Spring Graduates: Special OPT Processing Day!

ISS will offer special processing for Spring OPT applications, one day only, on March 13.  Special OPT Processing Day is not required. Spring OPT applications submitted after March 13 will be reviewed and returned to you by ISS in the normal 3-5 business day processing time.

Who should take advantage of this optional OPT Day?

·         If you want your OPT authorization to begin in June (even if you do not yet have a job offer)
·         If you have a job offer with a start date in June
·         If you have a job offer with a later start date (like July or August) but your employer wants you to apply for OPT as soon as possible

If you want to stay in the U.S. to work or do an internship after graduation, you must apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) authorization.

Spring graduates who submit their completed OPT application to ISS by March 13 will be able to pick up their new OPT I-20 and reviewed OPT application on March 17. (Normally it takes ISS five business days to review an OPT application and issue the new OPT I-20).
March 17 is the earliest date ISS is allowed to issue OPT I-20s for spring graduates.

After picking up the OPT application, students must still mail the completed OPT application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and allow for their 90-day processing time.

For more information about the OPT application, please visit, http://iss.washington.edu/employment/f1-employment/opt/12-months.

Are you interested in leadership, public service and pizza?

Join the CELS Program!
	Are you interested in impacting your community, but not sure how to start? Join us and learn how you can be part of the Community Engaged Leaders & Scholars (CELS) program, which promotes the development of leaders in public service and activism on the UW campus. Designed to develop a range of knowledge, skills and aptitudes, this program guides students through focused workshops, lectures, and community events; connecting students with civic leaders, social impact organizations and a network of young people interested in community empowerment. We will be hosting an informational orientation session for those interested in learning more and those ready to sign up on: Thursday, February 26th, 2015 from 3pm - 4:30pm in  Mary Gates Hall 171E A PIZZA dinner will be included! Register to attend this session today!
This leadership development program is supported by the Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center, Pipeline Project, Jumpstart, and the Dream Project – community engagement programs located within Undergraduate Affairs and the Center for Experiential Learning & Diversity (EXPD). Visit our website to learn more!

Course on Software Defined Radio

EE 420 (Design in Communications) has been completely revamped since Spring 2013. The course focuses on providing students with hands-on experience in design and implementation of modern digital communication systems using software-defined radio (SDR) technology.

Course will be heavily lab oriented. In addition to laboratory modules, a final course project will synthesize topics covered in class.

Course topics include software-defined radio architectures and implementations, digital signaling and data transmission analysis in noise, digital receiver structures (matched filtering, correlation), multicarrier communication techniques, radio frequency spectrum sensing and identification (energy detection, matched filtering), and fundamentals of radio resource management.

If this is the first time you've heard about SDR, take a look here: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/07/how-software-defined-radio-could-revolutionize-wireless/

We will be using the Ettus Research USRP N210 platform together with the XCVR2450 daughterboard in the lab modules:
https://www.ettus.com/product/details/UN210-KIT
https://www.ettus.com/product/details/XCVR2450

And here is the course textbook:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608075257

We have 14 complete hardware kits, and so can only take 14 students working in groups of two. If you are interested, please sign up now. This will be an exciting class!

Class will be offered MW 09:30 - 10:50 and T 09:30-10:20 in EEB 026.

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) in Biomedical Engineering at UT Austin

BME CUReS Cancer Research Experience

The Biomedical Engineering Community of Undergraduate Research Scholars for Cancer (BME CUReS Cancer) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at The University of Texas at Austin opens a new frontier in oncology. Thirty-six potential faculty members are available to guide BME CUReS Cancer Scholars in cancer research projects.

The educational theme is community. BME CUReS Cancer is partnered with Texas 4000, a non-profit organization that cultivates student leaders and engages communities in the fight against cancer. In Texas 4000, students from The University of Texas at Austin are competitively selected to participate in an 18-month leadership development program that culminates in a 70-day summer bicycle ride from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska. In parallel to the Texas 4000 riders who go on a 10-week journey to share hope, knowledge, and charity in the fight against cancer, the BME CUReS Cancer Scholars are on a 10-week journey to become researchers in the fight against cancer. The riders and scholars forge mutually inspirational and motivating connections.

Scholars will receive:
• $5000 stipend
• Travel reimbursement
• Housing and meals on campus

Program components
• 10 weeks
• Participation in Texas 4000 Riders Events (May 29 Kick Off & August 8 Completion events)
• Community building activities
• University-wide Research Symposium

Application requirements
• Freshman or Sophomore Undergraduate in good standing
• Engineering or quantitative sciences major
• US citizen or permanent resident

More information and application: sites.utexas.edu/bmereu

Spring Course : EE 546 Biomolecular Systems

Biomolecular Systems

EE 546 Advanced Topics in Control System Theory

MW 9:00 - 10:20

EEB 042

Prof. Eric Klavins

This course is an introduction to the principles and tools for modeling, analyzing, and synthesizing the dynamic behavior of synthetic biomolecular systems. We begin with modeling tools such as reaction-rate equations, stochastic models, and specific models of core processes such as transcription, translation, protein-protein interactions, and metabolic networks. We will also consider alternative modeling techniques such as process algebras, Petri nets, and Boolean networks. We will then describe in detail the control and dynamical systems tools used to analyze these models, including stability of equilibria, limit cycles, robustness, parameter uncertainty, and model reduction through time-scale separation. These tools will be applied to design examples from both natural systems and synthetic biomolecular circuits. We address the problem of modular composition of synthetic circuits, the tools for analyzing the extent of modularity, and design techniques for ensuring modular behavior. We consider design trade-offs, focusing on perturbations due to noise and competition for shared cellular resources. We will use a variety of software including packages for MATLAB and/or Mathematica.

Prerequisites: The course is intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. A background in differential equations is a must. Some background in synthetic biology preferred. 

For EE graduate students: EE546 counts as a depth course for SCR students, and as a breath course for other students.

For non-EE students: Check with your graduate advisor. You may be able to have this course count toward your graduate coursework.

FREE TPR Practice GRE

Golden Key is hosting a FREE practice GRE with The Princeton Review. It will be held Saturday, February 21st, 12:30-4:30 PM in the Odegaard Learning Studio (Ode 102). Please register early, as space is limited. If you have any questions, please email goldkey@uw.edu. Thank you!

EE Students Sought by HCDE for Usability Study

We are grad students in Human Centered Design & Engineering here at UW. Our group is conducting a usability study focused on improving a product's user experience for students. We’re looking for engineering students to try out the product and answer a few questions about how it went. To thank you for your time helping us evaluate the product, we will provide you with a gratuity (and snacks!). To sign up for the study, please fill out this short Google Form questionnaire: bit.ly/1zGqW5S Once you sign up, we will contact you to schedule an appointment.