Weekly Workflow is a special edition of Bits & Bytes that will serve as a Monday check-in message to help CSE students stay connected to the department during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will include announcements, resources, tips, and messages from our department chair.
We continue to encourage everyone to visit our CSE COVID-19 web page for regular updates and additional resources.
MarchingOrder deadline extended to April 24
The university has partnered with online vendor MarchingOrder to allow graduates to personalize a graduation slide with their name, degree, college, distinctions, a personal message and photo. The slides are available to all undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students earning a degree in May.
All graduating students have received an email in their @huskers.unl.edu account with a link to create a free MarchingOrder account. Customized slides must be completed by April 24. The slides will become available to students on May 9, the day of commencement.
Nebraska is planning a digital commencement ceremony beginning at 9 a.m. May 9. Learn more about the upcoming ceremony.
Review Pass/No Pass policy
The university has expanded its Pass/No Pass policy for the semester. If you have questions, review this list of FAQs from the university and our advising team,
The CSE Advising Team is here to help, but please review the FAQ first!
Professional tip:
We are now into our fourth week of remote learning. We’ve heard that the days are running together and managing time, assignments, and/or projects seem more difficult than before even though we may have less restrictions on our time.
Now is the time to reassess: Are you managing your time to successfully finish the semester? Are you taking care of yourself?
People who accomplish a great deal, without exception do two things:
• They place a high value on their time.
• They have a system for scheduling and managing their time.
Here are a few time management reminders/tips:
• Develop a calendar of important dates as we move toward the end of the semester.
— Tests, papers, projects, readings, exams, etc.
— Be sure to review the most current syllabi posted by your instructors.
— Check your Husker email for information.
• Enter important dates for your social and family life.
— Celebrate birthdays or plan to hang out with friends and/or family (safely distanced, of course).
• Each week develop a weekly schedule that includes upcoming due dates (we suggest Sundays, so you can look forward into the week).
— List your must do commitments: classes, labs, work, meals, and sleep.
— Next build in study time. Be specific, write down when you will study and what you will study during the designated time frame.
— Be aware of where might be your biggest time wasters?
— Post this schedule in your study area for referral and review, and to mark your progress.
• Each evening develop/review your schedule to help you organize the next day.
— From your weekly schedule, develop your daily list.
— Be specific with what you will study/review and when you will do it. Block specific times for specific work.
— Build in breaks and time for a little physical activity.
— Remember that we all need mind/body time.
• Review each day's schedule that morning, mark the top 3 things you will accomplish that day.
— The greatest satisfaction can come from crossing things off your to-do list!
Stay well and manage your time!
A message from our vice chair:
One bright spot of working from home is that I'm always a few steps away from my coffee machine. Many of us need caffeine to survive our daily grind, and I'm here to tell you, coffee lovers, that brewing a cup of gourmet coffee at home doesn't have to be expensive (much cheaper than putting down $4 for a cup of latte from the big coffee houses). I like to grind my beans, and my favorite beans for the moment is Cameron's Velvet Moon (available for $5 a pound at the big wholesaler in SW Lincoln). It is smooth, well-balanced, and has a strong hint of chocolate. If you use a French press to brew, keep the temperature around 198-degree Fahrenheit, and you get rich flavor without bitterness or sourness. Note that the water temperature can significantly affect the taste of your coffee—too hot can taste bitter and too cold can taste sour. Velvet Moon also makes excellent espresso shots.
For those who like milk-based coffee beverages, you need a frother. There are several good ones out there. I used to love the Aerocino from Nespresso (before I invested in an espresso machine). Make sure your milk is fresh and ice-cold, and you get good foam every time. If you have an espresso machine with a steam wan, you can make a fantastic latte or cappuccino for less than a dollar a cup. Here is my favorite recipe for a latte.
1. Finely grind 14 grams of whole coffee beans in your double-shot portafilter.
2. Use a 10 oz coffee cup. Brew for about 20 seconds from the first drip at the rate that produces about 2 oz of espresso. Adjust the grind size (finer to slow down or coarser to speed up the brewing rate) until you can achieve 2 oz of espresso in 20 seconds.
3. Steam your ice-cold milk (about 6 oz). You should get about 8 oz of milk afterward.
4. Tilt your cup about 45 degrees and pour milk into the center of the coffee. Gradually turn your cup toward 0 degrees as you pour. It's fun to experiment with some latte art designs. However, don't drink all your failed attempts; otherwise, you never go to bed.
If you like to sweeten your coffee, honey goes very well with a latte. Stir some honey (e.g., one teaspoon) with your espresso before you pour the milk. Here is a short video of this recipe in action.
—Witty Srisa-an
Department Vice Chair