Meet Celia. She is a Mathematics/Statistics and Information Systems major. Last summer, she was a participant in the SURF program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg. Her current research interests include the emerging field of "Big Data" and cyber-security.

How did you find out that you could do research in your field in the summer?
I learned about it as a Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) Scholar. Janet McGlynn of the Office of Undergraduate Research came to one of our seminar classes to tell us about the NIST fellowships.

How did you know that research at NIST was what you wanted to do?
I really wanted to see what it was like to work in a federal lab.

Did you apply to other places?
I also applied to several Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Math or Statistics at universities around the country. I was accepted to one of those at Michigan State in Probability and Discrete Math.

Was the application difficult to do? Did you have help with this?
It was easier than I expected. The Office of Undergraduate Education holds workshops to help you prepare a personal statement about which of the NIST labs and projects might be a good fit for you.

What was your summer research project?
I ran computer simulations looking at how cell phone networks could keep up better when people are on the go and the base stations to which they are connected keep changing. My work helped to measure the performance of mobile devices as the connections pass among different size towers, like from the giant ones that serve part of a city to the little base station at somebody's home. We were looking for the best mix of coverage areas to minimize outages and keep the devices from inefficiently “ping-ponging” from one station to the next.

Who was your mentor for this project?
Dr. David W. Griffith, an electrical engineer in NIST’s Information Technology Lab. He was so nice and helpful, and his daughter, Indira, is now a freshman at UMBC!

How much time do you put into this work?
I worked on the project full-time for 11 weeks.

Were you paid? Where did you live?
The NIST fellows were paid $500 a week, and 140 of us stayed for free at the Hyatt House in Gaithersburg. It was so much fun hanging out with students from all over the country. We’d have lunch together at NIST, and we’d all head into D.C. or to the beach on the weekend.

What academic background did you have before you started?
I had taken Calculus II and III as a freshman along with Discrete Structures and a computer programming class.

How did you learn what you needed to know for this project?
I had never worked with MATLAB, a computing language that helps you run simulations and visualize lots of data, so I watched videos and looked at textbooks to get started.

What was the hardest part about your research?
There were times when it was hard to figure out the coding I needed. But Dr. Griffith was always willing to make suggestions if I hit a snag.

How does this research relate to your course work at UMBC?
Matlab is one of the main programs used for mathematical calculations, so it’s something I needed to learn. I’m already using it this fall in my Linear Algebra class!

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research? 
Recommendations from professors are crucial. I was lucky enough to get recommendations from two terrific teachers, Dr. Brian Dean and Dr. E.F. Charles LaBerge. Be sure you get to know some of your professors right from the start.

What are your career goals?
I am interested in the new field of “Big Data,” which combines math, statistics, and computer knowledge to analyze huge amounts of data. Google and Facebook created this kind of work, and now government agencies and companies like General Electric are looking for breakthroughs of their own in this area. I’m also interested in cyber-security, which is another rapidly growing field.

Do you now live on campus or commute to UMBC?
I’m from Montclair, N.J., just outside New York, and I live on campus.

Project: IMHOTEP is an eleven-week internship (May 19, 2014 – August 1, 2014) designed to increase the knowledge and skills of student trainees in biostatistics, epidemiology, and occupational safety and health. The program begins with two weeks of intense educational training. The purpose of this training is to equip interns with the academic coursework and information necessary to complete the program. During the following eight weeks, interns conduct public health research with experts at the CDC, NIMR, Academic Institutions, State Agencies, and various other public health agencies and community based organizations. Interns also receive a $3,500 stipend, lodging, and travel to and from their site location and city of origin.

Applications are due January 31, 2014 by 11:59PM and can be found at the link below. The following items must be submitted by the application deadline.

Meet Mabelle. She is a Theatre major and a current Undergraduate Research Award (URA) Scholar. Her current research investigates the techniques and processes that theaters for social change currently use to develop solutions to community problems.

How did you find your mentor for year or artistic research project?
Dr. Kreizenbeck had previously been my professor and director.

How did you know this was the project you wanted to do?
The research question was one that I really wanted to know about.

How did you hear about the Undergraduate Research Award (URA) program? Is this your first independent research project?
In previous years, I saw other people on the myumbc spotlight. This is my first research project.

Was the application difficult to do?
The greater clarity you have regarding what your research question, the easier it becomes to complete the application.

How much did your mentor help you with the application?
He wrote me a recommendation later and advised me on what I wrote on my application.

What has been the hardest part about your research?
The hardest part has to be crafting the research report, considering that it will be the longest academic report that I have written.

How does your research relate to your work in other classes?
My research provides me with information that I believe would be nice to include in the curriculum of my other classes.

What else are you involved in on campus?
I am part of the slam poetry team and I am also a desk staffer in Erickson Hall.

Read her abstract here...

The MURF program aims to increase the participation of underrepresented students (such as African American, Hispanic, and Native American; females who are underrepresented in their discipline; or first-generation college students) in science and engineering Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs and to make Caltech's programs more visible to students not traditionally exposed to Caltech.

Eligibility: Students must be current sophomores through non-graduating seniors and must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents. A minimum GPA of 3.2 is required.

Competitive applicants will have completed sophomore-level courses in desired research field, have demonstrated through academic and/or co-curricular activities a passion for research, and can articulate how their research interests align with Caltech's research areas. The most competitive applicants will have prior research experience.

Support: MURF students will receive a $6000 award for the ten-week program. An additional $500 housing and travel supplement will be provided.

Application: Online applications are due January 8, 2014.