As we step into the heart of August, a month showing potential and promise, we find ourselves reflecting on the recent collaboration with the talented minds at Morgan State University with the PI and Co-PI team members (Roni Ellington and Vanessa Dodo Seriki) who have achieved a significant milestone by fully engaging 20+ K-16 "Fellows" in the Maryland Collaborative for Research in Maryland (MD CRUSE) NSF-funded grant (ECR program) from across the state to define, research, and report on the …
Reading Is Fundamental
Some of you may agree that a rare and not-too-hot weekend is perhaps not a good way to spend time indoors reading a lengthy contract. However, weekends tend to give some of us uninterrupted time to focus (a.k.a read) on a rather lengthy contract for providing evaluation services for a client. Let me tell you a short story. Ashton Kutcher's character, "Colt," in the Netflix series, "The Ranch" makes a remark about reading contracts in Season 1, Episode 6. In this episode, Colt says, "Well, …
Another Conference In The Books
Ah, conferences – those large gatherings that sometimes can captivate our hearts and minds, fill us with excitement and curiosity. I am taking a moment to shine a spotlight on one such event that embodied the spirit of inclusivity and collaboration – the NSF INCLUDES Network conference that concluded today. The National Science Foundation (NSF) INCLUDES conference stands out as an example of how conferences could be powerful platforms for fostering inclusivity and diversity within the …
Transformational Effects of Appropriate Design Elements In An Evaluation Report
Design elements play a crucial role in transforming a simple report into a visually appealing and impactful document. The strategic use of design elements enhances the readability, comprehension, and overall aesthetics of the content. Here are some key design elements that can elevate the quality of an #evaluation report: Typography: Choosing the right fonts and typography is essential for readability. A balanced mix of heading fonts and body text fonts helps create visual hierarchy and …
And Just Like That….The Journey Continues
On Friday, July 28 at around 6PM, we submitted another evaluation report to one of our clients. It was just another report, one might say. True. Except that it was our 400th. For someone who was once asked at her first job interview in the U.S. fresh out of grad school with a completed thesis over 22 years ago, "Can you write?" 400 reports is not too shabby. It has been a collective effort and a long journey. From that uncertain moment, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, a journey …
The Barbenheimer Phenom And Research Methodologies
Did you (unlike me) have a Barbenheimer weekend? A cultural phenom emerged over the weekend due to the simultaneous releases of the movies, Barbie and Oppenheimer. One of them had the biggest launch of the year. With these quickly emerged one of the memes (below) on various social media spaces with thousands of likes and comments and I couldn't help but 🙄 once again. Ah, yes, using Barbie as a representation of flashy qualitative research and Oppenheimer as a symbol of nerdy quantitative …
MNA Adds Another Title V HSI Grant Evaluation To It’s Growing Portfolio
With a combined 175 degree and certificate programs offered at four locations, Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) is one of the fastest-growing Maricopa Community Colleges in Phoenix, AZ. CGCC is also a 2022 recipient of the Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Title V grant. The DHSI Program provides grants to assist HSIs to expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students. In 2021, CGCC was named an HSI with a …
It’s All About The Weather….
Ah, how fitting it is that the National Center for the Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology’s (NCAS M II) annual capacity building conference for the 20+ fellows found its home within the warm embrace of the Kellogg Conference Center on the esteemed and stunning campus of Gallaudet University. In this exceptional venue, the conference was destined to thrive (and it did!) surrounded by an aura of inclusivity and collaboration. When here, you must visit the National Deaf Life Museum that serves …
MNA Goes To Phoenix!
Took a bit to get rolling on this one (a.k.a external and internal grant award administrative processes/compliance and a slight start-up delay) but glad to finally be a part of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) project with the #GrandCanyonUniversity (Phoenix, AZ) in collaboration with PI Jeffrey La Belle and team. Sometimes, all it takes are interest, follow-through, collaborative teamwork (a.k.a carefully going over ALL the reviewers' comments …
All About Quantum
24 rising juniors and seniors from across the Greater Washington’s school systems participated in an intensive 2-week long (hybrid) Quantum Immersion Program as part of George Mason University and Potomac Quantum Innovation Center’s USDE-funded, “Pathways to Quantum Program” in close collaboration with MITRE, George Washington University, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), University of Maryland, and ConnectedDMV. Students immersed themselves in learning about quantum …