Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Drexel University
CS News & Notes
Issue 30October 11, 2011
In This Issue
CS Welcome Social
Fall Career Fair
MCS Meeting 10/13
DGDG Meeting 10/13
Coffee, Conversation and Computing
MCS Meeting 10/20
DGDG Meeting 10/20
Space Shuttle Event
Trivia Question and Answer
Department Advising Notes
iSchool Work Study Positions
CS Calendars
CS/SE Job Opportunities
International Research Exchange
Sea Perch Mentor
Vanguard Explorer Program
Quick Links
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For questions about this newsletter or if you'd like to contribute content, please contact Julie Fisher.  

Drexel Campus
Welcome to the Department of Computer Science e-newsletter. This newsletter will list all upcoming CS events and announcements every other Monday.
This icon will appear in any event and announcement that includes FREE FOOD. 
fork and knife image

EVENTS

CS Welcome Social
fork and knife imageTuesday, October 11
4 to 6 p.m.
University Crossings 153
The CS Department and Math and Computer Science Society (MCS) are hosting the CS Welcome Social for all students. Meet and mingle with CS/SE students, faculty and staff, plus enter to win a Motorola Xoom tablet and other raffle prizes! Members of Women in Computing Society (WiCS), Drexel Game Development Group (DGDG), Math and Computer Science Society (MCS), Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), and TechServe will be present. Food and beverages provided.
Drexel University Career Fair
Wednesday, October 12
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Daskalakis Athletic Center (DAC)

Drexel University is pleased to host the largest university-held Career Fair in the Greater Philadelphia area. This event attracts more than 250 employers nationally. Employers are invited to campus to network with undergraduate and graduate students and alumni/ae and to discuss career interests and future career opportunities. To view the list of employers, including many looking for computer science and software engineering majors, click here.

fork and knife imageThursday, October 13
5 to 6 p.m.
University Crossings 153
Drexel's Math and Computer Science Society (MCS) hosts Lukasz Szymanski and former member of MCS and Drexel alumnus, David Kershner. They will be presenting about Unisys' software and how they go about securely partitioning resources for virtual machines. For more information about MCS, click here.
DGDG Meeting: Unity in an Hour
Thursday, October 13
7 to 9 p.m.
University Crossings 151
Drexel Game Developers Group (DGDG) is hosting a discussion about Unity 3D. Unity 3D is an engine that has drastically grown in popularity over the last few years. Due to its power and the fact that it is free to download with no royalties, it is an excellent engine for students to pick up and learn. This talk will give listeners a very speedy overview of the basics of Unity and how to take advantage of the various features that this powerful tool provides. For more information about DGDG, click here.
Coffee, Conversation and Computing
fork and knife imageTuesday, October 18
5 to 7 p.m.
W. W. Hagerty Library
Join Drexel University Libraries at this special event, which kicks off the opening of the - Access Everywhere: Computing at Drexel, 1984 - present - exhibit. This event will feature conversation about the changing role of computers at Drexel and topics will include email, internet, wireless access, and other computer advances that have brought Drexel to where it is today. This event is open to the public. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided. For more information, click here.  
MCS Meeting: Excelacom Presentation
fork and knife imageThursday, October 20
5 to 6 p.m.
University Crossings 153
Drexel's Math and Computer Science Society (MCS) hosts an information and discussion session about Excelacom, the opportunities they have available, and what Business and IT consulting are all about. For more information about MCS, click here.
DGDG Meeting: What it takes to apply in the industry
Thursday, October 20
7 to 9 p.m.
University Crossings 151
The video game is a competitive industry and any student hoping to break into is must go above and beyond the requirements that Drexel sets for its students. Drexel Game Developers Group (DGDG) is hosting a discussion aimed at providing students with the information of what extra steps they will need to take in order to make themselves competitive for jobs in the industry upon graduation. For more information about DGDG, click here.
Dragons of the Space Shuttle Era
fork and knife imageWednesday, October 26
11 a.m.
Mitchell Auditorium, Bossone Research Enterprise Center
Join the Drexel Community for a panel discussion with Drexel's two astronaut alumni, Chris Ferguson '84 and Paul Richards '87, moderated by Terry Ruggles of NBC-10. Following the panel discussion and Q&A with the astronauts, all are invited to attend a student showcase and luncheon hosted by the College of Engineering. To RSVP, contact Elizabeth Brachelli, 215-895-6454 or [email protected]

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Trivia Question and Answer

Q: What year did Drexel launch the first mobile Web portal service for students (DrexelOne Mobile), enabling them to access a range of information via virtually any Web-enabled handheld device, from anywhere in the world?

A: 2002

Be sure to check the next newsletter for another trivia question and prize!

Advising Notes
CS/SE Freshmen/Sophomore Advisor: Undergrad Advising Center
CS/SE Upper Level Advisor: Andrea Negro

New Game Programming and Development Concentration

Are you interested in game development?  Did you know that the CS Department offers a Game Programming and Development (GMPD) concentration? (Note: A concentration is different than the tracks.)

 

The GMPD concentration provides conceptual understanding of game design and practical experience in the design and the development of games. The courses in this concentration include fundamentals of game design and development, large-scale game development, and special topics in educational and experimental game design.

 

Students with the GMPD concentration will leave with a BS in Computer Science degree. Majority of the requirements are the same; however, students in the concentration will be required to take several CoMAD courses in place of the General Education electives. Also, the Game Design & Development and Human Computer Interaction tracks are built in to the curriculum.

 

If you are interested in this option, please see our website here for the course requirements and recommended plan of study. You must be registered for the GMPD concentration to be able to take many of the courses offered by CoMAD.  For additional information and to declare the concentration, please contact your advisor. For additional advising information, click here
Work Study Positions Available at the iSchool
The iSchool is looking for work-study students to work in the administrative office in the Rush Building. We are looking for Drexel students who are dependable and detail oriented! Responsibilities include Data Entry: Posting jobs on the iSchool jobs website & corresponding with employers; filing, copying/scanning and running errands around campus; other administrative duties assigned. Applicants must be a Drexel student eligible for work-study funds and basic HTML experience required. Salary will be work-study funds.

To Apply, email Jennifer Lally at [email protected].

CS Calendars available for download
 
 
Calendars available:

And make note: https://calendar.cs.drexel.edu provides a complete web view to these and other department calendars. The CS website is regularly updated with upcoming news, announcements and events.
Search the CS Website for Jobs  
Searching for a job? The CS Department can help you prepare: visit our job opportunities site at http://www.cs.drexel.edu/jobs to view the latest positions available in the computing industry.
Six job opportunities posted since September 26, 2011:
Learn Abroad: International Research Opportunity, Prague, Czech Republic
Deadline for applying: November 11, 2011

Have an interest and background in robotics, artificial intelligence, intelligent agents and distributed systems? Want to travel abroad and participate in a collaborative research experience with access to world-class facilities? Dr. William Regli, Professor of Computer and Information Science, is searching for 1-3 students to join an international research exchange program with the Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague for 8-10 weeks. This program is highly interdisciplinary, bridging artificial intelligence, networking and application development. The next opportunity is available during the 2012 Spring Quarter. Eligibility requirements: undergraduate or graduate students with relevant computer science or engineering (electrical, mechanical) experience. Participants must be US Citizens or permanent residents. To apply, send a resume/CV, transcript and description of relevant experience to Colleen Kavanaugh at [email protected]

Become a Sea Perch Near-Peer Mentor
Deadline for applying: Friday, Nov. 4

The College of Engineering is looking for up to 40 undergraduates to serve as Near-Peer Mentors to middle and high school underwater robotics teams for the Greater Philadelphia Sea Perch Challenge! Near-Peer Mentors are required to visit their assigned school at least two times over the course of the build cycle which runs from November 2011 to March 2012. Become a Sea Perch Near-Peer Mentor today and give your resume a boost! You'll have the chance to:

  • Mentor middle and high school students
  • Give back to the community
  • Build professional networks
  • Tour the Navy Yard
  • Attend social events
  • Participate in conferences and events related to the Sea Perch program

If you are interested in being a Sea Perch Near-Peer Mentor, please fill out this application and send your resume to Amy Wen at [email protected]  by Friday, November 4, 2011. For more information on the Sea Perch Challenge, visit www.coe.drexel.edu/seaperch/. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Wen at [email protected].

Women in IT: Become a Vanguard Explorer
Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment management companies and a recognized employer of choice for IT careers. If you're currently a female undergraduate college student, we invite you to EXPLORE Vanguard's headquarters near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania! Vanguard's EXPLORE event will give you the opportunity to visit our campus, network with female professionals, hear from female executives and learn about Vanguard and our career opportunities. To apply, please submit your resume to [email protected]. If you are selected to attend, you'll receive an e-mail confirmation along with directions to our Malvern campus.