9 Interview with

Dr. John G. Ekerdt

We discuss the new Cockrell School
buildings

13 Risk Management
Training
Why you can’t ignore it

17 Dear Alec returns!

..and he’s ready to answer your questions
 Vector march 2010 issue
VECTOR EDITORS:
Table of Contents Jose Parakkat
An Nguyen
Research Articles..............................2-8
VECTOR OFFICERS:
Vectortainment.....................................6
Layout – Kaitlin Decker
Dr. John Ekerdt Interview................9-11 Advertising - Isaac Aggrey
Articles – Sope Lanlehin
Non-themed Articles....................12-14 Secretary - Charlotte
Friedley
Webmaster - Michael
Society News.................................15-16 Janusa
Cartoonist - Matthew Leos
Dear Alec.......................................18-19
VECTOR STAFF:

Jason Erasmo Castro D.

Get your thoughts and ideas published in UT’s Kristen Parrish
only student-run engineering newspaper! Jeff Wang
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You’d be amazed to realize how many peo-

ple would love to read about your thoughts,
comments, ideas, and even beliefs.
A special thanks to SEC,
the Cockrell School of En-
Advertising in the Vector is a great way for gineering and ECAC.
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If you are interested in getting your word out in
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Vector
1 March 2010
 Freshman research
Y
ou may not be researching
right now because you do
not know how to start or
you may not be interested. Well,
for those who do not know how to
start research, you can start taking
steps by researching how to get
into research opportunities. Here
at UT, a student is presented with
great opportunities for engaging
in front-line research at a major
research university. There are sev-
eral entry points in which a student
can begin
researching.
One is the
Freshman
Research
Initiative
(FRI), which
offers hun-
dreds of first
year stu-
dents chance
to begin
learning the
techniques
of research.
The course
spans over
three semes-
ters in this
time which
the students
will be supported and mentored by
faculty and graduate students. The
aim of this program is to allow
students to produce publishable
work and skills needed to work in
world class research facilities. If
there’s not enough time during the
academic school year for research,
there are summer research fel-
lowships open to undergraduates.
G et t i n g s ta r ted ea r l y
Students have the opportunity to understanding of whatever you
work at UT, other universities, at decide to research in and it also
federal agencies (NASA, NIH, builds a solid relationship for a
Department of Energy, etc.) and solid recommendation letter. This
with industry. is an important reason *hint hint*
4. Research increases your
Students may also research chances of getting into gradu-
abroad! For the adventurous types, ate programs, business school,
this is a way to see the world medical school, law school and
without leaving the lab. If that’s any other professional school by
not enough, students may also building relationships and connec-
find a professor to research with tions with university faculty and
in a faculty lab. For those uninter- industry.
ested, you 5. Most importantly, be recog-
might want nized for your work by publishing
to reconsider it in research journals and present-
or just think ing it to receive grants and show
over some of your contribution to research. Pro-
the reasons fessional schools love to see this.
why you
should re- Interested? Contact
search. Five Dr. Sarah Simmons
reasons why Director
you should: Office for Honors, Research, and
International Study
1. Doing Painter Hall 3.01
research with 512 232 9358
a program s.l.simmons@mail.utexas.edu
such as the http://cns.utexas.edu/students/
FRI, students ohris
may obtain
full course -Jonathan Le
credit (in-
cluding lab
credit) losing
no time in having to spend extra
time in separate classes.
2. Improve your grades! Re-
searching forces students to think
critically and out of the box.
Normally, the average GPA of
FRI students is 3.26 and non-FRI
students is 2.93.
3. Working with a professor
builds a solid foundation in the
Vector
March 2010
2
 Beginning Research
W hy you n eed to rethi n k your a n t i -R e se a r c h a t t i t ude
H
ave you ever wanted to
break convention? To
push beyond the bound-
aries of the accepted? To tread
where none have ever stood
before? Or perhaps have you just
really wanted to wear a lab coat
and carry around a clipboard?
Then undergraduate research in
engineering just might be for you!
Vector
3 March 2010
Face it, even the liberal arts and
business majors have to admit
that it’s the advancement of sci-
ence that has kept society moving
forward throughout history. More
than any other field of study, sci-
ence has been the catalyst ensuring
continued progress in civiliza-
tion. And in today’s world, with
the need for new energy sources,
green technology, and a better
mousetrap, expansion in scientific
research is as vital as it has ever
been.
All right, so maybe this is a spiel
we’ve all heard before, briefly
agreed with, and then immediately
forgotten. After all “I’m no Ein-
stein, what good could I possibly
do for science?” PLEN-
TY!!! Here at the Uni-
versity of Texas, research
across all the engineering
disciplines by both faculty
and students has con-
ceived countless advances
in science. In my own
department of Petroleum
Engineering, we have a list
a mile long (about 1.61km
to you Canucks and Eu-
ropeans out there) of
achievements our faculty
and students have made
throughout the years. And
although I’m sure all the
undergraduate engineering
students reading this (every
single engineering student
on campus, undoubtedly)
would love to justify sit-
ting out of such academic
endeavors by thinking
“Oh, I don’t know enough,
I haven’t taken enough
classes to be of any help,”
this is simply not true.
True, you may not start
off as glamorous petawatt
laser technicians, or fluid
flow modeling specialists,
but I can promise that you
can never work your way
there if you don’t start
somewhere. One has to search you truly enjoy the subject matter class professors and peers can only
before they can RE-search. *ba of your department, be it biomedi- help your gpa as well. And if your
dum psh* Ha ha! See what I did cal or electrical engineering, you grades aren’t too hot to begin with,
there? Anyways... Let’s get right will enjoy getting hands on experi- research experience can help to
to the good stuff. ence researching. And if you posi- set you apart when companies are
tively hate it, then perhaps you’re comparing you with your class-
There are countless reasons why in the wrong department to begin mates when offering internships.
students should strive to secure an with and you can save yourself a Many, if not all, departments also
undergraduate research position lot of time and effort before spend- offer summer research positions
here at UT. Here’s a quick run ing another three years studying a for undergrads, meaning you can
down of some of the best reasons. subject you can’t stand. spend your first one or two sum-
First of all, you get to take part, mers without an internship being
no matter how small a role, in All right, so research = good, no productive and gaining experience.
groundbreaking research. From research = bad. I believe we’ve
designing more efficient diamond established at least that much. But So, there you have it. Research in
headed drill bits to discovering the why NOW? Why not just spend UT Engineering is an all around
Higgs Boson, there’s so much one the first few years of our college great opportunity for undergradu-
can accomplish doing research at lives partying and wait until we’re ates! The best way to go about
UT. Second of all, participating seniors or something to look for getting such a research opportunity
in research can help you gain an research positions? Once again, is simply to ask. Every department
internship position at a prestigious starting early ensures that you’ll is different and the projects and
engineering firm positions they have available are
in your field. Few likewise varied. So get out there
things looks as good “... even the liberal arts and and ask your professors, ask your
on a resume as actual business majors have to admit department counselor, ask the up-
hands on experience that it’s the advancement of perclassmen and graduate students,
in your subject mat- just get out there and ask how
ter. Speaking of science that has kept society you can start off doing research in
resumes, whether moving forward throughout your department. Just like moving
it’s applying for an history.” forward in science, the only way
internship, a full-time to move forward in your education
job, or a scholar- and career is to be proactive and
ship, engineering research will have a chance to play a role in reach beyond what you already
do wonders to make your resume truly important and interesting have.
stand out from the others. It will projects. The early bird gets the
be good for your career. Whether wormhole navigation software -Michael Rodriguez
you decide to work strictly in development spot (or whatever
academia doing research, or join the EE’s are up to nowadays...).
the industry with a managerial Research, like any other extracur-
position, research experience can ricular activity is also a great way
only help you better understand to hone your time management
your subject matter, a plus for any skills. It can also help your gpa
job position. And if you’re more by giving you greater insight to
concerned with the short term (you your future classes subject mat-
shouldn’t), research will be fun! If ter. Working alongside your future

Vector
March 2010
4
 What is a human being?
A re l i g i o us v i ew o n Ma n’s q ues t fo r k n ow l ed g e

I
n my understanding there is no humility perhaps more than a which is not ours to question or to
greater question to be asked as declaration being made by some- doubt, only to believe. It is pitiful
individuals living on this earth. one seeking knowledge; the true for man to degrade himself and
Everything that we study, every- essence of research. compare his ori-
thing that we research is centered It is to me a declara- gins with mat-
on the basic principle that we each tion of humbleness ter/animal and
seek to understand something before an all power- somehow find
new. We try to discover and even ful, all knowing, all pride in the fact
predict via means of science. It is everything God. It that the said
amazing to me that even the most is a question that is answer came
scientific of reasoning revolves directed to the only from within
around trying to understand the being capable of an- himself. God
spiritual; that which is truly not swering for even in places man as
seen, yet requested of us to believe the question one rec- the crowning
by faith. It is my belief that all of ognizes the grandeur part of creation,
us at one point or the other are in a of our God for the while man
quest to assimilate the fact that we answer can only be throws himself
really don’t know much of what is asked of one whom into the infe-
around us; we don’t really know is greater than we; riority that is
who we are. I have wondered if it greater than me. It to be the shell
is actually something that can ever makes allure to our anxiety in ref- of the imagery we carry - miscon-
be comprehended. Along with try- erence to the fundamental human strued research at its best.
ing to understand who we are we experience of feeling insignificant
come to other questions as to what in the face of the vastness of the I am therefore reminded that
is my purpose while here. It is cosmos. What possible meaning God is God and I am not. It is
somehow a balance which begins and significance can I or any other therefore necessary to know our
to go heavier on the one side and human being have in the midst of limits and make our time count for
less plentiful on the other. What is this cosmos that seems to have no something. It is imperative there-
a human end in time or fore for one to grow in the knowl-
being who What is man that you take space; research edge of God by walking in his
possesses has proven this ways. As we continue on in this
thought of him, and the son of
the limited concept truer choice journey we will find that
character- man that You care for him? Yet than we would the answer to the question is that
istics of you have made him a little low- at times like we are He. It is the realization and
our creat- er than God, and you crown to admit. It is acceptance that I live no longer, it
ed nature a declaration is the Creator who lives in me and
him with glory and majesty!
which in- Psalm 8 that states that what I now live in - this shell, I
clude the we are created, live in the faith of he who loves
capacity to as was the me. I am spirit therefore I must
understand limited knowledge of rest of the cosmos, and therefore create, I must research.
the seen, and much lesser knowl- dependent on He who created.
edge of the unseen? -Jason Erasmo Castro
Evident sufficient are they that
The declaration made in Psalm attempt with science and human
8 relates to me a declaration of intellect to give reasoning to that

Vector
5 March 2010
By: Matthew Leos
 What it really means
Resea rch f ro m a G rad uate pe r s pect i ve
I
f you’re intrigued by the idea
of research, UT is a great place
to get some experience and
think about a career in research.
With a Top 10 graduate program
in engineering, there is a wealth of
cutting edge research on campus.
Should you find that you’re inter-
ested in research, graduate school
should be seriously considered as
an alternative to finding a bach-
elor’s level job after graduation.
This article discusses some con-
siderations for those considering
research as a career, and recom-
mends considering an engineering
graduate program as a possible
career path after graduation.
There are many reasons to con-
sider graduate school for engineer-
ing students: intellectual curiosity,
wanting a more challenging career
or a job that isn’t accessible with-
out an advanced degree. However,
if you are interested in research,
perhaps the most compelling rea-
son to consider graduate school is
that many
careers
involving
research
require
some
advanced
degree;
many
positions
at national
labs or in
academia
require
doctoral degrees. Beyond being a
means to an end (more interesting
job, high salaries), if you enjoy
Vector
7 March 2010
research, graduate school should generally have a better chance
be a rewarding experience in itself. of getting funding at most major
research universities.
Graduate students who enjoy
graduate school appreciate what Many students who are interested
they’re doing: learning first hand in graduate school debate when to
by doing novel research that very apply: to start right after graduat-
few are currently exploring, in an ing with a bachelor’s degree, or
area that they are very interested in wait a while and work? You’ll find
making a scientific contribution to. arguments for both options. For
students
interested
Graduate students who enjoy graduate in re-
school appreciate what they’re doing: learn- search or
ing first hand by doing novel research that who are
very few are currently exploring, in an area interested
in careers
that they are very interested in making a that need
scientific contribution to. at least a
masters
Other perks (depending on your or doctoral degree, in my opin-
advisor, funding, or other situa- ion it is easier to go right after
tions) include flexible schedules graduating from college. Being
and having more control over your used to the student life (and not a
time, a challenging environment, big paycheck), and with classes a
and access to classes, member- recent memory, the transition to
ships, lecture series and others that graduate school was not as dif-
are not available to non-students. ficult as it could have been. How-
Also, ever, there are a lot of factors to
engi- consider in your decision. Factors
neering such as student debt, being tired
gradu- of school, not being sure what you
ate stu- want to do or not being a competi-
dents tive applicant may make applying
are to graduate school less desirable.
gener- Working, especially at a research
ally lab or some other company that
funded, can give you applicable experi-
either ence, can help all these issues. By
by a re- taking a year (or a few years) off,
search you can save up money to pay off
as- student loans (and give you some
sistantship, teaching position, or extra money for graduate school),
fellowship. Students interested get a ‘break’ from school, and get
in research (and PhD programs) relevant experience that will help
you make a more attractive candi-
date for a graduate program. I had
personally thought about taking
a year or two off to work, so that
I could come back to grad school
more ready for the long haul that
is a PhD program. Ultimately I
decided to go straight to graduate
school, mostly because I wanted
to use the “momentum” I had from
undergrad - and because I thought
it would be too hard to leave a
big paycheck for a much smaller
(though still sufficient!) one. sides helping you figure out if you
want to consider a research career,
If you’re a junior or a sophomore, research experience will really
now is a great time to start think- help your application.
ing about graduate school. This
summer is a great time to try to -Kristen Parrish
get relevant work experience (or
better, an REU - Research Experi-
ence for Undergraduates). You can
also try to get on a project here at
UT during the school year - talk to
professors who have taught classes
you’ve enjoyed, and your TAs. Be-

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Vector
March 2010
8
 A Chat about the “Master plan”
Feb. 15 – As soon as the editors at
Vector heard about the new plans
for construction for the Cockrell
School of Engineering, we decided
to get the inside story from the
man behind the plan, Dr. John G.
Ekerdt, Cockrell School Associate
Dean of Research. Most of the
general information about the plan
is open to the public on the Cock-
rell School’s website, but we asked
Dr. Ekerdt a few questions to find
out more.
Vector: What factors led to the
idea of a new engineering build-
ing?
Dr. John Ekerdt: This process
started several years back with a
vision for building an interdisci-
plinary facility that would involve
Vector
9 March 2010
teaching and research com-
bined in one building. This
was a vision that a number
of people had, but where
this was supposed to be and
what shape it would take
was always in the eye of the
beholder. There was never
any question in that we
needed it, but it was about
understanding the whole
process and what needs to be
replaced, and what could be
renovated. The need for a
Master Plan study goes back
years and years, and it just
culminated over the last year
and a half.
V: Looking at the map for
the Master Plan, there are
a lot of different spaces
that are going to be used by
different departments at different
times, or even at the same time.
Why is there a shift towards more
interdisciplinary space rather than
departmental space?
JE: There will be growth in grad-
uate student populations, and there
will be growth in faculty within
the departments, so when build-
ings are renovated, or when build-
ings are built, the allocated space
may be different from the current
allocations of space. We’re go-
ing to wring some efficiencies
out of the current buildings, but
the departments aren’t going to
shrink. So there will be new space
because we need new space for
hiring, for graduate research and
for modern educational teaching
methods that we don’t have now.
It’s not that the depart-
ments aren’t going to be involved
in the new space but that groups of
faculty from different departments
will be there. In the end, they’re
going to have to flow back out to
the departments, so there’s going
to be a breathing back and forth
[between the departments and the
new research space]. So it is new
space, but it’s not that the depart-
ments are getting de-emphasized.
It’s that there will be an expansion
of space.
V: And of course there will be new
spaces for the ECE students.
JE: New space? Well, it’ll be a
new building. But the question is
how much additional space will
there be for ECE students and
faculty because ECE is distributed
throughout a number of different
buildings. There are students and
faculty out at the microelectronics
building on the Pickle Research
Campus, and none of these people
are necessarily going to move
back [to the main UT campus] be-
cause the research that they’re do-
ing and the facilities that they rely
on are located out there. There
[will be] new space but how this
gets parsed out, well, the planning
hasn’t been done for that yet. It’s
all roughly going to be the same
amount of square footage but more
efficiently used.
V: What will prospective students
see in these new buildings to make
them say, “The Cockrell School of
Engineering is for me”?
with Dr. John G. Ekerdt
JE: The vision of the building is
that it would be a collaborative
environment, and there would be
more openness to the building, a
more inviting presence. I think
there would be a lot of movement
of people and interaction, so it
would be “a destination for col-
laboration.” I think the building
design the architectural firm that
is ultimately hired to do this will
embody this spirit of an iconic
building that embraces modern
engineering education and draws
those elements in. I think the
ideas
that have
been
presented
to us
through
the firm
that was
doing the
Master
Planning
really
carries
those
elements
forward.
The
image
you see is inviting, and there’s a
dynamic movement of both un-
dergraduate and graduate students
and faculty in a common space. I
would want to be there.
V: This first building in the plan,
the EERC (Engineering Education
and Research Center) will have to
have at least the silver LEED cer-
tification, as mandated by build-
ing standards for the UT campus.
What sustainable technologies
and building elements are being
considered for this effort?
JE: As far as the LEED certifi-
cation, for all buildings that are
being designed and built now, the
question is how you can be more
energy efficient and more sustain-
able in a building, and that’s a
target that everyone works toward.
The question of what the certi-
fication actually is has not been
determined yet, but the trade-offs
are that you might have a very low
energy impact, but then the cost
of maintenance is astronomical.
The university has been presented
a spreadsheet of options that they
could consider as the building
moves forward for the design
phase.
V: How is the EERC going to be
financed?
JE: The project costs are being
estimated at around $290 mil-
lion. The school is anticipating
that through gifts to the school, we
will come up with $100 million.
$190 million then are going to be
defined and identified through the
offices of the University of Texas
at Austin and the University of
Texas system.
V: The School of Engineering
website refers to a goal of the
Master Plan to be “an environ-
ment that links students, staff, and
visitors to the campus, the natural
beauty of Waller
Creek and open
space.” How
will it realize
this goal?
JE: There’s sev-
eral ways you
can think about
this. There is
the Pelli Mas-
ter Plan for the
campus, and if
you start down
at the Blanton
Museum, and
you start imag-
ining tree-lined
streets heading all the way up to
24th street and maybe beyond,
there are plans to make that into
a pedestrian avenue. There’s a
layout that envisions connecting
major corridors. As you get farther
south, the dorms along Waller
Creek and the alumni center incor-
porate the creek very nicely into
their architecture. The idea here is
to incorporate Waller Creek into
the architecture of this new facil-
Vector
March 2010
10
 ity. It’s about changing the whole
character of the way [the creek] is
landscaped in that region of San
Jacinto Boulevard.
V: That sounds really nice. There
are also a lot of renovation plans
for existing buildings. Where will
the students go during the renova-
tions? Will other spaces be tempo-
rarily used?
JE: Initially, when the ECE
building and those two temporary
buildings come down to make
way for [the new EERC building],
the people that occupy that space
will have to be accommodated
somewhere. We’re beginning the
process of identifying just how
much space we need and what
those space types are.
The plan that was put forward
is a sequencing of building and
unlocking of building space. This
begins by building [the EERC] on
that site, and then you can begin
to do renovations as you move
people back and forth between
buildings. You’re unlocking a new
building that allows you to surge
people in for a short time while
you renovate the space they were
in before, and they can surge back
out.
There’s discussion in the
Master Plan of a building going
in at the Pickle Research Campus.
You could imagine a number of
research groups from Civil, Ar-
chitectural, and Environmental
Engineering relocating out there.
Some would come back, some
wouldn’t. Two new buildings after
this first building would allow this
Vector
11 March 2010
movement back and forth until the
dust settles.
That’s how it will happen, but we
have to unlock the system through
the disruption that will be inevi-
table when the ECE department
[is] accommodated during the
construction of the new building.
V: What types of renovation plans
are in place? And how dramatic
will these renovations be?
JE: I think the renovations will be
quite extensive. If you visit mod-
ern, newly constructed, newly-
designed buildings in educational
or university settings, they’re more
open, there’s more of a collabora-
tive feel to them. There’s a dis-
tribution of spaces that allows the
flow of people and light.
The buildings that we’re in
simply don’t have that because of
when they were built. The archi-
tectural style [of the time] and the
functional purpose determined the
design of these buildings, so there
will be extensive remodeling.
There are inefficiencies in layouts
of floors. In ECJ, every floor is
a little bit different. There aren’t
men’s and women’s rooms in the
same column on each floor, and
so, spaces will be more uniform,
offices will have a common size,
and research labs will have a
uniform size. These buildings’
exteriors will appear the same, but
the interiors will be considerably
different.
V: When should current UT
students start watching out for the
demolition of ENS and the con-
struction traffic?
JE: The plan is for about fall 2015
to be when we start reoccupying
the building. I don’t think we’re
looking at people moving out or
the wrecking ball showing up for
two years, sometime in 2012. We
have to move to this next phase
and be given the green light to go
ahead and start the construction.
We’re really looking at about a
two-year window before no one
occupies that [site] but a construc-
tion crew.
V: Which part of the plan gets you
the most excited?
JE: I think just getting the first
building because it’s a very excit-
ing project, and what we’re trying
to accomplish here is so differ-
ent from the way we [currently]
approach engineering education
at both the undergraduate and
graduate level. I think it will be
culture-changing for this campus.
It will energize the students, and
if the visioning that has come
together around this building, if
the design, the architecture and the
layout of this building are realized
and things flow the way we want
them to, it will be a really exciting
place. It will just make everyone
proud.
-Jennifer Nordhauser
 In defense of politics
Po l it it i ci a n s a re en g i n ee r s w ith o ut t r i a l s
E
very now and then I hear
students say that they don’t
care about politics. But I
don’t quite understand. Is there
a feeling of futility? Is there too
much conflict? Or has politics ac-
quired a reputation so terrible that
being involved in political matters
makes you a less ethical person?
Politics, at its most basic, is not
inherently “evil”. It’s an ongoing
debate on how to improve the state
of society. Every politician takes
their own approach, but they are
promoting a potential solution.
A solution that someone believes
should become law. I admit that
sounds overly optimistic. But
keep in mind, promoted solutions
are not always well-intentioned
solutions. Engineers go through
a similar process – except their
decisions do not usually have such
immediate, far-reaching implica-
tions. When an engineer wants to
initiate a project that he/she be-
lieves would better their company,
or perhaps society, they convince
their bosses that it would be ben-
eficial with the help of their tech-
nical calculations and projections.
And even then, miscalculations
and unforeseen circumstances can
turn a good project into a failure.
Now imagine going through the
same process, but in an intangible
and uncertain environment where
emulating a working set of laws
from another state for your own
could result in a failure because
of complex cultural differences.
Politics tend to be complicated,
but the failures and bureaucracies
of government exist because they
do not have the
luxury of repeat-
ed trials before
implementation.
Our political
system is not
perfect. Gener-
ally speaking,
there is exces-
sive partisan-
ship, undue
monetary influ-
ence on politi-
cians, superficial
drama cloud-
ing the real
issues and so
on. These sorts
of issues make
the job of hold-
ing a political
If everybody actively participated
office confusing. You want to help
in politics, government might just
people by passing legislation you
focus more on society as a whole
believe in, but in order to do that
instead of special interest groups
you have to stay in office, and in
and corporations. Actively partici-
order to stay in office you need
pating doesn’t mean you have to
to run a campaign, and in order
stand on a street corner and shout
to run an effective campaign you
out your ideas to a crowd. Actively
need money, and in order to have
participating can be as simple as
enough money to match your op-
staying informed on issues, ac-
ponent, you have to get it from
tively evaluating new ideas and
sources that are unrepresentative
re-evaluating your own, and vot-
of your constituents. The politician
ing. Through these actions, we can
becomes trapped in a survival con-
change the system. We can create
test. I believe that most politicians,
a system that makes it so that we
like everyone else, do start with
elect more moderate politicians.
good intentions, but the system re-
We can remove the financial temp-
directs their attention to issues that
tations from politicians. We can
are harmful or don’t matter.
base our votes on the issues-at-
hand instead of gossip magazines.
That being said: We can’t cut our
We can all vote like engineers.
politicians any slack. We can fix
or minimize the problems that
exist within the political system. -Christopher Lam
Vector
March 2010
12
 Risk Management Training
H o w it Affects Yo ur Org a n i za t i on

I
f you have any large student and other student organizations” in risk management guidance.” The
engineering organization listed its introduction as opposed to just University of Texas at Austin, un-
on your resume, you should be “student organizations” like the fortunately, has decided that many
aware that many of these orga- final version does. This is not to student engineering organizations
nizations have begun to enforce say, of course, that all fraternities should be subject to these new risk
official membership requirements experience the issues mentioned, management requirements -- one
much more rigorously. In 2007, or that other student organizations of which is a risk management
the Texas House of Representa- are immune to these issues. presentation for all official mem-
tives and the Texas State Senate bers.
both unanimously passed a new You may be wondering, though,
risk management bill (H.B. No. why large student engineering Now, normally when presenta-
2639 and S.B. No. 1138), which organizations have begun to more tions such as these are required of
the University of Texas at Austin rigorously enforce their member- student organizations, they would
and other institutes of higher edu- ship requirements -- or why stu- quickly breeze through the presen-
cation in Texas must enforce. dent engineering organizations tation (or part of the presentation
should be affected by this bill at -- or just talk about how they were
The law states: all. After sup-
1. Possession and use of alcoholic all, engi- posed to
beverages and illegal drugs neering or- give the
2. Hazing ganizations presen-
3. Sexual abuse and harassment aren’t what tation)
4. Fire and other safety issues, you usually at one
including the possession and use think of of their
of a firearm or other weapon or of when you meet-
an explosive device hear about ings,
5. Travel to a destination outside drugs, alco- a few
the area in which the institution is hol, haz- people
located; ing, sexual would
6. Behavior at parties and other abuse, show up
events held by a student organiza- firearms, to the
tion; and or the meeting,
7. Adoption by a student organiza- other items fewer
tion of a risk management policy mentioned still
above. would
--(H.B. No. 2639 and S.B. No. The risk actually
1138) manage- pay at-
ment bill, tention,
There is also a small, not-com- however, and af-
pletely-related section (Section 2) doesn’t terwards
concerning the amount of insur- make any distinctions between everyone would forget about the
ance a fraternity’s chartering or fraternal and academic student whole thing and life would go on
national organization has. This organizations, but rather allows the as usual. To prevent this from hap-
is probably because the bill as university to decide which organi- pening, though, the risk manage-
originally introduced in the House zations or types of organizations ment bill requires that all official
refers specifically to “fraternities “could particularly benefit from members see the presentation. The

Vector
13 March 2010
university requires, in addition,
that attendees sign before the pre-
sentation that they are present to
see the presentation, and then sign
afterwards that they have seen the
presentation. The attendance
list will then be checked with
the official member list of the
organization to ensure that
each and every official mem-
ber has seen the presenta-
tion. Also, the university has
specified exactly what must
be in the presentation and has
even provided a reference
presentation: an extremely
long, drawn-out series of slides
with fairly obvious information
about drugs, alcohol, hazing, life
safety issues, etc. and a few slides
on more-university-specific topics. pleting the various risk manage-
The attendance list will then be
checked with the official member
list of the organization to ensure
that each and every official mem-
ber has seen the presentation.
Also, the university has specified
exactly what must be in the pre-
sentation and has even provided
a reference presentation: an ex-
tremely long, drawn-out series of
slides with fairly obvious informa-
tion about drugs, alcohol, hazing,
life safety issues, etc. and a few
slides on more-university-specific
topics.
For fraternities -- one of the main
groups originally targeted by the
bill -- the presentation is probably
not too big of an issue. Similarly,
smaller engineering organizations
shouldn’t have too hard of a time
with the presentation, even though
it is definitely more than just a free prizes. Also, as mentioned at
minor annoyance. For larger stu- the beginning of the article, if you
dent engineering, though, the only have “The IEEE Student Branch at
way to ensure that each and every the University of Texas at Austin”
official member has seen the pre- or any other organization listed on
your resume,
you must be
The University of Texas at Austin, unfortu- an official
nately, has decided that many student engineer- member.
ing organizations should be subject to these
If you are
new risk management requirements -- one of unhappy
which is a risk management presentation with the risk
management
for all official members.
requirements,
please be
sentation is to rigorously enforce aware that officers of organizations
official membership requirements. are affected as much as members
by the new requirements -- if not
The consequences for not com- more so (as mentioned previously,
there are many other risk man-
ment policies -- and there are agement policies which must be
many more requirements besides implemented -- most do not affect
the presentation -- include regis- members directly) -- and are try-
tration bars for the officers of an ing to make the process as easy as
organization, freezing of Student possible for members. The IEEE
Organization Bank accounts, pro- Student Branch and many other
bation, or even disbandment. student engineering organizations
are still trying to convince the uni-
Now, although official member- versity to revise its list of affected
ship requirements may be tight- organizations or to at least make it
ened, most large engineering easier for large engineering orga-
organizations will still have their nizations to enforce the new risk
events open to non-members. The management policies.
IEEE Student Branch, for ex-
ample, requires membership with --Jeff Wang
the international IEEE organiza- SEC Representative for the IEEE
tion (with all current dues paid) to Student Branch at the University
be considered an official member of Texas at Austin
of the local branch. All general
meetings, though, and most other
events are still open to non-mem-
bers. Elections, of course, require
official membership, as do some
competitions and giveaways for
Vector
March 2010
14
 Society News
BME UAB
The Biomedical Engineering
Undergraduate Advisory Board is
a platform for BME undergradu-
ate students to explore the de-
partment’s current approaches to
research, academics, and relation-
ships with industry and other in-
stitutions, to develop well thought
out recommendations for improve-
ment in those areas, and work with
the department to implement those
recommendations.
The BME UAB recently held The
Bioscience and Biotechnology
Symposium (BABS) in collabo-
ration with the Natural Science
Council, Graduate Students Coun-
cil, and the Engineering Career
Assistance Center. The sympo-
sium was a success, consisting of
a speaker panel, student research
poster presentations followed by a
career fair with many representa-
tives in the bioscience and bio-
technology industries.
Currently, the BME UAB is host-
ing The Ultimate Robotic Arm
Design Challenge. The challenge
will be to design a robotic arm
that can perform a designated task.
Teams will use robotic kits but are
required to make basic modifica-
tions such that the robotic arm is
able to perform the predefined task
while at the same time meeting
other criteria like minimal power
consumption or adaptation to some
adverse environment and so on.
Teams consist of four to five mem-
bers and the competition is open to
any engineering student. Registra-
Vector
15 March 2010
tion is currently open from now
until March 1st. The competition
begins on March 5th and teams
will have until the last day of class
to complete the challenge when
they will have their final presenta-
tion.
There will be two components
to the final demonstration. First,
teams will directly compete
against each other in performing a
task based on speed and accuracy.
In the second component, teams
are asked to demonstrate some
other unique task their modified
robotic arm has been designed or
programmed to perform (e.g type
a word, play the keyboard etc).
This latter portion will be in form
of a 5 -10minute presentation. The
winning design(s) will be awarded
with a cash prize (to be deter-
mined). 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will
be given certificates.
If you have any interest in design-
ing a robotic arm, no matter what
your major is, don’t hesitate to find
some friends and sign up! Register
at http://web.engr.utexas.edu/uab/
designsignup.html.
-Kelsey Hill
BME UAB SEC Representative
BMEp
Beta Mu Epsilon(BMEp), the
Biomedical Engineering honor
society, is an organization whose
shallow roots run only as deep as
the budding undergraduate BME
program here at the University of
Texas. Despite our relative lack of
history, BMEp has steadily grown
since its inception and proudly
boasts induction classes of 15-20
students per semester. Our organi-
zation is grounded on three prin-
ciple tenets: service to our depart-
ment, service to our community,
and professional fellowship among
our members. Each semester, our
events are carefully planned with
these objectives in mind.
As a service organization, our
members are involved in a mul-
titude of service events. This
semester, we will be featuring a
large construction project at the
Texas School of the Blind and
Visually Impaired. This project,
in which we will be constructing
a large wooden playhouse, will be
a joint effort by our members and
employees of Zimmer Orthope-
dics, the world leader in artificial
knee and hip replacements. This
event serves the community and
also provides our members with a
unique opportunity to meet po-
tential employers in an informal
setting. Similarly, the industry
representatives will be able to get
to know rising biomedical engi-
neers without the stiffness of suits
and resumes hanging over the
conversation.
Beta Mu Epsilon is the only honor
society specific to biomedical
engineering. Because of this, our
organization is blessed with some
of the most elite students BME has
to offer. This provides us with a
unique opportunity to give back
to the department in the form of
peer advising- providing advice
regarding career planning and
class selection to the underclass-
men. In the near future, we hope
to extend our service to the depart-
ment by establishing a mentorship
program with the intent of helping
freshmen biomedical engineering
students transition from life as a
high school student to life as an
engineering student. We real-
ize that such an undertaking will
require manpower. We understand
that while we are still a relatively
small organization, we do not have
to operate like one. As long as the
field of biomedical engineering
continues to grow, our department
will grow and Beta Mu Epsilon
will be there to serve the depart-
ment and its students.
-Kevin Lin
BMEp Service Chair
SHPE
SHPE started off the Spring se-
mester strong! We held our 2nd
Fajita Taco Fundraiser of the year
to raise money for the victims
of the Haiti disaster. Despite the
rainy, cold weather the fundraiser
was a success and all the proceeds
were donated to the Red Cross to
help the aid effort. SHPE also had
their first
volunteer-
ing event of
the semester
with Feria
para Apren-
der, which
targets
students to
pursue math
and science
degrees.
The Manitas/Manitos mentorship
program is gearing up for their an-
nual Kayaking Social where Bigs
and Lils are able to take a load off
studying and have fun while get-
ting to know their mentor or men-
tee better. At the upcoming Annual
Lonestar Showdown, between the
UT and A&M SHPE chapters, the
UT chapter is planning to defend
their basketball championship
title. SHPE welcomed back their
members with their General Meet-
ing which brought back familiar
faces and many new ones. SHPE
is looking forward to another great
semester!
-Catherine Gonzales
Student Chapter Co-Journalist
TBP
It’s that time of year again: the
snow is melting and the grass
is sprouting. Graduation is ap-
proaching, and many of our
seniors are moving on to greener
pastures. All these signs point to
the approach of one of our peren-
nial favorite events, the Engineer-
ing Talent Show! That’s right,
thanks to popular demand, Tau
Beta Pi will be hosting this spec-
tacular
conver-
gence of
the visual
and per-
forming
arts, mu-
sic, danc-
ing and
signing
galore!
This
year’s talent show will be held in
the same location as last year’s,
the Texas Union Theater, on Fri-
day April 16th at 4 pm. Since part
of the voting will be determined
by the audience, it is imperative
that you come out and show your
support for your friends.
The 3rd Annual TBP Engineering
Talent Show will be bigger and
better than before. In addition to
the regular 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place
prizes of $350, $250, and $150,
we will be giving out door prizes
at the end of the event, before the
final voting is announced. Possi-
ble door prizes include iPods, gift
cards, and other awesome goodies,
so make sure to mark it on your
calendar!
If you are interested in display-
ing some of your awesome tal-
ents (last year’s event included
yo-yo, bands, singing, skits, and
piano playing), be sure to contact
TBP’s special events coordinator
by email at rnseidel@gmail.com
or stop by the TBP office in ETC
2.106 for sign-up information.
Keep an eye out for flyers and
emails with updates and clarifica-
tions about event details. Sign-
ups will closed before the end of
March, so if you want to partici-
pate make sure to get your applica-
tion submitted soon. See you all
on April 16th!
-Robert Seidel
Special Events Coordinator/
SEC Representative
Tau Beta Pi
Vector
March 2010
16
 Dear alec
Yes, I’m rea l
Dear Alec,
I’m having a lot of problems this
year in class. I’m a second year
Mechanical Engineer and I’m
keeping up just fine in most of
my classes... But between all of
my AP test credits and Credit by
Examination hours, I’m a good
deal ahead of a lot of people in
my class. Because of this I really
don’t know anyone in several
of my more difficult classes and
have a really hard time getting
into study groups, sharing notes,
comparing work, and all the
Vector
17 March 2010
Dear Texas engineers,
Surprise! You didn’t know that I
know how to use a computer, did
ya?
Remember, as your patron saint, I
was there with you when you haunt-
ed the engineering halls the night
before your test. Yes, I was there
when you and your study group took
a break and read Kanye West meme,
watched keyboard cat on youtube.
com, giggled at the “Overheard at
Texas” facebook group, facebook-
stalked your friends.... wait a min-
ute, you did not get a lot of studying
done that night!
Yes, I know all about you, your hab-
its, and your concerns. So when An
and Jose approached me, asking me
to write an advice column for VEC-
TOR, I decided to take this chance
to show you what a caring saint I
am. You can submit your questions
to:
DEARALEC@GMAIL.COM. Ask
away!.
-ALEC
check the calibration of your flux
other tricks I’ve used to keep up
capacitor, as otherwise you risk
in my other classes. What can I
trapping the entire engineering
do to change this?
quarter in time stasis. 88mph is
-T.J. Henderson
the optimal speed for initiating
the flux dispersal phenomenon,
Dear T.J.,
anything slower would simply
trigger a nuclear meltdown in
Modern scientists are now closer
your fusion reactor and traveling
than ever to unlocking the secret
any faster would vaporize most of
to time travel. It should be clear
downtown Austin in your wake.
that now is the perfect time for
In return for this undoubtedly life
you to apply yourself to perfect-
changing advice, I expect you to
ing the science behind time travel,
use your pioneering technology
allowing you to attend class with
for the good of mankind. If Hitler
your classmates a year in the
loses the Second World War and
future. A few general tips on the
the Zombie Apocalypse of 1978
subject: Make sure you carefully
never happens, we’ll know you’ve
succeeded!
Dear Alec,
I saw an article a while back in
the Daily Texan where this biolo-
gist claimed that albino squirrels
are not actually albino! Does this
mean the legend of the Albino
Squirrel isn’t real?
-An Engineering Freshman
Dear An Engineering Freshman,
I don’t remember this article, but
let me assure you that the squirrels
on this campus are albino, no mat-
ter what a biologist says. I don’t
care if they specialize in albino
squirrels and have been study-
ing them for 50 years; as a patron
saint that has existed since ancient
times, I can assure you that those
squirrels are indeed albino.
I am pleased to see that you know
the legend of the albino squirrel,
one of the lesser known ones of
UT. Supposedly, when you see
the Squirrel the day before your
test, you are supposed to get an
A. Now, I’ve seen many students
spend their time looking for the
albino squirrel instead of studying,
and I must say this is a waste of
time, as the albino squirrel must
come to you, not the other way
around.
What else is not known is that
there are some certain conditions
that must be met before you are
guaranteed that A. Below is a list
of what you must do should you
encounter the squirrel on the day
before the test.
1) The squirrel must be encoun-
tered the day BEFORE the test,
not sooner, and not the day of.
This is essential if you want the
luck to begin.
2) You must feed the squirrel.
The Albino Squirrels are actually
bolder then the average squirrel,
and would love to eat a nut or too.
Different sources say that peanuts
work best, but I have seen them
work with any sort of nut
3) You must ask the squirrel for an
A on the test the next day, letting it
know when and where you are tak-
ing said test, and on what subject
it is.
4) You must then back away
slowly from the squirrel with your
head bowed to show respect to the
creature.
5) Make sure that you have actu-
ally studied for your test and know
the material on it and are capable
of doing the problems.
If you do all that, you are sure to
get an A. If you don’t, the squirrel
comes with a luck back guarantee
if you are not completely satisfied.
If you are interested in the Albino
Squirrel, there is apparently an
organization known as the Albino
Squirrel Perseveration Society that
makes sure that these furry guys
are kept safe. Feel free to Google
them to learn more.
Dear Alec,
My girlfriend in the business
school complains all the time
about how much work she has
and how hard business is. Now,
obviously business isn’t nearly
as hard as the one true major
(i.e, engineering), and her com-
plaints are really starting to an-
noy me. I really love her, though,
but what should I do?
-Lovestruck
Dear Lovestruck,
I know that you know that SHE
knows that business is nowhere
near as intimidating as engineer-
ing. If you seriously want to know
how to handle such a delicate
situation I would not base your
affection for her on her intellectual
affiliation. After all, the business
school is not really known for its
ability to outsmart us – a truth best
reinforced by Rivals Week every
year.
Vector
March 2010
18