Previous BOFs have ranged from presentations followed by Q and A to facilitated brainstorming sessions about a topic of shared interest. In the past, BOFs have brought together women interested in mobile computing, networking, student-led mentoring programs, and academic hiring issues. We particularly encourage students to submit BOF topics!
A BOF proposal should include a title, a brief description of the topic, a description of the expected audience, a description of the format of the BOF, and a summary of the qualifications of the session leader(s). Submissions can be no more than two (2) pages in length (using no less than 10pt type) and they must be submitted electronically. References do not count as part of the 2 page maximum. Your file upload must be in one of the following formats: pdf, postscript, ascii text, or MS Word.
Our dream BOF would be the following:
Ayah Bdeir – littlebits / Open source hardware conference
Leah Buechley – MIT / Lilypad Arduino
Christy Canida – Instructables
Lenore Edman – Evil Mad Science
Jeri Ellsworth – Engineer
Limor Fried – Adafruit Industries
Alicia Gibb – Buglabs / Open source hardware conference
MJ – iFixit
Jillian Northrup – Because we can
Erin RobotGrrl – RobotGrrl
Becky Stern – MAKE Magazine / CRAFT Magazine
Jessica Uelmen – Parallax
All about open source hardware, making things and sharing…
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!
Capt Grace Hopper – My first computer instructor in 1975. I was a LCDR in nuclear submarines (with safe reactors!) when I went to her class. She was awesome! She infused a real passion for computers. One night, the Star Trek episode was about a computer taking over and she wrapped that into her lecture the next day. At the end of the class I asked her if I should bother building one of the new MITS Altair microcomputers to learn computing. She said “Absolutely, some of my guys are doing that in the Pentagon.” From that class, with no formal computer training, I went on to be in charge of the Central Computer Complex of the 2nd sub to have a central computer, then after leaving the Navy, had my own SW/HW biz for 6 years and now have been with HP for 25 years! A final anecdote about Capt Hopper: I saw he back in the smoking section of a flight I was on in the late 80s. She was just lighting up a Camel. I struck up a conversation on my way to the back of the plane, discussing the class I had taken from her. Then I said, “Gee, Capt Hopper, those are strong cigarettes!” She quipped, “Do you think they will cut my life short?” She was about 80 at the time!
Capt Grace Hopper – My first computer instructor in 1975. I was a LCDR in nuclear submarines (with safe reactors!) when I went to her class. She was awesome! She infused a real passion for computers. One night, the Star Trek episode was about a computer taking over and she wrapped that into her lecture the next day. At the end of the class I asked her if I should bother building one of the new MITS Altair microcomputers to learn computing. She said “Absolutely, some of my guys are doing that in the Pentagon.” From that class, with no formal computer training, I went on to be in charge of the Central Computer Complex of the 2nd sub to have a central computer, then after leaving the Navy, had my own SW/HW biz for 6 years and now have been with HP for 25 years! A final anecdote about Capt Hopper: I saw he back in the smoking section of a flight I was on in the late 80s. She was just lighting up a Camel. I struck up a conversation on my way to the back of the plane, discussing the class I had taken from her. Then I said, “Gee, Capt Hopper, those are strong cigarettes!” She quipped, “Do you think they will cut my life short?” She was about 80 at the time!