The project was a collaboration between Cedar Valley College and the City of Dallas’ Cease the Grease program.

First, the students converted the engines of RC nitro cars to diesel engines. They made biodiesel to fuel the cars by mixing hobby diesel fuel and used cooking oil collected through the Cease the Grease program. Then, they built a racetrack for the cars that included a barrel jump and a water hazard.

Cedar Valley is applying for a grant to turn the GREASE Cup into a youth summer program. In addition, the college has plans for students to replicate the project on a larger scale by converting a 1993 Mercedes Benz to run on biodiesel.

Motorweek recently featured Cedar Valley’s biodiesel program in a short video.

Dallas’ Cease The Grease program recycles used cooking oil into biodiesel to fuel the city’s schoolbuses. Cease the Grease recycling stations and drop-off locations can be found all over Dallas County.

Learn more about Cedar Valley College.
Learn more about Cease the Grease.

•  Are you interested in a career in science, technology, engineering, and math?
• Would you like to be paid while having fun?
• Do you need job experience?

The El Centro College STEMS²C (STEM Student Success Center) will be offering paid internships in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields during Summer 2012.

Qualifications include:

• 3.0 or higher GPA
• Resume
• One page letter of interest
• Letter of recommendation from a faculty member
• Completion of STEM courses

Information sessions will be held in the STEMS₂C (located on the Mezzanine level of C Building @ the Downtown El Centro campus):

• April 24, 2012 @ 10:00 am
• April 25, 2012 @ 5:30 pm

Contact the STEMS²C for more information.

• email: stems2celcentro@dcccd.edu
• phone: 214-860-2062

Located on the Mezzanine level of C Building, the STEMS²C helps students pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) degrees to succeed.

Resources available to students at the STEMS²C include:

• Resume and Interviewing Workshops
• Career and Internship Opportunities
• College Transfer Assistance
• Academic Planning
• Scholarship and Financial Aid Information
• Study Labs
• Computers
• Application Essay Workshop

To find out more, visit the STEMS²C today!

What: STEMS²C
Where: Mezzaine Level
C Building
El Centro College
Phone: 214-860-2062
Email: stems2celcentro@dcccd.edu

You are in luck.

Collin College has extended the submission deadline for its Third Annual Collin College Undergraduate Interdiciplinary Student Research Conference to March 20, 2012. The conference will take place April 26-27, 2012 at Collin College in Plano, Texas.

This is your chance to present the results of your undergraduate student research in the form of a presentation, roundtable, poster, or performance. The conference is open to students from many diciplines, including STEM fields and the humanities.

You will also have the opportunity to meet and connect with students from the University of North Texas, Southern Methodist University, University of Arizona, Texas Women’s University, University of Ontario, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at Arlington, Angelo State University, and Texas A&M University.

• Conference Date: April 26-27, 2012
• Submission Deadline: March 20, 2012
• Location: Collin College
  Spring Creek Campus
  2800 East Spring Creek Parkway
  Plano, TX 75074

Find out more information here.

Are you interested in NASA and space exploration?

Would you like to learn more about exciting career opportunities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields?

Then you may be interested in the 2012 NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (CAS) program.

As part of this free program, 46 students from the DCCCD will have the opportunity to travel to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for three days. The students will participate in a team project with NASA engineers, tour the Johnson Space Center, and attend astronaut briefings.

Transportation, lodging, and meals will be free!

To participate, you must be a full or part-time DCCCD credit student over 18 years of age. Before qualifying for the trip to NASA, you will also need to complete web-based interactive activities.

But, first you need to apply! The deadline is February 10, 2012 at 5 pm.

Learn more about the NASA-CAS program here.

Fatima Juarez and Jesika Gattis demonstrate a miniature meteorite activity.

El Centro College biology students volunteered at Science Day at the Dallas Zoo on October 1, 2011. The students demonstrated science experiments for elementary school students as part of a teacher’s workshop.

The workshop was free for teachers and provided information and instructional materials to help them teach science lessons. The demonstrations included fun hands-on activities, such as finding miniature meteorites.

Mary Barrios

Nancy Trevino

Fatima Juarez and Jesika Gattis

Aurea Gates

Mel White is a graduate student and a volunteer naturalist at the Trinity River Audubon Center (TRAC) in South Dallas. He has been studying the effect of this summer’s drought on the wildlife and ecosystems at TRAC.

His “Defining Dallas” series of blog posts discusses the drought’s effects on old growth forests, ponds, and more.

Read more:

• Defining Dallas: Symptoms of Pond Mortality
• Defining Dallas: Drought and the Heat Island Effect
• Defining Dallas: Drought and the Forest
• Defining Dallas: Struggles of a Pond

The Solar Car Challenge is an annual competition founded by Richland College instructor Dr. Lehman Marks. The annual competition alternates between races at the Texas Motor Speedway and cross-country races.

Teams of high school students, with the help of their teachers, design, construct, and race the solar cars. The goal is to raise awareness of alternative energy and to get high school students interested in science and engineering.

Read more: Solar Car Challenge

Green buildings are designed to use fewer environmental resources, protect the health of occupants, and redcue waste and pollution. Buildings with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building ratings are designed to meet high standards in energy efficiency, sustainablity, and enviromentally-friendly design.

Dallas is one of the first major US cities to pass comprehensive green building ordinances for new homes and commercial buildings. In addition, the City of Dallas’s Green Building Program has resulted in the construction of new green buildings, including five buildings with LEED Gold certifications and eight with LEED Silver certifications. Over 20 new green buildings are still under construction.

Read more about Waste & Recycling News