Skip to content
Latest Updates

Funding Status: Funded

HuskyADAPT (Accessible Design And Play Technology) - Portable Tool Kits for Toy Adaptation Events

Department of Bioengineering

Requested:

$8,175

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$8,175

Abstract

HuskyADAPT (Accessible Design And Play Technology) is a registered student organization that fosters an inclusive, sustainable, and multidisciplinary community supporting accessible design and play technology. One major mechanism by which HuskyADAPT achieves this mission is hosting twice-monthly toy adaptation events where attendees are taught to make off-the-shelf electronic toys more accessible to children with disabilities. This involves opening the toy, assessing the circuit, and soldering a headphone jack into the toy. This headphone jack allows for a variety of alternative activation switches to be plugged into the toy so that the toy can be activated by actions that work with the user’s abilities (such as tilting one’s head, moving one finger, blinking, or etc.) This is the core of “Accessible Design And Play Technology”, which involves a design approach that fosters a more inclusive product so individuals with all abilities can engage in play with developmentally important toys. Toy adaptation is a unique opportunity to 1) teach students technical skills such as soldering and tool usage, 2) explain complex concepts such as circuits in a tangible way, 3) create a platform for students from diverse educational backgrounds to interact and discuss social justice and access issues affecting our community, and 4) impact our Seattle community by increasing access to accessible and developmentally important toys. In the last four years, we have hosted 60 toy adaptation workshops and adapted 690 toys. These toy adaptation workshops typically have 20-30 students in attendance and students work to adapt toys in small (3-4 people), collaborative groups. Due to the pandemic, we cannot host in-person events, but the needs still exist for 1) teaching students technical skills and academic concepts, 2) creating a platform for students from diverse educational backgrounds to interact and problem solve together, and 3) providing accessible, developmentally important toys to the Seattle community. This project seeks to create portable tool kits that can be borrowed by our network of trained UW student volunteers to participate in virtual toy adaptation events. When it is possible to have socially distant events, having more kits will allow us to host workshops where each student volunteer has their own kit such that we minimize sharing of tools. After the pandemic is over and we return to having regular events, these portable tool kits will continue to be used and will increase the capacity at our events and make our events more location-flexible.


Student Organization Management System 2022

Student Activities Office/Ethnic Cultural Center

Requested:

$184,664

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$184,664

Abstract

Last year the representatives from the STF invited representatives from the SAO & ECC to submit brief presentation about our combined and shared use of the Anthology (Formerly Campus Labs) Engage program at UW called Huskylink. Our joint efforts have enhanced our services to students, our primary goals outlined in our initial proposals (2018-73) have not changed. We provide an online student organization directory, social media, and programs for nearly 1,000 RSOs. During the last two years of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Huskylink has been a vital lifeline for students to connect and communicate with each other to make the UW an engaging and inviting place for RSOs to be in community during the Pandemic. We will continue our combined efforts and energy serving students through Huskylink. Video link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12U0ARo4QrsoC3eHb7bTAxzZ1D99dkfYO/view?usp=sharing


Husky Flying Club - Racing Drones

Department of Aerospace Studies

Requested:

$3,351

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$3,351

Abstract

First-person view (FPV) drone racing is a hobbyist sport wherein pilots fly high-performance quadcopters through a course while wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset connected to a camera on the drone. This proposal requests funds to purchase a fleet of 10 racing/practice drones, tools and equipment for assembly/maintenance, and obstacle gates for flight practices. The Husky Flying Club (HFC) drone racing team is part of the HFC RSO at UW, which consists of a growing 60 undergraduate students as of April 2021. The club and its equipment are operated entirely by UW students, with faculty only involved as advisors. HFC operates three VR flight simulators from a previous STF award, providing opportunities for students to develop flight skills in manned aviation. The HFC drone racing team seeks to provide this same opportunity and exposure to students interested in the developing field of unmanned aviation. The HFC drone racing team is the first organization of its kind on the UW campus, providing entry-level access to unmanned flights to all students, regardless of experience or technical background. FPV racing is a popular and growing sport, with at least 27 other universities with established drone teams, including UC Berkeley, Oregon State, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. HFC currently has one operational racing drone purchased with personal funds, and limited tools and support equipment. With this funding, HFC seeks to expand its drone operations to a competitive level in the local and collegiate scene. Materials to upgrade and maintain racing drones, as well as equipment to operate practice drones, will be crucial to developing the team into a competitive group, as well as providing a more involved educational experience for all members of the club. This expanded drone fleet will make unmanned aviation technology newly accessible to the students of the University of Washington.


Benchtop Powder X-ray Diffractometer for High Throughput Materials Characterization

Department of Chemistry

Requested:

$98,701

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$98,701

Abstract

We request funds to purchase a benchtop powder X-ray diffractometer equipped with an automated sample changer for use by students across a variety of UW departments. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) is an essential materials characterization tool widely used across chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science. It is the primary, and often only, technique able to probe the crystal structure of powder samples. PXRD patterns are routinely used to confirm the structure of known compounds; to solve the structure of completely unknown, novel phases; and to characterize crystallite size, strain, and defects present in nanomaterials. Despite its critical role in modern-day materials research, powder X-ray diffraction is poorly integrated into our lower and upper-level laboratory courses. There are no easy to use, robust, and high throughput PXRD instruments available on campus for broad student use. The purchase of modern, state-of-the-art benchtop powder X-ray diffractometer would dramatically expand the use of powder diffraction from a limited set of advanced researchers to a large population of undergraduate and graduate students.


Augmenting aging applied mathematics servers with GPU-equipped Hyak node

Department of Applied Mathematics

Requested:

$47,343

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$47,343

Abstract

We would like to order a node equipped with GPUs on Hyak, UW's shared cluster supercomputer, for students in the Department of Applied Mathematics (AMATH) to use for research and classes. The addition of this Hyak node is critical for modernizing and expanding the department's computing resources. This will allow us to phase out the two oldest and least reliable department servers, as well as expand our limited GPU computing resources. As a result, we could increase access to high-performance scientific computing tools for students in AMATH courses and could better equip students to perform cutting edge research in a variety of fields, including artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and atmospheric science.


GPSS Computer Replacement

GPSS

Requested:

$1,361

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$1,361

Abstract

The Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) is made to represent the graduate and professional student community at the University of Washington. Our mission is to advocate for the needs and interests of the graduate and professional students at the University of Washington on campus and at the state and federal levels. We aim to create a respectful, inclusive environment by promoting professional development and amplifying graduate and professional student voices in university decisions. For the past few years, we have been working out of outdated computers, which we predict will become an issue as the COVID-19 pandemic forced all of our operations online. To continue to deliver on our mission, GPSS will need to upgrade our technology with new computers.


Battery Storage for The 8 Makerspace

Washington Superbike

Requested:

$1,693

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$1,693

Abstract

The 8 Community Center in McMahon Hall is the newest engineering Makerspace on the UW Seattle campus. This facility houses various manufacturing equipment and is available 24/7 to all members of the UW community as part of a collaboration between HFS, DXArts, and the College of Engineering. A total of nine engineering RSOs (Registered Student Organizations) share the workspace, including Washington Superbike, an interdisciplinary student team designing and building an electric motorcycle powered by lithium-ion batteries. This proposal requests a safety cabinet and tool cart to be installed in The 8 for the purpose of lithium-ion battery storage. By providing equipment enabling students to store batteries in the Makerspace, we can improve safety and ease of access for students working on projects at The 8. The equipment will be available not only to the members of Washington Superbike (the authors of this proposal) but also to all other engineering RSOs that work in The 8. Approval of this proposal represents a valuable partnership between RSO teams and will greatly improve the workflow of every team utilizing the Makerspace. Washington Superbike relies on industry sponsorship for much of its equipment and materials, and our access to monetary donations from companies has been limited this year due to the economic impact of the pandemic. As such, the Student Technology Fee is our primary resource for funding this purchase.


HUB Meeting Room Teleconferencing Upgrade

The HUB

Requested:

$157,333

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$157,333

Abstract

The Husky Union Building is one of the leading meeting and event spaces on the UW Seattle Campus. Being the Student Union, our primary goal is to deliver a dynamic event center in which students, staff/faculty, and the UW community can come engage in meetings and events that advance the Husky Experience. We strive to create a dynamic event center in which everyone feels welcome an inspired to grow.


Laser Machining System for the Student Innovation Center

Department of Chemistry

Requested:

$50,503

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$50,503

Abstract

We request funds to purchase a machine for laser cutting, marking, and engraving that will be located in the Student Innovation Center (SIC, https://sites.uw.edu/innovation/), which is based in the Department of Chemistry and is available to all UW students. Laser machining is a precise process used to cut parts from a wide variety of materials, including paper, wood, plastics, and rubbers. It can also mark and engrave many additional materials, including glass and bare metals when coated with a metal marking solution. Facile access to laser machining is critical for those who iteratively design and fabricate their own tools and instrumentation; this equipment will benefit hundreds of UW students. More generally, students will benefit from exposure to equipment and skills that are widely used in industry as they prepare themselves for their future careers. The specific system requested is complementary to the other fabrication equipment in the SIC and has great synergy with the other systems on campus that students can access.


Student Laptop Refresh

Friday Harbor Laboratories

Requested:

$13,281

Status:

Funded

Awarded:

$13,281

Abstract

Friday Harbor Labs is looking for funding to refresh the 3 older laptops with 4 new 16" MacBook Pro laptops for students to checkout and use. The current supply of laptops are 2 13" and 1 15" Windows laptop from 2012 and 2015 that can no longer update or run the latest software needed by the students.


Get in Touch

Workshops

Learn about the Student Technology Fee and the proposal process by attending a Workshop led by our staff and receive 1:1 support with your proposal.

RSVP Here

Contact Us

Phone: 206-543-2975
Email: stfexec@uw.edu
Office: Husky Union Building 305B

Book an Appointment

Stay Connected