CSE Undergrad News

Hey everyone!

We hope midterm season is going well 🙂

We are a new RSO on campus that aims to connect computer science students with meaningful projects that work towards social good. For now, we get our projects from Microsoft Hack For Good (yearly hackathon for Microsoft employees where they develop for non-profits). Not only do we make a significant impact in the community by filling crucial technology gaps in charitable and governmental organizations, we provide talented UW undergraduates with relevant experience in their field so they can have a jumpstart on their careers. Our teams were invited to the yearly Microsoft wide hackathon last year (over 10,000 engineers showed up!) and we also won a $5000 grant for exceptional work on a long standing project from Microsoft Philanthropies earlier this year. This truly is a great way to get involved in your community while expanding your network and gaining amazing engineering experience. Please look at the attached flyer for more information about us!

We have several potential projects in store for you guys, so if you’re interested, please come out to one of our info sessions next week! We’ll talk about the projects, more about our club and how you can get involved (Snacks will be provided of course :)).

The Info Sessions will be on:

• Monday, November 5th at 5:30-6:30 pm

• Thursday, November 8th at 5:30-6:30 pm

• Location TBD

Both info sessions will be identical, come to the one that best fits your schedule.

Please RSVP at the below links so we can get an expectation of how many people will attend:

https://tinyurl.com/impact-infosesh-monday

https://tinyurl.com/impact-infosesh-thursday

If you are unable to make it to an info session and/ or have any questions, please reach out to us at udubimpact@gmail.com!

See you next week.

Impact++

November is here and ACM’s annual Fall Fest is back!

Join us at the HUB South Ballroom on November 16th for a night full of games, food, friends, and fun, carnival-style! 🎪🎢🎡🎠🍿

Compete in classic carnival games and events throughout the night! Hungry? Snacks and drinks will be provided. Grab some snacks, meet new friends and talk while the DJ provides music in the background. Stop by the photo booth to capture your fun. There’s something for everyone to enjoy!

RSVP’s:

This year, RSVP’s for all attendees are MANDATORY. Walk-ins will NOT be accepted. +1s will be accepted on a first come, first served basis and may be capped, so please register ASAP.

Registration will be done on eventbrite this year. Please save the QR code you receive in the email as we will be scanning your QR code before entry.

Follow this link to register. Please RSVP Friday, November 9th at 5:00PM. 

Additional Instructions:

• This event is free for ACM members and their +1s. If you are unsure whether you are a member, you can register first and we will follow up with you.
• All attendees must have no Snack Overflow debt. Please swipe your card in the ACM lounge to check your account balance. If your balance is below zero, Venmo @uwacm or use the cash box. After you have cleared your debt, update your account manually using the kiosk.
• If you are 21+ and would like to access the beer garden, please bring your government-issued ID for check-in.

If you have any questions, please contact us at acm-officers@cs.washington.edu.

Are you interested in exploring the rich and fascinating history of computer science? Do you want to learn more from Allen School faculty and other guest speakers about their experiences in the field over the last few decades?

We are excited to offer a new 1 credit (C/NC) History of Computing seminar this Winter for students interested in exploring the origins of different areas in computer science, including the History of Information Technology, History of Ethics in Technology, History of Computer Graphics, History of Programming Languages, and more.

Throughout the seminar, students will:

• Learn about historical milestones, innovations, and papers which have helped shape the field of computer science.

• Discuss different macro- (e.g. 20th century politics, economies, education) and micro-level (course projects, interdisciplinary collaborations between departments, undergraduate research, etc.) factors impacting innovation in the field.

• Explore the history of computing as a multi-dimensional network of events and influences, rather than a linear timeline of technological breakthroughs.

• Develop a better understanding of the work that led to the fundamental algorithms, tools, and applications of CS courses they are taking.

The format will be a weekly presentation/discussion from Allen School faculty and other guest speakers sharing their perspectives, case studies, and/or contributions to a particular area in CS. We are hoping to also take students on a field trip to the Living Computer Museum here in Seattle one week!

When: 2:30-3:50PM on Tuesdays

Prerequisites: CSE 143

CSE 490 H1

22013

CSE study abroad info session
Tuesday 11/13, 3:30-4:30pm
CSE 691

If you are considering studying abroad and are interested in CSE exchanges in specific, please come hear more about our programs! We will include info on our exchange partner schools, the benefits and challenges of going on an exchange, cultural differences, rough expenses, application, and how to prepare for an exchange.

We will leave plenty of time for questions, and for you to talk with CSE students who went on exchanges last year and students from our exchange schools who are studying here.

You can read this page with LOTS of details on CSE exchanges, but here’s some info to get you started:

• Courses are taught in English. No foreign language skill is required, though it may be useful.
• Exchanges are designed to last a full year, or one semester (two quarters).
• CSE majors pay regular UW tuition while abroad, plus expenses like airfare and insurance. Financial aid and scholarships apply normally. Some exchange schools offer a stipend, offsetting your extra expenses.
• Students are selected based on their academic and personal preparation for an exchange.
• CSE students typically go abroad after completing 300-level CSE courses, and take CSE senior electives abroad.
• All/most of your exchange courses can fulfill CSE requirements, assuming you select courses carefully.

To register for the event, please visit the website.

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This letter from Rafael Reif to the MIT community is well worth reading.

From: “L. Rafael Reif” <office-of-the-president@mit.edu>
Date: October 30, 2018 at 11:39:34 EDT
To:
Subject: Consoling each other and helping to heal the world

To the members of the MIT community, As our nation once again confronts heartbreaking mass violence, sending this annual reminder of MIT’s policies against harassment may feel to some as inconsequential and almost irrelevant. Yet these policies could not have greater consequence, because they embody our conviction that the ultimate measure of our community is how we treat one another. By reminding us that violence, racism, harassment and bullying are out of bounds – period – our policies can help lead us from error. Yet they cannot lead us towards the light: the essential duty to treat each other with respect, sympathy, decency, humility and kindness; the responsibility each of us has to make sure that everyone at MIT can truly feel at home; the challenge of finding a way to repair our fractured nation. This work we must do for ourselves. Our policies also demonstrate that official statements matter – for good or ill. For instance, a recent draft of a government policy would redefine gender in a way that would erase the dignity and lived reality of well over a million transgender Americans, including many members of our MIT community. And next week in Massachusetts, the civil rights of these Americans are up for a vote. Let me be clear: No matter how government policy may change, it will not change or weaken MIT’s commitment to protecting the rights and safety of every member of the MIT community. Ultimately, nothing we do or say at MIT can reverse the fact that, from Pittsburgh to Jeffersonville, Charleston to Orlando, a baseball field in Maryland to the Boston Marathon, fellow human beings have been targeted and killed for being themselves. Against the backdrop of our daily lives, such hatred and violence are much too frequent now. But we can and must fight the numb helplessness that might allow these acts to ever feel “normal.” We must keep ourselves alive to the shock and the pain, and stay focused on finding a better path for our society. Tomorrow our community will come together to honor those killed or injured and those who helped them, and to console each other. Vigil for Hope in the Face of Hate Wednesday, October 31 12:30 PM Steps of the Student Center (W20) I am grateful for the way we live and work together at MIT. I am proud that we do not fear each other or the world. As one can see any day in the Infinite Corridor, our openness to talent from every faith, culture, nation and background is central to our success, and central to our humanity. We should never forget the value and strength of this deeply American idea. In this difficult time, we must use the strength, ingenuity and optimism of our community to help heal the world. Sincerely, L. Rafael Reif

_______________________________________________
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Cs-ugrads@cs.washington.edu
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A new theory course is being offered this winter qtr by James Lee, 490Z1 a Toolkit for Modern Algorithms.

SLN 22130

T,TH: 1130-12:50

Brief description:
This course provides a rigorous introduction to the principles of modern algorithm design.  Topics include distributed and locality-sensitive hashing, dimension reduction, linear programming, gradient descent and regression, sampling and estimation, and spectral methods (principal components analysis, singular value decomposition, spectral clustering).

With a degree in CS, you could be a Software Engineer, or…. you can come to Unconventional Careers in CSE and learn about the endless other career paths you could take! Hosted by the Student Advisory Council, Unconventional Careers in CSE will be an in-depth look at many of the overlooked opportunities you have as a future CS grad. Hear from speakers working in non-profits, start-ups, research, and more! Explore different career options like being a Program Manager or Researcher.

Join the SAC on November 8th from 5:30-7pm as we bring leaders from across industries to speak about their experiences in choosing an “unconventional” career path. You will have a chance to learn and ask questions. There will also be free food and drinks! RSVP here with your CSE email: https://goo.gl/forms/BUf1DW4KCx7VSDs53.

This event is intended to highlight leaders in our field who deviated from the standard software engineering career path and give students a chance to explore different career opportunities and ask questions one-on-one with leaders who have successfully branched out from the typical Software Engineering role.

Event:Unconventional Careers in CSE
Where: CSE 305

When: November 8th 5:30-7pm

Contact csesac@cs.uw.edu for any questions

Come find out about amazing opportunities in CSE! Whether you’ve just entered the department or you’re a senior looking for more ways to get involved, this event will showcase CSE opportunities that are right for you. Hear from fellow students about how they made the most of their time in the department- the panel topics will include research, TA positions, teaching positions, grad students, hackathons, and more!

Date: November 7th (Wednesday) @ 4 – 5pm

Location: CSE 305

RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/acmw-opp-cse

(Have a Facebook account? Here’s our event on Facebook. “Like” our page and stay up to date on our events in an easy way!)

Please be sure to check the undergrad calendar for more information on upcoming events: https://www.cs.washington.edu/academics/ugrad/advising_calendar

Monday, October 29^th, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., 2^nd floor landing

Google office hours

Monday, October 29^th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. – ECE 125

Google tech talk
Software Engineer, Shikhar Agarwal, will talk about TensorFlow™, an open source software library for high performance numerical computation. We will leave time for Q&A, and food will be provided so come hungry!

RSVP: tinyurl.com/uGradTechTalk

Tuesday, October 30^th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. – ECE 125

Think Outside the Valley: Kernel Labs tech talk
Kernel Labs is a technology incubator with deep experience in big data and machine learning. We build innovative companies to tackle big challenges in new and existing markets.

Tuesday, October 30^th, 6:00-8:15 p.m.

Mock technical interviews
To participate, you must be registered and received a confirmation email from Kim Nguyen.

Wednesday, October 31^st, 12:00-3:00 p.m. – table in Atrium

Nutanix meet & greet
At Nutanix, we are looking for the next group of innovative and passionate students to join our family. We’ll be hosting a meet & greet today! Stop by and learn more about our mission!

Friday, November 2^nd, 12:00-3:00 p.m., table in the Atrium

Amazon office hours
Get your tech recruiting questions answered! Claire from Amazon Student Programs will be available to answer your application questions. Feel free to stop by if you would like resume help or have specific questions on the Amazon application process.