|
|
 |
Home > People > Alumni Profiles > Spotlight
SI SpotlightMaria Cervone (MSI '05)
"When I found SI, I realized there was a science behind my intuitive approach to system development -- addressing not just the technical needs but also the people and process aspects which are so critical to a project's success; I wanted to learn about that science in order to justify my approach when challenged on it. In addition, having spent 15 years in the corporate world, I was seeking to re-center my activities for the public good. SI's Community Information Corps was a big factor for me, as it offered a means to make that transition. Also, the genuineness and accessibility of the people made SI a very welcoming place."
|
Before SI: Was manager of documentation and regulatory systems at Wyeth BioPharma, where her group generated large pharmaceutical regulatory filings. She was involved with coordinating timelines and review cycles, electronic publishing, and archiving. Her group also designed and implemented related information systems. She worked at Wyeth BioPharma for about 15 years.
"When I was first considering SI via its Web site, I thought, 'How can it possibly be this good -- is everything that's said here true?' And the answer was yes, what you see is what you get, and for me that was a perfect match. Coming to SI in midlife, I found myself relating well to the concepts and challenges presented -- the curriculum is on target both with what's necessary to succeed out there in the real world while simultaneously pushing the envelope. I made really good connections at SI, and it was definitely worth it!"
At SI: Cervone found the variety within the master's program sparked her curiosity about how other academic disciplines fit in with her career goals. "Several things stand out. First, the Community Information Corps was key in introducing me to the concepts critical to addressing public good issues.
"Second, one of the best projects I worked on at SI was for Professor Michael Cohen's 'Information Technology for Small Nonprofits' class. We worked with several homeless shelters and Washtenaw County staff on implementing a database to track homelessness in the county.
"Third, a class I took at the Ross School of Business with Professor Michael Gordon on social enterprise changed the way I looked at public good efforts, and my project for that class sent me off to speak with representatives of each school on campus to explore technology-enabled learning.
"Finally, I had the opportunity to work part-time at a local policy organization, CyberMichigan, where I researched what I consider the most significant information initiative in healthcare today -- the emerging nationwide health information network."
After SI: Now an informatics project manager in the Center for Biomedical Informatics at Countway Library of the Harvard Medical School. Until accepting this position, she was on a two-year public health informatics fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. "I found out about the fellowship program from SI Career Services and had the opportunity to speak to the program director at a recruiting event at the School of Public Health.
"SI's approach supports the fellowship by emphasizing the practical application of information science and technology. I frequently share my SI experiences with colleagues at CDC -- either directly in the conduct of my work, or by pointing them to relevant SI research. My exposure at SI to the latest in collaborative technologies, as well as to projects on consumer health information and electronic health records, has led to further work in these areas at the CDC."
Home > People > Alumni Profiles > Spotlight
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Are you an SI alum?
Welcome! Please visit our resources for alumni on our Alumni Portal Page.
These resources include our
Alumni Connections directory, where you can search for lost classmates (requires U-M login and SI alum status).
|
|
|
|
|
