I am a PhD Candidate being advised by Carleen Maitland in the College of Information Sciences and Technology. My research is focused on technology use in developing countries. I have worked on research projects related to MOOCs, health data collection, agriculture, mobile payment systems, and community development in low-resource contexts. Some of my other work is related to undergraduate education and engagement. Prior to beginning graduate studies, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon, West Africa for over two years working as a Information and Communication Technologies Education Volunteer. In January 2017, I began a Fulbright Scholarship in Rwanda where I am conducting research about IT entrepreneurship, startups, and innovation hubs.

Education

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

PhD.  – Information Sciences and Technology (in progress)                                                                         August 2013 – Present

Relevant classes: Computational Informatics, Foundations in Social Informatics, Data Mining I, Social Network Analysis, Research Methods in Rural Social Sciences, Interpersonal Relationships in Geographic Space

Dissertation: Startup Incubators in Developing Countries: Boundary Institutions driving economic development

Master’s of Science.  – Information Sciences and Technology                                                                         August 2013 – May 2016

Completed concurrently with PhD studies

Thesis: Bringing Community Back to Community Health Worker Studies: Community interactions, data collection, and health information flows of CHWs

Bachelor of Science – Computer Science                                                                                                    June 2006 – December 2009

Relevant classes: Software Design Methods, Programming Language Concepts, Operating Systems, Design for Developing Communities, Geography of the Developing World