I made a short video explaining how and why you should use HDR when photographing landscapes. Enjoy!
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I am thrilled to be a returning member of Portland Audubon's fundraising team! Within the first 24 hours, I've almost reached the goal set by Audubon, and I have two months left to go!  Perseverance has landed safely! Most of you know that my brother Scott and I both worked at NASA, and most of you know that I did have the honor of designing a circuit board for the lander program. So this is a very proud moment for me. Exploring space is exciting, but what many people do not understand is how the Mars and Lunar missions affect all of us. Many of our everyday and life-saving objects either arose from the space program or greatly improved because of it: camera phones, personal computers, the computer mouse, firefighting equipment, workout machines, solar cells, water filtration systems, Velcro, insulin pumps, scratch-resistant lenses, artificial limbs, air purifiers, and so much more. You can thank my brother's programming genius for your daily weather forecast. He worked on the latest GOES satellite (a joint venture between NASA and NOAA) which is exceptionally accurate and generates volumes of data. If the forecast isn't always accurate in your area, I guarantee it's not due to a lack of data. I worked on a different team, developing next-generation sensors, specialized computers, and algorithms which not only assist the rovers and probes in space, but they will also be instrumental in developing the next generation of everyday machines and vehicles. The system can detect objects, characterize their shape, calculate the relative distance and velocity, and determine its own motion relative to the ground or other objects, including speed, pitch, roll, and altitude. And this all happens at a rate that is 300% faster and more accurate than any comparable systems on the market. Space exploration is not just about space. It is exceptionally important to every person's life. The jobs, products, and industries that the space program helps create impact nearly every aspect of your life, from the food supply to the device you're using right now to read this. NASA's value is truly immeasurable. And yes, I took my R2-D2 to work with me, and he got to meet several of the directorates.  It may seem strange, but I was really happy to go into the office this week. Don't get me wrong - there are advantages to working from home, such as cooking lunch from scratch or avoiding rush-hour traffic. But I have missed looking my coworkers in the eye and exchanging ideas and pleasantries in person. Those exchanges form a stronger bond with the people and the place. This is especially true at Intel since we have an environment that is more like family than just a place to work. We genuinely enjoy each other's company! I'm looking forward to the day when COVID-19 is under control. I miss those all-important interpersonal connections, and I miss seeing the smiles of my coworkers!  This was a fun project! It's an LED Christmas tree that plays music from a micro SD Card. There's also a headphone jack so you can listen to carols without disturbing anyone around you. Enjoy! I made a "river table" for my brother for Christmas. This is how I did it. I created a face mask that either smiles or frowns, depending on your mood, with just a click of a button! A little off topic, but even an engineer has to eat, and what could be better than homemade pizza?  It's funny how blocks and bricks can lead to boards! Many of my childhood toys are now forgotten, but I still have my beloved wooden blocks and Lego bricks. They allowed me to dream big and build anything I could imagine, from spaceships to entire planets. From there, it was a natural progression to imagining and building unique circuit boards, R2-D2, and supercomputers (Beowulf). I'm happy to be celebrating National Engineers Week, but when you love what you do, every day is a cause for celebration!
 There’s nothing more rewarding than helping the next generation get excited about the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). Over the weekend, I was honored to teach at the BeWISE STEM Camp for girls near Columbus, Ohio. We talked about electrical engineering and computer programming, and we engaged in some fun hands-on activities to demonstrate the concepts. All of the girls were enthusiastic and eager to learn, and I am very excited to see what their incredibly bright futures will bring!
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AuthorAlexandra Forsythe Archives
November 2022
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