Biography
Patricia McDermott-Wells is a computer scientist with experience in both academia and industry. She designed and supported software over her 45-year industry career and 25-year teaching career.
McDermott-Wells is an experienced course and curriculum designer and chair of the Undergraduate Program Committee in KFSCIS to guide the evolution of our computing degrees. She is also the KFSCIS Academic Integrity Support Officer, with the goal of keeping faculty updated with current academic integrity issues and tools.
McDermott-Wells built and supported the KFSCIS STARS near-peer tutoring student group for over 10 years, providing much-needed personal academic support to our students.
She facilitates math studies for blind and visually impaired students, including preparing exams for easy access by text to speech tools, producing tactile graphs, and scribing math exams.
Awards & Honors
- Awarded FIU Notable Global Learning Faculty, 2024
- KFSCIS Faculty Service Award, Knight Foundation School of Computing & Information Sciences, 2021
- CEC Faculty Service Award, FIU College of Engineering and Computing, 2020
- CEC Faculty Teaching Award, FIU College of Engineering and Computing, 2016
- Nominated for FIU Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award, 2016
- Upsilon Pi Epsilon member, 2015-present
- SCIS Excellence in Teaching Award, 2014
- FIU Adjunct Faculty Excellence-in-Teaching Award, 2012
- Nominated for President's Award for Access & Diversity, FIU Service & Recognition Awards, 2010
- Nominated for President's Award for Access & Diversity, FIU Service & Recognition Awards, 2009
Education
- Ph.D., Computer Information Systems, Nova Southeastern University, 2015
- MS, Management Science, Operations Research, University of Miami, Graduate Research Assistantship, 1979
- BA, Mathematics, Computers, University of Miami, 1977