Wednesday: CyberAmbassadors
Wednesday sessions focus on the professional skills that help teams work effectively with community partners, teammates, and stakeholders.
About the Program
CMSE 495 partners with the CyberAmbassadors program, a professional development initiative created at Michigan State University to help STEM students and professionals strengthen their communication, teamwork, leadership, and collaboration skills. Originally developed through a National Science Foundation workforce development grant, the program now provides professional skills training for participants across a wide range of disciplines.
The skills emphasized in CyberAmbassadors are directly connected to success in real-world data science projects. Strong technical work is important, but successful projects also require clear communication, effective teamwork, leadership, project organization, and the ability to work productively with people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise.
Focus Areas
Topics covered throughout the semester include nine modules three in each of the major topics ares Communication, Teamwork and Leadership:
- Communication
- FIRST CONTACT: Communicating with a Purpose
- LET’S TALK: Communicating about Problems
- IT’S COMPLICATED: Communicating About Complexity
- Teamwork
- TEAMING UP: Effective Groups and Meetings
- SPEAKING UP: Effective Presentation Skills
- LEVELING UP: Problem Solving and Decision Making
- Leadership
- LEADING THE TEAM: Understanding Style and Personality
- LEADING THE CHANGE: Equity and Inclusion
- LEADING WITH PRINCIPLES: Ethics
Weekly Expectations
- Participate in the assigned CyberAmbassadors activity or discussion
- Connect the topic to your current project experience
- Reflect on how the concepts apply to your team and community partner interactions
Milestone Timeline
- Wed 09/02 - CyberAmbassadors First Contact
- Wed 09/09 - CyberAmbassadors Teaming Up
- Wed 09/16 - CyberAmbassadors Speaking up
- Wed 09/30 - CyberAmbassadors Lets talk
- Wed 10/07 - CyberAmbassadors Leveling Up
- Wed 10/14 - CyberAmbassadors Its Complicated
- Wed 10/28 - CyberAmbassadors Leading the Team
- Wed 11/04 - CyberAmbassadors Leading the Change
- Wed 11/11 - CyberAmbassadors Leading with Principles
Certificate Option
Students who attend and actively participate in all nine (9) CyberAmbassadors modules during CMSE 495 are eligible to earn the CyberAmbassadors Certificate.
The certificate is optional and is not required to complete CMSE 495. Students are encouraged to participate fully in the program because the topics directly support success in interdisciplinary projects, professional communication, teamwork, and leadership.
Students who miss one or more modules are still able to earn the certificate. The national CyberAmbassadors program regularly offers additional workshops and make-up opportunities throughout the year. As a result, students may complete missing modules after the semester ends and may even finish the certificate after graduation.
Students who earn the CyberAmbassadors Certificate may also be invited to participate in optional Train-the-Trainer workshops. These advanced sessions prepare participants to become certified CyberAmbassadors facilitators who can help deliver training to future students and professionals.
Why This Matters
Many employers identify communication, teamwork, leadership, and professional collaboration as essential workplace skills. The CyberAmbassadors program provides structured opportunities to practice these skills while working on your capstone project, helping you become a more effective contributor to interdisciplinary teams.