UTSA dazzles budding scientists, engineers at Austin science-engineering fair
(Nov. 5, 2010)--UTSA was out in full force at the Austin Convention Center Oct. 23-24 for the Austin Science and Engineering Festival, a regional celebration to entice young minds into considering careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The festival, which was free and open to the public, was organized by the Society of Mexican American Engineering and Scientists (MAES) and hosted in conjunction with the first U.S.A. Science and Engineering Festival.
The Center for Simulation, Visualization and Real-time Prediction (SiViRT) in the UTSA College of Engineering offered fairgoers a chance to interact with haptic devices to demonstrate principles in real-time control for computer-generated models. Haptic devices use computer technology to mimic the sense of touch with three-dimensional computer models in cyber space.
Students interacting with UTSA's haptic devices make surgical "cuts" on three-dimensional computer-generated livers, kidneys and other organs. During the emulated surgical process, they could feel the texture of the tissue and the force and resistance caused by the simulated puncture. Additionally, the SiViRT presented a three-dimensional cancer model using a three-dimensional projector, allowing festivalgoers to "see" and "feel" inside a cancer cell.
The UTSA Interactive Technology Experience Center (iTEC) display included many sizes and shapes of robots, three-dimensional models, the UTSA blimp, a nine-foot-square playing field featuring five robots and video footage of UTSA's summer robotics camps and competitions.
Funded in 2007 by the AT&T Foundation, iTEC is a four-year project in the UTSA College of Engineering to inspire youth by creating an environment in which they can understand how engineering, science and technology shape lives and the future of the world. The center's areas of thrust include robotics, telecommunications, scanning electron microscope applications and manufacturing design.
Approximately 22,000 people attended the Austin Science and Engineering Festival, which featured more than 100 interactive displays.
Events
Are you interested in learning more about incorporating digital methods into your research? This workshop will introduce you to approaches and tools that can help support your research. Through hands-on activities, you will learn about text analysis and digital mapping and how these methods can enrich your projects.
Group Spot B, 2.01.22, John Peace LibraryLearn to use the simple but powerful features of EndNote®, a citation management tool. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn to setup an EndNote library, save references and PDFs, and automatically create and edit a bibliography.
Virtual EventAproduction of the Gudalupe Cultural Arts Center, Rio Bravo showcases the vibrant music and dance traditions of the Texas-Mexico border region. Featuring the Guadalupe Dance Company and Mariachi Azteca de América, the performances will be filmed live both nights, courtesy of UTSA's College of Liberal and Fine Arts.
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AlamodomePubMed is an essential database for anyone conducting biomedical or health-related research. This workshop will teach attendees how to navigate this free resource effectively and locate peer-reviewed articles using basic & advanced search features, MeSH subject headings, and Boolean operators.
Virtual EventIn this workshop, we will review the basic concept of metadata and how it can influence digital projects, particularly those that include images like exhibits and mapping. Through the lens of preserving cultural heritage, you will learn about some of the more popular types of metadata schema and participate in a hands-on Dublin Core cataloging exercise.
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UTSA Recital Hall