Known as the “Mother of the Internet,” Dr. Perlman revolutionized modern networking with innovations like the Spanning Tree Protocol and IS-IS link-state routing, both of which remain essential to internet infrastructure today. With over 100 patents, a National Inventors Hall of Fame induction and numerous lifetime achievement awards, Dr. Perlman has left an undeniable mark on computer science. 

During their conversation, Dr. Perlman shared powerful insights into her groundbreaking contributions to computer science and engineering, the challenges she overcame as a woman in tech and timeless design principles that continue to shape the digital world.  

If you missed this thought-provoking discussion — or want to revisit Dr. Perlman’s invaluable insights — you can watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel.  

About Radia Perlman

Radia Perlman is a Fellow at Dell Technologies. She has made many contributions to the fields of network routing and security protocols. Her IS-IS link state routing protocol design continues to be widely deployed today, and the principles have been incorporated into other routing protocols (such as OSPF). Her spanning tree bridging design transformed Ethernet from a single shared link to a network that can support many. Her contributions to network security include designing systems resilient to malicious. She wrote the textbook “Interconnections: Bridges, Routers, Switches, and Internetworking Protocols”, and cowrote the textbook “Network Security: Private Communication in a Public World.” The 3rd edition of Network Security was recently published, and includes significant content about quantum computing and quantum-safe public key algorithms. She has received numerous awards including induction into the Inventor Hall of Fame, induction into the Internet Hall of Fame, lifetime achievement awards from ACM’s SIGCOMM and Usenix, election to National Academy of Engineering, election into the Washington State Academy of Science, and an honorary doctorate from KTH. She has taught courses at various universities including University of Washington, Texas A&M, MIT, and Harvard. She has a Ph.D. in computer science from MIT.

Interview questions 

• 4:41 – Can you share a bit about your love of mathematics? 
• 11:31 – At one point you decided you were going to leave graduate school and then you came back. Can you tell us a little more about why you came back? What motivated that? 
• 25:27 – You’ve made incredible accomplishments throughout your life and career. What do you think causes you to be good at what you do? 
• 31:53 – As a fellow woman in STEM, I’m curious how it’s been for you throughout your career and industry experiences where you’ve found yourself surrounded mostly by men.  
• 39:03 – Do you have any advice for the students in the audience? 
• 45:22 – Open Q&A

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A personalized approach to education 

When Dr. Han-Wei Shih joined the School of STEM’s Division of Biological Sciences at 56�Թ��� Bothell as an assistant professor in autumn 2024, he brought a student-focused approach to his Molecular Biology course. A pre-course survey revealed to him that his students, mostly seniors planning to graduate in a few months, were unaware of the diverse career paths available to them. Instead of merely delivering lectures, he engaged students in discussions about what they already knew and what they hoped to learn. This adaptive teaching method ensured that students were not just checking boxes for graduation but were actively preparing for their future careers.��

“He wanted to go above and beyond and help us prepare not just for our academic lives, but also for our lives onward from that,” Biology Senior Adelle Nolan said. “Whether it’s our career or continuing in academia, whatever it was.”  

Eye-opening field experiences 

To expand his students’ understanding of career possibilities in biology, Shih arranged field trips to and the at the end of autumn quarter. The field trips gave students an inside look at the facilities through guided tours and interactive Q&A panels with professionals working in cross-disciplinary roles. Shih hoped that these tours would provide his students with awareness of the research community in the region and the career opportunities in the fields. Shih also wanted his students to hear from speakers with diverse STEM backgrounds, learning about their personal journeys through academia and industry and how they arrived at their current roles.  

“I strongly believe that academia and industry share a close and mutually beneficial relationship,” Shih said. “This connection is essential not only for advancing academic research but also for fostering industry growth.” 

At Just – Biologics, students explored the intersection of biology and technology, where professionals worked in multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions. Speaker panels highlighted unique backgrounds and specialties and how they come together collaboratively in biotech research. The Allen Institute further reinforced this concept, with researchers from a wide range of backgrounds collaborating on cutting-edge projects across disciplines. 

“It was very interesting to see the types of people that go into this facility and what their roles were, what they did, and how they all interconnected,” said Hannah Heilman, a senior majoring in Biology.����

For Heilman, who’s been involved in genetics research at 56�Թ��� Bothell, the experience was eye-opening to the opportunities available in biology in Seattle and the value that vast research experience brings to the field. 

“Going on the field trip to the Allen Institute and Just – Biologics tied into my research because it made me appreciate the science more,” Heilman said. “It just inspired me to keep going, working at what I love, and to get as much research experience as possible.” 

A well-rounded approach to science and learning 

For many students, these experiences were more than just academic exercises — they were pivotal moments that shifted their outlook on their futures. Nolan, initially uncertain about job opportunities within their niche specialty of human sex diversity, found reassurance in seeing recent graduates working in interdisciplinary roles. 

“I came into this field trip being worried about my future and feeling like I wanted to cling on to my bachelor’s degree — find a way to stay in college forever,” they shared. “But then when I came out of that first field trip, I felt confident. I felt inspired.”��

The field trips reiterated to students that a successful career in biology isn’t confined to a single specialty. The educational journey in the School of STEM is about more than just meeting graduation requirements — it’s about helping students discover their passions, build meaningful connections and step into their future with excitement and purpose. 

“The experience showed us how science thrives on collaboration and innovation,” Shih said. “As we returned to our studies, we carried with us a deeper appreciation for the endless possibilities in scientific discovery.” 

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Letter from the dean

As I reflect on winter quarter stepping into the permanent dean position, I am feeling proud of the school more than ever. I have been successful in slowing down so that I can listen to learn more about the landscape of the school from faculty and staff colleagues. Based on listening session feedback, I will be able to assess and address both short-term and long-term gaps and opportunities. I have also been investing in one-on-one time with individuals to gain deeper understanding of what brought them to 56�Թ��� Bothell and what keeps them here, which is part of the STEM Scoop community building initiative that I launched last autumn. I am discovering new things to love about my community every day.

At the heart of all conversations and activities, the STEM community devotes itself to transforming lives, one student at a time. Our faculty have robust research programs, and many of them mentor students, especially undergraduate research students. Check out the sections of the newsletter sharing information about Mary Gates scholarship recipients and 56�Թ��� Bothell’s new research Carnegie classification!

I continue to be impressed by the generosity of individuals who devote their resources, including their time, to make an impact for STEM students. This newsletter highlights some of the incredible events happening on campus to increase industry engagement and better prepare students for their future. Dedicated individuals are also stepping up to ensure that our students have access to cutting-edge equipment needed to provide the critical hands-on experiences that prepare them for the workforce. The overriding feeling coming from this generosity is the desire to make a difference for others, which resonates and aligns with the passion that I bring to my new role as dean.

– Jennifer McLoud-Mann

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“We are so grateful to our donors and faculty who know how important it is for our engineering students to work on projects using industry-grade equipment so that they are workforce ready,” Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Sharon Jones said.  

Located in Innovation Hall 015, the Engineering Machine Shop serves as a crucial resource for students in engineering and related fields. 

“A machine shop is a vital organ of an engineering program,” Mechanical Engineering Lab Coordinator Jacob Roth said. “We envisioned a teaching shop that could accommodate up to 18 students at a time, and that’s exactly what we have now.” 

The shop is split between instruction and student-driven work, serving as both a learning space and a hands-on workshop. Roth regularly assists students conducting research, building prototypes and completing capstone projects. 

Expanding access to the machine shop 

In prior years, Roth taught a three-hour hand-tools only course for students to experience some of the shop’s features. With the establishment of the new shop in Innovation Hall, he is planning to revitalize that workshop to expand opportunities in the space. Currently, access to the machine shop is limited to students who have completed the machining fundamentals course for the safety of both students and the equipment. 

However, Roth hopes to make the entire shop more accessible to a broader range of students by expanding the machining fundamentals course to all students. Currently, it has mechanical engineering prerequisites, so it’s typically only engineers taking the class. 

“It would be great if I could tell anyone and everyone, ‘take our intro to machining,’” Roth said.  

A hub for innovation & collaboration 

Access to the machine shop allows students to create custom metal parts on short notice and work one-on-one with Roth to refine designs in advanced software.  

“For research students in non-engineering disciplines, who haven’t been trained on any machines, I’ll often work with them to produce engineering drawings and then I’ll make the part for them and give it to them,” Roth said.   

Beyond coursework, the machine shop is also a hub for student clubs. Groups like the Electric Motorsports Club and the TrickFire Robotics Club frequently use the space, helping fund equipment purchases and maintenance through the Student Technology Fee. 

Souri Banerjee, a mechanical engineering graduate from 56�Թ��� Bothell, ran into difficulties using the worn-down equipment in the previous machine shop. The parts he machined for his electric motorsport club wouldn’t turn out exactly as envisioned because the equipment was well used. He reached out to Roth about utilizing the student technology fee for additional equipment since a lot of student clubs used the space. After surveying other engineering clubs to see what equipment they needed for their projects, he and Roth worked together to submit a funding request which was approved.  

“I wish we had that new equipment when we were students, because that would have made our tasks easier,” Banerjee said. “But I am so very glad that the students now and all future students are going to be able to experience machining.” 

With the funding from the Worthington Fund and the Student Technology Fee, the 56�Թ��� Bothell Machine Shop is enhancing hands-on engineering education, supporting student innovation and fostering collaboration across STEM disciplines. 

Available equipment 

• Four lathes 
• Three manual mills��
• Grinder station including chop saw��
• A vertical and horizontal bandsaw��
• Drill press��
• Two Computer Numerical Control (CNC) mills and a forthcoming CNC lathe 

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In response, an interdisciplinary group of data science educators from multiple institutions put together the Data for Good in Education Workshop Series, a collection of intensive day-long workshops that convene data science educators to surface and promote strategies to face the obstacle of grounding data science education in people-centered community-informed practice. The first two workshops have garnered the participation of 75 educators and a third workshop is planned for 2025.  

Dr. Dharma Dailey, assistant teaching professor in the School of STEM, is among the organizers of Data for Good in Education Workshop series leading efforts in teaching data for good and shares highlights from the workshop series. 

The challenges of teaching data ethics 

Attendees gain the opportunity to network with and learn from their peers while workshop organizers map common opportunities and challenges Data for Good educators face. There are different challenges that are surfacing:  

• Instructors teaching technical topics feel pressure to minimize time devoted to ethics or considering societal impacts.����

• Educators don’t feel qualified to broach ethics in their classrooms.����

• Program and resource constraints limit community-engaged experiences and capstone experiences that tie data science to social good.����

• No field-level consensus has emerged yet for specifying learning objectives pertaining to the social and human dimensions related to Data Science, nor for designing relevant learning activities or assessing them.����

Despite these challenges, the workshops showcase the breadth of approaches to teaching data for good that are being spearheaded by Data Science educators.  

Inspiring talks and hands on sessions 

At the most recent workshop held at the in Ann Arbor in October, participants convened for a series of inspiring talks on teaching Data Science with a social good lens, interspersed with interactive sessions. Keynote speaker graduate director of the Master of Science Data Science Program and associate professor of Africana Studies at Howard University, provided insight into designing Howard’s Masters for Data Science and Analytics, an online program that substantively interweaves social good with data science. The program prepares students to engage in real-world data analytics that serve a purpose. For example, one recent student capstone identified analytic discrepancies in air quality assessment in the Mossville community in Louisiana. 

In another talk focused on change-making work within existing degree programs, , research associate at the Human-Robot Interaction Lab and lecturer at Tufts University, related his experience working in human-robot interaction and ethics to lead a one-year project to more systematically integrate ethics into all computer science courses in the Department of Computer Science at Tufts University.  

, director of the at the University of Michigan, reflected on how community-engaged, collaborative projects may be incorporated into data for good education, drawing on case studies from his current book project, Appetite for Data: Race, Neighborhoods, and Digital Recipes for Racial and Class Solidarity.  

Offering insights into what can be done at the course level, assistant professor at the University of Michigan, shared a framework he has devised for conceiving of and executing data-science for-good projects in his courses that help future data science practitioners view the work of data science as a milestone within a social good project, helping students to make clearer connections between the work that comes before and after a more successful data science intervention. 

In considering activities that can be incorporated into a class session or course module, of Trinity Christian College described how he makes use of ethics case studies in his classes. of Tufts University led participants through an assessment of case studies being curated and distributed through the Methods for Teaching Ethics in Data Science Workshop.��

Workshop organizers & supporters 

Dr. Dharma Dailey of 56�Թ���’s School of STEM and , Technical Education Specialist and Data Science Fellow at the University of Washington’s eScience Institute, are among the organizers of Data for Good in Education Workshop series. Dailey and Alterman draw upon their experience as educators in the University of Washington’s Data Science for Social Good program and Dailey’s prior work through eScience Institute to identify and promote effective strategies for building out Data for Good programs including the Data for Good Growth Map — a resource being used by many educators in this space.  

The Data for Good in Education Workshop series is co-organized with faculty from Emory University, Iowa State University, Michigan State University, Montgomery College, Trinity Christian College, University of Notre Dame, and Washington & Jefferson College. Funding for the Data for Good in Education Workshop series has been provided by the National Science Foundation and the Responsible Computing Challenge, a partnership of Omidyar Network, Mozilla, Schmidt Futures, Craig Newmark Philanthropies and Mellon Foundation. 

Those interested in the 2025 workshop should contact the organizing committee at data4good.workshop@gmail.com.��

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Letter from the dean

As this calendar year comes to a close, I wanted to reflect and express gratitude for many of the accomplishments that have happened during the last quarter in the School of STEM.

As you know, the school is committed to serving all students, especially those from underserved communities, and creating opportunities to raise awareness and participate in activities beyond the traditional classroom is essential for their success.

Holly Gion, STEM Advisory Board chair, and I would like to highlight some of the investments that have been making a meaningful impact for students. The first STEM Advisory Board scholarships were awarded this autumn quarter, providing critical financial support for students with significant financial need. The first endowed faculty fellowship was awarded to recognize outstanding success in undergraduate research mentorship.

The board also launched an ambitious series of events focused on raising awareness of career pathways across the spectrum of STEM disciplines. These events provide students with guidance about what to do while they are students as well as how to transition to the workforce. Keep watch for events and updates on social media��(,��,��)��—��this is a great way to stay connected to STEM! I am deeply grateful for the advice and support advisory board members provide to the school. In this newsletter you can read about the legacy of Ralph and Doreen Boy. Ralph is one of the first STEM Advisory Board members and our first emeritus board member.

I am excited to report that the School of STEM fundraised $28,700 at the recent I heart 56�Թ��� Bothell luncheon. Some of the proceeds from this event will fund research scholarships to increase experiential learning opportunities for students who collaborate with faculty or community and industry partners. Experiences like these help students discern their professional pathway, which is especially important to 56�Թ��� Bothell’s large population of first-generation college students. Thank you for your generous contributions and support  — they help STEM students significantly!

Now that we have settled into Innovation Hall, we hosted a STEM Soirée, a night of innovation and impact, in October to celebrate this new space that transforms traditional classrooms and offers improved and expanded lab spaces. At the event we unveiled the newly named electrical engineering student project/capstone lab, the “Decuir Room,” thanks to the generous gift from Joseph Decuir in honor of his father Laurence Decuir.

The School of STEM has been anticipating an announcement about who will be named the next permanent dean for the School of STEM. With this newsletter planned for Tuesday, it was nice timing that the 56�Թ��� Bothell Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs announced on Monday that I will have the privilege to continue on in this role as the official spokesperson for the school. A big thank you to everyone who participated in contributing to this process.

We are looking forward to launching a new year and exploring innovative ways that we can continue to collaborate to enhance the student experience. Together with you, we will transform lives, one student at a time.

Happy Holidays to everyone from the School of STEM!

– Jennifer McLoud-Mann

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Since the founding of the Electrical Engineering program, Ralph and his wife Doreen have left an everlasting impact on the campus community and continue to give back their time, talent and treasure. With the formation of the School of STEM, Ralph became one of the first advisory board members and in 2024 was recognized as the first emeritus advisory board member.

Blueprints to breakthroughs 

Ralph joined the 56�Թ��� Bothell Electrical Engineering Advisory Board in 2010, and his expertise helped establish the EE program as it exists today. He focused on designing the capstone program to ensure students were working on projects in which they were building a product that would work and in theory be able to sell.

“It’s a very hands-on type of support that really our students benefit from,” said Berger. “Having Ralph as a capstone mentor and adviser to the program is invaluable.”

Leveraging his career at Boeing, Boy developed a comprehensive checklist for EE capstone projects that helps students navigate the complexities of engineering projects, from schematic designs to market analysis. The capstone projects provide students with a physical portfolio that they can present to potential employers at interviews.

“I think that’s one of the things I’ve really learned is the power of having a mentor from industry to help bridge that gap between what they’re taught from books and here it is in practical application,” Ralph said.

A living room launchpad 

With the School of STEM yet to be established and the EE program beginning to gain interest, Ralph and his wife Doreen opened their home to students working on capstone projects and for celebration dinners.

“There was no place for them to assemble some of these projects to work on that,” Doreen said. “So, we invited them to come up to our house and had them work here.”

Doreen didn’t get involved in the projects, but through hosting students at their home, she built a rapport with them, learning their stories and backgrounds.

“I got to meet the students and see them firsthand, and you start to learn a little bit more about them and some of the struggles that they had to get to the point they’re at in their education, “Doreen said. “And at that point, that’s when Ralph and I talked about what we can do to help some of these students that are kind of living on the edge, so to speak.”

With a background in nonprofit fundraising and donor relations and a passion for equal access to quality education at any age, Doreen saw an opportunity to help 56�Թ��� Bothell students who were pursuing higher education but might have struggles come up like a broken-down car, an illness, or family emergency. She saw an opportunity to establish an endowment.

Doreen was not alone in this line of thinking. “We wanted to do STEM because we felt that it could be one of the underfunded or under endowed programs,” Ralph said.

Despite neither Ralph nor Doreen having attended 56�Թ��� Bothell, they felt connected to the tight-knit community and saw firsthand the impact that they could make. In 2017, the was established.

Engineering a legacy for the future 

After donating to the endowment every year, Ralph and Doreen decided they needed to set a goal – one million dollars.

“We both work on a philosophy that says, lay your intention and the universe will take care of the details,” Doreen said. “We had no idea how we’re going to get a million dollars endowment.”

Setting the goal was step number one. Step two was figuring out how to make it happen. Ralph and Doreen have planned on a combination of matching funds, tax advantaged donations and real estate transfers to accomplish their goal. Ralph pointed out that market growth always helps.

“We both look at this as a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Ralph said. “You had to build up a relationship and then everything had to be just right in order to do this.”

In 2018 the Boys were honored with the 56�Թ��� Bothell Legacy Award, the highest award for donors and supporters, in recognition of their service, philanthropy and inspiration.

Through their expertise, mentorship, and philanthropy, Ralph and Doreen have not only shaped 56�Թ��� Bothell’s STEM programs but transformed the lives of students. Their endowment reflects their joint commitment to education and equity, ensuring that future generations of students can achieve their dreams. As Ralph and Doreen continue to work toward their ambitious endowment goal, they inspire the community to believe in the transformative potential of generosity and the enduring legacy of shared purpose.

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Building on gravitational wave research from the last decade, the European Space Agency (ESA) teamed up with NASA for the upcoming . NASA’s Astrophysics Division selected six U.S. scientists from all over the nation to serve on the joint ESA-NASA LISA Science Team; they will join a team of eleven European scientists along with two interdisciplinary scientists and a representative from the LISA Consortium.

Among the six U.S. scientists chosen is 56�Թ��� Bothell’s Dr. Joey Shapiro Key, associate professor in physics.  

We’re going to be working hard to ensure the success of the mission. But that is something that I want to contribute my time to.

A multi-generational legacy in astronomy 

During her time in graduate school at Montana State University, Key intended to focus on cosmology but was still unsure of her path. She began working on cosmology research with Dr. Neil Cornish but changed to his research group’s focus on gravitational waves.    

“I was an astrophysics major in college and I worked on cosmology in undergrad,” Key said. “But in grad school, I started working on gravitational wave astronomy because that’s what my adviser was working on.”   

Key’s research has contributed to LIGO, LISA and NANOGrav, the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves.    

“These big missions that we do, like LIGO and like LISA, they’re multi-generational,” Key said. “I mean, really human generations, scientific generations and academic generations.”   

Key’s adviser, Cornish, had been working on these missions long before he taught her, and now she is teaching students who will become leaders in this field in 10 to 15 years. Cornish is also one of the six scientists selected to work on the LISA mission, so after many decades of working and researching, Key and Cornish will reunite for the project as peers and colleagues.    

“I trained with him and learned from him,” Key said. “It’s fun and exciting to continue collaborating with him in this new role.”  

Nurturing curiosity and discovery in the classroom 

As an associate professor at 56�Թ��� Bothell, Key incorporates current research and discoveries in her teaching. Because it’s happening in real-time, gravitational wave research makes its way into her physics and cosmology courses, classical mechanics and astronomy 101.    

“It’s natural and timely to include all of this in classes,” Key said.    

56�Թ��� Bothell provides programs and opportunities for students to get involved in cutting-edge gravitational wave research. Last year, Jayron Yucker, a senior pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Physics, received an email from Key offering her mentorship. Yucker became involved in Key’s gravitational wave research group and was encouraged to apply for the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP). In this program, he worked with simulated LISA data – particularly looking at extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRI), small black holes orbiting supermassive black holes.  

Astronomy is sort of a gateway science. People can get excited even if it doesn’t connect to the details of their everyday life.����

One of the more well-known opportunities at 56�Թ��� Bothell are the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs, which provide students with immersive research experiences over the summer. August Muller, a visiting researcher at 56�Թ��� Bothell, was part of the 2021 Physics REU cohort working with Key on LISA EMRI search techniques. Muller came to 56�Թ��� Bothell because it was one of the only research programs she applied to that would give her hands-on research experience. Even after completing the REU, Muller kept updated on the gravitational wave project and it later became the focus of her bachelor’s thesis. 

“I sort of realized in that moment that I was having more fun in the research that I was doing with Joey,” Muller said. “Trying out different fields and really using that as an opportunity to figure out what one likes and doesn’t like as an academic and as a scientist, I think was very useful to me.” 

Now, Muller’s beginning a 10-month Fulbright fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics where she will be continuing her gravitational wave research.   

“That’s how the undergraduate research goes,” Key said. “They’re long-term projects that students come on and learn about the project and contribute and then sort of pass it along.”   

Due to the generational longevity of this field, K-12 outreach efforts are crucial for engaging high school students in gravitational wave research. Initiatives like the aim to make complex scientific concepts accessible and exciting for younger audiences.   

Through outreach and research opportunities, educators like Key are cultivating the next generation of scholars in this relatively young field.    

“Astronomy is sort of a gateway science,” Key said. “People can get excited even if it doesn’t connect to the details of their everyday life.”  

LISA’s unique design: A space-based revolution 

Set to launch in 2035, LISA’s design consists of three spacecraft arranged in an equilateral triangle, with laser beams extending approximately 2.5 million miles on each side measuring the distance between them. When an astronomical event occurs, the gravitational waves will cause the spacecrafts to shift slightly. The lasers will measure that distance and send the signal to scientists down on Earth to analyze – which is the role Key is assisting with.    

Designing this mission to be in space is more complicated according to Key, but it holds a lot of advantages. Because it will operate in space, LISA will span larger than the Earth and be incredibly sensitive to gravitational waves — resulting in LISA collecting a lot of data for scientists. One of the key objectives of the mission is to learn more about supermassive black holes. Located at the center of almost every large galaxy, a supermassive black hole has a mass of hundreds of thousands to billions of times the Sun’s mass, according to NASA. But scientists know very little about them. 

“LISA is our only prospect for observing those kinds of systems,” Key said.    

This ability to capture the subtle shifts caused by gravitational waves will revolutionize our understanding of the fundamental nature of gravity, black holes and galaxies.  

Key’s commitment to advancing gravitational wave research 

Due to its incredible sensitivity, LISA will collect a lot of overlapping signals which will need to be analyzed so they aren’t contaminating each other. Key’s role in the mission is to analyze simulated LISA data since the mission has not yet launched.  

“It makes it an interesting data analysis problem,” Key said. “Right now, I use simulated LISA data to demonstrate our analysis techniques – that’s what I do with students here at 56�Թ��� Bothell.”   

Key’s role in the mission is essential because her work enables LISA’s gravitational wave data to identify the properties of different astrophysical sources. Key’s term on the LISA science team will last three years; collaborating with the other scientists selected and learning more about the data that LISA will collect on its 4.5-year mission orbiting around the Sun. 

“It’s a great honor to be selected,” Key said. “Our field is full of smart, talented, motivated scientists working to answer these kinds of questions, this new kind of astronomy and this new way to observe the cosmos and black holes and other kinds of sources. We’re going to be working hard to ensure the success of the mission. But that is something that I want to contribute my time to.” 

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Konpal Ali

Assistant Professor

Division of Engineering & Mathematics – Electrical Engineering

Dr. Konpal Ali earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Before joining the 56�Թ���, she was a postdoc at the University of Manitoba and then at New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi.

Research focus:
Performance analysis, optimization and design of large wireless networks that accurately model real-world networks.

Courses:
EE 341A Discrete Time Linear Systems
EE 517A Wireless Communications I
EE 235A Continuous Time Linear Systems
EE 518A Wireless Communications II

Miguel Balzan

Assistant Teaching Professor

Division of Engineering & Mathematics – Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Miguel Balzan is a mechanical engineer with a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, specializing in fluid dynamics. With over 15 years of teaching and industry experience, he has collaborated with energy companies on improving fluid handling processes.

Research focus:
Complex fluid behaviors, including effervescent atomization and drop impacts.

Courses:
B ME 331 Thermodynamics
B ME 435 HVAC
B ME 223 Engineering Dynamics
B ENGR 321 & B ME 334 Laboratories in Mechanical Engineering

Dharma Dailey

Assistant Teaching Professor

Division of Computing & Software Systems

Dr. Dailey earned her Ph.D. in Human Centered Design & Engineering from the University of Washington College of Engineering. She has taught part-time in the School of STEM since 2021. Having mentored over 20 data science teams, she emphasizes the integration of human-centered practices to improve processes and results.

Research focus:
Investigating collaborations between professional software engineers and scientists at the Scientific Software Engineer Center at 56�Թ���, while also organizing workshops for data science educators to exchange strategies for teaching Data for Good. Additionally, she supports digital equity projects in Washington state.

Courses:
CSS 142 Intro to Computer Programming I
CSS 478 Usability and User-Centered Design

Elizabeth Field

Assistant Professor

Division of Engineering & Mathematics – Mathematics

Dr. Elizabeth Field received her Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She went on to work at the University of Utah where she was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Scholar.

Research focus:
Geometric group theory, geometric topology, and low-dimensional topology.

Courses:
MATH 300 Foundations of Modern Math
MATH 441 Topology

Elizabeth Ostrowski

Assistant Professor

Division of Biological Sciences

Dr. Ostrowski received her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Michigan State University. Ostrowski will join 56�Թ��� Bothell in December from the University of Auckland, where she was a senior research fellow at the Liggins Institute. Ostrowski’s research background is in microbiology, evolutionary genetics and genomics. Her research combines studies of natural populations with laboratory evolution experiments that identify genetic changes in real-time.

Research focus:
Microbiology, evolutionary genetics and genomics.

Courses:
B BIO 375 Molecular Biology
B BIO 495 Investigative Biology

Han-Wei Shih

Assistant Professor

Division of Biological Sciences

Dr. Han-Wei Shih earned his Ph.D. in cell biology from Pennsylvania State University in 2015, focusing on cellular ion signaling in mechanosensing and gravity-sensing within the field of space biology. His postdoctoral research at the University of Washington Seattle explored signal sensing and transduction in cell differentiation and antibiotic resistance, specifically in the protozoan parasite Giardia.

Research focus:
Molecular mechanisms regulating encystation and antibiotic resistance.

Courses:
B BIO 375 Molecular Biology
B BIO 495 Investigative Biology

Jeff Stride

Assistant Teaching Professor

Division of Computing & Software Systems

Jeff Stride earned his M.S. in computer science from University of California Santa Barbara. began his career at Microsoft, where he spent 22 years in various roles. He contributed to notable products like Microsoft Bob, which introduced Clippy, and spent eight years at MSN, where his teams launched the Home Page for 500 million users and revamped the Entertainment channel. After his time in industry, Jeff transitioned to education, teaching AP Computer Science through the TEALS program. In 2017, he joined North Creek High School, where he taught until the 2023-24 school year.

Courses:
CSS 143 Computer Programming II
CSS 360 Software Engineering

Madhava Vemuri

Assistant Professor

Division of Engineering & Mathematics – Electrical Engineering

Dr. Madhava Vemuri completed his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Dakota State University in 2024. During his Ph.D., he worked on developing frameworks and methodologies for studying the newer generation of chip design using beyond Moore technologies. He also investigated various circuit design and optimization techniques for advanced process nodes.

Research focus:
Monolithic Integration, Beyond Moore Technologies, On-chip Power Delivery, Edge Computing, Artificial Intelligence for IC design, Biomedical and Agricultural projects.

Courses:
EE 528 Computer Organization
EE 425 Microprocessor System Design
EE 525 Embedded System Design

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Hovesepian realized during her undergraduate path that studying Biology and going into research probably wasn’t the right path for her and she didn’t really know where to go from there. 

“Basically, it was really just a combination of knowing that I needed to do something else — not knowing what that was,” Hovesepian said.  

From Biology to bytes 

As an employee at the University of Washington, she decided to utilize the and began taking entry level software engineering courses. She tried auditing and sitting in on an introduction to software engineering course but stopped attending two weeks into class. Her interest was sparked, but she lacked the belief in her abilities to be able to do the work. The following summer after chatting more with her friends who work in the software engineering industry, she found the motivation to enroll in the course.  

“The second time around, for some reason, things just started making sense,” Hovesepian said. “So I stuck with it. I finished it. Did pretty well.” 

Hovesepian looked into ways to further her education and pivot her career path, and she found the GCSDD program at 56�Թ��� Bothell.  

“It is an actual degree, even though it’s not a bachelor’s or a master’s,” Hovesepian said.  

“A lot of boot camps that I was looking at, they’re good in their own way and you get a different kind of experience,” she expanded. “But you don’t really get anything that you can show as a form of a degree, which tech doesn’t care about nearly as much as other industries.” 

Speed-running a tech transition 

The GCSDD is a part-time, nine-month curriculum intended for people interested in switching careers towards the software engineering industry. The program also provides a pathway for individuals to continue their education and pursue a Master of Science in Computer Science & Software Engineering or Master of Science in Cybersecurity Engineering. 

The program’s structure offered a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, tailored for individuals from non-traditional backgrounds. Hovesepian said that the courses gave her an understanding of the basics of a software engineering degree in a very short time frame which helped her to land a job in the field.  

“There’s only so much you can teach people in a part-time program in nine months,” Hovesepian said. “You get the basics of a software engineering degree, and a good amount of preparation for what you need to know to be able to interview for a job.” 

Community impact on career changes 

Despite the long hours of commitment to both the program and working a full-time job, Hovesepian said the greatest thing she gained from the program was her connections to her classmates. They all became a support system for each other, creating study groups and friendships to last much longer than nine months.  

“You’re just all in the same boat together, but you also are coming from similar backgrounds,” Hovesepian said. “I met at least two other people there who were also from Biology or basic science backgrounds who are now trying to switch into tech.” 

The study groups she and her peers formed supported each other through the classes and switching to the technology field in general.  

“It’s really hard to switch from any career to another, but tech especially is difficult to learn; it’s difficult to do,” Hovesepian said. “It’s so easy to get discouraged. Just being able to talk to people who have gone through the same thing or something similar was so huge for me.” 

Looking to the future 

Upon finishing her graduate certificate program, Hovesepian enrolled in the Master of Science in Computer Science & Software Engineering. She completed two quarters of the program before putting it on hold to invest all her time in a software development engineer position at Amazon. She didn’t want to stress about managing a new program while starting a new job and learning how to be a better engineer in a workplace was her priority.  

“I might come back to it,” Hovesepian said. “That just really depends on how work goes and how my goals change.” 

Hovesepian acknowledges that while formal education is incredibly helpful, practical experience can often be just as crucial. Her ability to adapt and prioritize her career goals has been key to her success following the GCSDD.  

Hovesepian’s journey underscores the impact that educational programs like the GCSDD at 56�Թ��� Bothell can have on career transitions. While the path from Biology to software engineering held challenges, Hovesepian’s story highlights the importance of perseverance, practical experience and the support from community. As she continues to navigate her career her experience reflects a broader truth: with dedication, belief in yourself, and the right resources, career shifts can lead to fulfilling new opportunities.  

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