Past Events
2022
Engineering-Only Event with Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah spoke at a Michigan Engineering-only fireside chat event in Hill Auditorium where he discussed his book Born a Crime. This event was free for Michigan Engineering students, staff, and faculty. More information can be found in this Michigan Daily article.
CoE Community Read: Parable of the Sower
As part of the College’s observance of Black History Month, and in partnership with the University Musical Society (UMS), we are excited to invite all students, faculty and staff to join us in a special Engineering Community Read of Octavia E. Butler’s novel Parable of the Sower. Along with the Community Read, join us for an upcoming performance at the Power Center based on this novel, presented by the UMS and sponsored by Michigan Engineering.
2019
SPECIAL EVENT: “What is Happening in Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century?”
A Panel to Complement the Michigan Engineering Common Reading Experience of Full Body Burden.
The Michigan Engineering community had a conversation with leaders from the nuclear industry, including former leadership from the Department of Energy. Dr. Monica Regalbuto, Idaho National Laboratory, served as former Assistant Secretary for Energy and Environmental Management for the U.S. Department of Energy where she was responsible for clean-up of sites, including Rocky Flats and the Hanford site. River Bennett is a Nuclear Policy Analyst for Nuclear Innovation Alliance which supports entrepreneurialism and commercialization of advanced nuclear energy systems with the goal of providing more economically competitive, carbon-free energy to the world. He is an advocate with Students for Nuclear. Dr. Sola Talabi is a consultant with Pittsburgh Technical, providing expertise in risk management consulting within the nuclear energy industry. The panel was moderated by Dr. Ann Verhey-Henke, Strategic Director of the U-M Center for Socially Engaged Design. Panelists provided insight in several areas, including:
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- Status and challenges of sites that are being cleaned
- The global implications of nuclear energy growth
- Risks and safety when thinking about nuclear energy
- The portrayal of Rocky Flats as presented in “Full Body Burden” by Kristen Iversen
Read about the Rocky Flats Closure Legacy & the Fourth Five–Year Review of Rocky Flats
2015
STUDENT FAIR: “I Am Because We Are”
On Wednesday, November 18th, we held a student organization fair entitled I Am Because We Are. This was an opportunity for students to learn more about student organizations that volunteer opportunities in the United States and abroad. The event was well attended and students gained a lot of information about available volunteer opportunities.
SPECIAL EVENT: “What is Happening in Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century?”
A Panel to Complement the Michigan Engineering Common Reading Experience of Full Body Burden.
On December 4th, the Common Reading Student Advisory Board partnered with the Ginsberg Center to read The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind to school children in Ann Arbor.
OTHER EVENTS
Throughout the year, the Michigan Engineering community will have the opportunity to participate in events featuring topics related to the book. Small group discussions will take place during the month of September, followed by a variety of other events including a featured speaker. Engineering faculty will incorporate topics from the book into coursework offered during the first year and a variety of College of Engineering offices and programs will offer events related to the Common Reading Experience. Events will be added as they are announced.
2014
SPECIAL EVENT: “How I Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope”
Keynote with William Kamkwamba, co-author of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.
On November 7th, William Kamkwamba, co-author of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind spoke to the College of Engineering community on the topic: “How I Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope.”
As a young Malawian boy living in poverty and famine, William Kamkwamba built a windmill to power his family’s home, by gathering scrap parts and working from rough plans he found in a library book called Using Energy. In this Keynote Event, William shared a moving tale of invention that changed his life. His achievements are a testament to the triumph of imagination and the power of human potential under the most adverse circumstances.
Highlights
2013
SPECIAL EVENT: “Doing Well and Doing Good”
Keynote with David Merritt, former Michigan Basketball captain and local business owner.
In partnership with the Center for Entrepreneurship, David Merritt spoke to students about how something as simple as the purchase of a t-shirt can “do good” in the world and make an impact in the lives of others. David’s clothing store, Merit, located on South University on central campus, donates 20% of all apparel sales to college scholarships for youth from Detroit.
CUPCAKE DAY
Monthly event organized by Center for Educational Diversity and Outreach
On December 4th, students indulged in delicious (and free!) Common Reading Experience-themed cupcakes. In keeping with the theme of the book The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy, students had the opportunity to identify where their t-shirt was made and place a pin on the country on the map of the world. We found that students’ t-shirts were manufactured in countries all around the world—from China to India to Indonesia to right here in the USA!
OTHER EVENTS
Freshman Workshop: Jump Start your Job Search – Sponsored by the Engineering Career Resource Center and GE
This workshop provided students with resources to jump start their job search, stay on track, and impress recruiters every step of the way. Students were provided information on optimal resume builders, i.e. those activities and experiences (in the classroom and outside) that help develop the skills recruiters value most. Additionally, themes from the Common Reading Experience were incorporated into workshop topics including globalization, politics, culture, world events, and economics as related to the job search in engineering fields.
Study Abroad Fair – Sponsored by International Programs in Engineering
Students learned about opportunities to travel abroad to one of the countries mentioned in The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy.
Entrepreneurship Hour (ENGR 407)
The Entrepreneurship Hour seminar series incorporated themes from the 2013 Common Reading Experience throughout the semester. Lectures featured guest speakers including entrepreneurs, business leaders, technology innovators, and venture capitalists.