On April 4th, 2008, the MAPS Program will host its 1st golf outing. Students will have the opportunity to network with employers while playing 18 holes at the Tradition Golf Club. The game will be played Captain's Choice where the team selects which ball to play from. So you do not have to be good to play! Registration for the event is now open with priority to MAPS Scholars and current MAPS participants in SI, coaching, and/or student organizations. All College of Engineering students will be able to register on a first come, first served basis starting March 10th. Registration forms are available in Smith 228. The cost for the event is $25, and a light appetizer buffet will be served. For more information, please email mapsprogram@uncc.edu.

The NCJETS (North Carolina Junior Engineering Technology Society) Robot Competition will be held on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 from 7:00am - 2:00pm in the Cone Center. The events pit local high schools against each other for trophies, ribbons, and bragging rights! This year we expect more than 500 students from more than 20 high schools in seven counties to attend. Volunteers are needed from 7:00am - 3:00pm to help set-up, clean-up, provide information and registration assistance, direct traffic and parking and completing a variety of tasks as needed. Remember this will look great on your resume. To get more information on this event, visit our website at http://www.ncjets.uncc.edu/ and/or to sign up please contact Leona Moss at lmoss8@uncc.edu or 704-687-6540.

Don't waste your summer! Meet new people, work with distinguished faculty, earn money and gain GREAT experience by doing exciting research! Not sure if graduate school is for you? Well find out in a just a few weeks. Each of the college's departments offer Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU's). To learn more talk with your advisor or graduate coordinator listed below:

* Civil & Environmental Engineering: contact Dr. Wu, jwu@uncc.edu

* For Electrical & Computer Engineering: contact Dr. Nasipuri, anasipuri@uncc.edu

* For Mechanical Engineering: contact Dr. Cherukuri, hcheruku@uncc.edu

* For Engineering Management: contact emgt@uncc.edu

Application deadlines, program duration, stipends and requirements vary by department. Inquire today, deadlines are approaching fast!

REU at the University of Kentucky

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Kentucky is proud to announce its NSF sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program for June 5 - August 1, 2008.

Over the 8-week summer research experience, twelve undergraduate students will be exposed to faculty, graduate students, research staff, and other undergraduate students in a developing community that incorporates research activities with field trips, workshops, or other social activities. Several projects are available in a wide range of areas within Electrical & Computer Engineering.

The total stipend per student for the eight week program is $3,200. On-campus housing with meals is provided. A maximum of $700 is available to support travel to and from UK. The application deadline is March 31, 2008. For more information and the application, please visit www.engr.uky.edu/REU.

NISH is a national nonprofit agency whose mission is to create employment opportunities for people with severe disabilities by securing Federal contracts through the AbilityOne Program, for its network of community-based, nonprofit agencies (NPAs). Providing employment opportunities to nearly 48,000 people the AbilityOne Program is the largest single source of employment for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the United States.

The purpose of the NISH National Scholar Award for Workplace Innovation & Design is to encourage college students to design creative technological solutions to barriers that prevent people with disabilities from entering or advancing in the workplace. NISH will accept functioning prototypes or systems that create greater access to employment for people with disabilities in these areas:

* Computer Access
* Environmental Accommodations
* Functional Control and Access
* Transportation/Mobility
* Communication Assistance
* Cognitive Accessories
* Any device or system that gives access or improved earnings to people with disabilities

To ensure that these devices meet the workforce needs of people with disabilities they must be developed in collaboration with a person with a disability. Additionally, greater consideration will be given to those applicants who have consulted with a NISH affiliated NPA in the design process. NISH can connect students and universities with NPAs who are interested in collaborating in the development of assistive technology devices. NISH can also provide technical consultation to assist students in the design process. Contact scholarship@nish.org or tstein@nish.org for more information.

Any undergraduate or graduate level student or student team may submit a design and discussion paper. Up to three awards are given annually.

First Place - $10,000

Second Place - $5,000

Third Place - $3,000

A matching prize will be awarded to the sponsoring department for each of the design winners. If you are selected as one of the scholarship winners a representative from each award winning team will be invited to attend a NISH sponsored national conference during the Spring/Summer of 2008. This representative will be expected to provide a poster display at the conference and give a presentation on the device during a conference session.

Please visit www.nish.org or email NISH at scholarship@nish.org or tstein@nish.org for the application pack. Completed papers must be sent to the NISH office electronic form ONLY by Friday, April 11, 2008; hardcopy papers will not be accepted. Entries must be emailed to scholarship@nish.org.