Brian Frey, UMBC Ph.D. student in information systems, has been collaborating for the past several years with colleagues at Georgia Tech University on a very simple concept: How can one infuse braille communication with the iPhone? Over these past few years the team has been refining their Braille Touch App in support of that concept. Their efforts were validated with the recent release of the Apple’s new mobile operating system, iOS8. Of the millions of apps that Apple has approved for release in the App Store since the release of the first generation iPhone, only a select few have been tapped for inclusion as a “native” app, included in the iOS software package itself. Braille Touch provides a familiar braille layout for the vision impaired user as well as audio feedback to give the user instant feedback that they are typing the message as they intended.

On Thursday, August 7, Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program alumni got together for a sunny, harbor-side happy hour at The Boathouse in Canton. Alumni from class years 2003-2014 shared stories about the program, professional and personal updates, and made new connections. The Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program supports talented undergraduates aspiring to careers in public service in a wide variety of fields including government, law, non-profit leadership, education, and the private sector. The program honors Walter Sondheim, a champion of Baltimore’s renewal, a business leader, and an advocate for public education. As suggested by the program’s mission, Sondheim Scholars serve the public in many ways. Alumni at the August 7 happy hour included lawyers, educators, policy analysts, government staff, political campaigners, non-profit professionals, and graduate students. Thanks for coming out, Sondheim alumni, and look for your next opportunity to connect at UMBC Homecoming!

Learn more about the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program.

A recent editorial in The New York Times examined the lack of diversity at technology companies in Silicon Valley. Technology giants, such as Google, Facebook and Apple, have admitted to having low numbers of women and minority employees and are now working to improve diversity in the workplace.

The editorial suggests that one way to address the problem is to recruit employees from universities that focus on helping women and minorities graduate with degrees in technical fields. President Hrabowski discussed how UMBC helps underrepresented groups excel in science and engineering. “[UMBC] produces many women and minority graduates in science and engineering disciplines,” the editorial stated. “Many find jobs with federal government agencies and East Coast technology companies, because the university has strong relationships with those employers.”

Click here to read “Silicon Valley’s Diversity Problem” in The New York Times.

Second Generation Scholarship Form DEADLINE: Oct 17,2014

Second Generation Scholarship Form