BS, MS, Bangalore University, India
MS, PhD, University of Connecticut
Uma Shama has been teaching in the department of Mathematics and Computer Science since 1987 at Bridgewater State University. She mainly teaches mathematics courses from freshman to graduate level but has also taught directed study and independent research courses to undergraduate and graduate computer science students. Professor Shama has taught freshman seminar and first year seminar courses. Through GeoGraphics Laboratory, she has offered training workshops to practitioners in using geographic information system and spatial analysis in improving access to transportation. Bridgewater State University has revitalized the honors program and has actively introduced undergraduate research. To connect the Core Curriculum with each major, students are required to complete one writing intensive course in their major. In response to these changes, Dr. Shama has regularly taught a course in Applied Mathematics as writing intensive in the major. She has also taught graduate level research based writing intensive courses. When students show interest to learn more, she has always accommodated their needs by offering directed and independent study courses above and beyond her regular load.
ADVISING: Dr. Shama advises more than forty undergraduate and graduate students who major in mathematics and computer science. She has advised new students during freshman and transfer student orientation regularly. She also mentors students in their career paths as well as planning for advance degree programs.
STUDENT THESES AND PROJECTS: In the last seven years, she has directed two undergraduate honors theses, four undergraduate Adrian Tinsley Summer Projects and six masters projects in both mathematics and computer science.
COURSE DEVELOPMENT: Dr. Shama has been actively developing seminar courses, new courses to fill the needs in both mathematics and computer science programs at both undergraduate and graduate level. She worked with colleagues in modifying Calculus courses for mathematics majors and mathematics courses for elementary education majors. She participated in the CONNECT workshop in aligning courses for transferring among University of Massachusetts, community colleges, and Bridgewater State University. She also worked on creating a one-credit problem solving course as part of the E and T sections for some of the basic mathematics courses in the department. As part of the STREAMS course development, Dr. Shama developed Problem Solving courses that have become corequisite with a Calculus I course. Elements of Calculus courses were required for management science majors until a separate one semester applied calculus was introduced. She has worked on modifying the Elements of Calculus courses as the students in these courses are mainly science majors.
HONORS AND AWARDS: In the last seven years, Dr. Shama received four awards. In 2007, she received the Presidential Award for Distinguished Teaching, one of the highest recognitions for teaching at Bridgewater State University. In 2007, she also received Honors Outstanding Faculty Award that was initially recommended by students of Bridgewater State University. In 2009, she received the Martha D. Jones Outstanding Dedication to Students Award from the Bridgewater State University Alumni Association. In 2010, she received Bridgewater State Lifetime Faculty Research Award, the highest award that one can receive at Bridgewater. Since 2008, she was honored to serve as the University Marshal. Dr. Shama feels truly blessed to have been working at Bridgewater State University for the last twenty-six years and to have her work recognized with various awards.
COMMITTEE WORK: Dr. Shama has served in several committees within the department as well as college-wide. She served as treasurer of an international organization, Natural Philosophy Alliance. College-wide she has served on Honorary Degree Advisory Committee, Asian Studies Program, Campus Climate Action Group, Honors Program, Undergraduate Research Program, Executive Committee of MSCA, Bridgewater Chapter and HERS Bridgewater Chapter. In the mathematics department, Dr. Shama has served on graduate committee, undergraduate curriculum committee and search committee. She also serves as course coordinator of several courses on a regular basis.
SCHOLARSHIP: Dr. Shama's PhD thesis topic was "The Transformation Equations of Electromagnetic Field Vectors in Accelerated Systems"
GRANTS: In the last seven years during review period 2006-2013, Dr. Shama has been involved in eleven externally funded grants and one internally funded grant. She has been able to hire and train many undergraduate and graduate students on these externally funded projects. This has helped students who have worked in the GeoGraphics Laboratory to find full-time employment when they graduate from Bridgewater State University. She has actively served on the Project Compass grant. This work was especially fulfilling to her as it addressed the issues about improving student success at Bridgewater for all our students, in particular for underserved students.
PUBLICATIONS: In the last seven years, Dr. Shama co-authored ten publications and ten technical reports as part of externally funded grants. Her research fields include Geographic Informations systems, mobility management technology research in transportation, intelligent transportation systems, and electrodynamics.
PRESENTATIONS: Dr. Shama has been invited to present her research work at national and international conferences every year. She has also regularly presented project results to the funding agencies.