U.S. News has recognized UMBC’s online master’s degree in information systems as one of the top 20 in the nation in new online degree rankings announced today. The program climbed up four places this year, reaching #19. UMBC joins the University of Southern California, New York University, Virginia Tech, University of Arizona, Johns Hopkins University, and other leading institutions on the 2019 Best Online Information Technology Programs list.

“Dr. Vandana Janeja, graduate program director for the online master’s program in information systems, and her colleagues are committed to enabling our online master’s students to gain the skills required to succeed with our extensive range of industry and government partners,” says Keith J Bowman, dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology.

The online master’s degree program is designed for students who are advancing their education while balancing commitments to careers, family, and military service. Students and faculty in this field often complete research in areas such as health information technology, human-centered computing, data mining, artificial intelligence, and software engineering.

“Our online master’s program boasts a carefully crafted curriculum of fundamental and elective courses to help our students advance their careers,” says Janeja, associate professor of information systems.

She explains that the online program offers schedule flexibility, while maintaining rigorous coursework, high expectations for students, and support from faculty. “We are committed to a high level of excellence and engagement akin to our on-campus program,” she notes.

Brad Boyle M.S. ‘21, information systems, is a current student in the program. He shares, “I was drawn to apply to this program because of the reputation of UMBC for academic excellence combined with the flexibility of an online setting.” Boyle is completing his degree while working as an IT specialist in UMBC Residential Life. He says, “The program is already helping me in my current job and is providing me with the tools I need to be successful in the field of information systems.”

Banner image: An information systems student presenting her work at Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

• GAO found that there are nearly 1 million college students at risk of becoming food insecure, marking the first time the federal government has acknowledged food insecurity on campus in a significant way.
• The federal government spends billions of dollars on higher education each year, and this report finds that some students are at risk of dropping out because they cannot eat.
• “[The report] put it very clearly for us that we can see that especially first-time students, first-generation students, students who are raising children, single parents, face increasing obstacles to be able to complete that critical college degree,” Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate’s education committee says.
•  Middle-class students, those who are “too rich for Pell and too poor to afford college,” struggle as well. And they may not be as likely to use things such as the food pantry.
• Murray says that addressing food insecurity is one of her top priorities as Congress negotiates a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, the major federal law governing colleges and universities. “Often, we just talk about the tuition costs and dealing with that,” she says. “It has to be broader than that— [it has to be] all of the costs that come to a student as they try to complete college, including food and housing.”
•  Sara Goldrick-Rab, a higher-education professor at Temple University and a leading scholar on campus hunger, put it more bluntly. The report shows “that food insecurity is a college-completion issue,” she says. “We’re undermining our federal investment in financial aid by not paying attention to this. We have to stop pretending like living expenses are not educational expenses.”

Keep an eye out in the next few weeks for how you can help support Retriever Essentials as we begin taking steps toward institutionalization and securing sustainable support for our students years to come.

You do not have to be a visual arts major to apply to this position. This position requires working in the production room of commonvision. No printing experience is required; we will train the right person.

Applicants Must:

Be highly dedicated & organized
Have at least 2 semesters left at UMBC
Have a GPA of 2.5 or higher
Pass a judicial check
Be able to work at least 10 hours a week
Be an undergraduate student

Students will be responsible for:

Receiving, reviewing and processing print orders
Prioritizing tasks for efficiency and tight deadlines
Modifying existing digital projects using InDesign, Illustrator & Photoshop
Running print jobs on wide format and large volume printers
Take the lead installing projects around campus
Using other finishing services as required by the project
Coil Binding
Roto-Cutter
Guillotine Cutter
Lamination and foam board mounting

We’re looking for students with:

Strong interpersonal and communication skills
A great sense of organization and planning
Ability to work without constant supervision
Ability to work in a fast-paced physical environment
Experience working with MAC and PC Operating Systems
 

Bonus points if:

Have an interest in visual arts, design, and/or animation
Have an interest or are involved in student events
Make us laugh
Are self-motivated
Are team-oriented
Are attentive to details
Manage time and deadlines well

Please submit via UMBCworks.

For best consideration apply by  Feb 16, 2019 at 4:00PM.

About NREL

At NREL, we focus on creative answers to today’s energy challenges. From breakthroughs in fundamental science to new clean technologies to integrated energy systems that power our lives, NREL researchers are transforming the way the nation and the world use energy.

More on their link: https://www.nrel.gov

“Join us in building a clean energy future. At NREL, you’ll discover how you can make a difference in the world while also growing professionally. We combine our mission with our heart, making NREL a place where you can grow your passion inside and outside the lab.”

More information about opportunities at NREL: https://www.nrel.gov/careers/discover-nrel.html

Active job opportunities (last checked January/2019):

• Postdoctorate – Chemical/Mechanical Engineering for Thermal-Fluid Modeling
• Postdoctoral Researcher – Buildings Materials and Thermal Science
• Post Doctoral Position in Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue Analysis
• “Commercial Buildings Research Engineer – Energy Modeler” (Los Angeles)
• Graduate Intern Position in Solar Collector Optical Characterization using Image-Processing
• Geothermal-Modeling and Simulation Scientist
• Building Research Engineer – Electrical Power Systems
• Researcher – Control and Optimization
• Post-Doctoral Researcher –Development of system engineering tools for wave energy converter applications
• Post-Doctoral Researcher – Structural and Mechanical Engineer in the Water Power Program
• Postdoctoral Researcher – Design and Systems Engineer in the Water Power Program
• Postdoctoral – Integrated Transportation-Energy Systems Modeler

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Phyllis Robinson, Professor of Biological Sciences, for being named as the Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Chair in the Department of Biological Sciences. This three-year appointment honors Dr. Robinson for her many valuable contributions to gender equity issues across UMBC as well as for her exceptional service to the Department, the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, and the University. Known for her efforts to increase the participation of women and minorities in science, Dr. Robinson co-founded the university’s Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) group and served as a Co-PI on the UMBC NSF ADVANCE Grant, which is nationally recognized as an exemplary model for institutional transformation programs. She was honored by the UMBC President’s Commission on Women in 2012 and recently received the 2018 Marilyn E. Demorest Faculty Advancement Award for her advocacy work at UMBC.

Dr. Robinson continues to be a dedicated mentor to undergraduate and graduate students as she explores her research interests in vision science, signal transduction, and neurobiology with grant support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  She succeeded Dr. Lasse Lindahl as the program director of UMBC’s NIH-funded Maximizing Access to Research Careers Program, a preeminent undergraduate scholars’ program with over 100 alumni who have earned Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. degrees. A former Graduate Program Director, Dr. Robinson was recognized for excellence in mentoring by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents in 2002 and by the Leadership Alliance in 2006. Prior to joining the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences in 1992, the Boston-native did postdoctoral work at Brandeis University, and received a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.A. in Biology from Wellesley College.

Over the past 26 years, the UMBC community has benefitted from Dr. Robinson’s many gifts that include her passion for research, her talent for mentoring, and her compassion for others. She is eminently qualified for the honor of being a Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Chair.