SEAS Colonial Cable

Message from Dean David Dolling

It's August, and in a few short weeks, students will return to campus, dorms will re-open, the Marvin Center will again be a hub of activity, and the year will be off to a start. The start of the academic year is always a busy time, but this year it is exceptionally so, as we continue to plan activities that celebrate the School's 125th anniversary.

Our first 125th anniversary activity of the new semester will be the SEAS Alumni/Student Softball Game and BBQ, which we've planned for the afternoon of Saturday, September 12th at the Mt. Vernon Campus. Come by yourself or bring your family; sign up to play in the game or simply join us on the sidelines and cheer on the players. Either way, we hope you'll be a part of this very casual get-together to celebrate both our 125th anniversary and the SEAS community.

Also on September 12th is the University's Square 54 Panel Discussion and Site Visit. Square 54 is the city-block-sized commercial and residential structure being developed by Boston properties in the site that previously housed the old hospital (immediately east of the new GW hospital, and two blocks north of Tompkins Hall). Revenue accruing to GW from this development will help fund the construction of the new Science and Engineering Complex. If you would like to know more about some of the engineering feats involved in the project, please consider joining us for this mid-morning event. More information on Square 54 and a webcam are available on the University's web site.

For those of you who might want to "make a day of it" and attend both events, shuttles will be able to provide transportation from Foggy Bottom to the Mt. Vernon Campus. I hope to see many of you on the 12th.

Sincerely,

David S. Dolling, Ph.D.
Dean

News & Events

• A Message from Development
• NASA Selects SEAS Alumna Serena Aunon for Astronaut Candidate Class
• SEAS Lecturer Is Part of Leading Team in Competition for Netflix Prize
• Profs. Huang and Zderic To Receive New Federal Research Grants
• Coming in September: "Square 54" Panel Discussion
• SEAS Alumni/Student Softball Game
• BBQ Celebration at Tompkins Hall
• Save the Date: Alumni Weekend: October 1-4, 2009
• Save the Date: SEAS 125th Anniversary Frank Howard Lecture Series

A message from Development . . .

Dear SEAS Alumni and Friends:

There are a number of reasons why SEAS takes pride in celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, and one of the most important reasons is this: by knowing and celebrating our foundation, we better prepare ourselves to build for our future.

One of the best ways we can build for the future is by helping to support the education of our students. The SEAS 125th Anniversary Scholarship Fund is a great opportunity to do that.

Your gift will provide important and needed financial aid for aspiring SEAS students as they develop the skills and expertise that will be necessary to solve some of our most pressing global issues. With your help, SEAS can prepare more students to take their places among engineers and computer scientists working toward greater energy independence, better computer security, cleaner water, and more technologies with healthcare applications.

Please join us in this 125th year of engineering at GW as we build and strengthen our great school for the future.

Your gift can be made online at https://www.gwu.edu/online_giving/, or by mail to SEAS, Office of Development and Alumni Relations, 210 Tompkins Hall, 725 23rd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052.

I, or a member of the SEAS Development staff, would be happy to talk with you and can be reached at 202-994-8474 or by email to seas@gwu.edu.

On behalf of Dean Dolling and all of us here at SEAS, thank you.

Thank you, and my best regards,
Jim Howard

Assistant Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
210 Tompkins Hall
jphoward@gwu.edu
Tel: 202-994-4121

~~ SEAS 2009 - Celebrating 125 Years of Engineering ~~

NASA Selects SEAS Alumna Serena Aunon for Astronaut Candidate Class

SEAS is proud to announce that our alumna, Serena Aunon (B.S. electrical engineering ’97), has been selected as one of nine members of NASA’s 2009 Astronaut candidate class. NASA selected the nine candidates to make up the new class from a field of 3,500 applicants. The 2009 class is NASA’s 20th group since the original seven Mercury astronauts were unveiled in 1959. To learn more about Serena and the 2009 class, please visit http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/2009_aunon.html and http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/ascans2009.html.

SEAS Lecturer Is Part of Leading Team in Competition for Netflix Prize

Dr. William Roberts, a lecturer in the Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, is part of the team "The Ensemble," which finished at the top of the leader-board at the conclusion of the Netflix Prize. This competition awards $1M to the best algorithms for producing movie recommendations. The contest has now moved to the judging phase and only one other team is eligible for the award. A New York Times article on the competition is available at: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/netflix-challenge-ends-but-winner-is-in-doubt/.

Profs. Huang and Zderic To Receive New Federal Research Grants

Prof. Howie Huang	Prof. Vesna Zderic

Two faculty from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Professors Howie Huang and Vesna Zderic, have recently received good news for their research.

Professor Vesna Zderic has received an NIH R21 grant from the National Eye Institute. The R21 grant is intended to encourage exploratory or developmental research by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of project development. Professor Zderic’s two-year grant to study ultrasound-enhanced ocular drug delivery has been funded at nearly $370,000.

Professor Howie Huang submitted a research proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF), and it has been recommended for funding under the High-End Computing University Research Activity (HECURA) program. The proposal is for a three-year collaborative project on balanced scalable architectures for data-intensive supercomputing. It will be carried out jointly with Prof. Alex Szalay at Johns Hopkins University. The award is for $730,000, with $375,000 as GW’s share.

Engineer Alumni Association, Call for Volunteers

Volunteer for our newly structured EAA. We are building new and dynamic alumni programming at SEAS, and we need alumni volunteers who can provide direction and feedback to the Office of Alumni Relations and SEAS to help build alumni engagement with a focus on Alumni Programs, Student/Alumni Programs, and Recruitment and Outreach.

We are asking volunteers to commit to a year of service, during which you will assist in planning SEAS alumni programs, attend three meetings per year, participate on at least on of the focus area committees, and attend at least two SEAS alumni events per year.

If you are interested in participating in this integral part of programming for SEAS alumni, please contact:
Erin Pitts
Associate Director, School Alumni Programs
Alumni House @ 1918 F Street NW
(202) 994-2355 phone
espitts@gwu.edu

Upcoming SEAS Events

Coming in September: "Square 54" Panel Discussion

Join us to learn more about Square 54, its fascinating engineering achievements, and the benefits the space will provide to the University and the surrounding community. A site visit begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by brunch and a panel discussion. (Read more and register. . .)

Coming in September: SEAS Alumni/Student Softball Game & BBQ
In celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the School of Engineering and Applied Science

A late summer afternoon on the beautiful Mount Vernon Campus, a BBQ, and a friendly softball game with SEAS students, and your fellow SEAS alumni and friends: you can't beat that for a fun afternoon activity. Whether you choose to play softball or if you prefer to be a part of the cheering section, join us for the fun! Families are welcome. This event is free of charge. (Read more and register. . .)

BBQ Celebration at Tompkins Hall
In celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the School of Engineering and Applied Science

SEAS Celebrates 125 Years! Gather on the lawn in front of Tompkins Hall to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Join your fellow SEAS alumni, Dean David S. Dolling, and SEAS faculty and staff for a laid-back, fun-filled afternoon. We will also recognize the Class of 1959 as they celebrate their 50th Reunion during Alumni Weekend.

A $15.00 fee, per registration, entitles you to access to three days of free events and activities during Alumni Weekend 2009, including the BBQ Celebration. (Read more and register. . .)

Save the Date: Alumni Weekend: October 1-4, 2009
The George Washington University

Attention members of the classes of 2004, 1999, 1989, 1984, 1970-79, and 1959 and earlier! Please mark your calendars for your class reunions to take place during Alumni Weekend 2009. Your reunion will feature class reunion celebrations; an all-alumni kick-off celebration; “Classes without Quizzes;” Taste of GW, comedy events, an athletic reunion, and sustainability events; tours of Thurston and campus; and much, much more.

We need your help to plan events and recruit classmates to attend. If you would like to nominate yourself or a classmate to serve on a Reunion Committee, please contact Stephanie Medwid, associate director of classes and reunions, at reunion@gwu.edu or 1-800-ALUMNI-7. Don't miss this monumental opportunity to reconnect with classmates, GW, and D.C.! Come back to GW and celebrate good times! (Read more and register. . .)

Save the Date: SEAS 125th Anniversary Frank Howard Lecture Series
In celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the School of Engineering and Applied Science

This fall, the Frank Howard Distinguished Lecture Series will host three engineering experts in fields that are the focus of the cutting edge research happening in engineering. The first of three lectures will feature Dr. Mihail C. Roco, co-chair of the National Science and Technology Council and senior advisor for nanotechnology for the National Science Foundation. Please join your fellow alumni at this lecture by the distinguished Dr. Roco, followed by a networking reception. (Read more and register…)

Archives: SEAS Colonial Cable

SEAS Colonial Cables from the 2008-2009 Academic Year

SEAS Colonial Cables from the 2007-2008 Academic Year

SEAS Colonial Cables from the 2006-2007 Academic Year

SEAS Colonial Cables from the 2005-2006 Academic Year