Building Toward Zero: Projects from the UT Institute for Smart Structures
MEETING FOR THE WEEK OF June 19, 2023
This Meeting at a Glance:
Program: Building Toward Zero: Projects from the UT Institute for Smart Structures
Speaker: James Rose
Is this your first time to visit us? If so, welcome to our weekly online meeting! To complete our meeting, please continue reading from here to the bottom of this page. Each Monday our week’s meeting is posted early in the morning, U.S. Pacific Time. These meetings are designed so that you can read and watch what we post anytime during the week. The entire meeting takes about 60 minutes to complete, with the video conference recording of the program being the bulk of the time. Note that you can easily read this meeting with your favorite device, so feel free to take our meeting on the go with you. Please also make sure to complete the attendance form at the bottom and leave a comment. Enjoy!
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Read and watch the content below in its entirety.
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Everyone is also encouraged to leave a comment in the Disqus section at the bottom of the page.
Message from our President
Dear fellow members and friends,
As I sit down to type my final letter as President of our great eClub, I am filled with a bittersweet mixture of emotions. The past year has been an incredible journey filled with challenges, triumphs, and invaluable experiences. Through it all, I have been honored to serve as your President.
The projects, initiatives, and collaborations we have undertaken have not only enriched the lives of those we serve but have also left an indelible mark on my heart. Our collective efforts have transformed me into a better Rotarian, a more compassionate human being, and a true believer in the power of service above self.
The Rotary International Convention that just wrapped up in Melbourne, Australia served as a testament to the potential of our organization. As an eClub with members hailing from all corners of the world, it is truly remarkable to see some of us come together in one place to represent our club with pride and enthusiasm. In addition, I am thrilled to hear that those who participated in the event were inspired, motivated, and reinvigorated to continue making a difference in the world.
As we prepare to welcome our new President Nick, I have no doubt that under his capable leadership, our club will continue to flourish and make a positive impact in our global community. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to him as he embarks on this new chapter. By the way, I invite you all to join us for the changeover ceremony, where we will celebrate our accomplishments and welcome the new leadership. The date will be announced shortly, so please stay tuned for further details.
In closing, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to each and every one of you. Thank you for your tireless efforts, your unwavering commitment, and your belief in the power of Rotary to dream big and change lives. It has been an absolute privilege to serve as your President, and I am forever grateful for the memories, experiences, and friendships that we have shared.
With warmest regards,
Angelica Marotta, PhD
President 2022-2023 Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley
Rotary International District 5170
WEEKLY FUNNY WITH SHAGS
We believe laughter is an important part of life, and we should all make time to laugh a little. This segment of our meeting is meant to tickle you just enough. These funnies are curated by member Steven "Shags" Shagrin!
There is an old fable about a puppy that was vigorously chasing its tail. An old dog saw him and asked, "Why are you chasing your tail so?"
The puppy answered, "I have mastered philosophy. I have solved the problems of our universe, which no dog before me has solved correctly. I have learned that the best thing for a dog is contentment and happiness. I have further discovered that contentment lies within my tail. Therefore, I am chasing it; and when I catch it, I shall have happiness!"
The old dog just nodded his wrinkled head, then replied, "My son, I, too, have paid attention to the problems of our universe. In my own weak way, I have formed some opinions. Like you, I have judged that contentment and happiness are fine things for a dog and that, indeed, happiness lies within my tail. But I have also noticed that when I chase it, it keeps running from me; but when I simply go about my business, it follows after me."
INSPIRATION
Every week we share a short video highlighting innovation, education, entrepreneurship, or whatever we think might inspire you to see the world in new ways.
One avenue of innovation is to take an existing technology and reimagine it in some powerful way. In this case, it's a Japanese designed pedal-powered wheelchair. Thanks to Shags for suggesting this one!
LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Some Really Fun and Clever Kitchen Hacks
I love the one with the melted cheese!!
Club News
Remember to log-in to our ClubRunner Members site at <Click here>. After logging in, please be sure to access the MyClubRunner tab, and select My Profile. Please update your personal information here, which automatically updates our club directory.
Members: Please watch for an important email from our Treasurer Cecelia regarding the changes for paying your semi-annual dues. You will be receiving an invoice shortly. Please be sure to make your payment prior to June 30 so we can update our roster at Rotary International prior to the start of the new Rotary year, July 1.
SERVICE REPORT
Tell us about service you’ve done recently in your community.
Click here to fill out The Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley Service Survey
ROTARY SERVICE PROJECT OPPORTUNITY IN MEXICO
Charter member Keith Marsh is organizing a Rotary project to Project Amigo in October for the “Day of the Dead” (Dia de los Muertos). The week-long trip to Cofradia, Mexico will include Rotary Service in the areas of International Service, Youth Service and Fellowship. It will also include cultural and travel photography of the festivities surrounding Day of the Dead. Space is limited. Click below to download the .pdf for more details and visit the Project Amigo website at: https://www.projectamigo.org/ Contact Keith or leave a comment below if you are interested in attending.
HAPPY DOLLARS: Do Good by Sharing Something Good
Each week we ask our members to share stories with the club and toss in a few dollars to support our efforts. The primary goal of this section is to provide a fun way of getting to know each fellow members and guests, while giving back to a good cause.
Happy dollars is an opportunity to share something positive that has happened in your life whether it is personal or business. Think of it as your opportunity to brag a little, but also put a little bit into a karma jar. The money donated through happy dollars is put to charitable use.
PROGRAM: Building Toward Zero: Projects from the UT Institute for Smart Structures
SPEAKER: James Rose
Every week we bring to you a new program on innovation, entrepreneurship, and education, and how those contribute to service to others.
The Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley seeks to explore perspectives on service from across the world. The views of the speakers in our programs are their own, and unless stated otherwise, are not necessarily reflective of the views of our eClub or Rotary International.
If you have an idea for a cool speaker, please feel free to reach out to them directly or submit THIS FORM so our Program Committee can contact them!
Our speaker this week, James Rose, is the director of the Institute for Smart Structures and a distinguished lecturer and adjunct assistant professor of the University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design. A faculty member since 2004, James is the recipient of numerous awards for his teaching and built work including an Architect Magazine R+D Award, an AIA Innovation in Technology Award, and recognition as a Design Intelligence Most Admired Educator. In addition, he has co-authored papers on building technology with colleagues at the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The charge of the Institute for Smart Structures is to research architectural applications of emerging technologies for sustainability and to explore those applications through design/build projects that engage students, faculty, and industry partners. This presentation highlights several projects at scale from housing to building components.
Members and guests, please welcome James Rose!
To read an article about James' work at ISS, go to:
https://archdesign.utk.edu/pavilion-cherokee-farm/
UPCOMING PROGRAM RECORDING SCHEDULE
All of our guest speakers and programs are recorded live online over Zoom video conference. We welcome members and guests to join us in one of these upcoming recordings. Recordings are approximately 30 minutes long and are subject to change without notice.
Our online video conference room link for these recordings is always http://zoom.siliconvalleyrotary.com/. You are welcome to join us! Please note the timezone listed for all recordings is US Pacific Time (San Francisco, California, USA).
If you can’t join the live recording, please send your questions for an upcoming speaker to programs@siliconvalleyrotary.com.
THE ATTENDANCE SURVEY
Thanks for reading and watching this week’s meeting. You have two last things to do before you’re done.
We have a very short attendance survey below for you to fill out to record your attendance.
Visiting Rotarians, this is how you can get an email receipt to pass along to your club’s secretary as proof that you’ve attended our meeting if you need it for makeups.
Non-Rotarian Guests, we would love to see who is dropping by our meetings! This part is optional for you. If you think you may want to join our eClub at some point in the future, we would strongly recommend you fill out the attendance form as it will improve your chances of success for your membership application.
For all members and guests — we strongly recommend and ask that you leave a comment in our comments area below. Tell us how you enjoyed the program. Ask this week’s speaker any questions you might have. Or just stop by and say hello and tell us where you’re from!
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