Preparing For A New Normal
|
|
Greetings, everyone!
I hope this finds you and your family doing well and hopefully cooling off after the recent heat wave that came through Laramie. With summer courses well underway, and fall 2020 classes beginning August 24, I know you all are now preparing a variety of course delivery methods whether that be face-to-face, hybrid, and/or online.
As a reminder if you want to get help from the Ellbogen Center for Teaching & Learning (ECTL) to make your courses more efficient and more easily converted to online if necessary, time is of the essence, so visit ECTL today at
http://www.uwyo.edu/ctl/
. Remember the mantra: hope for the best, plan for the worst.
The Fall Staffing Plans, that I hope you were all a part of creating, have been reviewed for all our departments and units, with the goal of reducing “people density” throughout our areas. They were uploaded to HR and the approved versions of every unit’s plan was sent to each unit head to share.
There was some good news last week, as the Department of Homeland Security rescinded a July 6 policy directive that would have required international students to take at least some in-person coursework in order to remain in the United States. What does this mean practically? Not much is different; UW will still make every effort to get international students into as many on-campus/face-to-face credits as possible. The big change, however, is that if, for some reason, UW does find it necessary to move to fully online course delivery, our international students can stay in the U.S. legally.
The Budget Reduction Working Group still is in the discussion stage. No one’s budget is being cut by this group; they are mainly trying to come up with helpful guidelines for individual units to eventually do their own budget cutting scenarios. And guidance from the Governor’s Office is still somewhat fluid.
The Board of Trustees, among other things, approved the rule that even visitors to campus will have to wear masks. They also gave UW the latitude to make changes to the fall reopening plan without getting prior BoT approval. This provides important flexibility for what we all foresee will likely be a rapidly changing situation.
I continue to be very proud of how everyone is responding and supporting one another during this time.
Wishing you all a relaxing weekend, stay healthy, and keep up the good work!
Warm regards,
|
|
UW's Construction Management Program Receives Grant
for Workforce Training
|
The University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science’s Construction Management Program has received a $452,522 grant that will help support construction training in Wyoming.
The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services awarded the funds through its Workforce Development Training Fund (WDTF). This is the first award of this type for the Construction Management Program.
The WDTF is a unique Wyoming-based program connecting employers with professional development opportunities to increase employee skill attainment and earning power.
“This grant will help the UW Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and the Construction Management Program to connect with industry and construction companies by providing training to workers in the sector,” says Francois Jacobs, the grant’s principal investigator and UW civil and architectural engineering and construction management associate professor.
The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services says construction led all sectors in job growth in Wyoming during each quarter since 2018. Heavy and civil engineering construction added the greatest number of jobs, followed by the construction of buildings and specialty trade contractors.
“The need for qualified construction professionals will grow as a result of the increasing complexity of construction projects, including the need to deal with the proliferation of construction laws, worker safety and environmental issues,” Jacobs says. “The need to provide construction workers with needed industry training is crucial to the future growth of the construction sector in Wyoming and the future earning potential of its workers.”
The goals of the program include:
-- Developing a body of knowledge, in the form of training modules, that is unique to construction skill training in Wyoming, with specific reference to site and project management; site and worker safety; estimating; scheduling; and evolving technologies in construction.
-- Implementing training for a minimum of 40 construction practitioners/workers per semester to obtain stackable credentials toward a certificate of completion.
-- Building partnerships with community-based organizations to address gaps in industry training.
“A pervasive need exists for construction training in the state of Wyoming, and UW’s College of Engineering and Applied Science sees this training opportunity as an extension of its construction management curriculum to work with industry professionals across the state,” Jacobs says.
WDTF key partners include various construction associations in the state, such as the Wyoming Contractors Association, the Wyoming Construction Coalition, the Southeast Wyoming Builders Association and the Laramie Workforce Center.
|
|
Student Receives 2020
Tau Beta Pi
Laureate Award Nomination
Congratulations to Aisha Balogun Mohammed on being one of six Tau Beta Pi students nominated nationwide for the Tau Beta Pi Laureate Award, which annually recognizes Tau Beta Pi student members who outstandingly exemplify the "spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges." Way to go, Aisha!
|
|
Jim Ward Receives Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award
|
|
Ordering Cleaning Supplies For Fall Semester 2020
In order to help ensure campus is prepared to reopen during COVID-19, UW has centrally ordered some cleaning supplies for campus, which
will be distributed to units by UW Operations
and will continue to be ordered centrally throu
ghout the semester.
|
|
New CEAS Website Request Form Link
Looking to update information on your department webpage or faculty and staff directory? Submit website changes
here
.
|
|
Call For UWyo Magazine Article Ideas
The fall 2020 issue of UWyo Magazine will have a tech theme around computer science, AI, cybersecurity, energy tech, blockchain, etc. If you have an article idea that you would like to propose, contact UWyo Magazine Managing Editor
Micaela Myers
.
|
|
Catch Up On Past CEAS Dean's Newsletters
|
|
Who Do You Contact For Building Issues?
If you encounter or hear of any building issues please contact CEAS Facilities Manager Steve Salmans at (307) 766-6170 or by
email
.
|
|
Don't Let This Security Tip Pass You By!
|
|
By: Mike
Borowczak
Cybersecurity Education And Research (CEDAR), Director
CEAS Department of Computer Science, Assistant Professor
When asked to write a column on security awareness for the CEAS newsletter I debated what would be of most benefit to all of us? And more importantly, what would actually be read? So, I’ve decided, rather than focus on the latest “advanced threat of the day” - to focus on things you can do at work and in your personal lives that will keep our most precious asset - you - safer! I’ll ground every column in a need, risk, or question I’ve received, and then provide you with tips on how you can enhance your own personal security.
So how can we keep our assets, such as students and their records, you and your bank account and everything in between - think research/intellectual property, documents, contacts, and more, safe?
Our weakest link is how we prove who we say we are when accessing online / technology resources - using a username and a password. UWyo has made great strides recently to mitigate this risk by forcing the use of multi-factor authentication (using your phone) when logging in from outside of the UWyo network. But this doesn’t protect our assets if your system is already compromised, you have systems that are not part of the UWyo network (e.g. you do work on a personal computer), and most importantly - it doesn’t protect you or your personal assets.
So, what can you do? Everyone says “make a strong password” and “don’t reuse passwords.” While these are both accurate, a recent survey found that the average internet user has ~90 online accounts and given the likelihood of a breach of one of those online services if you reuse your password - you’re at risk.
Head on over to
https://haveibeenpwned.com/
and see if your email address has been compromised - then click over to the “password” tab and see if any of your passwords are in the set of 555 million known passwords (perhaps because of a breach, or you use a common password). Don’t worry, the password you type is never transmitted to the site. The likelihood of using a strong password and/or not reusing it is slim without help.
My first actionable tip is to use a reputable password manager (e.g. bitwarden, nordpass, lastpass) to generate and keep track of different strong passwords for every single account you have. When you do this, you only need to remember one incredibly strong password. The second actionable tip is length. If possible pick a phrase - make sure it’s not a famous quote and that it doesn’t contain personal information within it, and you’re all set. Depending on the password policies of the account you’re creating a password for you may be forced to add in a number or symbol. To help with recall if you’re using a phrase, consider including a number of items rather than arbitrary letter to number conversion. Here’s an example: “The18thDoorOnTheLeftIsGreen!”
Ultimately, you can make a difference in protecting our college and yourself from unnecessary exposure to cyber-criminals by simply changing your password. While no single tip or technique can guarantee “perfect security,” future columns will discuss adding in other techniques to help mitigate your outward facing risks. If you have a security question or concern email at
cedar@uwyo.edu
.
|
|
CEAS Summer Virtual Happy Hour
Every Wednesday
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
All are welcome!
|
|
Professional Development Corner
|
|
|
|
Staying Positive and Productive during Uncertainty
|
Discover skills and techniques to help you stay positive and productive in your career during times of uncertainty. Explore how to deal with workplace change, find purpose and direction, lead others, and increase efficiency.
|
|
Tyler Kerr Named UW Staff Employee of Second Quarter
|
From his early experiments burying chicken bones in the backyard in a failed attempt to dig them up later as fossils, to taking apart the family’s old cathode-ray television to see how it works, Tyler Kerr has always thought of himself as a curious maker, scientist and educator.
Read more here.
|
|
|
Bagley, Mukai Named Interim UW College of Engineering and Applied Science Associate Deans
|
David Bagley and David Mukai have been named interim associate deans in the University of Wyoming’s College of Engineering and Applied Science. Bagley is interim associate dean for graduate education and research, and Mukai will be the interim associate dean for undergraduate education.
Discover more here.
|
|
|
UW College of Engineering and Applied Science Names New Recruiter
|
The University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science recently selected Alex Farley as the new recruiter in the college’s Susan McCormack Center for Student Success and Career Services. Farley joins a team whose mission is to help students develop their full potential by engaging them in a culture of success through active involvement in education and career planning.
Read more here
.
|
|
|
Third Annual UW Blockchain Stampede Scheduled This Fall
|
The University of Wyoming will host the third annual Wyoming Blockchain Stampede event this fall as a virtual conference and expo experience to demonstrate its continued commitment to blockchain technology.
Learn more here.
|
|
|
UW’s Construction Management Program Takes First Step in National Accreditation
|
After a favorable recommendation, the University of Wyoming Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering’s Construction Management Program has received “candidate status” from the American Council of Construction Education (ACCE).
Read more here.
|
|
|
Two UW Faculty Members Receive DOE Grants to Research Alloys, Quantum Computer Materials
|
Dilpuneet Singh Aidhy, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, recently received a three-year DOE grant to study high entropy alloys that are potential materials for large structural applications. Aidhy's project is one of 31 for which the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) granted $21 million in total Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) funding.
Keep reading here.
|
|
|
UW’s Geerts Receives DOE Atmospheric Grant to Study Cold-Air Outbreaks in the Arctic
|
Bart Geerts says the Arctic is arguably the region on Earth that is warming the most rapidly, with rapid sea ice loss and warming air temperatures reinforcing each other. Decreasing ice cover implies potentially more hazardous Arctic winter weather effects upon coastal communities and local transportation. To better tackle this issue, the University of Wyoming department head and professor of
atmospheric science
is looking at cold-air outbreaks, which are poorly understood, he says.
Learn more here.
|
|
|
New UW College of Engineering Course Examines Vaccine Manufacturing
|
Stages of vaccine production from discovery to commercialization are the focus of a new University of Wyoming Department of Chemical Engineering elective course, titled “Vaccine Manufacturing.” Scheduled for fall 2020, the course is for upper-division (senior) undergraduate students in chemical engineering, chemistry, microbiology, biology, pharmacy or pre-medicine.
|
|
|
July Inspirational Phone Background
|
|
|
|
Click the button below to download and save this inspirational image to your phone!
"Think Positive, Talk Positive, Feel Positive."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
