The Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy, is a 10-week summer internship program that provides opportunities to students who are pursuing degrees in science, technology (IT), engineering, or mathematics (STEM majors). The goal of the program is to improve opportunities for minority and female students in these fields, but all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply. Candidates who are selected will have the opportunity to work on focused research projects consistent with the mission of the Office of Fossil Energy.

During the 10 weeks, students will work at one of several locations. At the conclusion of the internship, students will attend a "Technical Forum" where they will present their research project and tour several technical sites located nearby (the location of the technical forum changes every year). 

THE SYMPOSIUM

http://gs.emory.edu/StemRCSymposium

This event is an exciting new opportunity for your undergraduate and graduate students to present their research, to further their professional development, and to learn about careers in the STEM disciplines. The event consists of:

·                A premier research conference for undergraduates interested in learning about PhD, MD/PhD or postbaccalaureate programs; graduate students contemplating postdoctoral training; and the advisors of these students.

·                Two days of shared research presentations, networking and mentoring. Eight students will present platform talks and the rest will present posters.

·                Professional Development workshops, campus tours, and individual meetings with potential Emory mentors.

·                Extensive interactions with Emory research faculty mentors, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. Thursday evening will feature a mixer with bowling, pool and stimulating discussion among participants and their hosts.

PARTICIPANTS

We invite participation by research advisors, undergraduates interested in postbaccalaureate, Ph.D, or M.D./Ph.D. studies, and graduate students pursuing postdoctoral training in the STEM disciplines. We are also particularly interested in identifying students from underrepresented groups who are not currently in an organized program such as MARC, REU, RISE, or PREP and who might therefore benefit the most from this conference. 

All student participants will be expected to present a platform talk or a poster on their research. If faculty wish to attend along with their student(s), please let us know and we will inform you when your students have been accepted.  

COSTS

There is no charge for this conference and all meals will be provided. Hotel accommodations are available at the Emory Conference Center (www.emoryconferencecenter.com/)at $129 plus tax per night, double occupancy.  Additional rooms MAY be available at the adjacent Emory Inn (https://bookings.ihotelier.com/Emory-Inn/bookings.jsp?hotelId=75977) for $79 plus tax per night. Because Travel Awards are limited we encourage students to seek funding from their sponsored research program or other sources.

TRAVEL AWARDS

The eight students selected to present a platform talk and their advisors will receive a travel award (if necessary). In addition, a limited number of travel awards are available for students from underrepresented groups (racial minorities, disabled students and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds). These awards will cover travel and accommodations.

APPLICATION

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1071065/Symposium

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. The application deadline is January 15^th January 22^nd for students wishing to apply for travel awards. A committee of Emory training faculty will review abstracts to select participants and travel awardees.  Awardees will be notified by January 31^st. All student participants will be expected to present a platform talk or a poster on their research.

FURTHER INFORMATION

stem.symposia@emory.edu

Making Sense

For his master's thesis, Computer Engineering student Kirit Chatterjee worked with scientists from UMBC's Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) on an innovative temperature sensor for premature babies.

In hospitals, doctors use a thermistor probe to monitor the temperature of a premature baby. But, the glue used to attach it is harmful for the baby, whose skin is as fragile as tissue paper.

“When the probe is removed, there is a high risk of “epidermal stripping” occurring-i.e. the skin of the baby can tear, leaving it open to infection,” explains Kirit Chatterjee, a Computer Engineering graduate student. For his master’s thesis, Kirit helped develop a new temperature sensing device that avoids this problem.

It wasn’t easy. During research, other obvious options had been shot down one by one: Bluetooth sensors had batteries that leaked toxic chemicals. Wireless sensing devices emitted energy that was harmful for the baby.

The solution, supported by an NIH grant, and later commissioned by General Electric (GE), was the result of the combined brain-power of a group of UMBC scientists led by Dr. Govind Rao, Director of UMBC’s Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST). Dr. Yordan Kostov (CAST), Dr. Hung Lam (CAST), and Dr. Ryan Robucci (CSEE)–Kirit’s advisor for the project–were the team’s key players.

Together they created a patch containing a unique fluorescent orange dye. “The intensity of the orange emission depends on the temperature,” explains Dr. Kostov, the senior scientist on the temperature project who also worked closely with Kirit. When the baby’s temperature rises, he explains, the orange patch becomes brighter.

Recording and translating the patch’s fluorescence into a temperature reading that a doctor could understand was Kirit's job. “My part,” explains Kirit, “was to take care of the Engineering side—namely, to build the sensing apparatus.”

Choosing the right camera to monitor the dye was another challenge. The project was bound to a strict budget since the new sensor system was slated for mass production by GE. Therefore, expensive scientific cameras were out of the question.

Instead, Kirit reverse engineered and manipulated a much more affordable camera to serve his purposes. He used a two megapixel camera–the same camera found inside an iPhone 3–to monitor the dye in the patch.

“The dye is just the target for the Computer Engineer,” he says. “To the engineer, it’s just photons being emitted which translate to analog voltage signals inside the camera which then translate to digital bits inside the FPGA and then are analyzed.”

Next, Kirit used an FPGA in order to tap into the camera and retrieve its data, and MATLAB to translate the data into a traditional temperature reading.

The result is a temperature sensing device that is affordable, accurate, and, most importantly, safe for the baby. Dr. Kostov explains that when the GE contract comes to an end this September, the patch system will undergo clinical trials and toxicology tests. If all goes well, the new system should be found in premature baby incubators across the world in as little as two years.

SUNFEST
Summer Undergraduate Fellowship in Sensor Technologies

A NSF Sponsored REU Program

Program Overview:
• Summer research experience with a stipend of $4,850
• Partial travel support will be provided
• Opportunity to work on an interesting interdisciplinary topic Work under the mentorship of a faculty member and a graduate student
• Participate in workshops on giving effective presentations, writing reports, applying to graduate school, and ethics in engineering and science
• On-campus housing is provided at no or minimal cost
• Period: May 25 to August 3, 2013

Application deadline: February 25, 2013
Areas of research:
• Micro and Nano Electromechanical Structures
• Nanotechnology and materials
• Robotics and Control oriented projects
• Sensors for Medical and Biomedical Applications
• Optical and Vision Sensors

The Diversity Summer Internship Program (DSIP) at the Bloomberg School of Public Health is a 10-week summer program that provides undergraduates with a graduate-level, independent research project in the biomedical or public health field.

Students work under the direct mentoring of accomplished Johns Hopkins researchers, gaining valuable experience in a collaborative, challenging and fun environment.

Be Humble. Be Hungry. Be Great.

Interns at Under Armour contribute to meaningful work and make an impact. If you are interested in a fast paced entrepreneurial environment where you can contribute to a growth company then read on!

Internships are available year round, with the flagship Summer League taking place from May-August. All interns must have at least one semester remaining at a college or university to be eligible. Will You Protect This House?

SUMMER LEAGUE:

• 11-week, paid internship consisting of roughly 40 hours/week
• Strong support structure with social and professional networking opportunities
• Access to an impressive teammate discount
• UA Give Back volunteer opportunities
• Training, development and mentoring programs
• Onsite training through Under Armour University classes
• Networking events with former interns and teammates

Applications for the 2013 Summer League internship will be available from Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013, to Friday, February 1, 2013. Please click the link below to find the positions that pertain to you

Every January, we as a community acknowledge the need for awareness and education related to stalking. While we often joke about "facebook stalking," the fact is that stalking isn't a joke and can be a very scary experience for victims and their families. Please read the proclamation below for more information.
Additionally, be sure to check out UMBC's Relationship Violence Awareness and Prevention website for more information on stalking and other forms of interpersonal violence.

If you need support from campus members related to a stalking incident, please contact a member from the SARVRT team. For more information from the Stalking Resource Center: http://www.victimsofcrime.org/

Presidential Proclamation -- National Stalking Awareness Month, 2013
NATIONAL STALKING AWARENESS MONTH, 2013
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Each year, millions of Americans face the fear, isolation, and danger of being victims of stalking. At some point in their lives, 1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men will be stalked, and many of these crimes will go unreported and unprosecuted. During National Stalking Awareness Month, we rededicate ourselves to supporting victims of stalking and sharpen our resolve to bring perpetrators to justice.

Stalking is a pattern of unwanted contact that causes victims to fear for their safety or the safety of family members. It can include implied or explicit threats; harassment; or nonconsensual communication through phone calls, text messages, or emails. The perpetrator is usually someone the victim knows. Stalking behaviors may appear innocuous to outside observers, but victims often endure intense physical and emotional distress that affects every aspect of their lives. Many feel forced to move, or change jobs. Tragically, stalking tends to escalate over time, and it is sometimes followed by sexual assault or homicide.

My Administration remains committed to building a robust criminal justice response to stalking -- one that holds offenders accountable, offers protection and support to all victims of violence, and empowers them to break the cycle of abuse. In January 2012, we held the first-ever White House stalking roundtable with survivors, law enforcement officers, victim advocates, and researchers. We have built partnerships with communities across the Nation to implement anti-stalking efforts. And we continue to support nonprofit organizations and local, State, and tribal governments as they develop more effective responses to violence against women -- including direct services, crisis intervention, transitional housing, legal assistance to victims, court improvement, and training for law enforcement and courts.

We are also working to address the threat of cyberstalking. While advances in technology are making this crime more prevalent, they can also pose unique opportunities to address it. Communities are developing new tools that help connect victims to local services, and State governments are updating statutes to further protect people from cyberstalking. Through our Apps Against Abuse challenge, my Administration recognized mobile applications that are empowering people to defend themselves against dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Thanks to the dedicated work of law enforcement officials, community leaders, advocates, organizations, and survivors, our country has made great strides in combating stalking. During National Stalking Awareness Month, we resolve to keep building on this momentum until no American lives in fear of this crime.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 2013 as National Stalking Awareness Month. I call upon all Americans to recognize the signs of stalking, acknowledge stalking as a serious crime, and urge those impacted not to be afraid to speak out or ask for help. Let us also resolve to support victims and survivors, and to create communities that are secure and supportive for all Americans.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

During the summer of 2013, the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network will host a Research Experience for Undergraduates (NNIN REU) Program from June through August for approximately 85 interns to work at the fourteen NNIN sites. We are looking for engineering and science students with broad interests across the disciplines related to nanotechnology (including Biology, Chemistry, Materials Science, Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, just to name a few. A few positions for social science majors may also be available).

This is the 17th year of this program. For reference, participants and reports from prior REU program years can be found here.

Minority and female candidates are especially encouraged to apply, along with students with no previous research experience and students from non-research universities.

The chosen undergraduates taking part in the ten-week NNIN REU program will receive hands-on nanoscience and technology experience through research with applications to bio-engineering, chemistry, electronics, materials science, optics, opto-electronics, physics, and the life sciences. The research projects are designed and supervised by the faculty and technical staff at the NNIN research facilities. Interns work with faculty and graduate students on projects using the unique resources offered at their award site.

Note: in our program you do not choose a project. You will be selected for a particular project that fits your profile, by the Professor in charge of that project. It is not possible for you to review and select a project. If selected, you will be offered a specific project at a specific site.

A scientific convocation, attended by all the network interns, is held in August -- this year at the Georgia Institute of Technology -- to allow each intern the opportunity to present their work to their peers in the form of a concise scientific presentation. Interns also must complete a written report, akin to a research paper, summarizing the findings of their research project. These reports are published as the NNIN REU Research Accomplishments; past research accomplishments can be accessed via the left menu.

Participants receive a $4,000 stipend, plus housing and all reasonable travel expenses to their research site and the convocation site. They may be responsible for their own meals.

Full participation in the site program for the entire period, the network convocation, and the submission of a final report, are mandatory.

Restrictions and Eligibility Requirements for NNIN REU Interns:

1. If you participated in a NNUN or NNIN Program in the past, you cannot participate again.
2. You must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
3. You must be 18 years of age or older, have graduated from high school, and be completing at least your first year in college.
4. You must have health insurance coverage for the summer.
5. You must not be graduating (from a 4 yr. college) before the end of the program in August.
6. You must not already have a four-year degree of any kind.
7. You must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or better.

Your completed application includes the following materials, which must be submitted by the deadlines stated above. All these items are described more fully on the application website:

1. The online account and application information.
2. A Personal Essay.
3. A One-Page Resume.
4. One Letter of Recommendation.
5. List of Relevant Engineering and Scientific Coursework, including grades and number of credits received for each course (in lieu of official transcript).
6. Permanent Residents of the USA must submit a copy of their Green Card (both sides). If you are a citizen of another country and ARE NOT a Permanent Resident, you are not eligible for our program.

PLEASE NOTE: If and when you accept an NNIN REU internship offer, you will be required to submit an official transcript before your internship is secure.

Visit http://www.nnin.org/reu/reu-application-gateway to apply.