On October 22, 2024, this year’s GESTAR II undergraduate and graduate fellows gave virtual presentations on topics they researched with their mentor(s); they were joined by an international visiting student who is working with a GESTAR II scientist. The event was organized and moderated by Dominique Footes, Special Programs Administrator (SURA). 

Three different GESTAR II fellowships were represented: 2023-2024 Graduate Fellows, 2023-2024 Morgan State University Undergraduate Fellows, and 2024 Short-Term/Visiting Fellows, who are students at partner universities ASU, CSU, and PSU. This year’s visiting fellows worked with their mentors over ten weeks in Summer 2024; however, their research collaborations continued into Fall 2024. For more information on upcoming fellowship opportunities, visit the GESTAR II Student Opportunities.

GESTAR II 2023-2024 Graduate Fellows:

Chhaya Kulkarni (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) presented “Assessing Radiance Variance in OSSE Simulations for Improved Satellite Observations.” She worked with GESTAR II mentor Nikki Privé (610.1/MSU) and Dr. Vandana Janeja (UMBC). Ms. Kulkarni created a web tool that shows some of the Machine Learning results from her research; she submitted a “demonstration track” paper titled “Interactive Assessment Variances of High-Resolution Model Features in OSSE Simulations” that was accepted by ACM SIGSPATIAL 2024.

Yu-An Chen (Colorado State Univ.) presented “Application of Nonlinear Data Assimilation to Hurricane Dynamics and Predictability: Boundary Layer Turbulent Structure.” Mr. Chen worked with GESTAR II mentor Stephen Guimond (UMBC, now with Hampton Univ.) and Dr. Peter Jan van Leeuwen (CSU).

GESTAR II 2023-2024 Morgan State University Undergraduate Fellow:  

Ajan Coleman (Morgan State Univ.) gave a lightning talk titled “Plant Hyperspectral Spectroscopy Data Research”; his mentor was Dhruva Kathuria (618/MSU).

GESTAR II 2024 Short-Term/Visiting Fellows:  

Praveena Kulandhaivel (Arizona State Univ.) gave a lightning talk titled “Exploring High-Resolution PM2.5 Hindcast Modeling in Phoenix”; her mentor was Carl Malings (610.1/MSU).

Alexis Cole (Pennsylvania State Univ.) gave a lightning talk titled “Exploring the Relationship Between GNSS RO Penetration and Lower Tropospheric Moisture in the Arctic Using Multi-Observational Datasets”; her mentor was Manisha Ganeshan (613/MSU).

Madison Shogrin (Colorado State Univ.) gave a lightning talk titled “O3-sensitivity from space: diurnal variability in the HCHO:NO2 ratio and NO2 over the Colorado front range from TEMPO and TROPOMI”; her mentor was Lok Lamsal (614/UMBC) and her advisors were Dr. Emily Fischer (CSU) and Dr. Vivienne Payne (NASA JPL).

In addition to the GESTAR II fellows, international student Janhavi Singh (Banaras Hindu University, India) gave a short presentation titled “Estimation of Surface Concentration of Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Using Machine Learning Algorithms over Kolkata (INDIA)”; her mentors were Lok Lamsal (614/UMBC) and Dr. Sunita Verma (B.H.U.).

Congratulations to all of our fellows on their collaborative and informative presentations, and we thank all the mentors and advisors!

Sarah-Fatime Yoda ’24, chemical engineering, received research award to France 

Excerpt from UMBC NEWS “Retrievers are upping their research game in the 2024-25 Fulbright U.S. Student Program cohort”

By: Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque | Published: Sep 23, 2024

Advancing global research

Attram is among eight recent graduates and alumni in UMBC’s 2024 – 2025 Fulbright U.S. Student Program class who are sharing their knowledge and building community around the world by earning a master’s degree, conducting research, or teaching English. This year is especially significant, as six of eight awards are research-focused, marking the highest number of research awards in UMBC’s Fulbright history. Students seeking research awards must develop a proposal in coordination with potential advisers in the universities and laboratories where they want to study as part of their application. Graduate degree awards require submitting both Fulbright and graduate school applications.

1. Arpita Tuladhar ’23 public health, Research Award to Germany
2. Jennifer Sorrells ’22, political science, Research Award to North Macedonia
3. Jolie Greer ’24, psychology, Research Award to Bulgaria 
4. Lauren Mister ’24, teaching English to speakers of other languages, English Teaching Award to Bahrain
5. Sarah-Fatime Yoda ’24, chemical engineering, Research Award to France
6. Stuart Holton ’24, political science, English Teaching Award to Slovakia
7. Timothy Mallard, M.A. ’21, teaching English to speakers of other languages, Research Award to Uganda

“This year’s cohort of Fulbright recipients and alternates shows the country and the globe what we at UMBC already know,” says Brian Souders, Ph.D. ’09, language, literacy, and culture, M.A.’19, TESOL, the associate director of global learning at UMBC’s Center for Global Engagement. In this role, Souders, who received a 2023 Fulbright International Education Administrator Award to Germany, has led hundreds of Retrievers through the Fulbright application process as UMBC’s Fulbright Program advisor. “We produce world-class graduates who will lead the future with their work in laboratories, in the field, and in the classrooms throughout the world.” (Image by Marlayna Demond ’11/UMBC)

Learn more about UMBC’s Fulbright Program.

Read original post via UMBC NEWS:2024 – 2025 Fulbright Retrievers Are Upping Their Research Game In The 2024-25 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Cohort

The BreakingGround initiative awards grants of up to $2,500.00 to UMBC faculty, staff, and students to implement educational and community-building courses and programs that foster civic agency: the capacity to initiate and make meaningful contributions to social change.

In this virtual information session, we will review the program and answer your questions. To register for this session, click "Going Virtually."

The options for using these funds are flexible, but some ideas include: experiential learning opportunities for students, student and community-engaged research projects, time to design deep transformations of existing curricula to be oriented toward civic agency, and resources for engagement with social changemakers and local communities. For a list of previous awardees, see here .

Let’s face it — today’s competitive job market is TOUGH. That’s why utilizing as many tools, technologies, and resources at your disposal is so important, and can make a huge difference if integrated in your job search strategy.

One of these tools that cannot be ignored is AI. With the use of a single prompt you can have edits, content, and keyword suggestions all at your fingertips. Generative AI tools can help you work smarter, not harder. This applies to every aspect of the job search process, but can be especially helpful for resumes. Here are three  ways in particular that AI can enhance your resume: 

1.     Identifying Keywords. You can use AI to scan job descriptions of interest for the top keywords and skills that should be integrated into your resume. This process allows you to align your resume with the qualifications hiring managers and recruiters are looking for in an ideal candidate. Incorporating keywords also increases the likelihood that you’ll get past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and make it to the next round.

EXAMPLE PROMPT: What are the top 15 most important skill keywords for this job description? [PASTE JOB DESCRIPTION]

2.     Assisting with Format. AI can help you determine the best format for your resume to catch an employer’s eye. You can ask the tool for layout recommendations, and determine whether your font style is the most appropriate. You can also ask the AI to give feedback on how your resume should be structured based on the type of job you’re applying to. This strategy ensures that your most relevant (and impressive) experiences are being seen.

EXAMPLE PROMPT: How should I organize the sections of my resume [PASTE RESUME WITH PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION REMOVED] to best match the qualifications of this job description? [PASTE JOB DESCRIPTION]

3.     Suggesting Tone and Language. If you’re having trouble with the bullet points in your experience section in particular, AI can help by suggesting edits. You can ask the AI to craft language that is more results-driven or achievement-oriented, while incorporating the keywords you’ve identified. AI can also help your resume stay in active voice, and can help you trim down content if you’re finding yourself over the standard 1-2 pages. 

EXAMPLE PROMPT: Please rewrite this bullet point for my resume [PASTE BULLET POINT COPY] so that it is results-driven and incorporates keywords from this job description. [PASTE JOB DESCRIPTION]

Remember, the use of AI to improve your resume should be seen as a tool — something that you have complete control over to shape your narrative. The point of using these tools is to not let the technology completely take over but for it to be just one part of your overall job search strategy. By allowing AI to assist with this process, you’ll be able to more strategically align your skill sets to your career of choice, resulting in a resume with a fully competitive edge.

Want to know more about how AI can be used to beat the bot of the ATS in particular? Join us at the Keys to Success presentation on optimizing your resume to catch the attention of employers on Monday, November 4, at 12 PM in the Commons, room 331.