HPC Happenings
IEEE Launches 400GbE Task Force
The Ethernet Alliance, a global consortium dedicated to the continued success and advancement of Ethernet technologies today offered its congratulations to the IEEE 802.3 Working Group and the IEEE 400Gb/s Study Group on the formation of the IEEE P802.3bs Task Force. The new group is chartered with the development of the IEEE P802.3bs 400 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) project, which will define Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) parameters, physical layer specifications, and management parameters for the transfer of Ethernet format frames at 400Gb/s. As the leading voice of the Ethernet ecosystem, the Ethernet Alliance is ideally positioned to support this latest move towards standardizing and advancing 400Gb/s technologies through efforts such as the launch of the Ethernet Alliance’s own 400 GbE Subcommittee. To read further, please visit http://www.hpcwire.com/off-the-wire/ieee-launches-400gbe-task-force/.
PRACE Announces Summer of HPC
Summer of HPC is a PRACE program that offers summer placements at HPC centers across Europe to late stage undergraduates and early stage postgraduate students. Up to ten top applicants from across Europe will be selected to participate. Participants will spend two months working on projects related to PRACE technical or industrial work and ideally produce a visualization or video of their results. The program will run from 1 July to 30 August 2014. Flights, accommodation and a stipend will be provided to all successful applicants; all participants need to bring is an interest in computing and some enthusiasm! To read further, please visit http://www.hpcwire.com/off-the-wire/prace-announces-summer-hpc/.
ORNL Mourns Loss of Ricky Kendall
Ricky Kendall, former Group Leader for Scientific Computing and NCCS Chief Computational Scientist, passed away on Tuesday, 18 March 2014, following a heart attack. He was 53 years old. Ricky was critical to building the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, and building our Scientific Computing Group in particular. His ‘whatever it takes’ attitude clearly helped set the tone for the success of what has been a very ambitious Leadership Computing initiative. Indeed, Ricky was formally recognized for his leadership at the ORNL 2011 Honors and Awards ceremonies. To read further, please visit http://www.hpcwire.com/off-the-wire/ornl-mourns-loss-ricky-kendall/.
Stanford Will Start New Joint Computer Science Programs
Inside Higher Ed
Stanford University's Faculty Senate recently approved two new joint-major programs that will enable students to study English and computer science, or music and computer science, starting in the fall. Stanford professor Nicholas Jenkins says the joint-major program, called CS+X, is expected to attract humanists who want a competitive edge on the job market, computer science-minded students who want to be engaged in the humanities, and digital natives for whom computer science and the humanities do not seem "at opposite ends of the spectrum at all, but continuous." Stanford professor Jennifer Widom notes computer science is the university's most popular undergraduate program, as the number of students studying computer science has more than tripled in the last five years To read further, please visit http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/03/07/stanford-will-start-new-joint-computer-science-programs.
The 13th Annual Scientific Computing With Python (SciPy 2014) Diversity Funding Opportunity
July 6-12, 2014 – Austin, Texas
The SciPy community knows that the more people who are involved in scientific problem-solving, the better off we all will be because the diversity of perspectives leads to a diversity of solutions. Therefore, in an effort to increase the diversity, as well as the pool of people who are able to attend the conference, there are now an additional 5 funding opportunities available, thanks to generous support from NumFOCUS. To apply for this funding, supply the information indicated on the financial aid application site. For more information, please visit https://conference.scipy.org/scipy2014/participate/financial_aid/.
13 of Today's Coolest Network Research Projects
Network World (02/26/14) Bob Brown
Research labs at universities and vendors are developing a wide variety of technologies, from networked honey bees to evidence of time travel. For example, Michigan Technological University researchers have used three Internet search implementations to look for signs of content that should not have been known about at the time it was posted. Meanwhile, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have developed an algorithm that is more computationally effective than other approaches, because it scales in a near-linear fashion. Microsoft researchers are developing a smartphone app that can tell whether the device is being used by a driver or passenger, and the U.S. Department of Energy has invested more than $30 million to help devise systems to detect and stop cyberattacks on critical infrastructure such as utilities and power grids. For more information, please visit http://www.networkworld.com/news/2014/022614-research-projects-279096.html.
New Report Presents Recommendations and Initiatives to Address CS Education Challenges
Association for Computing Machinery
A new ACM report urges states to provide more opportunities for students to gain the skills and knowledge needed to compete for high-wage computing positions. The report, "Rebooting the Pathway to Success: Preparing Students for Computing Workforce Needs in the United States," says state education professionals, business leaders, and public policy officials should collaborate in developing comprehensive computer science education and workforce development plans. The report offers suggestions to help these leaders create pathways that will expose all K-12 students to computer science, provide increased access to more intense computer science courses, offer more opportunities for students to pursue post-secondary degrees, and match up education pathways with computing careers. By 2020, 50 percent of jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) will be in computing. "This concentration of computing positions in STEM makes it imperative for K-12 students in academic and career technical education programs to gain more opportunities to learn computer science," says ACM Education Policy Committee chair Bobby Schnabel. To read further, please visit http://www.acm.org/press-room/news-releases/2014/pathways-report/view.
Livermore Joins With Oak Ridge and Argonne to Develop Next Supercomputers
LLNL News Center
The collaboration of Oak Ridge, Argonne, and Livermore (CORAL) national laboratories plans to develop next-generation supercomputers capable of performing at up to 200 peak petaflops. CORAL is currently evaluating responses to a joint request for proposals for procurement issued in early January. The new supercomputers would be about 10 times faster than today's most powerful high-performance computing systems, and would support the research missions at their respective labs. At Livermore, a system called Sierra would serve the National Nuclear Security Administration's Advanced Simulation and Computing Program for stockpile stewardship. Oak Ridge and Argonne will utilize systems that fulfill the needs of their Department of Energy Office of Science missions under the Advanced Scientific Computing Research program. The technological innovations required for CORAL systems call for a deliberate and strategic investment plan. To read further, please visit https://www.llnl.gov/news/aroundthelab/2014/Feb/ATL_22614_computers.html#.UzcChcc2SnB.
HPC Call for Participation
The Virtual School of Computational Science and Engineering - Call for Sites for Summer Program
Harness the Power of GPU's: Introduction to GPGPU Programming - June 16-20, 2014
Data Intensive Summer School - July 30-July 2, 2014
The Virtual School of Computational Science and Engineering (VSCSE) is a national virtual organization whose goal is to develop and deliver a computational science curriculum that accelerates the ability of faculty, staff, and students to use emerging computational resources to advance science and engineering. Since 2008, the VSCSE has organized a series of Summer School programs. These courses are unique in that they bring together a number of 'Virtual Classrooms' throughout the country, allowing participating host sites to catalyze the development of a local community of computational science experts who are linked to a national community of Each course includes up to 20 satellite sites that participate in the course through high-definition video conferencing. These remote sites typically host 25-35 students, and are a way for the host institution to quickly enhance their computational science and engineering capacity and community by making each course accessible to a number of people from the surrounding area. For more information, please visit http://arc.research.umich.edu/vscse/.
IEEE 2014 8th International Symposium on Scientific Workflows and Big Data Science (SWF 2014) – Call for Papers
June 27-July 2 2014 – Alaska
Paper Submission Deadline – April 7, 2014
in conjunction with IEEE BigData 2014
The theme of this year's SWF symposium is "Advances in Workflows addressing the Big Data Challenge", recognizing the big data challenge in scientific workflows. Built upon the successful history of SWF since 2007, this year, we broaden the scope of SWF to include big data oriented workflows, soliciting papers to share the challenges, experiences, and lessons in applying workflow technologies to various data-driven science and engineering problems. For more information, including topics of interest, please visit http://www.cs.uwyo.edu/~lwang7/SWF2014.htm.
Call for Proposals – University of New Mexico Mentoring Conference 2014
October 21-24, 2014 – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Submission Deadline – May 15, 2014
The Mentoring Institute at the University of New Mexico is now seeking proposals for its seventh annual Mentoring Conference. The 2014 conference will be held on Tuesday, October 21 through Friday, October 24 in Albuquerque, NM, at the Student Union Building, situated on UNM’s main campus. For the 2014 conference we anticipate a rich mix of conversation, networking opportunities, hands-on workshops, and engagement with professionals from a diverse variety of disciplines. We are interested in presentations based in the following fields: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), Humanities, Business, Health Sciences, Education, and the Arts. For more information, please visit For more information, please visit http://mentor.unm.edu/conference/.
15th Annual Conference on IT Education - Call for Participation
October 15-18, 2014 - Atlanta, Georgia
Submission Deadline - June 8, 2014
You are invited to submit a proposal for a paper, panel, workshop, lightening talk, or poster to the ACM Special Interest Group for Information Technology Education (SIGITE) annual conference. The mission of SIGITE is to be a venue for the discussion and dissemination of IT education, and to articulate, promote, and disseminate research related to IT. The program co-chairs for the 2014 SIGITE conference are particularly interested in seeing more K-12 submissions and participation. A new track of presentations, lightning talks, has been added to the conference this year. A lightning talk requires only a single-page submission and provides a mechanism for feedback on short curricular, pedagogical, or research techniques of interest to the SIGITE community. Students are also encouraged to present papers. SIGITE will cover the conference registration and provide $200 toward expenses of attending the conference for the first ten accepted student papers. The ACM-W organization will add an additional $500 to this amount for the first ten accepted papers by female students. To see the Call for Proposals, please visit http://www.sigite.org/?page_id=504. The submission site (which includes descriptions of all of the possible submission types) is now available at https://cmt2.research.microsoft.com/SIGITE2014/.
Upcoming Conferences, Workshops and Webinars
Pre-Proposal Workshop for Education Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) Solicitation: Appendix G- Educator Professional Development (EPD)
Wednesday, April 2, 2014 - 3:00pm EST
NASA's Office of Education is accepting new proposals under the Education Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) 2014 Omnibus NASA Research Announcement for Educator Professional Development (EPD). To participate in the workshop follow the instructions below.
To join the web conference:
Click this link Educator Professional Development Web Conference.
To join the conference call:
Dial 877-449-9072, and enter 8125991 for the participant passcode.
If you have questions about the solicitation or process you can send them to EducProfDevFAQ@nasaprs.com. Depending on the subject matter, questions received might be addressed during the conference call.
Research Features From Across the Country and Around the World
Battery-Free Technology Brings Gesture Recognition to All Devices
University of Washington computer scientists have created AllSee, a gesture-recognition system that runs without batteries and enables gesture control for electronic devices that are hidden from sight. Existing TV signals serve as AllSee's power source and a way of picking up gesture commands. The system uses a small sensor that attaches to an electronic device, with an ultra-low-power receiver that detects and classifies gesture data from wireless transmissions. The sensors detect specific amplitude changes of wireless signals in the air created by various gestures. Because the sensors use power from wireless transmissions, they use three to four times less power than existing gesture-recognition systems, enabling mobile devices to leave the gesture technology always enabled. To read further, please visit http://www.washington.edu/news/2014/02/27/battery-free-technology-brings-gesture-recognition-to-all-devices/.
Women Talk Tech and Careers in Computer Science
Yahoo! United Kingdom & Ireland
About 250 women from 32 countries attended the womENcourage conference on Saturday at Manchester University to promote and encourage women in the field of computer science. The event, the first of its kind in Europe, was organized by ACM-W Europe and sponsored by Bloomberg, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Intel, Microsoft Research, and Yahoo Labs. Newcastle University's Alice Wrenshall says the event could help dispel misconceptions about what could be achieved in the science and technology sector and who should be achieving it. "By engaging more young women and making them aware of the opportunities and many different aspects of a computing science degree, we will get more women who truly love the subject in the industry," she says. To read further, please visit https://uk.news.yahoo.com/women-talk-tech-careers-computer-science-181200342.html#KTr5ioo.
LLNL Researchers Aim to Revolutionize 3D Printing, Global Manufacturing
Computerworld
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers are developing new materials to be used for additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, and are working on a technique for building multiple materials into the same product. LLNL's Eric Duoss says the research is going to revolutionize manufacturing because it is about creating the ability to tailor properties and achieve property combinations that would have been previously impossible to create. The researchers want to enable manufacturers to build more using additive manufacturing, and to be able to build things that are impossible to build using existing methods. "Hopefully, it will be a new way of manufacturing with a lot more possibilities and less cost, time, and real estate needed to manufacture things," Duoss says. To read further, please visit http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9245496/Researchers_aim_to_revolutionize_3D_printing_global_manufacturing.
IU Scientist Exploring Artificial Intelligence
Indiana University researchers want to use artificial intelligence (AI) to provide doctors with a tool to help them diagnose and treat patients. "Artificial intelligence can detect patterns matching a patient's disease progression and recommend up-to-date, cost-effective treatment plans to a human doctor," says Indiana professor Kris Hauser. The researchers have received a U.S. National Science Foundation grant to develop and test prototype decision-support systems designed to help physicians diagnose and treat patients with heart problems and clinical depression. "AI systems can digest relevant information and put it all on the table, ultimately making healthcare more transparent and cost-effective," Hauser says. To read further, please visit http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/news/local/iu-scientist-exploring-artificial-intelligence/article_cb47acfb-cf3f-5ca6-b026-b397ec3099bd.html.
Region’s First 100-Gigabit-per-Second Network Opens in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) has upgraded the Three Rivers Optical Exchange (3ROX) Internet2 connection to 100 gigabits per second (GE, or gigabit Ethernet). The new connection puts 3ROX at the leading edge of academically based networks, offering users speeds 10 times those of the highest-bandwidth academic and industrial connections in the region. The new connection is about 5,000 times faster than typical home broadband Internet. “The new 100-GE connection will be a boon to the next round of research and development by the research and academic community served by 3ROX,” says Gwendolyn Huntoon, director of advanced networking at PSC. “In particular, it will aid ‘Big Data’ projects requiring movement of vast amounts of data.” To read further, please visit http://psc.edu/index.php/newscenter/42-press-release/897-psc-activates-regions-first-100-ge-network.
Educator News and Opportunities
Georgia Joins Fellowship to Bolster STEM Teacher Education
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia will participate in the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship Program, a national initiative that seeks to increase the number of teachers with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at the secondary-school level. Columbus State University, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, Mercer University, and Piedmont College will develop a model master's-level teacher preparation program that offers fellows a year-long experience in local school classrooms. The institutions will receive $400,000 in matching grants to develop programs based on standards set by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. Fellows will receive $30,000 stipends to use during the master's program, and they must commit to teach in a high-need urban or rural school in the state for three years, with ongoing mentoring. To read further, please visit http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/get-schooled/2014/mar/03/georgia-joins-fellowship-bolster-stem-teacher-educ/.
Meet Oppia, Google's New Open Source Project That Allows Anyone to Create an Interactive Learning Experience
TechCrunch
Google has launched Oppia, an online, open source education project that enables users to develop interactive activities for educational purposes. As educational content is increasingly delivered via video and short message service, Google says it often lacks opportunities for interactivity, dialogue, and feedback. Oppia will serve as a framework to enable anyone to quickly create interactive learning experiences and add them to their site. Google calls Oppia a "smart feedback system" that asks the learner questions and adjusts instruction based on responses. In addition, Oppia collects information on learner interaction and content provided, which is shared with content creators to enable them to refine lessons. Based on an extensible framework, Oppia allows developers to add their own inputs and extend the range of potential formats and response types that are compatible with the system. To read further, please visit http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/26/meet-oppia-googles-new-open-source-project-that-lets-anyone-create-an-interactive-learning-experience/.
Reserve Your Room At Pheasant Run for the Annual CSTA Meeting
If you haven’t reserved your conference housing for CSTA’s annual conference, now’s the time! Please don’t put this off as space is filling up quickly and we don’t want anyone to miss out. Our venue (Pheasant Run Resort) has offered a single-room for $129 (USD, does not include tax), which is valid until June 13. For room reservations and to receive our discounted rate, please follow this link https://reservations.ihotelier.com/crs/g_reservation.cfm?groupID=1103106&hotelID=2932.
Upcoming NOAA Professional Development Opportunity
Part One: For Educators of Grades 5-12
Saturday, May 17, 2014 - 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Registration Deadline – April 28, 2014
An essential component of the NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) mission is to enhance ocean science literacy and to build interest in careers that support ocean-related work. To help fulfill this mission, the Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection was developed to encourage educators and students to become engaged in real time with the voyages and discoveries of the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer—America’s first Federal ship dedicated to Ocean Exploration. Join NOAA OER Facilitator Judith Coats, as you are introduced to Volume 1 of the Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection. Educators attending the full day will receive Volume 1 of the Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection, Why Do We Explore?, other resources, a NOAA Ocean Exploration Certificate of Participation, a continental breakfast and lunch. Those educators attending Part One and Part Two will receive a $100 stipend. To register, please call 858-534-7336 or email oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.
Barbara Ericson Explains Why Aren't More Girls Interested in Computer Science?
CCC Blog
In an interview on HLN Weekend Express, Barbara Ericson, director of computer outreach at the Georgia Institute of Technology, discusses the alarming findings of a recent study on girls in computer science. The study found that boys outnumber girls in high school Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science classes four to one. In addition, no girls took the AP Computer Science test in Mississippi, Montana, and Wyoming, and the highest percentage of girls taking the test in any state was 29 percent for Tennessee. Computer science is an elective, and Ericson sees that as contributing to the gender gap in participation. She cites stereotypes that discourage girls and the abstract, individualized nature of computer science classwork as other reasons. Girls tend to prefer more practical and social activities, Ericson says. One way to help close the gender gap is to make computer science a core requirement. Ericson also suggests training more teachers, which would provide greater access for students. To read further, please visit http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/news/local/iu-scientist-exploring-artificial-intelligence/article_cb47acfb-cf3f-5ca6-b026-b397ec3099bd.html.
2014-15 NASA LEARN Summer Opportunity
July 7-11 and July 14-18, 2014 – Hampton, Virginia
Applications Deadline - April 21, 2014.
The Long-term Engagement in Authentic Research at NASA, or LEARN, Project is seeking educators for an innovative program that provides onsite research and training opportunities with NASA scientists in the summer and guided research projects that continue throughout the school year. Participants conduct their own research with help of a team of NASA scientists and share and integrate these projects into the classroom. This summer, participants will complete two weeks of onsite work at NASA's Langley Research Center. Teachers will receive approximately 70 hours of professional development. Onsite work will be followed by continued research through 2015 via virtual research team meetings and data presentations. A stipend is offered for participants, and educators may present proposals for travel funding to present their research at regional conferences. This opportunity is open to science, technology, engineering and mathematics educators of grades 6-12. Earth science, physics, chemistry and mathematics teachers are strongly encouraged to apply. Application is open to U.S. citizens only. For more information and to register for the workshops, visit http://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/LEARN/.
Student Engagement and Opportunities
NASA's Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments
Application Deadline – April 1, 2014
NASA and Portland State University are seeking participants for a new educational program called Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments, or CELERE. This program enables students to participate in microgravity research on capillary action, similar to that conducted on the International Space Station. Teams or individuals create their own experiment using computer-aided design, or CAD, with a provided template. Short experiment proposals are submitted, and test cells are manufactured by Portland State University using the CAD drawings and a computer-controlled laser cutter. Each experiment is conducted in a drop tower. Video of the drop is provided for student analysis and reporting of results. For more information about this opportunity, visit http://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/CELERE/.
NASA Fellowship in Aerospace History
Application Deadline – April 1, 2014
The Fellowship in Aerospace History, offered by the American Historical Association and supported by NASA, seeks applications for a predoctoral or postdoctoral fellowship related to the history of aerospace. The selected fellow will have the opportunity to engage in significant and sustained advanced research in all aspects of the history of aerospace from the earliest human interest in flight to the present, including cultural and intellectual history, economic history, history of law and public policy, and the history of science, engineering and management. The fellowship carries a stipend of $20,000 for a six- to nine-month fellowship. Funds may not be used to support tuition or fees. The fellowship is open to applicants who hold a doctoral degree in history or in a closely related field, or who are enrolled in and have completed all coursework for a doctoral degree-granting program. For detailed information on the fellowship and the application process, visit http://www.historians.org/prizes/NASA.htm.
The First Woman to Get a Ph.D. in Computer Science From MIT
The Atlantic
Irene Greif, who in 1975 became the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, founded the research field of computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW). Recently retired from IBM, Greif now wants to encourage young women to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. As a researcher, Greif says she "moved from these very mathematically oriented computer science areas to much more people-oriented work--office automation and human-computer interface and so on." In the 1980s, she launched the CSCW field, which she describes as "getting a set of people together across disciplines who would look at social systems and computer systems at the same time." Working in office automation, Greif says she learned that making processes too invisible can damage the social aspects that help advance work. To read further, please visit http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/03/the-first-woman-to-get-a-phd-in-computer-science-from-mit/284127/.
Cubes In Space Competition – See Your Experiment Launched into Space!
Teacher Registration Deadline – April 11, 2014
Cubes In Space is a no-cost global design competition for students aged 11-14 years old to develop STEM-based experiments for launch into space. The Cubes In Space program is a partnership between Rubik Learning Initiative, idoodlesoftware inc., the Colorado Space Grant's RockSat-C program and supported by the Sounding Rocket Program Office at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. More information is available from their website http://www.cubesinspace.com.
STEM Voice Video Competition foe Grades 5-12
The STEM Voice Video Competition is nation-wide opportunity for kids in grades 5-12 to artistically explore the importance of STEM. Biocom Institute, a non-profit based in San Diego, California and focused on promoting STEM and knowledge of the life science industry, is the proud sponsor of this competition in 2014. Be creative and use video to show how much you love STEM. Act it out, create an animation, sing it but make sure it is appropriate for all ages. Grand prize winner receives $5,000 and will be flown to San Diego with a parent or guardian receive the award at the BIO International Convention during June 23-26 2014! For more information and guidelines, please visit http://sdsa.org/resources/science-alliance-e-news/2014/march/stem-voice-video-competition.
The 10 Programs With the Highest 20-Year Return
How do you measure the value of a college education? PayScale has the salary data to rank hundreds of U.S. colleges and universities based on total cost and alumni earnings. Find the best returns on investment by school type, location, major and more. The report finds nine of the 10 most lucrative degrees in America are in computer science programs at elite colleges. No degree in America is more valuable than a computer-science major at Stanford, Columbia, or Berkeley. For more information, please visit http://www.payscale.com/college-roi/
Cyber Security for Your Teenager
The Internet can be a great source of entertainment and knowledge for teens. It is also a way that kids can socialize with friends, even if they no longer live in the same city, state, or even country. Unfortunately, the Internet also has many negative aspects that can be a cause for concern. These negative traits can cause problems that emotionally hinder a child, stunt his or her ability to learn, and may even threaten his or her life. For this reason, parents will not only want to keep their kids safe, but they will want to ensure that their kids understand how to surf the net safely as well. For tips and helpful information, please visit http://www.apexcctv.com/articles/cyber-security-for-your-teenager.html.
Computer Coding More in Demand Than Languages, Survey Shows
The Guardian
Software programming should take priority over modern languages in British schools, according to a Code.org survey of more than 2,000 adults across the United Kingdom. Fifty-two percent of participants selected coding as their top choice, compared with 38 percent for French lessons, 32 percent for Spanish, 25 percent for German, and 24 percent for Mandarin Chinese. Code.org offers the Hour of Code, a series of free tutorials designed to show students the basics of programming in an hour. The tutorials feature well-known characters from apps and games. "While we want to demystify the world of coding and make it fun for kids and their parents, the research shows that more and more people are realizing that these skills will be inherent as the digital world becomes the everyday," says Avid Larizadeh, head of Hour of Code UK. Games Workshop founder Ian Livingstone says programming is no longer a niche skill as computing has become essential knowledge. "Code powers innovation and creativity," Livingstone says. "Learning to code will enable children to become problem-solvers and digital-makers for jobs that don't yet exist." To read further, please visit http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/mar/03/computer-coding-languages-schools-survey/print.
Faculty News and Opportunities
2014 Jet Propulsion Laboratory Summer Faculty Research Program
Application Deadline – April 1, 2014 1, 2014
Applications are currently accepted for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2014 Summer Faculty Research Program. This program provides opportunities for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, faculty to engage in research of mutual interest to the faculty member and a JPL researcher. Non-STEM faculty will be considered based on available opportunities. To be eligible to participate in the program, a potential fellow must hold a full-time appointment at an accredited university or college in the U.S. Special requirements for foreign national faculty members may apply. Fellows are required to submit a research report and present their work at the end of the session. The program awards $13,500 fellowships for the 10-week session Please note that stipend payments or salaries from other federal funding sources, including research grants and contracts, may not be accepted during the 10-week tenure of a JPL faculty research appointment. For more information about this opportunity, visit http://jsfrp.jpl.nasa.gov/.
On the Lighter Side – Computational News You Can Use
Georgia Tech Project Ensures 'What You See Is What You Send'
Georgia Tech News Center
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) researchers have developed Gyrus, security software that takes extra steps to prevent malware from sending spam emails and instant messages, and blocking unauthorized commands such as money transfers. The software is based on the observation that for most text-based applications, the user's intent will be displayed on the screen, and the user will be able to make changes. "The idea of defining correct behavior of an application by capturing user intent is not entirely new, but previous attempts in this space use an overly simplistic model of the user's behavior," says Georgia Tech Ph.D. student Yeongjin Jang. For more information, please visit http://www.cc.gatech.edu/news/georgia-tech-project-ensures-what-you-see-what-you-send%E2%80%99.
Google Is Developing a Smart Contact Lens
Computerworld
Google researchers are developing a smart contact lens that uses tiny chips, sensors, and antennas to continuously test diabetics' blood sugar levels. The technology uses wireless chips and miniaturized glucose sensors to measure glucose levels in the user's tears. "At GoogleX, we wondered if miniaturized electronics--think chips and sensors so small they look like bits of glitter, and an antenna thinner than a human hair--might be a way to crack the mystery of tear glucose and measure it with greater accuracy," according to the project's founders. "We're testing prototypes that can generate a reading once per second." The researchers also are studying the potential of the lenses to serve as an early warning for wearers when glucose levels get too low. To read further, please visit http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9245499/Google_is_developing_a_smart_contact_lens
