Student Blog
Google news and updates especially for students
Tune in to learn more about Freshman Engineering Practicum
January 30, 2012
A couple of weeks ago we
announced
that applications were open for our
Freshman Engineering Practicum
internship program. With the deadline for applications rapidly approaching (February 5th to be exact), we thought it would be helpful to host a Hangout On Air to talk a bit about the internship and application process. Jeff Moore will host the Hangout On Air from his Google+ profile Tuesday, January 31st at 9:00 am PST. I will be joining Jeff as well as
Tasha Nesiba
, a student who participated in Freshman Engineering Practicum last summer.
If you have questions you’d like answered, submit them via Google+ or Twitter using the hashtag #FEPquestion.
We hope to see you there!
Posted by Jessica Lulovics, University Programs Specialist
2012 global award winners RISE to the top
January 30, 2012
Cross-posted from the
Official Google Blog
Our business at Google is rooted in STEM and CS, so we’re passionate about supporting organizations that are expanding
access to these fields, especially for students who might not have the opportunity otherwise. The annual
Google Roots in Science and Engineering (RISE)
program supports organizations running innovative STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and CS (computer science) enrichment programs for K-12 and university students around the world.
This year, the
Google in Education
group received a record number of inspiring applications for RISE. We expanded the awards to include Sub-Saharan Africa, and in total, we’re awarding more than $340,000 in funding to 13 U.S., eight European and five African organizations.
Our recipients are diverse, ranging from girls robotics teams building high-tech machinery in Nairobi to after-school programs that have students configuring cluster computers in Salt Lake City. Below are just a few of the outstanding organizations receiving RISE awards this year for their efforts in advancing CS and STEM education:
United States
Santa Clara Valley Society of Women Engineers
, San Jose, California.
GetSET is a program created for underrepresented ethnic minority girls in the San Francisco Bay Area to expose them to engineering while building self confidence through leadership workshops, tours of technology companies and participation in team-building exercises.
Saturday Academy
, Portland, Oregon.
Saturday Academy serves 2nd-12th grade students from Oregon and SW Washington with high quality and creative learning opportunities taught by STEM experts, including hands-on, real world activities that create meaningful connections between academic content and practical application.
Europe
Frauennetzwerk Informatik at Universität Passau
, Passau, Germany.
University students from Passau act as ambassadors for computer science, engineering and math by reaching out to juniors and seniors at their former high schools and running workshops on topics like robotics and mobile app development. Ambassadors go on to serve as mentors to the students throughout their high school and college careers.
The Centre for Academic Achievement
, Dublin, Ireland.
This center runs free after school educational classes in a university setting for bright primary school students from disadvantaged areas. Each term, students from 32 local primary schools have the opportunity to study science, math and engineering subjects and are encouraged to pursue college degrees in the future.
Sub Saharan Africa
Savana Signatures
, Tamale, Ghana.
Savana Signatures educates youth and women, building their capacity to access information for the benefit of Ghana’s social and economic development.
Fundi Bots
, Kampala, Uganda.
Fundi Bots is a technology outreach program for students in high school and university that uses robotics to introduce young children to the endless possibilities of technology in both their day-to-day lives and potential careers.
Organizations interested in applying for 2013 funding can sign up for more information
here
. We look forward to hearing about all the great work being done in CS and STEM education.
Posted by Roxana Shirkhoda, K-12 Education Outreach
Got questions about Google Scholarships? Get them answered via Hangouts On Air
January 20, 2012
Hopefully you had a chance to tune in to Jeff Moore’s recent
Hangouts On Air
where he talked about a few of the posts from his
Recruiter Tips & Tricks series
. Next Thursday, January 26th at
8:30 am PST
, Jeff is going to host another Hangout On Air. This time it will be a chance for you to ask questions about the guidelines, application process, and eligibility criteria for Google Scholarship opportunities in North America and EMEA. Jeff will be joined by members of the North America and EMEA University Programs teams who will help in answering your questions.
Here’s a breakdown of the current scholarships we’re offering and their application deadlines:
EMEA
Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
- Deadline: February 1st
Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: Europe, Middle East and Africa
- Deadline: February 1st
North America
Google Lime Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
- Deadline: February 5, 2012
Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship -
US Application
;
Canada Application
- Deadline: February 6, 2012
Generation Google Scholarship
- Deadline: February 20, 2012
Google AISES Scholarship
- Deadline: February 29, 2012
Google Hispanic College Fund Scholarship
- Deadline: March 1, 2012
Google UNCF Scholarship -
US Application
;
Canada Application
- Deadline: March 18, 2012
Starting today, we encourage you to begin submitting your questions via Twitter or Google+ using the hashtag #scholarshipquestion. Between now and next Thursday we’ll collect a list of the questions that are sent in and answer them live during the Hangout On Air!
Posted by Jenny McColl, University Programs Specialist
Young Innovators @ Google - Laura Holmes
January 20, 2012
Introduction: Today's post is a continuation with our
Young Innovators @ Google series
where we're highlighting the great work of Googlers who, not too long ago, were students like you. In their short careers, these engineers and product managers have had an impact on Google and our products. For today’s post, we sat down with Laura Holmes, a product manager at Google.
Tell us about your path to Google.
Laura Holmes:
I went to Stanford where I considered being an English and psychology major. I discovered computer science pretty late in the game because one of my dormmates suggested I take the intro class. I found that there are actually quite a bit of similarities between English and coding—phrases, for example, whether they be in literature or code, represent very complex thoughts. I ended up working at Google in New York City as a
software engineering intern
on mobile search quality. I was told that I would make a great product manager (PM) since I spoke well and knew technology so I actually spent a couple of weeks during my internship as a PM, specifically on mobile docs. During this time I was the PM for the launch of the doclist and mobile spreadsheets UI. After graduating, I worked on user experience at Cooliris before joining Google’s
Associate Product Manager
program, which is a two year rotational program for those interested in product development. I was recently promoted to Product Manager on Google Analytics conversion tracking products, helping marketers understand their return on investment across different marketing channels.
Tell us about your APM experience. What rotations did you have?
LH:
The APM program is an amazing two-year rotational program that helps grow new grads with Computer Science backgrounds into Product Managers. They do this by giving you way too much responsibility way too soon, and everyone just expects you to rise to the occasion. APMs have the same responsibilities as any Product Manager, where you have to work with engineers and designers to define the direction and strategy of your product. Some could liken it to a sink or swim mentality, but it’s mostly swim because Google’s there helping you every step of the way with all sorts of mentorship and skill development.
After you spend one year on a product, APMs rotate onto a different product, usually in an entirely different product area. The rotation experience is important to the APM program because it gives you a great breadth of experience across different teams. It was a great way for me to discover the other things I wanted to learn to balance out my skill set.
When I first joined Google, I thought they were going to put me in mobile because I had a lot of experience there. However, my first rotation was actually on Search and my second rotation was on the conversion tracking team for
Google Analytics
. I really benefited from the placement process, because I never would have picked Search for myself. I always thought Search was this big behemoth that no one fresh out of college could possibly help with, but within a couple months I was making decisions that affected a large percentage of queries. I bounced around between a couple different Search projects, then
Google Instant
started taking off, and I ended up working on that full-time. I first worked on localization of Instant and the slow connection experience, child safety experience, and machine planning and roll-out scheduling. At the end of the day, I was in charge of where Google Instant was going to be and when. It was up to me to decide when Google Instant was launching in Europe and Southeast Asia.
In what ways have you been able to make an impact?
LH:
Google Instant was a highly strategic product that gave us an edge in a lot of search markets. However, we had to carefully figure out which markets we launched in to make sure the product met our quality bar, and that was my job. Because I was the decision maker for when and where we launched, I had a big impact on Google Search's positioning in international markets.
How has Google helped encouraged you to be innovative?
LH:
Google encourages innovation first and foremost through its people. We spend a lot of time in rooms just brainstorming, and by having a bunch of smart and adventurous people together, we get a lot of great ideas.
Another way in which Google encourages innovation is through lowering the barrier to trying out new ideas through prototyping. There are a couple of in-house tools that make it possible for people to make quick changes and try them out on real users, fast.
Search has an infrastructure that allows engineers to prototype rapidly. If you want to try something new, rather than having to do everything from scratch, you can prototype the change within a couple of minutes. This allows innovation to happen at a large, quick scale.
How long after joining Google did you first see the impact of your work?
LH:
The first launch was the
Google anagram Easter egg
, which was about 3-4 months after I joined. On April Fools’ Day, I worked with the spelling team to localize a special result for the search query [anagram], which asks the user, “Did you mean ‘nag a ram’?” We put it in 35 languages and it was pretty cool to set up Google alerts and see as people slowly discovered the Easter egg and their surprise and delight in Google.
The Instant project moved very quickly. The whole project took about five months to grow it from a demo on one engineer's computer to an internationally launched product. I joined the project about two months in, and saw it launch a meer three months later in five countries that were my responsibility.
What does Google offer that is different from other companies?
LH:
The APM program gives you a lot of the same experiences you could get at a start-up, but you have the tools to help you develop professionally. You’re given mentors who help you navigate difficult situations. You're also given a management coach that can work 1:1 with you to develop public speaking skills and interpersonal skills to navigate tricky situations.
Google's also great because of the quantity of great leaders you get access to, even when you’re an entry level employee. You get to see leadership from a variety of different approaches, and learn which styles you want to emulate.
Lastly, Google also offers you the opportunity to operate at scale. Everything you do has to be scaleable, because it's going to be seen by millions of people. I keep telling myself that if I can succeed here, I can work on pretty much anything.
Any great Google stories?
LH:
I gave a presentation to the Board of Directors where I demoed
Google Instant
. It was such a unique and exciting experience. I had been at Google for only five months, and I was standing in front of the Board of Directors showing them the future of Search. They asked pointed questions about it and then John Doerr asked, “so when is it launching?”
Posted by Jessica Safir, University Programs Coordinator
Android Camp applications available for students in the US and Canada
January 19, 2012
At Google, we are committed to helping the innovators of the future make the most of their gifts. We also believe open source development is a very useful and accessible way for passionate students to get involved with Computer Science in a practical and rewarding manner.
2011 Android Campers
With this in mind, Google is excited to launch the
Android Camp 2012 program
! Up to 30 current freshmen students will be selected to attend the all-expense-paid Android Camp at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, from July 22 - July 28, 2012. The Android Camp will include interactive and collaborative curriculum focusing on a practical introduction to developing applications for Android and will explore the concepts behind Android, the framework for constructing an application, and the tools for developing, testing, and publishing software for the platform. Students will also get the opportunity to enjoy technical talks by Googlers, and social activities around the Bay Area.
Where can I apply?
Visit
google.com/students/androidcamp
to learn more about the program and apply before the March 11, 2011 deadline.
When is Android Camp?
Android Camp will begin on Sunday, July 22nd and will run until Saturday, July 28th.
I want to know more!
To learn more about Android Camp and to submit your application, please visit our website at
google.com/students/androidcamp
. You can also read about last year's Android Camp
here
.
Posted by Andrew Neginskiy, University Programs Specialist
Rice + Leadership
January 19, 2012
Introduction:
Veronica Rae Saron
is a Google Student Ambassador at
Rice University
. This is the last post in her four-part blog series, Rice+, in which she's shared the various creative ways that the Rice community is using Google+ to enhance their world.
On campus, Google+ serves as a fantastic tool for clubs, especially club leadership.
At Rice, we don’t have sororities or fraternities, but we do have residential colleges, a social unit that just begs to organize itself into Circles. I have a “Will Rice” circle, since that’s my residential college, and I also have a “Sid Rich” circle, which is the residential college where I advised during orientation week. A cool feature that integrates Gmail with Google+ also turns my Circles into labels for my emails - so for example, if someone in my “Will Rice” circle sends me an email, it’s automatically labeled that way without needing to set a filter!
Read more about how to organize people into Circles
here
.
These circles help me to organize my social life and my academic world!
Not only do Google+ Circles help out immensely with organizing club members, but Hangouts of course provide a means to conduct meetings more easily. Usually, club executives meet in person, but if ever a meeting needs to happen on short notice, Hangouts are the best option. Even more commonly, though, group members might not even be on campus at the same time, which can be a problem if you’re on a team that needs to meet frequently, like a group working on a web startup...
The Rice University founding members of SimpApply.com – one of a large handful of tech startups coming out of our university – have discovered Google+ Hangouts and use them extensively. Since some of their team members graduated last year, before Hangouts it was difficult for them to keep in sync. Says co-founder Abhishek Nag:
“The main video display makes it clear who is talking, and it’s especially useful when we have energetic discussions (AKA shouting matches). The 'Extras' features work great for us, and if there's ever a tense moment in the course of our meetings, we can always bring in the mustache.”
The team members of SimpApply are distributed across 5 cities and 2 timezones, and Google+
Hangouts allows them to work effectively on their startup despite the distance.
I know that I’ll be using Google+ Hangouts plenty over this winter break in order to coordinate next semester’s plans for our campus’s celebrateART festival as well as to solidify the events for the club of which I’m the president, the Rice Academy Society. Seeing as both projects involve leadership from a lot of my peers, Hangouts will definitely be a critical tool for planning next semester.
Have you used Google+ Hangouts and Google+ to facilitate projects and leadership opportunities?
Posted by Veronica Rae Saron, Google Student Ambassador
Announcing the Generation Google Scholarship for graduating high school seniors
January 18, 2012
In 2010, we launched the Anita Borg Scholarship for First Years-- a program for female high school seniors entering their first year in a university and intending to study computer science. Since then, we have awarded this scholarship to 14 women who are now in the midst of their undergraduate studies in computer science.
The success of the Anita Borg Scholarship for First Years inspired us to broaden the scholarship to support more students who are historically underrepresented in technology. Today, we are proud to announce the
Generation Google Scholarship
for current high school seniors intending to study computer science at a university in the US or Canada. Scholarship recipients will receive an academic scholarship for up to four years (or until graduation, whichever comes first), as well as be invited to attend Google’s
Computer Science Summer Institute
the summer following their first year of undergraduate study.
Who can apply?
Applicants must be high school seniors and meet the following eligibility criteria:
Intends to be enrolled in or accepted as a full-time student at a university in the US or Canada for the 2012-2013 school year
Intends to be enrolled in or accepted for enrollment in a baccalaureate Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or related program
Exemplifies leadership and demonstrates a commitment to and passion for computer science and technology through involvement in their community
Strong record of academic achievement
A student from an underrepresented group in computer science (African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Female, or a Person with a Disability)
Demonstrates financial need
For complete details, please visit the
Generation Google Scholarship page
on our student jobs site.
Deadline to apply: February 20, 2012
Posted by Azusa Liu, Talent & Outreach Programs
Doodle 4 Google: “If I could travel in time, I’d visit...”
January 18, 2012
Cross-posted from the
Official Google Blog
Starting today, we’d like to invite K-12 students in the U.S. to participate in our fifth annual U.S.
Doogle 4 Google
contest. Draw your rendition of the Google logo and you may see it on the ultimate gallery: the Google homepage. The winning doodler will also take home a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school.
The theme for this year’s contest is “If I could travel in time, I’d visit...”. That could mean visiting a past, present or future setting—whether it’s traveling back in time to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to the future to witness everyday space travel, or to just a few moments ago to relive a poignant experience.
Building on last year’s
record-breaking participation
(107,000 entries!), we’ve made a few enhancements to the 2012 contest. First, we’re opening Doodle 4 Google up to an even wider audience—with a winner from every state. There will be five finalists and one winner per state, so everyone will have a local doodle champion to cheer on. From these 50 State Winners, we’ll find 5 National Finalists and the lucky National Winner.
We’re also partnering with
Crayola
this year and the winning doodler’s artwork will appear on a special edition of the 64-crayon box—a first!
Participating is easier than ever, since we’ve eliminated the registration step. All you need to do is
submit your child’s or student’s artwork
by March 20 with a signed and completed entry form.
Contest judging starts with Google employees and a panel of guest judges—including multi-platinum singer
Katy Perry
, Phineas and Ferb creator and executive producer Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, and recording artist
Jordin Sparks
, as well as other great illustrators and artists—who will help us pick the state finalists and winners. Then, on May 2, we’ll put the 50 state winners up for public vote. All 50 State Winners will be flown to New York City for the national awards ceremony on May 17, with the winning doodle appearing on May 18.
The doodles by the 50 State Winners will be displayed at
The New York Public Library
's historic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street in an exhibition open to the public over the summer. We’ll also be partnering with museums across the country to display the artwork of the state finalists in areas near their homes.
For more details, check out
google.com/doodle4google
, where you’ll find full contest rules and entry forms. Happy doodling and good luck!
Posted by Marissa Mayer, VP, Product Management
Inside ITRP - Brian
January 12, 2012
Introduction: This is the third post in our series about current residents in Google’s
Internal Technology Residency Program
. Today, we highlight Brian Call, who joined the ITR Program in February of 2011.
Where did you go to school? What did you study?
Brian Call:
I attended the
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
, in scenic upstate New York, where I earned a degree in applied networking and systems administration (ANSA). The ANSA program at RIT offered me the unique opportunity to learn through a combination of traditional classes, real-world lab scenarios and cooperative education. The
cooperative education program
gave me the chance to gain valuable experience with several different companies, including
SAIC
, the
Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies at RIT
and
Frontier Communications
.
Brian works on fixing a Googler's machine, which is one
of the many challenges he faces in a day.
Tell us how you found out about the ITRP program.
BC:
I stumbled upon the ITRP program in an email from my school’s career center, only a few hours before the deadline for the application. The multi-component core of the program—training and development, front-line support and internal rotations—caught my attention as a chance to push my limitations and hone my “skills toolbox” in a technologically diverse and highly dynamic enterprise. I also loved the prospect of expanding my horizons through world travel. I took the dive and applied only a few hours before the deadline; The following day, I was pleasantly surprised by an invitation to interview at our college career fair, going on later that week.
What have you enjoyed most about the ITRP program?
BC:
There’s so much I’ve enjoyed about the ITRP program. In particular, the program has given me the opportunity to drive across the country to Google headquarters in California, explore new places, meet new people, work with a diverse group of individuals and technology, and I enjoy it so much that, at the end of the day, I can’t wait to go back and do it all over again (minus the cross-country trip of course).
Something else I find truly unique about ITRP is the dynamic nature of the program. Mirroring the dynamic nature of Google, components of the ITRP program are adjusted based on feedback from each new class, with the goal of making the process as streamlined and enjoyable as possible. One significant adjustment that took place before I joined was changing the training schedule from long, concentrated blocks to shorter, more spread out blocks. The content of the training changed as well. The team is very open to feedback (they love it...the more, the better!) and are more than willing to sit down with us to discuss changes.
Tell us about the front-line support part of the ITRP program. Explain what that means and how you've experienced it firsthand.
BC:
At Google, we’re helping fellow Googlers solve I.T. based technical issues (however, as the neighborhood “go-to” folks, we often find ourselves solving non-technical issues, too). The goal is to get the Googler back up and running as quickly as possible. Throughout the process, we have the opportunity to chat with really neat folks, including everyone from recruiters (they have the best stories to tell) to pivotal figures in computing history, such as Vint Cerf. Front-line support is, in essence, an opportunity to learn new skills, hone old skills, make people happy and network, all bundled into an exciting, fast-paced experience.
Brian had the opportunity to work from our Kirkland office
for a quarter during his internal rotation. This is just one of the
many awesome images he was able to capture.
New skills aren’t just learned on the front-lines. Front-line support and training/development at Google are tied together in harmony. Needing to solve unbelievably bizarre problems on the fly drives a constant cycle of on-the-job training while, more formal, instructor-led training sessions and self-study skills development drive personal growth and efficiency. With front-line support, finding the right solution can involve almost anything, from searching textbooks and Internet sources to building test labs to recreate the problem. To me, front-line support carries a prerequisite to keep an open mind to all solutions, no matter how strange they may seem.
What do you look forward to most during the rest of your time as an ITR?
BC:
I’m really looking forward to doing some international travel. The opportunity to travel the globe while helping out at other offices is an exciting prospect, especially since I’ve never traveled outside of North America.
Posted by Brian Call, Internal Technology Resident
Ask your question in the 2012 Google Science Fair
January 12, 2012
Cross-posted from the
Official Google Blog
Are human beings born curious, or can curiosity be nurtured through environment, competition or a good teacher? Everyone’s got a
question
—that’s ours. But we’re sure you’ve got tons of questions, too. Today, we’re inviting students around the world to pose their most pressing questions about the world around them and answer those questions through scientific inquiry.
Along with our partners CERN, The LEGO Group,
National Geographic
and
Scientific American
, today we’re launching the second annual
Google Science Fair
, the largest online science competition in the world, open globally to students ages 13-18. Either individually or in teams of up to three people, students pose a question, develop a hypothesis and conduct science experiments to test it. The entire process is detailed and submitted online, via a website template participants fill out themselves, so all you need to participate is curiosity, an Internet connection and a browser.
Last year, we received entries that strove to solve a wide variety of needs, from “How can I
cure cancer
?” to “Can I teach a
robot to learn English
?” to “Can I build a
faster sailboat
?” The breadth and depth of these projects was incredibly impressive, and this year we hope to see even more entries from the next generation of brilliant young scientists.
This year’s fair will be even more global than the last: We’re now accepting submissions in 13 languages (Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Spanish and Russia). We will also be recognizing 90 regional finalists (30 from the Americas, 30 from the Asia Pacific and 30 from Europe/Middle East/Africa). From these 90, to be announced on April 1, our judges will select the top 15 finalists, who will be flown to Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. for our live Google Science Fair final event on July 23, 2012. At the finals, a panel of distinguished international
judges
(like Vint Cerf, Sylvia Earle and Nobel Laureates David Gross and Ada Yonath) will select top winners in each age category (13-14, 15-16, 17-18).
We’re also introducing a new category for this year’s competition—the
Scientific American
Science in Action award. We were so inspired by 2010 finalist Harine Ravichandran’s
project
, which attempted to solve energy surges in rural villages, that we decided to recognize an outstanding project that addresses a social, environmental or health need to make a difference in the lives of a group or community, as Harine’s project did for her grandparents’ village in India. The winner will also be flown to Mountain View for the finalist event in July.
The Google Science Fair opens today, January 12, worldwide, and we’ll accept submissions until Sunday, April 1 at 11:59 GMT (or 6:59pm ET/3:59pm PT). In addition to satisfying your curious mind, your brilliant project can also help to win you some pretty cool
prizes
, like a $50,000 college scholarship from Google, a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Islands with a National Geographic Explorer or an internship at Google or any one of our partners. Our
Scientific American
Science in Action award winner will earn $50,000 and year-long mentorship to make their project goal a reality.
The winners of last year’s inaugural Google Science Fair became something like scientific rock stars. Shree Bose, Naomi Shah and Lauren Hodge
met with President Obama
, were invited to speak at big events like
TEDx Women
and were
featured
in
Wired
magazine. Shree, our grand prize winner, was named one of
Glamour
magazine’s
21 Amazing Young Women of the Year
. White House visits and
Glamour
aside, every student in the Google Science Fair has the chance to do hands-on research that can truly change the world.
Visit
google.com/sciencefair
and ask your most burning questions at the top of your voice for the world to hear. Google itself was founded through experimentation and with the Google Science Fair, we hope to inspire scientific exploration among the next generation of scientists and engineers, celebrate scientific talent, create scientific role models and unite students around the world in the quest for learning.
Posted by Cristin Frodella, Google Education Team
Street View: your friendly campus tour guide
January 11, 2012
Cross-posted from the
Official Google Blog
For many, the start of a new year is also the start of a new semester. Whether you’re a current student trying to familiarize yourself with campus, an applicant assessing your options or an alumnus feeling nostalgic, the
Street View
feature in
Google Maps
can be your tour guide without the backward walking. We recently added imagery of more university campuses to the existing special collections already available via Street View through our
Partner Program
. Let’s take a quick tour of some of the many beautiful campuses around the world.
In Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward, you can find
Waseda University
. Founded in 1882, it is known for producing some of the top Japanese politicians and business leaders in recent history. Check out the statue of
Ōkuma Shigenobu
, who founded the university.
View Larger Map
Halfway around the world, we can visit the
University of Glasgow
in Scotland. Founded in 1451, this university is one of the
oldest in the world
, and the fourth oldest in the English speaking world. Take a tour of the magnificent campus starting at the West Quadrangle of the Main Building.
View Larger Map
Hop the Atlantic and cross the U.S. to
Stanford University
, which was founded in 1891 in Palo Alto, Calif. Located near Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, both of our founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, attended Stanford for their graduate studies. Explore the campus starting at the palm-lined main quad with a view of Hoover Tower.
View Larger Map
Students, take note: Even though your campus is now available in your browser, you still need to go to class! To view other imagery collections of popular universities around the world see a complete
list of the campuses
or visit a few more highlights in the
Street View gallery
.
Posted by Chris Fiock, Program Manager for Street View
Google Scholarships in North America - Now accepting applications!
January 10, 2012
As part of Google’s ongoing commitment to advancing computing and technology, we are pleased to support the work of our partner organizations in providing scholarships to students studying computer science.
Today we are announcing the following scholarship opportunities in North America -- now accepting applications!
Google Lime Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
- Deadline: February 5, 2012
Google AISES Scholarship
- Deadline: February 29, 2012
Google Hispanic College Fund Scholarship
- Deadline: March 1, 2012
Google UNCF Scholarship -
US Application
;
Canada Application
- Deadline: March 18, 2012
2011 Scholars' Retreat in Mountain View, CA
Photo by Robert Fischer, Google engineer
In addition, we are still accepting applications for the
Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship
(Deadline: February 6, 2012).
Scholarship recipients will each receive a $10,000 scholarship for the 2012-2013 academic year and will be invited to attend the all-expenses-paid annual
Google Scholars’ Retreat
at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA. Scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of the applicants’ academic background and their demonstrated passion for computer science.
For complete details on all of our scholarships, please visit
www.google.com/jobs/scholarships
.
Posted by Stephanie Chan, University Programs Coordinator
Rice + Academics
January 10, 2012
Introduction:
Veronica Rae Saron
is a Google Student Ambassador at
Rice University
. In this four-part blog series, Rice+, Veronica will share about the various creative ways that the Rice community is using Google+ to enhance their world. Stay tuned for the second post in this series, which will be published in January.
We have only just begun to scrape the surface in terms of the impact Google+ can have on education. At the bottom of this post I’ve included links to a bunch of resources that talk about Google+'s new role in education, but first I would like to share with you the ways in which some of us have used Google+ at Rice.
+HANGOUT OFFICE HOURS
Right away, Hangouts emerged as a great tool for professors for virtual office hours. Rice is a small university of only about 4,000 undergraduates, which means that most of our classes have less than 40 students. Most of the time, it would make sense for students to talk to professors in person either before, after, or during class. However, for many professors and students finding time face-to-face is difficult, like in the introductory engineering and pre-med classes.
Professor Hafner uses Hangouts to talk about physics with one student.
By the time the Hangout has finished, many students have dropped in and out.
Professors like Jason Hafner of the Physics department are using Hangout technology in order to orchestrate more efficient office hours. Even though he’s an extremely popular professor among the students and enjoys teaching, he’s also very busy with research. By setting a certain window of time during which he is on a Google Hangout, his students can drop in and ask a question. With the “Hangouts with Extras” feature, which includes an online blackboard and Google Docs, students can even have the answer explained in more detail. While Professor Hafner waits for students, he can catch up on work and maximize his productivity.
Professor Hafner is looking forward to using the Hangout office hours feature next semester, in particular for his Physics 102 class, which has over 300 students enrolled. He’s already put together a
Physics 102 Google+ Page
that he plans to use!
+CIRCLING-UP EDUCATION
Since I’m a Mathematical Economic Analysis and Film Studies double major, my classes tend to be small. Therefore, it isn’t usually necessary to attend office hours since emails to my professors serve that purpose. But this doesn’t mean that I don’t use Google+ for my academic needs.
Not going to lie, I’m a bit of a nerd, and I genuinely love the coursework for my two majors. So, what better way to engage with my majors than to have Circles dedicated to them? My
“Your Marginal Benefit Circle”
is a Circle devoted entirely to economics – I follow economists and economic enthusiasts of all opinions on that feed, and I frequently read the articles that they post as I procrastinate doing my problem sets (one of the parts about being a math econ major that I don’t like).
Also the photo and film communities on Google+ are thriving. I keep fantastic photographers like
Thomas Hawk
and filmmakers like
Brad Kremer
in my
“Film/Photo Gods Circle”
, which feeds my creativity and inspiration when I need a boost. Even when I just want to procrastinate, it’s fun to flip through
Trey Ratcliff
’s photos and gawk in awe.
My "Film/Photo Gods" stream (above) tells me the latest in photography and films,
and my "Your Marginal Benefit" stream (below) takes care of my economic knowledge.
+MORE
Of course, it’s no surprise that across the Internet, educators are taking advantage of Google+’s sleek and sophisticated interface to enhance learning worldwide. Here are a few examples and links that talk about the newest innovations in Google+ education technology that you can engage with and learn about:
Google+ for Universities
Stanford’s
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence class
is entirely online and uses Google Hangouts for worldwide office hours
This
UNL professor
uses Hangouts for office hours
Boise State student Taylor Bell wrote a
blog post
about how he uses Google+ at college
18 ways
teachers can use Google+ Hangouts in education
Learning Solutions
guide to Google+ Hangouts with Education
Do you have any other ideas about how to integrate Google+ with education? Or, do you have links that feature Google+ and education? Share them in the comments below!
Posted by Veronica Rae Saron, Google Student Ambassador
Making computer science accessible worldwide with CS4HS
January 9, 2012
Cross-posted from the
Official Google Blog
Last summer, K-12 educators in the Boston, Mass. area gathered at MIT for a bit of summer school. They weren’t there to brush up on freshman year biology, but rather to learn a new subject, the programming language
Scratch
. This is a snapshot of the
Google in education
group’s
Computer Science for High School
(CS4HS) program. The teachers gathered at MIT last July had various backgrounds and degrees, but they all attended with one goal—to bring computer science (CS) education back to their schools, and their students.
From now until March 3, 2012, CS4HS is accepting
applications
from interested colleges and universities for our fourth consecutive year of computer science workshops. If you’re not affiliated with a college or university you can still encourage your local university, community college or technical school to apply for a grant. In the late spring, after applications close, we’ll post workshop websites of participating schools on
cs4hs.com
for professors looking for ideas and for teachers interested in learning more about what’s being offered.
Over the course of the three-day professional development workshops, funded by Google and held on university campuses around the world, participants learn about programming software directly from developers and full-time CS faculty. There is balance of discussion, engaging project work and presentations. The workshops prepare educators to teach programming and computing in their schools and turn their students into computational thinkers and creators.
The need for more CS professionals is increasing faster than universities are able to graduate CS students, and CS4HS hopes to address this gap with our “train the trainer” approach. We provide the universities with the support they need, so they can provide local teachers with the tools they need, so that those teachers can teach students the skills they will need.
In 2011, we funded more than 70 programs that trained thousands of educators worldwide on various aspects of CS. In 2012, we are expanding our program to include more regions and reach even more teachers. If you are affiliated with a university, community college or technical school in the U.S, Canada, Europe, Middle East, Africa, China, Australia or New Zealand and are interested in creating a three-day CS4HS workshop, we want to partner with you.
Visit
www.cs4hs.com
for more information and details on the types of programs we are looking to fund. You will also find curriculum modules from past workshops to use or adapt, as well as a list of participating schools from 2010 and 2011. There’s also an example of a successful program and of a stand-out application to get you started on the right track.
Help spread enthusiasm for computer science in your community: When you’re ready to apply, submit your application
online
by March 3, 2012.
Posted by Erin Mindell, Program Manager, Google Education Group
Announcing the Google Freshman Engineering Practicum Internship - Apply Today!
January 6, 2012
Google is invested in increasing the pipeline of future computer scientists and software developers, particularly those who are historically underrepresented in the field. Many aspiring computer scientists could benefit from a program that bridges the gap between academic study and a professional internship. Google wants to inspire these students to continue in the field with such a program.
With this in mind, Google announces the second year of the
Freshman Engineering Practicum
internship program for Summer 2012. Current freshmen majoring, or intending to major, in Computer Science or Electrical and Computer Engineering will be selected to participate in the Practicum. This program includes three main components: a software project, skills-based training, and professional development. Freshman Engineering Practicum is only available at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA.
The program is open to all qualified college freshmen, and is committed to addressing diversity in the field of Computer Science. Students who are a member of a group that is historically underrepresented in the technology industry are encouraged to apply.
Please visit
http://www.google.com/jobs/engpracticum/fep/
for more information and to apply today! For some insight into the experience of being a Freshman Engineering Practicum intern, check out
this blog post
featuring Tasha Nesiba, one of last year’s interns.
The deadline to apply is
February 5, 2012
. However, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we encourage early applications. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at
fep@google.com
.
Posted by Jessica Lulovics, University Programs Specialist
Recruiter Tips & Tricks: Jeff takes your questions via Hangouts On Air
January 4, 2012
Updated 1/12: The last Hangout On Air will now be broadcasted at 3:30 pm PST instead of 4:00 pm PST.
You know lead engineering recruiter
Jeff Moore
from his
Recruiter Tips & Tricks series
on the Google Students blog, which wrapped up in December. Since then, we’ve been thinking of ways in which Jeff can continue sharing his wisdom with all of you, and how to do so in a fun and engaging environment. What better way for us to connect you with him than Google+
Hangouts On Air
? Over the next couple of weeks, Jeff will be hosting a series of Hangouts On Air from his
Google+ profile
. Each Hangout On Air will have a different theme based on his most popular Recruiter Tips & Tricks posts. For each Hangout On Air, you can submit your questions ahead of time via the
Google Moderator
links below. Jeff (and guest Googlers, including
Fitz and Ben
on January 19th!) will answer the questions with the most votes live. You can also post your question to Google+ using the hashtag #askagoogler in order to be considered for one of the spots in the Hangout.
Here is the line up with Google Moderator links and local time zone conversions so you know when to tune in:
Preparing your resume
: Tuesday, January 10th at
9:00 am PST
Technical interviews
: Wednesday, January 11th at
1:00 pm PST
Non-technical interviews
: Tuesday, January 17th at
11:00 am PST
Transitioning from school to the working world
: Thursday, January 19th at
3:30 pm PST
We’ll be accepting questions up until 24 hours before each of the Hangouts On Air begin. When the Hangout On Air starts, we’ll share the link on our
Google Students page
on Google+. You’ll also be able to see the broadcast on
Jeff’s profile
. Can’t tune in? Each Hangout On Air will be recorded and shared so you can watch the recap when you’ve got some free time.
Posted by Jessica Safir, University Programs Coordinator
Rice + Virtual Career Panel
January 3, 2012
Introduction:
Veronica Rae Saron
is a Google Student Ambassador at
Rice University
. In this four-part blog series, Rice+, Veronica will share about the various creative ways that the Rice community is using Google+ to enhance their world.
The best part about being a Google Student Ambassador is that if you have ideas about a new way to use a Google product, you can immediately take action. From
flashmobs
at University of Wisconsin at Madison to an
entire school holiday
honoring Google+ at DePauw University, we ambassadors have had the unbelievable opportunity to capitalize upon the exciting technology that is Google+.
Julia Stiglitz speaks about her TFA experience
from Google's Mountain View office.
In November, I coordinated a virtual career panel for
Teach for America
(TFA) using Google+ Hangouts, the 10 way video-conference feature offered at no charge. TFA is one of the most popular national nonprofits for undergrads to join after graduation. Last year it received over 46,000 applications and only accepted around 10% of their applicants! However, a lot of students wonder not only about the teaching experience itself, but what sorts of career paths the corps members decide to take after they’re done with TFA. Do you continue to work toward bettering education in society? Do you work in the private sector in consulting, or maybe even in education technology with a large company like Google?
Using a projected screen with an active Hangout, interested students attended a virtual panel featuring TFA former corps members across the country who, after their time with TFA, have taken on diverse career paths:
Ann Best, 1996 Houston Corps Member, TFA, Chief Human Resources Officer, Houston Independent School District
Tia Lendo, 2000 Eastern North Carolina Corps Member, Worked at: Teach First, McKinsey & Company, Google
Robert Lundin, 2000 Houston Corps Member, Worked at: YES College Prep School, Teach for America
Rich Crandall, 2004 Bay Area Corps Member, Worked at: Stanford Design School
Julia Stiglitz, 2004 Bay Area Corps Member, Worked at: Teach For America, Google
It was so much easier to hold this virtual panel via Hangout than organizing a live-in-the-flesh event! We were able to bring speakers who would not have been able to join us otherwise!
The flier that we put up around Rice's campus
to advertise the virtual panel.
I worked with Google, TFA recruiter Sandra Nunez, TFA student ambassador Audra Herrara, and Rukayat Giwa, a former Google intern at UC Berkeley to put on the event. We were able to have two audiences in lecture halls at Rice and at UC Berkeley. Each lecture hall had a projection of the panel for the audiences and a computer with a webcam so that the audience could ask the panelists questions. The event was wildly successful, with many students in attendance commenting afterward that they had learned something new.
“As a student interested in education reform, this event was incredibly informative,” said Alex Pena, a junior political studies major at Rice. “It was interesting to listen to how the corps members’ related with each other a lot based on their experiences, and how TFA was clearly a transformative experience in their lives.”
“Google Hangouts was the catalyst that allowed us to see these panelists’ shared passion,” declared Liz Jackson, a senior math major, “The panelists’ different locations across the country presented a wider variety of viewpoints and life experiences.”
Sandra Nunez, Rice Univeristy’s TFA recruiter, also had positive comments regarding the event:
“I’ve been a campus recruiter for two years now, and we’ve never done anything like this before. Teach For America produces bright leaders who can go into a variety of professions after their time in the classroom, and hearing from our friends at Google and elsewhere really demonstrated that.”
The panelists’ passion for bettering America’s education was clear throughout the dialogue, and the opportunity to witness such a discourse would not have been available for the Rice and UC Berkeley students if it were not for Google+’s incredible ability to connect people. After all, the panelists were located across three different time zones, and yet they were able to speak from the comfort of their own homes!
Do you have ideas about how Hangouts can revolutionize the college events or recruiting efforts for organizations? Let us know in the comments below!
Posted by Veronica Rae Saron, Google Student Ambassador
Extra special thanks to Tia Lendo, Rukayat Giwa, Sandra Nunez of TFA, Audra Herrera (Rice Class of 2012 and Rice TFA Ambassador), the Rice Academ Society, and our fantastic panelists for helping to make this event take place!
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