Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Research Assistantship with AIR

The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is one of the leading behavioral and social science research organizations in the world. AIR is a collaborative organization that works with clients to examine a wide range of projects in the areas of education, health, workforce, and international development, among others. AIR prides itself in conducting high-impact, high-stakes projects for federal and state government organizations, foundations, and the private sector. AIR's vision is that research-based problem solving can improve the lives of all people. We are seeking a Research Assistant Intern to join our Professional Services team. These positions may be based in our Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, Waltham, MA or Austin, TX offices.

  • Conduct literature reviews to support projects and proposals
  • Assist staff in the review, identification and development of scholarly information describing research findings
  • Participate in the collection, analysis, and review of research and evaluation data
  • Develop spreadsheets and data bases to support project activities
  • Analyze quantitative and qualitative research data and contribute to the reporting and interpretation of findings
  • Currently seeking a Bachelor’s degree in such fields as economics, psychology, sociology, statistics, computer science, public policy, public health or other social science related fields.
  • Experience with and / or knowledge of data collection and analysis methodologies and techniques, such as survey design, analysis of program administrative data, and conduct of structured interviews, observations, and focus groups
  • Ability to use statistical software programs such as R, SPSS, or Stata to analyze data – a plus (not required)
  • Strong writing and oral communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite or the equivalent (word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software)
  • Ability to work independently and as a member of a team
For more information, click here

Leidos Job Post - Program Analyst

The NISC III program has an opening for a Program Analyst in Washington, DC.

This position will support the Safety and Technical Operations team on the NISC program. This position requires a program analyst who will apply Internal NISC Program processes to satisfy assigned duties and responsibilities, oversee the operational aspects of ongoing projects, and serve as liaison between program management team and team members. The successful candidate will review the status of projects and budgets, manage schedules, and prepare status reports, as well as developing mechanisms for monitoring operational progress and for problem solving with managers and team members.

The successful candidate will work independently to support the assigned objectives. The position will have significant impact on the team's operational accomplishments, and will be responsible for specific processes within the program. The position requires a problem-solver that can pull together knowledge from a broad range of subjects to produce thorough analyses of complex, challenging issues, and use those analyses to find solutions. Excellent communications with team members, both in house and on the customer side, are essential to the position's responsibility to provide design and process solutions.

Qualifications:College degree or equivalent years of experience
2-4 years of experience working in a professional office setting
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio)
Experience working within KSN sites
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Great organization skills to prioritize, follow up, deliver, and communicate status of assigned actions
Strong analytical skills to understand complex procedural problems, identify root causes, and provide solutions
Independent worker; able to deliver products with minimal or no supervision
U.S. Citizen or at least 3 years of residency in the U.S.

Leidos OverviewLeidos is a global science and technology solutions leader working to solve the world’s toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company’s 33,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported pro forma annual revenues of approximately $10 billion for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2016 after giving effect to the recently completed combination of Leidos with Lockheed Martin's Information Systems & Global Solutions business (IS&GS). For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. The company’s diverse employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Qualified women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. Leidos will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment in accordance with relevant Laws. Leidos is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Administration / General Office

For more information, click here

STEM Internship

We’re NT Concepts, a leading provider of business and technology solutions for the intelligence and national security communities, and we’re pretty excited about our summer internship program! Our team of engineers, software designers and data scientists are hoping to bring on up to 10 student interns this summer. We’re on the lookout for self-starters with an interest and/ or major in computer engineering or computer science. Our perfect candidates also have some exposure to geospatial science.
Responsibilities

What’s in it for you?

Rising Juniors and seniors with declared technical majors and a proven aptitude for our areas of passion will have the opportunity to complete a project that is sure to help their resumes stand out from the competition when it comes time to compete for full-time employment.
Rising sophomores will be paired with a member of our corporate support team and will spend the summer doing meaningful work to support our customer-facing technologists.
All interns will have the opportunity to be considered for a government security clearance and will also have a shot at follow-on internships and full-time employment.

Is this job for you?

If you love math, are a patient and tenacious problem solver, are excited about using your growing computer engineering and software development expertise to contribute to national security, and have a place to live for the summer in Metro DC, you should apply for this opportunity to join our collegial team in Vienna, Virginia. (Our office is Metro accessible and is located just across Route 7 from Tysons Corner Center – where you’ll find great shopping, dining and entertainment options).

Qualifications
Your qualifications must include:
U.S. Citizen with the ability to achieve a top secret clearance.
Rising Juniors and Seniors – declared major in computer engineering or computer science.
Rising Sophomores – an interest in using technology to make a difference for our nation.

ABOUT US

NT Concepts is a company of talented, dedicated people committed to helping our customers achieve critical missions that are of the utmost importance to our nation and to our world. We fuse business process with technical expertise to deliver data-driven enterprise solutions that solve our clients’ most unique challenges. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in the Washington DC Metro area, NT Concepts is a privately held mid-tier company with customers spanning the Federal Civilian, DoD, and Intelligence Communities.

NT Concepts is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V) making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

All resumes are held in confidence. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. No faxes please. Only candidates whose profiles closely match requirements will be contacted during the search.

NT Concepts participates in E-Verify.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any or part of the employment process, please send an email to jobs@ntconcepts.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Reasonable accommodations are considered on a case-by-case ba
sis.

Winter Courses with START

Are you looking to gain a marketable skill that many employers in the intelligence community and security field value in applicants? The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism (START) is offering Winter online courses. 

We are offering 2 one-credit skills based courses, BSST399W: Introduction to Wargaming, and BSST399F: Geospatial Analysis of Terrorism. Additionally, we are offering a three-credit course, The Rise of The Islamic State (BSST338P), which takes an in-depth approach of analyzing the many complicated facets of ISIS.


BSST399F: Geospatial Analysis of Terrorism can be used as a supporting course for GIS majors!

Student Success Winter Course


Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Working in Annapolis during the General Assembly session? Do you need a ride?


The SGA is working with campus partners to arrange a bus to Annapolis on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the Spring 2018 semester and the General Assembly of Maryland Legislative Session.  College of Behavioral and Social Sciences is one of the co-sponsors. Please see link below for more details!

http://www.umdsga.com/annapolis-bus.html

 Any further questions can be directed to sgavpacademic@umd.edu or sgvpstudent@umd.edu

Monday, December 11, 2017

C&O Canal Future Park Leaders Internship

The C&O Canal NHP is proud to announce our Future Park Leaders internship for summer 2018!! Please visit this page to review the project proposal.


Learn more about the Future Park Leaders program here.


Titled "Implementing the NPS Cultural Resources Climate Change Strategy at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park," the 12-week PAID internship also includes park housing (if desired).

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Teddy Bear Drive


Drop your teddy bears off at the Geography Advising Office through December 11th!

Course Evaluations are open!

As the end of the semester nears and classes are wrapping up, don't forget to help the University and fill out your course evaluations. Your feedback helps improve courses and the academic experience at Maryland. We would really appreciate it if you would take a few minutes today to submit your evaluation.

Your responses are confidential. Comments you enter are provided to reviewers just as you wrote them; otherwise, individual responses are grouped together. Specific and constructive comments are most useful. Comments that may be threatening will be forwarded, with the student’s identifying information, to campus police for threat assessment.


Click here for information regarding your course evaluations, including deadlines and tasks.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Research internships available in the UMD Agroecology Lab

The Agroecology Lab is seeking several undergraduates who want to gain experience in field and laboratory research during the Spring semester 2018. Our lab examines how to balance food and environmental objectives in a changing world. We focus on the fate of nutrients added to agricultural systems and their impact on natural systems.

Qualifications:
You must LOVE being outside and getting dirty. Students with a background in soils, sustainable agriculture, and agroecology are encouraged to apply. You must have a great attitude and like working in teams.

Details: Hours per week dependent on number of academic credits (3-11 hrs per week).

To apply: Please send an email to 
Dr Kate Tully describing WHY you are interested in being an intern in the AgroEcoLab and what you think you will bring to our team. You must attach your resume or CV along with your unofficial transcripts and indicate your major.

Apply soon as they will be conducting interviews over the next two weeks!


Two Fully Funded PhD RA positions at University of Nevada, Reno

Two PhD graduate research assistantships are available at the University of Nevada, Reno beginning Fall 2018. We have a fully-funded research project to assess the impacts of land use and climate change on Mojave Desert tortoise gene flow and corridor functionality. One PhD position is in the Department of Geography and will focus on land use and climate change modeling (Drs. Scott Bassett [sbassett@unr.edu] and Douglas Boyle). The second PhD position, which can be either in the Department of Geography or the interdisciplinary program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology will focus on desert tortoise landscape corridor functionality (Drs. Jill S. Heaton and Kenneth Nussear [knussear@unr.edu]). Both individuals will be part of a large interdisciplinary team of scientists both on and off campus, expected to coordinate their research with other components of the project (e.g. Post-Doc in genetics), and contribute to larger project goals and objectives. Coincident with our project is a separately funded project at UNR with synergistic opportunities to investigate critical habitat breadth for Gopherus tortoises.

Both positions will be full-time for 12-months (20 hrs a week). Funds are available starting Fall 2018 through Fall 2021, but are contingent upon student success. It is possible that if the student is identified early they may begin with funding as early as June 2018. The stipend for the 12-month period is $2,100 per month. The research assistantship includes health insurance and a tuition waiver.

Monday, December 4, 2017

Climate Change and Social Inequality Seminar Series

Please join us for the seminar series "Climate Change and Social Inequality" organized by University of Maryland College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, with the next talk on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - 2:30pm to 4:00pm in Room 1158, Lefrak Hall.

Dr. Stanislav E. Shmelev will present on "Multidimensional Assessment of Sustainability".

Attached is the flyer for the talk and the speaker's bio. Information is also available here

For further information contact hubacek@umd.edu.

We looking forward to seeing you there!

BSOS Scholarships

Apply NOW for BSOS College Scholarships!
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences offers a variety of scholarships to current students! We encourage you to apply now for an award for the fall 2018 semester. Before submitting your application, make sure to review each scholarship's eligibility criteria. To explore all of our scholarships, and determine which best suit you, please visit this link.

Applications for the fall 2018 semester are due on February 12, 2018 by 9 a.m. Click here to apply.

Questions regarding the scholarships or the application process can be e-mailed to bsos-scholarships@umd.edu.

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

UMD Exchange in Sydney

The University of Sydney is Australia's first university and its reputation spans 160 years. They are regularly ranked in the top 0.3% of universities worldwide. The cross-disciplinary nature of the university's 9 faculties (colleges) and schools allows them to offer the widest range of academic programs of any Australian university, giving students the flexibility to personalize your study.

From your first day at the University of Sydney, students have the opportunity to learn from aspiring academics. Sydney continues to rank among the top teaching and research universities in the world and offers a cutting-edge curriculum.

The iconic city of Sydney is best known for its distinctive Opera House, incredible Harbor, and its exciting and dynamic lifestyle. Sydney ranks first as the world's friendliest city of tourists and fourth best city for students. Sydney has many cultural events and festivals throughout the year. Explore how art, technology and commerce intersect at the Vivid City event, walk along the spectacular Bondi coastal walk and revel in three weeks of live music, visual arts, theater, food, and film during the Sydney Festival.

There are currently 4 courses available which can translate to your GEOG degree! And likely more that haven't been reviewed yet.

For more information click here 

Winter Options in ANTH

See the Anthropology's Winter 2018 term offerings here!


All courses offered here can be used as supporting sequence courses for Geography majors.
ANTH448D: GIS for Anthropologists can be used as supporting sequence for GIS majors.

GIS Internship at HIP Consult


Online Communications Intern at Education Abroad

Job Opening at Education Abroad: Online Communications Intern

EA is hiring for an online communications intern for the spring 2018 semester, with a possible extension into the summer. This is a paid internship which oversees the management of EA's social media content, including our social media ambassador program.

The online communications intern will learn best practices for effectively managing online engagement with a public audience. In addition to having opportunities to network with communications professionals and participate in strategic initiatives, the online communications intern will develop marketable skills such as communication and project management.


For a full job description and application details visit: ter.ps/onlineintern

Fund for Education Abroad Scholarship Deadline

Fund for Education Abroad Scholarships 

Awards up to $10,000 - applications due January 10, 2018!

The Fund for Education Abroad is now accepting applications for scholarships to support study abroad in summer 2018, fall 2018, spring 2019 or the full academic year 2018-2019. Apply by January 10th, 2018 to be considered for up to $10,000 to support your future study abroad experience!

UMD students can apply online and will also be considered for FEA's the DC-Area scholarship. Check out FEA scholar and UMD student Chi Yen Yao, who was awarded a $10,000 FEA DC-Area scholarship to study abroad this year on UMD's exchange program at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Study Abroad Reminders!

Applications for summer, fall and full year programs open on December 1!


Believe it or not, we're getting ready for summer and fall 2018! Students can start planning an upcoming study abroad experience and open applications starting on Friday, December 1. Check out a few of our featured program options:
  • Summer: Maryland Social Entrepreneur Corps (Programs in Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Nicaragua)  - complete an 8- internship and work alongside local entrepreneurs and development professionals while earning 9 credits. 
  • Summer or Fall: Maryland-in-Barcelona - chose from courses in Spanish language and culture or business while immersing yourself in the colorful capital of Catalonia. Internships available during the fall semester
  • Fall or full yearUMD Exchange at the University of Sydney- our newest exchange program in Australia and a top ranked institution with course offerings in almost all majors!
Check out the the full list of available programs!

Please note application deadlines:
ADVISING REMINDERS!

Course Pre-Approval Forms (PSAs) are due to Education Abroad by COB (4:30 pm) on December 1st. Education Abroad cannot register students who have not submitted this paperwork and the $100 late fee will apply. If you have concerns about a particular student or departmental advising appointments are fully booked, please let EA know by e-mailing Lauren Ruszczyk, Assistant Director for Advising and Outreach (lrus@umd.edu).

Study abroad transfer credit courses not listed in TCEQ or not previously reviewed must be submitted for acceptability review to the corresponding departmental evaluator. For more information on this process visit the Transfer Credit Services website: http://www.transfercredit.umd.edu/submiteval.html#ea

Maryland Summer Scholars Program - 2018

MARYLAND CENTER FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH - 2018 Maryland Summer Scholars Program

Francis DuVinage, Director - Blakely Mulder, Coordinator - www.ugresearch.umd.edu

The Maryland Summer Scholars Program (MSS) provides opportunities for University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) undergraduates to spend much of the summer working closely with faculty mentors on ambitious research, scholarly, or artistic projects. The MSS program provides awards of $3,000 to approximately 25-30 undergraduates each summer.

Many Summer Scholars expand their summer research into an independent study or honors thesis project the following autumn semester, and find that their research experience helps distinguish their applications for graduate study, fellowships, internships, employment and other competitive opportunities.

Maryland Summer Scholars (MSS) may conduct their summer research on the College Park campus or elsewhere in the U.S. or abroad as required by the nature of the project. Students whose projects require travel for an extended period of time to off campus locations (not to include regular commuting) may submit a travel supplement request as directed in the online application form. Travel supplements will not exceed $1,000.

Eligibility: You are eligible to apply for an MSS award: if you have earned 12 or more UMD course credits (not including AP or IB credits) by the date of the application deadline; if you have a cumulative UMD GPA of 3.40 or higher by the date of the application deadline; and if you expect to receive your undergraduate degree no earlier than December 2018. All academic majors are eligible.

Application Deadline: The deadline to apply for summer 2018 awards will be 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, February 14, 2018. It is important that candidates begin developing their proposals as soon as possible.

The Maryland Center for Undergraduate Research will hold numerous 30-minute information sessions about the summer 2018 MSS program. 

Thursday, November 30 from 11:00-11:30 am -1201 Marie Mount Hall
Tuesday, December 5 from 5:00-5:30 pm -1201 Marie Mount Hall
Thursday, December 7th from 4:00-4:30 pm -1201 Marie Mount Hall
Friday, December 8th from 12:00-12:30 pm -1201 Marie Mount Hall
Tuesday, December 12th from 1:30-2:00 pm -1201 Marie Mount Hall

Friday, December 1 from 4:00-4:30 pm - 2403 Marie Mount Hall
Monday, December 4 from 12:30-1:00 pm - 2403 Marie Mount Hall
Monday, December 4 from 4:00 pm-4:30 pm - 2403 Marie Mount Hall
Tuesday, December 5 from 12:30-1:00 pm - 2403 Marie Mount Hall
Wednesday, December 6 from 12:30-1:00 pm - 2403 Marie Mount Hall
Thursday, December 7 from 12:30-1:00 pm - 2403 Marie Mount Hall

Detailed information about the MSS program, and instructions on completing applications can be found on the MCUR website at:
www.ugresearch.umd.edu/current-summerscholars.html

National Park Service Internships

There are 6 internship opportunities available to students through a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit agreement with the National Park Service. Although offered via George Mason University, interns do not need to be enrolled as students there. The job descriptions are attached.

If interested, follow the instructions listed on each job description in the "Special Instructions to Applicants" section.

Please direct all questions, interest, and applications to Jim Pieper. He can be reached by email at james_pieper@nps.gov or by phone at 202-339-8327.

GIS Data Management Intern (Part-Time)

Graduate Assistantship at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

A Graduate Assistant position is available at the Department of Geography, at the University of Hawaiʻi – Mānoa for Aug 2018-May 2019. The Graduate Assistant will perform a combination of teaching and research duties in the field of GIS. The teaching duties include lecture and lab exercise instruction, exam grading, and other teaching activities. The research will focus on modeling human dynamics in climate change using geospatial big data, novel spatio-temporal models, deep learning, and cutting-edge computing techniques. A second year of funding is possible based on satisfactory performance during the first year and departmental needs. The candidate will need to be admitted to the department’s graduate program to be qualified for consideration, and PhD applicant is preferred.

Prospective students should have experience in geospatial analysis and quantitative modeling. Preference will be given to applicants with GIS and programming skills. Good written/oral communication skills, self-motivation and ability of conducting independent and collaborative research are desired.
To apply, please go to the website: manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/content/geography

Application deadline is January 15, 2018.

If you have any questions about this particular position, please contact Dr. Yi Qiang at yiqiang@hawaii.edu. If you have general questions about the graduate program in the Geography Department at Uniervsity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, please contact the Graduate Chair, Professor Reece Jones, at reecej@hawaii.edu

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

URI Internships in Baltimore

Spring 2018 URI Internships in Baltimore
Emergency Locator GIS Mapping
The intern will work with the department’s GIS coordinator to create a detailed data set that will assist 311 (non-emergency) and 911 (emergency) dispatch with the location of callers within parks and along park trails. Tasks for the intern involve:  digitizing features from aerial photographs; collecting data in the field; confirming existing map data; and identifying nearest access point for emergency personnel.  The intern will make use of ArcGIS desktop software as well as ArcGIS online to set up sample webmaps of the data and participate in map design reviews and changes. Experience using ArcGIS and editing features is required. ESRI Collector will be used for field data collection. The intern will be required to work outdoors in a park setting and along wooded trails to collect data and mark locations.
The Urban Resources Initiative Internship Program is a partnership of the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, the Parks & People Foundation, and area universities and institutions.
FOR PRIORITY CONSIDERATION, APPLY BEFORE November 15
(Applications considered until positions filled)

GEOG Department's Fall 2017 Seminar Series

Please join the Department of Geographical Sciences for its Fall 2017 Seminar Series, on Thursday, 11/30/17 from 4:00-5:00pm in 1158 LeFrak Hall.

Dr. Sergii Skakun will present on: “Machine Learning and Remote Sensing - What's Going On?"

You are welcome to join for refreshments and mingling with the speaker from 3:30-4:00pm in 1158 LeFrak. 

Please RSVP to Rachel Berndtson by 11/29/17 at rberndts@umd.edu

Paid Summer Research Internship Opportunities

Now is the time that summer research programs are announcing their 2018 deadlines!  Pathways to Science has 699 summer research programs posted on our site currently and they are busy posting new program dates and new programs every day!

We encourage that you look at the internships offered here! We're sure that you'll find something you'll enjoy! http://pathwaystoscience.org/programs.aspx?descriptorhub=SummerResearch_Summer%20Research%20Opportunity


Cloud to Street Job & Intern Positions

Cloud to Street is currently hiring for a Director of Programs and a Senior Remote Sensing Scientist, as well as a few intern positions!
Cloud to Street is a remote sensing platform that rapidly maps floods around the world and delivers risk information in a web dashboard at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional modeling. Their mission is to ensure that all vulnerable communities have the data they need to prepare and respond by reducing the scientific barrier to disaster information. Their systems will power flood insurance for 50 million new customers and provide risk data for the 100 most vulnerable watersheds around the world within 5 years. 
In partnership with Google, the Dartmouth Flood Observatory and others over the last 3 years, they've developed the core algorithms behind their technology and conducted initial socio-physical risk assessments in India, Argentina, Senegal and New York, funded primarily by the World Bank. In early 2018, they are releasing the world’s largest database of flood maps, launching the Flood Risk Dashboard product, and expanding to at least three new countries, including our first insurance projects. 
They are looking for an entrepreneurial development leader to direct programs at Cloud to Street and to create new opportunities as the company grows. This person will work closely with the CEO to fundraise, manage staff and operations, maintain key external partnerships and clients, and help set the direction of the company.
For more information about Cloud to Street and open positions, please visit www.cloudtostreet.info or read below for descriptions.

Friday, November 17, 2017

December MPS Alumni of the Month: Karreem Ali


Name: Karreem Ali
Year of graduation: 2015
Current employment status:
Employer: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Position: GIS Developer
What is a recent project that you have worked on that you have drawn on skills from the MPS program?
I was charged to create a new enterprise geodatabase for an in-house working group. Using the skills that I learned from the spatial database system, and GIS programming classes,  I was able to plan the database, and create an intricate data ingestion system that updates features in the database using Python. I also used the JavaScript, and HTML web programming skills that I learned while in the program to create an administrative health check application to keep up with it all.


How have the skills you have learned in the MPS program helped you progress in your career?
While I was in the program, I worked as an intern for a government agency here in the Metro DC area. From the beginning, I applied the knowledge that I acquired from the program in my internship. The program manager saw the value of my GIS knowledge, and extended my internship from just a semester to a full year. I am proud to say that the scripts and applications I designed for that government agency four years ago are still in use today.


Today, as the only GIS Developer in my line office, I am tasked with a majority of the
large-scale GIS projects. I recently built out an internal enterprise GIS from the ground up; a majority of the skills I have learned in the MPS program were of great benefit to the effort. Some of the skills I have been able to apply from the MPS program include:
  • Scripted automated data ingestion processes using Python
  • Use of spatial analysis tools
  • Construction of GIS databases
  • Creation and design GIS web services
  • Use of agile methodologies in project management


The MPS program has substantially enhanced my career in GIS. What I gained in the program helped me to become a better member of society, a geographic information scientist, and a highly skilled programmer. I am pleased to say that I graduated from this program.


What drew you to the MPS GIS program at Maryland?
I was impressed on how flexible the program was around my schedule. With the responsibility of a full-time internship/job during the workweek, it was important to me that the lectures were held in the evening. Having access to recordings of all the lectures, with the ability to review them whenever I wanted to was essential to my success in the program. The lecturers were cordial, and answered any questions I had; they were always timely, and relatable. Being in a program that recognizes the value of information availability, and access was very important to me.


What advice can you give current and prospective students about the MPS program?
Attend as many GIS meetups and professional development seminars as possible! In doing so, you will meet people of interest, and grow your net worth by increasing your network. Even if the event is not GIS-centric, you will come to find many IT applications have a geospatial component, or could be applied in a geospatial context. For example, I attended a Red Hat Linux developer event where they were making webmaps using some of the same JavaScript APIs as GIS techies do. GIS is everywhere, so be active in sharing its uses by speaking with people and planting seeds of opportunity for yourself. Meet people outside of your genre, venue or line of study.


What recommendations would you make to current students for career and academic success after graduation?
In general, always challenge yourself to learn different tools that you could use in your daily workflow:
If you are not a great programmer, take additional introduction to Python, JavaScript, or other programming language courses online. The UMD allows free access to Lynda.com training, if you are a registered student, so take advantage of this resource while you can! There are also plenty of other courses out there specifically geared toward GIS, you just have to look for them.


If you are more of an advanced user, try to be ahead of the curve with some of the new technologies in IT, and GIS. Right now, in the IT industry, there is a focus on DevOps with tools that help automate, and monitor your software, and hardware infrastructure. The GIS community is starting to use its own flavor of DevOps tools to work with GIS infrastructure. Try to learn as much as possible about these new tools, and others that are on the horizon.


What are some of your hobbies/interests? 
I used to be a mobile DJ during my time as an undergrad, and I still ‘whip out’ the old turntables (...or controllers nowadays) occasionally, to do a ‘gig’, or to play for friends. I am also interested in single board computing with Arduinos, and Raspberry Pi - very useful tools to improve your coding skills. Someday, I plan to build my own DJ controller from one.


Anything else you'd like to add?
Networking is everything. Feel free to reach out on professional social media outlets like LinkedIn, local organizations, and in asking professors for recommendations.

Stay creative!

Senior Marshals Recruitment

The Office of Special Events is currently recruiting for Senior Marshals at the Main Commencement ceremony on Tuesday, December 19th, 2017!

Qualified candidates must be graduating in December 2017 to be selected. If selected, the marshals will represent their college and the entire graduating class. The graduates chosen for this honor will be recognized at the campus-wide graduation ceremony and will receive a medallion commemorating their achievements. Senior Marshals will also assist with the organization of the student processional and will be seated in the front rows for the ceremony. The names of all marshals will be printed in the program and you will be acknowledged as a group from the podium. 

All Marshals are expected to attend both the Commencement rehearsal on Monday, December 18th and the Main Commencement ceremony on Tuesday, December 19th, 2017.

In order to be considered for this recognition, you must complete the online application HERE by 11:59 pm on Sunday, November 19th, 2017. If you have any questions, please contact seniors@umd.edu.

YoungMappers Research Fellowship

The YouthMappers Research Fellowship is a 9-month program designed to enlist, enable, and showcase the contributions of open geo-spatial data for research on resilience of vulnerable populations around the world. The proposed research projects must create and use open data, meet a standard of excellence and address the competitive criteria listed in the full call for applications, available at this webpage: www.youthmappers.org/researchfellowship

Applications should be submitted by a team of two: 1) a university student (either undergraduate, masters or doctoral level) and 2) his/her faculty mentor or thesis advisor. Eligibility is restricted to members of YouthMappers chapters created and in good standing by December 1, 2017.  The Fellowship will provide support and costs to attend a Research Methodology Symposia in the United States and also a fellowship award of a total of $8,000 to be used as specified in the fellowship guidelines. Networking and additional mentoring by international experts will be part of the program and to connect proposed research results with relevant international stakeholder organizations.
The deadline to apply is January 15, 2018!

Thursday, November 16, 2017

OSM Mapathon tomorrow!

Our Undergraduate Geography club is hosting a map-off  tomorrow from 4-7pm! There will be pizza and we'll be competing against and networking with students and faculty from George Washington University and George Mason University. 

If you haven't yet heard, PhD Student Matt Cooper led the UMD Geography Bowl team to victory at MAD-AAG, ending a 7 year win streak by George Washington University. Let's keep the friendly competition between us and GW in our favor! ;-) See you there!