My name is Patrina L. Bly and I am currently a second year student at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Math…I love math. It is the only thing that is guaranteed to give you an answer, even if that answer does not exist, and that is why I chose it to be my major. I believe it to be one of the most enjoyable things in the world, but only once you come unto its greater understanding. You need math for everything nowadays. It is always around you and I assure in its fidelity, because it will never leave your side. However, much of the world's populations absolutely detest the subject. From the simplest of arithmetic to the greater difficulties of linear algebra and advanced calculus the subject matter at hand boggles the minds of millions and most noticeably struggling in what I consider my specialty is my generation.

Majoring in mathematics with a minor in secondary education is a path that I thought I would never travel, yet now I find myself on route to seeking a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics Education. Through the majority of high school I laughed at the thought of being a teacher, because I believed it was an unlikely consideration as a career path for me. Now however, I fancy the notion of sharing my knowledge with those eager to learn as an educator and make goals for myself to one day do such. Math is what I have to offer to society and more than anything I want people to think of math as something enjoyable and not a burden upon their lives sharing with them what I enjoy so much and becoming a strong advocate of the subject.

As an undergraduate researcher for the Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing Education and Research (CERSER), my main objectives are to acquire research and internship experiences that will contribute to my career in the field of mathematics. While in attendance at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) I have been extended countless opportunities to grow as a professional individual. Invitations to conferences, trips to NASA, and internships have all been allotted within my time at the University.

During the summer of 2008 I had the privilege of participating in Undergraduate Research Experience in Ocean Marine and Polar Sciences. While there I was assigned to the Polar Grid Team. Using Adobe Dreamweaver as the development tool our team created individual portlets and Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds that were created using iGoogle as a portal. GeoRSS namespaces were used to generate points into Google maps. Within Google Maps each point displayed information using HTML tags for designated students including name, location, and an image. In correlation to the Polar Grid Project, a joint effort between dual universities and The Center of Excellence for Remote Sensing Education and Research (CERSER), the tags created would have included the radar data, a transformed image, the coordinate locations of taken data, the date, and other various attributes concerning the research of the Antarctic and Greenland Regions.

As part of an academic year research team at ECSU I am currently working on implementing a Digital Learning Network (DLN) based the working on the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations (NASA). At the conclusion of the teams project participants will review results of faculty and student research projects to identify sources used in the mathematics preparation of children at the third grade level. Corresponding educational lessons will then be produced, which incorporates mathematical concepts from the data collected. Thus, this project is designed to build on the curiosity and enthusiasm of children as it relates to the study of mathematics. Appropriate mathematical experiences will be designed to challenge young children to explore ideas related to data analysis and probability, measurement, mathematical connections, algebraic concepts, and numerical operations.

A recipent of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Educational Partnership Program (EPP) scholarship, I was provided with the oppotrunity to intern at NOAA headquaters during the summer of 2009. Working with the National Ocean Service. While there i further developed existing works through utilizing tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing data assessments. With this work, a successful attempt was made to identify possible releasers of effluent waste into the major coastal watershed regions. The categorization of possible contaminating locations was made available through spatial data verification development. Utilizing platforms such as ESRI® ArcMap™ software, spatially referenced locations, via point data, vector data, line data, and polygons depicting points and sites of interest were created using latitude and longitude information. Points and areas of interest (AOI) were verified using Remote Sensing imagery. Using this data, present and future researchers will be more able to identify possible sources of contributors to the present contaminant areas.

Once I graduate from Elizabeth City State University I plan to eagerly pursue a Master's degree in the Geosciences, and Remote Sensing, while at the same time sharing what I enjoy so much as an educator and later on in life seek my Doctorial Degree, inevitably doing something that I am strongly passionate in, willingly able and happy doing. The importance of education is vital to my future goals and aspirations in the next ten years. By furthering my education this leads me to successful growth and development in my future academic and research careers.