Student Window

The known Universe

sw — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:22:09 +0000

This is an amazing video where I really got hooked up. This is a must see video on how advance we got (without the majority really knowing it) to see the universe we are in. Good times!

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Prank contest winners – 2009 Season (Volume 3)

sw — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:04:28 +0000

Start your day with a smile in your face. There’s always good time for a laugh! Go check out the winners of the Prank Contest – Volume 3 2009.

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Never Give Up! How the animal teach the people

sw — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:12:40 +0000

There are times that animals show more will power than human beings. There may be at times that we may be hopeless, but this video will show that even at times when we feel that we are hopeless, there are ways on how we can counter our problems.

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A prank for a house mate

sw — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:36:18 +0000

Give this sometime a shot for a friend!

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CNN Hero of the Year 2009 – EFREN PENAFLORIDA

sw — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:54:13 +0000

Efren’s Penaflorida’s story began with this video:

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Out of the hundreds, the world has finally chosen Efren to be the CNN’s hero for 2009. All the other participants did as well, but Efren has touched the people’s heart closest. Efren seems to have a little hard time speaking in English, but he has clearly given out his idea of a hero on the day he was awarded.

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University of Waterloo’s Artificial Intelligence Contest

nabooliddicle — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:43:49 +0000

Jeff Cameron is the Google Student Ambassador at the University of Waterloo, where he studies Computer Science and Math. As part of his role as ambassador, he recently hosted a great event focused on Artificial Intelligence, and we wanted to share his story with you here. In the 2009 Artificial Intelligence Contest at the University of Waterloo, participants used both simple and sophisticated AI techniques to create programs that would intelligently play a simple game. The submitted programs competed in head-to-head tournaments to see how they all ranked compared to one another. Contestants could re-submit their code on the contest website as often as they liked, and the online leaderboard was updated once every hour with fresh tournament results. A screenshot of the hourly leaderboard after the contest had been open for a few days. The contest was initially supposed to stay open for two weeks, but was extended by another week due to unexpectedly high participation. Almost 300 participants were involved, with about 150 people submitting their entries to the final tournament. The contest webpage received over 50,000 hits from 38 countries. The final tournament took place at the Contest Finale Code Party, held at the University of Waterloo. Pictures from the Contest Finale Codeparty. The very talented Mr. Jesse Onland serenades some happy coders with his mad banjo skills. Some contestants huddle while adding the finishing touches to their entries. The contest organizer (me), with this year’s grand champion, Alex Stan. Our congratulations goes out to the winner of this year’s Google Artificial Intelligence Contest, Alexandru Stan! A big thank you also goes out to the University of Waterloo Computer Science Club for organizing and hosting the contest. Full contest results are available here . Posted by Jeff Cameron, Google Campus Ambassador at University of Waterlo

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University of Waterloo’s Artificial Intelligence Contest

Join us for the 2010 Google GRAD CS Forum!

messalinaxe — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:06:36 +0000

As part of Google’s ongoing commitment to encouraging students of underrepresented backgrounds in technology to pursue graduate study, we are pleased to host the first annual 2010 Google Graduate Researchers in Academia of Diverse backgrounds (GRAD) CS Forum. This forum will bring together students who are historically underrepresented in the field to connect with one another and with Google. Up to 75 computer scientists will be invited to an all-expenses paid forum that will run Thursday evening through Saturday afternoon on January 21–23 at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA. The Google GRAD CS Forum will include technical talks from established researchers – both from Google and universities – and a unique occasion to build and strengthen networks with other emerging researchers. Students will also enjoy tours of the Googleplex, have the opportunity to meet with Google engineers in their focus areas, and have fun exploring the San Francisco Bay Area. Eligibility Requirements Applicants must: be a computer science (or related technical discipline) graduate student currently enrolled in a Masters or PhD program at a university in North America demonstrate academic excellence and leadership in the computing field maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or 4.3 on a 5.0 scale or equivalent in their current program The forum is open to all qualified graduate students, and is committed to addressing diversity in our company and in the technology industry. Students who are a member of a group that is historically under-represented in the technology industry are encouraged to apply, including female, Native American, African American and Hispanic students as well as students with disabilities. Selection Process Google engineers will select up to 75 attendees based on each applicant’s academic and technical achievements. Evidence of academic achievement and leadership experience should be evident from the resume. How to Apply Complete the online application and submit all required documents online. First-time users will be required to register and create an account. Please note that recommendation letters are not required. Application Deadline: December 12, 2009 Apply now at www.google.com/jobs/students/gradforum . Posted by Hanah Kim, University Programs

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Join us for the 2010 Google GRAD CS Forum!

Street View trike competition university finalists

PazolloKartz — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:06:35 +0000

Last month we asked you to nominate your campus to be photographed for Street View on Google Maps. We were inundated with more than 25,000 suggestions across all categories, and university campuses made up 44% of all suggestions! We’ve narrowed the top suggested locations to a few finalists and there is now just one week left in the voting period. Cast your vote for your favorite place within each category to tell us which locations you’d most like to see on Google Maps. The university finalists are: Arizona State University Michigan State University Princeton University Rochester Institute of Technology Stanford University Visit www.google.com/trike to vote and see the other finalists! You can vote as many times as you like until the deadline at 11:59pm PST on Monday, November 30th. We’ll then work on getting all the winners into Google Maps, and of course we’ll work closely with the relevant organizations to collect images of any privately-owned locations. If voting for Street View trike finalists gets you excited about how much you love Google Maps, be sure to check out our new Google Maps tips for life to help you save time, look smart, and manage your travels efficiently. Posted by Laura Melahn, Google Maps Team

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Street View trike competition university finalists

Googlers Beta – 2009 Edition – Lu Chen

messalinaxe — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:12:59 +0000

We had a chance to speak with intern Lu Chen this summer for the Googler Beta Series, and she shared with us 5 reasons why interning for Google is awesome. Continue below to get Lu’s unique perspective on working here at Google. Interested in being a summer intern at Google? Visit www.google.com/students to apply today. Name: Lu Chen School: UPenn Internship Focus: Google Blogger Team Hobbies: Eating/Hanging around the kitchen; Graphics & Animation Top 5 Reasons to Intern for Google 1) The People. Without a doubt, the Googlers are truly what makes working here awesome: every person I met was intelligent, dedicated, and just plain cool. Discuss this piece of code? Sure. Switch gears and talk about the latest episode of Top Chef? No sweat. There are smart and cool people at any job, but here at Google, finding them is a sure bet! 2) It’s real. Over the course of my internship, I have gotten an accurate taste of what a career in software engineering is actually like. Interns are treated as, and essentially are – full time engineers. I worked within the same codebase and wrote to the same standards as my colleagues. Additionally, my project wasn’t some busywork that no one would ever see or use after I left — rather, I had the pleasure of working on some front-end features that will end up being seen and used by thousands of Blogger users! From the practical experience of working on such a large and fast-paced application, I’ve learned a lot about web development, product life cycles, and programming in general. 3) Being ‘Googley’. Everyone at Google works insanely hard, but there is also a sense of fun that is endorsed by the company culture. During one offsite, I went on a white water rafting trip! Through the intern program, I also had the opportunity to have some fun with my fellow interns: paintball, indoor skydiving, hiking, etc. Alongside all of the fun, there is an unspoken expectation that every Googler knows his workload and gets it accomplished bt the end of the day. I wasn’t told what hours to work or where on campus I should work (work next to frozen yogurt machine, anyone?). Not many companies give their employees such trust and freedom, and the culture is one area where Google really outshines its competitors. 4) One big company, lots of diverse opportunities. Although I was a part of the Blogger team, I got to experience and learn much more than Blogger engineering. For example, I took a mini-course on UX (User Experience) sketching and learned how to draft quick prototypes on paper. I even took a seminar on making mochas and espressos! Between tech talks, seminars, and 20% time, Google offers so many opportunities to continue learning. Even in the scope of my own project, it wasn’t just daily coding; I had the opportunity to contribute towards the user experience, design, engineering and testing of my feature. 5) Where else will you find a T-Rex being attacked by pink flamingos?

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Googlers Beta – 2009 Edition – Lu Chen

Google RISE Awards – Only a few days left to submit an application!

maarmalese — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:40:35 +0000

We are pleased to announce the 2nd year of the Google RISE Awards! Google RISE (Roots in Science and Engineering) Awards are designed to promote and support science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and computer science (CS) education initiatives. We provide awards to organizations working with university and pre-university students to provide enrichment programs in these fields. Support may include a combination of monetary awards ranging from $500 – $10,000, volunteer resources and in-kind donations. Google believes that technology will continue to play an important role in shaping our future and knows that the youth of today will help innovate and drive these technologies for years to come. Through the Google RISE Awards Program, we aspire to help students take one step closer to achieving their potential by offering growth and development opportunities. Please visit the RISE Awards website for additional details regarding eligibility, the application process and past award recipients. The deadline to submit your application is Sunday, November 22, 2009 . Posted by Holly Benson & Sun-Hee Yeo, Talent and Outreach Programs

Introducing Google Sites templates

MiftOmifink — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:14:46 +0000

We’re excited to announce the launch of Google Sites site templates. Site templates are pre-packaged sites that anyone can use to make creating your own website even easier. This is especially valuable for students so that when you’re making your site you can now skip a few steps, and instead of making a site from scratch, start with a template. You can use site templates to organize, publish and share information about your school, class, projects, fraternity or sorority, school club, intramural teams, or any other organization or event. Additionally if you create a site that you think others might like or use, you can create a template and add it to the gallery! To browse site templates click the Create new site button. You can choose one of the popular templates highlighted on the site creation page, or you can click Browse the gallery for more to see more options. Visit www.sites.google.com to start using site templates today! Posted by Ashley Chandler, Google Sites Team

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Introducing Google Sites templates

Google Hispanic College Fund Scholarship

fuffdabyautof — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:32:44 +0000

Google is pleased to partner with the Hispanic College Fund to offer scholarships for computer science students! Google HCF scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of candidates’ academic background, leadership and passion for computer science. Recipients will each receive a $10,000 scholarship for the 2010-2011 academic year. Selected students will also be invited to attend the all-expenses-paid Annual Google Scholars’ Retreat at the Googleplex in Mountain View, California in the Spring of 2010. Eligibility Requirements: Must be of Hispanic background Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident residing in the United States or Puerto Rico Studying at an accredited university in the U.S. or Puerto Rico for the upcoming academic year Enrolled (or plan to be) full-time for the upcoming academic year Have a minimum GPA of a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale Demonstrate financial need junior or senior undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a degree in computer science or computer engineering for the 2010-2011 academic year Application Deadline: February 16, 2010 For complete details, please visit www.google.com/jobs/scholarships Posted by Meghan O’Farrell, Talent & Outreach Programs Specialist

Introducing the Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Grisolo — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:12:48 +0000

[Cross-posted on the Official Google Blog ] Today we’re excited to announce the most recent addition to our scholarship programs in Europe, the Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities. This scholarship is designed for students with disabilities who are pursuing degrees in the field of computer science anywhere in the European Union, plus Switzerland and Israel. Multiple scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of candidates’ academic performance and demonstrated passion for computer science. Scholarships will be granted for the 2010/2011 academic year, and recipients will be invited to attend an all-expenses-paid retreat at Google’s Engineering Center in Zurich in 2010. Here’s what Nelson Mattos, our VP for Product and Engineering in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, has to say about this scholarship: “We’re committed to diversifying the long-term engineering talent pool for the industry as a whole. We hope that this scholarship will increase opportunities for students with disabilities and encourage them to pursue careers in computer science. The retreat fosters relationships so that scholars can form a supportive network lasting the full length of their academic studies and beyond.” We know that a diverse group of people use our tools and services and only an equally diverse workforce can anticipate our users’ needs. We’ve found that the diversity of perspectives, ideas and cultures leads to the creation of better products to the benefit of all users of the Internet. We hope that this scholarship works towards that end. The deadline to apply is March 15th 2010. For more details, visit www.google.com/studentswithdisabilities-europe . Posted by Beate List, EMEA University Programmes and Eleanor Mulligan, EMEA Diversity and Inclusion

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Introducing the Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Flying (and landing) in a WiFi Wonderland

Jeaccilia — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:57:11 +0000

Yesterday we announced an expansion of our Virgin America WiFi sponsorship to also include 47 airports. Both programs will offer free WiFi through January 15, 2010 and will cover more than 10 million passengers traveling this holiday season. There’s no Google account or credit card required to log on, but we’ll be offering the option to try out a Google product and also offer the chance to donate to one of three charities; we’ll be matching donations up to $250,000. We hope that this makes travel to be with friends and family that much better this holiday season. You can learn more about the program at http://www.freeholidaywifi.com Posted by Jeff Aguero, Product Marketing Manager

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Flying (and landing) in a WiFi Wonderland

2010 Google Online Marketing Challenge

agiteretaipse — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:24:09 +0000

“Students have first hand experience with real clients and real budgets to get real results. Is there a better way to gain experience with the real world?” “The Challenge energized me and my students. The ability to work with a real-life client and spend “real money” on Google AdWords was unique and exciting.” Registration for the 2010 Google Online Marketing Challenge is now open! The Google Online Marketing Challenge is a global student competition open to a ny higher education institution anywhere in the world. The 2009 Challenge had over 10,000 students in 57 countries competing and we want this year’s Challenge to grow even more …. please help us to get the word out! How it works …. Teams of 3-6 students receive US$200 of online advertising with AdWords and then find local businesses to work with to devise an online marketing campaign. Teams outline a strategy, run their campaign, assess the results and provide the business with recommendations to further develop their online marketing. The winners are judged by an international panel of independent academics. The challenge is a great way to get you and your classmates involved in the quickly evolving world of online marketing. It’s a skill you’ll want to have as you graduate and prepare to enter a tough job market and it’s definitely a fun way to gain real-world experience with a real client. Registration …. Your professor, lecturer or whoever teaches you, enters their student team into the Challenge. If you think your p rofessors, lecturers or tutors might be interested in signing their classes up for the Challenge, let them know about this opportunity! Your professor can obtain more information in the Academic Guide ( http://www.google.com/ onlinechallenge/students_ guides.html ) which is filled with information your professor will want to know to decide if the Challenge is right for their class. The Challenge is open to any university, any discipline, at the graduate or undergraduate level in any country. Timeline …. Registration closes: January 22, 2010 Challenge starts: January 28, 2010 Challenge ends: June 4, 2010 Winners announced: July 2010 Register now a t www.google.com/onlinechallenge . Posted by Meghan O’Farrell, Talent & Outreach Programs Specialist

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2010 Google Online Marketing Challenge