seidenbergnyc – Seidenberg School News

1st year student, Niamh Fitzsimon returns to Google!

Niamh (pronounced: Neeve) Fitzsimon is freshman computer science and art (studio) double major from San Francisco. She’s Irish, and went to a small all-girls high school where she was forced to program in her freshman year. Niamh’s plan is to go into android mobile app development and work in Europe.

Friends from CSSI and Niamh, in a teacup at Google with an Android bot

Q: This will be your second stint at Google. It can’t be just “Irish Luck” What’s your secret?

I am naturally an over planner which causes me to think a lot further into the future than most. Because of this I went on an extensive scholarship search during my senior year of high school and happened upon the Generation Google Scholarship. Applying for the scholarship meant automatically applying for Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute. Although I didn’t get the scholarship, I did get into the program. There I found out about the Engineering Practicum Internship, which I will be part of this summer. Honestly I was just shooting for the stars when I applied the first time, but I decided to put my doubt aside an just go for it. I think my “secret” to pass onto others is to ignore all the voices and apply for things. You have to tell yourself that the worst that is going to happen is nothing, and if you never applied it would be the same without the possibility of success.

Q. Tell us about Summer Camp at Google. How will this time be different? What are you looking forward to?

Last summer’s camp was days filled with classes, mentorship, and getting to know about the industry. It was only three weeks and included learning Python in a day and a half, thinking up and building an entire web application from scratch with a team in a week and a half, and presenting the application. The entire time was in Google’s Cambridge, MA office so I got to explore one of the Google campuses, but most of the day was spent in the same conference room. It was a wonderful experience and I learned a lot (You can find my team’s application at currentcssi.appspot.com).

This summer will be a completely different experience. First of all I will actually be working for Google, which means getting to work on one of their real teams on a real product and getting paid for it. The team I will work on, an internal Android app development team, is more in my specific area of interest. My team will be made up of full time Google employees, plus one other intern. I will be working at the New York campus, which is much larger than Cambridge. Besides the actual work I will have some computer science lessons and mentorship. Although the application I will be working on is internal, I am excited because people in Google will be using it. I am also looking forward to micro-kitchen access, nap-pod access (yes, they look exactly like the ones in the Internship), and meeting more computer scientists from outside of Pace.

Q. So is GOOGLINESS a real thing??

Googliness from what I have witnessed is teamwork. The employees work in teams and the offices have an open format, with each team basically sitting around a table. It is being able to have creativity and finding your own way to be productive. Googliness is wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and flip flops to work and having to worry about the Google twenty (the food is really good and free).

Q. You will be studying abroad later this year. Where are you going?

I will be studying abroad in Spring 2016. I am going to John Cabot University in Rome. I went to Rome on a pilgrimage the winter before I came to Pace and fell in love with it. I am looking forward to experiencing the Italian culture (and hopefully improving my Italian) and all the history Rome has to offer. I am excited to take a fresco painting course and an art history course that will have a trip to Pompeii. While there I will not only get to experience Italy, but also travel to different parts of Europe and experience the cultures (and the food) there.

I think every student should do a semester abroad at least once if they can, and if not at least do a summer or travel course. You get to learn more about the place (and the world) than when you go for a vacation. Hopefully you will also learn more about yourself. Even just being on the other side of the country from my home has taught me a lot about myself, I cannot imagine what I will learn while abroad. I like how Pace has events such as the Pace Path Live to expose students to the idea of studying abroad.

Niamh's ode to the Stars and Stripes - photographed and edited by her. — Niamh’s ode to the Stars and Stripes – photographed and edited by her.

Q. We saw you checking out the Ms. Marvel collection at Seidenberg. Big graphic novel fan?

Being a graphic artist myself I love looking at different aspect of design. Since I began art I have looked up to Andy Warhol and Banksy and more recently Fintan Magee (who I discovered through Buzzfeed: http://www.buzzfeed.com/simoncrerar/jaw-dropping-works-of-fintan-magee-street-art#.rwggV1KD6J), but the more I have gotten into the digital world I have appreciated the look of websites more. The websites with amazing graphics that move as the page does are my favorite. I am hoping to learn more about it in the Design for the Internet class I am taking next year.

Q. Tell us about the path you’ve traversed at Pace. How has it been different from everyone else?

My path at Pace so far has been mostly planning. When you take on two majors it takes a lot of planning ahead to fit all the classes needed in, and adding study abroad on top of that complicates things further. I have tried to keep a balance of CS, Art, and general education each semester. Because the two majors are so different my day is sometimes polarized, like walking into Mathematical Structures for Computer Science last semester covered with paint and my portfolio in hand, but I enjoy the balance it provides. I think my path at Pace hasn’t been very different than everyone else. If I had to point out one difference it would be that my exact plan was formulated early than most. Part of the reason I chose Pace was that I would be allowed to double major in two very different subjects and by the end of the summer I had solidified my decision to double major instead of just minoring in art.

“I will be attending Pace Path Live on April 25^th. I am hoping to take away some new ideas to organize my time at Pace. Although I have planned out a lot I know there will be some curveballs and room for improvement in my plan. Overall, I believe it will be a fun and informational day.” – Niamh Fitzsimon, ’19, Pace University

What Makes the New ‘Ms. Marvel’ so Marvelous?

Quick, name your top 5 favorite Muslim superheroes. If you came up with three, I’d be impressed. If you came up with even one who wasn’t shoe-horned into a story in the name of “diversity” you may have thought of Marvel’s latest Ms. Marvel.

For over 75 years, comics have been a safe haven for children and adults alike, and comics are back in the limelight. Marvel Studios is making hit after hit, and America can’t get enough of comics. But one thing doesn’t sit right with about half the viewers/readers/consumers. You’ve got Iron MAN, BatMAN, SuperMAN, and a slew of other manly-men thrashing around in tights. They also happen to be white (except Superman, who one can argue is a literal illegal alien). It took Black Widow in “The Avengers” to show many people unfamiliar with the comics that it was indeed possible to have some kick-butt women heroes. And comics have started delivering said women role models.

Enter Kamala Khan, a dorky but lovable teenage Muslim girl from Jersey City. Sounds like the lead character to a teen RomCom. But she’s so much more. She’s a second generation Muslim struggling to find a balance between her parent’s traditions and America’s youth culture. She goes to her local mosque. She writes fan fiction on the internet. She’s a normal teenage girl. And isn’t that just how Peter Parker started? (With the exception of his second X-chromosome being a Y-chromosome.) Soon enough that normal teenage girl finds out she’s a class of mutated human (not to be confused with Marvel’s ‘mutants’) called Inhumans. She’s got alien DNA that triggers a transformation when it reacts to a special crystal, or in her case, mist. With the help of some classic Marvel characters (which are totally not just there to sell comics of a new/unknown hero ((yes they are))), Kamala starts to get a hold of her new powers, and even dons the now vacant position of her favorite super hero: Ms. Marvel!

Seidenberg_MsMarvel0 One of the most important things about the new Ms. Marvel series is that it is a major triumph for representation. Also important is that Kamala’s character faces some struggles regarding being a Muslim, but it doesn’t define her. She’s not a one dimensional character whose defining trait is being Muslim. The author of the series, G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) is a Muslim woman who writes from her own personal experience and from the experiences of those she grew up with. One can argue the story of Kamala Khan is that much more interesting, that much more personal, because it’s not a coming-of-age story about a teenage Muslim girl written by a middle age white guy.

This is an all new, all powerful Muslim teenager / superhero / fanfic writer who is breaking her way into the hearts and minds of comic readers. She’s a super heroine with character growth and family issues on par with those of Peter Parker back in the 1960s. She’s a hero for a new age, a new demographic, and a more inclusive comic market. Kamala Khan is the new Ms. Marvel.

If you’re interested in getting into the Ms. Marvel series, stop by The Seidenberg School at 163 William Street and take a look at the first 5 issues in “Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal”.

Written by –

Brent McDonald is a Pace University Alumnus, and a revered Yarn-Weaver of the Seidenberg School. He enjoys computer science, and his creativity (read: incessant prattling) allows him to keep people entertained.

High School Students Explore Robotics & Game Programming @ Pace

On Saturday November 1^st, the Seidenberg School hosted their second Hands on Technology Day Workshops (HOT Workshops). High School students attended workshops about Game Programming, taught by Dr. Mary Courtney, and Robotics, taught by Dr. Pauline Mosley. Participants were able to get a real hands-on experience. In Dr. Mary Courtney’s workshop, participants learned interactive programming using an international programming environment Greenfoot. They also used the Java language. In Dr. Pauline Mosley’s workshop, students learned how sensors can assist autonomous vehicles in detecting objects. They each got to program, build, and test their own robot.

We collected a lot of great feedback from the event form both the professors and participants. Participants loved the topics that were covered, the hands-on elements, the instructors, and the current Pace Seidenberg Students who came to help out. The Professors were greatly encouraged by the excitement that the participants brought to the sessions and how they really dived into each of the workshops.

The Seidenberg School would like to thank all the staff from Seidenberg and the Pace University Admissions office that helped make the day a wonderful success.

Here are some pictures from the event:

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Dr. Houle’s UNV 101 class takes on cybersecurity

It’s never too early – or too late – to educate people about safe online behavior, and our Seidenberg students know this!

(L-R) Amanda Perez, Brian Bounos, Joel Thomas and Jalyn Robinson, present their ideas.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) and the Seidenberg School has joined with the Department of Homeland Security and its partners across the country to highlight the importance of cybersecurity and online safety.

As part of this effort, Seidenberg first-year students in Dr. Bernice Houle’s UNV 101 class took the lead to share responsibility for online security by promoting cybersecurity awareness.

The students worked in groups to create a poster and two videos that highlight three distinct cybersecurity-related issues.

For more information on NCSAM 2014, visit www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect/national-cyber-security-awareness-month.

To receive cyber security tips year round, visit www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect and become a Friend of the Campaign. The Stop.Think.Connect. online toolkit is filled with tips, facts, and shareable resources for several audiences, www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect-toolkit.

Student Profile: Grad student Srikanth Bandaru, Co-Founder of Color Layers

Meet Srikanth Bandaru. He’s a tall, talented techie, and an entrepreneur. He’s currently pursuing his Master’s in Computer Science degree at the Seidenberg School, Pace University, in New York. Take it away, Srikanth…

Like many teenagers who dream of making it big, my dream was to become an engineer. I attended university back in India, and loved tinkering around with computers and the Internet. The subjects I chose exposed me to a variety of programming languages, which, mind you, I picked up faster than the English language! During my second year at university I signed up for a national level technical conference and won first prize – before I knew it, I was developing websites for every department on campus!

I co-founded my web development company, Color Layers, the very next year. We help clients bring their ideas to life through design-oriented solutions. I work as a web strategy consultant and specialize in front-end development. I focus on solving clients’ problems with technology. To be honest, I never dreamt of how big we were going to be, but I knew we were onto something.

Last year, I decided to do my masters so I could expand my horizons and enhance my personal development. My driving force is to increase the reasoning powers of intelligent agents to improve the way an interface agent interacts with its environment. I am particularly excited about the fields of quantum computing, big data and network security. So that’s reason enough to do this, right? RIGHT?

But… why NYC? Why Pace?

Getting accepted is a great feeling. Getting accepted by your first choice – that puts you over the moon! But let’s be realistic – you have to apply to more than one! The novelty wears of the minute you see the tuition bill! College education comes with a cost. So I had to really debate the idea with my parents. Though I did receive a scholarship to attend Pace, I still wasn’t 100% ready. The next step I took was doing A LOT of research. I looked at a bunch of videos, Tumblr accounts and websites just to get an idea of the campus life at all the universities. Not only were academics one of the most important aspects in making my decision, the culture of campus life and the location mattered as well.

Long story short, these were the main aspects of Pace that won me over in the end:

Outstanding academics overall
Personable, incredibly intelligent professors
So many opportunities in terms of networking/internships/job experience for students (which makes it worth the investment)
Students from all over the world (I love meeting new people from different cultures)
Extracurricular, volunteer, and internship opportunities – more than you can count in one sitting
Beautiful campus (The city is our campus and yeah, NYC IS BEAUTIFUL)

There’s always a bit of uncertainty that comes along with every big decision. But now that I’m in NYC and have started at Seidenberg, I know I’ve made one of the best decisions of my life. I could talk about it all day… but for now…

Peace out everyone!

— Srikanth Bandaru

Pace University’s STEM Collaboratory Camp 2014

Last month twenty high school students from across the five boroughs embarked on a summer STEM adventure as part of Pace University’s STEM Collaboratory Camp, a collaboration of Pace and AT&T. For two weeks they learned and experimented with coding, robotics, Cybersecurity, Design Thinking and scientific research processes, among other skills. Then, they began to put their skills to work.

On August 1^st, 2014 the camp culminated with students formally presenting their very own Cybersecurity mobile apps.

Special guests included Elizabeth Segal from AT&T, Kelli Kedis Ogborn from DARPA Legislative Affairs – Spire Communications, and Brook Gesser from U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Office.

Members of the media were invited to attend the graduation reception.

To view the work done by each team, simply click on the links below.

Team Cybot comprising of Jacob Sadeh, Lary Toyter, Maryia Spirydonava, and Mariah Torcivia presented their app, Cyber Triv — an app that raises awareness about Cybersecurity.

Team FoCS (aka FOX), comprising of Nicholas Austin, Sole Stewart, Loreen Chan, and Christopher Boyce, created WE-FE — an app that allows you to monitor who’s on your Wi-Fi and take appropriate action.

Team Rocket, comprising of Kemar Dudley, David Lebron, Summer Carrio, and Dishan Win, created the app Secure-IT — an app that shows you just how secure you are online.

Team Phisher comprising of Iya Hawkins, Anthony Agbofoati, Anastasiya Malinouskaya, Jeremy End invented Phisher — an app that allows you find all your old posts … and have a good long think!

–For more pictures and videos from STEM Camp, follow us on Facebook.

Suhail Bhandari