CAER seminar: Introduction to Project Management Friday, March 30, 2012

Introduction to Project Management (Friday, March 30, 2012)

Introduction to Project Management (8 Hours)

Overview of Seminar -

Project management is recognized as a vital skill set for many engineering and management positions, not just those with the title of “project manager”. This one day course will provide a solid introduction to the field of project management, with a special emphasis on the role of project management for the engineering professional. The student will review the course content from the perspective of projects from their own organization and will be introduced to tools and techniques that can be used every day to manage real projects.

Who should take this course?

This course is for anyone interested in learning more about formal project management techniques, including project managers, project team members, functional managers and those on a career track into managerial positions.

Course Objectives

By the end of the class students will be able to:

Understand and use basic project management terms
Produce improved project plans
Reduce project risk
Define the complexity of a project
Have more success in completing projects on-time and under budget
Utilize project management techniques to better manage projects
Present a more organized and professional management style

Course Content

Definitions of Projects, Programs and Portfolio Management
The Process of Project Selection
Project Management:
Introduction to the five PM process groups
Introduction to the nine PM knowledge areas
Project Planning
Project Execution
Project Monitoring and Control
Project Closing

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Seminar Details -

DATE: Friday, March 30, 2012

TIME: 8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.

SEMINAR FEE: $ 295 – Per Person

CREDITS: 8 PDH’s (Professional Development Hours)

LOCATION: The Center for Advanced Engineering & Research – Classrooms 216 A&B. Our physical address is: 1173 Research Way, Forest, VA 24551. Click here for directions to the CAER.

NOTE: Pre-Registration is required. Click here for registration paperwork.

Please contact Bob Bailey, Executive Director with any questions or requests for additional information about the upcoming seminar.
Phone – (434) 477.5060 or E-Mail – bbailey [at] caer [dot] us
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PDH Requirements -

Virginia has recently instituted continuing education requirements for Professional Engineers. Engineers who renew or reinstate their licenses after March 31, 2010 will be required to meet the new PDH requirements. The law provides than PEs must complete 16 PDH in the two years immediately preceding their license renewal.

Seminar attendees will receive 8 hours towards this requirement.
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About our Instructor -

Phil Hamlett

Phil Hamlett is currently employed as an Information Technology Project Manager with the Babcock & Wilcox company in Lynchburg Virginia. With over 22 years of professional experience, Phil has held numerous roles in information technology, project & formal management and process improvement. In his early career he worked as an application developer, performing development work on numerous technology platforms including client-server, mid-range, web and telephony. Recent roles include: Six Sigma Black Belt for General Electric and manager for an operations intelligence team in a Genworth Financial domestic call center. He has served as adjunct faculty in IT and Project Management at Central Virginia Community College for the last 14 years. He is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and possesses a BS degree in Management Science from Virginia Tech and a Masters in Administration from Lynchburg College.

For more information on Phil’s professional profile, click here.
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About the CAER

The Center for Advanced Engineering & Research is a non-profit organization within Virginia’s Region 2000 Partnership that creates working relationships between high-tech industries, major R&D centers and university researchers, and facilitates professional development opportunities for scientists and engineers in the region.

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Lynchburg engineers banquet: February 23, 2012

Details:

The Holiday Inn Select -  601 Main Street, Lynchburg, VA
Thursday, February 23, 2012, 5:30-9:00 PM

Come celebrate Engineer’s Week – A 60-year-old tradition marking the contributions engineers make to the quality of life in our communities.

Enjoy food, fellowship, and an intriguing presentation by Ross T. Thomas, an advisor during the initial months of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear crisis. Immediately following the earthquake and tsunami, Mr. Thomas worked with industry and government experts in Washington, D.C. He, subsequently, went to Japan to assist in response efforts and longer term planning. Mr. Thomas has taught engineering and physics at Penn State and VMI and served as head of the VMI Physics Department. He was one of only two U.S. senior industry advisors for the Department Of Energy on the Generation IV International Forum for the development of advanced reactors. He recently retired from B&W where he held numerous positions including Vice President and Chief Technical Officer.

Our evening starts with a cash bar and social time from 5:30 to 6:30 PM, followed by dinner and program from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. Events include an awards ceremony for our local MATHCOUNTS© winners, keynote discussion and other special engineering presentations celebrating engineering achievements over the past year.

Registration for this event is $25.00 ($10.00 for student), which includes dinner, dessert, and coffee. Several levels of sponsorships are also being solicited to help defray meeting costs. (Please contact an event coordinator at left to contribute to sponsorships).

RSVP NO LATER THAN MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20th. Seating is limited, so please respond early to help us reserve adequate room size. Bring your spouse & invite guests – this will be a great evening. RSVP to eweekrsvp [at] wileywilson [dot] com or call Virginia Hudson at Wiley|Wilson (434) 947-1901.

Directions and Parking Information Available by visiting the Holiday Inn on the web at: www.holidayinn.com

CIT is now accepting proposals for the CRCF Winter 2012 Solicitation

Are you interested in receiving Commonwealth funding to support your Virginia-based research and commercialization? If so, the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) wants to hear from you!

CIT is now accepting proposals for the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF) Winter 2012 Solicitation!

This is the second of two FY2012 CRCF solicitations; $2.2 million is available for award. Of this, $1 million is designated for the SBIR Matching Funds Program based on the FY2012 appropriation; the Commercialization, Eminent Researcher Recruitment, Facilities Enhancement Loan, and Matching Funds Programs will draw from $1.2 million. If program-specific funds are unspent at fiscal year-end, it is anticipated that monies will be reallocated to other programs.

Technology sectors eligible for CRCF funding are identified in the Commonwealth Research and Technology Strategic Roadmap, which establishes priorities for industry and research areas worthy of economic development and institutional focus.

Visit www.cit.org/programs/cit-rd/crcf/2012solicitation to learn more and apply. Applicants must first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI); LOIs will be accepted from February 3 through February 17, 2012. Proposals will be accepted through March 8, 2012, with award announcements planned for mid-June 2012.

For more information on CRCF, including webinar information and the December 2011 press release announcing award recipients, please visit www.cit.org/programs/cit/-rd/crcf.

If you know others who may be interested in Commonwealth support for research and commercialization, please forward this announcement to them. Questions? Contact us at crcf [at] cit [dot] org.

Avaya user group starting in Southwestern Virginia

Avaya will be hosting a planning meeting on Wednesday, February 15th, in Roanoke, VA, with the goal of establishing a Southwestern Virginia chapter of the International Avaya Users Group (IAUG) . All Avaya customers AND Partners in SW Virginia are encouraged and welcome to attend. 

At 4,000 members strong, the International Avaya Users Group (IAUG) combines the previous Avaya and heritage Nortel user groups into one of the world’s largest international organizations for communications technology professionals. As the forum for the global Avaya customer community, IAUG provides a voice and resource for Avaya customers everywhere.

IAUG’s primary goals are to:

• Advocate on behalf of the needs and interests of Avaya customers;
• Provide a direct channel of feedback from customers to Avaya leadership;
• Serve as a conduit of product and company information from Avaya to its customers;
• Provide training, industry news, networking opportunities, and other value-adds to Avaya customers;
• Create valuable networks among Avaya customers; and
• Facilitate a positive, productive relationship between Avaya and its customers

Local users group provide us the ability to foster interaction between Avaya customers, form peer groups, offer seminars and training and much more.  It is an end-user driven organization and will be managed and run by newly elected officers.  We need YOUR help to make it a success.

Meeting information

Location:   Virginia Utility Protection Service, Inc

(1829 Blue Hills Circle NE, Roanoke, VA  24012)

When: Wednesday, Feb. 15th, 2012

Agenda will be as follows:

• 11:00- 11:15 – Introductions
• 11:15- 11:45 – Review of the IAUG (mission, goals, structure, benefits, fees)
• 11:45- 12:30 – Discussion Local Chapter structure and requirements (working lunch)
• 12:30 – 1pm – Attendee input, Q&A, Next steps

*** Please RSVP via email to Barbara Rigatti at brigatti [at] avaya [dot] com, and pass the invitation along to any other Avaya users that may be interested.

Also- Mark your calendar for the next IAUG Global Education Conference – May 20 – 24, 2012, Boston, MA

• More than 200 educational sessions
  • Contact Center
  • Infrastructure (Core Voice Systems for Enterprises of all sizes )
  • Unified Communication/Messaging/Collaboration
  • Global Services
  • Data Solutions
  • Professional Development
  • Credits for IAUG Professional Development certificate program
  • CEU credits with the University of Wisconsin
  • Pre-Conference Tutorials on SIP, Contact Center and Project Management
  • Avaya and motivational keynote speakers

For more information on IAUG, please visit www.iaug.org

Building a More Entrepreneurial Region 2000

Virginia’s Region 2000 Partnership in collaboration with Central Virginia Community College presented the findings and resulting action plan of an entrepreneurship study (that kicked off in Spring, 2011) on Wednesday, February 1 at Central Virginia Community College’s Merritt Hall.  The study was funded through financial support of Central Virginia Community College, the Region 2000 Workforce Investment Board, and the Region 2000 Local Government Council.

From the News & Advance:

“An entrepreneur is someone “willing to take a chance,” one person said.

Another said entrepreneurs were the “embodiment of the American dream.”

Those are phrases from a video entrepreneurs, played during a meeting of the Region 2000 partnership as it presented recommendations from a study conducted last year.

One of those recommendations starts today.

Region 2000 and six local colleges are partnering to create a higher education initiative to grow entrepreneurship and strengthen small business development in the area.

This partnership aims to build connections between the schools — Lynchburg College, Liberty University, Central Virginia Community College, Randolph College, Sweet Briar College and Virginia University of Lynchburg — to help students develop an interest in entrepreneurship, according to the final report. The project received a $15,000 state grant.” (Read the entire article at NewsAdvance.com)

From WSET:

Lynchburg Retail Merchants Foundation gives grant to Future Focus Foundation

 The Future Focus Foundation, the educational non-profit organization of Virginia’s Region 2000 Technology Council, has received an $800 grant from the Lynchburg Retail Merchants Foundation.  These grant funds will be used to support the 2012 Jr. FIRST LEGO League Program and Expo.

Jr. FIRST LEGO League is a program that introduces young children (6-8 years) to the exciting world of science and technology and encourages long-term interest in STEM careers.  The children are given a real-world challenge to solve using creativity, innovation, teamwork, and design skills.  Teams for 2012 have begun forming and Virginia’s Region 2000 Jr. FIRST LEGO League Expo is scheduled for April 28, 2012 at Timberlake Christian School.

“We are very grateful to have the support of the Lynchburg Retail Merchant’s Foundation for our Jr. FIRST LEGO League Program and Expo,” said Elizabeth Narehood, Managing Director of the Future Focus Foundation. “This year, I have received contact from several new schools and groups that would like to begin hosting teams.  These funds will allow teams to purchase necessary supplies to participate in the program and also provide valuable tools teachers may choose to integrate into their classrooms during the school year.  Many schools would not be able to participate without the financial and volunteer support from our local community.”

See the official press release below or download and embed it here.

Bob Bailey to speak on the CAER's cognitive radio testbed program

Bob Bailey, the Executive Director of the Center for Advanced Engineering & Research will be our featured speaker at the next Tech@Breakfast with a talk on the CAER’s work, in collaboration with Virginia Tech and industry partners, to create a cognitive radio network testbed in the region. The proposed infrastructure will enable experimental research on the effects of mobility on radio adaptations and dynamic spectrum access in a cognitive radio network.

Don’t miss this groundbreaking overview and opportunity to network with others in the local technology community!

Event Details:

When: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 – 7:30 to 8:45 a.m.
Where: The Center for Advanced Engineering & Research.
Cost: Members: $10, Non-Members: $15

Breakfast catered by Charleys.

The CAER is located at 1173 Research Way, Forest, VA in the New London Business and Technology Center located on Rt. 460, one mile west of Rt. 811 (Thomas Jefferson Road) intersection in Bedford County, Virginia.

REGISTER NOW

LU to Host Industrial Control Panel Design Seminar (Jan 28)

Liberty University’s School of Engineering will be hosting a Siemens Training Seminar titled “The Secrets of Industrial Control Panel Design”.

The course is a summary of a standard 1 day course on designing industrial control panels for the North American market and another 1 day course on designing Industrial control panels with CE certification for IEC countries.

A significant amount of the course will be devoted to the explanation of the key requirements to meet UL508A for Industrial Control Panels. Topics include Short Circuit Current Ratings, UL-compliant markings and common stumbling blocks.
This course also covers the basic requirements to design and self certify an industrial control panel with a CE marking for export to IEC countries and markets.

When: January 28, 2012 from 9AM to 2PM

Where: The event will be held in the Towns Alumni Lecture Hall at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia.

Lunch will be provided by Siemens.

Register at:
http://www.mysiemensevents.com/Lists/ApplicationPages/channelpartnerprivatesiteeventdetailspage.aspx?cpeid=2081

Wired Wednesday: Social Media - Boom or Bust, Feb 15 in Lynchburg, Virginia

GET THE RAW TRUTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING!

Has the wave of Social Media crested or crashed? We’re going to ask some hard questions to a panel of local experts. Bring your questions and get in line. Let’s find out together what’s really working and what’s not and how you should really position your marketing strategy.

Invited, local panelists include: Josh Quintero of Blair Marketing, Jennifer Bailey of The Social Media Institute, Abe Loper of the Young Professionals of Central Virginia, Phil Hamlett of B&W, and Jason Fowler of the Region 2000 Technology Council.

When and Where: February 15, 12 noon to 1:30pm | Craddock Terry Hotel and Event Center in downtown Lynchburg Virginia
Details: Cost – $10 for Members, $15 for Non-Members | Lunch will be provided.

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This Event Is Sold Out!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE WAITING LIST PLEASE CLICK HERE TO EMAIL: jfowler [at] techcouncil [dot] us

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Download the event flyer: here or view below:

Sweet Briar College to host girl's 'Explore Engineering' events

Sweet Briar College is hosting Spring weekend and Summer week-long engineering courses for high school (senior and junior) young women titled ‘Explore Engineering‘ March 2-3, 2012 and July 22-27, 2012. These courses are built around hands-on, team based design projects that emphasize creativity. No engineering experience is needed to attend. Students have fun while working with engineering faculty and students. See Sweet Briar’s ‘Explore Engineering’ web page and the brochures below for more information: