Students and aircraft aficionados recently gathered for a distinguished lecture featuring Paul Bevilaqua, the former chief engineer in Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works. Hosted by the OSU chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the lectured featured Bevilaqua’s in-depth discussion of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, developed to meet the multirole fighter requirements of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and allies. Bevilaqua spoke about the challenges involved in developing aircraft and how it has become an international program, with many engineers developing a single replacement aircraft for multiple aircraft types.
The Oregon State University campus has seen a number of intriguing questions raised this fall:
Imagine an orchestra of musicians, but instead of oboes, violins, and flutes, each person on stage has a networked laptop computer and custom-designed speaker. As a group they are capable of filling a concert hall with evocative and remarkable sound. What creations are possible for such a “laptop orchestra”?
Consider also how technology can help us visualize and understand in new ways the tremendous volume of data we can now collect about our world — can this data be “art” and how in that sense can art help science?
Everyone gets that technology evolves at a breakneck pace. But what about the ways in which this pace of change transforms how we see and understand the world around us, through our cities, and houses, and daily activities? Continue reading →
One-hundred high school girls got first-hand experience with web programming, object-oriented 3D programming, circuits, and more at ChickTech, a workshop co-hosted by Oregon State’s Women and Minorities in Engineering Program. The brainchild of Oregon State alumnus Janice Levenhagen-Seeley, ChickTech is a Portland-based organization focused on building a multi-generational community of women in technology. The organization has presented workshops or events in Portland and Corvallis, with the goal of adding a new city each year. Hoping to address the lack of females in technology-based programs such as engineering and science, they offer hands-on learning opportunities to show young girls that it’s not all boring desk work. Read more…
They say nature does it best, and researchers in the College of Engineering are discovering just how true this can be. They are turning to birds, bats, and butterflies for inspiration in the design of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). These devices can fly above ground to lower risks to fire fighters, reduce cost of collecting data on wildlife, and help locate lost hikers or skiers. Now, College of Engineering faculty are working hard alongside businesses, economic development organizations, and the state government to advance the technology. Read the whole story in Terra.
What new student isn’t feeling a bit lost when trying to adjust to college life? To help with the transition, the College of Engineering Information Technology (COE IT) team organizes an annual group seminar for first-year and transfer students to get their computers ready for the school year.
Volunteer Shanna Myers assists Chris Haines during the IT orientation.
At the start of fall term, roughly 180 students gathered every hour to learn about computer security, installing essential programs, and even scheduling first-year advising appointments.
“Our COE IT team looks forward every fall to helping our first-year and transfer students get their laptops configured and attached to the OSU wifi network,” said Todd Shechter, the college’s director of information technology. “This is a unique opportunity for them to be prepared for the start of classes.”
Since each engineering student is required to have a laptop, security is a critical component to the college’s IT efforts. Dozens of student volunteers assisted to ensure all 1,386 incoming students met security requirements for the 2013-2014 school year.
Speaking of the school year, the IT team helps with that as well! In addition to providing valuable technology resources, the team stresses the importance of staying organized by subscribing to the Engineering Events Calendar, which alerts students of important upcoming dates.
By attending the seminar at the beginning of every year, students get specialized, hands-on assistance and build a solid foundation for the rest of their time at Oregon State. And they might not feel so lost after all.
Students and aircraft aficionados recently gathered for a distinguished lecture featuring Paul Bevilaqua, the former chief engineer in Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works. Hosted by the OSU chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the lectured featured Bevilaqua’s in-depth discussion of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, developed to meet the multirole fighter requirements of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and allies. Bevilaqua spoke about the challenges involved in developing aircraft and how it has become an international program, with many engineers developing a single replacement aircraft for multiple aircraft types.
