IAP Independent Activities Period
overview participate organize offerings calendar  
for-credit subjects non-credit activities by category non-credit activities by sponsor non-credit activities by date

IAP 2012 Activities by Sponsor

Mechanical Engineering

"Horses and Thunder" – Meeting the Energy Needs and Oil Exploration and Production in the Deepwaters
Professor Ahmed F. Ghoniem
Thu Jan 26, 09am-04:00pm, 3-370

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

How will we meet our growing energy needs in the future, especially for transportation, which is heavily dependent on oil? More and more oil is discovered and produced offshore, in deeper and deeper water. How do we know where to drill and how do you actually drill for oil? What are some of the enormous engineering challenges in working at 5000’ of water and below? How do we produce it efficiently, bring it to shore safely, and then go beyond? What are some of the recent developments in science and engineering that will take us further?

This short course will focus on gaining a better understanding of exploring, drilling, and producing oil and gas in the deepwaters, including:

Energy needs & role of offshore oil
Exploration - the idea phase
Drilling - the discovery & development phase
Production - the extraction phase
Transportation - getting it to market
Recent science & engineering developments

We will look at Thunder Horse field in the Gulf of Mexico. Starting with 1999, this field has contributed > 5% of the oil produced within the US. Since then, oil has been discovered further out and effort is underway to produce from these fields.
Contact: Professor Ahmed F. Ghoniem, ghoniem@MIT.EDU
Cosponsor: Chemical Engineering

ASME Energy Relay Design Contest
Debashish "Jay" Sircar
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 09-Dec-2011
Limited to 20 participants.
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers holds a yearly design competition for students to apply their knowledge of engineering principles to solve design challenges. This year's competition is the "Energy Rally." Each team is required to design and manufacture 4 devices that use different forms of energy, and work sequentially in order to complete a race. MIT ASME will assist in designing and offer assistance in manufacturing. Throughout IAP teams (of 4) will meet independently, with occasional group meetings and consultations with experienced faculty/staff/ and students. Successful teams will have the chance to attend the Student Professional Development Conference (SDPC) at Yale University in April, in order to compete in the competition. Regional Winners attend the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition free of charge in April, in Texas. Students of all disciplines are invited to participate.

Please contact ASMEDsgnCmp@MIT.EDU for more information.
Contact: ASME Design Competition Organizers, ASMEDsgnCmp@MIT.EDU

Session 1
Debashish "Jay" Sircar
Thu Jan 12, 05-07:00pm, 1-150

Session 2
Debashish "Jay" Sircar
Thu Jan 19, 05-07:00pm, 1-150

Session 3
Debashish "Jay" Sircar
Thu Jan 26, 05-07:00pm, 1-150

Session 4
Debashish "Jay" Sircar
Thu Feb 2, 05-07:00pm, 4-145

Capturing Interesting Images: The Craft and the Art of Photography
Dr. Jay Connor
Tue Jan 17, 24, 03-05:00pm, 2-105

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

Dr. Jay Connor takes stunning photographs of the Boston area and of events that happen here, including the Head of the Charles, Boston Marathon, politicians’ visits, and the Fourth of July Celebration. He has photographed well known people including Tom Brady, David Patraeus, Richard Gere, Scott Brown, Tiger Woods, Halle Berry, the Obama family, the Dalai Lama, and a host of others. His photographs regularly appear in the Boston Globe.

The first session is a seminar covering best practices for taking professional quality photographs, including light conditions, camera settings, composition, and, probably most important, being in the right place at the right time. The 45 minute seminar will be followed by a workshop during which participants will set up and take photographs with Dr. Connor’s guidance.

Between sessions, participants will be practicing what they learned.

Photographs taken should be Emailed to jayconnorphotography@gmail.com by Monday afternoon.

During the second session, in discussion format, Dr. Connor will critique the photographs taken by the session participants and some photographs of his own.
Contact: Chevalley Duhart, cduhart@mit.edu

Clock Design Workshop
Elina Hu
Tue-Fri, Jan 11-13, 17-20, 01-04:00pm, 3-442 & Hobby Shop

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 23-Dec-2011
Limited to 8 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Preference to Freshmen and Sophomores
Fee: 30.00 for material fee

You + Waterjet + Stone = Cool Clock Face!
Waterjet a clock face from stone! A hands-on workshop during IAP.


Course is centered around the creation of an artistic marble and granite clock face with the aid of a water jet. Students will design and build the entire clock face themselves. They will learn how to use the water jet in this process. Class focuses on generating art using powerful engineering tools. Students will develop competence as designers, taking into account material properties, machine tolerances, budget and time constraints during the design and build of their clock faces.

Dates: Tuesday 1/17 - Friday 1/20, and Monday 1/23
Time: 1-4pm
Location: 1-150 and MIT Hobby Shop

$30 material fee associated with class. Enrollment is limited to 8 students with preference to freshmen and sophomores. Please email ehu@mit.edu if interested!
Contact: Elina Hu, ehu@mit.edu

Computational Tools for Engineers in Research and Practice: Tutorials and Seminars
Professor Alexander Mitsos
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

In this series tutorials and hand-on training will be given for a variety of computational tools. The focus is on solving engineering problems that arise in research & development and industrial practice. Professional representatives from the companies that develop and license the tools will give seminars and/or hands-on training. No advance registration is required unless noted. Participation in any or all sessions is possible. See list of individual sessions.

If you would like to see a tool added to the list, please contact the organizer.
Contact: Alexander Mitsos, mitsos@mit.edu

Mathematica
Kelvin Mischo Wolfram
The seminar on Mathematica 8 will show how to create documents or slide show presentations with text/calculations, a wide variety of calculations relevant to engineering, and how Mathematica and WolframAlpha.com technology work together in Mathematica 8.


1-3pm lecture, 3-5pm: Q&A and hands-on session.




The content is suitable for students, faculty, and staff with any level of Mathematica knowledge.
Tue Jan 17, 01-05:00pm, 4-149

Introduction to EES (Engineering Equation Solver)
Prof Greg Nellis
Intro to basic features of EES, including entering and solving
equations, parametric tables, basic plotting, units, arrays, and lookup
tables. Discussion of curve fitting, interpolation, functions and
procedures. The thermodynamic and transport property data built into EES
will be presented. Discussion of strategies for debugging EES programs
and ensuring convergence.


Wed Jan 18, 08:30-11:30am, 3-442

Advanced EES (Engineering Equation Solver)
Prof Greg Nellis
EES’ internal capabilities for single- and multi-dimensional
optimization, numerical integration, and uncertainty propagation will be
discussed. Advanced plotting options and use of the built-in application
libraries including the extensive heat transfer library will be
introduced. Additional features of EES will be discussed according to
participant interest.



Wed Jan 18, 12:30-03:30pm, 3-442

Adina
Lay Tan
This presentation will provide a brief overview of the finite element method as used in ADINA (http://www.adina.com), focusing on reliable and effective procedures, and give various examples of applications. Participants will have the opportunity to perform a structural analysis using ADINA. Thereafter, a fluid structure interaction analysis using ADINA will be demonstrated.
Thu Jan 19, 09am-12:00pm, 3-442

COMSOL Multiphysics
Srikanth Vaidianathan
For more information, see www.comsol.com.
Thu Jan 19, 01-04:00pm, 3-442

Mathworks (including Matlab)
Lauren Tabolinsky
The MathWorks Sessions, Instructor: Jim Cain
http://student.mit.edu/searchiap/iap-a188.html



Organized by EECS, limited enrollment, registration required.

Mon Jan 23 thru Fri Jan 27, 10am-03:30pm, See EECS schedule

Ansys (including Fluent)
Sutikno Wirogo
4 hours seminar followed by hands-on demo
Tue Jan 24, 08am-04:00pm, 35-122

Abaqus and Isight
Charles Wilcox
Dassault Systemes - SIMULIA



Techniques in Realistic Simulation followed by an Interactive Abaqus Training Session with workshop examples. Bring your laptop.



Contact Charlie Wilcox at Charles.Wilcox@3ds.com to register and to obtain a copy of the Abaqus Student Edition in advance of the class. Space is limited.
Wed Jan 25, 09am-05:00pm, 3-370

Design for Manufacturing
Joe Petrzelka
Mon Jan 16 thru Fri Jan 20, 01-02:30pm, 1-375

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

"Design for Manufacturing" is a weeklong course that discusses the link between machine design and selection of manufacturing processes, with a focus on technologies available to MIT students. The course will examine strengths, limitations, and dimensional capabilities of processing techniques like machining, 2D processes (laser / waterjet), and 3d printing. The link between design and manufacturing will be discussed in terms of design manufacturability and the ability of a particular manufacturing process to meet component form, fit, and function. Best practices for engineering drawings will be presented so that design intent can be effectively communicated to machine shops. Advance registration is preferred; no enrollment limit.
Contact: Joe Petrzelka, jepetrz@mit.edu

Effective Speaking
Barbara Smith
Tue Jan 10, Thu Jan 12, Tue Jan 17, Thu Jan 19, 03-05:00pm, 1-390, MUST ATTEND ALL 4 CLASSES

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 09-Jan-2012
Limited to 50 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: None Required

Have you always wondered why some people seem at ease with public speaking? Have others told you to speak up because you speak too softly, or perhaps you are self-conscious because of your accent? Well, this class is for you! You will learn the proper techniques for projecting your voice and delivering a talk. (Prerequisite - must be an MIT Student, Faculty, Staff or Affiliate to attend class.)
Contact: Barbara Smith, 5-320, x3-0137, bsmith@mit.edu

From Innovation To Commercially-Viable Products
Afarin Bellisario, Warren Seering
No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

This course, consist of 3 independent 2 hour sessions, and will focus on the journey from an innovative concept (or proof of concept) to a commercially viable product. Each session covers an independent part of the process (see session descriptions below).

All sessions will use real examples from real world products. In addition to George, we may have other mystery guests. Throughout the course we will discuss building of a financial model to determine the viability and test a variety of scenarios.

Throughout the course we will discuss building a financial model to determine viability, and test a variety of scenarios.

Please email the contact person to register.
Contact: Afarin Bellisario, (617) 899-2519, abellisario@alum.mit.edu

Session 1: Target applications and markets
Afarin Bellisario, Warren Seering
Session one is focused of identifying and selecting a target application/market. This session covers concept of commercial viability, and the process of identifying opportunities, the value proposition, pricing, ,and timing.
Tue Jan 17, 10am-12:00pm, 2-147

Session 2: Commercialization Strategy
Afarin Bellisario, Warren Seering
Session 2: covers commercialization strategy. In addition to various strategies to commercialize technology, the subjects covered include: IP protection and formation of corporations, George Xixis, a patent attorney with Nutter, Mc Clennen and Fish, and MIT class of ’87 will be our guest speaker for part of this session.
Tue Jan 24, 10am-12:00pm, 2-147

Session 3: Markets and eco systems
Afarin Bellisario, Warren Seering
Session 3: Is focused on understanding of the markets and eco systems, including target customers, channels, supply chain, as well as market sizing, competition and the role of partnerships and start up revenue and business models. The financial aspects of product and business are also discussed
Tue Jan 31, 10am-12:00pm, 2-147

Head of the Zesiger
Jody Mello, Franz Hover, Ari Epstein, Wesley Harris
Sun Jan 29, 02-05:00pm, Zesiger 50M pool

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 25-Jan-2012
Single session event
Prereq: Go to mitrecsports.com for all event rules.
Fee: 15.00 for entry and materials

MIT's annual cardboard boat regatta race! Sign up in groups of three and start building your boats to race at our Zesiger Center Pool on January 29th. Winners will receive a cash prize! See all details for the event at mitrecsports.com
Web: http://mitrecsports.com
Contact: Jody Mello, w35-164, x2-2284, jmello@mit.edu
Cosponsor: Athletics, Physical Education & Recreation (DAPER)

How to Spot a Good Deal at a Yard Sale or an Antique Store
Lanny Gregg Antiques Dealer, Maggie Sullivan
Sun Jan 15, 03-05:00pm, 5-134

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 50 participants.
Single session event
Fee: 10.00 for class fee

Lanny Gregg has been a professional Antiques Dealer for over 30 years.

He will show you how to spot a good deal. Each student can bring in one item to class for Lanny to look at so they can talk about their find. Lanny will bring a group of his own items to show & tell you about the special markings, etc. on each piece.

A handout with a list of antique books, webpage links, etc. will be provided.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED (Please email calcustom3@aol.com to register). $10.00 CLASS FEE IS DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS - CASH ONLY PLEASE.
Contact: Lanny Gregg, calcustom3@aol.com

In-Depth Investigation of Chemical Safety Incident at Texas Tech
Daniel Herrick
Thu Jan 19, 02-03:00pm, 3-133

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) recently completed its first-ever in-depth investigation of an incident at an academic institution. The incident occurred at Texas Tech University but is one of several important incidents, including fatalities at UCLA and Yale, which are focusing more attention on Environmental Health and Safety in academic research labs.

Come watch the CSB’s video regarding their investigation, then discuss laboratory safety at MIT in light of the CSB’s recommendations for enhancing safety performance in academic laboratories.
Contact: Daniel Herrick, herrickd@mit.edu

Introduction to Wind Energy
Alex Kalmikov
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

Co-sponsor: MIT Wind Energy Projects in Action (WEPA)
Web: http://web.mit.edu/wepa/wepa.html
Contact: Alex Kalmikov, kalex@mit.edu
Cosponsor: MIT Energy Initiative

Wind Energy 101 - An introduction to wind power technology
Alex Kalmikov
In recent years, wind energy has evolved from an emerging energy alternative into a global, rapidly maturing industry competitive with conventional energy sources. Come to learn about the technology that enabled this transition, allowing clean, emissions-free harvesting of the renewable wind resource.
Thu Jan 19, 11am-12:00pm, 3-133

Wind Energy 102 - An introduction to wind physics and resource assessment
Alex Kalmikov
Although usually invisible to the naked eye, wind carries enormous amounts of energy. Come to learn about the sources and forces of this energy and basic quantitative approaches to its assessment.

Alex Kalmikov is a PhD candidate in Mechanical and Ocean Engineering at the MIT-WHOI Joint Program. He is the co-chair of the MIT Wind Energy Club and leads the WEPA student team.
Fri Jan 20, 11am-12:00pm, 3-133

Invention
Emanuel Sachs
Tue Jan 10, Thu Jan 12, Tue Jan 17, Thu Jan 19, 10:30am-12:00pm, 1-150

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 30 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

Invention – we hear a lot about it. Some may even venerate it. But how’s it done? Can you learn to do it? Are their methodologies? Is it a state of mind? Do inventions just come to you? Can you sit down and decide to invent, as if on cue? What can we learn from examples of inventions and inventors? What do psychologists say about invention?

Look around for a societal need and bring it along to a series of four classes.

Please email the contact person in order to register.
Contact: Emanuel Sachs, Sachs@1366tech.com

Leveraging the Internet and Social Media for Marketing
Keith Griffis SimpleMediaMarketing.com, Maggie Sullivan
Wed Jan 11, 18, 25, Feb 1, 07:30-09:00pm, 3-370

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

Social Media, Mobile Technology, and the web have changed how we interact, consume content, and interact with companies. How can businesses, startups or individuals leverage these new technologies and their effect on consumers to drive business goals? In this series we will examine how to create Epic Content, use social media channels, and mobile technology to drive customer action and build your brand.
Contact: Maggie Sullivan, sullmag@mit.edu

Love and Humor in Ancient India
Shekhar Shastri Director of Meru Education Foundation, Sanjay Sarma
Tue Jan 10, Thu Jan 12, Tue Jan 17, Thu Jan 19, Tue Jan 24, 07-09:00pm, 4-145

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 10-Jan-2012
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

Romantic poetry was considered the supreme form of aesthetics in ancient Indian literature. Strikingly uninhibited in their content and intensity, the works of poets such as Bhartrhari, Kalidasa, and Jayadeva are unparalleled in their sublime expression of love which provide deep insight into ancient Indian society, culture, and relationships in general. In addition, a brief background in Indian aesthetics would be provided to help in understanding the literary works and the sensibilities of the era under study; paintings inspired from the above-mentioned love poetry would be shown and discussed

Students would be encouraged to create original works on their own deriving inspiration from the works studied in the class.

Instructor
Shekhar Shastri is an entrepreneur, poet, and filmmaker and is a Director of Meru Education Foundation, which produces educational programs on the arts and culture of India. He writes poetry and plays in Sanskrit, Hindi, and English. He has produced four films, one of which was nominated for a National award in India.

Please email shastri@shastri.net to register.
Contact: Shekhar Shastri, shastri@shastri.net

Musical Mechanical Engineers
Barbara Hughey
Fri Feb 3, 02-04:00pm, Killian Hall

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 16-Dec-2011
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

Participate in the second annual IAP Course 2 concert! Anyone affiliated with the Mechanical Engineering department is invited to perform in a concert to be held in Killian Hall on Friday, Feb 3, 2012 at 2 PM. The hall will be available in the morning for run-throughs, and the concert will be in the afternoon. You will need to form your own group from the list of musicians who have signed up. Information is posted on the Wiki (link below).

Late signups OK, see contact info below.
Web: https://wikis.mit.edu/confluence/display/2IAPCONCERT/Home
Contact: Barbara Hughey, bhughey@mit.edu

The History and Physics of Nuclear Weapons
Kosta Michael Tsipis
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

Four lectures on the history and physics of nuclear weapons:

Lecture 1
The history and Physics of the genesis of nuclear weapons.

Lecture 2
The physics of a nuclear weapon.

Lecture 3
The effects of a nuclear detonation.

Lecture 4
Nuclear proliferation and the NPT (nuclear proliferation treaty).
Contact: Kosta Michael Tsipis, tsipis@mit.edu

The History and Physics of the Genesis of Nuclear Weapons
Kosta Michael Tsipis
The history and Physics of the genesis of nuclear weapons: Bequerel, Marie Curie, Rutherford, Bohr, Szilard, Hahn-Strassman, Szilard Fermi at Columbia, Szilard-Teller visit to Einstein, VanBush, Leslie Groves, Oppenheimer, Los Alamos. The Physics: Missing mass and binding energy of nucleons in a nucleus, chain reaction in U235 + neutron
Mon Jan 23, 01-02:00pm, 4-231

The Physics of a Nuclear Weapon
Kosta Michael Tsipis
The physics of a nuclear weapon: critical mass; the engineering of a Uranium bomb, of a Plutonium bomb. The Hydrogen bomb.
Wed Jan 25, 01-02:00pm, 4-231

The Effects of a Nuclear Detonation
Kosta Michael Tsipis
The Effects of a nuclear detonation: Thermal effects, Blast overpressure and dynamic pressure, Prompt ionizing radiation, Radioactive fallout, Ozone Depletion, The Electromagnetic Pulse.
Mon Jan 30, 01-02:00pm, 4-231

Nuclear Proliferation and the NPT (Nuclear Proliferation Treaty)
Kosta Michael Tsipis
Parastatal entities can acquire a nuclear explosive three ways: Steal one (Russia, Pakistan), buy one (Pakistan, North Korea) or make a crude one from purloined U or Plutonium. Proliferation and national States: Enrichment of U235 as the nexus between nuclear power and nuclear weapons (India, Pakistan, South Africa, Iran, N.Korea). Signatories and non signatories of the NPT.
Wed Feb 1, 01-02:00pm, 4-231


MIT  
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Home | Overview | Participate | Organize | Offerings | Calendar | Search
Comments and questions to: iap-www@mit.edu Academic Resource Center, Room 7-104, 617-253-1668
Last update: 7 Sept. 2011