Monthly Archives: August 2019

As a Vaughn aviation or engineering student, you already know you’re gearing up for an awesome career. But do you have questions about how to position yourself for the right job or how to meet the right people? If you answered “yes,” then you’re not alone. In fact, these are the exact questions you need to ask yourself and the perfect reason to consider attending one of the following conferences we’re highlighting this month. Don’t forget to ask about the financial support that may be available from your college to support your attendance.

Benefits of attending conferences include priceless job exposure, expansive networking opportunities, unparalleled learning experience in the field, chances to present your student research paper or project, and the opportunity to discover more about the companies you’ll apply to after graduation, in the industries you are interested in.

Automated Software Engineering (ASE)

This conference is billed as the “premier research forum for automated software engineering,” which brings together researchers and practitioners from academia and industry to discuss foundations, techniques and tools for automating the analysis, design, implementation, testing and maintenance of large software systems.

ASE is held annually in November. This year, ASE 2019 will be held in San Diego, California from November 11 through November 15, 2019. This  conference has added several new workshops to keep an eye on, and which offer great opportunities to present: 1) The ACM Student Research Competition; 2) Industry Showcase; 3) Late Breaking Results.

American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE)

This conference draws thousands of attendees each year who are looking to find innovative solutions that can help airports work smarter. This past June, AAAE was held in Boston, MA. The conference proved successful for Vaughn graduate students as they entered the poster competition for the first time and took third place with their first-of-its-kind partnership research project. Keep this one on your radar for next year.

American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)

This is the only conference dedicated to all disciplines of engineering education. The 126th annual American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) conference, which was held in Tampa this past June, was an exciting time for Vaughn engineering students and faculty. Both students and faculty were commended for their participation at this historic conference, and presented research on braille block language design concept, working mechanism of design, manufacturing process using 3D printing, and electrical construction and Arduino software design of the braille block. You may want to consider putting this conference on your list for next year, too!

Association for Equality and Excellence in Education (AEEE)

This conference is geared toward professional development. In an intimate setting, attendees have direct access to presenters, and they can also share best practices with peers. This conference offers priceless opportunities for networking, product and software innovations, and the chance to participate in open discussions. AEEE is typically held in the spring and is a great one to put on your bucket list for next year.

Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions (LACCEI)

This non-profit organization of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) institutions is geared toward raising the awareness level and importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), as well as education, research, and development and engineering.

This year’s annual LACCEI 2019 Conference, located in Montego Bay, Jamaica, topped the charts in July, where Vaughn engineering and technology students were awarded for their efforts on a grand scale. Six Vaughn engineering and technology student research papers were accepted for presentation at the LACCEI 2019 International Conference and were among the 10 finalists. Vaughn ended up taking home first, second and third places in the student paper competition.

Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM)

This annual conference encompasses all areas of research and applications relating to a broad focus on experimental mechanics. Topics covered include digital image and digital volume correlations techniques, in addition to several of the latest technologies. This is a great opportunity for students to expand their knowledge in the field of experimental mechanics.

Vaughn engineering students attended the SEM conference in Indianapolis, Indiana in 2017, where they presented their paper, “The Effect of the 3D Printing Process on the Mechanical Properties of Materials.” Read about these students and others at Vaughn who presented at various conferences.

Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)

Known as one of the largest air shows of its kind, the EAA AirVenture features aviation enthusiasts in the fields of homemade flying craft, as well as designers of more serious craft, and an expansive list of government agencies and companies involved in the aviation and aeronautics industries. This is the go-to event for aviation enthusiasts and qualifying aviation students. Read about two Vaughn students who had the privilege of attending past EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and their priceless experiences.

Vaughn’s take

Vaughn is committed to providing its students a futureproof education. Part of that commitment is guiding these students to various paths of success. Supporting student attendance and participation in conferences like the ones spotlighted above is just another way students can up their game for a successful future.

Dr. Hossein Rahemi, chair of the engineering and technology department at Vaughn stated, “These conferences improve students’ presentation and networking skills and provide them with exposure to companies who attend, to ultimately help them secure a position post-graduation.”

Check out all that’s possible with Vaughn’s aviation and engineering and technology degree programs.

You may have heard that air travel is considered one of the safest forms of transportation—and for good reason. In addition to a checklist of precautionary measures taken to ensure passenger safety, air travel is also the most maintained public transportation system for mass travel. Airplane safety precautions go way beyond the fastening of seat belts and listening to the pre-flight safety drill. As important as these measures are, did you know of the interesting and little-known safety features on airplanes that even the most seasoned air traveler may not be aware of?

This month, we caught up with Fred Parham, associate director of the Aviation Technology Institute (ATI) at Vaughn College, for his take on the subject. So, sit back and relax as we reveal some cool and interesting airplane safety features that just might surprise you. (Oh, tray tables and seats in an upright position do not apply here.)

Interesting Plane Safety Features

Emergency Backup Systems

We don’t want to think about this, but even the best systems need a backup system―or two. Today’s aircraft are equipped with backup systems in the event of a catastrophic failure.

  • Ram Air Turbine (RAT)—Commonly known as RAT in the aviation industry, this small turbine is used as an alternate emergency hydraulic or electrical power source in the event of a catastrophic failure. A propeller-like turbine, which is stowed in a compartment in the fuselage or wing, drops down beneath the plane and generates power from the airstream while being connected to an electrical generator or hydraulic pump. The RAT provides power to vital systems that include flight controls and instrumentation, as well as navigation and communication equipment which aids the pilot to land the plane safely in an emergency.
  • Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)—Did you ever wonder how the air conditioning and electricity operate on the airplane when the engines aren’t running? If so, you can be thankful for the APU should you ever find yourself sitting in an airplane while it’s being serviced or prepared for flight. This small turbine is in the rear of the aircraft and supplies electric power, compressed air and hydraulic pressure to the aircraft systems.

Interesting airplane safety features

Here are some other interesting airplane safety features passengers may be curious about:

  • Floor Proximity Emergence Escape Path Marking System (FPEEPMS)—Do you recall the flight attendant explaining how arrows will illuminate the floor of the cabin in an emergency, serving as a guide to the exit doors? In case you missed it, this system is in place in the event of a fire in the cabin. Thick smoke can make it impossible to find the way to safety. Since smoke rises, passengers can crawl to avoid smoke as they follow the arrows to the exit doors.
  • Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)—These life-saving systems within aircrafts detect, warn and issue instructions to pilots of two aircrafts in the event of an impending collision.
  • Terminal Control Area (TCA) or Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA)—In order to reduce the risk of midair collisions, there is a designated area of controlled airspace around major airports where there is a high volume of air traffic. These areas are called terminal control areas (TCA) or terminal maneuvering areas (TMA). Air traffic control ensures aircrafts flying within these areas are safe.
  • Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning (EGPWS)—This electronic system alerts pilots if their aircraft is in immediate danger of flying into an obstacle, approaching terrain or the ground.

Air travel can be an exciting experience. Whether it’s flying off to unexplored destinations, visiting with friends and family or for business, the exhilaration of flying is truly a wonder. We hope these little-known airplane safety features make you feel even more comfortable whenever you fly the friendly skies.

Check out all that’s possible through Vaughn’s Aviation Training Institute and by earning aviation degrees and certificates.