Original article published in The Elm, University of Maryland, Baltimore by Lou Cortina: https://elm.umaryland.edu/promise-event-promotes-diversity-in-stem-academia/

Copy below:

“In the effort to increase diversity in the field of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), PROMISE: Maryland’s Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP), looms large. Using resources from University System of Maryland institutions, the initiative aims to connect graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from under-represented ethnicities to professional development opportunities and pathways to careers in academia.

One of the program’s signature events is the PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium and Professional Development Conference, which was held Feb. 16 at the University of Maryland, College Park. About 20 students, faculty, and staff from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) participated in the daylong event at the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, and they left feeling enlightened, empowered, and thankful.

The conference consisted of research presentations, “TED-style” and “lightning-round” talks, poster sessions, and professional development workshops, followed by a closing reception and awards ceremony. Erin Golembewski, PhD, senior associate dean of the UMB Graduate School, was a moderator and helped lead the University’s contingent along with TaShara Bailey, PhD, MA, UMB’s PROMISE director and diversity fellow on the President’s Diversity Advisory Council.

Dominique Earland, a scholar in the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) STAR-PREP program, said attending the conference was a win-win, providing what she called “a wonderful learning experience outside of the lab and reinforcing the supportive, inclusive culture of UMB.”

Earland found the conference educational and said it enhanced her professional development. “I not only listened to various STEM research presentations, I also was able to network with other under-represented minorities at different stages of their education and training,” she said. “Additionally, the professional development workshop offered insight into the future. I hope my career can incorporate research and grass-roots community development.”

Scholars, PhD Candidates Make Their Mark

Earland was joined by six other scholars and the academic program specialist, Leanne Simington, from STAR-PREP (Science Training for Advancing Biomedical Research Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program), a one-year mentored training initiative designed to encourage and prepare recent baccalaureate graduates from under-represented groups in the biomedical sciences for successful entry into a top-notch graduate program. STAR-PREP mentors Bret Hassel, PhD, and Gregory Carey, PhD, faculty members from the UMSOM Department of Microbiology and Immunology, served as faculty judges for the day. Harry Choi, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research at UMSOM, also served as a judge.

One of the scholars, Mc Millian Ching, was awarded first place for his lightning-round talk, where participants were tasked with condensing their research goals and findings into two-minute oral presentations. Ching, whose presentation was titled “Functional Analysis of PGE₂ Pathway Members MRP4 and EP4 in Ovarian Cancer,” praised the University System of Maryland’s commitment to diversity in the sciences and hopes it will extend to all fields of study.

“The PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium is a platform for budding scholars coming from under-represented backgrounds to showcase their ability to do and present research on par with their well-represented counterparts,” Ching said.

Amanda Labuza, a PhD candidate in the neuroscience program at the Graduate School, earned first place for her oral research presentation, “Understanding Regulation of Intercellular Calcium.”

She also presented a research poster, “NOVA: Providing Graduate Students with Outreach Opportunities to Baltimore.” NOVA (Neuroscience Outreach and Volunteer Association) works with programs and Baltimore schools to teach young students about neuroscience and increase their enthusiasm for studying science.

“I had the opportunity to practice presenting my data in a clear, concise manner to a general audience,” Labuza said. “This provided experience in removing jargon and making my research clear to the public. In my advocacy work, it is important to be able to quickly explain research to non-scientists.”

Jackline Joy Martín Lasola, a PhD candidate in the UMSOM Department of Microbiology and Immunology, also presented a research poster, “Interrogating the Role of Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases (IRAKs) in Mediating Response to Immunotherapies for Solid Tumors.”

Professional Development Workshops Offer Perspective

Edith Hernandez, another STAR-PREP scholar along with symposium attendees Hilary Bright, Kaia Amoah, Elena Muse, and Kayla Rayford, enjoyed the professional development workshops in particular. She said the panel speakers brought a refreshing perspective on what should be expected when preparing for a career in academia. UMSOM assistant professors Cara Felter, PT, DPT, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, and Danya Khoujah, MBBS, Department of Emergency Medicine, lent their expertise to the panel.

“Many unique ideas were shared and discussed among rising researchers in the field of STEM, including a training focus on teaching and mentoring the next generations of minority scientists,” Hernandez said. “The event showcased a tight-knit minority enrichment community that encouraged scientific discussion among peers and professional development in academia.”

Da’Kuawn Johnson, an MD/PhD student at UMSOM, worked as a volunteer at the conference and said he appreciated the way it was structured. “The organizers were careful to provide a snapshot at each level in the process — from postdoctoral fellow to professorship and administration in academia,” he said. “I think that attention to detail was much needed to demystify the route to professorship for minority students.”

Added Earland: “The workshops also discussed the transition from postdoc to first faculty appointment. Several speakers were professors, and each had a unique perspective on the value of teaching. Specifically, Dr. Khoujah encouraged the audience to find ways to gain teaching experience earlier rather than later.”

Johnson said he was moved during a professional development panel by comments from John T. Bullock, PhD, MRP, a Baltimore City councilman and former professor in the Department of Political Science at Towson University.

“The quote that resonated with me was, ‘There is a lot of work to be done and not a lot of people who are willing to do it. If you want to do more, ask for more. You will be surprised at the number of yeses you will receive,’” Johnson said. “I believe it is very important for students at our stage to know that people actually will listen to us and that we can feel comfortable to ask for what we want.”

— Lou Cortina

On Saturday, May 5, 2018, PROMISE AGEP will be hosting its annual PROMISE AGEP Friends and Family Cookout! You are invited to come, bring your friends, family, and anyone who supported your journey through graduate school. This event is free! Graduate students from all schools within the University System of Maryland (USM) are invited!

Here is a list, if your school is listed, you are invited! http://www.usmd.edu/institutions/

Alumni, faculty, and staff are invited as well.

Friends and family members of students who have participated in PROMISE are invited. 

If you are from another school, e.g., Howard, Hopkins, GW, and have come to a PROMISE event in the past such as SSI, you are also invited to participate.

Event: PROMISE AGEP Friends and Family Cookout

Date: Saturday, May 5, 2018

Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

UPDATE 5/5/18 – 9:15 AM: There is a forecast for rain, but it is not scheduled to start until later in the afternoon. This event is under a pavilion. We will have music, games, and food until 2:30, and will start the recognition of graduates at 2:30 and likely end at 3 PM to avoid the pending rain.

Location: Centennial Park – Pavilion D, MD

Address: 10000 MD-108 Ellicott City, MD 21042

UPDATE: Music feature, DJ TechnoFist, https://promiseagep.com/2018/05/05/dr-damon-bradley-dj-technofist-nasa-engineering-leader-international-dj-brings-his-music-to-the-promise-cookout-5-5-18-100-pm/. Dr. Damon Bradley, NASA Scientist, is also an international DJ. Dr. Bradley received his PhD in Electrical Engineering from UMBC, and leads an award-winning engineering team at NASA. He will be the featured artist at the cookout. 

Parking: There is on-site free parking. Centennial Park has many entrances, the Pavilion that we rented (D) is near the Main/South entrance (the address is 1000 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042). We suggest that you carpool since spaces might be limited.

REGISTER HERE:

All PROMISE grads (Master’s and Doctoral) will be celebrated! If you are graduating (December 2017, May 2018), please send an email to promisestaff@gmail.com with the subject “Graduate! – PROMISE Cookout” with your full name, department, and degree obtained so that you can be recognized.

Make sure you register each and every one of your guests, no exceptions! Thank you! Looking forward to meeting you at the Cookout!

Inclusive Pedagogy

GUEST SPEAKER:

 

Dr. Karen Fleming is a Professor of Biophysics in the TC Jenkins Department of Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University. Her lab works in discovery to fill the scientific pipeline. “Her research is motivated by the power that a deep understanding of the physics/biology intersection can bring to disease, evolution, and biological design.”

Dr. Karen Fleming was awarded the 2016 Thomas E. Thompson Award from the Biophysical Society, a Department of Defense Career Award, the Arne Tiselius Young Investigator Award and the Johns Hopkins Diversity Leadership Council award.

In addition to her scientific accomplishments, she has been a champion of Women in STEM, getting awarded grants to run workshops and seminars to overcome bias and barriers to women in STEM fields.

Please RSVP:

Registration requires a quick two-step process:

If you are part of the UMBC community: Go to the following link on my.umbc.edu: https://my.umbc.edu/groups/postdocs/events/57844 and click the “I Can Attend” button. We also ask that you register via CIRTL.net: https://www.cirtl.net/events/528

If you are not at UMBC: Please send an email to promisestaff@gmail.com with the subject “Inclusive Pedagogy” and add your name, campus, and academic department, and please register via CIRTL.net: https://www.cirtl.net/events/528

Make sure to mark your calendars and thank you!

Important update! We still have spaces for Lightning Round and Poster Presentations.

USM PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation is pleased to invite you to attend and participate in the 2018 University System of Maryland PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium and Professional Development Conference on February 16, 2018. This conference replaces the former PROMISE Research Symposium and adds a professional development component that will prepare graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for faculty positions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM, which includes social sciences) disciplines. This year, PROMISE also invites undergraduate students to come to hear graduate students’ presentations and to participate in workshops that will prepare them to be graduate students with an eye on becoming future faculty members.

This conference seeks to provide a venue that will allow students to present their work at any stage, receive feedback in preparation for presenting at larger venues, and provide training that will prepare participants for faculty careers.The event is free and meals are provided. Please apply to present at the conference using the rules in the “Call for Presentations” section below and save the date.

Event:  2018 USM PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium & Professional Development Conference

Location: University of Maryland College Park

Adele H. Stamp Student Union – Center for Campus Life

3972 Campus Dr

Colony Ballroom

College Park, MD 20742

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Attire: Business Casual

Transportation:

There will be free transportation from UMBC to UMD. Please send an email to promisestaff@gmail.com by Feb. 9, 2018, with the subject title, “2018 Research Symposium Bus,” with your name, school, and cell phone number. The bus departs from the UMBC Administration Circle at 7:20 AM. This location is in front of the administration building. The bus will depart from UMD at 4:15 PM and arrive at UMBC around 5:15 PM.

Parking:

If you choose to drive on your own, you may pay to park in the Union Lane Garage – located between the Adele H. Stamp Student Union Center for Campus Life and Cole Field House. Hours of operation are 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. daily. In this garage, you park in a numbered spot, remember your number, and walk out toward the entrance to enter it into the machine, where you will pre-pay for a certain number of hours. Other parking lot information can be found here: http://cvs.umd.edu/visitors/parking.html.

• Presentation slots are limited to graduate students within the University System of Maryland.
• A custom webpage will be designed for each presenter. The presenter’s website will include a photo, bio, abstract, synopsis of research, and list of other relevant publications or presentations as applicable. Students who participated in 2015, 2016, and 2017 can update their current pages.
• Postdocs from universities and organizations outside of the University System of Maryland can participate as mentors and judges for poster sessions.
• All graduate students and postdocs are invited to participate as audience members and attend the professional development workshops.
• Undergraduate students are invited to attend to learn from the presentations and to participate in special workshops dedicated to preparing for graduate school, with a focus on thinking about becoming a professor in the future.
• Faculty from within the USM are invited to serve as judges to provide constructive feedback.

Join us! Registration is free. 

Register here:

Types of Presentations

This conference will feature STEM-based oral presentations, posters, and professional development seminars. Participants are invited to submit abstracts to participate in three oral categories and one poster category.

Oral Category 1: Traditional Research Presentations

[7 minutes presentation, 3 minutes critique, 2 minutes of questions, traditional PowerPoint presentation]

Oral Category 2: TED-Styled Talks

[5-minute talks + 5 minutes for critique/questions, PowerPoint presentation with images only – no text]

Oral Category 3: Lightning Round Talks

[2-minute talks with a timer on the screen, no PowerPoints, no critique.]

Posters:

Please print a 4 ft by 3 ft poster.

Call for Presentations

If you are interested in presenting, please follow the schedule below:

Deadline extended: December 15th. We still have spaces for Lightning Round and Poster Presentations.

December 1, 2017: “Letter of Intent” to present. This very short email should include name, school, department, choice of oral category (1, 2, 3) or poster, and potential title of your presentation. Email to promisestaff@gmail.com with the title, “2018 USM PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium – Intent to Present.”

“TED-Styled” and “Lightning Round” titles must be tailored to appeal to a general audience.

Everyone who expressed an “Intent to Present” as of Dec. 1, 2017, will be in line with the presentation style of their choice. Those who did not specify a category will be given a space for a poster.

December 31, 2017: Abstracts and the information below is required for all presentations types. Email all materials from all four categories below to promisestaff@gmail.com, with the subject: “2018 USM PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium Presenter Information.”

1. Formal Abstract (250 words or less). Biographical Sketch (250 words or less)
   • Font: 12 Point, Times New Roman
   • Heading, Left-justified:
     • Title (Bold)
     • Name (Italicized)
     • Department (No abbreviations)
     • University (No abbreviations)
2. General Summary of Graduate Research (250 words or less)
3. High-Quality Photograph
4. Numbered List of up to 5 publications and or/presentations. Please give precedence to publications and conference proceedings as applicable.

All presenters must register.

Agenda

Colony Ballroom, Adele Stamp Student Union, University of Maryland College Park

2018 PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium & Professional Development Conference

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Arrival, Breakfast Refreshments, Registration, Poster Set-Up

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Opening Remarks, Traditional Oral Research Presentations

Welcome:

1. Host’s Opening and Welcome: Jeffrey Franke, Assistant Dean and Chief of Staff, Graduate School, University of Maryland College Park.
2. Moderator: Erin Golembewski, Senior Associate Dean, Graduate School, University of Maryland Baltimore.

Oral Category 1: Traditional Research Presentations

1. Mary Yaa Sedegah Masterson, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Program, University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB). “Role of Vaccine-Induced IgG in Protection against Bordetella Pertussis.”
2. Marilyn Allen, Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Engineering immune cells via lipid-tailed biomolecules.”
3. Amanda Labuza, Physiology Department, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). “NOVA: Providing Graduate Students with Outreach Opportunities to Baltimore.”
4. BreAsia Deal, Applied Mathematics and Statistics Department, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Modeling The Effect of Glucose Intake on a System With Simple Oscillatory Conditions.”

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM: Networking Break

10:45 AM – 11:15 AM: “TED-Style” Talks

1. Maraki Negesse, Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “The development of the forebrain in vertebrate embryos.”
2. Ashley Wayne Thomas, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Development of an Improved Whole Body Heat Transfer Model for Determining Postmortem Interval in Forensic Science.”
3. Omolola Taiwo, Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland College Park (UMD). “Creating a world where we are all active bystanders: Reducing sexual violence on campus.”

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM: Lightning Round Talks

1. Mc Millan Ching, Department of Oncology, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) School of Medicine. “Functional Analysis of PGE₂Pathway Members MRP4 and EP4 in Ovarian Cancer.”
2. Denise Williams, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Future Antibiotics? Interactions between Quantum Dots and Bacterial Cells.”
3. Adegboyega Akinsiku, Department of Human-Centered Computing, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
4. Kaia Amoah, STAR-PREP Research Fellow, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) School of Medicine. “Kynurenic Acid Modulation of Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapses and the Implications in the Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia.”
5. Brianda Beverley, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Translation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.”
6. Joseph Hunter, Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). “Developing an in-situ sprayable antimicrobial polymer mesh as an emergency burn wound dressing.”

12:00 PM – Buffet Lunch

12:45 PM – 1:30 PM: Poster Session and Dessert Reception

1. Jackline Joy Martín Lasola, Department of Microbiology and Immunology (School of Medicine), University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).
2. “Immunomodulation of the Tumor Microenvironment with Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases (IRAKs).”
3. Valencia Watson, Department of Biochemical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Device design: Real-time glucose monitoring of transdermal samples.”
4. Linda Moise, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (CSEE, Graduate Cybersecurity Program), College of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). “Ransomware Threats.”
5. Muhammad H. Khan, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). “Cybersecurity Approaches in Precision Agriculture and Food Industry – Assessing Challenges.”

1:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Professional Development Workshops (graduate students and undergraduates)

Undergraduate Students: Math Institute (Starts at 12:30 PM, co-sponsored by LSAMP)

Moderator: Sunji Jangha, Director of Upward Bound Math Science Center, Co-Director USM LSAMP, University of Maryland Baltimore County.

• Preparation for research and graduate school – Sarah Mburu, Ph.D., Kailyn Cage, Ph.D., and Bret A. Hassel, Ph.D.
• Review of how things transpired during the fall semester
• Steps for optimizing spring performance
• Math “Strategies for Success” – Calculus I/II and Differential Equations

Graduate Student Session (Starts at 1:30 PM)

“Behind the Scenes: How to Prepare for the Professoriate at any Stage in your Career” (Based on the PROMISE seminar: “Secrets of the Faculty Interview”)

• Expectations for the Professor of Today (Research Universities, Teaching Institutions, Community Colleges)
• Elements of the Faculty Application – The Complete Package
• Communication and Dissemination: Networking, Publishing, Presenting
• Teaching and Mentoring
• The “Aspirational CV”
• Understanding Search Committees
• The Faculty Interview
• Establishing Scholarly Independence

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Closing Reception and Awards Ceremony

The Student Fee Advisory Board (SFAB) is the primary way by which students can get their thoughts and concerns about fees heard.

The Student Fee Advisory Board makes a formal recommendation to approve or amend each mandatory fee, and will base this recommendation in part on your responses to the survey. Please follow the links on this page under the heading ‘Mandatory Fee Changes’ to review proposed fee increases for Academic Year 2017-2018 and provide your feedback about the fees and the activities they support.

It is the policy of the USM Board of Regents that each USM campus forms its own advisory committee involved in the processes of setting student fees and is comprised of appropriate numbers of students and stakeholders (Section VII; 2.50: 5 of BoR Bylaws).

The Student Fee Advisory Board (SFAB) at UMBC is a team of students (undergraduate and graduate) who represent student interests in the annual mandatory fee review process. After hearing presentations from administrators representing the departments who own the six mandatory student fees, SFAB conducts outreach to determine what recommendations students have with respect to the size and specifics of those planned expenditures. SFAB is comprised of seven members, each member serves as a liaison to a different demographic of students.

• Resident Students
• Commuter Students
• Undergraduate Students
• Graduate Students
• Student Athletes
• Out of state students

The Graduate Council’s Research Committee at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) invites you to the 9th Annual Regional Research Symposium 2018.  This year Symposium 2018 is part of the Graduate Research Week and will be held on Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

Graduate School can be FREE!!! Funding information session

Graduate School Informational Session at Morgan State University

Date: Saturday, March 3, 2018
Time: 10 AM – 4 PM

This is a FREE event! You NEED to RSVP via GEM GradLab creating an account.

https://egem.gemfellowship.org/events/ViewEvent.aspx?contextID=10244

FREE transportation from UMBC!!!!!