Arduino Piano
Tuesday, November 19th; 5:00 PM
Engineering Library Creative Space
Learn to create a your own mini piano!
Learn all the steps to make your own mini piano using an Arduino and circuit board. This lightweight keyboard allows you to play an octave of notes using capacitive touch, no strings or hammers required! This workshop will walk through the basic programming and ways to personalize the keyboard.
This workshop will be taught by Jeremy Roszell, Engineering Electronics Shop.
This workshop is FREE, but class size limited, so register today!! Check our website for information on our upcoming workshop – Creating Pop-up Greeting Cards!
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Kari Kozak at kari-kozak@uiowa.edu in advance of the event.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! FREE 2-Day Graduate Thesis Workshop! Presented by the Lichtenberger Engineering Library, College of Engineering, the Graduate College,
and the Hanson Center for Technical Communication! January 16th & 17th, 2020
Open to current engineering and computer science graduate students, Thesis Boot Camp is the perfect opportunity to set aside time dedicated to making progress on your dissertation or master’s thesis! Along with a comfortable, quiet working environment, writing and research support, breakfast, snacks and lunches, the workshop offers students both community and motivation in that final push towards the completion of their dissertation or thesis.
Several optional workshops are also scheduled. They include help with editing, formatting, and creating citations among others! Throughout the entire 2 days 1-on-1 support is provided by writing facilitators, liaison librarians, and members from the graduate college! All available to provide assistance when you need it.
Boot Camp targets current engineering and computer science graduate students at both the PhD and Masters level, who are currently writing their thesis / dissertation. Participants will benefit from the structured time, space, professional advising and peer support of the program.
What else do you need to know?
Both days begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. – please plan to stay for the entire 2 days.
It will be held in the Seamans Center Student Commons and in the Lichtenberger Library
It’s FREE, but is limited to 30 participants.
Breakfasts, lunches, and snacks are included! And coffee! Lots of coffee!
Registration deadline is Friday, December 20th, at 11:59 p.m.
More information and a draft of the schedule go here. The registration form is available here.
Mark your calendars and register today!!
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact (Kari Kozak, Head, Lichtenberger Engineering Library) in advance at (319-335-6046).
Creating Citations Quickly & Easily with Endnote
Tuesday, November 5th; 5:00 PM
Engineering Library Creative Space
Want to make your research and writing more efficient? Hate the last minute rush of trying to create a correctly formatted bibliography? This workshop is for you! We will introduce Endnote, a citation management tool that can help you import, organize, share, and manage your citations and documents, as well as create correctly formatted in-text citations and bibliographies in almost any style — in seconds.
This workshop will be taught by Marina Zhang, Engineering & Informatics Librarian.
It is a FREE workshop, but space is limited, so be to register today!! Visit our Learn & Create website to see what workshops are coming up! You don’t want to miss out!!
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Kari Kozak at kari-kozak@uiowa.edu in advance of the event.
Engineering students, faculty, and staff are invited to submit one image which captures the essence of their research. Entries will be judged on originality/creativity, aesthetics – appeal of the image, relationship between the image and the research, and clarity of the written description.
Our competition will have prize categories for undergraduate, graduate, faculty/staff (including the research labs/centers), and people’s choice.
There will be 4 prize categories from which winners will be selected. There will be a 1st and 2nd place awarded in each category.
Undergraduate Student
Graduate Student
Faculty/Staff/Researchers
Peoples Choice
1st Place in each category will receive a Powerbeats Pro (wireless earbuds).
2nd Place in each category will receive an Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug.
Submission form can be found here. The deadline to submit your photo is Friday, Feb. 28, 2020 at 5:00 pm (central time).
High Resolution Image with a 2:3 aspect ratio suitable for printing as a 20″ x 30″ poster
Best: 6000 pixels x 9000 pixels
Minimum: 2500 pixels x 3750 pixels
The competition website has a link to photo requirements.
100-500 word description of photograph
Here is the information which is requested on the Online Submission Form. Please note that your submission can be changed, withdrawn or adjusted up until the February 28th deadline by either using the online form or by emailing Kari Kozak.
Image Title
Date of Creation
Location of Creation
Researcher Name
HawkID
University Email Address
Research Area
College of Engineering Department or Center
Judging Division
Keywords for image
Creative Commons License Agreement to Terms
Timeline
October – Open for Submissions
Dec. 5, 2019; 3:00 pm: Q&A session
Jan. 30, 2020; 5:00 pm: Q&A session
Feb. 20, 2020; 5:00 pm: Q&A session
Feb 28th – Submissions deadline
Early March – Judging
Late March – People’s Choice (online voting)
April 2nd – Award Ceremony
The Top 25 images will be on display for a period of time in the Hancher Auditorium Lobby, and the images will be digitally preserved in the Libraries’ Iowa Research Online.
Be sure to mark the dates on your calendar! We look forward to seeing all your artistic research submissions!!
Are you ready for Halloween?? Are you looking for costume ideas? Perhaps a DIY costume that will light up your night? Need some DIY decorations and special effects, perhaps? We have the tools and resources you need to create your own unique, spook-tacular, terror-ific, Halloween celebration!!
Always dreamed of being Thor and having your own Mjolnir? Check out this video and then read up on fingerprint scanners in Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics to see how the Thor’s DIY hammer is created! Visit instructables for more superhero LED wearables!
Maybe a light saber is more your style? makezine.com has several DIY lightsabers (10 DIY Lightsabers from Padawan to Jedi Master!).
Want a classic scary pumpkin for your Halloween get-together? How about one that lights up? Electronic Projects for Dummies will help you create the perfect scary pumpkins! You’ll have 2 pumpkins – one which transmits an infrared beam and the second one lights up and plays a prerecorded message or sound. When someone walks between the two pumpkins and breaks the plane of the infrared beam, the 2nd pumpkin will light up and emit that evil laugh! The chapter, Scary Pumpkins, takes you through the process, step-by-step, complete with schematics, photos (some in color), parts list and detailed instructions!
How about a hologram of a ghoul? We have Holography Projects for the Evil Genius. It is a DIY resource which includes step-by-step instructions, helpful illustrations, a list of required, easy-to-find components (and a list of sources!). It not only helps you create – and customize – your own hologram, you’ll also master the latest tools and techniques!
Are you into ghost-hunting? We have resources that help you prove to your friends that “you ain’t ‘fraid of no ghost.” How about our LabQuest Microphone (available in our Tool Library) – check it out and see if you can capture the sound of those floorboards creaking when no one is around… Want to see who (or what) is going bump in the night? 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius has instructions for night vision camcorder! Haunted spaces are often colder than the area around them – so check out one of our 2 thermal cameras or our infrared thermometer! In fact, 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius has information and instructions on almost everything you’ll need to be a ghost hunter! (I was going to say so you could become a real-live ghost hunter, but decided I probably shouldn’t….)
Pepper’s Ghost. Library Creative Space. Pepper’s Ghost courtesy of the Engineering Electronics Shop.
Pepper’s Ghost is a special effects technique used when creating transparent and ghostly images! It was popularized in the 1800s by John Pepper, and has been used in theaters and haunted houses since then! The Pepper’s Ghost shown in the above photo was created in the Engineering Electronics Shop using the Universal laser and scrap materials. Stop by the Engineering Library and check it out! The images in our Pepper’s Ghost move and rotate through several images. While our Pepper’s Ghost uses a laptop, a computer or special equipment isn’t needed! If you are interested in a more elaborate hologram, How It’s Made : Season 1 & 2(disc 1) will explain how a hologram is created from the beginning to end. And makezine has complete instructions on how to make a spooky ghost for your party!
We’d love to see your Halloween costumes and decorations – post to our Twitter (@UIEngLib) account!
Have a spooky and safe Halloween!!
Ceceri, Kathy. 2015. Paper Inventions : Machines That Move, Drawings That Light Up, Wearables and Structures You Can Cut, Fold, and Roll. San Francisco, CA : Maker Media. Engineering Library TT870 .C54 2015
Roberts, Dustyn. 2011. Making things move : DIY mechanisms for inventors, hobbyists, and artists. New York : McGraw-Hill. Engineering Library TJ147 .R56 2011
Graham Brad, Kathy McGowan, authors. 2012. 101 spy gadgets for the evil genius. New York, NY McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics. Engineering Library TK7882.E2 G685 2012
Hey students! Are you interested in giving your idea, project, or invention a kick-start? Want to make that project a reality?
Don’t miss out! Today, Oct 25, 2019, 11:59 PM (CT) is your LAST chance to submit your idea for the
Creative Kick-Start Program!
The program is designed so engineering students (undergraduate and graduate) may request funding to pay for prototyping and/or finishing projects – using the services offered through ETC and the Library Creative Space. The Creative Kick-Start Program is a collaboration between The Engineering Library and the Engineering Technology Center (ETC).
There will be ten $500 awards!!How exciting is that!?
Since there will only be 10 awards, this is a competitive process!
Briefly, any graduate or undergraduate engineering student may apply for a Kick-Start award. You come up with an idea which can be completed in roughly 3 months, find a faculty or staff sponsor, complete an online application form, attend an in-person workshop (approximately an hour), hand in a progress report, and present your project in April!
There are a few requirements which include (but aren’t limited to) keeping receipts and a record of all expenses (a budget spreadsheet template will be be provided). A post-project survey of the Kick-Start program will also be required.
There are a few restrictions, one of which is you may not already be receiving funding for this project from any other source. There can only be one idea per submission and a student may only be the primary investigator on one Kick-Start per year. Students may be co-investigators on more than one project.
Check the Kick-Start webpage for all the information you need – and get your proposal submitted TODAY!!
The funds for this project are generously provided by the Engineering Technology Centers.
Application Review Committee is Kari Kozak (Head, Lichtenberger Engineering Library), Jeff Nock (Entrepreneur in Residence/Lecturer, John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center), and Spencer Stumpf (Inventions Manager, UI Research Foundation).
We look forward to seeing your projects and working with you to make them a reality!
Standards: Guides and Regulations for Building and Testing
Tuesday, October 29th; 5:00 PM
Engineering Library Creative Space
From medical devices to concrete in walkways, standards are part of our everyday life. This workshop will allow you to gain an introduction to standards and specifications. You will learn about standard that are both government mandated as well as voluntary.
The library provides access to over 100,000 standards including ASTM, ISO, ADA, NFPA (Fluid), and the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations.
This workshop will be taught by Kari Koazk, Head, Lichtenberger Engineering Library.
The workshop is FREE, but space is limited! Register now! Go to our website to learn about all our free Learn & Create workshops!!
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Kari Kozak at kari-kozak@uiowa.edu in advance of the event.
What would Homecoming be without the Corn Monument? The Corn Monument has been part of the Hawkeye Homecoming tradition off and on since 1913. Or 1914, depending on what you are reading! According to Irving Weber, Iowa City & University of Iowa Historian, the first homecoming was held in 1912 when the Hawkeyes played the University of Wisconsin. It has also been said that the first homecoming football game was in 1910 with the University of Illinois. Many of the resources list the first Corn Monument being constructed by a “class in hydraulics engineering” in 1914. However, according to a 1913 Daily Iowa article, Applied Sciences students, with help from B. J. Lambert, Professor of Structural Engineering, designed and built an arch that crossed the street in front of the engineering building that year. The arch said “Get Ames” and after UI won the “e” was changed to an “o” – “Got Ames!”
The Corn Monument tradition continued until the 1960s when interest waned. It came back again in 1981 and appeared sporadically until 2014. It’s been a constant since then.
Dolphin Follies, October 1939.
The University of Iowa’s Homecoming Week is full of rich traditions. The football game (did you know that Herky was named after Hercules, the God of extraordinary strength?), the parade, the court of the King and Queen are all still part of the festivities in 2019. In past years there was also a “Dolphin Water Pageant.”
This year’s Corn Monument honors the 80th anniversary of Nile Kinnick’s Heisman Trophy win. He is the only Hawkeye to win the Heisman Trophy. His jersey number was #24 and was retired – only two numbers have been retired. When you are out celebrating homecoming this week, stop by the Corn Monument located on the west side of the Old Capital Building – and stop in to our library to check out our exhibit!
Thinking about that Halloween costume? Our Learn & Create Halloween Costume Design workshop is here to help! Learn quick and easy ways to spice up your Halloween costume! Incorporate nano pixels, lights, and sound into your costume!
Jahn Kostman, Engineering Electronics Shop, will show you how!!
Halloween Costume Design
Tuesday, October 22nd; 5:00 PM
Engineering Library Creative Space
This workshop is FREE, but space is limited, be sure to register now!! Go to our website to learn about more of our Learn & Create Workshops!
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Kari Kozak at kari-kozak@uiowa.edu in advance of the event.
Hey students! Are you interested in giving your idea, project, or invention a kick-start? Want to make that project a reality?
Registration is now open for the Kick-Start program! The Engineering Library and the Engineering Technology Center (ETC), are pleased to once again present the Creative Kick-Start program! Applications will be accepted through October 25th.
The program is designed so engineering students (undergraduate and graduate) may request funding to pay for prototyping and/or finishing projects – using the services offered through ETC and the Library Creative Space,
There will be ten $500 awards!!How exciting is that!?
Five 3D printers available in the Engineering Electronics Shop (EES)
Since there will only be 10 awards, this is a competitive process! Make sure you check the Kick-Start webpage to get complete details and get your application in soon!
Briefly, any graduate or undergraduate engineering student may apply for a Kick-Start award. You come up with an idea which can be completed in roughly 3 months, find a faculty or staff sponsor, complete an online application form, attend an in-person workshop (approximately an hour), hand in a progress report, and present your project in April!
There are a few requirements which include (but aren’t limited to) keeping receipts and a record of all expenses (a budget spreadsheet template will be be provided). A post-project survey of the Kick-Start program will also be required.
You are strongly encouraged to visit the Hanson Center for Technical Communication for assistance with writing your proposal before it is submitted. We also suggest you fill out a hackaday.io page and use it to post regular, substantial updates on the status of your project. Each update should include photos – of your project, notes or sketches – and text explaining your progress. Invite a university photographer to take photos while you are working on your project (contact info will be provided later).
There are a few restrictions, one of which is you may not already be receiving funding for this project from any other source. There can only be one idea per submission and a student may only be the primary investigator on one Kick-Start per year. Students may be co-investigators on more than one project. Be sure to check the Kick-Start webpage for more information.
So what else do you need to know?
Creative Kick-Start Innovation Kit!
The idea for the project is yours, and may be a finished product or a prototype. You maintain ownership of your idea and anything you build during the project. A team may work on the project together, but one student must be designated as the primary investigator. A primary investigator may be a co-investigator on another project.
You may keep any materials you purchase for your project, but tools purchased should be turned in to the Creative Space for use by future makers. Knowing what items must be returned can be a gray area, so please direct any questions about what should be returned to lib-engineering@uiowa.edu. The $500 award may only be used in ETC for materials, tools, and labor, etc. Any unused funds will revert back to the program and will go toward helping another future maker build their idea. There also are many tools in the Tool Library which are available to check out.
You are required to have a sponsor who will review the requirements of the Kick-Start program and review your application before it is submitted. The sponsorship officially ends with the presentation in April, but the sponsor and student(s) are free to continue to work on the project if they so choose.
Remember that ‘failure’ is part of the creative process. The important thing is you learn from these failures and therefore are better prepared for future projects. You will still be required to present your project in April – your presentation can deal with what went wrong, how it could be fixed, what you would do differently, and what you learned through the process. As Elon Musk said, “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.”
Ellis mitre band saw in the Engineering Machine shop (EMS).
There are so many resources to help you complete your project! Our Creative Space is a great place to begin! Two collaboration tables, each with a quad-screen monitor will help your team work together to imagine your project. There are 4 modeling stations with the high-powered software you need. 3D cameras, a 4400 Dell computer with a video card, Leap Motion controllers and an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset and controllers can help you manipulate your project in virtual reality (check the Tool Library resources!). ETC hasthe equipment you need to take your project from virtual reality to reality! EES provides circuit board fabrication, dye sublimation printing, PC board prototypes, laser cutting and etching and 3D printing (among other things!). There are also sheet metal tools, power hand tools, computer controlled machine tools (and more!) ETC staff are happy to answer questions and provide guidance!
The funds for this project are generously provided by the Engineering Technology Centers.
Application Review Committee is Kari Kozak (Head, Lichtenberger Engineering Library), Jeff Nock (Entrepreneur in Residence/Lecturer, John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center), and Spencer Stumpf (Inventions Manager, UI Research Foundation).
“Body Betty” created by Caroline Chelsvig & Emily Leibold“Root Canal Pal” Ethan Slater, Collin Zweifel, Annie Cahill, Shao Yang Zhang, & Nina VanDerZanden
Here are two of the groups which have received Kick-Start awards! You could be an award winner, too! Get your application in before Oct. 25th and start making your vision a reality!
We look forward to seeing your projects and working with you to make them a reality!
