EWU logo

    • Apply
    • Academics
    • Athletics
    • Calendar
    • Community
    • About
    • InsideEWU
    • Canvas
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

EWU Admissions

Blogs for Future EWU Eagles

  • Blogs
  • About EWU
  • Contact Us

Archives for April 2016

Get Lit! 2016: Garth Stein Races to Sunny Spokane

04/25/2016 by Nick Thomas Leave a Comment


Get Lit! 2016: EWU Hosts Week-long Literary Festival

Garth Stein came to the Fox Theater as part of Get Lit! 2016. EWU’s annual one-week literary festival. The author of New York Times bestselling novel “The Art of Racing in the Rain” talked about growing up in Seattle in the ‘80’s, going to college in NYC, making documentary films, writing plays, racing cars, and finally becoming a wildly successful novelist.

Garth Stein with his dog named Comet
Stein with Comet, the Labrapoodle he adopted from Spangle, a farm town near EWU (photo: Frank Huster)

Stein explained the challenge of putting pen to paper, taking this weird idea and actually writing the thing that became the first draft that became the novel that has now spawned other siblings such as a young adult version, and a children’s book. While on book tour for his first novel, his wife made him write forty pages of the dog book before she would let him back in the house. He credits her as an essential part of his career as a novelist. The two met while studying film at Columbia University.

And Stein spoke passionately about the need for discourse on literature in American culture, and implored us to support our public library, check out books, give books away, something he does with the philanthropy group “Seattle 7 Writers.” And, he says, keep going to readings and events like Get Lit!

Garth Stein at Get Lit Spokane
Garth Stein speaks at Get Lit! Festival of literature hosted by EWU (photo: Nick Thomas)

He fielded questions about Comet, the beloved Labra-poodle his family adopted from a farm near Spangle, a town 15 miles south of EWU. The idea for his “Dog Book” (what he calls it) occurred to him when he learned about the Buddhist belief that dogs are are reborn next as humans (versus some other creature).
His newest book, A Sudden Light, deals with family history and legacy. It spans multiple generations of a once-prominent Pacific Northwest lumber family, and features a house that may or may not be alive.

Filed Under: EWU Tagged With: EWU book festival, EWU literary festival, Garth Stein, Get Lit Spokane, Get Lit!, Get Lit! EWU

EWU Promises EPIC Adventures

04/19/2016 by Nick Thomas Leave a Comment

“Hanging out around a campsite is a natural way to socialize and meet people.” – Brent Goodson

When you walk up to the EPIC climbing wall most mornings, you will see a group of students learning the ropes, usually there is a actual class. But any student can climb, starting with bouldering, which requires no ropes. Simply walk up, sign a waiver, watch a short safety video, and pick a route on the short wall design to challenge you without being dangerous.

EWU students take EPIC adventure to hotsprings (Austin Marvel photo, Instagram @austinmarvels)
EWU students take EPIC adventure to hotsprings (Austin Marvel photo, Instagram @austinmarvels)

EWU EPIC Adventures offers way more than a climbing wall. It’s a way to experience pretty much all of the Northwest, have fun, and make new friends. If you’ve never been camping before, jump aboard one of EPIC’s year-round adventures.

They get a lot of students brand new to outdoor recreation. Especially for weekend trips like to hot springs, or dog sledding. Ice-climbing is a popular trip, too.

FlowerLapse-54
EPIC Climbing at Leavenworth (Photo courtesy Austin Marvel. Instagram @austinmarvels)

Bernt Goodson, a senior Environmental Science/Geology major, started going on EPIC trips his freshman year, now this is his third year leading them. He says EPIC is perfect for freshmen college students. And it brings together students from different cultural backgrounds and experience levels.  “International students love our weekend trips; they often come as a group. We have a ton of fun.”

Upcoming trips include Methow Valley and Wenatchee Raft and Climb trips. Bouldering and climbing day trips trips are coming up to McLellen and Minnehaha, close to Spokane. On the Spokane River, rafting, kayaking and even river surfing is popular.

Service Learning trips involve giving back. EWU Climbing Club recently returned from a Service Learning trip to Dry Falls, an ancient dried up waterfall 2 hours east of EWU. They hiked around the vast canyon, picked up litter, and checked climbing holds for safety.

As Goodson says, “just try it out!”

Click here to view the 2016 EPIC trip schedule.

Filed Under: EWU Tagged With: climbing college, epic adventure, epic adventures, ewu climbing, ewu climbing club, ewu climbing wall, ewu epic, ewu hiking, ewu outdoors, EWU outdoors clubs, ewu rafting, outdoors adventure, schools with outdoor clubs

Pinball Hackers

04/12/2016 by Nick Thomas Leave a Comment

EWU Computer Science students hack vintage pinball machine, win bonus points.

Each Fall quarter, energetic Computer Science professor Paul Schimpf shares his love for old pinball games in a course entitled “Embedded Real-Time Control,” aka “Pinball Class.”

Using a colorful “early digital” pinball machine called Mata Hara ( from 1978!), STEM students learn the basics of programming software and build skills in hacking retro games, “real-time control,” skills they can extend to other projects and products.

Prof. Paul Schimpf reveals CPU of EWU retro pinball machine
Prof. Schimpf explains EWU students’ modified retro pinball machine (Nick Thomas photo)

Students plug in laptops to update the CPU with their custom code. When the ball rolls around, switches are thrown; they figure out how the machine works on their own. They use the coin and credit buttons to scroll the playfield lamps, then create digital maps of how the game responds.

“The ‘80’s pinball games actually present the biggest challenges,” he says. “They have limited capabilities. For instance, it puts out only 190 volts, which is only enough to light up one digit at a time. Students write code that makes the numbers light up so fast it tricks the eye into thinking its seeing a full display.”if you take a photo, you will only see one digit.”

They also control game logic like scoring and Bonus Points. They trigger updated sound and music via the SD card slot and ATTiny microcontroller. Schimpf also upgraded the CPU. “I took out the original CPU and put in an Arduino Mega 2560,” which he says is easier to modify.

Pinball Class presents challenges they aren’t used to with modern computer games. The many software tasks, from the solenoid-fired bumpers to controlling the lights, make Pinball Class a popular class at EWU Computer Science. Schimpf hopes to increase the number of machines they use.

The professor has a bigger idea he’s toying with: he hopes to collaborate with the VCD Students (Visual Communication Design) to create an EWU branded game. “EWU Football,” he says, his eyes growing wide with excitement. “We could have the red-turf field.” They could sell the game to alumni and fund more student-made games like the pinball machine.

Click here to explore STEM programs and careers.

 

Filed Under: EWU Tagged With: arduino, computer science, cool games, embedded real-time, EWU, ewu computer science, ewu cs, EWU STEM, paul schimpf, pinball hacking, programming, real-time, retro pinball, STEM, vintage pinball

Primary Sidebar

Take Your Next Steps

  • Apply for Admission
  • Request information

Recent Posts

  • Creative works at the student symposium
  • Career Classes at EWU: How to Find Your Major
  • Killer Crime: Get Lit! hosts crime writing panel
  • Comic Creations: comic artists talk at Get Lit!
  • When to negotiate your salary (every time you get a job)
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Archives

  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • March 2015
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • February 2014
  • November 2013
  • April 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • September 2012
  • July 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • April 2011
  • December 2010
  • August 2010

Categories

  • Academics
  • Admissions
  • College Fit
  • Community
  • EWU
  • International
  • Location
  • STEM
  • Student Life
  • Tuition & Financial Aid
Eastern Washington University
509.359.6200 • Contact Information
EWU expands opportunities for personal transformation through excellence in learning.
  • About EWU
  • Accessibility
  • Campus Map
  • Visit EWU
  • Diversity
  • InsideEWU
  • EWU Libraries
  • Jobs
  • Campus Locations
  • Canvas
  • Leadership
  • EWU Foundation
  • Privacy Policy
  • Rules Docket

© 2022 Eastern Washington University