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East St. Louis Calendars and Events

SIUC is home to a plethora of energy-related programs that train tomorrow's engineers, scientists and explorers to find newer, cleaner and more efficient ways to provide the power that runs our society.  A new initiative recently created on campus now aims to pull those disparate programs together in an effort to strengthen all of them for both researchers and students.  The SIUC Advanced Energy Institute will increase grant funding for energy and environmental research. The new group also will increase communication among the various energy programs, enhance instruction for students and increase efficiency.  SIUC boasts energy-related programs throughout the colleges of Engineering, Science, and Agricultural Sciences, to name a few.  In 2009, the University also added a professional science master’s degree program in advanced energy and fuels management, which trains graduate students with backgrounds in science, technology, agriculture and engineering to apply their theoretical training to real-world management issues.

The SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School team finished among four finalists in the double elimination round of a recent international Botball competition of 63 teams. The competition was held earlier this month in Orange County, Calif., featuring teams from around the globe including Poland, Austria and Qatar. According to the KISS (Keep It Simple Students) Institute for Practical Robotics, a national nonprofit educational organization, Botball is an educational robotics program that equips students with the skills, experience and opportunities required to design, build and program autonomous robots that are used in regional, national and international competitions. The SIUE Charter High School team of five students also received a Judges’ Choice Certificate: The Mars Rover Viking Award for achievement against great odds, because the school does not have a practice table, as do the majority of competing teams. Students from the Charter High School who attended included juniors Sergio Cole and Quewon Smith and seniors Juliann Bynum, Jeremiah Rogers and Deborah Wilson.

Faculty members from SIUC’s School of Architecture, along with two recent graduates, will go to Canada next month to discuss their Southern Illinois historic preservation projects.  The two-week workshop at Cape Breton University in Sydney, Nova Scotia, focuses on preserving small cottages and duplexes in nearby Glace Bay, a once-thriving mining community now incorporated into the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.  Robert Swenson, an associate professor, and Jon D. Davey, a professor and distinguished faculty member, both in the School of Architecture, will participate in the 11-day workshop, Aug. 8-19.  Cape Breton University received a Canadian government grant to hold the workshop, which will include presentations by Antoinette “Toni” Lettiere and Jim Schmidt, both recent SIUC architecture graduates who now are graduate architecture students at Portland State University.

Calling all hot rod and street rod owners and enthusiasts: The University Museum at SIUC wants to hear about your machines, or your memories of when you drove American muscle, or photos to back up those stories.  Nate Steinbrink, curator of exhibits, seeks additional materials for “Goin’ Fast and Lookin’ Good: Hot Rods in Southern Illinois,” an exhibit scheduled to run Aug. 23-Nov. 10. Other exhibit-related activities include an exhibit reception on Sept. 9 and a cruise set for Oct. 22.  “Goin’ Fast and Lookin’ Good” takes a look at some of the creations and the people who shaped hot rodding, specifically in the Southern Illinois area. This exhibition will not be encyclopedic, but will be a slice of hot roddin’ culture. This exhibition will honor these American originals and celebrate their spirit of innovation.  If you can help, contact Nate Steinbrink at (618)453-7413 or email at nstein@siu.edu. The exhibition team is collecting items through Aug. 23.

The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center (ITC) at SIUE recently won the International Trade Center of the Year Award at the Illinois Export Conference Awards Luncheon. The Illinois Export Awards recognize companies that have achieved excellence in exporting and organizations that have provided substantial export assistance to Illinois companies. Gov. Pat Quinn presented the awards at a June 21 luncheon in Chicago. The ITC was recognized for its performance on behalf of its clients to further Illinois export opportunities during this past year. According to ITC Director Silvia Torres Bowman, the ITC at SIUE assisted its clients in the generation of more than $71 million in export sales through its consulting, training and research services ($182 million in export sales generated in the last six years).

Take the time to help create a positive first impression for new SIUC students by volunteering during Saluki Startup.  There are plenty of opportunities for members of the campus community and the community at large to volunteer. Saluki Startup is Aug. 18-21, and the Week of Welcome is Aug. 21-28.  Volunteer options include helping students move into the residence halls, to helping students plan their routes between classes, to assisting with Dawgs Nite Out. Volunteering for these events is fun, and for some volunteers it becomes an annual tradition.  To learn what opportunities are available during Saluki Startup, and to sign up to volunteer, visit http://salukistartup.siuc.edu/. For the Week of Welcome, visit http://wow.siuc.edu/.

The SIU Alumni Association now offers a new option for new or returning members. The new plan is available to individual and joint members who prefer a single-payment, three-year membership with the Association.  Members who choose the three-year membership option won’t have to worry about annual dues. The cost for a three-year individual membership is $100 and a three-year joint membership is $150.  For more information about membership options for the SIU Alumni Association, call (618)453-2408 or visit online at www.siualumni.com/join.

With teams from universities across the country, the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) student team from SIUE had plenty of competition in the 2011 Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Design for Direct Digital Manufacturing Competition, but that did not deter them. Out of 20 teams, the SIUE IME team ranked second.  Winners were announced at the SME’s annual RAPID Conference & Exposition held in Minneapolis, May 23-26.  SIUE’s award-winning design was a customizable ceiling fan with adjustable blades, which allows for multiple air-flow rates as opposed to the standard multiple speeds ceiling fans. Advised by H. Felix Lee, professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering, the IME team consisted of undergraduate students Edward Schwartzkopf Jr., Ismail Kuru, Andrew Parcels and Paul Jansen.

A communication skills program for cancer patients, their families and caregivers will be offered the SIU School of Medicine’s Simmons Cancer Institute in Springfield.  Getting What You Need: Communication Skills for those Diagnosed with Cancer will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 10 at Simmons Cancer Institute, 315 W. Carpenter St., Springfield. The 90-minute class is free and will be offered every other month.  Newly diagnosed cancer patients, those in active treatment for cancer, families and caregivers are welcome. The program is open to all cancer patients regardless of where they receive treatment.  Registration is available by calling (217)545-0798 weekdays or on line at www.siumed.edu/cancer.

Saluki Athletics and the SIU Alumni Association are teaming up with the Southern Illinois Miners for SIU Day at the Miners game on Friday, Aug. 12.  The Miners will wear special Saluki maroon jerseys during the game. Afterward, the jerseys will be auctioned, with portions of the proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer fund.  Saluki football coach Dale Lennon, along with Saluki cheerleaders, shakers and mascots will make an appearance at the game.  SIU alumni and students will receive a $2 discount on a ticket to the game by presenting their alumni card or student ID at the ticket window or by calling the Rent One Park Box Office (618)998-8499) and mentioning the word SALUKIS to receive the discount.  The Miners will donate $1 per ticket sold to Coaches vs. Cancer. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. when the Miners host the T-City Beach Bums.