SEAS Colonial Cable
Greetings, SEAS Alumni:
Here's a look at recent and upcoming SEAS activities and events:
SEAS Alumna Anousheh Ansari Receives Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award
SEAS alumna Anousheh Ansari (MS '92) returned to campus on September 28th to receive a 2007 GW Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award (DAAA) and to speak to students and others about her interest in space exploration, her career, and how she merged the two. Ansari was one of seven men and women who were honored at this year's DAAA ceremony for the lasting impact they have made on society though outstanding professional, voluntary, or philanthropic accomplishments. The DAA is the highest award GW bestows upon its alumni.
Ansari attended the ceremony with her mother and aunt. She was presented the DAAA by Dean Tong, and she followed with a brief set of remarks, commenting on how much she learned at GW even though her time here was short. She said that in addition to the technical material she learned in the classroom, she also learned many other important skills that she uses today in business.
Ansari is a partner at Prodea LLP, a venture capital firm she co-founded in 2003. A member of the X Prize Foundation's Vision Circle and its board of trustees, she and her brother-in-law sponsored the Ansari X Prize - a $10-million cash prize conferred on the first non-governmental organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space. In 1999, she received the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in technology and communications, and Working Woman magazine selected Ansari as the winner of the 2000 National Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. On September 18, 2006, Ansari blasted off for an eight-day expedition aboard the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 14 crew of the Soyuz TMA-9, and in the process captured headlines around the world as a private space explorer.
After the DAAA ceremony, Ansari presented a talk at the Jack Morton Auditorium on how she was able to pursue her dream of space exploration. During the presentation, she focused quite a bit on the people and ideas that have inspired her throughout her life, and she encouraged young people to find their inspiration, as well. She also spoke of the important role that entrepreneurs have played throughout history in spurring innovations. Following her presentation, Ansari answered questions from the audience and then met with them afterwards at a reception given in her honor.
Letter to SEAS Alumni from GW Chapter of Engineers Without Borders
Dear SEAS Alumni:
It is with great excitement that we wish to introduce you to a newly formed chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) at GW! Engineers Without Borders is an international, non-profit organization that partners student engineers with professional mentors to bring technological solutions to communities in both the developing world and the United States. Through our efforts, we are using our technical approach to improve health, overcome poverty, improve living standards, and bridge the educational divide.
Our team has partnered with a professor at Kenyatta University in Nairobi and EWB-Kenya to plan, design, and eventually build a small technical college in rural Kenya called the Suna Institute. As in much of the developing world, students fortunate enough to complete school through the secondary level may be unable to afford admission into a university. Few alternatives exist to provide the education and training needed to help them achieve higher goals. Lacking practical skills, many struggle to find work in their communities and often resort to crime. An endless cycle of poverty results from a lack of educational opportunity.
Our vision is to create a low-cost, self-sustaining school that teaches Kenyans in the Migori District the technical skills that will contribute to regional development efforts, and make them employable. GW students are involved in all aspects of the design and organization of the institute. Working in conjunction with professional engineering mentors, students will plan, design, and build the facility. Our students are also working alongside members of EWB-Kenya and leaders in the Suna community to prepare the Board of Trustees and management that will oversee the school. In the summer of 2008, our team will travel to Kenya to begin building the institute with the help of Suna's townspeople. When it is finished, the Suna Institute will serve over 10,000 people in Kenya's Migori District. We plan to develop a long-term relationship with the school and remain in Migori for many years.
Our chapter needs your help! The Suna Institute project is both a unique learning opportunity for our members and a chance to bring far-reaching change to part of the developing world. Our immediate need is for $10,000-$15,000 to conduct a two-week site assessment in January of 2008. During this trip, students and professionals from our team will visit the proposed school site to gather technical data, meet with community leaders and the future Board of Trustees, and present initial design concepts to the community. The cost of additional phases will be determined after the site assessment.
We are also exploring the use of alternative energy to partially power the school. We are seeking donations of solar panels, wind turbines, or other sources of alternative energy. Anyone with information regarding unique ways of managing power would be a welcome asset on our team.
Finally, we are always looking for professional mentors. We are especially in need of mentors with structural engineering and green design experience. In order to keep the school as low-cost as possible, we require an energy efficient design. Furthermore, since the school is situated north of the dormant Mt. Kilimanjaro, the area experiences earthquakes on a regular basis. Our team is trying to develop unique and low-cost methods to address this problem.
If you would like to make a financial contribution, you can do so through our web site at www.ewbgwu.org. If you would like to join our team, please join us at our next General Body Meeting on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 7:00 PM on the second floor of Tompkins Hall on GW's Foggy Bottom campus, or e-mail Alisha Bonaroti at ewbgwu@gmail.com. For more information about the GW chapter or the Suna Institute project, please contact either Amber Sorenson or Alisha at ewbgwu@gmail.com.
We invite you to join us in our challenging effort to help the people of Suna and develop methods that can be applied to similar projects in other parts of the developing world. Together, we can change the world, one community at a time.
Sincerely,
Amber Sorenson, President
Alisha Bonaroti, Vice President
Amy Braunschweiger, Treasurer
David Steines, Secretary
Ben Rosenfeld, Webmaster
EAA and SEAS Host Annual Resume Critique Event
On Monday, September 24, 2007, the Engineer Alumni Association (EAA) and the SEAS National Advisory Council (NAC) partnered to sponsor the annual SEAS Resume Critique Event. The event provided a great opportunity for SEAS students and alumni to have their resumes reviewed by professional recruiters and hiring managers in the engineering and IT Fields.
Fifteen area hiring mangers and recruiters—including three GW alumni—from private companies, non-profit, and governmental agencies participated in the event. Among these companies and agencies were: Northrop Grumman, National Science Foundation (NSF), Sprint/Nextel, Alion Science and Technology Corporation, REHAU, ARES Corporation, Deloitte Consulting, Televerage International, Searchles, Inc., and Turner Construction Company. More than 50 SEAS alumni and students had their resumes reviewed.
Both SEAS students and the reviewers expressed positive feedback, and the EAA plans to offer another resume critique event in the spring of 2008. EAA and NAC members see this event as a great way for alumni to get involved with SEAS and give something back to their alma mater, and they hope that even more companies will be represented at the spring event.
EAA Holds Annual Meeting
On Wednesday, August 15, the Engineer Alumni Association (EAA) held its annual dinner at Clyde’s of Gallery Place in Washington, DC. EAA President J.P. Blackford welcomed everyone to the annual dinner, thanked the members for their hard work as he reviewed the past year’s events, and congratulated them on a successful year.
The EAA also hosted an awards program at the annual dinner. They awarded the Engineer Alumni Service Award to Mr. Arthur L. Howard (BS '63) and the EAA scholarship to SEAS graduate student Amin Teymorian.
At the meeting, members also talked about events for the upcoming academic year. Alumni who are interested in learning more about the EAA and/or getting involved in its activities should contact J.P. Blackford at jpb@gwu.edu or the SEAS Office of Development and Alumni Programs at millions@gwu.edu or 202-994-8474.
Seattle Area Alumni Get Together
On July 12th, John and Alice Tawresey (parents of SEAS junior Gwendolyn) hosted a reception at their lovely waterfront home in Bainbridge Island, Washington for SEAS alumni, students, parents and friends from across the Seattle area – the first such SEAS gathering in the Pacific Northwest.
In addition to enjoying each other’s company, the group welcomed incoming freshmen Andy Colborn and Hannah Stuart and their parents into the SEAS family. The reception included remarks from Dean Timothy Tong and great food, all set against the backdrop of the Puget Sound and Alice’s spectacular rose garden.
SEAS Alumni Gather in San Diego
On July 17th, SEAS alumnus Dr. BK. Yi and his wife Young Hee hosted a backyard Korean barbecue at their lovely home in San Diego for SEAS alumni, students, parents and friends.
In addition to enjoying each other’s company, the group welcomed incoming SEAS freshman Danielle Han and her mother. The reception included remarks from Dean Timothy Tong, great food, and a perfect California evening. Dean Tong even helped a bit behind the grill. Two lucky guests left the party with new “Chocolate” cell phones, courtesy of Dr. Yi and LG Electronics, where he serves as senior vice president and leads the croup that developed the popular phone.
SEAS is proud to announce the GW Engineering group on LinkedIn, an independent, commercial, online networking tool.
SEAS has partnered with LinkedIn to provide this service for SEAS alumni, students, faculty, and staff, and we invite you to join the GW Engineering group. We hope that you will find it a useful tool for business networking, job searches, or simply for locating other members of the SEAS community.
To join the GW Engineering group, just click here and complete a LinkedIn member profile. Access to the group is free, completely optional, and is available only to members of the SEAS community.
About online business networking: You can use LinkedIn to expand and track your network in an organized and systematic way. The GW Engineering group on LinkedIn provides an ideal starting point, and it also provides a point of contact for people outside the SEAS community who are connected to your fellow GW Engineering group members.
About privacy: Please read the LinkedIn privacy policy to answer any concerns about privacy.
Upcoming SEAS Events
GW Distinguished Entrepreneurial Achievement Award
Date: |
Wednesday, October 24, 2007 |
Time: |
8:30 am - 12:30 pm |
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Location: |
1957 E Street, NW
7th Floor, City View Room
Washington, DC |
You are cordially invited to an event that will celebrate entrepreneurship at GW and honor Richard L. Scott, founder of Columbia Hospital Corporation and president and CEO of Richard L. Scott Investments, with the inaugural Award for Distinguished Entrepreneurial Achievement. The celebration will include an address from President Knapp, an address from Mr. Scott, and two panels of GW entrepeneurs who will share their experiences as entrepreneurs.
Agenda:
8:30 am: Continental breakfast
9:00 am: President Steven Knapp: A Vision of Entrepreneurship and Research at GW
9:45 am: Panel I: Alumni Entrepreneurs in Action: Three Stories from the Entrepreneurial Trenches
10:35 am: Panel II: G Entrepreneurs on Campus: Building New Ventures at GW
11:15 am: Break
11:30 am Presentation of Award and Keynote Address from Mr. Richard Scott
12:15 pm: GW Research Poster Display and Networking
If you would like to attend the event, please RSVP by October 15. Registration is free, but space is limited. To RSVP, click here, or call 202-994-8474.
This event is sponsored by Blank Rome LLP, The George Washington Entrepreneurs Round Table, SEAS, the GW School of Business, The GW Cancer Institute, the GW Chief Research Officer, Peter Weissman (JD '96) and Sharon Worthington.
Bio of Richard L. Scott
In 1987, Richard L. Scott founded Columbia Hospital Corporation (later renamed HCA, Inc.) and began a decade-long effort to build an integrated health system designed to meet the needs of the healthcare consumer. By the time he left his role as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1997, Columbia/HCA had become the world's largest healthcare company with more than 340 hospitals, 130 surgery centers and 550 home health locations in 38 states and three foreign countries. With annual revenues of $20 billion, the company employed more than 285,000 individuals making it the 7th largest U.S. employer and 12th largest employer worldwide. Based on market capitalization, Columbia/HCA ranked in the top 50 companies in America and top 100 companies worldwide. Columbia/HCA was also in the top 50 of the most admired companies in America according to Fortune magazine. In 1997, 26% of Columbia’s facilities were recognized in the 100 Top Hospitals: Benchmark for Success study, produced by HCIA Inc. and William M. Mercer.
Since 1997, Mr. Scott has been Chief Executive Officer of Richard L. Scott Investments, LLC, focusing on public and private investments in strong cash flow generating companies. Mr. Scott currently serves on the boards of Secure Computing Corporation, Envestnet Asset Management, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, Inc., Continental Structural Plastics, Inc. and Solantic, LLC. Richard L. Scott was recognized by TIME magazine as one of America's 25 most influential people in 1995. Also in 1995, he was named CEO of the Year by Financial World magazine and was also cited as one of the Top 25 Performers of 1995 by U.S. News and World Report magazine. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Mr. Scott holds an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Southern Methodist University.
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