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IT News
Affordable, portable 3-D display and virtual reality system being demonstrated
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| Envision Center's Christian Barrett demonstrating the portable 3-D display system. |
A cost-effective, portable 3-D stereoscopic display and virtual reality system for potential use in Purdue’s classrooms and research labs is the result of a project repurposing off-the-shelf hardware, including a big-screen 3-D television and a Kinect motion-tracking device normally used for playing Xbox games.
Faculty members who want to see a demonstration of the prototype system can contact David Braun at: rcac-info@purdue.edu.
“You basically have a platform that can be used in a class or lab every day,” says Braun, a research computing specialist who directs the Envision Center, ITaP’s data visualization and virtual reality facility.
Shared license brings powerful data visualization tool to Purdue researchers
Purdue researchers now have access to Avizo, a powerful, yet easy-to-use, data visualization tool, under a shared license program that reduces the cost for users and maximizes use of the resource. Faculty members interested in a test drive of Avizo to see whether it meets their needs can contact David Braun at rcac-info@purdue.edu.
New Hansen research supercomputer activated, capacity still available to faculty
Purdue’s latest supercomputer, called Hansen, is ready to run jobs from faculty researchers studying topics ranging from the spread of contaminants on airliners to the spread of warmer temperatures on the Earth. Capacity in the Hansen cluster is still available to interested faculty.
Website gives community cluster users a window to their work
A new website allows faculty researchers to track usage of Purdue’s community clusters and to examine their use of supercomputers in broader contexts. The website should assist faculty in planning a lab’s workflow and future computational needs and in generating data, charts and graphs for grant proposals and reports to funding agencies.
Using clickers and active-learning methods engages engineering design students
Engineering instructor Mark Johnson has used classroom-response technology to engage students and promote discussion in class since 2005. This year, he piloted the new i>clicker2 and found it to be a good fit for his teaching methods and the kinds of questions he poses to students to generate class discussions.
Data Stewards offer Web page with data handling training resources
The Purdue Data Stewards organization offers several data handling training resources on its Web page for faculty and staff who are interested in a quick and easy review of Purdue’s data handling guidelines and policies.
Events
Faculty panels during October Break to discuss clickers and class recordings
Faculty members will be demonstrating two popular classroom technologies in a panel discussion Oct. 11, the Tuesday of October Break. The morning session features users of i>clickers, and the afternoon session centers on faculty who record their classes through BoilerCast. Registration is encouraged.
Leader in transforming traditional lecture courses to talk course redesign Oct. 12
A national expert on transforming traditional lecture courses to student-centered, active-learning courses will speak from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 12 in the Krannert Auditorium. John Squires, a scholar with the National Center for Academic Transformation, has worked with colleges, universities and high schools nationwide on using technology to improve student learning.
Workshops offered for faculty considering course redesign to bolster student success
An October workshop series is aimed at faculty members interested in Purdue's IMPACT program, an effort to redesign courses using research findings on sound student-centered teaching and learning practices, with the goal of improving student course completion rates, retention and success. Instructors of any undergraduate class may qualify for the redesign program.
October seminar covers MATLAB for both new and experienced users
A two-part tutorial covering MATLAB basics and more advanced uses with Purdue's community cluster supercomputers will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. Oct. 13 in the Lawson Computer Science Building, Room 1142. Anyone interested in learning about MATLAB is welcome to attend the free event.
FBI agents to address cyber priorities during Cybersecurity Awareness Month
ITaP will host its sixth-annual celebration of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, during which agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation will discuss the cyber threats they deal with daily. The event will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 20 in Fowler Hall at Stewart Center and is free and open to the public.
Blackboard users group to meet Oct. 4 and Nov. 8
The cross-campus Blackboard Users Group (BUG) will meet from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, and again on Nov. 8 in Stewart Center, Room 313. The complete agenda will be available before the meetings on the BUG wiki.
Tech Tidbits
Get Smart: Using your mobile device securely Read more
Gold Answers offers wealth of information for Purdue campus computing, IT users Read more
Mixable application engages students in non-traditional ways Read more