07-28-2024 EDU - Flipbook - Page 6
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The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, July 28, 2024
Students work in the lab on the mold and mildew on grapes project at University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Technological pathways
Careers in research, cybersecurity and quantum computing
By E. Rose Scarff, Contributing Writer
T
he use of technology is prevalent in most
fields today. The schools featured here give
students the opportunity to gain experience
using the many different types of technology while gaining other skills that will be
useful to them in their careers.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore
(UMES) has partnered with Princeton University
as part of the Princeton Alliance for Collaborative
Research and Innovation (PACRI) for work on solutions to problems in the world today. One deals
with research on coastal flooding and the other with
research into mold and mildew on grapes.
Primarily focused on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the
research into the impact of storm runoff, groundwater
and tides has extended to parts of the Chesapeake Bay.
Students use mathematics to measure water movement and then design code for a supercomputer which
does simulations and analyzes the data. “Students
working on these projects then do internships at
Princeton in the summer,” says Meng Xia, Ph.D., professor in the department of natural sciences.
One such student is Jasmine Pinchinat, a recent
marine biology graduate who worked on this project
and is currently doing an internship at Princeton.
She had the opportunity to learn more about and
use Python, Parflow and HydroGEN and to give a
presentation about her work. “Learning more about
coastal hydrologic processes has really helped me
understand how hydrology affects marine organisms,”
says Pinchinat. The opportunity to deliver her findings
and perfect her outreach skills fit with her interest in
environmental advocacy and education.
The research into mold and mildew on grapes
is important as this has become a costly problem for
vineyards here in the United States and in Europe.
Currently at UMES, in collaboration with PACRI and
with funding from the USDA, research has shown
there are certain proteins in the grape plant that
the mildew needs to grow on the plant. “If we can
somehow disable the protein that is recognized by the
pathogen,” says Sadanand Dhekney, Ph.D., professor
in the department of agriculture, food and resource
sciences, “the pathogen cannot recognize the plant as
a host, and it makes the plant resistant.”
Students on this project do work at the cell level in
labs using specialized microscopes and other equipment. Because of the long-term process of working
with growing plants, students are recruited early so
they can be trained in the lab processes needed for the
two to three years needed for this work.
Another kind of training is offered to students
in the University of Baltimore’s Master of Science
in cybersecurity leadership program. Developed at
the request of members of the board at the Merrick
School of Business, it fills the need for cybersecurity
professionals who want to move into management.
This is especially true for those transitioning from the
military or government positions, who may not have
the leadership and business perspective they might
need to make the transition a success.
“So instead of focusing on technical topics,” says
Danielle C. Fowler, Ph.D., associate professor of information systems, “it focuses on things like risk man-
agement, leadership capabilities and analytics for
business.” There are also courses in decision making,
ethics and law, accounting and information security
management. The 30-credit program also includes a
capstone experience and can be finished in as little as
18-months.
Because the program is geared toward working
adults, classes are held in the evenings and online.
Many of the classes that are not yet online are transitioning to that format to accommodate students who
must travel for work.
Although the program has been developed for
cybersecurity professionals who already have three
to four years work experience, there has been interest
from students who have the technical background
but don’t yet have the required experience. In that
case, the school will encourage internships and work
experience for students to act as a bridge between their
technical expertise and the business side of things.
As one of the fastest growing and well-paid careers
in the Baltimore area, cybersecurity leadership is not
only needed in government and the military, but also
in business. Whether this is biotech, manufacturing,
distribution, health care or something entirely new,
they will need cybersecurity professionals who can
guide their company safely through the technical side
of things in a leadership role.
At the University of Maryland (UMD) the new
field of quantum computing is drawing students with
diverse backgrounds to the study, research and development of its potential applications in its new master’s
program which starts this fall. Quantum computing
applies the laws of quantum mechanics to simulate
and solve complex problems that are too difficult for
classical computing.
Beginning as a certificate program, Konstantina
Trivisa, Ph.D., the director of the institute for physical
science and technology, has been the force behind the
initiative to create the masters offering, and to carry it
through the accreditation process. The goal has been
to begin training a new workforce able to utilize the
power of quantum computing in a variety of fields.
The program is flexible and can be taken parttime or full-time with evening classes tailored to the
working student. The seven core classes ensure students have the required background necessary, plus
three electives in potential areas of application.
“Everyone wants to use the computers,” says
Alfredo Nava-Judela, Ph.D., director of scientific computing, “and that is one of the advantages of our program.” They have direct access to one of the leaders in
that type of technology so that students get hands-on
experience. “They will generate code that will be actually able to run on a quantum computer and have the
opportunity to explain the advantages or challenges
that they faced in doing it,” says Nava-Judela. This is
something they can put on their resume.
Students who are already enrolled in the certificate program came with the interest to see what it
could do in their current line of work. Some who work
for NASA are interested in designing systems that can
travel through the atmosphere in efficient ways. Those
working for Verizon were interested in the networking
features. Potential applications are endless and so are
the opportunities.
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