Change Has Come To Tech Tonic

LEGO robots prepare for war.

Issue 42, Winter 2009

by Kevin Dixey

Above, below: Students and faculty
alike enjoy TechTonic 2008

Tech Tonic 2009 is set to debut March 6 in the newly opened Academic Instructional Center (AIC) at Western Washington University. Tech Tonic is a showcase for technology related projects generated by the students and staff of Western. Hosted by the Student Technology Center, Tech Tonic is also committed to presenting the academic uses of technology as well as the partnerships that develop between students, faculty and staff with the providers of technological goods and services.

This year Tech Tonic will be looking toward a more academically focused event, making the AIC a natural choice of venue as it is a wonderful example of the integration of technology and academic excellence in a university setting. Tech Tonic will occupy two floors of the AIC and will be making several of the state-of-the-art labs and classrooms available for presentations and demonstrations.

Each of the past two years Tech Tonic has filled the Viking Union Multi-Purpose Room with a variety of booths, tables and demos highlighting the diversity of the Western experience as it relates to technology. The highlights of Tech Tonic 2008 ranged from live performances by the dance department, displays of cutting edge vehicles from the VRI, a memorable showdown between students playing Guitar Hero and some old school technology in the form of a vintage Theramin provided by the Museum of Radio and Electricity. The day ended with an astounding session of LEGO robot wars brought to us by a WWU robotics class. As always, Tech Tonic showcased some of Western's best and brightest in an atmosphere of fun and learning.

As planning began for the 2009 edition of Tech Tonic we started to look at what changes we might make in order to better serve the Western technology community. One of the first decisions was to move Tech Tonic toward a more academic orientation. The involvement of vendors has always been a welcome addition to Tech Tonic. The tools they provide allow Western students to enter the workplace with valuable skills that can often be the difference in a competitive job market. Technology can enable the creative mind to achieve great things but the tool should never be more important than the work being done.

For the 2009 edition of Tech Tonic the emphasis is on the outcomes of projects created by our students, faculty and staff while asking our technology partners display their products in areas where they can demonstrate how their tools enable Western groups to do great things. This puts the tools of technology in the proper perspective with regard to students, faculty and staff.

Please join us March 6, 2009 from 10am - 3pm in a celebration of ideas and technology in the newest crown jewel of Western's campus, the Academic Instructional Center. In these troubled economic times education stands as a light in the darkness, so come see some of what Western Washington University is doing to be part of the change.

Ernie Colantonio demonstrates Second Life at Tech Tonic 2008.

We are currently accepting requests for space at Tech Tonic 2009. Tables and booths are available to all students, faculty and staff that have a technology related project they would like to show. If you are interested in being part of Tech Tonic 2009 or just have a question about whether your project is technology-related,” please contact Kevin Dixey at 650-7222, e-mail kevin.dixey@wwu.edu or stcevents@wwu.edu. Help us make Tech Tonic 2009 the most memorable event yet.

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