Known as the 鈥淢other of the Internet,鈥� 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 鈥� or want to revisit Dr. Perlman鈥檚 invaluable insights 鈥� 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 鈥淚nterconnections: Bridges, Routers, Switches, and Internetworking Protocols鈥�, and cowrote the textbook 鈥淣etwork Security: Private Communication in a Public World.鈥� 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 鈥� Can you share a bit about your love of mathematics? 
• 11:31 鈥� 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 鈥� 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 鈥� As a fellow woman in STEM, I鈥檓 curious how it鈥檚 been for you throughout your career and industry experiences where you鈥檝e found yourself surrounded mostly by men.  
• 39:03 鈥� Do you have any advice for the students in the audience? 
• 45:22 鈥� Open Q&A

The post A Conversation with Dr. Radia Perlman: The Mother of the Internet听 appeared first on School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

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.听听

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

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

• 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.听听

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.听

Workshop organizers & supporters 

Dr. Dharma Dailey of 56吃瓜网’s School of STEM and , Technical Education Specialist and Data Science Fellow at the University of Washington鈥檚 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 鈥� 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.听

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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听(,听,听)听鈥斕齮his 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吃瓜网 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吃瓜网 Bothell鈥檚 large population of first-generation college students. Thank you for your generous contributions and support  鈥� they help STEM students significantly!

Now that we have settled into Innovation Hall, we hosted a STEM Soir茅e, 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 鈥淒ecuir Room,鈥� 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吃瓜网 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吃瓜网 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.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very hands-on type of support that really our students benefit from,鈥� said Berger. 鈥淗aving Ralph as a capstone mentor and adviser to the program is invaluable.鈥�

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.

鈥淚 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,鈥� 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.

鈥淭here was no place for them to assemble some of these projects to work on that,鈥� Doreen said. 鈥淪o, we invited them to come up to our house and had them work here.鈥�

Doreen didn鈥檛 get involved in the projects, but through hosting students at their home, she built a rapport with them, learning their stories and backgrounds.

鈥淚 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. 鈥淎nd 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.鈥�

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吃瓜网 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. 鈥淲e wanted to do STEM because we felt that it could be one of the underfunded or under endowed programs,鈥� Ralph said.

Despite neither Ralph nor Doreen having attended 56吃瓜网 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 鈥� one million dollars.

鈥淲e both work on a philosophy that says, lay your intention and the universe will take care of the details,鈥� Doreen said. 鈥淲e had no idea how we鈥檙e going to get a million dollars endowment.鈥�

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.

鈥淲e both look at this as a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Ralph said. 鈥淵ou had to build up a relationship and then everything had to be just right in order to do this.鈥�

In 2018 the Boys were honored with the 56吃瓜网 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吃瓜网 Bothell鈥檚 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.

The post Mentorship, philanthropy and STEM excellence: The Boy legacy听 appeared first on School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

Enter the Founded in 2013 by Dr. Ambareen Siraj of Tennessee Tech University, WiCyS aims to recruit, retain, and advance women in cybersecurity, providing a platform for networking, mentorship, and professional development. As a leader in cybersecurity research and education, the 56吃瓜网 School of STEM Division of Computing & Software Systems (CSS) sponsored three students and one faculty member to attend the 2024 WiCyS conference in Nashville, Tennessee.  

Forging new paths  

Among the attendees was Anne Ha, a former medical resident and 56吃瓜网 Bothell alumna of the bachelor鈥檚 degree in Computer Science & Software Engineering, Information Assurance and Cybersecurity option. Ha found reassurance in her academic journey as she noted the diverse backgrounds of the other attendees and speakers. 

“I realized that there are so many other women that have come to the field with different backgrounds, and that’s inspired me a lot,” Ha said. 

As Ha continued through her undergraduate journey, she became more interested in cybersecurity and landed her current internship in a security engineer role. She decided that she should take some cybersecurity classes to help prepare her for the internship when she received the invitation from the CSS division to apply for the WiCyS conference. 

Comprised of keynote speakers, workshops, resume reviews, and socials, the conference offered attendees valuable career insights and networking opportunities. Ha highlighted that this conference was unique in that connections with professionals didn鈥檛 feel transactional. She was able to speak with people for up to an hour about her resume, career tracks, interviewing skills, and more 鈥� an experience that she felt was unique to the WiCyS conference.    

Ha noted that she鈥檚 generally an introverted person but the genuine kindness and encouragement from industry professionals at the conference helped grow her confidence.  

鈥淭his conference made me more open to other people,鈥� Ha said. 鈥滱nd I’d like to offer the same help to other women, to other students, if I have a chance to.鈥� 

Expanding expertise  

Graduate student Rithi Afra Jerald Jothi was working in a computer science role when she applied to 56吃瓜网 Bothell鈥檚 Computer Science & Software Engineering master鈥檚 program. While in the program, she took classes to dive deeper into the cybersecurity side of computer science since she was already doing some of the work in her job. Seeking more guidance about career and academics paths, Rithi applied for the CSS scholarship to attend the WiCyS conference because she felt like it would be a good opportunity to learn more about the security side of the computer science field.  

鈥淚 was a little confused if I have to direct my career toward the software development side or security,鈥� Rithi said. 鈥淪o, I was just looking out for opportunities which would enhance my ideas on these domains so that it would give me a clearer picture.鈥�  

At the conference, Rithi connected one on one with industry professionals and received a lot of advice on her career 鈥� valuable wisdom that she says she would not have been able to receive had she not attended.   

鈥淎ll of them were able to give me insights on how to find professions which would combine both of these fields,鈥� Rithi said. 鈥淪o that was the first benefit, the biggest benefit, which helped me to shape my career at this point.鈥�  

“I want to see more women in cybersecurity in my own classrooms and then in the industry and so on.鈥�  

Dr. Geethapriya Thamilarasu

Empowerment through community  

For Dr. Geethapriya Thamilarasu, associate professor in the CSS division, the conference offered more than just professional development; it provided a sense of community and support.  

“I’m the only female faculty in cybersecurity here, so sometimes meeting with other women in the cybersecurity field provides that sense of community and support in a way that I don’t usually find here,” Thamilarasu said. 

Thamilarasu attended the conference twice before but shared that it鈥檚 always an inspiring experience because of all the different keynote speakers sharing their stories. 

鈥淣o matter what stage of career you are in, hearing from these successful women in cybersecurity can be extremely inspiring, motivating and empowering,鈥� Thamilarasu said. 鈥淎nd then you come back ready to pass the torch on to get more women in the field. I want to see more women in cybersecurity in my own classrooms and then in the industry and so on.鈥�  

Elevating voices  

Gender diversity in cybersecurity is something that resonates deeply with Thamilarasu as she is currently the only female faculty in cybersecurity at 56吃瓜网 Bothell. She believes that recruiting and encouraging women to join these fields of study will be 鈥渆xtremely important for the growth of the industry as a whole.鈥�  

Thamilarasu notes that a diverse workforce brings a broader range of perspectives and experiences to the table 鈥� essential for developing comprehensive cybersecurity strategies.  

鈥淵ou don’t know if this is a field for you unless you go and see people who look like me, who talk like me, who think like me are leading this field in so many different ways,鈥� Thamilarasu said.   

Thamilarasu’s commitment to diversity echoes the broader efforts at 56吃瓜网 Bothell, where initiatives like sponsoring student conference attendance are championed to support women in STEM fields. The university’s investment in fostering diversity and inclusion is further demonstrated by the proactive actions of students like Lily Aguirre and Margaret Lanphere, the president and vice president of the , who secured funding through the Student Academic Enhancement Fund to attend the WiCyS conference. Their initiative underscores the importance of empowering students to take ownership of their learning and professional growth.

The students and professors who attended the conference all echo the same sentiment鈥� they gained so much from their attendance.   

鈥淭he feeling of the inspiration and the empowerment that comes from the conference is unmatchable,鈥� Thamilarasu said. 鈥淚 think that is something everybody should experience.鈥� 

The post Investing in diverse futures: Bothell students and faculty find community at the 2024 Women in Cybersecurity conference听 appeared first on School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

Letter from the dean

On February 1, I was honored to step into the role of interim dean for the School of STEM. My immediate focus was to provide continuity for faculty and staff as the school conducts a national search to identify the next permanent dean later in the calendar year. I have been utilizing my super power 鈥� listening 鈥� to ensure that those around me have the support they need to be successful.

I have been excited to collaborate with others to enhance the student experience for STEM students. We have increased industry engagement on campus by hosting a variety of events such as the Avanade-sponsored hackathon and the Boeing AI Innovation Challenge that you will read about later in the newsletter. We generated $21,346 on Husky Giving Day from contributions to the STEM Excellence Fund, STEM DEI Excellence Fund, and STEM Scholarship Fund 鈥� thank you again for these generous contributions and support!

I would like to encourage everyone to join us on June 7 for the STEM Symposium, a signature event where students present results from experiential learning opportunities and are recognized for their excellence by the faculty. As a part of the STEM Symposium, we will host the first Annual All STEM Recognition Ceremony from 1:00-1:45 p.m. in Discovery Hall, room 061 to celebrate our amazing students receiving awards and the new Sr. Chief Ronald G. Gamboa Endowed 56吃瓜网 Bothell STEM Faculty Fellowship Award winner!

To our STEM students graduating this year, I extend a heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of you! You have demonstrated excellence in challenging STEM programs and the triumphs you have achieved are remarkable 鈥� a true testament to your unwavering dedication and brilliance. I am proud of you and excited for you to continue on your journey.

As I finish my 11th year in the School of STEM, I continue to be extremely proud of how my community supports students both inside and outside the classroom. Together, we transform lives, one student at a time.

– Jennifer McLoud-Mann

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Six senior mechanical engineering students created their own goose neck hinge, which allows the passenger door of an aircraft to open to 180 degrees. Boeing tasked the students to create a hinge using a more contemporary manufacturing process and more modern materials than the ones they currently use. The team was advised and mentored by Boeing senior technical lead engineers Matthew Soja and Mitchell Mellor, Engineering Capstone Coordinator Dr. Imen Elloumi-Hannachi, ME faculty Dr. John Bridge and Captain Bill Anderson. who continuously collaborated to provide guidance and support to the students throughout the project.

The students, Kacper Syzmanski, Andrey Fomin, William Fogle, Loyan Dude, Simran Deol and Daniel Comsea, who all graduated in June, were selected based on their interests, career aspirations and qualifications for the project. The team split into sub-groups to work on various aspects of the project, from research, manufacturing, design, testing and coding. Led by Syzmanski and Fomin, the team created various designs before finding one that is capable of withstanding 9,000 lbs. of tension and 4,500 lbs. of compression.

鈥淲ill, Andrey and I designed our clevis, which is the device that would hold our hinge in testing to verify that it would pass all the loading criteria,鈥� said Syzmanski. 鈥淎t the same time Loyan, Daniel, and Simran were researching materials to select for our hinge to get an idea of what the material and manufacturing costs would be, and what we could manufacture in house and what would have to be done through vendors.鈥�

Before the project completion, the students were given the opportunity to tour of the Boeing Everett plant and to meet several other Boeing engineers and other students from the Seattle campus working on other capstone projects.

鈥淚t was a really great experience working with our Boeing mentors,鈥� said Fogle. 鈥淚 felt like I learned something new every meeting, whether it was about testing, structural design, or finite element analysis. They also respected our ability to solve problems and would subtly point us in the right direction without giving anything away. Their industry knowledge and experience were invaluable, being able to learn from them was a real privilege.鈥�

Fomin said the experience was an incredible opportunity.

鈥淲e were all very excited to see our hinge in person and to test our hinge design. Our hinge met all the criteria given.鈥�

Elloumi-Hannachi, said that the project gave students an opportunity to practice several aspects of engineering they learned in different courses, including design thinking and human centered design, and to develop their engineering skills even further. It also gave them the opportunity to learn more about Boeing culture and needs. The scope of the project was well-defined, and the constraints and requirements were explained to the students well in advance, while the students had to come up with their own design and demonstrate how it works. The students also had to present their work not only at the School of STEM Capstone Symposium, but also at the Boeing campus in front of Boeing engineers and senior leaders, as well as faculty and deans from all three 56吃瓜网 campuses.

Bridge said that after this years鈥� experience, Boeing was interested in doing more projects with 56吃瓜网 Bothell students in the future.

鈥淭hey seemed very happy with the results of our team. This is a perfect capstone/company relationship as the projects envisioned — including the one we just did — are a wonderful mechanical engineering experience for our students,鈥� said Bridge. 鈥淭hey can get their hands around these projects while also helping Boeing.  This experience also gives insight to our students into engineering at Boeing and networking opportunities for employment.鈥�

Elloumi-Hannachi says that she was happy that the Boeing engineers took the time to share current job openings at Boeing, and that they were happy to recommend her students for those job openings.

鈥淚 am very pleased to see that several of the students already have jobs at Boeing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am excited to continue this partnership with Boeing, we already started discussing the scope of the projects for the next academic year.鈥�

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Every year, Rodr铆guez Hidalgo鈥檚 students organize the event as an opportunity to teach the public and their peers on campus about basic astronomy topics 鈥� topics the students in the intro class themselves only just learned.

The students each must sign up for at least two hours of teaching in collaboration with a community partner as well.

Through these quarter-long projects, Rodr铆guez Hidalgo, assistant professor in the School of STEM, employs a model for teaching often referred to as 鈥渓earning by teaching.鈥� The鈥痬ethod involves students first learning to gain a comprehensive understanding of a topic and then teaching that same topic to peers or others through a presentation or similar project that can deepen their learning even further.

Tackling even hard topics

Rodr铆guez Hidalgo first came across this teaching method while working as a visiting assistant professor at the University of Toronto. When she attended a teaching and learning symposium at York University, she heard about dance students going into middle schools in the area at the end of their class to instruct kids on the same moves they had just learned.

鈥淚 thought it was a great idea, but several faculty members told me it would be an impossible endeavor in astronomy classes,鈥� she said.

Undeterred, she pursued the idea and, through the university鈥檚 Centre for Community Partnerships, connected with program managers at鈥痑fter-school programs in low-income areas around Toronto.

鈥淭he rest is history,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have been doing this since then and been involved with every service-learning and community-engagement center at every university I have been to. I love it.鈥�

Practicing makes perfect

At the beginning of the quarter, Rodr铆guez Hidalgo鈥檚 students 鈥� most in their first year of college 鈥� learn about a wide range of astronomy basics. They are then invited to choose a topic previously talked about in class for their own presentations. They鈥檙e also told to choose a second topic outside of class to research on their own and incorporate it into a supplementary presentation.

鈥淎t the beginning, they are shocked and doubtful that they will be able to teach astronomy after learning it for only one month,鈥� she said. 鈥淏y the end, it builds up their confidence in public speaking and delivery of knowledge, as they themselves tell me in the post-action reflections we ask them to complete.鈥�

Before presenting to the community, the students have multiple opportunities to present in class and to others outside the class to help learn the material through oral repetition.

鈥淐reating these projects and having to present them over and over really solidifies all the information,鈥� said student Liliana Flores 鈥淥ne of our professor鈥檚 key tips is to go around explaining to everyone everything we learn. So, I鈥檒l walk around at home and tell my mom 鈥楾his is what I鈥檝e learned, let me tell you all about it.鈥�

鈥淚n doing that, we鈥檝e really got this down pat.鈥�

Engaging with the community

Students also have shared ownership in鈥痵electing and working with community partners to arrange educational events. This year鈥檚 class presented at one of three venues: Skyview Middle School, Franklin High School and a library in the City of Bothell.

The students who presented at the library gave a preview presentation to the staff there who provided feedback, including ways the students could adapt their presentation for younger library visitors. About 45 people, including young children and their parents, joined in the event on Saturday, June 3.

鈥淚t was nice to be able to offer an interactive STEM program for families on Saturday 鈥� and we were able to introduce the public library to the 56吃瓜网 Bothell students. Many of them said they hadn鈥檛 been here before and really liked the space,鈥� said Katie Boyes, librarian and information services manager. 鈥淲e enjoyed the partnership.鈥�

At Skyview Middle School, the 56吃瓜网 Bothell students attended two after-school programs. The school provided support by encouraging the middle school students to sign up for the presentations. In total, more than 25 signed up to learn about astronomy during their own time after school.

One of Rodr铆guez Hidalgo鈥檚 students who graduated from Franklin High School arranged the presentation there, partnering with his former science teacher and connecting with students through the school鈥檚 science club.

As Rodr铆guez Hidalgo prepared her students to give their own presentations, she not only taught them about astronomy but also gave them important tips on how to teach and present to different audiences.

Shaping young minds

鈥淲e started out with the young kids in mind,鈥� said student Gregory Palmer, 鈥渟o that鈥檚 what we shaped our presentation around.鈥�

Students noted that one of the more challenging topics to present was the Big Freeze, a theory on how the universe will die. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little hard talking to them about how our universe will end. Their eyes will just get really big, and they鈥檙e kind of shocked,鈥� said student Angela Duarte Valencia. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 so cute listening to them just ask questions and be interested in this stuff.鈥�

56吃瓜网 Bothell Student Gowiria Yousif said that asking the younger students questions to encourage them to think about the information and try to find the answer is instrumental to teaching children. Many of the presentations incorporated interactive components and opportunities to earn small prizes.

鈥淚 liked teaching to different people and different age groups,鈥� Flores said. 鈥淎t Astronomy Day, we鈥痶aught college students 鈥� people our own age 鈥斺€痑nd at the Bothell Library we taught mostly younger kids. It鈥檚 just very different but also a cool difference to see.鈥�

The students from Rodr铆guez Hidalgo鈥檚 intro course also appreciated the collaborative nature of teaching as parents eagerly jumped in to help their children grasp what was being presented, said student Aidan Riffle. And oftentimes, younger space enthusiasts knew more about a certain topic than their parents.

A transformative experience

This kind of community-based learning is a passion for Rodr铆guez Hidalgo and one of the reasons she moved from California to join the 56吃瓜网 Bothell faculty.

鈥淚t involves a large amount of effort on many fronts,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut it is completely transformative and removes the ivory tower concept that universities typically portray in our society.鈥�

Over the many years she has used the model of learning through teaching, Rodr铆guez Hidalgo said she鈥檚 seen her students really benefit. In their interactions with younger audiences in the community, for example, her students are surprised to find themselves as role models for younger people.

She recalls one student from her time in Toronto who shared an experience in her post-action reflection about teaching moon phases to a young girl. When the child asked if a woman had walked on the moon, the college student looked it up and told her that, no, there have not been any female astronauts on the moon. The young girl then declared that she would become the first.

鈥淢y student wrote that the moment changed the way she saw the power of education 鈥� and the influence a student like her could have in her community,鈥� Rodr铆guez Hidalgo said. 鈥淵ou never know the seeds you might be planting when you do these activities.鈥�

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It is vital to have skilled cybersecurity professionals to help keep data and information safe from hackers and other external threats. Demand for information security analysts and security engineers are projected to grow 35% from 2021-2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and show no signs of slowing down. 

Building a stronger gender-diverse workforce  

The  strives to ensure that more women are a part of this important need for cybersecurity professionals.

Cybersecurity Ventures reported that . WiCyS is on a mission to 鈥渉elp build a strong gender-diverse cybersecurity workforce by facilitating recruitment, retention & advancement for women in the field.鈥� Part of these efforts include an annual Women in Cybersecurity conference to help bring together current experts in industry and those aspiring to grow as professionals in the field.  

Industry leaders, students, and faculty come together at WiCyS to connect, learn, and grow professionally through workshops, panels, networking opportunities, career connections, resume clinics, mock interviews, and more. 

This year, five computer science & software engineering students were awarded scholarships from the 56吃瓜网 School of STEM to attend this premier cybersecurity conference. 

Student scholarships to attend the WiCyS conference 

For Tammy Le (pictured to the right), a senior bachelor鈥檚 student, the WiCyS conference was her first solo trip and experience at a conference.

鈥淏eing surrounded by a global community of women, allies, and advocates in the field of cybersecurity was a very empowering and inspiring experience for me,鈥� said Tammy.  

鈥淚 gained valuable insights, and also got to learn about the experiences of others and develop a sense of community and support.鈥�  

Many of the students who attended are thinking of a career in cybersecurity after graduation. Master鈥檚 student Margaret Lanphere reflects on how 鈥渋t was very valuable to have this experience at this critical time with just a year left of my master鈥檚 degree.鈥� 

WiCyS was the first women-focused professional event Margaret has been to. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see that 56吃瓜网 Bothell is investing in the success of its students by sending us to conferences to learn and network.鈥� 

This was also the first computer science conference that master’s student Chloe Ma attended with a scholarship.  

鈥淭his means a great deal to me as it signifies validation, support, and empowerment for my journey in computer science. This recognition enhances my belief in my potential to succeed in the new field as I’m going through my career transition from civil engineering,鈥� said Chloe.  

Making industry connections  

During a conference dinner, Chloe connected with a keynote speaker who shared their similar experience pivoting from the construction industry to the technology field. 鈥淗earing from someone who has been there and achieved success is really encouraging.鈥� 

Chloe鈥檚 favorite part of the conference was the Career Village where sponsors offer one-on-one resume reviews and career advice. She got the chance to speak to companies who were looking for cybersecurity talent, such as Amazon, Adobe, Google, Bloomberg, and Asurion.  
 
鈥淭his is a unique opportunity for me to ask all my questions and learn from experienced professionals and hiring managers.”  

Lily Aguirre, a senior bachelor鈥檚 student (pictured with Tammy to the right), got the opportunity to network with the Palo Alto company to discuss future job opportunities and ways they could be part of a WiCyS student chapter at 56吃瓜网 Bothell. 
 
Lily also got some advice from them on how students with a computer science background can still pursue a career in cybersecurity. 鈥淚 think this will be very helpful for our coming members in the club here at 56吃瓜网 Bothell.鈥� 

WiCyS student chapter coming to 56吃瓜网 Bothell 

Plans are in the works to make a bigger impact and develop a student chapter at 56吃瓜网 Bothell to better support women and allies in cybersecurity.  

鈥淎s vice president of the WiCyS club that we鈥檙e starting at 56吃瓜网 Bothell, along with the other club officers, it was really helpful to attend to learn from the national organization on how we can help other female students succeed in this male-dominated field,鈥� said Margret. 

Associate Professor Marc Dupuis is helping students create a Women in Cybersecurity chapter at 56吃瓜网 Bothell. Dr. Dupuis attended the 2023 WiCyS conference along with the student scholars. “The WiCyS conference was unlike anything I had experienced before,鈥� said Dupuis.  
 
鈥淥bserving the future WiCyS club officers attend an event that focused on the advancement and empowerment of women in cybersecurity was particularly powerful, especially as I think about the opportunities I want to make sure exist for the women of the future, including my own daughter.鈥� 

The role of a WiCyS chapter is to 鈥渉elp decrease the gender disparity in the field, while providing support, mentorship, training, networking opportunities and access to industry and academic leaders.鈥� The upcoming 56吃瓜网 Bothell WiCyS chapter has submitted club formation paperwork and expects it to be formalized in the coming weeks. 

鈥�56吃瓜网 Bothell is well-positioned geographically and academically to serve the high demand for cybersecurity professionals in our region and beyond,鈥� said Dupuis. 

The School of STEM Division of Computing & Software Systems’ goal is to always be responsive to the changing cybersecurity landscape and the challenges it poses. 鈥淥ne of the best ways to do that is to ensure we are empowering those that have been traditionally under-represented in the computing disciplines as they bring important and unique perspectives required to effectively meet these challenges,鈥� Dupuis continued.  

鈥淭he formation of a WiCyS chapter at 56吃瓜网 Bothell is an important step in that direction.鈥� 

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CBIT, envisioned by physical sciences professors Hyung Kim and Lori Robins with Leslie Cornick, Dean of the School of STEM, is a collaborative partnership including support from computing & software systems faculty Mark Kochanski and David Socha, along with Surya Pathak from the School of Business. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray were instrumental in ensuring the funding of this initiative. Cantwell said, “The Puget Sound region is a national hub for biotech research and development…56吃瓜网 Bothell’s new Center of Biotech Training and Innovation will provide high-tech training for tomorrow’s biotech workers and help develop the next biotech breakthroughs.” (“”)

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