Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) invites all students, and the faculty and staff in the College of Engineering and Information Technology to their annual beginning of the year Ice Cream Social. It takes place tomorrow Wednesday, September 5 from 11:30-1:30 p.m. in the atrium of the Engineering/Computer Science (ECS) Building.

Stop to meet other women and men majoring in Engineering, Computer Science, and Information Technology. Plus, who can say no to free ice cream?

**Involvement Fest has been postponed until Monday, September 10th, due to the rain**

"Pirates" is the theme of this year's Involvement Fest, which takes place Monday, September 10th from 12-3 p.m. on the Quad.

For Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Electrical Engineering majors ready to dive into UMBC's vast sea of extracurricular activities, there will be plenty to choose from among the more than 250 clubs and organizations. Those targeted toward tech-minded individuals include:

• Amateur Radio Club
• Chess Club
• CWIT Student Council
• Cyber Defense Team
• DEVICE
• Engineers Without Borders
• Entrepreneurial Society
• Game Developer's Club
• Linux User's Group
• National Society of Black Engineers
• Society of Women Engineers

and, more….

Photo: The Retriever Weekly

This August, UMBC welcomed its inagural batch of Transfer Scholars in Information Technology and Engineering (T-SITE) Scholars (pictured above).

The brainchild of a team of seven women sprinkled throughout IT and Engineering departments in the College of Engineering and Information Technology at UMBC, the T-SITE scholarship program offers support–financial and otherwise–to help transfer students succeed in careers in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, and Information Systems.

The scholars took part in the Center for Women in Technology's (CWIT) New Scholars Retreat, held August 10-12. The Olympics-themed retreat included a trust-building activity at College Park's ropes course, a traditional business dinner with faculty members, industry representatives, and CWIT alumni, and a discussion of women in STEM fields.

You can read more about CWIT's New Scholars Retreat in a Retriever Weekly article: " CWIT summer retreat welcomes the T-SITE scholars."

This Friday, August 31, new and returning students are invited to the Office of Undergraduate Education's Open House.

Held from Noon to 2 p.m. in the Academic IV Building (Room 114), the event is a chance to talk about First Year Seminars, The New Student Book Experience, Undergraduate Research, and an Introduction to an Honors University.

Photo Courtesy governor.maryland.gov

Motorola Solutions is looking for an intern to work on the state's new Maryland FiRST website. Maryland FiRST, or Maryland First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team, will connect Maryland's first responders over a secure 700 MHz radio system.

The following is a job description,  taken from a UMBC News post:

It will consist of approved design documentation for public viewing, as well as, secured information for those who are allowed to login.  This site will be organized for easy-viewing of the system description, site map, and relevant documents.  This site will also include a map of the state with site names and hyperlinks in order to get more detailed information about each site.  This web developer will also need to be strong in requirements development, have great organization skills, be creative, efficient and a team player.  Ongoing maintenance of the site will be necessary, too, as documents get updated and additional design documents get added.

 

Furthermore, this position has an added opportunity to use an “SNMP Management Software” tool to develop a “Manager of Managers” for the entire alarming system of the MD FiRST Radio System.  The position offers opportunity to be creative, work with other people and develop tools that will be used for decades by the State of Maryland’s Public Safety Agencies.

Applicants must be graduating on or after June 2013, be pursuing a Bachelor's Degree, and must have classes or coursework in Computer Science Software Development or Software Engineering.

This paid internship offers $17-25/hour depending on year, experience, and skills.

Apply for the position via UMBCworks, and through the following link.

Photo Courtesy governor.maryland.gov

Motorola Solutions is looking for an intern to work on the state's new Maryland FiRST website. Maryland FiRST, or Maryland First Responders Interoperable Radio System Team, will connect Maryland's first responders over a secure 700 MHz radio system.

The following is a job description,  taken from a UMBC News post:

It will consist of approved design documentation for public viewing, as well as, secured information for those who are allowed to login.  This site will be organized for easy-viewing of the system description, site map, and relevant documents.  This site will also include a map of the state with site names and hyperlinks in order to get more detailed information about each site.  This web developer will also need to be strong in requirements development, have great organization skills, be creative, efficient and a team player.  Ongoing maintenance of the site will be necessary, too, as documents get updated and additional design documents get added.

 

Furthermore, this position has an added opportunity to use an “SNMP Management Software” tool to develop a “Manager of Managers” for the entire alarming system of the MD FiRST Radio System.  The position offers opportunity to be creative, work with other people and develop tools that will be used for decades by the State of Maryland’s Public Safety Agencies.

Applicants must be graduating on or after June 2013, be pursuing a Bachelor's Degree, and must have classes or coursework in Computer Science Software Development or Software Engineering.

This paid internship offers $17-25/hour depending on year, experience, and skills.

Apply for the position via UMBCworks, and through the following link.

Welcome class of 2016! We're so glad you chose to study Computer Science or Computer Engineering at UMBC! Now that you're here, we thought you might like a little tour of our department so that you can make the most of the next four years. We don't promise they'll be easy, but we do promise they'll be challening, rewarding, and fun.

Figuring out what courses you need to take is an important first step. All UMBC students, whether they're majoring in Mathematics or French or Media and Communications Studies, have to take General Education Program (GEP) requirements. These are the courses that make you a well-rounded college student. They introduce you to subjects you may have never noticed, like… Asian Studies.

Then there are the courses you take for your major. These are different for the Computer Science and Computer Engineering programs, so click on your major to see what classes you should take, and to learn more about different tracks in fields like Game Development and Information Assurance.

• Computer Science
• Computer Engineering

If you're having trouble figuring out which courses to take and  when, don't despair. That's what your advisor is for. At some point during the semester, head over to room 204 in the Information Technology/ Engineering Building (ITE) and sign up for an advisor.

If you ever find yourself saying those two words, then head over to the Computer Science Help Center for some free tutoring. Located in ITE 201E, it's staffed by your fellow Computer Science students and is open Monday through Friday.

For other problems, head over to the CSEE department office, located in ITE 325. Our supportive staff is here to help Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

You've got interests, right? Well at UMBC, there's a club for that. Whether you one day aspire to create the next video game sensation, are confident in your infallible chess game, or would like to help encourage more women to study a technology field, you can find a club that will speak to your interests. Joining a club is a great way to boost your resume, learn new things, and connect with faculty and students. Plus, it’s fun. Check out a list of all of UMBC’s student organizations.

UMBC's special because we offer undergraduates a chance–and, sometimes money–to work on their own research projects. Undergraduate Research Awards (URA) of up to $1,500 are available for promising research projects and Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) gives undergrads a chance to present their findings to an eager audience. Start thinking about research now. The first step is to attend lab meetings and find out what research opportunities are out there. Take a look at our department's research labs, and see what current students are researching.

Follow us on Facebook. Join our myUMBC group. That way you’ll be the first to know about departmental news. We’ll tell you about job and internship opportunities and events you won’t want to miss. Like they say, knowledge is power.

If you want some idea of what a well-rounded Computer Science or Computer Engineering major looks like, take a look at our students below. In their own words, they talk about internships they've had, clubs they are part of, and what they like most about UMBC. Click on the photo below to meet the students.

The 2012 Maryland Cyber Challenge (MDC3) will be held this fall with qualification rounds in September and the finals at the Cyber-Maryland Conference in the Baltimore Convention Center on 16-17 October. MDC3 is a statewide cyber competition and conference designed to interest more students and young professionals in pursuing careers in cybersecurity. The goal of the Maryland Cyber Challenge is to help strengthen Maryland’s position as a cybersecurity leader by bringing teams of current and prospective cybersecurity professionals together to develop the skills and techniques needed to protect vital information systems. Founders of the event include SAIC, UMBC, the National Cyber Security Alliance, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, and the Tech Council of Maryland.

UMBC students who are interested in MDC3 or cybersecurity in general are encouraged to contact the UMBC Cyber Defense Team, aka the Cyberdawgs.

MDC3 team registration is now open for the 2012 challenge. Questions about the Cyber Challenge can be sent to Kelli-Ann Tucker (kelli-ann.tucker at saic.com).