UC San Diego Hosts Maker Space Symposium

Panel of experts from the Maker community at the Southern California InnovationMaker3 Symposium

The Southern California InnovationMaker3 Symposium was held at the Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California San Diego on Thursday, June 16, 2016.

The symposium is the second in a series of three events that bring together community college faculty interested in bringing maker spaces to their campuses with experts from the Maker community.

The events are presented by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) Workforce & Economic Development Division and the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST).

Nate Delson

“Jacobs School Dean Albert P. Pisano’s vision is for all engineers to have hands-on experience starting freshman year,” said Nate Delson, professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Department and faculty director of the EnVision Arts and Engineering Maker Studio at UC San Diego.

Delson gave a talk at the event. “We already had some small maker spaces such as the Design Studio in the MAE Department. EnVision is unique because all six engineering departments and the Visual Arts department are using it for classes.”

“We chose to hold this meeting at UC San Diego in order to connect Southern California community colleges with people like Nate Delson, because the fact that UC San Diego has a maker studio makes it a great trajectory for their students who are interested in making,” said Susan Hackwood, Executive Director of CCST.

Delson believes that maker spaces allow students to learn not just how to use a screwdriver, but all sorts of different tools in one space. He had advice for attendees: “Don’t leave the creation of a culture to chance – create a culture of inclusion and excellence. A maker space should be welcoming to students of all abilities by using techniques such as warm-up modules that bring all students up to speed on use of the fabrication tools. One of my favorite quotes is  ‘Hands on, minds on, hearts on’.”

Each symposium included the presentation of the recently released report: "Promoting Engagement of the California Community Colleges with the Maker Space Movement," authored by CCST. The report is a guide to develop a sustainable network which aligns with the educational goals of the Community Colleges while preserving the uniquely independent culture of the maker space.

The first of the three was held at UC Berkeley on June 13.

Gordon Center Presents Adventures of an Industrial Physicist

On May 20th, The Gordon Engineering Leadership Center hosted Dr. Jonathan Arenberg for their quarterly forum. The forum took place in the Powell-Focht Bioengineering Building ground floor. Dr. Arenberg gave a wonderful presentation on his work and life experience working in the interesting and ever-expanding field of industrial engineering within the realm of physics.

Each quarter, the Gordon Center brings in professionals within a myriad of industries, such as bioengineering, aerospace, technology, and more, to speak on behalf of their experiences. Many of the visiting speakers hold extensive years of experience within their fields and are able to impart useful knowledge and helpful tips to the audience.

Dr. Arenberg, with years of experience working with optical, space, and laser systems, brought to students words of advice about career decisions, how to advance in a career, understanding the importance of loving what you do, and being unafraid to change career paths should you find something you truly enjoy doing more.

In his presentation, rightly titled "The Adventures of an Industrial Physicist: A Curated Tour," Dr. Arenberg touched upon his educational growth. Dr. Arenberg is a UCLA alumni who was initially interested in physics but found engineering to suit his lifestyle more as he discovered his passion for it via a college internship. As he decided to apply to graduate programs for both physics and engineering, he trusted his gut and made the decision to follow through with engineering school. He claims that this pivotal choice was "the best decision I've ever made as an adult."

He opened up about the true reality that is the engineering workforce, remarking that the beginning assignments may not always be the most fun, but that true satisfaction builds after having gone through those less exciting assignments and job positions. Dr. Arenberg also touched upon the fact that engineering is generally a career path that does not yield immediate satisfaction. Still, despite all of it, he is glad he made the decision and cannot see himself doing anything else with as much passion and dedication.

Touching upon his experience with optical telescopes, helping to create and sell the technologies helping with discoveries of exoplanets, and the ever-expanding future of industrial engineering and physics, he ended the presentation optimistically. As he added in the end, "I look forward to tomorrow's challenges, and look forward to the promise of the skyline."

We invite the local engineering community to join or consider sharing their story at our next forum.

Cold Formed Steel Framing: a factsheet

Source: CEMCO Steel Framing

Cold Formed Steel Framing (CFS)

CFS, produced by CEMCO Steel Framing, is ideally suited to midrise construction in high seismic areas for a variety of reasons.  Importantly, the strength to weight ratio of steel, which is unmatched by all other construction materials, makes it ideally suited for use in high seismic areas.  Because steel is lighter than most competing building materials, it generates lower seismic forces and less inertia when subjected to strong earthquakes.  In addition, steel framing members absorb energy unlike more rigid, inflexible materials. Cold-formed steel in particular also results in high precision members, and in this test program, components (entire walls and segments of floor) of the building have been prefabricated off-site and erected rapidly through panelized placement. In fact, the erection of the structural core of the building took only eight days.

Added benefits regarding the post-earthquake fire performance of steel include the fundamental aspect that steel is non-combustible.  It does not burn and does not contribute to the spread of fire nor to the intensity of the heat that result in most combustible construction.  The fire resistant nature of steel framing benefits building owners with lower insurance costs.

Another beneficial aspect is that steel is inorganic.  As such, its quality is always consistent.  The effects of climate, pests and fungi cannot inhibit the structural capacity of the steel framing components.  Their form and function remain stable throughout the life of the building that they support.  In addition, steel connections, whether by screws, pins, bolts, or welds provide a positive, consistent load path.

Last but certainly not least, steel is sustainable.  Steel products can be recycled infinitely.  Current industry recycle rates are estimate at 68%, though steel is truly 100% recyclable.

Sure-Board for Shear

CEMCO's Sure-Board sheet metal backed sheathing wall and floor panels were employed in this project to achieve sufficient wall and floor strength under design earthquake loading.  Like steel framing, Sure-Board is non-combustible, and is twice as strong as plywood.  A single Sure-Board panel replaces the need for installing multiple layers of shear and finish materials, and as a result construction is faster and more precise. Sure-Board has been utilized extensively as shear resistant sheathing on low and mid-rise projects across North America. 

Turning Engineers into Change Makers

Drive innovation from concept to commercialization – that’s the goal of one of the first initiatives – a four-course management training program for engineering students - of the new Institute of the Global Entrepreneur at the University of California San Diego. We sat down with a few of the students in program to get their thoughts on how they see it helping them translate their technology to the marketplace.

Nick Forsch, Bioengineering, Ph.D. Grad Year ‘19

“I caught the startup bug when I participated in a biomedical design competition - I love the innovation that comes out of small groups of people working towards a common goal with limited resources,” said Nick Forsch, a bioengineering PhD student at UC San Diego. “The nature of startups forces product design to focus on the essential components for meeting the needs of the target market.”

Upon arriving at UC San Diego after his undergraduate education at Washington University in St. Louis, Forsch joined bioengineering professor Andrew McCulloch’s cardiac mechanics lab. McCulloch’s research focuses on understanding the development of heart failure using models of cardiac electromechanics. When he’s not in class or the lab, Forsch is on of the vice presidents of the Bioengineering Graduate Society and enjoys playing soccer.

Read more about Nick

Originally from Huntington Beach, California, Karcher Morris came to UC San Diego to complete an undergraduate degree, and eventually a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. When he’s not in class or doing research in Professor Frank Talke’s mechanics lab, Morris can be found in the EnVision Arts and Engineering Maker Studio where he TAs a number of experiential learning courses, or learning about business.

Karcher Morris, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. Grad Year ‘18

“About a year and a half into my Masters, I decided to switch into a Ph.D. program because I had a great lab and a great PI,” said Morris. “At that point, I wondered about an MBA program. With undergraduate degrees in both aerospace engineering and management science, I was always looking for that well-rounded experience.”

According to Morris, it was one or the other when it came to graduate school. “I could either further my technical skillset or switch to business.”

Morris is part of the first course in the new program.

“This class has given me a new perspective because I’m working with a diverse group of motivated engineers.”

Read more about Karcher

Somayeh Imani found her niche in circuit design of wearable sensors – and it opened her eyes to the world of startups.

Group photo of Patrick Mercier's Energy-Efficient Microsystem lab. Imani is second from the left in the back row.

“There is so much opportunity in the field of wearables to commercialize technology,” said Imani, who is a graduate student in the Energy-Efficient Microsystem lab of Patrick Mercier, the Co-Director of the Center for Wearable Sensors at the University of California San Diego. “But commercialization is hard – you need a business plan and marketing skills –things that engineers don’t usually learn much about during their degree.”

Imani is part of the new pilot course – the first of four in the Technology Management and Entrepreneurism Fellowship Program – that aims to turn engineers into change makers through exposing them to the lab to market commercialization process. Participants earn a certificate at the end of four quarters.

Read more about Somayeh

  

Engineering alumna, now on San Diego city council, honroed by UCSD Alumni

San Diego City Council President SHERRI LIGHTNER, REVELLE ’72, M.S. ’78, a licensed mechanical engineer turned public official, believes that you sometimes need to break things to make them better. “If you don’t break something, you don’t know if you have an optimized design,” says Lightner. “I’m an engineer. We make things work, we solve problems.”

Seamlessly combining her engineering background with public service, Lightner has also broken barriers. Representing District One, she is the first female engineer to serve on the San Diego City Council, as well as the first female Council President. A leader in civic engagement, Lightner has served on multiple community planning organizations and committees. She was the first official to develop a comprehensive water policy in order to provide San Diego with an affordable and sustainable water supply. She led the effort to establish the Economic Development Committee in 2011, then served as Chair for over 4 years.

Lightner hadn’t always imagined that her career would lead her to City Council and the opportunity to be impactful and affect such profound change. What started with a simple passion for community service—beginning with the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and La Jolla Shores Association—would later evolve into a much grander ambition of addressing the city’s most pressing concerns.

“It was serving in the community that led me to believe that there were better ways that the City could deliver to its citizens, and to actually bring the neighborhoods to City Hall,” says Lightner. As Council President, a position she has held since 2014, her priorities include economic development, expansion of the tech, cybertech and blue tech industries in San Diego, water policy, promotion of STEM education, as well as closing the job skills gap and updating the City’s charter.

Despite everything that is on her plate, Lightner remains tirelessly dedicated to improving her community, a job that she notes cannot be completed without the technical and analytical background skills gained at UC San Diego. She additionally credits her alma mater for contributing to the lasting values that guide her every day, especially the importance of confidence and accountability. “UC San Diego taught you to be fearless,” adds Lightner. “You learned to stand up and account for yourself, and stand up for other folks as well.”

Now in her final year serving on the San Diego City Council, Lightner is focusing on finishing what she started eight years ago. “I want to be known as a council member who truly represented my community,” she says. ”If you don’t ask for something, the answer is always no. That’s why I’m continually asking for what I think our residents and communities deserve.”

Ph.D. alum helps make robotics and programming accessible

As a Ph.D. student at the Jacobs School of Engineering, Nick Morozovsky built many robots, including SkySweeper, a power line inspector, and Switchblade, a roving and balancing robot. And he worked on bringing robotics to everyone, especially young students.

Morozovsky worked with Solana Beach-based Rokenbok Education on a robotics kit that teaches children as young as 8 how to program Arduino microcontrollers. The ROKbuino Programmable Robotics Set is now available on Kickstarter for $99 off its retail pricing. Morozovsky designed the original prototypes on a low-cost 3D printer. Rokenbok is now seeking funding to mass-produce the kits by using injection molding, which is much faster but requires a significant upfront capital investment. The company hopes to bring the sets to homes across the country as well as under-served schools where children have limited access to STEM opportunities.

The kit allows students to connect motors and a variety of sensors to build and program a beetle bot, a scorpion hunter and a Ferris Wheel. It includes more than 400 building components. The Kickstarter campaign runs until June 30.

After earning his Ph.D. in 2014, Morozovsky co-founded start up Accel Robotics with fellow Jacobs School alum Marius Buibas. 

Morozovsky with SkySweeper, a robot designed to inspect power lines.

Illuminating Your Movement: Entrepreneur Showcases Lighting Company at Institute for Global Entrepreneur Launch Event

Dancer and handstand instructor Tammuz Dubnov graduated from UC Berkeley at the age of 18; now at the age of 21, he runs a successful lighting company, all while working on his masters degree in materials science at UC San Diego.

Zuzor, the company Dubnov started, illuminates your movement using a sensor (like Xbox Kinect) to capture your movement, project it onto a screen, and overlay beautiful graphics like the ones in the video above.

Dubnov was present at the launch event for the new Institute for the Global Entrepreneur at UC San Diego June 2 to showcase his technology. The Institute is a collaboration between the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering and Rady School of Management and is dedicated to training engineering leaders and translating university discoveries to the market. Dubnov participated in the NSF I-Corps program at UC San Diego, run by the von Liebig Entrepreneurism Center, which is a part of the new institute.

To learn more about the Institute for the Global Entrepreneur, go to IGE.ucsd.edu.