AfterCollege Engineering Scholarship: December 31st Deadline to Apply

     The deadline to apply online for the $500 AfterCollege Engineering Student Scholarship is December 31st. This scholarship is available exclusively to students seeking a bachelors, masters, or doctorate in a field of Engineering or computer Engineering.

Click here to apply for the AfterCollege Engineering Student Scholarship:

http://www.aftercollege.com/content/article/aftercollege_engineering_student_scholarship/

This scholarship is provided by AfterCollege, the largest online career network for college students.  The application is short and can be filled out online, so apply today.

Best of luck, and Happy Holidays from the team at AfterCollege!

UWRA Spring 2012 Scholarship in Aging

The University of Washington Retirement Association announces the availability of up to three scholarships of $3,000 for UW undergraduate and graduate students studying toward careers that focus on aging-related research or provision of services to older adults. 

Awards are based on demonstrated promise and financial need.
Applications are available online via the UWRA web site scholarships page (http://depts.washington.edu/retiremt/uwra/scholarship.htm)  or the catalyst drop box https://catalyst.uw.edu/collectit/dropbox/randolcl/18887.

Applications, including additional information requested, must be complete to be considered. Deadline for completed applications is 5:00 p.m., Tuesday February 7, 2012. Submit complete applications to https://catalyst.uw.edu/collectit/dropbox/randolcl/18887.

Awards are credited to student accounts in Spring Quarter 2012.
Questions? Contact the UWRA office by emailing retiremt@uw.edu or calling 206-543-8600.

New Freshman Seminars for Winter

General Studies 197 F: Science, the Public, and Contemporary Culture: Understanding The Meaning of It All (SLN: 20364)

Tues 1:30-2:20pm (1 credit), PAR 106

Instructor:Lauren Archer,Communications

How can we understand The Meaning of It All: Thoughts of a Citizen Scientist as a piece of rhetoric? This seminar will explore the various rhetorical features of this text by digging deep into the text to understand it on both a microscopic and macroscopic level. The Meaning of It All will be examined as an example of science communication, and compared to other formats of science communication such as news reports, science-based television shows, and science fiction films and literature. The course will also use Feynman's text to consider questions about the role of science in our own contemporary moment and how it intersects with politics, religion, art, and other realms of culture.



General Studies 197 G: The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: Feynman on Learning and Discovery (SLN: 20365)

Wed 1:30-2:20pm (1 credit), MGH 242

Instructor:Ben Aaronson,College of Education

This seminar explores the activity of learning and its potential impact on the world through the thought of Richard Feynman. We will follow Feynman as he works on the top-secret Manhattan Project, sluggishly begins an academic career, and creates international incidents. Lessons about life and learning emerge as he attempts to tackle the most complex problems in the universe. We will find that Feynman's insights on learning, pulled from his eclectic life experiences, are relevant to any field of human endeavor.



General Studies 197 H: Science, Pseudoscience, Certainty: Discussions based on Richard Feynman's The Meaning of it All. (SLN: 20393)

Wed 12:30-1:20pm (1 credit), MGH 242

Instructor:Bruce Hevly, History

What counts as certain knowledge? Can we distinguish science from pseudoscience? Can science establish ethical systems? How do Feynman diagrams reflect postwar University education? This seminar will explore these and other fundamental questions through the work of Richard Feynman and the writings of other contemporary historians of science on indeterminacy in modern physics, physics as counter-culture, and science as a model for religion and political life The seminar concludes with a discussion of what questions the University might best address in today's world.

ARCH 498X-Mobilizing Solar Energy

A new interdisciplinary Architecture course open to non-majors has been added to the Winter Quarter time schedule:

mobilizing SOLAR ENERGY
EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO DESIGN AND LEAD THE RENEWABLE ENERGY REVOLUTION
ARCH 498x (SLN 20293) 2 credits
WINTER 2012
Tuesday 4:00 - 5:50 pm
Architecture Hall 160

Instructor: Rob Peña, Associate Professor rbpena@uw.edu
Prerequisites: None

Disciplines: Students in science, design, art, business, engineering, and
communications are encouraged to enroll; non-architecture majors
may obtain an add-code from the instructor.

Lectures: Guest lectures are open to the public beginning at 4:30 pm.

Background
Transformational change in how we harness, use, and think about solar energy is
emerging from a diversity of disciplines across the UW Campus including design,
physics, material science, chemistry, business, engineering, communication, and others;
collaboration across these sectors is driving new creative innovations.
Mobilizing Solar Energy will draw talent from across campus and the community to speak
about the latest photovoltaic (solar cell) innovations and applications, and explore ways
to communicate energy information to help mobilize a renewable solar energy revolution.

Charrette
This course will be organized as an extended design charrette. A “charrette” is a
collaborative session in which a group of people draft a solution to a design problem.
The design problem is to develop concepts for the SunDawg, a solar-powered, mobile,
interactive information kiosk that will rotate around campus. The SunDawg will reach
hundreds of thousands of people each year, engaging and informing them in a playful,
compelling and interactive manner about the future of solar energy, the world-class solar
research at UW, and related energy projects on the UW campus and beyond.
Students will draw on their discipline-specific knowledge, informed by readings and guest
lectures, to generate a set of ideas and design concepts for a SunDawg prototype.

Course
The weekly readings and guest lectures will develop at least two major themes informing
the design of the SunDawg: How can advancements in the technology and application of
photovoltaics transform our energy future, and how can information about energy choices
and technology be most effectively conveyed to catalyze change?

The course will consist of a selection of weekly readings and a series of guest lectures by
experts in energy policy, photovoltaics, information, and behavior. After each lecture,
participants will be asked to write a brief response to a question related to the course
themes and the SunDawg design challenge. Ideas will be posted in a shared space and
used to inform the design of the SunDawg kiosk, which will be built and launched in 2012.

2012 NASA / Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)

I am pleased to announce the launch of the 2012 NASA / Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) application. It is online and available at http://www.APLapp.com.

Since 2004, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) has offered summer projects to students interested in working on NASA missions or space-related research opportunities at APL. Students participating in the NASA/APL Internship Program will work at APL, and will make critical contributions to current and future missions or grants during their assignments in the Space Department. The Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is a not-for-profit center for engineering, research and development. APL is a division of one of the world's premier research universities, Johns Hopkins. The 399-acre campus, 20 miles north of Washington, DC, is home to 4,100 men and women who work on more than 400 programs that protect our homeland and advance the nation's vision in research and space science. http://www.jhuapl.edu/ourwork/default.asp or http://civspace.jhuapl.edu/index.php.

Timeline:
Below are relevant deadlines.
   * November 15, 2012 - Application Launched
    * January 17, 2012 - Application Deadline
    * End of February - Selections Complete

Eligibility
Students participating in the NASA/APL Internship Program must:
   * have a demonstrated interest in the space program
   * be a sophomore, junior, senior, or first or second year graduate student in Fall 2012
   * be in high academic standing (GPA of 3.0 or greater)
   * be a U.S. citizen

Thank you,

Johnny Erickson
APLapp.com
A service of Lux Consulting Group, Inc.
support@luxapply.com

2012 NASA Internships

I am pleased to announce the launch of the 2012 NASA Academy Application.  It is online and available at http://www.AcademyApp.com. 
This application serves the:

*   NASA Academy at Ames Research Center (Mountain View, CA)
*   NASA Academy at Glenn Research Center (Cleveland, OH)
*   NASA Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL)
*   NASA Aeronautics Academy at Ames Research Center (Mountain View, CA)
*   NASA Aeronautics Academy at Dryden Flight Research Center (Edwards AFB, CA)
*   NASA Aeronautics Academy at Glenn Research Center (Cleveland, OH)
*   NASA Aeronautics Academy at Langley Research Center (Hampton, VA)
*   NASA Lunar and Planetary Science Academy at Goddard Space Flight (Greenbelt, MD)
*   NASA Propulsion Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL)
*   NASA Robotics Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL)

Timeline

Below are relevant deadlines

*   Dec 1 Application Launched
*   Jan 23  Application Deadline
*   Jan 21  Space Grant Review Begins
*   Jan 27  Space Grant Review Complete
*   Late February  Selections Complete

Thank you,

Johnny Erickson
NASA Academy GSFC Staff 2002 2008 CIO
Lux Consulting Group, Inc.
8(a) | GSA MOBIS
Tel:         301.585.1261 x316
Fax:        301.585.7741
www.luxcg.com

UW Environmental Innovation Challenge- Prototype Funding Deadline Dec 16!

WE HAVE A CHALLENGE FOR YOU.
If you have a passion for cleantech, the smarts to play in the emerging green economy, and the desire to leverage your background to make an impact, the UW Environmental Innovation Challenge can provide just the platform (and the funding!) you've been looking for.

HOW IT WORKS
For the UW EIC, interdisciplinary student teams define a cleantech problem, design and develop a solution, and work together to produce both a prototype (proof of concept or computer simulation) and a 5 to 7-page business summary that outlines the market opportunity.
We have $25,000 available for prototype funding.  At the Challenge on March 29, 2012, students will pitch their concepts and demonstrate their product/idea to a group of judges that includes technologists, entrepreneurs, and investors. Teams are judged on their prototypes, business summaries, and potential for impact. The grand prize is $10,000.
You can use this funding for purchasing materials to build your prototype, renting equipment, purchasing safety equipment, and hiring short-term work beyond your team's capacity.
We prefer to see requests between $500 and $1,000 but will consider both smaller and larger amounts. Funding will be announced by January 6, 2012 and is to be used by March 29, 2012.
Please note: teams that receive funding agree to participate in the Challenge on March 29, 2012.  If you receive funding and then drop out, all funds must be returned to CIE.

Key Dates

• Prototype funding Application deadline is December 16. Check with Pam Tufts ptufts@uw.edu for the availability of funds past that date.
• Resource Nights, Winter Quarter, every Thurs, 6-7:30. Suggested for EIC teams. Available for 2-credit/nc, or audit only.  Open to students from other schools - drop in!
• Networking Night at Resource Nights, Thurs Jan 13, 6-7:30 - an excellent place to find a team and/or teammates.  Open to all!
• February 10, Intent to Submit - online preliminary team information.
• February 28, Official Team Entry. 5 to 7-page Business Summary. Describe the problem, the solution, the team, market opportunity, and prototype or computer simulation. Feedback to each team will be provided by a panel of judges to each team.
• March 8, Pitch Workshop 6-7:30 Mandatory for all EIC teams within the Seattle area. At least 1 member from each team needs to attend.  More are recommended.
• March 25, Deliverable.  1-page Business Summary: describe the problem, solution, team, market opportunity, and potential for impact and describe the prototype, computer simulation or proof of concept.
• March 29, Thursday Challenge Day! Team set-up in the morning, judging begins at noon and is followed immediately by the reception and awards ceremony from 5-7:00.

Looking for a team/teammate?  Teams may be comprised of students from different schools. To search for teams/teammates fill out the Catalyst Survey.  This info will be added to the webpage, sent out to the EIC list serve and highlighted on Facebook.
Connect with EIC on Facebook by liking our page. You'll stay current on what's happening with the competition and can connect with fellow competitors.
Questions? 
Pam Tufts, UW Environmental Innovation Challenge (EIC)
Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)
ptufts@uw.edu - 206.685.3813