IAP Independent Activities Period
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IAP 2007 Activities by Sponsor

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Assessment of Your Teaching Styles and the Technologies You Use
David Singer Visiting Professor
Tue Jan 9, Wed Jan 17, 01-03:00pm, TBA

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 08-Jan-2007
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session

This two hour session will be offered on two different days. It will be of particular interest to those faculty and instructors who wish to accurately assess the effectiveness of their specific teaching styles and the educational technologies that they use. Part of the session will involve collaboration of those taking part in the development of strategies they might consider employing and educational technologies that they might consider using. An emphasis will be placed on ways to assess whatever learning styles or educational technologies are used.
Contact: David Singer, x3-5759, singerd@mit.edu
Cosponsor: Brain and Cognitive Sciences

Basics of Patent Law for Scientists, Engineers and Entrepreneurs
Daniar Hussain, Thomas Presson
Fri Jan 12, 12-02:00pm, 34-101

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

Basics of patent law explained and demystified by a scientific advisor (MIT EECS '04 alum), and an associate at Frommer Lawrence & Haug LLP, a New York intellectual property law firm. Constitutional and legal foundations of patent law, its history, important case law interpreting statutes, current events, and speculation about the future of patent law. Issues we'll discuss: legal privileges awarded by patents; the US patent system compared with that of other countries; how patents work internationally; what is patentable subject matter; what a claim is and how to write one; what is required to apply for a patent and can one apply on one's own; costs and ways of hiring patent attorneys; length of time for patent application approval; patent infringement suits.
Lunch will be served. Cosponsored by the Graduate Student Council.
Contact: Daniar Hussain, DHussain@alum.mit.edu
Cosponsor: EECS Graduate Students Association

Electronic Music Production
Robert Bryant
Tue Jan 16, Thu Jan 18, Tue Jan 23, Thu Jan 25, 08-09:00pm, TBA

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: interest in electronic music

An overview of what it takes to produce electronic music using industry software, what's going on technically when one does that, and gain hands-on experience in actual music composion. Focus is not on music theory but on providing skills for making electronic music.

Will meet in 37-312; please email robertb@mit.edu if interested.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/robertb/www/iapmusic/
Contact: Robert Bryant, robertb@mit.edu
Cosponsor: Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

Hardcore Intro to Mathematica -- Empower Your Mathematical Skills with a Simple and Versatile Computing Language
Mats Ahlgren
Thu Jan 25, 03-06:00pm, 3-270

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: Knowledge of functions, variables, arrays suggested

A rock-solid overview of the powerful and interesting things you can do with Mathematica, punctuated with real examples. Teaches valuable computational math skills for everyone.

Mathematica is a math-oriented work environment and programming language. It's expressive, elegant, and high-level (less coding!). It runs on all operating systems, is provided on Athena, and can be bought cheap by students. Once you learn it you won't be able to live without it.

Some uses for Mathematica:
- Beefy calculator
- Graphical plotting
- Homework-facilitator
- Advanced projects

Class brings beginners up to speed, then focuses on interesting intermediate/advanced topics.

IMPORTANT:
Bring a well-charged laptop, and download the course materials from course website.

Cosponsored by Eta Kappa Nu.
Web: http://www.mit.edu/~mats_a/mathematica/iap2007
Contact: Mats Ahlgren, ahlgren@mit.edu

Intro to PCB Layout
Tony Caloggero
Tue Jan 9, 02-04:00pm, 4-402

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 12 participants.
Single session event

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 design examples, and will submit designs of your choosing 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. You are welcome, but not required, to bring your laptop to this session. (Wireless available.)
Contact: Tony Caloggero, 4-409, x3-9782, acalogge@mit.edu
Cosponsor: Edgerton Center

Introductory Circuit Analysis: Pre-6.002
Jack Chu, Philip Godoy, Vincent Liu
Mon Jan 8 thru Fri Jan 12, 01-03:00pm, 32-155
Tue Jan 16 thru Fri Jan 19, 01-03:00pm, 36-144

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 05-Jan-2007
Limited to 30 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: 8.02, algebra

Primarily intended for students planning to take 6.002 next
term, but students wishing to review 6.002 material are also welcome. Also appropriate as a brief intro to circuits for non-Course VI students.
Covers various circuit analysis methods involving digital circuits, CMOS Logic, amplifers, small signal models, and op-amps, in lecture format. Will have several problem sets with problems similar to those in 6.002.
Web: http://www.mit.edu/~jackchu/tpbcircuits.html
Contact: Jack Chu, tbp-circuits@mit.edu
Cosponsor: Tau Beta Pi

Long-Range Planning for Your Software Technology Career
Anne Hunter
Thu Jan 25, 12-02:00pm, 33-401A

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

A panel of alums and expert recruiters will discuss:
  • Hot technologies vs long term technology trends
  • Building a career in software
  • Software career pitfalls
  • Outsourcing: is the local software job market going away?
  • Software development firms vs internal software development
  • Local startups and the Boston software market
  • Candidate expectations in this market
    Experienced software technology executive recruiters from a leading Boston-area recruiting firm (Winter Wyman) will join recent Course VI alums to discuss long-term career issues, and how to plan a whole career. They'll answer questions and advise students with career concerns, and help you avoid making job choice mistakes now that could haunt you later in your career.

    Pizza and beverages.
    Contact: Anne Hunter, anneh@mit.edu

MEMS 101: Introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems
Nader Shaar, Daniel Truque
Tue Jan 16, Wed Jan 17, 12-02:30pm, 3-270

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 12-Jan-2007
Limited to 60 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: None

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are an active area of research and industrial applications. A suite of fabrication techniques exist that allow devices to be manufactured with features that range in size from nanometers to millimeters. An overview of MEMS fabrication, commercial MEMS products, and areas of on-going research provided in two 2.5 hour sessions. The first covers microfabrication techniques including thin-film processing, surface and bulk micromachining, and packaging techniques. The second discusses commercial MEMS applications and areas of on-going research in MEMS and Nanotechnology including MEMS sensors, optical devices, polymer fabrication, microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, and nanomaterials. (Lunch provided)
Web: http://web.mit.edu/nshaar/mems101
Contact: Nader Shaar, nshaar@mit.edu
Cosponsor: Mechanical Engineering

Professional Portfolio Selection Techniques: From Markowitz to Innovative Engineering
Antonella Sabatini
Wed Jan 10, 04:30-06:30pm, 32-141

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

A review of the most important and widely used state-of-the-art Portfolio Selection Techniques will be presented. Such techniques could be used by capital firm wealth management institutions as well as for a personal financial portfolio. A brief outline of some innovative methodologies will be illustrated. Gentle introduction to the subject, specifically targeted at first year undergraduates in Economics, EECS and other fields with interest in quantitative finance, economics and management, with emphasis on innovation and research.

Pizza and beverages will be provided

Cosponsor: Graduate Student Council
Contact: Valerie Gordeski, romashka@mit.edu
Cosponsor: EECS Graduate Students Association

Project Expo! Presentations for Prizes!
Amir Hirsch
Fri Jan 26, 02-04:00pm, Bush Room, 10-105

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 23-Dec-2006
Single session event
Prereq: research or lab project

Be a Presenter!
Students can show off any project they've been working on to the entire MIT community. Course VI undergrads especially encouraged to present UROPs, UAPs, and final lab projects, but graduate students and other majors welcome. Poster presentations and in-progress projects are fine. Posterboard provided. Let lots of people see what you've accomplished. $500 in prizes, voted by faculty and student judges.

Be a Judge!
This is a great way to see what's going on at MIT, and get inspired to do a UROP or take a lab class. Vote on your favorite project.
Web: http://hkn.mit.edu/expo/
Contact: Amir Hirsch, hkn-iap@mit.edu
Cosponsor: Eta Kappa Nu

Relaxing Yoga for EECS Grad Students and Others
Hadassah Segal
Mon Jan 8, 05:15-06:30pm, 34-401

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 05-Jan-2007
Limited to 20 participants.
Single session event

Learn about yoga and get some rejuvenating exercise and stretches, just right for tense MIT grad students. Warm up and enhance your circulation, relax with some light meditation, and end up feeling centered and energized. A great way to find out if you like yoga, learn some great moves, or brush up techniques you learned long ago. No prior experience or fitness level needed. Please wear cloose, omfortable clothes. Reserve a place by emailing anneh@mit.edu. Pizza afterward.
Cosponsored by MIT ACM/IEEE Student Chapter.
Contact: Anne Hunter, anneh@mit.edu
Cosponsor: EECS Graduate Students Association

Stress-Relieving Exercise (Tai Chi, and more)
Dorri Li
Mon Jan 29, 06-07:30pm, 34-401

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 26-Jan-2007
Limited to 30 participants.
Single session event
Prereq: no prior experience required

Learn about Tai Chi, Ch'i Kung and Kung Fu. Get some rejuvenating exercise and stretches, just right for tense MIT grad students. Warm up and enhance your circulation "oiling the joints", then learn to "repulse the monkey" and "wave hands like clouds". See the graceful and ancient fan form, sword form, and "junior long fist" from Kung Fu. Cool down with some Korean Ch'i Kung. You don't need to be in good shape or believe in the Chi to enjoy these moves. Wear comfortable clothes and athletic shoes.

Pizza afterward for participants.

Preregister with anneh@mit.edu by January 26th.
Contact: Anne Hunter, anneh@mit.edu
Cosponsor: EECS Graduate Students Association

Third Annual TA Workshop -- "TAcracy" : Effective Teaching Strategies for TAs, by TAs
Demba Ba, Stephen Hou
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

Anxious about teaching for the first time? Don't worry! Please come to the 3rd annual EECS TA Workshop, which provides insight into effective strategies that would help graduate students fare well in their duty as a Teaching Assistant (TA). Focus group-style discussions will revolve around topics that are relevant to all TAs, regardless of the subject. Participation from veteran TAs will help one to benefit from the experience of TAs who've been there and done that.
Dinner is provided.
Contact: Demba Ba, demba@mit.edu
Cosponsor: EECS Graduate Students Association

Managing the TA Duty
Demba Ba, Stephen Hou
How do I do well in my classes, get research done, and at the same time do a good job TAing, all in the same term? As a head TA, how do I do my job best?
Mon Jan 29, 05:30-07:00pm, 34-401B

Helping Students Learn Best
Demba Ba, Stephen Hou
What can I do to ensure that my students learn the material? How do I write good problem-set problems? How do I balance individual work with collaboration? What are good uses of office hours? How do TAs best give their students feedback?
Tue Jan 30, 05:30-07:00pm, 34-401B

Teaching Tutorials
Demba Ba, Stephen Hou
How is recitation different from tutorial? What does it mean to run a good tutorial? How do I encourage my students to interact with me and with each other? What do I do if no one seems to know what's going on?
Wed Jan 31, 05:30-07:00pm, 34-401B

Twelfth LIDS Student Conference
Xiaomeng (Shirley) Shi, Vishal Doshi, MinJi Kim
Thu Feb 1, Fri Feb 2, 08am-05:00pm, 32-155

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS) graduate students present current research to fellow MIT students and faculty. Co-sponsored by Draper Lab.
The application for presentation abstracts is December 22nd. Please submit to lids-conference-submit@mit.edu. Students and faculty are welcome to attend. For final schedule check the website after January 15th.
Web: http://lids.mit.edu/LIDSCONF
Contact: Xiaomeng (Shirley) Shi, lids-conference@mit.edu

Using Virtualization to Explore Issues in Network Security
Arturo Fagundo MIT Alum
Tue Jan 16, Thu Jan 18, Tue Jan 23, Thu Jan 25, Tue Jan 30, 03-04:00pm, 32-155
Thu Feb 1, 03-04:00pm, 32-141

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 29-Dec-2006
Limited to 15 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: general programming experience

Server virtualization has gained widespread attention and transformed the way companies think about their IT infrastructure. This class presents basic concepts which enable server virtualization, then delves into one application area, network security. By creating an isolated network environment, machines can be probed for vulnerabilities to a variety of security threats without jeopardizing valuable machines. Infected machines can be examined at a specific point in time for diagnostic purposes. This inspection can include memory, register state and physical storage. Common security threats, along with open source tools for generating and diagnosing various types of malware. Students can then apply the lessons learned to a set of subject VMs within an isolated network environment. Pregister by 12/15 at website.
Web: http://scripts.mit.edu/~ant/vmware
Contact: iap-vms@mit.edu


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Last update: 30 September 2004