Summer is "Eventful" for Technology

by Erin Pennington, director of alumni and donor relations for the College of Technology

While the pace in Knoy Hall has slowed this summer, alumni initiatives remain eventful. Between now and the start of the fall semester, the College of Technology will have a presence at several Purdue sponsored events.

Purdue Day in Chicago
Purdue’s annual Chicago program will take place Saturday, July 14 at the Brookfield Zoo. Purdue alumni and their families are invited to spend a day at the zoo, take advantage of package pricing, and enjoy an afternoon ice cream social for Boilermakers only. Technology also will participate in a day-long scavenger hunt that encourages alumni interaction and offers greater exposure to the schools and colleges in attendance. Here’s hoping the Technology table is positioned away from the reptile house!

Indiana Black Expo
Immediately following Chicago Day on Monday, July 16 is the kick off to Indiana Black Expo’s Summer Celebration. IBE will celebrate its 37th year as a “voice and vehicle for the social and economic advancement of African-Americans.” As a major corporate sponsor, Purdue plays a vital role in Black Expo activities ranging from alumni receptions to our exhibit participation. Led by our diversity officers, Technology will again participate in IBE’s Children’s Day, Corporate Partners Luncheon, and the 2007 Youth Empowerment Summit.

Indiana State Fair
By all accounts, the most anticipated summer outreach event is Purdue Day at the Indiana State Fair, scheduled for Thursday August 15. While many departments have heard from my office already, considerable planning remains and details emerge almost daily from University sources. As this August events draws near, I’ll be sure to share specific information related to exhibit space, volunteer opportunities, and transportation. I also look to distribute information on State Fair events and activities planned to celebrate the arrival of incoming President Cordova.

Homecoming 2007
Finally, the University is deep in the planning stages of Homecoming 2007, and Technology is in the fold! Between now and the October 27 Homecoming festivities, more than 13 University-wide committee meetings are scheduled to discuss every conceivable aspect of this tradition. Technology will once again participate in Purdue’s Celebration on the Mall with family friendly tent activities and giveaways. This year’s Homecoming Committee is considering new ideas for food vendors, staging, and interactive opportunities for each college and school.

As always, I welcome your input on alumni focused events, both on the college and University levels. Whether regional or here on campus, successful events require skilled planning, careful execution, and often a fresh set of eyes to increase their success year over year. Thank you for the advice and the guidance I have received from many of you so far. I wish you a restful summer and an energized start to the fall semester.

Best,

Erin Pennington

In the News

Kids Science and Technology Camp Scheduled in Bartholomew County

The Purdue College of Technology at Columbus, in partnership with IUPUC Division of Education, the Center for Teaching and Learning in Columbus, Bartholomew County School Corp. and the Foundation for Youth, is sponsoring a camp June 26-29 for 35 at-risk and underserved students in Bartholomew County entering third- to sixth-grade.

The morning campus sessions — which will be directed by Joe Fuehne, assistant professor of MET at the Columbus location — will feature how to use Lego bricks to learn robotics. Campers will learn how to build a Lego robot, how to attach light and touch sensors to the robot, and how to control its movement with a program that uses information from those sensors. The afternoon sessions will explore the science of flight with activities using paper airplanes and rubber band-powered airplanes. Students also will design kites using a variety of materials and design ideas. Teams of campers will participate in flight challenges in three areas: paper planes, kites, and powered planes. Awards will be presented for the top three teams, in addition to best teamwork and the team judged best at "beating the odds. Twelve teams participated from Columbus and around the state.

The camp is being funded by a grant from Cummins Inc.

In addition to the camp, the Purdue College of Technology at Columbus, IUPUC, the Center for Teaching and Learning, Bartholomew County School Corp. and the Foundation for Youth partnered for "RoboColumbus," held in July 2006, which brought 31 students ages 6-14 together to learn about how to build, program and compete with Lego Mindstorm robots. In November, Purdue College of Technology, IUPUC, the Center for Teaching & Learning, Cummins and other community organizations held the FIRST Lego League qualifying tournament.

Purdue to offer industrial technology bachelor's degree at Vincennes University

Starting this fall, individuals will be able to enroll in classes at Vincennes University that lead to a bachelor's degree in industrial technology granted by Purdue University and its College of Technology's statewide technology program. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education approved the degree program June 4, which will be jointly administered by Purdue and Vincennes universities. The 120-credit-hour program will feature the same curriculum currently offered through three other Purdue College of Technology statewide locations and will prepare graduates for jobs in advanced manufacturing. More Info.

Purdue women to compete for cross-country flight title

It's not every day that Purdue University students get to fly across more than half the country, racing against some of the top women aviators in the United States and Canada.

But Katie Sparrow and Marie Janus will be doing just that this week, flying for the Purdue team in this year's Air Race Classic. The annual plane race for women started Tuesday in Oklahoma City and winds up in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.

Sparrow, a junior in the flight program, is pilot this year. She was on the team that took third place overall and first for college teams last year. Janus, also a junior in the flight program, has worked the ground crew in the past and will be co-pilot this year. More Info.

Purdue class offered in Shelbyville this fall

Purdue's College of Technology at Greensburg will offer a course in the fall that focuses on human relations in organizations, held at Shelbyville's Intelliplex Video Conference Center.

An informational session for those interested in signing up for Organizational Leadership and Supervision 252 will be held from 4-7 p.m. July 12 at the Intelliplex Video Conference Center in Shelbyville.

The class is open to degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking students. Information on fees and how to register for the course will be available at the informational session.

Nathan Harter, an associate professor of organizational leadership and supervision at the College of Technology at Greensburg, said OLS 252 is a course geared toward adult learners but beneficial to almost anyone. More Info.

Junior high girls go high tech

Eighth-graders Jessica Leyva and Yadira Bañuelos of Lafayette Tecumseh Junior High School have received an introduction in the science of biometrics.

The students were part of Purdue University's GK12 program, which gives middle school students hands-on experience in science and mathematics.

The two students visited the Biometrics Standards, Performances and Assurance Laboratory at Purdue to learn about scanners and other digital security devices. The $1 million laboratory in Knoy Hall is used for teaching college students, along with testing and evaluating commercially available equipment for companies.

Purdue doctoral students in the GK12 program taught at four middle schools twice a week -- Tecumseh, Klondike, Southwestern and Frankfort.

Eric Kukula, a graduate researcher in the College of Technology, taught the Tecumseh students and supported their science fair project on fingerprinting. The students won second place.

"When I was young, I didn't have any of this stuff," he said. "I am the first college graduate in my family. More Info.

Video game helps as tool for chemistry classes

When it comes to chemistry, images of top-secret laboratories and waves of attacking robots are far from most students' minds.

A Purdue research team hopes to change that.

The team, headed by Carlos Morales, an associate professor of computer graphics technology, and Gabriela Weaver, an associate professor of chemical education and physical chemistry, sought to create a video game that would expose students to an educational but entertaining side of chemistry. More Info.

Purdue Guitar Workshop set for July 16-20

Music aficionados can learn from the pros how to craft, engineer and customize their own solid-body electric guitar July 16-20 as part of a weeklong summer workshop being offered at Purdue University.

The class will meet daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Knoy Hall of Technology, Room 106, and Michael Golden Labs, rooms 1208 and B217.

The $1,295 fee includes all materials and supplies. Workshop participants will learn the practical and technical aspects of making guitars. The class is not for credit, and no previous experience with guitar making is necessary.

On the first day, attendees will get a complete kit of materials, including a guitar body and neck with most of the machining already completed. Participants will then be able to tailor the final shape of the body and neck, as well as add other custom touches, such as paint and adding the participants' initials on the neck plate and a truss rod cover with the letter "P," which will be decorated in Purdue's colors of black and gold. More Info.