Posts tagged CU
CU seeks more female computer geeks
Oct 24th
CU-BOULDER AIMS TO BOOST
TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE WITH MORE
WOMEN IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE WITH MORE
WOMEN IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
The University of Colorado Boulder today announced that it has implemented several new programs over the past three years designed to make computer science more female-friendly, with the larger goal of increasing the number of women employed in technology roles nationwide.
The programs are starting to pay off with the number of women enrolled in CU-Boulder’s Bachelor of Science in computer science degree more than doubling from 18 students in 2007 (8 percent of majors at that time) to 47 students (17 percent of current majors) in 2011, said Professor James Martin, chair of the Department of Computer Science.
The Department of Computer Science at CU-Boulder is working to increase its female student enrollment through enhanced outreach to high schools, new content in its introductory computing courses designed to appeal to non-computing majors, better community support for female computer science majors and work on a new computer science degree program for students in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The new content in the introductory computing courses moves away from traditional, abstract examples of linked lists and binary trees to adopt a media-based focus in which students develop programs to manipulate sounds and process images, Martin said.
The new degree program, which is currently under review, is a Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science that would allow students in the College of Arts and Sciences to major in computer science while also providing space in their curriculum to earn a major or minor in another field of study. It is hoped that this new degree will lead to further increases in the number of women taking computer science due to the more balanced gender demographics of the College of Arts and Sciences, Martin said.
Taken together, the initiatives are designed to attract women to the field who might otherwise have dismissed computer science as being too focused on programming without realizing the positive impact computer science can have on society and people’s quality of life.
The efforts are part of the Department of Computer Science’s participation in NCWIT Pacesetters, a fast-track program from the National Center for Women & Information Technology in which universities and corporations commit to increasing their numbers of women in technical fields. Pacesetters organizations work to recruit previously untapped talent pools and retain women who are at risk of leaving, resulting in “net new” women for the computing and IT workforce.
“We’re excited to see a growing number of women take interest in our computer science degree programs,” Martin said. “It’s great for the discipline of computer science as a whole to have participation by a broader range of backgrounds and perspectives. We also see room for growth. Women currently make up 17 percent of our undergraduate program; we would like to see that percentage increase to support the national goal of NCWIT to achieve gender parity in information technology over the next 20 years.”
Ken Anderson, associate professor and director of undergraduate studies for the Department of Computer Science, agrees. “Our work as part of Pacesetters has spurred improvements across our entire undergraduate program. These improvements, while designed to attract more participation in computer science by women, result in a higher quality experience for all of our students.”
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that more than 1.4 million computing-related jobs will be available in the U.S. workforce by 2018, yet by current trends American colleges and universities will produce less than one-third of the trained graduates needed to fill these jobs. Increasing the participation of women, who currently represent half the professional workforce but hold only 25 percent of technology jobs, holds the potential to increase both the quantity and quality of U.S. technical talent.
The current cohort of NCWIT Pacesetters organizations includes Apple Inc.; AT&T Corp.; ATLAS Institute; Bank of America; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Carnegie Mellon University; Georgia Institute of Technology; Google Inc.; IBM Corp.; Indiana University; Intel Corp.; Microsoft Corp.; Pfizer Inc.; Qualcomm Inc.; Santa Clara University; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Santa Cruz; University of Colorado Boulder; University of Texas at Austin; University of Virginia; University of Washington; Villanova; and Virginia Tech.
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University of Colorado Boulder From the Chancellor
Oct 21st
Philip P. DiStefano
We were excited to learn Sept. 30 that the prestigious National Solar Observatory has chosen the University of Colorado Boulder for its headquarters. CU-Boulder’s East Campus will be the primary site for scientific research on solar physics and space weather, which can have a significant impact on global communications and power grids.
This will enhance our longtime research partnerships with several federal labs, create exceptional educational opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students and produce more than 70 high-paying jobs in our community with an annual payroll of $20 million. It will further position CU-Boulder as a center of innovation in solar research and is another example of how our entrepreneurial spirit will benefit Colorado’s economy.Our ability to win the National Solar Observatory came about because of a terrific joint effort led by Professor Dan Baker, director of our Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, coordinating the university, the city of Boulder, the business community and Colorado’s political leadership. Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, Congressmen Jared Polis and Ed Perlmutter, our federal lab partners and Governor John Hickenlooper were all closely involved. Collaboration with these important partners put us in position to win the NSO.Boulder Daily Camera, Sept. 30: “CU-Boulder tops Alabama to land National Solar Observatory headquarters”In another instance of how we help build Colorado’s economy, Long Island-based Arrow Electronics announced its relocation to Colorado this week. Arrow CEO Michael Long said that a highly educated workforce—including access to CU-Boulder’s engineering programs—rivals Colorado tax incentives as an inducement to relocate. Arrow plans to create 1,200 additional Colorado jobs in five years and we look forward to partnering with this dynamic company.
CBS4 News: Oct. 12: “Arrow Electronics’ Move Is A Bet On Colorado: What’s Behind The Move Of Arrow Electronics?”State of the CampusThe relocation of Arrow Electronics is a good example of how we can help lead the state to prosperity, a subject I focused on in my annual State of the Campus address last week. In the speech I detailed how the state’s flagship university, despite having very little financial support from the state, can and must help Colorado move forward in these challenging economic times. We prepare students for highly skilled jobs in the 21st century global workplace, contribute billions annually to Colorado’s economy, and our research innovations create and attract companies. Technology transfer is just one of many ways we move the state ahead economically. Here’s an example of how our research innovations improve lives, while creating companies, through technology transfer.CU News Services, Sept. 19: “Suvica Inc. of Boulder to commercialize CU-Boulder cancer screening technology”Center of EntrepreneurshipCU-Boulder continues to be a center of entrepreneurship inspired by both our faculty and students. We were pleased our students’ entrepreneurial activities were detailed in this Boulder Daily Camera story.We have many resources to support and help our entrepreneurial students. One of those is a cross-campus Certificate in Entrepreneurshipdeveloped for students of all majors—from engineering to theater—offered through the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship in the Leeds School of Business. The Deming Center also gives students a host of entrepreneurial opportunities in a number of transformational industry sectors such as bioscience, clean energy and organic business. We have entrepreneurial programs and certificates in specific schools, colleges and Residential Academic Programs (RAPS) such as engineering, music and our sustainable design RAP.It’s also notable that the Department of Energy last week awarded the CU Cleantech Program at the Deming Center a grant to host a regional competition for students working on renewable energy start-up companies. Students from 10 states will submit clean-technology business plans to compete for $100,000. The university and the Deming Center are leaders in commercializing renewable energy.Boulder County Business Report, Oct. 11: “CU to host clean-tech competition”Here are just a handful of entrepreneurial projects our students are working on:Boulder County Business Report, Sept. 28: “New app inspired by Fourmile Fire”Boulder Daily Camera, Sept. 16: “Sounds of fun: CU-Boulder students engineer toys for the blind” Boulder Daily Camera, Sept. 24: “CU-Boulder students to get involved with solar-powered Wi-Fi project in Haiti” 
CU-Boulder will prepare space experiments designed by students 14 to 18 in an international contest sponsored in part by YouTube.
Supporting our communities
While we build and attract companies to support our economy, we also improve communities across Colorado. On that note, I’m pleased to report that CU-Boulder’s Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence was awarded a $6.5 million grant by the Centers for Disease Control to reduce violence in Denver’s 30,000-resident Montbello neighborhood.
Building community also includes educational outreach. A CU-Boulder space center will play a key role in a new international contest sponsored by industry partners, including YouTube, and several space agencies, challenging students 14 to 18 to design science experiments. The winning experiments will be conducted on the International Space Station. Our BioServe Space Technologies, headquartered in the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, will turn the winning proposals into space-ready experiments.
Alysia Marino
Physics professor honored by the White House
It was a pleasure to honor faculty promotions, awards and elections to distinguished national academies at Faculty Convocation on Sept. 30 in an ceremony that also recognized top students. I’m compelled to make special mention of Physics Assistant Professor Alysia Marino, who was honored on Friday at the White House by President Obama as one of 13 Department of Energy researchers to receive prestigious Early Career Scientist Awards.
I’m proud to say that she also was recognized for mentoring graduate students. She joined colleagues at the White House from the likes of Cal-Berkeley, Cornell and the California Institute of Technology.
Matt Stone, left, and Trey Parker as young screenwriters in Hollywood.
CU alums on 60 Minutes
Our incorrigible and idiosyncratic alums, Matt Stone and Trey Parker ofSouth Park fame, were featured on 60 Minutes last month in a segment highlighting their film and Broadway creativity and documenting their CU beginnings. The inseparable pair met in a film studies class in which Professor Don Yannacito told them if they ever got serious they might go somewhere. Needless to say, they never got serious.
Macky Auditorium symbolizes CU’s contribution to community and culture. (Video by Boulder Daily Camera.)Macky Auditorium celebratedAn iPad loaded with contemporary digital content was part of a time capsule buried at Macky Auditorium last week to replace one opened a year ago on Macky’s 100th birthday. Macky has been a community cultural hub on campus for a century. Today, more than 385,000 citizens a year enhance their quality of life by visiting CU-Boulder’s museums, performing and visual arts, debates and other cultural events. 
CU-Boulder was awarded the National Solar Observatory on Sept. 30. (Photo courtesy of NASA.)
Chancellor Philip DiStefano delivers the 2011 State of the Campus address in the Glenn Miller Ballroom.
Daniel Schaefer, a CU-Boulder doctoral candidate in communication, holds up his Android smart phone with a special keyboard app that he created for easier Twitter posting during disasters.
The Golden Buffalo Marching Band practices on Farrand Field. The band will be featured in Homecoming festivities Friday and Saturday.
Join us for Homecoming this weekend
Unlike many schools, we never take our Homecoming opponent for granted. We can’t because typically they are Top-10 ranked, and this year is no exception as we host No. 9 Oregon for Homecoming on Saturday.Highlights include the Homecoming Parade and Buff Stampede on the Pearl Street Mall at 7 p.m. Friday and the game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
To prepare for the big events and make parking smoother, visit the following websites:
• Boulder Pearl Street Mall Parking • Campus Game Day Parking
I’ll see you there! Go Buffs!
Sincerely,
Philip P. DiStefano, Chancellor University of Colorado Boulder
CU-Boulder, USCS to lead E-vehicle studies
Oct 17th
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Boulder faculty will join with University of Colorado Colorado Springs faculty to teach courses in the design and implementation of electric vehicle drivetrains to new and retraining engineers.
The U.S. Department of Energy recently provided a five-year $954,000 grant to UCCS for the development of courses to prepare engineers for careers in developing new technologies for vehicles having electric drivetrains. The master’s-level courses will be taught by both UCCS and CU Boulder faculty members with expertise in batteries, battery controls, and power electronics.
The courses will be available through distance learning technologies such as online courses and, possibly, CISCO Telepresence, in addition to traditional in-person classrooms, making them available to people nationwide.
“There are thousands of engineers who have either been displaced as the U.S. auto industry shifted or who have an interest in learning about creating vehicles of the future,” Greg Plett, professor, UCCS College of Engineering and Applied Science, said. “This program offers them the opportunity to retrain without relocating.”
Plett, the principal investigator on the project, has spent his career working with battery controls and has close relationships to many Colorado-based companies who manufacture batteries or their controls as well as large corporations such as General Motors. Plett is working with General Motors’ engineers on new methods for battery controls in future extended range electric vehicles, beyond the Chevy Volt.
The GATE Center of Excellence in Innovative Drivetrains in Electric Automotive Technology Education will provide students the opportunity to earn a graduate certificate in electric drivetrain technology by taking four courses in battery dynamics, battery controls, power electronics and detailed courses in adjustable alternating current drives. Plans also call for creating options for students in master’s of science in electrical engineering programs at UCCS and CU-Boulder to pursue specialization in fields such as battery controls, taught by UCCS faculty, and vehicle power electronics taught by CU-Boulder faculty members.
CU-Boulder faculty will build upon strengths of the Colorado Power Electronics Center research and education programs, including a highly successful Professional Certification in Power Electronics already offered online by the College of Engineering and Applied Science’s distance education program (http://cuengineeringonline.colorado.edu/)
“This program combines the strengths of the faculty of two CU campuses for the benefit of students,” Plett said.
Plett also believes the collaboration of faculty will lead to new research in battery technology. Battery life and power outputs have long been considered hindrances to the development of electric vehicles including cars, trucks and mass transit vehicles.
Plett envisions that fellowships to reduce the cost of the graduate coursework will be available with 30 to 40 students enrolled annually beginning with the fall 2012 semester.
Working with Plett will be Scott Trimboli, assistant professor, UCCS College of Engineering, and Regan Zane, associate professor, Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, CU-Boulder, and Dragan Maksimovic, professor, Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, CU-Boulder.
For more about Plett, visit http://mocha-java.uccs.edu/. For more information about the UCCS College of Engineering and Applied Science, visit http://www.eas.uccs.edu/ .For more information about the CU-Boulder Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, visit http://ecee.colorado.edu/.
