The CSEE Department will hold its annual CSEE Research Review day from 9:00am to 4:00pm on Friday, May 4, 2012. Faculty, research staff and students from the Computer Science, Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering programs will present and discuss their latest research results via short oral presentations and a poster session.

The event is open to the public and is a good way for prospective collaborators and students to find out about the research our department is doing and meet and network with current faculty and students. See pictures from CRR-06, CRR-08, CRR-09, CRR-10 and CRR-11 to get an idea of what goes on at this event.

The 2012 CSEE Research Review (CRR-12) will take place in the large conference room of the UMBC Technology Center's business Incubator and Accelerator building on South Campus. There is ample free parking and refreshments and a free buffet lunch will be provided.

CSEE faculty, staff and students are encouraged to submit papers and posters for possible presentation by the April 12 deadline. See the CRR-12 Call for Submissions for details on how to submit research work. Awards with cash prizes will be given for the best research paper submitted by a undergraduate, M.S. and Ph.D. student and for the best three posters.

For more information, contact the CRR-11 General Chair, Professor Alan Sherman, Sorry, you need javascript to view this email address.

Photo courtesy of Boston University.

School newspapers have been known to indulge in a few ridiculous stories in the light-hearted spirit of April Fool’s day: claiming changes in meal plans are forthcoming, including silly animal pictures, or writing an article joking about sexual assault. No, we’re (unfortunately) not kidding.

This masterful demonstration in the fine art of bad taste was published by Boston University’s Daily Free Press, an award-winning student run newspaper.

The article (available here) was clearly designed as a joke, with repeated Disney references, in keeping with the theme of the rest of the paper.

The article includes hilarious faux-quotes from a source named Pocahontas, including, “…most of all I want to be able to party without worrying about being gangbanged by a bunch of short hairy BROS.” Oh, Disney characters worrying about gang rape… Gets us every time.

Besides the questionable content, the story may also hit especially close to home for Boston University students, given that star hockey player Matt Nicastro was recently arrested on charges of rape.

Perhaps the Daily Free Press also managed to forget the other pending case against hockey player Corey Trivino on charges of indecent assault and breaking and entering.

Thankfully, the Daily Free Press has already issued this apology letter for their momentary lapse in sanity and good taste.

Thanks to the U.S. Census Bureau

Now couldn’t be a better time to recount history … take 1940 for example…

1940 was the beginning of recovery from the Great Depression, war, and jobs were a hot topic. Sound familiar?

So when the U.S. Census Bureau released archives from 1940 this past Monday, online traffic bloomed to a soaring 22.5 million hits.

The American census, a tradition dating back to the late 18th century is globally recognized for its comprehensive record-keeping.

The rule is on “Census Day” every year the books are opened on the census of exactly 72 years ago.

Was 1940 that big of a deal or are Americans just Internet information crazed?

It’s amazing how we have 3.8 million pages of census data at our digital fingertips, while many methods for collecting census data are pretty old school.

Will 1940 have the answers for 2012? Surely 22.5 million people might find something.

artweek:

Make sure you vote for your favorite skateboard design starting tonight at midnight and vending friday morning at midnight! 

One of our committee members has a submission in here! He also yells “SKATE OR DIE” whenever someone skates by :)

As election season moves into high gear, UMBC faculty are providing media with insight into both local and national political developments.

Laura Hussey, assistant professor of political science, commented for AP on Maryland state Sen. Anthony Muse’s campaign to oust U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin. Muse has promoted himself as a better advocate on issues such as consumer protection, but Hussey notes that Cardin maintains an incumbent’s advantage, benefiting from name recognition, prominent endorsements and strong financial support.

Hussey argues that if the seat were open, rather than occupied by an incumbent, demographic and geographic differences between Muse and Cardin would play a greater role in the election. Muse has suggested that Maryland is poised to elect an African-American to the U.S. senate at a moment when there are no black U.S. senators.

Don Norris, professor and chairman of UMBC’s Department of Public Policy, predicted for the National Journal that “there won’t be any surprises” in the Maryland and D.C. Republican primaries—Romney is likely to easily take the lead in both.

“The Republican electorate in Maryland is a little more moderate”—and Romney-friendly—“than in other states below the Mason-Dixon line,” says Norris. Although the primary might be less exciting in Maryland than other states, the delegates are just as important. “Romney’s waging a war of attrition against Santorum and Gingrich,” Norris argues. “Every time he wins a delegate…[it] goes into the plus column to eventually get to the 1,144 that he’s got to have.”

artweek:

littleheat:

whoo!

Balloon Drop!

This was so fun!

The Washington Post this weekend featured a reflection on the turbulent development of Nationals Park, home to the Washington Nationals. The article concluded with a comment by UMBC economics professor Dennis Coates, who wrote a report opposing the stadium deal in 2004.

Coates argued that sports facilities redistribute (rather than increase) leisure spending and asked: “Does it make sense to spend all those tax dollars on a stadium that will just attract the entertainment dollar from Georgetown or Adams Morgan to the ballpark area?” However, he also suggested the investment might pay off if the District’s goal was to attract suburbanites’ leisure spending.

Recent findings indicate that this might indeed be what is happening: 60% of game attendees are from Virginia, 25% from Maryland and 15% from the District, which means Virginians are disproportionately contributing their leisure funds to D.C.’s coffers.