Week of January 21

Don't forget that Monday is a holiday.  No one will be at school on January 20.  When we return, we will continue for one more class period with the advanced CAD modelling (Activity 5.5) and then begin building the train on Thursday.  If you can not finish the CAD models by the end of Tuesday in class, plan to come in for some tutorial time outside of class to complete it.  I will also do a journal check this week.  Make sure that you have all of the information that has been given to you; table of contents are up to date; and that each page has a signature, date and number.



SEMI High Tech U
I now have pamphlets about the SEMI High Tech U experience.  The dates were changed to Feb 19, 20, and 21, so you would miss 2 A days and 1 B day if you were selected.  It is a great opportunity to interact with engineers and find out what their jobs are like; what they did in college to prepare them; and experience if you would like working in a high-tech field.  The experience is always the highlight of the year for those who go.  Check out the detailed agenda, but you will get to be involved in high-energy and hands-on activities like:

• Learn how integrated circuit (computer chips) are manufactured and build your own model of one the same way it is done at Spansion and Samsung.
• Compete with other teams to build a catapult to see who can launch a koosh ball the farthest.
• Work with circuit boards and even water to test different electrical characteristics.
• Build a "human calculator" and actually calculate numbers using it.  Last years' Austin team holds the record for the fastest time.  Can you beat their record?
• Tour Texas State University's robotics lab (with a chance to operate some robots).
• Tour Texas State's campus and get to talk with current engineering students.
• Tour Samsung's "lights-out" fully-automated factory and learn how integrated circuits are made and used in thousands of devices every day.  
• Participate in a mock interview so that you can brush up on your skills for when you start applying for jobs, scholarships, etc. 

The deadline for application is Feb 6, but I recommend that you get the applications in as soon as possible.  They should be faxed directly to SEMI, but I can help you with that if you don't have access to a fax machine.


Would you like to create the next Google Doodle?
You know those pictures and/or games that sometimes are on the page when you go to Google something?  Those are called Doodles, and Google is offering a $30,000 scholarship to a high school student whose design is chosen for a future Doodle.  This has nothing to do with engineering per-se, but I figure anyone who wins $30,000 wouldn't mind sharing with their favorite engineering teacher.  Go to the Google Doodle contest page to get an application and get started.