Camarillo, Calif., Nov. 22, 2010 — The CSU Channel Islands (CI) Business & Technology Partnership (B&TP) will host its eighth-annual Holiday Mixer on Thursday, Dec. 2 in Aliso Hall at the University. The event will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. that will feature a Sheriff’s Bomb Squad Robotics demonstration.
A presentation entitled, ‘Commercial Unmanned Systems Today” will begin at 6:30 p.m. with keynote speaker Matthew South, a Senior Test and Evaluation Engineer for Unmanned Systems for the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division located at Naval Base Ventura County/Point Mugu. South has spent over 25 years working with both lethal and non-lethal target and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programs and has contributed to the development of the Navy's Pioneer system, Medium Range system, Fire Scout system and Predator/Reaper systems. As a flight test engineer he has evaluated unmanned systems at the nation’s major range and test facilities.
South currently works with the Navy, Air Force, Army, US Coast Guard, NASA and NOAA on test and evaluation efforts related to unmanned systems. He is the president of the recently established Channel Islands Chapter of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and serves as chair of the Unmanned Systems panel of the Technical Cooperation Program, an international organization that collaborates in defense scientific and technical information exchange.
South earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and earned a Master of Science degree in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.
Event sponsors include Airborne Technologies, Cantara Cellars, Ocean Law, Pacific Coast Business Times, and the Ventura County Star. Tickets are $35 for B&TP members and $50 for non-members. Parking will be complimentary for those who have made reservations.
Reservations are required for the event and can be made by contacting Kim Bluitt, Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations at CSU Channel Islands at 805-437-8919 or kim.bluitt@csuci.edu.
# # #
CSU Channel Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
CI Mission Statement
Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.
# # #
About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.