- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Unveils Newly Renovated Nabholz Lab for Construction Programs

John Hill — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 14:59:21 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has unveiled a newly renovated lab that will provide construction management and civil engineering students with an edge for their future careers in Arkansas’s growing construction industry. With generous support from Nabholz, the new Nabholz Construction High Bay Lab has been redesigned to provide an upgraded workspace for classes, student projects, and demonstrations for students, faculty, and industry members. The lab is housed on the first floor of the Engineering, Technology, and Applied Science Building at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and was unveiled during a Nov. 18 ceremony. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock and Nabholz have had a long relationship that Nabholz values greatly,” said Greg Williams, chairman of the board at Nabholz. “In particular, Nabholz has had a wonderful relationship with the Construction Management and Civil Engineering programs. Nabholz was pleased to be the sponsor for the High Bay Lab as it complements not only the knowledge needed for traditional construction but also some of the special skills needed by our Industrial Services team.” Nabholz donated materials and labor for the lab renovation. In addition, Nabholz has provided a $30,000 donation to maintain and provide supplies for the lab for the next five years. “A key strength of our construction management and civil engineering programs is the practical applications our students receive in classes and labs,” said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. “This is only possible with labs that are current and focused on today’s workforce needs. The students, faculty, and I thank Nabholz for this generous gift that has transformed the High Bay Lab for the better!” Dr. Hollis “Hank” Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering, said the Nabholz lab will provide a generous space for important classes and competition. “The lab will support class activities for classes in safety, concrete formwork, steel erection, materials engineering, and others,” Bray said. “The lab will also support important student activities such as the concrete canoe competition, construction shelter competitions, and Steel Bridge competition. The Nabholz High Bay Lab will be available for industry demonstrations as well. The Nabholz gift allowed us to make a major facelift to the 35-year-old laboratory and added much needed additional storage for lab supplies.”

A ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student practices erecting scaffolding in the newly dedicated Nabholz Construction High Bay Lab. Photo by Ben Krain.

The Nabholz Lab is part of a continuing partnership with construction industry partners in Central Arkansas to provide a great education, learning environment, and career preparation at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The Clark Project Management Lab opened last fall to provide a place for students to learn about estimating, construction scheduling, project administration, and other important construction management topics. The lab was renovated by Clark Contractors and numerous industry partners. Students in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering are highly sought after by industry employers and have a 100-percent employment rate upon graduation. “We’ve employed many ��Vlog��ý Little Rock grads over the years, and they are a critical part of our team as well as our internship program,” Williams said. “It is important to our industry that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock maintain a thriving program.” You can learn more about ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s efforts to provide great learning environments that encourage student success at the Centennial Campaign website.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to Host Nerd Night to Highlight Donaghey College of STEM

John Hill — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:40:06 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host Nerd Night Oct. 19 to highlight the exciting opportunities, research, and activities taking place in the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Nerd Night will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Engineering and Information Technology Building and the Engineering Technology and Applied Sciences Building at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The free event is open to the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock community and members of the public. Any prospective student who is interested in a Donaghey College of STEM program and their families are especially encouraged to attend to see all the college has to offer. “Nerds have fun too! I am excited for us to display how nerds have fun,” Dean Lawrence Whitman said. “This will be a great night to see lots of different fun things and maybe learn a little along the way. Nerds make the world go around and have fun doing it. We hope this is a long tradition on our campus.” Current and prospective DCSTEM students can learn about opportunities in the college including research opportunities, leadership programs, honors societies, careers, and student organizations. Exhibitors will showcase their opportunities with demonstrations and hands-on activities. Some of the exhibitors that will be on hand for public demonstrations include:

Internet of Science of Things Lab with Raspberry Pi demonstrations and more
Emerging Analytics Center with a Trojan Man augmented reality demo
National Society of Black Engineers with ghost rocket demonstrations
Arkansas Department of Education and Easterseals Arkansas with assistive technology gaming system demo

U.S. News and World Report Recognizes ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for Undergraduate Education

John Hill — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 18:22:30 +0000

U.S. News and World Report has recognized the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for being a top university in social mobility for its students as well as for its excellent academic programs in nursing, business, engineering, and computer science. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has once again been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a continued leader in social mobility Arkansas with a ranking of #197. The ranking measures a university’s success in graduating economically disadvantaged students who are less likely to finish college. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is committed to providing an affordable college education for its students with a focus on student success initiatives and a competitive scholarship portfolio. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock continues to prioritize student success while simultaneously improving access to higher education,” said Dr. Cody Decker, vice chancellor for student affairs and chief data officer. “Given the increase in students choosing to enroll at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, the increase in student retention rates, and the decrease in the net price of attendance, it is no surprise that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has been recognized with this social mobility ranking.” The social mobility indicator measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. Students receiving these grants typically come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000. The social mobility ranking was computed by assessing Pell Grant graduation rates and Pell Grant graduate rate performance. U.S. News rankings are widely recognized as symbols of excellence in higher education that are conferred by an unbiased trust agent. With more than 15 measures of academic quality, the U.S. News Best Colleges report provides data-driven information and guidance to help prospective students and their families understand their higher education options. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s in U.S. News and World Report 2022-23 Best College Rankings include:

Best Undergraduate Engineering #184
Best Undergraduate Nursing #206
Best Undergraduate Business #219
Best Undergraduate Computer Science #234

The Department of Computer Science ranking is up 18 spots over last year. Initially accredited in 1990 and the first Computer Science program accredited in the state, the program offers a minor in information insurance, a bachelor’s degree in computer science with an option that focuses on games, a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, a master’s degree in computer science, and a Ph.D. in computer and information science. Students study a wide range of in-demand fields including cybersecurity, virtual and augmented reality, data visualization, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and mobile, smart systems, and software for Internet of Things. While ��Vlog��ý Little Rock began its first bachelor’s degree program in cybersecurity last year, the university was already a proven leader in cybersecurity education and workforce development in the state. Earlier this year, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock received a $1.96 million workforce development grant from the Arkansas Office of Skills Development to create the , a consortium of seven University of Arkansas System campuses to expand and diversify workforce education in emergency cyber technologies throughout the state. The Cyber Learning Network began offering a new certificate of proficiency in cybersecurity fundamentals this fall with a second certificate program due to start in the spring 2023 semester. “The undergraduate computer science programs again being recognized in the U.S. News and World Report rankings is a credit to the faculty and teaching staff in the Department of Computer Science,” said Dr. Albert Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science. “The commitment and energy of these scholars to the nurturing of our student’s professional careers is leading to our continued success. Undergraduate students in the department have unique opportunities to participate in funded research and development projects. We are proud that our students are well-prepared to join the workforce in Arkansas and beyond.” The School of Nursing, the university’s largest undergraduate program, has a variety of well-respected undergraduate degree programs, including the Student to RN, Student to BSN, Online RN to BSN, and LPN/Paramedic to RN. “The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Nursing continues the tradition of being a leader in nursing education in Arkansas,” said Dr. Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “We are proud to be recognized again by U.S. News and World Reports as one of the best undergraduate nursing programs in the country.” Joanna Hall, director of simulation and assistant professor of nursing, has recently become the first person at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to earn the Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator certification. Hall leads the Center for Simulation Innovation, a 20-bed state-of-the-art simulation hospital offering simulation-based clinical learning experiences within a 9,500 square foot facility. The center ensures students graduate having experienced a variety of scenarios they will likely face in the nursing profession. This July, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock launched the new School of Engineering and Engineering Technology to bring together the university’s competitive engineering programs. The school includes the university’s programs in electronics and computer engineering technology, mechanical engineering technology, mechanical engineering, and electrical and computer engineering. “It is a great achievement for engineering programs at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to be ranked 184 out of so many qualified ABET-accredited engineering programs,” said Dr. Srikanth Pidugu, director of the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology. “This recognition demonstrates the commitment of the faculty to teaching, research, and service excellence and the high caliber of undergraduate students.�� It is a fantastic accomplishment considering that the engineering programs started only a little over two decades back.” The School of Business serves as a catalyst to advance education and economic development in the state of Arkansas. “The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock business program produces undergraduates with well-developed business acumen and refined technical skill sets which are in high demand in business,” said Dr. Robert Mitchell, director of the School of Business at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Over 85% of our graduates are employed upon graduation, and 85% of our alumni indicate their degree as a contributing factor in their career advancement. Business graduates indicate the required high impact experiential learning experience in their program of studies helps them make a smooth transition into the workforce.”

Internship puts ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student one step closer to dream job

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 13:00:58 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student has her heart set on working at one of the top technology companies in the world and is using her ��Vlog��ý Little Rock classes and internships to get the experience she needs for the future of her dreams.�� Caleaha Virgil, a 21-year-old senior from Conway, is majoring in electronics and computer engineering technology. After she graduates from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2020, Virgil plans to work full-time for an engineering company for two years while earning a master’s degree in engineering management. Then she plans to go after her heart’s desire to work at a top tech company – Apple, Google, or Microsoft. Virgil is getting the experience she needs with unique classroom experiences and internships. This summer, she worked as an intern at Reynolds Consumer Products in Hot Springs. Reynolds Consumer Products is known for its trusted household products, including Reynolds Wrap foil and Hefty trash bags, slider bags, and disposable tableware. At Reynolds, Virgil worked with programmable logic controller (PLC), an industrial digital computer that has been adapted to control manufacturing processes. Since Virgil learned PLC through her Robotics and Programming Logic Controls course at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, the internship gave her a great opportunity to put her skills to use in the real world. She also worked with the company’s PanelView software, using skills she gained in the Data Acquisition and Sensors course. “I loved the internship,” Virgil said. “It gave me a new perspective of the courses at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. In class, we sometimes wonder when we are going to use what we learn. During this internship, I learned that what we learn in class is the background information that we use in the real world.” This is the second internship Virgil has completed. She also worked as a mechanical engineering intern at Tarkett in Florence, Alabama, where she fixed machines. As a senior in high school, Virgil decided to go into computer and electrical engineering technology after seeing her classmates fixing a computer. “I was going around taking pictures of different classes we have, and I went into the computer engineering room. I saw the class working on a computer, and I started talking to a few guys in the course who showed me how to fix the computer’s hard drive,” she said. “That’s how I got into computer and electrical engineering technology. I decided this is what I want to do, and I came in as a freshman and got right to work.” Back in 2015, when Virgil was starting her college career, she said she was attracted to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock because of its homey feeling and small class sizes. “I decided to come here because when I first visited with the orientation leaders, it felt like home,” she said. “The EIT ambassadors made me feel welcome, and the class sizes for engineering were very small. I didn’t want to go anywhere where they could have 100 students or more per class.” When she’s not busy with classes, Virgil serves as an ambassador for the College of Engineering and Information Technology and the Office of Admissions, as well as president and treasurer of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering student organization. She also volunteers as a praise dance instructor to young men ages 12-17 at Greater Rose of Sharon Missionary Baptist Church as well as a three-year Junior Achievement of Arkansas volunteer with the City of Little Rock. “People ask me all the time why you want to be an engineer, but I just want to make a difference,” Virgil said. “I was always taught to make a difference and try to impact people’s lives. I can make a difference with my knowledge by helping to create the next big laptop or smartphone or whatever project I am involved in because technology is changing the world every day.” In the upper right photo, Caleaha Virgil, a 21-year-old senior from Conway, works as an intern at Reynolds Consumer Products plant. Photo by Ben Krain.

Bowen law professor appointed to national committee on health literacy

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 14:35:54 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law professor has been named to the of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.�� Christopher Trudeau is the first lawyer to be appointed to this committee. He is also one of only a handful of lawyers who serve as members of the National Academies’ nine roundtables. The roundtable is a multidisciplinary group that works to improve the quality and value of health care and individual and community well-being. Its mission is to inform, inspire, and activate a wide variety of stakeholders to support, develop, implement, and share evidence-based health literacy practices and policies. Trudeau has been an advocate for health literacy since 2012 and frequently speaks about the law’s impact on health literacy at regional, national, and international events. “I hope that by bringing my legal perspective to the Roundtable, we will be able to focus our efforts on connecting with subgroups of the health system who don’t fully realize how important addressing the health literacy needs of patients is to healthcare,” Trudeau said. “Health literacy impacts adherence rates, hospital readmissions rates, and so many other parts of healthcare that we need everyone who has an impact on health policy and practice to understand and appreciate how to integrate the evidence-based best practices into the healthcare system.” Trudeau joined Bowen in 2017. He has a dual appointment with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Center for Health Literacy, where he teaches about health literacy, risk communication, and law and medicine. His expertise lies in creating clear contracts that people can understand, which led to his involvement in health care drafting in 2012. He now uses his unique legal drafting skills to make a positive impact on healthcare policy and process. Health literacy is defined as how well a person can find, understand, and use health information needed for good health, according to the Center for Health Literacy. Low health literacy is linked to increased hospitalizations and urgent health care, poorer total health, and higher death rates.

Donors honor memory of Michael Allen Lasiter with ��Vlog��ýLR scholarship

Shanna Fitzgerald — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 15:48:04 +0000

Former friends and colleagues are honoring the memory of Arkansas construction industry leader Michael Allen Lasiter by donating $60,000 toward helping future civil and construction engineering students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. On Monday, Dec. 12, about 10 donating companies and organizations presented the check to establish the Michael Allen Lasiter Endowed Scholarship, which will serve as a permanent tribute to Lasiter’s contributions to the central Arkansas construction industry. The Michael Allen Lasiter Endowed Scholarship will help full- or part-time students majoring in civil and construction engineering at the ��Vlog��ýLR College of Engineering and Information Technology. Special consideration will be given to first-generation college students and Arkansas residents. This scholarship will help future engineers turn their dreams into reality, said Lawrence Whitman, dean of the ��Vlog��ýLR Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology (EIT). “It is great to see a group of people come together and honor a person who impacted their lives which will impact future professionals for years to come,” Whitman said. “Also, I am grateful that the person the scholarship is named after modeled lifelong learning, as that is what ��Vlog��ýLR EIT hopes to instill in its students.” At a young age, Lasiter, a Little Rock native, started working at his father’s business, Lasiter Asphalt Maintenance, a small asphalt repair company. He eventually built that business into Redstone Construction, one of the largest highway and asphalt construction companies in the state. Those who worked with him lauded Lasiter’s focus on mentoring, the value he placed on education, and his ability to motivate his employees to reach their full potential. In 2007, Redstone became the first Arkansas company to recycle waste asphalt and concrete — cutting costs and helping the environment by giving new life to waste products that previously ended up in landfills. By 2011, under Lasiter’s leadership, Redstone acquired a quarry, which helped the company open asphalt plants and enabled it to pursue larger highway projects. In late 2015, doctors diagnosed cancer in Lasiter. He studied the disease, sought the best available medical advice, and followed treatment plans, but lost his battle with cancer two months after his 50th birthday. A written tribute by the donors praised Lasiter’s legacy: “Michael’s life was one of learning and teaching. He learned from every situation he encountered. His can-do attitude enabled him to motivate others from the things he had learned. He led by example. He never backed away from any challenge. His legacy will undoubtedly be carried on by everyone he mentored.” Donors to the scholarship include:

Paul Black
Burkhalter Technologies, Inc.
An anonymous donor

Pictured in upper right: Michael Allen Lasiter

eStem, ��Vlog��ýLR break ground for new high school

Shanna Fitzgerald — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 22:09:28 +0000

Work is underway on an innovative partnership that will bring eStem High School to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock campus. About a year after announcing the project, ��Vlog��ýLR and eStem Public Charter Schools hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday. Starting with the next school year, the collaboration will provide new opportunities to eStem students, while breathing life into one of the university’s original buildings. “��Vlog��ýLR has a history of collaborating with central Arkansas school districts, and this partnership fits well with the university’s goal of preparing students to succeed in higher education and the workforce of tomorrow,” said Zulma Toro, ��Vlog��ýLR executive vice chancellor and provost. Leaders at eStem plan to renovate and expand Larson Hall on the ��Vlog��ýLR campus by the 2017-18 school year and add high school classrooms at a nearby existing building, Ross Hall, for the 2021-22 school year. The collaboration clears the way for eStem, a tuition-free public charter school that operates on an enrollment lottery system, to add students. “Since we opened our doors, eStem has provided a unique learning environment that encourages innovation – both inside and outside of the classroom – and our students have thrived,” said John Bacon, CEO of eStem. “Now, through this strategic partnership, we will be able to expand this opportunity to more students.”

Officials from eStem and ��Vlog��ýLR break ground during a ceremony at the future site of eStem High School. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III/��Vlog��ýLR Communications

A benefit for eStem’s high school students will be the option of taking college-level courses and learning from some of the leading scholars in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields without leaving campus. While taking college-credit courses, the students also will have an opportunity to earn an associate degree in high school. “We welcome partnerships that benefit students and the Arkansas economy,” said ��Vlog��ýLR Chancellor Andrew Rogerson. “We think this collaboration has great potential for central Arkansas.” The preliminary plan announced in August 2015 involved the construction of a new building on 28th Street and a smaller-scale renovation of Larson Hall, but that plan changed. After further study, officials determined that working with existing buildings was a better option for the project. Leaders at the public charter school expect the high school’s enrollment to grow to 1,125 students at the ��Vlog��ýLR location by the 2026-27 school year. Once completed, the renovated and expanded Larson Hall facility will be about 50,000 square feet and will include 31 classrooms, three chemistry labs, two physical science labs and two computer labs. A $11.4 million no-interest loan from the Walton Family Foundation is financing the eStem renovation and construction project designed by in Little Rock. The project is subject to ��Vlog��ýLR’s review to “assure architectural compatibility with the university campus.” Under the terms of a 30-year lease, eStem will pay ��Vlog��ýLR $1 annually. The university will benefit from the improvements eStem makes to the property and from having the additional students and teachers on campus. The charter school will be responsible for insurance, as well as shared service expenses. Image in upper right is an artist rendering of the future eStem High School, courtesy of Witsell Evans & Rasco Architects-Planners.

��Vlog��ýLR student researches how to keep cars safe from hacking

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 18:04:06 +0000

In 2015, two researchers a Jeep Cherokee being driven by a reporter who documented how the researchers controlled everything from the car’s radio and media console to its brakes and steering. For Dr. Shucheng Yu, an associate professor of computer science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the exercise demonstrated how vulnerable smart cars with GPS, Bluetooth, and internet connections are to cyberattacks. “These cars have become the trend of the future,” Yu said. “There could be some very severe consequences if someone hacked into the car. A car can be fully controlled by the hacker if it is not protected.” So Yu and his student, Zachary King, a junior majoring in computer science at ��Vlog��ýLR, spent the summer researching how to keep cars safe from cyberattacks. They worked on the project during an intensive eight-week summer research program at ��Vlog��ýLR. King was one of 10 college students from across the country recruited through a National Science Foundation grant-funded project, “REU Site: CyberSAFE@��Vlog��ýLR: Cyber Security and Forensics Research at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.” The goal of the program is to decrease cyberattacks on people using mobile technology and social networking sites, said Dr. Mengjun Xie, an associate professor of computer science and director of the CyberSAFE@��Vlog��ýLR program. “The basic idea is to integrate cybersecurity and cyber forensics research with the latest technology in mobile cloud computing and social media to provide research opportunities to students,” Xie said. More than 130 students applied for 10 spots. Participants included undergraduate college students with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher who are majoring in computer science, computer engineering, math, physics, or electrical engineering. Those selected spent eight weeks conducting research full time with a faculty mentor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Participants received a $4,000 stipend, on-campus housing, a meal plan, and travel expenses.

How to protect your smart car

In his project, “Investigating and Securing Communications in the Controller Area Network (CAN), King created a security protocol to protect smart cars from hacking. He also built an experimental environment that simulates the communication system in a smart car, which allows the security protocol to be tested through simulations. The research focuses on the development of a security protocol to protect the Controller Area Network (CAN), an internal communications system in vehicles. “There are many ways that hackers can control CAN,” King said. “Once they access it, hackers can pretty easily control your car however they want. We are proposing to add a layer of security, so if an unauthorized person accesses it, they still wouldn’t be able to control your vehicle.” The security protocol protects the CAN in two ways. It authenticates messages sent through the network by creating an authentication code. This authentication code allows nodes on the network to differentiate between a valid message and an attacker’s message. The second security feature protects against replay attacks, when a hacker attempts to breach the network by repeatedly sending an old message. The protocol uses a timestamp to calculate when the network last received the message, which verifies the message’s “freshness.” Yu and King are continuing their research this fall. In the future, Yu hopes to collaborate with industry and funding agencies to implement the security protocol in commercial vehicles and protect cars from hackers. As for King, participating in this summer research program has left him considering a career in cybersecurity once he graduates in 2018. “Three months ago, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you much about cybersecurity and what a security protocol would look like,” he said. “After having completed this program, I am more interested in cybersecurity than I was before, and I may end up going that route.”

A summer of innovative research

The CyberSAFE@��Vlog��ýLR participants were honored during a commencement ceremony July 29 at the ��Vlog��ýLR Engineering and Information Technology Building. Their research topics range from utilizing cybersecurity and social network forensics to understanding cyber warfare to the use of facial emotion recognition for security purposes. The participants, faculty mentors, and projects included:

Jonathan Ming, a junior at Azusa Pacific University (mentor: Mengjun Xie): “Remote Live Forensics for Android”
Monica Bebawy, a junior at Azusa Pacific University (mentor: Mariofanna Milanova): “Facial Emotion Recognition for Security”
Dennis Frank, a junior at Georgia Institute of Technology, and Jasmine Mabrey, a sophomore at Norfolk State University (mentor: Kenji Yoshigoe): “Neurological User Authentication: Security Framework”
Antwane Lewis, a senior at Philander Smith College (mentor: Mengjun Xie): “Real Time Motion-based Authentication for Smartwatch”
Brandon Dalton, a sophomore at Wentworth Institute of Technology (mentor: Nitin Agarwal): “Utilizing Cyber and Social Network Forensics for the Understanding of Cyber Warfare”
Edsel Paula-Aquina, a senior at Warren Wilson College, and Ying Vang, a senior at California State University-Fresno (mentor: Chia-Chu Chiang): “Computer on Encrypted Data”
Diana Anguiano, a senior at California State University-San Marcos (mentor: Mengjun Xie): “Comparison between Fingerprint Authentication and Behavioral Biometric Authentication using 2D and 3D Gestures”

For more information, contact Mengjun Xie at 501.569.8134 or mxxie@ualr.edu. In the upper right photo, CyberSAFE@��Vlog��ýLR participants and faculty mentors, from left to right, are: Front row: Monica Bebawy, Brandon Dalton, and Diana Anguiano; Second row: Dr. Mengjun Xie, Dennis Frank, and Jasmine Mabrey; Third row: Jonathan Ming, Ying Vang, Antwane Lewis, and Dr. Kenji Yoshigoe; and Back row: Edsel Paula-Aquino, Zachary King, graduate assistant Yanyan Li, and Dr. Mariofanna Milanova.

��Vlog��ýLR graduate finds success at LM Wind Power

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 16:58:54 +0000

In 2011, Kari Payton arrived at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as a decorated athlete with a bright college basketball career ahead of her. An injury and a change of heart led Payton to give up basketball and her athletic scholarship to focus on her academic career in the George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology.

After earning one of the university’s most prestigious scholarships, the went on to a successful academic career, double majoring in systems engineering and sociology. Payton, a May graduate, already has a full-time position as an industrial engineer with LM Wind Power in Little Rock. The company, which manufactures wind turbine blades, has plants throughout the world, including sites in Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, India, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey, and the U.S. The wide variety of locales provides Payton with a great opportunity to travel internationally. She flew to Bangalore, India, in June and is scheduled to go to Amsterdam in October. Payton’s work focuses on creating simulations that support operations for the company’s plants. She is learning C++ programming language, modeling software, and plant operations.

Changing pursuits

A , Payton arrived at ��Vlog��ýLR in 2011 on an athletic scholarship, but her college basketball career was short lived. An injury took her off the court her first semester, and she had little playing time during her second semester.

Kari Payton, a May graduate of ��Vlog��ýLR, is now an industrial engineer in global plant support with LM Wind Power in Little Rock. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III/��Vlog��ýLR Communications.

“It was a struggle for me,” she said. “I suffered a back injury, and I think I only recorded seven minutes of play time the whole season. I finally decided to pursue engineering and let basketball go.” After basketball, Payton stayed at ��Vlog��ýLR, earning a scholarship from the Donaghey Scholars Program. She’s thankful to Kathryn Young, director of admissions, Jennifer Moody, associate director of admissions operations, and Dr. Simon Hawkins, director of the Donaghey Scholars Program, for helping her pursue her dreams. “The people in Donaghey Scholars were very influential in me staying at ��Vlog��ýLR,” she said. “They listen to you and encourage you to follow the wildest ideas in your life. I was blessed with a scholarship, and that time was some of the best four years of my life.” The secret to Payton’s success was a combination of activities inside and outside the classroom. Although her studies were devoted to science and math, Payton also discovered an unexpected love for social science. “I took a social science class about race concepts in America in the Donaghey Scholars program, and the idea blew my mind,” Payton said. “I have never thought about anything but math and science, but one of my teachers told me I have a gift for this.” Payton graduated with two majors, a Bachelor of Science in systems engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. She thinks the sociology skills will be useful when traveling to different countries and working with people from other cultures. In addition to her coursework, Payton participated in three undergraduate research fellowships. Because of her hard work, she earned the Engineering and Information Technology Outstanding Senior award and the Systems Engineering Outstanding Senior Award in May. Payton also studied Spanish in Nicaragua and completed two internships. Her first internship is what led to her current position. She worked as a quality and operations engineering intern at LM Wind Power in 2013. While searching for a job this spring, she contacted the company to ask about open positions. “��Vlog��ýLR gave me a lot of opportunities,” she said. “Those experiences in college are invaluable. It helps you to learn how to apply your education to a professional work environment.”

Giving back to the community

Payton is a volunteer with . After serving as a mentor to an eighth-grade girl, Payton was inspired to start a pilot program to introduce students to science and engineering. “These kids are from neighborhoods where, historically, there has been a lot of crime, and I want to give them the opportunity to understand that education is very important to their lives,” Payton said. “I want them to know that if they have the skills and the interest and apply themselves, they can do anything.” Participating students took a career skills assessment test. Those who had an aptitude for technology were invited for some Saturday workshops in February and March that focused on robotics and other technical challenges. Out of the 12 students she invited, eight from junior high and high school attended Payton’s “Imagination Camp.” She plans to continue the program in the future. “It’s one of my passions to reach out to people who are underrepresented and share with them my struggles and help them get to where they want to be,” she said.

Congressional Robotics Caucus features Professor Cang Ye

Shanna Fitzgerald — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 17:06:54 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock researcher was among a select group of robotics innovators who were featured at a national event — the Congressional Robotics Caucus — in Washington, D.C. Dr. Cang Ye, a professor in the ��Vlog��ýLR Department of Systems Engineering, and student researchers at the university showcased a robotic cane during the caucus that marked the fifth anniversary of the .�� The Co-robotic Cane developed by Ye and his team is intended to make daily travel easier and safer for the visually impaired. The device can locate its position and utilize that information to guide its user to his or her destination. It also can detect objects and help the user move around them. During the Congressional Robotics Caucus — on Thursday, June 9, at the — Ye joined other principal investigators from universities such as Cornell, Johns Hopkins, and MIT. Ye, an fellow, plays a key role in additional projects designed to help people with visual and physical disabilities, including a quadrupedal robotic walker and a wearable robotic object manipulation aid that will help users detect and grasp objects. The National Robotics Initiative, led by the National Science Foundation, is a “multi-agency effort to accelerate the development and use of robots that work beside or cooperatively with people.” Agencies involved include:

Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Department of Agriculture
Department of Defense
Department of Energy
NASA
National Institutes of Health
National Science Foundation

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Unveils Newly Renovated Nabholz Lab for Construction Programs

����Vlog��ý Little Rock to Host Nerd Night to Highlight Donaghey College of STEM

U.S. News and World Report Recognizes ����Vlog��ý Little Rock for Undergraduate Education

Internship puts ����Vlog��ý Little Rock student one step closer to dream job