New Opportunities at Ontario College

A college education in Ontario is the pathway to your future. Whether you’re just beginning the journey or building on credentials you already have, following this path can help you reach your career goals. Getting the right education and experience to match your choice of career is what counts most in today’s marketplace. That’s why more than a million of the province’s success stories are Ontario college graduates.

Renowned for its comprehensive programs and excellence in teaching, Toronto College offers practical curriculums and plenty of one-on-one time with instructors. The goal is to prepare job-ready graduates for a successful career in their chosen field. The Ontario Learning Process, with its emphasis on focused learning, ensures that students are getting a strong educational base from industry instructors who bring their real-world knowledge and experience into the classroom. Our programs utilize the most current software being used today in a variety of industries and job functions.

Benefits of Ontario Colleges Education is as follows:

College is a cost-effective option

With shorter program lengths, lower tuition costs, and less time in school before you can start working, college is an incredibly affordable option. Also, thousands of dollars are available in Ontario each year through scholarships, bursaries and grants.

Wide program selection

College offers dedicated programs for specific areas that give you the specialized knowledge you need to succeed, and the broad choice of program types make it easy to find the right fit for you.

Small classes

A low student-to-teacher ratio means you aren’t just a faceless number in college. Your contributions to class discussions and projects will be seen and valued by your teachers and peers.

Connected Education

Instructors connect course material to their work experiences and offer the potential of partnerships with business and industry to introduce real-world projects into the curriculum. There are co-op opportunities for many programs, and college offers you the best route to job placement in relevant, real jobs.

Open houses and campus tours are another excellent way to get a real feel for campus life at any particular college. Take the time to visit each of the colleges that you and your teen are considering. To find out when the next open house or campus tour is being held at your college(s) of choice, please click the college link located on the individual college profile page.

Bottom line, Ontario College is here to help you as you look towards your future.

Acquisition combines infra-red camera makers

Cedip Infrared Systems' infra-red camera operations will be integrated into the Thermography Division of Flir Systems and trade under the Flir brand name

Flir Systems became the majority shareholder of Cedip Infrared Systems on 4th January 2008. Cedip Infrared Systems' infra-red camera operations will be integrated into the thermography Division of Flir Systems and trade under the Flir brand name. The acquisition will provide greater R and D capability, enhanced core competence and greater production and distribution ability.

Flir Systems will now have the capacity to develop R and D Systems that are application-specific with a greater range of cooled detector combinations.

The centre of excellence of these high-end cameras will remain at the Cedip Infrared Systems base in France.

'The combined forces of Flir Systems Thermography Division and Cedip Infrared Systems will take infra-red technology into a new league on many fronts and result in development excellence to the benefit of all our customers', according to Arne Almerfors, President of the Flir Systems Thermography Division.

'Teaming up with Flir Systems Thermography Division is a great opportunity for the development of Cedip Infrared Systems high end thermography products'.

'The combination of the international sales network and global expertise of Flir Systems together with the technology of Cedip Infrared Systems, will immediately benefit all the customers and markets we serve' according to Pierre Potet, President of Cedip Infrared Systems.

Making robotic automation safe

Machine builders and system integrators installing a robot for the first time need to be aware of the differences between safeguarding in conventional automation and robotic applications

Because there are important differences between conventional automation and robotic applications when it comes to safeguarding, this article provides guidance for new users. Suppliers of industrial robots have been busy launching new products in the past year and, although the take-up in the UK still varies between market sectors (automotive, plastic/rubber and food/beverage are the largest users), many machine builders and system integrators are finding themselves in the position of installing a robot for the first time.

Robot suppliers, of course, emphasise the ease of use of modern programming, teaching and simulation tools, but it should not be forgotten that there are important differences between conventional automation and robotic applications when it comes to safeguarding.

Without a doubt, the best place to start is HSG43, 'Industrial Robot Safety', which is published by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive).

While it is not compulsory to adhere to this guidance, the HSE says that doing so will normally be enough to comply with the law.

HSG43 covers safety during installation, commissioning, testing and programming, as well as during use and maintenance.

Other topics range from the principles of safeguarding robot systems and safety at the design stage, through to hazard identification, risk assessment, training and interfacing with the robot controller.

There is also a useful appendix with seven case studies and another that outlines the relevant health and safety laws.

However, while the guide's references section includes a list of relevant standards, it has to be borne in mind that HSG43 (second edition) was published in 2000, so it does not include all of the latest standards - such as EN ISO 13849-1 (Safety of machinery - Safety-related parts of control systems - Part 1: General principles for design), which supersedes EN 954-1, or EN ISO 10218-1:2006 (Robots for industrial environments - Safety requirements - Part 1: Robot), which was recently harmonised to the Machinery Directive to replace EN 775 (Manipulating industrial robots - Safety).

Note that a draft for public comment of ISO 10218-2 (Robots for industrial environments - Safety requirements - Part 2: Robot system and integration) is expected to be available by mid-2008 and this is could pave the way for substantial changes in the ways industrial robots are used and safeguarded.

One of the issues raised in the guidance is the way hazardous situations can arise in unpredictable ways when dealing with robots, which can make the selection of appropriate safeguards more difficult than for conventional automation, in which the operating envelope, motions and other performance parameters are more clearly defined.

Something else to be wary of is that robots used for lifting - such as those in handling or palletising applications - must meet the requirements of LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) as well as PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations).

However, the guidance points out that following HSG43 means that the measures needed to comply with LOLER will be minimal.

Today's industrial robots range from lightweight benchtop units to large machines powerful enough to manipulate objects weighing 1000kg.

Clearly the risks depend very much on the particular robot and its application, so the starting point for safeguarding a robot will always be a risk assessment.

In many robot applications, the potential for serious injury is relatively high, so it is important to design-out the hazards as far as possible.

Safety should therefore be considered during the early planning and design stages of a robotic application.

Furthermore, HSG43 recommends that hazard identification and risk assessment should be carried out jointly by the user and the robot supplier.

Robot programs are often prepared off-line using software packages, but teaching - typically using a pendant controller - still has a role to play in some programming and position correction tasks.

By ensuring good visibility through the guarding - or by using CCTV - most of this teaching should be achievable from outside the enclosure.

However, occasionally it is necessary to teach the robot or observe its movements from close quarters, which entails entering the robot enclosure while the robot is powered.

Step by step guidance is included in HSG43 for this type of situation, as well as for the program verification procedure that is necessary after the programming/teaching has been completed.

HSG43 gives a good overview of the various safeguarding methods appropriate for use with robots, with a note reminding readers that other safeguards can be used so long as they can be demonstrated to provide a similar level of safety (which means that the Pilz SafetyEYE 3D vision-based safety monitoring system can be used).

The safeguarding methods covered in the guidance include: perimeter fencing; interlocking devices; electro-sensitive safety systems; safety light curtains and light beam devices; laser scanners; capacitance safety devices; pressure-sensitive mats; two-hand controls; trip devices; positive stops; brakes; emergency stop actuators; and enabling devices.

Allied to safeguarding are controls for changing operating mode from normal operation to teach/setting, reduced-speed controls for teaching/setting/troubleshooting and the indication of the robot's swept area.

Control for a multi-axis robot, peripheral devices and associate machinery is highly complex - and further complications arise if multiple robots are synchronised so that they can operate together.

It is therefore undesirable for robots to be halted by cutting the power supply to the servo drives, as recovery from the powered-down state can be time-consuming and require human intervention, plus there can be costs associated with damage to work-in-progress.

Instead it is preferable to bring the robot and other machinery to rest in a controlled manner.

When the robot has been brought to rest, power to the servo drives may be removed, or power can remain connected (known as 'servo hold'), provided the robot controller has adequate built-in safety monitoring functionality or there is a separate safety-related controller to monitor the robot while it is stopped.

HSG43 outlines a number of alternative architectures for integrating a robot controller with a safety-related control system.

Note that almost any modern safety-related control system for use with a robot will include some form of programmable electrical/electronic controller, so machine builders and system integrators should avoid the use of BS EN 954-1, as either EN 62061 (Safety of machinery, functional safety of safety-related electrical, electronic and programmable electronic control systems) or EN ISO 13849-1 would be more appropriate.

If there is any reliance on software - or a programmable controller - for robot safeguarding, it would be advisable to work closely with the supplier, especially the first time the system is used.

In all areas of machinery safety, including robot applications, the following hierarchical approach should be used: Design out the hazards wherever possible.

Provide safeguards for the hazards that cannot be designed out.

Use safe systems of work, training, personal protective equipment (PPE) and warnings so that residual hazards are as low as reasonably practicable.

With robotic installations, there is often a need to rely on safe systems of work during commissioning, programming, teaching, troubleshooting and maintenance and this is covered in HSG43, together with formal permit-to-work systems.

Pilz has considerable experience with robot safety, having been involved with numerous installations ranging from stand-alone robots to fully automated robotic production lines.

Engineering and consultancy services can therefore be provided to companies that are implementing industrial robots, whether they require assistance with hazard identification and risk assessment, SIL determination, CE marking, ESPE certification, safety system development, PSS (programmable safety system) programming, or other safety-related aspects of the project.

In addition, Pilz has arange of products suitable for robot safeguarding.

These include SafetyEYE (the world's first 3D machine vision-based safety monitoring system), PSS, PNOZmulti configurable modular safety controllers, interlock guard switches with solenoid locking, safety light curtains and high-integrity, coded noncontact guard switches.

Safeguarding of robots - and ISO 10218-2 in particular - will be discussed at the two Functional Safety Seminars being organised for 2008 by the Safety SIG (Special Interest Group) within BARA (British Automation and Robot Association).

More information about the Safety SIG is available on the BARA website.

India's Essar buys stake in African telecom group

India's Essar buys stake in African telecom group
By: Reuters

India's Essar Global Ltd said on Friday a group firm had bought 49 percent of Johannesburg-based Econet Wireless International Ltd, which owns 70 percent of Kenya's third mobile operator Econet Wireless Kenya.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Essar holds 33 percent in Vodafone Essar, India's third-largest mobile operator, in a joint venture with Britain's Vodafone.

Vodafone faces long haul in SA

Vodafone faces long haul in SA
By: Reuters
Arun Sarin, the head of Vodafone Group Plc, is hankering after deals in Africa, but he could be in for a long wait if control of South African joint venture Vodacom remains top of his list.

Sarin, a US citizen expected to return to California one day, said this week he had unfinished business as head of the world's largest mobile phone company.

"If you were to think about the things we have to do in 2008: there are important acquisitions in Asia and Africa that we have to make, we have got further cost reductions to do, we've got more data products to bring to life, we've got a full in-tray," the chief executive said in a televised interview.

"I'm having fun and frankly, this is not the time to say goodbye."

Market enthusiasm for Vodafone's strategy of attempting to offset falling prices in Europe by expanding in fast-growing emerging markets stands in stark contrast to this time last year, when Sarin was roundly lambasted for his hopes of breaking into India because of fears he would overspend.

Vodafone had been expected by analysts to secure a deal with South African joint venture partner Telkom to raise its 50 percent Vodacom stake to around 85 percent for 3,5-billion to 4-billion pounds by the end of last year.

But partly state-owned Telkom called off talks in November after it failed to secure a parallel deal, on which its Vodacom sale hinged, to sell all or part of its fixed-line assets to mobile compatriot MTN after a disagreement about price.

"It just doesn't look like a political environment for MTN to restart talks, so there is no catalyst for Telkom to sell the (Vodacom) stake," said one industry source familiar with talks. "I fear it's not the time for Vodafone to re-enter the process.

"They (MTN) cut the price they were willing to offer and that created sufficient bad blood to scupper the prospect for a deal. I fear this one is a waiter."

Volkswagen sells record 6,2m cars in 2007

Volkswagen sells record 6,2m cars in 2007
By: Reuters

Volkswagen, the world's fourth largest carmaker, increased group vehicle sales by 7,9 percent to a record 6,189-million units last year thanks to growth at all eigh brands and forecast a further gain for 2008.

"There will be growth but whether it will be 8 percent again, I cannot say," CE Martin Winterkorn told reporters at the Detroit auto show.

He added that pretax profit exceeded the 5,1-billion euros previously forecast for 2007, but declined to say by how much.

Each nameplate from Volkswagen's stable of brands was able to improve its sales performance over 2006.

The group's flagship VW brand increased sales by 7,8 percent to a record 3,66-million vehicles, thanks to strong gains in Brazil, China as well as Central and Eastern Europe, where demand grew anywhere from a quarter to nearly a third.

Volkswagen's premium marque Audi saw its sales rise by 6,5 percent to 964 200 vehicles as the brand with the four interlocking rings managed to rack up its 12th straight year of sales records.

While the group's struggling Spanish unit SEAT managed to eke out tiny growth of 0,4 percent to 431 000 units, the success of Volkswagen's Czech value brand Skoda continued unabated with sales jumping 14,6 percent to 630 000 cars.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which overwhelmingly builds delivery vans like the Caddy and larger Crafter models, increased its sales by 10,7 percent to 488 700 units.

The group's super luxury brand Bentley broke the 10 000 mark in unit sales by just over 10 cars for a rise 6,7 percent, while Lamborghini sold 2 400 super sports cars and Bugatti delivered 81 Veyrons.

Importance of U.S. News College Rankings

The U.S. News and World Report rankings of colleges have in the past few years fostered a great deal of discussion, argument, and controversy.

Proponents of the rankings say rankings give college applicants a way to compare schools in terms of admissions statistics (acceptance rate, yield, etc), reputation, and other factors such as graduation rates and alumni donations. The rankings not only provide such information, but also let students compare schools and understand their hierarchy in a way more efficient and fair than reading college brochures and listening to the grapevine.

Those who fight against rankings argue that different students have different criteria when searching for a college, and that a uniform ranking encourages students to ignore subjective factors such "feel," campus atmosphere, school size, program offerings, etc. Critics also argue that the rankings force colleges to make bad admissions decisions - for instance, being reluctant to take a chance on an artistic student with low SAT scores for fear of hurting their rankings statistics.

In the midst of this debate, it's sometimes hard to understand whether the rankings have any use and, if so, what a student can do to use them effectively.

The best course is probably to pay attention to the rankings - including both the statistics they provide and the overall order of schools - but to use them as more of a tool than as a final method of selecting a college. While a school's "feel," location, and other subjective factors are indeed important, it's not irrelevant to know how hard it is to get into a school and how highly other students covet admission there. Those factors, including the reputation of a college, help determine not only what types of students you'll meet but also how the world (including employers and graduate schools) will treat your degree.

Top 7 Engineering Colleges Of World

Students interested in engineering should take a hard look at the strength of undergraduate engineering programs at the colleges they're considering. Unlike many other professions (such as law), where the choice of undergraduate major is only moderately or not at all important, engineers must learn a very substantive field and can benefit tremendously from work with top faculty and fellow students.

These are a few of the very top engineering programs in United States.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT

MIT's school of engineering is known throughout the world both for its research accomplishments and its training of tomorrow's engineering leaders. Based in Cambridge, MA (down the street from Harvard), MIT has been around since 1861. Approximately 60% of MIT undergraduates are in the school's engineering programs.

2. California Institute of Technology

Caltech's undergraduate program is small, with only about 200 students in each class. Also, students at Caltech (in all programs) have a surprisingly low four-year graduation rate of about 80%--no doubt due at least in part to the difficult of the curriculum. Still, Caltech is known as one of the country's top engineering colleges and one of its most exclusive as well.

Caltech is located in Pasadena, California

3. Stanford University

Stanford is one of the nation's most prestigious colleges, and the undergraduate engineering program is every bit as elite as the college itself. Stanford requires that all high school students simply apply to the university as a whole. They can declare an engineering major in the junior year. However, they need prepare for an engineering major with the right math and science courses in the freshman and sophomore years.

Stanford is located in Palo Alto, near San Francisco.

4. University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley is considered by many to be the nation's top public engineering school. It's undergraduate engineering programs--which include a number disciplines such as Engineering Physics, Computer Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering--are are consistently ranked among the top programs in their respective categories.

The undergraduate engineering program at Berkeley as about 2700 students, which makes it account about 12% of the undergraduate student body.

5. Harvey Mudd College

Harvey Mudd is the only school on our list that does not offer a Ph.D. That at least arguably makes Harvey Mudd more focused than some other schools on undergraduate education.

Harvey Mudd does not offer specific engineering majors, but only a general engineering degree intended to give students a broad education in engineering fundamentals.

The typical class size is just 15-20 students. Students work extremely hard. The college is located in Claremont, California.

6. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

While many top engineering programs are located on the coasts, the University of Illinois presents one of the nation's top engineering colleges in the heart of the Midwest. A large school (over 5500 engineering undergraduates!) with a number of departments consistently ranked among the top in their respective areas, the University of Illinois is one of the most selective and most respected undergraduate engineering programs in the country.

7. University of Michigan

The University of Michigan, a large research university located in the beautiful college town of Ann Arbor, boasts one of the country's top few public engineering programs.

Students are admitted to the College of Engineering as incoming freshmen, and then to specific engineering programs after the freshman year.

About 5000 students are enrolled in Michigan's undergraduate engineering programs (about 1200 per class). The acceptance rate is 73% and average SAT (old scale) is 1380.

$113 million gift, UC Berkeley's largest ever, to support 100 endowed faculty chairs

BERKELEY – The University of California, Berkeley, today (Monday, Sept. 10) received the largest private gift in its history, $113 million from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. This gift represents a turning point in the financing of public higher education, providing endowment support that will help to close the funding gap between the nation's preeminent public university and its elite private peers, according to UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau.

The Hewlett Challenge

The Hewlett Foundation's $113 million matching gift will help the campus keep UC Berkeley professors' salaries competitive and recruit top graduate students.

• What a difference a chair makes • Facts at a glance • Q&A about the challenge • 'The crown jewel of public higher education' — Walter Hewlett's remarks • Hewlett Challenge website • The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

The Hewlett gift provides UC Berkeley with a major new source of endowed funds to attract and support world-class faculty and graduate students. Through a challenge grant, it will create 100 endowed chairs, permanent funds designed to keep UC Berkeley professors' salaries competitive with those at the best private schools and to recruit top graduate students. The challenge grant will match other private donations dollar-for-dollar, resulting in $220 million in new endowments once the challenge is met. An additional $3 million will be used to support an enhanced infrastructure for managing those endowed funds.

"This gift is an extraordinary vote of confidence in the contribution that UC Berkeley and all great public universities make to society. It is a recognition that public universities can and must compete with the best private universities and can only do so through a partnership between public funding and private philanthropy," said Birgeneau.

The Hewlett Foundation gift 'is a recognition that public universities can and must compete with the best private universities and can only do so through a partnership between public funding and private philanthropy.' -Robert J. Birgeneau UC Berkeley chancellor

Each year, an increasing number of UC Berkeley professors are receiving lucrative offers from elite private schools. Between 2000 and 2006, the campus retained almost 70 percent of the faculty members with competing outside offers. Of 236 professors, 162 were retained. However, in Birgeneau's view, this success was only achieved through extraordinary efforts and cost-cutting measures that cannot be continued over time.

"If we lose faculty, we may still have a public university, but it won't be the same," said Paul Alivisatos, the Larry and Diane Bock Professor of Nanotechnology at UC Berkeley and a world-renowned pioneer in the field.

"What I see when I'm teaching freshman chemistry is a population that's not ordinary. These are kids from all backgrounds coming to Berkeley, where we offer an opportunity for them to excel in an atmosphere of excellence," he said. "If we lose faculty, we'll have hurt young people who have so much to gain and so much to offer."

According to George Breslauer, UC Berkeley's executive vice chancellor and provost, "Some universities are phenomenal in three or four fields, but we have 35 departments that are ranked in the top 10, nationally. So, we have to invest broadly in order to maintain that breadth and depth of excellence."

In the past two decades, UC Berkeley's state funding — which represents about a third of the campus's annual budget — has remained relatively robust and constant when adjusted for inflation. At the same time, however, endowments at UC Berkeley's leading peer institutions have been producing returns that often have exceeded 20 percent per annum. In addition, the cost of running a major research university continues to rise rapidly. As of the 2006 fiscal year, UC Berkeley's endowment was nearly $2.5 billion. In comparison, in the same period, Harvard University's endowment was nearly $30 billion and Stanford University's was about $14 billion.

"Higher education is an increasingly competitive arena, and private institutions are at an advantage, having traditionally built up large endowments," said Birgeneau. "With only a third of our annual budget coming from state funds, increasing the size of Berkeley's endowment is the only way to sustain a stable financial foundation for the future."

'Berkeley is the crown jewel of public higher education - not just in California, but in the country. The foundation's grant represents our vote of confidence in a truly great institution.' -Walter Hewlett Chairman of the board, Hewlett Foundation

For more than a year, Birgeneau and the Hewlett Foundation held frequent discussions about how the foundation's support could set the stage for a new way for private philanthropy to aid the mission of the country's top public universities. The foundation is known for the high value it places on sustaining and improving institutions that make contributions to society.

"Berkeley is the crown jewel of public higher education — not just in California, but in the country," said Walter Hewlett, chairman of the board of the Hewlett Foundation. "The foundation's grant represents our vote of confidence in a truly great institution."

"Maintaining the high quality of the Berkeley faculty is essential not only to California but to the nation as a whole," added Paul Brest, president of the Hewlett Foundation. "We hope that this grant will help ensure that Berkeley will be able to maintain its excellence long into the future.''

Over the next seven years, the Hewlett Foundation will put $110 million toward establishing the 100 endowed chairs and encourage a wide range of donors to step forward to match its gift, dollar for dollar. With the match, the Hewlett Challenge ultimately will raise $220 million in funding for new chairs. This funding will be spaced across the campus's 14 schools and colleges and represent an almost 50 percent increase over UC Berkeley's current $468 million in endowed chair funding.

UC Berkeley's first academic chair — the Aggasiz Professorship of Oriental Languages and Literature — was established in 1872. There currently are 351 endowed chairs on campus in a wide variety of academic fields ranging from classics to insect biology.

The chancellor said the Hewlett gift for the 100 new chairs "is already generating interest from our friends, who have expressed excitement in participating in this historic challenge."

"There already are donors stepping up to the Hewlett Challenge, and my wife and I plan to be among the first," said Bill Ausfahl, chair of the board of the UC Berkeley Foundation.

'Chairs make a huge difference in the life of individual faculty members, as they provide discretionary funds.' -Geoff Owen L&S dean of biological sciences

The Hewlett name will not be attached to the new chairs, at the request of the foundation. Instead, each chair may be named for the donor or for someone the donor wishes to honor or memorialize. For each new chair, an eminent professor will be selected as the chair holder and will receive a portion of the earnings generated from the endowment for his or her research.

Neurobiology professor Geoff Owen, dean of the biological sciences in the College of Letters & Science, knows firsthand what an important tool the Hewlett chairs will be in retaining and recruiting faculty. Since he took his post in 2002, he has been faced with 37 retention cases — about seven a year — among his faculty of 120.

"Chairs make a huge difference in the life of individual faculty members, as they provide discretionary funds," said Owen, who researches how the visual world is interpreted by photoreceptors in the retina. "Situations crop up every year where, if you could put your hands on some money, you could make a real difference in your work. If we can wave a prestigious chair in front of somebody, it does make a difference."

Anthropology professor Rosemary Joyce, chair of the Department of Anthropology, said that in addition to higher salaries, the packages being offered to faculty members by UC Berkeley's competitors include cutting-edge research facilities, research budgets for multiple years, library development funds, summer pay, graduate student support — and endowed chairs.

Endowed chairs 'give people a chance to go beyond, to take that extra step and establish new fields. It's hard to get grant funding for something like that, something that's cutting edge.' -Rosemary Joyce Anthropology department chair

"Private universities have much higher proportions of named chairs, and people with chairs are recognized as the leaders of their disciplines," said Joyce, who spent most of her first semester as department chair retaining three professors. "That is a big part of what the Hewlett chairs will do, they will say that the university recognizes leadership. We have a larger proportion of leadership at this academy than at other places, but we recognize a smaller proportion."

The Hewlett gift also provides funding to schools and colleges for recruiting top graduate students, who also are being offered substantial fellowship packages by private schools.

Third-year law student Joshua Daniels, president of the campus's Graduate Assembly, the governing body for graduate students, said the gift to UC Berkeley's endowment "not only will help the campus attract the best graduate students, but it will support those already here."

According to a Graduate Division survey, when the stipend offered by UC Berkeley to a prospective graduate student is greater than or equal to a non-UC competitor's offer, 75 percent of the students choose UC Berkeley. But when it is less, UC Berkeley is chosen by only 15 percent of the students.

"What Berkeley has going for it are two things that can't be downplayed in retention issues," said Joyce, an anthropological archaeologist who specializes in the study of sex and gender in ancient societies of Central America. "One is the quality of our graduate students and the diversity of our undergraduates. The other is Berkeley — the intellectual life and the faculty depth and the notion of being part of the leading department in your discipline."

"The intellectual environment here is so rich," added Owen, "nobody wants to leave it. People here are that good, and when you are surrounded by people who are that good, the exchange of ideas and the excitement of learning is tremendous."

National Autonomous University of Mexico

Name

Universidad Nacional Aut��a de M鸩co

Name in English

National Autonomous University of Mexico

Acronym

UNAM

Year of establishment

1551

Country

Mexico

State / Province

Distrito Federal

Town

Mexico City

Town Size

>5,000,000

Postal Code

04510

Address

Ciudad Universitaria

Phone

+52 (555) 622 12 80

Institutional Accreditation or Recognition

Secretaría de Educación Pública

Michigan University Info

Name

University of Michigan

Name in English

University of Michigan

Acronym

U-M

Year of establishment

1817

Country

United States

State / Province

Michigan

Town

Ann Arbor

Town Size

50,000-249,999

Postal Code

48109

Address

2074 Fleming Administration Building

Phone

+1 (734) 764 1817

Institutional Accreditation or Recognition

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA-HLC)

Other Accreditations

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (AACN). Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). American Bar Association (ABA), Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), Division of Accreditation. Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). American Chemical Society (ACS). American Dental Association (ADA), Commission on Dental Accreditation. American Library Association (ALA), Committee on Accreditation. American Psychological Association (APA). Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). American Dietetic Association, Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE). Commission on Acceditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Landscape Architecture Accrediting Board (LAAB). Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), Commission on Accreditation. National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), Commission on Accreditation. National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), Commission on Accreditation. Planning Accreditation Board (PAB). Society of American Foresters (SAF).

University of Michigan

9th Sept 2007
Michigan University Info

Student Loan Consolidation

Computing breakthrough could elevate computer security to unprecedented levels

DTE Energy Foundation advances U-M energy leadership with $1.5 million professorship

Student Loan Consolidation

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DIRECT LOAN CONSOLIDATION?

• Consolidation can help ease your monthly payments once you enter repayment by rolling one or more of your Direct Loans into one payment with one interest rate.
• If you have more than one loan, you can combine the loans into one, fixed rate loan (see below for interest rate information). There is no minimum number of loans or balances to qualify, however, so borrowers can consolidate even a single small balance loan.
• You can also have more than one consolidated loan. If you consolidated before, you may choose not to include your previously consolidated loan in your new loan consolidation. Use the calculator at www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov/borrower/
  bconsol.shtml to help you determine which loans to include in your new consolidation loan.
• Borrowers can choose the same standard 10-year maximum repayment term as they have with their current Direct Loan to keep the cost of borrowing low when repayment begins.
• Note: In school loan consolidation is no longer an option; consolidation is only an option after you graduate.
• There is no cost to consolidate.
• Parents can consolidate their Federal Direct PLUS Loans.
• Students can apply for Direct Loan consolidation online in as little as 8 minutes or by completing a paper form (see below).
• You can receive a 1/4 percentage point interest rate reduction when you sign up for an Electronic Debit Account.

HOW ARE DIRECT LOAN CONSOLIDATION INTEREST RATES CALCULATED?

The interest rate of a consolidation loan is the weighted average interest rate on all the loans you are consolidating. Use the online calculator on the Federal Loan Consolidation website to see whether consolidation will save you money.

Federal legislation changed the interest rate structure on Federal Direct Stafford Loans and PLUS Loans from a variable interest rate to a fixed interest rate for loans received on or after July 1, 2006. The fixed interest rates for these loans are:

6.8% Subsidized & Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans
7.9% Federal Direct PLUS Loans

The interest rate on any loans received prior to July 1, 2006 will remain variable and will change July 1 each year. For more information on Direct Loan interest rates, click here.

CONSOLIDATING OTHER FEDERAL LOANS:

If you are borrowing loans such as Perkins, Health Professions, or Nursing Loans, you can use the online calculator to see whether consolidating these loans with your Direct Loans will be to your advantage. Be aware, however, that when you consolidate, you will lose the cancellation provisions of these loans. This could be disadvantageous for certain students, such as those who plan to serve in the Armed Services, Peace Corps, etc. For Perkins Loan cancellation information, click here. For Health Professions Loan and Nursing Loan cancellation information, see your promissory note.

HOW TO APPLY FOR CONSOLIDATION:

The Direct Loan Servicer will assist you with the loan consolidation process:

• The easiest way to apply for loan consolidation is through the Direct Loan Servicer using your U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Number (PIN) at www.dlssonline.com/consolidatenow/
  welcome.asp
• Paper applications and information about consolidation are also available from the web at www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov or by calling 1-800-557-7392.

What you will need: Name, address, and telephone number for two references with different U.S. addresses. The lender name, address, and current balance information for each of the education loans that you wish to consolidate. If you apply online using your PIN at www.dlssonline.com/consolidatenow/ welcome.asp, much of this information will be already be pre-filled in for you. The View Student Loan Summary page of Wolverine Access also lists this information (select Student Business > login > Financial Aid > Aid Year > 5. Loans > View Student Loan Summary). You may also refer to your monthly Direct Loan statements, your Direct Loan Servicer account information (www.dlssonline.com), or your promissory notes. Direct Loan Borrower Services can also help you (telephone: 1-800-848-0979). For the Education Loan Indebtedness section of the application, you will need to list for each of your loans: the loan holder, loan servicer's name, address, and telephone number. For Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, PLUS) you have had while at University of Michigan, list the Direct Loan Servicer contact information available on your most recent Direct Loan Statement. For Federal Perkins, Health Professions, and Nursing Student Loans, you have had while at University of Michigan, list: Student Loan Operations (Loans & Collections) University of Michigan 6061 Wolverine Tower 3003 S. State Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1287 734-764-9281

• To learn how to consolidate private or alternative loans, contact your private loan lender (CitiAssist, MI-LOAN, etc.) directly. NOTE: Private educational loans cannot be included in a federal loan consolidation.

Computing breakthrough could elevate computer security to unprecedented levels

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—By using pulses of light to dramatically accelerate quantum computers, University of Michigan researchers have made strides in technology that could foil national and personal security threats.

It's a leap, they say, that could lead to tougher protections of information and quicker deciphering of hackers' encryption codes.

A new paper on the results of this research, "Coherent Optical Spectroscopy of a Strongly Driven Quantum Dot," appears in the Aug. 17 issue of Science. Duncan Steel, the Robert J. Hiller Professor at Michigan Engineering's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Department of Physics, is one of the lead authors of the paper. Faculty from the University of California-San Diego and the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., also contributed.

The researchers used short, coherent pulses of light to create light-matter interactions in quantum dots—particles so small that the addition or deletion of electrons changes their properties. They found they could control the frequency and phase shifts in the optical network, which is crucial in powering an optically driven quantum computer, Steel said.

Optically driven quantum computers can crack highly encrypted codes in seconds. The fastest of today's desktop computers would require 20 years.

Part of what makes quantum computers so fast is that they are multitask masters.

"Quantum computers are capable of massive parallel computations," Steel said. "That's why these machines are so fast."

And the technology the researchers used to power them in this study is relatively cheap.

"We're particularly excited about our findings because they show that we can achieve these results by using quantum dots and readily available, relatively inexpensive optical telecommunications technology to drive quantum computers," Steel said. "Quantum dots replace transistors in these computers, and our results show that it only takes a few billionths of a watt to drive it."

U-M researchers are using quantum dot systems to pave the way for numerous quantum level applications, such as quantum dot dressed state lasers, optical modulators and quantum logic devices.

This discovery in quantum dot spectroscopy is an important stepping stone to building a quantum computer for the future. Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between light and matter.

DTE Energy Foundation advances U-M energy leadership with $1.5 million professorship

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—DTE Energy Foundation has pledged $1.5 million to the College of Engineering and the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute (MMPEI) to create the DTE Energy Professorship of Advanced Energy Research.

The contribution reflects DTE Energy's commitment to advanced energy research and belief in MMPEI's ability to provide solutions to energy-related challenges worldwide. The gift comes as part of The Michigan Difference, the U-M's $2.5 billion fund-raising campaign.

"This grant, one of the largest our foundation has ever made, underscores DTE Energy's commitment to leading our state and industry in creating an energy future that is sustainable and that offers reliable, affordable energy," said Fred Shell, DTE Energy vice president of corporate and government affairs and president of the DTE Energy Foundation. "We're looking forward to collaborating with the University on this exciting and critically important work."

The DTE Energy professorship will support a faculty member whose research will include alternative energy sources, energy storage and conversion, transportation, fuels or sustainability. The high-profile position will bolster Michigan's research and teaching, while preparing tomorrow's energy leaders.

"The DTE Energy Professorship will permanently link DTE Energy with the University's energy activities, significantly advancing our expertise in an area that is of keen interest to both DTE Energy and the University," said David C. Munson, Jr., the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering.

Launched in December 2006, MMPEI facilitates multidisciplinary, energy-related research across the University of Michigan. It brings together University researchers, industry and government experts to tackle pressing technological challenges and to discuss innovative public policy that can enhance the effectiveness and implementation of technological breakthroughs.

Starting this fall, MMPEI will head a consortium that includes DTE Energy as a leading member to examine the technical challenges now facing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and their promise for widespread appeal in the consumer market. Also known as gas-electric hybrids, PHEVs feature batteries that can be recharged by plugging into an external electrical outlet. They conserve fuel by operating off battery power for short distances at moderate speeds. The two-year, $2 million research effort is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy with $1 million going to U-M.

"As the state's leading diversified energy company with a strong interest in encouraging creative approaches to energy challenges, DTE Energy is an ideal partner in the University's expanding energy education and research agenda," said MMPEI Director Gary Was, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences as well as materials science and engineering in the College of Engineering. "This high-visibility partnership holds extraordinary promise for the future."

The DTE Energy Foundation was initially attracted to MMPEI because of the Institute's multidisciplinary approach to addressing complex energy issues. For example, MMPEI has funded a research project at U-M to study the relationship between renewable energy technologies, electricity consumption patterns and environmental policy. The project's investigators represent the College of Engineering, School of Natural Resources and Environment, Ford School of Public Policy, and Ross School of Business.

Earlier this year, DTE Energy sponsored a two-day symposium, "Energy Science, Technology, and Policy: Facing the Challenge" that featured U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and served as the MMPEI's official debut.

More information about the MMPEI and energy research at U-M is available at www.mmpei.umich.edu.

About the DTE Energy Foundation

The DTE Energy Foundation is the philanthropic arm of DTE Energy, continuing the legacy of community support and involvement of its principal operating subsidiaries, Detroit Edison and MichCon. The Foundation directs its contributions and involvement to support initiatives dedicated to developing the human and economic potential of the communities it serves. More information on the DTE Energy Foundation is available at www.dteenergy.com/community/foundation.

About the University of Michigan College of Engineering

The University of Michigan College of Engineering is ranked among the top engineering schools in the country. Michigan Engineering boasts one of the largest engineering research budgets of any public university, at more than $130 million. Michigan Engineering has 11 departments and two NSF Engineering Research Centers. Within those departments and centers, there is a special emphasis on research in three emerging areas: nanotechnology and integrated microsystems; cellular and molecular biotechnology; and information technology. Michigan Engineering is seeking to raise $110 million for capital building projects and program support in these areas to further research discovery. Michigan Engineering's goal is to advance academic scholarship and market cutting-edge research to improve public health and well-being. For more information, visit the Michigan Engineering home page: www.engin.umich.edu.

Required Admissions Testing

What standardized tests does Harvard require?
For the Class of 2011, students may submit either the "old" SAT I or ACT taken before March 2005, or the new SAT or ACT (which must include the writing section). Students must also submit three SAT II exams of their choosing. For information about the SATs, consult www.collegeboard.org/; for the ACT www.act.org.
Are there minimum required SAT I, ACT or SAT II scores?
Harvard does not have clearly defined, required minimum scores; however, the majority of students admitted to the College represent a range of scores from roughly 600 to 800 on each section of the SAT I as well as on the SAT II Subject Tests. We regard test results as helpful indicators of academic ability and achievement when considered thoughtfully among many other factors. The Admissions Committee understands that international students may not be as familiar with the SAT and ACT formats as American citizens. Nevertheless, international students who distinguish themselves for admission often present the Committee with exceptionally strong standardized testing by any measure.
Which SAT II Subject Tests should students take?
To satisfy our application requirements, applicants must take three SAT II Subject Tests and may choose any three subjects, using the following guidelines: * The English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) is not acceptable.* Candidates whose native language is not English should not take an SAT II test in their native language as one of the three required tests.* Candidates who took the Writing (in English) subject test when it was offered (January 2005 or earlier) are strongly encouraged to include the results in their applications. Applicants may wish to convey the breadth of their academic interests by taking tests in different subjects.
What if English is not a student's first language?
A strong knowledge of English is essential for successful study at Harvard, including the ability to understand and express thoughts quickly and clearly. We require the results of the SAT I and three SAT II Subject Tests for all candidates. The SAT II English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) is not acceptable for this purpose. Students are not required to submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Candidates whose native language is not English should not take any of their three SAT II tests in their native language.
Must students sitting for GCE A-levels or other international credentials submit SAT I and SAT II scores?
Yes. We realize students educated abroad may be unfamiliar with these examination formats, but all applicants must submit the results of the SAT I and three SAT II Subject Tests.
What if students cannot take the SAT or ACT in their country?
The SAT I and SAT II tests are now given in almost all countries. We realize that students might have to travel some distance or might have to plan for testing long in advance, but these test results are required tools in our analysis of applications. In our competitive applicant pool, students lacking these test results are usually denied admission. Foreign students in one of the very few countries where the SAT is not available (for example, China) may submit alternative testing such as the Graduate Record Examination. For more information about the GRE, consult www.gre.org. Students in such countries should also take the TOEFL.
Does Harvard consider scores from previous administrations of the SAT I, ACT or SAT II?
Yes.
If a student takes the required tests more than once, which results does Harvard consider?
We consider a student's best test scores, but it is generally our experience that taking tests more than twice offers diminishing returns.

A Residential College

A Residential College


Is on-campus housing guaranteed?
Harvard guarantees housing for all four years. First-year students live in one of the 17 dormitories in or adjacent to historic Harvard Yard. Self-selected groups of students are assigned to one of 12 residential Houses for the final three years of undergraduate study. About 350 to 500 students live in a House, each of which includes its own dining hall, library and advising staff, among other resources. Read more about first-year dormitories at The Freshman Dean's Office Website; read more about Harvard's Houses.
Must students live on campus?
Students must live in Harvard housing their first year at the College. A very small percentage of students choose to live off-campus as upperclassmen. Many students and alumni/ae, however, consider the House system on