Upcoming Events
When:
9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 25, 2008
10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 26, 2008
Where: University of Washington, More Hall
Interested in learning more about civil and environmental engineering? Be sure to stop by our exhibits at the upcoming UW College of Engineering Open House. Experience ground-motion earthquake simulation on the shake table at our “Ride an Earthquake” exhibit, see how fast you can really run at our “Radar Gun Race” or learn how to make adobe bricks at the Engineers Without Borders tent. In total, the department will offer 16 different exhibits during the event.
The event is free and open to students of all ages from grades K-12, prospective high school and college transfer students, teachers and anyone else who is interested in learning more about engineering.
For more information, see the College of Engineering's Open House Web site at http://www.engr.washington.edu/openhouse/.
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STAR Lab Distinguished Lecture Series
Speaker: Dr. Fred Mannering
- Professor, School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University
- Editor-in-chief, Transportation Research Part B - Methodological
Lecture: Analysis of Drivers’ Offsetting Response to Vehicle Safety Features
When: Monday, May 12, 2008 12:30-1:20 p.m.
Where: More 234
Abstract: The past decade has seen incredible advancements in vehicle safety technologies. For example, front and side airbag systems, antilock braking systems, traction control, and electronic stability control have become pervasive features in a significant portion of our nation’s vehicle fleet. From a technical perspective, the expectation would be that the introduction of these features would greatly reduce the likelihood of accidents in general and injury-causing accidents in particular. But aggregate accident data do not necessarily show this. Fatalities have stayed nearly constant in recent decades. And, in 2005, the number of fatalities per mile driven increased for the first time in nearly 20 years (although the fatality rate again declined slightly in 2006).
One possible explanation for the consistently high number of fatalities and fatality rates that have not substantially declined is that drivers are using the safety features to drive more aggressively – thus offsetting safety impacts of these features. The offset hypothesis predicts that individuals will adapt to innovations that improve safety by becoming less vigilant about safety. Previous tests of this hypothesis to highway safety have used aggregated data which limit predictability because such data cannot account for self-selectivity (the tendency of high-risk or low-risk drivers being more or less likely to own a vehicle with enhanced safety features). Our research tests the offset hypothesis by using disaggregate data to analyze the effect of airbags and antilock brakes have on automobile safety. Using a simultaneous discrete modeling approach, we statistically model the probability of individuals having an injury-producing accident, and owning a vehicle with airbags and/or antilock brakes. We find that airbags and antilock brakes have no statistically significant effect on the likelihood of an accident or its injury severity, suggesting that drivers are trading off enhanced safety for speedier trips.
Bio: Fred Mannering is currently a Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue University with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Economics. He previously was Head of the School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University; Assistant, Associate and Full Professor and Department Chair during 14-year tenure at the University of Washington (1987-2001); and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Pennsylvania State University (1983-1986). He received his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1983. Dr. Mannering’s expertise is in the application of statistical and econometric methods to engineering problems, transportation safety analysis, transportation economics, automobile demand and travel behavior. He has taught various undergraduate transportation engineering courses as well as graduate courses in statistical and econometric methods.
Dr. Mannering’s Web site is http://cobweb.ecn.purdue.edu/~flm/. The paper covered in his talk can be downloaded here.
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2008 Daniel L. and Irma Evans Lecture
Speaker: Dr. Timothy L. Killeen
- Director, National Center for Atmospheric Research
- President, American Geophysical Union
Lecture: “Climate and Weather Modeling 2008: From a Global to a Regional Perspective”
When: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 – 7:30 p.m.
Where: HUB East Ballroom
The ability of the scientific community to model climate and weather system dynamics has markedly improved over the past decade, with major increases in available computer power, coupled with systematic improvements in the sophistication of the mathematical treatment of the interacting components of the earth system. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group I report, published in 2007, provided a comprehensive assessment of the peer reviewed literature for climate change and summarized the results from more than 15 modeling centers worldwide. One of these centers is the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, USA. The IPCC assessment stated that warming of the climate system is "unequivocal." The models predict further systematic and significant warming of the planet over the coming decades. The next generation of climate system models will have greater spatial resolution and can be tailored to address decision-making needs at the regional level and for specific economic sectors. In the area of weather modeling, new cloud-resolving techniques are making possible new levels of predictability for severe weather. NCAR is working towards a comprehensive “Earth System modeling” approach which will combine attributes of both the weather and climate modeling systems. This talk will summarize recent developments in climate and weather system modeling at the regional level, with special emphasis on results from the Community Climate System Model (CCSM) and the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. The CCSM was one of the models used within the IPCC assessment and has been developed under the long-term sponsorship from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.
The lecture is free and open to members of the university community. A reception will be held following the lecture in the HUB East Ballroom with refreshments and music.
For more information, contact: Autumn Monahan at monahana@u.washington.edu or (206) 616-1891.______________________________________________________________
The 2008 Henry Roy Berg Lecture
Speaker: Professor Robert D. Holtz, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington
Geosynthetics: The First New Civil Engineering Material in more than 100 Years!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008 - 3:30 pm
220 Guggenheim Hall
The lecture is free and open to members of the university community. A reception will be held immediately after the lecture in 132 More Hall with refreshments.
For a relatively new material, geosynthetics have had an enormous positive impact on many aspects of modern civil engineering practice. Applications in construction, environmental, geotechnical, hydraulics, and transportation engineering have led to improved system performance and significant cost savings. The talk begins with a brief introduction to geosynthetics that includes their types, composition, functions, and a suggested approach to design. Then a few specific applications will be described, and some of our research contributions to these applications will be mentioned.
Bob Holtz, Ph.D., P.E., is Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. He previously was on the faculty at Purdue University for 15 years, and California State University, Sacramento, for 1.5 years. He has worked for the California Dept. of Water Resources, Swedish Geotechnical Institute, NRC-Canada, and as a consulting engineer in Chicago, France, and Italy. His research has been sponsored by NSF, FHWA, U.S. Air Force, Indiana Dept. of Highways, Washington State Dept. of Transportation, and several geotextile and soil reinforcement manufacturers, and contractors and professional associations. He is author, co-author, or editor of 22 books and book chapters, and author or co-author of more than 260 technical papers, discussions, reviews, and major reports.
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17th Annual Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Conference Imagine, Invent, Innovate
Saturday, February 2, 2008
8am -5pm
University of Washington, Student Union Building (HUB)
The 2008 Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Conference is designed
to appeal to high school, community college, and undergraduate and
graduate university students. The conference arena focuses on
empowering women in engineering, science, and technology fields to
discover new opportunities, identify personal strengths, and to increase
overall their confidence to embark on new academic and professional
ventures. The annual conference is well-attended by high school,
college students, professionals, and educators from around the region.
Students will have the opportunity to network with both industry and
academia professionals.
Conference workshop sessions will include such topics as:
*Exploring Pathways of Engineering and Science
*Enhancing your personal development
*Identifying and developing your leadership potential
*Keeping Balance in a Student Life
This is a worthwhile, extremely affordable conference, not to be
missed. For a small registration fee of *$15.00* per student, students
will receive a continental breakfast, catered lunch, key note speakers,
attend workshop sessions, and have the opportunity to network and learn
from industry and academic professionals.
***Register Today - Limited Seating Available!!***
Registration is available now via our WISE website:
http://www.engr.washington.edu/wise/conference.html.
For more information, contact Women in Science and Engineering at
uwwise@u.washington.edu <mailto: uwwise@u.washington.edu> or call
206-543-1770.
College of Engineering
Office of Academic Affairs
Engineering Advising and Diversity Center (E-Center)
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February 8, 2008
2pm - 5pm
Mary Gates Hall Commons
The second annual CEE Employer Fair offers an opportunity for employers civil and environmental engineering students and recent graduates to connect. Approximately 50 companies are expected to attend. All CEE students, alumni, and interested pre-engineering students are invited to attend. View the list of attending organizations online or download PDF.
Benefits to students include the opportunity to meet with representatives from a range of public and private organizations covering various areas within the field. Employers are seeking to hire students and recent graduates (at all degree levels) for career and internship positions. Bring plenty of resumes. Recommended attire is business casual.
Benefits to employers include the ability to meet specifically with civil & environmental engineering students. Several hundred students are expected to attend. Set up begins about half hour before event. Provided for participants:
- One table (approximately 3'x5' or 6'x2.5') with 2 chairs. Tablecloth/skirting not included.
- Onsite interview rooms by request. (Interview rooms are complimentary, but rooms are limited.)
- Free wireless internet.
- Parking validation for on-campus parking for one vehicle per organization, provided at the fair (for full reimbursement for parking fee). Carpooling is encouraged.
- Light refreshments in adjacent hospitality room.
If you have questions or require disability accommodations, please contact ceadvice@u.washington.edu or 206-543-5092.
To download event flyer, click here.
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UW Water Center Annual Review of Research and Water Career Fair
February 14, 2008
8 am - 5 pm
UW HUB West Ballroom, University of Washington, Seattle campus
Come hear the latest UW research on critical water-related topics from
UW faculty and graduate students:
. urban stormwater
. salmon and salmon habitat
. tribal water rights
. droughts and water shortages
. climate impacts
. sustainable water management
. water and health
No registration required. Free and open to the public.
Complete program
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Information regarding department career presentations :
http://www.ce.washington.edu/resources/students/jobs/joblist.html
Information regarding the College of Engineering can be found on the web at: www.engr.washington.edu/dass
Events calendar on the web at: http://www.engr.washington.edu/dass/calendarevents.html