Summer can be a great time to work on the skills that support your academic work. AOK Library’s spring workshop recordings are available for students who want to learn more about research strategies, writing, citation management, AI tools, and related topics.

We will not be offering live workshops this summer, but you can still access the recordings anytime.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@umbclibrary/videos 

Need one-on-one research help this summer? Make a research appointment with a subject librarian. 

Welcome Incoming COEIT Students!

COEIT Advising will be hosting the first of two online town halls for incoming students today from noon to one. You can sign up and join online here!

Our second Town Hall will be Tuesday, August 11th at noon. 

You can see a list of Summer COEIT Connection events on the COIET Advising Website. 

We hope to connect with you this summer and look forwad to seeing you on campus in the Fall!

In 2022, when Pam Offutt ’82, computer science, visited campus 40 years after graduating, she was taken aback by two things: how much the university had changed and how much it had stayed the same.

“While I can still see the bones of what we knew, it is almost unrecognizable,” says Pam, who loved seeing the new buildings and how much the campus had physically grown since she and her husband, Jay Offutt ’82, computer science, graduated. However, Pam was shocked to see that the percentage of women majoring in computer science had not changed much since 1982.

“We were part of the first graduating class in computer science at UMBC. It was brand new,” says Pam. “Back then, 18 percent of the computer science population was women. When I came back to campus and looked it up, the percentage was around 20 percent. And that just doesn’t sit right after 40 years.”

Determined to be part of the solution, Pam and Jay established the Pam and Jay Offutt Graduate Student Endowment in May 2026 with a transformational $1,040,000 gift. This significant investment will expand the Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) model at the graduate level, helping CWIT Scholars pursue advanced degrees at UMBC—a primary driver for moving into senior management and executive leadership roles after graduation.

While Pam’s personal experience has centered on gender equity, the Offutt endowment is designed to support any CWIT Scholar as they pursue graduate education in computing or technology, reflecting CWIT’s broader mission of inclusive excellence.

“We are tremendously grateful for Pam and Jay’s vision, which supports our commitment to inclusive excellence,” says Jeanne van Briesen, dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology. “The endowment will help strengthen the pipeline of talent prepared for leadership in computing and technology careers.”

UMBC’s CWIT program is committed to developing community members who are prepared and empowered to be change agents in creating technology workplaces that are diverse, equitable, and inclusive. The program encourages the participation and success of all students, especially those from underrepresented groups, with a nurturing and challenging community, transformative leadership experiences, and professional development opportunities. 

“The CWIT office is buzzing with happy plans for recruiting and supporting the first cohort of Offutt Scholars this fall,” says Carolyn Seaman, director of CWIT. “We are grateful for this opportunity to support so many more of our students in taking the next step toward being the tech leaders we know they can be.”

Going beyond the gift

Pam and Jay knew the problem they wanted to solve, but they took time to discuss the issue with Seaman, van Briesen, and Kim Robinson, director of major gifts in the Office of Institutional Advancement, to come up with a plan that felt like it could make a difference.

Simply funding scholarships wasn’t enough. Pam and Jay realized that in order to truly make a difference, they needed to find a way to support students throughout their academic journey. To the Offutts, the solution was simple—mentoring and leadership development.

Offutt Scholars will receive a financial award for two years to defray school expenses, participate in leadership development, mentor undergraduate CWIT Scholars, and be mentored by more senior alumni with similar professional interests. The endowment will also support staff and programming for Offutt Scholars through the CWIT Program. This investment extends beyond financial support to build a connected community across undergraduate students, graduate students, and professional mentors.

“What stands out to me about Pam and Jay’s vision is that they are not just investing in financial support for students—they are investing in a model that builds community, mentorship, and leadership that will shape how our students persist, succeed, and lead,” says van Briesen. “They asked us to think beyond access and to focus on what it takes for students to grow into leaders in the computing field.”

Pam believes deeply in mentorship. She served on the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1998 to 2004, and, most recently, served as a CWIT industry mentor. 

“What makes this gift so meaningful is the journey behind it,” says Robinson, who assisted in cultivating the relationship with the Offutts throughout their engagement with UMBC. “Pam has been engaged with UMBC in so many ways—through the Alumni Association Board, as a CWIT industry mentor, at career fairs—and that connection is exactly what led her and Jay to see this gap and want to help close it.” 

For Pam and Jay, it comes back to the experiences they had as undergraduate students at UMBC and how their careers unfolded after graduation.

Computer science pioneers

Pam and Jay both started UMBC as math majors—computer science was not yet an option—and met in Calculus 101. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl both become teaching assistants. Boy and girl form a close bond by terrorizing professors. 

“As TAs, Jay and I both had keys to the same office and we used to torture the same professors that were right across the hall from us, flipping bottle caps and stuff into their room while they were teaching,” says Pam. “So, that got the door slammed on us at least a couple of times.”

It’s the classic UMBC love story.

One semester before Pam and Jay were set to graduate, UMBC launched the B.S. in computer science. Knowing what it could mean for their job prospects and earning potential, both switched majors.

“I took a couple of extra classes and finished the B.S.,” says Pam. 

After UMBC, Pam and Jay went on to Loyola University and earned master’s degrees.

In 1988, Jay founded Offutt Associates, which later folded into Interface and Control Systems, Inc. (ICS). Serving public and private sectors, ICS provided end-to-end autonomous command and control software for satellites, operational centers, testing setups, and digital business systems. Notably, ICS technology was integrated into major aerospace and defense initiatives, including NASA’s Constellation project and the Department of Defense’s TAC-SAT tactical satellite program. Jay and his partners sold ICS to SRA International in 2008, and Jay retired a few years later.

Meanwhile, Pam took on management and leadership roles in various companies, including COO at Edaptive Systems, LLC (acquired by ManTech) and CEO at MDMeta. In 2009, Pam and fellow UMBC alumnus John duClos ’90, information systems, founded Bellese Technologies, which engineers large-scale, human-centered digital products and data solutions that improve the quality, equity, and efficiency of public health systems. As CEO, Pam made a concerted effort to hire and promote women—successfully building a workforce that was 25 to 30 percent female. It was a stark contrast to the male-dominated workspaces she had experienced throughout her career, though still not the parity she envisioned. The problem, however, was not in the motivation, but in the small pool of potential female hires.

“You can’t find women to hire because women aren’t going into tech,” says Pam. “So it’s a difficult thing.”

Pam sold the company in 2022, and now serves on its Board of Directors. Around the same time, she had that inspirational visit to UMBC where she realized that she and Jay could be part of the solution, leading to the establishment of the Pam and Jay Offutt Graduate Student Endowment.

“I want to see that needle move,” says Pam.

Name: Shruti Dharmani 

Pronouns: she/her

Semester of Internship: Fall 2025

Major: MS in Cybersecurity

Current Class Level: Master's Student

This semester I completed a(n)...: Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): Technuf LLC.

Location of the Organization (City, State): Rockville, Maryland

Title of position: Cybersecurity Intern

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:

• Performing cybersecurity analysis and threat monitoring using Technuf's proprietary product , including triaging security alerts, investigating incidents, and assisting in the detection, analysis, and response to potential threats across client environments. 

• Supporting internal research and development for company's product by maintaining 

accurate technical documentation, understanding platform integration points, assisting with 

system maintenance activities, and contributing to planning and evaluation of future 

security features and enhancements.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I first learned about Technuf through my mentor, Dr. Faisal Quader, who is also the President of the company. As someone interested in cybersecurity and research, I was excited to learn more about the organization and the work they were doing. I applied through Technuf's careers page and was selected as a cybersecurity intern. Throughout my internship, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of challenging projects, and my internship was extended multiple times as I continued to grow and contribute to the team. After graduating from UMBC, I was grateful to receive a full-time offer, allowing me to continue the journey I started as an intern.

What resources did you use to find your current experience?

Faculty Connections

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?

What I've enjoyed the most is the opportunity to continuously learn and work with a wide range of cybersecurity tools and technologies. One of the most exciting experiences was being part of the team that built CyberSafe, a cybersecurity platform that has now been launched and is being used in the market. I had the chance to work with more than six different security tools, evaluate their strengths, and help identify the best capabilities to incorporate into our product. Beyond learning how to operate cybersecurity platforms, I also gained valuable insight into how these tools are designed, integrated, and built behind the scenes. That experience gave me a much deeper understanding of cybersecurity than I ever expected from an internship.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

One of the things I'm most proud of is being involved in almost every stage of the product's development. My work included research, documentation, product development, testing, and using the platform for threat intelligence and cybersecurity operations. Seeing CyberSafe evolve from the research and development phase into a live product being used by customers has been incredibly rewarding. The trust my team placed in me, along with the fact that my internship was extended multiple times before I ultimately received a full-time offer, gives me confidence that my contributions made a meaningful impact on both the team and the product.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone or explore opportunities beyond your core area of expertise. You don't have to abandon the field you're passionate about—instead, look for ways to build complementary skills that make you more versatile. Being open to learning new technologies, taking on unfamiliar challenges, and saying "yes" to opportunities helped me grow far beyond what I expected. Every new skill you develop adds to your capabilities and prepares you for opportunities you may not have imagined when you first started.

UMBC's new MS in AI program prepares students to lead in a field reshaping education, computing, energy, data analysis, information systems, and nearly every sector of the modern economy. Designed for students seeking to go beyond a general computing degree, it offers a focused, rigorous pathway into AI research, development, and deployment, equipping graduates to drive innovation across industry, government, and academia. Apply by August 1 for the Fall 2026 program. Get more information here.

Hi everyone!

My name is Oyshi, and I'll be joining UMBC this fall as an incoming PhD student. I'm currently looking for a room or female-friendly housing starting around August 1 (my move-in date is flexible by a few days if needed).

Here's a little about me:

• Female PhD student
• Clean, quiet, and respectful of shared spaces
• Non-smoker
• No pets, but I'm comfortable living with cats or other friendly pets
• Looking for a peaceful and friendly living environment

My budget is around $500–$700/month, but I'm flexible depending on the location and what's included.

If you have a room available or are looking for a roommate, I'd love to connect. Please feel free to comment below or send me a direct message.

please contact me at(osarker1@umbc.edu)

Hi everyone! I’m a UMBC PhD student (28 y/o male) looking for a clean and relatively quiet permanent roommate to share a 2-bedroom townhouse. All genders are warmly welcome! 

📍 Location: Belwood Green, Halethorpe

• Peaceful neighborhood with a bunch of other UMBC students!

• 🚌 3-min walk to the UMBC shuttle stop

• 🚗 5-min drive to campus

• 🛒 Walking distance to Weis & Giant grocery stores

🏠 House Perks:

• Fully furnished with all necessary appliances

• 🧺 In-unit washer and dryer

• 🌡️ Central HVAC system

• 📦 Plenty of storage space in the basement

• 🌳 Personal backyard

• 🚗 Dedicated parking lot

💰 Financials & Lease:

• Rent: $572/month

• Utilities: ~$120/month (WiFi & BGE)

• Move-in Cost: First month's rent + $572 (refundable security deposit)

• Move-in Date: Flexible August Move-In (Mid to Late August)

• Note: The new tenant will need to sign a year-long lease.

If you’re looking for a great spot close to campus and want to team up, reach out!

📞 Contact me for photos and other details:

• WhatsApp: +91 8210060409

• Email: rajatj1@umbc.edu

2nd ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Polar Data Science (PolDS 2026)

November 3, 2026 in Riverside, CA, USA
Half Day workshop at the 34th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems PolDS is announcing a Call for Papers for 2nd ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Polar Data Science (PolDS 2026).

PolDS 2026 aims to connect the polar science community with the spatial computing community to foster convergent approaches that will address significant questions in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Addressing phenomena such as dynamic modeling of the ice bed, tracking the internal layers of the ice sheet, and investigating causal relationships between ice sheets, sea ice, and atmosphere requires developing new techniques for spatial and spatio-temporal data analysis, spatial machine learning, and spatial datainfrastructure.
Papers are being accepted on a broad range of topics exploring geospatial AI/ML techniques to detect novel patterns within data and promote scientific discovery in the polar regions.

Themes may include (but are not limited to):

• Improving our ability to project the future ice sheet contribution to sea-level rise across varying spatial scales
• New insights into ice-dynamics
• Improved estimate and visualization of the ice sheet and subglacial topography at a global scale
• Lining satellite-based observations of the near-surface with both atmospheric drivers and effects on the ice sheet
• Ensuring FAIR reproducibility of these scientific discoveries
• Accelerating discoveries in the polar regions with geospatial AI
• Improving our understanding of global and local sea level rise.

Submission Deadline: August 15, 2026
Call for Papers Link: https://easychair.org/cfp/polds2026
Workshop Link: https://iharp.umbc.edu/polds26/

Additional Information: 
ACM SIGSPATIAL 2026 Conference website

Ready to fund your future? Enroll in ENTR 330: Entrepreneurial Finance this Fall!

Every great startup, side hustle, or passion project needs a financial backbone. In ENTR 330, you won't just look at numbers on a spreadsheet—you’ll learn how to actually fund a business, manage cash flow, pitch to investors, and make your ideas financially viable.

Whether you’re looking to start a company now, launch a company after college or want a high-value skill that sets you apart in any career path, understanding the money side of entrepreneurship is important.

Prerequisite Note & Special Permission

The typical prerequisite for this course is completion of both ENTR 200 and ENTR 201. However, if you have taken either ENTR 200 OR ENTR 201 (but not both) and want to take Entrepreneurial Finance this fall, you may still be eligible.

What to do: Contact Kevin Fulmer directly at kevinf@umbc.edu to express your interest.

Don't let a missing half of the intro sequence hold you back from mastering your financial future—reach out today and secure your spot for the fall semester!

Course Info:  

Instructor:  Jonathan Sachs, Director of Workforce Development, Baltimore County

Meeting Time: Wednesdays, 4:30-7 pm, Bio-461