Katherine Dillon
B.S., Computer Science
Magna Cum Laude
Hometown: Ellicott City, Maryland
Plans: Software Engineer, Google; M.S., computer science, UMBC

The CWIT program has prepared me to be a professional and take on leadership roles, and ultimately helped me get my jobs and internships. The friends I’ve made in CWIT served as such a great support system, and I couldn’t have done it without them.

Katherine Dillon came to UMBC with interest, but not much experience, in computer science, but through the Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) was able to rapidly grow her knowledge of the field. Before long, she was conducting computer science research, taking graduate-level courses in artificial intelligence and machine learning, serving as a teaching assistant in computer science and interactive media, and volunteering through outreach opportunities, to inspire and support future computing students.

Dillon says the support she received from the faculty and staff at UMBC, particularly in CWIT and the Honors College, has been instrumental in enabling her to achieve her goals and continuously set the bar higher for what she would achieve next. Dillon conducted data visualization research under Penny Rheingans, professor of computer science and director of CWIT, and attended the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing as an Anita Borg Scholar. After the Grace Hopper Celebration, Dillon was offered an internship opportunity at Google in Boston. The following summer she completed another Google internship, this time in Germany.

After graduation, Dillon will work as a software engineer at Google in San Francisco, while also completing her master’s degree in computer science online through UMBC.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Soheila Escobar
B.S., Information Systems
Cum Laude
Hometown: Riohacha, La Guajira, Colombia
Plans: Business and systems analysis career

I really appreciate the diversity that I have found at UMBC and the support for culture and respect among the students. I have learned that there are more people like me, who have left their countries to pursue a better future for themselves, their community, and their families.

Soheila Escobar came to UMBC with some uncertainties about completing her undergraduate education in English at a U.S. university, but her experiences with the UMBC community quickly confirmed her hopes for her college years. “UMBC has helped me in achieving my goals by promoting a very diverse environment where I do not feel excluded, and I, more than anything, feel welcome,” Escobar says. “I have taken classes with professors from different cultural backgrounds, professors whose first language is not English, and I have felt very supported and encouraged by them to continue the challenge of finishing my education in a second language.”

Escobar has thrived at UMBC, particularly through collaborative research opportunities. Earlier this semester, she presented Tutor On Campus during Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day. The web platform she created with classmates encourages students to help each other succeed by enabling peer connections based on specific courses or disciplines, and providing relevant support resources.

Escobar is passionate about developing educational and career opportunities for young people in her community of indigenous Wayuu people in Colombia. “I have also had the opportunity to take a leadership position within my community in Colombia, where I am working to help young women see that they can rise above their cultural expectations by studying and starting a career in their field of interest,” she explains. “It is a leadership position that I plan to continue and one that I hope will connect my family on a greater scale to the global community, so that they can experience other cultures and share with the world the good things that our culture has to offer.”

Upon graduation, Escobar will apply her business and technical skills to a career in business and systems analysis. She will also pursue a master’s degree in information systems, with the goal of helping people in underserved communities connect with new opportunities through technology.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Ke He
Ph.D., Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering
Hometown: Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
Plans: Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Maryland School of Medicine

As an international student, the diverse and friendly circumstances in UMBC really helped me to settle down in this completely new environment.

Over the six years that Ke He has been a Ph.D. student at UMBC, he has conducted research alongside many passionate peers and faculty who, like him, are committed to improving water safety.

He explains that his faculty advisor Lee Blaney, associate professor of chemical, biochemical and environmental engineering, has had a profound impact on his research. He studied contaminants of emerging concern and personal care products, such as antibiotics, hormones, and UV-filters, and their effects on the environment. To understand how these substances impact human and ecological health, He examined crayfish collected from a watershed in Baltimore.

The work that He conducted has been featured in media outlets, including an article in The Conversation (republished by CBS News) about commonly-used personal care products that have been found to impact water sources. He traveled to Hawaii to do research, and this work will likely play a role in regulating sunscreens that have been shown to harm coral reefs.

For three years, He served as a senator in the Graduate Student Association (GSA) at UMBC. The GSA recognized He’s distinguished service to the organization by presenting  him with the 2016 Outstanding Senator Award. He also was the chair of the Chinese Student and Scholar Association at UMBC, and served on the Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering Graduate Student Association’s executive board.

He has received notable awards supporting and recognizing research papers delivered at academic conferences across the United States. In 2017, He received a Travel Award from the National Environmental Monitoring Conference, in recognition of his distinguished presentation. The American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Division of Environmental Chemistry awarded He a Certificate of Merit Award in 2016, a Best Paper Award in 2014, and a Certificate of Merit Award in 2014.

While He has contributed significantly to the university, GSA, and his field in his six years at UMBC, he shares that he is also grateful for the support he has received from the UMBC community in that time, saying, “The research and travel grant from Graduate Student Association and the support from Graduate School for parental leave offered me more opportunities and balanced my life and doing research.” He plans to continue research in environmental engineering through a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Joshua Massey
B.S., Computer Engineering
Hometown: Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Plans: Master’s in teaching, UMBC

UMBC’s values and commitments to diversity, education, and social justice allowed me to grow into the interdisciplinary thinker, problem-solver, and leader I am today.

Joshua Massey, president of UMBC’s Student Government Association (SGA), has been recognized across campus and by university partners for his leadership, his enthusiasm for community connections, and his passion for technology in education. 

Massey was one of the first recipients of the Northrop Grumman Scholarship for increasing the number of undergraduate and graduate students in the United States pursuing degrees in computer engineering and electrical engineering. Through the program, Massey had the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and attend mentoring events. Massey is a member of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, and also received the Meyerhoff National Security Administration Scholarship, which enabled him to connect with industry mentors regularly and to participate in monthly seminars.

In addition to receiving mentorship from faculty and professionals in technical fields, Massey also provided support to others as a peer mentor and a teaching fellow for a course in computational thinking and design.

On campus, Massey is known for his enthusiasm for the UMBC community. He served as a “Woolie”—a Welcome Week student leader—in addition to serving as SGA senator and chief of staff, before being elected SGA president.

One of Massey’s most memorable SGA moments was the 2017 SGA summer retreat, which he attended as incoming president. “At our annual summer retreat, new and returning students involved in SGA learn about the history and values of UMBC and the SGA, work cooperatively on plans for an upcoming year of campus change, and build relationships with one another as we continually create the story of SGA at UMBC,” Massey explains. He enjoyed facilitating sessions on the important role of students in UMBC governance.

Massey will continue on at UMBC after graduation, pursuing a master’s degree in teaching, with a focus on educating students in tech fields. “Looking forward to a future career in education and advocacy, I am reminded of the strong sense of community and shared ownership that is present at the University,” he says. “I look forward to carrying that forward in life.”

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Max Poole
B.S., Computer Science, B.S., Mathematics, B.A., Economics
Summa Cum Laude
Hometown: Takoma Park, Maryland
Plans: Site Reliability Engineer, eBay

UMBC provides extensive opportunities and support for students to get engaged and involved in service beginning in their freshman year. The UMBC Shriver Center has been incredibly supportive of every service endeavor I wanted to do.

Max Poole wants to live in a society where everyone can access an education, is informed, is open to hearing new ideas, and is willing to work together to achieve great things. With this ideal in mind, he is completing three majors in three different colleges, which has enabled him to explore problems from a range of angles. He has also pursued collaborative service-learning opportunities through the Shriver Center since his freshman year, with a focus on promoting college with middle school students and boosting access to computer science education.

“The amount of students with access to computer science in middle school is minuscule,” says Poole. Knowing that computing skills will be important for many kinds of jobs of the future, he suggests, “If you can get kids interested, learning, engaged, and involved as early as possible it prepares them to be successful.”

Poole has been recognized for his commitment to service with the 2016 Newman Civic Fellowship. He is also a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar and a member of the Honors College, with stellar academic achievements that have garnered him recognition through the national honor societies Pi Mu Epsilon and Phi Beta Kappa.

“I have this need inside of me that pushes me to always be improving the world and myself, to create and collaborate,” explains Poole. “I feel like service is deeply ingrained in my DNA. It is something I have to do.”

Beyond UMBC, Poole even pursued service opportunities while a summer intern at eBay. He looks forward to resuming those projects when he begins a full-time position with the company after graduation.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ‘11 for UMBC.

Priyanka Ranade
B.S., Information Systems
Cum Laude
Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland
Plans: Cyber Software Engineer, Northrop Grumman Corporation

As a woman minority in technology, I got to immerse myself in a community full of advocates who helped me see the potential I didn’t always see in myself. I learned that as long as a student is willing to work hard and has that drive to take their passion to unimaginable heights, the opportunities will be endless at UMBC.

Priyanka Ranade refers to joining the Cyber Scholars Program, through the Center for Women in Technology (CWIT), as the “greatest turning point in my undergraduate career.” The support and guidance Ranade received as a Cyber Scholar helped her excel in the classroom and as a researcher, and encouraged her growing fascination with cybersecurity issues.

“UMBC has continuously given to me as long as I worked hard,” Ranade said, who recently received the Student Leadership Award for Information Systems. “‘Working hard’ is built into the faculty and student body and it spreads to everyone who steps foot onto this campus. I know that I will always carry the UMBC grit with me with any opportunity I take in the future.”

As a student in UMBC’s accelerated B.S./M.S. program in information systems, Ranade conducted research alongside Anupam Joshi, chair and professor of computer science and electrical engineering. In Joshi’s lab, she studied how advanced computing techniques can be used to more accurately identify cyber threats. She is particularly interested in an aspect of cybersecurity called multilingual representation, which utilizes natural language processing to understand cyber threats in a range of natural languages. She recently presented on this research at URCAD 2018.

Beyond her UMBC research, Ranade worked as a cyber strategy intern at Northrop Grumman in 2017, where she received mentorship from several UMBC alumni. This led to a full-time job offer, which she will begin after graduation.

Looking back at her time at UMBC, Ranade reflects that the UMBC community matched high expectations with strong support, and that combination was invaluable to her. “From an academic standpoint, my passion for cybersecurity grew stronger through all of the interactions I have made with faculty and the technical student body,” she says. “Working to reach my goals became second nature to me when I realized I had help everywhere I looked.”

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Kourtney Rutkowski
B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Psychology
Cum Laude
Hometown: Bel Air, Maryland
Plans: M.S., mechanical engineering, UMBC

UMBC has also helped to grow my leadership skills, my confidence, and has opened my mind in so many ways.

Kourtney Rutkowski enjoys being the first, particularly when it comes to unique learning experiences. As an engineer with an interest in cross-cultural exchange, she was UMBC’s first student to participate in a semester-long study abroad at the University of Porto in Portugal, and one of the two first students to participate in a winter study abroad at the University of Kassel in Germany, after UMBC initiated research and education partnerships with both institutions.

Home at UMBC, Rutkowski has participated in the Grand Challenge Scholars Program and Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) Scholars Program. She is a member of the Honors College and Tau Beta Pi, the honors society for engineering. She has held leadership positions on the CWIT student council, in Tau Beta Pi, and as a UMBC Eco-Ambassador, and she currently serves as the inaugural student president for the Grand Challenge Scholars Program Student Organization. Additionally, she has worked as a teaching fellow for multiple courses, most recently as a lead teaching fellow for statics.

Rutkowski shares that mentors across campus have provided her with valuable guidance related to research, career options, and pursuing opportunities abroad. She worked most closely with Anne Spence, former professor of practice at UMBC; Jamie Gurganus, associate director for engineering education initiatives; Marc Zupan, associate professor of mechanical engineering; and Neil Rothman, professor of practice in mechanical engineering.

As a student in the integrated B.S./M.S. mechanical engineering program, Rutkowski will remain at UMBC after graduation to complete her graduate degree, before moving on to opportunities in industry and, perhaps, a Ph.D. and mechanical engineering teaching career of her own.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Bryan Vanek
B.S., Computer Science
Minor: Mathematics
Cum Laude
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland
Plans: Computer Network Operations Development Program, U.S. Department of Defense

If it weren’t for the incredible mentors, teachers, and students at this school, I would not be the security researcher and professional that I am today.

When Bryan Vanek transferred to UMBC from Frederick Community College, he focused on building connections with classmates and professors, which proved incredibly valuable as he developed a passion for computer science and cybersecurity, and sought out new opportunities to grow.

Vanek became president of UMBC’s Cyber Dawgs team, which took first place at the 2017 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. Following that major victory, he has continued to serve as Cyber Dawgs president, while also participating in other cybersecurity competitions, including the international DEFCON Wargames competition, where he placed 42nd overall.

The Center for Women in Technology provided mentorship and support to Vanek, who is a Transfer Scholar in Information Technology and Engineering (T-SITE) Scholar. He says that the Cyber Dawgs team and CWIT program have helped him to develop skills necessary for success in a computer science career. Vanek gives back by serving as a mentor in cybersecurity at Exerceo, a nonprofit which provides skill development opportunities to high school students, college students, and young adults.

Vanek also completed an internship at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) while at UMBC. That position led to an exciting job offer for him, as a member of the Computer Network Operations Development Program at the DoD. Vanek credits “professors that continually showed a vested and fervent interest in my success” and UMBC’s connections with a robust networks of employers with empowering him to plan and pursue a cybersecurity career.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

As a scientist interested in cross-disciplinary research, UMBC faculty have supported me in confidently conducting research and co-authoring work in scientific journals in research projects that combine chemical engineering with electrical engineering, biology, and chemistry.

When Naomi Mburu arrived at UMBC, she hit the ground running and never turned back, as an exceptional student, researcher, peer mentor, campus leader, and passionate advocate for increasing diversity in STEM fields. She is a Meyerhoff Scholar and MARC U*STAR Scholar, and the first UMBC student to receive the Rhodes Scholarship. In 2016, she was also one of three chemical engineering undergraduate students to receive the highly prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship.

Mburu has conducted research at UMBC and around the world, including under the direction of Gymama Slaughter, associate professor of computer science and electrical engineering, to develop a bioreactor to extend the viability of human organs awaiting transplant. The project involved developing sensors to track glucose and lactic acid levels to ensure that the organs remain healthy as they are transported to a recipient.

Mburu’s work with mechanical engineering faculty at Vanderbilt University formed the basis of her application for the Goldwater Scholarship. She has also brought her passion for engineering and research to internships at Intel, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland. She recently was one of 500 students from around the world selected to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, which bring together researchers from around to world to promote collaboration across generations, cultures, and disciplines.

Outside of the classroom, Mburu served as president of the UMBC chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and also served as the Pre-College Initiative chair for the organization. The national NSBE organization presented Mburu with the Region II Executive Board Member of the Year award. She also received the Academic Achievement Award at the 2018 Black Engineer of the Year Award Gala.

As a Rhodes Scholar, Mburu will attend Oxford University in England to pursue her Ph.D. in engineering.

Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.