EGames Composite Parachute

You never know when knowing how to make a composite material will come in handy. One of the Jacobs School teams at EGames 2011 made a tomato-protecting composite-material parachute from blue tape and newspaper.  But this is probably not all that surprising, since there is a structural engineering class focused on composite materials where students make skateboards. (Check out the YouTube video: composite material skateboards.)

Photos of composite material parachutes for tomatoes are below.

Mutations found in ordinary human cells reprogrammed as induced pluripotent stem cells

Human induced pluripotent stem cells. Image credit: Courtesy of James Thomson.

(L-R) Bioengineering professor Kun Zhang, bioengineering Ph.D. student Athurva Gore, and bioengineering alumna and staff researcher Alice Li are authors on the Nature paper. Photo taken in the Kun lab in the Department of Bioengineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.

A new study, published in the March 3 issue of journal Nature and led by scientists at the University of California, San Diego in collaboration with other leading stem cell research groups, finds that the genetic material of reprogrammed cells may in fact be compromised, and suggests that extensive genetic screening of hiPSCs become standard practice before these stem cells are used clinically.

Read more on the Jacobs School news site.

UCSD@50 Video

The latest installment of the UCSD@50 video series includes a bit about the Jacobs School alums (the Antonorsi brothers) who founded Chuao Chocolatier.

EGames is an Engineers Week Highlight

The giant balloon looming over Warren Mall on the UC San Diego campus means just one thing this time of year: EGames.



This year, the wacky engineering competition's crowning event, the "tomato death drop" included water balloons. Students had to build contraptions from everyday objects linke paper plates, tape and newspaper that protected the tomatoes and water balloons and prevented them from getting destroyed when the contraption hit the ground after the fall from the helium balloon high above Warren Mall.

EGames is part of Engineers Week, and is organized by TESC, the Triton Engineering Student Council.

Below are a few photo highlights from the tomato drop. More photos are on the Jacobs School Flickr stream. Also, check out the EGames coverage from NBC.

This Week at UCSD: IDEaS: Innovation Day Expo and Symposia

 IDEaS: Innovation Day Expo and Symposia

Engage and network with leading innovators.  IDEaS features a week of free high-profile events for the campus and community highlighting the exciting innovation emerging from UC San Diego. The Innovation Symposia takes place February 22-24; on February 25, UC San Diego will host an engaging expo featuring live demonstrations, hands-on exhibits and face-to-face interaction with the innovators themselves.

INNOVATION SYMPOSIA                                                             
IDEaS will feature a dynamic series of evening talks that will be presented by innovators from our UC San Diego community. From Tuesday, February 22 through Thursday, February 24, the Innovation Symposia will host lectures featuring a panel of star-studded Nobel laureates, medical innovators and noted alumnus Maurizio Seracini. In addition, three day-time programs will focus on cultural innovation and social justice. All are free and open to the campus and community members, and will be presented in an open and lively discussion forum.

WHERE:  UC San Diego Price Center West Ballroom                    

WHEN:    February 22-24, 2011

INNOVATION DAY EXPO

Meet face-to-face with some of the world’s most prominent leaders, scientists and researchers, including keynote speaker, renowned artist, filmmaker and alumnus Kip Fulbeck’88, MFA ’92. Free snacks provided. To attend, register at boxoffice.ucsd.edu.

WHERE:  RIMAC Arena Floor                                   

WHEN:    February 25, 2011

3 p.m.:     “Who Are You? The Changing Face of America”

   UC San Diego alumnus Kip Fulbeck ’88, MFA ’92, one the world’s premier artists exploring multiracial    

   identity uses his own multiracial background as a springboard, inspiring audiences to honestly   

   consider, “Who Am I?”

4 p.m.:     Meet face-to-face with world renowned leaders, scientists and researchers at the Innovation Day Expo,

   featuring live demonstrations, hands-on exhibits and networking with the innovators.

Seismic Retrofits for Hostpitals in San Diego

I didn't feel the quake in Baja this morning, but hearing people talk about it reminded me that I hadn't yet posted this story about hospital earthquake retrofits in San Diego. The story by Janet Lavelle "Hospitals on track for 2013 seismic deadline" ran in the San Diego Union Tribune on Wednesday.

One of the issues that came up in the story is strengthening/stiffening buildings vs. making them perform better in earthquakes. A couple of structural engineers tied to the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering are quoted in the story: Structural engineering professor Benson Shing and adjunct structural engineering professor Robert Englekirk.

Science Fair / a Life-Long Journey

Computer engineering alumna Shirley Miranda has been involved in the San Diego Science and Engineering Fair since she was 13. And no, this is not a recurring nightmare! Watch the video below.




Miranda is also deeply involved in COSMOS. Check out Miranda's Cosmos YouTube video here.