Exploring Risk Assessment: Reconnect 2023
The annual Reconnect Workshop Series, a part of SENTRY’s workforce and professional development (WPDP) program, aims to foster the broad participation of underrepresented groups at community colleges and minority-serving institutions (MSIs) in SENTRY’s efforts to better protect soft targets and crowded places. Hosted by SENTRY and Rutgers University’s Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS), topics are selected annually based on input from SENTRY researchers, who then in turn share their valuable insights and expertise at the event. Presenters offered both lectures and activities, enabling educators in attendance to craft lesson plans to take back to their classrooms and integrate into their curriculum at the conclusion of the workshop.
Researchers and educators tackled the vital topic of risk assessment at Reconnect 2023, held from June 18th to June 23rd in Providence, Rhode Island. At the workshop, a diverse team of speakers reviewed traditional risk assessment methods and tools and employed real-world case studies to illustrate their effectiveness. The event gathered faculty from 6 community colleges and 3 MSIs among other institutions, with a total of 20 participants.
Professor Jun Zhuang, SENTRY Research Thrust Lead from the University at Buffalo, and Professor Auroop Ganguly, SENTRY Researcher from Northeastern University, provided examples of how the SENTRY research projects plan to incorporate risk assessment methodology. Additional speakers included Allison Coffey Reilly from the University of Maryland, and Seth Guikema from the University of Michigan.
SENTRY Director, Michael Silevitch, attended the event to introduce the newly awarded DHS PEERs program, led by SENTRY and the Engineering PLUS Alliance. This collaborative effort aims to address the underrepresentation of women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in crucial STEM disciplines and usher in a new era of inclusivity, preparing the STEM workforce to tackle complex challenges with fresh perspectives and innovative solutions.
The success of Reconnect 2023 can be attributed to the dedication and efforts of its organizers and speakers. Notably, Professor Margaret (Midge) Cozzens, SENTRY WPDP co-lead and Reconnect founder from DIMACS at Rutgers University, Tamra Carpenter from Rutgers University, and Professor Zhuang were instrumental in defining the topic and curriculum content, thereby bringing this event to life.
These workshops act as a vehicle for enhanced participation of underrepresented groups at community colleges and undergraduate institutions by preparing faculty to guide the exploration of SENTRY research themes, thus creating a pipeline of future leaders. We look forward to tackling new topics in future installments of the Reconnect Workshop Series.
