It’s that time again! SREB! Participants in PROMISE attend the Southern Regional Education Board’s Compact for Faculty Diversity/Institute for Teaching and Mentoring every year. We’ve traveled together to Atlanta and Tampa, and this year, we’re going to be in Virginia. The website for “The Compact” is here: http://www.instituteonteachingandmentoring.org/. We repeat what we said last year, “If you went to the PROMISE SSI this year, think of The Compact as quadrupled!” You will join nearly 1000 early career faculty, postdocs, and graduate students from around the U.S. at the conference. In order to go, you need to be nominated by the PROMISE AGEP. Read some of our former posts for the SREB conference from 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 here.
YOU have a chance to go with us to Virginia, all-expenses paid – includes lodging. The invitation is for early career faculty (for the Faculty Diversity Research Mentoring Institute), and graduate students, but PROMISE must nominate you. You cannot nominate yourself. We will take as many people as we can, depending on funding. One year, we had so many great responses that we received additional funding and we took 30 people!
Here are some facts about the conference:
- This is the 22nd Institute on TEACHING AND MENTORING/Compact for Faculty Diversity, October 29-November 1, 2015, Marriott Crystal Gateway, Arlington, VA. We tend to refer to this conference as “SREB.”
- GRADUATE STUDENTS: Scholars nominated to attend the Institute should ONLY be individuals who have an expressed interest in pursuing a career as faculty in a college or university (any postsecondary institution.) All of the sessions at the Institute will focus on topics and issues related to teaching at the postsecondary level. Consequently, scholars who are not interested in becoming a member of the faculty at the postsecondary level will not benefit from attending this Institute.
- POSTDOCS and EARLY CAREER FACULTY: The PROMISE AGEP is a partner with SREB in the activities for the National Research Mentoring Network https://nrmnet.net/2015-award-announcement/. Faculty and postdocs should be in the biomedical sciences. We have the opportunity to nominate participants from all over the country, including our alumni and colleagues from other schools outside of Maryland.
- Nominated graduate student and additional postdoctoral scholars must be minority or underserved STEM majors enrolled in Ph.D. program. SREB will not accept nominations from students. (We will consider select masters students who are on track for Ph.D. programs. Note that Social Sciences are part of the “Science” in STEM.)
- The conference will be in Virginia. Hotel rooms will be available at no cost to you. Single rooms will not be available for scholars. Students will be placed in double rooms.
- We will be nominating graduate students who participate in the PROMISE: AGEP-T. This means that you must be a graduate student at one of the institutions within the University System of Maryland. If you are interested, you must show evidence of participation in a PROMISE AGEP event prior to September 14, 2015.
TO APPLY:
Write a comment to this post (below) with the following information (do not send this information via email. If this information is received via email, without being posted below, your application will not count.) You may use last year’s page entries as a reference: https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2014/08/27/promise-is-going-to-atlanta-in-october-2014-sreb-compact-for-faculty-diversityinstitute-for-teaching-mentoring-do-you-want-to-go/
Please follow this order:
a) YOUR NAME
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT: Please state your university & department (no abbreviations). You must be a graduate, postdoc, or early career faculty member in a STEM field from one of the universities listed here: http://www.usmd.edu/institutions/. Include the link for your department and your laboratory.
c) WEBSITE: Provide at least one link for your professional website. If you have more than one, you may provide up to three links, e.g., LinkedIn, department website. If you don’t have a professional website, please create one.
d) MILESTONE DATES: Students: Planned year of graduation for your PhD. Postdocs: Planned year for starting a faculty position. Faculty: Planned year of 3rd year review.
e) ASPIRATIONS: Students and postdocs: One paragraph that describes the reason why you want to be a professor; include your research interests and how you will contribute to research in your field. Faculty: One paragraph that describes your research program.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: Which PROMISE events have you attended, and what have you learned?
g) SREB HISTORY: If you’ve been “The Compact” in the past, what did you learn?
h) TWITTER: If you have a Twitter account, please write a 140 character tweet with the name of one of your STEM faculty aspirants or mentors. Please include @PROMISE_AGEP, @SREBDocSch, and the hashtag #ThinkBigDiversity. If you don’t have a Twitter account, we encourage you to create one to participate in professional social media conversations. You will be contributing to this feed.
Once you apply using this format, send an email to promisestaff@gmail.com with the subject “SREB 2015 application, now online” so that we will have your email logged in our database for this event.
——————–
PROMISE: Maryland's AGEP 2003-2018 
Name: Corey Holmes
Institution & Department: Howard University, African Studies & Research
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/nhome/?trk=
Milestone date: December 2018
Aspirations: My mother was an educator of children and college minds and it resonated with me. I have owned a business and worked for the United states government, but I now know my mission in life is to educate our youth. I have a diverse set of experiences and failures that may be able to charter a better course for the youth of this nation, particularly those from urban backgrounds. My passion was reaffirmed when I proctored the Math Placement Test for freshmen students at Howard University this past week. The students seemed to relate to me because I am fair, but also push them to be the best that they can be.
PROMISE Participation: This is my first year entering into the Preparing Future Faculty Program at Howard University and I have not attended any previous events.
Twitter: @globalholmes Tweet sent.
LikeLike
a) Kristin Noell
b) University of Maryland Eastern Shore Department of Natural Science Toxicology
c) https://www.linkedin.com/pub/kristin-noell/48/b67/869
d) MILESTONE DATES: December 2017
e) ASPIRATIONS: My aspirations of wanting to becoming an educator, stem from my desire to wanting to see more educators that were more like me. I feel that minorities especially african american women in STEM are very underrepresented. So with that in tow, I want to be mentor to african american students in STEM as well as other minorities, and share my experiences with students. I feel that I have a variety of experiences that multiple students from different social, economic, and racial backgrounds could relate to and gain some valuable insight as well as motivation. I also feel that being an educator you have the ability to impart the change that you would like to see in your particular area.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: 2014, 2015 DH, Sisters in DH, 2014 Fall Harvest Dinner, 2015 PROMISE Research Symposium & Professional Development Workshop at College Park
g) SREB HISTORY: Never been.
h) tweet sent
LikeLike
LikeLike
a) Jorge J. Rodriguez
b) University of Maryland Eastern Shore – Department of Natural Sciences (http://www.umes.edu/sciences/index.html) – Dr. Anthony Nyame’s lab (Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=245179726)
d) 2017
e) Considering how lucky I have been in having advisors that have tackled the role of advising as well as mentoring, I am motivated to carry that torch forward. I know how important it is to have someone have your back and grow more knowledgeable in an environment that makes you feel appreciated and challenged. My research focuses on molecular biology, specifically on analyzing and characterizing glycans and the role they play in host-pathogen interactions and ontogeny. I want to apply these assays and methods to the marine sciences.
f) I attended the PROMISE SSI 2015 – I learned how important mentorship is in keeping us graduate students motivated, how we can come to have a graduate family, and the impact of our own thoughts and perceptions as related to the perceived integration to stereotypes.
g) I have not previously attended
h) Tweet sent
LikeLike
a) YOUR NAME: Marisa Franco
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT: Psychology, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Maryland College Park
c) WEBSITE: https://www.linkedin.com/home?trk=nav_responsive_tab_home
d) MILESTONE DATES: Phd Graduate Date (Anticipated): May 2017
e) ASPIRATIONS: I would like to be a professor who specializes in the psychological impacts of discrimination for racial minorities. Currently, I study the effects of identity invalidation (e.g., imposing or negating someone’s racial identity) on psychological health and well-being for Multiracial individuals. I am pursuing a project on mixed race individuals’ experiences in Trinidad and Tobago. I am quite interested in using a global lens to understand experiences of individuals from marginalized groups, and see myself becoming an academician who pursues international scholarship in order to understand how nuances of context can influence interpretation and internalization of discriminatory experiences.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: I attended the yearly Thanksgiving banquet, and also presented my research at the PROMISE conference. PROMISE has been a significant bastion of support in my graduate experience. The PROMISE focus on joining minority students across campuses, and hosting useful events for professional development has pushed met to stay on the right track in my students, and the PROMISE conference gave me an outlet to hone my research endeavors amongst a network of supportive and critical scholars.
g) SREB HISTORY: I have attended the SREB conference multiple times and, each time, I take away something special and unique. I see the conference as an inspirational event–joining impressive minority students across the country–that motivates and me to continue on in my studies. I have gained a network of friends who have since been significant in shaping my research and professional interests to date. With the upcoming conference, I will be focusing on seeking out academic career options to consider post-graduation.
LikeLike
Kristen Lycett
University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Department of Natural Sciences.
http://www.umes.edu/LMRCSC/Default.aspx?id=26508
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/kristen-lycett/45/195/450
Planned graduation date: May 2017
I took two years off before heading to graduate school and during that time I was fortunate enough to find a job in outdoor education. During that time, I worked with students from 4th grade through college and taught about sailing and the Chesapeake Bay. I found that I really enjoyed the teaching aspect of what I was doing and decided that academia was the path I wanted to pursue.
As a Native American, I also find myself drawn to helping other minority students, particularly those of indigenous backgrounds. It is my hope to continue to participate in educational outreach throughout my academic career, in particular, with these underrepresented groups. I envision afterschool research and mentoring programs for high school students, where they can get comfortable in a college setting, get academic support for their current classes, and make the kinds of connections that will help them to a excel in higher education. I hope to one day run my own research lab with undergraduate and graduate students, who can then support the kind of mentoring programming I have in mind.
PROMISE Events; Dissertation House and Summer Success Institute 2015, PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium 2015, PROMISE Fall Harvest Dinner 2014, SREB Institute on Mentoring and Faculty Diversity 2014, PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium 2014. I also attended several of the webinars on professional development and statistics since February of 2014.
The PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium in February of 2014 was my first PROMISE event. I was so very excited by the enthusiasm and support that I witnessed among the students at this event and I knew I wanted to continue to be active in this program. I have learned a great many things from these events including; how to write a scientific CV, how to format my dissertation, and how to stay motivated, as well as received information on faculty and post-doctoral positions.
I was fortunate enough to have attended the SREB “Compact” in Atlanta last year. I found the professional development workshops very helpful, including CV writing and job negotiations. I also found the recent graduate honoring luncheon to be an amazing and energizing experience.
LikeLike
a) Jaye Nias
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT: Bowie State University, Department of Computer Science
c) WEBSITE:https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jaye-nias/20/501/284
d) MILESTONE DATES: Planned year of graduation for your PhD Fall 2015
e) ASPIRATIONS: I am currently working as a visiting lecturer in Computer Science and the University of MD Eastern Shore. After graduation, I hope to obtain a tenure track position in Computer Science. It is my hope to continue to work with minority and underserved student populations to increase participation in STEM disciplines, and more specifically Computing and Technological Sciences.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: I have attended several PROMISE events. I was most fortunate to be able to serve as a moderator at last years research symposium. Additionally, I have participated in webcast events on research methods through PROMISE. PROMISE events have taught me the value in sharing your research with the academic community, I have also learned valuable skills and achievements necessary to make me more competitive in the academic job search.
g) SREB HISTORY: If you’ve been “The Compact” in the past, what did you learn? I was fortunate to be chosen as a “Compact” attendee last year. I must admit, that of all the conferences I’ve attended in my academic history – this is one of the most informative. The research methods seminar was extremely informative (I still refer to my notes). The networks developed with other graduate students and recruiters throughout the nation was valuable. The inspiration and motivation shared at this event ‘recharged’ my commitment to completing my degree despite the challenges.
LikeLike
a) YOUR NAME: Alexis Y. Williams, Ph.D.
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT: University of Maryland, College Park. Teaching and Learning Transformation Center.
c) WEBSITE: http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiswilliamsinc
http://www.education.umd.edu/Academics/Faculty/Bios/index.cfm?URLID=ayw
d) MILESTONE DATES: Faculty position: 2017
e) ASPIRATIONS:
Joining the academy allows me to further the overall emphasis of teaching and learning as a research endeavor at the university level. The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) is a talking point for most higher education institutions but does not receive the same respect, funding, or policy implementation as traditional research programs. My specific research interests include reflective practice in teaching, risk-taking and failure in motivation, and learning community mentorship models.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION:
Dissertation House, Summer Success Institute, PROMISE and PROF-it (Professors-in-Training) semester workshops, Fall Harvest dinner, Spring cookouts, etc. Through my continued participation and leadership opportunities, I have learned much more than I can state here. A few things I’ve learned: 1) Preparation for leadership and excellence comes through deliberate actions that tend to feel far from excellent at the time. 2) Safe environments and caring mentors are the fertile ground for seeding future scholars. 3) Systems of scholarly effectiveness tend to include regular practice and support for planning ahead for valued and valuable efforts, reflecting meaningfully and learning from experience (including the experiences of peers and mentors), and engaging in consistent accountability.
g) SREB HISTORY:
I have never attended The Compact and would love to experience it.
h) TWITTER:
Too many mentors to count, but many of them #STEM from @Renetta_Tull, the brightest of stars. @PROMISE_AGEP @SREBDocSch #ThinkBigDiversity
LikeLike
a) YOUR NAME: Phyllis Brooks Collins
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT: University of Maryland of Eastern Shore Organizational Leadership Ph. D. http://www.umes.edu/ORLD/Default.aspx?id=13098
c) WEBSITE: Professional Website: http://phyllisbrookscollins.weebly.com
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/phyllis-brooks-collins/8/7b9/862
d) MILESTONE DATES: Dissertation Defense: December 2015.
e) ASPIRATIONS: I have recently transitioned from an administrative position to a faculty position and program coordinator responsible for expanding a new undergraduate degree program at the institution where I work. This semester I will teach a new course “Theories & Methods of Integrated Studies” which is will serve as prerequisite to the Integrated Studies Senior Capstone course which I team teach with a colleague. My reasons for wanting to become a professor revolves around my experience as a first generation student who faced many challenges in completing my education. I am committed to assisting students’ to achieve success in their academic endeavors especially in the classroom. Currently, I have not developed a research program but, hope to expand my dissertation research and I also would like to conduct research on the scholarship of teaching and learning.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: I attended the last PROMISE Summer Success Institute on August 15th in Maryland and the Dissertation House on August 13th and 14th. What I have learned is the doctorate is obtainable if you can commitment to staying engaged in the process. Not being afraid to ask for help and the willingness of faculty mentors to assist was an invaluable experience.
g) SREB HISTORY: I have not attended “The Compact” before.
h) TWITTER: My mentor who continues to believe in my success Dr. John Wolfe, Assoc. Vice Chancellor USM@PROMISE_AGEP, @SREBDocSch #ThingBigDiversity
LikeLike
a) YOUR NAME: Charlotte A. Crawford
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT: University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Department of Social Sciences. Doctor of Philosophy program in Organizational Leadership. http://umes.edu/ORLD/Default.aspx?id=12404
c) WEBSITE: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/charlotte-crawford/31/883/457
d) MILESONE DATES: Planned year of graduation for Doctor of Philosophy degree is 2016.
e) ASPIRATIONS: I discovered the love of learning in the second grade and decided then that wanted to teach. Unknowingly at the time, I was the first of my family to graduate from college. My success helped inspire other family members to accomplish the goal of obtaining college degrees. My educational experiences have afforded me an opportunity to learn in a variety of environments, from the inner city to the suburbs to rural communities. And, my career has expanded my exposure from public school systems to community college and university systems of higher education wherein I interfaced with any combination of the challenged, the athlete, and the gifted student. Yet, the demographic profile of today’s and tomorrow’s students is rapidly changing. Any knowledge that can enhance the learning experience for students is welcomed. Teaching at the college level has always been the best part of the various administrative and counseling positions that comprise my career. Nothing compares to seeing students’ eyes light up and you know that they have ‘got it.’ And, nothing would be more fulfilling than to extend my career journey within the professorate. My research interests include the factors that motivate students to attend and succeed in college and those that effect the career success of female faculty and academic administrators. The latter interest is the subject of my dissertation.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: I attended the PROMISE Dissertation House August 13 – 14, 2015 and the Summer Success Institute on August, 15, 2015. Among the many things that I learned is that while it takes a village (family, your advisor, mentors and colleagues) to complete a dissertation, one must be in control, not reacting but, responding with fortitude and persistence. This is part of a recipe for success. I was reminded of the importance of research to the academy which thrives on evidence. Expanding the body of evidence changes minds which is critical because we are not changing fast enough to meet the needs of a rapidly changing society. I have learned the magnitude and significance of social media in the educational arena and have begun to update my Linkedin website and plan to set up a twitter account.
g) SREB HISTORY: I have not attended The Compact in the past.
LikeLike
a) Jennifer A. Whittington
b) University of Maryland Eastern Shore – Department of Technology
https://www.umes.edu/tech/
– Dr. Derrek B. Dunn lab (Chair of the Department of Technology)
https://www.umes.edu/tech/gp.html
c) https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jennifer-whittington/a4/32b/84
d) 2017
e) I want to be a professor for several reasons. First, I want a job that encourages a life of learning. I must continue reading, investigating, and learning in order to do my job well. Second, I have always enjoyed being on college campuses. Being a professor puts you right in that environment. Third, and most important, I know I want to influence young people to love learning, to come up with new ideas, to be curious, and to be fearless of learning. We take so much for granted without ever getting down to the essence. I want to push students to truly learn how to think. Most people are intellectually passive. They are spectators rather than participants because they are afraid. I want to get more people to open their minds and feel free in their learning environment. I am interested in researching how people develop negative perceptions of technology and what we as educators can do to alleviate those perceptions.
f) I will be attending the GEM fellowship grad lab at UMBC. I hope to learn more about mentoring and networking.
g) I have not previously attended
h) Tweet sent
LikeLike
K. Lynn Trice
Howard University / Political Science.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/KLynnTrice
October 2015: Defend My Proposal, 2016 -Defend my Dissertation.
I want to be a Professor because I want to utilize my creativity to teach and inspire college students. The flexibility and platform that the career provides is like no other. My research centers around black women and the organizations they built to empower, educate, bring about awareness and provide a stable foundation of self love for their people. I plan on teaching Political Science and planting ECHOS Inc. Chapters on various college campuses. Currently there are 4 chapters at Murray State University, Delgado Community College, Savannah State University and Howard University. The organization that I founded provides mentorship, over sight, and lifeskills to women ages 18-25. Please like us at http://www.facebook.com/ECHOSInc.
I attended the last Promise Event in August. I learned that I am not alone on this journey
g) SREB HISTORY: If you’ve been “The Compact” in the past, what did you learn? NO
h) Done
LikeLike
Name: Ashley J. Belle, PhD
University & Department: University of Maryland College Park, Department of Environmental Science and Technology http://www.enst.umd.edu/ ; Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental, Geographical, and Geological Sciences http://www.bloomu.edu/eggs
Professional Websites:
AGEP: https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/archived-posts/symposium2014/ashley-j-belle/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ashley-belle/a3/27/4b5
Departmental: http://enst.umd.edu/people/graduate-student/ashley-j-belle
Milestone Dates: I completed my PhD (May 2015) at the UMCP. Currently, I have a 9-month Frederick Douglass Teaching Scholars Fellowship for the 2015-2016 academic year. I am also actively seeking full-time faculty positions for the 2016-2017 academic year.
Why do I want to become a professor?
Education has always been a priority in my life and has led me on a continual mission to encourage the academic advancement of youth. Through mentoring at-risk undergraduates, teaching senior level undergraduate courses, serving on a faculty search committee, and working closely with my major professor, these experiences have further solidified my desire to teach at the University level. Diversity within my field of agricultural and environmental sciences is severely lacking the presence of African Americans and women. As a professor, I would like to be able to positively impact students from all backgrounds with special emphasis on identifying, recruiting, and developing students who share my heritage, gender, and interest in bioenergy. Apart from teaching at the University level, I also strive to have a successful research program focused on Renewable Energy Production, specifically waste to energy.
PROMISE participation:
I have attended the PROMISE Research Symposium and Professional Development Conference, where I had the opportunity to give an oral presentation of my doctoral research. Through the research symposium, I was provided with constructive criticism that has enabled me to strengthen my presentation skills for not only the scientific community but also for a more general audience. Through the professional development workshop, I learned about planning for tenure and was given insight of the process from two different perspectives: research intensive vs. teaching university.
As a first year doctoral student, I was a protégé in the PROMISE Peer Mentoring Program. Through this program, I was introduced to many resources available for graduate students at UMCP and have attended several workshops focused on writing proposals, grants, and dissertation chapters. Through attending Fall Harvest Dinners and Celebration Cookouts, I have also had the opportunity to network with other minority students throughout the University System of Maryland. I have also attended workshops that were livestreamed such as financial literacy and awareness.
SREB History: I attended COMPACT for the first time last year. It was an invigorating and very worthwhile experience. I learned different strategies for searching for faculty positions and methods for achieving faculty success in teaching and scholarship. Additionally through COMPACT, I discovered Bloomsburg University, where I am currently a Teaching Scholar Fellow for the 2015-2016 academic year
LikeLike
a) YOUR NAME:
Amanda Lo
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT:
Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Department: Biological Sciences
Department Website: http://biology.umbc.edu/
Laboratory Website: http://biology.umbc.edu/directory/faculty/leips/leips-lab/
c) WEBSITE: Provide at least one link for your professional website. If you have more than one, you may provide up to three links, e.g., LinkedIn, department website. If you don’t have a professional website, please create one.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaslo
Personal Website: http://amandalo.weebly.com/
About.me Website: https://about.me/amandalo#
d) MILESTONE DATES: Students: Planned year of graduation for your PhD. Postdocs: Planned year for starting a faculty position. Faculty: Planned year of 3rd year review.
I am currently a Master’s student in the Biological Sciences and plan to graduate in December 2015. Following graduation, I would like to pursue my PhD and become a faculty researcher who teaches classes and conducts research.
e) ASPIRATIONS: Students and postdocs: One paragraph that describes the reason why you want to be a professor; include your research interests and how you will contribute to research in your field. Faculty: One paragraph that describes your research program.
I want to become a professor because a) I like to teach and mentor students, b) Teaching is alive and brings knowledge from a textbook to life. From the PROF-IT seminars and attending various classes, I noticed each teaching style have its own effectiveness. At UMBC, I particularly liked how Dr. Steven Caruso’s genetic laboratory (BIOL 302L) was very hands-on and engaging; students were given a semester to go through the entire process of working on an independent process and have insight about how conducting research is, while learning about bacteriophages. I liked how alive he brought the class to life. For me, I feel that when a professor can make students curious and interested in the subject, it simply takes one spark of curiosity that would motivate a student to be eager to learn more in class. This is just one of the various teaching styles that I have observed and, for me, was very effective for me to absorb the class knowledge because I was able to put what I have learned into action and see the experiment outcome firsthand. My research interest is in the field of immunology. Currently, I am knocking down the expression of several genes and seeing its effect on the innate immune response in fruit flies. There is a conundrum as to whether the JAK-STAT pathway is involved in the innate immune response. My study will contribute to the research in my field by providing further insight as to how the JAK-STAT biological pathway is involved. I am also interested in seeing whether these genes have a different effect across age in relation to the immune response, and, am therefore studying immunosenescence (immune response across age) as well.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: Which PROMISE events have you attended, and what have you learned?
I have attended PROMISE events since 2013. To list them would be a long list. PROMISE events that I have attended include, but are not limited to: PROF-IT seminars, Career-Life Balance seminars, Financial Literacy seminars, Statistics for Researchers, Career Paths for Graduate Students, A Talk with Dr. Hrabowski, Fall Harvest, and PROMISE Cookout. I have learned that: a) PROMISE events bring a sense of community and belonging to graduate students, a place where students can feel welcomed while also gaining professional development. b) PROMISE is one of the factors that can lead to graduate student retention c) PROMISE is like a family d) PROMISE outreaches to a wide audience and tries to accommodate its audience by providing both day, afternoon, evening, and weekend seminars/workshops. e) All of the PROMISE seminars/workshops assisted attendees in their professional development.
g) SREB HISTORY: If you’ve been “The Compact” in the past, what did you learn?
Yes, I have been at “The Compact” last year. It was a wonderful experience! Everyone I met at The Compact was very welcoming and provided a sense of belonging to all attendees. I was grateful to be chosen to attend the conference and I remember leaving with a sense of encouragement. The speakers were wonderful; each providing inspiring and motivational words. I learned that dreams are never out of reach and that there are people who will cheer me on and support me as I continue my graduate study. I appreciated how students were recognized at the event. When speaking with people at the information tables, I learned that there is a spectrum for teaching and researching for people who plan to pursue both research and teaching. Prior to coming to the conference, I did not know what R1 universities were. Upon speaking to others, I realized some places focus more on teaching and less on researching, whereas other universities are the opposite. I also learned the importance of faculty diversity and that the size of the classroom also affects the teaching style. I gained so much from last year’s conference and would love to attend again. The Compact feels like a family that supports all the attendees on their way to the professoriate. My more in-depth reflection of “The Compact” is also on the following website: https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/good-morning-dr-_insert-your-name-here_-per-umbc-pres-hrabowski-promise_agep-reflections-sreb-srebdocsch-institute2014-atlanta/.
LikeLike
h) The tweet is on Twitter. 🙂
LikeLike
h) My tweet was: Dr. Jeff Leips, Dr. Renetta Tull, Dr. Michelle Starz-Gaiano,Dr. Steve Miller,etc = Good Mentors @PROMISE_AGEP @SREBDocSch #ThinkBigDiversity
LikeLike
Ikenna Okafor
University of Maryland Baltimore County, Department of Biological Science
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ikenna-c-okafor/73/b36/931
M.S. 2017
I aspire to earn my PhD in Neurobiology, and to make a significant contribution to the field. Successful research and teaching are necessary components for this to be accomplished.I want to become a professor, because of its broad impact. I have always been fascinated by the mentor figure played by professors. They truly have a significant impact on the future thinkers and doers in their respective field. My teaching and research interests are to investigate the cellular and molecular pathways that effect the developing brain. This is a growing field, and I am excited about getting started
I have attended PROMISE work/life balance seminar, the most helpful piece of information I received was that you cannot aim to be a perfectionist. Dr. Deluty also shared his experiences as a first graduate student, which helped put things in perspective. I also plan to attend the upcoming Promise opening meeting (9/11), The Saturday Success Seminar “Funding your graduate education (9/12), and the GEM Grad Lab (9/19).
LikeLike
My name is Azah Mohamed ,from University of Maryland Easterner Shore. I would like to join PROMISE SREB diversity team.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Curiosity Sparks Learning and commented:
I would highly recommend all aspiring professors to apply for the wonderful opportunity to attend the Teaching and Mentoring Conference in Arlington, Virginia. Application Deadline is 9/14/2015.
LikeLike
My link to my tweet
LikeLike
1. Name: Erica Dasi
2. University of Maryland Baltimore County, Department of Biological Sciences
Department link: http://biology.umbc.edu/
Laboratory link: http://biology.umbc.edu/directory/faculty/miller/miller-lab/
3. Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericaadasi
4. Milestones Date: Spring 2017 (Masters)
5. Aspirations: Why do you want to become a professor?
My desire for becoming a professor stems from my experience of having faculty mentors throughout my undergraduate career. My mentors provided me with sometimes knowledge in my field, but more importantly guidance, support, and encouragement. I would not be in graduate school today if it weren’t for them believing in my success. I aspire to become a professor to not only share knowledge that I have acquired, but to also assist students with reaching their maximum potential regardless of their age, gender, race, or social status. I also hope to use this role as a platform to engage minorities in STEM subjects and inspire others towards becoming mentors and instructors.
6. Promise participation:
Summer Success Institute: Taught me the importance of being proactive while networking, asking for help when it’s needed, and being apart of a community while in graduate school.
Financial literacy workshop: Provided me with tips and resources on how to manage and monitor my finances.
7. SREB history: I have not attended “The Compact” in the past.
LikeLike
Víctor M. Torres
University of Maryland – Baltimore County (UMBC)
Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (CSEE)
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/victor-torres/5/182/351
Planned year of graduation: 2017
Learning is at the core of human development. We are learning from the moment were are born. Sharing my knowledge and experiences and be able to influence the next generation of scientist and engineers is what inspires me to become a professor. My interests include the study and characterization of novel materials using ultrafast optical techniques with the purpose of determining their application in the fields of nanophotonics, remote sensing and communications.
I have participated in many PROMISE events including Summer Success Institute, Fall Harvest Dinner, workshops, seminars, recruiting activities and conferences. Lessons learned include the importance of a support group and how it could “recharge your batteries” to keep you going. Another important lesson has been on how to manage academic politics and balance graduate work and personal life.
This will be my first time attending the Institute of Teaching and Mentoring.
Congratulations to Dr. Robinson Kuis. Dr. Kuis is a research scientist at CASPR/UMBC. @PROMISE_AGEP, @SREBDocSch, #ThinkBigDiversity.
LikeLike
a) Ali Azari
b) University of Maryland Baltimore County
c) https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ali-azari/20/472/799
d) December 2015
e) I thought in UMBC for couple years while I was a PhD student, I have worked in industry for 3 years now, and I miss the teaching a lot. I discovered the love of teaching from early ages by watching my parents who both were teachers. It excites me to see the light in student’s eye when they receive the education they deserve in the class room. Besides, I love conducting research, applying for grants and publishing paper. Collaborating with other bright professors and talking to them in the conferences is always inspiring for me. My research is on data science and data mining and focuses on creating data analysis algorithms that can pull actionable information from large quantities of the data.
f) Dissertation house for students with full time job (2014), PROMISE Summer Success Institute (SSI) 2015, PROMISE Summer Success Institute (SSI) 2014, PROF-it (Professors-in-Training) semester workshops, Fall Harvest dinner
g) I have never attended The Compact and would love to experience it.
h) There are many of them that are outstanding especially @Renetta_Tull, the brightest . @PROMISE_AGEP @SREBDocSch #ThinkBigDiversity #STEM
LikeLike
a) Nicole Barkley,PhD
b) Durham Technical Community College, Biological Science Department
c) https://www.linkedin.com/pub/nicole-barkley-ph-d/34/96a/2b5
d) Milestone dates: Anticipating Full Faculty Position 2016
e) Aspirations: I want to inspire underrepresented students to pursue advanced degrees in STEM careers. As a professor, my goal is to encourage not only learning but critical thinking and problem solving. I want to motivate my students to think about science differently as well as learn to enjoy it. The passion I display to my students everyday excites them to learn scientific concepts and I use that energy to inspire them to learn more about scientific career and research. My overall objective it continue to encourage underrepresented students in STEM to pursue their career goals.
f) Promise participation: Dissertation House Seminar
g) SREB history: Never been but excited about the possibility to go.
h) Twitter: Don’t have one
LikeLike
Twitter:
Thank you Stephanie Lansing, PhD! Such a great mentor. @PROMISE_AGEP @SREBDocSch #ThinkBigDiversity
LikeLike
a) Helene Nguewou-Hyousse
b) University of Maryland College Park, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. http://www.ece.umd.edu/graduate
c) WEBSITE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenenguewou
d) MILESTONE DATES: Planned year of graduation for your PhD: May 2018.
e) ASPIRATIONS: I want to become a university professor in Electrical Engineering because I believe that we need more people who are able to communicate technical knowledge in a simple way so that students will be inspired to try and work hard. I also believe that we need more women faculty to recruit and retain more women students. My research interest includes nonlinear control systems, robust control systems and optimization with applications to biological systems and aerospace systems.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: I attended the PROMISE SSI 2015. I met wonderful and inspiring people who told me that if they made it through, I can make it through too. I was directed to some people at my institution who will be able to mentor me.
g) SREB HISTORY: None
h) TWITTER: A great mentor believes in you and pushes you beyond your limits. #DrA_Nkwanta @MorganStateU @PROMISE_AGEP @SREBDocSch #ThinkBigDiversity.
LikeLike
a) NAME: Kathleen M. Gillespie
b) INSTITUTION: University of Maryland, College Park/University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Department of Marine and Estuarine Environmental Science (MEES)
Website of advisor: http://www.umces.edu/imet/people/rjagus
c) WEBSITES:
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/kathleen-gillespie-phd/21/b75/3b1
http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kathleen_Gillespie3
d) MILESTONES: Graduation August 2015, Postdoctoral position sought 2015-2017, and Faculty position by 2018
e) ASPIRATION
This need to pursue a faculty position in science has coalesced in me, slowly then suddenly. My intent is to parlay my origins in microbiology and apply molecular methods towards the understanding the new developing microbial ecology in marine systems. I have long been in the trenches of Industry, and extracted myself to obtain a doctorate in biotechnology when the weight of the glass ceiling had become inescapable. Being back in a scholastic environment both pleased and concerned me: Yes, there was more diversity in undergrads, but yet less rising above to graduate level. As I began to train and mentor students during my studies, I knew I had to give more. Of my experiences, my insights, my will to survive in science. Show the next generation that the ceiling can’t crush the love of it out of you. That you must teach and pay the knowledge forward. In order to enhance and maintain diversity and inspiration in science, I believe this goal must be met first and foremost.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: I have enjoyed numerous SSI programs, student symposiums, the Dissertation house boot camp, a weekend Leadership retreat, and being a peer mentor. The PROMISE program has provided me the means to attend many wonderful events from which I have learned this overarching theme:
I am neither alone nor unappreciated in this journey towards excellence.
g) I have not yet had the chance to attend “The Compact” at SERB, but I am intrigued.
h) Tweet sent from @dinofishtalking
LikeLike
a) NAME: Kathleen M. Gillespie
b) INSTITUTION: University of Maryland, College Park/University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Department of Marine and Estuarine Environmental Science (MEES)
Website of advisor: http://www.umces.edu/imet/people/rjagus
c) WEBSITES:
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/kathleen-gillespie-phd/21/b75/3b1
http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kathleen_Gillespie3
d) MILESTONES: Graduation August 2015, Postdoctoral position sought 2015-2017, and Faculty position by 2018
e) ASPIRATION
This need to pursue a faculty position in science has coalesced in me, slowly then suddenly. My intent is to parlay my origins in microbiology and apply molecular methods towards the understanding the new developing microbial ecology in marine systems. I have long been in the trenches of Industry, and extracted myself to obtain a doctorate in biotechnology when the weight of the glass ceiling had become inescapable. Being back in a scholastic environment both pleased and concerned me: Yes, there was more diversity in undergrads, but yet less rising above to graduate level. As I began to train and mentor students during my studies, I knew I had to give more. Of my experiences, my insights, my will to survive in science. Show the next generation that the ceiling can’t crush the love of it out of you. That you must teach and pay the knowledge forward. In order to enhance and maintain diversity and inspiration in science, I believe this goal must be met first and foremost.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: I have enjoyed numerous SSI programs, student symposiums, the Dissertation house boot camp, a weekend Leadership retreat, and being a peer mentor. The PROMISE program has provided me the means to attend many wonderful events from which I have learned this overarching theme:
I am neither alone nor unappreciated in this journey towards excellence.
g) I have not yet had the chance to attend “The Compact” at SERB, but I am intrigued.
h) Tweet sent from @dinofishtalking
LikeLike
a) YOUR NAME: Anita Gopal, PhD
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT: University of Maryland, College Park. Teaching and Learning Transformation Center
c) WEBSITE: https://ca.linkedin.com/pub/anita-gopal-ph-d/70/a43/126
d) MILESTONE DATES: Faculty position 2017
e) ASPIRATIONS:
I recently moved to Maryland to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship because my aspiration is to transition to a faculty position as a professor in 2017 or sooner. The reason why I want to be a professor is because I had so many supportive teachers during my doctoral program. These teachers fostered my success and growth and encouraged me to persevere no matter what. I am also very passionate about teaching and learning. This semester I am teaching my own graduate course for the first time. I am committed to supporting my students and fostering their learning and success. My postdoctoral research interest revolves around pedagogical practices that support the diversity of students, particularly international graduate students. Specifically, I am researching the retention and socialization of doctoral students of color and international students in the STEM fields. I actively publish and present on my research with the hope of making a difference to students’ lives.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION:
I attended the PROMISE Summer Success Institute on August 15th for the first time. I learned that mentorship and support are important and that it is okay to ask for help. I also learned that the PROMISE program is unique and very valuable for scholars of color because it is an opportunity to connect with fellow scholars who share the same interests and goals.
g) SREB HISTORY: I have never been to “The Compact” before but would love to attend.
h) TWITTER: I don’t have one but if I did, I would tweet the following: Dr. Renetta Tull, supportive mentor @ PROMISE_AGEP@SREB #ThinkBigDiversity
LikeLike
a) YOUR NAME
Skyler Jackson
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT:
University of Maryland, College Park
Department of Psychology (http://psychology.umd.edu/)
Counseling Psychology Program (http://www.counselingpsychology.umd.edu/counsel2.html)
Social Identity Research Team (http://socialidentityteam.weebly.com/)
c) WEBSITE:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/skylerjackson
http://skylerjackson.weebly.com/
d) MILESTONE DATES:
Expected Graduation is Spring 2018
e) ASPIRATIONS:
My long-term goal is to broaden the public discourse on stigma by making one fact crystal clear: stigma not only has economic, social, and educational consequences—stigma is a matter of public health. Recent studies have uncovered alarming links between discrimination and physical health problems, such as hypertension, chronic pain, cancer, HIV acceleration, and disease risk factors, such as obesity and substance use. Psychological investigations are illuminating stigma’s relationship to mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, diminished self-esteem, and suicide. Despite this knowledge, we still know relatively little about why stigma is unhealthy. Thus, I aspire to become a leading researcher, teacher, and thought-leader regarding the mechanisms through which stigma-related stressors (e.g., discrimination, internalized oppression, dehumanization) influence well-being. That said, for me, becoming a professor is not only about research. I have always been passionate about teaching and developing others. I have experience as a teacher and mentor in both traditional and non-traditional settings. Also, I have worked as a teacher trainer on issues of diversity and inclusion over the past eight years. I look forward to supporting and mentoring students from diverse backgrounds, to ensure more of them move beyond merely surviving academia—and instead, thrive!
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION:
I attended the PROMISE Summer Success Institute (SSI) in the past.
g) SREB HISTORY:
This would be my first opportunity to attend SREB. However, I have heard firsthand accounts of the learning and growth that comes from participation.
h) TWITTER:
I do not currently have a twitter account.
LikeLike
Name: Ejiroghene Mayor
Institution/Department: University of Maryland Eastern Shore/Department of Natural Sciences
Research web site: https://www.umes.edu/CREST/Default.aspx?id=40560
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ejiroghene-mayor/105/970/309
Milestone: December 2015 (Graduation, PhD)
Aspiration: My career interests have been fostered by several years of undergraduate teaching and research supervision in the Fisheries Department of the Delta state Polytechnic Ozoro, Nigeria, my home country; and as a graduate student at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Maryland. I have gained further advanced experience first as a Graduate Teaching and then, Research Assistant and have significantly enhance my knowledge in the study of Benthic ecology and Fisheries science including population studies, food-web dynamics, and the effects of environmental variables on populations and ecosystems. I would like to further my career in the Academia because I have a strong interest in teaching which has propelled my furtherance in graduate school to develop myself, in order to contribute to teaching and in my field of research to upcoming generations. With the experience I have gained in graduate research, I hope to contribute significantly to my field of study as my PhD research (on population dynamics of mysids and their trophic role in the ecology of fishes) cuts across species communities, species interactions and dynamics, and the impact of environmental variations and perturbation on species/habitats.
PROMISE EVENT: I did plan to attend the workshop when the ‘PROMISE’ Director visited UMES in the spring of this year but missed out due to field work and have been looking forward to another opportunity of PROMISE event.
SREB History: None but anticipate to.
TWITTER: I do not have one but would have twitted Dr. Jennifer Keane-Dawes supportive Dean of Graduate studies @ PROMISE_AGEP@SREB #ThinkBigDiversity
LikeLike
a) NAME
Wele Elangwe
b) INSTITUTION & DEPARTMENT:
University of Maryland of Eastern Shore.
Ph.D. program in Organizational Leadership. http://www.umes.edu/ORLD
c) WEBSITE
Professional Website: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/wele-elangwe/26/61a/881
d) MILESTONE DATES:
Planned Ph.D. graduation expected date: May 2018
e) ASPIRATIONS:
I want to become a professor because I would like to inspire and mentor underrepresented minority students. I happen to be an underrepresented minority on four separate spheres: race, nationality, gender and disability. My minority status has made me aware of the needs and interests of a culturally and ethnically diverse student body and it is my hope to become a Professor to help meet these needs especially through mentoring of under-represented minority students. My research interest is to examine campus climate as it relates to academic, socialization, and professional and networking interactions. Campus climate is an illustration and multifaceted reflection of campus diversity. I hope that my research can influence diversity and inclusion efforts on campuses which would be ineffective unless they also address issues of campus climate.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION:
I attended the 2015 Summer Success Institute – Coming from a collectivist society, family is very important to me and I was comforted to discover that I could have an academic family just like my biological family to keep me motivated and inspire me to succeed. I also loved the presentation by Dr. Williams. It just showed that if we use and take advantage of the opportunities we have in life, even as minority students, we would be able to succeed and thrive.
g) SREB HISTORY:
I have never attended an SREB event before.
h) TWITTER:
@PROMISE_AGEP, @SREBDocSch, Dr. George Edwards, your mentorship and commitment to law and justice continue to inspire and motivate me #ThinkBigDiversity.
LikeLike
a) Jabari Hawkins
b) University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Food Science and Technology
c) https://www.linkedin.com/in/JabariHawkins
d) Milestone Date: December 2016
e) In high school I was blessed with the opportunity to attend a Minority Student Apprenticeships in Agriculture (MSAA) program at Penn State. This program introduced me to the College of Agriculture and provided a hands-on experiences in scientific research applied to agriculture. I would like to be a professor to continue my research in Food Microbiology and Molecular Biology and most importantly provide young minorities with the same opportunity. Without MSAA, I would have never pursued a career in agriculture. Like most individuals, I thought agriculture was no more than “cows-and-plows.” That exposure showed me there are lucrative career possibilities in agriculture without actually setting foot on a farm. Unfortunately, I have had few mentors with similar facial features as mine in Food Science. My goal is to increase exposure of minorities to Food Science and contribute to my research field through publications.
f) Promise Participation: 2015 PROMISE Research Symposium & Professional Development Workshop at College Park
g) SREB History: I have not attended but look forward to participating in my first one.
LikeLike
a) NAME: Michelle Beadle Holder
b) INSTITUTION: University of Maryland College Park, Sociology Department
c) WEBSITE: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/preview?locale=en_US&trk=prof-0-sb-preview-primary-button
d) MILESTONE DATES: My plan is to graduate with my PhD in May 2016.
e) ASPIRATIONS: I wish I could say that I was always sure that I wanted to be a professor. Some of my academic experiences have led me to question whether or not academia would be the ideal place for me to pursue my research interests and career goals. I have considered working in a research think tank as well as national and local health policy and service organizations. While I was clear about my goal—which is to work towards helping to address the health disparities that impact the lives of black and brown people locally, nationally and globally, I still unsure that the academy would be the right place for me. After much research and soul searching, I realized that the institution of higher learning still evokes a passion to teach and provides access to resources and people that shared my interest.
I enjoy the process of learning and contributing to the production of knowledge. I am most alive when I stand or sit with a group of students to explore big ideas and questions about the social problems that we face in society. I love to use the knowledge and research produced in the academy to assist health professionals and community members to develop health programs and interventions that are applied at the community level. Most of all I love to be a part of every stage of the research process and collaborating with other professors and researchers to improve knowledge and public policy. When I look at these loves, the academy feels like the right place for me.
f) PROMISE PARTICIPATION: PROMISE is like a second home to me. The program has exposed me to a wealth of information and a network of people from different disciplines and at different stages of their academic career. I have attended many PROMISE events. However, one event that has been most influential for me is the Summer Success Institute. While I was unable to attend this year’s session, I thoroughly enjoyed last year’s conference. One of the greatest lessons that I learned last year was the importance of interdisciplinary work.
Other workshops that have been significant include those that teach us about the hidden culture of academia. For example, I always remember the lessons from workshops like “When Professor Says X they mean Y” and the mini workshops from Dissertation House which teaches you how to interact with your advisor.
g) SREB History: I’ve been to “The Compact” before. One of the sessions that stood out most for me is the one that teaches students how to negotiate their academic job contract.
h) TWITTER: Great professors are created not born. SREB helps to produce greatness @ PROMISE_AGEP@SREB #ThinkBigDiversity
LikeLike