Year: 2009

CS0: Beauty, Awe and Joy of Computing

We propose to develop Computer Science 0 (CS0): a new introductory general service course, available to students across the university, to share the beauty, joy and awe of computing. This course has the potential to serve as a model for a new CollegeBoard Advanced Placement course in the works, which could have national impact. Students will be gently introduced to programming and computational thinking using a new graphical programming language called Scratch, with the emphasis on problems relevant to themselves and society.

BTTR Ventures: Back to the Roots

BTTR Ventures (pronounced Better) stands for “back to the roots,” a phrase that encompasses the idea of creating a company that stands for sustainability, progress, and social responsibility. BTTR Ventures aims to turn one of the largest waste streams in the Bay Area, the tons of coffee ground waste generated daily, into a highly-demanded, nutritious, and valuable food product – specialty mushrooms. Along the way, not only do they play to create a healthy food source, but also to provide urban jobs, save thousands of tons of valuable substrate from being dumped into landfills, and donate substantial amounts of cash flow back into the communities from which the coffee ground waste originated. (Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Social Innovation category.)

Policy Proposals to Reduce Overharvest From Marine Fisheries

Historically, marine management policies have been unable to ensure sustainable, economically viable fishing practices. These policies have been ineffective in regulating technological advancements in fishing, and flawed policies have contributed towards hastening the use of harmful technologies. As a result, several once-major fishing stocks are overfished or collapsed, resulting in both severe environmental degradation and large economic losses. This paper proposes a series of initiatives to encourage the fishing industry to adopt sustainable fishing practices and provide support to maintain healthy, profitable commercial fish populations.(Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)

Magneto-Optic Technology Hits The Field: A pilot program to implement a new malaria diagnostic device in Southern Benin

Malaria is a disease endemic to regions of South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia that continues to do serious humanitarian and economic damage to developing countries. A new diagnostic tool (the MOT device) has recently been invented that would improve access to accurate malaria diagnosis at low costs. To collect information on the best way to bring these devices to the communities that need it, we propose a fact-finding pilot program to provide MOTmalaria diagnosis and treatment centers to 25,000 people in Southern Benin. (Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)

KnowPrivacy

This project aims to increase interest in the current state of data collection practices and privacy concerns by demonstrating greater salience of the types of data collected by commercial websites and the potential risks involved, along with the uses and value for those collecting it. (Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)

Coal Power and Reversing Climate: Can They Work Together?

Hundreds of U.S. companies have a stake in continued use of coal-based electricity. Unfortunately, burning coal is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions which in turn cause climate change. This paper examines potential solutions to this problem and suggests policies to commercialize an emerging technology called carbon capture and storage. (Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)

Medical Smart Card System for Patient Record Management

Rising healthcare spending is a serious issue for the United States. Electronic medical records are seen as an effective way to solve the problem, however they are difficult to implement. We propose the development of personal portable healthcare record smart cards and a corresponding framework to simplify maintenance and transfer of patient records as an incremental step towards a nationalized electronic records system. (Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)