Scholar of the Month for October 2015
Mrs. Loretta Cheeks
Q&A with Our Scholar of the Month
Education:
B.S. & M.S. in Computer Science, Southern University A&M
M.B.A. in Technology Management, University of Phoenix
Currently full-time Ph.D. Graduate Student in Computer Science at Arizona State University Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Where did I grow up?
Loretta grew up in south Louisiana, where there are parishes, bayous, shrimp and crawfish boils, music in the air, and a culture like no other. She grew up with her father and mother, two older brothers, and a large extended family where everyone had a say in her child rearing; 10 maternal uncles/aunts and 12 paternal uncles/aunts. Her father was a conductor on the railroad and mother was a nurse.
How/why did you become a scientist?
As a freshman at Southern University, a Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU), she enrolled in a computer programming course called COBOL. Taking this course was the spark to ignite passion in what became her lifelong love affair with computing and technology. In the course of time, she found that computer science was tied to her gift and contribution to the universe. Becoming a computer scientist was empowering and a game changer where Loretta would be presented with some of the most challenging problems that she had the capacity to solve. This meant her gift had carved a space in her life time for her to be needed and relevant. Computer science is a part of her “being”; not just something she do.
What excites you about your work?
Because her work is a part of her being, she embraces problems as a way to shine the light on areas of growth, exploration, and opportunities. Loretta’s most recent blast of excitement as a computer scientist is the fascinating use of algorithms to expose patterns in data by transforming text representation to knowledge representation that lead to better understanding of influencers who propagate news narratives online, thereby influencing communities beliefs, attitudes, and values.
What do you think is important about your work relative to the world at large or what you care about?
Loretta has been blessed to experience great a) people, b) community, and c) extraordinary problems. Her sheer presence as an African American woman in spaces that often is comprised of the dominate other, speaks volumes for those who wonder if there is a place for them or if they’re capable of learning complex principles or theories. Loretta care about people and communities who are marginalized or discounted. She believes that all humans have value and should be valued, and there is something she can do to close the STEM inequality gap. This is why she has set herself on some of the most vulnerable paths to demystify computer science. Her work is important for gaining novel knowledge discovery using data, networks theory, graph theory, and computer science algorithms.
What are your technical contributions?
Having spent her entire 20 year engineering career in the high-pressure corporate world, she was well-prepared for the endurance required to earn a Ph.D. graduate degree. The experiences gained by working in the chemical (Dow Chemical U.S.A.), instrumentation & control (Westinghouse), avionics (Honeywell), radio and communication industries (Motorola/General Dynamics) have availed her to gain a wide breath of experiences. These industry experiences required that she demonstrate an ability to solve complex problems in a team environment using engineering practices and processes to achieve customer requirements. On several projects, she developed computer systems that applied computational modeling, artificial intelligence and information processing methods. Furthermore, she led the development thru deployment of large scale systems that modernize the US Government communication systems; Digital Modular Radio (DMR) and National Distress and Response System (NDRS) are two systems developed under her direct leadership.
What do you do in your free time?
Loretta enjoy spending time with her family; just talking and sharing daily life experiences. She enjoy the church worship experience in all its’ fullness; fellowship, singing, preaching, and teaching. She really like to share talks with fun friends. Lastly, reading books about being connected, self-reflections, and the human experience is fascinating.
B.S. & M.S. in Computer Science, Southern University A&M
M.B.A. in Technology Management, University of Phoenix
Currently full-time Ph.D. Graduate Student in Computer Science at Arizona State University Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Where did I grow up?
Loretta grew up in south Louisiana, where there are parishes, bayous, shrimp and crawfish boils, music in the air, and a culture like no other. She grew up with her father and mother, two older brothers, and a large extended family where everyone had a say in her child rearing; 10 maternal uncles/aunts and 12 paternal uncles/aunts. Her father was a conductor on the railroad and mother was a nurse.
How/why did you become a scientist?
As a freshman at Southern University, a Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU), she enrolled in a computer programming course called COBOL. Taking this course was the spark to ignite passion in what became her lifelong love affair with computing and technology. In the course of time, she found that computer science was tied to her gift and contribution to the universe. Becoming a computer scientist was empowering and a game changer where Loretta would be presented with some of the most challenging problems that she had the capacity to solve. This meant her gift had carved a space in her life time for her to be needed and relevant. Computer science is a part of her “being”; not just something she do.
What excites you about your work?
Because her work is a part of her being, she embraces problems as a way to shine the light on areas of growth, exploration, and opportunities. Loretta’s most recent blast of excitement as a computer scientist is the fascinating use of algorithms to expose patterns in data by transforming text representation to knowledge representation that lead to better understanding of influencers who propagate news narratives online, thereby influencing communities beliefs, attitudes, and values.
What do you think is important about your work relative to the world at large or what you care about?
Loretta has been blessed to experience great a) people, b) community, and c) extraordinary problems. Her sheer presence as an African American woman in spaces that often is comprised of the dominate other, speaks volumes for those who wonder if there is a place for them or if they’re capable of learning complex principles or theories. Loretta care about people and communities who are marginalized or discounted. She believes that all humans have value and should be valued, and there is something she can do to close the STEM inequality gap. This is why she has set herself on some of the most vulnerable paths to demystify computer science. Her work is important for gaining novel knowledge discovery using data, networks theory, graph theory, and computer science algorithms.
What are your technical contributions?
Having spent her entire 20 year engineering career in the high-pressure corporate world, she was well-prepared for the endurance required to earn a Ph.D. graduate degree. The experiences gained by working in the chemical (Dow Chemical U.S.A.), instrumentation & control (Westinghouse), avionics (Honeywell), radio and communication industries (Motorola/General Dynamics) have availed her to gain a wide breath of experiences. These industry experiences required that she demonstrate an ability to solve complex problems in a team environment using engineering practices and processes to achieve customer requirements. On several projects, she developed computer systems that applied computational modeling, artificial intelligence and information processing methods. Furthermore, she led the development thru deployment of large scale systems that modernize the US Government communication systems; Digital Modular Radio (DMR) and National Distress and Response System (NDRS) are two systems developed under her direct leadership.
What do you do in your free time?
Loretta enjoy spending time with her family; just talking and sharing daily life experiences. She enjoy the church worship experience in all its’ fullness; fellowship, singing, preaching, and teaching. She really like to share talks with fun friends. Lastly, reading books about being connected, self-reflections, and the human experience is fascinating.
