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The Shenandoah Valley Connection top 
January 19 , 2018
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SVTC January luncheon | Cryptocurrency and Bitcoins: What is that? Should I care? (1/25)
EngineerGirl Writing Contest | Open to all students grades 3rd - 12th (deadline 2/1)
Final Presentations | Shen. Valley Cohort | ICAP (2/9)
Virginia Junior Science and Humanities Symposium @ JMU (application deadline 2/9)
SVTC Bits & Grits (2/20)
Intro to User Experience (UX) | Harrisonburg Class | Limited Spaces Available (2/24).
STEM Takes Flight NASA Research Experiences | For Community College Students (deadline 2/26)
Top of VA Regional Chamber Greater Good Awards (2/26)
NVTC Capital Data Summit & University Data Challenge (2/28)
FIRST Tech Challenge Team, Tech Busters, Seeks Mentors and Sponsors
BRCC Seeks STEM Mentors
Job Opening | Software Engineer, Jenzabar in Harrisonburg
Job Opening | Assistant or Associate Professor of Data Science, JMU
Job Opening | Director of Information Technology, Lexington City Schools
Job Opening | IT Technician, Dynamic Aviation in Bridgewater
Job Opening | Information Technology Systems Analyst, Western State Hospital in Staunton
Job Opening | Programmer/Information Technology Specialist, Western State Hospital in Staunton
Job Opening | Digital Marketing Specialist and Content Writer, Immerge in Harrisonburg
SVTC January luncheon | Cryptocurrency and Bitcoins: What is that? Should I care? (1/25)

Jan 25 2018 luncheon cryptocurrency bitcoin

11:45 am - 1:00 pm | Wood Grill Buffet, Harrisonburg

Bitcoin turned  eight years old this month, but many people are only just now learning about the cryptocurrency. At our Jan. 25, 2018 luncheon Dr. Benton helps us break down bitcoin, cryptocurrency, blockchain and how we think about the global economy, currencies, and the underlying technologies. Key issues he will discuss are trust, control, consensus, and value.

Morgan Benton
About Dr. Benton
Morgan C. Benton is Co-Founder of the  Burning Mind Project and an Associate Professor in the Department of Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT) at JMU. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Information Systems from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. His research focuses on innovation in learning, higher education, and transformation. He  blogs at Morphatic.
An excellent and very informative interview from NPR's The1A.org gives many insights as they examine bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and blockchain:  Tales From The Crypto: Bitcoin, Blockchain And The Future Of Money.

(If you used our previous (Google) form, there is *no need* to register again.)


A big thanks to our sponsors! 

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EngineerGirl Writing Contest
| Open to all students
grades 3rd - 12th  (deadline 2/1)



Deadline February 1st at 11:59 pm| Online submission

Every year, the EngineerGirl website sponsors a contest dealing with engineering and its impact on our world. This year's contest asks students to investigate an infrastructure system in their own community and suggest an improvement in the form of a persuasive letter, essay or summary report (based on grade level) for their city or county council. 

The contest is open to individual girls and boys enrolled in grades 3 - 12. 

For more information, view the contest rules and requirements

The essay will be submitted online via an online registration form

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February 9, 2018 | 9 am - 12 pm | JMU Lakeview Hall

About ICAP and This Cohort
ICAP is a statewide technology-commercialization program offered by the Virginia Network of Small Business Development Centers, George Mason University, and local sponsors (SVTC, SBDC, JMU X-Labs).
Based on the National Science Foundation's I-Corps™ program for Lean Startups, ICAP 2.0 helps inventors and entrepreneurs take the right first steps in bringing new technologies and innovations to market.
During this free 3-week program, individuals worked with ICAP instructors and teammates to learn techniques to help identify potential customers, learn their needs and how to build a successful business model from that knowledge.

The Short Course is the beginning of an ICAP process that guides companies through the Five Steps to Startup Success:
  • Validate one's business model
  • Build the right team of three or more members
  • Develop a minimum viable product (MVP)
  • Create early sales traction
  • Establish distribution channels and key partnerships
Who was Eligible?
All Virginia early-stage technology innovators and entrepreneurs (faculty, students, or the community at large) who were seeking to explore the commercial prospects for their innovations were encouraged to participate in this regional cohort.

Some graduates of this cohort may be eligible to apply to NSF's full National Seven-week I-Corps Program in which includes non-dilutive grants for customer discovery and prototype development. Additionally, this program can help teams develop better submissions for SBIRs and CRCF grants from Virginia's Center for Innovative Technologies.

 

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JSHS invites high school students to report on the results of their original research investigations in STEM and compete for scholarships and recognition at university-held regional symposia. 

JSHS is designed to challenge, engage, and publicly recognize students (Grades 9-12) conducting research in the sciences, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). Individual students compete for scholarships and recognition by presenting the results of their original research efforts before a panel of judges and an audience of their peers. Opportunities for career exploration, research lab visits, peer discussions, and networking are planned. By participating in regional and national symposia, students may:
  • Participate in a forum honoring individual achievement in STEM;
  • Network with peers who have similar interests;
  • Hear research presentations by other students;
  • Develop skills to help prepare for undergraduate and graduate pursuits in STEM fields;
  • Hear nationally renowned scientists speak on their work;
  • Qualify for significant scholarships and other recognition; and
  • Advance to the national symposium.
All students must be nominated by a teacher or administrator from his/her school except home/online students who may be nominated by the parent responsible for his/her educational plan. Private schools may nominate 2 students, public high schools up to 4 students and Governors/ Magnet schools may nominate up to 12 students each.

More information, eligibility requirements, and registration for symposium

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February 20, 2018 | 8 am | Mrs. Rowe's in Staunton

Come join us for Bits & Grits at Mrs. Rowe's in Staunton! This is a casual event. Just show up to drink coffee, have breakfast, or just talk with fellow techies in the Shenandoah Valley. Attendees should look for Kurt Plowman when entering Mrs. Rowe's.

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February 24, 2018 | 10am - 4pm @ Jenzabar | $60

At its core, User Experience (UX) is defined as how someone feels about using a product, system, or service. Regardless of what we're designing - a website, an Android app, or a toaster - we all strive to make our designs useful, easy to use, and enjoyable to use. But how exactly do we make something useful, easy to use, and enjoyable? How do we know if the target audience is having a good or bad experience? This class will arm you with the essential tips to find those answers.

This class is for anyone who makes (or wants to learn how to make) websites, mobile apps, or other software. If you're a developer, a designer, a project manager, a content creator, or something else, you can integrate UX research and design into your practice.

This is a hands on course which will give you actionable tools to get started with user experience in your work day!

Tech Requirements
Your laptop. Note: A netbook or tablet is NOT a substitute.

Scholarships
Central VA Girl Develop It is offering a limited number of scholarships to offer. Their goal is to be a sustainable organization that offers low-cost web development classes to women. With that in mind, if there's a class that you want to attend but cannot afford for financial reasons, please apply for a scholarship (https://goo.gl/forms/xVSJXjzzYFH5yQcf1).

For this class, the scholarship application deadline is February 19, 2017.

Contact
Questions about the class or interested in being a teaching assistant? Contact [email protected].


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STEM Takes Flight NASA Research Experiences | For Community College Students 
(deadline 2/26)
 
Deadline February 26, 2018

Virginia Space Grant Consortium is partnering with NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton and NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore to provide hands-on research experience opportunities for at least 23 Virginia Community College students during summer 2018. These paid opportunities will be identified by both NASA Centers with current Center missions and projects that are at a point which would maximize hands-on engagement of the students at project critical stages, while inspiring students, teaching them the nature of project work, communications and teamwork, and providing strong exposure to a wide range of technical and scientific career paths. Student researchers will work with NASA research advisors on the designated research project over the course of a 10 week, 40-hour- per-week, summer research experience. Students will receive a $5,000 stipend. Application packages are due February 26, 2018.

Deadlines
  • Summer 2018 Application Due: FEBRUARY 26, 2018
  • Electronic Recommendations Due: MARCH 2, 2018
  • Selection Notification Deadline: On or about APRIL 16, 2018
Contact 
Debbie Murray, Program Manager, Virginia Space Grant Consortium, [email protected]; 757-766-5210 or Nicole Shaw, Program Assistant,  [email protected]

More information, eligibility requirements, and registration for summer research program

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Top of VA Regional Chamber Greater Good Awards (2/26)
 


February 26, 2018 |  5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Clarion Inn & Conference Center, Winchester |  See Prices Below

Join Top of Virginia Regional Chamber members at the annual Greater Good Awards event presented by Valley Health to kick off the new year for the business community. The theme for this year's event is Hollywood!  Award nominees will be recognized in high style as winners of the Hollie Awards are announced!  As the Chamber turned 100 years old in 2017, it seemed fitting to name these prestigious awards after the first Chamber president, Hollie B. McCormac.

Highlights of the evening include a networking cocktail hour, dinner, silent auction, membership update, and presentation of the Greater Good Awards.  Local author and motivational speaker Jay Foreman will be the the MC for the evening!

Don't wait to make your reservations!  Pre-registration for this event is required.  Same day reservations cannot be accepted.

Cost
Chamber members | $75
Non-members | $85
Table Reservations $750 / $850

Full details and registration for Jan. 26, 2018 award ceremony

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NVTC Capital Data Summit & University Data
Challenge 
(2/28)



February 28, 2018 | 7:45 am - 4:00 pm
The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner |  See Prices Below

Join Northern VA's leading big data and analytics companies and prominent thought leaders at the second annual Capital Data Summit on Feb. 28, 2018 at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner.

Featuring keynote speakers and panels offering unique insights on how big data and analytics are transforming industries and producing results for organizations and their customers, a technology showcase of the region's leading big data and analytics companies, and unmatched networking opportunities, the Capital Data Summit will provide exceptional business development and educational value for NVTC members and the entire Greater Washington technology community.

Keynote Speakers
William Ruh, CEO, GE Digital, and Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, GE
Mark Ryland, Chief Solutions Architect, Amazon Web Services Public Sector

NEW IN 2018!
The 2018 Capital Data Summit will include a new University Data Challenge, in which teams of students representing the region's universities and community colleges will be challenged to analyze and respond to a topic/question using any combination of data sources and statistical, mathematical modeling, big data, and related techniques available to them.

Cost
Member: $395.00
Additional Member Attendee: $345.00
General Audience: $550.00
Student: $50.00
Government Employee: $25.0


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FIRST Tech Challenge Team, Tech Busters
Seeks 
Mentors and Sponsors

Local robotics team Tech Busters is looking for sponsors and mentors to help their group. Tech folks, please consider becoming a mentor or sponsor for this team, or spread the word. 

 

"Hello, w e are the Tech Busters, a local FIRST Tech Challenge team from Waynesboro, Staunton, and Augusta County.  Each year we design, build, program, and operate a robot to meet the new challenge released by FIRST the first weekend in September  (The competitions begin in mid November!). We also fundraise and outreach to our community to bring awareness about FIRST programs and have inspired the creation of a FIRST LEGO League team (The Bomb Squad! Many of our alumni mentor this team.).  

Currently we are a team of 6 (2 girls and 4 boys) teenagers ages 13-17 and meet at the Augusta County Library in Fishersville and at various other locations around the area. We are still looking for a permanent location so currently the robot, parts, tools, and field live in our parents cars, living rooms, and bedrooms.  This is a challenge because we spend a lot of our precious work time setting up and tearing down.  We meet once a week beginning in late summer and twice a week (Tues. 2-4 in Fishersville and Sat. TBD each week) after the game release.  We have one mentor, a retired engineer who is the grandpa to two of our team members, but would love to have more mentors (last year between travel and surgery he couldn't be there)! Experience not necessary, just a passion for helping kids succeed and a willingness to look at our crude designs and point us in the right direction or teach us a new skill like how to use PTC Creo more effectively!   Our coaches are two of our moms but all of our parents work just as hard to make sure we succeed.  None of them have a background in engineering or anything close. 

We are also looking for sponsors.  Any amount gets your company on our tri-fold and in our engineering notebook, $75 or more gets you on the backs of our team shirt, and $200 or more gets you on our hipster robot named Brobot 4.0.  Please contact our coaches Jennifer Armstrong,  [email protected]or Wendy Snider,  [email protected]or check out our Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/techbusters8275/ for more information."

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Blue Ridge Community College is looking for STEM professionals to be mentors to STEM students, by providing encouragement and moral support, and being a positive role model.  For more information please  email Jamie, BRCC's Mentoring Coordinator, at [email protected]If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the form in the link below. 


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Job Opening: Software Engineer

Jenzabar is looking for a talented and experienced Software Engineer to join our team of passionate people in designing and developing a high quality, end user focused administrative web application for higher education. This individual should be highly proficient with HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript/jQuery and have a passion for web development as well as a keen eye for well-designed UX and UI. The Software Engineer should have solid experience with Responsive Web Design techniques to build interfaces which will adapt to the many devices in which our end users will use to access our application. Solid experience with developing .Net MVC web applications and the .Net framework is highly preferred. If you enjoy working in a team environment to develop an application that will not just let users do their work but help them do their work, then please consider joining the Jenzabar team.

 
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Job Opening: Assistant or Associate Professor of Data Science
JMU Co llege of Integrated Science and Engineering| Harrisonburg

The Department of Integrated Science and Technology ( ISAT ) at James
Madison University ( JMU ) invites applications for a tenure-track position
at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor beginning August, 2018. The Department of Integrated Science and Technology (soon to become the School of Integrated Sciences) is a dynamic, highly interdisciplinary academic unit of 50 faculty with terminal degrees in 39 different fields. Our graduates are innovative problem solvers with strong analytical and teaming skills that enable them to work on complex socio-technical problems facing organizations, communities, and society. Additional information on the department and its individual programs can be found at http://www.isat.jmu.edu.


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Job Opening: 
Director of Information Technology 

Lexington City Schools | Lexington

The Director of Information Technology is responsible for the design, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of all server, network, and computing technology for Lexington City Schools and the City of Lexington. This position also assists with networking and server support at the Rockbridge ECC. The position reports to the Superintendent of Lexington City Schools and the City Manager. Given oversight of the city's varied technology infrastructure, the Director of Information Technology must be self - driven, organized, and possess a keen attention to detail. As primary support for faculty, staff, and students, the Director of Information Technology must also be collaborative and committed to customer service. 


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Job Opening: 
IT Technician
Dynamic Aviation | Bridgewater

The IT Technician will provide maintenance of the computer desktop environment by analyzing requirements, resolving problems, installing and removing hardware and software from computer systems, and supporting the internal IT Help Desk. The IT Technician will be responsible for administration and internal support of the company's PC's, printers, scanners, and related equipment. Tasks include end user support, license tracking, ticket generation and completion, and performing PC maintenance, upgrades, and configurations. The qualified applicant will also work closely with the network group to ensure compliance with company policies and procedures.


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Job Opening: 
Information Technology Systems Analyst
Western State Hospital | Staunton

Western State Hospital is seeking an individual to provide system administration and technical support for specialized network infrastructure applications and systems. These include, but are not limited to, the Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON), wireless network (Aruba), staff and patient access and tracking systems (AMAG, Centrak, SARA), patient internet access (DSL), and the segregated Building Automation System network infrastructure.

More information at Jobs.Virginia.gov

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Job Opening: Programmer
/Information Technology Specialist
Western State Hospital | Staunton

Western State Hospital is seeking an individual to create, modify, and test the code, forms, and scripts that allow computer applications to run. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.

More information at Jobs.Virginia.gov

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Job Opening: 
Digital Marketing Specialist and Content Writer 
Immerge | Harrisonburg

Immerge is seeking for a qualified Digital Marketing Specialist/Content Writer to join their team in DowntownHarrisonburg. They are specifically looking for an individual with digital marketing and content writing training/experience. Please note Immerge is not looking for remote workers at this time. Candidate must be willing to relocate.

More information at ZipRecruiter

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Participate in the local tech conversation: Rocktown Tech (Slack)

Currently there are 18 channels and over 250 members. Please join in! 
Sign-up link:  https://rocktowntech.herokuapp.com/

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Membership Badge Available 
 
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See how our Level I Members  grep Innovation, LLC displayed our membership badge on their  website!

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