Angela Mellema (2003)

Angela with husband Steve (also 2003)

After completing my degree at Taylor, I started working on my MS degree at Purdue University, in Computer Graphics Technology. While working on my master's degree I began a research assistantship with the Purdue Homeland Security Institute. I completed my master's in 2005 and continued working at PHSI full time. The lab that I currently work in, the Synthetic Environment for Analysis and Symulation (Seas) Lab , is no longer a part of PHSI, but still focuses on creating simulations which assist with security and first response. Some of our main projects in the past have been simulations in which various users can interact with an emergency scenario and see how their decisions change the course of events as they unfold.

I have enjoyed working in an academic environment and it has even given me a greater appreciation for the professors at Taylor. I appreciate the Computing and System Science department's emphasis on what can be done with the field to enhance our life, and while still striving for excellence in all that we do, realizing that our work is not our main reason for living. I enjoy the fact that my job offers a lot of flexibility for me to be involved in other things. Living in West Lafayette has been a surprise, Steve and I didn't really expect to stay here when we first started grad school at Purdue. But we have found great places to work, and a wonderful church that we are excited to be a part of. I have also been volunteering one morning a week at a local pregnancy counseling center--completely unrelated to my degrees in any way, although they do appreciate when I help out with PowerPoint presentations and email attachments! :)