This story, by Max Cole, originally appeared here.

As the calendar turns to 2017, many Americans will be looking for a fresh start in finding a new or better job. With that in mind, analysts at WalletHub conducted a study to determine the best job markets in the U.S. and they consulted a panel of experts for context of what job growth will look like in the new year.

Christine Yee, an assistant professor of economics, spoke with WalletHub and addressed a number of issues including her prediction for the job market in 2017, the impact the new administration’s policies will have on job growth, the fields that are expected to grow most in the coming decades, the biggest challenges facing job seekers today, and the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment.

Yee described how public spending contributes to slightly more than one-third of GDP. With the incoming Trump administration, she shared her thoughts on how specific sectors of the economy could perform in the new administration.

“Given the current discussion about potential policies under the new administration, spending on defense and infrastructure is expected to increase, which would increase the number of jobs in those sectors. However, the growth in healthcare spending is expected to slow down, which would in turn reduce the number of additional jobs in that sector,” she argued.

Looking at the future of the American economy, Yee predicted that healthcare, energy, artificial intelligence, and transportation will be the fields that grow the most in the coming decades.

As many people in the workforce look for new jobs during the new year, Yee offered advice for job seekers in a competitive economy.

“We all need to have the right skill set to be competitive in a global and changing economy, and we need to adapt to new technology and workflows,” she said. “Employees and employers alike need to understand how they can bring value to their customers.”

Read the full article “2017’s Best and Worst Cities for Jobs” on the WalletHub website.

Professor Yee has research interests in health economics, public policy, applied econometrics, and labor economics. Read more about her work on the economics department website.

Image: Christine Yee speaks during a Dresher Center “CAHSS Micro Talks” event at UMBC. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC. 

January 10, 2017 by Megan Hanks

In new online degree rankings announced January 10, 2017, U.S. News has again recognized online master’s degree in information systems among the top 20 in the nation. The degree program, through UMBC’s department of information systems, appears on the publication’s 2017 Best Online Computer Information Technology Programs list.

“We continue to be proud of our strong showing in the rankings of online information technology programs,” said Julie Ross, dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology.

The online master’s program is designed for students who are advancing their education while balancing commitments to careers, family, and military service. Students and faculty in this area often complete research on topics such as health information technology, human-centered computing, data mining, artificial intelligence, and software engineering.

UMBC’s program ranked 19th on the 2017, joining other top-20 universities including the University of Southern California, New York University, Boston University, Johns Hopkins University, and Syracuse University. U.S. News also ranked UMBC’s master’s program in information systems in the top 20 in the country in 2016.

Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Psalm 42: 3-4 (NIV) - “My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joyand praise among the festive throng.”
Psalm 43: 3-4 (NLT) - “Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. There I will go to the altar of God, to God-the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!”

It is likely that this psalm was written during the exilic or postexilic period, when the people of God were not physically in the Holy City and the place of worship was in ruins. Not only that, the psalmist is persecuted by his enemies and being mocked.

Like the psalmist, in the darkest moments of our lives, when we are overwhelmed beyond what we can bear, control or understand, our faith is tested and we may wonder, “God, where are you?” In that moment, where do you go?  What is your default mode? Do you turn to distractions, other people, or do you simply rely upon yourself? The psalmist longed to go to the house of God.

When circumstances, crisis or even our sins threaten to take us far away from God and His presence, let’s be intentional to remember and proclaim together the truth of God’s faithfulness and remember His steadfast love for us as we sing praises and worship Him. As we worship Him, our perspective changes from focusing on me to focusing on who God is; the focus moves from my pain to His death on the cross for us; it changes from my sorrow to the sorrow He endured for our sins and the victory He won on the cross for us. Let God transform our worldview today as we worship Him.

-DP

Connected World has named Govind Rao, director of the Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) and professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, a 2017 Pioneer Award recipient. He joins nine trailblazers whom the magazine describes as “the disruptors forging new pathways in this ever-emerging digital age.”

During his career, Rao has created technologies that have revolutionized how doctors and hospitals provide care to patients of all ages and from around the world. “This recognition was unexpected, as it comes from a different discipline,” he said of the award. “It illustrates the power of sensor technology to have a broad impact.”

One technology Rao developed has created a more personalized approach to monitoring metabolic parameters in adults. For example, when patients have their blood pressure and heart rate checked by a medical professional, these numbers are often compared only with the average levels of the population, which may not reflect how the individual differs from the general population. Rao and his team are creating “next-generation sensors” that collect more accurate readings, and monitor and track over time individual carbon dioxide, glucose and oxygen levels. The sensors can allow healthcare providers to receive real-time data for the management of diseases such as diabetes, asthma, emphysema and lung infections. The up-to-date data will allow healthcare professionals to provide more tailored care.

As Connected World describes, Rao’s work is “aimed at giving patients better control over their personal health and enabling solutions that are specific to patients’ needs.”

Rao and his team are also known internationally for developing affordable infant incubators that are powered by solar rechargeable batteries. These devices, made from cardboard, are particularly important in preventing deaths among newborn babies in low- or middle-income countries with gaps in healthcare resources. Infants born in low-resource communities often have higher rates of mortality in the first week of life due to preventable causes such as hypothermia and sepsis, so the incubator was designed with their needs in mind.

Read “Scholars Changing our World Through the IoT” in Connected World to learn more about Rao’s work and the other Pioneer Award recipients.

Image: Govind Rao. Photo courtesy Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.