Three Lehman students and a peer mentor will participate in a nine-week paid internship at Florida Atlantic University’s Institute for Sensing and Embedded Network Systems Engineering (I-SENSE), where they will develop the next generation of smart systems technology. The opportunity is part of the multi-institutional Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3) initiative, funded by a five-year National Science Foundation grant. Assistant Professor of Sociology Jennifer Laird oversees the program at Lehman.
This is the third cohort from Lehman to take part in the program—read on to learn more about the program and what this year's group will be doing.
For sophomore Teanna Cole, the collaborative nature of the research at I-SENSE was a big draw. “I want to learn how to find my niche and importance on a team,” she said. In addition to gaining more software engineering experience, Teanna is eager to learn more about how artificial intelligence can be employed in structural ways to improve everyday experiences of people in their communities—pedestrian safety, for example.
Briana DeLoach had an opportunity to go last summer, and with that experience under her belt, she’s returning now as a peer mentor. DeLoach first applied to the program because of its emphasis on experimentation. “You didn’t have to know everything,” she said. “You were allowed to ‘fail’”—in other words, learn.
“My job is to assist students, so if a student needs help setting up a plan of action for their project, that’s where I would step in to guide them,” she said. “I think peer mentoring can be very beneficial—it was very beneficial to me.”
Raseli Ali, a junior, is looking forward to building his technical skills through the CS3 internship—and especially to doing so in a new environment. Although he is originally from Bangladesh, “this will be my first time living outside of New York City,” he said. “I want to try new things, explore the area, and meet and network with new people,” he said.
After sophomore Mohammed Chowdhury immigrated with his family from Bangladesh in 2017, he had to learn a new language and acclimate to a new culture without a support network of friends. His smartphone was a lifeline.
“Technology became more than just a tool—it was a way to learn, connect, and explore,” he said. That experience sparked a passion to learn more about the tech he was using every day, and how smart systems can solve problems on a larger scale.
Chowdhury will be working on a project modeling and testing smart technologies for renewable energy generation from ocean currents, waves, and offshore winds.
“CS3 felt like the perfect opportunity to get hands-on experience with real-world tech solutions. That’s what motivated me to get involved,” he said.
To learn more about summer STEM research opportunities contact the Office of Prestigious Awards.