IIT Today

ACE Formula Hybrid Team Places 3rd, 7th at Formula Hybrid International Competition

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT

,br />The ACE Formula Hybrid team had a great week in New Hampshire last week at the 2008 Formula Hybrid International Competition, placing 3rd and 7th with their two cars in a field of 14 teams from schools such as Yale, UW-Madison, and Drexel University. Car #6 completed the competition behind McGill University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and likely would have placed second had last-minute adjustments not kept the car from competing in the acceleration event. As the competition is focused on efficiency, limiting each car to a fixed gas fuel supply, the endurance portion of the competition carried the most points. Car #6 was one of only two to complete the endurance event, along with 1st place winner McGill.

Having made a respectable showing at the first competition last year, the team has learned a great deal over the past year, and the contributions of 100+ students to the ACE Formula Team in the past two years helped IIT to their outstanding performance last week.

Numerous local media covered the competition at New Hampshire International Raceway, including New England Cable News, whose report features the ACE Formula Hybrid team prominently:

More coverage from ABC-affiliate WMUR 9, Road and Track, and an NBC5 story on the team prior to the competition.

The Formula Hybrid Competition, organized by Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College and sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), challenges teams from around the world to build hybrid race cars to compete in several events. The ACE Formula Hybrid team, formed in 2006 by undergraduate and graduate students in the Grainger Power Electronics and Motor Drives Laboratory, has had the participation of more than 100 IIT students from all grade levels, representing several engineering majors - Electrical, Computer, Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, Environmental, Civil, Architectural, and Information Technology Management, under the leadership of ECE Professor Ali Emadi.

Chemistry Alum Susan Solomon Elected to American Philosophical Society

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT

IIT chemistry alumna (B.S. '77) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change co-chair Susan Solomon was elected as a resident member of the American Philosophical Society in the mathematical & physical sciences in late April. Founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin, the society "promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and community outreach."

Solomon, a senior scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was among IPCC honorees awarded with the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for work, "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change."

Solomon is also featured as one of Time Magazine's World's Most Influential People in the May 14 edition.

IIT Communications & Marketing Brings Home Golden Trumpet Awards

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The IIT Department of Communications & Marketing was honored with three awards at the Publicity Club of Chicago's Golden Trumpet Awards celebration Friday. Winning Golden Trumpets for Building Brand Equiity, the department's efforts in crafting a brand marketing campaign for IIT, and "Launch" of a New President, the promotion of last year's inauguration of John Anderson as IIT's first new president in 17 years, and a Silver Trumpet for the 2007 IIT Annual Report, Identiity: Defining Who We Are. Congratulations to everyone from C&M and others who helped to increase IIT's profile and call attention to another remarkable year at the university.

Pictured (left to right): Evan Venie, Jeff Bierig, Chelsea Jackson, Nancy Schoon, Scott Benbrook, Kristine Pasto, and Jaime Banuelos
Photo compliments of Ted Lacey Photography

Entrepreneurs and Innovators: Participate in the 2008 Whiteboard Challenge

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Do you have a product concept that just needs some recognition to take off? Are you working on a world-changing technology?

If you have a brilliant idea that is missing some public recognition, plan to join the MIT Enterprise Forum at the 2008 Whiteboard Challenge on June 17. Everyone is eligible to submit their own innovative concept for consideration, and presenting finalists will be selected by a distinguished panel of judges, competing for a $5000 cash prize purse.

You can apply for the 2008 Whiteboard Challenge here. All applications must be completed by 5 pm, Monday, May 19.

Questions? Contact Whiteboard Challenge Program Chairs:
Dave Smith: dsmith@earlymarketpartners.com
Ted Wallhaus: wallhaus@sbcglobal.net

IIT Chicago-Kent Center for Access to Justice & Technology Launches A2J Author 2.0

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Chicago-Kent College of Law's Center for Access to Justice & Technology (CAJT) has announced the much anticipated release of A2J Author^TM 2.0, a unique software tool that empowers those from the courts, legal services organizations and educational institutions to provide low-income individuals who are not represented by attorneys with the tools to defend themselves in court in certain legal matters.

This new release is an updated version of software developed in 2004 by CAJT in partnership with the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction. A2J Author^TM, through its audio and visual interview cues, uses a step-by-step approach to filing legal documents. The software includes document assembly, e-filing capabilities and programmed templates to help users prepare legal documents for filing the necessary papers. The further users get in the online interview process, the closer they get to resolving their legal issues.

The upgraded version of A2JAuthor^TM helps non-technical personnel from the courts, clerk's offices, legal services programs, and Web site editors quickly create and implement customer friendly Web-based legal assistance. A2J Author^TM 2.0 software is available at no charge to anyone using the software for non-commercial purposes on the A2J Author community Web site.

CAJT kicked off the release of the upgrade April 5 via a Web-based advertising campaign that encourages users to download the new version and attend a video conference that highlights improvements to the software. The campaign also will reflect the innovative new ways A2J Author^TM 2.0 can help to improve the delivery of legal services to self-represented litigants.

A2JAuthor^TM currently is used in 22 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Ontario, Canada. With the increasing popularity of the program as a means to conduct online Web intake, users are able to designate a graphic that is more in line with the purpose of the A2J Guided Interview^TM. The 2.0 version of A2JAuthor^TM software also delivers the capability to exchange the traditional courthouse graphic for an alternative graphic designated by the user.

"We are excited by the improvements in A2J Author^TM 2.0 many of which were suggested by users of the first version," said CAJT director Ronald J. Staudt, a Chicago-Kent professor and IIT associate vice president for law, business and technology. "For example, new menu enhancements allow developers to move much more easily between development screens in the program. In addition, the new software adds power tools for authors to build new A2J Guided Interviews^TM based on prior work."

A2J Author ^TM 2.0 allows A2J Guided Interview^TM authors to add live chat support for their interviews using a Live Help^TM selection mechanism that links to the National Public Automated Document Server. Live Help^TM allows A2J Guided Interview^TM users to receive personalized help from their local legal aid organization while completing the A2J Guided Interview^TM.

The Center for Access to Justice & Technology was established by Chicago-Kent to make justice more accessible to the public by promoting the use of the Internet. The Center conducts research, builds software tools, teaches classes and supports faculty, staff and student projects that promote access to justice and technology. CAJT currently manages and promotes three law and technology initiatives: A2J Author^TM, the Access to Justice Student Editorial Board, and the Self-Help Web Center. The Center's work has been honored by the American Bar Association, the Legal Services Corporation and the State Justice Institute.

IIT Hosts Globalization Town Hall Forum

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT

IIT will host the Financial Services Forum's Town Hall discussion on succeeding in the global economy, from 9 - 11:30 am on Monday, May 12 in Hermann Hall. This interactive dialogue moderated by CNBC Contributor and BMO Capital Markets Global FX Strategist Andy Busch will examine the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century global economy. The discussion will center on policy solutions to help workers, firms and communities, many of which are outlined in the Financial Services Forum's report Succeeding in the Global Economy: A New Policy Agenda for the American Worker, and features speakers such as Tom Wilson, CEO, Allstate Insurance Company, Congressman Rahm Emanuel (IL-5th District), and Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-6th District).

Featured Speakers
Tom Wilson, CEO, Allstate Insurance Company
Congressman Rahm Emanuel, IL-5th District
Congressman Peter Roskam, IL-6th District
David E. Baker, Vice President for External Afairs, Illinois Institute of Technology
Demetria Giannisis, President and CEO, Chicago Manufacturing Center
Jack Lavin, Director, IL Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Robert Z. Lawrence, Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
John Lutz, GM, Managed Business Process Services, IBM
Rob Nichols, President, Financial Services Forum
Matthew Slaughter, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College
Pamela Tate, CEO, The Council for Adult & Experiential Learning
Tom Villanova, President, Chicago & Cook County Building & Construction Trades Council
Sandra Westlund-Deenihan, President & Design Engineer, Quality Float Works, Inc.

This event is sponsored by the Financial Services Forum, a non-partisan financial and economic policy organization comprised of the chief executive officers of 20 of the largest and most diversified financial institutions with business operations in the United States. The Forum works to promote policies that enhance savings and investment in the United States and that ensure an open, competitive and sound global financial services marketplace.

Faculty, Staff Volunteers for Midnight Breakfast at the Commons

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Join President Anderson and other esteemed colleagues in supporting the student body during finals week by serving them breakfast at midnight in the Commons. The Midnight Breakfast will be held the night of Tuesday, May 13. Please email Eddie Skidmore with Sodexo at skidmore@iit.edu if you are willing to help.

Faculty: Apply for Teaching Grants for Innovative Faculty (TGIF) Awards

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Have you been toying with a creative, new way to engage the students in your 100-200 level courses, but materials, staff and budgets are too stretched to put it into practice? The answer is to apply for funding through a Teaching Grants for Innovative Faculty (TGIF) award. TGIF awards are designed to fund creative projects that supplement the curriculum you already teach. Applicants must propose a specific project with a theme or focus that provides students with hands-on experiences, access to experts, exposure to industry, enhanced lab projects or other innovative projects. Wondering what type of proposals will be considered? Read on for stories from three Fall 2007 grant winners and what they were able to accomplish with TGIF funds.

Dave Maslanka, Sr. Lecturer, department of applied math, used the monies he was awarded to carry out his TGIF proposal for Math 119 - Geometry for Architects. Dave restructured the course from a lecture-only format into one in which hands on problem-solving took place; more of a just-in-time workshop where students could be assisted at their contextual moment of need. Working in groups was encouraged and the students benefited from the collaborative sharing of knowledge and energy, while group accountability encouraged the students to really work at the problems. The TGIF grant allowed Dave to hire a student assistant who helped facilitate the workshops. Teaching the course in this innovative structure allowed Dave to develop insights that led to suggested improvements for future classes.

Mark Snyder, Sr. Lecturer in the CAEE dept. used a TGIF grant to expose the future engineers in his CAE classes to essential professional values. Mark lined up speakers from across campus who addressed such topics as plagiarism, proper citation of sources, and communication skills, as well as lecturers who stressed ethical behavior, accountability, and adherence to professional standards. In addition to providing for speakers in the classroom, the TGIF award also subsidized a speaker on dinner etiquette and social conversation. Thanks to the TGIF award, students gained an awareness of the values that are necessary for success in engineering.

A third TGIF award was used by Blake Davis, an instructor in the College of Architecture, for a Basic Dwellings class for second year students. The students work with recycled paper to mold or cast the components of a geodesic dome. An EPA grant was secured to build the actual structure for display in April 2008 in Washington DC, but it came with so many restrictions it could have bogged down the project. Blake was able to use TGIF money to quickly get the project up and running. Integrating the project into the curriculum gave architecture students exposure to hands-on, quality research methods, because while the dome is an iconic structure, there can be problems with water seepage at its seams. Research continues on the various waterproofing techniques for the molded paper surface, and in the design of flashing to carry the water away from the structure. While the Basic Dwellings class initiated the dome project, some class members became so immersed in the topic that they have returned to volunteer on the project after the semester ended and grades were posted.

Three solid, innovative teaching ideas that may inspire you to apply for your own TGIF grant. Proposals should be completed and submitted via email to April Welch (welcha@iit.edu) no later than June 30, 2008. Awards will be announced August 1. Full details and eligibility requirements can be found here.

Staff Summer Hours - 2008

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT

President Anderson has approved a modification of working hours for staff from June 2 through August 15, 2008, if the management of each area can accommodate it. The plan is to schedule one extra work hour on Monday through Thursday, permitting a 3.75-hour "half-day" on Fridays. Discussion should soon take place in your department about if/how this will apply and whether each staff member is interested in participating in the altered schedule. If you have questions about this policy, please contact Human Resources at 312.567.3318 or hr@iit.edu.

Finals Breakfast with Pat Anderson & Midnight Breakfast at the Commons

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT