Cañada Professor Earns Best Paper Award at Engineering Conference

The presentation outlined a successful summer research internship at the school

In 2011, Professor Enriquez (fourth from left) was honored by President Obama for his mentoring activities.

Cañada College Professor Amelito Enriquez was honored last month at the American Society for Engineering Education Conference for his presentation detailing a partnership between the college, San Francisco State University, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center that provides internship opportunities for Cañada students

The paper, titled “Promoting Academic Excellence Among Underrepresented Community College Engineering Students through a Summer Research Internship Program,” received the Best Paper Award from the ASEE Two-Year College Division. The annual conference was held June 23-26 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The partnership between the two schools and NASA was developed through a three-year grant funded by the NASA Curriculum Improvements Partnership Award for the Integration of Research (CIPAIR) program. The 10-week summer internship provides opportunities for freshmen and sophomore students at Cañada to participate in engineering research under the supervision of SFSU faculty and a graduate student mentor. 

Research topics include performance-based earthquake engineering, circuit design for biomedical applications, embedded system design, and transistor reliability issues in nano-scale circuits. 

Enriquez said the program was developed to help improve student retention. “A recent report prepared by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, indicates that the United States needs to produce one million additional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) professionals in the next decade to retain its historical preeminence in science and technology,” Enriquez said. “The report indicated that retaining students in the first two years of college is the most promising and cost-effective strategy to address this need.”

John Paulino, a former Aragon High School graduate, spent two summers in the internship program while studying at Cañada. He is now studying mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley and has been named a NASA Student Ambassador mentoring other engineering students.

“Being a NASA Student Ambassador connects me with a network of great professionals," he said. In addition, Paulino credits the ambassador program with connecting him to peers, preparing him to enter the STEM workforce, and allowing him to represent NASA toinsprie and engage future scientists and engineers. Paulino said it was all made possible through the 10-week internship program at Cañada.

Jesus Garcia spent his summer internship at SFSU learning how to conduct research and work with groups of researchers. "These are two very important skills for engineers," he said. "The internship also helped me become a better analyst, critical thinker, and problem solver. It's a perfect opportunity for students who have no previous experience to gain real-world knowledge in the field of engineering."

Garcia studied under SFSU Professor Cheng Chen, investigating a phenomenon called Soft Oxide Breakdown in the performance of integrated circuits. He later presented his findings at a regional ASEE conference. 

“In the first two years, the program has generated high quality research from participating students,” Enriquez said. He said post-program surveys indicate participating students strengthen their identity as engineers, increase their interest in research, and become more motivated to transfer to a four-year university, complete their bachelor's degree in engineering, a pursue a graduate degree.

Simple Advice For Your First Day at Cañada

So, you are preparing for your first day of the new semester and you want it to go as smooth as possible. We're here to help. If you take a few simple steps, and do a little planning, you'll have no problems. Let's get started.

· Arrive Early - If you pull onto campus 10 minutes before class starts you're off to a bad start. Parking on a college campus is never easy. Give yourself at least 20 minutes. Remember, you're not going to have Rock Star parking next to your class. Be sure to review the parking map and have a contingency plan if the lot you want to park in is full. Student Lots are Lot 1, 7, 8, 10 and 6. Do not park in staff lots without the appropriate permit or you are sure to get a ticket. You'll need to buy a parking permit but campus security will not issue tickets in student lots until Monday, Jan. 28.

· Know Where You Are Going - Because you have a plan, you'll have a great parking spot. But how do you get to your classes? Luckily, the Cañada campus is not that big. Review the campus map and your schedule of classes. Buildings at Cañada are numbered and each room in the building has its own number. On your schedule the class location will look like this - 3-113. The first number (3) is the building number and the second number (113) is the classroom within the building. If you can't find a class, ask one of the Campus Ambassadors. You can find them in the Information Booths on the quad or at the entrance to the Library off Parking Lot 1. You can also find help at the Welcome Center on the first floor of Building 9.

· Get to Know Building 9 - All essential student services are located in this three-story building. On the first floor you'll find Admissions/Records, Counseling, Financial Aid, Student Activities, Public Safety/Parking, EOPS/CARE/CalWorks, and more. The Learning Center is on the second floor. Here you can use the computers, work with academic tutors, and study in groups. The Library is located on the top floor. Make a point to visit this building on your first day of class.

· The Bookstore - It's college, so you're going to need books. Because you are a college student, you'll also need a soda, bag of chips and candy bar. You can get them all at the bookstore. It's located across from the Main Theater and Gymnasium. The first couple of weeks, the lines are long because everyone is buying books. If you can go in the mid-afternoon, the lines are shorter.

· The Pony Espresso - Ok, it's not essential to know where the coffee shop is located, but you never know when you'll need a cup. The coffee kiosk is located in the Upper Quad near the entrance of Building 13. It's a favorite hangout for students and if you stand around long enough you'll probably find somebody you know.

· The Grove – This is the new Student Center at Cañada. It’s a great place to meet friends, study, and grab a bite to eat. The new Career Center is located in the Grove and the friendly staff can help you write a resume, prepare for a job interview, and search for jobs. There is also a spot in the Grove to just chill and play video games.

· Smoke-Free Campus - If you want to smoke you'll have to do it in designated parking lots because Cañada is a smoke-free campus. Feel free to light up in Lots 1, 7, 6, 8, 10 & 5. But, as a courtesy to staff, faculty, and students who don't smoke, please refrain from smoking on the rest of campus.

· Go to Class - This seems like a no-brainer, right? Well, every semester, there are students that don't show up for class. Because classes are crowded, if you don't show up, you could be dropped from the class. If you are on a wait list to get into a full class, it's even more important to show up on the first day to talk to the professor and see if you can add the class.

Hopefully this guide can help you survive your first day of the new semester. Remember, if you have any questions ask somebody. You'll be surprised at how helpful the staff, faculty and your fellow students can be.