students/chromeacademy for more information and to apply.  Applications open January 22nd and the deadline to apply is March 17th.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at chrome-academy-questions@google.com

Android Camp
What is it:  Android Camp is a week long program at our Google Headquarters in Mountain View, CA which features interactive and collaborative Android curriculum.  Participants will learn how to build Android applications from scratch!
Who should apply:  Current freshmen or sophomores who are majoring in Computer Science or a related field and who have proficiency (1-2 years experience) programming in Java and who have little to no experience programming in Android.
More information:  Please visit google.com/students/androidcamp for more information and to apply.  Applications open January 22nd and the deadline to apply is March 17th.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at android-camp-questions@google.com

Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI)
What is it: Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) will include an interactive and collaborative computer science curriculum, as well as a unique residential experience in which students can build a network with other attendees. They will meet alumni from their schools and other Google engineers while immersing themselves in daily life at Google. Students will also enjoy technical talks by Googlers, lectures by guests from across the technology industry, and social activities in the surrounding areas. We are looking for students eager to spend a few weeks living the Google life – tackling interesting technical problems, working collaboratively and having fun. We want students to leave empowered, heading into their first year of college armed with a unique learning experience that can only be had at Google.
When is it:
Session 1 will take place in Mountain View, California from June 23 - July 13, 2013.
Session 2 will take place in Cambridge, Massachusetts from July 21 - August 9, 2013.
Application deadline: April 7, 2013. Select students will receive a short technical interview via telephone and final decisions will be announced around May 1st.  Students who apply to the Generation Google Scholarship will automatically be considered for CSSI and do not need to fill out a separate application.
Questions?: Visit the google.com/students/cssior feel free to contact us at cssi@google.com

Generation Google Scholarship - Deadline is Monday, March 11!
What is it:The Generation Google Scholarship is a scholarship for aspiring computer scientists who are underrepresented in the field to excel in technology and become active role models and leaders.  Selected students will receive $10,000 USD (for those studying in the US) or $5,000 CAD (for those studying in Canada).  As part of the scholarship, recipients will be required to attend Google’sComputer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) in the summer of 2013.
Application deadline: Monday, March 11, 2013
Questions?: Visit google.com/students/generationgoogle or feel free to contact us at generationgoogle@google.com.

About WTCI:

The World Trade Center Institute (WTCI) is the largest international business network of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic – a who’s who of the top global business executives in the region. At WTCI we strive to drive the growth of Maryland’s flourishing global business community. Today more than 2,500 Maryland firms benefit from WTCI’s global connections, events, professional exchanges program and extensive global business services.  In addition, WTCI serves as the World Bank Group’s Private Sector Liaison Officer (PSLO) for the region, enabling local firms to access opportunities in developing counties.     

WTCI was established in 1989. Financed jointly by area businesses, the State of Maryland and the federal government, WTCI operates as a private, non-profit membership organization.