04-14-2024 Education - Flipbook - Page 10
10 The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, April 14, 2024
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
Encouragement opens the
door for new opportunities
Information technology Ph.D. candidate
Papa Pene shares his journey to TU
A
domino effect of opportunities led
Papa Pene to pursue a doctorate
at TU. And after earning his master’s degree in computer science
with a track in data science, Pene
has found a home in the Fisher College of
Science and Mathematics’ information technology Ph.D. program.
He is researching a variety of topics,
including big data, cybersecurity for cyberphysical systems, the Internet of Things and
branches of artificial intelligence like distributed machine learning and deep learning.
Pene moved to the U.S. from Senegal to
pursue his undergraduate studies. His path
through higher education was not without
its challenges. Studying as an international
student involves extensive paperwork and
credential upkeep, particularly where student visas are involved.
It was through applying for his master’s
degree program that Pene sought out TU’s
International Student and Scholar Office,
which he credits for their substantial support in helping him renew his visa and
enabling him to continue his academic journey in the U.S.
When Pene began his studies at TU, he
was more interested in an industry career
than an academic one in the computer science field; however, his experiences and relationships with faculty and students helped
him form a new perspective.
It was through his master’s degree at
TU that Pene found his love for education,
which has continued to blossom throughout
his Ph.D. studies.
“I love seeking knowledge, and I value
the power of sharing knowledge,” he says.
Pene began working as a graduate assistant during his master's program studies and
has continued this work and additional fellowship opportunities. As a graduate assistant, he presents lectures and provides support for students—a role that was a catalyst
for his decision to pursue the academic computer science track for his terminal degree.
Pene’s students have approached him on
and off campus to thank him for his encouragement—with some students crediting his
motivation and support to their passing a
class or being hired for a job.
“Those are the things that money cannot buy. The feeling is priceless. I motivated
them, and it helped them try their best,”
says Pene. “There were times I regretted
pursuing my degree because of how hard it
was. But thinking about those I helped and
the knowledge I gained kept pushing me
forward.”
Currently, he is working on research to
determine how to anticipate the number
of people using renewable energy in their
homes and, in turn, predict energy consumption needs. This endeavor involves the
development of machine learning models
designed to predict energy consumption
patterns.
In addition to his studies, Pene has published research in the computational intelligence field and is an adjunct professor in the
Department of Computer and Information
Sciences.
More recently, Pene was appointed as an
ambassador for the information technology
Ph.D. program, where he guides candidates
through the application process.
The program has a breadth of research
areas within computer science, information
systems and information technology and
prepares students to become professors, scientists and entrepreneurs.
Program director Wei Yu, Ph.D., shares,
“Papa is a student role model for our program in IT, excelling in impactful research
and effective teaching.”
"Our program offers students the opportunity to conduct research and disseminate scholarly research to the community.
Accomplished and dedicated faculty mentors strengthen our course offerings and
provide expertise that enables high student
success,” says Yu.
Where Pene will go after he earns his
Ph.D. is an exciting question that he isn’t
expecting to have an answer to for some
time.
“For many reasons, I stopped planning
for what’s coming next. I believe I will seize
the next great opportunity when it arises,”
he says.
