Executive Board

M. Bernardine Dias, Founder and Director, is an Assistant Research Professor in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science and a member of the Computer Science faculty at Carnegie Mellon University Qatar. Her research experience is in technology for developing communities, assistive technology, technology education, autonomous team coordination, and automated planning and navigation. Dr. Dias is a native of Sri Lanka. Her career goal is innovating means of developing and disseminating suitable and sustainable technology for empowering developing communities. She is a strong supporter and mentor for women in science and technology.

Yonina Cooper, Associate Director, is an Associate Teaching Professor in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. She co-teaches the Technology and Global Development course at Carnegie Mellon Qatar with M. Bernadine Dias and is a Qatar faculty advisor for the iSTEP program. Her research interests are in the areas of education and technology: ICT in education in developing countries, identifying technology that is accessible and relevant to the needs of a developing community, and adapting Alice (Educational Software) with culturally relevant icons for Middle East schools. She received her Ph.D. from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She taught computer science and mathematics at The University of Kansas, University of Wisconsin, University of Texas and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Sarah M. Belousov, Project Manager, is based in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science. Her primary responsibilities involve extending the activities of the TechBridgeWorld research group at Carnegie Mellon University’s campuses in Doha and Pittsburgh through strategic planning, fundraising, logistical coordination and administrative duties. She earned her bachelor's degree in International Studies and French at Johns Hopkins University and l'Institut d'Études Politiques in Paris. Prior to joining TechBridgeWorld, Ms. Belousov worked at the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and she recently completed her master's degree in Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon's Heinz College.

M. Freddie Dias, Research Engineer, is based in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science. He assists with robotics research in the Field Robotics Center, supporting projects related to multi-robot coordination. He also serves as a technical consultant for projects related to technology and development under TechBridgeWorld. His work in both categories bridges Carnegie Mellon University’s campuses in Doha and Pittsburgh. Originally from Sri Lanka, he graduated from Hamilton College in New York with a double major in physics and computer science.

Ermine A. Teves, Project Assistant, is an alumna of Carnegie Mellon University. She graduated in May of 2008 with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Her responsibilities include expanding TechBridgeWorld's programs, marketing, and fundraising efforts. Ermine became interested in technology for sustainable development while interning for TechBridgeWorld during her undergraduate studies. She took a TechBridgeWorld course, Technology and Global Development, and in Summer 2008, she spent 10 weeks in Bangalore, India working with Microsoft Research India and the Mathru School for the Blind as part of the Technology Consulting in the Global Community program. Ermine is a native of the Philippines and hopes to facilitate future TechBridgeWorld projects and programs in her home country.

M. Beatrice Dias, TechBridgeWorld Student Representative, is a Ph.D. student in the Engineering and Public Policy Department at Carnegie Mellon University who volunteers with TechBridgeWorld to assist with marketing, events, fundraising, and strategic planning. Beatrice was born and raised in Sri Lanka and went on to earn her undergraduate degree from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, with concentrations in Mathematics and Physics. Following college, she worked as an actuarial analyst with CIGNA Insurance in Philadelphia before moving to Pittsburgh for graduate school. Her initial graduate research work involved measuring the effects of the USAPATRIOT Act and the Bioterrorism Preparedness Act on select agent research in the U.S. Beatrice is currently conducting research in the field of Information Communication Technology for Development (ICTD) in collaboration with TechBridgeWorld. Her research focus is on evaluating how technology affects underserved communities in different parts of the world. She hopes to pursue a career assessing interventions in education and informing education policy.

Hatem Alismail, TechBridgeWorld Student Representative, is a graduate student at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. His research interest include developing and applying computer vision techniques for mobile robots in tasks such as pose estimation, navigation and 3D reconstruction. Furthermore, he is interested in Information and Communication Technologies for Development research, especially education oriented research efforts. He participated in TedchBridgeWorld's inaugural iSTEP 2009 internship in Tanzania, where he took the lead on the Literacy Tools project in Dar es Salaam.