2016 GEM GRAD Lab

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THE NATIONAL GEM CONSORTIUM

2016 GEM Fellows

2016 NATIONAL SPONSOR

Getting Ready for Advanced Degrees Laboratory

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4 About GEM

Our Mission

The GEM Fellowship

Application Deadline

Applicants for MS Fellowship

Applicants for Ph.D. Fellowship 4 GEM GRAD Lab Overview 5 Letter from the President 6 GEM GRAD Lab Workshops 7 How to Apply for the GEM Fellowship 8 GEM Member Institutions 9 Fall 2016 GRAD Lab Sponsors 10 Fall 2016 GRAD Lab Speakers 37 GEM Alumni: Examples of Success 42 2016 - 2017 GRAD Lab Schedule GEM GRAD Labs are sponsored by the Intel Corporation

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ABOUT GEM Our Mission Our model is strategic and proven. We provide graduate fellowships to highly qualified individuals from communities where such talent is largely untapped. Working in partnership with leading corporations, U.S. government laboratories and many of the nation’s top universities and research institutes, we provide GEM Fellows with the much-needed financial support that is often the deciding factor in pursuing graduate education, as well as practical experience through high-level, paid summer internships.

GEM does more than provide financial support; however, we work to ensure student success in these competitive academic and professional environments with effective programs that increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation of GEM Fellows. Close to 4,000 GEM Fellows have gone on to successful careers.

The GEM Fellowship GEM offers three Fellowship Programs to GEM Member Universities. The total value of each Fellowship is between $20,000 and $100,000, depending on the candidate’s academic status at the time of application, paid summer employment, and graduate school costs.

Application Deadline Applications for GEM Fellowships are available online at www.gemfellowship.org. Submit your application, resume and unofficial transcript by October 1 for early consideration. All application materials are due by November 15. A candidate must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident at the time of application.

Applicants For MS Fellowship >> Must be a senior, Master’s Degree student of an accredited engineering or applied science program at the time of application. >> Must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 >> Full Fellows must contractually agree to intern with a sponsoring GEM Employer the summer after selection.

Applicants For PH.D Fellowship >> Must be a senior, Master’s Degree student of an accredited engineering or applied science program at the time of application. >> Must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 >> Full Fellows must contractually agree to intern with a sponsoring GEM Employer the summer after selection.

GEM GRAD Lab Overview An advanced degree in engineering or science can open doors to even more challenging and responsible careers—especially in the dynamic and sophisticated areas of high technology research. Every year a significant number of underrepresented minorities enter undergraduate engineering and science curricula; however, underrepresented minorities represent less than five percent of the recipients of advanced degrees in engineering or science.

It is GEM’s belief that if highly qualified minority students were exposed to the benefits of a career in research and technology innovation, via presentations from individuals from their communities who have received a graduate engineering or science degree and are currently successful in their careers, and were given resources on how to apply to graduate school, more students would apply and successfully matriculate in graduate engineering and science programs.

To address this issue, GEM has created a GRAD Lab, Getting Ready for Advanced Degree Lab, a comprehensive, hands-on symposium designed to excite and encourage promising under-graduate and community college engineering and science students to consider master and Ph.D. technical research programs.

The symposium will encourage their consideration of graduate engineering school by delivering vital information on the importance of research and innovation, life-long career benefits and real-world role-mode examples of success. The daylong event will help each student envision his or her future as a technology leader, successfully apply for a GEM fellowship, and gain entry to a graduate program, industry and academic professionals will share their career, graduate school, and GEM experinces with these potential graduate students.

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GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

Letter from the President Dear GEM GRAD Lab Attendee: On behalf of the GEM Executive Committee of The National GEM Consortium, I would like to welcome you to the GEM GRAD Lab program!

You have made a great decision to dedicate your Saturday to attend this Symposium. The GRAD Lab is GEM’s signature program to give you full information on opportunities available to you once you complete your undergraduate degree.

As Director of MIT Lincoln Laboratory, I recognize the importance of a graduate degree in a science or engineering field. At MIT Lincoln Laboratory 35% of our professional employees hold a master’s degree, and 41% hold a PhD. We have benefitted greatly from our association with GEM. Each year we have committed to sponsor 10 GEM Fellows, and this past summer we hosted 10 GEM interns. We have found that GEM students are well prepared for the work we do, and we plan to continue exposing our interns to interesting and challenging technology development programs.

We know you will learn a lot today. We hope the result of what you hear is your firm decision to matriculate in a STEM graduate program and applying for a GEM Fellowship. GEM’s 107 University members and over 35 GEM Employers are anxious to see your application and determine how we can help you pursue your goals!

Sincerely,

Eric D. Evans, Ph.D. Director, MIT Lincoln Laboratory President, GEM Board of Directors

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GEM GRAD Lab Workshops Session 1: Why Graduate School?

This workshop will prove the fundamental belief of the 21st century and beyond: all STEM professionals should hold an advanced STEM degree. Particularly, the participants will gather information about career and financial implications of NOT obtaining a graduate degree.

If you think all you need is a bachelors degree to be competitive in the global society or that you should work first then go back to graduate school, YOU CAN’T MISS THIS WORKSHOP! Come find out why graduate school is not an option but a necessity.

Session 2: How to Apply to Graduate School Learn the easy and efficient way to get into graduate school. There really is a process. You will find out the steps to compiling a competitive package that will give you a great advantage over the rest. This workshop should not be missed for those that want to get the highest probability to be accepted into the graduate school of their choice. Specifics will be given on how to write a statement of purpose, how to guarantee you receive strong recommendation letters, and specific tips on the application process.

Session 3: How to Fund Graduate School “Show me the Money”…and then give it to me! During this workshop you will find how to identify and apply for funding whether you are in graduate school or just finishing your first semester as an undergraduate. This information will give you the insight on how much money is available, how to find it, how to apply for it, and how to secure it! Come find out why no one should pay for graduate school if they go about it correctly!

Session 4: Voices From the Field This is where it all comes together! Through the course of the day, you know why you need to go to graduate school. You have a better understanding of the graduate programs and how to get into them. You have multiple opportunities now to make sure that you have adequate funding to finance your graduate education. Now, you have the benefit to hear from those that have done it or are currently doing it. At this workshop you will meet, see, and hear real life stories of how graduate school was/is/and will be. There will be leading faculty members, industry professionals and current graduate students on this panel. You should not miss this last workshop if you want to know the “real scoop” about graduate school!

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GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

How to Apply for the GEM Fellowship (with tips) Register Online at GEMFellowship.org Go to www.gemfellowship.org. Click on the url in the large blue box in the right bar menu to Log In to eGEM. Registering with eGEM creates an account that allows you to work on your application securely, to save draft work, and return later to complete and submit online. After registering, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with information for later use.

Complete Part I of the Application After registering, you will be directed to the application form.

Answer the questions carefully and accurately and include your resume and unofficial transcript (for each University or college attended after high school). You will need to have your employment and educational history (and, if applicable, information on research experiences) handy to complete the questionnaire. If you cannot answer all the required questions, you can save your draft application and return to the application later to complete.

Tips: 1. TYPE IN EACH EMPLOYER you worked for in the on-line application. (Simply attaching a resume and not typing in each past Employer will decrease your chances of receiving the GEM Fellowship).

2. RESUMES: Make sure your resume has been reviewed by a professional, i.e., your campus intern placement staff, English professor, etc. Please make sure you include your GPA on your resume. Please also include key words that describe your skills, like specific computer programs, e.g, MATLAB, interest in a specific research field that may be a different name than your actual major, like “nuclear engineering”, and any skills acquired on past internships e.g., “supply chain”. A polished resume makes a huge difference in the GEM application.

3. GRE SCORES are not required however they are highly recommended. Applicants are however required to answer all of the questions we ask about the GRE, i.e., the date you plan to take it, if you do not plan to take the GRE, why not, etc. as prompted about the GRE. You can scan a copy of your GRE score report to your eGEM application (i.e., you do not have to pay for an additional report). If you choose to list GEM for an additional report our code is 1305.

4. LIST 3 GRADUATE SCHOOLS: Unless you are already in a STEM Ph.D. program (or in the first year of a STEM master’s program) at a GEM school, to submit a complete GEM application you are required to directly apply to at least 3 GEM Member Universities between Nov 15–Jan 15. For Part I, you just have to list the names of 3 schools you will most likely apply to after November 15th.

Research the schools to make sure they have a program you are interested in!

The deadline to submit your complete GEM application is November 15th. The deadline to submit your STEM graduate application directly to 3 GEM member schools is January 15th.

5. DRAFT: You can save your application as a draft up until question 10 (Part I). Do not go past Part I of the application until you feel your answers are final. To have your application viewed by GEM Employers in our first review round, you must submit Part I by October 1st.

Complete Part II of the Application

by November 15th Part II requires you to submit supplemental material: Statement of Purpose—You must submit at least a one page statement of purpose that outlines your academic, research and/or career goals. For tips go to www.statementofpurpose.com.

Tip: Please focus your statement of purpose on your career/ research goals (i.e., do not focus on your deficiencies in your past, why you would make a great GEM Fellow, etc. focus on the future, how great you will be in your dream highly technical/research area of interest).

Letters of Recommendation—Request directly from 3 faculty members (preferred) or a high level technical manager (who holds a STEM graduate degree) if they are willing to complete an on-line form to strongly recommend you to receive the GEM Fellowship.

We will not accept letters via email, fax, or via postal mail, all recommendations must be attached to your electronic eGEM application. At least two of your recommenders must submit their recommendations on-line by 11:59 PM Eastern on November 15th.

Tips: 1. QUICK ON-LINE FORM: Let your recommenders know the online form takes five minutes to complete. A letter is not required, however they will have an option to cut and paste a letter as part of their electronic form submission.

2. FACULTY SUBMISSIONS SUGGESTED: Please make sure at least one recommendation form is from a faculty member.

3. STRONGLY RECOMMEND 3 SUBMISSIONS You are asked to submit 3 emails and phone numbers of recommenders. Your application will be complete if at least 2 recommenders submit.

However your application is automatically scored higher if you have 3 recommendations on file.

The strict deadline to submit a complete on-line GEM application is 11:59 PM Eastern on November 15th.

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GEM Member Institutions Universities

Employers

Arizona State University

Northeastern University

University of Connecticut

3M Company

Auburn University

Northwestern University

University of Delaware

Adobe Systems Incorporated

Binghamton University

The Ohio State University

University of Florida

The Aerospace Corporation

Boston University

Oregon State University

University of Houston

Booz, Allen, Hamilton

Brown University

Pennsylvania State University

University of Illinois – Chicago

Brookhaven National Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

Prairie View A&M University

University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign

Chrysler Group LLC

Carnegie Mellon University

Princeton University

University of Iowa

Cisco Systems

Case Western Reserve University

Purdue University

University of Kansas

Corning Incorporated

City University of New York City College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

University of Kentucky

Eaton

Rice University

University of Louisville

Exxon Mobil Corporation

Rochester Institute of Technology

University of Maryland - Baltimore County

Rutgers University

University of Maryland - College Park

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Stanford University

University of Massachusetts – Amherst

Stevens Institute of Technology

University of Michigan

Stony Brook University

University of Minnesota

Syracuse University

University of Missouri – Columbia

Johns Hopkins University/ Applied Physics Laboratory

Texas A&M University

University of New Mexico

Johnson & Johnson

Texas Tech University

University of Notre Dame

Tufts University

University of Oklahoma

Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC

Tulane University

University of Pennsylvania

Lexmark International

Tuskegee University

University of Pittsburgh

Los Alamos National Laboratory

The University of Alabama

University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez

Marathon Oil Corporation

University of Alabama in Huntsville

University of Rochester

Merck & Company Inc.

University of Arizona

University of South Carolina

Michelin North America

University of Arkansas

University of South Florida

MIT Lincoln Laboratory

University of California – Berkeley

University of Southern California

The MITRE Corporation

University of California – Davis

University of Tennessee – Knoxville

University of California – Irvine

University of Texas at Austin

National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

University of California - Los Angeles

University of Texas at El Paso

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

University of California – Merced

University of Virginia

Northrop Grumman

University of California – Riverside

University of Wisconsin – Madison

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

University of California - San Diego

Vanderbilt University

New Jersey Institute of Technology

University of California - Santa Barbara

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

New Mexico State University

University of Chicago

Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University

North Carolina A&T State University

University of Cincinnati

North Carolina State University

University of Colorado – Boulder

Clemson University Colorado School of Mines Columbia University Cornell University Drexel University Duke University Emory University Florida International University Florida State / Florida A&M University Georgia Institute of Technology Harvard University Howard University Illinois Institute of Technology Indiana University Iowa State University Johns Hopkins University Louisiana State University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Michigan State University Michigan Technological University Mississippi State University Missouri University of Science and Technology

Ford Motor Company IBM Corporation Intel Corporation

Qualcomm Incorporated

Washington State University

Raytheon Company

Yale University

Roche Carolina, Inc. Sandia National Laboratories Shell Oil Company Tyson Foods, Inc. United Technologies Research Center

BOLD - Fall 2016 GEM GRAD Lab Hosts, Cohosts and Sponsors As of September 17, 2016

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THANK YOU TO OUR FALL 2016 GRAD LAB SPONSORS Special thanks to our National GRAD Lab Sponsor

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Fall 2016 GEM GRAD Lab Speakers Ruben Acevedo Ruben Acevedo recently completed his Bachelors of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). During his undergraduate, Ruben worked in the Translational Application of Nanoscale Mulitferroic Systems (TANMS) Lab with his research focusing on designing a ferromagnetic/piezoelectric model that would reduce the energy required for processors to write data at the bit level.

Currently Ruben is pursuing my Doctorate Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). With an intent of working in the Micro Robotics Lab focusing on insect scale robotic locomotion.

Howard G.Adams, PhD Dr. Howard G. Adams is Founder and President of H.G. Adams & Associates, Inc.; a Norfolk, Virginia based company that provides consulting and training in the areas of mentoring, student development, and leadership. Howard G. Adams has written, lectured and consulted extensively on developing people in both academic and workplace settings. In 2002 the National Society of Black Engineers awarded Adams its Golden Torch Award “Lifetime Achievement in Academia.”

From 1978 to 1994 Adams served as Executive Director of the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM).

Adams holds a B.S. from Norfolk State University, M.S. from Virginia State University, and Ph.D. from Syracuse University.

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Javon Marcell Adams Dr. Javon Adams studied Civil Engineering at North Carolina State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 2007, a Master’s of Civil Engineering in 2009, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering in 2014. During his graduate studies, he was awarded the National Academies Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship, NCSU Black Alumni Society Graduate Scholarship, American Society of Highway Engineers Graduate Award, and the North Carolina Airport Association Transportation Engineering Graduate Award. Dr. Adams currently works as a research associate with the Department of Civil Engineering and with Minority Engineering Programs at North Carolina State University.

Ghidewon Arefe Ghidewon Arefe is a GEM Fellow and Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering at Columbia University specializing in nanomaterials and devices. Prior to joining Columbia, Ghidewon worked in industry at 3M, a GEM corporate partner, and Emerson Process Management. At Columbia, he has served on the board of directors for Diversity in Graduate Engineering and taught high school students through the Columbia Science Honors Program. Ghidewon received a master’s and bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Minnesota and Carleton College, respectively.

Sharnnia Artis, PhD Dr. Sharnnia Artis is the Assistant Dean of Access and Inclusion for the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. In this role, she is responsible for programs at the pre-college, undergraduate, and graduate levels to facilitate the recruitment, retention, and overall success of students from traditionally underrepresented groups in engineering and information and computer sciences. Prior to joining UC Irvine, she was the Education and Outreach Director for the Center for Energy Efficient Electronics Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Artis holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Corey Baker, PhD (GEM Alum) Dr. Corey Baker’s research interests include software defined, mobile ad hoc, and delay tolerant networks.

Corey has a pending patent for his research in delay tolerant networks and is the current CEO and co¬founder of 1 Degree Technologies LLC. Dr. Baker was a recipient of the GEM Ph.D Fellowship, Intel Scholarship, McKnight Dissertation Fellowship, and the NSF LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship. He received a B.S. degree in Computer Engineering from San Jose State University, a M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from California State University, Los Angeles, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Florida where he was advised by Dr. Janise McNair.

Donald Asher

Angel Beltre

Donald Asher is one of the nation’s

Angel Beltre completed his B.A. in Computer Science at Molloy College in 2013. He is currently a third year PhD student in Computer Science at Binghamton University, GEM University Fellow and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Bridge to the Doctorate Fellow.

foremost authorities on the graduate admissions process. Hundreds of thousands of students have seen his lectures, tapes, and teleconferences.

He is the author of twelve books, including Graduate Admissions Essays, the best-selling guide to the graduate admissions process, and The Best Scholarships for the Best Students.

He has been a contributing writer to MSN homepage, MSN Encarta, the Wall Street Journal’s CareerJournal. com and CollegeJournal.com, jobstar.org, monster. com, careerbuilder.com, the Los Angeles Times’s career development web site, USAirways magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Examiner, and Dow Jones, Inc.’s National Business Employment Weekly and Managing Your Career magazine. His work can also be found in professional journals, including national and regional publications of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals (NAGAP). Asher gives over 150 lectures per year..

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GRAD Lab Speakers Michael D. Bender Michael D. Bender is the Director of the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences (LAS) on the campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh. In this role, he works with government, academic and industry partners to investigate and implement innovative classified and unclassified solutions for tactical and strategic analytic challenges in support of Intelligence Community missions.

Mr. Bender graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Electrical Engineering. He also graduated from Loyola College of Maryland with Master of Science Degrees in Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering and currently teaches graduate courses in communications, networking and signals processing.

Jabbar Bennett, PhD

Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, PhD Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe is a Associate Professor, Soil Biogeochemistry at University of California –Merced. Her research primarily focuses on biogeochemical cycling of essential elements (esp. carbon and nitrogen) in the soil system and how physical perturbations in the environment affects stability and mechanisms of stabilization of soil organic matter.

Professor Berhe is a recipient of several awards including the National Science Foundation’s CAREER award, the Young Investigator Award from Sigma Xi, and the Hellman Family Foundations award for early career faculty.

In 1996 Dr. Berhe received a B.Sc. Soil and Water Conversation, from the University of Asmara; 2000 a M.Sc. Political Ecology from Michigan State University; 2006 Ph.D. in Biogeochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley

Ayanna Boyd-Williams

Dr. Bennett serves as Associate Provost for diversity and inclusion at Northwestern University. In addition, he is an associate professor of medicine at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine. As the University’s chief diversity officer, he is responsible for leading and coordinating efforts to create a diverse, inclusive and welcoming environment for all Northwestern community members. Before his appointment at Brown, he served on the faculty at Harvard Medical School and directed the Office for Multicultural Faculty Careers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

A. Ayanna Boyd-Williams, Assistant Dean of The Graduate College at North Carolina A&T State University has over twenty-eight years’ experience in graduate education. Assistant Dean Boyd-Williams has been an active leader in the development and assessment of co-curricular activities related to professional development core competencies and preparing future faculty. Boyd-Williams serves on the Board of the National Consortium for Graduate -Degrees For Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM) as a university representative.

Dr. Bennett received his BS in biology and minor in Spanish from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (A&T) State University, and his PhD in biomedical sciences from Meharry Medical College.

Boyd-Williams received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rutgers University and Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Cornell University. She is currently completing her Ph.D. degree in leadership studies at North Carolina A&T State University

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Ernest Brothers, PhD Dr. Ernest L. Brothers currently serves as the Associate Dean of the Graduate School at the University of TennesseeKnoxville, and the Director of the Office of Graduate Training and Mentorship.

He is also the Associate Director for Diversity Enhancement for the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Political Science. Dr. Brothers is an advocate of recruiting, retaining, and graduating more underrepresented students with graduate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). He serves as a Co-PI for the Program for Excellence and Equity in Research (PEER), a NIH funded training grant to recruit, retain, and graduate more underrepresented minorities with PhDs in biomedical and behavioral science fields. He is also the President-Elect for the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools.

Robin Coger, PhD Dr. Robin Coger appointed Dean of the College of Engineering in May of 2011. “Dr. Coger is an accomplished researcher, visionary leader, and plays a vital role contributing to the economic competitiveness of the Triad region and the state.” She is the founder and director of the Center for Biomedical Engineering Systems at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Additionally, she has assisted with the planning and establishment of the interdisciplinary doctorate program in biology at UNC-Charlotte and served as a founding faculty member of that program. Dr. Coger received her B.S. degree from Cornell University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California at Berkeley (all in Mechanical Engineering) and Post-Doctoral Research Training at Harvard Medical School.

Steve Cook Steven D. Cook is an alumnus of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s Department of Electrical Engineering (BS 1982, MS 1988). As of February 2016, Mr. Cook began service as the Technical Director for the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences (LAS), a collaborative and translational longterm research enterprise housed on North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus. Over his extensive thirtyfive-year career, Mr. Cook demonstrated his technical expertise to the global community with a productive overseas assignment in the United Kingdom. Most recently, in 2015, Steve Cook was invited to speak on Innovation-Security-Acquisition within the Government at the Government Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. His collaboration with companies such as Apple, Walt Disney Imagineering, IDEO and IBM highlighted his altruist work ethic.

Angelitha LaFawn Daniel Angelitha L. Daniel graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Materials Science and Engineering.

After graduation, she was hired as the Coordinator of Minority Recruitment for PECAP, Pitt’s Engineering Career Access Program (formerly known as the PITT IMPACT Program) In June 2003, she joined North Carolina State as Assistant Director of Minority Engineering Programs.

In that role, she was responsible for the planning and implementation of programs that assist the college in recruiting, retaining, and graduating minority students in the College of Engineering. In September 2011, Ms. Daniel began serving as Interim Director of Minority Engineering Programs. In January 2013, Angelitha was appointed Director of Minority Engineering Programs, responsible for all aspects of the program.

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GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

GRAD Lab Speakers Kenoye Eke Kenoye Eke is a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh.

He is working toward his MS in Bioengineering. Kenoye also has other degrees from Pitt including an MS in Biomedical Engineering, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering. He has earned a Certificate of Completion of the Nuclear Engineering Program at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to April 2015 he worked for an engineering team at Crown Castle International Corporation as an infrastructure manager. In addition to his work and school experience Kenoye has also been involved in several activities and societies including the National Society of Black Engineers, the EXCEL Program, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Nuclear Society.

Yazmin Feliz Growing up in Bronx, New York, Yazmin Feliz enjoyed math and science and actively participated in STEM events. During college at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, she took on leadership roles in engineering research projects. Yazmin went on to work at Johnson & Johnson where she geared her focus towards learning about the supply chain life-cycle and how innovations such as the projects she worked on, were commercialized and distributed to the end user. Currently she is pursuing an advanced degree in the Department of Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University.

Volunteering is important to Yazmin and she enjoys mentoring NYC teens and taking part in college diversity recruitment.

James Garrett, PhD Dr. James Garrett was appointed Dean of the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon in 2013. He also holds the Thomas Lord Professorship of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Prior to becoming Dean, Garrett was Head of Carnegie Mellon’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Garrett’s research and teaching interests are oriented toward applications of sensors and sensor systems to civil infrastructure condition assessment; application of data mining and machine learning techniques for infrastructure management problems in civil and environmental engineering; mobile hardware/software systems for field applications; representations and processing strategies to support the usage of engineering codes, standards, and specifications; knowledge-based decision support systems.

He is a founding co-director of the Smart Infrastructure Institute.

John Fitzgerald Gates, PhD Dr. John Fitzgerald Gates is the Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion of The School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia.

Dr. Gates is an esteemed organizational scientist, expert in Strategic Diversity Management, and in-demand corporate strategist. He is the founder of Critically Management Consulting, an organization which guides corporations and other missiondriven organization to optimize diversity as a strategic asset. Previously, he has held the roles of Associate Dean of Harvard College; Chief of Staff at the University of Vermont; Executive Director of Global Operations at NYU. He holds a bachelors degree from Morehouse College, a Master’s degree from New York University, a Ph.D. from the University of London, and an Advanced Certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

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GRAD Lab Speakers Tamika Gordon Tamika Gordon completed her B.S. in Computer Engineering at Northeastern University in 2009. She completed her M.S. in Industrial Engineering at Binghamton University in 2013 as a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Bridge to the Doctorate Fellow. She is currently a fifth year Ph.D. student at Binghamton University with a research focus that analyzes how Medicaid payment reform impacts behavioral healthcare services in New York State.

Christopher Greene, PhD Dr. Christopher Greene is an Assistant Professor of Systems Science & Industrial Engineering at Binghamton University. His primary research interest is in utilizing quality engineering techniques to continually improve manufacturing systems. This includes, but is not limited to: Lean Six Sigma, manufacturing, supply chain management, design of experiments, decision support systems, artificial intelligence, and statistical applications. He completed a B.S. in Applied Physics at Syracuse University. M.S. in Industrial Engineering and a Ph.D. in Systems Science with specialization in Manufacturing Systems at Binghamton University.

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S. Keith Hargrove, PhD, CMfgE, PE Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, serves as Dean of the College of Engineering at Tennessee State University.

He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee State University as a General Motors Fellow, MS from the Missouri University of Science & Technology in Rolla, MO. as a National GEM Consortium Fellow, and the PhD from the University of Iowa as a CIC Fellow. He has worked at several national research laboratories, and in industry with General Electric, Boeing, and General Motors. Dr. Hargrove is also a strong advocate for mentoring tenure-track and minority faculty throughout their academic careers, and Co-Editor and contributor of “Navigating Academia: A Guide for Women and Minority STEM Faculty”, published by Academic Press (Elsevier).

Sara Xayarath Hernandez, MPR Sara Xayarath Hernández is the Associate Dean for Inclusion & Student Engagement for the Graduate School at Cornell University. In this role, she serves as one of Cornell’s five University Diversity Officers and as a core member of the Dean’s leadership team, providing vision, leadership, and overall management for Graduate School initiatives and policies related to diversity and inclusion. Hernández serves as a Co-PI for Cornell’s Alfred P. Sloan Foundation funded University Center for Excellence in Mentoring Program and previously served as a Co-PI for Cornell’s NSF funded Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and STEM Talent Expansion Programs. Hernández holds a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University and a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University.

announces undergraduate and graduate research opportunities in power systems and power electronics

CURENT Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Details: •

$4,200 stipend

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Up to $500 travel reimbursement

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Free apartment-style campus housing

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8 week summer program

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Must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident

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Women, minorities and undergraduates with disabilities are encouraged to apply

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Apply online at curent.utk.edu/reu/

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s, stem y s r e e wid grid pow Details: de: upplies, y, smart ng, u l c s in er s urit ghti • Fellowships available for M.S. or Ph.D. applicants area cs, pow ybersec cient li rgy h c effi ene oni ear s, c • Pay is $30,000 / year plus tuition waiver Res r electr nologie hicles, ersion, e e v h v n pow gap tec lectric r co • Women, minorities and undergraduates with disabilities are owe s nd ogy, e p a , b n t encouraged to apply rke nol atio tech visualiz wer ma o • Apply through UTK electrical engineering graduate program data sting, p e • Questions? Contact Ms. Dana Bryson (dbryson4@utk.edu) harv

CURENT Graduate Research Assistantships

For more information on these programs, go to: curent.utk.edu/education/university-education/ CURENT

Center for Ultra-wide-area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks

1520 Middle Drive Min H. Kao, Suite 555 Knoxville, TN 37996 865-974-9401 / ewills1@utk.edu

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GRAD Lab Speakers Christie Holland Christie Holland is the Coordinator for Graduate Recruitment and Outreach at the University of Kansas. She oversees all recruitment efforts and applications for the School of Engineering’s graduate programs. She also manages all School of Engineering scholarships, supervises the Engineering Graduate Student Ambassadors, and organizes multiple events to help students transition to graduate school. Christie received her B.A. in English and her B.S. in Journalism from the University of Kansas. She has worked for the university since 2013.

Laurence “Tony” Howell, PhD Currently, Executive Director, Educational Opportunity Program at NJIT, has 25 years of history management student services programs for underrepresented students, minorities and women.

In the past 10 years, the focus has been on STEM majors, pre-college programs (K-12) and career development activities for college-level minority students. As executive director, Tony is administratively responds to the Vice President for Academic and Student Services and supervises over 1,000 in-college students in three programs and 1,500 pre-college students in three programs. Tony Howell received a BS and MS, Sociology and Psychology (BSs); Counseling & Agency Administration (MSs) 1997-1984, from Indiana State University.

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Eric Huey, PhD Dr. Eric Huey is currently employed Intel Corporation as a Process Engineer in Hillsboro, Oregon. Dr. Huey received his Doctorate of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering from Florida International University (FIU) in Miami.

At Florida International University, his research was focused on the manufacturing of Biological and Chemical Sensors for early cancer detection. He is a past recipient of the NSF Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship, FEF McKnight Doctoral Fellowship, and a Masters and Doctoral Fellow with the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM).

Marcus A. Huggans, PhD Dr. Marcus A. Huggans, is the Senior Director, External Relations of The National GEM Consortium. Dr. Huggans primary responsibility is to recruit and conduct programming to encourage under-represented minority students to pursue their graduate degrees in STEM fields and to create and maintain meaningful partnerships to support GEM students to receive their graduate degree in science or engineering.

Dr. Huggans received a BS degree in Electrical Engineering, an MS in Engineering Management and a Ph.D. in Engineering Management, from now known, Missouri University of Science & Technology. Marcus conducted his research as a GEM fellow through the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science Inc, sponsored by Texas Instruments.

GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

Anthony Jackson Anthony “TJ” Jackson is a Senior Engineer of the Professional staff at the Johns Hopkins University-Applied Physics Laboratory. He has over 30 years of technical experience in the defense systems test and evaluation arena. In his primary task he provides the US Navy with analysis and assessment of reentry body systems deployed from Trident I/II Submarine Launched ballistic Missiles (SLBMs). TJ received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) in 1981 and his Master of Sciences Degree in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) – Solid State in 1983. His published thesis was Methods of Depositing Insulating Films on III-V Semiconductors for Device Applications. Other interests include financial/estate planning, softball, golf, travel, home improvement projects, and Washington Redskins football.

Keisha John, PhD Dr. Keisha John has spent most of her life engaged in research as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Rockefeller University. Although the scientific process and its potential to solve problems initially motivated her to pursue training in the sciences, her time spent as a scientist sensitized her to larger issues in the scientific community, especially those relating to STEM education, and the need for diversity in the scientific workforce. This knowledge and the desire to have an impact that reached beyond the research bench motivated her to pursue a career in academic administration.

Currently as the Director of Diversity Programs at University of Virginia she collaboratively establishes and implements recruitment and retention programing for students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Juanda Johnson Taylor Juanda Johnson-Taylor is the Program Manager for the North Carolina Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NC-LSAMP), a National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative, at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Prior to joining NC-LSAMP, Ms. Johnson-Taylor was a member of the NC A&T Graduate School, now Graduate College, staff where she served for six years as Assistant Director of the Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professorate (AGEP) NC-OPT-ED Program. In 2015 Ms. JohnsonTaylor was awarded the North Carolina A&T Excellence in Leadership Award in recognition of her contribution to expanding opportunities for students in STEM, specifically her work with the MORE-STEM. Ms. Johnson-Taylor received a BA in Psychology from Connecticut College and a MS in Adult Education from North Carolina A&T State University.

Shanise Kent, JD, MBA Dr. Shanise Kent is the director of Diversity Programs and Initiatives in the Thomas J Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science at Binghamton University. Her duties also include serving as the director of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, co-PI of LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate, and co-PI of the Science & Technology Entry Program (STEP).

Dr. Kent originally joined the Binghamton University campus in 2007 as coordinator of the Ronald E. McNair Post baccalaureate Achievement Program. She earned her bachelor of arts in political science, master of business administration, and juris doctor degrees from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York.

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GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

GRAD Lab Speakers Monique Kirkman-Bey Monique Kirkman-Bey is a Chicago native. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering at Howard University in Washington, DC. During her master’s, Monique focused her efforts on analog and CMOS design in preparation for future work and to gain more in-depth knowledge of the topics pertinent to a successful Electrical and Computer Engineer.

While completing her master’s, she worked as a Research Assistant supported by the Army Research Lab and Dr. Numan S. Dogan. She has published three papers with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and presented these works at the IEEE 2014 Southeast Conference in Lexington, KY. Currently, Monique is pursuing her Ph.D. In Electrical Engineering as a Title III HBGI Fellow at North Carolina A&T State University.

Peter Kofinas, PhD Dr. Peter Kofinas is a Keystone Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland. He is Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Graduate Programs in the Clark School of Engineering. He also holds affiliate appointments with the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and with the Materials Science and Engineering Departments.

Dr. Kofinas received Bachelors and Masters of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT in 1994 as part of the interdisciplinary Program of Polymer Science and Technology (PPST). He was then appointed as a postdoctoral research associate in the department of Chemical Engineering at MIT for 2 years before joining the faculty at University of Maryland in September of 1996.

Shana Lassiter, PhD Dr. Shana Lassiter is a career-long higher education administrator, with extensive experience in both public and private universities. Prior to joining Columbia as Assistant Provost, Dr. Lassiter served as Deputy to the Dean of Engineering, City College of New York; Director of Health Professions Initiatives, City University of New York; and Associate Director of Diversity, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. These experiences honed her passion for nurturing initiatives that provide access and opportunities for underrepresented populations. Dr. Lassiter’s work has been published in journals such as the American Journal of Public Health and Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. She holds an Ed.D. from Columbia’s Teachers College.

Michele Lezama Michele Lezama has held the title of Executive Director for over 15 years, first with The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and then with The National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM). Prior to her non-profit roles Lezama was Director of Satellite Scrambling Operations at HBO, Associate Director of Broadcast Operations at CBS and she held several engineering roles at IBM in both their Poughkeepsie and Brooklyn, New York facilities.

Lezama earned her BS in Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University and both her MS in Industrial Engineering (as a GEM Fellow sponsored by IBM) and MBA in Finance and Accounting from Columbia University.

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GRAD Lab Speakers Rhodes Limage Rhodesherdeline Limage completed her B.S. in Electrical Engineering at Northeastern University. She is a first year Biomedical Engineering PhD student at Binghamton University, Gates Millennium Scholar, GEM University Fellow, and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Bridge to the Doctorate Fellow.

LaRuth McAfee, PhD Dr. LaRuth McAfee joined the UW-Madison Graduate School in July 2014 as Assistant Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Funding. In this role she oversees initiatives aimed at promoting access and success for all graduate students, especially those from underrepresented groups. Key recruitment efforts include the McNair Scholars Program and Summer Research Opportunities Program, while Graduate Research Scholar communities and the Multicultural Graduate Network are primary mechanisms to support current students. McAfee additionally oversees funding programs for current graduate students, including graduate student fellowship allocations and research travel support.

A native of Ann Arbor, MI, McAfee is a chemical engineer with degrees from the University of Michigan (BSE) and MIT (PhD). Over the past decade, she has focused on engineering education, initially through a NAE-sponsored postdoctoral research project.

Dmitri Litvinov, PhD Dr. Dmitri Litvinov is a John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

He also holds joint appointments in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, in Chemistry, and in Materials Engineering. Litvinov earned his Ph.D. in Applied Physics and M.S. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He also holds a M.S. degree in Physics from the University of Miami in Coral Gables and a B.S. degree in Applied Physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

During his tenure at the University of Houston, Litvinov has founded the Center for Integrated Nano and Biosystems; raised over $9 million from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Office of Naval Research, Information Storage Industry Consortium and other agencies to support state-of-the-art research ranging from innovative information technologies to medical diagnostics; built from ground up the University-wide Nanofabrication core facility that has over 200 registered users.

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Paul McGhee Paul McGhee is a third year Title III HBGI PhD. Fellow in the Mechanical Engineering program. He is conducting his doctoral research at the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials (NSF-ERCRMB) at North Carolina A&T State University under the mentorship of Dr. Sergey Yarmolenko and Prof. Devdas Pai. His research supports the development of revolutionary new alloys for use in the human body as biodegradable implant materials. Prior to joining the Ph.D. program in Fall 2014, Paul received his M.S. (2014) and B.S. (2011) in Mechanical Engineering, both from North Carolina A&T State University. In his spare time when away from academics, Paul enjoys weightlifting, basketball, football, reading, cooking, philosophizing, and 3D printing his own creative designs.

Take a personal look at what UC Irvine has to offer.      

GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND CONCENTRATIONS

Top‐ranked university Cu�ng‐edge research Outstanding faculty State‐of‐the‐art facili�es Diverse campus community Compe��ve funding—most PhD programs offer students a 5‐year nancial guarantee.

HENRY SAMUELI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING engineering.uci.edu

Biomedical Engineering Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Civil Engineering Electrical and Computer Engineering Environmental Engineering* Materials and Manufacturing Technology* Materials Science and Engineering Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering *School‐wide Concentra�on

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Rated No. 1 by The New York Times among U.S. universi�es that do the most for low‐income students. This ranking is based on the gradua�on rate of low‐income students and the cost of a�endance a�er nancial aid.

#19

UCI has been iden�ed as having one of the top graduate schools in the U.S. GradSchoolHub.com ranked UCI No. 19 on its 2016 Best Graduate Schools in America list based on class size, faculty pres�ge and specic program rankings.

Computer Science Informa�cs Sta�s�cs SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES ps.uci.edu

Chemistry Chemical and Materials Physics** Earth System Science Mathema�cs Physics Physic and Chemistry Concentra�on**

For more information, contact:

Dr. Sharnnia Ar�s, GEM Representa�ve Assistant Dean of Access & Inclusion sar�s@uci.edu | 949‐824‐7134 h�p://tech.uci.edu/access

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ENGINEERING GRADUATE PROGRAMS AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY The McCormick School of Engineering offers PhD and MS options in: • Biomedical Engineering • Chemical and Biological Engineering • Civil and Environmental Engineering • Electrical Engineering and Computer Science • Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics • Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences (PhD only) • Materials Science and Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Technology and Social Behavior • Theoretical and Applied Mechanics In addition, McCormick offers interdisciplinary degree programs and part-time options for working professionals.

For more information: Bruce Lindvall, Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies b-lindvall@northwestern.edu mccormick.northwestern.edu/academics/graduate/index.html

GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

GRAD Lab Speakers David Menager David Ménager is a second year Ph.D student at the University of Kansas in the department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. David was accepted into the GEM fellowship and completed an internship with Adobe in the first year of his PhD. He has since worked for the Naval Research Laboratory and continues to make progress towards his degree. His research pertains to creating theories of cognition in efforts to understand the mind. Specifically, he investigates how to create a complete theory of episodic memory for computational agents. In his free time David likes to run, cook, and listen to music.

Dawit Negussey, PhD Dr. Dawit Negussey specializes in geotechnical engineering and has been engaged in research related to application and properties of innovative lightweight materials for over 20 years. Dr. Negussey earned a PhD in civil engineering from the University of British Columbia in 1985 and subsequently received a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council Fellowship. Some of his past and current professional affiliations include; Registered Professional Engineer; British Columbia, Canadian Geotechnical Society, Chi Epsilon; American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society for Testing and Materials, International Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Sigma Xi, Transportation Research Board, where he served 6 years as chair of the Committee for Soil and Rock Instrumentation.

Dr. Negussey was a senior geotechnical engineer with Golder Associates, an international geotechnical consulting firm. The 1.6 billion I15 Project; used a record volume of geofoam and was completed ahead of schedule and under budget.

Derek Novo Derek Novo conducted research in computational neuroscience for more than two years at the College of Charleston. During this time, he presented his research at 12 conferences and won over $18,000 in research grants. During his senior year, he developed functions for pre- processing fMRI scans at the Medical University of South Carolina. Currently, Derek is pursuing graduate studies in computer vision and graphics at Columbia University as a GEM Fellow of The National GEM Consortium. Through GEM, he has interned for two summers at Adobe Systems, Inc.

Christine Ortiz, PhD Dr. Christine Ortiz is the Dean for Graduate Education and Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Professor Ortiz obtained her BS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, and her MS and PhD from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, all in the field of materials science and engineering.

Dr. Ortiz’s doctoral research focused on the synthesis, characterization, physics and mechanics of a new class of novel liquid crystalline thermosets and elastomers based on diglycidyl ether of 4,4′-dihydroxy-alpha-methylstilbene.

Dr. Ortiz joined the MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering as a tenure-track faculty member and developed a research program that focuses on the multiscale mechanics of musculoskeletal and exoskeletal structural biological materials.

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GRAD Lab Speakers Zakiah Pierre, PhD Dr. Zakiah N. Pierre is the Associate Director of Diversity Initiatives at the UVA Darden School of Business.

Her role is twofold in that she supports the Chief Diversity Officer in developing the vision, strategy and action plan for a diverse and inclusive Darden and works within the Office of Student Affairs advising and coaching students/clubs. Before Darden, Zakiah served in a similar capacity in UVA’s Center for Diversity in Engineering. Dr. Pierre has several years of engineering industry experience, but much of her career post PhD has involved program development/assessment and advising for students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers; ages ranging from middle school through graduate/professional school. Zakiah has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Tuskegee University and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She lives in Charlottesville with her husband Sober, their two kiddos Kira and Amari.

Howard Cliff Ray Clifton Ray, a current National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia (UVA). Advised under Paul Yates, M.D., Ph.D., Clifton’s thesis research involves investigating the stem cell properties of perivascular cells, and perivascular stem cell therapy in ocular diseases. Clifton is also conducting collaborating research determining the role of microRNAs in diabetic retinopathy. Outside of research, Clifton has been the 2013-2015 President of the Black Graduate and Professional Student Organization at UVA. Clifton is also a UVA Going Pro Fellow, where he is receiving leadership and professional training for biomedical industry positions. Clifton received his bachelor of science in engineering within biomedical engineering (B.S.E. ’13) at Duke University.

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Amy S. Ricks Amy Ricks is the Assistant Director, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of CaliforniaRiverside (UCR). This position is the primary supervisor for the staff of the Enrollment Management Center for CNAS (EMC2). The Assistant Director coordinates planning related to EMC2 operation and improvement as a diversity trainer at UCR and another continual goal of Amy’s is to build on the strength of our campus commitment to excellence and diversity in the student body, for which UCR is already nationally recognized. Amy Ricks earned degrees in Neuropsychology & Comparative Literary Theory from San Diego State University and California State University.

Victor Robles Victor Robles is a fifth year PhD candidate in the Electrical and computer engineering department at the University of Iowa. Victor was born and raised in the small border town of Douglas, AZ. Former sundevil from Arizona State University where he acquired his BSE in Electrical Engineering and is currently doing work in the VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment for Visual Loss, looking at the effect of central corneal thickness and its relation to glaucoma and blindness, under the supervision of Drs. Mona Garvin and Randy Kardon. Goals include obtaining his PhD, and working with the industry’s leading R&D labs. His hobbies are a curious crafter, who has a multitude of interest including calligraphy, board games, and weightlifting.

As you prepare for the next phase of your academic journey, the University of Missouri Office of Graduate Studies invites you to consider our institution as your destination for an extraordinary graduate school experience.

CREATING YOUR TOMORROW

Graduate Studies at the University of Missouri A world-class research institution, the University of Missouri has a reputation for excellence that spans across 71 doctoral degree programs, 96 masters’ degree programs and a variety of graduate minors and certificates. The Office of Graduate Studies seeks to ensure that a diverse and inclusive graduate community is fully engaged in contributing to MU’s innovative research enterprise.

Explore Graduate Studies at MU. | gradstudies.missouri.edu

The University of Houston, a Carnegie Tier One Research University, is a home to 54 doctoral and 139 master’s degree programs spanning a wide range of academic and professional degree programs.

Fourteen academic colleges offer over 7,700 graduate and professional students the opportunity to develop skills while learning from faculty considered experts in their field. Students have access to both world-class research facilities and state-of-the-art libraries, and receive access to extensive support infrastructure. A cohort of over 2,000 future intellectual leaders graduates from the University of Houston with doctoral (330+), master (2,000+) and professional (1,500+) degrees each year. The UH graduate degree holders are not only ready to adjust to the rapid shifts in world economies but also are well equipped to lead the transformative changes to the benefit of the US and the world.

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Master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees

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www.uh.edu/gs

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GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

GRAD Lab Speakers Andrea Rocha, PhD Dr. Andrea M. Rocha is a postdoctoral researcher in the Biosciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She is an award-winning interdisciplinary trained microbiologist with experience in conducting leading-edge research in environmental microbiology, engineering science, aquatic sciences, bio-technology and other closely related disciplines. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, M.S. in Oceanography from Old Dominion University, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Science from the University of South Florida.

Outside of the laboratory, Andrea is passionate about science education, demonstrated by her service in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

As a member of the American Society of Microbiology’s Committee on Microbiological Issues Impacting Minorities, Andrea is a mentor and champion for women and underrepresented minorities in STEM.

Leona Rubin, PhD Dr. Leona Rubin serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies at the University of Missouri and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Graduate Education at the UM System.

In addition to her administrative leadership roles at both the campus and system level, Dr. Rubin holds the distinction of full professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine with a focused research area of cardiovascular health and disease.

Dr. Rubin received her BA from Temple University in Philadelphia, an MS from Rutgers the State University of New Jersey and her PhD from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Tiffany Simon, EdD Dr. Tiffany Simon has more than sixteen years of experience working in the field of higher education administration. She has professional experience in the areas of pre-college programs, multicultural affairs, student activities, residential life, undergraduate and graduate admissions, and graduate student affairs. Dr. Simon currently serves as the associate dean of Graduate Student Affairs at Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Dr. Simon earned her bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism from Rutgers University. She completed her M.A. degree in student personnel administration, Ed.M. in higher education administration, and Ed.D. in higher and postsecondary education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Simon was awarded the Egleston Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her exceptional achievement, leadership, and contributions to the excellence of Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Michael D. Smith, DEng Dr. Michael D. Smith, D.Eng. is the Deputy Executive Director, Internal Operations of The National GEM Consortium. Michael, known by many as “Dr. Mike”, will be responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operational, administrative, financial and board support services of the organization in our Corporate Headquarters office in Alexandria, VA. As Deputy Executive Director, Internal Operations, Michael will report to the Executive Director. Michael comes to GEM from the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where he served in the positions of Director of Programs and former Interim Deputy Executive Director. While at NSBE, he managed a budget in excess of $1.4 million for the strategic development, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of all academic, technical, leadership, international and pre-college programs. He also served as liaison to organization’s convention planning committee for several years. Michael holds a B.S. and M.S. in chemical engineering from now know as Missouri University of Science & Technology and engineering management from Texas A&M University.

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GRAD Lab Speakers Toni Sperzel Toni Sperzel is the Program Manager for the Dr. W. Burghardt Turner Fellowship program, a New York state funded, recruitment-focused fellowship program supporting the academic success of underrepresented Graduate Students across multiple disciplines at Stony Brook. She also coordinates Stony Brook’s participation in the National GEM Consortium and administers the GEM Fellowship here at Stony Brook University. Toni has a decade of experience in educational administration in multiple capacities including departmental administration, admissions and recruitment of graduate and international students and now, retention and persistence of underrepresented graduate students.

Toni Sperzel holds a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Boston College.

Dixie Thompson, PhD Dr. Dixie L. Thompson is vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. A faculty member since 1994, Thompson has been serving as associate dean for research and academic affairs in UT’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. She is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies and served as the department head from 2008 until 2012. Thompson has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

She earned a doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Virginia.

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Renetta G. Tull, PhD Dr. Renetta Garrison Tull is Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Student Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs at UMBC: An Honors University in Maryland. She is a Co-PI for the PROMISE AGEP and LSAMP programs for the University System of Maryland (USM). She also serves as Special Assistant to the USM Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and USM Director for Pipeline Professional Development Programs. Dr. Tull earned the B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Howard University, M.S. in Electrical Engineering, and Ph.D. in Speech Science from Northwestern. A former faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Tull was a 2015 “Cover Girl for Women in Data” for O’Reilly Media, and a 2015 Finalist for the Global Engineering Deans Council GEDC/Airbus Diversity Award.

Crystal Romero Upperman, PhD Dr. Crystal Romeo Upperman has been in the exposure science field for 5 years and the environmental field for 9 years. She recently earned a PhD at the University of Maryland in the Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences Program with residency in the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health (MIAEH). At MIAEH, Crystal has been involved in a national assessment of climate change impacts on people with chronic respiratory diseases across the United States in Dr. Amir Sapkota’s lab.

Crystal received a Master of Public Administration from Kennesaw State University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Spelman College. She is a recipient of the Department of Energy’s Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship, the National Science Foundation’s Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Fellowship, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship.

Advanced Collaboration.

There are 195 countries on earth.

People from 136 have come to us for a world class engineering education.

www.engineering.cmu.edu

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Dream, Inspire, Soar

Graduate Programs in Engineering and the Physical Sciences

Astronomy Biomedical Engineering Chemical Engineering Chemistry Civil and Environmental Engineering Computer Science Electrical and Computer Engineering Engineering and Society Environmental Sciences Materials Science and Engineering Mathema:cs Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Physics Sta:s:cs Systems and Informa:on Engineering

Sponsored by: School of Arts and Sciences OďŹƒce of Graduate and Postdoctoral Aairs School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Center for Diversity in Engineering Visit hAps://graddiversity.virginia.edu/ for more informaEon and applicaEon fee waivers

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GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

GRAD Lab Speakers Jeffrey Vipperman, PhD Dr. Jeffrey S. Vipperman is Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and a Professor of Bioengineering. He has been at the University of Pittsburgh since 1999.

Dr. Vipperman is a Fellow in ASME with over 80 refereed publications. His research spans the many related disciplines of dynamics, vibrations, controls, analog and digital signal processing, autonomous system health monitoring, smart materials, acoustics, structural acoustics, and radiation detection. Dr. Vipperman currently works on development of wireless, acoustic in-core sensors for nuclear power plants as well as real time reactivity meters for nuclear power plant startup. He is also developing four different medical devices, which are assistive devices for neuro- and abdominal surgeons. He established the Sound, Signals and Systems Lab at Pitt.

Jimmy Williams, PhD Dr. Jimmy Williams has significant, practical experience in industry, and is a proven business development strategist, operational leader, and technology and innovation manager.

He is currently Distinguished Service Professor and Executive Director of the Engineering and Technology Innovation Management (ETIM) program. The ETIM program is an interdisciplinary, master’s degree course of study offered by Carnegie Mellon’s top-ranked College of Engineering in collaboration with the University’s Heinz College and Tepper School of Business.

The program equips individuals from diverse specialties with an enhanced understanding of innovation management fundamentals, perspectives of different roles in innovation, and real-world implications.

Sossena Wood Sossena Wood is completing her final year as a doctoral candidate in Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh and has a Bachelor’s of Science in electrical engineering.

Originally she had no desire to obtain her doctorate, but she admits it has made a world of a difference for her and her family. She is a K. Leroy Irvis and National GEM Consortium Fellow, Pitt’s Rising African American Leaders awardee and the New Pittsburgh Courier’s FAB 40 awardee. In 2014, Sossena was awarded a two-year prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) fellowship that supports research training.

This fellowship along with Pitt’s Provost Development Fund supports her dissertation, as she works to improve ultrahigh-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Sossena served two-terms as the National Chairperson of the largest student-governed organization, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).

Sylvanus Wosu, PhD Dr. Sylvanus N. Wosu is the Associate Dean for Diversity Affairs and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Pittsburgh. He earned his PhD in Engineering Physics from the University Oklahoma in 1988. Dr. Wosu is also the program director for NSF S-STEM GEPS Program and NSF AGEP-TDAE program.

Dr. Wosu’s expertise is in Dynamic Penetration and Fracture Mechanics of New Generation of Composite Materials, including Bio-Composites and Biosensors. Dr. Wosu established a Dynamic Materials Behavior Lab equipped with a high speed imaging system capable of capturing dynamic events at 2 million frames per second, high speed data acquisition system, Lab Ram System for characterization of solid, liquid and gases.

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GRAD Lab Speakers Marjorie S. Zatz, PhD Dr. Marjorie S. Zatz is Vice Provost and Graduate Dean and Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Merced. She received her Ph.D. in 1982 from Indiana University, Bloomington in sociology, with a minor in Latin American Studies.

Zatz has published six books and more than 50 articles and chapters on race, gender and juvenile and criminal court processing; immigration policy; Chicano gangs; and the Cuban and Nicaraguan legal systems. Zatz is the recipient of numerous awards including the American Society of Criminology’s Herbert Block Award, the American Society of Criminology Division on Women and Crime’s Senior Scholar Award, the American Society of Criminology’s Division on People of Color and more.

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GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

JOIN COLUMBIA ENGINEERING AND MAKE AN IMPACT GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN: • • • • • • • •

Applied Mathematics Applied Physics Biomedical Engineering Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Computer Science Construction Engineering and Management • Data Sciences and Engineering • Earth and Environmental Engineering

• Engineering Mechanics Financial Engineering • Industrial Engineering Management Science and Engineering • Materials Science and Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Medical Physics • Operations Research • Solid-State Science and Engineering

GRADUATE DEGREE AND NON-DEGREE PROGRAMS OFFERED: • M.S., Ph.D., Eng.Sc.D., Certificate Programs, and Non-Degree Study

ALSO AVAILABLE:

• Distance Education Program • Part-Time Study • Joint M.S./M.B.A. Program

At Columbia Engineering, we strive for a dynamic educational experience by recruiting and supporting a diverse community of graduate students and faculty from around the world. More than 40 states and 70 countries are represented in the graduate student body.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Office of Graduate Student Affairs

530 SW Mudd | 500 W. 120th Street | New York, NY 10027 (212) 854-6438 | seasgradmit@columbia.edu | Distance Education Program: Columbia Video Network | www.cvn.columbia.edu

www.gradengineering.columbia.edu

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Diversifying Graduate Education BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY IS DEDICATED TO DIVERSIFYING GRADUATE EDUCATION

CLIFFORD D. CLARK DIVERSITY FELLOWSHIP

We provide GEM Fellowship applicants, LSAMP students and McNair scholars with application fee waivers. Binghamton also offers the Clifford D. Clark Diversity Fellowship.

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident

Binghamton offers more than 60 master’s, 30 doctorate, 50 accelerated degrees, plus 15 certificates and non-degree graduate coursework.

• Meets one or more of the following criteria: historically underrepresented minority, raised in a single-parent household, first-generation college student, history of overcoming adversity

Search a complete list of graduate programs, view application deadlines (late applications may be considered) and find additional information at binghamton.edu/grad-school.

• Incoming student • Enrolling full-time

BENEFITS:

CONTACT

• Competitive academic year stipends

Shanise N. Kent, JD, MBA

• Full tuition scholarships

Director of Diversity Programs and Initiatives Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science Campus Representative, The National GEM Consortium 607-777-4219 or skent@binghamton.edu

binghamton.edu/grad-school The Graduate School Binghamton University, PO Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000

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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• Health insurance • Opportunities for research and travel funding

GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

GEM Alumni: Examples of Success STEPHANIE G. ADAMS, PhD

S. KEITH HARGROVE, Ph.D.

Dean of Engineering Old Dominion University

Dean, College of Engineering Tennessee State University

URSULA BURNS

WAYNE HEWETT

CEO Xerox

CEO Kloeckner Pentaplast

ROBIN COGER, Ph.D.

CHRISTINE ORTIZ, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Engineering North Carolina A&T

Associate Professor of Material Science Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology New University Founder

ALEC GALLIMORE, PhD

DARRYLL PINES, Ph.D.

Dean of Engineering University of Michigan

Dean, College of Engineering University of Maryland College Park

JOHNEY B. GREEN JR., Ph.D.

JORGE RIVERA

Associate Laboratory Director Mechanical and Thermal Systems Engineering National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Worldwide President Supply Chain Johnson & Johnson

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gradLab

SM

This is where mobility’s future intersects with yours.

You and mobile technology have something in common. You’re both going places that can change the world for the better and help bring the future here faster. And we think Qualcomm is the perfect place for you two to meet.

qualcomm.com/careers @qualcomm

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GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

M I T L I N C O L N L A B O R AT O R Y Imagine it. Build it. Be the first.

Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Since 1951, when MIT Lincoln Laboratory was established to build the nation’s first air defense system, the Laboratory has been applying advanced technology to problems critical to national security. In the past six years, MIT Lincoln Laboratory has been awarded 26 R&D 100 Awards that recognize the year’s 100 most significant innovations in technology.

If you’d like to contribute to U. S. national security in an environment of incredible innovation, consider bringing your career to MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

Algorithm Development Applied Math Circuit Design and Laser Development Computer Engineering Computer Science and SW Engineering Cyber Security

For information about GEM fellowships at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, please contact Bill Kindred (bkindred@ll.mit.edu).

Digital Signal Processing

www.ll.mit.edu/employment

Electrical Engineering

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information. Due to the unique nature of our work, we require U.S citizenship.

Machine Learning and Computer Vision Modeling and Systems Architecture Physics Congratulations to The National GEM Consortium for a successful 40 years!

Publication: The National Gem Consortium Job# 21036 IO#: 21036-21036 Mechanical: mbb

Size: 7.125” x 4.75”

Notes: Screen:

Proofreader:

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gradLab

SM

Notes

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GETTING READY FOR ADVANCED DEGREES LABORATORY

Notes

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2016 - 2017 GRAD Labs

September 17

September 17

September 24

October 1

October 1

October 8

October 15

October 15

October 15

October 22

October 22

October 22

April 1, 2017

2016-2017 GEM GRAD Labs sponsored by the University Hosts, Co-hosts, Sponsors and the Intel Foundation

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1430 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 T 703-562-3646 F 202-207-3518 gemfellowship.org info@gemfellowship.org