CHANNEL ISLANDS SECTION
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1999 NEWSLETTER
Inside this issue:
Another busy year is already well underway. With all the demands on our time, pushing ASME to the bottom of our list of priorities is not too difficult to imagine. In fact, I would not argue that most members should consider ASME a top priority. The organization operates smoothly with a small staff of employees and volunteers, and that operation benefits the many more dues-paying members.
The extent to which a member benefits, however, can be a strong function of that member’s level of participation. Passively reading Mechanical Engineering magazine certainly informs the reader about recent developments, opinions, products, and job opportunities in the engineering community. Clearly that information is beneficial.
Those members who choose to participate in local section activities, however, enjoy many more benefits. Local section activities offer opportunities to learn about the operations of local industrial sites, to listen to authorities within the field describe their latest accomplishments, and to meet fellow engineers and understand their concerns. On rare occasions, local activities provide members a chance to give something back to the education establishment that fostered the development of their engineering expertise. Our section needs more of these kinds of activities, and I strongly encourage you to participate in them whenever you have the chance.
A few months ago I suggested that the Channel Islands section make an effort to work with the local community to increase students’ interest in math and science. At the end of February, we get our first opportunity at the annual MATHCOUNTS competition (see right). I invite each of you to join me for a morning of proctoring and judging this contest for middle school students. Together we will support the effort to raise math awareness in local students, and we will leave with the good feeling that accompanies all altruistic contributions. I hope to see you there.
For our December activity, the Channel Islands section had been invited to a Sunday luncheon in Woodland Hills with the San Fernando Valley section. Unfortunately, due to lack of interest, the luncheon was cancelled. We apologize to anyone who may have been inconvenienced by the cancellation. We will make another attempt at a joint event with the San Fernando Valley section in the near future. Watch for an announcement in an upcoming newsletter.
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Each autumn, at the start of the new school year, some 350,000 middle school students nationwide begin their participation in MATHCOUNTS. MATHCOUNTS is a coaching and competition program that encourages mathematical abilities in 7th and 8th grade students. The program "promotes student interest in mathematics by making math achievement as challenging, exciting and prestigious as a school sport."
Students begin the year with several months of coaching. Schools then select their best students to participate in local competitions in January and February. Winners at the local level proceed to state finals. In May, the four top individual finishers from each state compete at the national finals in Washington, D.C.
MATHCOUNTS lists its objectives as follows:
For more information on MATHCOUNTS, visit the website:
http://www.asme.org/sections/channel_is/newsletters/99_02/www.mathcounts.org
The success of MATHCOUNTS depends on volunteers. On February 27, the local (Chapter 24) competition will occur at Anacapa Middle School in Ventura. Thirteen area schools are participating. We request your assistance in arranging the site in the morning, in proctoring the competition, and in grading the contestants’ entries in the afternoon. Please consider this opportunity to join your fellow ASME members in promoting mathematical proficiency among our local students.
To volunteer, contact Bob Morris at 805.524.3727 or rpmorris@compuserve.com. Bob will provide complete directions to the competition site, and furnish any additional details. We’ll see you there!
Every year in February, engineers around the nation participate in National Engineers Week. Since its founding in 1951, the week has sought to raise public awareness of the contributions of engineers to the modern standard of living. To honor one of the nation’s earliest proponents of engineering education, National Engineers Week always occurs around the birthday of George Washington. Representing the broad range of engineering disciplines, eighteen professional societies, including ASME, and fifteen corporations sponsor a variety of activities that celebrate and promote the profession. The theme for 1999 is "Engineers: Turning Ideas into Reality."
Steven Freiman , President of the American Ceramic Society and the 1999 National Engineers Week Chairman, shares these words:
"As we look to the beginning of a new century, we still marvel at engineering miracles of the distant past. For instance, we wonder at the great Pyramids of Egypt, engineered in simpler times with natural materials and basic tools. Times have changed but engineers’ ability to think creatively and solve problems remains. We engineer simple materials – very much like common sand and clay – into technology miracles like ceramic hips, engine parts and fiber optic cables. The computer has become a "basic" tool for anyone designing the latest jet or finding information for a homework project. The American Ceramic Society is proud to lead National Engineers Week 1999, both as a celebration of past achievements and of those to come in the 21st century."
To celebrate National Engineers Week in the Channel Islands area, the local engineering societies will host an awards banquet on the evening of Tuesday, February 24. Presented awards will include Engineer of the Year, Engineering Project Achievement Awards, and thousands of dollars in scholarships.
BANQUET INFORMATION
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Tuesday, February 24, 1999 |
| TIME: | 5:30 - 6:30 Registration
6:00 - 7:00 Social Hour and Entertainment 7:00 - 9:00 Diner, awards, speaker |
| SPEAKER: | Dr. Lorne G. Everett
University of California at Santa Barbara Vice President, Geraghty & Miller, Inc. |
| LOCATION: | Embassy Suites, Mandalay Beach Resort
2101 Madalay Beach Road, Oxnard, CA 805.278.2200 PLEASE NOTE: The banquet location has changed since the December newsletter announcement. The correct location is the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort (the same location as last year). |
| COST: | If purchased by 2/10/99:
After 2/10/1999:
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| INFORMATION: | Contact R. T. Ramsey, 805.445.7605 |
The evening’s featured speaker will be Dr. Lorne G. Everett of UCSB. He will discuss worldwide environmental issues. Dr. Everett has a Ph.D. in Hydrology and is a member of the Russian National Academy of Sciences. He is an internationally recognized expert who has received numerous awards, published over 120 technical papers, developed 11 national ASTM monitoring standards, and authored several books. His Groundwater Monitoring is recommended by the World Health Organization for all developing countries.
If you are interested in attending the banquet, reserve a spot at the ASME table as soon as possible. The Channel Islands section has reserved a table for 10 – the earliest respondents can take advantage of the discounted $32 ticket price. Contact Dick Ramsey at 805.445.7605 or dynamicsol@earthlink.net today!
NORTH- OR SOUTH-BOUND 101
Exit Rose Ave
Turn south onto Rose Ave
Right on Gonzales Ave
Left on Harbor, 3 lights to Costa de Ora
Look for Embassy Suites on right
March: Tour of Vortech Engineering’s new Oxnard facility. Vortech builds superchargers and aftercoolers for automobiles.
April: Alex d’Arbeloff, founder and Chairman of the Board of Teradyne, will discuss entrepreneurial and mechanical engineering success in today’s increasingly high-tech environment.
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Saturday, February 27, 1999 |
| TIME: | 9:00am - 4:00pm
Registration begins at 8:30am |
| INSTRUCTOR: | David Trevino |
| LOCATION: | University of California, San Diego
Building and room to be announced |
| COST: | $60 ASME member
$100 non-member $30 ASME student member |
| INFORMATION: | ASME Western Regional Office
800.624.9002 |
DESCRIPTION:
Engineers have excellent technical skills, but are often not trained in formal project management. Companies have a great path for the advancement of engineers who have the knowledge and training to track, lead, and evaluate projects. Obtain this valuable knowledge by attending this course, which covers:
Project Metrics
Earned Value
Managing Costs
Project Control Tools
Scheduling
The Team Environment
To register, please contact the ASME Western Regional Office at 1-800-624-9002 by February 18.
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March 15-17, 1999 |
| LOCATION: | Boise, Idaho |
| COST: | $950 |
| INSTRUCTORS: | E. Benjamin Wylie, Ph.D., P.E., and C.P.
(Jim) Liou, Ph.D., P.E. |
| INFORMATION: | University of Idaho College of Engineering, 208.364.4087, or,
Kathy Belknap at kbelknap@uidaho.edu |
DESCRIPTION:
Concepts for analysis and simulation of transients in piping systems are developed from fundamental principles of fluid mechanics. State-of-the-science information is presented in topics of current interest and importance to fire protection, irrigation, water, sewage, power, and oil industries. Lecturers, demonstrations, and problem solving comprise the course format.
Although most people would probably prefer a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day, we generously offer for your consideration a special Valentine’s Day cube (note the heart). Below are three different views of this unique cube:
Now, based on the above three views, what belongs on the mystery face (designated with a question mark) in the final view below? Send us a sketch of this view, with the mystery face correctly depicted, and you could win 4 free movie passes. Mail your sketch to ASME, Channel Islands Section, c/p R.P. Morris PO Box 73, Fillmore, CA 93016. Entries must be received by March 1. One winner will be randomly selected from all correct entries. Good luck – and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Thanks to Keith Breinlinger for contributing this puzzle.
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Last updated: 07-February-1999
Web Master: John Fishpaw, fish0010@email.msn.com