Sound bends Light

Extra!  Extra!  Read all about it.

UofMN researchers created a single chip that generates and contains both sound and light waves, the first of which modulates the optical light waves used to carry information, said lead researcher and physics doctoral student Semere Tadesse.  The sound vibrations generated act like an earthquake and creates waves on the surface of the chip which alter the properties of the chip’s materials...
Here's a link to the full story -  Sound bends light on a tiny chip | mndaily.com - The Minnesota Daily 

Clark Griswold would be proud!! 100,000 LEDs and lasers!!

Join the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering (CSE) during the first two weekends in December for a dazzling light show designed by students. The high-tech light show is bigger and better this year featuring more than 100,000 LED lights and laser projection set to music, some of which is written and recorded by University of Minnesota students. Learn more here.

CSA Celebrates Computer Science Education Week

The CSA crew held it's fall semester meeting on December 9, 2014 featuring a lunch and learn session with Prof. Dan Knights on his research and fascinating results in "Hacking the Microbiome".  The business portion of the meeting centered on CSA associations and activities relevant to "Computer Science Education Week",

Go West Coder Dojo! Go West to Minnetonka!

Minnetonka High School launches the state’s first high school-based CoderDojo

The first day of school often brings feelings of nervous excitement to students returning from summers filled with bonfires, vacations and relaxation. But for two Minnetonka High School seniors, the back-to-school excitement began weeks before the first day of class.

Javidan Odqan and Josh McGrath have spent their summer coding in internship positions with an innovation company called Edmentum. As they enter their final year at Minnetonka High School, they’ll bring with them a new coding club that boasts a wait list already 85-people long: Tonka CoderDojo.

CoderDojo is an open source, volunteer-led movement that runs nonprofit coding clubs for young people. According to coderdojo.com, children 7-17 are welcome, and each Dojo determines the age range its volunteers can handle.


Read the full article: http://sailor.mnsun.com/2014/09/05/cracking-the-code-tonka-coderdojo/

CSE Alumni Matt Gray and Rebecca Schatz, founders of the local Coder Dojo movement, have provided tons of encouragement, knowledge, tips, advice and support to Javidan Odqan and Josh McGrath as they navigated the waters of school district rules and regulations and built a functioning chapter.    Good ideas win out and the Minnetonka School District has embraced Josh and Javi and welcomed Coder Dojo into their facilities and learning community.  John Borowicz, CSA chair and CSE alumni, is a regular mentor at Tonka Coder Dojo and also provides web development, promotional and operations support.

Dan Knights - On the Cutting Edge of Computational Biology

UMN professor solves problems from 'gut bugs' to Rubik's Cube - By Richard Chin

Dan Knights is a new professor at the University of Minnesota doing cutting-edge work on microorganisms in the human body - but that's not why he's been on "Today" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."  View Full Story 

Prof. Knights will be presenting on his research during the "Lunch 'n Learn" portion of the CSA December 9, 2014 meeting.  

For details and a reservation contact Anahita Ahrar, Communications Coordinator Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering  Office: 612-626-8020    Email: ahra0005@umn.edu

3 CoderDojos in Town

Welcoming, open, safe, free environments for kids to learn coding.

There are now three CoderDojos in town: the CoderDojo Twin Cities, Katie CoderDojo and the new Tonka CoderDojo.

Each one  has a different style, code groups and age ranges so explore them all to find the best fit for your child.

Tickets are free, but go fast; register early (this weekend!) to avoid disappointment.

The CoderDojo movement was started in 2011 in Ireland by code-savvy teenager James Whelton and philanthropist Bill Liao.   There are now almost 500 CoderDojos in 48 countries. You can start one too; here's how.

FINCH ROBOTS
Code Savvy is delighted to borrow 100 Finch Robots during the month of September, thanks to Bird Brain Technologies. Finches are rugged little robots with light, obstacle, temperature and orientation sensors as well as the ability to move, change color, talk and play music.

We'll be programming the Finches at CoderDojoTC and Katie CoderDojo and also loaning them to teachers in schools across Minnesota during September. Interested educators please contact hello@CodeSavvy.org. 

CODING on the NORTHSIDE
The Digital Empowerment Academy is a digital literacy initiative founded in 2013 that enables Northside teens to become savvy users and creators of digital technology. DEA is hosting a series of digital literacy workshops in North Minneapolis -- check out the schedule of events here -- and has recently convened the Northside Digital Innovation Alliance.

Save the date: A fundraising gala for the Digital Empowerment Academy will be held November 8, 2014 from 7 - 10 pm. For more information, please contact: Lanise@DigitalEmpowermentAcademy.org

Reproduced with respect and gratitude from Rebecca Schatz's Code Savvy email report 9/6/14

2014 Minnesota Cup Division Winners

MINNEAPOLIS—August 28, 2014—The Minnesota Cup — a statewide entrepreneurial competition that supports and accelerates the development of breakthrough business ideas from across the state — has named seven Minnesota-based startups as division winners and seven runners-up in its 2014 competition.

Now in its tenth year, the Minnesota Cup — the nations' largest statewide new venture competition — will award $300,000 in prize money in 2014 to Minnesota's budding entrepreneurs.

These seven division-winning companies will compete for the $50,000 grand prize award and the coveted Minnesota Cup at our final awards event on September 10 at the University of Minnesota. At the event, winners from each category will be awarded $30,000 in seed capital (with the exception of the Student and Social division winners, who are awarded $20,000 each). Additionally, one runner-up from each division will receive $5,000.

Energy/Clean Tech/Water:
Division Winner: 75F - Deepinder Singh, Blue Earth County
Runner-up: Pelican Lake Holdings - Robert Anderson, Grant County

Food/Ag/Beverage:
Division Winner: Trovita Health Science – William Brown, Hennepin County
Runner-up: Locally Laid Egg Company – Jason Amundsen, St. Louis County

General:
Division Winner: YOXO - Jeff Freeland Nelson, Ramsey County
Runner-up: JenTra Tools - Travis Kelley, Cass County

High Tech:
Division Winner: Elevate - Joe Stanton, Dakota County
Runner-up: InfiniRAM - Martin Fenner, Washington County

Life Science/Health IT:
Division Winner: Andas Inc - Joseph Jensen, Hennepin County
Runner-up: SpineThera - Jeff Missling, Hennepin County

Social Entrepreneur:
Division Winner: Verde Environmental and Medsaway - Carter Anderson, Dakota County
Runner-up: Twin Cities Mobile Market - Leah Driscoll, Ramsey County

Student:
Division Winner: Jonny Pops - Connor Wray, Rice County
Runner-up: Tech Bank, LLC - Austin White-Pentony, Hennepin County


Host sponsors of The 2014 Minnesota Cup competition include Wells Fargo and the University of Minnesota. Other lead sponsors include Carlson, Digital River, General Mills and UnitedHealth Group. Supporting sponsors include Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Blandin Foundation, Bush Foundation, Cafe Inc., Cleantech Open, CliftonLarsonAllen, The Collaborative, The Digging LLC, Eide Bailly, Fredrikson and Byron, Gopher Angels, Gray Plant Mooty, Grain Millers, Haberman, Initiative Foundation, Leonhardt Ventures, LifeScience Alley, Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company, Magnet 360, Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, Messerli & Kramer, Minneapolis Foundation, MN Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources, MN Department of Employment and Economic Development, Minnesota High Tech Association, Minnesota Venture Capital Association, MOJO MN, The Mosaic Company, Proto Labs, Inc., Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation, SixSpeed, Split Rock Partners, Spoken Impact, Stinson Leonard Street, Stoel Rives, StarTec Investments, TECHdotMN, Treehouse Health, and West Central Initiative Foundation.

The Minnesota Cup is an annual competition that seeks to support and accelerate the development of the best breakthrough ideas from across Minnesota. For more information and to enter, please visit www.breakthroughideas.org.

2014 Minnesota CUP entrepreneur competition trimmed to 70

The Minnesota Cup announced Monday that 70 semifinalists have advanced to the next round of the annual entrepreneur competition—and will now compete for $300,000 in prize money.

The 70 entrepreneur teams were selected from a pool of nearly 1,300 applicants, the highest number of entrants ever, for the 10th annual Minnesota Cup, a statewide competition that seeks out the most innovative business ideas.  Winners are announced in September. Read more about the competition, divisions and teams in the MCB article.