Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology (IPaT) and the College of Computing have announced the Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS) fellowship for students and faculty at the University of Liberia. These fellowships cover full tuition for the degree program.

“We are pleased to be able to offer this fellowship program to the people of Liberia,” said Steven McLaughlin, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “The value of a Georgia Tech degree is well-documented and programs such as this one help us deliver on our commitment to empower people of all backgrounds and stages of life to learn and contribute to technological and human progress.”

Michael Best, executive director of IPaT, made the announcement during a luncheon hosted at Georgia Tech on May 11. Joseph N. Boakai, the 26th president of the Republic of Liberia, attended along with a Liberian delegation and representatives from the University Consortium for Liberia (UCL). The UCL provides scholarships, facilitates student exchange programs, study abroad opportunities, and service-learning initiatives between Liberia and partner organizations worldwide. This was President Boakai’s first official visit to the U.S. since becoming president in January.

“Education is the key to building a successful nation, and Georgia Tech is making great research and academic contributions to the Republic of Liberia and to the world,” said President Boakai. “The OMSCS fellowship program will provide the people of Liberia with an additional opportunity to benefit from this relationship and help advance our country.”

The OMSCS program, where coursework is done asynchronously, is one of Tech’s most successful global degree programs and is designed for students seeking a top-ranked degree with the flexibility to fit their studies around work and family commitments.

The purpose of the president’s visit was to thank assembled UCL members for their partnership in Liberia’s post-conflict development. In addition to Georgia Tech leadership, UCL members from Clark Atlanta University, Kennesaw State University, Fort Valley State University, Savannah State University, and the University of Georgia were also in attendance, along with Cynthia Blandford, UCL president.

Best, who also serves as a professor with Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and School of Interactive Computing, has a longstanding relationship with Liberia. His involvement began in 2005, just two years after the end of their civil war. His research focuses on information and communication technologies for social, economic, and political advancement. In Liberia, he has partnered in the development of their national information and communications technology and telecommunications policy, created and deployed technology-focused workforce development programs, outfitted computer facilities for public sector units, helped found the iLab Liberia technology and innovation hub, and developed novel digital systems to support that country’s post-conflict healing and reconciliation.

“President Boakai’s visit to Georgia Tech, just four months into his administration, underscores our deep ties and lasting partnership,” said Best. “These new OMSCS fellowships were received with remarkable enthusiasm, demonstrating that the relationship between the Republic of Liberia and Georgia Tech continues to flourish.”

Six students were hired for the 2024 summer research internship program created by the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT) in 2021. The summer program is an opportunity for students looking to gain real-world experience related to research and community engagement. For 2024, the internship program duration is 12 weeks (May 13th to August 2nd). All Georgia Tech students were invited to apply. This year’s summer interns will receive up to $7,000 for a full-time internship paid bi-weekly.

The six selected Georgia Tech students for IPaT’s 2024 summer research internship program, their projects, and their research mentors are:

• Sameer Arora, sophomore majoring in computer science, who will work with Peter Presti, senior research scientist, on the prolonged exposure therapy iOS mobile app.
• Siddharth Jain, undergraduate student in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.
• Seongjin Kim, sophomore majoring in electrical engineering, who will work with Celeste Mason, research scientist, on a passive haptic learning and rehabilitation project.
• Nathan Lin, senior majoring in computational media, who will work with Peter Presti and Brian Jones, principal research scientist, on the Aware Home smart bathroom project.
• Grace Littler, undergraduate majoring in architecture, who will work with Jennifer DuBose, executive director of the SimTigrate Design Lab. The SimTigrate Design Lab is an interdisciplinary research lab using evidence-based design to improve the medical experience for patients and providers.
• Matthew Perry, junior majoring in computer engineering, will work with the Aware Home researching gait speed and the smart bathroom.
• Shreya Sasmal, junior majoring in computational media, who will be working with Kala Jordan, research scientist, and Maribeth Coleman, director of research for IPaT, on an augmented reality/artificial intelligence project. 

Get comfortable traveling by bike with this instructional group ride! This in-person class is offered by Parking and Transportation Services in collaboration with Propel ATL and is designed specifically for members of the Georgia Tech community — that includes students, staff, and faculty!

What to expect

We will gather BEHIND the Campus Recreation Center on Tech Parkway. Here, we will perform a few quick drills then hit the city or campus streets for a 45-minute ride of three to four gentle miles. Once rolling, we’ll

• Take it slow, stay together, and practice our skills in a safe and supportive manner
• Experience Atlanta’s existing bicycle facilities, like two-directional protected and/or single-directional bike lanes and sharrows, and
• Learn to ride safely on streets without bike lanes by exercising our legal right to “take the lane.”

How to prepare

Please bring a helmet and a bicycle in good repair that fits you. We strongly recommend that you also bring:

• Water and sunscreen
• Sneakers or other appropriate closed-toed shoes
• Comfortable, appropriate clothing for being outside and active
• A friend or three!

Please arrive promptly so all participants can benefit from the full time allotted for this instructional experience. In case of rain, this class will be rescheduled.

These free classes are provided with the support of the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

Sign up today!