Jaye

A. Nias Curriculum Vitae

Campus: Spelman College Telephone: (301) 660-5293
Department of Computer & Information Science
350 Spelman Lane, S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30314 Email: jclarknias@gmail.com

EDUCATION
D.Sc., Computer Science, Bowie State University 2016
Dissertation: Cultural Similarities and Differences in User-Defined Gestures for Mobile Computing

M.S., Computer Science, Bowie State University 2008

B.S., Chemical Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University 1998

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Spelman College 2017 - present
• Data Structures and Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science
• Computer Literacy
• Intro to Computer Programming

Instructor, Spelman College 2016 - present
• First Year Student Colloquium – Data Science applications for Social Science

Visiting Lecturer, Department of Math and Computer Science, UMES 2015 - 2016
• Introductory Computer Programing (C++)
• Advanced Computer Programming Intensive (C++)
• Internet Programming, (HTML, CSS, JS, PHP, Python)
• Mentored the inception of the Women in Technology Club
• Mentored 2 undergraduate research students and 1 graduate student
• Introduction of culturally relevant pedagogy for CS education

Adjunct Professor, CAP Department, Prince Georges Community College 2013 – 2013
• Instructor for PAS 1030: Planning for Academic Success in Math

Teaching Assistant, Department of Computer Science, Bowie State University 2011 – 2012
• Introduction to Computer Robotics
• Computing Principles and Technology

Graduate Instructor, Department of Computer Science, Bowie State University 2013 – 2013
• Computer Literacy and Applications

Programming Instructor, Bright Stars Learning Academy, Columbia, MD 2010 – 2012
• Enhance students’ knowledge of basic programming concept using digital
storytelling, computer graphics, robotics, language art concepts.

Jaye A. Nias Curriculum Vitae
PUBLICATIONS
-Journal Articles
[J.2] Anthony, L., Brown, Q., Nias, J. and Tate, B. To appear. Children (and Adults) Benefit From
Visual Feedback during Gesture Interaction on Mobile Touchscreen Devices. International
Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 2015.

[J.1] Anthony, L., Brown, Q., Nias, J., Tate, B., and Mohan, S. 2012. Interaction and Recognition Challenges
in Interpreting Children’s Touch and Gesture Input on Mobile Devices. Proceedings of the ACM
International Conference on Interactive Tabletops and Surfaces (ITS’2012), Cambridge, MA.

-Refereed Conference Papers and Notes
[C.5] Nias, J. , Marshall, B., Thompson, T., Blunt, T. 2017. Evergreen LP: Using a Social Network as a
Learning Platform. 2017 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE 2017), Indianapolis, Indiana.

[C.4] Nias, J. 2015. Guessability as an Ethnographic Study of Mobile Technology Usage in Kenya.
International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD
2015, Singapore).

[C.3] Nias, J., Mutahi, J., Kinai, A., Bent, O., Weldermeriam, K., Srivastava, S. 2015. Towards Capturing
Learners Sentiment and Context. Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Learning at Scale
(Learning@Scale 2015).

[C.2] Anthony, L., Brown, Q., Nias, J., and Tate, B. 2013. Examining the Need for Visual Feedback in Gesture
Interaction with Mobile Touchscreen Devices for Kids. Proceedings of the International Conference on
Interaction Design and Children (IDC’2013), New York, NY.

[C.1] Anthony, L., Brown, Q., Nias, J., Tate, B., and Mohan, S. 2012. Interaction and Recognition Challenges in
Interpreting Children’s Touch and Gesture Input on Mobile Devices. Proceedings of the ACM
International Conference on Interactive Tabletops and Surfaces (ITS’2012), Cambridge, MA, p.225-234.
Acceptance rate 29%.

-Refereed Workshop Papers

[W.2] Brown, Q., Anthony, L., Nias, J., Tate, B., Brewer, R., and Irwin, G. 2013. Towards Designing Adaptive
Touch-Based Interfaces. Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI 2013 Third Mobile Accessibility Workshop
(MOBACC’2013), Paris, France, 28 Apr 2013.

[W.1] Brown, Q., Anthony, L., Brewer, R., Irwin, G., Nias, J.,and Tate, B. 2013. Challenges of Replicating
Empirical Studies with Children in HCI. Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI 2013 RepliCHI Workshop
(RepliCHI’2013), Paris, France, 27-28 Apr 2013.

-Conference Posters
[W.5] Nias, J., 2015. “Habari Gani”: A Sentiment Aware Learning Support System for Middle School African
Students. Capital Region Celebration of Women in Computing. (CAPWIC 2015).

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Jaye A. Nias Curriculum Vitae

[W.4] Nias, J., 2013. Mobile Devices as Empowerment Technologies for Women in Developing Nations.
MACCAE 3rd Annual Mid-Atlantic Colloquium on “National Security and Women’s Rights in South Asia”
(ICCAE 2013), Norfolk, VA.

[W.3] Brewer, R., Anthony, L., Brown, Q., Irwin, G., Nias, J., and Tate, B. 2013. Using Gamification to
Motivate Children to Complete Empirical Studies in Lab Environments. Proceedings of the
International Conference on Interaction Design and Children (IDC’2013), New York, NY, 25 Jun 2013,
p.388-391.

[W.2] Nias, J., Tate, B. 2012. Holdovers on a Touchscreen Mobile Device. Richard Tapia Celebration of
Diversity in Computing (Tapia 2013), Washington, DC.

[W.1] Brown, Q., Anthony, L., Nias, J., Tate, B., Brewer, R., and Irwin, G. 2013. Towards Designing Adaptive
Touch-Based Interfaces. Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI 2013 Third Mobile Accessibility Workshop
(MOBACC’2013), Paris, France, 28 Apr 2013.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
C.U.R.E. Postdoctoral Fellow, Spelman College, Atlanta, GA
• Development of an educational platform, Evergreen LP to promote undergraduate 08/2016 - present
Projects in computational social science topics.

Global Intern, Watson Based Mobile Tutoring System, IBM Research Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
• Development of Sentiment Based awareness system for mobile education 06/2014 - 09/2014
cluster applications on the Watson Based Mobile Tutoring System.
• Implementation of teacher design and development focus groups and
conducted educational field studies in Kenyan primary schools.

Research Assistant, Self-Efficacy and Computing Attitudes of Gender Based Middle and High School Summer
Technology Experience Participants, Bowie State University, Bowie, MD 05/2013 – 09/2013
• Developed the study protocol, and submission of IRB. Participated in survey design and
implementation and comparative data analysis.

Research Assistant, Bowie State Mobile Touch and Gesture Interaction for Children, Bowie, MD
• Design and develop Android mobile applications. 05/2012 – 08/2012
• Conducted research study sessions that included recording and observing
adults and children interacting with mobile devices.
• Conducted quantitative and qualitative research to understand how adults
and children use mobile devices.

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Jaye A. Nias Curriculum Vitae
• Assisted in redeveloping research study protocol and script, and IRB
submission and recruitment of study participants.
• Developed and implemented the participant demographic survey.
Conducted user studies and assisted with data analysis and
documentation of study logs.

Research Assistant, Bowie State Video Imaging and Robotic Applications in Tekkotsu, Bowie, MD
• Integrating computer vision algorithms for facial detection into the 05/2010 – 08/2011
Tekkotsu platform to be used on CREATE robots.

Research Assistant, Bowie State Sensor Networks in Remote Video and Image Processing, Bowie, MD
• Assisted in the development of the graphical user interface for 05/2009 – 05/2010
the vision based sensor network.

BSOCC Trainee, Bowie State University Satellite Control Center, Bowie MD 05/2010 – 08/2010
• Spacecraft mission planning.
• Managing large data sets and obtained a certification as a NASA Goddard Spaceflight Mission Planner.

PRESENTATIONS
The “plus one”: The Concept of Expansion in Ifa Religious Practice
African and Diasporic Studies Association, Harvard University, Boston MA 04/2016

Culturally Relevant Instruction and Multimedia Techniques to Promote Understanding and Retention in
Computing Courses for Urban Students
HBCU Retention Summit, Ocean City, MD 03/2016

Cultural Relevance and Social Impacts of User-Defined Gestures for Touch Interface
Tapia Diversity in Computing, Doctoral Consortium , Boston, MA 02/2014

Connecting to the Source: In Search of Orisa Rivers Abroad
African and Diasporic Studies Association, Harvard University, Boston MA 04/2013

Hour of Code 2013 with 12 PG Country Middle School Students
Bowie State University 11/2013

User-Defined Gestures by Children for Touch Surfaces
Tapia Diversity in Computing, Doctoral Consortium , Seattle, WA 02/2013

Robotics and Mobile Application Development for Youth Technology Campers
BDPA 2012 Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD 06/2012
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Jaye A. Nias Curriculum Vitae

Bowie State Robotics and Human Factors Mobile Paper Prototyping Demo
USA Science and Engineering Festival, Washington, DC 05/2012

Computer Robotics at Bowie State University
Bowie State University Research Symposium, Bowie, MD 04/2011

Computer Vision and Sensor Networks
Chesapeake Information Based Aeronautics Association Annual Meeting
Princess Anne, MD 04/2010

AWARDS/GRANTS/PRIZES
• GHC 2016 Anita Borg Scholar 2016
• 1 Place Faculty Submission - UMES "Just One Book"
st

Phi Kappa Phi Literacy Grant Essay Contest 2015

• Tapia Diversity in Computing Conference Scholarship 2013, 2014
• ACM ITS Conference Scholarship Recipient 2012
• Graduate Research and Teaching Fellow, Bowie State University 2009 - 2012
• Graduate Research Assistantship, Bowie State University 2006 - 2008
• Model Institution for Excellence Fellowship, Bowie State University 2002- 2004

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• HBCU Summit on Retention 2016
• CMDiT Academic Careers Workshop for Under-Represented Participants 2015
• SREB Institute on Teaching and Mentoring 2014, 2015
• Computing Research Association Women’s Graduate Cohort 2015

MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS
• National Science Foundation PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP
• Bowie State University Robotics Club (founder and advisor)
• STARS Leadership Corp – Evaluation Assistant
• BSU Graduate Student Association – Computer Science Department Liaison
• BSU Women in Computing Organization
• Computer Programming for Youth – Advisory Board Member


REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

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