THE YEAR IN REVIEW ACADEM I C Y EA R 20 1 9 – 2 0 2 0
As I look back over the two years since my arrival at Simmons, the range of accomplishments, challenges, and worldchanging events we have experienced are truly breathtaking. Within COCIS, we have adopted a new mission, vision, and values; collaboratively developed a new strategic plan; launched the COCIS Innovation Fund to support strategic initiatives; earned AACSB reaccreditation; and packed all of our offices to begin the move to our new home in One Palace Road. Meanwhile, as shown throughout the pages of this report, our individual faculty, staff, and students have continued to make an impact on the Simmons community and on the world around us.
A NOTE FROM THE DEAN
We are of course now living through a time that is in many ways unprecedented in our country’s history: a global pandemic, national protests about structural racism and inequities, and an economic crisis that continues to unfold. The impact of these events on higher education is almost unimaginable. In March, Simmons, like most other universities in the country, moved all of its instruction to online education within a period of just ten days. This fall, Simmons will deliver all of its instruction online, and many other institutions are following suit. We are fortunate to be able to leverage our extensive experience with online instruction, our own internal Simmons Online resources, and our 2U partnership to develop high-quality online courses, and will also create a fully realized online cocurricular student experience. As I look ahead, despite the challenges and uncertainties, I hold great optimism for the future. I have seen how our faculty, staff, and students have come together during a global crisis to support each other, adapt, thrive, and grow. The Simmons mission—to provide transformative learning that links passion with lifelong purpose—is more relevant than ever, and we move forward determined to live up to these inspiring words.
Regards, Marie
MISSION, VISION, VALUES Vision
The College of Organizational, Computational, and Information Sciences at Simmons University integrates the disciplines of business, computing, mathematical, information, and library sciences, cultivating achievement and mastery through the creation, exploration, preservation, synthesis, and dissemination of knowledge. Our community of educators and learners is committed to the intellectual, personal, and professional growth and creative expression of our students, faculty, and staff. We nurture a supportive and collaborative environment by embracing the principles of diversity and identity inclusion, developing the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, and principled leaders who can solve the global challenges of the 21st century.
COCIS will address global challenges facing society by applying data, information, and computation to innovate, collaborate, transform organizations, and increase the common good. Our highly collaborative, cross-disciplinary environment will nurture emerging leaders who are dedicated to making a difference in the world by understanding and leveraging the interrelatedness of information, people, and the world around us.
• Creativity and Innovation • Respect and Compassion • Excellence and Achievement • Diversity and Equity • Integrity and Authenticity • Teamwork and Collaboration
MISSION STATEMENT
The core values by which COCIS prioritizes and guides the implementation of its mission and vision are:
IFILL BY THE NUMBERS
Values
MISSION, VISION, VALUES
Mission
79
408
62 FTE, including crossCollege appointments
Graduate: 313
Tenured: 24 Tenure-Track: 14 Contract: 17 Adjunct: 46
Undergraduate Majors: 43
Faculty
9
Professional and Administrative Staff
COCIS BY THE NUMBERS
71
Student Workers
Degrees Granted
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS all areas offered as a major and minor, unless otherwise noted
Graduate: 877
Accounting Arts Administration (joint) Biostatistics (minor only) Business Management Chemistry Management (joint) Computer Science Computer Science + Library and Information Science (3+1) (BS/MS) Data Science & Analytics
(major only)
dual programs: 17 multiple majors: 7 undergraduate minors: 47 multiple minors: 2
1,049 Students
dual programs: 94
Undergraduate Majors: 98
multiple majors: 15 undergraduate minors: 78 multiple minors: 6
Doctoral: 22
Economics & Mathematics (major only, joint)
Finance Financial Mathematics (major only) Healthcare Management (minor only)
Summer 2019: 12 Fall 2019: 33 Spring 2020: 26
16,933
31,226
Graduate: 6,327 Undergraduate: 10,606
Credit Hours
Information Technology Information Technology + Cybersecurity (minor only) Information Technology + Library and Information Science (3+1) (BS/MS) Leadership for Social impact (minor only)
Alumnae/i
Graduate: 21,806 Undergraduate: 9,959 The statistics and information included in this booklet were collected and compiled prior to June 30, 2020.
Marketing Mathematics Public Relations and Marketing Communications (joint)
Scientific Computation (minor only)
Retail Management Statistics Web Design & Development
PLAN Undergraduate Program PLAN Courses: 9 (BOS, LDR, LC) Plan Advisors: 3
GRADUATE PROGRAMS Library & Information Science LIS: Archives Management Concentration LIS: Cultural Heritage Informatics Concentration LIS: Information Science and Technology Concentration LIS: School Library Teacher Concentration LIS: Archives Management + History (dual degree) Children’s Literature + Library Services for Children (dual degree)
CERTIFICATES Inter-Professional Informationist Certificate Archives Management Certificate School Library Teacher Licensure Certificate
DOCTORAL Library & Information Science
INTERNSHIPS COCIS students engage in internships during their course of study, preparing them for their future careers. Handson experience connects workplace learning and academic coursework, allowing students invaluable insight to their chosen field before graduation. The list below highlights some of the places our students have held internships. School of Business • Biogen
• Education First
• The Boston Ballet
• Howland Capital
• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Northwestern Mutual • PUMA
• Communities for People, Org. School of Library and Information Science (LIS) • Salzburg Global Seminars
• Boston University
• Tufts
Division of Mathematics, Computing, and Statistics (MCS) • Big Data Research Experience for Undergrads (REU), New Mexico State University • Clearly Innovative, Inc.
91%
• GreenChoice • John Hopkins University • MITRE • NASA
Simmons grads employed (FT+PT) or in grad school
Simmons grads employed in field related to their major or program
97%
Simmons offers a variety of opportunities to learn and grow as both an academic student and as a leader in the community—take every opportunity that comes your way, you never know what experience will be the catalyst for a lifelong passion.” —MEGAN LUDGATE ‘16
COMMUNITY & MENTORING
• Akamai Technologies
DEAN’S FELLOWS SLIS offers Dean’s Fellowships, which include an award package of a scholarship and assistantship. Each Fellowship is a one-year (three-semester) appointment, with the possibility of renewal for successive appointments. Dean’s Fellows have the opportunity to work closely with faculty, staff, and students on a variety of projects. • Dean’s Fellow for Information Technology Support • Dean’s Fellow for Events and International Programs Coordination • Dean’s Fellow for Social Media and Communications • Dean’s Fellow for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiatives
COMMUNITY & MENTORING
• Dean’s Fellow for Information Analysis
PROVOST’S AWARD The Simmons University Provost’s Award for Student-Centeredness in Graduate Teaching is presented annually to a faculty member who has provided stellar guidance and instruction for graduate students. Associate Professor Laura Saunders (LIS) was presented with the 2019 Award.
UNIVERSITY FELLOW FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Assistant Professor Sarah E. Pratt (LIS) is the Simmons Community Engagement Faculty Fellow for 2020–2021, bringing her passion for social justice and community engagement in archival studies to inform Simmons programming and activities.
LAURA BUSH 21ST CENTURY EARLY CAREER DEVELOPMENT GRANT Assistant Professor Rebecca Davis (LIS) received a Laura Bush 21st Century Early Career Development Grant for $140,834 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The grant will fund her research into the experience and use of academic libraries by African American undergraduate students. The two-and-a-half-year project will include interviewing African American undergraduates at three types of four-year universities: Liberal Arts, Research Intensive, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in four U.S. geographical regions.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM DEPARTMENT LIFE
Simmons Undergraduate Symposium The Simmons Undergraduate Symposium is a day-long event that recognizes exemplary undergraduate student research and creativity across disciplines. Students present their work in panel sessions, poster and artistic exhibits, digital media, and performance art. In 2019, MCS students Teriyana Cohens ‘19, Michelle Medici ‘19, Pam Qian ‘19, and Patrice Miller ‘19 were selected to present a keynote on their collaborative project, “Digitizing Court Records: Creating an Interactive History of Enslaved Peoples’ Incarceration.” The project was suggested to the group’s advisor, Amber Stubbs (MCS) by Jessica Parr (History), and is a prime example of how history and technology can work together to create a more complete narrative. Semi-Annual Health Care Forum The School of Business invites experts to campus for panel discussions on vital topics, such as the cost of prescription drugs in the United States; nurse staffing and patient safety; and the complexities of mergers in health care markets.
SharkHack SharkHack is Simmons University’s annual hackathon, a 24-hour period where students brainstorm, design, and code any project of their choice. Participants compete and win prizes for Best Social Good Hack, Best Machine Learning, and Best UI/UX Design. SharkHack welcomes students of all levels and offers an inclusive environment for women and nonbinary students. Organized by undergraduate students, the event also features on-site interviews with sponsor organizations, workshops on innovative technologies, internship and career advice, and even a late-night Zumba class. Past attendees have secured internships at SharkHack, and built lasting professional networks. Annual Allen Smith Symposium School of Library and Information Science faculty, students, and area professionals engage in discussion on relevant topics in archives. The event features guest speakers for panel discussions and a second day devoted to working groups. Recent symposium themes include “Innovation and Inclusion: Technology, Ethics, and the Future of LIS” and “From Community to Curriculum: Translating Social Responsibility into Archival Education.” SLIS Spring Career Fair and Career & Internship Fair for Undergraduates Every Spring semester welcomes two careerdevelopment events to campus, one for undergraduates and the other tailored to SLIS students. Students and recent alumni are welcome to network with potential employers to set up interviews and share resumes for open staff and intern positions.
FACULTY AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS COCIS Faculty members are award-winners, recognized by Simmons and beyond for contributions to their fields.
FACULT Y ACHIEVEMENT
Diana K. Trust Professorship in Leadership Development Associate Professor Špela Trefalt (Business) is the faculty recipient of a Simmons endowed chair, the Diana K. Trust Professorship in Leadership Development. An expert on women’s leadership, Professor Trefalt’s scholarship focuses on how professionals manage the demands of work and life outside of work. She is developing two-credit leadership courses for Honors students that focus on a “coach approach” to leadership and building a cadre of student leaders trained as peer coaches. She will use these courses as the basis for a research project that will help to advance Simmons’ reputation around leadership development.
FACULTY PUBLICATIONS/EXHIBITS
5 Books 14 Articles
60 Presentations 3 Grants & Fellowships
2020 AAAI/EAAI Outstanding AI Educator Award Dean Marie desJardins received the 2020 AAAI/ EAAI Outstanding Educator Award for her leadership and contributions in the field of artificial intelligence education and diversity.
2019 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Award Associate Professor Rong Tang (LIS) was awarded a 2019 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program award for the project “Retooling the Librarian Workforce: Innovative Post-Master’s Certificate Program for Developing Inter-Professional Informationists (IPI).” This award of $418,951 is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Inter-Professional Informationist certificate was launched in Fall 2019.
University of Mary Washington Historic Preservation Book Prize for 2019
Election to President of ASIS&T and Best Information Behavior Conference Paper Award
Professor and Dean Emerita Michele Cloonan’s (LIS) book, The Monumental Challenge of Preservation: The Past in a Volatile World, received the University of Mary Washington Historic Preservation Book Prize for 2019.
Associate Professor Naresh Agarwal (LIS) was elected President of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T). Agarwal has shown his dedication to supporting ASIS&T since joining as a student member.
Healthcare Strategist of the Year
NEW PROGRAM Simmons launched a new dual degree program in engineering with Columbia University in New York City, to start in Fall 2021. Successful graduates earn a Bachelor of Science from Simmons and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Columbia.
FACULT Y ACHIEVEMENT
Professor of Practice Todd Herrmann (Business) received the Healthcare Strategist of the Year award from the New England Society for Healthcare Strategy, a 250-member organization of practitioners in planning, business development, and physician relations in the healthcare arena. The award was presented to Herrmann on October 19 at the Fall Conference, “Making Sense of CINs: Winning Strategies for the Next Evolution” in Westborough, Massachusetts.
Associate Professor Agarwal and SLIS doctoral student Wenqing Lu are the recipients of the Association for Information Science and Technology Special Interest Group for Information Needs, Seeking, and Use’s (ASIS&T SIG USE) Best Information Behavior Conference Paper Award 2020 for their co-authored paper, “Response to non-response: How people react when their smartphone messages and calls are ignored.” The study demonstrates how relationships play out in smartphone-based communication and what we can do to make them better.
SABBATICALS, MILESTONES & PROMOTIONS
NEW FACULTY
Sabbaticals
• Sumayya Ahmed (LIS)
• Arianna Lechan ‘10 (LIS)
• • • •
• Rhiannon Bettivia (LIS)
• Ray Pfeiffer (Business)
• Denise Carroll ‘04 Computer Science (MCS)
• Sarah Pratt ‘12MS (LIS)
Margaret Menzin (MCS), 2019–20 Laura Saunders (LIS), 2019–20 John Lowe (Business), 2019–20 Yulong Li (Business), 2019–20
FACULT Y ACHIEVEMENT
Milestones • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Erin DeCurtis (Business), 5 years Jane Hughes (Business), 5 years David Morgan (MCS), 5 years Naresh Agarwal (LIS), 10 years Melanie Kimball (LIS), 10 years Katherine Wisser (LIS), 10 years Patricia Deyton (Business), 15 years Daniel Joudrey (LIS), 15 years Amy Pattee (LIS), 15 years Indra Guertler (Business), 20 years Jeannette Bastian (LIS), 20 years, granted Emerita status Nanette Veilleux (MCS), 20 years Susan Sampson (Business), 25 years Mary Shapiro (Business), 30 years Margaret Menzin (MCS), 50 years
Promotions • • • • •
Peter Botticelli, Associate Professor (LIS) Viktor Grigoryan, Associate Professor (MCS) Colin Rhinesmith, Associate Professor (LIS) Amber Stubbs, Associate Professor (MCS) Mindy Nitkin, granted Emerita status, (Business)
• Kwamie Dunbar (Business) • Adam Kriesberg (LIS)
RETIRING FACULTY • Stacy Blake-Beard (Business)
(Mathematics) • Cynthia Ingols (Business)
• Robert Coulam (Business)
• John Lowe (Business)
• Gary Gaumer (Business)
• Cathy Robbins (Business)
• Bob Goldman
• Donna Webber (LIS)
INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION Our faculty engage in a range of interdisciplinary collaboration, including:
• Professor of Practice Mary Shapiro (Business), Professor Stacy Blake-Beard (Business), Associate Professor Margaret Costello (Nursing), Associate Professor of Practice Shelley Strowman (Nursing), Associate Professor of Practice Shira Birnbaum (HPED), and graduate students Cassidy Swartz and Vail Cort collaborated on a research survey and presentation, “Getting Close...But Not Too Close: Mentoring in the #MeToo Era.” • Professor Nanette Veilleux (MCS) and Associate Professor Lisa Hussey (LIS) traveled with students Vanessa Burns ‘20 and Heather Moeykens ‘18 to Rwanda. They worked with the Maranyundo Girls School in Nyamata to collaborate with the computer science instructors and organize the fiction and related materials in the library.
• Professor Donna Beers (MCS), Associate Professor Yulong Li (Business), and Associate Professor Sue Sampson (Business) collaborated to create a course on supply chain economics. Their course proposal was selected as a Simmons World Challenge, a special interdisciplinary, experiential, and student-led course, designed to empower sophomore students with the knowledge and skillset necessary to tackle pressing social problems facing local, national and international communities. • Professor Margaret Menzin (MCS), Professor Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield (Chemistry & Physics), Assistant Professor Anthony Scotina (MCS), Associate Professor Amber Stubbs (MCS), and Associate Professor Anna Aguilera (Biology) submitted a proposal, “Integrating the Natural and Computational Sciences” to the “Imagining the Future of Undergraduate STEM Education” Symposium sponsored by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. • Assistant Professor Anthony Scotina (MCS) participated in preparation of an HHMI (Howard Hughes Medical Institute) grant proposal for inclusive excellence back in Fall 2019, which included faculty from CNBHS. • Professor of Practice Todd Herrmann (Business) taught DPT 743 Principles of Practice Management to secondyear Physical Therapy doctorate candidates. • Associate Professor Amber Stubbs (MCS) taught CS 112LC Introduction to Programming with Assistant Professor Kris Erickson (Communications) on storytelling.
FACULT Y ACHIEVEMENT & COLL ABORATION
• Associate Professor Peter Botticelli (LIS) cowrote “Educating Library, Archives, and Museum Professionals in the US: Promoting Collaboration, Recognizing the Power of Information and Object,” which will be published as a chapter in a forthcoming book entitled: Libraries, Archives, and Museums in Transition: Economic Considerations (Routledge). The book consists of case studies of libraries, archives, and museums, with the particular goal of understanding how these institutions are adapting to the challenges of working with digital information and user populations that increasingly expect rich online as well as in-person experiences.
• Assistant Professor Rachel Williams (LIS) and Assistant Professor Lydia Ogden (Social Work) have collaborated on a project to prepare librarians to support patrons in crisis at public libraries.
LEADERSHIP TEAM
DEAN’S ADVISORY COUNCIL
• Marie desJardins, Dean
• Bonita L. Betters-Reed
• Lynne Boyles Marino '81
• Cathy Robbins, School of Business Director (outgoing, through Spring 2020)
• Lenore Epstein Blum '63
• Maryann Parker-O'Toole '88MS
• Ray Pfeiffer, School of Business Director (incoming, as of Fall 2020) • Sanda Erdelez, School of Library and Information Science Director • Nanette Veilleux, Division of Mathematics, Computing, and Statistics Director (outgoing, through Fall 2020)
COLLEGE LEADERSHIP & STAFF
• Amber Stubbs, Division of Mathematics, Computing, and Statistics Director (incoming, as of Spring 2021)
• John H. Campopiano '13MS • Christine Bailas Cook '74 • Beatriz A. Datangel '11 • Ruthe Farmer • Priyal Goyal '14 • Cheryl Doddy Howard '71 • Enna E. Jimenez '91, '06E
Em Claire Knowles is the recipient of the Simmons Alumnae/i Association’s 2020 Priscilla McKee Award for exceptional service. Knowles is also the 2020 winner of the American Library Association Equality Award for her lifetime of work on issues surrounding Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the library community.
• Charlotte M. Streat '00MBA • Maureen Thornton Syracuse '68 • Ernesto A. Valencia '00MS
NEW STAFF • Joe Braitsch, Director of Operations, COCIS Dean’s Office
Em Claire Knowles
• Amy E. Ryan P '10
• Khari Linton, Executive Assistant, COCIS Dean’s Office
• Sephora Hollant, Executive Assistant, COCIS Dean’s Office
STAFF PROMOTIONS • Kendra Giannini, Academic and Analytics Specialist, COCIS Dean’s Office
RETIRING STAFF • Em Claire Knowles
• Martin Mehrling, Technology Manager, COCIS Dean’s Office
STUDENT RESEARCH AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY COCIS faculty are committed to mentoring studentdriven work and independent learning.
Development Grants (Travel)
Graduate Student Professional 6 Development Grants (Research) UG Research Symposium There were a total of 10 COCIS student participants.
6 Poster Sessions 4 Student Keynote
We’re hoping to make progress in an area that has challenged speech scientists for decades: what is the mapping between prosody and meaning. This research enabled me to learn about a field that has always fascinated me.” —NICOLE RASMUSSEN ‘21
STUDENT RESEARCH & CREATIVE ACTIVIT Y
1 SURPASS Fellowships 1 SURE/UGFSC Fellowships 12 Graduate Theses 3 Graduate Student Professional
CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS
SENIOR AWARDS
ACM The Association for Computing Machinery brings together computing educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field’s challenges.
The Biostatistics Award Victoria Yordanova
STUDENT CLUBS, GROUPS & AWARDS
Business Liaison The Business Liaison works closely with the School of Business, Simmons community, and the outside professional world to provide educational, motivational, networking, and other career-related opportunities for business majors and minors. College Loops Simmons University’s Girls Who Code College Loop Chapter is an on-campus organization offering monthly challenges for all experience levels, focused on honing computer science skills and engaging members to collaborate with one another. Girl Up Simmons’ chapter of Girl Up works with the United Nations to improve adolescent girls’ health by ensuring that they have access to health information and services that are designed for them. This includes education on nutrition, HIV prevention, and information on sexual and reproductive health. Mathematics and Computer Science Liaison An organization that is open to anyone, but is of particular interest to those focused on mathematics, computer science, information technology, biostatistics, financial mathematics, and statistics.
The David S. Browder Award in Mathematics Hannah Parlman The Computer Science Award Jamie Daley The Information Technology Award Delphine Ravix The Mathematics Award Amran Hassan The Mathematics Education Award (The Marion Walter Award) Hannah Parlman The Bruce Tis Award for Excellence in Computer Science Clara Carleton The Web Design & Development Award Katelyn Kalliel
HONOR SOCIETIES Alpha Delta Sigma honor society is part of the American Advertising Federation for marketing and communications students. For membership, a student must be current in dues, be a senior or rising senior, have taken at least two advertising or marketing courses, and have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.25. Alpha Mu Alpha is committed to the advancement of excellence in the field of marketing. Alpha Mu Alpha is the national marketing honorary society for qualified undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral marketing students as well as marketing faculty.
Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) is the premier honor society for students enrolled in business and management programs accredited by AACSB International, the world’s top accreditation distinction for business schools. BGS’s membership comprises the brightest and best of the world’s business leaders and draws from students in the top academic ranks of their class. Juniors and seniors are selected based on ranking by GPA. The Society’s mission defines this lifelong commitment to its members’ academic and professional success: to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business, to
Beta Phi Mu recognizes the scholastic achievement and leadership potential of LIS graduates and fosters the values of scholarship, leadership, and service in its members. Pi Mu Epsilon is dedicated to the promotion of mathematics and recognition of students who successfully pursue mathematical understanding. To promote mathematics, the National Pi Mu Epsilon Council sponsors an annual conference in conjunction with the Mathematics Association of America’s (MAA) annual MathFest. The content of the presentation does not have to include original research. Although some presentations may impart new results, the majority often show results of exploration of a topic beyond what is traditionally covered in an undergraduate class. The Pledge of the Computing Professional is an organization that promotes the notion of computing as a recognized profession and to promote and recognize the ethical and moral behavior of graduates of computingrelated degree programs as they transition to careers of service to society.
STUDENT HONOR SOCIETIES
Beta Alpha Psi is an honor organization for financial information students and professionals. The purpose of Beta Alpha Psi is to engage with members, industry, and educational institutions associated with the Beta Alpha Psi Professions to promote academic excellence, professional development, responsible practices, advocacy, and to support the shaping of the relevant and successful evolution of education, practice, and credentialing in Beta Alpha Psi professions.
foster personal and professional excellence, to advance the values of the Society, and to serve its lifelong members.
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS MCS students Richney Chin-Chap ’22, Charlie Repaci ’21, and Natalie Starczewski ’22 participated in Broadstreet’s COVID-19 Data Project Internship. The project was a collaboration of “approximately 200 students, statisticians, epidemiologists, healthcare experts, data scientists, and other passionate professionals who are committed to having the most accurate community level data about COVID-19 positive tests and fatality rates.”
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
Annie Harriman ’21, a School of Business student, created NOSH, or Nourishing Our Scituate Heroes, a program to support local healthcare workers and first responders.
One of the best things about LIS is how it touches everything— there’s always more to learn. ... In LIS, contributing to equitable access is what drives my work.” —ALYSON GAMBLE, PHD STUDENT
Alyson Gamble, SLIS doctoral student, was awarded the ASIS&T SIG-HFIS (History and Foundations of Information Science) Bob Williams Research Grant. This grant will fund their investigations of historical approaches in the library and information science field toward providing and researching mental health information. Zhan Hu, SLIS doctoral student, served as the project coordinator for the Research Data Management Librarian Academy (RDMLA) and will continue to work on the development of new units and implementing improvements in future iterations of the RDMLA course site. MCS Students Gemma Lein-McDonough and Michelle Medici, a computer science student, presented their research in a Student Poster Session at the Space Computing & Connected Enterprise Resiliency Conference 2018 hosted by MITRE, Inc. on June 7. Lein-McDonough’s poster was, “Exploring Provisions of Instrumental Support in Online Health Communities,” and Medici’s poster (with Simmons students Eleanor Humphreys and Natalie Moore),
was “Automatic Interpretation of Speech Contours and Interlocutor Signalling.” Wenqing Lu, a PhD student, is one of the recipients of the Beta Phi Mu Eugene Garfield Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for 2020. Her dissertation title is: “Using Social Media Tools for Collaborative Learning: A Mixed-Method Study on Academic Group Work by Worldwide iSchool Students.” MCS Students Eva Lynch and Nicole Rasmussen ‘21, both computer science students, presented a workshop called “Musical Bears” to local high school students on October 26 at Simmons. They introduced Python and electronic projects through the use of Raspberry Pis, which are small computers the size of credit cards, and gummy bears.
—MAKAYLA BECKFORD ’19
Pragyee Nepal ’21 was accepted into an invitationonly program called CodeU by Google in Spring 2019. In October 2019, Nepal was the winner of an undergraduate essay contest and presented her essay at Simmons’ annual Founder’s Day celebration. Giulea Pintea ‘19 was selected for a nine-week summer research program for undergraduates, the Research in Industrial Projects for Students program at UCLA (RIPSLA), from June 25–August 24. In her research, Pintea and her teammates worked on building a convolutional neural network to predict the severity of post-treatment side effects based on given radiation therapy dosage for prostate cancer patients.
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
The School of Business introduced me to the world of networking, which is crucial. It opens the door for countless opportunities.”
Madeleine Nielsen ’21 received funding from the Passionate Leaders Project for her photo documentary series surrounding the life of a WWII veteran, Sergeant Belle Namier.
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS An alumni panel, A Conversation with Alums About Math and Careers in Math, featured Paula François ‘11, Aiza Kabeer ‘16, Aisha Lawal ‘18, Mary Kate Quigley ‘13, Nipha Saeteng Roberts ‘01, and Marissa Soucy ‘13. Mai Driesen ‘20, a Finance and Accounting major, enters the Business World through an internship opportunity at Communities for People, coordinated by Professor of Practice Cynthia Ingols.
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS
Paula François ‘11, was awarded the prestigious John D. Attaway Pioneer Award on earning her MBA at Babson College in May 2019. The Pioneer Award is one of three awards presented annually to honor John D. Attaway who, in 1956, was the first African American male to earn the MBA at Babson. The Attaway Award “. . . recognizes black MBA students who demonstrate scholarship, leadership, and service to the Babson community.” Paula is Financial Analyst at Dana-Farber Boston. Jennifer Gordon ‘02MS was awarded a $25,000 Milken Educator Award. The Milken Educator Awards aim to reward great teachers and innovators in the classroom. Gordon, who teaches students to love books and literacy learning at Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School, was praised for “making the library cool again.” Beth McIntyre ’07MS was awarded the 2019 Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Special Collections and Bechtel Fellowship Committee.
I was shocked to win the Milken Award—I’m STILL shocked. It’s really so wonderful for my school and my profession to be acknowledged like this—I’m beyond honored.” —JENNIFER GORDON ‘02MS
Sarah-Jane Poindexter ‘07MS has been selected to serve as roving archivist for the Massachusetts State Historical Records Advisory Board. The Roving Archivist Program is funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, developed to help ensure the identification, preservation, and use of the Commonwealth’s historical resources. Pam Qian ’19 worked on an intelligent tutoring system with Professors Zhiqiang Cai and Xiangen Hu of the Computer Science Department at the University of Memphis during her course of study. This research, funded by the National Science Foundation, was for AutoTutor, an intelligent tutor that communicates with students through holding conversations in English or Chinese, which Qian helped to program. Qian presented a co-authored poster and oral presentation on this research at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Computers in Psychology in New Orleans, Louisiana. Carolina Quiroa ‘21MS was the 2019 recipient of the Elmar W. Seibel Scholarship.
Jane Sánchez ‘76LS, 25th Law Librarian of Congress, is the 2018 recipient of the SLIS Alumni Achievement Award. In 2019, Sánchez was appointed Deputy Librarian for Library Collections and Services at the Library of Congress.
—PAM QIAN ‘19
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS
Ana Roeschley ’13MA/MS was awarded the 2019 SIGDL Student Engagement Award by the Special Interest Group-Digital Libraries (SIG-DL).
My long-term career goal is to become a professor. My ultimate dream is to ensure that all children have access to equal, quality educational resources, and to create edtech tools that personalize the student learning process.”
REFLECTIONS ON THE YEAR
FACULT Y REFLECTION
STAFF REFLECTION
At this time when organizations need integrated thinking and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills, COCIS seems to be ideally positioned to help our students, bringing together expertise in leadership, business, information literacy, mathematics, and computing. I'm excited to see how we can continue to collaborate in creating new pathways for students.
In this past year, I have seen the Operations team in COCIS become the solid backbone of the College. The team has facilitated efforts for faculty and students from three divisions to become one. This should make it more transparent for faculty and students to access the resources and other means for their research, such as the Innovations fund for faculty and professional development for students, to further their goals towards social justice for the betterment of the local, state, national, and global efforts.
—RAY PFEIFFER
—EM CLAIRE KNOWLES
ALUMNAE/I REFLECTION
Being a student during the early years of COCIS has been a wonderful experience. I spent time getting to know my School of Business professors and consider them the most committed group of educators, who truly care about student development. I am lucky to have made connections with people in COCIS and will always feel like I have a family at Simmons.
As an alum, it is exciting to see students join our alumnae family. COCIS continues to elevate and develop the next generation of students. They are front and center in leadership, social causes, and innovation. I’m excited to see the dedication from faculty towards growth in our diversity and inclusion initiatives.
—SIMI KAUR ‘20
—ENNA JIMENEZ ‘91, ‘06EE
REFLECTIONS ON THE YEAR
STUDENT REFLECTION
STRATEGIC PLAN EMPOWERING PEOPLE WITH IDEAS AND INFORMATION
1
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
2 3
EXPAND EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS • Focus more attention and effort on undergraduate and interdisciplinary programs
STRENGTHEN RESEARCH ACTIVITY • Build collaborations around interdisciplinary themes
4
RECRUIT AND RETAIN DIVERSE FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS • Create and support an inclusive classroom environment • Raise funding for scholarships to support diversity in our student body
5
BROADEN EXTERNAL CONNECTIONS AND VISIBILITY • Build strong alumnae/i connections • Focus on women’s empowerment and principled leadership in the College fields
DEEPEN APPLIED LEARNING • Increase and enhance student internship experiences • Create a shared creative and maker space
As part of our commitment to inclusion and equity, COCIS faculty and staff recently developed and adopted a community statement of solidarity for racial justice: simmons.edu/academics/colleges-schools-departments/ cocis/statement-solidarity-racial-justice
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
REFLECTIONS ON THE YEAR