Lunar Festival offers fun culture
It is now the year of the rabbit. Mines celebrated the Lunar New Year with a festival put on by Professional Asian Society of Engineers and Scientists (PASES).
Daily Archives: February 13, 2011
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Yes we Catan!
The Settlers of Catan is a magical game that is beyond deceptive; while it only takes a few turns to learn the rules, it can take more than a lifetime to master the aspects of the game. First off, the game is ruthless. Unlike some other games which have controlled or no trading, anything goes in this game, which can lead to some powerful treachery that has not been seen since the days of Julius Caesar and Brutus.
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Dinner and dialogue helps students connect to alumni
A group of 14 student-members of the CSM alumni association joined some alumni association staff members at the Coolbaugh House on January 27 for the first of a new series called Dinner and Dialogue. The monthly, 4-part, series brings students together with alumni and others connected with the school to share a light supper and meaningful discussion. The series kicked off with Seth Terry MS ’95, PhD ’02 as the special guest. Having founded Oberon FMR after graduating in 2002, Terry spoke of the challenges and rewards of being an entrepreneur, and the intriguing technology he’s helped develop.
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Evaluation of varying concentrations in metal matrix composites
Last Wednesday, students and faculty members meet in Hill Hall for a seminar hosted by a former student. Jacob Neuchterlein graduated from Mines last year and is currently working on his doctorate. His lecture, titled “Metal Matrix Composites developed through Self Propagating High Temperature Synthesis,” explained the process and need for condensing the size of particles “without changing the density of the product that much.”
Uncovering a research goldmine in the Bushveld’s past
Despite entire lifetimes of research, there are still countless mysteries in the realms of economic geology. Given that mineral resources are highly important to the continued survival of the world economy, it is beyond necessary to understand the processes behind the various ore deposits that dot the globe. One such intrinsically valuable mystery is that of the Bushveld complex and its surrounding deposits in South Africa. For years, geoscientists have feuded over the natures of these bountiful resource sources. “You ask [the deposit] if it is hydrothermal or magmatic,” joked this past week’s distinguished Van Tuyl lecturer, Dr. Steve Kesler from the University of Michigan, “it doesn’t answer.” Kesler has spent many years working passionately on the puzzle of the nature of the deposits surrounding the Bushveld Complex.
Computational mathematics find use in subsurface modeling
The need to understand how particles and molecules of various reactants behave on the molecular level has driven Guang Lin, a computational mathematics doctoral student at Brown University and research scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to develop models of these reactions. Geomechanical modeling is critical in petroleum engineering because so many of the aspects of extracting and transporting crude oil and gas involve controlling continuous reactions between the oil and the various trace biochemicals present in pipelines and storage tanks.
Etiquette for the real World
When one has to go to the bathroom during a business dinner, what should he or she do with his or her napkin? They should place it on their chair, shared Jennifer Bufalini, Shell recruiter, among many other guidelines at the informational lunch provided by Shell and the CSM Career Center. Bufalini’s talk discussed business etiquette in dress, general behavior, and dining.
Examining viruses for the common good
Nowadays, humankind is able to use anything that is hurtful and make it into something that is helpful. Dan R. Sullivan is one person who is trying to take something harmful, viruses, and make them helpful. Last Wednesday, he gave a seminar on his project titled, “Modeling the Self- and Directed Assembly of Viruses on Synthesis.”
Scientific discoveries this week: 2-14-11
Wyoming, USA – Something is happening in the caldera under Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Researchers have been monitoring the expansion of the caldera for many years, and have found that in the last several years some spots in the caldera have risen much more than others. In 2004, some areas rose at a rate of roughly 2.8 inches per year. The volcano under Yellowstone is the largest of its kind on this continent, and while unlikely, an eruption would literally bury half of the United States.