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NPU Seminars and Workshops
Northwestern Polytechnic University offers students many opportunities for professional growth and career development. Not only does NPU prepare its students with cutting-edge degree programs but it also conducts free seminars to expose the students to current issues and technologies in development. These workshops are designed to keep NPU students "ahead of the game" by giving them extra preparation for the challenges they will face in the professional world. NPU faculty members are also encouraged to attend these seminars. Whether you are a student or a faculty member, we welcome you to attend the NPU Professional Seminars to give a boost to your professional development!
The Informatics Principles of Life
Speaker: Dr. Tom Tang
Date/Time: Saturday, 4/13/2013, 12:00 noon - 1:00 PM
Location: Room 112, East Building, 105 Fourier Ave., Fremont CA 94539
Abstract:
What is life? What is the essence of life? How does life come into these diverse forms? What is the theoretical foundation of life sciences? Today, we have the confidence to answer these questions.
In the talk, the speaker will give an informatics-centric view of life sciences, starting from the discovery of DNA, till today where we identify the many genetic differences among ourselves. The speaker will introduce today's research in genomics, and briefly discuss where the field is heading. Some controversial viewpoints will be introduced and discussed.
Introduction to the Speaker:
Tom Tang is a veteran bioinformatician (a person who uses computers to study life) and has worked extensively on the human genome project. He and his teams have discovered thousands of human genes and named four important gene families. He developed theoretical models for intracellular calcium dynamics (the Tang-Othmer models). He has published over 20 research articles in leading scientific journals, including Science, Nature, PNAS, and Phil Trans. Royal Soc. He has over 90 issued U.S. patents. WIPO lists over 400 of his inventions and patents. His patents have been cited by major world corporations including IBM, Microsoft, Apple, etc.
In 2006, he founded Deepdyve, with a new search engine technology. In 2008, he founded IKain, an online live education company. Besides business and sciences, Tom enjoys gardening, hiking and playing ping pong. He likes science fiction movies and always dreams about inventing a programming language as efficient as the genetic code.
The Importance and Role of Business Analytics in the Era of Big Data
Posted by Michael Tang, April 2nd, 2013
Speaker: Mr. Balu Rajagopal
Date/Time: Saturday, 4/6/2013, 12:00 noon - 1:00PM
Location: Room 109, NPU East Building, 105 Fourier Ave., Fremont, CA 94539
Abstract:
What is Big Data? What is Business Analytics? Why is it important? What role does business analytics play in decision making? What benefits accrue from using business analytics? What skills and capabilities are required? How do you cultivate a data-driven culture? In the talk, the speaker will cover topics arising from the questions above to shine some light on this new phenomenon of Big Data and Business Analytics. Key trends and drivers of Big Data and controversial topics such as privacy and security will also be covered.
Introduction to the Speaker:
Balu Rajagopal leads global, go-to-market efforts at Cetas, now acquired by VMware. He drives thought leadership and evangelizes Big Data Analytics for online business use cases by connecting Big Data technologies to business value for decision-makers, marketers, and analysts. Check out his blogs on http://www.cetas.net/blog. Balu has over 17 years of experience in product development, product management and marketing. He has developed and led teams building complex distributed systems for process control applications, mobile home location registration systems and more recently interactive, over-the-top, TV services. He has been part of multiple start-ups in the online, social and mobile application space in recent years. Balu has an MBA from Johnson School at Cornell University, an MS in Computer Science from Arizona State University with a specialization in Distributed Computing, Parallel Algorithms & Processing, and Artificial Intelligence, and a B.S. in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry (triple major) from Bangalore University, India.
Introduction to Taxes and Tax Returns
Posted by Michael Tang, March 18th, 2013
Speaker: Mr. John Blakely
Date/Time: Saturday, 3/30/2013, 3:30 - 4:30PM
Location: Room 312, NPU South Building-A.
Abstract:
Are you curious about taxes or tax return? If the answer is yes, you should come to this seminar. We will cover three major topics: Why we pay taxes, what do taxes have to do with health care, and what the specific deductions and credits for students are.
The presenter will ask the audience if they are aware of what taxes pay for and give a brief summary of how other countries approach taxes. The presenter will then talk about who is required to pay taxes. This usually leads to information about first time filers and what they need to know about filing taxes.
Then the presenter will define the terms “tax deductions” and “tax credits.” He will give an overview of the tax forms 1098T, 1040EZ, 1040A, 1040. He will talk about the following deductions and credits for students:
* American Opportunity Tax Credit
*
Tuition and Fees deductions
*
Lifetime Learning Credit
*
Student loan interest deduction
The presenter will close with vital information about the new Affordable Care Act, (ACA). Most taxpayers are not aware that the ACA is being enforced through the tax process. A discussion about federal health subsidies regarding the ACA will typically follow.
After the presenter covers these three subjects, he will ask for questions from the audience. This will usually take 20 - 30 minutes.
Introduction to the Speaker:
A native of San Bernardino, California, John Blakely is the Office Manager at the H&R Block on Mowry Ave., in Fremont, CA. John joined H&R Block in 1999 after he retired as Vice President and General Manager of Allstate Insurance Company, San Francisco Metro Region.
Mr. Blakely has attained the level of Tax Specialist through required continuing education classes at H&R Block. He is a trained speaker specializing in taxes and tax issues. Mr. Blakely is also a member and speaker for the Warm Springs Rotary Club in Fremont, CA.
Topic: How to Avoid Common Mistakes by Entrepreneurs
Speaker: Dr. Magdy M. Hussein
Date/Time: Saturday, 3/16/2013, 3:30 - 4:30 PM
Location: Room 312, NPU South Building - A, 47655 Warm Springs Blvd., Fremont, CA 94539
Abstract:
There has been a lot of confusion about how to behave as an innovator and an entrepreneur. Many talented Silicon Valley engineers have mastered and developed ideas which came to the market as unknowns but later have become popular products. But those are the fortunate ones; the majority of new-comers and even those in business for some time make repeated mistakes which might cause their businesses and dreams to fail. Those mistakes which the seminar will explore are a collection of personal misbehavior and lack of good training.
Introduction to the Speaker:
The CEO of “Alliances for Development” a start-up in education consulting, an author, and a Silicon Valley resident, Dr. Magdy M. Hussein is a faculty member in the School of Business at Northwestern Polytechnic University and an adjunct professor at UC-Berkeley Extension, National University, and International Technological University.
Dr. Hussein's primary research areas of interest include business ethics and corporate social responsibility. He believes that ethics is strategic and critical from the absolute core business perspective. Without ethics the end will always be similar to Enron.
Prior to teaching in higher education, Dr. Hussein worked in industry for 25 years in the areas of broadcasting system engineering, computer network design, medical equipment and multicultural management consulting.
Dr. Hussein earned his doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) in organization and management from Capella University. To reach Dr. Magdy M. Hussein, please e-mail: mhussein@yahoo.com.
Topic: Immigration Seminar for International Students
Speaker: Mr. Stanley Chao
Date/Time: Saturday, 2/2/2013, 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Location: Conference Room C, 47671 Westinghouse Dr., Fremont, CA 94539
Abstract:
In this immigration seminar, you can learn about how the U.S. immigration system works and how to successfully prepare and process your legal documents so that your case is approved quickly and without complications.
This immigration seminar will cover:
- An approximately 45 minute introduction of basic visa options for international students,
- Interactive Q&A discussion session where seminar attendees can ask questions and receive answers immediately from our immigration attorney, Mr. Stanley Chao
Visa Options for Graduating Foreign Students in the United States:
- Optional Practical Training (OPT)
- H-1B Specialty Occupations
- Employment Based Visa (EB2, EB3)
Introduction to the Speaker:
Mr. Stanley Chao and his dedicated law office have been serving the Silicon Valley hi-tech area and nearby communities for over 20 years. He has experience in helping clients come from all over the world including Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, Canada, and Australia. As an immigrant himself, he understands how immigration procedures and regulations can change all the time and this can create a tremendous amount of stress and confusion for his clients. He and his team will use their professional knowledge and practical experience in both immigration and business law issues to help analyze and solve your case regardless what kind of obstacles you are facing.
Topic: Hardware Design in the Era of Big Data
Speaker: Dr. John Yan
Date/Time: Saturday, 1/26/2013, 11am to 12pm
Location: Room 113, East Building, 105 Fourier Ave., Fremont CA, 94539
Abstract:
Big data software, applications and services operate more efficiently when there are dedicated hardware platforms built for such networks, storage and servers. In this talk, I will describe the evolution of cloud computing and need for the co-optimization of hardware and software. Then, I will describe in more detail the growing needs for practical, hardware design in this emerging environment. Specifically, I will discuss the motivation and design of high speed networks which are essential for low latency, computing platforms focusing on high speed interconnects. Then, I’ll spice the talk up with some of my past research results and conclude my talk with a practical outlook for hardware design.
Introduction to the speaker:
Dr. John Yan received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. all in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California, Davis. During his time at the University of California, Dr. Yan has been recipient of the UC Microelectronics Innovation and Computer Research Opportunities (MICRO), Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN), National Institute of Health (NIH) funded Kirchestein National Research Service Award (NRSA), Block Grant and Teaching fellowships in addition to the IEEE MEMS Student Travel Award funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Transducers Research Foundation (TRF). Dr. Yan has held industry positions at various well-known companies such Hewlett-Packard Co., Cisco Systems, Inc., Verifone, Inc. and startup companies working on complex hardware and software systems. Dr. Yan has over 10 technical, peer-reviewed publications and 1 patent pending.