Faculty Supervisor, Western Governors University, United States
🔬 Short Biography 🌿💊📚
Dr. Brittany Rafaela Hoard is a Faculty Supervisor at Western Governors University, United States, where she leads assessment design, evaluator training, and continuous improvement in computer science and software-related courses. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science, along with advanced degrees in Nanoscience & Microsystems and Physics. With a strong background in computational research, Dr. Hoard specializes in modeling and simulation, scientific programming, and technical communication. Prior to her current role, she served as Lead Evaluation Faculty and worked in both academic and industry settings, developing software using languages such as C++, FORTRAN, Python, and MATLAB. Passionate about online education and student success, she brings a data-driven and student-focused approach to mentoring and academic leadership.
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🎓 Education:
The individual holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science from Northcentral University (2018–2021), graduating with a perfect GPA of 4.0/4.0. Their dissertation, titled Metamorphic Testing Among Open-Source Software Developers: A Quantitative Correlational Study, reflects a strong foundation in software engineering research. They earned a Master of Science in Nanoscience and Microsystems from the University of New Mexico (2013–2015), graduating with distinction. Their thesis focused on modeling steric effects in antibody aggregation using rule-based computational methods. They began their academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, along with a minor in Computer Science, from Penn State Erie, The Behrend College (2008–2012), where they were part of the Behrend Honors Program and consistently featured on the Dean’s List.
💼 Professional Experience:
Currently, the individual serves as a Faculty Supervisor at Western Governors University, managing a team of 18 evaluators and leading initiatives related to quality assurance, training, and course development. Prior to this, they served as a Lead Evaluator and Evaluator at the same institution, where they developed training materials, evaluated a range of assessments, handled student appeals, and contributed to improving evaluator processes. Their industry experience includes roles such as Computer Scientist at Karagozian & Case, Inc., where they worked on blast simulation software and data visualization, and Research Associate at Battelle Memorial Institute, focusing on computational hazard modeling and software development. They also held various academic roles at the University of New Mexico, including as a research and teaching assistant. Additional early-career experiences include internships at Sandia National Laboratories, freelance editing work, and student tutoring and grading roles.
🛠️ Skills and Competencies:
The individual brings a robust set of technical and instructional skills, including programming in C++, Python, FORTRAN, C#, and XAML. They are experienced in software evaluation, application troubleshooting, data visualization, and scientific computing. In educational settings, they excel at mentoring, creating training content, evaluating student work, and aligning assessments with academic standards. Their communication and writing skills are demonstrated through their experience editing technical manuscripts and developing instructional documents for both students and faculty.
🏅 Awards and Recognition:
Academically distinguished, the individual graduated with distinction from their master’s program and was a consistent Dean’s List honoree during their undergraduate studies. They were also a member of the Behrend Honors Program. In their professional role at Western Governors University, they have received internal recognition for their leadership in evaluator training, quality assurance, and student success, including the nomination of students for Excellence Awards based on assessment performance.
🔬 Research Focus:
The individual’s research spans multiple disciplines including computer science, nanotechnology, and biophysics. Their doctoral research explored the adoption of metamorphic testing techniques among open-source software developers through quantitative methods. At the master’s level, they used rule-based modeling tools to analyze steric effects in antibody interactions. Their earlier research included developing optical modeling methods for solar photovoltaics and studying electronic properties in amorphous silicon using simulation tools. Their research consistently reflects a deep commitment to using computational modeling to address scientific and engineering challenges.
📚Publication:
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Title: Empirical comparison of random and periodic surface light-trapping structures for ultrathin silicon photovoltaics
Authors: MS Branham, WC Hsu, S Yerci, J Loomis, SV Boriskina, BR Hoard, …
Journal: Advanced Optical Materials 4(6), 858–863
Citations: 37
Year: 2016
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Title: Symmetry-breaking nanostructures on crystalline silicon for enhanced light trapping in thin film solar cells
Authors: SJ Han, S Ghosh, OK Abudayyeh, BR Hoard, EC Culler, JE Bonilla, …
Journal: Optics Express 24(26), A1586–A1596
Citations: 16
Year: 2016
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Title: Silicon Solar Cells: 15.7% Efficient 10‐μm‐Thick Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells Using Periodic Nanostructures (Adv. Mater. 13/2015)
Authors: MS Branham, WC Hsu, S Yerci, J Loomis, SV Boriskina, BR Hoard, …
Journal: Advanced Materials 27(13), 2268
Citations: 14
Year: 2015
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Title: Influence of model resolution on geometric simulations of antibody aggregation
Authors: K Manavi, B Jacobson, B Hoard, L Tapia
Journal: Robotica 34(8), 1754–1776
Citations: 7
Year: 2016
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Title: Extending rule-based methods to model molecular geometry
Authors: B Hoard, B Jacobson, K Manavi, L Tapia
Conference: 2015 IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM)
Citations: 7
Year: 2015
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Title: Methods to introduce sub-micrometer, symmetry-breaking surface corrugation to silicon substrates to increase light trapping
Authors: SE Han, BR Hoard, S Ghosh
Patent: US Patent 9,530,906
Citations: 6
Year: 2016
The candidate is an excellent fit for the Best Researcher Award, particularly for institutions or organizations recognizing applied computational science, interdisciplinary innovation, and academic leadership. Addressing publication volume and visibility would make their profile even more award-competitive.