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IAP 2004 Activities by Category

Engineering: Hands-on

A Hands-On Introduction to Chemical Engineering
Patrick Doyle, Kenneth Beers
Wed Jan 7, Thu Jan 8, Fri Jan 9, 09am-12:00pm, 66-064

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 03-Jan-2004
Limited to 15 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: none

The goal of this class is to give students a fun way to discover some of the concepts that chemical engineers learn and how this translates into the problems we solve. Most of this class will be in the lab where we will design, build, and test microfluidic devices, flexible diffraction gratings and devices for 'printing' molecules. In each case, we will discuss the basic phenomena and how this relates to the field of chemical engineering. Freshmen are especially welcome!
Contact: Patrick Doyle, 66-456, x3-4534, pdoyle@mit.edu
Sponsor: Chemical Engineering

Between 6.001 and 6.170: A Gentle Introduction to Software Engineering in Java
Justin Mazzola Paluska, Vikash Mansinghka
Mon-Fri, Jan 12-16, 20-23, 11am-12:00pm, 34-302, Lab 12-2 PM, 14-0637

Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Limited to 30 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: 6.001; NO other programming experience

Presumes only Scheme. Presents Java and software engineering fundamentals through guided programming exercises and brief, painless lectures. Topics include your first words of Java, conceptual links between Java and Scheme, the tools Java provides (and appropriate Java idioms) for organizing sofware systems, and basic debugging and debuggers. Also, build a register-machine-level computer simulator and a basic zephyr-style chat system.
Sponsored by Tau Beta Pi and the EECS Department.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/tbp/www/tbp-teach
Contact: Justin Mazzola Paluska, tbp-software-engineering@mit.edu
Sponsor: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Build Your Own Robot
Joseph Okor
Schedule: TBD
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session
Prereq: None

Have you ever fantasized about having a robot that can serve you breakfast in bed? You can build one by the end of IAP. In this course you will learn how to build robots as simple as an autonomous model car, or as complex as a life-size humanoid. At the end of IAP, we will hold a talent contest for the robots built during the course.
Web: http://miters.mit.edu/iap2004/robot/
Contact: Joseph Okor, N52-115, (617) 253-2060, jkokor@alum.mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Electronic Research Society

Build a Rube-Goldberg Machine!
Michael Nagle
Thu Jan 22, 02-06:00pm, Lobby 10

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

Rube-Goldberg machines are mechanical chain reaction contraptions. Pika'll be building one in Lobby 10 throughout the afternoon, join us! We'll bring the parts and tools (but you'rer welcome to bring anything you can think of that might be of use,) come help us figure out how to add more and more reactions to the machine.

No engineering expertise required.
Web: http://www.rube-goldberg.com
Contact: Michael Nagle, Lobby 10, (617) 492-6983, nagle@mit.edu
Sponsor: Michael P Nagle, EAST CAMPUS, GOOD # 504, 617 225-6579, nagle@mit.edu

Characterization of Materials in a High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
Mike Frongillo
Mon Jan 12 thru Fri Jan 16, 09am-01:00pm, 13-1025

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 05-Jan-2004
Limited to 6 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

A high-resolution SEM will be used to characterize a variety of materials. A brief lecture will be given on the basics of scanning electron microscopy, with primary emphasis on the hands-on operation of the instrument. You may bring your own samples, or samples will be provided for you.
Contact: Mike Frongillo, 13-1034, x3-5092, frong@mit.edu
Sponsor: Center for Materials Science and Engineering

Duct Tape Delusions
Amy Smith, Amy Fitzgerald, Amy Banzaert
Thu Jan 29, Fri Jan 30, Sat Jan 31, 02-04:00pm, 4-402

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

Who can make the coolest stuff out of duct tape? Come to the Edgerton Center and make your duct tape dreams come true. We'll provide the duct tape, you provide everything else. Entries will be judged in a variety of categories. The kickoff will be Thursday, at 2:00 p.m. in 4-402. The rolls of tape will be given out at the kick-off but will also be available to latecomers on Friday from 2:00-4:00 (4-402). Final entries will be due between noon and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The Awards Ceremony will be held at the MIT Museum at 1:45 on Saturday. Co-sponsored by the MIT Museum.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/edgerton/outreach/duct_tape/
Contact: Amy Fitzgerald, 4-406, x3-7931, amyfitz@mit.edu
Sponsor: Edgerton Center

EAsT camPUS Bad Ideas Competition
Mateusz Malinowski
Fri Jan 9, Sat Jan 10, Sun Jan 11, 12pm-12:00am, EAsT camPUS

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session
Prereq: A desire to dream and create . . . despite a lack of vision

Have you always wanted to design and build, but have been frustrated by silly requirements and "good engineering practice"? Well, fret no more and come to the EAsT camPUS Bad Ideas competition, where your ideas can really take wing and crash straight to the ground. The weekend will also be packed with numerous smaller events, so come by any time, grab some free food, and join us in a celebration of bad ideas. No skills required, tools and materials provided. Alumni and all members of the MIT community are expressly invited. Email bad-ideas@mit.edu with project ideas, so that we can coordinate supplies, safety, and so forth.
Web: http://ec.mit.edu
Contact: Mateusz Malinowski, EAsT camPUS, x5-6373, bad-ideas@mit.edu
Sponsor: Mateusz K Malinowski, EAST CAMPUS, BEM # 313, 617 225-6373, mattxmal@mit.edu

Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis in the Electron Microscope
Dr. Anthony Garratt-Reed
Thu Jan 8, 15, 22, 29, 03-04:30pm, 13-2137, Also lab sessions TBA

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

Chemical microanalysis by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy in the electron microscope is a powerful and very valuable tool for the researcher. The first lecture will start with an elementary description, with subsequent lectures exploring the topic in greater detail. Anyone interested in learning the basics is invited to attend the first lecture or two, while students looking for a deep and relatively complete understanding will want to attend the entire course. Lab sessions will be arranged according to the interests of the participants at the first lecture.
Contact: Dr. Anthony Garratt-Reed, 13-1027, x3-4622, tonygr@mit.edu
Sponsor: Center for Materials Science and Engineering

Fair Lines and the Art of Lofting
Dave Corcoran Bullhouse Boatworks
Tue Jan 13 thru Fri Jan 16, 09am-05:30pm, N51-160, Dept. of Architecture Woodshop

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 05-Jan-2004
Limited to 6 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: none
Fee: 10.00 for materials cost

Lofting is the manual process of describing complex curved surfaces in full-scale on a two-dimensional surface. This age old art is the key first step to ship and boat building. The class will loft a Herreshoff dinghy from the original offsets in the Hart Nautical Collections. The instructor has lofted and built more plank on frame replicas of Herreshoff designs than anyone breathing. You will learn the fundamentals by laying out lines with battens and training your eyes to see fair lines. After completing the class you will have a fuller understanding of CAD applications. Please come aboard and help the MIT Museum celebrate our 5th "Nautical Skills" IAP course. Co-sponsored by the Dept. of Architecture.
Contact: Kurt Hasselbalch, N52 2nd flr., x3-5942, kurt@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Museum

Friday Open Worksessions -- Mars Gravity Biosatellite
Audrey Schaffer
Fri Jan 9, 16, 23, 30, 10am-05:00pm, 41-116

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session

Experience first hand working on a student-driven space mission! The Mars Gravity Biosatellite Program will study the effects of Martian-level gravity on mammals by sending a payload of mice into low-earth orbit, exposing the mice to partial gravity for five weeks, and returning the mice safely to earth to study the effects of reduced gravity. Each Friday, we are opening our doors to any interested student to work side by side with our team on current projects. Come by the Mars Gravity lab, and help out on the project of your choosing. Stop by anytime!
Web: http://www.marsgravity.org
Contact: Audrey Schaffer, 41-116, (617) 452-3309, audreys@mit.edu
Sponsor: Satellite Engineering Team

Glass Blowing
Peter Houk, Brendon Edwards, Helen Lee, Whitney Cornforth and Chris Laughman
Schedule: TBD
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 05-Jan-2004
Limited to 16 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Preference to freshmen and Course 3 majors
Fee: 100.00 for Costs of materials such as glass & color.

Experience the interface between materials science, technology, design and art! This studio will introduce students to hot glassworking techniques. Students will obtain hands-on experience making solid sculptures and hand-blown vessels. See web page for information. Enrollment via lottery. The time and place of the lottery will be announced on the glass lab webpage. To get in four full weeks, we tend to start really early in January, so those planning to take the IAP class should be able to be on
campus shortly after new year. Attendance is mandatory. Absolutely no proxies allowed.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/glasslab
Contact: Peter Houk, 4-003, x3-5309, pbhouk@aol.com
Sponsor: Materials Science and Engineering

Help Build a Battery Vending Machine
Manu Prakash
Thu Jan 15, Fri Jan 16, 02-05:00pm, Media Lab 054

Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Signup by: 25-Dec-2003
Limited to 8 participants.
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: An interest in recycling policies in General.

Do you want to discuss recycling policies for battery usage in United States? Would you like to help build a vending machine that dispenses rechargable batteries instead of Diet Coke? The plan is to put a battery vending machine on MIT campus. So next time you don't have to go to CVS to buy a battery, just throw in your discharged battery and get a recharged cartridge right away! Build control circuits or mechanical gadgets to go in the machine.
Contact: Manu Prakash, E15- 023, (617) 253-2383, manup@mit.edu
Sponsor: Manu Prakash, E15-023, 617 253-0620, manup@mit.edu

Howtoons "Build It" Party
Joost Bonsen, Saul Griffith
Mon Jan 5, 12, 19, 06-08:00pm, N52-115 MITERS

Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Limited to 15 participants.
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session
Prereq: Interest in K-8 science and engineering educ. & exploration

Help build prototype projects and draw draftoons for the Howtoons initiative. Howtoons are one-page cartoons which show 5-15 year old kids "how to" build things. We hope to translate these 'toons and distribute them to kids worldwide. Many example projects and 'toons and more info on the Howtoons website.
Web: http://www.howtoons.org
Contact: Joost Bonsen, 617.930.0415, jpbonsen@mit.edu
Sponsor: Joost P Bonsen, jpbonsen@mit.edu

IAP Hackfest 2004
Alex Pentland, Anmol Madan, Jon Gips
Schedule: TBD
No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 06-Jan-2004
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Software, hardware or design skills plus ideas and motivati

Come hack in the Borglab!

Design and implement wearable computing applications in the areas of social networking, group coordination, physiology, healthcare and behaviour modification. The workshop will use the MIThril wearable computing platform. For details, visit www.media.mit.edu/wearables.

This is an intensive workshop for the entire duration of IAP. The participants and organizers will jointly determine individual projects. Applicants are required to send a brief statement of ideas and interests for this workshop to hackfest2004@media.mit.edu
Web: http://borglab.media.mit.edu/wiki/borglab/IAP_Hackfest_2004
Contact: hackfest2004@media.mit.ed
Sponsor: Media Arts & Sciences

IDEAS and Design That Matters: Project Incubator
Sally Susnowitz
Thu Jan 29, 07-08:30pm, 1-150

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: none

Get project ideas, motivation, and inspiration! The IDEAS Competition and Design That Matters are co-sponsoring this workshop for hearing and sharing ideas about potential projects, community needs, and development issues. Refreshments will be served.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/ideas/www/
Contact: Sally Susnowitz, 4-104, x8-7344, susnowit@mit.edu
Sponsor: Public Service Center

Intro to PCB Layout
Tony Caloggero
Tue Jan 20, Wed Jan 28, 01-03:00pm, 4-402

Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Limited to 10 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

There are free software packages for laying out printed circuit boards (PCBs), and this activity offers a quick introduction to one such package. We will walk you through some simple designs, and send those designs to a production house so you will get a set of small PCBs bearing your circuit layout. We presume you will be able to get to a PC on the web. If not we will help you work out alternative arrangements.
Contact: Tony Caloggero, 4-409, x3-9782, acalogge@mit.edu
Sponsor: Edgerton Center

Introduction to Machine Tools
Fred Cote
Tue Jan 6 thru Fri Jan 9, 09am-12:00pm, 44-023

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 12-Dec-2003
Limited to 8 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: none

This short 12 hour course introduces the milling machine, metal lathe, and related processes; participants will learn by constructing two simple projects.

Selection is by lottery. To enter lottery, you must contact Fred Cote before the signup deadline of Dec. 12.
Contact: Fred Cote, 44-023, x8-7728, fpcote@mit.edu
Sponsor: Edgerton Center

Introduction to Surface Analysis
Elisabeth Shaw
Tue Jan 20, 27, 02-05:00pm, 13-2137

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 13-Jan-2004
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

A general introduction to several useful techniques for looking at the structure and chemical composition of solid surfaces with a sampling depth of a few atomic layers. We will summarize how each technique works, its strengths and limitations, and some of the research questions these methods help to answer. Methods discussed: Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
Contact: Elisabeth Shaw, 13-4149, x3-5045, elshaw@mit.edu
Sponsor: Center for Materials Science and Engineering

Introduction to Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
Mike Frongillo
Mon Jan 5 thru Fri Jan 9, 09am-01:00pm, 13-1024

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 31-Dec-2003
Limited to 4 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

The first session consists of a lecture on the basics of transmission electron microscopy and how to align and operate the instrument. The class will be assigned time slots so that each individual will be able to learn how to operate the microscope. You may bring your own samples, or samples will be provided for you. This class is intended for new users of the TEM.
Contact: Mike Frongillo, 13-1034, x3-5092, frong@mit.edu
Sponsor: Center for Materials Science and Engineering

Make a Rube-Goldberg Machine
Michael Nagle
Wed Jan 21, 02-06:00pm, Lobby 10

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

Rube-Goldberg machines are mechanical chain reaction contraptions. Pika'll be building one in Lobby 10 throughout the afternoon, join us! We'll bring the parts and tools (but you're welcome to bring anything you can think of that might be of use,) come help us figure out how to add more and more reactions to the machine.

No engineering expertise required.
Web: http://www.rube-goldberg.com
Contact: Michael Nagle, Lobby 10, (617) 492-6983, nagle@mit.edu
Sponsor: Michael P Nagle, EAST CAMPUS, GOOD # 504, 617 225-6579, nagle@mit.edu

Raman and FTIR Spectroscopy and Microspectroscopy at CMSE
Tim McClure
Wed Jan 28, 09am-01:00pm, Rm. 13-2137

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 23-Jan-2004
Single session event

The Center for Materials Science and Engineering's Analysis Shared Experimental Facility has Raman and FTIR spectrometer and microscopes for the use of MIT researchers. There will be presentations on the applications of Raman and FTIR analysis and the various measurement techniques available. Preregister via e-mail.
Contact: Tim McClure, 13-4149, x8-6470, mtim@mit.edu
Sponsor: Center for Materials Science and Engineering

Tau Beta Pi Engineering Design & Implementation Competition
Kathryn Chen
Fri Jan 23, 04-05:00pm, 4-231

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 10 participants.
Single session event
Prereq: Open to all MIT community

Test out your engineering design and execution skills against the rest of MIT! Winners get awesome prizes (in gift certificates): 1st prize $150 / person, 2nd Prize: $100 / person, 3rd Prize: $50 / person. Email with a team of 3 and show up to receive the problem. The contest ends on Wednesday, Jan 28.

Enrollment limited to 10 teams.
Contact: Kathryn Chen, tbp-chservice@mit.edu
Sponsor: Tau Beta Pi

Telescope Building
JoHanna Przybylowski
Wed Jan 7, 07-08:00pm, W20-445, First Organizational Meeting

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 22-Dec-2003
Limited to 20 participants.
Single session event
Fee: 20.00 for Covering the cost of materials to build the telescopes

Have you ever wanted to see something more in the night sky? Well, now is your chance to build your own telescope!

Join Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) and EAPS (Course 12) in telescope construction. Though Cambridge may not be the ideal location for viewing the night sky, you'll have fun, learn about telescopes and have one for later use.

The first meeting is a scheduling and planning meeting only. We will discuss future meetings then.
Contact: JoHanna Przybylowski, 62-M211, (617) 872-3071, johannap@mit.edu
Sponsor: Students for Exploration and Development of Space

Thermal Analysis Capability at CMSE
Tim McClure
Tue Jan 27, 10am-12:00pm, Rm. 13-2137

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 23-Jan-2004
Single session event

The Center for Materials Science and Engineering's Analysis Shared Experimental Facility has an assortment of thermal analysis equipment available for use by MIT researchers. There will be presentations on the applications and various techniques associated with thermal analysis. Preregister via e-mail.
Contact: Tim McClure, 13-4149, x8-6470, mtim@mit.edu
Sponsor: Center for Materials Science and Engineering

Virtual Community Center
Joseph Okor
Schedule: TBD
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session
Prereq: none

We now have the technologies that enables a doctor to examine a patient remotely, or a student to take courses from a remote classroom. These technologies are not being used effectively because of the lack of the appropriate hardware and protocols. During the IAP, we will build the appropriate hardware, and with this hardware we will work on the design of a Virtual Community Center that will include (1) virtual clinic (2) virtual classroom, etc. This is a multi-disciplinary project that will benefit from inputs from people of diverse backgrounds.
Web: http://miters.mit.edu/iap2004/vcc/
Contact: Joseph Okor, N52-115, (617) 253-2060, jkokor@alum.mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Electronic Research Society

Visions of the Future: Screening and Making Concept Videos
Stephen Intille
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: Interest in the future of computing and ubiquitous computing

During the first two sessions of this activity, we will show research and concept videos that demonstrate visions for computing in the home and workplace of the future. We will start with videos from 1980 and work our way to the present day, studying both the themes and the styles of the video presentations.

Interested participants will be encouraged to individually or in teams create their own thought-provoking and entertaining videos that show compelling visions of how technology can improve our lives. House_n: MIT Home of the Future staff and students will be available as advisors. Participants may use storyboarding, video editing, still photography, Photoshop hacking, and possibly even actual programming to create interface mockups. Participants who complete videos will be encouraged to submit them to the Sixth International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing's video program, and the videos will be debuted at the end of IAP and shown in subsequent years.
Web: http://www.media.mit.edu/~intille/teaching/IAP04/IAP04.htm
Contact: Stephen Intille, NE18-4FL, (617) 452-2346, intille@mit.edu
Sponsor: Stephen S Intille, NE18-4FL, 617 452-2346, intille@mit.edu

Video Screening Session 1 (1980 to...)
Stephen Intille
Inspirational videos demonstrating future computer interfaces.
Wed Jan 14, 06-09:00pm, 56-154

Video Screening Session 2 (...to Present Day)
Stephen Intille
More inspirational videos demonstrating future computer interfaces. Team forming for those interested in creating their own concept videos during IAP. Scheduling of working sessions for remainder of IAP.
Thu Jan 15, 06-09:00pm, 56-154

Zen and the Art of Boat Building
Reuben Smith - Tumblehome Boatshop
Mon-Fri, Jan 5-9, 12-16, 09am-05:30pm, N51-160

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 05-Jan-2004
Limited to 10 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Fee: 25.00 for Materials fee

Help MIT Museum celebrate our 5th "Nautical Skills" IAP course andbeautify the Charles River. The class will build an 11-foot lapstrake-plywood Shellback rowing/sailing dinghy from the designer's plans. This popular boat was designed by Joel White (Course XIII '54). These boats are a dream to row, easy to rig and great fun to sail. You can enjoy the fruit of your labor in the spring since the boat will join the MIT Nautical Association's fleet. The instructor is a highly experienced boat builder and well versed in "boat philosophy". You will appreciate the precision of fine hand tools and learn cool woodworking techniques. After completing the class you will have gained the skill and confidence to build this boat on your own. Co-sponsored by the Department of Architecture.
Contact: Kurt Hasselbalch, MIT Museum, x3-5942, kurt@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Museum


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IAP Office, Room 7-104, 617-253-1668 | Comments and questions to: iap-www@mit.edu | Last update: 21 August 2003