Portland State Magazine Spring 2018

4 THE LACK of diversity in the tech industry has always been of concern to James Hook, a PSU engineering associate dean. Hook and his team of collaborators hope to change that by getting more students to study computer science. Using a $1 million National Science Foundation grant awarded to the University’s Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, they plan to bring a proven, inclusive computer science curriculum to high school students of all backgrounds, life experiences and ethnicities across Oregon. “A working knowledge of computer science is quickly becoming fundamental to being an informed member of society,” says Hook. “With this grant, we’ll be equipped to bring every Oregon high schooler a valuable computer science education.” Wanted: More computer scientists JUST STEPS from the loud whir of commuter aircraft propellers, John Dea and his fellow PSU students help Portland International Airport staff dispose of the 11 tons of waste generated each day while keeping as much of it as they can out of landfills. For the past 15 years, Portland State students have sorted trash, conducted food waste studies, and led green projects, including the first-in-the- nation liquid collection barrels located in the security lines. Their work has prevented nearly a third of the airport’s waste from going into landfills, and helped the airport win recognition as the best domestic airport in the United States in each of the past five years. Cutting waste at PDX PARK BLOCKS