Energy Technology Program Powers Roots Fest

Energy Technology Students, Alumni, and Faculty joined forces in providing renewable electricity for the arts show at the Missoula River City Roots Fest. Dr Brad Layton, Energy Technology Program Director, organized a group of students and alumni in putting this event together. Energy Technology Alumni, Andrew Machain's portable solar generation system provided electricity for art show vendors. The student solar car from the Shell Eco-marathon was an "attention-grabber" at the event.

Autumn 2012 Admissions Deadline

Missoula College has a rolling admission policy. There are no application deadlines and students may apply to the college at any time. However, many of our academic programs fill quickly. Early application is recommended to reserve a spot in the program of your choice.  Both math (ALEKS) and writing (eCompass) placement exams are required in order to be admitted to programs in the Department of Applied Computing and Electronics.  Competed applications must be processed and placement exams must be completed by August 10 in order to be admitted to ACE programs for fall semester (January 10 is the deadline for spring semester).  Student applications processed after August 10 will be accepted, but students will be placed into a pre-program status for the period of one semester (assuming all prerequisite courses have been completed). Additionally, students need to complete the ALEKS math placement exam and the eCompass writing placement exam. Please see specific details on your program’s website or speak with your program director or advisor if you have any questions. 

IT Student's Research in Green IT Wins Award

IT student Lance Pellerin recently completed work on a research project examining the use of cloud computing and desktop virtualization in minimizing the carbon footprint of the information worker. This Green IT research project utilized remote desktop technologies and thin-client computing devices in a shared server environment for office information workers at the University. Lance's research earned him first place in the physical sciences poster session at the 2012 University of Montana Undergraduate Research Conference. Lance, having completed his A.A.S. degree in Information Technology, will continue his education by pursuing a bachelor's degree through UM's Davidson Honors College.  Lance's faculty advisor was Associate Professor Tom Gallagher.

Workforce Report Released - Demand for Electronics Technical Professionals Strong

A workforce report completed by Applied Computing & Electronics faculty affiliate, Peter Rahn details high demand in the local region for individuals with the skills and knowledge to support  control systems, industrial automation equipment, and instrumentation. Energy efficiency enhancements in commercial and residential buildings; a revitalized wood products industry; precious metal extraction; food production; biomedical industry; fossil fuel extraction; and automated industrial manufacturing facilities all reported a need for electronics technical professionals. Forty-two regional entities were interviewed for the report. The report describes employment prospects for graduates from the UM Electronics Technology Program to be strong. The complete report is available at http://ace.cte.umt.edu/eet/2012rahneetreport.pdf

Autumn Registration Begins - April 9

Registration for Autumn Semester courses begins April 9. All students are required to obtain a registration PIN from an advisor. Advising appointments can be made by directly through your advisor or by contacting Beth Shirilla 243.7916 | beth.shirilla@umontana.edu

Advisor Contact Information:
Computer IT Program
Penny Jakes 243.7804 penny.jakes@umontana.edu
Rhonda Tabish 243.7808 rhonda.tabish@umontana.edu
Steve Stiff 243.7913 steven.stiff@umontana.edu

Energy Technology
Brad Layton 243.7865 bradley.layton@umontana.edu
Tom Gallagher 243.7814 thomas.gallagher@umontana.edu

Computer Aided Design
Krisztian Varsa 243.7811 krisztian.varas@umontana.edu

Electronics Technology
Tom Gallagher 243.7814 thomas.gallagher@umontana.edu
Steve Stiff 243.7913 steven.stiff@umontana.edu

Grant Myhre Talks About Shell Eco Marathon on Montana Today

Grant Myhre, one of the team members competing in the Shell Eco Marathon next week in Houston, TX talks about the project with Monte Turner on Montana Today.  See the video here: http://www.nbcmontana.com/Grant-Myhre-3-19-12/-/14594424/14386646/-/vxovij/-/index.html

UMCOT Students Prepare for Shell EcoMarathon

A team of students representing The University of Montana College of Technology are diligently preparing for the 2012 Shell EcoMarathon to be held in Houston Texas March 29^th – April 1^st. The team is comprised of students representing all three campuses with Environmental Studies majors and Welding majors joining the Energy Technology students. This is the first such entry from the UMCOT, but they have hopes to place well in the solar division, which requires that teams collect more energy than they consume during the six-mile race. “We could not have gotten this far without some major space donations from local businesses,” says Energy Technology Program Director, Bradley Layton. “We are extremely fortunate to live in a community that has a true sense of unity. We have also benefitted from the resources available to us at the Montana Enterprise Center.” Stay tuned for more news as the project progresses…

Welding student Jesse Sedler clears the frame he welded and helped design for launch

 

NPR: Is U.S. Energy Independence Finally Within Reach?

Rising gas prices have been the big energy story of the past several weeks. But many energy experts say that's a sideshow compared with the really big energy event — the huge boom in oil and natural gas production in the U.S. that could help the nation reach the elusive goal of energy independence.

Read or listen to full story at : http://www.npr.org/2012/03/07/148036966/is-u-s-energy-independence-finally-within-reach

ACE Department Looking for Work Study Student

Are you approved for work study for this spring semester?  Do you have solid computing skills?  We are looking for someone to work 15-19 hours per week supporting both our department and the Health Professions Department.  Check out the job listing on the student job site here: http://www.umt.edu/studentjobsapp/ViewJob.asp?id=9647 and apply through the website or send your resume to beth.shirilla@umontana.edu.

Electronics Technology Students Tour Research Facility

Students from the Electronics Technology program recently completed a tour of the research facilities at the UM Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics.


Highlighted in the tour was the robotics equipment used in the research center. X-ray crystallographers, crystallize proteins and visualize their 3-D structure from diffraction data obtained by exposing these protein crystals to high intensity X-ray beams (Top Figure). The 3-D image of the protein enables understanding of their biological function, and also is used to design new drugs against diseases. The Crystal Gryphon, is a small & fast robot for setting up crystal plates that we use in our lab to crystallize proteins (Bottom Figure). Essentially the robot consists of two arms each capable of x, y and z axis motions. The side arm on the right delivers the protein to the plates and the middle arm dispenses the crystallization solution. The protein arm dips its needle into the protein solution, withdraws the requisite amount, often just a minute drop (in the order of 1/1000 of an ml), and then dispenses them into 96 wells on to the plate below. The second robot that has 96 dispensing needles does the same, but dispensed in one motion. The plates are then set in incubators to obtain protein crystals.




The robotic arm has three degrees of freedoms, horizontal, x,y and vertical z axis, but permits only one motional degree at a time, to ensure precision and accuracy. The arms have sensor that detect liquid levels and also floor levels so that they can draw correct amounts of liquid and not touch the plates. It is equipped with motion sensors that stop the robot if it detects human movement near the needles to ensure no accidents occur. The robot is controlled solely by a computer powered by an i7, 3.4 GHz Strong Arm processor and a 64 bit robotic control software communicates via fiber optics to the robot, ensuring very high operating baud rate. Thus the overall design of the robot accommodates of precise motions with minimal human interference and is rated to perform for at least ten years of continuous use.

Dr. Layton to Give Keynote Presentation at STEM Summit in Bellevue, WA

The second annual STEM Summit (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math):Integrating STEM into Today’s Classroom to Develop Tomorrow’s Leaders will be held on Thursday, February 9th, and Friday, February 10th, 2012 at Bellevue College in Bellevue, WA.

This two-day Summit will introduce you to K-20 best practices in education focusing on innovative teaching and learning in STEM. Attendees will be examining curriculum for incorporation of best practices in STEM teaching and learning.

Dr. Layon's keynote presentation will focus on Energy Technology Education in Efficiency To Engender Energy Independence:Science & Math Lay the Foundation for the Next Generation of Energy Technology Leaders.

 Dr. Layton is an Assistant Professor for the Department of Applied Computing and Electronics at The University of Montana College of Technology.

Dr. Layton received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with concentrations in soft-tissue mechanics and the molecular structure of collagen. His dissertation topic was Remodeling of Heterogeneous Extracellular Matrices of the Diabetic Nerve: Models and Experiments. He received his Masters in Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and his Bachelors in Science in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.

Dr. Layton now serves as the Director of Energy Technology Program at The University of Montana College of Technology. He is currently facilitating the coordination of face-to-face and online learning opportunities and innovations. Dr. Layton also has a research interest in nanoscale biomechanics and has several publications in this field. He has received research funding from The National Science Foundation, NASA, The Keck Foundation, and the United States Department of Agriculture. His current passion is educating his students and the general public about the threats of energy dependence and the opportunities available for adopting sustainable energy technologies.

In his spare time Dr. Layton enjoys bicycling and hiking with his family. As a former member of the United States National Rowing Team, he now very much appreciates the opportunities he has to kayak and actually see where he is going!

For more information on the summit, please see http://www.coeforict.org/events/stemsummit/

REAP Application Process Open

The 2012 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) has been announced in the Federal Register. Applications are now being accepted for the Renewable Energy Systems, Energy Efficiency Program, Feasibility Study and Energy Audit programs.  The 2008 Farm Bill created several energy-related funding programs for USDA Rural Development. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and several other programs are designed to provide access to capital to incentivize the implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy practices in rural small businesses and agricultural operations.

The MT allocations are less than last year and are as follows:
Small Grants (<$20,000) - $71,000
Large grants (>$20,000) - $72,000
REAP Guarantees - $469,644

Additional funds are available from the National Office reserve on a first come first served basis for the loan guarantee funds and on a competitive basis for the grant funds. In 2011 Montana funded $113, 414 in small grants, $158,298 in large grants, and $153,232 in Loan Guarantees. We hope to do better in 2012.

Application information can be obtained from any Rural Development Area Office or by visiting our website at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/MT_reap.html

Energy Technology Students Awarded a KRELF Grant

We recently received the news that our KRELF application was recently accepted by the review committee. Funds will be used to purchase solar cells, batteries, a motor and other components to build a vehicle to compete in the 2012 Shell EcoMarathon in Houston. The team of students represents all three University of Montana campuses, with students from Environmental Sciences, Energy Technology and Welding all collaborating to build a competitive vehicle.

REVIT Training - January 16

REVIT is a building information modeling (BIM) software product created by AutoDESK. It has been described as the revolutionary architectural design tool for all new construction. The Computer Aided Design program is sponsoring a week-long REVIT training beginning January 16th. Interest within the community has been high and registration will be limited to the first 20 applicants. Course instruction will be delivered by BIM guru Eugene O'Day. All students entering the class are expected to possess a strong background in CAD as the delivery will be paced for the intermediate/advanced user. For further information contact Krisztian Varsa krisztian.varsa@umontana.edu | 406.243.7920

New Interactive Map Launched for the PV industry

The US Department of Energy recently launched an interactive career map to help those considering entering the field of sustainable energy technology.

The map assists the user in understanding the inter-relatedness of various occupations within the various fields of sustainable energy technology.

Layton Gives talk on Thermoeconomics at ASME International conference in Denver, Monday November 14, 2011

Professor Layton traveled to Denver in mid-November to present his paper, entitled "Application of Game Theory to Thermoeconomics." During the presentation, Layton attempted to impress upon his audience that the rate at which we are currently converting chemical, nuclear, and short-wave radiant energy into thermal energy energy is clearly unsustainable. While the global rate is 200 megajoules per person per day, the average North American's rate is 1200 megajoules per day. By contrast, each person converts only 10 megajoules per day metabolically. He also introduced a relationship between information and entropy that he has been examining for the past few years and postulated that humanity entropicizes its immediate environment at a rate 10²² greater than the background entropy generation rate of the universe and noted that we can no longer escape our own entropy as evidenced by much of the thaw that is occurring in Greenland exacerbating the Fukushima disaster of March 2011, which in turn led to further entropization of the Pacific ocean. Layton was also dismayed by the unwillingness of many of the able-bodied conference participants to boycott the escalators in the conference center.

Layton fielding technical questions at the conclusion of his talk, demonstrates some of the strategies he practices to stay physically fit, keep organic material out of landfills, reduce loads on municipal waste management, and enrich the soil in his own backyard. Photo courtesy of Leila Aboharb.

Biomimicry Design Challenge

Students in the CAD Program are currently competing in the first annual Biomimicry Design Challenge. The Challenge is a global design competition (nearly 40 international teams!) in which students will apply the principles of biomimicry to improve energy efficiency and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In biomimicry, designers are inspired by organisms, systems, or processes of the natural world. For more information, Janine Benyus of the Biomimicry Institute presents Biomimicry In Action.

Over the course of the semester, students enrolled in Technical Drawing and AutoCAD II will generate ideas, draw hand sketches, ,and produce 3D models to prepare for their presentation to the judges at the Biomimicry Institute. This competition is exciting for the College of Technology because the home of the Biomimicry Institute is in Missoula so we consider ourselves the hometown favorite. Recently, Technical Drawing students completed the first round of ideation which resulted in a variety of excellent ideas and designs. The students will pick one design and then hone the project. Cheer us on as we head for the deadline of December 21st!

Janine Benyus describes Biomimicry in the following TED talk:

Energy Technology OSHA Training

Montana Department of Labor and Industry Safety and Health Bureau Chief Bryan Page inspects Energy Technology student Chris Marmorato as he dons a safety harness as Energy Technology student Timothy Cardarelli looks on. On November 3rd and 4th, seventeen Energy Technology students and alums participated in the ten-hour OSHA safety training course.

And here is the happy group of trainees after a well-delivered ten-hour session!

I.T. Students Tour Local Data Center

The Washington Corporation hosted a group of I.T. students on a tour of their newly renovated corporate data center. The data center located here in Missoula centralizes I.T. services for all companies in the Washington Corporation global operations group. Thanks to Tim, Andy, Chris, and Drew at Washington Corporation for providing this great opportunity to our students.

Students Compete in Programming Contest

Students from the Information Technology program competed in the Montana State ACM Programming Contest held Saturday, September 24. Shawn Dennis, Larry Mee, and Ray Naranjo represented the UM-COT campus in this annual event hosted at Montana State University in Bozeman. This group of students competed with Computer Science students from UM , MSU, Montana Tech, & Carroll College. Each team had 5 hours to solve 5 problems. "It was a wonderful opportunity for our students" states Instructor Rhonda Tabish, faculty advisor for the UM COT Programming Team.

Further information can be found on contest website http://www.cs.montana.edu/paxton/contest/