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What is LEAP, you ask? According to their website, LEAP: An innovative collaboration between students, faculty and administration developed to strategically coordinate the use of resources to better meet the learning and research needs of UBC students. This is a fantastic resource site, launched by UBC and the AMS and looks to have amazing potential. The website includes many resources including a link to some upcoming workshops on study and research skills that are offered free to students and information about the completely new AMS online tutoring initiative. Sounds like a win-win scenario to me!

For more information about LEAP, check out http://leap.ubc.ca/

Would you like to get some research experience in an academic setting? If you are an undergraduate student with an interest in working on research and development projects at a University, you may be eligible to apply for an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA). The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) subsidizes eligible professors to hire students on their research projects, thereby creating interesting research related jobs and giving you the opportunity to gain valuable work experience.

When:

Summer 2006, May - August (full time for 16 weeks)

Who’s Eligible:

NSERC USRA candidates must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
• be registered (at the time you apply) as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program at an eligible university (exception: see graduating students below);
• have obtained, over the previous years of study, a cumulative B-(68%) average or above;
• have completed all the course requirements of at least the first year of university study (or two academic terms) of your bachelor’s degree;
• not have started a program of graduate studies.

In addition:

• If you already hold a bachelor’s degree and are studying towards a second bachelor’s degree, you may still apply to this program.
• You may hold only one USRA per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).
• You may hold a maximum of three USRAs throughout your university career.
• If you are a graduating student, you may hold an award in the term immediately following the completion of all requirements of your undergraduate program, regardless of your graduation date. If you were only required to register part-time in your final term in order to complete your degree, you are still eligible to hold an award.
• Once you start working, you must be engaged, on a full-time basis, in research and development activities in the natural sciences or engineering during the tenure of the award.

Who is not eligible? You are not eligible for an undergraduate student research award if:

• You are currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program in the health sciences (e.g., M.D., D.D.S., B.Sc.N.);
• or You hold higher degrees in the natural sciences or engineering.

How to apply:

For more information and applications check the UBC Career Services website at: http://www.careers.ubc.ca/opportunities.cfm?page=nserc or the NSERC website at: http://www.nserc.gc.ca/sf_e.asp?nav=sfnav&lbi=1a You also need to fill out the department�s employment application form available in the main office, Rm 201 ICICS Bldg or from our website at: http://www.cs.ubc.ca/career/Student/appform.shtml.

You cannot submit your application directly to NSERC. You must print it out and submit to Giuliana Villegas, Student Services Coordinator in the CS Main office._

Deadline: March 3, 2006

The CS Alumni Panel Series brings UBC CS alumni together with current and prospective students to discuss how a Computer Science degree fits into our lives. Why choose to do a degree in computer science? Where can we go with our degrees? Each session starts with brief biographical presentations by alumni with distinguished and often unusual careers. Then, we open up for Q&A with the audience. Following the panel, there’s opportunities to mingle with the panelists, alumni, current students, and prospective students while enjoying some light snacks and beverages.

Hear panelists Sonja Norman and David Greer, two UBC Computer Science Alums with very different career paths, who will share their stories. Networking to follow! Return here for more detailed information shortly.

For more information, see http://www.cs.ubc.ca/people/alumni/panelSeries.shtml

When:

Tuesday, February 7, 2006 - 16:30 to 18:30

Where:

Dempster 310

Tags:

Career

Meet the Teachers is another fun event that usually happens at the start of second term. Having gone almost through half of the academic year already, you’re no doubt full of lots of suggestions on how to make your next 4 (or less) years at UBC better. What courses could be added or what things would you like to see? Do you support issues like mandatory laptop programs that other Computer Science faculties in the States are doing?

Learn what the department has been working on in the last year on issues brought up in past meetings and suggest your own constructive suggestions for the improvement of teaching - for the future. It’s like that old saying - “a penny for your thoughts”, except these days, it’s likely to be pizza. ;-)

When:

Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 16:00 to 17:30

Where:

DMP 310

Tags:

Career

Are you a computer science student by day and a 3d animator by night? It just might pay off. Really. Electronic Arts is offering a $20,000 grand prize for their competition called REVEAL 06: Canadian 3D Animation Showdown. Put together a professional demo reel and send it off to Electronic Arts. They’re looking for the project that “best represents excellence in digital short animation.” Entries due April 7th, so don’t delay!

For more information, visit the official contest site at http://www.reveal.ea.com/