BE Undergraduate Newsletter
Announcements
Slug Security - Embedded Security Competition 2024
Slug Security, UCSC's Cybersecurity Club, is looking for competitors for UCSC's 2024 MITRE eCTF team. Additional information on the Embedded Capture the Flag Competition can be found on MITRE's eCTF site. The competition is split into two phases, the design phase and the attack phase. The design phase is where the team will be building some embedded application on a microcontroller, while ensuring security requirements are met. The attack phase is where the team will be attacking other teams' designs to capture flags.
In the 2023 competition, UCSC's team secured 2nd place. Our eCTF 2023 blog post is available online and our previous codebase is public for anyone to view on GitHub.
If you are interested, please review the information document and apply at this Google Form (CruzID restricted) by December 1st, 2023.
For any questions please reach out to SlugSec@ucsc.edu or visit slugsec.ucsc.edu.
Baskin Voices
BASKIN VOICES is a section of our website that includes quotes and interviews with the people who make up the staff and faculty of the Baskin School of Engineering. You will find the experiences of graduate students, instructors, administrators, facility staff, and many other amazing people who represent the backbone of our institution. Check it out!
Rocket Team at UCSC
Rocket Team is an aerospace engineering club that competes in NASA's annual University Student Launch Competition. This competition challenges our team to build a high powered rocket each year and launch it to a pre-designated altitude. Following our rocket's decent, we are also challenged to successfully execute a payload mission mirroring the type of challenges NASA faces with their own payload challenges.
We are looking for new members at Basking Engineering that can help us rank within the top universities in this intercollegiate competition.
Please direct any questions to rockets@ucsc.edu and JOIN OUR SLACK.
TechGuide: Find Scholarships For Your Journey in Tech
Online education is more accessible than ever. But, it can be pricey. Instead of piling on debt or drastic measures like a second mortgage, consider scholarships. They're out there if you take the time to look. This useful article has the scoop on where to find tech scholarships and how to apply! Follow this link to TechGuide.
MA in Statistics at Columbia University
Columbia University is offering a new Master of Arts in Statistics!
In an effort to prepare students for their success, the program provides a myriad of free student resources and academic support, from Math Refresher workshop and R Bootcamp in the Summer to career development workshops and the Peer Study Support during the entire academic year.
There will be six upcoming virtual MA in Statistics Information Sessions led by the Program Director and student support team starting October 27, 2023. These events are for students who want to learn more about the program, admission requirements, curriculum, student support and community, as well as scholarship opportunities.
Baskin Engineering Advising: Drop-In Hours Update
Dear BE students!
This message is to provide you with an update on our Advising Services. We will now be open for in-person drop-in advising one afternoon a week, on Thursdays!
Please view the following schedule for our availability and modality:
Monday:
9:30 - 11:30 am PA Google Chat
2:00 - 4:00 pm PA Google Chat & Staff Drop-in via Zoom
Tuesday:
9:30 - 11:30 am PA Google Chat
2:00 - 4:00 pm PA Google Chat & Staff Drop-in via Zoom
Wednesday:
9:30 - 11:30 am PA Google Chat & Staff Drop-in via Zoom
2:00 - 4:00 pm PA Google Chat & Staff Drop-in via Zoom
Thursday:
9:30 - 11:30 am PA Google Chat
2:00 - 4:00 pm In-person Staff Drop-in (no PA Google chat)
Friday:
9:30 - 11:30 am PA Google Chat
2:00 - 4:00 pm PA Google Chat & Staff Drop-in via Zoom
Please note that all Zoom Drop-ins will start as referrals from the PA Google chat!
Winter Opportunities in the Tech4Good Lab
The Tech4Good Lab has several positions open next quarter for undergraduate students from all majors. We are looking for people who are extremely responsible, love learning, and have a strong drive to apply technology for social good. For next quarter, we have positions doing the following types of work:
- User research: interviewing and analyzing interviews to understand user needs and context,
- UI/UX design: designing and iterating on web interfaces in Figma,
- Web development: coding an app using an Angular/NgRx/Firebase stack,
- AI & economics: modeling economic systems using multiagent reinforcement learning,
- NLP and ML: topic modeling and ML to clusters text responses or predict annotations,
You would be contributing to a variety of projects in the lab related to designing systems to better support the future of education, work, and community engagement. Some of the platforms we are working on include:
- An app aimed at scaling apprenticeship learning, which supports people in learning through micro-roles while supporting non-profits as they learn,
- An app aimed at microlearning through small groups to create learning environments supporting curiosity, creativity, and relationships,
- An app containing short activities for team/group community building, and also creating "small group networks" that can facilitate interesting collective goals,
- An app aimed at supporting chat-based career mentorship between industry professionals and groups of students,
Joining requires a commitment of 10-15 hours/week for the quarter for 2-5 credits of independent study. If you are interested, fill out the Tech4Good Lab Interest Form. Teams will mostly be determined based on applications submitted by 11/17, but you should feel free to continue submitting afterwards if you missed the deadline (and if full, we’ll consider you for the following quarter).
P.S. Follow our Facebook or Instagram to hear about future student opportunities in Tech4Good!
Thrust Vector Control Project at UCSC Rocket Team
The UCSC Rocket Team has embarked on an ambitious project for the 2023-2024 season, known as the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) Project. TVC, a pivotal technology used by companies like SpaceX for precise rocket landings, involves adjusting the rocket’s thrust direction to maintain stability during launch. This project at UCSC encompasses both subscale and full-scale rocket launches, offering a hands-on experience in mechanical design, software development, PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control systems, and Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC).
This is an open invitation for enthusiasts and aspiring engineers to join the team, contributing to the design, launch, and landing of the rocket. This initiative not only aims to foster practical skills in rocketry but also serves as an engaging platform for teamwork, innovation, and real-world application of aerospace engineering concepts.
Regular meetings are scheduled on Mondays between 3 to 5 PM in BE-49, with additional meetings planned as needed based on launch or test schedules.
Please direct any questions to sheo2@ucsc.edu.
UCSC Launches New GE Courses Made for YOU!
Aspiring engineers: Your technology will shape our future!
You will build the world of tomorrow with your amazing talents, but who are you building it for?
The specialized skills in computing, bioinformatics, biotechnology, robotics, electronics, and programming that you are gaining at university will be sought out by companies that are now, more than ever, seeking engineers enriched by knowledge of humanistic concerns!
Your capacity to show employers that you are not just a talented engineer, but a culturally informed, equity-minded innovator will place you a cut above other candidates applying to companies increasingly characterized by diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This is why UCSC is thrilled to bring you the Humanizing Technology Certificate Program (HTCP).
The Humanities Division has developed an exciting new series of courses designed for budding engineers like YOU to explore issues about humanity and technology in conversation with experts in the study of the human experience.
Pass three of the courses listed below to receive the Humanizing Technology Certificate.
HUMN 15 Ethics and Technology
HUMN 25 Humans and Machines
HUMN 35 Language Technology
HUMN 45 Race and Technology
HUMN 55 Technologies of Representation
LIT 126H Artificial Intelligence and Human Imagination
Researchers help to guide the future of technology
There are no prerequisites and you can take the courses in any order you choose. Each course fulfills a different GE requirement. Not interested in pursuing the certificate program but would like to take a Humanizing Technology course? The six courses are open to all UCSC undergraduate students. We encourage engineering students to take at least one of these courses. More information can be found on the Humanizing Technology website.
Introducing SlugLoop: Revolutionize Your Campus Commute!
Ever found yourself stranded, waiting for a campus shuttle that's late or lost? Do you wish you had real-time updates on exactly when your ride is arriving? If so, SlugLoop, a new app from UC Santa Cruz, is here to transform your transit experience!
Born out of CruzHacks 2023, SlugLoop is a student-created app aimed at making transportation around the UC Santa Cruz campus more efficient and convenient. We've worked tirelessly since our beta phase, refining and enhancing features based on your feedback.
We're always eager for more suggestions on how we can improve. Your input will help us make SlugLoop an indispensable tool for all UC Santa Cruz students. Together, we can make campus transportation as seamless as possible.
Check us out at https://www.slugloop.tech. If you have any questions, suggestions, or bugs to report, don't hesitate to use our "Contact Us" form on the SlugLoop website. We're all ears and ready to make your commuting experience better!
Upgrade your campus commute today with SlugLoop!
Research Mentoring Internship Program
The Genomics Institute's Research Mentoring Internship (RMI) program is a research training program for UCSC undergraduates. RMI scholars receive hands-on experience performing wet-lab, computational, or faculty-directed research into the ethical, legal, and social implications of genomic research. Award recipients will also receive a $3,000 quarterly scholarship and professional development and networking opportunities. Application cycles occur twice a year in the fall (transfer students only) and spring. Visit the RMI website to learn more about the program and RMI sponsored workshops that are open to all students.
For more information, contact Alondra Figueroa Olivo at afigue30@ucsc.edu.
Black Staff and Faculty Organization (BSFO) Annual Scholarship
The University of California, Office of the President’s Black Staff and Faculty Organization (BSFO) is encouraging systemwide UC-enrolled African American students to apply for BSFO’s Annual Scholarship.
In these days and times, scholarships are used to help towards the astronomical costs of completing your educational goals and meeting daily expenses. BSFO recognizes the hard work, sacrifices, and dedication it takes to reach your educational goals. We provide a $1,000 scholarship annually to students to use towards items of your choosing and help lighten some of your financial obligations.
We want to hear from you, tell us a little about yourself, your passions, motivations, and examples of your persistence throughout your educational journey. Tell us about your academic achievements, professional goals, and scholastic endeavors. The Application process is simple, complete and submit UCOP’s BSFO Scholarship Application by December 31, 2023. You will not need to wait long to receive the funds, BSFO notifies selected students of their selection status by the end of January 2024 and funds are provided by the end of February 2024. Selected students will also have an opportunity to speak at BSFO's Scholarship Awards Ceremony that will be held in February 2024.
We look forward to receiving your application.
NSA Codebreaker Challenge 2023
NSA Codebreaker Challenge 2023
For the past three years, UC Santa Cruz has competed in the National Security Agency's Codebreaker competition and consistently secured a spot in the top 10 schools. The competition involves a series of challenges designed to build core cybersecurity skills such as cryptography, forensics, and reverse engineering. No prior experience is required for this competition and it is open to all. For more information, head over to the NSA Codebreaker Challenge site: https://nsa-codebreaker.org/home Resources are also available on that page. Please note that even though you are competing for the school's ranking, this is an individual competition. Collaboration with other competitors on the challenges is not allowed.
Why participate?
The NSA Codebreaker Challenge is a great opportunity to build cybersecurity skills, even for those that do not have any experience in the field. It's a great way to build experience and open the door to many opportunities in the cybersecurity field.
For those who are interested in career opportunities at the NSA, top performers in the NSA Codebreaker Challenge will stand out in the application process. In addition, they will receive swag and prizes from the NSA.
Getting Started
Currently, UC Santa Cruz sits in third place, but with your help, we can seize first place! Get started by heading to the NSA Codebreaker Challenge website https://nsa-codebreaker.org/home. Be sure to sign up with your UCSC email!
Questions?
Feel free to ask questions in the Slug Security Discord https://discord.gg/fbC4ey3DUr
UCSC Collegiate Cyber Defense Team Recruitment
UCSC Collegiate Cyber Defense Team Recruitment
UCSC is forming its Cyber Defense Team for the 2023-24 Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC) season. If you have expertise in writing tools, system hardening, Linux/Windows, or strong skills in writing & management, this is your chance to showcase your skills!
About the CCDC
The CCDC offers an immersive environment where teams defend and secure their networks from professional penetration testers. Beyond just defense, you'll also manage some business operations to ensure everything runs flawlessly. Details at the WRCCDC Official Website https://wrccdc.org/
Why Join?
This is more than just a competition. By participating, you will open doors to potential internships and job opportunities at big names like Microsoft, AWS, Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, and multiple defense companies.
Key Dates:
* Practice Rounds (Non-scoring):
* Invitational 1: November 4, 2023, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
* Invitational 2: December 2, 2023, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
* Official Competition:
* Qualifier: February 17, 2024, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
* Regional Finals: April 5-6, 2024, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
* Awards Ceremony: April 7, 2024, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Ready to be a part of UCSC's Cyber Defense Team? Apply now and start your path in cybersecurity!
Google Form: https://forms.gle/Rbk5bD2JJh1xigyM7
Questions?
Feel free to ask questions in the Slug Security Discord https://discord.gg/fbC4ey3DUr
Looking for Motivated Part Time Front End Devs and Software Engineers to join our AI EdTech Project
Hi,
About Us:
We are building a Career Mentorship platform powered by AI - you type in your career questions and we use AI to connect you to the right mentors who have the most similar past experience and struggles as you to answer them!
e.g. You are a Biology major trying to switch into Machine Learning? We will use AI to find you to the exact person who has already done that switch that you can ask questions to.
Our old website is here: https://pathfinder.fyi/ , we are pivoting our direction to revolving around an AI Search interface and much better social experience.
Team:
We are a small team of 8 that consists of mission driven designers, engineers, and students. We all work on this project part time to solve the challenge of exploring, choosing, and changing careers that we all faced personally. Our engineering team is lead by our co-founders who work at Google, Amazon, and Nvidia. We are currently applying for funding so there is potential to conversion to full time paid roles.
Why join us?
1. You will learn how to build real products in a software engineer environment (engineering best practices, working with cross-func teams, etc.)
2. We build and deploy new features rapidly, often giving you ownership and autonomy of the feature that you own. We iterate fast therefore you will learn more.
3. You get to learn from our co-founders who are all UCSC Alumni including Software Engineer and Machine Learning Engineers from Google, Amazon, Nvidia.
4. You will be exposed to everything that makes up a startup (product, marketing, engineering) and participate in system design of a Full Stack Application.
5. You will be exposed to building a LLM AI Application!!!! (VectorDB, Semantic Search, NLP, etc. are all super hot new in-demand skills being introduced to the industry
Open Roles:
We are looking for like-minded people to fill the following roles:
- Front End Engineer:
a. A product minded front end developer that will work very closely with our designers to build the User facing features that will be used by our users directly.
b. Good eye for design and ability to make product decisions.
c. Very comfortable with using HTML/CSS, React, and other modern JS frameworks
- Software Engineer (Full Stack):
a. We are looking for someone with strong App Development skills to be able to contribute to the entire stack (React, Node.js, Express, MongoDB) and pick up new skills/technology when needed.
b. Comfortable with Javascript
c. Past experiences with building Backend API Endpoints
d. Past experience working with DBs for applications (preferably noSQL)
If you’re interested, please email team@pathfinder.fyi with your resume and fill out this form first: https://forms.gle/Y2eAbuJrzfcW9iXR9
Apply to be a SlugLoop Developer!
Are you interested in building your resume and gaining project experience? Do you have experience with JavaScript? Apply to be a SlugLoop developer and join the team building a service for the entire UCSC community!
We're looking for students with a strong background in JavaScript and/or students who have taken CSE186 (Full Stack Web Development I) or a similar course.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to one of the current developers, Bill Zhang (jzhan411@ucsc.edu).
Apply online by Friday, October 20th! Selected applicants will be contacted for interview availability shortly after.
Friday Workshops at SlugWorks
GradPath: Find Your Grad School Mentor
Ayanna Howard: Recorded Presentation
Thank you to all who came to the 10/11 Diverse Voices talk, "A Roboticist’s Story: How AI and Diversity of Thought Drive Innovation," featuring Ayanna Howard, accomplished roboticist, entrepreneur, and dean of The Ohio State University College of Engineering.
We hope you enjoyed Ayanna's talk. If you would like to rewatch or share Ayanna's talk, or if you were unable to attend, the recording is now available on our Baskin Engineering YouTube channel.
Google’s Immersive Geospatial Challenge
PRIZES: $70,000 in prizes
DEADLINE: November 20 at 11:45 pm EST
THEMES: AR/VR, Beginner Friendly, Productivity
JOIN THE HACKATHON: https://bit.ly/
Microsoft AI Classroom Hackathon
NOTE: This is a student only hackathon
PRIZES: $11,000 in prizes
DEADLINE: December 06 at 12:00 am EST
THEMES: Beginner Friendly, Education, Machine Learning/AI
JOIN THE HACKATHON: https://bit.ly/
Seeking Fundraising Chair for Bioinformatics Club
Are you interested in getting more involved with the Bioinformatics Club this year? We are looking for a Fundraising Chair for the club for the current academic year!! No experience is required but is preferred :)
Follow this LINK to the application form.
Deadline: Sunday, Nov 9 11:59 PM (Need an extension? Email ucsc.bioinformatics.club@gmail.com)
Psychology Department Study for Latinx Students
Andrew Takimoto – a PhD student in the psychology department – is currently collecting data which focuses on Latinx first gen students' connections with peers and college organizations, and how they can benefit their academic and psychological wellbeing to help them persist through college. This is an online survey which should take half an hour to forty-five minutes and can be taken at any time and at any location. If you fit the criteria, please consider participating in this study. The criteria is as follows:
- You self-identify as Latino/a, Latinx, Latine, Chicana/o, or Hispanic.
- (2)You are a first-generation college student (your parents did not graduate college).
- (3) You are 18 years or older.
- (4)You are a current UCSC undergraduate student who is a sophomore, junior, or senior.
Participants can be compensated with SONA course credit or $10 (as cash or gift card) once they complete the survey. If you are interested or if you have any questions, please contact Andrew at atakimot@ucsc.edu.
Join Our Gratitude Study This Thanksgiving!
As we approach Thanksgiving, the Tech4Good Lab is excited to launch a special study to explore what makes us thankful. We need your voices!
What are you deeply grateful for in Santa Cruz? Share your stories, moments, or simple joys with us. Your participation will not only contribute to our understanding of gratitude but also weave a rich tapestry of our diverse community experiences.
We've made it super easy to participate through a quick Google survey. It takes just 2 minutes to complete!
Your insights are invaluable. Let's come together to celebrate the spirit of gratitude and make this study a success! Thank you for being a part of this meaningful endeavor!
SFC Subcommittee Interest Form
Crown College's annual Social Fiction Conference is coming up!
It will be Friday, February 23rd and Saturday, February 24th.
During the SFC, students, faculty, campus partners, and community members come together to analyze societal issues through social fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy, gaming and other related genres of entertainment.
For more information you can access All Things SFC by going to bit.ly/all-things-sfc.
We invite all UCSC students who are interested in the involvement and planning of SFC to fill out the Subcommittee Interest Form at bit.ly/SFC-interest-form by Sunday, November 26th at 11:59pm.
Events
Cyber Security Competition: International Capture the Flag
Event Date and Time: 12/02/2023 10:00 amEvent Location: N/A
The Women in Computuer Science (WiCS) chapter at UC Santa Barbara, The NSF AI Institute, and Shellphish hacking group present the International Capture the Flag hacking competition!
- The Shellphish iCTF is a multi-site, multi-team, challenge-based hacking competition in which a number of teams compete independently against each other. Teams do not attack each other, but operate independently to solve a set of challenges. Each challenge has a flag that can only be obtained by solving the challenge.
- This educational compeition is open to teams composed of high-school and undergraduate students. There will be two separate competitions for the two student levels, but the challenges will be the same. Each team cannot be composed of more than 10 people (but an institution can have multiple, non-colluding teams) and must have an associated, institution-affiliated instructor.
- Teams must register by November 24!
- Please see the iCTF website for a more detailed rundown of the competition.
- Register here.
- Contact ictf@shellphish.net for any questions about the competition.
Follow the ACTION NSF AI Institute Discord
Paid Summer Research Opportunities with NOAA (Info Session)
Event Date and Time: 11/14/2023 4:00 pmEvent Location: E2-506
Watch This Video to find out more about NOAA
Access Computing: Resources for Computer Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities
Event Date and Time: 10/16/2023 10:00 amEvent Location:
College and graduate students with disabilities can connect with mentors and professionals to learn about internships and other opportunities in computing fields through Access Computing.
Students do not need to be registered as disabled with their respective institutions in order to qualify for the the benefits offered through this program.
Info Sesh: Undergraduate Research (+Croissant Sandwiches!)
Event Date and Time: 11/14/2023 5:00 pmEvent Location: JBEB 160
Assistant Professor of Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology Valerie Cortez will be hosting an information session about Undergraduate Research in JBEB 160 on Tuesday, 11/14 @5pm. There will be croissant sandwiches for attendees, and this event will be hosted by the UCSC SACNAS Chapter. For questions, email Professor Valerie at vccortez@ucsc.edu.
Shifting the Story: Climate Vulnerability, Social Solidarity, Environmental Justice
Event Date and Time: 11/18/2023 9:00 amEvent Location: Rachel Carson College Plaza, Student Commons/Red Room and classrooms tba
The Second Annual UCSC Student Climate Conference, sponsored by the UCSC Climate Coalition, UCSC's Earth Futures Institute, and Rachel Carson College, features concurrent student panels, an art exhibit, and student music and dance. Free and open to the public!
Keynote Speaker: Ashia Ajani
Register for the event on this Google Form.
Questions? Email ucscclimatecoalition@gmail.com
