Last week, Professor Donald Norris and Ph.D. student Laura Mateczun of the School of Public Policy published an article with Professors Tim Finin and Anupam Joshi of UMBC’s Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department. 

The paper, published in the Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, examines the most significant cybersecurity challenges facing local governments in America.  

The article is available here.

Tell us a little about yourself… 

I am a senior undergraduate at UMBC pursuing two degrees: a B.S. in Physics and B.S. in Mathematics. I am physics and mathematics tutor for the Learning Resources Center (LRC) at UMBC, as well as an undergraduate researcher with the Physics Department in Dr. Hayden’s lab investigating the use of electro-optic polymers in terahertz detection systems. After graduating from UMBC, I plan go to graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in Physics and become a professor at a research university.

Tell us about how you are involved on campus. 

Besides tutoring and research, I am also a McNair Scholar as well as a teaching fellow through the McNair Scholars Program at UMBC, where I’ve had the chance to connect with other first-generation college students that are from a low income or minority household that wish to pursue a Ph.D. I have also been a learning assistant (LA) for the PHYS 121 and am currently a lab technician helping set up the labs for PHYS 111L, 112L, and 122L. I am also a member of the honors society Sigma Pi Sigma as well as the Society of Physics Students. Finally, I spend my remaining free time participating in club lacrosse and club ultimate frisbee here at UMBC.

How and why did you get involved in being a tutor? 

I have always had a passion for helping my friends and other students learn and understand a subject they find difficult. I became an official tutor during the summer after my first year at UMBC. I enjoyed being an LA for PHYS 121 and wanted to continue helping students, but I could no longer give the time to it once I started doing research in Dr. Hayden’s lab. The LRC provided the opportunity for me to continue assisting students while not requiring too much of my time.

What is your favorite thing about being a tutor? 

My favorite thing is watching what I call the “ah-ha” moment in students. After a student struggling for some time on a particular problem or concept, I enjoy watching the expression on their face when the material finally clicks in their brain and they finally understand how to either solve the problem or utilize a concept. Knowing that I helped them grasp the idea they had trouble with makes all the time and effort worth it.

Why should students utilize the tutoring?

Tutoring is a place to meet students who have succeeded where you be struggling. Tutors are a great source of not only knowing the material for a course, but great studying strategies and time management skills that a professor may not take the time to cover. Students should utilize this free service to become the best student they can be and become an efficient learner.

What advice would you give students about how to prepare for a tutoring session? 

Best advice I can give is to come prepared. What I mean by that is to come with your notes from lecture or discussion section and be ready to ask questions. A tutor can only help if a student is willing to put in the effort to be helped. Please come with questions other than homework you haven’t done. If you are struggling with a particular problem, a tutor can help narrow in on what part of the problem you need help on, but a tutor isn’t there to do your homework for you, but assist you so that when you are alone doing homework late at night or in the middle of an exam, you are able to solve the problem yourself.

When and where can someone work with you through the Learning Resources Center?

For anyone in need of PHYS 111, 112, 121, or 122 and MATH 150, 151, I am available for tutoring appointments from 10 am to 1 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays (if I am not already booked for an appointment). You can set up a time to meet me through the LRC website at lrc.umbc.edu or through the StudyTree app if you have it downloaded. You can also stop by the LRC front office at Sherman 345 during those times for a drop-in time if I am available. I am happy to help and hope to see you in one of my tutoring sessions!

While everyone is putting on their masks and costumes for Halloween, they should also be learning about how to use cyber technologies safely!

Get certified in security through ISSA Central MD's CISSP study group and training program. Details can be found on the front page of their website linked below:

https://issa-centralmd.org/

Be SURE to attend UMBC's very own HACK UMBC! October 20th-21st

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County's 24-hour tech innovation marathon where students across the East Coast collaborate on new ideas to build mobile, web, and hardware projects are presented and judged for different prize categories from sponsors and other organizations.

More details:https://hackumbc.org/

Some relevant UMBC events:

Software Workshop: SAS Progamming 

Wednesday, October 10, 2018 · Noon - 1 PM

Engineering : 122

SAS is a powerful statistical software package. It can handle most data analysis issues ranging from simple data exploration to advanced modeling. SAS has convenient built-in functions and procedures for dealing with a large variety of statistical problems. For more information, visit the SAS website.

Northrop Grumman Manufacturing Information Session

Wednesday, October 10, 2018 · 5 PM - 7 PM

The Commons : 331

(They’re looking for Mechanical Eng., Physics, and Chem Eng. Majors)

Mission Statement

Our Corporate mission is to provide policy guidelines and strategic direction for the implementation and interpretation of the Federal government initiatives and public law mandates. In addition, we ensure consistent application of the prescribed Northrop Grumman initiatives, policies and procedures across the enterprise.

Website: http://www.northropgrumman.com/

Lockheed Martin Information Session

Wednesday, October 17, 2018 · 11 AM - 2 PM

University Center : 312

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 115,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

 https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/index.html

Mission Statement:

Our Corporate mission is to provide policy guidelines and strategic direction for the implementation and interpretation of the Federal government initiatives and public law mandates. In addition, we ensure consistent application of the prescribed Northrop Grumman initiatives, policies and procedures across the enterprise.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Information Session

Wednesday, October 17, 2018 · 5 PM - 6:30 PM

The Commons : 331

Image result for homeland security missions statement

Our Mission. The vision of homeland security is to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards.May 11, 2016

https://www.dhs.gov/

T-Rex Solutions Information Table

Tuesday, October 23, 2018 · 10 AM - 1 PM

The Commons : Main Street

MISSION

We develop, integrate, and protect our government customers’ mission critical applications through innovative engineering solutions.

VISION

Be the preferred provider of innovative IT services for government customers who require secure and scalable solutions to improve the lives of citizens.

http://www.trexcorporation.com/

UMBC Connects you to: UPS - Information Technology

Wednesday, October 24, 2018 · 11 AM - 2 PM

University Center : 312

Mission Statement. “What We Seek to Achieve: Grow our global business by serving the logistics needs of customers, offering excellence and value in all that we do. Maintain a financially strong company-with broad employee ownership-that provides a long-term competitive return to our shareowners.

https://www.jobs-ups.com/information-technology

Cisco Meraki Information Table

Wednesday, October 24, 2018 · 11 AM - 3 PM

The Commons : Main Street

Technology can connect us, empower us, and drive us. At Cisco Meraki, we believe that by simplifying powerful technology, we can free passionate people to focus on their mission and reach groups previously left in the darkness.

https://meraki.cisco.com/company/about

Software Workshop: Octave

Wednesday, October 31, 2018 · Noon - 1 PM

Engineering : 122

GNU Octave is a free software package which utilizes a high-level language for numerical computations, linear algebra operations and graphics. Octave uses a command line interface for solving both linear and nonlinear problems. Octave’s language is generally compatible with Matlab, and thus most Matlab code can be run in Octave with few or no changes. For more information, visit the GNU Octave website.