Thursday, September 10, 2015

Science and Engineering Business Association announcements for September 10

*SEBA Welcome Back Barbecue*
*When: *Thursday, September 30th 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm
*Where: *Sylvan Grove Theater (W Stevens Way NE)
*What:* Come meet our officers and kick of the new academic year with some
free food!

Email membership@uwseba.org if you are interested in helping out!

*ZINO Zillionaire Investment Forum*

*When: *Tuesday, September 29th, 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
*Where: *Two Union Square, 600 University st (Skyview Room, Floor 51)
*What:* ZINO Society needs volunteers to help with their 10th annual ZINO
Zillionaire Investment Forum (ZZIF), which features a group of 15 brilliant
entrepreneurs pursuing their dreams. ZINO Society is a community of Angel
Investors, Entrepreneurs and Connectors that propel businesses and
investors to success through active angel investing, consulting and
mentoring. Attending a ZINO Society investment event is a front seat to the
early stage company and business community that is alive in the Pacific
Northwest. More information can be found here
<http://zinosociety.com/events/upcoming-events/>. Email relations@uwseba.org if
you are interested in helping out!
.
*Attend the WTIA's Full ConTech!*

*When: *Tuesday, September 15th, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
*Where: *Washington State Convention Center
*What:* The WTIA still has a few discounted student rate codes available to
attend this exciting, uniquely formatted, broad scope conference that
focuses on solving the issues facing the tech sector in our region.
Washington’s
tech industry is creating jobs 10 times faster than we are training people
to fill them. Our cities are struggling to keep pace with rapid growth and
adapt to the cultural changes the influx of people brings. Instead of the
traditional format, this conference features panel discussions, and then a
breakout into 12 teams each addressing one of the major issues raised in
those panel discussions, from K-12 education to Internet connectivity to
how we can compete with Silicon Valley for top talent. Those sessions have
expert facilitators, but no designated speakers. The speakers are the
participants – you! More information can be found here
<http://washingtontechnology.org/fullcontech/>.

You can attend this conference *for free! *All you have to do is write up a
blog post for UW SEBA. Contact relations@uwseba.org for more details about
registration and reimbursement.

*WTIA Tech in Focus: B2B Marketing *

*When: *Tuesday, September 22nd, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
*Where: *Madrona Venture Group Inc, 999 3rd Ave, Suite 3400
*What: *The WTIA has asked for volunteers to help with a focus forum on B2B
(Business-to-Business) Marketing. Come hear from leaders at Bizible and
Extrahop as they share case studies of how they have used B2B content
marketing to build their customer base. Learn from their mistakes. B2B
marketing technologies are constantly evolving. This will be an interactive
session and you can expect to leave with some ideas for how to jump start
or change up your product marketing. More information can be found here.
<http://washingtontechnology.org/event/tech-in-focus-b2b-marketing/> Email
relations@uwseba.org if you are interested.

New Course: Research Design in Urban Science

UW URBDP 591A/598L:
Research Design in Urban Science

Fall Quarter 2015                                                                                            
Gould 442/227
Tue-Thu 9:00-10:20                                                                                        
4 Credits
Instructor: Marina Alberti
Department of Urban Design and Planning
E-mail: malberti@u.washington.edu
Tel: 206 616 8667

http://courses.be.washington.edu/udp/598/Urban_Science/Class_Page.dwt

Subject
This course is designed to provide graduate students in the applied social and natural sciences the theoretical and practical skills for conducting research in complex urban settings. The objective is to develop critical and analytical skills for designing and conducting empirical and applied research in urban science. The emphasis is on integration and synthesis of theories, concepts, and data across multiple disciplines. Research design is framed as an emergent process. Students will be exposed to the issues involved in research decisions and to diverse problem-solving strategies and technical tools. The course examines the logic and limits of scientific inquiry, conceptualization and measurement of social and ecological phenomena in urbanizing systems, and principles of research design and practice.

The course is structured in two components: a theoretical/methodological component and an applied research component. The theoretical component consists of lectures on research design principles and approaches. Lectures cover statistical principles of research design, hypothesis testing and statistical inference, sampling strategies, and analytical approaches to randomized experimental, quasi-experimental, longitudinal and cross-comparative studies. Major theoretical issues include: threats to internal validity, sampling and external validity, reliability of measures, causality, interpretation of statistical analysis and ethics in research. The applied research component focuses on the practice of scientific research through interactions with diverse urban scientists including invited video lectures of national and international experts of big data on research applications, challenges, and lessons learned through their experience.
Themes of inquiry include: Urban change and evolution, predicting and imagining the future city, urban ecology, social networks, virtual mobility, shared economies, critical transitions and innovation, urban analytics, emerging sensors and big data.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Preparing for Graduate School - GRDSCH 200, SLN#15358

the Graduate School offers an excellent class for students interested in exploring graduate study in more detail:  GRDSCH 200, Preparing for Graduate Education.  The class has plenty of room for fall.

This quarter-long course is perfect for graduating seniors who know they are applying to graduate school this fall/winter.  It will set them up to fully understand the application process, work on their statements well before deadlines hit, consider funding issues, and ultimately make decisions.  It is also great for the graduating senior who is unsure of what graduate school entails and whether they should consider it in their future.  Especially if they are not sure of what they might end up doing when they graduate!  Juniors thinking ahead will also benefit from the class.  Included is discussion and work on preparing an effective application.

This is a 2-cr, CR/NC class, perfect to balance out an autumn quarter schedule!

Research Opportunities in SEAL Lab

In the fall quarter, we are inviting new students to participate in our research projects. The preselection requirements are either a GPA of at least 3.5 or a demonstrated significant experience in one of the areas listed below: web design, XML programming, business analytics, marketing, graphic design, android programming, STREAM Tools, design of electronic circuits, signal processing, intellectual property, video design, entrepreneurship. Students are organized into interdisciplinary teams, working on the project subjects below. A frequent intent is to move the project towards commercialization. In the most successful cases, these students will start new businesses or business divisions on these topics.
Below is a list of the various teams and research projects recruiting students, followed by an FAQ (please make sure to read before applying). Team leaders will conduct interviews for the following projects
   1. Sensor Design (contact: Prof. Alexander Mamishev- mamishev@uw.edu)
                    Vacancy: electronics design
                    Vacancy: LabView Programming
                    Vacancy: cell phone programming
   2. High Reliability Pump (contact: Prof. Alexander Mamishev - mamishev@uw.edu)
                    Vacancy: Fluid Dynamicist (ME or Aerospace)
                    Vacancy: Brushless DC Motor / MEMS
                    Vacancy: Sensors for Pump Control                                  
   3. Ostomy Scanner (contact: Kevin Fukuhara - kevinf52@uw.edu) (detailed position descriptions are attached)
                    Vacancy: signal processing
                    Vacancy: Business Analyst and Communications
                    Vacancy: Electronics/Hardware Specialist
                    Vacancy: Programmer (Software developer)
                    Vacancy: Mechanical Design Specialist
                    Vacancy: Web Designer/Programmer (web-based)
                    Vacancy: Technical Writer

   4. STREAM Tools (contact: Brandon Ngo - ngo12@uw.edu) (detailed position descriptions are attached)
                    Vacancy: technical writer - STREAM Tools developer
                    Vacancy: XML programmer
    5. Digital Dietary Recorder System (contact Sep Makhsous - sosper30@uw.edu)
                    Vacancy - Technical Writer
                    Vacancy - Android Programmer
                    Vacancy - Matlab Programmer - DSP or Controls
                    Vacancy - Any Junior/Senior Ugrad with Programming Background
                    Vacancy - Graphics Designer
    6. Toothpaste monitoring (contact Kyle Lindgren - kylelindgren@hotmail.com)
                    Vacancy - Android Programmer
                    Vacancy - Scale builder w/ Soldering exp
    7. Personal exposure monitor (contact Tsrong-Yi Wen - tywen@u.washington.edu)
                    Vacancy - Machining Specialist
                    Vacancy - System Integration Specialist (LabView)
                    Vacancy - High Voltage Power Electronics Designer
                    Vacancy - Technical Writer
 Quick link FAQ
What is SEAL?
Sensors, Energy, and Automation Laboratory is focused primarily on the design of novel medical devices, sensors for industrial and military applications, and energy-saving industrial technologies. General information about the lab is on SEAL Website: www.ee.washington.edu/research/seal
What is SEAL working on at the moment? 
A PowerPoint list of projects is within the following link: http://www.ee.washington.edu/faculty/mamishev/QuadCharts.pptx
Do you offer funding? 
Overall approach to funding: we eat what we kill. In some labs, funding is offered to fresh incoming students – we usually do not do that, whether the students are graduate or undergraduate. Each funded student in our lab, and we have quite a few, started in a non-funded position, participated in the development of research proposals, submitted scholarship and fellowship applications, co-developed kickstarter projects, won business plan competitions, etc. Therefore, normally, the initial appointment is for credit only, however, as student get involved in the projects, paid positions become available based on the overall success of the project. Projects also provide a better resume for scholarships, fellowships, recommendation letters, and graduate school applications.
“I am/my friend is” from a different department, is it possible to participate and get academic credit? 
Yes, in most cases we are able to work out academic credit arrangements with other departments.

Study Abroad in Australia

University of Sydney—Friday, September 18th 3-4pm
University of Melbourne—Monday, September 21st 11am-12pm
University of Western Australia—Friday, September 25th 1-2pm

E E 546 B Biology-Inspired Robot Control Autumn 2015 SLN 23125

Biology-Inspired Robot Control
EE 546 B (Joint with ME 599 K and AA 546)
SLN 23125
Sawyer B. Fuller, minster@uw.edu
WF 3:30-4:50
MEB 250

Despite decades of advancements in robotics, the capabilities of biological systems remain an elusive performance target. Watch a honeybee land on a flower buffeted by wind using a brain the size of a sesame seed, or a mountain goat navigate a sheer cliff. The dynamic motions and robustness to uncertainty exhibited by these and other animals far exceeds what has been so far achieved by their robotic counterparts.

In this course, students will learn about the latest findings about feedback control in animal motion. These have lead to an emerging, but by no means complete, understanding about how the transformations from sensory input to motor output can produce these capabilities. We will see how these findings, when applied to robots, have led to new insights. In addition to preparing students to pose questions at the cutting edge of robotics, this course will cover analytical concepts, methods,  and tools that can be used to answer them.

Topics of particular emphasis will include
  • reflexive control architectures
  • using “mechanical intelligence” to reduce the burden of feedback control
  • biomechanics of animal motion
  • tools for modeling biological and robotic systems
This course assumes an undergraduate training in electrical, mechanical, or aerospace engineering,
including system dynamics and control theory (EE 447 or equivalent).

Topics will be developed through problem sets, demonstrations, assigned readings and presentations
of current literature, and analytical, numerical, or experimental projects.

Intel Microprocessor Design Hiring: Hillsboro, OR

Date for resume deadline  ->  9/25/2015
                                               
·        Analog Engineering position for CPU design team in Hillsboro, OR.  Position is for the design and development of high speed IO circuit blocks with emphasis on analog circuit design.  Masters or PhD students. 
o   Required skills->   Strong knowledge of analog circuits fundamentals and analysis.  must have completed EE536 and EE476.  

·        Digital Engineering position for CPU design team in Hillsboro, OR.  Position is for the design and development of high speed IO circuit blocks with emphasis on digital design. All education levels are OK (BS, MS, and PhD). 
o   Required skills-> Knowledge in digital circuit design fundamentals and verilog RTL code.   Must have completed EE476 and EE471.

E-mail resumes to Jim DeFuria, james.p.defuria@intel.com.

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Environmental Innovation Practicum-Fall Quarter, 2 credits, Register Now!

Register Now!
Innovation in Cleantech + Market Opportunity = Solutions for the Planet

Environmental Innovation Practicum
ENTRE 443/543, ENGR 498, ENVIR 495 (2 credits)
Tuesdays 4-5:50 pm, Paccar Hall 290
~No prerequisites, recommended for juniors, seniors and grad students~

Discover the universe of cleantech solutions to our most pressing environmental issues.  Click 
here for a complete listing of speakers.   In teams, you’ll identify an environmental problem and present your solution to the class.  Although not required, teams are invited to compete in the Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge  March 31, 2016.
A sample of fall’s great speaker line-up: Nancy Floyd, NthPower, San FranciscoFounder and Managing Director of Nth Power, the pioneering energy venture capital firm. Nth Power has $420M under management and has invested in 58 companies, some of the market leaders in renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart grid, clean transportation and green buildings.Ron Pernick, Clean Edge, PortlandFounder and managing director of Clean Edge. He is the coauthor of Clean Tech Nation and The Clean Tech Revolution. At Clean Edge, he has coauthored more than three dozen reports on clean technologies, markets, and policies. He has taught MBA-level courses at Portland State University and New College.Jesse Morris, Rocky Mountain Institute, ColoradoInvolved in RMI’s disruptor program Jesse works with his team to help expand distributed energy resource deployment across the globe. His background in electricity also feeds into RMI’s current work with the Caribbean islands. He works with energy storage companies, smart control providers, utilities, and the regulatory community to help distributed energy resources become an integral, widely-accessible part of the global electricity system.

Electrical Engineering Info. Session: Daytime Graduate Programs

Are you an Engineering, Math or Physical Sciences undergrad interested in graduate school in Electrical Engineering? Please join us to learn more about the daytime MSEE and PhD in EE graduate programs. Current EE graduate students and advisors will be available to answer questions!

Tuesday, October 6, 2015, 5:00pm
Electrical Engineering Building, Room EEB 303

Learn about:
  • Admissions
  •  Master’s vs. Ph.D.
  • Degree Requirements
  • Research Groups
  • and more!