TL;DR version: if you have Java 7 on your computer, update it. Now.

The Java programming language helped to make the Web popular in the mid 1990s by its invention of the Web applet. The idea was powerful and enabled complex programs to be automatically downloaded when you visited a Web page and run securely on your personal computer in a sandbox. The sandbox prevented any applet running in it from doing the things on your computer you would not want it to do — like accessing your files, sending email, accessing other computers on the Internet, or installing new programs.

If you've read any technology news in the past week you know that several very nasty security vulnerabilities were discovered in Java version 7 that can be exploited by attackers, allowing them to create applets that can execute arbitrary code on your computer.

The exploit applies to Java 7 and not to earlier versions of Java and only when that is used to run a Java applet in your browser. The problem does not affect the use of Java 7 on servers, in Java desktop applications, or embedded Java.

Today Oracle released a security alert to address the vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities are remotely exploitable without authentication and have the highest CVSS severity score of 10. Oracle recommends that their fix be applied as soon as possible — some exploits are already available in hacking tools like Metasploit, which means that relatively unsophisticated people can use them.

Java developers and programmers should download the latest Java SE JDK and JRE 7 releases from Oracle and users running Java SE with a browser should download the latest JRE 7 from java.com. Windows users can also use automatic updates to get the latest JRE 7 release.

You can test the version of Java available to your browser <a href="http://www.java.com/en/download/installed.jsp">here</a&gt;.  Note that Google's popular Chrome browser does not support Java 7, so Chome users need not update Java unless they also use another browser, such as Firefox or Safai.

Oracle also changed the default security setting for Java to "High," which means that most users will need to approve Java applets before they run.

The Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy, is a 10-week summer internship program that provides opportunities to students who are pursuing degrees in science, technology (IT), engineering, or mathematics (STEM majors). The goal of the program is to improve opportunities for minority and female students in these fields, but all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply. Candidates who are selected will have the opportunity to work on focused research projects consistent with the mission of the Office of Fossil Energy.

During the 10 weeks, students will work at one of several locations. At the conclusion of the internship, students will attend a "Technical Forum" where they will present their research project and tour several technical sites located nearby (the location of the technical forum changes every year). 

THE SYMPOSIUM

http://gs.emory.edu/StemRCSymposium

This event is an exciting new opportunity for your undergraduate and graduate students to present their research, to further their professional development, and to learn about careers in the STEM disciplines. The event consists of:

·                A premier research conference for undergraduates interested in learning about PhD, MD/PhD or postbaccalaureate programs; graduate students contemplating postdoctoral training; and the advisors of these students.

·                Two days of shared research presentations, networking and mentoring. Eight students will present platform talks and the rest will present posters.

·                Professional Development workshops, campus tours, and individual meetings with potential Emory mentors.

·                Extensive interactions with Emory research faculty mentors, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. Thursday evening will feature a mixer with bowling, pool and stimulating discussion among participants and their hosts.

PARTICIPANTS

We invite participation by research advisors, undergraduates interested in postbaccalaureate, Ph.D, or M.D./Ph.D. studies, and graduate students pursuing postdoctoral training in the STEM disciplines. We are also particularly interested in identifying students from underrepresented groups who are not currently in an organized program such as MARC, REU, RISE, or PREP and who might therefore benefit the most from this conference. 

All student participants will be expected to present a platform talk or a poster on their research. If faculty wish to attend along with their student(s), please let us know and we will inform you when your students have been accepted.  

COSTS

There is no charge for this conference and all meals will be provided. Hotel accommodations are available at the Emory Conference Center (www.emoryconferencecenter.com/)at $129 plus tax per night, double occupancy.  Additional rooms MAY be available at the adjacent Emory Inn (https://bookings.ihotelier.com/Emory-Inn/bookings.jsp?hotelId=75977) for $79 plus tax per night. Because Travel Awards are limited we encourage students to seek funding from their sponsored research program or other sources.

TRAVEL AWARDS

The eight students selected to present a platform talk and their advisors will receive a travel award (if necessary). In addition, a limited number of travel awards are available for students from underrepresented groups (racial minorities, disabled students and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds). These awards will cover travel and accommodations.

APPLICATION

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1071065/Symposium

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. The application deadline is January 15^th January 22^nd for students wishing to apply for travel awards. A committee of Emory training faculty will review abstracts to select participants and travel awardees.  Awardees will be notified by January 31^st. All student participants will be expected to present a platform talk or a poster on their research.

FURTHER INFORMATION

stem.symposia@emory.edu

Making Sense

For his master's thesis, Computer Engineering student Kirit Chatterjee worked with scientists from UMBC's Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) on an innovative temperature sensor for premature babies.

In hospitals, doctors use a thermistor probe to monitor the temperature of a premature baby. But, the glue used to attach it is harmful for the baby, whose skin is as fragile as tissue paper.

“When the probe is removed, there is a high risk of “epidermal stripping” occurring-i.e. the skin of the baby can tear, leaving it open to infection,” explains Kirit Chatterjee, a Computer Engineering graduate student. For his master’s thesis, Kirit helped develop a new temperature sensing device that avoids this problem.

It wasn’t easy. During research, other obvious options had been shot down one by one: Bluetooth sensors had batteries that leaked toxic chemicals. Wireless sensing devices emitted energy that was harmful for the baby.

The solution, supported by an NIH grant, and later commissioned by General Electric (GE), was the result of the combined brain-power of a group of UMBC scientists led by Dr. Govind Rao, Director of UMBC’s Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST). Dr. Yordan Kostov (CAST), Dr. Hung Lam (CAST), and Dr. Ryan Robucci (CSEE)–Kirit’s advisor for the project–were the team’s key players.

Together they created a patch containing a unique fluorescent orange dye. “The intensity of the orange emission depends on the temperature,” explains Dr. Kostov, the senior scientist on the temperature project who also worked closely with Kirit. When the baby’s temperature rises, he explains, the orange patch becomes brighter.

Recording and translating the patch’s fluorescence into a temperature reading that a doctor could understand was Kirit's job. “My part,” explains Kirit, “was to take care of the Engineering side—namely, to build the sensing apparatus.”

Choosing the right camera to monitor the dye was another challenge. The project was bound to a strict budget since the new sensor system was slated for mass production by GE. Therefore, expensive scientific cameras were out of the question.

Instead, Kirit reverse engineered and manipulated a much more affordable camera to serve his purposes. He used a two megapixel camera–the same camera found inside an iPhone 3–to monitor the dye in the patch.

“The dye is just the target for the Computer Engineer,” he says. “To the engineer, it’s just photons being emitted which translate to analog voltage signals inside the camera which then translate to digital bits inside the FPGA and then are analyzed.”

Next, Kirit used an FPGA in order to tap into the camera and retrieve its data, and MATLAB to translate the data into a traditional temperature reading.

The result is a temperature sensing device that is affordable, accurate, and, most importantly, safe for the baby. Dr. Kostov explains that when the GE contract comes to an end this September, the patch system will undergo clinical trials and toxicology tests. If all goes well, the new system should be found in premature baby incubators across the world in as little as two years.

SUNFEST
Summer Undergraduate Fellowship in Sensor Technologies

A NSF Sponsored REU Program

Program Overview:
• Summer research experience with a stipend of $4,850
• Partial travel support will be provided
• Opportunity to work on an interesting interdisciplinary topic Work under the mentorship of a faculty member and a graduate student
• Participate in workshops on giving effective presentations, writing reports, applying to graduate school, and ethics in engineering and science
• On-campus housing is provided at no or minimal cost
• Period: May 25 to August 3, 2013

Application deadline: February 25, 2013
Areas of research:
• Micro and Nano Electromechanical Structures
• Nanotechnology and materials
• Robotics and Control oriented projects
• Sensors for Medical and Biomedical Applications
• Optical and Vision Sensors

The Diversity Summer Internship Program (DSIP) at the Bloomberg School of Public Health is a 10-week summer program that provides undergraduates with a graduate-level, independent research project in the biomedical or public health field.

Students work under the direct mentoring of accomplished Johns Hopkins researchers, gaining valuable experience in a collaborative, challenging and fun environment.

Be Humble. Be Hungry. Be Great.

Interns at Under Armour contribute to meaningful work and make an impact. If you are interested in a fast paced entrepreneurial environment where you can contribute to a growth company then read on!

Internships are available year round, with the flagship Summer League taking place from May-August. All interns must have at least one semester remaining at a college or university to be eligible. Will You Protect This House?

SUMMER LEAGUE:

• 11-week, paid internship consisting of roughly 40 hours/week
• Strong support structure with social and professional networking opportunities
• Access to an impressive teammate discount
• UA Give Back volunteer opportunities
• Training, development and mentoring programs
• Onsite training through Under Armour University classes
• Networking events with former interns and teammates

Applications for the 2013 Summer League internship will be available from Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013, to Friday, February 1, 2013. Please click the link below to find the positions that pertain to you