Source: Daily Breeze Cal State Dominguez Hills had an empty campus, vacant labs and plenty of students who were laid off because of the coronavirus pandemic. So Dr. Kamal Hamdan, the university's Director for the Center for Innovation in STEM Education, had an idea. Why not put some of those students and the unused lab equipment to work to create face shields for health care providers? “I kept hearing there was a huge need for face shields,” he said Saturday, April 11. “So I thought, 'We have a great workforce in our students, and we have the best technology. Why can't we repurpose that?'” So, for the past two weeks, Hamdan and about 25 students have been at work – first to ... Read More
STEM
Technology Teams Keep CSUDH Up and Running
The past month has been hectic and stressful for everyone at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH)--but maybe no one has been as consistently busy as the hard-working technology teams who have been transitioning campus operations online during the COVID-19 outbreak. As the crisis rapidly escalated, the IT and Academic Technology teams threw themselves into the task of moving everything from art classes to financial aid online. The successful–and speedy–results of their efforts speak to their talents, as well as to their dedication to the Toro community. Reza Boroon is the director of the academic technology department, which was tasked with transitioning faculty and ... Read More
Faculty, Students, and Staff Heed the Call for Medical Face Shields
Heeding the call of health care professionals, two faculty-led groups at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) are using 3D printing to help supply local hospitals with the face shields they need to reduce the risk of infection on the frontlines of the pandemic. Taking on the challenge are Paul Penoliar, lecturer and clinical instructor in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (OT) Department, and Kamal Hamdan, Annenberg-endowed professor and director of the Center for Innovation in STEM Education (CISE) at CSUDH. Resourceful and Nimble In mid-March, CSUDH converted all in-person instruction to online classes to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This ... Read More
Telecommuting Could Curb the Coronavirus Epidemic
Recent surveys from both the National Household Transportation Survey and the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that around 29% of the United States workforce has the option to work at home, and around 15% usually does so. Working from home pays a double dividend during a pandemic. First, it can help to limit the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus. This supports organizations' efforts to limit travel and major public events, and more assertive efforts by governments in badly affected regions to restrict population movement altogether. Restricting travel and canceling events have substantial costs at a time when businesses are already dealing with absences due to ... Read More
Women in STEM Career Day Draws Hundreds of High School Students
Nearly 500 female high school students visited California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) on Feb. 21 to learn about the numerous opportunities waiting for them in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workforce during Women in STEM Career Day 2020. The event was hosted by EXP, a nonprofit organization that helps schools in the Southern California region deliver innovative, career-based curriculum. A long-standing partner with CSUDH, EXP has hosted its annual GPS Your Future STEM career fair on campus for a number of years, and each year CSUDH participates in EXP's internship program for local high school students. The young women toured CSUDH's new ... Read More
