Upcoming Events
April 4, 2008
The Difference: Why We Need a Logic of Diversity
Featuring Scott Page, professor of Political Science, Complex Systems, and Economics at the University of Michigan
4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Davis Auditorium, Schapiro Center
In this landmark book, Scott Page shows that innovation in solving hard problems depends less on lone thinkers with enormous IQs than on diverse people working together and capitalizing on their individuality. Through mathematical modeling and case studies, Page demonstrates that diverse groups of problem solvers outperformed the groups of the best individuals at solving problems. The reason: the diverse groups got stuck less often than the smart individuals, who tended to think similarly. Moving beyond the politics that cloud standard debates about diversity, Page explains why difference beats out homogeneity, whether you are talking about citizens in a democracy or scientists in the laboratory.
The implications of Page’s work are wide-ranging – from rethinking traditional notions of merit to redefining the public discourse on what “diversity” actually means to encouraging interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge generation at institutions of higher education. This lecture will also address why diversity increases the capacity to solve difficult problems in areas such as science, where this connection has not been well understood.
April 5, 2008
Getting Ready for Advanced Degrees (GRAD) Lab
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Lerner Hall, Room 555
A comprehensive, hands-on symposium designed to excite and encourage promising under-graduate and community college engineering and science students to consider master and PhD technical research programs. The symposium will encourage their consideration of graduate engineering school by delivering vital information on the importance of research and innovation, life-long career benefits and real world role-model examples of success. The day-long event will help each student envision his or her future as a technology leader, successfully apply for a GEM fellowship, and gain entry to a graduate program. Industry and academic professionals will share their career, graduate school and GEM experiences with these potential graduate students.
April 10, 2008
How to run a meeting -- tips from the world of business
1:00. - 2:00 p.m.
Burden Room in Low Library
This workshop will provide practical to how to more effectively run meetings using models found in industry. Elizabeth Girardi-Schoen, , Senior Director EHS Strategic Partnerships & Planning, Pfizer will lead the discussion.
May 8, 2008
NSF Career Award Workshop
12:00. - 2:00 p.m.
This workshop mainly aims to provide future CAREER proposal submitters with proposal review experience and interactions with NSF program director, Judy Vance, and recent CAREER awardees. It should be helpful to other people who plan to submit non-CAREER proposals to NSF.