Kelly Lin Designing Human Powered Device for Mali Farmers ME Today May 2012

Kelly Lin Designing Human Powered Device for Mali Farmers ME Today May 2012 Kelly Lin Designing Human Powered Device for Mali Farmers ME Today May 2012 Kelly Lin Designing Human Powered Device for Mali Farmers (curtesy of E4C) Kelly Lin, right, stands with the USCSB hirse press teamSorghum is a hardy, drought-resistant cereal crop that, when pressed and boiled, makes sweet syrup that is nutritious and sought-after in countries such as Mali. Pressing sorghum, though, is difficult. To help, Kelly Lin and a team of fellow students at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), are developing a press. The prototype of their human-powered device crushes the crop between rollers cranked with a long 4in by 4in board. Lin posted the device as an E4C workspace and invites interaction.Lin is an active member of UCSBs Engineers Without Borders-USA chapter and hes also teaching himself Japanese, partly because they have cool robots, he says. For his work to solve problems on farms in Mal i, and for his love of Japanese robotics, Engineers for Change featured Kelly Lin as their Member of the Month (March 2012).E4C Can you tell us more about the press?KL The mission of the EWB-UCSB Sorghum Press Team is to improve the nutrition and incomes of farmers in Dissan, Mali and similar communities with a human-powered, low-cost and locally-manufactured design. The press needs to be human powered since it is the most reliable source of energy in the Dissan community. It needs to be inexpensive, reliable, and manufacturable in Mali so that it can be economically sustainable and doesnt rely on financial aid from outside organizations.E4C How does it work?KL There is a lever arm which the user pushes in a circle. The lever arm drives gears that which drives two rollers. Another user feeds the sorghum stock in between the rollers. Then the roller squeezes the juice out of the sorghum and the juice drops down into a bucket. Checkout out the UCSB Sorghum Press on YouTubeE4C What hav e been the results of prototype tests so far?KL We have spent six months designing and building a prototype with three gears made in Mali. We were able to achieve a through-put rate of 10 inches of sugarcane stock per second. We used sugar cane for the test because sweet sorghum is not in season and sugar cane is stronger than sorghum.E4C What do you have left to do?KL In terms of the scope of my project, we need to improve the design by making the rollers adjustable, optimize the rollers to be the right size, lower the cost by simplifying the design, do fatigue test, and make manufacturing and operation illustrations. After we are done, people will have free access to our design as well as all of our prototyping, testing, modeling, and analysis information.E4C So, how did you hear about E4C?KL I heard about E4C through a TED talk on ted.com.Thank you for all your recognition. However, the sorghum press project is a team project and would not have come this far without my excellent teammates Hunter, Erika, Adam, and Marcela, who have worked just as hard if not harder than I have. I would also like to thank the following people Prof. Laguette for running the UCSB ME senior projects Advisor Mr. Bothman for starting this project and for advising us on technical issues and Prof. Lacy for advising us on everything relating to Mali and for taking our gear design to Mali and having it made by the local machinist.E4C is a dynamic and growing community of engineers, technologists, social scientists, NGOs, local governments and community advocates whose mission is to improve quality of life in communities around the world by facilitating the development of affordable, locally appropriate and sustainable solutions to the most pressing humanitarian challenges.

Infographic 5 Things to Avoid in a Job Interview

Infographic 5 Things to Avoid in a Job InterviewInfographic 5 Things to Avoid in a Job Interview5Stevens Henager College recently published Infographic Top 10 Job Interview Mistakes. Weve expanded on the top five things to avoid in a job interview so you can let your past accomplishments- and not your nerves- shine.You can also view the full infographic below with all 10 mistakes to avoid5 Things to Avoid in a Job InterviewBadmouthing your boss.Lets say that you had a boss from hell. (Havent we all?) The last thing you want to do is dish about your bad boss during a job interview. For starters, its bad form, and also, you never know if your previous boss and your qualifikation boss know each other. As hard as it might be, try to find something positive to say about your former boss, but only if you are asked. Otherwise, it could sound forced and fake, and without meaning to, youll convey to your potential boss that you really didnt like your former manager.Not dressing for the interv iew.Youre applying for a telecommuting job, where you imagine youll spend your days working in your PJs- and if youre feeling really fancy, some yoga pants. That doesnt mean you should wear said yoga pants during your job interview, though. Whether youre interviewing in person or via a Skype interview, its important to dress up. At the very least, men should wear a suit or dress pants and a shirt and tie, and women should wear either a conservative dress or blouse and skirt or dress pants. Dressing down could communicate that youre not really that interested in the position.Lying. Maybe you took some time off to raise your kids. Or you had to take care of a medical issue or care for an aging loved one. Whatever the reason, you left the workforce for a while- and your resume took a big hit as a result. In an effort to cover up your resume gaps, you lied a little (or a lot) to make it seem like you had worked continuously. Thing is, its super easy for a hiring manager to research your previous employment history and find out if youre telling the truth- or not. So instead of telling tall tales, redesign your resume to focus on your skills instead. Just dont lie during an interview- its a surefire way to never, ever get a job offer.Talking too much- or too little. Youre trying to bond with your boss-to-be, and in an effort to fill any awkward silences, you find yourself talking a mile a minute. Or, you might find that youre suddenly mute. Talking too much (or too little) during a job interview can give a potential boss some insight into your personality. So try to be friendly, but not overly so, and answer questions in a positive way without being too long-winded or too curt.Not following up. Many job seekers make the mistake of finishing the job interview by saying thanks, shaking hands, walking out the door- and never speaking to the person again. One of the signs of a successful job seeker is that he follows up after a job interview. You can reach out, usually a week or so after the job interview, to once again thank the hiring manager for their time, reiterate how much you want the job, and to encourage them to let you know if they have any additional questions. This shows that youre interested- and if you happened to flub a question during the job interview, a gunst der stunde to correct your errorThese are just some of the gaffes you should avoid in a job interview. But its definitely easy to let your nerves get the best of you and make a mistake. Try a practice run to shake off any job interview jitters, and youll be sure to rock it- and get a job offerReaders, have you committed any of these job interview errors? What happened as a result? Let us know in the comments

Humor in the Workplace and the Law

Humor in the Workplace and the LawHumor in the Workplace and the LawA good sense of humor is often an admired trait in men and women. But what defines a sense of humor is something uniquely personal to each individual. What may be funny to you could be offensive to someone else. And, when it comes to workplace humor, what you may think is funny could even be illegal. Federal and many states laws protect minorities, disabled persons, women, and other employees from harassment, slander, and discrimination at work. A poorly chosen joke or off-the-cuff remark intended to be funny could cause you legal trouble. There is no clear-cut legal definition of harassment, which makes it easy to file a lawsuit against an employer that participates in, or does not stop, inappropriate behavior in the workplace. According to Eugene Volokh, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law Speech can be punished as workplace harassment if its severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile or abusive work environm ent based on race, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability (including obesity), military membership or veteran status, or, in some jurisdictions, sexual orientation, marital status, transsexualism or cross-dressing, political affiliation, criminal record, prior psychiatric treatment, occupation, citizenship status, personal appearance, matriculation, tobacco use outside work, Appalachian origin, receipt of public assistance, or dishonorable discharge from the military for the plaintiff and for a reasonable person. When it comes to harassment in the workplace- even in the form of good humor- innocent until proven guilty generally does not apply. Because harassment and discrimination laws contain broad legal language, it leaves room for substantial liability risks for unwary employers. Humor should be inclusive to be well-received. Sexist, racist, and ageist jokes and crude remarks label certain individuals, or groups of people, as inferior in some way and create exclusions. N ot only is this inappropriate, but offensive displays of humor, even when not directed at a specific person, can lead to sanctions, terminations, and lawsuits. Legal Precedents Regarding Humor in the Workplace In Dernovich v. City of Great Falls, Mont. Hum. Rts. Commn No. 9401006004 (Nov. 28, 1995), The Montana Human Rights Commission found favor with a complainant who was only indirectly offended by off-color jokes. In Snell v. Suffolk County, 611 F. Supp. 521, 531-32 (E.D.N.Y. 1985), an employer lost a harassment lawsuit and was prohibited from using derogatory bulletins, cartoons, and other written werkstoff and any racial, ethnic, or religious slurs whether in the form of jokes, jests, or otherwise. Humor That Is Never Appropriate in the Workplace Certain types of comments, jokes, and pranks are never appropriate in the workplace and should not be encuraged or tolerated. Many topics are legally mandated as off limits in the workplace, and your employees should be prohibi ted from innuendos, comments, or references about Sexual orientation or actsReligious or political practices or beliefsRace or ethnicitySocial status, gender, or age-related stereotypesPhysical appearance and attributesWeight-related issuesDisabled persons, or persons with any form of diminished capacityAny other topic that targets an individual or group as being inferior According to lecturer and psychologist, Dr. Joni Johnston, not all humor is created equal. Johnston believes, Research has shown that there is a distinctive difference in the health benefits of positive and negative humor. Negative humor, i.e., humor that is exclusive or offensive, does not have the same positive physiological effects on ones body and mind. Apparently, our bodies are as sensitive as our feelings we physiologically respond to hurtful as if our bodies were under attack. The purpose of setting strict limits on humor in the workplace should not be to eliminate all the fun at work, or to interfere with interpersonal relationships. But setting appropriate boundaries to foster a healthy work environment, free from hostility and legal exposure, will help make everyone happier. Sources Eugene Volokh. What Speech Does Hostile Work Environment Harassment Law Restrict? 85 Geo. L.J. 627 1997. and Dr. Joni Johnston. Lessons From the Humor Police How to evaluate workplace humor. April 3, 2008.

Law Firm Rankings Are Meaningful

Law Firm Rankings Are MeaningfulLaw Firm Rankings Are MeaningfulOver the last few months there have been several attacks of The American Lawyers rankings of the 200 highest grossing firms in the country. In a videoposted on Bloombergs Big Law Business blog, law firm consultant Bruce MacEwen criticized the AmLaw 200, stating Ive realized over the last few years that I think that category, the AmLaw 200, is increasingly meaningless as a conceptual category. It leads us into the mistake of thinking that all these firms are the saatkorn and theyre not remotely the same. MacEwen claimed that a list cannot be both comprehensive and heterogeneous and not involve unspoken value judgments and further that the AmLaw 200 cannot survive scrutiny.A few weeks later, Kimberly Kleman, Editor-in-Chief of The American Lawyer, struck back with her own video response, saying, you can compare things that are not alike, people do that all the time. To say that, well, these two things are different so you cant compare any of them doesnt make sense to me. She further stated that without publicly available data law firm clients would be sent back to the days of law firms presenting smoke and mirrors and clients not knowing what the basis of their fees was.MacEwen and Kleman eventually sat down for a cup of coffee together to amicably discuss what the American Lawyer should be covering (it was Klemans treat). But soon afterward, Kleman launched another attack, this time strongly suggesting that the data that firms provide to The American Lawyer and that form the basis of the AmLaw 200 is not entirely accurate.Perhaps unsurprisingly, I come down on AmLaws side here. To claim you cant fairly compare large law firms with different geschftliches miteinander models and geographic footprints is absurd. Large law firms are fundamentally in the same business, are competing for the same pools of clients, and are competing for the same talent. Published data on law firm profitability is an impor tant criterion upon which potential clients and potential associates may judge a law firm.Just as AmLaw provides an important service in providing profitability data, Vault provides prospective new law firm associates and laterals an opportunity to pull back the curtain and learn what those in the know, the associates working at the firms, have to say about their firm and about the firms with which they collaborate and compete. Our prestige, quality of life, and diversity rankings- when taken together with our survey results and firm profiles- provide the most comprehensive information on what it is like to actually practice law at these firms.The OCI and callback interview process is difficult on many law students. Students just a year into their law school careers are asked to choose a firm where they will likely departure their career and practice for at least a few years. When I was a 2L going through this process, I couldnt tell the difference between Baker Botts and Baker Host etler and I treasured the Vault rankings and reviews to cut through the noise. The firms in the Vault Law 100 and the AmLaw200 are very different, and to me, thats just the point. Because to listen only to the firms and to read just their marketing materials, you often wouldnt know that. Rankings, survey data, and reviews help law students, attorneys, and clients learn more about law firms, and that transparency is good not only for these groups but also for the firms and the legal industry as a whole.Follow me on TwitterVaultLawand follow Vault on InstagramVaultCareersandFacebookRead MoreVaults Top 100 Law Firms for 2016Which Law Firm Has the Happiest Associates?Vaults Top Law Firms By Practice Area and Region

A Review of 2 Page Resume

A Review of 2 Page Resume Utilizing professional resume services may be the ideal path of action to be certain that your resume is the best it can be. Even in case youve been working for many decades, you should attempt to continue to keep your resume to 2 pages if at all possible. You only dont have sufficient experience yet. Work Experience Try to fit your latest work experience so that it starts on the very first page. Its always preferable to make a new email address thats somewhat professional. Read below for mora in depth info on the length of time your resume should be, and strategies for making your resume the ideal length. Make aya that you get the information youre looking for. When you want to earn a one-page resume, but your information overflows onto anotlageher page, there are many means to shorten your resume. Dont print on the front and the rear of one page, which demands the possible employer to turn the sheet over to observe the remainder of the resume. The use of bullets may also ensure much better reader comprehension when visually scanned. As an example, two pages may provide you more space up front to craft a substantial summary statement rather than a pithy one-line objective. If so, locate a way to decrease your second page. Get the Scoop on 2 Page Resume Before Youre Too Late Also, ensure youve got a professional-sounding email address. The response is 6 seconds for the very first pass. It is that the length of your resume depends on a number of factors. Be ready to answer questions regarding your resume. You might also compose a two-page resume if youre in a field that demands technical skills. Keyword strategies are somewhat more important. Your resume ought to be focused, concise and emphasize achievements and abilities that fit the job that youre applying for. Examples of resumes are among the absolute most efficient approaches to ensure that youre writing one which is good and thats correct for the specific job youre applying for. In reference to the former answer, many career fields include experience thats not possible to put on a single page. Your very first job is among your best learning experiences. Too many candidates make the error of including a thorough job description rather than emphasizing individual contributions. When it could appear dull, you always have to personalize just about every single correspondence to fit the particular project for which youre employing. The Secret to 2 Page Resume See the way the icons beside section titles draw attention to the most important regions of the resume. The only case where two pages are wanted, are when youre citing published works. Be certain to get specific if you wish to grab your readers interest. Youre asking the reader to stay together with you through more than 1 page of text, therefore its important to keep on message and be sure youre employing every inch of that space to sell yourself. In the event the text on t he second page is simply a couple of lines, you might want to think about reformatting and sticking to the 1 page rule. Make your header stick out. In case the resume spans multiple pages, be sure the formatting is exactly the same on each page. Choose a way of adding your header. Landscape Resume by Generous Art2 may be the solution youve been searching for. The individual who is evaluating your resume wants to learn whether youre the perfect person for the job. Try, if youre able to, to create the break in information between two distinct jobs. Besides stuffing your resume with the proper key terms in the appropriate order, you want to explain yourself and why your experience is related to the job that youre being considered for. If youre looking for work, state the sort of position that interests you. Make certain you select the most suitable one for the work offer. The Appeal of 2 Page Resume If you are searching for Free Resume Template Downloads youve come to the pr oper spot. When its just providing filler, it ought not be there. Be certain that you have a rough idea about whats the demands of your fantasy company. There are a few general guidelines to produce your resume look good. The quantity of knowledge and education you have dictates the period of your resume. It is tough to cover the lack of a degree or a deficiency of formal education without sounding apologetic. If youve got a 1 page story, folks will think youre young and inexperienced. It isnt necessary to cram ten decades of work history onto one page in every circumstance. If you are in possession of a lengthy work history, know that the majority of people dont read what you did 10 years back, she explains. By means of example, it is a big destination for a talk about a livelihood change or maybe to spell out a lengthy gap in job.

Why Personality (And Not Just Experience) Counts When Youre Hiring - Spark Hire

Why Personality (And Not Just Experience) Counts When Youre Hiring - Spark HireWhen youre scanning through resume after resume looking for your next great addition to the team, its easy to get hung up on a persons experience level. You focus on how long they were with a particular organization and look at dates carefully. While you certainly want an experienced person on your team, its important that you dont minimize the importance of a potential hires personality when theyre going through the interview process.Ultimately, an employees personality can make or break whether they blend well with the rest of your staff members. Its easy enough to teach someone how to use a computer program or follow company protocol with regard to clients, but you cant train someone to be enthusiastic, responsible, and deadline driven. Because of this, it may be time to shift your hiring efforts from focusing solely on experience to looking a little mora deeply into what a person is really like.If you hire someone whos a bad fit for the company, you may quickly find that they start dragging other employees down. If theyre negative, petty, or overly competitive, an otherwise pleasant work environment can turn toxic quickly. Though they may know how to do paperwork properly or create a killer presentation, if they have no people skills, they end up representing the company negatively. Ultimately, this will end up hurting your bottom line. While you certainly want to find someone with the proper training, dont get so hung up on how many years theyve spent in the field. Its better to hire someone who wants to learn than it is to choose someone who has all of the experience necessary but couldnt care less about the company.Unfortunately, when companies are getting ready to bring on a large number of new employees at once, they often ditch looking at personality in favor of quickly scanning a persons experience. This ends up making company culture unpleasant, and can do real damage to a business as time goes on. Each employees personality plays a part in the overall feeling within the company, so just one or two negative people can cause the entire office to become tense and unhappy.To ensure that your office remains a pleasant place to work each day, focus on a persons experience and knowledge, but also consider how their personality will blend in with your more veteran employees. Will they become a positive force who inspires others, or will they slowly eat away at the energy within your business?How much does personality factor in when youre doing your hiring? Let us know in the comments