Report from the STEM Symposium.

As we have informed you before, the Albuquerque Section participated in this year’s New Mexico Public Education Department STEM Symposium. Previous posts included a description of the workshop that some of our members prepared for the event and pictures from their meetings. Here, we are providing a report of the Symposium, and more pictures!!

Rebecca Kreitinger (student member, IEEE), Turtle Haste, and Hy Tran (senior member, IEEE) led a workshop on engineering practices for New Mexico teachers on Friday June 2, 2017, at the NM Public Education Department (NMPED) STEM Symposium. About 60 teachers participated in this session entitled “Breaking Chocolate: Engaging Science and Engineering Concepts”

Although the presenters have not yet received the formal feedback from the teachers who participated, verbal feedback from several attendees was positive, and several teachers commented that they intended to use many of the material and concepts presented on measurements, calibration, and the iterative nature of engineering practices.

A few photos from the session are included in this post from the event.

Hy Tran will be presenting both the concept behind the workshop and some lessons learned at the NCSLI (National Conference of Standards Laboratories) conference in August 2017 in Washington DC. The presenters desire to eventually turn this workshop, and STEM outreach collaborations between the professional engineering communities and the science teacher community, into a submission for a peer-reviewed publication.

The Albuquerque IEEE section is hosting all the electronic resources for the teachers at their website:

• First post inviting members to participate in the STEM Symposium
• Second post with workshop materials

Here are some pictures from the Symposium:

Teachers brainstorming how to break the chocolate (and of course, measure the breaking strength.)

One team is testing out how to measure the geometry of the test before unwrapping the chocolate and testing.

This group is ready to perform an experiment and collect data.

The Albuquerque Section would like to thank again Rebecca, Turtle, and Hy for their hard work and spirit of service. We will continue looking for opportunities to further the IEEE mission among our members and our community.

Thank you,

Gilberto (2017 Treasurer)

As a follow up to our 25 April post on the participation of the IEEE Albuquerque Section at this year’s STEM symposium, here we are offering a number of materials that are part of the workshop. Please download and share with anyone you know who can make use of them.

But first, let me recognize the hard work of the people who had the initiative to participate in this symposium and are the authors of these materials. Thank you:

Rebecca Kreitinger, UNM EECE ‘2019 (current IEEE UNM Student Branch President)

Turtle Haste, MSED, NBCT, Science teacher at Desert Ridge Middle School

Hy D. Tran, PhD, PE, FASME, Sandia National Labs

Workshop materials:

1. Handout – Uncalibrated Ruler
2. STEM Symposium Presentation
3. Student Guide
4. Educator and Student Guide

This website will continue to host additional materials as they become available.

Thank you,

Gilberto.

2017 Albuquerque Section Treasurer.

The Albuquerque Section of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE), announces the winners of its 2017 Excellence Awards competition in several categories. The Albuquerque Section represents the interests of IEEE members in the greater Albuquerque area. The IEEE is the largest professional organization in the world with ~ 400,000 members, 300 local Sections and 1,150 Chapters in 10 Regions worldwide.

The awards banquet was held at Delish on 15 May with the presence of IEEE and Sigma Xi officers, members, and guests.

2017 IEEE Albuquerque Section Officers: From left to right: Ray Byrne – vice Chair, Gilberto Zamora – Treasurer, Jason Neely – Chair, and Lee Rashkin – Secretary:

The 2017 IEEE awards were presented by the Section Chair, Jason Neely

The 2017 IEEE award winners are:

2017 IEEE Outstanding Engineer
David Schoenwald, Sandia National Laboratories; Nominator: Ray Byrne.

2017 IEEE Presidential Scholar
David Balata, Computer Science Department; Sponsor: Jason Neely.

2017 IEEE Albuquerque Section Outstanding Young Engineers
Sheng Liu, Sandia National Laboratories; Nominator: Igal Brener

Zhen Peng, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Nominator: Edl Schamiloglu

2017 IEEE Albuquerque Section Outstanding Graduate student

Hamide Siedfaraji, Electrical & Computer Engineering; Nominator: Christos Christodoulou

Sadhvikas Addamane, Electrical & Computer Engineering; Nominator: Ganesh Balakrishnan

2017 Albuquerque Section IEEE Fellows
Raymond Byrne, Sandia National Labs
Bryan Oliver, Sandia National Labs

The UNM Sigma Xi Chapter announces the winners of its Excellence Awards competition for 2017.  The UNM Chapter of Sigma Xi is dedicated to furthering the goals of Sigma Xi in the Albuquerque area. It recognizes individuals in our community who excel in science and engineering research and teaching. For more than 3 decades the Chapter has co-sponsored a Distinguished Lecture Series on Science & Society themes to inform New Mexicans about important science issues of the day that impact their lives.

The 2017 UNM Sigma Xi Chapter officers (from left to right: Ray Byrne – President, Harjit Ahluwalia, Mike Jackovich, George Oltman, and Jackie Ericksen):

The 2017 Sigma Xi awards were presented by the UNM Chapter President, Ray Byrne:

2017 Junior Division Finalists at the Central New Mexico Science & Engineering Challenge

The Central New Mexico Science & Engineering Research Challenge awardees in the Junior Division and ISEF finalists were feted on Thursday, 27 April 2017 at the EXPLORA (near the Museum of Natural History and Science)

Isabella Thomas, Immanuel Lutheran Middle School, Animal Sciences
Bijan Tabrizian, Cleveland Middle School, Behavioral & Social Sciences
Angelina Espindola, Prince of Peace Lutheran Middle School, Biology & Microbiology
Aidan Fitzgerald, Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science, Chemistry
Violet Frazier, Jefferson Middle School, Computer Science ) Lindsey Dunbar, Jefferson Middle School, Earth & Environmental Sciences
Cole Romig, Jefferson Middle School, Engineering
Ana Maria Perez, Albuquerque Academy, Mathematical Sciences
Milidu Jayaweera, Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science, Medicine & Health Sciences
Oliver Reuben, Jefferson Middle School, Physics & Astronomy
Henry Dryden, Jefferson Middle School, Plant Sciences
Liam McGee, Jefferson Middle School, Energy & Transportation

2017 Finalists for the INTEL International Science & Engineering Fair, Los Angeles.
Jarek Kwiecinski, Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science
Fernando Guerrero & Richard Romero, Early College Academy
Skyler Hughes, Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science
Rusty Ludwigsen, Rio Rancho High School

2017 Outstanding Science and Math Teachers
Reggie Tyler, Science Teacher, Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science, Nominator: Bobby Cordova

Philip Watje, Math Teacher, Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science, Nominator: Bobby Cordova

2017 Superior Undergraduate Students
Corey Carlos, Electrical & Computer Engineering; Nominator: Rebecca Kreitinger
Kalyn Rose Thayer, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Nominator: Karlett Parra

2017 Excellence in Graduate Research
Jessie Williamson, Biology Department, Nominator: Christopher Witt

Yamhilette Licon Munoz, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Department; Nominator: Karlett Parra

Aidan Kelly Grummer, Physics & Astronomy Department; Nominator: Sally Seidel
 2017 Sigma Xi Noteworthy Technical Support Person
Anthony Gravagne, Physics & Astronomy; Nominator: Wolfgang Rudolph

After the presentation of the awards, John Matthews, Professor of Physics & Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, presented the talk: ‘Extreme Universe from 1963 to 2017.

Initiation of New Sigma Xi Members

Congratulations to all the 2017 winners !!!