EE Alumni Chris Dunbar Speaks of Aerospace Opportunities

EE Alumni Chris Dunbar pictureWhen Christopher Dunbar studied electrical engineering at Cal State Long Beach in the late 1970s, he’d never heard of the term aerospace. Now he’s Associate Principal Director of the Aerospace Corp.

The El Segundo-based company provides technical expertise for the U.S. space program. Nearly three-quarters of the company’s 3,500 employees hold advanced degrees, including over 700 with doctorates. Continue reading “EE Alumni Chris Dunbar Speaks of Aerospace Opportunities”

Aerospace Corp. Hosting Info Session

aerospace-corporation pictures The Aerospace Corporation will be holding an information session in the Career Development Center next week. The session will take place from 4-5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20 in BH-250. To attend, RSVP to lisa.ng@aero.org.

Chris Dunbar, Associate Principal Director of the Aerospace Corp. will be the keynote speaker. He will be providing information about the company and internship and entry-level job opportunities. Dunbar, a 1981 graduate of the CSULB Electrical Engineering program, manages the Guidance and Control Subdivision in the Engineering and Technology Group. Continue reading “Aerospace Corp. Hosting Info Session”

It’s Never Too Early to Start Building Your Professional Network

Hackett_Arnold
Xerox VP Arnold Hackett, center, with COE Development Director Nicole Forrest-Boggs and Director of Professional Development & Internships Emmitt Clark.

Xerox Vice President of Alliance and Partnership Management Arnold Hackett used to stay at his desk and work instead of having lunch with team members. He thought he was showing colleagues that he was making a contribution. But instead, co-workers thought Hackett just didn’t like them.

Going out to lunch with co-workers is just one of the ways you can build your network in a professional environment. Hackett, a 2001 CSULB MS graduate in computer science, visited the College of Engineering on Tuesday as the first speaker in the Department of Professional Development & Internships’ fall 2016 series. Continue reading “It’s Never Too Early to Start Building Your Professional Network”

Innovation Challenge Kicks Off 7th Season

Innovation Challenge snapshotStartups are an important vehicle for U.S. economic growth, accounting for half of all new jobs created. At CSULB, students have a unique opportunity to gain real-world experience in starting a business through the Innovation Challenge, an annual contest that provides the winning entrepreneurial team with $50,000 in cash and services to get started.

Now in its seventh year, the Innovation Challenge is supported by the CSULB Colleges of the Arts, Business Administration, and Engineering, along with industry leaders with varied high-level business experience. The contest is open to all students. Continue reading “Innovation Challenge Kicks Off 7th Season”

Summer Interns Needed at Ledcor Construction

ledcor logoIt’s always interesting when an engineering company visits campus to share their story with students—even more so when that company is hiring. Executives from Ledcor Construction were at CSULB this week to announce summer internship openings that could possibly lead to future full-time work.

“This is one of those opportunities where if you snooze, you lose,” said Emmitt Clark, Director of Professional Development and Internships for the College of Engineering, who arranged the visit. Continue reading “Summer Interns Needed at Ledcor Construction”

Alumni Stresses Importance of Good Job Matches

bryan-kwom-snapBryan Kwon, a 2004 CSULB computer science graduate, was back on campus this week to share his experience in the job world with College of Engineering students. Kwan, now senior director of customer engagement at Santa Monica-based Akana, told attendees at the Professional Development Workshop that it’s important that your first job after college matches your interests.

When he graduated, Kwon went to work in information technology, but after three years became bored with backing up tape drives and taking care of routine technical issues. “I was really bored,” he said. “I really wanted a challenge.” Continue reading “Alumni Stresses Importance of Good Job Matches”

CSULB to Host First Hackathon

beachhacks logoWhat could be better than working around the clock guzzling energy drinks while building new apps? For those who haven’t attended a hackathon, you’re in for a treat—CSULB is holding BeachHacks for 24 hours beginning Saturday, April 2. Registration is now open.

Most big engineering schools hold hackathons, where students compete to show off their technical skills—and endurance. Sponsors donate hardware, food, t-shirts, and giveaways to keep programmers pumped. Midnight snacks, raffles, and special challenges are part of the typical hackathon experience. Continue reading “CSULB to Host First Hackathon”

Antelope Valley Engineering Program Director Lauded

Ken Santarelli headshotKenneth Santarelli, director of the CSULB College of Engineering Antelope Valley degree-completion program, has been recognized for his work in producing mechanical and electrical engineering graduates who are ready to join the workforce.

Santarelli was presented with awards from Congressman Steve Knight, State Senator Sharon Runner, Assemblyman Tom Lackey, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris and Agents of Change for recruiting and graduating students in the program.

Offered in partnership with CSULB’s College of Continuing and Professional Education, the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree Completion Program is designed for students who are interested in completing their B.S. degree in electrical or mechanical engineering and have completed their first two years of coursework at a community college or other university.

Continue reading “Antelope Valley Engineering Program Director Lauded”

Fellowship Opportunity at U.S. Department of Energy

Not only does the U.S. Department of Energy support 17 research labs, but also many internship and fellowship programs for students. U.S. DOE representative Sandra Cortez was at CSULB Wednesday to find candidates for the Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship and other programs.

The Mickey Leland fellowship, named after the late Texas congressman and anti-poverty activist, was created in 1995 to improve opportunities for underrepresented STEM students. It provides college students with a chance to develop research skills with the DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy.

For 10 weeks during the summer, participants train under program officials and scientists, then present their research findings at a technical forum. The deadline to apply is December 21.

“Fossil energy isn’t the most popular area among students, but it still needs a lot of attention,” said Cortez.

The DOE’s Fossil Energy work includes research and development into clean coal, maintaining the nation’s emergency petroleum reserves, ensuring environmentally sustainable domestic and global supplies of oil and natural gas, and regulating natural gas imports and exports.

The 50 students selected for the fellowship each receive a weekly stipend, housing subsidy, and round-trip airfare from home to the national lab where they are assigned. The fellowship runs from June 6-August 12 and begins with a trip to the DOE’s Washington, DC-area office.

Besides the Mickey Leland fellowship, the DOE offers a number of other programs, including the Science Undergraduate Lab Internship (SULI), the Office of Science Graduate Fellowship, the Minority Educational Institution Student Partnership Program (MEISPP), and the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship. The department also offers year-round research opportunities for scholars and faculty.

For more information, visit http://www.energy.gov.

Best Place to Start Your Job Search: Figuring Out Your Interests

Before you even send out your first resume, be sure you understand your values and interests. That was the advice of Emmit Clark, College of Engineering director of professional development and internships, during Tuesday’s workshop on the job-search process.

A successful strategy calls for creation of a plan, conducting research, and taking action. Identify the type of job you’ll be looking for, along with tools and resources that you can use. Continue reading “Best Place to Start Your Job Search: Figuring Out Your Interests”