UMBC and nonprofit AI4ALL have partnered to offer undergraduate students in any major who are not seniors the opportunity to apply to the College Pathways Discover AI program
HOW
Apply online by February 14, 2023
WHAT
Discover AI is a virtual program that provides students with a project-based introduction to computer science, machine learning, data, artificial intelligence, and tech careers through the lens of societal and ethical impact. In addition, students get access to AI industry leaders and are guided through a roadmap to cultivate a future career in the AI industry.
What are both the positive and negative implications of AI technology on society? How can (and does) AI affect communities in today's world? Through research, discussions, and reflection, you will explore the intersectionality of AI with other fields and articulate your own mindful perspective of AI. The program is facilitated at no cost to students.
Students that complete the program will emerge with actionable next steps in pursuing an academic or career path in AI and the opportunity to continue in the following semester to our second program, Apply AI and direct mentorship from industry leaders in the AI and tech industry from companies like Google, Capital One, Facebook, Slalom Consulting, Accenture, Pearson and more. At the end of the program, students receive a Certificate of Completion and access to the AI4ALL Changemakers community with additional resources, ongoing support and mentorship.
WHO
It's available for undergraduate first-year students, sophomores, and juniors with all coding and/or computing/AI levels, including everything from no experience to advanced. If you're a computing major, the program is a great supplement to your existing coursework. If you are not, we welcome you as well! If accepted, you will have the opportunity to learn more about artificial intelligence in a safe and thoughtful environment that offers you the chance to consider AI as a future career option and as a presence in your major industry/discipline. We recommend that students without a coding background take the first four modules for free here at EdX before the program begins. AI4ALL programs are designed to bring together and highlight voices that have been historically excluded and that will lead and shape the future of AI.
WHEN
The ten-week program starts on February 24 and includes both synchronous meetings on Fridays from 3:30 to 5:30 pm as well as asynchronous instruction.
GET MORE INFORMATION
Discover AI program has 30 minute online information sessions on 1/19, 1/23, 1/30, 2/2, 2/6, and 2/9. Click on the select a date button to register for one. You can also review the program's application for more details. Send email to ai4all@cs.umbc.edu if you still have questions.
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Have you ever been terrified of the unexpected questions a potential employer may ask you in an interview? Me too! The unknown of the interviewing process scares many people, not just you. If you struggle with preparation for interviews, I am here to help! If you don't know me already, my name is Molly Walker, and I am a Career Peer at the Career Center. Like you, I am a UMBC student with access to a wide range of resources available at the Career Center.
If you haven't had much experience with interviewing yet,,anticipating the kind of questions that you may be asked may be a daunting prospect. That's why we give UMBC students free access to the Big Interview.
You may ask, what exactly is the Big Interview? It is a website that provides instructional modules on how to answer interview questions and offers simulated interviews for you to master. Some important features include:
Video learning modules: In the Learn tab on the site, a compilation of modules on multiple interview topics. Within the interview modules, you can choose to watch the video modules that fit you best.
Interview Question Library: This resource provides you with insider advice to prepare for questions across multiple categories, such as: Industry, Competency, College Admissions, Government Positions, and Veteran Experiences!
Practice Interviews: Normally, the best way to practice for an interview is to prepare in the mirror or with a friend. Yet, Big Interview took that approach and elevated it! My favorite feature of Big Interview is the mock interview simulation. Using the knowledge from the modules and your pick of questions, you are prompted by a pre-recorded interviewer to respond appropriately. There are also different difficulty levels for the pre-recorded interviewers spending on the moderator. In a real interview, it can be difficult to analyze the quality of your answers due to the anxiety and stress of the moment. It can feel as though your brain is cloudy as you concentrate on answering the questions. By answering the questions beforehand on Big Interview, you can assess your responses without the stress and anxiety of a real interview.
Interview Recording: You can record yourself answering the questions in the mock interview and immediately view for self-reflection. You can also send your recorded videos to receive feedback from Career Center staff, including me! The Career Center has strong interviewing expertise and can provide advice and feedback you may have never considered. Specifically, once you have completed a mock interview on Big Interview, complete these steps to send the videos to the Career Center:
Go to the tab on the top of the screen "My Videos"
Check the mark next to the video you want to share
The blue "Share" button on the top right-hand side of the page
Click "E-mail the following people" and enterinterviews@umbc.edu
Click add email after you have entered the above email address
Click "Share Now," and your video will be sent.
You will receive feedback through the Big Interview platform within 48 hours of your request during the weekdays.
Big Interview is incredibly unique, and in my opinion, an under-utilized resource that the Career Center provides. No matter your situation, Big Interview is ready to help you prepare! Though Big Interview is a tremendous resource, you may find you would like some extra assistance. Some additional resources available at the Career Center are:
Accessing the Big Interview Demo on our website if you want to learn more about how to get started.
Setting up an Interview Prep appointment with a Career Advisor using Handshake.
If you find yourself with some extra time on your hands during winter break, it is the perfect time to visit us! Check out our Career Center Winter Hours and get a jump on preparing for and landing those Spring and Summer jobs or internships.
Remember, no one is born perfect at interviews! Rest assured that, like anything else, you can easily conquer your interviews with some support and practice. We are happy to help you through that process. Happy Practicing!
Oindrila Ghosh, environmental engineering doctoral candidate, is the winner of the Student Paper Competition for the Eleventh International Conference on the Remediation and Management of Contaminated Sediments for her paper, “Design Optimization of Passive Sampling Prototypes with Periodic Vibration for Porewater Measurements of Polychlorinated Biphenyls.” The 2023 Sediments Conference will take place in Austin, Texas from January 9-12, 2023. Oindrila will present her work during the poster presentations.
Oindrila is in her fourth year of her doctoral program under the supervision of Dr. Upal Ghosh. Her research focuses on the fate and transport of persistent organic contaminants in the environment that tend to bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms like fish.
Student paper title: Design Optimization of Passive Sampling Prototypes with Periodic Vibration, for Porewater Measurements of Polychlorinated Biphenyls.
Authors: Oindrila Ghosh, Louis Cheung, Upal Ghosh (University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD), Mehregan Jalalizadeh (Exponent, Los Angeles, California)
ABSTRACT: Polymeric passive sampling has emerged as a promising approach for accurate measurements of bioavailability of hydrophobic organic contaminants. However, in-situ measurements of sediment porewater concentrations are challenged by slower mass transfer through the water boundary layer (WBL) outside the polymer compared to well-stirred laboratory measurements. Using performance reference compounds (PRC) to correct for non-equilibrium conditions is prone to error, especially for more hydrophobic compounds like higher homolog group Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins/furans. Previous research has shown that the mechanical disruption of the WBL outside the polymer surface by introducing periodic vibration on the sampling platform greatly enhances the approach to equilibrium for more hydrophobic contaminants. In this study we aim to optimize the design of these prototypes and vibration frequency for sediment porewater measurements through laboratory experiments and mathematical modeling. The key motivations were to make the sampling devices versatile for more hydrophobic organics and increase the size of the prototypes from the initial proof-of-concept design by increasing the size of the motor and making them more reliable for deployment in the field, all the while keeping them low-cost.
IMAGE CREDIT: Dr. Upal Ghosh
Learn more about Oindrila’s research and art at https://www.oinghosh.com/ and on Linkedin
]]>Name: Rawdah Ahmed
Internship, Co-op, or Research Site: Textron Systems
Position Title: Financial Analyst
Major or Program: Political Science
Current Class Level: Senior
Work Term: Spring 2022, Summer 2022, Fall 2022
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
As a financial analyst co-op, I work with other analysts on the "manned & unmanned systems" financial teams at Textron Systems in Hunt Valley, MD. Some of my daily responsibilities include administering weekly financial reports based on labor and material "actuals" data, amend budget forecasts to properly represent how the company was fairing financially, analyze trends within the production and sale of products, and presenting all of this corroborated information to executives & managers to ultimately aid them in making decisions to promote growth and mitigate risk to the company's future financial health.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I applied to this position on-line, using UMBCworks after I saw it pop up on me "recommended" home page. I completed a phone interview with a recruiter and then interviewed with the directors of finance at the company before being offered the position & ultimately accepting.
Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience?
UMBCworks, LinkedIn or Other Social Media
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I have enjoyed all the experience I have gained working in the office with the finance team and the ability Textron gave me to continue pursuing my Bachelor's and also develop skills that would help me advance. Working side-by-side with people who are veterans at the company has allowed me to quickly develop the technical skills needed for many financial roles, as well as the personal confidence in my analysis to be able to interpret trends and make suggestions to the team and my managers regarding financial matters in the company. It has also allowed me to drastically expand my networking and interpersonal skills as the company is part of a large, cross-country organization and allows lots of opportunity for the interaction of different branches.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I have opened the door for more co-ops and interns to join the team in the future, and primed the current team to working with someone who is in college/still in the stages of developing their career. While I was being trained on the various reports that need weekly/monthly administration, I created clear and easy-to-follow process guides (for myself to reference) that will hopefully help any other new analysts joining the company to easily move through their training process.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Reach out to recruiters at the company to which you've applied using social media liked LinkedIn (if their contact information/email is not readily available using a google search/ on the job database).
Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.
It felt really great to not only be compensated for my position through monetary means, but also be able to receive credit for the work that I have done; it is always a challenge to balance working everyday and attending classes throughout the year while putting your best foot forward in both ventures. To have the opportunity to submit my co-op for class credit has allowed me to satisfy my graduation requirements & set me up to graduate early for my class, this fall 2022.
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