Sharyn
Michael Bentivegna is a busy guy. As the Associate Director of IT Services for the Center for GIS he focuses his time on management, business development, and technology research. It boils down to him being our go to idea guy! Michael is a fun person to talk to and he always has a story to share about something from his life experiences. This interview will provide you with more insight into what makes him tick and what trends are on the upswing in GIS.
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Posted by Sharyn Kuczka
Clay
They’re back! After a hiatus of several years, SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), has returned to Towson University. This international, non-profit organization mobilizes undergraduate and graduate students to develop skills to become socially responsible business leaders. Its mission is to bring business leaders and student teams together, to develop outreach projects and make a difference in their communities by creating a more sustainable world through the positive power of business.
Recently, Towson’s SIFE team traveled to Philadelphia for SIFE’s Regional Competition. The competitions provide SIFE teams the opportunity to present their service outreach projects and how they impact the community, in front of a panel of judges. Although Towson’s SIFE team did not compete this year, it became energized and enthusiastic while observing other teams and by participating in the career fair and other networking activities.
(left to right) Biruk Lulseged, Curtis Johnson, Clay Hickson, Laleh Yousefi at SIFE Regional Competition, Philadelphia, PA, March 25, 2011
Towson’s SIFE team has joined with Junior Achievement to begin one of its first outreach programs. As the world’s largest organization dedicated to teaching K-12 students about entrepreneurism, workforce readiness and financial literacy, JA is a perfect partner for SIFE. At JA BizTown (a mock town) Towson Team members will mentor 5th-6th grade students as they apply what they learn in school. Their experiences range from working in a bank, a television station, or a retail store to managing personal finance, writing checks and accounting.
Towson’s SIFE team also is lending a hand to one of TowsonGlobal’s member companiess, Specialty Food Sales, to help improve its business plan. SIFE will be providing in-depth market analysis, marketing tactics, and updates to supporting financial documents to help ensure Specialty Food Sales’ success.
Students who are interested in gaining real world experience, developing leadership skills, and jump-starting their careers by networking with business leaders are strongly encouraged to join!
Those interested should contact Curtis Johnson, President; Clay Hickson, Advisor, or attend a SIFE meeting, held every other Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. in TowsonGlobal’s office at 7801 York Road, Suite 342 (across from Bill Bateman’s).
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Posted by Clay Hickson
Dawn
Quick, if I say “Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH),” what is the first thing that pops into your mind? I know not much came to me the first time it was said during a staff meeting. I had heard of DHMH, but since it wasn’t a state agency I regularly interacted with (i.e., State Department of Assessments and Taxation or Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration), I wasn’t too familiar with their mission. But that was then and this is now.
Beginning in September of 2010, Information Systems Solutions (ISS) and the DECO Data Center (DDC) began work to host the DHMH eMedicaid website, which provides secure on-line services for medical providers (e.g., hospitals, doctors, clinics). ISS’ new work with DHMH included two secure hosting environments with;
First ISS and DDC had to establish the environments, then work with DHMH to migrate their database to its’ new home at Towson University.
So, this sounds like a typical hosting contract, nothing new right? Ah hah, but there is something different and ISS and DDC had the fantastic opportunity to learn all about it. DHMH uses IBM Websphere Application Server (WAS) to manage their applications and respective databases, which reside on a DB2 platform; also new. Surprisingly, ISS had never had the opportunity to learn it, use it or love it. WAS supports the broadest range of platforms in the industry and eliminates the one size fits all approach to application management. For DHMH, WAS provided the capability to build, manage and deploy a number of different applications, while at the same time, reducing applications infrastructure costs. For ISS and DDC, hosting a website this complex required a true team approach!
Websphere aside, this project also involved establishing and maintaining a secure hosting environment, not unlike some of our previous experience. However, with DHMH, besides State Confidentiality Laws and DoIT Information Security Policies, they must also comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability ACT (HIPPA) and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH). ISS and DDC will be working closely with DHMH to ensure the hosting environment remains in compliance with both HIPPA and HITECH.
In addition to having the opportunity to learn a few things, we were also able to share some key-technologies we believe in with DHMH. The DDC was able to educate DHMH about server virtualization. Not only did this reduce the time needed to build the servers, it also provided DHMH with a much more secure and failsafe environment. Yeah, I’d call this a win/win situation!
Photo credit: Flickr User Tabitha Hawk
1 Comment | Community Outreach, IT, Projects, TU Faculty & Staff, Uncategorized | Tagged: clinics, DDC, DECO Data Center, DHMH, doctors, eMedicaid, hospitals, IBM, Information Systems Solutions, ISS, IT, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, Medicaid, MVA, SDAT, State Department of Assessments and Taxation, WAS, Websphere Application Server | Permalink
Posted by Dawn Bott
Matt
Last week, I created my own iPad vs. laptop challenge! For one week I wouldn’t touch my laptop and would instead only use my iPad–even for writing the a big paper that had to be submitted by the end of the week.
Normally I would take my laptop to lectures for note-taking, but this week I attended lectures using the iPad. Although my laptop has a five hour battery life while surfing the web and typing notes, I still have to find a power outlet to use on Mondays, due to my long class schedule. With the iPad, that concern is non-existent. I was able to work for a eight hours without worrying about about re-charging.
When it came to lectures, there are many solid apps that can be used for note taking, such as Apple’s Pages, Simplenote, or even the built in notes app. Because I have solid WiFi coverage at home and school, I decided to compose my paper using Google Docs. I didn’t have to worry about saving anything, because Google Docs does that for me. Although the on-screen keyboard of the iPad is one of the best I have used, I knew I would be uncomfortable taking notes or writing a paper with it. I opted to use a Bluetooth Apple Keyboard. It connects seamlessly to all of my mobile devices: my Macbook Pro, iPad, and iPhone 4. The only configuration required is to enable Bluetooth and enter the provided code, easy! From then on, the iPad acts like an extremely light laptop.
Of course, the iPad has plenty of non-scholastic uses as well! There are countless apps for twitter, including the Twitter client and Echofon, both of which interface well. The Safari browser provides a speedy means to get access to Facebook, just as you would on a computer. It’s also handy to have my music collection on my iPad, so that I can listen to tunes in between classes or while I’m lounging in Paws.
The iPad and iPad2 popularity is absolutely justified. Tablets are no longer “consumption” devices. Content can be just as easily created and consumed. The $499 (and up), price tag of the iPad is expensive when compared to other accessory devices, such as an iPod. However, if viewed as a laptop replacement, the price is easily justified. It is no longer going to be a case of needing a laptop and wanting an iPad. It is going to turn into needing an iPad, and forgetting about a laptop.
Matt is a student intern with the DECO Data Center and provides desktop support in addition to working diverse IT projects. He will be graduating in May, 2011 with a degree in Psychology but is pursuing a career in IT.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Apple Pages, bluetooth, bluetooth apple keyboard, Echofon, Google Docs, iPad, iPhone 4, laptop, Macbook Pro, Simplenote, Twitter, WiFi | Permalink
Posted by Past Bloggers
Dawn
I have a confession to make. Now, don’t get too excited, it is not one of my deep dark secrets; it’s just a common annoyance that I feel the need to share. Here it is: I hate those CAPTCHA things. You may not know the name CAPTCHA, but you know what I am talking about, those distorted alpha-numeric blocks that you have to manually enter in order to gain access to a web page or purchase concert tickets online. Yes, I understand they are for my own protection, but it always takes me multiple times to enter one correctly because I just can’t see them clearly. Whenever I start to get irritated upon entering a CAPTCHA for the umpteenth time, I try to take a cleansing breath and think that if this is hard for me, it must be nearly impossible for someone with vision impairment. Thankfully, Dr. Jonathan Lazar of Towson University decided to do something about that.
Using recognizable sounds instead of the common visual CAPTCHA, Dr. Lazar, along with Tim Brooks and Gena Melamed of Information Systems Solutions (ISS) and other students and faculty from Towson, are working on a new technology called SoundRight audio. Audio CAPTCHA technology does exist; however, in its current state it produces very low success rates for blind users. TU’s new technology will provide blind and vision impaired people with the same time access to websites as everyone else, through the use of common sounds. Based on the English language, SoundRight audio relies on simple sound clips such as bells, barking dogs and running water, etc. The sounds being chosen for SoundRight are designed to be recognizable by a greater number of people, because they are sounds that cross different cultures and backgrounds.
The work being done here to further develop and patent this new technology is gaining attention from outside the University as well. The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) awarded the Towson team with a $50,000 grant to further develop this new technology. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said “We are pleased that Towson University has received this grant and is actively working on a CAPTCHA substitute that does not rely on alternative accommodations. TU’s SoundRight initiative will provide the blind with equal access to websites that utilize CAPTCHAs . . .” This new technology is a great representation of using the resources of the university to solve a real problem facing our citizens. Providing tools to allow the blind and visually impaired to more easily access the web is a much needed advancement, I just hope they let me use SoundRight too.
Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Education, IT, Projects, TU Faculty & Staff, Uncategorized | Tagged: Audio CAPTCHA, CAPTCHA, Dr. Jonathan Lazar, Information Systems Solutions, ISS, Maryland Technology Development Corporation, National Federation of the Blind, SoundRight, TEDCO, TEDCO grant, Towson University | Permalink
Posted by Dawn Bott
Bobbie
On January 31st, one of my favorite think-tanks, CEOs for Cities, kicked-off the $1 Million Talent Dividend Competition. The Talent Dividend is a nation-wide initiative driven by CEOs for Cities with the very basic premise that if you increase college attainment by 1% in your community the financial return or dividend is HUGE!
The four key strategies for attaining the Talent Dividend are:
“Research shows that 58 percent of any city’s success, as measured by per capita income, can be explained by the percentage of college graduates in its population,” explained Carol Coletta, president and CEO of CEOs for Cities. “There are huge financial gains to a city that can be achieved through small improvements in educational attainment alone.”
How will the competition work?
The winning city will be announced in September of 2014. The criteria to win is pretty simple—the winning city will have exhibited the greatest increase in the number of post secondary degrees granted per one thousand population over a four-year period and achieved its Talent Dividend.
What’s next?
To be eligible for the prize your metro area must have a population of at least 500,000, based off of the 2009 American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau. As you’d guess our metropolitan community identified as “Baltimore/Towson” is among the eligible cities! Registration is now open for eligible cities; the deadline for registration is May 1st.
As of today, Baltimore has not registered but, when we do I know TU will be an active partner! The Baltimore Business journal published an article on the Baltimore Talent Dividend that was held in November of 2009.
As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, I serve as the Executive Director of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) which is partnering with CEOs for Cities to spread the word about this fantastic competition. With over 80 member universities residing in eligible urban/metropolitan communities, we hope our members will be partnering with their city government, industry leaders, and education institutions to get involved in the competition!
Leave a Comment » | Education, Students, TU Faculty & Staff, Uncategorized | Tagged: $1 Million Talent Dividend Competition, Baltimore Business Journal, CUMU, Education, Higher Education | Permalink
Posted by Bobbie Laur
Raquel
To give us your opinion! Have you ever fantasized about what policies you would put in place in order to get the economy rolling again? No?! Perhaps it’s something that only we economists like to do in our spare time. I know I have plenty of ideas and suggestions.
Of course, it’s easy to be an armchair quarterback when it comes to difficult decisions but I think having an open dialogue where ideas and policies are challenged and discussed is extremely important. In order for policies to have a shot at being successful, they should not be formed in a vacuum far from the people who must deal with the repercussions on a daily basis.
As part of our Economic Outlook Conference this year, we are asking your opinion and we really want to hear it! You know what they say – sharing is caring. When you register for the conference, please take a few minutes to fill out three brief questions. Your answers will be gathered and shared 
during the conference in a fun way (hint: it will involve audience participation). Here are the questions as they appear on our conference page:
Even if you can’t attend this year’s conference (which is unfortunate) we are still seeking your input You can submit your responses right away—HERE!
Check out what some local experts “would do” if they were in charge.
Hope to see you all at the Economic Outlook Conference on February 16th!
1 Comment | Economic Analysis, Education, Events, News, Students, TU Faculty & Staff, Uncategorized | Tagged: Applied Economics, Economic Forecasts, Economic Outlook Conference, Economics, Economy, Regional Economic Studies Institute, RESI | Permalink
Posted by Raquel Frye
Jimmy
Within DECO, many units thrive and are well-known at Towson University and in the surrounding community. Applied research units such as the Center for GIS (CGIS), the Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI), Extended Education and Online Learning (EEOL), and Information Systems Solutions (ISS) have been providing services for Maryland State Agencies and the private industry for many years. To better serve such clients and the units of DECO, a new group has emerged known as the DECO Data Center (DDC).
The DDC, led by Steve Marshall, Director, is a group of IT specialists and engineers that focus on providing IT consulting, managed hosting, and help desk services. To learn more about the DDC and how this group can help your organization, check out this video:
1 Comment | IT, Project Management, Training, TU Faculty & Staff, Uncategorized | Tagged: DDC, Video | Permalink
Posted by Past Bloggers
Sharyn
The bar for holiday cards has been raised over the past few years. They’re filled with videos, animations, and other fancy multimedia techniques. I believe this is due to enhancements of the web and tighter marketing budgets for mailings. DECO has embraced the change the past 2 years and this year will be no different.
In 2008 we sent an e-card that was a simple graphic sharing warm wishes.
Last year, you may remember staff resolutions were demonstrated in a video e-card.
This year, we’re stepping it up a notch, involving more people and even showing off our singing talents (or lack thereof)! So, without giving away the details of this year’s holiday card quite yet, we thought we’d peak your interest and get you guessing… what song will we sing for you?
Take the survey now! And be on the look-out for the 2010 holiday card in late December!
1 Comment | News, TU Faculty & Staff, Uncategorized | Tagged: holiday card | Permalink
Posted by Sharyn Kuczka
Jeremy
When I moved to Maryland several years ago to attend Towson University, I found that an easy way to break the ice with a group of people I didn’t know was to ask them “What was your high school mascot?” Usually the question produced quizzical looks, probably because they were wondering why I cared, but most would provide expected answers like a bulldog, eagle, wildcat, lion, etc. Once they provided their answers, I provided them with a great laugh by informing them that my high school mascot was a bubble. More specifically, we (my classmates and I) were not referred to as “Bubbles” but as “Bubblers”.
Readers of this blog may be asking themselves, why in the world would a high school select a bubble as a mascot? This is a good question, and it is one that can be answered by understanding the physical and human geography of my hometown. The town, and thus eventually the high school I attended, owes its existence to its site and situation. Located along a stream fed by dozens of underground springs and close to abundant timber, limestone, and iron ore sources the area became a prime location for the development of a charcoal iron works in the 1750’s. Not only did the stream provide power to the iron works (a dam was constructed for this reason, thus creating Children’s Lake located at the center of town), but is also provides the town its name. Just north of Children’s Lake, at a place known locally as “The Bubble” the underground springs rush to the surface creating a boiling appearance, hence the town’s name: Boiling Springs.
Citizens of Boiling Springs and the surrounding areas ascribe many different meanings to The Bubble, making it a key factor in many people’s “sense of place” of the town. Scuba divers view The Bubble as an entry way into an underground (and underwater) world that many never see, local high school students view The Bubble as a place to settle differences off campus or to just hang out, significant others view it is a starting place for a romantic walk along the stream and lake, and former residents like myself view it as a place to remember when they are homesick. Knowing this, is it any wonder why students attending Boiling Springs High School are referred to as Bubblers?
Children's Lake...Photo Credit: Flickr User cthoyes
4 Comments | Mapping, Uncategorized | Tagged: CGIS, gis, grography | Permalink
Posted by Jeremy Monn
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Bobbie Laur
Sharyn Kuczka
Jeremy Monn
Raquel Frye
Clay Hickson
Dawn Bott
Lindsey Meyer
Allie Pyzik
Daraius Irani
Past Bloggers
Jenn Lake
Kelsey Beckett
Timothy Brooks
Ashley Buzzeo
